《Naruto: The Wind Calamity》


 Chapter 0.1: Basic Information

    Official Rankings


    1. Academy trainee


    2. Genin


    3. Chunin


    4. Elite Chunin


    5. Special Jounin


    6. Jounin


    7. Elite Jounin


    8. Kage


    Anbu : Anbu have no fixed rank. They can be anything from a Chunnin (elites among Chunnin) to an Elite Jounin.


    Elite Chunin : Not a canon rank. Will be given to elites among chunins in this fanfic.


    Special Jounins : They are Elite Chunins that have one skill at Jounin level.


    Jutsu ranking levels :


    Rank E - Academy level


    Rank D - Genin level


    Rank C, B - Chunin level


    Rank A - Jounin level


    Rank S - Elite Jounin level

 Chapter 0.2: Synopsis

    The MC transmigrates into Narutoverse in the body of a civilian orphan. Luckily for him, the transmigration results in chakra being unlocked. Follow the story of the MC as he grows in power and stabilizes himself into the world of ninjas and trains to be the strongest.


    Warning :


    1. The MC won''t be op for a long time. All his power would be gained via hard work and training over years (so if u want an op mc right from the word go, this one ain''t for you)


    2. No harem (probably no romance either)


    3. There will be a lot of killing (maybe gore too, not sure if I can do gore right though)


    4. The story will start slow. Quite a few of initial chapters will be around training, orphanage and academy life, instead of directly bing a Genin.


    5. MC is a careful person, he won''t put his life at risk unless there is no other choice.


    6. I haven''t read (nor will be reading) Baruto. So Baruto plotline won''t be considered much in here.


    What to expect :


    1. Smart and consistent MC


    2. Lots of training


    3. MC manipting the plot to his advantage


    4. A lot of original arcs.


    5. Plot will mostly stay the same (at least till Shippuden), but I won''t repeat any scenes/dialogues that took ce in the manga (as I''m assuming you''ve already read it).


    Disimer : I don''t own Naruto or it''s characters (except the original characters I create)


    PS : It''s my first fanfic, I''m hoping it turns out good. All reviews and constructive criticisms are wee. Grammar and English should be fine, but I''m not sure how good the dialogues and scenarios will be. Hopefully I''ll improve as this fanfic progresses forward..

 Chapter 0.3: Original Character List

    WARNING : Don''t read this if you haven''t read the whole fanfic yet (This is for readers who have caught up with thetest chapter and might have difficulties in recalling an Original Character)


    Suzuki Fujin - Main Character


    Orphanage :


    Sakai Eichi - Orphanage friend


    Aoki Daisuke - Orphanage friend


    Naomi - Orphan at orphange


    Tatsuya - Orphan at orphange


    Saya - Orphanage caretaker


    Momonosuke - Orphanage caretaker


    Academy :


    Nara Kisho - Academy Entrance Exam supervisor, Special Jounin


    Doi Masashi - Academy teacher, Chuunin


    Hyuga Hachiro - 2nd phase examiner, Chuunin


    Adachi Genki - ss teacher, Chuunin


    Nakaya Michi - Swordsman teacher, Chuunin


    Kurama Illumi - Jounin


    Uchiha Yori - ssmate


    Senju Teru - ssmate


    Hyuga Hana - ssmate


    Shimura Nobu - ssmate


    Hyuga Hoka - ssmate


    Aoki Nora - civilian ssmate


    Hatake Rei - One year senior


    Uchiha Mieko - one year junior


    Others :


    Yamanaka Shin - Taught Fujin sensor rted techniques, Special Jounin


    Jounin Sensei :


    Senju Renjiro - Elite Jounin


    Mission - Land of Tea :(Ch 68-75)


    Wasabi Daichi - Finance manager of Wasabi family


    Iha Toshio - Merchant


    Wagarashi Tomio - Jounin from Wagarashi family


    Tamanaha Norio - Rouge Jounin. Was hired by Wagarashi family.


    Masato - Tomio''s right hand. An Elite Chunin


    Genin Exam : (Ch 76-102)


    Nara Minori - Genin


    Yamanaka Kaoru - Genin


    Akimichi Yutaka - Genin


    Sakai Yumi - Genin from Kirigakure


    Matsushita Satoru - Genin from Kiri


    Kido Kohaku - Genin from Kiri


    Satsuma Rentaro - Genin from Kiri


    Yuki Shin - Genin from Kiri


    Shiro Sora - Genin from Kiri


    Toshiyuki - Chunin Instructor during Chunin exam


    Mission - 1st Official Rank A mission (Ch 113-141)


    Akimichi Seiichi - Special Jounin.


    Inuzuka Hotaka - Chunin in Patrol team


    Karatachi Kazuki - Jounin from Mizukage faction


    Matsuzaki Masa - Elite Chunin from Mizukage faction


    Ona Danjuro - Chunin from Mizukage faction


    Ishimaru Hoshi - Chunin from Mizukage faction


    Mimasuya Doi - Chunin from Mizukage faction


    Mimasuya Junji - Jounin from Mizukage faction


    Sakai Chou - Jounin (Yumi''s aunt) from Kiri rebel faction


    Mino Masuyo - Special Jounin (sensor) from Kiri rebel faction


    Kenkyusha Shunji - Chunin from Kiri rebel faction


    Terumi Honzo - Chunin from Kiri rebel faction


    Takeshita Tokuhei - Jounin from Yugakure


    Takeshita Shunso - Chunin from Yugakure


    Seo Shusaku - Chunin from Yugakure


    Etsuko Nakamura - Chunin from Yugakure


    Kubota Mitsuzuka - Jounin Rogue ninja


    Fumimaro - Jounin, Sensor rogue ninja


    Arihyoshi Juichi - Jounin rogue ninja


    Ueda Ryu - Elite Chunin rogue ninja


    Nakane Motoyuki - Elite Chunin rogue ninja


    Imamura Seitaro - Chunin rogue ninja


    Saga Shoraku - Chunin rogue ninja


    House building : (Ch 144)


    Eiji - Old Man who runs a construction shop.


    1st mission : (Ch 146)


    Kimiyama Yasuoka - Genin


    Obake Kaneie - Genin


    Endo Tadao - Genin


    1st Chunin squad : (Ch 150)


    Sarutobi Tamotsu - Elite Chunin


    Hatake Ryota - Chunin


    Inuzuka Tadashi - Chunin


    Aburame Katsumi - Chunin


    Kenta - Tadashi''s dog


    Academy - Daisuke''a ss (Ch 162)


    Anzai Buncho - Orphan


    Handa Bunjiro - Orphan


    Iriye Ryoma - Orphan


    Rank B missions : (Ch 164)


    Akera Sotan - Jounin from Land of Noodles


    Konda Kunio - Uncle of Daimyo of Land of Frost


    Saigo Rikyu - Rogue chunin, formerly from Kumo


    Nishio Korenaga - Rogue Jounin, formerly from Kumo.


    Fumihiko Mokuami - Rogue Special Jounin, formerly from Kiri. Seal Master.


    Rani A mission with Uchiha : (Ch 168)


    Uchiha Akihiko - Elite Jounin


    Uchiha Tienosuke - Jounin


    Uchiha Shunko - Chunin


    Uchiha Masaru - Jounin


    Uchiha Sora - Jounin


    Uchiha Haru - Jounin


    Uchiha Genji - Jounin


    Hiroshi - Leader of Kusagakure


    Kaito - A official in Tsumagoi vige


    Jashin Followers :


    Zankoku - Grand Priest


    Datsuron - Jounin


    Yasuhiro - Jounin


    Isamu - Jounin


    Matsushita Yusuke - Noble from Land of Hot Water


    Kumogakure :


    Hari - Advisor


    Inazuma - Old advisor to the 3rd Raikage.


    Anbu Squad Captain - Akimichi Tsuyoshi (Ch 235)

 Chapter 1: Transmigration

    Konoha :  In the most famous building in Konoha, an old man, smoking with a smoking pipe, was staring out of the window. Behind him, a table full of papers, which needed his signature. Hiruzen Sarutobi, however, continued to stare out of the window at the 4th Hokage''s monument.


    Today was exactly a year, since Konoha had to face Nine Tails assault. Hiruzen finally let out a sigh. Konoha suffered the most losses of any vige in the 3rd great ninja war due to having to fight every vige.


    And merely a yearter, they had to face another assault which not only killed the 4th Hokage, but also a lot of their ninjas and civilians. This not only increased the burden on him and existing ninjas, but also caused Konoha''s orphanage to be overpopted. Hiruzen sighed again, finally starting his day by getting that damned paperwork done.


    In one such orphanage, Suzuki Fujin, a 5 year old orphan, was sound asleep. Suddenly however, he got up, screaming in pain while holding his head and falling unconscious. The scream woke up his fellow orphans, who alerted the caretaker.


    A few hourster, Suzuki Fujin woke up, but still under intense headache, thinking ''Damn what the heck''s up with this headache! While I did stay uptest night working on that project, I haven''t ever suffered such a headache. And it feels like memory is all jumbled up''.


    Slowly he opened his eyes and looked around. Frowning upon noticing the unfamiliar surrounding, ''what is this? Where am I?


    This ain''t my room''. He tried getting up, but suddenly noticed, "Why am I so much smaller? Did I somehow return to the past?" However, his thoughts were broken by 2 kids walking into the room.


    They suddenly ran towards him and one asked "Fujin, are you alright?" Whereas the other one asked "Why did you yell?" Fujin saw them two, thinking ''Who are these two? Wait I think I know them. But how?


    Damn this headache is unbearable. And I need to get my thoughts sorted out somehow.'' With that, Fujin pretended to fall unconscious again, trying to make some sense out of the situation. The 2 kids however got worried and ran back to the caretaker.


    While he pretended to be asleep, he started to gain ess to new memories. Memories of Suzuki Fujin. It took five hours of gaining rity, an insufferable headache and disbelief for him to understand, ''Fuck!


    I transmigrated! And into the fucking Naruto world of all ces! But how?


    I don''t even remember dying. Don''t you need to die in order to transmigrate? And damn, transmigrated from that safe world with rules and regtions into this deadly world full of cunning and powerful ninjas.


    And I got transmigrated into a fucking civilian off all people!''  After a few minutes of disbelief and ranting, he finally calmed down and decided to understand and n his future. He thought, ''Alright, I guess I''ll be known as Suzuki Fujin from now on. Unlucky fellow to lose his life by someone transmigrating into him.


    I wonder how that even works! Anyways, I got a lot of information from his memories. His parents seemed to have died in Kurama''s rampage and he was incredibly lucky to live.


    And damn, after being admitted into the orphanage, he was examined by Root to see if he can be taken in. Lucky me that they didn''t choose him. Hmm, since Kurama''s attack took ce an year ago, and since he is 5 years old, it seems I''m 4 years older than Naruto and his generation.


    Alright, that gives me more time to train and gain power. The Uchiha massacre should ur after around 7 years, Konoha crush after 12 years and Pain''s attack and 4th great ninja war after 16 years. Wait, what''s this feeling?'' At that moment, he felt a weird energy flowing through him.


    He thought, ''Is this chakra? His memories didn''t have anything rted to chakra. So does it mean that chakra was unlocked when I transmigrated into him?


    Finally some good news. With this, getting into the ninja academy should be easier than other civilians. Though I wonder how does my chakra levelpare to chakra level of others.


    Anyways, probably better to get a look at the surroundings first to understand more of this ce.'' With that, he finally stopped pretending to be asleep and woke up.

 Chapter 2: Orphanage

    After getting up, he could see that it was already evening. The clock showed that it was 6:30 pm. He also noticed that he was incredibly hungry. He thought, ''I haven''t eaten anything all day, no wonder I''m so hungry. I need to grab something to eat. I also need to act as a kid. I hope no one notices any changes in me'' He walked to the door and heard a couple of noises outside. On opening it, he saw those 2 kids ying with each other. He recalled that their names were Sakai Eichi and Aoki Daisuke. Both were good friends with Fujin and also shared the room. Eichi had lost his parents in the Kurama assault too, whereas Daisuke had lost his during the 3rd great ninja war. Looking at Fujin, their faces showed concern and quickly ran to him. Daisuke asked, "Fujin, what happened, are you fine now?" Nodding his head, Fujin confirmed, "Yeah, I''m fine now. Sorry about before. Had a terrible headache." Eichi said, "Oh, that''s a relief. We were worried about you." Right at that moment, a growling sound was heard, and all 3 kids looked towards Fujin''s stomach. Fujin looked embarrassed and said while rubbing the back of his head, "Guess I''m very hungry" and Eichi remarked, "Figures, you''ve been sleeping all day". Daisuke then put his arm around Fujin and said, "Well let''s go to the mess and see if there''s anything there."


    All three kids started to make their way to the mess. On the way, quite a few kids gave Fujin a curious look. A couple of them also asked how he is doing now. Fujin analyzed, ''I guess they all heard about me screaming and falling unconscious''. Fujin recalled from his memories that there are over 250 orphans in this orphanage. Fujin wondered ''I wonder if Naruto is in this orphanage too''. On reaching the mess, we saw the caretaker. Her name was Saya. She was a middle-aged woman, and also very friendly. Upon seeing Fujin she quickly approached him and inquired about his health. Upon hearing that he was alright, she felt relieved. She informed Fujin, "We were very worried about you. We called a doctor to check on you. But he didn''t understand what was wrong with you, I''m d you are fine, but you still have to get checked up once again." Fujin nodded and replied, "Thank You. But right now I am very hungry, is there anything I could eat?" She nodded, and replied, "Yes, the dinner has been prepared. Though there''s still some time for dinner to be arranged for everyone, I''ll arrange the food for you". Then Saya prepared a te for Fujin, while Daisuke and Eichi went away to y.


    Fujin started to eat thinking, "The food''s okay. Not very tasty, but it''s alright considering that it is an orphanage. It seems that we are given 3 meals here - morning breakfast, lunch and dinner. Also lots of fruits are avable to eat. Sadly meat isn''t provided here. Still though, nutrition provided here should be alright. So I could probably get some training done without having to worry about food. Anyways, I should fill myself up". After finishing the food, Fujin retired to his room.


    Falling back into his bed he started thinking, ''Well what a day. Though it''s rather tough to act as a kid, luckily no one noticed any difference in me. It''s good that there aren''t any ninjas in the orphanage. Guess I need to think what to do now. Now that I''m here, I don''t wanna be a no-name cannon fodder. And my knowledge about future events also gives me a great edge. So how exactly should I proceed forward?'' With that Fujin started to think about all the possibilities for him and what all he should do.


    Upon analysing for half an hour, he finally came to the conclusion, ''Alright, though I know the future events, without having enough power, all that knowledge is worthless. Not to mention, there''s no guarantee that things will progress exactly as it did in the manga. It had too many plotholes anyways. And providing someone else with this information is a strict no. They''ll just throw me to T&I department or in an even worse case to Danzo! It will also change all future events depriving me of my advantage. So I suppose nning for the future events can be left to the future, and will depend on how much power I have then. Right now the main focus should be on improving my own power. So how to go about it¡­


    Well for now, normal jutsus are out of the question. Normal civilians don''t get ess to jutsus, so jutsus could only be taken from the academy. And I can only attempt to join the ninja academy next year. Even though I know about many jutsus and know what they can do, I don''t really remember the hand signs for them. The only jutsu who''s hand signs I remember is the shadow clone technique. Sadly it''s a Jounin level technique and dangerous enough to be ssified as forbidden. Not to mention, knowing those hand signs itself won''t be enough. I guess the hand signs made the chakra move in a particr manner or disy some properties which allow those jutsus to bepleted. Until I gain that knowledge, attempting hand signs would be rather pointless. That said, I could try jutsus and training that don''t require hand signs. Rasengan, elements and chakra control can be trained. Since I have unlocked my chakra, chakra control exercises would be crucial to do. Only issue is that I don''t want anyone else to watch me doing them. I guess I can try to do Leaf concentration over the next year. Tree climbing could attract a lot of attention. And with a vige full of ninjas, it''s impossible to ensure full privacy. Luckily, the first and second stages of Rasengan training can be done in privacy, so can the first stage of elemental training.


    Apart from that, I should try to improve my body. Heck, this is probably the most critical. While my physical condition ain''t bad, It''s not very good either. So I should start with light exercise to build up stamina and power. I wonder if I could do something simr to Master Roshi''s training, and it would be incredibly helpful if I can catch Guy''s attention. Oh well, let''s see what happens tomorrow. Hopefully at least this headache will be gone by tomorrow''. With that, Fujin finally went back to sleep.

 Chapter 3: And the Training begins...

    On waking up the next morning, Fujin looked out of the window, to notice that the sky was still dark. He thought, ''Whoa, I woke up really early. Seems like it''s just 5 am yet. Oh well, I basically slept the whole day yesterday, little wonder I woke up so soon. Anyways, I suppose I''ll have to make a habit of it if I really intend to get strong. On the plus side, the damned headache has finally gone away!''


    He got out of his bed, to notice that Eichi and Daisuke are still fast asleep. Not expecting little kids to wake up anytime soon, he freshened up and got out of his room. He then walked out of the orphanage building. The orphanage had a decent size yground for the kids towards the north side. Whereas, on the east and south sides it had a lot of trees which looked sort of like a mini forest. It seems that Konoha has a lot of such mini-forests throughout the vige. And many such areas were used as training grounds for ninjas. Luckily or unluckily, there wasn''t any such training ground in the vicinity of the orphanage. The western side had residential areas, and had a market a few hundred meters away. Fujin thought, ''The forest could potentially provide me some cover and privacy. While it''s probably not the best ce, it does provide me with an option to do some secret training. Other than that, I''d also need to see if and when I could have my orphanage room all to myself. Anyways, I suppose I should start with some warm up and see how much this body can be pushed.''


    Finally ending his train of thoughts, Fujin started to stretch his body in order to loosen up the muscles. After around 10 minutes of stretching, he started to run around the yground. In his estimate, the circumference of the yground was around a hundred metres. He was able toplete the initial few rounds with ease, but soon started getting tired. After pushing himself to the limit, he was able toplete 28 rounds around the yground. Taking deep breaths, he thought, ''Wow, I ran nearly 3 kilometres! There''s no way I could have ran even a kilometre at 5 years old in my previous life. And I don''t recall this guy doing any exercises before I took over his body. I wonder if it''s due to the bodies of the people in this world being much stronger, or if me unlocking Chakra made the body stronger somehow. I''m guessing it''s the former as I just unlocked Chakra yesterday. Alright, I''ll take a short break and get back to it.''


    After taking a short 5 mins break, he continued his exercise by doing push ups. He managed to do 2 sets of push ups, each with 12 reps. It was followed by sit ups, for which he could do 4 sets of 15rep. Next he did squats and managed to do 3 sets of 12 reps. Andstly, he did pull ups, of which he could only do 8 reps barely. This exercise did push him a lot, but he didn''t push them to the limit as it''d have been detrimental to push the body to its limits suddenly.


    Done with the exercise, he returned back to the orphanage, had a bath, and put on new clothes. He returned to the room to see that it was 7:30am, and his roommates were still fast asleep. He thought, ''Interesting, I wonder when they wake up and if the time they wake is consistent. If they wake up only at 8, when breakfast is provided, then it could potentially give me the opportunity to practice leaf concentration early morning without letting anyone know. I should observe them for the next week to confirm it.''


    He sat down in his bed, and took one of the leaves he had brought up whileing back from his morning exercises. Staring at it he thought, ''There are 5 basic natures that can be mastered - Fire, Wind, Lightning, Earth and Water. In order to know my nature affinity, I''ll need that chakra paper, but either way, all 5 natures can be mastered by every ninja. In the 4th great ninja war, Shikamaru had every ninja perform the Earth style - Earth Wall jutsu. This implies that the most basic jutsus of the 5 natures could be used directly without mastering the element like how Naruto did. However it''ll be even better if all 5 natures are mastered, that would allow more powerful jutsus of all those elements to be used. Given how proficient Hiruzen was, I guess he had mastered all the 5 natures. I do wonder what my nature affinity is though, as that element would be much easier to master.


    If I were to choose, my first preference would be lightning. It provides deadly attack, and if I could somehow replicate the way the Raikages used the lightning to boost their speed, power and defense, then I''d easily reach Kage level in strength. The next preference would probably be water. While I ain''t a fan of water nature, Konoha should have the legacy of Tobirama and his water style jutsus. If ess to them is gained, it can allow my power to reach Kage level too. The remaining 3 have their issues. While wind style is very deadly and versatile, there isn''t a single Kage level character who reached that stage thanks to his wind style jutsus. Even those Kazekages weren''t Wind users. The only one I can remember is Danzo, and he was just ridiculous in that fight against Sasuke. Then again, bing the first ninja to be Kage level by using wind style sounds fun. Earth style has good jutsus too and is probably the best nature after lightning, but almost none are used by Konoha ninjas, so getting ess to them will be tough. While for fire style, though fire style had a few jutsus that seem to be very powerful, but it seems that almost all of them are very easy to dodge. The only top tier fire jutsu I remember is Amaterasu, which I sadly can''t use. Only Madara''s majestic me destroyer seemed deadly and could be used by all, but I''m not sure if it''ll be avable with Konoha or not and whether a normal ninja could release that huge me which Madara did. Still I guess I should be open minded as there may be many more jutsus here than was shown in Naruto series.


    Either way, there''s not much of an option right now. Of all the 5 natures, I only know the proper training method for wind nature as it was covered properly. The training for remaining natures will just be a wild guess for me. So probably best to dy their training till academy starts. Until then, I''ll master the wind nature, irrespective of whether it is my affinity or not.'' Fujin then channeled his chakra, and tried to cut the leaf into two.


    The training continued without any sess for half an hour, when a bell rang throughout the orphanage. The bell signified that breakfast was avable. Eichi and Daisuke woke up as soon as the bell rang. Looking at Fujin sitting on the bed, Daisuke said, "Morning, you woke up early?". Fujin replied, "Morning, I had slept too early, probably that''s why." Eichi then said, "Good morning, it''s nice to see you ain''t screaming today." Following which, both Daisuke and Eichiughed at Fujin''s expense. Fujin showed an embarrassed expression and replied, "Yeah whatever, I''ll head down for breakfast. Make sure you two sleepyheadse down before it''s all over." On hearing this, both Eichi and Daisuke ran to grab their toothbrush.


    Over the next week, the same pattern followed. Fujin woke up early, did morning exercises, and noticed his two roommates seem to only wake up when the bell rang. And whenever he had the opportunity, he tried to cut the leaf. He also added practicing punching and kicking in his morning exercises. He noticed that Eichi and Daisuke were mostly out ying with everyone else. So the room was empty most of the time. This was especially true after morning breakfast (around 10am-noon) and a few hours before dinner (around 4-6pm).


    With that information, he finally started practicing the leaf concentration exercise in order to improve his chakra control in that period. Here, a leaf was ced on the forehead, and all his chakra is directed onto the leaf, using it as the focal point. Along with improving chakra control, it also aided in improving concentration. Fujin recalled Naruto remembering its importance while mastering Rasengan. Fujin not participating in ying with other kids was suspicious, but thanks to the fact that the orphanage was already overcrowded, no one paid much attention to him. The screaming and falling unconscious event was long forgotten. Only his 2 friends were upset that he didn''t y with them much any longer. In order to prevent any more suspicion on him, while doing the leaf concentration exercise, Fujin used to sit on the bed in such a manner that his back faced the door. If anyone abruptly entered the room, he''d instantly stop the exercise and make the leaf isn''t visible to anyone entering the room. Luckily for him, there wasn''t much interference.

 Chapter 4: Progress

    Over the next 6 months, Fujin followed the same routine. His physical fitness, concentration and chakra control steadily growing. He also noticed that it also resulted in a significant increase in his chakra reserves. Sadly with nothing topare, he had no idea how good or bad his chakra reserves were.


    On the physical side, he was able to run almost 50 rounds of the yground now. He was able to do 4 sets of pushups with 12 reps, 5 sets of sit ups with 20 reps, 5 sets of squats with 15 reps and 4 sets of pull-ups with 8 reps. He noted that it was much easier to improve physically here aspared to the previous world.


    When it came to wind nature training, it took him 3 and half months to sessfully cut one leaf, and only after 6 months of nature training, he was finally able to sessfully cut the leaf in one go without any issues. While it did take very long, it was understandable due to quite a few factors like Fujin just having unlocked his chakra, with him not having any shadow clones to assist or a great teacher to guide him. As he couldn''t cut off a waterfall toplete the next stage, he just tried cutting tougher materials to improve wind nature further. He reced the leaf, with a small piece of wooden twig and then branch which were lying around.


    One lucky instance happened in the 5th month he was in this ninja world. An old couple visited the orphanage and distributed a lot of water balloons in the orphanage. Such instances used to happen frequently, Fujin guessed that they probably were people who lost their children in either the war or Kurama assault. But this time it was very beneficial for him. Since he was an orphan and didn''t have any ess to money, it meant that he couldn''t go to the market to buy water balloons to begin rasengan''s training. He took the opportunity to get a few water balloons and hid a few.


    With ess to water balloons, he finally began the stage 1 of the Rasengan training. While chakra shape maniption was tough, recalling the way Naruto popped the balloon, Fujin was able to replicate the way to manipte his chakra to apply pressure everywhere in just a couple of days. However, he wasn''t able to pop the balloon. He thought, ''I guess my chakra reserves are too low. I should be able to pop it if I can use more chakra. Oh well, no point in worrying about it right now. But it''s probably a good idea to keep practicing this as it''ll help improve my skill at shape maniption.''


    A couple of monthster, Fujin became 6 years old and eligible to attempt entering the ninja academy. The entrance exam for the same was still 2 months away. Upon inquiring further about the entrance exam and its contents, he understood that the entrance exam was rather standard. It was mostly centered around the physical fitness of the candidates and they inspected their chakra to decide whether the candidate has the potential to be a ninja or not. Fujin was rather confident in clearing both, so he wasn''t much worried.


    He just continued his usual routine, though he added throwing wooden shurikens to his training routine. In the afternoons, he started to go into the mini-forest, he marked tree stems and tried to hit it urately with wooden shurikens. This was done in case they added shuriken throwing to the entrance exam. Sadly the orphanage didn''t have any shurikens to borrow, and being an orphan meant that Fujin had no money to buy them. So the wooden shurikens were made from small branches of trees in the forest by using wind nature to cut them. The carving of wooden shurikens also helped to increase Chakra control while using wind nature. Still the shurikens weren''t perfect, but that was the only option he had for now.


    Fujin also had another idea, he thought, ''I have all the basics down, so passing the entrance exam shouldn''t be much of an issue. However I wonder if I should start attempting to improve my physical capabilities by aiding them with chakra. I know that chakra could be used to boost speed by concentrating chakra into the legs, simrly the power of punches can be increased by gathering chakra in your fists. I need to experiment on whether I could do more push ups and other exercises if I do them while using Chakra to assist those exercises.''


    With those thoughts, Fujin began his experiment. He noticed a significant rise in speed and power, when using Chakra to perform those activities. However there were many issues. The first being that it was too inefficient and a lot of chakra was being wasted. The second issue being that it required a lot of chakra, something his current reserves couldn''t handle. So Fujin decided to modify his morning exercises. He decided to keep doing what he has been doing so far, but once he was done with it, he repeated his exercise, only this time doing them with the aid of chakra. And this benefited him immensely, increasing his physical capabilities, his ability to use chakra and also noticed a rise in the speed at which his chakra reserves grew.


    He began wondering why his chakra reserves suddenly started growing at a faster rate. Upon analysing, Fujin came to a conclusion, ''I think that it is rising due to the fact that I''ve been exhausting my chakra on a daily basis. Each time I do that, it probably increases my chakra reserves slightly. If my analysis is right, then currently I have 2 means to increase my reserves. The first being to increase it with abination of physical exercise and meditation, and the second method being by exhausting my chakra to its limits over and over. I wonder if there are any other means as well.''

 Chapter 5: Academy Entrance Exam

    Around 2 months after Fujin turned 6, the academy entrance exams were conducted.


    Waking up early, Fujin freshened up, and prepared to leave for the academy. For the first time in 10 months, Fujin hadn''t done his morning workout. He waited for Daisuke and Eichi to get ready as they too were nning to participate in the exams. In all, around 7 boys and 2 girls from his orphanage were taking the academy exams this year. They all left together, along with the caretaker Momonosuke from the orphanage.


    Once they reached the academy, all the kids were surprised at the vast number of children that had gathered to take the exam. A girl named Naomi eximed, "What??? There are hundreds of participants here!!" Momonosuke then said, "Probably over a thousand. Last year there were over 1,600 kids attempting the exam. However only around 330 were selected" as all the kids looked at him.


    Fujin thought, ''I didn''t expect this. So many participants and so many selected? I guess Konoha is trying to fill the void left by deaths during the 3rd war and Kurama assault. Oh well, it doesn''t really affect me in any way.''


    On looking around, Fujin saw some groups within the crowd that wore Konoha headbands. Momonosuke looking at Fujinmented, "They are trained ninjas from various ns in our vige and are probably apanying their children. Probably all of them will pass the exam"


    Hearing that, all the kids tensed up a bit. Looking at that, Momonosuke chuckled and attempted to cheer them, "But you shouldn''t worry so much. Majority participants aren''t from ns. So you have a good chance to pass. Just give it your best."


    The other kids nodded nervously. At that time, someone wearing a Chuunin vest approached the crowd and announced to the crowd that exams would begin shortly and all kids were to gather at the training ground behind the academy.


    Aftering to the back of the Academy, Fujin''s whole group took a look at the Hokage Rock, which had the faces of all four Hokage carved in it. Everyone was awestruck by it. Fujin thought, ''While I did see it from a distance, but up-close it looks magnificent! I do wonder if it serves a bigger purpose than just something that just looks good.''


    Inside the academy, in a conference room, a few Chunnins, most of whom were teachers at the academy, were sitting and discussing the entrance exam. A chuunin then got up and gave a report to the one leading the meeting. Nara Kisho looked at that report and sighed. After 3rd great Ninja war, the 3rd Hokage had assigned him to supervise the entrance exams. And he was told to pass as many students as possible as Konoha had lost thousands of ninjas during the war. He was promoted to a special Jounin post the war due to his contributions. He sighed again and thought, ''What a drag¡­''


    Looking at the report, he found that this year, 2147 children were participating in the entrance exam. Around 30% more than the previous year. He thought, ''Oh well, first let''s just eliminate the physically unfit ones.'' And gave the assigned Chuunin the signal to start the exam.


    Doi Masashi, was the one assigned with the first phase. He announced loudly, "Everyone, the first phase of the exam will begin. You have to run 5ps on the path marked in the training ground. Eachp is around 500m Everyone will be monitored during this run. I will run in front of you and you will have to follow me."


    With that he disappeared and appeared on the track. Everyone reached out to where he was. Masashi started running and everyone followed. Fujin thought, ''Well this seems very simple. I could run this many on the very next day I transmigrated here. And after 10 months of training, yesterday, I managed to run over 8 kilometres and could push myself to over 10km if I used Chakra."


    Everyonepleted the first 3ps, however, slowly a few started dropping out. By the time 5ps werepleted, everyone in Fujin''s group, except Fujin himself, were tired. 1 girl and 2 boys couldn''tplete the 5 rounds. Masashi announced loudly, "All those who couldn''tplete the 5ps are eliminated. They are to return to the front of the academy and can return to your guardians."


    He continued, "Among the ones still left, you have 2 options. First, is to run another 5ps. If you don''t think you can, then return to the front of the training ground and wait there."


    Many decided to return to the training ground, but a few hundred still continued. In Fujin''s group, only Daisuke and another guy, Tatsuya, attempted it. Afterpiling the data, Nara Kisho noted, ''438 participants couldn''tplete 5ps, and only 257 attempted to do the next 5ps.''


    Among the 257, 241 participantspleted the 5 additionalps. The ones who couldn''tplete theps were sent to the group of students waiting in the training ground. For the remaining 241, the same 2 choices were provided again. Only 21 participants decided to attempt another 5ps. The ones who didn''t attempt were sent back and gathered in a different group aspared to others who stopped after only 5ps.


    Fujin was now the only one left from the orphanage. Most remaining were from ns. All the 21 were able toplete the additional 5ps and they were ced together in a different group. Now the training ground was separated into 3 different groups. Fujin was d that they weren''t asked to do 5 moreps, or he may have had to back out. After that more physical tests were conducted and more participants were eliminated. Nara Kisho noted, ''All the 21 and 220 participants from the 2 groups passed, but many from the 1st group were eliminated. Only 636 from 1st group were still remaining.''


    After the 1st phase was done, the participants were given a break and provided breakfast. After breakfast, the examiner for the 2nd phase appeared. Fujin noted that he was from the Hyuga n. He announced, "In each of the group, the ones who have unlocked chakra step forward."


    All except 1 from Fujin''s group moved forward. In all there were almost a hundred kids who had unlocked their chakra. Everyone who was from a ninja n had their chakra unlocked. Fujin sighed in relief as he saw a lot of civilian kids step out too. So him unlocking Chakra won''t be very eye-catching.


    The Hyuga activated his Byakugan and examined the chakra of the ones who stepped forward. He had to check for the amount of chakra and its quality. All the 20 from Fujin''s group passed. Of the remaining, 64 students were passed too, whereas others were disqualified.


    Then, a few chuunins then moved around and helped all the remaining students to unlock their chakra. Fujin was surprised, ''Wow, I didn''t think they''d help everyone unlock their chakra. Konoha must be really desperate. That said, it''s obvious that not all of the kids here will pass. So the direct effect of this move will be that there will be a lot of ''civilians'' who will have ess to Chakra. I wonder if these people serve some purpose. And how many more such people exist in Konoha?''


    While the process of unlocking Chakra was ongoing, Nara Kisho was observing the situation. Looking at him, the examiner for the 2nd phase, Hyuga Hachiro, walked to him. The Hyuga said, "I''m surprised that the 3rd ordered to have all these kids unlock their chakras."


    Nara Kisho nodded and replied, "Yeah, he doesn''t have much other option. We lost too much in the past few years. In the past couple of years, he ordered training of the reserve Genins, to rece the dead, however even that''s not enough. And while most of the kids here won''t be a ninja, but with chakra enhancing them, they''ll help fill many other roles in the future. Honestly, I''m impressed by the efforts the Hokage took in order to ensure that so many kids attempted the exam. Even the capacity of the academy has been increased."


    Hyuha Hachiro replied, "Yeah, we just need a few years without any major conflict." Kisho dejectedly replied, "Yeah, but these exams are gonna be a pain in the ass till then." Hyuga Hachiroughed seeing the Nara''s annoyance.


    The process of unlocking and examining chakra went on for a while. It was evening when it gotpleted. In all, around 430 kids were passed. Remaining 447 kids failed and were asked to return to their guardians.


    The ones who passed were gathered together in the training ground. A few kids then saw that an old man with a smoking pipe was walking towards them. Fujin looked to his left, ''Oh, finally I''m gonna see someone from the story. To think that the first person I recognized would be Hiruzen himself!''

 Chapter 6: Hokages speech and New home

    On seeing the 3rd Hokage, everyone got respectful and serious. Most kids were surprised that he came to meet them. He looked at the kids and smiled gently.


    He began his speech, "Congrattions to all of you for passing the entrance exams." And took a pause. All the kids were very happy and excited to finally enter the ninja academy. The surrounding chuunins asked for silence to be maintained and let Lord Hokage speak. Fujin however thought, ''Here it is, I guess I''ll finally experience his legendary skill of influencing young kids. In my previous life, everyone talked about Naruto''s talk no jutsu. But no one ever talked about how Hiruzen influenced Naruto to work hard and risk his life to protect the very people who made his life miserable!''


    The 3rd continued, "Now that you have entered the academy, we''ll teach you the ways of a Konoha Shinobi. We''ll ensure that you guys be full fledged Shinobi of the Hidden Leaf vige. This academy was created by Lord 2nd Hokage. He himself taught a lot of students in the academy, including me. I still remember the fun and battles we had in the academy. The ninjas who pass out of the academy all ensure that our vige stays safe and peaceful. They ensure that you stay protected. And soon it''ll be up to you to carry forward that will. The Will of Fire as Lord 1st Hokage used to say. Now you will be the ones who will carry the will of fire in you. Love your vige and ensure that your will of fire preserves peace and prosperity. Carry on the will of fire in you brighter than anyone else. And let every other vige know that the will of fire still burns brighter than anything else. Have a mind that will not yield, able to endure hard training and work. And, be healthy in mind and body. And with that, I wee you future ninjas to our academy."


    As soon as the speech ended, the excitement that was bubbling within the kids finally popped and all started celebrating. The day was finally called off and everyone started to return home.


    After reuniting with his fellow orphans, Fujin found out that only 4 kids passed. Even Eichi failed. Only Fujin, Daisuke, Tatsuya and Naomi passed. Momonosukeforted the ones who failed, mentioning all the other things they could do when they grow up. And all of us returned to the orphanage.


    There were still 3 days for the academy to open, however those days were busy for Fujin and the other orphans who passed. The orphans who passed the entrance exam, would no longer live in the orphanage. They were provided with a small apartment in the residential areas which would be rent free until they became a ninja, and would also be provided with a small stipend to support themselves. Fujin thought, ''Oh, I didn''t know about this. I knew Naruto lived aler on, but I thought he might have been given special treatment due to his circumstances. I do wonder what the aim is by asking us to live alone. I guess the main advantage I can see is that this way we would be better prepared if we had to go on a solo mission outside the vige.''


    After packing up what little clothes he had, he got out of the orphanage and looked back at it. He saw that Daisuke was very sad and even crying as he and Eichi won''t be together any longer. Fujin thought, ''Well it''s not really like I developed much rtionship with anyone here. Naruto isn''t in this orphanage, so there''s not really much point in staying here anyways.''


    All 4 orphans were apanied by the Orphanage caretaker to their new apartments. After dropping the other 3 off, Fujin was thest one to reach his apartment. He thought, ''So this''ll be my new home for the next few years.''


    The apartment was properly cleaned and very neat. While the rooms were small, they were more than enough for him. It had a small living room, a bedroom, a verypact kitchen and washroom. There weren''t many gadgets in the home apart from a fridge, cooking stove and other stuff needed for cooking. There was also a sofa in the living room and a bed and an rm clock in the bedroom. He also saw a first-aid kit.


    He thought, ''Oh well, this is pretty neat. The bed''s better than the one at the orphanage. Also here I should have much better privacy. So I can use the whole day to train in some way or other. I do wonder what food will be avable here. They did say that someone woulde here around noon and deliver the food for today as well as the stipend. Anyways finally getting ess to money will be convenient. I ran out of water balloons a month back, so Rasengan training has been on a hold. I need to buy them. Also, I should definitely try Ichiraku ramen. Like heck anyone who watched Naruto wouldn''t wanna try it! I also need to fill up the fridge. We won''t be provided with breakfast from now on. So I should at least buy some eggs, bread and milk.''


    Ending his train of thoughts, Fujin set up an rm for 11:30am and began practicing Leaf concentration.


    At 12:15pm, there was a knock on the door. Fujin opened the door to see an academy teacher who was monitoring the exam yesterday. He introduced himself as Adachi Genki and said that he''ll be Fujin''s ss teacher for this year. He asked about whether Fujin wasfortable here and if there were any issues. On confirming that everything was alright, he said "That''s very good to hear. I saw your performance yesterday, you did very good. Keep it up." Fujin replied, "Thanks"


    After that he provided Fujin with his stipend and then provided him with a few ration bars. Fujin looked at those bars and asked, "What''s this sensei?" Genki smiled and replied, "These are ration bars, you''ll consume one for lunch and dinner. There is enough here for a week. From here on though, you''ll have to collect the ration bars yourself from the Academy on every Sunday." Fujin looked inly at his sensei as if to say, ''Really? Freaking ration bars?''


    Genki saw the look and said dismissively, "Don''t look down on them kid. That''s the food of ninjas! They were created after doing a lot of research. Even the legendary Sannins, Tsunade and Orochimaru, worked on this. They provide a ninja with proper nutrition. So take pride that you are eating food specially made for ninjas."


    Fujin saw his sensei exining to him like he would exin to any small kid. In order to not make his sensei suspicious, he acted as a kid, first showing confusion and then being a bit prideful that he''s eating food made for ninjas!


    Genki smiled, and took his leave. On his departure, Fujin sighed. He wondered, ''Which moron is responsible for providing food to orphans? Seriously? A ration bar? No wonder all Naruto ate was ramen. Oh well whatever, it should provide the necessary nutrients and is easy to preserve for a long time. And I definitely need to learn some cooking. No way in hell am I eating ration bars for years!!''


    He then counted the stipend given to him. There was 1000 ryo provided to him. He thought, ''Well I know that ryo is the currency here, but I don''t know whether this is a lot or not. I just kept training and didn''t even ever go to the shopping area near the orphanage. I really need to go out and understand the prices here. I also need to find out the costs of shurikens, Kunai, Senbon, swords, explosion tags, scrolls and other important stuff. Though I suppose there''s no need to worry about that just yet. The most immediate thing to buy would be chakra paper!''


    He ate a ration bar. While it didn''t taste bad, it didn''t taste good either. He noted that orphanage food definitely tasted better. After that he left his apartment, locked his door and went out. After asking for a bit, he found the marketce. There he went around checking the price of various stuff. He found out that 1 dozen eggs cost 24 ryo, 1 litre milk cost 9 ryo, and a packet of bread slices cost 5 ryo. 1kg meat cost 60 ryo. Various vegetables and fruits cost in the range of 10-20 ryo. He thought, ''I see, the 1000 ryo are more than sufficient if used just for this stuff.''


    He looked around and also found a weapon shop. A set of 6 shurikens cost 2000 ryo, whereas Kunai cost 1000 ryo each. A set of 6 senbon cost 1000 ryo, and swords were much more expensive, its price varying depending on the quality. He thought, ''These are expensive. I''d have to save for a long time to afford these!''


    After that, he asked the shopkeeper whether they had chakra papers. The Shopkeeper nodded and Fujin bought one for 100 Ryo.


    Finally ending his short trip, he bought a dozen eggs, 1 pack of bread slices, 1 litre milk, a few fruits, 12 water balloons, 3 rubber balls, items for daily use like soap, toothbrush and paste and so on. Excluding the cost of the chakra paper, he spent around 80 ryo on that journey. And he wouldn''t have to worry about breakfast for the next few days.


    On reaching home, he channeled his chakra through the chakra paper. The chakra paper split right through the middle. He sighed, ''It ain''t lightning. Well whatever, Wind is pretty good too! Also I''ve already started training in it.''


    Next day, the training continued, but in the evening, after asking a few strangers, he finally reached Ichiraku ramen. Teuchi became the 2nd canon character Fujin saw. He ordered Miso ramen, which cost 45 ryo. After eating it, he thought ''Wow, it tasted delicious! Still though, 45 ryo is pretty expensive for me currently. I won''t be able to visit here frequently.''


    Satisfied with the food, he returned back to his home.

 Chapter 7: Academy starts

    Today was the day the academy finally started. Fujin woke at 5 am, freshened up, and went through his morning workout. Afterpleting it and having a bath, he ran to the academy.


    The academy started at 8 am. He was assigned to ss 4A, on the fourth floor. On entering the ss, he saw that quite a few had already arrived. There were over 25 students already in there. He entered and sat on one of the unupied benches. He noticed that most of the people in here were from the ninja ns. They wore the crest of their n on their backs.


    Fujin wondered, ''This ssroom ain''t big, at most 40 would fit in. Does that mean there are over 10 divisions in my year?''


    At 8, Adachi Genki sensei arrived. He first distributed identity cards to everyone. He then introduced himself. On arriving he introduced himself, "Wee to the academy. I''m Adachi Genki and I''ll be your ss teacher for this year. How about we get to know each other first. I''ll tell you guys more about myself. I''m a chuunin of Konoha and fought in the previous great ninja war. My hobby is to watch drama and I like to teach young kids like yourself, how about you guys start to introduce yourself."


    And with that all the kids started to introduce themselves. The ones from ns telling their n with pride. Fujin took the opportunity to understand theposition of his ss.


    The ss had 30 kids. Apparently there were 2 Uchiha, 3 Hyuga, 2 each from Nara, Yamanaka and Akimichi, 3 Inuzuka, 1 Aburame, 1 each from Sarutobi, Shimura, Kato and Hatake ns and surprisingly 3 from Senju and 2 from Kurama n. Other 6, including Fujin, were normal civilians.


    After the students were done talking about themselves, Genki started talking again. He said, "Alright, first I''ll exin to you about your position. This year 430 students passed the entrance exam. However you 30 are the ones who have scored the highest. That''s why everyone has very high expectations of each of you guys. All of you have to strive to be very good and strong shinobi. That''s why an elite like me is assigned to your ss. In addition, other teachers too would assist you when required. You will also be provided ess to the academy library''s E and D section. Also, there will be special tests conducted for you guys every 6 months, which will be monitored by Lord Hokage himself! So work as hard as you can."


    Everyone was filled with pride after this speech. And also became a lot more attentive. Fujin thought, "Lucky me. This seems like an elite ssroom. I guess I can have any queries resolved quickly. Also those 2 sections in the library, I guess they should be sections having rank E and rank D jutsus. I wonder if there are sections with higher ranked jutsus, and whether I can sneak in. Well I should give it a proper tour soon."


    Since this was the first day, Genki gave them a tour of the academy. They were shown all the ssrooms, the library, training grounds, canteen area. In training grounds, various areas were shown like running track, obstacle race track, shooting area, bncing area which had a lot of poles and so on. There was also a small pond at the far end of the training grounds.


    After the tour was over, they went back to the ss. Genki exined to them what all they''ll be learning this year. It seemed to mostly be basics. They were supposed to be taught about chakra, hand signs, chakra control, Taijutsu, theory of Genjutsu, shuriken throwing along with normal stuff like Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Language, History, Geography and Civics. After that, the ss was dismissed for the day.


    After the ss was dismissed, Fujin left quickly and headed towards the library. However, on the way to the library, he ran into Daisuke and Tatsuya. Daisuke called out to him, "Hey Fujin"


    Fujin turned around to see him, he said, "Hey, how are you doing? How was the ss?" Daisuke replied, "It was fun, we took a trip of the whole academy." Fujin replied, "Yeah, so did we. By the way, how many students are there in your ss?"


    Daisuke replied, "Oh? There are a hundred, ain''t that the case in every ss?" Tatsuya joined in the conversation saying, "Yup, it is the same in my ss."


    Fujin said, "I see. No, in mine there are only 30 students." Daisuke said, "Huh, why''s that?" Not wanting to make him feel bad or having to answer more questions, Fujin said that he wasn''t sure. After that Daisuke asked whether Fujin wanted to go home with them. Fujin excused himself saying he had some work.


    Separating himself from them, Fujin started to go to the library again. On route he grabbed a ration bar and ate it while thinking, ''I see. So my ss has just 30 students, whereas others have a hundred each. So in all there are 5 divisions. If I were to guess and looking at what all Genki said today, our ss is probably being trained in the hopes that everyone either bes a Jounin or at least an elite chuunin. Whereas for others, the main target seems to be to boost the genin reserve and if lucky have a few chuunins and jounins from there.''


    On entering the library, he showed his card to the librarian, and asked for directions. After getting the info, he understood that the library is divided into 7 sections. It had a general section having non-ninja rted information, section 0 where there was basic information rted to ninjas, and sections E, D, C, B and A. Sections A, B and C were restricted for me right now.


    Fujin thought, ''I see, makes sense. There isn''t any S section, but that''s understandable that they won''t put that high level jutsus out in the open. To be honest, I''m surprised that there is section A. Anyways, let''s go explore it.''


    Fujin skipped the general section and started from section 0. He skimmed through the titles of various scrolls to get an idea regarding what was here. He found a lot of basic but important stuff. Information rted to chakra theories, chakra control, maniption, nature maniption, Fuinjutsu, Genjutsu, Taijutsu were all mentioned here. So was a lot of historical information.


    He then went on to the sections E and D. There most of the scrolls were just rank E and rank D jutsus. He thought, ''Wow, I didn''t expect this! There are literally hundreds of different jutsu scrolls here. A lot of wind style jutsus are avable too. And section E has a scroll called ''Introduction to Fuinjutsu'', whereas section D has a better book on the same. This would be very helpful.''


    It took him more than a couple of hours to just skim through the titles of various scrolls. After that, he went back to section 0, grabbed a scroll named ''Introduction to hand signs''. And went to an isted corner and sat there. There were very few people in the library, so there wasn''t anyone to disturb him.


    Fujin thought to himself, ''Alright, I have seen through the majority of the stuff, now that I finally have some resources, I need to do some nning as to what I should do at least for the next couple of years.''

 Chapter 8: Plans

    In a corner of the library, a small kid was staring at a scroll he had opened in front of him. However, unknown to anyone who watched him, his mind was working on something else entirely.


    Fujin thought, ''Alright, let''s first start with what I can do right now. My chakra control is pretty decent thanks to daily leaf concentration exercise. I should attempt something along the lines of tree climbing soon.


    My chakra reserve also has been developing consistently thanks to abination of physical exercises and meditation and also due to consistently straining my chakra to its limits.


    My chakra shape maniption is going well too. Once my chakra level increases more, I should be able to proceed further. So my ns for chakra control, chakra shape maniption and increasing chakra reserves should be good enough. Though there''s no harm in getting more means of increasing my chakra reserves.


    The most important thing I have in my arsenal is my wind nature maniption training. I have alreadypleted leaf cutting months back, and though I didn''t attempt waterfall cutting, I have progressed further as I can now cut branches with rather ease. This much should be more than enough to perform many wind style jutsus. And since my own affinity is also wind, it bes all the more important. That said, I do wonder if I can make my wind nature more potent by trying to cut tougher materials, maybe like a stone next followed by metal. Oh well, I''ll experimentter.


    Anyways one thing I definitely need to do is learn a bunch of wind style jutsus. I should read up every rank E and D wind style jutsus in this library, and try to learn the useful ones over the next year or two. Preferably try to find wind jutsus that would allow me to form a goodbat system that can allow me to defend, attack and evade.


    Apart from this, I also need to learn an additional element. Hmm, fire, lightning, earth and water¡­ Which one should I focus on?''


    On analyzing for a few minutes, he thought, ''Alright, Lightning and Wind isn''t really the bestbo, so lightning''s out for the time being. Fire and water canbine very well with wind, especially fire. But I''ll need a shadow clone to use it effectively. And anyways, this is thend of fire, so my teammates are very likely to have this element anyways. That leaves earth. I don''t think wind and earthbine, however I can stick to using wind style for offense and earth style for defense. I hope this library has that jutsu which Kakuzu used to harden his body. With that jutsu for defense along with Wind style for offense should be a very effective and annoyingbination.


    Alright, I''ll choose Earth as my second element. And I''ll keep working on it for the next few years to master these 2 elements. Other elements can wait till I''m able to pull off multiple shadow clones sessfully.


    Apart from that, basic justus should be learned as well. Normal clones don''t provide much help inbat, but they should at least serve as a base for shadow clones and elemental clones. Transformation has a lot of uses though, from disguise to transforming into weapons. Substitution is the most useful of the 3, and something I''ll keep using even if I became as strong as the Kages.


    So I''ve to give special focus to substitution jutsu. Alongside this, I''ll also have to learn and master Shunshin (Body Flicker) jutsu. Those two techniques will be vital for evasion and running away. Perhaps more than wind style jutsus, these two will be more critical to master first.


    Yeah, this should be a goodbat system. Wind style jutsus to attack, earth style jutsus to defend and substitution and body flicker to evade.


    The next to work on would be Taijutsu. My daily morning workout has ensured that my physical capabilities are top tier among the current students. Sadly I can''t grant any more time for it, so I guess I''ll have to increase the difficulty of the workout somehow. Perhaps weights or some seals. As for Taijutsu, the academy teaches its own Taijutsu style. I should check that out before nning further.


    As for Genjutsu, I can''t work much on it right now. Let''s leave it for the future.


    That leaves me with Kenjutsu, Medical Ninjutsu, Sensing capabilities and fuinjutsu.


    Medical Ninjutsu can wait. Kenjutsu is important for me. I will need to learn how to channel my chakra through weapons and charge it with wind nature. That would make my offense very lethal. However, this can wait for the time being too as I won''t have to fight anything soon.


    Fuinjutsu is something I can work on now. With the books for basics avable, I should see whether it is suited for me or not.


    Sensing is pretty essential too. I''ll probably need the assistance of academy teachers to understand how to be a good sensor. While I haven''t tried it yet for safety issues, I believe focusing chakra in the eyes, nose or ears should heighten those senses a lot. However, what I''m more interested in is sensing chakras. That ability should be very helpful when I''m out of the vige.


    So let''s see. The Academy is open from Monday to Friday, with holidays on Saturday and Sunday. And it runs from morning 8 am to afternoon 3 pm.


    Mornings are assigned to physical workouts. I get two and half hours for it. In the future, practice of Taijutsu forms will have to be included here as well.


    During academy lectures, most training can''t really happen. But I wonder if nature transformation can be worked upon. Something like leaf cutting can easily be hidden under the desk, I need to check what''s the initial training method for earth nature and see whether it can be done in ss. Though I hope that Genki ain''t a sensor, otherwise he''ll catch me and forbid me from doing it.


    From 3 to 10 pm, I have time to train. I can eliminate one hour from there for travelling and eating and other misceneous stuff.


    That leaves me six hours to work on basic jutsus, wind jutsus, weapon throwing, Fuinjutsu, sensing chakra and meditation. Clearly not enough time. So what to do?''


    And he fell into deep analysis again. After calcting for some time, he came to the conclusion, ''Alright, of all these things, meditation ispulsory to do daily. For others, there are basically two options. One is to do these things on different days, and the second is to only focus on a few of these. While the first option sounds tempting, the issue is that with me trying to learn so many different things, would cause me to be less focused on everything and might be detrimental for me. For instance, with me practicing so many things, trying to learn 8 inner gates from Guy might be impossible as it requires strict dedication to Taijutsu.


    Fuinjutsu is also a major issue. It should be a very vast concept with a lot of theories to focus on which will take a lot of time to learn. It''s probably for the best to only learn it after I can make Shadow clones. Sadly, this would mean I can''t make some easy money by making and selling Explosion tags or storage scrolls.


    Among basic jutsus and wind jutsus, for the time being, let''s put focus on basic jutsus. Once I have got those down, I''ll start to focus on wind style jutsus.


    So for the next few months, the time after academy should be spent on mastering those basic jutsus, shuriken and Kunai throwing, sensing chakra and meditation.


    I currently have no idea as to how to sense chakra. I''ll have to dig up theories in the library and consult Genki. That''ll also allow me to know whether he is a sensor or not.


    For weapon throwing, let''s just wait up until that ss is conducted. That way I won''t increase any wrong habits I have and correct the form required while throwing them quicker.


    As for those basic jutsus, I can get them easily from this library, I just have to understand the theories behind hand signs and how to perform them properly. It should be covered in the academy soon, so hopefully it won''t be an issue for long.''


    With that he stopped thinking for a bit and summarised everything he nned. He then thought, ''Alright, this n seems to be good enough for now. I should get the required knowledge from the academy soon and can always bug all the senseis if I have any queries. I wonder how strong I''ll be after a couple of years of this training.''


    He chuckled, finally starting to read the scroll he had taken.

 Chapter 9: Accumulating Knowledge

    Fujin started reading the scroll. After going through the entire scroll, Fujin summarised, ''I see. The hand signs are simr to those shown in the manga. There are 12 basic hand seals that are mentioned. The hand signs actually help to mold and manipte the chakra in a particr manner. However, that''s only a help. The ninja still has to actively attempt to mold chakra in that manner.''


    He sighed, ''This will probably take some time to master. Until this is mastered to eptable levels, practice of hand signs will be done instead of basic jutsu training.


    To master the hand signs, I''ll first have to practice it, while simultaneously having to mold the chakra in the proper way. Then I''ll have to try different seals one after another and change the way chakra is molded ording to the respective signs. Only after being able to do that will I be able to start attempting any jutsu. Damn, this is gonna be tedious.


    Anyways, apart from the basic hand signs, there were also a few other hand signs. The scroll mentioned hand signs for all 5 elements and a hand sign for clones. Apparently there were also other hand signs that aren''t mentioned here.


    Oh well, at least the chakra molding part will require proper guidance, so I''ll start after it is taught in the academy. And this is just the basics. Later on I''ll have to learn one-handed hand signs, reduce the number of hand signs required to perform a jutsu and learn to perform jutsus without performing any hand sign at all.


    I recall quite a few characters were able to do hand signs with only one hand, and many had reduced the number of hand signs required for important jutsus to only one!''


    While he was analyzing the hand signs, his ss teacher Genki entered the library and saw him lost in the scroll. He silently sneaked behind Fujin to see what he was reading. Upon noting the content, he smiled a bit and made his presence known, "Hello Fujin"


    Upon hearing that Fujin suddenly turned behind to see, ''When did he appear behind me? How long was he here?'' Not having any answers, he sighed mentally, ''I put my guard down, this is the ninja world after all. While he may only be a chuunin, he is in a whole different leaguepared to me right now. Well I suppose bing a sensor could help me to a great degree in such scenarios. Anyways, time to act as a kid and make a good impression. It''ll be helpful if I can get more guidance from him.''


    Though he thought of all that, it only required a couple of seconds. He acted to be a bit nervous and said, "Good afternoon sensei, when did youe in the library?"


    Genkiughed and said, "I''ve been here for a while kiddo. You were too lost in your scroll. So what''s with your interest in hand signs?"


    Fujin tried to act nervous and said in his childish voice, "I heard that some of my fellow ssmates are already able to perform ninjutsu. During the exam, someone was talking about an Uchiha who was able to breath fire when he was only 4. I wanted to learn it too. That''s why I began learning about hand signs."


    Genki was happy that a small kid was showing so much interest and dedication. He tried tofort the kid by rubbing his hand on his head and exining, "Ah, that was Uchiha Itachi, he is your senior by a year. And he passed the academy in just a year and became a genin. But don''t worry about it, Itachi was an exception. He had already started training from a very young age.


    And it ain''t breathing fire, instead he was using a jutsu called Fireball. You''ll start using jutsus very soon too.


    Tomorrow I''ll teach you all about hand signs. So you can practice properly tomorrow. Until then don''t try it by yourself. It can cause idents, okay?"


    Fujin showed an excited face, while nodding and said loudly, "Yes Sensei!" However Genki quickly said, "HEY, THIS IS LIBRARY, keep your voice down."


    (A/N : I hope you guys get the meme, lol)


    Fujin nodded again and softly said, "Yes Sensei"


    After that Genki entered into section B of the library. Fujin thought, ''Oh, chuunins are allowed in section B? Then again, I''m not sure if this is for every chuunin or just a few. He did say he was an elite. So I guess he is an elite chuunin, who is probably close to bing a special jounin or a jounin. Well whatever, at least my current impression should be very good, so that''s some good news.''


    And Fujin finally returned back to the scroll. He started to try and understand how chakra is molded with each hand sign and got engrossed in it again.


    After sometime, he heard a door open. Fujin looked up to see Genki exit section B. He smiled at Fujin and exited the library.


    After trying to understand the hand signs a bit more, Fujin finally closed the scroll and returned it to where it was. He then grabbed the scrolls on wind nature training and went back to the same spot and started reading.


    After reading it he thought, ''This was a bit disappointing. All that is mentioned here is the leaf cutting exercise. Waterfall cutting ain''t mentioned. Then again it makes sense as not everyone will have Yamato make a tform for them, and not everyone has Naruto''s chakra levels in order to make that many clones.


    The remaining content is mostly about the benefits of leaf cutting exercise and precautions to take. The only useful thing is the deeper exnation of the hand sign for wind nature transformation.''


    He then got up and exchanged the scroll for earth nature training. This one was a bit moreprehensive.


    Fujin thought, ''Alright this one''s more helpful. Apparently, there are 2 basic ways to master earth transformation. The first one is to crush a stone. This was simr to leaf cutting. And the second one was to mold y into various shapes, harden it and so on using only chakra.


    It makes sense. Most earth style jutsus I remember, were basically just moving a part of the ground above the surface. So y molding will be very helpful. As for stone crushing, after crushing stones, I could try crushing boulders to increase the mastery of earth nature whereas for y molding, I could just increase the amount of y or maybe I could try molding mud or soil as it''ll be much tougher.''


    He then ced the scroll back. Went to section E, and grabbed a scroll on the basics of Fuinjutsu. Upon reading it he analyzed, ''Alright, this doesn''t sound too hard. Though I guess the difficulty should increase a lot forter versions. But yeah, this sounds to be too time consuming. Best left forter.''


    He kept the scroll back and started searching section 0 for sensor training. He found many that were based on improving senses of smell or sight or hearing. After searching a lot, he finally found the one he was looking for. Sensing the chakra of anyone in your vicinity.


    On reading it he found out, ''I see. So every ninja has a chakra field around them, though not everyone is able to use it properly. However, sensors can not only use their chakra field, but also expand their chakra field for hundreds of metres and exceptional sensors can even expand it for a few kilometres to detect chakra within that field. On the other hand, if this chakra field is retracted, then that can help in hiding from enemy sensors.


    As for training to be a sensor, the greatest obstacles are the other senses of a ninja. So while training, it is advised to shut down the sense of sight, smell and hearing. Interesting, I wonder if I can shut down just 2 of them in order to train the remaining one. Good hearing, smell and eyesight would be very helpful in this profession.


    The basic method is still meditation, but sort of done in reverse. Instead of meditating to iste myself from the surroundings, I''ll have to meditate in order to perceive my surroundings.


    Sadly though, I have no idea how to shut down my sense of smell, and also don''t have any gadgets to stop hearing. So I''ll require help here. Some guidance could be helpful too. I guess I''ll somehow have to give Genki hints that I want to be a sensor. Sigh''


    He finally kept the scroll and left the library. It was already evening. He thought, ''Wow, I didn''t notice the time at all. I guess I was in the library for over 6 hours! The library didn''t have any window at all. Makes sense, they don''t want anyone sneaking into the library. Probably the walls are fortified with the help of Fuinjutsu to prevent Earth style users from breaking in.''


    He went towards his home and on the way, bought a small pack of y for 5 Ryo and picked up a few small stones.

 Chapter 10: New Skills

    Next day, again Fujin was thest one to arrive. He came in merely a couple of minutes before 8 am. Looking at everyone he chuckled, ''Look at these kids,ing early to sit on the first bench.''


    He went and sat alone on thest bench and removed a stone and ced it in the desk.


    Genki arrived at 8, and started the ss. The first hour apparently was a lecture. He was talking about the history of the vige, the pride that one should have in being a Konoha shinobi and all such stuff. Fujin ssified this lecture as a ''brainwashing session''.


    Fujin observed the ssroom. The 2 Naras were half asleep. The Akimichis were probably thinking about food. The 3 Inuzukas were too distracted with their dogs. One of the two Uchihas was very smug for some reason while the two Kurama girls were gossiping about something. Others were paying attention.


    The Smug looking guy was Uchiha Yori. It seems like he wanted to walk in the footsteps of Itachi as he was bragging a lot about how the previous year''s best student was an Uchiha who was only 7 years old on the previous day. Apparently both the Uchihas could already perform the fireball jutsu. Fujin finally stopped looking around.


    When Genki was writing something on the board, Fujin grabbed the stone with his left hand, and started to train earth nature while keeping his hand under the desk.


    When he channeled his chakra, his whole attention was on Genki. To see whether he would notice and react. However, there wasn''t any visible change in Genki''s expression.


    Fujin thought, ''Lucky. He ain''t a natural sensor. Or he is ignoring me for some reason, though chances of that are pretty low. Whatever, both scenarios are good for me.''


    The lecture went on for an hour. Though Fujin paid some attention, the majority of his attention was on training his earth nature.


    After the brainwashing session was over, Genki started exining to everyone about Chakra. And then finally moved on to molding chakra with hand signs. Fujin stopped his earth nature training and paid full attention in the ss.


    The kids from ns however were distracted. They had already been taught hand signs before they joined the academy.


    That ss, Genki taught everyone about 3 hand signs and made everyone practice it. He monitored everyone closely. After the lecture was over, he said that in the next 3 days, he''ll be teaching them the remaining hand signs.


    After that they broke off for lunch followed by a lecture on History. Senju Teru and Hyuga Hana were answering a lot of questions asked by Genki in this lecture. Fujin on the other hand stuck to his training while pretending to pay attention in the ss.


    The week went by in a simr manner. Genki taught all 12 basic hand signs as well as the clone hand sign. He stressed on the importance of learning hand signs properly, which Fujin noted was simr to the notes he read from the scroll yesterday, and asked everyone to practice them at home.


    Other than this, Genki had also introduced everyone to the leaf concentration exercise.


    In normal lectures, Fujin kept practicing on his earth nature training, but if he got bored with it, he used to try to use his wind nature to cut the stone instead of crumbling it with earth nature.


    In week 2, Genki held a ss to throw shurikens. He first started with apetition between the students to understand where everyone stands. He also had called a few other teachers to help him with this session.


    Most of the n kids performed well. The best was tied between Uchiha Yori and Senju Teru. The other Uchiha, Aburame and Shimura rounded up the top 5.


    Fujin was a bit startled by the serious attitude of Shimura Nobu. He thought, ''I guess Danzo got a root-like training program for the kids from his n as well.''


    Though Fujin had practiced earlier with self made wooden shurikens, it was barely at eptable level. For starters, the difference in weights itself reduced the impact of earlier training. Out of six shots, he only managed to hit one on the board. And even that was closer to the edge rather than the center.


    He was ranked 21st in thepetition. Afterwards Genki met up with each and every student giving them advice.


    When he reached Fujin, he said, "Alright, you have a lot of work to do on this. First we''ll start from your throwing form. Once we get that correct, you will improve quickly."


    Fujin nodded and allowed Genki to correct his posture. And then he tried to replicate the way in which Genki disyed throwing a shuriken. After Genki corrected him a few more times. After being satisfied with his throwing form, Genki moved on to the remaining students.


    Fujin took this training seriously and practiced it a lot. After that day, his time after the academy was divided into his shuriken throwing practice, which he did in the academy practice grounds itself, right after the academy ended. And after reaching home, he practiced the hand signs, moulded the y and meditated. He tried sensing his environment in the previous week, but didn''t have any sess at it. So that was left forter.


    The new thing that he started doing was that Fujin started to practice walking on the wall instead of leaf concentration. This was done as a substitute to tree climbing. Fujin noted that since the walls are uniform, wall walking should be easier than tree climbing. However for now this should be enough. He arranged the cushions properly on the floor so that he won''t get injured when he fell on the floor hundreds of times!


    Walking on walls took a few days to learn. By the end of week 2, he pulled that off without falling down. He could walk on the wall as well as stand on the ceiling. The major issue he faced here was the shortage of chakra. However, every day he practiced, he discovered that his stamina was improving.


    But he wasn''t sure how much of that was due to better chakra control and how much was due to increase in chakra reserves. After trying to analyze a bit, he dropped the matter. Assuring himself that it didn''t matter as he was making progress anyways.


    During all those falls, he also learnt how to flip himself in the air to properlynd on his feet.


    After the first month in academy, Genki taught everyone the academy''s basic Taijutsu style. It included a lot of forms and moves to make it aprehensive Taijutsu style covering all areas. But that also meant that it wasn''t specialized in anything.


    However for now, Fujin didn''t concern himself with that. This Taijutsu style was obviously way superior to everything he could do in Taijutsu. He was quite surprised and thought, ''I didn''t think the basic style itself would be soplicated and cover all aspects. It makes me wonder how much better Senju and Uchiha Taijutsu styles are. And Hyuga Taijutsu is obviously superior to even them. Well let''s first master the academy style. Then I can think about learning a more advanced form of Taijutsu. This will take a lot of time, but luckily I do have a lot of time.''


    After that day, the Taijutsu forms got added to his morning workout as well. The Taijutsu training in the academy went on for over a month just to teach the students everything about that Taijutsu style. Fujin noted that the ones from Senju, Uchiha, Hyuga and Inuzuka n didn''t learn the academy style of Taijutsu.


    After the Taijutsu lessons were over, the academy students were made to fight among themselves every week. And depending upon their performance and technique, Genki gave them tips or asked them to practice a certain form.


    Even these Taijutsu matches were arranged as tournaments. Here Fujin did much better and was ranked 8th in the first tournament. Though his Taijutsu style wasn''t very good yet, he did benefit from having a stronger body. He wasn''t very surprised by it. Though these students are very talented, maybe some even more than him, no six year old kid would put as many hours in training as he did. The ones who do would be rare exceptions, like Guy for instance. Even Rock Lee only started to work that hard after he became a genin.


    Hyuga Hoka ranked first in the first Taijutsu tournament. He was followed by Senju Teru, Hyuga Hana and Uchiha Yori and the 3rd Hyuga. Shimura Nobu was 6th followed by one of the remaining two Senju at 7th.


    Fujin thought, ''Well this is promising. Unlike them, I haven''t had any proper training yet. As I train further, I should grow stronger a lot faster than these guys. I suppose I am moving in the right direction then, I should just stick to it.''


    Genki started to conduct Taijutsu tournaments and Shuriken throwing tournaments every week for his ss.


    Fujin noted that no such tournaments were arranged for the other 4 divisions. In fact, in one of his encounters with Daisuke, he learnt that they hadn''t even had a Taijutsu ss yet and are still being taught shuriken throwing and making hand signs properly.


    He thought, ''I guess they really are serious in developing this ss properly. From what I heard, this was donest year as well. Though they were incredibly lucky to have Itachi inst year''s ss. If they have simr expectations from this year, then they will be very disappointed. Then again, I suppose they won''t expect a talent of Itachi''s calibre so regrly.''


    Ending the train of thought, Fujin looked forward towards the future, a bit excited to keep improving himself.

 Chapter 11: Improvements

    The academy life continued in this manner for the first six months. After six months, Genki had to report to Hiruzen on the progress of his ss.


    He reached the Hokage office on the appointed time and knocked on the door. After being allowed in, he entered the room and respectfully said, "Lord Hokage"


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "It''s alright. How is your ss fairing? Any talents?"


    Genki replied, "It''s going pretty well. While it''s still too early to say, I believe the majority of these kids will be elite among chunnins, and few probably will be Jounins. Senju Teru and Uchiha Yori have been showing the most talent, as expected from someone of their n. Hyuga Hoka and Hana have also been performing really well. Shimura Nobu is also pretty good. The remaining three from Senju, Uchiha and Hyuga ns and the lone Aburame are decent as well.


    Among the civilians we''ve had a surprise. The orphan, Suzuki Fujin, has been progressing pretty fast. I''ve spied a little on him, he is very diligent and works very hard. He is definitely someone we should nurture for the future. There''s another among the civilian kids, Aoki Nori, who is performing very well. The other kids are doing okay.


    On average, the talent in this batch is higher than the previous one." He said enthusiastically. But then he sighed and said, "Sadly there''s no one like Itachi in this ss."


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "That''s alright. We can''t get someone like Itachi every year. But your report still sounds very promising. If in the next 15 years, we get a dozen jounins and have the remaining at chuunin ranks, then it''ll help the vige a lot.


    You''ve done a good job. Keep it up. You''ll be responsible for raising this batch into good shinobi for our vige."


    Genki nodded his head and respectfully said, "Yes Lord Hokage" and exited the room.


    After he left Hiruzen thought, ''Looks like we will be having another good crop of Shinobi. Still, to think we''d have another diligent orphan. I wonder how his story would turn out to be.''


    The praise that Genki had for Fujin wasn''t underserved. Fujin improved a lot in these six months. A lot more than Genki gave him credit for. After all, even he couldn''t know the fact that even at his home, Fujin spent most time training in a very nned manner.


    The most important improvement was in Fujin molding the chakra with hand signs. The speed had finally reached an eptable speed and he was able to do six random seals one after another consecutively. He decided that it was finally time to start learning the basic jutsus.


    In earth nature transformation, he managed to crumble the rock. The y molding was alsoing along well. He could now manipte the y freely. And could partially harden it, but couldn''t harden it entirely.


    Fujin noted that his progress with Earth nature was much slower than wind nature. But that was understandable as his affinity was wind. Fujin also managed to create deep cuts in stones using his wind nature.


    In Taijutsu, he also adapted to the academy style very well. He frequently sparred with Teru, Hoka and Yori in the academy and now ranked within the top 4. Senju Teru in particr was kind of bing a sparring partner to Fujin. In the tournaments, he also noted that his stamina was very high among his ssmates. With only Teru being able to match his stamina. He wondered if this was only due to having a more trained body or was his chakra also higher than others. After all, it made sense for Teru to have higher chakra level thanks to him being a Senju.


    Shuriken throwing wasing around properly too. He was able to hit all 6 shurikens on the target with his right hand. Though not all used to hit in the dead center yet. But left handed throwing still needed a bit of practice as he could only hit 4 out of 6 with it. He decided to practice till he can consistently hit the dead center with both hands. Then he can try to hit the target while running around. In the weekly shuriken throwingpetitions, Fujin had slowly climbed into the top 10.


    Probably the most surprising thing would be that he was able to pop the water balloon around 4 months after the academy had started. He moved on to rubber ball, but that was very difficult for him. He felt like it''d be years before he could pop it sessfully.


    The ss went on in a simr manner. The enthusiasm of a new academy had died down, howeverpetition between students had increased a lot.


    A ''smug'' Uchiha Yori had turned into a ''grumpy'' Uchiha Yori. Though he was good, he obviously was no Itachi. In terms of shuriken throwing, he was matched equally by Teru and others were slowly managing to hit correctly with all 6 shurikens as well. Whereas in terms of Taijutsu, both Teru and Hoka were better than him and Fujin and Hana were at a simr level as him. And even in lectures, Hana and Teru used to outdo him. In all, Teru was obviously better than him and Hana was around the same level.


    Fujin wondered, ''Does this kind of jealousy unlock Sharingan? Or does it have to be a major impact like the death of someone? Well I do hope he unlocks his sharingan though, it would be helpful to get some experience by sparring with someone with a sharingan.''


    Those thoughts aside, Fujin had trouble of his own. His physical workouts in the morning were bing stale. He had grownfortable to them and didn''t know how to make it harder without increasing the time of workout. Well saying that he didn''t know any method would be wrong, he did know one method, that was adding weights. However he didn''t know if restricting your body with weights when he ain''t even 7 years old would create any problems or not. He had found out about the prices of the weights. After 6 months of saving, Fujin had saved up over 1200 Ryo and could afford to buy the lighter weights.


    After thinking about it a bit, he decided to consult Genki. Unlike other things, there wasn''t really much to hide about his physical workouts as he used to do it in the open anyways. Anyone who did a little investigation would have found it out.


    So one day, after the lectures were over, he asked Genki for help. He exined his problem to his sensei properly. After thinking for a bit, Genki demonstrated him a few slightly more difficult exercises. He also helped out to design a new workout n for Fujin.


    After seeing the new n, Fujin thanked his sensei politely for it while thinking, ''Hmm, this is really helpful. I should have asked him earlier! He actually seemed enthusiastic to help me. But then again, I''m pretty sure that even this will befortable for me after a few months.''


    Hence after thanking him, he asked again, "Sensei, will it be fine if I make the exercises difficult by wearing weights?"


    Genki was surprised by the question, he asked seriously, "Where did you learn about weights?"


    Fujin acted to show that he was nervous and said, "Umm, I saw a weapons shop in the market when I was shopping. I saw the weights in that shop."


    Genki understood and then exined, "I see. Well it''s good to be curious, but don''t use weights for training. They''ll affect the growth of your body and it''ll be bad for you in the long run."


    He then put up a kind smiling face and said, "It is very good that you asked me. Next time you have any such ideas, ask me before trying, okay?"


    Fujin nodded. Then after thinking for a bit he asked, "Sensei, then is there anything else I could use to make the workout tougher?"


    Genki was a bit surprised by Fujin''s obsession in making the physical workouts tougher. He thought, ''Fujin was genuinely happy with the new n, and yet he still keeps asking me these questions. Does that mean that he is thinking that this new workout will soon be easy for him? That''s surprising. I knew he was diligent, but not this much. Now he makes me really look forward to his future.''


    Genki then said, "Actually there is another way. Instead of weights, you can have some seals do the same work without having any disadvantages. Like a gravity seal."


    Fujin was surprised with this information. He thought, ''I guess I really need to learn Fuinjutsu.'' He showed an enthusiastic expression to Genki. Genki was happy with the enthusiasm Fujin showed and decided to y a little trick on him.


    Genki continued, "However these seals can''t be given to anyone. Also they are very expensive if you try to get them, so you can''t get them by yourself."


    Fujin was instantly confused. He frowned a bit and wondered, ''What''s he ying at? I think he is trying to bait me or something.'' He decided to y along and then sighed and showed a dejected expression.


    Genki was happy with the response he saw on Fujin''s face and said enticingly, "However don''t worry. Do you remember what I said on the first day? That the Hokage will watch your exams?"


    Fujin, still confused, nodded his head. Genki continued, "If you perform the best among your ssmates, then you can ask Hokage for a gift. So then you could ask Hokage for these seals to help you. Till then you should stick to the n I made for you."


    Fujin finally started to get some ideas. He nodded his head while thinking, ''Is he trying to motivate me to perform good in the exams? By dangling a carrot in front of me?''


    Seeing Fujin nod, Genki smiled and said while ruffling Fujin''s hair, "Good. But the exams will also have a theoretical part and not only physical exercises. So you have to study theory too if you want toe first."


    Finally getting what''s going on, Fujin said enthusiastically, "Yes Sensei, I''ll study hard for the final exam."


    Satisfied with himself, Genki finally left. After Genki left, Fujinughed a lot internally and then thought, ''Sigh, it''s hard to keep acting as a kid, though there is an aspect of fun in it and damn these adults, trying to manipte little kids so much. It was the same in my previous life. Everyone just forces little kids toe first in everything they do. Sad part is I actually have to perform well in those exams.


    Still though, it was very hrious to watch. Him trying to manipte a little kid. Sucks for him that I am no little kid. I guess he said that just because I don''t participate much in those boring lectures. Come to think about it, I don''t think I have ever even answered a single question he asked in ss. No wonder he tried to manipte me. I guess I''ll have to improve my pretending to pay attention in ss skill!


    Anyways, I ain''t really worried about theoretical exams. While I won''t be arrogant to say that I am the smartest person in the room, but my brain is much more mature than theirs. These exams should be very easy for me.


    That said, the seals do worry me a bit. After all, if someone messes with the seal while putting it on me, it would be very troublesome. I guess I should check up the gravity seal and some suppression seals in the library sometimeter.''


    Ending his train of thoughts, Fujin looked again at the new workout n and walked to the library.

 Chapter 12: Defection

    After entering the library, Fujin first entered section 0 and searched for chakra control scrolls. After searching for a few minutes, he finally found the right one.


    After finding a ce to sit he opened it up and started reading while thinking, ''I can now walk on walls even in my sleep! I need to try tree climbing a bit and then move on to water walking if I want to improve my chakra control even further. If anyone asks where I learnt these things, I can refer them to this scroll.''


    The scroll mentioned leaf concentration, tree climbing and water walking. However what surprised Fujin was that a scroll was referred to at the end of the scroll which presented a theory to improve chakra control even further.


    To satisfy his curiosity, he searched for that scroll and started reading it. After reading he analyzed, ''Interesting. The scroll proposes a theory that chakra could be used to counterbnce ourselves against the gravity itself. By applying as much force as Gravity applies on us, one could float, and ascend or descend by applying higher and lower forces respectively.


    Still though, no one has sessfully managed to do this. Even Tsunade in the series didn''t have any such skill and her chakra control was the best there was in the whole series. As for others who flew like the 3rd Tsuchikage and the ones rted to him, I think they used earth style to lighten themselves or something along those lines. I don''t recall it properly. Anyways, this is an interesting theory. Maybe I could try it sometimeter on.''


    Keeping the scroll back, Fujin finally decided to get to his main task. He went in section E and grabbed the clone jutsu scroll.


    On opening it, he found that this jutsu needed only 3 seals. They were Ram, Snake and Tiger in that order. He read the scroll further. After reading it he thought, ''I see. Even though the hand signs are only 3, a lot more has to be done internally. The hand signs only act as a guide. So just knowing the hand signs won''t be enough to be able to do the jutsu. Guess that scraps all my ns for Shadow Clone jutsu. Anyways, I should start learning this jutsu.''


    After memorising everything of importance regarding clone jutsu, he left the library. He went back to his apartment and started practicing the clone jutsu behind closed doors.


    As expected, the jutsu was quite difficult. He had to make a couple of more trips to the library in order to read that scroll again. During one such trip he saw Genki watching him and smiling. He thought, ''I guess he misunderstood that I''m visiting the library to learn more about history and other stuff he covers in ss. Well whatever, it''s not a problem to me.''


    He also temporarily scrapped his after academy routine and focused entirely on the clone jutsu. Only after he ran out of chakra would he take a break and meditate.


    It took 3 days for him to be able to make his first clone. And he was horrified by it! His thoughts were, ''I never thought I''d make worse clones than Naruto!!''


    Only after a week was he finally able to create a decent clone. He practiced it for another week to get the hang of it and could do it at a much faster pace.


    After that, he started to learn the transformation jutsu. Transformation was going to be a critical technique for him. He nned to disguise himself in order to train outside in order to ensure that he didn''t attract much attention to himself. It also doubles up as training for infiltration missions. In case anyone did catch him, he can use that excuse to get away.


    It took him a week to pull off transformation jutsu properly to a certain extent. He had transformed into his ssmates. However it wasn''t entirely perfect. There were still a lot of imperfections. And that only in terms of appearance. He hadn''t managed to transform his smell and chakra as mentioned in the scroll.


    He thought, ''This is tough. Just getting the appearance right is very difficult. I guess I may be able to change the smell after a while, but perfectly replicating someone''s smell will be difficult. Then again, if I recall right, even Naruto in chuunin exams wasn''t able to replicate smell as Kiba was easily able to identify him due to his smell. So I guess it is rather difficult to pull off. Even the ones who pass the academy aren''t expected to learn how to change the smell. I guess I can work around this by transforming into people from my previous life and using perfumes to mask my smell. That way at least disguising as a stranger would be doable.''


    He continued with his practice. However, next morning when he woke up and started his morning workout, he noticed that the environment in the vige seemed very tense. Despite it being so early, quite a lot of people were awake. And many ninjas were running around. And most of those ninjas had very solemn faces. Fujin wondered as to what happened.


    After the ss started, he noticed that a few of the kids from ns looked a bit tense. He approached Senju Teru and asked why they were so tense. Teru was surprised a bit and asked, "Didn''t anyone tell you the news?"


    Fujin was now really curious. He asked back, "Nope, what news?"


    Teru stated seriously, "Yesterday night, one of the legendary sannins, Orochimaru betrayed Konoha and ran away from the vige. He is now a missing-nin!"


    Hearing that, Fujin became very serious. After a few seconds he replied seriously, "Yeah, that''s some bad news. Extremely surprising too!"


    Teru agreed, "Yeah. Who would have thought that one of the 3rd Hokage''s students would betray Konoha? I heard that he did a lot of illegal experiments that killed a lot of people. Who''d have ever guessed that someone so respected would have been such a scum!"


    Fujin nodded solemnly and went to thest bench and sat there. He thought, ''Damn it''s hard to act surprised when you already know it is gonna happen! Still though, things are happening in a simr way to what happened in Naruto. The results of the 3rd war, attack of Kurama and Minato''s death, then Itachi passing in a year and now Orochimaru''s defection.


    I guess the next event would be an attempt by Kumo to kidnap Hinata and the death of Hizashi. That move from Kumo does make some sense. With Minato dead, Orochimaru defected and the remaining 2 sannins not present in the vige. Then again, giving Hizashi to them was really spineless of Hiruzen.


    Well whatever, I don''t really have any power to interfere or all the information about Konoha''s and Kumo''s military. Then again, even if I did have the power, I''d have probably ignored it as it doesn''t have anything to do with me.


    Anyways, Orochimaru leaving is definitely some good news. If I had to pick the ones I totally want to avoid before I be strong enough, then Danzo and Orochimaru would be the ones to top the list. With Orochimaru gone, half the danger is eliminated. Now I just need to hope that I don''t catch Root''s attention. Otherwise life will get a lot more troublesome.


    That said, I do wonder if, like in Naruto, here too Hiruzen let Orochimaru go or was Orochimaru able to retreat by himself. If it''s the former, then that''s a huge me on Hiruzen. How many people died due to Orochimaru just because Hiruzen was too soft to kill his disciple. Heck, even all the deaths caused by Kabuto''s impure world resurrection in the 4th great ninja war can be med on this bad decision by Hiruzen.'' Fujin sighed after having that thought.


    While Fujin wasn''t disturbed, and even happy that Orochimaru had defected, almost everyone else in the ninja world was tense.


    In the Hokage''s office, Hiruzen was present with a solemn face. Apart from Hiruzen, Homura and Koharu were also very worried. Danzo was present too.


    Danzo criticized the Hokage, "Hiruzen! You''ve grown soft. You have let such a huge threat to the vige get away."


    Before Hiruzen could reply, Koharu chided, "I agree. Orochimaru has the knowledge of a lot of secrets of Konoha. If he were to leak anything to our enemy viges, then it''ll be a nightmare for us."


    Hiruzen sighed and replied, "It''s unfortunate that he chose to defect, but I''m sure that he won''t do anything that''ll be detrimental for Konoha."


    Danzo sarcastically spoke, "Yeah, just like you were sure that he won''t defect from Konoha. Not only did he escape from you, he also killed close to a couple of dozen of our ninjas that were chasing after him. And there''s no saying what else would he do."


    Homura tried to calm the situation down, "Well we can keep arguing about thister. The question right now is what to do right now. With the amount of secrets he was privy to, even the various n heads are very tense."


    Danzo stated, "We have to mark Orochimaru as a missing-nin. Increase his bounty and also send a squad to chase after him and eliminate him."


    Hiruzen countered it saying, "Sending any squads behind him will probably just get them killed. And we are very short on manpower as it is."


    Koharu questioned, "But we can''t leave him unchecked, can we?"


    Danzo and Homura agreed with Koharu. Hiruzen then said, "I''ll send Jiraiya to chase after him" while thinking, ''Hopefully he''ll be able to convince Orochimaru to return and get back on the right track.''


    Danzo questioned, "Won''t he fall prey to his emotions just like you did? I suggest sending root ninjas alongside Jiraiya"


    Hiruzen, however not trusting Danzo''s intentions, just dismissed it saying, "They''ll just get in his way."


    The discussion between the 4 old teammates continued for a while. In the afternoon, there was a council meeting.


    All the n leaders were very tense during this meeting. Orochimaru had worked with all of them at some point, and known many of their n secrets which would be bad for them if leaked to enemies. A few even med Hiruzen for having a soft side for his students.


    The council concluded bybelling Orochimaru as a missing-nin, increasing his bounty by 50% and sending Jiraiya to hunt down Orochimaru. The various n leaders were doubtful whether Jiraiya would really hunt Orochimaru, however they didn''t really have any other option.


    Every other hidden vige was surprised and shocked by this news.


    In Sunagakure, Rasa thought, ''First Minato and their jinchuriki''s death and now Orochimaru''s defection? Are they falling apart? Tch, it sucks that we were hit so badly in the previous war and recovery is so slow due to that bastard Daimyo. Otherwise I''d have definitely taken advantage of this situation.''


    In Kirigakure, Yagura received the reports as well. But he was too busy in Kiri''s internal problems to pay much attention to this incident.


    In Iwagakure, the council debated this matter at length. A few suggested that they should use this opportunity to take revenge for what Minato did to them. While some were cautious, wondering if Konoha was ying some sort of game. At the end, when the discussion came to an end, they asked Onoki what they should do.


    Onoki said, "There''s no point in hurrying to do something right now. Even without Minato and Orochimaru, Konoha is still very strong. And in any case, there''s no way that Brat A won''t do something. Let''s just watch what he does and how Konoha responds and then decide what to do."


    On hearing Onoki''s decision, one thought ran through everyone present in the council meeting, ''Fence-sitter indeed!''


    In Kumogakure though, the 4th Raikage thought very hard about this incident. After discussing with his council, he decided to see if he could take advantage of Konoha''s misfortune.

 Chapter 13: Academy Exam

    While the whole ninja world discussed Orochimaru''s defection, Fujin didn''t bother with it and kept his focus on his training. After 2 weeks of training for transformation jutsu, it had finally improved to an eptable level, though it still had a lot of space for improvement.


    After that, he began the training for substitution jutsu. This one was much tougher than the other two. It took nearly twice the time to learn this jutsu and master it to an eptable level. However, it wasn''t what Fujin had thought it to be.


    He thought, ''The technique is basically just misdirection. The main focus here is noticing your opponent''s focus and the instant he loses focus a bit, rece yourself with an object quickly enough so that the enemy won''t notice you. It ain''t an instant switcheroo. So it won''t work against someone much stronger than you or someone having a Sharingan activated. The object actually has to be very close to you, otherwise the jutsu will be much harder to be performed. Sigh, that makes sense, instant switcheroo would have been too overpowered considering that every academy kid learns this technique.


    It does have a lot of variations though. Genjutsu, transformation jutsu can be used to fool the enemy better. Chakra threads could be used to bring an object at a distance closer to you. It also states that a lower form summoning jutsu could be used to instantly summon the objects around you, while you hightail outta there. Still, though it ain''t as overpowered as I thought, it is still very useful. The subtleness of misdirection would be a very important skill to have as a ninja. It could be applied in a lot of scenarios. I should still master it to the point of being able to do it without hand signs. But Body Flicker jutsu has to be focused much more now. I will also have to learn some wind and earth style escape jutsus.''


    For nearly 2 months, Fujin kept on attempting these jutsus till he ran out of chakra. This process of training till he ran out of chakra had a marvellous effect on his chakra reserves. They increased considerably during these 2 months.


    During these 2 months, he also searched the library for scrolls on increasing Chakra reserves. He found two scrolls very easily. One exined that Chakra increased as one experienced physical and spiritual growth, i.e., it could be increased over time by doing physical exercises and meditation.


    Anotherpared chakra reserves to muscle. Just like how physical straining your muscles would increase muscles, chakra reserves would increase by straining it. So to increase the reserves, one had to keep using his chakra till he ran out of it.


    Fujin had been dependent on the above two till now, which exined the rapid growth in his chakra reserves.


    Apart from that, he also found a few other ways or theories. One scroll talked about using nature chakra, i.e., the Sage mode, which would increase the chakra reserves and make it more potent for the time the sage mode was activated.


    Another scroll talked about increasing cellr activity. By making the cells more active, one could extract more chakra out of each cell. Thus considerably increasing the reserves. It would also help in improving the physique. Fujin was quite impressed with this theory. Sadly the way to increase cellr activity wasn''t mentioned. Fujin wondered, ''I doubt it''ll be easy to increase cellr activity. Otherwise this method would be verymon. I wonder who came up with this theory. Perhaps I could contact that person in the future.''


    On reading the scroll entirely, he saw the name of the person who wrote this scroll at the end. He was very surprised by it initially and then concluded, ''Makes sense that it was the snake bastard who came up with this theory. Tch, seems like this method is a dead end. Maybe if I raid his bases in the future and get my hands on his research results, I could find the way if I get lucky, though the chances are pretty low to be honest. Otherwise I could try asking Tsunade. Her knowledge of the human body might exceed Orochimaru''s. And she was his ex-teammate. It''s possible that she helped Orochimaru on this. Sigh, another thing to consider for the future!''


    The other theories were simrly not implementable. Some were notplete, some were detrimental in the long run. Fujin sighed and returned all the scrolls to their ce.


    He thought, ''I guess my only option is asking Genki. Sadly I don''t have a reasonable excuse to exin why I want to increase my chakra level. His first question would be how am I running out of chakra. And I can''t tell him that I am practicing the basic jutsus on my own. If told it to him, and he told his colleagues, the word would eventually reach Hiruzen and Danzo. A six year old orphan who can perform all 3 basic ninjutsus, it''s a ticket straight into the root!''


    After Fujin had those 3 jutsus down, he started to again allot time for other aspects. For the past 2 months, he had decreased his shuriken throwing practice time, dropped y molding, stopped practicing chakra control and used to meditate only when he was totally drained of chakra.


    Among those 3 jutsus, he didn''t intend to work much on the clone jutsu as in the future he''ll be recing it with shadow clones and elemental clones. As for transformation jutsu, it was very difficult topletely master. So he just decided to focus on the appearance part.


    However, for Substitution jutsu, he nned to master itpletely. To the extent where he could do it instantly without the use of any hand signs.


    In these 2 months, he also progressed a lot in earth and wind nature training during the lectures. He was now instantly able to crumble a small stone into soil, and also able to cut a stone into 2.


    In a rather awkward but hrious incident, his desk was once full of the soil from crumbled stones and he had to silently clear it after the sses were over.


    After that incident, he stopped crumbling the stones in the ss. He wondered what he could do during that time though. Sadly he couldn''t think of a suitable recement for earth nature training. So he just decided to further focus on wind nature and started carrying a small metal scrap into ss and started to try to cut it.


    Over the next few months, he started to go out of his home and roam the streets of Konoha while using transformation jutsu to disguise himself as a random teenager. He identified a lot of isted ces in the bunch of mini-forests within Konoha and started practicing tree climbing. It was very simr to walking on walls. Only difference being, the rougher surface of the trees. He managed to do it within an hour itself and moved onto water walking. Apart from that, he also read up on the gravity seal and a few suppression seals in the library.


    Another month went by in a simr manner, leaving less than a month to the final exams. Fujin finally wondered whether to start preparing for the exams, he thought ''Still 25 days for written exams. It''s still too early!'' However after ''convincing'' himself a bit more, he sighed ''Whatever, it''s my first exam in this world, might as well get it done with.''


    While studying, he did note that the sybus here was tougher than his previous world. It''s probably what would be expected of a 9-10 year old kid, and not from a 6-7 year old kid. He wondered whether the sybus in the ending years may actually provide a challenge to him.


    Soon final exams were upon the academy students. For all other students, the final exams were only the written part. However for the ones in elite batches, more parameters were added. For Fujin''s ss, Shuriken throwingpetition, leaf concentrationpetition and Taijutsu tournaments were arranged too.


    For shuriken throwing, a board with circles of different size but same center was ced and everyone had to hit it. The points depended on in which circle the shuriken hit, with the smallest circle having highest points andrgest having the lowest. In all, the Shurikenpetition was worth 30 points.


    Leaf concentrationpetition was only to see how long one could keep the leaf from falling down. It was worth 20 points. The one who held it for the longest would get full 20 points and the points of others would depend on how long they kept the leaf from falling aspared to him. For example, if the one who held it for the longest hold it for 30 minutes, he would get 20 points, whereas if someone else held it for only 21 minutes, he''d get only 14 points.


    The Taijutsu tournament was straightforward, with points depending on the rank. It was worth 50 points. And the written exam itself was worth 100 points.


    The exams finally happened. Fujin did get augh out of how serious everyone was for the exams.


    In the written exams, Fujin was confident that he answered everything right. Though he wasn''t sure how everyone else performed. Two days after the written exams, the otherpetitions were to be held. He guessed that they wanted to grade the written papers first, so that Hokage can reward the winner right there.


    They started the day with leaf concentration. Fujin, as he had already started to practice water walking, was quite confident in thispetition. Thepetition started. The first guy dropped his leaf in merely 2 minutes. He was from the Inuzuka n. More than half of the ss dropped out within the first 4 minutes. Fujin could hear the groaning and upset voices from them. After 10 minutes, only 9 students were stillpeting.


    After 15 minutes, the only ones left were Suzuki Fujin, Hyuga Hana, Senju Teru, Shimura Nobu and Uchiha Yori. Right around that time, he heard Yori groaning. He knew from the exercises conducted in ss, that at max the others could go 20 odd minutes. Senju Teru dropped the leaf during the 19th minute, Nobu dropped it at the 21st minute, whereas Hana continued till the 22nd minute. Fujin decided to build up a decent lead for the points he''ll be losing in the Taijutsu tournament. Wanting to stop around half an hour, he continued upto 33rd minute before intentionally making a mistake and dropping the leaf. Though he had outperformed his ssmates, he wasn''t that worried about attracting a lot of attention, asst year, Itachi didn''t drop the leaf for freaking 2 hours! And there were rumors that he didn''t drop it but was asked to stop performing it!


    On opening his eyes, he saw a few kids looking at him enviously, and Yori nearly fuming at how outmatched he was in thispetition.


    The next one was the Shuriken throwingpetition. Yori, Teru, Nobu, Fujin, Hoka and a couple more scored perfect in thispetition. Looking at Yori''s fallen face, Fujin noted, ''Thispetition is indeed unfair for him. From what I''ve seen, Yori is able to hit a still target while he is moving very urately. While he can also hit a moving target on a consistent basis, though not dead center. Sadly for him, the exam wasn''t that difficult and hence many others were able to match him. If not, only Teru and maybe Nobu would have been able to match him.


    In the Taijutsupetition, Hyuga Hoka ranked first, followed by Teru and Hana. Fujin was ranked 4th and Yori and Nobu were 5th and 6th respectively. Fujin had defeated Yori in the quarterfinals. Admittedly, Yori''s technique was superior to Fujin''s, however his physique was much weaker. However, in the semis, Fujin lost to Hoka, and in the fight to decide rank 3, he lost to Hana. He noted, ''Damn these Hyugas are tough to fight. Heck, pure Taijutsupetition against them ispletely unfair! Even Teru, though he fought well with his Senju style, in the end he still lost. If I meet these Hyugas in chuunin exams or somewhere, I''ll be sure to pack a shit lot of explosion tags to fight from far away!''


    Hiruzen had visited to spectate the Taijutsupletion. Fujin did note that everyone was much fiercer during the Taijutsupetition, especially Hana. He wondered if that was because it was the exams, or because the Hokage was spectating.


    With all the examspleted, the teachers allowed the students a small break while they readied the final scores of everyone.

 Chapter 14: Results

    While the teachers were calcting the final scores, all the students were waiting around in the training grounds. Fujin internallyughed while noticing, ''Wow, some of them are so nervous, it''s so cute, hahaha. Only the 2 yawning Naras and Teru look calm.''


    After adding up the scores and cross-checking, the teachers finally came back, led by the Hokage himself. Hiruzen gave another inspiring cum brainwashing speech while praising everyone for their efforts and the disy of their talents. After his speech, Genki walked forward and disyed the results on a board.


    As Fujin expected, he was the one ranked first. The scores of Top 5 were : Fujin : 100+20+30+44 = 194


    Hana : 100+13+29+46 = 188


    Teru : 96+12+30+48 = 186


    Nobu : 98+13+30+40 = 181


    Yori : 95+09+30+42 = 176


    Fujin, looking at his rank, was very satisfied. It was as he expected. However, on taking a deeper look and checking the scores in each individual category for him and others, he was a bit shocked, ''Damn! I''m ranked one only due to the leaf concentrationpetition! If I didn''t build a huge lead there, then Hana would have outranked me and Teru would have been tied with me! I didn''t expect anyone else to get a 100 in written exams.''


    He exhaled a long breath of air in relief, ''I guess I have been incredibly lucky with the marking system of the leaf concentrationpetition. Chakra control is where I am much superior to these kids from the ns. But sadly for them, their specialities weren''t marked in this manner. Yori and Teru could have easily scored much more if the Shurikenpetition was made more difficult. Simrly they''d have been much superior than everyone if Ninjutsu was tested. After all, Fireball jutsu is a rank C jutsu. I am sure Genki would have noticed this too. So next year, the marking scheme might be different. Perhaps other exams would be marked simr to the best scorer as well.''


    He concluded his thoughts with, ''Even though I ranked first, I still have much to work on. I shouldn''t ck off. Instead I should be intensifying my training. I''m sure these guys would be trained hard by their ns during the vacation.''


    Aftering out of his thoughts, he noticed those around himself. He noticed that Hana and Teru were looking at him with a very aggrieved look. As if he had done them a huge injustice. After a second be realised, that they were probably mad due to the results of the leaf concentrationpetition. He just decided to ignore them.


    After disying the results, Hiruzen wanted Genki to announce the prize. However after looking at Genki, Hiruzen felt as if Genki was looking very grumpy. He began to guess what made him so irritated. Wondering if he could get to hear an interesting story. He decided to ask himter.


    Genki was really irritated. He thought, ''This brat! For 10 fucking months he didn''t answer a single question in the ss. Always seemed half distracted. Who knows what the fuck he does with his left hand always under his desk. The one time I tried to check, all I found was a lot of soil under his desk! And now he scores a perfect 100 on written exams? Don''t tell me that after he goes home, all he does is study.''


    Right then he felt like the Hokage was looking at him. Seeing Hokage looking at him, he understood what Hokage wanted and quickly announced, "Alright everyone, be silent for a while." After getting the ss''s attention, he continued "As I had told you guys on the first day, Lord Hokage woulde here to watch your performance. However, there''s an additional reward for the one who scores the highest in this exam. The best student can ask Lord Hokage for a reward."


    On hearing this, the civilian kids were surprised. While the kids from ns seem to already know this. Genki announced loudly, "Suzuki Fujin, step forward."


    Fujin walked forward while thinking, ''I wonder what are the limits of the reward. Can I ask for private tutoring from him? Any forbidden or rank S jutsus? Or better yet ask for the scroll of sealing? Hehe, I wonder what face he''d make if I asked for the scroll of sealing or something like Edo Tensei! Oh well, need to show proper respect now I guess.''


    When Fujin reached in front of Hiruzen, he bowed respectfully. Seeing that, Hiruzen was very pleased. He smiled kindly and said, "You''ve performed really well. I can see that you have worked really hard to be able to rank 1st in your ss. The will of fire burns strong in you." Fujin thought sarcastically, ''Yeah, right''


    Hiruzen continued, "Ask what reward you''d like." Fujin took a nce at Genki, and was a bit surprised at his irritated look. He then looked towards Hiruzen and respectfully said, "Lord Hokage, I would like to get seals that can replicate the effect weights have on our physique, but without any detrimental side effects."


    Hiruzen was a bit surprised by what Fujin asked for. However he soon nodded and said, "Alright. However it will require some time to be prepared. I''ll call you to my office when it is ready."


    Fujin tried to show a very happy and enthusiastic expression. He said in an excited manner, "Thank you very much lord Hokage."


    After that he retreated back among the kids. The exams were finally over. Fujin, who had already grown used to the new routine provided by Genki, would finally have better means to strengthen his physique. However before they were dismissed, Genki announced that they would have a ss tomorrow. Hearing that most of the kids groaned. Students from other divisions already started their vacations 2 days back. Genki however tried his best to assure everyone that this will be thest ss.


    Next day, everyone was present in the ssroom. Genki arrived and the ss greeted him. A few were still upset at being called for ss.


    Genki started by saying, "Before we start, I have to say that I am very proud of your performance yesterday. Keep up your hard work and soon you all will be splendid Shinobi."


    Hearing that calmed down the upset ones. He continued, "I hope that you guys continue your training in the vacation as well. As for today''s ss, don''t worry, it''ll be very exciting for you. I will be talking about what options are avable to you guys in the future. That is what type of ninja you can be."


    After that, Genki started telling them what all options are there in the future. He started with the easiest one to understand, the Medic-nin. He exined what a medic ninja does and emphasized their importance in a squad. He even mentioned Tsunade in order to increase the interest of his students.


    He followed it up with various other possibilities like Assault ninja, Tracking ninja, Sensor ninja, Hunter-nin, Infiltration ninja, Communication ninja and so on. He exined the benefits of each and every one of them as well as their restrictions and limitations as well as the risks associated. He also gave a good role model for each option.


    He also exined about specialising. He exined, "Genjutsu, Taijutsu, various elemental Ninjutsu, a ninja could be very powerful if specialized in one of these. But having basic capability for the rest is important too. Otherwise you will have a lot of weaknesses."


    He exined more about them. The lecture continued for 2 hours straight. Around 10 am, Genki finally ended his lecture. He said, "Alright, with this now you are officially on your vacations."


    Fujin was very happy with this lecture. He thought, ''Finally, I got a chance!''


    Many students got very excited and started celebrating. However Genki raised his voice and continued, "BUT, think about what we talked about today. Discuss it with your parents and decide the optimal way for you to train. If anyone has any doubts, they can consult me. I''ll be in the staff room till noon."


    With that he finally ended his ss. Many students just ran out of the ss. Fujin instead went to the shuriken training ground and started practicing. After half an hour, he decided to visit Genki.


    On reaching the staff room, he knocked and entered after being permitted. Genki was the only teacher present. It made sense as vacations had started.


    Looking at Fujin, Genki was still irritated a bit. However after a few seconds, he let out a sigh and thought, ''Forget it. I guess he is just too reserved to actively participate in ss.''


    Fujin was puzzled by looking at Genki sigh. He called him to get his attention, "Sensei"


    Genki replied, "So, what queries do you want to clear?"


    Fujin replied, "Sensei, could you update my workout routine again and also tell me more about those seals and how to use them?"


    Genki nodded and took a look at his workout routine again. After considering the addition of seals, he made a few changes to the routine and asked Fujin to follow them. He said, "Alright, follow this n and if you getfortable, you can increase the pressure that the seals can put on you. However don''t increase the pressure a lot or you can get injured and won''t be able to practice for weeks."


    Fujin nodded, "Thank you sensei." However he still stood there and asked something Genki would have never guessed. He said, "Sensei, I thought about the roles you mentioned during the lecture. And I''m really interested in being a sensor. So can you tell how I should train for it?"


    Genki was really surprised by this request. Not able to understand the reason, he asked, "Why do you want to be a sensor?"


    Fujin replied confidently, "Sensei, if an enemy sneaks up on me or my team in the future, being a sensor would help me save all of us. Also I''ll be able to detect enemies from far away and prevent us from falling into any ambush. That''s why I wanted to be a sensor." After finishing, Fujin smirked internally.


    Genki was surprised a bit by the answer. All the stuff that Fujin just said, was what he himself had said in ss. He thought, ''No wonder he scored full in written exams. But still, something doesn''t add up. He seems a bit too interested in bing a sensor, it''s not something that can happen in merely 2 hours. It''s as if he knew about sensors beforehand."


    He asked, "Since when did you want to be a sensor ninja?"


    Fujin wasn''t ignorant of the fact that Genki could have found this request a bit suspicious. He acted to show that he was nervous, and said, "Um¡­ I wasn''t aware of sensor ninjas until today''s lecture." He then sheepishly rubbed the back of his head while saying, "However I was thinking along those lines from the day you snuck up on me in the library. If it was an enemy, he could have killed me without me even knowing what happened."


    Genki was stunned by the reply, ''I never thought that a simple incident as that had such an impact on him. And that was merely his first day! Sigh. Whatever, I guess I''m the one to me for this obsession of his.''


    He then replied, "I am not a sensor, so I won''t be able to help you with this." Hearing that he saw a dejected look at Fujin. Fujin was thinking, ''Oh please, not another trick again! I don''t wanna wait till next year''s final exam!''


    However, Genki had good news for Fujin. He continued, "However, I have a good friend who is a sensor and is in the sensor division of Konoha. I''ll ask him to train you over the vacation. I hope you don''t have any other ns for the vacation."


    Fujin put up an excited expression, while thinking, ''Oh, I do have a lot of ns, not just for the vacation but also for the next year or two!'' and said, "No sensei!" in an excited manner.


    Genki smiled and said that he''ll pick up Fujin tomorrow at 8 am. Fujin then took his leave.

 Chapter 15: Sensor

    Next morning, Genki showed up at Fujin''s house at 8 am. After picking him up, they went to a training ground. Fujin saw that a middle-aged man, probably inte 20s or early 30s was waiting. He noticed that the man had Yamanaka crest on him. He thought, ''Should have guessed. In Konoha, they are the best sensors.''


    Genki approached him and said, "Yo. This is the kid I was talking about. Fujin, he is Shin. He was my ssmate. He is a special jounin. He''ll be giving you tips on how to be a sensor. He may seem grumpy at times, but don''t worry, he is a very kind person."


    Fujin nodded, "Good morning Shin sensei"


    He noted that Shin, who was already looking a bit mad at Genki''s introduction, seemed even more grumpy after he greeted him.


    Shin angrily said, "Damn you Genki. Not only do you give such a shit introduction but now are also trying to pull me into being a sensei?"


    He then looked at Fujin strictly and said, "Kiddo, don''t ever call me Sensei."


    Fujin wondered, ''Why is everyone so strange?'' while Genki asked mockingly, "Damn, why do you have to be so grumpy so early in the day?"


    Fujin acted to show he was nervous and asked, "So what do I call you?"


    Shin thought for a few seconds, and then put up a smile on his face, with his eyes almost sparkling, and said "Call me Shin aniki." His face looked borderline creepy.


    Fujin''s expression immediately became entirely in and almost blurted out, ''Why don''t I call you old geezer?''


    Genki facepalmed and scolded, "Stop being creepy. Let him call you sensei!"


    Shin sighed in disappointment and replied, "Alright, leave it."


    Then looking at Fujin he said, "Alright kiddo, first let''s see how talented you are in bing a sensor. If your talent is very poor, then I won''t be teaching you and you shouldn''t waste your time on it either."


    He first lectured Fujin a bit about what sensors do and how. Then instructed Fujin to sit in a meditative pose and told him how to sense his chakra field. It took nearly half an hour for Fujin to sense his chakra field. The instructions were very helpful.


    Shin then tested Fujin''s chakra field a bit. After some testing, he concluded that Fujin''s chakra field had a radius of 7.3 metres.


    Shinmented, "7.3 metres, not bad. An average ninja has a chakra field of 4 to 5 metres. In my Yamanaka n, we train our youngsters in bing a sensor if their chakra field exceeds 7 metres, while for other Konoha Shinobi, the minimum requirement is 5.9 metres. However that is just the bare minimum. Quite a few in the Yamanaka n had their chakra field exceed 10 metres before they started training to be a sensor. I myself had a radius of 10.6 metres. So while you can be a sensor, you''ll have to do a lot of hard work. So are you sure you still wanna to train to be a sensor?"


    Fujin processed all the information quickly and nodded. Shin said, "Alright, I''ll guide you. However, the process of training to be a sensor is quiteplicated. We will need proper training facilities. I''ll take you to the ce where Konoha sensors are trained. You will start visiting there daily at 10:30 am from tomorrow onwards."


    Genki nodded at his former ssmate. He looked at Fujin and informed, "Lord Hokage will have your seals ready by tomorrow. Report to his office tomorrow at 6 pm." Fujin nodded and said, "Thank You sensei"


    He then apanied Shin to the training facility. The location was slightly away from the residential areas. It was in the middle of one of the many mini-forests in Konoha. Fujin memorized the location and then took his leave.


    Next day, Fujin reached the training facility at 10:28 am. He saw that Shin was already there. On entering, Fujin saw that there were a lot of rooms in the facility. The facility was mostly empty with very few people actually being there. However Fujin noted that quite a few rooms were upied. Shin said, "These rooms iste everything outside it. And also have seals that can eliminate all sound and smell in the room. So you''ll have to entirely be dependent on your ability to sense."


    Fujin paid attention while Shin was exining it. He thought, ''I see, this makes sense. I suppose this is where most of Konoha''s sensors train. I guess other trainees are upying other rooms. I don''t recall properly, but I think Konoha also had a facility that aided it to monitor the whole border of the vige to look for intruders or something along those lines, though it was only shown in Shippuden and not in part 1. I wonder if that facility is also in here, or is it somece elsewhere?''


    Shin led Fujin in one of the rooms. The room was very dark. All walls were painted ck. The room was pretty big too. On entering, Shin exined Fujin how to train to be able to sense with only the help of his chakra. He said, "A blindfold will be ced on you, and after the seals are activated, all sound and smell in the room will be eliminated. After that, a few objects will be ced in the room. These objects have a small amount of Chakra sealed within them in a manner that it can be detected by sensors. So your job will be to detect these objects. We will start by cing the object 3 metres from you, andter increase the range to 5 metres and then to 7 metres. Once you are done with it, then I''ll teach you how to increase the size of your chakra field."


    Fujin understood and thanked him. He started the training. The training continued till 12:30 with him having no sess at all. At that time, Shin ended the training. He said, that they''ll daily train here for 2 hours and also gave him a few tips in order to make some progress. He also had a few words of encouragement for Fujin as he said that these things can''t be sensed in a day and to not get very upset.


    He also provided Fujin with a small cubical object. He said, "This is one of the objects that I had asked you to sense. You can temporarily borrow this to practice at home. Though you won''t be able to block your sense of smell and sound, however it shouldn''t matter much as you don''t specialize in either of those. So just try to practice with your blindfold on. Maybe ask someone else to ce the square down somewhere after you have put the blindfold and sat in your meditative posture. That way you won''t know where exactly the cube is beforehand. However, don''t practice for very long."


    Fujin understood all what Shin said and nodded. He then thanked Shin and left for his home. With the academy over, he now had 7 additional hours he could use for training. The training at the facility, travelling to and fro and lunch took slightly less than 3 hours. Fujin allotted all the remaining 4 hours for chakra sensing training temporarily.


    In the Hokage office, Hiruzen looked at the custom made seals on his desk. He sighed softly while thinking, ''Konoha''s edge in Fuinjutsu is fading fast. With the annihtion of the Uzumaki n and the passing away of Mito sama, our progress in Fuinjutsu had almoste to a standstill. Kushina and Minato had just started to make progress, but they died too young. Now it almost took 2 whole days to get such a simple seal custom made for Fujin.


    The request is still quite surprising though. Genki did say that the kid was diligent, but asking for such seals at such a young age is incredibly rare. Only a few geniuses among the ns usually train with this. However even they start at ater age in most cases. I do recall him ncing at Genki first before asking for the prize. I guess Genki was the one who suggested the idea to him. I guess I should have a nice chat with him when he visits me in a few hours.''


    At 6pm, Fujin reached Hokage office and entered after knocking. He greeted respectfully while bowing his head slightly, "Good evening lord Hokage"


    Hiruzen was impressed by it, he thought, ''Well atleast his manners are very good.''


    He said, "Look up. Here are the seals you requested. This seal is a special seal designed by our vige, itbines the features of a few basic seals in order to create a perfect tool to help train the bodies of our Shinobi. You can manipte the amount of pressure the seal puts on your body freely. The pressure is applied on the whole body."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Thank you Lord Hokage." He then looked at the seal ced in front of him. The seal was engraved on a square shaped paper. He thought, ''There is just one seal. I thought that there would be four or more seals to be applied on various parts of the body like the 4 limbs and so on. I guess this seal is much more advanced. Sigh, I can''t analyze this seal then. Still, it''s better that I have to ce this seal on myself and no one else has to make the seal on my body. This way the chances of someone creating issues will probably be lower. That said, I''m not supposed to know much about Fuinjutsu.''


    He then looked up at Hokage, and asked, "Lord Hokage, how do I use this seal?"


    Hiruzen replied, "Just ce the seal on your chest. It should stick to your body. The seal is reusable, so you can remove it and put it again if you ever wanted to. But don''t ever give this seal to anyone else."


    Fujin replied, "Yes, Lord Hokage. But how do I increase or decrease the pressure caused by the seal. Also how much pressure can be applied by the seal?"


    Hiruzen chuckled at the curiosity of the youngster in front of him. He replied, "Just focus your chakra on the seal. It''s simr to how you focus chakra on the leaf during leaf concentration exercise. Then you can decide whether to increase or decrease the pressure and it''ll be done automatically. As for the maximum pressure, it can apply a lot. It is equivalent to wearing a body vest of 100kg, 50kg weights on each leg and 25kg weights on each arm."


    Fujin was shocked with those numbers. He nearly cursed out, ''Bastard, shouldn''t you say that first!'' However he maintained control of his emotions. In order to keep up his act, he gulped and showed a bit of fear on his face.


    Hiruzen looked at Fujin''s expression and smirked internally, thinking, ''Well, this will ensure that he always uses that seal very carefully and doesn''t harm himself with it.''


    After that, Hiruzen talked a bit with Fujin. He tried to understand what caused Fujin to require these seals. He also asked about his daily life, whether his apartment isfortable, whether he ate properly and so on. He also made Fujin try controlling the pressure in his presence. He also exined some tips and precautions. For instance, he said that while sleeping, Fujin should always deactivate the seal. He also cautioned Fujin against using the seal while sparring or fighting saying, "if you get used to it, then you will find it hard to properly control your movements when you deactivate the seal." At the end, he praised Fujin''s performance in the exams and let him go.


    After leaving, Fujin thought, ''250kg huh. I really wanna know if anyone actually uses it all. I do wonder how much weight Lee carried. The number was never mentioned in the series.''


    While leaving the Hokage office, Fujin had already activated the seal. In front of Hiruzen, he kept the pressure very low. However, after leaving the Hokage building, he increased the pressure. He increased it to a level where it put a decent amount of strain on his body, while still being able to bear it.


    He ran all the way to his home and thought, ''Finally, even this simple run was a challenge! Though I will probably have to reduce the pressure a bit in order to be able toplete the workout routine Genki provided. I suppose I''ll have to test for a few days in order to get the pressure right. I can track my progress too, as I will know the percentage of max pressure applied by the seal.''


    He also thought about what all Hiruzen told him and focused on 2 points, ''He specified to not use the seal while sleeping and fighting. I suppose not following the first one ain''t an option. As for 2nd, I can understand his point of view and concerns. If I do it, then trying to fight without that pressure will cause plenty of issues. Of course they can be fixed with some work, however if in the middle of a fight, it''ll be deadly. However Kaguya did have a high gravity dimension. So I should try to learn to fight under high pressure too. But there''s no need to do it now. Maybeter on I could build a gravity chamber and practice there. That might be more effective.


    Still, I gotta admit that this seal is very good. It applies pressure throughout my body. The pressure on my legs is more than on my arms. Even my back feels the strain. I guess the seal is made in a way that every muscle is properly exercised. Which would result in proper development of the whole body. There won''t be any cases of some muscles being developed more and others being underdeveloped. I guess Hiruzen left out the specifics, not expecting me to understand them. This method is much superior to the weights Lee used. I guess I really need to be thankful to Genki. Though, this does make me wonder why these guys haven''t given the seal to every Konoha shinobi. Is it that hard to produce?''


    Ending his train of thoughts, Fujin started to meditate.

 Chapter 16: Second Academic Year

    Over the next few days, Fujin experimented with the pressure applied by the seal. He turned 7 year old as well. It took him four days to be able to figure out the amount of pressure he could be under and stillplete his workout. It was slightly over 2% of the seals max capacity. He thought, ''Wow, that''s very low! Then again, I''m barely 7 years old now. Anyways, at least my physique should develop faster now.''


    His sensor training continued as well. It took him 8 days to finally be able to sense the objects ced around him. Yamanaka Shin was a bit disappointed by the progress, he sighed and thought, ''8 days, while it ain''t bad, it''s not very good either. He probably won''t be able to be an exceptional sensor. Though with some work, he could be a decent one. While the time is slightly better than the average of other Konoha sensors, itcks whenpared to sensors from my n. On average, we are able to sense the object on the 7th day, and the more talented ones do it even faster.


    Oh well, Konoha does severelyck sensors. Due to the existence of Hyuga, Aburame and Inuzuka ns, the vige didn''t really invest much into training sensors. Majority of Konoha''s sensorse from my n. Having another sensor, even just an average one will be good for the vige.''


    After that, Shin moved the objects away from Fujin and ced them 4-5 metres away. As the basics were the same and the objects were still in his chakra field, he was able to sense it very quickly in less than half an hour. Shin was surprised by the speed. He moved the objects 7 metres away, and the same thing repeated.


    This surprised Shin a lot, ''Well this is surprising. Though on average a Yamanaka senses the objects on the 7th day, sensing after moving it away takes some time, with most going into the 8th day and a few even to the 9th day. I guess he has more talent than I thought.''


    Fujin''s thoughts were, ''While it did take a long time to detect it, to detect after increasing range wasn''t tough. The principles were the same and the object was still in my chakra field. I guess the next training would be to increase the size of my chakra field.'' He sighed slightly thinking, ''I hope the training for it isn''t as boring as this one.''


    After the training was done, Shin said to Fujin, "Not bad, you have progressed faster than I thought. Over the next 4 days, keep practicing the same at your home, so that you get morefortable with sensing chakras in your field. I''ll be out on a mission, so I won''t meet you. Once I return, we will start training to increase the radius of your chakra field."


    Fujin thanked him and left. The next couple of months went in a simr manner. The training for increasing the Chakra field included even longer hours of meditation. He had to focus on one point and try to increase the range in that direction. Fujin thought, ''This is gonna take a long time! I guess over the vacation, I should work on being able to train while also keeping my eyes open instead of putting up a blindfold. That way I can train for this in the ss too. Otherwise, there will be no hope of continuing this training after academy restarts.''


    Over the vacation, he kept up his physical workouts, which produced great results thanks to the seal. He also trained a lot in the substitution jutsu. His goal was to reduce the time required to perform it and also reduce the number of required hand signs from five to zero. While he didn''t make any progress on reducing the number of hand signs, he was able to perform it much faster, being able to do it in less than a second, though he wasn''t sure of the exact time due to having no instruments to measure it.


    For clone jutsu, he was able to create 3 clones, which if he recalled correctly, was the requirement for the Genin graduation exam. Transformation jutsu was progressing well too as no one was able to see any issue with him when he was roaming in the streets while being transformed into others. But he hadn''t yet tested it against someone who knew him.


    As for Chakra control, he became capable of running freely on water surfaces. So he reduced the time allotted to it and only practiced it twice a week instead of daily. While he had some ideas to improve his chakra control even further, he decided to try themter so as to be able to focus more on Ninjutsu.


    The wind nature transformation training had taken a step back as Fujin felt that he had trained enough for it. He thought, ''Being able to cut a stone was probably on par with being able to cut a waterfall. Even on the metal, I''m able to leave small scratches on the surface.'' As for earth training, he had bought more y to work on molding it and had also brought a small one foot rock in his home, which he attempted to crumble after being bored of sensor training.


    As for sensor training, after teaching Fujin how to increase the radius of his chakra field, the meetings with Shin were reduced to only twice a week. When the vacation ended, Fujin was able to instantly sense chakra if anyone stepped in his chakra field, unless that person had hidden his chakra. However he had to actively focus to do that. If he didn''t focus, then he wasn''t able to sense anyone. However, he noticed that he was able to passively sense chakra in 0.6 metre radius around himself. Shin said that this was something every sensor developed over time. And was very important as this didn''t require attention and the sensor could do other tasks simultaneously.


    His radius of chakra field increased to over 4 times of its initial size to slightly over 30 metres. Shin was quite impressed with the pace of his improvement. Shin also taught Fujin to be able to measure the amount of chakra in the ninjas in his chakra field. He exined its uses in identifying the threat level. But he also exined to not be entirely reliant on it as the amount of chakra can be hidden as well. He demonstrated to Fujin as to how he could reduce his chakra that others can sense, or evenpletely hide it to appear as amon civilian. Shin taught the same to Fujin too.


    Fujin had some sess in hiding his chakrapletely, though it wasn''t perfect yet. However, trying to reduce it and putting up a facade of having a lower chakra level was very difficult as his chakra would fluctuate a lot. On the other hand, Fujin was able to sense chakra without restricting any of his senses or without having to use the hand sign or even while moving around. However, without the hand sign, the radius of the chakra field used to reduce to around 25 metres, and while moving around, it went down to merely 17 metres. It showed that he still had a lot of work to do.


    On thest day of vacation, Shin said, "You have improved a lot. In the future you can easily be a good sensor with some more training. So keep working on it. We won''t have any more training sessions, but feel free to approach me if you have anything to rify." Fujin thanked him for all his help over the past 2 months and took his leave. He also returned the chakra objects that he had borrowed.


    Fujin was really grateful to him. Though Fujin''s capabilities as a sensor were still very poor, in the past 2 months, Shin had drilled all the basics of being a sensor into him. Now he merely needed to put more efforts into bing a good sensor.


    The new year in the academy finally started. Genki was again our ss teacher. Fujin guessed that he''ll be the ss teacher until they became genin.


    The new year started with another brainwashing lecture. Fujin, not wanting to waste any time, employed the art he had mastered in his previous life and remastered in this one - The art of faking attention in a lecture. He moved his attention to his chakra field. His n was to focus on increasing the radius of his chakra field. But upon sensing others, he decided topare everyone''s chakra levels first.


    After noticing everyone''s chakra levels, he concluded, ''Wow, my chakra reserves are really very good! The efforts taken over the previous year and half have really been very fruitful. It''s good to finally be able to see the results of my efforts.''


    As for others, Fujin noted that on average the chakra levels of the civilian students, and students from Nara, Yamanaka, Kato, Hatake, Sarutobi and Kurama ns is lower than others. Comparatively, students from Hyuga, Akimichi, Inuzuka, Aburame and Uchiha ns have slightly more chakra. In all, Uchiha Yori''s chakra is the 6th highest in the ss, while Hyuga Hoka ranked 7th. While that was what he expected, the one with the 5th highest chakra surprised him. He thought, ''Now that''s surprising. The 5th highest chakra level is of Shimura Nobu. I guess Danzo really has a proper training system for kids from his n.''


    As for the ones at the top, there was no surprise. He thought, ''Sigh, these Senjus are really blessed with high chakra reserves. Even the two who aren''t that talented have their chakra reserves almost 50% greater than that of Yori. Whereas Teru''s chakra reserves are more than twice that of Yori. It''s evenrger than mine!


    Anyways, the chakra levels of everyone is just as expected. Only Nobu was an exception. Which implies that they haven''t started to do any training to increase their reserves. Makes sense though, as they are only 7 years old. Anyways, if he doesn''t focus on increasing his chakra level, I should be able to increase my chakra reserves to berger than Teru''s.''


    He then tried to measure the chakra level of Genki. On measuring it, he thought, ''I see, his and Shin''s chakra reserves are very simr to each other. I guess there isn''t much difference between an elite chuunin and a special jounin. It''s just that a special jounin has a skill that is at Jounin level, while the rest of his skills are only at elite chuunin level. For Shin, it is his capabilities as a sensor.


    I gotta agree that bing a sensor is very convenient. Unless the ones being sensed are sensors too, there''s little chance of anyone realising that they are being sensed. Though I suppose all of the Kage level ninjas would have mastered this to a certain extent. Oh well, it''s not like I''m nning to hunt any Kages.


    Anyways, enough with this ss. I should check the ones from other sses, especially the ones who will be bing genin this year. While the 25 metre radius of my chakra field is pretty insignificant in an open field, in apact building, it covers a lot.''


    With those thoughts, he started to focus on chakras outside his ssroom. He first observed the ssroom in which he had seen Daisuke run in. Noticing the chakra levels of the students there, he observed that they were really low!


    He then focused on the room where he knew the sses for senior most batches happen. He measured their chakras. He observed that there were a few with really pitiful chakra levels. He guessed that most of them won''t be genin. On average however, their chakra level was only 20% higher than Teru''s. Though there were a few having much higher chakra levels. Fujin guessed that those kids were from the Senju n too.


    Fujin concluded, ''I see. I suppose by the end of this academic year, my chakra reserves should be high enough and could be considered genin level. And I know all the 3 basic jutsus too. So in terms of chakra and Ninjutsu, I should reach Genin level in a year. Even Taijutsu should reach that stage in less than 2 years. But that won''t be enough to actually pass the graduation exam. The graduation exam has so much more than just Taijutsu and Ninjutsu. There''s training on moving stealthily, setting up an encampment, incapacitating a target, freeing yourself if you are captured, using a first-aid kit, even hunting, cleaning and cooking a wild animal and a lot more that will be taught in the academy. Without all that knowledge and training, bing a ninja might well be suicide.


    Not to mention, actually trying to graduate so early would be stupid. Itachi was a different case. He is the son of the Uchiha patriarch. I, on the other hand, am merely an orphan. It would attract a lot of unwanted attention.


    In addition, just from the point of view of ninjutsu, I still have so much more to learn. I still have to learn a few more basic jutsus like Body Flicker, and not to mention I still have to learn Wind and Earth style jutsus. Apart from that, I''m almost entirely nk when ites to Genjutsu and have a lot to learn in Kenjutsu. So there''s no point in graduating until I have gained everything I could from the academy. If I ever reach a point where I can''t make much progress due to being in the academy, then I''ll consider graduating early.''


    After considering all that, Fujin finally focused on increasing the radius of his chakra field. The remaining lecture went in a simr boring manner. However, at the end of the lecture Genki said something that excited some of his fellow students. He said, "This year, we will start learning Ninjutsu."

 Chapter 17: Body Flicker

    Fujin wasn''t surprised by that news. He had already gathered enough information about the academy in the previous year. For normal students, the Ninjutsu training began in their 3rd year. However for the elite batches, it began in their 2nd year. Having already learnt the 3 basic jutsus, he wasn''t much interested in the news. Though he did have a concern, he thought, ''I''ll have to hide the fact that I can use these jutsus. I''ll need to learn how to fail at these jutsus. And have to do it in a manner that doesn''t give me any bad habits. I suppose I could just make hand signs without molding my chakra, or maybe mold chakra for a few of the hand signs without molding it for 1. I''ll have to test that first. When around 7-8 are able to perform the jutsu, I''ll show that I have just managed to do them too.''


    In the first week, Genki just revised what they had learnt in the previous year and tested all the students. However, seeing the progress of some of the students had left Fujin speechless. Genki too was surprised, but it was a joyous surprise for him.


    In the leaf concentration exercise, Hana, Teru and Nobu, all were able to hold the leaf for more than half an hour! While Yori and Hoka exceeded 25 mins. Fujin had dropped his leaf after 36 minutes, in order to not attract any suspicion. His thoughts were, ''Damn! If they keep up thispetitive nature, they may well reach beyond 1 hour by the end of this year! While it''s reasonable to expect me to keep up, I should instead show that I''ve cked off and not made much progress. While Genki might get a bit suspicious, if he ever asks me, I''ll just say I felt bad for them and am letting them win.''


    Genki was very impressed too. He thought, ''Four kids were able to stick the leaf for over half an hour, another two should be able to reach that in another couple of months. This batch is good. I guess that Fujin brat spurred them all on. They might actually be able to do tree climbing and even water walking before they graduate. Oh this is so nice, I could get a huge bonus from the Hokage.''


    The shurikenpetition didn''t give much insights on their growth, as many were already doing very well in the previous year. The Taijutsu tournament however, didn''t show that much improvement for everyone. Among the ones at the top, only Yori and Nobu made significant progress. Fujin guessed that it was only because of his performance in the Leaf concentration exam that made everyone focus a lot on it. However, the Inuzukas were performing much better thanst year and were very aggressive too. Due to the poor scores of all 3 Inuzukas in the exams, they were given some ''special'' training by their n in order to not embarrass the n any further.


    In one of the spars, one Inuzuka kid screamed, "I''ll defeat you no matter what! There''s no way I will go through that training in my n ever again." Hearing that, the other two Inuzuka students winced. Fujin, getting a hint of what would have happened thought, ''This world is in a severe need ofws punishing child abuse!'' Sadly for that Inuzuka student, he still got mercilessly beaten into the ground by Nobu, which made everyone feel pity for the poor kid.


    The Taijutsu tournament, however, did provide Fujin with the opportunity to finally test his progress. And he was very pleased with the results. After deactivating the seals, his body moved a lot faster. And his blows carried more weight. He tied against Teru in their match.


    After the first week was done, Fujin entered the library and went into section D. He thought, ''I''ve probably tried the substitution jutsu over a thousand times. I''m still not able to reduce the hand signs needed for it. Honestly, jutsu is almostpletely useless against ninjas if you have to make those hand signs. Even a random genin would be able to identify the jutsu and be on alert. Though I guess it might still work on normal bandits. Anyways, I guess I''ll need a few years to be able to reduce the number of hand signs needed. So let''s just move on to a new jutsu.''


    He quickly started searching for the jutsu he wanted to learn. He was quite excited to learn it as it was one of his favourites. On finding it, he read out softly, "The Body Flicker jutsu"


    He found a ce to sit, and read the scroll. After reading and analysing it, he concluded, ''Hmm, this jutsu can be called both easy andplicated at the same time. It''s easy as there is only one hand sign required. The Tiger seal. So the way of molding chakra is very simple. And it''splicated as actually performing this technique is quite difficult. I would have to focus a lot of chakra in my legs to be able to move at such high speeds. ording to the scroll, initially I''ll only be able to flicker a few metres away. Only when I''m able to flicker a 100 metres away would I be considered to have learnt this jutsu. It is also mentioned to use something like smoke or leaves just before using this jutsu so that the enemy doesn''t understand the direction in which you flicker to. Also, it is very important to ensure not to run into someone or something while using this jutsu. I suppose me being a sensor might help a bit in this regard.


    However, there''s no such thing as the maximum distance one can flicker away. Instead it is the amount of time you can sustain this jutsu. I thought that I''ll need to learn to be able to flicker many times consecutively if I want the help of this jutsu to be able to escape. However instead it is the amount of time you can maintain this jutsu. So if I''m able to flicker 100 metre away in a second and am able to sustain this jutsu for 10 seconds, I''ll be able to run a kilometre away. But this is good I suppose. It''s more convenient then having to flicker again and again.''


    After learning the whole process from the scroll, Fujin left the library. He transformed into a random 13 year old stranger in an empty alleyway. And then ran into a nearby mini-forest. He then ran around in that mini-forest while trying to sense if any chakra is present around him. After that he thought, ''Alright, this forest is clear. Also I''m under a disguise. So I can start training. While a forest isn''t the best ce to train body flicker, but, since the amount of distance I can flicker initially will be low, there shouldn''t be an issue. Though I''ll need to train in open spaces once I start to flicker long distances away.'' And he started training for this jutsu.


    The months went on in a peaceful manner for Fujin. His physique kept improving due to the seal. He used to increase the pressure of the seal by 0.1% from time to time.


    In the academy, Genki started ninjutsu with the transformation technique. Fujin had experimented and found it easy to fake hand signs without molding his chakra. However he felt that it was wasteful¡­. So he tried another trick. He started faking the first hand sign, but while changing the hand sign to the second seal, he used to try to mold the chakra for the first seal without the aid of the first hand sign. In this manner, he practiced to do those jutsus with one hand sign less.


    As expected, Teru and Yori were the most talented in Ninjutsu. Theypeted for the top 2 spots. Nobu, no matter how hard he tried, only ranked 3rd. Hoka, Hana and the Aburame kidpeted for ranks 4-6. Fujin ranked himself 10th in transformation jutsu, 7th in clone jutsu and 8th in substitution jutsu.


    It took him a month to be able to do the body flicker jutsu despite learning the way to mold chakra within just 3 days. Even then, he was only able to flicker for a few metres. Over the next month, instead of trying to increase the range, he instead worked on increasing the speed of performing the jutsu, and also managed to pull it off without using any hand signs. In a single month, he probably practiced that jutsu thousands of times to be able to do that. Next he worked on increasing the range of the jutsu. It took him 4 and half months in all to reach 100 metres with body flicker. He then started focusing on sustaining the body flicker for a longer period.


    Sometime around this time, the incident of Kumo trying to kidnap Hinata and the death of Hizashi happened. Both Hoka and Hana were very solemn the next day.


    In order to properly measure his progress, he bought a stopwatch. After 6 months, he was able to flicker 400 metres away in less than 4 seconds. After that he thought, ''My original n was to start with elemental jutsu by now, but body flicker does have more applications I want to explore. Sigh, let''s stick to it. Mastering body flicker to a high degree will be extremely essentialter on.''


    He continued with his body flicker training. By the time the exams for 2nd year were up, Fujin had managed to sustain his body flicker for 12.76 seconds and managed to cover 1.9km. He could also change the direction mid-way, though he couldn''t do it very frequently, and could also perform flicker while in a forest and having to avoid running into a tree. He was extremely pleased with his progress.


    Over at the academy, he had managed to reduce the hand signs required for transformation and clone jutsus by 1 and for substitution jutsu, he was close to reducing it by 2.


    His chakra field had increased a lot during this year. It''s radius had increased to 180 metres. Without the hand sign it reached 162 metres and while running at normal speed, it could reach 135 metres.


    His chakra reserves too had grown exponentially. Physical training and meditation itself were a huge boost. On top of it, he had practiced Body flicker till he dropped on a daily basis. He had performed body flicker for tens of thousands of times over the past 9 months. His reserves now exceeded Teru''s. Onparing it with the senior most batch, he noticed that his reserves would be well above average in that ss, probably entering top 10. Only 2 students, probably from the Senju n, exceed him considerably. Even then, he was sure that in another year, he would surpass their current chakra level. He thought, ''I guess it''s time to ask Hiruzen for the shadow clone jutsu.''


    [A/N : I would like to rify the shadow clone jutsu a bit. Shadow clone jutsu isn''t a forbidden jutsu, it''s merely a B rank jutsu which Jounins can learn easily. In Naruto, it was shown that a Genin Konohamaru was able to perform Shadow clones and use Rasengan on one of the Pains. Even Kiba, while being a chuunin, was able to perform a shadow clone. The jutsu in the forbidden scroll of sealing was the Multi Shadow clone jutsu. This is the one which Naruto spams and Kakashi had used to scare/bluff away Gato''s thugs.


    So I''ll follow this pattern - someone with Genin level chakra can create 1-2 shadow clones, with chuunin level chakra can create 3-5 shadow clones and with a jounin level chakra can create more than 5 shadow clones.]


    The increase in his chakra level could be seen, when he was finally able to burst the rubber ball, finally making progress in the stage 2 of Rasengan training. However, he was only barely able to burst it. He still needed more chakra to be able to actually perform Rasengan.


    His skill at throwing shurikens had increased too. He was now able to hit the board while running around and was also able to hit a moving board. In order to allow students to practice that, a board used to be suspended from a tree branch and moved. It worked like a pendulum. However he still struggled to hit a moving board while he was running himself. Fujin decided that after he managed to do that, he''ll start practicing to hit his clones with shuriken as that would replicate battle scenarios even better.


    Something that Fujin gained while practicing in the many mini-forests in Konoha was shurikens and kunais lying around. He had found 23 shuriken and 11 kunai. However 7 shuriken and 4 kunai were very badly damaged, leaving him with 16 shuriken and 7 kunai. He handled them with extreme care, not touching any directly, in case they were coated with poison. He thought, ''Well this is convenient. Though these are used weapons, they are still very usable. However I need to wash them properly in order to remove any scents of previous users and in case there''s any poison applied on them. Still, I''ve been in these forests for so long and only found so few of these. I guess everyone collects them back after using them as they aren''t cheap. Maybe others like me too roam around trying to find them.'' He sighed, ''Whatever, these many should be enough for me to practice.''


    And soon, it was time for the 2nd year exams.

 Chapter 18: Second Year Exams

    As Fujin had expected, the whole marking system for their ss had been revamped. He wondered if the same also happened for other elite batches. As for the overall exams, the written exam had 100 points, leaf concentrationpetition had 20 points, shuriken throwingpetition had 20 points, each of the 3 Ninjutsu had 10 points each, and the Taijutsu tournament had 30 points.


    In the written exam, he noticed that it had 5 divisions among itself. Each being more difficult than the previous. While it wasn''t very hard for him, he had no doubt that 8 year olds from his previous world wouldn''t even pass this exam. Seeing how difficult the exam was, he purposefully made a mistake in 2 questions worth 2 marks each.


    For leaf concentration, the same marking system as the previous year followed. Yori, Hoka, crossed 45 minutes, Nobu dropped at 56th minute, Teru at 59th minute. Hana crossed 1 hour and held it for another 4 minutes. Fujin, knowing that the written exam this year was tougher and not expecting anyone to score full, dropped his leaf after 1 hour 11 minutes.


    The shuriken exam also had multipleyers like the written exam. The first was to throw 8 shurikens at a stationary target board. The second was to run alternately to the right and left to a circle drawn on the ground and throw from the circle while running. The third was to hit at the target board that was hanging and swinging like a pendulum. Each of these stages were worth 4 points each. Thest stage, worth 8 points, had white tes beingunched in the air by Genki. The tes were spinning incredibly fast causing them to not move at a set path and deviating slightly.


    Yori, Teru, Fujin, Nobu, Hoka scored max in the first 3 rounds. Hana struggled in the 2nd round, while scoring full in 1st and 3rd. The 4th round however was tough. 19 students didn''t manage to hit even one. And 6, including Hana, managed to hit just 1, Fujin guessed that most of them just scored a lucky hit. Fujin had been observing the tes all the time to try and see a pattern in them. He got some hints, but not enough and it resulted in him wishing, ''Damn, if only I had a sharingan!''


    Hoka and Fujin just hit 2. Nobu hit 3 tes, Teru managed to hit 4 and Yori managed to hit 7 of the 8 tes thrown by Genki. Fujin was quite impressed by Yori''s performance, especially considering that he hadn''t yet awakened his sharingans. After thepetition, Yori returned to his smug self.


    In Ninjutsu exams, transformation and substitution jutsu were analysed and marked by Genki. For clone jutsu, they were marked depending upon the maximum number of eptable clones anyone made. Teru made 5 clones and looking at his chakra, Fujin was confident no one else would exceed him. So he created 4 clones. Fujin hid his skills in this exam as he knew that Hana wasn''t very good in this aspect and no one apart from her woulde close to his score in written exams.


    The Taijutsu tournament was simr to the previous year. Only major differences being the Inuzukas performing much better and Fujin having a much stronger body. Right now he could have the seal apply 5.3% of its max pressure. It had improved his physique a lot. He trashed through the majority of his opponents. This time, he ran into Teru in the semifinals and managed to beat him. While Hoka beat Hana in his fight. Yori beat Nobu for rank 5, whereas Teru beat Hana for rank 3.


    Against Hoka, the fight was very intense. To Fujin''s surprise, his advantage in physique wasn''t that great. In the end, he still lost to Hoka. He thought, ''Is he too using seals or something simr to strengthen his body? His performance in Ninjutsu isn''t as good as his Taijutsu, and it''s better to not talk of his performance in written exams looking at previous year''s scores. Sigh, I guess all he does is train in Taijutsu. And my main focus has been on Ninjutsu. Little wonder that I can''t beat him.''


    After the scores were tallied, the results of the top 5 were


    Fujin : 96+20+14+23+29=182


    Teru : 81+17+16+30+28=172


    Nobu : 86+16+15+28+25=170


    Hana : 91+18+12+21+27=169


    Yori : 79+14+19+28+26=166


    After looking at the results, Genki thought, ''Hmm, this is pretty simr tost year. Only difference is that instead of the leaf concentrationpetition, Fujin built his lead in the written exam. How much does this kid study exactly? Thest 20 marks were quite tough to get. As for the rest, Teru was the one who performed the best overall. Except for the written exam, he is in the top 3 of every exam. Leaf concentrationpetition is still dominated by Fujin. But with the performance of the others, I can start tree walking exercise next year. In the shuriken throwingpetition, Yori was in a league of his own. Same with Hoka in the Taijutsu tournament. Though that seal did help Fujin a lot. I guess I should suggest to Teru''s parents to get that seal for him as well. It will help him a lot. In Ninjutsu, Teru, Yori and Nobu are all excellent. Just that Teru has more chakra than the other 2. And I''m pretty sure that they do know more jutsus as well.


    This ss has performed really well. The top 8-12 students are all very good. Lord Third should be very happy with their performance.'' After he was done thinking, he put up the results on disy.


    Looking at it, everyone had mixed reactions. Since the exam markings were made to ensure that the ones who perform well stand out, the ones who didn''t work hard scored very low. A few still struggled to hit a stationary target board with shuriken, so there was no way they could do much in the remaining three rounds. There were a few who didn''t manage to learn even one Ninjutsu properly. And the majority didn''t get all the 3 Ninjutsu down. There were only 12 students who could do that. The written exams were very tough too. Thest 20 marks being very difficult to get and even the 20 marks before that being significantly difficult.


    Fujin did note the disappointed expressions of the ones who scored very bad. It reminded him of how much worse the life of the kids here was whenpared to his previous world. And even then these were considered to be very good conditions. At least they didn''t have to fight in a war.


    Among the toppers, Yori was upset thinking, ''Why am I still ranked only 5th! Still I have at least shown everyone how good the Uchiha are at shuriken technique. But that''s not enough!''


    Hana was incredibly upset with tears almost forming in her eyes. She was upset at her rank dropping from 2nd to 4th.


    Nobu didn''t show any emotions, however, even he was upset at not being able to top the exam.


    Teru sighed looking at the scores, ''Last year it was the leaf concentrationpetition, and this time the written exam! Sucks to not be rank 1 due to the written exams. Still at least I''m the best when ites to the skills required on the field. Not to mention, that the exam didn''t consider the water style jutsus I know.''


    Fujin looked at the results showing a happy expression. His thoughts were, ''Well this went as expected. Though I''m surprised that some guys scored over 80 on the written exam. I guess the brains of the kids here develop faster. My shuriken still requires some work, but that''s fine. In Taijutsu I doubt I''ll be able to surpass Hoka unless he cks off. In Ninjutsu I''m on par with Teru and others. Heck, I could have made 8 clones and decreased their scores if I wanted to, but there was no need for it. So it''s going good. Next I should focus on elemental jutsus.''


    However, then he frowned mentally thinking, ''Still, the performance of the kids in this exam has been so good that I''m worried they may make a few of us graduate early! I''m d that Genki hasn''t started teaching about all the other important stuff yet. I guess his n was to allow everyone to learn Ninjutsu and fighting skills first so that they can keep improving them over the years. Though with the pace at which he has been going, it makes me wonder if he wants to make us graduate early or teach us moreplicated stuff.''


    Genki looked at the expression of all his students and sighed. He noticed that only Fujin had a happy expression, Nobu was expressionless as always and Teru just looked a bit down. Almost everyone else was incredibly upset. He sighed, ''I got excited and made the marking system really in favour of the geniuses. Last year''s results made them morepetitive, however this year''s might have a detrimental effect. I''ll need to talk individually with everyone in order to pacify and cheer them up, so that they take this exam results as a motivation to do better in the future.'' He then nced at the Inuzuka kids, ''I guess I should call their parents too.''


    The exams ended with another brainwashing speech by Hiruzen. He called Fujin forward and asked him what reward he wanted this time. Fujin stepped forward and said, "Lord Hokage, could I get to learn the Shadow Clone jutsu?"


    Hiruzen was really surprised by this request. He asked, "Where did you hear about the shadow clone jutsu? And why do you want to learn it?"


    Fujin showed an excited expression and said, "Lord Hokage, we were told that the 2nd Hokage had started this academy. So I became quite interested in him and hence read a lot about his life and everything he did. On understanding more about him, I was very inspired by him. And when I read that he had created the shadow clone jutsu, I became very interested in it. Also, the jutsu seems very useful. Having a clone that can actually do something will be very helpful."


    He then looked at Hiruzen with expectations. Hiruzen looked at the excitement shown by the young student in front of him. Looking at the respect he had shown to his sensei, he emotionally thought, ''Sensei, even after being dead for decades, your will of fire still inspires the kids in Konoha!''


    Hiruzen had sensed his chakra level during the Taijutsu tournament. Fujin, wanting to ask for the Shadow clone jutsu, didn''t bother hiding his real chakra level. Hiruzen thought, ''His chakra level is sufficient to be barely able to form 1 shadow clone. Fine, I''ll give it to him, but I need to warn him about the dangers of that technique.''


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "Alright, I''ll prepare the scroll for you. Come to my office tomorrow at noon."


    Fujin showed that he was even more excited on hearing that and thanked him immediately. However on the inside, he was quite shocked. He thought, ''That''s it? A few good words about Tobirama and he agreed? Should I have asked for Flying Thunder God or Impure World Resurrection?''


    He sighed internally and further thought, ''Then again, Shadow clone isn''t really a veryplex jutsu. It is just B rank and even elite chuunins can easily ess it from the library. Also, my respect for Tobirama was genuine. Unlike Hiruzen, he did do his job properly. Though how he died in war despite knowing Flying Thunder God is a mystery to me. So Hiruzen wouldn''t be able to pick up on anything. And Tobirama creating that jutsu, is written down in scrolls about him in the library. So I guess there wasn''t much to be suspicious about.''


    With those thoughts, he walked back to his fellow students. Genki then announced about meeting with everyone personally tomorrow, and gave everyone a timeslot. He asked them to bring at least one parent along.

 Chapter 19: Shadow Clone Jutsu

    The following day, Genki was very busy with the counselling of all his students. Fujin was the first one in at 8 am as Genki had set the schedule ording to their ranks. Seeing Fujin, Genki''s thoughts were, ''This kid has done well. But he is only an orphan. I don''t think he has any idea how vast this world is. Even though he ranked first twice consecutively, there is still a lot he needs to do. I need to ensure that he doesn''t get arrogant and lose his way.''


    Fujin first greeted him, "Good Morning Sensei."


    Genki replied, "Good Morning. Congrats on your performance yesterday."


    Fujin smiled and replied, "Thank You sensei" and took his seat.


    Genki smiled, and then quickly got serious. He said, "So this meeting is in order to review your performance until now and to see what you should do in the vacation and in the next year. Of all the students from this ss, I have interacted with you the most, so don''t worry and listen to my advice properly. Feel free to ask all your doubts." Fujin nodded.


    Genki continued, "Your performance has been very good so far. With you ranking first in both years, that is very obvious. However, in both exams, it was only due to you scoring very well in one exam that you ranked first."


    Fujin nodded seriously, while thinking ''I''m not even 8 years old yet! Should you be having such a serious talk with me? Are 8 year olds supposed to understand this?'' Genki on the other hand thought, ''The kid didn''t get upset? He is more mature than other kids his age.''


    Genki continued, "So you will have to put more focus on other areas. Tell me, what do you do after the lecture is over? Also what do you do on weekends?"


    Fujin had already guessed that such a question might be asked, though he had thought something like this would have been asked long back! He replied, "Sensei, I mostly study what you taught in ss, try to understand it. Then I train on the Ninjutsu you taught us or I do leaf concentration exercise. And before sleeping, I meditate. On the weekends I study a lot and also train on my sensor skills"


    What Fujin said was a properly thought out answer he had prepared long back. Showing a major focus at studying would exin why his scores in written exams were so high. The listener would think that he spent most of his time studying. He said that he spent very little time on Ninjutsu, which would justify his slightly lower scores there. While his meditation along with morning exercises would be the reason for the high growth in his chakra levels. The answer also showed that he was a very diligent student.


    Genki wasn''t surprised with the answer. He had guessed that it''ll be something along these lines considering Fujin''s performance. He said, "I see. Now let''s look at your performance this year. You have done very well in the written exam, chakra control and Taijutsu. However your Ninjutsu needs a lot of work. So over the next 2 months, you should focus on improving the 3 Ninjutsu I taught. Also, even after the 3rd year begins, spend more time on learning Ninjutsu and less time on studying. After all, in the future, when you do missions, it''ll be a lot more important than what you read."


    Fujin nodded, inwardly surprised, thinking ''That''s a first. No adult has ever told me to study less! Especially not a teacher.''


    Genki was satisfied with his words being listened to seriously. He had a little gift in order to get Fujin work more on Ninjutsu. He said, "I know that you have asked Lord Hokage for shadow clone jutsu. So do learn it properly, in the future it''ll be very helpful. However, I have a little gift for you." Saying this, he put a paper in front of Fujin.


    On seeing that paper, Fujin sighed internally, ''I wasted my 100 Ryo!'' and then asked curiously, "Sensei, what''s this?"


    Genki replied, "This is chakra paper. It''ll tell you what your chakra nature is. Here pass some of your chakra through it."


    Fujin did it. The chakra paper split into two. He gave Genki a puzzled look. Genki then exined a bit more about chakra paper and said that Fujin''s chakra nature was wind. Fujin nodded excitedly despite already knowing it.


    Genki said, "The way to train your wind nature is that you should take a leaf and try to cut it with your chakra alone. It may take a few months to do it. Once it is done, you can then use wind style jutsus." Fujin nodded again. Genki also informed Fujin that Yori and Teru could already perform elemental jutsu in order to rouse hispetitive spirit.


    After some more discussion, Fujin took his leave. He was a bit sick of having to feign ignorance of the stuff he already knew! Still he was a bit d of this discussion. He would have a proper excuse if anyone in the future asked him about when he trained in wind style. Sadly, he''ll still have to repeat this again today.


    Genki spent the remaining of his day counselling 14 other students, while the other 15 were scheduled for tomorrow. He had such advice for everyone else.


    Teru was advised to get the same seal as Fujin. He didn''t have much advice for Nobu, so he just tried to get him to be more social.


    For Hana, he consoled her a bit due to how upset she was. Then he informed her that she put a lot more focus on her rank instead of important aspects. He told her to reduce her time spent on studying and leaf concentration as the majority of her time was spent on it. Instead he asked her to focus more on Ninjutsu and Taijutsu.


    For Yori, he strongly suggested his parents to ensure that he meditates for at least an hour daily. For Hoka, the advice was to focus more on academics. And in a simr way, the advice continued all day as well as the day after.


    At noon, Fujin visited Hokage''s office. Hiruzen handed him a scroll saying, "This scroll has the shadow clone jutsu. You are not allowed to share this scroll with anyone else and have to return it to me after you have learnt it." Fujin nodded. Hiruzen then talked a bit about the shadow clone jutsu. He warned Fujin, "For the time being and maybe for the next year, don''t ever try to create more than 1 shadow clone. Also, when you dispel the clone, all its memories will be transferred to you. And that might cause you a huge headache. So always be careful while dispelling your clones. Also, don''t use shadow clones while you are sleeping. It''ll be very bad for your health." Fujin nodded and thanked him again. Hiruzen then talked a bit about Tobirama and Fujin had to feign interest in listening to it.


    After half an hour of stories, Hiruzen finally let Fujin go. Fujin sighed andined, ''Isn''t a Hokage supposed to be super busy with his paperwork? Why did he have so much time to talk with me?''


    Two consecutive sessions of having to feign ignorance as well as interest had Fujin a bit tired. He decided to skip his ration bars and instead went to Ichiraku for lunch. His thoughts were, ''Fuck it, I have saved decent amount of money, I can afford to treat myself for today!''


    Soon after lunch, he started training for the Shadow clone jutsu. After reading it properly, he thought, ''This is easily the most difficult jutsu I have seen yet. The process of molding chakra is veryplicated. Makes me wonder how did that brat learn it in less than a day! However, this shadow clone is a bit more flexible than the one in Naruto. Chakra doesn''t necessarily have to be distributed evenly among my clones. It is upto the casters'' will and capabilities in deciding how many percent of his chakra must each clone have. He could create them with equal chakra to hide himself, or give it more or less chakra depending on the need. Another difference is that dispelling the clone won''t return all its chakra to the original body. Instead there is some chakra loss that happens during this process. As the jutsu is mastered, this loss reduces, however it won''t ever go down to zero. So in the future, I need to be careful in the amount of clones I make. Otherwise I could run out of chakra very quickly.''


    On finishing his analysis, he began learning Shadow Clone technique. Knowing the basic clone jutsu helped a bit. The training continued for a while. Fujin noted that this training drained his chakra very fast. He could only practice for an hour before he was out of chakra. So from the next day, he practiced Shadow clone jutsu, as soon as he got up, then around noon, and finally again in the evening, getting 3 hours of training done while doing either physical exercises or meditation for the remainder of the time. He also carried a few leaves with him. On the ninth day, he was finally able to make a clone.


    Fujin noted that while molding the chakra is more difficult, it''s execution was much easier than the body flicker jutsu. After another 6 days, he was finally able to create an eptable clone. It was entirely identical and took half of his chakra. However, on sensing, Fujin noted that some chakra was lost while creating the clone, resulting in the clone having slightly less chakra. This wasn''t eptable. However he decided to test the clone first. He asked the clone to go into the bedroom and write any random number somewhere and then dispel.


    The clone went into the bedroom, and wrote 8196 on a scroll there. On dispelling, Fujin got all the information and checked if it was true. He thought, ''alright it works.''


    He made another shadow clone. This time, he stabbed the clone''s arm with a Kunai, causing the clone to dispel. He waited for a few seconds and then concluded, ''Alright, I just got the memories of the clone. The pain wasn''t transferred to me. So this jutsu should be safe to use in battle.''


    He then formed the clone again and this time had the clone do the 3 basic jutsus. The clone could perform them as good as he could. He couldn''t test body flicker at his home, so he decided to leave it forter. He then had the clone perform shadow clone. The clone managed to do it, but within a second, they were both dispelled. Fujin sensed that their chakra was very unstable.


    On thinking, he came to the conclusion, ''The clones were dispelled as they didn''t have enough chakra. Even though a ninja could make a shadow clone with a small percent of his chakra, the shadow clone still needs to have some minimum chakra level. And my single clone, probably barely exceeds that limit. Wait, does that mean, after using a few jutsus, my clone will disappear even if it has some chakra just because the chakra isn''t enough?''


    This conclusion had him on alert. He quickly rushed into a mini-forest nearby. After transforming and confirming no one was around, he made a shadow clone. The clone, knowing the n, started performing body flicker again and again, within the main body''s chakra field as the main body kept a track of its chakra level. The clone had around 49% of Fujin''s chakra. When it fell down below 41%, the clone dispelled.


    Having confirmed his theory, Fujin sighed, ''I guess it is impossible to have the clone assist me in Ninjutsu training. Though to be honest, it''s kinda pointless too as I can''tst long on Ninjutsu training without having my chakra depleted.''


    After spending half a minute grumbling about his low chakra reserves, he decided, ''Well whatever. This was expected. Hopefully someday in the future, I''ll be able to use clones to train! Let''s just learn this jutsu properly and be done!''


    In the next 5 days, he had learnt the shadow clone, to an eptable level. Now no loss of chakra happened while forming the clone. As for the chakra loss while getting chakra back from the clone, it was around 5%. Fujin noticed that it was reducing quickly. With the work on shadow clone done, he decided that it was time to finally start practicing elemental jutsus. Though he decided to wait for another 10 days before he returned the scroll to Hiruzen. That way Hiruzen would underestimate his talent a bit.

 Chapter 20: Wind Release Jutsu (1)

    [A/N : The number of wind style jutsu in canon is pitiful. Even the fillers mostly have simr variants of canon jutsu with very little change, but do the same shit. So I''ll be using wind jutsu from games or even fan created ones. I''ll also make up some wind jutsu at some pointter in this fanfic]


    On the 21st day of his vacation, Fujin made his way to the library. On the road, he thought about a lot of wind style jutsu. His thoughts were, ''Finally I''ll be starting with wind release jutsu. In the series, Wind was probably the least powerful element. Though Naruto had wind nature, all he used was Rasenshuriken. Temari did have a lot of jutsu, but she used a giant fan! Kakuzu used Pressure Damage, which was very lethal. I think there was also Great Breakthrough used by Orochimaru and probably Gale Palm used by someone. Andstly, Danzo used his vacuum jutsu, which were very lethal. Sadly, other than Temari, no one else specialized in Wind jutsu. And the number of wind jutsu were very low too.


    Luckily this world does have a lot more wind release jutsu. I might be able to form aprehensive battle system through it. Last time I just read their names. This time I''ll be reading their scrolls too. And then decide the set of jutsu to practice. Still I wish I could have got to read the descriptions of higher ranked wind jutsu as well. It''d have been very helpful in order to decide.


    On reaching there, he went through entire sections E and D and made a list of all avable wind release jutsu. They were :


    Gale Jutsu (E)


    Wind Clone (E)


    Wind Levitation (E)


    Projectile Control Jutsu (E)


    Wind Retrieving Jutsu (E)


    Gale Surge (D)


    Breakthrough (D)


    Dust Cloud (D)


    shing Wind Skill (D)


    Wind Explosion (D)


    Propelling Winds (D)


    The first question for Fujin was, ''Why was Wind Clone merely a rank E jutsu?'' On reading the scroll, he understood why. Wind clone was extremely simple. Elemental clones were like normal clones, just that they were made of elements. That''s why they could perform attacks. They got dispelled upon getting hit. Since the material needed for a wind clone was basically the air around, it was extremely simple to make it.


    However, it was still quite useful, and something he definitely was going to learn.


    He continued reading the rest of the jutsu to understand what they did. He first read all the rank E jutsu. After reading them, he analysed, ''These jutsu aren''t lethal. Actually they don''t have much use in battle either ifpared to other jutsu, instead, I think that they are the means to improve the control of the wind element. I think they will be very important in the future when I will be learning moreplex and powerful wind jutsu.


    Wind Levitation is basically using winds in order to raise inanimate objects in the air. The weight of the object that can be levitated and the height to which it can be carried as well as the time for which it can be levitated depends on the user''s control over the wind element as well as their stamina and focus.


    Projectile Control Jutsu uses Wind to control the projectilesunched around the user. So a shuriken or a thrown kunai or senbon can be manipted to change direction with the help of winds.


    Wind Retrieving Jutsu uses winds to pull objects towards the user. It''s simr to Nagato''s Universal Pull, except it''s done with the help of winds and power depends entirely on the user.


    And Gale Jutsu just creates a small windflow in a direction. It doesn''t cause any harm, but has a couple of good uses. For example, it could be used to cover up any footsteps left behind, or change the direction of winds around you to restrict the directions your scent can be carried to. Besides, it probably also serves as a base to all wind jutsu that involves blowing out air.''


    On concluding his analysis, he sighed thinking, ''I''ll have to learn all these jutsu. Not forbat, but to improve my control over wind. That said, Wind clone, levitation, control and pulling, these are excellent jutsu for pranking! I wonder if the ones who made these were pranksters or something.''


    While thinking about it, an incredibly evil idea popped into Fujin''s head. An idea that would have made the lives of Konoha citizens a living nightmare! He thought, ''I wonder what kind of shit Naruto would pull if he knew these 5 jutsu! He sucked as a student, maybe as a ninja too, but he was easily tier S in terms of pranks. Damn, I''m so tempted to teach him this stuff! I''d get enough content tough for a lifetime!''


    Fujin had augh at that idea. Calming himself down and getting these distracting thoughts out of his mind, he started reading the rank D scrolls.


    After finishing them all he concluded with a single thought, ''Damn, wind release is extremely powerful!''


    That thought wasn''t due to the jutsu being overpowered, but instead due to the growth potential of the wind jutsu. Some of those jutsu, if mastered, and used correctly, could end up bing as good as rank B or even rank A jutsu.


    He then analysed each jutsu, ''Dust Cloud jutsu is basically just a smokescreen. It should work well with me being a sensor and not needing eyesight to track the enemy. Also it is very simple, so if I have time, it''s worth learning.


    shing Wind jutsu is the one Temari spammed in the chuunin exam. While it packs good power, it requires a fan to use. It''s not really my preferred weapon. So I''ll probably skip this one.


    Breakthrough jutsu is a powered down version of Great Breakthrough jutsu. No harm in learning it. I canter rece it with Great Breakthrough and then maybe with Pressure Damage.


    Gale Surge is a defensive jutsu. The user sends the air around the user in an outward direction. It could protect me from projectiles and could also disturb the enemy''s rhythm. Though it''s range is too short, at merely 3 metres.


    Propelling Winds is a movement technique. Small sts of winds are released from the hands in order to help evade. Hmm, this jutsu is pretty simple. I am not really a fan of it, however I have some ideas in the future that could require this jutsu as the base.


    Wind Explosion jutsu seems very versatile. Chakra is infused into wind, to form into a ball like Rasengan and it explodes on impact. Though it isn''t as powerful as the Rasengan and only causes slight damage, it is a very interesting jutsu. I wonder if abination of this jutsu and wind clone jutsu exists. It could make wind clones extremely lethal.


    Having analyzed all the jutsu, he had to make the tough final decision of deciding which jutsu to learn. He thought, ''All of these jutsu have good uses. However, will I be able to learn all of them?'' He was lost in his thoughts.


    Not able to reach a conclusion, he decided to calm himself a bit and analyzed further, ''As for how many of these jutsu I can learn, will depend on my speed of learning these jutsu. And just learning is rather pointless. I''ll need to master them. For now, let''s eliminate the ones I don''t want to learn. It will be shing wind jutsu.'' He sighed, ''This is the only one I don''t wanna learn. I wanna learn all the others! Nevermind, let''s list them in the order of importance. Rank E jutsu are important to be able to get a better control of wind nature. So they arepulsory.


    Among the remaining, Wind Explosion jutsu would probably be the most useful considering its future potential. Next would be wind propelling jutsu. While it in itself ain''t that good, however, if in the future, I''m able to create small sts of wind willingly around my body to propel myself, then that might be a deadly fighting style. Breakthrough jutsu would be next as it forms the basis of a few stronger jutsu. Also it provides an AoE option. Gale Surge and Dust Cloud will be thest ones. Gale Surge provides defense in one direction, but it is very temporary. And Dust cloud just provides cover.


    I suppose that''s enough calctions. I still have a few years before I may have to fight. So let''s just try these jutsu. Hopefully a year will be enough for it. Next year I would like to learn a few Earth release jutsu and probably one or two Genjutsu. I suppose this year I should also start with Kenjutsu. Maybe a sword or two. They go really well with Wind release.''


    Ending his train of thoughts, he read the scroll of Wind release : Wind Clone jutsu properly. After getting the basics down, he left the library and on arriving in a secluded mini forest, started training for it.


    However what happened really surprised him. It only took him 1 try to be able to do the wind clone jutsu! He was left speechless by the ease of it.


    After calming himself, he analysed, ''The jutsu is very simr to normal clone jutsu and I have already learnt even shadow clones. Not to mention, my affinity is wind nature and I have already trained a lot to master this element. So I suppose it''s no wonder I''m able to learn it in one try. Actually, if Ipare it with Itachi, then this achievement isn''t much worth mentioning. He was able to do fireball jutsu, a rank C jutsu, on his first try. So it shouldn''t be that big of a deal.'' Heforted himself saying, ''It''s alright. This is the fruit of my hard work over thest 3 years.''


    He spent the rest of the day testing the capabilities of his wind clone. Unlike Shadow Clones, it didn''t transfer memories back, but it didn''t require high amounts of chakra either. Since it used the air around it, Fujin guessed that this is the most chakra friendly clone jutsu. In merely a few hours, he managed to create 10 wind clones. It could do all the jutsu the main body could, except shadow clone, and would dispel on taking a hit.


    After experimenting, Fujin realised that in a head on battle, Wind clones would be more effective than Shadow clones.


    Many times that day, he had the thought of going back to the library and learning another jutsu. However he didn''t act on that urge as it might have attracted attention. He sighed thinking, ''I should have found a way to steal those scrolls!''


    After being satisfied with his progress, he returned home. On the way, he had a peculiar thought about the jutsu he had learnt so far. He thought, ''Of the six jutsu I know, 3 of them are clone jutsu!''


    The next day, he read and learnt Gale Jutsu. He had to first gather the chakra and then expel it from his mouth as a gust of wind. He was able to perform it properly after a few tries. The jutsu was really harmless. When he tried it on a tree, except some old leaves falling down, it didn''t cause any harm to the tree at all.


    After an hour of practice, he could cover up the footsteps he left behind. Using the jutsu to change the direction of wind in a small area took a few hours to practice. Though he had no idea how sessful or unsessful he was at covering up his scent. He decided to have an Inuzuka check it some time in the future.


    The next day, he tried learning Wind Levitation jutsu. While he didn''t get this one on his first try, he still managed to perform it correctly within ten minutes. He was able to levitate a leaf in air at a height of about 5 metres. It took him half an hour to do the same with a pebble. By the end of the day, he could levitate stones with a diameter of 15 cm in at a height of 15 metres and maintain it for 78 seconds. He had read in the scroll that this jutsu could be used to lift a boulder over a hundred metres in the sky. And he guessed that even that wasn''t its limit. So in the future, he could keep practicing it to his heart''s content.


    The next day he tried the Projectile Control jutsu. And he finally had a challenge. This jutsu needed really fine control over the wind. He created a wind clone and had itunch shurikens and tried to control it. After a few hours, he managed to change the direction of the shuriken, but he couldn''t control it. Since the shuriken spun, he felt that it made the jutsu harder and decided to experiment with a kunai instead. It decreased the difficulty considerably and at the end of the day, he managed to maintain decent control on a thrown kunai. He practiced this jutsu for another 3 days in order to get a better hang of it. After these 4 days, he felt as if he had a better grasp on the wind element.


    The following day, he tried the Wind Retrieving Jutsu. Attracting an object towards yourself by having the winds flow towards you proved to be a challenge. The wind flowing towards yourself was the first obstacle. The second was that if he was able to create a strong enough wind flow, he himself would be affected by it. That issue made Fujin wonder if he could create wind paths around himself to perform this jutsu. He left that thought for the future. It took him 3 days to learn this jutsu and befortable with it. He returned the Shadow Clone scroll to Hiruzen after that.

 Chapter 21: Wind Release Jutsu (2)

    It took just 10 days for Fujin to learn the 5 rank E wind release jutsu. With one more month of vacation still remaining, he started training for the rank D jutsu.


    He revamped his ns thinking, ''My initial ns were to learn in order of their importance, but since I''m able to learn at such a quick pace, let''s just learn in the order of ease of learning them. So let''s do Breakthrough jutsu first. And follow it up with Dust Cloud jutsu and Gale Surge.''


    On getting all the required data from the library, he began the training for Breakthrough jutsu. The initial process was very simr to Gale Jutsu. Only, the amount of chakra he had to gather wasrger. The winds generated needed to have much more power. Also the winds had to be made sharper to cause damage. On his initial few tries, the result was only as good as Gale jutsu, but he could clearly see where he should improve. In merely 15 minutes, he was able to expel a stronger gust of wind from his mouth. He noted, ''It ain''t very powerful yet, but it''s damage should be damn good if paired with a fire jutsu. Anyways, this jutsu will require a lot of work. The process of gathering chakra as well as the process of converting chakra into wind should be faster. The chakra gathered should berger as well to increase the damage done.''


    He practiced it for 7 days, until he got the hang of the jutsu. He also tested it on a poor tree, which resulted in it losing the majority of its leaves and many branches. His thoughts were, ''That''s good. Though it probably won''t kill anyone, it can easily injure most Genins.''


    The next day he grabbed the scroll for Dust Cloud Jutsu and memorized it. This jutsu was incredibly easy. It''s process was simr to Breakthrough jutsu, just that it had to be focused on the ground to lift the dust above. It also had some aspects of Wind Levitation jutsu to ensure that the dust cloud existed for a longer time. He was able to raise a dust cloud on his very first try, however itsted a very short time. Properly incorporating the Wind Levitation aspect took a few hours. But by the end of the day, the progress was sufficient.


    The next day, he began training for Gale Surge jutsu. It was almost the opposite of Wind Retrieving Jutsu. Here, he had to distill the air around him with his chakra, and then suddenly release it up to 3 metres in a direction. In a way it resembled the Almighty push of Nagato. Of course the power was extremelycking.


    This jutsu didn''t really provide a very good defense. However Fujin''s reason for learning this jutsu was due to a couple of ideas he had with it. The first being, to increase the range and power of this jutsu and the second was to be able to release wind in every direction around him. That way this jutsu could be incredibly disruptive. If the range and power is increased, then it''ll be perfect to create a nuisance on a battlefield whereas an omni-directional release would be helpful in case he''s ever surrounded by enemies.


    It again took him only a day to learn this jutsu and practice it to an eptable level.


    On the next day he started learning the Wind Explosion jutsu. He treated this jutsu as a practice for his Rasenganter on. Here he had to gather the wind and shape it into a spherical form and infuse a little chakra in it. That was the difference between it and Rasengan. Rasengan was purely made of chakra, whereas this jutsu was majorly made of wind and only had a small percent of chakra in it. Since the amount of chakra was low, these spheres could beunched at the enemy. Since he was already practicing for Rasengan, this jutsu became much easier to learn. Within a couple of hours, he was able to get the jutsu right for the first time.


    After trying it for a few times on nearby trees, he concluded, ''Though the chakra infused in the winds explodes, it is not what causes the damage. The damage is caused by the winds, which be lethal after the explosion. They can cause arge amount of cuts and some of them can be very deep. I tried to infuse more chakra to increase the power of the explosion, however it didn''t work as the wind sphere couldn''t move as fast or as long distance. Even if I increase the amount of winds to maintain the ratio of chakra to wind, the sphere still bes very bulky and no longer has the same speed.''


    He sighed, ''I guess upgrading it would be a veryplex task. Anyways, I should instead try to change my point of view. Perhaps I should try tobine this jutsu in the wind clone jutsu. If the wind clones can explode in this manner, then it will transform into a killing strike.''


    The practice for Wind Explosion jutsu continued for a week. After the first day, Fujin stopped improving the wind sphere and instead focused on increasing his speed of forming the sphere and the speed ofunching the spheres. His goal was to be able tounch these explosive spheres one after another without any breaks. That way, though it won''t be a killing blow, it''ll still cause a lot of damage to anyone who couldn''t dodge or block these spheres. It could also cause death due to having lost too much blood. However, he was still quite far from reaching that stage.


    On the following day, he started learning the Propelling Winds jutsu. Here the task was to gather the chakra in his hands and burst it in a direction. That burst would apply an opposite force on him and move him in the opposite direction. This technique could be used to change directions quickly. However, in terms of movement onnd, this technique was quite inferior to Body Flicker. Its advantagey when the users feet weren''t on ground as this jutsu was very convenient to use while in air.


    Thanks to all his training over the past month, creating bursts was very easy. The issue was in controlling the amount of movement he had. Also his footwork needed a lot of adjustments. To employ this jutsu, one had to be very light on his feet and allow himself to be pushed back by the burst. While he could control the amount of force of the burst, the force applied back changed in ordance to how much pressure was applied on his feet. That was incredibly hard to control.


    On the third day of its training, he managed to bypass this issue by using two tactics. The first was, he would slightly jump in the direction where he wanted to go to and then use the burst to push him there. The second was to use the burst and then force his feet off the ground instantly which would make him move out of the way. However, the control for the 2nd one wascking a lot. It would cause him to flip in the air a couple of times which could be dangerous in a fight if the enemy followed and persisted with his or her attack.


    He trained to improve his control over this jutsu for 6 days, after which he was happy with his progress.


    That night after dinner, he decided to sit down and think about his current status. He thought, ''In thest 32 days, I have learnt 5 rank E wind release jutsus and 5 rank D wind release jutsus! Including the 3 basic Ninjutsu, Body Flicker and Shadow Clones, I now knew 15 jutsus in all.''


    He analysed his jutsu further and concluded, ''My wind clone jutsu makes the normal clone jutsu redundant. I shouldpletely drop its usage. Gale jutsu too doesn''t need anymore work. It can cover footsteps adequately and in fights, Breakthrough jutsu is much better. That leaves 13 jutsus. Even though I have learnt them, if I talk about truly mastering a jutsu, then I have probably mastered just 1 jutsu, which is Body Flicker jutsu, on which I spent 10 whole months. Next I should focus on mastering these wind release jutsus. Especially to perform them without hand signs. Even though the Body Flicker jutsu took 10 months to master, if I have learnt anything in thest one month, it''s that either my talent in wind nature is extremely high, or these wind release jutsus were very easy. So mastering them shouldn''t take very long.


    I could also upgrade my Substitution jutsu by substituting with my Wind Clone rather than nearby logs or other objects. Other than that, I could also try tobine wind clone and wind explosion jutsu. Simrly, I should experiment trying to use Body Flicker and Wind Propelling jutsu simultaneously. If Body Flicker jutsu could freely change directions, then it will be extremely lethal. And I still have to learn to strengthen my weapons using wind chakra.''


    After thinking about these ideas, Fujin decided to think how he could get his hands on rank C jutsu. He thought, ''I''m not sure if I can get ess to rank C and rank B jutsu anytime soon. I could ask Genki, but even if I am sessful, I don''t think he''d give me more than 2 or 3 jutsu. And that''ll also attract a lot of attention.


    I could ask Hiruzen for ess to higher sections in the library after the 3rd year exam, but I''m doubtful that he''d agree. Even if he did agree, I will probably be monitored when I enter the library. And if they see me reading those high ranked jutsus, they may have someone keep an eye on me. That would mean that I can''t practice Ninjutsu secretly like I do right now. And if they sent someone good enough to avoid me from sensing him, that would mean my skills would be known to Hiruzen and soon to Danzo.''


    He sighed, ''Leave it, let''s follow stability. There''s no point in taking such a huge risk. If I master all my current jutsu and also a few Earth release jutsu and can''t progress any further, then I can consider graduating early.''


    Over the past year, he had thought quite a bit about graduating early. His thoughts were, ''Initially I thought that graduating early would attract a lot of attention. Perhaps it still would in Naruto''s generation. But right now, graduating early seems to be highly supported and even encouraged by teachers. In thest 2 years, there were many who graduated after their 4th or 5th year in the academy. A few even graduated after the 3rd year. I guess the vige wants to have new ninjas join in their ranks as soon as possible. Which is why it may be encouraged right now. Though if someone graduates at 6 or 7, then it''ll still attract a lot of attention.''


    During this vacation, Fujin had almost entirely focused on Ninjutsu. His routine was, workout in the morning, and then Ninjutsu training the whole day. When he ran out of chakra, then he would practice meditation or practice Shuriken throwing. Everything else was halted.


    Fujin decided to continue practicing his wind jutsus in thest week of vacation. However, he started additional training. He started trying to hit his wind clones with shurikens in order to improve his skill at it. Though he wasn''t sure whether to be upset about his shuriken throwing skills or be happy at his clone''s speed and maneuverability, as he didn''t manage to hit his wind clone even once! However he did improve at a rapid pace.

 Chapter 22: Fuinjutsu

    The third year started after the vacation. This year, Genki focused on other crucial aspects of a ninja apart from fighting capabilities.


    Fujin was a bit surprised that he didn''t push for anymore advanced jutsu, but on thinking for a bit, he understood ''More than half of the ss isn''t able to keep up. Considering that he asked me to learn wind nature, I''m guessing he gave simr advice to others who could keep up. This way, the struggling ones would catch up and the students who are performing well can reach the next level. I guess they want to ensure that every single kid from this ss bes a capable ninja to fill up the void left by the dead.


    Still, from his speech, it seems like everything will be taught in this year itself.''


    After the lectures were over, Fujin went to the library. He went in section E and picked up the scroll named ''Introduction to Fuinjutsu''.


    He recalled reading it a couple of years back. He read it once again, this time properly. On reading, he analysed, ''Fuinjutsu contains 2 parts. The first is the writing part. However, this has 2 parts as well.


    First, thenguage. Fuinjutsu has special symbols which I have to understand before attempting to make seals. I will need to learn to draw each symbol properly as well as infuse my chakra in the mentioned manner. Any mistakes would make the seal fail and could cause unintendedplexities if the seal did something else. This is actually very simr to hand signs, just that the number of symbols is much higher. The symbols serve various functions. The main function I can see is its ability to produce an element. There are symbols for each of the 5 elements, and symbols which can suppress or enhance them. There are also symbols to control time and space. A simple storage seal has a lot of space symbols, whereas aplex one will not only have space symbols, but also time symbols to ensure that time slows down in that storage seal.


    The second, was the logic part. This part is very simr to coding on Earth. Since I know coding, this part is easier for me. However, it ain''t much of an advantage. Coding is pretty easy to learn, I''m sure the brighter kids from my ss could pick it up within a week or two.


    After the writing part, the next part was to mold my chakra to create what the seal is used for. For a simple sealing scroll, I would have to create that storage space with the help of the symbols and also set up the conditions for activating the seal. Sigh, this is prettyplicated.


    Anyways, let''s start. I should start with the symbols, but there are hundreds of them. It''ll take months if I try to learn them all. So I''ll just pick a seal and learn it''s symbols. That way I could monitor my progress.''


    After analysing all the seals in the scroll, he decided to learn the most used seal, the storage seal. It used 16 types of symbols. Majority of it were different types of space symbols. A few increased the amount of space in the seal, some restricted the space in order to maintain the boundaries, some ensured that the space stayed stable and so on.


    He drew the required symbols perfectly on a spare scroll and also took down notes rted to it. He had seen a few others do the same in the library, so he wasn''t worried about getting into trouble, though he was very surprised at Konoha''s magnanimity. Once that was done, he left the library.


    He went to the market and transformed in an alleyway. After searching for a bit, he found the shop he was looking for. There he bought the special ink required for Fuinjutsu as well as special scrolls for the same.


    The scrolls were made of a special material. It was much sturdier and could apparentlyst for centuries if not damaged by external force. It could easily bear the chakra applied to it while seals were inscribed on it.


    The special ink, on the other hand, would make infusing chakra much easier. Trying to make the symbols with normal ink was a lot harder to do. However, there was another substitute for this special ink. That was the blood of a ninja.


    These items were quite expensive though. The scrolls cost 60 Ryo each and a small bottle of ink cost 100 Ryo. He bought 5 bottles of ink and 5 scrolls to practice. He sighed thinking, ''I hope thesest a few months at least. I only have 4,370 Ryo left with me.''


    He then went home and on reaching there, he made a shadow clone. A couple of months of crazy physical training, high amount of meditation and constant Ninjutsu training till he dropped due tock of chakra had resulted in a high rate of growth of his chakra. It had increased by around 25%. It implied that he could now make 2 shadow clones if he wanted to. However both will barely have any chakra to do anything. If he made one shadow clone with exactly 50% chakra, then that shadow clone couldst till his chakra dropped to 32% of Fujin''s max chakra. So effectively, it had more than doubled the Shadow Clone''s usable chakra.


    Fujin and his clone started the work on the first symbol. After trying it for half an hour, Fujin confirmed, ''As I thought, the amount of chakra needed to practice this is quite low. This is good news for me as my shadow clone willst a lot longer. Calcting from my clone''s remaining Chakra, I''d say he''ll be able tost four hours while practicing these symbols.''


    After an hour''s practice, he dispelled his clone. On dispelling it, he got all the memories from the clone, along with a minor headache.


    He created another Shadow Clone. This time the clone practiced the symbol for 2 hours, took a break of 2 hour, then practiced it again for 1 hour, and then took another 1 hour break followed by 1 hour practice. Fujin went out to practice shuriken throwing on a wind clone and increasing the radius of his chakra field. He didn''t practice any ninjutsu as practicing it with only half his chakra wouldn''tst very long.


    After 7 hours, he dispelled his clone. This time the headache was a bit worse, but still bearable. However, recalling Hiruzen''s instructions, he decided to sleep.


    He was very happy with what he had done today. After waking up early the next morning, he thought, ''Excellent, the experiment was sessful. Now that my shadow clone canst 7 hours and practice these symbols for 4 hours, I can leave my shadow clone at home and it can keep practicing Fuinjutsu while I''m at the academy. I guess my chakra needs to increase by another 20-25% so that my clone could practice for 7 hours straight. Still, I need to decide what the clone should do in the spare 3 hours.''


    He thought for a bit and then it clicked him, ''Yeah, why not. I should buy a few cooking books for the clone to learn. In the past 2 years I have learnt to make various breakfasts, but I didn''t learn to make a proper lunch or dinner as I didn''t have much spare time. This seems the perfect opportunity to learn it! Alright, today, after the academy, I''ll buy the books.''


    Happy at the possibility of finally being able to eat delicious meals, he decided to analyse his daily routine, ''So with this sorted, I will continue to do my physical training in the morning, during lectures my clone can practice Fuinjutsu while my main body pays attention for important lectures and work on my chakra field in the remaining time. After the lecture is over, I''ll have to return home, dispel the clone and take a short, probably an hour''s sleep. Then I can practice my Ninjutsu and shuriken throwing.''


    And the year continued in this manner. Genki taught a lot of practical knowledge that was needed for ninjas. And Fujin continued his hard training. Fujin did note that the ss was a bit more serious this year. He thought, ''I guess his one-on-one talks had a good effect.''


    After 6 months, Fujin was able to do the rank E wind release jutsus with no hand signs, only the wind clone needed a single hand sign. Among rank D, he could do Wind Propelling jutsu without hand signs, however the rest required one or two hand signs. 23 days before the exams for the 3rd year were up, he managed to do all but two without hand signs. Only Dust Cloud Jutsu still required a couple of hand signs and wind clones still required one hand sign. Simrly, Shadow Clone too had dropped to just one hand sign, the clone seal, which he wasn''t able to do without hand signs. His Breakthrough jutsu and Wind Explosion jutsu now were able to do much higher damage and all the other wind release jutsus had been mastered to a certain extent.


    It took his clone 3 months to master those 16 symbols and another month, to sessfully make a storage seal. It took another month of practice to be able to do itfortably without any mistakes. He had spent 4000 ryo on the materials till then, leaving him only with a little over 2000 ryo with him. He had created 5 proper sealing scrolls.


    Each time when he bought the materials, he had bought it from different shops under different disguises. Of the 5 shopkeepers he met, he had observed that one of them seemed greedy and with loose morals. He thought, ''I can''t continue the expenditure on Fuinjutsu. Probably another 4 months before I''m totally broke. So I''ll have to sell my scrolls. Trouble is, whom to sell. I can''t give out my identity and I''m not sure if any shopkeeper will agree to buy without knowing the seller. Sigh, I''ll have to approach the one with low morals and greedy nature. Luckily, one of the shopkeepers fits the bill. Unless he has put up a facade, so I should take some precautions. Preferably, I should send a clone under Transformation jutsu.''

 Chapter 23: The First Deal

    Over the next few days, he had his shadow clone spy on the shopkeeper. Genki''s training for stealth was really helpful during this period. His name was Ging. He was probably in his 40s. The clone observed his actions and his movements to see whether he is a hidden ninja. He had already tried to sense his chakra, it was merely at the civilian level. Fujin wondered if at some point in the past, Konoha conducted a drive to unlock chakra of a lot of people. He also observed his dealings with other customers, where he keeps his inventory, where he keeps his cash and so on.


    The spying was quite sessful as on one lucky instance, he heard Ging bargaining with his supplier on the price of some of the items. On hearing them talk, he understood that the supplier sold an Explosion tag to him for 500 Ryo and Storage Scroll for 1,200 each, while he sold the storage scroll for 1,500 Ryo and the Explosion tags for 750 Ryo to his customers.


    After being sure that he was a safe target, he sent his shadow clone with the 5 scrolls. His clone took the appearance of a middle-aged man and approached Ging when no one was in his shop. On seeing him approach, Ging put up a kind smile and said, "Hello, what do you want to buy?"


    Fujin''s clone replied, "Hello, I''m not here to buy, but to sell."


    Hearing that, Ging was quite surprised. He raised an eyebrow and asked, "Sell? Who are you?"


    Fujin''s clone replied, "You can call me Zoro."


    Ging noticed the fact that the man in front of him asked him to call that. He then asked, "What do you want to sell?"


    Fujin''s clone paused for a moment, and stared in his eyes. He then said, "Storage Scrolls"


    Ging, trying to gain an upper hand in any negotiations, said dismissively "I already have 3 suppliers for storage scrolls, why should I buy from you?"


    Fujin''s clone smirked and replied, "Because my scrolls are better"


    That statement got Ging interested. He asked, "How? And I''ll inspect your scroll first before buying from you."


    Fujin''s clone maintained his smirk and replied, "Suit yourself" and handed him a scroll. Ging took the scroll and invited him to a room inside the shop. On the way, he asked "So what''s the name of yourpany and who is the person in-charge of it?" However, he was dismissively answered with "You don''t need to concern yourself with it." Hearing that Ging thought, ''Oh, a secret organisation? So either he is someone who doesn''t want anyone to know that he can make storage scrolls, or he has a secret organisation behind him which probably does some shady work. Hehe, I''ll make a ton of profits from this sheep!''


    On reaching the room, Ging started inspecting the scroll. Fujin clone''s im wasn''t empty. A standard storage scroll has 10 storage seals in it. However the one he made had 12 seals in it. When he saw Ging inspecting the scroll, Fujin''s clone thought, ''It isn''t difficult to make 12 seals in a single scroll. You just have to draw the seals closer to each other. Actually, if anyone wants to make an optimal storage scroll while keeping the size of the scroll the same, then he could make 25 seals in the scroll. However, for the ones who mass produce these seals 10 is the optimal number. The reason is that many buyers don''t need more than 10 seals in a scroll. And for the ones who want more, the producers would profit more if they bought more scrolls. It also resulted in less effort needed to make the scroll. So it had be an optimal number for them to make maximum profits. However, I don''t have any such restrictions. I just want to make some money to continue practicing Fuinjutsu.''


    On looking at the number of seals in the scroll, Ging had simr thoughts. However, he could also think even further than Fujin as he had a lot more experience and information. He analyzed, ''While just having 2 more seals might not seem such a big deal to normal people, but I know the ninjas who want to buy scrolls having more storage seals in them. Justst week one jounin was talking about the convenience of having a storage scroll with more seals. I can sell this scroll to him for a much higher price. Probably even over 2,000 Ryo.''


    Then he looked at Fujin and thought, ''Now the only question is whether he is aware of its value or not.''


    After a few moments his expression became unpleasant and he angrily said, "Your scrolls only have 2 seals more! And the quality of each seal is the same as others. 10 seals are already more than enough for a single scroll. I will buy it from you, however I''ll pay you the same price as I pay to my suppliers."


    Knowing the kind of guy the shopkeeper was, Fujin''s clone smirked again and said, "Now now, we both know that ain''t true. There are too many ninjas who will willingly buy scrolls with more seals."


    Ging, however, dismissively replied, "Yes, but they won''t be willing to pay higher. Still seeing that you could add 2 more seals, I''ll pay you a bit more. Instead of 1,000 Ryo, I''ll pay you 1,100 Ryo."


    Hearing that, Fujin''s clone scoffed and said, "Do you think I live under a mountain? The standard scrolls are supplied for around 1,200 to 1,250 Ryo. Even if you consider the least at 1,200 Ryo, just considering that it has 20% higher seals would raise the price to 1,440 Ryo. Not to mention the fact that some ninjas might be willing to pay more."


    Hearing that put a lot of pressure on Ging. He internally sighed at the numbers thrown by the other party. The haggling continued for a few more minutes. Ging took advantage of the fact that the opposite party wasn''t willing to reveal his origins and used that point to decrease the buying price to 1,150 Ryo.


    After the haggling was over, Fujin''s clone thought, ''Sigh, that was some intense haggling. This fellow is much better at haggling than me. But either way, while he may think that he made a profit, just being able to sell these scrolls for over 1,000 Ryo each is more than enough for me.''


    He then smirked internally, thinking ''Well I still have one more advantage to y. While he may be a better haggler, I have the advantage of being the lone supplier of the 12 seals storage scrolls. Hehe, I am so interested in looking at his final decision.''


    After deciding the price to be 1,150 Ryo, Ging asked, "So Zoro, how many scrolls do you have to sell?"


    Fujin''s clone didn''t reply, instead he ced 4 scrolls in front of him. Looking at that, Ging was at a loss of words. He thought, ''Just four? So including the one I inspected, there are only 5? What is he ying at?''


    Seeing that the seller wasn''t saying anything further, he showed an enraged expression and asked angrily, "Only 5? You wasted all my time for only 5 scrolls?"


    Fujin''s clone calmly replied, "The boss has sent a few like me to other shopkeepers to sell it too. Depending upon the price each shopkeeper gives for these scrolls, the future sales to those shops will be decided."


    After hearing that, Ging''s expression was really a sight to see. Fujin''s clone had augh internally. It was the first time in their negotiation that Ging had lost hisposure.


    Fujin''s clone''s thoughts were, ''While I don''t necessarily need a higher price, doing this would cast much lesser doubts on me. Also the existence of a boss behind me will keep this fellow from going overboard.''


    Ging however got lost in his thoughts, ''Damn! What to do now? By buying one scroll for 1,150 Ryo, I probably won''t get any more scrolls from him in the future. But if I pay high, and others still pay higher, then I still might not get any in the future. Still though, a boss and more people like him? Are they trying to change the whole storage scrolls market?''


    He thought for a bit more and then asked, "Will you be selling all your scrolls to only the one who buys it for the highest price, or others as well?"


    Fujin''s clone replied, "We will be selling it to many shopkeepers. Only the amount of scrolls we sell to them would depend on the prices they offer. Of course, the ones who offer lower than average might not get any. But I''m not privy to the exact ns."


    Ging analysed for a minute and then sighed. He thought, ''Buying it for a low price would mean killing the goose that drops the golden eggs. But how much should I buy it for? I don''t want to pay a lot for it. Otherwise my profits won''t be enough. Let me go with 1,500 Ryo. That should be enough to earn higher off them than normal storage scrolls.''


    He then offered a price of 1,500 Ryo per scroll. Theypleted their deal and talked a bit about how and when future deals would happen. Fujin''s clone walked out of the shop with 7,500 Ryo. He handed the money to Fujin in an alleyway while he wandered off a bit and dispelled himself after confirming that there was no one around.


    After looking at the cash, Fujin''s thoughts were, ''Wow, am I really that good at negotiating?'' However after getting his clone''s memories back, he thought, ''Nope, I am probably closer to a novice rather than a master. It was just that the final bluff was too much of a temptation for him to ignore. Probably, he also thought that a powerful organisation might be behind me, which threatened him a bit. Well whatever, this is good cash! I should consider selling scrolls often to him.''


    He then went to a few other shops under different disguises to buy materials. He bought 30 bottles of ink, 25 scrolls and 200 nk paper tags.


    The nk paper tags cost 10 Ryo each. So in all he spent 6,500 Ryo on the materials. He then bought some meat and returned home. He thought, ''Now that I do have some cash, I should definitely increase my meat consumption. The meat business here is entirely dominated by the Akimichi n. All the shops which sell meat belong to them. I wonder if it is because they are good at it due to economy of scale, or if they were given monopoly over this business when they joined Konoha.''


    After that day, Fujin began learning other seals too. He learnt a few basic ones like Heat Seal, Cool Seal, Hard Seal, Soft Seal, Shock Seal and Wet Seal. These seals used elemental symbols. However the number of symbols required was much lower aspared to a storage seal as these did very basic things.


    The heat seal could only be used to warm a room. While the Cool seal absorbed heat from the surroundings to make the room cooler. Shock seal could apply a small electric shock, but it was very harmless too as Fujin could bear that shock without any issue. Hard seal was used to harden a surface or an object whereas Soft seal did the reverse. Wet seal was used to gather the moisture from the air and make the surface it had been stuck to wet. All these seals had to be made on a paper tag, and to use it, it would have to be applied on a surface and be activated.


    The elemental seals had a requirement of the creator being able to use those elements. But since these seals were very basic, he could do it despite not having mastered fire, water and lightning natures. In all it took him 4 and half months to learn all these seals.


    During this time, he also started selling 20 storage scrolls to Ging every month for 30,000 Ryo. He kept the amount low so that the major suppliers of storage scrolls won''t be annoyed by him and try to find him. On the other hand, Ging was very happy too as he could sell these scrolls for around 2,300 Ryo.


    By the time 3rd year''s exams were up, Fujin had saved over 100,000 Ryo!

 Chapter 24: Graduation Exam

    In the 3rd year, Genki had focused entirely on the basic skills. It made this year a lot more fun. After having taught one skill entirely, he used toe up with games so that everyone would get used to using it.


    For instance, after teaching how to move stealthily. He gave everyone 29 tags with their roll numbers written on it. Everyone had to put these tags on the backs of other 29 students and avoid others putting those tags on their own back. Thanks to Fujin being a sensor, no one managed to put any tag on his back. The few who tried to sneak up, got a punch or an elbow to their face.


    While hunting wild animals had resulted in most students making some really funny faces. Killing an animal didn''t create an issue for everyone, though Fujin did sigh thinking, ''I never thought that my first kill in this world would be a freaking rabbit!'' The fun part ording to Genki, which he enjoyed the most, was having everyone cut open the animal they hunted, clean it and prepare it for cooking. An act that disgusted most of the students, including Fujin as he had never done anything like this in his earlier life. Only Nobu waspletely unaffected.


    And in order to make everyone learn cooking properly, Genki banned bringing lunch to the academy for a few days. Their lunch was the wild animal they cooked!


    Later in the year, he also introduced tree climbing as a chakra control exercise for his students.


    In this manner, the year progressed. 1 week before the final exams, Genki dropped the news that surprised Fujin. He thought, ''While I did know about it, for the announcement to be made this suddenly is surprising!''


    Genki had announced, ''If there is anyone among you who wants to attempt the graduation exam, then let me know within the next 3 days.''


    However, by the end of the day, Genki did regret announcing that right in the morning. He sighed, ''Damn, I should have announced it when the lectures ended. No one paid attention to today''s lectures!''


    After going home, Fujin thought hard about it. On analyzing, he concluded, ''There''s still a lot more for me to learn. Right now my wind jutsus, basic jutsus, shadow clones, body flicker, shuriken throwing and Taijutsu has progressed to the level that I''m satisfied with. But I still have to learn Earth release jutsus. And also need to work on sword skills and Genjutsu. As for Fuinjutsu, though it has beening along well, I still haven''t started on the intermediate level seals which are avable in section D of the library. And there''s also Rasengan still left to master.


    Also, while graduating will ensure that I won''t have to waste time in the academy, but since Konoha currently is suffering a shortage of ninjas, I suppose my free time might be curtailed rather than getting more time to train. Also the missions might have more risk than usual, especially with the 3rd war still fresh in everyone''s minds.


    Alright then, I won''t participate in it. While the top scorer not attempting the graduation exam might raise questions, it''s better than dying on some rank C mission gone wrong.''


    However, unlike Fujin, the other kids from his ss, were perfectly brainwashed by the Will of Fire. And hence many were interested in participating in the graduation exam. However, knowing that they won''t be able to pass, many parents didn''t allow their children to take part in the exams.


    In the end, there were 7 students who decided to participate in the Graduation exam. Yori, Nobu, Teru, Hoka, a civilian kid, and the two from Aburame and Hatake ns decided to attempt the exam. Fujin did see that Genki was a bit disappointed in him not attempting the Graduation exam. But he was relieved as Genki didn''t talk with him on the matter.


    The graduation exam was around a week after the 3rd year exam. The 3rd year exam went as usual. A few more parameters were added to the exam based on the skills that Genki had taught in this year.


    This year, the reward from the Hokage was also dependent on the graduation exam performance. That pretty much meant that Fujin won''t get any rewards for rank 1. So he decreased his performance slightly in the written exam and once again didn''t give his all in the Ninjutsu exam. So in the end, he only ranked 4th. Teru ranked 1st, followed by Nobu and then Hana.


    Fujin was actually very grateful that Hana wasn''t attempting the graduation exam. While he wasn''t aware of the reason, it meant that he wasn''t the only one with high scores who wasn''t attempting the graduation exam. Unknown to him however, Hana was extremely upset that her parents didn''t allow her to be a ninja so soon.


    A weekter, the graduation exam was conducted. For the students from the elite sses, the exam was very simr to normal exams. Only, it was moreprehensive.


    The main addition to the exam was a 50 point exam that provided students with various scenarios that they would face and asked what they would do in those scenarios. Except Nobu, everyone else struggled in this exam.


    In Taijutsu, only Hoka and Teru performed above par, while Yori and Nobu were barely average.


    In Ninjutsu however, Teru, Yori and Nobu disyed why exactly they deserved to be genins. Yori perfectly disyed two rank C jutsus, Fireball jutsu and Phoenix Sage Fire jutsu. Teru was able to perform jutsus of two different elements. He was able to perform one rank C Water Gunshot jutsu and three rank D jutsus, Ground Shaking Jutsu, Headhunter jutsu and Stone Shuriken jutsu.


    Nobu, showed off his variety by performing 1 rank E jutsu of each of the 5 elements. In addition, he was also able to perform higher ranked jutsus of fire nature, which was his affinity. He performed two rank C jutsus, Fire Dragon jutsu and me Bullet jutsu.


    After all the tests were conducted, the performance of all students were analyzed. From Fujin''s ss, only Teru, Yori and Nobu graduated and became Genins. Due to his better performance than Nobu and Yori in Taijutsu, he ranked first in his ss. From the batch which was one year senior to Fujin, 11 students graduated and 28 of their senior''s graduated as well.


    However, Fujin was oblivious to all these developments. As soon as the summer vacation began, Fujin went back to his Ninjutsu training. He was satisfied with his progress in wind release and decided to start training earth release jutsus and hence visited the library.


    [A/N : This is probably thest time during the academy when it''ll be theory-heavy. But since the previous feedback mentioned that there was too much theory, so I won''t go into exnation of each and every jutsu. If Fujin or someone else decides to learn themter, I''ll exin the jutsu then]


    He looked at every Earth release jutsu in section E and section D and made a list. The first thing he noticed was that Konoha had a lot more Earth release jutsus aspared to Wind. Though it wasn''t really surprising considering the low number of Wind release users.


    The list of Earth release jutsus he created was :


    Rock Throw jutsu (E)


    Rock Shield jutsu (E)


    Stone Bracers jutsu (E)


    Swift Earth jutsu (E)


    Earth Release: Transformation jutsu (E)


    Trapping jutsu (E)


    Mud Moat jutsu (D)


    Earth Clone jutsu (D)


    Rock thorn bed jutsu (D)


    Stone Shuriken jutsu (D)


    Headhunter jutsu (D)


    Pebble Barrage (D)


    Ground shaking jutsu (D)


    Earth Tremor Sense jutsu (D)


    Earth Mound Creation jutsu (D)


    Mud Interceptor jutsu (D)


    Earth Military Movement jutsu (D)


    Stone Breastte jutsu (D)


    Mud Weight jutsu (D)


    Earth Release Camp jutsu (D)


    Earth Release Note jutsu (D)


    His first thoughts were, ''Hmm, no Earth Wall jutsu? That''s a rather simple jutsu, to be ranked higher. Even the Iron Skin jutsu of Kakuzu isn''t here. I hope it is there in higher sections.''


    He then began reading each and every jutsu and started analyzing them. It took him around 2 hours to go through each and everyone of them. He concluded, ''The Earth release jutsus are moreprehensive than the wind release jutsus. The only point where it is bad is that the offense iscking a bit. Surprisingly many of the jutsus in this list have a simr potential like Wind ones. However, there is one big drawback. Most of the earth release jutsus, especially the ones with high potential, will be severely restrained if the fight is over a water body. Now that I think about it, Iwa is pretty lucky to not share any border with Kiri. Otherwise they''d be in very passive situations in the wars.


    Anyways, I can ignore all offense oriented Earth release jutsus. For defense, Rock Shield jutsu is a good option. It probably is an inferior version of Earth Wall jutsu. So it can be upgradedter. I also wonder if I could use the Hard Seal to make the shield more durable.


    For trapping, Mud Moat jutsu is a good option. It creates a 6 feet deep moat with 6 feet radius around the user. It should serve as a base for that Rank A swamp jutsu which Jiraiya had. I don''t recall the name though.


    As for movement, Earth Military Movement jutsu is a must learn. It allows travelling through the ground for short distances. Having another way to escape is always good.


    Earth Release: Camp jutsu is pretty handy too. It can make a cave within mountains. There are a few small hills in the vige, like the one where there is a waterfall. I could try this jutsu somewhere near there.


    Also, these 4 jutsus make a neatbo. I could use Camp jutsu to build a cave within a mountain. Then use Rock Shield jutsu to hide the entrance. Prepare a moat around the mountain, and if anyone manages to find the cave, then I can escape with Earth Military Movement jutsu.''


    He began his training for the Earth release jutsus. While he hadn''t honed his Earth nature as much as Wind nature, he still had honed it a lot. He could crumble boulders to dust in just a few seconds. That''s why he managed to learn them very quickly. However, they were a bit tougher to learn whenpared to Wind release jutsus.


    He learnt Rock Shield jutsu within a few minutes and then spent a couple of days on it to increase the size and durability of the rock shield that he used to raise from the ground. He also attempted to apply the Hard Seal on the rock shield he raised. It increased the durability of the shield. However applying the seal and activating it took around 1.5 seconds to pull off, something he might not have in a fight.


    The Camp jutsu was learnt within a day. Though the cave was a bit dusty, he could just use Breakthrough jutsu to clean up all the dust. He could also use the Rock Shield jutsu to cover up the entrance if he wanted to hide. Though he had to leave a small space open in order for air to circte. He didn''t bother perfecting this jutsu as there was no need for it right now.


    The next was the mud Moat jutsu. It had an aspect of Water nature as well. So it took him close to a week to learn it. He would need to improve his water nature if he had to improve this jutsu further. So he decided to leave this matter for his future self.


    Andstly, he practiced Earth Military Movement jutsu. This one was quite difficult to learn. The jutsu involved moving through the ground like he is swimming. So he had to soften the ground a lot to be able to do that. It took him 11 days to pull it off sessfully for the first time. It took another 2 weeks for him to be able to move around more freely. He was only limited by the amount of oxygen he had underground. The softening of the ground resulted in some oxygen entering underground, however it was very limited. He stopped when he was able to move 100 metres.


    He thought, ''Alright, the earth release jutsus have been learnt. Though I still need to work more on Rock Shield jutsu and Earth Military Movement jutsu. However, I can do that slowly over the next year. Next, I need to learn chakra flow.''


    He went to the library to learn about it.

 Chapter 25: Chakra Flow

    He visited the library, and searched in all 4 sections he had ess to. Surprisingly, he didn''t find a single scroll on what he wanted. He thought, ''This is surprising. Does it mean that they are kept in a higher section or do they not provide that technique for normal ninjas?''


    While leaving the library, he analyzed for a bit more, ''Yeah, that might be the case. Infusing chakra into weapons isn''t that big of a deal. If I recall right, most Samurai were able to do it. However in Konoha, Asuma was the only one I recall to do it. And Danzo too was able to do it, but his method was different.


    Anyways, I suppose I''ll have to try it myself. I don''t think Genki or his friends might know this.''


    On the way back to the mini forest, he thought of various ways to do it. His first thoughts were, ''Lets just try to flow my chakra through a kunai like I try to do it when trying to cut a leaf. Only, instead of trying to cut the kunai, I''ll try to make its edges sharper.''


    He then tried to implement that trick, however he had many troubles in doing it. He had instantaneous sess in what he was trying to do as he was able to imbue his kunai with his chakra on his first try. However, the chakra amount that got imbued was very low and even after trying to infuse more chakra in it for 2 days, he didn''t improve much. Also while the kunai''s sharpness and prating capabilities improved, it wasn''t much and he didn''t make any improvements over the couple of days.


    He thought, ''What a bummer! This seems to be a dead end. I guess having a chakra de might aid, but something seems wrong. Perhaps I''ll improve if I stick to this, however it''ll probably take years. I need to think of another way.''


    He thought for a few hours, and then it clicked him. He decided to go the Hunter X Hunter way. He thought, ''Yeah, that''s right. I could try the simr way as in Hunter X Hunter. I''ll first try to release my Chakra and coat it all over my body. And then try and extend that coat to cover a kunai I''m holding. While the method is very inefficient, it should allow me to learn it faster. Once I''m able to do it, I''ll have to practice doing it without coating my body and directly infusing Chakra into the kunai.''


    Coating the entire body with Chakra wasn''t something any ninja preferred to do. The reason was simple - insufficient Chakra. Doing it would exhaust the chakra of the user very quickly. From what Fujin could recall, apart from the Jinchurikis, only the Raikages coated their body with Chakra. Others would at most coat a body part or weapons to enhance them.


    Fujin began training in the new way. And it was very exhausting. In merely 7 minutes, he ran out of chakra. However, he could see that he was making some progress in extending his chakra to his kunai. It was slow, but a steady growth he observed in 7 minutes. He guessed that in around 10 attempts, he''ll be able to perfectly coat the kunai with his chakra.


    However, with the chakra exhaustion, he could probably only train it around 3 or 4 times in a day. Not to mention, there was much more to do after coating the kunai with his chakra. Not wanting to waste weeks on this, he decided to buy soldier pills.


    After resting for a couple of hours, he went to his home to get cash and then left to buy the pills. He transformed in an alleyway and went to a shop that sold soldier pills. Soldier pills were extremely useful for a ninja. When he read it the first time, he was a bit amazed by it. A top quality soldier pill, could provide around 30 times the chakra of an average Jounin. And it didn''t do it right away, but provided the chakra in small parts, every hour, consistently over 3 days. It also released enzymes which stimted the ninja to stay awake for 3 days. That''s why someone who consumed a soldier pill could fight for 3 days straight.


    Unknown to Fujin, there were also better soldier pills, but they were custom made for top ninjas and not avable for everyone.


    Fujin decided to buy soldier pills of medium quality. These were mostly used by chuunins. Fujin''s own chakra reserve now was much higher than an average fresh genin. It was probably better than an average Genin. In the next year, his chakra reserves should grow to the same level as the weaker chuunin academy teachers.


    Despite not yet having chuunin level chakra reserves, he still decided to buy medium quality soldier pills because of how exhausting the training was.


    He bought 5 pills, for a total of 10,000 Ryo. The prices did make him curse out and also thank the fact that he had started learning Fuinjutsu.


    The next 3 days, he trained a lot. On the first day itself, he was able to coat his kunai with chakra. He then charged it with wind nature, and that had an immediate impact on the kunai''s sharpness and prating power. The chakra extended the kunai''s range by 5 cm.


    He experimented a bit with his new ability. He thought, ''Excellent, I can cut through branches like I am cutting through thin air. While I can''t cut a tree, it''s because the size of the kunai is too small. With a sword even that shouldn''t be an issue. The kunai is also able to prate deep within a boulder. I recall Naruto and Asuma being able to prate through a boulder in one of the fillers, so I could try that. Honestly, if an enemy underestimates me and tries to block the kunai, then he''ll be very badly injured.


    But I do need to reduce the amount of chakra I need to do this. The next part of the training should be to directly try to coat the kunai without coating my whole body too¡­. So how should I proceed?''


    The thought for a bit and then concluded, ''Just directly trying to coat it will probably end up in failure. I should instead try to coat only my hand with chakra and then try to extend it to kunai. I guess I could also try to train in how to infuse chakra in my punches in this way too. While it won''t be Tsunade level, the power of chakra infused punches shouldpletely outmatch the power of normal punches.''


    He then proceeded trying to coat only his fist with chakra. It took a few hours to be able to do that. He thought, ''Okay, this wasn''t so hard.''


    He then tried to extend that chakra to kunai. While he was able to extend it, the amount of chakra he could now extend to the kunai was much lesser. He thought, ''I see, since I''m just coating my fist, that''s why the amount of chakra I''m extending is much lesser. So basically I''ll have to concentrate more chakra in my fist.''


    He then started to concentrate more chakra in his fist. This was much harder than expected. It needed a very high level of chakra control to be able to do that. Luckily for Fujin, he had trained his chakra control a lot. It took a day for him to be able to double the chakra he could concentrate in his fist. Not satisfied with the amount, he kept on trying more.


    However, soon 3 days were about to be done. Hence he decided to rush back home before it. As soon as it was 3 days, exhaustion hit him real hard. The side effect of using soldier pills was bad. Luckily it was only a short term exhaustion and didn''t have any long term effects. He straightaway went to sleep, without setting any rm.


    When he woke up, he looked at the clock and thought, ''Oh, it''s 8:10 am. Wait, I fell asleep yesterday at 4:30 pm. So I slept for over 15 hours? Damn the exhaustion hits hard! Also I''m very hungry right now!''


    After brushing and cleaning up, he grabbed a couple of ration bars and ate them. He did his morning workout, though it was 3 hourste, and decided to go out to eat meat for lunch in Yakiniku Q. He rested for the rest of the day, and the next day, continued his training.


    It took another 3 days for him to double the amount of chakra he could concentrate in his fist again. He thought, ''Wow, I wonder how strong my punch is now. Let''s test out on a boulder.''


    On punching the boulder, a lot of cracks appeared on the boulder, but Fujin was screaming internally, ''Bloody hell! This hurts like a bitch!'' After a few moments, he checked his fist, and thought ''Wow, there are no visible injuries. Though it hurt a heck of a lot, it didn''t cause any bleeding or injury. It only caused a few small scratches. I guess I have really be strong!''


    He spent the next 15 days increasing the amount of chakra he could infuse in his kunai and also making the chakra much sharper. While just infusing wind chakra in it had made it very potent, he had to shape his chakra to form a thin edge that aligned with the edges of his kunai for maximum effect. By the time the vacation was over, his kunai could prate through three 4 metres wide boulders and get stuck in the 4th boulder. And the range of his kunai, due to chakra flow, was increased by 15 cm.


    However, he noticed that once he was able to increase the amount of chakra infused in the kunai and make it much sharper, it started to deteriorate the condition of his kunai. 2 days before the vacation was over, the kunai with which he was practicing with crumbled.


    He sighed thinking, ''Well it was a kunai I picked up in the forest. I wonder if a new kunai willst longer. I guess I''ll need to buy a few kunaiter on. I should also check on the prices of chakra des.''


    The day before the academy started, he visited the best weapon store in Konoha to look for chakra des. He hadn''t transformed this time and just went in as an enthusiast. The reason was that he wanted to show an interest in it and the fact that the shopkeeper was a retired ninja who''s chakra was almost twice that of Genki.


    The prices however shocked him. He thought, ''What the fuck? A small chakra knife costs 2 million Ryo? Heck, why didn''t Kakuzu steal Asuma''s chakra des instead! And though they don''t have any chakra swords, the details in the book say that the cheapest one costs 7.5 million Ryo!''


    The prices got him thinking, ''Damn, what should I do? The costs are too high. If I focused a lot on Fuinjutsu, and sold a lot of seals, I might be able to make that much in a year or two, but it''ll attract a lot of attention. Not to mention that the chakra swords have to be custom made, so trying to get it with a random disguise will most probably not work. I really doubt that the vige won''t pay any attention to such a big purchase. If I wait till I can earn by doing missions, I doubt I can earn this much till I am able to do rank A missions. That''s a long time away!''


    He thought for a bit more, and then it clicked, ''That''s right, I do have the option of asking it as a reward from Hiruzen. This year, I''ll train a lot to dual wield swords. And even show off my training a bit to show everyone how interested I''m in swords. And Genki knows that my nature affinity is wind. So they will get the hint.


    Though there are 2 main problems. The first being that pretty much everyone will know about it. The 2nd is whether Hiruzen will actually reward me something so expensive!''


    He thought for a bit more, ''Oh well fuck it. I can bypass the first issue by asking Hiruzen to hold onto my swords. When I''m confident that I can take on jounins, I''ll ask him for the swords. As for 2nd, if he refuses, then I will ask him for smaller chakra des. With all the crap he talks about the Will of Fire, it''ll be damn fun to see how he would refuse a young kid twice!


    Sadly, I have built a rather mature and a bit nervous image. So I can''t throw tantrums if he refused me twice. Though I''ll definitely have my revenge if he says no twice despite boring me for hours year after year with his brainwashing speech! If he declines, then in the future, I''ll fund Naruto''s pranks by supplying him with various seals. Then I''ll enjoy watching the mess he makes of Konoha.''


    With those thoughts, heughed like a devil. If Hiruzen was aware of Fujin''s thoughts, he''d have probably shivered!


    [A/N : Apologies for the dy. Deciding how to go about Chakra flow took some time.]

 Chapter 26: Getting a Rank C jutsu

    The next day, the fourth year in the academy started. Not having paid any attention to the graduation exam, and wanting to get the information, he decided to go a bit early to the academy.


    He reached the ss at 7:45 am. On reaching, he saw that 24 kids were already there. And there were 3 new faces. He looked around the ss and didn''t see Teru, Yori and Nobu in the ss. He then went to Hoka, sat besides him and asked, "Morning. What happened in the graduation exam?"


    Hoka''s mood first soured as he hadn''t passed. But on realising, he looked at Fujin in disbelief, "You don''t know?"


    Fujin shook his head. Hoka continued, "Have you been living under a rock?"


    Fujin replied, "Nope, just under trees."


    Hoka gave him a deadpan expression. Fujin asked again, "Well are you gonna talk today?"


    Hoka then showed a sad face and answered, "I failed. Only Teru, Nobu and Yori passed."


    Fujin, having expected that, nodded.


    He then asked about what happened in the exams. Hoka gave a summary of what all happened. Despite already knowing the possibility, he sighed at the fact that those 3 could perform rank C jutsu. He thought, ''Sigh, I guess being in a top n or being backed by a crazy old fellow has its benefits.''


    Fujin then asked whether those 3 formed a Genin squad. However Hoka replied, "No, Teru and Yori were ced together in a squad with someone a year older. No idea where Nobu went but I haven''t heard about him after the exam."


    Fujin thought, ''I see. I guess Danzo inducted him into the root. Though I am surprised that he didn''t take Nobu when he was 3-4 years old itself.''


    He then asked, "So what''s up with the 3 new guys?"


    Hoka dismissively replied, "No idea"


    Seeing Hoka unconcerned about the new guys, Fujin thought, ''Uh¡­ He isn''t the right guy to ask this. He is very aloof if it doesn''t involve Taijutsu. But this much information is enough. I wonder if I could use this info to get a few C rank jutsus from Genki.''


    After the talk, Fujin decided to continue sitting there for the rest of the day. While he didn''t make much of a rtionship with his ssmates, due to constant spars, his rtionship with Hoka and Teru was better than others.


    Surprisingly, today, Genki didn''t enter the ss alone, but was also apanied by an old man. When he entered, everyone stood up and greeted him, as he was the headmaster of the academy.


    After entering, he first made some small talk. Then he started talking about the Will of Fire. And finally, he asked the students to try to graduate this year.


    Fujin was quite surprised with this. He only had one thought, ''Wow they are really desperate!''


    After he left, Fujin thought, ''I guess not participating this year is not an option. Then again, I have learnt most of the things I can. Only Genjutsu and learning swords are left. And the 2nd book of Fuinjutsu is still left. Still, if they are this desperate, I might actually have a shot at chakra swords!''


    After that, the headmaster introduced the 3 new kids. He said, "Since 3 of your ssmates have already be Genin, we have transferred 3 students from other divisions to your ss. So be friends with them."


    The 3 kids introduced themselves to the ss. They were the top 3 among the remaining 400 students of their year. Some students were happy to have new ssmates, some felt like they didn''t need anyone else to join in, so the reaction was mixed.


    Fujin''s thoughts were, ''I see, so in this way, they ensure that the other students don''t be too pressured due to few of their ssmates bing genins. The 3 kids will ensure that the absence of the ones who graduated isn''t always felt, but they will still serve as a benchmark for the rest. Also, the new kids in this ss will have to work much harder, if they keep up, they''ll be quite strong in the future. It''s a pretty smart move!''


    While Fujin was acknowledging the ingenuity of the move, one person in the ss was extremely unhappy, and almost crying too. That person would be the ss teacher. Genki thought, ''I taught everything I had to teach to all these kidsst year itself! All I had to do was to wait until they absorbed everything and passed the graduation exam. But now I have to again teach these new kids everything!''


    While he was depressed and lost in his thoughts, he had a thought that horrified him, ''Wait, so if this year more students pass out, does that mean more students will join the ss and I will have to teach them again?''


    His shoulders dropped on having that thought, he really was depressed. He sighed, ''This isn''t what I signed up for!''


    After introducing the new kids, the headmaster left. Genki then announced the sybus, and it surprised Fujin once again. Genki said, "This year, your main focus will be to master everything I taught you guys in thest 2 years. The 3 basic Ninjutsu as well as the basic skills I taught you. In addition to it, I will also teach you 5 new rank E jutsus. They will be Fire Release : One jutsu, Wind Release : Gale jutsu, Lightning Release : Static String jutsu, Earth Release : Rock Shield jutsu and Water Release : Fish Spit.


    These jutsus aren''tpulsory for you to learn in order to graduate, however, they will be very helpful to you, if you are able to use them. I''ve already exined nature affinities to youst year. So I''ll check your natureter, and at the very least, you''ll have to learn the jutsu of your affinity. Learning all 5 will help you if you decide to graduate early. Your former ssmate, Nobu, was able to perform all 5 of these jutsus. That''s why he was able to graduate so early."


    Mentioning Nobu riled up the ss and made them verypetitive. Genki was satisfied with the reaction. He thought, ''It''s nice to see them so motivated. I should be thankful to Nobu for performing this during the previous year''s exam. Else I might not have decided to do this.''


    Fujin thought, ''Well this is surprising. I didn''t think Genki would teach jutsus of all the 5 elements. But it isn''t much of a concern for me. I already know 2 of those 5 jutsus.''


    After the ss was over, Fujin grabbed a sparring sword from the academy and started practicing swinging it. He had 2 basic ideas, which is why he wanted to learn using swords. The first one was to infuse Wind chakra in his swords, make them incredibly sharp so that he could cut his enemies down, even if they block it with their weapons. It would make him incredibly deadly in closebat. The 2nd idea was to shoot out shes or thrusts at mid range, simr to what Zoro and Mihawk did in One Piece.


    Of the 2 ideas, the first one seemed very realistic. Fujin was confident in being able to do that very soon. He wasn''t quite sure about the 2nd one though. His memories regarding the small events in Naruto had grown a bit hazy by now, so from what he could recall, there was only one ninja who could use brute force at mid-range. That was Guy while performing his Morning Peacock and Evening Elephant. However, even if he wasn''t able to send shes flying with brute strength, it could be replicated byunching a sh of chakra instead. Like the Samurai are able to do. And it could be improved further by charging that chakra with wind nature.


    After practicing for an hour, he sighed at his sword skills. He thought, ''Even though I have watched a lot of swordy in my previous life, I don''t really have a proper way to train it. Oh well, I''ll bother Genki once again.''


    So he kept the sword back, and went to find Genki. On finding Genki, he saw Genki talking with a fellow teacher. He waited for a bit. Genki after seeing Fujin, cut short his talk and asked Fujin why he was here.


    Fujin said, "Sensei, I want to learn how to use swords. Can you teach it to me?"


    Genki almost cried internally, ''First, that headmaster made me teach 3 new kids everything again! Now this brates and asks me to teach him how to use swords. As if I don''t have any other work to do. And he doesn''t even attempt the graduation exam!''


    He gathered himself and sighed, ''Whatever, I can''t say no to him. But I do need to have a talk with him. I want him to graduate this year. If he stays for another year or two and if others start taking a cue from him and ask me to teach more, my life will be hell!''


    Fujin was surprised at Genki sighing. He wondered, ''What''s up with him? Wasn''t he always very enthusiastic when the students wanted to learn more?''


    Genki then replied, "I don''t use swords much. But I have a couple of friends who do. I''ll arrange you some sessions with them." While he was saying this, he thought, ''I am so d that I made so many good friends, on whom I can offload my students!''


    Fujin nodded and thanked him. Genki then asked a few more things. And then moved on the topic to Graduation exams. He asked, "Fujin, what are your thoughts on graduation?"


    Fujin sighed internally at the question, ''There really is no other option this year.'' He put up a thoughtful expression and said, "I will be attempting it this year. Last year I wanted to attempt it too, but I got a bit scared as it was told to us at thest moment. And I didn''t know what to do."


    He then showed a slightly yearning and slightly sad expression and said in a sad voice while looking down, "But after hearing that Yori, Teru and Nobu were all able to perform rank C jutsus, I guess it was a good thing I didn''t attempt the exam. I would have made a fool of myself if I did."


    Fujin maintained that expression, while hoping that Genki takes pity and gives him some rank C wind release jutsus.


    On seeing Fujin''s expression, Genki felt some sympathy for him. He thought, ''An orphan with no n bing a ninja is pretty difficult. Not having the resources that a n provides puts them at a huge disadvantage. I myself struggled a lot due toing from a civilian family.'' He sighed a bit and decided, ''Alright, I should cheer him up and give him a rank C jutsu. Great Breakthrough jutsu is a very basic one for wind users. And I''m sure that Lord Hokage would agree too. But first I need to check up on his progress.''


    He tried to cheer Fujin up a bit, and then asked, "We checked your nature affinity more than a year back. How far have you progressed with it?"


    Fujin replied, "Sensei, I managed to cut the leaf in two. I learnt Gale jutsu from the library. I can also do Breakthrough jutsu, but I''m still improving it."


    Genki was a bit surprised at the answer, ''I didn''t expect him toe so far, and even practice jutsus by himself. Then again, he was very diligent. Also rank E and D jutsu aren''t hard to perform. But since he has learnt these 2, Great Breakthrough jutsu should be easier for him to learn.''


    He then said, "That''s good. Can you show me how well you can do them?"


    Fujin nodded and they went to the training grounds. Fujin first performed Gale jutsu properly. Though he could perform it without hand signs, he made all the hand signs while showing it to Genki. Genki nodded and said, "That''s good. Show me Breakthrough jutsu, try it on that tree." He pointed to a nearby tree.


    Fujin once again made the hand signs, but he made them at a slower speed. He also controlled the power of the jutsu. It only broke off a few leaves and a few twigs. After performing the jutsu, he thought, ''Well this much should be enough. If I had gone full power and turned this tree into a naked tree with plenty of deep cuts, a certain someone would have gotten very interested in me.''


    Genki was impressed with Fujin''s performance, ''That''s good. Though the power is a bitcking, it''s sufficient considering that he is only 9 years old and didn''t have anyone to teach him. But his talent in Ninjutsu is definitely not as good as the 3 who passed.''


    Genki thought a bit more on whether he could help Fujin more, but he couldn''te up with anything. He concluded, ''Oh well. Even if he doesn''t be a Ninjutsu expert, he still is a sensor. Not to mention that his Taijutsu is solid too. And though his Ninjutsu ain''t very good, the wind element makes fire stronger. So, between his sensor skills and wind jutsus, he will provide a lot of utility to his squad.


    So bing a special jounin within a decade shouldn''t be an issue for him. He might even be a jounin if he grows well.''


    On concluding his thoughts, he said, "Nice work Fujin. Both the jutsu have been learnt very well. Though you should work on increasing their power." Fujin nodded and said, "Yes Sensei."


    Genki continued, "Don''t worry about rank C jutsu. I''ll see if I can get one for you."


    Fujin quickly thanked him. The next day, Genki, after taking Hiruzen''s permission, handed the scroll for Great Breakthrough jutsu to Fujin. He said, "This jutsu is the next stage of Breakthrough jutsu. Learn it properly, it''ll help you to graduate." Fujin thanked him again.

 Chapter 27: Kenjutsu

    From the next day, Fujin restarted his Fuinjutsu practice by leaving a clone back home. He hadn''t practiced it much in thest 2 months as he couldn''t leave clones behind when he did Ninjutsu training. He still had a few basic seals to learn. Fujin guessed that it''ll take another 2-3 months to be done with them. Then he could move on to the next scroll.


    One dilemma he had was whether he should leave one or two shadow clones back home? Since the time he had started to practice shadow clones, his chakra had grown to over 3 times. ording to the scroll, if a shadow clone could use two thirds of its chakra before dispelling, only then it is considered a proper shadow clone. ording to that logic, Fujin could make only 1 proper shadow clone. However, practicing Fuinjutsu for 7 hours didn''t require that much chakra. So he could leave 2 shadow clones if he wanted to. On analyzing, he decided, ''For now let''s just leave 1 clone. I''ll see how the academy goes for the first week and then decide.''


    The day after that, Genki handed Fujin the scroll for Great Breakthrough jutsu. Fujin started learning it the very same day. It was very simr to Breakthrough jutsu. Just had a lot more power. He managed to learn it on the very same day. Though there was still a lot of room for improvement. The power had to be increased a lot, and hand signs had to be reduced to zero. He recalled, ''I remember Orochimaru making a mess of the forest in the chuunin exams with this jutsu. So there''s a lot more I need to do to increase its power. But at least this jutsu is learnt. I''ll keep the scroll with me for 3 weeks, and then return it to Genki.''


    Later in that week, Genki checked everyone''s affinity. Unsurprisingly, most had the Fire affinity. The remaining were split between the Earth and Water affinities. No one had the Lightning affinity, and Fujin, who''s affinity was already known, was the only one to have the Wind affinity.


    Genki also exined the jutsus to the ss. The lightning one basically just formed strings of lightning that could shock anyone it touched. But itcked power and was pretty harmless overall. The water one involved spitting out one small jet of water.


    Fire Release : One jutsu however surprised the whole ss. While it was a simple jutsu that involved producing a heat ray with one finger, it was the most basic jutsu from a set of six jutsus. Each of the six jutsus built up on one another and thest one, was a very powerful Rank A jutsu.


    This information got Fujin very interested in the technique. Right now, he had the knowledge of only 1 rank A jutsu. Having another he could learn would increase his fire power a lot. However, he controlled his desire for the jutsu due to 2 reasons. He hadn''t yet trained his fire nature, and this jutsu didn''t seem like it could be enhanced with his wind release jutsus.


    In all, the 5 jutsus could be used alongside the basic skills Genki had taught. Fire Release : One jutsu could start fires. Fish Spit jutsu could douse it. Gale jutsu could cover tracks. Rock Shield jutsu could defend and create a cover to hide. And Static String jutsu could paralyze small animals for a minute or two. So they were pretty handy.


    Next week, Genki announced, "Today we will be learning about swordsmanship. I have invited a guest teacher to guide you."


    Genki had thought about this after Fujin asked him to teach him how to use swords. He concluded, ''Swordy training can be done by everyone. So it won''t be fair to only arrange it for Fujin. If someone of the 30 students have innate talent for swordsmanship, then it''ll be a good find. Even if no one has interest in it, just learning how to use another weapon would be helpful for them. I''ll just talk to Lord Hokage and try and arrange someone for this job.''


    Fujin was surprised by the announcement, but on thinking more, he realized that it was very reasonable.


    Everyone went to the academy training grounds. On entering, they saw Genki talking with a tall, muscr guy who carried one sword on him. Genki introduced him, "He will be teaching you how to use swords. His name is Nakaya Michi. He is a chuunin like me."


    Everyone greeted Michi respectfully. Michi first started by giving a background of swordy. He gave a rather passionate speech about being a swordsman. He talked about the first and second Hokage using swords. He also talked about treating the sword as an extension of your body. Fujin was getting serious ''Guy'' vibes from this guy.


    After 15 minutes of his speech, he then got to the basics of swordy. He taught how to hold the sword, what stance to take, how to swing it and so on. Fujin paid a lot of attention to his instructions. However not everyone was interested in it. The students from Nara, Akimichi, Inuzuka, Aburame and Hyuga ns showed zero interest in it.


    After a week, Michi asked who all were interested in pursuing swordy seriously. Aside from Fujin, only 1 civilian kid and one from the Hatake n decided to practice it seriously. Michi talked to all 3 of them to understand more about them, and why they wanted to pursue swordsmanship and to what degree they wanted to learn it.


    On asking that question to Fujin, he replied, "I want to develop my swordy as much as I can and make it my main mode ofbat in close distance."


    Michi then praised and asked, "That''s a good attitude. You''ll be a fine swordsman one day. But do you have any ideas on how to proceed ahead in using swords?"


    Fujin wasn''t sure what all options were avable in Konoha. So he shook his head and said, "No, I am not aware. Can you tell me what all the paths that are avable?"


    Michi replied, "Well in Konoha, we have a lot of dances that go along with swords. For example, I know the Dance of Crescent Moon which is one of the strongest Kenjutsu in Konoha. There are many basic styles that you would need to learn before you can do this Kenjutsu."


    Fujin blinked, and replied with a question, "Dance?"


    Michiughed out loud and then replied, "Well they ain''t exactly dances. They are just movements that have to be done in a particr pattern. That pattern helps you create some effects which are very lethal in a battle. Like some movements create after images, or make you disappear or make it seem like you ain''t moving. But since those movements seem like an elegant dance, it was termed as such."


    Fujin put up his thinking face and thought, ''Well I obviously know that. However, the dance, while having good effects, is in itself very restrictive. A good opponent can easily disrupt those movements. Baki could straight up defend it by having stronger defensive means. That''s why that Hayate guy died so easily.


    Though if someone learns all these styles, they coulde up with a very advanced Kenjutsu style, but that''ll easily take a decade or more. Not the kind of time I have. I just want a straightforward approach with swords. High offensive power, enough proficiency to defend with the swords and my agility to dodge or chase if need be. With wind chakra flow, just this much will be extremely lethal against any normal ninja.


    Now how to convey this to him. I can''t just say that your styles are weak! I can''t just say that if Madara asked you whether you can dance, and if you showed him your Dance of Crescent Moon, then he might bang his head on the ground and go back to his grave! Wait, that doesn''t sound like Madara. No he might instead drop a few meteors. Yeah, that sounds like him.''


    He then answered, "For now I don''t want to learn the various dances. I just want to learn how to do a strong frontal assault with swords."


    He then paused for a few seconds and said, "Umm.. I don''t know if it''s possible or not, but is there any way to make the swords more lethal by using chakra or send flying shes?"


    Fujin had to be very careful here, after all, the library had no mention of chakra flow. So he had to present it as his own idea.


    Michi was initially a bit disappointed with Fujin as he didn''t want to learn the various sword styles of Leaf. But he was very surprised when he heard the question, ''Did this brat think about Chakra flow by himself? Also aren''t those samurais able to send chakra flying in the form of shes? This kid has a very innovative way of thinking. Sadly, I myself haven''t learnt Chakra flow or Samurai Sabre Techniques.''


    He was a bit distressed over it, ''Now what to do. It''s super embarrassing to tell him that I don''t know it. Dance of Crescent Moon doesn''t require chakra flow. Also learning it will take a lot of time and effort, which is why most of us don''t learn it.''


    He thought a bit more and finally sighed and said, "What you are talking about is chakra flow. We send chakra through our swords to make them stronger. However, it is a veryplicated technique and very few in Konoha know it. So don''t worry about it right now.


    As for flying shes, Samurais are able to do it, however their techniques are a secret, so learning it will be difficult."


    Fujin showed disappointed expressions. He thought, ''Wow, this guy is useless! Couldn''t he at least get someone who knows that to teach me?''


    Looking at Fujin''s disappointment, Michi consoled him saying, "But you don''t need to worry, those are very high level concepts and you could have an opportunity to learn them in the future. For now, I''ll drill all the basics in you."


    Fujin nodded at him, thinking, ''Sigh, my expectations have grown a bit too much. This guy doesn''t really owe me anything. I guess having a ss teacher who is so helpful increased my expectations a lot.''


    He then thought for a bit more and concluded, ''Well if Hiruzen denies me chakra des, then I could ask him to arrange someone to guide me in Samurai Saber Techniques. Even though Michi said that those techniques are a secret, it''s highly unlikely that no one in Konoha knows it. Also, now that Michi has mentioned it, I do have an excuse to exin from where I learnt about it.''


    After that discussion, Michi started teaching the basics to all 3 students.


    Later that day, Fujin bought a sword for himself. The sword was normal, but it''s quality was better than a normal kunai. It cost him 22.5k Ryo after some bargaining. The reason to buy it was because he couldn''t practice Chakra flow with the sparring swords in the academy.

 Chapter 28: Genjutsu

    The year continued in such a manner. Michi did drill a lot of basics into Fujin, which Fujin absorbed like a sponge. As for the 5 basic elemental jutsus, Fujin didn''t bother to learn them for now.


    From the 2nd week, Fujin started to leave 2 clones back home to learn Fuinjutsu, this doubled his speed of learning Fuinjutsu. However, in order to not mess up his brain, both clones practiced the same symbol or seal.


    1 and half month after the 4th year began, Fujin was done with the basic Fuinjutsu. In this period, he also noted, ''Since both my clones practice the same seal, it doesn''t double my speed of learning. After dispelling both of them, I get the perspectives of the clones. Hence the base formed is much stronger, but ites at the cost of the learning speed. In all I think that my learning speed has increased by around 60%.''


    He analyzed for a bit more and concluded, ''The optimal use of shadow clones will be when each of my clones learn different things. However, the one attempt I did caused me an insane headache. So while this ain''t the best use I can make of shadow clones, I guess this is the most optimal path for me. I suppose having a sturdier base would be more important than learning speed.''


    After learning the basic seals, he decided to learn more advanced seals from the next version which was in section D of the library.


    This book had seals to store an element in it. For instance, seals that could seal fire in them. It made him wonder if the seal Jiraiya used to store Amaterasu was such a simple seal.


    The element stored could be created with the help of Ninjutsu. However this wasn''t a necessity. Elements could be taken from the surroundings as well. Like for water, he could store water from a river in the seal. On reading the seals in the book, he realized, ''It looks like the seals Shikamaru used against Kakuzu are in this scroll. However, I guess what he used wasn''t normal water, but instead water that conducted electricity much easier. I guess they put a lot of salts in the water, or maybe something else to increase its conductivity. Anyways, even these don''t have much use inbat. It''ll require very high creativity to use them effectively.''


    He started learning those seals.


    3 months after the 4th year began, Fujin managed to perform Great Breakthrough jutsu without any hand signs. In the next month, he managed to do the same for Rock Shield jutsu. However he still had to m his hands on the ground to perform it.


    He decided, ''I should learn to perform Rock Shield jutsu by stamping one foot on the ground instead. So I''ll have to learn how to send earth nature chakra underground through my feet instead.''


    He thought a bit more and concluded, ''It''s difficult. The hand signs for Rock Shield jutsu gathers earth nature chakra into the hands and then it''s released into the ground. In order to do it by stamping the foot, I''ll have to manipte the chakra to be released from my feet instead. But if I could learn it, it would be an incredibly annoying defense. I could make a shield with every step while I run backwards. I guess it''s worth it, so I''ll trainter while also trying to create wind bursts through my feet.''


    After another month, Fujin decided to start training to use 2 swords at the same time. He bugged Michi to train him with the basics for the same. He then made a point to ensure that a lot of people see him training with 2 swords. His previous sword had deteriorated a lot in these 5 months, so he bought 2 new ones.


    He trained for another month, but didn''t have any sess at reducing the hand signs for Earth Military Movement jutsu to zero. With only 4 months remaining for final exams, he decided to stop training the 2 Earth release jutsus and start learning Genjutsu.


    He visited the library and began searching for scrolls on Genjutsu. He found a few scrolls in section 0. Some were just on basic knowledge of Genjutsu which were covered in the lectures, a few on countering Genjutsu and one on learning it. He began reading the one that exined how to learn it. However, the very first sentence startled him. His first thought was ''How straightforward!''


    The scroll started by stating, ''Genjutsu requires very precise chakra control and very high intelligence, if youck either, then don''t bother.''


    However, he soon became very sceptical, ''Is very high intelligence really needed? After all, Kurenai used Genjutsu on fucking Itachi!''


    He continued reading it and analyzed, ''I see, so a Genjutsu is created when a ninja extends their chakra flow through the cerebral nervous system of their opponent to control their mind''s chakra, thereby affecting their five senses. In this way, illusions of what doesn''t exist can be fed to the opponent.


    Genjutsu in itself can be divided into 2 categories. First is creating a whole new environment with Genjutsu. Here the opponent can easily tell that he''s under a Genjutsu. Itachi''s Tsukuyomi or the Genjutsu Kurenai used on Itachi and Kisame can be included here. The second is just to make a small change, i.e., to nt a small suggestion in the opponent. This is harder to detect, but it isn''t as strong as the first one. However, when used at the right moment, this is very lethal.''


    The scroll also talked a lot about how to extend their chakra through the opponent''s nervous systems and tricks to do it stealthily. It also had a lot of diagrams regarding the cerebral nervous system. He then went to search sections D & E of the library to see if he could get a basic Genjutsu to learn.


    However, he received a big surprise. There were over a hundred Genjutsu in just those 2 sections! He was shocked by it and thought, ''Did they put everything that Uchiha and Kurama have here?''


    He sighed at the high amount of reading and analysis he''d have to do. In order to not waste too much time, he just began opening the scrolls on the spot and reading the description and putting them back. It still took him over 4 hours to go through all of them.


    After reading each and every scroll, he concluded, ''Most of the jutsus here have nobat application. It''s just different ways and scenarios of using Genjutsu. I guess someone like Itachi or even Kurenai could easily use these after reading it once.


    Anyways, I don''t really have any intention to be a master at Genjutsu. With those Uchihas around, it''s pretty pointless anyways. I just need to learn ways to counter it and that Darkness Genjutsu that Hashirama or Tobirama created to counter the Sharingan. Though I guess that one is a B or A ranked Genjutsu.


    So I guess I should learn a couple. Let''s go with rank E Double Vision jutsu and rank D Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing jutsu.


    Double Vision makes the opponent see doubles of everything. So it would be useful in putting the opponent under a lot of pressure. And Hell Viewing is the one which Kakashi used on Sakura.''


    He then read how Double Vision jutsu is performed. He also read a few scrolls on countering Genjutsu. And then followed the usual protocol and reached a mini-forest.


    Genjutsu training couldn''t be performed solo. It needed someone to cast the Genjutsu on. Otherwise it''s result will be entirely unknown. So he created a shadow clone to practice it.


    His n was, ''I will try to cast a Genjutsu on my clone. Once the clone dispels, I''ll get all memories of what was experienced by the clone as well as my ability to cast a Genjutsu. Also, the clone will try to resist the Genjutsu and will try to release it, this way I can train in both casting and countering Genjutsu at the same time.''


    To counter Genjutsu, a ninja had two ways. The first being to stop his chakra flow and disrupt it. And the second being to inflict pain upon yourself to break out of the Genjutsu. Stabbing yourself with a kunai, or biting the tongue or any other means were fine too. Of course a shadow clone couldn''t use the 2nd way.


    He began by trying to affect his clone''s cerebral nervous system with his chakra flow. He recalled all the diagrams he had seen and the ways to affect your opponent''s cerebral nervous system with your chakra. It required extremely precise chakra control. He didn''t have any sess on day 1.


    He kept practicing it, and it took him 16 days to be able to do it. After another 7 days, he was able to sessfully use Double Vision jutsu on his clone. For Double Vision jutsu, after his chakra invaded his clone''s nervous system, he had to affect his vision and double all inputs it received. The main point was to ensure that your chakra output is so low that the enemy doesn''t sense it.


    His clone observed, ''Wow, I can see doubles of everything! 2 of my main body, 2 trees for each one, even every pebble on the ground and the clouds too have doubled. Apart from that, the ground and sky seems normal. I guess because it is sorge, I can''t make any difference between one or two of them. But, regarding the doubles, I can''t see much difference between them. If I hadn''t already seen the surroundings, then I would have not noticed most of the things to be doubled. I''d just think that there are more pebbles on the ground, the forests are denser and that there are more clouds in the sky than normal. I''d of course notice the peculiarity of seeing 2 main bodies though. So I guess if I am visible to the enemy while casting this Genjutsu, the enemy would understand that something is wrong. Simrly if there are more than one opponent, then it''ll be identified very quickly too. Apart from this, even though my main body did suppress his chakra as much as he could, since I''m a sensor, I could actually sense his chakra trying to influence me.'' He then closed his eyes and tried to sense around him, ''I see, since the Genjutsu targeted my vision, only that was affected. If I try to sense, I only sense one main body. So this Genjutsu won''t work against sensors.''


    The clone then stopped sensing and nodded to Fujin. Fujin took that signal andunched 4 shurikens on the clone. The clone saw them as 8 shurikens and thought, ''I saw both the main body''s toss 4 shurikens each on me.'' and flickered around to dodge the shurikens. Fujin then used Projectile Control jutsu to have those shurikens chase his clone. Since he could see 8 shurikens, it was a bit tougher to dodge them. After half a minute, the clone used Gale Surge jutsu to disrupt the main body''s control over the shurikens. He then used Wind Retrieving jutsu and pulled 2 shurikens towards himself and caught them with each hand. However, he was only able to catch one, while the other disappeared. The clone then dispelled himself and passed all the memories to Fujin.


    Fujin analyzed, ''I see. The jutsu isn''t as useful as I thought it''d be. The only use is when an enemy is all by himself, and I hide around him and target him with shurikens. Even that will only work if I get him to an unknown ce where he won''t observe any difference in his surroundings. Also, it won''t work against sensors. One very important piece of information I got is that I can sense an enemy trying to influence me through Genjutsu. The question is, did that happen because I am a noob when ites to Genjutsu, or can every sensor sense this passively. If I can, then this will be an excellent way to counter Genjutsu. All I have to do is disrupt my chakra before the enemypletes his Genjutsu. Of course, there will be limitations for this. I don''t think this way would work against Sharingan as it performs Genjutsu with only eye contact. However I could sense Genjutsu cast by others easily and disrupt it mid-way. Who knows, perhaps with practice, it might even counter the Sharingan.''


    He then resumed his practice. Only this time, his clone would stop and disrupt his chakra after the Genjutsu was casted. The clone managed to get it done within a day. On the next day, his clone would attempt to disrupt his chakra as soon as he felt Fujin''s chakra invading his nervous system. Surprisingly, that only took a few hours to learn.


    Happy with the progress, he decided to move on to the next jutsu.

 Chapter 29: Combat Practice (1)

    Fujin started to learn Demonic Illusion : Hell Viewing jutsu. This jutsu was more advanced than the previous one. In its simplest form, it affected the opponent''s vision and showed him the view that the caster wanted to show him. Alongside that, the caster also had to affect the opponent to trigger fear and dread. This jutsu could be improved by influencing the opponent''s sense of smell and hearing too. Fujin recalled, ''The Genjutsu that Kakashi casted on Sakura, had Sasuke asking her for help. So I guess he controlled her hearing too. I am not sure if he influenced her sense of smell too, then he could have added a stench of blood.''


    He began practice for this jutsu. He practiced triggering his clone''s fear and dread, and then influencing his sense of sound and smell. It took 7 days to get all these 3 down. He then had to work on creating an illusion, however he hit a roadblock, ''So what exactly am I afraid of?'' He thought for a bit, ''The only thing I fear right now is Danzo forcefully inducting me into Root. But even then, it''s not something I dread. I guess that''s my good luck that I don''t have any mental demons.''


    He thought more, and then it finally clicked him. He casted the Genjutsu on his clone. His clone allowed the Genjutsu to be cast. Nothing happened for a few seconds, but then the clone saw something. There was a small ck dot over the horizon, and it kept getting bigger. He soon noticed what it was and thought, ''Fucking Tailed Beast Bomb???'' As soon as he saw it, he felt fear and dread! However, having experienced it for a few days, he understood that Fujin had triggered his fear and dread. The tailed beast bomb hit him and the illusion was over.''


    The clone then dispelled himself to pass the memories back to Fujin. Fujin thought, ''That went well. I guess right now, my biggest fear is dying like a cannon fodder, without being able to do anything about it!''


    He then thought a bit more about the illusion, ''The illusion was pretty well. However the shape of the Tailed Beast Bomb wasn''t stable, that has to be improved. Also the ending was abrupt. While a weaker opponent, like Sakura, might fall unconscious, a hardened ninja would definitely not be unconscious after the illusion. So perhaps it could be expanded further to give me more time to deliver a killing blow. Perhaps after the explosion, I could induce the smell of soil and blood, and maybe show the opponent an image of his own dead body, make them think they died and are now a soul or a ghost for a few seconds!''


    He continued working on improving his illusion. It took a week for him to be satisfied with the illusion he created.


    After he had learnt those 2 Genjutsu, less than 3 months were left for final exams. Fujin was progressing very well on all parameters. However, there was one important aspect that he hadn''t focused on yet.


    He thought, ''Alright, everything''s going well. My chakra level is already on par with the weaker academy teachers. My Ninjutsu and Taijutsu too have probably surpassed genin level. Fuinjutsu is going well, I should be done with the current scroll in another 6 months. In Kenjutsu, basics have been learnt well and chakra flow has be much smoother. I can easily cut through a tree with my sword. Heck, I can cut a boulder too. And I have started with Genjutsu too.


    However, I severelyckbat experience. In fact, it won''t be wrong to say that I have nobat experience at all. After all, there''s no danger to life or even any permanent injury in the Taijutsu tournament. We aren''t even allowed to throw shurikens at each other. Another important thing is battle and survival instincts. To be able to make a move purely on instinct in the middle of a fight, or to be able to sense if my life is in danger, is something that is incredibly important for any ninja. Otherwise, just a sneak attack with a shuriken is enough to kill anyone. Luckily, my instincts are much stronger due to me being a sensor, however it ain''t enough. So over the next 3 months, I need to spar frequently with my shadow clone.''


    He thought a bit more and decided, ''To start with, let''s use wooden weapons. After I''mfortable with it, I can move on to real ones.''


    On the next Saturday, he went to a mini-forest. After confirming no one was around, he made a clone, and decided to spar.


    Both he and his clone were armed with 24 wooden shurikens, 6 wooden kunai and 2 wooden swords. They stood face to face, 10 metres apart.


    Fujin picked up a pebble, and tossed it into the air. The pebble hitting the ground was the signal to start the fight. Since the clone was made after all the nning was done, there was no need for any dialogue.


    As soon as the pebble hit the ground, both Fujin and his clone jumped backwards andunched Great Breakthrough jutsu. The jutsus shed with each other, creating a lot of sharp winds that broke a lot of branches.


    Afterunching the jutsu, both flickered away to stay out of the range of the jutsu. Once the winds started dying down, Fujin and his clone started observing the patterns within the winds. Fujin soon spotted an opportunity and thought, ''There!'' Quickly, he threw 3 shurikens in the winds. Due to the flow of the winds, they changed direction and we''re headed straight to the clone.


    The clone noticed that, and flickered 50 metres to his left. Fujin noticed the clone flickering and observed properly, ''That direction'' and tossed another 3 shurikens out. Next, he performed Projectile Control jutsu and controlled all 6 of his shurikens to target his clone.


    Looking at the 6 shurikens heading at him, the clone kept using Body Flicker to dodge and waited for the right moment. It soon came and the clone prepared 2 spheres of wind and instantlyunched Wind Explosion jutsu. The twin explosions destroyed 3 shurikens and threw 2 out of Fujin''s control.


    However, Fujin directed the remaining shuriken on his clone, not allowing his clone any rest.


    The clone looked at thest shuriken and thought, ''Trying to block it will be risky if he makes a sudden change in direction. I need a distraction.'' The clone moved backwards and mmed his hands on the ground and brought a rock shield up.


    Fujin changed the direction of the shuriken to curve around the boulder, but there was nothing behind there. He thought, ''Damn, did he substitute or go underground?'' and flickered on a branch of nearby trees. He then fully activated his sensor mode and focused underground and sensed his clone.


    He thought, ''Alright, just gotta wait till he surfaces'' and prepared a wind sphere in each hand.


    The clone underground was heading straight up to Fujin to make a sneak attack. However, he sensed himself being sensed by Fujin and also the chakra built up for Wind Explosion jutsu, ''Damn, can''tunch an attack now. I need to get out of the ground, my speed underground is much slower. But I don''t think I can dodge his Wind Explosion jutsu.''


    The analysis was done within fractions of a second, and the clone decided to leave the ground directly. Fujin, sensing his clone, flickered close to where his clone would surface. As soon as the clone''s head popped out, Fujinunched both the spheres and started preparing more.


    The clone, whose head was barely above the ground, thought ''As expected'' and created a rock shield that he had already prepared. He had put much higher chakra into the rock shield, due to which, the shield was muchrger and sturdier. The wind spheres shed with the rock shield and exploded. The winds eroded the surface of the shield, but couldn''t break through it.


    As soon as he saw the rock shield appearing from the ground, Fujin, who had already prepared two more wind spheres, flickered to get a better shot at the clone. Even before the rock shield was entirely erected, he was already adjacent to his clone and only around 10 metres away from him. The clone couldn''t see Fujin flickering due to the rock shield, however on seeing that he was so close to himself, he fired a couple shurikens on Fujin.


    Fujin saw the 2 shurikens shooting towards himself and thought, ''Tch¡­ I don''t want to engage them.'' and sent a wind sphere to counter them andunched the second one on the clone. The clone however flickered away and Fujin chased after him.


    Over the next minute, they flickered around at very high speed and tried to hit each other with Wind Explosion jutsu, shurikens or kunais. However, neither were sessful.


    The clone found an opportunity to surround Fujin with 6 shurikens, and in the only direction that he could escape, the clone fired a couple of wind explosion jutsus. Fujin thought, ''Damn, escaping normally will be risky. Let''s go underground'' and he entered the ground using Earth Military Movement jutsu. However, remembering his clone''s earlier predicament, he didn''t close the distance, but instead went in the opposite direction and kept sensing his clone and the wind spheres.


    He thought, ''Alright, I now need a distraction for getting out of the ground.'' He prepared Great Breakthrough jutsu. As soon as he got his head out of the ground, he saw the cloneunching 2 wind spheres at him while manipting 6 shurikens too. However, Fujin blew it all away with Great Breakthrough jutsu. The clone itself was in the range and escaped underground.


    Fujin tracked his clone while thinking, ''I guess he''ll try something simr as I did. I wonder if I could disrupt his underground movement.''


    He then approached the ce which was directly above the spot where his clone was and punched hard using chakra infused punch. The ground cracked a bit. The clone underground felt the vibrations due to that punch, however it didn''t cause any damage.


    Fujin thought, ''Dang, that didn''t work! Sigh, I guess I''m nowhere near Tsunade''s level.'' He then flickered on a nearby tree and prepared 2 wind explosion jutsus while also readying himself to flicker away. As he waited for his clone to surface, he thought ''I really need to learn a way to force someone out of the ground. The ones I can think of are that jutsu which Onoki''s son used and maybe flooding the ground with water to restrict ess to air.''


    The clone on the other hand too was nning, ''That was close! If I was stronger, then that punch could have dispelled me. So what do I do now? I can sense my main body has prepared Wind Explosion jutsus and is waiting for me to pop out. I don''t think that the rock shield will work very well this time.''


    He was still noticing when he felt something, ''Wait, I can breathe? I see, the cracks in the ground due to that punch allowed some air to seep in. I guess that sucks for the main body. Also, though I never thought about it, it''s surprising that a shadow clone needs to breathe. I wonder if Tobirama couldn''t create Shadow Clone jutsu without adding the ability to breathe or did he add it just to improve its efficiency to perform infiltration missions. If it''s thetter, then I need to find a way to remove the breathing requirement of the shadow clone. That way shadow clones could stay underground for hours!


    Anyways, now that I don''t have any time pressure, I''ll just wait here till I cane up with something good. After all, I don''t have anything to deal with someone hiding underground.''


    Fujin on the other hand kept on waiting on a tree branch, for the clone to surface. After waiting for 5 minutes, his thoughts were, ''Does a clone not need to breathe? Surely those cracks can''t provide air all the way down, can it? Sigh, I really can''t do anything. Only Mud Moat jutsu can have a chance, but it''s range is too short to work. I wonder if my clone has some strategy or is he just wasting time.''


    He kept sensing the clone for another 5 minutes, and finally had enough and dispelled the clone. On getting the clone''s memories, he sighed at the clone''s tactic to wait patiently underground, ''Sigh, that''s my clone alright. I remember that one Counter Strike game I yed in my previous life. Both my team and the enemies went at each other, and within 5 minutes all my teammates were dead and only 2 enemies were alive. They thought they won, but then realized that they still had one more to kill. Poor guys tried to find me for 5 minutes straight! And finally when they entered the cave I was hidden in, I killed them!''


    [A/N : This was my first attempt at writing a fight, please let me know how it was. Tips/Criticisms are weed.]

 Chapter 30: Combat Practice (2)

    Fujin began analyzing his spar, ''Well ignoring the ending, the spar went quite well. However, it was mostly a mid range fight. I used Great Breakthrough jutsu and Wind Explosion jutsu for offense, Projectile Control jutsu to control the battlefield, Rock Shield jutsu for defense and Body Flicker jutsu and Earth Military Movement jutsu for dodging. Wind clones was another jutsu that could have been used, but we didn''t due to the confusion it''d have created. Other jutsus didn''t work in this fight.


    Actually, I did try to close the distance, however my clone ensured that we never got to fight in close range as he''d be dispelled with just one hit. So I couldn''t use Taijutsu or swords and I never got any opportunity to use Wind Propelling jutsu. And casting Genjutsu in such a high paced battle was just not possible with my current skills.


    As for the areas of concern, it''s definitely underground battles. I don''t have any way to deal with an underground enemy, apart from going underground myself. But I don''t have any skill in fighting underground anyways, so that''d be disadvantageous for me. Also punching on the ground to crack it open is incredibly dumb. The enemy underground just gets better ess to air!


    Apart from that, I also need a stronger offense. I guess I could have sent a kunai through the rock shield, but I couldn''t do it with a wooden kunai. Either way, my current Ninjutsu can''t crack it.


    Also, I need to use Flicker more properly. Both me and my clone at times flickered too faraway. That kind of reset the tempo. I need to be able to estimate the right distance to flicker, so that I can continue my offense right away. I guess that''ll take a lot of spars to get right.''


    After analyzing, he summarised ''Alright, in terms of mid-rangebat, I surpass most of the genins that took part in the Chuunin Exam in Naruto. Only Gaara would easily beat me and Temari and Shino might be able topete. My speed is definitely faster than Lee with his weights on. And body flicker is probably on par with his weights off. But body flicker doesn''t have the same flexibility, maneuverability or even stamina that his natural speed has.


    As for my Ninjustu, Great Breakthrough jutsu and Wind Explosion jutsu areing along really well. The Earth Release jutsus worked as I thought they would. And I''m really surprised with the high usability that Projectile Control jutsu provided. Though I can only control 8 shurikens max for the time being, it''s still incredibly useful.''


    He then thought about what improvements he should make, ''To improve power, I think I''d need to learn Fire Release jutsus. After all, I don''t have any ess to higher rank jutsus for the time being. But me being able to use 3 elements will be very eye catching. I guess I should wait till my genin squad is formed. If one of my teammates is able to use Fire Release, I can leave this for the future. Secondly, I think I should finally start learning Rasengan. And I also need to pack a lot of Explosion tags! I wonder if I could attach an explosion tag to a kunai powered by wind chakra flow. That way I could send a kunai through any defense the enemy puts up, and explode the tag when the enemy tries to dodge.


    As for flickering distance, it should improve with more spars. And undergroundbat I''ll leave forter on as I don''t have ess to anything that''ll help mebat it. I also need to improve the way I carry my weapons. I should try to inscribe some storage seals on the weapon pouches. Maybe even go a step further and make a wristband with multiple storage seals to get what I want instantly.


    Anyways, I also need to test out close rangebat and see how it goes.''


    He finally stopped analyzing and made another shadow clone. This time the rules were to fight in close range. So Great Breakthrough and Breakthrough jutsus weren''t allowed, and staying underground for more than a few seconds also wasn''t allowed. Flickering was restricted to 10 metres.


    Both Fujin and his clone stood 20 metres apart, and Fujin tossed a pebble in the air. As soon as the pebble hit the ground, Fujin rushed towards his clone. However, his clone quickly prepared andunched a Wind Explosion jutsu. Fujin side-stepped the wind sphere, and continued moving towards the clone.


    As soon as the clone saw Fujin side-stepping, he exploded the wind sphere. But, as Fujin had continued rushing past it, he didn''t take any damage, and just felt strong winds on his back. He then shed his sword, aiming to slice the clone''s neck. The clone, not having time to grab his own swords, infused chakra in his fist and blocked it with the back of his fist. He then flickered behind and grabbed both of his swords.


    Not wanting to give his clone the opportunity, Fujin threw one of his swords straight towards his clone at a very high speed. Since the clone was still in the air, he twisted his hand to face towards his left and caused a wind burst, which propelled him to the right. Fujin followed up byunching 3 shurikens on the clone and then used Wind Retrieving jutsu to get his sword back and also approached his clone.


    The clone quickly used Gale Surge jutsu to defend against the iing shurikens, and then engaged Fujin in a sword fight.


    Over the past few months, Fujin had trained a lot in Kenjutsu. He had developed abat style that was very overbearing and relentless. However, he had also trained in defending properly with the swords.


    Fujin and his clone shed repeatedly with swords. Fujin was more on the offense, whereas his clone was more on the defense and repeatedly used Wind Propelling jutsu or Body Flicker jutsu to avoid getting hit. In the next 30 seconds, the clone managed to graze his sword on Fujin''s left arm and right cheek.


    However, Fujin soon created an opportunity by using Wind Propelling jutsu along with Body Flicker and got a good hit on the clone, which dispelled the clone.


    Fujin sighed, ''Merely a minute of fighting before the clone dispelled! Also, though I managed to dodge the 2 hits from my clone, if the clone had used a real sword, then it would have cut my skin. If the swords were enhanced by wind chakra flow, it could have left deep cuts, probably all the way to the bone. Worse, if it were poisoned, it might have incapacitated me.


    So there''s a lot of scope for improvement. Actually, my clone has to avoid each and every hit as he''ll be dispelled. That''s good, I should probably start doing the same. And then I need to see how I can maintain an all-out offense while avoiding getting hit.


    There was also the issue of my clone having to block the sword strike with his fist. Even though it was infused with Chakra, I''ll still take a lot of damage if I do that against a real sword. So I should try to get gloves with a metal te on the back hand. That would give me another way of defending.


    I guess my Taijutsu needs an upgrade too. While the academy style is good, it ain''t enough. Right now, despite putting way less time in it, my Kenjutsupletely overwhelms my Taijutsu. I wonder which Taijutsu style will suit me more. If I don''t find anything good over the next year or two, I could approach Guy and ask him to teach me his style. While he ain''t dumb as many think, but manipting him should be doable.


    Speaking of Guy, I''m surprised that I haven''t seen him even once! Granted that I train in only a small part of the vige, it''s still surprising to never have run into him in over 4 years. Then again, I haven''t seen many other canon characters either. Do they gather some ce elsewhere, or is Konoha so short on manpower that everyone has to constantly do missions?


    Anyways, this sparring has been really good. I should continue doing it.'' He then made another shadow clone and continued his spars.


    Over the next 3 weeks, Fujin sparred with his clone on a daily basis. Hisbat skills improved greatly over this period. After 3 weeks, he stopped using wooden weapons and began using real ones. The clone however had to fight carefully, to ensure that he didn''t critically injure Fujin. The spars got very risky after Fujin started using chakra flow to enhance the swords. In merely 2 months, Fujin ruined 4 swords, 13 kunais and 33 shurikens due to these spars. He ran out of the weapons he collected from the forest and had to buy from shops. In all it cost him slightly over 120k Ryo on these weapons.


    However, he didn''t bother with the money lost. His thoughts were, ''What''s the use of having money if I don''t use it to get stronger? But I guess I should be d that I did learn Fuinjutsu. I still have over 225k Ryo left with me.''


    Right around the same time when he began sparring with real weapons, he also began learning Rasengan. The first and second stages were learnt long back. He finally started on the 3rd stage. One of the biggest issues in Rasengan training was that he couldn''t allow anyone to see it. If someone interrupted him or caught him training in forests and figured out his disguise, he could make up some reasons like practicing to fight while using Transformation, or that a ninja had to keep his weapons hidden and hence he nned to keep his skill hidden until there was no choice. While the reasons may cause a bad impression, he didn''t care much about that. But for Rasengan, if someone caught him training that, then it''d be a big trouble. The only usable excuse he had right now, was that he could say, "I figured it out myself after reading about the fourth Hokage." However, that would paint him as an absolute Genius and perhaps earn him some visits from Root ninjas or even from Shimura Danzo himself! Not to mention that they''d keep a much stricter watch on him.


    So for Rasengan, he decided to train at home. His senses had honed enough by now to realize if someone spies on him. So if he senses anyone spying on him, he could drop the Rasengan training and instead show that he was training Wind Explosion jutsu instead.


    To train Rasengan, he cleared up his living room. He only left a sofa in the living room, and moved everything else into the bedroom and began the training. Thepression and shaping part was quite difficult. He tried for a few hours without any sess. He sighed and thought, ''Let me first do it the Naruto way.'' And he made a shadow clone with 20% of his chakra. The clone suppressed and shaped the Rasengan, in this manner, he was able to learn Rasengan within a couple of hours. However, he understood that depending on a clone to make Rasengan is very inefficient and began training for Rasengan without using any clones. It took him a month and a half to get the jutsu right, but it was done!


    Over the remaining few days, Fujin decided to improve his Rasengan. He wanted to reduce the amount of time required to form it and increase the amount of chakra he could put in it.

 Chapter 31: Graduation Exam (1)

    Only a week was now left for 4th year''s exams. Genki followed the same procedure asst year and asked the students interested in participating in the Graduation Exam to meet him after ss. Fujin thought, ''I guess it''s time to finally be a ninja. There''s not much that I can learn in the academy anymore. At best I could learn another element or a few more Genjutsu. If I don''t attempt the exam this year, the teachers and maybe even Hiruzen could grow suspicious. And I definitely won''t receive much help from them in the future. As for tanking the exam, I am not confident that I could fake my performance convincingly enough for someone who has decades of experience. Either way, I believe I am ready now.'' After the ss, Fujin visited Genki and confirmed his participation. Genki smiled and wished him good luck.


    With just a week left for the exams, Fujin started to focus on the sybus for written exams. The sybus was actually quite surprising. He recalled back when Genki started teaching this in the academy. He was teaching Trigonometry. Fujin''s first thoughts when he saw that was, ''Trigo? For fucking 9 year old kids? What''s next? Differentiation and Integration?'' As annoyed as he was by it, he was extremely surprised when Hana was able to solve them perfectly. He mentally screamed, ''How the fuck can 9 year old kids learn Trigo so easily?'' He sighed at how much smarter the kids here were and continued with his studies.


    He also wanted to be perfectly prepared while going on missions. He stopped learning new seals, and instead had his clones focus on making a few essential objects for him. He bought 2 ninja waist bags, 2 ninja leg pouches and a couple of metallic wristbands. He then had his clones make storage seals on these items.


    The Fuinjutsu scroll in section D of the library expanded a bit on the storage seal. It exined ways to increase or decrease the size of the storage space, as well as manipting its shape. It wasn''t very difficult as it only increased or decreased the number of space symbols involved. So the seal itself was still very basic. However, this was very useful for Fujin.


    In the interior of the ninja waist bags, Fujin managed to draw 7 storage seals. For ninja leg pouch, he was able to draw 4 seals. These had a lot less space aspared to the seals he made on scrolls, however, considering that their purpose was to enhance the capacity of the bags and pouches, it was very handy!


    For the leg pouch, 2 seals could store 6 kunais each, and other 2 seals could store 24 shurikens each. He then created various triggers to refill the pouch from weapons in the storage seals. This way, his weapon supply would be muchrger.


    For the waist bag, the seals could store a lot more. But he hadn''t yet decided how to fill them all. He did have some ideas like a First-aid kit, ninja ropes, scrolls, seals that stored elements, more weapons, explosion tags, soldier pills, ration bars and so on.


    For the wristbands, he made one small seal, on each of them. When he wears the wristbands, these seals will be directly under his palms. The seals created a cuboidal storage seal which was around 15cm*15cm*100cm. Both these seals were made to store swords. This way, he could quickly ess his swords whenever he wanted to. Other than this seal, he nned on drawing 3 more seals on each wristband. For the seals on the opposite side to the current one, Fujin nned on buying huge sturdy shields and storing them there. If he ever gets in an awkward position where he can''t defend himself with the rock shield, he''ll depend on this shield to provide cover to himself. However, since he wasn''t sure about the size of shield he''d buy, he didn''t draw that seal. Other than these 2, he nned on inscribing 2 more storage seals on the wristband, but for now he didn''t have any idea what to store in there. So he left it for the future.


    [A/N : Ideas for the above are weed]


    On the day before the exam, Fujin, under a disguise, bought a lot of weapons. He bought 96 shurikens and 24 kunais to fill both the leg pouches. He also bought 12 explosion tags to attach them to 6 kunais in each of the pouches. In all it cost 65k Ryo. He bargained and got them for 55k Ryo under the false promise of buying again in the future.


    Next day, the final exam began. Since he intended to pass, and wanted to be rank 1, he aced the written exam. He was sure that he''d score full. With the absence of Teru, Nobu and Yori, he also did the best in the shuriken throwingpetition. In Taijutsu, he still ranked 2 behind Hoka. While in the Ninjutsu exam, he made sure to perform only as good as Hana. There wasn''t any chakra control exercise in the exam. But Fujin wasn''t very surprised as nearly everyone in his ss had very good chakra control and could do both tree climbing and water walking as Genki had held a lot of sessions on it this year. The exam also tested the students on the various basic skills that were taught in the previous year. Fujin again ensured that he''d be ranked near the top in this exam.


    After the results were out, Fujin ranked 1st, Hana ranked 2nd and Hoka surprisingly ranked 5th. He had improved his written exam scores a lot to be able to get such a high rank.


    A weekter, the Graduation Exam was conducted. Fujin noticed that there were students from 3 different batches. His own, his senior batch and the batch one year junior to him. 23 students from his ss were participating.


    Unknown to Fujin, the exam was held by Nara Kisho. He looked at the list of students participating. There were 68 participants from the 5th year, 35 from the 4th year and 8 from the 3rd year. He sighed thinking ''What a drag'' this exam would be and instructed to begin the exam.


    The first exam was a written test. Fujin looked at the paper expecting some more theory questions. However he was surprised when he read them. They weren''t any theory questions, but instead scenarios were mentioned and the students had to write in what they would do. After reading all the scenarios, Fujin sighed, ''Just basic ninja protocols and confirming that the students are brainwashed. To think that I actually expected something good.'' He answered as any, ready to graduate, academy student would answer.


    The exam was an hour long. Once the hour was up, the papers were collected and sent to Nara Kisho. He had 6 academy teachers check the answers and decide whether the student is ready to graduate or not. It took half an hour topletely check them and then they provided the results to Kisho. One of the teachers said, "Sir, we''vepleted checking. Out of 111 students, 79 have provided satisfactory answers. Rest aren''t ready yet." Kisho nodded and said, "Dismiss them."


    Those 32 students were asked to go back home, and prepare well for the next year. Fujin was surprised by this, ''Wow, they just asked the kids to leave? Won''t that be demotivating? Or are they just trying to reduce the number of participants for the next exam?''


    Fujin wasn''t alone with those thoughts. One of the teachers, who taught a normal ss, asked Kisho, "Kisho senpai, won''t this demotivate the students? The ones who participated in the exam are among the brightest students in the academy." Kisho looked at the teacher. He was 2 years junior to Kisho in the academy, but he wasn''t very talented and had barely be a chuunin during the war.


    Kisho shook his head and said, "If they get demotivated by such a small failure, then there''s no hope for them. They would be better off in the Genin reserve force and we''ll save the resources needed to raise someone more worthy to chuunin rank." The teacher wasn''t very convinced with the answer, but didn''t say anything as this wasn''t the first time Kisho had supervised the graduation exam.


    After the written exams, the students were tested on various parameters like shurikens, stealth, camping, chakra control, etc. It was simr to the tests conducted for Fujin''s ss a week back. Since the tests for elite sses were already conducted, they weren''t tested again and their scores from a week back were carried forward.


    The academy teachers observed everyone''s performance, and failed another 15 students over these exams. On getting the reports, Kisho thought, ''Wow! That''s so convenient. Now the Taijutsu tournament will be so much simpler to conduct.''


    Right before the Taijutsu tournament began, Hokage arrived to watch the exam. He was followed by a character that Fujin recognized very easily, Hatake Kakashi. Fujin was very surprised to see him. He thought, ''Why is Kakashi here? Hiruzen wouldn''t force him to start training kids right now, would he? I really hope not. Canon timeline will be fucked up if Hiruzen assigns my squad to him! I am not sure how strong I''d be in another 6-7 years, so for now I really hope something doesn''t change due to me.''


    Next was a Taijutsu tournament between the 64 remaining students. Kisho arranged for a knockout tournament. So one student could fight for a maximum of 6 times. Fujin breezed through to the semifinals. In the semifinals, he had to fight with a Hyuga who was a year older than him. Fujin fought very hard against him, but was still at a lot of disadvantage. While he did get a few critical hits in with one strong punch on his right rib, another on his nose and a strong kick under his left rib, in the end, he still lost the fight.


    Fujin was initially a bit irritated at the loss, ''Damn, how exactly do these guys train? I lost despite the amount of progress I made over the past couple of months!''


    He then calmed himself and analyzed the fight better, ''On other hand, it''s probably reasonable. I''m guessing the elders from the Hyuga n regrly spar with them. I, on the other hand, could only spar with my clone. Also, the Hyuga fighting style is entirely Taijutsu. I, on the other hand, was a lot more dependent on Wind Propelling jutsu, Body Flicker jutsu and Earth Military Movement jutsu during my spars. Removing them does reduce my fighting ability considerably. Perhaps if Ninjutsu and Kenjutsu were allowed, I''d have won this fight. Not to mention, I didn''t even use chakra to enhance my punches and kicks in the fight.''


    He then watched the finals between Hoka and that guy. Due to the injuries he suffered against Fujin, he lost after struggling for a bit. However, having fought both of them, Fujin knew that even without those injuries, Hoka would have still won the match. Hoka ranked first, however Fujin wasn''t worried much, ''My points in the normal exam were much higher that Hoka''s. So this difference won''t affect much, I should still rank first in my ss.''


    Fujin noticed that no one was eliminated in the Taijutsu tournament.

 Chapter 32: Graduation Exam (2)

    For the next test, a few academy teachers brought the kids to a part of the training grounds. On reaching there, the students noticed a long white line drawn on the ground and a bunch of obstacles ced ahead of it. Fujin thought, ''Is this an obstacle race?'' However he soon shook his head denying that thought, ''No way, this is too simple.''


    All the 64 students were made to stand behind the white line. Genki then appeared and announced, "This will be the next phase of your exam. This is an obstacle race, and you have to run 500 metres straight to the white line that is drawn there."


    This announcement excited all the students. They thought, ''Finally an easy exam!'' The ones who had taken the graduation exam previously thought, ''Why wasn''t this exam there the previous year?''


    Fujin was confused by such an easy exam. However, he noticed that there was another man standing behind Genki. And when Genki finished his announcement, he looked at him and nodded.


    Kisho looked at the excited kids and chuckled, he thought, ''This should be fun. Sadly the kids don''t know that the guy standing there is an experienced Jounin from the Kurama n. He is Kurama Illumi. In the previous war, hundreds of enemies fell prey to him and his bag of tricks.''


    Genki then announced, ''On your mark, Get set, GO!'' However, while he was announcing, Kurama Illumi was making some hand signs. And when he heard ''GO'', he casted his jutsu, ''Demonic Illusion : Heaven and Earth Reversal''.


    As soon as heunched his jutsu, all the 64 students were shaken! It was as if someone grabbed the ground and the sky and reversed them! The gravity felt upside down! Most of the students were incredibly frightened and tightly hugged the ground underneath them.


    There were only 4 exceptions. A young girl from the 3rd year, who was from the Uchiha n. She activated her Sharingan as soon as she felt the changes. 2 students from the 5th year, who were from the Kurama n and aware of this jutsu. And Fujin, who kept an eye on Illumi and saw him performing the hand signs. He also felt someone trying to influence his nervous system, which let him know that it was a Genjutsu. He was nning to disrupt the Genjutsu, however when he noticed that others were being affected too, he didn''t disrupt it so as to not attract any attention. Even though Fujin noticed the Genjutsu, he was extremely impressed at the guy''s ability to cast a Genjutsu on 64 students at the same time!


    Kurama Illumi, smirked looking at the reactions of all the students. He had used rank B Genjutsu on them. He had used this Genjutsu many times to disrupt his enemies enough for his allies to kill them in the 3rd Great Ninja War. Kisho observed the students attentively. He thought, ''This test will test the willpower of the students. If they don''tplete the race, then there''s no way I''ll pass them.''


    While all the students were struggling, Fujin was trying to find his bnce. He thought quickly about what this test is about. He quickly figured out that there were 3 possibilities which were, ''Either they are testing our ability to break the Genjutsu, or test our willpower or perhaps our capability to react in an unexpected situation. Either way, this is just a Genjutsu. I should just look downwards and try to move along. If others break the Genjutsu, I''ll do so too.''


    With those thoughts, he took his first step. Apart from him, only the 2 students from the Kurama n were moving. Soon a few others took their first step. The girl from the Uchiha n resisted the Genjutsu, and after 15 seconds, was able to break through it. She then ran the obstacle race with absolute ease.


    Fujin sensed someone moving along at a very rapid speed and observed the girl. He was incredibly surprised, ''Sharingan? At this young age?''


    He continued his race. After the first few steps, he tried jogging along the race. The other students too slowly managed to get a hang of the conditions and increased their speed. Fujin ranked 4th in the test. In all, only 41 students passed. Of the remaining 23, a few fell unconscious, and many didn''t dare to take even a single step! Kisho dismissed them and asked them to leave.


    Immediately after the test, the Ninjustu test was started. Kisho''s thoughts were, ''The previous Genjutsu would have shaken these kids. So they won''t be at their full potential while performing the Ninjustu. Which is how it should be as they won''t get normal conditions to perform Ninjustu in a real fight.''


    6 Academy teachers observed one student each. To improve the effect of the previous test, Kisho arranged the tests in such a manner that the ones whopleted the previous testst, had to attempt the Ninjutsu exam first.


    The requirement to pass the Ninjutsu exam was prettyx. Just the 3 basic Ninjutsu and any one other Ninjutsu. Though the kids in the start struggled a bit, they didn''t have any issue inpleting the minimum requirements. What surprised Fujin though, is that 16 students disyed Fire Release : One jutsu, and another 7 disyed Fire Release : Two jutsu.


    Fujin''s thoughts were, ''Land of Fire indeed. Most probably all of them have fire affinity. Also seeing how everyone has practiced it, I guess most of Konoha''s jounins with fire affinity can use the most advanced form of this jutsu. Considering that, I guess all the other viges should have their own counters for this jutsu. But since they are still asking the kids to focus on this jutsu, I suppose it still is very useful.''


    Apart from it, the majority of the kids disyed the jutsus their n specialized in. When Fujin''s turn came. He performed the 3 basic Ninjutsu. Then performed Wind Clone jutsu and created 8 clones. He then showed his Wind Explosion jutsu and finally disyed Great Breakthrough jutsu. Of course he only disyed one fourth of their power, used hand signs and performed them a bit slowly. While not too outstanding, he still outperformed his ssmates.


    What surprised Fujin the most is the performance of the Uchiha girl. She announced that she''ll first perform Fire Release : Three jutsu. Fujin became very interested when she announced it as he wasn''t aware of what this stage of the jutsu could do. Right after she announced it, 2 academy teachers stepped forwards and held a metallic string between their hands. Fujin was a bit puzzled, ''Isn''t this the same thing they did for Fire Release : Two jutsu? Just that instead of one teacher, 2 stepped up.'' After making the hand signs, she raised both her arms and pointed her index and middle finger out. Heat rays were released from both her fingers from both hands and in a few seconds, they cut both the metallic strings.


    Fujin thought, ''That''s it? It''s the same as Fire Release : Two jutsu. Just that in that, they could release the heat ray through only 1 hand. There''s basically no increase in the power of the jutsu, just the quantity. Still very weak for a rank C jutsu. Strange! Does the jutsu suddenly get much stronger in theter stages?''


    She continued her test by disying Fireball jutsu and Fire Dragon jutsu. Her performance was very good. In Fujin''s opinion, in terms of Ninjutsu, her performance was only second to a student from the Hatake n from the 5th year.


    After the exam was over, the teachers began tallying the score. Nara Kisho passed this work to his subordinates. His job was over when he decided to pass these 41 students. Kisho then reported to Hiruzen, "Lord Hokage, all these 41 kids have passed my exam. Overall there is 1 from the 3rd year, 9 from the 4th year and 31 from the 5th year. They should make splendid shinobi. Combined with the 94 that passed from the senior most batch, this year''s results have been very good for us." Hiruzen nodded and said some kind words to the Nara shinobi.


    After tallying the scores, they were disyed for all the students to see. Fujin was still ranked 1st in his ss. He was followed by Hana and then Hoka, who''s rank increased due to superior performance in the graduation exam.


    After that, all the 41 students were gathered before Hiruzen. Hiruzen smiled and began giving another speech on the ''Will of Fire''. Only this time, he was much more passionate, spoke with more fervor and his speech was more intense than any of his earlier speeches! Even Fujin was a bit dumbfounded on how someone can brainwash little kids so openly, with such vigor and be extremely proud about it!


    However as the speech ended, Fujin smirked internally thinking, ''Will of Fire, Will of Fire, Will of Fire! Let me now see how much Will of Fire you actually have. Hahahaha''


    After the speech, Hiruzen said, "Hatake Rei, Suzuki Fujin, Uchiha Mieko step forward."


    All the 3 kids stepped forward and stood in front of Hiruzen. He said, "All three of you have worked very hard and performed splendidly. Speak, what reward would you like for your performance?"


    As soon as he said that, Hatake Rei stepped forward. It was seen as rude by many, including Fujin and Mieko. While Fujin didn''t mind it, Mieko did pout. However, Rei''s next words made everyone understand why he stepped so hurriedly. He said, "Lord Hokage, my mother is very sick and the doctors we visited couldn''t cure her. Could you please arrange a good medical ninja to treat her?"


    While everyone now understood why he was so restless, it did pop another question in their mind. Fujin''s thoughts were, ''Isn''t he from the Hatake n? Sure Sakumo is long dead, but their condition shouldn''t be that desperate, should it? Also, shouldn''t they have enough money to arrange it anyways? Unless it requires someone like Tsunade to deal with it, then I can understand. But even then, I don''t think Hiruzen can call Tsunade back anyways.'' Kakashi too was visibly confused.


    Only a few teachers and Hiruzen knew the truth. Hiruzen thought, ''Sigh, the Hatake n has really deteriorated after Sakumo''s death. Sadly Kakashi hasn''t paid much attention to the n. This kid suddenly began performing really well this year, and hence I had looked into his background. His father died in the 3rd ninja war, and his mother was only a civilian who wasn''t even from the Hatake n. Therefore she hasn''t been paid any attention by the n. She fell sick half year back, and became the motivation for thisd to work hard. Though I do want Kakashi to lead a squad of genins, this was my main purpose to bring him here today. For him to take reins of the Hatake n and bring it back to prosperity.''


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "I''ll arrange the best medics to treat your mother." He then smiled and said, "Keep training hard. Ensure that the Will of Fire in you burns brighter than ever." Hatake excitedly said yes and promised to keep training hard. Kakashi observed the young kid and decided, ''I need to take a proper look at what''s going on in the n.''


    Hiruzen secretly paid attention to Kakashi''s reaction, and was very satisfied with it. He could see the Hatake n making aeback soon.

 Chapter 33: I really am a Ninja!

    After having Hokage''s word to treat his mother, Rei stepped back. Mieko then stepped forward and said, "Lord Hokage, I don''t want any reward." This surprised everyone. Even Hiruzen was surprised, but he hid it and calmly analyzed, ''Is this a way the Uchiha are retaliating for their constant monitoring?'' He then tried to convince her a couple of times, but she declined to get any reward. Hiruzen sighed and looked over at Fujin and thought, ''The Uchiha matter makes me feel my age. Well at least he should have a reasonable request. This day should end properly.''


    Fujin on the other hand was dumbfounded by both his fellow ''toppers''. He thought, ''What the fuck? One begs for his mother''s life, and the other refuses to ept any reward? Why do they wanna make my life harder?'' He then calmed himself and muttered to himself, ''Sigh whatever. It doesn''t matter. The Dao of Shamelessness must live on!''


    He steeled himself and stepped forward. He put up a smile and an excited expression while thinking, ''This is it. For this moment I carried 2 swords in person for 5 whole months!'' He then said, "Lord Hokage. For my reward, I want two swords made entirely of chakra metal." He then looked at the Hokage with excited and hopeful expression while hoping that somehow his eyes sparkled like in anime.


    Majority of the students weren''t aware of chakra metal. However almost every teacher knew it. And they were absolutely shocked by the request! Genki, who was standing close by, had his jaw dropped after hearing what Fujin said. If Fujin had seen him, he would be sure that he could fit an egg in Genki''s mouth. Kakashi''s eyebrows twitched at request. He thought, ''Talk about extravagant! Even my father''s de wasn''t entirely made of chakra metal.''


    The one who was shocked the most however, was Hiruzen. Despite wearing the Hokage''s hat and having excellent control over his emotions, Fujin could still see his shock. Of course he totally ignored it. He thought, ''Whether Hiruzen is happy, or so shocked that he dies of a heart attack is none of my business. Hmm, WAIT!! If he dies right now, then it''d be very bad. But¡­.. Yeah, I don''t think just this much shock would be enough to kill this old freak. He did live through 3 brutal wars without even taking a single major injury!''


    Hiruzen''s mind went totally nk for a second. He then thought, ''Made entirely of chakra metal? Even the ones they sell in Konoha only have around 15% chakra metal. Rest is made of othermon materials. Thest time someone made a sword entirely of chakra metal was when Senseimissioned to cast that sword. And it cost well over a hundred million Ryo to make that sword! Of course, this kid is probably not aware of that fact, and I could fool him, but that''s still worth tens of millions of Ryo!''


    He then looked at Genki to see if he knew what''s going on, however he was clearly shocked too. In fact, he didn''t even notice the Hokage looking at him.


    Hiruzen thought, ''Now what to do? I can''t directly say no. That would be too demotivating. Also it won''t look good for me to deny him. If I do, I''m 100% sure that Danzo will spread rumors saying that the Hokage lies to academy students.'' Hiruzen thought hard for another few seconds and came up with a reasonable excuse. Seeing that Hiruzen was ready to talk, Kakashi noticed and chuckled internally, ''It took Lord Hokage 13 seconds to answer. That kid sure is something.''


    Hiruzen finally sighed and said, "Sadly I can''t give you what you want because no one makes swords made entirely of chakra metal."


    Fujin wasn''t aware of the fact that chakra des weren''t entirely made of chakra metal and thought that Hiruzen is just making an excuse. He showed a dejected expression and said, "A couple of Tanto made of chakra metal then?"


    Kakashi''s eyebrows twitched again at Fujin''s new request. He did struggle to keep hisughter in after seeing Hiruzen''s expression. Genki, on the other hand, was even more shocked.


    Hiruzen replied again, "Sadly, even they aren''t made entirely of chakra metal."


    Fujin was almost pissed at hearing that reply. But he calmed himself and thought about what Hiruzen had said. A few words stuck in his mind, ''aren''t made entirely of chakra metal''. It then clicked him, ''Wait, in my previous world, didn''t such production involve a lot of alloys, or other materials? Even gold jewelry wasn''t 100% gold. Is that what he is referring to?''


    He then asked, "Lord Hokage, what do you mean by ''aren''t made entirely of chakra metal''? Do they only put a little bit of chakra metal and then something else in the sword?"


    Hiruzen nodded nervously, not liking where the conversation was headed to. Fujin then excitedly began saying, "Lord Hokage, then¡­." However, he was cut by Hiruzen. He asked, "Fujin, can you tell me why exactly do you want a sword made of chakra metal?" While asking this question, he was desperately thinking, ''I need to change topic fast! Can''t let him continue talking about this.''


    Fujin, upset at being cut, said, "I was told that they assist in chakra flow. I like using swords, and want to be better at it by using chakra flow."


    Hiruzen narrowed his eyes and asked, "How do you know about chakra flow?"


    Fujin did get a hint that Hiruzen was aiming to change the topic, however he wasn''t much concerned. He could always ''innocently'' get back to the topic. Hiruzen might be a hundred times better at negotiating, however being a 10 year old kid had a lot of advantages. He answered without any hesitation, "Michi sensei"


    Hiruzen then looked over begrudgingly at Michi who was at the sides. He thought, ''That''s it, I''m assigning him a weak genin squad and will make him do nothing apart from D rank missions for half a year! We have pretty much recovered from our losses, so loss of one chuunin won''t be felt.''


    He then exined very ''kindly'' to Fujin, "You don''t need swords made of chakra metal to use chakra flow. You can use them on normal swords too, however they break if you do." Fujin thought, ''Yeah, I know. Get to the point.'' Hiruzen continued, "There are actually special swords that are made to aid chakra flow. In thend of Iron, many samurai use those swords. As for chakra metal, it''s a bit problematic and could get you in trouble."


    Fujin naturally knew that. Having swords worth tens of million Ryo would put a target on his back. Which is why he was nning on leaving them with Hiruzen. He thought, ''That''s a valid concern. Though I''m sure that it isn''t the main reason for him to not give me chakra des. But this new info does intrigue me. Why didn''t any of the weapon shops have it?''


    He left that question forter and asked, "Is it possible to make those swords to assist wind chakra flow?"


    For the first time today, Fujin asked a question genuinely. However it still put Hiruzen on edge. He thought, ''Yeah, it can. They would have to use wind nature chakra metal for it though. And it''ll still take the cost to millions!''


    Hiruzen replied, "Yes it is, but it''s better for you to not get it yet. How about this, when you are ready, I''ll help you get in touch with the right people to make a sword like that."


    Fujin dejectedly thought, ''I am sure I could get in touch with them myself pretty soon.'' However he still nodded. Hiruzen was finally happy that he saved millions of Ryo. He was going to talk but Fujin spoke again, he asked "Lord Hokage, you said the sword that you''ll give me is used by samurai, right?" Hiruzen nodded while really hoping that there were no more extravagant requests. Fujin continued, "Then could you have someone teach me Samurai Saber Techniques? Please"


    Hiruzen thought about it. For one, he was happy that the request didn''t involve tens of millions of Ryo. Secondly, he had noticed Fujin''s interest in swords. He thought, ''Having a swordmaster sensor who specializes in wind release can be a very useful asset. Though we can''t teach Samurai Saber Techniques liberally, teaching it to a few kids is eptable.''


    He nodded and said, "Alright, I''ll assign you a teacher for it."


    Fujin then politely thanked him and stepped backwards while secretly thinking, ''Being an innocent little kid has a lot of advantages. Though I don''t think I can ever beat Hiruzen again in negotiations. That old monkey has the experience of negotiating after 3 Great Ninja Wars, and the ones he negotiated with were a hundred times more unreasonable than me!''


    Looking at Fujin stepping back, Hiruzen released a sigh of relief. He then congratted everyone and left quickly. While leaving, he decided that this would be thest year he''d give out rewards to the topper. After Hiruzen left, many teachers awkwardly stared at Fujin. However he just ignored them and pretended to not notice any of their stares.


    After Hiruzen left, all the respective ss teachers handed the headbands to their students and praised them for graduating early. They were asked to visit the academy after 3 days.


    On getting the headband, Fujin put it on. His first words after that moment were, "Wow, I really am a ninja now!"

 Chapter 34: Analysis and Planning

    Fujin sat down in a meditative posture in his living room. He cleared his mind and began nning. He thought, ''The academy is finally over. Though I had to graduate 2 years early, it ain''t much of an issue. The only major event that will happen anytime soon is the Uchiha massacre. But right now I am not really strong enough to even think about interfering in it. While I do have 2 years, at best, I''ll only be a chuunin officially by then.''


    He thought for a bit more and decided, ''Alright, I''ll ignore the event. It shouldn''t affect me in any way. Secondly, my strength. Right now, though experience iscking, it won''t be wrong to say that despite not having many rank C jutsus in my arsenal, my Ninjutsu is probably barely at chuunin level. The 3 months of daily sparring helped me iron out many issues in my Ninjutsu. My chakra reserves have increased rapidly too. I can now make 3 shadow clones that satisfy the requirements mentioned in the scroll. Which means that my chakra level is well into the chuunin level.


    As for Taijutsu, hmm... It''s a bit confusing. I''m confident that I''m stronger than most who took part in the Chuunin exam in Naruto. But I still lost to that Hyuga. If I assume that he and Hoka are already at chuunin level in terms of Taijutsu, then it''ll mean that I am probably at that level too. Worst case, I''m probably at the peak of genin rank in terms of Taijutsu. I really need a better Taijutsu style. Only good thing is that my physique is very good for my age.


    My Kenjutsu should be sorted when I learn Samurai Saber Techniques. So it''ll be a lot more lethal than my Taijutsu, but Kenjutsu has its own weaknesses. Holding 2 swords would mean that I can''t make any hand signs. And techniques like Rasengan and Wind Explosion that need hands can''t be used. But I guess getting a mid-range sh mightpensate for it to some degree. Anyways, I should think about it more after I learn Samurai Saber Techniques.


    My capabilities as a sensor have grown too. My chakra field can now extend over 750 metres and I can do pretty much everything expected from a sensor, though I will need a few years to master all those tricks.


    My current fighting ability is majorly based around 10 Ninjutsu - Body Flicker, Wind Propelling, Earth Military Movement, Shadow Clone, Wind Clone, Great Breakthrough, Wind Explosion, Gale Surge, Rock Shield and Projectile Control jutsus. Apart from that, it is heavily dependent on swords, kunais and shurikens enhanced with chakra flow. I also know Rasengan, but I haven''t trained to use it inbat yet. Though I do have good ideas of using it, for the time being, I can''t risk anyone knowing that I know it.


    So overall, if I am willing to use everything I have to its fullest potential, then I think I''ll be at chuunin level, though just barely. I''ll probably be able to beat the likes of Iruka and Mizuki, but against someone stronger like Genki or even Michi, my only option would be to run away.


    Speaking of escaping, with my Wind and Shadow clones, along with Body Flicker jutsu and Earth Military Movement jutsu and my ability to hide my chakra, escaping from an elite chuunin might actually be possible. Unless it is someone specialized in tracking, it shouldn''t be an issue. In fact, if anyone asked me what my best skill right now is, my answer would definitely be the art of escaping!


    As for what to do next, I need to go through section C of the library. I have to learn the rank C wind release jutsus. If any rank C earth release jutsu is handy, then I need to learn it too. Apart from that, I will need to learn one rank C Genjutsu andplete the current Fuinjutsu scroll and move on to the next one.''


    He concluded, ''Hmm, that much should be enough. After that I could work on improving the jutsus I know. There''s still Medical Ninjutsu that I''d like to learn, but¡­.. sigh, I have my te full. I''ll check it sometimeter.''


    Satisfied with his immediate ns, he decided to start making long term ns. He thought, ''Now that I have spent almost half a decade here, I have a much better idea about this world. At the rate my physique and chakra has been growing, I''m positive that I''ll reach jounin level. And if the section A of the library has good jutsus, then bing an elite jounin shouldn''t be an issue too. But, how do I step beyond elite jounin and be as strong as Kages?''


    He thought long and hard about this. After half an hour, he concluded, ''Probably the easiest way I have is to learn sage mode.


    The second way is learning the Eight Inner Gates. However, I''ll have to create a very good rtionship with Guy for him to teach me that. Not to mention, I''m not sure if merely hard work will be enough to learn it.


    The third way would be to somehow get the Impure World Resurrection jutsu and create my own army of rank A and rank S dead ninjas.


    The fourth way would be to get and master Flying Thunder God jutsu.


    The fifth way would be to invent my own rank A and higher jutsus. Combined with high speed, enhanced strength and swordy, it might be enough to reach that level.


    Another option could be to be a Jinchuriki. However, that will put Akatsuki on my ass, not something I think I want. Though if I''m strong enough, I could still take that risk. Getting a few strong summons would help too.''


    After concluding, he sighed thinking, ''Even the easiest way is crazy difficult to achieve! I really wonder if I''d be able to reach that level.'' However, just then, Fujin was struck with a crazy idea.


    He thought, ''That''s right. I can explore that option. However, can that really be done?'' He analyzed for a few minutes and thought, ''I can''t say for sure. But, if I am able to pull it off, I will get the means to be incredibly strong. Not to mention, I know exactly when I''ll have the right opportunity to get the resources needed for it.''


    He thought a bit more to analyze everything he could and decided, ''Alright, I should definitely work towards achieving that. If it works, then entering Kage level won''t be an issue. Even if it doesn''t, the work done for it won''t exactly be a waste!''


    The idea lifted his spirits. With not much time left in the day, he decided to have his dinner and meditate before going to bed.

 Chapter 35: Genin Squad

    The next couple of days were very hectic for Hiruzen. Grouping the fresh genins and assigning them their sensei involved a lot of paperwork and analysis. A lot of discussion had to be done with the academy teachers as well as with the decided sensei.


    He first started by forming teams of three. He thought, ''In all 135 students became genin this year. Over 200 from 6th year failed and they will be added to the genin reserve forces. As for the ones that passed this year, the 94 from the 6th year don''t have much hope. We had already graduated the talented people from their year earlier. Even if just a quarter of them became chuunin, then that will be enough. So I will just assign chuunins to guide them.


    As for the 41 who graduated early, all have good potential. They all should at least be chuunin, and around half have the potential to be a special jounin. So I''ll have to arrange 14 jounin sensei for them. Even though Konoha''s numbers have almost recovered, we are still weaker than before the 3rd Great Ninja War when ites to high-end power. So we need to train all 41 of them with the intention of raising them to jounin rank. Even if not everyone bes a special jounins, bing an elite chuunin will be sufficient. As for bing jounin, it''s hard to say. I''m confident that Uchiha Mieko will be a jounin, just like Senju Teru from the previous year. Just like him, she has the potential to be an elite Jounin. But I can''tment on the others. Sigh, I hope that we get at least 10-12 jounin from this batch. The Kyubi attack killed a lot of our jounins.''


    He then called the academy teachers to begin forming the teams and got busy with the required paperwork. After the academy teachers prepared a rough draft, however there were a few disagreements like every year. They approached the Hokage to discuss it.


    Hiruzen said, "So which are the top teams you formed?"


    Genki replied immediately, "ording to their performance, Hatake Rei, Uchiha Mieko, Suzuki Fujin, Hyuga Hoka and Hyuga Hana show the highest potential. However, Rei''s performance was high due to his conditions back home. Now that his mother has been treated, we can''t be sure if he''ll train with the same gusto. And the two Hyuga can''t be on the same team. So I propose forming a team of Uchiha Mieko, Suzuki Fujin and Hyuga Hoka."


    However, soon another teacher, who was the ss teacher to Hatake Rei spoke, "I disagree. In a mere half year, Rei has made huge progress. In fact, his talent can be considered even above Mieko. He should be ced within the top squad. I suggest making a squad consisting of Mieko, Rei and Fujin."


    Another teachermented, "Actually, Fujin is just a civilian orphan. His future won''t be as smooth as the children from shinobi ns. Even his Great Breakthrough jutsu was provided to him by Genki. So I think that a squad of Rei, Mieko and Hoka might be more optimal."


    Genki rebutted him, "I disagree. Even though Fujin is just a civilian with no background, his performance has been the most consistent in my ss. He deserves to be on that squad. Not to mention, he is also a sensor and has wind affinity. Being a sensor, he''llpliment the Byakugan. And his wind release jutsus would assist Mieko''s fire release jutsus and make them more lethal. Also, both him and Hoka kind of have a rivalry in Taijutsu. So their teamwork would be much better." He secretly thought, ''Not to mention that they are so aloof that they barely had any other friendships. So I have no idea whether they can cooperate with others.''


    The previous teacher was about to rebuke him again, "But¡­." However, he was cut by Hiruzen, "Alright that''s enough. I have decided. The squad will be made of Mieko, Fujin and Hoka."


    Rei''s ss teacher was visibly upset over this. He was about to speak, when Hiruzen said, "Their jounin sensei will be Senju Renjiro." The teachers were confused by this revtion. One asked, "But Lord Hokage, we hadn''t selected him to be a sensei, had we?"


    Hiruzen shook his head and said, "No. This change was due to Fujin requesting guidance on Samurai Saber Techniques. Renjiro had trained under a Samurai. Also he is an expert in fighting against Sharingan and uses Water and Earth jutsus. So it''ll provide Mieko an opportunity to understand how she can be countered and would help her develop more. And Hoka could learn water release jutsus from him. And his Taijutsu is strong enough to handle Hoka''s obsession with it." He then looked at Rei''s ss teacher and said, "Sadly Hatake Rei doesn''t practice his n''s Kenjutsu, or else I''d have put him on the squad instead of Hoka."


    Everyone was satisfied with this exnation. They moved onto the remaining students. It took over 13 hours for them to form all the squads and decide their sensei. Once that was done, Hiruzen sent an Anbu to deliver the news to all the ones selected to be a sensei. If they had any issues, they could approach him the next day.


    The next day, many approached Hiruzen to meet him. At noon, Renjiro visited him. On entering, he greeted Hiruzen and said, "Old man, I didn''t agree to be a sensei to snorty little brats. Besides, I have already raised one genin squad."


    Renjiro was a bit close to him while growing up. Which is why Hiruzen didn''t mind his words. Hiruzen looked at Renjiro. He was dressed casually and hence Hiruzen could see all the scars on his face and arms that he had gotten over his career. Hiruzen sighed and said, "You''ve been doing missions almost non-stop since the end of the war. This assignment is for a couple of reasons. One, for you to get some rest. And secondly, as one of those genins wants to learn the Samurai Saber Techniques."


    Renjiro looked skeptically at Hiruzen and asked, "You do know that I can''t teach it lightly to anyone. So, is there any reason for me to teach it to him?"


    Hiruzen sighed and said, "He ranked first in his ss. And asked for this as his reward." Renjiro asked, "Eh, what reward?" Hiruzen replied, "It''s an initiative I took to encourage the students and get them to train harder."


    Hearing that, Renjiro nodded. He knew the shortage of ninjas that Konoha faced. He sighed and said, "Couldn''t you get him to ask for anything else?" Hiruzen didn''t reply, but his sweat dropped thinking about what the ''something else'' was that Fujin had asked for. After discussing a bit more and getting to know a bit more about the students, Renjiro left. He wasn''t surprised by the fact that his squad was the one with highest potential. After all, he has been an Elite Jounin for over a decade!


    Later that day, Fujin went to buy new clothes at a shop that sold clothes to ninjas. He bought apletely ck attire. He noticed that the cloth used for these clothes was a lot sturdier. The shopkeeper said that it is harder to cut, has some resistances to fire and lightning, and is harder to get wet or dusty. He put one on and checked himself in the mirror. His whole attire, i.e., boots, trousers and shirt werepletely ck. It suited his fair skin-tone, ck eyes and ck spiky hair well. He thought, ''I guess I should get a ck mask sometime, maybe then I could y hiding in shadow, haha.'' He looked at himself again. He wasn''t bulky, but his muscles were properly toned. There was barely any trace of any fat on his body. He was around 4 feet, 9 inches tall. He thought, ''Alright, it fits properly, and also looks good.''


    He bought 3 sets of the attire. He also bought a pair of gloves with metal tes on the backhand. He also inscribed a ''Hard'' seal in the interior of the glove. While it didn''t do much, Fujin felt that there was no harm in even slightly increasing its defenses. He did wish that he could take the metal tes out, inscribe them with Hard seal instead of the whole glove and then put it back. But he knew that he wouldn''t be able to put the metal te back in properly.


    Next day, at 7:30 am, the graduated students reported to the academy. The ssroom used wasn''t the regr ssroom that Fujin went to. 42 students were present here. The teachers took attendance, and then gave a scroll to each of the students. Genki called his students one by one and gave it to them. The ss teachers of other students did the same. When Fujin''s turn came, he noticed that Genki was incredibly happy. He wasn''t sure why, but since he didn''t particrly care, he went back. Genki was happy because Hiruzen had allowed him to take the Jounin exam!


    After distributing it to everyone, a teacher announced, "The storage scroll provided to you has a First-aid kit, 24 shurikens, 6 kunais, 12 senbon needles, 1 ninja rope and 100 metres long ninja wire." He then smiled and said, "This is the final gift from the academy to you. Congrattions on graduating. We will now announce your genin squads."


    When Fujin''s squad was announced, he sighed and thought, ''An aloof guy who doesn''t care about anything apart from Taijutsu, and a stuck-up brat who probably thinks herself to be as talented as Madara. Fuck our teamwork! Sigh, makes me wonder if I should have graduatedst year. Teru was the only one matured enough.''


    He analyzed a bit more, ''Anyways, it ain''t exactly bad. Taijutsu spars with Hoka have always been very helpful. And Mieko should give me a bit of practice against the Sharingan. Granted that she ain''t nowhere near Obito or Madara, but neither am I.''


    He then looked at Mieko and thought, ''Also, since she''ll die after around 2 more years, it''ll mean that I won''t be restricted in this squad for very long. Now then, I wonder who my jounin sensei will be. I really hope that it ain''t Kakashi. Also what of my rewards? Genki didn''t talk about it, and Hiruzen didn''t call me to meet him.''


    After the genin squads were announced, the teacher said that the jounin sensei woulde and pick them up from the ss and then they all left.


    While they were leaving, Fujin had a thought and sighed, ''Naruto and his gang should start the academy next year. And I won''t be here. What''s with me meeting so few canon characters?''


    Soon jounins started entering the ss and called out for their teams. A couple of minutes after the academy teachers left, a tall muscr guy entered and announced, "Team 3,e with me." Fujin, Hoka and Mieko followed him. Renjiro moved to the terrace of the academy. A few secondster, all 3 genins arrived.


    When he reached there, Fujin observed his new sensei. He was around 6 feet 6 inches tall, very muscr, looked middle-aged and had 3 scars on his face, one going right across his right eye, but his eye was fine. His hair was ck and very long, a bit simr to Madara''s. He held two swords on his waist. From the symbol on his clothes, Fujin understood that he was from the Senju n. Actually, there was another thing that allowed Fujin to know that he was from the Senju n. He had massive amounts of chakra! For obvious reasons, Fujin never tried to sense Hiruzen''s chakra, so this was the highest chakra level he had measured so far. It was around 7 times that of Genki.


    When Fujin tried to measure his chakra, Renjiro noticed. He looked at Fujin and stared at him. Fujin merely smiled. Renjiro thought, ''So this is the kid who wants to learn the Samurai Saber Techniques and the kid who asked for swords made of chakra metal. Not bad, he seems to be a good enough sensor. And even after I stared at him, he merely smiled back. I wonder if that makes him foolish, brave or just shameless.'' He then looked at his remaining 2 genins and thought, ''The Hyuga has the same stoic face as their whole n and just looking at the Uchiha''s face showed how much pride she has in her.'' He sighed thinking, ''This is gonna take a while.''

 Chapter 36: Senju Renjiro

    Renjiro said, "I am Senju Renjiro. I''ll be your jounin sensei. Let''s start by getting to know each other. So just tell me something about yourself."


    Mieko asked, "What should we tell?" On the other hand, Fujin remembered the ''Tell me about yourself'' question that used to be asked in interviews in his previous life. Renjiro replied, "Tell me about your likes, dislikes, dreams, hobbies and simr stuff."


    Fujin then replied, "I am Suzuki Fujin. I like swords and cool jutsus. My hobby is to train and read shinobi history and wars. I dislike the carnage that wars cause. And my Dream is to be a strong ninja in the future so that I could bring peace to the world."


    Renjiro stared at Fujin and was very impressed with his ''dream''. Of course, if he knew Fujin''s real thoughts, he might have vomited blood. After looking at an impressed Renjiro, Fujin thought, ''Yup, that''s exactly what Konoha higher ups would like to hear. I couldn''t care less about world peace, but saying that is what will get me in the good books of these guys and could provide me with the opportunity to learn Flying Thunder God jutsu, and also make Hiruzen protect me in case Danzo tries to recruit me. Either way, it''s not like I can do anything about world peace right now. So why not just say it, hehe.''


    Renjiro then looked at Mieko. She said, "I am Uchiha Mieko. I like cats. I dislike anyone treating me like a small child. My hobby is practicing Ninjutsu and ying with cats. And my dream is to be the strongest Uchiha ever!"


    Fujin looked at her and chuckled internally thinking, ''Well you''ve got 2 years to surpass Madara. RIP''


    Renjiro nodded and looked towards Hoka. He said, "I am Hyuga Hoka. I like Taijutsu. I dislike studying. My hobby is to spar with others and my dream is to be the strongest Taijutsu user."


    Renjiro nodded and said, "Well congrattions on graduating early. But that doesn''t mean that you are Konoha shinobi. You guys will be on probation for 3 months. And after that I''ll decide whether you''re ready to be a ninja or not."


    This announcement had mixed reactions from the 3 genins. Fujin wondered, ''Eh! No test?'' After thinking for a bit, he realized ''Ah, they are probably still recovering. That''s why there''s a probation period instead of a test to check whether we are ready or not.'' However, the other 2 kids didn''t take the announcement lightly. Mieko impatiently asked, "But why? Didn''t we pass the graduation exam?" Hoka took her point further and said, "Yeah, I even defeated everyone in the Taijutsu tournament!"


    Renjiro replied, "Graduation exam is the bare minimum you require to be a ninja. Your attitude, temperament, courage and values matter more. And I''ll be the one to judge that."


    Mieko and Hoka were still unsatisfied and wanted toin more, but Renjiro didn''t give them a chance and announced, "We''ll meet tomorrow in training ground 17 at 6 am. I''ll check your skills tomorrow. Be on time, I hate tardiness." After saying that, he flickered away. When he left, Fujin thought, ''He didn''t say a single thing about himself other than his name¡­. Heck, I think even Kakashi talked more with his team.''


    After he left, Mieko huffed and started to leave without saying anything. Hoka, on the other hand, said goodbye to Fujin and was nning to leave too. Fujin sighed and said, "Oye, wait a minute." This got both their attention. Hoka looked at him without saying anything, whereas Mieko annoyingly asked, "What?"


    Fujin replied, "Tomorrow we''ll most probably have to fight against sensei as a team. So we need to understand each other''s strengths and weaknesses. And we also need to n how to fight together." Hoka agreed with that and nodded. However Mieko replied smugly, "You two don''t need to worry about it. I''ll beat him by myself tomorrow."


    Fujin gave her a deadpanned look, which irritated her and she asked, "What? You don''t think that I can beat him?"


    Fujin resisted his urge to facepalm and replied, "Do tell how you n on defeating a Jounin by yourself." She smirked and replied, "I''ll catch him off guard and use Fire Dragon jutsu on him." Fujin said, "He is from the Senju n, who specializes in Earth and Water Release jutsus. Assuming that you somehow catch him off guard, he''ll still be able to defend." This reply caught her by surprise. She thought a bit and then smirked again and replied, "I know Sharingan Genjutsu. As soon as he looks in my eyes, I''ll put him under a Genjutsu."


    Fujin mentally scoffed, ''As if he will fall for something so basic. But I''m tired of dealing with her!'' He said, "Alright, we''ll call that n A and we will start with it. Now let''s discuss n B."


    Mieko replied, "Why do we need a n B?" Fujin replied, "Well he knows that you have the sharingan. So what if he never looks into your eyes because he knows that your eyes are so ''awesome''? It''ll be stupid if we just stand there doing nothing right? Worse, he may think that you are just a little kid¡­"


    This finally got her attention. Seeing that Fujin was relieved and thought, ''Finally! So I have to either praise her or say someone will think that she''s a little brat or both to get her onboard.''


    She then asked, "So what should we do if n A fails?" Fujin replied, "First, let''s talk about what each one of us can do. I''ll start. I''m a sensor and can sense in a 500 metres radius around me. I''m good at Taijutsu and with swords. And I know Wind release jutsus, the ones you saw in the exam. I can also perform Shadow clone and Body Flicker jutsu. What about you guys?"


    Mieko then replied, "I am good at Taijutsu too and can use the Uchiha Taijutsu style. My sharingan allows me to see chakra and use Genjutsu. I am very good with shurikens. Other than the basic jutsus, I can perform a few Fire release jutsus. You saw them in the exam. And I can do body flicker too. In fact, I was taught it by the very best!" Fujin was surprised at that information and thought, ''Did Shisui teach her this jutsu?''


    Hoka then replied, "I am a master at the Gentle Fist style. I can close enemy''s chakra points and my eyes can see upto 800 metres away. Apart from it, I know Fish Spit jutsu and Rock Shield jutsu." Fujin nodded, and advised, "If u can, then learn Body Flicker jutsu. If all 3 of us can use it, then it''ll be very helpful and we could use a lot of tactics."


    Hoka groaned a bit and said, "But I don''t wanna learn more Ninjutsu." Fujin replied, "Well it''s just a movement jutsu. You can move at incredibly fast speed. It''ll help make your Taijutsu way more lethal. Just imagine your normal jab, then imagine you appearing out of nowhere and performing that jab on the enemy."


    As Fujin expected, that got Hoka interested and he agreed to learn it. Fujin then talked a bit about tactics that they could use. He said, "We need to decide who''ll fight sensei up-close and who''ll perform support attacks from a distance. I¡­." However Hoka cut him off and said, "I want to fight up-close." Fujin was about to nod when Mieko said, "No I want to fight up-close." Hoka rebuked her and then they started arguing. Fujin sighed thinking, ''Kids!''


    He then stopped them both and said, "Among all of us, Hoka was ranked 1 in the Taijutsu tournament. So he''ll engage in hand-to-handbat with sensei." Mieko was about to talk, but Fujin continued, "But he can''t handle sensei all by himself. So you and I will assist him from time to time. Also both of us have mid ranged jutsus, so it''ll be a waste if we can''t use them." Hoka, wanting to engage in hand-to-handbat quickly supported Fujin and Mieko had to begrudgingly agree.


    Fujin thought, ''I nned on discussing a lot more, like the Fire-Windbination, and even wanted to ask Hoka to learn more advanced Water release jutsus as they work well with Wind release as well. Sadly, I was too impatient. It''ll take a lot of time before they are ready to listen to those tactics. Kinda makes me wish that Renjiro beats both of them up tomorrow to make them a little less stuck up. But I''m afraid that if he does that, then he''ll beat me up too! And without using Earth Military Movement jutsu and Wind Propelling jutsu, it''ll be hard to dodge for long. Sigh, I wonder when I can use these jutsus publicly. It''s very ufortable to fake hand signs, limit their power and not use half of the jutsus I know. Sadly it''s necessary. I hope I reach the jounin level soon, as after that, there won''t be much worries about Danzo trying to recruit me. It''ll be toote to attempt to brainwash me at that stage.''


    Fujin had also nned to ask them to grab a bite together at Ichiraku. However he had enough for today, soon they said goodbyes and left.


    Fujin went over to the library. Now that he had be a Genin, he was allowed to ess the section C of the library. However, that''s not what he was here for. Bing a ninja, allowed him to see a certain book.


    He went to the librarian and showed his card and asked, "Can I see the Bingo book?" She was surprised by a 10 year old kid asking her that question. However since he was a ninja, she nodded and asked, "Would you like to see the smaller one or the bigger one?" Now it was Fujin''s turn to be surprised. He asked, "What''s the difference?" She replied, "Well the smaller one only has names, bounty, affiliation and some basic information, whereas the bigger one has more in-depth information." Hearing that, Fujin asked her to show the bigger one. She nodded and brought it to Fujin.


    When Fujin saw the book, he was shocked! His first thought was, ''It''s freaking huge!'' He opened to see it. Apparently, every page covered the data of only one ninja. And the book had 2,197 pages! After analysing, Fujin thought, ''Well it makes sense, considering that there are over 100k ninjas in this world.''


    He then mentally thanked the ones who made such a good index. Everything was arranged properly ording to the vige and alphabetically as per their names. There were also lists that arranged the ninjas as per their rank in their vige and in the descending order of their bounties.


    After searching for a couple of minutes, he found the name he was looking for - Senju Renjiro. He began turning the page, but while doing that, a thought urred to him, ''It''s funny that I thought my biggest advantage in this world would be information. But considering how vast this world is, I don''t think I have the information on even 1% of the ninjas. Heck, apart from Tsunade, I didn''t even know any living Senju. Anyways, this data is very detailed. I am surprised that we can read it for free, but it makes sense I suppose. This data ispiled by the ones who make the Bingo book, and since it''s already out in the open, why not just let all your ninjas read it for free.''


    He opened the page and began reading, and he was very surprised by what he read. His bounty was 45 million Ryo! It was even higher than Asuma''s during Shippuden and was put on him by Kirigakure. He thought, ''Not bad at all. I guess Hiruzen did appoint someone verypetent as my sensei.'' He read further.


    The information that Fujin obtained was, ''Senju Renjiro, Rank A, 39 years old. He became Genin at 8, Chuunin at 10, Jounin at 16 and Elite Jounin at 28. He specializes in Water and Earth release Ninjutsu, but can use jutsu of other elements too. He''s an excellent swordsman who was trained in the way of swords by a samurai. He fought in both the 2nd and 3rd Great Ninja Wars. In the 3rd war, he had served as Orochimaru''s deputy on the Kiri front. Later on, when Orochimaru had to join a different battlefield, he became Konoha''smander on the Kiri front. Due to his skill with the sword, his proficiency in Water release jutsus and his summon, a Sloth, he was very effective against Kiri ninjas. He killed 13 Kiri Jounins and over 50 Kiri chuunins over the course of the war. His biggest aplishment was killing one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist in that war. Though his army was defeated by a surprise offensiveunched by Kiri, he managed to retreat with the majority of his army and kept Kiri at bay until Konoha''s Yellow sh reinforced him and pushed Kiri back to the seas.''


    After reading that, Fujin thought ''Damn fuck! He''s strong. Not Sannin level, but very close. Anyways, it says that he was trained by a Samurai, so I guess he''s guide Hiruzen arranged for me. I do wonder what that summon is though. It''s the first time I''m hearing of a Sloth. Ain''t that a deadly sin? But that sounds a bit too overpowered and not something from this world. Well whatever, I''ll look into itter.''


    He then looked into the data of the ninja he knew from Naruto. He sighed in relief, confirming that it was very simr to what he knew. He also got a better understanding of the Shinobi world. He thought, ''Konoha is way stronger than what was shown in Naruto. Fathers of Shikaku, Inoichi and Shibi are still alive and leading their ns. Each of them is an Elite Jounin and are very close to rank S. Though I guess that their strengths will decrease over time due to their age. In all, Konoha has just 3 rank S ninjas now. But Jiraiya is barely in the vige, and Tsunade can barely even fight. However, surprisingly or unsurprisingly, the Bingo book has no mention of Danzo. Also, it''s quite possible that Fugaku is hiding his Mangekyou. Same with Shisui. I''m not sure how many gates Guy can open, but he might be able to forcibly rise topete with rank S ninja if needed. Also, it''s quite surprising to see Koharu and Homura are rank A ninjas. I don''t recall them ever fighting in Naruto. In all there are 22 Elite Jounins from Konoha mentioned in the Bingo book. And it''s quite possible that there are a few more who haven''t been mentioned here, like Danzo and others from Root. There are also a few more rank A ninjas who haven''t yet be an Elite Jounin like Kakashi and Guy.''


    He then sighed, ''I didn''t think there would be so many Elite Jounins in Konoha. And despite this Hiruzen chose to sacrifice Hizashi. Makes me wonder how bad Konoha''s losses were in the lower ranks due to the war. As for the other viges, Kumo and Iwa are pretty strong too, though not as strong as Konoha at least when ites to Kage level and Elite Jounin levelbat strength. Kiri is actually quite impressive too, or would have been if so many of their top ranked ninjas weren''tbelled as rouge ninjas. I guess Obito has pretty much wrecked Kiri. Suna, on the other hand, is doing really bad. Their Kage is easily the weakest out of all 5 Kages. Though they have 2 more rank S ninjas, both are retired and very old. And their number of rank A ninjas is pitifully low.''


    He closed the book and thought, ''Well that should be enough information for now. I''ll get more as and when there''s a need to." He handed the Bingo book back to the librarian and went back home.

 Chapter 37: Sparring with Sensei

    Next day, at 6 am, all the members of team 3 gathered in the training ground 17. It was a small open area in the center of a mini-forest. Renjiro was thest one to arrive. On seeing his genin squad already there, he wished them Good Morning and said, "As I said yesterday, before I begin training you three, I''ll like to see what you can do. So we''ll have a spar, you three versus me." He paused for a few seconds and said, "We begin NOW!"


    As soon as he said that, he jumped forward with the intention to punch. It caught all the 3 genins off-guard. Mieko jumped backwards hurriedly and Hoka jumped to his left. Fujin, on the other hand, just flickered away. Renjiro''s punchnded on the ground where the 3 genins were standing initially, and the ground cracked, causing a lot of dust to rise, which hid him. Renjiro thought, ''Not bad. I only intended to punch the ground in front of them, but I didn''t think that all 3 would react so quickly. Especially Fujin, did he use Body Flicker jutsu without any hand signs?''


    As soon as he used Body Flicker, Fujin thought, ''Damn! He attacked so suddenly that I flickered away by reflex.''


    He then saw the dust rising up and covering Renjiro and so did Hoka and Mieko. Fujin immediately started sensing him, Mieko activated her Sharingan and Hoka activated his Byakugan. On sensing Renjiro, Fujin thought, ''Well now that I''ve shown it, I can''t hide it anymore. So might as well spam it. Still I didn''t think hiding my power would be so difficult. I really need to be more careful, in case he pulls a few more stunts like that. I hope I can protect the rest of my secrets for at least another year or two.''


    While Fujin was thinking that, both Hoka and Mieko ran towards Renjiro to engage him inbat. Renjiro just stood there, waiting for them to begin their assault. Hoka was the first one to reach him, however, Miekounched a few shurikens on Renjiro. Renjiro dodged them and then engaged Hoka in hand-to-handbat. He was able to counter his Gentle Fist style very easily. When Mieko joined in, he suppressed both of them with ease.


    However, he soon frowned. He tried to sense, but he couldn''t sense Fujin at all. Taking the opportunity provided by his teammates, Fujin had disappeared from his sight and hid his chakra. Though Renjiro couldn''t sense Fujin, Fujin closely monitored their fight, waiting for an opportunity to butt in. He soon found one when Renjiro punched Hoka. Fujin threw a shuriken with all his power.


    However, Renjiro smirked and thought, ''A fake opening. Always works against brats.'' He moved a step back to avoid the shuriken, however, the shuriken curved towards him. That surprised Renjiro. He was about to dodge again, when he felt ''No, something is weird.'' So instead of dodging, he just caught the shuriken right out of its trajectory.


    However, as soon as he caught it, he sensed 2 small chakra signatures behind him. He turned to see 2 wind spheres heading at him. He took a step to dodge, however, at the same time Miekounched Fireball jutsu in the direction he was nning to dodge. Seeing that, he adjusted his direction and dodged both the jutsus and created distance from his students. Seeing that, Hoka rushed forward to engage him in closebat.


    While Hoka was rushing towards him, Renjiro thought, ''Not bad at all. This doesn''t seem nned, and their teamwork still needs a lot of work, but they are able to take advantage of the opportunities created by each other. Not to mention that I felt wind on that shuriken, which means that Fujin used Projectile Control jutsu on the shuriken. And instead of pressing forward on a hopeless assault, he took the advantage of that Fireball to disappear again.''


    He engaged in another round ofbat with Hoka and Mieko. Fujin, who was secretly observing thebat, thought ''An Elite Jounin indeed. That opening was a bait, to understand my location. Not to mention, he grabbed the shuriken outta thin air! Though, I wonder what he''d have done if I had infused that shuriken with wind chakra. Anyways, I wonder if I can fool him using a shadow clone.''


    Fujin kept hiding, and made a shadow clone. After a minute, it looked like both Hoka and Mieko were about to lose. So the clone interrupted Renjiro byunching 2 wind explosion jutsu on him. He followed it up with shurikens. Renjiro dodged everything and moved towards Fujin to engage him in closebat. However the clone flickered and moved behind Mieko and Hoka.


    Seeing Renjiro approaching, Hoka began moving forward to engage him. However, Fujin sensed a huge chakra built up by Mieko and shouted, "Hoka, move aside!" That shout rmed Hoka and he turned to see that Mieko was weaving hand signs and had gathered almost all of her chakra. He quickly got out of her way and created distance by running to his left.


    Mieko, actually, was very frustrated by this fight. Poor girl had been trying to use Sharingan Genjutsu on her sensei since the start of the fight, but not once did he look in her eyes. Due to her frustration, sheunched Fire Dragon jutsu, and nearly poured all her chakra in it. Fujin''s clone sensed that and used Great Breakthrough jutsu. He timed his jutsu just after Miekounched hers, and tried to limit the range of his jutsu to just cover her Fire Dragon. The result increased the power and the size of the Dragon. Not wanting to take that jutsu head-on, Renjiro flickered away.


    The power of this jutsu really surprised Hoka and Mieko. Especially Mieko, who was awestruck by it.


    Fujin was still keeping an eye on Renjiro. He noticed that Renjiro had flickered without using any hand signs, and had flickered just enough distance to barely dodge the jutsus. He thought, ''Sigh, that''s the first time he has used a Ninjutsu. Anyways, it seems like this fight is pretty much over. Hoka has taken quite a beating. So has Mieko and she is out of chakra too. Only I am still fine. Sadly there''s not much me and my clone can do. Not having a good long range jutsu sucks though. Despite being perfectly hidden, there''s not much I can do.''


    Right then, Fujin suddenly used Body Flicker jutsu purely with his instincts. However, right when his feet left the ground, a hand came out of the ground and caught his right leg. This caused him to fall forward, at a very rapid speed. Luckily for him, he managed to put his arms forward, ensuring that his face didn''t get badly damaged.


    Soon, another hand clutched the back of his neck and pinned him to the ground. He realized that it was Renjiro''s chakra signature and thought, ''What the fuck? I didn''t sense him at all.'' He soon got his clone''s memories. His clone had been dispelled, and Hoka and Mieko had been defeated.


    He thought, ''A clone? But when?'' On thinking a bit he realised, ''Was it when the dust provided him cover? But I had almost immediately begun sensing him, was that fraction of a second enough for him to make a clone and hide it or his main body? And why didn''t I sense him? I should be able to sense anyone sensing me. Heck, even if someone merely looks at me, I sense that too!''


    Renjiro thought, ''He was able to see an attacking? No, that doesn''t seem right, my chakra control was perfect. It seems like he decided to move purely on his instincts.'' He then took his hand off Fujin''s neck and said, "That''s enough. Follow me." Fujin followed Renjiro to where Hoka and Mieko were. Both were lying on the ground. He thought, ''Poor kids. They really got beat up! Both their faces are swollen. And there are bruises even on their limbs.'' Renjiro, who had beaten up these 2 and dispelled Fujin''s clone, dispelled himself. Fujin then looked at Renjiro and thought, ''Did he beat these 2 up to curb their arrogance? Well whatever, I hope they think more now.''


    After getting his clone''s memories, Renjiro looked at Fujin in a new light and thought, ''Very good. He was sessfully able to hide from my clone not only once, but twice. If not for the fact that his clone had only half his chakra, my clone might not have been able to identify him as a clone. He has a very good mindset. Unfortunately, he doesn''t have any good long range jutsu. Which meant that him hiding such a long distance away was disadvantageous to him as well. Also, he gave up a bit too quickly after I caught him. Something I should correct, though I suppose it did save him from receiving a beating. A shame really, though he doesn''t seem as arrogant as the other two, some beating would have been good for his development.'' Luckily for Fujin, he was totally oblivious of Renjiro''s ns and thoughts.


    He then looked at Hoka and Mieko and thought, ''But that still makes him much better than these two. Sigh, which genin engages a jounin in a head-on confrontation? But other than that, their skills are very good. Hoka is very good at Taijutsu and he is very fast too. And Mieko''s Fire release jutsus were quite strong for a genin. I''m still surprised by thebo attack of Fujin and her.''


    While Renjiro was engaged in those thoughts, both Hoka and Mieko got up. Though they still were groaning and looking at their ''sensei'' with a lot ofints. Mieko also looked begrudgingly at Fujin, who seemed to be in a much better condition.


    Renjiro of course ignored those looks and said, "You have ten minutes. Sit here quietly and think about our little spar. I''ll ask you some questions after 10 minutes and I expect you to answer them." Fujin sat down and began to analyze the fight. Hoka and Mieko did that too, however they were still looking at Renjiro angrily.


    All 3 genins began analysing and had the same first thought, ''An Elite Jounin is incredibly strong!'' While Fujin had to take some effort to dig up information on Renjiro, Hoka and Mieko got it very easily from their parents. Renjiro''s exploits weremon knowledge among the shinobi who fought in the 3rd Great Ninja War. That had made them a bit more respectful of Renjiro.


    After the 10 minutes were up, Renjiro asked, "The first question for you, when did I make a clone?" Fujin raised his hand and replied, "Most probably when you punched the ground and raised a dust cover." Mieko, who was thinking hard, replied, "Yes, I don''t think there was any other opportunity for you to make a clone." Fujin could sense anger in her voice due to being beaten up. Hoka was still confused though. He asked, "But sensei, why couldn''t my Byakugan see you?" Renjiro replied, "There are ways to hide even from the Byakugan. Take this as a lesson that just because you don''t see it, doesn''t mean you can rx and put your guard down." Hoka nodded with a conflicting expression. Knowing that the pride of his n wasn''t foolproof was a big blow to him.


    Fujin then asked, "But sensei, how were you able to approach me from underground and still hide your chakra? Also, how did you keep a track of where I was, without letting me sense you back?" Renjiro replied, "There are ways to hide from a sensor. Also tricks to sneak up on a sensor. Just because you don''t sense anyone, doesn''t mean that you shouldpletely drop your guard."


    Mieko was the next one to ask a question. She asked, "Sensei, how did you fight me without even once looking into my eyes?" Renjiro smirked and said, "The Uchiha n has been using sharingans for hundreds of years. There are many ways tobat your sharingan too. The one I showed you was just the most basic one."


    The answers made all the 3 genins fall into a deep thought. Fujin especially was very worried. He thought, ''Does that mean if someone was spying on me, I wouldn''t even have an idea?'' This thought worried him. However he calmed down on thinking, ''Well he is an Elite Jounin, capable of leading a whole battlefront. Surely Konoha won''t send an Elite Jounin to spy on a nobody. I should still be safe.''


    Renjiro cut the thoughts of his students and said, "Now all three of you will think and tell me why you lost. And tell me how you could have performed better. Hoka, you first, followed by Mieko and then Fujin."


    Hoka thought for a bit and said, "You countered my Gentle Fist and I couldn''tnd even one hit on you. Also my Byakugan couldn''t see your clone. And you were also a lot faster than me or anyone else."


    Renjiro then looked at Mieko who replied, "Your Taijutsu is much stronger than ours. And you were always able to dodge all of our attacks, no matter how thorough we were. Also you knew exactly how to counter each one of us."


    He then looked over to Fujin who said, "Our teamwork wasn''t proper. We barely ever even spoke to each other. I saw Hoka and Mieko tag team against you, but they weren''t in sync with each other. And I, despite being hidden, couldn''t help much from such a long distance. And we didn''t have any ns to defeat you. Not to mention¡­" Fujin paused for a few moments and continued, "You were just too strong for us to handle."


    Renjiro nodded and thought, ''Decent. Hoka''s tactical thinking would have to be developed more, but the other two are much better.'' He then said, "Alright, this is it for today. You can go home and heal yourself. We will meet here tomorrow at 5:00 am. You have one assignment for tomorrow. Write down your daily routine and bring it tomorrow. And Fujin, stay here. Hoka, Mieko, you two can leave."


    On getting the permission to leave, they said goodbyes and left. Fujin did have to suppress his urge tough as they both were walking very weirdly. Though that urge went away very quickly as he had a horrifying thought, ''Wait! I was the only one not beaten up. So he didn''t make me wait for¡­.'' He quickly got rid of that thought, ''No way. He''s a reputedmander from a great ninja war, he won''t be so petty.'' He screamed internally, ''Where the fuck are those Human Rights activists? Also, why the fuck didn''t that old monkey makews to prevent child abuse despite warming the Hokage seat for decades!''


    Fujin kept seeing his teammates walk away in a weird manner, while desperately hoping that his thoughts won''t evere true.

 Chapter 38: Light Morning Workout

    In training ground 17, Fujin and his new Sensei were alone. Renjiro asked, "Why didn''t you use swords during the spar?"


    Fujin replied, "Cause I don''t have any. I checked the prices, and even the cheapest one costs 12k Ryo. Sadly I can''t afford them."


    The answer was within Renjiro''s expectations. He nodded and said, "I''ll be teaching you how to wield swords from now onwards. Don''t worry about the swords, I have a few you can use. We will first test your skills and also the size of the sword that''ll suit you. After that, the 3rd Hokage will order 2 custom made samurai swords for you."


    Fujin nodded and thanked him. Renjiro took out a scroll,id it on the ground and rolled it open. Fujin noticed that it was a storage scroll. And looking at the number of storage seals, he probably was the one who made it.


    Renjiro made a hand sign and 12 swords appeared on the scroll. Fujin picked up two, which were very simr in size to the ones he already used and said, "Sensei, the ones I used in the academy were of this size." Renjiro replied, "Alright, we''ll start with these then. Let''s have another spar. I wanna see how good your sword skills are."


    Fujin and Renjiro then sparred topare their sword skills. While sparring, both had different thoughts. Fujin was happy that his sensei wasn''t the same ''monster'' he was earlier. Renjiro on the other hand had mixed feelings about Fujin''s swordsmanship.


    He thought, ''This kid''s basics are extremely solid. Especially considering that he has only trained with swords for less than a year. However, apart from the basics, he has nothing at all. There''s no style to his swordy. It''s just a simple straightforward attack and defense. While he has been attacking and defending well, it''s only due to him leveraging his speed and strength. If I were to increase my speed and strength to match his, he most probably won''t evenst 5 seconds.''


    The spar continued for a few minutes more before Renjiro halted it. He concluded, ''He''s like an unpolished jade! Not having any other styles means that he doesn''t have any bad habits. While in the long run it may be disadvantageous, but for practicing just one style, this would be very convenient. Of course, since he hasn''t practiced any styles yet, I can''t say how fast or slow he will be at learning the Samurai Saber Techniques.''


    Renjiro then suddenly increased his speed to match Fujin''s and skillfully hit both his swords consecutively to create an opening, and then ced the tip of his sword very close to Fujin''s throat. He said, "Alright that''s enough. I''ll teach you some new forms."


    He then disyed a few forms for Fujin and asked him to copy and practice them. The training continued for 3 hours, after which Renjiro dismissed Fujin.


    After dismissing Fujin, Renjiro reported to Hiruzen. On entering his office, Hiruzen asked him, "So how were the kids." Renjiro replied, "Very promising old man. They are much stronger than an average genin. Hoka is already at chuunin level in terms of Taijutsu. And Mieko is the same in terms of Ninjutsu, though her chakra reserves need to increase. Fujin''s Ninjutsu isn''t bad either. Though his Ninjutsu was weaker than Mieko''s, he was more skillful with them. And his chakra reserves are higher than hers. The most surprising thing is that his tactical thinking is already on par with someone who has gone through many missions. And, even though they didn''t actively strategize, they were smart enough to take advantage of the openings provided by their other teammates. Even if I had conducted a test, they would have easily passed it to be genins."


    Hiruzen nodded and thought, ''Just as their results indicate. Though Fujin''s tactical prowess is surprising to hear. I guess that is why he was able to easily rank 1st in the written exams.'' He then asked, "What about Fujin''s sword skills?" Renjiro shook his head and said, "I can''t say yet. His basics are good, but whether he can learn further or not depends on his talent and the effort he puts in." Hiruzen replied, "Alright. I''ll leave it to you" and dismissed him.


    Next day, Fujin got up at 4:20 am and thought, ''I thought waking up at 5 am was too early. Now this guy asks us to gather there at 5 am! Not to mention, that training ground is over 15 fucking kilometres from my home. Sigh, whatever. I guess I''ll get a good morning run at least. Not sure if he''s training will be as intense as my morning workouts, so I could increase the pressure applied by the seal on my body during that run.''


    Fujin reached the training grounds just before 5 am and saw that both his teammates were already there. He wished them good morning and waited for Renjiro. Renjiro appeared right at 5 am and said, "Morning"


    The kids wished him back. Renjiro began by saying, "From today onwards, we''ll meet here daily at 5 am. Our mornings will begin with rigorous physical training."


    He then looked at Mieko and said, "Fujin''s and Hoka''s physiques are very well developed. However Mieko, you don''t have any seals on your body to help build your physical strength, do you?" Mieko shook her head. Renjiro said, "Today, you''ll ask your parents to get that seal for you. And get the seal before this week ends." Mieko nodded and said, "Yes Sensei"


    He then looked at Hoka and Fujin and asked, "How much maximum pressure can your seals apply?" Hoka replied, "Maximum, it can apply 125 kg weight." Fujin replied, "Mine can apply a maximum weight of 250 kg." Hoka looked at Fujin with a bit of jealousy as his seal was better.


    Renjiro then asked, "Alright, and how much percent of the pressure do you two use?" Hoka replied, "30%" and Fujin replied, "13.5%" On hearing Hoka''s reply, Fujin sighed internally, ''No wonder he can keep up so easily with me.'' Whereas Hoka''s mood cheered up as he thought, ''Even though his seal is better, I apply more pressure on my body!'' Mieko, on the other hand, was upset and annoyed thinking, ''No wonder these two move so fast. Why didn''t anyone ever tell me about this method to get stronger?''


    Renjiro thought, ''Really impressive. It seems that I can make their physical training more rigorous than I had nned.'' He said, "Alright, let''s begin with our training."


    And team 3 began their first training session under their new sensei. Everyone was very enthusiastic. Getting personally trained by an Elite Jounin would be really helpful. No matter what their dreams were, bing an Elite Jounin would be the minimum requirement for them to reach. Only after that could they think of making their dreams a reality.


    In the first 30 minutes, all 3 were very energetic. In the next 30 minutes, their enthusiasm died down. After 1 hour, Mieko could barely keep up with the training. Even an aloof Hoka could clearly notice that she was trying her hardest to hold back her tears. Hoka could still keep up and was the only one looking forward to the next three hours. Fujin could keep up too, but he had a very bad feeling. After 2 hours, Fujin was badly regretting the decision he made in the morning. He thought, ''Which fucking demon put the thoughts of turning up the pressure of the seal to fucking 25% for the morning run to this training ground?''


    When the training finally ended at 9 am, Hoka and Fujin dropped to the ground. They could barely even move any muscle. Mieko had already dropped unconscious sometime earlier. Neither Fujin nor Hoka were aware when exactly, but Renjiro picked her up andid her under a tree. Fujin would have screamed for ''Child Protectionws'', but he was too tired to even think about it. He noticed that Mieko got up a few minutes after the training ended, and that felt very fishy for some reason.


    Looking at that sight, Renjiro chuckled internally. He said, "No need to overreact so much. It was merely a light morning workout. Now get up and move under that tree." They both barely got up and wobbled somehow to those trees and sat there, while resting their backs on the trunk of the tree. Renjiro then tossed a couple of ration bars and a water bottle to all 3 and said, "You can rest here for the next hour. Eat those ration bars and hydrate yourself, preferably after half an hour. I''ll meet you here again at 10." He then flickered away.


    As soon as he left, both Fujin and Hoka slid down and began sleeping. This pissed Mieko who said loudly, "Wake up you two, we can''t sleep all day!" That woke the two of them up. Hoka dismissively replied, "We didn''t sleep for over an hour during the workout." Fujin continued in the same tone, "Yeah, wake us up after 30-40 minutes." And they both went back to sleep. Mieko was very annoyed and made some noise, but both were too tired to respond to her antics and just ignored her.


    After around half an hour, Mieko woke them both up. As soon as they woke up, they ate the ration bars and emptied the water bottle. The short nap brought their energy levels up, but didn''t do much to stop the muscle ache all over the body. Fujin sighed and said, "I think every single muscle in my body is aching." Hoka replied, "Yeah, same here. I don''t think it''s gonna stop anytime soon." Fujin replied, "Especially if this has to be done every morning." That sentence scared both Hoka and Mieko. Mieko asked, "No way, right? Unlike you two, I didn''t evenst the whole workout! How will we do this daily?"


    Fujin chuckled internally and thought, ''Poor girl. She is totally freaked out! Hahaha. Still, this sensei¡­. I was upset at not getting a chance to meet Guy and hence not having any opportunity to learn from him. But with this, I don''t think it was such a bad thing to not meet him. As insane as this workout was, Guy, probably, still beats this by a long distance. Otherwise there''s no way he''d learn the Eight Inner Gates all the way to the 8th Gate!''


    Hoka tried to console Mieko and said, "Don''t worry. I have been doing such physical workouts for years. After some time, our body will get used to it. And the results will be worth it." That calmed Mieko down a bit. However, Fujin thought, ''Now that I think about it, this is a good opportunity to curb her Uchiha pride a bit.'' He countered Hoka by saying, "I don''t think that will be the case with Renjiro sensei. If we get anywhere near beingfortable with this workout, he''ll probably change it. Even if that isn''t the case, he could just make us increase the pressure on our body."


    That again freaked Mieko out. She quickly asked, "But can''t we fool sensei by lying about how much pressure we have applied?" Hokamented, "Yeah, we can. There''s no way for others to check it." However Fujin countered again, "Even if he can''t check it, he''ll understand by how tired we are after the workout. So though we could fake the pressure, I don''t think we can fool an Elite Jounin about how difficult the workout is."


    On being countered again, Hoka wondered what Fujin was up to. He thought, ''I''m going out of my way to make her feel better, but Fujin is making her more and more scared.'' He thought for a bit, but couldn''t think of anything and let it go, ''Whatever, I don''t care. Still though, for a physical workout to push me to this extent. I need to get stronger!''


    Mieko tried to think of more ways out, but couldn''t think of anything. She had one thought which she was nning to ask her teammates, ''Can we ask sensei to decrease the difficulty of the workout?'' However, her pride didn''t allow her to say that. She decided, ''Fine. I''ll just work harder and improve my physique! I''m the only one to graduate from my ss, which shows how much better I am aspared to others. There''s no way a single routine will stop me from achieving my dream!''


    Fujin didn''t see the look of determination on both his teammates. His body was still very sore to pay much attention to them. However, another person did.

 Chapter 39: Rank C Wind Release Jutsus

    Renjiro was hiding nearby and watching his young students. Looking at the determined looks of Hoka and Mieko, he smiled thinking ''Excellent! With this determination, their power will increase very rapidly. Sadly, Fujin isn''t looking that determined.'' He thought a bit and concluded, ''Well just because there''s no determined look on him doesn''t mean that he''s discouraged. Though he did speak about future challenges, it didn''t seem like he wanted to back away. Anyways, I should get a better idea after a few more sessions. If he isn''t determined, then I have a few ways to make him determined!'' If Fujin knew his sensei''s ns for him, he would have shuddered.


    When just 5 minutes of break was left, Fujin and Hoka got up and began stretching. Mieko copied them. They weren''t sure which crazy session awaited them, and decided to loosen up their muscles. Renjiro soon appeared in front of them and said, "Before we begin with the next session, let''s talk about your routines first."


    Renjiro then discussed everyone''s routine one by one. He nned to train them from 5 am to 9 am and from 10 am to noon. For Fujin, there''d be additional 3 hours of training from 2 pm to 5 pm. He modified everyone''s routines to fit his own training ns. He also rmended everyone their diets. And that involved a lot of ration bars! Renjiro rmended them to eat one at 4:15 am, 2 at 9:30 am and another one or two during lunch. He exined that ration bars were created for ninjas who''d be on very long missions away from Konoha. So they have absolutely everything necessary that a ninja must consume. Apart from that, food items rich in proteins were rmended by him.


    Fujin groaned a bit at his schedule. He thought, ''No freaking way! Since when did Jounin sensei begin spending so much time to train their genins? Heck, apart from Kakashi teaching Sasuke Chidori, and Guy teaching Lee, I don''t think any of the remaining 10 were taught anything significant at all by their sensei! With him practically taking my whole day, I won''t have any time to keep practicing Fuinjutsu or learn any new Ninjutsu! I am not sure if the trade off is worth it.''


    He thought a bit more and sighed, ''I don''t really have a say here, I really hope that the trade off is worth it.''


    Renjiro began the next training session. Considering how tired his students were, Renjiro decided to let them have it easy. The session focused on teamwork and team formations. Nothing fancy, just the application of what they were taught in the academy.


    At noon, Renjiro stopped the training and gathered everyone. He then said, "Fujin, for today, we''ll skip your sword practice. I have another assignment for you. All 3 of you will visit the library and decide what you guys want to learn over the next year. We will discuss it tomorrow. And don''t forget, we''ll have daily training sessions here at 5 am."


    Fujin, Hoka and Mieko nodded and thanked him. Hoka and Mieko left for their home, whereas Fujin went over to Yakiniku Q for lunch. Fujin did train hard over the past 5 years. However, nothing came close to what he went through today. Despite the pain, he was actually looking forward to how much stronger this training would make him.


    After lunch, he went over to the library. He entered the section C of the library and began searching for Wind release jutsus. He also wanted to look at rank C Earth release jutsus, but he thought, ''That old freak can sneak up without me even sensing. And given that he has given us this task, I wouldn''t be surprised if he is keeping an eye here. I''ll just check the rest sometimeter.''


    What surprised him was that the number of rank C Wind Release jutsus exceeded the number of rank D and Rank E Wind Release jutsus. On going through all of them, he made a list.


    The list of rank C Wind Release jutsus was :


    Gale Palm Jutsu


    Great Breakthrough Jutsu


    Spinning Shield of Wind Jutsu


    Wind Gale Wolf Jutsu


    Wind Dragon Jutsu


    Wind Cutter Jutsu


    Faithful Wind de Jutsu


    Wind Instantaneous Body Jutsu


    Air Current Wild Dance Jutsu


    He had already learnt Great Breakthrough jutsu. So he read the scrolls of the remaining jutsus to get a better understanding of them.


    After reading, he concluded ''So Gale Palm jutsu is basically just a more advanced form of Gale Surge jutsu. It does provide 360¡ã coverage, but its power is stillcking. Not to mention, Spinning Shield of Wind jutsu is a much better defensive jutsu. Not only does it defend, but it also reflects back all attacks made on it.


    Wind Instantaneous Body jutsu is simr to Body Flicker jutsu. The body moves along with a Gale of wind. It''s an escape jutsu. And the user can move over a kilometre.


    Wind Cutter jutsu and Faithful Wind de jutsu are offense oriented jutsus. Wind Cutter basically just uses wind to cut through the enemies. And Faithful Wind de needs a sword or kunai or any de as a base. Using that, it creates a 10 feet long de of wind. Since it is made of wind, it is almost weightless, and is very sharp and difficult to block. I guess the jutsu that Baki used was a more advanced form of this jutsu.


    Air Current Wild Dance jutsu is a battlefield control jutsu and can be used to restrict enemies. Wind Gale Wolf jutsu and Wind Dragon jutsu sound incredibly fun. A wind sphere has to be made, and then the caster has to make a wolf or a dragon from that sphere. But both jutsus take different routes ahead. In Wind Gale Wolf jutsu, I can make more wolves as I get stronger. Whereas, in Wind Dragon jutsu, the dragon can shoot out Wind Explosion jutsu!''


    He began analyzing, ''Once again, these jutsus are very interesting. Most of these jutsus aren''t restricted by their ranks, and can perform even as good as an rank S jutsu if the caster is strong enough and has mastered these jutsus to their limits. In fact, Spinning Shield of Wind jutsu, Wind Gale Wolf jutsu and Wind Dragon jutsu are ssified as rank C-S, depending on how strong their user is. At rank C, Spinning Shield of Wind can only deflect weapons back. But as it is made stronger, it can reflect low level Ninjutsu back, and at its peak, it is said to be able to reflect even rank A jutsus back. For Wind Gale Wolf jutsu, it''s about the number of Wolves that can be formed. At rank C, only one can be formed. But at rank S, the caster can make hundreds of these wolves. Something that''ll be incredibly useful against an army. For Wind Dragon jutsu, it''s about the size of the dragon and the number of Wind Explosion jutsus it can spit out. ording to the scroll, someone withrge amounts of chakra and excellent chakra control could make a Dragon that is over a kilometre long and can shoot out hundreds of Wind Explosion jutsus.


    Even though the other jutsus aren''t stated to be able to reach such a level, I can imagine them to be much stronger. For instance, for Faithful Wind de jutsu, the size of the wind de could be extended even further. Or it could be made much sharper. Simrly, Wind Instantaneous Body jutsu could probably be used to move tens of kilometres away.''


    He then calmed himself and thought, ''The only issue is, why haven''t I heard about anyone using these jutsus? Even if these jutsus have that potential, if no one can reach it, then there must be some issue.'' He analyzed for a few minutes and concluded, ''I guess using my memories about Naruto is very unreliable. Also, it is very likely that wind affinity ninjas in Konoha do practice these jutsus, just that I''m not aware of them. Not surprising. But I do wanna know if there was even one character in the past who used these jutsus to their full potential!''


    He noticed, ''I lost my focus. Let me first decide which jutsus to learn.''


    After analysing, he decided, ''I will learn Spinning Shield of Wind jutsu, Wind Gale Wolf jutsu, Wind Dragon jutsu, Faithful Wind de jutsu and Wind Instantaneous Body jutsu. I don''t need the battlefield control that Air Current Wild Dance jutsu provides currently. And for defense, escaping into the ground and Spinning Shield of Wind jutsu are better options than Gale Palm jutsu. Wind Cutter jutsu could have been useful, but I have another idea.''


    While analyzing the jutsus, Fujin noticed 2 peculiarities. His thoughts were, ''Wouldn''t Faithful Wind de jutsu be a better option than chakra flow? It makes me wonder if instead of sending a sh of chakra, I could use this to send a sh of wind in Samurai Saber Techniques. Also, can this be used in conjunction with chakra flow?


    The others are Wind Dragon jutsu and Wind Gale Wolf jutsu. The starting point of both of these jutsus is the same. So can I create wolves that shoot out Wind Explosion jutsu or can I create multiple dragons?''


    These ideas intrigued him a lot. He decided to experiment with them when he was strong enough to do so. After deciding the jutsus to learn, Fujin thought, ''Alright, decision made. Now I''ll dig up this entire library to see if anyone ever used these jutsus to their limits or not!''


    He got up to keep the scrolls back. On getting up he noticed, ''Eh, Mieko''s here? I didn''t even notice.'' He then tried to sense and noticed, ''Oh, Hoka is here too. And he is in section D.''

 Chapter 40: Second Kazekage

    Both Hoka and Mieko had arrived in the library sometime after Fujin. Unlike Fujin, they had guidance from their ninja parents. As they were talented enough, they were also guided by their respective n elders. So they hadn''t visited the vige''s library before as all their jutsus were directly taught to them. However, this time, respecting Renjiro''s wishes, the elders allowed these kids to go and research in the vige library. Of course, they would discuss Mieko and Hoka''s ns with them before they talk to Renjiro.


    Hoka was reading the scroll on Body Flicker jutsu in section D. He thought, ''Sigh, the library is full of Ninjutsu. I tried reading scrolls on Taijutsu, but they suck! Nothinges close to our Gentle Fist style. Sigh, I don''t wanna waste my time on Ninjutsu. I''ll just tell sensei that I will learn Body Flicker jutsu. It was very cool when Fujin just blitzed everywhere. Also, if my enemy knows this jutsu, I won''t be able to even touch him. Though father would probably still yell on me. Can''t they get that I want to focus only on Taijutsu?''


    Mieko, on the other hand, had directly arrived in section C and began looking for more Fire release jutsus. She thought, ''Why did my father make me search through jutsus here? Couldn''t they just teach me stronger jutsus?'' However, while searching, she found something that surprised her. She thought, ''Fire Release : Four? Why is this jutsu in section C? Shouldn''t it be a rank B jutsu and Fire Release : Five jutsu be a rank A jutsu?'' She took the scroll and began reading it. On reading it, she was very satisfied, she thought ''Finally! This jutsu finally has some power behind it.'' The Fire Release : Four jutsu was simr to Fire Release : Two jutsu. Point 2 fingers and release a heat ray. However, in this stage the power was much higher. It wasparable to using a very hot kunai. Mieko thought, ''With this, I couldpete with Hoka and Fujin in closebat. Getting hit by this will be very painful and it''ll be very hard to dodge in close range. Though I don''t like to admit it, both of them are much stronger than me physically. And Hoka''s Gentle Fist style is difficult to counter despite having Sharingan. With this jutsu, I could be as strong as them in closebat and I am already superior to them in rangedbat.'' She then looked for other jutsus. And decided to learn me sphere jutsu and Fireproof jutsu thinking, ''I don''t have any defensive jutsus. So these might be a bit useful.''


    Fujin ignored his teammates and began his search with the Kazekages. He wasn''t aware much about the Kazekages. He thought, ''The sybus didn''t focus much on the past Kazekages. In fact, they didn''t talk about which jutsus were used by any foreign Kage. I do recall Gaara, his father and the 3rd Kazekage. However, not much was shown. Gaara manipted sand, Rasa manipted gold and his predecessor manipted iron. And all theirbat was based around that. I hope the 1st and 2nd aren''t the same. Also it isn''t probable for 3rd and 4th Kazekages to not know anything else.''


    It took him a while to gather all the data on the 3 Kazekages. He had already read about Rasa in the Bingo Book. Sadly, the Bingo book didn''t maintain information on the dead. After almost 2 hours of going through various scrolls and trying to summarise it, Fujin understood ''I see. So the first Kazekage was a user of Ma Release kekkei genkai. He was the one who created Sunagakure. And unlike Hashirama, he did it with an iron fist. Many tribes and ns in the vicinity were forced to join in or evacuate. It seems like he wanted to keep the position of Kazekage within his n as he had announced his second son as his sessor. Sadly for him, Tobirama killed all three of his sons in a sh in the first war. Andter on, he was killed by the 2nd Tsuchikage''s dust release in the same war. Not having any one strong enough in the n, they had to appoint a student of the 1st Kazekage as the 2nd Kazekage. And at the same time, they began raising the 1st Kazekage''s grandson for the 3rd Kazekage''s position.


    Though all the Kazekages have been an expert at Wind Release, it was the 2nd one who was a true master of the wind. It seems that the legends from these scrolls came from him. In order to defend an important location, he had created a wind dragon so huge that its tail couldn''t be seen at all. He could also create hundreds of wolves to attack enemy armies. He could fly, and had shed with the 2nd Tsuchikage a few times. And it seems like all the Danzo''s vacuum jutsus came from the 2nd Kazekage too. However, towards the end of the 1st war, Tobirama killed the 2nd Kazekage. Though, despite that, they didn''t surrender and retreated back into their deserts, where no one dared to march on them.


    So, how exactly did Konoha get these jutsus? It''s very unlikely for Konoha and Suna to both have these jutsus. So either Suna or, more likely, Konoha stole it from the other.'' Fujin thought a bit and reached 3 conclusions, ''Well either Tobirama had an Uchiha keep an eye on him and copy his jutsus, or, Tobirama used Impure World Resurrection to get those jutsus from him, or Suna was asked to hand these jutsus over after their disastrous loss in the 2nd war. Hmm, knowing Tobirama, I''d say it is very likely that he employed both the first 2 ways and Hiruzen took the opportunity provided in the 2nd war to show that Konoha has acquired these jutsus in a proper manner. Of course, I can''t be sure that this is what happened. Either way, it does seem that the potential of these Wind release jutsus is very real.


    Still, the First Great Ninja War was so brutal. At the end of the war, every vige had to elect their 3rd Kage. Only Tobirama and the 2nd Raikage were alive, but they were killed during the peace talks when the Gold & Silver brothers revolted. Probably that''s why the next wars weren''t that intense. No Kage died in the Second Great Ninja War and the 3rd Raikage was the only Kage to die in the 3rd Great Ninja War. I guess they did learn some form of constraint. Makes me wonder if the first war is the reason why Hiruzen talks so much about peace and why Onoki chose to just watch and be known as the fence-sitter instead of being more proactive.''


    On validating the potential of the jutsus, Fujin decided to read one scroll up entirely to understand how the jutsu should be learnt. After analysing, he decided ''I''ll start with Faithful Wind de jutsu. It should assist in my Samurai Saber Techniques training with Renjiro. Though, I''ll need to confirm it with him first.''


    Mieko and Hoka had already left the library when Fujin was searching for information on the Kazekages. When Hoka reached home, his father asked, "So what have you decided to learn?" Hoka put up a very serious face, and said, "Father, I have decided to learn Body Flicker jutsu." And then he paused. His father kept waiting to hear his son''s further ns, but Hoka didn''t speak. He asked, "And?" Hoka showed a confused expression and asked, "And what?" He impatiently asked, "What will you learn in addition to Body Flicker jutsu?" Hoka again put up a very serious face and said, "I''ll learn more Taijutsu." This statement finally broke his father''s stoic expression, and got Hoka, a punch right on his head. He then dragged his son to his n''s library to pick out more jutsus for him.


    A simr scenario took ce at Mieko''s home. Her parents were happy with her choice to learn Fire Release : Four jutsu. But for the rest, her mother told her, "Those 2 jutsus don''t provide much defense. me sphere will at best help you defend against 1 attack, and Fireproof jutsus will only make you immune to Fire Release jutsus. Actually, Fire element doesn''t provide a good defense. Why don''t you learn Earth or Water Release jutsus for defense?" Mieko thought about what her parents said and agreed. She said, "Alright, but I also want to learn me Sphere and Fireproof." Knowing their daughter''s talent, her parents agreed. They then went to the Uchiha library to pick more jutsus.

 Chapter 41: Importance of Rank C Jutsus

    The next day again began with the brutal morning workout. At 10 am, Renjiro asked, "So what have you guys decided to learn?" Mieko, wanting to talk first, quickly said, "Sensei, I''ve decided to learn Fire Release : Four jutsu, me Sphere jutsu, Fireproof jutsu, Earth Military Movement jutsu and Hiding like a Mole jutsu."


    Renjiro nodded and asked, "Why?" Mieko said, "I already know Fire Release : Three jutsu, so Fire Release : Four is the next step. It''ll also be a very strong option in closebat. Earth Military Movement jutsu and Hiding like a mole jutsu are to evade an enemy attack and once I''m underground, it''ll be a strong defense too. And if I have jumped and can''t reach the ground, then I''ll use me Sphere jutsu to defend. And Fireproof jutsu would help me be immune to Fire Release jutsus."


    On hearing her reason, Fujin thought, ''Hehe, she memorized the whole thing! Still Hiding like a Mole jutsu. I should learn that one. I hope that jutsu has some way to breathe underground. Though I did develop a few ways to ensure cracks in the surface to allow some flow of air underground, it is not very reliable.''


    Renjiro too noticed the memorized answer and sighed internally, ''They still assisted her in the decision. Though this n should be good enough.'' He then said, "That should be good enough. However, you will train to be able to perform Fire Release : Four jutsu without any hand signs." Mieko was confused, "Without any hand signs? How and why?" Renjiro replied, "Do you think that your enemies will wait for you to perform your hand signs when you are in a closebat? As to how, don''t worry. I''ll teach you." Mieko was very intrigued by it and nodded excitedly.


    He then looked over to Fujin. Fujin said, "I''ve decided to learn Spinning Shield of Wind jutsu, Wind Gale Wolf jutsu Wind Dragon jutsu, Faithful Wind de jutsu and Wind Instantaneous Body jutsu." This surprised Renjiro a bit. He thought, ''That''s surprising. He wants to learn 5 rank C wind release jutsu? I did have ns to suggest a couple of jutsus in case he chose only 1 or 2. I suppose this will be good too. I''ll just teach those to him sometimeter.'' Though Renjiro hid it soon, Fujin did notice him getting surprised. He sighed internally, ''I would have preferred to train in them in secret, but he barely allows me any free time to do that. So if I only mentioned one or two, then there''s a chance that I might be stuck with only those for some time.''


    Renjiro then nodded and asked, "Why?" Fujin replied, "Spinning Shield of Wind jutsu will help me defend from frontal assaults and even counterattack. Gale Wolf and Wind Dragon jutsu will allow me to attack from a distance and control the battlefield. And I could attack from bothnd and the sky with them. Wind Instantaneous Body jutsu is an escape jutsu. As for Faithful Wind de, I think that it''llplement Samurai Saber Techniques well, so I n to start with it."


    Renjiro thought, ''Very good, considering that he didn''t have anyone to guide him. 2 jutsus very long range, 1 defensive, 1 close range and 1 escape jutsus and he already has 2 usable mid-range jutsus.'' He thenmented, "Good thinking. But,ter on, you''ll also have to learn your second element. Wind is good for offense, but not very good for defense. Also, don''t learn Faithful Wind de jutsu right now. While it willplement Samurai Saber Techniques, but that''s only after you''ve mastered it. Right now it''ll be an obstacle instead. Start with Wind Dragon jutsu."


    Fujin nodded and asked, "Why should Wind Dragon jutsu be learnt first? Wouldn''t it be easier to learn Wind Gale Wolf jutsu first and then learn Wind Dragon jutsu?" Renjiro was impressed with the question. He answered, "I have some ns for your Wind Dragon jutsu. So don''t worry about it. As for the learning order, once you learn Wind Dragon jutsu, it''ll be much easier to learn Wind Gale Wolf jutsu." Fujin nodded while thinking, ''Yeah, but that doesn''t make learning Wind Dragon jutsu any easier!''


    Renjiro then looked at Hoka. Hoka said, "I''ve decided to learn Body Flicker jutsu, Stone Shuriken jutsu, Rock Thorn Bed jutsu, Rock Thornunch jutsu and Water shuriken jutsu." Both Fujin and Mieko noticed the sorrowful tone of Hoka. Renjiro thought, ''I know you don''t like Ninjutsu, but is there a need to look at me like I owe you a million Ryo?'' He ignored that and thought about the jutsus, ''Just like us, the Hyugas focus on earth and water elements too. The Gentle Fist style has both the sturdiness of Earth and the flexibility of Water. So even if they don''t have those affinities, they are still trained in those elements. Luckily for him, he does have the Earth affinity. Still, he chose only one rank C jutsu. All others are rank D. I guess I need to take it slow with this kid.''


    Renjiro asked once again, "Why?" Hoka replied the answer that his father had made him memorize, "Body Flicker is to increase my speed. My Gentle Fist style is restricted by range. So I can use Body Flicker to force the enemy into closebat. And if an enemy stays barely outside my range, then I can engage him with Stone Shuriken jutsu. If the fight is on water, then I can engage him with Water Shuriken jutsu. Rock Thorn Bed jutsu is to stop the enemies from running away and Rock Thorn Launch jutsu is in case the enemy jumps to avoid the rock thorns." Renjiro nodded and thought, ''The usual Hyuga tactic of using Rock Thorn Bed jutsu for the reverse purpose. Though I''ll have to make him learn more rank C Earth and Water Release jutsus.''


    Renjiro then looked at all 3 of his students and said, "I''ll now exin to you why I made you go through this exercise. But first, tell me, which rank jutsu would you guys like to use?"


    Mieko replied immediately, "I''d like to learn and use Rank S jutsu." She then looked at Renjiro with hopeful eyes. Renjiro chuckled internally and looked at the other 2 kids. Fujin was in thought, and Hoka appeared tense. Hoka, while sweating, said, "Ra.. Rank D ju¡­ jutsus are enough for me!" Mieko red at Hoka for saying that. Renjiro then looked at Fujin and asked, "Fujin?" Fujin looked at his sensei and said, "I''d like to use rank A or S jutsus too. But I''m not sure of how much chakra they would need. If just using 1 rank S jutsupletely drains my chakra, then it''s kinda pointless, isn''t it?"


    Renjiro smiled on hearing that answer, ''Perfect. This kid''s analytical ability is very good.'' Renjiro said, "You are right. This exercise is for you guys to find the jutsus most suited for you. No matter what rank ninja you be in the future, the jutsus you''ll use the most are rank C jutsus. The reason is that the jutsus that are rank B and above drain a lot of chakra and affect your ability to fight for long." He waited a few moments for the genins to understand. He continued, "So, in the future, how good of a ninja you be will depend on how good you are at using the rank C jutsus you have." He then looked at Mieko and said, "It isn''t about the number of rank C jutsus you know, but about how good you are at using them."


    He then looked at Fujin and said, "Fujin, use your Great Breakthrough jutsu on those trees." Fujin nodded, made the hand signs, and released his Great Breakthrough jutsu. The jutsu created a lot of winds, causing the branches to shake wildly and a lot of leaves and twigs to fall down. The winds left deep cuts in most trees. After a minute, the winds died down. Fujin thought, ''Alright, that''s about 25% of my full power with this jutsu.''


    Renjiro said, "Good, now watch this." Renjiro then made 1 hand sign, and then used Great Breakthrough jutsu himself. The power behind his jutsu was easily over ten times of what Fujin had done. The winds went through a few trees. 3 trees were uprooted. And even though the jutsu wasn''t directed at them, Fujin, Hoka and Mieko all felt those winds and had to hold on to the ground. Hoka and Mieko were very shocked by what they saw. Whereas Fujin had only one thought, ''Isn''t this illegal deforestation? Someone call the cops and the media! Old man, Hashirama is no longer alive to just create more trees out of thin air.''


    Mieko asked enthusiastically, "But how? Why is your jutsu so much stronger than Fujin''s?" Renjiro replied, "Because I have mastered this jutsu to a greater degree than Fujin." Fujin rebuked internally, ''Incorrect old man, you still had to use 1 hand sign. You just charged the jutsu with way more chakra than I did or can. Though I guess you were more efficient in chakra use.'' Renjiro continued, "And this wasn''t my full power. Nor have Ipletely mastered this jutsu. Had it been lord Hokage, then he could have leveled this whole forest with just this jutsu." Mieko, Fujin and Hoka were very surprised and excited at that information. Or at least the other 2 were. Fujin sighed internally thinking, ''Hiruzen is a lot scarier here than in Naruto. I really wonder if Orochimaru will really be able to kill him or not.''


    Satisfied with his students'' reactions, Renjiro said, "So this is why, you need to focus on learning and mastering the proper rank C jutsus. In the future, these jutsus are what you''ll be using the most. Of course, it doesn''t mean that you should not learn higher rank jutsus. The additional power they provide is very useful. However, if you don''t have a good set of Rank C jutsus mastered, then you won''t ever be able to be truly strong." Mieko and Fujin nodded, but Hoka still looked a bit reluctant. Renjiro looked at Hoka and said, "Hoka, no matter how good you be at Taijutsu. You''ll never be a strong ninja without mastering a few good Rank C jutsus."


    Hoka looked down and softly murmured, "Even without Ninjutsu I can still be a very strong ninja." Renjiro sighed and said, "Alright, we will have one spar between Fujin and you right now." Mieko pouted as she wasn''t involved in the spar. Renjiro made Hoka and Fujin take their positions. While they were heading towards their position, Renjiro secretly whispered to Fujin.

 Chapter 42: Fujin Vs Hoka

    Hoka and Fujin were facing each other and were 10 metres apart. Renjiro announced, "You can use everything you know in this spar. Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, Taijutsu and Kenjutsu are all allowed. But don''t hurt each other fatally." Both kids nodded.


    Renjiro announced, "Fight!" As soon as he said that, Hoka activated his Byakugan and rushed forward as fast as he could to engage Fujin in closebat. However, Fujin just flickered away. On gaining sufficient distance, he prepared one Wind Explosion jutsu in each hand.


    On seeing that, Hoka stopped and quickly started using hand signs for Rock Shield jutsu. Fujin recognized the hand signs and threw one wind sphere on Hoka. That put a lot of pressure on Hoka, but he managed to create the rock shield in time. The wind sphere hit the rock shield and exploded, creating a lot of winds. Seeing that his jutsu worked, Hoka sighed in relief, and put his guard down for a moment.


    That turned out to be a mistake, as Hoka''s Byakugan saw a wind sphere heading towards him from the left. He tried to jump away quickly, but the wind sphere exploded near him. The explosion created more winds, which hit Hoka while he was in the air. The winds threw him off course, causing him to fall badly. Hoka quickly got on his feet, only to see one more wind sphere headed straight towards him. This time, he didn''t jump and instead tried running away. However, more and more Wind spheres kept heading towards him. For the next 15 seconds, Hoka just kept dodging. The winds created by the explosion had created small scratches all over his body, and his clothes were in a very bad shape.


    Finally Hoka adjusted himself, and began dodging the wind spheres properly. He used his Byakugan to see the wind spheres as soon as they wereunched, and dodged in the right directions. Fujin thought, ''Excellent. The rate at which I''m creating the wind spheres is just one fifth of what I''m truly capable of, while their power is one third of their max power. Still he''s struggling so badly. Oh well, time to end this farce I guess.''


    Fujin halved the number of wind spheres he was throwing. This allowed Hoka to close the distance between him and Fujin. He thought, ''Finally! He slowed down. Time to finish him with my Gentle Fist.'' When the distance between the two was just 10 metres, Fujin began moving backwards. Hoka thought, ''It''ll be annoying if he creates the distance again'' and increased his speed.


    However, Fujin quickly made a few hand signs. Seeing Fujin making hand signs, Hoka tried to increase his speed further, however, he quickly realised and panicked. He quickly tried making hand signs for Rock Shield jutsu, but it was toote. Fujin, who was merely a few metres ahead of him, blew strong winds straight at him. The resultant winds blew Hoka back with force. Renjiro, who was nning to jump in, noticed, ''I see. Fujin put a very low amount of chakra in the jutsu. And it seems like he also made it very mild. Had he used as much force as he disyed earlier, that jutsu could have maimed Hoka.''


    The winds blew Hoka around 50 metres back. Though Fujin tried to limit its power, Hoka still got dragged along the ground, causing him a lot of scratches which bled. After the winds subsided, Fujin picked up a small pebble nearby and threw it at Hoka. As Fujin had expected, Hoka still got up and wanted to fight more. He noticed the pebble heading towards him and stepped aside. He was about to rush towards Fujin again, however, the pebble suddenly took a hard turn and headed straight at him. Hoka couldn''t react and the pebble hit him straight on his chest.


    It didn''t cause any damage to Hoka, but Renjiro announced, "That''s enough. Winner is Fujin." On hearing that, Hoka dropped to his knees dejectedly. Though he didn''t want to admit it, he knew that if Fujin had used a shuriken instead of a pebble, he''d have been injured very badly. This loss hit him hard. Fujin expected it, and so did Renjiro. During the 4 years of his academy, Hoka had never lost a fight to any of his ssmates. In his 2nd graduation exam, he even beat his seniors. However, this time he was defeated, and he never even had a chance.


    Looking at Hoka''s crestfallen expression, Renjiro sighed, ''While I expected this result, I didn''t think it''d be so bad. He didn''t even have a chance.'' He then looked at Fujin and thought, ''This kid though. Even though I asked him to maintain distance while fighting, I didn''t expect him to do this well. He controlled the flow of the whole battle, and had Hoka moving exactly how he wanted. He even threw a sphere on Hoka''s defense on purpose, just to get his guard down. There''s a lot more to this kid than we thought. Hehe, it makes me very interested in his future. Perhaps in the next great war, he might be an important figure.''


    He then looked at Hoka and said, "So, do you understand now why Ninjutsu is important?" Hoka looked up at his sensei. Renjiro continued, "Your opponent used 2 rank D and 1 rank C jutsu. 1 was a movement jutsu and the other 2 were mid range jutsu. While you only used 1 defensive rank E jutsu. You specialize in Taijutsu, but you didn''t even get a chance to engage your enemy in Taijutsu." Hoka nodded sadly.


    Renjiro then put up a kind smile and said reassuringly, "I know that you like Taijutsu a lot. And I support your enthusiasm for it. But you need to know Ninjutsu too in order to be able to use your Taijutsu effectively. There hasn''t been any ninja who has be strong by only focusing on Taijutsu and neglecting everything else."


    While he was saying that, he secretly thought, ''Though there was one ninja who could challenge what I said. Might Duy, he killed 4 Swordsman of the Mist and forced the remaining 3 to run away. Just like Minato was credited for our victory against Iwa, Duy can be credited for our victory over Kiri. They never dared to ever fight us again after that incident. Though, I would still stand by what I said to Hoka. Despite Duy being as strong as he was, he still struggled atpleting normal missions. Not knowing any good Genjutsu or Ninjutsu and just depending on Taijutsu is a bad idea. His son, despite preferring Taijutsu and mostly using it, does know a decent amount of Ninjutsu. But if his Taijutsu keeps advancing at the same rate, he might make what I said invalid.''


    Hoka nodded his head and said with determination, "Yes sensei. I will work hard on my Ninjutsu too." Renjiro kept his kind smile, and sighed in relief internally, ''Finally, I got another kid on the right track! I have to admit. The old man''s tactics in handling kids are the best. No wonder he was able to train 3 Sannins! Anyways, my team is finally set.''


    He then looked at all 3 of his students and said, "I hope all of you have realised the importance of rank C jutsus by now." Fujin, Hoka and Mieko nodded. Renjiro continued, "In terms of Ninjutsu, your next focus will be on learning and mastering rank C jutsus. Until I say otherwise, none of you will attempt to learn a rank B or higher jutsu."


    He then advised the kids more and ended the day by saying, "This will be your today''s assignment. Fujin, you and Mieko will take Hoka to the vige hospital and see that his wounds are tended to. And Fujin, meet me here at 2 pm." He then flickered away.


    On the way to the hospital, Hoka was walking in an awkward manner. The morning training followed by getting several cuts took its toll. Seeing him wobble, Fujin said, "Sorry about that." Hoka replied, "It''s okay. Don''t worry about it." Mieko said, "Yeah, it''s just a few cuts. Stop wobbling and walk faster." Hoka, however, replied with his usual stoic face, "Perhaps if I slept for over 2 hours during the morning workout, I might have been able to walk properly." Hearing that, Fujin chuckled, while Mieko became very embarrassed.


    Fujin and Mieko apanied Hoka in the hospital. Hoka was asked to go to a ward. First a civilian doctor arrived, and cleaned all his wounds up. 5 minutes after the doctor left, a medical ninja arrived and healed all the cuts on him and advised him to take rest for the remaining day. Fujin observed the entire process, and then looked at Mieko with a hint of jealousy. He sighed thinking, ''If only I had the sharingan. I''d have just copied Mystical Palm jutsu and been done with it.''


    They then said farewell to each other and left.

 Chapter 43: Training under an Elite Jounin

    In the afternoon, Fujin visited the training grounds where Renjiro trained him in the basics of Samurai Saber Techniques.


    Next day again began with the same workout. At 10 am, Renjiro said, "Today, we will begin learning new jutsus. Hoka, you''ll begin with Rock Thorn Bed jutsu. Fujin, you''ll start with Wind Dragon jutsu and Mieko, you''ll start with Fire Release : Four jutsu."


    The kids nodded. Renjiro then made a hand sign and prepared 3 shadow clones. Each of the shadow clones took a scroll from the main body and then took one genin. Hoka stayed at the same ce, whereas Fujin and Mieko were moved to a different location in the training ground. The clones then gave the scroll to the genins, and asked them to read and start attempting the jutsu. As the kids began to learn them, the clone constantly kept a watch, and gave tips and advice when they felt the need to.


    The training under Renjiro continued in this manner. The morning workout remained the same. Whereas, in the 10 am to noon session, Renjiro alternated between training them in team formations and Ninjutsu training. In the afternoons, Renjiro trained Fujin with the sword. And from 6 pm to 8:30 pm, Fujin trained by himself. He either practiced the jutsu he was learning, or fought against his shadow clones.


    Fujin found the training under Renjiro to be very helpful. Even though Fujin was already able to perform a few jutsus without hand signs, getting tips from Renjiro on the same helped him optimize it even further. Learning new jutsu became much easier too due to the tips Renjiro gave. He learnt the Wind Dragon jutsu in a week, Wind Gale Wolf jutsu in 2 days, Spinning Shield of Wind jutsu in 9 days and Wind Instantaneous Body jutsu in 3 days. The rank C jutsus provided some challenge for Fujin. Wind Dragon and Spinning Shield of Wind was difficult to learn. Wind Gale Wolf jutsu however, was very easy to learn after having learnt Wind Dragon jutsu. Wind Instantaneous Body jutsu too was very simr to Body Flicker jutsu. Only, instead of depending on their own force, the user had to create a gust of wind and use it to move. It''s range wasrger than Body Flicker jutsu. Fujin was instantly able to move 300 metres away with the aid of this jutsu. Another advantage was that it didn''t leave any traces behind for the enemy to track. While right now, Fujin could escape better by spamming Body Flicker jutsu, he was sure that once he mastered this jutsu, it''ll be much better at escaping than Body Flicker jutsu.


    His sword skills too had improved drastically. He and Renjiro decided on the length of the swords Fujin should get. It was 57 cm. After 3 weeks as a genin, Fujin received the 2 samurai swords he was promised. He was called to the Hokage''s office along with Renjiro and given the swords. Fujin did note the fact that Hiruzen took every opportunity he could in order to make the kids more loyal to Konoha.


    In the training grounds, he held the 2 swords. Even though he wasn''t an expert in swords, he clearly felt that these 2 were much better in quality. On that day, Renjiro began teaching Fujin chakra flow. Fujin, who already knew it, calmed himself and acted like it was the first time he was seeing it. He thought, ''I am not sure I can hide my skill from him. I guess I should just not do what I know and follow his instructions to the T.'' Luckily for Fujin, Renjiro''s methods to create chakra flow was much different from what he had tried. It was also much more suitable. So he just honestly tried that method. Due to the method being different, he struggled initially. However, once he got a hang of it, the remaining phase was extremely easy for him. In merely three days, he managed to flow his chakra through his new swords. He noticed, ''Wow, this is so easy with this sword!''


    Renjiro on the other hand, was very shocked. He thought, ''The hell? He learnt Chakra Flow in merely 3 days? Even assuming that he trained at home, he couldn''t have trained for more than 15 hours.'' He tried to make sense of it, ''Did he already know it?'' He tried analysing, and concluded ''No, his struggle initially was very real. It''s just that after he managed to do it a little bit, the rest became very easy for him. It''s as if it was second nature to him.'' His analysis shocked him even further. He finally chuckled and thought, ''Master Mifune, it seems like I have picked up a student more talented than anyone in thend of iron.'' With that thought, he beganughing loudly, "Hahahahaha" Thatugh did attract Fujin''s attention. He thought, ''Did he notice? No, that shouldn''t be it. I guess it''s my talent. Sigh, there was no other choice. Still, he doesn''t need tough like a retard.''


    Renjiro noticed Fujin looking at him with a concerned look, as if he was wondering whether his sensei needed some medical attention. He said, "Don''t worry about it kid. I just recalled an old geezer who was bragging about the talents in his vige. Anyways, now that you have learnt chakra flow, we''ll work towards mastering it. The intensity of the training too will increase a lot." Fujin nodded. From that day onwards, Renjiro became much more enthusiastic in teaching the Samurai Saber Techniques to Fujin. That also meant that the training became much tougher. It almost became half as intense as the morning workout.


    Mieko and Hoka too made a lot of progress. Mieko learnt all her jutsus within the first 2 weeks, whereas Hoka needed a month to learn his. Learning Body Flicker made Hoka a much better ninja. By the end of the month, Mieko finally managed to get through the entire morning workout. As soon as she did that, Renjiro asked her to start activating the Training seal to 1% of its maximum capacity. Poor girl''s joy atpleting the workout quickly turned to horror. He had increased the pressure on Hoka''s and Fujin''s bodies too by making them increase the pressure of their seals to 32% and 15% respectively.


    [A/N : I''ll call that seal ''Training seal'' from here onwards. Probably should''ve named it when I introduced it.]


    Apart from the personal improvements, the squad had also improved as a team. Within the first week, all the basic 4 man and 3 man formations were drilled into the trio. After that, Renjiro began working on their teamwork andbination attacks. A lot of exercises and spars were conducted to improve teamwork. Forbination attacks, Fujin and Mieko were made tobine Wind Dragon and Fire Dragon jutsus. It took a few days to learn, but the result was excellent. The fire dragon was enhanced by the wind dragon, nearly doubling its size. It''s power was around 4 times the power of both the jutsus individually. The dragon could shoot Wind Explosion jutsu from its mouth, however, instead of normal winds, it was made of incredibly hot winds. On their first experiment, they nearly caused a forest fire! Luckily Renjiro was closely monitoring this training and quickly used Waterfall jutsu to douse the fire.


    Seeing that Fujin thought, ''Isn''t this very simr to Scorch style? I guess, only the power iscking.'' Fujin looked at Renjiro and asked, "Sensei, is it possible for only one ninja to perform thisbination jutsu? And I mean without using clones." Mieko was very intrigued by this question and paid attention. Renjiro answered, "Yes, it is possible. You have to use both the nature transformations at the same time and release them together. One way to do it is by doing hand signs for Fire Dragon jutsu with one hand, and for Wind Dragon jutsu with the other. But don''t worry about it for now. This is too advanced. You can''t do it right now." This answer surprised Fujin. He quickly asked, "But sensei, wouldn''t using 2 elements at the same time be a Kekkei Genkai? How can anyone do that without having the bloodline?" Renjiro answered, "This ain''t Kekkei Genkai. It''s merely using 2 elements toplement each other. For example, the Yuki n has Ice release Kekkei Genkai. Ice release is abination of water and wind. However, if youbine Wind and Water Dragons, all you get is a water dragon that cuts very sharply. There is no sign whatsoever of any ice forming. Combination jutsus merely enhance each other, whereas Kekkei Genkai bring a qualitative change to create something very different."


    On hearing that answer, Fujin fell into his thoughts, ''I see. So it''s possible tobine jutsus in this manner. I didn''t know it was possible. This does open up more options for me. I guess I need to start training other elements too. Wind works great with both Fire and Water. I wonder if it''s possible to make it work along with Lightning too. Sadly, I don''t think there''s a lot of scope in using the Wind element with Earth. I wonder when I''ll be ready to learn this though. Would showing off all my cards make him teach it to me? Though, not having hidden cards in a world as dangerous as this will suck.''


    He asked, "Sensei, when do you think I''ll be ready for this? If I learn a second element now, would I be able to do thisbination jutsu by myself?" Renjiro shook his head and said, "Don''t think about this right now. Think about this only after you be a jounin. Your skills in chakra control, chakra moulding will need to improve a lot before you begin practicing this. The amount of chakra you have will also need to be much higher. So as I said earlier, for the time being, you''ll only be mastering rank C jutsus." Fujin nodded dejectedly. Mieko too hung her head in disappointment on hearing this.

 Chapter 44: Combination Jutsus

    One day, when the 10 am session began, Renjiro said, "I have taught you onebination jutsu. And you can see how strong it is. I want you guys to think about more jutsus you can use inbination with each other. It doesn''t have to be as strong as Fire-Wind dragon jutsu, but it should increase your capabilities in some way. So think about it, but don''t experiment. I''ll meet you guys at 11" He then flickered away, without giving anyone a chance to say anything.


    Hoka said, "So what do we do?" Fujin, who had already thought a few over the past couple of weeks said, "Well let''s just think about it. And then discuss to see if everyone is fine with the idea." Mieko said, "Alright"


    After around 15 minutes, Mieko said "Hoka, can your Water element mix with my Fire element?" Hoka asked in a confused manner, "But how, won''t my water douse your fire?" Mieko smirked and said, "No it won''t. Fish Spit jutsu is the only one you have that can generate a small stream of water, and it is very weakpared to my jutsus. So my Fire jutsu will evaporate all your water and create a lot of steam." Hoka fell into a thought after hearing it. Fujin was quite surprised with this suggestion. He thought, ''I didn''t expect this brat toe up with something like this.'' He said, "Yeah, it''ll generate a lot of steam, but can either of you control it?" Both shook their heads. Fujin replied, "In that case, that can only be used to create a cover and hide ourselves." Mieko sighed dejectedly and began thinking again.


    After a couple of minutes, Fujin said "I have one idea. We can create a doubleyered defense. My Spinning Shield of Wind jutsu can stop and reflect all thrown weapons and some weaker Ninjutsu. However, if the enemy uses strong Ninjutsu, it''ll be breached. So my idea is to create a shield of wind, and right after that, Hoka will create a Rock Shield behind the shield to cover us further." Hoka thought and nodded, "Yes, that could work." However Mieko groaned and said, "Hey, don''t leave me out!" Fujin chuckled and said, "Actually I have one more idea. Hoka, can you use your Rock Shield jutsu?" Hoka was confused and asked, "But didn''t sensei tell us to not test anything?" Fujin replied, "He said that to prevent us from causing an ident. Just using Rock Shield jutsu will be fine. Also, quickly move behind a few metres after using the jutsu." Hoka nodded and got up. He performed the jutsu and quickly jumped back. Fujin thought, ''Not fast enough.'' He then said, "Alright, do it again. Only this time, I''ll throw a small pebble on you. Dodge that by moving backwards." Hoka made the hand signs and mmed his hands on the ground. Fujin waited for the jutsu to bepleted. As soon as it waspleted, he threw the pebble on Hoka. Hoka quickly dodged back. Fujin nodded and said, "Alright, that''s fast enough."


    Mieko asked, "So what''s the big idea?" Fujin replied, "I''m thinking that both of us should learn this jutsu too. If we do, then as soon as Hoka uses the jutsu and jumps back, one of us can create another rock shield behind his and repeat the same. This way a multi-tiered defense can be made on the fly. Another idea is, if all 3 of us can channel our chakra in the same rock shield, then will the shield be sturdier or will it berger? If that works, then it''ll be very useful too."


    Both Hoka and Mieko nodded and agreed. They began brainstorming once again and came up with a few more ideas. At 11 am, Renjiro reappeared. He asked, "So, what did you guys think of?"


    Fujin started, "We came up with an idea of a multi-tiered defense. The basic idea is for me to use Spinning Shield of Wind jutsu and Hoka to use the Rock Shield jutsu to create the rock shield behind my shield of wind. And we can create more tiers by having Hoka move back as soon as he creates the jutsu and then Mieko could create another Rock Shield and repeat the same." Renjiro was actually surprised by this idea and asked, "What exactly are you nning to defend from?" Mieko and Hoka looked at Fujin, who replied, "Umm¡­ A very strong jutsu?" Renjiro rebuked him saying, "If an enemy uses a jutsu so strong that you need to do this, then you are out of your league and need to retreat. Also it''s never a good idea to have everyone in the squad defending. Also, Rock Shield jutsu isn''t the strongest defensive jutsu. There are many more which can do a much better job. For now, thebination of Spinning Shield of Wind jutsu and 1 Rock Shield jutsu is enough. However, if you and Mieko want to learn Rock Shield jutsu, go for it. It''s quite handy inbat."


    Fujin nodded and sighed internally, ''I guess too much defense isn''t a good thing after all.'' He said, "Another idea we came up with is for Hoka to use Stone Shuriken jutsu and for me to control them using Projectile Control jutsu." Renjiro nodded and said, "That should work. Anything else?"


    This time Mieko answered, "Sensei, I came up with the idea of Fujin throwing his Wind Explosion jutsus within my Fireball jutsu. So the range of the explosion of my fireball will be extended considerably. The winds caused by Wind Explosion jutsu''s explosion will make the mes of fireball go in all the directions randomly." Renjiro nodded again and said, "That''s a good idea. However, Fujin, you will have to make your Wind Explosion jutsu much stronger if you want to help Mieko pull this off." Fujin nodded and said, "Yes sensei."


    Hoka suddenly said, "Sensei, I too came up with an idea. My idea is to throw stone shurikens within Fujin''s Great Breakthrough jutsu and Mieko''s Fireball jutsu. That way, more chaos can be created and the enemy will have to be careful of the stone shurikens within those jutsus too." Renjiro replied, "I see. I won''t rmend throwing your stone shurikens within the Fireball jutsu. If the enemy dodges the Fireball, then your jutsu will be dodged too. And if the fireball jutsu hits the enemy, then it''ll do sufficient damage by itself anyways." Hoka nodded.


    Seeing that none of the kids were speaking, Renjiro asked, "Any more ideas?" All the kids shook their heads. Renjiro replied, "Alright, that''s sufficient for now. Begin practicing thesebination jutsus. Fujin, make a shadow clone and have it practice thebination of Stone Shuriken jutsu and Projectile Control jutsu with Hoka. You and Mieko will practice together." The genins dispersed ording to the instructions of their sensei. Renjiro too made a couple of shadow clones to keep a watch on them. Hoka and Fujin''s clone weren''t going to be an issue, however Fujin and Mieko were sure to start a few fires. He had no doubts regarding that.


    Hoka and Fujin''s shadow clone moved to a different spot. The clone moved to different trees and marked arge ''X'' on them. They looked at each other and nodded. Both made the hand signs. Hokaunched his stone shurikens towards the various Xs Fujin had marked and the clone tried to control those shurikens to hit the marks. However, the first problem, which Fujin knew, urred. Hoka looked at Fujin and said, "So you really can control only 9 shurikens." Fujin nodded and said, "Yeah, just as I had said. And because these are stone shurikens and not as well made as a normal shuriken, controlling it is slightly more difficult. Anyways, let''s try the second approach." Hoka nodded andunched Stone Shuriken jutsu again. This time, Fujin used Projectile Control jutsu to manipte all the shurikens. He used it to change the direction of the shurikens towards the left. Hoka observed, "This time all the shurikens changed direction. However, only 3 hit the mark, unlike 16st time." Fujin nodded and replied, "Yeah, if I try to control all the shurikens, I can only move them in one direction. So there''s not much control on any one shuriken. In fact, it also messes up the aim you have taken."


    Suddenly Renjiro''s clone flickered behind Fujin and Hoka. One month of constant exposure to Renjiro suddenly flickering behind them had made them ustomed to it. Renjiro asked, "So, which approach are you going to use and in which scenario? Hoka, you answer first." Hoka began thinking. After a couple of minutes he said, "The first approach will be more useful if the number of enemies is less. The enemy will first have to dodge my initial aim, and then worry about the shurikens Fujin controls. The second method will be more useful when we are facing a lot of enemies. Sudden change in direction of all shurikens can result in a few casualties. Also, even if the enemy avoids it, they''ll need to pay more attention to it, giving us more time." Renjiro nodded and looked at Fujin. Fujin replied, "Same answer. Just that, I should try and improve my control even further. In the first scenario, the result will probably be satisfactory. However, the second scenario still has a lot of scope for improvement. For instance, if, after I change direction of the shurikens, if I can then take control of a few shurikens to manipte them even further, then I am sure I''ll get some hits in and it won''t be all just luck based." Renjiro said, "Good, so keep practicing."


    Over at Mieko and Fujin, they too had begun their practice. Their practice was very straightforward. Miekounched Fireball jutsu, and Fujin threw 2 wind spheres at them from the rear. The wind sphere distorted the mes a bit, but it wasn''t an issue. However, before the Fireball exploded, the wind spheres left the fireball from the front. The Fireball exploded as it normally did. The wind spheres however exploded with a lot more force due to the air being heated up and caused a small heat wave. Mieko spoke in an annoying manner, "Hey, your jutsu speed was too fast!" Fujin countered, "Yours was too slow." This earned him a re from the little girl. Fujin shrugged and said, "Let''s try again."


    This time Fujin matched the timing properly, and both the jutsus exploded at the same time when the wind spheres were still in the fireball. The result was a bit surprising. Mieko said, "The power of the explosion decreased!" Fujin nodded and added, "But it''s range increased. And the increase is totally random. In some directions, the mes extended twice more than usual, whereas in some directions, the range of mes was seven times as high as usual!" Suddenly, a jet of water wasunched to douse the fires caused by the explosion. Renjiro''s clone looked at them and said, "We are changing the location. Follow me."


    Fujin and Mieko ran behind the clone. On the way, the clone asked, "So, what are your thoughts on this jutsu?" Fujin replied, "Unpredictable. The enemy won''t be able to guess the direction of the mes. If he gets careless, he''ll end up with a few burns. Even if he is lucky or skilled enough to dodge them all, he''ll be put under a lot of pressure." Mieko agreed, "Yes. Once he gets burned, we can dominate him." Renjiro asked, "Any scope for improvement?" Fujin and Mieko began thinking. After a few seconds, Fujin replied, "I am wondering whether the explosion''s direction can be controlled. I think that the position of the wind spheres within the fireball is what controls the direction of the explosion. For example, if the wind spheres are to the front of the fireball, then maybe the mes move more in the forward direction. If I know the direction in which the enemy will dodge, I can ce the wind spheres in an appropriate position so that the mes move to his new location."


    While Fujin was talking, Renjiro stopped moving. They had arrived on a riverbank. Renjiro thought, ''As expected.'' He replied, "Good. However, don''t forget that even your Wind Explosion jutsu by itself is very random. So you won''t be able to control the direction by yourself." He then looked at Mieko and said, "If you two want to improve thisbination further, then it''ll depend on how well you can analyse the explosion with your sharingans, Mieko." Mieko nodded, "Yes sensei. I''ll improve it to its limits!" Renjiro nodded and looked at the river. Fujin and Mieko followed his line of sight. Renjiro said, "All your explosions must happen over that river. No more fires." Both nodded awkwardly, and continued their training.


    [A/N : More ideas forbination jutsus are weed]

 Chapter 45: The First Mission

    Exactly 1 month had passed since Renjiro had begun training his genins. After the morning workout and some rest, Renjiro announced, "Today, we''ll do our first mission as a team." The squad reacted as soon as they heard that. Hoka said loudly, "Finally!" Mieko too excitedly said, "Yes! Now I''ll show what an Uchiha can do. Sensei, what''ll be our first mission? Will we fight with any enemy viges? Like Kumo or Iwa?" Hoka quickly followed up, "Yes sensei, what will our mission be? I want to use my Taijutsu to show how strong Konoha is to our enemies." Fujin looked at them and saw, ''Woah! Their eyes really are sparkling¡­ I need to learn how to do that.''


    Fujin just maintained an excited expression, but didn''t say anything. His teammates'' reactions made him feel very awkward. He thought, ''If only they knew what our first mission will be¡­. I wonder if all the adults have an unspoken truce to not mention this to any kid. Is it because they don''t want to discourage anyone, or is it just the age old human behaviour - I had to go through this, so I want you to go through it too¡­.. Eh, probably the second case. Just looking at Renjiro''s smug face says it all!''


    Renjiro thought, ''Ah, it never gets old. Seeing fresh genins so enthusiastic about their first mission. Now, I wonder if that cat has gone missing again or not.'' He said, "The mission will be given by Lord Hokage. So wait till we reach there to know which mission you''ll be doing."


    They began moving towards the Hokage''s office. Hoka and Mieko ran at a lot faster pace than usual. On the way, Fujin thought, ''I didn''t think we''d need to wait 1 whole month before taking our first mission. Such intense training for a whole month. I guess my timing of transmigration was really lucky. Having missed the 3rd war and Kurama''s attack, and growing at a time when Konoha iscking in manpower. I hope that training under Renjiro continues for a long time. Though it doesn''t leave me with much free time, it has been very helpful in increasing my strength.''


    The team arrived at the Hokage building, and had to wait a few minutes to enter the Hokage''s office. On entering the office, everyone respectfully greeted Hiruzen, "Lord Hokage". Hiruzen, like always, had multiple stacks of papers on his table. He looked at team 3 and said, "Oh, so you guys are finally doing your first mission." He stared at Renjiro while saying that. However, Renjiro just shrugged and ignored the stare. Hiruzen sighed internally thinking, ''He messed up all the protocols. No missions for his squad for a whole month. The only other instance like this was when Orochimaru didn''t make his squad do any missions at all for 6 months! Well, at least he agreed to take a few rank D missions unlike my student.''


    He then looked at his assistant and asked, "So which missions do we have?" His assistant pulled a paper out and handed it to him. Hiruzen looked at it and said, "Lady Saigo wants a squad to weed her garden. This will be your mission." He then smiled kindly and said, "Do the job properly. Ensure that she gives us good feedback, and make Konoha proud."


    Hiruzen''s words shocked Mieko and Hoka. Hoka was muttering softly, "Wee...ed a ga..rde...n?" Mieko too muttered something simr. Fujin was shocked too. However, it was for a different reason. He really admired Hiruzen now. He thought, ''Damn!! He said that with such a straight face and with such a kind smile! Screw Danzo, this old man here is the real evil incarnate! It''s no wonder that despite being so scheming andmanding such a strong force, Danzo never could do anything to Hiruzen. Poor guy never even had a chance. It almost makes me pity him!''


    Renjiro saw his genins'' reactions and chuckled. He thought, ''It''s a pity that the cat isn''t missing right now.'' He grabbed the paper, saw the address and said, "Follow me." The genins followed him, however, this time Mieko and Hoka were moving very slowly.


    On reaching the estate, Renjiro asked the guard to call Lady Saigo. Fujin observed the estate. It was huge! Mieko and Hoka didn''t have much of a reaction as their n estates were evenrger. In a couple of minutes, ady arrived. She was around 40-45 years old, 5 feet 9 inches tall, had long blonde hair, looked very mature and carried herself in a proper manner. She greeted them, "Wee Lord Renjiro. It''s a great honor to have you here." Renjiro nodded and handed her the paper. She then looked at the kids and said, "So these strong ninjas willplete my missions. I am very fortunate to get ninjas as capable as you." Mieko and Hoka cheered up a bit on hearing the praise. However, Fujin could clearly understand that she was ''teasing'' them. He sighed internally, ''There is no need for this mission to be given to ninjas. The only reason why she did that is for her own amusement. Sigh, these rich olddies need to get a better hobby.''


    She said, "Follow me, I''ll take you to the garden." Team Renjiro followed her. They went behind the huge mansion. And soon, the 3 genins were shocked. Lady Saigo kindly said, "This is the garden you have to weed." Fujin was speechless. He thought, ''Garden? How the fuck is this a garden? Who the fuck has a garden that is more than an acre in area?'' Hoka muttered, "This is a garden?" Mieko almostshed out and yelled, "How the hell is this a garden? This is..." However, she was held in ce by Renjiro. Lady Saigo suddenly showed a sad face and said, "I actually wanted it to be at least 5 acres. Sadly, that muchnd wasn''t avable in Konoha." It, once again, left the genins speechless. Mieko was pissed even further. Renjiro just chuckled and said, "That''s enough talk. Get to work."


    The genins began walking forward. Mieko softly asked Fujin, "Hey, can we use Fire-Wind Dragon jutsu?" Hoka perked up on hearing that. Fujin, too, was very intrigued by that idea. Though he''d definitely not act upon it. However, Renjiro heard that and announced loudly, "No using any elemental Ninjutsu. No using any tools. And increase the pressure of your training seals, Mieko by 1%, Fujin by 2.5% and Hoka by 5%." Mieko hung her head and walked forward. Fujin said, "Let''s divide the garden into 3 parts and clear each." Hoka and Mieko reluctantly nodded and got to work. Their muscles still ached from the morning workout. And they still had more work to do under higher pressure.


    While they were working, Lady Saijo returned to the mansion. She entered a balcony that faced the garden, and asked her servants to arrange a chair, an umbre and a few snacks for her and Renjiro. She sat there monitoring the kids doing the work. That pissed the genins even more. Fujin muttered under his breath, "First that Hiruzen and now thisdy. The Dao of Shamelessness is very very very strong in this world!"


    Weeding the garden continued. Fujin got done with his part in an hour and half. He then returned to where Renjiro was. While he was returning, both Hoka and Mieko looked at him with angry gazes. He thought, ''Should I help them out?'' After a few seconds he dismissed that thought, ''Nope, there''s no need to.'' He just ignored them and left the garden. He found a clean spot and sat down. Unfortunately for Fujin, Renjiro flickered behind him and said, "Until they are done, run around this estate. I want at least one round per minute." That nearly triggered him, ''What the fuck? It ain''t my fault that I did the work faster!'' Luckily, he held it in, put his head down and began running. Each round was over a kilometre long.


    After 15 minutes, Hoka joined him. Mieko worked for another half an hour. Both Fujin and Hoka were sure that she was dying on purpose and sent her a few res. When she was done, Fujin and Hoka stopped afterpleting that round and red at Mieko. Mieko smirked thinking, ''Serves you right for finishing before me.'' That smirk pissed Hoka, but Fujin just sighed and said, "Who would have thought that the mighty Uchiha would need 2 hours and 15 minutes to merely weed a garden." Hoka quickly nodded and agreed, "Yes, this was so unexpected. Is this what she meant by ''I''ll show what an Uchiha can do?''" That jibe made Mieko go red with anger and embarrassment. She was about to reply angrily when Renjiro stopped her.


    Lady Saigo stepped forward and said, "Thank You for clearing the weeds in my garden young ninjas. You guys did an amazing job." This earned her a re from all the 3 genins, but she maintained her smile. She then handed Renjiro a paper, and they left her estate. They returned to the Hokage building. Renjiro led his genins to a room on the first floor. He handed the paper to an employee there. The employee checked the paper, stamped and filed it. He then gave Renjiro a white packet and they left the room.


    Renjiro then led them to another room. There were a few more employees working here. One of them was a chuunin, while the others were just normal civilians. Renjiro said, "Remember this room. In the future, if you ever want to take any missions, you cane here and ask the chuunin who is in-charge here. He will assign you your mission depending on your preference, past performance and ranks." The genins nodded.


    They then moved to the ground floor. Renjiro said, "That''s it for today. From now onwards, we''ll be doing one mission every week. The remaining training continues as usual. Fujin, on the mission day, you won''t have training in Samurai Saber Techniques." Fujin nodded. Renjiro then took out the white packet he had received earlier. He said, "This is the reward for our mission. We''ll be splitting it 40-20-20-20. 40% for me, and 20% for each one of you. When you do missions with others in the future, remember that this is how the rewards are usually split. The leader gets more than the other squad members." The genins nodded, but all 3 had the same thought, ''But you didn''t do any work at all sensei!'' However no one spoke it out loud. After splitting the rewards, the squad dispersed.


    On his way to Yakiniku Q, Fujin thought, ''Hmm, 10k Ryo reward for a 2 hours job. If I had made clones and worked with them instead of my teammates, I''d have finished faster. Not bad, but not as fast as earning money by selling scrolls. Either way, getting 2k Ryo per week would be much better than the 1k Ryo per month they provided me earlier. Though it won''t be enough to allow me to make as big a purchase as I did earlier. I wonder if I should do a lot of rank D missions in a day or two sometimeter to show that I''ve earned money via legitimate means¡­. Or, should Ie clean with my ability to create storage scrolls?'' He thought for a bit and decided, ''No, right now Renjiro barely gives me any free time. If I say that I''ll study Fuinjutsu in the evening, then that''ll be considered suspicious or stupid. I should leave it till my training under Renjiro ispleted, or the training time is decreased. He is an Elite Jounin after all. I don''t think Konoha can allow him to train 3 genins for very long.''


    While thinking, he had already reached the restaurant. He went in and made the order. While waiting for the food to be delivered, he thought ''This world is pretty dangerous. While initially I was just being cautious, I''m now d that I was so cautious and kept most of my abilities hidden. Even ignoring the crazy strong abilities so many here have, just the mere shamelessness of these people is rming. Hiruzen saying what he said with a straight face, Renjiro taking 40% of the reward, today''s client sitting on the balcony to enjoy the misery of little kids¡­. The Dao of Shamelessness is crazy strong in this world. Their skins are thicker than the Hokage monuments! The same will also apply to the enemies. Sigh, I hope Obito and Nagato y ording to the script. If they don''t, then it''ll be chaos.''


    The meal arrived. Fujin picked up the meat with tongs andid it on the charcoal brazier. Waiting for the meat to roast, he thought, ''Well, no point in worrying about these things. There is nothing I can do about it anyways. Let''s just hope for the best.'' Concluding his thoughts, he turned his focus on his lunch.

 Chapter 46: Triggered

    The next day, after the morning workout, Renjiro had another discussion with his team. He said, "You have made good progress over thest month. So I''ll now tell you how to progress further." The genins nodded and listened attentively.


    Renjiro looked at Mieko and said, "The jutsus you know currently are sufficient enough. So you don''t need to learn any more Ninjutsu. Just focus on mastering the ones you know currently. Especially Fire Release : Four jutsu. In addition to Ninjutsu, you also need to learn Genjutsu. So in your free time, ask your parents or n elders to teach you more sharingan based Genjutsu. And keep working on your physique. You need to be able toplete the morning workout while enduring 10% pressure from your Training seal." Mieko nodded and said, "Yes Sensei. I''ll work hard."


    He then looked at Fujin and asked, "Have you decided on your second element?" Fujin nodded and said, "Yes Sensei, I have decided to choose Earth as my second element." Renjiro nodded and asked, "Any ideas on which jutsus you want to learn?" Fujin replied, "I''ve decided to learn Rock Shield jutsu, Earth Instantaneous Body jutsu and Earth Holding jutsu." Renjiro asked, "Why?" Fujin replied, "Rock Shield jutsu will provide me with a very good defense. Earth Instantaneous Body jutsu is a movement jutsu. And I can use Earth Holding jutsu to trap the enemies, or keep me and my squad on the ground."


    Renjiro thought for a few seconds and said, "Rock Shield jutsu will be good for you. But why do you want to learn Earth Instantaneous Body jutsu? You already have 2 movement jutsus. Also, Earth Holding jutsu is very slow to actually trap anyone capable enough. So it isn''t very useful. So why do you still want to learn it?" Fujin replied, "Well there''s no harm in learning more movement jutsus. Also, escaping through the ground will also provide a good defense as well as stealth. If the enemy isn''t a sensor, it can also be used to sneak up on the enemy. As for Earth Holding jutsu, my main aim is to split the enemy''s attention and have him keep an eye on the ground. Especially if I can do it without hand signs. I also wonder if I can suppress its chakra signature to perform it very stealthily. If I can trap the enemy momentarily, it''ll be enough for us to incapacitate him." Renjiro thought, ''Hmm, nice thinking once again. Though learning a third movement jutsu is wasteful even with his exnation.'' Renjiro nodded and said, "Alright then. Rock Shield jutsu you can learn by yourself. The remaining two will be learnt under my supervision. In addition to these, we''ll work on mastering the jutsus you already know."


    Finally, Renjiro looked at Hoka and said, "Hoka, your current status in Ninjutsu is much better than before we began the training. However, it''s still not enough." Hoka nodded and paid attention. Renjiro continued, "You will learn 4 more Earth Release jutsus. They will be Boulder Throw jutsu, Quicksand jutsu, Stone Spear jutsu and Earth Instantaneous Body jutsu. Boulder Throw is a mid-range offensive jutsu. Quicksand is a trapping jutsu. Stone Spear is a mid-range jutsu and Earth Instantaneous Body is a movement jutsu." Hoka sighed and nodded.


    Renjiro smiled and said, "Don''t worry. These would be the only rank C jutsus, I''ll force you to master. I will advise you to learn more in the future, however the decision is in your hands. Learning rank C Water Release jutsus will help you. In addition, once you have mastered these Earth jutsus, you should learn 2 rank B Earth Release jutsus. The first is Earth Dragon jutsu, which will increase your capabilities in fighting a ranged battle. And Earth Wall jutsu, which is one of the best defensive jutsus in existence. They willplement your Gentle Fist style perfectly and you can then focus entirely on your Taijutsu." Hoka showed a look of determination and replied, "Yes sensei. I''ll master these Ninjutsu."


    Renjiro continued, "In addition to your Ninjutsu and Taijutsu training, we will also focus on your Genjutsu training¡­." He wanted to continue, however, Hoka''s expression was a sight to see after hearing that. Renjiro chuckled and continued, "Whether you learn Genjutsu or not will be left forter. For now, I will teach you how to counter Genjutsu." Renjiro''s chuckling and his gaze gained the attention of his students. Both Fujin and Mieko looked at Hoka and had augh.


    The training under Renjiro continued. Over the next 6 weeks, Fujin and Hoka had got all the jutsus down and were practicing to master them. Fujin could now do all the newly learnt rank C jutsus with just one single hand seal. Renjiro''s instructions while learning Earth Release jutsus were much better aspared to Wind Release jutsus. He also had a more in-depth exnation regarding how chakra should be moulded and how to do it faster. Due to this, Fujin''s speed of learning Earth Release rank C jutsus was almostparable to when he was learning Wind Release jutsus.


    The practice ofbination jutsus too continued and they got much faster at performing them. For Genjutsu, Renjiro''s clones started by casting rank D Genjutsu on Hoka and Fujin. Within a couple of days, Fujin was able to break them. Renjiro''s clone then moved onto Rank C Genjutsu for him. He began breaking the rank C Genjutsu in a couple of weeks and was currently working on breaking rank B Genjutsu. Hoka needed a month before he could break rank D Genjutsu.


    Fujin''s swordy too hade a long way. All the basics of Samurai Saber Techniques were drilled into him by Renjiro. They were now moving on, to the more advanced maneuvers. Renjiro had informed him that after he got these advanced forms down, he''ll teach him the flying shes.


    In these weeks, they had done 6 more rank D missions. It started with bathing the dogs in the Inuzuka kennels. Renjiro pranked his genins by telling them that they would have to clean all the excrement in the kennels, causing Mieko to flicker away, only to be caught by Renjiro and carried over by the back of her neck. On hearing the real mission, the kids sighed in relief.


    The next one was finding the dreaded cat, who scratched Mieko''s face all over and bit Hoka a couple of times. Fujin now understood why everyone struggled so much to catch the cat. It was a freaking Ninja cat and was a master in sneaking and using diversions! Even with that, the mission wouldn''t have been challenging, however, Renjiro added a condition. The genins weren''t allowed to walk or run on the ground and were only allowed to run on the walls. If there weren''t any walls, they had to create rock shields in order to create such a surface.


    It was followed by cleaning all the emergency shelters. Fujin figured that it was the vige''s way to make them remember all the shelters around Konoha. After that, they had to deliver mail all over Konoha to various ns and nobles. It was followed by babysitting a couple of Yamanaka kids. Andstly, they had to sow seeds in a farm. Observing his teammates, Fujin was sure that they were very close topletely triggering and making a scene.


    One difference Fujin noted was that after the first mission, the remaining missions weren''t handed to them by Hiruzen. They were instead collected from the mission room on the first floor of the Hokage tower. Fujin thought, ''Didn''t Hiruzen assign all the missions personally in Naruto? So why not for us? Or perhaps, why for them?'' He thought a bit and concluded, ''Either he only assigns the first mission, or he assigned their missions due to their importance. Naruto was a Jinchuriki, Sasuke was thest Uchiha as well as the Uchiha heir. And Team 8 and 10 were entirely made of heirs of important ns in Konoha. I guess he had to take responsibility in ensuring their safety.''


    One day, after the morning workout, Mieko asked Fujin and Hoka, "Hey, I saw a few ninjas from other viges earlier. So the chuunin exams will be conducted soon. Do you think that we will participate too?" That gained the attention of both her teammates. Hoka excitedly said, "I hope we do. I would like to fight against the ninjas from other viges." Fujin thought, ''If I recall right, the squad needs to havepleted 8 missions before being eligible. I wonder if Renjiro nned this way so that our team won''t be eligible for the exam and hence no one would pressurize him.'' Seeing Fujin in thought, Mieko asked, "What are you thinking about?" Fujin replied, "I heard that chuunin exams have a lot of danger. So I really doubt they would allow us to participate so early." Mieko angrily replied, "Hey! We are ready to take the risks." Hoka nodded and said, "I agree. We are ninjas, how can we back down from a little risk." Fujin shook his head due to his teammates'' naivety. He replied, "Yeah, but we are still only babysitting and cleaning dust." That statement downed their moods. Soon they went on a mini-rant. And looked at Renjiro begrudgingly when he appeared, causing him to raise an eyebrow and ask, "What happened?" Mieko and Hoka merely humphed and looked in the other direction.


    Despite waiting for a few days, Renjiro didn''t inform them about the exam. The next day, Hoka informed his team, "I heard that Teru and Yori will be participating in this exam." Fujin asked, "Oh, didn''t they participate earlier?" This time, Mieko replied, "No, Yori didn''t participate in the earlier exams." Fujin nodded and said, "I see, I guess we won''t be participating in the exam until next year too." Right then Renjiro appeared, and Mieko quickly asked him, "Sensei, can we participate in the chuunin exam?" Renjiro shook his head and said, "No, you guys aren''t ready yet." Mieko replied, "Why? We are very ready sensei!" Renjiro denied her again and said, "I''ll be the judge to decide that. No more questions."


    The next day, when they visited the mission room, the chuunin in-charge searched for a mission and said, "Team Renjiro, your next mission is to babysit the newborn of Lord¡­." However, he was cut. Mieko finally had enough. She yelled, "Hey you! Why the hell do you always give us suchme missions? Which ninja babysits kids? Get a nanny to do that!" The chuunin replied with authority, "Brat, you are just a¡­." However, he was again cut, this time by Hoka. Hemented with a stoic face, "I agree with Mieko. This is a mockery of our skills."


    Fujin observed Renjiro''s reactions, and saw that he was chuckling. He thought, ''I guess we are finally moving onto rank C missions. Oh well, I might as well say something then.'' The chuunin was pissed at being cut twice, he angrily began saying, "Now listen you brats. I ma¡­." Poor guy was cut again. Fujinmented, "You know mister, in thest mission we were very worried that Mieko would burn the whole farm down. Even though sensei can use Water Release jutsus, it would have still caused a lot of damage. I am really worried what will happen if you make us babysit a little kid today." The chuunin shuddered when he understood what Fujin was implying. Renjiro was very amused too. He thought, ''Well I was nning on making them do a few more rank D missions. But if they are able to win a debate against a chuunin official, I won''t mind starting to do rank C missions now.''


    If Fujin knew that Renjiro didn''t n on taking rank C missions just yet, he''d have kicked himself for opening his mouth. As boring as rank D missions were, they took very little time and left a lot more time for training and didn''t have any danger. The chuunin was left speechless and didn''t know how to reply. He opened his mouth a couple of times, but didn''t manage to say anything. He looked at Renjiro, who nodded his head. He relented and said, "Alright, let me search for a rank C mission for you." When he moved to grab the rank C mission file, Renjiro stated, "Just pick out a few bandit clearing missions in the vicinity of the vige. Would be preferable if the bandit bases are near each other."


    The chuunin nodded and searched his file. He soon took out 4 papers from the file and handed them to Renjiro. Renjiro read them. He then looked at his squad and said, "We''ll do our first rank C mission today. Meet me at the main gate in a couple of hours. Pack up for a week-long journey." The genins nodded and dispersed.

 Chapter 47: Raiding the Bandits

    After leaving, Fujin went to his home and sat down in a meditative position. He thought, ''Finally I am going out of this vige. So what do I prepare? As per the protocol, the ration bars will be arranged by the squad leader. So food wouldn''t be a concern. Though I suppose I should pack up the ration bars I have with me as well. Regarding the weapons, I still have the stock that the academy had provided us with. Though some of them are damaged. I guess I should buy 12 shurikens and 3 kunais. That''ll cost me 7k Ryo. I probably should buy a couple of Explosion tags too. That''ll be most of the money I earned from missions. Hmm? Yeah money, I need to carry all my money with me preferably. It can go in the spare waist bag.


    Of course I still carry the stock I had purchased earlier and always carry them with me. As for the swords, I guess they''ll be hanging on my waist. Though I do have the wristbands, exining where I got them will be troublesome. So I''ll let them be in my spare waist bag.''


    He then meditated for half an hour, and then got packed up to leave the house. On his right leg, he had a leg pouch. It had 6 shurikens and 2 kunais. In addition, it also had 48 shurikens, 6 normal kunais and 6 kunais with explosion tags attached to them in the seals in it. On his waist, he carried his waist bag. He had 8 shurikens, 3 kunais and a small scroll in it. The scroll contained basic items like rope, tape, wire and First-aid kit. The bag had 7 storage seals on it. In one he had stored his spare waist bag and leg pouch. Another had his stock of ration bars. There was an additional First-aid kit in one. The 4th seal stored a few bottles filled with drinking water in it. The remaining seals were left empty for now.


    He then visited a weapon shop to get the stuff he wanted to buy. After buying them, he visited Ichiraku for an early lunch. He then went to the main gate, and sat on a branch of a nearby tree. Hoka and Mieko arrived around 15 minutes before the couple of hours were up. On arriving, they both spotted and approached Fujin. Fujin thought, ''Wow, talk about being excited.'' Renjiro arrived 5 minutes after them.


    Renjiro asked, "Are you guys prepared?" Everyone replied in sync, "Yes sensei." Renjiro then grabbed 3 scrolls from his bag and tossed one to each of his students. They began wondering, ''What''s in the scroll?'' Renjiro said, "This is a gift from me to you guys. Each scroll contains 100 shurikens, 24 kunais, 6 giant shurikens, 12 explosion tags and 60 packets of ration bars that will expire after 12 months. Fujin, your scroll has a couple of spare swords too, though they ain''t as good as your current swords. I don''t know what protocols they taught you, however, this is the least you should always carry with yourself while leaving the vige, irrespective of what you expect your team leader to carry."


    The kids were a bit shocked by this gift. Especially Fujin. His mind went nk for a second as he quickly calcted, ''100 -> 300 -> 100k. 24 -> 72 -> 72k. 6 -> 18 -> 54k. 12 -> 36 -> 27k. That''s worth over 250k Ryo! And that''s without considering the swords and the ration bars. Was I wrong about him being shameless?'' Everyone quickly thanked Renjiro for the gift.


    Renjiro continued, "Though I have gifted this to you, from here onwards, you''ll be responsible for maintaining this stock. So don''t waste them, and refill them after youplete your mission. Of course don''t be a miser with them. Your life and the mission is more important." All 3 kids nodded.


    They then left the vige. Renjiro said, "Our mission is to clear a few bandit bases around Shukuba Town which is North-west of Konoha." He then asked, "Do you have your training seals activated?" All the three kids nodded. Renjiro said, "Deactivate them. Never keep those training seals active outside Konoha. You never know who is out there to kill you, and those seals could be the reason for your death." Fujin and Mieko nodded, but Hoka asked, "But sensei, can''t you just protect us from any such danger? It seems a waste to not train our body during this journey." Renjiro shook his head and said, "There are many ninjas who are stronger than me in this world. And there are numerous hidden jutsus. Even I can''t protect you from every sneak attack. It''ll be upto you to dodge or block them." Hoka nodded and deactivated his seal.


    Renjiro said, "With that out of the way, let''s run. We''ll move in a kite formation. Fujin, you take the lead, Mieko on the right, Hoka on the left and I''ll take the rear. And move fast. Let''s get there in a few hours." As soon as they received the instructions, they moved into the formation. Fujin stood ahead. Mieko stood 2 metres to his left and behind. Hoka did the same, but on the right side. Renjiro stood around 6 metres behind Fujin. The squad then began moving at a high speed, while maintaining those distances.


    By 3 pm, the team reached Shukuba town. On entering the town, Renjiro said, "We''ll do the mission tomorrow. For now, let''s rest in an inn." The kids nodded and followed him. On the way Fujin noted, ''Hmm, this town feels a bit familiar. But I don''t recall where I saw it. Was it shown in Naruto? Sigh, I barely remember any scenery now.''


    Renjiro led the squad in to the town. Fujin, Hoka and Mieko noticed that the town had a lot of inns. They also noticed a couple of gambling houses, and an area that had lots of games with prizes for winners. However, Fujin noted a peculiarity. He observed, ''Every game here is based on luck. No game requires any skills. I guess it makes sense though. Making games like that is just asking to loot themselves in this ninja world.


    Finally Renjiro entered an inn. Mieko thought, ''Finally! After skipping past 13 inns.'' When Renjiro began chatting with the innkeeper, Fujin noticed, ''Oh, he seems very familiar with the innkeeper. Is that why we skipped so many inns?'' After discussing with the innkeeper, Renjiro approached the trio. He handed each of them a key and said, "These will be your rooms. Stay in the inn. I''ll scout out a bit and return in a couple of hours."


    After Renjiro left, Mieko asked, "So, what should we do now?" Fujin sighed andmented, "I''d have liked to tour this town, sadly he asked us to stay in the inn." Hoka added, "Yeah, and we can''t even train physically." Fujin said, "Let''s just retire to our rooms and meditate. Tomorrow will be our first instance of realbat." Everyone nodded and retired to their rooms to meditate and rest. Renjiro returned in the evening and took everyone out for dinner.


    Next day, 8 am in the morning, the squad assembled outside Renjiro''s room and moved out. Their first target was located around 25 kilometres to the west of the town. After reaching there, Fujin sensed something. He said, "Sensei, I can sense 6 normal people around 400 metres ahead." Renjiro nodded and said, "There''s a vige in that direction. So it''s probably the vigers. Our target is the bandits that are harassing that vige." Renjiro continued in that direction. Fujin soon noticed those six people he sensed were farming. They continued further and reached the vige.


    On entering the vige, Renjiro asked around and then reached the Vige Chief''s house. The house was very old, and the man who opened the door was even older! As soon as the Vige Chief saw the headbands, he respectfully invited everyone in and said, "Wee to our vige Lord." Renjiro nodded and said, "Just call me Renjiro." He then handed a paper to the vige chief. The vige chief read the paper and became very happy. He bowed to Renjiro and said, "Thank you Lord Renjiro for saving us from the bandits. After you deal with them, we can live peacefully once again."


    Renjiro stated, "I need more details about the bandits." The Vige Chief nodded and replied, "Please ask. I''ll help you however I can." Renjiro asked, "Since when did the bandits begin harassing your vige?" The Vige Chief answered, "Around 9 months back. Just before our harvest in the previous year. However, they became a lot more aggressive in the past couple of months." Renjiro continued asking, "I see. And what crimes have theymitted?" The vige chief answered in a shaking voice, "Initially, they just stole our crops and money. But recently, th¡­." Fujin could see the Vige Chief tearing up at this point. He continued, "they killed 9 vigers and kidnapped 6 young girls. They eve¡­" He began sobbing and said, "They even killed my son." And he began crying.


    Renjiro was about to calm the old man down, however, the old Vige Chief quickly controlled himself and showed a face of determination. Fujin was very surprised, he thought, ''Admirable. To have this strong determination despite not being a ninja.''


    Seeing the look of determination on the old man''s face, even Renjiro was impressed. He asked, "How many bandits are there and from where do they attack you?" The Vige Chief replied, "In their attack 5 days ago, there were over 15 bandits. And they always approach us from the north." Renjiro nodded and said, "Alright, thanks for giving us the information. Don''t worry, we will deal with them." The Vige Chief quickly thanked him.


    Renjiro and the kids left the house. Mieko asked Renjiro, "So what now sensei? Do we begin our search in the north?" Renjiro nodded and answered, "Yes" Fujin then asked, "But sensei, why will they attack from the direction their base is in. Won''t they attack from a different direction just to confuse us?" Renjiro shook his head and replied, "These are justmon bandits. I doubt they have enough smarts to think about something like this. If they were smart enough, then they wouldn''t have killed the vigers or kidnapped girls."


    They then moved towards the northern part of the vige. They noticed that a few houses were burnt. Renjiromanded, "Mieko, use your Sharingan to see if you can find any tracks they left behind." Mieko activated her Sharingan and began investigating. Soon she found a few tracks that were left behind. She said, "Sensei, found them!" Renjiro nodded and said, "Good work. Lead the way. Kite formation, with Mieko in the lead and me in the rear. Fujin, Hoka keep an eye on the surroundings and try to find those bandits."


    The squad followed Mieko. On the way, Fujin noticed a few trees that had sword cuts on them. After traveling around 3.5 km to the north, Fujin said, "Hoka, check 500 metres to the north-west." Hoka activated his Byakugan, and soon said, "Sensei, found them." Renjiro nodded and the squad travelled in that direction.


    On reaching there, they saw that there was a small hill with a cave in it. On the entrance, there were two bandits guarding the entrance. Each had a sword with them. They were standing behind trees, so those bandits couldn''t see them. Renjiro sensed everything within the hill, and said, "So which one of you wants to handle this?" Fujin quickly replied, "Me sensei!" Mieko and Hoka, who were just about to reply, red at Fujin. Renjiro nodded and said, "No clones. And our mission is to eliminate them all."


    Fujin began sensing once again. In all, he could sense 23 people within the cave, including the 2 guards. He then looked at Hoka and asked, "Hoka, could you take a look to see if there are any traps? Also, what is theyout of the cave?" Hoka nodded and activated his Byakugan. After observing properly, he replied, "In all, I see 3 traps. 2 are behind the first entrance and the second entrance. They are basic arrow traps, which trigger when you step on the wire. The 3rd is a small hole dug in front of the second entrance, and has spikes in it. As for theyout, there is another entrance inside this outer entrance. Then there is a big room, which has 3 more mini-caves in it." Fujin replied, "Alright, thanks. And is there anyone who has tried to hide his chakra?" Hoka shook his head and Fujin thanked him.

 Chapter 48: The First Kill

    Fujin closed his eyes and calmed himself. He thought, ''Finally the time for my first kill.'' He then took a deep breath and let it out. He made a few hand signs, and disappeared within the ground.


    On the entrance, the 2 bandits were very bored of keeping watch. Oneined to the other, "Why do we have to stand guard here? I wish we could just go and attack the vige again and capture a few more girls." The second banditughed in a lecherous manner and replied, "Yeah, the girls we captured a few days back were so fun! I can''t wait to get my han¡­."


    However, his sentence was cut short. While he was talking, a sword appeared out of the ground and moved towards his waist, a sword enhanced by chakra flow. Before either of the bandits could notice, the sword cut through the waist of one bandit, and split him in two. He died without even knowing how! The remaining bandit panicked. His arm subconsciously moved towards his sword. However, before he could even grab his sword, his head was separated from his body.


    After killing the two, Fujin again disappeared within the ground and entered the cave. The next two bandits were on guard in the space between the entrance to the hill, and another entrance which was located inside the hill. They were standing with their backs to the wall, and facing each other. Fujin moved through the hill, and pierced one bandit straight through his heart. The bandit opposite saw a swording out of the chest of the bandit in front of him. However, before he could shout for everyone''s attention, a shuriken came straight at him and went through his throat, killing him on the spot.


    Fujin moved through the ground again, and avoided the hole the bandits had dug. He had now entered the main hideout of the bandits. He stealthily observed through a wall. He saw the 3 more mini-caves that Hoka had mentioned. The ce where he currently was, had 12 bandits there. The remaining 7 were in those 3 mini-caves, which made him think, ''Are they leaders or something?'' He then observed those 12 bandits carefully. 4 were sleeping in a corner. 2 seemed to be working on something. One of them was looking at something intensely, whereas the other was sharpening his sword. The remaining 6 were drinking alcohol and ying cards.


    Fujin moved through the ground towards the bandit who was sharpening his sword. He appeared behind him and chopped his head off. Even before his head could fall on the ground, Fujin moved towards the bandit who was looking at a map. He stabbed a sword straight through his heart and pulled it out quickly.


    At this moment, the head and the sword of the earlier one dropped on the ground, creating a noise. This attracted the attention of the six who were drinking. Seeing the chopped head of their fellow bandit shocked and scared them. However, before they could make a move, Fujin had already flickered behind them. He quickly chopped two more heads off in one clean swing. He chopped another two beads off before they could even know what was happening. Only thest 2 bandits saw Fujin, however, they too were killed before they could do anything.


    2 of the 6 bandits had alcohol bottles in their hand, which crashed on the ground. The noise woke up 2 of the 4 sleeping bandits. One ignored the noise and just changed his sleeping position. The other, however, got up to see what was happening. However, even before he couldpletely open his eyes, his head was shed off by Fujin. Quickly, Fujin also stabbed his sword in the throat of the guy who turned and followed by stabbing the hearts of the remaining two.


    He then disappeared in the ground again and entered one of the three mini-caves. The first one had 2 bandits, who were quickly stabbed through their hearts. In the second cave, Fujin could sense 3 people. Fujin quickly moved in, and stabbed the one who was resting along the wall through his heart. He quickly moved in to kill the second one who wasying on the ground. However, his sword stopped a few inches away from her chest. The one who wasying there was a teenage girl, who was nude, bruised and bleeding from a lot of ces. He quickly shifted his attention to the other person in the room.


    The young girl''s appearance had disturbed Fujin, causing him to pause for half a second. This gave the bandit an opportunity to grab his sword and charge towards Fujin. Fujin just raised his left sword to block his sword, and stabbed his other sword through the bandit''s heart. He decided to move in the remaining mini-cave, but he heard a loud shout. Thest bandit yelled, "Bastards! Who is wasting my good wine? It doe¡­." However, his words stuck in his mouth when he saw the gore in his hideout. All he saw were chopped heads and the dead bodies of his bandits. He saw all the blood that was flowing on the ground. He was horrified, and asked in a shaking voice, "Wh¡­" However, he neverpleted his question, as a sword pierced through his heart from his back.


    Fujin pulled his sword out and created a shadow clone. The clone went out to report to Renjiro and to call him in. Whereas, he began cleaning the blood off his sword. Finally, while cleaning his sword, he looked up at the dead body lying in front of him, as well as the 12 dead bodies in the hideout. The sight and the stench, caused him to vomit immediately. He thought, ''Damn, as I thought, the first kill was a big deal. I didn''t feel anything while I was in the midst of killing them. But now¡­'' He vomited more and shivered at what he had done.


    As soon as he began vomiting, Renjiro''s shadow clone popped out of the ground and asked, "Are you fine?" After Fujin was done vomiting, he nodded his head. He got up and sat in a corner. Renjiro said, "It''s alright. The first kill is always difficult. In the future, you''ll have to kill a lot more." Fujin nodded. Renjiro said, "Close your eyes, and calm yourself." Fujin listened to Renjiro and closed his eyes and began clearing his mind.


    At that time, the clone reached Renjiro and reported the sess of the mission to him. Renjiro then brought Hoka and Mieko to the cave. When they reached the entrance, Mieko and Hoka finally got a very clear view of the dead bodies and smelled the stench. Hoka resisted his urge to vomit, however, Mieko couldn''t and she vomited on the spot. Renjiro saw that, however he didn''t say anything.


    Renjiro used Earth spear jutsu to disable all the traps and said, "Follow me." They followed him to the interior of the cave. Mieko and Hoka tried their best to ignore the two dead bodies there. However, after entering the main hideout and seeing the 12 dead bodies and a few heads, they couldn''t bear it. Mieko vomited again and Hoka too vomited this time.


    Renjiro waited for them and said, "These are just dead bodies. People who were killed by someone else. How will you be a ninja if you can''t even stop yourself from vomiting? How will you be a ninja if merely this sight makes you drop to your knees?" Those words forced Mieko and Hoka to toughen up and they stood up. Seeing that Renjiro had calmed Hoka and Mieko, his clone dispelled. Renjiro then brought Mieko and Hoka to the mini-cave where Fujin was. Sensing them, Fujin got up and looked at them.


    Renjiro was impressed with Fujin. He thought, ''Excellent. To gather himself and calm down so quickly after his first kill.'' He then looked at Mieko and Hoka, who looked determined, and thought, ''These two should perform well too.'' Fujin said, "Sensei, there''s a girl in the cave besides this one." Renjiro nodded and led his team there.


    The gruesome sight made the genins wince their faces. The girlid bare without any clothes. She was bleeding from her private parts. She had multiple sword cuts all over her body which were bleeding. On her left hand, 2 fingers were cut, and on her right leg, 3 toes were cut. There were even some burns on her. Even Renjiro sighed at that sight, he thought, ''I didn''t want them to see something like this so early.'' Renjiro then said, "Fujin, Hoka, wait outside this cave. Mieko, apply her first-aid." Fujin and Hoka left the cave, while Mieko took out her First-aid kit and began cleaning her wounds and applying bandages.


    Outside, Hoka asked Fujin, "You alright?" Fujin nodded and replied, "I didn''t think the first kill would be so hard to adjust to." Hoka sighed and said, "I was warned repeatedly by my parents. There were a few ninjas, who after their first kill, couldn''t even continue as ninjas." He then looked at the dead bodies and stated, "You are strong Fujin." Fujin smiled and said, "Thanks, but you should prepare yourself. Tomorrow, or the day after, it''ll be your turn." Hoka nodded grimly.


    It took Mieko around 25 minutes to fix the girl. Renjiro then carried her out. He then looked at the girl and said to his students, "Ensure that you be very strong. So that such a misfortune doesn''t befall you." The genins could hear an uncharacteristic sadness in Renjiro''s voice. They all replied with determination, "Yes sensei."


    After leaving the cave, Renjiro made a clone. The clone grabbed the two dead bodies outside the cave, and tossed them inside. He then used Earth Wall jutsu to seal the entrance to the cave. Fujin asked, "Sensei, don''t we have to give any proof to the vige chief aboutpleting the mission?" Renjiro shook his head and said, "Not on rank C missions that require elimination of bandits. Proof is required for assassination missions. If the heads of the bandits are given to the vige, then more bandits will target the vige in the future." Renjiro then said, "Let''s go back to the vige."


    On the way, Fujin asked, "Sensei, have we eliminated all the bandits? What if there are any who weren''t in this base?" Renjiro shook his head and said, "Doubtful. You can sense upto half a kilometre and still didn''t find anyone. Even if there are one or two outside, seeing that their fellow bandits are dead, they won''t cause anymore trouble for the vige. Anyways, we were told that there were over 15 bandits, and we killed 22. That''s more than enough forpleting our mission."


    However Mieko argued back, "But sensei, in that case, won''t the criminals roam free? What if they were responsible for torturing this girl? What if they join some other bandits, and continue doing this?" Renjiro replied, "Our mission was to eliminate the bandit group harassing the vige. Anything further isn''t our responsibility." However Mieko wasn''t convinced and she red at her sensei. Renjiro sighed and said, "Just killing off an entire bandit group doesn''t mean that more won''t appear. In a couple of years, another group will be formed. This isn''t something you or I can change. So searching for any bandit not in the hideout is pointless. If they join some other group, they''ll die when we get the mission to eliminate that group."


    Mieko was still unconvinced, but she stopped arguing. Fujin sighed internally thinking, ''No matter the world, the cruelty of humanity always exists. It''s many times worse in this world than in my previous world. To torture and mutte this girl for nothing but fun and amusement. I can''t even imagine what they did to the other girls they kidnapped.''


    He then nced at Renjiro and thought, ''Konoha. It is reputed to be a very peace-loving vige. Led by a Kage who propagates peace. Of course, anyone with little brains can see that Konoha is nowhere near as peace-loving as it ims to be. The mere existence of Root throws that im in the trash. However, there''s no denying that it still is more peace-loving than the other 4 Great Viges. Still it engages in such a practice. While it''s true that finding other bandits will be a pain in the ass, it still won''t be very difficult. Now these bandits will form a bandit group in the future and be its leaders. In the future, they''ll again target this vige, and the vige will again send a mission to Konoha.


    This cycle will ensure that this vige will always need Konoha''s help and will always feel indebted to Konoha. Simrly, every vige in the Land of Fire will feel indebted to Konoha. Thus, a pressure will be maintained on the Daimyo to keep supporting and perhaps funding Konoha. Such a simple way to maintain influence. It doesn''t cost Konoha anything, but costs dozens of lives to each of these viges. Sigh, if the most peace-loving vige is so brutal and cruel, I wonder what a cruel vige will be.''


    He then let a breath of air out and thought, ''Well whatever, it doesn''t exactly concern me.''

 Chapter 49: Consecutive Rank C Missions

    They soon reached the vige. On entering the vige, the girl on Renjiro''s back got a few curious looks. The squad entered the Vige Chief''s house again andid the girl down on a bed in his home. Renjiro said, "She needs immediate medical care." The Vige Chief nodded and went out to send someone to call the vige doctor.


    At that moment, a middle-aged man came running towards the Vige Chief house. On seeing the Vige Chief, he quickly asked while sobbing, "Chi¡­ Chief, m..my daughter? Is she¡­?" The Vige Chief quickly calmed him and said, "Yes, she''s safe. Enter my home." He quickly ran to the house and rushed to his daughter. On seeing him running, Renjiro stopped him and said, "She''s injured, don''t hug her or hold her tightly." The man finally stopped and sat down next to the bed and began sobbing after seeing the bandages on his daughter.


    Soon a doctor arrived and began attending to her. The father and the vige chief thanked Renjiro and the genins again and again. After a few minutes, the Vige Chief handed Renjiro a paper, and the squad left the vige and moved back to the town.


    After reaching the town, Renjiro said, "Take today off. Explore this town. However, stick together. We''ll meet in the same restaurant as yesterday''s at 1 pm." After he left, Hoka said, "You know, because so much happened, I didn''t notice that wepleted the mission and returned back to this town in merely two hours!" Mieko nodded. Fujin sighed and said, "Yeah, and the actual fight didn''t evenst for a couple of minutes. Even though killing was hard to adjust to, the fight itself wasn''t a challenge."


    Hearing that, Mieko asked for all the details. Hoka had already seen it all with his Byakugan, so he didn''t ask for it. After giving out the details, Mieko felt a bit anticlimactic about the rank C mission. Fujin chuckled and said, "Next time you snap at that guy, force him to give us a rank B mission." Hearing that, Mieko loudly replied, "Hey, who snapped?" This yell attracted the attention of nearby people and made Mieko go red with embarrassment. She thought for a bit and said, "But yeah, I guess we should ask for rank B missions."


    The kids then toured around the town. They tried some of the local food there and yed a few games. At 1 pm, they met up with Renjiro in the restaurant. After upying the seats, Renjiro looked at Fujin and asked, "So, how are you doing?" Fujin said, "I am doing fine sensei." Renjiro nodded satisfactorily and said, "Good. You have handled your first kill very well. I am proud of you." He then looked at Mieko and Hoka and said, "Next, it''ll be your turn. Prepare yourselves." The two young ninjas nodded nervously.


    Lunch came and the team started eating. While they were eating, Mieko suddenly asked, "Sensei, when can we do Rank B missions?" Renjiro squinted his eyes and asked, "What brought this on?" Mieko said, "We want to fight against the enemy ninjas. Just fighting bandits is not much fun." Renjiro scoffed and said, "Hmph. You guys ain''t ready." However, he saw Mieko''s determined face. Knowing the trouble she''ll cause, he quickly added, "If you ask this again, or pester me for rank B missions, I''ll make you do rank D missions for an entire year." This threat made Mieko quiet down quickly.


    Team Renjiro didn''t do much for the rest of the day. The next morning, a simr procedure was followed. Team Renjiro was hiding in a Bamboo forest, while looking at the Bandit hideout. The bandits had cleared out a small area, and constructed 3 small huts and 1 medium-sized hut to serve as their base. The medium-sized hut was in the centre, while the other 3 were around it. Fujin had sensed 12 people inside those huts. Renjiro asked, "So, who wants this one?" Mieko beat Hoka by saying, "ME!" Renjiro nodded and said, "Alright, we''ll leave this hideout to you."


    Mieko began walking forward stealthily. But soon she stopped and returned. She looked at Hoka and asked, "Hoka, do they have any hostages?" Hoka checked and answered, "No, all 12 seem to be bandits." Mieko asked, "How many are there in each of the huts?" Hoka answered, "There are 9 in the central hut, 2 in that hut, 1 in the hut on the right and thest one is empty." Mieko nodded and used Earth Military Movement jutsu to stealthily move forward.


    She stopped 5 metres away from the hut which had 2 bandits and appeared out of the ground. The bigger hut was exactly behind the small hut from where she was standing. She quickly made the hand signs, ''Fireball jutsu''. The fireball quickly moved through the smaller hut. As soon as it moved through it, 2 people screamed loudly. Since the fireball didn''t explode, it just burnt them and didn''t kill them right away.


    The fireball moved through the smaller hut to the bigger hut. It exploded right at the centre of the bigger hut. The explosionpletely demolished the hut. Fujin saw 4 bodies being thrown out due to the explosion. The explosion killed 7 bandits on the spot. 2 bandits, who were thrown out, were still alive and were screaming due to being on fire. The status of the 2 bandits in the smaller hut was the same. Due to the huts being made of bamboo and leaves, they offered no resistance to the fireball. Hearing the screams, thest remaining bandit got out of his hut, only to see 2 huts on fire. He looked around and saw one of his fellow bandits burning and screaming. The view horrified him. Before he could decide to do anything, Mieko flickered behind him and used Fire Release : Four jutsu to produce a heat ray that stabbed him through the heart and killed him.


    Now that all the bandits were killed or incapacitated, Mieko looked around her. She saw the dead bodies on fire. She could smell the flesh burning and hear the dying screams from 3 bandits. That scene immediately made her vomit. Renjiro quickly appeared behind her and consoled her. Fujin, having already killed, was able to look at this scene without much struggle. Hoka however, struggled due to the smell and the screams.


    Soon the screams died down and all the bandits were dead. After giving Mieko a few minutes to adjust, Team Renjiro retreated from there. Before leaving, Renjiro buried the whole ce underground using an Earth Release jutsu.


    The next day, Team Renjiro again repeated a simr mission. This time, the mission was to arrest the bandits. Hokapleted it by knocking out all the bandits and tying them up. However, Renjiro made Hoka kill 2 bandits so that he could get his first kill too. Renjiro gave the squad off on the fourth day.


    On the fifth morning, Renjiro said, "Today will be ourst mission. You three have done well. Let''s move out." On the way he said, "Today''s bandit hideout will be much bigger. So you will have to cooperate with each other." The genins nodded in agreement. Continuous drills for 2 and half months had made their teamwork very good. And being there for each other when they made their first kill had brought them much closer. So working together wasn''t an issue for any of them.


    On reaching the hideout, the genins noticed that the entire hideout was actually underground. Fujin scanned the entire base. He said, "There are 63 people I can sense." He then looked at Renjiro and said, "And 5 have higher chakra levels. Though they are only Genin level." Renjiro nodded, whereas Mieko eximed cheerfully, "Yes, finally we will fight ninjas!"


    Fujin asked, "But Sensei, aren''t missions that involve ninjas ranked B?" Renjiro nodded his head and replied, "Yeah, but they are only Genin level. There are many cases of people outside the hidden viges unlocking their chakra and reaching genin level by themselves. There are also many cases of genins defecting from the vige. Anyways, they are barely ninjas, and many times rank C missions include dealing with them too. So be careful. After all, there are over a hundred thousand ninjas in the world, so who knows where one can be."


    The genins nodded. Fujin thought, ''Hmm, this is unexpected. Though it makes sense I guess. If the vige begins ranking missions as rank B for only a chance of having to deal with a rogue Genin, then rank C missions will probably not exist at all.''


    The team began by first mapping the base. The base was quite big. There was one big room at the center of the hideout. Fujin suggested, "Let''s call it the main room." There were 3 exits to the main room, all almost equidistant from each other. These exits were connected to one big corridor that surrounded the entire main room. On the other side of the passageway, were many smaller rooms. Hokamented, "I guess they use the main room as amon room for nning, celebration, etc., while the smaller rooms are their personal rooms." There were a lot of traps all over the base, which were spotted by Hoka.


    Of the 5 ninjas, 3 were together in the main room, while the other 2 were in the smaller rooms. Mieko said, "Hmm, both the ninjas in the smaller rooms have their rooms very close to that exit from the main base." Fujin nodded and said, "Yeah, we will have to be careful while killing them. If they make a lot of sound, it''ll alert everyone in the main room." The bandits too were all over the base. In all, there were 4 exits from the hideout to above the ground. One was located in the main room, while 3 were just outside the exits from the main room to the corridor.


    Fujin thought, ''This base is very well built. I wonder if it started with something small and was slowly expanded as the bandit group grewrger. Or, if the base is something that naturally existed and was just upied by these bandits. Also, if we didn''t destroy those bandit groups, would they have grown in this manner too?''


    Fujin looked at his teammates and said, "So first, we have to decide from where to attack them." Mieko replied, "Let''s just attack the main room. Most bandits are present there." Hoka nodded and added, "Yeah, this way we''ll deal with the majority of them in one blow, and we can then pick out the scattered bandits one by one." Fujin replied, "Yeah, good idea. But if we do that, then the scattered bandits can try to escape." Hoka replied, "Yeah, but we can just chase and kill them." Fujin replied, "But it''ll be very troublesome to hunt them all down one by one. Especially if all of them run in different directions. Also, by destroying the main room, the bandits in all the other rooms will be alerted, and the ninjas will be alerted too."


    Hoka thought a bit and nodded in agreement. Mieko asked, "Then, what do you think?" Fujin pointed in a direction and said, "That room there is at one edge of the hideout. And also has one of the five ninjas there. Let''s start with that room. We will sneak up on the ninja and kill him. Then we will clear the nearby rooms and slowly and stealthily head to the main room. This way, this direction will already be cleared when we destroy the main room. So killing them all will be much easier." Mieko and Hoka thought for a few seconds and agreed with the n.


    The genins then discussed the n further and decided on the details. Once everything was nned, they checked their weapons, and were about to begin their attack. But Mieko suddenly asked, "Wait, who will kill the ninja?" Hoka quickly replied, "I''ll kill him." Mieko rebuked him, "Why you? I will kill the ninja." They then looked at Fujin. He said, "My sword provides me with a longer range, I think I''ll be more suited to killing him." However neither Hoka nor Mieko agreed to that logic.


    The argument about the kill went on for a minute. Renjiro observed his genins and sighed. Fujin then said, "Well, all three of us can kill him. So let''s just decide with Rock, Paper, Scissors." On hearing that, both Hoka and Mieko looked at Fujin with a deadpan expression. Mieko said, "That''s so childish! We are ninjas!" Fujin scoffed and asked, "Well, do you two have any better ideas?" Hoka and Mieko looked at each other. Not having any other idea, they reluctantly agreed.


    They soon got in the posture to y the game and began ying. Renjiro now looked over with amusement. The first three rounds were tied. Fujin thought, ''This is fun. I guess that''s why Goku and Vegeta did this so often.'' Mieko thought, ''I am not sure if I''ll wi¡­.. Wait!''


    As the trio began the 4th round, Mieko''s eyes suddenly turned red. She saw that both Fujin and Hoka were about to do Rock, so she went with paper. And said, "I win." Hoka quickly protested, "Hey, no sharingan. That''s cheating!" Mieko rebuked him, "Well, there were no rules stating that we couldn''t use sharingans." Fujin, who just wanted to start the mission, chuckled and said, "Well she got us there. Remember to set the rules properly next time." Seeing that he didn''t have Fujin''s support, Hoka reluctantly agreed.


    They then looked at each other and nodded. All three made hand signs and disappeared within the ground. The bandit base, which was properly hidden and even well defended due to being underground, was about to feel the terror of being hunted by a squad, in which every member could freely move underground.

 Chapter 50: Raid

    In the hideout, Hirota Masa was rxing. He had joined the bandit group 3 years ago. He had already unlocked his chakra before joining the bandit group. When the leader of the bandits noticed him, he quickly recruited and trained him. Now he was one of the leaders of this group, and even had 2 subordinates who helped him in everything.


    As Hiroto Masa was rxing in a good mood, a hand, with two fingers pointing out, popped from the ground. It headed towards his chest from his back and released a heat ray that prated his heart and killed him on the spot. At the same time, Fujin shed the head off one bandit, and Hoka jabbed two fingers in the chest of the remaining bandit. The raid had begun. All 3 bandits died, without even making a sound.


    Fujin, Hoka and Mieko looked at each other and nodded. They separated and headed towards the other rooms. In less than a minute, the rooms on this side were all cleared. They had assassinated 16 bandits, including a ninja. They gathered together again, and looked in the main room. The bandits there were still unaware of the cmity upon them.


    As decided, Fujin and Mieko split off in opposite directions, and began clearing the remaining rooms. Hoka, on the other hand, stayed there, and rigged the entrance to the main room with traps, so that the bandits couldn''t escape in this direction. He created quicksand at the entrances, and also created a lot of rock spikes around the quicksand trap.


    The second ninja bandit was closer to Mieko''s location than Fujin''s location. Therefore, she was the first one to reach him after she had killed 6 more bandits. Even though Mieko was as stealthy as she could be, the ninja still noticed that something was amiss, and asked his two subordinates to be prepared. As soon as he saw Mieko, who was rushing towards him at a very high speed, he threw a few shurikens to disrupt her. Seeing her enemy throwing shurikens at her, Mieko thought, ''Damn, they noticed.'' Mieko used her Sharingan to skillfully dodge the shurikens and thought, ''Oh well, this makes it more fun.'' She quickly approached him. To maintain the stealth, she couldn''t use any destructive Fire Release jutsus and had to close the distance to use Fire Release : Four jutsu.


    She soon reached the appropriate distance and used her jutsu. Her right hand was stretched out, with her middle and index finger pointing towards the rogue ninja''s heart and released the ray. Though the rogue ninja didn''t know the jutsu Mieko was nning to use, her outstretched fingers warned him and he quickly moved backwards. Mieko followed, but the ninja hid behind one of his subordinates. Mieko screamed internally, ''Coward!'' and changed her target. She focused the heat ray on the subordinate and killed him. However, the rogue ninja used this opportunity to throw 3 shurikens on Mieko. Mieko had to dodge quickly due to the small distance. She barely managed to dodge at thest moment.


    She recovered, and was about to continue her attack, when a sword pierced through the heart of the ninja from his back. This annoyed Mieko as Fujin had stolen her kill. She said angrily, "I could have killed him by mys¡­" But a loud scream interrupted her.


    Seeing his boss getting stabbed through his heart shocked the remaining bandit. And he yelled in terror. Realising her mistake, Mieko quickly threw a kunai at the bandit and killed him.


    Fujin ignored Mieko and focused on the main room. The battle had already created enough noise to attract some attention. And the loud scream had got the attention of all the bandits in the hideout. Fujin sighed and said, "You weren''t stealthy enough." Mieko snorted and replied, "Well, it doesn''t matter anymore." She began making hand signs. Fujin flickered next to her, and made a hand sign too. At the same time, they released their jutsu, ''Fire-Wind Dragon jutsu''.


    In the main room, the bandits were busy with sorting their recent loot. Some of the bandits had heard some noises from the side where Mieko was killing the bandits. However it was mostly ignored by them. But soon, a loud scream attracted everyone''s attention. The 3 remaining rogue ninjas too were on alert. One of them directed 2 bandits to go in and check what was happening. Those 2 carefully moved towards the exit in that direction. However, right before reaching there, they suddenly felt a lot of heat. But before they could do anything, a dragon head, made of fire, entered the room and engulfed them. They immediately began screaming in pain.


    The dragon quickly entered the roompletely. The sight of a dragon made of fire scared the bandits stiff. The dragon began spitting Wind Explosion jutsus all over the room. Seeing that, one bandit quickly made hand signs and mmed his hands on the ground, causing a rock shield to be created in front of him. Some of the nearby bandits quickly ran behind that shield.


    The Wind Explosion jutsus hit 7 bandits head on. The winds created by the explosion, shed the throats of 2 bandits, killing them on spot. However, they were much luckier than the ones who didn''t die. For the remaining 5, the winds created small cuts all over their bodies. As it was abination jutsu, the wind was incredibly hot. So, along with the cuts, it also caused low level burns on those bandits. And it was incredibly painful when their cuts were exposed to that hot air. One of those 5 bandits was even more unlucky as he didn''t shut his eyes. It resulted in a lot of hot air bombarding his eyes, causing them to burn up. So though the jutsu didn''t kill them, they were scarred and in immense pain.


    Even the bandits nearby were harmed by the hot wind shes. However, they could still fight or run. The attack caused panic among the bandits.


    Three bandits quickly tried to escape out of the base. They rushed towards thedder and began climbing it. Unfortunately for them, Hoka was standing just above the exit. Hoka waited for all 3 bandits to be on thedder, and then made a few hand signs, ''Stone Spear jutsu''. From the walls around thedder, dozens of spears began appearing. They stabbed all the 3 bandits on thedder, killing them on spot. It also blocked the ess to thedder for the remaining bandits.


    Two bandits ran towards the area which was cleared by Fujin earlier. On sensing the bandits running in that direction, Fujin made a hand sign and waited. As soon as the bandits exited the main room, Fujin exploded the explosion tag he had nted there. That caused the rocks from the ceiling to fall down, and crushed those bandits. It also sealed that exit.


    Five bandits ran towards the room where Hiroto Masa was supposed to be. However, as soon as they exited the main room, they fell straight into the quicksand trap. The quicksand Hoka had created had a depth of 4 metres and had covered the entire entrance. All five bandits were trapped there and were slowly sinking in.


    Eleven bandits were hiding behind the rock shield created by their leader and eight were still trying to escape in the directions of their fellow bandits. However, they stopped in their tracks after seeing what happened to them. Fujin used this opportunity to make the dragon bombard them with 3 Wind Explosion Jutsus, injuring all eight of them to a certain degree. The dragon then circled around to get a clear shot at the bandits hiding behind the rock. The leader quickly made another rock shield.


    Sadly for him, Fujin and Mieko had anticipated it. Instead of bombarding, the dragon circled around more andunched 2 Wind Explosion jutsus in such a manner that they couldn''t escape from there. They were surrounded by the rock shields on two sides and Wind Explosion jutsus on the remaining two sides. Only the 3 ninjas managed to jump and move to the other side of the rock shields. The remaining bandits were trapped and took minor injuries. The dragon then moved forward and engulfed all of those bandits. It set all eight of the bandits on fire, but also caused the Fire-Wind Dragon to dissipate.


    This assault had incapacitated all the bandits in the hideout, with the exception of the three ninjas. Two among them were novices with no actual experience beyond their banditry. Only the leader had a bit of experience as he was once a genin in the Kusagakure. He had noticed that the jutsu was about to dissipate and said, "Hurry and follow me." He led the remaining two to the entrance from where the dragon hade in. However, on entering, he didn''t see anyone there. Instead he saw the dead body of his fellow bandits and one of his ninjas. Seeing him dead rmed him and he became much more cautious. He said, "Be careful, they might still be around. Let''s look for them toge¡­"


    Suddenly he jumped up and looked below. The ground had moved and wanted to trap his feet in it. Even though he dodged, Fujin smirked underground, ''Got them''. He had trapped the other two bandits.


    Mieko saw that and appeared at the entrance. She quickly made hand signs, ''Fireball jutsu''. The trapped bandits couldn''t dodge and were caught in the explosion. Only the leader managed to dodge. He saw hisst two bandits burning with disbelief, ''It''s all over¡­ I need to escape.''


    He quickly began running away. However, Fujin stealthilyunched a shuriken enhanced with chakra flow at his left leg. Distracted by fear and the urgency to escape, the bandit leader didn''t notice it. The shuriken hit his left leg from behind, and cut through it like a hot knife through butter. Suddenly losing his left leg made him fall down and cry in pain. Fujin then used Body Flicker jutsu to appear right above him and stab a sword through his heart. The bandit leader died with despair on his face.


    Fujin looked at Mieko and said, "Looks like this is over." Mieko asked, "Aren''t there a few still alive back in the main room?" Fujin chuckled and said, "Not anymore" and began walking towards the main room. Mieko followed him. In the main room, Hoka had already killed all the bandits who were still alive from the Fire-Wind Dragon''s assault.


    At that moment, Renjiro too appeared within the main room. He thought, ''Not bad, they killed everyst one of them. And they have adjusted to killing well.'' He said, "Good work. This mission is sessfullypleted." He then looked at his team and said, "It''s good to see you guys being able to handle the killing very well." The kids nodded. Even though they were still repulsed by the gore around them, they could handle themselves without vomiting.


    Renjiro then led his team out of the hideout. He then made the hand seal for an Earth Release jutsu. Fujin quickly stopped him by asking, "Sensei, isn''t it a waste to destroy such a good base?" The sudden question stopped Renjiro from destroying the underground base. He asked, "What do you mean?" Fujin replied, "Can''t we use this base for our own ninjas?" Renjiro asked, "And how will our ninjas use this base?"


    Fujin thought for a few seconds and replied, "Well, they could use it as a base during war. Or they could use it as a temporary resting ce or perhaps create an underground supply depot." Renjiro shook his head and said, "The closest hidden vige from here is Kusa. And they are allied with us. Even if they weren''t, they can''t prate this deep into the Fire country. If there is any threat, then it''ll be Iwa which is beyond Kusa. However, if they are able to prate this deep into the Land of Fire, then that base will be useless anyways as the majority of the Iwa ninjas are masters of Earth Release jutsus. They''ll just bury all the troops underground. As for supply depots and resting ces, there are already sufficient numbers of them. So it is unnecessary too."


    Fujin fell in thoughts and realized, ''Yeah, that makes sense. Konoha has been around for decades. Surely their infrastructure would be top notch by now. And surely they''d have identified all the bases over the Land of Fire.'' He then nodded to Renjiro, who destroyed the entire hideout.


    On the way back to the town, Mieko asked, "Sensei, were they really ninjas? Only one of them used any Ninjutsu, and even that was only a rank E jutsu. They couldn''t put up a fight at all." Renjiro answered, "They were justmon bandits who had unlocked chakra by ident or luck. Only their leader was probably a former ninja gone rogue. However, he too barely had any proper training. So it wasn''t a surprise that he wasn''t a match for you guys, who are being trained by me."


    Hoka asked in excitement, "Sensei, aren''t there bounties on rogue ninjas?" Renjiro shook his head and replied, "Only if they are very famous. Someone who barely qualifies as a genin won''t have any bounty at all." That drowned Hoka''s excitement. He continued following the squad with his shoulders dropped.


    Mieko, who was still stuck on how weak her enemies were, asked, "Sensei, when can we fight real ninjas then?" Renjiro turned his head and stared at her. He thought, ''Nice way of indirectly asking me for rank B missions.'' On noticing that Renjiro had noticed her thoughts, Mieko was embarrassed. But she didn''t allow that embarrassment to appear on her face. Fujin noticed that and thought, ''Damn, these ninjas are born shameless.'' Renjiro smirked and answered, "After you have captured that cat a hundred times."


    That answer drained the color off Mieko''s face. Hoka red at her. While Fujin chuckled thinking, ''I guess no one canpete with the older generation in shamelessness.'' Mieko then began apologizing to Renjiro and began a funny banter. Sadly for her, she was no match for Renjiro.

 Chapter 51: Clash in the Forest of Death

    Team Renjiro rested in the town for the day. Next morning, they left the town to return to Konoha. On arriving, they went to the Hokage tower to turn in the missions. Renjiro handed the papers to the chuunin responsible for checking them. After checking, he handed 4 packets to Renjiro.


    The 4 missionsbined, paid them 280k. After Renjiro divided them, each of the 3 kids got 56k. Fujin thought, ''280k just for these missions? I''m pretty sure I could havepleted them solo and in under a day! It''s much faster than Fuinjutsu. Though it has some risks, if a strong ninja is hiding among the bandits. Anyways, I should be able to collect enough for a sword made from chakra metal pretty quickly if I take a lot of missions.'' Unlike Fujin, Mieko and Hoka didn''t concern themselves much with the money. Thanks to having rather rich parents, they never had to worry or think about money.


    After the division of money, Renjiro dismissed them and said, "Tomorrow there won''t be any training. We begin our training the day after tomorrow at the same time as usual." The kids nodded and dispersed.


    Since it was lunch time, Fujin decided to head to Ichiraku. On the way, Fujin thought, ''7 rank D missions and 4 rank C missions. Isn''t the requirement for chuunin exam just 8 missions? I wonder when Renjiro will make us take the exam. Will it be the next round, or will it be like Teru''s squad?''


    Thinking about Teru created new thoughts in Fujin''s mind, ''Ya, isn''t Teru''s squad participating in the chuunin exam? I wonder what has happened with that. Did the chuunin exams already start, or is there still some time?'' This question resulted in Fujin realising something very critical.


    He thought, ''Now that I think about it, I am really clueless in regards to what is happening around me. Other than what I remember about what will happen in the future, I have no idea about what is exactly happening. I need some means of gathering information. But, how to do it¡­.''


    He thought for a bit and decided, ''Well, the least I should do is start getting newspapers delivered to my home. Though it won''t contain any crucial information, it''ll still keep me updated. Apart from that, I should probably make my own information gatheringwork. While I don''t think I''d be able to make something asplex as what Jiraiya has, I don''t really need it to be that good either. Just getting unfiltered and timely news would be sufficient. Oh well, I''ll leave this for the future too. It''ll take a lot of effort, time and money to actually create it. Right now, I barely have any money or free time anywa...''


    His thoughts were cut by a loud shout. He heard, "Old man! Three miso ramens for me." Fujin turned right and noticed, ''Eh, Naruto? I didn''t even notice reaching Ichiraku. But considering that Naruto is here¡­'' Fujin then focused on sensing his surroundings. After sensing, he thought, ''As I thought. 2 Anbus are hiding nearby. Or perhaps 1 Anbu and 1 Root. I doubt Danzo wouldn''t keep his eye on the lone Jinchuriki of Konoha.''


    He then released a sigh and thought, ''Well, as much as I''d like to meet him now, it''ll probably create a lot of deviations in the future. Not to mention that it''ll also gain the attention of both Hiruzen and Danzo. I''ll leave this meeting for the future. At least until the time I can calcte and control those deviations. And until I''m strong enough to at least face these two Anbus in case they have some stupid ideas. Sigh, this means I''ll have to go to a different restaurant.''


    Fujin then moved in the direction of a nearby sushi restaurant. After lunch, he searched for a newspaper stand near his house and bought a subscription.


    With the rank C missionspleted, Team Renjiro got back to their training. A week''s rest suddenly made the morning workout seem much more difficult. When Renjiro returned after the team''s break was over, Mieko asked, "Sensei, when can we go on the next mission?" Hoka looked over with interest. Renjiro replied casually, "Rank C missions take a lot longer time than rank D missions. So we''ll only do 1 monthly. Rest of the time will be focused on your training." Mieko''s shoulders slumped on hearing that. It meant that there was no escape from this deadly training.


    At the same time as Fujin and his teammates were training, two genin squads faced each other deep within a forest. Both squads consisted of 3 boys. However, one squad only had 10-11 years old genins. While the other squad had 3 genins who were almost 17 years old. The younger squad was from Konoha, while the older squad was from Kusa.


    Yori looked at his opponents. They were much older than him, but he wasn''t worried. After all, they weren''t Uchihas.


    Yokota Minoru, one of the Kusa genins, said arrogantly, "Looks like we are in luck. Konoha sent little babies for the exam." Yokota Yoshiaki chuckled and added, "Why don''t you little kids hand us your scroll and run to your mommies."


    Thements riled Yori up. He angrily said, "Why you! I''ll show you the might of a¡­" However he was cut short by his teammate. Hatake Kaen said, "Calm down, they are just trying to rile you." Tomaya Takihiko startedughing and replied, "Oh, we aren''t. We are just stating the truth." Teru sighed and said, "They really are arrogant." Kaen chuckled and added, "Especially considering that they are still only genins despite being so old."


    Takihiko replied, "Old eh? I''ll show you." He quickly began making hand signs. However Teru mmed his hands on the ground and shouted, "Toote!" As soon as Teru mmed his hands on the ground, stone spears began appearing from the ground andpletely surrounded the Kusa squad. Seeing their predicament, Kusa-nins stopped their hand signs and quickly jumped high towards the nearby trees. Yori, who was already making hand signs, thought, ''Got them!'' andunched Phoenix Sage Fire jutsu.


    Seeing the balls of fire heading towards them, Minoru and Yoshiaki quickly made hand signs, ''Water Shield jutsu''. Onpleting the hand signs, a shield of water began forming between the Kusa genins and the fire jutsu. The shield waspletely formed in the nick of time and managed to protect them from the fire. However, Teru used this opportunity tounch the stone spears at the airborne Kusa genins. The stone spears easily prated the water shield, forcing the Kusa genins to use a kunai to block the spears and direct themselves tond properly on the nearby trees.


    As soon as theynded on the trees, they began making hand signs. However, before they couldplete their jutsu, a Tanto appeared behind Yoshiaki and stabbed through his heart. Kaen, who had appeared behind Yoshiaki, whispered, "Game over." He pulled his Tanto out, and a lifeless body fell from the tree.


    Seeing their teammate die was very shocking for the Kusa genins. Especially for Minoru who was his cousin. He yelled, "I''m going to kill you!" Seeing Minoru lose his calm rmed Takihiko. He quickly shouted, "Minoru, wait!" However the shout fell on deaf ears. Minorupleted his hand signs, ''Water Pellet jutsu''. Heunched the water pallet straight at Kaen. However, Kaen simply moved behind the trees,pletely avoiding the attack.


    Seeing his attack missing enraged Minoru even further. He jumped towards Kaen. Sensing the opening, Teru quickly made hand signs. Seeing Teru preparing a jutsu, Takihikopleted his hand signs andunched a water pellet straight at Teru. But Yori noticed it and thought, ''Not on my watch.'' He quicklyunched Fireball jutsu to intercept the water pellet. At the same time, Teruunched a water pellet straight at Minoru. The jutsu hit Minoru on his left rib cage, and knocked him off course.


    Seeing his teammate at a disadvantage, Takihiko wanted to rush towards him. However, he was intercepted by Yori and Teru. They engaged him in a fight and didn''t allow him to move towards Minoru.


    The water pellet hurt Minoru badly, however he gritted his teeth and fought through the pain. He grabbed a kunai and continued moving towards Kaen. On closing the distance, he attacked with his kunai. Kaen raised his Tanto to block the attack. Though Minoru attacked with a lot of force, as soon as the kunai and Tanto shed, an electric current passed through the kunai and hit him. Though not deadly, it was very painful, and Minoru had to take his hand off the kunai.


    Kaen smirked and thought, ''Current Transfer jutsu. Always works!'' He just stepped forward and shed his Tanto at Minoru''s neck. Minoru, who was blinded by rage, in immense pain due to the damaged ribs and still feeling the electric current, couldn''t dodge and the sh went straight across his throat. His throat split open, causing blood to sprout out from it. He looked at Kaen with unwillingness in his eyes. Sadly, he couldn''t even control his body anymore and fell down, dead.


    At the same time, Takihiko was engaged against Teru and Yori. After exchanging a few blows, Yori closed the distance andunched Fireball jutsu. Knowing that Takihiko will dodge, Teru threw shurikens in such a manner that Takihiko couldn''t dodge the fireball. Not having any option, Takihiko used Water Shield jutsu to defend. On seeing the water shield, Teru thought, ''All 3 have water affinity? Well sucks to be them.'' He quickly made a hand sign and mmed his hands on the ground.


    At that moment, the fireball had engulfed the water shield. However, Takihiko waspletely safe due to the shield. Sadly for him, at that very moment, a stone spear appeared from the ground. It easily prated the water shield and headed towards Takihiko. The spear rmed him. He grabbed a kunai and attempted to block the spear. But the spear pushed him backwards, throwing him out of his water shield, and into the fireball, burning him alive.


    On seeing him die, Teru sighed in relief. He said, "All done." Yori nodded and said, "Yeah, that was easier than expected." Teru chuckled and said, "Yeah. Let''s just hope that this guy wasn''t carrying the scroll." Yori looked at Teru with confusion. But he quickly realized and cursed, "Damn! That scroll will be ashes if he has it." At that time Kaen appeared from behind. He said, "No need to worry. The crazy guy had it." He then tossed the scroll slightly in the air andmented, "We were very lucky that such a weak team had the scroll we needed."


    Teru said, "Cool, got the Earth scroll. Let''s head towards the tower." Yori objected and said, "That''ll be boring. Why not just try to eliminate the weaker teams in the forest? That way thepetition will be lesser in the next rounds." Kaen shook his head and said, "It doesn''t matter. This forest will eliminate the weak teams anyway." Teru nodded and agreed, "Yeah. Not to mention, the more time we spend in the forest, the more teams will set up traps near the tower. And if a team is weak enough to be eliminated by us in this round, then we will be able to do the same in the next round too." Seeing that both his teammates opposed his idea, Yori relented and apanied his team to the tower.

 Chapter 52: Notice

    Hey guys, Happy New Year.


    Made a New year resolution ofpleting this fanfic.


    Apologies for not posting any chapter for over a year. Unfortunately, I was just too busy irl. I wrote a bit during the past year, but never had enough time to write continuously. I suppose there was also some exhaustion and reluctance in getting back to writing continuously.


    So this time, I''munching P@treon to motivate myself a bit. Thanks in advance to all who decide to support me.


    Link - [email protected]</a>/DevilHex


    (''a'' instead of @)


    I''ll start uploading chapters soon (will do a small mass releaseter today).


    Anyways, there has been a break in writing. So the next few chapters might not be that good. Apologies in advance for that. Criticism and tips are always weed as usual.


    I''ll be making some changes though. Writing chapters worth 2-3k words was very taxing. So I''ll be reducing chapter length to 1-1.5k words (If I have to write any around 800-1000 words, I''ll release an additional chapter)


    I did go through the fanfic. And realized that the character interactions are just way too little. So are the emotions disyed by MC. So I''ll try to increase character interactions. And will show MC enjoying his time more rather than just covering his training routine.


    I did read all thements andints by the readers who read the fic when it was on hiatus. So rifying a few things.


    1. MC is giving too much importance to Danzo/MC is too worried about him


    See he just has one chance at life. And he has no interest in depending upon luck or hoping some plot supports him to avoid their radar or to get him out of trouble once he has been noticed. I don''t n on making MC behave like a moron just to get himself in trouble and then giving him insane luck or power boost to get him out of trouble. (PS : He may fall in troubleter on, but it''ll be due to circumstances out of his control and not due to stupidity)


    2. MC isn''t talented.


    True. He isn''t talented at anything. No system, no godly talent. Later on in the story, some of his skills and talent will increase exponentially (PS : He''s just 10 right now). The title of the fic and MC''s name should give you an idea. But it''ll happen slowly over years. His only real advantage is that due to being such a fan of Naruto and other manga/novels, he really yearns for bing strong. Not something a random kid from the Naruto world will have. His time in the academy pretty much showed this. Of course, even this drive might not reallypare to the kind of training Guy did.


    3. MC is cowardly


    That he is, lol. He is just a normal guy who transmigrated into a world of deadly killers. Just cause he transmigrated and has some information regarding future plot, won''t suddenly increase his courage. In fact, this has the opposite effect, as he knows how powerful the enemies will be and he knows how the leaders of the vige can fuck you up.


    In addition, so far, he has had real battles only against bandits. And that too when an Elite Jounin was watching over him. He will have his character development slowly, to shed off this habit and be more brave. Getting stronger will also affect his behavior (PS : He''ll always choose to take the easier way out and focus on his own benefits though)


    I''ll upload the chapters soon. Will try to upload 5 every week. Could increase or decrease depending upon chapter sizes.

 Chapter 53: Up a Few Notches

    After the mission ended, Renjiro continued the training of his students.


    One day, when the training was about to end, Renjiro observed his 3 students. He smiled seeing them, with a bit of pride. He thought, ''These 3 have turned out to be quite good. I''ll be surprised if any of them aren''t promoted to Jounin before they turn 16. I suppose they do deserve some praise from their sensei."


    The training waspleted soon and the genins were about to leave when Renjiro stopped them. He said, "Three months earlier, I epted to be the Jounin sensei of your squad. Do you recall what I told you then?"


    Fujin, Hoka, and Mieko, all shake their heads. Hoka asked, "What did you say sensei?"


    Renjiro sighed and said, "You guys are on a probation period, remember?"


    Understanding that Renjiro just wanted to make it official, Fujin tilted his head and asked, "What probation period Sensei? Mieko, do you remember any?"


    Mieko understood him and tilted her head too, "Nope, don''t remember. Any idea Hoka?"


    Hoka too tilted his head and said, "Nope. No idea what you''re talking about Sensei."


    Renjiro''s face goespletely dark, looking at the perfect poker face maintained by his 3 students. Seeing his reaction, the 3 Genins couldn''t help butugh out loud. Renjiro finally gives up on the antics of his students. Heposed himself and said, "You guys have pas¡­"


    However, Hoka cuts him off and says, "We already know Sensei." And the 3 genins flicker away, leaving their Senseipletely dumbfounded. Renjiro smiled bitterly and muttered to himself, "I really need to have a word with the one who suggested I put the top squad of the year on probation."


    It had been 4 weeks since they had been officially made Genins. Fujin, Hoka, and Mieko were resting under a tree after the morning workout.


    Mieko started the conversation by saying, "The final round of the chunin exams will be tomorrow." Mieko nodded and said, "Yeah, two of my ssmates will be participating in the fight tomorrow." Mieko continued, "Yeah, I wanna see Yori''s fight. I wonder if Sensei would allow us to see the fights." Fujin chuckled and said, "Good luck asking Sensei for a holiday." On hearing that, Mieko looked at Fujin with an annoyed expression. Fujin ignored that and thought, ''That said, it won''t be a bad thing to see how much Teru and Yori have progressed. They have been genin for a year longer than me.''


    After the break, Renjiro appeared and gathered his squad. On seeing him, Mieko quickly wanted to ask him permission to watch the next day''s fights. However, Renjiro stopped her and said, "We''ll be taking another mission. We will leave tomorrow at 9 am."


    Mieko quickly asked, "Sensei, can''t we take the mission a couple of dayster?" Renjiro squinted his eyes and asked, "Why?" She replied, "Sensei, we were wondering if we could watch the chunin exams that will be held tomorrow." Renjiro, with the same expression, asked the same thing again, "Why?" Mieko put up a diligent expression and answered seriously, "We want to observe the tactics, strategies, and jutsus that ninjas from our neighboring viges use. That way we will be more prepared when we have to fight them."


    Fujin chuckled internally at the answer. Renjiro didn''t forbid any ideas they had. Just that, he required a solid reason to agree to them. That was why Mieko prepared such an answer.


    Renjiro dismissively waved his hands and said, "It''s merely genins fighting. You won''t learn much." He then looked at his squad and said, "Let''s get back to training." Mieko slumped her shoulders in disappointment. Fujin thought, ''That''s a bit surprising. I thought he would agree with that reasoning. Well whatever, it doesn''t matter much.''


    The next day, Team Renjiro epted the mission to apany a merchant carven to the Land of Rivers. The mission was very uneventful with only one small bandit group trying to assault the carven. It took 9 days to reach the Land of Rivers and the return journey took another day.


    The squad returned to Konoha around midnight. Afterpleting the formalities, Renjiro dismissed the squad. Fujin, on returning home, saw a bunch of newspapers lying outside his door. He picked them up and went inside. He made a couple of shadow clones to go through the papers, while he went for a bath. The clones went through the papers briefly and dispelled themselves.


    On receiving all the information, Fujin thought, ''I see, both Teru and Yori became chunin. A bit surprising, but I guess Konoha is still trying to increase the number of chunins and jounins. Well, I suppose my promotion too should happen in my first attempt then.''


    Not having much to do for the remaining day, Fujin decided to brush up on his Fuinjutsu. He made 3 clones, and all four together created all the seals that they knew.


    While revising his Fuinjutsu knowledge, Fujin began reviewing his progress over thest few months, he analyzed, ''it''s been 4 months since I graduated. The progress has honestly been phenomenal. I really underestimated the effect of having a dedicated Elite Jounin guiding you. Then again, I never expected that we''d be taught this well. My chakra reserves have almost doubled. The amount of pressure I can handle from my training seal is up to 18%. Despite not training, I can now sense up to a kilometer away. Taijutsu too has improved a lot due to constant sparring. And undoubtedly, my Ninjutsu and Kenjutsu have improved the most. I can now use Chakra flow on my sword with ease. I really want to get into an all-out fight to test my power. I wonder if I''ll get any such chance soon.''


    The next day, at 4:45 am, Fujin arrived at the training ground. Mieko and Hoka were already there. Seeing them, Fujin asked, "Yo, ready for another 3-4 weeks of hardcore training?" Mieko''s shoulders dropped and she replied, "I''d rather go on missions." Fujin and Hoka chuckled looking at her reactions. 4 months of training together and 2 long missions outside the vige had improved the rtionship between the three a lot. Their teamwork was also very good. Though it still needs to be tested against a proper ninja team.


    At 5, Renjiro flickered in front of his team. Seeing his team is ready to begin their morning workout, he nodded internally. However, knowing what was toe, he couldn''t help smirking a bit. Seeing that smirk instantly made his Genins very worried. Fujin thought, ''Okay, what now?''


    Renjiro started by saying, "In thest 4 months, I have drilled all the basic formations into you. You''ll use these formations even when you be Genins."


    The team calmed down after hearing this. Fujin thought, ''Finally. No more boring training sessions on team formations. But why is he smirking? He won''t be kind all of a sudden!''


    Renjiro continued, "So, from now on, I''ll be entirely focusing on increasing your capabilities. So the training will go up a few notches."


    Hearing that all the 3 genins were stunned. Mieko freaked out, ''a few notches?'' Fujin was also sweating a bit, ''Doesn''t he already make us exert our 100%?'' Hoka too wondered how intense a few notches would be.


    [A/N : Thanks zero1995 for being my first P@treon]

 Chapter 54: Senju Taijutsu Style

    Renjiro just chuckled at their expressions, and said, "First, we are going to increase the pressure applied by the training seals. What are the pressures you are using right now?"


    Mieko replied, "3%"


    Hoka, "38%"


    Fujin, "18.5%"


    [A/N : Fujin''s seal has twice the upper limit aspared to the other two. So it''s just barely below Hoka''s]


    Renjiro nodded and said, "Good. Mieko, you''ll increase it to 5%. Hoka to 45%. Fujin to 22%."


    The genins followed the instructions of their sensei. After increasing the pressure, Renjiro began the morning workout. In addition to increasing the pressure from the seals, the training itself was made much tougher. And instead of ending at 9, it continued till 10.


    At the end of the training, all 3 genins were lying under a tree, in a lifeless manner. Renjiroughed looking at this scene and said loudly, "How will you guys achieve your dreams if a simple training session defeats you? You have an hour''s break. The afternoon training will continue from 11 to 2." On saying that he flickered away.


    After half an hour, Fujin and Hoka gained some energy. While Mieko was still sleeping. Hoka asked, "Any idea why he suddenly doubled the intensity of the training?" Fujin replied, "Who knows. Maybe he ns to enter us in the next Chunin exam. Or maybe he was just letting us take it easy as we just graduated." He took a deep breath before continuing, "Anyways, it seems like it''ll be very helpful for us." Hoka sighed and said, "I always thought I was the one who looked forward to training the most. But it seems like you are even more of a maniac than me." Saying that heughed lightly.


    Fujin looked back at him, before chuckling a bit and said, "Oh well. Let''s hope that we get out of this alive." He then grabbed his ration bars and devoured them and began stretching. Hoka followed.


    At 11, Renjiro appeared again. He created 2 shadow clones and said, "Today we will be discussing how to increase your growth rate. Follow one."


    Mieko and Hoka follow a shadow clone each into the forests, while Fujin stays there.


    Renjiro looked at Fujin and asked, "Who do you think has grown the fastest among you three?" Fujin thought for a bit and answered, "Probably me." Renjiro nodded and replied, "Indeed. You''ve grown much faster than any of your academy teachers predicted. Even faster than I predicted. However,pared to your two teammates, you have a huge disadvantage. Do you know what it is?"


    Fujin fell into thought on hearing the question. After a minute, he answered, "Kekkei Genkai".


    Renjiro nodded, "Right, but notpletely. Along with their Kekkei Genkai, they also have their huge ns, which have already developedplementary jutsus to leverage the advantage their kekkei genkai gives them."


    Hearing that, Fujin fell into his thoughts. Renjiro continued, "Both Hoka and Mieko are very talented. Soon, their families will begin heavily investing in them, boosting their growth at a high speed in a systematic way. What do you have to contend with? Or will you be left behind by them?"


    Fujin replied seriously, "That is why I invested time into bing a sensor and learning swordy. I don''t have any Kekkei Genkai. So obviously I won''t get any sudden boost to my powers. But as long as I keep training my skills to the limit, I''ll surpass the ninjas who depend on their Kekkei Genkai."


    Renjiro maintained a serious face and asked, "What makes you think that the ones with Kekkei Genkai won''t train to their limits? Do you really think that you can surpass them despite all the advantages they have over you?"


    Fujin smiled and put his hand gently on his sword handle. "I''ve heard that the strongest Samurai in the Land of Iron can go head to head against a Kage with nothing but his sword. Even in Konoha, despite having so many people with Kekkei Genkai, the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Hokage are all ninjas who didn''t have any Kekkei Genkai. Simrly, no member of the Sannins has a Kekkei Genkai. So as long as I keep training hard, I don''t think I''d lose to anyone with a Kekkei Genkai."


    Renjiro was surprised to hear this answer. More importantly, he was surprised to hear the confidence in Fujin''s voice. He smiled wryly and thought, ''Oh well, this one has no need of any encouragement or confidence boost. Though he might need a reality check.''


    At the same time, Fujin was thinking, ''Was he nning to give me a pep talk or something? Anyways, while Kekkei Genkai is good, it''s not something that would churn out rank S ninjas. Other than Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan, Rinnegan and maybe Tenseigan, others aren''t really overbearing. I guess the Senju treat the Wood release with the highest respect, but in all honesty, it was Hashirama who made wood style overpowered and not vice versa. Besides, of my 2 teammates, one is about to die soon, while the other has a cursed seal put on him. Not really something I''d be jealous about.''


    After a short pause, Renjiro began talking again, "That''s a good perspective to have. But don''t forget that whether it''s the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Hokage, or the 3 Sannins, all were extremely talented and hard-working. So while it''s a good thing to take inspiration from them, don''t forget that you''ll have to train extremely hard to even dream about reaching that level."


    Fujin nodded and replied, "Yes Sensei."


    Renjiro smiled and added, "There''s one another thing I want to tell you about Kekkei Genkai. But you are not ready for it yet. I''ll tell you when youplete your first B Rank mission as a Chunin."


    Fujin wondered what Renjiro wanted to tell him. He replied, "Alright sensei."


    Renjiro then asked, "What is your analysis of your current capability? And how do you n on continuing your training?"


    Fujin thought for a bit, before answering, "To start with, my ability as a Sensor-nin is developing decently. But that''ll be my secondary ability. In terms of fighting, it seems like my main stay will be Wind Release and Swordy. Swordy is my preferred choice of closebat. While Wind release gives me Mid and Long range capabilities. Of course, both still have a lot of work that needs to be done. I can use some Earth release jutsus for defensive purposes. And I have Body Flicker jutsu for mobility. My physical strength, speed, and chakra are decent too I guess. At least for a genin that is."


    Renjiro was impressed by Fujin''s analysis. Fujin continued, "As for what I''m missing or need to improve¡­ I need some strong jutsu in my arsenal that can create a deadly impact or devastation on the battlefield. And my Taijutsu needs to improve. All I have there is the basic academy style."


    Onpleting his answer, he looked up at his Sensei. Renjiro replied, "On-point analysis. You don''t need to worry about a strong jutsu though. When you be a Jounin, you''ll get to look at Rank A jutsus that our vige has. For now, stick with rank C jutsus. Preferably for the next couple of years, until your Chakra grows considerably.


    You are right about your Taijutsu though. While you did rank high in the Academy, that basic style won''t aid you much in growing stronger. That''s why I''ll be teaching you the Taijutsu I practice. That is the Senju Taijutsu style!"

 Chapter 55: The Path to becoming an Elite

    That surprised Fujin. He quickly thanked his Sensei, "Thank You Sensei. But can you just teach it to someone who isn''t from the Senju n?"


    Renjiro raised his eyebrow and asked, "What do you mean someone? You are my student." He thenughed and said, "Don''t worry, our techniques are for the whole vige. Anyone who can learn it can use them. Of course, the keyword is CAN."


    Fujin asked, "What do you mean by ''can'' Sensei?"


    Renjiro replied, "The people from our n are blessed with high levels of chakra. Surely you''d have sensed that by now." Fujin nodded.


    Renjiro continued, "So our techniques usually have high chakra requirements. If anyone else were to try and learn, they''ll run out of chakra very quickly. You, on the other hand, have a lot of chakra aspared to your counterparts. In fact, it''s more than both Hoka and Miekibined. So you''ll be perfect to learn Senju Taijutsu style."


    Fujin quickly understood and nodded, "Alright! When can we start Sensei? Also, can you exin what exactly is Senju Taijutsu style? I haven''t ever read it."


    Renjiro replied, "We''ll begin right away after I exin the basics. Senju Taijutsu style is actually pretty straightforward. Actually, the Academy Taijutsu style was created by referring to our style. What makes Senju style lethal is the use of Chakra.


    Any Taijutsu style basically consists of users fighting with their arms and legs or some other body parts. Of course, there are a few exceptions, like Hyuga Taijutsu which releases small amounts of chakra from their fingers or palm, and a n in Kiri that uses bones.


    In Senju Taijutsu style, your every move will be reinforced by Chakra. You want to punch? Your fist needs to gather Chakra first and release it on impact. You want to kick? You have to do the same. You want to block? Infuse chakra into the body part you want to block with or is about to hit.


    This ensures that your defense is like a fortress, while your attack is devastating. Of course, such a style means that not only do you need to have a huge amount of chakra, but you also need to have very good chakra control. Else, even a huge chakra reserve will get depleted very quickly."


    Renjiro''s exnation shocked Fujin a bit. He analyzed, ''Isn''t this simr to Tsunade''s fighting style? In fact, I did already make some attempts of infusing chakra in my punches. To think this is the Senju style. Tsunade''s fighting style probably represents the Senju Taijutsu style used by someone who''s reached the peak of Chakra control.


    Anyways, this is very good. Finally, a Taijutsu style that can allow me topete, or even overpower others.''


    After analyzing, he said, "Let''s start Sensei."


    Renjiro nodded and began the training. He said, "First, we will start by getting you topletely infuse your chakra in your whole body. Once you can do that, we will begin concentrating on infusing it with individual body parts only.


    Disy your entire Chakra first."


    Fujin obeyed, and released his entire chakra. Renjiro looked at Fujin. He could see a blue chakrapletely cloaking Fujin. His first thought was, ''Marvellous''.


    Fujin too was in thought, ''Actually, I do have some basic understanding of this. While I never exposed it for obvious reasons. Now will be a good time to use it to just show it as natural talent, hehe.''


    Following Fujin''s expectations, Renjiro gave his nextmand, "Now try to contain that Chakra inside your body, such that it flows through your entire body. Think of it as simr to you doing Chakra Flow on your body rather than just your sword."


    Fujin followed his guidance. He slowly began containing that Chakra in his body. In around 2 mins, the blue aura cloaking him slowly disappeared. But if someone were to observe closely, they''d notice blue chakra res being expelled asionally from his body.


    Renjiro, who was standing right in front of him, was shocked. He thought, ''So fast? This¡­''


    He swallowed his saliva before eximing to himself, ''This is unbelievable. Though the control isn''t perfect by any means, he managed to contain the chakra in just a couple of minutes! It''s as if this technique was made for him.''


    Fujin looked up at Renjiro, before asking, "Is this proper Sensei?"


    Renjiro nodded and replied, "Yes, very good. But you are losing a lot of chakra while trying to maintain this form.


    The next phase of your training will be to perfect this form. You''ll activate it, and meditate until you can properly contain your chakra with zero loss. Until then, no Ninjutsu or Kenjutsu practice for you.


    In fact, even when doing your morning workout, you''ll start doing it by maintaining this form."


    Hearing that he won''t get to practice Ninjutsu or Kenjutsu disappointed Fujin a bit, but seeing the importance Renjiro stressed on this, he could vaguely guess that this will be something that might define him for a long time toe. It might even be what breaks him apart from the normal ninjas, and pave his way into bing an Elite!


    Renjiro''s thoughts too were along the same lines, ''Now that I''ve seen your potential in this, no way I''d allow you to not raise this aspect to the peak!''


    Apart from a short lunch break, Fujin ended up training alongside Renjiro till 8PM. Finally, at 8, the training ended and Fujin was allowed to leave.


    Before leaving, however, Renjiro said something that left Fujin tongue-tied! He said, "Tomorrow, increase the pressure on your seal to 30% during the morning workout." Fujin looked at his teacher skeptically, but seeing the serious look on his face, he just nodded helplessly.


    On reaching home, Fujin ate a few Ration bars and straightaway dived into his bed thinking, ''Damn!! My entire body is sore! It''s as if each and every cell in my body is screaming in pain! This is nuts. No wonder Renjiro asked me to double my Ration bar intake.


    Still though. The progress that I made just today is crazy. If I manage to keep up with this training for months, I have no idea how strong I''d be!''


    Not having the energy to do anything, he fell asleep.

 Chapter 56: Rapid Improvement!

    [A/N : The fanfic has crossed 100k words!]


    The next morning, when he woke up, something left Fujinpletely shocked! His body had no pain whatsoever. He spected, ''Does this training also heal the body in some way? Or is it something else? More importantly, is this safe? I need to consult him asap!''


    Renjiro appeared at the Training ground at 5am as usual and asked the genins to begin their workout. However, today, Fujin said, "Sensei, I have some queries."


    Understanding what query he''d have, he replied, "Alright. Hoka, Mieko, you two begin your workout. Fujin will join you two soon."


    Hoka left wondering what query Fujin had, while Mieko left begrudgingly as Fujin got to skip out on the workout a bit.


    Renjiro then looked at Fujin and asked, "Is it about the quick healing?" Fujin nodded.


    Renjiro answered, "It''s a side effect of this training. Since you infuse Chakra in your body, it ends up activating each and every cell of your body. This will increase your passive healing and also reduce the amount of time you need to recover from fatigue or exhaustion."


    He then smiled a bit and continued, "There''s actually a few more advantages of this training. It''ll increase your stamina, and more importantly, your chakra reserves."


    Fujin''s eyes widened on hearing that. He quickly asked, "Isn''t it too much of a hax?"


    Renjiro smirked and said, "Not really. The passive healing, while good, isn''t really groundbreaking. As for Chakra increase, it is only visible when you start this training and if your chakra reserve isn''t already very high.


    So while you may see a huge boost to your chakra and stamina in the next few weeks,ter on, the effect won''t really be that obvious."


    That killed Fujin''s excitement a bit as he sank into his thoughts, ''Oh, then it''s not that big of a hax. But still pretty good though. After all, the very requirement to learn this style is having high chakra. And if the effect of learning this style was a boost to your chakra reserve, then it just doubles down on that advantage!''


    He looked back at Renjiro and asked, "Is there any harmful side effect to using this technique?"


    Renjiro was a bit surprised by that question. After all, any other 10 year old genin would just be too happy with such a huge buff. He remembered that he himself had been lost in delight when he had learnt this technique. He answered, "Don''t worry, this is a very old Senju technique. There are no harmful effects. In fact, considering the long lifespans of my n members, it might even be having a good effect on your health."


    Hearing the answer, Fujin let out a sigh of relief. Renjiro looked at him and said, "If you have no more questions, begin your workout. Your teammates have left you behind considerably."


    Fujin thanked him and started the workout. While he had increased the pressure from the seal a lot, infusing chakra meant that exercises were actually easier for him.


    Of course, that wasn''t foolproof. After all, the moment his chakra ran out, was the moment hell began feeling real to Fujin!


    Later that day, Fujin talked with Renjiro about the issue of Chakra running out during the Morning workout. But Renjiro just smiled ''innocently'' and said, "You have enough chakra to be able to go through the whole morning workout without running out. It''s just your control that iscking. So if you don''t want to run out of chakra during your workout, train and improve your control."


    Fujin gave a deadpan look to his teacher''s innocent smile. He could bet all his money that he wasughing at his misery.


    The training continued in a simr manner for Fujin. After 3 days, he finally managed tost the entire morning workout without running out of chakra.


    On day 7, he finally managed to contain all Chakra in his body properly. He still didn''t reach zero wastage, but the amount of chakra leaking out now was very negligible.


    These 7 days, however, had blown Fujin''s mind. The result of this training was phenomenal!


    He muttered to himself in disbelief, "Just 1 week of this training has increased my chakra reserves by 50%!"


    In addition to the chakra increase, Renjiro made Fujin increase the pressure on the training seal from day 3 onwards. Right now it was up to 40%.


    The next month was spent on properly mastering chakra control for the Senju Taijutsu style. At the end of the training, Fujin could finally freely control his chakra and employ it in a spar against Renjiro.


    This training increased his Chakra by another 35-40%. In just over 5 months since he graduated, Fujin''s chakra reserves had a four-fold increase! His thoughts were, "Incredible! I now have more Chakra than even Genki! And he was an Elite Chuunin for 4 years at least. Damn, I really want to test out my Ninjutsu right now."


    Unfortunately, he was still denied permission to train Ninjutsu. With all 3 students training intensely, Renjiro didn''t take any missions for a couple of months.


    Renjiro spent a few more weeks drilling all the basics of Senju Taijutsu style in Fujin.


    The process of increasing pressure from the training seal continued during this time. At that moment, it was at 55%! Fujin always had to keep infusing his body with chakra while doing rigorous training or sparring. Otherwise, this pressure would slow him down a lot. And if he was doing some normal activities, like walking or running or resting, then the pressure shouldn''t really bother him much. By this logic, Renjiro had Fujin maintain that pressure all the time.


    Finally, one fine evening, Renjiro watched a tired Fujin panting on the ground. They had just finished another one of their spars. He smiled and said, "Great work kiddo. You have finally got all the basics down properly."


    Fujin just nodded. Clearly, he was too tired to answer back. Renjiro smiled and said, "Let''s end here. Take a rest and take tomorrow off."


    Hearing that, Fujin suddenly looked up. There were almost tears in his eyes! He thought, ''Finally!!''


    Renjiro chuckled at his reaction and then flickered away.


    Fujin rested a bit and then dragged himself across Konoha to his house while thinking, ''Finally! 2 months, and not a single day''s break. Hoka and Mieko got off days saying that they needed to master their n jutsus. But for me? I didn''t get even a single session off!''


    He went to sleep whileining about the unfairness in his heart.

 Chapter 57: Supercharged Wind Jutsus

    The next day, Fujin, for the first time in years, slept like a log till noon! On waking up, there was no soreness from the earlier day. He thought, ''Got to admit, I really love this aspect of this training. I always wake up in full health and stamina! Anyways, no more Ration bars today!''


    After freshening up, he left home. While talking he thought, ''I really miss the advanced technology. In my previous life, I could never imagine myself being without a smartphone for years. Heck, I would have most likely spent today on the, whilezing on my sofa and ordering all the food home, haha.''


    Soon, he arrived at Ichiraku. He sat there and said, "Old man, give me one of each bowl you have!" Teuchi was surprised at the order. After all, it''s not daily when someone would overeat Ramen. He smiled and said, "You''vee here after a long time Fujin." Fujin sighed, "Yeah. Another old man made me train all the time. So I had no free time at all."


    Teuchi smiled and encouraged him, "Hang in there young man." And he began making the ramen. Ever since he graduated, Fujin''s trips to Ichiraku and Yakiniku had increased. His food was usually just Ration bars, and when he got an opportunity, he would visit these 2 restaurants. So his rtionship with Teuchi was good.


    Soon 2 bowls were served in front of Fujin. Teuchi wore his trademark smile and said, "Eat up. You''ll need all the energy you can get." Fujin wasted no time in digging in. Soon, he ended up eating all 7 types of Ramen in Ichiraku. Once done, he said, "They were delicious, old man. Give me 2 more Miso and Tonkotsu ramen." Teuchi smiled and yelled, "Coming right up!"


    After lunch, Fujin went into the forest he used to train earlier in. He smirked while thinking, ''Finally a break. Now let me test my jutsu!''


    On reaching the deepest part of the forest, he stood in front of a tree. ''Well, here goes nothing.'' and he uses his Great Breakthrough jutsu.


    The jutsu uproots the tree, as well as a few more trees behind and adjacent to that tree!


    In addition, the winds created by the jutsu created deep shes in many nearby trees and stripped them of all their leaves and most of their branches.


    Watching the scene, Fujin grinned, ''Excellent! This is almost 40 to 50% stronger than it was 2 months ago! And now¡­'' Fujin''s grin grew wider.


    He suddenly exerted his chakra, causing a blue aura to form around him. He began preparing another Great Breakthrough jutsu. Only this time, instead of releasing it, he began pouring a lot more chakra into this jutsu.


    In 30 seconds, he managed to pour 10% of his chakra into the jutsu. In another 30 seconds, it reached 15%!


    ''Great Breakthrough jutsu''


    He exhaled the jutsu! Only this time, instead of normal jutsu, it was supercharged with chakra!


    The jutsu hit the tree in front of him,pletely obliterating it! In a fraction of a second, hundreds of trees in the vicinity were uprooted or cut into pieces! Thousands were stripped of all their branches and left with deep scars!


    [A/N : Apologies climate lovers. Luckily, Naruto world isn''t threatened by climate change, lol]


    Fujin was shocked on seeing the destruction! However soon, the shock on his face was changed to a grin that seemed to be stered on his face.


    ''Excellent! Marvellous! Now, this is what a jutsu is!


    But that said, the amount of time needed to supercharge the jutsu is too long. Any capable ninja will kill me a dozen times if I stay in one spot for a minute.


    I''ll have to increase the speed of pouring my chakra into the jutsu. Preferably reduce it to under 2 seconds. And have to do it while moving around, or even better - while flickering around!


    I guess this is why Renjiro asked us to focus on Rank C jutsus. Now, let me test the other jutsus!''


    Fujin quickly made a hand sign. Soon winds gathered around him. He infused chakra into his jutsu for 30 seconds. The winds then spun around him in a dome shape at a very rapid speed. The wind kept spinning around Fujin for a couple of minutes!


    Even before the wind dome dispersed, Fujin made a hand sign. The winds turn into 2 Wolves.


    They are 3 meters in height, and almost 7 meters long, looking incredibly ferocious!


    They ran towards the nearby trees and shredded a few of them with their ws and teeth before disappearing.


    Next, Fujin once again gathered his chakra and poured it into Wind Dragon jutsu. He managed to pour a little over 20% of his max chakra into it. It resulted in a 50 meter long Dragon forming in the forest!


    The Dragon opened its mouth, forming a huge Wind Explosion jutsu, andunched it toward the trees. The sphere traveled in a straight line and exploded on hitting a tree, snapping it into 2.


    It then traveled in a zig-zag way through the forest, shing many trees with the winds in itsrge body. It managed to travel 200 meters through the thick forest cover before dispersing.


    Soon after, 2 spheres of wind appeared in Fujin''s hands. Their size quickly increased to around 50 cm in radius.


    Fujinunched it at the same time on a boulder. They exploded on the boulders and created a few scars all over them.


    Fujin analyzed them, ''Hmm, the damage increase is kinda unnecessary. After all, it''s just shes of wind. Any random sh can give a fatal blow to a normal ninja anyways.


    And if someone does create a strong defense, then it''ll end up blocking the enhanced Wind Explosion jutsu with ease too. Yeah, it''s unnecessary. Let''s just increase the speed ofunching.''


    At the very next moment, Fujin began spamming the Wind Explosion jutsu. In just a minute, he ended upunching 84 Wind Explosion jutsus!


    Fujin grinned, ''Excellent. And it cost me around 7% of my chakra. This will be a very annoying tactic at mid-range, haha''


    Next, Fujin looked around himself to look for an appropriate stone. He finally found one, a few dozen meters from him, which he guessed would weigh around 15kg.


    He concentrated on the stone. Immediately, strong winds begin blowing around the stone, trying to get underneath the stone.


    After a few seconds, the stone started getting lifted into the sky. After around half a minute, Fujin was able to raise the stone to a height of 1.2 meters. He then raised his arms towards the stone.


    ''Wind Retrieval Jutsu''


    The stone slowly began moving towards himself. He brought the stone to him and caught it in his hands. ''The amount of power I can exert with these 2 jutsus has increased too. I wonder if I''ll be able to fly with the help of these 2 jutsus. Though I guess I''ll need much more chakra and much better control. And probably, even then it might not be useful for long-distance travel.''


    ¡ª-----------------


    Link - /DevilHex


    (Use ''a'' instead of @)


    I am uploading more chapters there soon. I will probably be done uploading there by tonight.

 Chapter 58: Analysis and a Weird Situation

    Tossing the stone away, Fujin put his hand in his bag and tossed 12 shurikens one after another in the air.


    ''Projectile Control Jutsu''


    Fujin used the jutsu to control the Shurikens and had them move through the forest while avoiding all the trees. The shuriken moved continuously through the forest and all of them hit the same tree around 500 meters away from Fujin.


    At the next moment, Fujin appeared next to that tree using Wind Instantaneous Body jutsu.


    He retrieved the Shurikens while concluding, ''Wow, I didn''t think that 2 months of Senju Taijutsu training would end up boosting my Ninjutsu so much.


    In the Great Breakthrough jutsu, I could pour up to 15% of my Chakra. While it took a minute, the result was very good.


    The Spinning shield of wind could only take up to 2.5% of my chakra. I just couldn''t add more to it. It was simr to the Wind Gale Wolf jutsu. I could just pour 2% of my chakra into each of the Wolves.


    The Wind Dragon jutsu on the other hand could take 20% of my jutsu. And using Wind Instantaneous Body jutsu to my current limit of 500 meters requires 1.5% of my chakra.


    Wind Projectile jutsu requires a negligible amount of my chakra now. While each Wind Explosion jutsu needs less than 0.1% of my chakra.


    Wind Levitation jutsu doesn''t have much battle use for now. Wind Retrieval jutsu can be used to create some chaos though.


    Anyways, just this short show of my jutsus cost me almost 50% of my chakra. I wonder if Renjiro has more means to increase my chakra levels. Though it shouldn''t be an issue for now as I can''t really supercharge any jutsu inbat.''


    Fujin began gathering chakra again and mmed his hands on the ground. A Rock shield appeared in front of him.


    Seeing the shield, Fujin sighed, ''No wonder it is just a rank E jutsu. It has already long reached the limit for me. There''s no scope to improve it any more.'' The size of the Rock shield was no bigger than what Fujin could do 2 months ago.


    ''That said, I need to discuss with Renjiro and see if he could have any method to release the jutsu by stepping on the ground rather than mming hands down. Oh well, I''ll ask when he restarts Ninjutsu training.''


    After concluding, Fujin made a hand sign and disappeared underground. While underground, he sighed, ''I''ve been so busy with everything, that I never really practiced this jutsu after graduation.''


    He kept moving underground for a bit, before suppressing his chakra signal and making another couple of hand signs. In an instant, he disappeared and reappeared around 150 meters in the direction he was facing.


    ''Hmm, Earth Instantaneous Body jutsu and Wind Instantaneous Body jutsu are perfect for escaping without leaving any trail. Earth Instantaneous Body jutsu would actually be perfect for infiltrating enemy territory. I wonder what counter has been developed against this jutsu.''


    He then rose up from the ground, made another hand sign, and ced his hand on the ground. The ground ahead of him transformed into a moat of mud. The size of the moat was 6 meters in radius and 10 meters in depth.


    He moved to a different spot, made a few hand signs, and mmed his hands again on the ground. This time, the ground rose slowly, as if trying to trap someone.


    Fujin analyzed, ''Earth Holding jutsu is just too slow. Kinda a simr situation with Mud Moat jutsu. Then again, these 2 are the only jutsus that I can use to trap enemies. Should be sufficient for now.''


    Having tried and analyzed the current status of most of his jutsus, Fujin decided to return home to rest.


    While leaving, he muttered to himself while looking at the ground, "My jutsus should be good enough for now. But I do need the Earth Wall jutsu. That''ll improve my ability to defend further. And my current chakra should be plenty for it. Though I guess Renjiro won''t allow it.


    Anyways, I hope that we get to participate in the next Chunin exam. I really want to test myself inbat. It should be fun.'' He grinned and looked up.


    What he saw made him feel a bit awkward. A good chunk of the forest was utterly destroyed by Fujin testing his jutsus. He wondered, ''If someone were toe here and see this, I wonder what they''ll think.


    Luckily, this area is kinda remote and people shouldn''t being here. But in any case, I should hide my tracks in case someone dide here. Also, it would probably be best if I don''t return here in the near future.''


    Fujin jumped onto a branch of one of the trees that still had branches.


    ''Gale Jutsu''


    A gentle breeze blew through the forest, covering up every footprint in it and also dispersing the scent slightly. Once this task was done, Fujin made a hand sign and disappeared from his spot, and appeared on another branch around 500 meters away.


    He used Wind Instantaneous Body jutsu a few more times before getting out of the forest. After leaving the forest he flickered away toward his house while wondering if anyone would ever see the havoc there.


    A couple of monthster, 2 special Jounins from the Hyuga n happened to pass through this forest, when they unwittingly entered the area where Fujin had caused the devastation. Seeing the number of uprooted and sliced-off trees left them dumbfounded.


    Coincidentally, a squad of Anbu too happened to cross through the same area at that time. Seeing the two Hyuga present, they instantly began asking them for the reason why they destroyed the forest and enquired whether there was any battle there.


    The Hyugas denied the charge and said that the forest was already wrecked. The Anbus looked around carefully and realized that it had been a long time since the destruction had happened.


    They investigated around and asked the Hyugas to help them, but found no clue. They wondered if someone was training here, but couldn''t understand why anyone would train here when there are so many training grounds avable around Konoha.


    The unusual nature of this destruction made them report the situation to the Hokage. Hiruzen too was confused simrly. He sent out an anbu squad specializing in investigation and tracking to check. Unfortunately, Gale jutsu, 2 months of time, and a few showers of rain had removed anything that could have been used to find a clue.


    The Anbus would return empty-handed, and Hiruzen dropped the case as there were no clues and it wasn''t worth allocating more resources to.


    Of course, Fujin would forever remain ignorant about such an incident happening.


    Link - /DevilHex


    (Use ''a'' instead of @)


    Can read upto 40 chapters ahead on P@treon.

 Chapter 59: Discussion

    After testing his jutsus, Fujin returned home and took another short nap. Later he revised his Fuinjutsu skills before having dinner at Yakiniku.


    The next day once again started with an intense Morning workout.


    In the afternoon, the team again broke up to train with Renjiro and his clones.


    Renjiro looked at Fujin and said, "I have taught everything I know about Senju Taijutsu style. How much you manage to master depends on you now."


    Fujin bowed a bit and said, "Thank You Sensei."


    Seeing his humility, Renjiro''s face softened. He said, "You had once said that the Sannins too don''t have any Kekkei Genkai. One of the Sannin, Lady Tsunade, uses an advanced form of Senju Taijutsu.


    She modified the style topliment her perfect Chakra control, making it much more deadly. Your own talent with this style too is very high. So work hard on it."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Yes Sensei. I''ll keep improving it."


    Renjiro continued, "Regardless, it''s time to focus back on Ninjutsu and Kenjutsu. We will practice all your jutsus once. And then we will begin working on supercharging your jutsus."


    Fujin instantly got excited upon hearing that. Renjiro noticed and squinted his eyes. He asked, "You have already tried it, haven''t you?"


    Fujinughed nervously before confirming it. Renjiro sighed and said, "I hope you didn''t end up destroying anything." To which Fujin obediently shook his head, saying, "Don''t worry Sensei. I shot everything straight up in the air."


    Renjiro asked, "Alright. So what were your observations?"


    Fujin replied, "It takes a lot of time to supercharge jutsus. So it just won''t be usable in battles unless I can bring the time down a lot."


    Renjiro nodded.


    Fujin continued, "Apart from that, I couldn''t supercharge all my jutsus. Especially Rock Shield jutsu, which didn''t improve at all. Great Breakthrough and Wind Dragon jutsu had the best effect on supercharging."


    Renjiro said, "Yes, that''s how supercharging works. While you can try to pour a lot of chakra into any jutsu, not all jutsus can be supercharged. The amount of chakra you can pour in also depends on your chakra reserves, chakra control, mastery of the element, mastery of that jutsu, and the jutsu itself.


    Though Konohacks Wind jutsus, you are lucky to have wind affinity. As almost all of the rank C wind jutsus can be supercharged. As for the Rock shield jutsu, its capacity is very low. So don''t concern yourself with it.


    In the next few months, I''ll be teaching all 3 of you how to supercharge your jutsus quickly in battle situations. Since your chakra reserve is the highest, you''ll need to work the hardest here.


    Before we begin, do you have any queries?"


    Fujin nodded and replied, "Yes sensei. I have a few. The first one is rted to Rock Shield jutsu.


    I can now perform the jutsu without any hand signs, but I still need to m my hands on the ground. Do you know any way to perform the jutsu by mming the feet down instead?"


    Renjiro raised his left eyebrow and asked, "Why do you want to do that?"


    Fujin answered, "It''ll improve the efficiency of the jutsu a lot. I carry swords in my hands, so to m my hands on the ground, I''ll have to discard my swords temporarily, which doesn''t seem to be a good idea.


    If I can perform the jutsu with just my feet, I can just use it while I''m fighting with my sword. And if the enemy makes a huge attack on me, then I can just retreat back while mming my feet on the ground and creating multiple Rock Shields."


    Renjiro was surprised by Fujin''s tactical thinking. He replied, "Good thinking. I never thought about Rock Shield jutsu along those lines. I guess your intention is to eventually use this for all Earth style jutsu, right?"


    Fujin nodded, "Indeed, that will be very convenient."


    Renjiro continued, "Unfortunately, it won''t be possible. Or at the very least, it won''t be easy. The hand signs for that jutsu result in Earth nature chakra gathering in your palms. Though you perform the jutsu without any hand signs, you do it by merely replicating the way chakra is molded when you perform the hand signs.


    Doing what you said will be no different from creating a whole different jutsu."


    Fujin quickly replied, "In that case Sensei, can''t we create new Earth style jutsus that work in this manner?"


    Renjiro shook his head and answered, "It''s too difficult. While small jutsus are always created, what you are saying willpletely revolutionize the jutsus of Earth element. At the very least, I can''t do it.


    Also, while your idea is very innovative, it''s highly unlikely that you were the only one who came up with it. And considering that no such jutsu exists to my knowledge, it''s safe to say that no one ever managed to create it."


    Fujin was dejected a bit upon hearing this, ''Oh well, there goes one of my ideas to annoy the enemy infinitely.''


    Seeing the dejected look, Renjiro chuckled. Fujin looked back at Renjiro and said, "So since I can''t improve my Rock Shield jutsu anymore, can I get Earth wall jutsu?"


    Renjiro shook his head again and answered, "No, that''s a rank B jutsu. Though your chakra reserve is good, you shouldn''t be dependent on rank B or higher jutsus till you are promoted to Chunin."


    The answer was as Fujin expected. So he just asked hisst query, "Sensei, while practicing with supercharged jutsus, I ran out of chakra very quickly. Do you know any more means of increasing my chakra quickly? After all, the training of infusing chakra into the body is barely giving any gains in that regard."


    Renjiro had a slight disbelief on his face that Fujin actually asked this question. He replied, "Brat, do you think they sell chakra in grocery stores? Your chakra is already 4 timesrger aspared to your teammates.


    Be happy with that and don''t get greedy. Also, don''t bother searching for more means of increasing your chakra reserves. Other than hard work and natural growth, almost every method has some form of drawback that''ll highly restrict you.


    As for the battle, you can always eat Soldier pills to improve your stamina. So don''t bother with it."


    Fujin was a bit shocked at how dismissive Renjiro was. He thought, ''Really, no other means? Sigh, I guess I was expecting way too much. After all, the current boost is already very high.


    Oh well, I''ll leave this issue to the future. If I really desperately need chakra, I can try to steal a Tailed beast.''


    Thinking about Tailed beasts, Fujin sighed internally, ''How good it''d have been if I could just throw some Pok¨¦balls and capture them.''


    Renjiro asked, "Any more queries?"


    Fujin shook his head and replied, "Let''s begin sensei."

 Chapter 60: Rank A jutsu

    Renjiro trained the trio for another month. This month, Fujin practiced supercharging his jutsus a lot.


    He could now infuse 20% of his chakra into the Great Breakthrough jutsu in under 15 seconds. More importantly, he could infuse 5% of chakra into the jutsu in just over 2 seconds. This was usable in battle as long as he maintained some distance.


    He also mastered Wind Gale Wolf and Wind Dragon jutsus and could now perform them without any hand signs. The ease with which he became capable of using these jutsus without any hand seals shocked Renjiro.


    Fujin''s Kenjutsu also improved a lot. All the basics regarding Samurai Saber techniques were taught to him. He could freely control chakra flow through his Samurai swords. He even managed to properly infuse his wind chakra through the normal chakra flow.


    Renjiro couldn''t help him much in this regard as he himself never added a Nature chakra to chakra flow. He specialized in Earth and Water elements, and neither were suitable to be added to chakra flow. Nheless, it was learnt with rather ease by Fujin. In fact, while learning it, he also learnt a technique that he had dreamed about performing for over a decade!


    The team was given a day''s break once again, which all 3 used to rest well.


    The next day, in the morning, the team met up once again.


    Hoka saw Fujining to the ground and asked, "Hey, how''s the training progressing?" Fujin replied, "It''s progressing rather smoothly, what about you guys?"


    Hoka smirked and replied, "It''s going very well. I want to spar with you once again."


    Fujin smirked back and replied, "Well let''s hope that you can touch me this time."


    That annoyed Hoka, who begrudgingly replied, "Due to you, Sensei drilled me with Ninjutsu training for 3 months straight!"


    Hearing that, Fujinughed.


    Mieko, annoyed at being left out of the conversation, butted in by snorting, "Hmph, I''ll beat both of you at the same time in a spar."


    Hoka and Fujin turned to her. Fujin replied, "Well, let''s hope that you have some energy to spar after the morning workout then."


    Hearing that, her shoulders immediately dropped, while Fujin and Hokaughed at her expense.


    The poor girlined about the unfairness to herself, ''It''s not as if I''m cking on those workout sessions. It''s just that every time I am about to reach Sensei''s target, Sensei just makes it even more difficult!''


    While Mieko was depressed, Renjiro appeared.


    He announced, "We have trained continuously for the past 3 months. Next, we will be taking continuous rank C missions."


    That instantly perked up Mieko. After all, missions would mean no more rigorous training! Hoka and Fujin also sighed in relief, as their bodies needed a break badly. Unlike Mieko who''d drop out early rather regrly, Hoka and Fujin gritted through the entire workout daily.


    Renjiro continued, "Today we won''t do any workout or training. Instead, you guys will spar."


    This immediately gained the attention of the 3 genins.


    Renjiro continued, "You three will fight out against each other in a three-way battle. You are not allowed to team up with each other unless the circumstances force you to. But I can disqualify you if you purposefully cooperate to defeat the 3rd.


    The battlefield will be this entire training field. You guys have time from now till 6 PM to decide on a winner. You can defeat others by knocking them unconscious or making them give up. Obviously, I can interfere and dere someone to have been lost. And of course, you guys aren''t allowed to seriously injure anyone. No soldier pills. And Fujin, no swords."


    Mieko suddenly asked, "Why no swords for Fujin? Isn''t that his goto weapon?" Hoka also nodded, as he had the same query. Neither of them wanted to win against someone who was handicapped.


    Renjiro shook his head and said, "Fujin''s way of using his swords is solely to kill. If he were to win by using his swords, you guys would be injured badly. Regardless, he is forbidden to use his swords in any spar with his colleagues."


    They understood the reasoning but were still a bit unconvinced. Fujin butted in, "Aren''t you two looking down on me too much? Sword or no sword, neither of you will even be able to touch me." And he smirked on saying that.


    Hoka and Mieko looked at him irritatingly. Among the three of them, Fujin had the highest speed and excelled in fighting at long range. In the few spars that they had, they never managed to actually reach him.


    Renjiro interrupted before they entered into an argument, "No more questions. My rules are final. Anyways, you guys didn''t hear the exciting part. The winner will get a reward."


    That once again attracted the attention of all 3. Mieko asked, "What reward?"


    Renjiro replied, "The winner will be awarded a rank A jutsu by me."


    That shocked the trio. They all had the same thought, ''Will he really allow us to learn a jutsu higher than rank C?''


    Renjiro understood what his students were thinking. He smiled innocently and said, "Of course, I''ll only give it to you when you are promoted to chunin."


    Hearing that, all 3 genins gave him a deadpanned look.


    Not wanting to hear anyints from them, he shouted, "BEGIN"


    Even before hepleted the word, all 3 Genins flickered away in different directions without making any hand seals. Now, at more than 100 meters away from each other, they observed the other 2, while wondering how they should approach this.


    The best way would have been to team up with one of the other 2, eliminate the 3rd, and then decide the winner. Unfortunately, that option was not avable.


    Suddenly, Hoka and Mieko noticed Fujin smirking. At the very next moment, he disappeared.


    Link - .p@treon/DevilHex


    (''a'' instead of @)


    Can read upto 40 chapters ahead on P@treon.

 Chapter 61: Spar - Hoka Vs Mieko

    Mieko and Hoka both cursed him and his annoying Wind Instantaneous Body jutsu. Hoka activated his Byakugan and noticed him appearing 600 meters away.


    But he disappeared soon, and this time went out of the Byakugan''s range.


    Mieko cursed, "Fujin is as cowardly as usual."


    Hoka and Mieko looked at each other deciding what decision to take.


    Around a kilometer away from the initial location, Fujin kept sensing the location of the other 2. They were still in the same position. He smiled thinking, ''The duration of the fight is 13 hours. I guess Renjiro analyzed that we won''t be able to decide the winner in a few fights.


    So the winner will depend on who has the most amount of chakra. The best way for me would be to force multiple rounds so that all of us lose an equal amount of chakra. And I''ll be able to win easily due to myrger reserves. Especially considering that Byakugan and Sharingan use a decent amount of chakra while being activated.


    But knowing these 2, I have no doubt that they''ll fight intensely, hehe.''


    Back at the starting position, Mieko and Hoka were observing each other. Hoka was analyzing, ''So what do I do? Do I hide too until Fujines out? Or do we track Fujin first before fighting? Or should I try to beat her first and then beat Fujin?


    No, that''ll be tough. Not to mention, Fujin loves to sneak attack. He won''t miss the chance to attack when we are fighting.''


    On the other hand, Mieko too was having simr doubts. Butpared to Hoka, she was a lot more arrogant. She dumped all the questions she had while deciding, ''I''ll just defeat Hoka quickly before Fujin can act. In a 1v1 fight, I''ll be able to defeat both of them with ease.''


    Having made her decision, Mieko activated her Sharingan and rushed toward Hoka. This broke Hoka out of his thoughts, and he prepared to fight.


    He cautioned himself, ''I have to avoid looking into her eyes. While I can break her Genjutsu easily, it''ll be tough to do so quickly enough.''


    Mieko flickered a few meters ahead of Hoka and rapidly made a few hand signs andunched a Fireball jutsu on him.


    Hoka quickly moved out of the way, and then ran towards Mieko with the intention of using Gentle Fist to close her chakra points. Mieko quickly flickered out of range andunched shurikens on Hoka.


    Knowing that she uses strings on her Shuriken, Hoka too threw his own shuriken, which collided with hers and deflected them.


    Mieko used this opportunity to close the distance, and used Fire Release : Four jutsu on Hoka.


    Hoka barely managed to dodge, but it razed past his shirt, burning it. A bit of the skin on the side of his abdomen was also burnt.


    He bore the pain and closed the distance. This time, Mieko didn''t back off and engaged him with her Uchiha Taijutsu style.


    Using her Sharingan, she ensured that she never got hit by his Gentle fist.


    Instead, she tried to use her Fire Release : Four jutsu on Hoka. However, Hoka noticed it every time and kept dodging it.


    All this time, Mieko kept trying to put Hoka under Genjutsu, but it never worked on Hoka. Hoka''s Byakugan can determine when Mieko is about to cast a Genjutsu.


    So, whenever she prepares her Genjutsu, Hoka avoided looking into her eyes and disrupted his own chakra slightly. This ensured that Mieko never managed to cast a Genjutsu on him.


    But this also distracted him, which allowed Mieko to fight him equally in closebat.


    After a few minutes, however, Mieko ended up having a lot of close calls, with Hoka almost hitting her several times.


    So she flickered backward. Hoka followed her, but she flickered again, starting a tag game. Mieko''s control over and skill with Body Flicker jutsu was much higher than Hoka''s though. So she regained her advantage.


    Not able to keep up with Mieko''s flickers, Hoka gave up chasing her and stood his ground, ''Knowing her arrogance, she''lle close to fight me anyways. So I don''t need to chase her.''


    Seeing that Hoka had stopped chasing her, she came close to him instead while weaving hand signs. However, unlike what Hoka predicted, she stayed at mid-range and uses Fire Dragon jutsu!


    Not having anything to counter, he flickered away from the line of Fire Dragon. Finally sick of trying to engage her in closebat, Hoka used Stone Shuriken jutsu.


    The jutsu surprised Mieko, but thanks to her Sharingan, she was able to dodge or block all of them.


    Unfortunately for her, she overlooked Hoka, who using this time, appeared right in front of her and stabbed 2 fingers toward her.


    Seeing that, Mieko freaked out a little, ''Damn, I have to block!'' In a hurry, she put her arm in between, and Hoka hit a chakra point on her arm.


    As soon as her arm gets hit, she flickered away. Hoka expected her to return, but instead, she just ran away, surprising Hoka, ''Never thought she''ll run away.''


    He waited there for a few seconds thinking, ''Both my opponents ran away. So shouldn''t I be the winner?''


    He then sighed, ''Unfortunately, the next step will depend on Fujin. I and Mieko are finally far away from each other, and tired from a battle. Even injured. So the question is who will he attack?''


    Around a kilometer from where the fighting was happening, Fujin kept sensing their chakras throughout their sh. When they kept fighting, he really wished that he had some popcorn and a tv to watch the fight.


    Unfortunately, he had to stay hidden long away. The fight continued for over 7 minutes, before he sensed Mieko''s chakra signature going far away from Hoka.

 Chapter 62: Fujins Decision

    Fujin concluded, ''Oh, so Mieko lost and ran away? Who''s the coward now? Anyways, whom to attack?


    Since Mieko ran away, it''s safe to assume that she''s injured. Most likely Hoka managed to block some of her chakra points. Maybe one or two. Any more, and Hoka wouldn''t have given her any chance to run away.''


    Hoka too was thinking at the same time, ''Fujin will most probably target Mieko, as she''s the one who ran away. I should be ready to hit him after he fights her for some time.


    Mieko sat while resting against a tree after retreating to the opposite end of the training ground. She was very annoyed with herself, ''I put my guard down, that''s why I got hit. Otherwise, I could have beaten him as I was suppressing him throughout the fight.''


    She looked at her left arm. It was swollen, ''He blocked the chakra point on my left arm. I won''t be able to create hand signs. Even moving this arm is very painful.''


    She began applying first aid on her left arm. She didn''t bother hiding, as she knew that both Fujin and Hoka wouldn''t have any issue tracking her.


    While applying first-aid, she thought, ''Fujin will most likely attack me soon, I need to be ready.''


    Hoka kept his Byakugan activated. He kept an eye on Mieko while waiting for Fujin to make a move. Soon, he noticed something moving at a very rapid speed.


    In the next second, he noticed Fujin approaching him, ''So fast! Why is he moving towards me? He''s already here.''


    Hoka looked straight ahead, Fujin was already standing on a branch. He took his fighting stance.


    Unfortunately for him, as soon as he reached there, Fujin released a supercharged (5%) Great Breakthrough jutsu toward Hoka.


    Hoka quickly erected a Rock shield to protect himself. He was shocked by the power of the Great Breakthrough jutsu, ''Why is this so strong? Did he learn any rank B jutsus? Damn! Not good!''


    The Rock Shield obviously couldn''t giveplete protection to Hoka. And Flickering away wasn''t an option. So he went underground and used Earth Instantaneous Body jutsu and managed to move 125 meters to the south. He used it twice more topletely get out of the range of the deadly jutsu while wondering, ''Why did he attack me?''


    Two minutes earlier -


    Fujin thought for a few seconds before concluding, ''Normally, attacking Mieko would be the best choice here. Except that there could be an issue. Mieko, though smarter than Hoka when ites to tactics, is just way too arrogant.


    Hoka, on the other hand, will most likely move to help Mieko and prevent me from defeating her when she''s injured. Even if he doesn''t, his Byakugan will provide him with all the info, and he''ll have the initiative of attacking or being a spectator.


    So that means my target should be¡­''


    Having concluded, he quickly used Wind Instantaneous Body jutsu to approach Hoka.


    Though Hoka ran underground, Fujin had no trouble sensing him. He followed him with Body Flicker. Hoka too could see that Fujin was following him as he expected, ''As expected, he can track me with ease. I need to get out and engage him in closebat. I don''t think he can use that strong jutsu again.''


    However, before he could get out of the ground, Fujinnded on top of where Hoka was and punched the ground with his full power chakra-enhanced punch!


    Since Hoka sensed Fujin building up chakra, he didn''tpletely get out of the ground. However, how could he have imagined that Fujin would punch the ground?


    The impact created a shockwave that travelled through the ground toward where Hoka was.


    While the shockwave was harmless, it caused the entire underground to be a mess. The random movement of the ground hit Hoka many times while he was underground, even injuring him.


    He tried using Earth Instantaneous Body jutsu again, but as the underground was a mess, he couldn''t perform it. As ast effort, he hardened the walls next to him by using a Rock shield. It provided him with some cover, but he was already injured.


    His right elbow and shoulder had taken hits. Many rocks also hit his chest, abdomen, and his back.


    Later, even despite the protection of the rock shields, his left ankle got injured, rather badly. Finally, the tremors died down and Hoka managed to get above the ground.


    That''s exactly where Fujin was, but unfortunately, he didn''t have a choice.


    As soon as he got out of the ground, a Kunai was ced at the back of his neck. He saw Fujin standing in front of him. He said, "Give up. You''ve lost."


    Hoka unwillingly epted his loss, "I give up."


    As soon as he said that, Fujin''s wind clone dispersed himself.


    The fight only took 2 attacks. 1 Great Breakthrough jutsu and 1 punch.


    Mieko noticed the winds blowing and heard a big noise when Fujin punched the ground. Unfortunately, she was too far away to understand what was happening. She wondered, ''Are Fujin and Hoka fighting? Should I go and check? No, I''m injured, let me wait for a bit. The chakra point will open up soon.''


    As soon as Hoka gave up, Fujin flickered away toward Mieko. He noticed that Mieko was now standing in a spot with no trees around, ''Not bad. She knows that hiding is pointless. So she stayed in open ground to not give any chance to sneak attack.


    Actually, I can still sneak up on her from behind. But, I''m pretty sure that she has deliberately left this opening. The area around her should be full of traps.


    Having figured out her tactic, Fujin began making wind clones. 20 Wind clones appeared around Fujin. Fujin then suppressed his chakra and hid behind a tree.


    His wind clones dispersed through the forest, surrounding Mieko from all sides while still hiding.


    One clone moved to a path that allowed him to sneak up on her. On route, the clone noticed that there were a lot of strings on the ground. He smirked, having guessed right.

 Chapter 63: Fire Release - Aerial Explosion Jutsu

    Fujin''s wind clone tried flickering behind her quickly while avoiding all traps, but Mieko realized it and quickly turned around. When she did, Fujin''s clone noticed that Mieko was holding 2 strings in her right hand.


    Seeing Fujin heading toward her, Mieko smirked, ''I knew it.''


    She flickered behind while releasing the strings. As soon as those strings went ck, a couple of dozen Shurikens rained toward Fujin''s clone.


    At the same time, Mieko activated her Sharingan and observed Fujin. She frowned on noticing that Fujin''s chakra amount was very low, ''A Wind clone. This guy never fights head-on!''


    Fujin''s clone dodged the shurikens with ease and chased after Mieko while forming Wind Explosion jutsu andunching them at her.


    He consecutivelyunched 7 Wind Explosions at her. Mieko dodged each time. But she was getting increasingly worried, ''I need to keep a watch on any sneak attacks. It''s very likely that he has more Wind clones hiding nearby.''


    Renjiro observed this sh, ''His control over Wind nature is really impressive. Wind clones are the weakest elemental clones. Any capable sensor can easily differentiate between a wind clone and the main body in a moment due to how unstable the clone is.


    However, the weak nature of the Wind clone allows anyone to create a lot of them. And the instability of the Wind clone''s chakra makes it immune to Genjutsu. And due to being made of wind, they are usually even more mobile than the user.''


    He then looked at Fujin who was hiding and smiled, ''He really is carefree and thinks that he has already won. While he will win, he''s in for a surprise if he thinks the win will be this easy. After all, both Hoka and Mieko too have made huge progress in thest 3 months.''


    The wind clone finally begins getting low on chakra. Fujin analyzed, ''Hmm... I need to pour more chakra into 2-3 wind clones so that they canst longer. Others I can make with the minimum requirements as I''ll need the numbers.''


    Since he was about to disperse, the clone poured most of its chakra into another Wind Explosion jutsu. He then flickered towards Mieko. Mieko flickered away, but the clone followed her with another flicker and threw the Wind Explosion jutsu right at her. On doing that, the clone dispersed.


    In a hurry, Mieko threw a kunai, that had an Explosion tag attached to it, toward the iing wind sphere.


    The st created by the explosion tag easily overpowered the jutsu and dispersed it, however, Mieko had to jump back to avoid getting hit by the explosion.


    The explosion, alongside the earlier Wind Explosion jutsus, however, activated or destroyed most of the traps that she painfully ced.


    Unfortunately for her, as soon as she jumped backward, another 2 Wind clones appeared behind her andunched the Wind Explosion jutsu on her.


    Since she was airborne, she couldn''t flicker away! In a panic, she threw a shuriken, with a string attached to it, to the tree next to her, and used it to pull herself away. But some winds created by the explosions still hit her, creating many small cuts on her that immediately began bleeding.


    The 2 clones immediately pressed on the attack, without giving Mieko any time to think. While she engaged them, another 3 clones appeared and tried to sneak attack her. Though none were sessful, they added even more injuries to her.


    Fujin still kept observing the fight while hiding, ''Not bad, she''s grown much stronger. My wind clones are rather annoying to deal with. But, is this all? The fight is kinda too easy.''


    Over at the battlefield, Mieko was bleeding a lot. And she was incredibly annoyed, ''Why can''t he fight with some honor? I''ll show him!''


    She gritted her teeth and endured the pain and made a couple of hand signs. Trying to weave hand signs while having a chakra point half-blocked was incredibly painful. Fujin could see her wincing in pain. And he could sense her chakra building up!


    One of the clones used all his chakra, to use a Great Breakthrough jutsu. Since he didn''t have enough chakra, it wasn''t strong enough. But it still made Mieko lose her bnce and be dragged across the ground. The clone got dispersed as well due to running out of chakra.


    Seeing her being unable to fight back, another clone appeared andunches a Wind Explosion jutsu at her.


    However, before the jutsu could reach her, she managed to get up on her feet and jump above andnded on a branch.


    She said, "Fire Release : Aerial Explosion jutsu"


    Hearing the word ''Explosion'', Fujin''s clones got on guard. However, no explosion urred, ''Hmm, where''s the explosion?'' Only a breeze passed through the area once.


    Realizing that something was off, they immediately begin sensing Mieko. Soon the clones, as well as Fujin, notice that some sort of gas seems to have been released by Mieko. And it was spreading throughout the forest at a very fast speed.


    Fujin''s clones didn''t discover the Gas earlier, as it was both colorless and odourless.


    Fujin wondered, ''What jutsu is this?'' However, he had no idea. ''Oh well, whatever. I''ll get to know soon enough.'' And he disappeared underground.


    In around 10 seconds, the gas spread in a 60 meter radius around Mieko. All of Fujin''s clones were in this area. Not knowing what to aspect, the 5-6 clones who have already exposed themselves continue their attack.


    Seeing the clones running towards her, Mieko smirked and stated, "Let''s see where your main body is hiding now!"


    As soon as she said that, she spit out a small fire. That fire ignited the gas, causing it to rapidly expand and generate strong outward winds!


    The winds carried the gas up to 100 meters around Mieko and soon the whole area exploded!


    The ignition me destroyed all 18 of Fujin''s Wind clones. It set fire to each and every tree in that area! And the fire seemed to be spreading further!


    Both Fujin and Hoka were left dumbfounded by the destruction!

 Chapter 64: Winner Mieko?

    Fujin was shocked at what he was sensing, ''What the fuck? All my clones were destroyed. Which jutsu is this?''


    Hoka too was stunned by the destruction, ''When did Mieko get so strong?''


    He quickly calmed himself and analyzed more, ''But, this jutsu shouldn''t work on me as my Byakugan will notice the gas being released even if it is colorless. So I can just move out of the range.''


    Fujin calmed himself down as well and observed the jutsu further, ''Hmm, the heat generated from the explosion seems to have already dispersed. It''s just that there were trees around which got burned. So if I were to take this hit head-on, it won''t kill me. Though I''ll be badly burnt.


    The Wind clones are just too brittle. So they all were dispersed by the jutsu.''


    While hiding underground, Fujin analyzed a bit more and sighed, ''I have never seen or heard about this jutsu. It was likely taught to her by the n. I really shouldn''t look down on any jutsu that wasn''t used in the series.


    This world has way more jutsus, which are extremely lethal if used properly. Especially when I have no idea about these jutsus! Though the destruction caused by this jutsu is impressive, I can easily nullify it with even just a Breakthrough jutsu by blowing the gas away.


    But I just didn''t have any idea about this jutsu, which resulted in my clones getting wrecked. I wonder if she yelled the name of her jutsu purposefully...''


    Renjiro nodded and smiled, seeing Mieko counterattack sessfully even when being in such a disadvantageous position. ''This performance by her is very good. I did expect her to retaliate but didn''t think it''d be this sessful.


    Fujin found the battle to be too easy, and hence let his guard down and yed around instead of focusing entirely on defeating her quickly. This provided Mieko with a window of opportunity to use this move.''


    He then looked at the spot where Fujin was hiding underground and aplicated expression appeared on his face, ''He is just way too careful. Though he did drop his guard slightly, he was always extremely safe.


    While this is good and will ensure that he stays alive, he''s missing out on opportunities to gain crucial experiences. After all, if he never faces a crunch situation while sparring, and if he suddenly faces one during a mission, he''ll find it very difficult to stay alive.


    Unfortunately, I can''t get him to be more proactive during spars. I hope that this doesn''t end up causing him any serious loss.''


    After using the jutsu, Mieko dropped to her knees. The jutsu took a major portion of her chakra. And she had to use Fireproof jutsu to protect herself from being burned as well. So her chakra level had dropped a lot.


    Fujin didn''t miss this fact. So he created a shadow clone with roughly 60% of his remaining Chakra. The clone exited the ground and confirmed that the Gas had already dispersed.


    The clone then made 5 Wind clones. They dispersed and approached Mieko from all sides. While the Shadow clone went back underground.


    The 1st Wind clone reached where Mieko was and looked at her. Her chakra reserves had dropped very low and her whole body was covered in small wounds, many of which were bleeding. She looked back with her Sharingan and observed that it was another wind clone.


    Fujin''s wind clone said, "Give up. You are too injured to continue."


    Mieko snorted and shouted back, "As if I''ll give up against someone too scared of showing his own face."


    Fujin''s clone chuckled, "Even if I just hide from you, you''ll end up losing consciousness due to exhaustion and perhaps even blood loss."


    Mieko smirked and taunted, "I already destroyed all your clones once. I''ll do it again until you are forced to fight me yourself."


    Saying that she began making the hand signs again. But 4 more clones appeared around her, and all attacked her, disrupting her jutsu.


    Earlier, only Fujin''s wind clones saw her hand signs. So he didn''t know the hand signs she does for that jutsu. But it didn''t matter, as he no longer wanted to give her any more opportunities.


    Mieko tried her best to dodge, but was hit by winds caused by multiple winds caused by the Wind Explosion jutsu, and took a Breakthrough jutsu head-on, resulting in her flying back for dozens of meters and falling on the ground. She yelled in pain while being cut and flung away.


    The forest was still burning, so Fujin''s winds became very hot. Which hurt her even more despite having a high resistance to fire.


    She tried getting up, ''Argh, this hurts a lot! But I finally have some distance. I''ll use it.''


    She was about to use up all her chakra to use another Aerial Explosion jutsu, but her Sharingan noticed a chakra signature underground. ''Is he doing another sneak attack? WAIT! His chakra is very high. Finally, he is attacking with his main body! I just need one chance, and I''ll win!''


    Her thoughts were cut by Fujin''s arm appearing out of the ground. He grabbed her neck, while exiting the ground, and mmed her on the ground while strangling her neck with his right hand and pinning her to the ground.


    He looked at her and said, "You''ve lost, give up."


    But Mieko smirked despite being in pain. In his moment of carelessness, Fujin looked straight into her eyes!


    ''Sharingan Genjutsu''


    At the very next moment, the scene changed for Fujin. The Mieko he was grabbing transformed into mes and escaped his grasp. The burning trees around him began moving and walking toward him.


    Mieko reformed her body in mid-air whileughing arrogantly, "You looked into my eyes!" Sheughed even more before saying, "It''s my win Fujin. No one can match an Uchiha in a fair fight!"

 Chapter 65: Waterfall Jutsu!

    The burning Ents exhaled methrowers on Fujin. But he just ignored the damage. He looked at Mieko and sighed, "You really need to know when to give up."


    In the real world, Fujin''s wind clones chuckled when they saw Mieko using Genjutsu on his Shadow clone. One of them softly said, "Defend her Sensei."


    He used up all his chakra to create a Wind Gale wolf, which pounced on the Shadow clone and dispersed it. His w continued towards Mieko''s abdomen when Renjiro flickered in and dispersed the Wolf.


    In the Genjutsu world, as soon as Fujin''s shadow clone said that, he disappeared due to being destroyed in the real world.


    Not understanding what was happening, she broke her Genjutsu and saw her Sensei standing next to her, with 3 of Fujin''s clones still watching her.


    Renjiro announced, "Fujin is the winner."


    Not understanding, Mieko asked, "What happ¡­."


    Unfortunately, the Sharingan Genjutsu took thest bits of her chakra. She cked out withoutpleting her question.


    Renjiro checked on her while asking loudly, "How long are you going to hide?"


    Hearing that, Fujin exited the underground and flickered next to Renjiro with a smile on his face. The Wind clones dismissed themselves.


    [A/N : Hey guys. Please let me know your thoughts regarding this fight. Whether anything can be improved, or if any unnecessary stuff was added. The fights in the Naruto series (or any other manga/anime) usually involve too much talking between the fighters or screaming the names of their jutsus. In some cases, they also exin their own abilities. I don''t intend to follow that. Honestly feels stupid. The dialogues I add in the fights will only be absolutely needed ones. If any additional is added, it''ll either be due to that character being dumb or arrogant OR would be in a way that the character uses his words to distract the enemy.]


    Renjiro looked at Fujin and said, "Good work. Now pick her up and move towards where Hoka is. I''ll douse this fire before it engulfs the entire training ground."


    Fujin nodded. He picked Mieko up and flickered to where Hoka was. He put Mieko down next to him.


    Hoka had already seen the result of this fight. He sighed on seeing Fujinpletely unharmed and wondered, ''What could I have done differently to win this fight?''


    Knowing that Renjiro will most likely use a Water jutsu to douse the fire, he kept his focus on sensing Renjiro. He said to Hoka, "Keep an eye on where Sensei is."


    Hoka nodded and activated his Byakugan once again.


    Renjiro had jumped high up in the air. He was almost 100 meters high in the air. And at that time, he began building up his chakra.


    Fujin and Hoka were both shocked by the amount of chakra gathered by Renjiro. Fujin swallowed his saliva, ''What chakra! Elite Jounin indeed! I guess this is the first time I''m seeing him perform a jutsu seriously.''


    At 100 meters up in the air, Renjiro made a hand sign. ''Water Release : Waterfall jutsu''


    He expelled a huge amount of water from his mouth. The water fell down right under him like a waterfall, and then flooded out in all directions for around 500 meters!


    Fujin and Hoka were shocked once again. Hoka asked, "Hey Fujin, how did he gather so much water when there''s no water nearby?"


    Fujin replied, "No idea. Remind me to bug himter about this."


    Hearing that answer, Hoka smirked, "If we could summon so much water, all our opponents would just be washed away."


    Fujin nodded while adding, "Not all, but most yeah."


    He wondered, ''Isn''t this simr to what Tobirama did against Hiruzen? Makes sense that Renjiro''s Water jutsus are so strong. Tobirama probably left all the details regarding his own Water Release in Senju libraries.''


    The flood doused all fire, releasing a huge amount of steam up into the air. Renjiro checked whether any fire was remaining. On confirming that none was, he flickered towards his Genins.


    On seeing Renjiro, Hoka for the first time was very impressed with his sensei. While the training Renjiro provided was very good, seeing such a disy will always create a greater impression on 10 year kids.


    Renjiro walked towards Mieko and lifted her and put her on his right shoulder.


    While Hoka was being awestruck, Renjiro walked behind him and lifted him by grabbing the back of his neck with his left hand.


    That snapped Hoka out. He realized how he was picked up and immediately started iling his hands and legs in the air,pletely losing the famous Hyugaposure, "Put me down Sensei! What are you doing?"


    Fujin saw theical scene in front of him. A huge buff Senju guy had a prideful and arrogant Uchiha girl lying unconscious on his right shoulder, and an aloof Hyuga kid iling desperately in his left hand.


    In a mere second, he beganughing uncontrobly, "Hahahahahahahahaha" ''Damn, this brings memories of Guy carrying Kakashi from Suna to Leaf'' "Hahahaha"


    Theugh annoyed Hoka and he iled even more before being smacked by Renjiro. "What are you struggling for? I''m taking you both to the hospital."


    Hoka replied, "I can walk there Sensei!"


    Renjiro asked again, "On one foot? I don''t have time to waste an hour walking with you."


    Hoka continuedining, "But Sensei..."


    Unfortunately, he waspletely ignored by Renjiro. He looked at Fujin and said, "We will take a mission as soon as these 2 are healed up. Don''t do heavy training till then. Preferably take aplete break from training."


    Fujin nodded, while stillughing at the sight in front of him. Renjiro was about to leave, but he suddenly recalled a certain memory.


    He looked at Fujin and said, "The reward of Rank A jutsu is what I''m awarding you, and not the Vige or Senju n. So you can only ask for a jutsu that I know or can easily get."


    This suddenly put an end to Fujin''sugh. However, before he couldin, Renjiro had already flickered away! Fujin muttered internally, ''Smart bastard''.


    While traveling to the hospital, Renjiro sighed in relief, ''Good thing that I cleared this up. Soter on he can''t pester me. This brat asked the 3rd for swords worth tens of millions of Ryo. Who knows which jutsu he''d have asked me if I didn''t clear this up!''

 Chapter 66: Burnol

    Renjiro reached the hospital and put Hoka down. They walked into it, and Renjiro asked a nearby nurse to arrange 2 beds for his students.


    Renjiro was a well-known name. So she arranged it immediately. Seeing Hoka struggling to walk, the nurse asked, "Do you want to sit in a wheelchair, so that we can take you to the room?"


    Hoka immediately declined, "No, I''ll walk myself." The nurse seemed to be at a loss as to what to do, when Renjiro asked, "Should I carry you once again?"


    That question sent a chill through Hoka''s body. He reluctantly said, "I''ll sit in the wheelchair"


    On reaching the room, Renjiroid down Mieko on a bed. Hoka took the bed next to hers. Renjiro asked the nurse, "Check if any Medical ninja is avable. Send anyone who knows Mystical Palm jutsu here."


    The nurse nodded and replied, "Yes Sir." She left to check who was avable.


    While waiting for a medical ninja to appear, he looked at Hoka and asked, "Any thoughts on the fight?"


    Hoka sighed and replied, "We lost it the moment we decided to fight against each other instead of chasing after Fujin. At the very least, we should have stopped before one of us got injured. That way we could have still been able to fight.


    Another issue was theck of information. Fujin''s 2 attacks surprised and overwhelmed me too much. If I had prior knowledge regarding it, I could have fought equally against him."


    Renjiro nodded andmented, "It should also be a lesson for you, who are too obsessed with Taijutsu. Both Fujin and Mieko worked on Ninjutsu that can causerge-scale destruction.


    If they get an opportunity to use the jutsu when the opponent has their guard down, it bes an easy win for them. You, on the other hand, will first have to reduce the gap between yourself and your opponent and then hit him to get an advantage.


    While not bad, it leaves you at a huge disadvantage against ninjas who can fight from range. I understand your obsession with Taijutsu. But if you want to be able to use your Taijutsu effectively, you need to learn other skills as well."


    Hoka nodded and reflected on what his Sensei advised him.


    Soon, a Medical ninja came. She healed Mieko and Hoka.


    Mieko had a lot of small cuts and bruises. However, none were serious. They were all healed easily. But Mieko kept sleeping due to the chakra exhaustion.


    Hoka on the other hand had a slightly serious injury to his left ankle. She healed him entirely as well but advised him to rest for 2 days and not put any stress on his left ankle.


    After the procedures were done, Renjiro left. He gave a message to Hoka''s and Mieko''s families informing them about their kids, and to Fujin, that he''ll have a 3-day break at least.


    A few hourster, Mieko woke up. She was surprised at seeing herself in the hospital, with her mother sitting next to her and Hoka in the adjacent bed.


    Their family members bugged them for quite some time before they finally stopped bothering them. When there was no one else in the room, Hoka asked, "Mieko, what was that jutsu you used?"


    The question brought back memories of her horrible defeat and turned her mood down once again. She replied, "It''s a secret jutsu of our Uchiha n. Fire Release : Aerial Explosion jutsu.


    It releases a lot of gas that is odorless and colorless. So it''s very hard to notice. And it is very easy to ignite."


    Hoka understood, "Oh, no wonder Fujin got caught off guard."


    Mieko smirked and agreed, "Yeah. This jutsu has the drawback of needing a few seconds for the gas to spread to have maximum effectiveness. That''s why I yelled the name of the jutsu so that his clones would get on guard and not attack recklessly, giving me the time I needed."


    Hoka nodded, "Nice tactic. Too bad that it only hit his clones."


    Hearing that, a scowl once again formed on her face. She said, "My n was to secretly use this jutsu while we three were engaged in closebat. That way you both would have been hit by it and I would have won easily."


    She gritted her teeth, "I never imagined that Fujin would fight so shamelessly and never appear in front of me at all! Even when I taunted him, he still kept hiding! Damn, this is so frustrating."


    Seeing her reaction Hokaughed, "Yeah, I agree. Next time, let''s not fight each other much until we can engage with Fujin."


    Mieko sighed and agreed. It was tough for her to agree to this due to her pride. But unfortunately, there wasn''t any other way.


    Yakiniku Restaurant -


    Unlike his two teammates, Fujin spent the day eating in his favorite restaurants and taking a well-deserved break.


    Earlier, when Renjiro tracked him to inform him about his teammates, he saw Fujin at Ichiraku, eating without a care in the world. Seeing him eat so rxingly after beating up his teammates made Renjiro sweat a bit. But he didn''tment.


    The next morning, Fujin wondered, ''Should I go to check on those 2?''


    He thought for a bit before concluding, ''Well, they are my teammates. And I was the one who injured them, so I should go and check on them.''


    After freshening up and doing some light stretching, he began moving toward the hospital. But suddenly he stopped, ''Wait! When visiting people in hospitals, isn''t it tradition to get something for them?


    Yeah, that used to be the tradition in my previous life. Even in the Naruto series, I recall many carrying flowers or fruits while visiting patients. Yeah, let''s carry a gift for both.''


    He then fell into another dilemma, ''So, what do I get for them? Flowers kinda seem like a waste. Fruits are kinda too cliche. I''m sure their family members have already brought a lot of fruit. Hmm¡­ What should I get?''


    And then it suddenly hit him, ''I know! I should get a burnol for both of them. Hahaha''

 Chapter 67: Scary Mom!

    He flickered to get a couple of gifts for both his teammates. And then flickered to the hospital and enquired about the room they were in.


    He quickly found their room and entered it. Both of them were up.


    Hoka''s left leg seemed to be stered. He had a few more bandages on him.


    Mieko, on the other hand, was put in enough bandages that one could easily mistake her for a Mummy.


    As soon as Fujin entered, they both gave Fujin the stink eye. Seeing their childish reactions, Fujin couldn''t help but smile, ''I really should have brought them burnol, haha''


    Seeing that neither of them wanted to talk first, he greeted them, "Hey guys. How are you doing?" Both of them snorted and looked away.


    Fujin sighed loudly and said, "After I went through all the trouble of getting you something. Oh well, I guess I''ll just eat it myself."


    That attracted their attention. They saw a pack of cookies and a set of dango in Fujin''s outstretched hands.


    In under a second, Hoka snatched the cookies, while Mieko snatched the dango.


    They both began eating it right away. While they were eating, Fujin tilted his head while looking at Mieko and asked, "Shouldn''t you check whether they are real or just clones first?"


    That pushed Mieko over the edge. She instantly got up and yelled, "Bastard. The next time I''ll beat you up. Wait, no need for next time, I''ll beat you up right now."


    Stating that, she got off her bed. Fujin created distance between them and asked, "Oh, and are you sure I''m not just a clone?"


    She was about to make a move when a middle-ageddy walked into the room hearing themotion. Her features were simr to Mieko''s, just much more mature.


    She saw Mieko standing up and narrowed her eyes and asked, "Why are you out of your bed?"


    Mieko immediately apologized, "Sorry Mom" and jumped back into her bed. Fujin smiled at her antics, ''Oh, looks like she is terrified of her mother.''


    Mieko grabbed her 2nd dango stick and was about to eat it when the dango disappeared from her hand. Mieko turned her head to see her mom standing next to her bed, holding her dango as well as all the remaining dango in her hands.


    Her mom looked into her eyes and said strictly, "You are recovering, youngdy. Why are you eating Dango instead of the fruits that I brought for you?"


    Mieko nervously replied, "Sorry Mom. But I have already healedpletely. So it should be fine if I eat a little bit of Dango, right?"


    Mieko''s mom didn''t reply and just stared Mieko into her eyes. The staredown continued for 30 seconds before Mieko backed down and apologized again, "Sorry Mom. I was wrong."


    Her mother sighed, and then began giving her a long lecture!


    Fujin''s eye twitched at this interaction. He was thoroughly amused by this interaction, ''She spoke thrice. All 3 times she started with Sorry Mom. This is funny.''


    Hoka had already seen how strict Mieko''s mother was on the day before. However, instead of finding the situation amusing andughing secretly, he first stuffed all the cookies in his mouth and gulped them down rapidly.


    Mieko''s mom noticed this and stared at him as well. However, he never looked at her and kept looking outside the window.


    She continued her lecture and lectured Mieko for 5 minutes straight. During these 5 minutes, Hoka kept awkwardly staring in another direction, while Fujin awkwardly stood next to him.


    Mieko meanwhile, looked down at the bed the whole time, while trying not to cry at the injustice she was facing, ''First that irritating guy appeared and teased me. He did make it up by bringing me my favorite dango, but he taunted me once again. And then, my own mother took those dango away! Not to mention, she''s also lecturing me in front of my teammates.''


    After lecturing her, she looked at Fujin and said in a straight voice while staring at him, "Fujin-kun, you first beat my little girl, and then you brought her dango to eat?"


    Now Fujin became alert, ''Is she going to lecture me as well?'' He quickly replied, "Sorry auntie. Sensei said that she was already healed yesterday. So I didn''t think it''d be an issue."


    Before she could reply, he looked at Hoka and Mieko and said, "I have some work to do with Sensei. I''ll see you aroundter."


    Without waiting for anyone''s response, he flickered out of the window. Hoka looked enviously at the window, ''At least he could run away. I''m stuck here.'' Mieko, on the other hand, was too embarrassed to think about anything.


    Mieko''s mom was surprised. She said to her, "Your teammate can lie with a straight face without any embarrassment. You were right about him."


    Hearing that, Hoka looked toward Mieko''s mom and saw her staring at the empty pack that had his cookies. He screamed internally in horror, ''Crap!''


    Fujin was walking on the streets while thinking, ''Well, that was awkward. No wonder she acts like a stuck-up bitch all the time. She probably spends all the time back home being embarrassed.


    Anyways, both of them have pretty much healed. So we should start taking missions on the day after tomorrow. So how should I spend these 2 days?''


    After thinking for a while, he sighed, ''Other than training, I really haven''t gotten any hobby in this world. Perhaps Fuinjutsu, but that too is a part of training.''


    After thinking for a bit more, he had an amusing idea, ''Should I recreate some of the famous manga or novels from the past world in here? After all, the literature here is pretty underdeveloped due to constant wars and theck of a safe environment. So those manga and novels should be aplete hit.''


    He analyzed the idea more. But soon he shook his head, ''While I remember their general stories and plot, I don''t really remember all the details¡­ It''s just been way too long. Not to mention, it''ll take a lot of time. Not something I can spare right now.''


    Not having anything to do, he explored other restaurants around Konoha andter visited and rxed in the famous hot spring bath in the vige.


    A couple of dayster, team Renjiro assembled outside the Hokage building.

 Chapter 68: Bandit Exterminators

    Team Renjiro entered the Hokage building together and went to the Mission room.


    On seeing the chunin in charge of distributing missions, Renjiro said, "Give us all the C rank Bandit elimination missions in the area between Konoha and Tanzaku area."


    The chunin nodded and handed 7 missions to Renjiro. Renjiro read the missions while thinking, ''I haven''t been taking any missions for thest 7 months. I know the old man wanted to give me a break. But I have had a long enough break. He declined to give me an S rank mission. So, I should at least clear out some basic issues. These bandits would be a good start. Hopefully, some of these C rank missions will get upgraded to B rank. That''ll also provide some good training for the kids. All 3 of them are already ready to be promoted to Chunin."


    He stored the mission request forms. Then he looked at his squad and said, "Let''s move."


    The genins nodded and everyone flickered towards Konoha''s entrance gate.


    In the next week, 7 bandit camps werepletely decimated. In that month, Team Renjiro ughtered 18 bandit camps in thend of Fire.


    The team started taking these missions with excitement. But by now, they were sick of it!


    Hoka, Fujin and Mieko waited outside the Hokage building while Renjiro was selecting more missions.


    Miekoined, "Why are there so many bandits in our country? Also, why aren''t they stronger?"


    Hoka sighed and said, "Yeah. 18 camps and there wasn''t a single bandit as strong as us."


    Fujin added, "I think our missions are purposefully chosen so that we don''t end up fighting anyone strong."


    Miekomented, "That''s even more frustrating!"


    Fujin sighed and nodded, "Yes. I had heard that many rank C missions go wrong and get upgraded to rank B or even A. I thought that it was a rathermon urrence. But it seems like I was wrong."


    Hoka replied, "They don''t happen that often. But they often cause serious injury or death. That''s why you hear about them very often."


    Fujin said, "Oh. That makes sense. I didn''t think about it that way."


    Mieko interrupted, "You guys are getting off-topic. Think how we can get a better mission! Should I yell at that mission-giving guy again? Last time he gave us a rank C mission. So maybe he might give us a B rank mission."


    Fujin looked at her and asked in a bored tone, "Last time I threatened him with you burning a baby. I don''t think he''d really mind us burning bandits."


    Thatment made her face a bit red due to embarrassment.


    They were about to talk more when Renjiro walked out of the building. He announced, "Today, we won''t be taking a bandit hunting mission."


    Hearing that the team was excited. Mieko asked quickly with a lot of expectations, "Can we do a B rank mission sensei?"


    Renjiro was amused by her question. Her expectations came crashing down as Renjiro shook his head and replied, "No, we will be escorting a merchant to Degarashi Port in the Land of Tea."


    Hearing that, all 3 genins gave Renjiro a deadpan look.


    Fujin asked, "What will we be protecting him from, Sensei?"


    Renjiro smirked and answered, "Bandits, of course."


    He enjoyed the look of betrayal on his students'' faces for a few seconds and then said, "This will be a long trip. We will need around 2 weeks to reach there and around 3 days to return back. So pack your stuff, we will be leaving at noon."


    The genins dejectedly replied yes and left. While leaving, Mieko asked Fujin, "Fujin, do you think threatening that mission guy with the life of the merchant might work?"


    The team hadn''t walked far away. Renjiro immediately sweated a bit as he heard it properly. He said slightly loudly so that his students could hear him, "It won''t. I''ll just take you to do bandit extermination missions for¡­."


    Not wanting to hear their sensei''s threat, the genins just flickered away whileughing. Renjiro just sighed at the antics of his students and muttered, "I''m too old for this shit"


    Konoha''s Main Gate :


    At noon, team Renjiro gathered here. As usual, Fujin arrivedst. Renjiro, Hoka, and Mieko were standing here, alongside 8 merchants and 2 carriages filled with goods. Each of the 2 carriages had its reins attached to 2 bullocks.


    Fujin walked towards Hoka and Mieko who were standing behind Renjiro while he was talking with the most well-dressed Merchant. On seeing Fujin, Renjiro said, "This is Fujin, Toshio-san. Thest member of our group."


    Fujin looked at the guy and said, "Hello."


    The merchant smiled, slightly bowed towards Fujin, and replied, "I am Iha Toshio. A merchant from the Land of Tea. We will be in your care Fujin-kun. Please take care of us."


    Fujin nodded while thinking, ''This guy is awfully polite! Did he say this to all 3 of us? On a serious note, however, though he seems very carefree, he is actually very tense.''


    He looked at Renjiro and stared at him while wondering, ''Is there more to this mission than he said? Now that I think about it, why did he suddenly take such a long mission? Earlier he seemed rather obsessed with making Land of Fire bandit-free.''


    Renjiro saw Fujin staring at him and wondered, ''Has his sensory skills be so acute that he can even sense worry? I knew he could detect lies from chakra fluctuations, but has his sensor skills improved to this degree? Very few outside the Yamanaka n can detect worry. And most of them are very experienced and veteran ninjas.''


    Not wanting Fujin to catch onto anything, Renjiro stated, "The path that we are taking has a number of bandit camps. We have eliminated most of the bandit camps between Konoha and the Lands of River and Rain.


    Through this mission, we will exterminate the bandits en route from Konoha to the Land of Tea. So keep your guard up, as there are at least 17 known bandit camps in our way."


    The genins nodded on hearing this. Mieko and Hoka sighed internally. While Fujin wondered, ''Is he just worried due to the bandits? Or is it something else? Oh well, we should find out soon. I should stay on guard though.''


    Renjiro then did an inventory check, while Toshio checked whether all his goods were packed. In 15 minutes, Team Renjiro left alongside the merchants of Land of Tea.

 Chapter 69: Trade Boom

    2 carriages pulled by bullocks, 8 merchants, and 4 ninjas traveled on the road, steadily moving away from Konoha.


    They traveled until evening without a break and then set up a camp. No bandits were encountered as all bandits in this area were exterminated by 3 of those 4 ninjas not long ago.


    While having dinner, Hoka sighed and said, "They move just way too slowly."


    Fujin agreed, "Yeah. We spent thest 4 months training and just hunting on our own. So we pretty much always moved at top speed."


    Mieko joined the conversation, "Yeah. At least this one is a bit faster than the previous one though. Thatst escort mission to the Land of Rivers had 12 carriages! And their wheels broke off so frequently!"


    Hoka smirked and said, "Yeah. We remember how frustrated you were."


    Fujin added, "Yeah. I suspect the main reason Sensei kept standing next to the carriages at that time was that he was worried you''d burn them yourself. Haha"


    Hoka joined in theughter, while Renjiro ignored their antics. Mieko just snorted and ignored them.


    After dinner, Renjiro said, "We will begin moving tomorrow at 4 AM. Tomorrow''s traveling speed will be faster than today. Tonight, we will all keep watch turn by turn. Fujin, you are first. Wake Hoka up after 2 hours. After Hoka, it''ll be Mieko andst me."


    The genins nodded. Renjiro had a word with Toshio. Soon Hoka, Mieko, Renjiro, and the Merchants went to sleep.


    Fujin sat on a branch and began meditating. Soon, he could sense all chakra within a 1.2 kilometer radius.


    Fujin thought, ''I haven''t trained my ability to sense for months. Still, the improvement has been decent just due to the increase in my chakra reserves, chakra control, and regr spars.


    I should try and keep this on for 2 whole hours. Should be good training. I wonder if I''llst that long considering that my chakra reserves are full.''


    Fujin stayed in that meditating position for the entire 2 hours. During this time, he used all his sensing skills to examine the merchants and their goods but found nothing unusual. He had to keep changing the range of his sensory field between 600 meters and 1.2 kilometers for optimal chakra management, but he managed tost the 2 whole hours without any issues. He still had around 60% of his chakra left. He woke up Hoka and went to sleep.


    The group travelled for 4 days in this manner without any issues.


    On the 5th day, around 9 am in the morning, the group was surrounded by bandits, who were hiding behind the trees or on them.


    All 4 ninjas noticed the bandits but didn''t react.


    Fujin softly asked, "So who gets them?"


    Hoka immediately replied, "I want them. I haven''t fought or trained for 4 days straight!"


    Mieko however argued, "Neither have I. And as you know, Ladies first!"


    Hokamented, "You are just a little girl. Say that when you be ady."


    That immediately infuriated her. She shouted back, "Why yo¡­"


    However, Renjiro interrupted her, "Quiet down."


    Mieko shut up and looked at Hoka angrily.


    Renjiro stated, "All three of you will take them on. I won''t help you guys, but do remember that you also have to protect the goods."


    Fujin asked, "Should we just kill them, or also find and destroy their camp?"


    Renjiro answered, "Both of course. But only for this group. Every time a bandit group attacks, you''ll take permission from me before attacking their camp."


    The three nodded.


    Hoka looked at Fujin and asked, "Where to check?"


    Fujin replied, "700 meters northwest. And 900 meters east."


    Hoka activated his Byakugan and checked, "900 meters east is just a few normal homes. The camp is at 700 meters north-west."


    Fujin asked Renjiro, "Sensei, will you be protecting the goods when we attack the camp, or should we defend it then as well?"


    Renjiro replied, "After you eliminate the bandits here, all 3 of you can go."


    Fujin replied, "Alright, let''s begin then."


    All 3 moved at a high speed, which made it look like all of them had disappeared. Both, the merchants and the bandits, who were keeping an eye out secretly, were shocked.


    In under a minute, all the bandits surrounding the group were dead. A few dead bodies or even heads fell down from trees next to merchants. Surprisingly or unsurprisingly, they didn''t freak out as they had seen simr scenes multiple times in the past. Though they were surprised to know that the killers were 3 innocent and sweet 9-10 years old kids.


    The genins then flickered towards the bandit camp and eliminated everyone in there as well. They killed 2 more bandits who were at another spot in the forest. Completing the bandit elimination sub-mission in under 5 minutes.


    The group continued on its way.


    Over the next 8 days, 14 bandit camps were eliminated. The trio wondered whether they''d get a ''Bandit exterminator'' nickname back in Konoha. Unknown to them, their team was already known by that name among the chunins who distributed missions.


    By now, the swift and brutal 1 month campaign of Team Renjiro around Konoha to exterminate bandits was well spread. Many bandit groups had moved away from Konoha. A few even began leaving the Land of Fire entirely and continued their banditry in the weaker neighboring countries such as the Land of Rivers, Land of Grass, Land of Rain, and Land of Rice.


    This time, it was the turn of the bandits on this route to suffer. In under a month, the bandits close by would get the news of the ughter. Some would visit to check if something did happen. And they would see the gore and would end up either quitting banditry or moving away and making trading easier for Konoha.


    Hiruzen would soon pick up on these movements, andunch an even more brutal assault on these bandits. This would not only boost Land of Fire''s economy due to increased trading, but also improve Konoha ninja''s reputation, and get them more jobs that would require lesser effort toplete. Konoha would also receive more funds from the Daimyo of Land of Fire due to this act.


    And it''ll prove to be a huge aid for Konoha to recover from the losses of the 3rd Great Ninja war. Especially over the next 3 years when more than a thousand genins will join the reserve force and a few hundred will begin training under a sensei. Of course, the loss of Jounins due to Kyubi''s assault won''t be ovee for almost a decade.


    And even more importantly, while the recovery was in progress, Konoha would end up losing their strongest n to internal friction!

 Chapter 70: Schemes in the Darkness

    Team Renjiro and the Merchants from the Land of Tea were traveling for the 13th day. Toshio said, "We should enter the Land of Tea by evening. We will need another 2 days to reach the port though."


    Renjiro nodded and said, "Keep an eye out." The genins obeyed.


    The group journeyed until noon when they came across an open field. They decided to take a break for lunch there. The field was about as big as a Football field. And it was surrounded by dense forests on one side, and a hill on the other. Fujin and Hoka checked whether the area was safe, and didn''t find anyone.


    While having lunch, Renjiro noticed something but didn''t say anything. His students or the merchants didn''t notice any change in his expressions. However, he was observing his students closely.


    Fujin, while eating lunch, activated his chakra field out of habit.


    When he did, he was shocked! Around 200 people had entered the forest and were around 600-900 meters away from them! They were moving rapidly towards them.


    Unlike Renjiro, Fujin''s change in expression was easily noticed by Hoka and Mieko. They became alert and looked at him.


    Fujin said, "Around 200 bandits have surrounded us and are closing in. 150 in the forest and 50 on the hill."


    Mieko scowled, "More bandits?"


    Fujin looked at Renjiro and said, "Not just bandits. Around 50 have high chakra. With maybe a dozen Chunin level and 2 Jounin level chakras!"


    That shocked Hoka and Mieko. They both looked at Renjiro. Renjiro was impressed with Fujin''s alertness. He smiled and said, "Well, here''s your B rank mission. Or was supposed to be. This looks more like rank A."


    He then got serious andmanded, "Prepare to deal with the bandits and Genin-level attackers. I''ll deal with the stronger ones. Don''t worry about the goods. Give main priority to your and your teammates'' lives. And then to the lives of the merchants."


    The team nodded and got up. Seeing them get up, the merchants understood that there was an issue and got alert too. Toshio in particr became very worried. They all immediately got up and hid behind their carriages.


    Two days earlier -


    2 people stood and observed the open field in the middle of nowhere. Both of them were Jounins. One of them was Wagarashi Tomio, who was from the rival family of the Wasabi Family. The other was Tamanaha Norio, who was a rogue ninja from the Land of Rivers. He had a bounty of 5 million Ryo.


    Wagarashi Tomio said, "From the information that our spies sent, 5 escort teams were moving from Konoha toward Degarashi port. One of them will be passing through here. When they do, they are bound to rest here."


    Tamanaha Norio asked, "Who is escorting them?"


    Wagarashi Tomio replied, "The weakest team. A Genin squad."


    Tamanaha Norio was surprised, and then beganughing arrogantly, "Just Genins? They''ll be dead in no time."


    Wagarashi Tomio was annoyed by his arrogance. He warned him, "Don''t underestimate them too much. They are led by Senju Renjiro, an Elite Jounin. The Senju n has a strong rtionship with the Wasabi family. So it''s a possibility that they are trying to sneak him in with this team. Also, their genin team has a Byakugan user. So we will have to be very careful."


    Tamanaha Norio frowned upon hearing that. He thought for a bit and said, "Elite Jounin will be tough to kill. The only way will be if he desperately defends the Genins. As for Byakugan, I have a way. One of my men has a rat summon. He can use them to keep an eye out from a long distance. Once they have their guard down and rest, we can make a move."


    Wagarashi Tomio nodded. This n was appropriate. They might not be able to kill Renjiro, but killing the merchants shouldn''t be an issue.


    As his genins were about to engage in battle, Renjiro recalled his meeting with the Hokage before epting this mission.


    Hokage''s office - 2 Weeks earlier :


    Renjiro entered the Hokage''s office and saw the Hokage and another old man.


    Hiruzen said, "Renjiro, meet Wasabi Daichi."


    Renjiro looked at the old man and asked, "Wasabi? From the Land of Tea?"


    The guy nodded and replied, "Yes, from the Land of Tea."


    Hiruzen continued, "There''s a power struggle in the dark in the Land of Tea. There appears to be a scheme in the works against the Wasabi family, and maybe the Daimyo as well."


    Renjiro analyzed the information and asked, "The Wasabi family has had a good rtionship with Konoha as well as with the Senju n for decades. So do you want to help them?"


    Hiruzen nodded, "Yes. Unfortunately, we can''t as it is just a scheme. If we interfere, we will damage our rtionship with the Tea Daimyo."


    Renjiro nodded, as he had already reached this conclusion.


    Hiruzen continued, "Daichi here has an important position in the Wasabi family as he handles their finances and many important deals. So their opponents want to eliminate him. I want you to escort him along with your team."


    This surprised Renjiro. He asked, "This seems to be a rather important mission. Why send genins?"


    Hiruzen replied, "Their rival faction has a few hundred ninjas under them. Even if I send an Anbu team, they won''t be able to protect him. The only way to protect him will be to send arger team to protect him, but..."


    Renjiropleted his sentence, "But you can''t do that as the Tea Daimyo won''t like it."


    Hiruzen nodded and added, "And if I were to send a huge force with him, the opponent won''t attack, and stay hidden. So it won''t aplish much.


    So we will follow this tactic. First, we will split up the enemy forces. There are 5 routes from here to the Land of Tea. You''ll take Wasabi Daichi with you while going on a rank C mission to escort Merchants. You''ll leave through the 5th route, as it''s farthest from the sea and will prevent any interference from Kiri.


    Soon after, I''ll send 3 chunin squads on such escort teams along 3 other routes. Finally, a squad of Anbu will escort a decoy along the central path. They will send the majority of their forces against these decoys as they have the stronger teams assigned to them.


    This way, we will split their forces into 5 and have a legitimate reason to kill the ones attacking them. The other 4 teams will be allowed to retreat after killing as many of them as they can or engage in a hit-and-run tactic if they can. You, on the other hand, will need to move to Degarashi port at a fast speed, so that their remaining forces don''t regroup and target you guys."


    Renjiro and the Hokage then discussed the strategy more and fine-tuned it and took action to implement it.


    Back to Present -


    The bandits at the front were just around 100 meters from the edge of the open field.


    Hoka excitedly said, "Finally a good fight!"


    Mieko was also excited.


    Fujin, who was thinking, suddenly said, "Don''t activate your Sharingan or Byakugan. I think they are trying to disguise themselves as normal bandits, so let''s pretend that we didn''t notice them. I have a technique I want to try."


    Saying that he walked in toward the forest. Hoka and Mieko wanted to argue against him, but bandits had started to rush out of the forest. A few also began descending from the hill and shooting arrows.


    Hoka and Mieko noticed it. Hoka quickly made a hand sign, ''Rock Shield jutsu''.


    A Rock shield appeared behind the merchants. All the arrows shot at them were blocked by it.


    At the same time, around 50 bandits, 15 of them being ninjas, came running from the forest toward them. Since the ninjas were disguising themselves so that they could take the enemy by surprise, they too were moving at the same speed as bandits. More bandits were exiting the forest every second.


    Fujin unsheathed one of his swords and held it in his right hand. Chakra immediately began flowing through it and transformed into wind chakra instantly.


    He then held the hilt of his sword with both hands, pulled his sword back, and then swung it with full force forming an arc towards the iing bandits.


    As he swung the sword, a sword sh appeared, and began moving at a rapid speed. When close to Fujin, the sh was extremely small, but as it moved it expanded exponentially! Alongside the sh, strong winds appeared which caused some dust to rise.

 Chapter 71: The Beginning of a Legend!

    [A/N - This chapter might not be suited for those under 18. It will involve some gore.]


    The bandits, as well as the ninjas, didn''t understand what move was made. But considering that it was made by a kid, they didn''t attach a lot of importance to it. The sh didn''t have any color, so they couldn''t actually see an iing sh. Instead, they just noticed wind moving towards them at a high speed and dust rising up as the winds approached them.


    The bandits hadn''t ever seen any Ninjutsu. So they just kept running straight banking on their numbers. The ninjas, however, were alert. When the sh came close, they jumped 5-6 feet in the air to avoid it.


    When the sh reached them, it was around 50 meters wide! It first hit the bandits who were running like bulls. It immediately cut them in half at their abdomens. The bandits who were following them didn''t get any time to react and were cut in two as well.


    Next, the sharp winds that were generated by the sh hit the jumping ninjas. It created shallow cuts all over their body. The unfortunate ones had their throats or wrists slit open. A few had winds cutting through their nails and skin, causing them to scream loudly in pain. Almost all had their eyes getting cut by the winds.


    In all, only 4 Genins and 2 Chunins were lucky, or perhaps unlucky, to survive. 1 Chunin and 2 Genins lost both their eyes, while the remaining 2 genins lost an eye each. They were horrified.


    The entire first wave of 50 bandits and ninjas was defeated by a single swing of the sword. And it still wasn''t over.


    The bandits in the 2nd wave, who had just reached the edge of the forest, were terrified of what they saw happen to their fellow bandits. Color drained from their face at that sight.


    The sword sh, which was initially colorless, now had a tinge of blood-red color to it. In no time, it hit the forest and flew through it, cutting down bandits and trees alike.


    Unlike the bandits, the ninjas in this group reacted quickly. Some dug underground. Some grouped together and created ayered Rock shield protection. Others just ran up the trees to the top and jumped as high as they could.


    After prating around 40 meters into the forest, the sh lost its edge and died down due to the high number of trees in its path.


    The attack littered the field with blood and pieces of human bodies. The forest adjacent to the open field waspletely in ruins!


    Though this attack was watched by a lot of people, none of them knew, that this was the start of a Legend! In the future, this attack would form the groundwork for that young man to create a whole newbat style that would wreak havoc in the ninja world!


    Hoka and Mieko were stupefied on seeing the result of a single swing of Fujin''s sword! Their mouths were wide open in shock!


    Unlike them, who were just shocked due to Fujin''s attack, the 50 bandits on the hill who saw the attack were terrified. The scene seemed like an extremely bad nightmare. A few bandits fainted due to fear and trauma. One bandit yelled in terror. That woke up the rest and they began scurrying away.


    Even the ninjas were terrified and began retreating along with the bandits. Tamanaha Norio, who was leading them, wanted to stop them, but he realized that there was no point in stopping them as their morale had hit rock bottom. So he decided to retreat and regroup. While retreating, he looked at the kid who swung the sword and thought, ''That''s a genin?''


    Seeing them about to retreat, Renjiro sighed and created a shadow clone. ''I knew Fujin''s attack would create such an impact.'' He looked at the scurrying bandits and smirked, ''These guys are really unfortunate.''


    He and his clone mmed their hands on the ground, pouring a huge amount of chakra into it.


    ''Earth Release : Rock Avnche jutsu''


    ''Earth Release : Mud River jutsu''


    As soon as they mmed their hands on the ground, a Rock avnche formed and began rolling down the hill.


    The ninjas were about to run away, when the ground under their feet turned into mud, making them lose their bnce and fall. Everyone one of them fell into the mud river, including the Jounin. And a few secondster, the Rock avnche went down the river.


    The bandits as well as the ninjas saw the terrifying scene in front of them. They couldn''t move, as their legs were stuck in the mud river. The river began dragging them down the slope, toward those murders down the hill. And, in front of them, huge rocks were rolling down the hill towards them. They yelled in despair, but in a mere few seconds, they were all crushed to death. Only 1 survived!


    Tamanaha Norio, too, freaked out seeing the huge rocks rolling toward him. He was about to jump when his legs got stuck in the mud river that suddenly formed under him. The mud then began moving down the hill at a quick speed. He quickly made a few hand signs, ''Water Prison Jutsu''


    A water barrier soon formed around him. At the next second, a rock rolled down on him. It hit the water bubble and pushed it to the bottom of the mud river. But it couldn''t pop it.


    The rock was about to roll over. So Norio sighed in relief. Unfortunately for him, in the next second, a stone spear appeared at the bottom of the mud river and prated through it. It quickly prated the water prison bubble. Norio noticed the spear at thest moment and tried to get out of the way. It still stabbed through his body, but he was able to avoid getting hit on any vital body part.


    Renjiro was surprised when he sensed that the guy was still alive. However he wasn''t worried, ''He is just extending his own misery.''


    While he managed to stay alive, getting stabbed by the spear disrupted his control over the water prison. It copsed and he got buried under mud. Norio gritted his teeth, with blood flowing through his mouth, and forced himself against the flow of the river, trying to remove the stone spear from his body.


    Unfortunately for him, his struggle, grit, and determination for survival will never be known to anyone. At the next moment, small spikes began growing out of the spear that stabbed him. That stopped his attempt to move immediately, causing him to yell in pain and vomit more blood. When he yelled, the mud from the river entered his mouth.


    Soon the small spikes grew into spears, poking out of his body. His struggle finally ended, as he died, with a dozen stone spears poking out of his body and he was buried 10 meters deep in a mud river.


    [A/N - Initially wanted to name this chapter - ''Life is Fragile'' due to all the deaths in it. Just couldn''t resist naming it what I did though]

 Chapter 72: First Real Battle

    While Renjiro cleared up the rear, Fujin, Hoka, and Mieko made a move on the injured ninjas.


    Of the 15 ninjas from the first wave, only 6 were alive, with just 1 Chunin being in a state to fight. They were terrified by their wounds and were running towards the forest.


    And of the 10 ninjas from the 2nd wave, only 2 had jumped high up in the air, and hence were on top of the ruined forest. The remaining 8 ninjas, though unharmed, were buried under a ruined forest.


    Hoka activated his Byakugan and said, "Those 8 ninjas are trapped, they''ll need some time to get out. Let''s attack."


    In an instant, all 3 flickered toward the retreating ninjas. Mieko flickered behind the Chunin who could still fight and tried stabbing him with a kunai. However, he turned around and defended himself in time.


    He shouted aggressively, "I may be injured, but don''t you brats look down on me!" However, his thoughts were the exact opposite, ''Just one opportunity! I''ll regroup with others and be safe.''


    Unfortunately for him, while shouting, he looked into Mieko''s eyes. Mieko didn''t miss the chance and cast Genjutsu on him.


    Hoka engaged the blinded Chunin. That chunin had lost his sight, and his right leg was badly cut. However, even in that state, he still aggressively attacked Hoka with every weapon he had. This fightback was a testimony to his experience and desperation.


    Hoka, however, stayed calm and took his stance. He said, "You are in range." And attacked, ''Eight Trigrams - Sixteen palms''.


    All of Hoka''s attacks hit on point, with thest one hitting his opponent''s chest and stopping his heart. That chunin dropped dead.


    Unlike Mieko and Hoka, Fujin went for the weakest ones first. He flickered behind the 2 blinded genins and killed them both with one strike of his sword. He quickly flickered to the remaining 2 genins one by one and killed them as well. Neither of the 4 could even block one attack from Fujin. Just one of those 4 managed to raise his kunai to block Fujin''s sword, but his kunai got cut into two, just like his body.


    Of the 2 Ninjas who were above the debris, 1 was Chunin, while the other was genin. They were still fearful of that sword sh that wrecked the forest as well as of the Rock Avnche. So they didn''t react when the three kids they were looking at flickered.


    When they noticed, the Chunin quickly moved to aid hisrades. But even before he took a couple of steps, Fujin had killed 2 of them. That halted his steps. In the next few seconds, he saw Fujin kill 2 more and look straight at him.


    He quickly retreated behind thinking, ''What a bunch of crazy kids! Are they even kids? Did Konoha send their feared Anbu under disguise?'' He looked down at the debris and screamed internally, ''Where are the rest? Get out quickly!'' The genin also retreated.


    Fujin stayed back after killing his opponents. Around half a minuteter, Hoka killed his opponent. And soon after, Mieko''s opponent stabbed his own throat.


    Fujin flickered next to Mieko right after she was free and said, "Let''s do it." She nodded and made a few hand signs.


    ''Fire-Wind Dragon Jutsu''


    Both Fujin and Mieko could see the chakra of the ninjas making their way to get out of the debris. A 50 meter huge dragon, mostly made of extremely hot air and having 4 ws and many teeth made of fire.


    Seeing that dragon, those 2 began running even faster toward the 3rd wave.


    The Dragon moved rapidly and got above the debris. It then dived down right where 6 ninjas were making their way up. They were just about to remove thest log blocking their way when the Dragon dived down right at them.


    Fortunately for them, they had one novice sensor who screamed, "CAST DEFENSIVE WATER JUTSU ABOVE US! HURRY!"


    Fortunately, the group had a Chunin whose nature affinity was Water. He quickly made hand signs, ''Water Shield Jutsu''.


    A water barrier appeared above him. It curved like the surface of a sphere and had a thickness of 6 inches, and was growing thicker as he poured more chakra into it.


    When the Dragon was 10 meters above the group, it opened its mouth andunched a Wind Explosion sphere, made of extremely hot air. It hit the barrier and exploded. The barrier protected the group from the winds, but it got dispersed.


    In the next second, the Dragon mmed into them and exploded into mes, which moved rapidly due to assistance from the winds. The ninjas saw the Dragoning toward them and tried to disperse. Unfortunately, the debris around them blocked any escape route.


    They all took a direct hit. The fallen trees around them were also set on fire. The fire began spreading quickly. Not having any path, they jumped through the hole created by the Dragon.


    Fujin saw that the attack hit sessfully, but sighed thinking, ''It''s a shame that Wind dragons don''t have intelligence like Wind clones. This jutsu will be very formidable if that happens.''


    All 6 ninjas managed to jump out of the debris and run away from the fire. The Water affinity Chunin made hand signs and created a water barrier around him, and dropped it on himself to douse the fire. He then spat water jets on the other 5 starting with the sensor.


    He managed to douse all fire on them. Both he and the sensor had 1st-degree burns. While 2 had 2nd-degree burns. Thest 2 had fainted and were in very bad shape. They would need immediate medical treatment.


    Around that time, the remaining 2 ninjas who were buried under the debris managed to get out. All the ninjas from the 2nd wave finally managed to regroup. At the same time, the 3rd wave of bandits reached the edge of the forest, i.e., the debris.


    Seeing that, Fujin, Hoka, and Mieko didn''t advance and waited there. Renjiro had cleared up the hill by then and had slowed the avnche with the mud river and made the rocks fall slowly on the ground. He flickered behind the team, while his clone kept an eye on the merchants.


    The debris blocked the bandits. They couldn''t travel any further. The ninjas however had a bad feeling. Wagarashi Tomio led the ninja to the top of the debris, where he regrouped with the remaining ninjas.


    He was shocked, ''Only 8 are remaining from the 100 who attacked? And half of them are already injured. It hasn''t even been a few minutes since the 1st wave should have reached them!''


    His eyes then wandered towards the hill on the other side of the field, ''Even the 50 who should have attacked from the hill are nowhere to be seen! Where did that useless Norio go? Also, why does it look like there was andslide there?''


    He quickly asked a Chunin who was uninjured, "What happened here? Tell quickly! Also, where are Tamanaha Norio and the rest?" While asking, all his attention was on Senju Renjiro. With so few numbers, he wasn''t at all confident about taking on him. The rest of the 9 ninjas who were with him were also on full alert.


    That Chunin was the same one who retreated earlier. He was intimidated by Tomio but quickly began exining to him.


    Over at Team Renjiro, when the ninjas from the 3rd wave began regrouping with those from the 2nd wave, Fujin said, "Those from the 3rd wave will be very confused. We need to attack quickly. Any suggestions Sensei?"


    While asking, he was thinking, ''If it was just defense, the best way will be topletely burn down this forest. The fire will act as a wall. Then Renjiro could go and hunt them.


    But if we want to eliminate them entirely, then the fire will prove to be an obstruction for us, and killing them all will need a lot of effort.''


    Renjiro nodded and said, "My clone will look after the merchants. So let''s just attack them head-on. I''ll take that Jounin head-on and finish him off. You guys stall the rest. I''ll make another clone to watch over you guys."


    On saying that, he made the clone hand seal, created another shadow clone, and said, "Let''s go." All 5 of them flickered.


    [A/N - Sigh, had to rewrite the whole battle. Initially wrote it by having the surviving Ninja being scared shit of Fujin, and had Fujin using 2 more simr shes, along with Renjiro breaking their defenses, resulting in a nearplete wipeout. While it seemed kinda epic, it didn''t really make much sense that each and every one of those ninjas would be scared to that extent by such a simple technique. Even had the trio reacted a lot to Renjiro''sbo jutsu from thest chapter. Something that would only be safe to do when enemies are paralyzed with fear¡­ So rewrote the fight


    This is what I had initially written in case anyone''s interested -


    The Rock avnche and Mud river generated enough noise to attract the attention of the three genins. Having seen the Waterfall jutsu, Hoka and Fujin weren''t surprised by the power. They were, however, surprised by the fact that just 2 Earth release jutsu can cause such a ughter. Earth, after all, was known for its defense.


    Mieko, on the other hand, was bbergasted. She had heard about Renjiro''s Waterfall jutsu from Hoka, but seeing herself was shocking.


    On the side of the forest, 6 ninjas were alive on the open field, while 2 were alive and standing on top of the ruined forest. They first saw the sword sh and then the ones who could still see, saw the Rock avnche killing more than half of their numbers.


    Soon, 8 ninjas who were buried under the forest made their way out. They were shocked to see that the ambush from the hill seemed to have disappeared. Instead, they could see a Mud river and a few huge rocks floating in them.


    The mud river killed the momentum of the Avnche and the Rocks slowly slid down the hill through the river.


    At that time, the 3rd wave of bandits emerged from the forest. However, they were blocked by 4 meters of ruined forest. The bandits couldn''t move forward, but the ninja jumped over the ruined forest and grouped with the 10 ninjas, who had stopped over the ruined forest. From here, they could see all the blood and dead bandits and ninja on the ins.


    Wagarashi Tomio, was shocked by this sight, ''What happened here?'' He went towards the leader of the 2nd wave and asked him, "What happened? And where is Norio?" He was about to speak when he noticed one of the genins raise his sword, and swung it.


    He was at the forefront of the 2nd wave, and he had noticed Fujin swing his sword earlier. He immediately shouted, "TAKE COVER!"


    Wagarashi Tomio was surprised and looked at Fujin. He noticed a wave approaching them, and he noticed all ninjas from the 1st and 2nd wave scurry around.


    Of the 6 alive ninjas from the first wave, only 1 was rtively uninjured. He quickly dug a hole and went underground.


    The remaining 2 one-eyed ninjas ran backward in fear. While the 3 who were blinded had already lost consciousness.


    The sword sh ended up killing the 3 blinded ninjas as well as the 2 ninjas who ran away.


    The remaining 20 ninjas who were in the ruined forest gathered together. The leader of the 2nd wave shouted at Tomio, "Quickly use Earth wall jutsu! Make it as big and thick as you can!"


    Tomio was displeased, ''Why is he shouting at me andmanding me?'' However, he could sense the fear in his shout and quickly used Earth Wall jutsu. All the 20 ninjas took cover behind it.


    While they were taking cover, Hoka used Byakugan and looked for the 2 ninjas who went underground. He quickly made hand signs, ''Stone spear jutsu'' and ambushed them underground. Neither could react and were stabbed to death.


    Renjiro focused on the 20 ninjas hiding behind the wall. He smirked and punched the ground in front of him. At the same time, Fujin swung his sword once again. The punch released Earth Release : Ground Shockwave jutsu. It traveled faster than Fujin''s sh and hit the earth wall just a few seconds before Fujin''s first sh reached it. It caused the erected Earth wall to copse!


    The ninjas, who finally had a sense of security, were dumbfounded.


    2 Ninjas from the 2nd wave immediately began creating hand signs to go underground.


    The others from the 2nd wave quickly tried climbing on the fallen trees behind them and jumping high up. Unfortunately 2, in panic, stepped on very weak branches and lost their footing. The ones from the 3rd wave didn''t understand the urgency and were slow to react. Only Tomio, sensing their panic, jumped back and quickly created a Rock shield as he didn''t have enough time to create an Earth Wall. 3 ninjas from the 3rd wave hid behind Tomio.


    Fujin''s sh reached them. It first hit the ninja who was trying to go underground but couldn''tplete his hand signs. Then it hit 3 ninjas from the 3rd wave who didn''t take it seriously. 1 ninja was cut into 2. While the other 2 were hit by the apanying winds which left deep cuts all over them.


    The winds then hit the two who had lost their footing, causing them to bleed all over. And next, it hit the remaining 4 ninjas from the 3rd wave, leaving them with simr, but slightly less severe injuries.


    Right when the ones who had jumped high up were about to fall, the 2nd sh arrived. This ended up killing or maiming everyone other than the 4 who were hiding behind multiple Rock shields built by Wagarashi Tomio and the one who was hiding underground.


    Seeing the result, Fujin said, "I don''t think that the remaining 5 will die from this attack."


    Mieko replied, "That''s good. I want to fight" and flickered towards them. Hoka followed her.


    Renjiro said, "Fujin, look after the merchants." And he flickered behind those 2.


    A/N - Stopped it here¡­ I initially didn''t have Renjiro create a clone in the , that''s why no mention was there in this initial draft¡­]

 Chapter 73: Fujin Vs 11 Genins

    Wagarashi Tomio was keeping an eye on Renjiro the whole time. The Chunin had just begun exining the situation to him, telling him about a wind sh and how it was apanied by winds that cut when Renjiro created a clone.


    He immediatelymanded, "Get ready. I''ll engage that Jounin. All chunins will fight alongside me."


    He looked at his second-inmand andmanded, "Masato, lead the genins and kill those three brats."


    Mano Masato was standing right next to Tomio. He had a sword hanging from his waist. Since he was an Elite Chunin, his rank and power were second only to Tomio among the ninja here. Even overall, his power was only weaker than Tomio and Norio. He had worked with Tomio for a long time, and Tomio considered him his right hand. He nodded to themand given.


    Team Renjiro flickered till they were 20 meters away from them. Renjiro made a hand sign, ''Water Release : Water Cannon jutsu''


    Tomio too made a few hand signs while shouting, "Scatter and Dodge"


    ''Water Release : Water Wall jutsu''


    On hearing hismand, all of the enemy ninjas moved back a bit. Renjiro spat a jet of water on them. In response, Tomio created a water wall between them. The wall stopped the jet for a mere fraction of a second. However, that was enough for his ninjas to see the trajectory and dodge the attack.


    The water jet prated the water wall with ease and then sliced it in two as Renjiro moved his head from left to right. The water jet was dodged, however, it kept traveling, hitting the trees in the still undamaged forest. The water jet cut through a few trees with ease before it ran out of energy.


    The enemy ninja noticed the damage caused by just one attack. Their face became grim. They prepared themselves for a bitter battle. They regrouped into 2 groups in a few seconds. 1st with Tomio as the leader and 5 chunins and the second with Masato as the leader and 11 genins.


    Renjiro noticed this and assaulted Tomio and the chunins.


    The trio of Fujin, Hoka, and Mieko moved towards the genins. Renjiro''s clone followed them at a distance and kept a close eye.


    Konoha Genins Vs Masato and Genins -


    All the 3 Konoha genins had noticed that Masato''s chakra level was the 2nd highest in the whole group. While moving towards them, Mieko stated, "I want the strong guy."


    However, Hoka argued, "No, I want him."


    Fujin said, "He seems strong, both of you take on him. I''ll eliminate the rest and join you."


    Masato and the rest also ran toward the kids running towards them. The group had mixed feelings regarding the 3 kids running toward them. The ones from the 3rd wave thought, ''We need to eliminate them quickly and then aid in killing that jounin from Konoha.'' While the ones from the 2nd wave hoped, ''Masato-sama should be able to handle those demon kids.''


    Among the 11 genins, one had seen Mieko use Sharingan earlier. He shouted, "Don''t look in her eyes, she has Sharingan!" That alerted Masato. He wasn''t aware of this. He unsheathed his sword.


    Mieko was faster than Hoka. She reached Masato first and instantly used ''Fire Release : Four jutsu'' that she had already prepared.


    Masato kept his eye on her hand and raised his Sword to block the heat ray. The attack heated his de but didn''t make the handle much hot. At that time, Hoka nked him and attacked with Gentle Fist. He smirked, ''He is in range.''


    However, Masato moved slightly so that the Four jutsu won''t hit him and then shed his hot sword at Hoka. Hoka was caught off-guard and dodged backward. Unfortunately, he wasn''t fast enough.


    The tip of the sword touched his chest. It cut through his shirt with ease and left a thin line across his chest. Luckily, since he had moved backward, the cut was very shallow. Masato moved forward to chase him, but Mieko threw a few shurikens at him, which he blocked with his sword.


    While he dodged them, Mieko flickered and stood next to Hoka. They prepared to fight him.


    At the same time, the 11 genins wanted to join in the fray and aid Masato. However, Fujin flickered in between them and Masato and created 11 Wind clones. 1 kept eye on Masato, while the rest engaged 1 genin each.


    One of the genins rushed toward Fujin. Fujin too took a step and moved toward him. While moving, he grabbed a sword in his right hand. His opponent had a Kunai in his hand.


    On closing the distance, Fujin shed his sword. The enemy genin saw it and smirked. He stamped hard on the debris below and jumped back. When he suddenly stepped back, Fujin''s sword shed through empty air.


    The opponent kept smirking, ''Ha! These inexperienced newbies. Always fall for the simplest trick in the book.'' He pulled his arm behind him and was about to throw his kunai at Fujin when something hit his body.


    The hit created a cut across his body, starting from his right shoulder, to the left side of his hip. The cut kept getting deeper, and cut him into two. Fujin thought, ''Not a bad move. Unfortunately, he was out of his league.''


    At the same time, all 10 of Fujin''s Wind clones had engaged the enemy genins. They kept fighting at mid-range and used Wind Explosion jutsu to prevent opponents from using any jutsu.


    Fujin observed around him, ''Now that I''m free, time to cut down their numbers.''


    He flickered in the next instant and appeared behind a genin who was fighting his clone. The genin was surprised when he noticed someone appearing behind him. Unfortunately, before he could react, a sword pierced through his heart.


    In a few seconds, Fujin cut down 4 more genins. The others noticed Fujin killing theirrades with extreme ease and panicked. They quickly disengaged from the wind clones and tried to regroup.


    Masato, who was engaged in a fight with Mieko and Hoka also noticed this. He tried to help them, but he was obstructed by Mieko and Hoka.


    Unfortunately for the enemy genins, regrouping wasn''t going to be easy. Noticing that all the enemies have disengaged his clones, Fujin flickered again and appeared behind one of them. That genin noticed and quickly turned around and swung his kunai. In response, Fujin shed with his sword.


    Both the kunai and the sword shed. Fujin''s opponent wanted to use this sh to jump behind and get away from him.


    Unfortunately, Fujin''s sword cut through his kunai. It continued ahead and cut the unsuspecting genin into two. Fujin noticed the shock stered on the enemy''s face when he noticed his kunai being cut in two.


    At the same time, another opponent was ganged upon by 4 of Fujin''s clones. 2 of the clones used all their chakra to form Wind explosion jutsu and scored perfect hits. The other 2 beheaded him when he was very injured.


    The remaining 3 genins managed to regroup. But they were instantly besieged by Fujin''s 8 wind clones, while Fujin stood slightly behind his clones.


    The 3 genins stood with their backs to each other. Fujin saw it and analyzed, ''I guess I can''t flicker behind them now. Anyways, time to end this.'' He said in a low voice, "Wind Breakthrough jutsu everyone."


    Fujin''s clones heard him, and all used Great Breakthrough jutsu at the same time. The 3 genins, who were at the center instantly became trapped and mmed against each other as they couldn''t move due to being hit by strong winds from all sides. They began yelling loudly.


    Fujin observed the wind patterns and then swung his sword. A sh flew through the strong winds and reached the trapped genins. In an instant, all 3 were beheaded.


    With all 10 genins killed, Fujin turned his attention to the chunin Mieko and Hoka were fighting.

 Chapter 74 Notice - Translation

    Chapter 74 Notice - Trantion


    Hey guys. It came to my notice yesterday that this fanfic has been tranted at multiple sites.


    I checked google and saw 1 Russian trantion and 2 Portugese trantions.


    I don''t mind this fic being tranted, so that it reaches out to more fans. But I was definitely weirded out considering that they were tranted without my permission or knowledge. Even more so on seeing some of them being kept behind pay walls. It isn''t even a recent phenomenon, as some had been tranted a year ago.


    What are your thoughts about this?


    These are the trantions I found.

 Chapter 75: Masato Vs Genins

    Masato Vs Mieko & Hoka -


    While Fujin had engaged the enemy genins, Hoka and Mieko were fighting against Masato.


    Masato had dealt with the initial attacks from Mieko and Hoka with extreme ease and even injured Hoka slightly.


    Mieko noticed the cut on his chest and asked Hoka without taking her eye off Masato, "Can you still fight?"


    Hoka replied, "Of course. Let''s attack!"


    However, before they could attack, Masato moved forward at a fast speed and swung his sword again.


    Mieko took a step ahead and blocked his sword with her kunai. She kept trying to look into his eyes, but he always avoided eye contact with her.


    Seeing that Mieko had blocked his sword, Hoka attacked him with Gentle fist once again.


    Seeing Hoka attack again, Masato just jumped back and retreated. This time, Hoka didn''t chase and stood with Mieko.


    Masato observed the two being careful and sighed, ''It''s unfortunate that there is so much debris here. I can''t use Earth jutsus at all!''


    Hoka too couldn''t use Earth Release jutsus, but he didn''t mind it as he preferred Taijutsu over Ninjutsu.


    Masato was about to attack again when he noticed that Fujin was cutting down his genins with ease, ''Tsk. I should help them.''


    Mieko and Hoka noticed him getting distracted and attacked him once again. Mieko once again used ''Fire Release : Four jutsu''


    Masato quickly dodged but was once again nked by Hoka. Learning from the past two failed attempts, this time Hoka attacks with a kunai. Masato blocks but Hoka continues his attack with his other hand, trying to seal his chakra points.


    Masato uses the force Hoka is putting in his kunai attack to jump back. Before Mieko and Hoka could press on their attack, he ran towards Fujin. But he was quickly attacked by 2 Wind Explosion jutsu by the Wind clone Fujin left to keep an eye on him.


    The Wind Explosion wasn''t actually targeted at Masato. Instead, the cloneunched them in such a way that they would cut off his path. They exploded even before reaching them and threatening him with the winds generated. He had to move back to avoid the winds, leading him back to Mieko and Hoka.


    They quickly attacked him, but Masato defended himself again. Only, it was more difficult this time. Mieko finally found an opening, and kicked his stomach, sending him flying behind.


    While he was sent flying, Masato thought, ''These kids are strong! Even if I fought only one at a time, I''ll have a hard time defeating them without Earth Release!''


    Hoka was about to attack again when he noticed Mieko making a few hand signs. He quickly moved out of the way. Masato too noticed the hand signs.


    Mieko finished making her hand signs, ''Fireball jutsu''


    A huge Fireball moved toward Masato rapidly. Hoka followed the Fireball from the left, ''If he dodges here, I''ll get him.''


    Masato, noticing Hoka, dodged to the other side. The fireball reached his original location and exploded. Since the debris underneath was mainly wood, it set off another fire. The explosion also sent a lot of burning wood flying in every direction.


    Masato, even after dodging, had to use his sword to block a couple of burning logs flying toward him. The smoke and dust created by the explosion and fire engulfed him.


    Noticing the opportunity, Mieko threw a few shurikens at Masato. Hoka got back to Mieko''s position, as fire blocked his straight route to Masato.


    Masato heard the sound of shurikens flying. He quickly jumped to his left, while frowning, ''I need to get out of this smokescreen. Both of them have doujutsu. I''ll be severely disadvantaged here.''


    However, even after moving, 3 shurikens came at him. He blocked one with his sword, and barely dodged the other 2. One of the shurikens left a cut on his right cheek. While the other shuriken missed his abdomen from the left by a few inches.


    He sighed in relief after dodging them when he suddenly felt a sense of crisis! He felt 2 strings, 1 touching right where the cut was left, while another on the left side of his abdomen, ''Fuck! The shurikens had strings attached.''


    Masato quickly made a hand sign.


    Mieko smirked on seeing that Masato fell for the strings. She pulled them so that they trap him and the shurikens return to hit him in the back.


    Hoka too observed with his Byakugan. He saw that Masato got trapped by the strings and the shurikens hitting his back. However, he changed into a log the next moment!


    Hoka and Mieko noticed his chakra reappearing outside the smokescreen. He had a cut on his right cheek and his expression was very grim. He said, "You brats are very good."


    As he said it, he was analyzing, ''It''s very difficult to fight them here. I need to move to the ground. However, if I move, those genins will be all dead.''


    While thinking, he turned his head to look at his genin underlings. He was shocked as his eyes met Fujin''s eyes, ''All dead? So quickly? Fuck it!''


    Having realized that Fujin would attack him too, he decided to move to the normal ground, ''The only worry now is if they attack Tomio and other chunins instead of following me. But if they do that, I can sneak attack them.''


    On concluding his thoughts, he quickly tried moving out of the debris area and into the open field.


    Mieko and Hoka noticed it and thought, ''Not good! He is trying to attack the merchants.''


    Mieko quickly made a few hand signs andunched another jutsu, ''Phoenix Sage Fire jutsu.''


    Small balls of Fire were fired on Masato''s path, preventing him from getting away. Hoka used the distraction created by the fireballs to close the distance and attack Masato again.


    This time, Masato counterattacked fiercely, making Hoka retreat. However, at the next moment, he felt the wind on his back. He quickly turned around and used his sword to block the iing sword.


    Fujin, noticing Masato''s attempt to run away used Mieko''s and Hoka''s attacks as a distraction to attack.


    After blocking the sh, Masato looked around and became worried. Fujin''s clones were moving toward him. However, even before he could wonder what to do about them, another incident horrified him.


    Fujin''s sword cut his own Sword into two! He quickly released his sword and moved backward screaming his mind, ''WHAT THE FUCK?''


    As he moved backward, he noticed Hoka moving rapidly toward him. Hoka smirked, ''Time to finish this.'' He got into stance to perform Eight Trigrams.


    Masato noticed Hoka''s stance from the corner of his eyes. He quickly made a hand sign. All the 3 Genins noticed that it was the hand sign for Substitution jutsu. Hoka pressed on with his attack, while Fujin and Mieko prepared themselves by gathering chakra at their feet.


    Hoka and Masato finally were about to make contact, when Masato substituted with another log of wood. As soon as he substituted, Mieko threw a bunch of shurikens so that he couldn''t retreat anymore, while Fujin sent a flying sh at him.


    Masato was on guard and moved out of the way. Unfortunately, the only way avable for him was towards Hoka. He had a bitter expression on his face, ''These brats are relentless! I have no openings at all!''


    Masato prepared to take Hoka head-on as Hoka rushed towards him. However, before he could engage Hoka, 2 shurikens stabbed him in his back! Fujin smirked, ''Projectile Control jutsu is really handy.''


    When Masato''s attention was upied on Hoka, Fujin used Projectile Control jutsu on the shurikens Mieko had thrown and changed the direction of a couple of shurikens to hit him.


    While the hits weren''t lethal, they caused Masato great agony. And it finally provided Hoka with an opening. He immediately used ''Eight Trigrams : Sixteen palms'' on him, closing a lot of his chakra points.


    As soon as he was done, he moved behind. Mieko and Fujin both stepped in for the kill. They both flickered in. Mieko used ''Fire Release : Four jutsu'' on his chest, right where his heart should be. While Fujin shed his sword towards his neck.


    In his final struggle, he tried stepping towards his left, so that he''ll move away from Fujin''s sword, and Mieko''s jutsu wouldn''t hit his vitals.


    Mieko''s jutsu hit the center of his chest, piercing through the Elite chunin''s body. Fujin''s sword missed Masato''s neck by a few centimeters. But at the next moment, his head still flew off in the air due to the increased range from Wind Chakra flow.


    Fujin, Hoka, and Mieko finally sighed in relief and were excited about managing to kill someone this strong without any aid from their sensei.


    Masato, however, died in grief! He never got to use the jutsus he was most proficient in!


    Renjiro''s clone had observed the whole fight, ''Good. Though they made a few mistakes, overall their performance was very good. They were also very lucky though. That guy''s nature affinity was probably Earth, and he couldn''t use it due to the terrain.''


    [A/N : Probably thest battle where Fujin and others fight under the supervision andplete protection of Renjiro. Need to stop babying them, lol]

 Chapter 76: The Formidable Renjiro!

    Renjiro Vs Tomio & Chunins


    While his students were engaged inbat, Renjiro himself was fighting against the main enemybatants. Just like Masato, Renjiro too was restricted here due to not being able to use the majority of his Earth jutsus.


    Renjiro observed his opponents, ''1 jounin and 5 chunins. Been a while since I had to fight against these odds. I wonder if they can put up a fight though.''


    His opponents too observed him. They were very tense. Tomio thought, ''He specializes in Earth and Water jutsus. This terrain should void most of his Earth jutsus. And I can cancel out his Water jutsus. And he won''t retreat due to his students, and might even be distracted by them. We have a chance!''


    After concluding his thoughts, Renjiro threw 6 shurikens at his opponents. Immediately, he made a couple of hand signs.


    ''Shuriken Shadow Clone jutsu''


    The enemy ninjas were amused when they saw that only 6 shurikens were thrown at them. But seeing them suddenly increase to over a hundred freaked them. Tomio once again used Water Wall jutsu to block the shurikens.


    Renjiro smirked. He was aiming exactly for this. While the water wall protected them, it meant that they couldn''t see Renjiro. He grabbed his sword and rushed towards them.


    Unfortunately, one of them was a sensor and he yelled, "He''s running toward us!" He was the same ninja who had earlier detected Fire-Wind Dragon jutsu. The shout put them on guard and they prepared for a fight.


    The very instant the water wall copsed, Renjiro flickered and appeared behind the chunin who shouted. Before anyone could react, he attacked him with his sword, aiming to cut him in two. Knowing that he couldn''t move fast enough, he made a hand sign. Renjiro ended up cutting a log of wood.


    The enemy ninjas sighed in relief and immediately moved toward Renjiro to attack him right when they saw the sensor use Substitution jutsu. However, Renjiro still smirked.


    Though Renjiro''s sword cut through a log of wood, his sword emitted chakra that travelled in the form of a sh. It was the Samurai Saber Technique. Though it didn''t have the lethal wind chakra that Fujin''s shes had, it was still very lethal.


    Wagarashi Tomio was the one to notice it and he quickly shouted, "Careful!" and moved out of the way of that flying sh.


    That alerted all 4 chunins. 3 of them jumped out of the way sessfully. However, thest one was the closest to Renjiro. He too tried jumping but was too slow. The sh hit his knees and shed halfway through his kneecaps. He copsed and began yelling in pain.


    All of the 5 enemies were now at least a few dozen meters from Renjiro. So he just stepped forward and beheaded the injured ninja.


    He looked at the Tea ninjas and coolly said, "Just 5 more to go." That statement put a lot of pressure on them.


    Tomio understood that Renjiro was trying to crush their morale. He shouted, "Behind me" while retreating away from Renjiro and making a few hand signs. The remaining chunins quickly moved behind Tomio.


    ''Water Dragon jutsu''


    Renjiro noticed the hand signs Tomio was making and recognized them. He just waited for him to be done with it. Soon, Tomio expended quite a bit of his chakra tounch Water Dragon jutsu on Renjiro.


    However, Renjiro just flickered a few times,pletely avoiding the trajectory of the jutsu while muttering, ''What a waste of chakra.''


    In an instant, Renjiro was now behind those ninjas, while the Water Dragon jutsu hit nothing but debris.


    Renjiro wanted to attack them from behind, but the enemy ninjas had got a hang of Renjiro''s fast-paced attacks. The very moment that Renjiro appeared behind them, all 3 of them made hand signs andunched their jutsus.


    ''Water Shuriken jutsu''


    ''Great Breakthrough jutsu''


    ''methrower jutsu''


    The 3 jutsus were released in that order. First, Water Shurikens wereunched. They were then aided by Great Breakthrough jutsu to speed up to nearly twice their initial speed. And then, methrower was released into the Great Breakthrough jutsu, making it very devastating!


    Renjiro was very surprised, ''Good teamwork!''


    However, he just flickered again, resulting in another fire being started. Seeing Renjiro flickering, Tomio made a hand sign.


    ''Water bullet jutsu''


    He began shooting water bullets wherever Renjiro appeared. However, Renjiro dodged them all with ease, while asionally sending a flying sh their way. This stalemate continued for a couple of minutes.


    Tomio wondered, ''Why isn''t he worried about the kids?'' He tried observing the genins through the corner of his eye, and was shocked! That fight only had Masato still alive, and all 3 Genins were ganging up on him. His expression became very grim.


    By now, 3 fires were burning in the destroyed part of the forest. A lot of smoke covered the area, and visibility was bing very low.


    The remaining 40 bandits were initially confused about what exactly was happening. However, hearing the sts made them realize that this was the battlefield of ninjas. They too noticed the smoke rising from where the fighting was happening and all ran away in fear.


    Tomio and the 4 chunins with him were breathing heavily. The short exchange made them spend a lot of their chakra. Renjiro, on the other hand, seemed like he had just warmed up.


    Noticing that they were tired and Tomio was checking out the other fight, Renjiro stabbed the logs under him with his swords and made a hand sign. This instantly got all 5 enemies on full alert.


    In an instant, Renjiro built up a massive amount of chakra andunched his jutsu.


    ''Waterfall jutsu!''


    Tomio immediately made hand signs to create another water wall. However, he was shocked by the sight in front of him. Renjiro spat out a massive amount of water. They felt, ''It''s as if a Tsunami is crashing down on us!''


    Tomio and another chunin made a couple of water walls. However, it wasn''t enough. The Waterfall washed all 5 of them away. It also washed out the debris under them and doused one of the 3 fires that were burning.


    All 5 of them got washed out in the open fields where the Merchants and one of Renjiro''s clones were.


    Seeing that they were finally on the ground, Renjiro smirked. All 5 of them suffered some injuries after getting hit by such a huge move. They struggled to get up. Tomio was the first one to recover. He barely managed to get up on his knees while breathing very heavily.


    However, soon he noticed something that horrified him! They were on the ground. He had just one thought before he jumped up as quickly as he could, ''CRAP!''


    As soon as he jumped, Earth spears appeared from the ground. All 4 chunins were stabbed. Only Tomio managed to get away. Soon, more spears appeared from the ground, and pierced all 4 of them, until Renjiro was sure that they were dead.


    Wagarashi Tomio saw all his 4 underlings being killed. He noticed that all other fighting had stopped too. He was horrified and began running towards the Land of Tea in panic. However, Renjiro flickered in front of him, with a sword in his right hand.


    The genins had finished Masato off right after Renjiro used the huge jutsu and were observing the fight.


    Renjiro looked at Tomio and said, "You know, I''m very surprised that you guys chose to fight us in the Land of Fire, rather than the Land of Tea. If you had fought in the Land of Tea, at the very least, you''d have managed to retreat. But here, all 5 of your forces will be eliminated."


    Tomio looked at Renjiro in terror and asked, "Has Konoha already recovered from the losses of the 3rd Great Ninja war and Kyubi''s attack?"


    Renjiro replied, "Not really. But Konoha isn''t something the likes of you can challenge."


    He then charged straight at Tomio. Tomio grabbed a kunai and prepared to fight, however, in merely 1 attack, Renjiro sliced his head off!


    Fujin, Mieko, and Hoka saw this sight. In one fluid motion, Renjiro sliced his enemy''s head off and sheathed his sword, as if he had done something insignificant.


    Hoka saw it andmented, "That was cool."


    Mieko snorted and said, "He''s just showing off!"


    Fujin nodded, agreeing with Mieko.


    Renjiro looked at his 3 students, who flickered next to him in response. He said, "Good work. Analyze your battle properly. I''ll ask for your analysister."


    The trio nodded. Fujin asked, "Sensei, will we be doing something about the bandits that ran away?"


    Renjiro looked at his clones. Both of them flickered toward the bandits. He replied, "Leave them to my clones. While we did win, I won''t be surprised if they have someone hidden trying to take advantage of us when we put our guard down. A good number of dead ninjas during peacetime die only due to letting their guard down for a moment."


    The trio nodded in response, absorbing their sensei''s experiences and knowledge.


    [A/N : Battles are hard to write¡­ Especially when you consider jutsus like Body Flicker and Substitution. Anyways, the first actual fight that I wrote. Lemme know your thoughts.]


    Hey guys. Really wanted to thank everyone for their support after resuming this fanfic. Especially the P@treons. I didn''t think I''d receive this level of support back when I decided to restart writing. It has been very motivating.


    Thank You :-)

 Chapter 77: The Real Goods

    Renjiro looked at Fujin and said, "Fujin, make a couple of shadow clones and a dozen wind clones. Examine the dead bodies, and take anything valuable they have."


    He tossed a few storage scrolls at Fujin while speaking, "Store the dead bodies of the ninjas in these scrolls."


    Fujin nodded and made the clones, who immediately got to work. Renjiro himself made a couple of Shadow clones and a few Mud clones, who began doing the same in the mud river.


    He looked at Hoka and Mieko and said, "You two should learn Earth clone jutsuter. Once your chakra reserves grow, learn shadow clone jutsu. Both will be very helpful."


    Mieko and Hoka nodded, "Yes Sensei."


    While the bandits, valuables, and dead bodies were being cleared, they moved towards the hiding merchants and asked them toe out. The merchants sighed in relief and stopped hiding between their goods and rock shields. However, when they came out, they were shocked looking at the condition of the hills and forest around the area. They were also disturbed by the dead bodies and blood around them.


    Iha Tosio walked to Renjiro and requested, "Renjiro-sama, can we please move away from here soon?"


    Renjiro replied, "We need some time to rest. We will move soon. You guys can get ready to move."


    Hearing that, all the merchants immediately began to prepare to move.


    Renjiro looked at Hoka and said, "Take your shirt off." Hoka took his shirt off, and Renjiro disinfected the cut on his chest and wrapped it in bandages.


    Fujin''s clones first checked the ninjas from the 1st wave. They didn''t have anything valuable as all their scrolls were destroyed by Fujin''s first attack. Next, they checked and sealed all the genin and Masato. The genins didn''t have much. Masato, on the other hand, had a lot of Ryo and weapons. Next, they checked the chunins and Tomio. They all had a decent amount of money and weapons. Tomio also had a scroll that listed some Water Release jutsus and another scroll exining the mission parameters.


    Fujin''s shadow clone quickly skimmed through the Water jutsu scroll. However, at the end of it, he was disappointed, ''I thought I''d get lucky and get some op jutsu. Unfortunately, these all are ratherme. I can probably get them all from the library.''


    Next, he went through the mission scroll, understanding what exactly their mission was. He was surprised, ''These guys sent 5 teams of simr size to intercept all 5 squads that were sent from Konoha? Aren''t they a little too courageous? Also, how the fuck could they enter into thend of Fire so easily? And that too without being detected?''


    Fujin sighed at the state of Konoha and Land of Fire, ''If all countries have such a weak border force, even I won''t have any difficulty in moving around. No wonder the Akatsuki were pretty unobstructed. I thought it was a testimony to their power, but it seems like even a genin wouldn''t have much of an issue.''


    In around 10 minutes, Fujin and Renjiro were done. Renjiro''s clones were also done cleaning up the bandits and dispersed. Renjiro then sorted all the gains and said, "Not bad. We got over 1.6 million Ryo, 500 shurikens and 100 kunais."


    He stored everything in his scroll and said, "I''ll divide the weapons equally among us. The money, half will be given to the vige, remaining will be divided among us in the same way as we divide the mission rewards.


    Hoka and Mieko didn''t care about money, so they just nodded. Fujin didn''t care much either, but thought, ''Wow! 1.6 million Ryo just from one fight? No wonder so many ninjas go rogue.''


    The merchants too heard what Renjiro said. They were shocked, ''He got so much money just with a few minutes of fighting! We risk our lives travelling from one country to another, and don''t even make half that amount! Not to mention, we have to split it between twice the people.''


    They were very envious, but seeing the state of the forest and hill, they didn''t have a single evil thought in them!


    While resting, Team Renjiro ate a few ration bars. Fujin wondered while eating, ''Since it''s so easy to get money, and since there are so many rogue ninjas trying to earn money, should I form an organization simr to Akatsuki, but for the sole purpose of earning money?''


    He kept analyzing the viability, advantages, and disadvantages of the idea he had.


    Around the same time, Team Renjiro was attacked, all the other 4 teams were attacked as well.


    The force that attacked the Anbus was the strongest. However, they also got annihted the quickest. Of the 3 chunin squads, 1 managed to defeat their enemy. The remaining 2 caused a lot of damage to their enemy and retreated safely. They wouldter coordinate with Konoha forces ced on the borders of the Land of Fire and exterminate those forces by multiple ambushes.


    The Wagarashi family, which sent many of their high level ninjas and spent a fortune on hiring rogue ninjas, would never imagine that each and every ninja they sent would end up dead! They had another strong force assembled in the Land of Tea to ambush if their initial assault failed. However, after getting no reports from 2 attack forces and getting reports of defeat from the other 3, they cancelled all their ns and disbanded the force they raised. Their ns for dominating the Land of Tea woulde to a halt for years.


    Team Renjiropleted its mission with no further incidents. After reaching Degarashi Port, Toshio carried the goods into Wasabi property.


    There, Renjiro and Toshio met with the Wasabi family head. They removed a huge cubical wooden box that was hidden in between the goods.


    On cing the box on the ground, Renjiro made a hand seal and said, "Release" Immediately, multiple seals appeared on the box and began unsealing themselves. Renjiro opened the box. Inside, Wasabi Daichi was sleeping. He opened his eyes as soon as Renjiro opened the box.


    If Fujin, Mieko, and Hoka saw this, they''d be very shocked! Neither of the three ever noticed someone to be hidden inside the goods.


    Renjiro thought about his discussion with the 3rd Hokage.


    Hokage office - 16 days ago.


    Hiruzen looked at Daichi and stated, "Daichi, escorting you normally wouldn''t be possible with just one squad. So we will be sealing you and transporting you along with other goods of merchants."


    Daichi thought for a bit and asked, "The trip to Degarashi Port will take more than 2 weeks. So how will I be sealed?"


    Hiruzen answered, "We will seal you inside a box. Inside it, we will inscribe seals that''ll ensure a fresh supply of air to you. It''ll also make you undetectable by any means. Your water and food will be stored inside scrolls. With enough tost a month. As for your excretions, you''ll have to do that inside storage scrolls as well."


    Hearing that, Daichi frowned. He asked, "Is it necessary to do all this? Can''t I just disguise as one of the merchants and join them?"


    Renjiro shook his head, "No. Your chakra level is higher than a normal civilian. Any sensor would be able to detect you with ease. If detected, all the enemy forces will attack us only. I can''t guarantee your safety if that happens.


    Daichi sighed and put forth a couple more ideas. But Renjiro stated the ws in them. Reluctantly, he agreed.


    Wasabi Family Mansion -


    Daichi finally saw sunlight after over 2 weeks. He tried getting up, but his legs trembled. Renjiro grabbed him, got him out of the box, and said, "You have barely moved for over 2 weeks. You''ll need some time and might need to do some exercises before you can move properly."


    Daichi sighed on hearing that. The Wasabi family head justughed and patted his back, "Don''t worry. At least you are alive."


    He then bowed to Renjiro and said, "Renjiro san, thank you for resolving our issues. With the losses that the Wagarashi family took, they won''t try anything for a few years at least."


    Renjiro nodded and replied, "I can''tment on the internal politics in the Land of Tea, but you should take this opportunity to suppress thempletely."


    The Wasabi family head nodded. He paid Renjiro for the real mission and invited Renjiro and Toshio to stay as guests in his mansion. They both agreed. The next day, Team Renjiro began returning back to Konoha. They travelled at a very fast speed and returned back to Konoha by midnight. Renjiro dismissed the team and gave them a week''s break.

 Chapter 78: The Chunin Exams

    The Hokage Office -


    The next morning, Renjiro met up with Hiruzen to report the mission. After the discussions were done, Hiruzen asked Renjiro, "The next Chunin exam will start soon. Do you n on nominating the genins?"


    Renjiro nodded, "Yes. They are quite strong. Bing chunins shouldn''t be an issue to them. Their teamwork is good as well. They were able to kill an Elite chunin during the mission with ease, though he was handicapped by the terrain."


    Hiruzen nodded, "Yes, that''s good progress." He suddenly sighed, "I had selected quite a few genins and gave them to capable jounins so that they can be trained quickly. I nned to keep track of all of them, but unfortunately, I didn''t have enough time to follow up on them."


    Renjiro didn''t respond. After all, he was well aware of how busy the Hokage was.


    Hiruzen asked, "Can you tell me the current power of the genins and their future prospects?"


    Renjiro nodded, "Sure old man. As I said, all three are very strong. Hoka is still obsessed with Hyuga''s Gentle Fist style. But he has learnt quite a few jutsus to help him fight at mid-range. He has learnt a few Earth and Water Release jutsus. Once the Hyuga family begins training him seriously, he will have no issue bing a Special Jounin in a few years. Even bing a Jounin should be doable for him. As for Elite Jounin, it''s too soon toment.


    As for weaknesses, Hoka still prefers Taijutsu a lot. So it creates a few vulnerabilities for him. He''ll need a few rank B missions to iron out that w. He does have a decent amount of chakra reserves. So learning a few rank B jutsus should aid him a lot."


    Hiruzen nodded and replied, "Nice. As for the weakness, almost all Hyuga share it." He sighed before continuing, "They are obsessed with their Gentle Fist."


    Renjiro nodded. Very few Hyuga ninjas choose to learn non-Hyuga jutsus. Hiruzen continued, "Once he bes a Chunin, I''ll have him join multiple B rank missions. What about the other two?"


    Renjiro began talking about Mieko, "Mieko is well-bnced. She is good at Ninjutsu, Genjutsu as well as Taijutsu. And like all Uchiha, she is good with shurikens and wires. Just having the Sharingan makes her strong. Like all Uchiha, she has a strong affinity to Fire Release and can also use Earth Release jutsus for defense.


    She shouldn''t have any issue bing a Jounin once her chakra reserves grow. Elite Jounin too might be attainable for her. But I can''tment much on it right now.


    As for her weaknesses, she doesn''t have any in terms of her technique. But she is very impulsive. And she is very arrogant. In thest 8 months, her arrogance has decreased considerably, but it''s still there nheless."


    Hiruzen nodded, "Yes, the sharingan does boost their confidence a lot." While saying, he sighed internally, ''The differences between Uchiha and the vige are increasing day by day. I hope they calm down and let this old man live in peace.''


    Renjiro continued, "Lastly Fujin. Surprisingly, his growth has been the fastest in his team. He has be a very capable sensor. If we consider just that aspect, he is already as good as Jounin rank sensors.


    His chakra reserves are already at the Jounin level. He has learnt Samurai Saber Techniques and is very good with Wind Release. He has also learnt Senju Taijutsu style and has very good chakra control. He can also supercharge Wind jutsus with ease. He also learnt Earth Release jutsus for defense."


    Hiruzen''s eyebrows rose when he heard that Fujin had learnt Senju Taijutsu style. This was something he didn''t expect. He wondered, ''Does Fujin have Senju or Uzumaki ancestry?''


    Renjiro continued, "Also, he is very fast, and can perform Body Flicker and Wind Instantaneous Body jutsu without any seals. In fact, the way he operates is quite simr to our Anbu. I''d rmend you recruit him into Anbu. In fact, I''d rmend you to break the tradition and not wait till he turns 13 to recruit him.


    Regarding his future prospects, I''m confident that he''ll be a Jounin at the very least. Likely even be an Elite Jounin. I''d rmend you give him Wind Vacuum style jutsus when you think he is ready. It will make him much more lethal.


    As for his weaknesses, he is way too careful. Even during spars. So he has no experience whatsoever in fighting in crunch situations. And while his behavior might not show any arrogance, Fujin is very arrogant. Likely even more than Mieko and Hoka. And he probably doesn''t even recognize his arrogance. Fortunately, it doesn''t affect him during battle."


    Hiruzenughed lightly on hearing that, "They are geniuses and young. Even you were quite arrogant when you were young."


    Renjiro just sighed seeing that Hiruzen was teasing him.


    Hiruzen continued in a slightly more serious tone, "I''m surprised that you have such high hopes for him. And the fact that his Chakra reserves grew this quickly and about him learning Senju Taijutsu style."


    Hiruzen thought for a moment and said, "I''ll keep an eye on him once he bes a chunin. I''ll consider your rmendation to recruit him into Anbu as well."


    Renjiro nodded.


    Hiruzen continued, "Anyways, you have done a great job with the kids. Now ensure that they captivate the Daimyos in the exam."


    Renjiro replied, "Alright." He discussed some more matters with Hiruzen, before leaving.


    Fujin, Hoka, and Mieko took a week''s break, resting and reflecting on their performance.


    Fujin analyzed his performance and concluded, "There isn''t anything I''d do differently. The mission kinda went way too well, to be honest. The only issue I could consider is that I didn''t fight any chunin level ninja head-on. But again, there wasn''t really any opportunity to do so. And forcing it to happen would have been idiotic.


    That said, I did have a few good ideas to improve my Wind element further and make my fighting style even more lethal¡­ But, I will probably need to learn Mystical Palm jutsu first. Or have a medical ninja with me¡­ Hmm, even that might not be safe enough. I may need to make some protective gear as well. Oh well, I''ll try those ideaster."


    Not finding anything to improve, Fujin just trained by himself for 7 days. In the following week, Renjiro once again put his students through a gruesome training session.


    Finally, on one fine day, Renjiro assembled the team after training was done. And he handed them 3 forms.


    The kids took it and observed. They were instantly excited. Renjiro said, "I have nominated you all to the Chunin exams. If you are all willing to participate, fill in the forms and give them to me tomorrow."


    The genins immediately said, "Thank You Sensei."


    Renjiro''s face softened. He smiled and dismissed the team. When everyone left, he sighed while smiling, ''I have grown attached to these kids. I couldn''t even tell them that this was theirst training session with me as a team.''


    He then looked up at the sky, his smile dying down and a serious and rather grim expression appearing on his face, ''I hope that their fates are different than their seniors.''


    The next day, all 3 submitted their application to participate in the Chunin exams. The first exam will be a return test, which will be conducted a weekter. Renjiro gave the entire week off to the genins. The genins hence did their own training, while meeting every afternoon, for brainstorming more ideas regardingbination jutsus and teamwork.

 Chapter 79: The Chunin Exams - First Phase

    A weekter, Fujin, Hoka, and Mieko met in front of the academy building. Fujin looked at them and asked, "Prepared guys?"


    Both Hoka and Mieko smirked and replied, "Of course"


    The trio went into the building together. The 1st phase was held in room 301. Fujin wondered, ''Will someone cast a genjutsu on the 2nd floor?''


    However, there was nomotion on the 2nd floor. They entered 301 without any issue.


    On entering the room, they saw hundreds of other genins there. Hoka and Mieko were surprised, while Fujin pretty much expected it. As soon as they entered, they got weird looks from everyone. After all, they were the only 10 year and 9 year old genins here.


    The trio didn''t bother looking for anyone as none of their ssmates were participating. While some other Hyuga and Uchiha were participating, Hoka and Mieko didn''t bother looking for anyone. They just grabbed a few empty seats and sat down together.


    The room was very noisy, as one would expect when hundreds of teenagers and preteens were put in the same room.


    At the stroke of 9, a bell rang. It rang thrice, quieting the room. At that time, the door of the ssroom slowly opened. Everyone''s attention was drawn to the door. A sickly man walked into the room. He coughed a few times, as everyone watched with confusion.


    Even Fujin wondered, ''Who is this guy?''


    At that instant, 6 ninjas wearing Konoha chunin vests entered the room carrying a lot of papers.


    The sickly guy coughed again and began saying, "I will be the *cough* Proctor for the 1st *cough* phase."


    Everyone''s eyes twitched. The genins from Konoha thought, ''Seriously? They couldn''t find anyone else?''


    The genins from other viges wonder, ''Is Konoha in such a dire state that they can''t send someone better to hold the exam?''


    Immediately the room was filled with genins whispering or chatting with one another. Some even mocked out loudly.


    At that time, the sickly guy coughed again and said, "Anyone who makes noise *cough* will be thrown out *cough* of the room!"


    As soon as he said that, he released killing intent, targeting each and every genin in the room! That immediately quieted everyone! No one underestimated him anymore. The majority were frightened by his aura.


    Even Fujin, Hoka, and Mieko had grim expressions. Fujin wondered, ''How many did he kill to develop such a killing intent?''


    He continued, "All of you, *cough* sit one on a *cough* bench."


    The entire room rearranged quietly. upying one seat each. Since he didn''t say anything regarding seating arrangements, everyone sat close to their teammates.


    Once everyone was seated, the chunins began distributing the papers. They kept the nk side up so that the genins couldn''t read the questions.


    The sickly guy announced once more, "Don''t touch the papers. *cough* At 9:15, you will *cough* turn the papers over." On saying that, he coughed continuously for a minute.


    He then looked up and said, "Each paper has 10 *cough* questions. You have 5 *cough* minutes to answer all *cough* questions. To pass, all *cough* three in a squad *cough* need to score full!"


    That immediately made everyone even tenser. Fujin thought, ''Just 5 minutes? And a 100% score? The only way that would be feasible is if the questions are too easy.''


    He however kept wondering, and so did many others. They all were wondering only one thing, ''What exactly is this old man up to? Something is off here!''


    The room waspletely silent, other than the Proctor coughing asionally.


    At 9:14, that sickly guy announced once again, "Copying is not allowed!" And he began coughing non-stop once more!


    At 9:15, a bell rang again. Everyone immediately turned over the paper. What Fujin saw left him speechless!


    It wasn''t just Fujin, every single of the 336 genins in that room was bbergasted!


    Fujin''s question paper read :


    Q1. 3 x 3 =


    Q2. 4 - 2 =


    Q3. 9 x 2 =


    Q4. 3 ¡Â 1 =


    Q5. 9 ¡Á 7 =


    Q6. 8 ¡Â 2 =


    Q7. 1 - 1 =


    Q8. 9 x 0 =


    Q9. 9 + 9 =


    Q10. 8 x 4 =


    The shock left everyone stunned for a few seconds. However, soon many began answering their questions. Only a few didn''t.


    Fujin analyzed really hard, ''What the fuck is this? No way the exam will be this simple! Will he y a trick at the end? Like get us toofortable and then pull a fast one over us?''


    He thought quickly and concluded, ''No, something else is off. I am feeling uneasy.''


    He wrecked his brain hard for a couple of minutes before it finally hit him! ''I''m feeling uneasy. Actually, it''s not just due to this paper. It''s my chakra!''


    On realizing this, he finally calmed down and closed his eyes. He observed his chakra, it was flowing very smoothly. He took a deep breath, and suddenly, disrupted his chakra entirely.


    With his entire chakra disrupted, he opened his eyes and looked at the question paper. Every single number had changed! Fujin immediately began sweating due to how easily he had fallen into Genjutsu.


    He lifted his head and looked at the sickly Proctor. Surprisingly, there was no sickly man at all! Instead, a tall, healthy, and handsome man with long hair stood. He looked at Fujin, smiled, and nodded.


    Fujin thought, ''Kurama Illumi! No wonder.''


    [A/N : He was shown earlier during the Graduation exam]


    He put his head down, and secretly disrupted his chakra again, to ensure that there wasn''t any multiyer Genjutsu.


    He then quickly began answering the questions. Though the numbers changed, the questions were still extremely easy.


    While writing, he lightly kicked Hoka, who was sitting in front of him, and poured his chakra into him, disrupting his chakra. That broke the Genjutsu on him. He noticed that the numbers had changed, and all his answers were wrong! He quickly changed them.


    While Hoka was changing his answers, Fujin turned his head and looked at Mieko, who was sitting on his right, ''Great, she has her Sharingan activated.''


    Mieko too had noticed the Genjutsu and broken it. After she was done answering, she checked Fujin and Hoka''s chakra with her Sharingan. Seeing that neither was in a genjutsu, she sighed in relief.


    Fujin answered all his questions and then wondered, ''When exactly did he cast his Genjutsu?''


    He looked at Kurama Illumi and noticed that he was still coughing asionally. Fujin smiled bitterly on understanding, ''His coughing is causing Genjutsu to happen in this room. Maybe not just coughing, even those bell-ringing cast Genjutsu on us. Sound-based Genjutsu, applied in very small amounts to ensure that we don''t notice any sudden altercations in our chakra and since it only changed the question paper that we never saw, we all thought that everything is real.''


    While analyzing, Fujin realized, ''Wait. He actually gave us many clues. His continuous coughing was suspicious. And what was the most suspicious were these questions. If the questions were difficult, I''d have never realized the Genjutsu!''


    Fujin sighed, ''I didn''t expect to learn anything here. But this exam shows that I''m not as careful and on guard as I need to be. If this was a battlefield, I''d be long dead.''


    By 9:20, everyone, irrespective of whether they figured out the genjutsu or not, was done answering.


    A few seconds before 9:20, Illumi announced in a steady andmanding tone, "Everyone, put your pencils down. Anyone who holds the pencil after the bell rings will be disqualified."


    The steadiness in his voice surprised many. Right after, the bell rang loudly. Only this time, instead of casting Genjutsu, it broke the Genjutsu.


    As soon as the Genjutsu was broken, the eyes of many genins widened. They noticed that the questions changed, meaning that their answers were all wrong. Even the sickly Proctor suddenly turned into a healthy guy.


    Some immediately began creating a ruckus, but Kurama Illumi leaked his killing intent once again. This instantly quieted down the room.


    Overall, only 31 genins managed to write all answers correctly. And only 8 squads had all 3 members answer correctly.


    Among the remaining 7 genins, 1 was sitting far away from his team, while the other 6 recognized the genjutsu at thest minute and couldn''tmunicate with their team members in time.


    Fujin sighed in relief, ''Lucky that Hoka was sitting right ahead of me!''


    Once the results were known, Kurama Illumi smiled and said, "In battle, many times the enemy will subtly cast Genjutsu on you. That will result in you making one horrible move that''ll put your whole squad in danger. Enemies could also use such methods to pass you misleading information. If you were to fall for it, you might put your entire vige at risk. So always be careful and on guard while doing your missions. After all, one wrong move and you could be finished.''


    While saying thest sentence, he released his killing intent once again.


    He then announced, "All those who failed, leave. The ones who passed, wait here. The Proctor for the 2nd exam will meet you here at 9:45."


    On announcing that, he disappeared. All the remaining genins disrupted their chakra out of reflex. But they couldn''t see him anymore.


    The genins who failed left in disappointment. But irrespective of their results, all genins learnt an important lesson.


    [A/N : Damn. Had to think hard and long toe up with something original here. Let me know whether you guys liked it.]

 Chapter 80: The Chunin Exam - Second Phase

    While waiting, everyone observed each other.


    Fujin noticed that there were 3 other teams from Konoha, 1 from Hidden Rain, 1 from Hidden Sand, and 2 from Hidden Mist. He didn''t recognize any of those 21 ninjas.


    He wondered, ''Isn''t Kiri in the midst of a civil war? Can they still send ninjas to participate in such an event?''


    He wondered for a bit before dismissing it, ''Oh well, doesn''t matter. Anyways, the 4th Mizukage won''t show up.''


    On remembering the 4th Mizukage, he suddenly had a hrious thought, ''I wonder if Naruto''s talk-no-jutsu can end Genjutsu, hahaha. Or even better, if he used his Talk-no-jutsu on someone who is controlled by Genjutsu, will his talk-no-jutsu affect the one who cast the Genjutsu?''


    [A/N : One shot idea if anyone''s interested :-) ]


    Seeing Fujin smile, Mieko asked, "Why are you smiling?" Fujin shook his head and answered, "It''s nothing, ignore it."


    Fujin then tried to sense the chakra levels of the remaining 21 ninjas. Soon he concluded, ''Alright, no one seems abnormal. Only 1 guy from Kiri has a ratherrge chakra reserve. But even that is less than half of my own. Others are barely at chunin levels.''


    Everyone tried simrly analyzing theirpetitors.


    At 9:45, a smoke bomb exploded in the front part of the room, attracting everyone''s attention. The smoke slowly began clearing out. Soon, we heard a very loud bark.


    When the smoke was cleared, arge dog could be seen. It was looking aggressively at the genins. However, none were intimated. Behind the dog, Tsume Inuzuka was standing.


    She observed the room and muttered softly, "Only 8 teams. I knew it was a terrible idea to make that ass a Proctor!"


    She looked at all the genins and announced loudly, "I''m Tsume Inuzuka, the Proctor for the 2nd phase of the Chunin Exam. Follow me and Kuromaru."


    All the genins followed her. She led them across Konoha, to Training Ground 44.


    She announced loudly, "The 2nd phase of your exams will be conducted in the Forty-Fourth training ground." She smirked, "This training ground is also known as the Forest of Death."


    This put the genins on alert. At the same time, they also wondered, ''Why is she yelling all the time?''


    She continued, "Before I exin to you the details and the rules of the 2nd phase, you have to sign these consent forms!"


    A genin asked, "What are we consenting to?"


    She grinned and replied creepily, "Your deaths!"


    This unnerved the genins. She continued, "Death is amon urrence in this training ground. That is why it is called the Forest of Death! You may be killed by the wild beasts in the forests, or yourpetitors.


    By signing this form, you state that you are voluntarily participating in this exam, and injuries or death caused in this training ground have nothing to do with Konoha, and Konoha won''t be held responsible."


    A chunin under her then distributed the forms. She said, "You have to enter your name, signature, and fingerprint in the form. If you are a scaredy cat, then don''t sign. You and your team will be disqualified!"


    Hearing this, some genins were excited, while some were worried. Fujin, Hoka, and Mieko didn''t react.


    Everyone signed the consent forms without much dy and submitted them.


    After verifying all the consent forms, Tsume began announcing the details of the exam, "I''ll now exin the details to you.


    Every team will be given a scroll. Four teams will be given a Heaven scroll, while the remaining teams will be given an Earth Scroll.


    To qualify for the next round, you will have to reach the center of this forest with both the Heaven and Earth scrolls. So, you will have to seize the scroll that you don''t have from other squads.


    There is a tower at the center of this training ground. You have a 5-day time limit to collect both scrolls and enter the tower. Once you enter the tower, there will be no more fighting. If anyone leaves the training ground or enters the tower without both scrolls, you''ll be disqualified.


    Also, all 3 members of your team need to be alive. Even if just one of your members dies, you will be disqualified."


    She waited for half a minute for the genins to digest the information. Then the questions began flowing.


    One Ame genin was the first to ask, "What about the food inside the forest? We can''t stay without food for 5 days!"


    Before Tsume could answer, the Kiri genin, whose chakra level Fujin had noticed to be high, grinned and asked, "Can we take more than just the two scrolls to the tower?"


    This made everyone look at that genin. Tsume answered, "There are plenty of animals, nts, and bugs in the forest. Find and make your food." She then looked at the Kiri-nin, "You can collect as many scrolls as you want before entering the Tower. So it is possible that less than 4 teams pass."


    Fujin heard all the instructions and thought, ''Hmm, same as canon.''


    No one asked any more questions. Soon the scrolls were being handed secretly. Fujin wondered, ''We don''t get a day''s break?'' He looked at Hoka and said, "Activate your Byakugan and check the type of scroll all squads get." Hoka nodded and activated his Byakugan.


    Mieko went to take the scroll. She received a Heaven scroll.


    After the scrolls were distributed, Tsume once again yelled, "Now, a Chunin will guide your team to the gate you will enter from, follow them."


    7 Chunins approached 1 squad each.


    Fujin observed the approaching chunin. He wondered, ''Is this Ebisu?''


    Ebisu approached their squad and said, "You three! Follow me." He turned around and began walking. The trio followed him. Fujin wondered, ''I guess he gets promoted sometime in the next 3-4 years. Anyways, there are only 8 teams. So it seems like we will be quite far away from each other.''


    He calcted for a moment and sighed, ''Assuming we get ced at an equal distance and cover the entire forest, then the closest one to us will be almost 8 km away. Much farther than we can sense or see.''


    Soon they reached their destination. Ebisu said, "The exam will start in 7 minutes, so wait here obediently." He moved away from the trio while keeping an eye on them.


    Fujin asked softly, "Do you guys have enough weapons?" Both Hoka and Mieko nodded.


    Hoka said, "Yes, I brought the scroll that sensei makes us carry for C rank missions." Mieko said, "Same here."


    Fujin replied, "Cool, same here. What about Ration bars?"


    This time, both of them replied awkwardly. Hoka said, "I only have 5." Mieko said, "Just 4 here."


    Fujin analyzed, "Hmm, I have 25. So 34 between us. It shouldst us 2 days. So if weplete our exams in 2 days, we won''t need to make our food."


    Both nodded. Mieko asked, "So which teams have an Earth scroll?"


    Hoka replied, "The Nara-Yamanaka-Akimichi squad, the Kiri squad of that guy who asked whether we can kill, the Ame squad, and the all Hyuga squad got Earth squads."


    Mieko thought for a bit and said, "All four should be easy to get." Fujin and Hoka nodded. Hokamented, "I don''t think any squad is as strong as us. Should we try to collect more scrolls and eliminate other teams?"


    Mieko quickly stated, "Yes, let''s do that. It''ll be fun!"


    Fujin shook his head and said, "No. While we are stronger, if we are careless, we might get injured. If that happens, other teams might get an edge over us. Another issue is that some squads might set up traps and ambushes around the tower. So we should stay in our top condition."


    Miekoined, "Come on Fujin! We can do it."


    Fujin sighed and said, "Thest round is usually a tournament between us. If we eliminate everyone, how will we show off our capabilities?"


    That made Mieko give up. Her shoulders droppedically and she sighed, "Alright"


    They were about to discuss more when they heard the gate opening. Ebisu said, "Your exam has started. Go in."

 Chapter 81: Target Located

    Team Renjiro entered the Forest of Death. After going in, Mieko asked, "So, where should we go?"


    Hoka replied, "We moved around 8 kilometers from where we were instructed. And I noticed that the Nara-Yamanaka-Akimichi squad wasn''t approached by any chunin instructor. So they should enter through the gate there. Let''s make a move on them."


    Fujin replied, "Alright, let''s go."


    On deciding, the three begin moving quickly towards the route between the spot where they had a meeting and the tower.


    While moving, Fujin wondered, ''Nara-Yamanaha-Akimichi¡­ The famous Ino-Shika-Choubo. This fight should be interesting. I should be wary of the Yamanaka though. Don''t want anyone in my head.


    They looked to be around 14-15 years old. So they should have been together for 2-3 years, meaning that their teamwork should be good.


    Now, how to fight? Other than sparring, in all fights that I have been in, I have fought purely to kill. And killing them would probably not be a good idea. Should I leave the fighting to these 2 and just provide long-range backup?''


    He looked at Hoka and said, "Hoka, the Nara are known for their intelligence. Keep activating your Byakugan asionally to see if there are any traps."


    Hoka nodded. Fujin asked them, "Anyways, any thoughts on how to assault them?"


    Mieko and Hoka too were thinking about how to approach this fight. Mieko said, "These 3 ns are known for their teamwork. So I can put Genjutsu on one of them, andpletely disrupt their teamwork. As long as we can knock one member out, the other 2 will fall easily."


    Hoka replied, "Yes, but we shouldn''t leave ourselves open to the other 2 while knocking one out." He frowned and continued, "Both the Nara n and Yamanaka n jutsus are annoying. Especially to a Taijutsu master."


    Fujin and Mieko both nodded. Fujin thought for a bit and said, "The Yamanaka n are known for being sensors. So we may not have the surprise element. But I think the best way to start will be with a Fire-Windbo jutsu from a range. It should catch them off guard even if they notice us. And if the attack causes them to split, then it''ll be easier for us."


    Hoka nodded and said, "Yeah, if they split up, then I can defeat the Akimichi easily."


    Mieko said, "I can take on the Yamanaka. He won''t get a chance to use his jutsus against me."


    Fujin replied, "Alright, I can take on the Nara from a distance."


    Hoka asked, "What if they don''t split up?"


    Mieko said, "Then we will just have to fight while keeping an eye on shadows and the Yamanaka. Should be easy for you. Fujin might have difficulty though."


    Fujin replied, "Yeah. I could just stay back and provide you long-range support."


    Hoka said, "No point in thinking so much, let''s go and fight."


    Mieko said, "Yeah, no matter what, we will win easily!"


    After saying that, both smirked and looked ahead. Meanwhile, Fujin had a deadpan expression, ''Just because you can''t think of a good strategy doesn''t mean that you shouldn''t think of one.''


    While Team Renjiro was moving rapidly, the team they were moving towards was also strategizing. As soon as the exam began, they rushed around 1.5 km from their location. However, instead of taking the straight route to the tower, they moved diagonally into the forest and hid there. They took a lot of care in not leaving any tracks behind.


    After finding a hiding location, they all hide there.


    Yamanaka Kaoru said, "Now that we are hidden, what''s the n Minori?"


    On hearing this, Nara Minori sighed. He looked up at the clouds wondering, ''Why do I have to take the Chunin exams? That too for the 3rd time! Can''t I just stay a genin?''


    Yamanaka Kaoru saw his teammate looking up at the clouds and said, "Well, other than sighing, do you have any other ns?"


    Akimichi Yutaka said sorrowfully, "Last time we had a day''s break in between the 1st and 2nd phase. That''s why I didn''t pack any lunch. I''m already hungry!"


    Yamanaka Kaoru saw both his teammates ignoring him and acting childish. He immediately got annoyed and yelled, "Enough wailing! Focus on the exam! I don''t want to fail the 3rd time!"


    This attracted the attention of his teammates. Nara Minori sighed, ''If I ignore him any longer, he might take over my body and do shameful acts again.''


    He said, "This time, only 8 teams have passed into the 2nd round. So we will likely not see any quick results. All teams are far away from each other. So finding anyone will be tough.


    We should wait here and set up traps. When someone finds us, we will surprise and defeat them. As there are only 4 Earth scrolls, they will desperately look for us."


    Yamanaka Kaoru replied, "That makes sense. However, what if someone passes the exams with an extra heaven scroll?"


    Nara Minori replied, "Then we will just be unlucky."


    Yamanaka Kaoru immediately had a deadpan expression. He made a hand seal. Nara Minori immediately spoke, "But if the opposite happens, then it''ll give us even more opportunities."


    Yamanaka Kaoru said, "Yeah, but that''s not something we can control."


    Nara Minori replied, "Yeah, but we aren''t exactly the strongest squad. Sure our teamwork is good. But if we have to fight 2 squads one after another on neutral ground, we will lose badly.


    Not to mention, 2 squads have Hyugas. And both had their Byakugan activated when the scrolls were being distributed. So we should expect at least one of them to find us if they need Earth scrolls."


    The duo kept discussing strategy, while Yutaka kept thinking about how to arrange for food. After some time, Yamanaka Kaoru suddenly stopped talking. Seeing his expression, Akimichi Yutaka asked, "What happened?"


    Yamanaka Kaoru replied, "I just sensed someone sensing us. Get ready." He sat down and began sensing around him too. Unfortunately, he couldn''t sense anyone.


    Nara Minori got serious too. He didn''t expect to fight someone so quickly. He asked, "Which squad is it?"


    Yamanaka Kaoru replied, "I can''t sense them."


    That made Nara Minori even more alert, "This means that their squad has a better sensor than you." He frowned, "But which squad would have a sensor with a range exceeding 500 meters?"

 Chapter 82: Quick Clash

    Around 800 meters from their location, Fujin said, "Found them!"


    That surprised Mieko, "Already?"


    Fujin replied, "Yeah, but it looks like that Yamanaka is a sensor after all. He noticed it when I sensed them."


    Hoka immediately activated his Byakugan, "Yeah, I see them too. Around 800 meters from our location. And yeah, that Yamanaka is trying to sense us too."


    Fujin said, "Hmm, but I didn''t sense anyone sensing me. It looks like we are out of their range."


    Mieko replied, "That''s good. It means that we have the initiative in our hands!"


    Fujin chuckled and replied, "How exactly do you n on taking advantage from 800 meters away?"


    That made her scowl. She began thinking and soon said, "Let us just wait here while he is trying to sense us. It''ll exhaust him. When he stops, we can move in by flickering quickly."


    Fujin analyzed and said, "And how can you tell when he stops sensing us?"


    She looked at Hoka. Hoka replied, "I can''t tell that. I can see that he is sitting with a hand seal made. I can tell you when he stops that, but it won''t be a surety that he stops sensing us."


    Hoka kept his Byakugan activated, while Kaoru kept trying to sense them for the next three minutes. Nara Minori frowned, ''Something isn''t right.''


    He looked at Kaoru and asked, "Are they still not in range?" Kaoru shook his head.


    Minori then said, "Act like you are tired, and stop maintaining that hand seal and get up. But keep your chakra field active."


    Kaoru didn''t reply and followed what his teammate said.


    Hoka suddenly said, "He stopped and got up."


    Fujin replied, "Too soon. It looks like they are baiting us."


    However, Mieko got impatient. She said, "It doesn''t matter, let''s go!" And she flickered.


    Both Fujin and Hoka followed her. Fujin said, "Prepare your jutsu." Mieko began supercharging her jutsu. Fujin did as well.


    At around 400 meters, Fujin said, "He sensed us!"


    Mieko frowned upon hearing that, and then snorted, "It doesn''t matter. Let''s hit them with a big one!"


    Yamanaka Kaoru said, "Found them! 400 meters to our south!"


    Nara Minori smirked, "Fell for it. They must have a Hyu¡­"


    Kaoru shouted, "They areing here very quickly! And have built a hu¡­"


    However, before he couldplete it, a massive Fire appeared!


    All 3 were dumbfounded! The fire was 25 meters wide and 10 meters high! It spread like a wave, and approached them at a rapid speed!


    Minori shouted, "YUTAKA!!"


    Akimichi Yutaka didn''t need to bemanded. He immediately mmed his hands on the ground, and a dome appeared, covering all three of them. The fire passed over the dome, heating its outer cover. But it didn''t damage it. The attack disabled all traps that they had set up in a short time.


    Hoka saw them protecting themselves with an Earth dome. He made a hand sign and waited for the mes to pass.


    Kaoru sensed his chakra spiking and said, "One of them is preparing another jutsu."


    Minori thought rapidly and said, "Yutaka, make a way to exit towards the back of the dome. Be prepared to escape as soon as the fire passes."


    Yutaka created an exit towards the back side of the dome. They could see a huge fire and immediately felt the heat. However, Hoka also saw the exit being made.


    Soon, the jutsu died down and mes were carried away by the winds. All the trees in the area were burning and the fire was spreading.


    As soon as the fire passed through the area, Hoka flickered in front of the dome and mmed his hands on the ground. At the same time, the trio in the dome ran out of it.


    However, instead of the stone spears forming inside the dome, they formed right on the path they were running in. They immediately jumped. They managed to avoid lethal injuries, however, they were still shed by the spears in many ces. Especially Yutaka who was shed at 7 spots and had a bad injury on his foot.


    They finally managed to jump away from the stone spears, however, their misery wasn''t over yet.


    When they were still in mid-air, Miekounched Phoenix Sage Fire jutsu on them. Fujin too was in a position to use Wind Explosion jutsus on them, but he didn''t as that might kill them.


    They didn''t have any opportunity to dodge or defend and were hit head-on by the jutsu and fell to the ground. They were burnt. Even worse, their clothes caught fire!


    Even before they could extinguish the mes, they all felt a kunai ced at the back of their necks. Fujin''s wind clones said, "Don''t move. Give up your scroll and we will leave."


    Understanding the severity of the situation, Minori said, "Give it." Kaoru immediately handed the scroll.


    Fujin asked, "Is this scroll real?" Minori replied quickly, "It is." Fujin looked at Hoka and Mieko, and they both nodded. Fujin did too and they all flickered away.


    Minori, Kaoru, and Yutaka immediately doused the fire on them and ran away from the area. After moving around 500 meters west, Yutaka mmed his hand on the ground, ''Earth Release : Camp jutsu''


    He created an underground cave, where they hid and began treating their wounds.


    Yutaka smiled bitterly and said, "We lost to the youngest squad."


    Minori sighed, "They were too swift and brutal. We didn''t even have a chance to retaliate."


    Kaoru was depressed, "This is depressing. We lost to 10 year old kids this time. I don''t think I''ll ever be a chunin!"


    Minori and Yutaka felt bad on seeing him. He was almost in tears. However, they knew that, with their wounds, getting 2 more scrolls would be impossible. They both decided to train seriously for the next 6 months and be chunins.


    Yutaka said, "Sorry Kaoru. Next time we will train even more and be chunins."


    Kaoru didn''t reply.


    Elsewhere, Fujin, Hoka, and Mieko gathered together 500 meters north of where the fight happened.


    Fujin said, "Well, this was easy."


    Mieko grinned and said, "Yes, our surprise attack always works!"


    Hoka sighed and said, "I too want to join in on yourbo jutsu! It''s so devastating!"


    Fujin said, "Sadly Earth and Water don''t mix up well with Fire-Wind. Anyways, now that we have our scroll, let''s rush to the tower. It has only been 15 minutes since the exam started. We may be the fastest squad to clear this round!"


    Hearing this, both Mieko and Hoka got excited. They both said, "Let''s go!"


    The trio ran at a very fast speed towards the tower! Fujin thought, ''There are only 6 more teams. It''s unlikely that someone will go to the tower so soon.''


    However, he was wrong. Very wrong!

 Chapter 83: : 81: Fighting in a Dumb Way

    While Fujin''s and Minori''s teams had shed, the other teams still hadn''t made contact with anyone.


    Some teams chose to hide. While some decided to go on a hunt. They would end up trying to track each other for more than half a day before the first sh would happen.


    Meanwhile, the 2nd team from Kiri decided to run straight to the tower and prepare a trap there. On route, they had to fight wild beasts thrice, which slowed their speed. They needed around 30 minutes before the tower was in sight.


    Fujin, Hoka, and Mieko too came across wild beasts twice. One was a 5 meter tall Chimp, while the 2nd was a 3 meter tall Tiger! However, both were cut with ease by Fujin.


    There were other obstructions too along the way. Such as a massive beehive that was poked by Mieko! She did end up burning them away, but not before getting stung in the face a couple of times. Hoka and Fujinughed at her cost.


    As they were moving along, Fujin wondered, ''At this rate, we will break the record by a huge difference! So why did this team not make the record in canon? Was only my addition enough to make such a huge difference?''


    Fujin thought for a bit before concluding, ''It''s likely that Renjiro became our Jounin Instructor due to my request of being taught Samurai Saber Technique. So whoever became the Jounin instructor of these two most probably didn''t train them with the same intensity as Renjiro.


    Also, without me, the team wouldn''t have the Fire-Windbo jutsus which gives us a huge advantage to start with. Oh well, doesn''t matt¡­''


    Fujin''s thoughts were suddenly interrupted by Hoka saying, "There''s a team ahead 700 meters from us."


    Fujin frowned and asked, "Which one?"


    Hoka replied, "Looks like a Kiri squad."


    Fujin asked, "Is it that guy who asked that question?"


    Hoka shook his head and said, "The other Kiri team."


    Mieko said, "Let''s fight! Thest one was unsatisfying."


    Hoka agreed with her, "Yes, I agree."


    Fujin said, "Alright. Their other team seemed very interested in killing." He grinned and said, "So we might as well kill this one!"


    They moved ahead quickly. Fujin said, "These guys don''t seem to have a sensor. They might die just from the surprise attack."


    Hoka frowned and quickly said, "Let''s not do the surprise attack! I want to fight them!"


    Fujin raised his eyebrow and asked, "Why no sneak attack? It''s dumb to not do it when we have the opportunity."


    Mieko said, "I too want to fight them head-on. So it''s 2 against 1."


    Hoka smirked and said, "Yes, we fight head-on."


    Fujin sighed, ''These kids¡­ No wonder they didn''t create any records. Even if I assume that they were as strong as we are now, they probably just fooled around instead of passing quickly.''


    Seeing Fujin sigh in defeat, they both smirked.


    The Kiri squad was also moving towards the tower. However, at 100 meters from the tower, they were attacked by a huge Anaconda! They quickly dodged and threw shurikens at it, but it had no effect.


    So they tossed a few kunais with explosion tags in its huge mouth and ran away. The Anaconda exploded into flesh and blood, littering the nearby area.


    They sighed in relief. Unfortunately, another cmity was heading their way! Fujin, Hoka, and Mieko were now within 100 meters of them. They flickered.


    Fujin guessed, ''I guess another team will go down quickly. Renjiro''s training made us too strong against genins.''


    The three Kiri genins had just put their guard down, when Mieko and Hoka suddenly appeared right in front of them and shouted, "Fight me!"


    The genins were very startled. And they moved behind in fear as both of them suddenly yelled!


    Their misfortune wasn''t over though. Fujin had flickered silently behind them, and they were moving towards him with their backs facing him. Fujin sighed internally on seeing that and just shed his sword in the air.


    Though Fujin was quiet, they still sensed someone behind them. They turned behind, only to see that ninja swing his sword from about 10 meters away from them.


    Suddenly, one of them yelled loudly, "DUCK!"


    Hearing her, both of her teammates ducked immediately.


    Sakai Yumi, who yelled, immediately ducked. Her two teammates were slightly slower. Matsushita Satoru lost around half of his hair. While Kido Kohaku had some skin on her scalp cut off by the sh.


    Since the distance was too close and because Hoka and Mieko were also in the line of attack, Fujin only sent a simple sword sh without any apanying sharp winds.


    However, Mieko and Hoka didn''t know that and immediately flickered in opposite directions! They still remembered the devastation his sword sh had caused!


    Fujin was very surprised, ''All three dodged? I expected all 3 to die!'' Fujin noticed Sakai Yumi''s eyes. They were blue and were glowing. He wondered, ''Is there another Doujutsu?''


    As soon as the sword sh passed over her head, Yumi created a hand sign, ''Water Release : Water Bullet jutsu''


    Satoru also created a few hand signs, ''Hidden Mist Jutsu.''


    While the 3rd one opened a scroll, got a huge bandage, and ced it gently but quickly on her scalp! She was freaked out!


    Fujin was surprised at how quickly they counterattacked. He moved to his left, to dodge 3 water bullets continuously, before sending another flying sh. All 3 moved away!


    Hoka and Mieko attacked as soon as they dodged the sh.


    Miekounched Phoenix Fire Sage jutsu on them but was countered by Yumi''s Water Wall.


    Hoka tried to close in to fight, but Kohaku, who recovered surprisingly quickly, threw a kunai with an explosion tag attached to it. Hoka was forced to fall back.


    Soon, mist began gathering in the area. This made all 3 Konoha genins frown. The Hidden Mist jutsu was known to obstruct both the Sharingan as well as the Byakugan.


    Fujin moved behind and used ''Great Breakthrough Jutsu'' after supercharging it for a couple of seconds.


    Mieko and Hoka noticed Fujin supercharging his jutsu and retreated behind Fujin.


    The Kiri genins had no idea. They were hit by a massive Great Breakthrough jutsu! All the mist was blown away. They were having a hard time holding on to the ground.


    Yumi barely made a hand seal, ''Water Wall jutsu''


    A water wall began forming, but it kept getting blown apart by the winds. Kohaku and Satoru used the few moments of respite to use defensive jutsus as well.


    Satoru created another Water Wall, while Kohaku created a Rock shield.


    However, at that time, both Mieko and Hoka alsounched their jutsu. Mieko spat a huge Fireball into Fujin''s Great Breakthrough jutsu. While Hoka used ''Stone Shuriken jutsu'' to attack them from a range.


    The fire and winds managed to destroy 2 water walls and heated the rock shield, but it held on. However, due to the wild nature of the winds, the fire spread all over and attacked them by moving around the rock shield.


    However, this wasn''t strong enough. Yumi used ''Water Shield jutsu'' in time to protect them.


    Hoka''s Stone Shurikens were blocked by the Rock shield.


    Seeing the opponents manage to defend surprised all 3 of them. Mieko grinned and said, "They are strong. This is fun!"


    Hoka and Fujin had slightly different thoughts. Hoka was sad, ''Why is no one fighting with Taijutsu?'' Fujin, on the other hand, wondered, ''We are just 100 meters from the tower. Should I grab these 2 and flicker?''

 Chapter 84: Bitter Resistance

    After the Fire and the Winds died down, Hoka and Mieko flickered close to their opponents. The Kiri genins noticed, and got ready.


    Fujin thought, ''This could be a long fight. Let''s end this.'' He instantly created 12 Wind Clones, who jumped into battle, while he stayed back, observing the fight.


    As soon as Mieko appeared, Yumi rushed towards her and both began fighting with their kunai.


    Kohaku used Stone Shuriken jutsu on Hoka. He dodged and blocked all of them, but was made to retreat once more with another Explosion tag.


    Satoru was about to join the battle as well, however, he saw 12 clonesing and his expression became grim. He quickly made a hand seal and created 3 water clones.


    He made a few more hand signs, ''Water Shuriken jutsu''


    Soon, water shurikens flew towards the clones. However, they all dodged with ease.


    3 clones moved towards the water clones. The water clones too moved against them. The Kiri genins were on alert, due to 9 additional clones heading towards them.


    Satoru''s water clones thought that the wind clones wanted to engage in hand-to-handbat and were very confident. However, just before they reached them, all 3 clones suddenly used Wind Explosion jutsu. The jutsu was performed very quickly. The water clones couldn''t defend themselves and were hit. All 3 were dispelled.


    All the Wind clones suddenly flickered and surrounded Kohaku, who was already injured earlier. She was rmed! So were her two teammates. Yumi tried going to help her but was blocked by Mieko. Satoru did move to aid her and used Water Shuriken jutsu on the clones.


    All but one clone immediatelyunched Wind Explosion jutsu on her. Thest clone used ''Breakthrough jutsu'' on the iing Water Shurikens.


    Fujin saw from afar and thought, ''One down''. However, he was surprised! Kohaku made a hand sign, and disappeared underground!


    Hoka, who was annoyed by Kohaku, immediately made his move. He mmed his hands on the ground, ''Rock Spear jutsu''


    Soon, spears began forming underground and targeting Kohaku. However, she dodged them all underground and appeared a few dozen meters away. Her exit spot was close to Yumi.


    As soon as she appeared, Fujin''s clonesunched another round of Wind Explosion jutsu on her.


    However, she ignored them and mmed her hands on the ground. Stone Shurikens were immediatelyunched on Mieko. She moved back to defend herself.


    Yumi thought, ''I need to be fast!'' She rapidly made a hand seal, and a water wall formed in time to protect Kohaku.


    Fujin, who was observing from a distance wondered, ''Are they really just genins?''


    The clones were about to attack again, when Yumi shouted, "Retreat!"


    Immediately both Satoru and Kohaku retreated along with Yumi. They retreated towards the tower. Mieko and Hoka immediately followed. So did Fujin and his clones.


    The Konoha genins were faster and caught up several times. However, the Mist genins always managed to defend. After 4 minutes of chase, the Mist Genins had a lot of cuts on their bodies due to sharp winds, but none were lethal.


    The Mist Genins were very worried. Yumi shouted internally, ''Why are these 10 year old brats from Konoha so strong? We have no chance of winning whatsoever! Also, why are they so bloodthirsty? All their attacks are aimed to kill or maim us!


    These bloody Konoha hypocrites! They look down on us for being so bloodthirsty but train their own kids to be relentless killers. But, what should we do? We can''t escape forever.''


    She focused Chakra in her eyes, and looked around her, praying to find some hope. And she did! She noticed 3 chakra signatures heading rapidly towards them, which were about 400 meters to the north. She recognized them and instantly her spirits were lifted. She shouted, "Follow me!"


    Both Satoru and Kohaku followed her lead. Fujin frowned, ''The other Kiri team ising from that direction. If they team up, it''ll be very difficult to win. That said, I don''t understand one thing. How did that blue-eyed girl sense them? I didn''t feel any chakra field. Is it her eyes that were glowing?''


    Fujin created a Shadow clone, which followed the Wind clones.


    Mieko and Hoka were still relentlessly chasing them. Fujin flickered next to them and shouted, "Wait, there''s another Kiri team up ahead."


    Mieko and Hoka became alert. But soon Mieko said arrogantly, "Let''s keep attacking. We will beat both of them and knock them out." Hoka too supported her, "Yes, this is getting exciting, let''s do it."


    Fujin once again had a deadpan expression, ''These cocky brats!''


    Seeing that Fujin wasn''t replying, Mieko and Hoka turned and were about to chase. However, Fujin had enough of their antics.


    Before either Hoka or Mieko could flicker, Fujin grabbed their shoulders. They both turned their heads and looked at him. Mieko asked, "What?"


    Fujin didn''t reply and just grinned, ''Wind Instantaneous Body jutsu''


    Before either of them realized what was happening, Fujin dragged them both alongside him with Wind Instantaneous Body jutsu and entered the Tower, which was very close to their location.


    Hoka and Mieko were both shocked when Fujin dragged them along with him. They wanted to stop him but couldn''t do anything.


    In an instant, they appeared inside the tower. Both were dumbfounded. Mieko then got very angry and shouted, "Why did you drag us here? It was just getting exciting!"


    Fujin replied in an amused tone, "We couldn''t defeat those 3. How were you nning to defeat 6?"


    Mieko angrily replied, "They were just running away like rats! I just needed one look in their eyes, and they would have died."


    Fujin smirked and replied, "Forget looking into their eyes, you didn''t even manage tond a single wound on them."


    Mieko was about to reply when she realized what Fujin said was true. All her attacks were blocked or dodged. She just snorted and said, "I''ll remember this Fujin!" She walked away from him after saying that.


    Fujin just shrugged and looked towards Hoka. He bitterly said, "I didn''t get to fight anyone."


    Fujin shrugged again and sighed, ''Why do I have to put up with these 2 arrogant brats? At least they were in control with Renjiro. Now they just want to fight without using their brains.''

 Chapter 85: Exposing a Kekkei Genkai

    Around 100 meters away from the tower, the Mist genins were still being chased by Fujin''s clones. They soon noticed that Hoka and Mieko were missing. Yumi wondered, ''Where are they? Are they nning a sneak attack?''


    She focused Chakra in her eyes once again and observed. However, she couldn''t sense any of them nearby. This made her worry a lot. She tried again and again to sense them, but couldn''t see either of them. Unfortunately for her, the tower had all sorts of anti-sensor seals on them. So she couldn''t see their chakra signatures inside the tower.


    She kept her guard the whole time, till their team met the other Kiri squad. On seeing them, Yumi immediately shouted, "Rentaro. Aid us!"


    Rentaro was close friends with Yumi. He nodded andmanded his teammates, "Clear out those clones."


    On hismands, all 6 Kiri genins attacked Fujin''s wind clones. Fujin''s shadow clone sighed, ''My Wind clones are almost out of chakra. Or I''d have been able to gather their information.''


    When the Kiri genins began, Yumi shouted, "Be careful. Two of his teammates are probably hidden nearby. I can''t sense them." That made them stay on guard.


    The Wind clones knew that they didn''t have enough chakra. They had already sensed Fujin flicker away with Hoka and Mieko. So this was just supposed to check their skills.


    6 Wind clones suddenly stepped back and dispersed, while the remaining 6 clones attacked them head-on.


    When the clones and Kiri genins reached each other, Yumi, Satoru, and Kohaku were prepared for the iing Wind Explosion jutsus. But the other 3 Kiri genins weren''t aware.


    As soon as the clones were around 10 meters away from them, they instantlyunched a couple of Wind Explosion jutsus.


    Yumi countered with Water Bullet jutsu.


    Satoru created a Water Wall and followed up with Water Shuriken jutsu.


    Kohaku used Rock Shield jutsu and followed up with Rock spear jutsu.


    Rentaro had grabbed his sword and was moving in for attacking with his sword, but he was surprised at how quickly the jutsu was formed andunched. He dropped his sword and made a hand seal. Just before the jutsu hit him, a water wall appeared in front of him. However, it was a very thinyer, and the winds sshed all the water back at him. The water wall did dull the sharpness of the winds. However, one sharp wind still passed through and cut Rentaro''s right forearm. He was infuriated!


    Rentaro''s teammates also moved close to Fujin''s clones and were hit by Wind Explosion jutsus. They both received 4-5 small cuts.


    Soon, everyone counterattacked Fujin''s clones. The clones didn''t have any chakra left. So they just tried dodging and closing in the distance further. By observing each other''s locations, all 6 clones got hit at the same time.


    And right when they were hit, the remaining 6 clones suddenly appeared and surrounded the Kiri genins and used all their chakra to use Breakthrough jutsu.


    Unfortunately, not much chakra was left to make it lethal. The Kiri genins immediately gathered together and built defenses around them to protect themselves.


    After performing the jutsu, all the Wind clones dispersed. Only Fujin''s shadow clone was left. He looked at the defenses. One side was covered by Rock shields, while the other 3 were covered by Water walls.


    Fujin''s clone smirked and flickered, ''It''s a shame I don''t have a devastating Wind jutsu. I''ll need to get it soon.'' The clone flickered right outside the Water walls and swung his sword with all his strength.


    Yumi, who was observing the clone, noticed him flickering towards them. She quickly noticed that Fujin was about to send another sword sh towards them. She shouted, "Everyone jump!" She quickly jumped and suddenly had a thought, ''Huh? Why did I say to jump instead of ducking?''


    To avoid the iing sh, they could either duck under it or jump above. Usually, ducking is the best choice as you would still have mobility. But for some reason, she instinctively chose to jump.


    The other 5 Kiri genins followed her advice and jumped as high as they could. While in the air, both Yumi and Rentarounched Water Bullet jutsu at Fujin''s location.


    Fujin''s sword sh cut the water wall with ease. The apanying winds around the sh destroyed the water wall. All 6 Kiri ninjas had jumped out of the sh''s path. They had jumped high enough that even the winds weren''t really lethal. However, the winds still hit them. Yumi and Rentaro''s water bullets were stopped by the winds. And the winds caused deep cuts to all of them.


    On seeing the damage, Yumi was horrified, ''If we had ducked instead of jumping, we all would have been dead!''


    The damage, though not lethal, scared them. What horrified them was the fact that Fujin sent another such sh their way.


    Fujin wondered, ''So, will this kill them, or will they survive once again?''


    Suddenly, Rentaro''s chakra exploded. He made a few hand seals quickly and spat out a huge amount of water. At the same time, one of his teammates made hand signs rapidly. The water released by Rentaro quickly began freezing.


    The sword sh initially hit the water and easily split it. But soon, the water began freezing. The sword sh hit the ice. It still went through it, cracking the ice. However, it slowed down. It cut through 80% of the ice before it lost power. The Kiri genins freaked out on seeing that even ice was being cut. They finally sighed in relief and dropped to the ground on seeing the sh being stopped.


    The winds apanying the sh were also blocked. Fujin was shocked, ''Ice Kekkei genkai? Aren''t the bloodline ns being hunted in Kiri? Does that mean that these guys came from Mei''s faction?''


    He quickly analyzed while keeping an eye on them, ''Is Mei trying to get some help from Hiruzen? Also, has she begun the rebellion so soon? No, since she has Kekkei Genkais, it makes sense that she would have already begun the resistance. Though it should be a long war before she wins.


    I don''t think Hiruzen would help out though. There''s no mention of this in the manga. And Konoha is suffering from less manpower. So joining a war will be stupid. Not to mention, Uchiha and the Hokage faction are in a power struggle. So Konoha shouldn''t have any resources to spare.''


    While he was analyzing, the Kiri genins finallynded back on the ground. Rentaro''s face was ugly. He said, "I didn''t expect Konoha to have such a strong genin!"


    Fujin replied, "I didn''t expect Kiri to send an Ice Kekkei Genkai ninja. I wonder if any more of you have Kekkei Genkai." While speaking, he looked at Yumi.


    He continued, "Nor did I expect you guys to survive despite being in a crunch so many times. You guys are strong too."


    Yumi asked, "Do you want a truce? We won''t attack you guys during this 2nd phase as long as you won''t attack us. That way, we will all have a good chance to proceed to the next round. Otherwise, we will just injure each other."


    Rentaro frowned on hearing it. Fujin was surprised as well, ''Not only do they have excellent survival skills, but she is also smart enough to ask for a truce. I wonder if they have already participated in some war.''


    Fujin''s analysis was on point. All 6 of them had engaged in multiple shes with the 4th Mizukage faction. They had real war experience. And a lot of it. Which is why they managed to survive the onught. Yumi was someone they were trying to develop into a leader.


    Fujin smirked and said, "My teammates wanted to fight even the six of you head-on. So a truce is out of the question." Hearing that, Yumi sighed, ''I am worried that they will ambush us again and again. Also, where are his two teammates?''


    Fujin continued, "Anyways, I''m out of chakra. See youter." And the clone dispelled himself. The Kiri genins were shocked to see that they were fighting a Shadow clone!

 Chapter 86: Record & Reward

    Yumi quickly analyzed, "All three of them retreated when Rentaro''s squad got in range. And they only sent a clone to check us out. But, how did they get away so quickly? My eyes can look at chakras up to 520 meters!"


    Rentaro said, "If they escaped, it means that they were afraid of us."


    Yumi shook her head and said, "They have a Hyuga. His range should be greater than mine. I suspect that the guy we were fighting is a sensor too. And all 3 of them are experts at flickering. So they can continuously ambush us for the next 5 days. The worst will be if they ambush us when we are fighting. We will be at a huge disadvantage!"


    The expressions of the Kiri genins became grim. It was never a good feeling to be hunted. Especially considering how relentless their opponents were.


    Yumi looked at Rentaro and said, "Let''s team up. Otherwise, we may be attacked one by one by them."


    Rentaro unwillingly agreed, "Alright. But who gets the scroll?"


    Yumi asked, "Which scroll do you guys have?"


    He replied, "Earth scroll."


    Yumi said, "We have a Heaven scroll. If we find a Heaven scroll, you guys take it. If we find an Earth scroll, we will take it. If we don''t manage to get any, then you can take our Heaven scroll and advance to the 3rd round."


    On hearing that, Satoru and Kohakuined. But Yumi said, "If Rentaro''s squad didn''t appear, then we may have died to that Leaf squad. So we owe them one."


    Rentaro''s squad agreed to that condition, and they began treating their wounds. Once healed, they moved together until they found the required scrolls. The entire time they were in the Forest of Death, they were highly alert to any ambushes. But they were never attacked by Fujin''s team. After all, they had already passed the exam even before Fujin''s clones fought against the six of them!


    Tower -


    Inside the tower, Fujin, Mieko, and Hoka had opened both scrolls. It summoned Adachi Genki. He was quite happy to see Fujin and Hoka. And was shocked at how quickly the exam was cleared!


    He said, "Fujin, Hoka, good to see you two again. Mieko as well. I didn''t expect you guys would take the chunin exams so soon. But how did you manage to clear the exam so quickly? It hasn''t even been an hour."


    Mieko looked begrudgingly at Fujin and said, "We shouldn''t have finished it so quickly!"


    Fujin shrugged once again and said, "We came across a team that had the scroll we needed and beat them easily. They handed over their scroll quickly and we moved towards the tower. We did fight a Kiri team afterwards, but they escaped and we entered the tower."


    Genki was surprised. He asked, "That much in less than an hour?" All 3 nodded as none of them felt it was difficult.


    Genki sighed seeing how none of them thought it was a challenge. He said, "Well, congrattions then. The previous record was 5 hours 30 minutes. It was made by Uchiha Itachi . You guys broke his record by a huge difference."


    That surprised Mieko and Hoka. Fujin too acted surprised. Mieko quickly eximed, "We beat Itachi''s record?? Really?" She was super excited. "And that too by more than 4 and half hours?" Fujin wondered, ''I never saw her talk about Itachi, but she is so excited about beating his record? Is she trying topete with him? Poor girl.''


    Fujin chuckled and teased her, "If you had listened to me, we would have broken it by over 5 hours. But you still insisted on wasting time."


    This made her give Fujin the stink eye. She was still annoyed at how he brought her to the tower. She unwillingly admitted, "If I knew that the record was held by Itachi, I would have agreed."


    Fujin chuckled and then suddenly sighed, "If we hadpleted it in half an hour, I don''t think anyone would have ever broken our record. Now it''s still breakable due to you two."


    Hoka and Mieko both looked at Fujin with deadpan expressions. While Genki was shocked, "You guys could have finished it faster?"


    Hoka said, "Alright. You win. Now stop gloating!" Mieko snorted and said, "If you want to create a record, then fail this exam and give it again next year."


    Now Fujin had a deadpan look. He replied, "You know, the 3rd phase is one on one fights. You better hope that you don''t face me in the first round. Or you''ll end up being defeated by my clones once again."


    Fujin smirked on saying that. And Mieko was very annoyed, "You¡­" However, before the argument could get any further, Genki interrupted them, "Alright, argueter. You have done an excellent job creating the record for the 2nd phase of the exam. Now I''ll exin to you the meaning of the writing on the wall behind me."


    On hearing that, the genins gave a closer look at the wall behind Genki. Fujin remembered, ''Oh yeah. Ipletely forgot about this.''


    Genki then began exining the same thing Iruka exined to Team 7 after they passed. Fujin, Hoka, and Mieko heard it, but none were much interested in it.


    While Genki was exining, Fujin received the memories of his shadow clone. His mind wandered, ''Oh, Ice Kekkei Genkai? Also the likelihood of them having participated in actual war. The finals should be fun. That said, she proposed a truce. Meaning that, like my clone, she couldn''t sense us inside the tower. So until they pass the 2nd round, they will forever be paranoid of a sneak attack, haha.''


    As Genki was exining to the genins, a chunin instructor ran to the room where Inuzuka Tsume was. Tsume looked at him and asked, "Why are you running?" He said, "Tsume-sama, one team already passed the exam!"


    Tsume was shocked, "What? So soon?" Even Kuromaru was shocked. The chunin nodded while still stunned, "Yes. They entered the tower after only 47 minutes!"


    Tsume was stunned. The record was broken by almost 5 hours! She asked, "Which team was it?" The chunin replied, "It was Senju Renjiro''s Genin team."


    She thought for a bit and said, "I had heard rumors that Renjiro was training his team very hard. It seems that the rumors are true. I guess the beasts from the forests weren''t an issue for them at all. Still, to beat Itachi''s record is some feat. They can be proud of it."


    She looked at the chunin and said, "Go and give them the instructions for the next 5 days." He nodded and left.


    Genki was soon done with his boring exnations. His eye twitched when he noticed that none of the 3 genins were interested. After he was done, he asked, "Do any of you have any questions?"


    Mieko asked, "Do we have to wait in the tower for the other teams?"


    Genki nodded and replied, "Yes. I think they will send someone to exin the details."


    Hoka didn''t have any questions. Fujin thought for a bit and had a thought. He suddenly asked, "Sensei, you said we broke the record, right?" Genki nodded, "Yes."


    Fujin asked, "So do we get any rewards?"


    Sweat immediately appeared on Genki''s forehead! He recalled the scene of Fujin asking the 3rd Hokage for swords made of chakra metal. He quickly said, "No, there''s no reward for this. It might help you be promoted to chunin though."


    Fujin frowned and muttered lightly, "The vige is so stingy!" Genki heard it and thought, ''I don''t think Lord 3rd will ever ask you to choose a reward again.''


    Fujin, however, was thinking, ''At the end of this phase, Hiruzen will visit and give another speech. Should I ask for a reward then?''


    While he was thinking, Genki said, "Well, that''s all from me. I''ll see youter." And he disappeared in smoke.


    Fujin kept analyzing, ''If he says no then, it''ll be embarrassing for him. To say no to promising youngsters who are working hard for their vige, will hit his prestige. Though, he is thick-skinned enough to say no even then.''


    As he was thinking, his eyes moved towards Mieko. He thought, ''Right! The elders and Uchiha have bad blood. He might give a reward to show that he is rewarding young Uchiha and is impartial to them. He might even hope that this reduces the bad blood a bit.


    That said, if Genki is also present, should I still ask?'' He thought and then shook his head, ''It doesn''t matter if he''s there or not. The dao of shamelessness should live on! Especially considering how freaking shameless they are. If he still says no, I will put on a sad face and act depressed.


    After I be a chunin, I''ll ask for those wind chakra metal swords that he promised me earlier.''


    Mieko and Hoka noticed that Fujin was in deep thought. Hoka asked, "What are you thinking about?"


    Fujin replied, "Oh, nothing important. What do we do now?"


    [A/N : Hey guys. Could use some ideas for the following. Pleasement on the paragraphs below if you have a decent idea for these.


    1. Good ideas for rank B missions


    2. Ideas to train Lightning element (no leaf exercise)


    3. Ideas to train Fire Element (no leaf exercise)

 Chapter 87: Training Rooms

    As Fujin asked that question, a chunin instructor appeared in their room. He said, "Congrats on passing the 2nd exam. You will stay in the tower for the next 5 days until this round is over."


    Miekoined, "5 days? What will we do here for 5 whole days?" Hoka and Fujin too nodded. Making them stay here for 5 whole days was unreasonable.


    The chunin replied, "That''s the rule. If you leave the tower, you will be disqualified from the exam."


    Mieko pointed at the chunin and said loudly, "Hey, that''s unreasonable." Hoka nodded and said, "Yes, it is." The chunin dismissed theirints and said, "There are a lot of facilities in this tower. Including many training rooms. You can ess them and train there for the next 5 days."


    This calmed the genins down.


    Fujin asked, "What about food?" The chunin replied, "It''ll be made. Come to the dining room at 8 AM, noon, 4 PM, and 7 PM. The dining room is on the 1st floor."


    He then exined some more details, such as their sleeping arrangements, and then left.


    The genins looked at each other and said, "Let''s check out the training rooms." And they left.


    The training rooms were on the 2nd floor. The floor had most of its area closed off by a wall, forming a circr shape in the center of the floor. Fujin realized, ''The other side should be a part of that area where preliminaries happened.


    The rooms were on the outer side of the floor, with a meter-wide circr passage to ess them. The genins checked out the name tes on all rooms. There were 2 meditation rooms, 2 rooms for dodging, 1 for Taijutsu, 5 for each element, 1 for Shuriken practice, and a few more rooms.


    Hoka said, "I''m entering the Taijutsu training room." Mieko said, "I''m going for shuriken practice." Fujin thought for a bit and said, "I''m interested in seeing what the meditation room has to offer."


    Fujin entered the meditation room. The room was mostly empty. A couple of bulbs were on in the room. The walls had multiple candles at certain locations. And there were a few Incense sticks ced around the room too. At the center of the room, a mat was ced.


    Fujin picked up the instruction manual, which was ced in front of the door, and read. It read -


    This is a Meditation training room. Meditating here will be easier and more effective. For the best effect, follow the following instructions.


    Light all the candles in the room.


    Light one incense stick from each bundle.


    Switch off the bulbs


    Sit on the mat ced in the center of the room.


    Kindly leave everything in the same spot when you leave.


    Before you leave, blow out the candles and cut the burning part of the incense sticks.


    Fujin lit the candles and the incense sticks. They began producing a very fragrant smell.


    He turned off the bulbs, sat on the mat, and began meditating.


    After an hour, he woke up from his meditative state and concluded, ''Incredible! Meditating here is almost 5 times more effective than when I meditate at my home or when I did it in the academy.''


    He analyzed a bit and concluded, ''Even though this is good, it still doesn''tpare to the gains I get from practicing Senju Taijutsu style. That said, I still meditate a bit daily. So though not significant, it''ll still provide me with small boosts if I can get something like this at my home¡­ Now, what to do?''


    He thought for a bit, beforeing up with 2 ways, ''I haven''t thought what gift I can ask from Hiruzen. So I could ask him to build such a meditation environment at my home. But, this way isn''t a guarantee. I won''t get this if he doesn''t care about his thick face and says no.


    The better way would probably be to just create such an environment back home. This ce has many seals inscribed, which likely aid in meditation. So it should be made with the help of Fuinjutsu. I should be able to make one too, the only issue is that I don''t recognize most of the seals.''


    He thinks for a bit more and decides, ''I''ll draw every seal in this room and record their location. After I be Chunin, our team should be disbanded. So I''ll finally have time to learn Fuinjutsu. If all these seals are avable in the library, then I will be able to create such a room too.''


    He immediately drew the entire room on arge drawing paper he had stored in one of his many scrolls. He drew all the seals and recorded the distance between each seal in absolute terms and ratio with respect to the size of the room. He grabbed one of the incense sticks that was lying around and took a bit of wax from one of the candles on the walls.


    After storing everything properly, he wondered, ''Since this tower had such a room, is it safe to say that every n has such training rooms? If true, it would exin why the chakra reserves of n kids are usually higher than civilian kids and why they are able to master their n jutsus so quickly. Looks like it isn''t all just talent and guidance.


    I should check out the other meditation room and see if everything''s the same. And I should also check out every training room, and check the feasibility of creating such rooms.''


    While he was thinking about recreating all the training rooms, he chuckled, ''Well, that''s kinda pointless. There''s no way my small house can have such rooms, haha.''


    While walking over to the other meditation room, he thought, ''Should I buy a new home? Hmm, do I even have money to buy a new home? Or would it be better if I make a secret base?''


    He checked the other room and noticed that everything there was exactly the same. He then began walking over to the Dodging practice training room. ''Having a secret base will be very convenient. Konoha also has a lot of empty spaces to make secret bases. But, in a vige full of ninjas, is it possible to hide a secret base?


    Hmm, I couldn''t sense anything inside this tower from the outside. And, if I recall right, there are seals that can block even the Byakugan. So it might be doable, but still very risky. Should I make one outside the vige? No one would check the endless forests after all. But I''ll need to be able to sneak out and into the vige to actually be able to use it.


    Oh well, let me learn the seals first. I can then worry about how to make it work. The Uchiha massacre should be happening soon too. I could try to sneak in and use their training rooms if they exist after the massacre.''


    [A/N : Thanks for the suggestions. Feel free to post more if you get more ideas in the future :-)]

 Chapter 88: Dodging Practice

    Fujin entered the Dodging Practice training room. He noticed that there were multiple mechanisms around the room tounch shurikens, kunai, and senbon needles. But all were made out of wood. And none were sharp. Fujin grinned, ''This should be exciting.''


    He read the training manual for this room. It confirmed that all weapons were harmless.


    Fujin walked to the center of the room. There was a pulling lever with one rod extending out here. To activate the mechanism, first, the lever had to be moved. The degree to which the lever is moved would denote the percentage of mechanisms that would be activated. Once the lever was pulled, a button had to be stepped on tounch the weapons. The manual stated that this can be done only 100 times before the mechanisms needed to be refilled. Fujin wondered, ''How many storage seals did they inscribe in this room?''


    While wondering, he grinned and pulled the lever to the max. And then stepped on the button. Immediately, all weapons ran down on him.


    Shurikens rained on him from 7 different locations. He could see 5, while the other 2 locations were behind him. He still heard them beingunched and moved to a spot where the shurikens won''t hit him. As soon as he moved there, senbon needles rained on him. He managed to dodge most, but 5 still hit him.


    One after another, for the next 2 minutes, weapons kept attacking him.


    At the end of 2 minutes, it finally stopped. The entire floor was covered with blunt wooden weapons.


    Fujin frowned, ''I was hit many times. I lost count at 136! And I had to block 7 with my hands as they would have hit my eyes. Is it even possible to dodge them all? Or rather, at what level can you dodge them all?


    Oh well, this time lemme try it while using other weapons to block them.'' He picked up a few kunais and senbons and ced them in his pockets. He kept 3 kunais in each hand.


    He then created winds, which cleared the floor and pushed all the wooden weapons to the wall. He pulled the lever once again and stepped on the button.


    He dodged once again, only this time when he couldn''t dodge, he used his weapons to either block at thest moment, or throw it at iing weapons. He was still hit quite a few times.


    He analyzed, ''Not bad. This time, I was hit only 43 times. Still a lot though.''


    He then grabbed his swords, ''Alright, this time let''s check with my preferred weapons. But without flying shed. Or this room might copse.'' He chuckled on imagining the scene where his flying shes wreck the training room.


    This time, he was hit 82 times, ''With my swords, I couldn''t block at range. So all blocking wasst minute. Which is why I got hit more times. That said, had I used flying shes, I might have never been hit.''


    He sheathed his swords and gathered his chakra. Blue chakra could be seen flowing around him. He activated the test once again. The weapons were once againunched at him when wind waves began forming in the room. The winds began spinning around him at a high speed. They deflected all iing weapons for 2 minutes straight.


    Fujin grinned, ''Excellent. I guess I can call this Wind Style Rotation. Though its power isn''t really strong. It probably wouldn''t work if these weapons were made of metals and were heavier. Though, it makes sense. Basically, I just applied the mechanics from rank E Wind jutsus like Wind Retrieval, Projectile Control, and Wind Levitation jutsus.


    If I can add the Spinning shield of wind jutsu to this, and then manage to pour more chakra and make it spin faster while staying together and not harming me, then this can be a good defensive jutsu. Though it won''t be an absolute defense.


    He then looked at the mess around him and thought, ''Well, defending with ninjutsu or weapons is fine. But this training room was made for improving dodging. Let''s focus on that for now.''


    Fujin only turned the lever halfway before pressing the button. He kept practicing again and again.


    He spent the next 4 hours in the dodging room. By the end, all 4 walls had huge stacks of wooden weapons piled. Fujin looked at it and thought, ''Rest in peace the fellow who is supposed to refill these.''


    He left the room and went to the dining room to grab a bite, ''It''s almost 5 PM. I hope they still give breakfast.''


    After breakfast, he went into the Wind Element Training room while wondering, ''Wind element training in a closed room? I wonder how that works?'' On entering the room, he saw that the room was rather empty. There was only a meditation mat at the center of the room.


    He picked up the manual. It read -


    This is the training room for Wind Element. To train, sit on the mat at the center of the room, and meditate. The table on which this manual has been ced has a few boxes. Each box has 9 strips. The strips, from left to right, are made of - Leaf, Alder Wood, Soft Maple Wood, Hard Maple Wood, Aluminium, Copper, Steel, Titanium, and Diamond.


    [A/N : I initially wondered whether all these types of metals would be avable in Naruto. But considering the amounts of weapons they manufacture and the technological advancements,ter on, it''s kinda safe to say all should be avable.]


    The strips, from left to right, get progressively harder. You can test how strong your wind nature is by trying to cut them.


    Fujin grabbed a box from the table and opened it. The strips were all 1 cm in thickness. He picked up the strips one by one and began cutting them with his wind chakra.


    The Leaf, Alder wood, Soft and Hard Maple wood strips were cut. On the aluminum strip, Fujin managed to create a 3-millimeter cut from either side. But couldn''t go any deeper. Fujin put the aluminum strip as well as the cut strips back in the box and put it in his scroll. He then walked towards the mat, sat on it, and began meditating.

 Chapter 89: Shock

    While Fujin was meditating, Tsume walked up to the 2nd floor with her ninja dog while muttering, "Since one team came so early, I expected the others toe in soon too. But this is too boring. Proctoring is boring! Luckily there are a lot of training rooms here."


    The training rooms here were made for the instructors who''d be bored waiting for the genins to reach the tower. In a way, these training rooms were their reward or payment.


    Tsume went into the same Dodging Practice Training room as Fujin had earlier. On opening, she was shocked! ''Why are the weapons littered all on the ground?'' She checked some of the mechanisms and noticed that there were no weapons in them.


    She got out of the room and yelled, "TOSHIYUKI! GET HERE!" The shout was loud enough to be heard throughout the tower, except in the training rooms. The chunin named Toshiyuki, who was in charge of maintaining the training rooms, immediately went to her and asked, "What happened, Tsume-sama?"


    Her mood got even worse. She yelled at him, "You didn''t do your job of cleaning and refilling the training rooms, and you have the courage to ask me what happened?"


    He was shocked. But he maintained hisposure and replied in a neutral tone, "Tsume-sama, I cleaned and refilled all the training roomsst night." However, his face disyed slight anger at being wrongly used. Tsume noticed it.


    She asked, "Really? Say that after you check this room." She pointed towards the training room.


    He entered it and was shocked to see that all 100 attempts were used up. He quickly said, "Ma''am, I refilled the mechanisms herest night. I did it for both the dodging rooms. So someone must have used it all."


    Tsume calmed down and asked, "Someone used all 100 attempts? Who all have been training here?" He replied, "How can I know that?"


    She snorted and looked at Kuromaru. Kuromaru said, "Let''s check." Both she and Kuromaru began smelling the room. Soon Kuromaru said, "Here" and moved towards the wooden weapons and grabbed a kunai, and handed it to Tsume. Tsume smelled it and realized, "This smells like that civilian brat from Renjiro''s squad." Kuromaru also confirmed it, "Yes."


    She looked at the chunin and asked, "Were those 3 genins told about the training rooms?"


    The chunin nodded, "Yes. Takeshi said that they were asking a lot of questions and he told them to spend their time in the training room." She replied, "Oh!"


    She looked at Kuromaru again, who was smelling all the weapons. He looked back at her and replied, "Many weapons have scents, but all belong to the same kid. No one else was here." She said, "So that brat was the only one here? And he used all 100 rounds? It''s unbelievable!"


    She looked at Toshiyuki and asked, "Are you aware of what those brats have been doing in the tower?"


    He shook his head and replied, "No one kept an eye on them. But from what I heard from others, two of them came down for lunch and breakfast and returned to training rooms soon after. And one didn''te for lunch and came an hourte for breakfast. He too immediately returned to the 2nd floor."


    Tsume was surprised, "Seriously? They are merely 10 year old brats and have trained all day? No wonder they managed to clear the exam so quickly."


    She then sighed andined, "My son, on the other hand, ys all day and never trains. And though my daughter is serious and loves studying, she too would never train so willingly. She too became a genin this year, but her sensei didn''t even enroll her team for the Chunin exam."


    Toshiyuki kept listening to her while trying to maintain a straight face, ''First, she yells at me wrongly. Then sheins about her kids in front of me! No wonder her husband ran away!''


    Tsume looked at him and said, "You can go. I''ll train in the other room." He left as quickly as he could. Tsume walked towards the room while thinking about how she could lecture Kiba to train harder.


    On entering the training room, Tsume, just like Fujin, turned the lever to 100% and pressed the button. She and Kuromaru both begin dodging. asionally, she deflects weapons that were about to hit Kuromaru.


    After the 1st attempt, Tsume looked at Kuromaru and said, "I was hit 6 times." Kuromaru replied, "8 times for me." Tsume added, "And I deflect 3 weapons that were about to hit you." Kuromaru said, "We seem to have cked off."


    She patted his head and said, "Last time, we were able to dodge everything perfectly once every 11 attempts. Let''s try to improve it this time. And since that brat did all 100 attempts, it''ll be embarrassing if we can''t do it too."


    Kuromaru barked loudly in response and said, "Let''s do it!" Both Tsume and Kuromaru trained in that room until theypleted all hundred rounds.


    Till the 22nd round, they didn''t manage to dodge all the weapons. There were instances when either Tsume or Kuromaru dodged all, but not in the same round.


    On the 23rd round, they both managed to dodge all weapons for the first time.


    In the 100 rounds, they managed to dodge everything perfectly 11 times.


    Tsume left the training room feeling proud and told Kuromaru, "Let''s increase it to 15 times tomorrow."


    It was 10 PM by the time they were done. The chunins in the tower were very surprised when they didn''t see Tsume during the dinner. After hearing the story from Toshiyuki, they realized that she too decided toplete 100 rounds.


    After entering the dining room, she found that it was empty. She began preparing her dinner and called for a chunin. When he arrived, she asked, "Any update for today?"


    He replied, "Nothing of importance. No other teams passed yet. No unusual activities have been reported either in the forest or the tower." Tsume nodded and asked, "What about the ones who passed? What have they been doing?"


    The chunin replied, "All 3 came down for dinner. After dinner, Uchiha Mieko and Hyuga Hoka explored the tower for a bit before going into their rooms. Suzuki Fujin was seen heading back to the 2nd floor. We checked a few mins ago, the Wind training room is still upied."


    She was surprised once again. However, soon she just sighed and muttered, "Seems like he is a training maniac. Let him keep training."


    Forest of Death -


    Not much fighting happened in the forest of death. Among the Kiri genins, Kohaku was very injured, and others too had a lot of cuts. They chose to apply first aid and waited till the wounds closed up and didn''t cause any pain. The Nara-Yamanaka-Akimichi team also stayed hidden.


    The Hyuga team found the team from Suna. However, their fight was inconclusive as Suna genins kept attacking from a range. They both ended up retreating.


    The team from Ame shed with thest Konoha team. They lost but managed to retreat. So except for the Nara-Yamanaka-Akimichi team, all others had their scrolls.

 Chapter 90: Elemental Crystals

    Wind Training Room :


    Fujin meditated for an hour, before waking up. He kept sitting on the mat while being very confused. ''What''s this strange feeling that I kept getting the whole time? It''s as if my wind affinity is increasing. Or perhaps my wind chakra is bing more potent. Either way, it should be very good for my wind element. But how?''


    He meditated again, and spread his chakra field throughout the room, ''Hmm, nothing here.'' His chakra field then expanded into the walls, floor, and ceiling of the room.


    And he noticed, ''What''s this? It looks like there''s a stone with a high amount of wind chakra in it. And it''s very dense. It looks like while meditating here, we absorb chakra from it in small amounts. That''s why I got that weird feeling.''


    Fujin got off the mat and made a hand seal. ''Earth Military Movement jutsu''


    He entered the floor. On entering the floor, he could see a lot of seals, and inside the seal was a green crystal. Fujin analyzed, ''Probably not a good idea to test these seals. But the crystal has very dense wind chakra. And it looks like it can help make our Wind element stronger. Is this chakra metal? Or something else like an ore? Well, let''s call it the Wind Chakra crystal for now.


    The important question is, can I absorb it faster? And, how can I get more of them? Also, I need to check whether all other elemental training rooms have something simr.''


    He went above the floor and thought, ''I should have dinner for now. After dinner, I''ll check if I can absorb this energy rapidly. I wonder what benefits I''ll get from this. Though I should also be careful in case it''s harmful to absorb it in excess.''


    He left for dinner. He met Hoka and Mieko there. They had a small chat. The chunins in the tower also introduced themselves and had small talks with the genins. After dinner, Fujin returned to the Wind Training room.


    He began meditating and tried absorbing as much energy as he could from the Wind Chakra crystal. While meditating, his entire focus was on the Wind Chakra Crystal and its energy.


    In the first 6 hours, he didn''t have much sess. However, sometime after that, he began steadily absorbing energy from the crystal. He lost himself in meditation,pletely losing the sense of time! When he opened his eyes, it was already 7 AM!


    Fujin analyzed, ''I didn''t have much sess initially. But I think I managed to use up 1% of the energy of the crystal in this meditation session. I wonder if this absorption rate is fast or slow. And how often does Konoha switch or recharge this crystal?


    That aside, unlike what I previously thought, I don''t absorb energy from the crystal directly. Rather, it refines my chakra. I have a feeling that I''ll have a slightly easier time performing Wind jutsus.''


    He frowned, ''Though improvement would likely be very minimal. I''ll need to use up more energy from this wind chakra crystal to get a proper idea. I have a feeling that I might need a mountain of such crystals to get a significant boost.


    That aside, it feels really good to train here. I ended up meditating all night and skipping my sleep, but I don''t feel very tired at all! Though I should take a nap tonight. Meditation, though good, can''t entirely rece sleep.''


    After analyzing, he got up and left the room. While leaving the floor, he came across Tsume. She was surprised to see Fujin on the 2nd floor. Her eyes twitched and she asked, "Were you training the whole night?"


    Fujinughed awkwardly and rubbed the back of his head, "No. I was meditating in the Wind training room. And I ended up falling asleep there."


    Tsume''s eyes twitched even more. She sighed and said, "It''s good to train hard, but don''t forget to rest. Or else, the training can be counterproductive."


    Fujin immediately replied, "Yes ma''am" while thinking, ''That''s the first time I haven''t heard her yell''


    He left, got freshened up, had a huge breakfast, and returned to the Wind training room.


    After knowing that Fujin returned to the Wind Training room, Tsume realized, ''He is an orphan. He has probably never experienced such rooms. No wonder he is training in that room. I should report this to the 3rd. He''ll be happy to know how hard some kids are training.''


    He spends the next couple of days in the Wind Training room. Though he went out regrly for food and sleep.


    As he meditated more in that room, he managed to use up the energy at a faster rate. By the end of the 3rd day, he had used up 18% energy from the crystal. He analyzed, ''Good, it is getting faster. I have a feeling that it''ll be even faster tomorrow. But, it seems like my analysis was right. While this definitely is good, I''ll need a mountain of such crystals to actually get significant boosts. I wonder how many crystals Konoha has. And where they are kept. Another point to consider is how much energy from this crystal was already exhausted before I began training here.''


    On day 4, as he predicted, his efficiency suddenly increased a lot. In around 12 hours, he ended up using up almost half the energy from the crystal. However, on this day, he noticed 1 crucial point!


    Fujin realized, ''My chakra increased? Yeah, I can feel it. Though the increase is very minimal, not even 0.1%, it did go up. Damn, now I really want to find a mountain of such crystals! Where are these found?''


    He calmed himself down and decided, ''Lucky, this crystal''s efficiency hasn''t reduced. I guess this is due to the seals. But I should stop here. I might be able topletely exhaust this crystal before this round ends. But if my speed of using this energy is higher than normal, then I''ll get a lot of unneeded energy. I should check out the other rooms and see if they have simr crystals, and if I can refine my chakra with their energy as well.''


    After dinner, he went to the Earth Training room. On entering, he used ''Earth Military Movement jutsu'' and went underground to check. ''As I thought. A simr crystal with dense Earth chakra is here. But, the amount of chakra seems low. It has only about 15% of the chakra aspared to what the wind chakra crystal had.''


    He thought for a bit and concluded, ''Makes sense I guess. There are barely any ninjas with the Wind element in Konoha. While quite a few have the Earth element. So this room ended up being used a lot more.''


    He sat on the mat and spent his entire night meditating in that room. He opened his eyes at 6:30 AM and sighed, ''I thought since I managed to increase the speed of consuming the energy of Wind chakra crystal, I''d be able to do the same for the rest. Unfortunately, that isn''t the case. I have to start from the beginning.


    Worst of all, my rate of consuming energy from Earth chakra crystal is very low! I think it is just around 5-6% of what it was when I started with Wind chakra crystal. Does this mean that the speed will depend on my affinity towards each element? It went fast for Wind chakra crystal because my affinity is wind. But for Earth chakra crystal, my affinity is very low.''


    He analyzed a bit, ''Wait, does this mean that I can analyze my affinity to other elements depending on how quickly I can use up the energy of each crystal? Yeah, that should be the case. I should check out the other 3 rooms.''


    After having breakfast, Fujin went to the Fire training room. Here he followed all the procedures as usual. However, when he checked the Fire chakra crystal, he was shocked! ''The Fire chakra crystal has 25% more energy than the Wind chakra crystal. How? Shouldn''t Konoha be full of ninjas with Fire affinity? Could it be that the previous Fire chakra crystal got used up and they reced it with a new one?''


    After thinking for a bit, he nodded, ''Yeah, that should be the case.'' He began meditating. He got up before lunch and analyzed, ''Oh, my Fire affinity seems to be decent. At least it''s much better than Earth. The absorption speed here is at 35%pared to what I could do at the start with Wind chakra crystal.''


    After lunch, he went to the Water Training room. He first checked the amount of energy in the water crystal. It was around 30% of what the Wind chakra crystal had. Fujin sat in meditation and meditated till 4 PM.


    At 4 PM, he got up and sweated a bit, ''I couldn''t refine shit! I didn''t manage to use up any energy at all!''


    He sighed, ''Does this mean that I have no talent in the Water element at all? A shame. I was hoping to have a good affinity for the water element and to take over Tobirama''s jutsus.''


    After taking a small break for eating, he went to the Lighting Training room thinking, ''My main affinity is wind. So I don''t really have much hope for the Lightning element. Oh well, let''s test it out.''


    [A/N : I''ll give the exact details regarding Elemental Crystals a few chapterster. I don''t think these were avable in canon (though not sure if movies had something like this). So all this is made up for this fic.]

 Chapter 91: Second Nature Affinity

    The Lightning chakra crystal had 80% of the energy that the Wind chakra crystal did. Fujin meditated for 4 hours. After waking up, he was surprised, ''Wow! I never expected to have the highest affinity to Lightning after Wind. The speed was about 62-63% whenpared to the Wind at the start. To think my top two affinities were the 2 most rare Elements in Konoha. That said, I wonder if my speed of refining my chakra with the help of this crystal will increase simr to what happened with the Wind Chakra crystal.''


    He kept sitting there and thinking. After a few minutes, he concluded, ''Lightning is a very strong element. But, how far can I take it? I''m confident that with enough time, I can master Chidori. Though I may not be able to use it while running at high speeds.


    But the more important question is, Can I master Lightning Armor like Raikage? Also, how should I go about it? He could dodge freaking Amaterasu. So I don''t think it''s something as simple as just cloaking the body with Lightning chakra armor. Also, considering that no one apart from Raikage managed to learn it, it''s safe to say that it is very dangerous to learn it.''


    He thought for a bit more, before getting up and sighing, ''I need to somehow check whether Konoha has any details regarding this. If not, then the only choice will be to sneak into Hidden Cloud and read or steal all their scrolls.


    Unfortunately, that isn''t something I''d do before I be a rank S ninja myself and have excellent means of escaping. I hope the Uchiha with their Sharingans managed to copy at least some details and passed the information to the vige. Would be quite a challenge otherwise.


    Also, considering some of the crazy ns that I made that day, I should keep my Lightning element a secret. In the future, that might help more. But, if I keep it a secret, it''ll be hard to get anyone''s help. So what to do?''


    He kept thinking hard while walking to the dining room. In the end, he decided, ''My Wind element is quite strong. Lightning won''t be able to match it at least until I can learn Rank A jutsus. So it won''t be much help for me in the short term in any case. So let''s just hide it. I''ll take as much help as the vige can give me for my Wind element. And my Lightning element will be my hidden element, which I''ll use when I don''t want to expose my identity. I can also use it to catch the enemy by surprise and kill them if there are no witnesses.''


    Fujin entered the dining room while still in deep thought. He grabbed a te, served himself the food, and sat down at the table while still in his thoughts. After deciding, he was about to think more when he felt, ''Why does it feel like dozens of eyes are staring at me?''


    He looked around him and noticed that the 6 Kiri genins were sitting opposite him. He noticed that all 6 had dark bags under their eyes. And they all had a lot of injuries too which were given first-aid.


    The chunins, who were incredibly bored over these 5 days, were paying close attention. They hoped to get some entertainment. Mieko and Hoka wondered if they could get into a fight.


    Fujin looked at the Mist genins and said, "Hey. When did you guys pass?" All the Kiri genins were incredibly pissed at Fujin. They spent over 4 days on full alert, waiting for an ambush that never came! They barely got any sleep. Even when they slept, they were on high alert! When they arrived at the tower, the Konoha chunins all gave them weird looks due to those huge dark bags under everyone''s eyes!


    Yumi controlled herself and replied, "An hour ago. You?" Fujin began eating again and replied without looking, "Oh, we passed in the first hour itself."


    ''Asshole!''


    ''Fucking Bastard!''


    ''Motherfucker!''


    ''Fucking Asshole!''


    ''Son of a Bitch!''


    ''I''m gonna beat him up!''


    Every single Kiri genin cursed him. Of course, they didn''t say it out loud as they were surrounded by Konoha ninjas. But everyone could notice the killing intent leaking out of them. One chunin whispered to another, "Hey, what do you think Fujin did to them that they all want to swallow him whole?" The other chunin replied, "Who knows? But if looks could kill, Fujin would have died a thousand deaths by now!"


    Mieko and Hoka too wondered, ''Why are they so pissed at Fujin and not at us? After all, we were there as well.'' Soon they both realized, ''WAIT! Fujin still had his clones chasing them. Ipletely forgot about them. Don''t tell me he fought them with his clones!''


    They looked at the Kiri genins and realized that was indeed the case. Both were incredibly annoyed, ''This Asshole! He didn''t let us fight and fought them himself?'' Both snorted and looked away from Fujin while pouting.


    Tsume and a few chunins noticed this. They wondered, ''Now even his teammates are mad at him? What did he do?''


    Fujin ignored them all as he didn''t particrly care. He was wondering how many Elemental chakra crystals he should ask from Hiruzen as a reward foring first.


    As for what happened in the Forest of Death, the forest became very active from Day 2. Though the forest was huge, almost every team had a sensor. So they eventually end up fighting. The ones who had it the worst was the Ame team, as they didn''t have any sensor. They kept getting attacked again and again, but they stubbornly managed to hold onto their scrolls.


    By Day 3 ended, except for the Nara-Yamanaka-Akimichi team, all other teams had fought multiple times. The Kiri teams were the unluckiest. Every time they fought, they were on high alert for an ambush. So they could never give their 100%. They still won every fight, but the opponents used to retreat every time. And whenever they tried to give chase, they would be attacked by the wild beasts from the forest, dying them just enough to lose sight of their enemies.


    So they were very annoyed.


    On day 4, 2 scrolls were sessfully seized. The Kiri team managed to defeat the Suna team and got their Heaven''s scroll. While the Nara-Yamanaka-Akimichi team, who had healed up, sneak attacked the Ame squad and got their Earth scroll.


    On day 5, the Kiri genins managed to find the Ame squad and fought them once again. They defeated the Ame team, only to discover that they didn''t have scrolls.


    The Hyuga squad noticed this fight and waited till the Kiri genins put their guard down and attacked. Unfortunately for them, the Kiri genins were always on guard. They lost and couldn''t escape this time. They epted their loss and handed them the Earth scroll. The Kiri genins were instructed not to kill any genins if they could avoid killing them. So they didn''t kill anyone and just took their scrolls.


    Now, the Kiri genins had all the required scrolls and decided to head to the tower. On route, they were ambushed by thest Konoha team. The Kiri genins were very exhausted and took a beating. But they managed to escape to the tower.


    Thest 2 teams with the scrolls will search for each other all night, but they won''t see each other and only end up fighting against teams who don''t have any scrolls.


    On thest day, when only 30 minutes were left for the exam to end, the 4th squad from Konoha noticed that 4 teams were waiting near the tower. The Nara-Yamanaka-Akimichi lied that they didn''t have any scrolls, and managed to convince others to ally. Unfortunately, thest team had fought against the Hyuga and Suna teams in the night and had no chakra to continue. They hid in the forest and gave up on the exam.


    So, only 3 teams passed the 2nd round!

 Chapter 92: Matchups

    At morning 10 AM on thest day, Fujin, Hoka, Mieko, and the 6 Kiri genins left the tower and focused outside the tower. They noticed that 4 teams were waiting there. The teams noticed them as well and realized that Nara Minori was speaking the truth. However, other than Nara''s team, the other 3 teams were on alert to prevent one of them from suddenly running to the tower.


    Unfortunately, thest team never turned up, so they all were disqualified. Since no fight happened, the uninvited audience was disappointed. The chunins asked those 4 teams to enter the tower, as they all looked exhausted and wounded.


    Sometimeter, thest team also entered the Tower. Tsume gathered everyone in therge hall where the preliminaries were usually held. She announced, "The teams who passed stand here. Soon Lord Hokage will arrive, and address you!"


    All 9 genins stood in a disciplined manner. While the remaining 15 genins stood far away. Fujin looked at them and thought, ''I''m surprised that no one died! It seems like Kiri nins are here to create a good rtionship. So they didn''t kill anyone.''


    The chunins stood around the hall, and some Jounin-sensei began appearing. They stood along with their genin squads. The 2 Kiri Jounins also stood there. Fujin observed both of them, but couldn''t recognize either of them.


    Soon the 3rd Hokage arrived. He was apanied by 4 Anbu and a few Jounins including Renjiro and Genki. Renjiro smiled and nodded at his squad. He had heard that they broke the records by a huge margin.


    Fujin observed them, ''Genki is standing with all the Jounins. Did he get promoted? Or is he here just because his students are here? As for the Anbu, one looks to be Kakashi. I can''t identify the rest.''


    As Fujin was observing everyone, Hiruzen stepped in front of them. Tsume announced, "Pay attention you brats. Now, Lord Hokage will exin the details about the third phase of the chunin exam."


    Hiruzen stood in front of the kids and got a good look at them. ''Only 3 genins from our vige passed. Kiri has 6. Looks like the rebel faction really wants to create a good image. Well, I can let them win this one. So their leader will owe us one. Even if they win, considering that they are at war, they won''t be able to steal Konoha''s missions.''


    After a minute he spoke, "Congrats on passing the 2nd round."


    He then looked at Fujin, Hoka, and Mieko and said, "Congrats to you guys for breaking the record to be the fastest team to pass the 2nd round."


    On hearing that, the genins, who failed, were shocked. After all, they were the youngest team. The Kiri genins and jounins also looked at them. Though the Kiri genins were looking at Fujin while cursing him a few more times.


    However, Fujin was very excited on hearing that, ''Marvelous! I didn''t think he''d say this. Now I can ask it without any awkwardness! It''ll feel natural too.''


    Hiruzen continued, "Before I exin the third phase, I will exin to you the true reason for these chunin exams¡­"


    He exined the details regarding how the exam is a recement for war and why the genins need to give their best simr to the way he did in the manga. Everyone paid attention. Fujin paid careful attention as well, however for a different reason. He was picking up points he could useter topel Hiruzen.


    After Hiruzen was done speaking, Fujin sighed internally, ''I barely remember any dialogues from Naruto anime or manga now. Other than the important events in every arc, I have sort of forgotten everything. Can''t really help it I guess. After all, I didn''t watch Naruto for years even in my previous life.''


    After Hiruzen was done exining, Inoichi Yamanaka stepped forward and said, "I will be the Proctor for the third round. I will now exin the details.


    The third round will be a simple tournament. The tournament will be held after 1 month, in front of many important dignitaries like Kage and Daimyos. You will fight against each other alone. Your team won''t be able to help you anymore. If you lose any fight, you''ll be eliminated, while the winners will get to fight other winners."


    Hearing this, some of the genins got excited to show off their skills. Fujin looked at his teammates. Both were incredibly excited. He wondered, ''What''s so exciting about being made to fight for the entertainment of some rich old people?'' On Kiri''s side, Rentaro looked very excited. He looked at Fujin and thought, ''Just win till you fight me. I''ll pay you back a hundred times for the 4 sleepless nights you put me through!''


    Inoichi then picked up a box and said, "Everyone, pick one piece of paper each from this box." Everyone picked up one folded piece of paper. After picking up the paper, Fujin stood next to Mieko.


    Inoichi said, "Open it and tell me the numbers on your paper, starting from 1."


    Sakai Yumi, "1"


    Shiro Sora, "2"


    Hyuga Hoka, "3"


    Matsushita Satoru, "4"


    Kido Kohaku, "5"


    Uchiha Mieko, "6"


    Satsuma Rentaro, "7"


    Suzuki Fujin, "8"


    Yuki Shin, "9"


    Inoichi noted down everyone''s names next to numbers and showed a chart showing the matchups.


    He announced, "The matchups are - Sakai Yumi Vs Shiro Sora, Hyuga Hoka Vs Matsushita Satoru, and Kido Kohaku Vs Uchiha Mieko. Since we have 9 members, the number 8 and 9 will have to fight one additional time. So, the first match of the tournament will be Suzuki Fujin Vs Yuki Shin. And their winner will fight against Satsuma Rentaro."


    Fujin thought, ''1 additional match? Shouldn''t be an issue I guess. That said, why are my matchups so freaking difficult? Ice Release in the first round. Then Rentaro, who looks to be the strongest among the Kiri genins. That will be followed up by Mieko. All 3 might be tough fights. However, in the finals, I should be fighting with Hoka. That will be an easy fight if I still have chakra left by then.''


    Others too were thinking about their matchups. Inoichi asked, "Any doubts?"


    Shiro Sora asked, "Since this is a tournament, can only one person be a chunin?"


    Fujin looked at him and wondered, ''Like Hiruzen''s speeches, is this question also asked every single time?''


    Inoichi shook his head and answered, "No, we will promote you to chunin depending on your performance in the fights. If you perform well, you may be promoted even if you don''t win any fights. So there''s a chance that every one of you gets promoted. And a chance that none of you do. Any more questions?"


    No one raised any questions. So Fujin raised his hand and said, "Umm¡­ I have a question for Lord Hokage." Inoichi was surprised. Renjiro raised his eyebrow wondering what his student wanted to ask. While Genki was having a very bad feeling, ''He isn''t going to¡­. Is he?''


    Hiruzen gave a kind smile and said, "Go ahead and ask Fujin." Fujin looked at Hiruzen smiling and put up a very innocent smile on his face as well. He asked very innocently, "Lord Hokage, since my team broke the previous record for the 2nd round by such a huge margin, do we get any rewards?"

 Chapter 93: Dont Underestimate Wild Old Foxes!

    Senju Renjiro''s eyes twitched. Genki was horrified! Inoichi, Tsume, Illumi, Anbu guards, Jounin senseis, and the chunin instructors were dumbfounded. ''Any rewards? Since when did Lord Hokage begin giving rewards?''


    The genins from Kiri began wondering, ''Genins from Konoha get rewards for such little things?'' Kiri genins looked at Hiruzen with longing in their eyes. Their own Kage hunted them, while the Kage of Konoha rewarded their own genins. They thought, ''The difference between the two Kage is like the difference between Heaven and Hell!''


    While the other genins wondered, ''There''s a reward for breaking records?'' Mieko and Hoka too stared at Fujin. Mieko frowned, ''I didn''t hear Itachi getting any rewards. Hmph, I''m an Uchiha, I don''t need any rewards.''


    Hiruzen too was dumbfounded. His expression didn''t change, but he was left speechless for a minute. Genki yelled in his mind, ''Even Lord Hokage is speechless!''


    Hiruzen began remembering the scene when Fujin asked him for chakra metal swords. His eyebrows twitched, ''Last time he asked for chakra metal swords. What does he want this time? A house made of chakra metal?''


    Hiruzen didn''t know how close he was to guessing the truth. If he did, who knows how he would have reacted!


    He was about to say no when he saw the frown on Mieko, who was standing right next to Fujin. He thought, ''Does she also expect a gift? The rtionship between the vige and Uchiha has been deteriorating day by day. I could use this opportunity to reward her and mend the ties a bit. If it results in the ties improving, then it''ll be very good for Konoha.''


    As Fujin expected, Hiruzen decided to reward them. He was about to reply in the affirmative when he felt a chill running down his spine! Hiruzen was a veteran of all 3 ninja wars! He had fought a lot on the frontlines and spread terror among his enemies. However, this was a feeling he only felt when he was about to step into a trap!


    His eyes went back to the genin standing next to Mieko with an innocent smile and an expectant look on his face. He said, "Yes. Your team will be rewarded for breaking this record." He smiled kindly and said, "You guys will receive your rewards on the day of the tournament in front of everyone."


    This left everyone dumbfounded once again. Fujin too was left speechless, ''Wtf? He will reward us? Meaning that we can''t ask for any particr reward? That''s bullshit!!''


    Fujin maintained his smiling face and bowed, "Thank You, Lord Hokage." However, his thoughts were the opposite, ''Sigh, I underestimated him. Old fox didn''t give me any opportunity to ask for any particr reward. This way he gets to improve his image while giving us something that won''t cost him.''


    He looked back up at Hiruzen and thought, ''Monkey summon doesn''t suit him! He should switch to the fox!''


    The chunins and jounins werepletely lost at what was happening. Genki was shocked again, ''He agreed to reward them?'' Renjiro and the rest wondered, ''What is happening here exactly?'' Itachi, who was one of those four Anbu, thought, ''I didn''t get any rewardst year.'' But on thinking more he realized, ''Is Lord Hokage rewarding so that he could reward Uchiha Mieko and thaw the rtions between the vige and the Uchiha n?''


    While everyone was confused, Hiruzen looked at Inoichi. He noticed and said, "Since there are no more doubts, you are dismissed. Use this month to prepare properly for your fights."


    The Jounin sensei began taking over the genins. Renjiro approached his students and said, "Follow me." Fujin, Hoka, and Mieko followed him.


    The group went to their usual training ground. On reaching there, Renjiro looked at Fujin and asked, "So, what was that?" Fujin asked back, "That?"


    Renjiro squinted his eyes and said, "The reward." Fujin tilted his head and replied, "Well, we were rewarded for ranking 1st in the academy. I assumed that the same would apply even this time."


    Lines immediately appeared on Renjiro''s head. He thought, ''I need to educate this brat.''


    He ignored it for now and said, "Congrats on making it to the 3rd round. Though it shouldn''t be a surprise I suppose. We will now decide how to train for the next month."


    He looked at Mieko and Hoka and said, "I had a chat with your parents. They said that they want to train you themselves for the next month. They will be taking the entire month off to train you two."


    Mieko and Hoka immediately got excited.


    Renjiro smiled on seeing their reactions. He said, "Train hard you two. I would love to see my students as both finalists. You can leave."


    They both thanked him. Before leaving, Mieko looked at Fujin and said, "Win your 2 matches and fight me. This time I will defeat you." Fujin grinned and said, "Don''t worry. I''ll win the whole tournament." She was annoyed at Fujin''s confidence, but she grinned in response. Both Hoka and Mieko left.


    Renjiro looked at Fujin and asked, "So, any ns for this month." Fujin shook his head. Renjiro smiled and asked, "Prepared for a month of deadly training." Fujin grinned and replied, "Of course."


    Renjiro asked, "Before we begin, do you have anything you want to try or any doubts?"


    Fujin thought for a bit and said, "I don''t have any new ideas to try. I do have a question though. Are you aware of the training rooms on the 2nd floor of the Tower inside the Forest of Death?"


    Renjiro thought for a bit and replied, "I have never used them. But I did hear about them. What about them?"


    Fujin answered, "They have a Wind Training room, Earth Training room, and training room for other natures too. I inspected those rooms and noticed that each room has a crystal, which has dense energy belonging to that nature. Can you tell me what those crystals are?"


    Renjiro was surprised at that question. He answered, "Those are Elemental Crystals. Known as Fire Crystal, Wind Crystal, and so on. They provide some help to increase our affinity to that nature. It''s helpful if you meditate in such rooms. Unfortunately, they are very rare and costly. So it isn''t that useful."


    Fujin thought, ''Just increase the affinity? No, I definitely felt a minute increase in my chakra level. So why didn''t he feel it? It''s either that he isn''t telling me the whole thing, or his rate of refining chakra was too slow and he didn''t feel anything. After all, it was only when the rate of using its energy increased many folds, that I could feel it!''


    Fujin asked, "How rare and how costly are they?"


    Renjiro chuckled and replied, "Only the Hokage and major ns can buy them. That''s how rare they are. As for price, every piece of crystal costs millions of Ryo!"


    Fujin was shocked, "Millions?" Renjiroughed lightly at his student''s reaction. However, he soon heard him sighing and muttering. "I was nning to ask Lord Hokage for a few thousand Wind crystals as the reward."


    Renjiro was bbergasted on hearing that, ''A FEW THOUSAND?'' He looked at Fujin and asked, "Do you think they grow on trees?"


    Fujin looked back and purposefully gave a look, as if asking, ''They don''t?'' Renjiro''s face was full of ck lines again!

 Chapter 94: History Lesson - Elemental Crystals

    Fujin asked Renjiro, "Where and how are those Elemental Crystals produced?"


    Renjiro sighed and said, "You seem to be fixated upon this. Alright, I''ll exin everything about it.


    Elemental crystals are mined from crystal veins. Hundreds of years ago, thesends were full of such veins. Actually, the way thends were named was based on which types of veins were most abundant in those areas. For instance, the Land of Fire was abundant in Fire Crystal veins.


    The Elemental Crystals provided huge help to ninjas. So they were mined extensively. Around a hundred years ago, all veins began drying up.


    From what I have heard, the drying of the veins caused conflicts to intensify during that period, as everyone began fighting for it.


    By the time the 5 great viges came into existence, all the veins had been used up and destroyed. However, even after they were destroyed, thends still kept having more ninjas with simr affinities. Lord Second did research regarding this and concluded that the environment of Land of Fire is such that the ninjas here have a good affinity to Fire maniption. Same for the other four viges as well.


    As for the Crystal veins, only one ce still had some low-quality veins. That is the current Land of Iron.


    In order to prevent another war from happening for them, Lord First temporarily protected it. The Daimyos soon reached a deal, and the Land of Iron became a neutral country without any ninjas who could use those crystal veins. Instead, the Land of Iron will mine a limited amount and sell a certain amount of it to each vige.


    So, all the Elemental crystals today are received from the Land of Iron. And it is received in very low quantities. Most of those Elemental crystals are distributed among the ns. The rest is kept by the Hokage and is used to train the Anbu.


    Additionally, because their quality and quantity are low, they are only used alongside proper Fuinjutsu seals to be able to use 100% of those crystals."


    Fujin digested all this information. He analyzed, ''Oh, guess it isn''t as useful as I thought then. Without sufficient quantities, they won''t be that useful.''


    [A/N : Elemental crystals will y a huge role in one arc in the future (or maybe more if I get more ideas). But it won''t create a huge impact on the story. I do have some good ideas with this, but if I overdo it, it might not be Naruto anymore, lol.]


    Fujin asked, "Does the effect of each crystal depend on our affinity?"


    Renjiro nodded, "Yes. It works best with your affinity. Did you check all 5 rooms?"


    Fujin nodded. Renjiro replied, "Good. The chakra paper used to test your affinity only shows your strongest affinity unless you have an elemental Kekkei Genkai. But trying to absorb energy from Elemental crystals too can tell you your affinities. What was your absorption rate for other elementspared to Wind?"


    Fujin replied, "It was around 35% for Fire. Around 6% for Earth. And 0 for Water and Lightning."


    Renjiro appeared disappointed on hearing that. He sighed, "Seems like you don''t have much affinity for other elements."


    Fujin acted disappointed and asked, "What should it have been for me to have their affinity?"


    Renjiro exined, "If you have any element at 70% or above, then that can be considered as your secondary affinity. Your Wind element affinity is quite strong. So most likely any element above 50% could have been considered a secondary affinity.


    As for Tertiary affinity, it needs to be 30% or above. Your Fire element qualifies for this. But I would rmend you to not waste your time on it. After all, it is extremely rare for a squad in Konoha to not have someone with Fire affinity."


    Fujin nodded. Renjiro continued, "Even your Earth maniption. I would suggest you stop it after learning Earth Wall jutsu. Focus entirely on your Wind maniption. Make it as strong and lethal as you can."


    Fujin replied, "Yes Sensei."


    Renjiro said, "Good. Now, let''s get back to your training for the month." Fujin paid attention with some excitement. Training with Renjiro proved to be extremely fruitful.


    Renjiro chuckled and said, "Actually, I have nothing more to teach you. I have already taught you all the basics that I could. Rest would require hard work from you to improve further."


    Fujin gave his sensei a deadpan look. He asked, "So what will be training for this month sensei?"


    Renjiro smirked, "We will be doing livebat practice!" Fujin felt a chill down his spine on looking at his sensei''s smirk.


    Renjiro continued, "Every time you spar or fight, you hide behind your clones. While that is a good strategy, and I admire the fact that you have managed to pull it off so sessfully, you have missed out on an essential fighting experience that you will need in the future.


    So, for this entire month, we will do livebat drills. You can use your clones, but I will still attack your main body. By the time this month ends, I will let you experience everything that you would have to face during missions."


    Fujin nervously said, "Alright Sensei." As soon as he said it, Renjiro attacked him with a punch. But Fujin, who was on alert due to Renjiro''s smirk, flickered away in the blink of an eye! Renjiro smirked and flickered as well.


    The Evening before the Tournament -


    Fujinid in the training ground, breathing heavily. If anyone were to see him, they would wonder, ''How many people beat him up?''


    He was bruised all over and hadpletely exhausted his chakra. Renjiro walked over to him and said, "Ready for the tournament?"


    Fujin looked at him while screaming internally, ''You know what? Fuck the child activists! Where the fuck are the human rights activists? In my previous life, if anyone leaked even a minute of mybat drills with this monster, the media would all create havoc for weeks! There might even be public protests against him! I didn''t even get a break on my Birthday! Bastard made me eat punches and kicks instead of cake!''


    Unfortunately, Fujin had neither the energy nor the courage to talk back to Renjiro. Renjiro chuckled, lifted Fujin, and put him on his shoulder. He said, "Well, you can''t fight in this state. Let''s get you to the hospital to fix you up."


    Fujin didn''t reply or struggle. In thest month, he was carried in this manner to the hospital 11 times! He had received all sorts of weird looks. Any sense of embarrassment was long dead and buried.


    On reaching the hospital, the medic-nin healed him as usual and asked him to sleep in the Hospital.


    While going to sleep Fujin thought, ''No wonder all adults in this vige are so shameless. It seems that they all had their sense of shame beaten out of them.''


    [A/N - Tournament from the . It''s really hard to find the motivation to write fights that don''t involve Fujin, lol]

 Chapter 95: Gambling

    The next morning, Fujin woke up early. He ate a few Ration bars and did some light exercises before heading to the stadium where the tournament would be held.


    When he neared the stadium, he could hear multiple announcements being made over the loudspeaker. There were a lot of stalls outside the stadium. The area was very crowded. Fujin thought, ''It''s almost like a fair. This world barely has any good means of entertainment. So I suppose the Chunin exams are the biggest entertainment for normal people. No wonder it''s so crowded and noisy."


    On entering the stadium, a guard informed him where the participants had to gather. Fujin went there and saw that all the remaining genins were already there. He walked towards Mieko and Hoka, "Hey."


    Both greeted him while smirking. Hoka asked, "So, how was your training?" Fujin sighed and was about to answer, but Mieko spoke first, "No need to tell. We already know. Everyone was talking about a certain someone being carried to the hospital daily." Both Hoka and Mieko beganughing.


    Fujin gave them a deadpan look. He muttered lightly but loud enough for them both to hear, "At least I was defeated by a Jounin instead of a fellow genin teammate." This interrupted theirugh.


    Hoka replied, "Last time you caught me by surprise. That will never happen again!" Mieko snorted and said, "Hmph, I was injured by Hoka and you took advantage. This time you will have to fight more opponents first. I''ll send you back to the hospital on sensei''s shoulder!"


    Fujin smirked and was about to reply when Inoichi called them and asked them to assemble at the center of the ground. Announcements were made to introduce all 9 genins to the audience.


    While the announcements were made, Fujin noticed where Hiruzen was sitting. There were a few Anbu around him. But there wasn''t any other Kage. Fujin analyzed, ''Hmm, no genin from Suna qualified. So no wonder their Kage didn''t show up. And while Kiri genins did qualify, they don''t represent the 4th Mizukage. I thought Mei mighte, but it looks like either she''s busy, or Hiruzen refused to host her publicly before she wins.''


    Next, he checked out the important officials who were sitting with a few Daimyos. He didn''t notice anyone interesting there. Lastly, he looked at a spot where a lot of familiar faces were. He noticed Ibiki, Genma, and Raido sitting next to each other, with some papers in front of them, and wondered, ''Are they the judges for the tournament?''


    He recalled his discussion with Renjiro earlier.


    A week ago, in the training ground :


    Fujin was resting having just fought Renjiro. Renjiro was sitting nearby as well. Fujin asked, "Who decides the chunin promotions sensei? Will it be just the proctor for the 3rd round, or do others also have a say?"


    Renjiro answered, "There will be a panel of judges who will evaluate your performances during the tournament. Their decision is the most critical for getting promoted. The proctors of the 3 phases will also submit reports of their evaluation. Promotions will be based on these evaluations.


    Their evaluations are sent to the Chunin Exam Supervisor, who makes the decision and sends it to the Hokage for approval."


    Fujin asked, "Chunin Exam Supervisor? Who is that?"


    Renjiro nodded, "He is the one who makes decisions regarding the Chunin exams. The current Chunin Exam Supervisor is a retired Elite Jounin. He is a few years older than the Sannins."


    Fujin thought and said, "Okay. But don''t the Jounin instructors or anyone else get a say?"


    Renjiro answered, "The Jounin instructors can make rmendations. But it is very rare as the genins are their own students and it could be seen as favoritism. As for others, there are a few who can make rmendations such as the Jouninmander, Anbumander, Vige elders, and n heads. But again, it''s very rare. They get more involved during the Jounin promotions."


    Fujin nodded, "That makes sense. But Sensei, you said that we have thousands of chunins. But don''t only a few genins get promoted every year?" While asking Fujin wondered, ''It makes no sense for Chunin exams to be the only form of promotion. I wonder what other ways are to be promoted.''


    Renjiro looked deeply at Fujin before answering, "As the Hokage said, the chunin exams are more about showing your skills, talent, and potential to the daimyos and other important people. Promoting the genins isn''t the main focus. If you observed, you would have noticed that all Konoha genins participating were 15 years or younger."


    Fujin thought for a bit and said, "Yeah, I don''t remember seeing any older genin from our vige."


    Renjiro continued, "Genins above the age of 15 are promoted when they are deemed capable enough to be promoted without any exam. So there are around a hundred genins promoted every year. Even more during the war. But, genins who get promoted outside the chunin exams have a harder time bing jounin. Very few manage to be jounin."


    Fujin digested the information and nodded while wondering, ''Wasn''t Kabuto much older during the Chunin exams? Did Konoha rx the restrictionster?''


    His thoughts were interrupted by Renjiro who said, "Enough rest, let''s continue." Fujin got up and prepared himself for another round of beating.


    Back to the present :


    Fujin noticed that Renjiro, Genki, and a few dozen more jounins and chunins were sitting behind the judges.


    Mieko and Hoka looked for their parents in the crowd. Apparently, some of their ssmates also came to watch the tournament.


    None of the genins were paying much attention to the announcements. However, one announcement suddenly attracted their attention.


    The announcer said, "To make this tournament more exciting, the Gato Company has set up a gambling center for the tournament. The odds are :


    Uchiha Mieko - 1.2


    Satsuma Rentaro - 1.4


    Hyuga Hoka - 1.5


    Sakai Yumi - 1.8


    Yuki Shin - 1.8


    Suzuki Fujin - 4


    Matsushita Satoru- 5


    Shiro Sora - 5


    Kido Kohaku - 9


    Those who are still left to ce your bets, you can do so within the next 15 minutes before the matches begin!"


    Fujin was surprised, ''Seriously? Gambling so openly? And Gato Company?'' His eyes wandered towards Hiruzen and the ce where the Daimyos were sitting, ''How much of a cut do these guys get for letting someone like Gato do this?''


    He analyzed the odds, ''Mieko and Hokae from strong ns. So this ain''t a surprise. As for Kiri, it looks like they want to advertise their strength. Rentaro and Yuki Shin I can understand, but why are the odds for Yumi so high?


    Anyways, I have around 800 thousand Ryo with me. Should I bet all on myself? I''m confident that I am the strongest, but my fights are the toughest too. I''ll have to face Yuki and Rentaro who would be fresh. Then Mieko, who would only have had 1 easy fight. For thest, I thought it''d be Hoka, but looks like he may have 1 tough fight against Yumi.''


    While Fujin was analyzing, Mieko couldn''t hide her smirk due to having the highest odds. The other genins looked at her and realized that she would be the strongest opponent. Inoichi said, "All announcements are over. Go wait in the waiting room. Fujin, Shin, your matches will begin in 15 minutes.


    The genins begin walking towards the waiting room. Fujin after thinking for a bit concluded, ''While 800 thousand Ryo is a decent amount of money, it is nowhere enough for me to buy some of the stuff that I want. So better to just gamble. I''ll gamble 600 thousand Ryo. 200 thousand Ryo is sufficient for my normal needs. And even if I lose, earning that 600 thousand back shouldn''t be a big deal.


    That said, the gambling is held by Gato. So he should be very rich. Killing him won''t be a good decision, but I should plunder him in the future. Since he operates illegally, I might get some good stuff from him. Not to mention a lot of Ryo as well.''


    After deciding, he said softly, "I''ll meet you guys in the Waiting room." He flickered. The genins wondered where he went.


    Fujin flickered in the ce where the bets were being taken. Surprisingly, the crowd here was very low, ''So few people? Wait, the announcements implied that many already ced their bets. So only the ones who didn''t know yet are cing their bets now.''


    Fujin withdrew 600 thousand Ryo from his scroll and went ahead. The bookie was surprised at seeing a participant here. He greeted Fujin, "Hello Fujin-kun. How may I help you?"


    Fujin replied, "I want to ce bets." He put 600 thousand Ryo in front of him and said, "Six hundred thousand Ryo on myself."


    The bookie sneered internally on hearing that Fujin wanted to bet on himself, ''This orphan civilian ninja wants to bet on himself? The only reason why his odds weren''t the lowest is that he broke the record in the 2nd round thanks to his two teammates.''


    However, he was shocked when he saw 600 thousand Ryo being ced in front of him! He thought, ''Are the genins so rich in Konoha?''


    He immediately took the cash and handed Fujin 6 silver tickets with his name on them. Every silver ticket denoted a hundred thousand Ryo. Fujin checked it and left.


    After he left, that Bookie beganughing, ''He just donated 600 thousand Ryo to us! Haha''


    Fujin entered and waited in the Waiting room. This room gave the best view of the ground below. It will help the genins observe others properly.


    After a few minutes, an announcement was made calling Fujin and Shin down. Hoka and Mieko said "Good Luck" to Fujin, while the Kiri genins wished Shin good luck. Fujin and Shin jumped down to the ground and walked towards Inoichi. Inoichi asked them both to take positions. Fujin and Shin stood face-to-face 5 meters apart.


    Fujin thought, ''Ice release. This will be a tough fight.''


    Shin thought, ''This guy is very fast. And his sword is very strong. I shouldn''t give him a chance to use his sword at all!''


    Inoichi announced loudly, "Now the first fight starts. BEGIN!"

 Chapter 96: The Opening Fight

    As soon as he said it, Shin grabbed his shurikens. However, even before he could throw them, a Wind Explosion jutsu wasing at him!


    He immediately ran backwards and to the right, dodging the explosion.


    Fujin noticed him moving and thought, ''Too slow.'' He flickered to where Shin was dodging and threw 2 Wind Explosion spheres at him.


    Shin was moving towards the Wind explosion spheres when he noticed them. He tried dodging again, but the spheres exploded. He avoided most of the winds, but a few still hit him. A few cuts appeared on his left hand and leg.


    The crowd didn''t expect the fight to be so intense from the start. They began cheering loudly!


    Fujin was nning to keep his attack going, when he noticed that Shin made a few hand signs and his chakra suddenly spiked, ''Hmm, which jutsu? Oh well, let''s test him out.''


    Fujin created a big Wind Explosion jutsu and threw it at him. If Shin was using a jutsu that needed some time tounch, this could defeat him.


    However, huge Ice spikes immediately began appearing around him. Some were big enough to be called spears. Shin yelled, "Ice Hell!!"


    Immediately, all Ice spikes gotunched at a very fast speed! Some pierced through the Wind Explosion sphere, dispersing it. Shin smirked when he saw the shock on Fujin''s face! At the next moment, 4 spikes hit Fujin. Shin was about to celebrate when Fujin dispersed into the winds! He was shocked, ''Wind Clone? When?''


    The reason Fujin made a giant Wind Explosion sphere was so that he could hide behind it. When Shin couldn''t see him, he created a Wind clone and escaped underground.


    Before Shin could figure out when Fujin created a Wind clone, he felt something under him. He immediately jumped backwards. Just after he jumped, Fujin''s hands popped out of the ground trying to catch his legs.


    Fujin came out of the ground as Shinnded at some distance. Fujin smiled and said, "That was a strong jutsu. I am impressed."


    Shin was breathing heavily. This was a rank B jutsu from his n. It used more than half of his chakra.


    When Fujin exited the ground, Mieko and Hoka suddenly snorted. Yumi became worried.


    The crowd was shocked at this jutsu. Most hadn''t ever seen any Ice jutsu. The ice spikes were embedded into the stadium walls. The civilians, and even some ninjas, breathed in relief that the spikes weren''t aimed higher.


    Hiruzen wondered, ''Should I arrange for barriers? Genins aren''t supposed to use B rank jutsus.''


    Fujin didn''t allow Shin to catch his breath, and once again began attacking with Wind Explosion jutsus from a close distance. Shin dodged desperately while using Water Wall jutsu to defend himself and attempting to create some distance from Fujin.


    Such an exchange went on for the next 4-5 minutes. Shin had even more wounds and was breathing even more heavily. Finally, he managed to get away from Fujin. He made a few quick hand signs.


    Fujin too created a few hand signs. 2 Wind Wolves appeared next to him and charged at Shin. Fujin waited, to see what jutsu Shin was about to use.


    ''Ice Dragon Jutsu''


    Soon, an Ice Dragon started forming in front of Shin. It began to move towards the Wind Wolves and Fujin. Fujin thought, ''Ice Dragon? Looks cool. But he looks to be devoid of chakra.''


    Fujin controlled the Wolves to move away from the dragon and then attack Shin from opposite directions. Shin ignored them and kept his focus on Fujin. Suddenly, Ice Dragon''s speed increased and it rushed towards Fujin. At the same time, Shin dropped to his knees, as he was very exhausted.


    Fujin made a hand sign, ''Spinning Shield of Wind''


    As the Ice Dragon reached Fujin, it opened its jaws, showing its massive fangs. It looked as if it wanted to bite him to death. However, a circr shield, having a radius of 3 meters and a thickness of half a meter formed in front of Fujin. It was formed of wind and spinning at a high speed.


    The Ice Dragon shed with the shield and was stopped. It kept pushing against the Wind shield. At the same time, the 2 Wind wolves were running towards Shin.


    Shin thought, ''Just a little bit more, and I''ll break his shield!'' The Ice Dragon pushed halfway into the shield. The Wolves were still around 20 meters from him.


    The crowds were tense. Shiro Sora said excitedly in the waiting room, "Shin will win." The other Kiri genins, except Yumi, were happy as well. Hoka and Mieko, on the other hand, were just annoyed.


    Yumi said, "No, he has lost." This shocked the 4 Kiri genins, who didn''t understand what she meant. They looked at Shin and Fujin.


    When the wolves were around 10 meters from Shin, the Ice Dragon broke the Wind shield. Shim smiled. The Ice Dragon hit Fujin, scoring a direct hit. He was frozen solid! Shin was surprised that Konoha''s Proctor didn''t save him.


    At that instant, Inoichi appeared in front of Shin, and dispersed the two Wind Wolves who were about to bite him to death!


    Inoichi looked at Shin and announced, "Winner of this Round - Suzuki Fujin. He will advance to the next round."


    Shin was shocked. So was the crowd. They thought, ''Didn''t he win?'' Shin immediately protested, "WHY? Wasn''t he hit first? You should have helped him instead of me!"


    Inoichi sighed at his ignorance. He pointed with his thumb where the Ice Dragon had exploded. Shin followed his thumb to see. He saw a block of Ice, but no Fujin inside it. He was shocked, "Where is he?"


    As soon as he asked, he heard, "Yo, looking for me?" He quickly turned his head left and saw Fujin standing some distance away, waving his hand. He was dumbfounded, "But how? I saw you get frozen!" Fujin just smiled and left without replying.


    Almost everyone in the audience was confused. Even among the ninjas, a few were clueless.


    The Kiri genins didn''t understand what was happening either. They looked towards Yumi. She exined, "When he was underground, he made a Shadow Clone." The Kiri genins were stunned. She continued, "The remaining fight was fought by his shadow clone. He stayed hidden underground. The clone was dispelled after it got frozen in ice. And his main body exited the ground when you guys were distracted by Inoichi."


    The Kiri genins were left tongue-tied. After some time, Satoru managed to exim, "So Shin lost to a mere clone?"


    Yumi looked at Rentaro and said, "Don''t underestimate him. He might not have any Kekkei Genkai, but his chakra isrger than yours. He didn''t even lose 10% of his chakra in this fight. And he is tactically sound as well. Be on your guard." Rentaro nodded with a grim expression.


    The experienced ninjas who were watching this fight were very impressed.


    Tsume, who was sitting in the stadium with her kids, thought, ''Very good. Even someone like me didn''t notice that he was just a clone.'' Kiba kept bugging her by asking how Fujin won, so she exined it to him. Hana also listened attentively.


    The judges also analyzed the fight. Ibiki said, "Impressive. He relied majorly on a rank D jutsu to force his opponent into using 2 rank B jutsus and exhaust his chakra."


    Genma nodded and said, "Yes, and his speed and precision are also very good. His opponent was forced into desperation multiple times."


    Raido added, "While his strategy was good, the fact that he can perform the Shadow Clone jutsu is also impressive."


    Ibiki replied, "Yes, and he is also very good at using it. His Shadow clone can be very useful for information gathering in missions. Also, he can use jutsus of 2 elements."


    Raido smiled and said, "And he could perform the Wind Explosion jutsu without any hand seals."


    Genma said, "I think he is ready to be promoted to Chunin. He is strong and good at tactics. All that remains to be seen is how he leads."


    Raido said, "What are your thoughts about his opponent? Though he lost, his Ice Hell jutsu was very strong. If used in the middle of a battlefield, it will cause a lot of damage."


    Ibiki had a different opinion. He said, "No, he didn''t show much control over it and used it in every direction. So it will hit both enemies and allies."


    Genma said, "Hard to say. His teammates can take cover in advance. That said, despite his jutsu being strong, he wasted it along with his chakra. I don''t think he is ready to be promoted."


    They kept discussing the fight and the pros and cons of both the genins.


    Hiruzen was also impressed with how easily Fujin won, ''Good win. He is a promising seedling.'' However he suddenly had another thought, ''If he wins this tournament, will he ask me for another reward? I still owe him two rewards!'' He sighed and thought, ''I should have made Homura pay for the rewards for making this suggestion.''

 Chapter 97: A Hyuga who doesnt use Gentle Fist?

    Fujin walked up the stairs, as many looked at him in awe and confusion. Fujin thought, ''Well, that went well. He pretty much lost it by exhausting his chakra by using 2 rank B jutsus. My clone could have easily dodged the Ice Dragon too. But seeing how exhausted he was, there was no need to. After all, that blue-eyed girl should have noticed me. So if I won with even my clone still fine, then my opponent would be extremely careful.''


    After entering the waiting room, Fujin sat next to Hoka and Mieko. Yumi and Sora were soon called and they went down. Inoichi soon announced, "The second battle starts now. BEGIN!"


    Sora immediately ran behind, while Yumi started with Water shuriken jutsu. He created a water wall to block her jutsu while retreating into the woods thinking, ''I can''t fight her in open fields. She is too dangerous.''


    Yumi followed him into the woods. They began fighting in the woods. Sora used the trees as a shield and cover to attack her, but Yumi managed to defend and counterattack every time. They maintained this deadlock for around 10 minutes.


    Fujin wondered, ''While he does fight well in the woods, he has no advantage. So why was he so quick in entering the woods?''


    After 10 minutes, Yumi finally managed tond a lethal hit. Her Water Bullet left a deep cut on Sora''s thigh. The wound made it harder for him to move.


    Yumi looked at him and said, "You are wounded, you can''t fight anymore." Sora gritted his teeth. Yumi red at him and said, "Give up, or it will be very painful for you!"


    Color drained off his face on hearing that. He gave up.


    Inoichi announced, "Second Match winner is Sakai Yumi!"


    Fujin observed the fight carefully and thought, ''Why was he so afraid?'' He looked at Hoka and concluded, ''I wonder how her fight with Hoka will go.''


    Hoka got up. Fujin said, "Good luck Hoka. Win quickly." Mieko also wished him luck.


    Before Satoru left, Kohaku reminded him once again to not get close to the Hyuga.


    While the next candidates were arriving on the ground, the judges discussed again. Ibikimented, "Both were good. However, Sora seemed to be afraid of her."


    Raido agreed, "Yes. And he seemed too impatient to run into the woods. As if he didn''t want to fight her in the open at all."


    Genma didn''tment and just made some notes.


    Hoka and Satoru arrived on the ground.


    Inoichi announced, "The Third match starts now. BEGIN!"


    Satoru immediately moved backwards while making hand signs. Hoka followed and made a few hand signs too.


    ''Water Shuriken Jutsu''


    ''Stone Shuriken Jutsu''


    Bothunched their jutsus simultaneously. Fujin and Mieko were surprised, ''Hoka started with Ninjutsu? Really?''


    Some water and stone shurikens shed. The stone shurikens went through the water shurikens dispersing them, but their momentum decreased. Hoka and Satoru dodged the remaining shurikens.


    Hoka immediately began closing distance, while Satoru once again moved back while making hand signs. Hoka sighed and made a hand sign too.


    Miekomented, "It looks like a game of tag." Fujin chuckled.


    ''Water Jet jutsu''


    ''Rock Shield jutsu''


    The water jet hit the rock shield but it couldn''t damage it. Water just bounced back from the rock.


    Satoru frowned. He made a few more hand signs, ''Water clone jutsu''


    3 Water clones appeared, and they began running towards the rock shield. Satoru wondered, ''Why is he hiding behind the rock instead of chasing me?''


    At that instant, he suddenly felt a pain in his left foot, he immediately jumped and looked down. Multiple Rock thorns had appeared under him, almost looking like a bed. Two of those thorns hit his foot, one of them making him bleed.


    Suddenly, the rock thornsunched themselves into the air at him. He panicked and immediately made hand signs to create a Water wall below him. But a few rock thorns hit him before the water wall was formed.


    Even after it was formed, a few still made it through and hit him. He slowly fell down out of the way of the rock thorns. Onnding, he winced. 8 Rock thorns had stabbed him. None were lethal, but they hurt a lot.


    His water clones were confused about what to do. However, they decided to attack Hoka. However, on reaching, they noticed that Hoka wasn''t behind the rock.


    As soon as Satorunded, 2 hands popped out of the ground and grabbed his legs. ''Headhunter jutsu''


    Immediately, he was buried underground, while Hoka appeared above the ground.


    Satoru yelled very loudly. As he was being pulled underground, the thorns on him hit the ground. 3 of those horns couldn''t go underground with him, which resulted in huge cuts before they were pushed out of his body.


    The pain made him lose control over his water clones and they turned into water. Hoka was about to ce 2 fingers in front of Satoru''s forehead and ask him to quit. However, the yell filled with agony made him stop.


    Inoichi immediately appeared and helped Satoru out of the ground. He had 3 six inch long cuts. One on his chest, one near his abdomen, and one on his back. And there were still 5 more rock thorns embedded in him. Medics quickly rushed to the ground and took him away.


    Inoichi announced, "Third Match winner is Hyuga Hoka!"


    The crowd, which was shocked by Satoru''s yells, began cheering once again. Yumi and Kohaku watched with grim faces. They looked at Hoka and thought, ''He used the Rock shield jutsu to block Satoru''s line of sight and went underground. From there, he used 2 jutsus to sneak attack and then dealt the final blow. During the 2nd phase, he barely used any ninjutsu. We underestimated him!''


    Fujin analyzed, ''Damn, never expected him to win with Ninjutsu. Stone Shuriken jutsu, Rock Shield jutsu, Rock Thorn Bed jutsu, Rock Thorn Launch jutsu and Headhunter jutsu. Winning against him might not be that easy anymore. That said, his speed of using jutsu isn''t as fast as mine or Mieko''s. He just used the fact that the opponent was distracted by having to maintain a distance from him.''


    The judges also analyzed. Ibiki said, "Very good performance. He won very quickly without wasting much chakra."


    Genma chuckled, "How long has it been since we saw a Hyuga fighting without using Gentle Fist?"


    Raido said, "He seems ready to be promoted to chunin. As for Satoru, he isn''t ready." Both Ibiki and Genma nodded.


    Hoka''s parents were proud of their son for winning so quickly. His father said, "Finally I managed to get him to use Ninjutsu!" Hoka''s mother nodded. She knew how difficult it was for him.


    Mieko stood up. Fujin looked at her and said, "Good luck." She nodded and went to the ground. Kohaku followed her while muttering to herself, "Don''t look into her eyes¡­"


    They both reached the center of the ground and faced each other. However, Kohaku never once looked at Mieko''s face.


    Inoichi announced, "The Fourth match starts now. BEGIN!"

 Chapter 98: Pay to Win Ninja!

    Mieko immediately activated her Sharingan and threw a few shurikens. However, at the same time, Kohaku threw a kunai with an explosion tag. Both Mieko and Kohaku moved backwards rapidly.


    Mieko frowned. She immediately ran around the smoke and ran towards her opponent.


    Having created distance, Kohaku immediately made a few hand signs. ''Hidden Mist jutsu''


    As Mieko moved forward, she noticed the Mist thickening. She immediately made a few hand signs. ''Fireball jutsu''


    A fireball headed towards Kohaku, but she used Water Wall jutsu to block it. The fire ended up evaporating a lot of the water, making the mist even denser. Soon, Kohaku disappeared from her sight.


    Mieko frowned again. Her Sharingan couldn''t see through the mist at all. She moved away from the area where the mist was the thickest while thinking, ''Tch, I could really use abination attack here.''


    The mist covered half of the ground, including the woods, while Mieko stayed away and thought about her next move.


    The judges were impressed by this move. Genma remarked, "Impressive. She made all preparations needed to deal with the Sharingan. Mieko will have a tough time fighting in the mist."


    The mist continued expanding. Mieko took out a scroll from her waist bag. She opened it and made a hand sign. Dozens of kunai with exploding tags attached began appearing from the scroll. She grabbed each and threw them all in the area where the mist was.


    Over a hundred exploding tags exploded inside the mist leaving everyone dumbfounded.


    The two Mist jounin were shocked, ''So wasteful!! Give us those if you are wasting a hundred on merely a chunin exam!''


    Fujin was stunned, ''Did she just use up over 75,000 Ryo? Spoilt brat!''


    Mieko''s parents got weird looks as well, but they ignored it.


    The explosions dispersed the mist. While it did create another smokescreen, Mieko''s Sharingan could see in it.


    Kido Kohaku couldn''t see Mieko throwing the Explosion tags. She was dumbfounded when one explosion after another began happening inside the mist. Two tags exploded close to her. One of them caused a few burns to her left forearm as she wasn''t fast enough to get away. The explosions also left her ears ringing.


    Mieko immediately moved through the smoke towards her opponent. Kohaku still hadn''t recovered from the shock or the pain.


    On reaching her, she quickly made a few hand signs and used Fireball jutsu from around 20 meters in front of her.


    Kohaku couldn''t see or hear Mieko, but she felt somethinging at her. She immediately made a few hand signs. While making the hand signs, she finally saw the Fireball moving rapidly towards her.


    As soon as the water wall began forming, she moved backwards. The Firewall hit the water wall and exploded. The thin film of water wasn''t enough to block the explosion. While moving backward she heard something and looked to her right. A few shurikens were flying at her.


    After using Fireball jutsu, Mieko flickered to Kohaku''s right side. The only way to dodge the shurikens was to jump, and Kohaku jumped intending to get on the branch of the tree behind her.


    Due to her jump, she barely managed to dodge the shuriken. However, she saw Mieko suddenly clenching her fist and pulling it back. Her eyes widened.


    Some of the shurikens were tied to metal wire. When Mieko pulled her hand back, those shurikens were pulled back. Two wires wrapped around Kohaku''s left leg, stopping her jump and making her fall down suddenly.


    Kohaku was about to fall on her face. She raised her hands in front of her by reflex, to soften the impact of the fall. However, at thest moment, Mieko pulled the wire towards herself. Due to this, Kohaku fell on both her hands and face and was dragged for a meter on the ground.


    It took her a couple of seconds to get up. Unfortunately, that was enough time for Mieko to step on her back and hold a kunai against her throat. She said, "You have lost. Give up."


    Kohaku unwillingly said, "I surrender."


    Inoichi announced, "The Fourth match winner is Uchiha Mieko."


    The spectators cheered loudly. Mieko smirked and left. The Kiri jounins frowned. They had lost all 3 fights against Konoha genins. The only winner they had from Kiri was Yumi, who fought against another Kiri genin.


    One of the jounin assured the other, "Don''t worry. Rentaro and Yumi should win the next matches. Then the Uchiha girl will have to fight them both to win the tournament." The other jounin nodded.


    Ibiki sighed, "I thought we would get to see the hidden mist assassination technique today."


    Genma chuckled, "At least she won."


    Raido nodded, "All of Renjiro''s students are strong. The chunin exam just seems to be a formality for them."


    Genma noted, "That Kiri kunoichi is good too. She came up with a good tactic to implement against the Sharingan."


    Ibiki rebuked him, "Unfortunately, she had no response to her counter. While the counter was overwhelming, such incidents often happen during missions. If she gets overwhelmed, then both she and her team will be dead."


    Neither Raido nor Genma countered him.


    In the waiting room, Hoka said, "She is as overbearing as usual." Fujin nodded, "The ground is a mess. Should be helpful for your Earth jutsus though." Hoka grinned and nodded.


    Rentaro looked at Fujin and got up. Fujin too stood up. Hoka seriously said, "Be careful, he looks strong." Fujin smirked and replied, "Don''t worry, I''ll win just as always."


    While Fujin said it softly, it was loud enough to be heard by everyone in the waiting room. Rentaro immediately lost his cool. He yelled, "Bastard, I''ll beat you up!"


    Fujin just smirked and ignored him thinking, ''Kids, so easy to rile up.'' He jumped down to the ground. Rentaro followed him.


    Seeing them heading to the ground, Genmamented, "This should be interesting. Among the nine genins, their chakra reserves are the highest."


    Raido nodded, "After hearing Tsume''s praises for him, I wonder how strong he is."


    After taking their positions, Inoichi announced, "Thest quarterfinal starts now, BEGIN!"

 Chapter 99: Wind Vs Water

    Immediately, Fujin threw a Wind Explosion jutsu at Rentaro. Rentaro muttered, "So predictable." He threw a kunai with an explosion tag attached.


    Both Rentaro and Fujin retreated. The explosion tag exploded, dispersing the Wind Explosion jutsu. While retreating, Rentaro released a massive amount of chakra. He made a few hand signs, ''Water Dragon jutsu''


    He expected Fujin to attack, but there was no attack. He wondered, ''What is he doing?''


    The Water Dragon formed while the smokescreen by the explosion dispersed.


    However, Rentaro could no longer see Fujin. He got worried, ''Did this bastard escape into the ground?'' He immediately looked in the waiting room at Yumi.


    As soon as Yumi noticed him looking at her, she looked at the woods. Rentaro followed her eyes and looked at the woods. He noticed Fujin standing casually on one of the branches. Before the match began, Rentaro had requested Yumi tomunicate to him where Fujin was if he hid underground or created a lot of clones. Yumi had agreed.


    Rentaro scowled, ''When did this bastard run over there? It''s fucking 100 meters away! I thought I was the one who needed to keep my distance from his sword. So why is he the one creating distance instead?''


    As soon as Fujin sensed Rentaro building up his chakra, Fujin flickered into the woods behind him. He looked at the Water Dragon, ''Hoh, 10 meters long Water Dragon. Pretty impressive size for a Water Dragon jutsu. Looks like he poured 5% of his chakra into it. I kinda hoped he put more due to being riled up.''


    Rentaro controlled the Water Dragon to fly towards Fujin. Its size began shrinking due to having to move such a long distance. Fujin raised his right hand and began making a giant Wind Explosion sphere. He smirked, ''Oh well, time to rile him even more. Hopefully, he''ll use an even bigger jutsu.''


    He threw the giant Wind Explosion sphere at the Water Dragon''s mouth. It exploded on impact, and the winds generated were enough to neutralize the jutsu.


    Ibiki smiled on seeing this, "Impressive. Neutralizing a rank B jutsu with a rank D jutsu, while disturbing his opponent''s mental state."


    As Ibiki said, Rentaro looked very annoyed. Immediately, a massive chakra could be sensed from him by even ordinary people. Hoka and Mieko activated their doujutsus to watch Rentaro. Fujin smirked, ''Hehe. Just as I thought.''


    However, unlike what Fujin and most others thought, Rentaro hadn''t lost his reasoning. He analyzed, ''I practiced the whole month on how to engage you from a distance. Since you have voluntarily created distance, I don''t have to worry about your sword.''


    Rentaro made a few hand signs. ''Water Release : Raging River Flood jutsu!''


    A massive amount of water appeared in front of him, rising to 20 meters in the air! All the Konoha ninjas were shocked! Genmamented, "That''s a rank A jutsus! Is he just a genin?"


    Fujin was surprised as well. He wondered, ''Who exactly is this guy? Did Kisame have a son?''


    The water moved towards Fujin at a rapid speed. Anyone who saw it would feel like a Tsunami is approaching. The wave was around 15 meters in height, and it was wide enough to cover all the trees inside the arena.


    Four kunai appeared in Fujin''s hands. At the same time, he began building up chakra. He threw the four kunai at equal distances from each other. They hit the wave 5 meters from the ground and exploded.


    The explosions broke the momentum of the wave. But it still kept approaching Fujin.


    Fujin made a hand sign while pretending that he needed to make a hand sign.


    ''Wind Release : Great Breakthrough jutsu''


    Fujin supercharged his jutsu with 3% of his maximum chakra. It created massive and incredibly strong winds. They halted the wave and even reversed its flow to an extent. The winds also carried some water into the stands, providing most of the audience with a free cold water bath. Some of the audience got very annoyed and began yelling. While the rest were yelling in excitement about seeing such huge jutsus.


    Most of the chunins and jounins from Konoha were left tongue-tied at how such a massive jutsu was used and how easily it was defended against. Renjiro smiled on seeing Fujin''s performance.


    Rentaro, who was moving through the water intending to catch Fujin by surprise suddenly stopped. He was shocked, ''I expected that the jutsu wouldn''t harm him, but I never even considered that he would put a stop to it! The water didn''t make it into those trees at all!''


    Rentaro stayed in the water until the winds died down. He was frowning and calcting how to attack further. He had used up over a third of his chakra but didn''t manage to even touch his opponent. While thinking, he was on high alert in case Fujin tried any sneak attack.


    Fujin noticed Rentaro moving ahead through the water. His chakra was very easy to notice. He focused on his location thinking, ''Attacking him with all the water around him will be difficult. But his momentum has been destroyed. Should I attack and build my momentum? Or should I just waste time and wait for his chakra to run out?''


    Fujin thought while he waited for his attack to die down. Perhaps, if it was before he spent the month doingbat drills with Renjiro, Fujin would have chosen thetter without giving it much thought. However, Renjiro had sessfully managed to change the way Fujin thought and fought over the month. He couldn''t change his careful nature but Fujin now had learnt many ways to attack while still ensuring safety. More importantly, his confidence was built by fighting against an Elite Jounin for a month!


    Fujin made a hand sign and began supercharging his jutsu. As soon as the winds began dying down, Fujin flickered! He appeared ten meters above Rentaro. Water in this area was up to 4 meters above the ground level. Rentaro was in the center of it. Renjiro smiled when he saw Fujin pressing on his attack.


    As soon as Fujin flickered over his head, Rentaro noticed. He also saw the hand sign Fujin had made. He yelled, "CRAP!!!" Fujin instantly breathed out an even stronger Great Breakthrough jutsu.


    Rentaro waved his arms. The water around him gathered on top of him acting as a shield. His thoughts ran as quickly as Lightning, ''I can''t dodge this! If I leave the protection of water, I''ll be taking the full force of this attack!''


    The winds easily broke into the water. The majority of the water began flying away. Inoichi, who was observing, suddenly got alert. He yelled, "Fujin, hold back!"


    He made hand signs while moving ahead. However, he was too slow!


    The supercharged great breakthrough jutsu hit Rentaro head-on! He quickly made a hand sign just before the jutsu hit him.


    The crowd watched in horror as Rentaro was split into many small pieces! Many yelled in terror! Some vomited, while a few even lost consciousness. Fujin''s eyes widened as well.


    [A/N : Mass release on Sunday. Keep the stones rolling in.]

 Chapter 100: Anti-Climatic

    Due to using such a powerful jutsu, Fujin flew backwards, in the air, for a few minutes. From this view, he got a perfect view of what was happening. He saw as the wind cut Rentaro into pieces with ease.


    Fujin''s eyes widened before sensing something was wrong, ''There''s no blood! And the winds cut through him a bit too easily. As if there was no solid obstruction at all! Was it a water clone? But when did he make one?''


    The judges and many ninjas were shocked as well. Fujin flickering and using such a strong jutsu so quickly wasn''t something a genin should be able to do. In fact, even among chunins, only a few could replicate this.


    As everyone was thinking, Rentaro''s body pieces dissolved into water.


    Fujin was continuously sensing chakra as he was thinking. He suddenly realized, ''The chakra was distributed among his body pieces. And now all that chakra is in the water that he dissolved into. What jutsu is this?''


    Fujin created some distance as he was thinking. The crowd calmed down on seeing the body waters transform into water.


    Suddenly, the water began gathering together, and Rentaro''s body began forming. Fujin squinted his eyes and threw an explosion tag attached to a kunai right at the center.


    He and many ninjas realized, ''Hydrification technique of the Hozuki n!'' The Kiri jounins breathed in relief on seeing Rentaro use this jutsu in the nick of time.


    Fujin wondered, ''Isn''t this the Kekkei Genkai of the Hozuki n? How did he get it? Was someone from his family from the Hozuki n or is he using a fake family name?''


    [A/N : It''s not a Kekkei Genkai. It''s a secret technique of the Hozuki n. Simr to the Nara, Yamanaka, and Akimichi ns. That said, Kabuto did use Suigetsu''s cells or DNA to get ess to this technique. So it is sort of in a gray area.]


    Genma noted, "First an Ice Kekkei Genkai. Now the Hydrification secret jutsu. The Kiri genins are strong."


    Raido agreed and pointed out, "Yes, but Fujin is very strong too. He forced him into using it."


    Ibiki observed Rentaro putting his body together and stated, "He isn''t proficient with this jutsu. The body is reforming too slowly."


    The Kiri genins got excited about seeing Rentaro use this jutsu. Sora said excitedly, "In this form Rentaro is invincible. That Konoha genin will lose badly!"


    Mieko and Hoka also observed this carefully. Especially Mieko who might have to fight him if Fujin loses.


    As Rentaro''s body was reforming, the Explosion tag reached it and exploded, dispersing the water again. However, soon it began reforming once again.


    Fujin grabbed another kunai with an explosion tag and wondered, ''Isn''t his speed too slow? If I recall correctly, Suigetsu was able to liquefy some parts of his body and not be helpless unless a Lightning jutsu was used.''


    He threw the kunai, and it dispersed once again. The process was repeated three more times.


    The ninjas, who knew about the Hydrification technique and were excited to see it in action, were dumbfounded. Especially the Kiri jounins and genins. They saw one of their strongest secret jutsu be dismantled by cheap explosion tags!


    Of course, if Rentaro was stronger or had better control over this secret technique, then the Hydrification technique wouldn''t be neutralized so easily. However, this fact didn''t reduce their humiliation.


    Mieko looked at Sora and asked, "Is this what you call invincible in your vige?" Sora''s face went red with shame. He wanted to rebuke, but no words left his mouth.


    Fujin threw the 7th Explosion tag. At that time, Rentaro''s jounin sensei jumped into the arena. Fujin noticed his chakra and immediately flickered into the woods.


    The Kiri jounin appeared in front of Rentaro and deflected the kunai. He said, "We give up this fight."


    The ninjas looked at the arena with disappointment.


    Inoichi announced the result of the match.


    Ibiki sighed, "First Hidden Mist Assassination technique and now Hydrification technique. Both were dismantled through Explosion tags. What a disappointment."


    Raido nodded and said, "Yes. We need to ban the use of Explosion tags. Especially in the finals."


    Genma agreed, "While it''s true that they are one of the ninjas'' important tools, this is just disappointing."


    Fujin and Mieko would never think that their fights would result in explosion tags getting banned from the final tournament!


    Rentaro''s body finally managed to reform without any further disturbance. As soon as it reformed, he fell unconscious! His sensei immediately grabbed him, preventing the fall. Soon, his clothes were dyed red with his blood. The medical ninja quickly moved and treated him.


    Fujin saw and wondered, ''Can someone using Hydrification techniques can still be harmed with Explosion tags? Or is it just because he is a noob at this technique?''


    The Kiri jounin sighed looking at his student, ''The Hydrification technique puts a huge strain on his chakra. Despite his huge chakra, he can only maintain it for a short while. If this had continued, he might have died due to chakra exhaustion!''


    The medics healed Rentaro in the arena, before carrying him away. The wounds on him weren''t an issue as they healed easily. The main issue was chakra exhaustion.


    Fujin left the arena thinking, ''Well, this was anti-climactic. He trapped himself by using a jutsu he couldn''t use properly. I was expecting a close fight.''


    Fujin''s sentiment was shared by all the Jounins and most chunins in the seating area. The end to the fight was just too anti-climactic.


    Genma looked at Fujin andmented, "He is getting promoted to Chunin." Ibiki and Raido nodded. Though his opponent gave him a couple of openings, Fujin grabbed them both and took full advantage of them. His performance was very good.


    While Fujin was walking up the stairs, two shady-looking men in ck suits blocked his path. Fujin looked at them.


    One of the men said in a deep voice, "You have to lose the next match to Uchiha Mieko."


    Fujin''s eyes twitched. He asked, "I do? Why?" At the same time, he wondered, ''Do these jokers threaten genins every tournament?''


    He replied, "Our boss has made huge bets on the Uchiha kid. If you win, he will lose all his money. So you have to give up the fight, or we will make you regret it."


    Fujin ignored the threat and asked, "How much money did your boss bet?"


    The two men were shocked by the question. They had done this a few times, but for the first time, they were asked such a question.


    The second man asked, "Why do you want to know?"


    Fujin gave him a deadpan look and said, "You two don''t even know what your boss has bet, and still came here to threaten me?"


    Hearing Fujin''s tone angered them. But they controlled it as Fujin seemed reasonable.


    The first man replied, "He bet 20 million Ryo on the Uchiha girl."


    Fujin thought for a moment and said, "I see." He looked at them and said, "Give me 4 million Ryo and I''ll give up the fight."


    This left them both tongue-tied. Both cursed him. The second man said, "Asshole! You think a brat like you can take money from us?"


    Fujin replied in a neutral voice, "If I win, your boss would lose 20 million Ryo. I''m not even asking for half. Do you think your boss will let you go if I win?"


    This pushed them over the line. Both immediately grabbed their kunai and threatened Fujin.


    "If you don''t agree, then we will make you incapable of fighting in the tournament!"


    "We were ninjas in the Land of Grass. A brat like you is easy prey for us."


    Fujin sighed and said, "Alright, I''ll give up the fight."


    This made them rx. They put their kunais back while smirking and saying, "Finally you realize your ¡­"


    However, at that instant, winds flew. Both the men had their throats cut. Many cuts appeared on their bodies. They dropped their kunai. They were about to scream when Fujin grabbed their faces and mmed their head on the stairs. They both lost consciousness.


    Fujin bent down and began checking their clothes while muttering, "How do idiots like them exist? Didn''t they see my two matches?"


    He grabbed both their wallets. There were 80 thousand Ryo in them. There were also a couple of scrolls on them. He took them all and put them into his own scrolls.


    Fujin left the stairs and looked around. He noticed an Uchiha police officer and an Anbu in the stand. He thought, ''So whom to report to?''


    After a few seconds, he decided to report to the Anbu analyzing, ''Those 2 attacked me so that Mieko would win. While I don''t think they would go easy on them for that reason, it is a possibility. If he has sharingans, then he could make them spill all the beans, and if they tell about how much money they had, it''s possible that the Uchiha might ask me about it. As for the Anbu, I doubt they would be so focused on what they had and instead focus more on the act. Even if they do, it''ll be a long time. And those thugs would assume that the anbu confiscated their belongings.''


    Having decided, Fujin flickered in front of him. The Anbu ninja was surprised to see Fujin.


    Fujin waved his hands and said, "Hello Anbu-san. A couple of former ninjas from the Land of Grass attacked me on the stairs and were injured. Can you check on them and take the necessary actions?"


    The Anbu ninja was surprised. He asked, "Why did they attack you?" Fujin replied, "Not sure, but they were talking about their boss cing some bets."


    The Anbu ninja understood and nodded. He said, "Good work. I''ll apprehend them." He flickered. He would arrest those 2, and send them to the T&I department to torture them till they confessed who their boss was. Once they confessed, they were tortured even more for their crime. Their boss was arrested as well and all his businesses were seized by Konoha.


    Fujin, unaware of the tragedy his self-defense caused, went back into the waiting room. There was a half an hour''s break before the Semifinals began. Hoka, Fujin and Mieko meditated. Yumi was a bit tense. She thought, ''We started this tournament with 6 Kiri ninjas and only 3 from Konoha. Now all 5 from our vige except me have lost!''

 Chapter 101: The Fourth Kekkei Genkai!

    After the break, Hoka and Yumi were called down.


    Both took their stances. Hoka activated his Byakugan, while Yumi''s eyes began glowing. Having seen all herrades getting hit by sneak attacks, she would focus her chakra in her eyes and see chakra in the entire fight.


    The Kiri jounins watched nervously. If they lost even this fight, then they would have lost all the fights against Konoha. It would be a huge blow to their reputation.


    Inoichi announced, "The first semi-final starts now, BEGIN!"


    As soon as he announced, Hoka rushed forward while making hand signs. Yumi retreated while making hand signs as well.


    ''Stone Shuriken jutsu''


    ''Water Wall jutsu''


    The stone shurikens were blocked by the water wall. As soon as the stone shuriken jutsu ended, Yumi made a few more hand signs. The water wall transformed into water shurikens and rained at Hoka''s position.


    Hoka made a hand seal and mmed his hands on the ground. ''Rock Shield jutsu''


    The Rock shield blocked all the water shurikens heading towards him. While the Rock shield was blocking, Hoka went underground to sneak attack Yumi.


    However, with his Byakugan, he saw that Yumi was staring at his exact position underground. He frowned, ''I won''t be able to sneak attack her if her eyes keep seeing my chakra!''


    After a moment of hesitation, Hoka decided to attack. He made a few hand signs.


    ''Rock Thorn Bed jutsu''


    Yumi, having seen him underground, was on guard. She quickly moved away.


    Using Rock Thorn Launch jutsu would be pointless. So Hoka used more Rock Thorn bed jutsus. He used them 12 times consecutively. And even used Rock Thorn Launch jutsu once to block her retreat.


    Seeing her dodging without being able to counterattack, Hoka smirked. ''Great, 2 more and she will be in range!''


    Yumi, while dodging consistently thought, ''He is trying to get me closer to his position. He must be nning to use Hyuga Taijutsu on me.''


    Hoka used Rock thorn bed jutsu once again, but Yumi dodged in a manner that he didn''t predict. He frowned and used 3 more, and finally had Yumi where he wanted.


    He grinned and came out of the underground. He was just a few meters from her!


    ''Eight Trigrams : Sixteen Palms''


    At the same time, Yumi made a few quick hand signs. Hoka saw them but still proceeded. He released some chakra from his right palm thinking, ''I''ll block her water jutsu with my right hand and keep attacking her.''


    Unfortunately, his ns were made on the wrong assumption.


    Having prepared her jutsu, Yumi blew out steam towards Hoka.


    ''Steam Release : Scalding Hot Steam!''


    Hot steam appeared in front of Hoka and enveloped him. His right palm was protected by chakra. But the rest of his arm, and soon his body came in contact with very hot steam. His entire body was scalded! Even his eyes were hurt!


    Hoka yelled in pain, causing him to stop his attack. However, he gritted his teeth and fought through the pain to move forward and attack her. However, he saw a kunai with an explosion tag heading towards him.


    Yumi snorted internally andmented, ''We may be at war, but you are not the only ones with explosion tags!''


    The steam release once again surprised the audience. Fujin and Mieko were surprised too. Fujin wondered, ''Steam release¡­ Is she rted to Mei somehow?''


    He looked at Hoka and thought, ''Hoka will have it tough. With the Steam release, she can ensure that Hoka won''t be able to fight in close range at all. And he can''t sneak attack her thanks to her eyes. So it''ll be a long-range ninjutsu fight, and ninjutsu isn''t Hoka''s strength despite the improvements.''


    Hoka quickly moved sideways and barely escaped the explosion. However, the explosion tossed dust into his burned body, causing him even more pain.


    As soon as he moved, Yumi appeared next to him and blew more hot steam on him. Hoka flickered backwards while making a hand sign. He mmed his hand on the ground.


    All the Rock Thorns in the area getunched. Most areunched in the air, but a few getunched on Yumi. She quickly made hand signs, ''Water Armor jutsu''.


    Water armor appeared around her, which blocked all the rock thorns heading towards her.


    Hoka waited for the jutsu to end, and flickered behind her as soon as thest Rock thorn hit her armor. He ced a hand on her water armor and released chakra through his palm.


    A hole appeared in the armor. He attempted to use gentle fist through that hole, but Yumi just abandoned the Water Armor and moved in the opposite direction.


    Hoka followed her, but she once again blew hot steam on him.


    Having expected it, he moved away. But the steam still burned him more.


    Both finally moved away from each other observing their opponent.


    Yumi stood still. Her breathing was slightly heavy but steady. She was entirely focused on Hoka, keeping an eye for any tricks he might pull.


    Hoka, on the other hand, was breathing very heavily. His chakra was almost empty due to having used so many jutsus. He had mild burns all over his body, making movement increasingly difficult.


    Fujin looked at Yumi, ''She''s strong. I underestimated her. Luckily her steam release won''t be effective against me.''


    Ibikimented, "Hoka fought well. Unfortunately, his opponent is doing well to keep him away."


    Genma agreed, "His Rock Thorn trap was good. Forced his opponent who kept running away in closebat. If not for the Steam release, he could have won."


    Raido stated, "His opponent is very good too. Be it the previous, or this battle. She is very calm and stable. She will be a reliable team leader."


    Ibiki and Genma both agreed. Yumi''s performance wasn''t shy like Mieko, Fujin, Hoka, Rentaro, or Shin, but it was very stable and level-headed.


    Hoka thought, ''I have just one more chance. Then I won''t have chakra even for Gentle fist!''


    He flickered towards Yumi. Yumi responded by releasing steam in front of her. However, Hoka flickered to spot 5 meters in front of Yumi, instead of next to her. Instead of running at her, he made a few hand signs and mmed his hands on the ground.


    ''Stone spear jutsu''


    As soon as Hoka mmed his hands on the ground, Yumi moved backwards. A few Stone spears appeared from the ground. However, she had already moved from the range.


    Hoka used this time to flicker twice! He arrived right next to her, surprising Yumi! He gathered all his remaining chakra in his right hand and attacked her, nning to knock her out in one blow.


    However, Yumi blocked his forearm, not allowing the attack to hit her. She followed it with a kick to Hoka''s stomach, sending him flying back for a dozen meters.


    Hoka rolled on the ground for a few meters and fell unconscious. The chakra exhaustion and burns meant that he couldn''t stay conscious any longer.


    Inoichi announced, "Winner of the First Semifinal is Sakai Yumi!"


    Medics quickly came and took Hoka for treatment. The crowd cheered due to how intense this fight was. But the cheering was less as the winner wasn''t from Konoha. There were also many sighing in the crowd, as they had bet on Hoka.


    Yumi walked towards the waiting room while breathing slightly heavily, ''He was strong. I used up more than half my chakra in the fight! I won''t be able to use my Steam release a lot in the finals. I hope Mieko and Fujin exhaust each other, otherwise, I''ll be at a disadvantage.''

 Chapter 102: Lightning Explosion Rain Barrage!

    After Hoka was taken away, Mieko and Fujin looked at each other. Mieko warned, "Fujin, if you keep hiding behind your clones, I''ll blow up the whole Arena to make you fight me."


    Fujin chucked and replied, "Good luck with that." Mieko was annoyed but didn''t retort anymore.


    They both entered the arena and stood opposite each other. Fujin didn''t look at Mieko''s face for obvious reasons.


    While waiting for Inoichi to announce, Fujin calcted, ''The half-hour break was good. Thest two fights cost me around 28% of my chakra. I recovered my chakra up to 80%.


    As for Mieko, though she had only one fight, she did use quite a few Fireballs. So even she only has around 80% of chakra left even after the break.


    As for Yumi, her reserves dropped to less than 40%. So unless my and Mieko''s fight goes on for hours, she won''t recover much.


    Considering that my maximum reserves are more than double of these two, I should be fine as long as I end this fight with over 30% of my chakra still remaining.''


    As he was calcting, Inoichi announced, "The second semi-final starts now, BEGIN!"


    As usual, Fujin began the fight with a Wind Explosion jutsu thrown at the very instant Inoichi announced the start of the fight.


    Expecting it, Mieko flickered to get out of the way. And then flickered again to attack Fujin.


    Instead of engaging her, Fujin flickered into the woods. Mieko followed him. Fujin kept flickering among the woods to create distance from Mieko, while Mieko kept following him with her Sharingan. So both just kept flickering.


    The stadium was very confused and awed. Soon after Inoichi announced the match, they saw Fujin throwing a wind sphere that exploded. And at the same time, both Mieko and Fujin disappeared!


    Raido eximed, "So fast!"


    Many chunins in the audience were having difficulties keeping a track of Fujin and Mieko.


    After flickering a dozen times, Fujin thought, ''Her flickering speed has improved. Not enough to match me though. I guess she can barely keep a track of me due to her Sharingan.''


    Mieko frowned, ''Is he nning to exhaust my chakra by making me flicker so many times?''


    Fujin indeed had that thought, ''Should I just keep flickering until she runs out of chakra? I''m better than her at using Body Flicker, meaning that I need less chakra. And despite having to fight twice, my chakra reserve is still higher than hers. So I should have enough chakra left for the final. That said, I don''t think she''ll act that dumb.''


    After analyzing, Fujin concluded that Mieko won''t keep chasing him for long. So instead of giving her the initiative, Fujin decided to change tactics. He smirked, ''Let''s try that tactic. I could sense that even Renjiro was annoyed by it! Knowing Mieko, she''ll be fuming in no time. Haha''


    He created a Wind clone while


    flickering. The Wind clone stayed in his position and prepared two Wind Explosion jutsus. As soon as Mieko appeared, he threw them at her.


    Mieko scowled as she dodged. She threw a few shurikens at the clone. The clone noticed wires attached to the shurikens. He smirked and flickered away. Mieko scowled even more, ''This bastard is infuriating me even more!''


    She ignored the clone and flickered towards Fujin. However, this time she was blocked by four Wind clones!


    All four clones surrounded her and threw Wind Explosion jutsus on her. She dodged them, but still got a few small cuts. She tried attacking them, but they flickered away as well.


    She was about to curse Fujin and begin the chase once more when one clone ran diagonally in front of her and tossed another Wind Explosion jutsu on her.


    She dodged and made hand signs. ''Fireball jutsu!''


    However, she looked dumbfounded as her fireball jutsu hit nothing but trees. The clone was long gone.


    Fujin, who was on the other side of the mini-forest, smirked, ''Hehe, I''ll show you how annoying hit-and-run tactics can be. I developed this tactic while fighting Renjiro to get some respite from non-stop beatings! Granted the principle is based on the gueri warfare and hit & run tactics by mobile army units from my previous life, but that tacticbined with Ninja''s speed and uracy can be so deadly and annoying.''


    For the next couple of minutes, Mieko was continuously harassed by Fujin''s wind clones. Forget Fujin, she couldn''t even chase his wind clones! Nor could she use any big jutsu as every time she built up her chakra, the clones would interrupt her. And this was achieved with just seven clones!


    Fujin observed Mieko from a long distance, while constantly disrupting his chakra, in case Mieko had learnt any non-Sharingan based Genjutsu. Mieko now had multiple cuts on her body, though none were fatal.


    Fujin thought, ''She lookspletely annoyed now. I wonder what she will do when her fuse finally short-circuits.''


    Mieko, who had enough of Fujin''s tricks, yelled, "FUJIN! Fight me like a man! Stop hiding behind your clones and show some guts!"


    Fujin was amused. So were the judges. Ibikimented, "While she is strong enough to be a chunin, her maturity leaves a lot to be desired."


    Genma chuckled and replied, "True. But the tactic she is facing seems to have deliberately been made to annoy her."


    Seeing Fujin ignore her pissed Mieko even further! She yelled, "Asshole! I warned you!"


    As she yelled, she took out a scroll. Fujin and his clones got on guard, ''Herst scroll had more than 100 Explosion tags! What does she have now?''


    She opened the scroll andid it on the ground. She began building up her chakra. At that instant, two Wind clones appeared. Mieko quickly grabbed 2 kunai with explosion tags, ''I knew it!''


    However, instead of throwing Wind Explosion jutsu on her, both clones made a hand sign.


    ''Great Breakthrough jutsu''


    Mieko immediately realized that this was bad! She flickered out of the woods into the open arena.


    As soon as she was out, she could see her previous position being ravaged by strong winds. She was about to use the scroll when she noticed something. Fujin was building up his chakra!


    When Fujin saw Mieko leaving the forest, he was already building his chakra up. He analyzed, ''Should I hit her with a big one too? No, she''ll escape underground and all I''ll get is some time. I need to learn Stone Spear jutsu and learn to hit underground enemies with it from a long distance.''


    He still kept building his chakra up to counter what she was nning. Mieko began exerting a lot of chakra! The spectators could see blue chakra flowing around her. A couple of Fujin''s clones flickered close to her as well. But they noticed that Mieko''s scroll had blood on it.


    Fujin''s clones thought, ''Why''s there blood on the scroll? Wait, did she put it there when flickering? And, what exactly is in that scroll that she needs to use her blood and so much chakra?''


    Mieko ignored Fujin''s clones and mmed her right hand on the scroll, sending her chakra into it. Fujin, who was observing from the woods, was shocked, ''Her chakra dropped by more than half!''


    The clones ignored her actions andunched Wind Explosion jutsus on her, but she threw the kunais with explosion tags at them to disperse the jutsu.


    While this exchange took ce, Fujin, his clones that were in the woods, the judges, and the spectators were all shocked! There were 250 kunais with explosion tags summoned above the arena! And they all seemed to have electricity flowing through them!


    Hiruzen''s eye twitched, ''The Lighting Explosion Rain Barrage jutsu of Uchiha n! Do they need to use it in the Chunin exam?''


    Fujin was shocked, ''What the heck is this? And why do those kunai look like they have been charged with Lightning chakra? Mieko doesn''t have an affinity to Lightning nature.''


    Mieko quickly made a few hand signs while dodging Fujin''s clones.


    ''Lightning Explosion Rain Barrage jutsu!''


    Expecting the kunais to rain down on him, Fujin looked up and made a hand sign.


    ''Great Breakthrough jutsu''


    This jutsu was supercharged with 10% of his chakra. Very strong winds were generated. At the same time, the kunais began raining down at a very fast speed!


    Many kunai were knocked off course slightly. But many managed to pierce into the Great Breakthrough jutsu and maintain their course!


    Fujin had expected it. So he had already created a hand sign and went underground.


    As soon as Fujin went underground, three wind clones appeared above him. They all made a hand sign.


    ''Spinning Shield of Wind jutsu!''


    A tripleyered defense with Spinning Shield of Wind jutsu appeared above them. Meanwhile, Fujin kept going underground, to a depth of 50 meters.


    The kunais rained down on the arena. Fujin''s wind clones, who were engaging Mieko, couldn''t dodge and were hit by the explosions. They were dispelled.


    The remaining three clones managed to block a dozen kunais before one managed to pierce through their tripleyered defense and exploded. All three were dispelled. However, they had done their job by ensuring that no kunai went underground.


    The other parts of the arena didn''t have any protection. So the kunais kept falling. Since they were charged with Lightning, they managed to pierce a few meters into the ground, before exploding.


    When the barrage had ended, the entire ground of the arena was overturned! Not a single tree remained! Dust covered the entire arena.


    [A/N : Hundredth chapter!]

 Chapter 103: Yet Another Win...

    The civilian spectators were shocked. They looked in fear and awe. Terror can be seen on their faces. The Daimyos were shocked too. Their faces were pale on imagining being on the receiving end of this jutsu!


    Some of the new ninjas were shocked as well. But the ones who had fought in the 3rd Great Ninja War weren''t shocked by the jutsu. However, they were surprised to see a 10 year old genin be able to do this jutsu.


    Yumi and a couple of Mist genins in the waiting room were shocked! They looked at the arena with horror on their faces! They quickly thanked whichever gods they prayed to for not being on the receiving end of this jutsu!


    Fujin noticed the destruction and thought, ''Oh, it''s not that bad. Those lightning-charged kunais kinda freaked me out. I thought they would pierce deep into the ground, making even the underground unsafe.


    I suppose someone charged the kunais with Lightning release and sealed them up. And Mieko only summoned and used them. Tsk, the Uchiha n is crazy rich! Spending over 300 thousand Ryo on a pointless Chunin exam match!''


    As the attack was over, he left the underground and returned to the surface.


    Mieko was breathing very heavily! The jutsu had dropped her chakra to under 20%. She noticed Fujin leaving the underground and grinned, ''Let''s see where you hide now!''


    She flickered under the cover of dust and used Fireball jutsu. Fujin sensed hering and flickered to dodge the jutsu.


    The crowd, which was still in shock, was again surprised by another explosion sound. Soon, sounds of kunai shing could be heard in the arena. But due to the dust, they couldn''t see what exactly was happening. Only the Sharingan and Byakugan wielders were able to see what was happening. Inoichi was concerned as he couldn''t see exactly what was happening.


    In the arena, after dodging her Fireball, Fujin created a shadow clone to confront Mieko. His clone took the lead in engaging her, while he provided support. Mieko was breathing very heavily due to chakra exhaustion.


    Fujin''s clone sighed and said while shing with Mieko with kunai, "You barely have 10% of your chakra left. Just give up. Even if you somehow win, you can''t fight in the final."


    Mieko scowled and yelled, "As if I''ll give up without engaging your main body at all!" While she yelled arrogantly, she was hoping, ''Just one look in the eye and I can turn this around!''


    Fujin knew that she was still banking on her Sharingan Genjutsu.


    His clone replied, "Give up trying to cast Sharingan Genjutsu on me. I''ll never fall for it. Not to mention, I still haven''t drawn my sword. If I use it, you won''tst a second"


    Mieko frowned upon hearing that. The scene of Fujin swinging his sword and ughtering 2 waves of bandits was still fresh in her mind! However, she concluded, ''He won''t use his sword here. It''s too lethal. Otherwise, he would have already used it.''


    She snorted and kept attacking. Fujin and his clone sighed realizing that she didn''t take the bluff. Her analysis was on point. Fujin had no way to ensure that she wouldn''t die if he used his sword.


    He then looked at Mieko and decided, ''Oh well, time to get rough.'' He immediately built his chakra up. Unlike Mieko, Fujin still had more than half his chakra. Mieko immediately became alert when she saw Fujin build his chakra.


    She wanted to attack him, but his clone blocked her. Suddenly, after blocking her, Fujin''s clone grabbed her right arm. Mieko tried to break free, but all her attacks were blocked perfectly by Fujin''s clone.


    At that moment, Fujin appeared behind his clone.


    ''Great Breakthrough jutsu''


    Mieko''s eyes widened as she realized that Fujin was hitting both his clone and her. Unfortunately, she didn''t have time to do anything.


    Fujin''s clone was dispelled immediately. The jutsu hit Mieko with full force. She was sent flying into the arena''s wall! She crashed into the wall and fell unconscious.


    Fujin''s jutsu also cleared the dust off the arena. Unfortunately for the spectators, a lot of dust was sent into the sitting area. Many immediately began coughing and covering their eyes, nose, and mouth.


    A few ninjas knowing Wind jutsus stood up and began clearing the dust from the sitting area. While the dust was being cleared, medical nins appeared and took Mieko away.


    Inoichi waited for the dust to clear and then announced, "Winner of the second Semifinal is Suzuki Fujin!"


    The crowd cheered a bit. The cheering was dulled due to a couple of reasons. For starters, the crowd was very annoyed with the dust storm they just had to suffer. And most of the crowd had ced their bets on Mieko.


    Fujin left the arena and went into the waiting room. As he entered, Yumi looked at him with aplicated expression.


    She thought, ''His opponent was so strong, and yet he won with such ease! Even I would have probably lost against the Uchiha girl. Even the fights against Rentaro and Shin would have been challenging for me.


    Yet, not only did he win all three fights, he did it without taking any wounds. And he still has enough chakra to match me at my full strength.''


    She sighed realizing that the final was a lost cause. Unlike the other genins fighting there, she was being raised to be a capable team leader. While she still had her pride, she could analyze ande to proper conclusions aspared to her peers.


    Just like Yumi, experienced ninjas in the crowd also took note of Fujin.


    Hiruzen smiled, ''Brilliant. Renjiro wasn''t mistaken. And he fought without using his sword or the Senju Taijutsu style.


    Ignoring those two skills and chakra reserves, he isn''t much stronger than Mieko. But the result he produced due to his tactics is remarkable. If he bes an Elite Jounin, Konoha will gain another capable ninja.''


    The judges were impressed as well. Genmamented, "Despite the destruction, Fujin won with rather ease. He knows when to retreat and attack. His usage of clones is very impressive as well."


    Raido nodded, "In all 3 fights, Fujin has tactically outyed his opponents. Though Mieko is strong as well, shecks in this department."


    Ibiki added, "Yes. But it''s likely that a lot of what Mieko said was just her trying to make things easier for her. After all, for those with Sharingan, one look is enough to decide the battle.


    Unfortunately for her, Fujin has very good self-control to not respond to any taunting and to not drop his guard even when winning. So despite Lightning Explosion Barrage Rain jutsu, she never got any opportunity to suppress Fujin."


    The judges discussed the fight more. The finals would happen after half an hour. So some of the spectators began cleaning themselves up, crowding the public bathrooms.


    The break was an opportunity for stall owners to sell their merchandise or food items. Unfortunately, those items now had a lot of dust on them. So quite a lot of merchandise and food was spoiled. Only packaged items or the ones kept in airtight containers were safe. So Mieko and Fujin were cursed secretly by all the stall owners!


    During the break, a few ninjas used Earth release jutsus to fix the ground. Making the genins fight in apletely ruined arena would put Konoha in a bad light. More importantly, knowing Fujin''s Great Breakthrough jutsu, they expected him to justunch the soil into the stands.


    After half an hour, Fujin and Yumi were called down to the arena.

 Chapter 104: The Most Epic Battle Ever!

    The crowds cheered loudly. The semifinals were thrilling. They expected even more from the finals.


    The ninjas however didn''t expect much. They expected both the genins to have less than half chakra. It would be unlikely for Yumi to surprise them anymore, while Fujin hadn''t used anything fancy.


    Renjiro and Hiruzen, who knew Fujin''s abilities, knew that there wouldn''t be any suspense in this fight.


    Fujin and Yumi looked at each other. Yumi''s eyes were blue and glowing, while Fujin''s eyes were as ck as the darkest night!


    Inoichi announced, "The final starts now, BEGIN!"


    Expecting Fujin to start with Wind Explosion jutsu, Yumi moved backwards while making a few hand signs. However, Fujin didn''t start with it. He flickered while making a hand sign!


    Yumi was surprised. Fujin appeared behind her.


    ''Great Breakthrough jutsu''


    ''Water Wall jutsu''


    Mieko recognized the seal and quickly created her water wall. Unfortunately, at such a close distance, it had no chance against it. The water did reduce its speed, but Yumi was hit by the jutsu.


    She was hurled backwards flying. Whilending, she dug a kunai into the ground to stabilize herself. Just when she had managed to stabilize, a kunai appeared in front of her. Yumi''s eyes widened when she noticed the explosion tag attached to the kunai. She immediately jumped to her left.


    Fujin noticed her dodge and flickered into his jutsu. Yumi didn''t expect Fujin to enter into the dangerous winds that he had created. She was distracted by the explosion tag and had her eye off Fujin for a few seconds. Fujin used those few seconds to attack!


    He suddenly flickered in front of her and attacked her with his kunai. Yumi was taken by surprise. She had no time to perform a jutsu. She raised her kunai to block him while trying to move away.


    Their kunais shed. And Fujin''s kunai cut through hers with ease. Yumi had expected it and was already moving backwards. However, Fujin took a step forward as well and ced the kunai on her neck. The wind chakra around the kunai created a small cut on her neck.


    He looked into her eyes and said, "Give up."


    Unlike Mieko, Yumi had no confidence that Fujin wouldn''t kill her. The fight had just begun and she waspletely dominated. She didn''t even have a chance to use any jutsu other than one barely formed Water Wall jutsu.


    Fujin noticed that Yumi was thinking hard and pushed his kunai forward slightly. Yumi gritted her teeth and said, "I give up!"


    Fujin stopped flowing chakra through his kunai and withdrew it and walked away.


    Inoichi was surprised at how quickly the fight ended. It didn''t evenst a couple of minutes! He announced loudly, "The winner of the Chunin exam is Suzuki Fujin!"


    Renjiro chuckled at the announcement.


    The civilian audience was dumbfounded! As soon as Inoichi had announced the start of the fight, a strong wind flew through the arena! Inside the winds, they heard an explosion. And that was it! Even before the winds died down, Inoichi had announced the result! They didn''t even get to see any fight! They felt cheated.


    [A/N : Apologies for the chapter name. Couldn''t resist, lol]


    The ninjas too were surprised at how quickly the fight ended. And how one-sided it was!


    Genmamented, "Well, that was quick!"


    Ibiki nodded, "Yes. That was quick and efficient. If this was an actual battlefield, he would have killed her with ease."


    Fujin noticed the crowd''s discontent. He thought, ''If this was my previous world, I have no doubt that they would have thrown stic bottles and trash into the arena.''


    Hiruzen sighed, noticing the crowd''s discontent.


    An announcement was made by the announcer, dering Fujin to be the winner of the final round of the Chunin exam.


    Soon after, Hiruzen stood up and announced, "Last year, the record for the second phase of the Chunin Exam was broken. A squad from Konoha managed to pass it in 5 hours and 30 minutes.


    However, that record was broken by the Genin squad consisting of Suzuki Fujin, Uchiha Mieko, and Hyuga Hoka. Theypleted the second exam in just 47 minutes!"


    The crowd was surprised to learn that and cheered loudly. The Daimyos also paid attention to this announcement. After all, it signified that the younger generation of Konoha held promise.


    Hiruzen continued, "As a reward for such an amazing performance, Fujin, Mieko, and Hoka will be taught one jutsu each by me!"


    That announcement shocked a lot of the ninjas for multiple reasons. For one, Hiruzen hadn''t taught anyone for a long time. Secondly, he was known as The Professor. It signified the tremendous amount of knowledge he possessed on jutsu.


    Andstly, his dominance in the first and second ninja wars earned him the moniker of ''God of Shinobi!'' To be taught by him would be a great honor for any ninja.


    However, unlike the shocked ninjas, Fujin''s eyebrows involuntarily twitched. He scoffed, ''What a cheapskate! This way he doesn''t have to spend anything at all! And he gets to take a break from his boring paperwork under the pretense of teaching us!''


    Fujin bowed as a sign of gratitude. However, while bowing, he realized yet another aspect, ''Wait! It''s not just that. He just announced our achievements. And he announced Itachi''s as well. This wasn''t aimed at the crowds, rather was aimed at the Daimyos. This way, he will get more money and missions from them!


    Damn! I thought I''d swindle a good reward from him. Instead, he has exploited us while giving token rewards!''


    Fujin was shocked at how well Hiruzen had yed! He got money, better missions, a break from paperwork and improved his reputation without making any efforts at all!


    Hiruzen smiled as he looked at the shocked and amazed expressions of the crowd. The effect was exactly as he imagined. However, he would never know that the 11 year old genin bowing to him had analyzed all details of his small scheme!


    Though, even if he did, Hiruzen would not react much and would give the boy to Shikaku to further improve his analyzing skills. A ninja who could see through schemes was always very handy to have. A ninja who could see through schemes and set up counter schemes to gain the advantage of the schemes cooked up by others is even more valuable!


    After Hiruzen''s speech, an announcement was made, bringing an end to the Chunin exams. The crowd began dispersing.


    [A/N : Enjoy your Sunday :-)]

 Chapter 105: RIP Gato

    After the announcement, the crowd dispersed. Only a few who had bet on Fujin went to the spot where Payouts were made. Fujin too flickered to that spot so as to not be stuck in any long lines.


    Fujin assumed he''d be the first one there, but he was wrong. Another person had flickered there before him.


    Fujin''s eyes twitched. He said, "Hello Sensei."


    Renjiro chuckled and replied, "Hello Fujin. Congrats on winning the tournament."


    Fujin nodded while thinking, ''What a teacher!''


    Renjiro asked, "Would you like to go first?"


    Fujin shook his head and replied, "No, you can go first sensei." He thought, ''Let me see how much money you are making!''


    Renjiro chuckled, guessing Fujin''s thoughts, and walked to the counter. The bookie looked at the teacher-student duo. At that time, 2 Anbu ninjas flickered in.


    Renjiro didn''t pay attention and ced 30 golden tickets with Fujin''s name on them on the table!


    Fujin''s eyes popped out on seeing that! He thought, ''He''s fucking rich!!! I should ask him for the rewards instead of Hiruzen! WAIT, I should ask for my share!''


    The bookie was also frightened! 30 gold tickets meant that he would have to pay out 120 million Ryo! He looked at Renjiro, who just maintained a smile.


    However, the bookie felt as if he was looking at a demon!


    The bookie thought, ''The total bets that were ced in the auction was just 110 million Ryo. The payout to him alone would put us at a loss of 10 million Ryo!''


    He wondered if he could avoid paying the money. But he shook his head thinking, ''Konoha would skin me alive. They would likely uproot Gato''s entire business too! We have no choice!''


    He gritted his teeth and paid Renjiro 120 million Ryo! Anyone who held gambling was required to hold 150 million Ryo extra in case they incurred a loss. So he could still make the payment.


    Renjiro smiled and sealed the suitcases containing money in a scroll.


    Fujin looked at his sensei checking all the money and storing it. He wondered, ''Do all Senju love to bet?''


    He sighed and went forward. For some reason, the joy of winning money had diminished a lot! He put forth 6 silver tickets on the table.


    The bookie smiled bitterly. He now knew that both of them were aware of how strong Fujin was! This decision to host the gamble was a huge mistake!


    The bookie paid Fujin 2.4 million Ryo. Fujin checked and stored them away.


    By now, a few others had arrived. They were shocked to see that Fujin had bet on himself. Some were impressed by his self-confidence.


    Renjiro smiled on seeing his student earning some money as well. He put his hand on Fujin''s shoulder and said, "Watch. It will be entertaining."


    Fujin immediately looked at the two Anbu ninjas. One of them went ahead, and ced 20 golden tickets on the table!


    The bookie''s face became blue! He screamed in his mind, ''Almost half the bets were ced on him? Fucking Konoha scums!'' He began shaking in anger. However, the anbu showed no reaction. The bookie gritted his teeth and handed him 80 million Ryo!


    Fujin watched with his eyes widened. He looked at the 2nd Anbu and thought, ''Don''t tell me!''


    The second Anbu stepped forward and ced another 20 golden tickets on the table! The bookie was shocked at Konoha''s shamelessness!


    Fujin too was dumbfounded, ''What the fuck? I know Hiruzen is shameless but to this extent?''


    The bookie began thinking, ''Over 70 million Ryo were bet on him! Why weren''t we informed? What the fuck was the guy who was epting the bets doing?'' He immediately began cursing him.


    Unfortunately for him, that bookie was ced under a subtle genjutsu by an Anbu, making him forget to report the bets ced.


    The bookie gritted his teeth and said, "I don''t have enough money to give you the payouts."


    The Anbu looked into his eyes and asked, "How much time do you need to arrange it?"


    The bookie gritted his teeth even harder and said, "We will need 7 days."


    The Anbu nodded and said, "Alright. Settle the payments of everyone else first. Then arrange for my payouts. You are not allowed to leave Konoha until you pay me 80 million Ryo."


    The Bookie nodded with a pale face. He was well aware of the consequences of trying to run away.


    The other people began redeeming their tickets.


    Renjiro said, "Follow me." Both Fujin and Renjiro began walking towards the room where Hoka and Mieko were resting.


    Renjiro said, "What are your thoughts on what happened?"


    Fujin replied in a deadpan tone, "The older you get, the greedier you be."


    Renjiro almost lost his footing on hearing that.


    Before he could reply, Fujin sighed and muttered, "I wonder if Lord Hokage could arrange me a few dozen Wind Crystals with the money he got from betting on me."


    After saying that, he stared at Renjiro, reminding him of the money he won as well!


    Renjiro ignored his words and his stare and asked, "Anything else you noticed?"


    Fujin replied, "Did they piss off the Hokage somehow?"


    Renjiro nodded, "The Gatopany engages in a lot of illegal activities. Manymon people have suffered due to them. This act was to give them a blow. And remind them to stay within their boundaries."


    Fujin thought for a bit and nodded, ''Not bad. Not only was the Gatopany made to pay, but Konoha also earned a fortune.


    That said, looking at this in another way, Gato seized money frommon people forcefully and Konoha seized that money from Gato. So indirectly, Konoha seized the money from themon people without the protection of a strong vige.


    The true losers are themon people. In order topensate for this loss, Gato will steal more frommon people, and perhaps sometime in the future, some other huge force will take the money from him. No wonder a scum like him can spread his influence so easily and not lose his life. The strong countries just don''t care about it. After all, they too get a good share of his steal.


    Sigh. No matter which world, the weak and helpless ones always suffer.''


    Renjiro noticed Fujin suddenly quieting down. He wondered what Fujin was thinking about. Suddenly, Fujin had a thought. He asked, "Sensei, if I had lost, would you guys have just let all the money go to the Gato Company?"


    Renjiro looked at Fujin, who looked back at his sensei. Renjiro didn''t answer, but just smirked. Fujin sweatdropped looking at his smirk! He decided, ''These guys are the worst schemers! In the future, if I ever had to make a move against Hiruzen or Konoha, I should take care to never ever expose my identity! Who knows which scheme they might cook to make me suffer a huge loss.''


    They reached the medical room in the arena in silence and checked up on Mieko and Hoka.


    Mieko had a lot of cuts while Hoka had mild burns all over his body. Both also suffered from chakra exhaustion. Though they were healed, the medical nins advised them to stay in the hospital for a couple of days.


    Renjiro informed them about the reward and neither of them was thrilled by it. Renjiro advised them to rest. Both Fujin and Renjiro left, leaving them with their family.


    After leaving, Fujin looked at the sky and thought, ''The chunin exam finally ended. Soon I''ll be a chunin. Six years of work to go from a nobody to a chunin. How long would it take to reach S rank from here?''


    [A/N : Finally Fujin will be Chunin! Didn''t think I''d need 103 chapters just to promote Fujin to chunin¡­. The next few chapters will focus on Hokage''s reward. And then this fanfic will open up. I''m nning a lot of arcs to happen between now and when the canon timeline starts. However, I will have to think up all details regarding these arcs as there is no canon reference. So I might need small breaks in between the arcs toe up with good plots and gather all the required details for them. So the updates might be a bit slow. Please let me know what your thoughts are on every arc. Feedback helps. So does criticism. Once I catch up with the canon timeline, the writing speed should increase considerably as I won''t have to spend days building plots and filling up details.


    Also, thanks for your support guys. It''s very motivating for me to keep writing!]

 Chapter 106: Promotion and Disbanding

    A few hours after the Exam ended, an Anbu ninja went underground and entered a base. The base was covered in a lot of seals to prevent detection. It was very dark. The Anbu passed through a few passages, before entering a small house.


    He knelt and greeted, "Danzo sama"


    Danzo looked at him and asked, "Did anything important happen during the exam?"


    The root ninja replied, "No Danzo sama. Only a couple of small matters. Lord Hokage and Senju n made a move against Gato. They got 210 million Ryo from him by betting."


    This surprised Danzo. While he hadn''t paid any attention to Gato, it was surprising that he made such a huge loss while hosting the Tournament gamble. He asked, "Who did the Hiruzen bet on?"


    The root ninja answered, "They ced their bets on Suzuki Fujin, an orphan. He defeated a Yuki genin who knew Ice style, another Kiri genin who knew the Hydrification technique, then the Uchiha Mieko, andstly a Steam release user from the Sakai n. He specializes in Wind Release and Body flicker. And his chakra reserves can be considered to barely be at Jounin level!"


    This surprised Danzo. He wondered, ''How did we miss such an orphan when recruiting for Root?'' He asked, "How talented is he at Wind Release?" Danzo was curious about it. Ninjas with Wind affinity were rare in Konoha. And a good Wind release user in Konoha could be counted on fingers!


    The root ninja answered, "He could supercharge Great Breakthrough jutsu in a couple of seconds. And he could perform all his Wind jutsus with just 1 hand seal. Except for Wind Explosion jutsu, which he could perform without any hand signs. And the power of his supercharged jutsu would be difficult for anyone under Elite Chunin level to replicate."


    Danzo was impressed. However, he soon frowned, ''I heard that Hiruzen will be teaching him a jutsu. So I can''t make a move on him before he is taught. And Senju Renjiro could be an annoyance as well.''


    Danzo looked at his subordinate and instructed, "After hepletes a couple of missions as chunin, invite him to join the Anbu."


    Danzo analyzed, ''Hiruzen waits for a few months for the new chunins to realize how boring chunin life is. And then he invites the talented ones into Anbu. So even after a couple of missions, I should be the first one to approach him.''


    The root ninja asked, "What if he declines Danzo sama?"


    Danzo thought a bit and answered, "Try convincing him verbally. You can tell him that he will get to learn deadly Wind jutsus if he joins us. If he is insistent on declining, then return and ignore him."


    The root ninja nodded and left. Danzo concluded, ''He had already grown up. So making him loyal to me will be difficult. So no need to spend a lot of effort on him.''


    Three days after the exam ended, Team Renjiro was called into the Hokage office. They met outside the Hokage building. Mieko and Hoka werepletely healed. Renjiro led them to the office. All four greeted the Hokage respectfully.


    Hiruzen smiled and said, "Fujin, Mieko, and Hoka, all three of you have done great in the chunin exams. All three of you have been promoted to Chunin."


    All the 3 genins smiled and thanked him. They had expected it to be the case, so they weren''t very surprised.


    Hatake Takao, a chunin working in the Hokage office, interrupted them and handed them some papers. He said, "These are your evaluations by the judges and proctors. Fujin, the judges and the proctors were impressed by you. Your promotion was unanimous. However, they rmended you to get a strong single target jutsu that can beunched quickly and can break through enemy defenses."


    Fujin nodded. While supercharged Great Breakthrough jutsu alongside Wind Dragon and Gale Wolf jutsus was a goodbo, theycked the prating ability. If he used his sword, he couldpensate for this weakness, but even that wasn''t sufficient enough.


    Takao looked at Mieko and said, "The judges and proctors were impressed with your strength as well. But, a couple of them were reluctant to promote you due to your impulsiveness and hot-headedness. As a chunin, you have to lead a squad. And the lives of your squad depend upon your decisions. So work on your tactical thinking and have proper control on your emotions."


    Mieko frowned but nodded without saying anything. The brutal training regimes under Renjiro had dulled her arrogance quite a bit.


    Finally, Takao looked at Hoka and said, "Your first fight impressed the judges a lot. However, they were of the opinion that you still need to improve your Ninjutsu skills more. They advised you to take advantage of your squad''s ninjutsu skills during missions to force the opponents into closebat. Otherwise, no one would fight a Hyuga at close range."


    Hoka sighed and nodded. In the entire Chunin exam, he never got to use his gentle fist! All his opponents either ran away or threw explosion tags at him.


    Takao looked at the three newly promoted chunins and said, "As a reward for earning your promotions through the chunin exams, you get ess to Section B in the library."


    Fujin wondered, ''I wonder what sorts of jutsu are avable in the library!''


    Takao then handed them their chunin vests.


    Hiruzen said, "Now that you have been promoted to chunin, you will be responsible to lead genins into missions. So Team Renjiro will be disbanded. You will have to lead them forpleting C rank missions. There will be times when you get assigned into teams with other chunins for B rank missions. In some cases, you may also be assigned to A rank missions led by a jounin. So you will have to be prepared for any type of mission."


    The three chunins nodded. They were excited at the prospects of taking A rank missions.


    Hiruzen asked, "At what time do you begin your training?"


    Hoka replied, "At 5 AM, Lord Hokage."


    It was as Hiruzen expected. He said, "Tomorrow I will meet you guys at your usual training ground at 7 AM. So be on time and warm up before Ie. You are dismissed for now."


    Hoka and Mieko were about to nod and leave, when Fujin said, "Lord Hokage."


    Hiruzen looked at him and said, "Yes Fujin?"


    Fujin replied, "I was wondering if you could arrange for samurai swords that assist Wind chakra flow for me now."


    Hiruzen thought, ''I recall saying that I will arrange a meeting with someone who can make them. And not arrange them myself.''


    He nodded and said, "Don''t worry. I''ll arrange for a swordsmith to meet you in a few days. He''ll ask you the measurements of the sword you would befortable with. Don''t worry about the cost as it''ll be paid by me."


    Fujin wondered, ''Was he really not nning to pay for the sword?''


    Hiruzen, on the other hand, was thinking, ''The vige earned 120 million Ryo thanks to him. I can afford to spend a few million on him.''


    Since there was nothing else to discuss, they left the building. Renjiro said, "Let''s meet at the training ground."


    He flickered. The newly promoted chunins followed him.

 Chapter 107: B Rank Jutsus

    As usual, the trio made it a race. Fujin arrived right after Renjiro. Mieko and Hoka arrived a couple of secondster.


    Renjiro looked at his students for a minute and said, "Congrattions on bing Chunins so quickly. Very few manage to be chunins in less than a year after graduating. As the Hokage said, this means that our squad will be disbanded."


    He smiled and said, "I am proud to have students like you."


    All 3 kids bowed and said, "Thank You Sensei!" Thest few months of training under him were very fruitful! They had made massive progress!


    He continued, "However, we will do onest mission. I''ll be taking you guys on a rank A mission."


    This excited them. Mieko asked, "Really Sensei?" Generally, it was very rare for a chunin to join A rank mission. Only if the lead jounin wanted a particr chunin, that they could join one.


    Renjiro nodded, "The mission will be after your training with Lord Hokage is done. So focus on it. Also, train hard in the future. I believe that all 3 of you can be Elite Jounins if you work hard."


    The kids promised to train hard. The group finally dispersed. Mieko and Hoka went home, while Fujin walked towards the library. He wondered, ''I wonder which rank B Wind jutsus are in the library. From what I remember, all of Danzo''s Wind Vacuum jutsus were at rank B. So will they be in there as well?''


    Fujin entered the B section of the library and scrolled through the Wind jutsus. After checking all jutsus, he sighed, ''Well, this was disappointing. Not a single Wind Vacuum jutsu here. Even Kakazu''s Pressure Damage isn''t here. Though Infinite Breakthrough jutsu should do a simr job. And learning it will be easy as well.


    That aside, the worst part is that there are only 4 B rank Wind jutsus here. Wind Sword, Wind Torpedo, and Tornado Trap jutsus.


    Out of them, Tornado Trap kinda seems useless. And Wind Sword looks to be an inferior version of de of Wind jutsu. The effects however are much weaker than my sword. Though I should learn it considering that it will be very easy to learn.


    Only Wind Torpedo and Infinite Breakthrough jutsus would be a decent addition.''


    He sighed once again, before checking out the jutsus of remaining elements. Unfortunately, he didn''t find anything impactful.


    He memorized the hand seals for Wind Sword jutsu, Infinite Breakthrough jutsu, and Wind Torpedo jutsu. He left a shadow clone to read the remaining jutsus in more depth and flickered away.


    He flickered to the Hokage''s building and entered a room on the ground floor. A Genin was sitting in this room. Fujin asked, "Are any training fields avable right now?"


    The Genin in charge nodded and asked, "What are you nning to practice?"


    Fujin replied, "Wind Release jutsus"


    The genin looked at a chart and said, "You can take the training ground 23. How long will you need it?"


    Fujin replied, "Till 9 PM."


    The genin entered the data in his book and said, "Alright. I have booked the training ground for you. It will cost you 2,400 Ryo. Also, don''t start any forest fires in the training ground."


    Fujin nodded and paid him. He checked the map in the room to see where Training Ground 23 was and left.


    Training ground 23 was located in the southwestern parts of Konoha. It was quite far from the residential area. On reaching here, Fujin noticed that the trees here were huge and very sturdy. Fujin checked a few and thought, ''I don''t think a normal wind jutsu can uproot these trees. Though a supercharged one should break them.''


    Fujin spread out his chakra field to ensure that no one was spying on him. He didn''t sense anyone.


    He made some hand signs.


    ''Infinite Breakthrough jutsu''


    He exhaled very strong winds. Immediately, a mini-storm formed in the training ground. It died down after a couple of minutes.


    Fujin analyzed, ''Not bad. Unlike the Great Breakthrough jutsu which focuses just on creating very strong winds, Infinite Breakthrough jutsu creates a storm. The scroll said that if used in desert conditions, it could cause a sandstorm. Especially if the user is a strong ninja. Simrly, over water, it has the potential to cause a hurricane.


    The chakra needed for this jutsu is almost twice that needed for the Great Breakthrough jutsu. Supercharging it should make the stormrger and make itst for a longer time. It''ll be a good jutsu to cause huge destruction or to block the enemy and run away.


    I need to work on performing this jutsu without hand signs as well. Though it shouldn''t be very difficult.''


    He walked in front of a tree and made a few hand signs.


    ''Wind Sword jutsu''


    Immediately winds formed around him and hit the tree. 4 deep sword cuts appeared on the tree. Fujin analyzed, ''Easy! Just as I thought. The chakra requirement is very low as well. I guess the advantage of this jutsu will be being able to use it without shing my sword. So once I''m able to use it without any hand signs, I could use it to catch opponents off guard, especially if they are too focused on my sword.''


    He moved away from the tree and made a few hand signs again.


    ''Wind Torpedo jutsu''


    An invisible torpedo made of wind slowly formed in front of him. It moved towards another tree and hit it. On hitting, it exploded! The tree shook wildly! Its trunk was damaged. But it barely managed to survive.


    Fujin analyzed, ''That was slow. This jutsu is a bit different from my previous wind jutsus, so it makes sense I suppose. Anyways, the surprising part of this jutsu was how quiet it was. Barely any sounds were made and no wind blew from the jutsu until the impact.


    So if I can improve its speed, it will be a good jutsu to sneak attack with. Still, using this jutsu in a 1v1 fight could be tough. Any good opponent will dodge it. It won''t resolve my issue of needing a deadly mid-long range jutsu.''


    Fujin thought for a bit before deciding, ''I should practice Wind Sword and Infinite Breakthrough for now. I''ll make a decision about Wind Torpedo after learning new jutsus from Hiruzen and Renjiro. Both should have realized my need for such a jutsu. So it wouldn''t be a surprise if they do arrange something for me.''


    Fujin trained the 2 jutsus for the next 6 hours until his chakra finally began running out. He sat while resting against a tree with a smile, ''Hand seals for both jutsus have been reduced to just one. Soon I''ll be able to do them without hand seals.''


    He looked up at the sky and thought, ''It''s been around 6 hours since I began training. It should be time now.''


    He sat in a meditative position to recover his chakra. After 20 minutes, his shadow clone from the library dispelled itself. Fujin received its memories and chakra. He received details of all rank B jutsus. And he received memories of the hand signs for Earth Release : Earth Wall jutsu.


    Fujin was a bit surprised by the information, ''Oh, there are two ways to perform this jutsu. One is by spitting out mud and using it to form a wall, and hardening it with chakra. And the 2nd one is by mming hands on the ground and using it to create a wall.


    Hmm¡­ The first one will be difficult for me. And I do have the spinning shield of wind anyways. Better to just focus on the 2nd method.''


    He kept meditating for another 40 minutes. After recovering sufficient chakra, he got up and made a few hand signs. He mmed his hands on the ground.


    ''Earth Wall jutsu''


    A 5 meters wide, 2.5 meters tall, and 1-foot thick wall rose from the ground. Fujin inspected the wall and concluded, ''Not bad. I do need to increase the speed of forming this jutsu, but the defense should be very good. Time to test it.''


    He created a Wind clone and left it behind the wall. He went to the other side.


    ''Wind Explosion jutsu''


    He threw it on the wall, and apart from a few scratches, no damage happened to the wall. He smiled and tossed a couple of Explosion tags. They exploded on the wall creating a few cracks on the surface. But the wall held on.


    He created a few hand signs.


    ''Wind Torpedo jutsu''


    The torpedounched itself right where the Explosion tags had exploded. It exploded on impact. It created a huge dent in the wall. The dent was around 10 inches deep!


    Fujin analyzed, ''Hmm, so abination of Torpedo jutsu and Explosion tags is almost enough to destroy the wall. If I pour more chakra into the wall, then apart from wide range jutsus and maybe lightning release jutsus, it should be able to block most other jutsus.''


    He exhaled a normal Great Breakthrough jutsu. Due to the scale of the jutsu, the winds went over and around the wall and hit his clone, dispelling it. It happened just as Fujin expected.


    Fujin spent the remaining day practicing until he ran out of chakra and went back home after having dinner.

 Chapter 108: Flying Thunder God!

    After reaching home, Fujinid the chunin vest he received on his bed and began checking it. The jacket was simr as in the manga. It was green in color. It had 3 scroll pouches on either side of the chest. It also had a neck guard and extra padding over the shoulders. On its back, there was a symbol of Uzushiogakure. The material that the vest was made of was very resilient. It could provide minor resistances against fire, lightning, weapons and blunt attacks.


    Fujin thought, ''Not bad. 6 scrolls plus minor defenses. I wonder if I can inscribe some storage seals on it. Having an easy way to summon hundreds of Explosion tags will be handy.''


    Fujin looked at his current clothes and decided, ''I also need to buy new clothes. The current ones now feel tighter. I''ll probably need to keep buying new ones every year for the next few years. Speaking of clothes¡­''


    Fujin looked around at his house. He had been staying there for almost 7 years! He noticed quite a few cracks on the walls and even the ceiling. He thought, ''I probably need to change to a new house as well. Practicing Wall walking indoors did a number on the walls! Not to mention, it feels much smaller now. I wonder what the property prices are in this world.''


    Fujin decided to look into themter and fell asleep.


    The next morning, Fujin went to the training ground and began training. He was using the training seal at 60% power! Soon Hoka followed by Mieko joined him as well.


    At 6 AM, an old man knocked on the door of Hokage''s office and entered.


    Homura looked at Hiruzen and asked, "Why did you call me so early in the morning?"


    Hiruzen looked at his friend and answered, "I will be training the 3 genins from today for a few days. I will leave the official work to you."


    Homura''s eyes twitched. He was annoyed and asked aggressively, "Why do I have to do the paperwork? I''m too old for this."


    Hiruzen smiled and answered, "You made a good contribution to the vige by suggesting the idea to reward top performers in the academy. So this is your reward."


    Homura stared at Hiruzen. Both entered a staredown! After a couple of minutes, Homura sighed. He had heard about a genin asking Hiruzen for a reward during the chunin exam. So he understood why Hiruzen was targeting him.


    He replied, "Alright, but don''t take too long." Hiruzen smiled and said, "They are just kids. I''ll teach them one jutsu and be done in no time." Homura nodded.


    Unfortunately for Homura, both he and Hiruzen overlooked one critical aspect! So he''d be stuck doing paperwork for a much longer time than he bargained for.


    Hiruzen exined some details to his friend before leaving. He wasn''t much worried as Homura, Kohaku and even Danzo had taken over his paperwork job at times, especially during wars. So they all knew how to handle it properly.


    At 7, Hiruzen arrived at the training ground and saw the 3 chunins training hard. He smiled and muttered, "They will have a good future if they maintain this dedication."


    Seeing the Hokage, the kids stopped training and flickered in front of him and wished him good morning.


    Hiruzen wished them back and praised them for working hard. He asked, "So, did you think about which jutsu you want to learn from me?"


    Fujin''s eyes sparkled! He was exhrated and thought, ''We get to choose? Marvelous!''


    Mieko replied, "I don''t want to learn any jutsu. The Uchiha library has every jutsu."


    Hoka too shook his head and replied, "I also don''t want to learn any jutsu. I want to practice Taijutsu to master the 32 palms technique."


    Fujin looked at his teammates with a deadpan expression.


    Hiruzenughed. He looked at Mieko and said, "Watch this."


    Hiruzen flickered around 50 meters away and made a few hand signs and said, "Fire Release : Hellfire p jutsu!"


    Fujin spread his chakra field and observed carefully. Mieko and Hoka had activated Sharingan and Byakugan respectively.


    They noticed a ring of fire forming around Hiruzen. Immediately, the fire spread out in all directions! In less than a second, the fire expanded into a 40 meters radius area around Hiruzen.


    There were 3 boulders in this area. All were hewn in two! Wherever the fire passed through, nothing was left on the ground. Even the soil turned ck.


    Although the fire was 10 meters from them, all 3 chunins felt the crazy heat! In 5 seconds, both Fujin and Hoka flickered backwards. After another 5 seconds, Mieko also flickered back.


    Fujin looked at it and eximed, "What crazy heat!" They were still sweating.


    Hoka nodded, "If I were to be hit by it, perhaps even my bones would be left."


    Mieko was too stunned to say anything. The Uchiha n prided themselves on their Fire jutsus. She had seen how strong her parents and elders were. But she had never felt fire as hot as this!


    Hiruzen smiled on seeing their stunned faces. He dispersed the jutsu and flickered towards them. He said, "As you heard, this jutsu is called Fire Release : Hellfire p jutsu. It is both defensive and offensive in nature. It was created by me during my younger years."


    He looked at Mieko and asked, "Would you like to learn this jutsu?" Mieko obediently nodded.


    Hiruzen smiled and looked at Hoka. He said, "I know you don''t like Ninjutsu. So I will teach you something that will aid your Taijutsu. Look carefully, this is a secret technique of your n."


    Chakra began pouring from the Chakra points in Hiruzen''s right hand. He pulled his arm back and pushed it forward at great speed. While his arm was moving, a ''vacuum shell'' formed in his hand. When he pushed his arm to the max, the shell was fired towards a boulder.


    The shell hit the boulder in the blink of an eye and created a hole through the entire boulder. It kept going and created a hole in 5 trees behind the boulder!


    The genins were surprised once again! Hoka had seen this technique before. But he was told that he won''t be taught it until he bes a Jounin. However, the jutsu that he saw his elders perform was nowhere near as lethal as what Hiruzen did. At most, it created strong winds causing a few leaves to fall off a tree.


    Hiruzen said, "This jutsu is Eight Trigrams : Air Palm. It was invented by the Hyuga n to create a mid range fighting capability. It too can be used both offensively and defensively."


    Fujin gulped his saliva, ''I recall reading that Hiruzen could perform every jutsu in Konoha, including the secret techniques! However, that doesn''t do Hiruzen justice. It''d be more appropriate to say that Hiruzen can perform all jutsu in Konoha better than anyone else in Konoha!''


    Hiruzen asked, "Do you want to learn this Hoka?" Hoka immediately nodded.


    Hiruzen finally looked at Fujin and asked, "Fujin, did you think about any jutsu that you want to learn from me?"


    Fujin was still surprised by Hiruzen''s disy. He gathered himself and nodded, "Yes Lord Hokage."


    Hiruzen was slightly surprised. But soon he thought, ''This kid always knows what he wants. So it isn''t surprising that he thought of something. I wonder what jutsu he wants to learn.''


    Hiruzen asked, "Which jutsu is it Fujin?"


    Fujin said with a serious face, "Lord Hokage, I want to learn the Flying Thunder God jutsu that the 2nd and 4th Hokage used."


    Hiruzen, who was happy about how shocked the kids were at his abilities, was now shocked himself! Even Fujin could easily notice how shocked and speechless he was!


    Mieko and Hoka were shocked as well! They too looked at Fujin with stunned expressions.


    Fujin however maintained his straight face and kept looking into Hiruzen''s eyes with a hopeful expression!

 Chapter 109: Senjutsu

    Hiruzen smiled bitterly, ''He really does make the most of every opportunity!''


    He said, "Unfortunately, you can''t learn that right now."


    Fujin showed a thoughtful face and asked, "Why not?"


    Hiruzen answered, "To learn Flying Thunder God jutsu, you need 2 things. You need to be a Fuinjutsu master. For that, you need to learn every Fuinjutsu seal from our Library and be able to make them with ease. In our vige, there are less than 10 Fuinjutsu masters.


    Secondly, you need to have a talent for Space-time ninjutsu. And that talent is very rare. I am only aware of 5 ninjas from Konoha who had talent in it."


    Fujin thought for a second and asked, "If I be a Fuinjutsu master, can I be allowed to learn it then?"


    Hiruzen chuckled and said, "Sure. But learning Fuinjutsu is difficult. I would suggest you not waste time on it right now."


    Fujin nodded.


    Hiruzen asked, "Do you have anything else you want to learn?"


    Fujin nodded once again. Hiruzen was surprised, ''He even thought of something else to ask if his request was denied?''


    Fujin said, "I heard that one of your students, the Toad Sage Jiraiya of the Sannins, can use Senjutsu. Can you teach me Senjutsu?"


    Hiruzen was shocked once again! He wondered, ''Am I getting too old to teach the new generation? Where did he even learn about Senjutsu?''


    Mieko and Hoka looked at Fujin with confused faces, ''What is Senjutsu?''


    Hiruzen asked, "Where did you learn about Senjutsu?"


    Fujin replied, "I read it on a scroll in the library."


    Hiruzen wondered, ''Did he read every scroll and book there?''


    Hiruzen said, "Unfortunately, I can''t teach it to you as I don''t know it."


    Fujin acted surprised and eximed, "Even you don''t know it? Then could you arr¡­"


    Hiruzen cut Fujin off and said, "Just like the Flying Thunder God, you won''t be able to learn Senjutsu either. The basic requirement to learn Senjutsu is having a lot of chakra."


    He then began exerting his chakra, showing it to Fujin. He said, "You will need more chakra than me to be able to learn Senjutsu."


    Fujin, Mieko, and Hoka were surprised at how much chakra Hiruzen had! It was around 150% higher than Renjiro''s! Fujin wondered, ''Even at such an old age he has this much chakra? It is almost 18 timesrger than my chakra!''


    Fujin sighed thinking, ''How long will it take me to reach that level?'' He said, "Alright Lord Hokage."


    Hiruzen had enough of asking Fujin what he wanted to learn. He was afraid of what Fujin might ask next. However, before he spoke, Fujin asked, "Lord Hokage, can you teach me Wind Vacuum jutsus then?"


    Hiruzen''s eyebrows twitched. He wondered, ''Did he find out about them in the library as well?''


    Fujin looked at Hiruzen thinking, ''I knew that I couldn''t learn Flying Thunder God and Sage mode. Even if I could, I doubt he would just give me the scrolls or the guidance needed to learn them. Minato probably only got them as he was Jiraiya''s student.


    But if I didn''t mention those two and directly mentioned Wind Vacuum jutsus, it''s likely that he would have rejected me due to how dangerous they are. But now that he has already rejected me twice, it''s unlikely that he would reject me once more.


    The only concern left is whether he''d ask Danzo to teach me. But seeing his Air Palm jutsu, I''m betting that he knows Wind Vacuum jutsus as well. Even if he asks Danzo, as long as Danzo doesn''t make me join the Root, I don''t care much about him. After all, he doesn''t have Shisui''s eye yet. And by the time he gets it, the Root will be dissolved. Well, at least officially that is.''


    Hiruzen thought around the same lines as Fujin analyzed, ''Wind Vacuum jutsu¡­ It is very lethal. Not something I want to teach to little kids. But I have already rejected him twice. Saying no once again won''t look good. Not to mention, it is much safer than Senjutsu and Flying Thunder God.''


    He decided to teach him. Hiruzen nodded, "Alright. I''ll teach you Wind Vacuum jutsus¡­" He realized what he said!


    Fujin immediately smiled and bowed down, "Thank You, Lord Hokage!"


    Hiruzen looked at the 11 year old kid with disbelief, ''I promised to teach them one jutsu! He made me promise to teach him all the Wind Vacuum jutsus. And he even thanked me so quickly¡­''


    Hiruzen sighed internally and decided, ''Leave it. I''ll teach him and get him off my back for now. Though in the future, I need to ensure that I don''t promise him any rewards.''


    Unfortunately for Hiruzen, he had already promised Fujin something for the future. While he didn''t think that future would ever arrive, Fujin had already sealed those words in his memory!


    While Fujin didn''t have enough chakra to use Shadow clones for training ninjutsu, especially when he was mastering rank B jutsus or supercharging jutsus, he had plenty to abuse while learning Fuinjutsu!


    As soon as he mastered all fuinjutsu avable, he would ask Hiruzen to aid him in learning Flying Thunder God. By then, he would even have built a good reputation in Konoha, so Hiruzen would be more likely to agree.


    Hiruzen made a couple of shadow clones. Hoka and Mieko went with one each while his main body stayed behind with Fujin.


    Hiruzen looked at Fujin and said, "Fujin, before I teach you, I need you to promise me something."


    Fujin asked, "What Lord Hokage?"


    Hiruzen replied, "The Wind Vacuum style is very dangerous. Never use these jutsus on a colleague or an ally. In the future, you would likely spar a lot with other ninjas from Konoha. Under no circumstances are you allowed to use Wind Vacuum style against them."


    Fujin nodded and answered without hesitation, "I agree, Lord Hokage. I don''t even use my sword while sparring."


    Hiruzen nodded. It was the main reason why he agreed. He said, "Excellent. I will now first exin the theory of the Wind Vacuum style. Once you understand, we will begin learning it."


    Fujin nodded and paid attention. Hiruzen''s clones also began teaching Mieko and Hoka.


    Mieko had the Sharingan, so she very quickly got the basics of the jutsu. But actually performing it was much tougher as it was an A rank jutsu! She couldn''t form the ring of fire around her.


    Hoka too got stuck in creating a Vacuum shell. Both would need some time to ovee those obstacles. However, once they did, they would advance rapidly.


    Fujin too had a tough challenge to ovee!

 Chapter 110: Talent

    [A/N : This double release is sponsored by Terrance Smith on P@treon. You can thank him for it :-)]


    Hiruzen asked, "Tell me Fujin, do you know what a vacuum is and its properties?"


    Fujin fell into thought, ''Did the academy ever teach about the vacuum? Probably not, though the library might have some information regarding it.''


    Fujin answered, "Vacuum basically is a space where nothing exists. Not even air. As for its properties, I don''t know for sure. But I have a few guesses."


    Hiruzen said, "That''s right. Tell me about your guesses."


    Fujin replied, "Since nothing exists in a vacuum, the pressure inside the vacuum should be very low, or perhaps non-existent. So if something came close to the vacuum, it would rapidly be sucked inside the vacuum. Though, in that case, the vacuum will no longer be a vacuum."


    Hiruzen was impressed by that answer. He nodded, "Very good Fujin. You are right. That is how the vacuum works. The Wind Vacuum jutsus are based on the same principle."


    Fujin paid close attention as Hiruzen exined, "Wind Vacuum jutsus are the same as normal Wind jutsus. The only difference is that they have a vacuum core. So, you first have to learn how to create a vacuum core. Observe properly."


    Hiruzen extended his arm ahead. Wind formed in his hand, simr to a Wind Explosion jutsu. Fujin observed with all his focus.


    A wind sphere formed in Hiruzen''s hand. But soon, the winds began moving away from the core. Fujin saw a vacuum sphere forming at the center of the wind sphere. It had a radius of 2 cm.


    Hiruzen exined, "To create a vacuum, you just have to remove all air from the space where you decide to create the vacuum."


    Fujin nodded. The basic principles were simr to those on earth. Only chakra was used instead of technology.


    Hiruzen dispersed the jutsu. Fujin noticed as winds rushed back into the vacuum core. Hiruzen said, "Now you try Fujin."


    Fujin extended his hand forward. A wind sphere immediately formed in his hand. He focused on the center of the sphere and tried moving air away from it.


    He quickly managed to move the air to one side of the center. However, soon air from other directions entered. Hiruzen observed him carefully.


    Fujin struggled for a couple of minutes before making progress. He managed to push the air out from the center in all directions! Slowly, a 1 mm vacuum sphere was formed. Hiruzen noticed. His eyes widened!


    Fujin didn''t see Hiruzen''s expression. His entire focus was on the vacuum core. He kept trying to expand its size. He managed to expand it, but multiple times it copsed. He kept at it.


    Hiruzen watched with shock on his face. He eximed in his mind, ''What talent! Danzo needed a week before he could make a stable core. The way Fujin is going, he''ll manage to do it today itself!''


    After oveing the shock, Hiruzen analyzed the youth in front of him, ''This kid was talented in the academy, but didn''t show any signs of being special. Apart from his higher chakra, all his progress was just a product of dedication. ording to Genki, even his higher chakra was a product of hard training.


    Even his talent in Wind jutsu wasn''t that great. Could he be like those ninjas, whose talent in a particr nature shows at ater stage?''


    Hiruzen analyzed more, ''Yeah, there were a lot of ninjas in Kiri and Kumo whose talent in water or lightning elements showed when working on Rank B or higher jutsus. Though the number of simr cases in Fire, Earth or Wind is very low.''


    Hiruzen rated Fujin''s talent very high. He expected Fujin to be at least an Elite Jounin. However, he still underestimated Fujin''s talent. After his death, Fujin''s talent in Wind maniption would reach a level that the world wouldbel him a cmity!


    Fujin was unaware of how much of a shock he had given Hiruzen. His entire focus was on the vacuum core. It needed a very high mastery in chakra control and a very high wind affinity.


    A few times he managed to increase the radius of the vacuum sphere to 5 mm before it copsed. After 10 minutes, he finally managed to create a stable vacuum core of a 1.2 cm radius!


    Hiruzen stared in shock! He sighed in relief thinking, ''Luckily I ced him under Renjiro. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have be a chunin so early and his talent would have been wasted!''


    Indeed, Fujin was lucky. He had intended to spend all 6 years in the academy and build very strong basics so that his survival chance would be much higher. It was only due to the pressure of his other ssmates passing, that he decided to pass early so that he wouldn''t attract any unwanted suspicions.


    If that hadn''t been the case, his development would have been stalled by a couple of years. He would have missed the opportunity to gain strength quickly. And would have missed the opportunity to be trained by someone of the same level and dedication as Senju Renjiro.


    That would have resulted in him not getting any opportunities to learn the Senju Taijutsu style or Wind Vacuum technique. While he would have eventually learnt those techniques, his progress would have likely been dyed by around 3 to 4 years!


    Hiruzen looked at the vacuum core and said, "Very good. Maintain it for 2 minutes."


    Fujin didn''t reply but followed his instructions. He was able tost 2 whole minutes. Hiruzen was impressed again. He said, "Now encase it with winds and aim it at a tree and tryunching it as you do with Wind Explosion jutsu."


    Immediately winds began forming around the vacuum core. It took the shape of a sphere. Fujin looked at a tree and threw the Vacuum sphere. However, as soon as the wind sphere left his hand, the vacuum core began copsing. By the time it traveled 1 meter, the vacuum core copsed and air entered it. The wind sphere itself copsed and dispersed.


    Fujin was surprised, ''What the heck?''


    Hiruzen looked and said, "After creating the vacuum core, you maintained it. However, when youunched it, you couldn''t maintain it anymore. That''s why air around it entered the vacuum core and your jutsu copsed."


    Fujin analyzed Hiruzen''s words and nodded. He asked, "So, how can we maintain it when it is away from us?"


    Hiruzen created another wind sphere with a vacuum core and said, "Watch the wind movement around the vacuum core carefully."


    He slowlyunched the wind sphere towards a boulder. Fujin observed carefully, ''Incredible. The winds are moving in such a way that air doesn''t enter the vacuum core! And, there seems to be a thin chakrayer separating the winds and the vacuum core.''


    The wind sphere hit the boulder. The winds only caused a few scratches. However, when the vacuum core touched the boulder, the part where it touched turned into soil and was absorbed into the vacuum core. The vacuum core continued for a few inches absorbing everything around it, before disappearing. It left a 6 inch deep and 3 inch wide hole in the boulder!


    Hiruzen exined, "In order to maintain the vacuum core, you need to do two things. First, you need to create a thin film of chakra around the vacuum core to ensure that nothing enters it. And then you need to rotate winds around that film in a way that it doesn''t damage the thin chakra film and doesn''t allow outside air to hit the chakra film either.


    When the jutsu hits someone or something, the winds will first damage it and then the vacuum core will hit it. Since the chakra film is thin, it''ll break after contact with anything solid or even liquid. As soon as it breaks, the vacuum core will absorb anything ites in contact with, no matter how tough it is. When it passes through, it''ll look like the object is cut into two. But it isn''t a simple cut."


    Fujin nodded. This technique was very lethal.


    Hiruzen continued, "When you cut someone with your sword, only a thin cut forms in their body. As long as that person isn''t dead on-spot, a good medic can heal them easily. Even cut arms or legs can be reattached. But with Wind Vacuum jutsus¡­"


    Hiruzen pointed towards the hole in the boulder and continued, "The vacuum core absorbed everything in a 3 inch diameter. Very few medics can heal such a wound. If it hits any organ, such as the stomach or liver, those organs would be ruined on spot. Surviving is almost impossible."


    Fujin nodded. Hiruzen''s exnation was just as he observed. He thought, ''Damn! Wind Vacuum jutsus will be op! Finally, I''ll have a way to hit through the enemy defense.''


    He looked at Hiruzen and said, "I understand why you asked me to never use this against arade, Lord Hokage."


    Hiruzen nodded with a smile. He wanted to teach Fujin how dangerous these jutsus are. He said, "Now that the basic theory has been understood, you will have to try it yourself. Let''s begin."


    Fujin nodded and began creating another Vacuum sphere with all his attention.

 Chapter 111: Wind Vacuum Technique

    Fujin began practicing. Hiruzen had instructed him to practice with a 1 cm radius vacuum core for now.


    After creating the vacuum core, he began encasing it with a thinyer of his chakra. It needed delicate chakra control. However, thanks to his Senju Taijutsu style training, his chakra control was good enough.


    After a few failures, he managed to learn it rather quickly. The next challenge was to form winds around it to add anotheryer. This time he failed a lot more. If the winds hit the chakra film even a bit, it would copse. But, soon he managed to create a proper Vacuum sphere.


    In Fujin''s right hand, a wind sphere rotated. At the center of this wind sphere was a thin chakra film that encased a 1 cm radius vacuum core. Hiruzen thought, ''Incredible. He got the basic form right in less than 10 minutes!''


    Hiruzen said, "Now throw this sphere at a tree."


    Fujin nodded and followed his instruction. The Vacuum sphere travelled for 10 meters when it suddenly began copsing. Fujin observed closely and muttered, "The winds hit the chakra film and entered the vacuum core."


    Hiruzen nodded, "That is the case. You have to ensure that the winds don''t hit the chakra film even when it is travelling. And you need to make the chakra film sturdier while not increasing its thickness."


    Fujin nodded and began practicing again. For the next 7 hours, Fujin kept experimenting with the wind flow and tried making the chakra film sturdier.


    Hiruzen kept watching the whole time. He initially watched Fujin with fondness due to how dedicated and hardworking he was. However, after 7 straight hours, he sighed, ''I expected him to take a break for breakfast and lunch. Instead, he just grabbed a few ration bars and stuffed them into his mouth! He didn''t even offer them to me.''


    Hiruzen hadn''t carried anything to eat. A couple of times, he had even asked Fujin to take a break. However, Fujin replied, "Just some time, Lord Hokage. I think I have got a handle on this!" After replying, he would get lost in practice and not even look at Hiruzen.


    He did talk with Hiruzen a few times, but it was regarding issues in the training. After getting the answers, he focused on the training once again.


    Finally, he managed to get a hang of it! He created another Vacuum sphere and threw it in the air. It traveled for around 100 meters in the sky before copsing.


    Fujin looked at Hiruzen, who nodded and said, "Good. This is perfect. Now try it on trees or boulders."


    Fujin nodded and followed his instruction. He created a vacuum sphere and threw it at a tree. It hit the tree and pierced through it, creating a 2 inch wide hole in the tree.


    He smiled and began creating more Vacuum spheres. In the next few minutes, dozens of trees were pierced. However, every Vacuum sphere after piercing the tree would copse.


    Fujin wondered, ''This is definitely good but if it copses so soon after piercing a tree, it won''t be that lethal. Maybe creating a bigger vacuum core might help it go longer¡­''


    Hiruzen wasn''t aware of Fujin''s thoughts. He looked at his performance and praised him, "Great work Fujin. However, let''s stop here for today."


    Fujin looked at Hiruzen and protested, "But Lord Hokage, I can still train!"


    Hiruzen shook his head and said, "Your chakra is almost exhausted. If we train more, then you might not be able to train tomorrow. The next step of training will be just as challenging as today''s. So let''s stop for today."


    Fujin reluctantly nodded. Hiruzen instructed, "Don''t practice Wind Vacuum style in my absence. Preferably, don''t use any more jutsus today and meditate to recover your chakra quickly. We will meet tomorrow at 7 AM as well."


    Fujin nodded and thanked Hiruzen for his help.


    Hiruzen smiled and left thinking, ''Finally I can have some food! Didn''t expect him to train continuously for so long. His teammates left after a couple of hours of training. Still, to get the basic version of Wind Vacuum style down in a third of a day! Fujin is very talented in Wind Release.''


    He chuckled thinking, ''I wonder how Danzo would react when he knows that an 11 year old kid learnt in under 8 hours what he needed 9 days to learn!''


    After leaving, Fujin went to the shopping area for ninjas. He entered the same clothing shop as he did almost a year ago. Fujin asked the shopkeeper to make simr clothes for him as the ones he was wearing, but tailored to his current measurements.


    The shopkeeper took Fujin''s measurements andmented, "You are doing well kid. You''ve gained 4 inches in less than a year!"


    Fujin replied, "Yes, thank you."


    The shopkeeper smiled and said, "I saw you in the chunin exams. You were amazing! Congrats on winning the tournament."


    Fujin nodded. After taking the measurements, the shopkeeper asked, "I have one product to show you. Most ninjas buy this from me."


    Fujin asked, "What product?"


    The shopkeeper picked up a box and opened it. He took out something that looked like chainmail armor. Fujin checked it. It felt very sturdy! It would be able to block stray shurikens and kunais as long as they weren''t enhanced with chakra flow. It would likely reduce damage from shurikens and kunais thrown directly at him as well. Whenbined with Chunin Vest and Shirt, it''s likely that normal shurikens would find it difficult to hurt him. Of course, the rest of the body will still be vulnerable.


    The shopkeeper said, "This is a Mesh Upper Bodysuit. It is¡­"


    Fujin cut him and said, "I''d like 2 sets of this as well."


    The shopkeeper nodded and said, "Alright, it''ll take us around a week to make everything for you. So visit me after a week."


    Fujin nodded and left.


    The next day, Fujin once again began warming up while waiting for Hiruzen to show up. Hoka, Mieko and Hiruzen all arrived slightly before 7 AM.


    The group split up once again, with Hiruzen''s main body staying with Fujin.


    Hiruzen instructed, "First, let''s check what you have learnt so far. Use a couple of Vacuum spheres on that boulder."


    Fujin followed his instructions and tossed a couple of Vacuum spheres on the boulder one after another. The first one pierced more than halfway through it, while the second one pierced through it.


    Hiruzen said, "Good. What are your thoughts about the Wind Vacuum style?"


    Fujin thought for a bit and said, "It is very strong in terms of piercing capability. But, the vacuum core copses soon after hitting the first target. So even if this technique pierces through any defense, it won''t be able to harm the ninja hiding behind those defenses."


    He looked at Hiruzen and said, "I wonder if increasing the size of the Vacuum core will resolve this."


    Hiruzen replied, "Good analysis. But no. Once the vacuum core begins absorbing, it''ll copse quickly."


    Fujin frowned, ''I don''t remember too well, but I think Danzo''s vacuum jutsus kept traveling even after piercing rocks. Will that not be the case here?''


    Hiruzen smiled seeing Fujin analyze with a frown. He said, "But, there is a way around this to make the Wind Vacuum jutsust much longer and hit multiple targets in its path."


    He extended his right arm towards a tree and said, "Watch."


    Fujin observed carefully as a Vacuum sphere formed in Hiruzen''s palm. His eyebrows furrowed. The Vacuum core was different, but he couldn''t understand what exactly was different.


    Hiruzenunched the Vacuum sphere. It pierced through the tree, but maintained its form and kept going ahead. Fujin watched with eyes widened as the Vacuum sphere pierced through 13 trees before copsing! He just eximed, "Wow!"


    Hiruzen smiled with satisfaction at seeing Fujin''s reaction. Fujin asked, "The Vacuum core looked different. What did you do?"


    Hiruzen extended his arm ahead and said, "Observe carefully again."


    A small Vacuum core slowly began forming in Hiruzen''s palm. A 1 cm radius vacuum core was formed. A thin film of chakra then encased it. However, instead of forming winds around it, vacuum began forming around the chakra film!


    While this vacuum was being formed, chakra began extending out of the thin chakra film. The vacuum outside the chakra film encased it entirely, but it was divided into 6 equal parts. Between those 6 parts, Chakra flowed. In addition, thin threads of chakra existed even within these 6 vacuum parts. They looked simr to veins.


    Hiruzen walked towards a nearby tree while saying, "Follow me and observe what happens when this hits the tree."


    Fujin followed him. Hiruzen slowly pressed this vacuum core against the Tree''s trunk. The truck began disintegrating and getting absorbed in the vacuum. However, after entering the vacuum, it drifted towards the chakra in between the vacuum. After entering the chakra flow, they were thrown out of the vacuum core.


    Fujin was surprised. He said, "The absorbed materials are thrown out. So the vacuum core is maintained. And the central most vacuum core was never even hit."


    Hiruzen dispelled the jutsus and nodded, "This way, you can maintain the vacuum core for longer. Once you master this, your enemy will have to dodge your jutsu. As blocking them will be near impossible."


    Fujin nodded and grinned, "This looks very lethal! Thank you, Lord Hokage!"


    Hiruzen smiled and said, "Now you try creating such a Vacuum core." Fujin nodded and got to work.

 Chapter 112: Bonding with the Hokage!

    Fujin kept working on creating theplicated Vacuum core. He managed to encase the chakra film inside another vacuumyer very quickly. But dividing it into 6 parts was difficult. He kept trying for the next 3 hours without sess.


    Hiruzen looked at Fujin while thinking, ''I didn''t intend to teach this to Fujin. After all, even the normal vacuum core is very lethal. Danzo and I needed months to perfect this. However, he learnt the normal Wind Vacuum style in under a day. I am looking forward to how quickly he can master this.''


    At 10, an Anbu appeared behind Hiruzen. This broke Fujin''s concentration and he observed him.


    The Anbu greeted Hiruzen, "Lord Hokage." And he handed him a tiffin box. Fujin, who had just eaten a couple of Ration bars, was amused. The Anbu left after Hiruzen took the box and thanked him.


    Hiruzen looked at Fujin and said, "Fujin,e join me." As it''d be impolite to turn him down, Fujin joined him. Hiruzen opened the box, and there were a few sandwiches in it.


    Fujin sat down and picked up one piece. While eating he said softly, "I didn''t know the Anbu were responsible for this as well."


    Hiruzenughed and replied, "He is a part of my personal guard. They do everything that I ask them to."


    Fujin nodded while thinking, ''Well, except for paperwork.''


    Seeing that Fujin wasn''t taking any initiative to converse, Hiruzen asked, "So Fujin, what do you usually do?"


    Fujin replied while taking a bite, "Pretty much just train, eat and sleep, Lord Hokage. Before the chunin exams, Renjiro sensei would train me all day."


    Hiruzen knew that. He smiled and said, "No need to keep calling me Lord Hokage. You can call me grandpa."


    Fujin got a bit worried, ''What is this old fox nning?''


    He showed an enthusiastic face and said, "Alright grandpa!"


    Hiruzen smiled on hearing that.


    Since he didn''t have anything to talk about with Fujin, Hiruzen began telling him old stories from his own experiences. Fujin listened carefully. After all, Hiruzen''s record as a Ninja was just too good! Very few could say that they were stronger than him. As for his experience, it''d be difficult to find anyone in the ninja world to have a richer experience than him. Perhaps only Onoki could im to have a simr level of experience.


    After breakfast, Fujin once again kept trying without any sess. They took a simr break around 1 PM for lunch. And trained till 4 PM.


    The next few days were spent in this manner. Fujin kept improving his vacuum core but didn''t reach a satisfactory level. Hiruzen kept monitoring and giving him tips.


    Over breakfast and lunch, Fujin took initiative to ask for more such stories. He, especially, asked a lot about Hashirama and Tobirama. After Hiruzen ran out of stories to tell about them, Fujin asked about the 2nd Kazekage, 3rd Raikage, Hatake Sakumo, and the Sannins.


    He initially started asking them in a way to show that he idolized the past Hokages. But as Hiruzen told more, the conversations became about their techniques. How they created them. How Hiruzen or someone else countered them.


    Of course, Hiruzen noticed the change in the conversation. But he didn''t mind. After all, if he were to tell these stories to any other kid, they would get bored and fall asleep. Having a good listener who would ask a lot of questions was something he liked.


    At one point, Fujin asked Hiruzen, "Grandpa, how do you counter the Sharingan inbat? Is avoiding eye contact the only counter?"


    Hiruzen asked, "Doesn''t your teammate have Sharingans?"


    Fujin nodded, "Yes. And every time I fight her, I maintain my distance and fight her with clones. Unlike Hoka, who I can engage in closebat, I prefer to let my clones do the fighting against Mieko."


    Hiruzen nodded. He had seen their fight. He said, "The advantage of Sharingan is that they can cast Genjutsu very quickly. However, even if it is very quick, they still need a fraction of a second to use the genjutsu.


    While not looking into their eyes or fighting with clones works, they are quite restrictive. The better way is to sense when they would use Sharingan genjutsu. And right before they cast it, disrupt your chakra so that you can''t be ced under Genjutsu."


    Fujin furrowed his eyebrows and asked, "But how can we sense that quickly?"


    Hiruzen replied, "You can focus chakra in your eyes. It enhances your vision and can allow you to see chakra. Since you are a sensor, you should be able to see the chakra. It is what Sakai Yumi was doing in the chunin exam."


    Fujin eximed, "Oh, I didn''t think that would work."


    Hiruzen replied, "Yes. But it isn''t easy. You first need to know how their chakra changes before they cast Genjutsu. And be quick enough to realize it and disrupt your own chakra. However, even this isn''t foolproof. There are some Uchiha who are capable of casting very powerful genjutsu. Even if you detect and disrupt your chakra, you would still be caught in the genjutsu."


    Fujin frowned on hearing that. He wondered, ''Is he talking about the Mangekyou or does he mean that even normal Sharingan can be used to cast such a strong Genjutsu?''


    Hiruzen noticed Fujin frowning and said, "But there is no need to worry. After all, the Uchiha are a part of Konoha."


    There was a hint of helplessness and sadness in Hiruzen''s tone. The rtions between Konoha and Uchiha were deteriorating day by day!


    Fujin didn''t notice that. He sighed internally, ''Yeah, I wish. Even without the coup, the strongest Uchihas are already against Konoha. No, they are against the entire Ninja world!''


    Hoka and Mieko also kept up their training. Hoka was the first one to learn his technique. It took him 3 days to learn. However, the power of his vacuum palm was quite weak. Hiruzen provided him insights on how to improve the power and their training ended.


    Mieko managed to learn her jutsu on the 5th day. Hiruzen spent another couple of days with her to improve her mastery of the jutsu. He gave her a lot of good advice and proper guidance. After all, Hiruzen was hoping that this act would improve his rtionship with the Uchiha.


    The Uchihas did appreciate the Hokage for teaching his original jutsu to Mieko. Unfortunately, with the vige turning a deaf ear to their demands, their resentment didn''t decrease.


    Later, Hiruzen would try to remove the surveince on the Uchiha and move them back into their previous territory. Unfortunately, his ns would be opposed by Danzo and the two elders. Losing the 4th Hokage to a Sharingan-controlled Kyubi was a huge blow to the vige. With Minato no longer alive, if something simr were to happen, then the other vige would probably invade Konoha! The elders wouldn''t risk that.


    So the fate of the Uchiha n wouldn''t change!

 Chapter 113: There are no Wind Vacuum Jutsus!

    Unlike Hoka and Mieko, Fujin''s training continued. It was on the 9th day that he finally managed to create a simr vacuum core as the one Hiruzen had created.


    Hiruzen checked it and praised Fujin, "Very good. This is good enough. Now, encase this vacuum core with another thin chakra film, and then create winds around it."


    Fujin followed his instructions and got it right on his first try! He threw it at a tree. It pierced through it and pierced 8 more trees behind it before copsing!


    Fujin grinned, "This is great! Thanks gramps!"


    After 9 days of training, Fujin was now very casual with Hiruzen. Of course, he still kept proper control over what he spoke and didn''t antagonize Hiruzen.


    Hiruzen nodded, "Very impressive Fujin!"


    Fujin looked at Hiruzen and asked, "Can we learn all the Wind Vacuum jutsus now?"


    Hiruzen showed a confused face and asked, "What do you mean by Wind Vacuum jutsus?"


    Though Hiruzen had a confused face, he wasughing internally while thinking, ''This brat has taken a lot of advantages from me. Unfortunately, even if he read the entire library, his knowledge won''tpare to mine.''


    Fujin''s eyebrows twitched. He asked, "Aren''t there a bunch of Wind Vacuum jutsus?"


    Hiruzen chuckled and shook his head, "There are no Wind Vacuum jutsus. Wind Vacuum is a technique to create a Vacuum core inside a Wind jutsu. So some Wind jutsus can be Wind Vacuum jutsus by using a Vacuum core. For instance, the Vacuum Sphere is just a modified Wind Explosion jutsu."


    Fujin was surprised at this, "Oh, I didn''t think of it that way."


    Hiruzen was about to ask Fujin to experiment on his own and create his own Wind Vacuum jutsus, when Fujin looked at him and said, "Grandpa, could you guide me in how to add the Vacuum core in the Great Breakthrough jutsu?"


    Hiruzen''s face went slightly ck at how quickly Fujin requested him. He coughed and said, "No. The vacuum core can''t be added to the Great Breakthrough jutsu due to it having such a wide area of attack."


    Fujin replied, "Oh¡­ I read that the 2nd Kazekage used a jutsu called Vacuum bullet jutsu. The scroll said that it moved at a very high speed and was very hard to dodge. Can you teach me that grandpa?"


    He looked at Hiruzen with a hopeful look on his face. While Fujin didn''t like Hiruzen''s diplomacy, he had nothing but respect for Hiruzen''s power and experience. Now that he had a chance to hold his thigh, Fujin would take every advantage he could from Hiruzen!


    Having interacted with Fujin for so long, Hiruzen understood that Fujin''s expressions were fake. He decided, ''I definitely need to include him in negotiating teams. He is aware that I know that his expression is fake. But he still does them!''


    Hiruzen sighed and agreed. Using Wind bullets needed one to create small vacuum cores inside their mouth. While they were mostly harmless, they could result in horrible injuries if something went wrong! Hiruzen sighed thinking, ''I don''t think Homura will agree to take over paperwork for me again! When will those students of mine return to take my hat?''


    As Hiruzen wished, one student of his would eventually return to take his hat. Though, he would want Hiruzen''s head alongside his hat!


    Hiruzen looked at Fujin and said, "For that, you will first need to learn Air bullet jutsu."


    Fujin replied, "Oh, can you teach me that jutsu as well?"


    Fujin noticed Hiruzen''s face going ck. Hiruzen wasn''t surprised as he expected Fujin to immediately make this request. However, he couldn''t help but wonder, ''Was this boy born with no shame?''


    Hiruzen showed Fujin the hand signs for Air bullet jutsu and exined how it worked. Fujin managed to perform it after a couple of tries. He improved his mastery of the jutsu for half an hour. This jutsu was very lethal as well. If used against an army, it''d have a terrifying effect! However, any good defense would easily block it. While practicing, Fujin wondered, ''Why wasn''t this jutsu ced in the library?''


    Hiruzen then taught Fujin the modified hand signs for Vacuum bullet jutsu. Of course, the hand signs alone won''t help to use this jutsu as Fujin first has to learn to create a vacuum core inside his mouth.


    Hiruzen first showed it to Fujin. The vacuum core for this wasn''t a sphere. It was shaped like a bullet, but much thinner. The outeryer was once again fragmented into parts separated by chakra. While the inner core was a proper vacuum.


    Fujin began practicing. He faced two challenges. The first was that he was creating it inside his mouth rather than his hand. So he couldn''t see it and had to work based on just feeling it.


    Another issue was chakra control. Controlling the chakra was a lot easier when done with the palm. Controlling it inside his mouth was challenging.


    Hiruzen was aware of this as well. The ideal time to train this would have been after Fujin began using the Vacuum sphere very smoothly. However, seeing Fujin''s talent, Hiruzen was interested in seeing how quickly Fujin would learn this. Besides, he was happy to not go back to paperwork for a few more days.


    Fujin trained till he ran out of chakra. This time, instead of dismissing Fujin, Hiruzen said, "Follow me Fujin."


    Hiruzen flickered. Fujin followed him. They left the training ground and entered a remote area in Konoha.


    There was a small house with smokeing out of a chimney. Hiruzen stopped in front of the house. A few secondster, Fujin appeared. Fujin asked, "Who lives here grandpa?"


    At that time, Fujin heard a loud noise of metals shing. Fujin asked, "Is this the cksmith?" Hiruzen smiled and knocked on the door.


    The sounds stopped. Soon, a middle-aged man opened the door. He wasn''t surprised to see Hiruzen. He bowed and greeted, "Wee to my home, Lord Hokage."


    Hiruzen smiled and said, "Hello Momo, how are you doing?"


    The middle-aged man was Ota Momo. He was a cksmith living in Konoha. He had a special position in Konoha due to his connections.


    Ota Momo replied, "I''m doing well, Lord Hokage. Come in."


    He invited Hiruzen in. Hiruzen and Fujin entered his home.


    On entering, Fujin saw an old man. He wore a white robe, had a long white beard and long white hair. However, he was quite well-built for his age.


    Hiruzen greeted him, "Fuji-dono. I trust you have been doing well."


    Furutani Fuji greeted him back, "I have been doing well, Lord Hokage. It''s good to see you once again."


    Hiruzen and Fuji exchanged some pleasantries. Furutani Fuji was a very reputed cksmith from the Land of Iron. He was one of the very few cksmiths alive who could forge chakra metal weapons. Once every year, he would visit Konoha to take orders for new weapons.


    Momo saw his Hokage and mentor exchange greetings like old friends. He felt very proud. After all, not everyone could boast about having the Hokage visit their home every year.


    After finishing their small talk, Fuji looked at Fujin and said, "So this is the youngster who wants swords?"


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "Yes, he wants Samurai sabers which aid in Wind chakra flow."


    Fuji looked at Fujin for a few moments. He stared at his swords and asked, "Can I see your current progress with chakra flow?"


    Fujin looked at Hiruzen, who nodded his head.


    Fujin unsheathed both his swords and flowed his chakra through them. He then changed it to Wind nature. Fuji observed for a few seconds before nodding, "Very impressive! Your basics are solid!"


    Fujin politely replied, "Thank You"


    Fuji got up and asked Fujin to follow him. Momo and Hiruzen also followed. They entered a room with a lot of swords. Fuji looked at Momo and said, "Bring a few swords for Fujin to check."


    Fujin checked out quite a few swords. Fujin was the mostfortable with a 2 feet long sword. However, Fuji and Hiruzen rmended longer swords that would fit him properly when he grew up. After all, he was only 11.


    In the end, they settled on two 2.5 feet long, 1-inch wide, dual-edged swords. Fuji said, "Alright. I''ll make and bring those swords next year."


    Fujin was stunned! He said softly, "Next year?"


    Hiruzen chuckled and said, "He is one of the best swordsmiths in the world. He can only make one trip to Konoha every year."


    Fuji added, "In addition, adding chakra metal to swords is veryplicated. It takes a long time to do it."


    Fujin nodded disappointedly as he couldn''t do anything about it. Hiruzen said, "You can leave Fujin. I have some official matters to discuss with Mr Fuji."


    Fujin nodded and left. After leaving, he sighed thinking, "1 year¡­ So long to make a sword! That said, it shouldn''t matter much. My current swords are good enough for the time being."


    He went to the clothing shop and took his new clothes. On reaching home, he swapped his old clothes for new ones and tried them. The shopkeeper had done a good job. The clothes fit him perfectly. Especially the Mesh upper body suit. It was veryfortable.


    The training continued from the next day. Hiruzen and Fujin talked about even more techniques and strong ninjas. After Fujin ran out of techniques to discuss, he even asked questions about the Great Ninja wars. He asked what started them, how they could have been avoided, whether any wars will happen in the future and how they could be avoided.


    This talk surprised Hiruzen. Fujin surprisingly showed maturity way beyond his age. Memories of the maturity Itachi showed surfaced.


    Fujin had realized that Hiruzen would realize this. He had intentionally shown it. In the future, he would require a lot of S rank jutsus that Konoha had. Increasing his value in Hiruzen''s eyes had a lot of merits.


    While Fujin did create a personal bond with Hiruzen over the past week, however, Fujin was aware that this bond won''t gain him many benefits. After all, Naruto''s bond with Hiruzen could be said to be much deeper. However, he didn''t receive any benefits from Hiruzen. Other than perhaps getting a strong Jounin sensei. Though, even that decision was likely not an emotional one.


    These talks made Hiruzen finalize his decision to invite Fujin into the Anbu ranks after a few months.


    [A/N : Additional chapter on Sunday if the fic stays in top 200]

 Chapter 114: Shadow Clone Explosion Jutsu

    Fujin trained for a week. During this time, after Hiruzen ended the training, Fujin would go home and create vacuum cores with his palm while keeping his eyes closed. He did it to be more familiar with the process of creating vacuum cores.


    Finally, Fujin managed to create a stable vacuum core inside his mouth. He created a few hand signs and blew out the Vacuum Bullet jutsu.


    Unlike Air bullet, where he could blow half a dozen bullets at the same time, he could create just one Vacuum bullet at a time. It travelled in a straight line for 40 meters, piercing everything in its path!


    Fujin smiled and eximed, ''Damn cool!''


    Hiruzen smiled. This time, Fujin performed just as he expected. Of course, his expectations were much higher.


    Hiruzen said, "Good work Fujin. You can improve Vacuum bullet jutsu further by creating more vacuum cores so that you can use multiple at the same time. Of course, that won''t be easy, so don''t push for it so quickly."


    Fujin nodded. He needed to use this jutsu a few thousand times. His mastery would improve steadily.


    Hiruzen continued, "Other than Vacuum spheres and Vacuum bullets, you can create more vacuum jutsus by changing the shape of the vacuum core. But don''t experiment with it for now. Try it after a few months."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Thank You, Grandpa."


    Hiruzen smiled seeing how obedient he was. However, soon he noticed a slight smile forming on Fujin''s face.


    Fujin asked, "Grandpa since it is only 9 AM and there is some time for the training session to end, can you teach me how to concentrate chakra in my eyes?"


    Hiruzen''s eyes twitched! He eximed, ''The next time we enter into any negotiations, I should send this shameless brat to negotiate!''


    Fujin had analyzed, ''While I''m confident in my chakra control, the eye is a delicate organ. I don''t want to damage it. It''d be best if Hiruzen guided me.''


    Hiruzen just sighed and agreed. He didn''t have anything to do either as Homura was still doing his job.


    Hiruzen guided Fujin on how to focus the chakra in his eyes. It needed delicate chakra control but was quite easy for Fujin. After Fujin learnt it, he gave him a few tips and dismissed him. He genuinely was worried that Fujin would ask him for more jutsus.


    Fujin knew that he had asked a lot from Hiruzen in thest couple of weeks. So he left after thanking him.


    After leaving, Fujin wondered, ''So, what do I do now? Should I rent a training field and practice? I haven''t heard from Renjiro at all since Hiruzen took over our training.''


    He thought for a bit and left towards the Senju npound. He decided, ''Time to redeem that rank A jutsu from Renjiro. Should I ask for anything in particr? I don''t really recall any useful Rank A jutsus. de of Wind is the only one thates to mind and I don''t need it immediately. I guess I''ll just ask him to give me something appropriate.''


    Fujin went to the Senju npound. However, Renjiro was out on a mission. So Fujin rented a training ground and practiced Vacuum spheres and bullets.


    After dismissing Fujin, Hiruzen went back to his office. Seeing Hiruzen enter, Homura became very angry! He said in a grumpy tone, "Hiruzen, you finally remembered toe back?"


    Hiruzen shrugged and replied, "The training ended today."


    Homura scoffed and replied, "You were teaching 1 jutsu for 16 days? At least say something believable!"


    Hiruzen didn''t reply. Homura realized that Hiruzen was serious. He asked, "What exactly were you teaching?"


    Hiruzen replied, "Well, one of the kids asked me to teach Wind Vacuum jutsus."


    Homura''s eyes widened. He asked, "And you taught it?"


    Hiruzen nodded.


    Homura scolded, "Hiruzen! That jutsu is too dangerous in the hands of a 10-11 year old kid!"


    Hiruzen shook his hand dismissing Homura''s concern. He replied, "Don''t worry. That kid is promising. He is mature enough to not use it on arade."


    Homura asked, "Which kid is it?"


    Hiruzen replied, "Fujin."


    Homura burrowed his eyebrows. He asked, "That orphan? I thought you decided on this reward to pacify the Uchiha."


    Hiruzen nodded, "I taught her a rank A jutsu. It''s a good enough reward. However, I discovered that Fujin is very talented too. He has the potential to be an Elite Jounin. Since he specializes in Wind maniption, he''d be a very good addition to most of our Jounin teams."


    Homura was surprised at the high evaluation given by Hiruzen. He nodded and said, "If the vige can get another Elite Jounin, then it''s alright. Do you n to take him into the Anbu?"


    Hiruzen nodded, "Yes, but when he reaches 13. We broke the tradition for Itachi due to the situation with the Uchiha. There is no need to break it again with Fujin. Besides, we still need to monitor his performance as a chunin."


    Homura nodded. Chunin was a crucial phase in differentiating ordinary ninjas from elites. Many ninjas would get tired of training and stop or slow down their training after bing chunins. After all, not every ninja could motivate themselves to train all their life. Such ninjas seldom manage to improve their rank. Konoha wouldn''t waste any more effort on them.


    After 3 days, Renjiro appeared at the training ground Fujin was training in. Fujin, who had just begun his training, sensed him and stopped. Renjiro flickered next to Fujin. He was about to speak when he noticed a bunch of holes in every tree and boulder around Fujin. He was speechless for a moment.


    He looked at Fujin and asked, "What did the Hokage teach you?"


    Fujin smiled and replied, "He taught me the Wind Vacuum technique."


    Fujin extended his arm and fired a Vacuum sphere. Renjiro watched as it pierced through a dozen trees!


    He was dumbfounded! He wondered, ''Did he convince that old man to teach him the Wind Vacuum technique and learnt it in under 3 weeks? I knew he was talented at Wind maniption, but to this extent?''


    After the moment of disbelief passed, he felt pride in his student. However, on hearing his student, Renjiro''s face immediately became dark.


    Fujin asked, "Where were you, sensei? I wanted to ask you to teach me the rank A jutsu!"


    Renjiro stared at Fujin, who looked back innocently with a smile on his face. He sighed and asked, "Did you think of any jutsu you want?"


    Fujin shook his head and replied, "I''ll trust your judgement, Sensei."


    Renjiro nodded. Rank A jutsus were hard to find. Rank A jutsu that suited you was even rarer. Fujin did know about a few Rank A jutsu, but most were from other elements. The remaining were very few. So he couldn''t decide on what would be the most useful for him.


    Renjiro said, "Alright. I have decided to teach you the Shadow Clone Explosion jutsu."


    Fujin thanked him, "Thank You Sensei. Can we start learning it now?"


    Renjiro was just back from an S rank mission. He had nned to rest, but he agreed.


    Renjiro said, "This jutsu has no hand signs. All you have to do is create a Shadow clone and make it self-destruct using all Chakra it has."


    Fujin replied, "That''s convenient Sensei."


    Renjiro nodded and continued, "The advantages are self-exnatory. The limitation is the range. Your clone needs to be very close to the enemy before self-destructing. You will also need to ensure that the enemy doesn''t move away quickly on sensing the explosion. As for the disadvantage, since your clone will use all its chakra, you won''t be getting any back."


    Fujin nodded. It was as he expected. Fujin asked, "So how do we make the clone explode, Sensei?"


    Renjiro began exining the details of the jutsu. Fujin created a couple of Shadow clones and asked them to try as Renjiro exined. Fujin observed them carefully.


    After a few minutes, one of the clones exploded sessfully! The explosion sent dust flying. After the dust settled, he noticed a small crater where the clone exploded. It had a radius of 2 meters and a maximum depth of 5 cm.


    Soon, the 2nd clone exploded as well. Fujin received the memories and experiences of both clones. Fujin began creating more Shadow clones one by one. After one would self-destruct, Fujin would get his experiences and make another Shadow Clone to practice the jutsu.


    Fujin''s Chakra had increased a lot since the time he received the Shadow clone jutsu! It had multiplied many times. He could now create 21 proper shadow clones that could sustain themselves until they used up two-thirds of their chakra. If he just wanted to create shadow clones for the sake of creating them, he could create 65 Shadow clones!


    Of course, these clones won''t be able to use a lot of chakra. If he intended to have his shadow clone use Rank B jutsus or supercharged jutsus, then he could only make a few.


    [A/N : For those who forgot - I had exined the details when Fujin learnt Shadow Clone jutsu. A Shadow Clone needs a particr amount of chakra to sustain itself. If it didn''t have that much, it would be dispelled and the chakra would be returned to the ninja. And a proper Shadow clone would need to be able to use at least 2/3rd chakra before reaching that minimum chakra requirement (basically 3 times the minimum chakra req). Back when Fujin had learnt Shadow clone jutsu for the first time, the minimum required chakra to sustain a shadow clone was 41% of Fujin''s entire chakra.]


    However, since it was just the purpose of learning how to self-destruct, Fujin created 30 one by one. It emptied 80% of his chakra reserves! However, the progress he made was incredible!


    [A/N : Additional chapter on Sunday if the fic stays in top 200]

 Chapter 115: Stingy Sensei

    After practicing, Fujin''s Shadow clone needed just two seconds to explode after making the decision to self-destruct. The efficiency of using all of the clone''s chakra for the explosion also increased. Each explosion now formed a crater of 3 meters radius and 10 cm depth.


    Renjiro said, "That''s good enough. Don''t exhaust your chakra anymore."


    Fujin nodded and stopped practicing. Renjiro said, "Shadow Clone Explosion jutsu is rtively easy to learn. The difficult part of this jutsu is learning Shadow clones. So don''t expect to learn any other rank A jutsu in a day."


    Fujin nodded. He thought, ''Yeah, this jutsu was just too easy to learn! Though practicing it will be tougher due to the crazy rate at which it burns chakra.''


    Renjiro said, "Another important aspect is the amount of chakra you pour into your clones. While practicing, you kept the amount of chakra in your shadow clones to the minimum. However, if you create a clone with a lot of chakra, that explosion will be much stronger."


    Fujin nodded. Renjiro added, "However, don''t experiment with it for the time being. We will be leaving for a rank A mission on the day after tomorrow. So no more ninjutsu practice. Your chakra reserves need to be at full."


    Fujin nodded while thinking, ''Rank A mission¡­ I wonder if it will be as easy as the previous one.''


    Renjiro said, "I will go and inform Hoka and Mieko as well. Meet us outside the Hokage''s building at 6 AM the day after tomorrow."


    Renjiro was about to flicker, when Fujin said, "Wait Sensei!"


    Renjiro waited and looked at Fujin.


    Fujin said, "Sensei, is there a Wind Clone Explosion jutsu? Just like Shadow Clone Explosion jutsu?"


    Renjiro nodded, fully anticipating what Fujin would ask next. Fujin asked, "Could you teach me that jutsu as well, Sensei? Or give me the scroll to learn that jutsu from?"


    Renjiro smiled and replied, "Your reward was just one Rank A jutsu. If you want that jutsu, then be a jounin immediately."


    Fujin gave him a deadpan look. It was well known that Konoha was very stingy when it came to promoting Chunins to Jounins. Even someone like Itachi, who was strong enough to annihte the entire Uchiha n, was officially only a chunin when he left the vige!


    [A/N : I always thought he became Jounin before being selected into Anbu. Kinda surprised when I read that he was never promoted to Jounin despite being an Anbu captain.]


    So Fujin didn''t expect to even be considered for a Jounin promotion for a few years.


    Heined, "Come on! Don''t be stingy, Sensei! My Wind clones are even better than me at Wind Instantaneous Body jutsu! And I can already imagine the destruction they could cause with thebination of Wind Instantaneous Body jutsu and Wind Clone Explosion jutsu!"


    Renjiro chuckled and replied, "It''s not me being stingy. As a teacher, it''s my job to motivate my students. Wind Clone Explosion jutsu is my way to motivate you to be a Jounin soon. So don''t ck off and be a Jounin quickly."


    On saying that, he flickered away, not giving Fujin any chance to argue back.


    Fujin was dumbfounded seeing his Sensei just run away! He grumbled, "Such a lousy excuse! He could have just given it to me and dangled an S rank jutsu to motivate me. Besides, the principles of the jutsu should be simr to Shadow Clone Explosion jutsu. So I should be able to make this jutsu myself. After all, no hand signs are needed."


    Renjiroughed after leaving. He thought, ''That brat always manages to get his way when asking for new jutsus or techniques. He needs to be given a few setbacks, or else he would just begin knocking on everyone''s doors and asking them to give him their jutsus!


    Still, it was a good tactic that he thought of. A few Suna jounins used it to good effect in the previous war. It was so effective that we had a Hyuga who could use Vacuum Palm in every group that went to the Suna frontline.''


    Not having much chakra, Fujin left to fill his stomach. He rested for a couple of days.


    When Fujin was being trained by Renjiro, four ninjas, dressed in Hidden Mist vests, entered the Land of Fire undetected. All four wore masks and had visible injuries on their body. They appeared to be escaping.


    A few minutester, another 6 ninjas with simr clothes entered from the same path as those 4 ninjas without alerting anyone. They too had some injuries, but the injuries were lesser. They chased after the first group.


    After 10 minutes, the two groups finally got very close to each other. Matsuzaki Masa, who was in the 2nd group, was a sensor. He smirked and said, "Kazuki-senpai, I found them! They are just 700 meters ahead of us."


    Kazuki smiled and said, "Move quickly. We need to eliminate them and leave. It will be troublesome if Konoha gets involved."


    His group nodded and moved faster. They were in the enemy territory after all.


    Mino Masuyo sensed Masa sensing them. Her expression grew grim. She said, "Chou-sama. They sensed us. They are only 700 meters behind us!"


    Sakai Chou''s expression grew grim. She said, "Let''s wait ahead and set up traps. We will create a lot of noise in this war to attract Konoha''s attention. Once Konoha and those guys sh, we can escape. It''d be best if Konoha kills them!"


    Her subordinates nodded and began preparing traps. Soon, the 6 Kiri ninjas from the Mizukage faction caught up. They were greeted with dozens of shurikens and kunais. However, they managed to dodge and block everything. But, suddenly, 3 kunais with explosion tags appeared near them. They quickly dispersed.


    Sakai Chou flickered in front of one of the enemies and blew hot steam on him. The Kiri ninja yelled and retreated. He had burns all over his body! Even some of his clothes had melted.


    Kazuki and another Jounin quickly made a move to attack Chou. However, she just retreated. Her team members appeared next to her to aid her. A sh happened!


    After a couple of minutes of a deadlock, Chou and her team suddenly retreated to a spot. Chou made a few hand signs and blew steam in the whole area!


    Kazuki and his men got together and countered with Water Release jutsus. However, after using her steam jutsu, Sakai Chou and her squad members retreated rapidly. Before their opponents could react, the entire area was blown up!


    Kazuki was livid! He yelled, "Those fucking traitors rigged the entire ce!"


    Although the forest was blown up, Kazuki and his squad didn''t suffer any injury. However, they were faced with two issues. Their opponents had once again run out of their sight. And, more importantly, this massive explosion was sure to attract Konoha ninjas!


    As Kazuki expected, the loud explosion was noticed by a Konoha patrol unit that was 5 km away! They immediately reported to their superior and rushed to inspect the explosion.


    Two dayster, Fujjn appeared outside the Hokage building at 5:55 AM. Renjiro, Mieko and Hoka were already there. Mieko was annoyed. She asked with annoyance, "Aren''t you excited for a rank A mission? Why couldn''t youe early?"


    Fujin shrugged and said, "Haven''t we alreadypleted one Rank A mission? Besides, I''m early!"


    Miekoined, "BY ONLY 5 MINUTES!"


    Fujin smirked and said, "That''s plenty of time to defeat you."


    This remark angered Mieko a lot! She was about to yell back, when Renjiro said, "Enough chit-chat. Time to see the Hokage."


    Mieko looked away from Fujin and walked ahead. Fujin looked at her with a bit of disappointment, ''It''s a shame that steam doesn''t blow out of ears on being mad like in anime.''


    The group walked into the Hokage office and greeted Hiruzen. A chunin was standing in the room with a file. Hiruzen asked the group, "So, are you prepared for a rank A mission?"


    The kids immediately nodded and replied in affirmative. He chuckled and said, "Good luck. Tatsuya will exin the details."


    Tatsuya, the chunin inside the office, stepped forward and said, "The mission assigned to you is a two-part mission. Both these parts are Rank A missions by themselves.


    Two groups of ninjas from Hidden Mist shed inside our country two days ago. We sent out a few scout teams to track them, but they couldn''t find them. But we believe that they haven''t left the Land of Fire yet. The first part of your mission is to find and either eliminate or arrest them."


    He handed a document from the file to Renjiro while saying, "The sh happened near the Eastern shore of our country, about 75 km to the north of the port near the Land of Wave. Blood samples were collected where the sh happened, so they could be injured. However, we don''t know who the Kiri ninjas are."


    Renjiro epted the document with a puzzled look. This wasn''t the mission he had decided for his team.


    Hiruzen said, "There are some border patrol teams in that area. You can cooperate with them. If the mission exceeds the rank, you are allowed to retreat and inform us to send the appropriate backup."


    Renjiro nodded. He was aware of the protocols. The words Hiruzen spoke were for the kids. The kids also realized it and paid close attention.


    Tatsuya continued, "The second part of your mission will be inside the Land of Hot Springs. A dozen rogue ninjas have entered it and are creating chaos around the southern town of Niigata. ording to our information, the rogue ninjas are from Kiri. You will cooperate with a local team and eliminate them."


    Renjiro nodded. This was the mission that he had selected for his students.


    Hiruzen added, "The second part of the mission depends on your status afterpleting part 1. If you are injured or unable to continue for reason, you will hand the mission to Akimichi Seiichi and take his spot to monitor the border patrol squads instead."


    Renjiro nodded. Mieko quickly added, "Don''t worry Lord Hokage. We willplete both missions with ease."


    Hoka and Fujin nodded to back her up. After all, getting Rank A missions would provide very critical experiences for them.


    Renjiro looked at his students and said, "Let''s go."


    The trio nodded and left with him.


    [A/N : Additional chapter on Sunday if the fic stays in top 200.]

 Chapter 116: Tracking

    Team Renjiro left through Konoha''s gate and rushed towards their destination. They just took one break for lunch and spent the rest of their time running at full speed without using any chakra.


    At 7 PM, they reached a patrol outpost. Fujin''s eyes twitched on looking at the outpost. He thought, ''This is an outpost? It''s almost a small vige on its own!''


    The outpost was big. There was a 2 storey building at the center. And there were multiple small houses around it. A wooden fence surrounded the entire outpost.


    On reaching, they saw a huge man standing before them. He smiled and said, "Renjiro! How have you been?"


    Renjiro smiled and replied, "I have been well Seiichi. Meet my students."


    Akimichi Seiichi looked at the 3 kids behind him and said, "I heard that 3 talented genins were promoted to chunins this exam. Congrattions on such a quick promotion."


    The trio politely thanked him. Renjiro did the instructions, "They are Suzuki Fujin, Uchiha Mieko, and Hyuga Hoka."


    He looked at his students and said, "This is Akimichi Seiichi. He was my teammate. He is a Jounin and the head of all the Patrol teams patrolling the Eastern shores."


    The trio now looked at him with more respect. The Eastern shore of the Land of Fire extended for hundreds of kilometers! Fujin wondered, ''How did an Akimichi be teammates with a Senju?''


    Renjiro asked, "So Seiichi, what is thetest information on the Kiri nins?"


    Seiichi replied, "We tracked them a few times, however, they were quick to escape. My guess is that one of the squads entered here to escape from pursuit. However, the other kept pursuing inside the Land of Fire. But, since that squad hasn''t approached us, we can only consider them both as enemies."


    Renjiro nodded. He looked at his students and asked, "Do you want to take a break or find and attack them today?"


    Mieko immediately replied, "We attack today, Sensei!"


    Hoka thought for a bit and agreed with her. He wasn''t tired.


    Fujin looked at Seiichi and asked, "Did we sh with those 2 groups?"


    Seiichi nodded, "We shed with one group once and the other group four times. However, they managed to escape sessfully every time with the help of the traps they set. Since they used masks, we couldn''t identify them."


    Fujin asked, "Masks? Are they¡­"


    Seiichi interrupted, "No, they didn''t act like Anbu. If they did, this mission would have been an S rank mission."


    Fujin nodded and asked, "Were they injured or tired?"


    Seiichi answered, "Nothing serious. Slight injuries and tiredness thate with spending a few days behind enemy lines."


    While answering, Seiichi secretly praised Fujin. Fujin looked at Renjiro and said, "Let''s attack today, Sensei. Best to get them before they manage to escape."


    Renjiro nodded. Mieko scoffed, "That''s what I said at the very beginning!"


    Fujin ignored her antics.


    Seiichi said, "Alright, you focus on capturing them. I''ll ensure that they don''t manage to escape. Take Inuzuka Hotaka with you. He will brief you on the details."


    Renjiro nodded. Inuzuka Hotaka walked ahead. A ferocious-looking ninja dog followed him. Hotaka was a chunin in his mid-twenties. The group left.


    After travelling for some time, they arrived outside a vige. Hotaka said, "This is Tsumagoi vige. They werest spotted around here."


    Renjiro nodded and looked at his students.


    Fujin shook his head, "No one in 1 KM radius sensei."


    Hoka and Mieko activated their Doujutsus. Mieko didn''t find anything. Hoka looked for a couple of minutes and said, "600 meters to the east, Sensei."


    They immediately moved towards it. On reaching, they noticed a huge tree with a hole in it. The hole wasrge enough for some people to hide in.


    Hoka went in and grabbed a few bandages that were stained with blood. He reported, "It looks like they rested here for some time."


    He gave the bloody bandage to Inuzuka Hotaka and his dog. Mieko activated her Sharingan and began observing.


    After a minute she said, "Found a trail!"


    She immediately began moving along the trail. The group travelled for around 4 km. But Fujin, Hoka and even Hotaka weren''t able to pick up on any clues.


    The group arrived before a small pond. Mieko frowned, "Their trail ends here."


    Hoka checked with his Byakugan and said, "I don''t see anyone."


    Hotakamented, "We don''t smell those ninjas."


    Fujin frowned and said, "Nothing in my chakra field either."


    Renjiro smiled and made a hand sign. He said, "You have very good skills for tracking and detecting your enemies. However, I never taught you about Fuinjutsu. Let this be a lesson. Never underestimate those seals! Even if you don''t detect anyone, it doesn''t mean that you can drop your guard."


    He mmed his hands on the ground.


    "Earth Release : Rampart of Flowing Soil jutsu!"


    Renjiro sent a huge amount of chakra into the ground. The entireke became unstable. Soon, a small pointed Rock appeared at the center of the pond. It rose up. Underneath it, a needle mountain was forming! That pointed Rock was the peak of that mountain!


    Renjiro said, "Of course, even if you take every precaution, it doesn''t mean that no enemy can track you."


    While the mountain was rising, Fujin suddenly sensed 6 ninjas! Hoka and Hotaka noticed them too. Soon, 6 ninjas jumped out of the pond to escape!


    Renjiro saw them. Suddenly the needles from the mountain facing them wereunched. Two of them quickly made hand signs. A water wall followed by an earth wall formed to defend them.


    Fujin, Mieko, and Hoka were about to attack, but Renjiro stopped them. He looked at them. They looked back. Both sides were in a stand-off.


    Fujin observed them carefully. All 6 wore masks. They were probably all in their 20s or 30s. Two of them had jounin level chakra, while the rest had chunin level chakra.


    Renjiro asked, "State your names and your purpose for entering the Land of Fire."


    Some of the Kiri nins recognized Renjiro and became tense!


    Renjiro threatened, "Surrender and identify yourself, or¡­" He released a very strong killing intent and continued, "DIE!"


    Karatachi Kazuki, the leader of the 6 Kiri nins, said, "Senju Renjiro, we just want a safe passage back to Kiri. Give us a way and we will leave. Otherwise, don''t think you will leave unscathed!"


    He was making apromise. He still wanted to hunt the Kiri nins from the rebel faction. But he didn''t think that he would draw out someone as strong as Renjiro!


    Renjiro ignored his threat and said, "Kill them!"


    As soon as he said it, Fujin, Mieko, and Hoka immediately got into the action!


    Fujinunched a Great Breakthrough jutsu even before Renjiro hadpleted hismand.


    Mieko immediately made a few hand signs andunched a Fireball jutsu into the Great Breakthrough jutsu less than a secondter.


    Hoka gathered chakra in his palm, nning to use Vacuum Palm.


    The Kiri nins didn''t expect the kids behind Renjiro to make such a quick and strong move. However, they had spent thest few days on edge. So they were on very high alert!


    As soon as Fujin made a move, Karatachi Kazuki made a hand sign and a water wall appeared in between them. Due to how fast he did it, Fujin had no time to supercharge the jutsu. So the Water Wall managed to hold the winds back until 3 more Water Walls formed. However, soon a raging Fire spread through the winds!


    The Earth affinity Kiri ninja was about to make an Earth wall, when Kazuki shouted, "Disperse!"


    The group immediately dispersed in different directions. As soon as they moved, the ground underneath them turned into deadly spikes and spears. Kazuki saw them and recalled the dozens of Kiri ninjas who died from this tactic of Renjiro.


    Renjiro frowned. He didn''t expect his attack to do zero damage. He created a shadow clone and said, "They have dispersed. Take one opponent and kill. Then help others."

 Chapter 117: Fight Begins

    Renjiro flickered towards Kazuki, while his clone flickered towards the other Kiri Jounin. Fujin, Hoka, and Mieko also flickered. Hotaka was left alone. He was shocked at how quickly the team dispersed. He muttered, "They are just kids and they move this quickly¡­"


    Both he and his dog moved towards thest remaining enemy.


    The Kiri ninjas had just dispersed momentarily. They intended on regrouping immediately. However, 5 of them were immediately engaged by Konoha ninjas. Thatst one was engaged a few secondster.


    Kazuki''s face was grim. He didn''t want to engage Renjiro.


    Fujin flickered towards the Kiri ninja who was the farthest from any other Kiri ninja. He grabbed his sword and attacked his enemy.


    The Kiri ninja was Matsuzaki Masa. He was an elite chunin. He noticed Fujin approaching him. He furrowed his eyebrows due to how quickly Fujin attacked him.


    He grabbed his kunai to block the hit. At the same time, he was moving backwards. After shing with Konoha ninjas for thest few days, escape became their priority. He might have underestimated Fujin under normal circumstances, but he had just witnessed Fujin blow a rank C jutsu instantly without any hand signs.


    Fujin flowed his chakra through his sword. Masa immediately noticed it! He immediately moved backwards with no intent to engage Fujin. Fujin was surprised that his opponent was able to sense the chakra flow.


    He swung his sword from a distance. A sharp flying sh of chakra went towards Musa. Musa was very surprised! He didn''t expect his opponent to be able to attack with his sword from a range. He quickly dodged.


    Fujin followed up with 3 more shes, but Musa dodged all 3! Each time, he dodged with more precision and lesser movement. Musa smirked and said, "You are too green brat! I have sparred against all 7 Swordsmen of the Mist! Your sword is ineffective against me."


    Though Musa sounded arrogant, in reality, his mood was very grim. He was thinking, ''This brat is troublesome! I have to watch out for his Great Breakthrough jutsu in addition to his sword shes.''


    Fujin didn''t pay much attention to his opponent''s words. He made a hand sign, and dozens of Wind clones appeared. Musa observed the clones properly and focused on one clone.


    Fujin frowned, ''First sensing chakra flow and now looking at that clone. Looks like he is a sensor as well.''


    Of the 12 clones Fujin made, 11 were made with just 0.5% of his chakra. While thest clone had 10% of his chakra. Musa focused on the clone with thergest chakra.


    2 of the weaker clones went forward and used Wind Explosion jutsu on Musa. However, Musa moved behind and made a couple of hand signs. 6 Water clones appeared around him. Each contained 5% of his chakra.


    One of those clones created a Water Wall to block the winds generated by the jutsu. Fujin muttered, "This will be annoying."


    He and his clones disappeared into the forest. Musa was surprised that his opponent retreated. He spread his chakra field and noticed that Fujin and his clones were surrounding him from all sides, but not making a move on him.


    His face became grim. He analyzed, ''This brat is smart. He realized that he couldn''t beat me and decided to stall for time. Konoha reinforcements might being anytime. I need to create a breakthrough so that everyone can escape!''


    Though his analysis was sound, he didn''t guess Fujin''s thoughts correctly. Fujin didn''t intend to waste time. Instead, he wanted to use the circumstances to force his opponent to make a move and give an opening.


    After all, unlike the Chunin Exams, Fujin couldn''t depend on his advantage of having a higher chakra reserve. His opponent''s chakra was only slightly less than his.


    Fujin strategized, ''I don''t have much of an advantage in chakra and in terms of experience, I''m highly disadvantaged! I''ll need him to give me an opening, otherwise, it''ll be tough to defeat him.''


    Fujin''s strategy depended on another important factor. That is, his teammates shouldn''t be defeated. Fujin subconsciously didn''t consider this aspect much. It was due to his trust in the ability of his teammates and sensei.


    Musa analyzed the options avable to him, ''There are 3 ways. One is I try to kill this kid. But I have a feeling that it''ll be very difficult. Second is that I could try and go away from him and team up with someone. This way we could cooperate more. And the third way will be to send water clones away to aid others while I stop this kid.''


    Musa analyzed for a few seconds and made his decision. Immediately, he and 4 Water clones ran towards Fujin. The other 2 water clones ran in the directions where there was only 1 wind clone. Musa''s water clones had a lot more chakra than Fujin''s wind clones. So he was confident that they would get away.


    Fujin smiled at seeing his enemy using this tactic. 2 of his wind clones used Wind Instantaneous Body jutsu to appear behind the Water clones that were escaping and used Great Breakthrough jutsu on them. The Water clones were surprised. They were both dispersed. Fujin''s Wind clones also dispersed.


    Fujin smiled, while Musa was grim. Unlike Shadow clones, elemental clones don''t return the chakra on being dispelled. This minor sh had cost Musa 10% of his chakra, while Fujin lost just 1%!


    Fujin''s other clones flickered as well and used Wind Explosion jutsu on Musa and his clones. While Fujin moved away from Musa and kept his distance. In the battles happening, other than Renjiro''s Shadow clone, only Fujin was the Konoha ninja who kept his distance. All others tried fighting at close range.


    Musa managed to defend against all attacks, however, he couldn''t get close to Fujin. He frowned and decided to use the 2nd tactic. However, as soon as he changed his direction, Fujin chased him and his clones once again harassed him.


    This forced him to stop and confront Fujin, who just retreated back and didn''t confront him. The two exchanged attacks in this manner a few times.


    Musa''s face became ugly. Fujin''s tactic was very annoying. He cursed Fujin loudly and taunted him, but Fujin didn''t reply and continued the same tactic.


    However, despite the high number of exchanges, Musa wasn''t injured at all! He never gave any openings for Fujin to exploit. Fujin, who was at a distance waiting to sneak attack, frowned. He thought, ''Are all Kiri ninjas so tough to kill?''


    At the same time, others were engaging in a sh as well. The quick attack by Renjiro and his students ensured that the Kiri ninjas stayed separated. They had witnessed their teamwork in the short sh and didn''t want them to get together.


    Hoka''s opponent was another elite chunin. His name was Ona Danjuro. Just like most Kiri ninjas, he too was an expert at Water Release jutsus. As soon as he saw Hoka''s Byakugan, he immediately moved away from him and quickly made a few hand signs.


    ''Water Release : Wild Water Wave jutsu''


    A huge wave of water appeared and crashed towards Hoka. Seeing the wave, Danjuro thought, ''I should never get in closebat with him. I still remember how Sensei was killed by Hyuga Hizashi in the 3rd War! Despite being so strong, he couldn''t retaliate at all after having his chakra points closed.''


    Hoka immediately flickered out of the way and flickered once again toe close to Danjuro. Danjuro moved backwards while making more hand signs.


    ''Water Bullet jutsu''


    Hoka could have dodged them. However, he wanted to fight head-on. So he gathered chakra in his palm and used Vacuum Palms to stop his water bullets.


    Danjuro was surprised to see such a young Hyuga use this jutsu. The Vacuum Palms and Water bullets shed. Some of the Vacuum Palms went through the Water bullets and moved towards Danjuro. Danjuro immediately dodged.


    He created more distance from Hoka and engaged in a long-distance battle. Hoka tried getting close many times, but Danjuro managed to keep his distance and used mid-range Water jutsus. Hoka could only engage him with Earth jutsus and Vacuum palms.

 Chapter 118: The Breakthrough

    Mieko faced a tricky opponent as well. Her Opponent was Ishimaru Hoshi, a chunin with Water affinity.


    On flickering in front of him, Mieko immediatelyunched a Fireball jutsu. However, Hoshi easily dodged her and used Water Release : Wild Bubble Wave jutsu!


    He spat out arge volume of foam-like bubbles. They rushed towards Mieko, who flickered out of the way. The bubbles covered that part of the ground and made it very slippery.


    Mieko tried flickering behind him, however, he once again spat another Wild Bubble Wave jutsu at her, forcing her to dodge.


    She tried attacking him twice more, just to be countered the same way. She frowned and flickered again and used another Fireball jutsu from mid-range.


    Hoshi once again made hand signs and used the same jutsu! On shing, his jutsu overpowered Mieko''s and doused the fire. By now, all the ground around him in a 30-meter radius was filled with bubbles. It was very slippery!


    Mieko noticed this as well and frowned. She analyzed, ''He is trying to make a battlefield more favorable for him. And his chakra is higher than mine, so he can use a lot more ninjutsu than me. I need to end this quickly.''


    Mieko kept her distance and attacked with shurikens. Hoshi used another bubble jutsus, but this time using way less chakra and producing a very small volume of bubbles. However, they were adequate to block her shurikens. At the same time, they spread out the slippery field even more.


    Mieko kept attacking with shurikens, kunais and explosion tags. At times she even used Fire or Earth release jutsus. However, Hoshi kept neutralizing her weapons and Fire jutsus with bubbles. As for Earth jutsus, he used to just slide out of the wave!


    Mieko kept her Sharingan active the whole time to cast a Genjutsu on him. However, Hoshi never looked into her eyes. Hoshi then used Hidden Mist jutsu to block any attempts to cast Genjutsu on him.


    Mieko frowned. Her Sharingan couldn''t see through the mist. She kept attacking from a range but produced no good result. The stalemate continued in this manner.


    Inuzuka Hotaka was the only one who was at a disadvantage. He hadn''t learnt any nature maniption, while his opponent, Mimasuya Doi, was quite good with his Water Release. He kept his distance and kept attacking Hotaka with Water bullets from a distance.


    While he hung on, both he and his dog had taken a lot of minor injuries. However, he gritted his teeth and kept fighting. He didn''t want to be the one to lose when even kids less than half his age weren''t being defeated!


    Seeing that he couldn''t defeat his opponent in a short time, Mimasuya Doi used Hidden Mist jutsu. This was amon escape tactic among Kiri ninjas. They would cover the battlefield with mist and could decide whether to escape or assassinate their enemies!


    Hotaka used his strong sense of smell to keep a track of his opponent and kept fighting. However, the mist kept spreading throughout the battlefield!


    Unlike others, Renjiro was overbearing. On flickering, he immediately attacked Kazuki with his full strength. Kazuki barely managed to hang on to his life. He used Water jutsus to counter Renjiro''s Water jutsus and used Lightning jutsus to counter his Earth jutsus. His entire focus was on stalling Renjiro until one of his subordinates managed to defeat their opponent and allow them to flee. However, it was just a matter of time before he fell to Renjiro if others didn''t find a breakthrough.


    Renjiro''s clone, on the other hand, was at a disadvantage. He couldn''t risk getting hit by anything. So he kept his distance and blocked any attack by his opponent. His opponent, Mimasuya Junji, kept trying to disengage and hit the chunins, but Renjiro''s clone kept blocking him. He tried using Hidden Mist jutsu, but Renjiro dispersed it every time.


    In this way, the sh entered a deadlock. Both sides knew that only one ninja would have to im victory in order to turn the tides. However, the Kiri ninjas were under more pressure due to them being in Konoha''s territory.


    The stalemate continued until the Hidden Mist jutsu used by Mimasuya Doi spread to other battles. The Kiri ninja sighed in relief on seeing it. They would finally be able to escape.


    However, it wasn''t easy. Fujin and Renjiro easily dispersed it and kept up their attack. They gave no chance to their opponents to take advantage of the Mist.


    The breakthrough that both sides were waiting for came in the fight between Mieko and Hoshi! They kept fighting till Mieko noticed that there was another ninja casting Hidden Mist jutsu as well. She realized, ''They are nning to use Hidden Mist jutsu to cover their escape!''


    She gritted her teeth and made a few hand signs. She jumped into the slippery field to confront her opponent. On entering the mist, her leg slipped and she fell down. Hoshi heard it and an evil grin appeared on his face. He quickly moved towards her, ''Today an Uchiha genius will die at my hands!''


    Mieko got up while maintaining her hand signs. She analyzed, ''He should have heard that fall. Now I only have to wait for him toe to me!''


    Hoshi silently slid through the ground. He made almost no noise. He moved around Mieko to hit her from behind. Despite the hidden mist jutsu, he wouldn''t underestimate her Sharingan.


    Mieko didn''t sense or hear him at all. However, when Hoshi was around 5 meters behind her, she felt that she was about to be hit in the back. Constant spars with Fujin and Renjiro had made her very sensitive to sneak attacks! She immediately used her jutsu.


    ''Fire Release : Hellfire p jutsu''


    A ring of Fire appeared instantly around Mieko. Hoshi felt the heat and became alert. He thought, ''What is this bitch doing?''


    He immediately decided to retreat and attack againter. However before his legs could move, the fire expanded in all directions! It expanded for 10 meters, catching Hoshi!


    The fire was very hot! Without any defenses, Hoshi was burned instantly! He yelled loudly. The Fire burnt all his skin and his organs as well. He tried making a hand sign to survive but fell midway. His insides had been cooked and his skin had been burnt!


    The jutsu burnt all the grass and even soil in a 10 meter radius. Even the mist there was dispersed. Mieko''s Sharingan saw as Hoshi was burnt alive with no way to resist. His burnt body fell on the burnt soil.


    Mieko took deep breaths. The jutsu used up a lot of her chakra. However, she smiled. The breakthrough that everyone was looking for was provided by her to Konoha.

 Chapter 119: Sweeping through Enemy Chunins

    The battle, which was in a stalemate, was disturbed thrice in a short duration!


    First, mist spread throughout the battlefield. A minute after it spread, a loud yell was heard throughout the battlefield. And a few seconds after that, a heat wave spread through the battlefield!


    Fujin and his clones were engaged in an intense battle! 17 Wind clones were attacking Musa and his 8 Water clones. Musa didn''t provide any openings. However, Mieko''s actions disturbed him twice.


    He heard the loud yell, but he didn''t allow himself to be disturbed. However, the heat wave that followed surprised him once again. Though it wasn''t an opening, Fujin''s clones all attacked at the same moment.


    16 wind clones suddenly flickered around Musa and his clones. 14 used Wind Explosion jutsu, while 2 used Great Breakthrough jutsu. Musa''s water clones immediately defended.


    Thest wind clone was the one having a lot more chakra. He waited for the defenses to be erected and used Air Bullet jutsu just when the Defenses began to copse! Fujin watched carefully at the situation. His hand was gripping his sword!


    The Wind clone blew 6 Air bullets at the same time! Musa hid behind his clones in a hurry. 5 water clones were dispelled! Fujin''s remaining wind clones immediately ganged up upon them.


    Musa was in a tough spot. He made a hand sign. He wanted to use a big jutsu to try and dispel all of Fujin''s clones who were so close to him. However, at that instant, he noticed Fujin flickering a few meters to his right. There was no Water clone between him and Fujin.


    Fujin swung his sword from that distance! A flying sh was sent at Musa. However, Musa wasn''t intimidated. Fujin had attacked in this way a dozen times but never once managed to hit him.


    Musa immediately moved slightly so that the flying sh will just barely miss him. While dodging he thought, ''Since he has decided to attack, I should kill him directly!''


    The flying sh just barely missed him. He began making another hand sign toplete his jutsu. However, numerous cuts suddenly appeared on Musa! Musa was shocked, ''How? I dodged it!''


    The cuts kept appearing until one deep cut shed across his neck. His blood spilled out like a fountain! During his final moments, he looked at the young shinobi in front of him. There was no expression on his face. However, in his eyes, Musa could see that everything happened as he nned.


    Too much blood flowed out of him from the numerous cuts on his body. Musa closed his eyes as Fujin swung his sword once again. The flying sh severed Musa''s head from his body.


    Fujin looked at his fallen enemy and thought, ''If I had sent wind shes with my sword from the beginning, I''d have got more advantages. However, he would have dodged them all. However, by making him think that I can only send a normal flying chakra sh like a Samurai, I lowered his guard.


    Of course, I didn''t use Senju Taijutsu, Vacuum style or Shadow Clone explosion jutsu. If this guy was an Elite Chunin, then it''s safe to say that my current level is barely Jounin!''


    Fujin smiled. Reaching the threshold of Jounin rank at merely 11 years old was a huge achievement!


    Fujin spread his chakra field and observed. He noticed that Mieko was alone and concluded, ''Looks like that heatwave was from the jutsu Hiruzen taught her.''


    He kept sensing and concluded, ''I and Mieko have won. And the guy fighting that Inuzuka is the one releasing the mist. I should finish him. Also, Mieko seems to be moving towards Hoka.''


    Having decided his target, Fujin flickered. Though the mist was thick, Fujin could sense both Hotaka and Doi. Fujin made a few hand signs and moved stealthily under the cover of the mist.


    Doi was attacking Hotaka. He kept moving around him and kept hitting Hotaka with Water bullet and Water Pallet jutsus. Hotaka and his dog were bleeding from a lot of ces.


    Fujin closed the distance until he was around 25 meters from Doi. He used his jutsu.


    ''Vacuum Bullet jutsu''


    The air bullet with a vacuum core moved rapidly. Doi didn''t hear Fujin until he heard a sound of something moving rapidly. Unfortunately, before he could react, the vacuum bullet pierced through his heart! He fell with his eyes wide open. He never imagined that the Mist he set up would be the cause of his death. And even in death, he wouldn''t know who killed him!


    Hotaka, who was struggling, was surprised when he heard a fall. He could smell that the person who fell was Doi. He quickly moved forward and saw a small hole in his chest. He noticed Fujin''s silhouette appearing to his left.


    Fujin looked at him and saw that he was bleeding. He asked, "Are you alright?"


    Hotaka was embarrassed at Fujin being concerned about him. He thought, ''I was so engrossed in the fight that I didn''t even notice another smell approaching us."


    He replied, "Don''t worry, I''m fine."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Apply first aid to yourself and him. I''ll go aid others."


    Without waiting for his reply, Fujin flickered into the mist. Hotaka sat down on his butt and stroked his dog. He looked at his partner and said, "Well, that was embarrassing."


    His dog barked in a low voice in reply.


    Fujin flickered towards Mieko and Hoka. Danjuro was in a tough spot. Hoka was a tough opponent by himself. However, he was sneak attacked by Mieko''s Fire Release : Four jutsu. He dodged sessfully, but that didn''t make his situation any easier. Now, in addition to staying away from a Hyuga, he had to avoid looking into the Sharingan of the Uchiha!


    Moreover, unlike Hoka, Mieko didn''t mind a mid range battle. Though her Fire Release was restricted by Danjuro''s Water Release, she could still use Fire Release : Four jutsu and her Earth release effectively.


    It became very difficult for Danjuro whenbined with Hoka''s Earth Release and Vacuum Palm. However, he still held on.


    Unfortunately, his situation would worsen even further. Fujin was watching this battle from behind a tree. On seeing an opening, Fujin made a few hand signs.


    ''Vacuum Bullet jutsu''


    Unlike against Doi, Fujin didn''t have any Mist cover. In addition, Danjuro was fighting two enemies and was on a very high alert! He sensed Fujin''s jutsu and immediately took evasive maneuvers.


    However, Vacuum Bullet was very fast. Though Danjuro dodged, it still grazed past the side of his abdomen, leaving a 1 inch deep scar! It immediately began bleeding!


    Hoka immediately took advantage of this. He targeted Danjuro''s heart with a Vacuum palm attack. Mieko was a split second slower, but she attacked with shurikens too.


    Danjuro already had his back against the wall while fighting just Mieko and Hoka. Fujin''s sneak attack was thest straw that broke the camel''s back! The injury caused by Vacuum Bullet, though not life threatening by itself, distracted him. He had to divide his attention to a third hidden enemy.


    Hoka and Mieko used this exact moment to attack. Hoka''s attack hit first. Though Danjuro tried moving, it was veryte. The attack hit on point and made Danjuro vomit blood. Immediately, Mieko''s shurikens hit his throat. He fell down, in in battle!


    With the enemy finally down, Hoka and Mieko looked where Fujin was. Hoka frowned and said, "I could have killed him myself. You two didn''t need to help me."


    Mieko smirked and replied, "Be faster next time."


    Fujin replied, "Do you want to keep fighting this guy or do you want to fight that Jounin who sensei''s clone is fighting against?"


    That immediately attracted their attention. Hoka replied, "Let''s go and fight him!"


    Mieko was excited too. But she suggested, "We should first kill that enemy who was fighting Inuzuka Hotaka. Then only the 2 Jounins would be left."


    Fujin replied, "Already took care of him before helping you guys."


    Mieko got mad. She asked angrily, "That means you fought three of them?"


    Fujin chuckled and replied, "Do you want to argue about it or fight that Jounin?"


    Mieko snorted and answered, "Let''s go fight him."

 Chapter 120: Clash of rank B jutsus

    The trio immediately began moving. Fujin asked, "Are you guys injured?"


    Both shook their heads. Neither of them had taken any injury.


    Hoka smirked and replied, "My opponent never dared to get close to me."


    Mieko answered, "Mine maintained distance and fought defensively as well. He was just stalling for time."


    Fujin looked at them and said, "That''s good. But your chakra level seems very low."


    Both sighed and nodded. Mieko''s chakra had dropped to just 20%! Hoka had about 45% chakra left. Byparison, Fujin had 60% chakra remaining. If Renjiro''s clone made his enemy waste Chakra, then Fujin''s chakra level could be higher than his.


    Fujin said, "You guys don''t use chakra much. Hoka, you fight at close distance. Mieko, you provide shuriken support. And save your chakra if we decide to use abination jutsu. I''ll provide ninjutsu support. Sensei''s Clone can provide backup for us."


    Hoka immediately agreed, "Alright!"


    He got to fight with Taijutsu which was all that mattered to him. Mieko also reluctantly agreed. She didn''t have much chakra left to perform ninjutsu. And in terms of Taijutsu, both Hoka and Fujin were superior to her.


    The trio soon reached the ce where Renjiro''s Shadow Clone and Mimasuya Junji were fighting. They hid in the woods and observed the situation.


    The entire battlefield was a mess. There were hundreds of Earth spears spread throughout the battlefield. The rock spikes and thorns seem to be countless! Multiple Rock shields and Earth walls were also on the battlefield.


    Renjiro''s clone and Mimasuya Junji were standing around 100 meters from each other.


    Junji had 1 Earth wall in front of him and a couple of Rock shields to his right and left.


    Junji was frowning. He analyzed, ''In thest 15 minutes, I have tried everything I could do to dispel the clone, but he managed to defend every time. I tried making Water and Earth clones to help others, but he intercepted them all.


    Every single clone of mine was caught off guard and dispelled! And his clone doesn''t seem to be running short on chakra. Do I have to wait until someonees to help me?''


    He looked at Renjiro''s clone and sighed, ''This is so embarrassing. I hope my lil bro isn''t the one whoes to my aid. Anyways, 3 of the enemies were kids. They should be dealt with soon.''


    Renjiro''s clone kept a watch thinking, ''He hasn''t made a move for over a minute. Has he given up on creating a breakthrough and is waiting for others?''


    Renjiro''s clone analyzed and shrugged, ''Whatever. This deadlock is in my favor. Once my main body wins, we will sweep through the battlefield!''


    The trio of Fujin, Mieko and Hoka watched stealthily. Mieko frowned, "Why aren''t they fighting?"


    Hoka said, "They seem to be in a stand-off. I guess both are trying to save chakra."


    Fujin also frowned, "Sneak attacking will be tougher if he isn''t fighting."


    Hoka asked, "How will we sneak attack?"


    Fujin replied, "There is no good way. Let me try."


    Fujin made a few hand signs and created a Vacuum Bullet core in his mouth. Hoka and Mieko flickered and moved away from Fujin. Fujin looked at Junji, but there was no movement from him. Not having any other choice, he used his jutsu.


    ''Vacuum Bullet jutsu''


    When Fujin fired his Vacuum Bullet jutsu, despite not sensing anything, Junji became very alert. He instantly moved behind a couple of steps. Unlike his brother and Danjuro, Junji was an elite! He had fought throughout the 3rd Great Ninja war and was promoted to Jounin due to his achievements. Despite not seeing Fujin''s attack, he still dodged it.


    The Vacuum bullet hit the Rock shield on his right, prated through it, passed a foot away from the front of Junji''s chest and then prated through another Rock shield!


    Fujin flickered to a different spot while frowning, ''I need to learn how to make multiple vacuum cores. He''d have been dead if I could have created 4-5 Vacuum bullets.''


    The attack caught the attention of both Junji and Renjiro. They both looked at where the attack came from. Renjiro smiled. On the other hand, Junji''s face was grim. The prative power of the attack was too high! He observed where the attack came from, but no one was there.


    Mieko looked at the opponent and said, "Looks like a sneak attack won''t work."


    Hoka nodded and replied, "We will have to attack from the front."


    Junji thought, ''Such a strong attack! Did Konoha''s reinforcements arrive so quickly? I need to win quickly or others will be defeated if they have to fight multiple enemies.''


    Junji made a few hand signs. Renjiro''s clone smiled and made hand signs as well and mmed his hands on the ground.


    ''Water Release : Exploding Water Colliding Wave jutsu''


    ''Earth Release : Earth Dragon st jutsu''


    Junji used Exploding Water Colliding Wave jutsu on the forest to his right. A huge water wave appeared and crushed down towards the forest.


    At the same time, the ground began shaking. Arge, bronze Dragon head appeared out of the ground and roared. Behind the head was its long stone body. It dived down underground once again and moved towards Junji.


    Mieko and Hoka, who were together, watched with grim faces as a huge water wave approached them. They both readied themselves to flicker backwards.


    Fujin watched as the huge water wave approached him. Knowing that Mieko and Hoka won''t be able to defend, he made a few hand signs as well.


    ''Wind Release : Infinite Breakthrough jutsu!''


    He blew out intense winds that shed with the huge water wave! The water wave was stopped. Water began dispersing through the strong winds and rained down harmlessly. Some water still passed through the winds, but it wasn''t much and passed through the forest while the trio were on the trees. The sh happened on a wild scale. Both Renjiro and Kazuki noticed it.


    Renjiro observed and thought, ''Is Fujin teaming up with my clone?''


    Though Renjiro could use Wind jutsus as well, he rarely used them inbat. Against a Water jutsu, he would always use Earth jutsus.


    Kazuki observed with a grim face, ''Did a strong Wind affinity ninja from Konoha arrive to reinforce? Or is it that brat who used the Great Breakthrough jutsu? What the hell are Junji and others doing? How long do they need to defeat 1 clone, 3 kids and 1 Inuzuka?


    Junji watched with a grim face, ''My jutsu was countered so easily.''


    Sensing the Earth Dragon approaching him, Junji immediately moved away. However, Renjiro''s clone controlled the Earth Dragon to follow Junji.


    Mieko and Hoka observed the situation with their Kekkei Genkais. Hoka sighed and said, "How will I fight in close range if they use such huge jutsus?"


    Fujin concentrated Chakra in his eyes to carefully observe the Earth Dragon chasing Junji. He analyzed, ''If he defends Renjiro''s attack, I might get another shot.''


    Fujin quickly made a few hand signs and prepared another Vacuum bullet core.


    Though Junji was moving rapidly, the Earth Dragon was faster. Understanding that he can''t dodge, he created a hand sign and mmed his hands on the ground.


    ''Earth Release : Rocky Ground Barrier jutsu''


    The ground under Junji immediately began hardening. In addition, a rock dome appeared around him and surrounded him.


    The Earth Dragon shed with the hard rocky ground and was stopped. Having no way to proceed ahead, it exploded. Junji desperately poured his chakra into the ground to strengthen his defenses.


    Fujin, who was observing carefully, suddenly noticed, ''An opportunity!''


    He immediately fired his Vacuum Bullet at Junji. Junji was in a very tough spot!

 Chapter 121: Desperate Defense

    The Earth Dragon''s explosion sent cracks through the hardened rock. But the ground also absorbed the impact of the st. So the Rock dome stayed intact. However, at the next moment, a Vacuum bullet hit the Rock dome and prated it.


    Junji, who was pouring his chakra into the Rock dome, immediately noticed it and moved to his right. He was always on alert for another sneak attack. However, he didn''t have much time to move. Though he dodged, the bullet created a deep cut in his upper left arm as it passed.


    Junji winced but he had no time to worry about the pain. While dodging the Vacuum bullet, he couldn''t supply chakra to the Rock dome anymore. Renjiro''s clone noticed it and mmed his hands on the ground again.


    ''Earth Release : Earth Flow Divide jutsu''


    The ground under the Rock dome immediately began splitting apart. Realizing the danger, Junji created an opening in his Rock dome and moved out. The ground under the rock dome kept splitting apart. It split for 10 meters when the entire Rock dome copsed inside it.


    As soon as Junji moved out, a Vacuum bullet and an Earth spear attacked him. But he managed to dodge them both. Fujin concluded, ''Looks like killing him with a long-range attack is not possible.''


    Fujin and Renjiro''s clone weren''t the only ones who targeted Junji as soon as he left the dome. Hoka and Mieko also got into action. They flickered in front of him.


    Mieko immediately threw a few shurikens, while Hoka ran forward to block his chakra points. Junji immediately dodged the shurikens. Hoka used that opportunity to close the distance between them and attack him.


    Junji blocked Hoka''s attacks while analyzing, ''How did these brats get here? Did they defeat our chunins? Or did they get reinforcements who freed them up? I am getting worried about Doi. I need to break free quickly!''


    Junji had his back against the wall. Realizing that he would not be able to break free by staying on defense, he decided to go on the attack. He started with Hoka who was fighting him.


    Unfortunately for him, the enemy''s attack was too intense. He tried to gain an advantage against Hoka, but Hoka''s Taijutsu was as good as his! Additionally, he had to keep an eye out for Mieko''s shurikens, Fujin''s Vacuum bullets and Renjiro''s long-range jutsus.


    With Hoka fighting in close range, Vacuum Bullet became too dangerous to use. While it did apply pressure on Junji, Fujin concluded that it won''t create much of an effect. So Fujin flickered and joined Mieko and Hoka as well.


    Junji noticed Fujin and thought, ''So it was him. Looks like there are no reinforcements. But does this mean that all 3 of them won their fights?''


    His face grew grim as he concluded, ''We underestimated them. This mission is now a total disaster!''


    Fujin stayed behind Hoka and made a few hand signs. Junji kept a close eye on Fujin.


    Renjiro''s clone observed his students and analyzed, ''All 3 of them are here. So all four of the enemy chunins should be dead.''


    He smiled, ''I never thought that I would be the slowest to deal with my opponents. My main body seems to still be in a deadlock.''


    Renjiro''s clone stayed behind and just observed his students. Just his presence alone created a lot of pressure on Junji. He wanted his students to get the experience of fighting against an experienced Jounin. After all, missions tend to go bad frequently. The next time, he wouldn''t be around to keep an eye on them.


    Hoka kept engaging Junji in hand-to-handbat. Mieko used her Shurikens to make openings for Hoka. While Fujin used his air bullets to not allow Junji any retreat.


    Junji''s expression was grim, ''These brats are strong. Three of them together can take me on. And they aren''t allowing me any opportunity to use any Ninjutsu! And that clone is still staring at me.


    But with these brats here, he won''t use anyrge-scale ninjutsu. But, I need to save some chakra to deal with the clone and to escape. And I still have to check on Doi!''


    Though a lot of thoughts were running through Junji''s mind, they didn''t affect hisbat. The fight remained in a deadlock for the next 5 minutes.


    During these 5 minutes, Junji gave multiple opportunities for Fujin and Mieko to jump into closebat. However, all those openings were traps. Neither Fujin nor Mieko jumped in and stayed behind Hoka and provided mid-range support.


    Junji''s situation kept getting worse. Though he wasn''t seriously injured, he had a lot of close calls. There were a lot of small cuts on his body. It was only a matter of time before one attack hit him fatally. Even more pressing was that his chakra was decreasing. And Renjiro''s clone was observing him carefully.


    Understanding that maintaining the situation would be unfavorable for him, he decided to go on the attack.


    As Junji decided, a shuriken came flying at him. He tilted his head and avoided it. Right after, Hoka attacked with his gentle fist style. Junji began moving backwards to avoid Hoka. However, 2 air bullets were shot behind him and one was directed at him.


    Not having any opportunity to use any Ninjutsu to defend, Junji had to move forward towards Hoka to avoid the bullets. Hoka aimed his palm at Junji''s chest. Junji used his left hand to deflect Hoka''s attack by hitting him on his wrist.


    Junji followed it up with a strong kick with his right leg targeting Hoka''s left side. Hoka blocked the kick with his left forearm. However, the force of that kick sent Hoka to his right for a few meters.


    Junji immediately ignored Hoka and moved towards Fujin and Mieko thinking, ''These kids didn''t attack even when I provided openings. So their Taijutsu must be weak!''


    Seeing Junji run towards him, Fujin''s eyes widened. He shouted, "CRAP!" and immediately ran to his left leaving Mieko alone to face him.


    Seeing one of the two kids run away, Junji smirked. He thought, ''As I thought. They were both hiding behind that Hyuga brat. So they specialize in mid and long-rangebat and are bad at Taijutsu. I''ll kill this girl before that Hyuga brates to her help and then kill the one who ran away as well.''


    Mieko scoffed internally at Fujin''s antics. She threw the shurikens in her hands at Junji and grabbed a kunai. Junji dodged the shurikens and grabbed his own kunai and attacked Mieko.


    Mieko blocked his kunai with her own and kicked his abdomen almost at the same time. Junji was shocked, ''She isn''t bad at Taijutsu!''


    At that moment, Hoka began running towards him from his rear while Mieko attacked from the front. Junji''s face grew grim as he grabbed another kunai.


    He blocked Mieko''s attacks and was about to look at Hoka when he suddenly felt something on his right. He looked to see that the kid who ran away was attacking him with a sword. Fujin attacked him as if he wanted to cut his body vertically in two.


    Realizing the danger, he increased the force on the kunai that was blocking Mieko and sent her flying backwards. Almost immediately, he raised the kunai in his other hand to block the sword and sent a kick at Hoka who was just behind him.


    The sword shed with the kunai and the kick met 2 outstretched fingers. Junji grunted as he felt Hoka disabling a chakra point in his feet. However, soon his eyes widened as he saw the sword cutting through his kunai anding down at his head.


    He pushed his feet on Hoka''s fingers and used them to jump away from him so that he could dodge the sword. His body began moving towards Fujin''s right. The sword, which was aimed at the center of Junji''s head, barely missed it. However, it hit him on the shoulder and severed his right arm!


    Fujin looked at his opponent in surprise, ''He used Hoka''s attack to propel himself away from my sword swing! It''s incredible that he is still alive!''


    Hoka and Mieko was surprised as well that Fujin didn''t manage to kill him. However, all 3 instantly attacked him once again. Hoka moved around Fujin''s sword to attack Junji. Fujin too moved towards him and swung his sword again at Junji.


    Junji, who hadnded just 2 feet away from Fujin, was in shock! His right arm was severed and his right foot hurt. He looked at Fujin''s sword fearfully and moved backwards while grunting in pain. However, Mieko was right behind him and stabbed a kunai in his back.


    Blood came out of Junji''s mouth as he stopped himself and swung his left fist behind himself to hit Mieko. However, both Hoka and Fujin had reached him. Fujin stabbed his sword into Junji''s heart while Hoka jabbed his two fingers into Junji''s throat.


    Junji looked at Hoka and Fujin in disbelief. When he entered the Land of Fire, he never thought that he''d be killed by ninjas one-third his age!


    Mimasuya Junji, a veteran Jounin of the Vige Hidden in the Mist, fell in battle!

 Chapter 122: The Hiding Spot

    Seeing Junji breathe hisst breath, Fujin withdrew his sword and said, "He was tough!"


    Hoka and Mieko also withdrew their attacks and nodded. Junji''s body fell to the ground. Hoka said, "Yes. For so long, despite getting attacked so much, he never allowed me to hit any of his chakra points!"


    Mieko nodded. She was about to say something when her eyes fell on Fujin. She instantly became annoyed and asked, "Why do you keep running away and sneak attacking?"


    Fujin shrugged and replied, "It''s fun."


    Hoka and Mieko''s faces immediately became dark.


    Renjiro''s clone flickered in. He looked at his three students proudly and praised them, "Great work! Though he was a bit exhausted after fighting me, you three managed to kill a full-fledged Jounin!"


    All three looked at him. Hoka asked, "Should we reinforce you Sensei?"


    Before the clone could answer, they heard from behind, "No need."


    Immediately the three turned around to see Renjiro. Renjiro finally managed to kill his opponent. He sealed his body and wasing to help his clone when the trio killed Junji.


    Renjiro''s clone dispelled himself. Renjiro received all his memories.


    He looked at his students and said, "Good work. Did you store their bodies?"


    His students all shook their heads. Renjiro said, "Store their bodies and assemble back here within 2 minutes. Fujin, bring Hotaka as well. Also, don''t steal their belongings. For missions that particrly state to kill some ninjas, you shouldn''t steal their belongings as they may have something that the vige needs. Also, their belongings could have traps."


    The trio nodded and flickered. They went to their own battlefields and sealed the dead bodies in the scrolls. Fujin flickered towards Hotaka and looked at him. Both he and his dog were wrapped in multiple bandages.


    Hotaka looked at Fujin and asked, "Is it over?"


    Fujin nodded, "All enemies are dead."


    Hotaka was surprised. He thought, ''I just asked for formality! They managed to kill a team of 6 ninjas who we couldn''t pin down for days in just 30 minutes!''


    While Hotaka was lost in his thoughts, Fujin sealed Doi''s body in a scroll. He asked, "Can you move?"


    Hotaka got up and replied, "Yes. None of my injuries was serious."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Alright. Sensei has asked us to assemble. Follow me."


    Within a couple of minutes, everyone was assembled where Renjiro was within a couple of minutes. Renjiro had sealed Junji''s body.


    Renjiro looked at everyone and said, "Report your status."


    Mieko replied, "No injury. Chakra around 15%."


    Hoka said, "No injury. Chakra around 25%."


    Fujin said, "No injury. Chakra around 40%."


    Hotaka wasn''t aware of the protocol in Team Renjiro. However, on hearing the three chunins, he understood and said, "Minor injuries. Chakra around 35%."


    Renjiro nodded and said, "Get ready. We will be attacking the 2nd team from Kiri as well."


    The trio were surprised. Fujin asked, "Sensei, wouldn''t it be better to rest and recover our chakra first?"


    Both Mieko and Hoka agreed with Fujin but didn''t say anything.


    Renjiro answered, "Normally yes. But our enemies would run away. And we are in thend of fire, so our reinforcements will being soon. Unfortunately, we can''t wait for them."


    Without exining the exact details, Renjiro flickered. His students immediately followed him. Hotaka was dumbfounded once again at how suddenly they disappeared! He immediately followed their scents.


    Renjiro arrived at the ce where the pond that the Kiri ninjas were hiding in was. Fujin, Mieko, and Hoka reached there soon after. Hotaka was thest one to reach. They were standing on the opposite end of the pond.


    Mieko asked, "Why are we back here sensei?"


    Renjiro smiled and asked, "When multiple parties are hunting you, what do you think is the best ce to hide?"


    The four fell into thought. Hotaka had a few guesses, but he didn''t answer as he assumed that the question was meant for Renjiro''s students.


    After a minute, Mieko answered, "At a ce where no one will expect you to."


    Fujin and Hoka gave her a deadpan expressions. Hoka taunted, "Good way to state the obvious."


    Renjiro chuckled and said, "Well, she isn''t wrong. In this scenario, where they were hunted by one stronger squad which was, in turn, being hunted by multiple other squads, the best ce to hide is near the 1st squad that was hunting them."


    Hearing that the eyes of all 3 students widened. They immediately activated their sensory skills. However, they didn''t sense anyone nearby.


    Renjiro continued, "It is ingenious. The ones that are hunting them would never imagine them to be so close. And since this is their hiding spot, it would mean that they are confident about hiding here from others. So they would be hidden from everyone.


    Even in the scenario where the hiding spot of the ones who are hunting them gets exposed. The other party would attack them and not think that there is another squad hiding here."


    Fujin asked, "So, how did you sense them, sensei?"


    Renjiro chuckled and said, "I am very sensitive to earth and water nature. When I used the Rampart of Flowing Soil jutsu, I sensed another underground cave that would be perfect for hiding. And since the patrol teams didn''t manage to find them again, it became easy to guess who was hiding there."


    Renjiro began making hand signs but Fujin said, "Wait a bit, sensei. I sense a few chakra signatures to our left."


    Hoka activated his Byakugan. Renjiro stopped and asked, "How many?"


    Fujin answered, "Four chunin leve¡­ Another 3 areing here as well. All 7 are at chunin level."


    Hoka added, "All are from our Patrol teams."


    Renjiro waited. Soon 7 chunins reached them. On reaching, one of them said, "We heard a lot of noiseing from this area. So we came to reinforce you."


    Renjiro nodded and answered, "One of the Kiri squads has been dealt with. We will now deal with the other. Three of you wait here with us. The remaining four go and hide. Hotaka, go with them."


    They nodded. The first patrol team of four dispersed in different directions and hid themselves. So did Hotaka. The remaining 3 waited with Renjiro''s team wondering what he was up to.


    Renjiro made a few hand signs and mmed his hands on the ground and said softly, "Earth Release : Thousand Needles jutsu."


    A half hour ago :


    Sakai Chou and her squad suddenly felt tremors inside the underground cave they were hiding in! Unlike Kazuki''s squad, this squad was rtively younger. Only Chou was in her thirties. The remaining three members were in theirte teens.


    Chou looked at her squad members and said, "Looks like Kazuki and others have been discovered by the Konoha shinobis. Don''t try to sense them."


    Her squad nodded. Mino Masuyo, who was a special Jounin, asked, "Chou-sama, wouldn''t it be better if we help those Konoha shinobi? That way, we can eliminate that squad from the Mizukage faction."


    Terumi Honzo, a chunin in this 4-man squad, added, "It may even help us create a good rtionship with Konoha. With those guys dead and Konoha being friendly, we will be able to return without any obstruction."


    However, Chou shook her head. She said, "We don''t know if the Konoha team is strong enough to kill them. If they aren''t and Kazuki and others end up escaping, then we will be in a tough spot.


    That''s not even considering that the Konoha shinobis might consider us enemies too and we may end up helping Kazuki escape. We will be in a much tougher spot."


    Masuyo asked softly, "But your niece recently fought in the Konoha''s chunin exams. I heard she reached finals as well. Can''t we say that to at least enter into talks with Konoha?"


    Chou answered, "I had thought about this too. But ultimately, Konoha didn''t agree to help us. Even if I say that I am afraid Konoha will ask us to surrender and take us as prisoners. They might let us goter due to what you said, but things won''t be under our control."


    The expressions of everyone grew grim upon hearing Chou. After some time, theirst member who was a chunin, Kenkyusha Shunji said, "What if we just take this opportunity to run away?"


    Chou replied, "If they were able to find Kazuki''s squad who were hiding so well, we will be exposed as soon as we leave this hideout. Don''t worry so much. I don''t think they will find our spot. So we will try to leave silently after a few days."


    Having no choice, they just waited in the hideout. After the first tremor, nothing else was felt in the hideout, so they assumed that the fighting spot moved.

 Chapter 123: Sneak Attacks

    After half an hour, Chou and Masuyo suddenly got alert. Hundreds of small needle-like spikes suddenly began forming on the cave walls. Understanding the danger, they both immediately made hand signs.


    ''Water Sphere Barrier jutsu''


    ''Water Sphere Barrier jutsu''


    Immediately, twoyers of water dome barrier surrounded them. The outeryer was formed by Chou while the inneryer was formed by Masuyo. Some water also flowed on the ground inside the dome. Hundreds of rock needles rained on the two barriers.


    Many needles managed to pierce through both barriers. Honzo and Shunji stepped in front of Chou and Masuyo and defended with kunais. They managed to deflect most but a few needles still stabbed all of them. However, none were fatal injuries.


    Chou and Masuyo desperately poured more chakra into their jutsus. Honzo and Shunji too made hand signs. Honzo mmed his hands on the ground. Four Rock shields appeared around them.


    Shunji, on the other hand, released a spark that hit Masuyo''s water sphere barrier. Electricity began flowing through it. The electric current slowed down most of the needles that pierced through the first barrier and hit the second barrier, making them harmless.


    The four Kiri ninjas were finally relieved for a moment. However, at that very instant, a stone spear silently and quickly rose through the ground under Terumi Honzo. His attention was focused on the needle rain and didn''t notice the spear under him. The spear pierced his lower body, pierced through him, and exited through his head!


    He yelled in pain, but couldn''t move. That startled his three teammates who turned to see him. They were horrified! Their teammate''s body was skewered with an earth spear!


    Chou immediately yelled, "JUMP and run to the exit!"


    Both Masuyo and Shunji jumped along with Chou. Earth spears formed under them as well and began moving towards them rapidly. All 3 kicked at the side of the spear to propel themselves towards the exit.


    Chou made a few hand signs, ''Water Prison Jutsu''


    A water sphere encased all 3 of them as they left the protection of the doubleyered Water Sphere jutsu.


    As they left the underground, the water sphere kept getting pelted with rock needles. A few pierced through, but their speed was greatly reduced due to the water. They managed to defend themselves with a kunai as they got out.


    When they left the hideout, Fujin, Hoka, and Mieko sensed them. Sensing them rushing out, Fujin made a few hand signs and prepared Vacuum Bullet jutsu while thinking, ''Three people. One has Jounin level chakra. One is chunin level and thest might be an Elite chunin. Jounins are tough to kill, I''ll target the Elite Chunin.''


    Soon, Sakai Chou led them out of the underground. They appeared around 20 meters from where Renjiro and the rest were standing. As soon as they appeared, Fujin shot a Vacuum Bullet at Masuyo.


    Though they were in a lot of peril, Chou''s water prison jutsu provided them with a sense of security. So despite expecting an attack as soon as they left, they expected themselves to at least put up a fight.


    However, right after leaving the underground, a Vacuum Bullet hit the Water Prison. It pierced into it with extreme ease and hit Masuyo''s heart urately! She fell down dead with her eyes wide in disbelief!


    Chou and Shunji were shocked again. First Honzo was killed unexpectedly and now Masuyo. Even worse was the fact that Masuyo was their only sensor. Leaving the Land of Fire safely without her aid would be extremely difficult.


    Without giving them any time to grieve, Mieko, Hoka, and the other 3 chunins moved to attack them. Chou immediately spat out a lot of water, forming a water wall between them. The Water Wall stopped them.


    They were about to move around the wall, when Chou yelled loudly, "STOP. We surrender. We don''t want to fight against Konoha!"


    Hearing that, the 5 of them stopped. The Water Wall soon copsed into the water. Before Renjiro could say anything, Chou spoke, "We were hunted by our Mizukage despite notmitting any crime. While escaping, we identally entered the Land of Fire. We have no intention of fighting against you."


    Renjiro knew about the situation in the Land of Water. He nodded and asked, "Alright. But why didn''t you surrender earlier?"


    Chou answered, "We were afraid of being used of being from the same group as the ones who were attacking us."


    Renjiro thought for a bit and said, "Okay. Turn around and raise your arms in the air. We will be arresting you for trespassing into the Land of Fire. If you''re innocent, then Lord Hokage will meet you and make further decisions."


    Chou felt a bit odd by thatmand. This was her first time hearing something like this.


    Chou and Shunji turned around and raised their arms. As soon as they did it, Renjiro made a hand sign and mmed his hands on the ground.


    However, even before he mmed his hands, Chou grabbed Shunji and jumped. Immediately thick earth spears appeared below them. Fujin, Hoka, and Mieko smirked.


    Fujin immediately fired another Vacuum bullet at Shunji while he was in the air. Mieko threw a few shurikens on both while Hoka attacked Chou with Vacuum Palm.


    Chou''s main attention was on Renjiro and Fujin. As soon as Fujin shot the Vacuum Bullet, she pulled Shunji out of the way. However, the vacuum bullet was very fast. It sliced through the side of his abdomen and left a deep cut.


    While pulling Shunji, she herself got pulled towards him. This ensured that the Vacuum palm didn''t hit her heart. However, it still hit her right lung. She coughed blood while blocking Mieko''s shurikens.


    Onnding on the ground, she looked viciously at Renjiro and yelled, "Renjiro you bastard! Why did you attack us?"


    Renjiro snorted and replied, "Good job hiding your killing intent. Unfortunately, I can see your desire to kill us in your eyes."


    Renjiro suddenly became angry and shouted, "DO YOU THINK YOU CAN FOOL ME?"


    As he shouted, he unleashed his killing intent. Shunji flinched on feeling it! Of course, Renjiro''s anger was fake. He only talked so as to provide his students with enough time to prepare for another round of attack.


    None of his 3 students missed it. Fujin made hand signs for Air Bullet jutsu and flickered towards Chou and Shunji. Hoka and Mieko too flickered.


    Fujin suddenly appeared to their left and shot 5 Air Bullets at Shunji and 2 at Chou. At such a close range, Chou couldn''t perform ninjutsu in time to defend. While Shunji was still affected by Renjiro''s killing intent.


    Chou immediately moved backwards and dragged Shunji with her. She dodged both bullets, but Shunji couldn''t dodge 2 of them. One of them pierced his left thigh and the other pierced his right lung.


    Not giving them any opportunity to catch their breaths, Hoka appeared behind Chou and took his stance.


    ''Eight Trigrams : 16 Palms''


    He attacked her. At the same time, Mieko flickered in front of them and threw multiple shurikens at Shunji in close range. The other three chunins realized that they were being slow and came forward to attack too.


    Chou looked at Hoka with a grim face. He had already managed to hit her once. If he did again, then she would be an easy kill for Renjiro.


    She diverted all her attention to him and blocked his palms, not allowing even one to hit her.


    However, Shunji, who was injured, couldn''t resist much. He got hit by multiple shurikens.


    After blocking Hoka, Chou pushed him behind and looked at Shunji. Unfortunately, what she saw didn''t bring her anyfort. 5 shurikens were embedded in his body.


    Worse, Fujin was just next to him and swinging his sword at his neck. Chou''s expression became fierce. She decided, ''You want to kill him? Alright, kill him. But I will skin all three of you!''


    She made a hand sign. Hoka and Mieko were about to press on their attack when they saw Fujin''s chakra flowing through his sword. They immediately moved backwards.


    The three chunins who were running towards them stopped on seeing them retreat. Chou also noticed it. But like the 3 chunins, she assumed that they were retreating due to her preparing a jutsu.


    With just one target in front of her, Chou blew hot corrosive steam at both Fujin and Shunji.


    ''Boil Release : Solid Fog Jutsu''


    At the same time, Fujin''s sword reached Shunji''s neck and cut off his head. Chou watched with anger in her eyes. She wanted Fujin to scream in pain from that jutsu.


    However, her eyes widened. After Fujin cut Shunji''s head, a flying sword sh formed in the air and rushed towards her. The flying sh was apanied by winds that dispersed the steam. Chou recognized that it looked like the way Samurais attacked.


    She immediately jumped. However, the distance between them was too small. The sh hit her legs slightly above her knees. Both her legs were severed! The winds around the sh created cuts all over her thighs and abdomen!


    Chou watched her severed legs with wide eyes! She couldn''t believe how easily she got defeated!

 Chapter 124: Overkill

    Hoka and Mieko looked into each other''s eyes. Though Fujin severed her legs, Chou was still alive. Theirpetitive spirits rose and both wanted the killing hit. They immediately moved towards Chou.


    Mieko attacked with shurikens and kunais with Explosion Tags while Hoka attacked with Vacuum Palm. Fujin noticed both his teammates and attacked too. He swung his sword vertically, sending a flying sh aiming at splitting her in two vertically.


    Renjiro, who was looking at his students with pride, was suddenly dumbfounded! He thought in his mind, ''She has already lost her legs. We can capture her and get information from her. Why do you want to kill her so badly?''


    The 8 other chunins who were looking were also dumbfounded at how aggressive the 3 kids were. Chou also watched with wide eyes. She may have lost her team and her legs, but she didn''t want to die.


    She made a few hand signs quickly. She encased herself within the Water Prison jutsu.


    Hoka''s attack reached first. It pierced into the Water Prison. But Chou moved backwards within the water prison and the attack passed harmlessly through the water prison.


    Mieko''s attacks hit next. The shurikens were blocked by the water, but the explosion created some disturbances. However, the Water Prison jutsu still held.


    Fujin''s sh arrivedst. It easily cut the water prison in two. However, Chou moved to one side of the water prison to avoid getting hit. The winds apanying the sh were also dulled by the water.


    However, the sh finally dispelled the water prison jutsu. Chou fell on the ground in a bad way. Despite her horrible state, she still got up with the help of her hands. Fujin, Hoka, and Mieko were about to make a move when Renjiro flickered right behind her.


    He hit the back of her head and knocked her unconscious. He looked at his students and said, "If you can take them hostage, in a convenient situation, do that. Don''t go for the kill just for beingpetitive!"


    That immediately made his students feel embarrassed! They didn''t reply and moved forward. The 5 chunins who were hiding also came out as the fight was over.


    The 7 chunins who arrivedter felt a bit embarrassed as they didn''t contribute anything. Most of the work was done by kids less than half their age. Only Hotaka smiled thinking, ''Now they will know how I felt!''


    They all observed Chou. She was lying unconscious on her frontside. Her legs were severed. They were bleeding a lot. There were many cuts on her thighs and abdomen. Her clothes were almost non-existent.


    Renjiro opened a scroll and summoned a seal from it. He put the seal on Chou''s back and made a hand sign. The seal immediately spread on her entire body.


    Fujin looked at it and asked, "Is this Chakra Suppression Seal?"


    Renjiro nodded and said, "Yes. When she wakes up, she won''t be able to ess her chakra until I or a Seal Master removes it."


    Fujin saw Chou''s chakra getting sealed while thinking, ''I thought only Jiraiya made these for Naruto¡­ I guess he just made an advanced one as normal ones might not work on Jinchurikis.''


    Renjiro looked at the patrol teams and asked, "Are any of you a medical ninja?"


    A ninja stepped forward and said, "Yes, I can use Mystical Palm jutsu."


    Renjiro moved aside and said, "Stop her bleeding."


    The medical ninja moved forward and used Mystical Palm jutsu on her wounds. Since there were a lot of cuts on her body, he needed quite some time to heal her. After stopping the bleeding, he bandaged her body.


    While he was healing her, Mieko asked Renjiro, "Sensei, since we aren''t injured, we can undertake the next part of the mission too, right?"


    Hoka and Fujin immediately looked at Renjiro. Renjiro nodded and said, "Yes. We will take a rest tomorrow to recover our chakra. Then we will move towards the Land of Hot Water on the day after tomorrow."


    Mieko grinned on hearing that. Most Chunins never get to go on a Rank A mission. However, she would have 3 under her belt! Hoka and Fujin smiled as well. Fighting against real ninjas was a lot more fun aspared to bandits.


    Renjiro looked at his happy students and said, "For now, store their bodies."


    They nodded and stored the bodies of the 3 dead ninjas. After storing, they handed all the scrolls to Renjiro, who stored them all in one single scroll.


    After the medical ninja was done healing Chou, Renjiro asked, "How long will she be out?"


    The medical ninja thought for a bit and replied, "She has lost a lot of blood. She will be out for at least a few hours."


    Renjiro thought for a bit and said, "Alright. Carry her to themand outpost. We wille along with you."


    He nodded and lifted Chou and put her on his back.


    The 12 Konoha ninjas ran back towards the outpost where they met Akimichi Seiichi. On reaching the outpost, Renjiro looked at one of the chunins and said, "Call Seiichi back here."


    The chunin nodded and left.


    Renjiro looked at the Medical ninja who was carrying Chou and said, "Restrain her to a chair. And Gag her so that she doesn''t try to kill herself by biting her tongue."


    The medical ninja nodded and entered the outpost. After a few minutes, Seiichi returned to the outpost as well along with 3 other ninjas.


    Seiichi looked at Renjiro thinking, ''Why are they back so quickly?''


    He looked at Renjiro and asked, "Did you find any of them?"


    Renjiro nodded and replied, "Yes. Both intruding squads have been dealt with. The one with the 6 members is all dead. And we took themanding jounin from the 2nd squad as a prisoner. The remaining are dead."


    Seiichi was shocked on hearing that! An Inuzuka chunin standing behind him blurted in disbelief, "No Way! We have been hunting them for over 2 days and didn''t manage to do anything at all! How did you neutralize them in under 2 hours?"


    Renjiro and his students red at the chunin who said that. Realizing his mistake, he quickly said, "Apologies, I didn''t mean that."


    Renjiro ignored him. Seiichi looked at his subordinate and thought, ''What he said was improper. Except, I was going to say the same thing! I can understand Renjiro annihting one squad. But how were both neutralized so soon?''


    Renjiro smirked noticing his former teammate''s expression. He handed him a scroll and said, "It contains the dead bodies of those 9 ninjas. Thest one is restrained inside."


    Seiichi sighed and took the scroll. He said in a defeated tone, "Even at this age you continue to surprise me."


    Renjiroughed and replied, "Well, in this case, it was mostly my students. Anyways, my students are tired. Can you make sleeping arrangements for them?"


    Seiichi nodded and looked at one of his subordinates. The subordinate immediately made sleeping arrangements for the trio. Fujin, Hoka, and Mieko all ate a few ration bars and fell asleep. They had rushed a long distance and fought 2 battles on the same day!

 Chapter 125: Exploring the Patrol Outpost

    While his students went to sleep, Renjiro decided to catch up with his old friend. He and Seiichi chatted for a long while recalling their old memories and sharing their new ones.


    After chatting, Renjiro made a report and attached it to a messenger Hawk. The Hawk flew towards Konoha.


    After a long sleep, the trio woke up. They freshened up and met up with Renjiro who was having breakfast with Seiichi.


    Seiichi looked at them and said, "Come join in."


    Having learnt a lot about them from Renjiro, Seiichi had a much better impression of them. The trio didn''t engage in any formalities and joined them.


    However, on seeing the food on the table, all three had the same thought, ''How the heck is this a breakfast!'' The entire table was filled with roasted meat.


    Fujin grabbed one slice and ate it. His expression immediately changed, ''Fuck! This is so good!''


    He ignored everyone and began eating rapidly!


    Hoka and Mieko looked at Fujin and grabbed a bite too. They too began eating quickly but paid attention to their manners.


    Seiichiughed lightly on seeing them all eat quickly and said, "No need to hurry. The food isn''t going to run away."


    All three nodded. Seiichi smiled on seeing them nod obediently. However, soon he was speechless. All three kids ignored his advice and kept eating at the same speed. Renjiro chuckled at Seiichi''s reaction.


    Fujin meanwhile thought, ''An Akimichi saying the food won''t run away¡­ As if anyone would believe that."


    After eating, Fujin asked, "What do we do today, Sensei?"


    Renjiro replied, "Just rest. Take a tour of the patrol outposts and go on patrols if you get bored. It''ll be helpful if in the future you get posted for patrol duties. Don''t waste your chakra though. We need to leave tomorrow morning."


    Fujin replied, "Oh, alright Sensei."


    He thought, ''I never thought about the ninjas who are out for patrol. I wonder how many ninjas are deployed like this.''


    After thinking a bit, he concluded, ''Probably not a lot considering the vast number of bandits in this country. The job seems boring, though it could be a good way to explore this country.''


    Seiichi called for Hotaka, who arrived soon. He said, "Since you guys fought together yesterday, I''ll leave you guys under his care. Hotaka, show them the outpost and how patrol teams work."


    Hotaka replied, "Sure Seiichi-sama."


    He looked at the trio and said, "Come with me."


    Fujin, Mieko, and Hoka followed him.


    As Hotaka showed them around, Hiruzen read the report sent by Renjiro. A worry formed on his face as he analyzed, ''The Civil war inside Kiri is spilling into other countries. There might be more such incidents in the future. I should deploy some Anbu squads along the coastline.''


    He looked at an Anbu ninja hiding in his office. Realizing that the Hokage needed him, he appeared in front of Hiruzen. Hiruzenmanded, "Call Hound and his Anbu squad."


    The Anbu ninja nodded and flickered.


    Hotaka led the trio around the patrol outpost. He said, "This is themand outpost for Konoha''s eastern borders. This is why it is so big and well-maintained. There are many smaller outposts all over the country. But they only have the basic facilities."


    Fujin thought, ''No wonder. This outpost is big. I only expected there to be one house at max.''


    Hotaka showed them around the important locations in the outpost and introduced them to some of his friends. In the end, they climbed on a watchtower.


    On reaching the top, the trio admired the scenery around them. The houses in the outpost were arranged symmetrically. And it was surrounded by lush green forests. To add to it, the Sun had just begun rising. So rays of sunlight traveled right above the trees.


    Fujin, Mieko, and Hoka felt incredible calmness on seeing this sight. Fujin thought, ''What a sight! Perhaps, after the whole Kaguya mess is over, I should tour this world. I wonder what exists in this world apart from the hidden viges.''


    Seeing the three kids lost in the scenery, Hotaka smiled and didn''t say anything.


    After some time, they stopped looking at it. Mieko said, "I didn''t think we would get to see such a beautiful sight in a Patrol outpost."


    Hoka added, "Yeah, this feels wonderful."


    Fujin nodded.


    Hotakaughed and said, "Such sceneries are the main reason why most here have taken patrolling tasks. Beautiful scenery, freedom from daily worries at home andx responsibilities are the plus points of this job. Situations like yesterday are rare in peacetime. Usually, we just go on routine patrols without finding any disturbances."


    Fujin looked at Hotaka and wondered, ''So how did so many ninja cross into the Land of Fire during ourst mission? Did the patrol teams just do a terrible job or were some of them bribed? Hmm, there is another possibility. Did Konoha purposefully let them in so that they could be annihted without any opportunity to run?''


    Hoka asked Hotaka, "Can you take us to patrol?"


    Hoka wanted to know as many of his seniors and elders from the Hyuga n often undertook Patrol missions.


    Hotaka nodded, "Sure. Let''s go."


    He jumped off the watchtower. Hoka, Mieko and Fujin followed him. They left the outpost and entered the forests. And ran on tree branches at moderate speeds.


    Hotaka said, "I am just taking you on a random patrolling mission. Usually, all Patrol teams have set routes that they have to patrol daily. And there are a few teams that patrol randomly to guard against someone who might know our patrol routes and uses that to avoid us."


    Hoka said, "That''s smart. That will make hiding very difficult!"


    Hotaka nodded and added, "In addition, every Patrol team has one ninja from Inuzuka, Hyuga, or Aburame ns. So our range is muchrger and any intruder has to consider all aspects if they want to hide from us."


    The trio nodded. They were aware of the specialities of each n. Hotaka took them on a 2-hour long patrol. Fujin and Hoka used their abilities to help Hotaka on the patrol mission. But they didn''t find anything out of the ordinary. They returned back to the outpost.


    Not having anything to do, they spent their remaining day meditating. During lunch and breakfast, they interacted with others in the outpost.


    In the evening, an Anbu squad entered the outpost! They entered the main building. Renjiro and Seiichi were ying shogi. They both turned to see 4 Anbu ninjas.


    The leader of the 4 had silver hair and wore a Kitsune mask. Both realized who the Anbu captain was.

 Chapter 126: Interrogation

    Kakashi looked at the two Jounins and stepped forward. He handed them a letter and said, "The Hokage has assigned us the mission to escort the prisoner and carry the dead bodies back to Konoha."


    Renjiro and Seiichi nodded. Renjiro took out a scroll and handed it to Kakashi and said, "The bodies of the 9 dead ones are in this scroll."


    Kakashi took the scroll and stored it properly. Seiichi got up and said, "Follow me. I''ll take you to the prisoner."


    Kakashi and his squad followed Seiichi and Renjiro. They entered a small room. At the center of this room was a chair. A woman was sitting in it. Her arms were tied to the arms of the chair. Her legs were missing. A gag was stuffed in her mouth. Her head had dropped down.


    She was being watched by 2 chunins. One of them was a medical ninja.


    Renjiro said, "We investigated her a bit. Her name is Chou and she is a Jounin from the Sakai n. She can use the boil release."


    Seiichi added, "We injected her with anesthesia, but her body is very resistant to it. She wakes up after 2 hours and has to be injected again."


    Kakashi nodded and said, "That won''t be an issue. Can you wake her up?"


    The medical ninja stepped forward and began waking up.


    He looked at one of his squad members and said, "Ferret, put her to sleep."


    After some time, Chou woke up. She looked at Renjiro and the Anbu ninjas. A terrified look appeared in her eyes. Itachi, who was the Anbu with the codename Ferret, stepped in front of her and looked into her eyes.


    Chou looked at the Anbu in front of her as his eyes turned red. Itachi cast a Genjutsu on her, making her fall into a deep sleep.


    Itachi stepped back and said, "It''s done. She won''t wake up for a day."


    Kakashi nodded. He looked at Renjiro and said, "We will be taking her. Thank You forpleting the mission. There are further orders from Lord Hokage. Her capture shouldn''t be talked about.


    Discuss with everyone who knows that she has been captured and tell them to not talk about it to anyone. If they have already spoken to others or anyone knows about her capture, then chat with them as well and impose a gagging order. Lord Hokage has said that this is very important."


    Seiichi replied, "My men haven''t met with anyone else. But, probably, everyone in the outpost knows about her. I will talk with them and impose a gagging order about this."


    Kakashi nodded and said, "Thank You."


    One of Kakashi''s Anbu subordinates untied Chou and carried her. Kakashi and his squad took their leave and left for Konoha.


    Fujin and his teammates would remain ignorant about the terrible fate awaiting the Jounin captured by them. They slept peacefully as Chou was carried to Konoha.


    They woke up early the next morning and assembled with Renjiro. Seiichi got up early as well to bid farewell to them. He said, "See youter Renjiro. Stop by here while returning to Konoha."


    Renjiro nodded, "Sure. We could use a good sleep."


    Seiichi looked at the kids and smiled, "Take care all of you. Come back safely."


    Mieko replied, "Don''t worry, we willplete the mission in no time."


    Fujin nodded and added, "Just make that roasted meat again when we are back!"


    Seiichi sweatdropped thinking, ''These three ate half my share yesterday!''


    He smiled and said, "I''ll be sure to hunt some wild beasts for you guys."


    They said goodbyes and left for the Land of Hot Water.


    While Team Renjiro was headed to the Land of Hot Water, Kakashi and his squad returned to Konoha. They imprisoned her in the T&I department. Ibiki waited with them in the prison.


    Understanding the importance, Hiruzen himself showed up. Seeing Hiruzen, all four Anbu respectfully greeted him, "Lord Hokage."


    Hiruzen nodded and looked at Chou. He looked at Itachi and said, "Wake her up from the Genjutsu and ce her under a new one. I want to interrogate her."


    At that time, another person entered the prison. He was an old man. His right arm was concealed within and hanging inside his ck robe. His right eye was bandaged.


    Hiruzen looked at him and asked, "Danzo, why are you here?"


    Danzo looked at Chou and said, "I heard about taking a prisoner from Kiri. Continue your interrogation, I will discuss it with youter."


    Hiruzen nodded and looked at Itachi. Itachi stepped forward and dispelled the genjutsu. Chou woke up and looked up. However, Itachi put her in another Genjutsu. After she fell into the Genjutsu, Itachi removed the gag stuffed in her mouth.


    He looked at Hiruzen and said, "You can ask her questions, Lord Hokage."


    Hiruzen looked at Ibiki and said, "Ask her about why they entered the Land of Fire."


    Ibiki nodded and asked Chou, "Why did your squad enter the Land of Fire?"


    Chou answered, "My team was on a mission in the Land of Water. Unfortunately, we were discovered by a squad from Mizukage''s faction. They chased us relentlessly. We shed a few times and were injured. The chase brought us close to the Land of Fire and we entered it hoping to find a good hiding ce till they left us. I didn''t think they would chase us inside the Land of Fire as well."


    Ibiki noted what she said. He asked, "What was your mission?"


    Chou answered, "We got information that the Karatachi family had documents and maps that showed where all the ninjas in the Mizukage faction were deployed. Since the family head of Karatachi was in a battle, we got a mission to steal those documents."


    The mission parameters surprised everyone in the room. Danzo immediately wanted to get his hands on those documents.


    Ibiki asked, "Did youplete the mission?"


    Chou answered, "Yes, we stole the documents sessfully."


    Ibiki asked, "Where are those documents?"


    Chou answered, "Since we were being chased, we hid them in a secure location in the Land of Water."


    Ibiki asked, "Will anyone be collecting those documents?"


    Chou answered, "There is one ninja who checks that spot frequently. By now, it would have been collected and reached the hands of the Sakai n patriarch."


    Ibiki asked her where the secure location was and noted it down.


    Ibiki asked, "Did you see the locations where the forces of the Mizukage faction are located?"


    Chou answered, "No."


    After asking, he looked at Hiruzen. Hiruzen said, "Ask her about the situation of the Sakai n, other bloodline ns and the current state of the conflict. Also, ask her about their current hideouts and where the ns are located."


    Danzo added, "Also ask her if they have hidden some family members in safe locations."


    Ibiki nodded and began questioning. He ended up questioning Chou for over three hours. Konoha got information about the locations of bloodline ns, locations of some of their secret hideouts, the number of ninjas they had, the losses they faced, the losses they inflicted upon the Mizukage faction, skills and weaknesses of their strongest fighters and some other misceneous information.


    While the information she provided wasn''tplete, she ended up providing a lot of valuable information to Konoha. The rebel faction of Kirigakure would have never imagined that their mission to steal information from the Mizukage faction would result in their secrets getting exposed to Konoha!

 Chapter 127: Horrible Fate!

    After getting all the information, Chou was restrained again. Hiruzen looked at the Anbu squad and Ibiki and said, "Good work. Don''t tell anyone about her being taken as captive to anyone."


    They nodded and left the prison. While leaving, Itachi''s face was grim. Though no one noticed it under his mask. Or rather, no one apart from Hiruzen and Danzo, who observed him carefully.


    Understanding the disastrous consequences of civil war made him realize the catastrophe that would fall on Konoha if the Uchiha n were to rebel. It nted a seed to avoid a civil war at all costs inside his heart!


    As he left, both Hiruzen and Danzo exchanged eye contact. Danzo understood why Hokage had assigned the squad Itachi was in on this mission. They didn''t speak about Itachi as no words needed to be spoken.


    Danzo looked at Hiruzen and said, "She provided a lot of information. We need to cross-check with the information provided by our spies to confirm that there were no traps hidden in the information."


    Hiruzen nodded and replied, "Send a Root ninja who has the information to my office. I will have him cross-check our information with an Anbu ninja."


    Danzo nodded. He looked at Hiruzen, who seemed to be in thought. Danzo asked, "What are you thinking about?"


    Hiruzen looked at him and replied, "Do you remember the proposal that we received from the rebel faction before the Chunin exams?"


    Danzo nodded.


    Hiruzen continued, "I thought it was weird that the Terumi n patriarch reached out to us. Now, it seems like it was the idea of Terumi Mei. She has the bloodline of both, Terumi as well as Sakai ns, and is able to use two Kekkei Genkai! Looks like she will be the next leader in Kiri."


    Danzo replied, "Yes, it was likely her. Two Kekkei Genkai in the same person isn''t threatening if they don''t train well. But her leadership skills and charisma are good as well. She might be a threat. We should eliminate her."


    Hiruzen shook his head and replied, "The Fourth Mizukage is a perfect Jinchuriki. He will be difficult to defeat. Let them exhaust each others'' potential. Konoha doesn''t need to involve itself and suffer any losses. After the civil war ends, we will talk with the winner."


    Danzo wanted to argue, but Hiruzen had made a good point. With the losses Kiri had taken due to the civil war, Kiri would be in no position to participate in a war for over a decade at least.


    Hiruzen looked at Danzo and felt something odd. Knowing Danzo, he predicted that he would have started a debate there. He asked, "Why are you here? It wouldn''t be just for the information, right?"


    Danzo looked at Chou and said, "I want Sakai Chou."


    Hiruzen looked at Danzo in confusion. However, in less than a second, his eyes widened.


    He declined, "No."


    However, this time Danzo would not relent. This was the true reason why he visited the prison. He said, "Hiruzen, there are only 2 ns that have Kekkei Genkai in Konoha. And one of them is about to rebel.


    With the Senju being unable to produce any Wood Kekkei Genkai ninja, we need to recruit other Kekkei Genkai into our vige. And they have to be loyal to Konoha.


    If we don''t strengthen ourselves, then every time we have a weak moment, an incident simr to the Hyuga incident will keep repeating. Now that our forces are getting stabilized, we need to do everything to make ourselves stronger."


    Danzo''s argument struck a chord in Hiruzen''s heart. The Hyuga incident hurt him a lot. The weak state of Konoha had made him indecisive and reluctant. And that cost Konoha an innocent life.


    Danzo didn''t speak anymore. He knew Hiruzen very well. Hiruzen thought for a few minutes and said, "If the other viges were to realize, they might attack Konoha together."


    Danzo scoffed and replied, "In every war, we keep getting attacked by all four viges. So it doesn''t make a difference. Also, I will induct the kids into the Root. So they won''t be exposed to the world. Even inside Konoha, no one will know their origin.


    Besides, awakening Kekkei Genkai is difficult. Very few awaken it. If someone awakens, we will expose the first one who awakens and say that he created the Kekkei Genkai bybining Fire and Water natures. If anyone awakens it after him, we will hide that person inside the Root."


    If Fujin was to hear this conversation, he''d be shocked. After all, he thought that a Kekkei Genkai can only be inherited through the bloodline. Without it, there was no way to be able to use a Kekkei Genkai. After all, even talented ninjas who had mastered all elements like Hiruzen and Kakashi never learnt any Kekkei Genkai.


    Hiruzen sighed. He thought, ''He has done thorough preparation. I don''t think I can win this debate. So, what to do?''


    He thought for a bit and finally looked at Sakai Chou. He sighed, ''She is already a waste. If we release her, she will hate Konoha with all her heart and use all her influence to make her n take an anti-Konoha stance. If the bloodline ns win, our rtionship will be sour.''


    Looking at Hiruzen, Danzo understood what he was thinking. He said, "The way ahead will be to deny meeting the squad from the rebel faction. We will deny knowing their existence. Remove their mentions from the reports. If the bloodline faction wins in Kiri and asks us about it, we will feign ignorance and push the me on the Mizukage faction.


    Since the squad from the Mizukage faction died at the hands of Konoha ninjas, we can even im that we took revenge for the bloodline faction. So we will be able to use this incident to better our rtions. However, for that to happen, she needs to disappear."


    Hiruzen sighed again and agreed, "Alright. But ensure that no information about her leaks out. And all the progress has to be reported to me in secret."


    Danzo nodded. He was about to leave when he had a thought. He stopped and asked, "Hiruzen, which team was assigned this mission? They were very thorough!"


    Danzo had rushed here in a hurry. So he wasn''t aware which squad had undertaken this mission.


    Hiruzen answered, "It was Senju Renjiro and his students."


    Danzo''s left eye widened. But it returned to normal quickly. He said, "They are efficient. I want to induct them into the Root."


    Hiruzen raised his left eyebrow and looked at Danzo. However, he couldn''t figure out anything from his poker face. Hiruzen replied, "One of his students is a Hyuga. They are not suitable for the Root. Another is an Uchiha who is arrogant even by their standards. Good luck convincing her into joining the Root."


    Danzo scoffed in displeasure. However, that was an act. He was interested in the Wind user.


    While speaking, Hiruzen realized that Danzo''s target should be Fujin. The others were just spoken as a distraction.


    Hiruzen continued, "The third one is a civilian orphan. He could have been inducted into the Root. Fortunately or unfortunately, it''s toote."


    Danzo, who was hopeful about getting Fujin, felt like Hiruzen had yed with him. He asked, "Why is itte? He isn''t even a teenager yet. While it''s true that the Root mostly inducts 5-6 years old kids, we can still recruit older ones."


    Hiruzen shook his head and said, "That boy is too headstrong. He wouldn''t agree to have any seal put on him. He won''t be a good match for the Root. Besides, I already have ns for him."


    Danzo raised his left eyebrow and asked, "What ns?"


    Hiruzen smirked and answered, "I will be inducting him into the Anbu and training him to be a negotiator for Konoha."


    Danzo had a lot of thoughts about what Hiruzen might say. However, this one left him dumbfounded!

 Chapter 128: Dodged a Bullet

    Danzo stared at Hiruzen. After half a minute, he said, "Hiruzen, the role of negotiator is for senior members in the vige. Experience is important. What do you mean by sending someone who hasn''t even entered his teens to represent Konoha during negotiations?"


    Hiruzen chuckled and replied, "Our current negotiators are either too soft or too strict. While we do find a middle ground, we usually get the short end of the stick."


    Danzo scoffed and used, "It''s your fault for being so soft. Don''t use the rest of us."


    Hiruzen shook his head and replied, "And your methods are way too harsh. We would be at war all the time if your ideas are followed. And of course, I won''t send someone inexperienced to do the final negotiations for us.


    He will be among the 1st round of negotiators. And his task will be to annoy them just enough that the negotiations still stay on the table and we will have an advantage when we negotiateter."


    Danzo was surprised by Hiruzen''s words and confidence. He wondered, ''What exactly did Hiruzen see in that boy?''


    Hiruzen looked at Danzo and thought, ''On second thought, the prospect of sending Fujin to the Root would be hrious. Danzo tends to make promises while recruiting. If Fujin does enter the Root, I wonder how often he will ask Danzo for a new jutsu.''


    Danzo was about to say something, when Hiruzen interrupted, "Leave it. He is off the table. His talent would be wasted in the Root."


    Seeing Hiruzen being stubborn, Danzo nodded and left. If Fujin was to learn about this conversation, he would sigh in relief andment, ''Phew! Barely dodged the bullet!''


    That said, even without Hiruzen denying it, Fujin wouldn''t have entered the Root. While Danzo led the Root and was very influential, he couldn''t force anyone to join. He resorted to patriotism, offering rewards, ckmailing with closed ones, or lying in order to recruit existing ninjas to the Root. However, neither of these 4 tactics would have worked on Fujin.


    While leaving, Danzo thought, ''That didn''t go as expected. I didn''t expect Hiruzen to be so stubborn about an orphan. Doesn''t matter. I was only slightly interested in him due to his potential in Wind nature maniption. There''s no point in wasting more effort on him.''


    Danzo left and didn''t think about Fujin again. Yearster, he would hear about Fujin''s exploits in the battlefields. In one such battle, Fujin''s fame would explode throughout the ninja world. That battle would make Danzo regret not trying hard enough to recruit him. And the biggest regret would be when he dies by the hands of the orphan he attached no importance to!


    Team Renjiro ran at full speed for around 7 hours. The borders of the Land of Hot Water were close to where the hideout was. While the Hot Spring Hidden Vige was quite far away, the town that they were headed to was in the southern part of the Land of Hot Water. Hence, it was much closer to them.


    After 7 hours, they entered Niigata town. On entering, Fujinmented, "We entered into another country and then into their 2nd biggest town and still haven''t encountered even 1 ninja! Do they not have ninjas? Or are they toozy to patrol?"


    Renjiro chuckled and answered, "Only the 5 big hidden viges maintain frequent patrols. Even among the 5 big viges, Kiri and Suna don''t do regr patrols due to the harsh terrain. In smaller viges, only the VIPs have good protection. Ifmon people are in danger, then they issue missions to viges like ours."


    Fujin thought for a bit. He put up a sad face and said, "I see. But in that case, the lives of themon people here are very vulnerable. They have no protection. Any rogue ninja can kill them and run away. If he hides well, then they won''t even get justice."


    Renjiro looked at Fujin for a few seconds. He sighed and replied, "Unfortunately, that is the world we live in. There is nothing we can do."


    Fujin showed a sad face and didn''t reply. Renjiro thought, ''Though he is greedy, Fujin has a good heart.''


    At the same time, Fujin thought, ''I don''t think I can get any more jutsus from Renjiro. But improving my image even more would be beneficial. It might be of help if I need something from Tsunade in the future. She is of the same n after all.''


    Mieko and Hoka watched Fujin and Renjiro. They began thinking about the sad state of affairs in the smaller viges as well.


    They began walking towards the center of the town. Renjiro said, "Well, no need to be entirely down. Though there isn''t much protection, the major towns have a garrison. Perhaps, every town might have a garrison in the future. That would provide a good degree of protection to them."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Yeah, that could be a good start."


    They reached the center of the town. A mansion stood there. On seeing them, a watchman immediately invited them in while his partner ran inside to inform someone.


    The Watchman said, "Wee. Tokuhei-sama has been expecting you."


    Renjiro nodded and followed him inside the mansion.


    On entering, arge man appeared in front of them! He was 7 feet 5 inches in height and was very fat. Seeing him, the same thought ran through the minds of Fujin, Mieko, and Hoka, ''Did an Akimichi migrate here? He is huge even by their standards!''


    Behind him, four more people were standing.


    Takeshita Tokuhei smiled and said, "Senju Renjiro, I have heard a lot about you."


    Renjiro smiled and replied, "Takeshita Tokuhei, I have heard about you too."


    Tokuhei said, "We were expecting you to arrive a bit sooner."


    Renjiro replied, "We had some troubles too. So we were dyed."


    Tokuhei nodded and looked at the kids behind Renjiro. He frowned and thought, ''The mission didn''t mention any strict timelines. So I can''t bug him more about it. But the mission focused more on the strength of the ninjas. Renjiro is strong, but why did they send kids?''


    Renjiro looked at him and understood what he was thinking. But he didn''tment. Exining the strength of the ninjas who undertook the mission wasn''t a requirement. Completing the mission was all that mattered.


    Tokuhei knew that Renjiro understood his frown. But since he didn''t provide any exnation, he decided to drop it while thinking, ''My own squad should be enough to kill those rogue ninjas. Unfortunately, the Daimyo was worried about any losses we might suffer and hence issued a mission to Konoha. If they are weak, they will die.''


    Renjiro asked, "What are the details of those rogue ninjas? Also, where are they currently at?"


    Tokuhei looked at a subordinate. Takeshita Shunso stepped forward. He said, "Until now, we have detected 13 rogue ninjas. We have calcted that there are 2 more. All of them are ninjas from thend of water. Among the 13 ninjas, there are 3 Jounins and 10 Chunins.


    Their leader is Kubota Mitsuzuka. He is a veteran Jounin. The others under hismand are experienced too. Some of them are ninjas who were assigned under him in the Third Great Ninja War.


    We haven''t found their base. But looking at their movements, we have calcted their base to be near the coastline towards the South-East direction."


    Renjiro analyzed the information and said, "Good work. We won''t have to waste time to find them."


    Tokuhei said, "Renjiro, while we do know their approximate location, we don''t know their exact location."


    Renjiro replied, "Don''t worry. Leave that to us. We will take a break today. Tomorrow, at 4 AM, we will leave. Have your team be prepared."


    Tokuhei wanted to leave immediately. But he understood that they had traveled a long distance. He nodded and said, "Alright. Shunso, arrange for their resting area."


    Shunso led them to the arranged rooms. After he left, Fujin, Mieko, and Hoka stared at Renjiro. They wanted answers.

 Chapter 129: Joint Mission

    Renjiro looked at his students'' faces and chuckled.


    Mieko was annoyed. She asked, "Why are theying with us too?"


    Renjiro answered, "It''s a joint mission. You didn''t expect to take on more than a dozen ninjas with just us four, did you?"


    A scowl formed on Mieko''s face. Hoka sighed and said, "It would have been fun to fight them ourselves."


    Fujin said, "Apart from that big guy who has a lot of chakra, the others don''t seem that strong. So we should be getting more opportunities to fight than you think."


    Hoka smiled and said, "That''s more like it!"


    Renjiro was speechless at his students once again. He thought, ''Did they just hope that their allies fail inpleting the mission just so that they get to fight more?''


    He let out a cough to attract their attention and said, "Take a rest for the day. You need to be in top condition tomorrow morning."


    The trio nodded. Fujin asked, "Sensei, when you take the rank S missions, do you perform them alone or do you go with a team?"


    Renjiro was surprised by the question. He answered, "Depends on the mission. For example, in missions like these that include elimination, I have a team. We need members to find them and to ensure that none of them run away."


    Fujin heard the reply and thought, ''That makes sense. I guess the solo missions could contain protecting someone secretly or an assassination mission.''


    He looked at Renjiro and asked, "Sensei, do you have information regarding Tokuhei and Mitsuzuka?"


    Renjiro answered, "I checked Tokuhei''s information before taking this mission. He is a veteran Jounin and was one of themanders of the Vige Hidden in Hot Springs in the previous war.


    But there isn''t much of a record of him fighting. His job was to ensure that they don''t get caught in between our and Kumo''s shes. Apart from that, he is known for his Earth Release and high physical strength.


    As for Mitsuzuka, he specializes in Water Release like most Kiri ninjas. And he is quick on his feet. I fought him a couple of times in the previous war."


    Renjiro looked at Fujin and chuckled, "His fighting style is actually quite simr to yours. Though he knows a few rank A jutsus, he prefers to indulge in hit-and-run tactics and fights from a long range."


    Mieko and Hoka''s faces scowled on hearing that. Both snorted and looked at Fujin. Fujin wondered, "Oh, I wonder how I would fare against him!"


    Mieko and Hoka were about to protest. They didn''t want Fujin to fight the enemy leader while they dealt with scrubs. However, Renjiro spoke first.


    Renjiro''s face got serious as he spoke, "He will be my target. I am confident that I can win against him, but you three need to stay on guard. If he manages to slip a water clone away, he will attack you in the back when you are in midst of battle. So keep your guard up all the time."


    The three recognized the seriousness in Renjiro''s voice. They nodded their heads immediately.


    Renjiro added, "Just like thest fight, there won''t be any weaklings among them. And unlikest time, we won''t have the advantage of being in home territory. Also, don''t chase them if they manage to escape into the sea. Neither of you three is trained in how to fight a battle in the sea."


    They agreed. The Kiri ninjas had fought in seas all their life. While they could fight on water, they would be at a disadvantage against Kiri ninjas. Especially as only Hoka had some affinity to the Water element.


    The trio asked for more information from Renjiro. Renjiro provided the information he knew as well as warned them about several things they should pay attention to. They also decided on some strategies to follow during the mission. After discussing, they spent the rest of the day doing light warm-ups and meditation.


    While Team Renjiro was discussing, Tokuhei and his subordinates were discussing as well. While Shunso was showing Team Renjiro the rooms, Tokuhei''s subordinates began expressing their displeasure.


    Seo Shusaku said, "We asked Konoha for strong reinforcements. Why did they send little brats?"


    Etsuko Nakamura added, "Yes. These brats could get in our way when we fight. If they let their opponents getaway, we could end up getting ambushed. Tokuhei-sama, we need to consider this joint mission carefully!"


    Tokuhei heard them. He began analyzing the actions of Konoha. Seeing that he was lost in thoughts, Nakamura called him out again, "Tokuhei-sama?"


    Tokuhei looked at him. He replied, "Let''s not jump to conclusions. Konoha has an excellent track record ofpleting missions. So they might have some ns for sending those kids."


    His subordinates gave him a weird look. Shusaku said, "Do you really think that those kids will be any useful?"


    Tokuhei shrugged his hands. He answered, "If they weren''t, why would Konoha send them? And Renjiro wasn''t bothered when I looked at them skeptically.


    Besides, we wanted toplete this mission on our own anyways. So their strength doesn''t matter much. In fact, if we perform far better than Konoha''s squad, then I can persuade the Daimyo to increase funding to build a proper ninja force in our country. If we manage to do that, then we won''t have to depend on Konoha."


    The eyes of his subordinates widened! Shusaku said, "That''s a great n Tokuhei-sama!"


    Tokuhei nodded and said, "So give your all to this mission. As long as we outperform Renjiro''s squad, we will be able to get some benefits from the Daimyo."


    They waited for Shunso to return. When he did, they discussed their strategy and tactics for the next day.


    The next day, at 3:45 AM, Renjiro''s and Tokuhei''s squads gathered in the mansion. Fujin, Hoka, and Mieko observed Tokuhei''s squad. In addition to the four they saw the day before, there were 3 more chunin level ninjas in his squad!


    Along with their own squad, they now had 12 ninjas! Fujin observed them and thought, ''As long as we manage to kill a few Kiri ninjas in the initial sneak attack, we should outnumber them. So this might be an easy mission as well.''


    Tokuhei looked at Renjiro and smiled. He asked, "Renjiro, did you guys rest well?"


    Renjiro nodded and replied, "We did. Are you guys prepared?"


    Tokuhei nodded.


    Renjiro looked at Shunso and asked, "Have you marked the locations on the map?"


    Shunso nodded andid a map on the floor.


    Everyone observed the map carefully. The towns and viges in the Land of Hot Water were marked on the map. And a location was marked on the Southeastern coastline.


    Shunso pointed at the map saying, "This is our current location. ording to what we have calcted, their base is around here. Which is around 40 kilometers from our location."


    Renjiro nodded. He looked at the map once again and then said, "Alright, let''s move. We will hit them before the Sun rises."


    Some of Tokuhei''s subordinates frowned upon hearing that. Shusaku said, "I have something to say."


    Renjiro looked at him.


    Tokuhei said, "Go ahead."


    Shusaku said, "Though we have calcted their current location, we still have to be careful about any traps they may have set up. So we need to proceed slowly and carefully. It would be preferable to attack when the sun rises."


    Renjiro shook his head and replied, "Don''t worry about the traps. We will take care of them. Let''s move."


    Without waiting for their reply, Renjiro turned around and began leaving the mansion. His students followed him while secretlyughing. Shusaku was mad at having his suggestion dismissed so lightly. However, Tokuhei looked at him and shook his head. Soon, they too followed Renjiro.

 Chapter 130: Pre-Dawn Raid!

    The entire group exited the town of Niigata stealthily. Even if those rogue Kiri ninjas had any spies in the town, they wouldn''t notice them leaving.


    After leaving, they traveled at a fast speed. They cover the initial 30 kilometers very quickly. The Yugakure ninjas, who were looking down on the kids, had solemn faces. They were finding it difficult to keep up with them. It was a big blow to their pride.


    Renjiro looked at their expressions and chuckled. In his experiences, it was always better for actions to do the talking than exining with words.


    They traveled thest 10 kilometers with caution. Hoka and Mieko used their Doujutsus to check for traps and enemies. Fujin didn''t use his chakra field. If the enemy had any sensor, then they would sense Fujin''s chakra field and give away their surprise factor. Hoka''s Byakugan had no such disadvantage.


    They reached close to 1 kilometer of the calcted spot, when Hoka said, "Stop!"


    Everyone stopped and looked at him. Hoka moved towards the left as others followed him. After traveling about 100 meters, he stopped. Others stopped behind him. The area in front of Hoka was dyed red in blood!


    Shunso asked, "Did they have a fight here?"


    Tokuhei bent down and picked up a long hair from the blood. He observed it and said, "Unlikely. They were probably just hunting wild animals. Looks like they got a bear."


    Fujin observed Tokuhei and thought, ''He''s able to guess an animal just from a hair that is dyed in blood?''


    Mieko activated her Sharingan and observed the surroundings. After some time, she said, "Found a trail!"


    Renjiro said, "Good work. Take the lead. Also, keep an eye out for traps. Hoka, you keep an eye on traps too. And keep an eye for their base as well. Everyone else, don''t make unnecessary noise or movements."


    Everyone nodded. Tokuheimented, "It''s very handy to have both the Byakugan and Sharingan in the same squad."


    Renjiro nodded. They proceeded ahead carefully.


    Mieko''s Sharingan observed every detail of the surroundings carefully. She picked up the slightest clues. She observed their trail perfectly. Surprisingly, they didn''t encounter any traps.


    As they kept walking, they left the forest and entered the beach! Mieko frowned. She said, "The trail leads into the sea!"


    Renjiro and Tokuhei both frowned. If the base of the rogue Kiri nins was in the sea, then fighting them would get very tricky.


    Shunso spoke, "I don''t think that their base would be out in the sea. The nearest ind from here is around 32 kilometers away. Traveling from that base would be very time-consuming."


    Everyone looked at Shunso as he spoke. Shunso continued, "So either their base is nearby or every one of them is a strong Jounin who can travel at twice the speeds of a chunin!"


    Tokuhei immediately shook his head, "There''s no way that they are all Jounins. Kiri would be shaken if that many Jounins go rogue."


    Renjiro said, "There are two possibilities. One is that they have a temporary base here and a permanent one on an ind. Or, they just travel on shallow waters instead of moving through the forest to prevent any trail."


    Tokuhei nodded and said, "Yes. I believe the 2nd one will be the case. They are rogue ninjas after all. They will be afraid of being hunted down."


    Renjiro nodded. He too believed the same. He said, "Let''s go back to the trees. We will move along the coast while Hoka checks for any possible bases."


    Tokuhei agreed as he thought, ''The Hyuga can look up to 1000 meters. From the edge of the forest, he will be able to check for hundreds of meters into the sea. If their base is truly not here, then we will have no choice but to set up an ambush and wait for them.''


    The group went back into the forest. Seeing their initial trail, the group decided to go in the same direction. After moving for slightly over a kilometer, Hoka stopped.


    He said, "Found them! They are staying inside a cave on a hill about a kilometer ahead."


    Shunso grinned, "They think that they are very smart."


    Fujin wondered, ''If they are hiding in a cave, will Renjiro try to kill them all?''


    Hoka said, "There are two ninjas guarding the entrance to the cave."


    Renjiro said, "Keep moving ahead. I''ll kill them both. Fujin, don''t attack."


    Fujin nodded while thinking, ''My Wind Vacuum Bullet is good for assassinating. But once it hits, it will alert even a sleeping person due to the trail of destruction it leaves.''


    As they moved ahead, Hoka said, "Other than the 2 guards, there are 14 more Ninjas inside. 3 seem to be at the Jounin level. Rest are at the Chunin level. They are all sleeping."


    Renjiro said, "Don''t check on them anymore."


    Hoka didn''t understand. He was about to look away from them when he suddenly noticed one of them getting up suddenly. He said, "One of the Jounin level ninjas just woke up."


    Renjiro frowned. He said, "Some ninjas instinctively feel when someone looks at them. Though they can''t sense the Byakugan, they can feel that something is wrong. Keep that in mind."


    After saying that, he suddenly flickered ahead! Instantly, Hoka, Fujin and Mieko also flickered. The Yugakure ninjas, who were alongside them, were dumbfounded!


    Shusaku eximed, "What the fuck?"


    A scowl formed on Tokuhei''s face. He said, "Keep up."


    He made a few hand signs and flickered as well. Others soon followed him.


    Inside the cave, Kubota Mitsuzuka was sleeping. However, when Hoka observed him, his eyes suddenly opened up. He immediately got up and checked his surroundings.


    On seeing that no one was around, he thought, ''What the fuck? I swear that someone was fucking looking at me!''


    Thoughts ran inside his mind at the speed of light! He immediately came to the conclusion, ''Fucking Hyuga! Those cowards should have issued a mission to Konoha!''


    He got up and gathered Chakra on his right foot and stamped his foot on the ground. A wave passed through the ground. It was harmless, but everyone inside the cave felt it. All the 13 rogue ninjas woke up.


    Mitsuzuka flickered towards one of the two Jounins. On arriving, he shouted, "Fumimaro! Quickly check our surroundings!"


    At the same time, the other rogue ninjas also began arriving at their location.


    Kabota Mitsuzuka moved very rapidly. However, there was someone who moved even faster!


    Renjiro flickered thrice in quick session and reached just around 150 meters from the guards. On reaching here, he noticed that there were a few traps set close to the cave. However, he didn''t pay any attention to them. He stepped on the ground and disappeared inside it.


    A secondter, eight earth spears formed under the two unsuspecting guards and pierced them! The guards were shocked! However, even before they could let out a scream, Renjiro appeared from the ground and beheaded them in one smooth action.


    As soon as he beheaded them, Hoka, Mieko and Fujin appeared behind him. While they were running, Hoka noticed the traps. Mieko took the lead to avoid them and the other two followed her.


    On reaching, they noticed the cave. It was a small hill that was as tall as a 3-storey building. There was a giant cave mouth at the bottom which split into a few paths. This hill was around 200 meters from the beach. The rogue ninjas chose this spot so that they won''t be visible to anyone who scouts for them from the sea, but still be close to the sea if they needed to escape.


    As soon as they stepped there, they felt a groundwave passing under their feet. Hoka checked the inside of the cave. He frowned and said, "Everyone is up."


    Renjiro made a hand sign and said, "I figured."


    Fujin, Hoka and Mieko watched their sensei as he built up a massive amount of chakra!


    Behind Team Renjiro, the Yugakure ninjas were following. However, without the Byakugan or the Sharingan, they couldn''t identify all the traps.


    Tokuhei was the first one to notice the traps. He shouted, "WAIT! There are traps ahead!"


    However, they were flickering rapidly. 3 of their ninjas ended up activating traps. Immediately, hundreds of needles rained down on them! Tokuhei frowned and made a few hand signs.


    Inside the cave, Fumimaro spread his chakra field. Fujin felt his chakra field as it expanded past the cave. He quickly said, "They sensed us!"


    Fumimaro immediately sensed the huge chakra built up by Renjiro. He yelled, "CRAP! They are right outside the cave and are about to attack us!"


    All the former Kiri nins immediately had grim looks on their faces. Ever since they went rogue, they never had to fight against a proper Ninja squad. The Mizukage faction was too busy fighting the rebels. They didn''t have the time to pay any attention to them.


    Renjiro put his palms on the walls of the hill!


    ''Earth Release : Mountain Destroyer jutsu!''

 Chapter 131: Chaos inside the Hill

    ''Earth Release : Mountain Destroyer jutsu''


    Chakra poured from Renjiro''s palms into the hill. The hill began copsing. In merely 3 seconds, the entire hill copsed!


    The rogue Kiri nins felt the ground under them trembling. In a second, some rocks began falling! Their expressions grew grim! By then, only 11 ninjas had assembled there. 3 still hadn''t made it to that room.


    They understood that they needed to escape! However, escaping to the cave entrance would be very dangerous!


    Realizing their grim situation, Mitsuzuka made a hand sign. Immediately, a Water Prison began forming around them. He shouted, "Pour your fucking chakra into this jutsu everyone!"


    The rogue ninjas wasted no time and immediately began pouring their chakra into Mitsuzuka''s Water Prison jutsu. The water prison becamerger and denser as a result of everyone''s chakra.


    Rocks kept falling on it but didn''t damage it. However, the first critical time was when the ground under them copsed. The Water Prison sphere also fell and maintaining its form became very difficult. Through everyone''s desperate efforts, they managed to hold on!


    The second critical time was when the Water Prison hit the ground after falling! This time, they didn''t manage to maintain the sphere. The impact on the ground coupled with the rocks falling on it broke the jutsu! However, 4 ninjas used Water Barrier jutsu to provide protection.


    Outside the Hill :


    While the hill was copsing, the Yugakure ninjas were struggling with the traps. Tokuhei erected Earth Walls to protect everyone. The ninjas themselves used kunais to block iing needles.


    They managed to withstand the barrage. Tokuhei breathed in relief when one of them fell to the ground.


    Shunso immediately moved towards him. He checked him. Others gathered around him. Shunso said, "He is alright. It''s just two needles that hit his thighs."


    He removed the needles and observed them. The others got worried thinking that the needles were poisoned. After checking the needles and the fallen ninja, Shunso said, "The needles are coated with some anesthetic medicine. He will probably sleep for some time."


    Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Tokuhei said, "Shunso, stay here and keep him safe. Others follow me. It looks like they have already begun fighting. We can''t be left out!"


    Fujin, Hoka and Mieko got the front row seat to watch a small hill copse. However, they weren''t very surprised. By now, they had seen a lot of crazy stunts that Renjiro kept pulling.


    All three immediately focused on the rogue ninjas inside the debris. Fujin spread his chakra field to sense them. There was no more need for maintaining stealth. He made a few hand signs and prepared a Wind Vacuum Bullet. Hoka and Mieko got ready as well!


    Inside the copsed hill, there was chaos! The 11 who were together managed to avoid critical injuries. However, most of them had minor injuries due to pieces of rocks falling on them. One chunin had a minor concussion.


    However, the 3 who weren''t along with them suffered. 2 of them specialized in the Water element, while thest one specialized in the Earth element.


    All three had woken up due to the ground wave produced by Mitsuzuka. However, they were deep in sleep and woke up a few secondster. By the time they began moving, the hill had already begun copsing!


    They didn''t understand. Simr thoughts ran through their minds, ''What the hell happened? We were having the time of our life before we went to sleep! Why is this happening? That too right after we left that shithole!''


    The two Water affinity ninjas tried protecting themselves, but they were crushed by the rocks. The Earth affinity ninja tried going underground. However, the ground under him itself crumbled! But, he still managed to build an Earth Dome to protect himself just in time. He got buried under the debris but stayed alive.


    Even before the two sides had met inbat, Renjiro had almost killed a quarter of their numbers!


    On seeing his efficiency, Fujin had just one thought, ''Need a team my ass!''


    Renjiro made another hand sign and mmed his palms on the ground.


    ''Earth Release : Thousand Needles jutsu''


    On seeing Renjiro perform another jutsu, his students, once again, had the same thought running through their minds. They thought, ''Please leave one for us too, Sensei!''


    At the same time, Mitsuzuka made a few hand signs.


    ''Water Release : Water Shock bomb''


    He spat out a jet of water that hit the debris on top of them. On contact, it exploded and sent the debris flying over. It created a hole for them to escape.


    However, at that very instant, hundreds of earth needles formed in the ground around them and instantly shot at them. All of them noticed it, however at varying speeds. The ones who noticed the needles forming jumped up the hole immediately.


    Six of them managed to jump safely out of the range of the needles. Three got cut by a few needles that just cut across their flesh. One had a dozen needles stabbing him, but none were critical.


    However, thest one was unfortunate. He was the slowest to notice and jump. He got turned into a pincushion and died!


    He didn''t die alone. Thest member of the rogue group who wasn''t with them also died to the thousand needles jutsu. He had trapped himself inside an Earth Dome and had no way to get out or defend himself quickly.


    The number of rogue ninjas dropped to 10! And yet, their misery wasn''t over! As soon as they jumped out, they still had to protect themselves from the sneak attacks of the students of the man who made them miserable!


    The first person to leave the hole was Mitsuzuka. As soon as he left the hole, he saw three shurikens targeting him. He quickly deflected them and looked at where the shurikens came from. His eyesnded on Renjiro and widened. He eximed, "Motherfucking Senju Renjiro!"


    As soon as the rogue nins left the hole, they were greeted by shurikens thrown by Mieko with pinpoint uracy. Mieko targeted the first two who left the debris. Both were Jounins and they easily blocked her shurikens.


    Unlike Mieko, both Hoka and Fujin could only select one to attack. Hoka felt ambitious! He decided to target a Jounin. Whereas Fujin decided to be efficient.


    Hoka ended up choosing Fumimaro as his target. Fumimaro was the third one to leave the debris. Hoka aimed a Vacuum Palm at his heart. Fumimaro sensed Hoka attacking him. He spat out a Water Bullet to counter it. It shed with the Vacuum palm and nullified it.


    Fujin targeted the 5th person to leave the debris. His chakra was higher than an average chunin. Guessing him to be an Elite Chunin, Fujin chose him. As soon as he appeared, Fujin shot a Vacuum Bullet at his heart.


    Unlike Fumimaro, Fujin''s target didn''t have sensory capabilities. Additionally, Fujin''s Vacuum Bullet was many times faster than Hoka''s Vacuum Palm. He didn''t even see the attacking and had his heart pierced!


    The rogue Kiri ninjas finallynded on top of the debris. They watched with grim faces. 7 of them had been killed without them even seeing who their enemy was!


    At the same time, the Yugakure ninjas also arrived there andnded beside Team Renjiro. Their eyes widened on seeing the scene before them! Two headless corpses with Earth Spears piercing through their bodies were next to them. The hill where the rogue ninjas were supposed to be hadpletely copsed. And the 9 enemies they saw all had some injuries on them, while the Konoha ninjas didn''t even have a scratch on them!


    Mitsuzuka immediately analyzed the situation and yelled, "DISPERSE!"


    He instantly flickered away. The others followed him.


    Team Renjiro and Tokuhei immediately gave chase. Renjiro made a Shadow clone. He chased Mitsuzuka while his clone chased Fumimaro. Tokuhei went after the 3rd Jounin.


    Fujin, Mieko and Hoka chose a chunin level target. Mieko and Hoka looked for the ones who have higher chakra amongst the chunins, while Fujin went after the one who was injured.


    The remaining Yugakure ninjas were slow. They moved around 1-2 seconds after the others. Usually, Tokuhei wouldmand them, but he was feeling pressure due to their subpar performance so far. So he moved quickly believing that his subordinates would do their job.


    They quickly gave chase too. Shusaku went after a chunin alone. The remaining 4 chased in pairs.

 Chapter 132: The Interference of the Clones

    The 10 Konoha and Yugakure ninjas chased after 9 rogue ninjas from Kirigakure.


    Mitsuzuka noticed the enemy splitting up. He made a hand sign. 3 water clones formed around him. They dispersed in different directions.


    Renjiro noticed them and made a hand sign too. 3 shadow clones appeared. They chased after the water clones.


    Renjiro didn''t mind this. His chakra was muchrger than Mitsuzuka''s chakra. And he was confident that the water clones won''t be able to interfere in the fights with his students. As for the Yugakure ninjas, he didn''t care much.


    The first one to catch up to his prey was Fujin. Fujin was the 2nd one to flicker among the group. Only Renjiro was faster than him. In addition, Fujin''s opponent was injured. He had a dozen needles stuck in his body. Fujin caught up with him with just 2 flickers.


    On seeing him, he grabbed his sword and rushed at him. This rogue ninja was Imamura Seitaro. He didn''t want to fight at close range due to the needles stuck in him. They limited his movements.


    He made a few hand signs quickly, ''Water Release : Wild Water Wave jutsu''


    A 5-meter tall and 20-meter wide wave of water appeared in front of Fujin. Fujin decided to take it head-on. Chakra flowed through Fujin''s sword. He grabbed it with both his hands and swung it with a huge force.


    A horizontal flying sh of wind chakra was sent. It shed the wave and moved towards Seitaro. The apanying windspletely dispersed his jutsu.


    Seitaro was shocked! He had never seen a jutsu like this! He quickly jumped up thinking, ''What jutsu is this? I recall the Samurais sending flying shes, but it was nothing like this!''


    The sh passed from under him. It cut a lot of trees directly behind him. However, he wasn''t uninjured. He was hit by the razor-sharp winds. Numerous cuts appeared on his body. Both his eyes were cut as well!


    He yelled in pain and horror. In the next second, his heart was hit by an Air bullet. He fell down dead!


    After the rogue ninjas escaped, the first ninja died in under 30 seconds! They would have never imagined such a result. Fujin created a shadow clone to seal and store his body. He grabbed the scroll and moved towards other targets.


    While Fujin was fighting, the others were still chasing.


    The three jounins sessfully escaped into the sea. However, Renjiro and Tokuhei chased them into the seas.


    Mieko and Hoka managed to intercept their targets before they entered the sea. They began fighting. However, they were restricted as they had to ensure that their opponent didn''t escape into the sea.


    All three of the chunins that Yugakure''s chunins chased also entered the sea. They followed them.


    The fight would have entered a deadlock, if not for two variables. The first one was Fujin, who killed his opponent in little time. The second variable was the water clones of Mitsuzuka.


    Mitsuzuka had seen Renjiro stand with the 3 kids before the Yugakure ninjas arrived. He had spected that those 3 were his students. His three water clones rushed towards Fujin, Hoka, and Mieko. Renjiro''s shadow clones followed them.


    Mieko''s opponent was Nakane Motoyuki. He was an Elite Chunin who specialized in the Water element.


    Mieko was faster than him. She and Motoyuki stepped on the beach at the same time. She threw 2 shurikens at him and another 2 shurikens to cut off his escape route to the sea.


    Motoyuki easily blocked the 2 shurikens. He looked at Mieko with disdain. However, Mieko''s eyes turned red. He immediately became very alert. The Sharingan was a nightmare in battle! He was about to escape to the sea when he noticed that the other 2 shurikens had wires attached. Mieko controlled those wires to redirect the shurikens at Motoyuki from the other side.


    At the same time, she used Fireball jutsu.


    Motoyuki moved to dodge the 2 shurikens. While moving, he used Water Wall jutsu to block the fireball.


    The Fireball hit the Water Wall and steam spread through the region. Motoyuki immediately made a few hand signs. The mist began gathering in the region. Mieko frowned as she noticed the Mist getting formed.


    She was about to make a move when she felt danger! She immediately moved to her right.


    A water bullet passed through her previous location. If she hadn''t moved, it would have hit her heart!


    Mitsuzuka''s water clone beat Renjiro''s shadow clone in reaching this battlefield. However, it didn''t aplish anything as Mieko dodged it and Motoyuki couldn''t take any advantage of the opening it provided.


    Spikes formed under the Water clone. The water clone quickly moved out of the way. Renjiro''s shadow clone had also appeared on this battlefield.


    Mieko observed both with her Sharingans and realized that they were clones. Renjiro''s clone made a few hand signs, ''Great Breakthrough jutsu.''


    The jutsu cleared out all the mist and steam. While the jutsu was harmless, the water clone was vulnerable. He immediately used Water Wall jutsu to protect himself.


    Renjiro''s clone appeared next to Mieko. Mieko grinned. She hadn''t had the opportunity to fight alongside Renjiro as an equal yet. Neither did Fujin or Hoka. She was sure that she was the first among her teammates.


    Renjiro said, "While I am still here, we can fight even in water. I''ll take care of it."


    Mieko nodded and said, "Alright sensei!"


    The 1v1 turned into 2v2. Both sides would be stuck in a deadlock.


    The situation with Hoka was simr. He tried dominating with his Taijutsu, but his opponent managed to keep his distance. However, Vacuum Palm proved to be a huge challenge for him.


    They were in a deadlock until Renjiro and Mitsuzuka''s clones entered the battlefield. Due to Hoka''s Byakugan, no sneak attack was possible. It just turned into a 2v2.


    In the same way as Hoka and Mieko got attacked, thest water clone of Mitsuzuka went towards Fujin. Unfortunately for him, Fujin''s fight was already over. He immediately sensed two chakra signatures moving towards him.


    Fujin frowned, ''One chakra signature belongs to Renjiro. But it is much weaker. Should be a clone. Who is the other guy? Is it a clone too? Or a new enemy?''


    Mitsuzuka''s water clone frowned as well. He felt that he was sensed. He thought, ''His students are so fucking bothersome! All 3 have some sort of sensory abilities. How the fuck should I sneak attack them?''


    The aspect that made Mitsuzuka a terrible enemy was his ability to make perfect sneak attacks. Unfortunately, that ability was almost made useless. He frowned thinking, ''I made the wrong choice. I should have gone after the fucking Yugakure ninjas.''


    Not knowing who wasing, Fujin prepared the Air bullet jutsu. Knowing that a sneak attack would be useless, Mitsuzuka''s water clone increased his speed to attack Fujin with full power. Renjiro''s shadow clone increased his speed as well.


    Renjiro''s clones couldn''t catch Mitsuzuka''s clones as they moved in a random way to avoid Renjiro''s clones. With Mitsuzuka''s clone traveling in a straight line, Renjiro''s clone was able to close the distance.


    As soon as he appeared in view, Fujin recognized him. Seeing that it was an enemy, Fujin attacked with the Air Bullet jutsu. 7 air bullets were shot at and around Mitsuzuka''s water clone.


    Renjiro''s shadow clone noticed the attack and moved out of the way. Mitsuzuka''s clone also moved out of the way quickly. The jutsu barely missed him! Had it hit, the clone would have been dispelled.


    Mitsuzuka''s clone was confused. He thought, ''Why isn''t anyone fighting with him? Did he stop chasing?''


    However, the clone didn''t think for long. He immediately made a few hand signs.


    ''Water Release : Waterfall Jutsu!''


    A huge column of water crashed down towards Fujin. Fujin was annoyed, ''I can understand if his main body tried attacking me head-on. But a mere clone wants to take on me in Ninjutsu?''


    A huge amount of chakra gathered on Fujin. Renjiro''s clone smirked on noticing it. He made a few hand signs. Mitsuzuka''s clone''s eyes widened on sensing Fujin''s huge chakra. Fujin supercharged his jutsu andunched it without making any hand signs.


    ''Wind Release : Great Breakthrough jutsu''


    Fujin''s supercharged Great Breakthrough jutsu hit Mitsuzuka''s Waterfall jutsu. Though the Waterfall jutsu was two ranks higher, the amount of chakra the Water clone had was very limited. After all, Mitsuzuka made it to sneak attack and not to attack head-on.


    The Great Breakthrough jutsu tore into the Waterfall jutsu and dispersed the water. The Water clone immediately used another jutsu.


    ''Water Release : Water Prison jutsu''


    The Great Breakthrough jutsu hit the water prison. It was sent flying, but it held firm. Even so, the water clone had a grim expression. His chakra was almost over.


    While the Great Breakthrough jutsu was dying down, an Earth spear appeared under the Water Prison. It pierced through it. The Water clone saw the Earth spear. Unfortunately, he didn''t have the chakra to do anything about it.


    He avoided it, but the Water Prison jutsu was dispelled. He looked at the winds of the Great Breakthrough jutsu and shouted, "Fucking hell!"


    The Great Breakthrough jutsu hit and dispelled him.

 Chapter 133: Hoka finally gets to use Taijutsu!

    A few kilometers away from the shores, Mitsuzuka looked behind. Renjiro was still hot on his tail. He thought, ''One of my clones was dispelled. And so soon too. Sigh, how did we attract this bastard?''


    Fujin looked at Renjiro''s clone. He was hiding inside an Earth Dome. The dome copsed. Renjiro''s clone flickered next to Fujin. He asked, "What''s the status?"


    Fujin replied, "My opponent is dead. How are things with you?"


    Renjiro''s clone answered, "My opponent made a few Water clones and sent them to sneak attack you three."


    Fujin nodded. He had concluded along the same lines.


    Renjiro''s clone said, "My clones have gone to Hoka and Mieko as well. You go help Hoka. I''ll help Mieko."


    Fujin nodded and flickered. He had already sensed Hoka. Fujinnded on a tree beside the beach. A frown appeared on his face, ''These guys are fighting on water. I won''t be able to sneak attack.''


    Fujin observed the situation properly. Renjiro''s shadow clone was suppressing the Water jutsus of Mitsuzuka''s Water clone and the other rogue ninja.


    Both the water clone and the rogue ninja maintained a long distance from Hoka. His Gentle Fist and Vacuum Palm were too threatening. However, Renjiro''s clone and Hoka weren''t able to attack effectively either.


    Fujin thought, ''I should consider getting a summon that can fight in the water. After all, my Water affinity is pretty much non-existent. I''ll be in danger if I get trapped underwater.''


    After observing for a minute, Fujin sighed, ''There is no way to sneak attack. Maybe I should have bugged Hiruzen for a jutsu that can attack over a kilometer away with pinpoint uracy instantly. Surely he''d have something like that. Even if he doesn''t, considering the badass titles he has, he should be able to create a new jutsu like that, right?''


    Fortunately for Hiruzen, he couldn''t know Fujin''s thoughts.


    Fujin made a few hand signs.


    ''Wind Release : Vacuum Bullet jutsu''


    A vacuum bullet formed inside Fujin''s mouth.


    Chakra gathered on his feet and Fujin flickered. The fight was happening around 250 meters from the shore. Fujin flickered thrice in quick session.


    Mitsuzuka''s clone felt Fujin''s danger and looked at him. He shouted, "Another ninja ising. Pay attention, Ryu!"


    Ueda Ryu paid attention to the new enemy while keeping an eye on the existing ones.


    Fujin appeared on the battlefield in the blink of an eye. His target was the Water Clone. The Water Clone noticed that Fujin had built his chakra and was moving towards him. Immediately, a water wall appeared between them.


    Fujin grinned and used Vacuum Bullet jutsu. The Water Clone''s sight was blocked by the water wall. However, sensing danger, he moved towards his left.


    While moving, he saw something piercing the water wall he erected. He increased his speed. The vacuum bullet barely missed his abdomen. However, Fujin grinned. It was enough.


    The protective wind around the vacuum core was removed when it hit the water wall. As the Vacuum core of the Vacuum Bullet passed by the side of the Water Clone''s abdomen, it created a strong suction force. This force created a cut on the clone''s abdomen as it absorbed some water from the clone. This cut was enough to dispel the clone.


    The Water clone watched with wide eyes as he was being dispelled. He would never imagine that a kid not even in his teens would dispel him.


    Ryu watched with wide eyes. He cursed internally, ''What the hell! Not only did he lead Renjiro''s clone here, but he got dispelled by a kid who hasn''t even grown any facial hairs yet! What did I do to that foul-mouthed bastard that he would resort to such means to kill me?''


    Ryu''sints were understandable. Unfortunately, that wouldn''t stop the Konoha ninjas from killing him.


    With the water clone dispelled, Fujin, Hoka and Renjiro''s clone looked at Ryu. Ryu''s hair all stood up! He had seen the capabilities of the clone. He knew that he had no chance of escaping into the water.


    Hoka took the Gentle Fist stance. Fujin grabbed his swords. They would be more practical while fighting on water.


    Ryu quickly shouted, "WAIT, I surrender! I will give you all the secret information about Kirigakure. Just don''t kill me!"


    Hoka and Fujin didn''t make any move and waited for Renjiro to decide. However, both were ready to make a move at a moment''s notice.


    Renjiro judged for a moment. On deciding, he said, "Alright. Don''t resist. If you do, I will kill you. Hoka, close all his chakra points."


    Understanding his position, Ryu didn''t resist. Hoka attacked him and closed all his chakra points. Renjiro''s clone flickered next to Ryu and knocked him unconscious. He put a Chakra Suppression Seal on him.


    He looked at Hoka and Fujin and said, "You two go check on Mieko. I will keep an eye on him."


    They nodded and flickered. Renjiro''s clone carried Ryu and flickered to the forest and hid among trees.


    Hoka and Fujin moved towards Mieko. Hoka asked, "How did you finish your battle so quickly?"


    Fujin shrugged and said, "I attacked that injured guy. Why did you rush after an Elite Chunin?"


    Hoka snorted and said, "I wanted to fight a stronger opponent."


    Fujin smirked and asked, "Oh, I hope you had fun."


    Hoka didn''t reply to Fujin. However, he wasining endlessly in his mind, ''I only fought him by myself for half a minute. Then the two Jounin clones interfered and dominated the fight! I barely got to fight!''


    On Mieko''s battlefield, Motoyuki was stunned when he saw another clone of Renjiro entering the battlefield. Motoyuki swore endlessly in his mind, ''I was winning the fight! I had set up the Hidden Mist jutsu. I could have easily escaped into the seas. I would have left far away in no time!


    But Mitsuzuka''s clone led Renjiro''s clone here! With his methods, I couldn''t escape! And now, another one showed up here! Don''t fucking help if you are going to make the matters worse!''


    Mitsuzuka''s clone''s expression was also grim. It understood the significance of Renjiro''s clone showing up here. It meant that one of his fellow clones was defeated. And the ninja alongside him was also killed or captured.


    A huge fight began. The Water clone desperately tried to defend himself while trying to create an opportunity to escape for Motoyuki. Unfortunately, nothing worked.


    The teamwork of the two clones was wless. And Mieko provided perfect support with her shurikens and the threat of Sharingan Genjutsu.


    After a bitter struggle, the Water clone finally fell. Just like Ryu, Motoyuki also offered to surrender.


    As soon as he offered to surrender, Fujin and Hoka arrived. One of Renjiro''s clones looked at Hoka. He looked at Motoyuki and said, "Alright, don''t resist. If you do, I will kill you. Hoka, close all his chakra points."


    Hoka was surprised to be asked that again. Fujin grinned and taunted, "Today is your lucky day Hoka! You get to attack 2 Elite Chunins with your Gentle Fist. I am so happy for you!"


    Hoka''s face immediately went dark. He ignored Fujin and walked ahead while thinking, ''I want to fight them head-on! This is justme!''


    He followed the clone''smand and closed his chakra points. The clone knocked him out and put a Chakra Suppression Seal on him.


    Fujin said, "Sensei, even Hoka''s opponent surrendered. Your other clone took him back to the shore."


    One of the clones nodded and said, "I will take care of him."


    He grabbed Motoyuki and flickered.


    Mieko had heard Fujin''sment. She grinned and said, "Good job Hoka! I am d you finally found opponents to fight with Taijutsu."


    Both she and Fujin beganughing. Hoka''s face got even darker. He looked at Mieko and said, "Why are youughing? Even with two of Sensei''s clones helping you, you were the slowest of us!"


    That made Mieko scowl. She immediately began arguing with Hoka. Fujin silently moved away and stood next to Renjiro''s clone. He was trying hard to suppress hisughter.


    Renjiro''s clone was speechless, ''We are in the middle of an A rank mission! And two of my students are arguing mindlessly. And the third one is the one who instigated the argument and isughing at it! Was I too lenient with them?''


    Renjiro''s clone let out a cough. That attracted the attention of Mieko and Hoka. Realizing what they have been doing, they immediately stop arguing. However, both gave Fujin a few angry stares.


    Fujin saw them but acted like he didn''t see them. He thought, ''Oh boy! These two are hrious as always! It''s so hard to suppress myugh, hahaha.''


    Seeing that his students have calmed down, the clone said, "We will leave the enemy Jounins to my main body and Tokuhei. Let us move and clear out the 3 chunins that are engaging against Yugakure."


    They nodded and said, "Alright Sensei."

 Chapter 134: Underwater Battle

    While Fujin, Mieko and Hoka were dealing with their opponents, the others had begun fighting as well.


    Renjiro finally managed to stop Mitsuzuka from running. Mitsuzuka looked at Renjiro and shouted, "Why the fuck are you here Renjiro? I have no interest in fighting you. I''ll leave that fucking country of hot springs. That should fulfill your mission parameters, right?"


    Renjiro smirked. He wasn''t unaware of how foul-mouthed Mitsuzuka was. He said, "Unfortunately, you killed too many civilians. The Daimyo was very insistent on bringing your head back."


    A scowl formed on Mitsuzuka''s face. He shouted back, "Don''t fucking underestimate me Renjiro! I killed dozens of your fucking subordinates in thest war. If you want to kill me, I''ll take a fucking piece of you too!"


    Renjiro didn''t reply. There was no point in engaging in more talks. He made a hand sign.


    ''Water Release : Water Dragon jutsu''


    A water dragon formed behind Renjiro and moved rapidly towards Mitsuzuka. Mitsuzuka flickered while making hand signs.


    ''Water Release : Water Shock bomb''


    He released a jet of water that hit the dragon on its head and exploded. Both jutsus were neutralized. Water showered in all directions. Mitsuzuka thought, ''Too easy. There should be more.''


    As Mitsuzuka thought, 3 Water Dragons appeared at the spot where the two jutsus had just shed. The one in the center moved straight at Mitsuzuka. The other two water dragons split in opposite directions and attacked Mitsuzuka from his right and left.


    Mitsuzuka moved backwards while making hand signs. Suddenly, he jumped backwards. A huge head of another Water Dragon appeared under his feet. The Dragon opened its mouth and shot a giant ball of water at Mitsuzuka.


    Mitsuzuka watched with a grim expression on his face. He continued making hand signs.


    ''Water Release : Giant Mirror Shield jutsu''


    Just when the water sphere was about to hit him, a giant mirror of Water appeared in front of him.


    The ball of water hit the mirror and exploded. The mirror copsed, but the impact didn''t pass through it.


    Behind the mirror, Mitsuzuka had used Water Prison jutsu to protect himself.


    Renjiro watched from a distance. A sphere of water surrounded Mitsuzuka, who was about 15 meters in the air. Four Water Dragons moved rapidly towards the sphere of water. It looked as if the four dragons werepeting with each other for food.


    Mitsuzuka kept making more hand signs.


    ''Water Wall jutsu''


    4 thick water walls appeared around the Water Prison. Each water wall blocked a water dragon. The Water Dragons pierced through the water walls and collided with the Water Prison. They exploded on contact.


    Mitsuzuka infused a lot of chakra into the Water Prison jutsu. The explosions travelled through the water prison, but Mitsuzuka wasn''t hurt. However, the Water Prison crumbled.


    Mitsuzuka and water slowly fell down on the surface of the sea. As he was falling down, his eyes were glued on Renjiro, who was standing steadily. He saw that Renjiro wasn''t making any move. However, he felt a strong sense of danger!


    As soon as hended on the surface of the sea, a giant w attacked him. Mitsuzuka immediately flickered out of the way. The giant w shed his afterimage into two. However, Mitsuzuka wasn''t unhurt. Though he moved quickly, the w still left 3 long cuts on his back!


    Mitsuzuka watched what had attacked him. His eyes widened. It was a gigantic, 25 feet tall, sloth! He muttered in annoyance, ''This fucking beast! I still recall reading reports in the 3rd war of a giant sloth killing and eating my subordinates!''


    Renjiro smirked on seeing Mitsuzuka get injured. He had summoned the sloth under the cover of their first sh. He grabbed a sword and flickered towards Mitsuzuka.


    Mitsuzuka noticed Renjiro''s movement. The giant sloth also began swimming towards him. Understanding his disadvantageous position, Mitsuzuka dived underwater. Both Renjiro and the sloth followed him.


    Mitsuzuka dived to a depth of 100 meters. He created 4 Water clones. Renjiro saw them and created 4 Water clones as well. In an instant, all 8 water clones disappeared.


    The Water clones moved at a very fast speed underwater. One of Mitsuzuka''s water clones attacked the sloth. The sloth, though strong and able to hold its breath underwater, was severely restricted by the water. One of Renjiro''s water clones went to help him.


    The other 3 water clones flickered around at great speeds and tried to sneak attack Renjiro. Renjiro''s clones stopped their sneak attacks and sneak attacked Mitsuzuka as well.


    2 men and 6 clones engaged in a high-paced melee underwater. They used numerous Water Release jutsus. While underwater, the power of Water jutsus was amplified by a huge degree. The surface of the sea above them became very chaotic due to the impacts happening under it.


    Mitsuzuka was very well-versed in underwater battles. He attacked Renjiro from innovative and unimaginable angles. However, Renjiro was no slouch. He blocked all his attacks.


    The battle between the remaining 2 clones and the sloth also continued. Renjiro''s clone and the sloth kept attacking as well, but Mitsuzuka''s clone countered properly and prevented the sloth from interfering in the battle.


    The two remained in a deadlock for a few minutes. To increase the pressure on Renjiro, Mitsuzuka created 3 more clones. Renjiro smirked and created 6 water clones in response.


    3 of them went ahead to intercept the 3 new clones of Mitsuzuka. The remaining 3 moved together in a group. Renjiro thought, ''Let''s see how you counter this.''


    The group of the 3 water clones attacked a clone of Mitsuzuka who was engaged inbat. It was caught off guard due to being suddenly attacked by 3 more clones. One of Renjiro''s water clones sent a flying sh at him and dispelled him.


    Mitsuzuka''s face became grim. He realized the danger that the group of 3 clones posed. He immediately recalled his clones. They stopped fighting and retreated next to him. Renjiro and his clones tried attacking and dispelling them, but they were able to dodge everything and go back safely.


    Mitsuzuka and his 6 Water Clones looked at Renjiro and his 10 water clones and his Sloth summon. Renjiro immediately pressed on the attack. His 10 water clones dispersed in different directions and assaulted Mitsuzuka from all sides.


    Mitsuzuka''s clones entered into a defensive formation. They desperately defended Renjiro''s assault. Mitsuzuka cursed in his mind, ''These fucking Senju and their fucking huge reserves! If I keep fighting, my chakra reserves will dry up. I wanted to take advantage of him chasing me andnd a killing blow, but he has been so fucking careful! I need to escape. Or I''ll be dead. Worse, I''d be eaten by the fucking beast!''


    Renjiro''s clones kept up the assault. Renjiro floated next to his summon and observed, ''He is in a crunch. If he just makes one misstep, I''ll kill him. Either he will need to create more clones or he will need to find a way to escape.''


    After desperately defending for a couple of minutes, Mitsuzuka made his decision. He made a hand sign. 5 more Water clones appeared around him.


    All his water clones immediately moved to attack Renjiro''s clones. Thest one attacked Renjiro and his summon. Meanwhile, Mitsuzuka turned around and ran away.


    Renjiro noticed it. It was as he anticipated. He quickly made two water clones to intercept the iing clone. He rode the sloth to chase after Mitsuzuka. The sloth went around the battlefield of the water clones and swam towards where Mitsuzuka had escaped.


    However, soon it stopped and turned around and attacked a water clone. Renjiro was surprised. He hadn''t instructed the sloth to do anything like this. However, his eyes widened as he realized why the sloth had done this.


    The ''water clone'' had a grim face! It was actually Mitsuzuka disguised as a water clone. The one who ran away was actually a clone. Mitsuzuka wanted to lure Renjiro''s main body away. Then he could create more clones to block all of Renjiro''s clones and run away before Renjiro realized that he was tricked.


    He immediately began cursing, ''What the fuck? How the fuck can this beast smell underwater?''


    He immediately fell into a difficult situation. Renjiro and his clones made a hand sign and assaulted Mitsuzuka with dozens of water bullets.


    Mitsuzuka barely managed to dodge and block them. However, a few cuts appeared on his body. Once the Water bullet barrage was over, the sloth moved forward and swung its massive ws at Mitsuzuka. Mitsuzuka immediately moved to dodge it.


    Renjiro appeared in his path and attacked him with his sword. Mitsuzuka knew about Renjiro''s abilities with a sword. He grabbed his kunai and channeled his chakra through it.


    He blocked Renjiro''s sword and used the force of the sword to move away from Renjiro. However, Renjiro''s clone intercepted him and attacked him with Water Dragon jutsu. At the same time, the sloth as well as Renjiro moved forward to attack Mitsuzuka.


    Mitsuzuka desperately defended himself.

 Chapter 135: Mission Incomplete

    While Renjiro and Mitsuzuka shed, Renjiro''s clone and Tokuhei also shed with their opponent. Tokuhei''s opponent was Arihyoshi Juichi. They stood face to face on the sea.


    Juichi taunted, "Tokuhei, we have heard about you. You are a strong Earth Release user. But¡­" He smirked and continued, "But, we are at sea. How will you fight me here?"


    Tokuhei wasn''t affected by his opponent''s attempt at disturbing him. He calmly said, "You ninjas from the big 5 viges need to stop underestimating us."


    He made a hand sign, "Since I dared to chase you, it means that the result of this battle will only be your death!"


    Tokuhei opened his mouth wide. He spat out rocks and mud from his mouth. Soon, a small, 5-meter radius ind formed in the middle of the sea.


    Juichi was surprised at Tokuhei''s skill! He thought, ''He is very good. No wonder Mitsuzuka asked us to not fight against him onnd!''


    Tokuhei made a few more hand signs.


    ''Earth Release : Rock Dragon jutsu''


    He spat out a 20-meter-long Rock Dragon!


    Juichi was surprised once again. He quickly moved backwards and made a few hand signs.


    ''Water Release : Water Bullet jutsu!''


    He spat a few dozen water bullets at Tokuhei and the Rock Dragon. But the Rock Dragon moved and got in front of Tokuhei. All the Water bullets hit the Rock dragon. But, apart from a few scratches, no damage was done.


    Juichi swallowed his saliva, ''Such strong defense!''


    Tokuhei smirked on seeing Juichi''s reaction. He controlled the Rock Dragon to move towards Juichi. Juichi instantly dived underwater. Tokuhei jumped on his dragon and followed him.


    Inside the water, Tokuhei again made a few hand signs. The Rock Dragon opened its mouth and spat multiple mud bullets at Juichi. Juichi was surprised, but he dodged them all.


    Juichi made a few hand signs while running.


    ''Water Release : Water Dragon jutsu''


    A water dragon formed and moved towards Tokuhei. The Rock and Water dragons shed. The Rock Dragon just moved through the Water Dragon,pletely crushing it. Juichi was dumbfounded!


    He screamed internally, ''What the hell is this thing made of?''


    This matchup was very unfair for Juichi. The Earth element is strong against the Water element. Of course, Juichi himself isn''t strong enough. Unlike Renjiro and Mitsuzuka, he couldn''t make his Water Dragon explode on contact. So the damage output of his jutsu was quite low.


    Juichi was very annoyed by the battle so far. He immediately made a few hand signs.


    ''Water Release : Water Clone jutsu''


    Four water clones appeared around him. They immediately dispersed and surrounded Tokuhei. Juichi made more hand signs.


    ''Water Release : Great Current jutsu''


    A water current formed in front of Juichi. It engulfed Tokuhei and his Rock Dragon. They began getting dragged backwards along the water current. Tokuhei exerted more chakra on his Rock Dragon to get out of this current.


    This provided an opening for Juichi''s clones. They immediately used Water Bullet jutsu on Tokuhei. Each clone shot a dozen bullets. Despite the strong water current around Tokuhei, each bullet hit its target!


    Tokuhei saw the iing attack and made a hand sign.


    ''Earth Release : Iron Skin jutsu''


    All 48 water bullets hit him. However, he didn''t suffer any damage at all! Juichi and his clones were speechless!


    Juichi''s eyes went red in anger. He screamed in his mind, ''You know what, Screw you!''


    He made eye contact with his water clones. His water clones moved and made hand signs.


    ''Water Release : Great Current Jutsu''


    All four water clones poured all their chakra into the jutsu. They created four more water currents. And each of these water currents joined up with the current created by Juichi. It was like tributaries joining up with the main river.


    As a result, the force of the water current increased exponentially! Tokuhei tried his best to break out of this water current but to no avail. Both Tokuhei and his Rock Dragon were washed away for a couple of kilometers!


    Juichi watched Tokuhei getting washed away. He thought, ''That wouldn''t be enough to kill him. But screw him! I don''t want to fight that turtle!''


    He created four water clones. One clone ran towards Tokuhei. One stayed where he was. Juichi and the remaining two clones ran in different directions.


    Tokuhei was livid at getting washed away in this manner. The strong current also damaged his Rock Dragon to a certain extent. Its Rocky scales had been crushed and there were cracks all through its body. Tokuhei decided to dump it and moved forward at full speed.


    A few kilometers from where Tokuhei and Juichi shed, another sh took ce. Renjiro''s clone had caught up with Fumimaro. Renjiro had put around 25% of his chakra in this shadow clone.


    No words were exchanged between them. They directly attacked each other. Knowing that his opponent was just a clone, Fumimaro began attacking with low-power butrge-scale water jutsus.


    Renjiro''s clone knew that defeating a jounin with just a clone would be close to impossible. He stayed on defense. After all, he only needed to stall his opponent until his main body was done with his fight.


    Unfortunately for Renjiro''s clone, he didn''t have enough information regarding Fumimaro.


    While Renjiro''s clone kept his distance from Fumimaro, Fumimaro too didn''t try to close the distance between them and instead stayed far away.


    He just used abination of Water bullet, Exploding Water Colliding Wave, Water Dragon and Water Gun jutsus. Renjiro''s clone managed to block everything perfectly with Water Wall and Water Prison jutsus.


    After fighting for 4 minutes, Fumimaro made a hand sign.


    ''Hidden Mist Jutsu''


    Renjiro''s clone frowned as the mist began forming. This jutsu was very good for running away. He immediately made a few hand signs.


    ''Wind Release : Great Breakthrough jutsu''


    The jutsu immediately dispersed all the mist. However, Fumimaro secretly smirked. While the Winds were travelling away from Renjiro''s clone due to the Great Breakthrough jutsu, one small wind travelled across the flow towards Renjiro''s clone.


    Renjiro''s clone felt that something was off, but he couldn''t understand what. He focused chakra into his eyes. They began glowing. He was surprised. A Wind clone was disguised as the wind itself and travelling towards him.


    Seeing that he was noticed, Fumimaro''s Wind clone appeared in front of him. He was only 10 meters away from Renjiro''s clone. Immediately, a Water Wall began appearing in front of Renjiro''s clone. However, it was toote.


    Fumimaro''s Wind clone exploded. The winds sent by the explosion pierced through the thin water wall. Renjiro''s clone flickered, but he still got hit. A small cut appeared on his face.


    He looked at Fumimaro and said, "I underestimated you¡­" and got dispelled into smoke.


    Fumimaro looked at the spot where Renjiro''s clone was. He thought, ''Shadow clones are known to transmit memory. If he defeats Mitsuzuka, he wille after me.''


    He created a few water clones and they all dispersed in different directions. As he left, Fumimaro thought, ''It was a mistake toe here. I had advised Mitsuzuka to not create any chaos. Unfortunately, he enjoys killing and torturing just as much as swearing.


    Even if Mitsuzuka survives, I shouldn''t go back with him. He will just attract another cmity. But where to go without him? If I stay in the vicinity of Hidden Mist, I will attract those dogs of Mizukage. I can''t join the rebel faction either due to how many of them I killed.''


    He thought for a bit, ''The best ce to go would be to a country that doesn''t border any of the big 5 countries. Unfortunately, such a country doesn''t exist¡­ I guess I will move to the distant Land of Snow. Perhaps there I could find clues on how to fuse my Wind and Water elements into the Ice element.''


    With no one pursuing him, Fumimaro quickly escaped from the battlefield. Since he ran on water, there wasn''t any trail left behind.


    Renjiro, who was assaulting Mitsuzuka along with his summons and clones, got the memories of his defeated clone. He was surprised, ''I had heard about him. But there was no intel on his Wind nature capabilities. He hid it deep!''


    However, he ignored it and focused on Mitsuzuka. Both Renjiro and Mitsuzuka had returned to the surface of the sea. Mitsuzuka''s state was terrible! His clones had all been defeated. There were a lot of small injuries on his body. There were 9 huge w marks on his body. And his left arm was missing from the elbow!


    Knowing that his death was imminent, he shouted, "RENJIRO! Let me go! Or I''ll haunt you even after I be a fucking ghost!"


    Renjiro was surprised by this threat. He thought, ''Well, that''s a new one.''


    Mitsuzuka''s expression was full of anger. However, he was thinking, ''Damn it! How do I distract him for a moment to get away? Even something crazy like that doesn''t make him even blink an eye! Am I going to fucking die here?''


    Mitsuzuka was on hisst legs. Renjiro''s clonesunched a fresh assault. Mitsuzuka dodged desperately. However, after such a long fight, he finally gave an opening to Renjiro.


    Renjiro immediately flickered behind him and swung his sword at his neck. Mitsuzuka noticed and ducked down as quickly as he could. The sword barely missed him and only cut his hair. Renjiro followed with a kick.


    Mitsuzuka noticed it as well and tried to move ahead to avoid getting hit. However, it resulted in his ass getting kicked and he wasunched up into the air. Unfortunately for Mitsuzuka, Renjiro''s kick was a part of the Senju Taijutsu style.


    His kick was infused with a lot of chakra. Mitsuzuka''s entire skeleton was shaken due to that kick! Many organs began bleeding internally. His Sitz bones were cracked.


    Seeing him in the air, Renjiro''s clones immediately attacked him with Water Bullet jutsu. Surprisingly, even in this terrible shape, Mitsuzuka made a hand sign with his remaining hand.


    Water Walls rose around him. The water walls were too weak to block the water bullets. However, they managed to divert the direction of the water bullets slightly. Not a single water bullet hit him!


    Renjiro watched with praise in his eyes. He thought, ''This is a real Jounin! Unfortunately, this is the end for him.''


    Renjiro didn''t attack anymore. Mitsuzuka started falling. He was falling straight where the Sloth was! The Sloth swung its huge w down at Mitsuzuka. Mitsuzuka noticed it, but he had no way to move out of the way. He grabbed a kunai and raised it to block the beast.


    However, the Sloth didn''t even feel the kunai. Its w hit Mitsuzuka''s head and cracked it open! He became the fourth Jounin from Kiri to fall to Renjiro and his students in the span of four days!

 Chapter 136: The Sea is Vast

    Tokuhei chased rapidly after Juichi. After travelling a bit, he encountered Juichi''s clone. He immediately recognized that it was a clone.


    He wanted to ignore it and move around, but the clone attacked him. After a small sh, Tokuhei managed to injure the clone and dispel it.


    After reaching the ce where he fought with Juichi, he found another clone. Not seeing Juichi anywhere, Tokuhei decided to take his anger out on the clone.


    The water clone saw Tokuhei and immediately attacked with Water bullets. Tokuhei made a few hand signs.


    ''Earth Release : Mud Wall jutsu''


    He spat out a mud wall in front of him to block the attack.


    The Mud wall blocked all the water bullets. Tokuhei made a few more hand signs and mmed his right palm on the mud wall. The mud wall immediately began shooting out mud shurikens at the water clone.


    However, the clone managed to dodge everything. The speed of the mud shurikens was slower due to the drag inside the water.


    The two exchanged more attacks. As they kept fighting, Tokuhei''s mood kept getting worse. Though the clone didn''t manage tond any hits on him, the fact that he couldn''t defeat the clone of a not-so-famous Jounin for so long hurt his pride!


    After a couple of minutes, the clone''s chakra was almost exhausted.


    It stopped attacking and said, "There is no need to fight anymore."


    Tokuhei stopped, but his face was ugly!


    The clone smirked on seeing his expression. He said, "My main body has already escaped far away. You will never be able to catch him. I can tell you that my main body has no intention of returning to the Land of Hot Water. However, if you keep hunting me persistently, I will give up on a peaceful life and go back to the Land of Hot Water asionally to kill your civilians. Convey this message to your Daimyo."


    Tokuhei''s face was ugly. However, he didn''t reply. There was no point in talking with a Water clone. After all, the message wouldn''t travel to the main body. Seeing his ugly face, the water cloneughed.


    His body began dispersing. Hearing hisughter finally pushed Tokuhei off the edge. He moved forward. A Mud spear formed in his right hand. It solidified instantly and he threw it at the clone. He thought, ''At the very least, I will dispel this clone!''


    Juichi''s clone smiled and made a hand sign. His water body''s shape began deforming. The mud spear passed through its body without harming it. The clone''s body transformed into a water de that shed at Tokuhei''s face.


    At such a close distance, Tokuhei had no time to harden his skin. He immediately tried moving out of the way. The Water de hit his right cheek and left a cut on it.


    The cut wasn''t serious. However, it was a big p to his face. It was a big blow to his pride. After such a pitiful performance, with what face could he ask the Daimyo for more funds?


    Not wanting to give up like that, he tried searching for Juichi fruitlessly!


    After killing Mitsuzuka, Renjiro stored his body and left for where Fumimaro and his clone had shed to check if any trails were avable.


    Meanwhile, Fujin, Mieko and Hoka tried to search for others. Renjiro''s clone followed them silently. After searching for some time, Hoka finally saw Shusaku fighting against an enemy.


    Not having any way to sneak attack in the middle of the sea, they decided to attack from the front. They immediately flickered towards them.


    Shusaku and Saga Shoraku were equally matched against each other. Both had water affinity. They had just shed with each other and were separated by a few meters when the trio flickered in and attacked without warning.


    Fujin was the first one to attack. He attacked from a distance with the Air Bullet jutsu. Hoka followed up with a Vacuum palm.


    Shoraku had just noticed the trio when the attack arrived. He hurriedly made hand signs for Water Wall jutsu and tried getting out of the way.


    Fujin''s air bullets pierced through the water wall with ease. Many of them hit Shoraku. But none hit him in a critical area. However, he was hurt and bleeding.


    The pain diverted his attention and he couldn''t avoid Hoka''s attack. Hoka''s attack hit his heart and made him cough blood.


    Mieko didn''t do a ranged attack and instead sped up towards him. She flickered in front of Shoraku right after Hoka''s attack hit him and slit his throat.


    Shusaku was dumbfounded. The opponent that he was struggling with was killed so easily by the three kids he doubted!


    Fujin looked at the stunned Shusaku and asked, "Are you aware of where your fellow ninjas are?"


    Shusaku shook his head, "No. But what happened to your opponents?"


    Mieko replied haughtily, "They are dead obviously."


    Unlike Fujin, Mieko took pleasure from Shusaku''s stunned face. She was aware that the Yugakure ninjas underestimated them. Replying in this way felt satisfying.


    Fujin sighed and said, "We will have to search for them in the open seas. It''s so tedious!"


    Mieko and Hoka nodded. While the open seas didn''t have any obstacles, it was way too big. Even with the huge range of Hoka''s sight and Fujin''s chakra field, it was difficult to find them.


    Mieko said, "Let''s go look for someone else too."


    Fujin nodded, "Yeah, let''s move."


    The trio were about to move, when Shusaku asked with an embarrassed expression, "Can Ie with you as well?"


    Fujin looked at Hoka and Mieko. Both their faces showed that they didn''t want him. He chuckled internally.


    Fujin answered, "No. We have never worked with you before. So our teamwork will be affected. It''ll be better if we search in opposite directions. That would double our chances of finding someone and helping them."


    Fujin, Mieko and Hoka flickered without waiting for Shusaku''s reply. Renjiro''s clone, who was keeping a watch from afar, chuckled and followed them. Shusaku never sensed Renjiro''s clone.


    Shusaku watched the trio with a dumbfounded expression. He thought, ''This is the first time I have felt 3 kids looking at me as if I was useless. The kids in my vige look up to me! Besides, how can my scouting skillspare to that of a Hyuga?''


    He shook his head and stored the body of the dead rogue ninja and went in the opposite direction.


    The trio continued searching for around 10 minutes but didn''t find anyone.


    Miekoined, "What the hell? How long are we going to search in these open seas? There is no one here!"


    Hoka nodded.


    Fujin thought for a bit. He made a hand sign.


    ''Shadow Clone jutsu''


    He used Shadow clone jutsu multiple times until he made 6 clones. The clones immediately dispersed in different directions with their chakra field activated. Mieko and Hoka noticed that.


    Hoka said, "That''s smart Fujin!"


    Mieko asked in an annoying tone, "Why didn''t you use this tactic earlier?"


    Fujin shrugged his hands and answered, "Experienced ninjas are able to know when they are being sensed. Especially if they are sensors. If they notice my clones, they will just run away. And with us being far away from our clones, the enemy will run away by the time we reach there."


    Mieko understood Fujin''s reasoning. She said, "That makes sense."


    The trio waited at their spot. After a few minutes, one clone dispelled itself. Fujin received his memories. He said, "One of my clones found two Yugakure ninjas. They are carrying the dead body of the enemy they chased."


    Hoka sighed, "Well, that''s useless for us."


    Fujin nodded. He created another Shadow clone which reced the one who dispelled.


    Fujin''s clones searched for half an hour without any sess. With their chakra dropping low, all dispelled themselves.


    Fujin received their memories and said, "It''s hopeless. They didn''t find anyone!"


    He looked back and said, "Not even your main body Sensei."


    Renjiro''s clone appeared behind them and said, "It means that they are fighting too far into the sea. Leave it, there is no point in trying to find others anymore. Let''s return to the beach and meet up with my other clone."


    The trio sighed and followed him. After a few minutes, they returned to the beach and met up with the clone of Renjiro who was looking after the two captured enemies. The other clone had dispelled himself to send memories to Renjiro.


    After meeting up, Renjiro''s clone that was following his students also dispelled himself. Renjiro, who was a long way into the sea, received the memories of his clone. He thought, ''Of the 9 we chased, 5 chunins and their leader are confirmed dead. Fumimaro escaped. And we don''t know the status of the other two.''


    He sighed, ''I guess this will be the extent ofpleting this mission. It''s difficult to kill every one of them. Especially the Jounins.''


    Knowing that the search for Fumimaro was pointless, Renjiro decided to return to the beach.

 Chapter 137: Learning Sage Mode

    Senju Renjiro returned to the beach. He found his clone, students and 5 Yugakure chunins waiting there. Shunso had joined the 3 Yugakure chunins along with their sleeping teammate. They had set up a couple of tents. Renjiro entered the tent of his students. He informed his students of how his fight went and they decided to wait for others to return,


    Late in the afternoon, Tokuhei and the remaining two chunins returned to the beach. Renjiro asked, "What''s the status of your opponents?"


    Tokuhei replied, "Mine managed to run away."


    The chunins replied, "Our opponent ran away as well. We tried searching, but couldn''t find anyone."


    Renjiro nodded and said, "From 13 chunins and 3 Jounins, only 2 Jounins and 1 chunin are left. And we suffered no casualties. The mission can be considered a sess. The ones who escaped will not dare to return here again. And once the news spreads, other rogue ninjas also won''t dare to create chaos in the Land of Hot Water."


    Tokuhei asked, "Which other jounin managed to escape?"


    Renjiro answered, "I killed Mitsuzuka. Fumimaro managed to injure my clone and escaped."


    Tokuhei breathed a sigh of relief. He said, "Good. As long as Mitsuzuka is dead, this mission can be considered a sess."


    Renjiro nodded and handed him a scroll. He said, "His body is inside it."


    Tokuhei epted the scroll. Renjiro looked at Fujin and said, "Give him the body of the ninja you killed as well."


    Fujin nodded and handed the scroll to Tokuhei.


    Tokuhei chatted more about the mission. He talked with his subordinates as well to understand everything that took ce.


    With the mission over, Team Renjiro returned to Konoha. Renjiro said, "I''ll report the mission''s sess to Lord Hokage. You guys can leave."


    Everyone nodded and left.


    Fujin was considering what his future actions should be while heading home. As he was walking in his thoughts, he saw something in the corner of his eye. He turned his head to the right to see a man with long white hair peeking in through a hole. He looked up to see what the man was peeking into. Fujin''s eyes twitched as he read the sign. It read ''Konoha Hot Springs''.


    The man was peeking into the Women''s section of the bath.


    Fujin''s eyes glowed as he observed the man. His chakra was humongous! He sighed as he thought, ''Pervy Sage¡­ What an appropriate name. A shame that he won''t get that name for a few more years. Still, I wonder what he''s doing here. Did hee back to report something to Hiruzen? Or did Hiruzen call him back due to the threat of the coup? His presence could make the Uchihas more cautious.''


    Jiraiya sensed someone looking at him and turned around. He saw an eleven-year-old boy staring at him with glowing eyes. He thought, ''What does this kid want? I hope he doesn''t interfere in my research.''


    He was about to continue peeking when the boy''s chakra suddenly spiked. He began making hand signs rapidly. Jiraiya panicked, ''What the hell? Since when did young brats begin having Jounin-level chakra? And why the hell is he making hand signs for the Air Bullet jutsu? Does he want to destroy the bath house?''


    Jiraiya immediately flickered and appeared next to Fujin and grabbed his hands. He asked, "Calm down kiddo. What are you doing?"


    Fujin looked into his eyes and said, "Grandpa said that all perverts must be caught, castrated and tied to a pole to be whipped publicly to death."


    Jiraiya''s eyes twitched. He asked, "Which crazy old man is your grandpa?"


    Fujin replied, "Lord Third. Now let my hands go and ept your punishment."


    Jiraiya''s eyes twitched once again. Heined in his mind, ''How many young kids is that old man going to fool into calling him grandpa? And since when did he be so righteous? No, this doesn''t sound like him at all. He is as perverted as me!''


    Jiraiya let his hands go and said, "That old man is my sensei. So stop building your chakra up."


    Fujin looked back with deadpan eyes and said, "His students are the Legendary Sannins, not Legendary Perverts."


    Jiraiyaughed, "Legendary Perverts? Hahahaha!"


    He looked at Fujin and said, "You are lucky that you met Jiraiya the Gant and not the other two Sannins."


    Fujin thought in his mind, ''No shit. One is a pedo researcher and the other is a drunk hulk.''


    Fujin looked at Jiraiya with surprise on his face. He said, "Are you really¡­"


    Jiraiya smirked and said, "That''s right. You are looking at the one and only."


    Jiraiya mmed his hand on the ground. A lot of smoke appeared and from the smoke, a toad appeared. Jiraiya jumped on the toad and moved as if he was dancing. He swirled his hair and head in a manner that he thought was cool.


    "I am the hermit of Mount Myoboku. The Wise and Immortal Spirit. That''s right! It''s I, the Toad Sage, Jiraiya of the Legendary Sannins!"


    A look of awe appeared on Fujin''s face. He said, "That''s cool! But gramps said that even if his students were perverts, he would still chase them down with a stick in his hand!"


    Hearing that, Jiraiya''s leg slipped and he fell on the toad. He thought, ''The first half doesn''t sound like the old man at all! But him chasing with a stick totally sounds like him!''


    Jiraiya looked at Fujin and said, "What do you want, kid? You are interrupting my research."


    Fujin said, "If you don''t want me to tell grandpa about your perverted acts, then you need to teach me what I want."


    Jiraiya was amused by Fujin. He asked, "Oh, and what do you want to learn?"


    An innocent smile formed on Fujin''s face. He said, "Sage Mode."


    Fujin''s reply shocked Jiraiya. His mouth fell open in disbelief as he heard what Fujin wanted. He forgot to swallow, and the resulting coughs rattled through his chest like a storm, leaving him gasping for air.


    He took deep breaths and said, "Kid, go bother someone else. I have no time for you!"


    Fujin squinted his eyes and said, "You have to, or I will never let you do your research."


    Jiraiya looked skeptically at Fujin and said, "Good luck catching me kiddo."


    He made a hand seal and both he and the toad disappeared into the smoke.


    Some distance away, Jiraiya appeared. He muttered, "What an annoying brat."


    At that instant, he saw a gorgeousdy walking next to him. His eyes immediatelynded on her and a lecherous smile appeared on his face.


    However, he suddenly heard, "Stop perving around and teach me, old man!"


    Fujin''s voice wasn''t soft. Everyone in the street heard him. Everyone began looking at Jiraiya with disgust. Jiraiya turned around to see Fujin standing behind him! His eyes widened. He asked, "How did you follow me?"


    A smirk appeared on Fujin''s face as he said, "I have been taught by gramps. Do you think you can get away so easily?"


    Jiraiya grabbed a smoke bomb and threw it on the ground and said, "Try following me now!"


    Jiraiya appeared under a tree and said, "Finally got rid of the boy!"


    However, he heard, "You didn''t."


    Jiraiya looked up to see Fujin standing on a branch of that tree. Jiraiya disappeared once again! Fujin followed him.


    Both appeared in various locations in the vige. Fujin tracked down Jiraiya every time. Jiraiya was annoyed, ''Not only does he have a high chakra, but he is also a sensor and can flicker seamlessly! So annoying!''


    Realizing that he wouldn''t be able to get rid of Fujin, he transformed into a toy bear. Fuji. A few secondster, Fujin appeared at that location. He looked at the Toy bear and frowned. He muttered softly, "That old pervert ran away! Shit, grandpa will be disappointed with me!"


    Jiraiyaughed in his mind as he saw anger and disappointment appear on Fujin''s face. However, soon he was terrified! Chakra gathered on Fujin''s fist as he punched at the bear with full power.


    Jiraiya immediately undid the transformation and moved out of the way. The punch hit the ground and left a massive hole in it! Cracks spread in the ground around it. Jiraiya''s eyes widened as he saw how dangerous the punch was, ''What the fuck? Did Tsunade teach him?''


    Fujin looked at Jiraiya andpletely ignored the damage he had caused. He said with an innocent smile, "Oh, you are still here. I thought I lost you."


    Jiraiyained in his mind, ''Shit, this brat is worse than Orochimaru and Tsunadebined!''


    He asked, "Why do you want to learn Sage Mode?"


    Fujin said, "Well, I asked grandpa to teach me Sage Mode. But he said that only you know it. So he taught me Wind Vacuum Technique instead. So I want to learn Sage mode from you."


    Jiraiya watched with a deadpan expression, ''You didn''t answer my question. Wait, those sentences aren''t even in sync with each other!''


    Jiraiya sighed and said, "I can''t teach you Sage Mode either. I was taught by the toads and they won''t teach anyone else."


    Fujin expected such a reply. He quickly said, "That''s fine. You can tell me how to learn Sage mode and monitor me. I''ll learn it on my own."


    A frown formed on Jiraiya''s face. He said, "Sage mode is very risky to learn."


    However, Fujin was adamant and kept asking him. Finally, Jiraiya gave up and agreed.


    Both flickered to the Training ground. Fujin sat in a meditative position.


    Jiraiya said, "Try to feel natural energy around you. And absorb it and mix it with your own chakra. Once you manage to do it, I''ll tell you the ratios."


    Fujin nodded and began sensing. However, without any help, he had no sess. Jiraiya saw Fujin try unsessfully and smirked, ''Suzuki Fujin. Sensei told me information about him. Orphan, hardworking, extremely talented with the sword and wind release and has very high chakra for his age. Unfortunately, it looks like he has allowed himself to be very arrogant! This should make him more humble.''


    Fujin spent 6 hours trying to sense sage chakra without any sess. Finally, he sighed and asked Jiraiya, "Could you give me some tips?"


    Jiraiya said, "I already gave you all."


    Fujin said, "Can you tell me anything else? Like how do you feel when you absorb natural chakra or anything else that could help me?"


    Jiraiya thought for a bit and said, "Now that you say, I do feel a tingling sensation in my back whenever I activate Sage Mode."


    Fujin asked, "Tingling sensation?"


    Jiraiya turned around and pointed at the center of his back. He said, "Over here. I concentrate my chakra and get a tingling feeling here while activating sage mode."


    Fujin was lost in his thoughts on hearing that, ''Tingling feeling¡­ Tingling feeling¡­ Tingling feeling¡­


    It feels like I have forgotten something¡­ something important¡­''


    He sat in the meditative position once again and concentrated his energy on his back. Soon, he began feeling a tingling sensation on his back. He kept meditating and sending more chakra there.


    Jiraiya watched Fujin with curiosity. But soon, his curiosity turned into shock! His mind couldn''t form words as he sensed Fujin''s chakra skyrocket!


    Finally, he gathered himself, ''What the fuck is happening? How can a human have so much chakra? It is exceeding Tailed Beast chakra levels! No, it has already exceeded them! Even Nine Tailed Fox doesn''t have so much chakra!''


    Fujin chakra kept skyrocketing. Soon, a golden aura appeared around him. He gritted his teeth and focused. The aura caused high-speed winds around Fujin. Even Jiraiya had to move backwards. The winds spread throughout Konoha and every sensor looked towards the training ground where Jiraiya and Fujin were. The chakra was so intense that everyone was scared out of their wits.


    Suddenly, Fujin yelled loudly! He let out all his energy. The golden aura around him grew. His hair turned golden! He stood up and muttered, "Right, this is what I have forgotten!"


    Soon, lightning began appearing on his body. He said, "It''s a good thing that I learnt lightning release."


    As soon as Lightning appeared on his body, his energy once again Skyrocketed! It increased by more than 10 times! His chakra spread throughout the universe.


    A long long distance away from Earth, there was a settlement in space. This area was ruled by a strong n. The members of this n were all very pale and had white eyes. Some of them had a 3rd eye on their forehead. In this n, an old man opened his eyes and looked in the direction of the earth. A serious look could be seen on his face. He was stunned, "What energy! This doesn''t feel like anyone from my Otsutsuki n! Who unlocked such a huge power?"


    Fujin looked at Jiraiya and said, "You can increase the length of your hair, right? Can you show me how it''s done?"


    Jiraiya was scared shitless by Fujin''s aura. He nodded and made hand signs and increased the length of his hair.


    Fujin watched carefully and replicated his jutsu without making any hand signs. His hair began growing. They grew up to his waist. And his eyebrows disappeared. He said, "This is the power I want!"


    His chakra grew many folds once again. He looked up in space and could sense every being in the huge space in the territory controlled by Otsutsuki!


    The leader of the Otsutsuki n, who was wondering who could have such power, suddenly shivered as he felt Fujin sensing his location.


    A grin formed on Fujin''s face as he said, "I will be the God of this world! No one can stop me!"


    He beganughing like a maniac, "Zehahahahahahaha"

 Chapter 138: Concluding the Mission

    Senju Renjiro returned to the beach. He found his clone, students and 5 Yugakure chunins waiting there. Shunso had joined the 3 Yugakure chunins along with their sleeping teammate. They had set up a couple of tents.


    Renjiro entered the tent of his students. Fujin had sensed Renjiro when he arrived close to the beach. All three students greeted him.


    Meiko asked, "What''s the status of the mission Sensei?"


    Renjiro''s clone dispelled itself to transmit all the memories back to his main body.


    Renjiro answered, "Their leader Mitsuzuka is dead. The other Jounin that my clone chased managed to escape."


    The trio were surprised. This was the first time they heard someone escaping from Renjiro.


    Renjiro looked at their expression and shrugged his hands and said, "It was a clone. It''s difficult to stop a Jounin with just a clone."


    The trio looked away awkwardly. Their expectations from Renjiro were too high!


    Fujin asked, "What about the ones who didn''t return Sensei? We searched for them a lot, but didn''t find them!"


    Renjiro answered, "There are two possibilities. The first possibility is that they are dead, with their bodies at the bottom of the seafloor or taken away by the enemies. Or the second possibility of them failing their mission and trying to search for the enemy fruitlessly."


    The trio nodded. They had reached the same conclusion.


    Renjiro continued, "Let''s wait here till the evening. If they are alive, they will return when their chakra drops low."


    The trio nodded.


    The tent became silent. They didn''t have anything to do but wait. After some time, Fujin said, "I am bored of eating Ration bars. You guys wanna hunt fish?"


    Hoka and Mieko immediately agreed!


    Hoka said, "Definitely!"


    Mieko said, "Let''s go."


    All three flickered out of the tent leaving Renjiro alone.


    Renjiro sighed and muttered, "Oh well. This mission is pretty much over. No harm in having some fun."


    Before diving into the water, Mieko announced, "The one who catches the biggest fish is the winner! The time limit is 10 minutes."


    She dived into the sea without waiting for the response of her teammates. Hoka and Fujin chuckled and dived into the water as well.


    Mieko activated her Sharingan to watch properly underwater. Hoka activated his Byakugan. He had the advantage in thispetition. Fujin spread his chakra field to pick up on signs of fish. They dispersed in different directions.


    The Yugakure ninjas noticed them diving into the sea in a hurry. Shunso wondered, "Did they find an enemy?"


    He immediately alerted others and they prepared themselves for a fight.


    The trio searched under the sea. Hoka was the first one to find prey. He saw a big Whale Shark. He ran towards it quickly. The Whale shark noticed somethinging towards it and sensed the danger. It immediately charged towards Hoka to tackle and bite him. However, Hoka moved out of the way and hit it with the Gentle fist style. A single hit killed the shark.


    Fujin was the next one to find his target. He found a giant crab. He thought, ''Damn, do crabs in this world be so freaking huge? Umm¡­ on second thoughts, there are gigantic toads. So this shouldn''t be strange I guess.''


    The crab noticed Fujin and attacked him with its giant ws. Fujin dodged and gathered chakra on his fist. He punched between its eyes. The punch caused cracks to appear on its shell. Its brain was smashed due to the punch. It died. Fujin lifted the crab and began making his way back.


    Mieko saw quite a few giant fishes. But she wasn''t satisfied. When the time began to run out, her eyesid upon an 8-meter-long bluefin tuna. She immediately went towards it and killed it. She carried it back.


    Hoka was the first one to return to the coast. Behind him, he dragged a 12-meter-long Whale Shark. The Yugakure ninjas watched with wide eyes. One of them cursed, "Those brats went fishing! We don''t know where our teammates are and they are enjoying themselves!"


    Shunso calmed him, "Calm down. They have done more than enough for the mission. No point in getting angry with them."


    The guy snorted and stayed quiet.


    Soon, Fujin returned. He walked on the surface of the sea with his right arm stretched up. He was carrying the giant crab on his right hand. He walked next to Hoka''s shark and dropped his crab there.


    Hoka quickly observed and smirked. He imed, "My shark is 12 meters long. Your crab is only 10 meters in height. I won!"


    Fujin''s eyes twitched. He countered, "Look at their sizes. Your shark is only 2 meters wide. My crab is 8 meters wide. So mine is much bigger than yours!"


    Hoka was about to argue when Mieko returned. She was carrying an 8-meter-long blue tuna fish. She saw Fujin''s crab and Hoka''s whale shark and her face became upset.


    Hoka chuckled, "Well, we know who the loser is."


    Fujin nodded. Mieko''s Tuna was the shortest and the thinnest among the three.


    Mieko snorted in displeasure.


    Hoka asked, "Mieko, judge whether Fujin''s crab or my shark is bigger!"


    Mieko was upset at losing. She turned her head away and snorted, "I don''t care which fish is bigger. Why are you arguing like little kids?"


    Fujin and Hoka gave her deadpanned looks. Hearing themotion, Renjiro left the tent. Hoka looked at him and said, "Sensei, you be the judge. Is my shark or Fujin''s crab bigger?"


    Renjiro''s eyes twitched. He thought, ''Why are they being so childish?"


    He looked at Mieko who was looking away from them and had the smallest fish and realized, ''Looks like it was her idea.''


    Hoka pressed Renjiro, "Come on Sensei! Tell me that my fish is bigger!"


    Renjiro replied, "Stop being childish and cook the fish you caught."


    Hoka sighed due to not getting any answer. Fujin chuckled at his antics.


    The trio decided what fish to eat. After some discussion, they decided to eat the crab as none of them had eaten a giant crab before. The shark and the tuna were stored in special storage scrolls that helped keep food fresh.


    Preparing and cooking the crab took quite some time. All four ate it till their stomachs were full. They invited the Yugakure ninjas, but they politely refused the invitation.


    Late in the afternoon, Tokuhei and the remaining two chunins returned to the beach. Renjiro asked, "What''s the status of your opponents?"


    Tokuhei replied, "Mine managed to run away."


    The chunins replied, "Our opponent ran away as well. We tried searching, but couldn''t find anyone."


    Renjiro nodded and said, "From 13 chunins and 3 Jounins, only 2 Jounins and 1 chunin are left. And we suffered no casualties. The mission can be considered a sess. The ones who escaped will not dare to return here again. And once the news spreads, other rogue ninjas also won''t dare to create chaos in the Land of Hot Water."


    Tokuhei asked, "Which other jounin managed to escape?"


    Renjiro answered, "I killed Mitsuzuka. Fumimaro managed to injure my clone and escaped."


    Tokuhei breathed a sigh of relief. He said, "Good. As long as Mitsuzuka is dead, this mission can be considered a sess."


    Renjiro nodded and handed him a scroll. He said, "His body is inside it."


    Tokuhei epted the scroll. Renjiro looked at Fujin and said, "Give him the body of the ninja you killed as well."


    Fujin nodded and handed the scroll to Tokuhei.


    Tokuhei chatted more about the mission. He talked with his subordinates as well to understand everything that took ce.


    After understanding everything, he walked to Team Renjiro''s tent. On entering, he saw the two captured rogue ninjas. He said, "Renjiro, I want to take over these two as well."


    Renjiro shook his head and said, "They surrendered to me. I will take them to Konoha and interrogate them properly."


    Tokuhei realized why Renjiro was adamant. They could provide Konoha with a lot of important information regarding the current state of affairs in Kirigakure.


    However, he insisted, "Renjiro, a lot of innocent civilians were killed by these guys. I can understand your point. However, we have to answer to the citizens of the Land of Hot Water. So allow me to take them back first. Later, we can transport them to the Land of Fire."


    Renjiro frowned. He could understand Tokuhei''s point of view, but these two could provide Konoha with a lot of information. He thought for a bit and concluded, ''If I stay adamant, I can take these two to Konoha. Tokuhei won''t stop me and the Daimyo won''t say anything either. But this was a mission issued by the Daimyo. He will be displeased by this action and the goodwill generated by this mission will be lost.''


    Renjiro said, "Alright. But, you are not allowed to maim or cripple them. I will report about them to Lord Hokage and he will send a team to retrieve them. Pass this message to your Daimyo."


    Tokuhei sighed in relief. He immediately agreed to Renjiro''s conditions.

 Chapter 139: Holy Shit!

    Tokuhei smiled and said, "The reward forpleting the mission should already be handed to Konoha. As for the bounties, Lord Daimyo will send them to Konoha as soon as he can."


    Fujin asked, "What bounties?"


    Tokuhei replied, "Due to the chaos that this group created, Lord Daimyo had put bounties on their heads. Mitsuzuka had a bounty of 20 million Ryo. Any Jounin in the rogue group had a bounty of 10 million Ryo, while the chunins had a bounty of 2 million each."


    He looked at the kids and said, "Fujin, you killed 2 chunins. Mieko and Hoka, you two killed one each. And you three helped Shusaku in killing his opponent. So the reward for that kill would be split among you four."


    Fujjn was stunned, ''The hell? 4.5 million Ryo for such an easy job?''


    Tokuhei smiled on seeing Fujin''s reaction.


    Hoka and Mieko didn''t react much.


    Fujin looked at Renjiro and thought, ''He killed Mitsuzuka. In addition, he killed the 2 gatekeepers and 4 more chunins before the fight began! He''ll get a freaking 32 million Ryo!''


    Renjiro noticed Fujin''s gaze but didn''t react. Tokuhei said, "I will lead my team to collect the dead bodies from under the debris."


    Renjiro said, "Alright. We will take our leave then."


    Tokuhei asked, "You don''t want to rest for a bit in the town?"


    Renjiro answered, "No, we had some rest. Besides, the borders of the Land of Fire are closer to here than the town."


    Tokuhei nodded and said, "Alright. It was good working alongside you."


    Renjiro smiled and said, "It was good working alongside you as well."


    Tokuhei left. Renjiro looked at his squad and said, "Pack up, we are leaving."


    The trio nodded and immediately packed up the tent.


    After gathering everything, they left. As they moved through the forest, Fujin asked, "Sensei, do rank A missions pay so much?"


    Renjiro replied, "It depends on how critical the mission is for the ones who issue it. This time, the Daimyo was under a lot of public pressure. That is why he issued those bounties."


    Fujin nodded. Mieko asked, "Sensei, how difficult are the rank S missions?"


    Renjiro answered, "Well, imagine having to do this mission with just a squad of 4 ninjas. So if this wasn''t a joint mission, it would have been close to a rank S mission.


    Usually, rank S missions aren''tbeled as such due to difficulty. Rather, it is the critical nature of the missions. If it isbeled rank S due to difficulty, then our opponent would be an Elite Jounin. Someone who could go up equally against me."


    Mieko, Fujin and Hoka paid attention to Renjiro''s words. Since this one would probably be theirst mission together, they asked Renjiro a lot of questions. Renjiro answered them patiently and resolved their queries.


    While they were moving, Fujin asionally activated his chakra field, while Hoka activated his Byakugan. During one such asion, Fujin sensed something that shocked him!


    Fujin shouted, "Halt! Two huge chakras are iing. One has slightly lower chakra than sensei. While the other one has more than twice sensei''s chakra!"


    That shocked them. Hoka immediately activated his Byakugan, while Mieko activated her Sharingan. Renjiro also became serious. He thought, ''My chakra was naturally high due to being a Senju. The ones who had chakra equal to or higher than me are usually S ranked ninjas!''


    Renjiro spoke, "Hoka"


    Hoka answered, "One is a shinobi from Kumo while the other is from Taki. Both are rogue ninj¡­"


    Suddenly, Hoka stopped speaking. There was a stunned expression on his body. Renjiro asked, "What did you see?"


    Hoka answered in a shocked voice, "The one with the higher chakra has a different body¡­ It''s disgusting!"


    This surprised them. Fujin thought, ''Disgusting body?''


    A few faces appeared in his mind.


    Around 800 meters from Team Renjiro, two ninjas were travelling at a rapid speed. One of them was 5 feet 6 inches tall and very slim. The other one was over 6 feet tall and had a well-built body.


    The slim one asked, "Are you sure that cash cow will be travelling from here?"


    The tall guy answered, "My sources are never wrong. Now shut up and keep moving."


    Suddenly, both their eyes widened. The slim guy chuckled and said, "Looks like you were right, freak. Let''s go quickly."


    Both of them sensed Fujin sensing them and moved rapidly towards Team Renjiro.


    Team Renjiro waited to see who was approaching them so quickly. Fujin had a very bad feeling. In a few seconds, two silhouettes appeared in front of them.


    Fujin watched as his eyes kept widening. They both wore long ck cloaks with red clouds, red interiors, and chin-high cors. Fujin didn''t recognize one of them. But the other, he recognized very well.


    Fujin was scared! No, he was horrified! Only one thought ran through his mind, ''Motherfucking Kakuzu!''


    Renjiro looked at them. He didn''t recognize Kakuzu but recognized the other one. He was surprised. He said, "Kaminari. I heard that you had disappeared from the Land of Lightning. Didn''t know that you became a rogue ninja. Looks like Kumogakure did a good job of hiding your details."


    A scowl formed on Kaminari''s face. He didn''t like anyone recalling his days when he was in Kumogakure.


    Though Renjiro spoke casually, he was on full alert to start a fight. Fujin looked at Mieko and made eye contact. Mieko noticed his gaze and understood what he wanted. Meanwhile, Hoka kept observing Kakuzu''s body. He was very surprised at seeing the 5 hearts inside Kakuzu''s body.


    Kakuzu said, "Senju Renjiro. I have heard a lot about your war exploits. Today, I will im the 45 million Ryo bounty on your head."


    Kakuzu wasted no time and moved forward to attack. Kaminari joined him. Renjiro grabbed his sword to confront them. However, Mieko and Fujin were faster.


    Mieko made hand signs immediately.


    ''Fire Release : Great Fireball jutsu''


    She released a giant ball of fire.


    At the same time, Fujinunched his supercharged jutsu


    ''Wind Release : Great Breakthrough jutsu''


    Both jutsusbined. The Fireball dispersed and spread out throughout the Great Breakthrough jutsu. Kakuzu and Kaminari, who were focused on Renjiro, were surprised. Kakuzu had used such abination several times in the past. He understood its lethality. So did Kaminari.


    Both flickered behind. Kakuzu made a hand sign. An Earth Dome appeared and covered them both.


    Renjiro noticed the earth dome and smirked. He made a hand sign and was about to m his hands on the ground. Mieko and Hoka were prepared to go on the assault too. However, Fujin yelled, "Formation Nine!"


    As soon as they heard it, their eyes widened.


    Kakuzu and Kaminari were protected by the earth dome. However, soon needles began forming on the inside surface of the dome. Kakuzu noticed them and snorted. He made a hand sign and all the needles crumbled into dust and soil.


    They felt that thebination jutsu had already passed and hence lifted the earth dome. But, instead of a clear battlefield, they were met by a 20 feet tall Sloth who attacked them with its giant ws. They both flickered in opposite directions.


    Realizing that Kakuzu would be the bigger threat, he flickered in front of Kakuzu and attacked with his swords. Kakuzu saw Renjiro and made a hand sign.


    ''Earth Release : Iron Skin jutsu''


    Kakuzu''s skin ckened. He raised his fist and blocked Renjiro''s sword. Chakra flowed through Renjiro''s sword. It hit the back of Kakuzu''s fist. The attack left a small sh on Kakuzu''s fist.


    Kakuzu was surprised. He said, "It''s been a long while since someone could hurt me. I will enjoy killing you!"


    Renjiro and the Sloth were about to press on the attack, but they suddenly withdrew backwards. Renjiro looked at Kakuzu. It seemed as if there were monsters under his clothes, or perhaps under his skin, that were trying to break out.


    Four ck monsters appeared around Kakuzu. Each had a mask of different color on them.


    Renjiro, despite all his experience, was stunned. He thought, ''What the hell is this? And who is this guy? And why was there no mention of such a strong ninja during the previous wars?''


    Kakuzu and the 4 monsters attacked Renjiro and his summon with perfect coordination. Renjiro kept his distance from them and tried his best to defend himself. He often resorted to diving into the ground to protect himself.

 Chapter 140: Fighting against the Akatsuki!

    On the other side of the battlefield, Kaminari was confronted by Fujin, Mieko and Hoka. Fujin flickered in front of him while making some hand signs.


    ''Wind Release : Air Bullet jutsu''


    Fujin shot a dozen air bullets at him. Lightning sparks appeared on Kaminari''s body. His speed increased a lot and he dodged all air bullets easily.


    Mieko and Hoka quickly attacked with shurikens, but Kaminari dodged them as well with ease. Fujin analyzed, ''There is no lightning armor on him, just sparks. Is this a toned-down version of Raikage''s technique?''


    After dodging, Kaminari moved towards the trio. His speed was incredibly fast. Fujin''s eyes couldn''t follow him. He instantly blew a Great Breakthrough jutsu in front of him. It didn''t matter if he couldn''t see his opponent''s exact location. He would just attack the whole area.


    Kaminari saw the iing attack and quickly moved out of range. He tried attacking from a different direction, but Fujin attacked again with the wide-range Great Breakthrough jutsu. Kaminari tried attacking from different directions, but Fujin just kept attacking with the Great Breakthrough jutsu.


    Kaminari was annoyed, ''This brat keeps trying to keep me at a distance. Does he think that he has infinite chakra? And that Uchiha girl is staring at me as well. If I try to break through his jutsu head-on, she will fire a fireball into this wind jutsu.''


    Kaminari made a few hand signs.


    ''Lightning Release : False Darkness''


    Multiple spears of Lightning formed and moved towards Fujin''s group.


    Fujin sensed Kaminari building his chakra and made a few hand signs. Seeing the Lightning jutsu, Fujinunched his jutsu.


    ''Wind Release : Infinite Breakthrough jutsu''


    Both jutsus shed. Fujin observed carefully. He thought, ''Isn''t this the same jutsu that Kakuzu usedter? Did Kakuzu take his heart?''


    Fujin''s jutsu broke through the lightning spears and moved towards Kaminari. However, Kaminari had alreadyunched another jutsu.


    ''Fire Release : st Wave Wild Dance''


    Kaminari expelled arge stream of Fire which moved in a spiral manner. It shed with Fujin''s jutsu. Kaminari smirked as he watched, ''My False Darkness was stronger than his jutsu. However, the wind release has too much of an advantage against Lightning. But, False Darkness reduced the momentum of his jutsu. And now, my se wave will be assisted by his jutsu!''


    As Kaminari had calcted, his ze Wave entered the Infinite Breakthrough jutsu and spread throughout it. Fujin thought, ''Damn, he is good!''


    Hoka moved forward and mmed his hands on the ground.


    ''Earth Release : Earth Wall jutsu''


    A huge wall appeared between them and the mes. He made another hand sign and mmed his hands on the ground again.


    ''Earth Release : Earth Dome jutsu''


    A dome was formed that covered all three of them.


    The fire covered arge area. It flowed over the wall and heated the outside of the dome. Trees were set on fire for hundreds of meters. The jutsu even reached Renjiro and Kakuzu''s location. Both immediately escaped into the ground. Renjiro''s Sloth summon had already been injured by Kakuzu and it had returned back.


    After a minute, the fire died down. Renjiro and Kakuzu had begun fighting underground.


    Kaminari quickly moved across the battlefield. He stood on top of the earth wall and noticed the dome below. Fujin noticed his chakra and made a few hand signs.


    Lightning sparks began appearing on Kaminari''s body. He jumped down at the dome.


    ''Lightning Release : Lightning Spear jutsu''


    A spear made of lightning appeared in his hands. He threw it at the dome.


    It hit the dome and pierced through it. However, right when the tip of the lightning spear appeared inside the dome, Fujin used his jutsu.


    ''Wind Release : Vacuum Bullet jutsu''


    The vacuum bullet hit the lightning spear''s tip. It pierced through the entire length of the lightning spear andpletely dispersed it. Without slowing down, it targeted Kaminari who was falling down towards the dome.


    Kaminari''s pupils shrank seeing the Vacuum bullet. The jutsu was aimed at his face. He quickly moved his head to the side. The Vacuum bullet left a cut on his right cheek before hitting his right earlobe.


    Kaminari shrieked in pain as his right earlobe was pierced and the bottom half of his right ear was blown away. Fujin heard his shriek and followed it up with another Vacuum bullet. The Vacuum bullet pierced through the earth dome and targeted Kaminari. But Kaminari managed to dodge properly this time.


    Kaminari thought, ''Fucking hell! Why the fuck does someone so young know the Wind Vacuum technique?''


    He was mad in rage.


    Not giving him any time, Hoka ced his hands on the earth dome. The outer surface of the dome transformed into spikes and they immediatelyunched at Kaminari.


    Understanding that he was at a disadvantage, he retreated a hundred meters backwards. With the dome gone, Fujin, Mieko and Hoka looked at Kaminari. His face was ugly and full of rage.


    Kaminari was very angry. He thought, ''How many bastards does Konoha raise? That wind brat is already one of the top wind users I have seen. And that Hyuga scum can use Earth Release as well as any Jounin level ninja from Iwa! And they don''t even look like they''re in their teens!''


    Kaminari made a hand sign.


    ''Lightning Release : Lightning Clone jutsu''


    Two Lightning clones appeared around him.


    They immediately went on assault. All moved around at a rapid speed! Fujin once again attacked them head-on with a Great Breakthrough jutsu. However, all three moved out of the way. Kaminari attacked the trio from the back, while his clones attacked from left and right. They were so fast that they attacked when Fujin was still releasing the jutsu.


    Both Hoka and Mieko made hand signs and mmed their hands on the ground with perfect coordination.


    ''Earth Release : Topsy Turvy jutsu''


    The ground in front of the Kaminari and his clones immediately became uneven. Some parts of the ground went up a few inches, while some other parts went down a few inches. The aim of this jutsu was to make the attackers lose their footing and fall down.


    Kaminari and his clones noticed them and immediately slowed down. The slowdown was enough for Fujin to turn around andunch another Great Breakthrough jutsu at Kaminari.


    Hoka and Mieko also made hand signs.


    ''Water Release : Water Gun jutsu''


    ''Fire Release : me Bullet jutsu''


    They bothunched jutsus on the clones.


    Kaminari and his clones had to retreat once again.


    While Kaminari was retreating, the trio were attacked from the other side. Kakuzu''s fire mask had been useless against Renjiro. So he sent it to help out Kaminari.


    It released a huge me at the trio. Hoka made a hand sign and released Water Gun jutsu to intercept it. While Mieko mmed her hands on the ground and raised an earth wall to protect them. They managed to defend perfectly.


    Kaminari didn''t attack. He had some doubts. He thought, ''Why is their teamwork so good? Even veteran teams might struggle to have such efficient coordination. They have left the attack to that wind user while the other two are perfectlyplimenting him.''


    Kaminari kept feeling that something was off. And while he was analyzing, it finally hit him, ''Wait a minute. Why is that Wind user fighting without considering his chakra wastage at all? His chakra has fallen very low now. In just a few more jutsus, he will be dry!''


    Kaminari analyzed, but couldn''t figure out the reason why they were acting that way.


    Kakuzu and Renjiro were still stuck in a deadlock. Kakuzu had the absolute advantage over Renjiro, but he couldn''t deal any injuries to him.


    Kakuzu analyzed, ''He is good. If it weren''t for those three kids, he might have been able to escape sessfully from me. That said, what is that useless Kaminari doing? I even sent my Fire Mask to help him. And he still can''t kill 3 kids?''


    The fighting continued for a few minutes. Team Renjiro was extremely exhausted. Fujin had one knee on the ground. Mieko and Hoka were tired as well. They had spent a huge amount of chakra on ninjutsu.


    Renjiro was also exhausted. Fighting against an S rank ninja and the three masks took its toll on him.


    Kaminari observed them and smirked, ''Finally they ran out of chakra. Now let me see why they fought so recklessly.''


    Kakuzu also observed very carefully. During thest few minutes, he had seen endless tactics and tricks from Renjiro. He didn''t want to get careless.


    Fujin looked over at Renjiro. Renjiro was looking at him as well. They both nodded their heads as soon as their eyes met. Hoka and Mieko noticed it. Immediately, all four flickered in different directions!


    Kakuzu and Kaminari immediately followed Renjiro and Fujin respectively. While Kaminari''s clones followed Hoka and Mieko.


    If there was one thing that Team Renjiro prided upon, it was their skill with the Body Flicker jutsu. Even in an exhausted state, they all managed to flicker multiple times.


    Unfortunately, their opponents were very strong. All of them were chased down sessfully!


    A/N : What will happen to Team Renjiro? What will happen to Fujin? Will they manage to escape or be caught? If caught, will Fujin be killed? Or will he have other paths?


    Find out in the .

 Chapter 141: Death of a Powerhouse!

    Team Renjiro ran in different directions at a fast speed. However, they were all very exhausted. Kakuzu could match Renjiro''s speed. While Kaminari and his clones were faster than Fujin and his teammates.


    After flickering 8 times, Fujin''s chakra finally hit a low. He hid behind a tree and took deep breaths. Using thest bits of his chakra, he made a few hand signs.


    Kaminari arrived almost immediately after Fujin. He saw the tracks left behind by Fujin and saw where he was hiding. He went around the tree and appeared in front of Fujin.


    An evil smile appeared on his face. He said, "You brat destroyed half of my right ear. I will make you pay a thousand times."


    He expected Fujin to be afraid. However, there was no hint of fear on Fujin''s face. He was surprised. Fujin spoke with determination, "Ever since I became a ninja, I have always been determined to give my life for the vige. Death doesn''t scare me!"


    Kaminari was stunned. But soon, he broke into a hugeughter, "Hahahahahaha"


    He looked at Fujin with a cruel look in his eyes and said, "Brat, let me educate you. Death is kind. I will show you how miserable life is. By the time I am done with you, you will be begging for death! Hahaha."


    Immediately a scared look appeared on Fujin''s face. Kaminari''s evil smirk grew bigger as he extended his arm to grab Fujin''s neck.


    At the same time, Hoka and Mieko were also caught by Kaminari''s clones. They seemed too exhausted to fight back. Kaminari''s clones approached them.


    Soon after them, Renjiro was also chased down by Kakuzu. Kakuzu''s Lightning mask appeared behind Renjiro and pushed him to the ground and pinned him down. Kakuzu appeared and said, "Your mastery of Water Element is very good! I will take your heart and rece my Water Mask with your heart!"


    Renjiro''s eyes widened as he processed this information. Threads appeared from the Lightning Mask and drilled into Renjiro''s chest. However, Renjiro smirked. Kakuzu immediately had a bad feeling!


    BOOM!!!!!


    Renjiro exploded under the Lightning Mask. Kakuzu moved away quickly, but his Lightning mask wasn''t able to. It took the full brunt of the explosion. The mask cracked. Kakuzu was stunned! He lost one of his hearts!


    He watched where Renjiro exploded and thought, ''Shadow Clone Explosion jutsu! But when did he make a shadow clone? Was it when he was escaping? No, I was keeping an eye. He didn''t have any chance to make a shadow clone. So when did he do it?''


    Kaminari''s Lightning clones approached Hoka and Mieko. As soon as they reached within range, both Hoka and Mieko exploded. The clones couldn''t react fast enough and were caught in the explosion. Both were dispelled!


    Though Lightning clones didn''t transmit information, the main body could sense when the clones were dispelled. The clones were dispelled when Kaminari''s hand was extending towards Fujin. Kaminari realized that both his clones got dispelled and became distracted for a fraction of a second.


    Fujin noticed it and he exploded as well! Kaminari noticed and immediately moved backwards. However, his right forearm felt the explosion. Its skin was burnt!


    His face became ugly. He thought in rage, ''When the heck did he create a shadow clone? He didn''t have any chakra left to be able to create shadow clones!''


    He looked around the area but found no signs of someone escaping. He moved towards where his other two clones were dispelled. But once again, he couldn''t find any signs of Mieko or Hoka escaping.


    After a few minutes of fruitless search, he ran back to where the fighting had happened. Kakuzu was inspecting the area.


    He appeared behind Kakuzu. Kakuzu immediately noticed the half-blown ear and a burnt right eye. Kaminari also noticed that Kakuzu''s cloak was destroyed.


    Kaminari said, "The ones I chased were all clones! There were no tracks that showed someone running away."


    Kakuzu said, "Same here. The Renjiro I chased and escaped turned out to be a shadow clone. Bastard exploded it when I caught him."


    Kaminari said, "You too? The same happened with that wind user. I am guessing it was the same with the other two as well. But when did they create the clones?"


    Kakuzu replied, "We were probably fighting the clones the whole time. Though they tried to hide their tracks, signs are showing that four people escaped from this route.


    And their clones all escaped in opposite directions of the Land of Fire''s border. It looks like they wanted to lure us away and buy some time to escape!"


    Kaminari was surprised. Immediately he became very angry. Blood vessels could be seen on his forehead! He said, "No wonder those two brats were so good with Earth release and Water release! They were Renjiro''s disguised clones!"


    His chakra red up as he yelled, "Those bastards think that they can make a mockery of us? Kakuzu, you check their tracks, and I will bring you to them! Those bastards can''t escape from us!"


    Kakuzu nodded. Sparks appeared on Kaminari''s body. He grabbed Kakuzu and moved along the path Kakuzu said rapidly. They were taking the shortest route to the Land of Fire!


    After running at max speed for 5 minutes, they finally saw four silhouettes. Kaminari immediately shouted, "BASTARDS! YOU THINK THAT YOU CAN MAKE A MOCKERY OF ME?"


    Team Renjiro heard the shout and stopped. They immediately took a battle stance. Kaminari dropped Kakuzu and rushed towards them.


    Kakuzu followed him, but thought, ''Something is off!''


    Kaminari was much faster than Kakuzu. He reached them in a blink of an eye. Renjiro unsheathed his sword and attacked Kaminari. Kaminari grabbed a kunai and flowed lightning through it and attacked Renjiro.


    Renjiro blocked his attack. At the instant their weapons shed, Fujin, Hoka and Mieko flickered next to Kaminari to surround him from all sides!


    Kaminari was surprised by this maneuver. He had a bad feeling. Immediately, all four exploded!


    Kakuzu sensed it and stayed behind. Kaminari, however, waspletely caught in the explosion! He released Lightning from all over his body to form armor, but he wasn''t proficient in such an application of Lightning. It helped reduce the impact of the explosion, but he was hit nheless!


    After a second, Kaminari jumped out of the dust cloud created by the explosions. His clothes were sted. Almost all the skin on his body was burnt. He was bleeding a lot as well.


    Kakuzu appeared next to him and said, "The trail was left behind by clones! Since this was the shortest route to Konoha, we assumed that they escaped here. To think that they would set up another trap here!"


    Kaminari looked at Kakuzu in rage and yelled, "BASTARD! You led me into a fucking trap! And then hid behind and watched me getting hit!"


    Kakuzu looked at him and said, "I didn''t ask you to rush ahead like a moron. It was your stupidity."


    Kaminari yelled, "Asshole, are you calling me a moron? It was your dumb head that led us into this trap in the first ce!"


    Kakuzu didn''t reply, but Kaminari kept yelling at him! After yelling for a bit, Kaminari turned around and walked away.


    However, in the next instant, an arm pierced through his right lung. Kaminari looked down in horror. Threads drilled into his body as Kakuzu began taking his heart.


    Kakuzu said, "I guess they didn''t tell you. My previous partners died because I couldn''t stand them and killed them."


    Kaminari was stunned. A rogue ninja from Kumogakure, who was on the threshold of reaching S rank, died without anyone seeing.


    Well, not without anyone seeing, as two pairs of eyes were watching this act. The first pair of eyes belonged to Zetsu. The other belonged to Renjiro''s shadow clone.


    Fujin''s clone sensed when Kakuzu and Kaminari were chasing after them. He ryed the information to Renjiro''s clone who used the minimum amount of chakra needed to create a shadow clone. The clone moved out of the path and hid underground.


    After killing Kaminari, Kakuzu removed his heart. Threads gathered around that heart and a new Lightning mask was formed!


    Renjiro''s clone watched the whole process. Surprisingly, Kakuzu didn''t feel anyone keeping an eye on him until he was done with the process.


    After the Lightning Mask formed, it entered into Kakuzu''s body. Knowing that any further hunt was meaningless, Kakuzu retreated away from the Land of Fire. Renjiro''s clone dispelled itself to transmit the information back.


    Long away from where Kaminari died, Team Renjiro entered the Land of Fire.

 Chapter 142: Formation Nine!

    shback -


    Team Renjiro was about to press on the attack, when Fujin said, "Formation nine!"


    The eyes of Renjiro, Mieko and Hoka widened. Formation nine was a code word for a battle tactic that Renjiro had taught them.


    It was a tactic used under a specific condition. The condition was that they are facing adversity so strong that they have no chance of victory and a high chance of death!


    Renjiro''s eyes widened, but hepleted his jutsu. Fujin made one shadow clone and poured around 70% of his chakra into it.


    Renjiro made three clones and poured 60% chakra into one clone and 5% chakra into each of his remaining 2 clones. The weaker clones used the Transformation jutsu to transform into Hoka and Mieko as neither of them knew the Shadow Clone jutsu.


    He followed up with the summoning jutsu to summon the Sloth. All this was done in under 2 seconds while Kakuzu and Kaminari were hiding under the dome. The clones stayed behind while the real ones escaped by flickering continuously.


    After escaping for a kilometer, Renjiro made 3 more clones while Fujin made another. A couple of clones transformed into Mieko and Hoka once again and continued escaping forward. While the real team took a different and longer path and left behind no tracks at all!


    After splitting, Fujin was breathing hard. He had lost most of his chakra to the clones. Since he nned to end with Shadow Explosion jutsu, his clones won''t return any chakra.


    After moving for a bit, Mieko asked seriously, "Why did you say formation nine? Who were those guys?"


    Fujin didn''t reply and tapped one of the pockets of his k jacket. A scroll dropped. Fujin opened it and summoned a bottle.


    Everyone watched as a bottle of Soldier pills appeared in Fujin''s hands. Fujin opened and consumed a pill. He looked at Renjiro and asked, "Do you want one as well, Sensei?"


    Renjiro nodded and took a pill. Fujin kept the bottle back and answered, "The masked man is Kakuzu. I read his information in the Bingo book. He is, or rather was, an S rank ninja!"


    This information surprised them. Especially Renjiro who knew the information of all S rank ninjas. Renjiro asked, "What do you mean by ''was''?"


    Fujin answered, "ording to the information, he was sent by Takigakure to assassinate Lord First Hokage. But he failed and was presumed dead. However, somehow, he managed to make it alive and returned to his vige. After returning, he revolted against his vige and became a rogue ninja. He was never seen again. I guess everyone assumed that he died and hence he isn''t put in the shorter Bingo books."


    The exnation shocked them. But soon, they became skeptical. Mieko said, "The first Hokage lived a looooonnnnnggg time ago! How would that guy still be alive if he fought back then?"


    Mieko purposefully stretched the word ''long'' while speaking to tease Fujin.


    Even Renjiro was doubtful of this information. How could someone that old look so young?


    Fujin shrugged and said, "We will get the information when our clones are dispelled. If you have the bigger Bingo book, you are free to check."


    He looked at Mieko with a smirk on his face and said, "If you want to go back to check with your own eyes, then good luck. I''ll be sure to offer flowers to your grave, haha."


    Renjiro instantly shut him up, "Don''t joke about such things. Anyways, fighting them wasn''t a part of our mission. So there is no need to risk our lives against enemies we don''t have information about."


    Fujin looked at Hoka and asked, "Hoka, you said his body was disgusting. What did you see?"


    Hoka answered, "Instead of nerves and blood vessels, his body seems to be made of threads. And he had 5 hearts in his body!"


    Mieko was shocked. She asked, "5 hearts? How can something like that be possible?"


    Hoka replied, "I have no idea."


    They both looked at Renjiro. So did Fujin. Renjiro shook his head and said, "I have never heard about any such technique. But, if we assume that having just 1 heart would keep him alive, it could mean that he just faked his death against Lord First."


    Fujin, Mieko and Hoka nodded. They all analyzed the information.


    After some time, Fujin asked, "Sensei, who was the other guy?"


    Renjiro looked at Fujin and asked, "You didn''t see him in the Bingo book?"


    Fujin answered, "The Bingo book has way too many names. I probably forgot. I only read the S ranked ninjas in detail."


    Renjiro understood. The Bingo books had a lot of names. It was impractical to remember everything. He said, "The other guy is Kaminari. He was an Elite Jounin in Kumogakure. He is strong, and very close to being ranked S. He was deployed against Kirigakure in the 3rd war. So I never fought him before."


    Fujin was surprised. He thought, ''Akatsuki recruits ninjas who aren''t S ranked? I guess none of Kakuzu''s previous partners was S ranked. That''s why they died at his hands. This guy will be killed by him as well.''


    Fujin asked Renjiro, "Why did he go rogue?"


    Renjiro answered, "We don''t have much information regarding that. He went missing after the 3rd war. We spected that the 3rd Raikage passed the secrets of his Lightning Release : Chakra Mode to his son and not to him.


    That is why he couldn''t master the Lightning Release : Chakra Mode and hence didn''t have any chance at bing the 4th Raikage. Seeing that he has gone rogue, it looks like this is indeed the case."


    Fujin was surprised. He thought, ''Oh well, no matter the world, nepotism exists everywhere!''


    Fujin replied, "I see. That seems dumb."


    Renjiro nodded, "Yeah, it is."


    Fujin said, "Did you notice their cloaks Sensei?"


    Renjiro nodded.


    Fujin said, "They are both rogue ninjas. And both are very strong. Seeing that they both wore the same cloak, they probably have some organization behind them."


    Renjiro agreed, "Yes. It is disturbing. I''ll ask Lord Hokage to look into this. If there are more ninjas at this level in this organization, then they could pose a threat to even Konoha."


    They moved alongside the longer path for around 10 minutes while discussing more. Mieko and Hokained about missing out and decided to learn the Shadow Clone jutsu after returning to the vige.


    Team Renjiro flickered numerous times in order to ensure that they can''t be chased. Mieko and Hoka also consumed a soldier pill each.


    While moving, Fujin wondered, ''Renjiro was never mentioned in the original story. Could it be because he was killed by Kakuzu? Then again, he is getting old. He could have just retired and stepped aside. And he probably became one of the thousands of nameless ninjas who participated in the 4th war. Not much point thinking about it.''


    Finally, Renjiro and Fujin received memories of their clones.


    Sweat immediately formed on Renjiro''s face. He said in a shocked voice, "You were right Fujin. Kakuzu is strong. Very strong. If we had stayed back, the most probable result would have been our death!"


    Mieko and Hoka were shocked. Hoka asked, "He is stronger than even you, Sensei?"


    Renjiro nodded. He answered, "Don''t overestimate me. There are many who are stronger than me. While killing my clone, Kakuzu said something about taking my heart. I guess his longevity secrets have some rtion with his multiple hearts.


    Also, he probably went a bit easier on my clone as he didn''t want to damage my heart. If he was serious about killing me, my clone wouldn''t havested that long."


    Mieko and Hoka were stunned by Renjiro''s admission. Fujin wasn''t surprised. He was well aware of how strong Kakuzu was.


    Renjiro looked at Fujin and said, "You did great. If it was known that you managed to injure Kaminari, your reputation would explode."


    Mieko and Hoka looked at Fujin with envy. Knowing their thoughts, Fujin looked at them with an innocent smile on his face and said, "I probably burnt his right forearm with the clone explosion too."


    They immediately snorted and looked away. They both hated looking at Fujin''s smug face!


    Fujin looked at Renjiro and said, "Keep it a secret if you can, Sensei. I don''t want a bounty so soon."


    Renjiro nodded. Getting attention wasn''t always a good thing. He said, "I''ll report it to Lord Hokage secretly. Mieko, Hoka, don''t talk about this to anyone."


    Both nodded. As a ninja, keeping secrets was critical. The lesser others knew about you, the higher your chances of victory would be. Kaminari was much stronger than Fujin. The reason that Fujin managed to injure him was that he got overconfident and wasn''t aware of Fujin''s skill with the Wind Vacuum Technique.


    Fujin looked at Renjiro and said, "Using long and wide range Ninjutsu is very useful. Especially when fighting against someone stronger."


    Renjiro nodded and said, "It''s especially true for Wind Element. Facing Sunagakure in the desert is a nightmare. Even more so when they mixed poison with it.


    But, don''t get overconfident. Kaminari didn''t go all out as your chakra would eventually run out. If you are outmatched, then this tactic is only good for wasting time."


    Fujin nodded. He had sensed that Kaminari stalled only because his fighting tactic was unsustainable.


    Fujin said, "I wonder if they will chase or not."


    Renjiro analyzed and said, "Probably no. They took 10 minutes to dispel our clones. Tracking would be tougher and they would have to move a lot faster."


    Fujin nodded. Chasing would be rather pointless now. But, they were both wrong. A bitter, both received the memories of their clones again.


    Fujin said, "That was impulsive."


    Renjiro nodded, "Yes, it was."


    Mieko and Hoka asked, "What happened, Sensei?"


    Renjiro answered, "They tracked our clones. Kaminari attacked recklessly. All four clones surrounded him and exploded. He should be injured, but his life won''t be in danger. I guess he was just annoyed at getting fooled."


    Mieko chuckled, "That would teach him a good lesson for chasing after us."


    Renjiro replied, "Don''t take it too lightly. This time we were saved due to Fujin reading the Bingo books. When we return, you and Hoka should read it too. Also, this tactic worked perfectly this time. Next time, it won''t work so well. So work hard and be stronger."


    His students nodded. Though they got away without any injuries, the experience was very scary. After travelling for a bit, they finally reached the borders of the Land of Fire.

 Chapter 143: Akatsuki

    While they were entering, Renjiro suddenly stopped. His students looked at him. Hoka asked, "What happened, Sensei?"


    Renjiro replied, "Kaminari died!"


    His students were shocked.


    Mieko and Hoka thought, ''How could someone so strong die suddenly?''


    Fujin recovered from the shock fastest and concluded, ''Looks like Kakuzu killed him for his heart. Though Renjiro didn''t say anything, he probably managed to destroy one heart with his clone. Most likely the lightning one.''


    Hoka asked, "How did he die, Sensei?"


    Renjiro answered, "Looks like they had an argument. When Kaminari turned his back, Kakuzu attacked him. His technique does depend on hearts. He stole his heart after killing."


    Renjiro thought hard. After some time, he said, "Don''t tell anyone about him. I''ll make a secret report to Lord Hokage and have him investigate Kakuzu."


    His students nodded. The death or betrayal of an Elite Jounin during peacetime would always be a huge deal. Such matters are better left to the vige to handle.


    The team kept moving forward at a fast speed. Hoka asked, "Sensei, aren''t we going to go to the patrol outpost?"


    Renjiro shook his head and answered, "No. A lot of things happened during this mission. It''s best to report to the vige right away. As for Seiichi, I''ll talk with himter."


    Fujin thought, ''Yeah, that would be the best. Though we are inside the Land of Fire, I wouldn''t call it safe.''


    Due to eating the soldier pills, they weren''t tired. So they continued moving without any breaks until they reached Konoha.


    Land of Rain :


    Deep within the dense forests of the Land of Rain, a hideout existed. Even light had difficulty reaching it. The number of people who were aware of its presence can be counted on one hand. A man sat still in this hideout.


    Suddenly, a figure began appearing from the ground. It appeared right in front of him. The man opened his eyes. His eyes shone with purple colors. Multiple circles can be seen in his eyes.


    White Zetsu said, "Pain! Pain! You won''t believe what I saw!"


    The man sitting was the Deva Path of Nagato. Pain looked at White Zetsu, waiting for it to say. But he didn''t say anything.


    Pain asked, "What did you see?"


    White Zetsu said excitedly, "Kakuzu and Kaminari fought against a squad from Konoha. The Konoha ninjas managed to run away and injured them. In the end, Kakuzu and Kaminari entered into an argument and Kakuzu killed him."


    Nagato was surprised. He asked, "Which squad of Konoha did they run into? Did the remaining two Sannins return?"


    ck Zetsu replied, "No. It was Senju Renjiro, an elite jounin from Konoha, and his students."


    Pain asked, "How strong are he and his students?"


    ck Zetsu replied, "He has a bounty of 45 million Ryo. He is quite strong, but not in S rank. His students just got promoted to Chunins."


    Nagato was surprised once again. However, soon he was disappointed. He thought, ''A squad of fresh chunins led by an Elite Jounin managed to injure and run away from a couple of Akatsuki members. And they even caused an argument which resulted in one of my members dying. So disappointing.''


    White Zetsu said, "It was so surprising! Kaminari just turned his back to Kakuzu and got stabbed in the back."


    Nagato and ck Zetsu ignored White Zetsu. ck Zetsu asked, "What do we do now?"


    Pain answered, "Let Kakuzu move alone. Scout a partner for him that he can''t kill."


    White Zetsu said, "Since Konoha ninjas fought with them, Konoha will now have information about us. If they focus on us, it may cause a lot of issues! They have some scary ninjas!"


    Pain replied, "They most likely already know about us. Even if they take any action against us, they are no threat. You don''t need to worry about it. Just scout for stronger members."


    Zetsu nodded and left. White Zetus said, "That was surprising. I thought he''d be upset or angry."


    ck Zetsu replied, "He is strong. Even without Akatsuki, he could capture all 9 Tailed Beasts. So he doesn''t attach any importance to weaklings who''d die so easily."


    White Zetsu smiled and said, "Yeah. His eyes are so scary!"


    Zetsu would search for new members for Akatsuki. Unfortunately, Hidan won''tplete his ritual for quite a few years. So many more Akatsuki members would die at Kakuzu''s hands.


    Konoha :


    After travelling the whole night, Team Renjiro returned to Konoha early in the morning. En route, Renjiro imparted his vast knowledge to his students to prepare them for their future.


    After entering Konoha, they went to the Hokage building right away. They walked towards the Hokage''s office. The door was closed. Renjiro walked forward to knock on the door. However, an Anbu ninja appeared in front of him.


    The Anbu ninja said in a serious tone, "Lord Hokage is busy. You will have to wait."


    Renjiro looked back at him and said, "It''s important."


    The Anbu ninja was surprised. He knew Renjiro. He said, "Lord Hokage is having a meeting with the elders."


    Renjiro replied, "It''s more important. Besides, it''s good that the elders are there. They would like to hear my report as well."


    The Anbu ninja nodded and said, "Wait a few seconds."


    He knocked on the door.


    Inside the office, Hiruzen was discussing some matters with Homura and Kohaku. They stopped as soon as they heard the knock.


    The Anbu ninja entered and said, "Lord Hokage. Senju Renjiro has returned and has something important to report."


    Hiruzen furrowed his eyebrows. He thought, ''Knowing Renjiro, he wouldn''t interrupt for no reason.''


    He said, "Alright, send him in."


    On hearing Hiruzen, Renjiro entered the office. His students followed him. The Anbu ninja left the office and closed the door.


    Hiruzen looked at Renjiro and asked, "How did the mission go Renjiro?"


    Renjiro answered, "The mission went well. There were 16 rogue ninjas who were formerly from Kirigakure. We killed 13. I''ll report the detailster. What happened while we were returning is important."


    Hiruzen and the elders paid close attention. Renjiro was one of the very few active Elite Jounins in Konoha. If he thought something to be important, it would be a serious matter.


    Renjiro said, "We were attacked by two rogue ninjas while we were returning. One of them was Kaminari from Kumogakure."


    Hiruzen and the elders immediately became serious.


    Renjiro continued, "The other was called Kakuzu. He is a rogue ninja from Takigakure. Fujin remembered his data from the Bingo book. Apparently, he had tried assassinating Lord First."


    This surprised them. Kohaku immediately said, "That can''t be right. Even if it is, that person would be very old and not worth our attention."


    Renjiro replied, "He is stronger than me. He would easily be categorized as an S rank ninja. Luckily we escaped while deceiving them with clones. Otherwise, even getting away would have been unlikely."


    This shocked them. Renjiro''s strength was top tier in Konoha. Only 3 in Konoha could im to be able to kill him without allowing him to escape. Hiruzen asked, "Even you wouldn''t have been able to get away?"


    Renjiro nodded. He said, "Even more worrisome is that they were wearing the same uniform. Both wore ck cloaks with red clouds on them."


    Hiruzen''s eyes widened. Renjiro noticed it. Hiruzen said, "Akatsuki."


    After a pause, he continued, "It''s where my treacherous student joined after betraying us."


    Renjiro was shocked. He asked, "Even Orochimaru is there? What do we know about this organization?"


    Hiruzen replied, "Not much. Jiraiya tracked Orochimaru and they entered into a fight. He got this information from Orochimaru. We did some searching. Apparently, it is a mercenary organization. Iwa and smaller countries around it often employ them.


    We don''t know much about them. Their leader is a mystery. So is their total number of members. Other than Orochimaru, we had heard just about Juzo joining them. And now we know about Kaminari and Kakuzu joining them as well."


    Renjiro analyzed and replied, "That''s not much information."


    Hiruzen nodded. They discussed a bit about Akatsuki and what steps they should take. Renjiro proceeded to provide them with all the details of the encounter. Fujin, Hoka and Mieko paid attention and observed how Renjiro interacted with the leaders and provided the information.


    They noticed that Renjiro made no mention of Fujin''s battle achievements against Kaminari.


    After half an hour of discussion, Hiruzen handed Team Renjiro the mission rewards. Hiruzen looked at the newly promoted chunins who just had to undergo such a frightening encounter.


    He thought, ''Sigh, I don''t want such young kids to encounter such dangers. But since they survived, this incident will make them stronger. Should I reward them with something to motivate them more?''


    As the thought crossed his mind, Hiruzen''s gaze fell upon Fujin. He immediately decided, ''No, there is no need to.''


    Team Renjiro was dismissed. They left the Hokage''s building.

 Chapter 144: Chaoter 141: Farewells

    Renjiro looked at his students and said, "Come, let''s go out to eat."


    His students followed him.


    Mieko asked, "Which restaurants are open at this time of the day, Sensei?"


    Renjiro replied, "The Ramen shop should be open. Follow quickly. It''s my treat."


    He flickered. His students immediately began the race. They arrived at the shop and ordered their ramen.


    Renjiro asked, "What have you nned for the future?"


    Mieko replied, "I will join the Konoha Police force."


    Hoka said, "My father will arrange for me to join a squad. So I will be doing more missions."


    Fujin answered, "I am not sure. I haven''t thought about it. I guess I will spend some time mastering the Wind Vacuum Technique."


    Renjiro thought and said, "Mieko, I know all Uchiha join the police force. However, there aren''t many opportunities to fight in the Police force. I would rmend you to go on a few missions. It will provide you with more experience that will be helpful in bing a jounin."


    Mieko nodded and said, "Yes Sensei. If the police force isn''t a challenge, then I''ll take difficult missions as well."


    Renjiro smiled. He looked at Hoka and said, "Hoka, don''t forget to train ninjutsu as well."


    Hoka nodded and said with reluctance, "Yes Sensei."


    Renjiro looked at Fujin and said, "Fujin, training is good. But don''t forget to do missions as well. In a battlefield, your skills will grow at a much faster pace than in a training field."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Yes Sensei."


    Teuchi served ramen. They began eating. While eating, Renjiro said, "Chunin is an important phase. Your leadership skills will be developed at this rank. And you will be able to undertake a variety of missions and cooperate with arge number of fellow chunins.


    When undertaking missions, do a few missions with chunins you have never worked with. It will help you understand the skills of a lot more ninjas. And you could also find techniques or jutsus that suit you perfectly. So keep your mind open and observe everyone properly."


    He took a pause and said with a serious tone, "Of course, the most important thing is that you take care of your life. Don''t take unnecessary risks andplete the missions in the most efficient ways. Don''t try to get interesting fights when you can finish your enemy off with lesser efforts."


    All three nodded seriously. Until now, they could y around as they had Renjiro looking after their backs. But that won''t be the case anymore.


    Renjiro said, "There is another thing that I want you to know. Fujin, do you recall our conversation about Kekkei Genkai?"


    Fujin thought for a bit and said, "Yes Sensei."


    Mieko asked, "What did you discuss?"


    Renjiro replied, "We didn''t discuss much."


    He looked at Fujin and said, "Last time, I didn''t tell you some details as you were still training. The truth is, that other than inheriting a Kekkei Genkai from a bloodline, you can also create a Kekkei Genkai by fusing two natures."


    Mieko and Hoka were surprised to learn this. Fujin was shocked. He thought, ''What the hell? Kekkei Genkai can be created? By people who don''t have any rtions to that bloodline?''


    Mieko asked, "How can Kekkei Genkai be created, Sensei?"


    Renjiro said, "Let''s take the example of Scorch Release. It is a Kekkei Genkai that forms from the Fire and Wind natures. If a ninja has mastered these two natures and can fuse the two natures perfectly, then that ninja will be able to use Scorch release."


    Mieko quickly asked in an excited tone, "Does this mean that I can have two Kekkei Genkai?"


    Renjiro nodded and said, "If you can fuse two elements perfectly, then yes."


    He paused for a few seconds to let his students absorb this information. He continued, "However, it is almost impossible to do this. Very few are known to attain a Kekkei Genkai through this method. I didn''t tell you about this earlier because I didn''t want you to waste your time on this. Even someone as talented and strong as Lord Hokage couldn''t manage to do this."


    Fujin thought, ''Oh. Even Hiruzen can''t do it. But, he said that very few could do this. Who were they? And how did they manage to fuse them?''


    Mieko asked, "How to fuse two elements, Sensei?


    Renjiro smiled and answered, "I don''t know. I never managed to do it. The basic requirement is that you should have aplete mastery of two natures. Only then can you attempt to fuse them.


    No one from Konoha ever managed to do this. Lord Second and Third spent quite a few years trying this but never seeded. One of the Sannins, Orochimaru, also tried without any sess.


    But, we researched this a lot and concluded that managing to fuse two natures needs a lot of luck and maybe some sort of epiphany. While talent is also a factor, it isn''t enough to achieve this."


    This information decreased the hopes of Fujin and Mieko. Hoka wasn''t concerned about this. Fujin thought, ''An epiphany. I guess that is the only exnation that can exin the likes of Kakashi, Hiruzen and Orochimaru not achieving this. Still, this is definitely worth a try. Though I need to decide which elements to try.''


    After analyzing, Fujin asked, "Sensei, is this method only valid for Elemental Kekkei Genkai? Can Kekkei Genkai such as Sharingan, Byakugan or Shikotsumyaku also be created?"


    Mieko and Hoka were surprised by this question. They both looked at Fujin as he had just mentioned their Kekkei Genkai.


    Renjiro answered, "No. At least, there has been no record of those 3 Kekkei Genkai appearing outside their bloodlines."


    Fujin was disappointed. He sighed internally thinking, ''Just when I thought I had an easier way to climb to the top. I am not sure how much aid an elemental Kekkei Genkai will provide me. But something like Sharingan or Shikotsumyaku would have buffed me up a lot.''


    Renjiro said, "Anyways, don''t bother trying to fuse two natures anytime soon. None of you has even mastered one nature maniption to a sufficient degree. Fusing would need two natures at a simr level as my Earth and Water natures.


    I told you just so that you guys would be aware. So that if one of you gets lucky and has that epiphany in the future, you won''t miss out on the good fortune."


    The trio nodded. Fujin thought, ''My Wind element is still not at that level? Guess there really is no need to consider this anytime soon.''


    The group finished their ramen and left the shop. Renjiro looked at his students and said, "I am d that Lord Hokage assigned me as your sensei. You have be fine ninjas."


    All three respectfully bowed and said in unison, "Thank you for teaching and training us Sensei."


    Renjiro looked with an emotional look and said, "Leave. Take some rest."


    He flickered away.


    Fujin, Hoka and Mieko saw Renjiro flickering. Hoka said in a sad voice, "I''ll miss training under him. We got so strong in a year!"


    Fujin nodded, "Yes. We were lucky to have him as our sensei. From what I have heard, other senseis don''t put this much effort into their students."


    Mieko nodded and said, "Yes. Even my parents were very respectful of him."


    The trio looked at each other.


    Fujin said, "I guess it means that we won''t see each other often either."


    Hoka and Mieko nodded.


    Hoka said, "Well, we could take missions together once in a while."


    Mieko nodded, "Yes, that will be fun."


    She looked at Hoka and smirked, "Maybe you would learn something that could help you join my and Fujin''sbo attack."


    Hoka''s shoulders dropped. Though he had developed a lot ofbination jutsus with Fujin and Mieko, none came close to Fujin and Mieko''s wind and firebination.


    Fujin said, "I heard that Jiraiya of the Sannins uses Oil jutsu to strengthen his Fire jutsus. I am not sure if that is a part of Water Release. But if it is, then you can check that. That way both oil and wind would amplify Mieko''s fire jutsu."


    Both Hoka and Mieko were surprised by the suggestion. Hoka said, "I had never thought of Oil."


    Mieko said, "Me neither. Fire, Wind and Oilbination seems very strong. Great idea Fujin."


    Hoka asked, "Why didn''t you tell me about this sooner?"


    Fujin shrugged and answered, "I just had that thought. Besides, did you really want to learn more ninjutsu while our training was on?"


    Hoka immediately became embarrassed. He replied, "Sorry, good point."


    The three exchanged nces. They didn''t have any more words. Hoka said, "Let''s leave guys. Good luck. Next time we meet, let''s have a Battle Royale again!"


    Hoka and Mieko grinned.


    Fujin replied, "Sure. Hopefully the next time you two willst longer."


    Fujin beganughing.


    Mieko and Hoka angrily looked at Fujin, but he had flickered away. Only hisugh could still be heard.


    Mieko said, "That jerk is still as annoying as ever!"


    Hoka sighed and said, "Yes. He was so quiet in the academy. I didn''t think he''d have this side as well."


    Mieko said, "Anyways, see youter Hoka."


    Hoka nodded and replied, "See you as well."


    They both left towards their home.


    Team Renjiro, which was assembled a year ago andpleted 7 rank D, 41 rank C and 3 rank A missions, was finally disbanded!

 Chapter 145: Plans for the Future

    Fujin went straight to his home after leaving. While moving, he thought, ''What a crazy mission. Never thought I''d run into Kakazu so early. I''m not ready to face Akatsuki. It''s doubtful that I''d be anytime soon. Sigh, this world is so dangerous. I need to increase the intensity of my training. And I need better ways of escaping. I am not sure if Wind Instantaneous Body jutsu would be sufficient.''


    After reaching his house, Fujin jumped into his bed. He was mentally exhausted from the encounter and physically exhausted due to running non-stop for hundreds of kilometers. He fell asleep.


    He slept tillte afternoon. After waking up, he thought, ''So what to do now?''


    He thought for a bit and said, ''I will have to calcte a lot! Let me fill my stomach first.''


    He went out for lunch and returned in the evening. Before returning, he went to the Hokage''s building and booked the training ground 23 for himself for the next few months. After returning home, he grabbed a book and a pen and sat on his bed. He sat in a meditative pose and began analyzing.


    After a while, he opened his eyes. He concluded, ''Konoha is notoriously famous for being very strict with Jounin promotions. It''s safe to say that I won''t be a Jounin for at least three years. Likely more.


    So I won''t get any ess to any A Rank wind jutsus for a long time. And I already have learnt the good B rank wind jutsus. So once I master those B rank wind jutsus, I can work on diversifying my skill set.


    Problem is that there are way too many things that I want to learn. Right now, the most important thing is mastering Air Bullet Jutsu and Vacuum Bullet jutsus. I need to be able to perform them without any hand signs.


    I also need to learn to shoot multiple Vacuum bullets. But, from what Hiruzen said, I''ll need quite some time before I''ll be able to do it. He said that it wille naturally to me after performing a crazy number of Vacuum bullet jutsus. But, he didn''t say how many times I''d need to practice it. I will make a decision on this after learning to use it without any hand signs.


    Next, I''ll need to learn the B rank wind jutsus and perform them without hand signs as well.


    The next two important aspects are learning the Lightning element and learning Fuinjutsu. I am not sure how easy or difficult the lightning element will be. Especially since I have to keep it a secret.


    As for Fuinjutsu, that should be easy. I can spam shadow clones for learning Fuinjutsu. But I won''t be able to practice it alongside ninjutsu training. The best time to learn Fuinjutsu will be when I am learning Lightning maniption. But, it will have to stop when I start learning Lightning jutsus. Hmm, I''ll make the decision when the timees.


    After Lightning and Fuinjutsu, I will try those ideas I have for Wind jutsus. But, I am afraid that some of those applications of wind chakra could injure me if I don''t control it perfectly. So I will need to learn Mystical palm before it.


    My chakra control is very good, so learning Mystical Palm shouldn''t be an issue.


    Right now, the skills that I am happy with are the Senju Taijutsu style and Samurai Saber Technique. My Taijutsu and Swordsmanship are both excellent. Especially when paired with long-range Wind jutsus.


    I would like to raise my Senju Taijutsu to Tsunade''s way of fighting. But, it won''t be easy. I had been trying it while training with Renjiro without a hint of sess.


    Also, before I try to learn more ninjutsus, I have to sort out my current jutsus. I have learnt quite a lot of jutsus. But I don''t use a few of them. First, I have to decide which jutsus I want to keep using. Then I will have to perfect them.


    That leaves just Genjutsu¡­ I haven''t focused on Genjutsu much. My focus has been more on Ninjutsu, Taijutsu and Kenjutsu. I guess I should learn that genjutsu Tobirama had created to fight against the Uchiha. But for the rest, it''s probably best to not even try.


    After all, no matter how skillful I may be, it''s impossible to match the Sharingan in genjutsu. I might as well just focus on countering Genjutsu.


    I would also like to learn Juinjutsu, but I guess that will follow after Fuinjutsu. So that can wait.


    I guess that''s all for now. The only idea left is¡­''


    Fujin extended his right forearm forward. He tightened his palm. Chakra appeared on his palm. It rotated at a high speed and began taking the form of a sphere. It was slightly unstable initially, but soon it maintained a proper sphere shape.


    Fujin thought, ''I haven''t practiced Rasengan at all for over a year. I could barely form it before I graduated. Now, I need to master this jutsu properly. From the time I graduated, my chakra reserves and control have improved many folds. So mastering Rasengan shouldn''t be taxing now. I need to be able to use it inbat situations.''


    He went back to his bed and began writing down all the jutsus that he had learnt so far!


    Transformation jutsu


    Clone jutsu


    Substitution jutsu


    Body Flicker jutsu


    Shadow Clone jutsu


    Rasengan


    Shadow Clone Explosion jutsu


    Wind Release :


    Gale Jutsu jutsu


    Wind Clone jutsu


    Wind Levitation jutsu


    Projectile Control jutsu


    Wind Retrieving Jutsu


    Gale Surge jutsu


    Breakthrough jutsu


    Dust Cloud jutsu


    Wind Explosion jutsu


    Propelling Winds jutsu


    Great Breakthrough jutsu


    Spinning Shield of Wind jutsu


    Wind Gale Wolf jutsu


    Wind Dragon jutsu


    Wind Instantaneous Body jutsu


    Wind Sword Jutsu


    Infinite Breakthrough jutsu


    Wind Torpedo jutsu


    Air Bullet jutsu


    Vacuum Sphere jutsu


    Vacuum Bullet jutsu


    Earth Release :


    Rock Shield jutsu


    Earth Military Movement jutsu


    Mud Moat jutsu


    Earth Release Camp jutsu


    Earth Instantaneous Body jutsu


    Earth Holding jutsu


    Earth Wall jutsu


    Genjutsu :


    Double Vision jutsu


    Demonic Illusion : Hell Viewing jutsu


    Fujin saw the list and had just one thought, ''When the fuck did I learn 37 jutsus????''


    He sighed and eximed, ''No wonder I felt the need to sort my jutsus! Sigh, this is so much work!''


    He began analyzing all his jutsus and their utility. After what seemed like an epoch, Fujin was finally done!


    He concluded his thoughts, ''Among 36 jutsus, only 3 jutsus arepletely useless for me! Clone jutsu, Wind Torpedo jutsu and Earth Holding jutsu. Wind Clones are a much better option aspared to clone jutsu. As for Wind Torpedo jutsu, Vacuum Bullet jutsu does a much better job. As for Earth Holding jutsu, it is too slow to be useful for anything.


    There are also some redundancies. Breakthrough, Great Breakthrough, and Infinite Breakthrough jutsus are just advanced forms of each other. In fact, aspects of both jutsus are covered in the Infinite Breakthrough jutsu. So, once I master the Infinite Breakthrough, I''ll be able to increase its power by supercharging or decrease its power to Great Breakthrough or even Breakthrough by just controlling my chakra.


    It is the same with Rock Shield and Earth Wall jutsus, and with Earth Military Movement and Earth Instantaneous Body jutsus.


    Then, there are some very basic jutsus. Gale, Wind Retrieving, Projectile Control, Wind Levitation jutsu, Propelling Winds jutsu and Dust Cloud jutsus. Though these jutsus seem good, they don''t work in a fast-paced battle. But, I have already mastered them. And I have a cool idea for them. So I''ll set them aside for now.


    Next are utility jutsus. These can provide some uses. Gale jutsu can be used to cover up footprints and smell. Earth Release Camp jutsu can be used to make a hideout. Mud Moat jutsu can be used to set up traps. These jutsus are handy, but I don''t need to master them as I won''t use them in battle.


    Now, for the important part. That isbat. I will divide jutsus into 4 parts - Offense, Defense, Movement and Support.


    For Defense, I have Earth Wall jutsu and Spinning Shield of Wind jutsu. Both are good and mastered. And I have some ideas to improve the Spinning Shield of Wind jutsu. And, I always have the option of escaping underground. This should be sufficient.


    For Movement, I have Substitution jutsu, Body Flicker jutsu, Wind Instantaneous Body jutsu and Earth Instantaneous Body jutsu. All four have been mastered. I wonder if there would be any Lightning jutsu that promotes speed in the library. Anyways, this is good for now. The only ways that I know to improve this substantially are learning the Lightning Chakra Mode or Flying Thunder God.


    For Support, I have Shadow Clone and Wind Clone jutsus. Both are good. Especially whenbined with Shadow Clone Explosion jutsu. I also want to transform Wind Dragon jutsu and Gale Wind Wolf jutsu into support. Otherwise, they aren''t very effective.


    Lastly, Offense! I guess I can further divide Offense into close-range, mid-range and long-range.


    For close-range offense¡­ Well, that''s a surprise! I only have Rasengan. Makes sense I suppose. My sword is plenty. And my Taijutsu is good as well. I guess I can improve this further by learning elemental Rasengan and maybe a jutsu like Chidori.


    For mid-range offense, I have Wind Explosion jutsu, Wind Sword Jutsu, Infinite Breakthrough jutsu, Air Bullet jutsu, Vacuum Bullet jutsu and Vacuum Sphere jutsu.


    Hmm¡­ I should stop using Wind Explosion and Air Bullet as soon as I can. And instead, use Vacuum Sphere and Vacuum Bullet. Only with sufficient practice will I be able to reach a stage where Vacuum jutsus feel as natural as those jutsus.


    I guess Genjutsu woulde under mid-range offense as well. I need to try using these two jutsus during missions against enemy chunins and see how effective they are. Though, in the long run, they won''t be very effective.


    Lastly, long-range offense. All my support jutsus double up as long-range offense. Infinite Breakthrough and Vacuum Bullet jutsus also double up as long-range jutsus. Especially Vacuum Bullet which has a fearsome prating power.


    Alright, this is it. That covers all my jutsus. I can form a battle system.


    Senju Taijutsu style and Swordsmanship for close range.


    Vacuum Bullet, Wind Sword, Vacuum Sphere, and Infinite Breakthrough for mid and long-range attacks.


    Earth Wall and Spinning Shield of Wind for defense.


    Wind and Shadow clones for support.


    Body Flicker and Substitution for dodging.


    Wind/Earth Instantaneous Body jutsus for escaping.


    And my chakra field to sense or scout enemies.


    The only aspects that are missing are Healing and maybe sealing. Once I learn Mystical Palm jutsu and a good seal, I should be aplete ninja who covers all aspects. Once this is done, I will pick one aspect and just focus on it till I reach among the top-tier ninjas in that aspect!''


    Fujin''s face became very determined. The determination to be strong could be seen in his eyes.


    Fujin once again looked at the jutsus he had written and sighed, ''To think that just analyzing my current skills will get soplicated! That too when I have just focused on only one element. What a mess will this be if I master a few more elements and learn more jutsus!''


    Fujin took one final look at the book. Suddenly, chakra appeared in his hands and covered the book. The book was shredded into tiny pieces!


    Fujin used Wind Levitation jutsu to keep the small pieces afloat. He collected them and burned everything, leaving no signs of it.


    With the jutsus analyzed, Fujin began thinking about Renjiro''s words, ''So elements can be fused to create a Kekkei Genkai, huh? While I had thought, I really didn''t think it''d be possible. But, should I try to create one?''


    Fujin began thinking. After a while, he concluded, ''An elemental Kekkei Genkai is very helpful in distinguishing from other normal ninjas. If I were to master an elemental Kekkei Genkai at this very moment, I''ll be strong enough to confront Veteran Jounins by myself. I might not win, but fighting equally and retreating would be very easy.


    But, beyond this, an Elemental Kekkei Genkai isn''t much help. At max, I can expect to reach the Elite Jounin level. But considering that it''ll be a few years till I master two elements, I should already be close to that level. So an elemental Kekkei Genkai wouldn''t be that useful.


    Another question is that if I decide to create one, which Kekkei Genkai should I create? My top two elements are Wind and Lightning. That gives Swift Release. My third element is Fire. I am not sure what Fire and Lightning do together. Fire and Wind together should give Scorch Release.


    Scorch Release is rtively good. The only known user was at S rank. So getting it could be a good help to reach that level. As for Swift Release, their bloodline was wiped out during the warring period. Though a few Swift Release users pop up, none have been famous. And there is barely any information in the library.


    That said, Swift Release is a bit unidimensional. All it does is increase speed. And I am already very fast. The main question will be, does Swift Release amplify my max speed? Or would it just help me reach some default speed and be useless if I already exceed that speed?


    If it''s thetter, then it''ll be a waste. But if it''s the former, then it can be insanely good! If in the future I get my hands on the Raikage''s Lightning chakra mode technique andbine it with Swift Release and my own speed and they all stack up, I''ll easily be the fastest ninja ever. And there is no need to even think about how overpowered that speed would make me. Especially if I even add the Flying Thunder God to the mix.''


    Suddenly, Fujin stopped thinking. A wry smile appeared on Fujin''s face as he realized, ''I am dreaming needlessly. I don''t know whether I''d manage to learn even one of those 3 skills let alone all 3! Not to mention, I have no whatsoever expertise in Fire or Lightning elements. I haven''t learnt even a single jutsu of those two elements. And Renjiro said that even my Wind nature hasn''t reached that level. So it''s pointless to think or dream about this right now.''


    After concluding his thoughts, Fujin decided, ''I''ll rest for today. Tomorrow morning, my solo training begins!''

 Chapter 146: New Routine & Advanced Fuinjutsu

    Fujin woke up at 4:30 AM. After freshening up, he turned up his training seal''s power to 60% and left for the training ground he had booked.


    He began the physical training that Renjiro used to put them under. He trained hard till 9 AM.


    After a short break to rest and eat, he began practicing the Air Bullet Jutsu. His aim was to reduce its required hand signs to zero!


    He trained for a couple of hours, before taking a break for lunch. He trained another couple of hours after lunch, till his chakra started to drop low.


    He sighed, ''So stupid¡­ I didn''t consider the fact that I will run out of chakra! Especially while practicing B rank jutsus. Anyways, what to do¡­


    I could increase my stamina by consuming soldier pills. But it won''t be healthy in the long run. I guess I should just devote time to other activities.


    When I am close to running out of chakra, I should go to the library and read Fuinjutsu scrolls. Though Ichirakues first. And once my chakra has regenerated, I can do something less chakra intensive. So I suppose Taijutsu or Kenjutsu.


    Alright, let''s do that. I''ll practice sword fighting with a shadow clone.''


    Fujin left for Ichiraku. He filled his stomach with a few bowls of ramen and went to the library.


    He thought, ''I havepleted the Fuinjutsu scrolls from Sections E and D during the academy days. Let''s see what the scroll in Section C has.''


    He entered the C section of the library. He searched for a bit and found the scroll he was looking for.


    He grabbed the scroll and went to a desk and sat down. The title of the scroll was - ''Intermediate Fuinjutsu Guide''


    He opened it and began reading it.


    He read the entire scroll in one go and summarized, ''So Finger Carving Seal is at Intermediate level. And so is the Five Seal Barrier¡­ Considering that this Barrier stopped a Jinchuriki, a medical ninja surpassed only by Tsunade, an S rank ninja and a former S rank ninja, I thought that it would be much higher in rank¡­ Still, it is veryplicated. Learning it will be tough.


    Binding Cloth is also here. It was what was used to seal the edo tensei. But, the seal tag isn''t here. Binding cloth without that sealing tag is kinda useless.


    Andstly, there are details about making Explosion Tags.


    Sigh, there isn''t much in this scroll. It was disappointing. I hope that the scroll in the B section has better and more Fuinjutsu.''


    He closed the scroll, put it back where it was and went to the B section.


    The number of scrolls in the B section was very low. But, when he found what he was looking for, he was surprised!


    Fujin thought, ''What the hell? The C section barely had anything rted to Fuinjutsu. And this section has 6 scrolls?''


    He began reading the names of each scroll. They were titled -


    Advanced Fuinjutsu Theory


    Misceneous Seals I


    Misceneous Seals II


    Misceneous Seals III


    Battlefield Seals


    Sealing Tags


    Fujin grabbed the Advanced Fuinjutsu Theory scroll and began reading. This scroll had a lot of advanced-level theories about Fuinjutsu. It introduced a few more special characters that were needed to make more seals. And it described the information about other scrolls.


    After reading, Fujin analyzed, ''So many additional theories. But many of them haven''t been implemented sessfully yet.


    Anyways, the Misceneous Seals scrolls apparently have a lot of seals to make daily life easier. They were made for the benefit of themon people and to promote safer trade and transport. Looks like it was a project undertaken by Uzushiogakure. But left iplete due to its destruction.


    The Battlefield Seals scroll has seals that can be used on the battlefield. Though they aren''t useful in an actual battle, they can be used for other purposes.


    Andstly, the Sealing Tag scroll. This is what I am looking forward to the most!


    Additionally, the scroll also says that if I manage to learn all the seals in these 5 scrolls, I will be considered a Seal Master!''


    He put back the scroll and grabbed the Sealing Tag scroll and began reading it. His excitement dropped a bit.


    He analyzed, ''There are only 3 seals here. The Sealing Tag, which can be used to seal Edo Tensei. It can also be used to stop summons and has quite a few applications. Then there is the Chakra Suppression Seal that Renjiro used. Andstly, the Barrier tag. It can be used to form barriers. Though it needs maintenance. So I can''t use this and leave.


    Anyways, though not plenty, they are good. Kinda wished that the Four Symbols Seal or Five Elements Seal was here. But looks like they will be in the A section. Or at least I hope so. It would suck if it isn''t avable in the library at all.''


    He changed the scroll for Battlefield seals and began reading. This scroll had a lot of seals. After reading them all, Fujin analyzed, ''Wow! I didn''t think this would be so useful! There are seals for all sorts of battlefield applications!''


    Fujin''s surprise wasn''t unwarranted. The scroll had seals to iste sound. It even had seals to absorb light and make a ce or object very difficult to see. In addition, there were seals to prevent being seen by the Byakugan or the Sharingan or even by sensors.


    Fujin guessed that these were the seals used by those Kiri squads who they eliminated inside the Land of Fire.


    There were a lot more useful seals in the scroll. Fujin was very impressed. He thought, ''No wonder Uzushiogakure was eliminated! These seals are very potent. If an entire army learnt these seals, they would be a nightmare to face. Especially in the midst of battle.''


    Finally, he began reading the Misceneous scrolls. While reading, Fujin''s eyes lit up! The seals that were in the meditation room in the central tower of the Forest of Death in these scrolls! Even the seals on his Training seal were in these scrolls.


    After reading all three scrolls, he concluded, ''These seals are good too. If the 5 big viges had cooperated and focused on these, then this world might have been a much better ce. These seals are very good to develop this world quickly.


    Anyways the most useful seals for me would be the ones used in that meditation room. In addition, there are also storage seals that can store living things safely. These too could be useful.''


    After reading all the scrolls, Fujin put them back and sat in the library. He analyzed, ''There is a heck of a lot to learn in fuinjutsu. Actually, much of the stuff in the B Section should have been ced in the C Section. But I guess the Vige wanted to restrict their ess to Elite Chunins and above.


    I''ll need a lot of time to master these. Fortunately, I do have a lot of time. Additionally, I should check all the scrolls in the B section. It would be good if I find any good jutsus. More importantly, I want to see if there are any Barrier jutsus.


    But, I guess they can wait. Let meplete my current ns.''


    He left the library and returned back to the training ground. He made a hand sign and created a shadow clone. The Shadow clone appeared in front of him.


    Fujin summoned a couple of normal swords from his scroll. Both grabbed one sword each. They began fighting without exchanging any words. The main focus of the spar was swordsmanship. Neither used chakra flow.


    After a couple of hours, Fujin and his clone were standing in front of each other. Both were breathing hard. The clone stabbed the sword into the ground and said, "My chakra is exhausted."


    It dispelled. Fujin received all his memories and experiences. Fujin thought, ''This is good. Getting experience from both sides provides me with both perspectives.''


    He sealed the sword back and left for Yakiniku. He needed a lot of meat to keep up with his nned routine!


    From the next day onwards, Fujin settled into this routine. In the morning, he would do physical training. That would be followed up by practicing and trying to master the Air Bullet jutsu. Once he ran low on chakra, he would either go to the library and read the seals or meditate. And he would end his training with Kenjutsu practice.

 Chapter 147: New House

    On the 7th day of this routine, when Fujin returned back to his home, he noticed an envelope attached to his door.


    Fujin thought, ''That''s new.''


    He ripped it off and began reading. He thought, ''Oh, this is a notice to call me to the Mission office in the Hokage''s office tomorrow at 8:15 AM. Did the Hot Water Daimyo send the bounty rewards?''


    The next morning, Fujin began training once again. He ended his morning training an hour earlier and went to the Hokage building. On reaching, he saw Hoka and Mieko.


    He went up to them. Hoka asked, "Hey Fujin, how have you been doing?"


    Fujin replied, "Well. I got back to training. What about you guys?"


    Mieko gave Fujin the stink eye and said, "Back to training already? You need to get a hobby, Fujin!"


    Fujin smirked and replied, "Training is a hobby!"


    Mieko scoffed at his reply.


    Fujin looked at her and said in his mind, ''Unlike you, I have more than a year to live.''


    Hoka said, "Stop arguing. Let''s go inside."


    The trio went inside. Fujin was thinking, ''Naruto and Sasuke should be 7 years old when the Academy starts. So I guess the Uchiha Massacre will happen in the next 12 months.


    My transmigration shouldn''t have affected the politics around this incident. The only thing that could be considered is Hiruzen teaching Mieko. But, I don''t think it''ll have much of an impact.''


    They reached the Hokage''s office and knocked on the door. Hatake Takao opened the door and looked at them and said, "The Bandit Exterminators?"


    Just three words instantly annoyed the trio. All their faces became dark. He said, "Come in."


    The trio entered the office with dark faces. Hiruzen stopped doing paperwork and looked at them. He wondered, ''Why do they look like they havee here to give me money instead ofing here to take money?''


    Takao opened a drawer and grabbed 3 packets. He handed one to each one of them.


    Hiruzen said, "You guys did a great job in the Land of Hot Water. The jointmander of the mission, Tokuhei, and their Daimyo praised your work a lot."


    He looked at the package in their hands and said, "These are the bounty rewards that Daimyo has sent for you. Fujin, yours has 4.5 million Ryo. Mieko and Hoka, your packets have 2.5 million Ryo each."


    Fujin saw his packet and thought, ''Rank A missions give a shitload of money!''


    Hiruzen''s eyes didn''t miss Fujin looking at his packet. He thought, ''This brat is very greedy! I have to ensure that he doesn''t pick up any bad habits.''


    He asked, "What are you three nning to do with the money?"


    Mieko answered, "Nothing. My Mom will take it all and put it in the bank. I can have ess to it when I am older."


    Hoka said, "Same here. Though I''ll be asking my dad to get me more tools to improve my strength."


    Hiruzen looked at Fujin, "What about you Fujin?"


    Fujin thought for a bit and said, "I''ll probably buy a new house¡­ The one that the Academy assigned me is too small and kinda old."


    Hiruzen was surprised. He never thought that Fujin would consider housing. Most orphans would live in their assigned houses for a long time. They would usually move out only when they get married.


    Hoka and Mieko were surprised as well.


    Hoka said, "That''s good! Good luck Fujin."


    Mieko added, "Yes, good luck Fujin. Invite us when it''s ready."


    Fujin nodded.


    Hiruzen said, "Good. Takao, arrange for a proper contractor to meet up with Fujin. Good luck Fujin."


    Fujin nodded and thanked him. They left the office. Takao followed Fujin. He said, "Fujin, follow me."


    Mieko and Hoka said goodbyes and left for their respective homes. Fujin followed Takao. He led Fujin to a huge shop. It was quite close to the Hokage building.


    Fujin observed the shop. Many workers were working here. And all seemed busy!


    He entered and said, "Old man Eiji."


    An old man looked at the entrance. He was around 60 years old. All his hair was white, but his back was still upright. Seeing Takao, he walked towards him. Takao began walking towards him. Fujin followed.


    Eiji said, "Takao. To what do I owe the pleasure? Does Lord Hokage require my services?"


    Takao shook his head. He said, "This young man is nning to buy a house. Lord Hokage sees a lot of promise in him. So he asked me to rmend you to this young man."


    Eiji took a good look at Fujin. He suddenly realized and said, "Fujin-kun! I remember watching you in the Chunin Exams. No wonder Lord Hokage values your talent."


    Fujin thought, ''Wow, I didn''t think I''d be recognized. Does that make me a minor celebrity? Haha''


    The old man continued, "I actually lost some money in the betting. But seeing promising young men like you was worth it! Hahahaha"


    He beganughing loudly. Fujin watched him with a deadpan look.


    Takao looked at Fujin and said, "Fujin, old man Eiji here is one of the best architects in Konoha. He has built many houses and usually has a few on sale too. He will give you the best deals. So choose the house you like."


    Fujin nodded. Takao left. Eiji watched his back as he left. Though Takao spoke only a few simple sentences, which any outsider might think were casual, there were a lot of hidden messages in them. Even Fujin didn''t notice any.


    When he said that Hokage found Fujin promising, it meant that Fujin was someone with a bright future. Eiji shouldn''t try to be underhanded with him or take advantage of his younger age.


    When Takao told Fujin that Eiji would give him the best deals, it was actually a message for Eiji to give Fujin the best deal he could and only make minimal profits.


    Eiji obviously picked up on them. This wasn''t the first time he had interacted with Takao. While he was impressed with Fujin''s dominance in the Chunin Exams, he was more impressed with the fact that he made Takao speak for him.


    Usually, Eiji would give the job of showing houses to one of his employees. But since Takao brought Fujin, he decided to attend to him.


    He looked at Fujin and asked with a smile on his face, "So Fujin-kun, have you decided on what type of house you want?"


    Fujin thought for a bit and answered, "I haven''t decided much. The only requirements I have are that it''d be big and spacious."


    Eiji looked at Fujin for a second and thought, ''That is pretty much like saying nothing.''


    Fujin looked at him and asked, "Can you show me some houses first?"


    He said, "Sure. Can you tell me what your budget is?"


    Fujin replied, "That will depend on the house."


    Eiji was speechless by the reply. He sighed and thought, ''This will be a long day!''


    He didn''t know how right he was.


    He nodded and said, "Alright. Follow me."


    He began walking outside. All the prime area in Konoha was already sold and upied. So no ce near the Hokage''s buildings was for sale.


    They walked a few blocks away. After walking a bit, they reached a ce where 5 houses had just been built.


    Eiji said, "In this area, I have just constructed these 5 houses. Check if you like any of them."


    Fujin observed the houses. From the outside, all looked great. All were built on an area of around 1,200 square feet. And all houses had a spacious living room on the ground floor along with a kitchen and a bathroom. On the upper floor, there were multiple master bedrooms.


    Fujin thought, ''Not bad. The houses are good. Well, at least much better than my current one. But, none of them has a basement. I could try to build a basement using the Camp jutsu, but I am not sure that it won''t harm the foundation of the house.


    Also, the houses are kinda close to each other. Though they are separated by a fence, I''d like it if the houses were farther apart.''


    Eiji stayed outside and watched Fujin. He just kept flickering from one house to another. He chuckled, ''Kids. So enthusiastic about everything. Though this one would not be in his budget. Unless of course Lord Hokage is paying for it.''


    After a few minutes, Fujin left the house. He looked to be in thought. Eiji asked, "Did you like the houses Fujin-kun?"


    Fujin looked at him smiling. He answered, "Yes, they are well built. But, do you have any houses that are not close to other houses? Also, it''d be great if they have basements."


    Eiji didn''t expect that reply. He thought, ''These are a few of my best houses. But he doesn''t look impressed at all!''

 Chapter 148: Picky Youngster

    He said, "Why do you want your house to not be close to other houses?"


    Fujin tilted his head and said, "I did say I want them to be spacious, right?"


    Eiji was surprised again. He thought, ''What do you n on doing with so much space?''


    He said, "These are my houses withrge empty spaces around them. I do have a few with evenrger space. But they don''t have any basements. As for the ones with basements, they don''t have arge space around them."


    Fujin thought and said, "Can you show them to me?"


    Eiji nodded and said, "Sure, follow me."


    They began walking to the next house.


    While walking, Fujin asked, "How much were those houses for Mr Eiji?"


    Eiji replied, "I can sell one of those houses to you for 2.2 million Ryo."


    He thought, ''They can go for over 3 million Ryo. But due to Takao''s words, I can sell them for just above my bottom line.''


    Fujin was surprised. He thought, ''So an elemental crystal is worth more than one house? Renjiro wasn''t kidding about their rarity!''


    Eiji took Fujin to look at a lot of houses. The one Fujin liked the most was a two-storey house built in a 1,500-square-foot area. Thend around the house was unupied. But it didn''t have a basement. And the roads around the houses were quite busy. Since the house was in a good area, it was very pricey too.


    After seeing all of the houses, Fujin asked, "Do you construct new houses as well?"


    Eiji was tired from taking Fujin on a tour. He answered, "Yes, I do."


    Fujin asked, "So, can you make a new house for me with a new design?"


    Eiji''s eyes twitched, ''After hours of touring, he wants me to build a new house?''


    He said, "Building a new house takes time. And you will have to buy thend first."


    Fujin looked at him with a confused look and asked, "Don''t you have contacts with any sellers ofnd? How did you build all these houses?"


    Eiji didn''t reply. He didn''t want to argue against Fujin. It just felt like hitting his head on a wall.


    He sighed and said, "Yes. But buyingnd suddenly is very expensive. Especially if you want it in a good area. Only thend at the outskirts of the vige would be cheaply avable."


    Fujin thought a bit and said, "Being on the outskirts of the vige doesn''t matter. It''ll be best if it''s closer to the training grounds."


    Eiji said, "Okay. I''ll contact a friend of mine. Meet me back at the shop after a couple of hours."


    Fujin nodded. He said, "Thank You for taking the time to show me the houses."


    Eiji''s dissatisfaction with Fujin decreased. He watched Fujin as he left and sighed, ''He is an orphan. No wonder he was speaking so formally and without much emotion. I guess that he is still an innocent kid. But, why are his demands for a house so strict?''


    He sighed and went to contact his old friend who usually sold him thend.


    Fujin had lunch and went to Eiji''s shop in the afternoon. On entering the shop, he spotted another old guy next to Eiji.


    When Fujin arrived, they showed him a map of Konoha that showed the plots he had for sale. There were 5 that were suitable for Fujin. However, 3 of them were close to the residential areas of the Uchiha, Hyuga and Aburame ns. Fujin didn''t consider those.


    One of the plots caught his eye though. It was a 2,500 square meters (around 26k square feet) plot. It was about 100 meters away from the civilian residential area. No n was close to this ce. And Training Ground 23 was very close to here!


    Fujin visited the plot along with the two old men and decided to buy it.


    Eiji was shocked again! Today was not a good day for his heart. He asked, "You want to buy the whole plot and not just a small part of it to build your house?"


    His friend looked at him with a frown on his face! He was stopping his business.


    Fujin said, "Oh, we can buy a small part of it as well. What''s its cost?"


    Eiji''s friend replied, "That area is very far from the center of the vige. So the prices are cheap. I can sell a 1000 square feet area plot for one hundred thousand Ryo. But, if you buy the entire plot, I can sell it to you for 2 million Ryo."


    Fujin thought, ''Not bad, that''s much better. Though still quite expensive. Anyways, I don''t have any big expenses lined up.''


    He looked at Eiji and asked, "How much will constructing a house cost?"


    Eiji answered, "It depends on how big a house you want. A house like the ones I showed you first will cost around 500 thousand Ryo to construct."


    Fujin replied, "Great."


    He looked at his friend and said, "I''ll buy the entire plot then. Can you go any cheaper, old man?"


    Eiji and his friend only had one thought, ''How rich is this kid?''


    Fujin bargained over the price for a bit. In the end, he bought the whole plot for 1.6 million Ryo. They did all the paperwork for thend transfer.


    Fujin then discussed the design of the house with Eiji. Eiji showed some of his ns. In the end, Fujin decided on a great-looking design, built on an area of 4,000 square feet at the center of the plot, with three storeys and 2 basement floors.


    They began discussing the price and the time needed to construct the house. Eiji had seen Fujin bargain earlier. He said. "Don''t bother discussing the price of construction with me. I''ll quote you the lowest price. Constructing this house will cost you 1.8 million Ryo and it will take around 7-8 months to be entirely built."


    Fujin frowned, "7-8 months? That long?"


    Eiji sighed and replied, "Do you think making a house is easy, kid? My men will first have to dig a deep hole toy down a proper foundation. The digging itself will take 2-3 months. And your house will be very big. So we will need time to make it properly."


    Fujin thought, ''That''s reasonable.''


    He asked, "I have one question, old man. Will you be digging the entire ground, or do you have to leave some pirs for support?"


    Eiji was surprised by that question. He didn''t expect to hear it from Fujin. He replied, "We will be digging the entire ground. Pirs made from the ground aren''t very sturdy."


    Fujin said, "Okay, I can get the digging done quickly then."


    Eiji asked, "Do you have an affinity for Earth nature maniption?"


    Fujin was surprised. He thought, ''I didn''t expect a civilian to know about nature maniption. Makes sense though. There should have been other ninjas who did the same.''


    He nodded, "Yes."


    Eiji replied, "That''s great. Alright then. Once you havepleted digging, I will reduce the construction cost depending on how much work is done."


    Fujin nodded and asked, "Another question. Will this house be able to withstand any attacks?"


    Eiji replied, "Only very weaker ones. If you want, I can invite a Seal Master to inscribe seals on your house to make it more sturdy. But even then, it won''t be able to stop something very powerful. But, we are in Konoha. Such attacks won''t happen on us anyways."


    Fujin looked at him thinking, ''Yeah, there will be two deadly attacks on us within a decade. The house is certain to be destroyed by Pain. I''d just prefer it to survive Sound and Sand invasion.''


    Fujin said, "Alright. You can invite the seal master then."


    Eiji replied, "Inviting a seal master will increase the costs."


    Fujin asked, "How much?"


    Eiji answered, "I will have to talk with him. You can expect an additional 500 thousand to 1 million Ryo cost."


    Fujin''s eyes widened. He thought, ''Fucking million Ryo for just inscribing some seals? If money could be used to get stronger, I''d have stopped going for missions and worked as a seal master all the time!''


    Fujin said, "Alright."


    Eiji replied, "I will need a week to test this ground and decide on a n to proceed. Soe to my shop after a week. Once I have marked everything, you can dig the hole."


    Fujin nodded and left. While leaving he thought, ''I didn''t think that I would blow up almost the entire bounty rewards on the house. I could have saved money on the seal master. But I haven''t ever professionally worked as a seal master other than selling storage scrolls.


    And, putting seals on the house once it is done won''t be as effective as applying them while constructing it. Let''s forget it, I am not short on money. So it''s fine. I will have to inspect the sealster though. I doubt a professional would try anything funny, but it is always better to be vignt. Fuinjutsu has a lot of applications.''

 Chapter 149: First Mission as the Team Leader!

    The next day, Fujin returned to his training routine.


    A few dayster, Fujin was breathing heavily. However, there was a big smile on his face. The trees in front of him were riddled with holes!


    He eximed, "Finally! I can perform Vacuum Bullets without using hand signs!"


    In 11 days of training, Fujin had mastered the Air Bullet jutsu. The hand signs for the Vacuum Bullet jutsu were the same as the Air Bullet jutsu. He was able to perform it without hand signs a minute after mastering the Air Bullet jutsu. He practiced the Vacuum Bullet jutsu till he wasfortable and then began practicing the Infinite Breakthrough jutsu.


    On the appointed day, he met up with Eiji. Eiji had marked his entire plot. Eiji showed him the markings and told him where and how deep to dig.


    Eiji and his employees cleared the area and watched with anticipation. They were looking forward to Fujin''s disy. In the past, they had seen some amazing feats.


    Unfortunately, they would be disappointed. They stood for a couple of hours to see Fujin use Earth Camp jutsu a few hundred times to dig up the hole. In fact, most got bored and left with disappointment.


    Fujin checked his work and left the hole. He walked towards Eiji only to see a dumbfounded expression on his face. He asked, "What''s the matter?"


    Eiji sighed and replied, "Nothing."


    Fujin said, "Please check if everything is alright."


    Eijiined in his heart, ''How can there be any mistakes when you work so slowly?''


    He said, "It''s alright. It''ll decrease your construction cost by 400 thousand Ryo. I also talked with a Seal Master. We decided on 600 thousand Ryo cost. Is that alright?"


    Fujin nodded and asked, "Can I watch when he inscribes the seals?"


    Eiji said, "Sure. It''s your house after all. I''ll send a worker to your house to give you the message."


    Fujin thanked him and left back for training.


    The next afternoon, Fujin was practicing the Infinite Breakthrough jutsu. He had already learnt how to use it without any hand signs. Its simrity with the Great Breakthrough jutsu allowed Fujin to master it quickly. He was now practicing supercharging this jutsu quickly. However, he suddenly stopped practicing and looked in a direction.


    He thought, ''Someone entered the training ground? Who? The chakra signature is very low. So either he is weak or good at hiding his chakra level.''


    The person Fujin sensed was moving towards him. Fujin stopped practicing and waited to see who it was. After a little while, a young man in his early twenties appeared.


    He looked at Fujin and asked, "Hey, you are Fujin, right?


    Fujin nodded and asked, "Yes. Who are you?"


    He answered, "I am Endo Tadao. I came here to call you to the Mission Center. You are called there."


    Fujin thought, ''Are they finally assigning me a mission? Is he a messenger or someone who works there?''


    He replied, "Alright, I will be there."


    Tadao looked at Fujin. He seemed to have no intention to leave. He said, "Can you leave now? They have called you immediately."


    Fujin sighed and said, "Alright."


    Tadao expected Fujin to follow him back. However, Fujin just disappeared! He was shocked, ''What the hell? I just blinked my eyes and he disappeared!''


    He immediately looked around himself but didn''t find anyone. However, he saw the destruction Fujin had caused in that training ground. He muttered, "He really left like that. Shichiro wasn''t lying about his skill and strength."


    He turned around and began running back to the Hokage building.


    Fujin flickered to the Hokage building. He entered the building and walked into the mission center.


    On entering, he saw a few chunins who were working there. In addition, there were a few more ninjas. Looking at Fujin, one of the chunin officers stood up and called him. Fujin recognized him. He was the one who assigned most of the Bandit Hunting missions to Team Renjiro.


    Fujin walked towards him while noticing two other ninjas standing in front of his desk.


    Shichiro said, "Fujin-kun, long time no see."


    Fujin nodded. He hadn''t taken a mission from this room since the mission to the Land of Tea.


    Shichiro asked, "Where is Tadao?"


    Fujin replied, "The messenger? Not sure. I came here after he asked me to."


    Shichiro was dumbfounded. He sighed and said, "He isn''t the messenger. He will be your teammate for the next mission."


    Fujin thought, ''Really? He seemed weak. Was he hiding his strength?''


    Shichiro introduced the two ninjas next to him, "He is Kimiyama Yasuoka and he is Obake Kaneie. Along with Endo Tadao, they will be in your team. You will be the leader of this team for this mission."


    Fujin''s eyebrows twitched. He thought, ''Both their chakra levels are weak as well. Don''t tell me¡­''


    Shichiro took a document and handed it to Fujin. Fujin read the title and his face immediately became dark.


    Shichiro said, "Your mission is to eliminate this new bandit group. They have been creating a lot of trouble."


    Fujin looked at him and handed him the document back. He said, "I don''t want it. Call me when you have any rank B mission for me."


    Yosuoka and Kaneie burned in embarrassment. A kid half their age was refusing to do a mission they couldn''t undertake without supervision!


    Shichiro sighed and said, "Fujin, you have just be a Chunin. Even if you are assigned a rank B mission, you won''t be selected as the team leader. That role will be taken by the more experienced Chunins.


    You will have to undertake rank C missions to build up your leadership skills. Only once you lead in arge number of rank C missions, will you be able to lead rank B missions."


    Fujin observed Shichiro. He sensed that he wasn''t lying. But he also sensed that what he said wasplete bullshit! The reason that he was giving him this mission was just so he could get augh from Fujin''s reaction. Fujin was sure that he would give Hoka and Mieko Bandit elimination missions as well.


    Fujin was about to leave, but Shichiro stopped him and began giving a number of reasons to take this mission. Wanting to get him off his back, Fujin finally agreed.


    However, he said, "This is thest time I am taking a rank C mission. The next time you assign me a Bandit Elimination mission, I''ll forge evidence that you are their ring leader!"


    Shichiro smiled and handed him the document back. Tadao finally returned to the Mission Center. He was breathing heavily.


    Fujin looked at his three new subordinates and asked, "When do you guys want to leave for the mission?"


    Yasuoka answered, "We are ready to leave anytime."


    Fujin said, "Alright. Let''s meet at the Vige Gate in a couple of hours."


    Fujin left to have his lunch. Tadao, Yasuoka and Kaneie saw him leave.


    Tadao asked, "Are we getting too old?"


    Kaneie refused, "No way! I am not even married yet!"


    Yasuoka sighed at his teammate''s antics. He said, "Well, at least he is strong. Though he seems to be very arrogant. He didn''t put us in his eyes at all."


    Shichiro chuckled and patted his back. He said, "Don''t worry. He is very reasonable and bnced. And he is very strong. From what I heard, he is even stronger than me. And he has a reputation for being the Bandit Exterminator! You guys will be fine."


    Tadao, Yasuoka and Kaneie sighed. They knew they had been set up by Shichiro. All four of them were 22 years old. They were in the same year in the academy and were good friends. Unfortunately, the three of them weren''t very talented. They never managed to be promoted to Chunin and had already given up on it.


    They stayed together as a team and would only take rank C missions asionally for the money and to stay in shape. Shichiro was a bit more talented than them. He managed to be promoted to the Chunin rank in the 3rd Great Ninja War. But he became weary of risking his life and took a desk job.


    After a couple of hours, Fujin and the three genins assembled. Fujin asked, "Have you prepared the necessary weapons and rations for the mission?"


    All three genins nodded awkwardly as many were watching when Fujin asked this question.


    Fujin asked, "What are your specialities?"


    Tadao said, "I am good at throwing Shurikens. I can hit a bullseye every single time."


    Yasuoka said, "I have mastered water nature maniption."


    While there was no change in Fujin''s expression, he scoffed in his mind, ''Mastered? Why don''t you put your name down as a candidate for the 5th Hokage?''


    Kaneie said, "I can observe our surroundings carefully and pick up on clues."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Alright, let''s go."


    However, Tadao stopped him, "Wait Fujin. Can you tell us about your specialities?"


    Fujin stopped and turned around. He answered, "I know a bit of Wind and Earth nature maniption and am good with clones."


    After answering he turned around and began leaving. The trio were a bit surprised. They expected the preteen to brag about his prowess. But, he didn''t show off at all! They quickly followed him.

 Chapter 150: A Scheme Targetting Konoha

    Fujin and his squad moved quickly through the forest. Kaneie took the position at the front while Fujin was in the rear. asionally, Fujin used to activate his chakra field and sense his surroundings.


    Fujin sighed thinking, ''This is tough without Hoka. I could divide this job with him to reduce my workload. And, his eyes could notice the stuff I missed and vice-versa.''


    After some time, Yasuoka asked, "Fujin, you became a Chunin in thest Chunin exam, right?"


    Fujin replied, "Yes."


    Yasuoka asked again, "Who were your Sensei and teammates?"


    Yasuoka and his teammates were getting very bored by moving without talking even a bit. And talking among themselves while ignoring Fujin would have been rude. So Yasuoka began talking with Fujin.


    Fujin didn''t have much of an interest in interacting with them. There wasn''t much benefit in doing it. But, as they kept on talking, Fujin realized that those guys were fun. So their talks became more cordial.


    At some point, Fujin asked, "How often do you guys do such missions?"


    Tadao answered, "It depends on our expenses. Usually, we do one or two missions per month. Shichiro assigns a Chunin to our team to lead the mission."


    Fujin asked, "And do you always do missions together?"


    Kaneie nodded, "Yes. For rank C missions, we are together as a team. But, if someone needs some extra money, then they take some rank D missions solo."


    Fujin thought, ''Not bad. I guess it is a good method of making money. Well, at least to handle day-to-day needs. Plus with the same team, they should be very familiar with each other and should have solid teamwork. Unfortunately, they are too weak. If they were at least Chunins, their team could have been slightly famous.''


    They continued moving towards their target. While moving, Fujin seriously considered, ''Should I create such a team too? Having teammates with a good bond, teamwork andplementary skills could ease up the missions quite well.


    But, even if I decide to make such a squad, who should I include? The only ones thate to mind are Mieko and Hoka. Perhaps I could even ask Teru and Yori as well. Though I haven''t met them for over a year.


    That said, both Mieko and Yori will die soon. So there isn''t much point in including them. Also, both Hoka and Teru are quite headstrong. And, neither have the fire element or the genjutsu skills that an Uchiha brings to the table.''


    Fujin thought for a bit before finally giving up, ''Leave it. Such a team works for these guys because they are all equally weak and have no great ambitions. Among the strong, no such teams ever formed. The only squad with an all S rank roster thates to my mind is the Sannins. And, even they broke up.''


    The journey to the reported area took 7 hours. Fujin sighed internally, ''If I was with my previous squad, we could have reached here in three hours. Unfortunately, not only were these guys slow, but they also needed 2 breaks! I guess expecting the same level of fitness and capability as my old squad was a bit too much. Probably only Anbu or Jounin squads will have a higher efficiency than us.''


    Fujin and the genins were observing the area. There were clear signs of a fight happening at that ce.


    Yasuoka observed the surroundings and said, "There are multiple broken carts here. Looks like the attack had taken ce here."


    Kaneie snorted in displeasure, "Those cocky bandits didn''t even bother to hide and cover up their actions."


    Fujin too wondered about that, ''That''s weird. None of the dozens of bandit camps we cleared had such stupid bandits. It''s as if they want to let others know that they created trouble. But why would a bandit group attract unwanted attention?''


    The weirdness of the situation suddenly increased Fujin''s alertness to the max!


    Kaneie began observing the clues. He said, "ording to the clues, they ar¡­"


    However, Fujin interrupted him, "Southwestern direction. About 1100 meters from here. Move quickly and quietly."


    The trio were surprised. They never thought that Fujin would be a sensor as well! They immediately followed his instructions without anyints or doubts.


    They moved over a kilometer in the direction that Fujin pointed before they could see the camp.


    Kaneie was very surprised. He said softly, "First they left all the clues on the road. And they have a campout in the open? Sure it''s in the forest, but there is no cover for them at all when someone finds them!"


    Yasuoka and Tadao were confused too. The ce had multiple small huts made of bamboo and leaves. They were spread over a hundred meters and could probably hold around 60 bandits. There was no natural protection other than the forests.


    However, Fujin''s attention was on something else, ''Oh! I see. There is one ninja among this bandit group. And he seems to be at the Chunin level. Is he behind this stupidity? Or is he scheming up something?''


    Fujin''s eyes moved towards his temporary subordinates as he thought, ''Having subordinates is kinda nice. I''ll let them test the waters. If it''s just this guy, then I will assassinate him. If he is indeed cooking up some scheme, then they will be good meat shields. I''ll stay back and observe what scheme is being cooked here.


    Sigh, they kinda seem good. Unfortunately, this world is too dangerous. If something were to happen to them, then it''s their own fault for being so weak!''


    Fujin steeled his resolve. He said, "You guys begin the assault. Move quietly and eliminate as many as you before alerting the whole camp. I''ll stay behind and observe in case there is anything fishy."


    Tadao, Yasuoka and Kaneie nodded and moved. They weren''t aware that there was someone stronger than them among the bandits. Fujin stayed behind and observed them.


    In the central hut of the camp, arge man was rxing on a ratherfortable deck chair. Two slimdies were around him, one massaging his shoulders and another his thighs. Both had scared looks on their face. The man grinned like a pervert while enjoying the treatment. Some other bandits in the room were looking at them lecherously.


    The man sitting in the chair was Idane Kaii. He was a hotheaded chunin from Kumogakure. Due to his hotheadedness, he killed a civilian and hence ended up in a prison. Fortunately for him, he was able to get out of prison due to ''special'' circumstances.


    A month ago in the Raikage Office :


    An old man entered the Raikage''s office and ced some documents in front of him. He was an elder in Kumogakure. He said, "These are some reports that we received from the Land of Fire."


    Mabui took the reports and began reading. The Fourth Raikage frowned. He asked, "Is Konoha up to something?"


    The old man shook her head and said, "No, this is rted to their trade. In the past couple of months, their trade has suddenly boomed. If their trade continues to increase at this rate, then they will earn a lot of money which they can use to train more ninjas."


    A''s frown deepened. He said, "Konoha controls the richest and the most fertilend in this world. If they begin growing rapidly, then their strength can once again surpass us."


    The old man nodded and said, "Yes. And if that happens, then war will have to be started again to prevent Konoha from getting too strong. Though Minato died and Orochimaru betrayed them, their strength is still quite strong. Some of their younger ninjas are gaining fame quickly. We need to ensure that Konoha''s growth is at least slowed so that we don''t have to go to another war."


    A''s immediately became angry. He said, "Just a few years ago we could force them to hand over an Elite Jounin. And now they are bing a threat again?"


    However, the old man calmed him down, "I would advise you not to make such a reckless move again Lord Fourth. Konoha promoted a lot of chunins to Jounins in this period. More importantly, our spies have reported that Iwa is recovering its strength rapidly too. That Fence Sitter is spending a huge amount of money on raising new ninjas.


    If Konoha decides to retaliate instead of being desperate for peace, then we could get in a pickle."


    A calmed down slightly. He asked, "What do you suggest then?"


    The old man said, "ording to my sources, Konoha''s trade suddenly boomed as their bandits were killed at a rapid pace. So we should increase their bandit groups."


    A thought for a bit. He looked at Mabui and said, "Mabui, see if we have any useful prisoners. We will release them and let them be rogue ninjas inside the Land of Fire and have them start more bandit groups."


    Mabui nodded and left to check their data.


    The old man said, "While Konoha doesn''t have the strength to retaliate against us, it''ll be better if we don''t leave any clues behind."


    A nodded and said, "Yes, I know that. It''ll be annoying if they retaliate with simr measures. Though if they do, I''ll smash them all!"

 Chapter 151: Be Careful of Explosions

    Yasuoka, Tadao and Kaneie moved quietly. They began from one edge of the base. They silently entered a hut, killed everyone in it, and moved on to the next hut.


    They were quite sessful and kept killing in this manner. It continued until one of the bandits who was moving towards the hut noticed something entering it very quickly. He quickly moved towards the hut.


    Tadao, who was killing the ones inside the hut, noticed a banditing in. He killed everyone and waited inside the hut to kill the iing bandit. But, the bandit never entered the hut. Instead, he stopped around 10 meters away from it.


    Tadao frowned, ''If he doesn''te in quickly, then the smell of the blood will spread!''


    Tadao lost his patience and ran outside towards the bandit. The bandit noticed and screamed, "INTRUD¡­"


    Tadao cut his neck before he could finish. Unfortunately, that yell alerted everyone.


    However, they weren''t worried. They had already killed over half the bandits. All three immediately hid behind the huts. They waited for the bandits to rush out.


    The scream had made all bandits rush out. Kaii was displeased at being disturbed. He left his tent grumpily.


    As soon as the bandits exited the huts, they were ambushed. Another 10 bandits were killed.


    Fujin thought, ''Not bad, these guys are neat. Anyways, there don''t seem to be any traps here. Is it just a brainless rogue ninja?''


    The remaining bandits were terrified. They prepared themselves for a fight.


    Kaii screamed, "Konoha scums! Die!"


    He immediately made a move towards Yasuoka. Yasuoka''s eyes widened as he noticed that Kaii had chakra! He immediately made hand signs.


    ''Water Release : Fish Spit Jutsu''


    Yasuoka spat a jet of water at Kaii. However, Kaii scoffed, "Water release? Worthless!"


    He made hand signs as well.


    ''Lightning Release : Lightning Bolt Jutsu''


    He extended his finger towards the iing jet of water. A small bolt of Lightning was released through his finger. It hit the jet of the water and travelled through it to Yasuoka.


    Yasuoka didn''t expect it. The lightning hit him and shocked him. Though it didn''t injure him critically, it made moving harder. And inbat, this alone was fatal!


    Kaii smirked at seeing the terror on Yasuoka''s face. He grabbed a kunai and ran towards Yasuoka. Tadao and Kaneie noticed it as well and got very worried! They immediately killed the bandits in their path and moved towards Yasuoka. Unfortunately, they were too far away!


    Yasuoka''s life shed in front of his eyes as he saw Kaii approaching him. He barely managed to grab a kunai and raise it, but his movements were very slow.


    Kaii began swinging his kunai at Yasuoka when a Vacuum Bullet hit his forehead and pierced through it. His body was thrown behind by a couple of meters due to the momentum of the vacuum bullet.


    Yasuoka, who had almost given up on his life, was stunned. So were Tadao, Kaneie and the bandits. The bandits immediately began running.


    Fujin had been sensing continuously but didn''t find anyone else. So he decided to make a move. After all, losing a ninja on his first mission as a team leader won''t look good.


    Tadao and Kaneie exchanged nces and thought, ''Didn''t he say that he only knew a bit of Wind nature maniption?''


    Fujin, who was still alert, suddenly became very serious! He made a hand sign and yelled, "MOVE BACK!"


    The trio were surprised. Tadao and Kaneie immediately moved backwards. Yasuoka was still struggling. Fujin''s Wind Clone appeared behind him. He grabbed Yasuoka''s cor and tossed him behind. At the same time, he extended his other arm towards Kaii. A Spinning Shield of Wind appeared in front of the clone.


    Kaii''s body suddenly exploded! The explosion burnt everything within a radius of 10 meters and sent dust and small pebbles flying for a long distance. The Spinning Shield of Wind was destroyed as well. But no debris flew past it and hence Yasuoka was safe.


    However, Tadao and Kaneie were injured lightly by some pebbles. So were the bandits. Fujin frowned. He created 5 wind clones. 3 stayed around him while the other 2 flickered towards the bandits and killed them all.


    Fujin thought, ''What the hell? Did he carry a hundred explosion tags to take revenge on the one who kills him? No, why would anyone do that? The more likely case is that someone used him as a booby trap. But who? And for what purpose?''


    Fujin wasn''t sure of his analysis, but it was on point. A had sent a few dozen prisoners to the Land of Fire. They were instructed to act as bandits, or else Kumo woulde after them again. Every one of these ninjas had seals inscribed on their bodies. Seals that would explode with a huge force after being killed. In order to ensure that they won''t surrender, all of them were threatened with terrible consequences to either themselves or their loved ones.


    A''s target was to reintroduce uncertainty for trading caravans in the Land of Fire. And, he would also hit Konoha''s ninjas. Most of the prisoners he released could easily kill genins. It''d be especially good if they killed younger genins.


    And if they were killed by Chunins or Jounins, then the explosion could have a slight chance to kill them as well. For Konoha, who had just begun recovering, such a loss could be a setback.


    Unfortunately for A, in this particr instance, his opponent was a ninja who loved his life too much to fall for such a trick. But, if A was to learn of the disappointing performance of Kaii, he wouldn''t care much. Kaii and his bandit group had already killed 3 trading caravans mercilessly. When this news spreads, it''ll create panic among the traders and they won''t trust the Land of Fire to provide them withplete safety.


    Even after all the bandits were killed, Fujin didn''t sense anyone. So he flickered on the nearest tree to the explosion and said, "Gather here."


    The trio nodded and began moving towards Fujin. The genins now looked at Fujin in a new light. Without him, it was very likely that they might have not returned alive!


    Fujin created a shadow clone who gathered and stored whatever remained of Kaii''s body in a scroll.


    Fujin asked, "How are your injuries?"


    Yasuoka said, "I am fine. My body was restricted a bit by the electric shock. It has recovered."


    Tadao said, "I am fine too. Just some scratches from the pebbles."


    Kaneie said, "Same here."


    Fujin nodded. None of them had any serious wounds.


    Yasuoka asked, "Fujin, you are a sensor, right? Did you sense that ninja before we attacked?"


    Fujin shook his head and said, "No. I didn''t sense any chakra from him. I guess either he knew how to suppress his chakra or had some sort of seal that allowed him to hide his chakra from sensors."


    Yasuoka''s face became grim. If such events happened frequently, then their risk while doing rank C missions would increase exponentially!


    Both Tadao and Kaneie had grim faces too.


    Fujin understood why their faces were grim but didn''t say anything. Fujin''s shadow clone had stored the dead body and then gathered all the survivors in the camp. There were 8 young girls. All were very afraid due to their horrible experience and the gore around them.


    Fujin asked, "Are any of you good with first-aid?"


    Kaneie said, "Me."


    Fujin said, "Alright. Apply the necessary first-aid to them. We will move away quickly."


    Kaneie applied first-aid to them andforted them a bit. Seeing that they were Konoha ninjas, the girls rxed slightly.


    The group moved away a few kilometers before setting up a camp to rest. They rested for the night and began the journey back to Konoha the next day. Since the civilian girls also travelled with them, the journey back took one and a half days!


    After returning to Konoha, they handed the girls to the proper authorities and went straight to the Mission Center. Fujin reported the details of the mission to Shichiro. Shichiro was surprised. He said, "I didn''t think that such a new bandit group would have such a strong ninja."


    He sighed in relief, ''I am d I chose Fujin. Else some of them might have died.''


    Shichiro had seen many of his ssmates die. He didn''t want to see more dying.


    He handed a paper to Fujin and said, "Fujin, as the team leader, you have to write the mission report. Please fill in the details in this form and describe how the mission went and any observations you made."


    Fujin nodded and took the form. Shichiro continued, "Since this mission involved a Chunin level ninja as the enemy, I will upgrade your mission to rank B. Your rewards will also be increased from 50 thousand Ryo to 500 thousand Ryo."


    Hearing that improved the moods of the genins. With ten times the rewards, they could afford to not take a mission for almost a year. They could perform safe rank D missions for some money if they needed it.


    Fujin took 200k Ryo and gave the three 100k Ryo each. The four said farewells and left. Before leaving, Fujin looked at Shichiro and reminded him, "Don''t assign me to rank C missions again."


    Shichiro''s eyes twitched. He said, "This was a rank B mission."


    Fujin replied, "It''s not the same. If you assign me another rank C, I''ll refuse to take it."


    Without waiting for his reply, Fujin left.


    Shichiro muttered, "These kids are so annoying! And how can I even assign him to a rank B mission? Did Renjiro-sama not talk with him?"

 Chapter 152: Three Months of Non-Stop Training!

    After returning home, Fujin began writing the report. He finished it before having dinner and meditated for a bit before sleeping.


    The next day, Fujin submitted the report and got back to training. He began practicing the Vacuum Bullet jutsu. He had two aims. The first was to decrease the amount of time needed to form and shoot the Vacuum Bullet. The second was to create two Vacuum Bullets at the same time.


    While Fujin was training, his report, along with a few others,nded on Hiruzen''s table. Hiruzen''s expression wasn''t good. There were quite a few people in his office. And most were waiting for the thoughts of one person.


    Nara Shikaku said, "It looks like someone isn''t happy with the trade boom that we experienced recently. And seeing the jutsus used, these ninjas are most likely from Kumogakure. I believe that Kumogakure is using its prisoners to do this suicidal task. They should be unaware of the seals on their body."


    Hiruzen nodded. He too had reached the same conclusion. He asked, "What do you suggest we do?"


    Shikaku said, "It''s quite easy. We will analyze the data of bandit groups and see which bandit groups rose abruptly. We will dispatch Anbu squads to crush those bandit groups. Jounin squads who are moving out to perform rank A and S missions will also be tasked to clear out such bandit groups if they are near their route."


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "Alright. I''ll hand themand of this mission to you Shikaku. Clear them out."


    Shikaku thought, ''I analyzed the information and strategized so that you could assign them missions. Why are you handing me themand?''


    Unfortunately, it wouldn''t look good if heined in front of so many people. So he agreed. In the next week, every single of these groups was eliminated by Shikaku with the help of Anbu, Root and Jounins. Though A''s goals were sessful initially, they didn''t affect Konoha much overall.


    After a week of training, Fujin analyzed, ''I managed to improve my control over the Vacuum bullet and decrease the time needed to use it considerably. But, I had no sess at all in forming the 2nd Vacuum Bullet. I guess Hiruzen was right.''


    Since he couldn''t create another Vacuum bullet at the same time, he decided, ''Alright. From now on, I''ll focus entirely on Fuinjutsu!''


    He created a Shadow clone with 10% of his chakra. The clone flickered to the library.


    Fujin created a bunch of more clones. Four of them split in four different directions and began and activated their chakra field.


    Fujin sensed the chakra fields and thought, ''I would have loved to master Fuinjutsu at home. But, my house doesn''t have enough space for my clones. Oh well, it''s not like my house can hide me from Byakugan or that perverted crystal ball.


    Besides, the training ground rarely has any visitors. The only two who visited me here so far are Renjiro and Tadao. So it should be safe. Anyways, if someone does see me, I''ll just say that my grandpa asked me to learn it to prepare for Flying Thunder God jutsu, haha. My skill at Fuinjutsu bing public shouldn''t have any effect on me now. Only the surprise element will be lost.''


    While his clone went to the library, Fujin started with the Finger Carving Seal. It was very easy and he mastered it within a few minutes.


    He opened a scroll and summoned the items that will be needed to practice and waited while meditating.


    Library -


    Fujin''s Shadow Clone entered the B section of the library. He grabbed the Advanced Fuinjutsu theory and Sealing Tags scroll.


    He sat down and read how to create the Sealing Tag. He also checked the new symbols that he would have to learn to create it. After 15 minutes of careful reading, he made a hand sign.


    ''Shadow Clone jutsu''


    A shadow clone appeared next to him. As soon as the new clone appeared, the new clone dispelled itself.


    As soon as the clone dispelled himself, Fujin received the memories. Knowing all the information needed to learn the Sealing Tag, Fujin made a hand sign.


    He used Shadow Clone jutsu repeatedly until he created 10 clones. He thought, ''This is my first time. So I''ll limit myself to 10 clones. If my head is fine, I''ll create more.''


    Fujin and the 10 clones began creating the Sealing tag individually. The 4 sensor clones kept an eye out for any intruders while the clone in the library began reading information on other seals.


    Fujin and his 10 clones practiced for half an hour. Fujin dismissed his clones. Memories of the clones rushed into his head causing a small headache.


    Fujin thought, ''That wasn''t bad. Working on the same thing reduces the impact of sudden memories. I can try with 15 this time.''


    Fujin meditated for a few minutes to properly understand the gains of all 10 clones andbine all information into one. After 5 minutes, he began using Shadow Clone jutsu again.


    While making the clones, he thought, ''I need to get the Multi Shadow Clone jutsu. Creating them one by one is kinda tedious. That said, how do I ask Hiruzen or Renjiro for a forbidden jutsu?''


    He thought for a bit, but couldn''te up with anything reasonable. He thought, ''Leave it. I''ll ask when the opportunity presents itself. Till then, I will consider this as a form of training to master the Shadow Clone jutsu. I still can''t do it without thatst hand seal.''


    Fujin continued learning Fuinjutsu in this manner. Eventually, he increased the number of Shadow Clones to 20. For three whole months, no one disturbed him!


    In these three months, Fujin managed to learn to create the Explosion Tag, Sealing Tag, Chakra Suppression Seal, Barrier Tag, Five Elements Tag, Cloth Binding technique, Silence Seal, Anti-Byakugan Seal, Anti-Sharingan Seal, Stealth Seal, Light Absorption Seal, Training Seal, Resistance Seal, Gravity Seal and a bunch of other seals.


    While he didn''t learn all the seals, he learnt enough to be able to replicate the Meditation room from the tower. He also managed to create storage seals that can store living beings and tested them with some rats. While he couldn''t be considered a Fuinjutsu Master yet, he was very close.


    In these 3 months, he also kept increasing the difficulty of his morning physical workout. He had increased the training seal''s power to 68%. In addition, he also practiced his Ninjutsu once a week.


    During this period, Eiji contacted Fujin twice to view the two times when the Fuinjutsu master that he invited inscribed seals on his house. Fujin observed the process carefully. He didn''t recognize the Fuinjutsu master. But, the Fuinjutsu master was definitely more skilled than him. However, Fujin recognized all the seals he inscribed. There wasn''t any funny business.


    While Fujin made massive progress, one thought popped up often in his mind, ''Why am I not being called for any missions? I expected that I would be assigned to a few B rank missions at least. After all, shouldn''t wind element ninja be in demand in a vige where most have the fire element?''


    However, he never did anything about it. He was very happy with the progress he was making with Fuinjutsu.


    Finally, Fujin''s training in istion was disturbed. While he was practicing a seal, a chunin entered Training Ground 23. One of Fujin''s clones sensed him and dispelled himself.


    Fujin and his clones received the memories. In a few seconds, all items were packed and stored in the scroll. Fujin kept the scroll back and dispelled his clones.


    The chunin didn''t realize that he was sensed. In a few seconds, he arrived where Fujin was. Fujin saw him. He looked like in histe teens. The chunin said, "Hey Fujin, I am Hatake Ryota. You have been assigned to our squad for a mission. Come with me."


    Fujin nodded and followed him. He dispelled his clones that were sensing. Fujin wondered, ''Why exactly did I not get any mission for 3 months? Did Hiruzen spy on me learning Fuinjutsu and decide to give me a break? But, that doesn''t sound like him at all!''


    Fujin''s analysis couldn''t have been farther from the truth!


    Two days ago in the Hokage Office -


    Hiruzen asked, "Takao, can you tell me the status of Renjiro''s students?"


    Takao answered, "I''ll have to check Lord Hokage. I''ll let you knowter."


    Hiruzen nodded.


    A few hourster, Takao entered the Hokage office. Hiruzen saw that he had a rather strange expression.


    Takao said, "Lord Hokage, I checked the information about Renjiro''s students.


    Hyuga Hoka joined a Chunin squad arranged by his father. He fulfils the typical Hyuga role in a squad. He has led in 7 rank C missions and participated in 3 rank B missions.


    Uchiha Mieko joined the Uchiha Police Force. In addition, she has led in 3 rank C missions and participated in 5 rank B missions. Both Mieko and Hoka have shown great promise.


    About Fujin¡­"


    Hiruzen was looking forward the most to Fujin''s performance. But he wondered, ''What exactly did Fujin do for Takao to make such a strange face?''


    Takao said, "Fujin has led in just one rank C mission about 2 weeks after that rank A mission. The mission got upgraded to rank B, but hepleted the mission without any casualties. But, after that, he took no mission at all."


    Hiruzen was surprised. He didn''t understand Fujin''s behavior. He asked, "What has Fujin been doing?"


    Takao said, "I did some research. He booked Training Ground 23 for 9 months. He has been visiting it daily and spends most of his time there."


    Hiruzen said, "I can understand Fujin training. But why didn''t he take any missions?"


    Takao said, "I am not sure."


    Hiruzen thought for a bit. Suddenly, it hit him! He said, "Wait, don''t tell me!"

 Chapter 153: The Importance of Socializing

    Takao saw Hiruzen. He wondered, ''What did Lord Hokage realize for him to be so surprised?''


    Hiruzen thought, ''No wonder Fujin never did any mission. He never joined a team. From what Genki had said, Fujin stayed alone and never interacted much with others. Renjiro noted the same thing and said that Fujin preferred being and acting alone.


    So Fujin has no contacts outside his small bubble of friends. And most of those friends are still in their genin squad or in the academy. He shouldn''t be in touch with any chunins other than maybe his academy teachers.


    And since he is an orphan, no one arranged for him to enter a squad. And with both his teammates being from big ns who were arranged in squads by their families, he was left with no one to make a team with.''


    Hiruzen said, "Takao, call Sarutobi Tamotsu to my office."


    Takao nodded and left the office.


    Hiruzen sighed, ''Renjiro didn''t teach that kid to socialize! And Fujin didn''t even approach anyone about it. If he had visited the Mission Center a few times and let others know about his Wind Release Capabilities, lots of teams would have extended an invitation to him. Even if no one invited him, at least he could have improved his leadership skills by clearing out the rank C missions. Instead, he just chose to not do any missions at all.''


    Hiruzen analyzed a few more things. In the end, he decided, ''I need to keep checking on Fujin''s progress every month. While he isn''t as talented as Minato or Orochimaru, he is still good. It''ll be a waste if he loses interest due to not doing any missions and only training.''


    Back to the present, Ryota led Fujin to Yakiniku.


    Fujin asked, "Shouldn''t we be going to the mission center?"


    Ryota replied, "Not really. Meet up with the team first. We will ept the mission officially tomorrow."


    Fujin wasn''t sure what Ryota was up to. But he followed him in. Ryota led him to a table where 3 other people and a dog were sitting.


    Fujin observed them. One of them was overdressed. Fujin noticed some bugs buzzing around him. Fujin concluded that he was from the Aburame n.


    Another was a definite Inuzuka. He was in histe teens as well. A huge ferocious-looking dogy behind him. The dog noticed Fujin''s gaze and stared back at him.


    Thest person looked to be in his mid-20s. His face had arge burn mark. There were multiple scars on his arms as well. Of the four people in this team, his chakra was the highest.


    The scar-faced guy looked at Fujin and smiled. He said, "So you are Fujin. I have heard a lot of good things about you. Come sit."


    Fujin sat down and said, "Hmm, I wonder who spoke about me."


    He chuckled, "It was Lord Hokage."


    Fujin wondered, ''Hmm¡­ What is that old fox up to?''


    The scar-faced guy said, "Let us introduce ourselves properly. I am Sarutobi Tamotsu. I am an Elite Chunin and the leader of this group. I specialize in Fire Release."


    The other members of the group began introducing themselves.


    Ryota said, "As I said, I''m Hatake Ryota. I am a Chunin. And I specialize in Earth Release."


    The man sitting with the dog said, "I am Inuzuka Tadashi. This is my partner Kenta. I am a chunin too. I am responsible for scouting, tracking and smelling danger. I specialize in Taijutsu and I can use a few Fire jutsus as well."


    Kenta barked at Fujin as if to say hello.


    Thest member, who was very quiet, said in a neutral tone, "I am Aburame Katsumi. I am a Chunin. I am responsible for scouting, tracking and trapping enemies. I can use some Water jutsus."


    Fujin heard them carefully and remembered their specialities.


    Tamotsu said, "Our teamcks explosive power. So we were looking for someone who specialized in Wind Release. That way, we could use a Fire-Windbination jutsu. Unfortunately, ninjas with good control over wind maniption are very rare in Konoha. That''s why, when Lord Hokage rmended you, I agreed. So Fujin, would you like to join our squad?"


    Fujin was a bit surprised. He asked casually, "I can refuse?"


    Tamotsu chuckled and said, "Of course, you can. I can''t force you to follow us. Hahaha."


    Fujin nodded and asked, "Can you tell me how teams work? Like how many missions you do. What are the rules ormon practices of your group? I haven''t been a part of any team before. So I don''t know much about this."


    Tamotsu answered, "You don''t need to worry much Fujin. We are very casual. So there are no strict rules as such. The most important thing is to give your all in the mission and maintain good teamwork. Also, never abandon your teammates. If you are found cking or putting your teammates at risk, then we won''t keep you in the team anymore. Of course, the same applies to the rest of us too"


    Fujin nodded. What Tamotsu said was basic.


    Tamotsu continued, "As for missions, we only do rank B missions. We take them continuously with a few days'' break between missions depending on how tired we are after the missions. The reward money is equally divided among all team members.


    When you are a part of the team, all your rank B missions will be with us. You can take up missions with other teams only if we take a long break. I wouldn''t rmend wasting time on rank C or D missions, but you can take them on your own on rest days if you want.


    The only exception would be if Lord Hokage assigns you on a separate mission or if you get invited for a rank A mission. In that case, give preference to those missions. Of course, let us know that you''ll be busy on those missions if possible."


    Fujin thought for a bit and concluded, ''That''s very reasonable.''


    Tamotsu asked, "So, do you want to be a part of our team Fujin?"


    Fujin replied, "Sure. I would like to be a part of your team."


    He sighed and said, "Besides, I haven''t been assigned any mission for 3 months. So I don''t really have any other choices."


    On hearing Fujin, Ryota, Katsumi and Tadashi had weird expressions. Tamotsu had an idea. He said, "Fujin, you are aware that you have to form a team and then go to the mission center to get missions, right?"


    Fujin looked at him and raised an eyebrow. He asked, "What do you mean?"


    He said, "You get missions only if you go to the Mission center with a team."


    Fujin was surprised. He thought, ''What the heck? I recall Hiruzen and Tsunade sending messages when they had to assign missions. I thought that job is done by Mission Center here instead.''


    He asked, "Are you sure?"


    Tamotsu replied, "Yes. You will be called only if Lord Hokage has a special mission for you. And usually, only Elite Jounins get missions assigned that way."


    Fujin was stunned. He eximed internally, ''Fuck! No wonder I never got any missions!''


    Fujin''s new squad chuckled at his expression. Tamotsu didn''t want Fujin to feel embarrassed on day 1. He said, "Introduce yourself Fujin."


    Fujin sighed again and said, "I am Suzuki Fujin. I specialize in Wind jutsus. I am also a sensor. So I could aid Tadashi-san and Katsumi-san a bit."


    Tamotsu said, "Good. Also, no need to be formal with us Fujin. Just use our names."


    Fujin nodded, "Alright."


    At that time, a waiter came in and delivered meat. Tamotsu said, "Let''s celebrate getting a new team member!"


    The group began eating while chatting casually.


    At one point, Fujin asked, "Tamotsu, how do you be an Elite Chunin? Is there an exam simr to the Chunin Exam?"


    Tamotsu said, "No. There is no exam. You get assigned this rank by doing missions. The missions that youplete are analyzed by the vige. When they are satisfied with your performances, they promote you to Elite Chunin."


    Fujin was surprised. He asked, "On what parameters do they decide?"


    Tamotsu replied, "Well, the basic requirements are your strength and overall capability. If you have any obvious weakness, you won''t be promoted to Elite Chunin. Once you meet those requirements, they check your mission record.


    There are no fixed criteria regarding the missions. So I can''tment on what parameters they check here. But, it''d be safe to say that you need to havepleted at least 50 rank B missions."


    Fujin thought and said, "Oh. Thank You."


    Tamotsu smiled and said, "No worries. There are a couple more things that you should know about Elite Chunins. Other viges aren''t as strict as Konoha while promoting to Jounins. So most Elite Chunins from Konoha can go up against Jounins of other viges. So don''t expect to be promoted quickly.


    Also, if you want to be promoted to Jounin or Special Jounin ranks, then you first need to be an Elite Chunin. Otherwise, you won''t be considered for Jounin promotions."


    Fujin nodded. He had expected that. After eating the food, Tamotsu said, "I have already epted a mission. Tomorrow, we will escort a noble from the Land of Rice back to his country. Meet up at the gate at 11 AM. And bring enough supplies for a couple of months."


    Fujin and the others nodded and left. After leaving, Fujin headed back to the training ground.

 Chapter 154: The First Mission with a New Squad

    En route, Fujin thought, ''So that''s why I never got assigned a mission again! Sigh, at least someone should have said something to me¡­ I guess Tamotsu''s words indirectly came from Hiruzen.


    That said, even if I did know this, I don''t have connections with any chunins. It''s the same issue that I concluded while going on the mission with Yasuoka and the rest. Just going around advertising my Wind jutsu capabilities would have been stupid. After all, who knows what squad I''d join up with? I guess the only choices avable were to ask Renjiro or Hiruzen to assign me to a team. It''s probably what Hiruzen did.


    That said, not having any connections is kinda an issue. I didn''t give much thought to this earlier as this is the world of the strong. As long as I keep working hard and reach the top, everyone would be trying to create a rtionship with me. But, reaching such a level will need a lot of time. And I might need aid along the path.


    At the very least, the help I got from Renjiro was critical. And unlike Hiruzen, it was a selfless act from him. Sigh, I will have to interact more with other ninjas. While I won''t ever need as much aid as Renjiro gave me, I will need to have connections in order to make different sorts of teams depending on missions.


    Still, how do I do that? It''s not like I can hang around and drink alongside them, can I? Leave it. No point in acting desperate. I''ll just make connections as I get opportunities in the future.


    Anyways, it''s not an issue to not have done any missions in thest 3 months. These months have improved my skill with Fuinjutsu a lot. I have learnt all the important seals. In terms of effectiveness, I should be on par with Seal masters. I''ll probably need a couple more months to learn all the remaining seals. But, I think it''ll be better to stop for now. I should practice the seals I have learnt for some time. After all, it''s very unlikely that Hiruzen would give me the scroll for Flying Thunder God so soon.''


    Fujin trained with his shadow clones to practice his ninjutsu, kenjutsu and taijutsu for a few hours.


    The next day, Fujin began moving towards Konoha''s entrance gate. He thought, ''Land of Rice¡­ I hope I don''t end up encountering Orochimaru. Encountering Kakuzu was plenty of excitement for a few years.''


    Fujin gathered with his new squad at the gate. Tamotsu said, "Our client will arrive here in a few minutes. I''ll brief you on the situation. The Land of Rice had been peaceful after the Third Great Ninja War. But, in thest few years, there have been many turbulences in the Land of Rice.


    Many rogue attacks have been reported. Many nobles are targeted too. Even their Daimyo''s retinue was targeted once. So, we have to be very careful during this mission.


    Tadashi, you will be responsible for smelling any possible attackers. Katsumi and Fujin, you two will back him up. Ryota, you will be responsible for keeping our client safe. You will cooperate with his bodyguard. I will be responsible to attack any attackers. Tadashi will assist me and Katsumi will provide long-range support. Fujin, for this mission, only observe us. If you get an opportunity, you can attack."


    Fujin nodded. The arrangement was reasonable as he would need some time to fit into their team. Tamotsu briefed his team on a few matters until 2 men arrived at the gate.


    The younger man was a blonde wearing an expensive robe. The older man dressed as a ninja and had a simr mask to Kakashi. Two swords could be seen on his back.


    They greeted Tamotsu as they interacted with him on the previous day. After discussing for a bit, they left.


    The young noble and his protector walked at the center. Tadashi, Kenta and Tamotsu walked in front of them. Fujin walked to their right and Ryota to their left. Katsumi handled the rear.


    The group took 7 days to reach the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Rice. They didn''t encounter any troubles on the way.


    On reaching the border, the protector said, "We have been experiencing a lot of rogue attacks in thest year. We will need to travel another day and a half. Please be on guard and protect us."


    Tamotsu replied, "Don''t worry. We are always alert."


    The group continued moving. After a few hours, Inuzuka Tadashi stopped and said, "There are three scents at this location. Someone was here not long back."


    Tamotsu looked at Fujin and Aburame Katsumi. Fujin activated his chakra field. Some bugs appeared around Katsumi and spread in the forest.


    Fujin said, "No one in one kilometer radius around us."


    Fujin chakra field could sense up to 1.25 kilometers. But, he decided to report only one kilometer. In the future, if someone became aware of Fujin''s capabilities and decided to hide just outside his stated range, then they would lose their element of surprise.


    Tamotsu nodded and looked at Katsumi. After a few minutes, Katsumi said, "No one is hiding around us."


    Tamotsu instructed, "Have your insects keep a watch. If those guys are nning trouble for us, then they might appear soon."


    Katsumi nodded and let his bugs fly around the group. The group continued walking for another kilometer.


    Some distance ahead of the group, 4 ninjas were waiting on a tree. One of them said, "Boss, that noble called Kobi Takuma should be travelling on this route soon. But he should be escorted by Konoha ninjas. Should we attack?"


    Before he could answer, another guy said, "Let''s attack them and even kill Konoha ninjas. That way we will be famous throughout the Land of Rice!"


    The third guy also wanted to attack. So their leader agreed and said, "We will attack and kill them all. Hide properly. We willunch a sneak attack and kill them before they even understand what''s happening!"


    All four dispersed in different directions and got in position. Unknown to them, their small meeting was conducted under the surveince of a few bugs.


    Katsumi spoke without giving any signs of tension, "Don''t react. Four rogue ninjas are nning an ambush ahead. About 1.5 kilometers from here."


    Tamotsu asked, "How strong are they?"


    Katsumi replied, "Not sure. Guessing at Chunin level."


    Tamotsu instructed, "Alright, keep moving this way. When we are close, Katsumi and Tadashi will attack. Ryota and Fujin will defend. Fujin, don''t sense them."


    No one replied to Tamotsu and the group kept moving forward. The noble and his bodyguard were tense but didn''t show it. They were already prepared to get attacked.


    Around 500 meters from the ambush spot, Tadashi said, "I can smell them."


    Katsumi said, "My bugs have passed me their location as well."


    Tamotsu said, "Good. Attack as soon as you can."


    The group walked until they were just a hundred meters from the ambush spot. Suddenly, Tadashi, Kenta and Katsumi disappeared. They moved stealthily through the forest towards the ones waiting in hiding.


    Fujin''s eyes glowed as he observed them. He checked the ambushers and thought, ''Chunins? At max those guys are Genins. Only one has Chunin level chakra reserves.''


    Tadashi and his dog were faster. They reached their opponent first. Their opponent didn''t see them until thest moment. When he heard something and checked behind him, Tadashi stuck his kunai into his back while Kenta bit his throat.


    Another attacker was a few meters away from Tadashi. He was shocked at seeing one of them being killed so quickly. He shouted to alert others and grabbed his weapon. However, Tadashi and Kenta suddenly began spinning.


    ''Man Beast Taijutsu : Fang Over Fang!''


    The ninja hadn''t seen such a technique before. Both Tadashi and Kenta hit him. Their ws ripped his throat.


    Both stopped and looked at their victims and thought, ''They were only genins.''


    On the other side of the road, Katsumi watched from a distance as his bugs devoured one of his opponents. Thest remaining member of this group was their leader. He was terrified by the screams of his underlings on the other side and the bugs eating one of his men in front of him.


    He began making hand signs in a panic when Katsumi said, "Give up. Your death is a certainty."


    He was humiliated but kept making hand signs. Suddenly, he felt something bite his chest. The tense situation made him ignore the pain, but suddenly his hands and legs trembled. His knees fell to the ground.


    Katsumi said, "You shouldn''t fight when your clothes are full of my poisonous bugs."


    The enemy fell to the ground. He could see some bugs crawling out of his shirt.


    Tamotsu appeared behind Katsumi and asked, "Is it done?"


    Katsumi said, "Yes. Looks like only he was at the Chunin level. Though it''s doubtful that someone like him can have a bounty."


    Tamotsu said, "Even if he doesn''t, we can use his head to improve rtions with the Daimyo slightly. So collect it."


    Katsumi nodded and stored his head in a scroll.


    The group continued their journey.

 Chapter 155: Boring......

    As the group proceeded ahead, they were attacked again on two asions. However, in both instances, all enemies were killed without Fujin getting any chance to fight.


    Fujin wondered, ''Are there so many rogue ninjas in this country? Or is Orochimaru trying to influence the environment here? After all, he shouldn''t be able to create a hidden vige while the Daimyo still exists. Then again, for him to kill off a Daimyo in secret shouldn''t be much of an issue.''


    Fujin wasn''t able to arrive at any conclusion. So he dropped the thought.


    On the day after, they reached the location andpleted the mission. Without waiting, the Konoha team left back for Konoha.


    As they were running on branches, Tamotsu asked, "So Fujin, how did you feel this mission was?"


    Fujin answered, "Well¡­ It was kinda boring."


    Tamotsuughed at that answer. He said, "Yeah. Most missions are boring. If we have exciting missions all the time, then we won''t live for long."


    Fujin thought, ''Yeah. That''s true. Still, this is very boring.''


    Ryota said, "Most rank B missions are like these. Our missions get interfered with by rogue Genins and Chunins. They are very easy to kill off."


    Tamotsu added, "If the missions involve rogue Jounins or ninjas from another major vige, then it''ll be categorized as rank A or S. Or the Anbu will handle them."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Yeah, that makes sense."


    Tamotsu said, "Don''t worry. I''ll give you a more active role in future missions."


    Fujin smiled and thanked him. However, internally he sighed, ''What''s the use of having an active role against such enemies? They will die without even seeing me! It''s fine for now, but I will need to find a way to get better missions after I''m done with my training ns.''


    The team returned to Konoha without any issues and divided the rewards equally. They had a group dinner before leaving for home. Tamotsu asked the group to meet again in the Mission center after a week.


    Fujin began meditating after reaching home when he heard a knock on his door. He wondered, ''Who''de to visit at this time?''


    He opened the door to see a familiar face. That person worked in Eiji''s shop. He said, "Fujin-kun, the work on your house ispleted. Eiji-sama wants to show it to you tomorrow at 9 AM."


    Fujin replied, "Oh, that''s great. I''ll be there. Thank You."


    The messenger nodded and left. Fujin thought, ''Kinda convenient that it gotpleted today. Right after my mission waspleted.''


    The next day, Fujin headed to thend he bought afterpleting his morning workout. When Fujin reached, he saw his new house.


    Fujin thought, ''Wow! This looks great!''


    The house in front of him was 3 storeys high. It was circr in shape and was quite huge. A circr fence was built around the house. The rest of hisnd still had trees making the surrounding of the house look great.


    While Fujin was admiring his house, Eiji arrived. He asked, "Are you lost in its beauty?"


    Fujin chuckled and said, "You have done a great job old man!"


    Eiji chuckled and handed him a key and said, "I finished constructing it 3 days ago. But it seems like you were out on a mission."


    Fujin thought, ''Oh. Was that guy checking my old house every night then?''


    He nodded and said, "Yes, I returned yesterday evening."


    Eiji said, "Let me show you the house from the inside."


    Fujin took the key and entered the house. The ground floor was huge. After entering the house, there was a circr room on the left. It had a big round table at the center along with multiple sofas between the table and the wall. In addition, this floor had a kitchen and a couple of washrooms. At the center of the floor, there was a circr staircase.


    The remaining space on this floor was open. Eiji had ced a dining table, a few seats, and a few flower pots in proper positions to add to the aesthetics.


    After checking the ground floor, Fujin decided to check the floors above. The area of the floors above decreased sessively. The first floor had 5 rooms while the second had 3. On top was an open terrace.


    On both the first and the 2nd floor, one room each had proper furniture to be considered a bedroom. The remaining rooms were empty.


    Fujin saw his house andmented, ''Now that''s money well spent. That said, I have no use for most of these rooms for now. But, it''s good to have some extra space in case I need it for some reason in the future. Anyways, I should check the important stuff now.''


    Fujin and Eiji moved down the stairs to the basement. The basement had two floors too. If these 2 floors were included as well, then Fujin''s house was a 5 storey house!


    The first basement floor had very little space around the staircase. There was a 2 feet wide circr passage around the staircase. On the other side of this circr passage were 8 rooms. Fujin checked the rooms and all were built very well. All the rooms werepletely empty other than having a few lights and some wire extensions in case Fujin decided to add some electronics in the rooms.


    Lastly, they moved to the bottom floor of the basement. Inplete contrast to the floor above, this basement floor waspletely open! There were only a few pirs on this floor to support the house above, but other than the pirs, nothing existed on this floor.


    Eiji said, "As you had asked, this floor ispletely open. And everything here is extremely sturdy and strengthened even further by the Sealmaster."


    Fujin nodded and built his chakra up.


    ''Wind Release : Breakthrough Jutsu''


    Fujin suddenly exhaled a strong stream of wind from his mouth. The wind moved rapidly and hit all the pirs and the walls. Not a scratch appeared.


    Eiji, who was standing next to Fujin, was surprised. The high-speed winds crashed into the walls and some part of it was reflected back at them. He found it very difficult to stand steady. He said loudly, "What are you doing?"


    Fujin chuckled and waved his hand. He used Gale Palm jutsu to quiet down the winds. He said, "Great work. Though that was one of my weaker jutsus, this room is very sturdy. Thanks again."


    Eiji grudgingly said, "Alright. But don''t try to kill me again."


    Fujin chuckled.


    Eiji said, "I have made the house ording to our n and even ced furniture as you asked. If you need anything in the future or want furniture for the remaining rooms, you cane to my shop."


    Fujin nodded. Eiji left the house leaving Fujin alone in his new house. Fujin saw Eiji out and then checked his house once again. This time, he concentrated chakra in his eyes and inspected everything.


    After half an hour, he concluded, ''Alright. I know I am being overly cautious, but there doesn''t seem to be anything wrong in the house. And, all the walls are as sturdy as Eiji promised them to be. Anyways, now that I have my house, I can finally start my ns. But, first I need to clean the house.''


    As Fujin thought that, the wind began gathering around him. The Wind gently flew through his entire house. It gathered most of the dust and soil and left his house. Then, Fujin created as many Shadow Clones as he could and they all cooperated to clean the home properly.


    When his house became very clean, Fujin closed the door and began inscribing seals on his new house.


    During thest 3 months, Fujin had debated a lot on whether or not to cover his house in seals. After a lot of analysis, he concluded the pros and cons of it.


    He concluded, ''If I don''t inscribe my new house with seals, then my Fuinjutsu capabilities can stay a secret for long. That''s the only plus point. On the flip side, my house could be checked by any passing Hyuga. If my luck is bad or someone decides to spy on me, then my training of Lightning release and other stuff that I n to keep a secret could be exposed.


    On the other hand, if I inscribe seals in my house, then my skills at Fuinjutsu will be exposed very easily. I could lie that I had hired a Sealmaster while building the house, but I can''t be sure how long that lie wouldst. Furthermore, others might think that I have something to hide and might get more interested in my house.


    As for the positives, seals would secure my house and I can do all the shit I want without worrying about the n number of sensory abilities in this world.''


    After analyzing both scenarios, Fujin decided, ''I''ll cover my house in as many seals as I can! I''ll eventually have to expose my ability in Fuinjutsu anyways. So might as well do it now. If Hiruzen or Renjiro ask me, I''ll tell them that I used the shadow clone trick and instead pass hints to them that I need the Multi Shadow Clone jutsu. As for the rest, I''ll just give someme excuses.''

 Chapter 156: When a Psycho becomes a SealMaster!

    Fujin spent the entire day inscribing seals in his house. He started with the Anti-Byakugan, Anti-Sharingan and Stealth Seals. He followed it up by using seals to strengthen the doors, walls and pirs even more and also used seals to increase their resistance to Fire, Wind, Lightning and Water.


    When he was satisfied with the protection that his house provided, he went to the basement and entered one of the rooms. Fujin observed this room and thought, ''The dimensions of this room are exactly as the Meditation room in that Tower.''


    Fujin opened the scroll where he had recorded the details of that room. He inscribed all those seals in his room and recreated that room.


    Fujin thought, ''Great. Now I just have to buy those incense sticks and candles. Then this will be the only room where I meditate.''


    Fujin checked all the seals again to confirm that everything was fine. He left the room and used the Finger Carving Seal to write ''Meditation Room'' on the door.


    Fujin then went into the room on the opposite side. This one had a lot of holes in the walls. Fujin inspected them properly and thought, ''I''ll need to buy the proper tools to make this simr to the training room for dodging. I''ll do that tomorrow.''


    Fujin used his Finger Carving Seal to write the name on the door and moved into another room. This room waspletely empty. Even light bulbs weren''t present. Fujin inscribed a few seals on the walls to produce light.


    Once there was sufficient light, Fujin began inscribing Gravity Seals on the floor.


    After some time, he analyzed, ''Gravity seals have been inscribed evenly in this room. The gravity in this room is approximately 2.5 times aspared to the outside. Combined with my training seal, this ce would be good to practice my Taijutsu forms and do weight training. And I can increase the gravity by inscribing more gravity seals on the floor.


    But, first I should iste this room properly. The increase in gravity in this room shouldn''t affect the rest of the rooms. And it shouldn''t damage the structural integrity of the house. It would suck if my new house just copsed.


    That aside, in the future, I should experiment with whether I canbine the meditation room and gravity room. I wonder if that would help me meditate and condition my body at the same time. After all, I kinda have been having a feeling that in the future I will need to meditate a lot.''


    Fujin decided to experiment with itter. He currently didn''t have the expertise to create such a room as the design for the meditation room was copied and not created by him.


    Fujin made a hand sign. It deactivated all the gravity seals he had inscribed in the room. Fujin began inscribing anti-gravity and istion seals around the Gravity room. He had to check multiple times. After some time, he was satisfied. The increased gravity in the gravity room was sessfully isted and wouldn''t have any effect on the rest of the house.


    Fujin analyzed, ''After I buy the tools, I will have these 3 rooms ready for use. As for the other 5 rooms, I haven''t decided anything yet. I would have loved to make Wind, Lightning and Fire training rooms. Unfortunately, the elemental crystals aren''t essible to me yet. Even if they were, I am guessing that I would need a lot of them. Oh well, time for the Five-Seal Barrier.''


    Fujin summoned 5 papers andid them on the floor. The papers were brown in color and almost looked like the trunk of a tree. He grabbed a brush and made his chakra flow through it. He wrote ''Forbidden'' on each of the 5 papers. He made a hand seal and all 5 words disappeared.


    Fujin looked at the papers and thought, ''Fuinjutsu is strange. Such a simple seal can defend against freaking S rank jutsus! Unfortunately, the other four seals can''t be ced inside the house. Otherwise, this seal would bepletely broken!''


    Fujin wrote ''Not at Home'' on one of the papers and attached it to his door. The remaining 4 papers, he attached to the trees around the house. After the papers were attached, they were almost invisible to the naked eye.


    Fujin made a hand seal. The chakra that could be sensed from the papers became suppressed as well. He thought, ''Perfect. Even Byakugan will have a tough time locating them now.''


    Fujin walked to the front of his house. He formed a fist and concentrated chakra. He punched the door with full force. Fujin saw the result and eximed, "Excellent."


    As he had expected, there wasn''t even a dent in the door.


    He thought, ''This should keep the home safe during Orochimaru''s invasion. I wonder if it can withstand the Shinra Tensei as well. I''m guessing that it won''t.''


    Fujin made a hand seal and deactivated the seal. He pulled the paper off and carried it back home. He began making more tags. He created 64 Barrier Tags. He installed them at appropriate locations inside his house.


    Once that was done, Fujin thought, ''Barrier tag isn''t as strong as the Five-Seal Barrier. But, it can still take a couple of B rank jutsus. Any more and it will need to be provided with chakra. But, this is enough for my needs. This will ensure that no one can sneak into my house. And it will also alert me. So Barrier tags when I''m at home will be plenty. When I''m not at home, the Five-seal Barrier will be up.''


    With the barriers set up, Fujin began wondering whether he could use any more seals to make his house more secure. If someone knowledgeable in Fuinjutsu was to inspect Fujin''s house, they would freak out! They would wonder which lunatic inscribed the seals.


    On top of the seals inscribed by the Seal Master, while constructing the house, Fujin had inscribed over a thousand seals in his house! Even the Hokage building didn''t have so many seals!


    Fujin couldn''t think of anything else. So he began checking his scrolls. Soon, he found the one he was looking for. He made a hand sign and 2 items appeared in front of him. They were an incense stick and some wax from a candle. Fujin lit both of them on fire and inspected them properly.


    He thought, ''I memorized their appearance and smell. Now, which shop sells these things¡­''


    Fujin left his house, locked the door and put up the ''Not at Home'' sign. He had a meal and then began searching through Konoha''s stores.


    Fujin searched various stores that sold ninja weapons and tools without any luck. Finally, he found one. It was a multi-storey shop that sold ninja tools and was very close to the Hokage Building. Fujin bought a few meditation mats and a lot of those incense sticks and candles.


    He also bought a lot of training equipment to be ced in the gravity room. While checking the store, he also found the equipment and blunt wooded weapons needed for the dodging room and bought them as well.


    After that, Fujin bought groceries, utensils and other necessary items for his house. He also took all the items that he needed from his old house, vacated it andpleted the formalities and procedures rted to it.


    By the evening, Fujin''s new house was set. Fujin exhaled in relief, ''I forgot how much work it is to change residence. When I left the orphanage, I didn''t own anything and barely had any necessities. Anyways, pretty much everything is set. The only remaining task is setting up the equipment and mechanisms in the Dodging room. I''ll do that tomorrow. For now¡­''


    Fujin entered the meditation room and began meditating. He opened his eyes after 3 hours of meditation. A smile could be seen on his face. He thought, ''Excellent. This room is a total sess!''


    Happy with his work, Fujin went to sleep in his new cosy bedroom. The next day, Fujin made a change to his training routine. He cut the morning physical training in the training ground from 4 hours to 3 hours. Thatst one hour, he spent training in the Gravity room.


    He spent the remaining day setting up all the mechanisms in the dodging room. He tested the room a few times and had to make some changes until he was satisfied.


    Fujin thought, ''I think I can improve the efficiency of this room even more. Right now, I depend on my eyes and ears to sense iing weapons and dodge. Once I''m able to dodge all weapons consistently, I will begin attempting it with my eyes closed. When I''m able to do that, I will use the Silence Seal to eliminate all noise. That should help improve my instincts.


    Anyways, all the ns that I had arepletely implemented. Only onest thing to do¡­''

 Chapter 157: Party!

    Fujin left the basement and got on the ground floor. He opened a scroll and summoned a very long cloth. Fujin began inscribing some seals on the cloth.


    After some time, Fujin made a hand sign.


    ''Cloth Binding Jutsu''


    The cloth began moving around the staircase. Soon, it covered up the way down to the basementpletely. The remaining cloth kept rolling over it to form multipleyers. The staircase and the basement below becamepletely invisible.


    Fujin made a hand seal and the cloth began hardening. Fujin walked towards it and stepped on it. He moved around on the cloth and analyzed, ''Excellent. It looks and feels just like the rest of the floor now.''


    Fujin spread his chakra field and tried to sense the basement. But, he couldn''t. He smiled, ''Now even sensors can''t sense it. Though I guess someone like Renjiro can still find it. After all, he never said how he found the hiding spots of those Kiri ninjas. Anyways, it''s fine. It''s not like I really need to hide anything there.


    The main purpose of this is just distraction. In the future, if I''m suspected of doing anything fishy, then Konoha is sure to check my house. They will waste a lot of effort to check my house and find nothing in here at all, hahaha. And, it''ll let me know that I''m being suspected and I can preemptively take some precautionary measures.


    Of course, until then, I can keep improving my seals even more and make the defenses even sturdier. Hehe, how fun it''d be if I can have half a dozen types of barriers and a few dozen traps in my home. And all that to hide nothing!''


    Fujinughed at that thought. He calmed down thinking, ''Anyways, now that the house is ready, I should call a few people in. Mieko and Hoka had asked me to invite them. And I can invite Renjiro as well. Should I invite others?


    Hmm, who all? I can invite Genki in. Though he would probably not like to be among kids. I should also invite Teru, Yori and Hana. But probably best to not have them alongside Renjiro. As for my new team, I have just met them. So probably not a good idea to invite them right now. I could mention it after the next mission. So, in what order to invite?''


    Fujin thought for a bit and decided, ''I''ll invite my old team first. Then I can invite Hoka again to hang alongside our ssmates. Genki I''ll callter.''


    Fujin made 3 shadow clones. The first one flickered towards the Senju npound. The other two waited for a bit and left for Uchiha and Hyuga npounds.


    The clone headed to the Senju n reached first. Unfortunately, Renjiro was out on a mission. The clone passed a message about his new house and left. He searched for Teru''s house and invited him. He chatted for a bit with Teru and dispelled himself.


    The memories of the clone were transferred to Fujin and other clones. The other clones had reached the respectivepounds but didn''t enter till they received the memories. Since Renjiro wasn''t avable, they invited Mieko, Hoka, Yori and Hana.


    After Fujin received their memories, he thought, "That''s surprising. All are avable for tomorrow. Luckily I bought a lot of snacks. Oh well, let''s see how my first time ying host in this world goes. Unfortunately no video games here. I should buy some board games and cards though. Might be handy if I decide to keep interacting in the future."


    Fujin created a couple of clones. One went to Genki and invited him to visit in the evening. The other clone went to civilian shops and bought some games.


    The next day, Fujin once again began his day with the new morning workout routine. At 9 AM, he went out to buy chicken. He made a shadow clone and went to the meditation room.


    The clone washed the chicken and left it to marinate with salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, ginger-garlic paste and lemon juice.


    At noon, Fujin''s friends began arriving. Senju Teru was the first one to reach. Fujin weed him home. Teru said, "Long time no see. I was surprised to see you yesterday."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Yup. One of the reasons why I thought it''d be fun to get together."


    Teru asked, "Who else ising?"


    Fujin answered, "Hoka, Yori, Hana and Mieko."


    Teru asked, "Who is Mieko?"


    Fujin answered, "She was on the same genin team as me and Hoka."


    Teru and Fujin chatted about their life after leaving the academy till others arrived. They sat in the circr room with the round table. Fujin had already arranged snacks on the table. They chatted while Fujin''s clones served them Fried Chicken.


    Hanamented, "This is delicious Fujin! I didn''t know you were such a good cook."


    Teru agreed with her, "Yeah, this is good."


    Fujin said, "Thanks, I''m d you guys liked it."


    Teru looked at Fujin and asked, "So Fujin, how did you manage to buy such a huge house? Aren''t they expensive?"


    Hoka added, "Yes. This house is bigger than my house. And Fujin lives alone here."


    Fujin answered, "It wasn''t very expensive as it is towards the outskirts of the vige. Most of the money came from mission rewards."


    Yori asked, "Mission rewards? I have been doing missions for a year longer than you. I havepleted 19 rank B missions and still don''t have that kind of money."


    Fujin chuckled and said, "We did 3 rank A missions with our sensei."


    Yori was riled up, "What? 3 Rank A missions? How? I haven''t been to even one!"


    Miekoughed and teased him, "That''s right Yori. And of those 3, we did 2 back-to-back."


    Teru sighed and said, "You guys lucked out by getting Renjiro sama as your sensei. He''s a badass!"


    Yori snorted and said, "Who cares about that? I bet I can beat all 3 of you by myself."


    That pissed Mieko off. She yelled, "Bastard! What did you say?"


    Yori replied, "You heard me."


    Mieko activated her Sharingan, stood up and said, "I''ll take you on one on one right here!"


    Yori also activated his Sharingan, stood up and said, "Try me. You aren''t the only one with Sharingan."


    Fujin thought, ''Oh, he activated his Sharingan too?''


    Fujin coughed. Mieko and Yori looked at him. He said, "I just built this house. If either of you fights, I''m tossing you both out."


    Both calmed down a bit. They didn''t want to ruin a new house. The others chuckled at their reaction. Fujin grinned and said, "Besides, if you want to fight, then I have booked the training ground closest to here. Let''s go and check Yori''s im there."


    He thought, ''Why did I even bother buying board games? The best way to build a bond in this world is to fight! Well, other than using Talk-no-jutsu.''


    Teru chuckled and asked, "You booked a training ground? Did you anticipate that Yori would start a fight?"


    Fujin said, "Not really. I booked a training ground for a few months."


    Hana was surprised. She asked, "A few months?"


    Fujin said, "You guys use your n grounds for training. I don''t really have that option."


    Teru said, "Still. A training ground for a month would cost around 75 thousand Ryo. That''s almost worth 1 rank B mission. Are you sure you aren''t secretly loaded Fujin?"


    They began moving towards the training ground. Fujin said, "Well, I did win a few million Ryo by gambling some time back. So training ground costs aren''t really an issue."


    The group was surprised. Mieko furrowed her eyebrows and nagged, "Fujin, you are gambling? Have you been wasting your time and risking your money in gambling after our team was disbanded?"


    Fujin was surprised. He stared back at Mieko. After a few seconds, hemented, "You are taking after your mother well."


    Mieko''s face immediately became red. She looked away.


    Fujin said, "And no. I gambled before our team disbanded."


    Hoka asked, "When?"


    Fujin smiled and said, "During the chunin exams."


    Hoka and Mieko took a few seconds to realize. Both their eyes widened as they looked at Fujin. They said, "You didn''t!"


    Fujin chuckled and didn''t reply. Yori asked, "You didn''t what?"


    Hana realized it as well as she said, "You bet on yourself during the chunin exams?"


    Fujin replied, "Bingo. I bet most of my money on myself."


    Mieko cursed, "Asshole. We were participating in it too!"


    Even Hoka was displeased.


    Fujin chuckled and said, "Sorry. But it was kinda good money."


    Both snorted.


    Soon, they arrived at the training ground. Yori looked at the destruction around him and asked, "Did a hurricane pass through here?"


    Fujin chuckled and said, "I guess you could say so. Anyways, how do you guys wanna fight? One-on-one or something else?"


    Mieko said, "I''m kicking Yori''s ass first!"


    Yori snorted and replied, "I can beat all of you together!"


    Fujin chuckled and said, "Alright. Let''s have a battle Royale then. All 6 will fight and no one will form teams."


    Teru said, "Oh, that sounds fun. When do we start?"


    Hoka shouted, "NOW!"

 Chapter 158: Another Battle Royale

    As soon as Hoka said yes, both he and Mieko attacked Fujin. However, Fujin flickered before they got close.


    Teru, Yori and Hana moved behind to create a safe distance. They were surprised to see Mieko and Hoka attack their former teammate.


    A scowl formed on Mieko''s face. Sheined, "Now he will keep hiding till we are done fighting!"


    Teru asked, "What do you mean?"


    Hoka was about to answer when everyone noticed something. Very strong winds were headed towards them.


    Yori thought, ''Right. Fujin has an affinity to Wind nature. Wind is weak against Fire.''


    He quickly made hand signs.


    ''Fire Release: Fireball jutsu''


    Mieko and Hoka saw the fireball and flickered away. The Fireball hit the winds and was amplified and dispersed. Unfortunately, the winds carried these amplified mes back towards the group.


    Yori was shocked. Hana and Teru escaped underground. Yori also tried escaping, but he was slow.


    Fujin saw the ming winds and smirked, ''As I expected, that moron blew fire into the winds.''


    The jutsu he used was a powered-down variation of the Infinite Breakthrough jutsu. It focused more on the wind flow rather than creating sharp winds. So the jutsu was pretty harmless despite its great momentum. At most, it could send someone flying for a few meters.


    The ming winds hit Yori. However, his resistance to fire was quite high. He wasn''t injured much. Just some of his clothes caught fire, but he doused them quickly.


    Unfortunately for him, Fujin wasn''t his only opponent. His words were fresh in the minds of Hoka and Mieko. Both flickered and appeared next to him.


    Yori''s Sharingan noticed them flickering towards them. He immediately tossed shurikens at them. Mieko neutralized his shurikens with her own, while Hoka attacked from a range with Vacuum Palm.


    At such a close distance, Yori couldn''t dodge. The Vacuum Palm hit one of his chakra points and sealed it. It disoriented him. Hoka noticed the opportunity and attacked him again.


    ''Eight Trigrams: Sixteen Palms''


    Yori tried struggling, but he was no match for Hoka''s Taijutsu. Hoka sealed Yori''s chakra points.


    After getting hisst hit, Hoka said, "You are out."


    He ced his palm on Yori''s chest and pushed him towards a tree.


    However, at the same time, he heard, "So are you."


    Teru appeared under Hoka and grabbed his legs.


    "Earth Release: Headhunter jutsu"


    Hoka was dragged underground, leaving only his head above the ground. Teru ced a kunai on his forehead.


    Hoka cursed internally, ''Shit! I got distracted.''


    He sighed and said, "I give up."


    At the same time, Miekounched shurikens at Teru. Teru immediately blocked them all with the kunai. They both began fighting.


    Hana stayed away from Teru and Mieko and just observed them. Fujin too observed from a distance while thinking, ''Did they forget about me?''


    His eyes wandered towards Hana. Hemented, ''Eh, looks like I am not the only one who likes to wait till others are exhausted and injured. Unfortunately, there are no rewards for winning.''


    ''Wind Instantaneous Body jutsu''


    Fujin flickered along with the wind. Hana, whose attention was majorly on Teru and Mieko, was also keeping an eye on Fujin. Though she didn''t expect Fujin to move so quickly, she was prepared to face him. She attacked him with the gentle fist style.


    The basic rule, while fighting against a Hyuga, is to keep a distance. But Fujin was interested in measuring his progress. So he engaged Hana in Taijutsu.


    Hana''s strikes were on point. But Fujin blocked all the attacks with ease. His speed was much faster than hers. He never allowed her fingers or palm to touch his body.


    Hana was shocked, ''How much did he improve in just over a year? I can''t even touch him!''


    After blocking her continuously for a minute, Fujin concluded, ''In terms of Taijutsu, she isn''t anywhere near Hoka''s level.''


    Not seeing any point in extending it any further, Fujin decided to attack. Hana attacked Fujin again, but he grabbed her wrist and threw her into the air. He exhaled a gentle but strong wind at her which sent her flying back towards a tree. She flipped in the air andnded on the tree on her feet.


    Fujin said, "You have lost."


    Hana had aplicated expression. She nodded. Fujin smiled and left towards Teru and Mieko.


    Hana saw him leaving and thought, ''Though they didn''t say anything, I am the only genin in this group. And I''m the weakest. I need to work hard or else I will never be at their level.''


    Fujin guessed Hana''s inner turmoil. After all, being the only one who wasn''t promoted to a chunin would hurt. Especially considering that she was only eleven.


    Mieko and Teru were engaged in a tough fight. Teru was superior in speed and Taijutsu. Even in ninjutsu, he had an edge with Earth and Water elements. But he had to be very careful about not looking into her eyes.


    Suddenly, they heard, "You two didn''t forget about me, did you?"


    Immediately they looked towards Fujin. He was sitting on a branch. As soon as they saw him, Fujin exhaled strong winds towards them. Both made hand signs and escaped underground.


    Fujin muttered, "While escaping underground is a good defense, it doesn''t mean that you can abuse it without any consequences."


    Fujin jumped off the branch. Chakra gathered on his fist. He punched the ground right above them.


    Cracks formed on the ground. The impact of the punch could be felt underground. Teru felt the shockwaves and frowned. He wondered, ''Is Fujin good at Earth release as well?''


    Teru made a few hand signs. The ground around him hardened. It protected him from the shockwaves. However, Mieko was hit.


    She escaped above ground, only to have a kunai ced at the back of her neck. Fujin said, "You have lost."


    A scowl formed on Mieko''s face. She gave up unwillingly whileining in her heart, ''I always manage to detect and neutralize sneak attacks in mission. Why do I fall to his sneak attacks every time?''


    As soon as she gave up, spikes formed on the ground andunched at Fujin. Fujin instantly flickered out of the way. His eyes glowed as he watched Teru''s location underground. More spikes and spears kept forming andunching at Fujin. Fujin dodged all.


    He thought, ''While hiding underground isn''t always good, if someone hides like a porcupine, then I don''t have a 2nd way of dealing with them. Just Vacuum Bullet, but that might kill him. So not usable in this situation.''


    Realizing that he was only wasting his chakra, Teru left the underground. He said, "You have grown strong Fujin. I didn''t expect your Wind Release to improve so much."


    Fujin replied, "So have you. I never thought you would develop a porcupine-like battle tactic."


    Teru smirked. This battle tactic was very annoying. He enjoyed using it against Yori.


    Fujin said, "Wanna end this the old way?"


    Teru replied, "With our fists? Sure."


    Both rushed towards each other. Their fists shed. They followed up with a flurry of punches and kicks. Teru was stronger and faster than Hana. But Fujin was still faster and stronger than him. In a minute, Fujinnded 7 hits on Teru.


    Fujin kicked at his chest. But Teru raised his forearms in defense. The kicknded on his forearms and sent him flying for a few meters. Fujin didn''t pursue him. Teru flipped in the air andnded on his feet.


    Heined, "Shit! What have you been eating?"


    Fujin just grinned without replying.


    Teru said, "I''ll use my full power. Be careful, this is the Taijutsu of my n."


    Chakra began gathering around Teru''s fists and feet. Fujin could see it clearly. He understood what Teru was up to. A smile crept on his face.


    Teru didn''t understand why Fujin was smiling. He sent a punch straight at Fujin''s chest. Fujin formed a fist and gathered chakra in it. He punched Teru''s fist.


    Both the punches shed. Teru''s eyes widened in shock as he felt the strength in Fujin''s punch. Fujin applied more force and sent him flying.


    Teru flipped in the air once again andnded on his feet. But, this time he was sent flying for 25 meters. And he skidded backwards a few meters more.


    He asked, "How do you know Senju Taijutsu Style?"


    Fujin said, "Did you forget who my sensei is?"


    Teru smiled bitterly, ''I didn''t think he would teach it to someone outside the n.''


    Teru shook his right hand and said, "I give up. I can barely feel my right hand anymore."


    Fujin said, "Yeah, mine kinda hurts too."


    He thought, ''I should check whether Kakuzu''s skin hardening jutsu is in the library. It might be a perfectbination with the Senju Taijutsu Style. Maybe I should discuss it with Renjiro.''

 Chapter 159: Questioning Life Choices

    With the fight over, the other four gathered around Fujin and Teru. Mieko looked at Yori and taunted, "Yori, how does it feel to brag and get eliminated first?"


    Yori argued back, "You guys cheated. The rules said no teams, but you two, no, you three cooperated to deal with me!"


    Mieko scoffed, "Who said they could take all three of us by himself?"


    Yori was about to argue more, but Teru said, "Drop it, Yori. There''s no point in arguing."


    Yori snorted and stayed quiet.


    The group discussed for some time their jutsus, battle tactics and so on. After an hour, they dispersed.


    Fujin went back to his home while thinking, ''Not bad, this went much better than I thought. I never thought we would spend most of our time talking about jutsus and tactics. Was surprisingly insightful.''


    After reaching home, Fujin cleaned up the mess and waited for Genki to return. He made a shadow clone and sent it to the library. The aim was to find Kakuzu''s skin-hardening jutsu and any other good jutsu avable in the B section.


    Sometimeter, Genki arrived. His jaws dropped on seeing Fujin''s house from the outside. He thought, ''What the hell? Why does he need such a huge house? And where did he get the money for this? Did he somehow convince Lord Hokage to give him another reward?''


    He knocked on the door with his mind full of questions. Fujin opened the door immediately and weed him in.


    Genki awkwardly said, "It looks like you are doing very well, Fujin."


    Fujin didn''t understand the context. So he just nodded and said, "Yes Sensei."


    Genki sighed internally. He realized that Fujin didn''t understand him.


    Fujin asked, "Would you like to have something Sensei?"


    Genki was surprised. He asked, "What do you have?"


    Fujin answered, "Well, I have some snacks. And can cook a few pieces of Fried Chicken quickly."


    Genki said, "Sure."


    Fujin made a Shadow Clone who got to work.


    Genki saw the clone and thought, ''He is using clones for this? Don''t tell me he made such a huge house to amodate his clones!''


    Genki said, "While your clone cooks, tell me what all you have experienced after graduating Fujin."


    Both sat down as Fujin began telling Genki most of the unimportant events. Genki listened carefully while asking questions or passingments,pliments, and criticisms. They ate the fried chicken while discussing.


    After they finished chatting, Genki asked, "Fujin, did Lord Hokage give this house to you as a reward?"


    Fujin tilted his head and asked, "Does Lord Hokage give houses as rewards?"


    He looked down and muttered softly, "Did I just get scammed? I should go and ask him!"


    Genki heard that and freaked out! Given his past experiences, Genki was sure that Fujin would take his name and ask the Hokage to reimburse him. Heck, he might even ask for interest!


    He quickly refused, "NO NO NO. Lord Hokage doesn''t reward like this. I just asked because I was wondering how you could afford such a ce."


    Fujin understood and said, "Oh. We did back-to-back rank A missions. I killed some ninjas with a bounty during it."


    Genki was surprised. He asked in disbelief, "Rank A missions?"


    Fujin nodded and said, "Yup. Renjiro sensei took us with him."


    Genki didn''t say anything. He thought, ''Fujin and his squad already did rank A missions? They did rank A missions at an age when I was still in the academy. Heck, I did my first rank A mission after Fujin graduated!''


    Genki had arrived here to motivate and encourage his student and inspire him a little bit. Instead, he began questioning his life choices and achievements.


    He recalled how he introduced himself as an Elite Chunin to every ss he taught. He recalled how he celebrated all night when he was promoted to Jounin. And now he found out that his students undertook missions at the same level of difficulty as him in just a year''s time! And his student seemed to be doing financially better than him too!


    Genki sighed in his heart thinking, ''When I taught the ss, I always thought that I will feel pride when my students surpass me and have great achievements. I never imagined that I''d be depressed. In all those thoughts I was already old and my students were in their twenties.''


    Fujin didn''t understand why Genki was lost in thoughts. He said, "Unfortunately, the missions were ssified. So I can''t tell you the details, Sensei."


    Genki replied, "It''s fine. Anyways, rank A missions are very dangerous. It''s fine when someone as strong as Renjiro leads. But don''t try it without him."


    Fujin nodded. Even with Renjiro, they almost died. Though it was likely that Renjiro''s presence attracted Kakuzu.


    Fujin asked, "Are you still teaching Sensei, or are you doing missions?"


    Genki answered, "I was promoted to Jounin after you guys graduated. So I have been doing rank A missions."


    Fujin''s eyes brightened. He said, "Congrats Sensei!"


    Genki smiled. Some of his pride returned. Though it was fated to be crushed again.


    Fujin asked, "Can you invite me on Rank A missions, Sensei?"


    Genki immediately refused, "No. They are too dangerous!"


    He thought, ''What the hell? I thought he admired me. Instead, he just wants to take advantage of me! His greediness hasn''t decreased one bit!''


    Fujin said, "Come on Sensei! I can handle myself as long as I am not facing Jounins. And my Sensor skills and Wind nature maniption provide the perfect support!"


    However, Genki remained adamant, "No"


    Fujin looked at Genki with a deadpan expression.


    Genki thought, ''Why is he looking at me like this?''


    He became a bit ufortable and asked, "What?"


    Fujin said, "At least give a proper argument¡­"


    Genki sighed and said, "I am a newly promoted Jounin. I am not our team leader. So I can''t bring you along anyways."


    Fujin thought for a bit, ''That is reasonable. Still¡­''


    Fujin sighed and said, "Alright Sensei. But at least rmend my name if you need someone with a skillset like mine."


    Genki finally nodded and said, "Alright. But don''t keep your hopes too high."


    Fujin smiled and nodded.


    Genki gave Fujin some advice on how to take care of the house and left.


    After he left, Fujin sighed, ''ying host is too much work. Though it should be fine once in a while. Also, none of my guests today noticed the basement. Looks like this cover is good enough.''


    Fujin created a shadow clone. It dispelled itself almost immediately. The memories of the clone were passed to the clone in the library. It dispelled itself.


    Fujin received the memories and was surprised, ''Wow! I didn''t think there was so much good stuff that I never checked! The jutsu Kakuzu used is called the Iron Skin jutsu. In addition, many Barrier jutsus are also ced in the B section. They will be good to have alongside my Fuinjutsu.


    There is also the Summoning Jutsu: Rashomon! That would be another good defense to have. Though there is no triple or moreyered Rashomon jutsus. Still, even without them, this is great.


    Wild Lion''s Mane Jutsu is another good one. It is the jutsu that Jiraiya used to extend and strengthen his hair. And Needle Jizo jutsu, based on this jutsu, is also there.


    Actually, I can form a new defense system with Rashomon, Iron Skin and Lion''s Mane jutsus. Combined with my high speed and intercepting or deterring attacks at mid-range with Wind Jutsus, injuring me will be very difficult.


    Tobirama''s Bringer of Darkness Genjutsu to target the Uchiha is present in the B section as well. Hmm, so 5 B rank jutsus that I will need to master. And might need some barrier jutsus as well. I will focus on these after I am done with my Lightning release.


    Once I am done with all of them, I will try the summoning jutsu! With that good defense, I should be fine even if I encounter wild and ferocious summons who won''t reason with anyone.''

 Chapter 160: Castle Defense

    Fujin entered the lowest floor in the basement. He extended his palm and looked at it. Chakra began spinning in his palm taking a circr shape.


    Fujin decided, ''It''s been a long time since I practiced this jutsu. In fact, I haven''t practiced it since I graduated from the academy!''


    Fujin began practicing the Rasengan. With all the seals he inscribed, he was no longer worried about anyone seeing this. He was able to form the Rasengan properly, though it was a bit slower.


    He continued his training using different methods. He initially tried decreasing the time needed to form it as much as he could. When he couldn''t decrease it any further, he began trying to form the Rasengan while running.


    After training for 2 days, Fujin managed to improve his control over Rasengan considerably. He was able to form a proper sphere. And he improved the speed of creating the Rasengan by a huge degree! He could now create a Rasengan in fractions of a second and while moving around freely and even while running on walls or ceilings.


    A smile formed on Fujin''s face as he watched the Rasengan. He thought, ''Great. Rasengan has been mastered to a sufficient degree! Though I should still test it out in mock battles. More importantly, I can prepare for Rasenshuriken when I''m ready. That''s an S rank jutsu that no living ninja would like to get hit by.''


    Fujin yed with the ball of chakra in his hand as he thought, ''That said, it''s best to never use this jutsu. Aside from the trouble of exining how I learnt this, there is also the issue of its effectiveness. A sword with wind chakra flow will be far more dangerous in most scenarios.


    The only time a Rasengan could be more effective is when I''m shing head-on against another strong jutsu. But, considering the high-speed nature of my fights until now, such shes are almost non-existent.


    A giant Rasengan could be more effective, but it''ll consume a lot of chakra. So again, it won''t be worth it until I can find a way to significantly increase my chakra reserves.''


    After observing the Rasengan properly, Fujin dispersed it and his clone and began training again. Since he already had formed a Rasengan properly, he was progressing rapidly.


    Fujin''s next mission with Tamotsu and the rest was uneventful once again. It was a protection mission again and they didn''t even encounter any ninjas.


    After the mission, Fujin returned to training in his basement. Around him, there were multiple metal mannequin dummies. He had bought them to test his jutsus.


    Fujin created a Rasengan, stepped forward and smashed the Rasengan into a dummy.


    The Rasengan sank into its abdomen creating a hole in it. Soon, it exploded and sted the dummy, sending its pieces flying across the basement.


    Fujin grinned, ''Excellent power! Now I need to test it in mock battles.''


    Fujin made a hand sign and a Shadow Clone popped next to him. Both moved away from each other. Fujin began creating the Rasengan and charged at his clone at the same time. Meanwhile, the clone attacked Fujin with wooden shurikens and Wind Explosion spheres to keep him away. And, it also moved away from him whenever Fujin managed to close the distance between them.


    Fujin''s goal was to hit his clone with the Rasengan without using any other jutsu or distractions. While the clone just tried to avoid getting hit.


    After a day of intense training, Fujin was breathing heavily. Heined, ''What the heck? It''s impossible to hit someone who is as fast as you to hit with the Rasengan! I chased after my clone the whole day without any sess! Though my clone did use body flicker whenever I was about to seed. I guess I should try performing Rasengan while flickering around. Otherwise, it will be hopeless.''


    By the time he had to go for the next mission, Fujin could use the Rasengan while flickering in his basement. He had managed to hit his clone a few times. He was very happy with his progress.


    Fujin met Tamotsu and the rest outside the Mission Center. Since he had mastered the Rasengan, his mood was quite good.


    Sarutobi Tamotsu had just selected a mission. He said, "Since ourst two missions didn''t have much fighting, I have selected one where our opponents could be strong. Our mission is in the Land of Noodles. The Daimyo of that country received intel that some rogue ninjas are going to attack his castle. He is afraid that his current forces won''t be able to stop them."


    Inuzuka Tadashi grinned and said, "Now that sounds like a fun mission."


    Fujin nodded and asked, "It does. But why is this mission only Rank B? I would assume that a threat to Daimyo would be ssified as a Rank S mission."


    Ryota said, "Could be multiple reasons. Like maybe the threat isn''t that big."


    Tamotsu added, "Or, the teams that undertake Rank A or S missions can deter those guys from attacking and they might postpone their attack until these teams leave."


    Fujin said, "That makes sense. I didn''t think that a Daimyo would be that brave."


    Tamotsu chuckled and said, "Don''t say that loud. Anyways, my guess is that Daimyo and his family have already escaped to a safe ce. They probably left behind body doubles to trick their opponents into attacking the castle. Anyways, let''s leave."


    The group nodded and left immediately. After a day of travel, they reached their destination. The group observed the castle from a distance. It was a moderate-sized castle with a wall surrounding it.


    Tadashi said, "So this is the castle that we have to defend."


    Ryota said, "It isn''t as big as I thought. Though it ain''t a bad thing. At this size, we will be able to defend it properly."


    Tamotsu asked, "Do you think you can make use of the walls Ryota?"


    Ryota answered, "It''s tough to say. Even if I could, it won''t be much helpful against ninjas. At max, I can get a few surprise kills."


    Tamotsu said, "Depending on our opponents, just that might be enough to give us an edge. Anyways, let''s go."


    They travelled quickly and reached the castle. Tamotsu handed the mission scroll to the gatekeeper and they were allowed to enter the castle.


    As soon as they entered, a ninja flickered in front of them. He said, "Thank You foring to protect us. I am Akera Sotan. I am responsible for the defense of this castle."


    Tamotsu said, "I am Sarutobi Tamotsu. Let''s enter the castle. You can brief us with all the details."


    Sotan nodded and led the Konoha team to a room in the castle. Everyone took their seats.


    Tamotsu said, "We didn''t get much information in the mission statement. Can you tell me the exact details?"


    Sotan nodded and said, "I can''t give you the source of the information. But from what we know, we expect to be attacked by 18 rogue ninjas. Most of them will be at the Chunin level. We don''t know who their leader is, but we expect him to be at the Jounin level as he is able to organize such an attack.


    As for the defense, I am the only Jounin in the castle. So I will take on the enemy leader. We also have 12 chunins and 17 genins. So we are confident at defending. But we asked for help in case something outside our calctions happens and to decrease our casualties."


    Fujin heard the details and his left eye twitched. He thought, ''This guy is considered a Jounin?''


    Tamotsu nodded and inquired, "Do you know where those guys are located? We couldunch preemptive attacks and cause them casualties."


    Sotan replied, "No. We don''t know their hideout. Also, the Daimyo wants us to kill everyst one of them. If we attack their hideout, then many of them might manage to escape."


    Tamotsu said, "Alright. Is the Daimyo still in the castle?"


    Sotan didn''t speak and just shook his head.


    Tamotsu asked, "Do we have any idea when the attack will happen?"


    Sotan answered, "No. I will arrange for you guys to live on the highest floor with Daimyo and his family. That floor also provides a good view of the surroundings. So you can keep an eye on any attackers. Of course, give priority to your rest as we need you guys at full readiness when the attack happens."


    Sotan led them to the topmost floor. There were 3 rooms on this floor. There was also a small balcony on all sides equipped with Binocrs and other tools to assist in keeping a watch on the surroundings. One of these rooms had a few people who looked very scared. They were the body doubles of the Daimyo and his family.


    Sotan exined the defenses and traps that they had set up and asked whether Tamotsu and his subordinates would like to set up more.


    Tamotsu agreed and asked Ryota and Katsumi to add more traps. They both got to work. Tadashi volunteered to go scout the nearby areas. Tamotsu went to check out some stuff. Meanwhile, Fujin decided toze on the top floor.


    He thought, ''I was kinda excited, but this mission seems to be a bore too. If Sotan is considered a Jounin, then I could probably go and kill the entire enemy camp. Sigh, I guess only Rank A and S missions will be exciting.


    Anyways, this country is known as the Land of Noodles. I wonder how good the noodles from here taste.''


    Fujin left to find the cooks in the pce. The cooks and othermon people weren''t aware of the iing attack. So they were rxed. But they recognized the headband on Fujin''s head and were very respectful to him despite his young age.


    The head cook met Fujin and asked with a smile, "I am the chief cook here. How may I help you young one?"


    Fujin replied, "Hello chief. I was wondering how good the noodles from this country are."


    The chief cook''s smile disappeared and he asked seriously, "Young man, are you underestimating the noodles from here?"


    Fujin kept his smile and said, "Nope. I''m just a normal foodie. So give me your best."


    The chief cook said, "We have 19 varieties of noodle dishes here. And all the 19 varieties are the best among any noodles."


    Fujin said, "Oh, that''s cool. I''ll try all 19 varieties during my time here then."

 Chapter 161: The Carefree Foodie

    Over the next couple of days, Fujin tried 17 varieties of noodle dishes. All were delicious and could be put at a simr level as Ichiraku.


    Sotan was dissatisfied with Fujin''s carefree nature and acting as if he was on a vacation. But Fujin paid him no heed. Tamotsu and the rest also noticed Fujin''s attitude but didn''t say anything.


    They concluded that Fujin had gotten carefree after a couple of very easy missions. They themselves had a simr experience. They believed that Fujin''s attitude would improve after they get a mission that gets very serious.


    Of course, their analysis was incorrect. Fujin was very alert. Despite his carefree attitude, he was very serious. Once the fighting begins, he will be as serious as he can be. His actions were only a result of him deciding to rx mentally and physically after a longish training routine as they had nothing to do until their opponents decided to show up.


    On the 3rd afternoon in the castle, Fujin was sitting on the edge of the balcony on the top floor, eating thest of the 19 dishes. It was Chicken and Mushroom Sauced Noodles with Basil.


    As he grabbed the noodles with his chopsticks and ate, he looked straight ahead. His eyes glowed blue as he observed numerous silhouettes trying to approach the castle stealthily.


    He swallowed the noodles and said with a steady voice, "They are here."


    After saying that, he began eating again while thinking, ''Just 18? These guys need to find their source and hang him. There are over 50 attackers. And all have chakra. Though none are exceptionally strong.


    Anyways, I didn''t think that standing at an altitude would increase the range of my chakra-enhanced eyesight so much. I can barely see a few hundred meters when at ground level. But from here, I can observe for almost 3 kilometers. A shame that the chakra field doesn''t extend in this manner too.''


    Fujin''s voice was heard clearly by the people on the top floor. Tamotsu, Ryota, Katsumi and Tadashi immediately appeared behind him, only to see him eating in a very rxed manner. ck lines formed on their faces.


    Fujin said, "The intel was incorrect. There are over 50 attackers."


    Hearing that, all four became serious and began observing the surroundings. The attackers were still over a couple of kilometers away. But the Konoha Chunins could see the slight movements in the trees as they moved.


    Tamotsu made a shadow clone who went to warn Sotan and get him to ready his men.


    Ryota said with a bitter smile, "It looks like we hit a steel te this time. It will be a tough fight."


    Tamotsu said, "Focus on keeping yourself alive. I know that the mission statement is to keep them alive. But keeping ourselves alive is the most important thing. We can''t do our mission if we are dead. Especially you, Fujin. Don''t get too excited."


    Fujin replied, "Don''t worry. Though their numbers are high, none of them seems exceptionally strong. So we should be fine."


    Tamotsu was surprised. He said, "I didn''t expect your sensory skills to be so strong."


    Fujin replied, "The altitude helps in covering more area. But I can''t extend my chakra field that far away. So I am not 100% sure. And we should consider the possibility of someone being able to conceal their chakra."


    Tamotsu nodded and said, "It''s good that you are considering these aspects."


    Fujin asked, "So, what''s our n? With the enemy outnumbering us almost 2:1, the old ns are unusable."


    Tamotsu nodded and said, "We won''t focus on trying to defend. Instead, we will move in groups and kill as many of our enemies as quickly as we can. Tadashi and Katsumi will move together. Ryota and Fujin will move with me."


    Fujin said, "My teamwork with you guys isn''t that good yet. It could be bad considering the scale of this battle. Can I move alone instead?"


    Tamotsu frowned. He didn''t expect such a request to be made by Fujin. He thought, ''His request is logically correct. But, Lord Hokage asked me to ensure that he doesn''t die prematurely. That said, he also said that Fujin is quite strong and could put up a fight even against me.''


    Tamotsu asked, "Are you sure? It will be very risky with no one to watch your back."


    Fujin said, "Don''t worry. I can sense who is strong and who ain''t. So I will focus on clearing the weaker ones."


    Tamotsu agreed and said, "Alright. But be careful."


    Fujin nodded without looking at him and continued eating his noodles. His teammates watched him with strange looks in their eyes.


    Meanwhile, Sotan began arranging his subordinates into proper positions. Every ninja in the castle became very alert. Themon people realized that they were about to be attacked and quickly evacuated to the underground safehouse under the castle.


    The attackers finally began entering within 1 kilometer of the castle and into Fujin''s chakra field. Fujin began sensing all of them properly. He didn''t find anything odd with any of them. The attackers were spread out across the forest moving in groups of 2 or 3.


    He analyzed, ''Hmm, 43 are at the Genin level, 14 barely into the Chunin level and 2 might be closer to the Elite Chunin level. Though, since they aren''t from Konoha, their official ranks might be higher. I guess that the strongest 2 are Jounins. Still, they are weak. I kinda wish that I got some experience points for grinding these weaklings.''


    Fujin swallowed the remaining noodles in his bowl and ced the bowl down.


    He said, "I''m going in first."


    Without waiting for anyone''s response, he used Wind Instantaneous Body jutsu.


    His teammates were surprised again. Tadashi said, "Did he really go to take the attack to the enemy?"


    Katsumi noted, "More importantly, he left with chopsticks in his hands rather than his swords."


    Ryota asked, "Will he be alright?"


    Tamotsu said, "Let''s hope that he stays fine. Anyways, they are almost here. Get ready!"


    All four began preparing their opening jutsus.


    Fujin appeared on a tree about 50 meters from a group of 3. Two in the front were at the Genin level, while the one in the back was at the Chunin level. Fujin hid behind a tree.


    Soon, 3 figures appeared close to Fujin. Chakra flowed through the two chopsticks Fujin was holding. Fujin threw them at the two genins. Both chopsticks pierced through their throats. They dropped down while holding their throats.


    The Chunin in the back was shocked. They hadn''t even reached the castle walls yet! Before the Chunin could shout to attract attention, a sharp wind cut across his throat. He too joined the dead Genins.


    Fujin flickered to the nearest group. He killed 2 groups, consisting of a total of 5 Genins in a row before getting to the rear of the attacking forces.


    Fujin''s kills were done very silently. The enemy group wasn''t aware of his actions. After killing 8, he set his target on one of the Jounins.


    Behind the enemy lines, there were no obstacles for Fujin. He flickered close to the nearest Jounin. After getting in range, he attacked from behind.


    ''Wind Release: Vacuum Bullet jutsu''


    The Jounin and his two subordinates were moving ahead confidently. They were sure about winning. However, the Jounin suddenly felt some danger and moved to his left. The Vacuum Bullet grazed past his right arm leaving a cut. The Vacuum Bullet kept going ahead and pierced through multiple trees. They were shocked and quickly turned around to confront the sneak attacker.


    Fujin was surprised, ''He dodged? I guess it might not be so boring after all.''


    The Jounin and the two Chunins didn''t see anyone behind them. Fujin had already flickered after attacking.


    One of the Chunins asked, "Who attacked us, boss?"


    The Jounin said, "Stay on alert. The enemy should be watching us! And don''t get hit by his attack!"


    They stayed on guard for a few seconds, but no new attack happened. The Jounin frowned, ''Is someone trying to kill me? Or is it just a tactic to stop me here? No, that attack was strong. I have to keep my guard up!''


    The three stood with their backs to each other, watching every direction. Soon, some noise was heard from one direction. Two Wind Gale Wolves appeared and pounced on them.


    The Chunins immediately threw a kunai with an explosion tag on each wolf. Both wolves were dispersed.


    However, when they were distracted by the wolves, Fujin silently flickered behind them and used Air Bullet jutsu.


    The Jounin realized and shouted, "DODGE!"


    He immediately moved away. But the two Chunins were distracted by the wolves. Both got hit by multiple bullets. One of the bullets pierced through one of their hearts, while another pierced through the head of the other Chunin.


    As soon as the Jounin dodged, he threw Shurikens at Fujin. However, Fujin flickered out of the way.


    The Jounin was angry at how easily two of his subordinates died! He shouted, "Bastard! I will kill you!"


    Fujin didn''t reply. Instead, he threw a few shurikens at him. The Jounin easily blocked them with his kunai. However, while he was blocking, Fujin''s shadow clone attacked with Air Bullet jutsu from the rear.


    The Jounin once again dodged quickly. A few scratches appeared on him, but none were life-threatening.


    The Jounin realized, ''He had a clone attack us with those wolves while his main body sneak attacked us. And now he has done the reverse. What a troublesome opponent!''


    Meanwhile, Fujin was thinking, ''Does he have eyes at the back of his head?''

 Chapter 162: Chaoter 159: The Ghostly Swordsman!

    While Fujin was fighting, the remaining forces reached the castle walls. The fight had begun. However, with Sotan holding back the 2nd Jounin, the Konoha chunins began cutting through enemy ranks with ease.


    After dodging Fujin''s attack, the Jounin opened a scroll and made a hand sign. The scroll opened in a way that it circled around him. Soon, dozens of kunais with explosion tags wereunched from the scroll.


    Fujin immediately used Infinite Breakthrough jutsu while his clone hid underground. The jutsu stopped all the kunais heading towards Fujin. They all exploded. The explosion, however, also dispersed Fujin''s jutsu and created a lot of dust cover.


    The Jounin took the opportunity of the dust cover to run away from Fujin. He thought, ''Is that a kid or a monster? How does he know so many jutsus? I don''t want to fight him. This attack can fail for all I care!''


    Fujin noticed him running and thought, ''Did he really not figure out that I am a sensor? And why hasn''t he used any jutsus?''


    As he was running, he suddenly jumped. But, his legs were still caught by Fujin''s clone. He lost his bnce and was about to fall on his face. However, to Fujin''s surprise, he managed to get a hold of himself immediately. He pointed his right arm towards the ground to ensure that he didn''t fall on his face. At the same time, he threw a kunai at Fujin''s clone with his free hand.


    Unfortunately for him, the clone had caught his legs with just one purpose. The clone immediately exploded. The majority of the force of the explosion was focused on his palms.


    The explosionpletely ruined his two legs. His left leg was blown into two. His right leg was burned to the bone and was barely attached. He yelled hoarsely in pain. His yells stopped the next second when an Air Bullet pierced through his heart, killing him.


    Fujin made a clone to collect his body as he thought, ''What a strange opponent! His survival instinct was top-notch. He could dodge deadly attacks from blind spots with ease. The only reason why my clone managed to grab his legs is that that act itself didn''t have any possibility of harming him, which is probably why he was slow at jumping.


    But, he didn''t use any jutsu at all other than summoning those exploding kunais. Could it be that he didn''t know any good jutsu at all?''


    Fujin analyzed for a few seconds before concluding, ''Yes, that is probably the case. I have to admire his perseverance to train to this extent without any proper system. If he was a part of any of the major viges, he might have actually be a famous Jounin.


    Sigh, I should be d that I transmigrated to Konoha. If I wasn''t a part of the major viges, then I would only have the knowledge of learning Wind Maniption, Rasengan and Chakra Control exercises. Even bing a ninja would have been difficult!''


    Fujin spread his chakra field to observe the battle happening on the walls. The battle had just begun and was at full force. Fujin unsheathed a sword. Chakra began flowing through it as he thought, ''Oh well, time to harvest some lives!''


    ''Wind Instantaneous Body jutsu''


    Fujin appeared close to where the fighting was happening. He had already eliminated 11 enemies, bringing the total numbers close to equal.


    A Chunin from the Land of Noodles was engaged in an intense battle against a rogue Chunin. However, he was shocked when he saw a sword cut off his opponent''s head in one swing. But, before he could see the face of the swordsman, he had already disappeared.


    The same scenes began happening all throughout the battlefield. 16 ninjas fell to Fujin''s sword with this tactic.


    With the Land of Noodles ninjas getting free, they began ganging up on the enemies. Soon the rogue ninjas were at aplete disadvantage. The leader of the rogue ninjas frowned upon noticing this. He didn''t understand how this was happening.


    Seeing the tides of the battle change, all 5 Konoha chunins focused on the enemy leader and appeared around him. His face became very ugly.


    He thought, ''How the fuck did I fail so badly?''


    He stopped fighting and said, "I surrender."


    Sotan was surprised. He stopped attacking and said, "Alright. Don''t resist."


    He knocked the enemy out and restrained him. Soon after, the other rogue ninjas were killed as well.


    Sotan sighed in relief. He looked at Tamotsu and said, "Thank You. Without your warning and help, we would have been in a very difficult spot!"


    Sotan was fully aware of the capabilities of his subordinates. He had prepared himself for a loss and prayed for a miracle when he heard the enemy numbers. Seeing how easily they won, he figured that the Konoha ninjas won him the war.


    Tamotsu chuckled and said, "You need to thank Fujin. He was one who sensed and reported them to me."


    Tamotsu said this intentionally as he was aware that Sotan was dissatisfied with Fujin. Sotan was surprised. He recalled how he was angry at Fujin. He thought, ''Thank God I didn''t say anything and asked the chefs to ensure that he got our best food!''


    He bowed to Fujin and said, "The Land of Noodles will remember your assistance. Thank You, young man. We are in your debt."


    Fujin was surprised. He thought, ''Wow! A 180¡ã turn! And even faster than Sasuke! Looks like he really loves his vige. Makes sense I guess considering that he stayed behind to defend.''


    Fujin said, "You are wee. There are 10 dead bodies in the forest. Preferably have your subordinates clear them. If the civilians see them, they might freak out."


    Sotan was about to nod when he realized what Fujin had said. He thought, ''TEN?''


    Fujin''s teammates were shocked as well. Tamotsu asked, "Fujin, did you kill 10 enemy ninjas in the forest before the attack reached us?"


    Fujin replied, "Well, eleven. One of them was a bit strong. So I stored his body in case he has a bounty."


    Hearing Fujin''s answer left them speechless. Unlike the Land of Noodles ninjas, the Konoha ninjas had noticed Fujin cutting down the enemies. Though they didn''t see all his kills, they all had only one thought, ''Did this eleven-year-old kid kill more than us fourbined?''


    Sotan was the first one to ovee his shock. He said, "Show me the body. I''ll tell you whether he has any bounty."


    Fujin looked at Tamotsu who nodded. Fujin summoned his body from the scroll. When Sotan''s eyesy on the dead body''s face, he was terrified!


    He yelled, "THE NOODLE THIEF!"


    His shout attracted attention. The Land of Grass ninjas were very surprised on hearing it. On the other hand, the Konoha ninjas thought, ''The what?''


    Sotan looked at Fujin with a terrified expression on his face. He said, "He is the Noodle Thief! He is a terrible rogue ninja. How did you manage to kill him?"


    Tamotsu and others watched Fujin. However, Fujin was dumbfounded. He thought, ''Terrible rogue ninja? He really was terrible, but I don''t think he means the same. How the heck did this weakling get such a response from him?''


    Fujin asked calmly, "Can you give details about him?"


    Sotan said with some fear in his voice, "He is a rogue ninja from the Land of Tea. He was expelled from the vige when he was only a genin. Apparently, he trained by himself to reach the Jounin level without any guidance. He migrated to this country and began stealing our Caravans when they exported Noodles.


    He used to only attack caravans that weren''t guarded by ninjas or only guarded by Genins. We were forced to issue a rank B protection mission for every Caravan we set. We issued rank B, rank A and even rank S missions to hunt him down. Unfortunately, no matter what we did, no one ever managed to find him! He was so good that we never even received any information on the jutsus that he specialized in!


    Due to him, we lost noodles worth tens of millions Ryo and have to spend millions on protection every year. In the end, our Daimyo issued a 13 million Ryo bounty on his head hoping that someone might kill him."


    Fujin was shocked, ''What the fuck? This weakling has a 13 million bounty? And how the fuck did he survive against Rank S missions? Don''t tell me that his freakish survival instincts warned him every time and enabled him to hide properly from the hunters. Or did he just find a perfect hiding spot?''


    Fujin''s analysis was on point. The Noodle Thief had found an old base created in secret by the Land of Water during the Third Great Ninja war. The base was difficult to spot naturally and was made to be a perfect hidden base with the help of Fuinjutsu.


    Post the war, Kirigakure got embroiled in a civil war and the base was forgotten. In addition, his survival instincts always alerted him when someone very strong was out to hunt him, ensuring that he stayed hidden. Due to this, his reputation got built rapidly. Unfortunately, his instincts didn''t kick in this time until he was attacked by Fujin and his lucky run was over!


    Seeing that Fujin wasn''t saying anything, Sotan stopped asking and said, "Lord Daimyo will be thrilled to know that you managed to neutralize him. Wait here for a day. Lord Daimyo should arrive at the castle by tomorrow morning."


    Tamotsu agreed to stay back another day as they needed some rest as well.


    While Sotan was talking with them, the ninjas from the Land of Noodles were talking about their fights. Soon, they all began talking about the Ghostly Swordsman who helped many of them! For years toe, the Legend of the Ghostly Swordsman will be spoken in this country. Many would specte that Fujin was the Ghostly Swordsman, but none would be sure as they never saw the face of the Ghostly Swordsman.

 Chapter 163: Chaoter 160: Future Daimyos Invitation

    Konoha chunins retreated to their room after the battle was over.


    Tadashi couldn''t resist but asked, "Fujin, how did you manage to kill a Jounin?"


    Fujin shrugged and said, "He was very weak."


    Ryota asked, "He is a Jounin. How can he be weak?"


    Fujin chuckled and said, "If he was in my chunin exam, I am sure that he won''t even get promoted to Chunin."


    Fujin''s teammates suddenly had strange expressions. Initially, they assumed that Fujin was being modest. But now, Fujin had implied that the students in his chunin exams were stronger.


    Ryota asked, "What do you mean? Didn''t he know some sort of secret jutsus?"


    Fujin said, "During our fight, he had plenty of opportunities to use jutsus, but he didn''t use any. Even in death, he didn''t use any jutsu. So most likely, he didn''t know any jutsu at all. He just had a very strong survival instinct that allowed him to dodge multiple killing blows. I guess that he was just lucky to never be discovered."


    Fujin''s answer left them dumbfounded. Tadashi''s chin dropped. He eximed, "You''ve got to be kidding me!"


    His dog Kenta barked in agreement.


    After the moment of disbelief passed, Tamotsu said, "Fujin, about the bounty reward¡­"


    Fujin looked at him and asked, "What about it?"


    Before Tamotsu answered, Fujin said, "Oh, we divide the bounty rewards as well, right?"


    Tamotsu nodded.


    Fujin said, "Alright."


    Tamotsu smiled. He was hoping that Fujin would answer this way. If Fujin had refused to share, he would have kicked him out of the team.


    He said, "While we do usually share such bounty rewards, all the work was done by you in this case. So you can keep the entire reward. Does anyone else disagree?"


    Fujin was surprised to see that no one showed any dissatisfaction. He asked, "Are you guys sure? I don''t mind dividing the reward equally."


    Fujin really didn''t mind. After all, money wasn''t much help in this world. The stuff that could aid Fujin in getting stronger, such as the Elemental crystals, couldn''t be bought with money. At the very least, it couldn''t be bought with just a few million Ryo.


    Tamotsu said, "Yup. We are sure."


    Fujin didn''t insist anymore and just nodded. He thought, ''Wow, never thought an entire group would say no to millions of Ryo. If this was my old world, even the richest person would have said yes without a single thought!


    Heck, I''d be worried whether they would plot something when I sleep! So many cases where friends and even family turned on each other just for money despite doing well financially!''


    Fujin looked at the smiling faces of his teammates and sighed in his mind, ''How good it''d have been if that Monkey-Fox hybrid was as kind as them!''


    The next morning, Daimyo, his family and the guards return to the castle. Saton updates him on all the events. After doing some preparations, they organize a small ceremony and invite the Konoha ninjas.


    The Konoha ninjas arrived. The room was big and almost upied the entire floor. At the center of the room was a long conference table with chairs around it.


    Fujin observed carefully. The Daimyo sat at one end with a couple of Samurai bodyguards standing next to him. The Daimyo was very old. In the chairs adjacent to him, a young man and a young girl were sitting. A few more officials sat next to them.


    Sotan asked the Konoha ninjas to take the seats opposite the Daimyo. Tamotsu sat on the chair exactly opposite the Daimyo, while Fujin and the rest sat in adjacent chairs.


    The young man beside the Daimyo said, "I am Chikara. I thank you for doing the job so efficiently. Despite our estimates being incorrect, we were able to eliminate all the enemy with zero losses thanks to you."


    Tamotsu replied with a smile, "No need to thank us, it was our mission."


    Chikara and some of the subordinates of Daimyo praised the Konoha ninjas a lot. They paid additional mary rewards to them due to the increased difficulty of the mission. The Daimyo signed a letter addressing Hiruzen praising the work done by them.


    After an hour of boring talks mixed with great food, Fujin was given the 13 million Ryo bounty. Chikara, who presented the bounty, said, "Sotan couldn''t stop singing praises of you. Are you also the Ghostly Swordsman who helped out others?"


    Fujin replied, "Nope. I am just a normal swordsman."


    Chikara observed Fujin''s face. But he couldn''t read anything. He thought, ''Based on the information, I''m sure that he is the one who cut them down. But looks like he doesn''t want the extra attention.''


    Chikara was very impressed with Fujin. He was young, strong and didn''t seek fame. He said, "Fujin, I will be sworn in as the Daimyo for this country in a couple of years. Would you like to be a part of my Guardian team?"


    Chikara''s proposal surprised a lot of people. Meanwhile, Fujin''s eyebrows twitched involuntarily. He politely said, "I will consider it."


    Before waiting for any response, he turned around and joined his team. Chikara looked awkwardly as his first-ever invite was ignored in this manner.


    Knowing his inexperience, the old Daimyo finally spoke, "The Land of Noodles will be in your debt. If you ever want to or have time, feel free to visit us."


    He looked at Fujin and continued, "Our chefs will have the best dishes prepared for you. As for the Ghostly Swordsman, I will see that no one mentions him being you."


    Fujin nodded while thinking, ''This old guy is smart.''


    After some more formalities, the Konoha team left. While leaving, Ryota said, "Wow! I thought you would ept Fujin. Being a guardian of a Daimyo is a huge honor."


    Fujin replied, "I doubt I''ll get many opportunities to gain experience as a bodyguard. And, it''s unlikely that they will suffer a bigger threat than thest attack any time soon. So it would be very boring."


    While Fujin said that, his thoughts werepletely different, ''Seriously, why do strong ninjas even have respect for the Daimyos? It''s not like they have any real power. Their only real achievement is being born as the first child of a Daimyo.


    I am surprised that someone like Danzo or any other psycho didn''t get rid of them and took control of all the finances and management of entire countries.''


    Tamotsu said, "While the job is boring, it is very prestigious. And there are a lot of perks to being a Guardian of a Daimyo. The most important being that you can be an ambassador for our vige and use your influence to send most of the missions to Konoha."


    Fujin said, "Oh, I didn''t think from that point of view. But, isn''t our Mission center full of missions anyways?"


    Tamotsu said, "Yeah, that''s true."


    He became silent as he recalled the losses from the previous Great Wars.


    After a day''s journey, the group returned to Konoha and epted the mission rewards. Tamotsu said, "You guys can leave. I will hand the Daimyo''s letter to Lord Hokage and report him on the mission as well."


    Others nodded and left. Tamotsu entered the Hokage''s office and greeted Hiruzen and handed him the letter and said, "Our mission this time became a few times more difficult. The Daimyo of the Land of Noodles sent you a letter."


    Hiruzen read it and said, "Looks like the Daimyo is very impressed by your work. He has especially praised Fujin a lot. How is your experience with him so far?"


    Tamotsu nodded and said, "The kid is good. He didn''t do anything in the previous two missions, but in this mission, he was invaluable. He spotted the attack long before others. In the fight, he killed 1 Jounin, 6 Chunins and 20 Genins. And he helped subdue the leader of the rogues as well."


    Hiruzen analyzed for a bit and said, "The data on the Noodle Thief seems inconsistent. Though he had a huge bounty, there are no records of him being in any significant fight."


    Tamotsu said, "Yeah. Actually, Fujin said that he was very weak. He just had a good survival instinct. I thought he was just being humble. But that might indeed be the case."


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "Regardless, it is a very good performance."


    Tamotsu agreed and added, "His attitude is good too. Though he killed the Noodle Thief by himself, he was willing to share the bounty with the entire team. We didn''t ept it, but the kid is very selfless."


    A weird expression formed on Hiruzen''s face as he thought, ''Selfless? Is he talking about the same person?''


    Tamotsu didn''t notice the change in expression. He reported the remaining details to Hiruzen before leaving.


    After he left, Hiruzen wondered, ''It''s good that he was willing to share the rewards with his team, but how did he be so selfless all of a sudden? Does he only be greedy in front of me?''


    Hiruzen''s analysis was very close to the truth. Strong ninjas like Hiruzen and Renjiro knew a lot of jutsus that Fujin wanted. And it didn''t cost them anything to teach apart from maybe time. So he will always use any means necessary to get some jutsus from them. As for money, in Fujin''s eyes, Hiruzen handled all finances of Konoha. And Konoha was the richest hidden vige. So he operates under the assumption that Hiruzen is loaded!

 Chapter 164: Training Lightning Release

    After reaching home, Fujin thought, ''I guess that''s the highest level of difficulty a rank B mission can get. Looks like my self-analysis of being Jounin level wasn''t incorrect. Unfortunately, Konoha wouldn''t promote me anytime soon. Also, tougher missions would mean that my life will be at more risk. My calctions were right. I should use this time to strengthen myself as much as I can.''


    Fujin entered one of the rooms in the basement and turned on the lights. The room was empty. Fujin took out a scroll and summoned a few devices. There was a transformer, an Ammeter, an Ohmmeter, rubber boots, rubber gloves and a few wires.


    Fujin wore the boots and began arranging the set-up while thinking, ''In order to avoid suspicion, I memorized the training process for all five elements long back. Only training methods for Yang and Yin elements aren''t avable in the library.


    For the Lightning element, the way to train is a bitplicated aspared to Wind and Earth. Though at the same time, it is straightforward. I just have to endure shocks in increasing intensity to master it.


    I will first need to measure the resistance of my body. And then I will have to use the Transformer to subject my body to increasing voltages. That will induce a current to flow through my body.


    Even that has to be done in phases. My limbs can endure a higher current. But if a current passes through my heart or brain, then it could be lethal. Those two parts will have to be trained separately.


    Anyways, the first step of learning Lightning release is being able to withstand 10 Ampere current through my whole body for one minute. The second step is to produce that much current on my hands. With these 2 steps alone, I will be able to learn Lightning jutsus up to rank B. Rank A and S will need me to be able to resist and produce a stronger current.


    That said, increasing the intensity of the current that I can produce will strengthen the lower-ranked jutsus. Of course, on the flip side, I can use rank C and lower jutsus after being able to produce a current of 100 milliamperes. But it won''t be very strong.


    Fujinpleted the setup. He created a Shadow clone to control the voltage. The setup had 2 open-ended wires. Fujin grabbed one with his left hand. He taped the 2nd wire to his upper arm. This way, the current would enter his hand, pass through his arm and leave through the wire attached to his upper arm.


    The clone set the output of the transformer to 10V and switched it on. The current began flowing through Fujin''s body. A number appeared on the Ammeter which was attached to the circuit. It read 0.125 mA.


    Fujin began calcting, ''0.125 milliamperes for 10 Volts would mean that my body resistance is 80,000 Ohm. The scroll said that I should be able to feel the current when it reaches 1 milliampere.''


    He looked at his clone and said, "Increase it to 80 Volts."


    His Clone nodded and increased the output of the transformer. Immediately, Fujin began to feel a slight tingling sensation through his arm.


    Fujin let the current flow through his arm for a minute. He looked at his clone and said, "Increase to 200 volts."


    His clone increased it. The current rose to 2.5 mA. It still wasn''t painful for Fujin. Fujin recalled the details in the scroll, ''The Scroll was right at stating that we will feel the current at 1 milliampere. At 5 milliamperes will feel very disturbing to a normal human being, but it won''t be very painful.


    From 6 milliamperes, it will start getting painful. From then on, the muscles will start losing control. If a normal human is hit by this, he will just let go of the object that electrified them involuntarily.


    Beyond 17 milliamperes, a normal human will begin experiencing extreme pain. He can''t let go of the object and there is a chance of death.


    Beyond 100 milliamperes, pumping of the heart bes uncoordinated and nerve damage begins. At 2 Ampere, there will be a high chance of cardiac arrest, internal organ damage and severe burns. Death bes very likely.


    But, as a ninja who has trained my body using chakra, my endurance could be higher. It will still be very dangerous though. I should be very patient once it begins to hurt.''


    He said, "Increase it to 400 Volts."


    The clone increased it and said, "Don''t forget that the body''s resistance will suddenly decrease after 500 Volts."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Yes. But the decrease in resistance is due to the outeryer of the skin breaking down. Due to my training, it might be higher for me. Anyways, keep an eye on the Ammeter. If the value suddenly begins increasing, turn the switch off. A second or two of high current won''t be lethal. Besides, there is also the fuse which will melt at 100 milliamperes."


    The clone nodded. Fujin kept raising the voltage slowly. After half an hour, the clone had increased the output of the transformer to 4000 Volts! A 50 mA current passed through Fujin''s arm.


    Fujin thought, ''Finally I can feel some pain! Looks like my endurance is around 8 to 10 times higher than a normal human when ites to electricity.''


    He took some time to get used to the pain. Once the pain subsided, he increased the Voltage more. At 5000 V, the reading on the ammeter was 62.5 mA. However, it suddenly began increasing rapidly! The clone immediately turned the switch off.


    Fujin let go of the wire and removed the one he attached. He shook his arm a few times and said, "That hurt!"


    The clone chuckled and said, "62.5 milliampere in under an hour is great progress."


    However, Fujin shook his head and said, "This is just the natural endurance I have developed over the years. The main training will start from now onwards. I have a feeling that this will take a long time just to reach the necessary endurance."


    He thought, ''I wonder how Sasuke managed to learn lightning Release and master Chidori in under a month. Was it just his talent and the Sharingan? Or does Kakashi, no, the Hatake n have a better way to master the Lightning Release?''


    Fujin repeated the same training for his remaining 3 limbs. He followed it up by sending current from one hand to the other, allowing the current to flow through his chest. He started low and stopped at 5 mA. He repeated the same for a current to pass from the top of his head to the ground after removing his shoes.


    Fujin trained this way for a week. By then, he could endure currents of 500 mA passing through his limbs and 100 mA through his whole body. He also managed to generate a current of 250 mA on his hand.


    In these 7 days, in order to avoid any suspicion, he also went to the training ground for an early morning workout and after lunch to practice his Wind Release and Wind Vacuum Technique for a couple of hours daily.


    The Lightning training also had a great effect on Fujin''s physique. Fujin noticed, ''In addition to learning Lightning release, this method has a great effect on my body. I can feel my body getting slightly stronger due to those electric shocks. Though I guess that it will be ineffective after some time. Just like the Senju Taijutsu style increased my Chakra. Still, this physical buff will be very helpful.''


    For the next couple of months, Fujin focused on training his Lightning element. The Lightning training along with the intense morning workout had done wonders for his body. He now operated the training seal at 95% capacity.


    During this time, his team did 7 rank B missions. Having seen his capabilities, Fujin was given a much more active role in the team. Unfortunately, the missions weren''t very challenging.


    Finally, Fujin managed to generate 10 Ampere current. He and his clone grinned as they read 10A on the Ammeter.


    Fujin said, "Time to learn Lightning Ninjutsu now. You go to the library. Check out the jutsus of Lightning, Fire and Water release."


    The clone nodded and left. Fujin meditated in the meditation room until the clone sent the info back.


    The clone began going through all Fire, Lightning and Water jutsus in Sections E, D, C and B. Of course, he only read the Lightning jutsus with full focus. As for the Fire and Water element scrolls, the clone analyzed the Lightning jutsus he read while pretending to read those scrolls.


    After a couple of hours, the clone dispelled and sent the information back!

 Chapter 165: Should I form a Personal Force?

    Fujin''s eyes in the meditation room suddenly opened. A frown formed on his face when he received the information, ''Wind and Lightning are indeed a badbination. Though the clone found decent ninjutsus, there wasn''t a single Lightning jutsu that couldpliment my current skills.''


    He analyzed for some time before concluding, ''Looks like other than Raikage''s Lightning cloak mode and Sasuke''s Kirin, the remaining Lightning jutsus won''t be of any use to me when ites to improving my strength. So that leaves only concealment.


    Alright. I''ll form a newbat system based on my Lightning jutsus. I won''t use any Wind jutsus or jutsus that can connect me with Konoha except the Shadow Clone and Body Flicker jutsus. The basis of this new system will be speedplemented by high uracy and high pration power attacks.


    While I don''t have any immediate need of creating such a persona, I am currently in a very peaceful phase with a lot of free time. It''s best to create thisbat system before my life bes hectic.


    With that decided, time to start learning the jutsus. I''ll start with¡­''


    Fujin''s thoughts were interrupted as he heard a doorbell. He wondered, ''Who''de to visit at this time? Is Renjiro back? No, the chakra signature is too low.''


    Fujin went up to check. Before opening the door, he sealed up the entrance to the basement. Fujin opened the door to see 5 faces that he didn''t recognize. After a few seconds, he recognized a couple of them and was surprised. He thought, ''Well, what a surprise. I nearly forgot about these two. I wonder why they are here.''


    Aoki Daisuke said with a bit of nervousness, "Hey Fujin. How have you been?"


    Tatsuya also greeted Fujin.


    Fujin said, "I have been doing well. How about you two? Anyways,e in."


    The 5 young boys entered his house.


    Daisuke looked around the house with marvel. He was already surprised when he saw it from the outside. He eximed, "Your house is magnificent Fujin!"


    Fujin said, "Thanks."


    They sat in the circr room. Fujin asked, "So, what brings you here? Also, who are these 3?"


    Daisuke introduced them, "They are our good friends. They are Anzai Buncho, Handa Bunjiro and Iriye Ryoma. They are our best friends from our ss and are orphans just like us."


    Fujin checked each one of them. All seemed normal. He said, "Hey"


    They greeted Fujin back.


    Fujin noticed a bit of nervousness on Daisuke''s face. He said, "Fujin, we actually came here because we wanted to ask for your help."


    Fujin asked, "What help?"


    He said, "Actually, we are struggling in the academy. Our graduation exams are less than half a year away and I am afraid that we will fail. We saw your fight in the Chunin exams and saw how you defeated everyone with ease. Even the kids from ninja ns weren''t a match for you! So we wanted to ask for your help and guidance to pass the exam."


    Fujin was surprised to hear that. It wasn''t just the request that surprised him, but rather the change in Daisuke. He thought, ''I know that the adults in this world are scheming bastards. But how the fuck did this straightforward guy be such a smooth talker. He perfectly blended ttering with the request such that it wouldn''t seem too much and instead look very genuine!''


    Seeing that Fujin was not answering made the 5 boys a bit nervous. They had decided to let Daisuke do most of the talking as he was familiar with Fujin. But as Fujin didn''t reply, Tatsuya asked, "Fujin?"


    Fujin replied, "Can you tell me what have you learnt so far? And what areas are you struggling in?"


    They immediately began telling Fujin their issues. Fujin paid half attention to their words. As for the remaining half, he was thinking, ''Hmm, what to do? I have no interest in teaching them. After all, even though I have time, I also have a crazy amount of stuff that I want to learn.


    The only gain I can see from helping them is getting their favor. Another possible gain could be an improvement in reputation if my kind deeds are spread. But, neither gain is significant. Even if I gain their favor, what can a bunch of genins do for me? And, in a world where power reigns supreme, reputation isn''t worth anything. At most, it could improve my image in Hiruzen''s eyes, but I don''t expect him to give me any more benefits anytime soon.


    The only gain that could be worth it is if I gain their loyalty and they be my subordinates. In that case, I could create a small powerbase in Konoha. It won''t be as powerful as any n, but it would have great potential to grow. Especially once Danzo is out of the picture and the insane casualties of the 4th Great War leave a lot of Orphans that I could recruit.


    But, do I even need such an organization, especially within Konoha? And will these guys be that loyal?''


    Fujin analyzed quickly before reaching the conclusion, ''No. A faction within Konoha will be watched by many eyes. If I infringe upon the benefits of others, we will be hit by a multitude of schemes that would leave us a mess. And it would eat into my precious training times. All the attention would also make it much more difficult for me to do anything in the dark.


    More importantly, these guys cannot be trusted to be that loyal. The Root is loyal to Danzo as he picked them up when they were orphans and haspletely brainwashed and indoctrinated them. While Orochimaru picked up kids who had lost everything and had no hope and gave them food, power, hope and dreams. Which is why his subordinates were loyal to him. Of course, in addition, both also used seals to keep their subordinates in check.


    Neither of those 2 cases applies here. Even if I stayed in touch with them after I entered the academy and became best friends and helped them, I wouldn''t have that level of loyalty. At most, it will be a strong friendship bond and a sense ofradery like the bond between Naruto and Shikamaru.


    That said, I do n on creating an organization outside Konoha. I have a lot of ns that an organization could simplify. Perhaps training these guys could provide me with insights on how to train the ones I take in my future organization. I guess I will need to create a proper training system for the organization in order for them to be useful. Or perhaps create something like the curse mark to strengthen and control them.''


    After a long internal debate, Fujin decided to aid them. He had heard what Daisuke said. Apparently, their ss wasn''t taught as much as Fujin''s ss was. They were taught the 3 Academy ninjutsu in the 6th year. In the previous 5 years, they were only taught theory, hand signs, leaf concentration, shuriken throwing, kunai wielding and various survival skills needed to be a ninja. None of the 5 ever mentioned visiting the library.


    After they stopped speaking, Fujin said, "Let''s go outside. Show me how you perform the three jutsus."


    Their eyes brightened when they heard it. It meant that Fujin was nning to teach them. They left the house.


    Daisuke started first. He said, "I will start with the Substitution jutsu."


    He began making hand signs. Fujin thought, ''Correct hand signs, but too slow.''


    Daisuke wanted to use the substitution jutsu to impress Fujin, but Fujin was staring right at him without looking away. The substitution jutsu worked on misdirection. With Fujin staring directly at him, he had no way to misdirect Fujin.


    He tried to time his substitution jutsu to the time Fujin blinked his eyes. But, Fujin saw it clearly as he grabbed the log next to him and swapped positions with it.


    Seeing Fujin''s eyes following him left him embarrassed. Fujin said, "This looks alright. Though you have to be faster. Show me the transformation jutsu. Transform into Tatsuya."


    Daisuke nodded and made hand signs and transformed into Tatsuya. There were a lot of imperfections in the jutsu.


    Fujin said, "You will have to practice this more. Show me the Clone jutsu."


    Daisuke made hand signs. Immediately, a clone appeared next to him. But the clone looked nothing like him. In fact, Fujin doubted whether it could even walk!


    Fujin thought, ''I guess Naruto isn''t the only one who sucks at this.''


    Daisuke was embarrassed looking at the clone. Fujin asked the others to disy their jutsus as well. All four could do one jutsu satisfactorily but struggled in the remaining two.


    Fujin said, "Actually, there is not much I can do to aid you with the jutsus directly. You guys will just have to practice until you learn. I will instead help you with some other techniques that would aid you in learning jutsus faster."


    Their expressions fell when they heard that Fujin won''t be able to help them. But on hearing that he will teach them other techniques, they got excited. They had seen the jutsus Fujin used in the Chunin exam. They thought, ''If he taught us even one jutsus from the ones he used in the exam, we will be the strongest in our ss!''


    Unfortunately, their sky-high expectations were set to fall on the ground and be broken into a million pieces!

 Chapter 166: Learning Lightning Jutsus

    Fujin said, "How long can you guys hold the Leaf on your head during the Leaf Concentration exercise?"


    Daisuke answered, "23 minutes."


    Tatsuya said, "28 minutes."


    Buncho said, "17 minutes."


    Bunjiro said, "38 minutes."


    Ryoma said, "26 minutes."


    Fujin said, "That''s very low. No need to practice any ninjutsu for now. Increase that to one hour."


    Tatsuya immediatelyined, "But that exercise is so boring!"


    Fujin said, "Not really a choice Tatsuya."


    Ryomained, "Can''t you just teach us any of your jutsus Fujin?"


    Fujin looked at him and said harshly, "The reason why I could be strong is that my basics are good. If any of you can''t maintain the leaf for an hour, you should give up your dreams of bing a ninja and drop out of the academy."


    Fujin''s reply shocked them. Fujin was their age. They expected him to be cordial with them and help them like a friend. They never imagined that he''d be stricter than the academy teachers.


    Before anyone could make anotherment to upset Fujin, Daisuke said, "Alright Fujin. We will work on it."


    Fujin said, "Come back after you guys manage this. Oh, ande around noon. If I''m not at home at that time, then I''m doing a mission. So check after a few days."


    Daisuke nodded. Fujin returned back home while they left his property.


    They immediately beganining. Banjiro said, "This was a waste of time. I admired him so much. I never thought that he would be so arrogant!"


    Ryoma agreed, "Yes. He asked us to quit the academy if we can''t do a stupid Leaf exercise!"


    Daisuke said, "Though we grew up together, we haven''t been very close since we joined the academy. We should be d that he at least agreed to help us."


    Buncho added, "I heard that he was able to hold the leaf for over an hour in his 2nd year in the academy. So his advice could be right."


    Tatsuya sighed and said, "Anyways, we are struggling in the academy. Let''s give his method a try. If it works, we will be ninjas. If it doesn''t, it won''t be much different."


    They talked for a bit before deciding to follow his instruction. Fujin had anticipated such a reaction when he said those harsh words. But he didn''t care. He didn''t care about these 5. It didn''t matter to him if they graduated or not. He was just seeing how he could instruct any future subordinates properly.


    If his future subordinatesined as they did, he would just let them go or kill them depending on the situation. He didn''t have the time to raise someone who was bothzy and untalented.


    Fujin left this whole episode behind him and began deciding which jutsu he should start with.


    He entered the bottom basement and thought, ''My clone picked 11 jutsus to learn. However, 3 of them are very inconvenient to use in battle. However, these 3 look like they are preparatory jutsus for Raikage''s Lightning Cloak. I guess Konoha managed to deduce some of the steps to learn it. Not really surprising. But they didn''t manage topletely deduce it. Though there is a possibility that they did deduce it but didn''t put it in the library.


    Another 3 jutsus are a series of jutsus. The D and C rank Variants will be dropped in the future. Another jutsu has potential but is highly inurate.


    That leaves me with 1 utility jutsu, 1 defensive jutsu, 1 long-range jutsu and 1 mid-range jutsu in addition to the rank B jutsu. Konoha''s stock of Lightning jutsus is disappointing. Another issue is that there is no Lightning Instantaneous Body jutsu. So long-range escape with this element isn''t possible. I''ll have to depend on the Flicker jutsu.


    Anyways, I''ll start with the series and then move on to the 3 preparatory jutsus. Even though they don''t have much use on the battlefield, they might be able to strengthen my body further.''


    Fujin made hand signs and extended his right arm straight. A lightning bolt formed in his palm and shot towards the metal statue and barely missed it.


    Fujin analyzed, ''Wow, learnt in one try! I suppose now that I have learnt so many jutsus, I''ll have an easier time learning new jutsus. Especially if it''s only a D rank jutsu.


    Anyways, it looks like I will have to perfect the aim of this Lightning Bolt jutsu. Then I can move on to the Lightning st jutsu. Shouldn''t take long.''


    Fujin began practicing. In a few hours, he managed to gain 100% uracy with the jutsu. The Lightning Bolt jutsu didn''t do much damage. At best, the opponent will suffer minor electric shocks. Though it could paralyze the opponent temporarily.


    Fujin moved on to the Lightning st jutsu. It was a C rank jutsu. It worked the same as the Lightning Bolt jutsu. The only difference was that instead of one Lightning Bolt, it would attack the target with a continuous st of Lightning. The jutsu would continue hitting the opponent until the user decided to stop it or doesn''t have the chakra to keep it up.


    Fujin managed to learn and aim it correctly in under a day. However, he realized a crucial issue, ''Though I can aim properly, I can''t control the intensity of the shocks perfectly. Only in around 15% of cases, it was as intense as I wanted it to be.''


    Fujin sighed in relief, ''I''m d I didn''t try those jutsus before realizing this issue. It could have been bad! Sigh, I keep underestimating this world. There is danger even while learning a jutsu!


    Anyways, this issue shouldn''t affect me while learning the Lightning Beam jutsu. I''ll train my control after learning this jutsu.''


    Lightning Beam jutsu was a B rank jutsu. This jutsu was just a powered-up version of the Lightning st jutsu. It could fire a beam twice as wide as the Lightning st jutsu. The shocks from this jutsu would be very painful and fatal.


    Even if someone dodges this jutsu, they could still be attacked if they are within 2 feet of the beam. Due to the high power of the jutsu, small lightning arcs are expelled asionally from the beam that can hit anyone in the vicinity and cause more damage than the Lightning Bolt jutsu.


    Three days after Fujin began learning the jutsu, Fujin was standing in front of a metal statue. He made the hand signs and aimed his right palm at the statue. Lightning appeared in his palm and a beam was fired at the statue.


    The Lightning Beam hit the statue. The statue kept getting hit by the beam for 30 seconds when Fujin finally stopped it. The statue was in a bad shape. The face had melted and couldn''t be called a face anymore. Multiple cracks had urred on the surface of the statue.


    Fujin smiled, ''Alright. Single Target mid-range jutsu learnt. Now, I should work on control.''


    Fujin returned to the room where he had endured electric shocks. He opened his scroll and took out a few items. He set up a circuit.


    The circuit had an 80 Kilo Ohm resistor and an ammeter connected with a wire. Another couple of wires were connected to the other end of the ammeter and the resistor. These wires were left open.


    Fujin grabbed the wires and began generating electricity with his right hand. The current flowed through the circuit and values began appearing on the ammeter.


    Fujin decided, ''2.3 Ampere current. Let me try to keep it at 1 Ampere for 10 minutes. Then I will try keeping it stable at other amperes. I should also check this with the Voltmeter instead of the Ammeter to check both readings. The resistance of the resistor doesn''t decrease like the human body, but it would still be better to check.''


    Fujin began practicing. His control improved slightly, but not much. The lightning was very unstable. Fujin could easily provide the max power continuously, but controlling it at lower levels was challenging.


    He kept practicing till he had to go on a mission. His team gathered outside the Mission Center.


    Tamotsu went in and epted a mission. He came out and said, "I epted a Mission to the Land of Frost. Apparently, a family heirloom was stolen. They issued a rank B mission to retrieve it. The opponents will be rogue ninjas from Kumogakure. Fujin, your Wind jutsus will be important to counter their Lightning Release."


    Fujin nodded. The group made some preparations and left the vige. The group travelled across the Land of Fire and the Land of Hot Water to enter the Land of Frost. The journey took a day and a half before they finally reached their destination.

 Chapter 167: Chaoter 164: A Chakra Metal Sword & Ice Kekkei Genkai

    The Land of Frost didn''t have a ninja force. While they did have some in the past, their army was destroyed in the 2nd and 3rd wars by Kumogakure. Right now, they only had a few ninjas for the protection of the Daimyo and the city. All their missions would be issued to Konoha or Kumo.


    Tamotsu briefed Fujin on the details of the Land of Frost en route. Tamotsu also warned his group saying, "I don''t have the exact information, but I heard some rumors about our Anbu squad shing with some ninjas from the Land of Frost. So keep your guard up in case this mission is a trap."


    Everyone nodded. They entered the city as soon as they reached it. After going through some formalities, the group was received by an old politician and his bodyguard.


    Fujin and his group observed their client. He was very old, probably in his eighties. His back seemed to have been bent permanently and he walked with the help of a walking stick. A Samurai acted as his bodyguard.


    The old man introduced himself, "I''m Konda Kunio. I''m happy to see that Konoha sent a strong group for my mission."


    Tamotsu asked, "Konda? Are you rted to the Daimyo?"


    Konda Kunio smiled and said, "Looks like you are well-informed as well. The current Daimyo is my nephew."


    Tamotsu said, "Can you tell us more about the mission? The mission statement didn''t have much information."


    Kunio nodded and said, "For generations, we had a family heirloom passed through our family. It was a sword made from chakra metal. Unfortunately, we had a break-inst week and our sword was stolen. We did some investigation and found that the thief was a rogue ninja who was formerly from Kumo.


    His name is Saigo Rikyu. He used to be a Chunin. He became a missing-nin 3 years ago. We discovered that he has created an organization and has set up multiple bases in our country. We don''t have the ability to track and kill him."


    As he was speaking, the Samurai led down a map on the table. It was a map of the Land of Frost. It had 5 red crosses.


    Kunio continued, "We have discovered that his organization has these 5 hidden bases. But we don''t know which one he is hiding in. We also don''t know the exact number and strength of his forces. So your mission is only to retrieve the heirloom. There''s no need to kill him or his group. Of course, if you kill him and eliminate his group, that would be the best. You can im his 2.5 million Ryo bounty if he is killed."


    The Konoha ninjas analyzed the information. There was a lot of information that hadn''t been confirmed. The mission could be very risky if stronger ninjas were hiding in the hideouts.


    Tamotsu asked, "If such a group is operating in your country, why didn''t you issue a higher-ranked mission to eliminate them and resolve the issue forever?"


    Kunio didn''t reply for a few seconds. He let out a sign and said, "It''splicated. Every time we issue a high ranked mission to clear such a rogue group, another takes its ce. It''s a never-ending cycle. My nephew decided that as long as they don''t kill anyone, we won''t spend money to hunt them down.


    Unfortunately, I don''t have the money to issue a higher ranked mission without getting funds from him."


    He took out a small book and ced it on the table and said, "I reiterate that your mission is just to retrieve the heirloom. However, if you are able to exterminate the rogue group, I will reward you with this book. This book contains research conducted by the previous generation of our ninjas on how tobine Water and Wind maniption into Ice maniption."


    This info shocked the group. They began staring at the book. Fujin thought, ''You gotta be kidding me. How does a weak country have such a book and how did he manage to hold onto it?''


    The old man saw the expressions on the faces of Konoha ninjas and said, "I would like to rify that the research is iplete. Though we tried a lot, none of our ninjas ever learnt Ice Kekkei Genkai."


    The group calmed down. It made a lot more sense now. They guessed that the Land of Frost would have multiple copies of this book.


    Tamotsu said, "Alright. We will get your heirloom back and investigate the rogue groups as well."


    Kunio smiled and got up. He said, "Enjoy your feast. I''ll send someone to show you your rooms for the night."


    He and his Samurai bodyguard left. The Konoha group didn''t discuss the mission at all. They rested for the night and left the city early in the morning before the Sun had risen.


    After they were a sufficient distance from the city, Ryota asked, "What are your thoughts on the mission?"


    Fujin answered first, "It is very tricky. We don''t know how many are in his organization. We can''t even be sure that he is the leader. If he is just ackey instead of a leader, then this mission will be very difficult."


    Tamotsu nodded and said, "You are right. It will be a rank A or even S in that case. Considering the risk involved, focus on your safety first. The missiones after the safety of our group. So don''t be impulsive. Especially you, Tadashi."


    Tadashi''s ninja dog, Kenta, barked in agreement. Tadashi replied, "Hey, I have enough control over myself."


    The group ignored him and continued forward. They reached the first hideout. It was a small hill with multiple caves in it.


    Tadashi said, "I don''t smell anyone inside the hill. I do smell some scents, but they aren''t fresh."


    Katsumi said, "I will send my bugs in to check."


    He sent a few bugs to investigate the hill. The remaining group stayed a considerable distance away.


    After some time, even the bugs returned empty-handed. Tamotsu looked at Fujin. Fujin spread his chakra field and shook his head, "I don''t sense anyone."


    Tamotsu said, "Alright, let''s check the next hideout."


    The group checked the nearest hideout but didn''t find anyone once again. So they moved to the 3rd location. There was a huge waterfall at this location. Apart from the river and some sparse trees around it, the area was open.


    Ryota asked, "Where is the hideout here?"


    Tadashi said, "I don''t smell anyone."


    Kenta barked in agreement.


    Fujin asked, "Should I try to sense right away?"


    Tamotsu said, "No, let Katsumi check the area first."


    Fujin nodded. Katsumi''s bugs scouted the location but didn''t find anything either.


    Fujin spread his chakra field. He didn''t pick up any chakra either. But he felt something weird. He looked at the Waterfall. Chakra gathered in his eyes as he focused on it.


    He said, "There is a cave at the bottom of the waterfall. But the entrance is blocked with a wall of rocks which look natural."


    Tamotsu asked, "Do you sense someone hiding there?"


    Fujin answered, "No, but I have a weird feeling. As if my chakra field can''t enter deep into the cave. And as if something is trying to hide from my eyes."


    Ryota asked, "What do you mean?"


    Fujin said, "During myst mission with Renjiro sensei, we encountered a squad from Kiri who hid underground perfectly using Fuinjutsu. I have a feeling that the same might be the case here."


    As he said that, Fujin thought, ''Well, I can''t tell that I live in a house that is filled with seals, can I? It has helped in getting familiar with how seals feel when I try to sense them.''


    Hearing Fujin, everyone frowned. Tamotsu said, "Fuinjutsu? That''s troublesome. Even more troublesome is the fact that they have someone who could be a SealMaster."


    He looked at Fujin and asked, "Are you 100% sure that this ce is guarded by Fuinjutsu?"


    Fujin shook his head. Despite his familiarity with the seals, he still couldn''t guarantee. Tamotsu asked, "Is there any way we could enter undetected?"


    Fujin replied, "Unless we have a much superior SealMaster, nope."


    Tamotsu asked, "What would you rmend?"


    Fujin said, "The best way would be to destroy the cave behind the waterfall. That way, most of them will die inside. We can stay far away and observe who stays alive andes out. We can decide whether to attack or escape then."


    Fujin looked at Ryota and asked, "Do you have any Earth jutsu that could make the entire waterfall copse?"


    Ryota said with a deadpan expression, "Of course not."


    Tamotsu said, "None of us has any jutsu. Fujin, if we enter the cave, would we be ambushed?"


    Fujin said, "Likely not. The initial part of the cave seems clear. They are probably hiding inside. Though I''m not 100% sure."


    Tamotsu said, "Alright. Let''s enter the cave then. We will see if there is any way to infiltrate deeper stealthily. If not, we will blow up the whole ce with explosives."


    The group grinned at that idea. The group entered the Waterfall. Fujin pointed at one spot and Ryota used a jutsu to create a path. Katsumi first checked the insides with his bugs and the group stepped in when they confirmed that there were no traps.

 Chapter 168: Safe Hideout? Whats that?

    The Konoha ninjas entered the cave silently and checked it out. There was nothing in the cave.


    Fujin stood in front of a wall and focused Chakra in his eyes. He wouldn''t have noticed it a few months back, but due to practicing Fuinjutsu so much, he could see some seals in the wall. He smirked and thought, ''At best the one who made these is a SealMaster and not a Grandmaster. It''d have been difficult to exin how I knew it was a grandmaster and convince these guys to retreat had that been the case.


    Still, this is a great hideout! For starters, there was nothing around the ce that would cause suspicion. This cave itself has 2yers of camouge. The Waterfall and the wall, one of which is natural and the other is indistinguishable from the natural wall.


    Even if someone still managed to find this cave, they would think that it is only a small cave and wouldn''t suspect a bigger cave inside. Perhaps the only vulnerability of this hideout is the ones hiding inside it. If they didn''t leave any trail, it''d be almost impossible for the Land of Frost forces to find this ce suspicious.''


    Fujin said, "I think they are behind this wall."


    Tamotsu nodded. The whole group nted a few dozen explosives on that wall. Fujin and Ryota used Earth Military Movement jutsu to enter the cave walls and nted over 400 Explosion tags where Fujin asked them to. As Fujin could see the seals, the rogue ninjas who were hiding inside weren''t alerted.


    Fujin''s squad left the waterfall and moved a few hundred meters away. Tamotsu asked, "Is everyone ready?"


    The group nodded. Everyone made a hand sign. Tamotsu picked up a stone and said, "We will set off the explosion when this stone touches the ground."


    He tossed the stone in the air. At the moment it touched the ground, all 5 ninjas activated the explosion tags they nted!


    Inside the cave, there were 14 rogue ninjas. They were aware that the Land of Frost would try to find them, perhaps even issue a mission, but they weren''t worried. They had recently stocked up their supplies and were nning to hide there for a month or more.


    In the cave, Nishio Korenaga was trying out the Chakra Sword. He held the sword in his right hand and tried to extend his chakra through the sword. The chakra flowed through the sword very smoothly. He felt as if the sword was an extension of his own arm.


    Suddenly, the chakra flowing through the sword was converted into Lightning in the blink of an eye! Almost all of the other rogue ninjas were watching this. They were surprised at how skilled Korenaga was!


    Saigo Rikyu said, "Damn boss! You are on fire! It''s as if the sword was crafted for you!"


    However, Korenaga shook his head and said, "No, you have done a great job. This sword is amazing. I am surprised that this weak little nation had something so good."


    Rikyu grinned and said, "It was their family heirloom. They might still have some good stuff that we can try to steal."


    Korenaga nodded and said, "Yes. I''m interested too. But not now. They might have issued an A rank mission to Konoha or our former vige to hunt you down."


    Rikyu immediately got serious and said, "Yes. They must be hunting for me now."


    Korenaga smirked and said, "Don''t worry. As long as you are loyal to me, I will guarantee your safety. Besides, those morons don''t know about me. Even if they manage to track this hideout, they will just feed my new sword!"


    Hearing him, everyone calmed down and began cheering. After all, Korenaga was the true leader of this group of misfits. The investigation carried out by the Land of Frost ninjas never discovered him. So their information was iplete. And this iplete information could very well be fatal!


    As the rogue ninjas were celebrating, the Explosion tags began exploding. The entire hidden cave began shaking. They didn''t understand what exactly was happening.


    One of them yelled, "What the fuck is happening? Did an earthquake hit us?"


    Another one of the ninjas had his eyes closed as he sensed. His name was Fumihiko Mokuami. He was a rogue ninja from the Land of Water and was a SealMaster. He said, "Someone has nted hundreds of explosions around our cave. Take cover immediately!"


    Everyone began using defensive jutsus. However, the number of explosions was too high! The cave soon crumbled. Rocks rained down upon them. The ground under them began copsing. Explosion tags began exploding very close to them. All therge-scale defensive jutsus were torn down leaving every man for himself!


    The explosions also disabled all seals. The Konoha ninjas could now use their senses to observe the ones hiding inside.


    Fujin was the first one to speak. His voice was very serious as he said, "There is a Jounin among them! Their total number is 14. Everyone is at least a chunin!"


    The entire group became very serious. A jounin from Kumo along with 13 chunins would be very difficult to handle!


    Tamotsu said, "Let''s pay attention from a distance and see how many survive. I will decide whether to attack or retreat."


    He looked at Katsumi, who nodded his head.


    The explosions broke all the cave walls. Water from the waterfall began pouring into it and submerging the entire cave!


    The rogue ninjas who were struggling with explosions, debris and unstable footing suddenly had to deal with a strong water wave as well!


    Korenaga grabbed Rikyu and began making his way out of the cave through the water. Mokuami created a barrier around himself and began making his way out as well.


    In all, the explosions killed 3. Another 5 were killed when rocks fell on them. And 1 more was killed due to suffocating underwater.


    The 5 who made it out had some injuries on them. Only Mokuami and Korenaga werepletely fine. They expected to be ambushed as soon as they got out. However, there was no attack instead there was another trap for them.


    Katsumi had some of his bugs move along the water that flooded the cave. These bugs could survive underwater and were very poisonous. They managed to bite all except Mokuami who was protected by a barrier.


    As soon as theynded outside the waterfall, their legs began shaking. Korenaga said, "Fuck! I''m poisoned."


    He looked around to see 3 more being in the same situation as he was. He looked at Mokuami who wasn''t even a bit hurt and yelled, "Bastard! Did you betray us?"


    Mokuami quickly defended himself, "I have done no such thing."


    Korenaga didn''t trust him and said, "First we were attacked despite your seals. And now all but you are poisoned. How would you exin that?"


    Korenaga unsheathed his chakra sword as he spoke. However, he didn''t attack and instead kept his attention on an iing ambush.


    Seeing that they wouldn''t sh, the Konoha ninjas made a move. Tamotsu said, "I will take on the Jounin. Ryota, take on the unharmed guy. Others finish off the rest ande to help us."


    The group nodded and flickered. The rogue ninjas noticed them and prepared for a fight. Mokuami said, "They are Konoha ninjas. Perhaps you four were poisoned by bugs. They couldn''t poison me due to my barrier."


    Korenaga snorted and focused on the Konoha ninjas. The Konoha group flickered until they were just 20 meters from the enemy. Fujin was at the center, Tamotsu and Tadashi were on both his sides and both had made hand signs.


    ''Fire Release: Great Fireball jutsu''


    At the same time, Fujin used Infinite Breakthrough jutsu. The 3 jutsusbined creating a massive Firestorm. While their missions over thest couple of months weren''t challenging, Fujin did improve his teamwork alongside the group a lot.


    The rogue ninjas were surprised by the huge Firestorm heading for them.


    Korenaga yelled, "Get underwater!"


    The rogue ninjas immediately dove into the river they were standing on.


    Ryota, Tadashi and Tamotsu followed them underwater. Katsumi didn''t join them as most of his bugs were ineffective underwater. While Fujin didn''t go as he didn''t want to face an experienced Lightning user underwater.


    Under the water, Korenaga saw the Konoha ninjas following him. He immediately became angry, ''They dare to fight me underwater?''


    He made hand signs.


    ''Lightning Release: False Darkness''


    He released a spear of Lightning from his mouth at Tamotsu.


    Tamotsu watched the iing lightning spear with a grim expression as he thought, ''I didn''t expect him to use such a strong jutsu despite being poisoned!''


    He threw a kunai with an explosion tag at the iing spear. It exploded right before reaching the spear. The explosion dispersed the spear. However, since they were underwater, the current began spreading through the entire area.


    The Konoha ninjas as well as the Rogues were electrocuted. Among the rogues, 3 had an affinity to the Lightning element. They were fine. While Mokuami once again insted himself with the help of seals. Only one rogue was shocked.


    On the side of the Konoha ninjas, all the 3 who went underwater and the dog were shocked. Though it didn''t injure them, the shock had a paralytic effect on them and hindered their movement. They immediately began exiting the water. Their advantage had been reversed with a single jutsu!

 Chapter 169: The Hunt Begins...

    The immediate reversal lifted the spirits of the Rogue ninjas. They began making hand signs to use more Lightning jutsus. However, Korenaga was frowning, ''My entire body is hurting. This poison is very troublesome. We will need to win this fight or escape sessfully within 5 minutes. Otherwise, we all might die here.''


    While the rogue ninjas were making hand signs, someone watched them like a hawk. Fujin''s eyes were glowing as he watched the only Rogue ninja who got shocked. Vacuum cores began forming in his mouth.


    He shot 2 Vacuum bullets at the same time. During thest 2 months of training, Fujin had finally learnt to use 2 Vacuum bullets at the same time.


    One vacuum bullet was shot at Korenaga while the other was shot at the paralyzed rogue. Korenaga noticed the attack and immediately moved out of the way while weaving hand signs. However, there was another ninja just behind him who didn''t notice the attack. The bullet hit his right thigh and pierced through it.


    As for the paralyzed rogue, the Vacuum Bullet pierced through his head and killed him. The deadly attack shocked them once again and reminded them of the seriousness of the situation. Korenagaunched False Darkness once again. This time it was aimed at Fujin.


    Fujin noticed it and used Vacuum Bullet jutsu once again and shot 2 bullets at the iing Lightning Spear. His bullets tore through the lightning spear and dispersed it. Korenaga had to dodge them once again. He frowned, ''Wind user. Things just keep getting worse!''


    Tamotsu, Tadashi, Ryota and Kenta exited the water. Katsumi helped them to get on the shore. All breathed heavily. Tadashi gritted his teeth andined, "Shit! That bastard is strong!"


    Ryota agreed, "Yeah. And the Lightning element restricts me too much! Luckily Tamotsu at least neutralized it. Otherwise, we might have been in a lot of trouble."


    Tamotsu said, "Though our movement will be hindered a bit, they are poisoned by Katsumi''s bugs. We just have to hold on for around 5 minutes and they will begin losing their ability to move."


    Katsumi nodded and said, "Four more minutes left. It will be best if they escape. That way we can just hunt down their unconscious or dead bodies."


    Fujin noticed that all his team were on the shore. The Rogue ninjas who were under the water were approaching him. And the SealMaster from the group was weaving hand signs for a water jutsu. Not wanting to be surrounded, he flickered to his team. When he reached them, he heard Katsumi softly whispering, "Focus on stalling them. It''s fine if they escape."


    A second after he flickered, a Water Dragon formed where he was standing. The Rogue group exited the river and stood behind the Water Dragon.


    As soon as they exited the river, Katsumi''s bugs attacked them. His bugs had already spread over the river and swarmed them. The rogues had noticed the bugs when they were underwater. They immediatelyunched Explosion tags on them. Mokuamiunched his Water Dragon at the Konoha ninjas.


    However, Fujin countered with a giant ball of wind. It hit the Water Dragon''s head and exploded, neutralizing it. Fujin followed it up with a dozen Air bullets. However, the enemy managed to dodge.


    The Konoha ninjas who were electrocuted earlier stood up on their feet. However, their movement wasn''t very fluent. Korenaga observed their movements. He analyzed, ''We could attack and try to kill them, but the Wind user will be tough to ovee. He can keep neutralizing our jutsus and keep us at a distance.


    Every second that he stalls will be lethal for us. While that bug user is probably responsible for our poison. His bugs are an even bigger threat than the Wind user. We should escape while their mobility is hampered. No, I should!''


    Without saying anything, Korenaga suddenly flickered away. Mokuami had expected him to do this and flickered away as well. The other two were shocked. However, within a second, they tried escaping as well.


    Fujin was surprised at how they suddenly ran away. He thought, ''Wow! That leader just abandoned them and ran.''


    He made a hand sign. A shadow clone with 10% of his chakra appeared. He flickered immediately. Just two flickers and he appeared behind the rogue who was running away on one foot.


    The rogue ninja noticed him and threw a few shurikens at him and began weaving hand signs. However, the clone dodged all shurikens with extreme ease. A sword appeared in his hand and he swung the sword at the enemy. Realizing the threat, the rogue ninja moved backwards. However, a sword sh was released from the sword. The clone watched as the enemy''s head was split from his neck.


    While the clone was fighting, Fujin created another shadow clone and 10 Wind clones which chased after the remaining 3. After finishing off his opponent, the first clone also joined the chase.


    Tamotsu looked at it and said, "Good work."


    Fujin nodded and asked Katsumi, "Did you nt your bugs on them?"


    Katsumi nodded and said, "All except the guy who used the Water jutsu. They are poisoned as well."


    Fujin and Katsumi stayed on guard while the others warmed up to get rid of any issues they might have in moving around. After a couple of minutes, they began chasing.


    Fujin said, "The one who was injured is dead. The others are escaping in different directions."


    Tamotsu looked at Katsumi, who told them the exact locations. He instructed, "Alright. Fujin and Tadashi will hunt Saigo Rikyu. The rest of us will hunt that Jounin. Ignore the 3rd ninja for now."


    Everyone nodded and split off. Fujin analyzed, ''Good decision. The main mission is to retrieve the sword. While the additional rewards are basically for bringing Rikyu''s head. And with the enemy poisoned, they just need to wait until that Jounin to just die by himself.''


    Korenaga and Rikyu quickly began consuming the antidotes they had. They had a general-use Antidote that could neutralize the poisons of the bugs from the Aburame n. Their situation improved slightly. The pain and dizziness they were experiencing began decreasing. Both smiled.


    The speed of Fujin''s clones was much faster than theirs. His clones began catching up with the enemies.


    The Wind clones chasing Rikyu were the first ones to catch up. Rikyu turned around to see 3 Wind clones chasing him. He thought, ''Wind clones. So annoying!''


    He began weaving hand signs while escaping. The Wind clones knew that they wouldn''t be able to defeat him. So they only focused on stalling him.


    Rikyu turned around and used the jutsu he prepared.


    ''Lightning Release: Discharge jutsu''


    He extended his palms ahead. Lightning appeared on his palms and wasunched towards the clone. However, instead of it moving at a rapid speed, it moved slowly and instead spread in all directions.


    The eyes of the clones widened as they retreated. They thought, ''A low damage AoE jutsu. It''s perfect for dealing with clones.''


    As the lightning discharged approached the clones, one of the clones stepped forward and poured all his chakra into a Great Breakthrough jutsu.


    The Winds neutralized all the discharge and instead attacked Rikyu. However, after using the jutsu, Rikyu had already started running. The remaining 2 clones began chasing after him.


    Mokuami was the next one to sh with the clones. Unlike Rikyu, he waited on top of a smallke for the clones to catch up.


    As soon as the clones appeared in sight, he began making hand signs. He thought, ''I could have hidden perfectly. Unfortunately, this kid is a sensor. He would have figured out the general area and I would be trapped. I have to finish the clones before the ninjas begin sensing me as well!''


    1 Shadow clone and 3 Wind clones approached him and noticed him weaving hand signs.


    ''Water Release: Raging Waves''


    Mokuami spat out water in all directions. Just like Rikyu, his aim too was to use a wide-range attack to dispel the clones.


    One of the Wind clones again moved forward and used all his chakra to use an Infinite Breakthrough jutsu to nullify the enemy jutsu.


    The Wind shed with the water and sent the water back to Mokuami. The remaining clones flickered to close the distance while preparing a jutsu.


    ''Wind Release: Air Bullet jutsu''


    All 3 clones used Air Bullet jutsu at the same time. The Shadow clone aimed his bullets at Mokuami, while the Wind clones cut off his escape routes.


    However, Mokuami stood his ground. A barrier appeared around him. The Air Bullets hit the barrier and were stopped.


    The Shadow clone observed him carefully. He analyzed, ''Impressive. His speed at creating barriers is very fast. I should study barriers properly. They provide a very strong defense. That said, he is lucky that I can''t use Vacuum jutsus with a clone yet. Else he might have died despite the barrier.''


    Behind the barrier, Mokuami was rapidly weaving hand signs. His chakra suddenly red. The Winds from the Infinite Breakthrough jutsu had died down. Water once again began gathering around him.


    ''Water Release: Piercing Rain jutsu''


    The water formed a sphere around him. The surface of the water sphere began forming spikes. Soon, innumerable water needles were shot in all directions at a high speed.

 Chapter 170: A False Sense of Security

    The Wind clones tried dodging the iing water needles, but there was no room as they were too densely packed. The Shadow clone escaped underground. Mokuami weaved more hand signs and mmed his hands on theke.


    ''Water Release: Corrosive Liquid jutsu''


    The water from theke began spreading above the ground for hundreds of meters. This water was corrosive and harmful. If it came in contact with a ninja, it would begin feeling an itch over their body. However, if it hit a clone, the clone would be dispelled.


    Mokuami observed as he thought, ''Though we made this jutsu to counter the ninjas who hide underwater, it also works for those who hide underground. Now that clone will be trapped there.''


    He began nning his escape. Meanwhile, Fujin''s clone frowned. He thought, ''What a troublesome opponent! He managed to neutralize my clones very easily. Still, all his fighting ns are based on the assumption that I don''t know Lightning jutsus. A strong current through the water will reverse the battle situation. Unfortunately, I have to keep it hidden.''


    The clone made a hand sign. A Wind clone appeared behind it containing half his chakra.


    The remaining half of his chakra gathered on the clone''s fist. He punched the ground above him diagonally.


    A shockwave was sent through the ground. It hit the underwater walls of theke and sent stones flying at Mokuami who had just rxed his guard slightly. Around 4-5 stones hit him.


    Unfortunately, the speed of the stones wasn''t fast enough to make them lethal. Their speed was further reduced by the water.


    Though the stones barely hurt him, his instincts were screaming. He quickly made a barrier in the direction from where the stones came.


    The Shadow Clone''s punch had created a small but linear hole. The Wind clone used Infinite Breakthrough jutsu and poured all its chakra into it. However, unlike the usual Infinite Breakthrough jutsu that spread for dozens, even hundreds of meters wide, this one travelled in a narrow hole. It almost looked like a Wind Spear.


    The Wind jutsu hit the barrier hard. As the impact was only on a small area, the entire barrier was pushed back.


    Mokuami controlled the barrier and made it turn slightly to divert the direction of the jutsu. However, the wind spear pierced through the barrier.


    Fortunately, he managed to change the direction slightly. The spear passed through the side of his abdomen, cutting a half-inch semicircle through his right side.


    Mokuami watched in shock as the left side of his abdomen began bleeding profusely! He thought, ''Who the fuck is that kid? And which jutsus did he use to do something like this?''


    However, he stopped thinking about Fujin and began thinking about his own vulnerable situation, ''They have an Inuzuka! He will smell my blood. Hiding has be a hundred times more difficult now!''


    He removed all his clothes as they all had some blood on them. He used the water to clean the wound. Once the wound was cleaned, he lit a fire and burned the wound to stop the bleeding. He gritted his teeth due to the pain. The fire cauterized the wound and stopped bleeding.


    He applied some bandages over the burned area and made a hand sign. Four water clones appeared around him. Each of them picked up some of the bloody clothes and ran in different directions.


    Mokuami ran in another direction without bothering to wear any clothes. He ensured that he left no trail behind. After moving some distance, he hid underground and used seals to hide properly.


    Thest set of clones shed with Korenaga, but they were defeated promptly. Fujin, who was chasing Rikyu, received the memories of his two shadow clones. He analyzed, ''These guys are tough. I don''t think this mission is rank B anymore.''


    Rikyu also managed to dispel thest 2 Wind clones. They were escaping with confidence when something happened. Both Rikyu and Korenaga suddenly lost their footing! They fell to the ground and vomited blood.


    Both were shocked, ''What the heck? What happened? Did I get poisoned again? How?''


    Both were confused. They didn''t understand. Other than Katsumi, the remaining Konoha ninjas were also in the dark about this. They were aware that the rogue ninjas were poisoned. However, they never saw the rogue ninjas use antidotes.


    The sudden ring of the poison in Rikyu and Korenaga was a hidden strategy of the Aburame n. The entire n used the same bug to poison the enemies. Hence, every major vige had readymade antidotes avable for that poison.


    However, in reality, the Aburame n had arge variety of poisonous bugs. One of those bugs had poison simr to the normal poisonous bugs. However, instead of being neutralized by the antidote, it would be temporarily suppressed and re up a few minutester.


    The Aburame n keeps this a secret by only using it against enemies when they are confident that they will kill the enemies. Otherwise, they wouldn''t use it. Due to this reason, no one was aware of this. And due to this reason, the Aburame n would always be considered a n that Konoha''s enemies hated to fight during wars.


    Rikyu and Korenaga stopped escaping and tried to inspect themselves. They both spected that they were poisoned with a different poison. So their Antidote wasn''t effective. However, even after specting correctly, they couldn''t do anything about it.


    Rikyu decided to stop escaping and hid behind a tree as it was very difficult for him to move. On the other hand, Korenaga turned around and rushed back to where the Konoha ninjas were.


    Around half a minuteter, Korenaga encountered Tamotsu, Katsumi and Ryota. A vicious look could be seen in his eyes as he looked at Katsumi. He threatened, "Give me the antidote for your poison. If not, I will kill you all!"


    Tamotsu chuckled and asked, "Do you really think that we would just hand you the antidote?"


    However, he and Ryota were on alert. They had the same thought, ''Why did he escape if he didn''t have the antidote? Did he set up any trap here?''


    Unlike them, Katsumi wasn''t that worried. They began fighting.


    Fujin and Tadashi caught up with Rikyu as well. His blood was very easy to smell for Rikyu. While Fujin could sense him when they entered in range. They stealthily approached him from behind. They could hear him coughing.


    Tadashi grabbed a shuriken that had a string attached to it. He threw it around the tree from behind. It went around the tree and trapped Rikyu.


    Though Rikyu had stopped moving, his condition worsened. He vomited blood multiple times. Even moving had be difficult. Tears had formed in his eyes as he realized that he would die in that unknown ce.


    He saw the shuriken and the string. But it was toote. He didn''t have any energy to move. The string tied him to the tree. He tried struggling, however, 2 Vacuum Bullets hit him. One pierced his heart and the other pierced his neck. He died without troubling Fujin and Tadashi much.


    Tadashi said, "That was easy."


    Fujin nodded, "Yeah. Katsumi''s poison is very strong."


    Tadashi grinned and said, "Yeah, it is. He bailed us out multiple times thanks to it."


    He went forward and stored Rikyu''s body in a scroll. They began moving towards Tamotsu andpany. Tadashi asked, "Any idea what''s happening at other ces?"


    Fujin shook his head and said, "No. They are both strong. They managed to defeat my clones. I think my clones managed to injure that Water user, but I''m not sure."


    Tadashi replied, "Alright. Anyways, that Jounin is also poisoned. So Tamotsu and others should be able to win easily."


    Fujin nodded.


    They moved quickly and arrived where Korenaga was fighting in a few minutes. The scene surprised them. Tadashi quickly rushed towards Tamotsu and Katsumi and asked, "Are you guys fine?"


    Fujin also followed him.


    Both were bleeding. Katsumi''s left leg was dyed in blood. Tamotsu''s right arm also seemed to be bleeding in multiple spots. Korenaga''s dead body was lying a few meters away from them.


    Tamotsu said, "It''s fine. He was stronger than we expected. And the poison made him very desperate."


    They began applying first-aid to them. Katsumi''s left leg had multiple nails embedded in it. Korenaga had charged the nails with Lightning and used them to attack from range as Katsumi always maintained a distance from him.


    Meanwhile, since Korenaga was targeting Katsumi, Tamotsu decided to engage him at close range. That resulted in 2 long and deep shes on his right arm with the chakra sword.


    While applying first-aid, Ryota said, "This guy was very strong! Especially with the chakra sword. It''s lucky that he was poisoned, else we might have been in severe trouble."


    Tamotsu agreed, "Yeah, I thought I could take on him. Unfortunately, he was stronger."


    While the first-aid was being applied, a few of Katsumi''s bugs were moving inside Korenaga''s dead body. They were cleaning all traces of the poison in his body. Due to this, if anyone inspects his dead body, no one would find the poison that was used. Hence, they won''t be able to make the antidote.


    All Aburame n ninjas who used this poison would use this method to keep their poisons a secret. If they weren''t sure about the kill and the fact that they would get ess to their dead bodies first, they would only use the normal poisonous bugs.

 Chapter 171: A New Team

    After removing all traces of the poison, the bugs left the dead body and returned to Katsumi. Ryota had finished applying the first aid and he sealed Korenaga''s body in a scroll.


    Ryota said, "He is sure to have a good bounty."


    Fujin picked up the chakra sword and said, "I don''t think it wouldpare with this sword though."


    He began flowing his chakra through the sword and changed its nature to wind. He was surprised, ''Wow! So smooth! I thought my swords were good. This one is probably better than the one Hiruzen asked to be made for me!''


    Noticing that Fujin''s attention was on the sword, Tamotsu coughed and said, "That''s our mission requirement Fujin."


    Fujin looked back and chuckled, "I know, just saying. Haha"


    He thought, ''Oh well, if I need such a sword in the future and I can''t get it any other way, I can just steal this sword from that old guy. It''s not like he would ever use it anyways.''


    Since Katsumi and Tamotsu were injured, they decided not to hunt thatst rogue ninja. The group began returning. Katsumi couldn''t walk properly, so he rode on Kenta.


    They return the chakra sword to Konda Kunio. Understanding the difficulty of the mission, Kunio increased the mission ranking from B to A and increased the mission rewards to 2 million Ryo. He handed them the book that had theories and research on learning the Ice Kekkei Genkai and made the arrangements to help them im the bounties.


    He also invited their medical ninjas to treat Katsumi and Tamotsu. Tamotsu''s wound healed properly. They bandaged his arm. It would leave 2 scars on his arm, but he didn''t mind it.


    Katsumi''s injuries, however, were serious. He was wounded down to the bone. They healed him as well as they could. The healer said, "That''s as much as we could do. Your vige has the best healers. So I would rmend you to get treated by them as well. Also, I would rmend you take a few months break."


    Katsumi nodded and thanked them. They rested in the Land of Frost for some time. In this period, they went through the Ice Release book.


    Fujin was the first one to read. He analyzed, ''Hmm, this book is good. It contains research of over a dozen ninjas. And still, none of them managed to create the Ice element. Kinda shows how tough creating a Kekkei Genkai will be. Though I don''t have the Water affinity needed for the Ice element, this book could give some insights if I try to create Scorch or Ma elements.''


    The others read the book as well. Only Ryota and Tamotsu were interested in a Kekkei Genkai and neither had the Wind or the Water element. So after reading carefully, the book was given to Fujin for keeping.


    After resting for a couple of days, they began moving back to Konoha. Their speed was a bit slower as they had to ensure that Katsumi didn''t strain his leg. He rode on Kenta the entire journey.


    He was admitted to Konoha''s hospital after returning. The group decided to meet after 2 days in the hospital.


    Fujin continued his training to improve his control over the Lightning element.


    He brought some fruits and visited the hospital at the decided time. Others had already gathered.


    Fujin ced the fruits on the table next to Katsumi and asked, "How is your leg?"


    He said, "It has been treated properly. Unfortunately, I have to rest for a couple of months for the damage to the bones to be healed and for the bone to be strong once again."


    Fujin replied, "Oh, that''s bad. I''m d that there are no permanent injuries though. Take a good break."


    Katsumi nodded.


    Tamotsu said, "I have something to discuss."


    The entire team looked at him.


    Tamotsu said, "We have been taking missions continuously for quite a long time. I was thinking that it would be best for our team to take a few months off. I was thinking about a 3-month long break."


    The group was surprised. Tadashi asked, "3 whole months?"


    Tamotsu nodded. He said, "Along with missions, it''s also important to build up your strength. Take these 3 months to train newer skills or master the old ones further. In that time, Katsumi will also get healed, so we won''t have any issues with teamposition. Also, we do need a break from the missions."


    The group began analyzing. Ryota, Tadashi and Katsumi were thinking about the things they could learn in the 3 months. Meanwhile, Fujin thought, ''Seriously? Another 3 months break? I didn''t thinkpleting 50 rank B missions would be so challenging!''


    As no one spoke anything, Tamotsu said, "Thest mission gave all of us 2.5 million Ryo. So we shouldn''t have any mary issues. Once we get stronger, we could try to do tougher missions more frequently. A substantial increase in strength could improve your chances to be Elite Chunins or even a Special Jounin."


    The prospect of promotion excited them slightly. They agreed. Tamotsu looked at Fujin who hadn''t said anything yet. He said, "Fujin, your strength is already very high. Perhaps if we had you in the team that faced Korenaga, we might have killed him without taking any injuries. And I understand that you may want to take multiple rank B missions to reach close to the 50 missions mark."


    Fujin nodded. Tamotsu continued, "If you want to, you can form or join other teams in this time period. But we would love it if you join us again after 3 months. But we would understand if you don''t."


    Fujin smiled and said, "You are thinking too much Tamotsu. I''ll be back in this team."


    Tamotsu and others smiled. The group talked for a bit before leaving. Fujin thought, ''Now I have to find a new team again¡­ Though this may not be all bad. I should try to form a new team. A younger team that would want to take continuous missions. That way, we could reach the 50 mission criteria soon.


    If I get promoted to Elite Chunin, my sword and sensor skills would get me promoted to Special Jounin rank too. Then I could join teams that do rank A or even rank S missions.


    Still, doing more missions would mean getting less time for training¡­ What to do?''


    Fujin analyzed his situation. In the end, he almost pulled his hair as he couldn''t decide. He thought, ''Ugh! This is so fucking confusing. Missions give mebat experience that no amount of training would provide me. On the other hand, training will increase my strength and skills which would be useful for missions! Fuck it. I''ll first master the control over the Lightning element. Then I''ll try forming the team and doing a month or two of non-stop missions.''


    For the next 10 days, Fujin devoted the majority of his time to mastering his control over the lightning element. He practiced with 10 Shadow clones at all times.


    Finally, he sighed in relief, ''Finally done! I can freely control the electric current from 10 milliAmpere to 10.5 Amperes. I can also control Voltage from 200 Volts to 840 thousand Volts. Time to head for missions.''


    He left his basement. He was about to send clones when he heard his doorbell. He opened the door to see Mieko. His eyes involuntarily twitched as he thought, ''I was just about to send a clone to her.''


    He waved his hand and asked, "What''s up?"


    Mieko entered his house and asked, "Do you have any missions lined up?"


    Fujin shook his head and said, "No, my team just took a break."


    Her eyes sparkled. She said, "Great! I am rmending you to my team."


    Fujin observed her carefully. He asked, "What do you mean?"


    She said, "I was assigned to a team that is nning to undertake a rank A mission. Unfortunately, the member that specializes in Wind jutsus is injured. And we need a recement to take that mission. So I rmended you to my team. Come with me."


    Fujin locked his home and followed her. He asked, "They just agreed?"


    She sighed and said, "No, I had to convince them a lot. The injured guy is a Jounin. But, they couldn''t find any other option. So they had to ept my rmendation."


    Fujin nodded. He knew that Wind users were too rare in Konoha. Not a single n specialized in the Wind element.


    He said, "Actually, I was about to look for you too."


    She looked back at him and asked, "Why?"


    He said, "My team has taken a 3-month long break. I was thinking about forming a team with you, Teru and Hoka to undertake rank B missions continuously. We could undertake 15-20 rank B missions in around 2 months. It would help us secure the Elite Chunin Promotion quicker."


    Mieko''s eyes widened. She asked, "15-20 rank B missions in 2 months? I only do 3 every month."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Most rank B missions are very easy. We could focus on doing missions that take less time toplete and are easier. Unless the mission gets upgraded to rank A, we should be able toplete it with ease.


    Once we get the Elite Chunin promotion, the promotion to Special Jounin wouldn''t be far. So we can start taking rank A and even S missions."


    The thought of undertaking rank S missions excited Mieko. She said, "Alright. Let''s do it after this mission!"


    Fujin smiled and said, "Great. I''ll try to convince Hoka and Teru after this mission."


    Mieko said, "I''ll join you."


    Fujin said, "That will be helpful."


    The two reached the Uchihapound. Mieko led Fujin to a house where her team was gathered.

 Chapter 172: Missing Children

    As soon as Fujin entered the room, he saw 6 Uchihas looking at him. He thought, ''Ugh, I forgot that her squad is an all-Uchiha squad! I hope that it doesn''t attract any unwanted attention.''


    Among the 6 Uchihas, 3 seemed to be in their 30s, two in their 20s and thest one was just a year older than Fujin.


    One of them said, "So this is Fujin? Not bad, his chakra is quite high for his age."


    Fujin wondered, ''Hmm, he can tell chakra without using his eyes or sensing?''


    Mieko said, "Yes, Uncle Akihiko."


    She looked at Fujin and said, "Fujin, this is Uncle Akihiko. Just like sensei, he is an Elite Jounin too. He will be heading this mission."


    Fujin nodded and respectfully said, "Pleased to meet you, Akihiko-san."


    Uchiha Akihiko smiled and said, "No need to be formal Fujin. You can call me Uncle as well."


    Fujin replied with a smile, "Alright Uncle Akihiko."


    While he was speaking, he thought, ''Not bad. I was afraid that all of them would be arrogant to the core.''


    At that moment, the Uchiha, who was slightly older than Fujin, scoffed and said, "Mieko, are you sure that he is strong? We don''t want any ckers joining us. Besides, can he really rece Uncle Tienosuke?"


    Fujin looked at him and thought, ''Nevermind. I concluded too soon.''


    Mieko rebuked him, "Shunko, you can''t even defeat me. Fujin is even stronger than me."


    Akihiko calmed the kids down, "Calm down. Shunko, learn to work with your teammates. And Mieko, don''t insult your teammates. Fujin, don''t mind Shunko."


    Fujin nodded. There wasn''t much change in his expression, but he was surprised, ''Who''d have thought that she would admit that she was weaker than me.''


    Akihiko asked, "Mieko, you and Fujin can do the Fire-Windbination jutsu, right?"


    Mieko and Fujin nodded. Akihiko said, "Alright. Tienosuke could do the Fire-Windbination jutsu with all 3 of us. But, that was due to us taking missions together for years. We won''t be able to reach the same efficiency with Fujin in this little time. So thisbination jutsu will be left to you guys."


    Mieko grinned and replied, "Don''t worry, we got it."


    Akihiko said, "The mission is an emergency. It is a rank A mission issued by Kusagakure. Over a hundred kids younger than the age of six have suddenly gone missing and all their attempts at investigation have failed. Instead, some of the search teams have gone missing as well. Our mission is to investigate this event and rescue those kids.


    We will leave the vige in 30 minutes. Gather your supplies and weapons and meet at the vige gate as soon as you can."


    Everyone nodded and left. Mieko looked at Fujin and guessed, "You are carrying all the supplies that you need."


    Fujin nodded, "Yup. What about you?"


    Mieko grinned and said, "Same here. Let''s race to the gate."


    She flickered before Fujin could reply. Fujin sighed and flickered as well. He very quickly caught up with Mieko andmented softly, "Why do you arrange apetition that you have no chance of winning."


    He overtook Mieko but didn''t create a huge difference between them. Mieko snorted at his confidence. She tried hard to catch up, but Fujin''s physique as well as the mastery of Body Flicker jutsu was better than hers.


    Fujin reached the Vige Gate. However, he wasn''t the first one there. Akihiko and the other two older Uchihas were already at the gate. Mieko reached a few seconds after Fujin.


    The three senior Uchihas saw them. One of them smirked and said, "Looks like both of you lost the race."


    Mieko was annoyed by his smirk and taunt. But at the same time, she was happy that Fujin lost too. So she didn''tin and looked at Fujin with a smirk. Fujin shrugged his hands and asked, "Aren''t you too old to be racing with preteens, mister?"


    His smirk immediately fell, while the other twoughed at his expense. Mieko introduced them, "Fujin, he is Uncle Masaru. He likes teasing young kids. And he is Uncle Sora."


    Masaru immediately said in embarrassment, "Hey, don''t speak nonsense!"


    Meanwhile, Fujin wondered, ''Is this entire world filled with pedos?''


    Miekoughed at his reaction. Akihiko said, "Don''t mind him, Fujin. He is verypetitive and yful. Anyways, are you two ready? We will be moving at a full speed. We will only rest once before reaching Kusa."


    Both Mieko and Fujin nodded. In 5 minutes, the remaining 3 members arrived. The 8-member squad left immediately at full speed. They travelled without resting until they reached the border between Konoha and Kusa. They took a break at a border patrol camp in the Land of Fire so that all could rest at the same time without any worries about external threats.


    The next morning, they continued their journey and reached Kusagakure a few hours after noon. On reaching, Fujin thought, ''I don''t recall much about Kusagakure. I only remember Karin and her mother. I wonder if there any others of significance from this vige.''


    Fujin slowed down as they neared the gate, but the others didn''t. Fujin was confused and increased his pace. A couple of guards guarded the vige gate. They noticed a few ninjas moving towards them at high speed and got alert. They were already on edge due to the cases of missing kids.


    Akihiko and Sora activated their Sharingans.


    ''Sharingan Genjutsu''


    Both guards were ced under a Genjutsu. They copsed.


    Fujin was speechless! He thought, ''What the fuck? And I thought that this guy was normal!''


    Akihiko said, "Masaru, stay here with the kids and interrogate them. Others, follow me."


    Akihiko, Sora and two others went inside the vige. Masaru, Fujin, Mieko and Shunko stayed back.


    Masara said, "I will release the Genjutsu on them. Mieko and Shinko, you cast a new Genjutsu on them and interrogate them. I will observe."


    They nodded and stepped forward. Masaru made a hand sign and released the Genjutsu. The guards woke up but were confused. Mieko and Shunko casted new Genjutsu on them. They asked basic questions and some tricky questions. Unfortunately, the guards didn''t know anything. They were innocent.


    Their actions were noticed by the vigers. Seeing their guards being subdued caused panic among the vigers. A few ninjas stepped forward. But Masaru said, "We have been assigned the mission to recover the missing children. This is a part of the mission. Stay back."


    Hearing that, the ninjas didn''te very close. However, they stayed in their position and observed the actions of Konoha ninjas. Many of them were unhappy. A few thought, ''The Uchiha n! They are so fucking arrogant!''


    Under normal circumstances, they would haveshed out. But the missing children had put them on an edge. They gritted their teeth and endured the humiliation.


    While the interrogation was on, Akihiko''s group entered the central building in the vige. They were quickly led to the room hosting the leader of Kusagakure and the Daimyo.


    The current leader of Kusagakure was Ashikaga Hiroshi. He said, "Wee to Kusagakure, Uchiha Akihiko. I am d that you arrived so quickly."


    Akihiko nodded and said, "It is an emergency after all. Can you brief me on all the details of this mission? We will begin investigations immediately."


    Hiroshi nodded and said, "Until now, 176 kids have been reported missing. There isn''t anythingmon between these children other than the fact that they are aged between 2 and 6. Around 12 went missing from this vige itself. The remaining went missing from civilian viges across this country."


    He led down a map on the table. The map had locations of viges and the number of children missing from each vige. In all, they went missing from 7 more viges. And all these 7 viges were the viges closest to Kusagakure.


    Akihiko observed the map and asked, "Where did you investigate and what were the results of it?"


    Hiroshi answered, "We didn''t find anything."


    He began marking locations on the map and said, "We have investigated all these areas but didn''t find any clues. Instead, in this location, we lost 3 Rescue teams! We send a huge force to investigate it, but didn''t find anything. It''s as if they have disappeared from the face of the Earth."


    Akihiko and the other Uchihas frowned. This case was very tricky. They didn''t say anything and kept observing the map to see if they could decipher any patterns. Hiroshi and the Daimyo didn''t disturb them.


    After a few minutes, a knock was heard on the door. Without waiting for any response, the door was opened and a man stepped in. He said, "Lord Daimyo, Lord Hiroshi, there are Ko¡­"


    As he was speaking, his eyes went to the Konoha ninjas in the room. He instantly stopped talking. Hiroshi was confused. He said, "Keep going."


    The man said, "The guards on the gate are being interrogated by a few Konoha ninjas."


    Before Hiroshi could say anything, Akihiko said without taking his eyes off the map, "Don''t worry, they are my subordinates."


    Hiroshi was speechless. He asked, "What do you mean don''t worry?"


    Akihiko said, "The children went missing from your vige. No one is more suspicious than the guards. Don''t worry, we won''t ask for any personal or confidential information. But they have to be interrogated. I hope you can bring me the other guards as well to interrogate."


    Akihiko''s tough stance intimidated Hiroshi. He said, "Alright."


    Hemanded the man who delivered the message to gather the remaining guards.

 Chapter 173: A Difficult Task

    Akihiko''s group couldn''t find anything substantial on the map. They took the map and decided on a few locations to investigate. They also checked a file containing information about all the missing children but didn''t find anything else.


    They first interrogated all the guards, but all guards were innocent. So the Konoha group left the vige.


    The guards were very dissatisfied with being treated in such a manner. Hiroshi said, "I apologize for what just happened. But, I hope that you guys understand the severity of the situation and the concerns of the Konoha team. They came here less than 2 days after issuing the mission and left without even resting. So, I hope that you forgive them."


    Hearing that, the faces of the guards softened a bit. They all noticed that the Konoha ninjas seemed tired from travelling and still didn''t take any rest.


    Elsewhere, Fujin''s team was moving rapidly. Shunko asked, "We have no clues at all! How are we going to investigate?"


    Masaru answered, "Almost a couple hundred children have gone missing. No matter how good the kidnappers are, they will leave some clues behind. We just have to search until we find one."


    Akihiko nodded, "We will start where the 3 rescue squads went missing. That ce should have the highest chance of finding clues. If we don''t, then we will investigate every missing child."


    Sora added, "We should start investigating the children who went missing more recently. After all, due to having so much sess, they would get overconfident and leave some clues behind."


    Akihiko nodded. Fujin also agreed with the analysis. He wondered, ''Exactly who would kidnap young children in this world? If they had Kekkei Genkai, then Kumo would have been the suspect. But these are just normal kids¡­ Is someone nning on creating a Root-like organization and hence kidnapped these kids?''


    Fujin analyzed the possibility and concluded, ''Yeah, that could be the case. Kusa''s military isn''t strong. They got hit by both Konoha and Iwa in the 2nd and 3rd Great Ninja wars. So creating a secret force here would be convenient. And they could keep kidnapping more children in the future to increase their numbers.


    But, which force would that be? I don''t recall any major yer from Kusa in Naruto. Unless they were discovered and destroyed or they never got enough strength to be relevant.


    Another point to consider is, should I use such a tactic while trying to build my force in the future?''


    Fujin analyzed the feasibility of his idea. After some time, he decided, ''Taking in young kids and training them would require at least half a decade for them to be worth anything. It will be too much effort for little reward and very difficult to do without proper organization.


    More importantly, this act ispletely morally bankrupt. While I am not morally upright and don''t mind doing some evil stuff, kidnapping young kids and making life miserable for them is too much for me. Especially without any huge benefits. Not to mention, if I were to get caught in this act, I would certainly be hunted and killed.


    So not worth doing it. Especially considering the vast number of kids whose lives are already hell in this world. I would be better off just recruiting them. After all, those kids would genuinely admire and respect me and would be willing to work their hardest to get out of that terrible life.''


    As Fujin was deep in thought, Mieko looked at him and asked softly, "Hey, what are you thinking?"


    Fujin looked at her and answered, "I was thinking about which scums would kidnap little kids and separate them from their parents. Unfortunately, I couldn''t get to any conclusion."


    Mieko sighed, "Yeah, there are terrible people everywhere. If we find them, I will be torturing the shit out of them!"


    Fujin chuckled at her anger. He said, "Now that I think about it, it''s been quite a few months since I went on a killing spree."


    Mieko looked at him with a deadpan expression and said, "You kill very quickly and efficiently. They feel no pain at all and die in an instant. Leave them to me. I have a new Genjutsu that I want to test!"


    A sadistic grin appeared on her face. Fujin said, "I think you would be a perfect fit in the T&I department of Konoha."


    Mieko looked at him and said, "The Uchiha Police force has our own T&I department. Though we don''t use it much as we mostly police themon citizens."


    Fujin said, "Oh, I didn''t know that."


    Akihiko announced, "Stay on alert. We are reaching that location."


    Everyone raised their alertness to the max.


    Akihiko stopped. Others stopped behind him. The area was covered with huge grass that was up to 5 feet tall. However, it was the same as everything around it. The only distinguishing factor was a few spears nted around the area to mark it.


    Akihiko said, "Kusagakure nins nted this area with spears to mark where the rescue teams went missing."


    Mieko said, "The grass is very tall in this country. It will be difficult to investigate properly."


    Akihiko smirked and said, "Yes. And hence, it will also be difficult to cover up any traces left. Everyone except Fujin, use your Sharingans to find clues."


    All Uchihas activated their Sharingans and began investigating. Though no one said anything, it left Fujin standing alone awkwardly. He saw Shunko looking at him with a smirk aiming at belittling him. Mieko too looked back at Fujin and grinned to tease him.


    Fujin looked back with amusement thinking, ''Why are you so excited about doing manualbour?''


    He took out a scroll. Both Mieko and Shunko watched with curiosity. He opened it and summoned an instant noodle cup, a thermos bottle containing hot water and a couple of chopsticks. He opened the instant noodle cup, poured water and stirred it slightly and waited for a couple of minutes.


    Now Mieko and Shunko had dark faces. Bothined in their minds, ''Why does he get to eat while we have to work? Heck, I haven''t eaten anything since the morning!''


    They tried ignoring Fujin. But, the smell of noodles began spreading. Fujin thought, ''I''m d that I bought so many instant noodles from the Land of Noodles.''


    He began eating. While eating, he kept his eyes on the Uchihas who were working hard in the grasnds.


    Shunko immediatelyined out loud, "Hey you! Why are you eating while we are working?"


    Fujin looked at him and slurped the noodles. He pointed at his eye and calmly said, "I don''t have the Sharingan eye. You do. Good luck with searching."


    Shunko was irritated at that response. He yelled, "WHY YOU??"


    However, Akihiko interrupted him, "Shunko, get back to work."


    A scowl formed on his face. But he didn''t dare to disobey Akihiko. He looked at Fujin grudgingly and got back to work.


    Fujin wondered, ''Mieko was very arrogant too when I met her. If not for Renjiro and perhaps me, she would have remained that arrogant. I wonder if Itachi was just fed up with all the arrogant pricks around him and decided to pull the plug.''


    The group kept searching for a few minutes when Sora said, "There are some footmarks here."


    Everyone immediately appeared next to him. Fujin wondered, ''Where are these footmarks?''


    However, Akihiko said, "Good work."


    They began following the footmarks. Fujin followed, thinking, ''The investigative powers of Sharingan are impressive. Even after focusing Chakra in my eyes, I can''t see anything at all.''


    They walked for around 40 meters before stopping. All Uchihas frowned.


    Masaru said, "The footsteps have ended here."


    Shunko asked, "But how? How could they stop here?"


    Akihiko said, "They walked from there until here. From here, they travelled through other means. They either went through under the ground, flew above it or teleported."


    Sora made a hand sign and disappeared underground.


    Mieko asked, "How will we track them if they flew or teleported?"


    Akihiko said, "We can''t. We will have to find a new clue."


    Sora appeared from the ground and said, "There are no traces underground."


    Akihiko said, "Looks like they are using Reverse Summoning. No wonder there were no clues to be found."


    Fujin asked, "How will we find them if they reverse summon themselves? If we assume that they kidnapped the children by reverse summoning too, then there won''t be any clues at all."


    Mieko and Shunko too had the same query.


    Akihiko answered, "Yes. There won''t be any clues while they escape. However, there will be clues of them entering the vige and reaching the kids."


    Fujin thought and replied, "That makes sense. Except that there are probably hundreds of people who enter and leave the viges on a daily basis. Unless they entered the vige through illegal routes, it would be very difficult to trace them."


    Masaru smirked and said, "Don''t underestimate our eyes kiddo. Just stay back and observe the magic."


    Akihiko said, "Enough talking, this ce is a dead end. Let''s go to the viges and check."


    The group began moving quickly towards the nearest vige.

 Chapter 174: The Impossible Trail

    While moving, Akihiko observed the map. He said, "This vige is Tsumagoi. It was the 5th vige to have its children kidnapped. We will separate into 3 groups. I, Sora and Masaru will lead each group. Mieko, Fujin, you two wille with me. Genji and Shunko will be with Masaru. Haru, you will work with Sora."


    Everyone nodded. Akihiko continued, "We will visit the homes of the missing kids one by one and see from where they went missing. We will investigate that location and check any trails from that location until we find the right one."


    The group moved at full speed and reached the vige in less than an hour. They met up with the Vige Chief and divided into the 3 groups. Each group had an official from the vige leading them.


    Mieko and Fujin followed Akihiko. They reached a small home. The official knocked on the door. In a few seconds, a middle-aged woman opened the door. Fujin could observe that her health didn''t seem very good. Inside the house, he could see a middle-aged man and 2 old people.


    She said in a weak voice, "Kaito-sama. Is there any news about my daughter?"


    Kaito was the official who had joined the group. He said, "We are working all the time. We will find them soon. These Konoha ninjas have arrived here to look for them. Please cooperate with them."


    The woman looked at Akihiko. Akihiko asked, "Can you tell me where youst saw your daughter?"


    Thedy said, "She had gone out to y with her friends. They all went missing!"


    She began sobbing.


    Akihiko asked, "Can you lead me to the yground?"


    The woman nodded. Her husband came out and said, "I''ll alsoe with you."


    Akihiko nodded.


    The group headed to the yground. On reaching, they saw that the yground had been sealed and barricaded. Kaito said, "We restricted entry to the yground after the kids went missing."


    Akihiko asked, "Did all children who were ying in this yground go missing?"


    Kaito answered, "No. Only 6 children went missing from this yground. More children were ying here, but they didn''t notice anything. In total, 23 children went missing from the vige. In addition to these 6, 11 more were ying in other ygrounds before going missing."


    Akihiko nodded and said, "Mieko, check the yground for footsteps with me. Fujin, use your sensor skills to see if you can find anything odd."


    Mieko nodded and entered the yground alongside Akihiko. Meanwhile, Fujin wondered, ''Did he just give me a useless task just to make me feel included?''


    He spread his chakra field and observed by focusing the chakra in his eyes but couldn''t find anything. Since it was pointless, he stopped wasting his chakra and just waited for Akihiko and Mieko to find something.


    Akihiko and Mieko had their Sharingans active the entire time. They looked at the entire yground to observe the footprints. Most of the footprints had already been messed up due to the winds and the investigation carried out by Kusagakure ninjas. However, their Sharingans could still notice the footprints.


    After searching for around 10 minutes, both Akihiko and Mieko arrived at the same end of the yground. Akihiko looked back and called everyone. Fujin, Kaito and the kid''s parents walked towards him.


    Akihiko looked at the parents and said, "You guys can go home. I will try my best to find your daughter and bring her back safely."


    The woman broke down again, while her husband thanked him and left with her. Akihiko said, "There are many footprints leaving the yground. Most of them are at normal exits. However, this area isn''t somece where anyone would leave the yground normally. There are footprints of 6 small kids and 2 adults here. And someone has tried to hide them with Wind jutsu."


    As he said, he looked at Kaito. Kaito immediately said, "I''m sure that no one from our vige would do it. It is probably the kidnappers."


    Akihiko nodded and made a shadow clone. He said, "Fujin, stay here with my clone."


    Fujin nodded. Akihiko, Mieko and Kaito followed the footprints.


    Akihiko''s clone said, "We will ensure that no one disturbs the yground. If anyonees here unintentionally, make them turn back. If anyone tries to create trouble, then you have permission to kill. Though if you can avoid killing, then just knock him unconscious for us to interrogate."


    Fujin nodded. Akihiko and Mieko kept following the footmarks. They walked for around 200 meters before stopping. The ce where they stopped waspletely isted. There were no homes in this area, it waspletely covered by trees and had no roads in it. Hence, the vigers would never walk through here.


    Mieko said, "The footprints end here. Instead, more footprints areing from other directions."


    Akihiko nodded and said, "Yes. 21 of those footprints are of young kids. 8 of adults."


    Mieko frowned and said, "Assuming that they brought all the kidnapped kids here, why are 2 footprints missing?"


    Akihiko replied, "Perhaps the kidnappers were carrying them. After all, some of the kidnapped kids are just over 2 years old."


    Kaito interrupted them and asked, "Were all the kidnapped kids brought here?"


    Akihiko nodded and said, "Most likely."


    He asked in excitement and hope, "So can you track them from here?"


    Unfortunately, his hopes would be dashed. Akihiko said, "It isn''t that easy. Though there are many footmarksing to this ce, there are very few that go away. None of the kids walked away from here. So it will be difficult to trace them."


    Kaito frowned but didn''t say anything.


    Mieko asked, "What now, Uncle?"


    Akihiko said, "Let''s wait for Sora and Masaru to arrive here. We will try to backtrack the footprints to see how they arrived here. We can be more sure of the result if all 3 teams reach the same conclusion."


    Mieko nodded.


    They waited. After around 15 minutes, Sora''s team arrived. Masaru''s team arrived a few minutester. All 3 teams had reached the same conclusion.


    Akihiko said, "Let''s trace these 8 footprints and see where theye from. It will be easy if some of them are from this vige. Else, we will be out on a long trail."


    Sora and Masaru nodded.


    All 3 teams began tracing the footprints. Akihiko and Mieko soon returned to the yground where Fujin was. Akihiko''s clone dispelled itself. Akihiko and Mieko followed the trail of the footprints in the yground. Fujin followed behind.


    Soon, they left the yground. They walked through the streets. At some point, the footprints split in two directions. Akihiko made a clone to trail the other footprint, but soon, they met again. After trailing everything, they reached the vige gate.


    Mieko sighed, "We will have to search in the wild!"


    Akihiko nodded, "And we can''t even rest. Otherwise, we might lose the trail."


    Fujin thought, ''Wow, I never thought that I would be the cker in the team. That said, it doesn''t feel bad. To just rx and even eat while others do all the hard work, haha. And they can''t evenin.''


    Masaru and Sora''s teams also reached the gate. They too sighed at the amount of work they would have to do. Akihiko looked at the officials and said, "We found a trail, so we will investigate it. See to it that no one in the vige damages the trails that we saw."


    They nodded. The Konoha ninjas left the vige. All of them ate a soldier pill. The Uchihas ate it as using the Sharingan continuously was eating up their chakra. While Fujin ate it as they won''t be waiting for any breaks.


    As they were moving, Shunkoined, "It is very difficult keeping a track of the trail in this grasnd!"


    Masaru replied, "Yes. And finding a new trail is even more difficult. We couldn''t find any proper trail to backtrack in the previous location. That is why, once you find a proper trail, don''t let it go to waste."


    Shunko nodded helplessly.


    The task was already difficult due to the grasnd. It was made even more difficult by the use of Wind and Earth elements to hide the footprints. And all other clues were eliminated by the kidnappers. There was no scent to use, just microscopic footprints that were difficult even for the Sharingan to see.


    The group trailed the footprints for over 14 hours! Finally, they reached the end. The footprints went towards a mountain. There was a small vige being built on one side of the mountain. It looked to be built very recently.


    Additionally, the mountain had a huge cave. The mouth of the cave was 10 meters wide and 15 meters high. The Sharingan observed the chakra signatures inside the cave. Fujin too saw them. Masaru said, "That''s one big cave!"


    Shunko wondered, "Who are these people? And are the kidnapped children here?"


    Akihiko answered, "Most likely. I''m guessing that they are imprisoned somewhere inside the cave. Don''t engage inbat and stay hidden until we find the kids.


    As they were speaking, a group of people exited the cave. The Konoha ninjas stopped talking and observed. They were already hidden properly and hence weren''t worried that they would be noticed. However, Fujin''s eyes widened as he saw those people.

 Chapter 175: Jashin

    7 people exited the cave. All had weird symbols on their faces and wore robes. One of them said, "We need to find around 175 children toplete the ritual. If we don''t bring them here in time, then Zankoku sama will skin us alive!"


    Another said, "But how can we do that? All viges in this country are on high alert. It''s impossible to kidnap more of them."


    The man standing in the center said, "In that case, we just need to go to the neighbouring countries and kidnap 175 children before they be alert."


    However, the other members weren''t entirely convinced. They said, "But reverse summoning over long distances will need a lot more chakra. It will be very difficult."


    However, the man insisted, "There is no other way. We will kidnap children from the Land of Waterfall. We will focus on the viges close to the border area. So the distance won''t be muchrger."


    As they were discussing, Fujin''s mind was busy analyzing as well, ''Though I don''t recall Hidan''s tattoos well, their tattoos make me think of the marks that would appear on Hidan after he licked someone''s blood. Safe to say that these guys are followers of Jashin. But, what the heck are they doing here? Wasn''t Hidan from the Land of Hot Water?


    Also, why do they already have those marks? Aren''t they useless unless they stand in that diagram made from blood?


    No, I don''t think these guys are as strong as Hidan. Otherwise, their group would be too strong. I guess that they have just made the tattoos manually and they don''t have the same mastery of whatever this craft is as Hidan.


    Still, why are there so many Jashin followers? I thought Hidan was the only one. Or perhaps one of very few. That said, except for the one in the center, their chakra seems quite low. So I guess they just got wiped out before Hidanpleted his ritual. Perhaps in this mission itself.


    Another point to consider is, wasn''t Konohapletely unaware of the existence of Jashin? Shouldn''t this mission have made them aware of the existence of Jashin or at least his followers and their rituals? So did they not report this mission urately or will Konoha be aware of them?''


    Fujin thought for a bit and concluded, ''No, a religion that engages in kidnapping and sacrificing staying secret for so long in a world full of ninjas is unlikely. It''s more probable that all 5 viges are aware of them. Just that either they didn''t consider Jashin to be much of a threat or Jashinists managed to hide or escape from them.


    There is also the matter of Orochimaru. He is exploring ways to attain immortality. So did he also experiment with Jashin? Hmm, that''s one research I''d like to see. After all, though Hidan was weak, there wouldn''t be any ninja who wouldn''t want his survivability. Though Orochimaru left the Akatsuki before Hidan joined it, he should still be aware of Jashins. At the very least, he should be aware of them after Hidan joins the Akatsuki.


    Oh well, I will consider thister. There is no point in thinking about this for now.''


    As he was analyzing, Fujin saw them talk. Unfortunately, the distance between them was too high. So he couldn''t hear anything. However, the same wasn''t the case with his teammates. Each one of them understood the entire conversation by reading their lips. Shunko and Mieko frowned. Anger could be seen on their faces.


    Shunko asked softly, "Can we kill them, Uncle?"


    Akihiko replied, "Not yet. The kids should be alive. Our main mission is to ensure that the kidnapped kids are safe. Don''t attack anyone impulsively."


    Shunko nodded unwillingly.


    Akihiko said, "The tents have 17 people. They are probably from this group. In addition to these 7, there are 20 more patrolling around the vige and the mountain. However, my Sharingans can''t observe any chakra inside the mountain. It looks like they have a seal master."


    Sora said, "Unless this group is backed by one of the 5 viges, their mastery of Fuinjutsu shouldn''t be too high. I''ll deal with the seals. But, I will need some time. And my actions could be noticed by the ones outside that cave."


    Fujin looked at Sora and thought, ''Is he a SealMaster? Or do those broken eyes also neutralize Fuinjutsu?''


    Akihiko began analyzing a n. Fujin said, "I could assassinate the ones under Elite Chunin levels silently."


    However, Akihiko shook his head and said, "No, there is no guarantee of assassinating silently when dealing with ninjas. Just one miscalction will blow up our cover."


    He looked at Sora and said, "Sora, you take a look at the Seals and begin neutralizing it. Haru and Genji would go with you. For now, move under the ground so that your cover isn''t blown."


    They nodded and made a few hand signs and disappeared under the ground.


    Akihiko said, "The guy in the center of the group is at Jounin level. And there is another Jounin-level opponent in the central tent. Fujin, how confident are you in assassinating at a quick speed?"


    Fujin replied, "I canunch a dozen Air Bullets at the same time and urately. Unless the enemy''s reaction speed is very fast, they will die."


    Akihiko said, "That''s good. "


    He observed the Jashin worshippers entering the central tent. Inside the tent, there was a big circr table. And there were 6 people, 1 of whom was the Jounin-level ninja that Akihiko had talked about. The others were at Chunin levels.


    As they entered the tent, the Jounin-level ninja in the tent asked, "Datsuron, is there anymand from the Grand Priest?"


    Datsuron was the Jounin from the 7 kidnappers who had left the cave. He stood on the other side of the table, nodded and said, "Yes. We have to kidnap 175 more kids between the ages of 2 and 6, Yasuhiro."


    Yasuhiro frowned. He understood the difficulty of the task. He looked at his followers in the tent. His followers understood that he needed some privacy to discuss something important. All but 2 left the tent. Datsuron too did the same. His followers also left the tent. So only Yasuhiro, Datsuron and 4 chunins were in the tent.


    Yasuhiro said, "We need to discuss from which viges we should kidnap more children. And also need to consider how many people we will need to sessfully reverse summon from that distance."


    Datsuron nodded. He was about to speak when suddenly he felt something. He quickly turned around and looked behind.


    A minute ago, when the majority of the chunins left the tent, Akihiko decisively said, "We will move through the ground and enter the tent from below. Fujin, use your Air Bullets on the 4 chunins in the tent. Leave the Jounins to me and Masaru. Mieko and Shunko, you two follow as well. If Fujin fails to kill his opponents, you two would step in. Don''t allow them to make a lot of noise and alert others."


    Everyone nodded and moved through the ground. Chakra glowed in Fujin''s eyes as he noticed that the chunins were standing on opposite sides behind the Jounins.


    He thought, ''I could target them all with Air bullets, but the ones who are away from me will have more time to see and dodge. If they do dodge it, my air bullets will pierce through the walls of the tent and alert others. So I will have to aim such that my bullets pass through the roof of the tent instead. That way, no one will be alerted.''


    He made a shadow clone. Fujin''s clone got in position under the 2 chunins standing behind Yasuhiro while Fujin got in position under the chunins behind Datsuron. Masaru stayed next to Fujin''s clone while Akihiko stayed next to Fujin. At the same time, both used Air Bullet jutsu.


    The chunins never saw the attacking. All 4 were hit sessfully. The air bullets pierced through their body and went through the roof of the tent.


    At the same time, Masaru and Akihiko also made their moves. They left the ground and attacked Yasuhiro and Datsuron respectively. Yasuhiro and Datsuron both turned around quickly. However, they were disturbed by the sight of their followers being killed so suddenly.


    They saw Akihiko and Masaru and became ready to fight. However, their eyes met with the three tomoe Sharingans. Both instantly fell into Genjutsu. They stopped struggling and stood still.


    Fujin observed that and thought, ''I always knew how strong the Sharingan is. But seeing two Jounins fall under the Genjutsu so easily with just 3 tomoe Sharingans is still so shocking.''


    Meanwhile, Akihiko and Masaru looked at Fujin and thought, ''Despite all the praises she had, Mieko probably still underestimated this kid. Killing 4 chunins in an instant at the mere age of 11. Very few could im to have such an ability at that age.''


    Mieko and Shunko left the ground. Shunko was shocked at how efficient Fujin was.


    Akihiko said, "Good work, Fujin."


    He looked at Masaru, who nodded and made a hand sign. The ground in the tent began moving. The bodies of the dead chunins and any blood in the tent began moving inside the ground and new soil was excavated out. Soon, all signs of them were buried under the ground.


    Akihiko looked around and said, "There are still some blood drops on the tent. We won''t be able to use this tent."


    Masaru nodded.

 Chapter 176: The Uchiha Way?

    Fujin, Akihiko and Masaru had moved very quickly and silently. The 7 chunins who had left the tent didn''t hear anything suspicious from the tent. They did hear some noise when the 4 chunins fell to the ground, but it didn''t alert them much as they guessed that their leaders were frustrated by the difficulty of the next mission.


    Inside the tent, Akihiko looked at Datsuron and asked, "Who are you?"


    Datsuron answered, "I am Datsuron, a follower of Lord Jashin."


    Akihiko asked, "Who is lord Jashin?"


    As Datsuron answered, pride could be felt in his voice, "He is the god who we worship. He will save humanity!"


    His reply surprised the Konoha ninjas. They all looked at him like he was an idiot!


    Mieko asked, "Is he being serious?"


    Shunko eximed, "Did he kidnap hundreds of children for a fake god?"


    Akihiko sighed and said, "There are lunatics like him all over the world."


    He asked, "Tell me how many people you have with you and their power levels."


    Datsuron said, "We are led by Zankoku. He is the Grand Priest and is organizing a ritual for Lord Jashin. He has 7 Priests under him including me. Each Priest has 3 to 7 devotees under them and every devotee has 3 to 7 servants serving them.


    A Priest is as powerful as a Jounin, a Devotee is as powerful as a Chunin whereas Servants can go up against Genins.


    In total, we have 37 devotees and 140 servants."


    The number rmed the Konoha ninjas. Masaru muttered, "7 Jounins, 36 Chunins and 140 Genins. They are as strong as a normal ninja n."


    The others nodded. This mission could no longer be ssified as a rank A mission.


    Fujin thought, ''Two consecutive missions getting upgraded to the next rank. I wonder if this one would result in casualties as well. I need to be on guard.''


    Akihiko asked, "How strong is the Grand Priest?"


    Datsuron said, "I am not aware of his strength."


    Akihiko frowned. Fujin said, "If we assume that he is as strong as an Elite Jounin, then this mission would be very difficult."


    For once, Mieko and Shunto didn''t disagree with Fujin.


    Akihiko sighed and said, "If I knew that this mission would be so difficult, I wouldn''t have brought you kids along. Sadly, we have no choice but to act. Stay on guard."


    He looked at Fujin, Mieko and Shunko and said, "You are still very young. So you aren''t aware of how the Uchiha n operates in the missions. See how the events y out carefully. Especially Mieko and Shunko. In the future, you will have to lead Uchiha squads into missions."


    Both nodded obediently. Fujin too heard carefully and thought, ''I am intrigued. I hope he puts up a good show.''


    Akihiko asked Datsuron, "Are the children you kidnapped still alive?"


    He answered, "Yes."


    Akihiko asked, "Where are they?"


    Datsuron answered, "They have been imprisoned in the cave."


    Akihiko asked, "Why did you kidnap them?"


    Datsuron answered, "Zankoku-sama is conducting a ritual. For this ritual to be sessful, we have to offer young kids to Lord Jashin. If he is sessful, he will receive the blessing of Lord Jashin."


    His answer angered Mieko and Shunko. Masaru and Akihiko lookedposed. Fujin analyzed, ''Blessings of Jashin? Is this ritual the one that granted Hidan his immortality? Did he also have to kill hundreds of young kids or did he use a different method?''


    Akihiko continued asking, "When will the children be sacrificed?"


    Datsuron answered, "Zankoku-sama still needs another 175 children as sacrifices for his ritual to be sessful. All sacrifices will have to be done at the same time."


    Hearing that, the Konoha ninjas sighed in relief. Fujin said, "That means that they won''t hurt the children. Instead, they would do everything they can to keep them safe."


    Akihiko nodded, "Yes. We have time. The only worry will be if this Zankoku realized our threat and decides to kill the children before escaping."


    That possibility put some pressure on them again. However, with the knowledge that the children will be safe, they knew that they can proceed with the mission without taking undue pressure or risks.


    Akihiko looked at Datsuron andmanded, "Leave the tent. Make your remaining 4 followers follow you into an empty tent. And make them sit next to each other with their eyes closed."


    Datsuron followed his instructions and left.


    Akihiko looked at Fujin and said, "Fujin, follow me."


    He disappeared underground and followed Datsuron. Fujin followed him.


    Datsuron left the cave and looked at his followers and said, "Follow me."


    The 4 devotees that had arrived out of the cave with him followed him. One of them asked, "Where are we going? And what happened to th¡­"


    However, Datsuron harshly said, "Just follow me!"


    His tone surprised the devotees. They thought, ''Normally he is very cordial with us. Did he get into an argument with Yasuhiro-sama for his mood to be so bad?''


    Not wanting to upset him, they followed him silently. Datsuron soon entered an empty tent. His 4 devotees followed. Datsuron looked at them and said, "Sit down in a meditative position. Close your eyes and listen to what I have to say."


    They nodded and followed his instructions. As soon as they sat and closed their eyes, Fujinunched Air bullets at everyone''s hearts and brains. Not expecting any such attack, all 4 were hit. They all died without making a sound.


    Fujin and Akihiko appeared from under the ground. Akihiko made a hand sign that buried all the dead bodies.


    Fujin looked at Akihiko. His thoughts became heavy as he thought, ''His tactic¡­ Don''t tell me¡­''


    Elsewhere, Masaru looked at Yasuhiro and instructed him the same. He followed Yasuhiro along with Mieko and Shunko through the ground. They used the same tactic. However, since Fujin wasn''t with them, they had to cut their heads off from behind. They were able to do it sessfully.


    Akihiko looked at Fujin and said, "Transform into one of the devotees."


    Fujin nodded and transformed. Akihiko checked his transformation and transformed into another devotee.


    He looked at Datsuron and said, ''Lead us into the tents of others.''


    Datsuron obeyed and left the tent as Fujin and Akihiko followed him.


    Masaru too used the same tactic. In no time, all the remaining 11 people in various tents were dead. The two teams met. Masaru said, "Now we just have to deal with those 20 who are patrolling."


    Akihiko nodded and asked Datsuron, "Can you call them back a few at a time?"


    Datsuron replied, "No. Yasuhiro is responsible for Patrol teams."


    Masaru asked Yasuhiro. He said, "Our patrol teams move in pairs. I can call them all back one by one."


    Masaru said, "Do it."


    Yasuhiro immediately began recalling the patrol teams one by one. The patrol teams were made exclusively of servants. They were all very weak. The Konoha ninjas killed them all without giving them any chance to alert anyone.


    With all but the two Priests dead, they moved towards Sora who was analyzing the seals. Sora noticed theming. Despite the disguise, he could recognize their chakra easily. He left the underground. Haru and Genji also followed him.


    Sora said, "The cave has 120 seals inscribed in it. I will need some time to disarm them one by one without alerting their SealMaster."


    Akihiko said, "We have these two under our control and they are ranked very high. So it may be better to just disguise as their followers and go in."


    However, Sora shook his head and said, "No, one of the seals is an identification seal. The tattoos on their body act as an identity card for the seal. We won''t be able to replicate it with the Transformation jutsu. Also, some of the seals are inscribed in abination. So entering without disarming them could be lethal."


    Akihiko frowned. He asked Datsuron, "How frequently do you guys travel in and out of the cave?"


    He answered, "Everyone inside the cave is very busy with the ritual. So they don''te out frequently. I and Yasuhiro were responsible for deciding our targets and making the necessary preparations. Tomorrow, two more Priests, their Devotees and their Servants would leave the cave. One of them is responsible forbat, while the other specializes in reverse summoning. We would have left tomorrow for the next round of kidnapping."


    Akihiko looked at Sora. Sora said, "That should be enough time. It''s already evening. So we can assume that we would have around 10 hours at the very least. It should be more than enough for me to get rid of the seals."


    Akihiko nodded and said, "Alright. We are already in enemy territory. So we can''t rest. In case they decide toe out inrge numbers for some reason, we will be in a tough spot if half of us are sleeping. So eat your food pills. We will stay up until the children are secured."


    Everyone nodded and ate their food pills. Fujin asked Sora, "Can I observe you while you deal with the seals?"


    Sora was surprised by the request. He asked, "Are you interested in Fuinjutsu?"


    Fujin nodded. Sora said, "Alright. You can follow me."


    Akihiko said, "In that case, we will leave the task of protecting Sora from any sneak attacks to you Fujin. The rest of us will keep an eye on the cave entrance."

 Chapter 177: The Battlefield!

    Everyone nodded. Except for Fujin and Sora, the others took positions that would allow them to keep an eye on the cave entrance and help them in ambushing the enemy. Akihiko and Masaru also interrogated Yasuhiro and Datsuron about the interior of the cave. They drew up a rough map and also marked where the children were imprisoned. They also learnt that the SealMaster was a Priest as well. And he would never leave the cave.


    Meanwhile, Sora began releasing the seals that he had observed and put fake seals in their ce instead so that the SealMaster inside the cave wouldn''t be alerted. Fujin followed him and observed his work properly. He was surprised.


    Fujin thought, ''Wow! His mastery of the seals is way beyond mine! No wonder he was so confident. I wonder if he is a Grandmaster in Fuinjutsu.''


    Fujin observed him very carefully. Though Sora used some seals that Fujin didn''t know, most of the seals he used were the ones that Fujin knew or had read in the library. Though the seals were simr, Sora used many different methods to use the seals. What intrigued Fujin the most is how he ced fake seals and the speed at which he made them. The fake seal was ced almost instantly. Fujin''s knowledge about seals grew every minute.


    Sora noticed Fujin observing him. He thought, ''Looks like he is intrigued by the seals. Unfortunately, Fuinjutsu is very boring. He will be bored in some time.''


    However, to his surprise, Fujin didn''t lose his concentration for hours. In the end, he couldn''t resist but ask, "Fujin, are you interested in bing a SealMaster?"


    Fujin nodded and said, "Yes. I have studied some seals from the Library. Though I am still a long way from bing a SealMaster."


    If it was earlier, Fujin would have never exposed his skill with the seals. However, after inscribing his home in ten times more seals than what the Jashinists inscribed on their base, it was only a matter of time before his skills became known. So he didn''t bother hiding it actively anymore.


    Sora was surprised. He thought, ''Now it makes sense why he has been observing my actions with so much concentration.''


    He said, "That''s good. If you have any questions, you may ask me."


    Fujin immediately thanked him, "Thank You, Uncle Sora."


    Fujin was aware that an opportunity to ask queries to someone as skilled as Sora in Fuinjutsu would be very rare. Fujin asked him for every doubt that he had. Surprisingly, Sora answered every question patiently while doing his job. This continued until 4:30 AM when Sora was finally done.


    The group soon gathered together. Sora said, "The seals won''t alert them of our presence any longer. We can enter the cave. I also added some seals that would help us deal with any more seals they might have inscribed inside the cave. So I would be able to neutralize them in much less time."


    Akihiko nodded and said, "Good work. But, let''s wait here for now. The two groups who would leave the cave will be suspicious if they don''t find anyone here. So we will kill them first. Set up a battlefield here. I want them trapped outside the cave and also ensure that they won''t be able to send any messages outside. One of them specializes in Reverse Summoning. So shut that down as well."


    Sora smirked and said, "Alright."


    He immediately got to work. He began inscribing seals in front of the cave entrance. Once they were done, he inscribed seals all around the ce. There were seals to block sounds, chakra, light, etc., seals to create an illusion for anyone who''d watch from outside to prevent any suspicion, and seals that prevented summoning and reverse summoning.


    In addition, he also created barriers to surround the entire ce. It included a barrier on the ground to prevent any Earth element users from escaping underground. He also sealed the escape to the sky by creating another barrier to prevent anyone from sending messenger birds or messages through any such means.


    In half an hour, Sora had inscribed seals in the area between the cave and the tents. Fujin watched thinking, ''Fuck! This is like those battlefield killer moves I read in novels! Stepping into this area and engaging in a battle with him would almost be a death sentence! Unless the enemy is significantly stronger than him, there is no way to get out. Worst case, he can still trap them here temporarily.''


    Fujin immediately made a decision, ''I want it! But not this one. It is too slow. Once I reach the Grandmaster level, I''ll create a Battlefield that I can deploy in seconds! It will be my hunting ground!''


    With his work done, Sora approached Akihiko and said, "It''s done."


    Masaru smiled and said, "Let''s kill those bastards."


    Other than Akihiko, Masaru and Fujin, the other four weren''t aware of what was happening.


    Mieko asked, "What exactly did you do, Uncle Sora?"


    Sora said, "I have inscribed seals in order to create the perfect ambush spot. Once they leave the cave, they will be trapped. We will be able to kill them all."


    The four were impressed.


    Akihiko said, "But we will kill them as soon as we can. No wasting time. I am having a bad feeling about this God of theirs. Sora, tell everyone their spots. And keep Fujin and Mieko together. They will begin the ambush."


    Sora nodded. He assigned positions to stand for everyone. Once everyone was in ce, he said, "As long as you are standing at the assigned spots, the enemy won''t be able to see, hear or sense you. Of course, when you attack, they can guess from where the attack ising."


    He looked at Mieko and Fujin and said, "I will put up a barrier against the cave entrance once everyone leaves. Once you see the barrier, you can attack."


    They both nodded and stayed in their position. Their position was directly next to the entrance. Once the barrier was up, they wouldunch their jutsu. Everyone else was standing in such spots that they wouldn''t get in the line of fire. They waited patiently for the Jashinists to leave the cave.


    They waited for half an hour, then an hour, then 2 hours! However, no one left the cave. Mieko was very annoyed. Sheined, "When will thosezy assese out of the cave?"


    Fujin sighed and said, "They aren''t gonnae faster if you keep yelling."


    Mieko''s shoulder dropped. She muttered, "Maybe they would if I left this stupid battlefield."


    Fujin looked at her and wondered what Sora would think if he heard what Mieko said. Thanks to the seals in their spot, other than them, the others didn''t hear what they were speaking. So he alone had to hear herints!


    Finally, at around 7:30 AM, some people began appearing from the cave. All Konoha ninjas readied themselves for a battle. They watched carefully as the Jashinists were leaving the cave.


    In all, 35 people left the cave. 2 of them were Priests, 9 were devotees and 24 were servants. As they left the cave, they entered Sora''s battlefield. However, not a single person felt anything strange. Some left in silence, some were chatting casually and a few were excited about kidnapping more children and separating them from their parents. They talked as if it would be the greatest offering to their God.


    Sora and Akihiko paid close attention to the entrance of the cave. Their Sharingans observed as deep into the entrance as they could. As soon as thest person entered the battlefield, Akihiko nodded. Sora made a hand sign and a barrier sealed them, cutting all ess to the outside world.


    Fujin and Mieko saw it. Both immediately built up a huge chakra!


    ''Wind Release: Infinite Breakthrough Jutsu''


    ''Fire Release: Majestic Destroyer me''


    Mieko converted a quarter of her chakra into fire and expelled it from her mouth. The Jashinists weren''t expecting any attack. Suddenly feeling the heat on their back shocked them. They turned around to see a Sea of mes heading at them!


    However, the very next moment, a massive wind hit the sea of mes. It made the fire burn even more fiercely and made it spread out. In addition, the winds themselves were extremely sharp! The wide range of the jutsu meant that none of them would be able to dodge it.


    The Jashinists who were closer to the cave had no chance of resisting. They were burned alive! Luckily for the two Priests, they were among the first ones to leave the cave. They immediately made hand signs to use defensive moves.


    One of them used the Water Prison jutsu to protect himself, while the other mmed his hands on the ground to use Earth Wall jutsu. Some of the devotees also tried using jutsus. 3 tried escaping underground, 4 decided to hide behind their priests while 2 panicked and couldn''t do anything.


    Unfortunately, the attempt to pour chakra into the ground to raise an Earth Wall by the Priest was blocked by the barrier. The 3 devotees who tried to escape underground were also blocked!


    They were shocked. They looked ahead to see dozens of servants being engulfed by the fire. The priest looked at his fellow Priest and immediately jumped into his Water Prison. The other priest allowed him in.


    The Fire finally engulfed them. The Priests sighed in relief when the fire didn''t prate the Water Prison. However, all of a sudden a huge cut appeared on the Water Prison. It entered half a foot into the prison. The Priests, who had just put their guard down, immediately began pouring their chakra into the Water Prison.

 Chapter 178: Thats Just Pathetic!

    The fire died after around a minute. The Priest finally stopped the Water Prison jutsu. They looked around them and were stunned. It looked like a picture from hell! All their servants were dead. The stench of their dead bodies burning lingered in the air. 6 of their Devotees were dead as well. The remaining 3 had terrifying burns on their bodies.


    Fujin looked at their expressions. He could see the fear on their faces. He sighed and thought, ''In a world like this, I can understand people being cruel. After all, there are so many wars, so many evil schemes and thousands of people with superpowers. There will be people who have horrible pasts. There will be people who are ambitious. However, if you are cruel to ones weaker than you, then you should be prepared for the same happening to you when you meet someone stronger. These guys are cruel to those civilians and children but are terrified while facing us. Now that''s just pathetic.''


    The Jashinists were usually the ones who looked at others in contempt. However, if they could hear the contempt Fujin had for them, they might die just of shame.


    The remaining Jashinists noticed Fujin and Mieko who had left their spots earlier. One of the devotees yelled, "WHO ARE Y¡­?"


    However, even before theypleted their question, a kunai pierced through the hearts of each of the remaining devotees.


    At the same time, Akihiko and Masaru flickered in front of the two Priests and cast a Genjutsu on them. Despite being on alert due to the crazy Ambush, they weren''t on guard against the Sharingan. Both immediately fell under their Genjutsu. The ambush battle was won in less than a couple of minutes!


    Except for Akihiko, Sora and Masaru, the others were surprised at how quickly the fight was over.


    Mieko eximed, "They were defeated so quickly!"


    Fujin thought, ''I was right. The utility of this battlefield is crazy. I have to make one too.''


    Masaru smirked and said, "That''s the magic of Sora''s battlefield. The enemies always get caught off guard. And against the Fire-Windbo, only Water or Earth jutsus could protect them. But, the barrier blocks most of the Earth jutsus. So it leaves just one element to defend within a fraction of a second."


    Akihiko looked at Fujin and Mieko and said, "Yourbination jutsu is very good. It pretty much finished the fight."


    After praising them, Akihiko and Masaru began interrogating the Priests. Fujin looked at Mieko and asked, "Which jutsu did you use? It was much stronger than your Fireball or Fire Dragon jutsu."


    Mieko smirked and answered, "This is one of the strongest jutsus of my n. It is called Majestic Destroyer me jutsu!"


    Fujin was surprised. He thought, ''No wonder that felt slightly simr. It''s the one Madara used against the ninja army. I thought it''d be rank A or S jutsu. Then again, the scale of her jutsu is probably not even a tenth of what Madara did in the war even with my aid and yet she looks so exhausted.''


    Mieko looked at Fujin who was in his thoughts and said, "What are you thinking?"


    Fujin replied, "Nothing. Your jutsu is very strong. And itbines perfectly with my Infinite Breakthrough jutsu. It is much better than when we used the Great Breakthrough alongside Fireball or our elemental dragon jutsus."


    Mieko nodded and said, "Yes, it spreads like a sea. That''s why thebination got stronger."


    Fujin looked at her and said, "Yeah, but it also drains a lot of your chakra."


    Mieko said, "Yeah. I lost a quarter of my chakra. Though it''ll be fine as the soldier pill should regenerate my chakra soon."


    Fujin nodded. His chakra was already recovering.


    Akihiko and Masaru interrogated the priests simr to how they interrogated the other two. The information they received was the same.


    Masaru said, "We won''t get any new information from them."


    Akihiko nodded, "Yeah."


    He grabbed a tanto and swiped it horizontally. The head of the Priest he was interrogating flew in the air. Fujin observed carefully, thinking, ''I wonder if he''d get up like Hidan.''


    Masaru asked, "Why did you kill him? Won''t it be convenient to use them?"


    Akihiko shook his head and said, "They are supposed to leave today. If we use them to infiltrate the cave, it will raise suspicions. And since it will cause suspicion, it''s better to just use the Transformation jutsu. Besides, controlling Jounins costs a lot of chakra."


    Masaru said, "Alright."


    He killed the other priest.


    Datsuron and Yasuhiro were also beheaded.


    Fujin was surprised. He wondered, ''I was sure that they would use them to infiltrate. Was my analysis wrong? Anyways, at the very least, none of them has Hidan''s immortality. I wonder if the Grand Priest would be any different.''


    Akihikoid a map on the ground and said, "Take a close look at this."


    Everyone gathered around the map. This was the map of the interior of the cave that he made after interrogating Datsuron and Yasuhiro.


    Shunkomented, "This cave is huge."


    Akihiko nodded. He said, "The cave has 3yers and has a lot of room on eachyer. The lowestyer is the one where the Grand Priest is making the arrangements for the ritual. All the remaining 3 Priests, including the SealMaster, are helping him. The children are kept at that level too."


    Fujin asked, "Will we directly infiltrate into the lowestyer? Or will we kill off the devotees and Servants on theyers above?"


    Akihiko answered, "Though their numbers sounded high, their fighting power is quite weak. The Priests aren''t as strong as us Jounins, while the devotees and servants are very weakpared to any of us. A good Fire-Windbination jutsu can wipe them all out. So I am not worried about their interference.


    We will focus on moving to the lowest level after making some preparations. The major issue is that all the children aren''t kept together. As you can see, at the lowestyer, there is one central room and 5 rooms surrounding it, forming a perfect Pentagon around the center room. The children have been divided into these 5 rooms equally.


    Sora, you and Haru will be responsible for keeping the kids safe when we reach the lowest level. You two will have to make shadow clones so that you can cover all 5 rooms. Others will help me in defeating the enemy."


    Everyone nodded. Akihiko made a hand sign and disappeared underground. Others followed him. They entered the mountain. The group skipped the firstyer and entered the secondyer without any obstacles. However, the lowestyer was protected by some more seals.


    Sora said, "I will need around 10 minutes to resolve them."


    Akihiko replied, "Take your time. Just don''t alert them. Haru, stay with him. Otherse with me."


    The group split into two once again. After moving some distance, Akihiko stopped and looked straight ahead at a cavern. He said, "ording to the intel, the devotees of the SealMaster stay in this cavern. And, he is the only Priest that has 7 Devotees."


    Shunko asked, "Should we kill them?"


    Akihiko said, "No, they are useful to us alive."


    He looked at the three chunins and said, "Keep an eye on the entrance. If someone enters, let theme in and kill them silently."


    The three chunins nodded.


    Deep in the cavern, 3 men were eating breakfast. However, their meal looked to be a lot for a morning breakfast.


    One of them said, "The work has been so hightely. We had to stay up all night."


    Another sighed and replied, "Yeah, and we have to get back to work by noon. I hope Zankoku-sama''s ritual getspleted soon."


    As they were talking, they saw a few silhouettes. They quickly looked at them and recognized them instantly. They stood up immediately and asked, "Datsuron-sama, why are you here?"


    In front of them, Datsuron stood along with 2 of his devotees. All three wondered what they were doing in this part of the base. But, suddenly the eyes of Datsuron and his devotees turned red. The three weren''t able to take their eyes off them and fell into a Genjutsu.


    Masaru smirked, "Easy as always."


    Akihiko nodded. The Uchihas cast more Genjutsu and left.


    The group moved around the cave. They put 5 devotees and 12 servants under Genjutsu before returning back to where Sora was. Sora said, "I can deactivate the seals now."


    Akihiko said, "Wait a few minutes."


    Sora knew what Akihiko was nning. He nodded.


    Soon, 3 devotees suddenly moved from the 2ndyer into the lowestyer of the cave. Due to the seals, there were no physical guards present anywhere in the cave. After entering the lowest level, they went towards the SealMaster.


    Akihiko said, "Deactivate the seals without letting him catch on."


    Sora deactivated the seals and ced fake seals in ce. Immediately, all 8 of them headed to the lowest level while still staying underground. Sora and Haru split off from the group and headed to where the children were kept. The others headed towards the grand priest.

 Chapter 179: A Blood Dome?

    In the central room at the lowest level of the cave, the Grand Priest was meditating at the center of the cave. The Grand Priest was from the same generation as Konoha''s Legendary Sannins. His body was extremely muscr. However, he had numerous sword scars and burn scars all over his body. Even his face had two huge sword scars forming an X on his face. In addition, his left cheek had a burn scar that covered it entirely.


    The room was quite unique as well. There was a circle dug into the ground that surrounded the entire room. It was about 3 inches deep and 6 inches wide. 5 straight lines were dug from this circle into the 5 rooms that surrounded the central room with the same depth and width. In addition, an equteral triangle was dug such that it was inscribed in the circle. There were also 7 pirs in the room. They were all equidistant from where the Grand Priest was meditating.


    Most importantly, blood flowed through the circle and the triangle. In addition, the ground and the walls were covered with mysterious symbols. The devotees and the servants were working on drawing even more symbols as the Priests supervised.


    On one of the pirs, an old man sat. He had a long white beard that extended up to his abdomen. However, in contrast to his beard, his head was as bald as a desertndscape. Like the Grand Priest, he too had a few sword scars on his body. However, unlike him, the old man''s body was very fragile. He wore a clean silver robe and observed everyone around him while stroking his beard.


    He thought, ''The preparations for the ritual are almost over. Soon, we will only be missing the children. Once Datsuron and the rest bring the children, we will add the blood of the children from the 5 rooms to this room and begin the ritual. Then we can begin the ritual.''


    The old man, who thought about killing 375 children with no remorse or pity, was the one who had ced seals in the cave. As he was observing everyone''s work, he noticed 3 devotees approaching him. He looked at them and asked, "Why aren''t you three resting?"


    One of the three devoteesughed awkwardly and said, "Isamu-sama, the ritual is so close topletion. We were excited and couldn''t sleep. So we decided to helpplete all the preparations before sleeping."


    The old man looked at them and thought, ''Not bad. Unlike the other priests, all my devotees are extremely dedicated to Lord Jashin!''


    He said, "Good, with your help, the work should be done in the next three hours. Aid your fellow devotees."


    The trio nodded and went past his pir towards other devotees. Everyone continued working as normal. However, they were ignorant about the cmity that was about to befall them.


    The Konoha ninjas were hiding in the walls of the room. Fujin concentrated chakra in his eyes while others had their Sharingan activated. They were waiting for Sora and Haru. In a few minutes, Sora set up barriers to iste the rooms that held the kids from the central room.


    As soon as the barrier was up, Fujin and Mieko built up their chakra and exited the cave walls. Their entrance instantly attracted dozens of eyes. All the 3 Priests looked at them too. The Grand Priest also opened his eyes.


    However, before anyone could act, their eyes could only see a firestorm. Fujin and Mieko both used their respective jutsus.


    ''Fire Release: Majestic Destroyer me''


    ''Wind Release: Infinite Breakthrough Jutsu''


    Thebination jutsu threatened to consume everyone in the circr room. The sudden attack caused a lot of panic. Many tried making a jutsu, but the short time meant that most couldn''t. Only two people managed to act in time.


    Isamu made a hand seal. Immediately, a barrier appeared across the room. It divided the room into two, with Mieko and Fujin on one side and all the Priests and the Grand Priest on the other side.


    The Grand Priest Zankoku was the other one to act. He controlled the blood in the room to rise up and act as a barrier. However, the short time meant that he couldn''t infuse much chakra into the blood to make the barrier sturdy.


    Fujin''s winds sted through the blood barriers. The Firestorm hit Isamu''s barrier and was halted. However, all the Jashinists on their side of the Barrier were burnt alive. Many painful screams could be heard in the fire. Their screams unnerved the Jashinists. The kidnapped children also heard the screams and began crying.


    All the devotees and servants who were alive gathered around their Priests. Everyone took out their weapons. Only Isamu''s devotees were all alive as they were working behind him. The other two Priests lost half of their subordinates.


    Isamu said loudly, "It looks like the rats from the Land of Grass have found our hideout. Don''t panic! This is our base. They will be sacrificed to Lord Jashin."


    However, Zankoku looked menacingly at Isamu and asked, "How did you not know that there are intruders in our hideout, Isamu?"


    Zankoku''s menacing tone frightened him. He looked back at him and said, "Zankoku-sama, I am not sure how they infiltrated so deep without alerting me. I had inscribed all the seals properly."


    He truly didn''t understand how they infiltrated the hideout without triggering a single seal. After all, he had inscribed over a hundred seals in the cave!


    Zankoku said, "Let us first deal with these insects. Then I''ll take care of you."


    Isamu''s expression was grim. He focused his eyes beyond the barrier. A Firestorm was still raging in that part of the room. He thought, ''How the fuck did these rats appear here? I need to finish them off personally. Otherwise, I might be the unlucky person to suffer Zankoku-sama''s wrath!''


    He made a hand sign intending to activate the seals that he had ced in the room. However, at that time, two swords pierced through his body!


    This sequence of actions shocked all the Jashinists. They looked at Isamu with a stunned expressions. Even Zankoku was shocked. He initially suspected that Isamu had betrayed them. But now Isamu was betrayed by his own devotees!


    Isamu''s face was full of disbelief. He turned his head around and looked at his two devotees. He asked, "W..


    H¡­.Y¡­?"


    He died without understanding why his obedient devotees killed him.


    The remaining 5 devotees of Isamu were the ones who had the highest impact other than Isamu himself. They looked at their fellow devotees in rage and disbelief. One of them yelled, "Why did you kill our Priest?"


    One of the killers shouted, "This perverted old leecher killed my mother!"


    The other one shouted, "He killed my friends. He is as sick as that pedophile Jashin!"


    Their words shocked everyone. They were filled with rage. Zankoku shouted, "How dare youmit sphemy?"


    Akihiko saw these interactions and smirked. He thought, ''It''s so easy to rile them up.''


    Their small argument caused a distraction. Zankoku was about to kill them when he heard a cracking sound. He looked to see that the barrier that Isamu had erected was getting broken. Without Isamu providing chakra to it, the barrier could no longer hold thebination jutsu back.


    A frown formed on his face as he made a hand sign. All the blood around him rose and formed a dome with him at the center. The dome also covered the other two priests and their subordinates. However, the subordinates of Isamu were left without any protection.


    With Isamu dead, his devotees understood that they wouldn''t get any help from Zankoku. They looked at Isamu''s killers in anger while making hand signs to use a jutsu to protect themselves. However, the two who killed Isamu began attacking the devotees who were making hand signs. This enraged them even more.


    They shouted, "You killed our Priest and now you two want to eliminate us too?"


    In a rage, 4 devotees attacked the two ''traitors''. The two traitors resisted. They were about to engage in an all-out fight when 2 kunais pierced the back of two of those devotees. They turned around to see one of their fellow devotees killing them.


    They eximed, "You too?"


    At that instant, the barrier finally broke! The firestorm hit the blood dome and the subordinates of Isamu. All of Isamu''s subordinates were burned alive like the others who had already died. However, the blood dome stayed strong. Fujin and Mieko''sbination jutsu wasn''t able to pierce through it at all.


    Fujin thought, ''This is new. He is using the blood that was flowing in the room like a Water element user would use water. I wonder if all water affinity ninjas can do this or is this something different? Also, his chakra is very strange. I have never sensed a chakra like his. It''s quite high but is unstable. And it gives a different feeling aspared to normal chakra.


    From within the blood dome, Zankoku too observed Fujin and Mieko.

 Chapter 180: A Bloody Battle

    Zankoku observed the two kids as he thought, ''Hidden Leaf headbands¡­ And that girl is an Uchiha. There should be more. No wonder that old buffoon''s followers betrayed him.''


    As he was analyzing, Zankoku immediately looked at the ground below. He muttered, "As I thought."


    Wanting to take advantage of thebination jutsu, Akihiko and the rest decided to do another surprise attack from the underground. However, due to having meditated in this room for several days and due to the preparations he had made for the ritual, Zankoku noticed a few ninjas infiltrating from the ground.


    He focused chakra on his right leg. His leg was covered in a red aura. He raised his right leg and mmed it down with all his power. He decided, ''It''s impossible to conduct the ritual here. They will keeping like flies no matter how many I defeat. But, I am definitely killing these fuckers who destroyed my ritual!''


    He shouted, "Escape the cave!"


    Zankoku kicked down at the center of the cave. Cracks began appearing. They expanded without slowing down. A shockwave was also sent into the ground towards Akihiko andpany. They all were hit by the shockwave.


    Fujin and Mieko watched as the cracks moved towards them. Both flickered and entered into the walls at the same time and used Earth Instantaneous Body jutsu to escape the copsing cave. Akihiko and the rest were hit by the shockwave but weren''t much injured. They too employed means to escape the cave.


    As the cracks spread, they also reached the 5 rooms where the children were held. Sora and Haru and their clones watched with grim faces. Sora had only created one barrier to stop any random attacks from entering there. Fujin and Mieko''sbination jutsu hit all the barriers that he had created. But, this barrier won''t protect the kids if the entire cave was copsing!


    Sora, Haru and the kids noticed as the ground began cracking. The children immediately began crying loudly. Sora and his clones desperately made hand signs. After making hand signs, they mmed their hands on the floor. A barrier appeared along the floor, barely protecting the kids from any harm.


    However, at that time, the walls had begun cracking. Haru and his clones immediately ced their hands on the walls and poured Earth chakra into the walls to strengthen them slightly and prevent them from copsing. Sora and his clones used this window of time to create more barriers.


    They first made a barrier along the ceiling to prevent any rocks from falling on the kids. They followed by creating more barriers to protect the children from all sides and ensure that the floor and the ceiling were connected properly.


    Right when thest barrier was erected, the entire cave copsed! Fortunately, due to the barriers, the children were safe. Sora and Haru were breathing heavily. But a smile could be seen on their faces. The kids were sage. However, despite being safe, the kids were still wailing loudly. After all, the experience was very scary.


    Sora and Haru looked at them. Haru and his clone made a hand sign. They cast genjutsu on all the children and made them fall asleep.


    When the kids fell asleep, he and his clones all fell to the ground. Sora looked at him and said, "You have lost a lot of your chakra."


    Haru replied while breathing heavily, "Yeah, I poured almost all my chakra into the walls."


    Sora said, "Yeah, good job. If you hadn''t, I wouldn''t have managed toplete the barriers in time. Anyways, take a rest. The soldier pills should begin recovering our chakra, but we won''t be able to participate in the fight above. We will ensure that the kids stay safe."


    Haru nodded and sat in a meditative pose. Sora too joined him. While meditating, he thought, ''That chakra spike just before the impact was different. I guess there is more depth to this god after all. That said, he will be no match against the Sharingan. This mission is over.''


    Fujin and Mieko were the first ones to leave the cave and appear outside. They saw as the Mountain in front of them crumbled.


    Fujin said, "That guy is much stronger than I expected."


    Mieko nodded, "Yeah, his chakra is almost as high as Sensei. And it doesn''t seem humane!"


    Fujin agreed, "Yeah, his chakra makes me feel sick. I wonder why that is."


    At that time, Akihiko and his group emerged from the underground. There were no casualties in their group. A few secondster, the Jashinists also began appearing. Every Jashinists who was at the lowest level survived. However, in the aboveyers, all the servants died. Only the 7 devotees made it out alive. Their group now contained 1 Grand Priest, 2 Priests, 8 devotees and 20 servants


    Akihiko looked at the Jashinists and said, "Mieko, save your chakra. Fujin, give me a big one."


    Without a word, Fujin used another Infinite Breakthrough jutsu at the Jashinists. Akihiko followed by expelling a huge amount of fire into Fujin''s jutsu. Though theirbination wasn''t as good as Fujin and Mieko''s, it was still very threatening. The wide range meant that it couldn''t be dodged.


    Zankoku snorted, "How many times will you use the same trick?"


    He joined his hands together, almost as if he was praying. His chakra suddenly spiked! A few gallons of blood appeared from the ground and began floating in the air.


    ''Bloody Shield jutsu!''


    ''Bloody Death jutsu!''


    The blood immediately took the form of arge screen to block the iing jutsu. The Konoha ninjas thought that would be it. However, small needle heads formed on the surface of the screen. Thousands of needles made of blood wereunched at the Konoha ninjas.


    Fujin expected the firestorm to deflect all the blood needles. However, they just pierced through the firestorm with ease without changing directions. Masaru stepped forward and mmed his hands on the ground.


    ''Earth Wall Jutsu''


    A giant Earth Wall appeared in front of the group. However, the blood needles pierced through them as well. The Konoha ninjas were surprised. Fujin immediately flickered out of the way. So did the rest except Shunko. He was slow to react. His eyes saw the Wall being prated, but his body was slow to react. His sharingans watched the dense blood needlesing at him and he barely moved to dodge the attack.


    A bunch of blood needles scratched his body, leaving him with 10-12 cuts.


    Fujin wondered, ''What the heck is with this blood? It''s almost as prative as my Wind Vacuum Technique jutsus!''


    A simr thought ran through the minds of the Uchihas as well. The jutsu was very lethal. Akihiko quickly scanned Shunko with his Sharingan. The wounds on him weren''t lethal. He looked at Zankoku and had a bad feeling. A huge grin could be seen on Zankoku''s face as he made the Seal of Confrontation with his left hand.


    Akihiko followed his gaze and looked at Shunko. His eyes widened as he saw the chakra gathering on the spots where the cuts had appeared. He yelled, "Shunko, move away!"


    Shunko didn''t understand why he said so but still jumped backwards. Unfortunately, 12 explosions took ce on his body at the same time! His loud shriek could be heard! Akihiko immediately flickered next to him but stayed at arm''s length. He created a shadow clone to check on him.


    The Jashinists smirked at seeing their leader handling the enemies by themselves. Their morale was raised. They all got on the attack. However, even before they could get on the attack, Fujin, Masaru and Mieko got on the attack. They didn''t know what had happened with Shunko. So they stayed clear of all blood controlled by Zankoku.


    Fujin attacked them with the Air Bullet jutsu from a range, while Masaru and Mieko used Phoenix Sage Fire Jutsu. Their aim was to restrict the movement and kill off the weaker enemies.


    Unlike the earlier instance, this wasn''t arge-scale jutsu. So Zankoku didn''t waste his chakra to put up a huge defense. Without his help, the Servants were sitting ducks for the Konoha ninjas. 12 Servants died in this attack. The Devotees and Priests were safe, but their jutsus were disturbed.


    Akihiko and Genji looked at Shunko in this short window of time. They examined his injuries. Fortunately, his life wasn''t in danger. He was still conscious.


    Akihiko said, "It looks like when he was cut, some of the blood that guy controlled was left on Shunko''s body. Only that blood exploded. That''s why the injuries aren''t lethal."


    Genji nodded. He agreed with the analysis.


    Akihiko said, "Carry him away from here. He is in no condition to fight."


    Genji nodded, "Alright, I''ll take care of him."


    He carried Shunko and flickered away.


    Akihiko looked at Zankoku with a serious look on his face as he wondered, ''What the heck is his jutsu? I thought he controlled external blood simr to Water. But this looked more like the explosion release than a variant of Water release.''


    He noticed Fujin, Mieko and Masaru keeping the enemy busy and decided, ''It doesn''t matter. This farce has gone on too long. Time to end this battle!''

 Chapter 181: Blood can Heal???

    Fujin, Mieko and Masaru were keeping the Jashinists busy. After his big jutsu, Zankoku didn''t attack much. His Priests and Devotees were the ones who were counter-attacking.


    Fujin kept flickering around the ce. Seeing an opportunity, he flickered right behind the enemy lines and fired another round of Air Bullets. However, one of the Priests turned around and countered with Water Bullets without using any hand signs. Each of his Water Bullets hit Fujin''s Air Bullets and neutralized them. In addition, another 4 Water Bullets were headed at Fujin.


    Fujin fired a Vacuum Bullet at the Priest and flickered away. The Priest smirked and fired a Water Bullet to intercept the Vacuum Bullet. Both attacks shed. The Priest''s smirk died when he saw Fujin''s attack piercing through his as if it was just air! He immediately moved to his side. The Vacuum Bullet missed him by just a few inches.


    The Priest could feel the suction force of the vacuum bullet as it passed him. A servant was behind him in line. The Vacuum bullet pierced through his chest and left a hole in his right lung!


    The Priest shouted, "Be careful of that boy''s air bullets! They have a very high prative power!"


    Fujin wasn''t out of harm''s way either. As soon as he flickered, his new position was pelted with shurikens and kunais by the Devotees. He had to flicker a few more times.


    On the other side, Masaru and Mieko were fighting with the other Priest and his devotees. Both spammed the Phoenix Sage Fire jutsu but were stopped by Earth Walls raised by the devotees.


    The Priest stayed behind his devotees while making hand signs.


    ''Lightning Release: Lightning Fingers Jutsu''


    He pointed his fingers at Mieko and Masaru. Lightning Bolts were fired at high speeds at them!


    Both dodged in a hurry. Some sparks hit Mieko causing the hair on her body to stand up. However, no harm was done.


    At that moment, a few blood drops gathered at the tip of Zankoku''s fingers. He waved his hands as if to throw the blood. Those blood drops moved at a very high speed at Fujin and the other two.


    Fujin noticed it immediately. He immediately flickered and got out of the way. He formed two Vacuum Bullets in his mouth and fired them at Zankoku. Mieko and Masaru dodged as well. But their positions were attacked further by the other Priest. They had to keep dodging.


    Zankoku dodged Fujin''s Vacuum Bullets with ease. Fujin frowned, ''These guys are good. I guess these 2 are his strongest Priests. Winning against them won''t be easy. Not to mention that this Grand Priest is definitely at least at Elite Jounin level. What is Akihiko doing?''


    Akihiko, who was observing the situation, made the confrontation hand seal right when Zankoku dodged Fujin''s attack. When he moved, he hade closer to three Devotees.


    All of a sudden, 2 Devotees attacked the Priest who was keeping Fujin at bay. They grabbed their kunais and attacked the Priest''s back!


    At the same time, the 2 Devotees with the Earth Element attacked the Priest who specialized in Lightning Release. The Devotees mmed their hands on the ground and the Priest was attacked by multiple stone spears!


    As for Zankoku, the three Devotees around him immediately rushed towards him.


    Fujin noticed this situation and was surprised. He thought, ''What the heck did these Uchiha Jounins do exactly? How can they control so many chunin-level ninjas so perfectly? First 3 in the cave, and now these 7 despite it being more than just a few minutes since they cast the Genjutsu. I don''t recall any ninja being controlled in this way in the original series. Except maybe the 4th Mizukage. Still, Obito had the Mangekyou¡­''


    Fujin''s thoughts were cut short as he was surprised by what he was witnessing.


    A water wall appeared behind the priest that he had engaged earlier. The kunais of his devotees were blocked. He made a hand sign and water spears appeared from the wall and impaled his devotees.


    The Priest with the Lightning element jumped out of the way. He fired two lightning beams that pierced through the heads of the devotees that attacked him.


    Blood appeared on the fingerprints of Zankoku. He smiled as heunched them at the three devotees surrounding him. Three drops pierced through each of their chests. They coughed some blood.


    Unlike Fujin and Mieko''s surprise, Akihiko and Masaru weren''t surprised at all. Akihiko analyzed, ''We already got one Jounin by this tactic. The others will keep their guard up. Anyways, their lower-level fighting force is pretty much wiped out. It''s still our advantage. Besides¡­''


    The four Devotees who attacked the Priests died. However, the three Devotees who attacked Zankoku were still alive. They all made a hand sign. A dozen explosion tags appeared on their bodies. Their eyes went red as they made them explode at the same instance!


    Zankoku, who was grinning at how easily he thwarted the Uchihas'' tactic, was surprised. He yelled, "Fuck!"


    A thinyer of blood began forming on his body. The explosions went off. The bodies of the Devotees were decimated. The explosion ripped through the thin bloodyer and hit Zankoku''s body with full force.


    The two Priests, the remaining Servants and the lone devotee were shocked. They yelled, "Zankoku-sama!!!"


    Akihiko and Masaru smirked as they thought, ''It''s over!''


    With the leader dealt with, they only had to deal with the two Priests. Defeating them wouldn''t be much of a challenge.


    Fujin was surprised. He thought, ''The Sharingan definitely has a lot more depth to it. I didn''t think I''d reach such a conclusion despite knowing about Izanagi, Izanami and the crazy things Mangekyou can do.''


    Fujin looked at the two Priests and wondered if he could sneak attack them. He sighed, ''Unfortunately, despite the shock, they are still at full alert. I guess catching a Jounin off guard in battle won''t be possible.''


    The smoke of the explosion finally cleared away. Zankoku was still standing on his two feet. However, all his clothes were destroyed. His flesh had burn marks all over his body. His right eye had been destroyed by the st. A lot of his blood had spilt on the ground around him.


    Fujin shot a Vacuum Bullet at him as he thought, ''He is still standing. Have to ensure that he is dead. After all, who knows what crazy abilities these Jashinists have!''


    Surprisingly, Zankoku saw his attack and moved out of the way. Soon, the blood on the ground rose and covered him, forming a cocoon-like structure around him! The Konoha ninjas were shocked. Not wanting to see anything crazy, Fujin shot multiple Air Bullets at him. However, his attack was intercepted by Water Bullets once again!


    Mieko and Masaru too tried attacking, but they were intercepted as well. Akihiko decided to not attack impulsively and kept his eye on Zankoku.


    In a few seconds, Zankoku stepped out from the blood cocoon. However, when he did, all the Konoha ninjas were shocked! Akihiko muttered, "How? Even the best Medical Ninja doesn''t have this efficiency!"


    Zankoku''s wounds were all healed. Only horrible scars were remaining on his body. The only wound that still could be seen was his eye. It wasn''t healed.


    Fujin wondered, ''Was he healed by Jashin''s blessings? Or is it due to his blood jutsus? After all, he hasn''tpleted the ritual to gain Jashin''s blessings, right? If this healing is only due to blood jutsus and not due to Jashin, then it would be a very important jutsu to learn. Though it leaves scars on the body, I don''t mind them. After all, what use is looking good if I am not even alive?''


    Zankoku looked viciously at the Konoha ninjas. He said, "Kill everybody!"


    The Jashinists were excited at his order. However, suddenly, the Priests and Zankoku attacked the remaining Devotee and Servants. All were killed off.


    The Konoha ninjas were caught off guard by this development. Akihiko thought, ''Oh well, saves us the effort. Now we have the numerical advantage!''


    Zankoku said, "Now no one will backstab us. You two, don''t look into those red eyes. Else I will have to kill you too."


    The Priests nodded and said, "Don''t worry. We know how to deal with the Uchihas."


    Akihiko flickered behind Fujin and said, "You and Mieko take care of the Lightning user. Your Wind maniption should have an advantage."


    Fujin nodded. Both he and Akihiko flickered next to Mieko and Masaru. Akihiko said, "Masaru, you take care of the Water specialist. Mieko, aid Fujin against the Lightning specialist. Leave the main enemy to me."


    Both nodded.


    Mieko stepped next to Fujin and said with a grin on her face, "Time to kill our first Jounin."


    Fujin smirked and replied, "Your first Jounin kill."


    Mieko looked at Fujin and eximed, "You already killed one?"


    Akihiko interrupted them and said sternly, "Pay attention, they are making a move!"


    They stopped speaking and focused entirely on their enemy.

 Chapter 182: Fierce Clash in the Grasslands!

    The two Priests weaved hand signs quickly.


    ''Water Release: Waterfall Jutsu''


    ''Lightning Release: False Darkness Jutsu''


    One of the Priests expelled a huge amount of water at the Konoha ninjas. It formed a huge wave and headed towards the Konoha ninjas. The other fired his Lightning jutsu into the Water, electrifying it.


    A smile formed on Fujin''s face, ''This isn''t like that Noodle Thief. These guys are strong.''


    Fujin gathered a huge amount of chakra. For the first time in a long while, he showed off his entire chakra. The sudden spike in his chakra gained the attention of the Uchihas around him. They were about to do multiple flickers when they felt Fujin''s chakra spiking.


    Mieko looked at him and wondered, ''When did his chakra grow so much? It is almost as high as some of the Jounins in my n.''


    Akihiko and Masaru were shocked as well. They both thought, ''What chakra! It''s almost as if he is from the Senju or Uzumaki n!''


    Akihiko thought, ''If he doesn''t get involved in the coup, then his future will be very bright.''


    While Masaru thought, ''Shit, his chakra level isn''t far away from my own level!''


    Fujin rapidly converted his chakra into the wind element.


    ''Wind Release: Infinite Breakthrough Jutsu''


    He exhaled a huge wind. It hit the iing electrocuted water wave. The high-speed winds halted the water wave. It pierced into the wave and neutralized the electric charges within it. However, the water wave also absorbed the winds and didn''t allow them to move towards the Jashinists.


    Both jutsus neutralized each other. The water fell down on the ground and spread slowly in all directions. Fujin''s jutsu also raised a huge dust cover over the battlefield.


    Seeing the opportunity, Fujin began forming a couple of Vacuum Bullets. He could sense their positions urately. He was about to shoot out the Vacuum bullets when his eyes widened! He and the Uchihas immediately flickered away.


    A fraction of a second after they flickered, dozens of blood drops passed through their previous location at a very fast speed! Fujin frowned, ''Shit! That bastard used the same tactic! And was faster than me too!''


    Zankoku had the same idea as Fujin. He too used the chaos created by the two wide-range jutsus to sneak attack. Unfortunately, all the Konoha ninjas had very good senses. So his sneak attack didn''t have any effect.


    After flickering, Masaru weaved hand signs and mmed his hands on the ground.


    ''Earth Release: Ground Splitting Jutsu''


    The ground in between them began cracking. As a result, all the water due to the earlier jutsu began draining into the ground. Fujin observed it and thought, ''Nice. Fighting a Lightning user over water would have been annoying.''


    As soon as the water began draining, Akihiko weaved hand signs.


    ''Earth Release: Earth Flow Spears Jutsu''


    Masaru''s jutsu had loosened up the ground. Akihiko took advantage of it. Hundreds of stone spears began appearing on the ground. In an instant, they wereunched at the Jashinists.


    The faces of the Jashinists became grim. They realized, ''First that massive Wind Jutsu. Now back to backrge-scale Earth jutsus. These guys aren''t weak!''


    Blood immediately began gathering around Zankoku.


    At the same time, one of the Priests weaved hand signs and extended his arms forward.


    ''Lightning Release: Static Wave Jutsu''


    A lightning current was released from his palms in all directions forming a. The iing stone spears hit it. Almost all the stone spears crumbled. The rest slowed down. The Priest smirked, ''Earth jutsus are very weak against Lightning.''


    However, the debris was still headed towards the Jashinists. But, a blood dome formed around the Jashinists. The stones and pebbles were about to hit the dome when hundreds of needle-shaped blood drops wereunched in all directions from the dome. They pierced through the stones spears and debris, reducing or halting their momentum as well as attacking the Konoha ninjas.


    The Konoha ninjas dodged once again. Fujin, who had to stop creating Vacuum Bullets once again, frowned. He thought, ''Shit! This bastard keeps attacking even while defending. It restricts my ability to use sneak attacks sessfully!''


    Mieko noticed Fujin''s frown andmented with a smirk, "Now you know how I and Hoka feel while fighting you."


    Fujin replied, "Pass smartmentster. Any idea how to deal with them? I''m afraid we will run out of chakra faster than that bloody priest!"


    Even before Fujinpleted his statement, both Akihiko and Masaru flickered towards the blood dome. While moving, they tapped a scroll holding pocket on their jacket and retrieved a scroll each. At the same moment, both weaved the same hand signs.


    ''Fire Release: Exploding me Formation''


    They opened the scroll. The scroll transformed into hundreds of Explosive Tags with Fire Release Technique which wereunched at the Blood Dome in the blink of an eye. The explosive tags began exploding as soon as they hit the dome. The explosions released a huge amount of fire that wrecked the dome and allowed the remaining explosive tags to enter the dome.


    Fujin saw the damage and wondered, ''Is this a variation of Tobirama''s jutsu? I wonder what Tobirama would think if Uchihas are so good with a Jutsu he created. That said, he did have an Uchiha student.''


    The Jashnists immediately moved backwards. However, Akihiko and Masaru controlled the explosive tags and aimed at them. They aimed the explosive tags such that they would have to separate from each other. The explosions forced them even further from each other.


    Fujin and Mieko were watching them carefully. As soon as their target was separated from the other two Jashinists, Fujin flickered in front of him. The Priest was surprised to see him. He was about to attack when Fujin blew very strong winds straight at him. Facing such a wide-range jutsu at such a close range meant that the Priest couldn''t dodge the attack.


    The winds hit him head-on and sent him flying and rolling backwards for more than a hundred meters! Multiple cuts appeared on the body of the Priest. In addition, getting dragged along the ground caused him even more minor wounds. Despite the wounds, the Priest got in a fighting stance right away!


    However, his opponent wasn''t just Fujin. As soon as he got up his position was showered by Shurikens. The Priest immediately moved, but Mieko flickered in front of him.


    ''Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu''


    The Priest saw a giant Fireball heading towards him. He frowned, ''These kids are relentless. I need to take the initiative back!''


    He quickly made hand signs.


    ''Lightning Release: False Darkness Jutsu''


    He fired a Lightning Spear at the iing Fireball. The Lightning Spear pierced through the center of the Fireball and dispersed it. However, the Priest had no time to celebrate. Mieko was no longer behind the Fireball and Fujin had appeared right next to him and was swinging his sword at him.


    The Priest stepped behind and pulled out a ck colored retractable spear. It was a spear he used during rituals. As he moved it to block Fujin''s sword, Lightning began flowing through it. The Sword and the spear shed!


    The Priest was expecting Fujin to be electrocuted. However, his eyes widened as he saw Fujin''s sword cut through his spear. Realizing the danger, the Priest leaned backwards. Disying excellent flexibility, the Priest almost leaned parallel to the ground by bending at his knees and leaning backwardspletely. Fujin''s sword sh went from above him. Even the winds alongside the sh didn''t hit the Priest due to how well the Priest moved! A sword sh cut through the grass for over a hundred meters without hurting anyone.


    As soon as the sword sh passed, the Priest kicked at Fujin. Fujin, who was nning to bring his sword down, kicked his leg. Not wanting to face his sword in close range, the Priest used the force of Fujin''s kick to fly backwards. Fujin followed his kick with a vertical sh with his sword at his opponent who was still in the air.


    Seeing the attack, the Priest dug the half-cut spear into the ground and used it as a base to move out of the line of attack. Mieko, who was watching his every movement with her Sharingans, realized the direction where he would be dodging. Sheunched multiple kunais with explosive tags at the ce where he wouldnd.


    However, the Priest noticed the attack and extended his arms at them. Lightning sparks were released from his palms. They hit the explosive tags and disarmed them. They also slowed down the kunais and just side-stepped them.


    Fujin and Mieko were about to press on the attack once again but they halted after seeing their enemy''s actions. Lightning had once again gathered in the palms of the Priest without any hand signs. He mmed his hands on the ground. Lightning was discharged in a radius of 25 meters around him!


    Mieko immediately flickered behind Fujin who casually swung his sword and sent out a wind wave that neutralized the Lightning discharge heading around him.


    The Priest looked at his two opponents and took a deep breath. Atst, he had broken their initiative! He said, "This one never expected that he would be pushed so much by little kids like you. Lord Jashin would be very pleased when this one sacrifices you to him."


    Fujin and Mieko''s eyes twitched as they thought, ''This one? Who the hell speaks like that?''


    However, without replying, both Fujin and Mieko pressed on the attack once again. The Priest, who had just found some respite, was once again in a tough situation!

 Chapter 183: Akihiko Vs Zankoku

    Fujin and Mieko both had spent a lot of their chakra due to the jutsus they used earlier. So they attacked the Priest with Kenjutsu and Taijutsu. Due to the threat of Fujin''s sword and Mieko''s Sharingan, the Priest was having a tough time. Despite the advantages, Fujin or Mieko didn''t manage tond any hits on him.


    However, the Priest couldn''t help butin in his mind, ''What the fuck does Konoha teach in their academy? I spoke in such a hrious tone. And I provoked them. But they kept attacking me without a single emotion on their face! I expected these brats to say at least something to give me some time to catch my breath and attack first!''


    Some distance away from them, Akihiko and Masaru too had entered into fights. They sessfully separated all the Jashinists. Akihiko took on Zankoku while Masaru took on the remaining Priest.


    As soon as he was far away from Zankoku, Masaru attacked the Priest. He flickered in front of him andunched a fireball at him. However, the Priest created a Water Wall to defend himself and counter-attacked with sharp jets of water.


    Masaru dodged while closing in on the distance between them. The Priest frowned while moving backwards as he thought, ''He is strong! I can''t get into a Taijutsu fight with an Uchiha. And I have to avoid looking into his eyes. So annoying. I hope Zankoku-sama wins quickly andes to aid me.''


    As the Priest decided to stall and fight defensively, the fight entered into a stalemate. The Priest''s Water jutsuspletely shut down Masaru''s Fire jutsus. Though Masaru resorted to Earth jutsus, they didn''t have much effect on the Priest.


    Some distance from them, Akihiko and Zankoku faced each other. Like all Uchihas, Akihikounched a huge Fireball at his enemy. Heunched shurikens into his fireball to double up. Zankoku waved his arm. A blood wall appeared in the path of the Fireball.


    The fireball hit the blood wall and exploded. Though the explosion didn''t reach Zankoku, it cleared the path for the shurikens. Zankoku''s attention was entirely on Akihiko. So he didn''t notice the shurikens until they were very close. He immediately moved out of the way, but a few shurikens left cuts on him.


    Without giving him any respite, Akihiko pressed on the attack. He flickered in front of him and attacked with a tanto. Zankoku grabbed a retractable spear and used it to block the tanto. While he blocked, Akihiko''s sharingans noticed the cut wounds on his body closing by themselves. He kept attacking, however, his expression grew grim.


    Akihiko analyzed, ''His self-healing is off the charts! The only one I have heard about having such healing is the First Hokage. But how can this lunatic have such a healing ability? And what are its limits? If he can heal non-stop, then it wouldn''t matter how many times we hit him. He will still keep healing.''


    Zankoku looked at Akihiko''s face and guessed his thoughts. He smirked and said, "That''s right. No matter how many times you wound me, I will always heal. Your whole squad is doomed to die at my han..."


    He suddenly stopped speaking and stood still. Akihiko smirked, ''It doesn''t matter how much you can heal. Once you look in the eyes of an Uchiha, it''s all over!''


    While he was speaking, Zankoku looked into Akihiko''s eyes. Akihiko didn''t waste the opportunity and cast a Sharingan Genjutsu instantly. Akihiko stepped forward while thinking, ''Now let me see if you can heal yourself after being beheaded.''


    He raised his arm and swung his tanto at Zankoku''s neck. However, all of a sudden, Zankoku attacked. He swung his spear with all his might. Akihiko''s sharingans noticed the movements and he immediately jumped backward. However, he couldn''t dodgepletely. The spear hit his right shoulder and left a deep cut up to his abdomen. He began bleeding profusely!


    A sadistic grin appeared on Zankoku''s face. In order to not alert Akihiko, he used no chakra in that attack. That is why Akihiko was caught off-guard.


    Akihiko quickly moved back while inspecting his injury. He looked at Zankoku and asked, "How did you break my Genjutsu?"


    Zankoku grinned and said, "I have been blessed by Lord Jashin! Do you think your pathetic eyes will be able to cast a Genjutsu on someone blessed by Lord Jashin?"


    While he was speaking, Akihiko analyzed, ''While the cut is deep, he only managed to cut my flesh. None of my organs is hit. However, it hurts to move my right arm. I won''t be able to fight with my right arm with my full strength or speed. What a shit situation to be in¡­''


    Akihiko narrowed his eyes and replied, "The ones who worship Jashin can''t be put under a genjutsu? Bullshit, I ughtered all your forces with my Genjutsu."


    Zankoku didn''t reply and began attacking. He noticed that his words didn''t have any demoralizing effect on Akihiko. Instead, Akihiko was just taking the opportunity to rest and stall for time.


    Akihiko fought back while cursing in his mind, ''So he heals his wounds and is immune to Genjutsu. How the fuck should I fight him?''


    The two engaged in an intense Taijutsu and Kenjutsu battle. Zankoku held the advantage, but Akihiko managed to hang on and didn''t take any more damage. Seeing him not making any headways, Zankoku controlled his blood and attacked Akihiko with a blood needle rain once again!


    Akihiko quickly flickered away while making hand signs.


    ''Fire Release: Fire Dragon jutsu''


    A huge 50-meter-long fire dragon was formed. It headed straight at Zankoku. Zankoku once again defended himself with a blood dome. The Dragon hit the dome and exploded, but no harm was done to Zankoku.


    While Zankoku was defending, Akihiko made hand signs and ced his left palm in front of the cut. A gentle chakra was released from his palm and he began healing the wound. He immediately stopped the bleeding. He wanted to heal more, but he was once again attacked. He stopped using Mystical Palm jutsu and defended himself.


    As he defended, Akihiko analyzed, ''I can''t defeat him. Though I know more jutsus, the blood he controls is very versatile. And his chakra is higher than mine as well. I guess I should just stall. Defeating him without Sora''s Fuinjutsu wouldn''t be possible.''


    Seeing that he couldn''t win, Akihiko fought with the intent of only stalling. Zankoku attacked very aggressively, but he couldn''t get through Akihiko''s defense again. He also tried to get away from Akihiko without any sess.


    The entire battlefield turned into a stalemate. Whoever won first would turn the scales in their favor.


    Mieko and Fujin were extremely annoyed. They held the advantage for the majority of the time. And yet, they didn''t manage tond a single hit on their opponent. And while Renjiro''s training had taught them to ignore all enemy''s words, his constant taunts and slurs were getting on their nerves.


    Having fended off thetest round of attacks, the Priest said, "This one was born in the Land of Lightning. When this one fought in the Great Ninja wars, your parents hadn''t even fucked each other! Run back to your academy, runts."


    Finally, Mieko couldn''t control her mouth. She attacked while yelling, "By the time I am done with you, you won''t be capable of fucking anyone!"


    The Priest blocked her kunai and dodged Fujin''s sword and replied, "I serve Lord Jashin. I haven''t fucked anyone for over a decade."


    Fujin nced at Mieko. He thought, ''She is about to lose her cool.''


    He looked at his opponent and thought, ''I haven''t engaged much in trash-talking. I should consider adding it to my skills. I can think of a bunch of strong opponents who would go berserk with a good trash talk.''


    Not wanting Mieko to lose her control, Fujinmented casually, "I heard that you Jashinists have to sacrifice to your dumb god. Don''t tell me that you have to sacrifice your private parts in order to be inducted into your little cult."


    Mieko was surprised by Fujin''s words. She wondered, ''When did he be so foul-mouthed?''


    Even the Priest watched Fujin with surprise. He said, "Of course not, we have to con¡­"


    Fujin interrupted him and said, "Considering that you are so proud about sacrificing them, I guess that they were very pathetic."


    The Priest immediately yelled, "You little br¡­!"


    However, Fujin instantly flickered in front of him and shed with his sword horizontally! The Priest immediately moved backward and jumped out of the path of Fujin''s attack. Seeing that his opponent was in the air, Fujin fired a dozen Air bullets at him. While attacking, he thought, ''What a pro! Even his anger was fake.''


    The Priest immediately weaved a couple of hand signs and extended both his arms forward. Lightning arcs appeared between his palms.


    ''Lightning Release: Lightning Beam jutsu''


    The Priest fired a Lightning Beam straight at Fujin. The beam was very wide andpletely covered the priest. All the Air Bullets crashed into the beam. They hindered the lightning beam slightly, but couldn''t pierce through.


    Fujin watched the Lightning Beaming at him. He didn''t move. He focused chakra in his throat and converted it into Wind. When the beam was just a meter away from him, he opened his mouth and fired a Vacuum Bullet.


    However, unlike Fujin''s earlier Vacuum Bullets, this one was huge. It would be more appropriate to call it a Vacuum Canon instead! It pierced straight through the center of the enemy''s lightning beam and dispersed most of it.


    The Priest was shocked. He tried to use the force of his own jutsu to move out of the way while in the air. Mieko was surprised as well. Launching an attack in such a way meant that Fujin won''t be able to dodge. However, realizing the risk Fujin took, Mieko flickered close to the Priest to attack him.


    It looked like this fight would finally have a result soon.

 Chapter 184: A Close Call

    The recoil from his jutsu helped the Priest move away from the line of Fujin''s attack. However, it wasn''t enough. The Vacuum Cannon grazed the right side of the Priest''s abdomen and tore a huge chunk of it! His wound began bleeding immediately. His liver and intestines were damaged.


    At the same time, whatever remained of the Lightning Beam rained down on Fujin. Fujin extended his left arm forward to block it. All the lightning charges hit his left arm and Lightning flowed through his body.


    Fujin endured while thinking, ''Not bad. Due to my training in the lightning element, this attack doesn''t feel much. Though if I took the entire beam head-on, it would have hurt. Anyways, I now see why Renjiro emphasized the importance of undertaking missions. Though deciding to counterattack was risky, the danger allowed me to perform my jutsu even faster.


    I wanted to create a Wind Vacuum Beam. The center of the beam would be made of vacuum. It would be only a few micrometers wide but would be very long as it would have to extend across the entire length of the beam. Instead, I managed to create a much stronger Vacuum Bullet. I will call it Vacuum Cannon after I train it properly. Though the result wasn''t what I envisioned, it is still a very good improvement.''


    While Fujin was enduring the electric shocks, Mieko flickered next to the Priest while weaving hand signs.


    ''Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire jutsu''


    She Fired 6 small fireballs at the Priest. 2 of these were headed at him while the other 4 cut off his escape routes. The Priest, who had just suffered a huge injury, now had to face another attack. She smirked, ''It''s over.''


    Unfortunately for Mieko, her calctions were horribly wrong! Humiliated at being injured to this extent, the Priest entered into a frenzy. His eyes turned reddish as he exerted all his chakra. A high amount of Lightning gathered on his palms. He screamed in rage as he attacked his surroundings indiscriminately. The Lightning hit the fireballs and deflected or dispersed them. The grass around him was hit and it caught fire.


    Mieko was very close to him and was in range as well. She tried to flicker but wasn''t fast enough. Lightning bolts hit her and made her scream in pain. The lightning electrocuted her and left multiple burns on her body. She fell to the ground in pain and was unable to control her body properly.


    Seeing that his opponent was vulnerable, the Priest grinned. He immediately moved towards Mieko while pulling out another retractable spear and making lightning flow through it. Fujin''s expression grew grim. He had just finished enduring the previous attack. He flickered instantly.


    While Fujin, Mieko and Akihiko were engaged in intense battles, Masaru was under no threat. His opponent acted like a turtle and defended everything Masaru threw at him without counterattacking.


    A water wall was erected in front of the Priest. On the opposite side, a dozen explosive tags exploded. The wall copsed but the Priest was unharmed. Masaru had a frown on his face. He cursed in his mind, ''Not only does this bastard defend well, but he also does so without even looking at me.''


    The Priest was rxed when he suddenly sensed danger. He immediately jumped up while weaving hand signs. Half a second after he jumped, a fire dragon erupted from the ground and moved straight at him. The Priestpleted his hand signs.


    ''Water Release: Water Prison jutsu''


    A water prison formed around him. The Fire Dragon hit the prison and exploded, but the Priest was safe. However, his expression wasn''t good. He analyzed, ''Who attacked me from there? Did he create a clone sneakily or is it someone else?''


    He prayed that it wasn''t the 2nd scenario. If Zankoku or the other Priest was defeated, then his death would be only a matter of time.


    Right after the Fire Dragon exploded, a dozen kunai with explosive tags wereunched from the ground at the Water Prison. At the same time, Masaru flickered and tossed more explosive tags at the water prison. Under the intense attack, the water prison crumbled. However, the Priest jumped out of harm''s way.


    Masaru followed him and attacked him with kunai. Not wanting to risk looking into his eyes, the Priest moved away from him while looking at his feet. Surprisingly, he saw the Sharingan eyes on the ground in front of his feet. In an instant, he fell into a genjutsu. At the very next moment, a kunai stabbed into his skull through his eye.


    Masaru smirked as a figure appeared from the ground. He said, "If he avoids looking into two Sharingans, we can just use 4. The enemy will sumb eventually. Great job Genji. Is Shunko safe?"


    The person who had just interfered in the fight was Genji who had earlier taken Shunko away.


    Genji nodded and said, "I healed his wounds as best as I could and left a shadow clone with him. He isn''t in any mortal danger. Though we can''t expect him to join the fight and might have to carry him on the way back."


    Masaru replied. "Great work. I will go and aid Akihiko. You aid the two kids. They are fighting above their weight ss."


    Genji was surprised to hear that Mieko and Fujin were fighting against a Priest by themselves. He had observed Masaru''s fight and had realized that the Priest he was facing was stronger than him. He nodded and quickly moved towards them.


    Mieko was in a state of shock. She had seen Fujin''s attack wound their enemy critically. She pressed on with the intention to finish the fight, but the tables were turned in the blink of an eye. A lot of her skin was burnt due to the lightning shocks. Her body couldn''t move properly. And her Sharingan saw the Priest running towards her like a savage.


    She desperately tried to get her body to move but to no avail. The Priest reached her and raised his spear up and shed it down at full power. Terror spread through her mind as she realized that her life could end. Memories shed through her mind. She thought about her mother, her father, her childhood friends, her rtives, her sensei, Hoka and Fujin.


    At that very instant, Fujin appeared in front of her and shed his sword at the spear. Mieko''s eyes shined as she watched Fujin. The Priest also noticed him and the grin on his face grew wider. The two weapons shed. Fujin expected his sword to cut through the spear once again, but unexpectedly, it didn''t.


    The Priest yelled loudly and exerted all the force he could on the spear as he thought, ''I knew this kid would jump in front of her. Even though these kids are ruthless, the Konoha ninjas are all softies. If they were from Kumo or Kiri, I would have worried about the other cutting my head while I cut their teammate''s head. But with Konoha, the possibility of such an action is minuscule. So I have poured all my remaining chakra into this spear. The victory or defeat would be decided with this one attack. With one swing, I''ll kill them both!''


    Fujin realized that his opponent had focused all his chakra on the spear. The force that the Priest exerted began to push Fujin''s feet backwards. But suddenly, Fujin controlled and focused his chakra. Some chakra gathered on his soles to stabilize his position. He was no longer being pushed behind. However,pared to his feet, a lot more chakra flowed through his sword. He pushed back with his full power.


    A crack appeared on the Spear. The Priest''s eyes widened as he saw his spear being cut into two once again. He watched as the sword continued ahead. He tried to move, but his body was too exhausted to respond in time. The sword reached him and severed his neck. His severed head had a look of disbelief as he watched Fujin. Hisst thoughts were, ''To think that I would die at the hands of a kid¡­''


    Thest Priest under Zankoku was killed.

 Chapter 185: Evolution

    Mieko watched the Priest''s head fly in the sky. Her body and mind finally rxed. For the first time in her life, she was genuinely grateful to someone.


    Genji reached this battlefield to see Fujin cut his opponent''s head off. His eyes noticed Fujin''s chakra re at thest moment and left him astounded. Fujin sensed someone rushing towards him and immediately looked at Genji. Seeing that it was an ally, Fujin rxed.


    He turned his attention to Mieko in order to check her injuries. However, he suddenly stopped. A surprise could be seen on his face. Genji flickered next to him and looked at Mieko. His expression grew grim on seeing her injuries, but suddenly shock could be seen on his face. Mieko didn''t understand why Fujin and Genji were looking at her like this.


    Soon, a huge smile broke on Genji''s face. He eximed in excitement, "Mieko, your Sharingans have evolved into 2-tomoe Sharingans!"


    Mieko was shocked to hear that. After a moment, the shock passed and excitement rushed in. She tried moving but the pain brought her back to Earth. Seeing her grimacing in pain, Genji said, "Don''t move, I will heal you as much as I can first."


    He began using Mystical Palm jutsu to treat the burns on her body.


    Fujin observed them as he thought, ''I thought I had huge gains from the fight. But mine don''t evenpare to hers! That Sharingan is a huge cheat. Though to be fair, my life wasn''t at risk. Even if my jutsu had failed, I was confident about surviving that attack without affecting my ability to fight. On the other hand, her life probably shed in front of her eyes.''


    Fujin turned his attention to his dead opponent as he analyzed, ''This guy was very good. His every move was a scheme. And he managed to reset initiative and flip the table multiple times. My attack should have finished him off and yet he managed to reverse the situation. If I didn''t know chakra flow or if my chakra reserves were close to empty, he would have managed to kill us both.


    Even assuming that I didn''t make a move or was slow, Mieko would have died. Perhaps in that case he wouldn''t have exerted all his chakra in that attack. Either way, he perfectly calcted or guessed our moves and made the right n.


    More importantly, I shouldn''t underestimate someone just because they are critically injured. Even though no one will go off like Deidara, the final struggle can be very tricky. Especially when dealing with veteran Jounins.''


    He focused back on Mieko and observed Genji''s jutsu without disturbing him. Genji was slowly healing the burn marks on her body. Fujin realized, ''He doesn''t seem to be very good with Medical ninjutsu.''


    Genji noticed that Fujin was observing him. Without taking his eyes off Mieko, he said, "Don''t worry, I''ll take care of her. If you can still fight, you can go help out Akihiko and Masaru. They are fighting against the Grand Priest."


    Fujin asked, "So Masaru won his fight?"


    Genji nodded.


    Fujin looked in the direction that Akihiko, Masaru and Zankoku were fighting. He could feel that an intense battle was happening there. He said, "I am very low on chakra. I won''t be able to help much in the fight. And seeing the way he controls blood, I could be a burden instead."


    Genji was disappointed with that answer. However, he said, "Alright. Look after Mieko after I am done healing her."


    Fujin replied, "I will."


    Genji stopped talking. After a minute, Fujin asked, "Are you a medical ninja, Genji-san?"


    Genji answered, "No. I just copied the Mystical Palm jutsu and practiced it for a bit."


    Fujin replied, "I see."


    He thought, ''As I thought. I guess most of the Uchihas have copied this jutsu. After all, it should be very convenient to heal yourself and your teammates without having to depend on a medical ninja that can''t fight or defend well.''


    Just like Genji, Masaru rushed towards Akihiko''s battlefield. He went sneakily and hid in the tall grass as he observed the fight. His eyes widened as he saw Akihiko''s condition. A huge scar was visible on his right chest. His jacket was dyed red by blood! A frown formed on his face, ''How is Akihiko struggling so much? Is the opponent so skilled that he can dominate him while needing to avoid looking into his eyes?''


    As he was analyzing, he suddenly realized something, ''Wait a minute, he is directly looking at Akihiko. He isn''t avoiding the Sharingan at all. But why isn''t Akihiko casting Genjutsu?''


    He thought hard and concluded, ''The only possibility I can think of is that Genjutsu doesn''t work on him for some reason. Whatever, I''ll know when I join the battle.''


    He stayed put in his spot waiting for an opportunity to sneak attack. Akihiko and Zankoku kept fighting, unaware of Masaru''s presence. Tanto and spear shed multiple times without anyonending hits. In one such sh, Zankoku exerted a lot of force and pushed Akihiko backwards. However, Akihiko just used Zankoku''s force to move away from him.


    Tired of being stalled, Zankoku chased with full speed. Unfortunately, he moved very close to where Masaru was. As he was chasing, he felt heat on his right. He turned his head to see a long Fire Dragon heading straight at him. Due to how close they were, he couldn''t dodge or defend. The fire dragon opened its huge mouth and chomped down on him.


    Inside the fire dragon, Zankoku screamed loudly as his flesh burned. In a few seconds, the fire dragon exploded. Akihiko moved away from the explosion and Masaru appeared next to him. He smirked and said, "Bullseye."


    However, Akihiko''s expression didn''t change. He said, "It isn''t over. He can heal from all wounds. And Genjutsu doesn''t work on him. So don''t put your hopes on it."


    Masaru frowned. He pulled out a scroll and said, "No wonder you have been struggling so much."


    He made the confrontation hand seal. The scroll transformed into hundreds of explosive tags and rushed into the ce where the explosion had happened.


    All of Zankoku''s skin was burnt. He was covered in blood. However, he still stood straight. The blood on his body rapidly healed him. New skin was forming. But it was horrible to look at. At that moment, he saw hundreds of Explosive tags heading at him.


    He immediately formed a cocoon of blood around him. The explosive tags stuck on the cocoon and began exploding. The cocoon was destroyed. Zankoku tried running away, but most of the explosive tags exploded right next to him.


    Akihiko and Masaru observed him with their Sharingan. They saw as his flesh was sted. But the blood that poured out of his body kept protecting and healing him.


    Masaru asked in an annoyed tone, "Does his body have an infinite amount of blood?"


    Akihiko answered, "My guess is that he produces it with his chakra. We may have to exhaust his chakra to truly win. Or we will need Sora''s fuinjutsu."


    Masaru asked, "Have you tried cutting him into pieces?"


    Akihiko answered, "Haven''t been sessful so far."


    As they were speaking, they heard Zankoku yelling in anger. A few dozen blood drops formed around him and he fired them in all directions. Akihiko and Masaru dodged quickly.


    Akihiko said, "That''s why. Every time I manage to get an upper hand, he resets my advantage with a wide-range jutsu forcing me to evade."


    They saw an intact Zankoku walk out of the smoke. However, his body was horrible to see. He had no clothes on his body and his entire body was covered in horrible scars!


    Masaru said, "He looks disgusting. But this is indeed annoying. Our chakra is already about to run out."


    As they were about to engage in another round of battle, Genji was done healing Mieko. He said, "I have healed your burns. They won''t be harmful to you. But don''t move around a lot. I can''t deal with the damage the lightning might have inflicted on your inner organs. Fujin, look after her. I''ll go help out Akihiko."


    Fujin nodded. He saw Genji leaving. He made a hand sign and a shadow clone appeared next to him. Without speaking, the shadow clone followed Genji''s path.


    Mieko asked, "Why did you make a shadow clone with so little chakra?"


    Fujin shrugged and said, "I''m interested in seeing how that battle ends. This guy is probably the strongest opponent we have ever faced. Other than that incident when we were returning from Hot Water of course."


    Mieko said, "That''s true. I wish I could see it too."


    They didn''t say anything for a few seconds. Suddenly, Mieko said, "Fujin, thank you. I was very scared after I got hit."


    Fujin looked at her. He could feel that she was very grateful to him. He said, "Our team might have been disbanded, but we are still teammates. No need to be thankful for such stuff."


    Mieko didn''t reply and just smiled.


    Fujin asked, "How are your injuries?"


    Mieko sighed and said, "My whole body is aching. That bastard fried my body inside out!"


    Fujin replied, "Yeah, he was fierce. Veteran Jounins are still too strong for us."

 Chapter 186: How the fuck did Itachi kill them all?

    While Fujin and Mieko talked, Genji and Fujin''s shadow clone reached the battlefield. Genji hid the same way as Masaru had while Fujin''s clone stayed away and observed from a long distance. He had no intention of interfering in the fight.


    With Masaru''s help, Akihiko finally had the upper hand. They inflicted injuries on Zankoku frequently. But all of his injuries healed automatically. Genji was stunned. He thought, ''How do I sneak attack someone who heals without any jutsu?''


    Fujin''s clone too was shocked. He watched the fight as he analyzed, ''This guy is strong. Ridiculously so! While Hidan couldn''t be killed, I don''t recall him having such a healing ability. Tsk, now I am even more interested in his blood jutsus. I hope Hiruzen orders the Yamanakas to dig out all the information from his brain! Though asking it from Hiruzen would require some effort. He no longer rewards me sadly.''


    After observing for a while, Genji decided, ''My sneak attacks work on the basis that I would injure my prey critically or trap him in a Genjutsu. It''s pointless to hide against an opponent like him. The kid made a good decision to not show up here.''


    Genji revealed himself by throwing some shurikens at Zankoku. Zankoku barely dodged them. His expression grew grim as he saw another opponent. He asked, "You killed all my Priests?"


    Disbelief could be felt in his voice.


    Masaru replied, "That is the case. You are all by yourself. Stop your misery and surrender. Only then you would live."


    Hearing those words, Zankoku began tough loudly like a lunatic. He said loudly, "Do you think that killing those weaklings will make me surrender? I will sacrifice all of you to Lord Jashin and get even more blessings from him!"


    As he was speaking, he began bleeding. Soon, his entire body was covered in blood. His chakra, which was getting exhausted, spiked once again. Without paying any attention to his defense, he moved towards the Uchihas. Akihiko and Masaru''s expressions grew grim.


    Zankoku closed the distance and swung his arm at them. Multiple drops of blood were released from his arm at the Uchihas. They immediately flickered away. Zankoku chased them. Not wanting to waste chakra unnecessarily, the Uchihas tossed explosive tags at him to hinder his path. But Zankoku ignored it all and continued the chase. Fortunately, he wasn''t as fast as the Uchihas.


    While engaging inbat, Akihiko said, "Genji, what''s the status of others."


    Genji threw a kunai at Zankoku and said, "Mieko and Shunko are injured. Fujin is fine but his chakra is very low."


    Akihiko instructed, "Okay, leave this battlefield. Team up with Fujin and get Sora out. Leave a clone to watch over Shunko and Mieko."


    Genji replied, "Alright!"


    He flickered away from the battlefield. Akihiko looked at Masaru and shouted, "Masaru, let''s go all out. We will keep him tied down here!"


    Masaru nodded andunched a Fire Dragon at Zankoku. A blood armor formed on Zankoku as he rushed into the Fire Dragon. However, unlike a normal Fire Dragon jutsu, this one had dozens of Explosive tags in it. The Fire Dragon caused a massive explosion while Zankoku was in it. His momentum was finally stopped!


    Without waiting for the dust to clear up, Akihiko flickered into the spot of the explosion. Zankoku''s body was being healed when Akihiko attacked him once again. He was sted back as he cursed in his mind, ''How many fucking explosive tags do these Uchihas have? Bastards have used more than a thousand so far!''


    Despite the damage, Zankoku counterattacked immediately. Akihiko and Masaru engaged in an intense fight!


    Fujin''s clone watched as the battle went on. After a few minutes, Fujin was awed. He thought, ''Holy fuck! These two are very good! I didn''t expect Masaru to be this good as well. And Akihiko is a beast as well!''


    However, he suddenly had a thought. A thought that troubled him a lot. He thought, ''If these guys are so strong, how the fuck did a 13-year-old Itachi kill them all by himself? Even with Obito''s help, killing all of them in a single night would have to be a herculean task. After all, Akihiko isn''t the only Elite Jounin in the Uchiha n. From what I remember, there are 4 more Elite Jounins other than him and Fugaku in the Uchiha n. And they also have far more Jounins than any other n in Konoha.


    Not to mention, not everyone would give up and offer their lives like Fugaku and Mikoto. In fact, I doubt anyone did so.


    So is Itachi so ridiculously overpowered or will there be some other factors involved as well?''


    Fujin''s clone tried thinking, but he couldn''t figure it out. Even with 2 S rank ninjas, killing so many strong ninjas in a few hours didn''t seem to make any sense. Especially after he had just witnessed the abilities of some of the Uchihas. In the end, he concluded, ''Either there were more factors involved in the massacre, or the gap between a rank A and rank S ninja is way bigger than what I remember.''


    He sighed, ''If it is the 2nd case, then reaching that level will be a lot tougher.''


    While the fight was going on, Genji moved towards Fujin. He created a shadow clone and dispersed it to send a message to his clone which was looking after Shunko. The clone carried Shunko and moved towards Fujin''s location.


    Fujin and Mieko were chatting casually. Mieko finally managed to get up and sit. Suddenly, Fujin looked away in a direction. Mieko asked, "What happened?"


    Fujin replied, "Genji is back for some reason. Did they already win?"


    At the next moment, Genji appeared in front of them. He said, "Fujin, you''ll be helping me get Sora out."


    Fujin raised an eyebrow. He asked, "What''s the situation?"


    Normally Genji wouldn''t have wasted time. But since he was waiting for his clone, he said, "The opponent has a very high regenerative ability and is immune to Genjutsu. We need Sora''s Fuinjutsu to trap him."


    Fujin and Mieko were surprised. Mieko said, "I didn''t think the opponent would be so strong!"


    Genji''s clone finally arrived. He was carrying Shunko on his back. Genji said, "Fujin, follow me."


    Mieko quickly said, "I want toe too!"


    Genji looked at her and shook his head. He said, "No, you are too weak right now. If he assaults us when we are getting Sora out, you will be a burden."


    Without waiting for her reply, he left. Fujin followed him. They arrived at the ce where the cave had copsed. Fujin said, "Uncle Sora should be alright. I guess he didn''te out as he needs to stay there to ensure the kids are safe."


    Genji nodded and said, "Yeah. I guess that he created some barriers to keep them safe. So getting the kids out will put them at risk. Let''s just go down and see what the situation is."


    He made hand signs and disappeared into the ground. Fujin followed him. After reaching down, they both noticed 5 pairs of chakra signatures. Fujin said, "The one in the north has the highest chakra level. The rest should be clones."


    Genji and Fujin went towards them. They moved until they reached the barrier. Genji knocked on the barrier. Sora and Haru were meditating to regain their chakra quickly. As soon as they heard the knock, both opened their eyes and looked at the spot Genji tapped. Seeing that it was allies, they rxed.


    Sora made a hand sign and created an opening in the barrier. Fujin and Genji got in. Without wasting any time, Genji briefed Sora about the situation. Sora and Haru frowned after hearing about Zankoku''s abilities.


    Sora made a shadow clone and said, "The barrier needs me to monitor. So I''ll leave a shadow clone here. Haru and Fujin stay here and ensure that the kids remain safe. Genji,e with me."


    Everyone nodded and followed Sora''s instructions. Fujin and Haru were low on chakra, so Sora didn''t involve them in the fight. Sora and Genji left, leaving Haru, Fujin and Sora''s clones to look after the kids.


    Sora''s clone said to Fujin, "We shouldn''t be in any danger here. The barrier can withstand all the weight above it and can withstand some attacks too. The only danger is if that Grand Priest decides tounch an all-out assault on the barrier. But that isn''t likely to happen. So just rx and focus on recovering your chakra."


    Fujin nodded and sat in a meditative posture.


    Sora and Genji reached the battlefield and observed from a distance. Akihiko and Masaru were engaged in an intense battle. Both were breathing heavily, but so was Zankoku. His inability tond a hit on the two Uchihas in front of him annoyed him. Sora observed Zankoku''s fighting style and jutsus carefully and began analyzing and calcting how he should trap Zankoku.

 Chapter 187: The Result

    After observing for a minute, Sora said, "He is very strong. I''m surprised that someone so strong has managed to keep his identity and ability hidden for so long."


    Genji asked, "Can you trap him with Fuinjutsu jutsu?"


    Sora replied, "It''ll be tough. Hopefully, Akihiko and Masaru will keep him upied. Keep an eye on the battle. If he suspects something and tries looking for me, you''ll expose yourself and attack him."


    Genji nodded. Inscribing seals around the battlefield would need time. And anything could happen in battle. His job would be to ensure that Sora''s presence stays hidden.


    Sora began inscribing seals around the ce where the fighting was happening. Genji followed him closely. Luckily, Zankoku''s entire attention was on Akihiko and Masaru. Since Sora didn''t leak any killing intent or take any actions that would directly threaten him, Zankoku stayed oblivious to his actions.


    Akihiko and Masaru were oblivious to Sora''s actions too and fought intensely. Multiple fires were burning in the area due to their Fire jutsus. A lot of the ground was dyed in blood. Akihiko and Masaru stayed away from such areas. Zankoku''s Blood maniption had raised their alertness to the maximum.


    Fujin''s clone, who was secretly observing, had to change his locations a few times due to Zankoku''s wide area attacks identally targeting his locations.


    After a few minutes, Zankoku stopped attacking. He looked at Akihiko and Masaru. They were breathing heavily. Though there weren''t any critical injuries on them, Zankoku knew that they wouldn''tst for much longer. He said, "You won''tst much longer."


    Masaru was looking for opportunities to waste time. He said while breathing heavily, "We can still go on for hours. You haven''t seen anything yet!"


    Zankokuughed and replied, "And how would you do that without any chakra? It''s only a matter of time before you drop dead. But, I have an offer for you two."


    Akihiko squinted his eyes and asked, "What offer?"


    Zankoku answered, "Serve Lord Jashin. I''ll ept you as my Priests and teach you the ways of Lord Jashin. When Iplete the ritual, I will be the strongest person in the world! Then you can rule the world alongside me."


    Both Akihiko and Masaru were speechless by his confidence. However, neither showed it on their face. Akihiko stayed quiet for some time before saying, "I need a few minutes to think."


    However, Zankoku said, "No, tell me your answer right now. Either you agree, or you die!"


    Akihiko put on a thoughtful face. He looked at Masaru and asked, "What are your thoughts?"


    Masaru thought and answered after a few seconds, "His proposal is tempting. But what about our families? We can''t abandon them."


    Zankoku heard his answer and said, "When you serve Lord Jashin, all your fellow believers are your family. If you want to, you can convert your current family too."


    Masaru replied, "That sounds good. But what if my wife or son doesn''t want to follow Lord Jashin? You know the new generation doesn''t believe in god."


    His question stumped Zankoku. However, Zankoku soon realized that something was amiss. He looked at them. Two spears made of blood appeared in his arms as he threatened, "Enough wasting time. Give me your answer now!"


    Masaru said, "Akihiko, I will trust your decision."


    Anger formed on Akihiko''s face. He looked at Masaru and shouted, "Why the fuck do you always leave tough decisions to me! For one fucking time think with your own brain."


    Masaru barked back, "What the fuck do you mean? Didn''t you go around saying that you are the leader since you were a kid? So make a fucking decision."


    Akihiko shouted back, "Why you runt¡­"


    However, his shout was interrupted by Zankoku throwing the spears at them. Both immediately dodged. Zankoku''s face, which already was full of horrifying scars, was dark. He said, "Do you two think that I am a fool?"


    A smirk formed on Akihiko and Masaru''s lips. Though they didn''t say anything, anyone could see their answer. Zankoku was about to attack again when he felt a chakra behind him. He quickly turned around to see Sora some distance from him. A smile could be seen on his face as he made the confrontation hand seal.


    In the next second, a barrier appeared around Zankoku. Zankoku quickly moved and punched the barrier with full force, but there was no dent on the barrier. He quickly tried escaping underground, but there was a barrier on the ground as well. Soon, more barriers began forming.


    Zankoku was trapped in a 3yer barrier formation! He was inside the 1styer. Akihiko and Masaru stood in the 2ndyer. Sora and Genji joined them. They stood outside the barrier under which Zankoku was trapped.


    Realizing the danger, Zankoku attacked the barrier with full power in order to break free. His attacks made the barrier shake, but it didn''t break.


    Masaru smirked and taunted him, "You should have surrendered when you had the chance."


    Zankoku stopped struggling and sat down. He replied, "The barrier is strong, but not strong enough. Once my chakra recovers, I can break through it. And though I am trapped, you can''t attack me either."


    However, Sora smirked and replied, "I am not a half-assed SealMaster like your Priest."


    He grabbed a kunai with an explosive tag attached and threw it at Zankoku. The kunai travelled through the barrier like it was air. Zankoku''s eyes widened. A blood barrier appeared in front of him. The explosive tag exploded, but he was safe.


    Sora said, "This barrier allows one-way travel. Meaning, we can attack you however much we want to. And you can only endure our attacks without being able to counterattack. How long do you think you willst?"


    Zankoku''s expression became grim. Immediately,yers of blood surrounded him. A multyered cocoon formation of blood protected him.


    Masaru taunted, "Our chakra might have hit rock bottom, but we still have thousands of explosive tags. How long do you think you willst?"


    Without another word, the Uchihas encircled the barrier. Everyone began throwing explosive tags into the barrier. Huge explosions took ce in the barrier. The Uchihas, who were standing outside it, didn''t feel anything at all. Slowly, theyers of cocoons began breaking apart.


    Fujin''s clone couldn''t hear their words but sweatdropped as he saw that scene. He thought, ''How shameless! This is just bullying. They used so many explosive tags during the fighting. And now they have used at least a hundred more. Do Uchihas don''t know the difference between a normal paper and an explosive paper tag? No wonder Mieko was spamming explosive tags in the Chunin exams. It''s as if they have a printing factory to make them.''


    After enduring a few hundred explosive tags, all of Zankoku''s defenses crumbled. His body began taking the explosions head-on. His body tried to heal itself, but the amount of damage he was taking was too high.


    Akihiko was observing him carefully with his Sharingan. He kept observing until his chakra reserves ran out. He instructed, "Stop!"


    Immediately all Uchihas stopped. Akihiko grabbed his Tanto. Chakra flowed through it. He threw it inside the barrier. Zankoku had no energy to move. The Tanto sliced through his neck and beheaded him. The four Uchihas observed him to see if he could still heal up.


    So did Fujin''s shadow clone. He wondered, ''Will he be alive like Hidan? Or does he not have the same sort of immortality that Hidan will have in the future?''


    Zankoku''s body didn''t move. He was dead. Akihiko looked at Genji and said, "Make a shadow clone and check him."


    Genji nodded and made a shadow clone. The clone entered the barrier and checked. Zankoku''s body was in terrible shape. The explosions had destroyed a lot of his flesh. Whatever flesh he had waspletely burnt. Both his eyes were destroyed. His nose, ears and lips were destroyed too. Even his bones were cracked in many ces.


    After inspecting, Genji''s clone said, "He ispletely dead."


    Akihiko and Masaru sighed in relief. They had fought him the most and knew what frightening vitality he had. Akihiko said, "Sora, seal his body properly. We will study him thoroughly."


    Sora nodded and began sealing Zankoku''s body. Akihiko said, "In the mission report, we will mention his abilities and say that his body was thoroughly destroyed by our explosive tags. Nothing was left behind. Don''t tell Haru or the kids about this either. You can tell Haruter, but no word to the kids."


    On hearing that, the three Uchihas became serious and nodded. Sora asked, "Is it due to¡­"


    Akihiko interrupted, "Yes. The rtionship between the vige and the n is deteriorating. Though Fugaku-sama is against the Coup right now, it is probably unavoidable unless the vige elders stop mistreating us. If the Coup does happen, then the abilities of this guy would help us immensely if we can learn them."


    Everyone nodded. They had seen what fearsome ability Zankoku had. If multiple Jounin level Uchihas could control their blood in a simr manner or even get just the self-healing ability, then defeating them would be very difficult. Only an S rank ninja could defeat them quickly.


    Fujin''s clone didn''t hear their words. After seeing Sora seal Zankoku''s body, he dispersed himself. The Uchihas were unaware that the fight and the result had been witnessed by him.

 Chapter 188: The Dangerous Uchiha Clan!

    Fujin received the memories of his clone. He opened his eyes but closed them again. He thought, ''Damn! I never thought they''d be so strong. That said, that Grand Priest turned out to be the real surprise. I never imagined he''d be able to face off against an Elite Jounin and 2 Jounins at the same time and still have an upper hand. I can understand the healing ability, but why was he immune to Genjutsu?''


    Fujin tried analyzing but didn''t reach any conclusion. He sighed, ''I hope Hiruzen is able to get the Yamanaka n to read all his memories. Autonomous healing and Genjutsu immunity are skills that would be immensely helpful. Though considering that I never saw anyone use this in Naruto, it''s likely that these abilities can''t be gained without worshipping Jashin. I hope that isn''t the case.''


    Sora sealed Zankoku''s body parts. He also collected as much blood as he could that was scattered on the ground. After he was done, Masaru asked, "What next?"


    Akihiko looked at Sora and asked, "Are the kids safe?"


    Sora nodded, "Haru dyed the copse of the cave until I could raise the barriers. He also put them to sleep. With all enemies dead, they will stay safe."


    Akihiko said, "Great. We will pick up Mieko and Shunko and rest in the barrier. In a few hours, the pills should bring our chakra back to full. We will return the kids and head back to Konoha before the effects of the Soldier pill ends and exhaustion hits us."


    Everyone nodded. The group moved towards Mieko and Shunko. Both were resting. Genji''s clone noticed theming. After confirming that they weren''t enemies in disguise, he dispersed himself. Mieko saw Akihiko and asked, "Did we win, Uncle?"


    Akihiko nodded, "Yes, all enemies are dead."


    Mieko asked, "Where is Fujin?"


    A worry could be seen on her face. Masaru chuckled and said, "Don''t worry, he is with the kids along with Haru. We will be heading there as well and will take a break for 6 hours."


    Mieko blushed on hearing the chuckle. She said, "Alright, let''s go."


    She walked ahead of the group. Shunko still couldn''t move properly. So Genji picked him up and carried him.


    They arrived in front of the copsed mountain. Akihiko looked around to see a bunch of dead bodies. He said, "Collect and store all the dead bodies. We will hand them to the authorities of this country."


    Everyone nodded and began sealing the dead bodies. Except for the bodies that were buried under the mountain, the remaining bodies were stored in storage seals. They entered the ce where Fujin and Haru were resting. Fujin and Haru got up on seeing others arrive.


    Haru asked with a smile on his face, "Is it over?"


    Akihiko nodded. He looked at everyone and said, "We have killed all the Jashinists that we had investigated. All the Priests, Devotees and Servants are dead. We collected most of their bodies. Their leader, the Grand Priest, had a terrifying healing ability. So he had to blow him to smithereens to defeat him. His body has beenpletely destroyed."


    Fujin was surprised. His thoughts ran at lightning speed, ''What the hell? Shit, these guys have the same idea as me. But they want to keep it with their n instead of passing it to the vige. Fucking hell! Their coup should be very close. So it''s understandable that they want to build up some trump cards. But, should I let this opportunity slip?''


    Though Fujin tried his best to not show any emotions on his face, Akihiko noticed that something was off. He asked, "Is there any issue, Fujin?"


    Fujin looked back while thinking, ''Shit, he sensed that something was off.''


    He quickly said, "No, I just have one doubt. But I wasn''t sure if it would be appropriate to ask."


    Akihiko said, "Don''t worry, just ask. If it is inappropriate, I won''t answer."


    Fujin nodded and said, "I was wondering how you could ce so many ninjas under Genjutsu and control their actions. After all, I heard that it is difficult to control more than one at a time."


    Masaru smirked andmented, "That would have been inappropriate if it wasn''t already known to every veteran ninja in Konoha."


    Sora exined, "The Genjutsu that we cast on them jumbles up their memories. We imnt some false memories in their mind and make them surface at the right moment. So, we don''t control them, rather they just make a move due to their false memories. For instance, the ones who killed the SealMaster all thought that he killed one of their loved ones."


    Fujin''s face became serious. He said, "Wow, that is a very strong method. No wonder we won so easily."


    However, Sora shook his head and said, "Though this technique might seem very strong, it isn''t that effective. In war, most enemy ninjas will frequently disrupt their chakra to ensure that they aren''t ced under a Genjutsu by us. So, unfortunately, it isn''t that effective anymore."


    Fujin instinctively wanted to disrupt his chakra but controlled himself. He thought for a bit and nodded, "That makes sense. Though if it did work as well as this time, Konoha might win all the wars without any problem."


    Akihiko nodded, "Yeah. Unfortunately, it won''t happen again unless we create a more advanced Genjutsu. Anyways, we can discuss thister. For now, let''s rest."


    Everyone sat in a meditative posture. Fujin recalled Sora''s words and analyzed the implications of such a jutsu. Though nothing could be seen on his face, his thoughts became very grim, ''Damn! No wonder Danzo, and perhaps Hiruzen too, chose to let Itachi cause the massacre. If a coup were to happen, I don''t think the Uchihas would be a match for Konoha in a head-on confrontation. But with this jutsu, they could wreak havoc in Konoha.


    My memories from my previous world have faded a lot. But I remember this very well. Every single Naruto fan thought that the Uchiha coup was a stupid idea. The Uchihas were just no match against Konoha''s entire might. They didn''t even know that Fugaku had Mangekyou Sharingan. Everyone agreed that in a war against Konoha, they would be vastly outnumbered and lose pointlessly.


    But, with jutsus like these, their chances wouldn''t be low. They could nt fake memories into multiple ninjas. When theyunch a coup, they would trigger these memories and cause chaos within every n and prevent or dy them from joining the war. After all, we aren''t at a war, normal ninjas won''t go around disrupting their chakra for no reason. And since Uchiha control the police force,ing in contact with many ninjas isn''t an issue for them.


    More importantly, the way Sora spoke, implied that they don''t have a better way to control multiple enemies. But, he didn''t speak about controlling just one. Assuming that they have stronger Genjutsus which can''t be broken off normally, the Uchiha''s chances of winning a coup would rise even more. If they could cast a genjutsu on some n patriarchs, then they could even get allies in the coup.


    Especially Fugaku with his Mangekyou. Obito was able to control a perfect Jinchuriki despite not having any Genjutsu-based Mangekyou ability. So Fugaku cing some n leaders under his control isn''t very far-fetched.


    In addition, if they were to nt some fake memories into Anbu or Root members, they couldunch sneak attacks on Danzo and Hiruzen too.


    So the coup would definitely not be a one-sided affair. Instead, it would be a bloody war. A war that would shake the foundations of Konoha and likely trigger the Fourth Great Ninja War. A war that would likely wipe Konoha off the map.''


    Fujin sighed in his mind. He had never taken the Uchiha coup seriously. Even though the information he gained wouldn''t have any impact on how the events progress, he realized how deep the waters in this world ran. A n that was isted and schemed against for years still possessed the power to shake the entire ninja world.


    He concluded, ''I never thought I''d say this, but Itachi''s actions make more sense now. With the Konoha leadership staying stubborn with their restrictions on the Uchiha n and the Uchiha n wanting to revolt, the end result would be theplete destruction of the vige. His choices were to either see the vige and his n be destroyed, or just see his n''s destruction.


    That said, I wonder why Itachi and Shisui didn''tpel the elders to drop the discrimination against the Uchiha. Wouldn''t that have dropped all the ns of a coup?''


    Fujin analyzed for some time before stopping, ''Leave it. I can''t think of a reason that I can be sure of. Perhaps there were more factors involved or the Vige elders convinced them that the Uchihas needed to be monitored and kept on the outskirts of the Konoha. Either way, this issue is way beyond my power to even consider interfering.


    For now, my main concern is, how the heck should I take that Grand Priest''s body from them? Asking shamelessly is out of the question. I''ll end up buried along with the Jashinists. Could I try to steal? No, they will keep it in the Uchiha npound. Not only do the Uchihas monitor it, even the Anbu and Root monitor that area.


    Should I try to tell Hiruzen? I could approach him innocently and tell him that the Uchihas lied. But, does he have the power to take the body back from the Uchihas in that case?''


    Fujin analyzed this method carefully. After a lot of analysis, he concluded, ''It is too risky. For starters, the Uchiha n and Hiruzen are at odds. Hiruzen might not even ask them for it. If he does, he will most likely mention that I reported it to him and the Uchihas might get very upset with me. Though they aren''t going to live for long, I don''t want to antagonize them when rewards aren''t a certainty.


    Worst case scenario, what if Akihiko and the rest deny that and demand Hiruzen to verify my information? I''d be fucked if Hiruzen asks a Yamanaka to inspect my memories to get proof. Shit! There is no good way!''


    Fujin thought more until an idea struck him, ''That might be possible. But it is still very risky but at least my life won''t be threatened directly. More importantly, there is no guarantee of sess. And even if I seed, I might not get what I actually want.''


    He tried to think of more options before giving up, ''I can''t think of any other way. Leave it, I''ll just have to prepare better in order to ensure that my identity doesn''t get leaked.''

 Chapter 189: Concluding the Mission

    The Konoha ninjas rested for 6 hours. Everyone recovered most of their chakra. During this period, Mieko and Shunko''s wounds were healed twice more. The wounds that could be seen were all healed. Only the internal wounds remained as no one had the expertise to deal with them.


    When everyone was well rested, Akihiko said, "Work with Sora to get all the children out. I will contact Hiroshi."


    He left the underground barrier. And opened a scroll and led it on the ground and made a hand seal.


    At the next moment, a man was summoned. He opened his eyes and looked at Akihiko and asked, "Are the children safe?"


    The man was a clone of Hiroshi, the leader of Kusagakure.


    Akihiko nodded, "They are. But we are very far away from any vige. You''ll have to call your forces here to escort them safely."


    Hiroshi nodded and handed Akihiko 6 scrolls and said, "You can summon them. They will make the arrangements."


    Akihiko took the scrolls. He was about to summon them when Hiroshi''s clone bowed deeply and sped his hands together in front of him as he expressed his thanks. "Akihiko-san," he said, his voice full of emotion, "I cannot express how grateful I and the entire Kusagakure are for what you have done. We will never forget it."


    He stayed bowed for a few moments longer, his head lowered as a sign of respect and gratitude, before straightening up and looking at Akihiko with a deep sense of appreciation. Akihiko nodded and said, "It''s fine. We too don''t want to see young children having to suffer. I am d that they are safe."


    Hiroshi''s clone smiled. Akihiko opened the 6 scrolls and activated them. 6 Jounins of Kusagakure appeared. Hiroshi''s clone instructed them to follow Akihiko''s instructions and asked them to arrange for the children to be sent back.


    All 6 Jounins used whatever means they had to send messages to the viges from where the children went missing. When the viges got the messages, they immediately sent their forces out to bring the children back.


    Meanwhile, Akihiko informed Hiroshi''s clone about the Jashinists that kidnapped the children. Hiroshi''s face grew grim after hearing how strong and numerous the enemies were. He upgraded the Mission rank to S.


    Akihiko passed a few scrolls to Hiroshi''s clone and said, "These contain dead bodies of kidnappers. You can use them to cate any anger towards you."


    Hiroshi epted the scrolls and thanked him again.


    In the barrier, the Konoha ninjas made a tunnel to exit underground. Haru cancelled his Genjutsu. The kids began waking up. The Konoha ninjas brought them out of the underground.


    They left the kids in the care of the 6 Jounins and just stayed around to ensure that nothing unexpected happened. One of the 6 Jounins had brought a lot of food materials. They cooked a delicious lunch for the kids to calm them down. The Jounins also checked every child and verified whether every child was present. They sighed in relief after verifying that all children were safe and present.


    After a few hours, Kusagakure ninjas sent by the viges began arriving in groups. They took the children from their viges and left after thanking Konoha ninjas. After thest group left, Hiroshi''s clone handed Akihiko the mission rewards for the upgraded rank. He thanked Akihiko once again and handed a scroll to one of his jounins with all the details of his talks with Akihiko before dispersing into a rock.


    The Konoha ninjas left. Shunko and Mieko were having trouble moving at full speed. So Genji and Haru carried them on their backs respectively. After a day''s travel, the group returned to Konoha.


    Akihiko said, "Great work with the mission. It waspleted sessfully. I''ll report the mission to the Hokage. Sora, take the kids to the hospital. Masaru, inform their parents about it. Others can leave."


    Akihiko looked at Fujin and said, "Fujin, I was a bit skeptical when Mieko suggested your name. I epted because we didn''t have time to wait for someone else. But, you have done a great job on the mission. Keep training hard."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Thank you, Uncle Akihiko."


    Shunko saw Fujin with some jealousy in his eyes. Of the 3 chunins to take part in this mission, Fujin was the only one who wasn''t injured. While he and Mieko had to be hospitalized, Fujin didn''t even have a scratch on him.


    The group dispersed. Fujin walked back to his home while analyzing what he should do next, ''I have to talk with Teru and Hoka and check whether they are ready to form a team with me and Mieko. Though I''ll have to check up on Mieko first and see when she will be fit for undertaking missions.


    I also have to do some research toe up with a proper n to sneak in. If I can''t find and learn methods that would assure me of safety and anonymity, then I might have to scrap those ns. No point in risking my safe environment for rewards that I might not even get.


    In addition, I also have to learn Vacuum Cannon. And since it needs so much chakra, I won''t be able to use chakra for anything else when I train. Once I learn it, I will get back to training Lightning release jutsus. The next set of jutsus will focus on enhancing my body. They should be exciting.


    Anyways, it''ste afternoon. Though the travelling and fighting have been exhausting, my soldier pill shouldst until tomorrow afternoon. So I might as well train like crazy today. I''ll take a 24-hour break when the drawback of the pill hits me. Though I should check on Mieko in the evening.''


    Fujin made a hand sign. A shadow clone appeared next to him. Without a word, he flickered away. Meanwhile, Fujin rushed to training ground 23. He went to the center of the ground and sat to meditate as he went through his memories of using Vacuum Cannon jutsu.


    He visualized the jutsus while analyzing, ''I wanted to make a very thin but long vacuum core. However, my attempt failed and I ended up creating a way bigger vacuum bullet core and hence managed to pour a lot of Wind chakra into it. So it became faster and more powerful.''


    Fujin got up and began forming the vacuum core. Soon, he poured wind chakra into the jutsu and expelled a Vacuum Cannon at the tree in front of him. The cannon hit the tree at the center. It didn''t just create a hole in the tree, rather the impact of the jutsu exceeded the width of the tree. The top half of the tree was sent flying into the air. Any tree up to 150 meters in line with that tree was destroyed simrly.


    A smile formed on Fujin''s face, ''Powerful. Very powerful. I don''t think any normal defense can withstand this attack. The only ones that possibly could resist might be Raikage''s defense and Sussano. I wonder how this attack will fare against Gaara''s defense and Rashomon.


    Still, the preparation time of this jutsu is more than twice that of the Vacuum Bullet. The chakra needed is close to 8 times it. I need to modify the vacuum core to be more efficient for such a huge size. And I need to see if I can achieve a simr result by using less wind chakra. Otherwise, breaking defenses would be the only thing this jutsu is capable of.''


    Fujin began working on his ideas. He tried changing various shapes for the vacuum core but didn''t have any sess in improving the jutsu. He trained until his chakra ran out. Not having any sess, he went to his home and freshened up and rested for a bit.


    In the evening, he bought a few Dango and went to see Mieko. After reaching the room, he saw that Mieko and Shunko were both resting in the same room.


    He walked to Mieko''s bed and said, "Hey? How are your injuries?"


    Mieko snatched the box of dango from his hands and said as she opened it, "I am doing well. It''s just that since I was hit by such a strong lightning jutsu, the doctors want to keep monitoring my internal organs for a few days. I''ll be released in four days."


    She opened the box and began eating rapidly. Fujin''s eyes twitched as he said, "You know that they can''t run away, right?"


    Mieko said with her mouth full, "They ran awayst time!"


    Fujin needed a few seconds but realized what she meant. He replied, "Ah, your mother! That makes sense. Hahaha."


    Fujin''sugh annoyed her but she kept eating till she finished everyst dango.


    A smile appeared on her face. She looked at Fujin and said, "Now if she gets angry, I can put most of the me on you."


    Fujin waved his hand and said, "Running away is my speciality. So don''t worry, she won''t have anyone but you to yell at."


    Mieko snorted in displeasure.

 Chapter 190: Vacuum Cannon Jutsu

    Fujin said, "I''ll talk to Hoka and Teru about forming a team."


    Mieko apologized with a dejected look, "Sorry, I can''t apany you right now. But we can go on missions after 4 days."


    However, Fujin shook his head and said, "No, take a week''s rest. We will take missions when you are back to full strength. And don''t worry about taking a few days to recover. I''ll need some time to master my new jutsu."


    Mieko asked, "Is it that cannon-like jutsu you used on our opponent?"


    Fujin nodded.


    Mieko snorted with some annoyance, "You are getting stronger once again!"


    Fujin looked at her with deadpan eyes, "My eyes didn''t evolve mid-fight."


    A grin formed on Mieko''s face. She smugly said, "That''s right."


    Fujin thought, ''I have always been curious about how Sharingan works. As every 3 Tomoe Sharingan wielder is ranked at Jounin or higher rank. Is it just everyone''s hard work or does Sharingan''s advancement bring other benefits to the Uchihas?''


    Fujin asked, "By the way, do you feel anything different or any improvements after your Sharingan evolved?"


    Fujin''s question surprised Mieko. She fell into thought. Even Shunko paid full attention to Mieko. After some time, she said, "I feel like my chakra reserves have improved slightly. But the increase isn''t very high. It''s probably around 15 to 20%. More importantly, my chakra seems to be slightly denser. And, I am guessing that my eye powers will be stronger."


    Fujin nodded and replied, "That''s a great improvement."


    He analyzed, ''Hmm, not too overpowered, but still very good nheless. Assuming that the improvements are higher when advancing to 3 tomoe Sharingan, it would make sense why every Uchiha with 3 tomoe Sharingan would be a Jounin. Especially considering that any advancement in Sharingan needs them to suffer emotional trauma or something simr. Anyone who experiences that will be more likely to train intensely.''


    Mieko stared at Fujin who was lost in thoughts. She asked, "What are you thinking?"


    Fujin casually replied, "Nothing. I am just wondering whether you''ll have any chance against me now."


    Immediately a tick mark appeared on Mieko''s forehead. She muttered, "One of these days, I''ll trap you in a Genjutsu and do things to you that you could never imagine!"


    Fujin was caught off guard by her reply. He thought, ''Shit, since when did she be a pervert? Ninja vige my ass, it should be called a Pervert vige!''


    Fujin said, "Yeah, right. Anyways, I''ll see youter. Get well soon."


    He was about to leave when Shunko said, "Fujin when I am healed, I want to fight you."


    Fujin stopped and looked at him and asked, "Why?"


    He said, "Though I don''t want to admit it, you performed better than me in the mission. I want to fight with you to prove that I am stronger."


    Fujin looked at him with a deadpan expression, ''What''s in it for me?''


    He turned around and said, "I have no interest in fighting you."


    Fujin''s attitude offended Shunko. He felt that Fujin was insulting him. He shouted, "Are you afraid of fighting an Uchiha?"


    Fujin replied without turning around, "Not really. I just don''t have any time to waste."


    After speaking, he disappeared from the room.


    Shunko was very annoyed. He asked Mieko, "Is he always this arrogant?"


    Mieko was thinking, ''A fight between these two? It would be fun to see Shunko go crazy in rage in a few minutes. As annoying as Fujin normally is, he reaches the highest level of annoyance while fighting.''


    Shunko asked again, "Mieko?"


    Mieko looked at him and said, "You are just weak Shunko."


    Mieko''s reply annoyed him even more. He said, "Do you think that a civilian orphan is stronger than all Uchiha?"


    Mieko replied, "Not all Uchiha, just you. If it was Itachi who asked, I am sure that Fujin would have epted."


    Shunko immediatelyined, "Hey, it''s not fair topare me with Itachi!"


    However, Mieko crushed every bit of his pride when she replied, "Why? Aren''t you the same age as him?"


    Shunko was left without any words. He just turned his head away from Mieko and sulked alone. Comparing him with Itachi was indeed very unfair. After all, Itachi was an Anbu captain. A rank that signified that he was strong enough to be considered as Jounin and even go against Elite Jounins!


    After leaving the hospital, Fujin treated himself to a huge meal and returned to training. After experimenting with all shapes, he reached the conclusion that staying with the same shape as the Vacuum bullet core would be ideal. He used the jutsu again but frowned, ''No, though this shape is ideal, something doesn''t feel right!''


    He sat in meditation to analyze where the problem was while he recovered his chakra. After running multiple calctions, it finally hit him, ''Right! I am maintaining the exact ratios I use in the Vacuum Bullet core. I don''t need to maintain the same ratios. I only need the deepestyer of the Vacuum Core to be huge. Shit, this is so basic. Why did I miss such a simple thing?''


    He thought for a bit before sighing, ''I got too excited. I need to keep myself calm and not lose myself in celebrating little achievements.''


    He formed a Vacuum Core in his mouth. It had the shape of a cone in the front while its body was cylindrical. A very thin chakra film surrounded it. It was encased by anotheryer of Vacuum which was divided into 6 parts. However,pared to what Fujin was doing earlier, thisyer was very thin. Its thickness was the same as it would be when Fujin used the Vacuum Bullet jutsu. Thin threads of Chakra flowed through thisyer of Vacuum. Soon, it was covered by another thin chakra film and winds began flowing around it.


    Fujin opened his mouth andunched the jutsu at the tree in front of him. A smile formed on Fujin''s face as it ripped through all the trees in front of Fujin. He thought, ''Good. I only needed 5 times the chakra this time. I saved 37.5% chakra without sacrificing the speed or power of the jutsu. With some practice, I should be able to perform it at the same speed as Vacuum Bullet jutsu. And, if I have enough time, I could make it more deadly by forming a muchrger central vacuum core!''


    With the form perfected, Fujin spent the rest of the night alternating between practicing Vacuum Cannon, meditation and physical workout.


    He finally stopped at 8 AM. He left the training ground while breathing heavily, ''Good. I only needed 20% more time as Vacuum Bullet. With time, it will improve even more, but there won''t be any point in wasting more time to try to reduce the time needed forcefully.''


    Satisfied with his progress for the day, Fujin went to Ichiraku. He sat on the stool and rested his arms and head on the table and said, "Bring me one bowl of every Ramen!"


    Since it was early morning, Teuchi was preparing the essentials. He was surprised to have a customer so early in the day. Ayame came out to see Fujin. She and Fujin interacted often as Fujin visited Ichiraku rather often and they were of the same age. She was about to say hi excitedly when she saw his state. She asked in a worried tone, "Fujin, why do you look so bad?"


    Fujin looked at her and replied without lifting his head, "Nothing much. Just ended up training a bit too much."


    Ayame puffed her cheeks and said, "I told you to not train so much but you always keep training!"


    Fujin sighed and replied, "Will you continue lecturing or get me something to eat?"


    Ayame sighed at the unenthusiastic reply and left to help her father prepare the noodles more quickly.


    Fujin ended up eating 8 bowls of Ramen before leaving for his home. He made his way to the bathroom and turned on the faucet, letting the cold water fill the tub. He grabbed all the ice he could find in his home and poured them into the tub and jumped in to rest. With a deep breath, he lowered himself into the frigid water, feeling the cold seep into his bones. Despite the sudden cold, he felt a sense of relief wash over him, the cold water soothing his tired muscles and calming his mind.


    After resting for some time, he made a shadow clone and dispersed it. The clone that he had made earlier received his message. After a few minutes, he dispersed himself and sent all the memories back to Fujin. Fujin felt a slight headache but soon rxed in the icy water.


    He spent an hour in the bathtub before heading to his bedroom and fell asleep. He ended up sleeping for 18 hours straight topensate for exhaustion and the drawback of the soldier pill.

 Chapter 191: Unexpected Guest

    Fujin woke at 4 AM and stretched his hands. He looked out of the window to see that it was still dark outside. He thought, ''Damn, it feels like I have been sleeping for days!''


    He began freshening up while thinking, ''I am really not in the mood to train today¡­''


    Fujin wondered if he should take another day off. In the end, he sighed and left for the training ground thinking, ''I won''t get strong enough if I train only when I feel like it. I need to continue grinding. It''s pretty much the only reason I have an advantage over my peers.''


    He began with his intense morning workout. As he trained he thought, ''No wonder there are so few S rank ninjas. Ie from a world where such powers were a dream of pretty much everyone. And yet I am getting tired of the continuous training. For those who are born in this world, to keep training like this is very unrealistic. Only the select few who choose to keep training non-stop or are blessed with godly talent would even have a chance of reaching that level.


    No, even those guys eventually stop training. Though Hiruzen is as strong as he is, I doubt that he has trained seriously in years. After all, pretty much all Kage bury themselves in politics and administration. No wonder Guy surpassed them all. After all, no matter what level he was at, he kept his training at maximum intensity every single day.''


    Having motivated himself, Fujin trained as hard as he could. After the morning workout, he practiced the Vacuum Cannon jutsu a few times and rested for half an hour. After catching his breath and eating a few ration bars, he went to his basement.


    He decided, ''Time to learn the next set of Lightning jutsus. Rank D Burst jutsu, Rank C Lightning Transformation jutsu and Rank B Electric Skin jutsu.''


    Fujin made the hand signs for the Burst jutsu. He transformed some of his chakra into Lightning and began expelling electric currents from his body. If someone saw Fujin, they would see Lightning flowing through Fujin''s body.


    Fujin focused his attention and analyzed, ''Another easy jutsu. Though it makes sense. After all, the only purpose of this jutsu is to teach new genins how to control Lightning chakra properly. Its only battle use is that if someone is stupid enough to touch me while I am releasing such electricity, then they would be electrocuted. However¡­''


    Fujin tried taking a step forward but had a lot of difficulty in doing so. He sighed and released the jutsu, ''However while using this jutsu, the user can''t move. The electric currents hinder my movements instead of assisting them. So anyone who uses this in battle is pretty much a sitting duck. Still, this jutsu should be quite useful to get my body used to Electric shocks and allow me to understand how to release Lightning from any part of my body..''


    Fujin repeated the jutsu four more times. He didn''t have any difficulty using it. He tried making the jutsu more usable by releasing lightning from just one part of his body but failed to do so. He concluded, ''Looks like this jutsu won''t be helpful for that. I guess that the way to do this would be to first manage to do this jutsu without any hand signs. Once releasing Lightning bes second nature to me, doing that will be very easy. But, I should learn the other two jutsus first as they are quite simr but better.''


    Fujin decided to learn the Lightning Transformation jutsu next. He weaved the hand signs for the jutsu. Soon, Lightning appeared on his body. His entire body was covered with Lightning. He tried to take a step forward but suddenly stopped, "That fucking hurts!"


    The Lightning around his body dispersed. Fujin shook his left leg while thinking, ''So embarrassing! The lighting around my body zapped my left leg. I guess it makes sense as the Lighting I released was much stronger than with the Burst jutsu.''


    Fujin waited until his left leg felt normal. Though it stung him, it was only for a few seconds, so he wasn''t injured. He analyzed, ''Hmm, I am not ready to use this jutsu yet. I should treat my body with the Burst jutsu continuously and slowly increase its power output. That way, my body will slowly get used to Electricity. Once I develop a sufficient degree of endurance, I can try the Lightning Transformation jutsu.


    A shame really, I was kinda excited to try this and the Electric skin jutsu. Lightning Transformation will allow me to move at tremendous speeds. Though I can''t change directions, I can bounce off other objects till I reach my target.


    Electric Skin jutsu also works on simr principles. It conducts electricity on the skin and boosts the power of any Lightning jutsus used. And the Lightning could electrocute someone who''d try to touch me just like the other two jutsus.


    After I master these two jutsus, I will be able to move at speedsparable to body flicker and zap my enemies on touch. Though it isn''tparable to Raikage''s lightning chakra mode, it will still be very handy and should help me dominate weaker ninjas. This speed will be the basis of my Lightningbat system.''


    Fujin began training his body to endure Lightning with the help of the Burst jutsu. He increased the power of the jutsu gradually such that he would be able to endure but his body would feel pain.


    The jutsu used very little chakra, so Fujin kept at it for hours until he realized something, ''Shit! While it ached initially, now this pain feels good!''


    He was left speechless by the development and a bit worried as he muttered in a sigh, "I hope I don''t develop any weird fetishes. I have no interest in bing another perverted ninja!"


    Fujin kept training until he was interrupted when he heard his bell ringing. Fujin wondered, ''Who''de to see me at this time?''


    He stopped training and spread his chakra field.


    Outside Fujin''s door, a man was standing. He had a very peculiar expression on his face. He muttered, "When did this brat learn Fuinjutsu? And why the hell is his house covered in hundreds of seals? Even I can''t be sure that I have identified all the seals!"


    Fujin was surprised by who he sensed. He muttered, "He is back? I wonder where he was for so long."


    Fujin left the basement and made a hand sign. The entrance to the basement was sealed and disguised. Fujin walked to the door wondering, ''Will he be able to sense the basement?''


    Fujin opened the door and said very respectfully, "Hello Sensei. Wee to my humble house."


    Renjiro''s eyes twitched once again. He thought, ''Your home is anything but humble!''


    Knowing his student''s antics, he sighed and said, "I see that you haven''t changed one bit."


    Fujin tilted his head and asked, "Why would I change Sensei?"


    Renjiro ignored his question and entered the house. He said, "I have a lot of questions to ask you. Let me start with this."


    He looked into Fujin''s eyes and asked, "Why did you get such a huge house and that too so far away from the center of the vige?"


    Fujin replied, "Houses are expensive. And since I had the money, I decided to spend a lot just one time instead of worrying about switching housester. Also, there isn''t really anything else that I would like to spend my money on. I would have liked to buy the elemental stones, but I don''t know where to buy them."


    Renjiro replied, "Makes sense. You wouldn''t be able to buy the elemental stones in the market. Lord Hokage has some facilities that allow Anbu to use elemental stones. So if you get an offer to join Anbu in the future, take it."


    Fujin thought, ''Anbu¡­ Unless the level of a rank B mission gets elevated to rank A, almost all rank B missions are quite boring and not so useful. Looks like joining Anbu would be the way to get exposure to better fights. Though I would prefer to join after the Root is disbanded.''


    Fujin asked, "Sensei, how can I join the Anbu?"


    Renjiro answered, "It isn''t in your hands. If Lord Hokage thinks that you are worthy of being included in Anbu, he will call you and ask you."


    Fujin said, "Oh. Alright, I''ll wait then."


    Renjiro chuckled on hearing his reply. Fujin''s words showed that he had no doubts about his capabilities.


    Renjiro asked, "So, when did you be an expert with Fuinjutsu?"


    Fujin looked at Renjiro thinking, ''As expected, he discovered them.''


    Fujin replied, "I learnt it sometime after our squad was disbanded."


    Renjiro stared at Fujin but Fujin didn''t say anything. Renjiro asked, "Fuinjutsu is extremelyplicated. I have seen extremely talented ninjas m their foreheads on failing to learn Fuinjutsu. You want to tell me that you learnt Fuinjutsu in slightly more than half a year?"


    Fujin replied, "Complicated? I found it pretty fun and easy to learn. Though it has a lot of theory and symbols, I sped up the learning process with shadow clones."


    Renjiro was surprised. He asked, "You spammed shadow clones to learn Fuinjutsu faster? You do know that it can be dangerous, right?"


    Fujin nodded, "Yeah, it gives headaches. So I was careful with the number of clones and what they were learning."


    While speaking, he looked up at Renjiro. Renjiro identified the look in Fujin''s eyes. He had seen it numerous times.


    Fujin continued, "But my biggest headache was to use the Shadow clone jutsu a dozen times every single time. Sensei, could you teach me the Multi Shadow Clone jutsu?"


    Renjiro was left speechless. He thought, ''I have just returned from a 3-month long mission. And this brat doesn''t even take 3 minutes to ask me for a jutsu! And he does it so naturally too!''

 Chapter 192: Another Get-Together

    Renjiro replied, "Sure. Right after you show me what you are hiding under your home."


    Fujin wasn''t surprised. He nodded and replied casually, "Sure. That sounds like a fair deal."


    He walked to the staircase and made a hand seal. Renjiro followed thinking, ''Meaning that it''s not a fair deal.''


    The stairways to the basement appeared. Fujin and Renjiro entered the basement. Fujin showed him the Meditation room, Gravity room and Dodging Practice room.


    Renjiro was impressed with his student. He said, "You have done a great job with the seals. These are among the best training rooms I have seen. That said, no one puts so much effort into training rooms either."


    Fujin said, "To be honest, the advantages they provide aren''t very significant. I just had a lot of time on my hands and needed to practice inscribing seals."


    Renjiro replied, "Though the benefits provided by the rooms are very small, they will add up over time."


    Fujin nodded, "Yeah."


    Renjiro asked, "Why are the other rooms empty?"


    Fujin replied, "I don''t have any ideas regarding any more training rooms. If I get my hands on some elemental stones, I can make a few elemental training rooms like in the Tower in the Forest of Death. But that doesn''t seem like an option for now. I''ll just set up what I want in those rooms if I have any good ideas."


    Renjiro nodded. He realized that Fujin had left a lot of space for any future use he might have. Both headed down to the lowest level. A weird expression formed on Renjiro''s face once again. He asked in a confused voice, "Why is this entire floor empty?"


    Fujin had already cleared all the mannequins. He said, "I designed this ce to try new jutsus and have some space to move around freely."


    Renjiro looked at Fujin and asked, "Is this all you were hiding?"


    Fujin looked back at him and asked, "What were you expecting Sensei? An elemental stone mine?"


    Renjiro''s face went dark because of Fujin''s question. He thought, ''His tongue sure has gotten sharper.''


    Hemented, "Nothing much, just something worth hiding."


    Fujin smirked in his mind while thinking, ''Who''d hide something worth hiding in their home? That''s the first ce anyone would look for in case they are ever suspected.''


    Fujin ignored hisment and asked, "Anyways sensei, you promised to teach me the Multi Shadow Clone jutsu!"


    Renjiro replied, "I am tired. I''ll just show you the hand signs and how it is done. You can practice by yourself."


    Renjiro made the hand signs. Soon, 5 shadow clones appeared around him. Renjiro exined to Fujin how the Shadow Clone and Multi Shadow Clone jutsus were different.


    Fujin followed his instructions and weaved the hand signs.


    ''Multi Shadow Clone jutsu''


    Immediately, 5 shadow clones appeared around him. Fujin smiled, ''Another jutsu down. This one will be very helpful.''


    Renjiro said, "That''s good. Just practice until you have it down. Also, this is a forbidden jutsu as it can lower your chakra to dangerous levels. So be careful of how many shadow clones you try to make."


    Having taught Fujin for almost a year, Renjiro wasn''t concerned about him messing up as long as he knew how cautious Fujin was.


    Fujin nodded, "Alright Sensei."


    He dispersed his clones.


    The two began leaving the basement. Fujin asked, "By the way Sensei, where were you for so long?"


    Renjiro replied, "I was assigned a rather long and difficult mission. I returned yesterday. What about you? How many missions did you go on and anything interesting?"


    Fujin and Renjiro began chatting. Fujin filled him in on his missions. Fujin''s mission experience was as he expected. He was surprised just twice. The first time was when Fujin told him about the 13 million Ryo bounty he imed. The second time was when he talked about the Jashinists.


    During the conversation, Fujin asked, "Are you aware of them sensei?"


    Renjiro nodded and answered, "Yeah, I had encountered one of their factions before the 3rd Great Ninja War. But they weren''t very strong. I remember them because they had sacrificed all the young children from a vige to their god and ughtered all the adults. Unfortunately, they didn''t have any information on where other Jashinists would be. Otherwise, we would have wiped all of their branches."


    Fujin said, "Now that I think about it, even these guys never mentioned any other Jashinists. I wonder if their Grand Priest had any details though."


    Renjiro replied, "No point in thinking about him. It''s been a long time since we ate together. Let''s go to Yakiniku. My treat."


    Fujin and Renjiro had food before leaving their separate ways. Fujin decided, ''Since I am here, I might as well see if Hoka and Teru are free.''


    He made a few hand signs.


    ''Multi Shadow Clone jutsu''


    Two shadow clones appeared next to him. Both flickered away.


    Fujin analyzed, ''My chakra was divided equally¡­ I''ll have to learn how to control the amount of chakra I allot to this jutsu and distribute it among the clones. Though from my experience with the Shadow Clone jutsu, it''ll be better to do so after I use this jutsu a few hundred times.''


    Fujin''s clones moved towards Teru and Hoka''s houses. Unfortunately, Hoka wasn''t home. Fujin''s clone talked with Hoka''s father and asked him to tell Hoka toe to visit him when he is back.


    Fujin''s other shadow clone met with Teru. Teru was intrigued by the idea. But he asked for a few days to answer. Fujin''s clone replied, "Alright. Let''s meet up at my home 5 days from now at 1 PM. Mieko should bepletely healed by then."


    Teru quickly replied, "Alright. We will have food at your home again in that case."


    Fujin''s clone nodded and said, "Sure."


    He dispersed into smoke. Teru looked at the smoke and muttered, "Will he evere to visit in person?"


    Fujin received his clones'' memories. He made a shadow clone and sent him to inform Mieko about the meeting. Fujin created another shadow clone which flickered towards the library. With all the taskspleted, Fujin returned to training his body with the Burst jutsu.


    For the next 5 days, Fujin focused on physical training and conditioning his body with the Burst jutsu. His physique improved at a very rapid speed. He practiced Vacuum Cannon and Multi Shadow Clone jutsu a few times daily. In addition, one of his shadow clones stayed in the library for over 12 hours daily. During this time, he was visited by Hoka once. He too liked the idea and gave the same reply as Teru.


    Finally, the day arrived. Fujin was training with his chakra field spread. He opened his eyes when he sensed Teru. He stopped training and left the basement and sealed it up in a few seconds.


    A minuteter, Teru rang the doorbell. Fujin opened the door. His eyes immediately focused on the bag in Teru''s hands.


    Teru noticed Fujin''s gaze and said, "My mom felt bad that you cooked everythingst time. So she sent some ready-to-fry prawns with me."


    Fujin took the bag and said, "She is wiser than you."


    Teru smirked and said, "Oh, I am so d that you like that."


    Fujin furrowed his eyebrows wondering what Teru was up to.


    Teru continued, "She has invited you to have dinner at our home tonight."


    Teru thought, ''I know he doesn''t like socializing a lot. So I was worried I''d have to hear my mother nagging. Luckily he dug the pit himself.''


    At the same time, Fujin thought, ''I was kept hanging for 2-3 months due to not having any connections. So it''s better to ept the invitation. If I am lucky, I might get a mission invitation simr to how Mieko got me on a rank A mission.''


    Fujin replied, "Alright. I''ll show up."


    Teru smiled but suddenly his smile froze. He suddenly had a weird expression as he asked, "Just to confirm, you are going toe yourself instead of sending a clone, right?"


    Fujin looked at him with a deadpan expression. He asked, "Did you and Yori swap your brains?"


    Teru chuckled awkwardly and said, "It''s just that I only see your clones making a visit."


    Fujin replied, "That''s just for sending messages. Why would I send a clone to eat?"


    As they were chatting, Mieko and Hoka showed up. Fujin invited them all in. Mieko asked, "What''s in that bag?"


    Fujin replied, "Teru''s mom sent some prawns."


    He made a shadow clone who grabbed the bag and said, "You guys continue discussing. I''ll bring chicken and prawns in a few minutes."


    Hoka replied, "Great!"


    Mieko teased, "Fujin, your clones are much better at cooking than you!"


    Suddenly, all three looked at Mieko without speaking a word. Realizing how stupid her sentence was, she immediately became embarrassed and quickly went into the circr room while saying, "Why are you three standing at the door? Let''s go in and discuss what we will do quickly."


    The boys followed her. Terumented softly, "She is very quick to change subjects."


    Fujin and Hoka nodded in agreement.

 Chapter 193: A Heated Debate

    Fujin, Teru, Hoka and Mieko took their seats around the round table. Mieko asked Fujin, "Did you tell them about the dialogue we had?"


    Fujin nodded, "Yup."


    Mieko looked at Hoka and Teru and asked, "So, what do you think guys?"


    Teru answered, "It is a good idea. My current squad takes a lot of breaks between missions. If we form a team, then we can take missions continuously and reach the required number of missions for Elite Chunin promotion quickly.


    But, even if we reach the required number of missions, we won''t get promoted anytime soon. And, taking missions with our current squads ensures that we may be able to handle the mission even if it goes wrong."


    Hoka nodded in agreement. Fujin said, "That''s true. But the current rank B missions are very boring and don''t challenge us much. My idea is that we should take rank B missions that have a low chance of going wrong and do them rapidly. Even if we don''t get promoted at the end of it, we may get asked to assist with rank A missions more often if our mission record is good."


    Teru replied, "That is true. I''m guessing that your n is to reach 50 missions quickly with our team and then try being a part of stronger teams."


    Fujin nodded, "Yeah. That would be ideal for us. Though it''ll be better to finalize such a decision after we reach that stage. We may as well continue with this team if we can take tougher missions."


    Mieko agreed, "Yeah, that''s true. So, is everyone on board?"


    Hoka nodded, "Yeah, I talked with my parents and teammates. I am in."


    Teru nodded, "Same here. But, why didn''t you invite anyone else?"


    Fujin answered, "Well, the only other two I could think of were Hana and Yori. And their skills would be very simr to Hoka and Mieko respectively. Not to mention that Hana is still in her genin squad. So I figured that it''d be better to go with just us 4. All four of us are good at Taijutsu. We cover all elements except Lightning. We will have 2 Doujutsus and 1 sensor in the squad. So pretty much all aspects get covered."


    Teru thought for a bit and said, "Alright."


    Since no one asked anything else, Mieko said, "So now the main question is¡­"


    She looked at all three and said, "Who will be the team leader?"


    Hoka and Teru too looked at everyone. Meanwhile, Fujin thought, ''I never considered this¡­ Makes sense though as every team needs to have a leader.''


    Hoka, Mieko and Teru prepared themselves for an intense debate.


    Hoka asked Mieko, "What do you suggest?"


    Mieko replied, "Of course, it should be me."


    Hoka saw her with a deadpan expression as he thought, ''Why am I not surprised?''


    He asked, "Why?"


    Mieko answered, "Because I am the only one who is an expert at Ninjutsu, Taijutsu and Genjutsu. You guys don''t have any skills in Genjutsu."


    Hoka argued back, "What does Genjutsu have to do with leading? My ability to see up to a kilometer is more important. This way, I can pass orders quickly and get us more time to react."


    Mieko said, "You can do that even when you aren''t a leader."


    Teru entered the debate saying, "Yes, and you can use Genjutsu even if you aren''t the leader. The most important aspect of a leader is experience. And I have been a ninja for a year longer than you three."


    The three entered into a heated debate. At some point, the Sharingan and the Byakugan got activated. Chakras began ring. Fujin didn''t speak and just watched with amusement. He thought, ''Wow, this looks awfully like those pre-interview debates for cements in my previous world.''


    The trio continued arguing for 15 minutes when Hoka''s eyes fell on Fujin. He saw that Fujin was eating the fried chicken alone and realized that Fujin never spoke a word.


    He asked, "Why are you eating chicken and not talking? Aren''t you interested in bing the team leader?"


    Fujin answered in his mind, ''Unfortunately I don''t have popcorn.''


    He said, "It''s more amusing to see you three arguing. Don''t worry, I won''t let the food go cold."


    Mieko suddenly realized. Sheined, "Hey! Don''t eat all the food!"


    Fujin shrugged and continued eating.


    The change in the subject made the trio calm down. Teru realized that arguing was pointless and said, "It doesn''t look like we will reach any conclusion."


    Fujin replied, "You sure? Maybe another 15 minutes of debate might provide a result."


    Mieko, Teru and Hoka''s faces went dark. They realized that Fujin was mocking them. Mieko said, "Alright, stop being a prick and tell us what great idea you have!"


    Fujin put up a sad face and sighed, "But I wanna see you guys debating."


    All three stared at him. Having teased them enough, Fujin said, "I don''t recall where I read or heard this quote, but it went something like this - A great team is where no one knows who the Leader is."


    Fujin''s words made the three of them enter into thought. After a while, Hoka asked, "Do you mean that we shouldn''t have any team leader?"


    Teru shook his head, "No, having a team leader ispulsory. Otherwise, we won''t get the missions."


    Mieko said, "Well, we can just lie."


    Fujin interrupted their conversation and said, "No, it means that everyone should be capable of leading. So we will take turns in leading the missions. This way, all 4 of us will be capable leaders."


    Teru replied, "Nice idea. I never thought in this way."


    Hoka and Mieko nodded.


    Mieko said, "So now we just have to decide in what order we will lead."


    Once again, Mieko, Hoka and Teru looked into each other''s eyes. Fujin looked in anticipation while eating chicken. He could almost see sparks flying between them once again.


    However, Mieko suddenly looked and pointed at Fujin and yelled, "Stop taking pleasure from our arguments!"


    Hoka and Teru too looked at Fujin with irritated looks.


    Fujin said, "Hey, unlike you three, I live alone. There aren''t many opportunities to see something this fun!"


    Mieko, Teru and Hoka ignored Fujin''s lousy excuse. Though they knew that he was an orphan and felt bad about it, they never saw Fujinin about it or feel down due to it.


    Hoka said, "Alright, you have had your fun. Now say what you think."


    Fujin said, "The order that I think is ideal would be me first, then Hoka, followed by Mieko andstly Teru."


    Teru and Mieko immediatelyined, "Why are west?"


    Fujin replied, "Teru, I put youst because you have never gone on a mission with us before. In fact, in thest 2 and half years, we have fought just once. So by leadingst, you will be able to understand more about us three."


    Teru thought about it and nodded his head. He said unwillingly, "Alright, that sounds reasonable."


    Fujin looked at Mieko and said, "You are secondst because you just got injured. Though you have healed, it will be better for you to take it easy for a couple of missions."


    Mieko wanted to argue, but she recalled the medical nins asking her to take it easy for a week or so. She too begrudgingly agreed.


    Hoka asked, "Why am I after you?"


    Fujin smirked and said, "Because you like to engage in pointless battles instead of taking the easy way while I do the opposite."


    Hoka immediatelyined, "Hey, that''s not fair. I only do it when our opponents are very weak. And it doesn''t give them any chance at sess."


    Hoka expected Fujin to counter back, but instead, he saw Fujin shrugging. Fujin said, "Well, that''s pretty much all I got. The only other way I see is if we fight to decide the leader."


    Normally, Hoka would be excited to face Fujin. However, he frowned and said, "You will just keep your distance and fight with clones, right?"


    Fujin smirked and said, "As I said, I prefer the easy way."


    Hoka was annoyed by his smirk. But he thought rationally, ''Fighting with Fujin would only make me more annoyed and I won''t win. Worse, if the fight bes intense, I''ll be left with a lot of cuts on my body. We may have to dy our missions if that happens.''


    Hoka sighed and said, "Leave it. I''ll be the bigger man and let you lead first."


    Teru and Mieko immediately realized their opportunity and said the same thing. Fujin watched them with a deadpan look as he thought, ''Man? Woman? Should I get them a mirror?''


    With the order of team leaders decided, the group began enjoying the food. They discussed their abilities and thought of somebination of jutsus they could use.


    After discussing everything they wanted to discuss and finishing off all the food, Fujin said, "We will start taking missions from the day after tomorrow. Let''s meet up outside the mission center at noon."


    Everyone nodded and left.

 Chapter 194: Terrifying Efficiency

    Fujin continued his training and visited Teru''s house in the evening. Fujin expected that Teru''s parents would be Jounins as well. Surprisingly, his father was an Elite Chunin while his mother was a normal civilian.


    Fujin thought, ''Well that''s a bummer. I thought I could make some connections with another Veteran Jounin. That said, it makes sense that not everyone''s parent is a Jounin. I guess my expectations were just high due to knowing Mieko''s and Hoka''s parents.''


    Since he didn''t have any benefits to gain, Fujin let go of any schemes and just chatted casually with Teru''s parents and enjoyed a delicious dinner.


    Two dayster, the group gathered outside the Mission Center. As usual, Fujin was thest one to arrive earning him stares from all his new teammates.


    Mieko said, "You know, a team leader has to be the first to show up!"


    Fujin raised his eyebrow and asked, "Says who?"


    He thought, ''I remember someone who was 3 hourste on average.''


    To stop Mieko from exploding, Hoka said, "Fujin."


    Fujin shrugged and said, "It''s still 5 minutes to noon. We can agree on an earlier time if you wanna show up early."


    Teru sighed at Fujin''s stubbornness and said, "Leave it. Let''s go get a mission and register our squad."


    Everyone entered the Mission Center. They saw Shichiro and approached him. Shichiro noticed them as well and smiled, "Why are you guys here?"


    Fujin said, "I want to register a new squad and ept a mission as well."


    Shichiro observed the 4 youngsters. He asked, "Are you four forming a squad?"


    They nodded. Shichiro was surprised. He thought, ''This is the first time I am seeing such a young team.''


    Fujin asked, "Is there an issue?"


    Shichiro said, "Not really, but are you guys sure?"


    Mieko said, "We wouldn''t be here otherwise."


    Shichiro said, "Alright. Let me get the paperwork."


    Shichiro got busy. The group waited and watched him doing all the work. Mieko suddenly had an idea. She looked at Teru and asked softly, "Teru, will we have to do more paperwork while changing the leader?"


    Teru thought for a bit and nodded, "Yes, but we can avoid it by not doing it officially."


    A grin formed on Mieko''s face. She said, "Let''s keep changing our leader officially for every mission. It''s about time that we got some revenge for those insane number of bandit-hunting missions!"


    Fujin and Hoka immediately nodded. Hoka said, "That sounds great!"


    Fujin added, "I agree."


    Teru looked at the three of them in surprise and asked, "How many bandit missions were you guys assigned?"


    Fujin replied, "Too many."


    Mieko followed up, "I did 75!"


    Fujin was surprised. He looked at Mieko and asked, "75? Why so many?"


    Mieko said, "He kept giving me bandit hunting missions till I joined an Uchiha squad. I was so mad at him back then!"


    Hoka said, "Me too!"


    Mieko looked at Fujin and asked, "How many bandit extermination missions did you do after we disbanded?"


    Fujin replied, "Just one."


    Mieko and Hoka looked at him with surprise. Hoka asked, "Why just one for you?"


    Fujin replied, "I remember threatening him that I''ll nt evidence stating that he is the boss of those bandits if he gave me another mission like that."


    Mieko and Hoka were surprised. Mieko grumbled, "I threatened him with violence and Genjutsu, but they never worked! Also, my parents asked me to take those rank C missions."


    Teru watched their conversation. He finally asked, "Why did you do so many bandit-hunting missions?"


    Fujin said, "Our sensei took us to do a lot of them and we kinda gained a reputation. Leave it, it''s embarrassing. Anyways, I like your idea Mieko. Let''s do that."


    Shichiro was finally done. He handed Fujin a paper and said, "These are the details of your team."


    Fujin read the paper. It had some basic details about those 4 and Fujin was mentioned as the team leader.


    While Fujin was reading the paper, Shichiro asked, "Which missions are you interested in taking? I have a bunch of bandit extermination missions lined u¡­"


    He suddenly stopped talking and involuntarily stepped back. 3 pairs of eyes stared at him. One pair was as ck as the abyss itself. Another pair of eyes were red and spinning. Thest pair of eyes were as white as they could be!


    He quickly said, "I''m just kidding, no need to look at me like this."


    He picked up a file and handed it to Fujin and said, "You can select a rank B mission from this file."


    Suddenly, his voice became serious as he warned, "Don''t bite off more than you can chew."


    Fujin nodded. He looked through the missions. Most of the rank B missions were escort missions for merchants or important officials. Fujin wasn''t interested in taking missions that would be slow toplete. He began looking for target elimination missions.


    After looking through all of them, he thought, ''As I thought. None of them is in the Land of Fire.''


    He removed 3 mission papers from the file and handed them to Shichiro and said, "We will take these three missions."


    Shichiro was surprised once again. He epted the mission papers and asked, "3 at the same time?"


    Fujin nodded, "Yeah, they are close to each other."


    Shichiro read the papers, ''Hmm¡­ All are missions to eliminate rogue forces in the Land of River. Given the data, it''s unlikely that either of these would be tougher.''


    He looked at the youngsters in front of him and said, "Alright. Good luck and ensure that you stay safe."


    Fujin nodded and epted the papers and left along with his team. Fujin shared the mission papers with his squad and said, "I have selected 3 missions in the Land of River. They are very close to each other and not very far away from the Land of Fire border. So if anything goes wrong, we can retreat to safer ces quickly."


    Everyone nodded. After they were done reading, Fujin said in a serious tone, "I am the leader of these missions. And my policy is always safety first. I am fine if our mission fails, but none of us must die or be crippled. So always emphasize more on our safety rather than the mission. Is this clear?"


    Hoka, Mieko and Teru were surprised by the seriousness in Fujin''s voice. Mieko teased, "Wow Fujin, you sound exactly like Sensei!"


    Hoka agreed, "That''s true."


    Fujin sighed at their antics and asked again, "Is it clear?"


    All three nodded and said, "Yup."


    Since everyone agreed, Fujin asked, "Is everyone prepared to go?"


    Everyone nodded. The squad immediately left Konoha.


    The group travelled the whole day at top speed and took a break at a Patrol camp close to the border at night.


    They got up early the next morning and continued their journey. At around 8 AM, they finally arrived close to their destination. They stopped around 2 kilometers away from their destination.


    Fujin looked at the map and said, "They should be around 3 kilometers to the west from here. Keep an eye for traps"


    Hoka activated his Byakugan and Mieko activated her Sharingan. The squad moved forward.


    Finally, Hoka said, "I can see them. They have built a small camp ahead."


    Fujin asked, "What sort of camp?"


    Hoka replied, "Mostly bamboo huts next to a river. There are 35 people in the camp. Only 12 have chakra with 3 at Chunin level and 1 at Elite Chunin level."


    Fujin said, "Alright, that should be manageable. Let''s get close and stick to the n."


    The group immediately flickered through the forest and stopped at the outskirts of the camp. Fujin asked softly, "Are there any who aren''t in the camp?"


    Hoka checked the surroundings and answered, "I can see 4 people in a 1 kilometer radius. But they don''t have chakra."


    Fujin thought for a bit and replied, "Alright, let''s ignore them. We will destroy this camp directly. Prepare your jutsus."


    Everyone quickly made hand signs.


    ''Wind Release: Infinite Breakthrough jutsu''


    ''Fire Release: Majestic Destroyer me jutsu''


    Instantly, a massive Fire approached the camp. Since they didn''t detect anyone, everyone was caught off-guard. Only their leader acted quickly and weaved hand signs.


    ''Water Release: Water Wall jutsu''


    The water from the river suddenly flowed out and formed a wall between the camp and the iing fire. The Fire-Windbo jutsu hit the Water Wall and went straight through it. Their leader shouted, "Everyone, escape underground!"


    The few ninjas who knew Earth Release quickly escaped underground. The Fire engulfed the entire camp and burned everything down. Over 30 died by being burnt alive. Their screams were all that could be heard in the vicinity. However, the attack wasn''t over.


    Hoka saw the 4 rogue ninjas escaping underground and said, "Now!"


    Both he and Teru mmed their hands on the ground.


    ''Earth Release: Stone Spear jutsu''


    Immediately, spears formed around everyone who had escaped underground. The rogue ninjas had just rxed slightly on escaping death. Not a single one was prepared to defend. A dozen spears pierced into the body of all four of them.


    Hoka watched and said, "They are all dead."


    Fujin spread his chakra field to recheck. He said, "Yeah, none of those 35 survived. And there is no one in a 1 kilometer radius who can use chakra."


    Mieko sighed and said, "That doesn''t feel like a rank B mission at all!"


    Fujin replied, "It is a rank B mission. Just that they feel too easy. This was the reason for forming this team, remember?"


    Teru said, "Yeah. Let''splete the remaining 2 missions today as well."


    Everyone began moving towards their next target.


    Afterpleting a rank B mission in less than a minute, the newly formed squadpleted another 2 rank B missions on the same day with terrifying efficiency!

 Chapter 195: A Date?

    Havingpleted the 3 missions, the group returned to Konoha on the evening of the following day.


    Mieko asked, "Will we be going on a mission tomorrow?"


    Teru said, "I think it''ll be better if we take a day''s break. Otherwise, the constant travel might wear us down."


    Fujin agreed, "Yeah. Let''s have a day''s break between missions. We can have a longer break if the mission is tiring or if someone gets injured."


    Hoka agreed with Fujin.


    Mieko said, "Alright. Let''s meet at noon¡­"


    As she spoke, her eyesnded on Fujin. She corrected herself, "No! Let''s meet 30 minutes before noon on the day after tomorrow outside the Mission center."


    Fujin''s left eye twitched on seeing how she changed the time after looking at him. He thought, ''Well, it doesn''t really make a difference to me. It''ll be the same if you show up 15-20 minutes before the decided time.''


    The group left. Fujin was flickering to his home when he noticed, ''Hmm? Someone''s following me.''


    He immediately began sensing and saw who was following, ''Why is she chasing after me?''


    He stopped moving. A few secondster Mieko appeared.


    Fujin asked, "What''s up?"


    Mieko asked while breathing slightly heavily, "Do you have to run at this speed to your home?"


    Fujin replied, "Not really. Just saves some time. Anyways, why did you follow me?"


    Mieko began a bit fidgety. She said, "Well, I never thanked you properly for saving my life. I thought about how I should thank you properly but couldn''t think of anything. So I¡­"


    Fujin interrupted her saying, "I already said that you don''t need to thank me. We are teammates. I got your back and you got mine."


    Mieko was about to nod in agreement but suddenly stopped as she realized, ''Wait, did I ever have to save him? No, I have never seen his life ever be at stake!''


    She said, "That''s all good, but I still want to thank you. I asked my mother how I should thank you and she suggested that I treat you to dinner."


    Fujin was surprised. He asked, "What did she say?"


    Mieko replied, "That I treat you for dinner."


    Fujin''s left eye twitched once again. He thought, ''Is her mother trying to set us up? Did she find out about dango and wanted to get revenge on me or something?''


    Seeing that Fujin wasn''t speaking, Mieko got upset and asked, "What''s the issue? I''m treating you to a free dinner. Juste."


    Fujin was about to say no, but hearing what Mieko said, he thought, ''Well, if she puts it that way, then how do I logically say no?''


    Fujin said, "I am not a fan of eating dango for dinner."


    Miekoined, "Hey, who said I eat dango for dinner? I wanted to go to that Sushi restaurant."


    Fujin sighed in his mind, ''Leave it, I''ll agree. It will be annoying if she tries to find more ways to thank me if I keep refusing.''


    He said, "Alright. Let''s go."


    Mieko cheered upon hearing him agree. She said, "Great, follow me."


    She walked in front of Fujin. Though Fujin couldn''t see, a blush appeared on her face.


    Fujin followed thinking, ''Never thought I''d go on a date at 11 in this world. Though to be honest, I never thought I''d go on any date at all. Oh well, since I am on one, I might as well enjoy it.''


    En route, Mieko tried making small talk with Fujin. Fujin replied, but there wasn''t much to talk about. After all, Fujin''s life in this world was very monotonous. He didn''t have a life outside of being a ninja.


    After many failed attempts of finding amon topic to talk about, the duo reached the restaurant. While ordering, they finally found amon topic to talk about. The topic was ''Food''.


    While eating, the two talked about all the delicious foods they came across outside Konoha when they were on rank B missions. Fujin mainly talked about the noodles from the Land of Noodles while Mieko talked about an array of sweets! The two chatted for over an hour while enjoying sushi.


    By the time they left, it was very dark. Fujin said, "I''ll drop you home."


    Mieko asked, "Alright."


    The two walked to the Uchiha npound. Fujin walked with her to the entrance before saying goodbyes. As he watched her leave, Fujin sighed, ''She has a crush on me. I guess it happened when I saved her life.''


    Fujin turned around and began walking home. He sighed again, ''Why does life have to keep gettingplicated?''


    Over the next month, their teampleted 19 rank B missions! They chose every mission very carefully. As a result, all the missions werepleted with extreme ease. Fujin, Mieko and Hoka already had very strong teamwork. Teru blended in with ease resulting in even morebination jutsus. Due topleting missions together, their bond also got stronger.


    On one of the rest days, while Fujin was training his body to get used to stronger electric shocks, he heard the bell ring. He stopped training and sensed who rang the bell. Fujin thought, ''Oof, so much stuff happened that Ipletely forgot about them.''


    He sweatdropped a bit thinking, ''For some reason, I''m a bit worried about my future subordinates now.''


    He created a Shadow Clone and continued training. The clone went out and greeted the visitors. He opened the door and saw Daisuke and the other 4 orphans standing with him.


    Daisuke immediately greeted Fujin, "Hey Fujin. How have you been?"


    Fujin''s clone replied, "Good. It''s good to see you guys again."


    Daisuke replied, "We tried visiting you 2 days ago, but it looks like you were on a mission."


    Fujin''s clone nodded, "Yeah, I returnedst night. Anyways, have youpleted the Leaf training exercise?"


    Daisuke replied, "Yup. That''s why we wanted to visit you."


    Fujin''s clone thought for a bit, ''It''s just over a month and a half since I asked them to do it. Isn''t it a bit too fast?''


    However, he soon realized, ''No, they have been using chakra for a lot longer than we were back in 1st and 2nd years in the academy. So their speed makes sense.''


    Fujin''s clone exited the home while asking, "All 5 of you can keep the leaf on for over an hour?"


    Suddenly, he noticed them getting a bit nervous. Daisuke said, "Well, 4 of us can. Buncho is still a bit short. He can stick the leaf for 48 minutes. But exams areing close. We only have around 3 months left. So we couldn''t wait any longer."


    Fujin''s clone said, "It''s fine. 48 is decent as well. Your next task is to learn how to climb trees with only your feet."


    His words confused them. Tatsuya asked, "What do you mean by just our feet?"


    Fujin''s clone walked towards a tree and said, "Like this."


    He began walking on the tree. All 5 students were surprised at his action and got excited to do it themselves. After all, this was infinitely more fun than meditating with a leaf stuck on your head.


    Fujin''s clone said, "To be able to do this, you have to concentrate chakra on your feet. And your chakra has to be the right amount. If it''s low, then your foot won''t stick to the tree. If it is high, then you will damage the tree and be pushed away."


    Fujin''s clone got off the tree and said, "Now you guys try it."


    Immediately, all 5 tried climbing the tree. 2 secondster, all 5 fell down. Fujin''s clone chuckled at that sight. He said, "This isn''t as easy as it looks. So keep practicing until you can climb properly. Once you do, you won''t have any issues in mastering those 3 jutsus needed for the graduation exam."


    Fujin''s words surprised them again. Bunjiro asked, "Will we be able to do all 3 jutsus easily?"


    Fujin''s clone replied, "Well, you will still need to train. But learning it will be very easy."


    Daisuke excitedly said, "Alright! Thank You Fujin!"


    Fujin''s clone replied, "No worries. You guys can continue training in the tree climbing exercise. Once you can do it wlessly, you cane back to me. Also, unlike the leaf concentration exercise, you can''t leave this one halfway."


    Everyone said, "Don''t worry, we will climb to the top of the tree!"


    Fujin''s clone nodded and said, "Good. See you guyster."


    They said their goodbyes and left. Fujin continued his training feeling better about his capabilities to teach his future subordinates.


    Fujin''s squad continued missions as usual for another week. When they returned from theirst mission, Mieko received shocking news after she went home.


    She went home in a cheerful mood. However, on entering her home, she saw that her parents were dejected and serious.


    She asked, "Mom, why are you sad?"


    Her mother looked at her. She wondered how she should deliver the news. After a minute of silence, she sighed and said, "Shisui is dead. Hemitted suicide."


    Mieko was shocked.

 Chapter 196: Dilemma - Emotional or Rational Choice?

    Fujin hadpleted his morning workout and was about to enter the basement when he heard the doorbell. He checked and opened the door and said, "Hey Mieko. Come in."


    Mieko entered his house. Fujin noticed, ''Hmm, she is uncharacteristically silent. And her mood seems down.''


    He asked, "What''s up?"


    Mieko said, "I won''t be able toe for missions for some time."


    Fujin could feel the sadness in her voice. He wondered, ''What''s up with her? I haven''t seen her so down until now¡­''


    He asked, "Why? Did something happen?"


    As he asked her, he could see tears forming in her eyes. Fujin sighed in his mind and helped her take a seat. He also grabbed some water for her to drink.


    Mieko drank the water and said, "Shisui died. Mother said that hemitted suicide."


    Fujin''s eyes widened. He thought, ''So it''s time?''


    Fujin knew that Shisui had mentored Mieko at some point in the past. She had stated about learning the Body Flicker jutsu from him.


    Fujin said, "That is sad news. Were the two of you close?"


    Mieko nodded, "We didn''t hang out much for thest couple of years, but he used to mentor me a lot before it. He taught me Fire Dragon jutsu and Body Flicker jutsu¡­"


    Mieko continued talking about Shisui for over 5 minutes. Fujin just patiently listened to her while sitting next to her.


    After she was done, both sat silently for a minute. Finally, Mieko got up and said, "Could you tell Teru and Hoka that I won''t be able toe for missions?"


    Fujin nodded and said, "Don''t worry. I''ll tell them."


    Mieko thanked him and left. Fujin saw her leaving his home and involuntarily said, "Mieko."


    Mieko turned around and asked, "Yes?"


    Fujin sighed and asked, "Would you like to go on missions to take your mind off this?"


    Mieko was happy that Fujin asked her this. However, she said, "No. My parents instructed me to not go on any missions for some time. But thanks for asking Fujin."


    Fujin thought, ''They instructed? I see. They want her to participate in the coup. So every Uchiha ninja should be called back using the excuse of Shisui''s death. No wonder there wasn''t any Uchiha survivor other than Sasuke!''''


    He said, "Alright then. Take care."


    Mieko nodded and left.


    Fujin saw her leaving and sighed. He closed his door and muttered, "I ended up asking her that."


    He sat down as he thought, ''When I realized that I was in the Naruto world, I decided that I won''t form any rtionships or be emotionally attached to anyone. I decided that I won''t even make a lot of friends and won''t be emotionally attached to any that I make.


    After all, this is the dangerous world of deadly ninjas. And I know for a fact that at least 80% of all ninjas would die in the 4th Great Ninja War. This means that any friend I have will have an 80% chance to die before I reach 22 years of age. Meaning that unless I''m lucky or be insanely strong to protect everyone I care about, every 4 out of 5 friends of mine will die in the next 10 years.


    So getting emotionally attached to them could result in me breaking down simr to how Kakashi broke down after the 3rd war. And I don''t want to suffer emotionally like him or hundreds of others who went through the same shit that he did in this world.''


    Fujin stopped thinking for a few seconds before letting out another sigh, ''Unfortunately, though my n was right, I didn''t take human nature into ount. Due to having spent so much time with them, I guess I have be quite fond of Renjiro, Mieko and Hoka. Maybe Teru and Genji as well. Looks like I am not as emotionless as I want to be.''


    He chuckled and continued introspecting, ''Fortunately, it hasn''t reached a stage where I would do something crazy for them. But, leaving my emotions aside, is there anything I could do for Mieko?''


    Fujin began thinking. After a while, he concluded, ''There are only two ways to directly get involved. One would be to stop Itachi and Obito head-on. Another would be to convince Hiruzen to lift the restrictions on Uchiha and reintegrate them into Konoha.


    Unfortunately, the first option is pure suicide. I don''t know if I can be strong enough to face either of them 10 years from now. If I do anything right now, I''ll just die pointlessly. As for the second option, even that is very pointless. All it will do is expose the fact that I know about the coup Uchiha has nned and attract suspicions from all the elders and Hiruzen himself.


    The attention would mean that I could be watched in the future and my freedom will get restricted. Not to mention, I have no confidence in being able to convince them to integrate Uchiha back into Konoha. After all, I doubt Hiruzen wants to see something like this happen and he still hasn''t been able to do anything to stop it.


    So my only reasonable option is to only save Mieko. And the only way to do it would be to force her to go on a mission against her parents'' wishes. Could I do it? And what would be the risks?''


    Fujin began analyzing again. After a while, he concluded, ''I might be able to make her go on a mission with us. If I choose a long mission that would take us around a month toplete, she will stay out of Konoha when the massacre happens.


    As for the risks, there are two critical risks. The first is Danzo. If he is insistent on eliminating all Uchihas, he could send his Root agents to kill any Uchiha out of Konoha. If he does, we will have to confront them. And I am not confident about my team''s chances against them. Especially if he sends a squad of only Jounin-level Root agents.


    The other risk is Mieko herself. Assuming we stay safe and return to Konoha, there are two possibilities I see with her. The favorable possibility for me is that the trauma caused by the news of the death of her parents and her n makes her awaken the Mangekyou Sharingan. Assuming that she still has a crush on me, she could be a great asset to have as a friend as long as she doesn''t go crazy.


    Though Danzo may want to have her in that case, I doubt Hiruzen would allow him that. After all, though the elimination of the Uchiha n could be considered a great feat for Danzo, it is also the death of his political career. Hiruzen won''t let go of such an opportunity. I know that he will shut down the root, but with my few interactions with that old fox, I am sure that he will do a lot more. I''m guessing that he inducted a majority of Danzo''s Root ninjas into Anbu and only left Danzo''s most faithful subordinates with him in case Hiruzen ever needs Root''s help in the future.


    However, the chances of awakening Mangekyou are infinitesimally low. The more likely possibility is that she will reach 3 Tomoe Sharingan. And that would make her a huge threat. After all, Uchiha''s Stone Tablet states that they should kill the person closest to them to awaken Mangekyou. If Mieko reads that, I''ll have to forever watch my back around her if she considers me the one closest to her.''


    Fujin began deciding his course of action. He struggled for a long time between his emotional and rational mind. Finally, rational thoughts won over emotions as he decided, ''I need to stop being emotional. Though I would like to see Mieko stay alive, I shouldn''t be putting my life and future in grave danger for her. After all, the events that will y out will be controlled by forces far beyond my capabilities.''


    He made two shadow clones to deliver the message to Hoka and Teru. Fujin thought, ''It''s unfortunate, but I always knew that this was about to happen. And there is nothing I can do to stop this. Now, it''s time to put the n into action. I wonder who has the body of the Grand Priest. Is it with Sora or Akihiko or did they hand it to Fugaku?''


    To avoid constantly thinking of Mieko and having a change of heart, Fujin began nning to get the Zankoku''s body from the Uchihas.

 Chapter 197: All Parties Prepare

    To create a workable n, Fujin had one clone in the library the entire time that he wasn''t on missions. His clone looked through the entire library to find any methods and seals to help him find a way to infiltrate the Uchihapound.


    After researching and practicing for a month, Fujin had found all the means to create a n and try his luck while ensuring his safety and anonymity. He began the preparations.


    While Fujin was making his preparations, the Uchiha n too began their preparations. All active Uchiha ninjas were called back. Every single Uchiha ninja returned back to Konoha. They began to prepare themselves for the war.


    Meanwhile, Danzo met Itachi in secret and exined to him what would happen when the Uchiha revolted, once again. He convinced Itachi to take action against his own n.


    However, while the two were talking, their actions were seen by one person. In his room, Hiruzen watched their whole interaction in his crystal ball. Surprisingly, neither Danzo nor Itachi sensed anything off.


    Tiredness could be seen on Hiruzen''s face as he sighed on seeing his friend''s actions, ''I would have stopped him. Unfortunately, the rtionship between the vige and the Uchiha n has deteriorated beyond repair.''


    His expression became firm as he decided not to interfere, ''While it''s true that they were relocated to the outskirts of the vige and monitored by Anbu, no Uchiha was ever mistreated by us. I can understand that they would be dissatisfied with such a treatment. However, this is no excuse forunching a coup that would destroy the vige.''


    On deciding the fate of the Uchiha, Hiruzen''s eyes fell on Danzo, ''My old friend, it looks like you havepletely fallen into Darkness. This will be thest time you will interfere in the matters of my vige.''


    While the undercurrents were flowing in Konoha, Fujin was busy in his basement making a lot ofplicated seals. A day after Mieko told him the news, Fujinpleted the first step of his n.


    He took a deep breath, ''Finally, it''s done!''


    He made a hand sign. A shadow clone appeared next to him. The clone made multiple hand signs. Fujin observed the clone by concentrating chakra in his eyes. He could see that the chakra signature of the clone was slowly changing. Soon, it was very different from Fujin''s chakra signature. His scent also changed.


    Fujin thought, ''Good, now it will be difficult to link the clone to me.''


    After the clonepleted the process, Fujin applied another scent to the clone to make it look like he was hiding his real scent. Next, the clone used the Transformation jutsu to transform into a Honey badger. Fujin thought, ''Normally, seeing this animal in the streets of Konoha would raise suspicions. But, the Uchiha npound is on the outskirts of Konoha. If it appears there, it won''t cause any suspicion. After all, there are many of these in the forests inside Konoha. ''


    After the clone transformed, Fujin began making seals on its body. He first applied seals that would increase its affinity to Earth nature maniption. This way, it would have an easier time moving underground and would also reduce any chances of it being rted to Fujin as Fujin wasn''t known for his Earth element.


    He followed it up by applying numerous stealth seals on the body of his transformed clone. Soon, the honey badger couldn''t be seen, heard, smelled or sensed! Fujin checked his work several times until he was satisfied.


    Finally, he nodded and said, "You''ll be responsible for the first task."


    The honey badger didn''t reply. Fujin made a hand sign and sealed him in a special storage scroll.


    He created a wind clone who took the storage scroll with him and flickered multiple times in the forests next to his house. Aftering to a very secluded ce far away from his house, the wind clone opened the scroll and let the honey badger clone out. The honey badger clone checked his surroundings and moved stealthily towards the Uchiha n. He moved under the ground so as to not leave any trails.


    The wind clone also left. After going away sufficient distance, he destroyed the storage scroll and dispersed himself.


    The honey badger quickly moved towards the Uchiha npound but did not enter it. He had no intention of testing his seals against the Sharingan. Instead, he went to the route that Uchiha kids would take while going to anding from the Academy and stayed there.


    The honey badger clone thought, ''The first task consists of two missions. The first is to keep an eye on Uchiha Sasuke. The day Sasuke returns veryte from the academy will most likely be the day the massacre happens. And, the second task is to see if anyone notices me. If someone does, I will drop all ns of stealing that dead body.''


    While this clone kept an eye, Fujin created 5 more honey badger clones. They would roam through the forests and training grounds in Konoha to see if anyone notices anything suspicious in them.


    Fujin had calcted, ''Honey badgers are rathermon in Konoha. So a few more of them shouldn''t raise any eyebrows. However, if someone is still able to somehow figure out that they are my clones, I can just admit that they were made by me and I was practicing stealth for missions. After all, I haven''t done anything wrong yet. If no one notices anything strange, then I''ll deploy them around the Uchiha n.''


    The honey badger clones would roam around Konoha all night and disperse themselves when the Sun rose. Fujin experimented for two days before deciding that they were safe to be used. From the 3rd day, all 6 of his honey badger clones used to stay around the Uchiha npound. In addition, Fujin would maintain 2 wind clones at one secluded spot a few kilometers from the Uchiha npound.


    With the preparations done, Fujin just waited for the right moment.


    A few dayster, in an underground base under Konoha, Danzo stood with a subordinate. The subordinate respectfully asked, "What job do you have for me, Danzo-sama?"


    Danzo looked at him and said, "Your Triatominae bugs can induce sluggishness, right?"


    The Root ninja was from the Aburame n. He replied, "Yes Danzo-sama. They can cause slight sluggishness with their poison. And since it poses no direct threat and doesn''t have any color or smell, it is almost impossible to detect."


    Danzo said, "Good. Your mission is to poison the drinking water that reaches the Uchiha n with this poison. Use very small quantities. Your main priority is that this poison isn''t noticed. Once you are done, go to training ground 49 and wait for me."


    The Root ninja was surprised by the mission. However, it wasn''t his ce to question Danzo. He nodded and left. Danzo watched him leave as he thought, ''He was a good subordinate. A shame that he has to die.''


    Danzo called another subordinate of his and instructed him to approach the Aburame ninja in the training ground 49 and kill him and dispose of his body as well. Though Danzo''s subordinates had his curse seal, no seal was perfect. Considering the importance and severity of this matter, Danzo decided to take this step. This way no one other than him and the elders would know about the truth of the Uchiha massacre.


    The Root ninja from the Aburame n did his job exceptionally well. Since it only caused a slight sluggishness, no Uchiha ninja realized that they had been drugged. After all, they didn''t have to move at full speed in their normal lives.


    Danzo made a few more moves that day. He ensured that no Hyuga, Inuzuka or Sensor ninja was in the vicinity of the Uchiha npound to prevent any interference. In fact, he had ensured that most of their active ninjas were on duty outside Konoha.


    Finally, on that evening, Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Obito appeared in the Uchiha npound. Almost everyone in the vige was oblivious to the massacre that was about to unfold. Only 3 were aware of it and waited patiently.


    Danzo was busy with his Root ninjas to ensure that Itachi wasn''t interrupted. Meanwhile, he also had to ensure that his Root ninjas weren''t close to the Uchiha npound and get caught in the fighting. Hiruzen had recalled all Anbu ninjas that were keeping an eye on the Uchiha n. While Fujin was waiting in his basement for his clones to send him a message.

 Chapter 198: The Massacre!

    A/N: Hey guys. I''d like to rify one point. ording to the canon timeline, Shisui died around 1-2 years before the Uchiha massacre. Itachi bes an Anbu captain sometime after his death. However, I don''t think the shbacks in the manga ever stated the time between these events or even the fact that Itachi became an Anbu Captain after Shisui''s death (correct me if I recall incorrectly). And I skipped the fillers in the anime after the fourth great ninja war started.


    So I wasn''t aware of the huge time gap between Shisui''s death and the massacre and assumed that they happened in quick session as they were shown in the manga. By the time I realized this, the story had long crossed the point when Shisui should have died (it should have been around the time Fujin graduated or when he was in the Genin squad). So, unfortunately, the timing of Shisui''s death will not be consistent with the canon. The rest stays the same (with a few obvious changes I made).


    Since it was gettingte, most of the Uchiha n members were in their homes with their families. For them, it was like any other evening. Their Jounins were aware that they would have to fight a tough war very soon. So they cherished their peaceful days with their family unaware of the tragedy about to befall them!


    As soon as Itachi and Obito appeared in the n, both immediately began the massacre. Obito freely moved through the walls and attacked the unsuspecting Uchihas. Itachi too flickered into their homes. Since he was the son of the n leader, no one expected him to attack when he did. They began ughtering the Uchihas with extreme ease and stealth.


    While ughtering, Itachi showed up in Uchiha Akihiko''s house. Akihiko was having dinner with his wife and children when he suddenly got up and turned around to face the intruder. He squinted his eyes on seeing Itachi wondering what he was doing here. Most of the top-tier ninjas in the Uchiha n were disappointed in Itachi and slightly suspicious of him. Unlike others who didn''t expect any attack from the son of their leader, Akihiko was on guard and asked, "Why did you show up unannounced?"


    Without replying, Itachi attacked him with his de. Akihiko didn''t have any weapons on him. He tried to move out of the way. Unfortunately, his body reacted a split second slower. That was sufficient time for Itachi''s de to slit his throat open.


    Akihiko''s family were shocked. However, before they could scream in horror, Itachi dealt with them too.


    Some distance away from Akihiko''s house, Obito entered Mieko''s home. They too were having dinner. Both of Mieko''s parents were at the Jounin rank. Sensing that someone had broken into their home, they both got up and prepared themselves. Mieko noticed her parents'' actions and got alert as well.


    She asked softly, "What happened, Mother?"


    Her mother replied, "Someone has broken into our house. Stay on guard."


    At the next moment, Obito appeared in front of them. Not identifying the masked intruder, Mieko''s father made hand signs rapidly without caring about his house.


    ''Fire Release: Fireball jutsu!''


    A massive fireball appeared in front of Obito who thought, ''Interesting. Their house had seals to alert them. Unfortunately, I can''t let this fireball explode.''


    He stood without moving and let the fireball reach him. However, instead of the fireball hitting him, the Uchiha family was surprised to see the fireball being sucked into his mask.


    Taking advantage of the surprise, Obito went on the attack without giving them any time. Obito''s speed was much higher than the three. Combined with their sluggish moments, they didn''tst even a few seconds against him. Mieko saw in horror as both her parents were beheaded! Tears rolled down her eyes.


    Her eyes began transforming as another tomoe appeared in her eyes. Obito watched her eyes andmented in a deep voice, "Interesting. To awaken 3 Tomoe Sharingans at your age. Very impressive."


    However, Mieko was in no mood to hear any praise. She screamed, "Return my parents to me!"


    She attacked Obito with all her might. However, a rod pierced through her heart in the next second. Mieko coughed out blood as her memories shed in her eyes.


    As she died, she heard Obito''s deep voice, "Unfortunately, you don''t have the time to grow."


    As she fell down, she remembered the scene of Fujin saving her thest time. Unfortunately, she knew that it wasn''t possible this time. It was already toote. She closed her eyes and fell to the ground.


    Obito thought, ''A family with three pairs of 3 Tomoe Sharingans. How rare.''


    In a sh, he took the Sharingans of all three of them and stored them before continuing his massacre.


    Itachi and Obito continued massacring unopposed. After some time, Fujin opened his eyes in his basement. The honey badger clone that kept eye on the route from the Academy to the Uchiha n saw Sasuke running towards home. Fujin''s other shadow clones also received the memories. They prepared themselves to move after a few minutes.


    Fujin left his basement and got out of his house. He analyzed, ''From what little I remember, there was some time gap between the massacre and the Anbu ninjas reaching the Uchiha npound. That is the only window I have.''


    Fujin became a bit restless, but he didn''t move away from his home. This entire mission was left to his clones.


    In the Uchiha npound, Itachi finally entered his house ready to confront his father, only to see his parents not willing to fight.


    Fugaku said, "I see, you have aligned with the other side."


    Itachi controlled his emotions as he said, "Father, Mother, I¡­"


    However, Mikoto interrupted him, "We know already¡­ Itachi¡­"


    Fugaku said, "Itachi, just promise us this. Take Care of Sasuke."


    With tears in his eyes, Itachi said, "I will."


    Fugaku sensed Itachi''s struggle and said, "Do not fear it. You chose this path, right? Compared to you, our pain will be over in an instant."


    He continued, "Even if our Philosophies differ, I am still proud of you. You are a truly kind child."


    With tears in his eyes, Itachi pierced his de into his mother and father. Fugaku looked at his wife as he died. With hisst breath, he said, "Destroy our eyes."


    Itachi understood his father''s wishes. Though he didn''t fight against his son, he didn''t want his eyes to end up in the hands of those who schemed against his n and led them down this path of no return. Respecting his father''s wishes, Itachi destroyed both their eyes.


    With Fugaku and most of the Uchiha n dead, the coup was finally averted. It was at this moment that Sasuke entered home with fear in his eyes. He saw his dead parents. After a small fight, Itachi ced Sasuke under Tsukuyomi and flickered behind Obito and said, "It is over."


    Obito nodded and both disappeared. Fujin''s clones stayed patiently for a few minutes. They didn''t look at anything and instead focused chakra in their ears to pick up any sound. A few minutes after all sounds died down, they entered the Uchiha npound through the ground.


    This was one of the main reasons why Fujin chose the honey badger disguise. They were known to be excellent diggers. On entering, all clones had a specific job.


    One clone headed towards Akihiko''s house while another headed towards Fugaku''s house. One clone kept an eye on the entry route to warn others when the Anbu came. Thest 2 searched the Uchiha npound to see if they could find Sora''s house to see if he had the scroll.


    The clone heading towards Fugaku''s house reached there first. He focused chakra in his eyes and checked if there were any active chakras around him. Fortunately, there were none. He thought, ''Good. If Fugaku does have Mangekyou, then I want it.''


    He got closer to his house while still staying underground but suddenly stopped as he felt danger. He focused chakra in his eyes once again as he wondered why he felt the danger. On noticing, he frowned, ''Shit, his house is covered in seals. And I can''t identify many of them!''


    He analyzed the seals and concluded, ''These seals shouldn''t stop me from entering the house. But knowing what seals can do, I am afraid that there will be some consequences. It''s fine if I am dispersed, but I don''t want my main body to be implicated. That said, the rewards here are the greatest. Be it his Mangekyou or the fact that the Grand Priest''s body is most likely to be with him.''


    He decided to keep analyzing until he cracked the seals or the Anbu arrived.


    Meanwhile, the clone that was heading to Akihiko''s house didn''t face any obstacles. Though Akihiko''s house also had some seals, they were rather simple and Fujin''s clone had no issues getting around them and entering the house.


    After entering, the honey badger clone saw the dead bodies of Akihiko and his family. He immediately began searching for any and all scrolls in his house. He found multiple scrolls. Fortunately, one of the scrolls looked just like the scroll Sora had used to seal Zankoku. He immediately took it and checked it. He sighed in relief, ''This scroll still has his body!''


    He put the scroll on his back. Fujin had inscribed a storage seal on the back of his clones before letting them go. After storing the scroll, the clone walked back to where he had seen Akihiko. He used his paw to open his eyes and saw that his eyes were still intact.


    He thought, ''Good, his eyes are still intact. I saw that some of the Uchihas were missing their eyes. I guess that Obito took the eyes of the ones he killed while Itachi didn''t.''


    He summoned a container from the storage space on his back. He took both his eyes carefully and stored them in the container. He observed his eyes while analyzing, ''Though I have no intention of imnting a 3-Tomoe Sharingan in my eyes right now, it''ll be good to have them. If I change my mind in the future or have any particr need, I can rely on these.''


    Since he got what he wanted, he left the house. He went towards Fugaku''s house to meet up with the clone outside his house. The clone noticed him approaching. He appeared behind the clone and tapped his back thrice. That was the code for saying that he had found the body of the Grand Priest.


    The clone that was working on the seals around Fugaku''s house looked back at his house unwillingly before leaving. They quickly dispersed to find the other clones and soon dispersed into 5 separate directions.


    One clone headed towards the Akimichi territory, another towards Nara territory and one headed towards the Senju territory. They dispelled themselves after reaching close to their territories.


    Thest 2 clones moved towards the forests. One dispersed himself near the Konoha border wall while thest one moved towards Fujin''s wind clones. On reaching the spot, he came out of the ground and handed them the storage scroll and the storage container. He went underground again and continued to move towards the border wall of Konoha and dispelled himself close to it. This way, all 5 clones were dispelled.


    The Wind clones used Wind Instantaneous Body jutsu to reach another spot where Fujin''s shadow clone was waiting for them. Fujin''s shadow clone collected the items and returned home while the wind clones followed the same procedure as the Honey Badger clones.


    Fujin saw his clone returning home. He epted the items and returned back to his basement.

 Chapter 199: Aftermath & Survivors?

    After entering the basement, Fujin sat down in meditation to analyze his actions, ''Alright, almost everything went as I nned. My honey badger clones didn''t leave any traces behind. However, if anyone still picks up on their trail somehow, they will be led to the Akimichi, Nara and Senju ns. So the suspicion will be cast on them and there wouldn''t be any clue to reach me.


    Even if they specte that those ns were being set up, they would suspect that the ones who meddled left the vige from the spots myst two clones dispelled themselves. And as a precaution, I did the same with my Wind clones. So I should be safe.''


    Fujin opened the scroll and summoned two items. One was the scroll with Zankoku''s dead body while the other was the equipment that had Akihiko''s eyes. Fujin first focused on Zankoku''s dead body, ''Impressive. The storage seal Sora used stops his body''s condition from deteriorating. I was worried that stealing the body won''t help me much if I can''t use it soon. But with this, I can work on this even after a few years. That''s good as I have no means to extract information from this dead body right now.''


    Fujin shifted his attention to Akihiko''s eyes, ''I didn''t make any ns to steal Sharingan. After all, I can''t use them. I guess my clone just couldn''t resist after seeing that they were avable so easily. Now, what do I do with them?''


    Fujin began analyzing. After a few minutes, he concluded, ''Directly imnting them is out of the question. I won''t be able to hide this and it would draw too much attention. The only way to use it would be if Hiruzen gives me permission. But considering what Itachi sacrificed to do this, I doubt Hiruzen would go around giving permissions to imnt Sharingans. Not to mention, that I can''t tell him that I have a pair of Sharingans and instead will have to ask him to give me another.


    So, the only viable way I can use one of these is if I lose one of my eyes in a mission. Once one of my eyes is blinded, I won''t draw any suspicion from putting on an eye patch. After some time, I can imnt Sharingan secretly. But, is it worth doing it?''


    Almost immediately, Fujin shook his head, ''The only advantage a Sharingan can provide me is allowing me to copy jutsus. And since I''ll have to keep my Sharingan a secret, there won''t be much opportunity to use them for that purpose. Not to mention, fighting with just one eye will be tougher. Considering the fast pace nature of battles, it could even be lethal. I''ll have to keep my chakra field active in all battles which would drain my chakra.


    And, there is also the matter of Kakashi. 12 years old Kakashi was a monster. His talent was almost unmatched. One could easilypare his talent with the Sannins and Minato. Yet, when he became a Jounin sensei at around the age of 26, he wasn''t an S rank ninja. Despite learning a thousand jutsu, he still couldn''t create a jutsu stronger than Chidori. And he could only use Chidori 4 times a day.


    So there is a big question on how much strain a Sharingan will put on chakra reserves. If Kakashi not living up to his potential was caused due to the Sharingan, then it''s a big no for me to have. That said, there were other factors involved with Kakashi too. Like him being depressed and spending hours in front of that stone. So the drop in his training time due to those factors could also be a reason why his strength wasn''t that high.


    So I''m not sure how much of a role Sharingan had in restricting his growth, but I don''t want to try it right now. In the future, when the growth in my chakra reserves stagnates, I could consider this option.''


    Having made his decision, Fujin looked at the two items thinking, ''Now, the main question is where and how do I hide these two items?''


    Around 8 minutes after Fujin''s clones left the Uchiha npound, Hiruzen led a team of his Anbu ninjas and entered the Uchiha npound. Danzo joined him as well along with some of his Root ninjas. However, as soon as they entered the n, they stopped. The Anbu and the Root ninjas had performed many shady missions. But seeing the entire street littered with the dead bodies and blood of the members of the strongest n in the vige shocked them.


    One of the Anbu asked, "How could something like this happen in Konoha?"


    Hiruzen frowned and said, "Scatter and quickly check everyone. Find the survivors and give them proper treatment or take them to the hospital."


    Both the Anbu and the Root ninjas scattered and began checking, leaving just Hiruzen and Danzo standing.


    Danzo said, "It''s unfortunate, but Itachi did what had to be done. Now our vige won''t plunge into chaos."


    Hiruzen looked back at his old friend and said, "You went around me and did this without consulting or even informing me."


    Danzo didn''t like the tone Hiruzen was speaking in. He said, "Hiruzen¡­"


    However, Hiruzen interrupted him, "No need to say anything. As of this moment, I am officially dissolving Root. The Root shinobi will be ced under mymand in the Anbu. The foundation system of recruiting and training orphans will be abolished as well."


    Hiruzen''s words shocked Danzo. He realized that this would mean the end of any influence he had in Konoha. Even if he managed to keep some core Root ninjas under hismand, he would be left with a very limited force if he couldn''t train more Root ninjas.


    He quickly protested, "Hiruzen, Konoha needs Root to survive. We are the unseen ones who support the great tree of Konoha from the depths of the earth. Without the Root, Konoha would face a lot of issues without any means of handling them."


    Hiruzen replied, "Your actions cost Konoha its strongest n."


    Hiruzen looked at Danzo and stared at his bandaged right eye and said, "And it cost us two loyal and patriotic youngsters with the Mangekyou. They could have kept the vige safe for the next few decades. Unfortunately, due to your actions, we no longer have them."


    Danzo was about to argue back, when Hiruzen said, "Say no more. My decision is final."


    The Anbu began returning. The first one to return was Kakashi. He was carrying Sasuke. He said, "Lord Hokage, I found him. He is still breathing but is unconscious."


    Hiruzen looked at Sasuke and realized, ''It looks like he was ced under a strong Genjutsu. Did Itachi also gain a strong Genjutsu like Shisui?''


    He said, "Take him to the hospital and have the doctors look after him. Ensure that he stays safe."


    Kakashi nodded. However, he couldn''t help but ask, "Lord Hokage, who killed all the Uchihas?"


    Hiruzen replied, "We will have to investigate. I''ll let you know when we find the culprit."


    Kakashi wanted to ask more but knew that it wasn''t the right time. He nodded and left with Sasuke.


    After a few minutes, more Anbu returned. One of them stepped forward and said, "Lord Hokage, in the area we investigated, all Uchiha except small children have been killed. On investigating, we realized that all Uchiha who were ninjas or academy students were killed. Only the ones who haven''t enrolled in the academy are alive. But they have been knocked unconscious."


    Hiruzen frowned and said, "I see. Take all the kids away from here. It''s best if they don''t see any of this. You investigate and tell me the total number of survivors."


    The Anbu ninja nodded and got to work. Hiruzen gazed at Danzo. Danzo looked back at him thinking, ''As long as I can eliminate Itachi, I would have been able to integrate all the Uchiha orphans into Root. So the threat of the Uchiha n would forever be neutralized and instead, they would be the most loyal and patriotic in the vige.


    In addition, by using the death of their family, I could easily awaken Sharingan in most of them. In a decade, I would have had the strongest special force among all the 5 viges. But, it looks like he figured out my n and hence decided to disband Root.''


    The Anbu and the Root ninjas sent all the kids to the hospital. The Anbu that had been tasked by Hiruzen reported, "Lord Hokage, in all 34 children are still alive. 19 are girls and 15 are boys."


    Hiruzen replied, "Good work. I''ll leave the safety of the Uchiha children to you. Ensure that they stay safe in the hospital."


    The Anbu nodded and flickered away.


    With just the two of them together, Hiruzen asked, "Did you have to kill the ones in the academy?"


    Danzo replied, "In a war, we send students from the Academy to the battlefield. It''s unknown if some of the Uchiha families decided to train the academy students and have them participate in the coup. If they know about the truth, then it will only result in another Uchiha Coup after they grow up. So I wanted to get rid of all of them. Unfortunately, Itachi was insistent on letting his brother and the children alive."


    Hiruzen snorted at Danzo''s reply and left. Danzo saw him leaving and had a headache. He thought with a frown, ''Now, how do I still keep the Root with me? Hiruzen seems determined to take it down. I don''t think words would change his mind.''

 Chapter 200: The Deterrence of Uchiha Itachi

    As Danzo was contemting his options, two Root ninjas flickered next to him and began reporting all their findings to him. They began moving towards a root base.


    Suddenly, one of the Root ninjas said, "Lord Danzo, while we were inspecting the Uchiha npound, we found a secret message. We wanted to let you know first."


    That attracted Danzo''s attention. He asked, "What is the message?"


    The Root ninjas spoke. However, his voice was now different. And there was no reverence or respect for Danzo in the voice. He said, "If any of the Uchiha children end up in Root, I will sell all the secret information I know about Konoha to enemy viges."


    Danzo''s eyes widened as he saw the Root ninja turn into crows while speaking. A frown formed on his face when the other Root ninja spoke in the same voice, "And if anything happens to Sasuke, I will act myself."


    He too dispersed into crows leaving Danzo all alone. He muttered, "Damn Uchiha!"


    While Hiruzen and Danzo were busy handling the situation, Fujin was inscribing a seal on his right forearm. He inscribed it right on the part that would be covered by his bracers.


    Afterpleting it, Fujin inspected it as he thought, ''Good. This seal ispleted. Though inscribing storage seals on your own body isn''t rmended, it isn''t really difficult to do. Anyways, I have sealed the Sharingan eyes in Sora''s storage scroll as well. I''ll hide this scroll in the seal. So there is no way anyone would find it. In the event that someone somehow understands about this seal and suspects something, I can always destroy the seal with a mere thought.''


    He stored the scroll in the seal on his forearm and made a hand sign. Soon, the seal disappeared. Fujin wondered, ''I wonder how the space that stores Tailed Beasts is created. And if I can store other things, like this scroll, there.''


    Itachi stayed in the vige until he saw Hiruzen was alone. He approached him and had a discussion with him. After getting assurance from Hiruzen that his brother and other Uchiha orphans will be looked after, he left the Hidden Leaf vige and became a rogue ninja.


    Hiruzen put Konoha under maximum security. The next day, news spread throughout Konoha that shocked everyone to the core! Uchiha Itachi had ughtered his entire n! Only a few dozen young children were left alive!


    When the news spread throughout the world, every single ninja vige was shocked. After the death of Senju Tobirama, the Senju n declined in power. The Uchiha n was estimated to be the strongest n among all 5 major viges. And yet, such a n was annihted by a 13-year-old boy. Both minor and major viges began having meetings to ensure that their vige''s security was up to the mark and discussed countermeasures in case Uchiha Itachi showed up in their vige.


    Only one vige thought about more than just defense. That vige was Kumogakure. In the Raikage''s office, most of Kumogakure''s strategists and elders were present. All were considering whether they should take any action against Konoha. After all, the sudden loss of their strongest n would have shaken Konoha.


    After some time, one old man said, "Lord Raikage, I don''t think it''s in our best interest to attack Konoha right now. Though they lost the Uchiha n, their overall strength is much higher than when Orochimaru left the vige. Most of their Chunins who survived the 3rd Great War have been promoted to Jounins. And they have raised thousands of new ninjas.


    Besides, though the Uchiha n had a lot of Jounins, they didn''t have any S rank battle power. If we go to war, the two Sannins would return to Konoha."


    The fourth Raikage said, "Though their strength has increased, ours has increased even more."


    However, his viewpoint was opposed by another elder, "And so have the strengths of other viges. If we go to war, Iwagakure will wait until we exhaust our strength and jump in at the worst time."


    The Raikage frowned. At that time, one of the younger advisors spoke, "We need to probe them to see what their response will be. If they cower likest time, then this might be a good opportunity for us to attack quickly and with full force."


    The Raikage looked at him and asked, "Hari, do you have a target for probing Konoha?"


    The advisor, Hari, grinned and said, "I have just the perfect target for it."


    He opened up a map and exined the n to everyone in the room. The people in the room were first shocked due to the information he provided. However, soon greed could be seen on everyone''s face.


    One of the elders said, "Great work. If we can get this, we don''t even need to attack Konoha for now. After all, the profits from this would be mind-boggling."


    However, Hari said, "No, this doesn''tpare to what we can gain from Konoha. However, since this is so valuable, Konoha''s response will tell us about their current capability and morale. If it is strong, we can dispatch more forces to secure this and negotiate another deal with them like thest time. If they let us have it, then we will use this ce as a base for our future assault."


    The Raikage said, "Alright, it''s decided. We will go with this n. Darui, you will lead a team of 50 ninjas and im this. Hari, you will apany them as the advisor."


    Darui and Hari nodded and were about to leave when another old elder asked, "Lord Raikage, what do you think about kidnapping some Uchiha orphans? With their n dead, there won''t be anyone to protect them. The task will be a lot easier than kidnapping the Hyuga princess."


    A fell into thought. After some time, he said, "No, even though the task might be easier, it''s full of hidden risks. We don''t know why Uchiha Itachi massacred his n. Nor do we know why he left the kids alive. If he intends to hunt themter, then all our efforts will be wasted and instead, we would have pointless casualties.


    Considering what he has done, it''s safe to say that he has the Mangekyou Sharingan that Uchiha Madara had. If we attract his attention in the middle of a war, our casualties will go up several times."


    The mention of Uchiha Itachi lowered the excitement in the room. Hari said with a grim face, "Lord Raikage, we need to find a way to kill him. After all, he ughtered the entire Uchiha n and is only 13 years old. If we give him time to grow further, he''d be an even bigger threat. He might be a menace for the entire ninja world."


    However, Raikage dismissed his concern, "Right now Konoha would be the most pressed to kill him. Hiruzen should have sent all his Anbu and Jiraiya after him. Let them exhaust their strength on him while we make our moves."


    Hari nodded and left with Darui.


    Back in Konoha, Hoka and Teru showed up at Fujin''s house the morning after the massacre. The news of the Uchiha massacre shocked them. Fujin invited them in with a sad expression. They all sat in a room without speaking.


    Finally, Hoka asked, "Did you go to the Uchiha npound?"


    Fujin replied, "I did, but they have barricaded the whole area. And they didn''t answer any questions."


    Teru replied, "Same here, but I got some news from my parents."


    Hoka said with a dejected voice, "Yeah. Most Uchihas were killed. It probably also includes Mieko as there was no news about her. Only a few dozen children survived."


    Fujin was surprised. Though he didn''t show anything on his face, he looked at Hoka and asked, "Some children survived?"


    Hoka nodded. Teru said, "From what I heard, only those who hadn''t entered the academy were left alive. Lord Hokage will make an announcement in the afternoon."


    Fujin said, "I see."


    However, he was in shock, ''Sasuke isn''t the only survivor? Shit, did I somehow change the future?''


    Fujin went quiet and began thinking. Hoka and Teru assumed that he was sad and stopped talking as well. After thinking about every possibility, Fujin concluded, ''No, none of my actions should have any impact on Itachi''s, Obito''s or Danzo''s actions. Even assuming Itachi saw me being shameless in front of Hiruzen, I doubt I''d be the most shameless or selfish person he saw. So it shouldn''t have any impact on his actions. Regardless, how will this affect the future?''


    Fujin kept analyzing, ''The biggest impact should be a sense of responsibility on Sasuke''s shoulder. Since he is in the 2nd year of the Academy, he should be the eldest and the strongest Uchiha in the vige. So he will have to take responsibility for the other Uchiha orphans and lead them. And, the question that this raises is whether he would still go rogue and train under Orochimaru?''


    Fujin thought for a bit before realizing, ''Wait, I recall that Sasuke had two goals. One was to restore the Uchiha n and the other was to kill Itachi. But, since there are other orphans alive, Sasuke wouldn''t have to worry that his death would cause the Uchiha n to go extinct. He canpletely focus on taking his revenge and restoring the honor of his n by killing Itachi. From this perspective, the future shouldn''t change.


    The onlyplication that could arise is if the sense of responsibility somehow changes him. Though that might not be a bad change. After all, Shippuden Sasuke was an asshole. Even assuming that he doesn''t ept Orochimaru''s offer and doesn''t get strong enough, Itachi will still die at his hands. And if he does go to Orochimaru, then he can''t possibly get worse aspared to what I remember.


    Sigh, leave it. There is no point in trying to specte so much. I always expected that things might not go down as I remember. I''ll just act ording to what happens in the future.''


    While Fujin, Hoka and Teru were sitting together in silence, there was another meeting happening in Konoha. It was between Hiruzen and the elders who were discussing how to handle this event.

 Chapter 201: Hiruzens Arrangements

    In the Hokage Office, Hiruzen, Danzo, Koharu and Homura sat. Everyone had a serious look on their face. They had been up all night ensuring that the vige stays calm.


    Homura said with a sigh, "Itachi stopped the coup. What are you nning to announce to the vige, Hiruzen?"


    Koharu said, "We will also have to build a new police force. And we have toe up with a reasonable exnation to give to the n leaders and the council."


    Hiruzen replied, "I have thought about it. But first¡­"


    He looked at Danzo and said, "I hadn''t issued the mission to Itachi. So effectively right now, the Root will be disbanded. The Root ninjas will be ced under mymand in the Anbu."


    This news surprised Koharu and Homura. They looked at Danzo. They wanted to oppose but realized why Hiruzen took this step. After all, Danzo had overstepped his boundaries too much. However, they didn''t want the Root to be dissolved. Both looked into each other''s eyes, tactically agreeing to ask Hiruzen to cut Danzo some ck. However, their short gaze didn''t escape Hiruzen''s eyes.


    Danzo began arguing, "Hiruzen¡­"


    However, Hiruzen cut him off right away and firmly said, "No more discussion. My decision is final. You still remember who the Hokage is, right?"


    As he spoke, his chakra began exerting pressure on the entire room. Danzo, Homura and Koharu immediately felt an intense pressure bearing down on their old bodies. Breathing became tougher for them as they looked at Hiruzen.


    The Anbu who were on guard outside the room also felt an intense chakra. They looked towards the room with sweat gathering behind their masks. They didn''t know what was happening in the room but their minds, which were in chaos due to the unimaginable massacre the night before, calmed down. All had the same thought, ''As long as we have Lord Hokage, we have no reason to worry.''


    In the room, the elders analyzed whether they should resist Hiruzen''s chakra. After all, Hiruzen hadn''t disyed his full power. If they decided to, they could counter the current pressure. However, Homura and Koharu decided against it. If they did, Hiruzen would just overpower them. Homura and Koharu were reminded of the massive difference between their strength and authority whenpared to Hiruzen.


    Homura said, "Alright."


    Koharu also nodded. Hiruzen stopped exerting his chakra. The pressure in the room was slowly lifted.


    Hiruzen said, "Uchiha Sasuke has woken up. He talked about his interaction with Itachi. Itachi imed that he did this to test his power. We will report that to the vige and the council. Though some n leaders will realize that something is off and might even figure out the truth, I doubt they would speak of it."


    Everyone in the room understood that Hiruzen was speaking of Shikaku. He continued, "As for the police force, establishing a new one will require a lot of work and manpower. Also, themon people were upset at how the Uchiha policed them. So I have decided to abolish it too. Instead, the Anbu will take up that responsibility."


    Koharu said, "Even with the Root, the Anbu won''t have a lot of manpower. Are you nning to expand the Anbu?"


    Hiruzen nodded, "In a month and a half after the mes of this event settle down, I''ll recruit more chunins into the Anbu. The Uchiha n had the highest number of Jounins and Elite Jounins. We will have to invest a lot of resources into the existing chunins and raise them to the Jounin rank as soon as we can. Even if we don''t promote them officially, we have to ensure that they have Jounin-level fighting capabilities."


    Homura asked, "What about the other viges? Though preventing the Coup has conserved our strength, other viges may have some evil ideas as we have lost the Uchiha n."


    Hiruzen replied, "Suna is still weak and Kiri is involved in their internal battles. They aren''t in a position to do anything. The only concerns are Iwa and Kumo. But, they are wary of each other. So they won''t make a move eit..."


    Danzo interrupted him, "I disagree. Kumo must have already begun making ns to take advantage of us. Have you forgotten what they did after Orochimaru left? Let me keep the control on Root and I will ensure that they can never start anything."


    Hiruzen shook his head and said, "Even if they do, they will only probe us. As long as we respond ording to what they do, we should be fine. Besides, instead of getting greedy for ournds, they would be more concerned about a rogue S rank ninja who could massacre the entire Uchiha n. By the time anyone is ready to make a move, we would already have defenses in ce to deter them."


    The group discussed and debated a lot of other issues before they began talking about the remaining Uchiha children.


    Hiruzen said, "Itachi requested that they would be looked after properly and be integrated properly into the vige so that this event never has to be repeated. He also hoped that the surviving Uchihas would be well trained."


    Koharu said, "Well, we first have to move them out of the Uchihapound. Letting them live there will just bring back the nightmares."


    Homura nodded and said, "We will also have to ensure their safety. Otherwise another incident like the Hyuga one could happen."


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "I thought about this issue. I have decided to have 4 Anbu squads keep a watch on them at all times."


    The elders were surprised. Koharu said, "4? 16 Anbu ninjas for just 35 children? That''s a huge waste of our manpower, Hiruzen."


    Hiruzen replied, "It is. But it''s the least we can do for Itachi after what he has sacrificed for the vige."


    Koharu immediately stopped speaking. Compared to what Itachi had done, 4 Anbu squads were really not worth mentioning. Hiruzen continued, "I will move them to their old npound so that they won''t be on the outskirts of the vige and have an easier time navigating to the academy.


    In addition, I will employ some civilians permanently to look after them until they graduate. I''ll also hire some retired ninjas to train them properly. Considering the trauma that they went through, it is likely that most of them will awaken the Sharingan. So with proper training, in two decades, at least half of them will be Jounins."


    The elders were satisfied by Hiruzen''s arrangements. They ended the meeting and got to work.


    In Fujin''s house, Teru asked, "Do you two want to continue as a team?"


    Hoka and Fujin were silent. After some time, Hoka said, "No. Miekopleted our team with her skills with Fire Release and Genjutsu. We could find someone who is good at Fire jutsus but finding someone who is also good at Genjutsu will be very difficult."


    Fujin nodded in agreement.


    Hoka sighed and continued, "Not to mention, we will miss her if we stay in the same team. It could affect our concentration on the mission and be bad for us."


    Teru said, "Yeah, I had the same worry."


    He looked at Hoka and Fujin and said, "I was a bit sceptical of the team when you approached me, Fujin. But I joined as it seemed like a fun idea. I am d that I agreed that day. It''s unfortunate that it ended this way. Who would have imagined something like this would happen?"


    Fujin and Hoka sighed and nodded, "Yeah."


    The three said goodbyes. All three were sad. Fujin sighed, ''No point in being dejected and wasting time. After all, it was my decision to not interfere. It''s time to get back to training. And time to take the next step.''


    He entered his basement to continue his training.


    In the afternoon, Hiruzen made an announcement. The entire me was put on Itachi''s head. His image was painted as a bloodthirsty lunatic. Following the announcement, they participated in the council meeting.


    3 days after the massacre, a funeral was held for the deceased Uchiha n members. All the Uchiha orphans had woken up and were present. All of them were crying. The entire ce was filled with their cries. And with all the Uchihas dead, they didn''t have any rtives tofort them.


    A lot of other ninjas also showed up. Fujin, Hoka, Teru and Renjiro were also present. So were all the Academy teachers. Renjiro looked very sad. Fujin observed the Uchiha orphans. Unsurprisingly, other than Sasuke, he didn''t recognize anyone.


    After the ceremony and mourning, everyone began leaving. Only a few stayed back. Renjiro, Fujin and Hoka stood in silence in front of Mieko''s grave, paying theirst respect to her.


    After some time, Renjiro broke the silence. Fujin and Hoka could feel the sadness in his voice. He said, "I never spoke about this with you. Before you, I had trained another group of Academy students."


    Fujin and Hoka listened to his words carefully.

 Chapter 202: Renjiros Past & Hokas Conviction!

    Renjiro continued, "They weren''t as talented as you three. But they were very cheerful and worked hard. After two years of training under me, they were all promoted to chunins. I was very proud and fond of them.


    Unfortunately, at the start of the third great ninja war, the army they were a part of was ambushed by an elite army of Kumogakure led by the current Raikage and the Jinchuriki of Eight Tailed Beast. The entire army was annihted with no survivors. We never even got their dead bodies back."


    He stayed silent for some time. Fujin and Hoka didn''t disturb him. He continued, "In the war, I was deployed on the coastline the entire time. So I never had any opportunity to seek justice for them. Even if I did, I doubt I''d be able to take revenge on a future Kage and a perfect Jinchuriki. The sorrow made me determined to never take another squad of fresh genins as students. Until lord Hokage forced me to train you guys.


    Seeing your talent, I was convinced that as long as you three grew up safely, there won''t be many who could kill you. At worst, you will always be able to abandon the mission and escape."


    He stopped talking for a minute before sighing, "However, I never imagined that my student would die in the vige rather than on the battlefield."


    He ced his hands on Fujin''s and Hoka''s heads and said gently, "Ensure that you two stay safe and alive. Don''t make me attend the funerals of all the students I trained."


    Fujin and Hoka said, "Yes Sensei."


    Renjiro had a sad smile on his face. He left, leaving Fujin and Hoka alone. Both stood in front of Mieko''s grave silently for some time. After a few minutes, Hoka asked, "Do you have any ns, Fujin?"


    Fujin shook his head and said, "No. I just n to focus a lot on training. The next time something like this happens, I hope to have the power to make a difference."


    Hoka heard him. He didn''t understand how Fujin could have made a difference in this matter. But he understood why Fujin wanted to be stronger. He said, "Let''s both train Fujin. I want to hunt down Uchiha Itachi!"


    His words shocked Fujin, who immediately looked at him. Though he was very serious a moment ago, he couldn''t help but think, ''Shit, Renjiro will lose another student!''


    He eliminated that thought from his head and said, "He ughtered his entire n. I went on a mission with Mieko earlier and saw how strong the Jounins in their n were. I doubt we both together could beat one. And yet Itachi, who is only 1 year older than us, killed the entire n!"


    Hoka frowned. He thought and said, "He let the power go into his head. As long as he doesn''t keep getting stronger and we keep training, we will eventually catch up with him. Then we can make a move."


    Once again, Hoka surprised Fujin. This time it was the conviction with which he spoke. Fujin looked into his eyes and stared at him. However, Hoka''s gaze didn''t falter. Fujin smiled and said, "Yeah, eventually we will be stronger."


    He raised his fist and said, "Three years."


    Hoka was confused.


    Fujin continued, "I will gain the Jounin rank officially in three years and challenge sensei to a fight. I know you have never managed to beat me. If you want to hunt Itachi, beat me when we meet after 3 years."


    This time Hoka was surprised by Fujin''s confidence. Hoka smiled and bumped Fujin''s fist. Both left in different directions. Fujin smiled thinking, ''If he stays true to the decision he made today, Hoka will get strong. Very strong. I wonder what an S rank Hyuga would be like. But regardless, chasing after Itachi is suicide.


    Not to mention his own prowess, there will also be Kisame or Juzo with him. And with Zetsu monitoring everything, Obito too could get involved. So it''s best that I don''t let Hoka seek a pointless death. After all, Mieko is already dead and it isn''t really Itachi''s fault. If anyone has to be med, then it would be Obito, the vige elders and the Uchiha n higher-ups.''


    Fujin walked to his home. His little chat with Hoka motivated him to increase his training intensity significantly. He entered the basement and decided, ''My body is sufficiently trained to resist and endure electric shocks. It''s time to train Lightning Transformation jutsu.''


    Fujin clenched his fists. Immediately lightning covered his entire body. The long time that he had spent training his body with the burst jutsu helped him to generate lightning and flow it through his body without making any hand signs.


    Fujin took a step forward. In a blink of an eye, he reached the walls of the basement. He immediately focused chakra on his feet and exerted force on the ground to stop himself from crashing into the wall! When he stopped, the wall was only an inch from his nose!


    He thought, ''Shit. If I wasn''t already used to travelling at high speeds, this would have ended badly. This jutsus speed is good but it doesn''t provide any control. No wonder the scroll said that the only way to move freely with this is to use obstacles like trees or rocks to change direction.


    And though the speed this jutsu provides is high, it isn''t as fast as flickering when ites to travelling and also takes a lot more chakra than it. However, on the plus side, in a battlefield that doesn''t have a lot of space, this jutsu will be quite strong. Especially if the fight is inside a cave or if the battle situation doesn''t allow me to move away long distances using flicker.''


    Having analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of the jutsu, Fujin began training it.


    Six hourster, Fujin was standing with his back to the wall. He observed all the pirs in the basement. In addition to the pirs, there were 6 mannequins in the basement. Lightning began flowing through Fujin''s body. He bent at his knees slightly and disappeared from his spot.


    In the basement, lightning could be seen bouncing between pirs. Fujin suddenly appeared before one of the pirs. His left fist was clenched. Chakra had been concentrated on the fist. Fujin punched the mannequin.


    The force of Fujin''s punch caused the mannequin to explode! Chunks of metal gotunched across the room and crashed into the pirs and the wall. Due to the seals Fujin had inscribed on the pirs and walls, the metal pieces bounced back without damaging them. A smile could be seen on Fujin''s face.


    He analyzed, ''Senju Taijutsu style along with this jutsu is a very powerfulbination. I doubt many would survive this unharmed.''


    However, his smile faded as he concluded, ''Unfortunately, this is the limit of this jutsu. No matter how much I try, I can''t keep this jutsu on continuously. After I attack once, all the lightning flowing in my body disappears. I tried generating more lightning, but even that didn''t work.


    It looks like this is the limitation of Lightning Transformation jutsu. Sigh, I thought I could match Raikage''s speed aspect with this jutsu. Though it''s understandable as it is only a rank D jutsu. So either Hiruzen or whoever tried to copy the Raikage only reached this level of efficiency or they are hiding what they achieved and only put a subpar version in the Academy.''


    Fujin stopped practicing and went to the Meditation room. He sat in meditation to analyze whether he could modify the jutsu to ensure that it stays on for a long time as long as he continues pouring in chakra.


    After an hour, Fujin let out a sigh. He concluded, ''No. The limitation is due to the way the chakra is manipted. If I have to go past it, I''ll have to change the way chakra flows. Unfortunately, I have no experience in this.


    I am not sure if I could do something like this even with Wind jutsus. Even if I start experimenting, I''ll probably need years of experimentation until I get lucky and find the right way. It''s not worth it. I will just have to stick with this until I find a more advanced version or be an expert in Lightning element to create my own jutsus.''


    Fujin decided to rest for the day. The next day, Fujin began training the Electric Skin jutsu. Fujin weaved the hand signs. An electricyer formed along his skin. Fujin observed, ''Hmm, it doesn''t boost me physically like the Lightning Transformation jutsu. But if anyone hits me, then the attacker will get zapped just like in the Burst and Lightning Transformation jutsu. Alright, let''s see how this works.''


    He began making hand signs.


    ''Lightning Release: Lightning Beam jutsu''


    A beam of Lightning was released from Fujin''s hands. It hit a mannequin head-on and destroyed it. Fujin analyzed, ''Looks like the power of my jutsu has increased by almost 50%. I guess the Jashinist Priest that Mieko and I fought used this to increase the power of his Lightning jutsu before he went on a rampage during the final sh.


    If I can use this without any hand signs every time before I use a Lightning jutsu, it could be considered as me permanently boosting the power of my Lightning jutsus. Hmm, yeah, I should do that. While I am training, I''ll use this jutsu every time before using a Lightning jutsu. Over time, I will be able to do this instinctively and without wasting any time.''

 Chapter 203: Telescope Technique Vs Seals

    Fujin was happy with the progress he was making. He decided, ''I should take a few months off and learn all the jutsus that I decided to learn. After all, Ipleted a lot of missions in thest month. Combined with my team disbanding, it shouldn''t raise any eyebrows.''


    Having made a decision, Fujin began making hand signs.


    ''Lightning Release: False Darkness Jutsu''


    He stretched his arms forward. Lightning wasunched from his palms. Fujin aimed it at a mannequin. However, right before the jutsu hit it, Fujin changed its direction. It barely missed the mannequin.


    Fujin analyzed, ''Hmm, this jutsu''s power output is much weaker than Lightning Beam. But, with training, I''ll be able to maneuver this jutsu more freely. So in a usual battle, False Darkness will be much more effective. Lightning Beam, on the other hand, will be more effective when used on a stationary object, an immobilized enemy or when I want to use it to confront an enemy''s jutsu head-on.''


    Fujin continued training False Darkness jutsu until he ran out of chakra. For the next 2 days, he trained the jutsu until he could perform it seamlessly.


    Fujin weaved the same hand signs and performed the jutsu. He aimed the lightning at a mannequin. Right before he hit it, he changed its direction to another mannequin. He repeated it once again and changed its direction to 3rd mannequin and scored a direct hit.


    Fujin smiled while breathing heavily. He concluded, ''Shit, it isn''t easy to train 2 rank B jutsus at the same time! It puts a lot of strain on my chakra reserves. Lightning jutsus use a lot more chakra than Wind jutsus. Still, it looks like this jutsu is down. Though I haven''t reduced the hand signs required, it''s fine. Reducing or even eliminating hand signs will require months of training. I can do that slowly over a few years.


    Anyways, it''s time to practice the next jutsu.''


    Fujin weaved hand signs. Lightning appeared on his body. After a second, the lightning changed its shape. It began taking the shape of needles. However, suddenly they copse. The lightning on his body dispersed as well.


    Fujin frowned, ''This jutsu is tough.''


    He kept trying. On his 14th try, he finally managed to make the Lightning on his body change shape to needles. His body had dozens of Lightning needles pointing away from him. He made another hand sign. Immediately, all the Lightning needles wereunched. They travelled around 5 meters before dispersing into the air.


    Fujin sighed, ''This jutsu is tough. Though I guess the difficulty makes sense. After all, it isn''t simple like just generating andunching Lightning. The scroll said that hundreds or even thousands of small needles can be formed. And they can beunched for around 40 meters around the user. In addition, the user can also control the part of the body on which the needles are formed. This way, the user can avoid hitting allies.''


    Fujin kept training the Electric Needle Spread jutsu.


    Five dayster, Hiruzen was sitting at his desk going through the paperwork. The Uchiha massacre had increased his workload numerous times. He had to check files on every dead Uchiha ninja, ssify them as dead and analyze any impact their death might have. He had been working on it for over a week.


    With a sigh, he closed one file and handed it to his assistant. His assistant handed him the next file. The file was titled, ''Uchiha Mieko''.


    Hiruzen opened and read all her data. He analyzed, ''She didn''t have much contact outside her n. Just her Genin squad. Renjiro should be fine. He is used to dealing with such events.''


    He looked at his assistant and asked, "Takao, have Hoka or Fujin taken any missions after the incident?"


    Takao grabbed some files and began checking.


    Hiruzen looked at Mieko''s file again and wondered, ''Why did Fujin leave Tamotsu''s squad and form one with his teammates and ssmates?''


    Hiruzen said, "Also check on Tamotsu''s file and see what he is doing."


    Takao said, "Yes Hokage-sama."


    While Takao was taking a look at the files, Hiruzen decided, ''I wonder how that greedy kid is doing. Hoka has his parents to look after him. So he should be fine. But Fujin is an orphan. I don''t think he understands how to deal with a loss.''


    Hiruzen looked into the crystal ball on his table and channeled his chakra into it. Soon, a picture appeared on the crystal ball. It was Fujin''s house.


    A peculiar expression appeared on Hiruzen''s face as he thought, ''I heard Takao say that Fujin''s house was too extravagant. I now see why he said so. Even my house isn''t as big as his!''


    He focused on the crystal ball to peer into Fujin''s house. However, Hiruzen was surprised, ''My Telescope jutsu can''t look into his house? Did he hire a SealMaster to inscribe anti-spy seals? No, I have specifically instructed every SealMaster to not inscribe seals that stop my jutsu.


    Only a few with authority like the n leaders or strong ninjas can go around it and get those seals on their houses. So how did Fujin manage to convince a SealMaster to inscribe such this seal on his house?''


    Hiruzen was intrigued. A smile formed on his face. Fujin''s shamelessness and his talent in Wind Nature Maniption had already impressed Hiruzen. So did Fujin''s performance against Kaminari. He didn''t expect Fujin to surprise him once again so soon.


    He concentrated on the crystal ball. Soon, the seals that were inscribed on his house began appearing in the crystal ball. Every seal was glowing lightly in different colors. The walls of Fujin''s house began fading in darkness, only leaving the seals visible in the crystal ball.


    Hiruzen had a smile on his face at the start. However, soon his smile faded away. Half a minuteter, shock could be seen on his face.


    Takao found the information and approached Hiruzen. He said, "Hokage-sama¡­"


    However, he stopped talking when he noticed the shock on Hiruzen''s face. The Uchiha massacre had put him on edge. Seeing Hiruzen shocked worried him. He quickly asked, "Did something happen, Hokage-sama?"


    Hiruzen snapped out of it and shook his head. He said, "No, everything is alright. Report what you found."


    Takao didn''t understand why Hiruzen said no. But it wasn''t his job to enquire about that. He began reporting, "Fujin and Hoka haven''t taken any mission post the incident. They had created a team with Uchiha Mieko and Senju Teru. Senju Teru has returned to his old team. So I believe their team has disbanded.


    I have some additional information regarding Fujin. Apparently, there is a record of him using Training Ground 23 every day when he wasn''t out of the vige on Mission. But for thest 10 days, he hasn''t used the training ground."


    Hiruzen narrowed his eyes on hearing that. He thought, ''I guess losing his team member did hit him hard. Unfortunately, this is a part of being a ninja. It''ll be a shame if he loses his interest in being a ninja due to this.''


    Takao continued, "As for Tamotsu, theirst mission was tougher than the estimated rank B. One of their team members got injured. They seem to have taken a break after that mission."


    Hiruzen said, "Alright. Send a messenger to Tamotsu. Ask him to visit me at the earliest."


    Takoe replied, "I will get it done, Hokage-sama."


    He left the room.


    Hiruzen turned his attention to the crystal ball. He thought, ''Which crazy person inscribed over 2,500 seals on his house? It''s as if every seal in the library under rank A is inscribed on his house! No wonder I couldn''t peer into it. Should I ask Fujin about it?''


    He thought for a bit and concluded, ''No. He may get offended or on guard if he learns that I was trying to spy on him. Worse, he might use me of viting his right to privacy and ask for somepensation from me. I''ll ask Renjiro when he gets back from the mission.''


    Later that day, Fujin was visited by Tamotsu. Fujin was surprised. He stopped his training and greeted him.


    Tamotsu entered his house and said, "Hey, how have you been Fujin?"


    Fujin replied, "I am alright Tamotsu. How is Katsumi?"


    Tamotsu said, "He has recovered well. We are nning to start taking missions again. I came here to see whether you are interested in returning to the team."


    Fujin was surprised. He thought, ''It hasn''t been 3 months since we took a break. Did Hiruzen ask every team that is avable to take missions?''


    He looked at Tamotsu and said, "I would love to but I have been on missions continuously for thest month and a half. So I am nning to take a few months off. I''ll rejoin the team when I am ready."


    Tamotsu watched Fujin carefully as he spoke. He got a bit worried as he recalled his conversation with Hiruzen. Hiruzen was worried that Fujin was depressed and hence wanted Tamotsu to take him along with him on missions to distract him and revive his interest in training.


    Tamotsu said, "Fujin, I am aware that you might be hurt due to losing a teammate. However, the best way to deal with situations like this is by interacting with others. If you stay alone and keep thinking about it, you''ll be more depressed."


    Fujin was confused. He thought, ''What the hell? He is worried about me? If so, why did he take 10 days to visit me? No, I don''t think I ever told him that I formed a team with Mieko and others.''


    Tamotsu continued, "Come with us for this mission. If you still think that you need rest, you can take it after this mission."


    Fujin thought for a bit. But he couldn''t find a reasonable excuse to say no. He agreed. Tamotsu smiled and said, "Good. Come to the mission center tomorrow morning."


    Fujin nodded. Tamotsu took his leave.

 Chapter 204: A Chakra Metal Mine

    Fujin looked at Tamotsu''s back as he analyzed, ''This definitely doesn''t sound like Tamotsu. Someone must have given him the information and asked to make me go on a mission. But who?''


    Fujin thought for a bit and concluded, ''It''s either Renjiro or Hiruzen. Most likely thetter. Oh well. This team doesn''t do missions continuously. I should still have plenty of time to train. And I can always ask for breaks when I need more time to train.


    Anyways, I have to give credit to Hiruzen. From the way Tamotsu spoke, it looks like he thought that I didn''t train. So Hiruzen probably knows that I didn''t visit the training ground recently. He probably thought that I had stopped training. Though I am a bit talented, I doubt he has the time to keep tabs on me considering the amount of work this massacre should have put on him. So it''s safe to assume that he is looking for everyone who is affected and checking on everyone.


    Still, this should be a lesson for me. While the decision to only train Lightning jutsus wasn''t bad, deciding against training in the open raised some suspicion. Had I continued with my morning exercises, Hiruzen might not have paid any attention to me and left me alone. I''ll have to keep this in mind when I take any action in the future.''


    Concluding his thoughts, Fujin returned to the basement. He made hand signs.


    ''Lightning Release: Electric Needle Spread jutsu''


    Lightning appeared on his skin and immediately transformed into small needles. There were around 125 Lightning needles on Fujin''s body. He made another hand sign. The needles were immediatelyunched outwards for 20 meters.


    Fujin nodded, ''This is much better than when I started. Though the number of needles can get higher, I don''t have much use for them. What I need more is to increase the distance to which these needles go. And, I also have to work on generating needles on only one part of my body. Otherwise, the chakra cost of this jutsu will be needlessly high.''


    The next day, Fujin showed up outside the Mission Center. Tamotsu, Katsumi, Ryota, Tadashi and his dog Kenta were already there. Tamotsu went in to ept the mission while others decided to catch up. Most of the conversation was centered around Katsumi recovering from the injuries.


    Tamotsu returned and said, "I epted a mission in the Land of Hot Water. A noble has made some discoveries in the territory under hismand. He wants us to provide protection and help with the inspection. There will likely not be any fighting, but he issued the mission as a precaution. We may have to stay there for a few weeks."


    Tadashi said, "A rxed mission to get us started. Nice pick Tamotsu!"


    Tamotsu nodded as he thought, ''Yeah. If Fujin is distracted, then his life would be at risk if we take a difficult mission.''


    The squad moved out and began rushing towards the Hidden Hot Springs Vige. After a day and a half''s travel, the squad finally reached and entered the vige.


    As they were walking, Fujin couldn''t help but notice the ridiculous number of hot spring baths in the vige.


    Ryota noticed Fujin''s gaze and chuckled. He asked, "First time here? I too was surprised by the high number of hot springs in this vige on my first visit. The vige truly lives up to its name, haha."


    Fujin replied, "I entered this country multiple times, but this is my first visit to this vige. I did expect a high number of hot springs, but this is a bit too much. How do these shops even stay in business if so many exist? Wouldn''t they keep undercutting each others'' prices?"


    Tamotsu answered, "The Daimyo has issued a minimum price for using the hot spring baths. Every bathhouse has to abide by it. This way they don''t go into a loss."


    Fujin muttered, "It''s still too much. After all, if customers don''t visit them, they will still have losses."


    Tamotsu nodded, "Yeah, many bathhouses do shut down. That said, most of the bathhouses are sponsored by rich nobles who want to have the entire bathhouse to themselves when theye here for vacation. This is why you see so many of them."


    Fujin thought for a bit and said, "That makes more sense."


    However, he couldn''t help but think, ''A certain pervert must be visiting this vige all the time.''


    As they were talking, they reached a mansion. Tamotsu interacted with the guard and introduced himself. Soon, the Konoha ninjas were guided inside. They were led to a room where only a middle-aged man was sitting.


    The man saw them and quickly greeted them, "Wee to the Hidden Hot Springs Vige friends from Konoha. Have a seat. I am Matsushita Yusuke. I issued the mission."


    Tamotsu nodded and sat opposite him. Yusuke looked at his servants who brought them here. The servants bowed and left them alone. When the doors were shut, Tamotsu asked, "So, what is our mission? The mission statement wasn''t very clear."


    Yusuke said, "That is because I wanted to keep this mission as secretive as I could."


    Tamotsu became a bit serious on hearing that. The other Konoha ninjas were intrigued as well.


    Yusuke picked a map andid it on the table in front of him. It was a map of the Land of Hot Water. There was a small piece ofnd marked on the map.


    Yusuke said, "This province is under mymand. It is around 150 kilometers to the east of this vige. One of my workers, who were farming, came across something interesting. I hired an expert to check and I think that we have discovered a mine."


    Tamotsu was very alert. This matter seemed very serious. He asked, "What sort of mine is it?"


    Yusuke answered, "We will need to conduct a detailed exploration to be sure. Our preliminary exploration indicated that this mine includes rare and precious metals."


    Tamotsu calmed down. He thought, ''Though precious metal mines can earn a lot of money, they won''t attract too much attention.''


    However, Yusuke said, "And I suspect that the mine might have some chakra metal reserves as well."


    His words shocked everyone in the room. Chakra metal was extremely precious in this world.


    Tamotsu muttered with a grim face, "Why didn''t you issue an S rank mission?"


    Yusuke said, "I am not sure that it is indeed the case. We may have just gotten lucky during the preliminary exploration. So I don''t want to attract a lot of attention. I have talked with our Daimyo. If this mine does have chakra metal reserves, then we will give Konoha the mining rights. We will also give Konoha the first preference while selling it.


    So your mission consists of two parts. Firstly, I want your team to ensure that no bandits interfere with the mining process and that no information is leaked out. We haven''t allowed the information to leak out, so unless we are very unlucky, rogue ninjas won''t interfere with the process. As for the 2nd part, I also want you to contact the Hokage secretly and ask him to send out more squads here as soon as we confirm that the mine has chakra metal reserves."


    Tamotsu analyzed the situation, ''This mission can be very risky. If the details get leaked, then we may invite a lot of trouble. But, if the mission is sessful, the vige will have huge profits. It would help out the vige a lot. Especially after such a disastrous loss, this news can improve our morale.''


    Tamotsu made a decision and said, "Alright, we will take the mission. I''ll send a message to Hokage-sama. But have your exploration team work very rapidly."


    Yusuke nodded, "Yes, I''ll have them work as fast as they can."


    They began discussing the specifics of the mission, the explorers and other factors.


    After the discussion waspleted, Yusuke smiled and said, "You must be tired from a long trip. I''ll arrange dinner for you. You can rest here for the night and go for the mission tomorrow."


    Tamotsu smiled and said, "Thank You."


    They got up and left. After having dinner, the Konoha ninjas gathered in a room. Tamotsu said, "Ryota, write an encoded message to Hokage-sama. I''ll send it to him. Write everything that was discussed with Yusuke."


    Ryota said, "On it."


    He began writing on a scroll. Tamotsu said, "I wanted to take an easier mission to end our break but this one can go bad. Unfortunately, saying no isn''t an option as this can help our vige a lot. We will stay on our guard the entire time while protecting that area. However, if we spot enemy ninjas, be it rogue or of any other vige, in numbers that we can''t take oning towards the mine, we will escape. Is that understood?"


    Everyone nodded. Tamotsu said, "Good. Take a good rest tonight. We will have to be on full alert from tomorrow onwards."


    Everyone went to their beds to get a nap. Tamotsu stayed with Ryota until he was done. He borrowed a messenger Hawk from Yusuke and sent the message to Hiruzen.


    The next morning, the Konoha group set off.

 Chapter 205: A Deadly Trap

    Fujin and his team were running towards Yusuke''s province. Since it was to the east of the Hidden Hot Springs Vige, it was close to the border of the Land of Frost where their squad had done their previous mission. After a couple of hours of running, they reached close to Yusuke''s province.


    Since they were close, Tamotsu began instructing his squad, "Yusuke''s exploration team has already established a base. We will meet up with them and decide on a n to continue. Katsumi, you will set up a perimeter around the entire area with your bugs. I want to know about everyone who enters and leaves the area. It will be tough, but I want you to maintain it all the time."


    Katsumi replied, "Alright. I''ll get it done."


    Tamotsu looked at Tadashi and said, "You and Kenta will keep patrolling the area. Remember every worker''s scent when we reach there. Ifter on you smell any new scents, alert me immediately."


    Tadashi replied with a grin, "Don''t worry, we got it! Right, Kenta?"


    Kenta barked in agreement.


    Tamotsu nodded and said, "Ryota, Fujin and I will stay on standby. If you two find something off, then you will pass on the message to us and tell us what you think will be the appropriate action to take."


    Everyone nodded. Tamotsu was about to say more when all the Konoha ninjas suddenly stopped and jumped backwards. Theynded on a branch and saw dozens of kunais raining down in front of them. All 5 frowned.


    In the next second, 20 silhouettes appeared from behind the trees. The Konoha ninjas were surrounded. As they saw their headbands, everyone''s faces grew grim.


    Fujin muttered, "I couldn''t sense them until now. They are all at Chunin and Jounin levels."


    Tadashi said softly, "They have disguised their scent to smell simr to the trees."


    Fujin said, "At least 30 more ninjas are forming a 2nd perimeter. And a few more are probably still hiding."


    Everyone''s faces grew grim. One of the ninjas who were surrounding them spoke in a teasing tone, "I wonder why Konoha ninjas are rushing so hurriedly towards the Land of Frost."


    Tamotsu said, "We have a mission in this country. Why have you Kumogakure ninjas encircling us?"


    The Kumogakure ninja said, "If your mission is to explore that chakra metal mine, then I have unfortunate news for you. Kumogakure has decided to take control over the mine."


    His words angered everyone except Fujin. Fujin''s mind was busy calcting whether they could avoid a confrontation or at least ensure a safe escape. However, he noticed the other 19 Kumo ninjas getting ready to attack. He could feel bloodlust from some of them. The more he calcted, the more he realized how dire the situation was. In the end, he just had one thought, ''Shit!''


    Tamotsu quickly analyzed the situation. He didn''t want to give up the mission, but sess against such huge numbers was impossible. He said, "Alright. We''ll withdraw."


    However, the Kumo ninjas didn''t move. The guy speaking had an evil smirk on his face as he said, "If we let you go, Konoha will send arger squad to confront us. Unfortunately, you have to DIE!"


    He immediately jumped forward to attack. The other 19 Kumo ninjas also attacked. In addition, a few Kumo ninjas kept hiding in the forest and observed the fight.


    Tamotsu shouted, "Stay together! Protect each other and focus on retreating!"


    He knew that their chances of survival weren''t great. He wanted to use teamwork to break through and run away.


    The Kumo ninjas all attacked Konoha ninjas with shurikens. They hadunched so many shurikens that dodging them all would be impossible.


    Ryota shouted, "Careful, those shurikens are charged with Lightning!"


    The Kumo ninjas smirked on hearing that.


    Despite knowing, the Konoha ninjas wouldn''t be able to dodge due to the high number of shurikens. As long as the shurikens hit them or even their weapons, their body will be paralyzed for a few seconds. Even if they barely managed to avoid the shurikens, their bodies will still feel the electric charge and slow them down momentarily. This would be enough time for Kumo ninjas to win the battle.


    Chakra gathered on Fujin''s palm. He said, "Ignore them, focus on making a breakthrough."


    His team decided to trust him and began moving back in the direction of the Hidden Hot Springs Vige.


    The chakra on Fujin''s hands transformed into the wind. A gentle breeze began flowing through the area. All the shurikens were redirected by the wind and stayed away from them. They passed the Konoha ninjas from a safe distance and instead moved towards the Kumo ninjas.


    The smirk on Kumo ninjas'' faces suddenly disappeared. All took evasive maneuvers. A few grabbed swords and flowed lightning chakra through them and used them to block or deflect the shurikens.


    Taking advantage of the small opening, Tamotsu instructed, "Tadashi, create an opening. Ryota and I will assist you. Katsumi and Fujin, focus on defense."


    Tadashi and Kenta stepped forward.


    ''Man-Beast Ultimate Taijutsu: Fang Over Fang''


    Both began spinning around rapidly and doubled up on one of the Kumo ninjas. Ryota and Tamotsu followed him. Their goal was to stop the ninjas next to the one Tadashi targeted from interfering. As long as Tadashi injured that ninja, the Konoha ninjas could get out of the encirclement. Fujin grabbed a sword in his right hand while thousands of bugs began appearing around Katsumi.


    With Tadashi leading the attack and others aiding him and protecting each other, the Konoha ninjas finally felt some chances of sess.


    However, as Tadashi reached close to that ninja, he suddenly grinned. He made a hand sign while saying, "You couldn''t have chosen a worse opponent to break through."


    ''Lightning Release: Gyroscope jutsu''


    His chakra suddenly spiked and two rings of Lightning appeared around him and began spinning around him at very high speeds. Fujin''s eyes widened as he sensed the immensely destructive power in those Lightning rings, ''His chakra suddenly increased a lot! He had suppressed his Chakra earlier to pretend to be a Chunin. But, he is a full-fledged Jounin!''


    Unfortunately, he didn''t have any time to warn. Tadashi and Kenta directly hit the Lightning Rings. The jutsu was so powerful that their attack was immediately stopped. Both screamed in pain as their bodies were zapped by Lightning!


    Ryota and Tamotsu were shocked. They began moving towards Tadashi. However, they were blocked by the Kumo ninjas they were trying to block earlier. Two Kumo ninjas attacked each of them and stalled them sessfully.


    Fujin and Katsumi wanted to help, however, they were helpless. Four Kumo ninjas weaved hand signs at the same time Tadashi and Kenta were hit by the Lightning rings.


    ''Lightning Release: False Darkness jutsu''


    Four lightning spears were headed at them from the back. Fujin immediately shot Air Bullets at 3 of the iing attacks. The Air bullets pierced through the lightning spears and dispersed the jutsu. Katsumi controlled his bugs to stop thest attack. The Lightning directly hit those bugs. Hundreds of bugs died, but they managed to stop the jutsu.


    However, despite stopping the jutsus, their situation grew grimmer. While Tadashi and Kenta were being zapped and others were stalled, two Kumo ninjas flickered next to Tadashi and Kenta.


    Fujin and Katsumi turned around to continue their escape. However, they were shocked. One Kumo ninja stabbed his sword through Kenta''s neck in front of them. Tadashi watched in horror as Kenta whimpered and howled in pain and copsed on the sword. After a moment of disbelief, his eyes turned red in rage. He looked at the Kumo ninja in front of him and shouted, "Motherfucker! I will kill you all!"


    His body was still being zapped. However, he gritted his teeth and moved despite the pain. He formed a w with his right hand. His nails grew long and became very sharp. His hand transformed and looked very muscr and savage. He attacked the ninja who had formed the Lightning rings that trapped him and Kenta with his w aiming to crush his skull!


    Unfortunately, he was highly outmatched and his body was still slow due to the shocks he had to endure. The Kumo ninja moved to the side and dodged his attack with ease. He grabbed his sword and pierced Tadashi''s heart in one smooth motion. Tadashi''s eyes were wide open. He couldn''t believe how easily he and his partner were killed.


    The Konoha ninjas wanted to help. However, they were all tied down. They didn''t have any opportunity to save Tadashi. They could only watch helplessly as a teammate died in front of them.

 Chapter 206: Counterattack

    Fujin hadn''t been with this group for long. Even though he didn''t like to lose a teammate here, his focus was still on escaping. His mind was rapidly calcting ways to escape from his horrible situation. However, the other 3 had been with Tadashi for years. Their eyes grew red in rage!


    Tamotsu yelled while weaving hand signs, "Since you want to kill us, I''ll take as many of you with me as I can!"


    ''Fire Release: Burning Ash''


    He spewed a stream of chakra-infused ash from his mouth. It spread in all directions but had a small space at the center where the four Konoha ninjas stood.


    The Kumo ninjas tried approaching but moved away immediately on seeing the mmable ash spreading in the area. A fewunched Lightning and Water jutsus into it. However, in the next second, Tamotsu lit a fire in the ash and the entire smokescreen blew up!


    The explosion cancelled out every jutsu aimed at them. Two Kumo ninjas were just outside the range of the explosion. They were hit with stones and sticks, causing some injuries.


    The Kumo ninjas were preparing for another round of attack when suddenly, the fire caused by the explosion increased threefold in size and intensity and began spreading out at a rapid speed! Fujin had released an Infinite Breakthrough jutsu in all directions causing the Fire to spread rapidly.


    The Kumo ninjas weren''t expecting that. All 20 ninjas were too close to perform any jutsu or run away. They were hit by the fire. The ones who were hiding in the forest quickly retreated or used defensive jutsus.


    Kumogakure advisor Hari, who was hidden in the forest, muttered, "They have a strong Wind user. Be careful of him."


    The three who were with him nodded. They didn''t expect the Konoha ninjas to hit back so fiercely.


    At the center, where there was no fire, Tamotsu said, "We will use the chaos caused by this Fire to escape."


    Ryota opposed, "But Tadashi¡­"


    Tamotsu cut him off, "Tadashi wouldn''t want us to follow him so soon. We will live and take our revenge another day. Hokage-sama will surely create a unit to take back the mine."


    Ryota unwillingly nodded.


    Fujin said, "It won''t be easy. There are at least 30 more ninjas out there. And I can feel that a few more are hiding in my chakra field."


    Tamotsu said, "We will give them another Fire-Windbination jutsu. Hopefully, that will deter them."


    Fujin nodded. He thought, ''I hope that will work. Unfortunately, I have a bad feeling about this. Some of the chakras I sensed are much stronger than any of us.''


    Screams of pain could be heard as the fire burned their flesh. 8 Kumo ninjas couldn''t endure and copsed. They would soon be cooked inside out and meet their death. The other 12 quickly escaped from the fire and began dousing the fire burning them. Though they survived and weren''t fatally injured, they wouldn''t be able to fight properly anymore. They were in terrible pain from having their flesh burnt. Many of their delicate organs like eyes and ears were damaged as well.


    The other Kumo ninjas were disturbed by seeing this sight. The situation changed too abruptly. One second they had aplete advantage, while in the next second their whole 20-man unit was defeated!


    Finding the exact moment, Tamotsu said, "Now!"


    All four flickered instantly. They were nning to use this chaos to escape. Once they managed to get out of the encirclement, the Kumo ninjas wouldn''t want to chase them through thends of another country.


    Unfortunately, Kumo had plenty of sensors among their numbers. As soon as the Konoha ninjas left, one sensor shouted, "They areing here!"


    The sensors among other groups sensed them as well and began moving towards them. Though there were 30 ninjas in the 2nd perimeter, they were spread in all directions to ensure that the Konoha ninjas couldn''t escape. The ce where the Konoha ninjas were headed only had 6 Kumo ninjas.


    The leader of that 6 ninja squad noticed them approaching. He calcted, ''We only have to stall them for a few seconds. Then others will catch up and they will be in a helpless situation once again.''


    The Konoha ninjas also knew about it. Tamotsu weaved hand signs rapidly. Fujin noticed his hand signs and timed his jutsu perfectly.


    ''Fire Release: Fire Wave jutsu''


    ''Wind Release: Infinite Breakthrough jutsu''


    The jutsusbined. Extremely hot air moved rapidly towards the Kumo ninjas.


    Two ninjas stepped forward while waving hand signs.


    ''Water Release: Water Wall jutsu''


    ''Earth Release: Earth Wall jutsu''


    Two walls appeared in front of them. The Fire-Windbination jutsu easily broke through the water wall. Evaporated water formed a smokescreen in the area. However, the Earth Wall stood firm. The jutsu hit it and began moving around the Earth Wall. Though the Kumo ninjas were barely safe behind it, they were trapped as the forest around them was burning.


    The Konoha ninjas didn''t mind the result. They avoided the fire and escaped in a different direction. Unfortunately, the Kumo ninjas didn''t allow them to escape so easily.


    Four ropes made of Lightning suddenly appeared through the fire they had caused. They moved at a rapid speed and didn''t allow Konoha ninjas to use any jutsus. They had to split up to dodge. Unfortunately, the Lightning ropes also changed directions to chase them.


    Fujin noticed the ropeing towards him. Chakra flowed through his sword as he shed at it. The Wind element chakra flowing along his sword easily neutralized the jutsu. However, he quickly turned around and looked behind. Two jets of water were heading at him.


    Katsumi once again sacrificed some of his bugs once again to stop the lightning whip.


    Ryota mmed his hands on the ground. A small rock shield appeared in front of him. The Lightning rope hit the shield. However, instead of piercing through or damaging the shield, the lightning was directed into the ground.


    Lastly, Tamotsu just kept hiding behind trees until the lightning rope ran out of power.


    The group wanted to run away once again. Unfortunately, the remaining Kumo ninjas had begun to catch up.


    Ryota was about to move towards Tamotsu. However, two hands appeared from the ground and grabbed his legs. He looked down as the Kumo ninja said, "Got you!"


    He began dragging Ryota underground. Ryota quickly made a hand sign and touched the ground. The ground suddenly became harder, trapping the Kumo ninja underground. Soon, spears began forming underground. A few pierced into his body. The Kumo ninja was horrified!


    At that instant, a lightning spear flew towards Ryota. Ryota''s attention was drawn towards it. However, it was toote for him to move. Fortunately, a shield of bugs appeared in front of him to block the Lightning spear.


    However, the lightning spear changed direction and hit the ground. Ryota''s earth jutsu was dispelled and the ground softened. The Kumo ninja, who was under the ground, quickly escaped.


    Katsumi and Ryota looked at the attacker, who was a woman. She was tall, fair-skinned with a curvaceous figure and had a stoic, aloof expression on her face. She has blue eyes and straight, shoulder-length blonde hair cut in an asymmetrical bob style.


    At the same time, Fujin and Tamotsu were attacked as well. Right after Tamotsu neutralized the Lightning Whip, he heard a voice behind him, "You are very good."


    Tamotsu quickly turned around. However, an intense light was emitted at him blinding his eyes. Tamotsu closed his eyes and grabbed a kunai. However, instead of fighting, he flickered away.


    Unfortunately, his opponent was faster than him. C flickered as well andunched Lightning at Tamotsu. Due to having his eyes blinded, Tamotsu couldn''t observe the jutsu properly. The lightning hit his body causing him immense pain. He barely managed to open his eyes to see another attack heading towards him. At thest moment, he snapped out of the lightning shocks and dodged C''s attack.


    He wanted to counterattack, however, 5 more Kumo ninjas appeared and surrounded him. He fell into a desperate struggle!


    Fujin too was attacked at the same time. When he dodged the lightning whip, he was the closest to the fire they had set up. Two jets of water were heading straight at him. Fujin created and fired two vacuum bullets. Both hit the water jets and pierced through them.


    Fujin sensed, ''They are trying to break out of the fire and join the fight.''


    He opened his mouth and exhaled strong winds at the fire in front of him. The fire was instantly magnified and became chaotic! The Kumo ninjas who were nning to break through were scared by the sight. Immediately an Earth dome formed around them to protect them from the firestorm.


    Fujin was nning to take this opportunity to run away. Unfortunately, another attack was headed towards him. He turned his head to the right. His eyes widened as he saw a python made of ck lightning heading towards him. He immediately flickered while cursing, ''Motherfucking Darui!''

 Chapter 207: Fighting with his Full Power!

    Right when Fujin flickered, the ck lightning python also changed direction and chased after Fujin. Unfortunately, it was much faster than Fujin. Fujin thought, ''Running would be pointless.''


    He concentrated chakra into his left palm and quickly charged it with Wind chakra. He stopped moving and raised his left palm. The ck lightning python quickly reached him and hit his palm. Fujin was pushed behind along the ground but the chakra on his hand stopped most of the jutsu. However, some lightning still hit his palm and electrocuted him. Fortunately, Fujin had already trained in the Lightning element. He could endure those shocks without affecting his ability to fight.


    Darui was surprised by Fujin''s action. He thought, ''This kid is impressive. We didn''t n on participating in this fight. Unfortunately, they killed 8 and injured 12 more ninjas. Boss will be very pissed at us if we let any more die.''


    After a few seconds, the lightning python ran out of chakra and lightning and copsed. Fujin clenched his fist to crush the lighting python in his palm.


    At that instant, two more Kumo ninjas arrived around Fujin. Fujin could sense a dozen more getting close. One of the two ninjas appeared in front of Fujin. He swung his sword vertically, wanting to hack Fujin into two. The other ninja appeared behind Fujin, on his right side and attacked Fujin with a sword as well.


    Fujin immediately punched the sword in front of him with his left fist. The chakra he had concentrated in his palm to block the Lightning Python still existed. And due to being zapped, his fist was charged with Darui''s ck lightning!


    At the same time, he swung the sword in his right hand to sh with the enemy''s sword. Both Kumo ninjas timed their attacks perfectly. They shed with Fujin at the same time.


    Fujin''s left fist hit the sword''s edge. The Kumo ninja grinned expecting Fujin''s fist to be split open. However, his eyes widened as he heard a cracking noise. His steel sword had cracked! In front of his eyes, he saw his sword being broken into pieces.


    Fujin''s fist continued moving forward and punched the ninja in his stomach. The ninja''s eyes popped out as he felt the full impact of a chakra and lightning-enhanced punch. The punch wrecked his internal organs and sent him flying. He spat out a lot of blood as he flew backwards and lost consciousness.


    At the same time when Fujin''s fist met the sword, his sword shed with the enemy''s sword behind him. Fujin''s sword cut through the enemy''s sword like a hot knife cuts through butter.


    At the same time that Fujin punched the enemy in front of him, his sword cut the enemy behind him in two!


    A frown formed on Darui''s face as he saw another one of his subordinates die. He was waving hand signs when Fujin countered his opponents.


    ''Lightning Release: ck Panther''


    He released ck lightning in the form of a Panther which reached Fujin almost instantly. Fujin had sensed Darui building up his chakra. He saw the ck panther rush towards him. Having experienced the ck python, Fujin didn''t bother dodging. Instead, he gathered chakra in his mouth and throat.


    Right when the ck panther was only a few meters away from him, Fujin opened his mouth andunched his strongest jutsu.


    ''Wind Release: Vacuum Cannon jutsu''


    The Vacuum Cannon hit the ck panther head-on. Darui''s eyes widened as he saw his jutsu being pierced through with utmost ease! The ck panther began dissipating. Though some of it still continued towards Fujin, he dodged easily.


    Darui immediately moved out of the way while observing the jutsu. The Vacuum Cannon reached his position and continued forward destroying every tree in its path!


    Darui instantly recognized, ''Wind Vacuum Technique! Someone other than Danzo learnt this technique in Konoha? And it''s a strong jutsu as well. No wonder my jutsu was overpowered so easily.''


    Six ninjas were running towards Fujin and nning to attack him together. However, they saw the trail of destruction Fujin''s jutsu left in its path and were left tongue-tied by it! They immediately stopped approaching Fujin and looked at Darui for instructions. They didn''t want to be at the receiving end of such a jutsu.


    Darui became very serious. He said, "Leave him to me."


    He grabbed his giant sword and moved towards Fujin. Fujin moved as well such that Darui and the other Kumo ninjas were in a straight line.


    ''Wind Release: Air Bullet jutsu''


    He fired a dozen air bullets at Darui. Darui dodged them with ease and attacked Fujin with his sword. Lightning could be seen flowing along his sword. Fujin attacked back with his sword. The metal swords produce a loud sound.


    At the same time, the Kumo ninjas who were behind Darui were caught off guard. They saw a dozen air bullets heading their way and scurried out of the way! However, some were still hit. Many of them had small cuts due to the bullets. The unluckiest one had a hole in his right arm.


    Fujin and Darui both flowed chakra through their swords. However, Fujin was surprised. He expected to have an advantage due to the Wind element. However, Darui had poured a lot more chakra into his sword aspared to Fujin. So his sword stayed intact. He applied force.


    Though Fujin''s physique was very good, Darui was much stronger than him. He was pushed back. His face became grim on realizing how outmatched he was.


    In an instant, a vacuum bullet formed in his mouth and wasunched at Darui. Darui noticed it and immediately got out of the way and attacked Fujin once again with his sword.


    Fujin defended himself but was getting overpowered. He frowned, ''His chakra and strength are both stronger than mine. I can''t engage him in head-onbat. I have to resort to short shes and hope that one of my bullets injure him.''


    Fujin used the force of Darui''s sword to move away from him. Darui attacked even more aggressively. However, instead of countering him with his strength, Fujin began parrying his attacks and using air and vacuum bullets to attack Darui. Darui dodged them all, but Fujin had two goals with his attacks. He would not only aim the bullets at Darui but would also send a few towards the Kumo ninjas watching the fight.


    One of the Kumo ninjas began cursing, "Damn kid! He is aiming to injure us all!''


    Another said, "We should move away. He is trying to distract Darui. We will be sinners if Darui gets wounded because of us. We will disperse in different directions and surround him from a distance so that he won''t be able to escape."


    Everyone nodded and dispersed.


    Darui rxed when he saw his allies leave. He looked at Fujin and analyzed while fighting, ''This kid is good. Though he is weaker than me, a single mistake could cost me my life.''


    Darui continued attacking with his sword, but he also began using Lightning jutsu. Fujin dodged or countered his jutsus with Wind jutsus and both entered into a fierce fight. The other Kumo ninjas kept an eye on the battle from a distance.


    While Fujin was engaged in a fierce sh, Ryota and Katsumi were dominated by Samui. Even together, they weren''t a match for her. To make matters worse, other Kumo ninjas joined the fight. Ryota and Katsumi''s faces became grim.


    Katsumi struggled to make a decision as he fought. In a minute, both he and Ryota had numerous injuries on their bodies. He sighed and said, "Ryota, escape."


    Ryota was stunned, "What do you mean?"


    Katsumi said, "Your Earth jutsus aren''t of much help. I''ll buy time by stalling them with my bugs and join youter."


    Ryota knew that there was no way for Katsumi to return alive.


    He wanted to argue, however, the Kumo ninjas pressed on the attack once more. Tens of thousands of bugs appeared from Katsumi''s body. He shouted, "Leave!"


    The bugs immediately went on the attack. Ryota unwillingly decided to make a run. Knowing what fate awaited Katsumi, he didn''t dare to look back. Unfortunately, while he was running, he was suddenly attacked by shurikens. He dodged immediately. Two Kumo ninjas appeared and attacked him.


    Ryota moved back and mmed his hands on the ground. A bunch of spears appeared from the ground and attacked the Kumo ninjas. However, the two ninjas used Lightning jutsus to counter his move. The three entered into a fierce fight with Ryota trying his best to escape.


    Samui looked at the bugs and said, "They may be poisonous. Don''t let them bite you. Hit him with Fire and Lightning jutsus."


    The Kumo ninjas around her nodded and attacked from a distance. Katsumi tried his best. He used all sorts of bugs. Some were resistant to Lightning, some were incredibly poisonous. He defended himself with defensive bugs while trying to use the poisonous bugs to bite the Kumo ninjas.


    However, the Kumo ninjas didn''t let a single bug bite them. They bombarded Katsumi with Lightning and Fire jutsus along with explosive tags. Katsumi''s bugs began dying by the thousands.


    In a couple of minutes, most of his bugs died. Katsumi watched with a grim and sad face. Like Kenta was a partner for Tadashi, his bugs were a partner for him. He sighed, ''I tried a lot to escape. Unfortunately, there is no way out. I ampletely surrounded. It looks like I''ll be joining you soon Tadashi.''


    A few secondster, a sh of Lightning appeared in Katsumi''s eyes. Samui appeared in front of him and cut his head off with one swing of her de. Katsumi became the second Konoha ninja to die here!


    However, despite his death, his bugs still kept attacking. Samui instructed, "Deal with the bugs. I''ll help the others."


    She left and moved towards Ryota. Ryota was still fighting the two Kumo ninjas. He had managed to escape a couple of times, but they caught up to him again.


    During the fight, one of the Kumo ninjasnded a kick on Ryota''s abdomen and sent him rolling. Ryota immediately got on his feet, however, he felt someone was behind him. He quickly turned around and was shocked to see Samui.


    His throat dried up. His hands began shaking. He asked in a trembling voice, "Where is Katsumi?"


    Samui replied in just one word, "Dead."


    Ryota''s mind was in disbelief and rage. However, before he could do anything he felt pain in his abdomen. He looked down to see a sword piercing out of his abdomen. One of the two ninjas he was fighting took the opportunity of his distraction and stabbed his sword into his back. Ryota heard a sadisticugh as the ninja said, "Don''t worry. All your friends and family will join you soon."


    Suddenly, rage appeared on Ryota''s face. He didn''t speak a single word and just made the confrontation hand sign. Samui''s eyes widened. She jumped back immediately while shouting, "Move away from him!"

 Chapter 208: Crazy Suicide Bombers!

    The Kumo ninjas were confused. In the next moment, Ryota''s body exploded! The ninja who had stabbed his back didn''t have any time to move. His body took the entire brunt of the explosion. The other Kumo ninja was a bit far away. He moved a bit but he too was caught in the explosion.


    When the dust settled, Samui saw a very gore picture. Ryota''s body was blown into pieces. The ninja that stabbed him had no flesh on the front side of his body. His face, chest, abdomen and other parts werepletely exposed. He fell down dead. Thest Kumo ninja was crying in pain. His body was on fire.


    Samui immediately doused the fire and began helping him. At the same time, she was shocked at how decisive Ryota was.


    Ryota knew that despite Katsumi buying him some time, escape would be very difficult. He recalled Fujin saying that there were more than 30 ninjas still encircling them. And all of them were at least as strong as Ryota himself was.


    So in the time between him leaving Katsumi behind and the 2 Kumo ninjas attacking him, Ryota had stuck 20 Explosive tags on various parts of his body and on the inside part of his clothes. When he saw Samui, he knew that his death was inevitable. So he decided to die in a way that would hurt his killers the most.


    If he knew that hisst move killed a chunin from Kumo and ended the career of another Kumo chunin, he''d probably smile.


    As Samui applied some first aid to the injured ninja, her face was very grim. She thought, ''We had nned to kill the Konoha squad while taking no casualties. At most, we concluded that some might take a few minor injuries. However, 8 of our ninjas died in the initial counterattack while 12 got injured. Now 1 more is dead and another is critically injured. I hope that the remaining two Konoha ninjas don''t manage to kill anyone.''


    Soon, another Kumo ninja arrived on the spot. He was shocked to see the gore. Before he could say anything, Samui instructed, "Apply first aid to him. I''ll send a medical ninja over here to help you."


    The ninja nodded and got to work. Samui left to ensure that the remaining two Konoha ninjas don''t mess up anything.


    Fujin and Darui were still in a fierce fight. Darui was much stronger than Fujin, however, Fujin had managed to fight back without getting injured. In fact, he had made more killer attacks during their fight than Darui. As he fought while multitasking, a smile appeared on his face.


    Fujin had never been a fan of taking risks. He always chose the easy way out and won his battles efficiently. So he had never experienced such a battle. A battle where one wrong move would end his life. Where one misstep could maim him.


    Between the 2nd and the 3rd phases of the Chunin exam, Renjiro tried to simte such an experience for Fujin. However, Fujin always knew that his life wasn''t in danger against Renjiro. So he viewed it more as a pain in the ass rather than experiencing any thrill.


    However, in this deadly fight, all his senses worked beyond what Fujin had ever experienced. Every single move he made was wless. The battle made his blood boil in excitement. His movements kept improving as the fight moved on. Fujin felt that he was getting faster and faster. However, it was just his body moving more efficiently. Fujin was surprised, ''I expected to hate the situation I am in. I never expected that I would instead find it enjoyable.''


    Darui was surprised when he saw the smile on Fujin''s face. He had seen such a smile very few times in his life. He sighed in his mind, ''Another battle freak! Great!''


    The smile reminded Darui of a few people who he had seen in his life who loved to fight without caring about anything else. Instead of fear, they would fight like a maniac. One of those few people was the current leader of Kumogakure.


    Despite being weaker in strength, Fujin managed to hold on against Darui without getting a single injury. However, though he had a smile on his face, he didn''t lose himself in the battle. He analyzed, ''My chakra reserves are almost empty. I only have a little more than a quarter. I won''tst much longer in such an intense battle!''


    Unfortunately, despite performing well, Fujin never found any opportunity to escape from Darui. Fujin''s chakra field was active as he analyzed, ''I need to find a way to get rid of the ninjas watching the fight. If I try to escape, they will attack and I''ll be pincered between Darui and whoever attacks. It''ll only result in me dying faster.''


    Just like Fujin, Tamotsu was also engaged in fierce fighting. He waspletely outmatched by his enemies as well. However, while Fujin managed to ensure that he didn''t get injured and kept the other Kumo ninjas at bay, Tamotsu was ganged up on by 7 Kumogakure ninjas in addition to C.


    Injuries piled on his body. He had lost his left eye. His right arm waspletely burnt from intense lightning shocks. Over a hundred small cuts were visible on his body. He was pretty much on hisst legs.


    Tamotsu looked at the Kumo ninjas and realized, ''This is the end for me¡­ But, if I am going to die, I''ll take at least a few of them with me!''


    He began making hand signs. However, at the next moment, a kicknded on his abdomen. He was sent flying away. He flipped in the air and managed tond on his feet. The kick disrupted his hand signs. However, hended a few meters away from every Kumo ninja. Realizing the opportunity, he immediately flickered away!


    The Kumo ninjas followed him in a hurry. And a chase began. Unfortunately for Tamotsu, he was very exhausted and injured. His speed was much lesser aspared to Kumo ninjas.


    C took out a giant Shuriken and threw it at Tamotsu. Due to his tiredness, Tamotsu didn''t notice it. He stepped on a branch and jumped aiming to get away. Just when he jumped, the shuriken hit his left thigh and cut clean through it.


    Tamotsu felt the pain and looked down at his left leg in horror. He lost his footing and crashed down. As he fell down, he saw Fujin and Darui fighting in front of his eyes. Both Fujin and Darui also saw him and were surprised. They stopped fighting for a moment. Fujin immediately flickered and appeared next to Tamotsu. Unfortunately, he had already lost consciousness!


    Soon, C and the Kumo ninjas with him also arrived. Samui as well appeared next to Darui at this moment. The Kumo ninjas were surprised to see that Fujin was unharmed. Fujin''s expression became grim. His already bad situation had taken a turn for the worse.


    He thought, ''Shit! Darui was already out of my league. And I am sure that C and Samui are both stronger than me. Not to mention the 15 others that are along with these 3. Now, what the fuck should I do?''


    Fujin''s brain calcted all possible options at the speed of light. Fortunately for him, Kumo ninjas didn''t attack him right away.


    C asked Darui, "How is he still alive?"


    Darui shrugged and said, "The kid is strong. I couldn''t injure him."


    The Kumo ninjas who just arrived were surprised. Darui was very reputed in the Land of Lightning. The fact that a kid much younger than him couldst so long was shocking.


    C observed Fujin who was crouching down next to Tamotsu while observing all the Kumo ninjas. C shook his head and said, "The kid has almost exhausted his chakra. Let''s fini¡­"


    However, Darui interrupted by asking, "What is your name?"


    Fujin looked at him but didn''t answer. Darui didn''t mind that and continued, "You have exhausted most of your chakra. Though you are still unharmed, if you fight, your death is the only possibility. Surrender now. In the future, your Hokage could make a deal with the Raikage to get you back."


    Fujin didn''t reply. He thought, ''Though his words are honest, bing a prisoner would be the stupidest move. I''ll have no control if Kumogakure decides to torture, maim or kill me. Not to mention, hoping for Hiruzen to rescue me would be beyond stupid. That old fox might show that he is a very emotional person, but there areyers of deception hidden under his thick skin!''


    Seeing that Fujin didn''t respond, C said, "Since you don''t want to surrender, you''ll have to..."


    However, as he spoke, Fujin''s frown disappeared. Instead, a smirk appeared on Fujin''s face. Soon, that smirk turned into a wide grin. The Kumogakure ninjas were surprised. One of them asked, "Did he lose his mind?"


    For the first time, Fujin spoke, "You know, I was always very afraid of risking my life. I always decided to take the easier way out and do my job efficiently. However, fighting you has made me experience a thrill that I never imagined!


    Darui, though you may not have heard of me, I have heard of you. Doesn''t the Raikage think of you as his second right hand?"


    Fujin''s grin grew wider. It grew so wide that it looked as though his face might split into two. His grin creeped out some of the Kumo ninjas surrounding him.


    Fujin continued, "Though I will die, taking down 18 Kumogakure ninjas including the Raikage''s right hand with me would make me a hero in Konoha. Hahahahaha!"


    Samui''s eyes widened on hearing that. She had already seen a crazy Konoha ninja. However, before she could act, the seals on Fujin''s bracers lit. In the blink of an eye, 400 explosive tags appeared around Fujin and formed a sphere around him. Theypletely blocked Fujin from the line of sight of the Kumogakure ninjas. However, they could still hear Fujin''sughter!


    The Kumogakure ninjas immediately became grim. They decided to move away. However, even before they could move, a breeze flew from inside the sphere made of Explosive tags. The winds made the explosive paper tags spread throughout the area. Kumo ninjas were horrified to see hundreds of Explosive tags heading towards them!

 Chapter 209: Schemes & Hidden Dangers

    The Kumo ninjas were horrified at the sight of hundreds of Explosive tagsing at them. Many Kumo ninjas began running away. A few escaped underground.


    Darui, C, Samui and another Jounin had grim faces. They immediately made hand signs and cast a Lightning in front of them. A few Explosive tags hit the Lightning and were disabled. However, soon the explosive tags began exploding just before touching the lightning. The lightning was damaged by the explosion. The Kumo jounins increased the amount of chakra they poured into the Lightning to repair it and make it hold on.


    However, the number of Explosive tags was too high. The Lightning was soon ripped apart. The Kumo ninjas immediately escaped into the ground. As soon as they did, the explosions covered the entire ce!


    A loud sound could be heard for miles around the spot where the explosion urred. Trees, branches and stones were sent flying by the explosion. A smokescreen of dust, soil and smoke spread for hundreds of meters. A massive Fire lit up and spread through the forest at a rapid speed. The smoke raised due to the forest fire could be seen from all the nearby viges.


    After a couple of minutes of the explosion, a head popped out of the ground. It was Darui. Soon, C, Samui and the other Jounin appeared out of the ground. All their faces had been covered in dust. Soon, 8 more Kumo ninjas also crawled out of the ground or ran back towards where Darui was.


    C couldn''t help but mutter, "What a crazy guy. Who carries so many explosive tags with them?"


    The other Kumo ninjas were cursing Fujin too.


    Darui looked at C and said, "Sense the position of others."


    C nodded and began sensing. He led the other Kumo ninjas to where the missing Kumo ninjas were and began treating them one by one.


    Meanwhile, Darui and Samui began checking what happened to Fujin. Samui said, "I should have warned you. Another one of them killed himself the same way."


    Darui said, "It''s not your fault. There was barely any time. Besides, considering the number of Explosive tags he had, we can say that he always nned to die in this way."


    They arrived at the spot where Fujin and Tamotsu were before the explosion went off. They didn''t find anything interesting at first. However, soon a shock appeared on their face.


    Samui said, "There is nothing here."


    Darui nodded, "Yeah, even though the explosions were powerful, at least their blood and bones should have remained here."


    Samui said, "This means that he escaped. No, they escaped!"


    Anger formed on Samui''s face. Kumo had taken a lot of casualties in this confrontation. Byparison, Konoha only lost 3 ninjas.


    Soon, a man arrived at their location along with 7 ninjas. He was Hari. He had watched the fight between Fujin and Darui but had to escape in a hurry when he saw the explosive tags. Hari asked, "Who was that lunatic brat?"


    Darui replied, "He never told his name."


    Hari asked, "Is he dead?"


    Darui said, "Most likely not. He was standing here before the explosives went off but there are no signs of blood or remains. He probably escaped just before the explosions went off."


    Hari frowned. He analyzed for a minute before saying, "When we saw those Explosive tags, it attracted all our attention. He must have flickered right before the tags exploded. And he carried the other Konoha ninja with him."


    Samui said, "We need to hunt him. I''ll form a squad and go after him."


    However, Hari shook his head and said, "No, it''s already been around 5 minutes since the explosive tags exploded. He should have escaped a long distance."


    Samui countered, "His chakra was depleted and he is carrying an injured ninja with him."


    Hari replied, "It''s fine. Though I didn''t expect us to have such a heavy loss, the goal of this mission is to see what action Konoha takes after knowing that we took a mine that should have been under their control. I nned to leak the informationter, but this is fine too. That youngster will report what happened here to the Hokage and do that task for me. For now, assist C in saving and healing all the injured ninjas."


    Darui and Samui nodded and began helping C. After a few hours, they healed all the injured ninjas and tallied their losses. In all, 14 ninjas died during the fighting, 3 were critically injured and wouldn''t be able to continue being a ninja and 13 were lightly injured. All the dead and critically injured ninjas were of the Chunin rank.


    Hari sighed on knowing the losses as he realized, ''My n was to cause losses to Konoha and see their reaction to it. However, on the first step of my n, we faced a setback. Now there will be voices of opposition in Kumogakure on starting a war with Konoha.


    After all, just a small sh caused us so many losses. Everyone will be worried about how many losses we will suffer when we face the full might of Konoha. Still, Lord Raikage should be able to push forward for war if he wishes to.''


    Far away from the Kumo ninjas who were healing their wounds, Fujin was running across the Land of Hot Springs. In his hand, he was holding Tamotsu. The wound on his left thigh was cauterized and bandaged while the other wounds were just bandaged so that blood won''t fall from his wounds.


    A few hours ago -


    When Fujin was surrounded by 400 Explosive tags, he exhaled a gentle wind that guided all the explosive tags towards the Kumo ninjas. At the same time, he created a Wind clone to control the explosive tags and grabbed Tamotsu by the back of his neck and used Wind Instantaneous Body jutsu to flicker a long distance away. He repeated the jutsu a few times to end up miles away from the spot of the explosion.


    He turned around to see the massive smoke rising into the skies from that spot as he thought, ''I have one spiked shield and one normal shield in my forearm bracers. In addition, I have put both my swords in there as well. But I couldn''te up with any good ideas on what to store in the remaining 4 seals. Luckily I filled them up with Explosive tags just in case I needed them.


    I still have 200 more tags. If they chase after me, I''ll use them to scare those Kumo ninjas off. But first...''


    He took out a bottle and put a few soldier pills in his mouth. He made a hand sign and a shadow clone appeared next to him. He picked up Tamotsu and all 3 began escaping again. As they were running, the shadow clone burned the wound on his left leg so that the bleeding would stop. He also applied some bandages to his smaller wounds.


    Fujin ran, flickered, and used Wind and Earth Instantaneous Body jutsus for over an hour before taking a break. He was very exhausted. His clone bandaged Tamotsu properly and dispelled itself.


    Fujin looked at the unconscious Tamotsu as he thought, ''I had initially thought of escaping by myself. Carrying him is a big burden. But, thest time Kumo did a foul y, Hiruzen sacrificed Hizashi to avoid a war. If Kumo cried foul again and Hiruzen decided topromise once more, I would have been the one to be sacrificed if I returned alone.''


    A frown appeared on Fujin''s face. During the escape, this thought troubled him a lot. He analyzed, ''The thought of going rogue has appeared in my mind several times in thest hour. But, though I am strong, without Konoha''s resources and library, my future path will be highly restricted if I go rogue.


    Not to mention, I might be hunted by both Konoha and Kumo. And if by chance I survive and get stronger, Akatsuki might show up asking me to join them. Sigh, what a mess.''


    His eyes wandered towards Tamotsu, ''He has lost his left leg. So his career as a ninja is pretty much over. If Hiruzen decides to sacrifice someone, sacrificing him would make much more sense than sacrificing a promising youngster. The only issue with this line of thought is that Tamotsu is from the Sarutobi n. If Hiruzen has a soft spot for his n and isn''t willing to sacrifice them, my head will be on the chopping block.''


    Fujin sat in meditation as he decided on his next actions. After a few minutes, he opened his eyes and decided, ''I will go back to Konoha. Despite losing the Uchiha n, Konoha''s strength should be stronger than 4-5 years ago. So it''s unlikely that Hiruzen will take the same step. Even if he decides topromise, he will first offer the chakra metal mine to Kumogakure. And that should be more precious than the head of any ninja. Also, I doubt Kumogakure would want the head of a young ninja over a chakra metal mine.


    However, if Hiruzen does decide to put up the same question in front of me as Hizashi, I''ll act sad but determined and ask for some time and escape from Konoha during that time. Though it will be very risky, the alternative isn''t risk-free either.''


    Having rested, Fujin stood up and looked at the sky while thinking, ''Hiruzen, you better not disappoint me this time.''


    He picked up Tamotsu and began his journey once more. He had figured that the Kumo ninjas weren''t chasing him or were too slow. So he moved at a consistent speed to ensure that his body doesn''t get tired once again. He moved for hours and finally sighed in relief as he stepped into the Land of Fire.

 Chapter 210: A Demand for Fujins Head!

    It was a normal boring day for Yamanaka Hiroto. He had just finished patrolling and was wasting his time in the Patrol camp while chatting with Hyuga Jun. However, he suddenly stopped and spread his chakra field. It spread for 500 meters but he couldn''t sense anything.


    Hyuga Jun asked, "Did you sense something?"


    Yamanaka Hiroto replied, "I can''t sense anyone. But someone just sensed our camp. Check with your Byakugan."


    Jun immediately activated his Byakugan.


    Hiroto asked, "Who is it?"


    A frown formed on Jun''s face as he replied, "It''s one of our ninjas. And he is carrying another who is very injured. He is around 1 kilometer to the east."


    Fujin had roughly memorized the locations of Patrol camps from his previous missions. After arriving in the vicinity, he spread his chakra field to sense any ninjas in the vicinity. On sensing 7 ninjas in one ce, Fujin flickered towards them.


    In a minute, he appeared before Hiroto and Jun. Hiroto quickly said, "Identify yourself."


    Fujin replied, "Suzuki Fujin. You can ask questionster. My teammate got very injured during the mission. Do you have a medic?"


    Jun nodded and said, "Alright, follow me."


    He quickly led Fujin into the camp and knocked on a door. He said, "Emiko, we have a very injured person. Come quickly."


    Emiko immediately opened the door. She was the medical ninja in the camp. She was surprised when she saw Tamotsu''s condition. She quicklyid him on a bed and began healing him.


    While Emiko treated Tamotsu, Jun and Hiroto interrogated Fujin. They were suspicious of Fujin because Fujin didn''t have a single injury on him despite his teammate being so injured. He asked for Fujin''s ID number and other standard questions to confirm that Fujin was indeed a ninja from Konoha.


    Finally, he asked, "Where is your remaining team?"


    Fujin put up a sad face and said, "They are all dead."


    Hiroto had expected such a result. He thought, ''I guess that he is safe because of the sacrifices of his teammates.''


    He sighed and patted Fujin''s shoulder and said, "It''s fine. Sometimes missions go wrong."


    Fujin nodded.


    Emiko took around 20 minutes to heal Tamotsu. She left her room and approached Fujin and ask, "Are you injured as well?"


    Fujin shook his head, "No, I am fine."


    Emiko nodded and left to keep an eye on Tamotsu.


    After an hour, Tamotsu gained consciousness. He quickly got up and sat up straight. However, his injuries made him grunt in pain. He looked around himself and was surprised that he was still alive.


    Emiko stopped him from moving much and quickly asked him how he was feeling. Tamotsu answered her questions. When he was done, he asked, "How did I get here? And where are my teammates?"


    The medical ninja sighed and said, "Your teammate Fujin brought you here. I''ll call him."


    She left the room to call Fujin. However, she was impressed by Tamotsu, ''Despite losing his left leg, his first thought was the wellbeing of his team.''


    Meanwhile, Tamotsu was surprised that Fujin was able to escape along with him. However, recalling Tadashi and imagining the fates of Ryota and Katsumi, tears began rolling down his cheeks. He quickly wiped them off thinking, "I shouldn''t appear weak in front of Fujin. I''ll have lots of time to grieve for themter.''


    Soon, Fujin arrived in the room where Tamotsu was resting. He could see the wetness in Tamotsu''s eyes due to the tears he was holding back.


    Tamotsu looked at Fujin and said, "I am d that you are safe Fujin."


    Fujin nodded and looked at his cut leg. He asked, "How are you?"


    Tamotsu saw his sight and said sorrowfully, "I''ll be fine."


    After half a minute of silence, he asked, "Do you know what happened to Katsumi and Ryota?"


    Fujin shook his head and answered, "No. I didn''t see either of them after we split up. I only saw you and managed to barely escape."


    Tamotsu was shivering on hearing Fujin''s answer. With thest ray of hope, he asked, "You are a sensor. Did you sense them?"


    Fujin sighed and replied, "No. I was attacked by a ninja called Darui. He was much stronger than me. We flickered many times during the fight and were a long distance away from where we were ambushed. So I couldn''t sense them."


    Tamotsu sighed and stayed silent for a few minutes. No one spoke. Finally, the sorrowful expression disappeared from Tamotsu''s face and instead, he looked determined. He asked, "Fujin, how long have I been unconscious?"


    Fujin was surprised to see the sudden change in attitude. He answered, "Around 10 hours. I reached this camp around an hour ago."


    Tamotsu looked at his leg and said, "I''ll be a burden if Ie along with you. Fujin, run towards Konoha as fast as you can and inform Lord Hokage what happened."


    He looked at Fujin and said with determination, "This is a very important mission for our vige Fujin. I''ll leave it in your hands."


    Fujin realized, ''I see. He wants revenge. That said, knowing Hiruzen, it''s highly unlikely that he will choose violence. Unfortunately, those 3 won''t ever get justice. Though I guess, we already had our revenge as at least 9 of them are dead.''


    Fujin said, "Alright. I''ll go quickly. You take care of yourself Tamotsu."


    Tamotsu nodded and said, "Don''t worry about me. I''ll be fine."


    Fujin could see that despite his determined expression, Tamotsu was having a hard time controlling his sorrow. He was holding back just to not demoralize Fujin.


    Fujin immediately left. A few minutester, Tamotsu broke down in tears.


    Fujin rapidly moved across the Land of Fire. On the way, he couldn''t help but sigh, ''Poor guy was trying so hard to control his tears. I wonder how many such instances ur daily in this world. How many squads meet their end due to a mission going wrong? I kinda had it lucky so far. Unfortunately, it looks like my luck ran out today.


    I need better means to escape from such situations. This time I was lucky that Tamotsu crashed into my battlefield and Darui decided to not finish me off immediately and instead gave me the option to surrender. I didn''t even have a chance to escape until then. I don''t want to depend on luck next time as not everyone will be merciful like Darui.''


    While moving, Fujin analyzed the options avable to him. The first jutsu that came to his mind was obviously the Flying Thunder God. However, he rejected it, ''No, Hiruzen said that I''ll have to be a Grandmaster at Fuinjutsu before being allowed to learn it. Right now I could barely even be considered a Master. Bing Grandmaster will require a lot more time. Not to mention, I''ll need the Jounin rank to be able to ess the seals kept in Section A of the library.''


    Fujin analyzed more but couldn''t think of any idea other than the one he had at the back of his mind. Fujin sighed, ''I guess that''s the only avable option. Unfortunately, even that is very risky. I still need some time to be ready for it. That said, if Hiruzen decides against my well-being, I should take that risk. It might allow me to escape from Konoha very easily.''


    While Fujin was moving at full speed through the forests in thend of Fire, a message was sent back to Kumogakure to the 4th Raikage. The coded scroll was decoded and the tranted message was sent to A.


    A opened the scroll and began reading. Soon, anger appeared on his face. He raised his arm and smashed his table into two while yelling, "What the hell are these guys doing?"


    Mabui had seen A do such acts hundreds of times. She wasn''t affected and calmly asked, "What happened, Lord Raikage?"


    A handed her the scroll and said in disappointment, "They ambushed 5 Konoha ninjas with 58 ninjas and still lost 13 ninjas and had many more injured. Not to mention, they still let 2 Konoha ninjas escape!"


    Mabui was surprised by what A said. She wondered, ''Which strong squad did they encounter to have such losses?''


    She quickly checked the scroll to see who the Konoha ninjas were. She was surprised once again. She asked in confusion, "Who is Tamotsu?"


    A looked at her and said, "It''s your job to tell me."


    She felt awkward hearing A''s reply. She stopped reading the scroll, handed it back to A and quickly excused herself and checked their records.


    Mabui returned after a few minutes and said, "Tamotsu is an Elite Chunin in Konoha. He was promoted to the Chunin rank after the 3rd Great Ninja War. But, his record isn''t ster enough to produce such a result."


    A said, "It wasn''t his doing. Hari said that a young ninja was able to hold his own against Darui and is an expert in Wind Maniption. He was the main reason for the casualties. Find who this brat is as they didn''t know his identity."


    Mabui thought for a bit and said, "In the chunin exam that happened before thest one in Konoha, the champion was an orphan who specialized in Wind maniption. It was when the Kiri rebels had participated in the Chunin exam. Other than him, I haven''t heard of any young ninja who specializes in Wind Maniption from Konoha."


    A thought for a bit and instructed, "Find his name and pass it to the negotiators. Send the negotiators that we have prepared to Konoha and ask for heads of Tamotsu and that brat. Also, send a message to Darui and call him, C and Samui back. And, don''t let this news leak."


    Mabui nodded and left the office.

 Chapter 211: Countering Schemes with Schemes

    A frown formed on Raikage''s face as he analyzed, ''Such losses would increase opposition to starting a new war. If those oppositions dy us, then we will lose this window of opportunity. The best way to regain the morale is to make Hiruzen hand over those 2 ninjas. It''ll show how weak Konoha is to everyone! I managed to make him cower thest time. I''ll do it once again!''


    Mabui did her job efficiently. She handed the leader of negotiators a letter from Raikage.


    Within an hour, a group of negotiators left Kumogakure along with an escort group. They would first stop at the chakra metal mine where the conflict happened to confirm the report they sent back and then send the Raikage''s letter to Konoha to set up a meeting and ce their demands.


    It was nighttime when the negotiators left Kumogakure. Their group had a few civilians, so the group moved much slower aspared to a ninja squad.


    Meanwhile, Raikage began preparing his army in Kumogakure so that they could move at a moment''s notice.


    Fujin was unaware that his fears had partiallye true. He travelled the entire night and reached Konoha at 7 in the morning. As soon as he entered Konoha, Fujin maintained a sad expression on his face. He immediately went to the Hokage''s building and went to Hiruzen''s office.


    He knocked on the door. Hiruzen heard and said, "Come in."


    Fujin entered. He saw a lot of papers and files on Hiruzen''s table. Takao was present as well and was arranging them. In addition, 4 Anbu ninjas were hiding in the room.


    Hiruzen was surprised to see Fujin so soon. He had talked with Renjiro the day before and was surprised to learn that all the seals on Fujin''s house were inscribed by Fujin himself. While he was happy to know how talented Fujin was, he couldn''t help but think about what he had told Fujin when Fujin had asked for the Flying Thunder God jutsu.


    He thought, ''Tamotsu''s message said that the mission might take weeks. Why is he here so soon? Did the mission go wrong? Or did he want to send a secret message?''


    He asked, "Did something happen Fujin? Close the door and tell me."


    Fujin closed the door and began reporting. He began speaking slowly in a sad voice and watery eyes, "Grandpa, we were ambushed during our mission. Inuzuka Tadashi and his ninja dog Kenta were killed. Aburame Katsumi and Hatake Ryota are missing. Squad leader Sarutobi Tamotsu was injured and lost his left leg."


    Hiruzen and Takao immediately became very serious, though for different reasons. Takao had been on edge due to the Uchiha Massacre. Meanwhile, Hiruzen knew about the real nature of the mission. Hiruzen calmly said, "Fujin, stay calm and tell me everything properly. Don''t miss a single detail."


    Fujin took a deep breath and said, "Our mission was to the Land of Hot Water. It was issued by Matsushita Yusuke, a noble from that country. He said that he had discovered a mine in his territory and suspected that it was a Chakra Metal Mine."


    Takao and the Anbu in the room were shocked to hear that. A chakra metal mine could very well cause a war!


    Fujin continued, "We moved quickly towards the area that Yusuke had marked. However, when we reached very close to it, we were ambushed by more than 50 Kumogakure ninjas.


    They first encircled us with 20 ninjas. Another 30 ninjas stayed a bit away to form a 2nd ring of encirclement. A few more ninjas were hiding their chakras. I am not sure how many, but there were at least 3. All were at Chunin or Jounin ranks."


    Everyone was surprised on hearing it. They couldn''t help but wonder how Fujin made it out alive. Fujin continued, "When we tried to escape the 1st encirclement, they killed Tadashi and Kenta. However, they got too aggressive and were hit by Tamotsu and my Fire-Windbination jutsu. 8 of them died while the other 12 were injured.


    We tried to escape once again but were intercepted once again and forced to split up. I am not sure what happened with Ryota and Katsumi after that. I was attacked by Darui."


    The group''s eyes widened once again hearing Darui''s name! Hiruzen thought, ''That''s the kid A and his father trained personally. Though he isn''t as reputed as Kakashi, he is the leader of their young generation.''


    Fujin continued, "A few more Kumo ninjas attacked me along with him, but I managed to kill one, fatally injure another and keep the rest at bay and entered a deadlock against Darui. I tried defeating him, but he was very strong. He dodged all attacks and didn''t give me any opportunity to escape.


    After a few minutes, Tamotsu entered our battlefield and copsed unconscious. Darui stopped fighting while I checked on Tamotsu. However, I was surrounded by 18 ninjas. They lowered their guard since I was probably the only one left. So I used a few hundred explosive tags to buy some time and escaped while carrying Tamotsu with me. I am not sure if the explosions caused any casualties, but I didn''t sense anyone chasing after me.


    Right now, Tamotsu is being treated in a Patrol Camp. He asked me to rush to the vige to pass all the information to you."


    Hiruzen and others were shocked by what Fujin had done during this mission. Hiruzen analyzed, ''Surviving a fight against Darui at his age without any visible injuries is very impressive. Not to mention being able to escape after being surrounded by 18 ninjas.''


    The others too had simr thoughts.


    Fujin saw the expressions of Hiruzen and Takao and was satisfied with their expressions. He had intentionally told how ''impressive'' he had been and how much ''potential'' he had. This way Hiruzen would be very reluctant to sacrifice him.


    Hiruzen asked Fujin more questions. Fujin answered them all. He took every opportunity to mention his achievements without exaggerating them oring on as a showoff. He also intentionally called Hiruzen ''grandpa'' to evoke whatever emotions Hiruzen had.


    After getting all the data, Hiruzen said, "It''s unfortunate what happened to your squad. But you have done a good job. Saving one teammate anding back alive in such a hopeless situation is very good. For now, go back and get some rest. And don''t take any new missions. I might call you back after some time."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Alright Grandpa. I''ll take my leave."


    He left the office. He left towards his home while thinking, ''I did all I could think of. I hope that the worst-case scenario doesn''t ur.''


    After Fujin left, Hiruzen began staring at the map in front of him. Takao said, "Lord Hokage¡­"


    However, Hiruzen said, "Keep the files and paperwork rted to the Uchiha n away for now."


    Takao thought, ''That''s not what I wanted to talk about¡­''


    However, he realized that Hiruzen didn''t want to be disturbed. So he moved all the paperwork and files away from his desk.


    Hiruzen observed the map while analyzing the situation. He analyzed, ''On the surface, it looks like Kumogakure found this mine and wanted to mine it secretly. Fujin and his team were just unlucky to have taken this mission.


    But, knowing Kumogakure''s actions after Minato''s death, I doubt it is so simple. Be it the Hyuga incident or their prisoners showing up as bandits, both werepletely unprovoked aggression towards Konoha. So is A scheming once again?''


    He kept analyzing, ''Why did Kumogakure send over 50 ninjas for a simple ambush? Just Darui''s squad could have easily defeated them. Even assuming that they set a perimeter around the mine, Tamotsu''s group should have been better at sensing. They wouldn''t be ambushed if it was unanticipated...''


    Suddenly, an idea entered Hiruzen''s. He analyzed it to see how viable it was. After calcting, he let out a long sigh, ''I see. That''s why Darui was present. They aren''t there to guard the mine. But, he is leading the Vanguard army! There should be a lot more ninjas assembled at the mine. I guess they didn''t anticipate Fujin to be able to bring back the news.


    No, he said that no one chased him. So though they didn''t anticipate such a fightback from him, they wanted him to deliver the news back to me. They want to see my reaction.''


    Hiruzen began putting the pieces together, ''If their n was to test my response, they would first need to cause Konoha losses. Yusuke should be working with them. I doubt the entire Land of Hot Water will be involved as they have suffered a lot due to Kumogakure. So it is probably just him. Either Kumogakure threatened him or he has ambitions of his own.


    After Tamotsu''s squad died, Yusuke would have sent us more mission requests and baited more ninjas to their death. Kumo would then threaten me and see my response. Now their ns will be disrupted. If I am right, A will now send a negotiator to Konoha asking me topensate them for the loss and perhaps ask for Tamotsu and Fujin as well.''


    Hiruzen''s face kept getting more and more ugly as he unravelled Kumogakure''s n. He snorted, ''A, the Hyuga incident worked in your favor because I never anticipated such a disgusting act. Do you think that such a scheme will work against Konoha again?''


    Hiruzen said, "All of you, summon 7 Anbu squads along with another 3 Anbu squads made of former Root ninjas and return here quickly. Takao, bring Kakashi here."


    The four Anbu ninjas hiding in his office flickered and got to work. Takao nodded and left the office as well.


    Hiruzen grabbed a scroll and began writing in it. After writing the message, he closed the scroll and sealed it. He weaved hand signs and mmed his hand on the desk. A monkey appeared in front of him.


    Hiruzen handed him the scroll and said, "Deliver this scroll as soon as you can. Preferably do it today."


    The monkey took the scroll and checked it. He said in a childish voice, "Got it."


    He disappeared in smoke along with the scroll.


    Soon, 13 Anbu ninjas showed up in Hiruzen''s office. One of them hid back in the room. Hiruzen passed a scroll to them and said, "In the Land of Hot Water, there is a noble called Matsushita Yusuke. His details are in the scroll. Kill him and everyone with him. Burn every document in his mansion and don''t leave any evidence behind. Preferably use Lightning jutsus to destroy some property before escaping."


    One of the Anbu ninjas epted the scroll. Hiruzen passed them more instructions. They took their leave.


    Soon, another group of Anbu arrived. This time, there were 31 ninjas. 12 of them were formerly in Root. Hiruzen assigned another mission to them. After understanding the assignment, they left the office as well.


    Finally, Kakashi and Takao arrived at the office. Kakashi was just dismissed from the Anbu by Hiruzen a few days ago. Hiruzen looked at Kakashi and said seriously, "Kakashi, I''ll provide you with 200 ninjas. I want you to lead them towards the border with the Land of Hot Water. You have two objectives. First, keep the existence of your force a secret. No one should be aware of your movements. Second, do a few drills to make the force prepared for war."


    Kakashi was surprised by the order. He asked, "Lord Hokage, did an incident ur?"


    Hiruzen nodded. He briefed Kakashi on what Fujin had reported.


    Kakashi understood the situation and sighed, "They want to make a move because the Uchiha n no longer exists, right?"


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "It''s unlikely that a war will happen, but I want us to be prepared just in case."


    Kakashi asked, "Can I take Guy along with me?"


    Hiruzen nodded, "Sure."


    Kakashi said, "Alright. I''ll contact him. We will be ready to leave immediately."


    Hiruzen replied, "Good. I''ll arrange for the ninjas to join up with you."


    Kakashi left to meet up with Guy while Hiruzen got busy arranging 200 ninjas to go along with Kakashi. Fortunately, he already had everyone on high alert due to the Uchiha massacre. He was able to get it done very quickly.

 Chapter 212: Hiruzens Neverending Schemes!

    Though Hiruzen received the message almost half a dayter than A, the Anbu squads he dispatched moved much faster than Kumogakure''s negotiator group.


    Under the cover of the night, Kakashi left Konoha along with Guy and 200 ninjas. They disappeared into the vast neverending forests in the Land of Fire.


    A few hourster, 3 Anbu squads arrived outside Yusuke''s mansion. No one in the Hidden Hot Springs Vige detected them.


    Yusuke was sleeping in his bed. He had a smile on his face as he dreamt about being the new Daimyo of the Land of Hot Water. As Hiruzen had guessed, he was working together with Kumogakure. He wanted their support to overthrow the current Daimyo. In return, he will help them kill Konoha''s ninjas and will remove Konoha''s influence on the country after he bes the Daimyo.


    Unfortunately for him, an Anbu ninja appeared next to him while he slept. He grabbed a tanto and pierced it into Yusuke''s heart leaving him permanently in the dream world. Yusuke died without knowing who killed him and how!


    In a few minutes, everyone in the mansion was killed! Not a single being was left alive. Instead, blood was flowing on the ground. The Anbu also burned or confiscated all the documents.


    After confirming that their work is done, they destroyed the pirs supporting the mansion with Lightning jutsus and escaped. The vige, which was resting peacefully, suddenly woke up due to loud noise. However, before anyone could figure out what was happening, the Anbu ninjas had already escaped. They kept moving towards the Land of Frost.


    The Daimyo of thend of Hot Water was woken up due to the massacre and destruction. He reached Yusuke''s destroyed mansion and frowned, ''He had found a chakra metal mine a week ago. And he is already dead? He had said that he will employ Konoha ninjas, is this their work?''


    Daimyo analyzed for a bit before concluding, ''No, this isn''t the way the Hokage acts usually. Besides, why would he even do this when we were offering Konoha the most benefits?''


    At that time, Takeshita Tokuhei appeared in front of the Daimyo and reported, "Lord Daimyo, everyone in the mansion, including Lord Yusuke, has been killed. They are all killed with swords. From their wounds, it doesn''t seem like they even had a chance to struggle. The documents are all destroyed though we don''t know if some of them have been stolen. And the pirs have been destroyed with Lightning jutsus."


    Daimyo asked, "Lightning? Do you mean that Kumogakure is behind this?"


    Tokuhei answered, "It''s either them or someone who wants to frame them."


    Daimyo analyzed the situation, ''This sort of activity is something Kumogakure would do. Did they find the mine as well? If so, it would make sense that they want to silence Yusuke and secretly mine the mine themselves. But, such a thing is impossible to be kept a secret. Are they nning to wage another war in my country?''


    The daimyo frowned. He said, "Tokuhei,e with me."


    He brought Tokuhei to his own office and told him about the mine in Yusuke''s province. Tokuhei was shocked. He eximed, "There is a chakra metal mine in our country?"


    The Daimyo corrected him, "A mine that might have some deposits of it. The quantity won''t be much but it might be sufficient to cause a war."


    Tokuhei frowned. He said with a bitter expression, "Our country will be ravaged once again."


    The Daimyo nodded, "That is why I wanted to keep it a secret. I suspect that the mine has been taken over by other forces. Most likely by Kumogakure. I want you to lead a force of 15 ninjas there stealthily and check. You are not to engage in anybat. After you confirm, leave immediately and return back."


    Tokuhei nodded. He left and immediately assembled a team and went towards the area the Daimyo had instructed him to. In a couple of hours, they reached the location of the mine. However, they stopped a long distance away from the mine and kept an eye. An hourter, they saw someone move. They followed that person secretly and noticed 3 squads of Kumogakure ninjas.


    The Kumogakure ninjas spotted them as well and raised an rm. Tokuhei and his squad immediately escaped. Some Kumo ninjas gave chase but stopped when they entered too deep into the Land of Hot Water.


    A few hourster after taking multiple detours, they returned to the capital. Tokuhei immediately reported to the Daimyo. The Daimyo''s face became grim as he confirmed his fears. He immediately began writing letters.


    The content of the letters included the fact that they have discovered a mine that might have minute deposits of Chakra Metal. It also mentioned the fact that Kumogakure had forcefully upied the mine and is hunting everyone who goes there. He sent these letters to every Daimyo and every Kage except the Raikage!


    When Hiruzen received the letter the following morning, a smile formed on his face. He thought, ''The result of killing Yusuke was exactly what I envisioned and desired. Though Kiri is in a mess and might not make a move, Suna and Iwa will not want to see such a mine in the hands of Kumogakure. The viges and Daimyos still remember the trauma of thest war, so they wouldn''t want a new war.


    Everyone will apply pressure on Kumogakure. If they step back, then the control of this mine should be handed to the Land of Iron. If they don''t, then they will have to face thebined might of all viges. Both the scenarios are favorable for Konoha.''


    In order to ensure that his spectionse true, Hiruzen wrote a letter to the Land of Iron''s leader, Mifune. The letter stated Konoha''s desire for peace and its support for having the Land of Iron mining the newly discovered mine as a neutral country.


    The 2nd Group of 7 Anbu squads sent by Hiruzen headed straight towards the Land of Lightning. Though the trip took longer, they infiltrated the Land of Lightning before the group of negotiators left the country. They stayed far away from Kumogakure. Instead, they disguised themselves and mixed among themon people.


    Yugao was among these Anbu ninjas. She transformed herself into a middle-aged woman and went into the market. She began buying groceries as normal. As she did, she began having short interactions with the otherdies in the market who were also buying groceries.


    During one such conversation, she sighed and said, "I heard that Raikage-sama wants to start a war with Konohagakure."


    Thedy was surprised. A couple more around them heard her as well. She asked, "He does? Haven''t we been very peacefultely?"


    Yugao nodded and said, "I heard that he sent 60 ninjas to thend of Hot Water to kill 5 Konoha ninjas. However, they were defeated by an eleven-year-old kid! 13 of our brave ninjas died due to it!"


    The otherdies were shocked to hear it. They joined the conversation, "Is it true?"


    Yugao nodded and said, "Yeah, my husband used to work in Lord Raikage''s office. He still has some contacts there. I am worried that if we suffered so much at the hands of just an eleven-year-old kid, how many losses will we have against the whole might of Konoha?"


    The scenario Yugao painted shocked thedies. They talked a bit more before leaving. Yugao quickly changed her disguise and went to another market.


    In the same way, all the other 27 Anbu ninjas spread misinformation in the viges in thend of lightning. They hyped up Fujin''s actions while making everyone think subconsciously that Kumo''s forces were weak. A few even propagated the fear of Konoha invading the Land of Lightning if the Raikage went to war!


    Slowly, the people who heard the information began gossiping with the ones who hadn''t. The news spread through the entire Land of Lightning like a raging wildfire, igniting conversations and emotions ofmon people. As the rumors spread, they became more and more preposterous. Fear spread among the people in the Land of Lightning.


    Unfortunately for A, he would remain unaware of this development until it was toote.


    While the Anbu ninjas were doing their task, a monkey was roaming in the Land of Rice. He had been searching for a man for 2 days! Finally, he managed to locate him. The area was aplete mess! It looked as if someone had blown up an underground base.


    The Monkeynded next to the man and handed him the scroll. He said in his childish voice, "Lord Hokage wants you to act on this immediately."


    The man opened the scroll and read its contents. His eyes widened before returning to their usual size. He sighed and said, "Another war¡­ Alright, tell him that I''ll get it done."

 Chapter 213: A Natural Calamity!

    The monkey ended his summoning and disappeared into a cloud of smoke. The man looked in the direction of the Land of Hot Water. His location was already quite close to the Land of Hot Water. He sighed once again and began moving towards the Land of Hot Water. Within a few hours, he reached the area where the Kumo ninjas had set up a perimeter.


    He began sensing the area and scratched his chin while nning, ''Sensei''s analysis was on point. There are over 250 ninjas from Kumogakure over here. Now, how should I deal with them?''


    He formted a n and decided to stay hidden until the night. None of the Kumogakure ninjas noticed him.


    The Kumogakure ninjas had a change in leadership. Hari still stayed as the advisor as this was his idea. But Darui, C and Samui were called back to Kumogakure. Instead, 2 Elite Jounins were sent to rece them.


    Soon, it was night. The Kumo ninjas changed shifts. Around 60 ninjas began manning the perimeter while the others went to sleep.


    The Kumo ninjas guarding the mine hadn''t faced much threat. Hari had kept their losses against Fujin''s squad a secret from them. And other than a local squad spotting them and running away, there wasn''t any other incident. So the ninjas were very rxed.


    However, they suddenly heard a sound. They quickly looked above and were shocked! In the night sky, a huge shadow could be seen hiding among the clouds.


    One ninja gulped and asked, "What is that?"


    The ninja next to him replied, "It looks like a toad shadow. But how can a toad fly?"


    Another said, "Wake up Hari-sama and others quickly! They need to see this."


    However, they suddenly felt raindrops falling down on their faces. Just a secondter, their eyes widened. They watched in horror as massive fire rained down on their entire base!


    A minute ago, Jiraiya summoned the giant toad Gamabunta and jumped high into the sky. They got right on top of the mine. Gamabunta released a huge oil jutsu that covers the entire mine. Meanwhile, Jiraiya made a clone and used strong Fire and Wind jutsus at the same time.


    The Kumo ninjas didn''t expect such a massive attack. Over 180 ninjas were asleep due to it beingte in the night. All of them were hit by the massive attack! A few felt the heat and woke up. Unfortunately, before they could figure out what was happening and defend themselves, they were engulfed by fire and boiling oil! They didn''t even have a chance to defend themselves and died screaming in the fire!


    Kumogakure''s advisor Hari also caught on fire along with the rest. He tried calcting what was happening and how his excellent ns turned into such a disaster. Unfortunately, he would die before reaching a conclusion.


    The ninjas who were on Patrol too weren''t strong enough to defend against such an attack. A majority of them died without forming any jutsus. A few used defensive jutsus but the huge scale of the jutsu meant that they didn''tst even a few seconds. Only a dozen or so ninjas managed to escape underground.


    Unfortunately, as soon as they escaped into the ground, the ground turned into a swamp. All of them were trapped in it. Soon, the hot oil mixed in the swamp. They had the worst fate among all the Kumo ninjas as they slowly felt their surroundings heating up and cooking their bodies! A few yelled in terror, however, the swamp poured into their mouths and gagged them when they opened it to yell!


    Gamabuntanded a bit away from all the fire. The trees in the vicinity were destroyed due to hisnding. A massive fire was spreading through the area. At the same time, it began raining heavily. Jiraiya asked, "Bunta, are any of them alive?"


    Gamabunta replied, "A few in the swamp are still struggling. Though they should die soon."


    He looked at Jiraiya and asked, "Is it already the start of the 4th Great Ninja War?"


    Jiraiya replied, "Sensei said no. I guess he wanted this to be done to prevent it. We have to extinguish all our traces before leaving and make it seem like a natural cmity or an ident."


    Gamabuntained, "So we''d have to now douse this entire fire?"


    Jiraiya replied, "Yes and we also have to destroy this mine."


    Gamabunta sighed.


    Soon, thest of the Kumo ninjas died. Gamabunta jumped into the sky once again and shot huge water bullets down at the mine. The water bullet doused the raging fire. The power behind the water bullet damaged the mine as well. Gamabunta repeated this a few more times until the entire mine copsed.


    The dead bodies of Kumo ninjas were already cremated by the fire. Whatever was left was crushed by the powerful water bullets. When the mines copsed, the camps and the remains of all the Kumo ninjas were buried deep within the mine. It would be difficult to distinguish their ashes from the soil. Even the swamp that Jiraiya''s clone had created was destroyed by the water bullets.


    Half an hourter, Jiraiya and Gamabunta observed the mining site. It waspletely wrecked! There were no signs of human settlements. Instead, it looked as if God had condemned this ce. The ground was sinking into the mine and the entire area was flooded with water. The rains had intensified and Lightning was striking asionally.


    Satisfied with the destruction, Gamabunta went back to Mount Myoboku while Jiraiya escaped.


    The entire mine had been destroyed and not a single person knew what happened there. The ninjas from the Land of Hot Water were asked to stay clear of this ce. The Daimyo didn''t want to take any unnecessary casualties.


    However, there were 12 people who were staying in the surrounding viges who noticed the anomalies happening around the area of the mine. They immediately rushed towards the mine. While rushing, those 12 ninjas met with each other and went together.


    When they reached the location, shock could be seen on their faces. However, soon their faces returned to normal. One of them said, "This is exactly like Lord Hokage said it would be."


    The others nodded. This group was the 3 Anbu squads that destroyed Yusuke''s mansion a couple of nights ago. One of them said, "It''s time to execute the next step of the mission."


    They immediately rushed towards the Land of Frost. The remaining 7 Anbu squads who were spreading rumors in the Land of Lightning hadpleted their task and withdrawn to a location in the Land of Frost.


    The group of 3 Anbu squads who were rushing into the Land of Frost were heading exactly to that location as directed by Hiruzen. On meeting up, the Anbu who witnessed the havoc that Jiraiya had left told the rest about the destruction they had witnessed.


    After telling all the specifics, all 40 Anbu ninjas headed back towards the Land of Lightning. They infiltrated the Land of Lightning once again with the same mission but different rumors.


    Once again, the Anbu ninjas began spreading a variety of rumors in various disguises and in numerous viges. All of them said that their great Lord Raikage had found a chakra metal mine. They said that the mine would make Kumogakure the strongest ninja vige in the world!


    However, the following part was reported differently by the Anbu ninjas. Around half of them said that the other viges weren''t happy and were afraid of how ambitious the Raikage was. So the fourth Mizukage showed up with his elite ninjas and killed all Kumo ninjas who were protecting the mine. He still wasn''t satisfied, so he transformed into the 3 Tailed Beast abomination and destroyed the entire mine!


    Some said that the Gods were angered by how power-hungry the Raikage was. So they decided to punish Kumogakure for his crimes by unleashing a catastrophic cmity on the mine and the ninjas guarding that mine!


    A couple of Anbu said that the eleven-year-old boy who had earlier killed 60 Kumo ninjas was angry that Kumogakure killed his teammates. So he returned to destroy the mine and ughter everyone.


    In this way, multiple imaginative rumors were spread throughout the country. Themon citizens were intrigued and worried by such news. They couldn''t help but discuss it further among themselves. In no time, these rumors began spreading alongside the previous rumors!


    Unknown to him, A''s reputation kept taking a hit.


    Around the time that the Anbu ninjas infiltrated the Land of Lightning again, Mabui headed into the Raikage''s office. Her face was grim.

 Chapter 214: As Rage

    A noticed Mabui''s expression and a frown formed on his face.


    Mabui said, "Raikage-sama, we have bad news!"


    A asked, "What happened this time?"


    Mabui said, "Various rumors are spreading throughout the country about the sh between Konoha ninjas and our forces."


    A shouted in anger, "WHAT? I told you to keep it a secret! How did that information spread?"


    Mabui quickly answered, "I kept it a secret. I am sure that Advisor Hari did too. I did some analysis and I believe that the rumors haven''t started in our vige. Instead, they have entered our vige from the outside."


    A asked, "What do you mean by outside?"


    Mabui said, "I believe that someone is spreading the rumors in other viges in our country. The rumors reached our vige while spreading through them."


    A was stunned. However, he soon realized. He got angry and once again smashed his desk while shouting, "That damned Hiruzen!"


    Mabui sighed in her mind thinking, ''I just reced that old desk.''


    However, she agreed with his analysis. She too believed that Konoha was spreading these rumors. She said, "Raikage-sama, the rumors themselves are worrying. While some rumors say the truth, a majority of them say that our 60 ninja force was defeated by one young Konoha ninja. Some even say that they were defeated by a kid who hadn''t even graduated yet from the Academy."


    A''s eyes widened. His rage grew further. He stood up. A lightning cloak appeared around him as he cursed, "First those bastards spread rumors and then they dare to defame us?"


    Before he could speak more, Mabui said, "That''s not all Raikage-sama. There is another worrying situation."


    A asked, "What else?"


    Mabui said, "I haven''t received anymunications from Advisor Hari. His report should have arrived a couple of hours ago."


    A calmed down and became serious on hearing that. He had sent 2 Elite Jounin, dozens of Jounins, more than two hundred Chunins and an advisor to the mine. If anything happened to them or the mine, then the losses would be severe. He didn''t want to act on emotions on such a serious matter.


    He said, "The messenger birds could get lost at times. Are you sure that it is something to be worried about?"


    Mabui replied, "I just have a bad feeling, Raikage-sama."


    A thought for a bit and said, "Wait till this afternoon. If Hari doesn''t send a message once more, then have Darui''s team check on them. In the meantime, arrange for some ninjas to explore the viges in our country. Eliminate any of those Konoha scums spreading rumors.


    Mabui nodded and immediately left. She informed Darui''s group to be ready. And she dispatched a dozen squads to scout the country for anyone spreading the rumors.


    The Anbu from Konoha were aware that they would be suspected this time. So they just spread rumors for around 6 hours before escaping. The Kumogakure ninjas had to search the huge country and didn''t know where to start. So the Anbu ended up escaping even before the Kumogakure ninjas reached anywhere close to them.


    Havingpleted their mission sessfully, all 10 squads left the Land of Lightning safely and began returning to Konoha.


    A''s day kept on getting worse. A lot of elders and n leaders kept visiting him asking about the rumors spreading through the vige. Though they had passively agreed earlier, the losses made them rethink their positions. They didn''t want to fight a war if their losses would be horrendous!


    A had to pacify them all and tell them the exact details of the sh. His frustration grew with every meeting!


    At noon, Mabui returned to his office. She was about to report but stopped seeing how terrible A''s mood was. A noticed her and said, "Get on with it and tell me what more bad news you have."


    Mabui reported, "Raikage-sama, Hari hasn''t sent the message once again. I have dispatched Darui''s squad to check on them."


    A thought about what to say, but no words left his mouth. He was tired of dealing with all the shit on the same day! He had continuous meetings all morning and hadn''t even had the time to have breakfast.


    He got up and said, "Alright. You handle the matter."


    Mabui saw as Raikage walked towards the wall behind him. He formed a fist and punched a new door in the wall.


    Mabui watched with a deadpan expression thinking, ''I knew it!''


    She asked, "Where are you going, Raikage-sama?"


    A said, "I need a break. I will be sparring with Bee. If anyone has anyints or worries, send them there if they dare toe!"


    He immediately disappeared.


    Normally, Mabui would chuckle whenever this happens. Whenever A was overburdened by vige politics, he would go to Bee and fight against his Tailed Beast form. No elder or n head or advisor would dare to go close to their fight! It was A''s way of telling them to shut their mouths and demonstrating his and his brother''s power.


    Unfortunately, Mabui couldn''t chuckle. She was troubled by the situation herself. She sighed, ''What a mess. We haven''t even started the war yet and just made two moves and still have to deal with such a headache. We underestimated Konoha due to the previous incident. I hope that nothing bad happens again.''


    Bee was writing a few rap lines in his book when Anded in front of him with a huge force and sent dust flying. A looked at Bee and said, "Bee, we are sparring! Use your full strength!"


    Bee had heard the rumors going around in the vige. He knew that A would be extremely frustrated. He said, "Yo, yo, yo! Brother, what''s good? You look mad stressed, man. Come spar with your brother Bee and let''s ease that tension!"


    A was even more annoyed due to Bee''s rapping! He immediately activated his Lightning Chakra Mode. At the same time, Gyuki''s giant octopus tentacles appeared behind Bee as he transformed into Gyuki! Both began sparring at their full power!


    Their spar continued through the entire afternoon and destroyed a few mountains while creating a few new valleys.


    After ending the spar, they went to Bee''s home for ate lunch.


    The spar and the break from others helped A rx. But Bee could still see that he was worried and his mind wasn''t on the food he was eating. In order to get it off his mind, Bee asked, "So, what''s the dealio? Why you lookin'' like you just saw a ghost or somethin''?"


    A sighed and exined the situation. He exined his n to start a new war with Konoha, Hiruzen''s tactics and annoyance caused by the Elders and n leaders from their vige.


    Bee nodded and said, "Oh snap, now that is quite a mess indeed! But you still wanna push forward, huh?"


    A nodded and said, "It is for our vige''s prosperity."


    Bee argued, "I feel you, I feel you. But let me ask you this, do we need to keep being so aggressive? The vige has been chillin''tely, why not take a step back and enjoy the peace?"


    A said, "This peace is only temporary. A new Great War will eventually start. Konoha and Suna are in an alliance. If Konoha manages to convince Iwa and Kiri to make a move against us, we will be in a tough spot. Anyways, I have to leave. I can''t leave the office for too long."


    Having finished his food, A began leaving. Bee looked at his back and said, "Just remember, brother, even if something goes wrong, we got each other''s backs. We''ll fix it together."


    A smiled and nodded before disappearing. He soon appeared in his office. However, his smile disappeared even before he entered his office!


    He entered his office from the same hole that he created and saw every elder, n head and advisor in his office waiting for him. He looked at Mabui who had a helpless expression on her face.


    Before A could say anything, an old man asked, "Lord Raikage, is it about time for you to inform us about the important events? Or do you n to keep us in the dark until the very end?"


    A frowned. Though he didn''t always inform others about his ns, he was confused about why they decided to gather together and confront him. More importantly, the identity of the old man was very sensitive. He was Inazuma, an advisor to his father, the 3rd Raikage.


    He asked, "What do you mean?"


    Mabui stepped forward and informed, "Raikage-sama, some of the ninjas I dispatched returned back to the vige. They said that there are a lot more rumors spreading around in the country."


    A asked, "It''s just some rumors. I can understandmon people being scared of them, but why are you giving it unnecessary attention?"


    Inazuma said, "It is due to the nature of those rumors. Though some of them are ridiculous, all of them say one thing inmon."


    Inazuma stopped speaking and observed A''s expression. Unfortunately, he couldn''t gauge what A was thinking.


    A waited for a few seconds and shouted aggressively, "Stop testing me and just speak!"


    Inazuma said, "They say that all the ninjas we sent to the mine have been wiped out. The mine itself has also been destroyed."


    A was stunned!

 Chapter 215: Elite Jounin Promotion???

    A immediately shouted, "Who is spreading such nonsense?"


    Mabui replied, "I believe it''s the same group that spread the earlier rumors, Raikage-sama."


    Inazuma interrupted their conversation and said, "Stop speaking among yourself and tell us whether it is the truth or not. Losing 255 ninjas will be a huge loss even during wartime. We have never ever had such a loss during peacetime."


    A looked at Mabui and said, "Inform them."


    Everyone in the room got a bit nervous. As they expected, A was hiding something!


    Mabui said, "We haven''t received anymunications from Hari since this morning. I have dispatched Darui''s squad to check whether they are fine. We will need to wait until they return to find out if something has happened or if themunications have been cut off somehow."


    The room got restless on hearing that. They began feeling that those ridiculous rumors had some truth to them. One of the eldersined, "A, how can you hide such huge news from us?"


    A snorted, "Messages not reaching is a verymon thing. I didn''t think there was anything to be concerned about. You old fellows need to stop wasting your and my time on the rumors Hiruzen is spreading and instead prepare for war!"


    However, Inazuma argued, "First we need to know the truth of this incident. If our ninjas have all been killed, then we won''t support the war. Instead, our focus should be on getting justice for the lives of our ninjas."


    Every leader in the room agreed with him. They discussed important matters for some time before ending the meeting.


    After they left, A''s rage went through the roof! Mabui quickly said, "Calm down Raikage-sama!"


    A said, "These old cowards are the reason why I couldn''tunch a full-scale offensive against Konoha during the Hyuga incident. These bastards will stop me again this time too!"


    Anger could be felt in his voice. He looked at Mabui and said, "Send a few more squads after Darui. Hiruzen must be scheming something to spread rumors like these!"


    Mabui nodded and left.


    Later that day, the negotiator group that had left Kumogakure a few days ago reached the location of the mine. However, they were shocked by what they were witnessing.


    One of them asked, "Hey, isn''t this ce supposed to be a mine?"


    The person next to him nodded, "It is. And more than 250 ninjas are supposed to be guarding it!"


    The ninjas in the group immediately began inspecting the ce. They searched a lot but didn''t find a single ninja on the site! The mine was destroyed as well. They immediately began sending messages to Kumogakure!


    After sending messages, they moved away quite a distance from the site and set up a camp. The entire group was highly alert.


    Around the same time, a small toadnded in Hiruzen''s office and handed him a scroll. Hiruzen opened and read it. A small smile formed on his face. He said, "Takao, call Fujin here. And you can go home."


    Takao nodded and left.


    Hiruzen analyzed, ''Now every move I nned has been yed. A''s position will be a mess. He shouldn''t be able to start a war. If he tries to me Konoha, I will refuse the fact that we took any such mission to the mine. The only loose end is that he might have the dead bodies of Katsumi and Ryota. If he does, he can use them as evidence. Though even if he does, I can think of a dozen methods to turn that against him and turn the situation in our favor.''


    Though it was gettingte, Fujin was still in the training ground. Sweat could be seen on his face and his breath was heavy.


    Fujin calmed himself down and bit his thumb making it bleed. He made the snake hand seal once again and mmed his hands on the ground.


    ''Summoning Jutsu: Rashomon''


    Arge gate with a frightening demonic face on it appeared from the ground in front of Fujin. Fujin began breathing heavily once again but a smile could be seen on his face. He thought, ''Great. I managed to sessfully summon it 5 times in a row! This jutsu can be considered as being learnt.''


    He made a hand seal and a Shadow clone appeared next to him. The clone flickered on the other side of the gate and shot a Vacuum Cannon at it. The Vacuum Cannon hit the gate right at the center. It caused a small dent in the Rashomon gate up couldn''t break through it.


    Fujin was surprised. He analyzed, ''I didn''t think that this jutsu would be able to make a dent in Rashomon. Is my Rashomon weaker?''


    Fujin thought for a while but couldn''t reach any conclusion. He thought, ''The only memories of Rashomon I have are Orochimaru and Hashirama using it. Both are in a different leaguepared to me and they were trying to stop Kurama''s attacks. Leave it. I haven''t seen anything stop my Vacuum Bullet so far. This strength should be plenty fo..."


    Fujin suddenly got alert and looked towards his left. His eyes began glowing blue as he thought, ''What is he doing here?''


    Fujin''s clone and the Rashomon gate disappeared. In a few seconds, Takao appeared in his eyesight. Takao saw Fujin and said, "Fujin, Hokage-sama has called you to his office."


    Fujin said, "Alright. Thank You for delivering the message."


    Takao observed the training ground. The Rashomon gate had disappeared, but Takao could see how ruined the ground on the training field was and how tired Fujin looked.


    He said, "Fujin, losses happen frequently in our life. Being a ninja is tough. Don''t me yourself or overwork due to it. Otherwise, you might hurt yourself."


    Fujin nodded and replied, "Thank You Takao-san. I will keep it in mind."


    Takao nodded and left. Fujin sighed, ''I am more worried about my life. I can''t possibly rest. Besides, the pressure seems to be good. Rashomon is quite a difficult jutsu. Still, I managed to learn it in less than 3 days.''


    Fujin left towards the Hokage building as he analyzed, ''Now, what exactly does Hiruzen want from me to call me sote in the night?''


    Fujin arrived in the Hokage building and knocked on the door of Hiruzen''s office. Hiruzen said, "Come in."


    Fujin entered. Hiruzen was alone in the room. Though Fujin didn''t know, even the Anbu ninjas weren''t in his office.


    Fujin said, "Takao-san said that you called, grandpa."


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "Take a chair and seat in front of me Fujin. I want your opinion on something."


    Fujin grabbed a chair and ced it in front of the desk. Though his actions were normal, in truth, Fujin was very nervous.


    Hiruzen ced a sheet of paper in front of Fujin as soon as he sat down and said, "I received this news a few minutes ago."


    He ced another sheet of paper on the desk and said, "I received this news today as well. Read these two papers and tell me your thoughts about them."


    Fujin was confused by Hiruzen''s actions. He had thought of a lot of possibilities, but he never imagined that Hiruzen wanted him to analyze some reports.


    Fujin grabbed the first sheet of paper and began reading. Immediately his eyes widened at what was written. He looked at Hiruzen in disbelief but Hiruzen didn''t have any expression on his face. Fujin began reading again. The paper mentioned that the chakra metal mine waspletely destroyed and no one was around the mine.


    Fujin immediately began reading the second paper. His expression became peculiar on reading it as it mentioned the rumors spreading through thend of Fire. Fujin easily figured out that they were talking about him.


    He couldn''t help but wonder, ''I am this awesome? Why didn''t I know about it? I don''t think that even the children of the Sage of Six Path were this amazing!''


    Reading the two sheets of paper rxed Fujin a lot. He knew that everything on those 2 sheets was nned and executed by Hiruzen. His worries faded away knowing that Hiruzen didn''t n to cower once again.


    Hiruzen asked, "So, what are your thoughts on these events, Fujin?"


    Fujin looked into his eyes and said in an innocent tone, "Grandpa, if the things written here are true, then you need to promote me to Elite Jounin rank immediately and pay me the rewards for a few rank S missions."

 Chapter 216: A Sleepless Night...

    Hiruzen was stunned by the reply. A look of disbelief could be seen on his face. Even his mouth was left slightly open. He guessed that Fujin would figure out that it was his schemes that did this and hence called Fujin to verify his strategic acumen. He expected that Fujin would be awed by his schemes. However, he never expected such a shameless response!


    Fujin''s reply stunned Hiruzen so much that he forgot to breathe for a moment and began coughing. Fujin innocently asked, "Grandpa, are you alright?"


    He picked up a water bottle nearby, poured the water into a ss and handed it to Hiruzen. Hiruzen epted it and drank it. He couldn''t help but stare at Fujin and curse, ''This greedy brat! I should have sent him to Root. I saved Danzo from so much trouble and didn''t get anything in return!''


    Meanwhile, Fujin enjoyed the range of emotions disyed on Hiruzen''s face. After all, it wasn''t often one got to see such emotions on Hiruzen''s face.


    Hiruzen said, "Jokes aside, what did you analyze?"


    Fujin put up a sad face and replied, "I wasn''t joking."


    Hiruzen didn''t reply and stared right at him until Fujin felt ufortable.


    Fujin shrugged and said, "It was worth a try."


    Fujin became serious and began analyzing what Hiruzen had shown him, "The most obvious thing is that all of these were ordered by you."


    Hiruzen nodded and asked, "Why and how did I do this?"


    Fujin answered, "I had suspected that Yusuke or perhaps even the Daimyo of the Land of Hot Water was allied with Kumo. That is why I didn''t escape to their vige despite it being closer.


    Seeing that Yusuke''s mansion is destroyed and Kumogakure is suspected, I guess he was involved with Kumogakure. Since he is dead, I guess that it was a punishment for betraying us and causing the deaths of myrades. As for destroying the mansion, that was done to pin the me on Kumo.


    The rumors should have been spread by a special division that specializes in such stuff. Since the report said Land of Lightning and not Kumogakure, I guess that they spread the rumors in viges without any ninjas and the rumors spread from there on. This should cause panic in the country and put a lot of pressure on the Raikage against starting a war.


    As for the destruction of the mine, I can see why you did it. I have heard that Kumo''s military is very strong. And the location of the mine was closer to them than our vige. So we may have been at a disadvantage if we fought a war over it. But, I don''t know how you could cause such destruction."


    Hiruzen was impressed by Fujin''s analysis. He thought, ''Brilliant. Though some of it was incorrect, the analysis is great considering how young and inexperienced he is.''


    He said, "Good analysis. You don''t need to worry about how the mine was destroyed for now. Your analysis of the rumors was on point. As for the rest, it iscking in some parts."


    Hiruzen exined to Fujin the reasoning and intention behind most of his moves without giving Fujin any critical information. Fujin listened carefully. As he kept listening, he was more and more impressed by how clever, cunning and thorough Hiruzen was!


    His schemes were nned intricately and came one after another continuously. And his every move made life miserable for A. Fujin almost felt pity for A. All his schemes were recognized by Hiruzen in one nce and instead, he had to face schemes that were on a whole different tier.


    Fujin couldn''t help but wonder, ''If he is so good at scheming, why did he take a loss during the Hyuga incident? Were there any other factors involved?''


    Hiruzen let his words sink into Fujin. When he saw Fujin look at him, he said, "You have done a great job for the vige. If you didn''t make it out alive and bring the news to me, I wouldn''t have known what they were nning. We may have experienced a lot of losses in that case."


    Fujin replied with a sad expression, "It wasn''t just me grandpa."


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "It''s unfortunate what happened to others. Tamotsu should be brought back to Konoha in a couple of days. As for the rest, remember their sacrifice.


    As a ninja, you will see many of yourrades die to protect you and the vige. Never forget what they sacrificed for you, Fujin. Every time you go to missions and every time you train, remember the ones who sacrifice themselves to protect you. Work so hard that whenever they look down from heaven, they will have a smile on their face knowing that you won''t let us feel their absence."


    Fujin was surprised by Hiruzen''s speech. He looked at Hiruzen as if his words made him understand something. Hiruzen was satisfied by Fujin''s reaction. However, he might puke in anger if he knew Fujin''s thoughts.


    Fujin was thinking in surprise, ''This old guy! He doesn''t let go of a single opportunity to brainwash and influence others! Fuck! I was only acting to be shameless. I knew he wouldn''t promote or reward me. But this guy¡­ Shamelessness is buried into each and every cell of this old man! It can never be taken away from him.''


    Hiruzen was blissfully unaware of Fujin''s thoughts. He instructed, "Don''t tell anyone about our discussion. No one should know about this. I will talk with Tamotsu too. You guys never took the mission to the Land of Hot Water. You guys never went to the chakra metal mine. You never fought with Darui or the others and you never killed any Kumo ninja. Is that understood?"


    Fujin nodded. He knew the importance of the discussion they had and would obviously not y around with that knowledge. Especially since it would also implicate him.


    Hiruzen said, "Onest thing. You are not allowed to take any missions that would require you to leave the vige."


    Fujin furrowed his eyebrows. He said, "I was nning to take a few months off and train a few jutsus from the library to strengthen myself. But can you tell me why?"


    Hiruzen replied, "Though we will deny your acts, your name has gained a lot of fame in the Land of Lightning. They will ce a bounty on your head. So leaving the vige will be very risky for you."


    Fujin''s eyes widened. He muttered, "I forgot about the bounties¡­"


    Hiruzen said, "Continue training. In a couple of months, I will invite you to join the Anbu ranks. You can take missions with the Anbu as your identity will be hidden."


    Fujin couldn''t help but think, ''So many surprises in so little time. I never thought that I''d be tired of being surprised.''


    He said, "Alright, gramps. Sensei had informed me about the Anbu. I''ll keep training until you invite me."


    Now that the Root was dissolved, Fujin had no worries about joining the Anbu. The two bade farewell and Fujin left.


    As he walked, he analyzed, ''What a mess! Still, I am d that Hiruzen told me about his schemes. They were crazy good and fun. I can imagine the mess that Kumogakure would be in, hahaha.


    Also, Jiraiya and his toads are probably even more impressive than what I remember. After all, mines are supposed to be huge and there should be a lot of Kumo ninjas defending it. But looking at the confidence with which Hiruzen spoke, it is safe to say that Jiraiyapletely wiped them out without getting injured.''


    Though Hiruzen didn''t mention Jiraiya, it wasn''t difficult for Fujin to figure out that it was him. He ended his thoughts and took a deep breath. A huge pressure was lifted off his shoulders as he knew that his life wasn''t under threat anymore. He had a huge meal before going home and taking a nice long and peaceful sleep.


    Unlike Fujin, one person was guaranteed to have a sleepless and tiring night! A had just gone to bed when he heard someone banging on his door. He got up annoyed and opened the door to see Mabui. Her expression was very grim.


    A asked, "What''s the issue that you have to disturb me at this time?"


    Mabui didn''t say anything and just handed him the scroll. A opened it and began reading. His eyes widened as a look of disbelief appeared on his face! He shouted, "What the hell?"


    Mabui didn''t say anything. She too was shocked when she received themunication from the group of negotiators. A quickly instructed, "Issue a council meeting in 15 minutes. If anyone doesn''t show up, I will go wake them up myself!"


    Mabui replied, "I''ll arrange it, Raikage-sama."


    She left and dispatched the Anbu to every council member''s house.


    In 15 minutes, all gathered in the meeting room in the Raikage''s building. Many were annoyed at being woken up at this hour and forced toe to a meeting. When the meeting started, they all aggressively began demanding why they were called.


    A didn''t say anything and just handed them the scroll he received from Mabui. There was a pin-drop silence in the room when they read the details in the scroll. Every single person had a grim face.


    The silence was broken when someone said, "The rumors were true."


    Disbelief could be heard in his voice.


    However, A corrected him, "Only the result was true. We don''t know what the cause is."


    The room became silent once again. After some time, Inazuma said, "Among the 3 the rumor of the youngster destroying the mine can be dismissed. And it is very unbelievable that a natural cmity can kill every ninja we sent."


    A said, "I don''t see why the Mizukage woulde here to destroy our mine. He already has a revolt to suppress. I believe Hiruzen is trying to confuse us through these rumors."

 Chapter 217: Daimyos Words

    A didn''t waste any time ming Hiruzen for the incidents. The rest of the room agreed with him. After all, the Mizukage was already embroiled in a war. So why would he waste his energy making such a long trip to attract a new enemy?


    However, a n leader still had doubts. He asked, "But does Konoha still have the capability to unleash such destruction? After all, their sannins are away, their Hokage is old and their Jinchuriki is still a child. Besides, the destruction causedpletely matches the destruction caused by three tails past rampages."


    However, his point was quickly countered by another, "ording to our intel, the Toad Sage Jiraiya manages a spywork throughout the ninja world. Hiruzen contacting him and asking him to make a move so quickly isn''t far-fetched. Not to mention, his toads can do simr destruction as mentioned in the report."


    The group discussed more and reached the conclusion that this was aplished by Jiraiya. They began discussing what action they should undertake. A kept pushing for a full-scale war, however, the majority of the people in the room tried opposing such a call. Though Jiraiya''s actions enraged them, they also brought back horrible memories of the war. They didn''t want to start a new war.


    Their discussion soon became heated and A began getting an upper hand when a knock was heard. The group became silent and frowned. A said, "Come in."


    The door was opened and a Chunin entered the room. A scolded him, "What is so important that you had to interrupt a council meeting?"


    The Chunin was intimidated. However, he steeled himself and said, "Lord Raikage, we have received an emergency message from Lord Daimyo."


    The entire room became alert on hearing that. Frowns formed on many faces.


    The messenger continued, "He will be visiting our vige in the morning and wants to conduct a council meeting as soon as he arrives."


    A''s face had a very ugly expression. He asked, "Is that all?"


    The Chunin nodded. He left the room after A dismissed him.


    As soon as the door was closed, A''s eyes wandered into the room. He observed everyone''s expressions to see if any of them contacted the Daimyo. Unfortunately, he couldn''t gauge anything.


    Inazuma said, "Since we will be having a meeting tomorrow morning once again, it will be better to n our actions after it."


    A''s was upset on hearing that. However, his expression improved as Inazuma looked at everyone in the room and said, "It is obvious that everyone in this room will have different opinions. However, don''t forget that we are all a part of the same vige. We will show a united front to the Daimyo. If you have anyints or disagreements, raise them after he leaves."


    No one opposed him. The meeting ended. However, all of them would stay up all night to prepare for the meeting that would take ce in a few hours.


    Around the same time the meeting ended, Darui, Samui and C reached the location of the mine. When they saw the scene, they were shocked!


    C muttered, "What the hell happened here?"


    Darui had a grim expression. He said, "More importantly, where are Advisor Hari and the rest?"


    Suddenly, they looked to their right. A Kumogakure ninja appeared next to them. He was from the negotiating group. He brought Darui and the rest to where they were camped and both sides exchanged information.


    They split into two groups. One group stayed to protect the camp while the other group began investigating the mine for any clues and began assessing the damage done to the mine.


    After a thorough investigation, C sighed, "There is no clue rted to the ninjas that were stationed here. And the mine is so damaged that it might take more than a year to fix it and begin mining once again."


    Darui nodded. They sent another report to A while investigating even more.


    The next morning, the Daimyo of the Land of Lightning showed up in Kumogakure. He wasted no time in entering the council room. The council members gathered immediately and began the meeting.


    The Daimyo was an old man. He looked at A and said, "I am guessing that you know why I am here, right?"


    A said, "Is it due to the rumors?"


    Daimyo nodded and answered, "In Part."


    A snorted, "The rumors are nothing but a ploy yed by the Hokage to create panic in our country."


    Daimyo replied, "I don''t doubt that. So can you tell me the truth? Or do you n to keep me in the dark like thest time?"


    A''s face became dark. The Daimyo noticed it and didn''t push A any further.


    A asked, "What do you want to know about?"


    The Daimyo said, "About the mine, the sh with the Konoha ninjas and whether the mine was destroyed. Also, tell me about your next ns."


    Not seeing any point in keeping the incidents a secret, A informed the Daimyo about the truth of those events. He ended by saying, "As for the ns, we are still deciding. However, I want to invade Konoha and make them regret killing my subordinates!"


    The others in the council frowned but didn''t oppose him. The Daimyo said, "Right now, every citizen in our country is terrified."


    He looked at A and said, "They are terrified about your actions. I guess that most of your ninjas are doubting you too. How do you n to wage a war under these circumstances?"


    Rage appeared on A''s face when he heard the Daimyo saying that his ninjas might be doubting him. However, before he could explode, Inazuma said, "Lord Daimyo, it''s just the rumors that have created confusion. We can easily quell those rumors by starting new rumors and increase our morale through it."


    The Daimyo replied, "True. But which rumors would help you resolve this?"


    He ced a few letters on the table. Inazuma frowned.


    The Daimyo said, "These are letters that I have received from every other Daimyo. The Daimyo of Hot Water hasined about you mining in his country illegally. The other Daimyos have also condemned your actions."


    The Kumo ninjas frowned upon hearing that.


    The Daimyo continued, "They will soon be sending their forces to the mine. If they find proof of Kumogakure''s illegal mining activities, then a trade embargo will be ced on the Land of Lightning for 6 months.


    The Mine itself will be handed over to the Land of Iron for mining. They have already sent their Samurais over to take control of the mine. The Hokage has expressed his support for this and has promised to send his forces to aid the Samurais.


    Though there hasn''t been any word from the Tsuchikage and Kazekage, their respective Daimyos have promised to send ninjas to the mine as the chakra metal extracted will be divided equally among the ones who contribute forces to defend the mine."


    The mood in the room became heavy as the Daimyo kept delivering one bad news after another. The Daimyo observed the mood in the room with satisfaction. Finally, he said, "Raikage, I know I can''t force you to not wage a war. However, I want you to know what you will be facing if you start a war. At the very least, you will have to face thebined might of the Land of Iron and the Land of Fire in the Land of Hot Water which supports them.


    In the worst-case scenario, you will even have to face the armies of the Land of Wind and the Land of Stone as well. Additionally, if you wage a war, the trade embargo won''t be ced for just 6 months."


    The Daimyo stood up and said, "I would rmend you to extinguish any proof of your activities there and withdraw back. We could join them and gain our share of the chakra metal and our economy wouldn''t have to suffer from the trade embargo. I''ll leave the final decision to you."


    Having said what he wanted to, the Daimyo left the room. His officials followed him. He was aware of A''s short temper and didn''t want to be at the receiving end of it. So he didn''t antagonize him too much.


    The atmosphere in the council room was very gloomy. Though many of them didn''t want a war, being forced to stop this way was very humiliating.


    Even A was troubled. While he was confident about defeating Konoha''s armies, he didn''t have any confidence in a victory against thebined forces of Konoha and the Land of Iron.


    The council brainstormed on the avable options. They came up with a lot of different ideas. Unfortunately, every single idea was deemed too risky to implement. In the end, they had to swallow a bitter pill and quit.


    A sent messages to Darui and the negotiating group to get rid of all clues that could point to them and return back to Kumogakure. They followed his instructions.


    A couple of days after the Kumogakure ninjas left, an army consisting of one thousand Samurais led by Mifune, two hundred Konoha ninjas led by Kakashi and fifty Yugakure ninjas led by Tokuhei appeared at the site of the mine.

 Chapter 218: Taking all the Blame!

    Just like others before them, this group too was shocked by what they were witnessing. The Land of Hot Water forces didn''t dare to approach this ce after confirming Kumogakure''s presence. Though they heard the news of floodsing out from here, they stayed away from Kumogakure ninjas. So they never knew about the destruction of the mine.


    Even Kakashi was unaware of the truth as Hiruzen didn''t inform him about Jiraiya''s actions. Tokuhei analyzed the entirendscape and cursed, "The entire mine has been destroyed by those bastards!"


    Mifune and Kakashi didn''t say anything as they too reached the same conclusion.


    Mifune sighed, "We will first have to clean up this ce and make new arrangements. Though the surface of the mine has been destroyed, the valuable materials inside it should be safe."


    However, he frowned and said, "But Kumogakure has crossed all limits this time. Not only did they mine illegally, they even destroyed the mine before leaving."


    Tokuhei looked at Mifune and requested, "Lord Mifune, we have to make Kumogakure pay for their actions. Otherwise, they will keep behaving like this!"


    Mifune thought for a bit before shaking his head. He said, "It won''t be easy. I believe that they destroyed this mine to clear all their traces. Without any proof, we won''t be able to take any action. Besides, though we have threatened Kumogakure, I doubt any of us want a war with them."


    Kakashi nodded, "Yeah. It''s best if war is prevented. Otherwise, everyone''s losses will far exceed the value of this mine. But, we could still make them pay economically."


    Mifune replied, "True. But let''s leave that to the Daimyos."


    He looked at everyone behind them and instructed, "Begin cleaning this ce. Also, see if you can find any evidence to prove that the Kumogakure forces were here."


    The Samurais and the Ninjas got to work. Mifune said, "Clearing up this mine will take a lot of time. I can''t wait here that long. I will wait here until all the countries reach an agreement. Once all countries have signed up, every major vige will deploy 50 ninjas to protect this mine and I will leave 200 Samurais here for the same."


    Tokuhei and Kakashi nodded. Everyone got to work. However, they didn''t find any clues that could be linked to Kumogakure.


    With A dropping ns for the invasion, all viges agreed to share the mine. The Land of Iron will be responsible for mining and distributing the chakra metal and other precious metals at the same level among the viges that protected the mine.


    So Konohagakure, Kumogakure, Iwagakure, Sunagakure and the Land of Iron would get those metals equally. Kirigakure couldn''t provide the troops and hence was left out. All these 5 countries would pay half the price of chakra metals to the Land of Hot Water. In addition, Land of Hot Water will get all the normal materials mined from the mine.


    Later on, A woulde to know that everyone med him for destroying the mine to cover his tracks. However, since no one had any proof, no one spoke out loud. The realization that he was being held responsible for the enemy''s actions sent the Raikage into a seething fury!


    Not only did he lose more than 260 capable ninjas, he even had to take the me for Hiruzen''s actions! And the worst part was that he couldn''t defend himself. To defend himself, he would first have to admit the fact that Kumogakure was mining illegally inside another country! So A couldn''t do anything but suffer in silence!


    While the countries were busy discussing the Mine, Fujin was busy training. He had met up with Tamotsu once but spent the remaining time on training. In a week''s time, he had already learnt Iron Skin jutsu and Bringer of Darkness Genjutsu. However, he hit a wall.


    Fujin was sitting on the training ground with his back against a tree. His chakra was almost exhausted. A frown could be seen on his face. He analyzed, ''What is the issue? I have been trying this jutsu for over a week but have made no progress at all!''


    After learning the 2 jutsus, Fujin began learning Wild Lion''s Mane jutsu. This was the same jutsu that Jiraiya frequently used. It could grow hair and allow the caster to freely manipte them. Unfortunately, Fujin was stuck at the very first step. No matter how he manipted his chakra, he couldn''t get his hair to grow at all.


    Fujin analyzed a lot before sighing, ''It''s no use. I guess that there are moreplexities involved before I am able to use this jutsu. I am not sure what those are, but the most likely possibility could be that I would need a medical ninja to artificially enhance whatever promotes hair growth.


    Only then I might be able to cast this jutsu. Considering that Jiraiya had Tsunade and Orochimaru in his team, it could exin why he could do it easily and why I haven''t seen anyone else use this jutsu.''


    Fujin let out another sigh, ''It looks like my ns to have a tripleyered defense with Rashomon, Wild Lion''s Mane and Iron Skin will need to be stalled. Though it''s fine. Just Rashomon and Iron Skinbined with Wind jutsus is quite strong.''


    Fujin decided to give up on Wild Lion''s Mane and Needle Jizo jutsus for the time being. He left for home and decided to continue learning Lightning jutsus.


    The next day, he did his physical workout and returned to his basement. He made a few hand signs. Lightning appeared on his body and immediately transformed into needles. He made another hand sign and over a hundred electric needles wereunched from his body.


    Fujin analyzed, ''Good, l will have to improve the speed of this jutsu but otherwise it is learnt. Now I have only two jutsus to practice. Unfortunately, one will require a partner or at least a victim, so I can''t learn it for now. It leaves just one. Though this one is very strong.''


    Fujin made a shadow clone. The clone positioned himself opposite Fujin. Fujin weaved hand signs. The air around Fujin suddenly became heavy as he began exerting a huge amount of chakra. He extended his right arm ahead and pointed his index and middle finger at his clone.


    Lightning appeared around his two fingers and a huge portion of his chakra began transforming into Lightning and gathered in his two fingers. After 40 seconds, around 24% of Fujin''s chakra had been transformed into Lightning and concentrated in his hands. He shouted, "NOW!"


    His shadow clone immediately bit his thumb making it bleed, made a snake hand seal and mmed his hands on the ground.


    ''Summoning Jutsu : Rashomon''


    At the same time, Fujinunched an arrow made of lightning straight at the Rashomon gate. The Arrow hit the gate and created a huge explosion!


    The force of the explosion immediately pushed Fujin backwards. Fujin covered his face and tried to look at the spot of the explosion. Chakra gathered in his eye as he tried to observe through the intense light.


    He couldn''t help but think, ''The scroll was right! Luckily I took the warning seriously and decided to use Rashomon. Otherwise, my house would have been heavily damaged despite all the seals!''


    After a few seconds, the explosion died down. Fujin could see the Rashomon Gate. It still stood but its surface was filled with cracks.


    Fujin stepped closer and observed the gate. His eyes widened as he realized, ''Incredible! The cracks go up to halfway in the gate. It''s even more impressivepared to the damage from my Vacuum Canon.''


    Fujin analyzed for a minute and concluded, ''In terms of pure destructive power, this is my most powerful jutsu. But, in terms of usability, it is one of the worst. Though the destructive power is high, the chakra it needs is more than ten times that of the Vacuum Cannon jutsu.


    Worse is the preparation time. The scroll stated that this time can be reduced with training, but it will still take a long time. At the very least, this jutsu will require 5 seconds of charging time. So in a normal situation, it will be quite useless.


    I guess this jutsu is most effective when there are teammates to provide that time. But considering that I n to use Lightning jutsus while in disguise, I don''t have that option. Though I guess that I could still use shadow clones for that purpose.''


    Fujin analyzed the pros and cons of the jutsu and decided, ''If I train this jutsu, my training will be over in 4 attempts. I won''t be able to train anymore on that day. So though it looks cool, it will be harmful if I waste months trying to slowly master this jutsu. I can think about practicing this jutsu once my chakra has multiplied a few times over. For now, I should focus on mastering other jutsus.''


    Having made his decision, Fujin decided to master the Iron Skin jutsu.

 Chapter 219: Bounty!

    Fujin decided, ''I need to reduce the hand signs required for this jutsu. No, I want to eliminate them. Only then this jutsu will show its true worth. In addition, I also need to learn how to apply this jutsu to just one body part. It will save chakra and increase the versatility of this jutsu.''


    Fujin was about to begin practicing when his doorbell rang. He answered the door. It was a messenger asking him to visit Hiruzen.


    Fujin flickered to Hiruzen''s office. Since the door was open, he just walked in. Hiruzen noticed Fujin and handed him a book and said, "Check this."


    Hiruzen had already opened the page for Fujin to see. Fujin was surprised to see what he did. However, soon a smile appeared on his face as he thought, ''20 million already? Not bad. Not bad at all. Though I guess that this is more due to Hiruzen''s rumors rather than my achievements.''


    Hiruzen looked at Fujin''s smile and coughed to get Fujin''s attention. He said, "That isn''t a good thing Fujin."


    Fujin had a wry smile on his face on hearing his remark. He thought, ''Shit, that fight with Darui makes me want to fight more such fights. I need to meditate and eliminate that thought. They may feel fun but are super harmful to my life!''


    Fujin said, "Yes. But I don''t need to be worried inside our vige, right?"


    Hiruzen nodded, "There hasn''t ever been any incident of anyone iming bounties inside Konoha. You don''t need to worry about that."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Alright, I won''t be leaving Konoha until you think I am ready."


    Hiruzen replied, "Good. You can return to your training."


    Fujin thanked him politely and left.


    Since he didn''t need to worry about it for the time being, Fujin ignored the bounty for now. If his spections were right, Hiruzen would keep him among the Anbu for years. During this time, his identity will stay hidden. By the time he quit the Anbu, he was confident that his strength would be in a different league!


    When Fujin reached his house, he saw that there were 5 children his age waiting outside his house. He wondered, ''Did these guys learn tree walking?''


    The group of 5 orphans had arrived outside Fujin''s house a few minutes earlier. They saw the tag that said that Fujin wasn''t at home.


    Tatsuya sighed, "It looks like he is on a mission. Our exams are less than 2 months away."


    The others nodded. Daisuke said, "I hope he returns soon."


    At that instant, Fujin snuck up behind them and asked, "Who should return soon?"


    They didn''t expect someone to appear behind them suddenly and were startled. They quickly moved away from Fujin. Fujin chuckled at seeing their reactions.


    He asked, "Are you guys done with the Tree walking exercise?"


    Everyone nodded. Daisuke said, "We all managed to learn itst Wednesday."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Good, how much time is left for the exams?"


    Daisuke said, "We have just around 7 weeks."


    Fujin thought for a bit and concluded, ''Just 7 weeks. That''s not enough time to teach them what I had nned for them. And once they graduate, I doubt they would have much of a reason toe to me¡­''


    Seeing Fujin in a thought made them nervous. After all, their future was on line. Tatsuya asked, "Fujin, why are you thinking so hard?"


    Fujin looked at them and decided, ''Leave it, it''s not my job to guide them thoroughly. It depends on their fate and will. I''ll just point them in the right direction.''


    Fujin said, "I had initially nned to teach you guys a few more things. Unfortunately, I don''t think you have enough time. So I''ll just tell you what my ns were. If you have enough time, you can try to work on it. Otherwise, you can just focus on the three ninjutsus needed to pass the academy."


    Fujin''s initial words increased their worries a lot. They took a few seconds to process what Fujin had said. Suddenly their eyes widened. Bunjiro asked, "Do you mean that we can pass the exam?"


    Fujin nodded and said, "As I said, these exercises have improved your control a lot. So learning those 3 basic jutsus should be very easy now. Just train hard and you will get it down rather quickly."


    They became excited on hearing Fujin''s words.


    However, Bunjiro was intrigued by Fujin''s words. He asked, "What were your ns for us, Fujin?"


    Fujin said, "I was nning to have you improve your chakra control more. The next step would be to walk on water. Water isn''t hard and stable like a tree. So it will be much more diff..."


    Fujin was cut off as Ryoma eximed in excitement, "We can walk on water??"


    Fujin nodded and continued, "But as I said, it is difficult to learn. Another n I had was to make you learn at least one elemental jutsu. If you guys master the 3 jutsus quickly and have time, buy a chakra paper from any weapon store.


    It will tell you what your chakra nature is. Then go to the Section E of the library and pick up a simple jutsu of that nature and learn it. It will improve your rank in the exam considerably."


    The orphans quickly thanked Fujin for his guidance. They asked a few queries which were resolved by Fujin before leaving.


    Fujin saw their backs as they left. His smile faded away as he thought, ''Not everyone in this group is serious about training. Otherwise, they would have been done with these basic exercises a long time ago. But, the others in the group waited for that person probably due to their friendship and hence stalled their progress as well.''


    Fujin couldn''t help but analyze their situation, ''On one hand, is their long friendship which they probably relish a lot. On the other hand, if they cut off the ckers, they can progress much faster and increase their strength. That''s a rough dilemma to face.''


    Fujin turned around and headed into his home. Though many would struggle to decide between those two, Fujin had no doubts, ''In my previous world, sess could bepared with the amount of money you had or earned. It didn''t matter if one earned a bit less and enjoyed more time with family and friends and enjoyed your life. I would have chosen family and friends over money any day.


    But in this world, power reigns supreme. Sacrificing power to stay with friends who hold you back is foolish. After all, that little bit of power could be the difference between life and death.


    Of course, there is no need to terminate all friendships. They just have to train with the ones who train at the same pace and intensity as themselves or train solo. They can still remain friends but have to keep training out of their friendship.


    Though I guess I too share a bit of the me as I asked those 5 toe to me together instead of individually as I didn''t want to spend a lot of time on them. If I had told them toe whenever they reach the assigned goals, perhaps the result would have been different.


    Still, this is a good thing to know. One cker can pull the whole group down. When I create an organization, such people will have to either be kept out or kept away from those who want to work harder and get stronger.


    And I shouldn''t put some stupid restrictions likeing to me at the same time just for my convenience. Instead, making it apetition between them will give me much better results. I can even add some rewards simr to how Hiruzen rewarded me. That way everyone would work hard for the reward and also due to peer pressure.''


    Fujin ended his train of thought and continued his training.


    Two weekster -


    Fujin was breathing heavily. He had 4 shadow clones around him. A smile could be seen on his face. He thought, ''Finally! I have reduced the number of hand seals to perform Iron Skin jutsu to just 1. And I can harden any part of my body I want to.''


    He took a deep breath and dispelled his clones. He sat against a tree as he received their memories and experience. He analyzed, ''As I kept practising this jutsu, the amount of chakra needed to sustain it dropped a lot. So I could use shadow clones to speed up my training. Otherwise, I might have needed around a month and a half to master this jutsu. Anyways, now that I have this jutsu down properly, it''s time to try that!''


    Fujin sat in a meditative pose. He grabbed a soldier pill and ate it. He meditated until his chakra reserves were back to full once again. His eyes opened. Determination and excitement could be seen in it along with a hint of fear.


    He stood up and weaved hand signs.


    Boar ¡ú Dog ¡ú Bird ¡ú Monkey ¡ú Ram


    He mmed his hands on the ground!

 Chapter 220: The Wolf Valley

    Fujin weaved the hand signs and mmed his hands on the ground.


    ''Summoning Jutsu!''


    Fujin immediately disappeared from Konoha.


    The scenery around Fujin changed instantly. He was in the air and began falling. Fujinnded on his feet as he thought, ''So this is how Space-Time travel feels? I kinda assumed that it would be ufortable or weird. Instead, it just feels like flickering.''


    As soon as hended, a lot of eyes turned towards him. Fujin too looked around himself. His chakra field was already spread out.


    He thought, ''So I am in thend of wolves, huh? Now, are they friendly or aggressive?''


    Fujin hadnded in a Wolf Valley. It was a huge ce surrounded by massive mountains. Fujin sensed hundreds of wolves in his chakra field. And he could see that his chakra field didn''t cover even one percent of the total area of the valley.


    The spot where Fujinnded had 9 wolves around him. They looked at Fujin with curiosity as he appeared out of nowhere.


    However, the curiosity didn''tst long. A few secondster, a Wolf howled loudly and pounced on Fujin! Immediately, the other wolves also howled and pounced on Fujin.


    Fujin easily dodged them and asked, "Who is your leader?"


    Unfortunately, he didn''t get any response as they kept attacking him. Fujin sighed, ''Great, they don''t understand humannguage!''


    His expression became grim as he sensed the hundreds of wolves in his chakra field running towards him. He thought, ''I hope at least some of them understand humannguage.''


    He kept dodging without attacking back. He was afraid that the leaders of the pack might treat him as an enemy if he attacked back. More importantly, he wasn''t aware of how strong the leaders would be. If they were anything like the Toads or the Snakes, it would bring a catastrophe on him if he killed them indiscriminately.


    Fujin kept dodging until the number of Wolves surrounding him became too high. With no other option, he flickered away. Unfortunately, the entire ce was crawling with wolves. No matter where he flickered, he would be swarmed by wolves in a few seconds. Luckily, none of them could use chakra. So Fujin wasn''t in any danger.


    Suddenly, Fujin''s attention was attracted. He sensed a wolf pack heading towards him. Every single wolf in this pack had a much higher chakra! It was as high as a normal chunin would have. In addition, their size was muchrger than a normal wolf.


    As soon as that pack appeared, the normal wolves cleared the path. They ran straight towards Fujin. A smile appeared on Fujin''s face as he thought, ''Finally. I was getting bored. And they should understand human speech.''


    The new Wolf pack didn''t waste any time attacking Fujin. However, Fujin disappeared from their sight. The lead wolf suddenly howled as Fujin was standing on his back. Fujin stated, "I am not here to fight. So, can any of you bring me to your leader?"


    Unfortunately, he didn''t get any response as the other Wolves jumped at him. Their ws ripped through Fujin and their jaws took huge bites. Both their ws and jaws were enhanced with Chakra. However, the injured Fujin disappeared in a cloud of smoke.


    This confused the wolves. Fujin, who was hiding underground, thought, "Okay, so they don''t speak or don''t want to speak."


    Fujin could sense more wolf packs with higher chakra heading towards him. He made Shadow clones. Each of the clones headed towards the iing packs and tried conversing with them.


    Unfortunately, none of the wolf packs talked back to him. They just kept attacking him like wild beasts. Fujin''s clones didn''t bother putting up a fight. After getting no response, they just let the wolf packs kill them.


    As Fujin received everyone''s memories, he sighed, ''Looks like they don''t talk at all. I''ll hide here until someone who can talk appears.''


    The Wolves knew that Fujin wasn''t dead. They kept searching, but couldn''t find even a trace of Fujin. It was as if he never arrived there. After half an hour, another Wolf Pack arrived. These wolves all had Jounin levels of chakra. And they were veryrge. They were all as big as a truck. And the wolf leading the pack wasrger than the rest by almost 50%!


    As soon as they entered Fujin''s chakra field, they sensed that they were being sensed. They immediately looked in the direction Fujin was hiding and ran towards him.


    However, 3 shadow clones suddenly appeared in their path. The Wolves stopped. One of Fujin''s clones said, "I am not here to fight. I came here to sign a summoning contract."


    The Wolves stopped their aggressive posture and rxed a bit. Fujin''s clones were relieved as well, ''Finally, someone who understands thenguage!''


    However, at the very next second, the gigantic wolves opened their mouths and exhaled strong winds at Fujin''s clones. The clones were on their guard. One immediately used Infinite Breakthrough jutsu to counter the attack. The winds shed against each other and formed a small hurricane which soon began dispersing.


    The gaze of Fujin''s clones changed. They decided, ''Talking is useless. Either these guys will just keep attacking or this is a test to see my martial might.''


    They saw as the wolves ran into the hurricane to reach the clones. Their heavy bodies meant that the hurricane couldn''t stop them. Immediately, all 3 shadow clones fired Vacuum Bullets into the hurricane. The bullets ripped through the hurricane and reached the unsuspecting Wolves. Six wolves were hit by it.


    Though Fujin had decided to fight, he didn''t want to cause a massacre. The vacuum bullets hit the sides of the wolf and cut through the surface of their flesh. All 6 wolves had a 12-meter-long deep sh on one of their sides.


    They howled in pain and ran away from Fujin''s clones. However, the remaining wolves made it through the hurricane to attack Fujin''s clones.


    However, as soon as they made it to the opposite side, his clones made a hand seal. Their fists turned ck and became very hard. At the same time, Chakra became visible around their fists. They flickered on top of the wolves and punched their head with their full strength.


    The sudden impact on the skulls immediately made them lose consciousness. The clones flickered multiple times and knocked out all of them with ease.


    They couldn''t help but think, ''Though their chakra is high, their fighting style is very lousy. That''s disappointing. I hope that there are better ones in the valley who know sage mode. Otherwise, it will be too disappointing.''


    Seeing the bigger wolves knocked out or running injured silenced the remaining wolves. Fujin expected the weaker wolves to run away or call for stronger reinforcements. However, his guess was wrong.


    Every single wolf around him howled and rushed blindly at his clones. The clones sighed at their disappointing intelligence. The three clones stood with their backs to each other and began preparing the same jutsu. As soon as the wolves reached within arm''s distance, all three clones used the jutsu.


    ''Wind Release: Triple Infinite Breakthrough jutsu''


    In an instant, high-speed winds spread in all directions! The wolves who were rushing forward were stopped. Instead, the winds pushed them back. Many wolves tried holding on to the ground. However, eventually, all the nearby wolves were sent flying through the air. Even the unconscious bodies of the giant wolves were sent flying.


    The clones looked at the sight and thought, ''If we had made these winds sharper, this whole valley would have been covered in blood by now!''


    Painful howls spread throughout the valley as the wolves crashed on the ground. A few of the weaker wolves ended up dying due to the impact.


    However, the ones who were alive got up and charged at Fujin''s clones once again. In addition, more wolf packs kept joining them. The clones sighed and fought back.


    Two dayster -


    Fujin was hiding underground. However, his expression wasn''t good and his chakra was very low.


    Fujin was still in the wolf valley. He kept making shadow clones and sending them to fight for two whole days! The entire valley was covered by the bodies of wolves. Almost all of them were injured. Quite a few were dead as well. Unfortunately, there was no end to the wolf tide.


    During these two days, Fujin''s clones had fought over a hundred thousand wolves! However, not a single wolf that attacked Fujin''s clones for over two days had the skill to even injure him. On the other hand, any wind jutsu would result in a huge number of casualties to them. His clones would fight until they ran out of chakra and Fujin would create new ones to rece them.


    However, after two days of fighting, Fujin''s chakra finally hit rock bottom. Even soldier pills couldn''t generate chakra at enough speed.


    Fujin sighed, ''It looks hopeless. Though the number of wolves is very high, there are no high-level wolves. My clones have scouted every single mountain around the valley in these two days, but I never found any Wolf interested in talking.


    So either these guys have no brains or their leaders are hiding somewhere and don''t think that I am someone worthy enough to make them show themselves. Of course, this could still be a test, but my chakra is almost dry.''

 Chapter 221: Bad Luck

    Fujin finally gave up on the wolves. He made a hand sign and ended his jutsu. In the next second, he appeared back in the training ground. Exhausted, he went home and took a long rest.


    A few dayster, Fujin once again tried his luck.


    ''Summoning Jutsu''


    Fujin disappeared from his basement. He looked around and the scene made his skin crawl! He couldn''t help but curse, ''First that never-ending Wolf tide! And now this? No wonder so few have the summoning jutsu. It''s fucking dangerous!''


    As soon as Fujin appeared, he saw innumerable Mosquitoes around him! He couldn''t even estimate their number.


    He nervously asked, "Do you have a leader who would be willing to discuss a summoning contract?"


    Fujin thought, ''Though I don''t like mosquitoes, they have a lot of potential. If I can summon millions of mosquitos, I can have simr skills as the Aburame n without having to host insects in my body. However, I first need to see the effectiveness of these mosquitoes.


    For starters, how much chakra would it require to summon a sufficient number of mosquitoes? And, do they have poisons like the bugs? Or do they have other means of attack?''


    Unfortunately for Fujin, the mosquitoes just dived at him without exchanging any words. Fujin sighed expecting such a response. Winds began flowing all around him. A dome of wind formed around Fujin which spun at a high speed.


    The mosquitoes attacked the dome and were ripped into small pieces as soon as they entered it. Their remains were tossed outside right away. Hundreds of mosquitoes died every second. Fujin sighed once again, ''Another suicidal bunch.''


    Fujin lost all interest in the group. He made a hand sign and cancelled the summoning jutsu and returned to his basement.


    He muttered, "No wonder so few ninjas have summons. If most of the summons are like them, it will be waste of time and risky at the same time."


    He hadn''t wasted much chakra against the Mosquitoes. He used the Summoning jutsu once again and disappeared.


    This time, hended in a rocky area. There were huge boulders around Fujin. And on top of those boulders were Hyenas! Fujin was standing in the center and there were 8 hyenas surrounding him.


    Fujin looked at them and wondered, ''So will these guys talk?''


    This time, Fujin didn''t have to wait for long to know the answer.


    All 8 hyenas stood up and stared at Fujin. One of them eximed, "A human popped up out of thin air!"


    Another hyena licked his lips and said, "Yeah, we didn''t even have to go hunting for him!"


    Another said, "Since this is a free meal, he should be delicious, right?"


    Fujin was relieved to hear them speak. But soon his left eye twitched. He said, "I was trying to sign a summoning contract. Who is your leader?"


    The first hyena that had spoken asked excitedly, "Do you mean that we can summon humans like you and not have to hunt for a meal ever?"


    Fujin''s left eye twitched again. He sighed and said, "Just take me to your leader."


    The hyena said, "Sure."


    However, at the next second, he pounced on Fujin. Having dealt with two annoying groups, Fujin was high on alert and low on patience. He dodged and kicked the hyena away.


    Surprisingly, the hyena flipped in the air andnded on his legs on a boulder. He eximed, "This one fights well! Brothers, we will have a good hunt tonight!"


    Fujin muttered, "Great, another group of battle maniacs."


    He spread his chakra field. Surprisingly, there were only 16 hyenas in a 1.3-kilometer radius. Fujin wondered, ''Is this a small pack? Or is the territory of these hyenas so huge that only 16 live in such arge area?''


    As soon as the hyena yelled, the remaining 8 arrived and encircled Fujin. However, none of them attacked Fujin.


    Fujin prepared himself for another fight. However, his eyes widened. Lightning began appearing on the bodies of every hyena. It flowed on their bodies. Fujin thought, ''What the hell? They can use Lightning?''


    In the very next second, Fujin flickered. A paw pierced into the back of the afterimage he left. Fujin''s face became grim, ''They are too fast!''


    All 16 hyenas ran towards him at a very high speed. Their speed wasn''t any lower than the speed at which Fujin flickered.


    Fujin kept flickering to prevent himself from being surrounded. At the same time, one sword appeared in his left hand. Without looking, he shed it at the hyena on his left.


    The hyena didn''t bother dodging as the sword was quite far from him. However, his eyes widened as he saw a sword shing at him. He immediately got out of the way and barely dodged the sword sh. Unfortunately, that wasn''t all.


    The sword sh was surrounded by sharp winds that hit the hyena. The winds cut into his flesh, making him bleed all over. The hyena was enraged and began chasing Fujin once again. He shouted, "Be careful of his sword shes!"


    The other hyenas made a note of it mentally and kept attacking. Fujin also observed the hyena as he was on a run, ''So the lightning just increases their speed and perhaps their attack too. Their defenses aren''t enhanced. However, his hide is too tough for a hyena. Normal attacks won''t have much effect on it.''


    He kept running while attacking with flying shes. Fujin was very impressed by the Hyenas, ''They are good. Very good. They have excellent coordination, very high speed and a strong attack. And they keep fighting despite injuries without letting them affect their speed. With the addition of their cunningness, they might just be the perfect summons!''


    Fujin swung his sword towards the rock below him and sent a flying sh towards it. The sh cut the boulder and sent dust and small pieces of rocks flying towards the hyenas. Due to their high speed, the hyenas couldn''t dodge and ran into the rocks and dust and were blinded momentarily due to the dust.


    Fujin used this opportunity to flicker a far distance from them and stopped moving. The hyenas took a couple of seconds to get rid of the dust in their eyes and chased after Fujin once again.


    Fuji stood on a boulder as he saw the hyenase at him. They moved so fast that if a normal person saw, he wouldn''t see anything except lightning shing across the boulders.


    Fujin built up around 5% of his chakra.


    ''Wind Release: Infinite Breakthrough jutsu''


    Fujin exhaled a massive and strong wind at the hyenas. Seeing their bloodlust, Fujin didn''t hold back. The attack left deep cuts in the ground as it moved towards the hyenas.


    The hyenas saw the strong winds heading towards them and barked loudly. However, to Fujin''s ears, they sounded like cacklingughter!


    Fujin was surprised as all the hyenas let out an electric wave that shed with Fujin''s attack. Fujin had the elemental advantage, however, he was facing 16 opponents by himself. Both attacks cancelled each other. The hyenas continued their hunt and moved right through the dust raised by the sh of their previous attacks.


    Fujin used the smokescreen to fire air bullets at the hyenas. As soon as the hyenas exited the smokescreen, they felt air bullets heading towards them. They immediately dodged, however, they were too close to the attack.


    2 Air bullets hit the legs of a couple of hyenas and left a hole through it. Another 8 air bullets left cuts on the hyenas. Only 5 hyenas werepletely unharmed. They immediately went on the attack while the others took time to breathe.


    A hyena appeared in front of Fujin and swung his paws at his head. At the same time, another two hyenas appeared on Fujin''s side. Fujin moved backwards as defending would mean that those two hyenas would attack him.


    The paw hit the boulder on which Fujin was standing andpletely destroyed it! As Fujin moved back, he swung his sword at them andunched another sword sh. The hyenas immediately jumped to dodge. However, Fujin fired Air Bullets at that very instant at the hyenas who were airborne.


    This time, the hyenas weren''t unaware of the threat. They opened their mouths and fired small lightning balls at the iing air bullets. The attacks cancelled each other out.


    Fujin furrowed his eyebrows, ''I will run out of chakra at this rate. And they aren''t allowing me any time to cancel my summoning jutsu and return back to Konoha.''


    As he was thinking, one of the hyenas, who was earlier injured, appeared at Fujin''s right and pounced on him. Fujin saw as his lightning-enhanced paw moved towards his body. At the same time, the 5 hyenas facing him also pressed on the attack.


    Fujin extended his right arm towards the iing paw. As his hand moved forward, chakra appeared in front of his palm. It took the shape of a ball and began rotating at a very high speed.


    At the same time, chakra flowed erratically through the sword in his left hand as he swung it at the hyenasing at him. The hyenas expected another flying sh. However, this time no sh was sent flying. Instead, strong winds were generated that were incredibly sharp and spread in all directions in front of Fujin.


    The hyenas noticed the deep cuts the winds left in the ground and were terrified. They immediately ran in the opposite direction. The winds lost their power after travelling 25 meters, but that was sufficient time for Fujin.


    The paw and the Rasengan shed. The hyena expected to crush the ball and the human as well. However, the Rasengan easily overpowered the paw. The lightning around the paw dissipated as the Rasengan hit it. The hyena let out a painful howl as the Rasengan hit.


    The momentum of the hyena carried it into the Rasengan. The Rasengan caused his leg to bend towards its stomach. Fujin mmed the Rasengan into his stomach and sent the hyena backwards along with the Rasengan. After moving for a couple of meters, the Rasengan exploded!


    The hyena''s skin was the thinnest in his belly area. The explosion ripped through the skin and blew his internal organs. Blood and flesh hit the rocks behind the hyena. When the smoke cleared, the hyena''s dead body could be seen on the ground. His once-solid stomach had been ripped open, exposing the shattered remnants of its internal organs to the elements. The flesh around the stomach hung loosely like a torn and deted bag.


    The gruesome sight made the remaining hyenas shudder in revulsion. They all looked at each other. Fujin noticed it and prepared himself for an even fiercer confrontation. However, his eyes widened and a stunned expression could be seen on his face as he saw the hyena''s action!

 Chapter 222: This World is Freakishly Scary!

    Fujin''s eyes widened and a stunned expression could be seen on his face as he saw the hyena''s actions. After looking at each other, every hyena nodded and looked at Fujin with a fierce expression. However, at the very next moment, every single hyena escaped in different directions as fast as they could move at the same time!


    Merely in a couple of seconds, they escaped Fujin''s range of sight and soon after they escaped Fujin''s chakra field, leaving him standing alone with the remains of a dead hyena.


    After a few seconds of disbelief, Fujin sighed and muttered, "Such shameless beasts!"


    Despite what he said, he couldn''t help but think that they would have been the perfect summons for him.


    He looked at the dead hyena and thought, ''It looks like there are only these 16 hyenas here. The mountains shouldn''t have any more hyenas. Even if they do, considering that I have killed one of them, I don''t think I''d be able to sign a contract.


    He sealed the dead body of the hyena in a scroll while thinking, ''In my previous life, I recall reading a lot of fantasy books that stated that eating the meat of strong beasts was very helpful for developing a stronger physique and improving aptitude or energy. I wonder if it also applies here. I know eating Kurama''s meat can provide a lot of benefits. I wonder if the same also applies to summoning animals. It''d be very helpful if my flesh became as sturdy as his and my Lightning affinity improved.''


    He made a hand sign and cancelled his jutsu and returned to his basement.


    He left his house and went to a store from where he had previously bought recipes. The shopkeeper looked at him and politely asked, "How can I help you?"


    Fujin asked, "Do you have a recipe for cooking hyenas?"


    The old shopkeeper looked at Fujin with a weird expression. Fujin ignored it and asked, "Do you?"


    The shopkeeper replied, "Wait a few minutes." He began searching through his records and finally found what Fujin was looking for.


    After searching for the book, he returned and handed it to Fujin and said, "Surprisingly I do have one. It also involves details of how to properly clean it."


    Fujin thanked the old man and paid for the book before leaving. He cleaned and prepared the hyena''s flesh for a few hours before cooking some of it and storing the rest in the fridge.


    As he ate, he noticed, ''Hmm, there is not much difference in taste aspared with goat meat.''


    Fujin spent the next few days resting and eating the hyena''s meat. However, he was disappointed as he didn''t notice any change after 3 days. He thought, ''What a bummer. I haven''t felt any improvement in my physique or the power of my Lightning jutsus. I guess only the flesh of tailed beasts will provide benefits.


    Though it makes sense I suppose. I doubt I am the first one to eat an animal that can use chakra and an element. If it did provide any benefits, this would have beenmon knowledge and every n would be procuring such meat to strengthen themselves. I''m sure summoning animals would have already gone extinct by now due to everyone''s greed.''


    Having had enough rest, Fujin prepared himself for another attempt to get a summon. He ate a soldier pill and used the summoning jutsu.


    He disappeared from his basement. Unlike his previous three attempts where Fujin appeared a bit high in the air, this time he felt something around him. He felt a massive pressure on him and his clothes and body got wet instantly.


    Fujin opened his eyes to see that he was underwater! In front of him was a giant wall or an underwater mountain! Multiple small and colorful fishes were swimming around him. Fujin immediately held his breath and cursed in his mind, ''Shit!''


    He spread his chakra field to see how deep he was in the water. His chakra field spread to its max limit. Fujin''s eyes widened in terror as he looked at the ''wall'' in front of him! He realized, ''This isn''t a hill! It''s a fucking whale! A fucking 200-meter-long whale!''


    Despite his chakra field spreading for 1.3-kilometers in all directions, Fujin''s chakra field didn''t escape the water. Realizing how bad his situation was, he immediately weaved hand signs.


    As he did, he noticed another giant whale swimming towards him. The small fish that were around Fujin immediately began running away. However, the giant whale opened its mouth and a strong suction force was felt by Fujin. The water, the fish and even Fujin himself were sucked towards the whale''s massive mouth!


    At thest moment, Fujin disappeared and returned to his basement. He dropped to his knees and began breathing heavily as water fell from his clothes and body on the floor. After taking a few deep breaths, he sat down and muttered, "So freaking scary!"


    He took deep breaths and calmed himself down and analyzed, ''No wonder so few have summons. If encounters like this one aremon, then unless the summoner is a formidable ninja, surviving will be very difficult. If I had appeared there half a minuteter, then I''d be sucked into the whale''s mouth right when I appeared there!''


    Fujin immediately began doubting himself. He thought, ''Should I still try to get a summon by myself? At the current rate, the risks of trying to get a summon seem to far outweigh the benefits of getting it. After all, this time I was sent to such depths inside the ocean. What if I am sent inside a volcano or something very poisonous?''


    Fujin began weighing his options. Despite the risks, getting a summon would be incredibly helpful for him. Especially as his chakra kept growing.


    He wondered, ''Should I instead try to get a summoning contract from existing summoners? But whom? Snakes and Toads will be very difficult to get as I have no contact with Jiraiya or any snake summoner. The only two who I know decently well are Renjiro and Hiruzen.


    But Renjiro''s sloth isn''t very powerful. More importantly, he hasn''t given any indication to pass me the summoning contract. As for Hiruzen, it is even more unlikely. If I could be Tsunade''s student, then I could get her summons. But even that is quite improbable. Not to mention, she won''t be in the vige for many years.''


    Fujin analyzed his options but didn''t find anything promising. He sighed and decided, ''There is no option. I have to keep trying it until I am sessful. However, I have to take more precautions. It''d be a waste of a life if I get attacked as soon as I go there and can''t do anything to resist.''


    He began nning how to defend himself properly. After forming a good enough n, he went to the ninja weapons shop. After searching for a bit, he bought 2 metallic bracelets, 2 metal anklets, 1 metal torc, 1 metal headband and 4 flexible bands that were reinforced with metal.


    He returned home and began inscribing barrier seals on each of the items he bought. When he was satisfied, he created a shadow clone. The clone began equipping the items. He put the bracelets on each of his wrists, just behind the bracers. The anklets went above his ankles while the flexible bands were put on his thighs and biceps. The remaining two went around his neck and forehead.


    The clone looked at Fujin and nodded. In the next second, Fujin shot a vacuum bullet at the clone. The clone instantly made the confrontation hand seal. A barrier appeared around him. The bullet hit the barrier. The barrier stood sturdy, however, the impact of the bullet sent him backwards for a few meters.


    Fujin nodded satisfactorily and asked, "Did you feel any pain?"


    The clone shook his head and said, "No, but if the attack is very strong, then the momentum will be passed on to you. So be prepared for that."


    Fujin nodded and dispersed the clone. The bands fell on the ground. Fujin put it on and used the summoning jutsu once again.


    As soon as he appeared in the summoning area, Fujin made the confrontation hand seal. A barrier appeared around him. He immediately followed it up with the hand signs of ending the summoning jutsu and observed his surroundings. If he felt something was wrong, he would return instantly.


    Fujin watched in confusion as his chakra field spread through the area. The first thing he noticed was the small hill in front of him. The bottom of the hill had an entrance like a cavern entrance. Two imposing, jagged protrusions hung in front of him, like menacing fangs, as if daring him to enter.


    Suddenly, a strong wind was exhaled from the cave entrance on Fujin''s barrier pushing him backwards by a few meters. His eyes widened in surprise and shock once again as his chakra field covered the ''hill'' in front of him. He couldn''t help but gulp his saliva and mutter, ''This world is freakishly scary!''

 Chapter 223: A Special State

    Fujin nervously observed the ''beast'' in front of him while maintaining his hand seal. He was prepared to disappear in the blink of an eye! As he was looking up, an eyelid opened and stared right at Fujin.


    The beast saw Fujin and thought, ''I sensed a chakra field engulfing me. Looks like it was this human.''


    The beast observed Fujin and wondered, ''Why is he riling up his chakra and maintaining a barrier?''


    He didn''t get up and spoke in a rough and jagged voice, "A human? We haven''t had one visit us in a while. Why are you here, little one?"


    Fujin sighed in relief, ''Finally someone who talks and is reasonable.''


    Though the beast''s voice was painful to hear, Fujin didn''t mind as he finally could have a conversation with an animal.


    However, he didn''t let his guard down and replied, "I am here to sign a summoning contract."


    The beast observed him and said, "I see. But why are you maintaining a barrier?"


    Fujin let out a sigh and answered, "I have been using Summoning jutsu blindly to find the right summon for me. Unfortunately, I had some very bad experiences."


    The beast was surprised to hear the reason. Suddenly, he beganughing out loud in amusement! The sound of hisughter echoed through the mountains with a deafening roar, as if a thousand thunderbolts were crashing down upon the earth at once.


    Sweat gathered on Fujin''s forehead as his barrier trembled! He cursed, ''Shit, without the barrier, I might have gone deaf!''


    His excitement about the thought of signing a summoning contract with such a strong beast quelled down as he began worrying about his life instead.


    Afterughing, the beast stood up. Fujin watched in awe as he saw his majestic body. He was a behemoth of a beast, standing at an astonishing height of almost 20 meters tall. His muscles bulged under a coat of thick, matted fur that bristled in the wind. His sharp, powerful ws were the size of longswords, capable of rending through flesh and bone with ease.


    But it was the beast''s jaws that were truly terrifying, gaping open to reveal teeth that wererger than Fujin''s whole body. Each tooth was razor-sharp and curved, like a scythe made of ivory. The ground shook beneath its massive paws as it stood up. This was a predator unlike any other, a true apex predator.


    Fujin gulped once again as he recognized the beast, ''A Sabertooth!''


    The beast said, "Drop your barrier and introduce yourself, little one. Don''t worry, I won''t eat you. You won''t even fit the gap between my teeth!"


    He let out a cacklingughter.


    Fujin agreed with his analysis. Though his barrier was strong, he had doubts about whether it could withstand an assault from the behemoth in front of him. He deactivated the barrier and stopped maintaining the hand sign and his chakra for escaping back. However, he was still alert and prepared to activate the barrier immediately despite doubting its reliability.


    He said, "I am Suzuki Fujin from Konohagakure."


    The Sabertooth observed Fujin and said, "Good name. It suits you well. I am Ryu, the son of Tatsu. Your strongest affinity is Wind nature maniption, right?"


    Fujin was surprised. He wondered, ''How did he sense that? Was it just my name or does he have the ability to sense chakra affinity?''


    He nodded and said, "Yes, it is my strongest affinity."


    Ryu said, "Good. Having a strong Wind affinity is one of the necessary conditions to be able to sign a contract with us."


    Fujin thought, ''Lucky me, my other elements arecking a lot right now.''


    Ryu added, "Of course, that isn''t the only criterion. Climb on my head, I''ll carry you to our Sage. She will determine whether you can sign a contract or not."


    Fujin''s attention was immediately drawn to the word ''Sage''. He thought with excitement, ''Great, they should be able to use Senjutsu!''


    He nodded and used Wind Instantaneous Body jutsu to appear on top of Ryu''s head.


    Ryu said, "Hold on tight!"


    Fujin held on tight to his fur as he expected Ryu to run at high speeds. However, Ryu didn''t move. Fujin heard some noise behind him and turned his head to check it. The sight he saw left his eyes wide open and jaw hanging!


    Ryu''s fur moved and two gigantic pairs of wings appeared on his back! The wings fully spread disying the immense wingspan which was easily 4 times his height!


    Ryu pped his wings and the gigantic creature lifted off in the air. Fujin gulped his saliva as he thought, ''Since when did Sabertooth gain wings?''


    As Ryu took off into the sky, Fujin felt a sense of awe and wonder as he looked out at the stunning scenery before him. The mountains stretched out as far as the eye could see, their peaks piercing the clouds above. Below them, a vast forest spread out, with streams and rivers snaking their way through it like veins.


    For once, Fujin let go of his worries and rxed. Seeing how strong Ryu was, he knew that he didn''t need to y tricks to attack Fujin. A childlike curiosity appeared in Fujin''s eyes as he took in the breathtaking view, feeling incredibly blessed and content. Though Fujin had travelled in airnes in his previous life, the feeling waspletely different. In fact, it wasn''t evenparable!


    Ryu''s wings beat rhythmically, sending a gentle breeze through Fujin''s hair and filling his lungs with fresh air.


    As Ryu climbed higher, Fujin could see the snow-capped summits of the highest peaks in the distance, their peaks wreathed in wispy clouds that glowed pink and orange in the light of the setting sun. The sky above was a riot of colors, from the deep purples and blues of the horizon to the golden hues of the clouds that driftedzily overhead. It was a scene of such majesty and beauty that Fujin felt humbled and grateful to be alive to witness it.


    As Ryu cruised through the skies, Fujin felt a sense ofplete rxation and tranquility. Fujin basked in the peacefulness of the moment and lost himself in thoughts as he began reflecting on his life.


    He recalled his recent troubles before beginning to reflect on his entire journey in this majestic world. He recalled the schemes he employed, the people he killed, the fun he had and the hard work he put in. Soon, he began thinking about his previous life.


    With the newfound rity and tranquility, Fujin couldn''t help but realize, ''In my previous life, I always dreamed about having superpowers. I dreamt of going on epic adventures. Now that I have superpowers that I could only dream of in my previous life and have an entire new world to explore, why am I so stressed?''


    A smile appeared on Fujin''s face as he closed his eyes. Memories of his past and worries about his future faded away, reced with a sense of contentment and joy. He felt a deep connection to everything around him as though he was bing one with the natural world!


    Fujin entered into a special state. His mind was so calm and stable that he could feel the world''s energy around him in this state. He lost all sense of time as he enjoyed thefort of this energy.


    Ryu, who was enjoying showing off to Fujin, suddenly focused all attention on him. A look of surprise appeared on his giant face as he thought, ''What the hell?''


    Ryu sensed that Fujin had entered into a special state. He analyzed, ''What a surprise! I had sensed that he has a very potent affinity to wind. That is why I decided to bring him to our Sacrednd. This journey was meant to disy my might and rx him a bit from his agitated state.


    But I never imagined that he would be able to connect with nature so easily! Looks like we will have a new summoner after one hundred and twenty five years!''


    Ryu didn''t want to disturb Fujin and wake him up from the special state he was in. He maintained a constant speed as he headed towards the tallest mountain.


    As he moved, he thought in relief and excitement, ''Great Grandmother, it looks like our pride''s ability might finally advance once again after 500 years!''


    He quelled his excitement, ''Though it will be a long time before he can learn that skill. His chakra reserves are too poor. Even the quality of his chakra iscking. We will need to improve it first and only then can he have some hope in learning it.''


    As Ryu kept cruising, he moved above the clouds. In front of him was a mountain peak. Fujin finally opened his eyes. He saw the snow-covered peak and was awed by its beauty. Ryu noticed that Fujin had woken up and said, "Wee to Mount Muteki."

 Chapter 224: Gahyou Murasaki

    Fujin observed Mount Muteki carefully. He could feel that the chakra around the mountain felt different aspared to Konoha and other viges.


    Ryu asked, "So, how are you feeling?"


    Fujin replied, "I am feeling great. I have never felt better!"


    Ryu said, "Of course. What you just experienced was a special state. And the chakra you feel is nature''s chakra. I believe you humans also refer to it as Senjutsu."


    Fujin was surprised. He thought, ''That was nature''s chakra?''


    He fell into a thought as he realized, ''No wonder I felt sofortable and my mood was so tranquil.''


    Ryu noticed that Fujin was in thought and said, "You only sensed Nature''s chakra and didn''t absorb it. In the future, don''t try to absorb nature''s chakra or even try to feel it yourself. It can be very dangerous. Especially as you aren''t ready to handle it yet."


    Fujin nodded. He knew how dangerous nature''s chakra was. He replied, "Thanks for the warning. I won''t try it without guidance."


    Fujin wanted to ask a few questions but something caught his eye. He looked ahead to see 4 sabertooths flying in the sky while ying around. However,pared to Ryu, they were much smaller with heights in the range of 3-4 meters.


    They noticed Ryu and quickly flew towards him. However, their attention soon fell on Fujin as this was the first time they ever saw a human. Fujin too was observing them.


    They were about tond on Ryu, when he said, "Run along kiddos. I''ll be busy."


    The four sabertooths immediately flew away.


    Ryu said, "Don''t mind them. You are the first human they saw. So expect a lot of curiosity-filled gazes if you manage to sign the contract."


    Fujin chuckled, "Alright."


    Ryu flew to the very top of the peak. However, instead of a pointy peak, there was a shallow crater surrounded by the rocks. It looked quite simr to the opening of a volcano, except that the crater wasn''t very deep and instead ofva, it was covered in snow.


    Ryunded in the crater in front of another sabertooth. This one wasn''t as big as Ryu but was still about three-fourths of his size. And it looked a bit older.


    The Sabertooth noticed Fujin and asked in a gentle voice, "Which guest have you brought here, Ryu?"


    Fujin was surprised by her voice. Unlike Ryu, it was much more gentle and pleasing to the ears.


    Ryu said, "This is Fujin. He came here to sign a summoning contract. Fujin, get off and introduce yourself."


    Fujin nodded and jumped down from his head. Hended between the two Sabertooths. He bowed slightly and respectfully said, "I am Suzuki Fujin from Konohagakure. I used the summoning jutsu to find a summon and appeared in front of Ryu."


    The sabertooth observed Fujin carefully. Ryu said, "Fujin, she is the leader of our pride. And the Sage of Mount Muteki and all Winged Sabertooths!"


    Fujin had already expected it to be so. The sage looked into Ryu''s eyes before looking at Fujin and said, "Ryu has a habit of being too dramatic. I am Gahyou Murasaki. Everyone in this pride is my descendent."


    Fujin memorized her name. She continued, "Did Ryu inform you about the conditions of signing a summoning contract with us?"


    Fujin replied, "He informed me about needing a strong affinity to Wind nature. But I don''t know about other criteria."


    Murasaki said, "Alright. Before I inform you about the criteria, do you have any questions you want answered?"


    Fujin replied, "Yes, quite a few. Is it fine to ask them all?"


    Murasaki said, "Sure, ask."


    Fujin asked, "When I used the summoning jutsu, why did I arrive so far away from Mount Muteki?"


    Murasaki replied, "The summoning jutsu you humans use isn''t to find a group of summons but instead a specific summon. In your case, that was Ryu. That is why you appeared in front of him instead of the mountain.


    Since most summons live in their sacrednds, I believe that you have the misconception that you appear in sacrednds.


    That information surprised Fujin. He analyzed, ''I never thought of it that way. But I guess it makes sense. Though I don''t remember well, I think Jiraiya did fall in front of Gamabunta who became his main summon.''


    Fujin looked at Murasaki and asked the most important question, "Can you teach me Senjutsu?"


    Murasaki didn''t answer and instead stared at Fujin for a minute. She finally said, "This question is a bitplicated to answer."


    Fujin furrowed his eyebrows and asked, "What do you mean?"


    Murasaki replied, "We do have the ability to harness and use Nature''s energy. However, this technique is only for us Winged Sabertooths. A human can''t learn it."


    Fujin thought, ''Even Toad Sage Mode was a technique for toads. But humans could still learn it. Why can''t their method be learnt?"


    Murasaki broke Fujin''s thoughts by saying, "This is one of the criteria for epting a summoner. We only ept summoners who we believe could learn Senjutsu. Though you won''t be able to use our technique, we will use it as a reference to help you learn Senjutsu."


    Fujin was confused. He couldn''t help but ask, "Why?"


    Murasaki replied, "You human body can''t handle our methods."


    Fujin said, "No, not that. Why would you go through so much effort to make a summoner learn Senjutsu?"


    Murasaki stayed silent for a few seconds before saying, "I can''t tell you the reason but it has be a tradition here. However, I can''t give you any sureties in learning Senjutsu. After all, in the past 500 years, we have trained many humans. Unfortunately, no one managed to learn Senjutsu."


    Fujin became silent on hearing it and fell into thought. He was very conflicted. He sighed in his mind, ''What a mess. Looks like learning Senjutsu from here will be very difficult.''


    Murasaki and Ryu noticed Fujin thinking and didn''t disturb him. Fujin analyzed and reached the conclusion, ''I guess this isn''t bad though. Other than the Toads teaching Jiraiya, Minato and Naruto Senjutsu, I am not sure if any other summons teach Senjutsu. Though Kabuto did get it, I don''t recall exactly how he convinced the snakes to teach him. And Hashirama''s sage mode didn''t have any exnation.


    So if these guys are serious about training me to learn Senjutsu, that will probably be my best chance. Of course, their help is definitely not unconditional or selfless. I am sure they have their own goals for wanting to train their summoners to use Senjutsu. Besides, using summoning jutsu blindly is too risky. I''d have to sign a contract even if they didn''t know Senjutsu.''


    Fujin said, "Alright, I will be in your care. However, I have one more question. Am I allowed to sign more summoning contracts?"


    This time Fujin heard Ryu''s jagged voice from behind and he sounded offended, "Kid, why do you want to sign other contracts when you have us?"


    Fujin looked back and calmly said, "When I learnt about the summoning jutsu, I nned to sign at least 3 summoning contracts. One for fighting onnd, one for fighting in the air and one for scouting and spying. But, since you have the ability to fly, I don''t need to find another summon to fly. Of course, it was just some ns I made when I was a kid. If you have conditions of not signing other contracts, then I won''t."


    Ryu calmed down on hearing Fujin''s answer. He replied with a deadpan tone, "You are still just a kid."


    His reply made Fujin feel awkward. Murasaki answered, "I don''t care if you sign other summoning contracts. But you can''t sign a contract with a group that can use Nature chakra. Even if you tried to sign one, they won''t agree if you have already signed a summoning contract with us.


    Also, though your n seems good, don''t try it until your strength grows considerably. With your current strength, there are many summons that can kill you with ease. So it will be pointless and risky."


    Fujin nodded. He didn''t need to be told again how risky it was as his memories were still very fresh.


    Muraski continued, "Instead of trying to form another summoning contract, I would rmend raising wild animals and signing them as your contract. That way you won''t be under any restrictions and can raise them to do what you want."


    Fujin was intrigued by the idea. He thought, ''I never thought of this option. But, to be honest, raising animals will be a lot of work. Especially when I am out on missions. However, I do have a lot of space around my home and I have a lot of money that I don''t have any use for. I need to see if I can employ someone to do the work for me.''


    Fujin looked at Murasaki and said, "That''s all the questions I had, Lady Murasaki."


    Ryu watched awkwardly at Fujin as he called her a dy''. He wondered, ''This ''Lady'' is over 800 years old. I wonder when was thest time anyone called herdy!''


    Murasaki said, "You can call me Granny. As for your criteria for signing a contract, there are just two."


    She looked at Ryu and said, "The one in front of whom you appear should agree to ept you as a summoner."


    She looked back at Fujin and said, "And you should show talent to be able to learn Senjutsu in the future."


    Fujin thought, ''As I thought. They gain something from teaching me Senjutsu.''


    Ryu said, "I agree. And Fujin has passed the second criterion as well."


    Fujin looked at Ryu in surprise. Ryu said, "The flight to this ce was a test to see how in tune you can be with nature. My goal was to calm you down and make you experience peace and tranquility by showing you that scenery. As you managed to sense nature chakra, you have passed the criteria."


    Fujin was left speechless. He thought, ''First I needed a good wind affinity. And then I needed to feel nature''s chakra which I coincidentally managed to do. I guess good luck does follow bad luck!''


    Fujin replied with a smile, "That''s great! When do we sign the contract?"

 Chapter 225: Potential & Limit!

    Fujin signed the contract right away with his blood. Ryu carried him away from the peak and flew down the mountain.


    As they were flying, Fujin asked, "Ryu, are there others like you guys who can use Senjutsu but can''t pass it on to humans?"


    Ryu replied, "Of course, there are numerous. The number of species that can use Senjutsu is at least a couple of dozen. And there are numerous wild beasts who managed to learn it on their own. Some of them are very wild and dangerous. Even I wouldn''t want to face them in a singlebat."


    Fujin was surprised to learn that. After all, he didn''t see any such creature make a move during the 4th Great Ninja War. But soon he realized, ''Now that I think about it, none of the summons made any major moves during that war. The toads had arger participation in the fight against Pain rather than against Obito and Madara. Weird considering that they were in danger during thetter rather than the former.''


    Ryu continued, "As far as I am aware, only the ces you humans consider as the three sacred ces have techniques to pass down their methods of harnessing nature energy to humans. Others don''t have them or are not interested in passing them down."


    A giant cave appeared before them. Ryu stepped into the cave and roared loudly. Surprisingly, his roar had no effect on Fujin. Fujin was impressed, ''What control over his voice!''


    Fujin got off Ryu''s head. Ryu looked at him and said seriously, "Though we don''t have any specified rules, there are a few things you have to follow."


    Fujin nodded. Ryu said, "First, none of the Winged Sabertooths you summon should die. While we will give our all to help you, we will undo the summoning and return if we face extreme danger and think death is inevitable. This is especially true for the young ones who still need to grow.


    After escaping, we will use Reverse Summoning jutsu to save you unless you specifically ask us not to."


    Fujin nodded and said, "That is reasonable. I have no issues with that."


    Fujin''s main priority was always his own safety. So it was perfectly understandable for him when others have simr priorities.


    Ryu said, "Another thing, though you can summon me, don''t try it until your chakra reserves get muchrger. You will need to have at least 5 times the chakra you currently have to summon me safely. In the meantime¡­"


    Ryu gazed outside the cave. Fujin followed his gaze and saw 3 Winged Sabertooths flying towards them. They entered the cave as Ryupleted his sentence, "In the meantime, you can summon my sons."


    Ryu looked at them and said, "This is Fujin. He has be the new summoner of our pride. Introduce yourself."


    The 3 Winged Sabertooths stared at Fujin. Though they were smaller than Ryu, they were much bigger than Fujin. The smallest one was almost twice as tall as Fujin while thergest one was half the size of Ryu!


    The biggest one said, "I am Kurogane. You can summon me when you are in an intense fight."


    He observed Fujin and said, "Though I would rmend at least doubling your chakra before trying to summon me."


    The second one said, "I am Kaito. I like going on adventures and flying for a long time. You can summon me when you want to travel long distances."


    The smallest one said, "I am Goro. Feel free to summon me whenever you want to."


    Fujin nodded and slightly bowed and said, "I will be in your care."


    Goro said with a smirk, "Don''t worry, I like to protect the ones weaker than me!"


    He immediately ran away after saying that as his two brothers stared at him in annoyance. Ryu sighed as Kurogane exined, "He is quite mischievous. You will have to get used to him."


    Fujin said, "It''s fine."


    Kurogane and Kaito also left.


    Ryu said, "Everyone here is an expert in using Wind attacks. The nature energy we use amplifies it even further. You canter try to createbination attacks with them. If you aren''tpatible with them, you can even summon others from the pride."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Alright."


    Ryu stared at Fujin and said, "Now, time to discuss the important matter."


    Fujin looked into Ryu''s eyes. He could feel that Ryu was trying to look into every secret he had.


    Ryu said, "I was initially not sure about epting you and wanted to leave the decision to Granny. I changed my mind after sensing how in tune with nature you became. The reason I was doubtful is that your potential isn''t very high."


    Fujin furrowed his eyebrows and asked, "What do you mean?"


    Ryu said, "From what I can see, your body and chakra should be stronger than most humans that are your age. However, you have only managed to do so with extreme hard work. Isn''t that right?"


    Fujin was ufortable at how easily Ryu gained information regarding his chakra and abilities. Fujin nodded, "That is true."


    Ryu said, "Every being has a limit to which they can grow. For some, it is higher, while for others it is much lower. What you have done through intense training is bring forth all your potential in order to gain power quickly. Due to this, you will soon reach your limit and your chakra reserves will stop increasing. In fact, the speed of the growth of your chakra reserves should have already slowed."


    Fujin frowned. He thought, ''I have monitored my chakra ever since I became a sensor. My chakra grew by 2-3 times every year during thest two years in the academy. And it exploded under Renjiro''s training due to Senju Taijutsu style training and grew by about 4.5 times in a year.


    Though I noticed that my chakra growth has slowed and it will grow by less than 2 times this year, I spected that it was just due to no longer having any gains from training Senju Taijutsu style. If his words are right, doesn''t it mean that my growth will drastically slow down?''


    Ryu guessed Fujin''s thoughts and said, "You don''t need to worry about this. After all, you can''t control your potential and limits."


    Fujin argued, "But can''t we exceed our limits and grow beyond them?"


    In the 4th Great Ninja War, the strongest ninja was probably the one with the least potential. So though Fujin didn''t like what Ryu said, he wasn''t discouraged as Guy''s example was in front of him.


    Ryu was impressed by Fujin''s reply. He thought, ''Many will be demotivated on learning that their progress will be halted and might deny that their potential is limited. But he directly thought about breaking through the limits!''


    Ryu replied, "It''s true, it can be surpassed. However, you will just reach your new limits and stop there unless you can keep breaking your limits. Just breaking limits is rare. But to break it consecutively is almost impossible. Of course, there are still beings who have managed to do it and be immensely powerful, but they are very rare. Anyways, we are getting off-topic. We can discuss thister when you reach it.


    What I wanted to say is that your chakra growth will slow down in a couple of years. And when the growth bes too slow, you wille here and receive my training."


    Fujin thought, ''I see. He wasn''t trying to demotivate me¡­''


    Fujin asked in a confused tone, "Why do we have to wait till then?"


    Ryu answered, "Because your current chakra isn''t strong enough. The techniques I n on teaching you are very chakra intensive and will put an intense strain on your physique. So you will need at least 3 to 4 times your current chakra and a much stronger physique before I can safely teach you. That is why I will not be training you right now.


    As for the limit that I mentioned, you don''t need to worry much about it. Though your potential isn''t very high, your wind affinity is very potent. And we have methods and the resources to make it even stronger.


    As for chakra reserves, though it is difficult, even they can be artificially boosted. However, it is very troublesome to do so and the methods that we have are more effective on someone whose growth hase to a halt. In addition, there are various restrictions and limits on those methods, but we will talk about it when you reach the limit.


    Of course, if you manage to keep breaking past your limits, then I can begin your training after you reach the necessary levels of chakra reserves and physique."


    Fujin consumed all the information Ryu just stated. He was beyond surprised. He analyzed, ''He can do that? Increasing wind affinity is understandable if they have ess to Wind Elemental Crystals. But how can they increase Chakra reserves?''


    At the same time, his mood became a bit grim, ''Since they are willing to invest so many resources into me, what exactly do they gain from training me in Senjutsu?''


    Fujin didn''t let his mood reflect on his face. Instead, he showed an excited expression and said, "Alright, that sounds great. Thanks a lot in advance, Ryu!"


    Ryu said, "That is all for now. Return to your ce and don''t attempt to sense Nature chakra without my presence."


    Fujin replied, "Don''t worry. I won''t risk my life pointlessly."


    Ryu nodded. Fujin weaved hand signs and returned to his basement.


    He looked around himself and let out a sigh, ''Finally! I don''t need to experience any more crazy situations like those.''


    Fujin was very happy with the summon he signed. However, a thought appeared in his mind, ''Should I keep my summon a secret?''

 Chapter 226: A Path Beyond Senjutsu!

    Fujin analyzed the pros and cons of keeping his summon a secret. Finally, he decided, ''The Winged Sabertooths will be my main summon. There isn''t much point in keeping them a secret as it will get out eventually. Of course, I should keep this card hidden until I can but there is no need to keep it hidden from the ones I can trust.


    Instead, I should probably take the initiative to mention this to Hiruzen. While it is good news that they want to teach me Senjutsu, they definitely have some ulterior motives. Though my gut tells me that their ultimate motives won''t be harmful to me and even if it is, they won''t do anything to me until I learn Senjutsu, it would be better to get some information from Hiruzen.


    If it is harmful, then he could warn me and help me terminate the contract or help me scheme against them. If it is beneficial, then Hiruzen might look more favorably towards me as these Sabertooths are quite strong and could increase Konoha''s strength considerably.


    Also, I could use Ryu''s dialogue and add some false news to maybe get a few Elemental crystals from Hiruzen. For instance, instead of telling him about their methods and resources to strengthen me, I could tell him that they will teach me Senjutsu only if I reach the required strength.''


    Fujin made a few ns until he was satisfied and went to sleep after eating dinner.


    Meanwhile, at the peak of Mount Muteki, Ryu appeared in front of Murasaki. Murasaki looked at him and said, "I am surprised that you agreed so readily. Is the boy that impressive?"


    Ryu replied, "You didn''t see him connect to nature, great-grandmother. It was almost instinctual to him. He didn''t even need 15 minutes to sense nature energy and managed to maintain that state for 2 hours. I had to keep flying around the mountain for over an hour to not disturb him. Among the summoners we contracted in thest 400 years, he is our best shot."


    Murasaki sighed and asked, "Are you still hoping that the prophecy your grandfather had,es true?"


    Ryu didn''t answer her question and instead said, "Five hundred years ago, you mastered nature energy and helped our pride advance to the next level. However, we haven''t made any progress since then. Grandfather and Grand Uncle Genji believed that we will advance to the next level with the help of a human who could learn our Senjutsu. I''d rather believe it instead of wasting away hundreds of years pointlessly."


    Murasaki looked at Ryu, however, he didn''t budge. She sighed and said, "Do whatever you want."


    Ryu nodded and left. Murasaki saw him leaving the mountain as her memories surfaced, ''Four children, 7 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren of mine have died as a result of that prophecy. Some sacrificed themselves to protect the human they chose while some were killed by the betrayal of the very human they raised and one ingrate even invaded our sacrednds. I hope you don''t join them, Ryu.''


    She closed her eyes and went back to meditating. A very strong chakra could be seen around her. A chakra that brightened the peak of Mount Muteki and would have been visible from a long distance if the peak wasn''t hidden above the clouds!


    The next day, Fujin was standing outside a building. It was Konoha''s hospital. He entered it and approached thedy sitting in the reception. She looked at Fujin and greeted him with a smile, "Fujin-kun, who are you here to visit? Or are you injured?"


    Fujin smiled back at her. He had been a rathermon face in the hospital. He especially became well-known when Renjiro brought his injured and unconscious body to the hospital on his shoulder multiple times in a single month.


    He replied, "I am fine and haven''te to visit anyone Akemi-san. I havee here to register for medical ninja training."


    Akemi was surprised. She asked, "You want to be a medical ninja?"


    Fujin replied, "No, I just want to learn the basic healing jutsu so that I can help my teammates if we don''t have a medical ninja with us."


    Akemi replied, "Oh. Alright. Wait a minute."


    Akemi wasn''t surprised by Fujin''s request. Quite a few ninjas would show up for learning the Mystical Palm jutsu without bothering to learn the remaining knowledge needed to be a medical ninja.


    Konoha had a system in ce for ninjas like these. Though they would prefer for more ninjas to be a proper and capable medical ninja, very few had the interest, talent and patience to be one. After all, it would require years or even a decade to be a good medical ninja.


    So Hiruzen, with Tsunade''s assistance, had created a proper n to teach such ninjas. A lot of ns and civilian ninjas benefitted immensely from this program.


    The former Uchiha n had benefitted the most from this system. Their Sharingans could easily copy the Mystical Palm jutsu. They just needed some guidance to master that jutsu and could provide a better healing option on the frontlines where Medical ninjas wouldn''t be avable.


    Simrly, the Hyuga n also benefitted from this system. Their Byakugan and fine chakra control assisted in being much superior to others who learnt this jutsu. So some Hyugas learnt this jutsu and became the perfect support for any squad with their scouting and healing capabilities while being perfectly capable of defending themselves.


    Akemi opened a file and wrote Fujin''s name in a list that already had 23 other names. She said, "A training session for newbies will be held 3 days from now at noon. I have registered you. So just show up and join the ss."


    Fujin noted the date and thanked her, "Thank You, Akemi-san."


    Fujin left the hospital thinking, ''Three days¡­ Should I train a jutsu or should I train with summons?''


    Suddenly he heard, "Fujin!"


    Fujin turned to his right. Hatake Takao walked towards him and asked, "Where were you yesterday evening? We tried finding you without any sess."


    Fujin replied, "I was doing some special training. Anyways, what''s up?"


    Takao looked at Fujin but didn''t get any clues from him. He said, "Well, it''s good that you are safe. Lord Hokage wants to meet you. So meet him right away."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Alright. Thank You for passing the message."


    Fujin flickered towards the Hokage building. He entered and knocked on the door. Hiruzen invited him.


    Fujin entered and said, "I met Takao-san outside the hospital. He said you wanted to meet me, grandpa."


    Hiruzen looked at him and asked, "Hospital? Are you injured?"


    Fujin shook his head and answered, "No, I am nning to learn mystical palm jutsu. So I went to register myself."


    He put up a sad expression and said, "If a mission goes bad, I want to have the capability of at least healing my teammates a bit."


    Hiruzen knew that Fujin was referring to his previous mission indirectly as he couldn''t say it out loud. He couldn''t heal any injuries on Tamotsu for hours. His features softened. He said, "I sent a couple of messengers to youst evening, but they couldn''t find you. I was worried that someone tried to im your bounty."


    Fujin furrowed his brows and asked, "Didn''t you say that there is no danger in Konoha and that no one has ever imed a bounty before?"


    Hiruzen coughed and said, "I did. But there can always be a first time."


    Fujin watched Hiruzen with a deadpan expression. He thought, ''This old fox is unbelievable!''


    Hiruzen changed the subject and asked, "Anyways, where were you?"


    Fujin replied, "I was trying to find a summon."


    Hiruzen''s eyes widened. He immediately scolded, "Why did you try it on your own? That is very dangerous!"


    Fujin nodded and said, "Yeah. You don''t need to tell me, grandpa. It was very scary! I had to face a wolf tide and even saw gigantic whales!"


    Hiruzen squinted his eyes and asked, "You tried it more than once?"


    Fujin nodded and said, "Yeah. It was so scary that I wanted to stop. But I couldn''t help but think about your words and my teammates and kept going until I seeded!"


    Hiruzen''s features softened. He thought, ''Though it was risky and he is usually greedy, the will of fire burns bright in him. As long as he can grow safely for 2-3 more years, he can fulfill the gap left by Tamotsu''s squad by himself.''


    Hiruzen said, "It''s good that you managed to get it done. Who did you sign the contract with?"


    Fujin answered, "They are Winged Sabertooths. Have you heard about them, grandpa?"


    Hiruzen thought for a bit before shaking his head. He replied, "I haven''t heard about anyone having these summons. How do they look and how strong are they?"


    Fujin replied, "They look like a normal Sabertooth, only many timesrger. Their wings are hidden along their fur, so they are hard to spot normally. They can fly very well. As for their strength, they are very strong. The one I met could have probably defeated me with ease. Though I can''t say for sure as I never fought."


    Hiruzen analyzed, ''I don''t recall seeing any such summons or even reading about them. I guess it must be a tribe that rarely signs contracts. From what Fujin described, their strongest fighters should be at Elite Jounin level or just stronger than that which is quite good but nothing exceptional.''


    He looked at Fujin and concluded, ''Oh well, Renjiro wasn''t nning to hand him his Sloth summon. Since he managed to get a contract with his own strength, I can''tin. If he passes the contract to the next generation, then Fujin would have contributed a lot to the vige.''


    He said, "I don''t know anything about them, Fujin. But good work."

 Chapter 227: Swords!

    Hiruzen lifted a couple of boxes from under his desk and ced them on his desk and said, "This arrived yesterday evening. I called you as I believed that you would want it right away."


    Fujin observed the boxes. His attention was immediately drawn to their ornate designs. Their lids were carved with intricate patterns of Dragons and Tigers. And it was made from a wood that had an ancient feeling to it.


    Fujin realized and quickly eximed, "My swords are here?"


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "Fuji arrived here from the Land of Iron yesterday."


    Fujin moved forward and lifted one of the lids to see a soft, plush lining that cradled his sword. He grabbed the sheath and picked up his sword.


    The sheath was an art in itself. Swirling designs were etched into its glossy ckcquer. As Fujin ran his fingers along the sheath, he felt the satisfying smoothness of the fine craftsmanship.


    Finally, he drew out the sword. The de was long and thin with a very slight curve to it. Both its edges were very sharp. When the light fell on it, it shimmered with a greenish hue that caught Fujin''s eye. The hilt was made of polished green jade that fitfortably in Fujin''s hands.


    Fujin moved the sword around. It felt very light and almost as if it was an extension of his arm. A smile appeared on his face as chakra began flowing along the de. He muttered, "The chakra flow along this de is so smooth!"


    Fujin''s chakra flowed through the de without any obstruction. It was charged with wind chakra almost instantaneously. Fujin had no doubts that if he swung his sword, the entire Hokage building would copse!


    Hiruzen smiled and said, "The sword has some chakra metal that assists in Wind chakra flow. Very few will be able to stop your sword in the future. Of course, do be careful about them. The swords are very expensive and could get some unwanted attention."


    Fujin replied, "If they are greedy, they might try to get my head first. But I will keep it in mind, grandpa."


    Fujin immediately began checking his other sword leaving Hiruzen a bit awkward as he recalled that Fujin''s head was worth more than those swords.


    The second sword was just as good as the first one. Fujin kept his sword back in the sheaths. Hiruzen instructed, "Keep the sheaths and boxes properly. The cksmiths attach a lot of importance to making them. So destroying them or throwing them away is seen as an insult by them.


    Also, the sheath is made of special materials which help preserve the chakra metal properties in the sword. So when you don''t use them, keep them in their sheaths."


    Fujin replied, "I didn''t know about that. But seeing how well the sheath and the box are made, I guess it makes sense. I''ll store them properly."


    Hiruzen smiled and said, "That is all. There is still some time before I invite you to Anbu. Use it to master Mystical Palm and create a bond and develop teamwork with your summons."


    Fujin nodded and left the room. He thought, ''I guess Ryu wasn''t kidding when he said that the younger ones hadn''t ever seen a human. It should have been a long time since they had a summoner. Kinda sucks. I was hoping that Hiruzen knew how impressive they were and used that fact to get some Wind crystals¡­


    Anyways, since he doesn''t know, I doubt he could warn me about their ns. On the plus side, I will be able to keep my sage training a secret. If I do master it, my strength will grow phenomenally. And since there is no way to sense it unless I use it, it will be my strongest Ace in the hole!''


    A smile formed on his face as he wondered who would fall prey to this hidden card. Of course, that would be a long time away and would need a lot of hard work and perhaps some luck to achieve.


    Fujin returned home. Two symbols glowed on his bracers and his old swords appeared. Fujin calcted, ''Hiruzen asked me to keep the new swords in their sheaths. I will have to modify the storage seal so that my new swords fit. That isn''t an issue.


    The problem is that I have to store them with their sheaths. So when I summon the sword, I will get the sword with the sheath instead of just the sword. And while that may look cool, it will be very inefficient. So what to do?''


    Fujin analyzed a lot and began recalling all the seals he had learnt. After a few minutes, he prepared a n that would allow him to store the swords in the sheaths but summon just the swords. However, before he could work on it, he had an idea.


    Fujin thought, ''Wait a minute! Though Anbu ninjas wear a mask to hide their identity, I doubt that it would be a hundred percent effective. After all, every ninja has unique features. Someone like Kakashi is very easy to identify despite his anbu mask.


    So it''s safe to assume that every vige will try to keep information about the Anbu ninjas of enemy viges. If that is the case, then I should give them something to identify me with myself instead of them figuring out something I can''t change and don''t know.''


    A mischievous smile appeared on Fujin''s face as he thought of a n to mess with the minds of the ones that might want to target him in the future. He stored the new swords in a scroll and kept the old swords back in his bracers.


    He left his house and went to the Training ground. He bit his thumb and weaved a few hand signs and mmed his right palm on the ground.


    ''Summoning Jutsu!''


    Smoke appeared in front of Fujin. In the smoke, the silhouette of a 3-meter-tall Sabertooth was visible. Meanwhile, Fujin''s breath became heavy. He was rmed, ''Damn! A single summoning jutsu exhausted more than 40% of my chakra!''


    The smoke dispersed showing Goro. He looked at Fujin and eximed in joy, "I knew it!!! I knew it!!! I dared my brothers to make a bet with me that you would summon me first! They didn''t even dare to ept my bet! Hahahahaha."


    Fujin watched with a deadpan expression. He sighed in his mind, ''Looks like this jutsu is a waste until I can summon his brothers.''


    Goro asked, "So, why did you summon me? Tell me whose ass you want to be bitten? You can rely on me one hundred percent!"


    Fujin replied, "Sure I can. But I am not facing any enemy. I just want to see how a great winged sabertooth like you fights. And I want to build good teamwork between us."


    Goro answered with a bit less excitement in his voice, "Oh, that sounds boring. But since you can see how great I am, I will show you!"


    Fujin said, "I am not sure how much we can fly here. Can you summon me to your mountain? We can experiment there."


    Goro nodded, "Alright alright, I will see you in a minute."


    He disappeared. Fujin sighed, ''Did he fall on his head as a child or did Ryu spoil him rotten for him to develop such a personality? I hope he fights well. Otherwise, it''d bepletely hopeless.''


    Fujin suddenly disappeared from the training ground and appeared at Mount Muteki in front of Goro. Fujin''s sudden appearance was noticed by a few Winged Sabertooths but they ignored him.


    Goro asked, "So, what do you want to see first?"


    Fujin looked around him. He was in a small cave with just Goro. He said, "I want to see how a Winged Sabertooth fights. Then, I can see how we can work together."


    Goro said, "Alright, climb on my back."


    Fujin climbed on his back.


    Goro said, "Hold tight."


    He spread his wings and jumped out of the cave. He pped his wings a few times and began flying at a very fast speed. Chakra gathered in Fujin''s eyes to keep them safe from the strong winds.


    Goro said with pride, "The first thing you should know about us is that we fly very fast! Even most of the birds can''t keep up with us. That is especially true for Kaito. He loves flying. He can fly as fast as Lightning and can keep that speed up for days!"


    Fujin was surprised. He analyzed, ''Speed of Lightning is unrealistic. But if I assume that he flies twice as fast as Goro and can maintain that speed for hours, then he would be a very good aid in escaping.''

 Chapter 228: The Abilities of a Winged Sabertooth

    Goro moved towards a boulder on the huge mountain. He said, "This should be a no-brainer, but we also have very high strength."


    He raised his paw and brought it down on the boulder with a lot of force. His paw split the boulder into two and turned a lot of it into dust. Fujin wasn''t surprised. He expected such physical prowess from them.


    Goro said, "See see! How I turned it into dust with a wave of my paw! That''s how strong I am."


    Fujin replied, "Yeah, that is very strong. I wouldn''t want to be on the receiving end of it."


    Goroughed, "Of course, you wouldn''t. I could bite that stone too, but I don''t want dust and soil in my mouth."


    Fujin said, "It''s fine. I can guess what a bite from you can do. Show me your other skills!"


    Goro said, "Cool."


    He pped his wings and moved away from the mountain and said, "Watch. This is the skill that makes us the apex predators."


    Goro''s body suddenly became still. Chakra gathered on his wings. Fujin sensed it and was surprised, ''Nature chakra! Even the younger ones can use Senjutsu?''


    Goro pped his wings again. This time, he didn''t move. Instead, very strong winds flew downwards. Fujin was surprised. He analyzed, ''That attack is stronger than my supercharged Infinite Breakthrough! And at least a few times stronger.''


    Goro chuckled, "Are you shocked? You are shocked, right? If I use this attack on animals onnd, all of them will die. Even if they survive, they will be injured. And even if they are strong enough to resist, I can just fly away. Hahahaha!"


    If anyone else heard Goro''s words, they might feel contempt for his attitude. However, Fujin wasn''t one of them. He agreed with Goro''s strategy wholeheartedly.


    In Fujin''s books, other than winning a war without fighting, the best way to fight was to maintain distance and keep attacking the enemy without allowing the enemy to attack back.


    And if the enemy is stronger? He can always run away and turn the fight into a game of tag. It was why Fujin learnt so many jutsus that allowed him to hide and escape.


    Fujin thought, ''Looks like I was hasty. He is good!''


    Goro said, "In addition, we can also do this!"


    He began gathering chakra in his throat. He looked up and fired a beam made of wind. The beam hit the cloud and created a huge hole in it!


    Fujin observed the wind beam carefully. His eyes widened as he noticed how the beam worked. He couldn''t help but mutter, "Incredible!"


    Goro was surprised. He looked back at Fujin and asked, "Did you understand what happened?"


    Fujin looked at Goro. He realized that Goro''s breath had gotten heavier. He thought, ''It seems like the attack uses a lot of chakra.''


    Fujin nodded, "Yeah. Though it seemed like a normal beam of wind, it is instead made of incredibly sharp winds. The inside of the beam is basically like a meat grinder. If anyone were to be hit by it, I doubt any flesh would be left on their bones!"


    Goro eximed, "Wow! Father wasn''t kidding when he said that your affinity to wind is very strong. And you are right. This is my most devastating attack. It is also the signature attack of our pride. We call it the Wind Breath or the Breath of Wind. The only way to survive it is if the opponent has a very tough body that can''t be cut with my winds. But I haven''t met any such opponents yet, hahaha. Even if someone has tough skin, they still have vulnerable parts like eyes, nose and ears."


    Fujin wondered, ''Will I be able to withstand the attack with Iron skin? I should test itter with my clones. Regardless, this attack is very dangerous. If I can learn it, I can use it like a cheap version of dust release. I can recall very few ninjas who could defend against this attack.''


    Goro interrupted Fujin''s thoughts and said, "In addition, we also have some other moves. Like¡­"


    He gathered chakra into his throat again andunched a ball of wind into the clouds. The attack left a small hole in the clouds. Fujin noticed, ''It is very simr to my Vacuum Cannon except for the fact that there is no vacuum core. However, its destructive power won''t be much weaker than my Vacuum cannon due to the amount of chakra he put into it.''


    Goro said, "This is our Air Bullet. We use it against weaker opponents as it doesn''t need much chakra."


    Fujin said, "That is still quite powerful. What else do you have?"


    Goro answered, "Well, this is most of our traditional moves. Our fights usually involve us attacking with these attacks from a distance or using our strong bodies to crush our enemies. Some in the pride do make some of their personal moves or master another element, but I am still too young to learn them."


    Fujin quickly asked, "I see. How old are you?"


    Fujin was very interested in knowing the answer. After all, animals and humans had quite different growth stages and lifespans.


    Goro answered in a smug voice, "I am one of the youngest in my pride and still one of the most reliable and strongest. I am only 39 years old!"


    Fujin was stunned. He thought in disbelief, ''He is 39 years old? From the way he talked, I assumed he was 39 months old!''


    Goro noticed that Fujin was speechless. He looked back and asked, "You can''t believe how young, I am right? Seeing my strength, I bet you thought I am some 300 years old monster, right? Hahaha."


    Fujin was left speechless. Though he had been very polite so far and praised Goro a few times to fan his ego so that he could get along better, he wasn''t sure what he could say without being insulting.


    Luckily, Goro changed the subject, "Now that you have seen what I can do, what ideas did youe up with for cooperation and teamwork?"


    Fujin became serious and said, "I haven''t thought of much. Like you, I also specialize in Wind maniption. The only idea I had so far isunching my attacks at the same time as you to double our power orunching them alternatingly to double our attack frequency."


    Goro looked at Fujin suspiciously and asked, "Do you think that your wind attacks are as strong as mine?"


    Fujin replied, "Your Wind Breath is stronger than anything I can do right now. But others, I can amplify with my own attacks. For instance¡­"


    Fujin built up around 15% of his chakra and looked above.


    ''Wind Release: Infinite Breakthrough jutsu''


    He released the supercharged jutsu at the clouds above them. Goro observed andmented, "Wow! That was good. Not as strong as mine, but good nheless."


    Fujin didn''t answer and used another jutsu.


    ''Wind Release: Air Bullet jutsu''


    He fired 15 air bullets. Goro said, "Not bad. They are much smaller in size, but the quantity is go¡­"


    His eyes suddenly went wide open in shock. Fujin swung his sword and released a sword wave that split the clouds into two for over a hundred meters!


    Goro eximed, "That was fucking good! You are strong!"


    Fujin said, "I also have techniques to pierce into the strongest armor. So in case we encounter someone on whom your wind breath doesn''t work, I could create openings in their defenses and let you kill them with ease.


    But, though it seems strong, abination of two wind users won''t be very good. I will learn a few fire attacks so that we could use a Fire-Windbination attack."


    Goro said, "I agree. Not to mention, your chakra reserves took a big hit when you summoned me. That said, I am not sure how good a Fire-Windbination attack will be."


    Fujin replied, "It''ll be awesome, I have already tried it with others who can spit fire. But yeah, you are right. Summoning you consumed more than 40% of my chakra. If I summon you in a fight, I''ll have very little chakra left. So you will have to do the majority of the fighting."


    Goro grinned and said, "As I said earlier, don''t worry about it and leave everything to me! Hahahaha."


    Fujin sighed at his entricities but didn''t say anything. After all, it was a good thing that Goro was willing to fight for him and that he seemed to be a verypetent fighter.


    Fujin thought, ''Though Ryu said that my chakra growth will slow down, it is still growing at a considerable rate. In a year, it should grow sufficiently to at least make summoning Goro easier on my chakra reserves.''


    Fujin and Goro tried a fewbination attacks until Fujin ran out of chakra. Goro ended his reverse summoning and Fujin returned back to Konoha.

 Chapter 229: Mystical Palm Jutsu

    For the next couple of days, Fujin trained with Goro on Mount Muteki to improve their coordination. They first tried their moves on nearby mountains. When they gotfortable, they found nearby animals that Goro used to fight and began hunting.


    Finally, the day for training Mystical Palm jutsu arrived. Fujin did his morning workout rituals and visited the hospital at noon. After asking, he entered the room where he would be taught. As soon as he did, 33 pairs of eyesnded on him.


    Fujin looked around. The room was very spacious. It had a huge ckboard on the opposite side of the entry door. It also had a long but thin indoor pool in the shape of an arc and curved tables lined up along its edge. A few fish swam in it.


    Fujin observed the other people in the room. He didn''t recognise any of them. But a few of them recognised Fujin as they had seen him during the chunin exams. However, before they could say anything, a bald guy entered the room and instructed loudly, "Take your seats, everyone. We don''t have any time to waste."


    Fujin and the others who were standing took a seat while observing the instructor. He waspletely bald and looked quite old. Two girls in theirte teens entered the room and stood behind the instructor. The instructor walked to the front of the room and began writing on the ckboard.


    He said, "I am Yamanaka Yoshi. I will be teaching you the basics of Mystical Palm jutsu and guiding you until I am sure that you can perform it. The girls standing behind you are Hyuga Emi and Kurama Asuka. They are training to be medical ninjas and they will be monitoring your progress and clearing your doubts."


    He looked around the room and muttered, "Just 34 are here. Looks like 2 didn''t show up."


    He passed a sheet in the room and said, "Write your names on it. I will need it to keep track of your progress."


    He moved back to the ckboard and said, "I will first exin to you the theory behind Mystical Palm jutsu. I will also tell you the advantages and disadvantages of it and tell you when to use it and when not to use it. Pay careful attention because if you use it when you shouldn''t, you can kill your patient or force real medical nins to amputate them."


    His words made everyone in the room serious. Most of them were here because they wanted to help their teammates or themselves in case of a major injury. So worsening an injury was thest thing they would want to happen.


    For the next couple of hours, Yoshi kept giving his lecture. He also cleared any doubts anyone had. Fujin paid careful attention and took some notes down alongside others in the room. When he stopped, the room sighed in relief. None of the people here were as young as Fujin. It had been years since they had to sit in the academy and hear lectures.


    Yoshi said, "Now that I have exined everything to you and cleared your doubts, we will begin hands-on training. But before we begin, we will be splitting the room into two. As I had said earlier, Mystical Palm requires very precise Chakra control. So the ones who are confident in their chakra control, walk towards the tables. The others keep sitting where you are."


    Fujin was very confident in his chakra control. He got up and moved towards the tables. So did 11 other people. The two assistants also moved next to Yoshi. Hyuga Emi was holding a rather thick scroll. Sheid it on the table and opened it a bit until a seal could be seen in the scroll.


    Yoshi walked in front of it and made a hand sign. A fish popped up in the seal. He said, "This storage scroll has 100 storage seals with 100 injured fishes in it. We will be using them to test your jutsu."


    He extended his right hand towards the fish. Green chakra appeared on his hand and began pouring into the fish. For the next 30 seconds, the fish didn''t make any movements and keptying as if it was dead. However, it soon began making small movements. In a minute, it jumped off the scroll andnded in the pool.


    Yoshi said with a smile, "This is how you do it."


    No one in the room was surprised. After all, everyone had seen medical ninjas in action.


    Yoshi said, "Though this looks simple, it will take a long time for you to learn this. You first need to develop good chakra control and you will need 4 to 6 months after that to be able to heal the fish as I did. You will require another 6 months of training to be able to use this jutsu safely on ninjas."


    His words surprised everyone in the room. Fujin thought, ''Almost one year for just mastering this basic jutsu?''


    He couldn''t help but mutter in his mind, ''It''s just using our chakra to increase the body''s natural healing. How tough can it be?''


    Yoshi noticed the looks of skepticism on most of the trainees. However, he wasn''t surprised. He scoffed in his mind, ''It''s the same every month. They think that it is an easy jutsu that they will learn in a few days. Half of them won''t even have the patience to dedicate enough time to this jutsu to master it.''


    He looked at the 12 who had imed that they had good chakra control and said, "You try it first. Be careful about the amount of chakra you use."


    Hyuga Emi and Kurama Asuka rolled the scroll until 12 seals were visible and summoned 12 fishes. Fujin and the rest stepped forward.


    Fujin observed his fish and observed, ''This fish almost looks dead. I wonder how they put fish in such a state. The seal looks simr to the one Uchiha Sora used to store the dead body. So it should have slowed time to preserve the fish in this state.''


    He extended his palm towards the fish and began releasing an extremely tiny amount of chakra. The chakra touched the body of the fish and began entering it.


    Fujin frowned but stayed steady as he realized, ''My chakra isn''t entering his body without any resistance. The fish''s body is resisting my chakra making healing tougher. In addition, if I increase power, it will probably destroy the fish''s body instead of healing it.''


    Fujin kept at it while releasing chakra as slowly as he could. However, even after 3 minutes, there wasn''t any change in the fish.


    In the meantime, the other 11 were also trying. In under a minute, 4 fish were burnt enough to be safe for consumption. In the next minute, another 4 were burnt alive. While the remaining 3 couldn''t insert their chakra into the fish.


    Yoshi''s eyes moved on all 12 trainees before being glued to Fujin. He thought, ''Not bad. He was able to insert some chakra into the Fish without burning it.''


    Fujin''s attention waspletely on the fish. He thought, ''At this rate, I don''t think the fish will be healed today. I should increase the chakra. He did say that it will take 4 to 6 months to learn this. Burning one fish should be fine.''


    Fujin slowly increased his chakra output for the next 30 seconds. As he did, he noticed that a fin moved. He immediately stopped increasing the chakra and maintained his current rate. However, in ten seconds, he noticed that the skin had begun burning. He immediately lowered his chakra output.


    Yoshi''s eyes widened in surprise. He thought, ''What chakra control! Even senior medical ninjas wouldn''t be able to control their chakra this well every time.''


    Despite lowering the chakra output, the fish''s flesh waspletely burnt. Fujin sighed and picked up the fish. He thought, ''I can''t heal if it resists my chakra¡­''


    Fujin felt someone staring at him. He looked to his right and saw Kurama Asuka staring at him. Chakra flowed through his hand as he properly cooked the fish and asked, "Are these fish safe to be eaten?"


    Asuka snorted and swiped the fish off his hand and said, "You are here to learn healing and not cooking!"


    Fujin sighed, ''If I knew that there would be a 2-hour lecture, I''d have brought some snacks.''


    Yoshi said, "That''s enough. Go back and sit and analyze where you went wrong."


    He looked towards the others and instructed, "Half of youe here and try healing the fish."


    Eleven people got up and went to the table while Fujin and the rest took their seats. At the same time Emi and Asuka swapped the fishes, Yoshi arrived in front of Fujin and the rest who tried healing the fish.

 Chapter 230: Yang Release

    Yoshi asked, "What have you learnt from your failed attempt?"


    One of the trainees said, "We have to be very careful with the amount of chakra we put in the fish. If we use more chakra, it can very easily burn up."


    Another said, "But if we use less chakra, the fish won''t heal."


    Another couple of trainees gave simr answers before going quiet. The ones who hadn''t attempted healing yet paid attention as they would soon face the same troubles.


    Yoshi looked at Fujin and asked, "Anything else?"


    Fujin wasn''t nning to answer as he expected the instructor to exin the obstacle he faced regardless of his answer. But noticing his gaze, Fujin answered, "The fish''s body resists our chakra. So very little chakra is actually used to heal the chakra.


    Yoshi nodded, "You are right. In truth, all 12 of you faced this issue. Otherwise, even with little chakra, you would have been able to heal a little bit and with excessive chakra, you would have first noticed rapid healing before the fish got burned."


    He looked at Fujin and asked, "Can you guess why the fish resisted your chakra?"


    Fujin answered, "I am not sure. The only possible exnation I cane up with is that the fish''s body instinctively resisted as my chakra was a foreign chakra. But if that is the case, healing would be abnormally difficult. Especially since the fish''s body has minuscule chakra whenpared with ninjas."


    Yoshi replied, "Your guess is wrong. There are two reasons why the fish''s body instinctively rejects and resists your chakra. The first reason is that your chakra is too harsh. This type of chakra is very effective inbat and hence all of you release this chakra instinctively. But, to heal, you need to release a very gentle and docile chakra. Only then it will be epted by the patient''s body and help heal their bodies."


    Fujin and the rest were surprised. Fujin asked, "What do you mean by gentle and docile chakra?"


    Yoshi answered, "It means that your chakra shouldn''t threaten your patient''s body and must feel soothing enough for them to not resist at all and instead allow it to do its work.


    You will need to eliminate any thoughts you have about killing or fighting before you heal a patient and only then will you be able to heal. Of course, with practice, you will begin releasing a gentle chakra with ease. This is one of the main reasons why it takes so long to learn this jutsu.


    The second reason is that the chakra you used was attribute-less. Though it seems that Medical Ninjutsu doesn''t need any nature maniption, it isn''t the case. You have to only utilize the Yang aspect of chakra while using Medical ninjutsu."


    Fujin''s eyes widened. He thought, ''Yang release? Medical ninjutsu requires Yang release? Will we be trained in it?''


    Fujin asked, "How can we only utilize the Yang aspect of our chakra? Does it have simr training like the way we train for normal natures?"


    Yoshi shook his head and exined, "There is no way to train in Yang Release."


    He stopped and corrected himself, "No, that wouldn''t be right to say. But the methods to train Yang release are all secret techniques. So you won''t be able to get ess to them.


    As for Mystical Palm jutsu, you will employ the most basic method for utilizing Yang nature. You will keep trying to heal fish until you are able to heal using only the Yang aspect of your chakra. Once you find it, you should practice a few hundred times so that you master using that aspect."


    His words made everyone frown. After all, this was like finding a needle in a haystack! It would be difficult, time-consuming and very luck based.


    One ninja, who was from the Yamanaka n as well, asked, "Can we perform Medical ninjutsu using the Yin aspect of our chakra?"


    Yoshi replied, "You can, but it is very difficult. Only senior medical ninjas can do so. And even then, we don''t use it for healing external wounds. So focus on learning the Yang aspect of the chakra."


    Yoshi looked at him and said, "However, if you know Yin Release, then learning basic Yang Release will be easier. You just have to avoid releasing the Yin aspect of chakra."


    The ninja nodded and said, "Thank You for the tip, Yoshi sensei."


    Yoshi looked at everyone and asked, "Do you have any more doubts?"


    No one asked any questions. So he returned to monitor the next batch of trainees.


    Fujin closed his eyes and began thinking about Yoshi''s words, ''So I will have to separate Yang and Yin aspects of the chakra to learn Mystical Palm jutsu. And here I thought that I''d get it down in no time. Still, this is good. Going by Yoshi''s words, if I can learn Yang Release, I should also learn Yin Release. So my Genjutsu would be stronger. I might be able to use it in battle against stronger enemies as well.


    That said, I guess making my chakra gentle first would be the challenge. To eliminate all thoughts of fighting and killing? That''s tough. Or would have been tough if I hadn''t just experienced it while travelling on Ryu''s head. Maybe I should go back to him and see how I could experience it again.


    Though I guess that I should first take a look at what methods the vige has. After all, I did feel that I was able to slightly heal the fish. It is probably why Yoshi asked me a question specifically.''


    The remaining 22 people tried healing the fish and met with simr obstacles. Yoshi didn''t see anyone noteworthy among them. So once everyone was done, he had a simr exchange with the remaining trainees.


    Once all doubts were resolved, he summarized, "As you have already tried healing, you would have realized the 3 major aspects of healing. The first is having a gentle chakra that doesn''t make the patient feel any threat. The second is utilizing the Yang aspect of your chakra. And thest is having very good chakra control."


    He looked at everyone and said, "That''s it for today. We will meet again after seven days at noon. In these seven days, I want you to do only one thing. Meditate for as long as you can, and while meditating, think of happy thoughts or pleasant memories. The next time you attempt healing, you will try to think of those memories before healing."


    Fujin watched him with a dumbfounded look. He thought, ''What the hell? That''s how you make your chakra gentle? You couldn''te with any other bullshit? And this is the vige that has the most advanced Medical ninjutsu? No wonder Hiruzen shot down Tsunade''s proposal of training a lot of medical ninjas. Imagine thousands of ninjas thinking happy thoughts while the rest fought!''


    Like Fujin, many were speechless by what Yoshi asked them to do. However, if they knew what Yoshi''s thoughts were, they would begin cursing him right away!


    Yoshi enjoyed the look of disbelief on the trainees. He thought, ''Making your chakra gentle isn''t difficult. As they keep practicing this jutsu, their chakra will automatically be gentle and docile unless they keep getting angry or frustrated.


    But, since every one of them thinks that learning this jutsu is easy, I might as well have some fun with them. Just the thought of them meditating while having pleasant thoughts is hrious. It''ll be even more fun when they get annoyed as it won''t work, hahaha!''


    Yoshi dismissed everyone. When the room was empty, a smile appeared on Yoshi''s face. Emi and Asuka sighed thinking, ''This old geezer is messing around once again!''


    Fujin moved to Ichiraku while thinking, ''That old geezer was definitely messing with us when he said that. Something seemed off. Though I didn''t sense a lie, he is a medical ninja from the Yamanaka n. So he might be a good sensor as well. It won''t be difficult for him to lie without being sensed.


    That said, meditation in itself isn''t bad. I should stabilize my mind by meditating for a few hours and eliminating all thoughts before I visit next week. More importantly, I should focus on the Yang release."


    Fujin reached Ichiraku and ate while thinking about Yang Release.

 Chapter 231: Yin & Yang

    Fujin sat in his meditation room and sat in a meditative position. Soon, chakra could be seen surrounding his body. Fujin''s mind was analyzing his chakra, ''Yang & Yin nature¡­ How can I segregate the two?''


    As Fujin inspected his chakra, he analyzed, ''Yang Release is described as the physical energy that governs vitality, growth, and life force. Meanwhile, Yin Release is described as the spiritual energy that governs imagination, creativity, and the formation of shape and form.


    If I have topare them with techniques, then Yang Release is often connected with Taijutsu while Yin release is linked with Genjutsu. Ninjutsu needs a bnce of both of them. But, when we train Taijutsu, Genjutsu or Ninjutsu, we don''t feel the Yang or Yin aspects of chakra¡­''


    Fujin clenched his fist and raised it in front of his hands as continued analyzing, ''If Yang Release is just the physical energy, then can this be considered as Yang Release? After all, it enhances my physique.''


    Chakra appeared around his fist. The chakra grewrger and at the same time, Fujin''s fist became stronger. Fujin''s eyes widened and began glowing as he realized, ''No, the chakra on my fist is just normal chakra. After all, I haven''t segregated the chakra.


    But, when I focus the chakra on my fist, my fist itself bes much more resilient. Otherwise, every time I punch something, my fist will be a bloody mess due to the recoil. The chakra that enhances my fist is the Yang aspect of my chakra!''


    Fujin didn''t analyze anything for a couple of minutes and let the realization sink in. Finally, he let out a sigh and muttered, "So learning Senju Taijutsu Chakra automatically teaches us Yang Release¡­ So I have known how to use Yang Release for more than a year without knowing that I know it¡­"


    He lowered his fist and thought, ''Sigh, you could have at least told me Renjiro. Do these guys get a kick out of keeping some details a secret? Still, to think that he taught me Yang Release. He wasn''t kidding about the magnanimity of the Senju n! No way any other n would teach Yin or Yang release to outsiders.''


    Fujin focused his chakra once again. This time, a thinyer of chakra gathered on his entire body. However, the chakra began decreasing and soon dissipated. However, chakra was still gathered in his flesh. Fujin felt that his body was much stronger.


    He opened his eyes and raised his right hand in front of him. A formless chakra appeared on his palm. Fujin thought, ''This should be pure Yang chakra. Since there is no Yin chakra involved, I can''t control its shape.


    I guess Yoshi wasn''t speaking theplete truth then. With just Yang chakra, a medical ninja won''t be able to heal perfectly. They will need a little bit of Yin chakra to control the Yang chakra so that they can heal effectively.


    But, since he said that we just need to keep trying until we find the right proportions, I guess that we will eventually be able to release chakra that is majorly Yang but has a bit of Yin to control it appropriately. Anyways¡­''


    Suddenly, Yin chakra flowed into his right palm and mixed with the Yang chakra. The chakra took the shape of a ball and began rotating rapidly. Fujin analyzed, ''So in the case of Rasengan, Yang chakra is responsible for the damage while Yin chakra is responsible for the rotation and the spherical form. To think that I was able to just do it subconsciously without knowing the details. The same should be the case with every ninjutsu.''


    Fujin went into the lowest basement and began experimenting with all his ninjutsus. He began studying how Yin and Yang chakra worked in every ninjutsu.


    Three dayster, Fujin was standing in his basement. He made a few hand signs.


    ''Bringer of Darkness Jutsu''


    Immediately, the entire room went dark. A smile formed on Fujin''s face, ''Great! The time needed to reduce this jutsu has been reduced by 3 times. Though I spent 3 days studying Yang and Yin release, it was time well spent. I will be able to improve my Ninjutsus as well. Though they wouldn''t have such a huge improvement, it is still better than nothing.''


    Fujin left the basement and freshened himself up. He had barely rested for 3 days. He thought, ''Since I have learnt both Yang and Yin releases, it''s time for a treat!''


    Fujin spent the remaining day visiting all his favorite restaurants in Konoha until he was full!


    The next day, Fujin summoned Goro and asked Goro to reverse summon him.


    When Fujin appeared on Mount Muteki, Goro asked, "What do you wanna train in today?"


    Fujin replied, "I want to talk with your father.


    Can you take me to him?"


    Goro nodded, "Sure. Climb on my majestic back!"


    Goro carried Fujin on his back and flew away from Mount Muteki. En route, Fujin said, "By the way, I had a few more ideas forbination jutsus. You will love the next one."


    Goro grinned and said, "I can''t wait to try! Thanks to you, I have be even more amazing! I will leave both Kurogan and Kaito in the dust, hahaha!"


    In a few minutes, they arrived before Ryu''s humongous body. Ryu was resting, however, he opened an eye to see Goro flying towards him!


    Goronded in front of him and said, "Father, Fujin wanted to see you, so he summoned the most amazing Winged Sabertooth to help him! See ya!"


    He dropped Fujin and flew away without waiting for Ryu''s reply. Ryu sighed at his son''s antics and muttered in a sleepy tone, "What do you want?"


    Fujin replied, "I want to experience the nature chakra once again. Can you monitor me?"


    Ryu asked with one eye closed, "Why do you want to experience that again?"


    Fujin answered, "I am trying to learn Mystical Palm jutsu. The instructor said that we need to have a very calm and pleasant mind in order to learn it. And I felt the most calm and pleasant when we flew to Mount Mutekist time."


    Ryu stared at Fujin and askedzily, "Is Mystical Palm jutsu that healing jutsu?"


    Fujin nodded.


    Ryu said in the same tone, "So you want to tell me that you need to sense nature chakra in order to learn a basic healing jutsu?"


    Fujin felt awkward upon hearing his question. He said, "Well, it isn''t a necessity. But it will be of great help."


    Ryu said, "If you keep sensing nature chakra again and again, you will inevitably begin absorbing it as well. And you aren''t ready to absorb it. If you do, the only result will be your death. So stop using excuses to achieve that state once again. I know that it feels great and you would want to feel it again and again, but be patient for a few years."


    Ryu closed his eye and Fujin disappeared leaving a cloud of smoke.


    Fujin appeared back in his basement. A look of surprise could be seen on his face as he muttered, "Did he end Goro''s summon so casually?"


    He got up and sighed, ''That state felt so peaceful and heavenly. Perhaps it truly felt addictive. I guess Ryu was right in calling the reason an excuse. Oh well, I''ll see how it goes in the next training session. For now, it''s time to retrain my jutsus.''


    Fujin went to the training ground. He began using the jutsus that he had already mastered and began using them while properly applying Yang and Yin chakras.


    He decided, ''I will begin with the Infinite Breakthrough jutsu.''


    He gathered chakra in his throat while segregating it into Yang and Yin. He used the Yang chakra to provide power to the jutsu and used the Yin chakra to decide the shape and range of the jutsu. Then, he exhaled a normal Infinite Breakthrough jutsu.


    Fujin analyzed, ''The speed of performing the jutsu is much slower. But it''s understandable as I am not doing it the normal way. I will need to keep practicing to see how much the speed will improve. If it still takes longer, then it won''t be worth it.''


    Fujin kept practicing. As he did, his speed increased and a smile formed on his face as he could see the benefits of this new way. He ate a soldier pill so that he could train for longer.


    Soon, the skies went dark. Fujin gathered chakra once again and instinctively split it into Yang and Yin. He exhaled another Infinite Breakthrough jutsu. The jutsu travelled in a straight line like a beam with a 2-meter radius. It destroyed all trees in its path for over 100 meters!


    Fujin grinned, ''Amazing! Though my speed is still a bit slower, the benefits of performing jutsus this way are just amazing! By controlling Yang chakra, I can easily decide how much power I want to put into the jutsu. If I want to supercharge it, I only have to increase the Yang chakra and don''t have to increase the Yin chakra. So I can save Yin chakra while supercharging this jutsu.


    However, more than Yang chakra, I am impressed by the abilities of Yin chakra. I didn''t expect such a result!''


    With a grin on his face, he observed his surroundings. It was aplete mess! Some trees had hundreds of holes in their trunk while some had hundreds of cuts on them. A few trees werepletely shredded. If anyone visited this ce, they would be terrified by the destruction!


    Fujin was very happy. It was as if a whole new realm of possibilities had opened up for him. A terrifying new realm!

 Chapter 232: Happy Thoughts Work???

    For the next couple of days, Fujin kept practicing Infinite Breakthrough jutsu with Yin & Yang amplifications until he was satisfied.


    Soon, it was the day of visiting the hospital. Fujin trained his body in the morning and spent a couple of hours meditating to rx his mind and eliminate all needless thoughts and distractions.


    He left his house for the hospital but suddenly he had a thought, ''Wait a minute! Yoshi saidst time that we need to think about happy and pleasant thoughts. So we need to be happy. And I am happy after eating delicious food. I should stuff my stomach before going. Otherwise, if I keep thinking about eating the fish, I don''t think I could heal it, haha.''


    Having decided, he visited Ichiraku once again and enjoyed himself while blissfully ignoring the time for Yoshi''s training session.


    At noon, Yoshi entered the same room and saw 28 people in the room. He looked around and his face fell as he thought, ''Six quit already including that youngster. A shame. I had high hopes for him. But, if he doesn''t have the discipline of sticking for a week, then there is no way he can be a medical ninja.''


    He began by giving a short lecture and started guiding the trainees to use the Mystical Palm jutsu.


    Half an hourter, Fujin knocked on the door and entered the room. Once again, he attracted everyone''s attention. Yoshi squinted his eyes. He didn''t know how to feel. On one hand, he was happy that Fujin wanted to continue while on the other hand, he was disappointed by his indiscipline.


    He walked towards Fujin and said, "You arete."


    Fujin nodded but he had a smile on his face.


    Yoshi''s eyes twitched. Hemented in his mind, ''Did that Hatake brat spread his influence on the youngsters?''


    Yoshi put up a serious face and said strictly, "I won''t allow any tardy ninja to learn medical ninjutsu. So you better give me a good reason for beingte. Otherwise, I won''t be teaching you."


    His words were loud enough to be heard by everyone in the room. They all had their attention on Fujin. For half an hour, they had been trying unsessfully. So seeing another person get yelled at felt refreshing. They were hoping to get some entertainment.


    Fujin maintained his smile and said, "Of course, I have a reason, Sensei. I had left home on time and should have been here before noon. But then I recalled your words."


    Yoshi was confused. He asked, "My words?"


    Fujin nodded and asked, "Didn''t you say that we should have happy and pleasant thoughts in order to be able to heal? If the fish''s body perceives any threat, then it won''t allow our chakra to assist it, right?"


    Yoshi nodded but was still confused. He thought, ''I did say that bullshit but how is it rted to him beingte?''


    Fujin said, "I recalled your words and realized that in thest week, when I was healing the fish, I was very hungry and was wondering how the fish would taste. It is probably why the fish''s body put up a resistance. In addition, I am at my happiest after eating a delicious meal.


    So I took your advice and decided to eat up first before showing up here. Otherwise, I would only fail likest time."


    Yoshi and everyone in the room were stunned. They were left speechless by Fujin''s excuse. Yoshi thought, ''What the fuck? How did he reach that conclusion?''


    He wanted to yell but before he could say anything, Fujin bowed and said, "That''s why I amte sensei. But I still apologize for the dy. It won''t happen again."


    Yoshi was left speechless once again. Fujin didn''t even give him any chance to scold him. In the end, he could only say, "Don''t bete again or I won''t ept you in the ss."


    His words left everyone else dumbfounded. Especially Emi and Asuka. Memories of Yoshi yelling at them surfaced in their heads. They both thought, ''How did he avoid getting yelled at? Could we have just said that we wanted to eat and get away without getting yelled at for years?''


    Fujin said, "Of course."


    Yoshi said, "Go try to heal a fish."


    Fujin nodded and quickly left and upied an empty spot that already had a fish. He observed the fish and thought, ''There''s no way there would be a happier sight than his expression. Oh well, here goes nothing.''


    Fujin weaved hand signs and extended his right palm towards the fish with a smile on his face. Yang chakra appeared on his palm. He used a little bit of Yin chakra to manipte the Yang chakra and began healing the fish. Everyone''s eyes were on Fujin.


    Fujin gently increased his chakra output. To his surprise, the fish began twitching and moving its fins rapidly in just 30 seconds!


    Once again, shock spread throughout the room. The trainees were shocked that someone managed to heal the fish so quickly. Meanwhile, Emi and Asuka''s eyes popped out! They both cursed in their mind, ''That shitty advice works?''


    However, the most shocked was Yoshi. He had no idea what to make of the scene unfolding in front of his eyes!


    The fish began iling as Fujin''s chakra began burning his body. Fujin quickly reduced his chakra output. The fish''s body stopped burning, but it was no longer being healed at the required rate. It soon became still once again.


    Fujin stopped his jutsu. He looked at Yoshi with an innocent face and said excitedly, "Your advice is great, Sensei! I didn''t think I would make progress so quickly. With a few more happy thoughts, I think I can heal the fish in no time!"


    Yoshi''s eyes twitched. It wasn''t the praise he wanted to hear. However, before he could say anything, he felt many eyes on him. He looked away from Fujin to see that all 28 Trainees were staring at him. Awe and respect could be seen in their eyes! Yoshi gulped as he noticed the reverence in their eyes for him.


    One guy said, "I will think of happy thoughts too, Sensei!"


    Another asked, "I too am the happiest when I eat delicious food. Can I be back in 30 minutes?"


    A few more asked the same question.


    Another wondered out loud, "Should I propose to Emiko-chan? I will be the happiest if she says yes."


    However, the guy next to him said, "But if she says no, then I am afraid that you will never learn this jutsu."


    The guy shivered and said, "You are right!"


    Another guy overheard their conversation and chimed in, "We should try to get instant happiness."


    A lecherous smile appeared on his face, "You understand what I mean, right?"


    His statement made everyone feel awkward. They immediately moved two steps away from him.


    Another looked at Yoshi and asked with a serious face, "I am the happiest when I am drunk. But how can I control my chakra properly when I am drunk?"


    Simr statements began flowing through the room. Yoshi saw the chaos in the room with a dumbfounded expression. Never before had he lost control of a room while teaching trainees!


    However, he couldn''t keep staying quiet. He was asked too many questions. He reluctantly said, "If anyone wants to go out to rx, you can. But return within an hour. The ones who want to keep training, you can keep training. We will monitor your progress."


    His words made many trainees excited. Soon, 23 trainees left the room. While leaving, one excitedly eximed in a loud voice, "I never knew that to be a medical ninja we have to keep ourselves happy all the time. If I did, I would have be a medical ninja right after graduating! Not to mention, with the skills of a medical ninja, I wouldn''t even have to be worried about my liver. Hahaha."


    Those words made Yoshi look at the ninja. He couldn''t believe it and muttered in a low voice, "How did things reach this stage?"


    He couldn''t help but look at Fujin who still had that innocent smile on his face.

 Chapter 233: The Greatest Talent in Medical Ninjutsu?

    "Bring me more!"


    In Shushu-ya, an old man yelled for yet another drink. The waiter sighed. He took the bottle of sake to his table and poured him more sake while thinking, ''Why does he keep yelling? All the customers from nearby tables have moved away due to him. He even chased a few away at the door!''


    Despite the waiter''s worries, the old man wasn''t concerned. It was as if he didn''t care about anything. He repeated his actions until one guy had enough.


    He got up and walked to his table and said loudly, "Why do you keep shouting old ma¡­.."


    The man suddenly stopped speaking and went pale. He fumbled, "Yo¡­osss¡­shi sen¡­sei?"


    Yamanaka Yoshi looked up and saw the middle-aged man. He eximed with a wide smile on his face, "Isamu! Have a seat! Drink with me!"


    Isamu sat down unwillingly. Seeing Yoshi''s state, he was sure that he would be embarrassed and unlike Yoshi, he wasn''t drunk enough to not care.


    He thought, ''I am a Jounin and a senior medical ninja. There are very few who would outrank me. To think that my luck is so bad that the drunkard I wanted to quiet down just happened to be one!''


    With onest hope of saving himself from the embarrassment, he asked, "Why are you drinking so much, sensei?"


    Yoshi was very tipsy. However, he could still hold rational conversation but his voice and tone were very inconsistent. He said, "You won''t believe what I witnessed today, Isamu! It was mind-blowing! In my forty years of being a medical ninja and thirty years of being an instructor, I have never witnessed such a sight."


    Isamu sighed in relief that Yoshi could hold a sane conversation. He was also intrigued at the same time. He couldn''t help but ask, "What did you see?"


    Yoshi asked, "Do you remember that happy thoughts speech I used to give to the mystical palm trainees?"


    A smile formed on Isamu''s face as he replied, "Yes Sensei. We drank multiple times whileughing hriously at their hrious attempts."


    Yoshi said, "Yes, that one. One of the trainees followed my advice and made huge improvements!"


    A peculiar expression appeared on his face. He said, "How could he? We both know that it is bullshit. They just need some time and practice to tune their chakra to healing mode."


    Yoshi said, "No, it did happen. He managed to heal a bit on his 2nd try. In his 2nd session itself, he made a lot of advancements. And after every attempt, he would think of more happy thoughts and make more improvements. He even thanked me after every improvement. I won''t be surprised if he masters the Mystical Palm jutsu in a month! The whole room was looking at me with reverence in their eyes."


    Now Isamu was dumbfounded. His mind went into overdrive to make sense of the situation. Soon, he reached a conclusion. He asked, "Are you sure that he hasn''t already learned the jutsu? Or perhaps someone else is tutoring him?"


    Unlike Yoshi, Isamu wasn''t overwhelmed by the situation. So he could think with a stable mind. However, Yoshi shook his head and said, "No way. He definitely never used this jutsu before. As for a tutor, that is probably a no as well. I could see how thankful he was in his eyes after every small improvement! It felt so genuine¡­ BRING ME MORE!"


    The waiter hurried to his table while Isamu became embarrassed at being seen alongside him. He got up and said, "Bring me along with you next time to see that trainee, sensei. I will take my leave for now."


    However, Yoshi said, "What''s the hurry? Sit down. I''ll tell of all the fun and weird things that happened today!"


    Isamu could only sit back reluctantly. Yoshi had taught his batch of medical ninjas and hence held a lot of respect. He couldn''t disobey him so brazenly. So he sat down and endured the embarrassment of being seen alongside him.


    At the same time, loudughing noise could be heard from the Ichiraku stall. Though the personughing couldn''t be seen due to the curtains, he caused a lot of weird looks to fall on Ichiraku.


    Teuchi sighed. He had lost count of how many times he had repeated himself, but he had to say it again, "Fujin-kun. You shouldn''tugh so much while eating."


    Fujin replied, "It''s fine. It''s fine. It was just so hrious! Hahahaha."


    Ayame pouted and said angrily, "You keepughing but don''t even tell me what is so funny!"


    Fujin keptughing and said, "You won''t understand."


    Ayame snorted and looked away and said, "Tell me. I''ll see whether I can understand or not."


    Fujin replied, "It''s ninja stuff. Anyways, I am learning a new technique and the old instructor I have was trying some bullshit on us. So I just used his bullshit and made it look like it was true. His face was so hrious! Hahahaha."


    Ayame looked at Fujin with a confused expression. She muttered to herself, "What part of that is so funny?"


    She looked at her father, but he too didn''t understand and shook his head. The father-daughter duo left Fujin to his devices.


    Isamu helped Yoshi to his house before returning to his. However, en route, he couldn''t help but think about Fujin. No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn''t make sense of it.


    In the end, he sighed and muttered, "I need to check on him. No way that happiness bullshit works. Either he has taken training or has someone guiding him. Otherwise, he will be the greatest talent in medical ninjutsu in our vige. No, in the entire Ninja world and perhaps history too!"


    After filling his stomach andughing a lot, Fujin returned home. He took out a scroll as he recalled the earlier events.


    Earlier in the Konoha Hospital :


    The trainees had trained hard for over 3 hours. But other than Fujin, no one else managed to make much progress no matter how ''happy'' they were.


    Finally, Emi and Asuka handed all 29 Trainees a scroll. Yoshi said, "This scroll is simr to the big scroll that preserves the fish. We will be temporarily giving these scrolls to you. When your training ispleted, you have to return them. If you fail to return or damage them, then you will have to pay One Hundred Thousand Ryo as a fine."


    The huge fine made most of the trainees gulp. They held the scroll properly as if it was an expensive and precious jade!


    Meanwhile, Fujin thought, ''This scroll has the same seals? I should try to study the seals. Though I have Sora''s seals that were used to store the dead body and eyes, I didn''t want to risk experimenting with them as it would have been a huge loss if I damaged the scroll. But, if I damage this scroll, then I only have to pay 100k Ryo. It could be helpful if I can replicate the seals.''


    Though 100k Ryo was a lot for a normal genin or even weaker chunins, it wasn''t much for Fujin who had imed multiple bounties.


    Yoshi continued, "Every scroll has 12 Fish that you can use to try your Mystical Palm jutsu. This is a gift from us to you. In the future, you can ask for more fish at the reception, but you will have to pay for them. Is that understood?"


    Everyone nodded. Yoshi said, "Try to heal the fish by yourselves until we meet next week. You will have to practice a lot in order to seed. Now leave."


    At his home, Fujin looked at the scroll and muttered, "It looks like Konoha wants as many ninjas to learn this jutsu as they can. Otherwise, they wouldn''t use so many resources on us. After all, we are just one batch.


    From what I heard, a new batch is started every month. And Yoshi imed that it normally takes around 8 to 12 months to learn this jutsu and use it without any risks. So there might be another twelve batches being trained alongside us. Now that I think about it, it is kinda surprising that Tamotsu''s squad didn''t have anyone who could heal."


    Fujin opened the scroll and summoned a fish. He observed, ''Hmm, it seems to be the same seal¡­ Good. I''ll first use up the fish and then try to study the seals.''


    Fujin began practicing the Mystical Palm jutsu once again.

 Chapter 234: Spamming Shadow Clones Once Again!

    In an hour, Fujin had gone through all 12 fishes withoutpletely healing any. He sighed, ''I feel like I am close but I still can''t heal it without burning its flesh¡­ Still, I have a feeling that it should just be a matter of practice. I should get a hang of this jutsu soon.''


    Fujin turned his attention towards the seal and began testing it. After a while, he concluded, ''Interesting seal. It has the base of a normal storage seal. That should be used to create a space in the seal. In addition, there are seals to preserve life and not pose any harm to it as well as to keep the air fresh and rich in oxygen. I can replicate these with ease.


    However, there are a few additional seals that I don''t recognize¡­ I wonder if they will be in Section A of the library¡­ Since the only additionalponent in the seal is time, I guess that these seals are responsible for slowing down time in the seal.''


    Suddenly, Fujin''s eyes widened as he had an idea, ''Wait! Since there are seals to slow down time, are there also seals that speed up time? If yes, then I could build my own hyperbolic time chamber! The fourth war is only around 8 to 9 years away and I am not sure how strong I can be by then. But a Hyperbolic time chamber could provide me with a huge help. Especially to master other elements and to try to fuse elements and learn Kekkei Genkais. But¡­''


    A frown formed on Fujin''s face, ''But, this won''t be without drawbacks. I don''t have any means to extend my Lifespan. Using such means will make me get older faster. At the very least, I shouldn''t use it until the growth of my body has stopped.


    Not to mention, it is highly questionable if such a seal exists. After all, if it does, I am sure that there would be many others who coulde to the same conclusion as me. So, such training rooms should have been a trend in the ninja world. Especially during the times of great wars. Every vige could use them to quickly train their kids and add more manpower to their armies.


    Still, even if it doesn''t exist, can I invent such a seal?''


    Fujin stared at the unfamiliar symbols while thinking, ''The Konoha library should have the seal to slow down time. Whereas, speeding up time just needs reverse principles. With this seal as a base, I could have something to work with.''


    Fujin analyzed more before nodding to himself, ''Yes, I can try this. Even if I have to limit the usage for myself, this method can be very handy. I''ll work on this after mastering the seal that slows down time!''


    With numerous ideas running through his mind, Fujin began studying the seal properly. He wrote down the symbols he didn''t identify and experimented with them until he was sleepy.


    The next day Fujin created a couple of Shadow clones. The clones looked at him and nodded. No words were needed. Fujin left the house and began his morning routine while his clones continued working on the seal.


    Afterpleting his morning routine, Fujin began relearning his jutsus by controlling Yin and Yang chakra. Fujin analyzed, ''My Infinite Breakthrough jutsu is modified to the limit. I can''t strengthen it once again in a short time. Time to move on to the Air Bullet Jutsu. Once this jutsu is down, I will check if Yin and Yang chakra could be used to improve Wind Vacuum jutsus.


    Fujin trained till his chakra levels became low. Satisfied with his progress, he returned home, took the scroll and went to the hospital to buy more fish for testing. After dinner, he trained Mystical Palm jutsu once again before going to bed.


    For the next 5 days, Fujin trained in this manner. Finally, on the 5th night, a grin formed on Fujin''s face. In front of him, a fish was rapidly pping its fins and jumping on the scroll. Fujin muttered, "Mystical Palm jutsu is learnt!"


    He grabbed the fish and flickered to his washroom. He filled a bucket with water and ced the healed fish in it. The fish finally calmed down and began swimming merrily.


    Fujin observed the fish for 10 minutes and thought, ''Good, there are no side effects orplications. I should try healing a few more.''


    Fujin returned towards where his scroll was. He opened itpletely and summoned 5 fishes and weaved a hand sign.


    ''Multi Shadow Clone jutsu''


    4 Shadow clones appeared around him. All immediately used Mystical Palm jutsu. In 30 seconds, all Fish began moving on the scroll. Fujin transferred all the fish into the bucket and observed them. All were fine and didn''t develop anyplications.


    A clone said, "Looks like the first step of learning this jutsu ispleted."


    Another nodded and said, "Yes. Now we just have to try it on humans."


    Fujin dismissed his clones and thought, ''It too should be simr. But I will have to be more careful. These fish were injured to the appropriate degree. In field situations, the injuries could be poisoned, may have already attracted some bacteria or there could be internal injuries. Anyways, no need to be worried about that. Yoshi should educate me about this.''


    Fujin let out a Yawn and muttered, "I should go to sleep. Though I have managed to learn this jutsu, the seal has been difficult to replicate. I will spend the entire day tomorrow learning it."


    The next morning, Fujin entered his basement and made a hand sign.


    ''Multi Shadow Clone jutsu''


    In an instant, the entire basement was filled with smoke. Fujin created 35 shadow clones! His face went pale due to the loss of chakra. He sat down for a couple of minutes and meditated.


    His clones observed him and realized, ''I still can''t control my chakra during the Shadow Clone jutsu. All chakra gets distributed equally. Since I made 35 shadow clones, my main body just has 1/36 of his chakra remaining. No wonder the main body immediately began meditating.''


    Though Fujin was meditating, his clones didn''t need to meditate. They didn''t disturb him and began working on the seal.


    After an hour, Fujin''s chakra finally recovered to a sufficient level. Fujin thought, ''I need to modify the Multi Shadow Clone jutsu! Instead of dividing all chakra, I need to assign the chakra for the jutsu to divide. That way, only the chakra I want will be equally divided while I will still have ess to my remaining chakra.''


    Fujin opened his eyes and saw that all 35 clones were working on the seal. He observed them while thinking, ''There are already 35 shadow clones working on the seal. Adding myself won''t increase the pace of research. What should I do?''


    After thinking a bit, he got up and said, "Looks like I underestimated how much chakra I would lose."


    His clones looked at him and nodded. Fujin said, "I will go to the meditation room and meditate. You guys keep working on the seal for the next 3 hours. Then dismiss yourself in groups of 5 and intervals of 5 minutes."


    The clones nodded and began working again while Fujin began meditating in his meditation room to calm his mind and recover his chakra.


    Three hourster, the clones began dismissing themselves in the decided order. With each clone''s disappearance, a surge of memories flooded Fujin''s mind, like a deluge of information pouring into his consciousness. He closed his eyes, feeling the weight of the collective experiences washing over him.


    The memories came in fragments, a jumble of observations, analysis and spections, like pieces of a puzzle seeking their ce. Despite the overwhelming influx of knowledge, Fujin remained focused, his mind swiftly analyzing and processing each memory as it arrived. He meticulously pieced together the memories, drawing connections, and extracting the essential insights.


    However, amidst the exhration of acquiring so much information, a slight headache gnawed at Fujin''s temple. It was the consequence of absorbing so many memories. Fortunately, due to the time interval, the headache wasn''t intense. Fujin pressed on integrating all the memories together and gaining the gains made by all of his clones.


    Finally, he let out a sigh and muttered, ''I can''t say what is worse¡­ Having an intense headache at the same time or mini headaches spread out over 30 minutes¡­ Whatever, time to redo it.''


    Fujin returned to the basement. However, this time, he didn''t use the Multi Shadow clone jutsu and instead used Shadow Clone jutsu 30 times. He could control the amount of chakra he pours in a single shadow clone. Due to this, he stopped when he felt that the chakra was reaching low levels.


    Fujin''s clones began working once again. Meanwhile, Fujin left his house and went to Yakiniku to fill his stomach. Analyzing memories of 35 clones not only gave him a headache, but it also created a hole in his stomach!

 Chapter 235: Invitation to become a Medical Ninja

    Fujin''s clones spent the whole day studying the seal and trying to replicate it. Due to studying with 30 clones, they made rapid progress. Finally, at midnight, one shadow clone eximed, "I did it!"


    This immediately attracted everyone''s attention. They began moving closer to him to observe the seal. But the clone said with a chuckle, "No need to be impatient."


    He dispelled himself and sent memories to Fujin and all his clones. All the clones absorbed the memories and realized. Immediately, they began creating the seal.


    Meanwhile, Fujin, who was meditating in the meditation room, opened his eyes. A smile formed on his face. He created a shadow clone and dispelled it.


    All the shadow clones received the memories. Afterpleting the seal, clones began dispelling themselves at regr intervals. After absorbing everyone''s memories, Fujin returned to the basement. He collected all the scrolls and opened up a new one.


    He quickly inscribed the newly learnt seal into the scroll and studied it. After observing it thoroughly, he concluded, ''Good, this looks exactly like the seal I copied. Now, time to test it.''


    Fujin stored a rotten apple in the seal and thought, ''It''s good that I had the presence of mind to buy a rotten apple when I went out to eat. I will check if the apple''s state worsens or remains the same until tomorrow morning. In the meantime, I will have a nice long sleep. My headache is killing me!''


    The next morning, as soon as he woke up, Fujin withdrew the rotten apple from the seal. He observed it and concluded, ''The same asst night. Great. I will continue storing it in this seal to test how well this seal works. If it can keep it stored for a week or more, I''ll begin reversing this seal to increase the speed of time.''


    Fujin sealed the apple back in the seal and looked at the clock. His eyes widened, ''The hell? It is already 11:45 AM? Shit, I underestimated that headache!''


    Fujin quickly got off his bed and freshened up. He grabbed a few fruits to eat and flickered to the hospital. Thanks to his speed, he barely managed to make it in time. Fujin entered the room thinking, ''Thoughst time was fun, it''s probably best to not dy pointlessly. After all, my reputation is nowhere near Kakashi''s.''


    As Fujin entered the room, the room was quite noisy. Everyone was talking about the activities they did to ensure maximum happiness beforeing to the hospital. However, they went quiet and looked at Fujin. After all, he was the only one to have some sess in healing the fish.


    A few groups called Fujin, but soon after Fujin entered the room, Yoshi, Isamu, Emi and Asuka entered the room as well. So everyone quickly upied their seats.


    Yoshi and Isamu walked to the front of the room and Yoshi announced, "This is Isamu. He was one of my students as well. Now he is a full-fledged medical ninja with a lot of achievements under his belt. Have you practiced at home?"


    Everyone nodded. One person said excitedly, "Yes Sensei. I also did a lot of stuff to keep myself happy!"


    Yoshi''s face immediately went dark while Isamu let out a chuckle. Yoshi said, "Alright, show me your progress."


    Everyone began going to the tables in groups and tried healing the fish. Fujin observed them. As he expected, no one had made any progress.


    Finally, it was Fujin''s turn to go. He got up and approached the table. The eyes of Yoshi, Isamu and others in the room were glued on him. He weaved a hand sign and extended his right hand towards the fish. Yang chakra appeared on his palm and began healing the fish.


    In a few seconds, the fish began improving in health. It began quivering. Ten secondster, it began moving its fins rapidly and jumped into the small pond on the other side of the table.


    Silence spread throughout the room. Everyone was shocked by what they witnessed. One guy asked in a soft voice, "Didn''t Yoshi sensei say that we will need 4 to 6 months to reach this stage?"


    The guy next to him nodded but couldn''t say anything.


    Yoshi was the one who was in the most shock. After all, he had seen how much Fujin struggled just two weeks ago. Meanwhile, Isamu was very suspicious.


    Fujin looked at Yoshi and said with a smile, "Having a full stomach helps a lot, sensei! Can we move on to the next step?"


    Yoshi finally gathered his thoughts and said, "Good work."


    He looked at Emi and Asuka and said, "You two take control of the room and guide everyone."


    He looked back at Fujin and said, "Fujin,e with me."


    Yoshi and Isamu began walking out of the room. Fujin followed thinking, ''Did I make too much of an impact on them by learning the jutsu so quickly?''


    They walked out of the room and towards Yoshi''s office as Fujin concluded, ''That should be the case. Oh well, it doesn''t matter much now even if I show off my talent or skills. It would just make the vige value me more.''


    The trio entered a small cabin. Both Yoshi and Isamu stared at Fujin until he got ufortable and asked, "What are you two staring like this?"


    Both ignored his question and kept staring. Isamu asked, "Fujin, tell us the truth. Have you learnt or practiced the Mystical Palm jutsu earlier?"


    Fujin replied, "Nope."


    Isamu asked again, "Did anyone else guide you privately after you visited the hospital 2 weeks ago?"


    Fujin tilted his head and asked, "Do we also get private tutors for learning Mystical Palm jutsu?"


    He looked at Yoshi and asked, "Why didn''t you tell me earlier, sensei?"


    Sweat formed on Yoshi and Isamu''s heads. They both had the same thought, ''This brat learnt the jutsu in two weeks and still wanted personal tutoring?''


    Yoshi coughed and said, "We don''t offer any personal tutoring. However, if any trainee has good rtions with a medical ninja, they can receive their help."


    Fujin replied, "Oh, that makes sense. Unfortunately, I don''t have a close friendship with any medical ninja."


    Yoshi and Isamu both went silent and looked at each other. Both agreed that Fujin had incredible talent.


    Yoshi looked back at Fujin and asked, "Fujin, do you want to be a Medical ninja?"


    Fujin frowned. He thought for a bit and shook his head. He said. "Bing a Medical ninja will take a lot of time. I don''t have much time on my hands right now. If I have time in the future, then I might consider it."


    Fujin did consider it seriously. After all, Medical ninjutsu seemed to be a very good way to master Yang and Yin chakra. Unfortunately, Fujin couldn''t do so.


    He thought, ''I am learning a lot of things at the same time. Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, Swordy and Fuinjutsu have been my main focus. And I have also learnt some Genjutsu. If I add Medical Ninjutsu to the mix as well, I might overburden myself and make a mess of everything. After all, bing a medical ninja might need more time than learning Fuinjutsu. Mystical Palm jutsu is sufficient for my current needs.''


    Yoshi and Isamu frowned. From Fujin''s answer, they realized that even if Fujin pursued Medical ninjutsu, it wouldn''t be his main focus. That wasn''t what they wanted.


    Yoshi said, "Fujin, I think you misunderstood me. I want you to abandon your other options and focuspletely on bing a Medical ninja¡­"


    As he was speaking, both he and Isamu figured out the answer from Fujin''s face. So before Fujin could refuse, Isamu said, "We will be honest with you Fujin. I didn''t want to tell you this right now in case you be overconfident, but I will because if you don''t, then it will be a huge loss for Konoha.


    Your talent for medical ninjutsu is very high. If you be a medical ninja, then you will be a very good one in a few years. Also, your fighting capabilities won''t be wasted as you can use them to protect yourself on the frontlines."


    Yoshi nodded in agreement. However, Fujin shook his head. This time he didn''t even need to think. He was learning Mystical Palm jutsu to ensure that he couldst longer in fights and quickly heal himself if he took lethal damage. Focusing on Medical ninjutsu would be reversing his priorities.


    He answered, "Sorry, I don''t intend to do so."


    Yoshi and Isamu were surprised. They didn''t expect Fujin to turn them down so directly. They both sighed. Yoshi said, "Alright. I will teach you theplexities of Mystical Palm jutsu and how to use it on your allies. I and Isamu will guide you for 3 days. If you change your mindter, you know where to find us."


    Fujin nodded and quickly thanked them. Yoshi and Isamu began teaching Fujin with a lot of enthusiasm and made the lessons as entertaining as they could. They wanted to use this opportunity to make Fujin change his mind.

 Chapter 236: Miscalculated Talent

    Yoshi and Isamu trained Fujin for 3 continuous days. Fujin absorbed all their teachings and became capable enough to use this jutsu on humans. However, despite his rapid progress, Yoshi and Isamu weren''t happy as they weren''t able to change Fujin''s mind.


    Fujin thanked them once again before leaving. After exiting the talent, Fujin let out a sigh. He could see reluctance in the eyes of Yoshi and Isamu. He thought, ''They really wanted me to pursue Medical Ninjutsu. Unfortunately, that''s not the path I want to move on.


    That said, I understood why they wanted me to pursue this path. It isn''t that they think that my talent is good, they probably think that my talent is the greatest due to how quickly I learnt the jutsu. Unfortunately, that isn''t the case. If it was, perhaps I''d be tempted to take this path at the beginning.''


    Back in the hospital, Isamu let out a sigh and said, "We couldn''t change his mind."


    Yoshi nodded and said, "Yes. But I know someone who can. Come with me."


    Isamu was surprised. He looked at Yoshi and asked, "Who are you talking about, Sensei?"


    Yoshi smirked and said, "Oh, you know him. He is the best in the world at influencing kids."


    Isamu was still confused. He couldn''t figure out who Yoshi was referring to. However, he didn''t ask as it looked like Yoshi wanted to keep him in suspense. He quickly followed Yoshi.


    After a few minutes, both entered into a room. Isamu''s eyes twitched as he muttered, "I should have known."


    Yoshi smirked and bowed slightly, "Lord Hokage."


    Hiruzen looked at them and said, "Yoshi, Isamu, how have you two been?"


    Yoshi replied, "We have been great, Lord Hokage. We havee here because we have a request for you and hope that you can do it. It will provide a huge boost to our medical capabilities."


    Hiruzen was surprised at his im. He thought, ''Since Tsunade left, our medical ninjutsu hasn''t made much progress. What did these two find?''


    He asked, "What is your request?"


    Yoshi said, "We met a young kid who has incredible talent at medical ninjutsu. We believe that it may even surpass Tsunade''s talent. He managed to learn the Mystical Palm jutsu with minimal guidance in 2 weeks. Unfortunately, he isn''t interested in pursuing Medical ninjutsu. Can you convince him to do so?"


    Hiruzen asked, "Who is the kid?"


    Yoshi answered, "Suzuki Fujin."


    Hiruzen went silent for a few seconds as thoughts ran through his mind. He shook his head and said, "No."


    Yoshi was surprised. He quickly asked, "Why no¡­"


    However, Hiruzen interrupted him, "You two are mistaken. He isn''t talented in medical ninjutsu."


    Yoshi and Isamu weren''t expecting such a response.


    Hiruzen corrected himself, "Well, he could be. But Mystical Palm jutsu won''t be a good measure of his talent. Fujin has had excellent chakra control since his academy days. And he has learned the Senju Taijutsu style. So he is ustomed to both Yang chakra and excellent chakra control. That is why he learnt Mystical Palm jutsu so quickly."


    Yoshi and Isamu were dumbfounded by that answer. They looked into each other''s eyes. Both were so excited by Fujin''s talent and prospects, that they never thought from this angle.


    Isamu muttered, "Is he rted to the Senju n?"


    Hiruzen answered, "No. But his Sensei was from the Senju n."


    Yoshi and Isamu let out a sigh. Yoshi said, "We got excited about nothing. Sorry for wasting your time, Lord Hokage."


    Hiruzen replied with a chuckle, "It''s fine. It was good to see you after a long time. You can leave."


    Yoshi and Isamu nodded and left. Hiruzen saw their backs while thinking, ''Though it doesn''t show his talent in medical ninjutsu, it definitely shows his talent in Yang release. After all, I doubt Renjiro would have spoon-fed him everything. No, he certainly didn''t know about it when I trained him. Now that he has learnt it, I wonder if he will manage to use Yang and Yin chakra to modify his jutsus and make them stronger.''


    Hiruzen obviously knew how to use Yin and Yang chakra to amplify his jutsus. When Fujin arrived to collect the swords, he was surprised to learn that Fujin wanted to learn Mystical Palm jutsu. Knowing that it would mean that he would have to learn how to use Yang chakra, Hiruzen insisted that Fujin learn the jutsu before he was recruited into Anbu.


    The next day, Fujin once again began using Yin and Yang chakra to modify his jutsus. However, he was stuck. He analyzed, ''Just like Infinite Breakthrough jutsu, the Air Bullet jutsu also showed results quickly. But I haven''t been able to modify Vacuum Bullet and Vacuum Sphere jutsus at all.


    I guess the reason is that they have already reached the limits of modification. After all, I could modify the Vacuum Cannon jutsu. But even that was very little. Since it was based on the Vacuum Bullet, it too was quite close to perfection.


    Oh well, I will just focus on my other jutsus. I will start with Wind Sword and Spinning Shield of Wind jutsus and then follow it up with Wind Gale Wolf and Wind Dragon jutsus. Following it, I will work on the rank D and E Wind jutsus before working on Earth Wall jutsu and Lightning jutsus.


    Fujin began training. In the next 4 days, he modified Wind Sword and Spinning Shield of Wind jutsus and began working on the Wind Gale jutsu.


    However, he decided to take a break and decided to work on another important project. He opened a scroll and withdrew an apple from it. The apple was rotten. Fujin observed it and concluded, ''Good. The apple hasn''t rotted any further despite it being a week. Time to create a seal with the opposite effect.


    Fujin created 30 shadow clones one by one and all began thinking about how to reverse the seal. For the next 3 days, they constantly racked their brains thinking about how to reverse the seal. Hundreds of empty scrolls were used up to try their experiments.


    Finally, one of the clones sighed and said aloud, "This is impossible! We have no leads at all."


    The other clones didn''t reply. After all, they had experienced nothing but failure for 3 days. Considering that Fujin was training with 30 clones, it was equivalent to spending 3 months trying to reverse the seal. However, not a single clone had any breakthrough.


    Another clone said, "Though we learnt this seal, we did it by reverse engineering the seal we already had. There are a lot of symbols that we don''t have full information about. It will be better if we try to create this seal after bing a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster."


    Fujin agreed with his clone''s analysis. One by one, he began dispelling his clones. The tiredness set into his body as he went to sleep.


    The next day, he had just finished his morning training when an Anbu ninja entered the training ground. Fujin instantly sensed him and waited for him. The Anbu ninja flickered in front of Fujin and instructed, "Come to Lord Hokage''s office in one hour."


    Fujin nodded. Having delivered the message, the Anbu ninja flickered away. Fujin saw him leave and thought, ''Finally time to join the Anbu, huh? I kinda wished that Hiruzen took another couple of months. I would have managed topletely modify most of my moves using Yin and Yang chakra by then.''


    He shook that thought and flickered to his house to freshen up. He thought, ''Oh well. I have heard a lot about how Anbu works and how crucial their role is for the vige. Unfortunately, there is not much concrete data on their true activities apart from the fact that they do a lot of dark stuff.''


    A smile appeared on Fujin''s face as he entered his house, ''Whatever, I just hope that it is exciting. I haven''t had a good fight for a long time!''


    In an hour, Fujin appeared outside the Hokage''s office. Takao was waiting outside the door. He looked at Fujin and said, "Right on time as always. Go to the basement of the Hokage building."


    Fujin furrowed his eyebrows and asked, "There is a basement under this building?"


    Takao rolled his eyes and said, "Of course there is. The entrance is in the backmost room on the ground floor. Now hurry."


    Fujin nodded and disappeared from Takao''s sight. Takao muttered, "I said hurry, not flicker."


    Fujin appeared in the room Takao mentioned. An Anbu ninja with an Eagle mask was sitting in the room. He looked at Fujin and asked, "Suzuki Fujin?"


    Fujin nodded.


    The Anbu ninja made a hand sign. A hole appeared in the room. He said, "You are thest one. Enter."


    He jumped in the hole and Fujin followed him.


    Afternding, Fujin looked around himself. A look of surprise appeared on his face.

 Chapter 237: Igniting a Fire!

    Fujin was surprised due to a few reasons. For one, the basement was muchrger than what Fujin expected. It was definitelyrger than the base of the Hokage Building. It was onerge and continuous room with a bunch of rooms lined along the walls. Except that, there wasn''t any wall or pir in the entire basement.


    Fujin analyzed, ''The basement is sorge. This would mean that it extends beyond just the Hokage Building. I guess even the basement of the Konoha Hospital is connected. So it could allow an alternate route of travel between the Hokage building and the Hospital.''


    Another reason for his surprise was the dense amount of seals he sensed in the basement. He realized, ''No wonder I never found this basement. The density of the seals here is almostparable to my house! And they should be stronger as well.''


    And thest reason for being surprised was that he wasn''t the only one. He looked at the ones around him and thought, ''I knew that I wouldn''t be the only one. But I expected only a few or at max 20. However, there are more than 200 ninjas here! Looks like Hiruzen wants to increase the strength of the Anbu unit to a whole new level¡­''


    The Eagle masked Anbu ninja said, "Stay here. Lord Hokage will arrive soon."


    He flickered away after speaking. Fujin looked around himself. Almost everyone in the room was much older than him. However, his eyesnded on an acquaintance.


    Teru too noticed Fujin and walked towards Fujin. He waved his hands and said, "I knew you would be selected as well, Fujin."


    Fujin wasn''t overly surprised to see Teru. After all, he had heard a lot about the Anbu from Teru and his strength wasn''t weak.


    Fujin chuckled, "I expected to see you here as well. But I didn''t expect to see so many people here."


    Teru nodded and replied, "Me neither. It looks like Lord Hokage wants to rece the loss of the Uchiha n by training a huge number of Anbu ninjas."


    Fujin nodded but couldn''t help but think, ''I doubt training a couple of hundred Anbu will be able to rece the Uchihas. But I guess that this is better than nothing.''


    Fujin asked, "Did you see Hoka here as well?"


    Fujin didn''t want to spread his chakra field here as it might seem insulting to others in the basement.


    Teru shook his head and said, "No, Hoka is from the branch family of the Hyuga n. He won''t be invited into the Anbu."


    Fujin was surprised to hear that. But after thinking for a few seconds, he realized that it was very logical. He replied, "I see. That sucks for him."


    Teru nodded. He was about to speak when both Fujin and Teru looked in a direction. A huge chakra was being released by the Eagle masked Anbu. He announced loudly, "Stand properly in lines and hear carefully. Lord Hokage will be speaking a few words."


    Hiruzen had appeared in the room. He stood at one end of the basement. Soon, everyone gathered in front of him. Hiruzen looked at everyone and thought, ''Good. All 234 epted the invite.''


    Hiruzen kept looking at everyone without speaking for over a minute. He made eye contact with every ninja in the room. Finally, he began saying in a serious tone, "I am d that all of you have chosen toe here today. And I am sure that you would be surprised to see arge number of ninjas I want to induct into the Anbu."


    Everyone nodded. Though many had spections, no one knew for sure. Even the Anbu ninjas weren''t entirely sure.


    Hiruzen continued in a grave voice, "In thest month, we experienced one of the darkest chapters in our vige''s history, the Uchiha Massacre. The loss we have suffered is immeasurable, not just in terms of lives, but also in the trust and unity that once bound us.


    We stand on the precipice of uncertainty, facing external threats that loom over us like dark clouds. Our enemies sense our vulnerability and seek to exploit it. Though I have managed to keep them at arm''s length for now, they will still try to provoke us again."


    Hiruzen stopped speaking and noticed the mood in the basement. Everyone''s expression had be grim. Hiruzen began speaking once again. However, this time he heroically said, "However, they are gravely mistaken to think of us as weak. We, the shinobi of Konoha, are resilient. We have faced trials and tribtions throughout our history, and yet we have always emerged stronger.


    It is in our blood, in our very essence, to rise above the challenges that beset us. We possess a fire that burns deep within our hearts, the Will of Fire! It is the legacy that has been passed down from generation to generation, and now, in this critical moment, it falls upon us to carry it forward.


    The Uchiha Massacre has left a void within our ranks, but it is our duty to fill that void, strengthen our defenses, and ensure that no enemy looks at us with malevolent eyes.


    In order to fulfill the void, I worked day and night to find the most talented Chunins in our vige. All of you will be inducted among the Anbu ranks. You will receive proper training to be full-fledged Anbu members. And every single one of you will strive to reach the Anbu Captain position.


    I have no doubts that every single one of you will reach the level of the Jounins. With 234 new Jounins, not a single enemy vige will dare look at us with malevolent eyes. You shall be the shield that protects our vige, the sword that strikes fear into the hearts of our enemies.


    I have faith in each and every one of you, in your skills, your dedication, and your unwavering spirit. Together, we shall rise above the shadows that seek to engulf us. We shall write a new chapter in the history of Konoha, one of resilience, growth, and triumph.


    Remember, my fellow shinobi, that our legacy is not defined by the tragedies we endure, but by how we rise above them. Let us stand tall, shoulder to shoulder, as we face the challenges that lie ahead. May the Will of Fire burn bright within each of you, guiding us towards a future where our vige stands strong and our people thrive.


    For Konoha, and for the fallen Uchiha, we shall honor their memory through our unwavering resolve. Now, let us embark on this journey together. From today onwards, I wee you all into the ranks of Konoha''s Ansatsu Senjutsu Tokushu Butai!"


    Hiruzen''s words sent goosebumps throughout the crowd. They made everyone''s blood boil. Even the hardened Anbu ninjas got excited and more patriotic than ever. Most of the trainees shouted together, "Yes Lord Hokage!"


    Sweat gathered on Fujin''s forehead. He stared at Hiruzen as he thought, ''Holy Shit! His speeches keep improving by the day. Even I felt goosebumps!''


    He looked around himself. Everyone was maniacally staring at Hiruzen. A fire burned in their hearts and madness was visible in their eyes. Fujin gulped as he thought, ''Wow! One single speech might just end up creating 234 Jounins in Konoha.''


    Hiruzen''s face maintained a serious look. However, he was pleasantly happy with the sight in front of him. He thought, ''I haven''t used this speech since the death of Minato. It''s time to have another period of rapid growth. Along with these 234, I will work with the ns to create more ninjas at every rank. Only then can Konoha''s army be properly reformed.''


    Hiruzen waited for a few minutes for the excitement to calm down. He wasn''t impatient about striking when the iron was hot. After all, he had just lit a fire in the hearts of everyone. He was assured that this fire won''t die down anytime soon. Everyone will train hard for some time. Some might train hard for a few months before the fire dies down. While some might train hard for years and go even beyond the Jounin rank.


    Finally, he said, "All of you will be divided into teams. You will be assigned under an Anbu Captain. The Captain will be responsible for training you for a few months and will also lead you in field missions."


    He looked at the Eagle Masked Anbu standing behind him and said, "He is Eagle. He is themander of all ninjas in the Anbu unit. If you have any issues, you can approach him."


    He looked back at the crowd and said, "He will begin assigning you to Anbu Captains. Cooperate with him and begin your training as soon as you can. Konoha needs all of you to step up at this very moment."


    Hiruzen took a step back and handed the reins to Eagle. Eagle quickly began guiding everyone to their respective Anbu Captains. He had already read all the files that Hiruzen sent him and memorized everyone''s face, name and skills. Everyone was called here after he had finished assigning the teams.

 Chapter 238: Anbu Rules & Training Plans

    Eagle was busy informing everyone about their Anbu Captain. Soon, he arrived in front of Fujin and Teru. He looked at them and said, "Good, you are together. Both of you are assigned under Kuma."


    He pointed towards a Bear-masked Anbu and said, "That''s him, go and introduce yourselves."


    Fujin and Teru walked to him. Another young Chunin was already standing next to the Bear-marked Anbu. The Anbu with the codename Kuma was leaning against the wall. He was a veryrge person. He was easily over 7 feet in height and had arge physique. In addition, he wore te armor and had a metal staff next to him. Both Fujin and Teru spected that he was from the Akimichi n.


    The youngster next to Kuma looked at Teru and said with a smile, "Looks like we are in the same team once again."


    Teru smiled and looked at Fujin and said, "Fujin, he is Hatake Kaen. He was in my Genin squad along with Yori. Kaen, he is Suzuki Fujin. He was my ssmate."


    Fujin and Kaen said hello to each other. Kuma looked at the three youngsters and said, "It''s good that you three know each other. Follow me."


    He opened the room behind him and entered. Fujin, Teru and Kaen followed him in. Kuma closed the door. The room was small andpact with multiple cupboards, lockers and boxes along the walls. Fujin realized that the room itself had a lot of seals for defense and privacy. He nodded in appreciation, ''Not bad for Anbu headquarters. Looks like the vige higher-ups didn''t spare any cost while making this basement.''


    Kuma removed his mask and sat down on a bench with a smile on his face. He said, "This will be our private quarters. You can use this room to keep spare clothes and weapons. We will also have our team meetings here."


    Everyone nodded and took their seats. Kuma said, "Let''s start with introductions. I am Akimichi Tsuyoshi. You can call me Captain. I specialize in Akimichi n secret techniques, Fire Release and using a bo to fight. And I prefer frontal assaults during the fighting. What about you guys?"


    Fujin noticed, ''Unlike Renjiro, he isn''t interested in knowing hobbies, likes and dislikes. But I suppose that makes sense considering that this is the Anbu.''


    Fujin said, "I am Suzuki Fujin. I specialize in Wind Release and I fight using swords. I am also a sensor and can use the Mystical Palm jutsu. I prefer to fight from a distance or to fight using hit-and-run tactics."


    Tsuyoshi closely observed Fujin. After all, Fujin''s fighting method waspletely opposite to Tsuyoshi''s methods. However, before he could analyze Fujin, his attention was gained by Teru and Kaen.


    Teru followed up, "I am Senju Teru. I specialize in Water and Earth Releases and am good with Taijutsu. I prefer frontal assaults but can engage in mid-range battles as well."


    Kaen was thest to speak, "I am Hatake Kaen. I specialize in Lightning Release and I use a short de to engage in Hatake Kenjutsu. I can use the Mystical Palm jutsu as well. I prefer high-speedbat that keeps the enemy on their toes and inflicts multiple small damages to the enemy. My team can use the advantage provided by those small damages to kill the enemy."


    Tsuyoshi began analyzing, ''As expected, they aren''t bad despite their young age. Fujin and Kaen prefer to do high-speed battles to take advantage of their Wind and Lightning affinities while Teru has the steadiness of the Senju n. With me as the core, we can form several effective strategies and battle formations.


    It looks like the chief did a wonderful job once again. My team will cover all 5 natures. In addition, with Fujin''s sensor capabilities and his and Kaen''s healing jutsu, we will have a rather all-round squad for Anbu.''


    He said, "Good. It looks like you have a good base. I will first tell you about some basic rules of Anbu."


    The trio paid attention to his words. Tsuyoshi said, "For an Anbu, maintaining secrecy is a must. You will never talk about any Anbu mission you do with anyone outside your chain ofmand. In fact, you shouldn''t even be telling anyone that you are selected into the Anbu.


    To maintain anonymity, you will choose a mask and codename for you. You will always call the other Anbu ninjas by their codenames whenever you are on a mission. And when we meet off duty, you should never call me or any other Anbu ninja using their codenames.


    As you know, my codename is Kuma. The wooden box behind has a lot of masks. Choose whichever one you want. Also, choose a codename for yourselves."


    Fujin, Teru and Kaen nodded. They quickly opened up the box and saw a bunch of animal masks in it. The boys took some time to decide on their masks and tried them on to check which size fitted them properly. After a couple of minutes, they walked back in front of Tsuyoshi.


    Tsuyoshi observed their masks. Teru had taken a Turtle mask. Fujin had a Hawk mask while Kaen had a Fox mask.


    Tsuyoshi asked, "Have you chosen your codename?"


    The trio nodded.


    Teru said, "My codename will be Turtle."


    Fujin said, "Mine will be Hawk."


    Kaen said, "Mine will be Kitsune."


    Tsuyoshi nodded and said, "Good. Now I wi¡­"


    However, Fujin interrupted him, "Captain, since there are so many ninjas in the Anbu, wouldn''t multiple Anbu ninjas have the same masks and codenames?"


    Tsuyoshi nodded, "Yes, they get repeated. I know at least 11 other Anbu ninjas with the Hawk mask and codename. But you don''t need to worry as it is a good thing. Our enemies can''t recognize us easily from the mask due to how many there are. Also, you don''t need to worry about confusion in our ranks. Lord Hokage and our Commander have veryrge memories. They will always recognize you and give you the right task."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Alright."


    Tsuyoshi continued, "I will first give you a brief description of my training n. So listen carefully."


    Fujin, Teru and Kaen once again paid full attention. Tsuyoshi said, "Since you have been selected to the Anbu, it shows that you already have good training, discipline and decent strength. So your training won''t involve any jutsus or techniques to make you stronger.


    Instead, your training will focus on making you act and fight like an Anbu ninja. I will train you in various formations and battle tactics that we will be using in field missions. In addition, I will also teach you all about poisons including but not limited to detecting poison, which poisons to use against an array of opponents and in various situations and what to do if you or your ally gets poisoned.


    Your training will also involve learning various assassination techniques. You will also learn how to provide the perfect security. Infiltration, disguise, etiquettes, concealing traces, nting evidence, causing fights, diplomacy and other such stuff will also be taught."


    He took a pause and looked at the three youngsters and said in a serious tone, "As a normal ninja, the life of your teammates takes the highest precedence. I am sure that you have saved your teammates or got saved many times during missions. At times, you might have done that at the cost of your mission.


    But in Anbu, the missiones above everything else. Failing missions can have grave consequences for our vige. And getting captured by an enemy is a strict no. So you will also be trained to resist torture and will also be equipped with multiple means of ending your own life if need be."


    The faces of the three youngsters grew grim. They all realized that this wouldn''t be as easy as their genin and chunin lives. And they realized that the risks to their lives during their time in the Anbu will be the highest!


    Tsuyoshi looked at them and asked, "Any doubts?"


    All three replied, "No Captain."


    Tsuyoshi smiled and said, "Good. Though we may experience difficult situations, unless there is no choice, we won''t abandon ourrades. So no need to be tense. But do train very hard so that we won''t ever have to be in a position like that.


    As an Anbu, you will have ess to the training grounds and rooms that are specifically reserved for the Anbu. In the entire vige, these facilities are among the very best. So in addition to my training, you can train there to steadily and rapidly build your strength."


    A smile formed on Fujin''s face. He had heard that Anbu training facilities had training rooms simr to the Forest of Death. So they probably had elemental stones. He couldn''t wait to get his hands on them. He would take every Ryo that Hiruzen won by betting on him back with interest!


    Tsuyoshi got up and said, "I will take you to your first Mission as an Anbu."

 Chapter 239: The Graduation Exam

    The youngsters were surprised to hear that they would take a mission on their first day. After such a long talk, they expected at least a few weeks of training.


    Teru asked in surprise, "A mission on our first day?"


    Both Fujin and Kaen also had the same question.


    Tsuyoshi waved his hand and said, "Don''t worry. Since you are new here, we will be taking an easy mission. So you will get to do a mission and get used to the Anbu way of operating at the same time."


    He grabbed his mask and put it on and said, "As I said, outside the room, you will only refer to me by my code name."


    He walked out of the room. The boys put on their masks and followed him out.


    At the same time, the Konoha Academy was very busy. It was the day of the Graduation exam. 359 Students from the final year were taking the exam in various ssrooms.


    Hyuga Hachiro looked at the file and said, "Next, Daisuke Daisuke."


    Daisuke stood up and walked to the front of the ssroom. Hachiro looked at him and said, "Transform into Lord Hokage."


    Daisuke weaved hand signs and soon transformed into Hiruzen. He looked exactly like Hiruzen with no ws in appearance. Hachiro nodded in approval. He and a couple more teachers entered his marks in their files.


    Hachiro said, "Good. Now show me substitution jutsu."


    Daisuke weaved hand signs and substituted himself with a log of wood ced in the ss. He was even better at this jutsu than the Transformation jutsu.


    Hachiro nodded once again and said, "Now create clones."


    Daisuke weaved hand signs and 3 clones appeared next to him.


    Hachiro was surprised. He said, "Good work. I can tell that you have worked hard in thest few months."


    Daisuke replied, "Thank You Sensei. It is all because you were such a good teacher."


    Daisuke didn''t have any reluctance or shame in giving him the credit. He was aware that Hachiro would have a major say in his final marks and could influence which squad he would be assigned to and who his Sensei will be.


    Hachiro was pleased by the praise. He said with a smile, "You have passed the exam. Go back to your seat. Next, Anzai Buncho."


    Daisuke returned while Buncho took his ce. Just like Daisuke, Buncho too did the 3 jutsu perfectly. Hachiro was surprised once again. He wondered, ''Both Daisuke and Buncho were struggling a lot a few months ago. I was sure that they would fail the exam. How did they suddenly improve so much?''


    He looked at the other 3 orphans in the ssroom and wondered, ''Have these 3 improved as well?''


    He called out Iriye Ryoma next. Just like the ones before him, he toopleted the 3 jutsus.


    Hachiro praised him as well and called out, "Next, Uzuki Tatsuya."


    Tatsuya walked up to the front. Like others, he too performed all the 3 jutsus. This time, Hachiro wasn''t surprised but he was very curious about how they improved so suddenly. He said, "Good, you have passed the exam as well. Nex¡­"


    However, Tatsuya interrupted him, "Sensei, I have a question."


    Hachiro looked at him and said, "Ask."


    Tatsuya asked, "Can I perform other jutsus to improve my score even further?"


    Hachiro was surprised. He nodded and said, "Sure, go ahead."


    However, he thought, ''What is going on? Not only has he mastered the 3 jutsus but even mastered more?''


    A frown formed on his face, ''I already sent all the talented people from my ss to the Elite batch. Did I misjudge their talent? No, they definitely weren''t this good half a year ago.''


    Tatsuya''s question also surprised the kids in the ssroom. They didn''t expect Tatsuya to learn a new jutsu in addition to learning the 3 required jutsus. After all, most of them had a hard time mastering those 3 basic jutsus. Daisuke, Buncho and Ryoma especially stared at him. Despite being close friends, they weren''t aware that Tatsuya learnt another jutsu.


    Tatsuya weaved hand signs and pointed a finger at the log of wood.


    ''Fire Release: One jutsu''


    A fire ray was released from the tip of his finger andnded on the wood. Soon, smoke appeared from the point of contact and after a few seconds, it caught fire.


    Hachiro quickly made a move and doused the fire. At the same time, the entire ss looked at Tatsuya in awe. Among the 50+ students who took the exam, he was the only one to perform another jutsu.


    Hachiro patted Tatsuya''s shoulder and praised, "Great work Tatsuya. This will improve your score a lot. Do you have any other jutsu you want to show?"


    Tatsuya shook his head and said, "I have just learnt one jutsu so far, Sensei. I am also training in Fire Release: Two jutsu, but I haven''t learnt it yet."


    Hachiro said, "That is a rank D jutsu. You will need some time to learn it. But it''s good that you have taken the initiative to learn by yourself. Keep working hard."


    Tatsuya excitedly said, "Yes, Sensei."


    Tatsuya returned to his seat as everyone stared at him. He felt very pleased with himself. Hachiro called out, "Next, Handa Bunjiro."


    Bunjiro walked to the front. He was very pumped after seeing Tatsuya''s performance. He performed the 3 jutsus and said, "Sensei, I also want to perform another jutsu."


    Hachiro didn''t show his surprise and allowed him. Bunjiro quickly weaved hand signs.


    ''Water Release: Water Pellet jutsu''


    He spat a bullet made of water at the log of the wood. It hit the spot Tatsuya had burned earlier and pierced 8 inches into the log.


    This time, Hachiro couldn''t hide his surprise. He thought, ''That was a rank D jutsu! Though the piercing power of his jutsu was only because of the damage Tatsuya did to the log, the fact that he could aim it on point is even more amazing. He should have excellent chakra control and aim to do so.''


    Hachiro''s gaze towards Bunjiro changed. He praised him a lot before sending him back. He looked at the ss and said, "It is already noon. We will take a 30-minute break for lunch."


    As soon as he and the other teachers exited the room, Tatsuya and Bunjiro were surrounded by their ssmates. In a matter of minutes, they had be the most popr kids in the ssroom. Only Daisuke, Buncho and Ryoma were upset and had a look of jealousy on their face.


    Fujin''s analysis regarding the five orphans was on point. As he had spected, there were ckers and hard workers in this group. Daisuke, Buncho and Ryoma stopped training right after they learnt the 3 jutsus and could perform them without failing even once. They spent their time rxing and ying.


    On the other hand, Tatsuya and Bunjiro checked their nature affinity and chose jutsus to learn from the Library. As a result, they made much higher progress aspared to the other three. Without the requirement of having to wait for everyone else to finish in order to visit Fujin, the differences became visible immediately.


    And in the future, these differences would expand further and break their little circle of friends. Daisuke would convince Buncho and Ryoma with his silver tongue and they would use Tatsuya and Bunjiro for training in secret and not hanging out with them. It would result in an argument that would end their 6-year-old friendship.


    While Tatsuya and Bunjiro were getting all the attention, Hachiro walked with a frown on his mouth as he wondered, ''How did these 5 improve so suddenly? It''s unnatural. And they don''t have any family members to guide them either. Though Daisuke praised me, I didn''t have anything to do with their progress.''


    He analyzed a lot before having a bad feeling. He thought, ''Don''t tell me that they are spies nted by other viges! After all, brainwashing young kids and sending them to other viges as a spy is done quite frequently. Though we do a background check, it isn''t foolproof. I need to inform Lord Hokage.''


    He quickly hurried to the Hokage''s office.

 Chapter 240: The Epic Missions of Anbu Black Ops!

    Hiruzen had just returned to his office after giving the speech. He was about to get back to paperwork when Hachiro knocked on the door.


    Hachiro entered after receiving permission and greeted Hiruzen politely. Hiruzen asked, "Shouldn''t you be conducting the exam? Why are you here?"


    Hachiro replied, "I gave the students a lunch break. I am here because I noticed something suspicious that didn''t make much sense. So I wanted to inform you."


    Hiruzen asked, "What did you notice?"


    Hachiro informed him, "My ss has 5 orphans who always hang out together. Until a few months ago, I was sure that they would fail. But today, all 5 of them performed all the 3 jutsus perfectly. A couple of them even performed elemental jutsus."


    A look of surprise appeared on Hiruzen''s face. He said, "That''s good. I didn''t expect that we would have anyone outside the elite ssrooms to learn elemental jutsus."


    Hachiro replied, "Me neither. That is why I am suspicious."


    However, Hiruzen wasn''t worried. He asked, "What are their names?"


    Hachiro reported their names. Hiruzen nodded. The names were as he expected. He said, "These 5 had approached Suzuki Fujin a few months ago for guidance and were tutored by him. That is probably why they progressed so quickly. You don''t need to worry, but feel free to conduct a background check if you want to."


    Hachiro was surprised. He asked, "Is Fujin the one who graduated a couple of years ago at the top of his ss?"


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "A few of them were in the same orphanage."


    Hachiro realized. He quickly thanked Hiruzen for providing the info and left. Hiruzen thought, ''That boy keeps on giving me surprises. I didn''t expect him to be good at teaching as well. Still, from my reports, he spent very little time with them. How did they improve so quickly?''


    Hiruzen wondered for a couple of minutes before stopping. He shook his head and thought, ''It isn''t important how he managed that. The important fact is that he did. From Hachiro''s words, those 5 children would have entered the Genin reserve force and wouldn''t have achieved anything else.


    But now, since 2 managed to learn elemental jutsus, it''s safe to say that those 2 will at least be Chunins. If they work hard or have good luck, they might even be a Jounin. After all, though it might not seem much to learn an elemental jutsu at the age of 12, the fact is that they made the progress in just a few months. If they could maintain that zeal for a few years, it''d be great. Regardless, this is a great achievement for Fujin.''


    Hiruzen was very impressed with what Fujin did. The act of training 5 children in a vige that has thousands of ninjas might seem insignificant. But from Hiruzen''s point of view, it was very significant.


    After all, there were hundreds of ninjas in Konoha who could be considered Veterans and were far more experienced than Fujin. If these ninjas also guided a few orphans or civilians in the academy and ensured that those kids reached the Chunin rank, Konoha''s strength would grow exponentially!


    Hiruzen thought, ''Initially, we didn''t need any such training as all the ns would train their next generation with all their heart. But, after 3 great wars, the strength and numbers of the n ninjas have severely dropped. Right now, the highest number of ninjas are from civilian families or orphans.


    It is unlikely that this would change in the future. However, these civilian students don''t get the same level of guidance as the n children. After all, there is no way a teacher can make a difference when teaching so many students who have different levels of talents in every different fie¡­''


    Suddenly, Hiruzen had an idea. He thought, ''Wait, instead of just hoping that someone guides these kids, how about I start a mentorship program?''


    Hiruzen thought more about his idea and immediately began figuring out the details. In a couple of minutes, he decided, ''Yes, this can be great. I will first make a list of ninjas that can provide good guidance. Then I will assign 5 students to each of them. They won''t have to do anything actively. But once a month, they will have to spend a couple of hours with the students, solve their doubts and provide them with some guidance on how to proceed further and create a decent training n for them.


    This way, we will be able to find all the hardworking or talented students that go under the radar. And I can even make some use of the retired ninjas who don''t have anything to do. I could even ensure that most of such mentors are civilians or orphans themselves so that they would feel an emotional connection with the students and take them more seriously.''


    Hiruzen saw Hatake Takao entering the office with a bunch of files. Takao said, "Lord Hok¡­"


    However, Hiruzen interrupted him and instructed, "Keep those files to the side and call Shikaku to meet me at this moment."


    Takao was surprised to see how impatient Hiruzen sounded. He immediately ced the files in a corner and left.


    At the same time, Fujin, Teru and Kaen were hiding in the vige while keeping a watch. Every single one of them was pissed off!


    Half an hour earlier :


    Tsuyoshi brought Fujin, Teri and Kaen to the streets of Konoha. He looked at them and asked in a serious tone, "Are you aware of where the new Konoha Prison is?"


    The boys nodded. The old Prison was close to the Uchihapound. The new one was built next to the Torture and Interrogation department.


    Tsuyoshi said, "Since the Uchiha Massacre, the duties of policing the vige have also fallen on the Anbu. Your first mission is to hide out of in sight and keep a watch on the vige.


    If any fight is happening, you should break it off.


    If a crime is taking ce, stop it and arrest the criminal and escort him or her to the prison.


    If it isn''t, then keep hiding. Don''t show yourself unless a situation urs. We will meet back in the same room at 8 PM."


    After saying that, he flickered away! Fujin, Teru and Kaen watched with dumbfounded expressions as their Captain gave them the most boring of the jobs and ran away!


    Fujin immediately cursed, "What the fuck?"


    He looked at Teru and said, "You said Anbu missions are thrilling!"


    Teru was left speechless.


    Kaen sighed and said, "I had heard that all Akimichi n members are polite, straightforward and kind-hearted. It looks like it isn''t correct."


    The group was still shocked at how seriously Tsuyoshi had informed them about the mission and ran away before they could react.


    Teru said in a dejected tone, "I didn''t know that Anbu were also given the duty of policing the streets. No wonder Lord Hokage recruited so many new Anbu. It looks like the newbies will be made to police the vige until the training is done."


    Fujin said with a sigh, "I never expected that I''d say that the bandit extermination missions were more interesting."


    Seeing that Fujin and Teru were dejected, Kaen, being the oldest one in the group, took responsibility and said, "Alright, that''s enough brooding. Though the mission is boring, we should still do it seriously. It would be the worst if we do a bad job and they make us keep doing this mission as a punishment."


    Teru looked at him and said, "On the contrary, they might permanently put us in charge of policing if we do a very good job."


    Kaen''s eyes twitched. He said, "Stop behaving like kids and keep a watch seriously."


    Fujin looked at him with a deadpan expression and said, "We are watching over civilians. Why are you talking as if 2 S-rank ninjas are going to sh in this street in the next couple of seconds?"


    Kaen was left speechless. Though he tried to instill seriousness, Fujin was on point. They didn''t need to be serious while watching over civilians.


    At the same moment, all 3 stared at the street and kept staring for a few seconds. However, nothing happened. Teru sighed and said, "You suck at jinxing, Fujin. Looks like we will have a boring day."


    Fujin sighed as well, "Yeah. Leave it. Let''s take our positions."


    The trio stoppedining and took their positions. They kept an eye on the surroundings while staying hidden. None of them was very serious as the job was too easy and boring.


    Fujin wondered, ''Now, what to do.''


    After thinking for a bit, he made a hand sign.


    ''Shadow Clone jutsu''


    He used the jutsu thrice and created 3 clones. 2 clones had 10% of his maximum chakra while the third had 40% of his chakra.


    The clone with the maximum chakra moved to the 23rd training ground. He continued his training of modifying his jutsus with Yin and Yang chakra and relearning them.


    Meanwhile, the remaining two clones went to the library.


    Fujin analyzed, ''The chances of any incident happening is low. Even if it does, the involved parties should be very weak. I will keep 40% of my chakra with me in case of an emergency. As long as nothing happens, my chakra will regenerate throughout the day. Meanwhile, one clone will keep modifying my jutsus. And the other two clones will begin training in Fire Maniption.


    If we receive the same mission tomorrow as well, then I will begin training in Fire Maniption seriously while keeping an eye as well.''


    Fujin let out a chuckle as he realized, ''I expected to receive some very difficult missions in Anbu. To think that I would get a rank D mission like when I became a Genin. And that I would sneakily train an element as I did during the academy days. Life is strange, hahaha.


    Anyways, this is good too. Though it will take a bit longer now, I will still manage to modify all my jutsus in a few months. And I also learn Fire Release jutsus. That should improve mybination of jutsus with the summons considerably. It''d be best if I canplete all of that before having to go on the deadly missions.''


    Just like Fujin, around 80 other Anbu ninjas were keeping an eye on the vige. 90% of them were inducted into the Anbu on that day. Though their excitement was doused as well, the fire lit by Hiruzen still existed in their hearts. Like Fujin, they too began thinking about the ways they could get stronger.


    In the following period of peace, their strength would grow rapidly. And along with them, Konoha too would close its chapter of weakness and revive its military might!

 Chapter 241: The Spectral Swordsman

    The Land of Waterfall :


    The Land of Waterfall was a country filled with mountains, rivers and waterfalls. Due to the same reason, it also had various valleys which added to the beautiful scenery of the country.


    In one such unnamed valley was a secret base. 12 ninjas were busy staring at a map and making ns. All 12 ninjas had hidden their faces using demon-faced masks.


    After some time, a ninja pointed at a spot on the map and said, "Captain, ording to our information, Lord Ito Yuya and his entourage have already crossed the border. They will cross this bridge in around 2 hours."


    The captain nodded. He didn''t make any decision. A ninja standing next to him said in a soft voice, "Yes, but he is guarded by Hara Yuto. Even with us twelve acting together, defeating him will be difficult. He is an expert at Water Release. He could defend the Noble Yuya and counterattack at the same time."


    The captain nodded grimly and said, "Yuto was away on a secret mission for a long time. I didn''t expect him to return along with Yuya. Itplicates our situation."


    Suddenly, a snort was heard. The twelve ninjas looked towards the source of the sound. Two more masked ninjas were sitting in the cave as well. One was wearing an elephant mask while the other was wearing a red ape mask.


    The ape-masked ninja scolded, "What are you afraid of with us here? Do your attack as nned. We will sneak attack Hara Yuto and kill him. Even if he is an expert in Water Release, it is weak against our Earth Release. The mission will go as nned."


    The captain looked at him and nodded, "With your assurance, I can rest assured."


    He looked at his subordinates and said with determination in his voice, "Our Kawaguchi family has been suppressed by the Ito family for far too long! Today, with the aid of our friend from Iwagakure, we will eliminate their sessor and their strongest guardian! With this first step, our family will rise up steadily and take control of the northwestern area of our country!"


    His words sent a wave of excitement through his subordinates. They all shouted in excitement, "Yes Captain!"


    The Anbu from Iwa saw their excitement and sniggered secretly. They thought, ''What fools! Getting excited about ruling just one small part of this small rural country.''


    However, they didn''t say anything. Their orders were to slowly expand Iwagakure''s influence in Takigakure. If they seed, then in the next war, Iwagakure could attack the Land of Fire through 3 countries without having to face much resistance. It would force Konoha''s forces to spread too thin. After all, Konoha''s location meant that it would have to defend against all four major viges.


    The captain beganying out the ns. He set a few pieces on the map and said, "We will set up our ambush just away from this bridge. This ce doesn''t have any water bodies close by, so Yuto''s water maniption will be restricted.


    After we kill them, we will burn their bodies and dump them close to the Land of Fire. We will nt some pieces of evidence that they were attacked by Konoha who retreated after killing them. This way, no suspicion will be cast upon us and Lord Daimyo will restrict the country''s dealings with the Land of Fire."


    Everyone nodded. The Anbu ninjas from Iwagakure were also satisfied with the n. The Captain looked at their satisfaction and sighed in relief. Though their family had ambitions, they definitely didn''t have the power to Lord over one region. It was only due to the support from Iwagakure that they had the guts to make such a n. So he had to ensure that the Iwa Anbu were satisfied.


    With the preparations made, they set off immediately. They moved out of the valley and moved rapidly and stealthily on top of the trees. Within 5 minutes, they reached close to the spot where they were nning to set an ambush. Suddenly, one of the Iwagakure Anbu shouted, "Lookout!"


    His shout alerted everyone. However, even before they could raise their guard, they saw air bullets ripping through the trees to their right anding straight at them. Their eyes widened. The bullets were too close to move away.


    One ninja was too close to the air bullets. Even before he could see them, an air bullet pierced through his head and he dropped dead!


    The others watched the Air bullets and reacted however they could. Some bent forward for the bullets to pass from above while some gathered chakra in their feet and stamped their legs on the ground to stop themselves and saw the bullets pass in front of their eyes. However, some air bullets still pierced through the limbs of a couple of ninjas.


    The Iwagakure ninjas frowned. Their n was perfect. They didn''t expect to be ambushed. Immediately, all the remaining 11 Takigakure ninjas and 2 Iwagakure Anbu looked angrily at the spot from where Air Bullets were fired at them. However, they couldn''t sense anyone.


    Suddenly, the Bear-masked Iwa Anbu mmed his hands on the ground.


    ''Earth Release: Earth Dome jutsu''


    An Earth Dome appeared from the ground and began surrounding all of them. The Takigakure ninjas watched with eyes widened as they saw a strong windstorming at them from the opposite direction. Luckily, the Earth Dome was formed in time.


    The strong wind currents hit the dome and caused tremors to pass through the dome. Dust began falling inside the dome due to those tremors. However, the dome didn''t copse.


    Sweat formed behind the masks of Takigakure ninjas. The captain gulped and said, "Luckily you noticed the attack."


    However, the Iwagakure Anbu ninjas were still frowning. The Ape-masked Anbu said, "Be careful. I can''t sense the attacker. He could be very stro¡­"


    Suddenly, his body moved out of the way instinctively. A hole appeared in the dome and a very strong bullet made of wind pierced into the dome. The bullet hit the side of his jacket and left a cut along the sides of his abdomen. At the same time, 9 more Vacuum Bullets pierced into the Earth Dome.


    Unlike the war-hardened Iwagakure Anbu, the ninjas from Takigakure didn''t have the same survival instincts. Five Vum Bullets pierced through the vital organs of the Takigakure ninjas. The remaining bullets could only leave some cuts on the bodies of the remaining ninjas.


    The Takigakure ninjas were horrified and left tongue-tied! The Captain''s heart ached as he saw the dead ninjas and thought, ''We worked so hard to raise them to chunin level. The family spent countless resources on them. But in less than a minute, more than half of them are dead?''


    Fear could be seen on his face. The Iwagakure Anbu noticed their emotions and frowned. At the same time, they were on guard due to how brutal and efficient their opponent was. The elephant-masked Iwa Anbu once again mmed his hands on the ground while thinking, ''We can''t stay hidden here if the Dome can''t protect us. We will just be sitting ducks.''


    Small spikes began appearing on the surface of the Earth Dome. The spikes wereunched in all directions as the Earth Dome copsed. The spikes buried themselves in the trees but didn''t hit their attacker. They watched with frowns on their face as they still couldn''t find who attacked them.


    The ape-masked Anbu instructed, "Keep an eye in all directions. I will find that bastard."


    He weaved hand signs and mmed his hands on the ground.


    ''Earth Release: Earth Sensing jutsu''


    A vibration was sent through the ground. Every animal who was in a 1.5-kilometer radius felt the Vibration passing under their feet. They quickly began running away from the point of impact.


    Despite therge scale of vibration, the Anbu still didn''t sense anyone. A frown formed on his face. He snorted and put more chakra into the ground. The vibrations intensified. The Takigakure ninjas could feel the ground shaking under their feet.


    The vibrations were so strong that they even travelled up the tree trunks! On one such tree, the vibrations were felt under the feet of a masked ninja hiding there. A smile formed behind the mask of the ape-masked Anbu as he muttered, "Got him!"


    At the next moment, giant spears formed under the tree andunched at the ninja hiding on it. However, the ninja immediately flickered away. But since the Iwa ninjas had already sensed him, they didn''t allow him to disappear from their sight once again.


    They, along with the Takigakure ninjas, gave chase. The attacker noticed it and sighed, ''Looks like I can''t sneak attack anymore.''


    He looked towards the ninjas chasing him andunched a couple of dozen air bullets. The Iwa and Taki ninjas saw the attack and dodged it with ease. Due to the distance between them and since they knew the attack wasing, it was much easier to dodge.


    However, using that short moment of distraction, the ninja disappeared once again. The Ape-Masked ninja frowned and quickly began feeling the vibrations under his feet. Suddenly, he turned around and shouted, "Behind us!"


    All the ninjas quickly turned around. To their surprise, the attacker was very close. The Taki ninja who was the farthest in the back watched the attacker swing his sword at him. The scenes of hisrades falling dead ran through his brain. In a rage, he grabbed his kunai and swing it at the attacker''s sword and yelled, "DIE".


    At the same time, the others grabbed their kunai to attack him. They nned to kill him when he was blocked. However, they watched with widened eyes as the sword cut through the kunai as if it was air. The sword beheaded the 7th Taki ninja!


    The eyes of the remaining 5 Taki ninjas went red in rage. They tried to attack, but the attacker flickered on a branch behind him.


    The Iwa Anbu finally got a good look at the ninja. The attacker was a well-built young ninja who was wearing a Hawk mask. In addition, he had two swords hanging on the right side of his waist. And the sword sheaths on both those swords were very exquisite! Swirling designs were etched into its glossy ckcquer. They immediately recognized him and their expressions became grim behind their masks.


    The Taki ninjas were enraged. They were about to attack when the Elephant-masked Anbu said in a grim voice, "It is the Spectral Swordsman!"


    The Taki ninjas suddenly stopped. Their expressions became grim. Horror could be seen in their eyes! They watched their attacker as if he was the Grimreaper himself!

 Chapter 242: Timeskip!

    The 5 Taki ninjas stared at the Spectral Swordsman in front of them and gulped. His information began running through their mind. It was around 6 months ago when murmurs of a swordsman were being heard. It was said that he appeared and disappeared at will. It was said that his victims wouldn''t even know when they were dead until they saw their headless bodies with their detached heads. ording to the rumors, there were two features that were identified with the Spectral Swordsman. They were the Hawk mask he wore and two exquisite swords hanging on the right side of his waist.


    The swordsman was soon called the ''Spectral Swordsman''. Among the minor viges, he was a menace! There were no records of anyone stopping him. Even against the major viges, his record was very good. He would eliminate his target and escape long before any reinforcements could arrive.


    He was so efficient, that it took over 6 months for someone to actually see him in action! As soon as he was seen, rumors of his appearance spread quickly throughout the ninja world.


    The ape-masked Anbu shouted, "Don''t be shocked by his reputation! He is just one guy! Stay and fight together! Keep an eye out for his sneak attacks."


    His words snapped everyone from their shock. They prepared themselves for an intense fight. Chakra flowed through the sword of the Spectral Swordsman as he swung it towards the 7 ninjas. A windstorm consisting of hundreds of sword shes immediately engulfed the group.


    The two Iwa Anbu ninjas immediately mmed their hands on the ground.


    ''Earth Release: Multiple Earth Walls Jutsu''


    Immediately, dozens of walls of varying sizes appeared from the ground. They surrounded them from multiple sides. Having experienced the Vacuum Bullets, they didn''t want to lock themselves in without any room for escaping.


    The Windstorm hit the walls and left multiple shes in the walls. But once again, the walls stood. Behind the wall, the Ape-masked Anbu shouted, "Keep an eye out for those wind bullets! And counterattack once these winds die down!"


    Even without his warning, everyone was as alert as they could be.


    The Spectral Swordsman noticed their defense. He opened his mouth and exhaled a horizontal wind wave. However, the core of this wind wave was made of vacuum!


    The Vacuum Wave hit the walls and cut through them with ease. The enemy ninjas saw the wave and immediately jumped high up to dodge the wave. The wave safely passed from under them and cut off a bunch of trees before leaving a deep scar on the ground!


    However, their troubles weren''t over. As soon as they jumped to dodge the attack, the swordsman flickered next to them. They watched in horror as he swung his sword once again.


    The one closest to him had no chance of dodging. His neck was sent flying in the air. Worse, the sword also sent a flying sh towards the rest of them. Three more Taki ninjas couldn''t dodge or use any defensive jutsus and died to the sh. Only the Taki captain and the two Iwa Anbu were able to move out of the way.


    The Iwa ninjas quickly got back on the ground while weaving hand signs. Elephant-masked Anbu mmed his hands on the ground.


    ''Earth Release: Mud River jutsu''


    The ground in front of him turned into mud and flowed towards the Swordsman at a high speed. At the same time, the ape-masked Anbupleted his jutsu.


    ''Fire Release: Fire Dragon Jutsu''


    He spat a fire dragon into the mud river. Both jutsusbined seamlessly and moved towards the swordsman ferociously. However, the swordsman just flickered out of the way and once again moved to their rear and attacked with his sword.


    The Taki captain saw his actions. He thought, ''I can''t let him swing his sword anymore. Or even I might die here!''


    He weaved signs and spat a water jet at the swordsman to force him back. However, instead of dodging, the swordsman exhaled a Vacuum Cannon into the Water Jet. The jutsu overwhelmed the water jet and ripped straight through it at a rapid speed!


    The Taki captain didn''t expect such a response and was caught off guard. He barely managed to move to his right. Unfortunately, the jutsu was too fast and muchrger than the earlier bullets. The cannon hit the left side of his chest and tore it from his body entirely! Even his heart was destroyed. He fell to the ground with his eyes wide open and full of terror and shock.


    The sight sent a shiver down the spines of the Iwa Anbu. However, they didn''t let it affect them and attacked the swordsman immediately. This time, his position was pelted by hundreds of sharp spikes. However, he still flickered away. The ape-masked Anbu cursed, "Slippery Bastard!"


    However, suddenly their eyes widened. Both looked to their left. A blue arrow of Lightning was piercing through everything in its path and approaching them at an insane speed. They immediately tried to jump out of the way but tripped and fell down. In a panic, they looked at their feet.


    They were shocked to see that their feet were stuck in the ground. Shock appeared on their faces as they couldn''t believe that they were trapped using the element they were most proficient in! The Lightning Arrow reached them and exploded. Both their bodies were zapped mercilessly. A miserable scream exited their mouth!


    After a few seconds, the Lightning dispersed. The scent of their burnt flesh could be smelled. However, they were still alive and barely stood on their feet. The Lightning had got rid of the trap under their feet. Unfortunately, the swordsman appeared behind them and beheaded them both with a single swing of his sword. All 14 ninjas were killed!


    The swordsman looked at the dead ninjas and thought, ''It doesn''t matter how many times it happens, your intelligence still shocks me, Shikaku!''


    He looked up to see a turtle-masked Anbu appearing from the ground. He was the one who trapped their feet.


    Turtle sighed and said, "Your speed keeps amazing me, Hawk! It''s as if you get faster every day!"


    The victory was overwhelming. And the major reason for such an overwhelming victory was his speed. He dodged every attack and always had the initiative whenever he decided to attack. At times, his enemies didn''t even have the time to form a jutsu!


    Hawk replied, "They were at most Chunins. Only these two were better. Still, they weren''t strong enough."


    Turtle muttered to himself, ''Do you have to keep saying that every time? Besides, you are also a Chunin!''


    Soon after, a bear-masked and a fox-masked Anbu appeared from the direction from where the Lightning Arrow was shot.


    Kuma observed the surroundings and said, "Great work as usual, Hawk."


    Hawk nodded and asked, "I didn''t sense anyone else other than these guys. So is this mission over?"


    Kuma nodded, "We checked the perimeter and didn''t find anyone else. There shouldn''t be any more danger for Yuya. And if something does happen, he still has Yuto protecting him.


    In any case, this was the only attack that themander predicted. It isn''t our job to keep protecting them until they reach their home."


    Hawk nodded. Of course, themander who Kuma referred to was Konoha''s Jouninmander and not the Anbumander. Shikaku had predicted that a move would be made against Ito Yuya, who had good rtions with Konoha. Hence, Kuma''s Anbu unit was sent to eliminate the attackers and push the me on Iwagakure.


    Kuma approached the dead bodies and instructed, "Turtle, crush them with Earth Release. Make it look like they were killed by Iwagakure ninjas instead of a sword."


    Turtle nodded and got to work. In a few minutes, he changed how the wounds on everyone''s bodies looked. He stabbed Earth Spears into the wounds made by the Air and Vacuum bullets. As for the ones that were beheaded, he crushed their bodies at the spot of the cut so that they wouldn''t look like a clean cut. If anyone would see their bodies, it would be very unlikely that they could be traced back to the Spectral Swordsman.


    Hawk inspected the bodies and nodded in satisfaction. The truth is that he had done many more killings than he was given credit for. However, most of them were hidden due to Turtle''s methods. So he was looked at as more of a fable rather than a bloodthirsty killer.


    After nting some fake evidence, Turtle buried all the bodies in the ground and they left without speaking another word and began returning to Konoha.


    They returned back to their quarters in the Anbu. After removing their masks, Tsuyoshi said, "Great work as usual. The mission waspleted without a hitch."


    He looked at Fujin and said with a smile, "Fujin, over thest 20 months, your performance has been brilliant. Lord Hokage has acknowledged your performance and asked you to meet him tomorrow."


    His praise for Fujin wasn''t unjustified. Fujin had fit into the Anbu unit like a glove and seamlessly blended into the Anbu lifestyle. He was efficient, deadly and didn''t seek fame or glory. Despite having a famous title, very few in Konoha knew that it was him.


    Kaen and Teru''s eyes widened as they realised what Tsuyoshi meant.


    Fujin nodded and said with a smile, "Alright."


    Teru immediately patted Fujin''s shoulder and said in excitement, "Congrats, Fujin!"

 Chapter 243: Settling Debt with Interest!

    Kaen also realized why Fujin was called by the Hokage. He smiled and said, "Looks like you won the race for promotion to Anbu Captain."


    He sighed and continued, "Makes sense though considering how many people you have killed. Your Spectral Swordsman title is very well-known and feared."


    Tsuyoshi shook his head and said, "The Anbu Captain title isn''t handed so easily. You will be given a promotion mission. The mission is usually very difficult. Only if you perform it satisfactorily will you be promoted. Anyways, no point in specting about it. Take some rest today and ensure that you are at yourplete readiness tomorrow."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Alright Captain. Thank You for all your guidance."


    The squad dispersed.


    Unlike the time with his Genin squad, the Anbu squad never hung together other than when they were training or doing missions. Tsuyoshi had instructed them to not appear together in public while they were a part of the Anbu. Due to this the trio of Fujin, Teru and Kean never went out together to eat or party despite being in the same team for over a year and a half!


    Fujin grabbed a random mask, put it on and walked out of the room while thinking, ''A secret mission huh? I wonder what it will be¡­''


    He thought for a bit and spected, ''It will most probably be another political scheme by Shikaku. That guy makes way too many schemes. No wonder Konoha''s position is so solid despite being vulnerable militarily for so long.


    Anyways, it is still early morning. What should I do for the day? Just resting the entire day will be a waste.''


    As he was thinking, he walked towards the training facilities of the Anbu. A grin formed on his face behind the mask. With his next step, his physical features transformed. His height increased to 6 feet 6 inches and his body became very slim. On his next step, his chakra signature transformed. It became heavy in Yin chakra. If a sensor were to sense him, it would be very difficult to link him to Fujin.


    He kept walking nonchntly to the Training facilities. After arriving at the facility, he saw a few other Anbu. Without exchanging words with anyone or attracting any attention, he walked towards the Wind Training rooms and entered one.


    His eyes immediately roamed through the room. All the seals in the room that were inscribed and hidden in the room became visible to him. Many of these seals were for inspection and spying.


    He acted as if he didn''t notice any of them and sat in the center of the room and began meditating. Just like in the Tower in the Forest of Death, these rooms also had Elemental crystals. Fujin began absorbing the energy from the crystal.


    The room didn''t initially have any methods of investigation and spying. But, shortly after Fujin entered the Anbu, he began using these rooms. And his rate of absorbing the energy from Wind Crystals skyrocketed! He initially needed to meditate for 4 hours for 12 days topletely absorb all the energy in one Wind crystal. But in a few months, he got used to absorbing energy from the Wind crystal. He began exhausting an entire crystal in one meditation session of 4 hours!


    This development rmed Hiruzen. Wind crystals used to be the ones that used to be the slowest to be exhausted. But suddenly, its rate of absorption became second to only Fire crystals. He immediately tried to investigate but didn''t find anything.


    So he resorted to inscribing seals in the Wind Training rooms. Unfortunately, Fujin was a SealMaster as well. He easily identified the seals and yed around with them. Hiruzen couldn''t figure out how the crystal was getting absorbed so quickly.


    Numerous times, he also sent some Anbu to spy on the meditation rooms. But in that case, Fujin would absorb very little energy from the Wind Crystal. Due to this, no one could me him. Instead, the Anbu ninjas that were keeping an eye became his perfect alibi.


    Of course, Hiruzen did suspect him. After all, the number of Wind users was very low in Konoha. After failing to find any suspect, he thought very hard, ''The absorption rate of Wind crystals increased suddenly after the new Anbu were inducted. Of those 234, only 5 specialize in Wind release. But, I can''t disregard others or the older Anbu as it is possible that they are developing Wind as their second or third element.''


    Finally, Hiruzen gave up, ''Leave it. Even if I find the culprit, I can''t punish them or tell them to stop. Otherwise, everyone else will begin questioning the speech I gave to motivate them. Besides, even though the usage is high, we do have a good stock of Wind Crystals. It is still within an eptable range.''


    Since he joined the Anbu, Fujin alone used up around 250 Wind Crystals. He had sessfully used up all the money Hiruzen earned by gambling on him and was still collecting interest. The overall consumption of Wind Crystals during this period was over 400. It barely exceeded Earth and Water crystals which were in the range of 350 to 400.


    Of course, Fire Crystals were still the ones being used the most. The Anbu training facility used over one thousand five hundred Fire crystals every year. Due to the sudden increase in Anbu numbers, Hiruzen ran out of Fire crystals a few times. If not for the fact that the Uchiha n no longer existed and he could divert the Fire Crystals that used to be allotted to them, he would have been forced to apply restrictions on the Fire Training rooms.


    Other than the Wind crystals, Fujin also absorbed energy from Lightning, Fire and Earth crystals. However, his rate of absorption with them was very low. His rate of absorbing Wind energy kept increasing rapidly until he hit a limit. But his other elements didn''t experience such an increase in the rate of absorption and he reached their limits much sooner.


    Fujin had expected such a result from Fire and Earth crystals but he was disappointed when he couldn''t increase the speed of absorption from Lightning crystals. Of course, despite the slower rate of absorption, it was still very helpful in improving his affinity with those elements.


    In around three and a half hours, Fujin emptied the Wind crystal. He got up and went into a Lightning training room. These rooms didn''t have the same level of investigative seals. The seals in the Wind Training room didn''t detect that the crystal was empty until another Anbu visited to train his wind element and realized that it was empty.


    Fujin spent most of his day in the training facility and only returned homete at night. He had dinner and went to sleep. The next day, he once again began his morning with an intense morning workout. Unless he was out on a mission, Fujin never missed his morning workout for even a single day.


    Instead, his morning workout had gotten even more intense. He had managed to use his previous training seal at its 100% capacity. He created a new seal for himself that had a maximum limit four times higher than the seal Hiruzen had created for him.


    Fujin returned home after the workout and freshened up for the meeting with Hiruzen. While getting prepared, he took a look at his bracers and thought, ''I have been using these bracers since I became a Genin. Time to change it.''


    He took off his bracers. A grin formed on his face as he thought, ''The Spectral Swordsman identity has be too well known. All the Anbu ninjas from the 4 major viges identify me on sight. Even though they don''t know about most of my capabilities, it is annoying when they get on full alert and don''t provide any openings. It''s time to y that card.''


    He discarded his old bracers and put on new ones. Unlike his previous ones, these were very thin and of the same color as his skin. So from a distance, it was very difficult to spot them. In addition, he had inscribed dozens of small storage seals on each bracer and stored a variety of weapons in it. His chakra metal swords were also stored in the bracers.


    Of course, despite being very thin, they were much harder than his previous bracers as they used better metals and Fujin himself worked with the cksmith to inscribe seals into them to make them as tough as he could.


    With all preparations made, he ced the seal on his door and flickered towards the Hokage building.

 Chapter 244: The Bait!

    Fujin knocked and entered the Hokage''s office. He noticed that Shikaku was also in the room. However, apart from them, no one else was in the room. Even the four Anbu ninjas that usually guarded Hiruzen weren''t there.


    Hiruzen smiled and asked, "Fujin, how have you been?"


    He noticed the new bracers Fujin was wearing and immediately noticed the high number of seals inscribed in them. He looked into Fujin''s eyes and meaningfully said, "Good Bracers."


    Fujin ignored the gaze and the implications behind his words. He replied with a smile, "Thank You, Grandpa. I have been well."


    Hiruzen had gotten used to Fujin ignoring subtle messages. He said, "Your performance in the Anbu has been very good. Both Tsuyoshi and the Anbumander have rmended me for promoting you to the Anbu Captain rank. However, the Anbu Captain rank is equivalent to the Jounin rank. So to be one, you have toplete a Promotion mission."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Yes, Captain informed me."


    Hiruzen looked at Shikaku. Shikaku stepped forward and handed a scroll to Fujin and said, "Recently, we have been getting multiple strange reports from the Land of Wind. We suspect that Sunagakure wants to end the alliance with us while the Daimyo of the Land of Wind doesn''t. Your mission will be to infiltrate into the Land of Wind and cause discontent for Sunagakure among their nobles and make them more inclined to assign missions to Konoha.


    The scroll has multiple scrolls with details of all the nobles in the Land of Wind, their nature, likes, dislikes, the people precious to them and their current rtions with us and Suna along with some rmendations for you. You will act on your own and are free to do whatever you want to make progress in the mission. Just don''t let anyone know that you are from Konoha."


    Fujin furrowed his eyebrows. The mission was huge. Though he had grown stronger, his strength wasn''t at a level where he could casually influence the rtions between a Daimyo and a Kage.


    Hiruzen and Shikaku noticed his expressions but didn''t say anything. Fujin said, "The mission is too difficult. Though I could make some moves, I am sure that Suna will retaliate immediately. So my actions won''t make much of a difference."


    Shikaku nodded and said, "Yes, but you don''t need to worry. You aren''t the only one we have sent. Many other Anbu ninjas have been given the same promotion mission. So the attention from Sunagakure will be divided among all of you.


    Of course, if you think that you can''t continue the mission any more, you are allowed to retreat. In addition, be careful of who you kill as the Anbu ninjas we deployed will be under disguises."


    A frown formed on Fujin''s face. The mission was not only difficult but it also had severalplexities. He sighed and thought, ''Despite the training, most of my missions in the Anbu were straightforward assassination, elimination or protection missions. I guessed that Hiruzen wanted me to focus on those skills. Looks like my guess was wrong. This mission will be a pain in the ass.''


    Fujin asked, "How long do I have to stay there?"


    Shikaku replied, "As long as you can. Retreat when you think that your cover might be blown or you don''t think you can make any further progress towards the mission. The sess or failure of the mission will be decided by how long you manage to stay in the Land of Wind and the result of your actions there."


    Fujin digested the information. Shikaku asked, "Any more questions?"


    Fujin shook his head and said, "No. But I would like to have the attire of a Sand Anbu ninja along with a new mask that is popr among their ranks."


    Shikaku had expected such a request from Fujin. He handed Fujin another scroll and said, "This scroll has what you asked for. It also has enough ration bars and water tost half a year."


    Fujin epted the scroll. At the same time, he got an idea of how long he was expected to stay undercover in the Land of Wind. Shikaku asked, "Are you ready to move out or do you need some time to prepare?"


    Fujin replied, "I can move out right away."


    Shikaku nodded and said, "Good. We have one more mission for you. This one isn''t rted to your promotion mission, but a good performance could influence our decision if your performance in the Land of Wind is subpar."


    Fujin looked at Shikaku without changing his expression and thought, ''Do you still not know that such maniption tactics don''t work on me?''


    Shikaku obviously knew it. He had interacted several times with Fujin. But he was just toozy to change his ways for just one person. From his point of view, regardless of how he spoke, Fujin would act the same way. So he didn''t bother changing his dialogue.


    Shikaku said, "In recent times, we have noticed the movement of some bounty hunter rogue ninjas in the forests around our vige. I specte that they have an aplice in the vige who monitors the movements of ninjas and informs his group outside the vige. We tried trapping them but haven''t had any sess so far as they are very careful with their targets."


    Hiruzen added, "You haven''t been seen much since a bounty was put on your head as your Anbu achievements haven''t been credited to you yet. So you will be the perfect bait for them. Go through the Vige gate without any disguise and let them see you. Hopefully, they will think of you as the perfect target and ambush you outside the vige.


    We will send a Jounin squad to follow you stealthily from a distance. They will reinforce you as soon as the battle begins or you send a signal."


    Fujin thought for a few seconds and said, "Alright. Do we have any intel on who the rogue bounty hunters are?"


    Hiruzen shook his head, "We have eliminated one group who had rogue ninjas from Iwa, but they didn''t have any intel on others. ording to our calctions, there are 3 more groups."


    Fujin said, "Okay. I will move out now."


    He left the office and began walking casually towards the vige gate while thinking, ''Bounty hunters¡­ I haven''t encountered any in this world other than Kakuzu. Anyways, as long as he or any other S rank ninjas aren''t involved, I should be fine. If they are weak, I can eliminate them myself. Otherwise, I will just have to stall them.''


    Fujin reached the gate and felt a few eyes on himself. He analyzed, ''Hmm, though there are a bunch of eyes on me, it will be difficult to say who is with the bounty hunters. After all, there are always a bunch of eyes on the vige gate. Oh well, let''s see.''


    As soon as Fujin left the vige, two pairs of eyes sparkled in greed. One of these pairs belonged to a man in his twenties with an ordinary appearance and was operating a firework shop near the vige gate.


    He observed the direction in which Fujin left and couldn''t help but lick his lips. He thought, ''When we made a list of the good targets, this boy topped it. Who knows which gods he offended to get such a big bounty. Unfortunately, this coward didn''t leave the vige for so long. But finally, it''s time!''


    The man looked at a stall opposite his. The man in that stall also looked back at him. Their eyes met. Both quickly used their methods to inform their respective groups. However, unknown to both of them, one squad of Jounins left the vige secretly and followed Fujin from a few kilometers away.


    If either of the two bounty hunter groups knew about the existence of these ninjas, they wouldn''t dare to approach Fujin even if their courage was amplified a hundred times. After all, this group was led by Konoha''s newest Elite Jounin, Copy Ninja Kakashi!


    Fujin didn''t sense Kakashi''s squad. However, he wasn''t surprised as he wouldn''t be good bait if they could be sensed so easily. He continued travelling through the woods as if everything was normal, but he didn''t move at his max speed to not create any doubts in the minds of the bounty hunters.


    Two groups of Bounty hunters quickly moved towards the route from Konoha to the Land of Rain. The first group was made of Rogue ninjas from Kirigakure. They excelled in assassination. Their group contained 11 ninjas. Before betraying, 8 were Chunins in Kiri while the remaining 3 were Jounins.


    The second group was made of Rogue ninjas from the countries of Lands of Rain, River, Grass, Bird and Bear. This group had 24 people, 11 of whom were Jounins in their vige before they went rogue.


    Both reached the same spot on the route at the same time and got into a standoff. After all, their messengers had also informed them that another group of Bounty Hunters might also be hunting Fujin and neither wanted the other group to get to Fujin first.

 Chapter 245: I dont wanna be a bait anymore!

    The two groups of bounty hunters stared at each other. Suddenly, Kido Shiro, one of the Kiri rogues sighed in relief and said loudly, "Thankfully we found them. I was worried that these morons might ambush him closer to Konoha and steal our jackpot!"


    His statement irked the bounty hunters in the other group. One of them sneered and said, "Aren''t you being too cocky? We outnumber you by more than two to one. Do you think you have a chance topete against us?"


    The leader of the Kiri rogues grinned. His name was Higashi Renzo. He was arge muscr guy with hideous scars all over his body. He was being trained to be the next generation of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist. Unfortunately, before he couldplete his training, everything went crazy in that country.


    Renzo said in a hoarse voice, "You may outnumber us, but do you weaklings think you have any chance against us."


    A wave of killing intent washed over the other group of bounty hunters. Their expressions became very grim. Though they haven''t ever experienced it, Kiri''s cruel methods and the craziness of their ninjas were well known throughout the world.


    Ogawa Shingo, the leader of this group exerted his chakra to snap hisrades out of the killing intent unleashed by his opponent. The Kiri ninjas were about to attack but he raised his hand and said, "Stop! If we fight here, we will alert the Konoha ninjas and will be hunted until we are all dead. Even if you are strong, against Konoha, you are nothing but bugs. Not only will you not get the bounty, but you will be hunted.


    So why not team up? We will ambush the kid together and split the reward on his head. We will each get 10 million Ryo and won''t have to fight each other to death."


    Shiro immediately said, "Why would we split the rewards with you? As for Konoha ninjas, we will have long killed you all and that brat and left even before those tree huggers sense something is wro..."


    He was interrupted by a Jounin who said, "Shut up! Renzo, let''s cooperate. The Konoha ninjas are already hunting for us. A huge battle could invite all sorts of trouble."


    Renzo wanted to fight. However, he couldn''t disregard the concerns of the Jounin who just spoke. After all, he was the only SealMaster in their group and was his second-inmand. Without his help, bounty hunting would be much more risky.


    Renzo looked at Shingo and said, "Alright, let''s team up."


    The two groups teamed up and set up an ambush for Fujin.


    Fujin had a frown on his face. Even after travelling for six hours, no one intercepted or attacked him. He thought, ''Did they sense the trap that Shikakuid for them? Or were their aplices on a break when I left the vige?''


    He continued moving through the vast forests of the Land of Fire while asionally activating and spreading his chakra field. Finally, after half an hour, he sensed something off.


    His speed slowed down as he maintained his chakra field and analyzed, ''I can''t sense 4 locations¡­ These guys have a SealMaster within their ranks. That''s annoying. I can''t check how strong they are. But, this might not be entirely bad. Since they are separated, I will hunt them one by one.''


    The four locations that Fujin''s chakra field couldn''t sense were small underground rooms constructed using Earth release. If it was a normal sensor, he wouldn''t feel anything off. But Fujin himself was a SealMaster. So it couldn''t be hidden from him. The four locations were all spread properly. Two were close to the path that Fujin was taking. While the remaining two locations covered the left and the right sides.


    Fujin locked his eyes on the location to the left. He was about to move when he suddenly stopped. His eyes shrunk as his instincts warned him and he stayed in his location. He thought, ''Why am I having such a bad feeling? It is almostparable to the feeling I had when we fell into Darui''s trap!''


    During his time in Anbu, Fujin had developed an incredible sense of danger. His instincts would warn him every time he was about to fall in grave danger. Though he wasn''tpletely sure, Fujin spected that it was a result of him gaining more experience and due to him using his sensing abilities hundreds of thousands of times.


    The seals in those hidden locations were more advanced than what Fujin had spected. When his chakra field covered those locations, a few seals began emitting green light. The leader in each of the rooms frowned. They knew that Fujin was a sensor but didn''t expect him to spread his chakra field deep in the forest.


    However, they didn''t make a move as they knew that a sensor wouldn''t be able to sense them. They expected Fujin to continue forward into their trap. However, their frowns deepened when Fujin didn''t move forward and the seals kept emitting the green light.


    Renzo asked, "Did he discover us?"


    The SealMaster answered, "That is unlikely. Unless he is a SealMaster himself or works closely with one."


    Renzo quickly analyzed the situation and said, "It doesn''t matter. He is just one chunin brat. Let''s go out and hunt him."


    He quickly broke the seal on the underground room and appeared outside. At the same time, the other 3 hideouts also received the message and soon they broke out as well.


    Fujin immediately sensed everyone and began sweating. He almost cursed, ''What the fuck? 35 fucking bounty hunters? And 7 of them have Jounin levels of chakra!''


    The bounty hunters ran towards Fujin at full speed. Fortunately, Fujin was over a mile away from their location. He quickly ran backwards and made a few shadow clones while thinking, ''This is thest time I''m being the bait! The smartest man and the most experienced man my ass! If I didn''t know them any better, I''d think that this is a scheme to kill me!''


    Four chakra fields extended towards Fujin and his clones and began sensing him. Fujin was left speechless once again. He cursed, ''Seriously, what the hell! SealMasters, Sensors, such huge numbers¡­ Don''t tell me a Kage is also hiding within their ranks!''


    Fujin didn''t know that two groups of Bounty hunters were hunting him together. He''d have been confident of taking one group on by himself. But with the two groups working together, he didn''t want to take much risk. Hiruzen and Shikaku also didn''t predict that Fujin would lure two groups of bounty hunters. Otherwise, they would have sent more ninjas along with him.


    At the same time, Pakkun said, "Kakashi, thirty-five new scents have suddenly appeared!"


    Kakashi''s eyes widened as he eximed, "Thirty-five?"


    Pakkun replied, "Yes. Fujin is running back in our direction but enemies are faster than him. They will reach him before us."


    Kakashi said, "Everyone, we will move at our fastest speed!"


    Guy grinned and said loudly, "Thirty-Five bounty hunters on your first mission as an Elite Jounin! I''d expect nothing less from my eternal rival!"


    Despite talking, he was the only one in the squad who was able to keep up with Kakashi''s speed.


    Kakashi didn''t pay attention to Guy''s words as he was confused, ''Didn''t Shikaku say that Fujin was incredibly fast on his feet? How are they faster than him?''


    Among the bounty hunters, one of the sensors informed, "His chakra has split into four! ording to the intel, he knows the Shadow Clone jutsu. I can''t identify who is the real one!"


    Renzomanded, "Keep track of all four of them. If they split, we will also split and chase one each!"


    Fujin''s clones didn''t split up. The bounty hunters moved incredibly fast and quickly caught up with Fujin. They still maintained the four groups. Two were trying to chase Fujin from the right and left while the remaining two were on his rear. The ones in the rear were led by Renzo and Shingo respectively.


    Fujin looked back at them and thought, ''Alright, they are close enough.''


    Fujin and his clones split into pairs of two and dispersed in opposite directions. This forced the two groups in his rear to split up and move towards the groups on their respective sides. The situation suddenly changed as now the groups on Fujin''s two sides became the closest to him while the groups at his reargged behind.


    Fujin kept observing their positions. Soon, all four groups of bounty hunters and the two pairs of Fujin''s clones were in a straight line, Fujin and his clones stopped and turned around.


    ''Fire Release: Searing Migraine jutsu''


    ''Wind Release: Infinite Breakthrough jutsu''


    One clone released the Searing Migraine jutsu while the one next to released the Infinite Breakthrough jutsu. The same was replicated by the other pair. The jutsusbined together perfectly and fused into one deadly attack.


    The bounty hunters who were chasing at their full speed were suddenly stunned to see a massive firestorm head towards them! The attack came without any warning and they had very little time to react.

 Chapter 246: The Source of Danger

    On one side, the group closest to Fujin was a Kiri group of 5 led by their third Jounin. The former Kiri Jounin rapidly weaved hand signs.


    ''Water Release: Water Wall jutsu''


    A water wall appeared in front of his group of 5 just before thebination attack reached them. The jutsu hit the water wall and broke through it as if it was air. A huge amount of steam was released as the entire water wall evaporated!


    Renzo saw with wide eyes as 5 of his men were being engulfed by the Firestorm. He could hear their screams. He quicklypleted hand signs and shouted, "Quickly flood this ce!"


    ''Water Release: Exploding Water Shock Wave''


    The other 5 in his group also used the same jutsu. A huge amount of water was released which formed giant waves and moved towards the iing attack and their allies.


    On the other side, a couple of Jounins mmed their hands on the ground.


    ''Earth Release: Earth Wall jutsu''


    Two walls appeared in front of them. However, the range of thebination attack was too much. It easily engulfed the walls and hit the group regardless. Unlike the battle-hardened Kiri rogues, this group didn''t have the same expertise. For the first time in their lives, they began experiencing the unique feeling of being cooked alive! A few quickly escaped into the ground while the others screamed miserably within the firestorm.


    The group behind them saw the terror in front of them. Shingo quickly mmed his hands on the ground.


    ''Earth Release: Earth Dome''


    Seeing the mistake made by the group in front of him, he chose a jutsu that would protect them from all sides. The Fire-Windbination jutsu engulfed the dome, but the people inside were safe.


    Water and Fire shed on the other side of the battlefield. Thebined efforts of six ninjas overpowered thebination jutsu and water waves engulfed their allies. The water doused the fire on them and provided them with some relief. Four Kiri rogues were burnt badly. Only the Jounin was in better shape as he had a thinyer of water armor surrounding him.


    A look of relief appeared on the faces of the six ninjas when suddenly they began feeling the heat. They looked behind themselves and saw in horror as another jutsu of the same scale approached them!


    Since the second Bandit group didn''t stop the attack and just protected themselves, the Kiri rogue ninjas had to face an attack from both sides. This situation was a result of Fujin''s clever maniption of the battlefield. Since he split into two groups, the bounty hunters assumed that he wanted to run away. They didn''t even notice that they were all in a straight line. All their attention was entirely on the pair in front of them.


    Renzo once again weaved hand signs. In the nick of time, hepleted his jutsu and spat out massive amounts of water. His jutsu was overwhelmed, but the water brought them enough time for others to repeat that jutsu. A water pool was formed which engulfed the 11 Kiri rogue ninjas and kept them protected from the fire. However, the water itself was heating up and evaporating at a rapid speed. Everyone could feel the heat, especially the 4 people from the first group who were very badly burnt.


    Renzo looked at the firestorm with a frown on his face. He cursed, ''Horrible! The intel was way off! It didn''t mentionrge-scale wind jutsus. It didn''t even say that he knew any Fire jutsus. All it said was to be careful of his Vacuum jutsus and Swordy.''


    Suddenly, his eyes widened as he realized, ''Vacuum jutsus¡­ Fuck!''


    Despite being underwater, he shouted, "BE CAREFUL!"


    It was a no-brainer that Fujin''s ability with the Fire Release waspletely a surprise to them. After all, he had developed it entirely during his time with the Anbu. While he didn''t intend to keep it a secret like his Lightning release, he hadn''t been on any mission without his mask. So very few were aware of it.


    Fujin''s details in the Bingo book were almost 2 years old. Since he was never seen leaving the vige after getting the bounty, the bounty hunters assumed that he had given up on his ninja career.


    Fujin''s clones observed the bounty hunters. In the group that used Earth Walls, 3 had escaped underground while the remaining 6 were burning. Behind them, 15 people were hiding in an Earth dome.


    A smirk formed on both their faces. A dozen Vacuum bullets formed in both their mouths. Theyunched them all simultaneously. The group of 15 bounty hunters were feeling safe inside the dome. Suddenly, bullets rained into the dome. They were all caught off guard and couldn''t even move.


    Twelve ninjas had their hearts, brains or throats pierced. They copsed on the spot! The remaining three were also injured but could still move around. They quickly escaped underground in terror and moved towards the Kiri group.


    On the other side, Fujin''s clones observed the Kiri ninjas being protected by water and guessed, ''This group looks to be exclusively from Kiri. Whereas that squad is only using Earth Release. Does this bounty hunter group have factions within them? Oh well, they''ll all be dead anyways.''


    ''Wind Release: Vacuum Serial Wave jutsu''


    Sharp Vacuum des wereunched at the water pool protecting them. The vacuum des moved through the fire and into the water right when Renzo shouted. The four ninjas that were badly burnt didn''t even see the attacking and were cut into two.


    The Jounin who was injured tried to dodge as well. He barely moved his body and head out of the way. But one vacuum de hit below his right knee and cut his leg off. The remaining six managed to dodge the attack.


    Renzo''s heart ached. Four Chunins were dead while one Jounin would no longer be able to fight. That was a huge loss for his group. He felt a great hatred for Fujin and the messenger. At the same time, he felt regret for choosing Fujin as the target.


    However, his expression soon became vicious. He decided, ''Since you have caused us so much loss, I will im your bounty no matter what! I can not disappoint Lord Mizukage any further!''


    The effects of the Fire-Windbination jutsu had finally begun dissipating. Renzo looked at his subordinates that were still fine. They noticed his gaze and nodded. Soon, 6 bounty hunters from the other group came out of the ground next to the Kiri survivors. They looked at the situation around them in shock.


    Of the 35 attackers, only 6 were still uninjured. As many as 23 had died or were critically injured. And it had barely been over a couple of minutes since they began chasing after Fujin!


    Swords appeared in the hands of Fujin and his clones. They flickered towards the bounty hunters. Thebination of Searing Migraine and Infinite Breakthrough jutsus was one of his strongest methods. Since this group managed to survive, using the same jutsu once again on them wouldn''t be very effective. After all, he no longer had the element of surprise.


    Renzo noticed his movements and said, "They areing, prepare yourself."


    Everyone readied themselves. Fujin''s attacks had eliminated most of the weaker ones from their ranks. Of the remaining people, half had Jounin ranks before going rogue.


    Fujin''s clone appeared to one side of the group and swung his sword from 5 meters away. A sword wave wasunched at them. The expression of the group became grim. Apart from Renzo, only one person was able to follow the movement of Fujin and his clones.


    Just before the sword sh could hit them, a barrier appeared around them. The sh hit the barrier and caused it to shake, but it stood erect. Fujin''s eyesnded on the Jounin who created the barrier. He thought, ''So this guy is probably their SealMaster.''


    Fujin wasn''t bothered that his attack wasn''t sessful. The information he gained in exchange for merely swinging his sword was sufficient. However, before he could attack once more, Renzo left the barrier. He raised his sword and shed it down on the clone who had just attacked the barrier.


    Fujin''s clone easily blocked his sword, but couldn''t cut through it as Renzo also used Chakra flow on his sword. At the same time, Shinjo and two Jounins from his group exited the barrier and attacked the other 3 Fujins.


    Fujin was surprised. He defended while analyzing the barrier, ''It looks like this is a one-way barrier. It prevents entry but allows exit. A good way to keep attacking from a location.''


    Suddenly, four more bounty hunters exited the barrier. They were the four chunins, including Shiro, from Renzo''s group. Fujin frowned, he didn''t want to get ganged up on. So the four of them counter-attacked. Renzo was able to hold his opponent back, but the other 3 were feeling overwhelmed. Fujin''s clones barely managed to get away from them and were about to attack the four ninjas that exited the barrier when those ninjas avoided Fujin and ran in four different directions.


    Fujin was confused. He thought, ''The hell? Are they quitting the group and escaping? Or do they n to attack me in the back?''


    He didn''t want to risk getting pincered and wanted to attack them, but the Jounins caught up and began fighting once again. Since they blocked him, Fujin confirmed, ''They aren''t running away.''


    The four ninjas moved and stood surrounding Fujin and the rest. They made the Snake hand seal and pped their hands. Immediately, a violet barrier began appearing and surrounded Fujin and the other bounty hunters. The barriers formed four walls, a roof and anotheryer underground, cutting off all means of escape. Fujin was shocked. He muttered, "Four Violet mes Formation! No wonder I felt such an intense danger."

 Chapter 247: Fooling Everyone!

    A grin spread on Renzo''s face. He said, "You are now trapped. I was nning to just kill you and get your head. But since you have killed 4 of my men, I will torture you until you beg for death!"


    The morale of the remaining hunters in the barrier finally recovered.


    Fujin thought, ''Just 4? Are there multiple groups here?''


    No fear appeared on Fujin''s face. He retorted, "Torture me?"


    He looked towards his right and said, "I left the vige to bait and hunt you down. If you dissolve the formation and surrender, you might be able to keep your life. Otherwise, even if you manage to kill me, your only result will be death!"


    The bounty hunters were shocked to hear that Fujin was the bait. Renzo and others followed Fujin''s gaze. Their eyes widened as four Konoha ninjas appeared outside the barrier. Shingo muttered with a grim face, "We were schemed against! It is Kakashi of the Sharingan!"


    Their morale which had just recovered crashed down. Fujin''s words werepletely true. They would have a very difficult battle to just kill Fujin. Facing even stronger Konoha ninjas right after it would be a certain death!


    Meanwhile, Kakashi''s group also had grim faces.


    Yamanaka Ken said, "Fujin is trapped."


    Kakashi too had a grim face. He said, "The barrier has a high demand for chakra. And all four ninjas need to keep supplying chakra continuously. We will target one spot and kill one of them."


    The battlefield entered a deadlock. The Konoha jounins couldn''t interfere. And though the bounty hunters were safe for the moment, they were very fearful for their life.


    Fujin noticed the distraction and immediately took advantage. The clones gathered chakra. The four jounins facing them noticed it and reacted. However, a dozen Vacuum Bullets were already fired at each of them.


    Despite the low distance and the fast speed of the bullets, they still moved their body as much as they could. Renzo dodged 10 bullets and the remaining 2 he blocked with his sword. However, cracks spread through his sword due to the power behind the bullets. His expression became dark as he realized, ''If I hadn''t used chakra flow on the swords, the bullets might have pierced straight through them!''


    However, the other 3 weren''t as strong as him. They could only move sufficiently for the bullets to miss their vital organs. A bullet grazed the right arm of Shingo. It left a cut so deep that even his bone was visible. The other two were hit by two to three Vacuum Bullets each.


    Unfortunately for those two, they were once again standing right behind each other. So despite dodging, they were targeted by the Vacuum Bullets heading towards them from their back. One of them was very unlucky. A vacuum bullet hit his back and pierced straight through his heart. He dropped dead. The other one had a couple more holes created in his body but luckily avoided any critical injuries.


    One of Fujin''s clonesughed and taunted, "This barrier is good. This way, none of you can run away. Hahahaha!"


    Not wanting to lose any more morale, Renzo immediately attacked the clone closest to him and shouted, "Everyone! Attack him! Attack and kill all four of him. Only after he is dead we can n on how to escape the once outside the barrier!"


    There was still another barrier created inside the Four Violet mes Formation. It still had five people. One was the injured Jounin from Renzo''s group. Another was the SealMaster while three were from the other group. Other than the injured Jounin, the others exited the barrier and attacked Fujin''s clones.


    The SealMaster said, "His chakra has be very low. He won''t be able to continue for much longer."


    Fujin''s clones were all low on chakra. They had spent a lot of their chakra on the Fire-Windbination jutsu. And after using Vacuum jutsus repeatedly, they didn''t have much chakra.


    Outside the barrier, the Konoha ninjas were getting worried. They were bombarding the barrier with Ninjutsu at the spot where Shiro was. The barrier shook but still stood erect. However, the four ninjas, especially Shiro, were under a lot of pressure. Their chakra was being drained rapidly.


    Suddenly, Pakkun noticed something and looked to his left. After observing properly, he said, "Kakashi, focus on your smell in that direction."


    Kakashi was surprised by Pakkun''s request. He quickly gathered chakra in his nose and enhanced his sense of smell. Suddenly his expression became very peculiar. Guy noticed and asked, "What did you smell?"


    Kakashi shook his head and said, "Nothing. Keep an eye on the barrier. We won''t attack any more as we might run out of chakra before the barrier breaks. If that happens, we will be in a tougher spot."


    Guy and the two Special Jounins from the Yamanaka n realized that Kakashi was hiding something. They didn''t question him and began paying attention to fighting inside the barrier. Without their attacks, the four ninjas maintaining the formation sighed in relief. They quickly consumed a soldier pill to recover their chakra rapidly.


    Yamanaka Ken said, "Though maintaining the barrier needs a lot of chakra, they could rest until they have recovered if they keep using soldier pills. Should we call in reinforcements to prevent that?"


    Kakashi shook his head and replied, "No need. There are only 12 left and two are severely injured. Regardless of the pills, the four maintaining the barrier will be exhausted. We can take them out without much issue."


    Yamanaka Ken nodded. Inside the barrier, Fujin and his clones fought intensely for five minutes. However, the remaining ninjas were all very careful. Fujin took deep breaths while analyzing, ''They are too careful! In thest five minutes, I only managed to kill that guy with 5-6 holes in his body. Though I injured the rest to varying degrees, I haven''t been able to injure them critically.''


    He looked towards his other clones. At the same time, they too looked into his eyes and nodded. Suddenly, three clones flickered away and appeared next to Shiro.


    Renzo had a bad feeling. He and the rest ran towards them, but the three clones touched the barrier and at the next moment exploded!


    The force of the explosions was felt throughout the barrier. Shiro fell to his knees and began vomiting blood. While the remaining three also felt the impact. They began coughing blood.


    Renzo shouted in panic, "Hang on! The barrier must not fall!"


    The four rogue ninjas gritted their teeth and forcefully maintained the formation. Kakashi and the rest didn''t manage to enter inside.


    Renzo looked viciously at Fujin and said, "That was stupid! Without clones, you are an easy target for us!"


    He immediately ran towards Fujin who was breathing roughly. Everyone could see that he was exhausted. Guy was getting restless, but Kakashi said, "It''s fine, just watch."


    Renzo swung his sword at Fujin. Fujin deflected his blow with his sword and punched him with his left hand. Renzo punched back at his fist. However, Fujin opened his fist at thest moment and caught Renzo''s fist. A grin broke on his face. Renzo suddenly had a bad feeling. Without a word, Fujin exploded!


    All the bounty hunters were stunned. The explosion created a dust cloud. In a second, a body wasunched out of the dust cloud. Hended a few meters away. It was Renzo. His left arm waspletely blown off! His chest, abdomen, face and thighs had hideous burns and were covered in blood. In addition to the existing horrible scars, his entire appearance looked simr to that of a terrifying demon!


    One of the bounty hunters muttered in disbelief, "Did he explode his main body?"


    Renzo replied with a hoarse voice, "It was a shadow clone!"


    A sense of disbelief and shock spread through the four ninjas maintaining the barrier and the remaining seven ninjas inside the barrier. Such huge casualties were inflicted upon them by merely shadow clones.


    Finally, one said, "No wonder he has a 20 million bounty! No, even a 20 million bounty is low for him."


    Outside the barrier, everyone other than Kakashi and Pakkun was shocked. Yamanaka Ken eximed, "That was a shadow clone? Where is his real body?"


    On cue, Fujin flickered behind him. They quickly turned around to see him. There wasn''t a single scratch on his body. Guy and the others realised that Kakashi and Pakkun had smelled his scent and hence stopped attacking the formation. Kakashi looked at him and memories regarding Fujin''s graduation exam surfaced. Fujin had made quite an impact that day by asking for a chakra metal sword. Kakashi never imagined that the boy would be so strong in just a few years. He said, "Good work."


    Guy had no idea how Fujin managed to achieve this. But he didn''t care. He raised his thumb and said with a grin, "You are good! I can feel the power of youth flowing through you!"


    The two Yamanaka ninjas also looked at Fujin with surprise in their eyes.


    The bounty hunters in the barrier noticed Fujin outside the barrier. They had already expected. However, the eyes of the SealMaster widened. He eximed in horror, "His chakra!"

 Chapter 248: The Formation Breaks...

    Renzo ignored his missing arm and all his injuries and tried to analyze when Fujin switched with a clone. He realized, ''ording to the intel, he moves very fast. That is why we set up the trap and prepared the formation in the first ce. However, when he escaped, his speed didn''t match the intel. But our minds were too upied with iming his bounty and we didn''t notice the anomaly. He probably switched himself with a clone even before we exited the hidden bases while his clones moved slowly to catch us off-guard with thatbination jutsu.''


    Renzo''s analysis was very close to the truth. Fujin created a shadow clone with 20% of his chakra and escaped right after sensing that he was facing 35 enemies. He hid his chakra signature and scent and moved without making any sounds or leaving any trail due to which the sensors among the bounty hunters never sensed his main body.


    Later on, when he saw the Four Violet mes Formation, Fujin realized why he was feeling a sense of danger. After realizing that his backup was Kakashi, he stopped hiding his scent so that Kakashi could smell his scent and stop worrying. While it could expose a w to the bounty hunters, Fujin didn''t care as the bounty hunters were already in deep trouble.


    Inside the barrier, everyone looked at the SealMaster, who was also a sensor, as he eximed loudly, "His chakra!"


    Renzo looked at him and asked, "What about his chakra?"


    The SealMaster gulped and said, "It''s massive! It''s almost twice your maximum chakra, Renzo. He likely only used around 20-25% of his chakra on those 4 shadow clones."


    The eyes of the ninjas inside the barrier widened in horror as they took a look at Fujin once again. Though Fujin had improved a lot during his time in the Anbu, his biggest improvement was the increase in his chakra reserves.


    As Ryu had spected, the growth in Fujin''s chakra reserves had begun slowing down. But thanks to the fact that his chakra reserves were alreadyparable to a Jounin and the aid provided by the Elemental crystals, his growth was still massive.


    His chakra reserves had grown by three times in thest 20 months. In another six months, his chakra reserves would reach the same level as Renjiro''s. However, Fujin did sense that his growth was slowing down rapidly. So he wasn''t sure about reaching Hiruzen''s level of chakra at his current rate.


    Kakashi looked at the spot where Fujin''s three clones had exploded and said, "Focus your jutsus on that ninja again."


    The Konoha ninjas were about to attack when Fujin said, "Wait, I''ll give them a few more explosions."


    He created 6 shadow clones, each with 5% of his chakra. Three flickered close to Shiro while the other 3 flickered close to the other three ninjas maintaining the formation. Kakashi nodded and weaved a few hand signs as well.


    ''Lightning Release: Shadow Clone jutsu''


    A shadow clone infused with Lightning appeared and followed Fujin''s clones. Fujin''s clones once again touched the barrier and exploded. Shiro was prepared this time and poured more chakra into the barrier. However, the explosions were much stronger as the clones were full of chakra.


    The impact of the explosion was once again sent through the barrier. As the person closest to the explosion, once again the majority of the impact was borne by Shiro. He copsed on the ground and almost lost consciousness. However, he gritted his teeth and forced himself to stay awake. He said to himself, "No! I have to stay awake! Otherwise, all of us will be dead."


    Through sheer will, he forced himself to stay awake. Unfortunately, Kakashi''s Lightning Shadow Clone appeared and transformed into Lightning and hit the barrier on one single point. The barrier could no longer hold on and a small hole appeared in it as the Lightning broke through. It hit Shiro and electrocuted him.


    Shiro was already on hisst legs. He didn''t even have the energy to scream as his body was electrocuted to death.


    With his death, the entire formation copsed. Immediately, all 5 Konoha ninjas flickered towards the opponents. The bounty hunters were on guard as well. As soon as the formation copsed, they began running away in different directions. However,pared to the fresh Konoha ninjas, the bounty hunters were extremely tired.


    Fujin''s clones immediately attacked the other 3 ninjas who were maintaining the formation. They were already exhausted and low on chakra. None among them could put up a fight and were beheaded with ease. Fujin''s clones immediately flickered towards the ones who were escaping.


    Kakashi flickered behind Renzo. Despite being gravely injured, Renzo stopped running and swung his sword at Kakashi. However, Lightning appeared in Kakashi''s hand and hit the de. Despite the chakra around Renzo''s sword, Lightning still conducted through his sword and into his body.


    Kakashi said, "Higashi Renzo, you are a long way from home."


    Renzo''s sword shattered and Kakashi''s hand pierced into his chest.


    At the same time, Guy appeared behind Shingo. Shingo began weaving hand signs. However, Guy grinned, "Too Slow!"


    Before Shingo couldplete his hand signs, Guy had already reached his position. His eyes widened as he saw a kicking at him from the top. He immediately moved to his right. Guy''s kicknded on the ground. Shingo was still maintaining his hand seal, however, Guy''s kick tore the ground open. Hundreds of small stones wereunched in all directions. Shingo was hit by dozens of small stones at rapid speed. He was still unharmed, however, he couldn''t continue weaving hand signs.


    Guy quickly attacked him once again. Shingo snorted internally, ''Do you think that only you can use Taijutsu?''


    Shingo''s physique was muchrger and more muscr than Guy''s. He formed his fist and punched back at Guy. Their fists collided. Shingo''s expression immediately changed. An intense pain coursed through his entire arm. He cursed, ''What the fuck is his body made of?''


    Unfortunately, he didn''t have any time to actually ask that question. Guy''s second punch wasing straight at him. Unwillingly, he had to punch back with his other arm. And intense pain coursed through that arm as well. However, it was much worse due to the injury caused by Fujin earlier! He cursed, ''Fuck! It feels like my arm will break into two.''


    Guy immediately noticed that his opponent was in a lot of pain. He didn''t miss the opportunity and bombarded Shingo with punches and kicks. Shingo, who dared to match Guy in Taijutsu despite his injuries, was overwhelmed! He was beaten to a bloody pulp. Guy knocked him unconscious and tied him up while thinking, ''Lord Hokage wanted some prisoners to check their memories. This guy looked quite strong. He should have some information.''


    Some distance away from where Guy and Shingo were fighting, Fujin flickered behind one of the three remaining subordinates of Shingo. The bounty hunter noticed Fujin and turned around to fight. However, he was already very exhausted. There were dozens of small cuts on his body from the earlier fights. He had seen Fujin''s clones cut through kunais with ease. So he began weaving hand signs. However, Fujin opened his mouth and shot 8 Vacuum Bullets.


    One bullet was aimed at his forehead and another was aimed at his heart. The remaining six were to cut off his escape route. The bounty hunter moved his head out of the way and tried to twist his body. However, the Vacuum Bullets were too fast. One grazed past his face and tore his right cheek and ear off. His bloody teeth could be seen. Another bullet hit his rib cage and pierced through his chest. It avoided his heart, but he was on hisst legs. With a swing of Fujin''s sword, he was beheaded.


    Fujin spread his chakra field to observe the other battles. He noticed, ''So Kakashi has already killed their leader. My clones and that guy have killed their opponents as well. Guy should win soon too. So just that SealMaster and the one-legged bounty hunter are alive.''


    Fujin sensed that Kakashi was moving towards the one-legged guy. So he moved towards the SealMaster. Fujin''s clones followed him as well. Yamanaka Ken had confronted the SealMaster. Both entered in a fight and were evenly matched.


    The only bounty hunter who wasn''t attacked so far was the one-legged Jounin from Kiri. Despite having just one leg, he was moving quite fast through the forest. Unfortunately, Kakashi killed Renzo too quickly. He immediately gave chase and caught up. The Jounin noticed Kakashi and immediately turned around and weaved hand signs. Kakashi noticed his hand signs and weaved hand signs as well.


    ''Water Release: Water Clone jutsu''


    ''Fire Release: Fireball jutsu''


    4 Water clones appeared next to the Kiri rogue. They saw a giant fireball headed straight at them. One of the clones weaved hand signs.


    ''Water Release: Water Wall jutsu''


    A water wall appeared in front of them. The Fireball hit it and exploded. A lot of water was turned into smoke and covered the area while the rest was sshed back at the ninja and his clones. They were about to attack once again when a sound of Lightning was heard. Lightning travelled through the water that was sshed on them and electrocuted them all!


    All four water clones were instantly dispelled. The one-legged Jounin''s eyes widened. He realised, ''He used my own jutsu against me!''


    He barely maintained his consciousness. However, Kakashi appeared in front of him and ced his right hand on his chest. Immediately, an intense current passed through his body and knocked him out.


    Kakashi tied him up and ced a seal on his chest and thought, ''One captured alive. Guy should have captured his opponent as well. This mission is sessful.''

 Chapter 249: Eight Gate Lock-Up

    ''Water Release: Water Needles jutsu''


    Water split into hundreds of drops. Each drop turned into a needle and rained at Yamanaka Ken. Ken immediately flickered out of the way while making his hand seal. He flickered once again to get close to his opponent.


    ''Mind Destruction Jutsu''


    His opponent immediately moved out of the way and jumped on a branch behind him. Suddenly, his eyes widened. A Vacuum bullet hit his chest and pierced straight through it. However, his body turned into water and copsed. A few meters behind him, his body appeared once again. He looked at Fujin and said, "You can hide your chakra. No wonder I didn''t sense you back then. But now that I know it, hiding it is useless."


    Fujin didn''t reply but Ken flickered close to him once again and tried using the same jutsu. The SealMaster took out a scroll and jumped back on the ground to dodge Ken''s attack. He opened the scroll and smeared his blood across it and weaved a few hand signs rapidly.


    Fujin frowned and wondered, ''Is he attempting to reverse summon himself somehow?''


    Chakra gathered in his mouth as he shot a few Vacuum Bullets at him. At the same time, Ken once again used the Mind Destruction jutsu. However, a ck tortoise projection made entirely of chakra appeared between Fujin and the SealMaster. Fujin''s Vacuum bullets hit the shell of the tortoise and were stopped. At the same time, an Azure Dragon projection appeared between Ken and him. The jutsu hit the Dragon but had no impact on him.


    Fujin frowned as he analyzed, ''A barrier?''


    At the same time, projections of a Vermillion Bird and a White Tiger were also formed around him. After tanking the jutsus, the projections copsed and transformed into a barrier around him. The walls of the barrier had the image of those four mythical beasts. A smile formed on his face.


    Fujin gathered arge amount of chakra while changing his location.


    ''Wind Release: Vacuum Cannon jutsu''


    Fujin shot the powerful Vacuum Cannon at the wall which had the Vermillion Bird image. The entire barrier shook, but not a single crack appeared on it. The ninja inside the barrier also lookedpletely fine.


    He taunted, "This is my strongest barrier. You can keep attacking for days, it won''t fall! Your mind control jutsus will also not work against my barrier!"


    Fujin was surprised. He analyzed, ''This barrier is smaller, but it is even more sturdy than the Four Violet mes Formation. Worse, it doesn''t look like it is using his chakra. I won''t be able to crack it using Shadow Clone Explosions.


    Fujin immediately snorted, "You are deep within the Land of Fire. Let me see how long you will keep hiding here."


    He dispelled his clones and got some chakra back. He sat at some distance from the barrier in case the barrier had any more peculiar means. His eyes began glowing as he started observing the barrier properly.


    Ken also replicated Fujin''s actions and stood in the opposite direction. After some time, the other Yamanaka ninja arrived. He went to Ken to ask him for an update. A few secondster, Guy and Kakashi arrived. Both were carrying the ones they captured.


    Guy looked at the barrier and said, "I haven''t seen such a barrier yet. What is it?"


    Kakashi observed the barrier and replied, "Barrier Defence Seal Jutsu: Eight Gate Lock-Up. It''s a wide-range barrier jutsu created by the Uzumaki n to create a barrier around an entire vige. Looks like he has a modified version of it to protect just himself."


    The SealMaster''s expression became grim after seeing the three Konoha ninjas arrive. It implied that every other Bounty hunter was killed. He replied, "As expected of the Copy Ninja Kakashi. Since you know about the barrier, you know that you wouldn''t be able to break it like the Four Violet mes Formation."


    Kakashi replied, "Every barrier could be broken. Regardless, this is the Land of Fire. I could summon hundreds of ninjas and keep a watch on you until you can''t maintain the barrier anymore."


    The SealMasterughed and said, "Hundreds of ninjas just for me? Hahaha. I never expected my life to be so precious for you to waste so much manpower on me."


    Kakashi said, "It isn''t. You won''t be able to imagine the torture you''d be put under for wasting our time. So I''ll give you an offer. Surrender now and I will ensure that no harm wille to you. Lord Hokage might even allow you to turn a new page in your life."


    The SealMaster was surprised. He thought, ''I never imagined that Konoha would offer to recruit me.''


    The offer was alluring. However, his eyesid on the two Yamanakas and he rejected that idea, ''No, these two will read my memories. Once they do, they won''t allow me to live.''


    He opened another scroll and said, "It''s a tempting offer. Unfortunately, I can''t do it."


    He made a confrontation hand seal. Immediately, dozens of explosion tags appeared from the scroll. A few stuck to his body while the rest stuck on the four symbols on the barrier. The Konoha ninjas immediately became alert.


    In the next moment, all the explosion tags exploded! Fujin immediately flickered away. Kakashi mmed his hands on the ground.


    ''Earth Release: Earth Dome jutsu''


    A dome appeared from the ground and covered him and Guy. At the same time, thest ninja grabbed Yamanaka Ken and escaped underground.


    The barrier copsed. The chakra of the SealMaster and within the barrier fueled the explosion and caused a fire to spread in all four directions! It also caused cracks to spread within the ground around the barrier.


    Kakashi noticed that the ground under his feet as well as the dome had begun cracking. His expression became grim as he poured chakra into the ground to strengthen it.


    The two Yamanakas who were escaping underground had it rough. As the ground cracked, some heat entered the ground.


    After flickering a few times, Fujin turned around to see. The fire had spread for almost 300 meters from the explosion spot. He was surprised, ''What a crazy bastard! That barrier was a trap. He didn''t intend to protect himself. He just wanted to use its chakra to amplify the explosions from those tags. He even used all his own chakra to amplify the explosions!''


    Soon, the explosion died down and only the fire remained. A few water dragons appeared in between the fire and moved through the fire and began dousing it. The water also entered into the cracks in the ground. The two Yamanakas sensed it and left the underground. Fujin sensed that they were all fine. So he flickered back towards where Kakashi was.


    He first looked at the spot of the explosion. There was no sign of any dead body. The SealMaster''s body waspletely obliterated. Fujin looked at the two Yamanakas and asked, "Are you two alright?"


    Both of them had several burns on their skin. Ken nodded and said, "It''s fine. It''s just minor burns."


    He looked at Kakashi and asked, "Why did that bastardmit suicide? Wouldn''t epting your offer be much better for him?"


    Kakashi replied, "More than suicide, it looked like he wanted to burn all the dead bodies. This way, we won''t be able to gain any intel from them. Of course, if he managed to kill any of us, that would have been a bonus for him."


    Ken looked around and frowned, "All the dead bodies will have been burnt by the fire. We won''t be able to read their memories now. It looks like he wanted to hide something crucial."


    He looked at the two ninjas that Kakashi and Guy had captured and added, "Information that these two wouldn''t have."


    Kakashi nodded and said, "Yes. I guess he didn''t know about this."


    He took out a scroll and opened it. He made a hand seal and Renzo''s body popped out.


    He said, "I had stored his body as he was likely their leader. Read his memories."


    Yamanaka Ken nodded and immediately got to work. He ced his palm on the forehead of the dead body and inserted his chakra into his head to inspect his memories.


    Fujin''s eyes were glued to him. The Yamanaka n''s ability to read memories of dead bodies was something he had wanted for some time. Unfortunately, he didn''t get to visit the T&I department frequently. During his time in the Anbu, he had only seen it being done thrice.


    Fujin analyzed, ''Just like before, the chakra that invades the brain of the dead body is pure Yin chakra. It is almost entirely the opposite of medical ninjutsu. But, how exactly does this work?''


    Despite observing it for the fourth time, he didn''t have any idea about the internal workings of the jutsu. Though he had killed hundreds of people, his Anbu squad would always be close by. He never got to experiment on the dead bodies. And he had no intention of experimenting on the only dead body still in his possession.

 Chapter 250: My Shamelessness is Not Enough!!

    Ken continued reading his memories for a few minutes. Sweat appeared on Ken''s body. It was apparent that reading memories from a dead body was very taxing on him.


    Finally, he let him go. His expression was grim. Kakashi asked, "Did you get any information from him?"


    Ken nodded and said, "I couldn''t read all his memories, but the ones that I could show that this bounty hunting was a scheme made by Kirigakure."


    Kakashi furrowed his eyebrows. Ken continued, "He hadn''t gone rogue. Instead, he was given a mission by an elder from the Mizukage faction from Kirigakure. They currently have a huge advantage against the rebels who are hiding. Since they are hiding, the forces of Mizukage are ideal. But, the rebellion means that no one will issue missions there.


    So to raise funds, they issued him a mission. He was to go rogue, get in touch with other rogue Kiri ninjas and form a bounty hunter group. After collecting the bounties, they would secretly send the majority of the bounty to Kirigakure. That SealMaster was assigned as his deputy for this mission. Apart from them, all others were actual rogue nins who got used."


    Ken''s words left the four Konoha ninjas speechless. Even after going rogue, those guys were still being made to work for Kirigakure unknowingly. Fujin couldn''t help but think, ''What a scheme! And what shamelessness! Sigh, every time I think that I am getting too shameless, this world gives me a reality check. These bastards are a hundred times more shameless than me! I need to improve myself.''


    Back in Konoha, a chill passed through the spine of Hiruzen. He immediately got alert and observed his surroundings. He didn''t notice anything weird and wondered, ''Why did it suddenly feel like someone wanted to take everything from me? Are any of my former students or teammates scheming something? It has been a while since I have paid attention to their movements.''


    Back in the vast forests in the Land of Fire, Kakashi said, "It is a great scheme. The high number of ninjas going rogue should weaken them. But now, they have managed to make use of them instead. I guess that they have also sent guys like him to other viges."


    He looked at the other Yamanaka ninja and said, "You inspect his memories as well."


    The ninja nodded and got to work. Kakashi looked at Fujin and said, "ording to our intel, the bounty hunter''s group shouldn''t have been so big. I guess two different groups allied together. We should be able to confirm it after checking their memories."


    Fujin nodded. He had the same analysis after Renzo threatened him. Kakashi continued, "This mission is done, will you being back with us?"


    Fujin shook his head and answered, "No, I have another mission. I will take my leave."


    Kakashi nodded. Fujin flickered away. Guy looked at him and said, "He is quite strong, Kakashi. There weren''t even half the bounty hunters alive by the time we reached."


    Kakashi nodded. He said, "Lord Third is very positive about his prospects. I guess his progress shouldn''t be very surprising. Anyways, let''s clean up the battlefield."


    Kakashi and Guy gathered the remains of every burnt dead body. Most of the dead bodies were badly burnt. The only ones who were in decent shape were the ones who had attempted to hide under the Earth Dome and were killed by Fujin''s Vacuum Bullets.


    After storing all the bodies, the two Yamanakas used Mind Body Switch jutsu to take over the bodies of the two prisoners so that they wouldn''t suddenly attack. The group returned back to Konoha.


    After returning, they reported the details of the mission to Hiruzen and Shikaku. After analyzing the data, Shikaku let out a sigh and said, "Despite being in such a mess, they still try to create a mess in other viges."


    Hiruzen said, "It''s because they know that no one would retaliate with force. After all, no one wants to enter into their mess."


    He looked at Kakashi and instructed, "Deliver the dead bodies to Torture and Interrogation department. Have them inspect all their memories. Once we can''t find any new memories, deliver their bodies to the underground market and im their bounties."


    He looked at Shikaku and said, "Find a way to spread the news of the death of Higashi Renzo in Kiri. It will improve the morale of the rebels. Though I won''t be involved directly, the Mizukage would have underestimated us way too much if he thinks that we can''t retaliate at all. Also, form a few patrol squads to roam randomly through the country to find traces of any other rogue Kirigakure ninja."


    Shikaku and Kakashi nodded and left the office. A frown formed on Hiruzen''s face as he analyzed, ''Kumo has already been trying to scheme a lot against us. Though Suna is allied with us, they are growing restless by the day. Iwa is silent for now, but once that fencesitter makes up his mind, they will be extremely problematic. And now even Kiri is making moves. Sigh, these peaceful times might notst very long.''


    In the middle of the desert, existed a city thatmanded awe and reverence. Amidst the harsh desert environment, this majestic city stood proudly, surrounded by a colossal wall that stretched as far as the eye could see.


    The towering walls, crafted from sturdy sandstone, created an imposing barrier against the unforgiving desert winds. Samurais d in desert-hued armor stood vignt at the city gates.


    A group of traders approached the towering walls of this city and moved towards the Samurais. The Samurais noticed their arrival. Among them was Captain Hayashi Ryota who was responsible for the safety of the city gates.


    One of the traders walked forward and bowed respectfully. The samurais scrutinized the group with a discerning gaze. The trader, dressed in fine desert attire, exuded an air of confidence and respectability.


    Ryota said, "Wee to the Wind Capital, esteemed travelers. I am Captain Hayashi Ryota. State your purpose and present your trade permits for inspection."


    The trader said, "I am Takahashi Hiroshi. I have heard about your valor, Captain Ryota. I am pleased to make your acquaintance."


    Ryota''s mood improved on being praised. Hiroshi handed him the required documents and said, "We are a new traders group from the Land of Bird."


    Ryota and the other guards inspected the documents carefully and verified their authenticity. Satisfied with their findings, Captain Ryota returned the permits to Hiroshi and allowed them to enter the city.


    Ryota said in a diplomatic tone, "As honored guests of our city, we trust that you will adhere to ourws and customs during your stay. Please be mindful of the city''s regtions and treat our citizens and fellow traders with respect. Enjoy your time in the Wind Capital and may your business ventures be prosperous."


    Hiroshi bowed deeply once again and said, "We are humbled by your hospitality, Captain Ryota. We shall uphold the highest standards of conduct and contribute positively to themerce of this remarkable city."


    Hiroshi and his fellow traders entered the city along with their caravan. As soon as they did, they were immediately captivated by the stunning contrasts and breathtaking sights in the city!


    The streets wound through the city like intricate mazes and provided shelter from the scorching sun. Buildings of varying heights and styles rose proudly, their architecture inspired by the desert environment. Majestic minarets and ornate domes punctuated the skyline as their golden surfaces glimmered under the brilliant sun.


    Hiroshi couldn''t help but mutter in awe, "So beautiful!"


    Ryota smirked and said, "Everyone who enters this city for the first time feels the same."


    Hiroshi nodded and replied, "It''s difficult to feel anything else."


    Ryota nodded. Hiroshi said, "I''d love to keep watching. Unfortunately, some of my goods are perishable. Could you tell me where the markets are situated, Captain Ryota?"


    Ryota nodded and provided him with the information. Hiroshi and the other traders began moving ording to his instructions.


    Soon they left the sight of those Samurais. Immediately, every trader''s expression changed. The awe and captivation disappeared from their faces. Hiroshi said in a neutral voice, "Sell all of our products."


    All the traders immediately got to work. Hiroshi kept observing the city. They had goods in bulk. So they found appropriate buyers and sold all their goods at low prices. In a few hours, their entire caravan was empty.


    Hiroshi took all the money and said aloud, "Since we made the dangerous journey sessfully and have plenty of money, we should enjoy some time in this vige. Of course, in our time here, we will also check which goods are the most appropriate and profitable to trade. So enjoy yourself for the next few months."


    The traders smiled and rejoiced on getting a long break. They split into groups and left in different directions under the envious gazes of some people. Though trading was very risky, if done sessfully, it was very rewarding!


    Hiroshi left alone and booked a room in one of the most expensive hotels in the Wind Capital. He stood on the balcony and saw the sunset. A golden hue was cast across the city making it seem even more breathtaking than ever. A smile formed on his face as he thought, ''In terms of the scenery, the Wind Capital is leagues ahead of the Fire Capital.''

 Chapter 251: The Neverending War

    As the sun set, a bunch of memories started popping up in his mind. He analyzed all the memories and thought, ''Good, all my clones have safely dispelled themselves. No one noticed them. Finally, it''s time to begin my mission.''


    One week ago :


    After eliminating the two groups of bounty hunters, Fujin split off from Kakashi''s group and continued his journey forward. However, the fight had exhausted nearly half his chakra. So he decided to take a break in a nearby town.


    He entered the town after using the Transformation jutsu and looked for an ordinary hotel. After renting a room, Fujin opened the scrolls Shikaku had handed him and began reading. The scrolls had a lot of details regarding the nobles in the Land of Wind. It contained a detailed list of all nobles, their families, friends and their political standings.


    After a few hours, Fujin let out a sigh. He muttered in his mind, ''I used to think that the number of ninjas is quite high. But, until I joined the Anbu, I never ever imagined that the number of nobles would be this high. Every major country has at least a couple of thousand people rted to the Daimyo. Do they spend all their time breeding?


    And Shikaku''s reports have over 500 nobles who he wants to be targeted. Sigh, when we talk about wars, everyone only thinks about the three Great Wars that have happened. Meanwhile, everyone is worried about when the Fourth Great Ninja War will happen.


    But, in reality, the 5 major viges are at war with each other constantly with no breaks. It''s just that these wars don''t have a battlefield. Instead, they are fought by the special forces of each vige. Instead of shing openly, the war is about sabotaging others while increasing your own influence.


    In thest 12 months, I have basically been targetting nobles in the nearby smaller countries who are against Konoha. Like in the previous mission, we killed the forces of that noble from the Land of Waterfall who sided with Iwa.


    The end result of such shes is to make these nobles favor your vige and hate the enemy''s viges. And in thispetition, Konoha has a huge advantage. Other than the Land of Rain, every neighbouring country favors Konoha more than its other neighbours. The superiority of Hiruzen and Shikaku''s scheming abilities can be seen through this.


    Of course, there is another big reason. Konoha has no ambition to im thends of other countries. But other countries want Konoha''snds. However, the smaller countries act as a buffer between them. If some country sessfully manages to capture territory within the Land of Fire, the smaller countries acting as a buffer will also have to be conquered by them or at least some parts of the country would have to be annexed. And if Konoha couldn''t resist them, there''s no way any smaller country could resist them.''


    Fujin let out a sigh and thought, ''When I first read Naruto, I was disgusted by the fact that Kumo tried to kidnap a little girl. If kidnapped, her fate would have been terrible. Just the thought of it was revolting. But, now it doesn''t seem very extreme.


    The chances of kidnapping someone from the Hyugapounds should be close to zero. Perhaps the goal of that kidnapping attempt wasn''t to kidnap Hinata but rather to have the kidnapper die in the Hyugapounds. Perhaps, even if Hiashi didn''t kill the kidnapper, as long as he was caught, he''d havemitted suicide and died in the Hyuga n Compounds.


    This way, they would be able to exchange the life of a normal ninja with a strong n Leader. Even though Hiashi preserved his life, Konoha and the Hyuga n lost an Elite Jounin. In peacetime, that is a great loss. I guess they also wanted to sow discord between the Vige Leadership and the Hyuga n. After all, by then, the Uchiha n were already made to live on the outskirts of Konoha. If the two strongest ns were unsatisfied with the Konoha leadership, the vige would be quite unstable. Even if nothing bad happened, as long as the process of recovery is slowed down, Konoha would be in trouble when the next Great War starts.''


    Fujin let out another sigh, ''The more I get involved, the more I realize how deep the schemes run in this world. And, for some reason, I have a feeling that soon it will be my turn to y these schemes. If I can''t, then I won''t be able to achieve much in this life either.''


    Fujin rested the night in that hotel before continuing his journey the next day. He crossed the border and entered the Land of Rivers under a random disguise. He found an unupied cave and entered it. He inscribed a few seals in the cave to provide some protection and to stop and misdirect any attempts of scouting that ce.


    He quickly changed into the attire of Suna Anbu and thought, ''For the next few months, this will be my disguise while doing shady work.''


    He left the cave and journeyed towards the Land of Wind.


    The border of the Land of Wind was as massive as that of the Land of Fire. However, unlike Konoha, they were suffering from a massive budget crunch. In addition, the desert conditions in the Land of Wind were many times rougher than the green forests in the Land of Fire.


    So very few patrolling teams used to patrol the borders. Fujin had no trouble infiltrating the Land of Wind. He continued moving rapidly across the vast deserts while thinking, ''Though the rough environment makes patrolling difficult, the vast open desert makes hiding very difficult.''


    After travelling a few hundred kilometers into the desert, Fujin took a break and began making a n. He analyzed, ''Most of my targets are in the Wind Capital. I will have to begin from there. But, how should I infiltrate it? Should I just sneak in?''


    Fujin calcted his chances of sneaking in sessfully. After some time, he rejected that idea, ''No. I have been to the Fire Capital a few times. Though the security wasn''t as good as Konoha, it was still very tight. Samurais patrolled the walls and the walls themselves had numerous seals carved in them. Though I could still infiltrate without rming any seal, it will be incredibly difficult. So, I guess my only option is to enter through the city gates.''


    Suddenly, Fujin changed his direction. Instead of travelling towards the Wind Capital, Fujin began travelling towards the north. After travelling for another day, Fujin stopped and opened a map. He concluded, ''This should be the route where trading caravans pass through while trading between the Land of Wind and the Land of Earth. I''ll just wait until I can catch a ride.''


    He carved a seal on the sand and made a hand seal. The seal began sinking into the sand. He repeated the same process at distances of 25 meters dozens of times. Finally, he weaved another hand sign and ced his hand on the ground.


    ''Earth Release: Underground Camp jutsu''


    He poured his chakra into the ground as the rocks and sand began moving. In a few minutes, one small underground room was formed. Fujin inscribed a seal on the wall of this room and thought, ''Good. Now if anyone passes through this route, the seals will detect the vibrations in the ground and cause this seal to light up. I will wait here for up to a week. If no one shows up, then I will try to actively find a group of travellers instead of just sitting here.''


    Fujin carved some seals to ensure that the room can''t be sensed. He entered it and rested while waiting patiently.


    In the next 2 days, the seal lit up thrice. Fujin exited the room to observe each time. Unfortunately, all three groups were ninja squads from Suna. Luckily, none of them was sensing when Fujin exited the room. So his location stayed hidden.


    Finally, on the 3rd day, the seal lit up once again. Fujin sighed and muttered, ''If it is another group of ninjas, I will kill and impersonate them instead of traders or merchants.''


    He exited the room. Chakra gathered in his eyes as he began observing the chakra signature while staying under the sand. A smile appeared on his face as he thought, ''Finally! A group of sixteen people. Twelve have civilian levels of chakra while four have Chunin levels of chakra.''


    He made a hand seal and his figure disappeared from under the sand. Suddenly, one of the four ninjas turned and looked at where Fujin was. The ninja next to him asked, "Did you notice something, captain?"


    The captain replied, "It felt like a breeze suddenly passed through that area. Leave it, I might be imagining it."


    They continued on their journey. After travelling for around 2 kilometers, one of the ninjas said, "Captain, there is someone ahead."


    The ninjas got alert. The Captain said loudly, "Be careful everyone. It might be another bandit group."


    However, the ninja shook his head and said, "No captain. It is only one person and his chakra is very low. So he isn''t a ninja."


    The group travelled forward carefully. After a couple of hundred meters, they saw the person. He was a man in terrible shape. His clothes were torn in multiple ces and dyed in blood. He had multiple injuries on his body. He turned his head towards them and hope appeared in his eyes.

 Chapter 252: Test Subjects

    The man immediately got up and walked towards the caravan. However, he was limping. The group noticed a deep cut just above his left knee.


    The man walked to them with tears running down his face and hurriedly begged, "Please help me! I am a trader just like you but my caravan was attacked by desert bandits. All of us were captured. I luckily managed to escape but they are still hunting for me. Please hel¡­!"


    However, before he could finish speaking, a kicknded on his chest and sent him flying backwards. A look of shock appeared on the face of the man. He looked at them in disbelief.


    The four ninjas were wearing headbands that didn''t belong to any ninja vige. The caravan had a g of the Land of Bird country.


    The man still begged, "Please help us and save my friends. If not, at least take me with you. I don''t want to die here."


    One of the ninjas looked at him and asked, "What do we do with him, Captain?"


    The captain shook his head and said, "It''s better to kill him. If he is nted by a bandit group, then we might get in trouble."


    Behind him, the leader of the traders, Hiroshi said, "Just kill him and get moving. I don''t want to dy my first trade."


    The injured man heard the words carefully. Fear showed on his face. One of the ninjas grinned and walked forward, "You heard him. You can say goodbye to your pathetic life."


    He grabbed a kunai and walked towards the man. The man looked at him with terror in his eyes. He raised the kunai and was about to attack when his head was sent flying into the air.


    The traders and the ninjas, who were looking at the spectacle with ridicule in their eyes, were suddenly shocked. Before they could even react, the heads of the remaining three ninjas were also sent flying.


    Terror flooded into the minds of each of the twelve traders as they saw the injured man behead the ninjas they hired for their safety.


    The injured man said in a cold tone, "You''d have died either way but your actions avoid any feeling of guilt that I might have felt."


    He suddenly disappeared. Hiroshi saw as every trader began falling down to the ground one by one. Only he was left standing. The injured man, who was now a shinigami in his eyes, stood in front of him and looked into his eyes. He couldn''t move as the man''s hand squeezed his neck. Suddenly, the entire world became pitch ck. He couldn''t even see the arm that was holding his neck.


    He heard Fujin speaking, "If you want to live, tell me every detail about yourself and your trading caravan."


    Hiroshi waspletely terrified. He screamed, "I will speak. Please don''t kill me!"


    Hiroshi immediately gave him all the details that he wanted. He also took all the documents from Hiroshi. An electric current passed through Hiroshi''s body and knocked him out. Fujin walked towards one of the knocked-out traders and lifted him. A current passed through his body and woke him up. Fujin interrogated him to cross-check the information. He repeated the process with all 12 traders.


    After collecting all the data, Fujin analyzed, ''I was lucky. This is a perfect group for me to impersonate. It is their first mission, so they shouldn''t have any contacts in the Wind Capital. Not to mention, theye from the Land of Bird instead of the Land of Earth. So their backing will be much weaker. In addition, the ninjas they hired don''t work for any vige. Instead, they work for the mercenary group Kurogane no Sensen.


    Though this mercenary group is quite influential, it mostly operates in the countries between the Lands of Wind and Earth. It shouldn''t have much sway here. And even if they do, they will be much slower than a ninja vige to investigate their missing ninjas.''


    Fujin observed everyone around him and thought, ''It''d be a huge waste to just hide their bodies.''


    He walked towards one of the detached heads and extended his right hand towards it while thinking, ''It should work against detached heads too. Though I am not sure if using them for my first try is a good thing.''


    Yin chakra appeared on his palm and poured into the detached head. Fujin controlled the chakra to gently enter the brain. He closed his eyes to properly control the chakra. As chakra surged unhindered, a profound strain befell the brain. The delicate neural pathways, unustomed to such a surge, begin to falter and distort under immense pressure.


    Fujin frowned. He stopped pouring the chakra into his mind and wondered, ''How the fuck do the Yamanakas train? Despite my chakra control, the brain was destroyed so easily. And, I didn''t even see a single memory. Do the Yamanaka have secret methods of learning? Or do they test on test subjects before being allowed to use it on alive people?''


    Fujin fell in a thought, ''As I expected, this is veryplicated. Though I know that it requires Yin chakra, just that isn''t enough to learn this jutsu. If I am right, several generations of Yamanaka n ninjas probably worked on this to create this secret technique.


    So I am basically trying to replicate a decades-long process without much information. Right now, I have only two pieces of knowledge. The first is that the chakra has to be pure Yin and the chakra control has to be very good. The second is that memories aren''t stored in just one single part of the brain. They are distributed across multiple brain regions and involve intricate neuralworks and connections rather than being confined to a single location.


    Unfortunately, I have no idea which those regions are. The library didn''t have any information regarding this. I am sure my previous world had better information about this. Unfortunately, I hadn''t studied biology for years. I simply don''t have any memories regarding this.''


    Fujin analyzed for a few minutes before sighing, ''Leave it. I can''t think of anything good. I will just experiment on them.''


    Fujin experimented on the 3 detached heads. The first two had their brains destroyed. On thest one, his chakra control with the Yin chakra became much better. He managed to continue invading his brain with Yin chakra without turning it into mush. However, he didn''t get any memories from it.


    Fujin wondered, ''Do I need to make more modifications to my Yin chakra or move it in a certain way to read memories?''


    He couldn''t say for sure. He looked towards the 12 unconscious traders and muttered, "I hope I have luck with living test subjects."


    He walked towards one trader, tied his limbs and woke him up. The trader woke up terrified. He shouted and begged, but Fujin didn''t pay any attention to him. He ced a hand on his head and began inserting Yin chakra into his head. He delicately controlled his chakra to enter his brain and ess the neuralworks in his cerebral cortex.


    However, the man suddenly yelled. Soon, his expression changed. He spoke gibberish and he began making weird faces. Fujin looked at him with a solemn expression, ''He has be intellectually impaired! Another reason why I should never let anyone try to read my memories. If they wish to harm me, I won''t even be able to resist!''


    Fujin continued trying to read his memories until his brain was destroyed and he stopped moving and dropped dead. Fujin experimented on the remaining 11 traders and all faced the same result.


    Fujin sighed and began storing everyone''s dead bodies in scrolls. He stored the four dead ninjas in one scroll and the 12 dead traders in another. He ced the scroll of the dead ninjas in the underground room he had created andpletely sealed it up.


    He analyzed, ''If the mercenary group had any means of tracking them, they would be led here. Even if they find the blood where I killed them, they will only find the blood of these 4 ninjas.''


    Fujin walked back to the caravan and created shadow clones. They transformed into the eleven traders while Fujjn transformed into Hiroshi. They buried the sand dyed in blood a few meters below the surface and began their journey to the Wind Capital.


    Mid-route, Fujin made another Shadow clone who travelled a few kilometers and buried the scroll with the dead bodies of the traders deep within the sand. In these vast deserts, the chances of it being found were negligible.

 Chapter 253: Assassination

    Fujin was enjoying his evening breakfast on his balcony while enjoying the beautiful sunset. He thought, ''This lifestyle is kinda good. I see why so many ninjas want to be recruited by a Daimyo. Unlike the daily life of going through deadly missions and not knowing whether you''d live or not, the life here is just too rxing and stress-free.''


    Fujin had stayed in the Wind Capital for a couple of weeks. He spent it rxing in his luxurious hotel room and sightseeing around the city.


    He analyzed, ''There hadn''t been any news about anyone looking for Hiroshi or the ninjas protecting them. So I should be able to maintain this identity for some time.''


    He turned his eyes towards a few mansions in the city. They were quite far from his location but still visible. Though he couldn''t see every detail, he knew that a few were moving sneakily into those mansions.


    Just like Fujin, one Noble was enjoying his life in one of the mansions Fujin eyed. He was enjoying his luxurious life while thinking, ''I am so d that the Damiyo decided to favor Konoha instead of Suna. Otherwise, there is no way I would be able to sign such a huge deal with the Kazekage! Once the deal is finalized, money will start rolling into this mansion! Hahaha.''


    At that moment, a maid entered the room. She was in her teens and looked very beautiful. The Noble, who was in his fifties, lecherously eyed her. She brought a tray filled with various sushi to him and said respectfully, "My Lord."


    The Noble looked at it and said, "It looks delicious."


    He turned his eyes towards her and said, "I am sure it''d taste even better if you feed it to me."


    He opened his mouth wide open. The maid knew about how perverted he was. Unfortunately, she had no other option. She picked up a piece of sushi and was about to feed him when she saw a red line appearing on his throat. Before she could think, the line split open and blood sprayed out and covered the maid''s face and chest. She freaked out and screamed loudly!


    Immediately, a Samurai appeared in the room and asked, "Lord Atsushi, What happene¡­"


    His words were stuck in his mouth as he saw the noble he was supposed to protect lying in his chair with his throat cut open with the maid standing in shock in front of him. He got angry and muttered, "Someone dared to kill a person protected by me? They are disrespecting the great name of Isamu! I will kill them."


    He quickly approached the maid and asked her menacingly, "Did you kill him?"


    The maid was terrified by his expression. She feared the worst. Unfortunately, there wasn''t much she could do. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she said, "No, I didn''t do it. I was about to feed him when a red line appeared on his neck and split it open."


    Isamu believed her. He thought, ''She isn''t lying. It looks like the work of a ninja. A Wind user to be specific. Did he upset Suna during the negotiations? Or is someone trying to frame Suna?''


    Chakra gathered in his eyes as he began to observe everything in the mansion. Suddenly he discovered, ''Hmm? Since when did someone with so much chakra appear in the mansion? He must be the culprit.''


    Chakra flowed through his sword as he stabbed it into the floor. A hole appeared in the floor and he jumped on the floor below. In front of him was a butler. Isamu looked at him and said, "Good disguise. If it was someone else, they''d be fooled."


    A frown formed on the face of the butler. He asked, "What do you mean?"


    However, instead of replying, Isamu swung his sword. A blue sword wave was shot from his sword and approached the butler. The butler immediately moved out of the way, disying physical skills far beyond what a civilian could disy.


    The Samurai moved forward and attacked him with his sword once again. The butler took a kunai and used it to block the sword. Unlike Isamu, he didn''t use chakra flow. However, since Isamu''s chakra flow wasn''t charged with Wind nature, his kunai could hold on.


    However, Isamu used the opportunity to kick his chest. The butler was sent flying backwards and crashed into a wall. His transformation jutsu was dispelled. Isamu saw a ninja wearing a Scorpion mask and in the Anbu uniform of Sunagakure. His expression became grim. It looked like he was caught in an internal struggle in the Land of Wind.


    The ninja got up and said in a cold tone, "I didn''t expect you to be so good. However, you should have just looked the other way. Now, I will have to kill you as well."


    Isamu didn''t attack and asked, "Why did you kill him?"


    The ninja snorted, "Do you think it is so easy to take advantage of our vige? Even your Land of Iron doesn''t have the same standing as our vige. Let alone some no-name Noble."


    He raised two fingers. Wind began flowing around them. Isamu once again attacked with his sword. However, the Anbu easily dodged the sword sh.


    Isamu''s eyes widened as four cuts appeared on each of his arms. Two of them were right on his elbow and severed his blood vessels and nerves in it. Isamu suddenly felt weak and dropped his swords.


    The Anbu said, "In your next life, don''t poke your head into other people''s businesses."


    Wind once again began moving around his two fingers as he pointed them towards the Samurai. Though Isamu was wearing armor, a lot of areas on his body weren''t protected by it. Dozens of cuts appeared on his legs and neck.


    Isamu dropped to the ground and lost consciousness. He was no match for the Anbu. Havingpleted his job, the Anbu disappeared.


    After the fighting noises stopped, the servants immediately ran towards where the fighting was happening. To their horror, they noticed Isamu lying in a pool of blood. They immediately ran forward and checked on him.


    Surprisingly, one maid said, "He is still breathing! Call for doctors! Also, inform Lord Atsushi about this!"


    Some servants left hurriedly to call for the personal doctor employed in the mansion. A couple of other servants ran to the upper floor. They were horrified to see that their Lord Atsushi was dead and the maid was lying unconscious. They carried the maid down to be in the same room as Isamu. Afterying her down, they went to the basement to inform the family of the Noble who had hidden there immediately after hearing the sounds of a battle.


    The doctor soon arrived. His expression became grim after checking the Samurai. He said, "His condition is very bad. Go and call for a Medical ninja from the hospital. Hurry!"


    A couple of servants nodded and left. The doctor removed Isamu''s armor and clothes around the cuts. He provided first aid and stopped the bleeding.


    Suddenly, loud wailing was heard from the floor above. The family members of the Noble were crying due to his loss. After a couple of minutes, his son walked down and saw the doctor treating Isamu while his father waspletely ignored.


    He shouted, "How dare you treat others when my father has died? Leave them to die along with him."


    His expression became cruel as he said, "In fact, all of you should join him too!"


    Fear appeared on the face of all servants.


    However, the doctor was calm. He continued cleaning the wounds and said without looking at him, "Young Master, he is a Samurai from the Land of Iron. A proper exnation has to be given every time a Samurai dies. If the Land of Iron finds out that a Samurai died because you didn''t allow him to be treated, you and your whole family might have to join your father. Even Lord Daimyo won''t do anything to save you."


    His words caused the young master to be covered in sweat. He gritted his teeth and said, "I will remember this."


    He quickly left the room and walked back towards his father.


    The doctor let out a sigh. He thought, ''I havepletely offended him. Oh well, if I didn''t, he''d have killed me anyway. As long as I save Isamu, I will be safe.''


    Soon all the bleeding stopped. The doctor began the blood transfusion to stabilize his condition. He breathed a sigh of relief and said, "He will be fine."


    His words caused relief to spread among the servants in the mansion.


    The doctor turned his attention towards the maid and inspected her. Soon he got up and said, "She has just lost consciousness due to being terrified. She will be fine."


    The servants tended to both of them while waiting for the medical ninja to arrive. In around an hour, a medical ninja arrived. The doctor exchanged a few words with him and he began inspecting Isamu. He nodded his head and said, "You have done a great job."


    He weaved a few hand signs and extended his palms towards Isamu.


    ''Mystical Palm jutsu''


    The chapter name of thetest chapter on P@treon - Killing Tsuchikage with One Hand tied behind the back!

 Chapter 254: Framing Sunagakure

    Chakra poured from the Medical ninja''s hands. One by one, hepletely healed every cut on Isamu''s body. Only some scars were left behind. Soon, Isamu woke up. The memories of nearly dying returned to his mind. He sat straight and began sweating profusely due to fear.


    The medical ninja noticed his condition and ced his hand on his shoulder and said, "Don''t worry, you are alright. Do you recall what happened?"


    His words snapped Isamu out of his shock. He looked down at his body and thought, ''I thought I was dead for sure. The enemy was much stronger than me. I was no match. Did he assume that I was dead and left in a hurry?''


    He turned his eyes towards the medical ninja and became scared once again. He thought, ''First a Suna Anbu almost kills me and then a Suna medical ninja saves me? What the heck are these guys ying at?''


    The medical ninja saw the fear in Isamu''s eyes and frowned. It felt as if Isamu was afraid of him. He asked, "Who injured you?"


    Having just gotten another chance to live, Isamu didn''t wish to risk it again. He replied, "I can''t say as I didn''t see his face. I need to make a report to Lord Daimyo. After all, he killed the noble I was assigned to protect!"


    At the same time, a doubt appeared in his mind, ''The ninja who attacked me was very well-versed in Wind jutsus. He was a natural at it. But, could it be that someone from another vige was impersonating to frame Suna? I was certain that he was from Suna. The only w is that he left me alive. After all, it wouldn''t make much sense for him to not ensure that I am dead. The only way he would profit is if he is an enemy of Suna and the me falls on Sunagakure entirely.''


    He thought a lot but couldn''te up with a definite answer. He decided, ''Leave it. I will report the event as it is to the Daimyo. I will let Daimyo make the decision.''


    He was about to get up when the doctor softly said, "Lord, we need your help."


    Isamu squinted his eyes and looked at him. The doctor informed the actions of the young master. Anger appeared in Isamu''s eyes. However, he couldn''t take action directly. He said loudly, "Anyone who wants to leave this mansion, can do so along with me. I will ask Lord Daimyo to ensure that you don''t suffer injustice."


    Smiles and relief appeared on everyone''s faces. They were about to leave the Mansion when another Samurai appeared in front of them.


    Isamu noticed him and quickly bowed down, "Lord Hajime."


    Hajime was in charge of all Samurais in the Wind Capital. He was also the strongest Samurai in the Wind Capital.


    Hajime nodded and said, "I received a report that Noble Atsushi was assassinated. Is it true, Isamu?"


    Isamu nodded, "Yes. I am ashamed."


    Hajime said, "I trust that you gave your all, Isamu. So give me the exact details of what happened."


    Isamu didn''t want to speak in front of everyone. He said, "This¡­ Lord Hajime, can we speak in private?"


    Hajime nodded. Both walked into one of the many rooms in the mansion. Hajime said, "Speak."


    Isamu quickly reported the details of his sh along with his analysis. He ended by saying, "All evidence points towards Sunagakure. However, I still have a nagging suspicion that something else might be happening."


    Hajime nodded and said, "Good analysis. I might have sided with you if not for other events that have happened the same time you fought."


    Isamu furrowed his eyebrows.


    Hajime continued, "Atsushi wasn''t the only Noble who was targeted. Nine others were killed at the same time. In three cases, the culprits were able to escape undetected. Including you, seven Samurais fought them. Unfortunately, five are already dead. Apart from you, only one is alive. But his condition is critical."


    Isamu''s eyes widened. His back became covered in sweat. He muttered, "I was lucky that he didn''t check whether I was alive or dead."


    Hajime nodded. He added, "Everyone was injured with des made of wind. This is a rathermonly used technique among the Jounins of Sunagakure. Though other viges could replicate it, sending 10 expert Wind users on the same mission is quite unlikely. Regardless, Daimyo is pissed at Sunagakure. Our country might also take some actions to avenge the death of our 5rades."


    Isamu had a bitter expression. He said, "Everyone can see that the Daimyo has been upset with them since the time they lost in the Third Great Ninja War. We were unfortunately the ones to be caught in between them."


    Hajime agreed and said, "Yes. But, we can''t take any decision regarding this. I have to meet with Daimyo. You take care of your health."


    He was about to leave when Isamu stopped him and informed him about the actions of Atsushi''s son. Hajime frowned and said, "Leave the mansion and take everyone with you. I''ll ask Daimyo to take appropriate actions for them. A family that treats people like this will fall no matter how rich or influential they are."


    He left the mansion. Following him, Isamu and everymoner employed in the mansion left, only leaving Atsushi''s stunned family in the mansion.


    Back in the hotel, Fujin received the memories of his ten clones. He analyzed, ''Everything went as nned. Now it''s time to be patient.''


    Throughout the night, Samurais kept moving around the city. The security had be very tight. Many sudden inspections were being carried out. However, Fujin wasn''t affected. It wasn''t surprising as the number of civilians far exceeded the number of samurais and ninjas working under the Wind Daimyo. He did sense numerous chakra fields covering him. However, no one detected anything strange about him.


    These acts made the city quite tense. The next morning, two pieces of information spread through the city. The first one caused panic and restlessness among the civilian poption. After all, ten Nobles were murdered in broad daylight! If Nobles who were protected by Samurais weren''t safe, then how couldmon people feel safe?


    However, the second news made everyone feel peculiar and amused them. Rumors floated in the city that a Noble''s family threatened to execute all servants. So everyone serving that family quit and left the mansion. The Daimyo himself had given assurances that these people wouldn''t be harmed. In addition, no new worker signed up to serve that family due to the bad reputation it gained, making them a joke in the Wind Capital.


    As the culprit behind the assassinations, Fujin was sitting rxed in his room. He analyzed, ''These ten were all very close to Sunagakure ording to the scrolls. Now that they are dead and Suna is the first suspect, their families will stop relying on Suna. Since the Land of Wind and Fire are allied, Konoha will be their new reliance soon.


    Even if they don''t ally with Konoha and continue the same level of interaction with Suna, it isn''t actually our loss as just the status quo is maintained.


    In addition, the Daimyo and remaining Nobles will now be very alert against Sunagakure. Though they can''t pin the me on Suna, seeds of doubt will take root in their minds. Of course, just this isn''t enough. I''ll have to keep providing water to these seeds to create the required effect.''


    Numerous ns and schemes kept running through Fujin''s mind. For quite some time, the Wind Capital was fated to remain restless.

 Chapter 255: Sunagakure makes a move

    Sunagakure, Kazekage Building :


    A ninja was hurrying inside the Kazekage building. Without waiting to knock and get permission, he opened the door and said loudly, "Lord Rasa, we have an important matter."


    Rasa frowned. He was in a meeting. He looked at them and said, "We will continue the talkster."


    Everyone nodded and left the meeting. Rasa looked with annoyance and asked, "What is the rush? Didn''t you know that I was in an important meeting?"


    The ninja replied, "I am sorry but this is important, Lord Rasa. Ten Nobles in the Wind Capital have died. Five Samurais have also died. And we are the prime suspect."


    Rasa frowned and asked, "What did you say?"


    The ninja handed him a scroll. Rasa opened and began reading. The ninja said, "It is suspected that all were killed using the de of Wind jutsu. And since all ten murders happened at the same time, they don''t think any other vige could have done this."


    Rasa''s expression became grim. He thought, ''Wind Daimyo''s support for us has been decreasing continuously since the end of the third war. I had just managed to stabilize our standing and was about to pull out of the alliance with Konoha, but this happened. It will push the Daimyo even further away from us.''


    His mood worsened as he cursed, ''Which bastard is scheming against me? Kiri shouldn''t be involved in this. So it should be either Hiruzen or Onoki. But which one?''


    He kept analyzing, ''The important matter is that ten ninjas simultaneously used de of Wind jutsu. Is one of them building a specialist unit of Wind?''


    Rasa thought for a bit and concluded, ''No, de of Wind is a Jounin level jutsu. I doubt any of them would be willing to send 10 of them here. The most likely possibility is that Wind Sword jutsu was used. Gathering 10 users of that jutsu wouldn''t be difficult for Konoha or Iwa.


    Among the two of them, Konoha is the most suspicious. If their number of Wind users increases, their destructiveness on the battlefield will go up a few notches. But, for Hiruzen to do this, did he discover my attempts to break the alliance? If so, this wouldn''t be his only move.''


    Rasa''s analysis was on point. Fujin''s clones had all used Wind Sword jutsu to kill or injure their targets. However, Rasa still didn''t consider the point of someone using Shadow clones. So he overestimated the number of attackers by a factor of 10!


    He looked at the ninja in front of him and said, "Call Baki here."


    The ninja nodded and left.


    In a few minutes, Baki arrived. Rasa tossed the scroll over to him and said, "Read."


    Baki nodded and began reading. His expression became grim. Rasa said, "I want you to lead a squad of 20 ninjas to the Wind Capital. Find who the culprit is and clear our name. If you can''t find the culprit, then stay there and ensure that no more incidents ur. At the same time, make sure that our reputation among the Nobles in the Wind Capital improves.


    I suspect that Konoha is behind this incident, but we can''t rule out Iwagakure either. They may want us to suspect Konoha and break our alliance. So be on guard against both of them."


    Baki nodded, "Yes, Lord Kazekage."


    He immediately left and began preparations to leave. In a couple of hours, Baki along with 19 ninjas at the rank of Chunin and above left towards the Wind Capital.


    Wind Capital :


    Fujin was still staying in the same hotel. Due to being one of the most luxurious hotels in the Wind Capital, the impact of the stricter security and frequent checks wasn''t felt much there. However, a Samurai still visited to ask him some standard questions before leaving without suspecting anything.


    Fujin didn''t make any moves in these two days. He thought, ''Though I could still kill some targets irrespective of how much security the Samurais provide, it won''t help my mission.


    On one hand, the Daimyo will begin considering why Suna is attacking despite being the prime suspect. So their suspicion of Suna will decrease instead of increase. On the other hand, if I overdo it, Daimyo and the other Nobles might get terrified of Suna. They might stop increasing rtions with Konoha and obediently support Suna. I am sure Rasa might just go ahead and begin killing the Nobles himself as well until the Daimyo capittes, taking full opportunity of my blunder.


    So my best course of action is to keep striking at regr intervals. Hmm?''


    Fujin''s attention was suddenly attracted. He got up and went to the balcony and looked at one of the entrances to the city. Though he wasn''t actively sensing, he could feel that a group of ninjas with strong chakras wereing towards the city. He wondered, ''Did Rasa send a few ninjas?''


    A smile appeared on his face. He thought, ''Good, I was getting bored. Though this mission is quite rxing, I don''t want to do it much longer. After all, I can''t train at all while staying here. The longer I stay here, the more time I will be wasting. Unfortunately, this mission requires me to stay here for around 6 months. But, if I can do a great job, I''ll be able to leave early.


    Not to mention, this city doesn''t deserve its name. Wind Capital my ass. I have sent dozens of clones to find and steal any wind crystals here. Unfortunately, they have none! I had nned to steal the entire treasury of it but I never thought they won''t have a single one! What a waste.''


    Fujin sighed and eliminated that thought. He had felt enough heartache over thest week due to this matter. He turned his attention towards the Suna ninjas and waited in anticipation for them to arrive.


    A few minutester, Baki and his group entered the Wind Capital. His arrival immediately gained everyone''s attention. Due to the incidents and the rumors, themon people were quite afraid of them. Even the Samurais and other guards were alert against them. The moods of Suna ninjas became grim on seeing how much the public perception was against them. Seeing the circumstances, they immediately travelled towards the Daimyo''s estate.


    However, the entrance of the Daimyo''s estate was guarded by a dozen samurais led by Hajime. Baki greeted with a smile, "Hajime-san, it''s good to meet you again. I am here to deliver a message from Lord Kazekage to Lord Daimyo."


    Hajime replied with a smile as well, "It is good to see you as well, Baki. I would have loved to escort you in. Unfortunately, Lord Daimyo is busy with important meetings due to recent events and has asked to not be disturbed. I''ll have to politely ask you to wait here until he allows for visitors."


    Baki and the Suna ninjas frowned. The Daimyo was trying to humiliate them. Baki said, "Alright, I will wait here until Lord Daimyo sends a message."


    The Suna ninjas following Baki knew of the circumstances. So none spoke anything despite the tant disrespect. Baki analyzed, ''A power y. The Daimyo intends to show his displeasure by making us wait here. The longer we are made to wait, the more he is displeased. Still, he is also disrespecting our Kazekage.''


    Baki looked at the ninjas behind him. They had run non-stop from Sunagakure to Wind Capital. He said, "You guys can leave and have some rest. I will meet up after meeting Lord Daimyo."


    The ninjas nodded and left. Hajime was surprised. He analyzed, ''Letting the ninjas leave signifies that he isn''t here to fight. However, on the other hand, it also could be seen as an insult to the Daimyo as he isn''t making his subordinates wait patiently for the Daimyo. Oh well, it is none of my business whether he worships or disrespects the Daimyo as long as he doesn''t attack.''


    Baki and the rest had arrived in the Wind Capital in the morning. However, despite the Sun being right on top of their heads, the Daimyo still hadn''t called Baki in. He kept waiting outside Daimyo''s estate until the Sun began setting. Finally, when the Sun was about to set, a messenger came out of the estate and whispered a message to Hajime.


    Hajime looked at Baki and said, "Lord Daimyo is finally done with his meetings. You can meet him now, Baki."


    Baki''s mood was terrible. He was made to wait outside for nearly half a day. They didn''t even bother providing him with any food, water or even a chair! He walked in thinking, ''What a terrible mission I epted. Rasa-sama should have sent a diplomat along with me.''

 Chapter 256: Rage and Sorrow

    Baki entered the Wind Daimyo''s office. It was arge circr room with a circr table at the center of the room. The Daimyo was sitting on the chair exactly opposite Baki''s location. Baki bowed respectfully and said, "Greetings, Lord Daimyo. Lord Kazekage wanted to send you a message."


    He handed a scroll to the Daimyo. The Daimyo didn''t speak a word and took the scroll and began reading. The scroll expressed condolences on the recent deaths. It also mentioned that Rasa spected that these attacks were done by Konohagakure or Iwagakure.


    Baki said, "Lord Kazekage heard about the recent assassinations and was concerned about the safety of everyone in the Wind Capital. He sent me here to investigate the assassinations and increase the safety of the Wind Capital."


    Neither Baki nor the scroll mentioned anything about clearing Suna''s name. No words were needed for that.


    The Daimyo replied while watching Baki carefully, "The recent events have rmed me. So I have reached a deal with the Land of Iron to send 200 more Samurais here. Unfortunately, I don''t have any ess budget for it. So it will have toe out of the budget assigned to Sunagakure."


    Baki frowned. He said, "Lord Dai¡­"


    However, he was cut off by the Wind Daimyo, who said, "Save your breath. My meetings today were all about this matter. All my advisors and ministers have agreed upon it. I will send an official letter to Rasa soon."


    Baki knew that speaking anymore would be pointless. He turned around and said, "Alright. I will start investigating the assassinations."


    He left without bidding any farewells. The Daimyo saw him leave and let out a sigh while thinking, ''These warmongers keep getting more and more power-hungry. I had advised them against starting the Third Great Ninja War. But theypletely ignored me and started it without my knowledge or permission. In the end, they lost so badly that they were forced into an alliance with Konoha. Even then, they still haven''t learnt their lessons.''


    The Daimyo snorted and decided, ''If they want to continue being arrogant, so be it.''


    He looked at Hajime and said, "Send that letter to Mifune."


    Hajime nodded and left the room.


    After leaving, Baki''s mood was terrible. He could see that the Daimyo was intent on making Suna pay for the recent assassinations. He muttered, ''At this rate, Lord Rasa might decide to kill him instead of trying toe to terms with him.''


    He met with the other 19 ninjas. Soon they began investigating the deaths. After inspecting all the dead bodies, Baki concluded numerous clues.


    He analyzed, ''All 15 bodies have very simr injuries. It''s as if the same person has killed them. Or at the very least, all of them were probably trained by the same master. The wounds are definitely from wind des. But the same effect could also be achieved by the Wind Sword jutsu. So it is likely that 10 chunins had attacked instead of the spected 10 Jounins. This alone should be enough to get rid of most of the suspicions from us. But¡­''


    Baki frowned as he recalled his conversation with the Wind Daimyo and Hajime''s attitude. He thought, ''Unfortunately, the Daimyo seems to be intent on making us pay. He won''t pay any attention to this matter unless he has no other choice. In fact, even if we catch the culprits, he might still think that it is us framing someone else.''


    Suddenly, Baki had an idea. He realized, ''The only way topletely remove all suspicions would be to catch the culprits in this city and fight them openly. As long as they use Wind jutsus, no one will be able to me Suna. The only issue here is that the fighting in the city could cause a lot of damage to the city.''


    Baki''s expression hardened as he decided, ''But, seeing how the Daimyo treated us, I don''t need to be concerned about such damages. As long as the culprits are from Iwa or Konoha, the Daimyo will have no choice but to readjust the budgets and closely align himself back with us. Now, I just hope that those cowards haven''t run away!''


    The ''cowards'', who Baki had referred to, was sitting in one of the restaurants where he could asionally notice the Sunagakure ninjas. Numerous thoughts were running through his mind and numerous ns were being created.


    Fujin heard all the talks happening in the restaurant and outside. He thought, ''So 20 people were sent here just for me, huh? Looks like they didn''t suspect Shadow Clones. And their leader is Baki.''


    A smirk formed on Fujin''s face, ''Still, this is making it so easier for me. I have already seen 6 faces other than Baki. The next time, I will transform into them, hahaha. I wonder what Rasa''s thoughts would be if he received a message that the very ninjas he sent to investigate were being used of murder.''


    For the next couple of weeks, Baki and his squad searched the entire Wind Capital to find the culprits. Unfortunately, they didn''t find anyone.


    In these 2 weeks, no new incident urred. The Wind Daimyo and Hajime became more and more certain that the assassinations were carried out by the Sunagakure.


    Hajime wondered, ''Couldn''t Sunae up with a better scheme? First they kill Nobles and Samurais here and then they put up a charade of trying to desperately look for the culprit. Next, they will say that they haven''t found any culprit and hence will station some troops here permanently for ''protection''. Even a child could see through this scheme.''


    As Hajime predicted, after 2 weeks of desperately looking for the culprits, Baki stopped. He and his unit decided to stay there to stop the next wave of attacks.


    Another week and a half passed by peacefully. Most of themon citizens had begun forgetting about the incident earlier and moved on with their lives. Even the Suna ninjas and the Samurai had stopped maintaining full alertness.


    In one of the numerous mansions in the Wind Capital, a teenage girl was watering nts in her room while singing merrily. Suddenly, she felt a pain in the back of her neck. Instantly, she lost consciousness and began falling down. However, a hand held her and stopped her from falling to the ground.


    At the same time, the door of the room opened. A middle-aged man walked in saying, "Kohei, how many times should I te¡­ Who are you?"


    The man suddenly became stunned to see his daughter lying unconscious in the arms of an unknown Suna ninja. Memories of the 10 assassinations surfaced in his mind. He was about to yell when the Suna ninja suddenly appeared in front of him and grabbed his mouth and said, "Scream and both you and your daughter will die."


    The man felt an intense bloodlust from the ninja. Without letting the man speak, the ninja said, "Did you think that you could double-cross us by forming a secret deal with Amegakure?''


    The man''s eyes widened. The ninja was amused as well. He thought, ''I just made up a lie. To think that it would be true.''


    The man wanted to scream that his deal with Amegakure wasn''t harmful to Sunagakure in any way. On the contrary, it might benefit Sunagakure in the long term. However, he could not speak. The ninja was still grabbing his mouth so tightly that his cheeks had begun bleeding. The ninja said, "As this is just your first offense, I will only take the life of your daughter."


    The man''s eyes widened. He began struggling, but he was no match for the ninja. The ninja continued, "If you continue to betray us, or if you tell anyone about this interaction, then you and your family will be eliminated."


    The ninja grabbed the neck of the unconscious girl and strangled her till it popped. The man struggled helplessly, but he could only see his daughter die in front of his eyes. Tears rolled down his eyes.


    The ninja tossed the man away and disappeared. Rage and sorrow were visible in the man''s eyes. He screamed, "KOHEI!!!!!"


    His screams alerted the entire mansion. Immediately a Samurai and a few others came running. They saw their Lord sobbing with the dead body of his daughter in his arms.


    Her mother saw her dead daughter and began crying in disbelief and pain as well. She cried, "Who did this, Kojiro?"


    Kojiro''s eyes reddened. He said hatefully, "Sunagakure! I will never forgive them."


    He looked at the Samurai and said, "I want to meet Lord Daimyo. Come with me. But first, call a few more of yourrades to protect my family."


    The Samurai nodded and immediately got to work. After ensuring sufficient protection, Kojiro along with a Samurai began moving towards the Daimyo''s estate. However, he wasn''t alone. Eleven more Nobles were also walking towards the Daimyo''s estate in rage and sorrow.

 Chapter 257: Proving their Innocence

    Fujin received all the memories and sighed, ''I don''t mind killing the greedy Nobles. None of them have their hands clean. But killing innocent ones always leaves a bad taste.''


    Though the training in Anbu wasn''t as messed up as Root training, it still was quite dark. Every new Anbu was made to kill a few innocent people on missions by the Anbu Captains. Of course, their deaths would benefit Konoha in some way, but they themselves didn''t harm Konoha or anyone else. Hence no one would think that they deserved death.


    Under normal circumstances, every new Anbu would be made to do this within a month of joining the Anbu. However, since Fujin''s group was much younger with ages of just 12 and 13, they were asked to do this on a mission around six months after joining and after they had alreadypleted a few missions. Despite not liking it, all three did it.


    After the first time, the Anbumander would ensure that every once in a while, the Anbu ninjas would receive a mission that would include killing innocent civilians. It would be asked of them in a very subtle manner. The method was theplete opposite of the Root. Eventually, after years of serving in the Anbu, the Anbu ninjas would begin considering this as normal.


    Fujin, despite his intelligence and knowledge about the Naruto world, didn''t notice this subtle scheme. But, to be fair, he wasn''t the only one. Every Anbu ninja, including the likes of Kakashi and Itachi, was subtly influenced over the years. However, since Fujin''s time in the Anbu wasn''t very long, he wasn''t influenced to an extreme end and would avoid it if he had the option.


    Of course, if anyone couldn''t do this, they were allowed to leave the Anbu. However, the instances of someone leaving Anbu, for this reason, were very low. The main reason was that Hiruzen would be very careful while selecting ninjas into the Anbu ranks. This was why someone like Might Guy was never invited into the Anbu.


    Daimyo''s Estate -


    12 Nobles apanied by 12 Samurais arrived in Daimyo''s office. All reported the assassination angrily and demanded to the Daimyo to take action against Suna ninjas and the vige as well. The entire room was inplete chaos!


    The Wind Daimyo sighed. He wondered, ''What are these lunatics doing? Do they want to rebel against me? Or is it really someone else who is pushing the me on them?''


    The Wind Daimyo was confused. At the same time, he was a bit fearful. After all, even though he held the authority, in terms of power, he was no match for the Kazekage. If the Kazekage decided to kill him, it wouldn''t matter how many Samurais he hired to protect himself.


    However, he shook his head and concluded, ''No, if Rasa attacks me, then he will have to face retaliation from the other Daimyos. Though their Kages don''t have to listen to them, they will as they could all plunder Sunagakure together and divide the benefits among themselves.


    The only fear is if three or more Kage decided to revolt against their Daimyo. In that case, we will be history. However, the other Kages haven''t shown any such indications yet. So Rasa would not dare to make a move against me yet.''


    Though he didn''t want to take action, he couldn''t let the grievances of the 12 Nobles go unanswered. He instructed, "Call Baki and the other Sunagakure ninjas. Hajime, increase the defenses of the estate."


    Hajime nodded and said, "It will be done, Lord Daimyo."


    He immediately got to work. Soon, over 50 Samurais arrived at the Daimyo''s mansion and took positions. Hajime stayed by the Wind Daimyo''s side.


    Baki received the message. He frowned and wondered, ''What now? Does the Daimyo have any problems with us staying here?''


    He gathered all his subordinates and went towards the Daimyo''s estate. Fujin was sitting in a restaurant near Daimyo''s estate using Hiroshi''s appearance. He noticed the twenty Suna ninjas running towards the estate. He wondered, ''Will they be imprisoned? Or will Baki manage to convince the Daimyo? Sigh, I want to watch their meeting. It''ll be fun for sure.''


    Baki and the rest entered the estate. A frown formed on Baki''s face. The remaining Suna ninjas also became alert. They could see that the number of Samurais in the mansion had increased a lot.


    They walked to Daimyo''s office. As soon as they did, the eyes of the Nobles widened. Kojiro pointed at one ninja and screamed, "It was him! This bastard killed my daughter! I want him dead!"


    The other 11 Nobles also screamed at the same time while pointing towards other ninjas. The room becameplete chaos once again and was drowned in their screams.


    The Sunagakure ninjas were dumbfounded at the usations. Baki had a bad feeling.


    The Daimyomanded, "Quiet down!"


    Soon, the entire room became quiet. However, the nobles kept looking at the Sunagakure ninjas with hateful gazes. If looks could have killed, then all Sunagakure ninjas would have already been dead!


    Daimyo said, "How would you exin this, Baki?"


    Baki replied, "I have no idea what you or they are talking about, Lord Daimyo."


    The Daimyo frowned. He analyzed, ''From his expression, it looks like he really doesn''t know anything. The faces of others are clueless as well. But, do they really not know anything or are just acting?''


    He said, "Do you really not know? Twelve of your subordinates assassinated family members of these nobles. And you say you have no idea. Has the Kazekage decided to break all ties with me?"


    Baki''s bad feelings increased. He quickly replied, "That''s impossible. Why will we kill them?"


    He looked at the nobles and identified a few. He added, "Some of them have a good rtionship with our vige. We have no reason to destroy our ties with them."


    Kojiro screamed, "You found out about my trade deals with Amegakure. You killed my daughter to make me stop doing that despite that trade deal having no adverse impact on Sunagakure."


    Another Noble screamed, "Bastard, I don''t even have any trade deals with any other country. Still this lunatic falsely used me and killed my wife!"


    The Suna ninjas immediately defended themselves and said that they didn''t kill anyone. Soon, a verbal argument broke out.


    However, Baki was silent. He was sweating as he realized, ''Don''t tell me¡­ The previous attackers kept hiding in the city until we dropped our guard down. In the meantime, they must have seen us and decided to disguise themselves as us to kill their next target. Additionally, there were two more attackers this time.


    The previous time, we were only suspected due to the use of the Wind jutsu. However, this time, their suspicion will be entirely on us. Due to the rage of losing a loved one, they won''t even listen to any exnations.''


    Baki stopped his subordinates and said, "Lord Daimyo, you know that ninjas are able to transform into others. I believe that the culprits of the previous assassinations disguised as us so that our rtions will deteriorate further."


    Kojiro snorted, "Sure they can transform. But can they replicate their voice as well? Even if they can, how can they replicate his voice so perfectly? Even if someone transformed, it will have to be someone from your group!"


    Baki was stunned. He muttered to himself, ''Don''t tell me that we interrogated all the culprits and still didn''t notice them? How else could they replicate our voice?''


    However, Baki shook his head and said, "We have been very active in the Wind Capital recently. It isn''t surprising that they could have overheard us."


    Kojiro''s anger kept soaring. He said, "Good good. So what you mean to say is that you are so ipetent that not only could you find the previous culprits, but instead you allowed them topletely disguise themselves as you? And you call yourself a ninja?"


    This insult angered many of the Sunagakure ninjas. They immediately argued back and said howpetent and capable they were.


    Kojiro replied while pointing at a ninja, "If that''s the case, then my daughter was murdered by none other than him!"


    The Sunagakure ninjas were left speechless. Though they were much stronger in strength, when it came to debating, they were no match for the Nobles who spent all their time scheming for benefits. After all, not every ninja could scheme or argue as well as a Kage could.


    Baki stepped in once again and said loudly, "This is a pointless argument. I can assure you that none of my ninjas were involved."


    He looked at the Nobles and said, "One by one, point out the ninjas you saw in your mansions and at what time. I will ask them where they were at that time and we will verify. That will prove that my men are innocent."


    Before the Nobles could say anything, the Daimyo nodded, "Alright, let''s do that."


    The Noblesined but the Daimyo said, "We will first have to know the truth. Your loved ones won''t rest in peace if the real murderers roam free while we punish the ones who didn''t."

 Chapter 258: Forcing the Kazekage out of Sunagakure

    Since the Daimyo had made his decision, the Nobles quieted down. Soon, the 12 ninjas whom Fujin impersonated were being questioned. They all stated where and with whom they were and what they were doing. The Samurais began verifying all the information and cross-checking it with people who could vouch that they were indeed in those locations.


    11 ninjas were around other people and hence they had multiple alibis. However, one ninja was hiding and doing an undercover task. Hence no one noticed him during that time. So despite telling his location, he had no alibi.


    The locations of the remaining 8 ninjas were also asked as the Nobles mentioned that they could have transformed. Even among them, except one, all had good alibis. The Suna ninjas left no stone unturned in order to clear their name!


    All proof indicated that the Suna ninjas were innocent and were framed. The Nobles went quiet. Though two ninjas didn''t have any alibi, the rest had them. So they weren''t sure anymore. However, they didn''t want to give up. After all, their loved ones were killed in front of their eyes.


    If they assumed that someone else was the culprit, then they would never get justice. After all, the killers of the previous incident were still roaming free. No matter how much the families of the dead nobles cried and created a ruckus, they didn''t get the justice they deserved.


    Suddenly, one Noble recalled something. He quickly said, "Can''t ninjas use clones? What if they stayed there while their clones did their dirty work for them? After all, we can''t put up a fight against clones either."


    Baki and the Suna ninjas were put under pressure once again. Baki said, "ording to what you described, the ninjas who attacked you had solid bodies. We use Wind clones who don''t have solid bodies and are easy to be dispelled. If your killers were clones, then they would be Shadow Clones of Konohagakure or Rock Clones of Iwagakure. None of us know how to do those clones."


    Hajime raised his eyebrows. He could counter Baki''s point, but he didn''t, as he recalled the scroll he received, ''Lord Mifune asked me not to take sides in this matter as long as no one is fighting. Though I don''t like how Suna is behaving, I should let it go as it isn''t my business.''


    In order to pacify the Land of Iron, Rasa had reached a deal privately with them andpensated them appropriately despite not havingmitted the crime. As a result, Baki was saved from being pushed further into the corner by Hajime.


    One of the Nobles asked, "How can you prove that you can''t create those types of clones?"


    Baki was annoyed. He asked, "How can you prove that we do?"


    The Noble didn''t back off and replied, "You can''t prove that you can''t create those types of clones. And two of your ninjas were still missing at the moment of the murders. Perhaps these two are the only ones who can create those types of clones and hence were missing. So you guys still are the most suspicious ones."


    Baki showed an annoyed expression. He argued, "Do you think a ninja can create clones at will? Do even know how much chakra is needed to create one?"


    Despite showing an irritated expression, Baki was relieved. He thought, ''Good. From certainty, they have backed off to just suspicions.''


    They entered another debate whichsted 15 minutes. Finally, the Daimyo said, "Enough. You have made your point Baki. But you Suna ninjas are still the most suspicious ones. For the time being, I will be cing the 12 ninjas they saw and the missing ninja under arrest. As for the rest, you will be apanied by Samurais at all times."


    Baki''s expression became ugly. He said, "Lord Daimyo, you can''t¡­"


    However, the Daimyo interrupted him and said, "Calm down. They will only be ced under house arrest. And all thirteen ninjas will stay together. So you don''t need to worry about them being treated unfairly. If you want, you can visit them daily. I''ll send a letter to Rasa and ask him toe here before this matter explodes beyond the point where we can resolve it."


    Baki analyzed for a few seconds and agreed to those terms. He gave some instructions to the 13 ninjas and, left the estate with the remaining 6 Suna ninjas. The remaining 13 Suna ninjas were ced in arge room with Samurais watching over them.


    Fujin noticed the 7 ninjas leaving and began analyzing, ''Only 7 left the estate? Meaning that 13 are still in the estate. But I only impersonated 12 of them. After all, I heard only their voices and have no idea how the rest sounded. Did someone else also try the same tactic coincidently? What exactly happened inside?''


    Fujin kept analyzing but couldn''t be certain. He concluded, ''Since only 7 came out, I am sure that they weren''t let go scot-free. But since they seem fine, no conflict should have taken ce. Meaning that Baki and the Daimyo came to some agreement. Looks like I will have to wait for information to be released or for rumors to spread.''


    Fujin got up and began leaving. He sighed and muttered to himself, ''Why is everyone so smart? It''d have been so easy if they epted the events as presented to them and just suspected Sunagakure blindly. I could have returned to Konoha by now if they did so and their troubles would also end.''


    Fujin returned to his hotel room and waited patiently. He knew that the next few days would be very tense in the Wind Capital.


    The Wind Daimyo soon sent a message to the Kazekage informing him about the recent events and asking him toe to the Wind Capital city. At the same time, Baki also sent a message to Rasa informing him of everything that happened in detail.


    Sunagakure -


    Unlike Fujin who was calmly bidding for time, Rasa was absolutely livid. Rasa crushed the scroll in his hand and cursed angrily, "What the hell? Who does he think he is?"


    However, his advisors quickly said, "Please calm yourself Lord Kazekage. We are not in any position to make any move against Lord Daimyo. If something were to happen to him, all other viges would attack us like vultures!"


    Rasa calmed down and snorted, "I will go and make a visit. You two,e with me. Also, bring our best sensors along."


    The advisors nodded. They began gathering the forces and preparing to leave.


    Rasa was disappointed in Baki. He wondered, ''What the hell is Baki doing? How could he allow things to deteriorate so much under his watch? Are the enemies so good that he ispletely helpless?''


    Not knowing the answers, Rasa left Sunagakure along with two advisors, two sensors and four Anbu ninjas. At the same time, 10 squads of Anbu left Sunagakure and began following Rasa''s group from a distance. In total, 46 ninjas headed towards the Wind Capital city!


    Wind Capital -


    Back in Wind Capital, rumors had begun flying around the city. These were being spread by the twelve Nobles who were affected. Once again, the entire city began gossiping.


    Fujin heard a bunch of rumors as well. However, unlike a normal citizen, he noticed a bunch of inconsistencies. He analyzed, ''The rumors say that Daimyo has decided to punish the evil Suna ninjas. But I doubt that would be the case. Otherwise, Baki wouldn''t have withdrawn peacefully.


    I guess the rumors are being spread by those nobles so that the Daimyo is forced into taking action. But, why has the Daimyo not made any statement? It''s almost as if the Daimyo wants these rumors to be known all through the city.''


    Unlike Fujin, who was analyzing calmly, Baki and his subordinates were panicking. Baki too arrived at the same conclusion as Fujin. However, he had more information than Fujin. He realized, ''The Daimyo isn''t crushing these rumors as he wants a public perception to be built against Sunagakure. This way, when Lord Rasa arrives, he will be under a lot of pressure.''


    However, despite noticing Daimyo''s scheme, Baki couldn''t do anything. After all, he was being watched by Samurais at all times.


    The rumors would continue spreading unrestricted. At the same time, they would be exaggerated to ridiculous extents. However, after some time, all the rumors would be silenced by one piece of news - The Fourth Kazekage had arrived at the Wind Capital city!

 Chapter 259: Trouble Comes

    Irrespective of the rumors and politics, the Kazekage was still the leader of Sunagakure. He was one of the five people who stood at the top of the ninja world!


    As such, he was looked at with awe and reverence throughout the Land of Wind. Immediately people flocked over to the ce the Kazekage was walking through.


    Most threw the rumors to the back of their minds. However, a few became alert. If the rumors were true, then it could mean trouble. After all, the Kazekage himself had toe to the Wind Capital city to clear up the matter.


    Rasa continued walking through the streets slowly. He was followed by two advisors and two sensors. The Anbu had stopped outside the city. As soon as the news of his arrival spread, people began rushing towards him. At first, only a few people were on the side of the street. However, in a few minutes, both sides of the streets were jam-packed!


    Rasa looked at the people surrounding the streets with a smile. He could have hurried through to the Daimyo''s estate. However, he didn''t as this was a good opportunity to show that he had public support and make the Daimyo think twice about alienating him any further.


    Among the numerous people watching him was Fujin. Unlike his previously rxed state of mind, he was very tense. He thought, ''Shit! Why the fuck did he show up? Granted I created a mess, but that shouldn''t have been enough to call a Kage here, right?''


    Fujin wasn''t concerned when Baki arrived as he was confident of escaping even if Baki somehow discovered him. However, if Rasa was to find him, Fujin didn''t have much confidence in his ability to run away. The resultant fight was sure to give away his identity as well.


    However, despite being tense, Fujin wasn''t panicking as he knew, ''He won''t go around looking for the culprits. That would be unbing of a Kage. I just have to avoid making any moves while he is in the city.''


    His expression hardened as he decided, ''Of course. Once he leaves, I will create a mess and leave this city for good.''


    In the Wind Capital, Fujin wasn''t the only one who was on alert. There were four more people whose expressions were ugly. One of them cursed, ''Which bastard is acting so brazenly? How can I do my promotion mission when the Kazekage is in the city? Shit! I should have left when the Samurais and the Suna ninjas had calmed down.''


    A few Konoha Anbu were in this city as well for the promotion mission. However, they all had to stop acting after Fujin killed 10 nobles. Most of them had escaped the city in the week before Fujin made his second move. Only four had decided to continue their mission in this city. However, Fujin''s actions endangered all of them. Just like Fujin, they decided to maintain a low profile as well.


    Along with Konoha Anbu, there were dozens of other spies and undercover ninjas operating in the Land of Wind from every other vige. They too cursed the bastard who operated in such a high-profile manner.


    Rasa continued his journey towards the Daimyo''s estate. Baki had met up with him mid-route and informed him about the rumors. Rasa maintained a smile on his face, however, his mood was gloomy. He was extremely upset with the Daimyo. Under everyone''s gaze, he entered the Daimyo''s estate.


    Fujin sighed, ''I really need an inside man. How am I supposed to act when I have no idea what deal is taking ce between them?''


    Of course, Fujin could try to have his clones infiltrate the estate, but it would be very risky. If alerted, the Daimyo would know that someone other than Rasa is active in the Wind Capital city. That would be counterproductive for Fujin and would cause his previous efforts to go to waste.


    Fujin entered a restaurant and waited for Rasa to leave the estate. However, he didn''t expect to gain much, ''Though he is younger and probably much more foolish, he is still a Kage like that old fox. I doubt I''d see anything from his expression. But, since there are so many people here, one additional guy staring at him shouldn''t rm him. I might as well wait and see.''


    Inside Daimyo''s office, Rasa and the Wind Daimyo entered an intense debate. Rasa was upset at how the Daimyo had consistently cut his budget and ced his ninjas under house arrest. Meanwhile, the Daimyo was upset at the tant killings of his Nobles.


    After a couple of hours of intense discussion, both finally reached a consensus. The Daimyo said, "Alright. For the next twelve months, I won''t lower your budget any further. However, you will have to ensure the safety of the Nobles in the Wind Capital."


    Rasa noticed an opportunity and immediately said, "Alright, you can issue missions for protection in Sunagakure. I will reserve up to one thousand ninjas who will be ready to move out on notice."


    Unlike Konoha which was suffering from a shortage of manpower, Suna had plenty of spare manpower. Though their total number of ninjas was far lesser than Konoha, the number of missions they received was very lesspared to Konoha. So many ninjas didn''t have any work to do. Rasa wanted to use this opportunity to alleviate some of that problem.


    However, the Daimyo shook his head and said, "No. That won''t work. You will have to deploy the ninjas by yourself to ensure their safety. You won''t receive any payments for this."


    Rasa frowned. He said, "How can that work? How will I even be able to afford that?"


    The Daimyo replied, "Your budget has sufficient funds to be diverted here. Besides, most people in this city think that Sunagakure was behind the recent wave of murders. The nobles all think that you were behind the murders as well. So how can they even be willing to hire Sunagakure ninjas for protection?


    You will have to deploy ninjas in this city without any missions and ensure the safety of all the Nobles. In time, they will forget about this event and their trust in Sunagakure will increase. If you don''t, then don''t expect a single mission from the Wind City. And if any more Nobles or their families die and you are the suspect, then they will put pressure on me to reduce your budget."


    Rasa''s frown kept deepening. He wasn''t sure how to respond. After all, both options were bad for Sunagakure. One of the old advisors sitting next to him said, "Lord Daimyo, just like you, we also have to answer to public pressure. I understand your point of view, but please also understand our troubles. How about we find amon ground and you pay us an annual fee to deploy our ninjas in the Wind City permanently."


    The Daimyo thought for a bit and nodded. After haggling for a bit, the old advisor managed to get 1.5 million Ryo per month from the Daimyo. However, Rasa wasn''t happy. The amount was in no way evenparable to the amount of money that Sunagakure would have received if the Nobles had issued missions.


    Unfortunately, he had no other choice. He nodded and said, "Alright. However, I have another condition. If there are no more incidents, then I want you to increase this amount next year by a huge amount."


    The Daimyo nodded and said, "That is fair. We will renegotiate the terms next year."


    The two talked for a bit before leaving. The thirteen ninjas that were kept under house arrest were allowed to leave with the Kazekage. However, instead of returning to Suna, Rasa stayed in the city. He looked at two sensors andmanded, "Roam around the city in disguises. Check if there are any spies or troublemakers and eliminate them."


    They nodded and left. The news that the Kazekage has decided to stay in the city spread like wildfire. Every spy in the city, no matter from which vige they were, immediately went into hiding. They employed every means they had to suppress their chakra levels to civilian levels and stayed hidden within the houses.


    Fujin stayed in his hotel as well. He had no intention to try his luck against Rasa. However, he began analyzing, ''I made a Kage move. Will this make my mission a sess? After all, a mere Chunin forced a Kage to make a move.''


    Fujin thought for a bit and realized, ''No, there are two ways to see this. If I was being tested on my ability to make an impact, then this feat would be a very good one. However, my mission is to create a divide between the Wind Daimyo and the Kazekage. If this meeting results in their differences being resolved, then my mission would be a failure.''


    Fujin sighed and muttered, "What a mess."


    He decided, ''No more undercover missions for me. Though ying the game of chess is fun, I''d much rather just kill all my targets and return to training. Now that I think about it, it''s been almost 2 months since I used the elemental training rooms. Hiruzen for sure would suspect that I was the one who kept draining the Wind crystals. Oh well. It''s not like he canin. Even if he discovers, he will stay quiet so that I don''t begin using them openly and without any restraints.''


    The two sensors Rasa brought with him kept roaming in the city for three days. Fujin felt chakra fields sensing him several times. In these three days, the two sensors found 13 spies and undercover agents. However, they were all from smaller viges. No one from the other major viges was caught by them.


    The Sunagakure ninjas quickly made a move on them and neutralized them one by one. Their fights caused some property damage to the city. Unfortunately, none of them were wind users. So Sunagakure couldn''t pin the me on them.


    After three days, the two sensors met Rasa and said, "Apologies, Lord Kazekage. We couldn''t sense the culprits who did the assassinations."


    Rasa replied, "It''s fine. If they didn''t have the confidence to hide, they wouldn''t have done something so outrageous in the first ce. Anyways, begin preparations to leave. You and Baki will stay back here. I''ll send some Anbu to coordinate with you in secret."


    At that instant, a group of twelve ninjas approached the city. The Samurais guarding the city were already on full alert due to the recent events. They immediately noticed them. The group wasn''t aware of the recent events in the city and approached the guards.


    Hayashi Ryota put one hand on the hilt of his sword and said loudly, "Halt. State your name and purpose."


    The ninjas immediately stopped. One of them said, "I am Oda Seiji. Ie from Kurogane no Sensen mercenary group. Around a couple of months ago, a squad of our mercenaries was hired to escort a trading group to this city. But since then, we haven''t heard anything from them. So we came here to investigate."

 Chapter 260: Rasas Gaze

    The mercenary group from which the real Hiroshi had hired protection had arrived in the Wind Capital city to investigate the reason why theirrades didn''t return for almost 2 months.


    Ryota had handled several such cases in the past. In the majority of cases, this was a result of those squads being killed in action. He replied, "I see. Can you tell me the names of the ninjas and the traders?"


    Seiji nodded and informed him of the names of his ninjas. He added, "They were tasked to guard a mercenary group led by Takahashi Hiroshi."


    Ryota nodded and passed the details to a few civilians who used to sit with them. After a while, one person said, "Ryota-sama. The ninja names they mentioned haven''t arrived here."


    Seiji heard it and let out a sigh. He had expected this result.


    Suddenly, another person said, "Takahashi Hiroshi and his trader group had arrived in this city 51 days ago. You were the one who epted them, Ryota-sama."


    The mercenary group were surprised to hear this information. Ryota took the document and read it. He said, "Yeah, I have some memories. This group was very polite."


    Seiji squinted his eyes and asked, "But if our members are missing, how can they have arrived here unharmed?"


    Ryota shrugged and replied, "How would I know?"


    Seiji said, "We want to meet with Hiroshi and question him."


    However, Ryota shook his head and said, "Unfortunately, I can''t allow that. Once a trader or a merchant arrives in the city, he is our guest. We cannot allow him to be harassed."


    Seiji frowned. He withdrew a bag and handed it to Ryota secretly and asked, "Can we meet up with him now?"


    Ryota took a quick look inside the bag. It had around one hundred thousand Ryo. He smiled and said, "Sure. How can I deny our esteemed guests?"


    The mercenaries maintained their smile but scoffed internally at his morals. Meanwhile, the other Samurais and civilians guarding the gate were joyous. After all, they too would receive a share. Ryota sent a samurai to find and bring Hiroshi to the gate.


    An hourter, a Samurai knocked on the door. Fujin was surprised. He wondered, ''Are they still finding the culprits?''


    He opened the door and politely greeted, "Hello. How may I help you?"


    The Samurai looked at him and said, "Hayashi Ryota, the samurai who you met while entering the city wants to meet you. Pleasee with me."


    Fujin frowned. He didn''t understand what it was about. He asked, "Why? And why didn''t hee here?"


    The Samurai said, "He is busy and can''t leave the City gates. That''s why he sent me. As for the reason, you will have to ask him."


    He began walking. Fujin followed while thinking, ''What the hell is this about? Did they figure out that I was the culprit? No, that doesn''t make sense. A lot more people would show up if they did. Hell, Rasa mighte himself!''


    Fortunately, the Samurai wasn''t walking in the direction of where Rasa was staying. Though suspicious, Fujin followed thinking, ''It doesn''t matter what he is nning. As long as Rasa isn''t involved, I''ll be able to get away.''


    They arrived at the city gates. Ryota looked at Hiroshi and warmly said, "We meet again, Hiroshi. Did you enjoy the city?"


    Fujin nodded and said, "Yes. I have fallen in love with the city. I can''t seem to want to leave it. Haha. But, why did you call me?"


    Ryota pointed at a group of ninjas who were walking towards them and said, "These are from the mercenary group Kurogane no Sensen. They want to ask you about the ninjas who took the mission of protecting you."


    Ryota looked at Fujin meaningfully. After all, there were no ninjas protecting his group. And he hadn''t mentioned them when they arrived.


    Fujin was surprised. He thought, ''I see. They have finallye to investigate. Sign, such bad timing. If they had arrived after Rasa left, I would have had so many more options. Looks like this identity can''t be used anymore. Though it is probably not a bad thing to leave this city now. Rasa and Daimyo should havee to some sort of a deal. So if I make a move now, the Daimyo will lean more towards believing that someone is setting him up.''


    Seiji approached Fujin and said sternly, "Hiroshi, I am Oda Seiji from Kurogane no Sensen. Can tell me why your group arrived in the city without the squad assigned to protect you?"


    Unlike Ryota, Seiji was much more aggressive. Fujin walked back a couple of steps and showed a fearful expression. Ryota took a step in between them to remind Seiji that this was the Wind Capital city. Seiji stopped but still stared at Fujin.


    Fujin answered with a hint of fear in his voice, "On our route, we encountered an injured man. He said that his group was attacked by bandits and asked for our help. The ninjas we hired initially refused the injured man. But the man promised to give them all his profits from the goods that he was going to trade.


    That made them change their mind. Two of the ninjas followed the man while the remaining two escorted us to this city. However, since we didn''t hear from those two ninjas again, the other two got worried. So after this city was in sight, they left us and went back to look for them. I don''t know what happened after that."


    Seiji frowned. He analyzed, ''Seeing how scared he is, I doubt he is lying. Besides, we are a mercenary organization. People chasing after more money is verymon in our line of work. Did they fall into a trap? And why did the remaining two chase after them? No, something doesn''t add up."


    He asked, "Where did you find that man?"


    Fujin replied, "Around four days'' journey from here."


    Seiji replied, "Okay. You wille with us and take us to that ce and help us find them."


    Fujin immediately said, "No. The man was in a very bad state. I don''t want to end up like him."


    Seiji replied, "You won''t. We will be there with you."


    However, Fujin kept saying no. When Seiji was about to get aggressive, Fujin said, "This is the Wind Capital. You can''t forcefully take me from here."


    Seiji frowned and looked at Ryota who looked to be on Fujin''s side. He said, "Help me out, brother. I will make sure that he is safe and that you arepensated."


    Fujin immediately wondered, ''Compensated?''


    Ryota nodded and looked at Fujin and said, "Hiroshi, you don''t need to be worried. With twelve ninjas, even I won''t be able to do anything to them. So the bandits won''t pose a threat to you. In addition, you need to save the ninjas who brought you here safely. Or at the very least, you should get justice for them."


    Seeing that everyone was against him, Fujin''s face became very ugly. He reluctantly nodded, "Alright."


    The Samurais and the mercenaries smiled. After all, Hiroshi was just an ordinary trader. How could he disobey them? Seiji secretly passed another hundred thousand Ryo to Ryota.


    Fujin obviously noticed it and decided, ''In the future, if I decide to steal or plunder, I will definitely start with the Land of Iron. In terms of cash flow, that will definitely be the richest country in this world!''


    This wasn''t the first time Fujin had seen an ''honorable'' samurai act in this manner. Almost every Samurai working for Daimyo or in Capital cities was very liberal when it came to epting bribes. In addition, the Daimyos also paid them a lot for the protection they provided. In addition, they were also thergest suppliers of basic ninja tools and chakra metal weapons and also mined thest few remaining Elemental Crystal mines. So a lot of money keeps getting funneled continuously into the Land of Iron.


    They were about to leave when suddenly amotion was heard. The entire group looked back to see the Kazekage walking towards the city gate along with a few Sunagakure ninjas.


    Everyone immediately became tense. They quickly moved out of the way and stood on one side of the road respectfully. Rasa passed through the gate without paying any attention to them. The mercenary group sighed in relief.


    However, Rasa suddenly stopped and nced towards the mercenary group and thought, ''Weird, why do I get a peculiar feeling from this group?''


    Rasa didn''t sense anything from this group. However, he just felt as if something about them was off.

 Chapter 261: Unknowingly throwing the Opportunist to the Center of the Battle!

    One of Rasa''s advisors asked, "What''s the matter, Lord Kazekage?"


    Rasa turned around and continued walking. He asked, "Who were those people?"


    Though his voice wasn''t soft, Fujin and the mercenaries didn''t hear it due to the distance between them.


    The advisor answered, "They are wearing the headband of the mercenary group Kurogane no Sensen. It is the group that is active in the countries between us and Earth. Is there any issue with them?"


    Rasa replied, "It''s just a feeling. Send three Anbu groups to chase after them. I have a feeling that we will find something important by trailing them."


    The advisor nodded.


    The mercenary group had be very tense and nervous when Rasa nced at them. Even Fujin was the same. He didn''t have any desire whatsoever to face Rasa. Especially when they were surrounded by deserts.


    When Rasa turned around and continued walking, the mercenaries finally began breathing again. Fujin also became visibly rxed. He decided, ''Alright, no more mess in this city. Though unlikely, if this is his clone and his main body is hiding inside the city, I will be in deep trouble.''


    After Rasa left their line of sight, the mercenary group immediately left the Wind Capital. One of them carried Fujin on his back so that they would be able to move faster. For once, Fujin didn''t object.


    After Rasa''s group moved a sufficient distance from the city, 40 Anbu ninjas appeared in front of them. Rasa immediately assigned tasks to them. 3 squads of Anbu chased after the Kurogane no Sensen mercenaries. 4 squads were tasked to sneak into the Wind Capital and keep an eye on the city from the shadows. They would coordinate with Baki to catch all undercover enemy ninjas in the city. Thest 3 squads would keep an eye on the surroundings of the Wind Capital and keep track of the people travelling in and out of the city.


    Rasa and the advisors immediately began travelling back to Sunagakure.


    The mercenary group continued without knowing that they were being followed. Since Fujin couldn''t activate his chakra field, even he was unaware. Fujin acted like he was helpless and obediently guided them towards the location. After travelling for nearly half a day, the group arrived at the spot where Fujin had killed their members.


    Fujin said, "This is the spot where we met that man. He was sitting here and was covered in blood."


    Seiji looked at Fujin. Fujin looked very tired and sleepy. The mercenaries didn''t find it odd as it waste at night and they had travelled for twelve hours straight!


    Seiji asked, "Are youpletely sure?"


    Fujin looked nervous and said, "I am confident. However, this is a never-ending desert. Everything looks the same. So I can''t be 100% sure."


    Seiji looked sinisterly and said, "You better hope that we find them. Otherwise, you will have hell to pay. Even your family won''t be spared."


    Fujin''s face became nervous and said, "I am sure that we met that man around here."


    Seiji looked around and said, "Everyone, investigate the nearby area. See if you can find any tracks."


    Everyone nodded and began looking. The group had a couple of sensors. They spread their chakra fields and began investigating. For a couple of minutes, they didn''t find anything.


    Fujin observed them. The nervousness on his face faded away. He decided, ''It''s time.''


    He was about to flicker when the eyes of one of the sensors widened. He shouted at the top of his lungs, "Everyone, gather together!"


    Fujin hadn''t used his chakra yet. He was surprised and stopped his ns.


    Immediately, all 12 ninjas gathered next to each other. Seiji asked, "What did you sense?"


    The sensor said loudly, "We have been led into an ambush."


    Seiji and others looked at Fujin and stared at him. Fujin was dumbfounded. He thought, ''The one who is supposed to ambush you is me. Who else is here? Did those four I killed be zombies?''


    Seiji grabbed Fujin''s cor and cursed, "Hiroshi, you dare lead us into an ambush?"


    Fujin became alert. He could have killed Seiji, but he was on guard against who their sensor had sensed. He said, "I have no idea about any ambush."


    At the same time, he raised his guard to the max. If Seiji or anyone else would have any thoughts of killing him, he would retaliate.


    Before Seiji could retort or take action, twelve Anbu ninjas of Sunagakure appeared in front of them.


    One of them said, "I wonder what Kurogane no Sensen ninjas are searching for in the Land of Wind."


    He took a look at Fujin and added, "That too with a civilian leading you."


    Seiji replied, "Our squad that was assigned to protect them went missing. We are investigating them."


    The Anbu ninja said, "Nice story. I will have to ask you to surrender without a struggle. Otherwise, it won''t end well for you."


    A glint appeared in Fujin''s eyes. He thought, ''Good. These two can fight each other. No one will waste their time on a civilian. Once one of them wins, I will kill the survivors.''


    However, suddenly his eyes widened. Seiji grabbed Fujin with more force and said, "Interrogate this civilian. You can verify our story from him!"


    He lifted Fujin and threw him at the Suna Anbu ninjas. Fujin shouted in panic, "Wait, don''t do this! Bastard, you promised my safety!"


    However, he was still sent flying towards the Anbu. He cursed, ''Shit, I wanted to take advantage of their fight and kill them all. But he pushed me to the center of it!''


    The lead Anbu smirked behind his mask and grabbed a kunai. He swiped it at Fujin while keeping his eyes on the mercenaries and saying, "Do you think that you can get away by using a civilian as a distra¡­"


    Suddenly, one of the Anbu ninjas shouted, "Be careful!"


    Fujin was just one meter away from the Anbu who was swinging a kunai at him when he opened his mouth and exhaled extremely sharp winds on the unsuspecting Suna ninjas. The attention of the Suna ninjas was on the mercenaries. The attack caught them off guard. The lead Anbu ninja was hit head-on. The winds shed through his neck and beheaded him. Both his detached head and body had several deep cuts from which blood sprayed out like fountains.


    Nine more ninjas suffered a simr fate. They fell with their eyes wide open, not expecting to die so suddenly on a simple mission. Only the Anbu who shouted and the anbu next to him jumped backwards in time to dodge the attack.


    Fujin noticed them in the air and flickered, appearing behind them in the blink of an eye. Both grabbed their kunai and turned around to face him.


    The mercenary group was dumbfounded. They had examined Fujin before leaving and hadn''t found anything suspicious about him. They saw Fujin open his mouth and shot multiple air bullets. Thest two Suna Anbu had their bodies riddled with holes. Both fell down dead like the rest of theirrades.


    Having killed all the Suna ninjas, Fujin turned his gaze towards the mercenaries. In an instant, everyone grabbed their weapons and watched Fujin with grim expressions. The Suna group who they were afraid of was ughtered with ease by the ''trader'' they forcefully brought along with them. Seiji asked, "Who are you? And why did you hire one of our squads if you are so strong?"


    Seiji obviously realized that the person in front of him was in disguise. However, he wasn''t if he had disguised as Hiroshi all along or if he had reced Hiroshiter. He decided to act oblivious to leave an escape for himself.


    Fujin realized it and thought, ''Good attitude. Unfortunately, you shouldn''t have taken the initiative to bring me out of the city.''


    Without a word, Fujin disappeared. Their sensor immediately shouted, "On our right!"


    Everyone turned their heads, only to see a gigantic Wind Dragon heading towards them. They immediately dispersed. The Dragon tackled the spot they were standing at and exploded causing winds to spread through the area.


    The winds immediately sent the sand flying in the air. Not only did it lower the visibility in the area, the sand would enter the eyes of anyone who would keep them open. Unlike Fujin who could sense, their group had just one sensor. Without the ability to see and knowing how strong and treacherous their enemy was immediately caused panic to spread.


    In the dust cover, Fujin flickered behind the mercenary who had shouted his position. The mercenary turned around and shouted, "He is here!"


    He immediately jumped backwards while keeping a kunai in front of him defensively. However, Fujin just took a step forward and swung his sword at the mercenary. The mercenary tried defending, but the sword cut straight through his kunai and split him into two.


    Without the sensor, the remaining mercenaries were left blind in the desert. Fujin killed them all with extreme ease in just a couple of minutes.

 Chapter 262: Solving a Mystery

    The Winds died down and the sand settled back in the desert slowly. The blood was automatically buried under the sand. Fujin had already stored all 24 dead bodies in scrolls. He also collected the scroll containing the dead bodies of the four ninjas who were protecting Hiroshi''s trading group.


    He analyzed, ''With 12 mercenaries and the same number of Suna Anbu missing, the deserts will soon be very chaotic. Returning to Wind Capital will be pointless and very risky. I should eliminate a few targets who are outside the city quickly and return to Konoha.''


    Having made his decision, Fujin began moving towards his targets.


    10 minutes after Fujin left, a squad of Sunagakure ninjas arrived where the fighting had taken ce. One of the chunins said, "It doesn''t look like anyone was here, Captain Yura."


    Yura frowned and said, "It looked like there was a huge battle here. It should have just ended. Inspect the area. We may find some clues."


    Since Yura was the team leader, everyone obediently followed his instructions. For half an hour, they didn''t find anything. Suddenly, one of the ninjas shouted, "Everyone,e here!"


    Immediately, everyone approached him. He had dug the sand a few meters and was standing in a hole. As soon as they reached him, everyone''s face became solemn. The sand was dyed red in blood. And it wasn''t just a little bit either. One of the ninjasmented, "So much blood-soaked sand. How many people were killed here?"


    The spot they were standing on was where Fujin had killed ten of the twelve Anbu ninjas from Suna. Though he had collected their bodies, the blood had seeped into the desert. Fujin didn''t bother getting rid of it as it would require a lot of effort and time without providing him with any benefits.


    Yura said, "It looks like someone killed a bunch of people here. They didn''t bother cleaning up all the evidence thinking that no one would find it there. Unfortunately, they didn''t think that we would sense their battle ande investigate so quickly."


    Unknown to the Suna ninjas, it was their good luck that the killer didn''t waste time clearing all the evidence. Otherwise, they would have run into Fujin and joined theirrades on the trip to the afterlife.


    One of Yura''s teammates countered, "But who would be so brazen in our country? I think it might be the work of someone from our vige. That is why they weren''t concerned about others finding out."


    Yura nodded and said, "Could be. Regardless, collect as much of this blood-soaked sand as you can. Others will keep scouting this area. If it was an intense battle, then everyone wouldn''t die in the same ce. We will carry the blood samples to Suna. If it was done by someone else, then it will help the vige a lot."


    His team immediately got to work. They spent over half a day searching the entire area and managed to collect blood samples of all 24 ninjas who were killed. Of course, they didn''t know that and kept searching for hours despite finding all the blood samples. Finally, at noon the next day, they stopped searching and continued their journey to Sunagakure.


    At the same time, Fujin was running across the desert. He let out a sigh and muttered, "This country is too damn big!"


    Though the Land of Wind didn''t have many resources, in terms of Land area, it was thergest country in the ninja world. The deserts went on for thousands of kilometers to the West. Due to this, the country was incredibly difficult to be invaded. It was one of the factors why Konoha didn''t push into the Land of Wind despite inflicting grave damage on Suna in every major war.


    Therge size of the country meant that there were some cities in the West that were very far from the Land of Fire. Due to their geographical location, they had no choice but to bepletely subservient to Sunagakure. Konoha and the other viges had zero influence in this area. So Shikaku wanted to weaken Suna''s influence by targeting cities and towns in this area.


    Yura''s squad travelled a few hours through the desert towards Sunagakure when they encountered another squad. Yura noticed them and immediately stopped and greeted respectfully, "Elder Manabu."


    Elder Manabu was in his fifties and a member of the Sunagakure Council. He had an illustrious career and made many contributions during the Second and Third Great Ninja Wars. So Yura was very respectful.


    Manabu didn''t bother making any small talk and asked, "Yura, you areing from the Land of Bird, right? Did you see any Anbu or mercenaries on your way here?"


    Yura shook his head and said, "No, but the ce we passed through had a huge battle. We probably missed it by less than 15 minutes. We didn''t see anyone there but a lot of blood was spilled there. We estimated that at least 18 people were gravely injured."


    Manabu frowned. He had been dispatched by Rasa after they lostmunication with that group of Anbu. He analyzed, ''Kazekage-sama said that he sent 3 squads of Anbu to chase them. And the mercenary group had 12 ninjas and 1 civilian. 18 grave injuries could mean that one of the two forces was wiped out.''


    Suddenly, he had a very bad feeling. He muttered to himself, ''If our Anbu won, they would have returned or at least sent a message. Does that mean that they lost to merely mercenaries? But how could our Anbu lose to mercenaries? And how did they avoid Yura''s group? Did they escape into the desert instead of continuing their journey?''


    Manabu asked, "Yura, did you spot any tracks leaving the battlefield?"


    Yura shook his head. Manabu frowned and asked for the blood samples. He took it from Yura and handed it to one of his subordinates and said, "Carry this back to Sunagakure and have them inspect the blood. Also, ask Lord Kazekage to prepare multiple units. We may need to scout the entire desert. Yura, you and your squad lead us to the spot where you noticed thebat."


    Yura replied, "But we have to hand over the mission report."


    Manabu instructed, "Pass it to him. This could be an emergency. I might need all the help that I can get."


    Yura nodded and said, "Alright Elder."


    He handed another scroll to him and they began their journey back. Yura''s squad had already consumed Soldier Pills. So they could continue running. The group returned to the spot where Yura had collected the blood-soaked sand. They investigated a lot but didn''t find anything substantial.


    Around the same time, Rasa received Manabu''s message. He immediately reached the same conclusion as Manabu and frowned. He muttered, "First the issue with the Daimyo and now twelve Anbu went missing? What is happening in my country?"


    He immediately got to work and began arranging more squads to reinforce Manabu while analyzing, ''Looks like my suspicion on the mercenary group was right. But, that group didn''t look strong enough to take on my Anbu. Was someone hiding their strength? Or did I underestimate the goals of the group creating a mess in the Wind Capital City?''


    Rasa over-calcted as he didn''t have a clue about Fujin. His Anbu died just because they were unlucky enough to encounter him.


    Since they had no sess, Manabu''s group began moving towards the Wind Capital City to investigate the reason for the appearance of the mercenary group. At the same time, they wanted to investigate the civilian with them.


    After another half a day, they finally arrived in the Wind Capital City. Manabu quickly moved towards the city gate where they were spotted and found Ryota. Despite not being under Sunagakure, Ryota greeted the Elder warmly. Manabu directly asked, "Tell us about the mercenaries from Kurogane no Sensen with whom you were talking a few days ago."


    Ryota was surprised by the question. He said, "They came here over two days ago when the Kazekage left the city. They were investigating their four-man squad that went missing while escorting a trader group. Their circumstances were quite weird as the trader group made it to the city without any harm but all the four ninjas were missing."


    Manabu frowned and said, "The trader group is very suspicious."


    Ryota nodded and informed him about the remaining details. He ended by saying, "The trader Hiroshi was worried about their safety. So he volunteered to go with them to tell them where they saw the man."


    Ryota lied with a straight face. Instead of saying that he was forced, he said that Hiroshi volunteered. However, this lie helped Manabu as he became even more suspicious of Hiroshi. He said, "Give me the details of where Hiroshi stayed. Also, gather the remaining 11 traders and have them meet me."


    Ryota was about to say no as Manabu had no right to order him around. However, Manabu added, "I have a suspicion that this group might have something to do with the recent murders in the city."


    Ryota became serious and immediately nodded. He asked his subordinates and informed them about the hotel where Hiroshi stayed. As for others, he would need some time.


    Manabu nodded and began moving towards the hotel. He muttered, "Twelve traders, twelve assassins, twelve mercenaries. I think we are finally getting some clues."

 Chapter 263: Culprits Found?

    As they were walking, Yura asked, "Elder, what assassinations took ce in the Wind Capital City?"


    Yura and his groups weren''t in the Land of Wind when Fujin was creating a mess. So they were unaware. Manabu''s subordinates filled them up. Yura and his subordinates began sweating having realized how much trouble their vige was in. After hearing the circumstances, they couldn''t help but suspect that their own vige was behind the assassinations. They understood how others would have felt.


    The group reached the hotel where Fujin had stayed and entered his room. The room was impably clean. They began investigating the room. After half an hour, every single one had an ugly face.


    One of Yura''s subordinates said, "There is nothing here that could point us to him at all. It''s as if no one has lived here for months."


    Another said, "But the hotel staff said that he lived here for over 7 weeks."


    A third ninjamented, "Maybe the hotel does such a good job cleaning that all evidence is wiped out."


    However, one of Manabu''s subordinates shook his head and said, "No. No matter how well they clean, their scent gets left behind. But there is no scent in these rooms. This guy is not a civilian for sure. He should be a well-trained Anbu ninja from some country."


    Everyone agreed with his analysis. Yura added, "If he is, then the other traders should be as well. And they didn''t leave the city. We can catch them and clear our vige''s name."


    Manabu nodded and said, "Baki is leading our ninjas in this city. Let''s meet up with him. He must have an appropriate n for when we catch the culprits."


    Everyone nodded and left. When Baki received the news, he was ted. He had been under a lot of stress for thest few weeks. No matter how much he worked, he never found any clue. The entire job was a dead end. Since Manabu cracked the case, he immediately deployed his ninjas in the city to find the remaining eleven traders.


    Unfortunately for Baki, even this clue was a dead end. They searched non-stop for two days. However, no matter how much they looked, they didn''t even catch a whiff of those 11 traders. It was as if they had long disappeared from the city. No one even remembered their faces. Only a few merchants who earned big profits from their trade recalled them. But they hadn''t seen them again for almost two months! So their memories were useless for Suna ninjas.


    Baki sighed and muttered, "I should have known that it wouldn''t be this easy."


    Manabu nodded and said, "They probably changed their disguises after entering the city."


    He looked in the direction of the city gate and added, "Fortunately, we can soon be able to inspect every citizen in this city."


    Manabu''s words confused the Suna ninjas other than Baki. Baki and Manabu moved towards the city walls and jumped on top of it. The other Suna ninjas followed them. As soon as they saw the sight outside, their eyes widened. Most were too stunned to speak. Finally, one muttered, "This is insane!"


    Outside the walls were numerous figures running towards the city gates. A total of 334 ninjas were sent by Rasa to keep the Wind City safe in ordance with his deal with the Wind Daimyo.


    Yura asked in surprise, "Did Lord Kazekage send these many ninjas to help us search the deserts?"


    Baki replied, "No. They will be stationed in the wind capital to prevent such incidents in the future. It was a deal between Lord Kazekage and the Daimyo to settle our differences."


    Seeing that these were their reinforcements, the Suna ninjas were ted. Excitement coursed through their bodies. With such numbers, finding spies would be extremely easy!


    Sunagakure ninjas received a warm wee. Baki immediately made arrangements for everyone. After settling them, Baki immediately began acting on his n. He cooperated with the city guards to get records of every citizen officially living in the city. He informed the ninjas of their task.


    He nned to inspect each and every person in the city. He wanted to find any person living in the city who was unregistered. That could help him find the 11 traders who were under different disguises. At the same time, he nned to deploy sensors throughout the city. Though spies could disguise themselves as civilians,pletely hiding from sensors inside the city would be much more difficult. Especially since there were a few extremely capable sensors with him.


    Unfortunately, before Baki could begin his search, another Suna ninja arrived in the Wind Capital and rushed straight to Baki and handed him a scroll. Baki opened and read it. His eyes widened and his expression became very grim.


    Manabu was surprised. He asked, "What does the scroll say?"


    Baki handed him the scroll. Manabu read it and immediately became angry. He cursed loudly, "Which heinous bastard did this?"


    The Suna ninjas became curious. However, the messenger said, "Elder Manabu, Lord Kazekage has asked you to travel to Sabakuetsu. Yura will assist you. In addition, 5 squads of Anbu and 30 squads of varying strengths have moved out of our vige and are currently heading towards Sabakuetsu."


    Manabu nodded. He and Yura along with their squads left immediately.


    Another scroll with a simr message reached the hands of the Daimyo. He too became solemn. Soon, the news spread throughout the city causing panic to spread. Daimyo did his best to quell the panic. His assurances calmed the citizens of the Wind City and brought stability back to the city.


    12 hours ago :


    Fujin travelled for over 3 days through the desert to finally reach the city called Sabakuetsu. He let out a sigh and muttered, "The distance between this city and Sunagakure isrger than the distance between Konoha and Sunagakure."


    Though Fujin took a few breaks, he wasn''t a fan of travelling for so long through non-stop desert. He couldn''t help but wonder, ''In these 3 days, I encountered 2 sandstorms. They didn''t affect me due to my expertise in Wind release but I can''t help but wonder how civilians even trade across these huge and treacherous deserts.''


    Fujin began inspecting the defenses of the city from the outside while recalling the information about the city mentioned in the scrolls provided by Shikaku. Sabakuetsu was a mid-sized city in the far West of the Land of the Wind. Though it wasn''t thergest city, it was one of the most important cities for one critical reason.


    The city was surrounded by numerous oases and received a decent amount of rainfall every year. Due to this, it had the highest agricultural production in the entire Land of Wind. Overall, around 60% of the total agricultural production in the Land of Wind would be obtained from this city.


    Due to this, it provided food to all the cities and viges in this region, thus saving the Land of Wind a lot of trouble to transport food across the vast desert. In addition, it also sent some food supplies to the Wind Capital and Sunagakure and helped them reduce dependence on other countries for food.


    For this reason, Sunagakure permanently deployed 8 squads to protect this city. In addition, one Elite Jounin would always be deployed in the city.


    Fujin observed the defenses and analyzed, ''Though the city is important, the defenses aren''t very high. The reason for this is that Sunagakure doesn''t expect anyone to hit them so far away. In addition, the Samurais won''t protect this ce because of how far into the desert it is. Still, the city does have an Elite Jounin. Killing him would be troublesome. Especially if there are Jounins to reinforce him. Unless I can take him by surprise like those Anbu.''


    Fujin analyzed and shook his head, ''No, that would be difficult. If I fight him and fail to kill him, then he will gain a lot of my information. It would be troublesome if they get enough information to calcteter on that it was me. I shouldn''t use my summons or Vacuum techniques in my fight unless I am sure that I can kill all who see me use them. The same for my famous swords. Probably best if I avoid using my swordspletely.''


    The city had two entrances and was surrounded by huge walls. Each entrance had 2 ninjas watching over it. The walls did have seals inscribed in them, but they weren''t asplicated as the Wind Capital city walls. Fujin nned, ''I could enter the city through the gates by using disguises of one of the people who leave the city to work in the fields. However, if they follow a certain routine, then entering at odd times will raise suspicions.''


    Fujin thought for a bit and decided, ''Leave it, it''ste at night. They won''t leave the city for hours. I''ll try to infiltrate directly. If I fail or am detected, I''ll just escape and rece one of the citizens working outside.''


    Fujin began working on the seals. He was a bit excited as he had never yet attempted to dismantle the seals of an entire city! The most fun he had with seals was messing with Hiruzen in the Wind Training rooms in the Anbu Training Facilities.

 Chapter 264: Salvaging the Food Supplies!

    Fujin spent a few hours studying the seals on one section of the wall. Due to hiding his chakra and the massive length of the wall, he wasn''t detected or seen by anyone.


    Finally, the Sun rose. And at the same time, a smile appeared on Fujin''s face. He muttered, "It''s cracked!"


    He summarized, ''These seals are inscribed by a Grandmaster. However, the wall is huge. Whoever inscribed it wasn''t very dedicated and did the bare minimum to ensure the safety of the city. However, even if he had been serious, I would have managed to break through. Though I would have needed a lot more time. Hmm, maybe while I return, I should swing by the Wind Capital and leave a few clones to try to break through the seals there. It would be a good test.''


    Fujin entered the city and transformed into one of the people he saw in Wind Capital. Fujin didn''t waste much time and directly began visiting the important locations. He thought to himself, ''Four ninjas were at the gates. There should be 28 more ninjas in the city. I wonder if they are also deployed or are resting in the city.''


    Fujin''s guess was urate. The ninjas in the city were divided into 3 groups. The first group of 12 ninjas were responsible for keeping an eye on the city gates in 8-hour shifts. The next group of 12 ninjas were also responsible for protecting two crucial locations. Thest group of 8 ninjas and one Elite Jounin would stay on standby in case an emergency urred.


    Of course, due to how peaceful the city was, every one of them had gottencent. Fujin walked towards his target. Soon, a huge fortified structure with sturdy walls that were designed to withstand not only the harsh desert conditions but also any attack by enemy ninjas became visible. This sturdy structure was one of the two Provision Depots in Sabakuetsu. It stored a vast amount of harvested food grains and other food items that could be stored. These depots served as a Lifeline for the entire Western region of the country!


    Fujin didn''t sense any chakra field active around him or the Provision Depot. So chakra gathered in his eyes and observed inside the depot. He observed, ''So this ce has only two ninjas. I guess the other depot also has 2 ninjas overlooking them. But what exactly are these guys doing? I can feel that both of them are very tense.''


    Fujin was curious, but he didn''t care much. He decided, ''It doesn''t matter. They are only chunins.''


    His expression became serious as he observed the seals inscribed on the depot walls. He muttered to himself, ''The seals are much better than outside city walls. And I can''t keep studying this one for hours. Looks like it''s time for the Dynamic Entry.''


    Chakra gathered around his fist. The people who were walking around him were surprised and immediately looked towards Fujin. They noticed that his right fist was glowing. One kid said, "Mom look! His hand is glowing!"


    Another kid asked, "How can I do that, Mom?"


    The people were just normal civilians. They hadn''t seen ninjas in action. Suddenly, Fujin disappeared. Though the walls had very good protection, the same couldn''t be said about the doors. Fujin punched the door and smashed it into pieces.


    The two Suna ninjas inside the depot were ying a game of cards. Suddenly, they heard a loud noise and felt the entire depot shaking. The noise generated by the impact of the punch travelled hundreds of meters through the city. The people who were watching the glowing fist curiously became terrified. They immediately ran away. At the same time, the Elite Jounin and the other ninjas in the city became alert. 14 ninjas along with the Elite Jounin immediately began moving towards the depot.


    The two ninjas inside the depot got up and grabbed their kunai. However, Fujin flickered next to one of them. The ninja immediately swung his kunai at Fujin, However, Fujin was much faster. A punchnded on the ninja''s face and blew him up. Fujin had enhanced the punch with chakra as well.


    Blood, flesh, bones and insides of the brain hit the face of the second ninja. His horror knew no bounds! One second he was ying a game of cards with his friend, and in the next second his friend''s brain was blown up! Fortunately or unfortunately, his misery was short-lived. Fujin fired an Air Bullet through his throat and ended his life as well.


    Fujin immediately flickered towards where the grains and other food items were stored. It was easy to find. Fujin knocked the door down and immediately spat a fireball on it. The entire room was lit on fire! However, this wasn''t the only grain storage in the depot. There were 7 other such rooms. Fujin immediately began lighting them on fire as well.


    The Elite Jounin appeared in front of the depot and was horrified to see smokeing out of the depot! Fujin had set fire to 3 food storage facilities. Another ninja appeared next to him and asked, "Captain Hitoshi! What are your orders?"


    Hitoshi quicklymanded, "There should be an intruder inside. I will douse the fire. You guys stop him. Don''t let him set fire to every storage facility."


    He immediately jumped in the smoke. 5 ninjas followed him in. The remaining Sunagakure ninjas in the city kept arriving every few seconds and went into the burning depot.


    Fujin had set fire to 5 storage facilities when the Suna ninjas spotted him.


    Hitoshi immediately made hand signs. 4 water clones appeared next to him. He and the water clones headed towards the 5 rooms from where smoke was appearing. The other ninja immediately ran towards Fujin.


    One of the Jounins screamed hatefully, "How dare you burn the only source of food for the hundreds of thousands of people living here?"


    Another ninja shouted in rage, "I will skin you alive!"


    Two threw shurikens at Fujin while the other three weaved hand signs. Fujin dodged the shurikens, but the assault had just started.


    ''Wind Release: Air Bullet jutsu''


    ''Wind Release: Wind Gale Wolf jutsu''


    ''Wind Release: Wind Sword jutsu''


    Eight Air Bullets, three Wind Wolves and multiple des of wind moved one after another towards Fujin.


    Chakra gathered in Fujin''s eyes. He immediately flickered out of the way and dodged every air bullet.


    He gathered chakra in his mouth.


    ''Wind Release: Infinite Breakthrough jutsu''


    He exhaled a wind current from his mouth. However, instead of the destructive attack, he exhaled an extremely gentle wind current.


    The des of winds entered the wind current and were redirected. They moved towards the doors of the remaining storage facilities and cut through them. Seeing their attack destroy portions of their food supply made their hearts ache in pain. At the same time, their hatred towards Fujin increased even more.


    Lastly, the 3 Wolves entered the wind flow. However, the wind flow was too strong for them to continue. 1 dispersed directly while the remaining 2 were sent crashing into the walls and finally dispersed.


    However, Fujin''s position didn''t improve much as 3 more Suna ninjas had arrived. Half of the eight ninjas were Jounins. Fujin''s odds kept getting worse.


    One of the Suna ninjas mmed his hands on the ground. Immediately the ground rose and interrupted the Wind flow he had created. Immediately, the remaining 7 ninjas pounced on Fujin. Dozens of shurikens and multiple wind jutsus wereunched at Fujin. Fujin dodged while counterattacking, but the Suna ninjas kept attacking without carrying about their chakra reserves.


    Fujin kept dodging as he sensed 4 more ninjas entering the depot. He frowned, ''Killing them in a short time isn''t possible without using Vacuum jutsus. I need a distraction.''


    He weaved a hand sign as he continued dodging the attacks.


    ''Fire Release: Fire Dragon me Bullet jutsu''


    At the same time, one of the Suna jounins toopleted his hand signs.


    ''Wind Release: Wind Dragon jutsu''


    Two massive 30 meters long dragons appeared in the depot. However, seeing the fire dragon made the Suna ninjas very nervous. The Wind Dragon collided with the Fire Dragon who didn''t make any move.


    The impact of the collision destroyed the fire dragon. The Suna ninjas were surprised at how quickly it was defeated. However, their eyes widened in horror as the Winds generated by the Wind Dragon carried the mes everywhere inside the depot. The doors to the storage facilities that were destroyed earlier let all the fire enter inside. Thest remaining food grains that were safe inside the depot began burning!


    The ninjas attacked while cursing Fujin with every foul word and curse they knew. However, Fujin kept dodging and counter-attacking without responding.


    At the same time, Hitoshi and his clones doused the fire in all 5 rooms. However, their expressions weren''t good. Hitoshi muttered, "Even though I doused the fire, all the food items have gotten wet. I am not sure how long it willst."


    He and his clones left the rooms. Fujin noticed that the smokeing from those 5 rooms had turned into water vapour. A smile appeared on Fujin''s face as he decided, ''It''s time.''

 Chapter 265: Konohas Scheme

    A massive chakra appeared around Fujin. The sudden spike in chakra shocked the Suna ninjas. Without giving them any time, Fujin attacked.


    ''Wind Release: Infinite Breakthrough jutsu.''


    Unlike the previous version, this jutsu was as destructive as it could possibly be. The Suna ninja, who considered themselves unmatched in Wind jutsus, were dumbfounded by the scale and destructiveness of this attack!


    The attack left giant scars on the sturdy walls of the Provision Depot! The Suna ninjas were blown apart as well. Two ninjas had their throats sliced by the sharp winds. Another had his eyes pierced. One had his left arm sliced off.


    The winds also moved into the 8 storage facilities. Hitoshi and his clones were caught off guard. All 4 water clones were dispelled, leaving just Hitoshi in one of the rooms. He quickly weaved a hand seal.


    ''Water Release: Water Prison jutsu.''


    A Sphere of water surrounded him and saved him from the impact of the winds.


    While the Suna ninjas were struggling, a shadow clone appeared next to Fujin.


    ''Fire Release: Searing Migraine jutsu''


    He wasted no time in releasing a massive fire into the winds generated by Infinite Breakthrough. The fire spread began spreading instantly! The winds carried the fire to each and every corner of the depot. Hitoshi watched in anger and helplessness as an even bigger fire entered his room.


    The 3 storage rooms that had just small fires were set aze. Every food grain was burned up. The 5 rooms where Hitoshi and his clones had doused the fire were set aze once again with even more intensity. Worse, of the 14 Suna ninjas that were fighting Fujin, 12 were set on fire as well. Only two managed to use defensive jutsus in time.


    Fujin noticed the destruction and decided, ''That should be sufficient.''


    He immediately flickered out of the depot. Two Suna ninjas were rushing towards the depot when Fujin suddenly appeared in front of them. Both grabbed the weapons and asked, "Who are you?"


    Fujin looked at them without replying and began building up his chakra. The two Suna ninjas prepared themselves for a fight. However, Fujin suddenly disappeared. He used Wind Instantaneous Body jutsu to flicker directly to the city walls and left the city. One of the ninjas shouted, "Where did he go?"


    He couldn''t even follow Fujin''s movement. He was about to look for Fujin when the ninja next to him shouted, "Leave him. First, help douse this fire!"


    The ninja stopped and focused back on the fire. However, before they could do anything, Hitoshipleted weaving hand signs. He poured over 80% of his remaining chakra into the jutsu!


    ''Water Release: Great Waterfall jutsu!"


    He released a massive amount of water. The water first flooded the room he was in. A massive amount of water was converted into water vapour, but the fire was doused. The water flowed out towards the remaining depot from the door. The Suna ninjas who were on fire immediately ran towards the water and dived in.


    In a minute, the water entered all the storage rooms in the depot. The ninjas that were outside the depot immediately jumped out of the way as hot water rushed out like a flood.


    Hitoshi walked out of his room. His expression was ugly. He noticed the burns on his subordinates. He realized, ''He was a sensor. If he had done this attack when I was dousing the fire, I could have stopped it. But he timed it perfectly when I lowered my guard slightly after dousing the fires.''


    He looked at the two ninjas standing outside and asked, "Did you see anyone leave?"


    The ninja nodded, "Yes Captain. We saw a man flicker away in a hurry. We wanted to give chase, but decided that saving the depot was more important."


    Hitoshi sighed and said, "It''s fine. Even if you gave chase, you have probably been killed. Arrange the two medical ninjas to heal the injured. I''ll watch over the other depot. This one is ruined."


    He flickered away towards the other depot while being worried, ''I hope he doesn''t attack the second depot as well. But if he does, I''ll abandon the grains and focus on killing him. However, my chakra is very low right now. It will be a very difficult battle.''


    In a few seconds, he arrived at the second Provision Depot. No attack had taken ce there. The two ninjas stationed were on high alert. Hitoshi sighed in relief. He analyzed, ''Since he didn''t show up here, he should be very low on chakra after using thebination jutsu by himself.''


    He frowned and asked himself, ''Should I have abandoned the Provision Depot and attacked him instead? I would have had a good chance of killing him.''


    He thought for a bit and shook his head, ''No. If I had done that, all my subordinates would have died in the fire. And I would have no guarantee of killing him. Besides, if he has any allies, he could have lured me into a trap.''


    Hitoshi cleared up his thoughts and began passing instructions. The security of the second Provision Depot was increased manyfold. 10 ninjas were deployed to defend it. At the same time, medical ninjas began treating the injured ninjas.


    Hitoshi tallied his losses and sighed. 4 ninjas were killed in the fight. 2 of them were Jounins. All the food stored in that Provision Depot was destroyed. So in a few minutes, they lost half of their food supply. It was certain to put an immense strain on the Land of Wind.


    Hitoshi wrote reports and sent messages to the Kazekage and the Wind Daimyo.


    Meanwhile, Fujin had long left the vicinity of the city. After leaving the city, he kept using Wind Instantaneous Body jutsu continuously to escape over ten kilometers away!


    Finally, he took a break and thought, ''That was rough. Bastards came at me with everything they had! Fortunately, the Elite Jounin was more focused on salvaging the grains.''


    He let out a sigh and thought, ''No wonder Sunagakure attacked Konoha a few years from now. Shikaku and Hiruzen are two crazy bastards. In order to increase the dependence of the Land of Wind on the Land of Fire, they decided to burn half the food supply in the Western parts of this country.


    Now the Land of Wind will have no option but to import massive amounts of food from the Land of Fire. The sudden rise in demand would also raise the cost of food items. And it will hence result in restricting the budget of Sunagakure. At the very least, Suna shouldn''t expect any budget increases any time soon. Especially if Shikaku keeps up these tactics. In fact, they will have to spend their own budget to buy food.


    If Rasa were to figure out that these incidents were done by Konoha, he would definitely want to attack Konoha even if he didn''t have any solid proof. Only the disruption caused by a war will allow him to reset the ties between the Land of Wind and Fire and force the Wind Daimyo to cooperate entirely with him.


    Still, Shikaku wasn''t too heartless. The scrolls clearly indicate to just destroy one depot and to not destroy anymore if one had already been destroyed. If he had nned to destroy the second depot as well, then these people would have been very hopeless.


    It would have been a tragedy. Thousands of people would have died due to food shortages. The Daimyo''s position might have be unstable if people died inrge numbers due to food shortages. But now, the food they have will be sufficient for them to survive until sufficient food is imported.


    In the end, not only will this region not experience any tragedy, but the people here will be grateful to Konoha and the Wind Daimyo for helping them so quickly. On the other hand, Rasa and Sunagakure would be hated as their ninjas were too ipetent to protect their food supply. In fact, Rasa will be forced to increase the number of ninjas protecting this city by at least 2 times. A good scheme indeed.''


    Despite not telling him, Fujin was able to discover Shikaku''s real intentions through his instructions. Fujin smirked and muttered, "Rasa will be in a real mess soon. Hehehe. If I didn''t have to maintain my disguise, I''d have loved to lure him here and fight a few rounds with him after securing my retreat. Though I won''t stand a chance, the opportunities to fight against S-ranked ninjas are just too rare."


    As Fujin expected, Rasa had a terrible headache. The bad news kept arriving one after another in his office. He had just sent a considerable force towards the West when two more reports arrived at his table. He read them both multiple times and his expression got uglier every time.


    The first report came from the hospital in Suna. The doctors had checked the blood samples Yura sent back and stated that it was blood samples of 24 different people. The second was sent by Baki. He informed Rasa about Manabu''s investigation and about Hiroshi and the 11 traders that came to Wind Capital along with him.

 Chapter 266: Rasas Helplessness!

    Rasa studied the two reports as he calcted, ''24 different blood samples. The group had 25 different people. Meaning that except one, everyone got injured. But who stayed uninjured?''


    After calcting more, Rasa concluded, ''It isn''t someone from my Anbu. Since they didn''t contact me again, it is safe that all 12 of them were killed. This implies that the mercenaries had someone very strong hidden in their ranks who could eliminate all 12 Anbu without allowing anyone to escape.''


    His eyes fell on the second report as he analyzed further, ''That person could very well be this Hiroshi fellow. Either he was with the mercenaries and lured the Anbu into a trap. Or the more fearsome scenario, that guy killed all Anbu and Mercenaries by himself. But, how strong would he need to be to kill 24 ninjas who were at least at the Chunin level by himself?''


    Rasa shook his head and corrected his line of thinking, ''No, he could have caught them off guard by using his disguise. However, even in that case, this person needs to be at the Elite Jounin level.


    The 11 traders who came along with him were nowhere to be found. Though Baki hasn''tpleted his search yet, it should be a hopeless search. Because, if this Hiroshi is at the Elite Jounin level, then the remaining traders could have been his clones¡­ No, his Shadow Clones! Probably the assassins were his clones as well. The person who attacked Sabakuetsu should be him as well.''


    Rasa''s expression became very ugly as he muttered, "Konoha sent an Elite Jounin to create a mess in my country so brazenly! They want to increase our dependence on them so that we are forced to stay in an alliance with them."


    Just like Fujin, Rasa could see the impact of destroying just one of the two Provision Depots in the West. The scenario was just too favorable to Konoha. Unfortunately, he had no proof to give to the Daimyo or the public. However, despite the absence of any proof, he was certain that Konoha was behind it.


    Within a day, he sent messages to every Noble in the West who supported him. In addition, he dispatched another 200 ninjas to the Western parts of the country. Fujin had no idea that he would soon be hunted all across the vast deserts!


    However, the reinforcements were very far away. Travelling across the desert needed 3 days. During this time, Fujin had eliminated another Noble who supported Rasapletely.


    Rasa''s mood worsened even further after receiving the news. In a rage, he shouted, "Does Konoha want to go to war?"


    He looked at his assistant andmanded, "Call every Council member in the vige for an emergency meeting."


    The assistant nodded and got to work. Within half an hour, most of the council members arrived. Rasa informed them about the situation and his calctions. Every council member agreed with his calctions.


    Rasa stated, "Konoha seems to be hell-bent on making life difficult for us. We have to retaliate."


    However, his words caused a wave of silence to spread through the room. After half a minute of silence, one council membermented, "We have no way to retaliate. Since the Uchiha Massacre, Konoha has increased their defenses multiple times. The number of their ninjas moving in the Land of Fire has increased multiple times.


    We will have to send either Elite Jounin or a squad of Jounins to be able to achieve something significant. And once they seed, Konoha will hunt them until they are killed. In addition, they have the Yamanaka n. Not only will our ninjas be killed, but their memories will also be read. And if Konoha uses that information to convince the Wind Daimyo, then our budget will be restricted even further."


    The other council members agreed with him. Rasa also frowned. He had a very low number of Elite Jounins. He didn''t want to send them to their deaths. In addition, their deaths would hurt Suna in multiple ways.


    Silence spread through the room. The only eligible name they could think of who wasn''t already exceeding 50 years in age was Baki. But Baki was helpless in dealing with the situation in the Wind Capital. If he messed up after entering the Land of Fire, they would lose one of their strongest fighters. None of them wanted to risk this.


    Finally, one of the Council members suggested, "In my opinion, we should focus on killing the Elite Jounin that has infiltrated our country. If we kill him, Konoha will feel heartache at losing him. After all, the value of an Elite Jounin exceeds more than a hundred Chunins. Especially considering that he is a very good user of Wind Jutsus. No country needs Wind affinity ninjas more than Konoha."


    Everyone immediately agreed with him. The meeting ended without deciding on any good n to hurt Konoha. Rasa sighed in disappointment as he too couldn''t think of any good method to retaliate. He just hatefully looked in the West.


    Around the same time, Konoha received intel about the recent happenings in the Land of Wind. Hiruzen read the reports with a weird expression and called Shikaku. Shikaku received the scroll from Hiruzen. His expression also became weird.


    Hiruzen chuckled and said, "You messed up. You should have defined the mission parameters properly."


    Shikaku sighed and muttered, "10 Nobles, 12 family members of Nobles, 4 ninjas and one Food Storage Depot¡­ Does he intend to start a war?"


    He let out another sigh and said softly, "What a drag. I told him that it is the Promotion Mission for Anbu Captain. Why is he acting like he wants to be the Anbu Commander?"


    Hiruzen let out another chuckle. Shikaku looked at him and said, "This isn''t aughing matter. He has acted so many times that Suna will definitely suspect us. Even if he didn''t leave any evidence, they will still want to retaliate."


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "Fortify our defenses. Set up traps for any enemy squads who would want to create a mess in our country. In addition, prepare yourself for more such news. After all, he has just reached the Western side of the Land of Wind."


    Hiruzen wasn''t worried about Suna''s retaliation. Instead, he wanted to use the opportunity to kill their elite troops. As long as Suna''s strength was kept in check, they wouldn''t try to break the alliance openly.


    Shikaku sighed and said, "We also need to know what deal Rasa and Wind Daimyo reached. This wasn''t what we wanted. If they resolve their differences, then all our efforts would be pointless. Als¡­"


    He suddenly stopped speaking and looked at Hiruzen and asked, "Why do I have to do it?"


    Hiruzen had asked him to do a very tedious task in such a smooth manner that he didn''t even consider refusing it. However, he had no will to spend a lot of time working on it.


    Hiruzen replied, "Because you were the one who messed up."


    Shikaku retorted, "You were in the room as well."


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "But you were the one to pass the orders."


    Both entered into a staring contest. After a minute, Shikaku sighed and got to work. As soon as the door closed, Hiruzen chuckled once again. He looked at the reports once again and thought, ''I should have expected this. But it''s alright. Suna was bing too arrogant. If they aren''t reined in, they will soon be more chaotic and break off the alliance. Once that happens, the Fourth Great Ninja War will just be a matter of time.''


    Hiruzen got up and looked out of his window at the Stone faces. He let out a sigh as he thought, ''Finally, our strength has recovered. Once I officially promote the current crop of Ninjas to Jounin rank, our numbers will have reached sufficient levels officially. However, we still need a few years of peace for this generation of ninjas to fully mature. Then we can afford to enter another war.''


    As he looked at the Stone faces, tiredness could be seen on his face. However, suddenly he squinted his eyes and chakra gathered in them. He noticed someone sneakily moving on the Hokage monuments. But, soon he let out a long sigh and muttered, ''I am getting too old for this shit. I should have dumped this kid on his perverted Godfather.''


    The entire vige suddenly noticed that the Hokage Monuments were painted and made to look hrious. Soon, Iruka noticed it as well and began chasing after Naruto.


    While Konoha was peaceful and joyous, the situation in the Western territories of the Land of Wind was heating up!


    148 Sunagakure ninjas arrived in the city of Sabakuetsu. Manabu, Yura and two more ninjas met up with Hitoshi who told them every detail regarding their short sh with Fujin.


    Manabu analyzed and said, "Kazekage-sama''s analysis seems to be on point. This is most likely the same guy."


    Odaka added, "An Elite Jounin from Konoha. We have to catch him and give him the most painful death imaginable. But¡­"


    He scratched his chin and asked, "How do we find him in these vast deserts?"


    Yura looked at Odaka and replied, "He seems to be targeting the Nobles that favor our vige. We just have to study his movements and discover his next target. Then we can set up an ambush for him."


    Odaka looked at Yura carefully. Odaka was one of the few Elite Jounins in Suna and a Council Member as well. He was quite senior as well. Along with Manabu, he was one of the two leaders of the Suna ninjas that arrived in Sabakuetsu. He said, "Good good. You are good, Yura. It''s good to see promising ninjas in the next generation."


    Thest member of their group was an Anbu Captain who was assigned as the leader of the 20 Anbu ninjas. He was wearing an Eagle mask. He said, "Let''sy down a map and analyze his movements. We also need to analyze his abilities. Then we can set a trap."


    The group nodded and entered Hitoshi''s office.

 Chapter 267: A Devious Trap

    After entering his office, Hitoshiid down a map on a table. All 5 ninjas stood around it. Odaka asked, "Eagle, what do you rmend?"


    Eagle took a marker and circled Sabakuetsu and a nearby town and said, "He first burned a Provision Depot in Sabakuetsu and then killed a Noble in this town. The nearest town from there is Korinshi. But that town doesn''t have any Noble. So ording to my estimations, his target could either be the City of Shunkuto or the town of Kiganjima. But, it is difficult to say which one."


    Manabu and Odaka began analyzing. After a couple of minutes, Manabu sighed and said, "It''s impossible to say which one he will target. We will split up and guard both cities. Yura and I will go to Shunkuto while Odaka and Eagle will go to Kiganjima. Hitoshi, you stay in this city and ensure that thest Provision Depot stays safe. We will leave 20 additional ninjas with you. The remaining will be divided equally among us."


    Odama, Hitoshi and Eagle nodded. They agreed with Manabu''s n. They quickly began discussing which ninja squads would join their groups. Suddenly, Manabu noticed something amiss and looked at Yura. Yura was still staring at the map and didn''t say a word.


    Manabu asked, "Is something the matter, Yura?"


    Yura snapped out of his thoughts. He said, "I have a different take on this, Elder Manabu."


    Manabu said, "Exin."


    Yura said, "If we split up, our chances of killing him will decrease. And, if we move to those cities, then he might notice our movements and avoid hitting them altogether. In that case, our deployment will be a waste and he might annoy us further by randomly targeting other nobles forcing us to split into smaller groups. In addition, he should already have a good lead on us. If he kills that Noble before we even reach, then we won''t be able to do anything and might get exposed for nothing."


    His words made others frown. They had considered these points but not in this detail as they didn''t see any other option. Manabu asked, "What do you suggest?"


    Yura said, "Let''s abandon these two Nobles."


    The eyes of the four ninjas widened at how casually Yura asked to sacrifice the two Nobles.


    Yura pointed at a city on the map and said, "After he kills the Nobles in Shunkuto and Kiganjima, he will target the Noble living in Mizunashi city. While he is busy killing those two Nobles, we can move around this territory and set up a giant trap in Mizunashi before he reaches there. We will hide inside and around the city using Fuinjutsu. When he attacks, we can all surround and kill him."


    Yura''s n surprised them. They thought about his words and agreed more and more with him. Though two Nobles would die, the sacrifice would be worth it if they killed him. It was an exchange they were more than willing to make.


    Odaka looked at Yura in a new light. He thought, ''I was just teasing him earlier for pointing out the obvious. But, he is indeed good. This level of talent should be in the Council.''


    Manabu said, "That is a good n. Much better than mine for sure."


    Hitoshi added, "Good n, but there is one w. The ninjas deployed at the city gates didn''t notice any anomalies or anything strange. So I specte that he entered the city without alerting the Seals inscribed here."


    Yura replied, "I considered that. But this city is very big and was guarded by just 4 ninjas at the entrances. So he would have had opportunities to study the seals. But in Mizunashi, he will be able to sense us only if he is a sensor and activates his chakra field. However, doing so while attempting assassination will be very stupid. So he won''t do it."


    Yura''s exnation made sense. Everyone agreed. He added, "In addition, the time would allow for the backup sent by Kazekage sama to arrive. So we can even set up a perimeter in the desert to stop him in case he somehow manages to escape. Either way, the battlefield will unfold as we want."


    Manabu said, "Yes. Hunting him will begin easier if backup arrives before we set a trap for him. I''llmunicate with them. You guys finalize the ns."


    Manabu quickly left. The rest quickly finalized the details of their trap. In the end, they decided to leave 30 ninjas in the city. They will not only aid in the defense of the Provision Depot but would also be responsible for ensuring that the fact that so many ninjas arrived in Sabakuetsu doesn''t get leaked outside the city.


    Within an hour, 118 ninjas led by Manabu and Odaka left the city of Sabakuetsu. They moved around the town of Kiganjima and moved towards the city of Mizunashi.


    As Yura calcted, Fujin had made his move. Just after they left Sabakuetsu, Fujin killed the Noble in Kiganjima and quickly began moving towards Shunkuto.


    As he moved, Fujin analyzed, ''As expected, The Nobles are being heavily protected. But, there wasn''t any Jounin-level ninja protecting him. I guess Rasa wasn''t able to send reinforcements so quickly. Or perhaps, the other Anbu who are supposed to be on a promotion mission are also making a mess and forcing Rasa to deploy his ninjas everywhere. I can''t be sure which one is the case, but it is better to assume the first one. My next target will probably be thest one without any significant protection.''


    Within a few hours, he arrived outside Shunkuto. His eyes glowed as he observed the walls of the city. He muttered, "This one has no seals to protect it either. I am disappointed at howzy Sunagakure has been. Granted these cities are far in the West, but is it really so much work to just ask a Fuinjutsu GrandMaster to visit all these cities and bless the city by carving a few seals?''


    With no seals to block his path, Fujin just entered the city normally while maintaining a disguise. He casually walked into the city while moving towards Noble''s mansion. After a few minutes, he arrived outside the mansion. He hid in a corner where no one would see him and muttered, "All these Nobles live right at the center of the city. I don''t even have to make any effort to find them."


    Fujin sighed. His mission had been progressing too smoothly. He was itching for a good fight. Of course, he wouldn''t seek it if his enemies didn''t act smart enough and allowed him to do his job without any resistance.


    His eyes glowed as he observed the mansion. He analyzed, ''8 ninjas. 2 at Chunin level and 6 at Genin. Rasa is awfully slow. Are they nning to lower my guard by giving me easy kills?''


    He made a hand sign.


    ''Earth Release: Earth Military Movement jutsu.''


    Fujin disappeared into the ground and entered the mansion. None of the 8 ninjas were sensors and Fujin was suppressing and hiding his chakra. So no one detected him. Fujin moved directly towards the central room where Fujin had detected 3 people. Two of them were ninjas while the third one was a civilian.


    This was the room where the Noble was hiding. He was sitting in a chair while the two ninjas stood next to him. He nervously asked the ninjas standing next to him, "Lord Kazuo, how long do we have to keep hiding here?"


    Kazuo was the Chunin in charge of the defense of this remote city. He replied respectfully, "Don''t worry, Lord Toshio. Reinforcements from our vige will arrive soon."


    Toshio was still very worried. Kazuo assured him, "We are here with you as well, Lord Toshio. Live or Die, we will join you. So don''t worry."


    The Noble nodded. For some reason, he looked to be very fearful of Kazuo. Suddenly, all three of them looked ahead. A head popped out of the ground. In the blink of an eye, an entire person appeared.


    Toshio was horrified. Kazuo and the other ninja also had solemn expressions. However, both had determined expressions. They seem to have epted their fate. They quickly grabbed their kunai and took a fighting stance.


    Kazuo asked, "Who are you?"


    Fujin didn''t bother replying and shot an Air Bullet at Toshio. The Suna ninjas couldn''t even react when the bullet hit Toshio''s chest.


    Toshio''s eyes widened. Time slowed down as he felt the pain in his chest. He knew that the Suna ninjas wouldn''t be a match for the intruder, but he didn''t expect to be killed so quickly.


    However, instead of sorrow or horror, a gentle smile appeared on his face as he looked at Fujin. His smile surprised Fujin. It was the first time he had seen a Noble ept death with a smile on his face.


    Toshio thought, ''My time hase. But my family will live a life offort and luxury.''


    He closed his eyes and epted his death with a gentle smile on his face.

 Chapter 268: The Spirit of Sacrifice

    Fujin was stunned by the smile on Toshio''s face. Despite being the killer, he noticed no hatred in Toshio''s eyes for him. There was just relief alongside some reluctance. Thoughts shed at the speed of light in Fujin''s brain trying to make sense of this bizarre scenario. He muttered to himself, ''What the hell?''


    Kazuo and his subordinate noticed Fujin''s momentarypse of concentration. Both immediately jumped at Fujin to kill him. However, Fujin was well aware of his surroundings. He stepped to his left and got out of the Genin''s range. He caught Kazuo''s arm and kicked him in the abdomen and sent him flying into the wall. He crashed into the wall and fell on the ground and began vomiting blood.


    The Geninnded and moved towards Fujin again. However, all he saw was a fisting straight at him. Fujin''s chakra-enhanced fistnded on his face and blew it off his head.


    Kazuo gathered himself and was about to get up when a kicknded on his side and sent him rolling on the floor while vomiting more blood. Numerous ribs had cracked.


    Fujin didn''t attack anymore and asked in a in voice, "Who was that man?"


    Kazuo finally managed to get on his knees. He looked at Fujin hatefully and shouted angrily, "You killed the kind Noble Toshio! A demon like you will rot in hell!"


    Fujin snorted, "Save your lies for yourself. I have killed way too many Nobles to not identify one. Who was he?"


    Kazuo''s eyes widened. However, he immediately put on an angry face and cursed, "First you kill our Noble and then talk bullshit? Just kill me and be done with it! I will wait for you in the deepestyers of hell!''


    Fujin didn''t attack him and said, "Good y. I feel stupid for not considering such a simple trick. You knew I was going toe here. So you hid the real Noble and used a body double. Cool trick."


    Kazuo''s eyes widened once again. Thoughts ran through his mind trying to find the optimal reply. He wanted to convince Fujin that he killed the real Noble. However, he realized that he wouldn''t be able to do so. The more he lied, the more Fujin would be convinced.


    A grin broke on Kazuo''s face. He spoke loudly with pride, "That''s right. How does it feel to be tricked by the oldest trick in the book? Hahahahaha."


    Fujin didn''t mind his taunt. He wasn''t petty enough to not give credit where credit was due. It was a fact that he was fooled. If the body double hadn''t smiled kindly and behaved like any normal human being, he would have been fooled sessfully.


    He replied inly, "Unfortunately, your n has failed."


    Kazuo replied with that huge grin still stered on his face, "It hasn''t. Even if you realized the n, there isn''t anything you can do. You don''t know where the Noble is hiding. No one other than me does. And I will never say it.


    You want to kill the Noble? Then you will have to kill every single person in this city. No, you will also have to scout the entire desert to check if he has been hidden outside the city. And you will also have to kill everyone in every vige in the vicinity of this city! Tell me, did your motherfucking Masters from Konoha permit you tomit such atrocities? Hahaha."


    He continuedughing loudly continuously. Fujin chuckled, "You think I''m from Konoha? Good. How about we make a deal? I will let you and your friends live. In exchange, you will tell me the location of the Noble. You can even tell Rasa that the killer is from Konoha."


    Fujin''s words stopped Kazuo''sughter. He became confused and wondered, ''Is he not from Konoha? Wouldn''t that mean that someone else is trying to start a war between Konoha and Suna? No! I shouldn''t doubt Rasa''s intelligence. He might be saying this just to confuse me.''


    He beganughing and said, "No. You can torture me however you want. I still won''t tell you."


    He thought, ''If I can dy him here until the Reinforcements arrive, then I can drag him to hell with me.''


    Fujin''s eyes turned towards the door of the room. He sensed multiple ninjas running towards the room. The fighting earlier generated some noise that attracted them. A couple of Shadow clones popped next to him and left to confront those ninjas.


    Fujin said, "Unfortunately, torturing isn''t my forte. Killing is. Don''t worry, I''ll let you die knowing what will happen in the future. After I kill you, I will torture the Noble''s family in public. That should make him crawl out of his hiding spot."


    Kazuo continuedughing and said, "Do it."


    Fujin noticed how unaffected he was and concluded, ''As I expected. They are fakes as well.''


    Fujin had no clue who the Noble was or how he looked. He entertained Kazuo for so long just to get whatever information he could. Now he had received most of the information he needed. He raised two fingers. Wind began flowing around them.


    Kazuo''s eyes widened as he realized, ''Wind Sword jutsu. I guess this is it for me. Sucks that he never came close to me. I hoped he got overconfident and got closer to torture me or beat me up.''


    He closed his eyes and made the confrontation hand seal. Immediately, multiple tags on his body lit up. He looked at Fujin with a crazed look in his eyes and shouted, "I will drag you to hell."


    However, Fujin was unmoved. des of wind shot out from around his fingers and hit every single Explosive Tag stuck to Kazuo''s body. Every single Explosive Tag was destroyed before it could explode. The wind des also left multiple deep cuts on Kazuo.


    Kazuo was stunned. Even if he couldn''t kill Fujin, he expected to at least injure him. However, he never expected such a result. Fujin said, "I respect your intelligence and bravery. I''d have allowed you to die in the way you want, but I need this mansion."


    Kazuo''s eyes widened as he saw Fujin transform into him. Fujin said, "Rest in peace."


    A wind de sliced Kazuo''s throat. However, his eyes were glued to Fujin. As his brain slowly stopped working, numerous questions arose in his mind, ''How did he know I would explode? Why does he keep speaking in such a in monotonous tone? Why didn''t he get angry no matter how much I taunted him? And why does his face show no emotions at all?''


    Unfortunately, he wouldn''t get any answers. He closed his eyes and died without knowing the name or the real face of his killer.


    Fujin looked at him and sighed, ''A shame that his strength was so weak. Had he been stronger, his name might have been famous throughout the ninja world.''


    Fujin concentrated on his chakra. 8 Shadow clones appeared. One shadow clone took the disguise of the Genin he killed while one dispelled itself. The two Shadow Clones Fujin had created earlier received the memories and dispelled themselves. Fujin and his clones received their memories. Four Shadow clones transformed into the four ninjas that the clones killed. While thest two clones dived into the ground and moved towards the basement. Thest 2 Suna ninjas were hiding there to protect the fake family of the Noble.


    Fujin looked at the person who was disguised as the Noble and wondered, ''Why did he smile in such a way? What sort of life would one have to experience to smile at his killer without any hate?''


    Fujin analyzed for a bit but couldn''te up with a definite answer. After all, he had no idea who the man was and what his life story was.


    Fujin extended his hand towards his head. Yin chakra poured out of his hand and entered the dead man''s brain. The Yin chakra gently began following through his neurons. Fujin kept at it for 3 minutes before the dead man''s brain started to break down.


    Fujin frowned and muttered to himself, ''I thought that the desire to truly know the memories could be a factor in reading memories. I guess not.''


    Fujin sighed and gave up. He was very interested in knowing his backstory but had no means to know it. He stored the dead body.


    Two days ago :


    The news of the destruction of one Provision Depot had spread throughout Shunkuto. The people were very worried. Meanwhile, Toshio was concerned for his life. He thought, ''If this is done by the same organization that killed Nobles and their families in Wind Capital, then I could be on their hit list. No, my family is in danger as well!''


    He immediately began thinking of a n to ensure his survival but couldn''te up with any n.


    Meanwhile, Kazuo received a message from Sunagakure. He read the scroll and sighed thinking, ''Rasa has lost a lot of influence due to these recent murders. Whoever is doing this must be crazy strong. He doesn''t even care about our lives and just wants the Noble to stay safe.''


    Kazuo''s impression of Rasa degraded a lot. However, as a loyal ninja, he was willing to sacrifice his life for his country. He wondered, ''But how do I keep Toshio safe?''


    He thought for a long time beforeing up with a decent n. He walked towards Tishio''s office while sighing, ''With this method, this old fellow will live. But I will survive only if I am extremely lucky. This really sucks."

 Chapter 269: When the World is against you!

    Kazuo entered Toshio''s office and said loudly, "Everyone, leave! I need to talk with Toshio-sama alone."


    All the servants immediately left. Toshio was stressed thinking about ways to live. He looked at Kazuo with a hopeful look on his face while thinking, ''Maybe he can think of something.''


    As soon as everyone left and the doors were locked, Toshio said, "It''s good you came, Kazuo. I was about to find you as well. I have never been so stressed in my life."


    Kazuo nodded and asked, "Worried about the assassination?"


    Toshio nodded.


    Kazuo replied, "You don''t need to be worried. Lord Kazekage has asked me to ensure that you and your family stay safe."


    A look of relief appeared on Toshio''s face. He asked, "Did you think of a way?"


    Kazuo nodded and replied, "Yes. Listen carefully. You and your family will move out of the mansion. All four of you will stay under disguise by using makeup, wearing ordinary clothes and moving to live in an ordinary house in the city. You won''t have any servants or guards. No one other than me will be aware of your location.


    In the meantime, decoys will have to be arranged to rece you and your family. If the assassin attacks, that decoy will die. As long as the decoy doesn''t blow up your cover, you will get to live and the assassin will go away.


    If your cover is blown, then you will have to stay hidden for a long time until that Assassin gives up. I''ll probably not be alive by then, so your survival will entirely depend on you."


    Toshio became excited after hearing the n. However, he hid his excitement and put up a sad face and asked, "Do you have to risk your life?"


    Kazuo easily saw through the fake concern and said, "It''s the life of a ninja. Stop wasting time and prepare to move out and arrange for decoys. I am not sure how much time we have."


    Toshio replied, "I already have decoys in mind. I''ll arrange them for my family. However, I need your help to bring the one for me here. His name is Tetsuo."


    Toshio gave him the address of Tetsuo and exined his circumstances to Kazuo. Kazuo nodded and left. Toshio immediately got to work. He made 3 people disguise themselves as his wife and sons and asked them to stay in the basement. They knew the consequences of disobeying him and agreed.


    At the same time, Kazuo reached the outskirts of the city. He searched for a bit and saw an old house. Outside, a middle-aged man was sitting. He looked very tired and sick. Kazuo approached him and asked, "Are you Tetsuo?"


    Tetsuo was surprised. He looked at Kazuo and immediately recognized him. His eyes widened as he got up in a hurry and bowed down, "Lord Kazuo. It''s an honor that you know my name."


    Kazuo nodded and said, "Come with me, Toshio-sama has instructions for you."


    Without waiting for his approval, Kazuo turned around and began walking. Tetsuo immediately followed. However, he was confused and wondered, ''What would Lord Kazuo and Lord Toshio want from someone like me?"


    Tetsuo''s current state was horrible. His body was weak and he would frequently fall ill. Due to this, he couldn''t work continuously and most of what he earned would be spent in the hospital. So his family''s financial condition was very poor. And he was in a lot of debt. He wanted a good life for his family, but no matter how much he tried, it seemed like the entire world was against him.


    They walked into the mansion. Tetsuo received a lot of curious gazes, making him feel ufortable. He did his best to ignore them. He followed Kazuo into Toshio''s office and immediately paid respects to Toshio.


    Toshio put up a kind smile and said, "Get up."


    Tetsuo got up and asked, "I wonder why you called me here, Lord?"


    Toshio got up and walked past Tetsuo. He looked through the window and asked, "Are you aware of the recent wave of assassinations, Tetsuo?"


    Tetsuo nodded.


    Toshio sighed and said, "I am afraid that I too will be targetted by him. I called you here as I have an important job for you."


    He turned around and looked into Tetsuo''s eyes and said, "I am willing to die. However, if I die, then our whole city will suffer. My children aren''t capable enough to run a city yet. So I want you to disguise as me and take my ce in the mansion."


    His words shocked Tetsuo. Tetsuo involuntarily stepped back. But he crashed into Kazuo and fell to the ground. He looked at Kazuo who was staring straight into his eyes. Tetsuo became frightened as he felt that if he said no, Kazuo would kill him!


    He immediately looked at Toshio and said, "Lord, I have a wife and 2 young children. Without me, they will be fatherless and no one will be able to look after them or feed them. I would have loved to sacrifice myself for our city but I just can''t leave my family alone!"


    Kazuo frowned. If Tetsuo was reluctant, then he wouldn''t work as a decoy. Toshio looked at Kazuo and said, "It''s fine Kazuo. Not everyone can give their lives for the city."


    He painted Kazuo as the bad guy in Tetsuo''s mind while showing himself to be a very just ruler. He looked back at Tetsuo and said, "Tetsuo, I am aware of your family conditions as well as your medical health. If you say no, I won''t force you, but hear me out first."


    Tetsuo nodded. Toshio said, "If you take my ce, Kazuo and the other ninjas will be responsible for your safety. You won''t die until they are alive. Irrespective of whether we get attacked or not, as long as you live, I''ll reward you abundantly. I will clear all your debt, give you a stable job in the mansion and get the best doctors for you to improve your health."


    He let out a sigh and said, "But if our luck is bad and you die, I will take care of your family. I will clear their debt and give them so much money that even your next nine generations won''t be able to spend it."


    Hearing the offer, Tetsuo went silent. He was well aware that he wasn''t capable of providing for his family. But he loved his family and didn''t want to leave them. He fell into deep thought. Toshio and Kazuo didn''t disturb him.


    After 20 minutes of struggling, Tetsuo let out a sigh and thought, ''Even if they protect me, I doubt they could stop the assassin. But irrespective of whether I live or not, my family will be taken care of. Though they will be sad about losing me, their sadness will fade away with time. And they will live a fulfilling life. Besides, my death isn''t fixed. If my luck changes for once, I will live and my family will not need to worry about money!''


    He got up. Kazuo looked into his eyes and was surprised. He thought, ''What determination!''


    At the same time, he looked at Toshio and thought, ''This guy might be a scum, but he understands the human heart very well!''


    In order to ensure that his family lived a good life, Tetsuo was determined to risk his life. No matter what, he wouldn''t fail this mission.


    Tetsuo said, "Lord, I am willing to be your decoy!"


    Toshio nodded and said, "Shunkuto City will remember your bravery. Kazuo will instruct you further."


    Kazuo nodded and left the room with Tetsuo. As soon as they left, a cruel smile appeared on Toshio''s face. He thought, ''It''s hrious how gullible these fools are! Take care of his family? Hehehe. If he lives, I''ll kill him so that no one will know that I hid in the face of danger. If he dies, then I''ll burn his body and never tell anyone that he died. His family will think that he just abandoned them. As for what happens to them, how is that my concern?''


    Unfortunately for Tetsuo, even in his final moments, the world still stood against him. He died without being able to provide his family with what he desired!


    Present :


    Fujin put his thoughts about the man behind him and sighed, ''What a mess¡­ Just when I thought that the mission was too easy, its difficulty rises to an insane level.''


    Despiteining, a smile could be seen on his face. He enjoyed fighting intellectually. He thought, ''I don''t know who created this n, but it''s time to dismantle it. I''d have just killed the Noble and left. But now, I will make this n backfire splendidly on Sunagakure. But I need to be careful. I have to prepare an escape route in case Suna sends reinforcements.''


    Thoughts ran rapidly through Fujin''s brain as he calcted a devious scheme.

 Chapter 270: A Drama

    Fujin''s clones entered the basement and killed thest two Suna ninjas in the city. The people who were disguising themselves as Toshio''s family were horrified. They immediately began screaming and begged, "Please let us live! I promise we won''t tell anyone what happened here!"


    Despite the fear, they didn''t expose that they weren''t rted to Toshio. They knew that if they did, their families would suffer for generations and Toshio would kill them even if the assassin didn''t.


    Fujin''s clones ignored their screams. One clone weaved a few hand seals.


    ''Boufura no Ekirei jutsu''


    Terror could be seen on their faces. However, nothing happened. The look of terror faded away and instead, they became confused. Some wondered, ''Did his jutsu fail?''


    Suddenly, they got a weird feeling. They felt a slight squirming in their stomach. In an instant, that squirming turned into a sharp pain. They felt as if their stomach was infested by hundreds of maggots. The maggots began eating their way from inside their bodies. The sharp pain soon turned into agony as they felt every mouth ripping and eating the skin, tissue and tendons.


    Everyone held their stomach while screaming in pain and horror as the two clones watched. One person couldn''t take it anymore and yelled at the top of his lungs. The people around him looked at him. Their eyes widened in horror as his stomach was torn open and hundreds of maggots spilled out and began writhing on the ground. Soon, they too faced simr fates.


    Fujin''s clones watched as every one of them fell unconscious. However, there were no maggots on the ground, no blood and no torn stomachs. The attack was just a Genjutsu.


    Boufura no Ekirei jutsu was one of the Genjutsus Fujin learnt during his time in the Anbu. It was a very disgusting jutsu. However, against a ninja, its usage was limited. Any experienced ninja would know that they are in a Genjutsu and disrupt their chakra.


    So its main usage was to disturb the enemy by causing a weird feeling and pain in their stomachs and use that disruption to attack them. Of course, there was one exception. This Genjutsu was disgustingly effective when used by the Aburame n ninjas!


    Fujin''s clone thought, ''Now they won''t wake up for a while. Though I could have used a different Genjutsu, this one ensures that they won''t wake up for at least half a day. In addition, the horror they experienced will force their brains to forget about this event and the events before they went unconscious. This will make it very difficult for Suna to get the exact information from them.''


    Fujin could have just killed them. But he had killed too many innocent people during this mission. If he could avoid killing more, he would take that option.


    The clones transformed into the two Suna ninjas they killed, stored their bodies and returned to Fujin. Fujin had finishedpleting his n.


    16 Shadow Clones popped around him. However, one immediately dispersed. The n immediately was transmitted to all the remaining Shadow Clones. The 15 new clones immediately transformed into random people Fujin came across and flickered out.


    8 clones rushed out of the City. They spread away at equal distances and formed a perimeter. All of them activated their chakra field simultaneously, monitoring the city from all sides. If reinforcements from Suna arrive, they would send the message back to Fujin, who would withdraw immediately. The remaining 7 clones mixed with themon people in the city.


    Inside the mansion, Fujin and his clones, disguised as Suna ninjas, left the room. The servants in the mansion were all hiding in fear after the sounds of the fighting spread throughout the mansion. Though the sounds had stopped, they weren''t sure who won. Seeing the Suna ninjas walk around the mansion relieved them.


    Fujin''s clones looked at them and said, "The assassin is killed. You can rx."


    The servants all smiled. One said loudly, "I knew that any assassin couldn''t kill Sunagakure ninjas! We are the strongest ninja vige!"


    Fujin''s clone chuckled and asked, "Is that so? Then why were you hiding?"


    The servant immediately became nervous. He thought, ''Shit, I was just trying to get in their good books. Why is he making it difficult for me?''


    The servants around him also stared at him. They were quite sick of his bootlicking ability.


    The servant said while stuttering. "I¡­ I¡­ I was¡­"


    Fujin''s clone chuckled again and said, "It''s fine. I have a job for you guys. Leave the mansion and spread the message. The Assassin who kept killing the Nobles is dead. There will be a huge announcement made. So everyone, who can, should arrive around the mansion."


    The servant immediately said, "I will immediately inform everybody."


    The others also nodded. Fujin''s clone added, "If you find others hiding, inform them as well."


    They agreed and left. Fujin''s clones found the others who were hiding and gave them the same job.


    Meanwhile, Fujin began going through items in the mansion. After searching for a bit, he found a photo album. Looking at he muttered, "So this is how this Noble called Toshio looks. And this is his family. Though, trying to look for him actively will be pointless as he should be wearing a disguise to hide from civilians."


    Fujin created another Shadow clone and dispelled it. The memories transferred to all his clones. The 7 clones that had mixed among the civilians began to keep an eye out in case they saw someone who looked familiar.


    The news spread through the city quickly. The news that an assassin was killing the Nobles was already well known. To know that the assassin was killed in their city was a matter of joy and pride! Within minutes, thousands of people crowded around the mansion. Fujin watched it and wondered, ''Will this be sufficient to make the noble crawl out of his hiding spot?''


    Fujin and his clones scanned the crowd for two minutes. Unfortunately, they couldn''t spot him. Fujin, who had transformed into Kazuo, stepped forward. He said in a loud voice, "Quiet Down."


    Kazuo was well-known in the city. The crowd went silent.


    Fujin continued saying, "An hour ago, Toshio-sama was attacked by that scum assassin. Unfortunately, he encountered me."


    The crowd listened in anticipation as Fujin looked at them. He shouted, "I KILLED THAT COWARD!"


    The crowd instantly erupted in joy. The entire mansion was drowned in roars. The cheers were heard throughout the city. The ones who couldn''t make it regretted not being there. However, they were cheerful as well.


    Fujin waited for the noise to lower and said loudly, "Tonight, the entire city will celebrate! Soe to the mansion in the evening. We will have thergest buffet ever! When the fireworks go off, drop everything you are doing ande here to celebrate!"


    The crowd cheered even louder.


    "Long Live Toshio-sama"


    "Kazuo-sama is Mighty"


    Such slogans were shouted continuously. Fujin looked around with a smile on his face and slowly retreated into the mansion. The crowd lingered for a while before leaving.


    The news of a buffet spread through the city. Everyone was happy, except one person. Toshio was sitting in a restaurant. A lot of makeup was applied to his face. The people in the restaurant couldn''t recognize him. A frown formed on his face as he cursed, ''Why is Kazuo spending my money?''


    His face became ugly at the thought of his money being wasted onmoners. He wondered, ''Should I return to the mansion? That bastard has already killed the assassin. So why didn''t he call me back?''


    He thought for a bit and decided, ''No. I have cooperated with Kazuo for a long time. I''ll give him the benefit of the doubt for now. As for the money, I can earn it back in no time.''


    He got up and began leaving the restaurant.


    As soon as he did, he heard two people speaking.


    One guy said, "Hey, did you hear? Toshio-sama hid in the city while a decoy took his ce. I didn''t expect Toshio-sama to be so cowardly."


    His friend replied, "Yes. I was very disappointed. I had higher expectations from Toshio-sama."


    The first guy said, "Yeah, everyone is disappointed. I heard that Lord Daimyo is upset with Toshio-sama. And a new Noble would be elected."


    His friend nodded and said, "Yes. I hope Kazuo-sama bes our new Noble. Under him, we might be the strongest City in the West."


    The first guy chuckled and said, "I say the decoy should be the new Noble. After all, he has the guts and the will to sacrifice himself for us. That''s how a Noble should be!"


    The two continued talking while moving away. Toshio''s face became very ugly. He almostshed out at the two but controlled himself. He thought in rage, ''I should have known! That bastard tricked me! He is using this opportunity to usurp my power!''

 Chapter 271: Pouring Oil on Fire!

    Toshio began walking towards where his family was hiding. En route, he heard simr words being spoken by everyone around him. They talked about how cowardly he was or how gant Kazuo was or both. He became angrier and angrier. He took a good look at each and every face that talked bad about him and memorized their faces.


    Right after announcing a Buffet, the 7 shadow clones of Fujin that had mixed among the citizens began spreading rumors. They spread like wildfire. Since Toshio wasn''t present during the announcements, people began believing that it was true. In addition, a few knew Toshio''s real face and how greedy and selfish he was. They helped fan the rumors. Within a couple of hours, nearly everyone had heard those rumors and were discussing them. That is why Toshio heard them so easily.


    Toshio entered an ordinary-looking house. As soon as he did, two teenage boys and a middle-ageddy looked at him. They immediately noticed his foul mood.


    One of his sons asked, "Did something happen father? We heard that Kazuo won and the assassin is dead, so why are you upset?"


    Toshio cursed, "That bastard Kazuo has double-crossed me! He is using this to increase his own reputation while ruining mine! He has sights on my position! I''ll be going to the mansion right now and put a stop to his ns. You three stay here until I return to get you."


    Toshio''s wife said, "Be careful, dear. I am feeling very uneasy."


    Toshio nodded and said confidently, "Don''t worry. He may be a ninja, but he can''t do anything to me. Otherwise, the Lord Daimyo will ask for his head!"


    His wife and sons nodded and prayed for his health. Toshio began walking towards the mansion while still wearing his disguise. He nned, ''As long as I enter the mansion under disguise, no one will be able to confirm these rumours. I''ll dismiss these rumours as foul propaganda and me it on the ones I saw shit-talking about me. Kazuo, you might be stronger than me, but you are a childpared to me when ites to scheming.''


    He reached the Mansion and became enraged once again! The mansion servers were busy arranging tables and chairs inside as well as outside the mansion to prepare for a huge buffet!


    In a rage, he began walking towards the mansion. At first, no one paid attention to him. However, when he neared the mansion gate, one of Fujin''s clones'' eyesnded on him. Fujin''s clone observed him and wondered, ''Why is this guy so angry? And he is bottling it all up.''


    Fujin''s clone tilted his head and wondered, ''If people could blow up in a rage, I wonder if he''d create a bigger explosion than Deidara?''


    As Toshio entered the castle, the maids and servants finally reacted. One maid was standing quite close to him and carrying some tes. She walked towards him and said, "The buffet will be in the evening. Don''te here so early. Don''t worry, we will have enough food for everyone."


    Though the maid spoke politely, Toshio could feel the disdain in her voice. His face became even uglier. He said in a deep voice, "Do you dare stop me?"


    The maid was shocked. Though she couldn''t identify from his face, she recognized his voice. She observed his physique and identified him immediately. She dropped the tes in horror and walked backwards. She eximed, "Toshio-sama?"


    Her words were heard clearly by everyone. They had the same thought - The Rumors were true!


    Toshio knew that he would get exposed, but since everyone here worked under him, he knew how to ensure that they stayed quiet.


    He looked around everywhere and said in a grim voice, "If a word of this is leaked out, you will have to face the consequences. I don''t need to tell you the consequences, do I?"


    Not a single person spoke. They were all scared. However, suddenly a voice was heard, "Toshio-sama, why are you angry? Come in."


    Toshio turned his head in the direction of the voice and saw Kazuo inside the mansion. He snorted and went in. Fujin led him into his office. Toshio followed him but was confused. He thought, ''Something feels off about Kazuo. It''s like he isn''t being himself.''


    Toshio analyzed but didn''t understand why Kazuo was acting this way. Fujin knew that his disguise as Kazuo wouldn''t be perfect. After all, he had only seen him for a small time. He could replicate his appearance perfectly. He talked with Kazuo for so long before killing to learn how Kazuo spoke. Unfortunately, Kazuo spoke in a very enraged tone. So he didn''t know how he talked or acted normally. So this disguise was barely usable. Fortunately, Fujin was only using it to foolmon people. So though a few did find something odd, they didn''t consider it too much.


    Fujin and Toshio entered the office. Once they were alone, Toshio angrily shouted, "Kazuo? Why did you spread those rumors? You bastard. I paid you so much over the years and you still dare to have greed towards my post?"


    Fujin just chuckled in response. His brazen attitude enraged Toshio even further. However, before he could speak another word, Kazuo disappeared and he felt a blow to the back of his head. He immediately dropped unconscious. Fujin muttered softly, "Begin the fireworks."


    His clone nodded and disappeared.


    Outside the mansion, the servants continued working quietly. They looked like a very disciplined workforce. However, if anyone were to take a closer look, they would notice that the servants were extremely scared. Everyone had grim faces. A servant prayed, ''I hope no one here is foolish enough to leak the truth. Otherwise, that vile person will skin us all alive.''


    As they were working, suddenly a loud sound was heard. Everyone looked up at the sky. They were stunned. Despite the Sun still being out, they could see a colorful explosion in the sky. They heard some more voices. They looked around to see more fireworks heading towards the sky. The Fireworks erupted with a resounding crack, scattering vibrant fragments around the bright canvas above.


    The people in the city were wrapping up their work in a hurry so as to be free during the buffet when they noticed the fireworks. Soon, most of the people in the city were entranced by it. The unexpected daytime pyrotechnics left the crowd astonished.


    The explosions unleashed an array of colors and transformed the sky into a living tapestry of vivid blues, radiant reds and shimmering gold. Each explosion brightened the mood of the citizens and raised their hope for their futures.


    A young girl''s wide eyes locked on to the mesmerizing disy. In joy and wonder, she tugged her mother''s sleeve and eximed, "Mom, look! It is so beautiful!"


    Most kids had simr reactions. They all wanted to go there.


    However, the adults were puzzled. They wondered, ''Didn''t Kazuo-sama say that the Buffet will be in the evening? Why is he calling us now?''


    However, the crowd also had some simpletons and foodies. They thought, ''It is the Royal Buffet. I guess they are inviting us for the Royal Starters!''


    With watery mouths, they immediately began rushing towards the Mansion, unaware of the tragedy awaiting them!


    Within minutes, the mansion was surrounded by people once again. The numbers instantly reached hundreds and soon crossed a thousand. They noticed that the servants working in the mansion were arranging tables and chairs, but couldn''t see any food nearby. However, they waited patiently and eagerly.


    Fujin waited for a few minutes for the crowd to be substantiallyrger. Finally, he stepped out of the mansion. He had a in expression on his face. He walked towards the mansion gate and mmed his hands on the ground.


    ''Earth Release: Earth Wall jutsu''


    Instead of a vast wall, a small pir of 1-meter length and breadth but with a height of 10 meters rose from the ground. Fujin jumped on it. The crowd was still noisy. He looked around and squinted his eyes. Immediately, a thick bloodlust emanated from Fujin. It spread towards the people. The bloodlust terrified them. Immediately, everyone looked at him in terror. The crowd went silent. They looked at Fujin with fear and wondered, ''Why is Kazuo-sama doing this? Isn''t he supposed to be our hero?''


    Fujin observed the crowds and was satisfied with the reaction. The bloodlust terrified the civilians without harming them. He said loudly, "Lord Kazekage has investigated the assassin who killed the Nobles and Sunagakure''s ninjas. He discovered that he was aided by some traitors."


    As soon as he said it, one of Fujin''s clones flickered next to him and handed him Toshio''s unconscious body. The people''s eyes widened as they realized what was going on.


    Fujin said, "Toshio was that traitor. He provided the assassin with critical and ssified information. Hence, Lord Kazekage has decided that he is to be executed."

 Chapter 272: A Dying City...

    Everyone''s eyes widened. A few who were well-learned and were close to Toshio wondered, ''Wait, Lord Kazekage has no authority to punish Nobles. Only Lord Daimyo has. What is going on?''


    They wanted to voice their opinion. But the bloodlust made them terrified to even open their mouths. A sword appeared in Fujin''s hands. His clone held Toshio properly and offered Fujin his neck. Fujin swung his sword. With one swing of his de, Toshio was beheaded!


    The crowd watched withplex expressions. They didn''t know what to feel. On one hand, they were happy that a traitor had been killed. Perhaps if they weren''t suppressed by the bloodlust, they would have even cheered.


    On the other hand, though Toshio wasn''t a good person, he had properly propagated himself to be one. So the number of people aware of his real face was very low. Only the recent rumors tarnished his reputation considerably.


    They stayed silent and hoped that this nightmare would be over. However, Fujin''s next words destroyed all their hopes!


    Fujin said, "Lord Kazekage is very upset over how the Noble of Shunkuto has caused the deaths of tens of Sunagakure ninjas. As a punishment, all the ninjas deployed to protect the city will be withdrawn. From this moment onwards, this city won''t have any protection from us!"


    The civilians were terrified. Their city was deep in the desert. The climate here was very harsh. So they didn''t suffer from any bandit attacks as no bandit group would operate here. However, the city frequently had to face deadly sandstorms. The help of ninjas during this time was indispensable. Without their aid to activate the seals and warn everyone in time, many people would die. The ninjas would also aid a lot after the storm had passed the city in order to restore the city and ensure that it functioned properly.


    Fujin withdrew his bloodlust and said with a sigh, "Though I don''t want to leave here by yourself, I can''t disobey my leader. I wish you well.''


    The people shouted, "No! Please don''t leave us he¡­"


    However, their words were stuck in their mouths as Fujin and his clone disappeared. Only Toshio''s headless body was left on the stone tform. They looked around and the remaining ''Suna'' ninjas had disappeared as well.


    Immediately, terror invaded the minds of everyone present. Chaos spread as everyone discussed what to do without any proper n. Many began talking about leaving the city.


    A few rushed into the mansion and began stealing expensive items and money. While the rest rushed to their families.


    After leaving the city, Fujin dispelled all of his clones except one. Memories entered his brain. He analyzed them all and frowned. He thought, ''What the hell? None of my clones detected any Suna ninja moving towards this city. Where are Sunagakure ninjas? Did Rasa decide to abandon the West thinking that they have no choice but to obey him? But that doesn''t make any sense. He should have been sending ninjas here desperately.''


    Fujin looked towards the East and wondered, ''Did Shikaku or some other vige stir up huge trouble? Only that would exin such a reaction. But what sort of trouble would they have to stir to make Rasa incapable of sending ninjas here?''


    Fujin began analyzing. However, he couldn''te up with any exnation other than war. He wondered, ''Is there a war happening? But I don''t recall any major wars happening at this time other than the civil war in Kiri. Should I withdraw and check out the circumstances there?''


    Fujin analyzed more before deciding, ''No. I''ll head over to the next city. If there is no one protecting it, I''ll withdraw and check out the circumstances around Suna and Wind Capital. Else I''ll decide after seeing what sort of arrangements Rasa has made for the West.''


    Fujin rested for some time to recover his chakra and moved towards the city of Mizunashi.


    Back in Shunkuto, the news spread throughout the city. The entire city was in a panic. The news also reached Toshio''s family. They were immediately engulfed by grief and rage. His wife cursed loudly, "Kazuo, Rasa! I will never let this go! Did you forget that my family is rted to Daimyo as well!"


    Her sons calmed her down saying, "Softly mother. It will be troublesome if someone hears us. They might take out the hate of Father on us!"


    She controlled herself. With tears running down her cheeks, she said, "We will leave this city under this disguise and travel to Wind Capital however we can. Only then we can get your father justice!"


    Her sons nodded. They immediately began making preparations.


    A few influential people stepped forward to control the panic and instilled some sense of discipline and control in the city. The city calmed down a bit. After discussing and making proper arrangements, most of the city decided to leave the city the next day.


    The next morning, over 80% of the citizens decided to leave the city. Toshio''s family also mixed with them. They began travelling across the treacherous deserts and moved towards the nearby cities, towns and viges.


    Around the same time, Fujin reached Mizunashi city. Suddenly, hisst clone dispelled himself and he received his memories. A smile formed on his face as he thought, ''As I expected. A vast number of people there will begin migrating. After all, who would want to stay in a dying city?


    Now, when they enter nearby cities, they will spread the events that happened in their city. Soon, the news will spread like Wildfire throughout the Land of Wind. The news that Rasa ordered the execution of a Noble and left a city with tens of thousands of people to fend for themselves.


    Even though the cities in the East have no option but to stay subservient to Suna, they will be very suspicious of Rasa''s intention. And irrespective of what deal the Wind Daimyo and Rasa made, they will enter into conflict once again. After all, that Noble''s family is still alive. As long as they reach the Daimyo, another round of hostilities will begin. Even if they don''t manage to, the news alone will make the other Nobles pressurize the Daimyo.


    Eventually, some of the people that migrated will migrate to the cities in the East. When they do, Rasa''s reputation will be hit even further. He will have to take a hell lot of effort to be able to recover his lost reputation. However, the bad will among the ones who suffered willst for decades.


    If Shikaku and Hiruzen don''t promote me after this and give me ess to that Section A of the library, I''ll make them experience a simr hell! Though I guess they are too smart to make such a silly mistake.''


    Fujin turned his thoughts towards the city in front of him. His eyes were glowing. He muttered, "Another city without any active seals protecting them. That said, thest assassination was fun. I wonder if this city will make it interesting for me as well."


    He took a step forward as wind covered his entire body. Before he couldnd his step, he disappeared from his spot and entered the city. He began walking casually towards the center of the city as usual. As expected, it also had a mansion at the center of the city.


    Fujin stood in a secluded corner and wondered, ''What should I do if this Noble is also hiding while a decoy is taking his spot? Doing the same trick twice won''t be feasible. After all, many would be suspicious of what I pulled in Shunkuto. The same thing happening in two cities will reduce the suspicion on Rasa and people will suspect foul y. So it will be counter-productive.''


    Fujin thought for a bit and gave up, ''Leave it. I''ll just kill whoever is acting to be the Noble and the Suna ninjas protecting him. Though I should be careful. Kazuo was willing to blow himself up. However, if he had used something original or unpredictable, then I could have had some trouble.''


    As he was deciding, he felt eyes on himself. He turned his head and saw a man approaching him. Heughed awkwardly and asked, "Young man, can you tell me where the flower shop is? I lost my way around here, hahaha."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Sure. Travel three streets down this road. Then take a right and then the second left. You''ll find the most famous flower shop in this city."


    The man quickly said, "Thank you, young man. You saved me."


    He quickly left. Fujin watched his back. But this time, he didn''t dare to use his chakra. He thought, ''Suspicious. I didn''t sense any chakra from him, but something about him feels off. He approached me right after I used some chakra.''


    Fujin turned around and left in the opposite direction. The man didn''t look back at Fujin and continued walking while thinking, ''I didn''t expect him to know where the flower shop is. Did he just luckilye across the flower shop? Or is he an old spy? But why would someone ce a spy in this remote city? Unless¡­''

 Chapter 273: The Trap Springs!

    The man was none other than the Elite Jounin, Odaka. He was hanging around the mansion under the disguise of an old man when he felt some chakra being used by Fujin. So he decided to check him out. However, Fujin gave him the answer spontaneously.


    Odaka looked at another young man around him and asked once again, "Young man. I want to buy flowers for my wife. It''s our anniversary. Can you tell me where the flower shop is?"


    The boy politely answered, "Just enter this street. The 5th shop on the right is a flower shop."


    Odaka raised his eyebrows. It wasn''t the same location that Fujin mentioned. He pointed at a street a bit farther from his location and asked, "Young man, I was told that the flower shop is in that street after taking the second left."


    The boy followed his finger. After hearing his words, a look of disgust appeared on his face. He looked at Odaka and said with disgust, "Scums like you deserve to burn in hell!"


    He quickly left, leaving Odaka dumbfounded. He wondered, ''What the hell did that young man point me to?''


    He looked back at where he saw Fujin, but Fujin was nowhere to be seen. He looked in another direction and his eyes met with one of the Anbu who was hiding. Odaka pointed towards where he had met up with Fujin.


    The Anbu nodded and left. Meanwhile, Odaka was interested in where Fujin had pointed him. So he quickly moved towards it. As soon as he did, his face turned red and he became angry. He let out augh and said loudly, "Good one boy! You got me!"


    The people around were startled by the loud voice. They looked at him like he was a crazy pervert and maintained a safe distance from him. Odaka was staring at a brothel. In fact, there were multiple brothels and sex toy shops on that street.


    He immediately left. Fujin, of course, had no idea what was here. He just gave random directions so that no one would think he is new in the city and get suspicious. Even if there was no flower shop there, the person would just assume that they were pranked and curse him without suspecting anything.


    However, Odaka was not just some person. And he didn''t approach Fujin due to coincidence. He immediately turned around and began moving to see what the Anbu could have discovered.


    However, when he reached the mansion again, an explosion happened inside it! Odaka quickly turned his attention towards the mansion as he heard the sound of the explosion. He wondered, ''Did the assassin attack?''


    He quickly entered the mansion. So did a dozen other Jounin-level ninjas!


    When he was observing the mansion, Fujin had already noticed how many ninjas were inside the mansion. He spotted 9 ninjas among which 3 were at Chunin level and 6 were merely Genins. Just like in the previous city, the Noble was hiding in one room with 2 ninjas protecting him while his family was hiding underground. He decided to take the same approach.


    In the central room in the mansion, the decoy was sitting dressed as the Noble. 2 Chunins stood next to him facing opposite directions in case there was a sneak attack. This room had a lot of artifacts. Large animals made of wood were ced in the room.


    The decoy was very nervous. He didn''t have the same conviction as Tetsuo. Even the ninjas were very nervous. They were already informed that an attack was just a matter of time. They had heard about the invincible record of the assassin and didn''t want to end up dead too. So they resolutely followed all the instructions given by Yura.


    As they were waiting, a head popped out from the ground. The decoy was spooked and immediately shouted in terror, "He''s here! He''s here!"


    The other ninja turned around while the one facing Fujin immediately threw the kunai he was holding at Fujin and jumped back. So did the other ninja. Fujin''s entire body left the ground. He observed the kunai closely as it had an explosion tag attached to it. He immediately shot an air bullet at it. However, before the air bullet could hit the kunai, the explosion tag exploded!


    Fujin instantly jumped back and refined his chakra into wind while wondering, ''What the hell? Why did it explode so far away from me?''


    ''Wind Release: Infinite Breakthrough jutsu''


    The amount of chakra used for performing the jutsu was very low as he didn''t want to blow up the mansion. The winds generated by the jutsu instantly blew away the smoke. In addition, a few wind des were also fired. They hit the decoy and killed him on the spot. However, the two Suna ninjas had moved sufficiently away to dodge the wind des.


    As the smoke cleared, Fujin noticed that the Suna ninjas had backed to the wall while the Noble was dead. A frown formed on his face as he saw the two Suna Chunins. They were both wearing a gas mask to cover their nose and mouth. Fujin frowned and asked, "The explosion tag contained poison?"


    The Suna ninjas beganughing. One said, "That''s right! Did you think that no one could stop you?"


    The other said, "This is a newly created poison. Your antidotes won''t help you. Hahaha. If you want to live, surrender now!"


    Fujin frowned. His eyes widened as he suddenly sensed 13 strong chakras approaching the room. He looked at the Suna Chunins and said, "Good trap!"


    He immediately disappeared from their line of sight. The Suna ninjas were surprised. One eximed, "Where did h¡­"


    His question was cut short as a punch pierced through his chest! His partner turned his head and saw in horror as a punch came straight at his face. He was too slow to even react. Hisst thought was, ''So fast!''


    The punchnded on his face and killed him as well. Immediately, the door was smashed as 3 Jounins entered the room. Soon after, the walls were knocked out and even more Jounins entered. Odaka was thest one to enter. They surrounded Fujin from all directions. All of them had consumed the antidote and hence weren''t concerned about the poison in the air. However, their expressions became ugly on seeing the dead Chunins.


    Fujin observed them and thought, ''13 Jounins¡­ No, 12 Jounins and an Elite Jounin. Now that''s a good trap.''


    A smile formed on his face.


    The Suna ninjas were surprised by his smile. It was as if he had caught them in a trap instead of what the actual situation was.


    Odaka stepped forward and said, "I never expected that you would smile in this situation. Though, I guess it isn''t strange considering what you achieved. I really admire how many headaches you gave to Lord Kazekage. I saw a few of his hair turn grey within a month. Hahaha."


    Fujin was puzzled by his attitude. Odaka spoke casually as if he was meeting an old friend instead of an enemy. However, his eyes widened as he sensed dozens of ninjas heading towards them. He realized, ''I see. He is just wasting time. As expected of someone so old.''


    Odaka chuckled and said, "You sensed them, huh? It doesn''t matter. With the poison you inhaled, you will die the most painful and gruesome death. To be honest, I am very interested in knowing who you are. I wonder if you can satisfy this old man''s request now or if I will have to wait until you die."


    Fujin let out a chuckle and said, "We will have to see who will die and who will live."


    He took a step forward and suddenly disappeared. Odaka''s eyes widened. He shouted, "Be careful! He is fast!"


    Fujin appeared in front of a Jounin. He was holding a kunai in each hand. He immediately stabbed towards the Jounin''s heart. The Jounin immediately jumped backwards. The ones next to him immediately attacked Fujin. Fujin stopped his attack and used his two kunais to block their attacks. However, the ninjas in front of him weaved hand signs.


    ''Wind Release: Air Bullet jutsu''


    Fujin immediately pushed the attackers away and got out of the way. The bullets passed harmlessly and pierced through the walls. The Jounin frowned as those rogue bullets could hit some of their reinforcements.


    Odaka observed Fujin and analyzed with a frown on his face, ''Hmm, he is faster and stronger than an average Jounin. Even among Elite Jounins, his speed and physical strength might be at the very top. But, why is the poison not slowing him down? Is this his capability after being slowed or does the poison not affect him for some reason?''


    Odaka was taking Fujin lightly as his death was certain. But now he became doubtful. He immediately became very serious.


    As soon as Fujinnded in another spot, he was once again attacked by 3 Jounins. Fujin blocked their attacks and tried attacking back, but they dodged him with perfect teamwork. Suddenly, all 3 backed away.


    Fujin''s eyes widened as he noticed two ninjas building up their chakra while weaving hand signs. He wondered, ''Do they not care about the mansion?''


    He instantly backed off and concentrated his chakra as well.


    ''Wind Release: Wind Dragon Jutsu''


    Two massive Wind Dragons formed and dived at Fujin. However, Fujin wasn''t much concerned. He had already deduced the jutsu by looking at their hand signs.


    ''Wind Release: Infinite Breakthrough Jutsu''


    He poured 20% of his chakra into the jutsu. Extremely strong winds were breathed by Fujin. It hit the two Wind Dragons and dispersed it. The Suna Jounins had grim expressions. They had the same thought, ''Is he from the Land of Wind or are we?''


    They all used their respective defensive moves. The walls of the mansion began copsing. Fujin was about to pour even more chakra into the jutsu and cause maximum damage to the Suna ninjas by dismantling their defensive jutsus when he suddenly jumped towards his right and looked behind.


    His eyes widened as he saw the wooden horse behind him open its mouth wide and shoot hundreds of needles at him! Fujin continued blowing the Infinite Breakthrough, but this time, he used it towards his left so that his body would be pushed to his right. However, it was toote. A few needles grazed his left hand and two needles pierced his left arm and stayed stuck in it. Fujin cursed, ''Shit!''

 Chapter 274: Racing in the Desert

    Chakra gathered in Fujin''s eyes as he noticed the chakra threads controlling the wooden horse. He traced them back and his eyesnded on Odaka. He thought, ''A puppet master. I guess these needles are poisoned as well. I don''t have much time.''


    Seeing Fujin get hit improved the morale of the Suna Jounins who were getting overwhelmed. Odaka also sighed in relief. However, Fujin''s eyes quickly scanned through the Suna Jounins and finally settled on one guy. He decided, ''This one.''


    Though the winds were still flowing strongly in the mansion, Fujin flickered and appeared next to him. The Jounin immediately moved backwards while swiping his kunai at Fujin. Fujin dropped the kunai in his hand and stopped his opponent by grabbing his wrist. At the same time, the ninjas nearby threw Shurikens at Fujin from close range.


    A sigh escaped Fujin''s mouth as he thought, ''Sucks that they didn''te close.''


    In the very next moment, he exploded!


    The eyes of the Jounin whose arm was being grabbed widened in horror. He couldn''t use any jutsu to defend himself nor could he get away. His left arm was blown up. The explosion hit his body, burning his eyes and face. He wasunched across the room and crashed into a wall! The shurikens that were thrown at Fujin were alsounched back due to the explosion. However, everyone dodged them easily. But not a single person had a happy expression.


    Outside the mansion, people were going with their lives as usual. A few people who were around the mansion noticed the sounds of explosions and shes inside the mansion and began wondering what was happening.


    Suddenly, a massive explosion urred! A corner of the mansion was blown up. Pieces of stone and concrete were sent flying for hundreds of meters in the city and crashed into a few unlucky houses and stores.


    Immediately, everyone began looking at the mansion which stood at the center of the city! These included the ninjas that were hiding in the city, the civilians and a young man sitting in a cafe.


    The young man''s eyes glowed as he observed the mansion while going through the memories he received. A smirk formed on his face as he thought, ''Not bad. Not bad at all! They set up a very good trap. The previous easy missions were indeed to lower my guard. If it was someone careless or arrogant, this trap would have been very sessful. Now then¡­''


    The young man was none other than Fujin. When Odaka approached him, Fujin had already finished observing the mansion and sent a shadow clone into the ground to attack the mansion.


    Fujin''s eyes moved rapidly as he spotted 4 Anbu ninjas who were observing him from different locations. At the moment of the explosion, they stopped looking at him and watched the mansion.


    Fujin took the opportunity and flickered immediately. He appeared behind an Anbu ninja and pierced a kunai through his throat. Before the Anbu could realize that someone killed him, he flickered behind the next Anbu ninja and repeated the same.


    The Anbu were located quite far away from each other. So they didn''t notice theirrades falling. However, they had a job to spy on Fujin. They turned their attention back to him only to notice him not being in his spot. They immediately became alert. However, another one of them was killed by Fujin.


    The final Anbu noticed someone killing a fellow Anbu member through the corner of his eye. He was shocked. He immediately grabbed his kunai. Fujin flickered once again and appeared behind thest Anbu. The Anbu quickly turned around and used his kunai to stop Fujin''s attack. The two kunai shed creating a loud sound.


    Inside the mansion, one Jounin asked, "Did he die?"


    As the dust began settling, Odaka walked ahead and said with a grim expression, "I guess not. He was a Shadow Clone! No wonder the poison had no effect on him."


    The Jounins immediately went silent. Finally, one asked, "Did we get toyed with by a mere clone?"


    Everyone knew the answer but everyone was silent. Suddenly, their silence was broken by the loud sound of two kunai shing. Everyone looked out of the hole the explosion had created and noticed an Anbu ninja fighting with someone.


    Fujin was surprised by the loudness of the sound. He wondered, ''Is his kunai made of something that creates a loud noise? But what''s the use of such a loud kunai?''


    The Suna Anbu sighed in relief. He thought, ''I''m d I kept this kunai with me for emergencies. Now everyone will know that he is here.''


    However, his relief was short-lived. Fujin shot an Air bullet at his forehead at point nk! The Anbu had no time to dodge. A hole was left in his forehead as he dropped dead.


    However, the loud sound had done its job. Over a hundred ninjas were staring at Fujin! The Jounins led by Odaka immediately flickered towards Fujin. Yura and his subordinates were close to Fujin as well. They quickly moved towards him as well.


    Fujin watched them as his body was enveloped in wind. Odaka''s eyes widened. Dozens of poisoned needles appeared in his hands and he threw them all at Fujin. However, before they could reach him, Fujin had already disappeared.


    The Jounins allnded where Fujin was standing. Immediately wind enveloped them as well as they weaved hand seals and cursed, "Do you think only you know the Wind Instantaneous Body jutsu?"


    Immediately, all the Jounins used the same jutsu and began their chase. Apart from these twelve, the others in the city who could use that jutsu began the chase as well.


    Fujin turned around and noticed a few dozen ninjas chasing after him. He thought, ''The area around the city is aplete desert. There is nothing that can hide me. If this was the Land of Fire, they wouldn''t even know where to chase me. Still, it''s fine. The chase depends on the expertise in this jutsu and stamina. I''ll just keep running until they can''t keep up anymore.''


    Fujin looked ahead and continued running. Apart from this, he had another choice. That was to use Shadow clones and split in different directions. It would force the Suna ninjas to split up as well. He could then hunt them one by one.


    Fujin did think of this idea, but he dismissed it immediately. He thought, ''Though I could kill a good number of them, it''s too risky. My shadow clones can''t be poisoned but I can be. I''d prefer to not get poisoned in this desert. After all, Poison is Suna''s speciality. Though it wasn''t a match for Tsunade, I''m no Tsunade. Avoiding getting poisoned is the only method for me.''


    Over thest couple of years, Fujin''s knowledge about medical jutsus, the human body and poisons had increased a lot. But he wasn''t arrogant enough to think that it would be anywhere close topeting against Suna.


    The Suna ninjas chasing Fujin had already split into groups. At the forefront was Manabu. Behind him were Yura, Odaka and Eagle. The Jounins were behind them in smaller groups of their own. Though they could use the jutsu, the amount of time needed and the distance they could cover was different for everyone.


    Every Suna ninja had a grim face as they noticed Fujin getting further and further away at every second. One of the Jounins cursed, "What the hell? How does he flicker by more than a kilometer every time? And why does his jutsu activate instantly?"


    The one next to him muttered, "It''s almost as if the Wind Gods have all blessed him!"


    They weren''t the only ones with that thought. Manabu was upset as well. He was one of the strongest Wind users in Sunagakure. He was quite prideful about his expertise in wind maniption. He thought, ''If not for the Ma Kekkei Genkai, even Rasa wouldn''t be a match for my Wind Release. Who is this ninja?''


    Fujin used the jutsu 10 times consecutively. He was about to use it again when he suddenly stopped and disrupted his chakra.


    Immediately, the scene in front of him changed. A dozen ninjas appeared in front of him. He was rmed by the situation and wondered, ''Why the hell would they set up an ambush all the way out here?''


    Manabu, Odaka and the rest noticed it and sighed in relief. The reinforcements sent by Rasa had arrived when Fujin was wasting time in Shunkuto City.


    Manabu thought, ''He finally encountered one of the squads. I was afraid he was going to run straight through the we set up. After all, how could anyone catch anyone who moves a kilometer with every step? However, it looks like he has used up all his luck. Of all the squads to encounter, he encountered that monster!''

 Chapter 275: Unleashing the Monster!

    The twelve Suna ninjas stared at Fujin. The one standing at the front and who set up the Genjutsu was Susumu, an Elite Jounin. He chuckled and said, "You must have had horrible luck to encounter us. After today, even your bones won''t remain!"


    The others chuckled as well. Fujin didn''t bother arguing against them. After all, he could see the reason why they were so cocky. It was a young boy, standing in the midst of their ranks.


    The boy had fair skin, short, spikey and red hair and emerald green eyes with dark rings giving him a distinct look. In addition, there was a gourd on his back, which was too big for his size.


    Fujin thought, ''Facing Gaara in a desert full of sand¡­ Indeed, my luck would have been horrible had he been older. However, at this age¡­ Is Rasa out of his mind sending his ten-year-old kid and Suna''s only Jinchuriki against me? If I didn''t already know the future, I''d be very tempted to kill him right here! And unless he released Shukaku, I doubt he''d have any chance of survival either.''


    Unlike Fujin, Gaara didn''t waste any time thinking. Sand poured out of his gourd and immediately moved towards Fujin. Fujin was about to flicker when he felt something unusual. He immediately disrupted his chakra and moved out of the way while looking at Susumu.


    Susumu grinned and said, "With me here, you should forget about being able to escape. Gaara-sama, attack without restraint. I''ll ensure that he can''t escape!"


    Gaara ignored his words and kept attacking. Fujin dodged while thinking, ''Annoying. He uses Genjutsu right when I am about to use a jutsu. Though I can break it right away, it''s dangerous. After all, who knows how I will use the jutsu when under a Genjutsu?


    This level of Genjutsu, he must be Sabaku Susumu, one of Rasa''s cousins. And probably the strongest Genjutsu user from Suna. But how is he affecting my chakra?''


    Susumu was very confident about trapping Fujin. However, his smile disappeared as he noticed that Fujin kept avoiding Gaara''s sand every time.


    Even though Fujin couldn''t use any jutsu, he wasn''t very concerned. His normal speed far exceeded the speed of Gaara''s sand. Not a single attack came close to hurting him. However, as Fujin was dodging the sand, Manabu finally caught up! Fujin looked back and frowned, ''At this rate, I''ll be surrounded by hundreds of ninjas!''


    His eyes began glowing as he focused chakra in them. Gaara was bing impatient. He sent all the sand out of his gourd. It formed into small pebble-sized balls and rained down at Fujin.


    Fujin got out of range of the attack with ease once again as he observed, ''I see. This guy is leaking his chakra into the wind. He is using the air I breathe to slowly affect my chakrawork and make me fall into a Genjutsu. This shouldn''t be enough to make me fall under a Genjutsu, but he probably increases the chakra right when I''m busy refining my chakra to use a jutsu.''


    A sparkle appeared in Fujin''s eyes as he looked at Susumu. His look towards him had changed. He no longer viewed Susumu as an obstruction and instead viewed him as a delicacy! A shiver passed through Susumu''s spine as he wondered, ''Why is he looking at me like this? Don''t tell me he swings that way! Still, shouldn''t he be concerned about Gaara?''


    ''Wind Release: Air Bullet jutsu''


    Manabu noticed that Fujin was focusing on Gaara and Susumu. He had no intention of getting in Gaara''s way. So he maintained distance and fired 15 air bullets at Fujin.


    Fujin noticed the attack and dodged once again. However, Gaara was annoyed. Normally, everyone would be terrified of him and his sand. However, not only was Fujin not afraid, he didn''t even give Gaara a second nce. It was as if Fujin didn''t consider him a threat at all!


    Gaara exerted more chakra. Hundreds of sand balls rained at Fujin who nimbly dodged while emitting his own chakra into the air to neutralize Susumu''s threat!


    Susumu immediately sensed Fujin''s chakra and was shocked! However, before he could do anything, Gaara shouted, "Desert Coffin!"


    While Fujin was dodging the Sand Shower, Gaara led him towards where his sand was. Fujin was surrounded on all sides. For the second time, Fujin looked into Gaara''s eyes.


    A frown formed on Gaara''s face as he muttered, "Why isn''t he afraid of me, Mother?"


    In anger, the sand began moving much faster. However, Fujin, who was maintaining eye contact, suddenly disappeared. He reappeared far outside the little trap Gaara had created.


    Susumu shouted, "Impossible! How did you use a jutsu?"


    He wondered, ''Even if he has seen through my technique, he hasn''t broken it yet. So how did he flicker?''


    Manabu flickered behind Fujin with a grim expression and attacked Fujin with a kunai. Fujin grabbed his kunai and hit Manabu''s kunai and jumped backwards immediately. Manabu did the same as Gaara''s sand appeared between the two of them.


    Manabu said, "He didn''t use a jutsu. That is his raw speed!"


    Susumu was shocked. He looked at Fujin again and wondered, ''That''s his normal speed? No wonder he has been so sessful in his assassinations. We have to kill him here. Otherwise, he will be a huge headache for Suna!''


    As they were wondering how to deal with Fujin, Odaka and Eagle arrived and joined Manabu. Yura too arrived but stayed back and began coordinating the ninjas and establishing new perimeters to ensure that Fujin couldn''t escape.


    However, unlike the level-headed Jounins, one person had no patience. He was incredibly annoyed by how dismissive Fujin was of him. Gaara shouted, "Sand Tsunami!"


    Immediately, the sand in the desert began moving. It formed into a wave of Tsunami and headed towards Fujin. However, instead of terror, there was a smile on Fujin''s face as he thought, ''Finally, he messed up! I was worried after seeing the puppet master.''


    The Suna jounins noticed the Tsunami and had grim expressions. The jutsu covered a wide area. All of them were targeted as well! They immediately moved away! The remaining 10 ninjas from the Ambush squad were standing behind Gaara and hence were safe from the Tsunami. However, they began sweating in fear due to the scale of the attack.


    Fujin looked at Susumu and decided, ''I was nning to leave and never return here. But since you decided to keep me here, I might as well have some fun!''


    Fujin disrupted his chakra once again and exerted a huge amount of chakra. Susumu noticed the chakra build-up and immediately cursed, "Shit! He will run away!"


    Even before he couldplete his statement, Fujin disappeared. The Suna ninjas wanted to stop him, but the Sand Tsunami severely restricted their movement. The Suna ninjas who were still rushing towards Fujin stopped and dispersed out of the attack''s way.


    Odaka expanded his chakra field and tried to sense Fujin. However, he could no longer sense him.


    Odaka frowned and said, "He is gone. I can''t sense him anymore. It was a mistake to include Gaara in such an important mission. He doesn''t have the tactical know-how yet to fight at this level."


    The others silently agreed. Eagle said, "Luckily Yura began establishing a new perimeter. We can still catch up with him if he gets stalled."


    However, Manabu, Odaka and Susumu didn''t share the same opinion. They had all engaged with Fujin. His speed was too fast for anyone under the Elite Jounin level to handle. Excluding them, there were only 2 more Elite Jounins around the city. And neither were stationed in that direction.


    Though they were upset that Fujin had gotten away, they had another matter to take care of. The Sand Tsunami was approaching them rapidly. They immediately flickered out of the way.


    Gaara, who created this mess, grinned and said, "That''s it! Run away from me!"


    As soon as he said it, the sand around him moved quickly and formed a sand wall on his left side. Gaara was shocked and turned his head to the left. His eyes widened as he saw 6 holes in the sand wall.


    6 Air bullets pierced through the thinyer of sand and grazed Gaara''s arms and chest. Gaara''s eyes widened in horror as a red line appeared across his chest. His arms also began bleeding. He muttered, "What¡­ is¡­ this? Is this¡­ blood? My¡­"


    Immediately he shouted as loudly as he could, "BLOOD MY BLOOD!!"


    The Suna Jounins who were still dodging the sand tsunami were shocked as they felt a thick bloodlust and heard Gaara''s screams. Susumu asked in terror, "Gaara is injured? How?"


    The others were horrified too. The Sand Tsunami was just a minor inconvenience. If they didn''t have to chase after Fujin, this jutsu wouldn''t have any effect on them. However, they began sweating in fear at the thought of Gaara losing control.


    The ones who had it worst were the 10 Suna ninjas who were behind Gaara. Their legs began shivering in terror. A few fell on the ground. The ones who could stand began running away.

 Chapter 276: A Complex Battle

    Unlike what Odaka had thought, Fujin hadn''t run away. Instead, he just hid his chakra signature. And thanks to the cover provided by the sand tsunami, no one could see, hear or smell him.


    He immediately attacked Gaara with the intention of making him bleed. However, he was surprised as he thought, ''The air bullets breaking through is reasonable. After all, the sand that defended him was too little. But why did he get injured so much? Doesn''t he have the sand armor?''


    Fujin observed him properly and realized, ''I see. I guess he hasn''t created that technique yet.''


    He turned his attention towards the Suna ninjas on the other side of the tsunami and muttered, "Well, sucks to be you guys."


    Odaka activated his chakra field once again. His eyes widened as he shouted, "That assassin is still here! Bastard hid his chakra signature."


    Fujin detected the chakra field and immediately used Wind Instantaneous Body jutsu. Odaka sensed Fujin getting farther away and said, "He escaped."


    Manabu asked, "Are you sure that he didn''t hide his chakra again? It''ll be annoying if he interferes when we are stopping Gaara."


    Odaka replied, "Yes. Last time his chakra signature just disappeared. This time, I sensed him leaving. Besides, I doubt he would want to stay when Gaara is losing control."


    They could still hear Gaara''s screams as his body began transforming. The sand tsunami had lost its power and was settling down. But other than Eagle and the three Elite Jounins, the rest stayed away in fear. Susumu moved towards Gaara while weaving hand signs, Manabu shouted, "Don''t let him fall asleep!"


    Susumu already knew it. He reached as close to Gaara as he could andpleted his hand signs.


    ''Demise of the Rebirth''


    Despite being partially transformed, the Genjutsu hit Gaara. As the Genjutsu took hold, a serene sensation washed over him, like a gentle breeze on summer''s eve. In an instant, his tumultuous emotions were caressed and quelled. It was as if the weight of anger, hatred, pain and panic were lifted. The world around him transformed into a dreand adorned by Sakura blossoms.


    As Gaara watched the Sakura petals floating with the wind, he felt a soothing sensation. The illusion cocooned him in a realm of tranquility, offering respite from the burdens of reality. For a fleeting moment, he found sce in the beauty of this ephemeral sanctuary.


    Unfortunately, he couldn''t stay in this world forever. A wave of anger burned in his heart as Shukaku transferred his chakra into Gaara''s body to break the illusion and further transform the boy.


    Susumu and the rest knew that the Genjutsu wouldn''t hold a Jinchuriki down for long. When Gaara opened his eyes, he saw 4 puppets surrounding him. His body was tied with metal strings held by the puppets, restricting his mobility.


    Gaara roared in rage as he began struggling. Odaka gritted his teeth and increased his control on his puppets to ensure that they wouldn''t be sent flying. Fortunately, he wasn''t alone.


    Manabu jumped high in the sky and blew an intense wind on Gaara. Gaara''s knees bent. He felt an intense pressure falling down on him continuously. The Suna ninjas sighed in relief on seeing Gaara being pinned down.


    However, Gaara opened his eyes and stared at Manabu. Manabu immediately had a bad feeling. The sand under Gaara''s feet began moving. It instantly reached Manabu! Fortunately, Manabu was prepared and flickered out of the way.


    Gaara''s eyes moved andnded on Odaka. Odaka immediately jumped as he felt the sand under his feet move. As soon as he jumped, multiple tentacles made of sand appeared and moved towards Odaka. Realizing the danger, Odaka opened a scroll and made a hand seal. Immediately, a huge Turtle made of wood and metal appeared between him and the sand.


    The sand hit the belly of the turtle while Odakanded on its back and immediately jumped towards Manabu. The sand tentacles were stopped. However, more sand moved andpletely engulfed the turtle. Odaka''s remaining 4 puppets were also engulfed and crushed by sand.


    He sighed and muttered, "This is going to be a painful fight."


    Manabu nodded. The cost of building high-quality puppets was quite high. He said, "Fortunately, we bought enough time."


    Odaka nodded as he saw that Susumu had returned with 2 ninjas behind him.


    Susumu looked at the situation and instructed, "We will hold him down. As soon as we do, use your techniques to seal him temporarily."


    The two ninjas nodded nervously. They were sent along with Susumu and Gaara in case such a scenario happened. However, despite being trained, they had very little experience in sealing a Jinchuriki. After all, if something went wrong in Suna, Rasa would take care of it. They would have no reason to act.


    Odaka, Manabu and Susumu began fighting Gaara again. Meanwhile, Eagle stood next to the two sealing ninjas to ensure that Gaara wouldn''t harm them.


    After 5 minutes of intense battle, they finally managed to pin Gaara down once again. Susumu shouted, "NOW!"


    Immediately, the two sealing ninjas summoned and opened a giant roll of cloth.


    ''Cloth Binding Technique''


    The cloth moved towards Gaara and began wrapping itself around it. Gaara struggled, but he couldn''t get out of it. In a few seconds, he waspletely covered by the cloth!


    The Suna ninjas finally sighed in relief. Gaara was stopped. They and the city close to them were safe. Susumu grabbed a sealing tag and walked towards Gaara in order to ensure that he couldn''t break free. However, his eyes widened. He looked down at his chest in fear and disbelief. A kunai that was dyed in blood had pierced through his heart!


    The Suna ninjas were shocked as well. A second ago they were happy that Gaara was sealed! Now, they watched in disbelief as the strongest Genjutsu specialist in Suna closed his eyes and passed away!


    However, Fujin had no expression on his face. He didn''t waste any time celebrating and instead looked at Manabu and Odaka.


    ''Wind Release: Infinite Breakthrough jutsu''


    A massive windstorm was shot out towards them. Odaka hurriedly summoned a defensive Puppet and the two hid behind it. However, both had grim expressions.


    Manabu asked, "Didn''t you say that he ran away?"


    Odaka answered, "I definitely sensed him running away. Unless he kept hiding and sent a Shadow clone away to fool me. Or maybe he ran away and returned while hiding his chakra. After all, we were busy stopping Gaara."


    Manabu didn''t question any further. After all, it was pointless. He said, "This scum is very cunning. We were on guard while fighting Gaara. If he had attacked then, Susumu would have dodged or blocked him. Instead, he waited until we had won and dropped our guard momentarily."


    Odaka nodded and said, "He almost reminds me of Yellow sh. In the third war, we lost most of our Elite Jounins to his sneak attacks. Other than Tsunade, he was the main reason that we had to ept our defeat and form an alliance with Konoha."


    Manabu and Odaka''s expressions became even uglier. They had spected that the assassin was from Konoha. Both thought, ''If Konoha has gained such a strong fighter who is willing to go to such an extreme during peacetime, then a war with them would prove extremely costly.''


    While Manabu and Odaka were hiding from the storm, Eagle took the opportunity to flicker behind Fujin and attacked him with his kunai. However, Fujin withdrew the kunai from Susumu''s heart and blocked the attack.


    ''Wind Release: Air Bullet jutsu''


    Eagle''s eyes widened as he noticed the attack. He immediately jumped out of the way. Fujin let him go and instead spat out a fire on the cloth that had sealed Gaara. The two Sealing ninjas shouted in horror, "No! Don''t!"


    Unfortunately, Fujin had no intention to listen to them. Eagle''s eyes widened as well. He immediately began weaving hand signs and building up his chakra. However, before he couldplete his hand signs, he was forced to jump backwards. A kunai grazed past his left forearm leaving a half-foot-long cut in it. He winced in pain but kept weaving hand signs.


    ''Water Release: Waterfall jutsu.''


    Despite acting as fast as he could, the dy due to the pain meant that the cloth was already set on fire! A secondter, a huge waterfall crashed down on the fire and doused it. At the same time, Manabuunched his own Infinite Breakthrough jutsu and neutralized Fujin''s attack. He and Odaka appeared next to Eagle and asked, "Where is the assassin?"


    Eagle said, "He is th¡­"


    His words were stuck in his mouth as he noticed that Fujin and Susumu''s dead body had both disappeared! However, before they could investigate, a furious roar was heard through the desert. The Suna ninjas looked where Gaara was sealed in grim expression as he broke out of the binding cloth!


    They began fighting him once again.

 Chapter 277: An Opportunity!

    Manabu and Odaka led the fight to suppress Gaara once again. However, without Susumu and with the added threat of an assassin, the fight became much more difficult.


    Manabu shouted, "Yura. Takemand of others and encircle Gaara. Have sensors monitor the battlefield and immediately report if anyone senses that Assassin!"


    Being struck once, Manabu didn''t want to risk getting attacked again. Suna''s losses were already terrible. In its entire history, Suna had experienced such losses during peacetime very few times. If he and Odaka were also to die then Suna would be in a terrible position. Not to mention, the assassin could also target their only Jinchuriki!


    As the Suna ninjas entered into a bitter struggle, the source of their suffering had already flickered tens of kilometers away. Fujin finally stopped and let out a sigh. He muttered, "What a mess. First, they let me kill Nobles without any obstruction and then they suddenly have over a hundred ninjas defending one remote city with their Jinchuriki standing right on my escape route! If I didn''t know how impulsive Gaara was, I could have been in a pinch."


    He looked at Susumu''s dead body in his hand and muttered, "Though it''s not all bad. My Genjutsu level was stuck for a long time. Other than the Bringer of Darkness, I don''t have a high-level Genjutsu that could create a significant impact in battle. I was wondering if I could use the Wind to somehow use Genjutsu. Sadly, the Anbu duties didn''t leave me with much time. But now it seems to be a good thing. With his jutsus as the base, I would easily master high-level Genjutsu in no time."


    Fujin carefully stored Susumu''s body. He had no intention of trying to read his memories by himself. He looked back towards where the Sand shinobi were fighting and analyzed, ''In this battle, I only used Wind and Fire jutsus. Apart from it, I also exposed my high speed, strength and expertise in chakra control, flickering and assassination.


    Sigh, it''s a little more than what I nned to expose. But I did manage to keep my Earth jutsus, Vacuum jutsus, Sword skills and Chakra flow a secret. Even if they investigate, they wouldn''t analyze that this was me anytime soon. Though once I begin gaining fame, it won''t be that difficult for their suspicions to fall on me.''


    Fujin sighed. He could have never imagined that such a distant city would have an ambush made of 1 Jinchuriki, 3 Elite Jounins, dozens of Jounins and hundreds of ninjas. He thought, ''I should have quit after burning the food storage.''


    Fujin weaved a few hand signs and mmed his hand on the ground.


    ''Summoning Jutsu''


    Smoke appeared in front of Fujin. It slowly dispersed, exposing arge Sabertooth holding the bloody leg of some wild animal in his mouth. He looked around and saw Fujin. Fujin said with a smile, "Kaito, it''s good to see you again."


    Kaito continued eating as he asked, "Fujin, why did you call me?"


    Fujin replied, "I am deep in enemy territory and have no idea how many are hiding around in ambush. Give me a lift."


    Kaito continued eating the leg and said, "Sure, give me a minute."


    He swallowed the entire leg and then spat out the bones and said, "Get on."


    Fujin disappeared and appeared on his back. Kaito jumped high and spread his wings wide. He pped it a few times and quickly rose above the clouds. He looked below towards where Gaara was and said, "Your enemy seems quite strong. I can feel his chakra and bloodlust all the way up here."


    Unlike Kaito, Fujin couldn''t feel anything. He said, "It''s a Jinchuriki. A human who hosts a tailed beast. That said, he is a child and has lost control. If he didn''t I''d be in deep trouble."


    Kaito nodded. Just based on the chakra fluctuations, he had no will to confront that being. He immediately began flying away toward the East. Fujiny down on his back while enjoying the fresh air and gentle breeze. Thest few weeks had been too tedious. He was on guard at all times due to being in enemy territory.


    Fujin closed his eyes and began meditating. Despite not having any seals, Fujin had noticed long back that meditating while flying above the clouds was much more effective than meditating in his meditation room. In addition, it had a soothing effect on his mind. In a world with ceaseless conflict and incessant schemes, he cherished this feeling.


    Unlike Fujin''s calm mind, the deserts he flew over were in turmoil. After a long struggle, Manabu and Odaka managed to stop Gaara''s rampage and returned him to his normal state. Unfortunately, the lives of 4 Chunins and 1 Jounin were lost in the process.


    Around them, hundreds of Suna ninjas were establishing a new Perimeter. Dozens of sensors moved continuously in the desert to find where the Assassin was hiding! Messenger birds were constantly being sent to keep everyone informed about the situation.


    A bit further from them, tens of thousands of people were migrating across the desert from Shunkuto to nearby towns and viges that had the protection of the Suna ninjas. Hiding among them was the family of the dead Noble Toshio.


    However, Fujin would have nothing to do with it. He had already left the entire matter behind him. Rasa and the Sunagakure Council would have to handle the aftermath of Fujin''s actions. If they decide to retaliate, then Shikaku and Hiruzen would have to face the consequences of not properly defining Fujin''s mission parameters.


    Fujin flew on Kaito''s back for half a day. They left the Land of Wind behind and entered the Land of Rivers undetected. Kaito found an abandoned hill and finallynded. He asked, "Don''t you want a lift all the way back home?"


    Fujin shook his head and thought, ''Very few people know I have a summon. And even fewer know what my summon is or what their abilities are. Though I don''t intend to hide them like my Lightning jutsus, it''s good to have another good trump card.''


    Fujin replied, "No need, I can make the remaining journey myself as there shouldn''t be any enemies here."


    Kaito replied, "Alright."


    He disappeared in a cloud of smoke and returned to his home. Meanwhile, Fujin stretched for a bit and was about to move towards the Land of Fire when he heard a loud explosion. He turned his head to the left and squinted his eyes. Around 3 kilometers from his location, a forest fire had been started.


    He squinted his eyes and observed the location and analyzed, ''A fight? At this time of the night? I wonder what''s going on.''


    He suppressed his chakra signature and flickered towards the location. His chakra reserves had already recovered and he didn''t sense any terrible chakra. So he wasn''t very worried.


    In the forests, 5 masked people were chasing after a man. The man was injured. There were multiple cuts on his body. In addition, his left hand had a huge burn mark due to an explosion. One of the masked men shouted, "Shigeki! Stop running and face consequences for your actions!"


    Shigeki didn''t say anything and continued running. His condition wasn''t good. The masked men weren''t angry. Instead, they looked at Shigeki with ridicule. They could have killed him long back. However, they were just having fun.


    Shigeki was aware of it. However he continued running while praying, ''Please give me one chance! Please! As long as I survive, I''ll return stronger than ever! I''ll avenge my family and kill that bastard.''


    Fortunately or unfortunately, the direction he was running in was where Fujin hadnded.


    Fujin reached the location quickly and observed from a distance. None of the six ninjas sensed his arrival. Fujin analyzed, ''These 5 masked ninjas are from the special forces of Tanigakure. And is that Kasai Shigeki? Why are they chasing their own Jounin?''


    Fujin had interacted with Shigeki a couple of times during his Anbu missions. He had a good impression of him. The man was decently strong for someone who wasn''t from any major vige and didn''t have any strong bloodline. In addition, he was smart, loyal to his vige and capable of leadingrge squads.


    Fujin followed them stealthily. Within a couple of minutes, he wondered, ''Did he do something that irked the leaders of Tanigakure or the Land of River?''


    The more he chased, the more sure Fujin became of his spection. Especially after he observed Shigeki''s facial expressions. A smile appeared on his face as he thought, ''This is a good opportunity. I was hoping to find someone who was capable and in a desperate situation.''


    However, his smile faded away and was reced with a frown as he thought, ''But this is too soon. I am not ready. I haven''t finalized my ns or even have any concrete goals as of now.''

 Chapter 278: Shiden

    The masked men continued chasing Shigeki while asionally throwing shurikens and explosion tags at him. Fujin followed them patiently for 45 minutes. He had changed his attire and got himself a new mask.


    Finally, one of the masked men stoppedughing and said, "He is reaching close to a cliff. He might try to jump off. Enough fun, let''s kill him now. We still have to bring his dead body back. Otherwise, Kanji-sama might kill us as well!"


    The other masked men got serious as well and said, "Yes Captain."


    Immediately their speed increased. Shigeki noticed the cliff as well. He immediately began running towards it while thinking, ''If they catch me, I''ll die! I will try my luck by jumping off the cliff. If I survive, I will train and ughter Kanji, his son and his entire family!''


    Unfortunately, one of the masked men appeared next to him. Shigeki''s eyes widened. He immediately punched him. However, the masked man ducked and kicked his left leg which had a huge burn mark. Shigeki screamed in pain. He lost his bnce and fell on his face and slid across the ground.


    The fall aggravated his existing injuries and inflicted fresh ones that began bleeding as well. Despite the pain, he gritted his teeth and got up. However, as soon as he did, he saw the five masked ninjas standing in front of him. The Captain raised his kunai and said, "Farewell Shigeki!"


    He swung his Kunai at Shigeki''s neck. Tears rolled down Shigeki''s cheeks as he shouted, "Just give me one chance!"


    The masked ninjas had a smirk on their faces. They had no mercy for Shigeki. Just when the Kunai was about to cut his neck, the masked man''s hand lost power. The kunai hit Shigeki''s neck but caused no injury as it didn''t have enough force to cut through.


    Meanwhile, Shigeki''s eyes were wide open in shock. As if answering his prayers, the heads of all 5 masked ninjas were sent flying in an instant! In a second, their lifeless bodies copsed to the ground.


    Suddenly, Shigeki felt a chill down his spine. He didn''t dare move as he felt a sword resting on his neck. He felt that if he made any slight movement, his head would roll over just like others. He heard a cold voice asking, "Give you a chance for what?"


    He immediately said, "One of the Elders in Tanigakure killed my entire family. I want a chance to live so that I can get stronger and get justice for my wife and daughter!"


    Fujin was puzzled. He asked, "Why did he kill them?"


    Shigeki was silent. Tears rolled down his cheeks. His voice lost all spirit as he said, "His drunk son raped my daughter. He didn''t know she was my daughter. In a rage, I beat him up and mutted him to ensure that he can''t do something so heinous to anyone else. I wanted to kill him as well, but I was stopped by my colleagues.


    That''s when my tragedy began. Kanji couldn''t retaliate at first as my colleagues backed me. Instead, he showed that he was upset with his son and scolded him. But in reality, he was plotting revenge.


    Slowly, Kanji made numerous allegations about me and spread ill rumors. When my reputation had fallen enough, his personal ninjas made a move against my family when I was out on a mission. They ambushed me as well due to which I couldn''t fight back."


    He stopped talking and broke down. Fujin sighed secretly but kept his sword on his neck. He thought, ''No wonder he is in such bad shape.''


    Though Fujin knew about Shigeki, he wasn''t aware of his family. But he knew that Shigeki was just in his early thirties. He didn''t need to think much to understand what his daughter might have gone through. He let Shigeki cry out for some time.


    Finally, Shigeki calmed down. He asked, "Are you going to kill me?"


    Fujin didn''t answer. Shigeki begged, "Could you please let me live for some time? I will get justice for my family and then kill myself! If not, could you please kill Kanji and his son after you kill me?"


    Fujin didn''t answer and asked, "How will you kill your way into Tanigakure in your condition?"


    Shigeki replied, "I am not strong enough yet. I will train until I can get justice for my family!"


    Fujin chuckled and said, "Strong enough to kill your way into a Hidden Vige? You are too old for having such silly dreams. But I have a proposition for you. I was looking for a capable man to recruit to help me run my organization. You might be suitable for that job. As long as you do a good job, I''ll help you get your justice. Either by yourself if you get sufficiently strong enough or through my hands. What do you say?"


    Shigeki was surprised. He was expecting to die like the masked ninjas. Instead, their killer was trying to recruit him. He asked, "What organization do you want to create?"


    Fujin asked, "Does it matter as long as you get your justice?"


    Shigeki went silent. However, after a couple of minutes, he shook his head and said, "No. I won''t join any organization that would make others suffer as I and my family did."


    Fujin withdrew his sword and replied, "Oh, it won''t be that sort of an organization. No need to be bothered about that."


    Shigeki thought for a bit more. Fujin didn''t disturb him. Finally, he got up with much struggle and bowed to Fujin and said, "Thank You for saving my life, Lord. I, Kasai Shigeki, am willing to work for your organization as long as you help me get justice for my family."


    Fujin nodded and extended his palm towards Shigeki. Chakra appeared on his palm and began healing Shigeki. Shigeki''s eyes widened. He thought, ''I never thought that someone who could kill without a second thought would be a medical ninja!''


    The wounds on Shigeki were all external wounds. Fujin healed all his wounds in a few minutes. He said, "Follow me."


    Fujin began running. Shigeki, who was now fully healed but low on chakra, followed Fujin. The two ran through forests for over a couple of hours and arrived at a cave. Shigeki was puzzled. The cave was quite small and there was no one there.


    Fujin entered the cave. This was the same cave where he had stopped while heading to the Land of Wind. He inscribed a few more seals and created a few hiding rooms in the cave.


    He said, "Shigeki, I have inscribed numerous seals in this cave. Unless someone identally enters the cave, no one will detect you. Even if someone does, you can hide in the 2 rooms I created. You will stay safe there."


    Shigeki asked in a puzzled voice, "Lord, are there any other members from the organization here?"


    Fujin replied, "You can call me Shiden. No need for any honorifics. And no. Currently, only you will be stationed here. Though I have recruited a few others, they are in different locations in other countries. You don''t need to concern yourself with them for now."


    Shigeki nodded and asked, "Alright, but what am I supposed to do?"


    Fujin replied, "Train of course. Don''t you want to get justice? You are free to train however you want. My ns for you will need a few years to implement. So stay around this ce. When I am ready, I wille here to look for you."


    Shigeki was surprised. He thought, ''A few years?''


    He recalled his family and thought, ''It''s fine. I am not strong enough yet. I don''t know what Shiden''s intentions are but he saved my life and gave me a safe environment to live in and train. Besides, he seems to be a leader of a huge organization. With such a big organization, getting revenge will be very easy.''


    He bowed down and said, "Thank you for saving my life and giving me a safe ce, Shiden. I will wait here for you."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Good. I''ll take my leave. Train hard and get stronger."


    Shigeki replied with determination, "I will!"


    Fujin nodded once again before turning and flickering away. Shigeki raised his head only to see that Fujin was nowhere to be seen. He thought, ''He is even faster than I imagined him to be.''


    He left the cave and looked at the stars in the sky. His eyes became watery as he muttered, "Wait a few years for me. I will fight for your justice ande to be with you."


    He wiped his tears and a determined expression appeared on his face. He wasted no time and began training!


    A few kilometers away, Fujin stopped moving. He quietly changed his clothes and for the first time in a couple of months changed back to his real appearance. However, he had a weird expression on his face and his cheeks had a hint of redness. He muttered, "Since when did my ability to bullshit reach this level?"

 Chapter 279: The Difficulties in Creating an Organization

    Fujin was shocked at how much he had lied to Shigeki. What other members of the organization? He was the only member! Heck, there wasn''t any organization in the first ce. The only ce where it existed was Fujin''s head!


    Fujin thought, ''I was so embarrassed by his questions and so embarrassed to say that he is the first member, that I couldn''t help but lie! This way, he will just think that I am opening a new branch and not that I am starting the organization.''


    Luckily, Fujin was wearing a mask while talking with him. Otherwise, no transformation jutsu could have hidden how embarrassed he felt while answering those questions. Fortunately, he was shameless enough to maintain a straight voice.


    Fujin sighed and muttered, "It doesn''t feel good to fool a man who is in so much sorrow. Leave it, I''ll help him get his revenge. That should be enough to clear whatever is still left of my conscience. Besides, the target is just an elder from a small vige. I can assassinate him even now.''


    Fujin began walking towards the Land of Fire while thinking, ''I haven''t thought of any details when ites to my organization. My original motivation for creating an organization was very simple. If something unexpected happens, especially if that something isn''t aligned with what I remember from the original series, and I need a safe ce to escape to, then the organization should be my second home.


    The situation after fighting Darui was a perfect example of where an organization could have helped me a lot. It would have provided me with a third alternative which would be much safer than the other two. In addition, the organization could help me collect information. It could also help in collecting rare materials like Elemental Crystals or perhaps even chakra metal.


    But, this isn''t enough. An organization needs to have a goal. If it ispletely centered around me and my needs, then the organization wouldn''tst long. It needs to have a goal to bind everyone together. And that goal also needs toplement my needs somehow.


    In addition, I also need to decide on the structure of the organization, the chain ofmand, how much authority people would have at each level of the organization and so on. And most importantly, I need to have a method to control the people in my organization.


    A human''s dream is never-ending. Even if I rescue someone and provide them with a good life, he or she would only be grateful for a certain period of time. After that, they will begin wanting more. It''ll be fine if I am at the helm of the organization. I could consistently brainwash them to keep following me. Unfortunately, I can''t monitor them actively as I will be in Konoha. I''ll need another method.


    Orochimaru controls his subordinates through the curse seal. Danzo uses the cursed tongue eradication seal. As for Akatsuki, Pain is just too strong while Zetsu is the best scout. So no one will dare to oppose them. That said, despite their strength and skills, Orochimaru still betrayed them and Itachi stayed as an undercover agent.


    I doubt I could be a bigger deterrent than someone with Rinnegan. So I will need to create a curse seal to put some restrictions on the members of my organization. Otherwise, I''m better off without an organization. And I can''t copy a seal from the Konoha library. There is no way Hiruzen and Danzo wouldn''t be able to negate every seal in there. Sigh, so much work. That is why I have been so reluctant to actually implement this idea.''


    Fujin continued on his way as he muttered to himself, ''And this is just a basic problem. After all, I could resolve these issues by myself. The most critical issue is recruitment! Who should I recruit in the organization? I stay in Konoha. So I can''t just recruit little kids like Orochimaru did and train them personally.


    I need some Jounin level members to look after the organization while I am not there. It''d be best if that person is at Elite Jounin level so that they can handle any unexpected events while I''m not there. Unfortunately, I don''t know anyone like that who I could recruit. Almost all of them are loyal to their vige or too vtile to be trusted.


    There might have been some suitable ones shown in Naruto. Unfortunately, I can''t recall anyone. Apart from the important events and some resources, my memory from my previous life is just too vague. Sigh, I guess I will have to just wait for events like today. If Shigeki trains seriously, then perhaps he could reach the Elite Jounin level. That''d probably be the best.


    Anyways, I''ll leave this issue for the future. Regardless of whether I build a good organization or not, it won''t be much use during the 4th Great Ninja War. So I don''t need to waste much time or effort on it until then. I can wait till I learn the Flying Thunder God and then begin considering this matter seriously. With teleportation, controlling an organization will be much easier.''


    As he kept thinking deeply about this matter, Fujin entered the Land of Fire and reached Konoha the next evening. He went directly to Hiruzen''s office and knocked on the door.


    Hiruzen was about to wrap up his work and leave when he heard the knock. He said, "Come in."


    Fujin entered. Hiruzen was surprised. He asked, "You are back so early?"


    Hiruzen thought, ''The news regarding the burning of the Provision Depot came just a few days ago. I expected him to create more chaos. Even if he didn''t, the deserts would have been heavily monitored. How did he return so quickly?''


    Fujin nodded and said, "Yeah, the ce got very messy. It''ll probably be better to call Commander Shikaku here. I have a lot of critical information to report."


    Hiruzen got the hint and looked at the Anbu ninjas hidden in the room. They nodded and immediately left. 3 stayed outside the room and kept watch while thest one went to call Shikaku.


    Hiruzen took a look at Fujin again and thought, ''Now that I think about it, he had said that his summon could fly. I almost forgot about them. If he flew over, then it would make sense why he returned so quickly.''


    Hiruzen asked, "So, how was your trip?"


    Fujin replied, "Not bad. I mostly stayed in Wind Capital. The city is much better looking than Fire Capital."


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "Yeah. In terms of beauty, it ranks second after Lightning Capital. Do you wanna visit it next?"


    Fujin thought, ''This old fox! It hasn''t even been 5 minutes since I entered the vige and he already wants me out?''


    Meanwhile, Hiruzen also looked at Fujin meaningfully and thought, ''Ever since he left, the consumption rate of the Wind Crystals dropped several times. Though there were quite a few Anbu who left around that time, he is the most suspicious one!''


    Fujin immediately shook his head and said, "Such missions don''t suit me, Grandpa. It''s the first time since I joined the academy that I haven''t trained for over 2 months! My body feels so out of tune and unresponsive. I''ll stick to elimination missions."


    Hiruzen let out a chuckle and thought, ''If he is indeed the one who uses them so much, then it''s no surprise that he has no will to leave the vige.''


    Hiruzen casually inquired about random stuff until Shikaku arrived and closed the door.


    Shikaku looked at Fujin and recalled the reports he received a few days ago. His expression became very peculiar. Hiruzen made a hand seal and activated the seals in the room. No one could eavesdrop on them anymore. He looked at Fujin and said, "You can report now."


    Fujin nodded and became serious. He asked, "Did Kakashi-senpai report the mission to eliminate the bounty hunters?"


    Shikaku nodded and said, "He did. Just report about your activities in the Land of Wind."


    Fujin nodded and began reporting, "Alright. I infiltrated the country and found a Trading Caravan. It was from the Land of Bird and protected by 4 ninjas from a mercenary group called Kurogane no Sensen. I eliminated them and infiltrated the Wind Capital City using their disguises.


    Under that disguise, I eliminated 10 Nobles on the list of Nobles that were very loyal to Sunagakure. All of them were eliminated using Wind Sword jutsu. I also killed a few Samurais and left a couple injured so that all suspicions will fall on Suna.


    I followed it up by killing family members of 12 other Nobles who had good rtions with Sunagakure a couple of weekster. This was done while using the disguises of the Suna ninjas who came along with the Elite Jounin Baki to investigate the previous killings. And I let the Nobles see me and threatened them.


    Both these acts increased the resentment towards Suna among the Nobles considerably. Though you''ll have to check the degree of resentment with the use of other spies.


    Unfortunately, that forced the fourth Kazekage toe to the Wind Capital city. He had a long meeting with the Wind Daimyo. I am not sure what deal they reached. So I decided that it won''t be a good idea to act once again as it might have destroyed the situation I created."


    Shikaku and Hiruzen nodded. They were aware of these developments. Though they didn''t know the exact information, they had guessed Fujin''s actions quite urately. Unfortunately, they didn''t have much clue about other events apart from the incident about Provision Depots. Neither was prepared for what Fujin was about to report!

 Chapter 280: Starting a War?

    Fujin continued, "A couple of dayster, 12 ninjas from Kurogane no Sensen came to the Wind Capital to investigate their missing ninjas. I took the opportunity to leave the city along with them. However, the Kazekage noticed us and probably got suspicious.


    He sent some Anbu to chase us. I led them deep into the desert and assassinated all 12 mercenaries and 12 Anbu."


    Shikaku and Hiruzen''s eyes widened. Hiruzen thought, ''12 Anbu. Not bad at all. Even if I ignore all his other achievements, this alone should be more than enough to promote him.''


    Meanwhile, Shikaku began sweating as he wondered, ''Who the heck kills 12 enemy Anbu during a promotion mission for the Anbu Captain post? It''d be an aplishment even if they managed to kill 2!''


    Fujin tossed a scroll at Shikaku and said, "This scroll has the dead bodies of those 24 ninjas. I am not sure if any memories are still there, but you can try to check them nheless."


    Shikaku caught it and nodded. He reluctantly said, "Good work. Continue."


    Fujin continued reporting, "I didn''t leave any evidence behind. So I don''t think Suna knows what happened to these 12 missing Anbu. At best they could guess that they were killed by the mercenaries. Anyways, after killing them, I travelled to the Western side of the Land of Wind.


    I first travelled to Sabakuetsu. As per the instructions, I burnt one of the two Provision Depots entirely. I don''t think any food was left behind. And I ended up killing at least two ninjas there. I am not sure if any more died after I left.


    I followed it up by killing two more Nobles in the West who were listed and travelled to Shunkuto City to kill the third. However, the leading ninja there was quite smart. He set up a decoy and hid the Noble. I killed the decoy and tried getting intel from the leading Chunin, but that guy was quite determined. He blew himself up.


    In order to find the real Noble, I did a scheme. I disguised myself and my clones as Suna ninjas and announced that the assassin was dead. Then I spread rumors across the city that the Noble was a coward who hid behind decoys and doesn''t deserve to be a Noble. In anger, the Noble returned to the mansion.


    So I held a public execution for him and announced that he had cooperated with the assassin. In addition, I also announced that the Kazekage was upset with the city and decided to remove the protection provided by the Suna ninjas. And I immediately withdrew from the city."


    Shikaku and Hiruzen''s eyes widened in shock as they immediately understood the impact of such an action. Shikaku almost cursed out but Fujin continued speaking and said, "The next day, around 80% of the people living in that city left and began migrating towards nearby viges and towns. They should be beginning to reach by now. So the news will soon spread and the Kazekage and the Wind Daimyo will soon begin receiving messages.


    At the same time, the resentment against Suna and Kazekage will spread among the cities in the West. So feel free to take advanta..."


    Shikaku finally couldn''t endure anymore and cut him off. He asked loudly, "You did what?"


    His face had a look of disbelief. Hiruzen''s expression was serious as well. He was finding the situation quite amusing until then. However, Fujin''s actions were outrageous.


    Fujin tilted his head and asked, "Is that an issue? I thought you wanted to create chaos in the Land of Wind and ruin Sunagakure''s reputation in the eyes of the Daimyo, Nobles and citizens."


    Shikaku replied, "Yes, I wanted you to do that. But from your actions¡­ Do you want to split the Land of Wind into two countries?"


    Shikaku''s words made Fujin fall into thought. However, he soon shook his head and said, "That''s not feasible. That ce is crawling with Suna ninjas right now. If you want to do it, I''d rmend waiting for a few months or perhaps even a couple of years for the resentment to properly spread and for the Suna ninjas to withdraw. Then you can take action. But I am not interested in going there anymore. Considering theplexity, I''ll rmend you go there yourself and oversee the entire operation."


    Shikaku''s expression became dark. He cursed internally, ''This brat! I was asking him sarcastically. Does he not get sarcasm or is he messing with my head? He created such a huge mess and still wants me to create more? Who knows how those crazy bastards will react after suffering such a huge loss in peacetime? I''ll have to n the defense properly and actively monitor the situation for weeks or perhaps even months now!''


    Of course, Fujin was messing with him. Though his expressions didn''t change, he thought, ''I managed to break Hiruzen''s poker face numerous times. This is a first for Shikaku to lose his calm and stop actingzy in front of me. Hehehe, looks like I overdid my mission. Oh well, I guess he will take some effort to describe mission parameters from now on instead of just being azy ass.''


    Shikaku couldn''t see beyond Fujin''s poker face. However, if he could hear Fujin''s thoughts, he would have lost control on the spot! The mission parameters were left vague to make the Anbu ninjas push themselves to achieve their best. It wasn''t so that someone could start a war!


    Hiruzen was also looking at Shikaku''s expression. He thought, ''If the situation wasn''t so serious, I would have found his expressions hrious.''


    He looked at Fujin and asked, "Did you return after this?"


    Fujin shook his head and said, "No. Despite the difficulty, that city didn''t receive any reinforcements. I was confused as to why Suna hadn''t sent reinforcements. So I decided to test out the next city as well. Unfortunately, that was a trap. I was attacked by 12 Jounins and the Puppeteer Elite Jounin, Odaka. The city itself had over a hundred ninjas waiting for me."


    Shikaku and Hiruzen were shocked once again. Fujin continued, "I killed one Jounin, 2 Chunins and 4 Anbu ninjas before running away from the city. Unfortunately, many of them also knew Wind Instantaneous Body jutsu and the desert offered no cover. So they began chasing me. Though I was faster, there was an ambush squad waiting for me.


    The Ambush squad was led by the Elite Jounin Sabaku Susumu. His Genjutsu prevented me from using my jutsus. In addition, his squad also had a Jinchuriki. They stalled me, allowing a few Suna ninjas to catch up with me."


    Just when Hiruzen and Shikaku thought that they couldn''t be surprised any more, they were!


    Shikaku dumbfoundedly muttered, "The Jinchuriki?"


    Hiruzen asked, "The Kazekage''s Son?"


    Fujin nodded. Shikaku had a very bad feeling. He thought, ''I can feel it. Whatever he will say next will be very troublesome. Why didn''t I give him proper mission parameters?''


    Unfortunately, there was no way for Shikaku to correct his error.


    Fujin continued, "Fortunately, the Jinchuriki lost control over his emotions and did a stupid wide-range attack. I used the opportunity to injure him. That made him lose control over his Tailed Beast and began transforming. I used the distraction to kill Susumu and retreated from there."


    This time, neither Shikaku nor Hiruzen had any words to say. Both were left speechless by Fujin''s achievements during the mission.


    Fujin enjoyed the expressions on their faces. It was a treat to watch. He tossed Shikaku another scroll and said, "This scroll has Susumu''s body. I have preserved it properly. He could use Genjutsu by emitting chakra into the wind. I want that jutsu."


    Shikaku looked at the scroll and looked back at Fujin as he thought, ''Not only did he kill an Elite Jounin, he also brought his body back. Does he want to be the Anbu Captain or the Hokage? Still, this is good. Susumu''s Genjutsu methods were quite unique. If a few ninjas can learn it, Konoha''s strength will increase once again.''


    Hiruzen said, "You can''t use those techniques in the open for the time being."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Yes. I''ll ensure that there are no witnesses."


    Hiruzen nodded and asked, "Anything else?"


    His question alerted Shikaku once again. Fortunately, Fujin shook his head and answered, "No. I wanted to create more mess and kill a few more Jounins in the desert. But the number of ninjas was too high and I wasn''t sure how much destruction the Jinchuriki could cause. So I withdrew."


    Shikaku finally let out a sigh of relief! He thought, ''Thankfully he withdrew! I thought he killed dozens of more ninjas using the Jinchuriki as a distraction.''


    Hiruzen also looked relieved. He stared at Fujin as he re-evaluated his strength and began thinking of a matter, ''Is he also a suitable candidate?''


    Both Hiruzen and Shikaku were lost in thoughts. After a minute, Fujin looked at them with a deadpan expression and wondered, ''Did they forget about me?''


    He asked, "Umm¡­ Will I be promoted?"


    Both Shikaku and Hiruzen looked at him immediately. Shikaku cursed in his mind, ''Do you think we would dare not promote you? If we give you another promotion mission, won''t you directly start a war between the two countries?''

 Chapter 281: The Fifth Hokage?

    Hiruzen had the same thought as Shikaku. He didn''t dare to imagine what Fujin might do the next time if they said that his performance was unsatisfactory. He quickly nodded and answered, "Your performance has been very good. You will be promoted. However, we haven''t arranged any Anbu subordinates for you yet. So you will be an Anbu Captain only in name."


    Fujin replied, "That''s fine. I will be visiting the library. And I also need a break after such a long mission. Preferably at least one or two months long break to learn new Seals and jutsus. Take your time. I''ll file the reportter. See ya."


    Fujin immediately disappeared from the room despite none of the doors and windows being open. Shikaku and Hiruzen looked at where Fujin was standing.


    Shikaku cursed in his heart, ''This brat! He created such a mess and didn''t even stay to discuss how to handle it! And after giving me month-long headaches, he has the gall to ask for a month-long vacation?''


    Meanwhile, Hiruzen thought, ''Seals? Sigh, he will soon begin bugging me for Flying Thunder God.''


    Shikaku looked at Hiruzen and asked while sighing, "Lord Hokage, if we don''t promote him and send him for such a mission again, do you think he will try to assassinate Rasa?"


    Hiruzen didn''t reply and began considering it. After all, there was already an instance of a Kazekage disappearing. Unknown to him, the assassin''s age back then wasn''t much older than Fujin''s current age.


    Hiruzen shook his head and said, "Unlikely, unless you specifically mention it. Regardless, his performance has been excellent."


    Shikaku was dumbfounded. He thought, ''Does no one understand sarcasm?''


    He smiled bitterly and said, "It''s not that his performance is excellent. Rather, it is too excellent! Making a Jinchuriki lose control and killing an Elite Jounin was a bit too much. Suna will be forced to retaliate. And they will likely retaliate in an extreme manner.


    Not to mention, in addition to that, he killed 16 Anbu ninjas, a few Jounins and likely dozens of Chunins and Genins. And I still haven''t considered the dead nobles, burned Provision Depot or the stunt he pulled in Shunkuto!


    In the history of Suna, they have only once taken a bigger loss than this during peacetime. And they started the Third Great Ninja War. We have to be careful in case Rasa decides to start another war."


    However, Hiruzen shook his head immediately and said, "No, the situation ispletely different. When the third Kazekage died, Suna was very vulnerable and Rasa''s position as the 4th Kazekage wasn''t very stable. In addition, they were surrounded by 3 major viges that were preparing for war.


    The current matter is an internal one and doesn''t directly threaten their strength. And of the 3 major viges that surround them, one is in a formal alliance and another is embroiled in a civil war. So they won''t choose war right now."


    Shikaku analyzed Hiruzen''s words and nodded, "That makes sense. I guess Suna will be a mess for a few months. They will either focus entirely on stabilizing the situation, or they might do it alongside sending Anbu units into our country. Regardless, once their mess is resolved, they will retaliate somehow. We have to be prepared."


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "We do. But we have time. Due to the mess that Fujin created, Rasa will be forced to deploy at least 1000 Suna ninjas in the West to calm them down. In addition, he has also deployed a few hundred ninjas in the Wind Capital. The other cities might also ask for additional security as a precaution. And they will also have to scour the desert to look for the culprit.


    This will ensure that he can''t make a big move for the time being. So you just need to prepare for the moves they make in the dark. No need to create any more trouble in the Land of Wind for now. Hopefully, their anger will fade away by the time these issues are sorted.


    However, the schemes theye up with have to be crushed. It''s best if all Suna ninjas who infiltrate the Land of Fire are killed. Fujin''s actions, though provocative, are a good deterrent. If we stop their schemes, then they will be even more afraid of breaking the alliance."


    Shikaku sighed. He will have to work a lot and won''t be able toze around for the next few months. He said, "Alright."


    He began walking out. Hiruzen instructed, "Have a Yamanaka Jounin read Susumu''s memories. And create a scroll describing his Genjutsu jutsus and hand it to me. We won''t be cing it in the library. Also, create a list of Jounins who will benefit from learning these jutsus and can keep them a secret."


    Shikaku nodded and replied, "I''ll get to it, Lord Hokage."


    He left the room. As he sat alone, his previous thoughts surfaced in Hiruzen''s mind as he wondered, ''Could Fujin be a candidate for 5th Hokage?''


    Hiruzen let out a sigh. The matter of selecting the Fifth Hokage had been troubling him for years and he still didn''t have any solution. He thought, ''It''d have been great if Jiraiya or Tsunade epted this position. Unfortunately, neither have the will to do so. As for others, there is no one qualified.


    If I retire now, the next Hokage will be Danzo. That wouldn''t be good for the vige. Though he is loyal to the vige and his ambitions would benefit Konoha, he doesn''t have the strength needed to fulfill his ambitions despite those Sharingans and Lord First''s cells.


    I was hoping Kakashi would rise to the challenge and reach my level. Seeing his potential, I and Danzo worked in the background to increase his reputation and give him sufficient fame. Unfortunately, despite being looked at as the leader by the younger generation, he is still too weak.''


    A frown formed on Hiruzen''s face as he thought about Kakashi, ''In terms of talent, Kakashi doesn''t lose out to even Minato. His growth trajectory was very fast even exceeding my and my students'' strength at his age. Unfortunately, ever since the 3rd Great Ninja War ended, his growth has stagnated. He hasn''t trained enough and spends most of his time in front of the memorial stone or doing missions.


    Not to mention, ording to the intel Itachi sent, I doubt Kakashi could win against any of the Akatsuki members. At the current rate, I guess Kakashi will need around 5 to 7 years to reach my level. Unless something makes him feel like his strength isn''t enough and he pushes himself once again.


    As for Fujin, I never considered him until now. Though his mission record is impable, he didn''t fight anyone truly strong other than Kaminari. But with such a performance, he is far more capable than I expected.


    Even if I consider that he used hit-and-run tactics and only used a sneak attack to kill Susumu, that is still quite good. Especially if he can pull off something like this during a war. It could force Sunagakure to withdraw half their troops from the frontlines.''


    His crystal ball lit up and showed the scene inside section A of the Library. Hiruzen thought, ''As I expected. He has already started looking at the seals. Once he masters the seals in this section, he wille asking for Flying Thunder God. If he can master it, his threat on the battlefield will be no less than Minato.


    Though it is a big if. Regardless, he has one advantage over Kakashi. He has a hunger to grow strong. Though he isn''t as relentless as Guy, he still trains a lot and even asks for vacations to train.


    Unfortunately, he is quite young as well. He should be 14 soon. He will need 5 to 7 years topletely mature as well. Sigh, I''ll have to hold my old bones together for the next 7 years. The only plus point is that we might have more than one option for the Hokage seat. A situation simr to when I and Minato were selected.''


    With another sigh, Hiruzen stopped thinking about this matter. He got up and left the office.


    As soon as he left, Fujin flickered to Konoha''s library. Though he had travelled non-stop for a day, he couldn''t stop himself from visiting the library and checking out what all jutsus were avable.


    He reached section A while recalling Renjiro''s words as he thought, ''Though Renjiro emphasized the importance of mastering Rank C jutsus, I have long reached a bottleneck. I won''t be able to improve those jutsus any further without investing significant time. It''s time to learn the Rank A jutsus. I hope the library doesn''t disappoint me.''


    With eyes full of expectations, Fujin stepped into section A of the Library.

 Chapter 282: 58 Scrolls!

    Fujin entered Section A of the library and looked around. The size of this section was muchrger than other sections. However, the number of scrolls in this section was the least.


    Fujin immediately began looking for Wind jutsus. As he searched and collected the scrolls, he analyzed, ''I wonder if any rank A Wind jutsu will be of any aid to me. After all, most of my rank B and C jutsus are as strong as rank A jutsus due to supercharging them and Yin & Yang control.''


    In a few minutes, he grabbed all the Wind scrolls and sat on a table. He analyzed, ''Not bad. I wasn''t expecting many Wind jutsus considering how few were there in Section B.''


    Fujin had found 6 scrolls. They were :


    de of Wind jutsu


    Severing Pressure jutsu


    Wind Explosion Clone jutsu


    Assassin''s Rush jutsu


    Geyser Creation jutsu


    Summoning: Giant Windmill jutsu


    Fujin decided to start with the one with which he was the most familiar. He opened the de of Wind jutsu scroll and began reading. In a minute, he thought, ''This jutsu is almost entirely simr to the Wind Sword jutsu. Just that the power, sharpness and speed have been increased slightly and it also provides some defensive uses. Still, it should be very easy to learn.''


    Fujin extended two Fingers on his right hand. Immediately, the wind began flowing around them. A small 1-inch de of wind appeared on top of them. Soon, that de began increasing in size and reached 1 foot in size. Fujin analyzed it and nodded, ''This jutsu is down. I didn''t even need to use the hand seals. I''ll begin using this instead of Wind Sword jutsu.''


    Fujin kept the scroll back and turned his attention to the next jutsu. He analyzed as he read, ''The Wind Explosion Clone jutsu. I tried creating this jutsu by myself by referencing the Shadow Clone Explosion jutsu. I seeded, but the damage output was very low. It was just barely higher than an Explosion tag unless I put in too much chakra. Unfortunately, I didn''t get much free time after the Anbu training phase was over to work on this jutsu.''


    Fujin read the entire scroll carefully and realized, ''Oh, I see. I was going about this in the wrong direction. I was first creating a normal Wind Clone and then using its chakra to explode and generate sharp winds. But ording to the scroll, the clone itself is created for the sole purpose of exploding. So it can explode faster and generate more powerful explosions. This is different from Shadow Clone Explosion. I wonder if I could modify Shadow Clones using these methods as well.''


    Fujin kept the scroll and began reading the rest. He read the Severing pressure scroll and shook his head, ''This scroll requires a fan to be used. Not suitable for me. Its lethality doesn''t exceed my sword shes and its range doesn''t exceed Infinite Breakthrough. I don''t need it.''


    Fujin opened the Assassin''s Rush jutsu scroll and began reading. His eyes immediately sparkled as he thought, ''Nice! This is a great and very practical jutsu. I''ll learn this after mastering the Wind Explosion Clone jutsu.''


    Fujin checked thest two jutsu scrolls as well and had mixed feelings. He analyzed, ''These jutsus are a bit difficult and have limited use. But they are quite strong. Summoning: Giant Windmill is a jutsu simr to Rashomon summoning. This jutsu was created by the 2nd Kazekage as well.


    The jutsu summons a giant Windmill that is around 3 storeys tall from the ground simr to Rashomon Gates. However, instead of defense, this jutsu is for attacking. The des of the Windmill will spin rapidly and will form a strong wind flow that will pull everything towards the des. If anyone gets caught in it, they will be chopped in pieces, a certain death.


    Unfortunately, even the user isn''t spared from this wind flow. Though it isn''t an issue as I can hide underground. But, I can''t use this jutsu when I''m with allies. In addition, it is also heavy on chakra. And though the damage potential is high, it won''t be effective against veteran ninjas. They will just hide underground or find something for support.


    So the only use of this jutsu is to clear cannon fodder when I''m fighting solo. Not very useful as I already have too many means of doing that. Other than running away, this is what I excel the most at.


    As for the Geyser Creation jutsu, it is a bitplicated as it is based on a Steam Release jutsu from the Sakai n. The jutsu has two phases. In the first phase, cracks and holes have to be created in the ground. And then we have to make hot steam erupt from the ground and st whatever is in the way.


    However, this jutsu was modified. Instead of hot steam, I will have to make highly pressurized air erupt from the cracks in the ground. Instead of sting and burning, it will cut the ones in the way. And since this jutsues from the underground, the opponent won''t be able to hide underground to avoid the attack.


    I''ll learn this jutsu as well. Two new jutsus along with the Wind Explosion Clone jutsu, not bad. Unfortunately, it looks like Konoha''s stock of Wind jutsus isn''t very high. Or perhaps, the number of rank A Wind jutsus itself is quite low. Would make sense if even something as lethal as the Wind Vacuum technique is only rank B!''


    Fujin kept the Wind scrolls back and began collecting the scrolls rted to Fuinjutsu. There was a hint of excitement in his eyes. Even more so than when he checked the Wind jutsus. The reason for this was simple. If Fujin could learn and master every seal in this Section, he would be a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster. Very few people in Konoha could call themselves this. More importantly, it would allow Fujin to ask Hiruzen for the Flying Thunder God!


    As he collected the scrolls, he realized, ''I see. Almost half of the scrolls here are for Fuinjutsu. As for the rest, the majority are Rank A Fire jutsus followed by Water and Earth jutsus. I guess this shows the foundation of this vige. Fuinjutsu scrolls probably came from Mito, Earth and Water scrolls from the Senju while Fire scrolls should havee from the remaining ns.''


    In all, Fujin found 58 Fuinjutsu scrolls. He created a few clones and they divided the scrolls among them. They immediately began studying.


    After around half an hour, a Jounin entered Section A. He had received information that someone went into Section A of the library without authorization. However, as soon as he entered, he was left dumbfounded by the sight. 10 people with simr faces were reading the scrolls and had more scrolls with them. His eyes twitched as he thought, ''Using shadow clones to read in the Library? That''s a first.''


    He coughed to attract Fujin''s attention. But Fujin didn''t even look at him, leaving him standing alone awkwardly. He walked towards one of Fujin''s clones and asked, "What are you doing?"


    Fujin''s clone looked up and answered, "Reading."


    The man was left speechless once again. Fujin''s clone was looking at him as if he was the biggest idiot in the world. He wondered, ''Do his eyes have an issue?''


    He said, "I am the supervisor of the Library. Tell me why are you in Section A? It is restricted and only Jounins can enter. If you are here without any authorization, you will be arrested and punished by Lord Hokage."


    Fujin''s clone looked back at the scroll and began reading as he said, "I got promoted today and reported to Lord Hokage that I''ll being here. Feel free to ask him."


    The supervisor was dumbfounded. He thought, ''Such a young Jounin? I''ll have to confirm with Lord Hokage though. It''ll be a pain in the ass if he is lying.''


    He asked, "What is your name?"


    Fujin''s clone answered, "Suzuki Fujin."


    The supervisor nodded and left. He had no intention of talking further with Fujin. He left the Section and asked a couple of people to keep an eye on Fujin while he confirmed whether what Fujin said was true.


    Fujin and his clones ignored this matter. They went through every scroll in detail. It was a few hours past midnight by the time they were done.


    Fujin dispelled the clones one by one and received their memories. He let out a sigh, ''I thought that like jutsus, the number of seals in this section would also be lesser. Instead, it''s many times higher. No wonder that despite there being so many SealMasters, there are so few Grandmasters in Fuinjutsu. If I don''t use Shadow Clones, I''ll probably need more than a decade to learn all these seals.


    Even with Shadow Clones, this will be very time-consuming. I should first learn the rank A Wind jutsus. Then I will focus entirely on the seals.''


    A smile formed on Fujin''s face as he thought, ''Fortunately, I found the few seals I was looking for. Once I learn them, I can begin working towards that n.''

 Chapter 283: The Dangerous Copy Ninja!

    In thest few hours, Fujin had found numerous seals and formations. Among them, the most important seals were, The Four Symbols Seal, Five Elements Seal, Five Elements Unseal, Evil Sealing Method and Iron Armor Seal. In addition, there were many Juinjutsu seals as well as barriers.


    Fujin analyzed, ''The quantity and quality of the seals is good. Especially the Four Symbol Seal. I was worried that it would be in the forbidden scroll. In addition, there are also the methods with which Suna and Kumo seal their tailed beasts. However, the Reverse Four Symbol Seal and Eight Trigram Seal aren''t here.


    I guess I could learn the Eight Trigram Seal through experimentation. It could provide me with valuable experience in creating new seals based on what I know. Unfortunately, I have no idea about the Reverse Four Symbols Seal. It could have been a good trump card to use in the organization.


    That said, fortunately, I also found a lot of Juinjutsu seals. After I learn them, I can take steps towards creating a seal for my organization members. Until I seed, I won''t work towards finding new members.''


    Fujin finally got up and left. He stepped out of the library and saw the night sky. He looked up and thought, ''Ipletely lost track of time¡­ It''s alright. The gains were quite high. I''ll take a good rest today. Training can wait for a day.''


    He began moving towards his home. However, despite it beingte at night, Fujin wasn''t the only one up. Inside the Hokage building, Shikaku sat in a room with a dozen Jounin and Anbu Captains in front of him. He was assigning them missions to prepare for Suna''s retaliations. Though Shikaku was reluctant to work, his situation was far better than another person who was far away from him.


    Sunagakure -


    One ninja was running fast from the Kazekage Building to Rasa''s house. As soon as he reached it, he mmed the door loudly while shouting repeatedly, "Kazekage-sama! Wake up quickly!"


    The banging and the shouting woke up Kankuro and Temari along with Rasa. With a frown on his face, Rasa walked towards the door and opened it. He angrily asked, "Why are you creating a ruckus?"


    The messenger immediately said, "Kazekage-sama, we just received a report from Elder Manabu from the West. Gaa¡­"


    He stopped speaking as he noticed Temari and Kankuro watching them from behind. Rasa noticed it. The messenger handed a scroll to Rasa and said, "Kazekage-sama, it''s an emergency."


    Rasa opened the scroll and began reading. Anger formed in his eyes as he gritted his teeth. He instructed, "Summon all the elders and the council members right now."


    The messenger nodded and left. Rasa turned around.


    Temari asked, "Did something happen, Father?"


    Rasa replied without looking at her, "Everything''s fine. Go back to your rooms and sleep."


    Temari had a bad feeling. She asked, "Is Gaara alright?"


    Rasa opened the door to his room and said, "He is fine. What can happen to him? I need to get ready. Now go to bed. I will be busy."


    He entered his room and shut his door. Temari and Kankuro looked at each other helplessly.


    Rasa began changing into his formal attire. Within 15 minutes, every Council Member and most Elders inside the vige assembled in the meeting room. No one was happy at being woken up at this hour. Finally, Rasa entered the room and took his seat. He looked around and noticed that everyone was there.


    Goza asked, "What happened now? Did Manabu catch the culprit?"


    Rasa had a grim face. He ced the scroll on the table and said, "No. They set up a trap for the culprit with over a hundred troops. However, they still couldn''t stop him. He caused Gaara to lose control and killed Susumu before running away. They have lost track once again."


    The eyes of the Council Members widened. Sajo eximed, "How could Susumu be killed?"


    Goza asked, "Was Gaara stopped and is he alright?"


    A few others began reading the scroll. The elders were shocked. Though Susumu wasn''t the strongest among them, he was the most annoying to fight due to his unique usage of Genjutsu. Killing him was very difficult.


    Rasa frowned and answered, "He injured Gaara which made Gaara lose control and transform partially. Odaka sensed that he had run away. While Odaka, Susumu and Manabu were stopping Gaara, he sneak attacked Susumu and killed him before running away for real. Gaara was stopped once again, but a few ninjas died as they didn''t have Susumu''s help."


    His words caused silence to spread in the room. Their expressions became grim. Finally, Goza asked, "Who was the culprit? To be able to run away unharmed from more than a hundred ninjas while confronting a Jinchuriki and multiple Elite Jounins, did Konoha send their Sannin?"


    Rasa replied, "They couldn''t identify him. Manabu suspects that he used the transformation jutsu. But, neither of the two Sannins is known to use Wind jutsus. Though it isn''t difficult to learn new jutsus, covering their fighting style would be difficult. So I doubt that is the case."


    The Council Members agreed. If not for the result, no one would suspect the sannins. However, one of the Council Members, who was reading the report, asked, "But if not for the Sannins, who in Konoha could do something so remarkable? Even if we consider other viges, there is no one who is famous for using Wind jutsus. Manabu said that his ability with the Wind Jutsus exceeded his."


    The Council Members began thinking and discussing. Finally Goza said, "In thest couple of years, Konoha''s Copy Ninja has been gaining a lot of fame. Could it be done by him? After all, they say that he has copied a thousand jutsus. In addition, he was taught by that cursed Yellow sh."


    They debated among themselves a lot and finally agreed. Joseki said, "I thought Konoha was just pushing his reputation to deter other countries. I didn''t think that he could actually live up to his reputation. Regardless, we have to retaliate."


    He was cut off by Sajo who said, "But we first need to secure the West. And set better traps for him. If he is in the West, then he can make more attacks. Even if he doesn''t, the journey from there to the border with the Land of Rivers will take 4 days at the very least. We need to intercept him inside our country and kill him. Once he is dead, we can create Anbu squads led by Elite Jounins to infiltrate the Land of Fire and target their Nobles."


    Everyone agreed with his words. However, Ryusa asked, "But who can stop him? He was able to run away from abined attack by Manabu, Odaka and Susumu. We don''t have anyone to stop him."


    His words caused another wave of silence to spread in the room. None of them wanted to fight the Copy Ninja. However, Rasa suddenly said, "You don''t need to be worried about it. I will make a move myself and bury him in the desert permanently. After I leave, you guys decide which Nobles to target and create foolproof ns for the same. For the time being, begin arranging ninjas to scour the desert. As soon as he is discovered, I will make a move."


    Rasa''s words caused mixed feelings to spread among the Council Members. On one hand, they were proud and relieved that their Kage was making a move himself. Though Kakashi was strong, none of them believed that he would stand a chance against Rasa. However, on the other hand, they were ashamed that there was no one other than Rasa who could act in this situation. After all, their opponent wasn''t even in the top 3 in terms of strength inside Konoha.


    They nodded and immediately got to work. By noon, they had prepared more than 500 ninjas to move out! Rasa himself was ready to move out. Unfortunately, before he could leave, Rasa received another message. Rasa opened the scroll. A chill passed through his spine as he read about the events that took ce in Shunkuto!


    Cities and Towns around Shunkuto had finally started receiving the migrants. They sent a message to Sunagakure as soon as they heard about the events the migrants described. The news about the events spread through those cities in no time. A fear about Sunagakure and disgust for Rasa spread in those cities as well.


    Rasa held the scroll tightly. He was shaking in rage as he thought, ''Did Konoha deploy this man to split our country into two? But, how can that happen? Unless Konoha also ns to invade us at the same time. But, has Konoha''s military recovered to this extent? Are they not afraid of Kumo and Iwa taking advantage?''


    He looked at the messenger and instructed, "Call all the Council Members. Even call those two elders. We will be having another meeting."


    The messenger''s eyes widened as he wondered, ''What message did the scroll contain for his expression to be so grim and for him to contact those two?''


    He nodded and quickly left.

 Chapter 284: One Man makes the Entire World move!

    Within 15 minutes, every Council Member and Elder except 2 were in the meeting room once again. They noticed Rasa''s grim expression and asked while sighing, "What happened now, Kazekage-sama?"


    Their sigh wasn''t an act. All of them were sick of the recent events. It was just one thing after another continuously with no respite!


    Rasa didn''t say anything and just handed them the scroll. Their eyes widened and arms shivered in rage and horror as they read the report.


    Joseki shouted, "This is outrageous! We are in an alliance. Do they want tounch a full-fledged war?"


    All of them were experienced. They reached the same conclusion as Rasa.


    Rasa said, "I received these reports from the cities and towns around Shunkuto a few minutes before I called the meeting. Wait for some time. There are still more people toe."


    Joseki looked around and asked, "Who else is remaining?"


    As if to answer his question, the door opened and two very old ninjas walked in. The Council Members and Elders were surprised. They were Ebizo and his sister Chiyo.


    Behind them, the messenger finally sighed in relief. Bringing these two here was a huge headache. He thought, ''I know she is just fooling around, but one of these days she might really end up dead!''


    Chiyo and Ebizo immediately noticed the tense expressions in the room. Chiyo asked, "Why are your expressions so grim? I haven''t even yed possum yet!"


    Rasa handed them a scroll and said, "This isn''t the time to be fooling around. Please read."


    The siblings began reading. Unlike the time when Gaara was kidnapped, Rasa was still alive. Though he was junior to them, they couldn''t dismiss him casually like Baki. In addition, their health was much better aspared to what it would be 6 yearster.


    Their eyes widened as theypleted reading the report. Chiyo chuckled and said, "That''s why I told you to not form any alliances. They will stab you in the back the very first chance they get."


    However, her brother said, "True, but we were the ones to make a move first. They didn''t act against us until we took steps towards breaking the alliance."


    Ebizo''s words reminded the Council Members and other Elders that it was Suna''s choice that led to Konoha''s retaliation. Goza gritted his teeth and said, "But their actions are outrageous. There were numerous ways to counter our moves. There was no need to do something so drastic. I''m afraid that they intend tounch a war."


    Rasa nodded and said, "I''m of the same opinion. I n on deploying 2000 ninjas along the border with the Land of Rivers to deter Konoha. What are your opinions?"


    The Council Members were surprised. They realized that Rasa already had a n. He had just called them here to inform them and check if they had any ideas. However, considering how grave the situation was, no one opposed him.


    Only Chiyoughed in disdain while Ebizo shook his head. He said, "If you do that, then it will give Konoha an excuse to mobilize as well. And if Konoha indeed wants a war, then they will be prepared. Such a frontal confrontation is what they would want to see.


    In addition, the culprit who made this mess will also receive more opportunities to keep creating a mess in the West and worsen the situation even further."


    His words caused everyone to frown. They thought for a bit and realized that it madeplete sense. Goza asked, "Then what would you rmend, Elder Ebizo?"


    Ebizo said, "Instead of deploying an army on the frontlines, divide them in small squads and discretely deploy them in the deserts between here and the Land of Rivers. Have them deploy various traps to harass any iing army.


    Even if Konoha marches, we shouldn''t defend the frontlines. Instead, let them enter the desert. We will fight and stall them here instead of fighting a quick and decisive battle. I doubt Kumo or Iwa would miss the opportunity to take advantage if Konoha is stuck in a drawn-out battle here.


    In addition, we can use this time to find and kill the one making a mess in the West. As long as he is dead, we won''t have to worry about our backs."


    Ebizo''s words made sense. Everyone nodded. Only Sajo asked, "But what if our estimates are wrong? What if this is Iwa''s scheme and they n to attack us when our forces are facing Konoha?"


    Before Ebizo could answer, Goza answered, "Let them attack. It''s only a vast desert from the Land of Birds to here. We can use our alliance with Konoha to make them attack Iwa through the Land of Grass. And we can move our forces from the west and east to intercept and stall Iwa''s army.


    In case Iwa and Konoha have allied, then we will have to stall them both and form an alliance with Kumo and have them attack Konoha. In that case, the war will enter a stalemate."


    Everyone agreed with his answer. Seeing that there was no other objection, Rasa said, "Alright, let''s do this. Sajo, you will lead 500 ninjas to the West. You will be responsible for scouring the deserts and providing more security to the cities there. If you encounter the Copy Ninja, don''t engage and inform me. I will move towards the escape routes to intercept him if he decides to escape the county."


    Rasa turned his eyes towards the siblings and said, "In my absence, I''ll leave the safety of the vige to you two. Yura will be returning with Gaara in a few days. Please inspect his seal as well. Goza, you will be responsible for slowly deploying 2000 ninjas towards the Land of Rivers and have them deploy traps and prepare ambushes. The rest will aid you. Any objections?"


    No one objected. Rasa got up and left. Within an hour, 500 ninjas departed from Sunagakure towards the Western part of the country to hunt for Kakashi, who was neither the culprit nor present there.


    The real culprit had a nice long sleep and was enjoying his lunch in Ichiraku. He wasn''t aware of the movements inside the Land of Wind. But if he was, Fujin would wonder what sort of expressions Rasa, the Council Member, the Elders, and the 500 ninjas would make if they learnt the truth.


    Though Fujin didn''t care about this matter, others did.


    The next morning, every major vige received reports that 500 ninjas had moved from Sunagakure towards the Western part of the Land of Wind. Due to how massive the movement was, every spy in Sunagakure noticed it immediately. Most leaders were puzzled as to why Suna was making such huge movements.


    Onoki wondered, ''What''s going on in Suna? They have already deployed more than 600 ninjas. And now 500 more? And even Rasa moved? Don''t tell me that bastard Rasa intends to start another dumb war.''


    He immediately called for a council meeting. After a discussion, they decided to deploy 500 ninjas on the borders with the Land of Bird and another 750 ninjas on the border with the Land of Bear.


    Just like Onoki, the Fourth Raikage Ay was also puzzled. After thinking for a bit, he decided to secretly ready his forces to take advantage in case a war broke out.


    Unlike the rest of the world, two people were very clear about the situation. Shikaku analyzed the news, ''I can understand why the 500 ninjas left. But why did Rasa leave? Do they not know that Fujin already left?''


    He opened the report Fujin had made and checked the end. He thought, ''His report doesn''t mention how he returned. Now that I think about it, he returned way too quickly. Does he have a flying summon or know a space-time ninjutsu?''


    He thought for a bit before giving up, ''Leave it, I''ll just ask the Hokage. ording to the movements, Rasa likely wants to hunt Fujin. But Fujin is already here.''


    A smirk formed on his face as he thought, ''Looks like you will have a nice wild goose chase for quite some time.''


    His smirk faded away as he let out a sigh, ''Unfortunately, once they give up, there is a high likelihood of them moving those troops towards our border. And thanks to the vast deserts, we won''t even know where that army is.


    The best way to counter this would have been to deploy Konoha''s forces. Unfortunately, that''s the worst option here. I''ll have to deploy many Anbu and spies in the Land of River to warn us if the Suna army enters it. In addition, I will have to have Konoha''s forces prepared for war. Sigh, so much work.''


    Fujin''s face appeared in his mind as he decided, ''No more long-term missions for this guy. Fortunately, I sent him to Suna. If this was Kumo, the Fourth Great Ninja War might have already started.''


    Fujin was blissfully unaware of all these developments. He was back in his training ground doing his morning physical workout after a long time!

 Chapter 285: Ambition!

    Fujin stretched his body casually as he wondered, ''Should I increase the intensity of the training seal? Though I didn''t train my body for almost 3 months, I did eat healthy and ran a lot. Alright, I''ll increase it from 40 to 45%.''


    Fujin had long reached the maximum limit on the training seal that Hiruzen had created for him during his academy days. During his time in the Anbu, he had reced it with a new training seal that he created. This one could apply four times the max pressure and resistance as the previous seal.


    Forgetting about all the turmoil he created a few days ago, he began training with maximum intensity once again and continued for four hours straight before going to Ichiraku for breakfast.


    As he ate the ramen, a smile could be seen on his face. He thought, ''Now this is a good life. Sleep long, train hard, eat delicious food and don''t worry about anything else. If I can''t break through the limits to reach the top and events progress just as they did in the original story, then perhaps I''ll retire after the 4th War and recreate all the famous fast food chains from my previous world here.''


    Ayame noticed Fujin''s good mood and asked, "What''s the good news, Fujin?"


    Fujin shook his head and replied, "No good news. Just missed the ramen for the past few months."


    Teuchi smiled and said, "It''s good to have you back again, Fujin."


    Fujin nodded. He lifted the bowl and drank the soup and said, "Thank You for the meal. I''ll see you tomorrow."


    Ayame replied, "Take care, Fujin. Don''t train too much."


    Fujin nodded and left. As he walked back to the training ground, he thought, ''Though a retired life enjoying all the delicacies sounds pleasant, it''d be a pity if that''s all I manage to do after working so hard.


    My current strength is pretty much at the Elite Jounin level. S rank is still quite far, but I feel that it is just a matter of time before I reach it as long as I keep training hard. I should reach it before Akatsuki starts collecting the tailed beasts.


    And, if I can learn Senjutsu or Flying Thunder God, I''ll be able to rise all the way to the peak of S rank reaching a simr level as Jiraiya or Minato. Perhaps only Nagato and Obito would be able to keep up with me then.


    However, once I reach that stage, getting any stronger will be difficult. If I ignore the Otsutsuki, only four ninjas are known to surpass that level. They are Hashirama, Madara, Naruto and Sasuke. But, Madara and Sasuke were able to do it due to Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan. Naruto did it due to Kurama. As for Hashirama, he is just ridiculous. No point in thinking about him.


    The only way I could potentially keep up with them is if I capture and seal a Tailed Beast in me or through the Eight Inner Gates. But even these have limits and dangers and aren''t sure-fire.''


    Lost in thoughts, Fujin reached the training ground. He let out a sigh as he thought, ''To climb to the very top might need some drastic actions and insane nning. And, unlike those four, I won''t have any help. The only advantage I have is that I know the major events in the future. I''ll need to take advantage of anything I can. Only then I will have any chance. But, I need to reach rank S first. Only then I can begin acting as well. For now, it''s time to continue training.''


    Fujin''s hands moved rapidly as he weaved hand seals.


    When Fujin transmigrated to this world, he, like anyone else, wanted to reach the peak of this world. However, unlike the others, Fujin was very aware of how dangerous and hazardous this world was. The threat suppressed every desire other than his will to survive in a world teeming with adversity and danger.


    As he grew, trained, fought, and overcame obstacles, his spirit grew resilient and his body honed to a razor''s edge. The pursuit of survival became a testament to his unwavering determination.


    However, as he slowly carved his path through the crucible of trials, a subtle transformation took ce within him, imperceptible even to his own consciousness. His confidence grew. He no longer had to be worried about missions going awry. He was aware of the ninjas that could threaten his life. And he had multiple means of escaping even from the worst situations.


    Due to this, a seed of evolution took root in the very depth of his being. Every step he took forward, every victory he experienced and every improvement in his strength nourished this seed. The path to survival had ignited a desire to reach the very top of this world and leave an indelible mark upon its tapestry.


    Driven by this newfound desire, Fujin set his eyes on the pinnacle and began his training.


    ''Wind Release: Wind Explosion Clone jutsu''


    Fujin closed his eyes as he sensed the movement of chakra through his body. Soon, a Wind clone was formed in front of him.


    Fujin looked at the clone as he observed, ''I see. The normal Wind clone has Yin and Yang chakra in equal quantities. However, this clone didn''t have the same bnce. Instead, it was mainly made of Yang chakra.''


    The Wind clone nodded at Fujin and looked in the opposite direction. He instantly disappeared and appeared on a boulder around 50 meters away. He ced his palm on the boulder and exploded!


    Fujin observed the explosion and nodded in satisfaction as he observed, ''Good. The explosion is almost three times as strong as what my normal wind clones could do. But, with such an imbnce in Yang and Yin, this clone should have some limitations. I need to test it.''


    Fujin weaved the hand signs once again and created another Wind Explosion Clone. He followed it up by creating a Wind Clone and flickered away.


    The two clones looked at each other. There was no need for any words to be exchanged. Both jumped away from each other.


    Two spheres of wind appeared in the hands of the Wind clone. Heunched both Wind Explosion Spheres at the other clone.


    The Wind Explosion Clone immediately got out of the way. At the same time, two spheres of Wind began forming in his hands. However, instead of forming proper spheres, the jutsu copsed! The Wind Explosion Clone was surprised and looked at his hand while thinking, ''What the hell? I can''t use a simple D rank jutsu?''


    The Wind Clone immediately took advantage of the opening and built up his chakra.


    ''Wind Release: Infinite Breakthrough jutsu''


    The Wind Explosion Clone immediately noticed the iing attack and flickered out of range. He tried making Wind Explosion Spheres again but failed.


    Fujin observed the fight and realized, ''I see. Since the bnce is so off, the Wind Explosion Clone can''t use normal jutsus. More likely, it can only use jutsus that require more Yang Chakra. I guess the only way to use this clone is to flicker and explode.


    But, despite this, distinguishing between this and a normal wind clone is quite tough. Once I am able to make this clone without any hand signs, I can confuse my opponents with ease. So the effect would be quite simr to if the clone could use jutsus.''


    As Fujin analyzed, the Wind Explosion Clone couldn''t form any jutsu at all. So he gave up and flickered towards the Wind Clone to self-destruct and make the fight a draw. However, the Wind Clone immediately flickered away and the two began a game of tag.


    Fujin watched with a deadpan expression as he thought, ''I created you two to test out the differences. Why the hell are you two ying tag?''


    He immediately dispelled both the clones and analyzed, ''Making this clone without seals shouldn''t be difficult. But I''ll leave it forter after I be used to using it. It''ll save time.''


    Fujin began weaving hand seals again. Anticipation could be seen in his eyes. Of the jutsus he found, he was the most excited about this jutsu.


    ''Wind Release: Assassin''s Rush jutsu''


    Immediately, a high amount of chakra began flowing around Fujin. The chakra was rapidly converted into Wind and in an instant, a vast amount of wind was forced behind him. The wind sted multiple trees behind him and uprooted them. At the same time, Fujin disappeared and travelled in a straight line at a speed far exceeding the speed of Wind Instantaneous Body jutsu!


    In the blink of an eye, Fujin appeared in front of a boulder. Chakra concentrated in his fist as he punched the boulder. The boulder was instantly blown apart! And a wide grin could be seen on Fujin''s face.


    He analyzed, ''Great speed! Though it uses a lot more chakra than flickering, it will be very domineering in a battle. With practice, I''ll be able to sustain the wind longer and even change my direction freely.


    Combined with my swordy or Senju Taijutsu Style, it will be extremely lethal. Not to mention, it also prevents any attacks on my back. Alright, I''ll master this jutsu right away!''

 Chapter 286: What makes a jutsu Rank A?

    For one hour straight, Fujin continuously trained the Assassin''s Rush jutsu. His breathing became heavy as he thought, ''Damn, it''s been such a long time since my chakra reserves hit so low. Rank A jutsus are very taxing on chakra. But, it isn''t as bad as I thought it''d be.''


    A thoughtful expression appeared on Fujin''s face as he thought, ''I used to think that the more destructive orplicated a jutsu is, the higher ranked it''d be. However, now that doesn''t seem to be the case. After all, in terms of pure destructiveness, none of the rank A jutsus I read is anywhere near as destructive as Infinite Breakthrough jutsu.


    Instead, it seems like the jutsu is ranked depending on how efficiently it can utilize the Yin and Yang aspects of the chakra. Though I learnt this jutsu just an hour ago, I have tried it dozens of times. And I don''t see any way to optimize it further like I could optimize my rank C and B jutsus.


    The reason for this is that this jutsu is already optimized to limit. It''s the same for Wind Explosion Clone jutsu. The ratios of the Yin and Yang chakra were optimized to be what is the most effective.


    So looking at it from another perspective, when I optimized my jutsus using Yin and Yang chakra earlier, I was actually increasing their ranks. Or at least bringing them closer to rank A.


    This is why I directly managed to learn de of Wind jutsu. After all, I had already modified Wind Sword jutsu enough to replicate the same results as the de of Wind jutsu.


    I guess the experienced Ninjas like Hiruzen and Orochimaru have alreadypleted this process for all or most of their jutsus. It''s probably why they don''t use a lot of higher-ranked jutsus as their rank B and C jutsus are basically as strong as a Rank A jutsu. I guess Renjiro was implying this back then. I thought he was just referring to supercharging jutsus.''


    Fujin concluded, ''In essence, a rank A jutsu is a pinnacle jutsu that can''t be improved any further. As for the S rank jutsus, they probably can''t be exined with this logic. They should be jutsus that either surpasses these limits like Rasenshuriken or jutsus that are beyond logic like the Dead Demon Consuming Seal.''


    Fujin began walking out of the training ground thinking, ''Anyways, I''m on the right track. No point in thinking about S rank jutsus for now. Time to meditate until I recover my chakra.''


    A mischievous smile appeared on Fujin''s face. His chakra signature transformed as he changed into his Anbu attire with a different mask. He entered Anbu''s training in one of the Wind Training rooms.


    Within the next six hours, he absorbed all energy from the Wind Crystals in 3 Wind training rooms! He left as quietly as he arrived while thinking, ''Looks like maintaining disguise anymore wouldn''t be possible. There is no way Hiruzen won''t know that it is me. Still, this is fun. I''ll keep up the disguise for old time''s sake, hahaha.''


    He left the Anbu headquarters and continued training the Assassin''s Rush jutsu. In the next hour, his chakra ran out once again. However, he had reduced the number of hand seals required to use the jutsu to just one! Satisfied with his progress, he went out for dinner.


    Around the same time, an Anbu ninja appeared in Hiruzen''s office and reported, "Lord Hokage, the energy in Wind Crystals in 3 Wind Training rooms suddenly disappeared. As per my estimates, 2 of them should have had around 40% energy while thest one should have had around 75% energy left."


    Hiruzen''s expression immediately went dark. He cursed in his heart, ''That brat! I knew it. There''s no one else as greedy as him. He didn''t even wait for two days after returning!''


    Hiruzen looked at the Anbu and instructed, "It''s fine. You don''t need to monitor Wind Training rooms anymore."


    The Anbu ninja was puzzled. He wondered, ''Why did you make me monitor it for over a year then? And why did the problem suddenly start? And why is your expression so dark?''


    Seeing how dark Hiruzen''s face was, the Anbu ninja didn''t dare ask any questions and left obediently. Hiruzen angrily thought, ''How many hundreds of millions of Ryo worth of Wind crystals did this brat eat?''


    However, he soon sighed helplessly as he analyzed, ''But if his speed of absorbing the energy is so high, it means that his talent in Wind Maniption has increased even more which is good for the vige. If he can reach S rank, then this is a small cost to pay. I''ll turn a blind eye to it.


    Besides, it''s not like I can ask him to stop anyways. Even if I make him admit, I can''t do anything to him. And knowing his greedy nature, he''ll likely spend months in those rooms until Konoha runs out of Wind crystals!''


    For the next couple of days, Fujin repeated the same activities. He made rapid improvements while making Hiruzen''s heart ache due to how rapidly he was going through the Wind Crystals.


    Finally, on the fourth day, Fujin stood in the training ground. Arge amount of chakra appeared on his back. The chakra began converting into Wind and sted backwards with huge force. Fujin was instantly propelled towards the trees. He quickly changed direction without slowing down and navigated through the densely packed trees for a couple of minutes.


    As he moved, chakra gathered on his right fist. He jumped upwards before changing his direction downwards. The winds propelled him rapidly towards the ground as Fujin punched the ground.


    Immediately, a loud sound could be heard. A crater with 15 feet radius and 3 feet depth was formed on the ground. At the same time, multiple cracks spread through the ground for dozens of meters.


    Fujin jumped back on his feet with a grin on his face. He shook his palm as he muttered, "Speed is Power. This jutsu amplifies the power of the Senju Taijutsu Style even more. However, it hurts like hell. I''ll need to mix Iron Skin jutsu into this as wellter on. For now¡­"


    Fujin rapidly weaved hand seals and mmed his hand on the cracked ground.


    ''Wind Release: Geyser Creation jutsu''


    Immediately, the air began moving rapidly in the crater and through the cracks in the ground. In a second, sharp winds rushed out of the cracks. At the same time, the sharp winds inside the cracks began widening them.


    Fujin stopped the jutsu and analyzed, ''I initially thought that this jutsu would only be useful to kill enemies hiding underground. In the Fourth Great Ninja War, this technique could be used to kill Zetus by thousands if I catch arge number of them underground.


    But, on second thought, this can be an excellent continuation while using the Senju Taijutsu Style. After all, no one would want to take a hit from a chakra-enhanced punch head-on. If I use the chance to punch the ground and release this jutsu, the enemy will be caughtpletely off guard. It will be a good tactic. But I''ll have to learn how to use this jutsu without hand signs as well.''


    Fujin let out a sigh as he thought, ''I was nning to move on to Fuinjutsu today. Leave it, I''ll master this jutsu first. If I''m assigned new Anbu members under me, I''ll have to train them. And the initial missions will likely be Police duties in the vige. I can use that time to learn the seals as well.''


    Fujin continued training. While he trained, Shikaku was busy reading the numerous reports that he kept receiving. He muttered, "First Iwa moved 500 ninjas to the border with the Land of Birds and 750 ninjas to the border with the Land of Bear. In response, Suna deployed 200 ninjas on each of the borders. And in Kumo, many ninjas are moving around. All this confusion over a simple promotion mission¡­"


    Shikaku was left speechless. He thought, ''Fortunately Suna and Iwa haven''t moved into those buffer countries. Otherwise, Kumo will move for sure. And this time we won''t be able to fool the world and get the Land of Iron to be in the same camp as us.


    Still, I believe Onoki just got worried due to how many Suna ninjas moved West and took precautionary measures. The matter should cool down after a few weeks as neither intends to start a war.


    But, if three major viges are moving around and we don''t move, others will get suspicious. Kumo might think that we are weak or unprepared for war. Meanwhile, Suna will confirm that we were behind those recent events.''


    Shikaku got up andid a map on his table as he analyzed the actions Konoha should take toe out of this period unharmed. After running a few calctions, he made up his mind and went to Hiruzen''s office.


    Hiruzen looked at Shikaku and immediately realized why he was there. Shikaku said, "Lord Hokage, in light of recent events, I havee up with a ¡­"


    Hiruzen cut him off and said, "No need to consult me. Just implement what you nned. I have full confidence in your capabilities."


    Shikaku''s expression immediately became dark. Hiruzen knew all about the recent events. However, since Fujin had returned to Konoha, there would be no further hostilities. So the situation would defuse by itself as no one other than Kumo wanted a war. Shikaku obviously realized Hiruzen''s thought process. His face was dark because Hiruzen threw all the work on his shoulders.


    He nodded and left the room. Later that day, 500 Ninjas left Konoha and moved towards the border with the Land of Grass. They had strict orders to not enter it. At the same time, smaller squads sneakily left Konoha one by one. In 3 days, around 1200 ninjas had left Konoha this way. They all met up at the assigned location for Kakashi to take control of this army.


    They stayed hidden while preparing for war. However, Shikaku arranged for Kakashi to drop hints of their movements. In a few days, all the major viges became aware of arge Konoha force wandering around their borders with the Land of Hot Water.

 Chapter 287: A Long Game of Shogi

    By the time the Konoha ninjas were deployed outside the vige, Fujin had managed to perform the Geyser Creation jutsu without the use of hand signs. Satisfied with his progress, Fujin decided to move his attention to Fuinjutsu.


    He returned to his basement and created a Shadow Clone which dispelled itself instantly. The Shadow clone that was in the Library immediately received the message. He packed the scrolls and ced them back and dispelled himself.


    Fujin received memories and began analyzing. During thest week, Fujin left one clone in the Library to n out the order in which he should learn the seals. He didn''t have clones working actively on the seal as training rank A jutsus was very straining on his chakra. He could barely train for an hour straight with all his chakra.


    A frown formed on Fujin''s face as he realized, ''The Four Symbol Seal is tooplicated. I won''t be able to learn it right now. In fact, most of the top seals are veryplicated. I will have to start with the easier seals. It''s fine though. I still have a lot of time.''


    Fujin nned for a couple of minutes and decided, ''Using too many clones to learn the seals will be redundant. I''ll leave some chakra with me and meditate in the Wind Training Room. As long as none of my clones is dispelled, I won''t be disturbed and can meditate in peace.''


    Fujin created a Shadow Clone with 70% of his max chakra. The clone used Multi-Shadow Clone jutsu to equally divide his chakra into 60 clones. They began practicing the seals while Fujin left his house and moved towards the Anbu Training Facilities.


    In a remote location in the desert, a camp was set up. A dozen simr camps were set up in the desert. However, this camp was special as it housed one of the five Kages in the world.


    A messenger ran into Rasa''s tent and reported, "Lord Kazekage. 500 ninjas have left Konoha and appeared on the Eastern border of the Land of Grass. Iwa reciprocated and deployed 500 ninjas on the Western border of the Land of Grass. And Iwa''s ninjas still haven''t entered the Land of Birds or Bear."


    A frown formed on Rasa''s face. He thought, ''What the hell is happening? I first thought that this was done by Konoha. But when Iwa moved, I felt that I could have been wrong. But Iwa didn''t invade us and instead, Konoha assisted us. How do I make sense of this situation?''


    He thought for a bit but couldn''te to any conclusion. Finally, he instructed, "Have Goza deploy more spies in the Land of Grass. If Konoha and Iwa have allied, then this might be a trick to fool us. Is there any news from Sajo?"


    The messenger shook his head and answered, "No. He hasn''t even seen the shadow of the culprit! It''s as if he has disappeared from the desert."


    Rasa snorted and instructed, "Where will he disappear? Ask him to keep searching."


    The messenger replied, "Yes Lord Kazekage, but there is another news. It''s just that we haven''t confirmed it yet. Some spies reported that Hatake Kakashi is leading a 1200-strong ninja army and conducting military drills near their border with the Land of Hot Water. So some Council Members think that he has already left."


    Rasa frowned and furrowed his eyebrows. Once again, he received information that didn''t make any sense.


    Shikaku couldn''t guess that Suna would put the me on Kakashi''s head. If he did, he''d have kept Kakashi hidden to keep Suna upied in the West.


    After thinking for a bit, Rasa said, "It is likely a trick by Konoha to make us drop our guard. Since it isn''t confirmed, Konoha probably made someone use Transformation jutsu. Let Sajo keep doing his work."


    The messenger nodded and left. For the next 3 weeks, Suna kept scouring the desert and for obvious reasons, they didn''t find Kakashi there. However, in these 3 weeks, they stabilized the situation in the West. Though there was still resentment against them,w and order was maintained andmon people were assured of their safety.


    However, the political situation still got worse as Toshio''s family reached Wind Capital andined about the events in Shunkuto. Around the same time, Iwa and Kumo received some details about the events in the Western regions of the Land of Wind.


    Onoki rxed as it meant that no war would happen, while Ay was upset for the same reason. Regardless, the tensions died down as everyone realized that no war would happen. However, both countries raised their guard against Konoha as they were the only suspects.


    Neither Iwa nor Kumo wanted to deal with such a headache. So they provided additional security to their Nobles and increased the number of Patrol units. At the same time, Suna began plotting their revenge and started what would be a long game of Shogi with Shikaku.


    In these 3 weeks, Fujin practiced Fuinjutsu for more than 12 hours every day with 60 Shadow Clones while he spent a simr amount of time meditating in the Elemental Training rooms. Finally, he received a message asking to visit Hiruzen''s office.


    Fujin thought, ''It''s almost a month since I came back. Did they find suitable subordinates for me? But, why did the messenger ask me to appear in the normal mission outfit instead of Anbu uniform?''


    Fujin stopped his morning workout and went to Hiruzen''s office. On entering, he saw a bunch of civilian officials along with Shikaku, Choza and Homura in the room. Hiruzen saw Fujin and said, "Fujin, you''ll be apanying me on a mission to the Land of Tea. Wait outside for a while."


    Fujin furrowed his eyebrows as he wondered, ''Apanying him on a mission? Is this supposed to be a rank S mission?''


    He nodded and waited outside the room. Shikaku looked at Fujin and wondered, ''Why did Lord Hokage ask Fujin to follow him on this mission?''


    He looked at Hiruzen as a thought appeared in his head, ''Does he intend to groom him like Kakashi for the Hokage position? I can see why considering his performance on the previous mission. But, he''s still too young.''


    Homura also looked at Fujin and thought, ''So this is the kid that Hiruzen refused to give to Danzo. I wonder what''s special about him.''


    Hiruzen hadn''t mentioned Fujin''s achievements in the Land of Wind to anyone. So no one apart from him and Shikaku knew. Though Danzo, Homura and Koharu had questions and doubts after the recent event, Hiruzen feigned ignorance and pushed the me on Iwa.


    Inside the room, discussions continued for another half an hour. Finally, the civilian officials left. A few minutester, Hiruzen left as well. He was followed by Choza, Homura and his Anbu guards. Hiruzen looked at Fujin and said, "Come with me."


    Fujin followed him. The group of 8 left the vige and began travelling to the South. Hiruzen informed Fujin, "We are going to the Land of Tea to discuss some trade-rted matters as well as some cooperation. You don''t have to do anything, just pay proper attention in the meeting."


    Fujin was confused. He tilted his head and asked, "What will I observe in a trade-rted meeting?"


    Fujin''s first thought was that Hiruzen knew that someone would ambush him. But he immediately dismissed that idea. Despite his age, Hiruzen was one of the strongest ninjas in the world. Why would he need Fujin''s protection? He wondered, ''Is he nning on burning some city and needs an assist from my Wind jutsu?''


    Hiruzen replied, "Just pay proper attention. I''ll tell youter."


    Fujin said, "Alright."


    The group travelled through the vast forests rapidly. Fujin was a bit surprised that Homura was able to keep up with ease. He looked at him from the corner of his eye and thought, ''Looks like despite his age, he has retained a good part of his strength. I wonder why he and Koharu never fought in the original story.


    Be it Orochimaru''s attack, Pain''s attack or the Fourth Great Ninja War, they didn''t participate in any fight despite being avable. I don''t recall properly, but I think they didn''t fight even when Kurama rampaged inside Konoha.''


    At the same time, Homaru also sized up Fujin. He observed, ''Not bad. Despite travelling with Hiruzen, he hasn''t put his guard down and is prepared for any ambush. His chakra isn''t bad either. It''s at the Jounin level at such a young age. However, I can sense that he is hiding a portion of his chakra. So I can''t be sure yet. Still, it shouldn''t be much higher. But, why does Hiruzen want to make him a negotiator?''

 Chapter 288: Negotiations

    The journey to the Land of Tea took a couple of days. Hiruzen made a lot of small talk on the way to inspire Fujin and his Anbu guards. Fujin took the opportunity to interact with Choza as he thought, ''Akimichi n''s body size maniption is part of Yang Release. Though it''s unrealistic to get the methods of learning the jutsu from him in just this journey, there is no harm in creating a good rtionship with him.


    After all, he is the only one from the Ino-Shika-Cho trio to live after the Fourth Great Ninja War. And if in the future my reputation bes as good as Hiruzen''s, I could try to ask him for it.''


    The next afternoon, the group from Konoha arrived at Degarashi port in the Land of Tea without any incident along the way. However, Fujin was surprised when they arrived outside the gates of the vige.


    Every major Noble in the city was standing at the entrance of the gate. In fact, even the Daimyo of the country was present! Fujin had made multiple trips to this country as an Anbu ninja in thest couple of years. So he easily identified most of the Nobles and Ministers waiting at the Gates. Fujin peeked inside to see the sides of roads packed with spectators.


    Fujin thought, ''I didn''t think I''d underestimate how much influence this old fox still has!''


    The Daimyo of the Land of Tea stepped forward and cordially greeted, "Lord Hokage, it''s good to see that you are still hale and hearty!"


    Hiruzen smiled and replied, "It''s great to see that you are doing well too, Lord Daimyo."


    While the two exchanged pleasantries, two people walked to the sides of Daimyo. Hiruzen looked at one of them and said with a smile, "Jirochi, are you doing well?"


    Wasabi Jirochi bowed slightly and answered with a smile, "I have been well, Lord Hokage. All thanks due to how efficiently Konoha carries out the missions."


    As he spoke, the face of the other man fell. However, he quickly hid it behind a fake smile and greeted Hiruzen politely. Hiruzen looked at him and thought, ''So he is the one who wants to take over Degaroshi port from the Wasabi family?''


    Hiruzen just nodded and began talking with the Daimyo. Wagarashi Kyuroku controlled his anger and didn''t say anything disrespectful. One of the missions that Jirochi referred to, cost him more than 90% of his forces and over 50% of his wealth.


    After that, he lost his ability to create trouble for the Wasabi family. He had still not recovered from the blow that 5 squads sent by Hiruzen had dealt the Wagarashi family when they dared to enter the Land of Fire to eliminate Wasabi Daichi. Having learnt his lesson, he had no intention of openly opposing Hiruzen. If it wasn''t for ensuring his own benefits, he wouldn''t even have shown up there.


    As they talked, the Tea Daimyo and Hiruzen walked into the vige. Jirochi, Kyuroku, the nobles, ministers and the Konoha ninjas followed them. As they walked, Fujin noticed a lot of curious gazes from the people that crowded both sides of the road. Some cheered, but most just watch casually.


    He wondered, ''Are they really so curious to see a Kage or did the Daimyo arrange them here to create a favorable image of the citizens on Hiruzen? We are here for trade discussions after all.''


    The four Anbu ninjas had all their attention on the crowd in case any assassin was hidden. Homura, Choza and Fujin weren''t much concerned about this and just casually walked. The crowds thinned as they reached closer to the Daimyo''s Pce.


    After entering, they were led into the Grand Hall inside the pce. The hall had several old and expensive artifacts. It had arge circr table at the center which was adorned with elegant tapestries and exquisite tea sets.


    Hiruzen took his seat while the Tea Daimyo sat opposite him. Jirochi and Kyuroku sat next to the Daimyo. The ministers of the Daimyo and other nobles upied seats next to them.


    Meanwhile, Homura sat to Hiruzen''s right while Choza sat to his left. The Anbu stood behind Hiruzen while Fujin stood awkwardly thinking, ''Should I take a seat or stand along with the Anbu?''


    Homura was one of three Vige Elders while Choza was a n Leader. Meanwhile, Fujin was just an orphan who was in the Anbu. Though he had gained a lot of strength, most of it was known to very few people. In addition, Hiruzen hadn''t given him any purpose on this mission.


    Hiruzen looked at Fujin and said, "Take a seat as well, Fujin."


    Fujin nodded and sat next to Choza while thinking, ''In thest mission, Shikaku didn''t give me any specific instructions. Though I wasn''t interested in knowing the aftermath, I''m sure thest month would have been hell for him. I''m surprised that Hiruzen still didn''t give me any instructions¡­''


    At the same time, the eyes of the Daimyo and the Nobles fell on Fujin. They were surprised that Hiruzen asked someone so young to sit alongside the three of them. The Daimyo looked at Fujin and thought, ''To bring someone so young here. Is Hiruzen nning something? Regardless, this young man must be someone worthy of keeping an eye on.''


    Hiruzen looked at his Anbu Guards who nodded in response and disappeared. The faces of the few ninjas in the Daimyo''s camp got serious. Only a few of them managed to see how the Anbu Guards hid themselves.


    Soon, a bunch of servants appeared and served delicious warm food with great fragrance on the table. The Daimyo said with a smile, "I know you are very busy, Lord Hokage. So I decided to arrange for Lunch while we discuss a trade deal."


    Hiruzen smiled and replied, "That is very thoughtful of you, Lord Daimyo."


    The servants served all the food and left. Soon, the doors to the grand hall were closed. The Tea Daimyo asked, "So, shall we start the discussion, Lord Hokage?"


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "Yes. We received multiple requests from you. So you can begin, Lord Daimyo."


    The Tea Daimyo said, "Alright, Lord Hokage. As you know, there is a civil war happening in the Land of Water. Due to this, many ninjas are fleeing away. Unfortunately, instead of living peacefully, most have resorted to banditry. Though our major cities are safe, they cause great harm to small viges.


    When we send missions to Konoha to eliminate them, it generally takes around a week for any squads toe here. And in thest month, the dy has been even longer. This causes unnecessary loss of life and property.


    So my request is for you to establish a small military outpost in the Land of Tea. At least until the chaos caused by the Civil War in the Land of Water is settled."


    Untilst month, the Tea Daimyo was fine with the one-week dy. However, due to the sudden buildup of tension between the four major viges, the viges reduced the number of missions they epted drastically.


    Shikaku had deployed 1700 ninjas within a few days to deter other countries and was showing that the other troops were being prepared as well. So Konoha was quite short on manpower as well.


    A frown formed on Homura''s face as he said, "Lord Daimyo, that won''t be possible. After all, if anyone has any enmity with Konoha, they might attack these ninjas instead of trying to attack in the Land of Fire. So it will be very dangerous for our ninjas."


    Hiruzen and Choza maintained their silence while Fujin just watched carefully. He was interested in seeing how they would negotiate. The Daimyo said, "We can host them in big cities that are well protected. So they won''t be in any danger normally. The only time their lives will be at risk is during the missions. But that would be true in any case."


    Homura shook his head and said, "That isn''t the same. We study every mission properly and then assign squads with the necessary strength toplete the mission safely. If we don''t, then the number of deaths will be very high."


    Homura''s words caused the Daimyo to fall silent. After all, he was putting the Konoha ninjas at risk. He couldn''t force this matter. Jirochi said, "Lord Hokage, there is something that you can do. What if we consider every mission as rank A?"


    Kyuroku snorted and asked, "Do you know how expensive that would be?"


    Jirochi immediately replied, "How can money bepared to the lives of our citizens? If needed, I can contribute my family''s wealth for this purpose as well."


    Kyuroku was surprised. At the same time, he was ted. He thought, ''This is great. If he wastes all his money here, then I can catch up with his family in strength within 2 to 3 years!''


    He immediately became quiet and let Jirochimit a blunder.


    Since the opposite party was willing to pay, Homura became silent and looked at Hiruzen. The entire room paid attention to what his decision would be.

 Chapter 289: Lord Hokage is Magnanimous!

    Hiruzen stayed silent for a minute. The silence made the Nobles from the Land of Tea nervous. Fujin noticed it and thought, ''I remember that in my previous world, some politicians used to have long silences in their speeches. Looks like it is quite an effective tool here as well.''


    Finally, Hiruzen said, "It isn''t a matter of money. However, I can''t ignore the suffering of the people here. I''ll deploy an Elite Jounin along with 4 dozen ninjas at the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Tea on the coast.


    You can issue your missions to them. That will reduce the journey time from a week to one or two days which wouldn''t be much longer than deploying ninjas in this or any other city. However, you will have to pay an appropriate cost for this."


    Jirochi asked, "What is the cost, Lord Hokage?"


    Kyuroku snickered in his mind as he thought, ''Great! Take all the fool''s money away!''


    Hiruzen maintained another few seconds of silence and said, "I''ll need 400 Fire Crystals and 400 Wind Crystals every year that we deploy the ninjas here."


    Hiruzen''s request surprised all the people from the Land of Tea. Choza and Homura already knew that Hiruzen would ask this. It was the main reason why they apanied him. However, Fujin was surprised.


    He quickly looked at Hiruzen as his left eye twitched and thought, ''Don''t tell me! He brought me all the way here to tell me that he knows I''m using the Wind Crystals and he wants me to decrease the rate of using them because Konoha is running out of them?''


    Hiruzen noticed Fujin''s gaze but didn''t look back at him. He thought, ''Though this isn''t the main purpose of bringing him here, it is a nice bonus. He should be smart enough to notice the hidden message. It''d be great for the vige if he doesn''t consume them at such a ferocious speed!''


    Fujin''s initial consumption speed was already giving Hiruzen headaches. However, in thest month, Fujin focused a lot on meditating there. Due to this, his rate of consumption increased several times! In thest month alone, he had consumed the energy in around eighty Wind Crystals by himself.


    Fujin immediately removed that thought from his head and analyzed, ''No, how can the Great Grand Hokage ask a young and promising ninja to reduce using Wind Crystals? I feel ashamed of thinking so little of the leader of my vige!


    I''m sure that he brought me here to tell me that no matter how many Wind Crystals I use, he has my back. Even if Konoha runs out of Wind Crystals, he will visit smaller neighbouring countries and ask them for Wind Crystals.


    This way, I can keep absorbing their energy without worrying that the vige might run out of them. Sigh, he is such a great guy. Going up to such lengths to reassure the younger Generation. I''ll work hard and absorb energy from more and more crystals to repay his faith in me. It''s a shame that Shadow Clones can''t absorb this energy. Otherwise, I''d have repaid all faith.''


    Fujin looked at Hiruzen again with a smile on his face as he concluded, ''It doesn''t matter what anyone says. The Third Hokage is the most magnanimous person in the world!''


    Hiruzen would have noticed Fujin''s smile normally and sensed that something was wrong. However, his attention was gained by Kyuroku who spoke loudly, "How can we do that, Lord Hokage? Those crystals are meant for training our own ninjas! If we give them away, the strength of our ninjas would drop!"


    Kyuroku was enraged. He didn''t mind Jirochi wasting his wealth. But the Elemental Crystals were important to him. He was buying as many as he could by bribing the Ministers.


    Homura retorted, "No amount of elemental crystals can help you train an Elite Jounin. The cost is far lesser than what the Kiri rogues will inflict upon you."


    Homura''s words caused silence to spread among the Nobles. However, Kyuroku was unresigned. He said, "That isn''t the same. There is no way we ca¡­"


    He was interrupted by the Tea Daimyo, "Kyuroku, stay quiet."


    Kyuroku immediately went quiet. Though he was influential, his influence was nothing whenpared to the Tea Daimyo''s power.


    The Tea Daimyo looked at Hiruzen and requested, "Please understand our difficulties."


    Hiruzen replied, "I understand your difficulties, Lord Daimyo. However, Homura''s words are right. Still, I don''t want to reduce the strength of your ninjas. So in order topensate for the loss, I''ll allow some of your ninjas to visit the base Konoha will establish at our border and receive training from our experienced ninjas. This would be far more beneficial for your ninjas."


    Hiruzen''s proposal excited all the officials. If they could have ninjas from their families or factions train under capable ninjas from Konoha, their standings and influence would improve substantially in the Land of Tea.


    Many Nobles immediately said that it would be a good thing for the country. Kyuroku frowned as he thought, ''If Konoha gives preference to training ninjas from the Wasabi family, then we will be at a disadvantage. But, everyone should have the same worry. I''ll use it to suppress himter.''


    Kyuroku decided against opposing the idea as most of the Nobles were in favor of it.


    The Daimyo had the same worry. Though he had good rtions with Konoha, it could be dangerous to his position if the Wasabi family''s influence rose without any restraints. He asked, "How will you decide which ninjas to train?"


    Hiruzen replied, "You can choose which ninjas to send. The number of ninjas and the duration of training will be decided by the Elite Jounin we send to the new post."


    The Tea Daimyo was relieved. He nodded and said, "Alright, but I still have one issue. I can pay you 400 Fire and Wind Crystals each for the first year as we have some stock. But, I can''t sustain it for every year after that. I can only pay 100 Fire and Wind Crystals each."


    Hiruzen already knew that they wouldn''t be able to do that. He said, "That''s too low. But understanding your difficulties, how about you pay me 200 Fire and Wind Crystals each from the 2nd year?"


    The Tea Daimyo thought for a bit and said, "That''s reasonable. Let''s do this deal, Lord Hokage."


    The Tea Daimyo''s limit was 230 crystals. He willingly agreed.


    Choza said, "In addition, we would also like to discuss additional imports of herbs from your country and some discounts on the tea you sell."


    Jirochi smiled and said, "Alright, but our poption needs additional meat and some other food items."


    They immediately began negotiating for discounts on both sides. Fujin watched with interest as both sides negotiated for benefits nonstop shamelessly.


    The officials from the Land of Tea were unwilling to offer discounts on Tea until Homura pointed out that they have eliminated almost all bandit groups from the Land of Fire and that the new post could slowly bring the same change in the Land of Tea. So their business won''t be as risky anymore.


    Fujin was especially impressed by Homura''s expertise at negotiating without any shame. He thought, ''Looks like all of Hiruzen''s friends are as shameless as him. No wonder they never fight. Why bother fighting and risking your life when the younger generation is willing to do that enthusiastically? I wonder if this is why Jiraiya doesn''t want to be the Hokage.


    Still, negotiating seems fun. Never thought I''d enjoy seeing it. It''s kinda the way I kept bugging Hiruzen and Renjiro for stronger jutsus. I wonder if Hiruzen brought me along to show that my shamelessness is still not enough and for me to take inspiration from Homura and these Nobles and Ministers. That said, I wonder if the legendary Talk-no-jutsu would work during negotiation between shameless politicians.''


    After a long discussion, the Land of Tea agreed to export multiple rare herbs to Konoha. They even agreed to a 5% discount on it as Konoha would buy them in bulk. In addition, they agreed to an 18% discount on their Tea exports.


    As for Konoha, they agreed to a 7% discount on the meat and food items exported to the Land of Tea and agreed to increase it to 12% after the bandit groups in the Land of Tea were eliminated.


    After some more discussion about smaller matters, the meeting finally ended. Hiruzen and Homura exchanged nces. Both were satisfied with the oue. As usual, Homura acted as an aggressive negotiator while Hiruzen acted as a peaceful and empathic negotiator. The officials from the Land of Tea were also satisfied with the results.


    The meeting concluded with a toast, a symbol of unity and cooperation between the Land of Tea and Konoha. After exchanging pleasantries and bidding farewells, the Konoha group left as quickly as they came. However, the discussions in the grand hall weren''t over. Instead, they were just about to get very intense. And unlike the discussion so far, it would be extremely unfair to one person!

 Chapter 290: Guiding the Younger Generation

    As soon as the Konoha ninjas left, the Nobles and the Ministers exchanged nces. Without exchanging any words, a scheme was formed in mere seconds!


    Kyuroku said, "Lord Daimyo, we need to decide on the distribution of the ninjas that will be sent for training. And we also need to decide who will bear the cost of the Elemental Crystals we have to give. Since Jirochi agreed to pay Konoha out of his own pockets, I say we should let him bear the majority of the cost."


    Kyuroku was immediately supported by the ministers that were bribed by him and other Nobles. After all, if Jirochi paid, it''d mean that they would have to pay less.


    Jirochi was immediately put under pressure. He was disgusted by their actions. However, he stood by his morals and said, "Lord Daimyo, I''m willing to contribute to the safety of our citizens."


    The Tea Daimyo nodded. He was worried about Jirochi using Konoha to increase his own influence. He said, "It won''t be fair for you to pay the majority cost. However, since you were the one to put forth the proposal and offered to pay, I won''t reject it. But making you pay the majority share won''t be fair.


    I''ll contribute 25% of the funds needed for this and you do the same. The other Nobles will contribute the remaining 50% equally. As for the ninjas, we will wait for Konoha to send the details. I will allow everyone to send an equal number of ninjas. But since the Wasabi family is paying more, they will get the first choice. Does anyone have an objection to it?"


    Kyuroku was surprised. He wasn''t expecting Jirochi to go along with what he said. And he didn''t expect the Daimyo to agree to his words. Though Jirochi only had to pay 25%, it would still be many times more than what he would pay. In addition, Jirochi only received the first preference. This implied that he would at most get to send one more ninja than the rest of the Nobles. So he received nothing despite paying more.


    He was ted as he realized, ''This is a great opportunity. Since I helped the other Nobles save a lot of money, they will owe me a favor. I''ll use these favors to secure control of Degarashi Port in the future! But, I''ll have to be careful of Jirochi.


    He could sway public opinion in his favor by spreading the fact that he contributed the most to public safety. As soon as I leave, I''ll begin spreading rumors that Jirochi offered Konoha the money of this country and paid them several times what we got in return. Though not true, I''m sure every other Noble will cooperate with me. Though the Daimyo can clear his name, Jirochi would gain no benefit from spending so much money here.''


    Kyuroku and the rest immediately agreed. The group discussed a bit more and left. As they left, the Daimyo looked at Kyuroku''s back and thought, ''This guy is good. Having bribed so many of my ministers, he could corner Jirochi despite having much lesser influence overall.''


    The Daimyo shook his head and concluded, ''Unfortunately, he is too short-sighted. The Wasabi family is backed by Konoha. They won''t allow Degarashi Port to switch hands. If he truly threatens the Wasabi family''s position, Konoha will eliminate him or make me take action. Oh well, until that time, I can make good use of him.''


    While the officials of the Land of Tea were discussing, the Konoha''s group was travelling rapidly across the country. Their next target was the Land of Noodles.


    Hiruzen looked at Fujin and asked, "Fujin, what did you observe during the negotiations?"


    Fujin almost replied involuntarily, ''That everyone sitting in a position of power is extremely shameless!''


    Fortunately, he controlled himself and answered. "We have to work very hard to secure benefits for our citizens."


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "Yes. But that''s not what I am talking about. Analyze our actions and words during the meeting. Tell me why we did what we did and their consequences."


    Fujin fell into thought while Homura and Choza looked at him. Both were surprised at how openly Hiruzen intended to groom Fujin.


    After thinking for a while, Fujin answered, "Konoha is a lot stronger than the Land of Tea and we are the only country that has and border with them. So we were in a position of power in this meeting. However, since our rtions are very good, we couldn''t be very forceful."


    Fujin turned his eyes towards Homura and said, "I guess Elder Homura came along to act as the bad cop while you yed the good cop to get what Konoha wants. Though I''m pretty sure that they could see through this act, just that they didn''t dare to say it out loud."


    Homura''s eyes widened as he looked at Fujin in surprise. He was impressed with Fujin''s analysis but felt that it was nothing extraordinary until he heard thest sentence. He thought, ''He could see through their acting?''


    Fujin continued, "You used the opportunity provided by the unstable conditions due to the civil war and probably something that happened in thest month due to which we weren''t able to ept the missions in time to get the Elemental Crystals.


    Since the Daimyo agreed so easily, you should have calcted how much stock he had. As for the yearly payments, what you expected should have been under 200 each. I guess that the situation in the country is quite bad due to which the Daimyo didn''t negotiate a lot. As for the tea and herbs discount, I guess you want to take advantage of safer traveling conditions to save some money."


    Hiruzen nodded and replied, "Good analysis. Especially the deterrence part. It''s the advantage that we get due to being strong. Other countries will act carefully in order to not provoke us.


    As for the Elemental Crystals, my lower limit was 150 of each. If I didn''t offer the Daimyo to train their ninjas, he would have probably bargained down to this number.


    However, you aren''tpletely right about the tea and the herbs negotiations. Though safer traveling conditions allowed us the ability to propose that, the main reason for doing it was to mask the Elemental Crystal deal that we did. That is why Choza apanied me on this journey."


    Fujin thought for a bit and asked, "The other major viges might take action if we openly gain the Elemental Crystals?"


    Hiruzen nodded and answered, "Yes. While Elemental Crystals aren''t very useful for someone at my level, it is quite useful for young ninjas at the Chunin level. Though they won''t start a war over this, they would do something simr and get the Elemental Crystals assigned to their neighboring viges forcefully. In addition, it would also expose that we are spending a lot on our Military. So other viges will also openly build their armies and we will progress towards the Fourth Great Ninja War."


    Fujin nodded and replied, "That makes sense."


    He thought, ''In thest month I noticed that the effect of the Wind Crystals on me is reducing slowly. If I keep consuming them at this rate, their effect would be negligible after around half a year.


    Or rather, it''d be more appropriate to say that I''d need a lot more Wind Crystals in order to have some improvements. But, if my speed of absorbing the energy doesn''t increase, then it''ll take months of meditation to make small gains. Definitely not worth the time or cost it''d take.''


    However, Fujin had one confusion. He looked at Hiruzen and wondered, ''Why is he teaching me how negotiations happen?''


    Hiruzen noticed Fujin''s look and asked, "Are you wondering why I am exining to you how negotiations happen?"


    Fujin nodded. Hiruzen chuckled and said, "I want you to be responsible for Konoha''s negotiation in the future."


    Fujin was surprised. He asked, "Isn''t it the Hokage''s job to negotiate? Also, I have no experience in this."


    Hiruzen replied, "Not really. Any of the elders can negotiate in my absence. So can Shikaku as the Jounin Commander. As for the experience, don''t worry about it. I''ll be taking you along to all the negotiation meetings from now on. We will be heading to the Land of Noodles next.


    Just like the Land of Tea, we have good rtions with them as well. So the discussion will probably go simrly. However, since they are a newer and smaller country, the amount of Elemental Crystals with them will be lesser. Just observe once again and understand how the negotiations go better.


    A monthter, we will go to negotiate with the Land of River and the Land of Grass. Our rtionship with them, though good, isn''t as good as these two countries. So the negotiations will be tougher. During those negotiations, you are allowed to speak if you feel that it''ll benefit the vige."


    Homura was surprised once again. He looked at Hiruzen and thought, ''He has permission to speak after just two meetings? Sensei took us to several meetings for over two years before allowing us to speak! Why is Hiruzen being so impatient?''

 Chapter 291: Forgotten Job Offer

    Before Fujin could nod, Homura objected, "That won''t be appropriate, Hiruzen. Wouldn''t we suffer a loss if he speaks something that is incorrect? Though I am impressed by his analytical ability, he needs to be a part of a lot more such meetings before allowing him that right."


    Fujin looked at Homura. He wasn''t offended as hepletely agreed with his analysis. Choza silently agreed with him as well.


    Homura looked back at Fujin and thought, ''I was even going to mention that he isn''t strong enough to be given such a responsibility. But that might be demotivating for the young kid. Besides, Hiruzen should have enough confidence in his talent if he is giving him such a responsibility.''


    However, Hiruzen dismissed his worries and said, "It''s fine. After all, we old fellows can handle it if he messes up. You don''t need to worry about failure, Fujin. Just do what you think is the best."


    Fujin nodded and replied, "Alright. I''ll try my best to not disappoint you and get more benefits for our vige."


    However, he couldn''t help but feel that something was off. He wondered, ''Why is he in such a rush? I know that he isn''t dying. Is Konoha short on capable diplomats? That shouldn''t be the case as Konoha is the best at diplomacy as long as it doesn''t involve Kumo.


    Don''t tell me that he just doesn''t want to leave me alone in the vige when he is touring outside¡­ No, that shouldn''t be the case. After all, if I mess up, the potential costs will likely be much higher than the few Wind Crystals I use up.


    I guess he really wants me to be a good negotiator. Though it''ll take away some of my training time, it''s fine. This seems fun and will be a good way to take a few breaks.''


    Just like Fujin, Homura was confused as well. He wondered, ''Why is Hiruzen pushing him so much? Even though we are old, the younger generation still has Kakashi who is very smart at such things. And there is still Shikaku and Jiraiya who could help him out.''


    Hiruzen smiled on hearing Fujin''s reply and said, "Good."


    Hiruzen knew that Homura would be confused, but he didn''t care much. After all, Homura had rarely interacted with Fujin. He thought, ''My students'' generation was almost wiped out by the two great wars. The ones who survived died during Kyubi''s rampage. Though Minato''s generation produced a few decent Elite Jounins, no one other than Minato and the n Leaders showed any interest in politics and diplomacy.


    While Kakashi is smart and takes responsibility when necessary, he had a very upright upbringing. First under Sakumo''s care and then under Minato''s tutge. He doesn''t have the same selfishness and greediness that Fujin possesses.


    In the future, even if Kakashi bes the Hokage, Fujin should be the one responsible for leading Konoha''s negotiations. Of course, it''d be great if Shikaku or Jiraiya aided Kakashi. Unfortunately, I don''t see either of them willing to travel to foreign countries unless there is no other option. So I''ll have to guide Fujin and have him prepared for this task before the next big war starts.''


    As for Fujin''s strength, Hiruzen didn''t even bother considering it. After all, unlike Homura, he was quite aware of the reason behind Suna''s headaches.


    The group rested the night at one of Konoha''s Patrol camps and travelled to the Land of Noodles the next morning. Just like in the Degarashi Port, the Daimyo and a few Nobles were waiting for Hiruzen''s arrival.


    However, the old Daimyo had retired and passed the seat to his son. The new Daimyo immediately greeted Hiruzen respectfully and enthusiastically. But before he could speak more, his eyesnded on Fujin.


    His eyes sparkled immediately and he eximed, "Fujin, it is good to see you again. Have you considered my offer?"


    Fujin looked at the new Daimyo in surprise as long-forgotten memories slowly resurfaced. He thought, ''Ugh, I almost forgot about him. I had only politely said that I''d consider it. Did he not get the message? Or did he get infected by shamelessness after inheriting the seat?''


    Hiruzen and Homura were puzzled. Hiruzen asked, "What offer, Lord Daimyo?"


    Chikara looked back at Hiruzen and said, "A few years ago, Fujin and his squad had helped our country toe out unscathed from a disastrous situation. I was so impressed by his performance that I invited him to join my Guardian team."


    Hiruzen replied, "Oh."


    He looked at Fujin and recalled, ''I recall Tamotsu leading a mission here. But I don''t recall him saying this. Did Fujin decide to create external rtions for some reason?''


    He looked back at Chikara and said with a smile on his face, "Unfortunately I can''t let Fujin go as of now. But, I have many capable ninjas under me. I''ll assign one to serve as your Guardian."


    Chikara was immediately in an awkward position. He wanted Fujin, not any other ninja. And if Hiruzen sent a ninja by his own will, Chikara wouldn''t be able to trust that ninja. Especially if he decided to make some moves that were unfavorable for Hiruzen. Unfortunately, he couldn''t reject Hiruzen directly.


    He cursed in his mind, ''I messed up. I should have kept my calm. The boy doesn''t even want to join my Guardian team! I just got excited as he came here just a few weeks after I took over.''


    Hiruzen maintained a kind smile. He obviously wouldn''t let Fujin waste time here. However, this was too good of an opportunity. He could openly put a pawn in the Daimyo''s court. And even if he was rejected, Chikara would be very passive during the negotiations and he will try topensate him for declining him earlier.


    Fujin noticed Hiruzen''s purpose as well. He sighed in relief as he thought, ''For once I''m thankful for how crafty this old fox is. I was afraid that I''d be put in an awkward position. Though I could refuse, it would have put us in a passive position. Now the situation ispletely reversed.''


    Chikara smiled and replied, "Thanks for the generous offer, Lord Hokage. I will be grateful to receive your help. However, let''s discuss thister. Come, let''s enjoy the feast that my chefs have created for us."


    He quickly guided the Konoha ninjas in his mansion as he thought, ''I''ll have to consult Father on this issue. I can''t afford to offend him just after bing the Daimyo!''


    Once again, they had simr discussions along with avish lunch that had arge variety of noodle dishes. After a couple of hours of discussion, Konoha agreed to create a simr outpost on the border with the Land of Noodles.


    However, instead of an Elite Jounin, the outpost would be overlooked by a Veteran Jounin. In exchange, the Land of Noodles agreed to supply 125 Fire and Wind Crystals each and 50 of them every year after it until the situation calmed down. In addition, they also agreed to sell Noodles at a discount in exchange for discounted meat imports from Konoha.


    But, the biggest gain for Konoha was something else. Chikara informed the details of Hiruzen''s offer to his father. The old Daimyo sighed knowing the error his son made.


    He instructed, "It''s fine. You don''t have any threat from Hiruzen. But ask for someone who is young, preferably under 20. And say that he shouldn''t have been a part of any ck ops. In addition, stay on guard when with him. Especially if you n on doing anything against Konoha''s interest."


    Chikara''s father was well aware of Danzo''s reputation. He trusted Hiruzen but had no intention of letting his son''s life be in Danzo''s hands. Though he wouldn''t be able to verify whether the ninja was in the Anbu or not, he knew that Hiruzen would receive the message.


    Chikara nodded. He put the same conditions to Hiruzen who agreed immediately. With all the matters settled, the Konoha ninjas bid farewell and left.


    While they were back on their way to Konoha, Hiruzen looked at Fujin and asked in a teasing tone, "I wasn''t aware that you had a job offer from a Daimyo. Why didn''t you tell me, Fujin?"


    Fujin shrugged and replied, "It was years ago. Ipletely forgot about it until I saw him again. Besides, I thought that Tamotsu reported it to you."


    Hiruzen replied, "So Tamotsu knew as well? Weird that he forgot to report to me. Else I''d have remembered."


    Fujin looked back at him and said, "Well probably for the best. We did gain a huge advantage today."


    Hiruzen nodded. However, Homura thought, ''Yeah because we were lucky. It''d have gone a lot smoother if it was reported.''


    Hiruzen began discussing the negotiations with Fujin and gave him more tips. This continued untilte at night when they finally stopped in one of the newly created Patrol Camps in the Land of Fire.


    Post the Uchiha massacre, Shikaku had ordered the construction of several Patrol camps deep within the Land of Fire. These camps weren''t meant to patrol the borders. Instead, they patrolled important routes and at times went on random paths to patrol more thoroughly.


    The group from Konoha stayed here to have a peaceful sleep. However, the night wouldn''t be a peaceful one.

 Chapter 292: The Unluckiest Squad!

    The ninjas in the Patrol camp were very respectful towards Hiruzen, Homura and Choza. Since Fujin was with them, he received the same treatment. They immediately made the best arrangements for everyone.


    While eating dinner, Fujin thought, ''The normal food tastes kinda nd after enjoying two exquisite feasts. Oh well, at least it''s much better than my cooking.''


    Like Fujin, everyone ate dinner. Hiruzen even praised the cook and told some stories over the dinner to reignite the Will of Fire in everyone. Finally, the group went to sleep in the small camp. The ninjas in the Patrol camp guarded the camp with a lot of enthusiasm. After all, their beloved Hokage was resting in it.


    At the same time, a dozen kilometers away, 6 ninjas were hiding in the forest. They were surrounded by thick forest cover as they sat around a map that wasid on the floor.


    One of the ninjas asked authoritatively, "Are you sure that the intel is urate, Naomasa?"


    Naomasa replied, "Yes, Hideyoshi-sama. ording to our intel, Konoha has established a new Patrol Camp here."


    Hideyoshi took another long look at the map. After a couple of minutes, he said, "Good. Let''s move closer. We will destroy the camp before continuing our journey."


    His words shocked the group. One ninja immediately said, "But Hideyoshi-sama, our target isn''t this camp. Why don''t we just go around the camp and avoid it? It would be troublesome if Konoha begins hunting us."


    Hideyoshi looked at that ninja and asked, "Kaname, are you the leader, or am I?"


    Kaname immediately became nervous and said, "It''s you. I am just worried that if they have any Hyuga or sensor, then we will be sensed and our mission will have to be abandoned."


    Hideyoshi scoffed and replied, "You don''t need to be worried about it. With me here, they won''t have any opportunity to report us. Besides, I doubt a random patrol outpost will have a better sensor than Naomasa."


    Kaname sighed secretly as he thought, ''Getting promoted to Elite Jounin has inted his ego even more. Though Konoha is not as strong as it used to be, they still have many existences that can decimate us with ease. Especially since their Sannins randomly roam throughout the country. But he is right, we should be alright. Naomasa is a very capable sensor.''


    Hideyoshi instructed, "Naomasa, lead the way. Lead the way and sense them when you are in range."


    Naomasa nodded. The group of six moved quickly through the dense forest until they were around 2.5 km from the Patrol camp. Naomasa made a hand seal and activated his chakra field. Immediately, a chakra field with a 3 km radius spread around him.


    As the chakra field engulfed the Patrol camp, 4 sets of eyes opened instantly. Fujin got up and wondered, ''Are any other Konoha ninjas passing through?''


    He didn''t activate his own chakra field. Hiruzen, Homura and Choza also got up. The Anbu Guards were already up. As for the ninjas stationed at the camp, they didn''t notice the chakra field.


    Naomasa sensed everyone and frowned. He said, "Hideyoshi-sama, the camp has 9 ninjas. 4 are Genins, 3 are Chunins and 2 are Jounins. I believe there are 2 civilians as well."


    His fellow ninjas were confused. Kaname asked, "Why does such an insignificant post have 2 Jounin ninjas?"


    Hideyoshi thought for a bit and said, "It looks like Konoha is hiding something here. Or perhaps the Jounins are escorting 2 important civilians. Regardless, this could be more important than our mission."


    He looked at Kaname and instructed, "Kaname, you will engage one Jounin while I will kill the other. The rest of you kill the chunins and genins and aid Kaname. Keep the Civilians alive. I want to interrogate them."


    Everyone nodded. Not a single person had any fear on their face. After all, Hideyoshi was an Elite Jounin. And all the other 5 ninjas were Jounins! However, if they knew that the two civilians that Naomasa sensed consisted of an Elder of Konoha and the Hokage, they would have turned tail and ran until their legs couldn''t carry them any further.


    Fujin and Choza left their rooms and appeared in the open. They had both suppressed their chakra to Jounin levels. They were the ones Naomasa detected. As for the Anbu, they hadpletely hidden their presence. So Naomasa couldn''t sense them.


    Fujin''s eyes glowed as he observed the surroundings. Surprisingly, he didn''t see anyone. He said, "Looks like the Sensor is a bit capable. I can''t see anyone in a radius of 750 meters."


    Choza replied, "We have many sensor ninjas who can sense for over a kilometer. Especially in the Yamanaka n. Let''s wait for them to approach."


    Fujin nodded. The four Anbu guards stayed behind to protect the camp while Hiruzen and Homura didn''t show up outside.


    In a minute, 6 figures appeared in Fujin''s eyes. A look of surprise appeared on Fujin''s face. Choza asked, "Who did you see?"


    Fujin replied, "I don''t recognize their chakra signature. But one has chakra high enough to be considered as an Elite Jounin and the remaining five have Jounin levels of chakra. But, I have remembered the chakra signatures of all Elite Jounins in Konoha. Did someone get promoted recently in secret?"


    Choza got ready forbat and grabbed his Bo and replied loudly, "Not that I am aware of. I''ll take on the Elite Jounin. You cooperate with the Anbu to take care of the rest. Others, move back inside the camp."


    The ninjas from the camp were surprised to hear that. They didn''t know what was happening but obeyed Choza. Choza''s words were loud enough to be heard by the four Anbu. They immediately disappeared and hid themselves.


    Naomasa sensed the movements and said, "The Chunins and the Genins have moved inside the camp. Only the two Jounins are waiting outside. I guess they noticed my chakra field. But they shouldn''t be aware of who we are."


    Hideyoshi said, "It''s fine. It doesn''t matter if they know or not. They will die very soon."


    In a sh, they appeared in front of the camp. Fujin and Choza frowned. The ninjas were wearing Konoha headbands but they didn''t recognize any of them. At the same time, the expressions of the 6 ninjas also became grim as they realized, ''It isn''t just a Jounin. It''s Akimichi Choza! An Elite Jounin and a rather famous one.''


    Choza said loudly, "Identify yourselves."


    Hideyoshi knew that he wouldn''t be a match for Choza one on one. He instructed softly, "Change in ns. I''ll keep Akimichi Choza upied. You 5 kill that kid and then help me."


    A smile formed on Fujin''s face and a sword appeared in his hand as he heard his words. He thought, ''If there was a ranking based on luck, these 6 would definitely rank the lowest.''


    A simr thought ran through the minds of every Konoha ninja. Of all ces, they attacked the camp where their Hokage was resting despite having so few members.


    Hiruzen observed the situation from his room and wondered, ''Who are these guys? Seeing their numbers, they shouldn''t be here to assassinate me. But since when did the Land of Fire have such powerful rogue ninjas who impersonate Konoha ninjas?''


    At the same time, his eyes moved towards Fujin as he thought, ''Though I have read all his battle reports, I have never seen him fight. This would be a good opportunity to see him fight.''


    At the same time, Homura also watched Fujin. He was curious as to why Hiruzen was so interested in grooming him.


    The six ninjas jumped towards Fujin and Choza at the same time. Choza gripped his Bo staff tightly as he took his fighting posture. At the same time, he unleashed his chakra. Their attention was immediately glued to Choza. Hideyoshi gritted his teeth. He cursed, ''His chakra is almost twice that of mine! But we have the advantage of numbers.''


    Unfortunately, Fujin took advantage of the momentaryp in concentration. He immediately disappeared.


    Naomasa''s eyes widened. He immediately grabbed his kunai and swung it in front of him and shouted, "Be careful!"


    His shout attracted everyone''s attention. They noticed a sword appearing in front of Naomasa. The kunai and the sword shed. However, instead of hearing the sh, they saw the sword cut through the kunai as if it was hot butter.


    Naomasa''s eyes widened. He didn''t have any time to move. He could only see as the sword cut his head off.


    Except for Hideyoshi, the remaining ninjas immediately attacked Fujin. However, he continued with the momentum and moved a long distance away in the same direction. None of them could hit him.


    Soon, a thud was heard. Naomasa''s body fell on the ground and subsequently dragged along the ground due to his momentum. His head fell some distance away. At the same time, the transformation jutsu was dispelled and his real appearance could be seen. Hiruzen squinted his eyes on seeing the real face.


    But the ninjas had no time to watch their fallenrade. They looked at the ninja who they had thought to be an easy target. Disbelief could be seen in their eyes as they thought, ''Naomasa was a veteran jounin! He wasn''t a weak Jounin like those from smaller viges. And he was one of the best sensors we had. How was he killed off so easily?''


    However, they had no time to grieve for him. Afternding on a tree, Fujin flickered back towards them. Choza engaged Hideyoshi and ensured that he couldn''t move towards Fujin.


    Seeing Fujin, one of the ninjas opened his mouth and shot out 6 Air Bullets at Fujin.


    Fujin''s eyes widened and he immediately jumped up in the air as he thought, ''Sealless jutsu? These guys are no pushovers. Luckily I caught the sensor off guard. It would have been troublesome if he ran away and hid his chakra signature.''


    The remaining ninjas immediately began weaving hand signs while one threw shurikens at Fujin. However, they suddenly felt danger. 2 ninjas quickly moved away. However, the one who just shot out air bullets and the ninja who threw the shurikens couldn''t react quickly. Two swords pierced through both their bodies.


    Hideyoshi watched the scene through the corner of his eyes and was horrified. He attacked Choza fiercely while screaming in anger, "Why does this small post have a n leader and four Anbu ninjas?"

 Chapter 293: Losses Keep Piling Up!

    The two Jounins were killed by the four Anbu ninjas who were hiding. Their transformation jutsu was also dispelled. Half of the intruders were dead within a minute of beginning the sh!


    Kaname gritted his teeth as he looked at Hideyoshi with pure hatred. He had led them all to their deaths! However, he had no time to curse him. A dozen air bullets were heading at him. He immediately dodged while looking at Fujin who appeared in front of him and swung his sword at him.


    He thought, ''He must be using Wind nature chakra flow. Otherwise, Naomasa wouldn''t have lost so easily.''


    He grabbed a kunai and ducked down to avoid the sword. The sword passed harmlessly from over his head. At the same time, he jabbed the kunai towards Fujin''s chest.


    However, Fujin''s cheeks suddenly puffed out. Kaname''s eyes widened and he stopped attacking and instead rolled to the side. At the very moment he moved to the left, Fujin shot a Vacuum bullet at point-nk range. The bullet passed by Kaname''s left ear and ripped it outpletely! But, he still managed to survive and rolled away. However, such damage caused his transformation jutsu to be dispelled.


    Fujin watched his real face with some respect in his eyes. He thought, ''He is good. If instead of ducking, he had moved away, he would have been dead. And if he continued that attack, he''d be dead again. But he survived on both asions.''


    At the same time, Kaname was in shock as he observed Fujin. He thought, ''Who is this kid? His attacks are relentless and uses Wind Vacuum jutsus without any hand seal. I don''t even have any time to create a jutsu!''


    Fujin was about to attack when he noticed someone moving extremely quickly. Kaname sensed that someone had appeared behind him and immediately swung his kunai backwards. However, his arm was blocked by a palm. At the same time, two fingers jabbed into his back and hit just behind where his heart was.


    Chakra poured from the fingers into Kaname''s chakra point and blocked it. At the same time, several other chakra points in his body were blocked. Kaname suddenly felt a wave of weakness. He fell to the ground.


    Knowing that his life was no longer in his hands, he turned his head to see who the attacker was. His eyes widened in terror as he muttered, "Lo¡­ Lord H¡­ Hok¡­ Hokage?"


    Hiruzen didn''t reply and jabbed two fingers into his neck. Kaname instantly lost consciousness and copsed on the ground.


    Fujin was surprised. He thought, ''The Gentle Fist of the Hyuga? He can replicate the effects of that as well? Did he memorize the locations of some important chakra points?''


    While Fujin was dealing with Kaname, the other Jounin was also killed by the four Anbu ninjas. Only Hideyoshi was still alive. However, he looked at Hiruzen with horror in his eyes. No matter how arrogant he was, he knew that he wouldn''tst even a minute against a Kage!


    He stopped fighting with Choza and asked fearfully, "Why is the Hokage here? Don''t tell me he was the civilian that Naomasa detected!"


    He immediately regretted his decision to attack this camp and thought bitterly, ''Why did I decide to attack this camp?''


    Hiruzen looked at him and said, "I am more curious as to what Sunagakure ninjas are doing in the Land of Fire and why you are attacking Konoha''s Patrol camp."


    Hiruzen was aware of the strength of the ninjas in the camp. If he had not stopped there, those ninjas would have died tonight. And considering the strength of the attackers, Konoha would have a very difficult time finding them.


    Hideyoshi''s eyes widened. He didn''t expect Hiruzen to recognize them. He had no intention of facing Hiruzen or leaving his life and death to the Konoha ninjas. He immediately began running away. However, Choza immediately moved in his path and swung his Bo staff at him. Hideyoshi was surprised. He eximed, ''So fast!''


    Hideyoshi didn''t expect Choza to be as quick as him. He raised his arms in a defensive position to block the attack. He managed to block it, but Choza''s physical strength was much higher. He was hurled backwards. Hideyoshi''s expression became grim as he realized, ''He sent me flying towards the Hokage!''


    Hideyoshi flipped in the air andnded on his two feet as he slid backwards while weaving hand signs. He turned around and continued his way towards Hiruzen as he screamed, "Don''t underestimate me!"


    ''Wind Release: de of Wind jutsu''


    He extended his index and middle fingers on both his hands as Wind flew rapidly around them. Fujin grabbed his sword and was about to intervene when he noticed Hiruzen''s actions.


    Hiruzen had extended the same two fingers on his right hand. Wind began moving around them as well. Hideyoshi''s eyes widened. He immediatelyunched dozens of wind des at Hiruzen.


    Hiruzen merely responded byunching an equal number of wind des. Fujin watched with widened eyes as Hiruzen''s wind des neutralized each and every wind deunched by Hideyoshi perfectly. He muttered, "What the hell?"


    However, the one who was most shocked was Hideyoshi. He thought, ''How can this be? This is my most skilled jutsu. I have trained it for over two decades! How can he be more skilled at it than me?''


    Unfortunately, he wouldn''t receive any answers. As soon as his jutsu ran out, Hiruzen disappeared and appeared in front of him and tapped his forehead with the same two fingers. A seal appeared on his forehead.


    Hideyoshi was horrified! He tried using his chakra but he felt that his body had no chakra. He tried moving but he couldn''t move a muscle. He wanted to speak but not a word left his mouth!


    Fujin''s eyes twitched as he saw this scene. He thought, ''What the fuck? Wind jutsus is what I excel in. But his control and preciseness far exceed mine. Even I wouldn''t have been able to neutralize that attack this way. At the most, I''d have overwhelmed it by pouring more chakra into the jutsu.


    I can understand his Taijutsu being better than mine. But despite all my training, his speed still exceeds mine. And by such a huge degree. I won''t be able to keep up with him in a head-on fight. And that Juinjutsu¡­ What a freak!


    Sigh, thest mission increased my confidence a lot. I thought I''d be able to at least run away from S ranked ninjas. But now¡­ Luckily I didn''t challenge Rasa. If I didn''t manage to get reverse summoned in time, I''d probably be buried deep within the desert had I challenged him. Looks like there is still a considerable distance between my level and the S rank despite my high chakra.''


    Hiruzen''s little disy gave Fujin a reality check. Though he relied a lot on his skill with Wind jutsus, his biggest reliance was his speed. The ability to keep up and run away from any opponent was what he felt was the most important skill for a ninja. However, Hiruzen''s speed shook Fujin''s confidence in his speed.


    While Fujin wasparing himself with what Hiruzen showed, Hideyoshi''s life shed in his eyes multiple times. Hiruzen noticed the range of emotions in his eyes and said, "Don''t worry. You won''t be able to move."


    He ced his right hand on his head. Chakra flowed from his palm into Hideyoshi''s brain! Hideyoshi felt immense pain as Hiruzen began reading his memories. He wanted to scream in pain but the seal didn''t allow him to make any sound.


    In the next seven minutes, Hiruzen read most of Hideyoshi''s memories. He let go of his head as he analyzed, ''I see. Sunagakure has already started creating ns to target the Nobles from our country. This was their first squad.


    Unfortunately for Suna, they decided to attack this camp to do more damage to Konoha. Furthermore, their ns have a lot of inefficiencies.''


    Hiruzen walked away from him and instructed, "Kill him and get rid of all the bodies."


    The four Anbu Guards nodded and got to work. They knew that Hiruzen meant that there should be no proof of these bodies ever being here.


    Fujin, Homura and Choza immediately realized the reason for this. If Hideyoshi was left alive, then Suna would demand him back. And it would be difficult for Konoha to refuse that request. Though Konoha could inform about these matters to the Wind Daimyo, it would deteriorate the rtionship between the two countries.


    Konoha wanted to maintain the alliance with Suna, even if it was just on paper. So keeping Hideyoshi, whether dead or alive, was disadvantageous for Konoha.


    However, Fujin couldn''t help but think, ''I killed one Elite Jounin and several Jounins from Suna during my promotion mission. And now another one of the Elite Jounins has died along with 4 Jounins. Their losses just keep piling up. At this rate, will they even have the necessary forces tounch the Konoha Crush?''


    Fujin suddenly became worried. He thought, ''Shit, if the Konoha Crush doesn''t happen, then a lot of future events will change. I might not have much advantage of knowing the future if that happens. Sigh, I hope Rasa doesn''t get too intimidated.''


    Hiruzen read Kaname''s memories as well to gain any information that he could. He was disposed of the same way as well. Hiruzen analyzed the information and concluded, ''These two don''t have all the information. I''ll have to arrange strong patrol squads in the country. In addition, the security of Fire Capital has to be increased.''

 Chapter 294: Lying with a straight face

    He quickly made some ns and let out a sigh, ''This is getting veryplicated. I''ll leave the nning and operations to Shikaku.''


    He said, "We are leaving now. We need to get to Konoha quickly."


    He looked at the ninjas who were deployed in that Patrol camp and instructed, "Keep up your good work. Clear all traces of the battles here. And don''t tell anyone about what happened today."


    The ninjas immediately nodded and said, "Yes Lord Hokage."


    Hiruzen nodded and instructed, "Fujin, create shadow clones and sweep through the area. Check if there are any suspicious squads in a 20-kilometer radius."


    Fujin replied, "Alright."


    He focused on his chakra. His chakra began splitting into two. One had 40% of his maximum chakra while the other had around 59%. The 40% part of his chakra suddenly disappeared and 20 Shadow clones appeared around him. They immediately dispersed in separate directions.


    Hiruzen left the camp along with Fujin, Choza, Homura and the Anbu Guards without waiting for Fujin''s clones to finish the search.


    While moving, Hiruzen''s eyesnded on Fujin. He analyzed, ''I didn''t see him much in action. Seeing that they were from Suna, I had to ensure that they don''t die so that I could read memories with better uracy. Still, just those few attacks show why he was so sessful in Suna. With good control over Wind maniption and the ability to take advantage of every little opening, he ends up killing his opponent before they have a chance to disy their prowess.''


    Unlike Hiruzen, Homura wasn''t aware of Fujin''s capabilities. He was shocked at how good he was. He looked at Fujin and analyzed, ''This boy¡­ He is very good. Though I can''t say for sure how strong he is. After all, he killed that sensor using a sneak attack by using the distraction that Choza created.


    But the ability to take advantage of such small opportunities is far more valuable than strength. After all, we are ninjas. The ability to kill is way more important than the strength we possess. If a Genin kills a Kage by injuring him with a poisoned needle or kunai, then that Genin is far more valuable than a Kage who sits in his vige during a war.


    Besides, he is still just 14. He can gain strength in the future. I can see why Hiruzen is putting such emphasis on this boy. He could be just as capable as Kakashi. Though I still don''t see why he wants to make him a negotiator.''


    Fujin suddenly gained several memories. He said, "My clones didn''t find anyone else. It looks like those six were travelling alone."


    Hiruzen replied, "Alright, good work."


    The group rushed towards Konoha without exchanging many words. By the time the Sun rose, they had reached Konoha. Choza and Fujin left while Homura apanied Hiruzen into his office. He wanted to know why Suna attacked Konoha. One of the Anbu guards left to call Shikaku.


    After half an hour, Shikaku walked into the office while grumbling, "Why are they back so quickly? And why did he disturb my sleep? I have barely managed to sleep half my usual time in thest month."


    Shikaku noticed Homura in the room. Hiruzen said, "It''s good to see you up so early, Shikaku. We have new intel,e sit."


    Shikaku''s eyes twitched on hearing Hiruzen''s words. He reluctantly sat down and asked, "What intel did you get?"


    Homura said, "On our route back, the Patrol camp we stayed at was attacked by Suna ninjas."


    Hiruzen added, "I read their memories. It looks like Suna is nning several more attacks. Though it might be dyed a bit after we eliminated the first squad."


    Hiruzen informed Shikaku about the details of the attack and the intel he gained by reading memories. Shikaku''s expression became serious as he analyzed the situation.


    After a few minutes, he said, "Hideyoshi didn''t have enough information. We don''t know who will be in the other squads. And we don''t know what routes they will take. Though it is doubtful that they would send more Elite Jounins, we should operate assuming that they send Elite Jounins to avoid getting caught off guard and taking unnecessary losses.


    Creating more patrol squads will be a waste of manpower. Instead, we should nt some Anbu and a couple of Elite Jounins in the Land of Fire. They can make a move after the Suna ninjas expose themselves.


    This wouldn''t raise any suspicions. And once we have driven away a few Suna squads, we will ambush their rendezvous point that Hideyoshi was told about. We could disguise as Hideyoshi''s squad to catch them off guard."


    Hiruzen thought for a bit and nodded, "Alright, let''s do this."


    However, Homura frowned and asked, "But why is Suna attacking us? We are allies."


    Shikaku knew that Hiruzen hadn''t informed others about Fujin''s actions. In fact, his mission report was already destroyed and reced with a fake one. He said, "The recent events in the Land of Wind probably rmed them. Whoever it was, they did a good job of directing the suspicions at us. Especially by burning the food storage facilities. That provides a lot of advantages to us. So some response is to be expected."


    Homura frowned. He was very suspicious and thought, ''These two are definitely hiding something from me. At least Hiruzen is. The incidents in the Land of Wind are just too favorable for us for it to be done by Iwa or Kumo.''


    He said, "That isn''t eptable. If it has nothing to do, then we should engage in a dialogue and make them stop their actions. Otherwise, we would suffer as well just like how Suna did."


    Hiruzen rejected his idea by replying, "I just killed one of their Elite Jounins. If you want to talk now, we would have to pay a big price. Besides, considering how much they suffered, it seems impossible that they didn''t catch anyone. Though Suna is ipetent, they shouldn''t be that useless. I''m sure they already know who the culprit is and are just using the opportunity to create trouble for us.


    Regardless, the situation is very beneficial for us. We just need to kill some of their ninjas. Once they realize how high the risks they have to take for these attacks are, they will stop immediately."


    Homura became quiet. He thought, ''His words make perfect sense. But I know that something isn''t right. Sigh, I don''t think he will tell us the truth.''


    He looked at Shikaku, but Shikaku looked like he would close his eyes and fall asleep at any second. Having seen Hiruzen''s ability to bullshit for so many years, Shikaku didn''t feel anything at the lies he made up. Homura couldn''t find anything from Shikaku''s expression.


    He nodded and said, "Alright. I''ll take my leave."


    Since he wasn''t getting any information, Homura left. Hiruzen instructed, "Along with this situation, also decide which ninjas to deploy in the new camps that we have to build along the borders of Tea and Noodle countries. If needed, you can temporarily move them to assault any Suna infiltrators."


    Shikaku nodded and left. After closing the door, he sighed and muttered, "Why does my workload keep increasing? And we aren''t even at war!"


    Shikaku immediately got to work. Unlike Shikaku, Fujin had no responsibilities. He rested for a day and got back to his training. His clones worked hard to master more seals. They had already learned all the new symbols that the scrolls had. And they had mastered all seals in 18 of the 58 scrolls.


    As for Fujin, he recalled how ''magnanimous'' Hiruzen was and absorbed the energy in the Wind Crystals faster than ever!


    After a week, he was finally called to the Anbu Headquarters. Fujin walked to the headquarters while thinking, ''Looks like they finally arranged subordinates for me. Still, I haven''t led a squad since the Uchiha massacre. I hope I haven''t gotten too rusty. Granted the first missions will be easier ones. I can''t wait to make them police the streets, hahaha.''


    When Fujin reached the headquarters, he saw Eagle, themander of all Anbu ninjas, waiting for him. Eagle said, "Follow me."


    Fujin nodded and followed him to a room. On entering, he noticed 3 masked Anbu in the room. One wore a Cat mask with 3 red stripes. She had long straight purple hair. Another wore a Dog mask. He had golden hair. Thest one had short ck hair. Unlike the other two, he was much younger and wore a sparrow mask.


    Eagle said, "He will be your team captain. Hawk, I''ll leave them in your care."


    He disappeared from the room leaving Fujin alone with his new subordinates.

 Chapter 295: Subordinates

    Fujin looked at his new teammates and thought, ''I didn''t think Yugao would be assigned under me. Shouldn''t she be a part of Yamato''s unit? Looks like my unit isn''t made of newly selected ninjas. Makes sense I guess considering how many people Hiruzen recruited two years ago.''


    He removed his mask and took a seat and said, "Take seats, make yourselffortable and introduce yourself. I''m Suzuki Fujin. You can call me Captain or Haw¡­ No, Turtle."


    Fujin tossed his Hawk mask in the open box that contained dozens of masks while thinking, ''The Hawk mask along with my swords is just too well known. Fame is not good for Anbu missions. I need a new disguise.''


    Fujin had seen a turtle mask at the top of the box. Wind suddenly began flowing in the closed room. The turtle mask soon began floating in the air and moved towards Fujin. Fujin grabbed it and said, "I specialize in Wind Release and Swordsmanship. I prefer ranged battles and using hit-and-run tactics."


    Yugao and the blonde Anbu weren''t surprised or impressed by Fujin''s disy. However, the third Anbu was quite impressed. He thought, ''That''s cool!''


    Yugao removed her mask and said, "I''m Uzuki Yugao. My codename is Neko. I am currently training in various Sword styles. I specialize in Wind release as well. In addition, I can also use a few Fire and Water jutsus. And I can sense up to a distance of 800 meters. As for the battle, I don''t have any preference for tactics. I can adjust to any battle style."


    Fujin raised his eyebrow and thought, ''Apart from Water jutsus, her skill set is almost identical to mine.''


    At the same time, Yugao wondered, ''When Lord Hokage said that I could learn from my new captain, did he mean that I could improve my sword styles and wind jutsus by observing him?''


    The blond ninja removed his dog mask and said, "I am Yamanaka Fumito. My codename is Inu. I specialize in Yamanaka n secret techniques. I can sense up to 1700 meters. My affinity is Wind as well. My secondary nature is Lightning. I prefer hiding and sneak attacking the enemies."


    Fujin nodded. Fumito looked to be as old as Yugao. Considering that they would have been ninjas for close to a decade, it wasn''t surprising that they decided to learn more than one element.


    Finally, thest ninja removed his mask. A smile was stered on his face. Fujin felt that his face looked familiar, but he didn''t recognize him at first nce. However, soon, Fujin was surprised. He thought, ''This guy became an Anbu?''


    Though Fujin didn''t show it, he was genuinely surprised. The ninja introduced himself, "I am Handa Bunjiro. My codename is Sparrow. My affinity is Water and I am learning Wind jutsus as my second nature. I have also learnt the basics of being a sensor. But currently, I can only sense up to 80 meters. As forbat style, I don''t have any fixed style but I prefer to drown my enemies from a distance."


    Fujin nodded and analyzed, ''Yugao and Fumito have Wind as their primary element whereas Bunjiro has it as his secondary element. In addition, all 3 are sensors. And Yugao also uses a sword. Looks like my team will specialize in hitting from a distance or assassinations instead of engaging inbat directly.


    But, considering all the elements, the team does cover all elements. These 3 just miss the Earth element, but Hiruzen and Eagle should know that I can use Earth jutsu. The only major issue is Bunjiro. How did he go from Academy to Anbu in just 2 years?''


    Though Fujin also managed to do the same, his circumstances werepletely different. Fujin had learnt the basic exercises of Chakra control during his first year in the academy. He had graduated at the top of his year and could already use two elements. After graduating, he was guided seriously by an Elite Jounin and even received training from Hiruzen. As for Bunjiro, he hadn''t even tried the Tree Climbing exercise until a few months before the Graduation exam.


    Fujin wondered, ''Was he trained seriously by someone as well? Regardless, though this feat is impressive, his chakra is far lower than Yugao and Fumito. His strength should be weaker as well. It makes the squad unbnced. Did Hiruzen force him into my squad just because I taught him in the past?''


    Fujin thought for a bit, but couldn''t think of any other reason. He asked, "Good. Do all three of you know the rules and protocols of Anbu?"


    All three nodded. Yugao and Fumito were already a part of Anbu, whereas Bunjiro was informed by Eagle.


    Fujin looked at Yugao and asked, "You know where the Anbu training ground 9 is, right?"


    Yugao nodded. Fujin said, "Good. Take Inu and Sparrow there. I''lle in half an hour. Use that time to discuss how to coordinate properly with each other and form decent teamwork. When Ie, you three will fight me."


    Yugao, Fumito and Bunjiro were surprised. Fumito thought, ''He will take all of us on at the same time? Sigh, why did I get such a young captain who is so arrogant? If it wasn''t for my horrible luck, I''d have been an Anbu Captain myself!''


    Bunjiro wondered, ''Does he think that I''m as weak as I was 2 years ago?''


    Only Yugao looked at him meaningfully. She and Fumito walked out while Bunjiro followed them.


    Fujin saw them leave. As soon as they were out of sight, he flickered and appeared in front of Eagle. Eagle wasn''t surprised to see Fujin and asked, "Do you need something?"


    Fujin nodded and replied, "Yeah. Give me their files. I wanna know everything I can about my team."


    Eagle nodded and handed Fujin 3 files and said, "Feel free to read but leave them here. The information regarding the Anbu can''t be allowed to exist anywhere else."


    Fujin nodded. He opened Yugao''s file and began reading. After he was done, he concluded, ''She is good. She was first part of Kakashi''s squad and then Yamato''s squad. And she has already begun her training under Hayate. But, if all the information here is true, then her power is already equivalent to an Anbu Captain. Why wasn''t she allowed to take the promotion mission?''


    Fujin began reading Fumito''s file. He was surprised as he discovered, ''I see. He has already tried a promotion mission but failed to pass. His power should be at the Jounin level as well. No wonder I saw disdain in his eyes when I said that I will take on all 3 of them myself.''


    Fujin ced his file down and began reading Bunjiro''s file. This was the one he was most interested in reading. As he read, Fujin thought, ''Though I guided the five of them, I didn''t have much expectations from any of them. At most I expected them to reach Low Chunin levels. After all, none of them had the talent or determination to get stronger. Guess I was wrong. I wonder what happened to the remaining four.''


    He read all his information and analyzed, ''I see. He and Tatsuya were ced in the same squad under a Jounin who took an interest in guiding them properly. And he is quite hard-working as well. He managed to be a Chunin around 6 months ago. But he was the only one from his squad who got promoted.


    Not bad. No wonder he managed to join the Anbu. But his strength doesn''tpare to the other two and is probably average among Chunins. Though he is 6-7 years younger than the other two. Still¡­''


    Fujin looked up at Eagle. Though he couldn''t see his face due to the mask, he could see that Eagle''s eyes were glued on him. He thought, ''I don''t understand my team. One is ready to be promoted to Anbu Captain, one has failed the promotion mission and the third is a newbie. What does he aim to achieve by giving me such an imbnced team?''


    Eagle asked, "Is there any issue?"


    Fujin handed over the files and said, "No. I do have a question though. Since my team is newly formed and has a new member, we will have to Police the Vige for a few months, right?"


    Eagle was confused by the question. He replied, "No, who told you that? You will be assigned field missions right away."


    Fujin asked, "Won''t that be risky with an inexperienced ninja?"


    Eagle replied, "The other two of your subordinates are quite strong. And Lord Hokage believed in your strength as well. So I believe that his safety wouldn''t be an issue."


    Fujin replied, "Alright."


    He left while thinking, ''As I expected, Hiruzen was behind such a weird team. Though Eagle''s logic makes sense, it is very wed. Knowing Hiruzen, he should have other motives. Unfortunately, I can''t guess them.''


    While Fujin was thinking, his new subordinates had discussed and nned for a few minutes before stopping and waiting for Fujin. Yugao and Fumito were sitting in a meditative position while Bunjiro had a frown on his face.

 Chapter 296: Establishing Clout!

    Bunjiro looked at Yugao and Fumito who were just sitting in the training ground. He asked with a frown on his face, "Shouldn''t we discuss more strategies and work on our teamwork?"


    Yugao and Fumito just talked about their abilities and asked Bunjiro to do the same. After knowing everyone''s abilities, Fumito formed a very basic n and Yugao agreed without any arguments. Bunjiro wondered, ''What the hell? This is even worse than when we were put in a Genin squad! Aren''t they supposed to be experienced Anbu ninjas?''


    Fumito shook his head and replied, "We won''t be able to improve our teamwork much in 30 minutes. So it''s pointless. Just ensure that we don''t get in each others'' way while fighting and we will be good. After all, our opponent is someone who has just been promoted to Anbu Captain."


    Bunjiro wasn''t convinced. He said, "But¡­"


    Yugao cut him off and said, "He is right. Captain could have given us more time to prepare to form better teamwork. But we aren''t Genins. As an Anbu, we may spontaneously be asked to team up with other Anbu ninjas, or other Anbu teams or even operate solo. So we have to be prepared to form good coordination with any other ninja. Consider this as a part of your training."


    Bunjiro thought for a bit and replied, "Alright."


    He sat down as well and joined his new teammates. Yugao''s mind wandered as she recalled the meeting she had the previous day.


    One day ago :


    Yugao appeared in the Hokage''s office. Only Hiruzen and Shikaku were present in the room. She respectfully asked, "Lord Hokage, what are your orders?"


    Hiruzen waited for a few seconds and said, "Yugao, your Anbu Team will be changed. I''m cing you in a different Anbu unit."


    Yugao was surprised. Her eyes lit up. She asked, "Am I getting promoted to Anbu Captain, Lord Hokage?"


    Hiruzen smiled and said, "No, not yet. We have observed your improvements and you have been performing very well. But it''s not yet the time for your promotion."


    Yugao became silent. She was confused. She thought, ''Captain Yamato said that I''m ready for the Promotion mission. Why did Lord Hokage say the opposite? And why am I being shifted?''


    Hiruzen continued, "This change will be beneficial for you. Your new Captain will be Suzuki Fujin. I believe you will learn a lot from him."


    Shikaku handed her a file that contained some basic information regarding Fujin but didn''t mention anything about his abilities or mission record. Yugao nced through the information. A look of surprise appeared behind her mask as Yugao noticed Fujin''s age.


    Hiruzen exined, "He is quite strong, but is very young. And he tends to go a bit extreme during the missions. While working with him, you will also be responsible to stop him if you feel that he is doing something that will have very adverse implications."


    Though Hiruzen was impressed by what Fujin did in his Promotion Mission, neither he nor Shikaku wanted to see him do anything of that scale once again. His actions had almost broken the delicate bnce of the ninja world. Hiruzen wanted the current peace to extend for as long as it could.


    Yugao was surprised by his words. She asked, "By stopping, do you mean?"


    She didn''tplete her question. Hiruzen replied, "No, just talk with him. He is very reasonable. He is still your Captain. So you aren''t allowed to fight or backstab him."


    Yugao sighed in relief. She didn''t want to attack herrade. She nodded and said, "Alright. I''ll do my best."


    Hiruzen smiled again and said, "If you keep up your good work, I''ll allow you to take the Promotion Mission after a year."


    Yugao replied with determination in her voice, "Thank you. I won''t disappoint you."


    She left the office. Shikaku watched her leave with a serious face. Hiruzen hadn''t informed him of his ns. He analyzed, ''That''s strange. She is strong and experienced enough to be promoted. Yet, she wasn''t.''


    He recalled the names of the Anbu that would be assigned to Fujin and began analyzing all information. Suddenly, it clicked. He looked at Hiruzen with surprise as he realized, ''I see. Yugao is confirmed to be an Anbu Captain. So is Fumito. As for Bunjiro, Hiruzen said that Fujin had guided him in the academy. With his talent, he should reach the Jounin level as well.''


    He asked, "You are nning to increase Fujin''s clout?"


    Hiruzen wasn''t surprised that Shikaku figured it out. It was the main reason why he had called him there. He nodded and replied, "Yes. Though his strength is impressive, his reputation is almost non-existent. He might be more famous in Kumo than in our vige. His rtionships aren''t much either.


    The only one with significant influence that is close to him is Renjiro. Even in the younger generation, the only ones close to him are Hyuga Hoka and Senju Teru. Though they are talented, they won''t be anywhere near enough to support him in the future. Compared with Kakashi, he is highlycking in both aspects."


    Shikaku nodded. By giving Fujin three talented subordinates, Hiruzen had set up an easy path for him to gain influence. Yugao and Fumito will remember that Fujin was their captain for some time. As for Bunjiro, he was guided by Fujin from the time he was in the academy. So he would be another one to support him. And since Yugao and Fumito would be promoted very soon, Fujin would be given newer subordinates to increase his influence in the Anbu.


    Shikaku asked, "Are you confident that he can be a Hokage?"


    Hiruzen shrugged and said, "It''s tough to say. But there isn''t any harm in helping him. If he lives up to our expectations, then he couldpete with Kakashi for my seat in the future. And since neither of them is hungry for political power, it shouldn''t create any internal conflict in the vige."


    Shikaku nodded and said, "I agree. But, increasing his reputation will be a bit problematic. Both the Kumo incident and this mission can''t be revealed to the public. We will have to create more opportunities in the future like we did for Kakashi."


    Hiruzen replied, "It''s fine. He is only 14. Let him stay in the dark and keep umting his strength. When the time is right, we can create multiple opportunities for him to gain fame. Even the Anbu Commander post can be handed over to him if need be."


    Shikaku nodded. Raising someone''s reputation wasn''t very difficult for them. Especially if that someone was worthy of that reputation. He discussed the Sunagakure matter with Hiruzen and left the office.


    Alone in his office, Hiruzen looked at a scroll lying on his desk. There were many scrolls on his desk at all times, so Shikaku didn''t pay any attention to that scroll. Hiruzen thought, ''I was initially nning to give Fujin a couple more months off. Learning Advanced Fuinjutsu is difficult and very time-consuming. But with Shadow Clones, he should be able to do the symbols and the easier seals in 3 months. But...''


    Recalling the contents of the scroll, Hiruzen shivered involuntarily. He thought, ''I thought I had hinted it to him quite clearly. But, why did he increase his consumption of Wind Crystals? Did he get the wrong message somehow? Don''t tell me he thought that my buying more Wind Crystals from other countries was a message to keep using as many as he wants. Sigh, this kid is too good at giving me headaches.


    If I let him be free for another couple of months, Konoha might actually begin running out of Wind Crystals! And that would invite scrutiny from the Council. Though I might be able to handle it, it will bring a lot of unnecessary attention to Fujin and his ess to them in the future will be limited heavily. So I can only send him on missions and limit the amount of time he has to spend in the training facilities.''


    Present :


    Fujin waited for 30 minutes and appeared at the training ground. Yugao, Fumito and Bunjiro got up and got ready. Fujin looked at them and said, "In order to cooperate properly, we need to know where everyone''s strengths lie and what everyone''s weaknesses are. There won''t be any killing or maiming in this fight. But give it your all. You won''t stand a chance against me if you hold back."


    Though Fumito was a bit skeptical, he nned to give it his all. Yugao and Bunjiro also became serious.


    He picked up a stone and tossed it in the air and said, "The fight begins once the stone hits the ground."


    Yugao grabbed her sword, Fumito grabbed a few shurikens and Bunjiro held 3 shurikens in each hand.


    As soon as the stone hit the ground, Yugao rushed forward with her sword while Bunjirounched all six shurikens at Fujin. Meanwhile, Fumito stayed back and weaved hand signs to take advantage of any openings Fujin provided.


    The six shurikens ripped through the air and hit Fujin''s body. Bunjiro''s eyes widened. He thought, ''So easy?''


    However, he saw the Shurikens passing through his body and Fujin''s image dispersed a bit before dissipatingpletely! He asked, "When did he create a clone?"


    Fumito''s expression was serious. He said, "That wasn''t a clone. It was an afterimage!"


    Fumito didn''t see Fujin move at all. He closed his eyes and activated his chakra field. All his previous disdain was tossed out of his mind.


    Yugao was serious as well. She only saw the general direction of where Fujin had gone. She turned her head to her right and shouted, "Iing!"

 Chapter 297: Displaying his Might!

    On their right, a gigantic dragon made of wind was flying towards them. Yugao immediately jumped forward and out of its way. Fumito sensed the attack as well. Only Bunjiro was caught off guard. Fumito grabbed his arm and jumped in the opposite direction.


    Hiding among the trees, Fujin observed their movements and thought, ''Not bad. I was expecting Fumito to dodge by himself.''


    The Dragon suddenly turned towards Fumito and Bunjiro and chased after them. Fumito let Bunjiro''s arm go and said, "Use a Water jutsu to stop it."


    He began weaving hand signs himself while moving backwards. Bunjiro also did the same.


    Just when the Wind Dragon was about to crash into them, Bunjiro released his jutsu.


    ''Water Release: Water Wall jutsu''


    A wall of water appeared in front of the dragon. Fumito immediatelyunched his jutsu as well.


    ''Lightning Release: Lightning Net jutsu!''


    Lightning began flowing through the water wall and a blue could be seen sparkling inside it. Bunjiro''s eyes widened in shock, ''He created a perfectbination attack on the first try?''


    At the same time, Yugao traced the Wind Dragon''s path and tracked Fujin''s location. She tried approaching him sneakily but Fujin spotted her immediately. Since stealth was of no use, Yugao approached him openly and jumped in the air. She swung her swords in a circr motion, leaving a trace of afterimages behind.


    ''Hazy Moon Night''


    Yugao moved at a remarkable speed, forming a blur as she closed the distance between her and Fujin in the blink of an eye. In one swift motion, she unleashed a shing strike aimed directly at Fujin''s neck.


    Though her sword movements were irregr and her speed very high, Fujin had no issues in seeing her actions clearly. A sword appeared in his hand. He raised it just in time, meeting Yugao''s de with a resounding sh!


    Yugao had expected Fujin to stop her attack. She intended to use the impact to halt her momentum and swiftly transition into her next series of attacks. Yet, to her surprise, she found herself unable to feel the expected resistance from Fujin''s forceful strike.


    Instead of blocking, Fujin parried her blow and sent it veering to his right. The sword harmlessly passed by him. Yugao, carried by the momentum of her own strike, continued her movement and found herself dangerously close to Fujin''s nk.


    In one fluid and precise motion, Fujin continued the natural flow of his sword and shed her thigh, cutting the straps of the weapon pouch attached to her right leg.


    Yugao stopped a few meters behind him. Her right leg had a shallow sword cut causing it to bleed. She turned around to look at Fujin. Shock could be seen in her eyes as she thought, ''He parried my attack? But how? Even Hayate-senpai never managed to do this. He could only dodge or block my attack.''


    A bit away, Fumito and Bunjiro were able to stop the Wind Dragon with theirbination jutsu. However, before they could rx, they heard, "That''s impressive."


    Both immediately jumped forward and turned around and saw Fujin standing with two balls of wind in his palms. Fujin''s shadow clone fired two Wind Explosion Spheres at Fumito and Bunjiro. Neither had sufficient time to use a jutsu. So both of them jumped out of the way. Though they dodged, the spheres exploded and sent sharp winds flying in all directions. Both received several minor cuts on their chest, abdomen and arms.


    Both had frowns on their faces. Fumito realized, ''He can hide his chakra perfectly. I didn''t sense him at all. If this was a mission, we would have died.''


    Bunjiro was dumbfounded. He thought, ''I got injured by a rank D jutsu? I thought that I had reduced the difference between us. But now¡­ How much is he holding back to fight with just C and D rank jutsus?''


    Despite their emotions, both attacked immediately. Fumito shouted, "Distract him! I''ll get him with Mind Body Switch jutsu!"


    He extended his arms towards Fujin''s clone and waited for an opportunity. Bunjiro ran towards Fujin''s clone while weaving hand signs quickly.


    ''Water Release: Water Shuriken jutsu''


    Dozens of water shurikens appeared in front of Bunjiro and flew at Fujin''s clone. He dodged them while thinking, ''Since when did Anbu start having ninjas that shout out their tactics? Besides, even though that jutsu is overpowered, it is useless without the aid of a Nara or excessive support.''


    He dodged a few dozen water shurikens, but more kept appearing around Bunjiro andunched at him continuously. The Clone''s eyes began glowing andnded on Bunjiro. Bunjiro was continuously releasing his chakra. The chakra in his body was moving in the same way it did after he weaved the hand signs.


    Fujin''s clone analyzed, ''I see. Though he needed hand signs for the first time, he has learnt to control his chakra well enough to keep spamming that jutsu without the need for repeating or maintaining any hand seals. My previous analysis of just an average Chunin was wrong. He should be able to perform this jutsu without any hand seals very soon.''


    Fumito observed Fujin''s clone moving around at high speeds. He had no chance to use his jutsu. However, he didn''t mind and waited for an opportunity.


    A bit away, Fujin and Yugao were shing with their swords. Neither used any jutsu. Yugao was breathing heavily. In just a few minutes of shing, there were dozens of cuts on her body. On the contrary, there wasn''t a single cut on Fujin''s body.


    Behind her mask, Yugao had a bitter smile. She muttered to herself, ''I understand what Lord Hokage meant. I have used every style, every dance that I know, but he countered all my attacks without using any sword style. No wonder he was promoted to Anbu Captain at such a young age. I''m not even worthy enough to make him fight seriously.''


    Knowing thatpeting with swords will be pointless, Yugao sheathed her sword and made a hand seal.


    ''Multi Shadow Clone jutsu''


    3 Shadow clones appeared next to her. Fujin saw them weaving hand signs and sighed, ''I should avoid sparring in the future. My natural instincts havepletely been honed to kill. All 3 of them have provided me with so many openings that it has been a challenge to restrain myself. Anyways, I have seen enough. Time to end this.''


    Yugao''s clonespleted their hand seals.


    ''Wind Release: Great Breakthrough jutsu''


    ''Fire Release: Fireball jutsu''


    Fujin saw a giant Fireball that was being deconstructed into mes and spreading along the wind, heading towards him. He immediately moved out of the range of the attack. However, thest clone and Yugao followed him.


    ''Wind Release: Air Bullet jutsu''


    ''Water Release: Water Bullet jutsu''


    Both shot a dozen bullets each at Fujin. However, Fujin rapidly moved towards them while dodging the bullets with ease and leaving multiple afterimages behind. Yugao tried targeting Fujin''s path but was unsessful.


    Fujin appeared behind her as chakra gathered on his palms. Yugao and her clone tried moving away while grabbing their swords. However, Fujin hit their abdomens with his palms.


    Yugao''s shadow clone dispersed due to the damage. Yugao herself was sent flying and mmed into a tree! The damage caused her remaining clones to dispel as well.


    On the other side, Bunjiro realized that Water Shurikens won''t help him resolve the situation. He weaved a few hand seals quickly.


    ''Water Release: Raging Waves jutsu''


    Bunjiro supercharged the jutsu by pouring most of his chakra into it. He spewed arge amount of water that rushed towards Fujin''s clone like a giant waterfall!


    Fumito was waiting for such a move. Lightning appeared on his palms and a beam wasunched into the Water that Bunjiro released, electrifying it!


    Fujin''s clone noticed thebination attack and smiled, ''Not bad. He bluffed when he said he wanted to use the Mind Body Switch jutsu. He was waiting for Bunjiro to try and drown me. Looks like I won''t have to worry about them dying easily. Oh well, time to establish my prestige in this team.''


    The electrified water wave appeared in front of him. Fujin''s clone refined his chakra instantly and attacked.


    ''Wind Release: Infinite Breakthrough jutsu''


    Fujin''s clone exhaled very strong winds. It shed with thebination jutsu and overpowered it instantly. The electrified water was sent flying towards where Yugao''s clones had lit a fire. The winds created deep scars in the ground. Many trees were cut while a few were uprooted.


    Bunjiro created a water wall to protect himself. However, it kept crumbling at every second. He desperately put all his chakra into the Wall to ensure that it protected it. He gritted his teeth and thought, ''Fujin is this strong? This is crazy! Luckily this attack isn''t targeted at me. Otherwise, even if there were a hundred of me, we would have died!''


    Fumito escaped into the ground without any hesitation. He was horrified by the attack. He cursed, ''What the fuck? How the hell can a 14-year-old use such an insanely strong attack? That too with just half his chakra! Anbu Captain my ass. His level should be far beyond it!''

 Chapter 298: Chaoter 295: Doing Paperwork with Enthusiasm!

    Yugao got back on her feet and grabbed her sword. However, Fujin raised his palm and said, "Enough. That''s sufficientbat for today."


    Yugao nodded and sheathed her sword again. Suddenly, she looked behind her. At that instant, a strong wind blew through the area. Numerous branches were broken. Yugao struggled to keep standing. A massive amount of water suddenlynded on the fire that was spreading, dousing it and covering the area with steam.


    After the winds passed, Yugao asked, "What is that?"


    Fujin replied, "Looks like my clone decided to end the battle. Let''s go and check on them."


    Just like Fumito, Yugao also sensed the fight happening at the other ce. But she was still surprised that Fujin could unleash such destruction with just a clone. Both flickered towards where Fumito and Bunjiro were.


    The winds had finally calmed down. Fujin and Yugao saw Bunjiro sitting on the ground while breathing heavily. Despite wearing a mask, they could see that he was scared. Sensing them, Fumito climbed out of the ground. He looked at Fujin. This time, there was no disdain in his eyes. Instead, there was admiration and respect.


    Fujin looked at his clone who dispelled himself in response and passed all the memories to Fujin.


    Fujin said, "I have seen enough for now. We will end the fight here."


    Neither Bunjiro nor Fumito objected. They didn''t want to be on the receiving end of such a devastating jutsu again. Fujin looked at Bunjiro and said, "Take a good rest, your chakra levels are very low."


    Bunjiro nodded and replied, "I will."


    Fujin looked at Yugao and Fumito and said, "Though the cuts on you are shallow, get them healed as well. We will meet back in our room after 3 days. I''m not sure when we will be assigned missions or which missions we will be assigned."


    He looked at Bunjiro and exined, "Generally speaking, easier missions are assigned when a new Anbu joins the unit. But, Yugao and Fumito have a lot of experience. So we may be given tougher missions to start off. So be prepared."


    Bunjiro nodded again and said with confidence, "Don''t worry Captain. I''m prepared."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Good. Let''s meetter."


    He flickered away leaving his three subordinates together. Bunjiro said, "I never thought that the gap between an Anbu and an Anbu Captain would be so strong."


    Fumito shook his head and said, "You are overthinking. He is just too strong. I don''t think my old Captain would stand a chance against him. I wonder how he trained to be so strong at just 14. And why isn''t he famous? I never heard of him until today."


    Yugao said, "I guess he did missions that were ssified. So he never got any credit for them. Still, I didn''t think that I''d be so outssed in swordy. I''ll be returning to my training."


    Fumito nodded and said, "I will be doing the same. Bunjiro, after you heal and rest for some time, visit the training facilities. Instead of resting at home, meditate in the Water Training rooms. Considering how strong our captain is, our missions might be very difficult."


    Bunjiro replied, "Alright. Thank you for the tip, Fumito-senpai."


    The three visited Konoha Hospital before going their own ways.


    Meanwhile, Fujin had created 60 Shadow Clones to continue learning the seals while he went into the Wind Training room to meditate. While meditating, he analyzed, ''Hiruzen gave me quite a strong squad. Yugao''s swordy is as good as I expected. But her skills with Elemental jutsus were a surprise.


    As for Fumito, despite being a Yamanaka, his skills with Lightning jutsus and his ability to formbination jutsus with allies is very impressive. And he didn''t show any Wind jutsu which is supposed to be his main element. But I guess that is to be expected. After all, advancing to Jounin rank with just the Yamanaka secret techniques is extremely rare. And it is even more difficult to be an Anbu Captain.


    Bunjiro is the biggest surprise though. Though rank A and S jutsus seem cool, in a battle, the most effective jutsus are the ones that can be spammed or affect a huge area. With Water Shuriken and Raging Waves, he covers both these areas. Though he will have to improve his movement and reaction speed. But, that will improve as he goes on difficult missions.''


    While Fujin was analyzing his team, one person had a very dark face. Sitting in his office, Hiruzen was watching Fujin with his crystal ball. He thought, ''I gave you a team. Go hang out with them, train with them, and make friends. Why are you back in the training rooms? All that effort only managed to keep him away for an hour?''


    Hiruzen immediately began doing his paperwork while thinking, ''I need to find a suitable mission for his team. A mission that will keep him away from the vige for at least two weeks.''


    Takao, who was helping Hiruzen with the paperwork, looked at him in surprise. He wondered, ''Why is Lord Hokage going through his paperwork with such enthusiasm?''


    The next day, Hiruzen sat in his chair while looking at 3 files on his desk. All these 3 files had a mission that needed an Elite Jounin level ninja to lead. Hiruzen looked at the first file and thought, ''This mission will be a long-term deployment in the Land of Water. It would have been an excellent mission to test how good Fujin is beyond fighting and killing.


    Unfortunately, I don''t want to risk sending him on another long mission in a major vige. I''m afraid he might drag Konoha into that civil war. I''ll let Renjiro take care of this.''


    He opened the second file and thought, ''Suna and Iwa are signing some sort of treaty or at least an understanding in the Land of Birds. Considering the current situation, an alliance between them could prove troublesome for us. However, Onoki should see the bigger picture and realize Kumo''s threat.


    Fortunately, Onoki and Rasa aren''t meeting. Still, it will be best if this meeting goes bad. But Suna should be hunting for Fujin. It''s not a good idea to send him there. I''ll let Eagle lead 3 Anbu squads with former Root ninjas here.''


    Finally, Hiruzen opened thest file and thought, ''The leaders of the Ide family and Kagawa family from the Land of Grass are going to meet in Ide territory. Though very few in the Land of Grass support Iwa, Ide is one of them. In fact, they are the most significant.


    They control arge territory along their borders with the Land of Earth. Shikaku believes that this meeting is a trap to kill the head of the Kagawa family who supports Konoha.


    I''ll send Fujin''s team here to ensure that the head of the Kagawa family returns safely. Since this meeting is supposed tost for over a week, they will be away from the vige for at least 2 weeks.''


    Hiruzen decided to assign the mission to the Land of Grass to Fujin''s unit.


    While Hiruzen was picking out a mission, Yugao was training extremely hard along with Hayate. Sounds of swords shing could be heard for hours in their training ground.


    Finally, Hayate said, "That''s enough for today. You need to rest."


    Yugao stopped and sheathed her sword. Both went out to grab a meal. Hayate asked, "What''s gotten into you today? I haven''t even seen you train with such intensity?"


    Yugao sighed and said, "I was assigned to a new team yesterday. The Captain arranged a sparring session. He parried my Hazy Moon Night sh with ease. During the fight, I couldn''tnd a single hit on him."


    Hayate was surprised. Even though he was teaching Yugao, her strength wasn''t far from his. He asked, "He sounds very powerful. Who is your new captain?"


    Yugao replied, "Suzuki Fujin."


    Hayate tried recalling, but he couldn''t remember anything. He said, "I don''t think I have ever heard of him. Is he a Veteran ninja who keeps a low profile by hiding in the Anbu?"


    Yugao shook her head and replied, "No. He is just 14 years old. I looked up his information as well. But I didn''t find much on him other than the fact that Senju Renjiro was his teacher and that he was the champion during his Chunin exams."


    Hayate was shocked. He asked, "A 14-year-old boy defeated you in swordy? Which style did he use?"


    Yugao had a bitter smile as she said, "None. I couldn''t make him use any."


    Hayate was left speechless. He thought, ''Seeing the intensity of her training and her voice, she should have been defeated very thoroughly.''


    He muttered, "A 14-year-old genius who is already an Anbu Captain. Looks like our vige will have another strong ninja in the future."


    Yugao nodded. To cheer her up, Hayate changed the subject and talked about the stuff she liked.


    Just as Hiruzen expected, Fujin''s name would slowly be known among the generation that was around 6-8 years older than him. These were the batches that had graduated from Academy right after the Third Great Ninja War and hence had very high numbers. Due to this, Fujin''s reputation would slowly build up in the vige.

 Chapter 299: A Boring Mission?

    On the day Fujin was supposed to meet with his team, an Anbu ninja showed up at Fujin''s house and passed him a message.


    Fujin frowned as he thought, ''A mission on the very same day we decided to meet? That old fox must be spying with that perverted ball again.''


    Fujin and his team met in their assigned room at the decided time. Fujin looked at his subordinates and asked, "Are any of you still injured?"


    Everyone shook their heads. Fujin said, "Good. Lord Hokage will assign our first mission today. Follow me."


    Fujin walked towards the Hokage''s building. Yugao, Fumito and Bunjiro followed him while lost in their own thoughts.


    Bunjiro was excited. He thought, ''Wow! I never expected that Lord Hokage would assign my first Anbu mission himself. I lucked out by joining Fujin''s team. Though I hate Daisuke, I am so d that he led us to meet Fujin!''


    Fumito thought, ''A mission after such a long time. And this is assigned by Lord Hokage as well. I have to perform properly and show Lord Hokage how capable I am. Only then I will have any chance of bing an Anbu Captain.''


    Yugao''s eyes were glued to Fujin''s back. She was interested in finding out more about Fujin and his skill with the sword. The group soon entered Hiruzen''s office.


    Hiruzen looked at Fujin''s Turtle mask and asked, "Why aren''t you wearing the hawk mask?"


    Though Hiruzen had seen that Fujin used the turtle mask during sparring, he thought that Fujin would go back to the Hawk mask during normal Anbu missions.


    Fujin replied, "That mask gets identified quite quickly. So it kinda loses its purpose."


    Hiruzen nodded but he was surprised. Though it was a very logical move, most ninjas wouldn''t do it unless the mission demanded a high degree of anonymity. After all, who wouldn''t want to build their fame and be well-known and respected throughout the ninja world?


    Hiruzen exined the mission details to Fujin''s team. Fujin analyzed the details and thought, ''Looks like this will be another long and boring mission. Sigh, I wanted to continue training.''


    After understanding the details and importance of the mission, Team Fujin left the office. Fujin said, "This will be a 2-3 weeks long mission. Pack up the supplies and meet me at the vige gate in 30 minutes."


    Everyone nodded and dispersed. Twenty minutester, Team Fujin left the vige and moved towards the Land of Grass. A dayter, they entered a town under disguise. The street was bustling with a high number of people who were going about their lives in a happy mood.


    Fumito looked around the town and said, "Looks like the Kagawa family is doing a great job. This town is very peaceful and prosperous and the citizens look happy and content."


    Yugao nodded and said, "Yeah. Their family has a few Jounins. So the city should be safe in times of peace."


    The group walked to a location from where they could watch the central Mansion very clearly. Fujin''s eyes glowed as he saw a bunch of people in the courtyard. They were all flocking around a man in his fifties. He muttered, "So he is Kagawa Noriyuki, the leader of the Kagawa family."


    Fujin instructed, "Lord Hokage should have sent him a message mentioning that we will be protecting him from the shadows. So we won''t being in any direct contact with him unless trouble really happens.


    ording to our information, he will leave the town after 3 days. Though unlikely, Iwa could send an assassin to kill him while in the city. So we will take turns to keep an eye on him. I and Bunjiro will keep an eye during the day. You two will keep an eye during the night."


    Yugao replied, "Alright. We will investigate the city a bit before getting some rest."


    Fujin nodded. Fumito and Yugao left. Their experience in the Anbu was longer than Fujin''s. So he didn''t need to give them many instructions.


    Fujin and Bunjiro hid themselves while keeping an eye on the mansion. Bunjiro was a bit nervous. Even though Fujin had guided him earlier, he had provided guidance to the entire group at the same time. He had never interacted with Fujin one on one.


    After some silence, Bunjiro couldn''t hold it anymore and decided to talk. He asked, "Aren''t we in peacetime? Why is Iwa trying to create trouble right now? Wouldn''t that cause a war?"


    Fujin looked at Bunjiro and wondered, ''What would he think if he knew what I did in the Land of Wind?''


    Fujin shook his head and said, "The peace you see is only on the surface. In reality, this peacetime is a continuous war between the Anbu of various countries. Every action we take is to increase our advantage in the next war. The vige that does this the best while building its military power will likely be the one to win the next war."


    Bunjiro was shocked by that answer. His understanding of the world shattered. He muttered, "Doesn''t that mean that the next Great war is a certainty and the peace is only temporary?"


    Fujin nodded, "Pretty much."


    Bunjiro''s mood became a bit depressed. He asked, "Does that mean we will be fighting Iwa ninjas for sure this time?"


    Fujin replied, "Not really. Fighting between Anbu can be veryplicated. This might just be a false rm. Or perhaps Iwa faked information so that we would waste our time protecting him while they attack someone else. Only around 30% of the missions actually involve anybat. Life and Death battle is even more rare. But, it is better to just assume that we will be in a Life and Death battle in every mission."


    Bunjiro nodded and the two became silent once again. After a while, Fujin asked, "How are the other 4 doing?"


    Bunjiro wasn''t surprised by the question. He replied, "Tatsuya was in the same Genin team as me. Though he failedst time, he is participating in the current chunin exams and has qualified for thest round. He should be able to be a Chunin.


    Daisuke, Ryoma and Buncho were put in the same Genin squad under a Chunin sensei. But, we had an argument after the graduation exam. So I don''t know much about what happened to themter. I heard that they participated in this chunin exam but were eliminated in the 1st round."


    Fujin was surprised. He asked, "You five used to be so close to each other. Why did you suddenly argue?"


    Bunjiro let out a sigh and answered, "After you guided us for thest time, they just practiced the 3 basic ninjutsu and didn''t train any further. But me and Tatsuya began learning the elemental jutsus and hence gained a better rank in the exam.


    So after the exam, they med us and said that we trained in secret instead of training at the same speed as them. They stopped speaking to us after it."


    Fujin shook his head in disappointment and replied, "I see. That''s a bad attitude. But seeing how strong you have grown, I guess it was good for you."


    Bunjiro nodded. After the argument, he had be very careful in choosing his friends. He only befriended the ones who worked as hard as him and pushed him to be better. He looked at Fujin and secretly sighed in relief.


    He thought, ''Daisuke said that he was friends with Fujin from the time that they were very young. I was afraid that Fujin would get angry at me since I abandoned his friend. Luckily he is moral and just and doesn''t blindly side with his friends.''


    Bunjiro felt that his worries were just. After all, Daisuke was the one who brought their group to Fujin and he imed that he had yed with Fujin since they were 2 years old. However, Fujin had long forgotten that. After all, he wasn''t sure whether he could even consider those memories as his. He had agreed to guide them just as an experiment.


    Since they didn''t have anything to do, Fujin began talking with Bunjiro about his abilities. Sensing the chance to gain additional guidance, Bunjiro told him everything about himself.


    Fujin made a fewments on how he could improve further. After learning everything about him, Fujin thought, ''Looks like Renjiro isn''t the only one who trains his students very seriously. He lucked out by getting a Jounin sensei who was dedicated to raising the next generation.''


    Fujin said, "Your progress is very good. Your control over Water jutsus is good. But, you should focus on improving your speed. Work on your Body Flicker jutsu. Learn how to do it without making any hand seals and sustain it for longer distances. When youbine that speed with your sustained Water Shuriken offense, you will see far better results."


    Bunjiro immediately nodded. He recalled how Fujin had disappeared in front of their eyes and his clone had appeared behind them. If he could replicate the same, then his attacks would be much more deadly.


    Fujin asked, "Do you use a Training Seal?"


    Bunjiro nodded and replied, "Yes, Sensei bought one for each of us a few days after we became his students. It exerts pressure and resistance up to 125 kg. I can currently handle up to 69% of the maximum pressure."


    Fujin replied, "That''s good. Focus on maxing it out. When you do, I''ll make a new one that can exert pressure up to 500 kg."


    Bunjiro said, "I will do it. Thanks, Captain!"

 Chapter 300: Ambush!

    As the sun rose, casting its golden rays upon the town, a sense of anticipation filled the air. Many people gathered along the streets, their faces beaming with excitement and curiosity. Vibrant banners fluttered in the gentle breeze, disying the emblem of the town and symbols of its proud heritage. The atmosphere was charged with a mixture of admiration and reverence.


    At the center of themotion stood Kagawa Noriyuki, adorned in regal attire, radiating an aura of authority. Apanying him were a retinue of influential nobles and skilled ninjas, each exuding a sense of confidence and purpose. Their presencemanded attention and respect.


    The townsfolk lined the streets, their eager eyes fixed upon the procession as it made its way through the heart of the town. Cheers and apuse erupted from the crowd, echoing through the bustling thoroughfares.


    Among the crowd stood Fujin and his team who had disguised themselves. It had been over three days since they arrived in the town. Fujin observed the procession and thought, ''Not bad. He converted this meeting into some sort of festival. This will increase his prestige and reputation. And all he had to do was put up a disy while leaving the town instead of just leaving silently.''


    Fujin was impressed by Noriyuki''s intelligence and methods. Standing next to him, Yugao said, "The ninjas wearing those fancy vests are the 8 Jounins protecting this town. Even the leader is supposed to be at Jounin level."


    Fumitomented, "Only 3 of them can barely be considered at the Jounin level. The rest, including the leader, are at the Chunin level."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Still, it''s impressive considering that it is just a town in the Land of Grass."


    Not long ago, Fujin had raided the Western cities in the Land of Wind. Of the five cities he attacked, 4 didn''t have any Jounin protecting them.


    Yugao observed properly and said, "The man standing next to Noriyuki is Hoshino Ryoichi. He is hiding his chakra but is quite strong. He is said to be among the 3 strongest ninjas in Kusagakure. In the Third Great Ninja War, he held back a division of Iwagakure to save a city."


    Fujin nodded. He already knew about him. After recruiting Kasai Shigeki, Fujin began looking for information on talented ninjas outside the five major viges. Hoshino Ryoichi was among those ninjas. Fujin was wondering how he could recruit him. Unfortunately, Fujin didn''t have any means of recruiting or controlling him. He was hoping to get some additional intel on Ryoichi during the mission.


    After passing through the main streets in the town, the entourage left the city and slowly disappeared in the distance. In the mansion, 5 people stood on the balcony and saw the entourage leaving with worry in their eyes. They were the family of Noriyuki.


    Considering the danger during this trip, Noriyuki hadn''t taken any close family members with him. Instead, he had made all preparations to ensure that his son would seed him if something happened to him. The ones who could pose a threat to his son were all made to apany him to the meeting.


    Team Fujin followed the entourage from a distance. Bunjiro sighed and said, "They are moving slower than even the trade caravans!"


    Fumito nodded and said, "It''s because they have many civilian Nobles. Those bunch are the slowest when ites to moving long distances. But learn to be patient. As an Anbu, you may have to spend weeks or even months doing nothing but keeping a watch."


    Bunjiro nodded. They followed Kagawa and his group for over a day until they reached the banks of a magnificent river! Across the river was Mizukoshi, the Westernmost town in the Land of Grass and the town where the Ide family held power.


    The river, teeming with turbulent waters, surged with a forceful current. A normal civilian wouldn''t be able to swim in the river. Fortunately, a sturdy bridge spanning the width of the river was built by the Ide family.


    The Kagawa family entourage crossed the bridge and was immediately weed by the people arranged by the Ide family to greet and wee the Kagawa family.


    Observing them from a long distance, Yugao said, "That bridge looks like the perfect ambushing spot. Other than ninjas, everyone would die immediately."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Well, our task is just to ensure that Kagawa Noriyuki stays alive. So if they are ambushed here, focus on killing the ambushers rather than defending."


    Yugao and Fumito understood Fujin''s intentions and nodded. However, Bunjiro was shocked! He looked at Fujin once again and thought, ''But wouldn''t that mean that every civilian will be dead? There are over 30 people in that group who can''t use their chakra. Do we have to be so heartless?''


    Despite his doubts, Bunjiro didn''t question Fujin. As an Anbu, obeying the instructions of his superior without any question was the basic requirement. Otherwise, the sess rate of Anbu missions would drop drastically. If he had any questions, he could ask them after the mission waspleted.


    Team Fujin infiltrated Mizukoshi and stayed there for the next week while keeping an eye on Kagawa Noriyuki. However, not a single incident happened during that week and no one tried to attack Noriyuki. Finally, afterpleting all meetings and discussions, the Kagawa family entourage left Mizukoshi.


    Bunjiro saw them leaving and muttered softly, "Looks like Shikaku-sama''s analysis was wrong."


    However, the eyes of Fujin, Yugao and Fumito were glued to the water around the bridge. Yugao muttered, "He is right once again."


    Fumito asked, "Should we make a move?"


    Fujin replied, "No. We don''t know whether they are enemies or not. We would create trouble if they have any other purpose. But stay ready. We will make a move as soon as they do."


    Though they could see the chakras, they couldn''t see to whom the ninjas belonged as they were hiding underwater. If they weren''t Iwa ninjas and instead were from the Ide Family, then Fujin would have to reassess how to make a move. After all, it would then be an internal conflict rather than a hidden conflict between Konoha and Iwa.


    Though Fujin had killed various forces from the minor viges, all had been done with utmost secrecy. If he openly killed them in front of an entire town, then it would be disadvantageous for Konoha diplomatically. The loss would far exceed the gains made by saving the Kagawa family. Even if he used disguises, it wouldn''t take a genius to figure out who the external forces protecting the Kagawa family were.


    Bunjiro heard their conversation and was confused. He asked softly, "What do you mean?"


    Fujin replied, "16 ninjas are hiding in the river. Be ready to flicker."


    Bunjiro immediately became serious and mentally prepared himself for a fight.


    The group watched as the entourage began crossing the bridge. Despite walking on it, none of the Kagawa family ninjas detected the ones hiding underwater in the strong water current.


    Without leaking any chakra, everyone in the group underwater grabbed a kunai with an explosive tag attached and threw it at the entourage. At the same time, one ninja made the confrontation hand sign. Immediately, the explosive tags attached to the bridge began glowing.


    Since no incident had happened, most of the people in the entourage had bex. However, Hoshino Ryoichi was on guard and noticed the kunais. He threw a couple of shurikens to intercept them and shouted, "Watch out!"


    Immediately all ninjas became alert. However, it was toote. Other than the kunai Ryoichi deflected, the remaining explosive tags all went off at the same time!


    The people from Mizukoshi, who were watching the entourage leave, watched in horror as the bridge that connected them with the rest of the Land of Grass blew up! Many immediately began screaming in horror. A few ran away as chaos spread in the town!


    At the same time, a smile crept on the face of Ide Tomoki, the leader of the Ide family. However, he soon hid it and shouted, "We are under attack. Everyone prepare immediately! We will save our fellow countrymen!"


    Ide Tomoki looked at the explosion with ecstasy in his eyes. He thought, ''Great! I was getting worried by how rapidly the Kagawa family was spreading their influence in recent years. Even my interests were beingpromised. But with them out of the way, we will no longer have any threat. And by showing how quickly I decided to help them, my prestige will increase uncontrobly.''


    Team Fujin didn''t move and just observed the smoke. Soon, 15 figures jumped out of the smoke and stood on top of the river. They were Kagawa Noriyuki, Hoshino Ryoichi, 8 Jounins and 5 Chunins. Fear and horror could be seen on their faces. Apart from them, everyone was dead! Even Ryoichi had a grim expression.


    Bunjiro thought, ''6 chunins died to such ame attack? These guys aren''t worthy of being called Chunins.''


    Immediately, the ninjas hidden in the water came out and assaulted them. Fujin saw their headbands and said, "Rogue ninjas. Kill them all!"


    Since they weren''t wearing the headband belonging to Kusagakure, Fujin could just kill them and im that the Kagawa family had issued a mission to Konoha to ensure their protection. Since the attackers had disguised themselves as rogue ninjas, no one could question them. All four flickered at the same time.

 Chapter 301: A Chaotic Battle!

    Hoshino Ryoichi looked at the ninjas approaching them andmanded, "Stay together and guard Noriyuki. I''ll cut down their numbers one by one!"


    His words calmed them down. They immediately prepared for the battle thinking, ''As long as we have Ryoichi, we can get our revenge.''


    Ryoichi weaved a hand sign. Lightning could be seen on his palms. He ced his palms in the river and said with utter confidence, "Face the consequences of your actions."


    ''Lightning Release: Lightning Eels jutsu''


    The lightning on his palms transformed into small lightning eels and moved towards the rogue nins. However, one of the ninjas weaved hand signs in response.


    ''Wind Release: Great Breakthrough jutsu''


    He exhaled a strong wind current into the river. The attack hit the Lightning eels head-on and dispersed them. Though the river absorbed the Wind current, the winds caused a wave of water to form and move at the Kusa ninjas.


    The rogue ninjas used the cover provided by the wave to quickly close in the distance.


    Ryoichi was surprised. He thought, ''He countered me so easily. This isn''t a random attack. Someone wants us all dead!''


    He wanted to use another jutsu, but the ninja who used the Great Breakthrough jutsu suddenly appeared in front of him and attacked with his kunai. Ryoichi raised his kunai and blocked the attack.


    The rogue ninja smiled and said, "Sorry. I can''t let you run amok, Ryoichi."


    At the same time, the other rogue ninjas attacked the ninjas protecting Kagawa Noriyuki with Earth jutsus. Ryoichi realized it and asked, "So the Ide family has allied with Iwagakure?"


    The Iwa ninja smiled but didn''t say anything and continued attacking. He was evenly matched with Ryoichi. Ryoichi''s expression became grim. He didn''t have the same confidence as before. He shouted, "We may be weak, but do you think that you can walk over Kusagakure without any consequences?"


    The Iwa Jounin just smirked. However, he suddenly became very serious and dived into the river. Fractions of a secondter, an air bullet passed from where he was standing. He quickly looked at where the attack hade from and his eyes widened.


    Fujin observed the fight for a minute and jumped in at the right opportunity. He flickered next to an Iwa ninja and shot a couple of dozen air bullets at the rogue ninjas. 4 Iwa ninjas that were closest to him died while a few others were injured.


    Just like the Iwa ninjas, the Kusa ninjas were also surprised. Only Noriyuki was expecting such assistance. He shouted, "They are our allies. Cooperate with them and eliminate these rogue ninjas!"


    The Kusa ninjas were relieved. In just a minute of fighting, they realized that they werepletely outmatched. With Ryoichi being held back, their hopes were dying very quickly.


    The Iwa ninjas had solemn expressions. A few seconds ago, they were having aplete advantage. But the situation reversed instantly.


    Taking advantage of the slight distraction, Yugao and Fumito snuck behind two of the weakest Iwa ninjas. Since their attention was on Fujin and the Kusa ninjas, they didn''t notice them until it was toote. In one quick stab, both killed their targets.


    The Iwa jounin fighting against Ryoichi was rmed by the situation. He shouted, "Fall back to the bank and stay together!"


    At the same time, he began withdrawing to the opposite bank but Ryoichi immediately attacked him and didn''t allow him to leave.


    Fujin saw the Iwa ninjas retreating and activated his chakra field. His eyes widened momentarily as he looked at a location on the opposite bank. He muttered, "This will be a tough fight."


    As the Iwa ninjas were retreating, they approached Bunjiro who was hiding under the water. He immediately took advantage.


    ''Water Release: Water Shuriken jutsu''


    Dozens of water shurikens formed underwater andunched at the Iwa nins. One of Iwa''s jounins immediately noticed it and made a hand seal.


    ''Water Release: Water Wall jutsu''


    Ayer of water appeared in front and under the Iwa ninjas in the nick of time. Unfortunately, Bunjiro wasn''t their only opponent.


    Fujin flickered next to them and a sword appeared in his hand. One of the Iwa ninjas noticed him and immediately attacked him with his kunai. Fujin swung his sword at the kunai. The remaining Iwa ninjas focused on Yugao, Fumito and the Kusa ninjas. But, they turned their attention to Fujin once again. They watched in shock as the headless corpse of theirrade fell into the river.


    One of the Iwa ninjas muttered, "How can that be? He killed a jounin in the blink of an eye?"


    Fujin continued his attack and swung his sword at the nearest Iwa ninja. However, he stopped and moved backwards. An earth spear passed by from the space he was at a moment ago. Fujin turned his head to the left to see hundreds of earth spikes extending from the opposite bank to their location. Fujin thought, ''They couldn''t hold back anymore. I guess that is to be expected considering the losses they were taking.''


    The hundreds of Earth spears forced the Konoha and Kusa ninjas back. Even Bunjiro was attacked underwater and forced to retreat. The Iwa ninjas immediately took the opportunity to retreat to the opposite bank.


    Apart from Fujin, everyone''s expressions became solemn. The attack was just toorge in scale. The chaotic battle finally stopped as the three sides reessed the situation.


    On the bank where Mizukoshi town was, Ide Tomoki stopped his ninjas and instructed, "There is another group there. It looks like the Kagawa family was expecting this attack. We will wait and observe the situation for now."


    His ninjas immediately agreed. In a short while, they had seen 7 capable ninjas fall. In addition, they could see the fearsome earth spears extending from the opposite bank to the center of the river. None of them wanted to risk their lives needlessly.


    Meanwhile, Tomoki frowned and thought, ''As I guessed, Noriyuki came prepared. These should be Konoha Anbu. Fortunately, I contacted Iwagakure. Otherwise, I''d be dead.''


    Fujin observed the situation. On one side of the river were ninjas of the Ide family. On the other side were 21 Iwa ninjas. While on the river, there were 15 ninjas from the Kagawa family and Fujin''s team. Fujin observed the ninja whounched the Earth Spears and thought, ''An Elite Jounin. I have been running into way too many of them in recent times. Oh well, now that everyone is out of hiding, I can kill them in one single fight!''


    If Fujin wanted to, he could have killed another 3-4 Iwa ninjas. But he refrained from doing so as he wanted to use them to draw them out. Due to this, any traps that they might have set up would be useless.


    The ninja, at whom Fujin was staring, looked at the Iwa ninjas who retreated and asked, "Chiharu, are you fine?"


    Chiharu nodded and said, "Yes but 7 of our ninjas died. The Kusa ninjas have Ryoichi among their ranks. But Gin, be careful of that Konoha Anbu with the sword. For some reason, he is giving me a very bad feeling."


    Gin looked at Fujin and said, "It doesn''t matter, they will all die today."


    There wasn''t a single shred of doubt in his voice.


    While Gin was checking on the Iwa ninjas, Noriyuki analyzed, ''Even though Tomoki wants us out of the way, he can''t attack us openly. So we have two options. We can withdraw into Mizukoshi and force them to fight with us. Then these ninjas will withdraw. But this option is very risky. The second option is to fight the Iwa ninjas and break through into the interior parts of the country. They won''t chase me too deep into the Land of the Grass.''


    While he was debating internally, Fujin flickered next to Ryoichi and Noriyuki and said, "Ryoichi, your Lightning nature will give you an advantage against that guy. Hold him back. I''ll eliminate the others."


    Ryoichi frowned and said, "That is very risky. With his ability, sneak attacking Noriyuki will be very easy."


    The scale of Earth spears that wasunched was just too big. Despite being far from thend, they were still threatened by that attack.


    However, Noriyuki said, "No, that is the only way. Going back to Mizukoshi will be very risky and we all may be wiped out. You hold him back. Konoha ninjas can focus on eliminating the rest. And when the fighting is intense, I''ll escape with 4 ninjas protecting me so that I won''t hold you back anymore."


    Ryoichi asked, "What if there are more Iwagakure ninjas hiding?"


    Noriyuki let out a sigh and said, "It''s unlikely that Iwagakure will send so many ninjas here just for me. But if they have, then it is only a matter of time before they kill me. After all, that group is already stronger than us. Just escape and ensure that you stay alive. If possible, please see that no harm befalls my family."


    Ryoichi didn''t want to agree. Unfortunately, he couldn''t see any other option. Meanwhile, Fujin was surprised. He looked at Noriyuki and thought, ''That''s a surprise. Most of those in power, even if they are just, won''t risk their own lives to help others escape. I guess this is why Hiruzen and Shikaku valued him highly.''


    Fujin said, "Don''t worry. I don''t sense anyone else. But be careful regardless."


    Noriyuki nodded. They stopped talking at the same time as Gin. Gin rapidly weaved hand signs and mmed his palms on the ground.


    ''Earth Release: Earth Spike Hell jutsu''

 Chapter 302: The Battle on the River Bank!

    ''Earth Release: Earth Spike Hell jutsu''


    The Kusa ninjas were surprised by the massive chakra emanating from Gin. On the river bed, thousands of small sharp spikes began forming. Fujin sensed the change and shouted, "Leave the river immediately!"


    Fujin flickered right away. So did his team. The Kusa ninjas were slightly slower to react as Fujin wasn''t their superior and they didn''t feel the change happening under their feet. However, when Noriyuki and Ryoichi began moving, they immediately followed. In a second, the spikes wereunched. They tore through the strong river current and propelled skyward.


    3 Kusa chunins were a bit slow to move. The spikes pierced into their feet and drilled through their bodies, shattering their bones and puncturing their internal organs. They emerged from heads and shoulders and soared into the sky tracing a vivid arc of red blood.


    The three chunins died without even understanding how they were hit from below the river. The ninjas from the Ide family saw in horror as blood spouted from their bodies as they fell into the river and dyed it red color momentarily. The scene was hellish. They thanked their lucky stars that their leader asked them to stay away!


    As soon as Fujin stepped on the river bank, he felt the ground under his feet transforming into small spikes. He immediately flickered while thinking, ''This is annoying. Even my team might not stay safe for long from such a barrage.''


    Fujin flickered continuously while building his chakra up. Gin tried attacking him and the ces he might appear in, but Fujin was too fast and unpredictable for him and maintained a sufficient distance from the remaining Iwa ninjas.


    ''Wind Release: Infinite Breakthrough jutsu''


    Gin was surprised. He thought, ''He is good. A sealless supercharged jutsu.''


    However, he didn''t react. Instead, a ninja next to him mmed his palms on the ground.


    ''Earth Release: Earth Wall jutsu''


    A gigantic earth wall appeared instantly and protected the Iwa ninjas. At the same time, Gin changed his target from Fujin to the Kusa ninjas thinking, ''The Konoha Anbu are quite strong. It should be an Elite unit. I''ll whittle down the Kusa numbers first and then use the numerical advantage to crush them.''


    The Kusa ninjas had seen Fujin dodging at a fast pace. They began imitating his movements and didn''t stand in the same spot for long. Gin sensed their movements and smirked while thinking, ''I couldn''t hit him due to his speed. Do you think that you can replicate the same speed?''


    Gin predicted where they would dodge and preemptively began creating spikes on those spots. This immediately created more pressure on the Kusa ninjas as the number of times they had to dodge increased by 2-3 times.


    Meanwhile, Fujin looked at the wall and decided, ''Time to cut down their numbers.''


    ''Wind Release: Vacuum Serial Wave jutsu''


    Fujin exhaled des of wind at several angles. Behind the giant wall, the Iwa ninjas were feeling quite safe when the des cut through the wall like a hot knife through butter catching thempletely off guard.


    Gin, who had already neutralized another Kusa ninja and injured a couple more and managed to keep the Kusa ninjas and Fujin''s team at bay, was shocked. He immediately jumped up to dodge the wind de heading towards him. Gin''s eyes widened as he realized the power behind the wind des. He wondered, ''Wind Vacuum Technique? Who is this guy? Wait, if he knows Wind Vacuum Technique, then... Shit!''


    Gin immediately created an Earth clone. The experienced Iwa ninjas also reacted instinctively. However, 8 Iwa ninjas couldn''t react in time. They were cut into two and died on the spot.


    Gin watched as his eyes turned red. He had lost 15 ninjas on such a simple mission. The losses had now exceeded the eptable limit!


    However, before he could even think of retaliating, Fujin fired Vacuum Bullets at the ninjas who had jumped in the air to dodge. Two bullets were heading at Gin. Gin looked at the iing attack and thought, ''As I had expected!''


    The Earth clone he created seconds ago pushed him away as the vacuum bullets pierced it and dispelled it.


    Gin barely managed to dodge the attack. However, not everyone could do the same. Another 2 Iwa ninjas were killed.


    Fujin observed the situation and analyzed, ''These ninjas are all elites. I had targeted 6 but only 2 died. They are much stronger than the Suna bunch that tried to hunt me. Looks like Onoki greatly values this mission. Is Iwa that desperate to make inroads into Grass or Waterfall?''


    Ide Tomoki saw Fujin''s counterattack and gulped in fear. He was no longer confident in Iwa''s victory. He decided, ''If Iwa fails to kill Noriyuki, I will distance myself from them and im that this attack had nothing to do with me. After all, I doubt Iwa would im these ninjas as their own and hence won''t antagonize the only Noble in the Land of Grass that supports them.''


    Fujin''s consecutive attacks finally gave his allies time to catch their breath. He also changed the numerical advantage in their favor.


    Yugao, Fumito and Bunjiro immediately went on the attack. Ryoichi remembered Fujin''s words and immediately rushed towards Gin. He realized, ''Konoha Anbu Captain is right. If I don''t restrict him, it''s only a matter of time before the remaining Kusa ninjas are killed. Only I and the Konoha Anbu might be able to escape.''


    The remaining Kusa ninjas split into two. 4 stayed next to Noriyuki while the rest followed Ryoichi.


    Ryoichi weaved hand signs while running and supercharged his jutsu.


    ''Lightning Release: False Darkness jutsu''


    He extended his arms towards Gin as bolts of lightning crackled on his arms. He discharged all the lightning bolts at Gin. Gin saw the Lightning bolts with a frown on his face as he thought, ''Lightning is the biggest weakness of Earth jutsus. Back in the 3rd Great ninja war, he gained fame against us because his unit encountered a division that was exclusively made of Earth affinity ninjas and didn''t have any strong Jounin.''


    Despite the frown, Gin wasn''t worried about Ryoichi. Instead, his attention was on Fujin. The threat of Wind Vacuum jutsus far exceeded Lightning in his eyes. Chiharu appeared in front of Gin. After knowing that Ryoichi was with the Kagawa family entourage, Gin had specifically requested Chiharu to join this mission to counter his Lightning jutsus. Even though Gin could still deal with Ryoichi, it would be very annoying and would allow Fujin to run amok.


    ''Wind Release: Great Breakthrough jutsu''


    Chiharu confronted Ryoichi with a supercharged jutsu as well. Both jutsu shed. Ryoichi frowned and stopped. Despite the power of the jutsus being the same, he was at a disadvantage. The winds neutralized his lightning bolts one after another.


    However, Fujin flickered next to Ryoichi.


    ''Fire Release: Searing Migraine jutsu''


    Taking advantage of the winds, Fujin exhaled a massive fire at Chiharu. Chiharu''s eyes widened as he cursed, ''Shit! He also knows Fire jutsus!''


    Gin also became serious. He was waiting to find an opportunity against Fujin. Instead, it was Fujin who seized the opportunity. He gathered chakra and mmed his hands on the ground.


    Another gigantic wall appeared out of the ground. It was tall and wide enough to keep the massive firestorm on the other side temporarily. However, Gin shouted, "Move away from the walls!"


    Every Iwa ninja followed his instruction without any hesitation. A secondter, des of wind cut through the gigantic wall with ease. Fortunately, the Iwa ninjas were far enough to have the time to dodge them.


    Gin observed the des with an annoyed expression. He thought, ''Fortunately my sensei had informed me about Shimura Danzo''s skills. Otherwise, the death toll would keep piling. Still, Wind Vacuum Technique and such ruthlessness. Is he Danzo''s sessor? If so, he can''t be allowed to live any longer. Who knows how many of our sufferings had that bastard''s hand in the shadows? If another Shinobi of Darkness appears in Konoha, then we will suffer for a few more decades.''


    Kagawa Noriyuki noticed the destruction and thought, ''I owe Lord Hokage one.''


    He instructed, "Let''s escape."

 Chapter 303: Breaking through Iwas Obsrtuction!

    Taking opportunity of the situation, Noriyuki, along with 4 Jounins, began escaping. Gin sensed it and muttered, "Do you think it''d be this easy to escape from me?"


    He weaved hand signs and mmed his hands on the ground once again.


    Despite therge distance between them, the ground under the feet of Noriyuki''s group turned into a swamp. They immediately jumped backwards. However, several mud balls wereunched at them from the swamp.


    One of the Kusa ninjas weaved hand signs.


    ''Water Release: Water Wall jutsu''


    A water wall appeared in front of them and stopped the Mud balls. However, soon thend to the right of them began moving. A secondter, arge, bronze dragon head popped out of the ground. It opened its mouth and shot multiple cannonballs made of mud at the group.


    The Kusa ninjas hurriedly dodged while the dragon head dived underground once again. One of the Kusa ninjas shouted, "Be careful! It will attack us from below and blow itself up!"


    His words rmed Noriyuki and the rest. They stayed on their toes and tried attacking the Dragon underground in order to make it explode deep underground. However, several spikes and needles wereunched at them forcing them to keep evading and cutting off their escape routes.


    Fujin sensed the attack and thought, ''Such arge range. But, why hasn''t he ordered a retreat? Their losses are already too high and this situation is very disadvantageous and dangerous for him.''


    Though he and Ryoichi tried to stop him, they were outnumbered. When Fujin used any Vacuum attack, Gin would move away and then ce his palms on the ground once again. Finally, the remaining Kusa and Konoha ninjas made their way across the fire and debris and joined the battle.


    Ryoichi instructed, "Keep their weaker ninjas busy. We will eliminate their leaders."


    The Kusa ninjas immediately obeyed hismand. As for Fujin''s team, they had already attacked. With their aid, the number advantage was evened out. Fujin flickered towards Chiharu while Ryoichi confronted Gin.


    Gin confronted Ryoichi while observing the battlefield. He analyzed, ''Despite the enemy reinforcements, we still had one more ninja. 5 ninjas are equally matched while we have the advantage in 3 fights. But¡­''


    Though it looked like they had the overall advantage, Gin was worried. Chiharu couldn''t match up to Fujin at all. He barely hung on. Gin sighed, ''I can''t afford to take any more pointless losses. If I knew that someone as ferocious as he would be protecting Noriyuki, then I would have redone our entire strategy.


    I didn''t want to resort to this, but we don''t have any other option now. I can only use my final card. Though this could put my vige in some trouble, it''s better than just retreating with nothing but losses.''


    Within half a minute of confrontation, Fujin had gained the absolute advantage. He was about to deal the final blow when he suddenly jumped away. Numerous earth spikes assaulted his previous position. He looked at Gin.


    Gin gritted his teeth and cursed, "Fine. I''ll let Kagawa Noriyuki go. But you all will stay here!"


    He stopped attacking Noriyuki''s group and focused entirely on the existing battlefield. Immediately, Fujin and a few other ninjas were assaulted by spikes, needles, spears and other weapon-shaped projectiles from the ground. Apart from Fujin, everyone fell at a disadvantage. Ryoichi tried his best to stop him but had no sess.


    A frown appeared on Fujin''s face as he analyzed, ''Something is off. Though the move is tactical, he should have done this long ago. And even now he isn''t retreating. It''s as if he is assured of his victory.''


    Fujin had a bad feeling. Immediately, a massive amount of chakra was released by Fujin. Gin was rmed as winds began flowing around Fujin. Suddenly, vast amounts of Wind were sted behind Fujin. An Iwa ninja, who was confronting Fumito, was hit by this st wave and lost his bnce and fell towards Fumito. Fumito immediately took advantage of the opening and jabbed his tanto into his throat.


    Meanwhile, Fujin disappeared from his spot and appeared behind the ninja fighting with Yugao. Before the Iwa ninja could even react, he was beheaded. Yugao watched with shock in her eyes. She thought, ''I couldn''t see him at all!''


    However, the one who was the most shocked was Gin. He was maintaining control over the entire battlefield. But two more of his subordinates died! He immediately concentrated on Fujin andunched multiple jutsus.


    However, Fujin once again disappeared and appeared behind the ninja fighting Bunjiro and killed him as well. Before Gin could react, Fujin disappeared once again and appeared behind Chiharu. Chiharu immediately turned around and swung his kunai at Fujin. Though he wasn''t very skilled at it, chakra could be seen flowing through his kunai.


    However, instead of attacking with his sword, Fujin just shot a Vacuum Bullet at point-nk range. Chiharu had no chance of dodging it. The bullet pierced through his forehead leaving a huge hole in his head. He dropped dead as well!


    Gin was enraged at that sight. He shouted, "Bastard! Stop running and fight me!"


    Heunched more spikes at Ryoichi and forced him back while he rushed at Fujin. Winds sted behind Fujin once again as he appeared in front of Gin in the blink of an eye. Gin saw Fujin swinging his sword at him. He only had one thought, ''Shit!''


    Gin''s body turned ck as he tried to grab Fujin''s sword with his right hand. His right hand was even cker than the rest of his body. Fujin''s sword hit his right hand.


    Though the Iron Skin jutsu was strong. It was no match for a sword enhanced by Wind nature chakra flow. In addition, Fujin was also assisted by his massive momentum.


    The sword cut his right palm open. It cut through his right forearm. Gin gritted his teeth and endured the pain and managed to just get his body out of the way of Fujin''s sword. However, he had to pay an extremely high price.


    Gin''s right hand was cut off. Half of his right forearm was cut off vertically! What remained just bled and hurt like hell. Gin looked at Fujin with hatred in his eyes.


    Though Gin and Fujin were quite evenly matched, their strengthsy in different areas. Fujin excelled at close-range fighting and had numerous jutsus to make him lethal at mid-range and long-range. Meanwhile, Gin was better than Fujin at controlling the battlefield and fighting while keeping his enemies at bay.


    Though his close-range skills were nothing to scoff at, he wasn''tparable to Fujin. Under normal circumstances, he would maintain his distance and keep Fujin away. Such a battle would only result in a draw. That is why both Fujin and Gin tried to target the weaker enemies to gain a numerical advantage while distracting the other.


    Fujin gained an advantage in that aspect. He didn''t care about the losses Kusa suffered and he had killed far more Iwa ninjas than the damage Gin managed to inflict on Kusa ninjas. This caused Gin to make a mistake and end up confronting Fujin head-on.


    Since Gin had stopped targeting them, Noriyuki and the 4 Jounins with him left the banks and began running towards the interior. Noriyuki said, "We will run full time till we reach back to our town. Once we reach there, Iwagakure won''t dare to attack us. We will lodge aint with Lord Daimyo and make Iwa pay dearly."


    The jounins nodded. They ran a couple hundred meters without any obstruction. Since none of the Iwa ninjas chased them, one Jounin said, "Looks like your n has worked. The Iwa ninjas can''t spare anyone to chase after us."


    They were relieved. Noriyuki nodded and said, "Yes, but stay on guard. We can''t afford any more los¡­"


    Noriyuki''s words were stuck in his mouth as he felt extremely high heat on his right side. He and the jounins turned around to see. A look of shock and terror appeared on their faces. A massive rock covered inva was heading straight at them.


    They wanted to get out of the way. Unfortunately, it was toote. Before their feet could move, the massiveva-covered rock hit them. It crushed the 5 ninjas under its immense weight while burning them and exploded almost immediately.

 Chapter 304: Attacking Indiscriminately?

    Seeing Fujin attacking him again, Gin retreated. Fujin was about to give chase when the loud explosion sound was heard attracting everyone''s attention! Secondster, dust and smoke covered the entire area. Some debris also fell.


    The Iwa ninjas took the chance to retreat and regroup as the sensors on Fujin''s side were shocked. Fujin looked towards the spot of the explosion and thought, ''The chakra of all 5 of them disappeared. And what''s with that massive chakra? Even Hiruzen''s chakra wasn''t as high as this!''


    Though Fujin''s first mission as the Anbu Captain had failed, he had no time to think about it. He was more concerned about the chakra that the ambusher was emitting.


    Gin looked at the destruction and sighed, ''We had to resort to this. Now everyone will know that it was Iwagakure who did the attack. This will be a diplomatic disaster.''


    He turned his attention towards his bleeding arm. His expression became determined as he thought, ''But that''s fine. Though we will lose our influence in the Land of Grass, we found out about this fearsome Anbu from Konoha. I don''t recall any powerhouse in Konoha having such skills. So he should be someone who they raised after thest Great War ended. Killing him will be far more beneficial!''


    Suddenly, Gin''s eyes widened and he looked in front only to see a sword heading straight at him. He instinctively moved backwards but knew that he had no chance of avoiding the attack. Having sensed a formidable foe, Fujin didn''t want to leave any other trouble behind him.


    Fujin''s de was just a few inches away from Gin''s neck when he sensed molten rocks headed towards him. Fujin flickered backwards and fired a few Vacuum Bullets at Gin. Gin barely managed to dodge them. They created a few cuts on his body causing him to lose even more blood but none were fatal.


    However, Fujin had no time to look at him. A figure rushed towards him at rapid speed. Fujin shot a few Vacuum Bullets, but he dodged them all. His fist began glowing red as he punched Fujin. Chakra began flowing along Fujin''s sword as he shed at the iing punch.


    The sword and the fist shed creating a slight shockwave. Fujin''s expression behind his mask became serious as his sword couldn''t cut into the fist. The punch sent him flying backwards. He flipped in the air andnded back on the ground but was still dragged behind for a few minutes.


    His eyesnded on the ninja who attacked him. He had red hair, mustache and beard. Unlike the other Iwa ninjas, he didn''t bother hiding his identity. He wore arge headpiece that proudly disyed the symbol of Iwagakure.


    On seeing his face, Ryoichi and the other Kusa ninjas were horrified. Even Fujin''s team raised their guard to the max. Ryoichi asked in disbelief and horror, "Roshi! Why did Iwagakure send someone like you?"


    Roshi ignored his question and looked at Fujin. He said, "Youngsters these days are getting even more ferocious. You forced me to take action."


    Fujin cursed in his mind, ''Shit. If I knew someone like him was hiding here, I wouldn''t have wasted time dealing with the rest. Though if I did that, he might have jumped in sooner. But¡­


    Why the hell is Onoki sending his Jinchurki on a mission? It''s an absolute taboo during peacetime. Even their own citizens don''t trust them. Let alone citizens of other countries.''


    Fujin roared, "Iwagakure! You dare send your Jinchuriki to the Land of Grass? Do you intend to start a war?"


    Fujin used his chakra to amplify his voice. It was so loud that everyone in Mizukoshi heard it clearly. Though most didn''t know what a ''Jinchuriki'' was, knowing that the ambushers weren''t rogue ninjas and instead were from Iwagakure terrified them. As for the ones who knew what a ''Jinchuriki'' was, their fear knew no bounds.


    Panic spread through the city. Some hid in underground safe houses in the city. A few began escaping from the city. Some officials sent messenger birds to Kusagakure without consulting or even informing Ide Tomoki.


    Roshi realized Fujin''s intention and said, "I''m surprised that you are still thinking about diplomacy at this point."


    Fujin ignored him and instructed, "ughter the rest. I''ll deal with Roshi."


    His earlier rampage had killed 4 more Iwa ninjas including Chiharu who was the second most powerful in that group and could restrict Ryoichi. More importantly, he had gravely injured Gin. Iwagakure only had 6 ninjas along with an injured Gin. So the Anbu and Kusa ninjas shouldn''t have any issue in dealing with them.


    Roshi asked, "You think you can de¡­"


    His words were cut short as Fujin flickered next to him and shot Air bullets from a close range. Roshi immediately dodged and counterattacked.


    ''Lava Release: Scorching Rocks Jutsu''


    Roshi expelled arge amount of Lava that solidified into molten rocks. They travelled towards Fujin with tremendous force. Fujin ran straight towards the iing molten rocks. Disying blinding speed, he avoided all molten rocks. The molten rocks hit his afterimages and exploded on contacting the ground.


    Roshi''s eyes widened. He muttered, "So fast."


    He mmed his hand on the ground.


    ''Lava Release: Volcanic Swamp jutsu''


    The ground around him began turning into a swamp that hadva mixed within it. He severely restricted Fujin''s movements if he wanted to close the distance.


    However, instead of approaching him, Fujin jumped a long distance in the sky while building arge amount of chakra and inhaling arge amount of air.


    ''Wind Release: Infinite Breakthrough jutsu''


    Roshi began preparing a Fire jutsu to take advantage of the Wind jutsu but stopped mid-way as his eyes widened in surprise. He thought, ''What is he doing?''


    Ryoichi had just begun fighting Gin when they both stopped and looked above. Ryoichi''s eyes widened. Even Yugao, Fumito and Bunjiro were surprised and scared.


    A secondter, a strong wind current engulfed the entire battlefield. Enemies and allies both felt the tremendous wind flow. Even the Ide family ninjas on the opposite bank felt the massive wind current. The winds caused the river water to flood the opposite bank. They immediately retreated back into Mizukoshi and activated their protective seals.


    Layers of Lava walls formed around Roshi protecting him from the winds. Several wind des hit it every second causing it to crumble. But it reformed itself at an even faster pace.


    He thought, ''Though my Fire nature should have an advantage, the Winds are so strong that everything will be reflected back to me. But, what is he nning? Does he want to kill his own allies as well? Since when did Konoha be so ruthless?''


    At the same time, Gin was horrified. He thought, ''This bastard is definitely Danzo''s sessor. He''d kill his allies as well rather than letting any of us escape!''


    A simr fear ran through the minds of the Kusa ninjas. After all, they had no idea who Fujin was and what his intentions were. Even Yugao, Fumito and Bunjiro had solemn expressions. Even though they were his subordinates, none of them had worked with him earlier or knew what missions he undertook.


    Suddenly, the Iwa ninjas in front of them were attacked by wind des. Long cuts appeared on their bodies. The Iwa ninjas dodged while the Kusa and Konoha ninjas were afraid that they too would suffer the same fate. But they soon noticed something odd.


    They realized, ''The wind des are only attacking the Iwa ninjas. Though we are facing the extreme winds as well, they don''t pose much threat to us.''


    Roshi noticed it as well. His eyes widened and pupils dted. He realized, ''This level of control¡­ His control over Yin-Yang should be excellent. This isn''t a blind attack. He can perfectly control his jutsu. He wants to kill all Iwa ninjas so that they won''t interfere with our fight.''


    Realizing that they were safe, the Kusa and Konoha ninjas began attacking Iwa ninjas. The Iwa ninjas immediately fell into peril.


    A red coating of chakra appeared around Roshi as he rapidly weaved hand signs. Chakra andva gathered on his right fist as he punched the ground with full force.


    Immediately, theva and chakra were released into the swamps he created earlier. The ground around him raised 10 meters in height forming a miniature Volcano. Theva began gathering towards its mouth.


    ''Lava Release: Flower-Fruit Mountain jutsu''


    The miniature volcano exploded with a loud sound! It sent a shockwave in the surrounding area nullifying the winds Fujin had created. Following the shockwave, arge amount of molten rocks wasunched into the air. However, since the Iwa ninjas were also in the vicinity, Roshi controlled it to fall far away from the battlefield.


    One of the molten rocks fell on Mizukoshi town. It hit the protective barrier and broke it with ease. Fortunately, it hit the wall and didn''t fall in the town. The wall crumbled in an instant. The people who still hadn''t hidden underground were horrified by the sight.

 Chapter 305: Contemplating the Situation

    Roshi gathered chakra once again and shouted, "Retreat!"


    ''Lava Release: Fiery Rock Bullet jutsu''


    He spat a single rock made of moltenva at Fujin who was falling down from the sky. Fujin gathered chakra as well.


    ''Wind Release: Vacuum Cannon jutsu''


    The Vacuum Cannon hit theva rock and broke through it and travelled towards Roshi. Roshi didn''t dare test his defenses against the Wind Vacuum attacks. He immediately dodged. The Vacuum Cannon hit the miniature Volcano Roshi built earlier and crumbled it down.


    Fujin wasn''t sure whether Roshi could use the same jutsu through it. He didn''t want to see whether he could or not. Hended on the ground and instructed, "Chase and kill them off."


    The Iwa ninjas had already begun escaping. Fujin''s allies were wondering whether they should aid him or chase the Iwa ninjas. Hearing hismand, most of them began chasing the Iwa ninjas. Seeing what Roshi could do, none of them wanted to face him. Only Ryoichi and Yugao stayed behind.


    Yugao looked at Fujin and recalled the words Hiruzen had said to her before she joined Fujin''s team. She analyzed, ''If he kills Iwa''s Jinchuriki, then it could cause a war between Konoha and Iwa. The best solution is to disengage now and let them retreat. But how do I tell him that? And what would be the optimal route if that Jinchuriki decides to keep chasing after us?''


    Ryoichi had simr thoughts. Konoha could afford to offend Iwa, but they couldn''t. He said, "Kagawa Noriyuki is already dead. Let''s stop here and leave."


    Fujin and Roshi were about to begin their battle but halted on hearing that. A frown appeared behind Fujin''s mask. He pointed at Roshi and said, "Tell him that."


    Roshi thought for a few seconds and replied, "Sure. Kusa ninjas can leave but Konoha will have to pay for killing so many of our ninjas."


    Ryoichi was stunned by his words. He immediately fell into a dilemma. If he escaped, then the remaining Kusa ninjas would live. If he stayed and Fujin lost, then they could all be wiped out.


    A frown formed on Yugao''s face as she stared at Ryoichi. Fujin didn''t say anything. He decided that if Ryoichi withdrew, he would run away as well. And after he gets away from Roshi, he would hunt them down and pin the me on Iwa. After all, an entire town had seen them fighting Iwa ninjas.


    Ryoichi let out a sigh and said, "Then I have no choice but to continue fighting."


    He immediately left and began chasing the escaping Iwa ninjas while thinking, ''Though we can''t afford to offend Iwa, they are the ones who attacked us in our country. If I escape, then we will offend Konoha while Iwa would think that they can bully us whenever they want to. In that scenario, our country will be doomed.''


    Roshi frowned and was about to flicker towards Ryoichi when Fujin suddenly appeared in front of him and swung his sword at him. Roshi dodged and attacked back. Both began fighting.


    Though Yugao wanted to retreat, seeing Roshi''s unyielding attitude, she understood that there was no other option. She shouted, "Captain, don''t forget our mission!" and left to chase the Iwa ninjas.


    Fujin wondered, ''What mission? The one we are supposed to protect is already dead.''


    Meanwhile, Roshi also wondered, ''Did theye here using Kagawa as a front to do a secret mission? But what mission could have a higher importance than guarding Kagawa Noriyuki?''


    They entered into an intense conflict. However, both had thoughts running through their minds.


    The longer they fought, the more depressed Roshi became. He thought, ''Though I have stopped paying attention to the internal situation in Iwa, I still know that the old man hasn''t found any sessor for him. For decades, no one who can rece Onoki has appeared in Iwa. Only me and Han came close but we were asked to take control of the tailed beasts.


    But Konoha¡­ They had White Fang who dominated the Second Great Ninja War. He was followed by the Sannins who gained fame in the Second War and dominated the Third War. And while they were still at their peak, Namikaze Minato rose to fame and tookmand of their forces.


    Even though they suffered numerous losses after the Third Great Ninja War, their next generation is already stepping up. First Copy Ninja and now this guy¡­ Though he isn''t as strong as me, his speed exceeds mine. And his attacks are all very deadly. Even if I get hit by just one, I''ll be gravely injured or dead.''


    At the same time, Fujin was seriously introspecting, ''Should I kill him or just stall?''


    He analyzed, ''If I kill him now, the Four Tails will die as well and will need a few years to resurrect. If I can capture and seal it inside me and be a perfect Jinchuriki, then my prowess will increase many folds. But¡­''


    Fujin flickered to his right to dodge the wave ofva heading at him. Roshiunched another round of molten rocks at Fujin which he dodged as well while counterattacking. He further analyzed, ''But by the time the Four Tails is resurrected, Akatsuki would have begun capturing tailed beasts.


    The ce of resurrection will be random. And there is no way I couldpete with Akatsuki in intel gathering. Unless I can build the organization in time. But, that''s still incredibly tough. Not to mention, there is no way anyone canpete with Zetsu in terms of gathering information.


    Besides, even if I have great luck and manage to be a Jinchuriki, I will have very little time to be a perfect one. After all, creating friendship and a deep enough bond will be very difficult after I beat him up and seal him inside me.''


    Fujin let out a sigh and thought, ''Leave it. I''m not ready yet. Killing him now could result in a conflict with Iwa. It could change the course of future events. Not to mention, I doubt I could kill him unless he bes very careless for some reason. If he transforms, then the only way I can confront him is by summoning Ryu. But that will exhaust all my chakra and I doubt Ryu can win against Son Goku. Still, this is a good opportunity to test my skills.''


    Fujin''s expression suddenly became very serious. Though his face was hidden by the turtle mask, Roshi felt the change in his attitude. Fujin suddenly disappeared and appeared behind Roshi and swung his sword vertically.


    Roshi immediately moved to his left. A sword sh passed by leaving a deep scar on the ground. Suddenly, several cuts appeared on his arm despite dodging the attack. Roshi''s eyes widened as he flickered away. He realized, ''In addition to the main sh, there were hundreds of smaller shes surrounding it.''


    Fujin followed Roshi and swung his sword 6 times in quick session. 6 razor-sharp sword shes streaked towards Roshi with blinding speed. Roshi''s eyes widened as he thought, ''If these also have the additional shes, then¡­''


    He moved his body such that he would narrowly dodge all the sword shes. At the same time, one tail appeared behind him and red chakra appeared on his body. Before the sword shes reached him, a coating ofva enveloped his entire body!


    The sword shes narrowly missed his body while the apanying winds hit hisva armor. Numerous cuts appeared on his armor but none reached his flesh.


    Fujin thought, ''Ava armor? That''s interesting.''


    He immediately shot a vacuum bullet at his heart. Roshi immediately dodged. Though the armor could stop weaker attacks, it wouldn''t stand any chance against attacks with high prating power. Fujin observed, ''I see. It''s defense shouldn''t be very high. At least he isn''t confident of blocking my Vacuum jutsus.''


    ''Lava Release: Fiery Rock Bullet jutsu''


    Roshi shot 3va boulders at Fujin. Fujin dodged them but Roshi used the distraction to reduce the distance between them. He appeared at Fujin''s right, jumped above and sent a punch towards his head.


    Knowing that his sword won''t be cut through Roshi''s fist from the previous exchange, Fujin moved backwards. Roshi''s punch hit the ground causing cracks to appear in the ground. One such crack extended towards Fujin while emitting red light and a lot of heat. Fujin immediately got out of the way. Lava erupted out of that crack.


    At the same time, Fujin''s clothes caught on fire! Fujin was shocked. Roshi used this distraction to once again appear in front of Fujin. Fujin looked at Roshi''s grin and wondered, ''When did he burn my clothes?''


    Roshi sent a punch at Fujin once again. Fujin shed at hisva-covered fist with his sword again as he realized, ''I see. The heat from his armor is so intense that my clothes caught on fire despite not being touched by him.''


    Just when the fist and sword were about to sh, Roshi opened his fist and caught the sword. The sword cut a couple of inches into his palm but couldn''t cut any more due to the highly concentrated chakra flowing through his arm. Roshi held the sword tightly as he raised his left fist to pummel Fujin to death!


    However, before he could punch Fujin, a punchnded on his abdomen and sent him flying backwards.

 Chapter 306: Changing the Terrain!

    Roshi flipped in the air andnded back on his feet but was still dragged backwards for another dozen meters. He looked at Fujin who was standing in the same spot. However, his left hand was lit on fire. Roshi chuckled and said, "Since you dared to punch myva armor, you can say goodbye to your ha¡­"


    His words got stuck in his throat as he saw Fujin wave his left arm in the air and the fire dissipated. He noticed that Fujin''s left arm waspletely ck in color. A frown appeared on Roshi''s face as he realized, ''Iron Skin jutsu. He can use rank B Earth jutsus as well? Though it isn''t enough to resist my armor for a longer period but should enable him to be able to punch or kick me.''


    The cut on Roshi''s right hand stopped bleeding and began healing slowly. Suddenly, Fujin''s entire body became covered in the same color. The fire on his clothes was extinguished as Fujin flickered and appeared behind Roshi. He shed his sword at his back. Roshi immediately escaped. A sword sh was released from Fujin''s sword. It hit the river and left a deep scar across it.


    Fujin chased after Roshi thinking, ''I can''t maintain Iron Skin jutsu for too long. I need to deal some critical blows quickly.''


    Just when Fujin was about to reach him, Roshi turned around and spat out arge amount ofva. Fujin''s eyes widened as he flickered away in an instant andnded on top of the river.


    Theva covered the entire area. Waves ofva surged towards Fujin like a Tsunami. Fujin frowned and wondered, ''Does he want to massacre the entire town behind me? Even if it silences the ones who heard my roar, there is no way Iwa can get out of this mess without suffering any major diplomatic consequences. ''


    Fujin swung his sword at the river. This time, he didn''t focus on the prating power. Instead, he created a 100-meter-long wind sh. The wind sh hit the river vertically along the length of the river. It caused the river water to gush out towards theva wave. The water andva waves shed, covering the entire area in mist. Theva wave broke through the water wave but lost a lot of its momentum. It still continued forward and entered the river.


    Knowing that it won''t be able to harm Fujin, Roshi appeared on the river bank and ran across the river to fight Fujin. Fujin was about to attack when he sensed a chakra build up behind him.


    ''Water Release: Raging Waves jutsu''


    ''Water Release: Raging Waves jutsu''


    ''Lightning Release: False Darkness jutsu''


    Bunjiro and Yugao spat arge amount of water. The water in the river mixed with their attack and it rushed towards Roshi like a waterfall. At the same time, Fumito released a strong Lightning current in the waterfall.


    A frown formed on Roshi''s face. He spat out arge amount ofva once again while he retreated back to the river bank. Fujin swung his sword at theva wave and flickered next to Yugao on the river bank behind him.


    The wind sh hit theva wave. It slowed down the momentum of the wave by more than 70%. A momentter, thebination jutsu of Water and Lightning hit theva wave! It forced theva wave back to the other bank.


    Roshi mmed his hands on the ground. 3yers of walls formed by molten rocks appeared in front of him. Thebination attack broke through the first wall but was stopped by the second wall. The third wall broke down by itself and molten rocks were fired at the Konoha and Kusa ninjas on the other bank.


    Fujin swung his sword at the iing rocks and asked, "What''s the status?"


    The shes hit the molten rocks. The smaller rocks were split into two, while therger ones had a deep scar in them. They lost their momentum and dropped into the river.


    Yugao replied, "We tried chasing them, but they retreated below the ground. Chasing became very risky due to their constant and unpredictable attacks from underground."


    Fujin was surprised. He thought, ''I see. I guess taking off one arm wasn''t sufficient. Sigh, I should not underestimate anyone who managed to gain the Elite Jounin rank. Though I guess that others might have helped him.''


    He said, "Alright, you guys retreat. I''ll retreat soon as well. We will meet up in the same town."


    His subordinates nodded while the Kusa ninjas sighed in relief. They had seen the terrible devastation caused by Fujin and Roshi''s fight. The entirendscape on the other side of the river had changed. There was no longer any grass on thend. Instead, the entirend had turned into volcanic terrain covered in long scars.


    Even the river wasn''t spared. They could see a sh cutting across the river. In addition, though most of theva was washed along by the river, some of it was still left behind and solidified. It had decreased the width of the river by 20-35% in some ces.


    Yugao wondered, ''Why do these cuts on thend look like sword attacks?''


    The Konoha and Kusa ninjas began running along the river to get away from them. Roshi didn''t pay any attention to them as he analyzed, ''Gin should have kept them safe. Even without Gin, they would have a very difficult time chasing them sessfully. No other vige canpare with us when ites to making an orderly retreat.


    Though I could try to kill them, I''m afraid that this guy will allow me to kill them so that he can get an opportunity to sneak attack me.''


    He said in a loud voice, "You must be the rumored Spectral Swordsman who gained fame recently. As expected, you are from Konoha."


    The retreating ninjas heard him and were surprised. Yugao looked back at Fujin and thought, ''He is the Spectral Swordsman? No wonder his swordy is so good!''


    Bunjiro wondered, ''Spectral Swordsman? What''s that?''


    Meanwhile, the Kusa ninjas had a grim expression. After all, the number of Kusa ninjas that fell to the Spectral Swordsman''s de wasn''t small.


    Ryoichi looked at Yugao and asked, "Is he the Spectral Swordsman?"


    Yugao shook her head and replied, "I''m not aware of him having any such title."


    A frown formed on Ryoichi''s face. Though Yugao was wearing a mask, he could sense from her words that she wasn''t lying. He looked back at Roshi and wondered, ''Is he lying? Or is that Konoha Anbu the Spectral Swordsman but his subordinates are unaware.''


    Suddenly, his eyes widened. So did the ones of other ninjas who were watching them.


    For the first time since they began fighting, Fujin grabbed his sword with both hands and pulled it to his right side. An immense amount of wind chakra flowed through the sword. In an instant, he swung his sword forming a proper arc.


    A gigantic wind sh was released from his sword. Alongside it, extremely sharp and strong winds were released. The winds under the sh hit the river water. Several cuts appeared in the river. And all the river water for around a hundred meters was sent rolling to the other side of the bank!


    The Kusa ninjas were horrified by the attack. Bunjiro was starstruck while Yugao and Fumito had serious expressions. Though they had realized that Fujin was stronger than them, they never imagined that the difference between them would be so high. Despite their emotions, they, like the Kusa ninjas, doubled their speed and escaped.


    Of course, the one who was the most serious was Roshi. Theva armor on his body began burning brightly as he jumped up immediately and dodged the main wind sh. At the same time, he spat out moltenva and swiftly shaped it into a half-spherical shield. In an instant, it solidified.


    Hundreds of small cuts appeared on the shield, but it held on as Roshi kept pouring more chakra andva into it. A secondter, it was hit by the water wave. Roshi wasn''t concerned about the water. After all, Fujin couldn''t control it. But he was on high alert.


    Though his shield stood strong, he abandoned it and moved to his left. A momentter, a Vacuum bullet streaked through the water and hit the shield, piercing it with ease.


    The river water travelled a long distance along the banks. Due to the heated ground, which was mixed with Lava, a lot of it was turned into steam. In a few seconds, the entire terrain was covered in steam and it became very difficult to see. Roshi''s frown deepened.


    A secondter, he gathered a lot of chakra in his right fist and punched towards his left. His fist hit Fujin''s sword and stopped it. He noticed that Fujin''s body was covered with the Iron Skin jutsu once again. Instead of attacking again, Fujin took a step back and disappeared from Roshi''s eyesight.

 Chapter 307: Where the fuck did you summon me?

    Roshi cursed, ''This is annoying. He haspletely hidden his chakra just like in Kiri''s assassination technique.''


    Before he could do anything, Fujin appeared in front of him and shed at his chest. Roshi punched the sword once again and managed to push Fujin away.


    Fujin disappeared and a secondter appeared behind him. Roshi turned around and stopped Fujin once again, forcing Fujin to disappear once again.


    Roshi was expecting another attack from Fujin, but none came. Regardless, he stayed on guard. Seconds kept passing, but no attack came. After 30 seconds, Roshi had enough. Continuously maintaining full awareness while waiting for an attack was very taxing and increased the stress. He gathered a massive amount of chakra in his right hand once again and punched towards the ground. He intended to use the Flower-Fruit Mountain jutsu to clear up all the steam.


    Suddenly, his eyes widened and he stopped his punch. A vacuum bullet passed through the space where his fist would have been had he continued his attack. Quickly, he bent below before moving backwards. Two more Vacuum bullets passed through the space he would have been in had he not moved.


    Roshi gathered chakra and shot a Fiery Rock Bullet from the direction the Vacuum Bullets wereunched. Unfortunately, he didn''t sense it hitting anything. Fujin stopped attacking once again.


    Roshi thought, ''Shit, this is getting annoying. Though I''m confident I can keep dodging sessfully, one mistake could cost me my life. But, since when did Konoha get the courage to kill a Jinchuriki in peacetime? Has their strength recovered to such an extent that they don''t mind getting attacked by both Kumo and us at the same time?''


    Though Roshi was stronger, Fujin hadplete control of the battlefield. Unlike Roshi, whose attacks causedrge-scale devastation, Fujin''s attacks were always on point. They were all deadly and gave Roshi very little time to react and were quickly followed up by more attacks.


    For the next minute, Roshi maintained full guard but wasn''t attacked by Fujin even once. Finally, Roshi began building his chakra once again. However, he stopped midway and ducked down. A Vacuum Wave passed above him.


    He immediately began rolling to his right and dodged 3 Vacuum Bullets and 1 Vacuum Wave. Soon after, he got off the ground and continued moving to his right as a Vacuum Wavended on the ground. His eyes widened as another vacuum wave grazed past his left leg. He quickly jumped backwards, but a deep cut is left in his left leg, almost exposing his bone!


    Before he could gather himself, he sensed movement behind him. He ignored the wound and turned around and threw a punch at the iing sword. The fist and sword shed once again. Roshi was surprised as Fujin didn''t retreat. He was about to punch with his other fist, but his eyes widened and he quickly took a couple of steps behind.


    He saw two Vacuum Bullets passing a few inches in front of him! His expression became grim as he realized, ''Shadow Clones!''


    The Fujin in front of him moved forward and attacked him with his sword. At the same time, another Fujin appeared behind him and attacked his back. In addition, a few more Vacuum Bullets were fired at Roshi.


    Realizing the grave risk he was in, Roshi dodged and shouted, "Enough!"


    Suddenly, a massive amount of red chakra was released from his body. It covered his entire body. At the same time, it released several waves of pure chakra around him.


    Fujin''s clones were very close to him. Their eyes widened but they didn''t have enough time to move. They immediately used the Iron Skin jutsu to protect themselves. The chakra wave hit them and sent them flying away in opposite directions.


    The red waves also reached the real Fujin who was maintaining distance and attacking with Vacuum Bullets. He immediately flickered away while thinking, ''What the hell? He can use Son Goku''s chakra to this extent without losing control? Or does he not care about losing control?''


    The red chakra waves travelled for about 40 meters around Roshi. The steam covering the area was blown away and even more damage was done to the ground.


    Without the steam cover, Roshi could see Fujin clearly. He looked at him and thought, ''That was close. With his shadow clones, the danger was amplified exponentially. If I keep dodging, it would only be a matter of time before I mess up. Anyways, now that he has forced me, it''s time to end this.''


    At the same time, Fujin also looked at Roshi. Shock could be seen in his eyes. He saw that the chakra covering Roshi had taken the shape of a red-furred and green-skinned monkey, looking exactly like the Four Tails, Son Goku. What shocked Fujin the most was that Roshi looked to be inplete control of himself. He stood calmly in the head of the chakra construct.


    Fujin was dumbfounded. He thought, ''Impossible! I thought only Bee and the 4th Mizukage were perfect Jinchurikis! Why would I have fought him for so long otherwise?''


    The sight scared Fujin. He immediately became very serious. He was about to make a move when he sensed some movements under his feet. He gathered chakra under his feet and jumped high in the sky. The ground transformed into small spikes which wereunched at Fujin. Noticing the opportunity, Roshi shot a ball ofva at Fujin.


    Fujin immediately shed his sword towards the iing spikes while looking at the ball ofva and analyzing, ''Such a gigantic ball ofva. My vacuum cannon might not stop it.''


    One seal on his left bracer began glowing. One hundred explosive tags appeared in front of Fujin in a sh. Fujin controlled the winds and caused the explosive tags to fly towards theva ball in 3yers.


    Roshi was surprised. Just before theva ball was about to crash into the firstyer of explosive tags, all hundred explosive tags blew up. The shockwaves from the explosions decreased the momentum of theva ball until it came to a halt and began losing its shape. Theva fell down to the ground.


    Immediately, Fujin focused his chakra field under the ground. He realized, ''Someone is hiding his chakra underground. Should be that Iwa Elite Jounin. Sigh, what a mess. I need to retreat.''


    Fujin dispelled the two shadow clones on the ground to gain their chakra. Roshi looked at Fujin who was around a hundred meters in the air and muttered, "To jump airborne against a Jinchuriki who has disyed some control over his tailed beast. What a stupid move."


    He began gathering chakra to end the fight but his eyes suddenly widened in shock. Multiple seals on each of Fujin''s bracers lit up. Roshi watched in shock as he noticed more than 2000 Explosive tags appearing in the sky. The number was utterly ridiculous.


    Roshi was speechless. He wondered, ''Was his real mission to destroy a city or something?''


    In an instant, the wind began blowing. All the explosive tags moved towards the ground at a rapid speed!


    Roshi didn''t bother creating any defenses. He was confident that despite their high numbers, the tags won''t cause any harm to him.


    The chakra body of Son Goku opened its massive maw wide open. Concentrated chakra began gathering in a swirling vortex and pulsated with an overwhelming intensity.


    Behind his mask, Fujin''s expression became very grim. He controlled the explosive tags while weaving hand signs. As the explosive tags moved down, they spread over the entire battlefield and split into multiple waves. The first wave had 400 explosive tags, the second had 600, and the third had 1200 tags.


    The explosive tags in the first wavended on the ground. At the same time, the explosive tags in the second wave maneuvered in the air and surrounded the chakra body of Son Goku. Meanwhile, the thirdyer appeared on top of the tailed beast bomb. At the same time, it also blocked Fujin from Roshi''s view.


    While the explosive tags were moving, Fujinpleted his hand signs.


    ''Summoning jutsu''


    A cloud of smoke appeared under him. A figure appeared in it and arrogantly said, "The Great Winged Sabertooth Lord Goro is her¡­"


    However, his words were cut short. All the explosive tags exploded at the same moment! In an instant, the entire area was covered by a loud explosion sound. The intensity of the explosion made Goro look down in horror. At the same time, he sensed Son Goku''s chakra and the fluctuations from the Tailed Beast Bomb. Every single hair on his body stood up! He muttered in shock, "Where the fuck did you summon me, Fujin?"

 Chapter 308: Killing Tsuchikage with One Hand tied behind the back!

    Fujinnded on Goro''s back and shouted, "Goro, there is no time. Return and reverse summon me!"


    For the first time, Fujin saw Goro nod obediently. Fujin used Goro''s body to jump even higher in the sky. Immediately after Goro disappeared into a cloud of smoke.


    Gin, who was underground, had sensed Son Goku''s chakra. Instead of running away, he decided to move deeper into the ground. The massive explosion rocked thend. Despite being over 50 meters underground, he felt the ground around him vibrating! He quickly escaped deeper while thinking, ''Don''t tell me Roshi used Tailed Beast Bomb! Shit, we are in another country!''


    At the same time, the people in Mizukoshi town were all hidden in underground bunkers. Though the Ide family wasn''t as generous as the Kagawa family, they had spent a lot of effort on building good bunkers as their town was very close to the border. So the people were feeling safe.


    However, they suddenly heard an extremely loud explosion sound. The people were confused and scared. A few secondster, they began feeling a vibration under their feet. Soon after, the entire bunker began shaking!


    The people were horrified by the sound of the explosions and didn''t want to move out. However, they were worried that they might be buried in the bunkers. So they quickly began leaving the bunkers. Fortunately, none of the bunkers crumbled due to which no deaths happened.


    Unlike Gin and the people in Mizukoshi, Roshi was directly attacked by the tags. The explosions covered him in dust and smoke. However, soon, a massive amount of chakra began surging into the dust cover. As the Tailed Beast Bomb was being formed, winds began moving rapidly. The dust was blown apart and revealed his figure.


    Fujin''s face became solemn as he noticed, ''The explosions didn''t harm him even a bit. I was hoping that the explosion from the 1st two waves destabilizes him and the explosion from the 1200 tags pushes the iplete Tailed Beast Bomb onto him. I guess it was too much to expect.''


    In a few seconds, the Tailed Beast Bomb reached its full potential and stopped growing any further. The noise generated due to the formation of the bomb disappeared. Fujin concentrated on the tailed beast bombpletely. The momentum due to jumping from Goro''s body waspletely lost and his body had begun falling down slowly.


    Roshi looked at Fujin and muttered, "Rest in Peace."


    Heunched the massive Tailed Beast Bomb at Fujin.


    As soon as the Tailed Bomb wasunched, Fujin''s bracer began glowing again. 100 Explosive tags appeared and moved towards the bomb. These were thest tags stored in his bracer. At the same time, he twisted his body in the air to face East. Arge amount of Wind was sted from his back making him fly out of the path of the Tailed Beast Bomb.


    Roshi noticed Fujin''s efforts but wasn''t bothered by them. He shook his head and thought, ''Looks like he is still too young. Against a Tailed Beast Bomb, such efforts are pointless.''


    In a moment, the Tailed Beast Bomb hit the explosive tags. Though the tags all exploded, they couldn''t even slow down the bomb. The Tailed Beast Bomb reached the same altitude as Fujin and exploded!


    Fujin turned his head and looked behind him. Fear coursed through his veins causing his pupils to constrict in terror as he noticed the massive explosion behind him. He thought, ''So fast! Hurry up Goro or I''ll be dead!''


    The Tailed Beast Bomb didn''t even need a second to reach his previous location. He focused all his chakra on his back causing more intense winds to be sted behind him. At the same time, his body was covered in the Iron Skin jutsu.


    A powerful st wave rippled through the air. It reached Fujin in the blink of an eye. It broke through the intense winds behind Fujin as if they were nonexistent and hit him. Fujin gritted his teeth as he felt an intense pain in his back. Fortunately, he suddenly disappeared from his position.


    The stwave continued expanding for kilometers in the air. The sound of the explosion was heard for several miles. The people in Mizukoshi hadn''t even reached the doors of the bunkers and were still feeling the effects of the previous explosion when they heard the loud sound! They covered their ears in pain and were horrified. However, they had no other option but to leave the bunkers. No one wanted to be buried alive.


    A frown formed on Roshi''s face. He looked above and thought, ''That''s weird. His chakra just disappeared in an instant instead of decreasing progressively. Considering his strength and that he wasn''t hit directly, he shouldn''t die in a moment.


    Did Konoha gain a sessor for the Flying Thunder God technique? But why did he take so much effort to dodge in that case?''


    Due to the explosion tags and the chakra disturbance by the Tailed Beast Bomb, Roshi hadn''t sensed Goro. So he wasn''t aware of Fujin''s n to reverse summon himself.


    Mount Muteki -


    Fujin disappeared from the battlefield and appeared on Mount Muteki. A look of relief appeared on Goro''s face as Fujin appeared in front of him. He was about to boast when his eyes widened.


    Fujin''s hardened body mmed into his face with tremendous force! Both of them mmed into the mountain creating a small cave inside the cave they were in. The sound immediately attracted the attention of other Winged Sabertooths. Ryu frowned and began flying towards the cave.


    Land of Grass -


    Roshi observed the skies properly to see whether he had missed anything. He maintained his form.


    While he was paying attention to the sky, a slight movement was happening under the ground. Around 10 secondster, a head popped out of the ground and observed the situation. He looked above with fear in his eyes and thought, ''So scary! I was worried for my main body. But since I am fine, my main body should have retreated safely.''


    He was a Shadow Clone Fujin created and hidden underground when he was sneak attacking Roshi under the cover of steam. However, the battlefield changed very rapidly forcing the clone to hide deeper into the ground leaving him without any means to provide aid to Fujin.


    He thought, ''Since my main body didn''t dispel me, he should have a reason to keep me here. It''s either to kill that Elite Jounin hiding underground or to test Roshi. If I try to sense the Elite Jounin, Roshi will sense me and defeat me.


    After all, I''m no match for him and I doubt that Elite Jounin will die easily. Not to mention, he is hiding deep underground. Though my Vacuum jutsus have good piercing power, they can''t pierce through tens of meters of ground. So there is just one option.''


    Against a ninja who could use the Wind-Vacuum Technique, hiding underground was very risky. It would severely restrict mobility and the attacks could easily pierce into the ground. But by moving so deep, Gin had unknowingly got into the best defensive position.


    So Fujin''s clone decided topletely ignore him. He focused over 80% of his chakra into his throat. The sudden chakra build-up attracted Roshi''s attention. He quickly turned his head and looked at where the clone was.


    ''Wind Release: Vacuum Cannon jutsu''


    In an instant, Fujin''s clone shot the vacuum cannon at Roshi. Roshi''s eyes widened. He instinctively moved within the chakra construct. The jutsu travelled at a very high speed and hit the head of the chakra shaped like Son Goku.


    The cannon easily pierced into the chakra and broke through the other side leaving a massive hole in the head! However, Roshi had moved out of the path of the attack. He controlled the chakra to refill the hole with Son Goku''s chakra in a second. Though he wasn''t hurt, his expression was dark. Despite being in his strongest state, he was still in danger.


    Despite not doing any damage, the clone had a smile on his face as he analyzed, ''Though the chakra cloak of a tailed beast provides decent defense, it is much weaker than that of a Sussano. As long as I have a way to dodge the Tailed Beast Bomb safely consistently, I can threaten even a Jinchuriki.


    But winning should be impossible for now. Their bodies are just too big and their attacks are too strong. They can easily maneuver their position and dodge my attacks while counterattacking.''


    Roshi began moving towards the clone and said, "Impressive. To deceive me and make me attack your clone while you stayed hidden safely. No wonder your chakra disappeared so suddenly. But you should have stayed hidden instead of trying to kill me."


    Roshi was about to attack him again when the Clone raised his palm and said, "Let''s stop here."


    Roshi was confused by Fujin''s actions. He asked, "What do you mean?"


    The Clone said, "Both our squads have already retreated and neither of us can kill each other. Let''s call it a day. We will settle our battle on another battlefield. After all, Iwa and Konoha aren''t at war."


    Roshi''s expression became dark at Fujin''s shamelessness. He had killed so many Iwa ninjas and yet didn''t have an ounce of shame in his voice while iming that Iwa and Konoha weren''t at war. Roshi did not doubt that if Fujin could finish him off, he would never speak such words.


    Though Roshi could sense it, he never managed to get a hang of Fujin''s chakra reserves as Fujin always masked it to show that it was very low despite being able to fight for a long time. But he was sure that after using so many high-level ninjutsu in intensebat, Fujin''s reserves should be very low.


    He said, "You killed so many of our ninjas and you think that I will just let you go? Besides, how much chakra do you still have left after fighting for so long?"


    He was about to attack when the Clone snorted and replied, "Chakra? I have got more than you and Hanbined! If Lord Hokage didn''t permit me to kill you, then do you think you would still be alive? Heck, I would have gone to Iwagakure and killed your old Tsuhikage with one hand tied behind my back!"

 Chapter 309: Injuries

    Roshi was left speechless. It was the first time he had heard someone im something as ridiculous as that. Even him and Han fighting together wouldn''t dare to im that they could kill Onoki. The im was so absurd that he didn''t even get angry and insteadughed.


    He asked, "Kill the old man with one hand tied behind your back? Are you called Senju Hashirama or Uchiha Madara?"


    At the same time, he calmed down and thought, ''He is trying to rile me up by trying to make me angry. So, he wants me to drop my guard or make a mistake andnd a critical hit. But, what means does he have to harm me when I am cloaked by the Four Tailed Beast''s chakra? Does he still have a stronger attack than that cannon and the chakra to perform it?''


    Fujin''s clone didn''t care how absurd his im was. He wasn''t sure if his main body had used reverse summon or flew away on Kaito. If it was the second case, then he needed to waste some time to ensure that they would be too far away for Roshi to even know where to chase. If it wasn''t then he could just collect more information from Roshi and transmit them back to his main body.


    The clone cursed angrily, "What? Do you not believe me? Do you think I am bluffing? Lead me to Iwagakure. I''ll defeat that old geezer with one hand tied behind my back. I will even spare his life as my leader didn''t ask for it!"


    Roshi looked at the clone with a deadpan expression and thought, ''Yeah right. Bring along someone with as lethal jutsus as you. Still, this is amusing. Even that Deidara kid isn''t as brazen as him.''


    Roshi replied, "Sure. Let me seal your chakra and then you can travel with me."


    The clone retorted, "Seal my chakra? What if you go back on your word and attack me when I''m helpless? That won''t do. I''ll be travelling without any restrictions."


    A frown formed on Roshi''s face as he thought, ''Something is off. He is giving almost no signs of a sneak attack. Is he wasting time to regain his chakra with a soldier pill?''


    Though Roshi had an advantage in chakra, he didn''t want to let Fujin recover his chakra and keep bugging him with the Wind Vacuum jutsus. He opened his mouth and spat a wave ofva towards Fujin''s clone.


    Fujin''s clone sighed and began running away. He muttered to himself, ''I barely have any chakra left. I think I can flicker just twice at best.''


    Roshi noticed him running and thought, ''As I calcted. He is low on chakra.''


    He immediately chased the clone. Due to hisrger size, his movement was much faster. He reached the clone and threw a punch at him. However, despite having aplete advantage, he was on guard against any counterattacks.


    The clone flickered along the river banks and ran in the direction opposite of what his subordinates and the Kusa ninjas had taken. Roshi chased and was led away from the town on the opposite bank. A frown formed on his face as he thought, ''I have to finish the battle quickly. Though I can control the beast''s chakra, I don''t have total control over it. I can''t maintain this state for long.''


    He opened his mouth andunched arge ball ofva. The clone sighed and used his second body flicker. However, Roshi chased and attacked once again. The clone looked at the iing ball ofva and thought, ''This is as far as I can go. It''s fine. The main body should be safe.''


    Theva ball hit him and exploded, dispelling him. As he was on the opposite side of theva ball, Roshi couldn''t see him being dispelled into a cloud of smoke. A frown appeared on Roshi''s face. He wasn''t happy. He thought, ''Something is wrong. This was too easy. Almost as if it was a shadow clone that had run out of chakra.''


    As theva spread out, Roshi noticed that there was no dead body or even bones left behind. He realized that his guess was right.


    He fell silent and began thinking rapidly. He calcted, ''If this was a clone, was the one in the air his real body? If the real body managed to escape, then it would make sense for the clone to exist and waste time.


    Or could it be that both were clones? After all, fighting me was foolish. So did he send another clone to distract me while he ran away? Or perhaps he is still hiding and wants me to believe that I have killed him so that I leave or put my guard down.''


    A bunch of ideas appeared in his mind but Roshi couldn''t be sure which was right. He stopped using Son Goku''s chakra and returned to his normal state. Most of the injuries on his body were already healed. Only a scar was left on his left leg and right hand.


    He concluded, ''If the one that was hit by my Tailed Beast Bomb was the real him, then he has managed to escape. I can''t track him. So no point in considering that. I''ll just assume that he is hiding here and look for him. He is dangerous. It will be best if we kill him before the start of the next Great War.''


    He suddenly turned his head to the right. The ground was moving and a person climbed out. Gin looked around and asked, "Is he dead?"


    Roshi shook his head and said, "Unlikely. He has escaped or is hiding underground. Help me look for him. But be careful of any sneak attacks."


    Gim was surprised. He thought, ''Even Roshi couldn''t kill him?''


    He nodded and cooperated with Roshi to scan through the area.


    Mount Muteki -


    Goroined, "What the hell! It feels like a block of iron fell from space and hit my head!"


    Fujin got on his feet. His body was still shivering. He coughed blood a few times and muttered while breathing heavily, "Sorry. Just the stwaves sent me flying!"


    Fujin was still scared. After transmigrating to the ninja world, Fujin had been very careful. Until the Root was dissolved, he tried to keep his abilities as hidden as possible to avoid gaining Danzo''s attention. During the missions, though he had grown to love a strong fight, he always controlled his impulse and always chose the easiest and the most efficient option.


    Though Roshi wasn''t the strongest opponent he encountered, this was the first time he came so close to death. Against Kakazu and Kaminari, he had managed to escape very quickly. Against Darui, though his position was bad, his life hadn''t been put in danger directly.


    Despite the risks, he always held his life and death in his own hands. This was the first time that he hadpletely trusted his life and death in the hands of another.


    Goro noticed Fujin''s fear. He stoppedining and became serious. This was the first time he had seen Fujin in such a state. He asked, "Are you alright?"


    Fujin nodded. He finally ended his Iron skin jutsu and inspected his body. His left hand had several burns up to the elbow. There were several other burns on his body. The worst was his back.


    He had inscribed several seals into his clothes. Despite them, the back of his jacket and shirt was blown apart. Even his mesh upper body suit was blown. A few of the metal pieces from it were embedded in his back. In addition, the stwave had damaged his back as well. He could feel that some of his rib bones were cracked.


    Realizing the damage, Fujin''s expression became grim. He thought, ''Fortunately I used the Iron Skin jutsu. Otherwise, just the mesh itself might have killed me.''


    Goro noticed the injuries and said, "You are injured."


    Fujin nodded and said, "It''s fine. None of the injuries are serious."


    Goro sighed in relief and asked, "In what mess were you? And what was that dangerous chakra?"


    Fujin sighed and said, "He was a Jinchuriki, a ninja who hosts the Four Tailed Beast. I thought that he couldn''t control it. But my information was wrong. That''s why I fell into such a dangerous position."


    He looked at Goro and said, "Thanks Goro. Had you been a secondte, I''d have been dead."


    Fujin genuinely was thankful. Goro chuckled and said, "You are worrying too much. Though you aren''t as good as this Lord, your skin is extremely thick as well!"


    Both suddenly looked towards the entrance of the cave. Ryu''s massive body appeared in their eyes. Ryu entered the cave and observed the destruction. He asked, "What happened here?"


    His eyesnded on Fujin and narrowed. He asked, "Who injured you?"


    Goro and Fujin gulped as they felt the killing intent emitted by Ryu.

 Chapter 310: A Bottleneck!

    Ryu was indeed angry. He had ced a lot of hopes on Fujin. Though he hadn''t taught him anything yet, he was preparing to guide Fujin in the future. Fujin was about to answer when he said, "Leave it. Heal yourself first. Then find me. Goro, look after him in the meantime."


    Ryu calmed down as he noticed that though there were a lot of injuries on Fujin''s body, none were life-threatening.


    Goro replied, "Don''t worry Dad. You can leave Fujin in this Lord''s care!"


    Ryu ignored his son''s antics and left. Following him, the remaining Winged Sabertooths left as well.


    Goro looked at Fujin and said, "But, this Lord doesn''t know how to heal humans."


    Fujin took out a bottle and said, "Yeah, I know."


    He ate a soldier pill. The battle with Roshi drained his chakra a lot. Just when Fujin was about to retreat, Roshi unleashed his full strength. Summoning Goro had taken up most of his remaining chakra while the rest was poured into Assassin''s Rush and Iron Skin jutsus. Had Goro not reversed summoned him in time, he was prepared to dispel his clone underground to get some more chakra.


    Fujin withdrew a paper seal from his ninja bag and crushed the seal on it. He looked at Goro and said, "I''ll need around half an hour to regenerate some chakra. Carry me to a cialke. It will help to soothe the wounds temporarily and aid in the healing process."


    Goro replied, "Sure. Hop on."


    Fujin jumped on his back. He flew out and carried Fujin to a cialke that was located lower on the mountain.


    Land of Grass -


    The Kusa ninjas and Fujin''s subordinates were rushing away from Mizukoshi. Ryoichi looked at the Konoha Anbu and said, "We won''t be able to apany you to the Kagawa family''s town. We will be heading straight to Kusagakure."


    One of the Jounins with him said, "But shouldn''t we inform his family about the losses first? Our families are there as well. We need to mee¡­"


    Ryoichi cut him off and said, "No. This matter is huge. If you spread the news, chaos will spread throughout our country. We need to report to Kusagakure and form a proper n first. This matter needs to be handled by the diplomats."


    He looked towards Konoha Anbu and said, "I am grateful for your aid, but I hope that you won''t spread the news of what happened in Mizukoshi either."


    Yugao replied, "I''ll pass the message to our captain. It will be his decision."


    Ryoichi nodded. The Kusa ninjas split off from the group and moved in a different direction. The Anbu continued on their path before changing their directions as well. Though Fujin had asked them to meet in the Kagawa Family''s town, it was just a code word for another small vige they hade across while travelling.


    However, they suddenly heard a loud sound behind them. They stopped and looked back and noticed a smoke cloud in the air. Bunjiro asked in surprise, "What was that?"


    As they were already over 10 miles away from Mizukoshi, they didn''t sense the fearsome chakra fluctuations of the Tailed Beast Bomb. Neither Yugao nor Fumito could provide any exnation.


    Bunjiro asked, "Should we return to check if Captain is alright?"


    Fumito shook his head and replied, "No, you are in Anbu. Following the instructions of the Captain takes priority."


    Bunjiro nodded reluctantly. He was a bit worried for Fujin.


    They continued their journey. A few minutester, they felt a vibration in their pouches. They quickly stopped and took out a paper tag. It had a seal simr to the one which Fujin crushed. In a moment, all 3 of the paper tags began burning.


    Bunjiro''s eyes widened. He muttered, "This..?"


    Fumito and Yugao also became serious. Bunjiro said, "When Captain handed us this tag, he said that if this seal burns, we have to retreat back to Konoha. What happened?"


    Yugao replied, "The fight might have been very difficult. Or for some reason, he might not be able to meet us up at the rendezvous point. Let''s leave quickly."


    Bunjiro and Fumito nodded. They changed their direction once again and moved towards Konoha.


    Roshi and Gin looked for Fujin for around half an hour but didn''t find him for obvious reasons. They gave up and retreated from the Land of Grass after meeting up with the remaining Iwa ninjas who were hiding underground.


    Since the outside was calm for half an hour, the ninjas in Mizukoshi finally dared to climb on the walls and observe the surroundings. The sight shocked them!


    On the other side of the river, thend was levelled several times for over a kilometer! Not a single strand of grass could be seen! Instead, it was covered with solidifiedva.


    The river had changed as well. A wall ofva had solidified in its path, forming a temporary dam. It stopped the water flow, forcing excess water to move around the wall and through the banks to continue forward.


    They gulped in fear at that sight. Ide Tomoki had a very ugly face. He could see the political implications of the day''s events. He regretted asking Iwagakure to assassinate Kagawa Noriyuki.


    Mount Muteki -


    While all forces withdrew away from Mizukoshi, Fujin was resting in the cialke. He wondered, ''So, where did I mess up?''


    He analyzed for a bit before concluding, ''My information wasn''t right. I don''t recall Roshi having such control over Son Goku in the series. And none of the intel about him in this world mentioned this.


    But, Roshi has been the Jinchuriki since before the Second Great Ninja War. It''s impossible that the vige doesn''t have this information. So the only possible answer is that for some reason, they have kept this information as top secret.''


    A frown formed on Fujin''s face. If he had known this information, then he wouldn''t have fallen into such a risky situation. However, his expression became normal as he thought, ''Though the vige has to be med, I am at fault as well. I was overly dependent on the intel I had and didn''t even consider Roshi using Tailed Beast Bomb while maintaining his sanity as a possibility.


    Even if the vige had provided all details, what if my opponent gained new skills and abilities in secret? Though depending on intel gives a good advantage, I need to avoid over-dependence on it. Especially when ites to Jinchuriki and S rank ninjas.''


    As someone who gave the highest importance to his survival, Fujin immediately figured out his w and decided on what changes he should make to avoid falling into such desperate situations again. His mind immediately began thinking about the oddity.


    He thought, ''But why isn''t Roshi considered a perfect Jinchuriki? Wait, now that I think about it, though he controlled a lot of chakra, he didn''t transform into Son Goku like how Bee could with Gyuki. Could it be that even without a Tailed Beast''s approval, Roshi could harness his chakra to such an extent and use Tailed Beast Bomb?''


    Fujin thought for a bit and concluded, ''Yes, that should be it. So though he isn''t a perfect Jinchuriki, he isn''t far from it. It''s kinda like Naruto''s first Kurama Chakra Mode, but instead of having just a little bit of Son Goku''s chakra, he has ess to at least half of it.


    Now that I think about it, I recall Yugito transforming into Matatabi against Akatsuki. While Gaara was able to construct Shukaku''s body during the Konoha Crush. I guess it is easier to harness the chakra from Tailed Beast with lesser tails. I should be careful if I run into Yugito or Han in the future. They might be able to use Tailed Beast Bombs as well.''


    On concluding, his mind immediately began analyzing the fight, ''Ignoring the battle after he released that massive chakra, this fight was a bit weird. Roshi was much stronger than me. Be it in chakra, experience, defense or physical strength. But I had the advantage in speed and lethality, giving me the initiative for the majority of the fight.


    But, no matter my advantage or initiative, I just couldn''t injure him. Even the few injuries I caused began healing almost immediately due to the massive chakra. This sort of exposes a big w in mybat system. Or rather, the imbnce in it.


    Right now I am heavily dependent on mybat speed and the speed and piercing power of Vacuum jutsus. These two factors make it impossible for anyone under Elite Jounin tost long against me.


    But, Elite Jounins are able to dodge my Vacuum Attacks and stop or dodge my sword safely. It makes it impossible to win those fights if they don''t get distracted. Another w is that this method of fighting is very exhaustive on chakra.


    The main reason for this is that my other skills haven''t managed to keep up with these two. Only sword skills and Taijutsues close. The other elements and Genjutsu are much weaker and can only be used in certain situations. Even Fuinjutsu can''t be used effectively in battle yet.


    However, I don''t see any way of improving those skills in a short time. In fact, even improving Vacuum jutsus is bing very difficult. I can only create more forms that won''t increase mybat strength drastically. It''s almost as if I have reached some sort of bottleneck... How do I break through?''


    Involuntarily, Fujin''s gaze moved towards the peak of Mount Muteki.

 Chapter 311: Restlessness!

    Fujin''s gazended on the peak of Mount Muteki. He thought, ''One easy way to break through this should be learning how to harness Nature energy. With Sage Mode, I''ll be able to keep up with the best of the current ninjas.


    The other alternative is learning Flying Thunder God. With it, I''ll be able to teleport. It will make dodging my Vacuum jutsus almost impossible. And I will be able to retreat at will.


    Unfortunately, when I learn either of them isn''t in my hands. It depends on Ryu and Hiruzen. And I can''t be sure whether I''d manage to learn them or not. If I end up failing to learn both, Senjutsu and Flying Thunder God, then my future prospects drop hard.


    Apart from these 2, there are four other methods I can think of. The first is creating Scorch or Swift Release. Though in terms of difficulty, it might be even more difficult as I would have neither guidance nor any information and just have a book with unsessful attempts towards a different Kekkei Genkai to refer to.


    The second method is to improve my speed even further. With the aid of Assassin''s Rush jutsu and training my body even further, I could enhance my speed even further. That could allow me to crush Elite Jounins. In addition to this, I need to create a few original jutsus. Though they won''t be as strong as the rank A jutsus in the library, I will have to create them such that theyplement my high-speed style ofbat.


    The third method is likely the one that has the highest prospects. That is Fuinjutsu and Juinjutsu. Once I be a Grandmaster, I can make a list of seals that I can use on the battlefield. If I can use them as skillfully as Hiruzen did against Suna ninjas, it will be at the same level as my Vacuum jutsus.


    The above two methods will need time as well but they are the ones I am most confident in achieving. However, if I''m not able to learn Senjutsu or Flying Thunder God, then they won''t allow me to reach the top of this world. That would leave me with just one option. Learning Eight Inner Gates from Guy¡­''


    Fujin let out a sigh and stretched. He immediately winced due to pain. He muttered to himself, ''This is so taxing. All these methods will need a lot of time. The time that I just don''t have. I will need to quit Anbu soon. If I waste my time on long missions, I won''t have enough time to train.''


    Fujin let out another sigh. How to inform Hiruzen and convince him to let him quit Anbu was another headache. He stopped thinking about it and muttered, "My chakra has recovered a bit."


    Fujin got out of theke and sat down. A shadow clone appeared next to him and began healing him.


    The cold water in theke had soothed the burns on his body. The clone healed all the burn marks with ease and finally turned his attention towards Fujin''s back. He poured chakra into his back and said, "3 ribs are cracked. Luckily the spine is not damaged. Though I can heal them, it''s better to avoid training or fighting until we visit Konoha Hospital."


    Fujin nodded. The clone healed his back before dispelling itself. Fujin got up and stretched his back once again. A loud and satisfying cracking sound was heard. Fujin muttered, "Finally, it feels better."


    He looked up and said, "Goro, it''s time to visit your father."


    Goro was flying above. He immediatelynded next to Fujin and asked, "Done healing?"


    Fujin jumped on his back and said, "Yes."


    Goro replied, "You humans need such a long time andplicated procedures to heal."


    Fujin shrugged and replied, "Our physique isn''t as strong as a Winged Sabertooth. And our bodies aren''t infused with nature''s energy. Obviously, we can''t heal as quickly as you guys."


    Goro chuckled and replied, "Sucks to be you."


    He took flight. In less than a minute, they appeared outside Ryu''s cave. Goro said, "You can go alone. Summon me some time to have some fun. But don''t summon me if that dangerous beast is around."


    Fujin chuckled and asked, "Why, wasn''t that fun?"


    He jumped off him. Goro angrily replied, "Hey! I am only 41 years old! I want to live up to at least 41 thousand years!"


    Fujin chuckled and didn''t reply. Goro flew away. Ryu opened his eyes and watched Fujin walking towards him. He asked, "So, what did you encounter?"


    Fujin informed him about his encounter with Roshi and the Tailed Beast within him.


    A frown formed on Ryu''s face. He muttered, "A Jinchuriki¡­ Humans managed to subdue the Tailed Beasts? I didn''t expect that they would advance so much over thest few decades."


    Fujin thought with a sigh, ''As I expected. Due to not having any summoner for so long, they aren''t in touch with recent happenings in the Ninja world. Though I suppose they don''t particrly care.''


    Fujin asked, "How would you fare against the Four Tailed Beast?"


    Ryu replied, "It''s hard to say. I haven''t fought any Tailed Beast yet. However, my grandfather did fight the one named Saiken. He said that they were quite evenly matched until Saiken used a technique that created a gigantic ck ball ofpressed chakra. It should be the Tailed Beast Bomb you stated. That forced my grandfather to retreat and run away.


    As for the Four Tailed Beast, from what I heard, he could useva. So I will likely be at an even greater disadvantage. But I will have to see him to say for sure. That said, Great-Grandmother has instructed that even I would have to retreat if I ever face one in battle."


    Fujin nodded. It was as he had expected. Though Ryu was strong, against the Tailed Beasts, he wouldn''t stand much of a chance. At max, he would be able to stall them for some time.


    Seeing Fujin silent, Ryu asked, "Are you nning to go back?"


    Fujin shook his head and replied, "No way. If he is still waiting for me, I''ll be dead. Not to mention, his vige has an even scarier old man."


    He looked into Ryu''s eyes and said, "I was hoping to stay here for a while and learn Senjutsu."


    Ryu looked back and observed Fujin for a few seconds. He replied, "You aren''t ready yet."


    Fujinined, "Come on! The world is so scary. I almost died today. With Senjutsu, I will be able to protect myself."


    Ryu looked down at Fujin and said, "Stop being childish. Your body isn''t strong enough to contain nature energy yet. Nor is your chakra reserve high enough. More importantly¡­"


    He stared at Fujin for a few seconds before continuing, "You are restless. I can feel restlessness and impatience from your mind, body and will. In such a state, you will never manage to learn how to harness nature energy."


    His words surprised Fujin. Ryu waited for Fujin to digest them and continued, "Stop being so impatient. For your age, you are very strong. Your attacks can even threaten me. Instead of worrying and taking needless risks, slow down and focus on all-round development. You still have a lot of time ahead of you."


    Ryu''s words made Fujin think. After a couple of minutes, he let out a sigh and thought, ''He is right. I have been too restlesstely. I am too worried about the Fourth Great Ninja War and increasing my strength. However, my restlessness might be the biggest obstacle.''


    He took a deep breath and said, "Thank you, Ryu."


    Ryu nodded. In thest couple of years, he was quite impressed with Fujin''s intelligence and maturity. He knew that he didn''t need to say more. He said, "Rest here for as long as you want. You can fly back on Kaito."


    Fujin nodded. He was about to leave when he recalled something. He said, "Ryu, I have created a new seal. I was wondering if I could leave one with you. It works on the principle that if I destroy my seal, it will cause the corresponding seal with you to catch fire. I can use that in times of danger and inform you to reverse summon me immediately."


    Ryu replied, "That sounds handy. Unfortunately, we, Winged Sabertooths, sleep for long periods and at times engage in battles with other worthy foes. If it doesn''t catch our attention, then you''ll be left in danger with false hope. Stick to the traditional method with us as it doesn''t take very long.


    That said, leave the seal with me. If you can''t even summon Goro for some reason, then you can use it as ast resort and pray that you are lucky."


    Fujin agreed and handed him a paper tag simr to the one he had given his squad. He rested for a day on Mount Muteki. While Fujin rested, the situation in the elemental nations became turbulent once again. Ryoichi reached Kusagakure and reported all the events to Ashikaga Hiroshi, the leader of Kusagakure.

 Chapter 312: The Difference between Iwa and Suna

    Hiroshi''s expression became grim. He muttered, "It hasn''t been even a month since the Iwa and Konoha armies withdrew from our borders. I thought the situation would calm down since Suna no longer made any strange moves. Instead, they shed inside our country. And Iwa even deployed their Jinchuriki while Konoha sent someone who could fight a Jinchuriki!"


    Ryoichi said, "Kagawa Noriyuki was probably aware of something. That''s why he had issued a secret mission to Konoha. So we can''t me Konoha."


    Hiroshi shook his head and said, "No. The fact that their Anbu Captain was The Spectral Swordsman shows that they had ulterior motives as well. But you are right. We can''t me them. We can''t afford to offend both viges.


    Besides, I have already received multiple messages from Mizukoshi. The area around the town is extremely damaged. Even the town walls have suffered a lot of damage. Fortunately, there weren''t many casualties.


    I have discussed this with Daimyo. He has already started the process ofunching a protest against Iwagakure by sending an official letter to the Earth Daimyo. He also sent a message to the Fire Daimyo and Waterfall Daimyo. A diplomatic process will begin soon. It should apply a lot of pressure on Iwa and Onoki."


    Ryoichi nodded. He had anticipated a simr action. The only thing that he didn''t expect was that Mizukoshi would send a message before he reached. He asked to see the messages to confirm that there were no falsehoods. To his surprise, all messages stated the truth other than the fact that Ide Tomoki feigned ignorance about any collusion with Iwa.


    Hiroshi said, "I have asked our ninjas to begin preparing for an emergency situation. You should join them. Your participation will increase their morale a lot. Help them increase their preparedness. Though I doubt Iwa and Konoha would start a war, I want to make them unwilling to start a war on ournds."


    Ryoichi nodded. Before he left, he said, "We need to investigate the Ide Family. Noriyuki was confident that they had invited the Iwa ninjas. In addition, they didn''t help us in the fight."


    Hiroshi''s expression became serious. He said, "I know. Don''t worry, I have already made my move. They won''t be let off easy."


    Iwagakure -


    The next morning, a letter from the Earth and Fire Daimyo reached Iwagakure and Konohagakure respectively. Onoki had just gotten to his office whileining about his back problems. Suddenly, the door mmed open and a ninja rushed in, "Lord Tsuchikage! We have an emergency letter from Lord Daimyo."


    Onoki looked at him and scolded, "Why are you creating such a ruckus? I almost pulled my back once again!"


    The ninja was quite used to the scolding and didn''t get offended. Kitsuchi took the letter and said, "Don''t mind father."


    He opened the letter and began reading. His eyes widened. He quickly handed the letter to Onoki and said, "This matter is serious."


    Onoki read the letter. His eyes widened. He muttered, "What the hell are those fools doing? Why did they create such a ruckus?"


    Kitsuchi asked, "Which mission were they sent on, Father? And why did you deploy Roshi? I could have gone if needed."


    Onoki replied, "I have to keep giving him and Han missions asionally to keep them active."


    As he was talking, he suddenly heard some footsteps. Roshi, Gin and a few Iwa ninjas appeared outside his office. Onoki''s eyes widened on seeing Gin''s right arm. He became serious and said, "Roshi, Gin stay here. Others leave. The ones who are injured visit the hospital."


    Everyone immediately obeyed. Only Onoki, Kitsuchi, Roshi and Gin were left in the office. Onoki tossed Roshi the letter and said, "Exin."


    While Roshi read the letter, Onoki asked Gin, "How did you lose your arm? And why did so few ninjase with you? Where are the rest?"


    Gin was an Elite Jounin. Though Iwa wasn''t in a bad situation like Suna, every Elite Jounin was precious. They were an important pir of their vige. They wouldn''t want to lose one pointlessly.


    Gin sighed and said, "I made an error and it cost my arm. Without Roshi''s help, I might have died. As for the others¡­ They were all killed."


    Onoki and Kitsuchi were shocked. Losing 19 capable ninjas in one single mission was a big blow. All of them had Chunin or Jounin ranks. Onoki became very serious and asked, "You mean that 19 ninjas died on the mission? Including Chiharu whose aid you requested?"


    Seeing Gin stand silently, Onokimanded, "Tell me everything that happened."


    Gin nodded and informed Onoki about the events from their ambush on the bridge until he retreated.


    A grim expression appeared on Onoki''s face. Gin''s n was appropriate. But other than the first move, nothing went ording to his n.


    He wondered, ''Since when did Konoha get the guts to openly kill 19 ninjas of my vige in one single operation? Is Hiruzen no longer afraid that we might not help them when Kumo attacks? Why did his Anbu not retreat after seeing such arge-scale attack? Or did he deploy them specifically to target us?''


    He muttered, "How did Konoha know that we would ambush the Kagawa family? And why did that old monkey send such a strong Anbu squad? Besides, who other than Danzo learnt Vacuum jutsus? Was it Hiruzen''s younger son?"


    Gin shook his head and said, "His fighting style and physique were very different. He is probably much younger. Someone who didn''t participate or didn''t gain any fame in the Third Great Ninja War."


    Roshi interrupted the conversation and said, "He was The Spectral Swordsman who gained fame over thest year. As suspected, he was from Konoha."


    Onoki frowned and said, "Konoha always raises new talent. Fortunately, I sent you. Did you bring his body back?"


    Roshi inly replied, "Unfortunately, I couldn''t kill him."


    Kitsuchi was surprised. He asked, "Even you couldn''t kill him?"


    Roshi''s strength was above his own and on par with Han''s. If he couldn''t kill him, it meant that only one person in Iwa could kill him. His eyes moved towards Onoki who looked visibly angry.


    Onoki got up and scolded, "Don''t you feel any shame in admitting that so bluntly? How did he get away from you? Tell me everything that happen¡­ Ugh"


    He immediately sat back in his chair and said in a pitiful voice, "I pulled my back again!"


    Roshi sighed at his old Kage''s antics and narrated his fight with Fujin. His words shocked Kitsuchi and Onoki. Both their expressions became grim. They recalled that in the past, Minato had managed to escape from Tailed Beast Bombs as well.


    After thinking for a bit, Onoki sighed and said, "Another fearsome talent has appeared in Konoha. And he will be even more troublesome due to his Wind nature. Kitsuchi, get to work and find out who this ninja is.


    Also, make ns to eliminate him. Considering his speed, Hiruzen might be nning on making him the next Yellow sh. He needs to be eliminated before the start of the next war.


    And send some spies to check on Konoha''s current strength. They are acting too brazenly. I am afraid that their strength might have already recovered sufficiently enough to start the next Great War or at least close to it."


    Kitsuchi nodded. Roshi waved the letter and asked, "What should we do about this?"


    Onoki replied, "I will just reply that the information is false. Even if Kusa provides proof, what can they do?"


    Gin became a bit serious and asked, "But what if the Daimyo gets offended and decreases our budget like what happened to Suna?"


    Onoki scoffed and replied, "Do you think I''m as weak and stupid as Rasa? The Earth Daimyo won''t dare to do something like that. If he dares to, I''ll just reduce him and all the Nobles to dust."


    Kitsuchi and Roshi weren''t surprised by the im. However, Gin''s eyes widened. But he didn''t say anything. After all, though Onoki often suffered from back pain and looked silly, he was still his Kage.


    Onoki noticed his expression and said, "You are thinking too much. Even if I kill the Daimyo, we won''t suffer any consequences. After all, Rasa looks like he wants to do the same. If I do it, he will kill the Wind Daimyo as well. The Water Daimyo currently holds no power.


    So only Konoha and Kumo can try to attack us and Suna. But, there is no way they can cooperate properly with each other. It''s more likely that Kumo will take the opportunity to attack Konoha. Though we may enter the Fourth Great Ninja War, our strength will not be affected."


    Gin understood the situation and said, "I didn''t think about it so deeply."


    Kitsuchi added, "But, our rtions with the Daimyo are quite good. So things won''t deteriorate to that extent."


    Onoki nodded and said, "So you don''t need to worry about this. Leave and treat your arm first."


    Gin nodded. The meeting ended. Onoki wrote a reply to the Daimyo denying the usations. He wrote a letter to Ide Tomoki as well.

 Chapter 313: Consequences!

    Mount Muteki -


    Fujin rested the entire day and left Mount Muteki the next day on Kaito''s back. While flying high in the sky, Kaito asked, "Have you ever toured outside the continent you live on?"


    Fujin replied, "Nope. I haven''t even visited my continent entirely."


    Though his time in the Anbu had him make several trips, they were mostly within the Land of Fire and the weaker countries surrounding it. He hadn''t visited the Land of Water, Earth and Lightning much. And there were still some countries beyond them.


    Kaito replied, "Then you will be in for a hell of a ride. Enjoy the scenery. I''ll exin some important locations to you."


    Fujin replied, "Cool. I always wondered how the world outside the elemental nations is."


    He thought, ''I wonder how it willpare to my previous world. And whether there are other civilizations in this world.''


    Kaito flew the entire day without needing to rest. As someone who was addicted to roaming around the world, Kaito could fly for over 3 days without rest.


    Fujin rested his body while watching below. Most of what he observed was just a never-ending ocean. But, there were many inds that were full of life. However, Fujin didn''t notice a single human living there.


    He asked, "Kaito, do no humans live outside the continent I live on?"


    Kaito replied, "I don''t recall seeing any. But I have barely seen around 15 to 20% of the world. So there might be some in other ces. But the chances are low."


    Fujin was puzzled. He asked, "Why is the chance low?"


    Kaito smirked and answered, "You will understand it soon."


    Fujin sighed. He recalled that Kaito loved showing rather than telling. The two continued their journey. It was his way of making others apany him rather than losing interest after hearing the answer. Though Fujin was stuck with him regardless, his habit couldn''t be changed so easily.


    Land of Grass, Mizukoshi Town -


    Ide Tomoki was sitting in his office. It was alreadyte in the evening. He had two letters in front of him. One was from Onoki while the other was from Hiroshi. And his expression was very ugly.


    He thought, ''These guys! Hiroshi has left me with no choice. Though he hasn''t asked me to admit that I colluded with Iwa, the price he is asking me to pay is unreasonable. My family will have no chance of rising any further for decades. Instead, we may have difficulty maintaining power here as well.


    But, Tsuchikage''s proposal is too drastic. He said that Iwa won''t be able to support me any longer. So he is rmending breaking off from the Land of Grass and bing a part of the Land of Earth. If I do that, I will be able to maintain all my current territory. In addition, I can also get morends in the future if Iwagakure is sessful in war.''


    He fell into a thought. After a long time, his expression hardened. He muttered, "Kusagakure is leaving me with no future. But Iwagakure has not only promised me a better future, but they aren''t even trying to force me to make a decision. Though I don''t want to betray my birthce, the choice I have to make is obvious!"


    He immediately called 3 of the 5 most influential Nobles in the city. They were the closest to him and his family. Half an hourter, Tomoki, all his family members and 3 Nobles gathered in the meeting room. Tomoki exined to them the contents of the two letters and informed them about his decision to join the Land of Earth.


    His deration shocked everyone in the room. No one even considered such a drastic step. But after thinking for a bit, his family members agreed with his decision. Just the Nobles hadn''t said anything.


    A couple of them were extremely opposed to the idea. Hiroshi''s restrictions would restrict the Ide Family and not them. However, the third Noble got up and walked to Tomoki. He bowed and said, "Tomoki-sama, no matter what you decide, my Sato family will always support your decision."


    A smile appeared on Tomoki''s face. He said, "I am honored to have a loyal friend like you, Sato Seiya."


    He looked towards the remaining 2 Nobles. They immediately cursed in their mind, ''This fucking bootlicker!''


    They were heavily outnumbered by the Ide Family in that small room. Both knew that they wouldn''t leave alive if they didn''t agree. Just when they were about to speak, their eyes widened in shock.


    Ide Tomoki had a look of disbelief on his face as his eyes moved andnded on Sato Seiya. Seiya had stabbed a knife in his chest when he was looking at the other two Nobles. He asked in disbelief, "Why?"


    Seiya looked into his eyes and said, "Hiroshi-sama instructed me to pass a message. These are the consequences of betraying the vige."


    Those were thest words Ide Tomoki heard before closing his eyes forever. His family finally snapped out of shock. 2 teenagers shouted in grief with tears running down their cheeks, "Father!"


    At the same time, more than a dozen ninjas rushed at Seiya with killing intent. However, Seiya was unmoved. 6 ninjas appeared next to him. They were elites from Kusagakure that were sent by Hiroshi. Within minutes, every member of the Ide Family, no matter if they were old or young, male or female, guilty or innocent, were all killed!


    Sato Seiya watched the ughter without a trace of pity in his eyes. He looked at the two Nobles and said, "By themand of Kusagakure and Daimyo, the Sato family will be in charge of Mizukoshi from now. Do you have any objections?"


    Both immediately shook their heads. They were still in shock at how swiftly and brutally the Ide family was eliminated. Seiya said, "Good. Spread the word around the town. The Ide Family betrayed Kusagakure by colluding with Iwagakure and killing Kagawa Noriyuki. As a result, they were eliminated. I will be the new Lord of the city."


    Both nodded and immediately left the ughterhouse. After leaving, one said, "I never thought that Seiya would betray Tomoki for power."


    The other shook his head and replied, "From the performance, it might be more appropriate to say that he was a pawn Kusagakure nted next to Tomoki long ago. It''s scary to think about. I''m d that neither of us decided to betray our country. We need to check the backgrounds of our subordinates once again. I don''t want to die as miserably as the Ide family."


    The news of Tomoki''s betrayal spread like wildfire in Mizukoshi and then throughout the Land of Grass. His death directly crushed Onoki''s ns. The citizens of the Land of Grass also began hating Iwagakure for pulling such a stunt in their country.


    However, Onoki wasn''t bothered much. After all, Iwagakure''s reputation in the Land of Grass was already very bad. It didn''t have any effect on him if it worsened any further. After all, why would it matter if an ant hated you a little or a lot? Both situations were the same in Onoki''s eyes.


    Around the time Tomoki was killed, Yugao, Fumito and Bunjiro finally reached Konoha. They reported to Hiruzen and informed him about how the mission went. Hiruzen had already received a letter from Daimyo. So he had some ideas, but their report cleared the picture for him.


    His expression became grim as he analyzed, ''Why did Onoki send Roshi on such a simple mission? Was he aiming for something else? And, where is Fujin?''


    He looked at the trio and asked, "Which seal did Turtle give you?"


    Yugao replied, "Captain said that it was a simple seal he created himself. If he crushed the seal that was with him, it would cause our tags to vibrate and burn."


    Hiruzen asked, "What if it was destroyed?"


    Yugao replied, "In that case, our tags wouldn''t activate."


    Hiruzen eased a bit and thought, ''This means that he shouldn''t have died. I was worried. Roshi is very strong. He can pose a danger to me as well. As for those seals¡­ I recall a couple of simpler seals. I guess hebined two to create this effect. It is very convenient to pass simple instructions.''


    He said, "Alright, you can leave. Until Turtle returns, take a break."


    The group nodded and left. They returned to their Anbu room and changed into their usual attire. Bunjiro asked, "Is there anything we should do?"


    He was worried. It was the first time that he returned from a mission with one person short.


    Fumito shook his head and asked, "What can we do in this situation?"


    Yugao added, "We can''t help Captain. The only thing we can do is train harder so that the next time we can help the Captain instead of just escaping."


    Fumito nodded. Bunjiro decided, ''I thought that I already trained hard. I will need to train harder. Otherwise, I might never be able to catch up to him.''


    Determined, all three dispersed. Unknowingly, Fujin added fuel to the fire burning in the hearts of his three subordinates. If Hiruzen knew it, he would be extremely pleased with his decision to assign them under Fujin.

 Chapter 314: The Dangerous World!

    While the Ide family was eliminated and his subordinates returned to the vige, Fujin was enjoying flying under the starry sky. This journey expanded his horizons a lot. Kaito had shown him various sights and numerous wild beasts including some species he had never seen before. He even informed Fujin about locations and information of stronger wild beasts from whom he stayed away. Fujin saw a couple of mountain ranges that were on par with Mount Muteki in height.


    Finally, around midnight, they reached a location from where they could see nothing but water. There wasn''t a single ind in sight. Kaito suddenly flew very high in the sky.


    He said, "This is the sea surrounding the elemental nation continent. For thousands of kilometers, there is nothing but water. I haven''t seen a single ind in this area. This is one of the reasons why I said that the chances of finding humans elsewhere are low. After all, who would continue sailing for thousands of kilometers despite finding nothing but water?"


    Fujin fell into thought. He analyzed, ''Though this world doesn''t have aircraft, the ships are quite well developed. Though they are poor technologically aspared to my previous world, especially in maps and radars, it should be better than what was in the medieval era in my world.


    In addition, they are much stronger in terms of defense due to ninjas. Surely there would have been some adventurous folks who made it all the way through.''


    He asked, "What are the other reasons?"


    Kaito chuckled and replied in an evil tone, "These oceans have terrifying beasts living within them! I have seen at least 13 who are as strong as my father. Some are even stronger. Even if someone as strong as you sailed these oceans, the chances of making it through alive would be very low.


    And I am not even considering the natural cmities that suddenly happen in the ocean. Numerous times I have seen a giant whirlpool forming out of nowhere. At times, a giant tide arises without any prior signs.


    Even if a ninja strong enough to defeat the stronger beasts and ovee any cmity sailed, they would have to suffer countless attacks from smaller beings in the ocean. They will definitely damage the ship and leave you stranded in the middle of the ocean. Eventually, all of them will die."


    Fujin was surprised by the answer. He hadn''t expected the calm ocean to be so dangerous. However, instead of being afraid, he let out a chuckle and said, "Perhaps after the wars are over, I should build a good ship, gather a few friends, wear a straw hat and sail these waters. Hahaha."


    Kaito asked, "Why a straw hat?"


    Fujin replied, "You won''t understand."


    Kaito was confused. But he replied, "Alright. Call me if you do so. That sounds like an interesting adventure."


    Fujin replied, "Sure."


    Kaito said in a mocking tone, "Though I won''t join you, I would love to see you struggle from the sky. If you die, I''ll be sure to weep for you and inform everyone back home about your heroic demise."


    Fujin had a deadpan expression. He thought that Kaito was genuinely interested in that adventure. He replied, "Don''t worry. If I am in such deep trouble, I will be sure to summon you down. I''m sure those gigantic beasts would prefer eating someone big instead of someone tiny like me."


    The two continued their banter all night. After all, Fujin couldn''t sleep due to the soldier pill and there was nothing interesting to see other than the stars in the sky.


    The night slowly faded away as the first glimmers of dawn lit up the horizon, painting the vast ocean below in hues of gold and pink. The first rays of sunlight kissed the water, setting it aze with a thousand shimmering lights. A sense of serenity washed over Fujin as the vast expanse filled with awe-inspiring solitude.


    A smile appeared on Kaito''s face. He said, "No matter how many times I see this, it always feels as serene and refreshing as the first time. It''s one of the reasons why I fly so much!"


    Fujin nodded. The sight reminded Fujin of the first time he rode on Ryu. Noticing how engrossed Fujin was, Kaito let out a chuckle and said, "Look towards the right."


    Fujin saw to his right but couldn''t see anything. Kaito said, "It''s very far. Use your chakra."


    Fujin''s eyes began glowing as he focused chakra into his eyes. As there were no obstacles, he was able to see for extremely long distances. At the same time, Kaito began flying higher into the sky.


    At first, Fujin enjoyed the sight of sunlight grazing the ocean surface. However, as Kaito kept going higher, he noticed a strange wave. Despite travelling for so long, he hadn''t seen any waves in the ocean. It was extremely still.


    As Kaito kept flying higher, Fujin finally understood what the strange wave was. His eyes widened in surprise. It was a whirlpool. He muttered, "What a fucking gigantic whirlpool!"


    Kaito agreed. He said, "That whirlpool always changes in size. At the smallest, it has a radius of 25 kilometers. And at its highest size, it exceeds 100 kilometers in radius. Underneath it lives a fearsome beast. It is a nine-headed Hydra. The entire whirlpool is caused by it."


    Fujin was stunned. He asked, "That freaking thing is caused by an animal?"


    Kaito nodded and said, "Around 200 years ago, my Grandfather and 3 of his siblings were attacked by it when they were flying over. Father said that all four of them were as strong as he is now. And still, they were defeated. They barely managed to make it out alive and were severely injured. From that moment, flying over that whirlpool is forbidden for us."


    Fujin replied, "I am surprised that flying over this Ocean isn''t forbidden for you considering that it was that strong 200 years ago. If it is that strong, then it is almost as strong as the Tailed Beasts. Without the Tailed Beast Bomb, it might even have an advantage."


    Kaito said, "I don''t know what that attack is. But our Sage did say that the Tailed Beasts are stronger. But I haven''t seen either of them in action. So I can''t give my opinion."


    Fujin thought, ''It will be interesting to see what would happen if I drop Isobu in this whirlpool. Will it kill the beast or force it to withdraw? Or will it be forced to retreat? And how much damage will it take?''


    Suddenly, he had an idea, ''Now that I think about it, this might be a very easy way to subdue Isobu. Just have to move him here and make these two fight. Zetsu shouldn''t be able to keep an eye on this ce. It is the perfect n.


    Or would have been if I had any means of transporting Isobu so far. Even the Flying Thunder God shouldn''t allow me to do that unless my chakra is at a ridiculous level.''


    He looked at the whirlpool and wondered, ''Were those whales I saw while using the summoning jutsu from this ocean as well? Now that I think about it, it''s fortunate that I appeared there and not next to this monster. That water flow alone is insane. No ship will be able to survive that. Let alone face that beast inside.''


    Kaito continued flying forward. En route, he shared the location of another strong beast. This one wasn''t as strong as the Hydra but still very strong. By afternoon, they finally sawnd!


    Fujin observed thend but couldn''t identify where it was. He asked, "Which country is this?"


    Kaito replied, "This should be an ind in the Land of Water."


    Fujin replied, "I see. So Mount Muteki is to the East of this continent."


    Kaito nodded and said, "Yes. Though more like it is on the other side of this world. You''ll reach it even if you fly West. But the journey is around twice as long."


    Fujin replied, "Alright."


    At the same time he thought, ''Now that I think about it, I haven''t ever been to the Land of Water. A shame that I can''t start my organization yet. This would have been the best ce to recruit from. I might have even found a few kids with Kekkei Genkai with some luck. That said, I wonder how Shigeki is doing.''


    Unknown to Fujin, his former sensei was doing the very same thing in the Land of Water. Except for the fact that it was a mission from the vige rather than some personal ambition.


    Fujin decided against stopping in the Land of Water. After all, he had already created conflicts in the remaining 3 major viges. Against Kumo, his squad had killed over a dozen ninjas, which was followed by Jiraiya killing more than 250. Against Suna, he had created a giant mess. And not long ago, his team killed 19 Iwa ninjas and injured an Elite Jounin. He didn''t want to create a mess in Kiri as well.


    By evening, Kaito flew over the vast Land of Water andnded inside the Land of Fire. The two bade farewell. Fujin stretched his body and thought, ''This is the first time I flew for almost 36 hours straight. Luckily his back is quitefortable toy on.''


    He moved towards Konoha. The spot Kaito dropped him at was very close to it. So he reached within an hour and directly went to see Hiruzen.

 Chapter 315: Konoha Under Attack???

    Hiruzen was surprised to see Fujin return so quickly. He emptied his office and asked, "So, how was the fight with a Jinchuriki?"


    Fujin sighed and said, "Very difficult. I almost died. Why isn''t there any information about Roshi being able to use the Tailed Beast Bomb? He caught me off guard."


    Hiruzen let out a sigh as well. He answered, "The abilities of Jinchuriki are too strong. If I put it out in public, then panic will spread among the citizens. Even with the little information everyone has, they are still terrified."


    Fujin furrowed his eyebrows. He said, "I can understand about hiding it frommon people. But why are Anbu and Anbu Captains not informed about them?"


    Hiruzen replied, "Because you are not supposed to engage them. Even an Elite Jounin has to retreat on sight. Only rank S ninjas have the ability and permission to engage with them. Even a Jinchuriki who has no control over their tailed beast can lose control and unleash its full strength."


    Fujin thought for a bit and said, "That makes sense. But there''s still no reason to hide the information. There are so many ways with which we can neutralize them before they can unleash their full power."


    Hiruzen''s expression hardened. He replied, "You shouldn''t be neutralizing them. That can directly lead to a major war. Jinchurikis are the backbone of those countries. Harm them and other countries will think that we are decreasing their strength in preparations for a war. It will cause them to ally with other countries."


    A frown appeared on Fujin''s face. He asked, "But isn''t that Anbu''s job? Every mission I took in thest couple of years restricted other viges in one way or the other."


    Hiruzen shook his head and answered, "All those acts were subtle. They left no links or proofs pointing towards us. And they were far from the bottom line of other countries."


    Hiruzen could see that Fujin wasn''t beingbative with those questions. Otherwise, he might have had to reevaluate Fujin.


    Fujin replied, "Alright. But pass me information on the other Jinchuriki. I don''t want to be short on information again."


    Hiruzen nodded and asked, "This matter aside, describe the battle between you and Roshi."


    Fujin nodded and briefly narrated the battle. Though he didn''t show it on his face, Hiruzen was shocked to know that Roshi had to resort to that form to defeat Fujin. Fujin''s performance far exceeded what Hiruzen had expected.


    He said, "You did well. Don''t be discouraged by the result. Roshi is a veteran of two Great Wars and one of the strongest ninjas in Iwa. But avoid fighting Jinchurikis. Even if it was someone weaker, they will give up control to the beast inside them when their life is at risk. When that happens, not only will you be at risk, but so will your teammates and themon citizens around that ce."


    Fujin nodded and said, "I need some time off. I''ll need to get my back looked at."


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "Take the next 5 days off. But meet up with your team once. And meet up with Eagle tomorrow or somedayter. He will have a scroll with the necessary information. I have another rank S mission nned for you after 5 days. It won''t be an Anbu mission, but a secret mission in another squad that I will assemble. So get back into your best shape."


    Fujin thought, ''I was hoping for at least 5 weeks¡­ But unfortunately, it doesn''t look like he will let go of me that easily. Sigh, if I didn''t need the Wind Crystals and ess to section A, I would have quit right away. Though I don''t think he would stop me from essing the library, I don''t see him allowing me to use the training rooms after quitting the Anbu.''


    He replied, "Alright."


    He left the office and went straight to the Konoha Hospital. Meanwhile, Hiruzen turned his attention to the report on his table and thought, ''No wonder Onoki didn''t try harder to increase his influence in Mizukoshi. They suffered a thorough defeat despite Roshi winning against Fujin. And, the information regarding Fujin is far more valuable than a pointless town.''


    Having been a part of every Great Ninja War, Hiruzen knew what the most important factors in the war were. And as someone with a simr level of experience, Onoki also understood it. Once a ninja like Fujin matured, he would be a nightmare on the battlefield.


    Not only could he cut through the enemy ranks with ease, but he could also stay back and amplify the fire jutsus of thousands of ninjas from Konoha. Both would bring a qualitative change to Konoha''s forces. Alternatively, he could also be assigned to assassinate stronger ninjas in enemy ranks.


    Hiruzen thought, ''If he continues at this trajectory, Fujin''s ability to create an impact on the battlefield will far exceed Kakashi. It will be under only Minato and Tsunade''s abilities. Still, he is a bit too radical in his ways. Though it might be my fault considering the missions I have been assigning him.


    I will need to give some diplomatic missions to tone down his aggressive means. Not to mention, he already has sufficient experience in fighting and elimination missions. Any more won''t be much helpful unless he gets to face Elite Jounins or rank S ninjas. But that would be very risky.''


    Fujin rested the night in the hospital. Hiruzen ensured that the best medical ninjas tended to him. His back was inspected and healed several times until itpletely felt normal. To his surprise, thest person who healed him was a familiar face.


    Isamu looked at Fujin and said, "When Lord Hokage asked me to check up on a patient, I didn''t expect it to be you, Fujin."


    Fujin looked at Isamu and said with a smile, "Isamu-sensei. It''s good to see you after a long while."


    Isamu said with a grumpy tone, "Good my ass. You didn''t evene to say hi. I and Yoshi-sensei were still hopeful for you bing a medical ninja."


    Fujin shrugged and said, "I already told you I am not interested as of now. Besides, I don''t have any time. Lord Hokage keeps sending me on missions."


    Isamu replied, "Obviously. You are still young. Besides, you are lucky to have not faced any war. Otherwise, you have to keep going even when you are injured or exhausted."


    Fujin nodded. However, unlike others, he knew that the next Great War was still quite far away. So he wasn''t concerned at that moment.


    Isamu asked, "So, where were you injured?"


    Fujin replied, "On my back, around 3 days ago. I had 3 broken ribs, but I healed them. Just came here to ensure everything is fine. But for some reason, you are the fourth medical ninja to show up here."


    Isamu thought, ''Obviously that reason is Lord Hokage. It looks like he needs Fujin ready for a mission rather quickly.''


    Isamu inspected Fujin back. The bones were already healed properly. However, Isamu was taken aback after inspecting his back with chakra. He wondered, ''How much does this kid train? Looking at his muscles and their wear and tear, it''s as if he has trained continuously for over a decade.''


    Isamu was surprised. Extremely few ninjas would put their bodies through such continuous training for such a long period. Even if someone was enthusiastic, they would lose that enthusiasm in a year or two. After all, after the initial boost in strength, the effects of training on the body diminish a lot. No visible effects would be seen. Most ninjas would stop training their bodies at that stage and focus on other skills.


    Isamu didn''t say anything and slowly healed the hidden issues and internal trauma that were caused due to constant training and fighting. He couldn''t help but sigh in admiration, ''No wonder Lord Hokage values him so much. If someone learning Medical ninjutsu also had such dedication, we might have another ninja of the same calibre as Lady Tsunade.''


    As his back slowly healed, Fujin''s back felt very rxed. In fact, he had never felt that good in either of his lives.


    Isamu said, "You don''t have any major injuries and I treated some old ones. Rest for the next couple of days. You can return back to training or missions."


    Fujin got up and nodded. He said, "Thank you. I don''t recall my back ever feeling this good."


    Isamu replied, "Every time you train or fight, some trauma umtes in your body. Over time, it umtes and can cause hidden injuries. If you train a lot, then visit me every 3 months or so. Your progress will be much faster and threats to your body will decrease if you get checked up once in a while."


    Fujin nodded and replied, "Alright."


    Isamu turned around to leave. A smile formed on his face. As he walked out of the door, he said, "Normally I charge 500 thousand Ryo for that treatment. But since I know you so well and want you to be a medical ninja, I will offer you a 50% discount. Take care."


    In a sh, he disappeared. Fujin watched with a deadpan expression. He cursed, "This damned world. Every freaking one is shameless!"


    Fortunately, money wasn''t an issue for Fujin. Even if he ever ran short on it, he knew numerous corrupt Nobles and officials. He wouldn''t bother thinking twice before stealing from them.


    Fujin left the hospital in the morning thinking, ''Isamu only asked me to rest physically. Should I continue Fuinjutsu training?''


    Fujin pondered for a bit before shaking his head. He decided, ''I should take a proper rest. After all, even my brain needs some rest. Perhaps a decent break would help me master those seals even faster. Oh well, time to indulge in some delicacies.''


    Suddenly, Fujin''s eyes moved andnded on a mask shop to his right. His eyesnded on a small ball that was releasing some smoke and the shopkeeper who was inspecting it. A momentter, the ball exploded with a loud sound, engulfing the shopkeeper and some early-morning customers around him in smoke!

 Chapter 316: What Moves?

    Fujin didn''t have any time to rescue them. He instinctively moved away and observed from a distance with a frown on his face. He wondered, ''Someone is nting explosions inside Konoha? But who? Don''t tell me that Iwa or Suna went crazy and decided to retaliate this way¡­ Wait, what''s this?''


    To Fujin''s surprise, none of the people were harmed by the explosion. Instead, the people engulfed by the smoke began coughing. Soon after, they covered their nose and mouth and ran out while feeling nauseated.


    Fujin had a weird expression upon seeing that sight. His eyes moved andnded on a corner of the street. He chuckled and muttered, "Now it makes sense. Still, my missionstely have been so intense that I almost considered this an attack¡­ I really need a long break!"


    In the corner, a blond goofball was struggling to contain hisughter. He jumped out andughed loudly, "Hahahahaha. You fell for it!"


    Without waiting for another second, he immediately began running away. Fujin watched in amusement as the shopkeeper ran behind him but was obviously much slower.


    Fujin''s eyelids twitched as he observed, ''This kid. He is purposefully moving slowly so that the old man can chase him. I almost forgot how much of an attention seeker he was before bing a ninja.''


    Fujin suddenly had an idea. A malicious smile appeared on his face as he decided, ''If Hiruzen doesn''t give me ess to the Flying Thunder God jutsu after I be a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster, I will teach Naruto a few simple Wind jutsus and give him some ideas to prank Hiruzen. That would be a satisfying sight.


    A shame that the old fox is just too damn capable. Otherwise, I would have definitely hidden around to click some pictures, haha.


    But that will have to wait for another year or so. He should be entering the penultimate year in the academy after the vacation. If I help him now and he somehow passes this year, then most of my future knowledge might be useless.


    That said, I doubt Hiruzen would allow him to graduate early even if he does well. Especially considering that the current situation is quite peaceful despite the asional movements. Not to mention, he might already have some ideas about putting him and Sasuke on the same team under Kakashi.''


    Fujin ignored the incident and walked to Yakiniku for arge meal! He spent the next couple of days visiting his favorite restaurants, spas and hot springs in Konoha to rx his mind and body. On the third day, 60 Shadow Clones began learning new seals while he did his intense morning workout and called his squad for a meeting in their assigned room.


    While waiting for them, he met up with Eagle and took the scroll that had information rted to the Jinchurikis. While reading, his teammates arrived one by one. In a few minutes, all four were sitting in that room. Bunjiro looked at Fujin and sighed in relief secretly, ''Fortunately, he is fine. I was worried for him.''


    Yugao and Fumito were also d to see him.


    Fujin asked, "So, did anything happen after I asked you to retreat?"


    Yugao answered, "Nothing much of importance. Ryoichi asked us to not spread the news, but now the decision lies with Lord Hokage."


    Fujin nodded and said, "True. Besides, I doubt such information can even be hidden."


    Fumito asked, "Why did you burn that seal?"


    Fujin answered, "I miscalcted his strength. He was too strong for me. So I had to retreat in a different direction."


    Bunjiro eximed in surprise, "He was stronger than even you?"


    Fujin shrugged and replied, "There are numerous people who are stronger than me. Anyways, it''s good to see that all of us are fine. We may not get a mission for a few days. So use this time to train or rest. I have a feeling that we will have very busy months ahead."


    Bunjiro replied, "Alright."


    The others nodded. Fujin dismissed them. After they left, Fujin looked at his Turtle mask and pondered, ''I used this mask to prevent being identified. But¡­ It was inevitable to be linked to the Spectral Swordsman after such a long fight. I exposed most of my cards as well. I might not have the element of surprise from now onwards. In fact, I am afraid that my real identity could bepromised as well. After all, how many ninjas use Vacuum jutsus? Now, should I still with this mask or change it again?''


    Fujin thought for a bit before shaking his head. He decided, ''It''s pointless. If my new mask is leaked, then the details of my teammates will also be leaked. And Yugao''s purple hair is just too easy to recognize. Oh well, it doesn''t matter much. At the end of the day, strength is all that matters! Even if they know me, how many can resist or defeat me like Roshi? And if it is needed, we can all use Transformation jutsu to prevent others from identifying us.''


    Having made his decision, Fujin put the mask back in his pouch. He was about to leave when Yugao entered the room again. Fujin was puzzled. He asked, "Did you forget something?"


    Yugao replied, "No. I just can''t resist my curiosity. My apologies for being unprofessional, but are you really The Spectral Swordsman?"


    Had Fujin not analyzed, he would have denied it. But since it wouldn''t have much effect, he nodded and said, "You are too obsessed with your sword. Yeah, I am. But don''t spread it around."


    Yugao nodded. After catching a glimpse of his fight with Roshi, she had expected it to be the truth. However, she couldn''t help but think, ''I never would have guessed that the infamous Spectral Swordsman would be someone so younger than me.''


    She immediately asked, "Can you teach me swordy?"


    Fujin immediately shook his head. He barely had any time for himself. How could he waste it training someone else? But he knew that he couldn''t deny so bluntly. He immediately thought of a convenient excuse and replied, "My style ispletely different than yours. I won''t be able to teach you. You should continue learning from the one you currently are."


    A frown formed on Yugao''s face. She quickly said, "I know that I can''t change my style now. But I can still learn a few moves from you and incorporate them into my swordy."


    Fujin tilted his head and asked, "What do you mean by moves?"


    Yugao was confused by the question. She answered, "I mean something like my Hazy Moon Night or the Dance of the Crescent Moon."


    Fujin shook his head and said, "I don''t know any sword moves."


    Yugao was surprised. She asked, "What do you mean?"


    Yugao had always assumed that Fujin wasn''t taking her seriously. She never expected such an answer. Fujin chuckled and replied, "What moves do you need to learn with a sword? It''s a sword. It has sharp edges. Just grab the handle and hack or stab the ones you want dead. Or block an iing attack. It is very simple and uplicated, isn''t it?"


    Yugao was stunned by the answer. She thought about it deeply. At first, it seemed like Fujin waspletely bullshitting her. However, the more she thought, the more sense Fujin''s answer made. She realized, ''That''s right. Other than shing and blocking, there isn''t anything to swordy. Even my techniques can be broken down to just shing. But, is it really everything to his swordy?''


    This wasn''t an answer Fujin had made up. In fact, it was something that he had realized when Renjiro was teaching him. Renjiro''s own swordy was based on this principle. When he had asked Renjiro his opinion on the various dance forms of Swordy, he had a simr answer.


    After thinking for numerous months, this was the answer Fujin had reached. His swordy didn''t have anything fancy. It was just in old shing and stabbing. He just added wind chakra to enhance its lethality to an extreme. While he did have some variations in flying shes, those were more of a Wind jutsu rather than a sword move.


    Yugao looked at Fujin while recalling the wind sh released from his sword. Fujin noticed her gaze and realized what she was thinking. He said, "That is everything to my swordy. I just use chakra flow and change it to wind nature to enhance its sharpness and range. There are no otherplications in my sword skills."


    Yugao thought for a long time, but couldn''t think of a response. Fujin let out a sigh and said, "That''s why I said that you should stick with your current master. My ways will just confuse you. If you want, you can try to learn chakra flow to strengthen your current moves. But apart from that, there is nothing else I can contribute."


    Yugao calmed herself and replied, "Alright. Thank you for the guidance. I''ll stick with my current methods for now."


    Fujin nodded. That was indeed the best. She took her leave. Fujin sighed in relief, ''Fortunately, she didn''t ask me to teach her chakra flow. Now, should I go raid the Wind Crystals in training rooms or should I try improving my wind jutsus and perhaps creating new ones?''


    Fujin already had a few ideas for new jutsus. And he had thought of proper training ns to learn them. However, he shook his head and decided, ''No. I won''t be able to sustain training for a long time as my clones have the majority of my chakra. I''ll go raid those wind crystals.''


    He moved to the Wind Training Rooms and began meditating.

 Chapter 317: Infiltration

    Three dayster, Fujin was summoned to Hiruzen''s office. He quickly went to his office in his regr ninja outfit. After entering, he noticed that there were 4 other ninjas there. Yugao looked at Fujin and gave a small nod in acknowledgement. Fujin gave a small nod back.


    The other faces were familiar as well. They were Genma, Yamanaka Ken and the head of the T&I department, Ibiki. Ken recognized Fujin instantly. After all, Fujin had left quite an impact on him during the mission where Fujin acted as the bait against the Bounty Hunters. Ibiki and Genma looked at Fujin for a few seconds before recalling who he was.


    Ibiki was the first one to recognize him. He said, "Suzuki Fujin. I didn''t expect you to be assigned missions with us so soon."


    Genma nodded. Just like Ibiki, he recalled judging Fujin during thest round of the Chunin Exams.


    He thought, ''I didn''t expect him to be capable enough to be deployed on the same mission as us. Did he train his Wind jutsus to such an extent that he can aid Jounins? Or did he develop some other speciality?''


    Fujin nodded and replied, "It''s good to see you as well."


    He looked at Hiruzen and asked, "So, what''s the secret mission?"


    Hiruzen looked at the door and said, "Wait for some time. There is still one ninja yet to arrive."


    Fujin nodded and waited patiently. After a couple of minutes, everyone looked at the door.


    Kakashi walked in and said in an unapologetic tone, "Sorry for beingte. I was on my way here when I saw a ck cat cross my path, so I had to take a different route."


    Yugao, Ibiki, Ken and Genma gave Kakashi a deadpan look. Meanwhile, Fujin was confused. He wondered, ''I know that he tends to bete by a few hours. So why is he apologizing for beingte by just a couple of minutes?''


    Hiruzen replied, "It''s fine. You are here after all. Close the door."


    He thought, ''That is why I asked you toe 3 hours before everyone else.''


    He looked at a corner of the room and said, "Leave and activate the privacy seals."


    The four Anbu guards, hiding in the room, immediately left the room. All windows were shut close and seals were activated. Realizing the importance, everyone in the room became serious.


    Hiruzen said, "Recently, there have been sightings of some Suna ninjas sneaking into the Land of Fire. Their activity is especially high around the Fire Capital."


    Fujin immediately realized, ''Is this in regards to those six unlucky fellows?''


    Hiruzen noticed Fujin''s change of expression and said, "That''s right Fujin. Some time ago, when I was returning from a diplomatic visit, the Patrol camp I was staying at was attacked by a squad of six Suna ninjas. They were neutralized. But more of them have entered the country.


    We have located the base they gather at. You six will be transforming into those 6 ninjas and entering that base. Your mission has two parts.


    Firstly, kill or neutralize every Suna ninja there. And secondly, gather information. You can check their memories or resort to any other means you want to."


    Apart from Fujin who knew why the Suna was acting like this, the other ninjas were shocked. After all, Suna was supposed to be their ally. However, they didn''t question Hiruzen. After all, every one of them was an active or former Anbu. They knew about the dark undercurrents that flow in the ninja world.


    Hiruzen provided everyone with more details about the six ninjas they were supposed to impersonate, the ns, expected enemies and other minute details. In the end, he said, "Kakashi will lead this mission. But since their leader, Hideyoshi, specialized in Wind maniption and because Fujin saw him in action, Fujin will disguise as him."


    Everyone nodded. Since Fujin was suppressing his chakra, Ibiki and Genma were surprised that he was given such an important role. But both knew the importance of replicating minute behavior patterns during such missions. So they understood why Hiruzen asked him to do it.


    Since everyone had arrived prepared for the mission, the group left right away. They travelled for six hours straight before finally halting.


    Ken muttered, "A base so deep into the Land of Fire. They have guts."


    Ibiki replied, "It is safer to create a base here rather than in the border regions or close to any cities or towns. No one would suspect them normally. If it wasn''t for that squad unluckily attacking Lord Hokage, we might not have found this base."


    Kakashi said, "That''s enough chit-chat. We will first transform into the faces they were originally disguised as. When we are intercepted by the Suna ninjas, we will dismiss this transformation and transform ourselves into their original appearances at the same time. Is everyone ready?"


    Everyone nodded. Kakashi instructed, "Good. Fujin, take the lead. Remember to act arrogant. As for others, keep a close eye. Once Fujin attacks, we will follow up. Kill without letting anyone run away."


    Everyone immediately transformed into the disguises that Hideyoshi and his teammates were using and continued moving towards the base. After travelling for another mile, they sensed a chakra field scanning them.


    They continued moving. Around half a mile from the base, 12 Suna ninjas appeared in front of them. Of course, all were disguised as Konoha ninjas. One of them spoke, "This is a restricted area by the order of Lord Hokage. Turn away or identify yourselves."


    Fujin snorted and said, "It''s me."


    A smoke cloud appeared around him. His appearance transformed into Hideyoshi. At the same time, the other 5 also transformed. Yamanaka Ken transformed into their sensor, Naomasa while Ibiki transformed into Kaname.


    Seeing their appearances, the Suna ninjas sighed in relief. However, they were still vignt. One of them transformed into his real appearance and said, "It''s good to see that you are safe, Hideyoshi-sama. The council was worried about you since we haven''t heard from you for over a month. They were even wondering if they should cancel the entire operation."


    Fujin walked ahead and said, "Yosuke, we were ambushed by that damned Copy Ninja. We were fooled. Somehow, that Copy Ninja had already escaped through all the perimeters we established. We fought several rounds with his squad and had to go into hiding."


    Yosuke was surprised. He asked, "You encountered the copy ninja? Doesn''t that mean¡­"


    Fujin nodded and continued, "Yes, reindeer. We have to ask Lord Kazekage to stop wasting manpower there and focus here."


    Hearing the word ''reindeer'', the Suna ninjas sighed in relief. In order to prevent anyone from infiltrating their secret base, the Suna ninjas were made to follow a certain protocol. The first was to show their real face. The second was to call the name of the ninja who talked with them urately. And the third was to call him reindeer.


    Since the conditions were satisfied, Yosuke said, "Wee back Hideyoshi-sama. Please exert your chakra so that I can confirm your identity."


    While the above means were good enough in most circumstances, they weren''t good enough in the Land of Fire. Konoha had the Yamanaka n that could read memories. That is why Suna had ced a capable sensor in charge of the secret base. He remembered the chakra signatures of the important ninjas so that he could cross-identify them.


    Fujin exerted his chakra. The amount of chakra he exerted was just higher than the amount of chakra Hideyoshi had used against Choza.


    Yosuke observed him and nodded, ''Simr chakra signature, just more than the amount I sawst time and shows off his affinity to wind. Just like I remember. Looks like there shouldn''t be any issue.''


    He also asked Kaname and Naomasa to show their chakra and identified both their chakras as well. As for the other three, he didn''t remember. He said, "Come¡­"


    However, Fujin interrupted him and said, "Enough wasting time, let''s go to the base. I have important information to report to Lord Kazekage. If we don''t report this, then we will suffer during the next war."


    Yosuke nodded and quickly weed him to the base while thinking, ''His arrogance is still the same.''


    Suna''s n was almost foolproof. While some ninjas could replicate the chakra signatures as well, such ninjas were very rare. They would either be very capable sensors or experienced jounins. More importantly, reading memories from a dead ninja wouldn''t allow a Yamanaka to copy their chakra signature. The ninja had to see and observe it properly, only then they could do so.


    Unfortunately, Hideyoshi''s squad ran into Hiruzen of all people. That encounter sealed the fate of all ninjas in the secret base.


    He was able to memorize the chakra signatures of all 6 ninjas at a nce and could replicate them well enough for all of Kakashi''s team to copy it. Even Fujin had forgotten Hideyoshi''s chakra signature and only managed to replicate it with Hiruzen''s help.


    The Konoha ninjas walked into the base along with the Suna ninjas.

 Chapter 318: An Intense Confrontation!

    As they walked into the base, Fujinmanded, "Call everyone. I have important information. Konoha''s forces have been moving. Theing period will be very critical. If we make a mistake, the entire operation will be a failure and we may be wiped out!"


    Yosuke realized the gravity of his words and nodded and said, "Alright."


    He immediately asked a subordinate to call everyone. The group entered into an underground base. Within a minute, 28 Suna ninjas arrived in the meeting room. Fujin observed them and thought, ''Hiruzen''s analysis was right. None of them is Elite Jounins. 11 are Jounins while the rest should be special jounins or close to that level.''


    Yosuke said, "This is everyone currently here."


    Fujin nodded and asked, "How many have gone to the Fire Capital?"


    Yosuke answered, "9 have currently infiltrated the Fire Capital. Four more have infiltrated other cities."


    Fujin had a grim expression. He said, "The other cities are fine. But Konoha has sent their Sannin, Jiraiya the Gant into the Fire Capital."


    The eyes of the Suna ninjas widened in fear. Though none of them had faced Jiraiya, they knew the horror of the Sannins. After all, one of the Sannin was directly responsible for Sunagakure''s horrible defeat in the Third Great Ninja War against Konoha forcing Sunagakure to sign an alliance agreement with Konoha.


    Yosuke said, "Wha¡­"


    Suddenly his eyes widened and he immediately ducked down. Among the 28 ninjas, only 12 others managed to react and quickly jumped or ducked.


    Taking advantage of their distraction after mentioning Jiraiya''s name, Fujin used Vacuum Serial Wave jutsu at the Suna ninjas. 15 died without even reacting!


    As soon as he attacked, the 5 Konoha ninjas flickered.


    A loud chirping-like sound was heard as Kakashi appeared in front of Yosuke. Yosuke saw the attacking. Thoughts ran rapidly through his mind, ''Vacuum jutsu and Lightning jutsu? They aren''t Hideyoshi''s squad! We were fooled. But how? Was Hideyoshi''s squad killed? Not good¡­''


    He wanted to fight back. Unfortunately, he waspletely outmatched. Kakashi pierced his heart with the Chidori.


    Yugao flickered behind one of the Chunins that survived and shed her sword towards the back of his neck. The Chunin quickly tried to move forward while throwing a shuriken behind him. Yugao moved forward while dodging the shuriken and cut his head off.


    At the same time, Ebiki also killed one Chunin while Genma and Ken began fighting a Jounin each.


    Fujin himself flickered in front of a Jounin and shed at him. The jounin had just dodged the Vacuum Wave. He grabbed his kunai and tried to block the sword. Unfortunately, Fujin sliced straight through the kunai.


    The Jounin''s eyes widened. He quickly stepped back and stretched his head backwards in order to dodge the sword. He managed to barely dodge the sword by a few millimeters. Unfortunately, his throat was still sliced through.


    The remaining Suna ninjas finally collected themselves and realized the grave danger they were in. Their survival instincts kicked in and they began retaliating.


    Two Jounins appeared focused on Kakashi and appeared on his sides.


    ''Wind Release: Wind Sword jutsu''


    ''Wind Release: de of Wind jutsu''


    Seeing the dangerous Lightning chakra on his arm which was still lodged in Yosuke''s chest, they didn''t dare to fight him using Taijutsu or Kenjutsu.


    Kakashi withdrew his arm, weaved a hand sign and mmed his hands on the ground. The earth quickly raised up and formed a dome around him just in time. The wind des hit the dome leaving some scratches on it.


    At the same time, Ibiki and Yugao were also attacked by one Jounin each.


    One Jounin noticed the chakra flow on Fujin''s sword. He grabbed his own sword and attacked Fujin. Wind chakra flowed through his sword as well.


    Meanwhile, one opened a scroll and made the confrontation hand seal. A wooden puppet that looked like a Cactus appeared. It had needles sticking to its entire body! The Konoha ninjas were instantly rmed.


    Thest ninja retreated to the back of the room and crushed a seal. A bird was released and it quickly flew out of the underground base. He began weaving hand signs.


    The puppeteer moved his fingers. Three mouths opened up on the puppet. It fired needles at Fujin, Ibiki and Yugao.


    Almost instantly, all three aligned themselves such that they would be covered by the Suna ninjas who had attacked them, forcing the puppeteer to stop his attack.


    As soon as he stopped, the sound of chidori was heard once again. Kakashi''s hand pierced through the ground and grabbed the leg of one of the Jounins who attacked him. Taking advantage of the cover of the Earth dome, Kakashi had escaped underground and snuck under his opponent. He released a massive amount of lightning into his body! He was electrocuted to death on the spot.


    Fujin and his opponent fought with their swords. Fujin couldn''t cut through his opponent''s sword. But he wasn''t worried. Using his position, Fujin built his chakra. His cheeks puffed up. His opponent, who had seen Fujin firing those dangerous waves, was rmed.


    ''Wind Release: Vacuum Cannon jutsu''


    Fujin fired a Vacuum Cannon. His opponent was expecting an attack simr to air bullets and moved to his right preemptively. Unfortunately, he underestimated the power and speed behind Fujin''s attack. The Vacuum cannon hit his left arm and severed it in an instant.


    In addition, due to their alignment, the Vacuum Cannon was headed straight at the Cactus puppet. The Puppeteer couldn''t even react as the jutsu annihted the puppet! The Vacuum Cannon continued forward through the walls of the underground base for 20 meters before stopping.


    The attack horrified the Puppeteer. He immediately focused his attention on Fujin. Meanwhile, Fujin thought, ''Tsk¡­ I should have targeted the Puppeteer instead.''


    He didn''t have any time to think about it or do a follow-up attack. Despite the loss and incredible pain, the Jounin he was fighting didn''t flinch. He immediately took advantage of the fact that Fujin was open on his left and attacked with the sword in his right hand.


    Fujin stepped to his right while raising his left hand. The seal on his bracer lit up and a sword appeared in his left hand as well. Almost instantly, wind chakra began flowing through his sword. His opponent''s sword shed with his and was stopped.


    His opponent''s eyes widened. He screamed, "Impossible!"


    A smile appeared on Fujin''s face. Now his opponent waspletely open. His other sword immediately moved towards his opponent aiming to hack him in two.


    ''Wind Release: Air Bullet jutsu''


    Fujin''s smile soon changed into annoyance and he immediately jumped backwards. Realizing their threat, the Suna Jounin, who sent the bird out, targeted Fujin and Kakashi. Half a dozen bullets were fired at each of them.


    Kakashi immediately withdrew back under the ground to avoid the attack. As for Fujin, he stepped backwards and maneuvered his body to dodge all 6 air bullets in time.


    Fujin''s opponent attacked him again. At the same time, the Puppeteer grabbed another scroll while throwing a purple ball into the hole that Kakashi had escaped into. He made the confrontation hand sign once again. Another puppet appeared while the purple ball exploded, releasing poisonous gas into the hole.


    Kakashi immediately jumped out from another spot and mmed his hands on the ground again. Both the holes in the ground were sealed, trapping the poisonous gas underground.


    However, that was enough time for the Puppeteer to take control of the second Puppet. It was shaped like a Crocodile. It opened its mouth and shot needles at Kakashi. At the same time, the other Jounin used the de of Wind jutsu to cut off Kakashi''s escape route.


    Kakashi mmed his hands on the ground once again. A wall rose in front of him, blocking all the needles. Since the des of wind were aimed at his escape routes, he didn''t need to avoid them.


    The Puppeteer looked at Kakashi and Fujin and thought with a frown on his face, ''The battle has entered a deadlock. I need to poison one of them quickly. Otherwise, we may be wiped out here.''


    Unfortunately, for him, the situation didn''tst. Genma and Ibiki neutralized their opponents at the same time. Almost instantly, they sneak attacked the ones fighting Yugao and Ken.


    Realizing the danger, the Suna ninja at the back shot Air bullets at Ibiki and Genma to slow them down. The crocodile puppetunched its poisonous scales at them as well, blocking them and saving the lives of the Jounins fighting Yugao and Ken.


    Unfortunately, this reduced the pressure on Fujin. Without the support from the Puppeteer and the Wind ninja hidden in the back, Fujin went on the attack immediately. He shed his right sword vertically at his opponent''s head.


    Realizing the danger, the opponent blocked it with his own sword. However, at the same time, he saw Fujin''s other sword heading at his waist. He immediately jumped up and barely managed to dodge it as well. Unfortunately, Fujin shot an air bullet at point-nk range. Due to the close range and his feet being off the ground, he couldn''t dodge. It pierced his heart and he dropped dead.


    At the same time, Kakashi neutralized the Jounin that was engaging him. Both turned their gaze towards Puppeteer and the ninja hiding behind him. Their gaze made their scalps tingle in fear.

 Chapter 319: Ruthlessness!

    After the first round of assaults, Suna had 8 ninjas against Konoha''s 6. But when Ibiki and Genma killed their opponents, they equalized the numbers. And after Kakashi and Fujin killed their opponents, it became 4 Vs 6. All Suna ninjas realized the inevitable result of that fight.


    The Puppeteer observed the situation. His heart ached at the fact that 24 of his fellow ninjas had been killed in less than a couple of minutes. He looked at Kakashi, who had stopped disguising himself, hatefully and shouted, "Retreat!"


    The Suna ninja in the rear immediately left the base. The ones fighting Yugao and Ken also tried retreating but were stopped by Ibiki and Genma. At the same time, Fujin and Kakashi moved towards the Puppeteer. However, their eyes widened and both stopped.


    The Puppeteer made the confrontation hand seal. His crocodile puppet exploded! Numerous hidden mechanisms were fired in all directions! Even the two Suna ninjas in the room were targeted. At the same time, purple gas began spreading out.


    Fujin and Kakashi were shocked at the brutality of the attack. The first person who was hit was the Puppeteer himself. His body was turned into a pincushion!


    Both Kakashi and Fujin immediately jumped underground. So did the remaining 4 Konoha ninjas and one of the two Suna ninjas. But, surrounded by four Konoha ninjas, he was killed as well.


    Kakashi and Fujin ignored that ninja and immediately travelled far away from the base before exiting the ground. Fujin immediately spread his chakra field. A frown formed on his face as he said, "I can''t sense him. He must be good at Wind Instantaneous Body jutsu!"


    Kakashi nodded and said, "The Puppeteer provided a good opportunity for him to escape. Who''d have thought that he''d be so ruthless."


    Fujin nodded. There were numerous people who could act ruthlessly against others who are weaker or helpless. But to be the same with themselves was extremely rare.


    In half a minute, their allies crawled out of the ground as well. Ibiki looked around and asked, "He managed to run away?"


    Kakashi nodded. Ibiki sighed, "This means that the mission wasn''t entirely sessful. With him on the run, we won''t be able to use this base as a trap to catch and kill any Suna ninjas that might return here."


    Kakashi replied, "They had managed to send a message out. It would have been tough to do that even if we killed him. It''s fine. I''m just d that all of us are alright. The fight was much tougher than I had anticipated."


    Everyone nodded. Despite the overwhelming victory, the fight was very close. One mistake could have caused a few deaths on their side.


    Ibiki turned his attention towards Fujin. Though there was no expression on his face, he was shocked by Fujin''s abilities. He thought, ''This kid is very good. I thought that he''d be the weakest in the group. But he is second just to Kakashi.


    No, in terms of impact, it was higher than even Kakashi. After all, that first attack killed more than half of them and allowed us to kill a few more. Despite using such a deadly jutsu, there was almost no sign of him preparing it. No chakra leak was detected. And he properly diverted their attention just before attacking.''


    Genma had the same thoughts running through his mind. With a chuckle, he thought, ''I guess our evaluation was incorrect. Using him as a support would be a big waste of his talents. I guess no one''s a better judge than Lord Hokage.''


    He looked at Yugao and analyzed, ''I had heard that Yugao was recently assigned to a different Anbu squad. And seeing how familiar they acted with each other on our way here, they should be in the same squad. Or more likely, she should be in his squad.''


    Fujin agreed with Kakashi as well. He thought, ''These guys were very good. I was expecting to cut through them with ease as there wasn''t any Elite Jounin among their ranks. I guess fighting underground in a small room yed a huge role. It heavily restricted movements and prevented me from taking advantage of my speed.


    If I had attacked in the open, I wouldn''t have been at any risk. Unfortunately, it wasn''t possible to do so in these circumstances. Apart from the underground base, they wouldn''t have assembled at any other spot.''


    Kakashi looked towards the base and said, "The Poison will begin leaking into the surroundings. Send Shadow Clones to neutralize the poison and recover the dead bodies. Once the poison on them is cleaned, read their memories, Ken."


    Everyone nodded and sent Shadow Clones to the base. The poison had begun leaking out from the opening to the underground base. The Shadow Clones used various methods to neutralize the poisonous gas in order to ensure that the surroundings weren''t affected.


    While the poison was being dealt, Kakashi quickly wrote a report and summoned a dog and asked him to give it to Hiruzen.


    By then, the poison was finally dealt with. The Shadow Clones brought the dead bodies out of the bases one by one. Yamanaka Ken''s Shadow Clone ced his hand on one of the dead ninja''s head to read his memories. He inserted his chakra into the head. A momentter, his eyes widened. He muttered, "This???"


    Kakashi''s clone asked, "What''s the issue?"


    Ken''s clone replied, "I can''t read the memories."


    He quickly began checking the memories of the dead bodies that still had their brains intact. However, he couldn''t read any memories! His face was very dark. He said, "The poison that Puppeteer used is the one that affects the neural system. Though I have the antidote that Lady Tsunade created, it works on alive humans and not dead ones. So I can''t read any memories."


    The remaining clones were shocked. Fujin''s clone paid attention to his words. Unfortunately, Ken didn''t say anything about reading memories that he didn''t already know.


    Ibiki''s clone said, "No wonder he chose to explode the puppet. It wiped away all information. Now Konoha can''t pursue Suna even if we wanted to. They can just disown these ninjas or try to pin the me on us. In addition, we can''t know what their exact ns were."


    Kakashi''s clone nodded and said, "Fortunately, we know that there are 9 Suna Ninjas in Fire Capital and four at other ces."


    Ibiki''s clone responded, "Yeah, but Fire Capital doesn''t really have Jiraiya. We can''t snuff them out. Finding them will be difficult unless they make a move."


    Genma''s clone chuckled and said, "It''s fine. We will let Lord Hokage worry about it."


    Involuntarily, Kakashi, Genma and Fujin''s clones nodded while Ken and Yugao''s clones looked at him with a deadpan expression.


    As no one had any ideas, Kakashi''s clone sealed the dead bodies into a seal that Kakashi had handed him. Though the dead bodies didn''t have any memories, the bodies themselves could provide a lot of information. All the remaining clones dispelled themselves while Kakashi''s clone handed him the scroll before dispelling.


    After getting the memories, Kakashi sighed and said, "Let''s wait here till Lord Hokage sends another squad with the mission to either create a new base or set up a parameter. Until then, let''s keep an eye out. If any Suna ninja returns, we will neutralize him and check his memories."


    Everyone nodded. They dispersed into teams of two and kept an eye out for anyone who''d stumble there.


    A bit after Midnight, Hiruzen received the message from Kakashi''s summon. Since he was expecting the message, he stayed in his office. He read the report and analyzed, ''One ninja managed to escape. And he also sent a messenger bird. Looks like keeping this a secret from Suna won''t be possible. We can''t use this base to lure more ninjas from Suna and kill them.''


    A frown formed on Hiruzen''s face as the situation caused him a headache. ording to Shikaku''s n, Kakashi''s squad should have killed all the Suna ninjas. After reading their memories, they would impersonate them and lure more ninjas from Sunagakure and kill them, creating a death trap for Sunagakure. By the time they realized, their losses would have already exceeded the eptable levels and they would be forced to back off.


    He analyzed, ''Now Sunagakure has two choices. In addition to the squad that we killed earlier and the two killed in the Fire Capital, 35 Suna ninjas have met their demise in the Land of Fire. They can either stop, or they will attack using different routes. Either by creating a new base, or more likely, giving individual missions to every ninja as we did.''


    Hiruzen sighed and muttered, "I should have sent stronger ninjas there. Preferably a squad full of Elite Jounins."


    Unfortunately, such a squad was rather difficult to assemble. Most of the Elite Jounins in Konoha were n Leaders or retired from active duty. They wouldn''t agree to participate in such a small matter. The few Elite Jounins he could deploy were already stretched thin due to other important matters. For instance, Renjiro was currently in the Land of Water while Eagle was in the Land of Birds.


    He shook his head and thought, ''Leave it. Even that wouldn''t have been a guaranteed sess. They probably were on guard against such a situation. The result we wanted was too idealistic. I''m sure Shikaku has nned for such a situation.''


    Without any hesitation, Hiruzen decided to pass the headache to Shikaku. He deployed four Anbu squads to relieve Kakashi''s squad and maintain an eye around the base.


    Unlike Hiruzen, a certain person couldn''t pass his headache to someone else.

 Chapter 320: Suspicions!

    Despite it being a couple of hours past midnight, a loud banging sound could be heard. The man in the house grumpily woke up and walked to the door while muttering, "I should have made the door out of gold and created spikes on the surface. At least then no one would bang so loudly!"


    He opened the door to see a messenger. The messenger quickly said, "Lord Kazekage, there is an extremely important matter."


    Without giving Rasa any opportunity to speak or respond, he handed him a scroll. Rasa opened the scroll and his eyes widened. However, soon a look of tiredness appeared on his face. He let out a sigh and said, "Ask the council to meet tomorrow morning."


    The messenger nodded and left. Rasa ignored Temari and Kankuro, who were woken up by the loud banging, and walked back while reading the scroll again. He thought, ''Another loss against Konoha. The base waspromised. The status and the number of the ninjas in the base are still not known. We need to revamp our ns in the Land of Fire.''


    Rasa had grown sick of the recent incidents with Konoha. Ever since the day Fujin had stepped into the Land of Wind, he kept receiving one bad news after another! No matter how much he analyzed, calcted and nned, he waspletely helpless in every instance. He even took action himself but never found an opponent to crush.


    Not wanting to ruin his sleep, he kept the matter aside and went back to bed.


    The next morning, every Council member gathered in the Council Meeting room. Goza asked, "What''s this meeting about, Lord Kazekage?"


    Rosa put forth 2 scrolls on the table and said, "I received these two scrolls. The first one is an emergency message sent from the secret base we established in The Land of Fire saying that the base was discovered by Konoha."


    The expressions of everyone in the room became grim. They all understood what getting exposed so deep within enemy territory would mean.


    Joseki gritted his teeth and asked, "How did Konoha find out so quickly?"


    Ryusa added, "Yeah, we took so many measures while building that base. It shouldn''t have been exposed so quickly."


    Rasa said, "It''s due to Hideyoshi''s squad that went missing."


    Rasa pointed at the other scroll and said, "I received this scroll a few hourster. It was sent by Takara Osamu. He said that Konoha ninjas disguised as Hideyoshi''s squad and entered the base. They knew all the three codes and could imitate the chakra signatures well enough for Yosuke to not be suspicious."


    His words stunned the room once again.


    Ryusa asked, "How is that possible?"


    Goza had a grim expression. He asked, "Could Hideyoshi have betrayed us? There is no way Konoha would be able to pull something like this off without his assistance!"


    Tojuro shook his head and said, "But why would he betray us? Even if he wanted to for some reason, his subordinates wouldn''t want to. And they were strong enough to stop him."


    Gazo replied, "If he didn''t betray us, then that would mean that they ran into someone strong enough to not only kill them but also replicate their chakra signatures and prevent them from destroying their neuralwork."


    Unfortunately, he realized that Konoha had a few such ninjas. He grumbled, "Did they run into one of the Sannins?"


    He looked at Rasa and asked, "What happened to the base?"


    Rasa replied, "Before Osamu escaped, 24 of our ninjas had died and another self-destructed his puppet. He believes that everyone other than him might have died. As for Konoha, they attacked with just 6 ninjas. That is why he was able to run away. But, he gathered two important pieces of intel."


    Rasa''s face became very ugly as he said, "Hatake Kakashi was one of the attackers and was probably the leader of the group."


    The eyes of the Council members widened. For the past couple of months, they absolutely hated that name! Not only did he kill dozens of their ninjas, but he hid so well that even a thousand ninjas searching for him had to return empty-handed! And due to the vtile situation in the country, they couldn''t even call those ninjas back to the vige. This strained their already tight finances.


    Rasa continued, "And, the one who impersonated Hideyoshi could use Vacuum jutsus. He caught everyone off guard and killed 15 of the 28 ninjas in the base with his first attack."


    The council members were shocked again. Tojuro asked, "Did that bastard Danzo participate in this matter despite his old age?"


    Rasa shook his head and replied, "Probably not. Baki ended his meeting in the Land of Birds yesterday. Though nothing significant was achieved and the meeting had a lot of outside interference, Iwa gave him a piece of intel on thest day."


    Rasa opened a page on the Bingo book and ced it on the table. The council members looked at it and had a peculiar look on their faces. Rasa noticed their confusion and said, "He is Suzuki Fujin. Two years ago, just before we began mining in the Land of Hot Water, Kumo ced a bounty on this boy and stated that he could use Vacuum jutsus. But he hasn''t been seen outside Konoha since then. I guess he joined the Anbu.


    Right now he should be 14 years old. Iwagakure ninjas encountered him during a mission and they gave his information to Baki. They are sure that his strength is at Elite Jounin level and is very lethal. And, he is extremely skilled at Wind jutsus and Wind Vacuum Technique. Onoki believed that he might have a hand to y in incidents that happened in our country earlier."


    The Council wasn''t surprised that Onoki knew about the incidents that had happened. But all were shocked to know that a 14-year-old Konoha ninja not only knew Wind Vacuum Technique but was so good with it that his strength was considered to be at the Elite Jounin level.


    As for Fujin''s identity, Kitsuchi looked into all avable information on Konoha ninjas. His first suspect was Sarutobi Asuma, but he didn''t find any evidence of him using swords or Vacuum jutsus. Though that could be hidden, Asuma had been sighted when the Spectral Swordsman was killing his targets. So Kitsuchi stopped suspecting him.


    After days of looking into thousands of ninjas, he didn''t have any luck. But when he decided to check the Bingo book, he was surprised to see a 12-year-old with a 20 million Ryo bounty! On seeing that he could use Vacuum jutsus, Fujin became the prime suspect in the identity of The Spectral Swordsman. Kitsuchi became even more suspicious when he found out that Fujin hadn''t been on any mission after receiving the bounty.


    He shared his thoughts with Onoki who agreed with him despite not being 100% confident. Onoki thought, ''Regardless of whether he is the Spectral Swordsman or not, he is a young talent. He must have done something big for that brat Ay to be so pissed. But, taking action will be difficult for now. I need to find someone else who will do the job for me.''


    Onoki had heard that the issues in the Land of Wind were caused by a Wind affinity ninja. So he passed the information to Suna to let them make the first move. After all, it didn''t matter to him who killed Konoha''s ninja as long as he was dead.


    In the Sunagakure Council room, Ryusa sighed and said, "I had seen his bounty earlier. But I thought that Kumo was lying about his skills and he did something to offend them."


    Tojuro cursed, "Not only did those bastards steal Lord Second''s jutsus, but they are now the only ones to have ninjas that can use the Vacuum technique!"


    Gazo thought for a bit and said, "In addition, no information about him has leaked in the open apart from that vague information in the bounty. Having such power at merely 14 years means that he is sure to reach S rank when he matures. As expected of Konoha. Not only did they hype up the Copy Ninja to be the leader of the next generation, but they are also raising another in secret.


    That said, the culprit of the previous incident should still be the Copy Ninja. After all, from the reports, he was in a clutch. If it was this kid, then he would have used Vacuum jutsus to deter or eliminate our ninjas. At the very least, he could have tried to eliminate our Jinchuriki. But he didn''t."


    Rasa nodded and said, "I have the same opinion. But we need to keep an eye on him. In a war, an Elite Jounin that is an expert in Wind Release will be far more lethal when considering the vast number of Fire affinity ninjas in Konoha.


    We were already concerned about Hokage''s younger son, but even before he could reach his peak, Konoha already has someone else who is younger and probably stronger."

 Chapter 321: Dreaming Beyond Ones Capability!

    The Council members agreed with Rasa''s analysis. There were two main reasons for this. The first was that Fujin never used any Vacuum jutsu during his time in the Land of Wind.


    And secondly, on a subconscious level, they would rather want the damage done to them by someone who had gained fame, was the son of the White Fang and was taught by the Fourth Hokage, rather than someone who had no fame and was merely thirteen years old.


    Rasa asked, "Leaving his matter aside, what are your thoughts on the operation in the Land of Fire? Two of our ninjas were killed outside the Land of Fire. Now 27 are presumed dead here. And if Hideyoshi''s squad is assumed dead, then our total losses reach 35 ninjas. 1 Elite Jounin, 16 Jounins and 18 Chunins."


    The entire room went silent. Such losses would make their hearts ache even if it was wartime.


    After some time, Gazo broke the silence by saying, "Adding the previous losses, we have now lost 2 Elite Jounins and over a hundred ninjas in total."


    Ryusa sighed and muttered, "At this rate, we might have been better off not acting against Konoha."


    Tojuro immediately rebuked him and shouted, "Are you crazy? Even if we didn''t, we would have suffered the same losses in the future. Don''t forget the stuff that Danzo keeps pulling in the dark!"


    Ryusa looked back at him and said, "Stop yelling and tell us a good n if you think this was such a good idea."


    Tojuro snorted and said, "Of course, we have to continue attacking. This time, we should send more Elite Jounins. If the base had 3-4 Elite Jounins, then Konoha''s plot would have backfired. And instead, Hatake Kakashi and Suszki Fujin would have died! We need to make Konoha feel the pain for daring to scheme against us!"


    Ryusa replied, "We still don''t know how Hideyoshi''s squad was dealt with. And the base we created this time was destroyed after being attacked by just the Copy Ninja. What if the Sannins attack next time? All 4 Elite Jounins will die if they do. Can you ept the responsibility for such a loss?"


    Obviously, Tojuro won''t im responsibility for such a matter. He thought, ''Why is this bastard pushing the matter on me? Besides, even if Konoha killed 4 more Elite Jounins and a few dozen Jounins, so what? It''s not like they will dare to invade our country.


    The only thing that will happen is that Rasa''s position will be very shaky. And with numerous Elite Jounins out of the way, I will have a good chance to be the Fifth Kazekage!''


    He replied, "Then do you want to cower and tell Konoha that Suna is weak and they can walk over us any time without any consequences? As for the responsibility, did you forget that we still have Lord Kazekage to protect us?"


    Ryusa was about to argue back when Goza said, "That''s enough, you two. Don''t make a mockery of the council."


    Hearing his words, the two stopped arguing. Goza said, "Tojuro is right. We have to retaliate. Otherwise, we will look weak and will invite stronger attacks in the future. But, deploying Elite Jounins is too risky. So is creating another base in the Land of Fire.


    We should deploy ninjas individually with specific missions without letting them know about other ninjas and their missions. This way, even if someone is caught, they can''t leak intelligence about others. So our losses won''t suddenly be very high."


    Rasa nodded and asked, "Any objections to it?"


    No one said anything. Rasa said, "Alright, we will be deploying ninjas individually to target the Nobles in the Land of Fire. In addition, send a message to our current spies to dig for more information on Suzuki Fujin. If possible, keep track of his movements too, but don''t do that if it risks their cover. And, ask Sajo to stop looking for the Copy Ninja and instead focus entirely on rebuilding the citizen''s faith into Sunagakure."


    Everyone nodded and left the room, leaving Rasa alone in the room. Rasa stayed seated with his hands on the desk while in deep contemtion. After a few minutes, he let out a sigh and thought, ''Konoha ended the Third Great Ninja war in a very strong position, leaving the rest of the viges helpless against their might. Fortunately, they suffered multiple setbacks after the war ended.


    Though I wasn''t able to take advantage when the Nine Tails attacked and killed the Fourth Hokage or when Orochimaru betrayed them, the Uchiha Massacre provided us with a good opportunity. I began taking steps to break our alliance with Konoha and began preparing for a war against them in secret.


    Though I expected Konoha to catch wind of my intentions and retaliate, I didn''t expect it to be so strong. It''s almost as if the Uchiha Massacre didn''t weaken them and instead strengthened them. And despite such extreme actions, they don''t seem to be worried about us starting a war. The important question is¡­''


    Rasa became very serious as he contemted, ''Is Hiruzen thinking that I won''t dare to start a war? Or is he so confident in Konoha''s younger generation that he doesn''t mind a war?''


    Thinking about the younger generation, Rasa began getting a headache. He thought, ''Ever since the First Great Ninja War, Konoha always had excellent youngsters who quickly filled the shoes left by their predecessors. In fact, they have had the next generation step up even when their previous generation was still at its peak.


    Other nations are lucky to have 1 or 2 S rank ninjas in every generation. In fact, Iwa hasn''t had a non-Jinchuriki S rank ninja since Onoki. But Konoha produces S ranks every decade. If Hiruzen''s actions are due to his confidence in his younger generation, then should I even beunching a war?''


    Rasa had been thinking of starting a short war with Konoha for more than a couple of years. However, the recent losses Suna suffered against Konoha made him rethink his n. After all, he had already lost one big war in the past. In order to ensure that he maintained his position, he even got rid of the only other rank S ninja in Suna''s ranks from his generation.


    After thinking for a long time, he concluded, ''No, right now is the best time. The Sannins barely stay in the vige. All that leaves is an old Hiruzen and an injured Danzo. Though Hatake Kakashi''s fame exceeds even the Sannins at his age, in terms of aplishments, he iscking. And if Ipare it to Minato or his father, then it''s not evenparable. He probably needs another 6-8 years to reach my level. As for this new kid, he is still at the Elite Jounin level. He will need even longer.


    As long as I make a move within the next 5 years, I will have a good chance. But, the attack will have to be a sneak attack. And it needs to be done at an urate time.


    If I attack directly, then the Konoha armies will crush us just like thest war. And if I attack when the Sannins are nearby, I will have to face two or more S ranked ninjas by myself. The best time would be to attack Hiruzen when the Sannins aren''t in the vige.


    Once I kill him, we can cause some damage to Konoha and retreat. Then even if the two Sannins return to Konoha, they will be helpless to do anything to me. They won''t dare to march in the desert and would need to keep an eye on Kumo. And the Wind Daimyo will be helpless as well. That war will leave him no choice but to give us all the missions.


    But¡­ There are two main issues. Can I kill Hiruzen with a sneak attack? And what if the Sannins hide waiting for me to make a move?''


    Rasa analyzed the answers to both of his questions. Finally, he decided, ''As long as I catch him by surprise, I can kill Hiruzen! After all, he is far past his prime. But the main issue is Jiraiya and Tsunade. I need someone to keep them in check. An S rank ally!''


    Rasa thought for some time, but couldn''t think of anyone suitable. He thought, ''The only one thates to mind is Chiyo. But she is way past her prime. She lost to Tsunade in thest war. This time, she might not be able to even put up a challenge.''


    He thought of the remaining Kages but immediately removed that thought. In the end, he decided, ''I need to find a proper ally for the sneak attack. I will wait till I find one. If I don''t find any, then I will do my sneak attack after 5 years. I will have to depend on Shukaku to divert the Sanins or other strong fighters.


    In the meantime, I need to strengthen a few subordinates that are loyal to me. I will need a few Elite Jounins to block the n Leaders in Konoha.''


    Unlike the rest of the council, Rasa had given up on the hopes of achieving any sess in their current campaign against Konoha. Instead, he directly began preparing for a war against a vige that had three times more S rank ninjas!

 Chapter 322: Wind Style Genjutsu!

    The 4 Anbu squads dispatched by Hiruzen reached the base created by Sunagakure and took over themand from Kakashi. Kakashi and the rest began returning to Konoha. By noon, they were back in the vige, returning in exactly 24 hours.


    They met Hiruzen, handed him the scroll of the dead bodies and informed him about the poison. Hiruzen let out a sigh and thought, ''Other than elimination, this mission has failed on all parameters. Oh well, I''m sure that Shikaku has considered this situation as well.''


    Understanding the importance of the mental health of a Kage, Hiruzen didn''t bother nning for even a second before tossing another headache over to Shikaku.


    He said, "Alright, you did a good job in eliminating the infiltrators. I miscalcted their strength and didn''t think they would fight back so vigorously. Fujin, stay back. Others can leave."


    Other than Fujin, the rest left. Hiruzen tossed a scroll at Fujin and said, "This scroll has the Genjutsu that you requested. I''ll let you take a week off to master them. On the 8th day,e to my office at dawn. We will be having a couple more diplomatic missions. Burn the scroll after you are done and don''t use them lightly."


    Fujin nodded. He understood that Hiruzen wanted to keep the Anbu Guards in the dark regarding the exact matter. He said, "Thank you, Grandpa. I''ll begin working on them right away."


    Hiruzen nodded. Fujin kept the scroll and walked out while thinking, ''It took so long for them to read Susumu''s memories? Normally the memories get checked within a day¡­ Did Hiruzen keep them until today? But I don''t see any reason for him to do that.


    I guess reading memories to extract jutsus is a more difficult task. Or perhaps he wanted to check each and every memory before giving me the scroll in order to remove any issues or dangers in the jutsus or that might arise while learning them.''


    While Fujin headed to his home, Hiruzen entered Shikaku''s office and closed the door. Shikaku looked at Hiruzen and had a bad feeling. He muttered to himself, ''This look. He is going to dump another troublesome task on my head!''


    Hiruzen said, "Kakashi''s group returned. Their enemy used poison to ruin the neuralwork in dead people. The only one who wasn''t poisoned by it had his head destroyed by earth spikes. So we can''t read any memories from them."


    Shikaku raised his eyebrow and said, "I can understand a message being sent and someone escaping, but how did they fail so badly? Who did you send?"


    Hiruzen replied, "Kakashi, Fujin, Ibiki, Genma, Yugao and Ken."


    A look of annoyance appeared on Shikaku''s face. He muttered, "Why did you send such a weak squad? I rmended sending at least 4 Elite Jounins and two who are close to that level."


    Hiruzen shrugged and said, "I know, but you didn''t arrange to have that many Elite Jounins avable. I could just make do with the ones avable."


    Shikaku was stunned by the reply. He thought, ''Since when is arranging ninjas my job? It''s your job as the Hokage to assign missions and move the ninjas around!''


    Before he could reply, Hiruzen said, "Suna will soon start sending ninjas one by one in our country. Make ns to eliminate them."


    He turned around and sighed, "I have a few meetings to attend. So I will leave this matter in your capable hands."


    Shikaku watched as Hiruzen disappeared from his office without a hint of apology. His body slumped on his desk as he muttered, "What a troublesome old man. If he had informed me earlier, I''d have made Inoichi and Choza go instead of Ken and Yugao. Now I have to deal with another troublesome mess."


    While Shikaku was sulking, Fujin reached his home. He entered the basement and began reading the information in the scroll. In a few minutes, a look of admiration appeared on Fujin''s face.


    He thought, ''This Susumu guy was a genius. Such precise, delicate but stealthy use of Wind chakra. He would first hide his chakra from being sensed so that no one would realize the extremely minute amounts of chakra he emitted from his body. The chakra would turn into harmless winds and slowly enter his target''s body as they breathe the air.


    Right when the target is about to use a jutsu, he uses his chakra in his opponent''s body to influence the opponent''s chakra and make him fall into a Genjutsu. And this Genjutsu has only 2 effects. One, it will cause the jutsu to fail. And secondly, it will make the opponent think that he has sessfully used the jutsu.


    But other than this, there is nothing that this technique does. The winds pose no threat and the chakra that infiltrates the opponent''s body also doesn''t pose any threat apart from being able to cast a low-level Genjutsu.


    This is the ingenious part. Most experienced ninjas have a keen sense of danger. But since this jutsu doesn''t pose any threat, the ninja won''t feel any danger. The real dangeres from the jutsu that are aimed at the opponent.


    For instance, if I hadn''t sensed my chakra being influenced and used Body Flicker against Gaara, I''d have thought that I moved away when I hadn''t. His sand would have killed or at least gravely injured me.


    And the jutsu is so stealthy that even an experienced sensor would have difficulty sensing it unless he is actively looking for it. And the fact that it doesn''t need any hand signs adds to the stealth part. If I wasn''t on extreme alert due to being so deep in enemy territory and being heavily outnumbered, even I might have trouble detecting it.''


    Fujin was extremely impressed by Susumu''s ingenuity. However, he was more pleased with another aspect. While most other ninjas might struggle on the very first step, this technique was much simpler to learn for someone like him, who spent the majority of his time training Wind jutsus and improving his chakra control.


    Fujin closed his eyes. A blue aura appeared around him. He controlled the chakra and began slowly emitting it in the air.


    As the chakra left his body, it transformed into wind and mixed with the air in the basement. Fujin realized, ''I see. This is also excellent for sensing. Though the range is low, the uracy is remarkable. I doubt anyone would be able to hide when I use this technique. I guess killing him without Gaara''s distraction wouldn''t have been possible.''


    Fujin turned his attention back towards the technique and analyzed, ''Regardless, I am using a lot of chakra. I have to emit the chakra into the air without exerting any externally. The chakra emitted should be so low that no one should grow suspicious.''


    ''Multi Shadow Clone jutsu''


    4 Shadow Clones appeared around Fujin. All 4 began practising the art of emitting chakra into the air and converting it into wind while suppressing their chakra as low as possible.


    In the next hour, all 5 made rapid progress. Finally, an hourter, Fujin dismissed his Shadow Clones. He got a slight headache due to the memories he received. As all the memories and experiences mixed together, a smile formed on Fujin''s face. One of his clones had managed to sessfully learn the jutsu.


    Fujin began emitting chakra into the air. Slowly, his chakra spread in the entire basement! And the density of the chakra was so low that other ninjas wouldn''t be able to feel it unless they activated their chakra field or other abilities that could sense chakra.


    Fujin thought, ''First step achieved. And since the amount of chakra that I had to emit was so low, I still have most of my chakra. The next step is to send this chakra into the opponent''s chakrawork.''


    He created 1 Shadow Clone and sat on the ground. His clone nodded and emitted his chakra into the air. It engulfed Fujin''s position and entered him as he breathed in the air. However, a frown formed on Fujin''s face. He said, "I can feel the chakra entering my system."


    The clone thought for a bit and said, "I see. Though I emitted the chakra in the right way, I tried forcing it into your body. I''ll try it again."


    Fujin nodded. His chakra suddenly red and absorbed the chakra that his clone had inserted into his chakrawork. Since the chakra of the clone belonged to him, he had no issue in doing it.


    The clone began emitting chakra once again. This time, he didn''t bother focusing it around Fujin and instead, just let the winds flow. As Fujin continued breathing, chakra slowly entered his chakrawork. Over the next minute, Fujin continued inhaling the chakra.


    His clone observed Fujin and thought, ''This should be enough.''


    ''Double Vision jutsu''


    Suddenly, Fujin began seeing two clones in front of him. He disrupted his chakra and said, "That worked. Thest part is stopping me from using my jutsus."


    The clone nodded and said, "Let''s fight!"

 Chapter 323: Plans for a Signature Jutsu!

    Fujin nodded and stood up as his clone continued emitting chakra in the air. Fujin thought, ''The process is still quite slow. Susumu was able to influence my chakra almost instantaneously. But considering that he was waiting to ambush me, he might have set up the battlefield before I encountered his group.''


    Fujin''s clone said, "I am ready."


    Almost instantly, Fujin began kneading his chakra.


    ''Fire Release: Great Fireball jutsu''


    He exhaled a small fireball at his clone. His clone immediately moved backwards and raised two fingers. Wind began flowing around them.


    ''Wind Release: de of Wind jutsu''


    Multiple des of wind cut apart the fireball and dispersed the heat in the basement. He let out a sigh and dispelled himself.


    Fujin received his clone''s memories and began analyzing, ''I see. His genjutsu failed because he had too little chakra in my body. No, a more precise way of saying it would be that he couldn''t cast the Genjutsu with such less chakra.


    I guess I first need to learn how to cast this Genjutsu properly and then slowly decrease the amount of chakra I need to cast this genjutsu. Once it reaches the required level, I will integrate it into this technique. Now, who should I experiment the Genjutsu on?''


    Fujin thought for a bit. His first thought was Goro. But he shook his head and thought, ''No. The Flying Sabertooths are too sensitive to wind and chakra. They will easily detect my attempts. And influencing Nature chakra with normal chakra is difficult. Normal Genjutsus don''t even work on them.


    And since Hiruzen asked me to keep this technique a secret, I can''t ask for any other Konoha ninja to aid me. I guess I''ll have to keep having my clones use the Genjutsu on me. Oh well, it should be good training to improve my alertness against any foreign chakra entering my body.''


    Fujin created a shadow clone and continued his training. In three days, he mastered the Genjutsu and integrated it with the remaining technique. His clone kept casting the Genjutsu on him until he had 100% uracy. Of course, this was when Fujin didn''t try to disrupt his chakra.


    A smile appeared on Fujin''s face as he muttered, "Another deadly technique down. Thisbined with Vacuum Bullets or my sword is a deadlybination. Apart from Jinchurikis and Dojutsu users, very few might be able to withstand thisbination.


    And it still has some scope for improvement. For instance, Susumu only used it to stop opponents from using jutsu. But, I should improve it to stop opponents from even moving. I will just have to induce a Genjutsu that would make my opponent think that he has moved when he hasn''t.


    But, though this jutsu is strong, its effectiveness would depend on whether my opponent knows that I can do this or not. If they do, then they will be on alert. And I don''t expect that an alert rank S ninja will fall to this. They might even be able to use jutsus by frequently disrupting their chakra.''


    Fujin thought for a bit about how to use this jutsu effectively against rank S ninjas, but he couldn''te up with an idea. He shook his head and thought, ''Leave it. I have just learnt this technique. I''ll get ideas to improve as I use it in realbat.


    Regardless, this jutsu gave me a few good ideas. Until now, the Wind jutsus I use take effect instantaneously. Apart from Wind Clone, Wind Dragon and Wind Gale Wolf jutsus, which canst for a longer time and are more versatile. But this technique has got me thinking¡­''


    Fujin focused his chakra once again. A blue aura appeared around him and a vast amount of chakra was emitted into the air, transforming into winds.


    Fujin raised his hand and pointed his palm at the wind. He exerted control over the wind. However, he couldn''t exert much control over them. A frown appeared on his face as he exerted more chakra. Soon, he diverted the winds towards a nearby tree.


    The winds passed the tree like a gentle breeze. Fujin sighed and muttered, "This is difficult."


    He thought, ''Using the same concept, I want to emit my chakra into the air, transform it into the wind and then use that to attack my enemies. But to do that, I''ll need two... no three things.


    The first is that I need to have the ability to make these winds sharp. Otherwise, it''spletely useless. Next, I need to be able to control the direction of the winds so that I can urately hit my target. And thirdly, I need the ability to speed up the sharp winds at will.


    But, I am not able to do the first at all. And the other two are at a very low level.''


    Fujin analyzed his situation. After all, he knew a lot of Wind jutsus. The things they could do were several times moreplicated and devastating. So he didn''t understand why he couldn''t create what he envisioned. But soon, it clicked. He realized, ''I see. It''s because my jutsu doesn''t have any hand seals!''


    For a jutsu to be effective, chakra had to be manipted in a very precise method. Hand seals were the guide to aid in that process. But Fujin''s idea was all over the ce. Creating hand seals for it would be a very difficult and time-consuming process.


    He shook his head and thought, ''I can''t take the traditional route. It will need years to figure out the correct hand seals and their order. And the number of hand seals will be ridiculously high due to howplex the jutsu is.


    And for the jutsu to be effective, stealth is essential. So I will have to reduce the hand seals to zero after creating the jutsu. That alone will need several months. The time I don''t have and can''t afford to spend on just one jutsu with limited uses.


    More than the jutsu, what excites me is its potential. As my chakra grows and my control over the wind improves, this method could be my main method of fighting. In the future, this style ofbat might be what I am identified with. But that won''t happen if it is limited to a single jutsu.


    I will have toe up with an unconventional way to train this jutsu. Kinda like the 3 steps needed to learn the Rasengan. Rasengan after learning to just pop the balloon is very weak. After popping the rubber ball, it bes more potent but has limited usability. And at stage 3, it is a rank A jutsu which can be a signature jutsu for rank S ninjas! My jutsu will have to go through some simr stages.''


    Fujin made up his mind. However, he soon fell into another dilemma. He muttered, "I can''t work on this jutsu and learn Fuinjutsu at the same time."


    Fujin had to choose between the two. After a long struggle, Fujin let out a sigh and decided, ''I''ll stick to Fuinjutsu for now. Though this idea is cool, I can still make do with Infinite Breakthrough and Vacuum attacks. But Fuinjutsu is my hope to stand out even among the S ranks. Besides, I doubt Flying Thunder God can be learnt quickly. I can train for this jutsu when I reach a roadblock on Flying Thunder God training.''


    He decided to go out for dinner. En route, he couldn''t help but think, ''It sucks that I don''t have as much chakra as Naruto. I could have achieved so much with that amount of chakra and recovery speed.''


    Though his chakra reserves were exceptional, they weren''t evenparable to the weakest Jinchuriki. Unfortunately, there was nothing Fujin could do regarding it. It wasn''t as if Tailed Beast would fall from the sky, let itself be sealed in him and obediently provide him chakra.


    Fujin rested for the day and began focusing on Fuinjutsu the day after.


    On the appointed day, Fujin arrived at Hiruzen''s office. After interacting with him for a bit, Fujin sat quietly as he observed how Hiruzen interacted with the diplomats and a few n leaders on what should be negotiated with the Land of River and the Land of Grass. After a few hours of discussion, Hiruzen, his Anbu Guards, Fujin, Aburame Shibi and Kurama Illumi left the vige on the negotiating mission.


    The negotiations with the two countries went very simr to the negotiations Fujin had seen earlier. Just the resources traded were changed. Of course, Hiruzen did ask for Elemental crystals. To Fujin''s surprise, despite Konoha''s rtionship with them not being as good as with the Land of Tea or Noodles, they provided Hiruzen with more crystals than those countries.


    However, after thinking for a bit, the reason was obvious. Fujin realized, ''Ever since my promotion mission, Suna ninjas must be moving around erratically. They even dared to create a base in the Land of Fire. The Land of River should be nervous about these movements.


    As for the Land of Grass, that''s even more obvious. Iwa''s Jinchuriki entered the country and used a Tailed Beast Bomb very close to a town. This old fox is very good at extracting benefits. He waited until the right moment to visit these two countries and extracted the maximum benefit from them!''


    Unlike the time before, they didn''t encounter any attacks and returned back to the vige after a 3-day long trip. Following the trip, Fujin got busy with his Anbu duties. Eagle assigned his team missions at regr intervals. Fortunately, none of their missions went awry.


    Three months passed by in this manner. Though the viges were tense, no major issues red up until one fateful day¡­


    The Land of Water :


    Renjiro stood while looking in a direction with a solemn face. He sighed softly, "I bit off more than I could chew."


    A wave of Lava was heading straight at his team!

 Chapter 324: Breaking through a Siege!

    A few minutes ago :


    On one of the numerous small inds in the Land of Water, an inconspicuous house stood. In the house were 11 children and 3 adults. Suddenly, a person began knocking on the door impatiently.


    A man got up and opened the door. The person quickly entered the house. Panic and fear could be seen on his face. He said, "Renjiro-san, I sensed multiple ninjas heading towards this ind. I think the rebel faction is heading towards this ind."


    A frown formed on Renjiro''s face. He asked, "How many did you sense, Makoto?"


    Yamanaka Makoto shook his head and said, "I saw 4 ships heading towards this ind from the West. And I felt multiple chakra fluctuations from each ship. I didn''t dare to sense them or stare for too long."


    Renjiro nodded, "Good work. They might be just passing by here. Change your transformation jutsu to another appearance and keep the kids quiet. It''s best to not attract any attention."


    Makato nodded. He dispelled his transformation jutsu and then transformed into a youngdy and went into the room where the kids were and put them to sleep. The other two Konoha ninjas got serious as well. All four suppressed their chakra to civilian levels and waited.


    In the sea, on one of the ships, ady was standing on the bow while looking towards the ind. She had long, ankle-length, auburn hair. She asked with a serious face, "Is your information urate, Ao?"


    Ao nodded and replied, "Yes. I have received information that a group of people are kidnapping young children. Though I am not sure if they have evil intentions as all the children whose information I received were orphans and in a very bad state.


    But, there were many other simr orphans. Since only these kids were kidnapped, I''m afraid that it is one of the major viges trying to rescue and recruit young talent and probably kids with bloodlines."


    Mei nodded. She agreed with Ao''s spection. After all, over thest decade, her family had done the same in the Land of Water. The kids she rescued werepletely loyal to her and had a reason to get stronger.


    Ao added, "But if it is one of the four major viges, we need to proceed with caution. Though I doubt anyone would want to enter into our mess, if they do and decide to support the Mizukage faction, we will be in deep trouble."


    Mei nodded and said, "Let''s decide after seeing who it is. If we can kill them all, then we will do so and dispose of their bodies. The news can be blocked as well. For now, create a perimeter and send 20 ninjas to attack them."


    Ao nodded and flickered onto other ships to pass the instructions. Soon, all 4 ships reached and docked on the ind. The Konoha ninjas were rmed. But Renjiro said, "They might be here to restock supplies. Stay calm and don''t leak any chakra. But be prepared to run. If any issues ur, then we may have to fight or even kill our way out."


    Renjiro''s teammates had solemn faces. They were aware that the number of Kiri ninjas would be at least ten times their number. However, all of them were Jounins. And everyone had Water affinity and could travel rapidly in the sea. They believed in their abilities to escape from an enemy that would beposed of a mix of Genins, Chunins and Jounins.


    Akimichi Itaru asked, "But what about the kids?"


    Renjiro replied, "We will leave them here. The rebels are known to take young kids and provide them with proper care and training. So they won''t suffer."


    Renjiro''s teammates nodded.


    Afternding, Ao activated his Byakugan. He immediately noticed the 11 children in the house where the Konoha ninjas were. He whisperedmands to the Jounin leaders. Half the Kiri ninjas moved normally towards the market on the ind while the other half stayed near the ship. Ao and Mei waited on the coast.


    All of a sudden, 20 ninjas got in action and surrounded the house. 40 more ninjas moved and established a perimeter to prevent their targets from running away.


    Inside the house, a ninja sighed. Nara Kazuki said, "They are onto us."


    Renjiro nodded. And said, "Break out towards the East. Avoid killing to leave some room for negotiationster. Also, don''t use your secret techniques unless there is no choice."


    Outside the house, one ninja said loudly, "We know that you have kidnapped young children and are hiding inside the house. Surrender yourself and give the children to us if you want to live!"


    He waited to hear any responses. But he received none. His expression became serious as he thought, ''I can''t blow up the house. It might harm the children. But if we attack, then there might be some traps.''


    Without any other option, hemanded half of his ninjas to attack the house and while the other half prepared themselves to provide backup. Meanwhile, Mei and Ao kept an eye from a distance.


    As the 10 ninjas reached the house and were about to break in, the walls suddenly broke apart on their own! And hundreds of small spherical stones wereunched on the ninjas. The sudden attack caught them off guard. They were hit by the pebbles and immediately retreated back. The ninjas at the back immediately weaved hand signs.


    ''Water Release: Water Wall jutsu''


    A water wall appeared on all four sides of the house. The Kiri ninjas retreated through the water wall while the pebbles were stopped. However, instead of trapping the Konoha ninjas, they received an opportunity! They immediately broke out of the house and through the water wall on their East, that is, in the opposite direction of the ships.


    The Kiri ninjas were taken by surprise. Renjiro and Akimichi punched their opponents in the stomach, knocking them out. Nara Kazuki analyzed, ''Good, they are just Chunin levels.''


    They immediately broke through and began running. Renjiro observed the situation, ''5 ninjas in front of us, 2 Jounins and 3 Chunins. 3ing in from both directions. They will reach us. As for the rest, they are behind us.''


    He instructed, "Itaru, stop any attacksing from the rear. Kazuki, Makoto, slow down the ones on our nks."


    He immediately sped up towards the ninjas in front of him.


    Itaru weaved hand signs and mmed his hands on the ground. A gigantic wall appeared behind them. A bunch of water jutsus crashed into the wall and were halted.


    At the same time, multiple kunais with explosive tags appeared in the hands of Kazuki and Makoto. Both threw them at the ninjas running towards them from the sides forcing them to dodge and slow down.


    Meanwhile, the 5 ninjas saw Renjiro rushing towards them. A few of them threw Shurikens while others weaved hand seals.


    Renjiro used the snake hand sign.


    ''Earth Release: Iron Skin jutsu''


    His skin turned into ck and at the same time chakra appeared on his body. The shurikens hit his body and harmlessly bounced off. The two Jounins finallypleted their hand signs.


    ''Water Release: Great Waterfall jutsu''


    ''Lightning Release: False Darkness jutsu''


    The two jutsu merged together and rushed like a broken dam towards Konoha ninjas. Chakra appeared on Renjiro''s palms as he mmed his hands on the ground. The ground in front of him rose diagonally. The electrified water hit it and was diverted harmlessly away from the Konoha ninjas. Instead, it moved towards the ninjas chasing them from the rear.


    A frown formed on Mei''s face as she watched the sh. She muttered, "They are strong."


    Ao nodded in agreement.


    The 2 Jounins frowned. The one who used the Lightning jutsu began weaving hand signs again. He wanted to destroy the ground that Renjiro had raised.


    However, before he couldplete his hand seals, he and the remaining Kiri ninjas jumped and retreated. The ground under their feet transformed and spikes wereunched at them. Each of the 3 Chunins had 4-6 spikes pierced into their body while the Jounin who was weaving hand signs took a couple of hits. However, none of the injuries were mortal.


    But, before they could regroup, Renjiro flicked behind one of the Chunins. With a strike to the back of his neck, he was knocked out cold. In the next couple of seconds, the other two Chunins suffered the same fate.


    He flickered and appeared in front of the two Jounins. They grabbed their kunai and attacked Renjiro from both sides. Renjiro''s body was already covered with the Iron skin jutsu. He punched at one Jounin and kicked at the other, forcing them to block.


    Using the opening, Kazuki and Makoto appeared next to Renjiro and attacked the two Kiri ninjas, forcing them to retreat. Renjiro quickly flickered behind Kazuki''s opponent and kicked his back. The chakra enhanced kick cracked numerous bones in his back and sent him flying! Being outnumbered by these times and seeing how easily his fellow ninjas were overwhelmed, thest Jounin immediately retreated.


    The Konoha ninjas ignored him and began running away while defending themselves from the attacksing from their rear. To their relief, they reached the other end of the ind. Renjiro instructed, "Dive into the water and create 3 shadow clones. We will travel underwater in 4 directions."


    Everyone nodded. Unfortunately, before they could reach the shore, they noticed a silhouette standing on the water. She weaved her hand signs.


    ''Lava Release: Melting Apparition jutsu''


    She spat out a massive amount of Lava that headed towards the Konoha ninjas like a flood! It cut off their escape route and forced them to stop while the ninjas behind them closed the distance rapidly!

 Chapter 325: Threatening each other

    Makoto looked at the iing Lava wave and gulped. He muttered, "The rebel forces have someone who can do this?"


    Renjiro became serious as well. He thought, ''Terumi Mei¡­ It looks like the old man''s information was urate. Still, this isn''t enough to stop me. Unfortunately, I can''t ensure the safety of these three.''


    Renjiro fell into a dilemma. He was confident in running away by himself. But his teammates didn''t share his skill or stamina in the body flicker jutsu.


    After thinking for a bit, he let out a sigh and made up his mind. He weaved a hand sign and said, "Don''t fight. I will negotiate. They shouldn''t dare to kill us."


    Nara Kazuki sighed in relief. He thought, ''Good. I was afraid that he would try to leave. Renjiro might have managed to escape, but we wouldn''t have managed to do the same.''


    He looked at theva wave and realized, ''We made an error. We should have escaped when Makoto returned.''


    Renjiro mmed his hands on the ground. A deep, circr trench, with him as the center, appeared around the Konoha ninjas. Arge, inclined wall raised up from the ground along the inside part of the trench. The Lava wave hit the wall and fell into the trench. Once again, anotherrge-scale attack was directed away sessfully by Renjiro.


    Mei was surprised. She wondered, ''So strong? His wall sessfully blocked my attack and even diverted it. Who is this guy?''


    Before she could think further, her eyes widened. Thousands of spikes appeared on the surface of the inclined wall. Due to herva, the spikes looked red and extremely hot. Her expression became grim as she shouted, "Take cover!"


    The other Kiri ninjas didn''t need to be told twice. They could see the spikes as well. Immediately numerous water and earth walls were raised! However, no spike was fired. Instead, a voice was heard, "Terumi Mei, we aren''t here to create trouble for you."


    Mei asked, "So, why are you here? And who are you?"


    Ao appeared next to Mei as a part of the inclined wall crumbled, showing the 4 Konoha ninjas who had stopped using Transformation jutsu. Ao became serious as he said, "Senju Renjiro. Themander of Konoha''s forces that faced us in thest war!"


    Renjiro became serious as well. He analyzed, ''Two Elite Jounins, one with a stolen Byakugan and another spected to have two Kekkei Genkai. I could take on any of them in a one-on-one fight. But I can''t win against both of them in a head-on fight. Especially in water where I won''t be able to use my Earth jutsus effectively.''


    Though Renjiro was an expert at Water jutsus as well, so were most of the Kiri ninjas. Without Earth jutsus, he would get overwhelmed.


    Since the spikes weren''t fired, but still in position, Mei asked her remaining forces to stop attacking and asked, "What is an Elite Jounin from Konoha doing so deep into my country?"


    Renjiro replied, "Lord Hokage was concerned over the state of affairs in this country. He was worried for the children and sent me here to ensure their safety."


    Mei instantly knew that he was bullshitting her. She chuckled and asked, "To ensure their safety? Or to bring talented kids to Konoha?"


    Renjiro ignored her chuckle and replied, "The kids I rescued are at the house I was staying in. Lord Hokage''s orders were to wait here until the civil war ended and to hand over the kids to the winners if I think that they would be well cared for. If the Civil War continued for a long time or if there was a danger, then I would have no choice but to take them to Konoha with me for their safety."


    Renjiro''s words were loud. All the Kiri ninjas were circling the wall he had raised. Hearing his words made them reluctant to attack him. After all, they had seen what atrocitiesmon people had to go through due to Mizukage''s actions. Some of them had suffered in a simr situation until they were rescued by the rebels.


    Of course, Mei and Ao didn''t believe him. Mei said, "I don''t believe you."


    She let out a chuckle and said, "Give me one good reason why I shouldn''t kill all of you right here!"


    Renjiro let out a chuckle as well and asked, "Do you want the Konoha armies to enter the Land of Water and support the Mizukage?"


    Mei squinted her eyes. She riled her chakra up and asked, "How would they even know who killed you?"


    Renjiro maintained his smirk and riled his own chakra up. The chakra he disyed was equivalent to Mei''s chakra, shocking the Kiri ninjas who hadn''t been a part of the Third Great Ninja War. He said, "You won''t be able to keep me here. Unfortunately, I can''t say the same about my teammates. So why don''t wee up with a result which is eptable to both of us?"


    Mei looked at Ao, who nodded in response. She looked back at Renjiro and said, "Alright. But I will have to ask you to stay as my guest. And I will be taking the kids that you have ''rescued''. In addition, Lord Hokage will have to send me a formal letter exining your presence in the country andpensation for the same."


    Renjiro nodded and replied, "Alright. We will be staying in the same house. But I will need a messenger bird to contact Lord Hokage. As for the kids, as long as you promise to take good care of them and ensure their safety, you can have them."


    Mei nodded. The Konoha ninjas were secretly relieved. But no one showed it on their face. Mei and Ao followed Renjiro to the house while the other Kiri ninjas began taking care of the injured. To their surprise, no one was dead and only one had major injuries. Mei and Ao knew it and hence had agreed to a truce.


    After the fighting stopped, the people on the ind were relieved. They were afraid that they would be impacted by the fight. Fortunately, the fighting happened far away from civilian areas. Konoha ninjas were afraid that some Kiri ninjas might be hidden there for an ambush while the Kiri ninjas didn''t want any harm to befall them. So both stayed clear of them.


    After entering the house, Makoto woke up the kids while using a transformation jutsu and handed them over to Mei after consoling them a bit. At the same time, Renjiro and Mei negotiated an amount forpensation.


    Ao took the kids and analyzed, ''11 kids¡­ I had received information for just 5 missing kids. But I calcted that at least over 30 would be missing.''


    After sending the kids away, he asked, "Renjiro, I have received information about 18 missing kids. Where did you keep the rest?"


    A frown appeared on Renjiro''s face. He said, "These are all we rescued. Feel free to search the house or anywhere else on this ind."


    Ao asked, "If they aren''t with you, who took them?"


    Renjiro shrugged and replied, "We are the only ones from Konoha here. If not us, then there might be someone else who is rescuing or abducting the kids. I''d rmend that you look elsewhere for them just like you found me."


    Ao looked at Renjiro but couldn''t find anything on his face. He thought, ''Looks like there are other forces active here as well. I guess Kumo also sent someone. The fourth Raikage is always looking to kidnap kids with Kekkei Genkai! That said, he is most likely lying.''


    While Renjiro thought, ''I have already sent 35 promising kids to Konoha. Even if he suspects me, there isn''t a thing he can do about it. Besides, I''m sure Kumo and perhaps even Iwa are doing simr operations here. So if they look in deeply, they will find and suspect them.''


    Afterpleting the negotiations, Mei said, "I will ask the four of you to stay inside this house. If you need food or water, I can arrange them."


    Renjiro replied, "Alright. As for food and water, we have it."


    For obvious reasons, Renjiro wouldn''t consume any food or water they provided. In fact, he was worried about them releasing poisons or chemicals into the air.


    Mei realized his concerns. She nodded and left. She arranged for 16 Jounins and 12 Chunins to keep an eye on the Konoha ninjas all the time.

 Chapter 326: Hiruzens Response

    After leaving the house, Ao said, "Lady Mei, I am afraid that he has abducted more kids."


    Mei nodded and said, "Yeah. But seeing his confidence, they shouldn''t be here. He must have already sent them to Konoha. Unfortunately, there isn''t much we can do. If we ask, they will deny it. Until the civil war ends, such cases will keep happening. What we need to do is end this war as soon as we can."


    Ao looked at Mei. He could see the seriousness on her face. However, he knew that Mei couldn''t end the war. He thought, ''Unfortunately, that isn''t possible. The Terumi n leader is too old, while the Sakai n leader got injured in the 3rd Great Ninja War. The other n leaders can''t take on rank S ninjas. So we don''t have anyone who can take on the Fourth Mizukage. At least until Mei bes a rank S ninja!''


    Renjiro wrote a letter and sent it to Hiruzen. His teammates approached him. Itaru said, "Sorry, Renjiro-san. Because of us, you got captured as well."


    Renjiro replied, "I can''t just leave my teammates behind to die. Besides, we will be fine. Don''t worry."


    His teammates nodded. Despite his statement, they knew that they were under a lot of risk. Kazuki thought, ''If another Elite Jounin from the Rebel faction arrives, then even Renjiro would have difficulty escaping.''


    Renjiro was aware of the risks as well. He didn''t want his teammates to let down their guard and warned them, "Though I am sure that they won''t try anything funny, be on your guard. Mei''s mother was from the Sakai n. And there are rumors that she can use the Vapor release."


    His words surprised his teammates. Kazuki asked, "She can use 2 Kekkei Genkai?"


    Renjiro nodded and replied, "Most likely. Vapor release jutsus can harm us while we are inside the house, while Lava jutsus can submerge the entire house in an instant. Luckily, we can avoid both by entering the ground. So stay on guard."


    His teammates nodded. They consumed soldier pills to stay awake.


    Around 16 hourster, a messenger bird reached Konoha. As soon as the message was received, the ninja immediately rushed to Hiruzen and handed him the scroll. As soon as Hiruzen opened it, his eyes widened. He looked at the ninja and said, "Call Shikaku here immediately."


    The ninja nodded and left while Hiruzen continued reading the scroll. In a few minutes, Shikaku appeared in the room. Hiruzen tossed him the scroll. Shikaku''s expression became serious as he started reading. After he read the entire scroll, he sighed in relief and said, "Renjiro did well."


    Hiruzen nodded. Shikaku added, "Still, what bad luck to have. They didn''t encounter any Kiri ninja for months and then directly attracted one of their strongest units. But for Kiri to extort so much money from us¡­"


    Hiruzen said, "40 million Ryo for the life of 3 Jounins and the safety of 1 Elite Jounin is fine. Even though Renjiro could have escaped, it''s difficult to say whether he would have managed to do that without any injury. Besides, we do have a lot of funds lying around."


    Shikaku nodded. Their excess money is why Hiruzen had sent Renjiro to pick up promising kids in the first ce. He realized that Hiruzen had disregarded the costs the rebel faction would have had to pay to achieve that. But knowing Hiruzen, he didn''t bother mentioning it.


    Hiruzen said, "If everything went as in the scroll, then it won''t be an issue. But what are the chances of the rebel faction attacking Renjiro and his team and setting up an ambush for the squad we send?"


    Hiruzen''s words made Shikaku fall into thought. For a few minutes, he properly analyzed all the information. Finally, he shook his head and said, "That is very unlikely. Doing that would force us to support the Mizukage faction. Even though we can''t send many ninjas, we can provide them with substantial financial aid.


    Considering that they have requested our aid several times in the past, they won''t do something so reckless."


    Hiruzen nodded. He had reached the same conclusion but wanted Shikaku to analyze it too. Shikaku added, "The only question is, who do we send?"


    The first names they thought of were Kakashi, Eagle and the other two Elite Jounins from the Senju n. But after some discussion, Shikaku said, "The Senju n was very active on the Kiri front in thest war. If there is still some hate against them, the rebels might try to kill all of them. So sending them is risky.


    As for Kakashi and Guy, the mission is too risky. They already have someone who has stolen a Byakugan. They might get greedy for Kakashi''s Sharingan to gain both of Konoha''s Dojutsu. As for Guy, they should still remember the humiliation his father inflicted on them. Not to mention, the way Kakashi and Guy are growing, both will reach rank S in the future. Risking them on the same mission isn''t wise.


    As for Eagle, he knows too many of our secrets to send him on a mission where things can go very badly. After all, even though chances of them making a move are minuscule, if they do, then they can easily assemble more than 500 ninjas there."


    Hiruzen agreed with his analysis. Due to the history of each vige, it was easy to set off a conflict between their ninjas. He said, "Then Fujin? He is Renjiro''s student after all. And he has no history with Kiri."


    Shikaku analyzed for a bit and nodded. He said, "He would work. He was able to escape from Roshi despite Roshi being able to use the Tailed Beast Bomb. So he shouldn''t have an issue in escaping if things go wrong. Though his team might face their demise.


    But he can''t go as Fujin and instead should go as the Spectral Swordsman. Unlike Kakashi, the Spectral Swordsman is still covered in mystery, be it his identity or strength. The mystery can be a good deterrence, especially whenbined with his high chakra reserves. And he did kill numerous Kiri ninjas from the Mizukage faction who pretended to be bounty hunters.


    In addition to the money, we can also give them the information we gained from Higashi Renzo. The information will make them think twice before getting any funny ideas. And will make them indebted to us at the same time."


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "Alright. I''ll dispatch his Anbu squad there."


    Shikaku nodded and left while Hiruzen called for Fujin. Fujin''s team had just returned from a mission and were about to leave for their home when they were summoned. All immediately left towards the Hokage''s office.


    Hiruzen looked at them and said, "A squad led by Senju Renjiro was active in the Land of Water on a humanitarian mission when they were intercepted and captured by Rebels."


    Fujin''s eyes widened. Hiruzen noticed it and said, "Don''t worry, they are safe. Renjiro could have escaped but stayed behind as his team couldn''t. They have reached a deal with one of the rebel leaders. Your mission is toplete the deal and bring them back to Konoha safely."


    He gave Fujin the scroll that Renjiro sent and said, "This scroll has the information regarding the deal. See and memorize it."


    He handed Yugao and Fumito a scroll each and said, "These scrolls have information on Mei and Ao, the two strongest Kiri ninjas there. Memorize their abilities."


    Everyone began reading. Fujin let out a sigh and thought, ''Looks like he will be fine."


    He handed the scroll back to Hiruzen and read up the information on Mei and Ao. It was quite simr to what he recalled in addition to some more information that wasn''t very important.


    After everyone was done, Hiruzen handed Fujin a couple of scrolls and said, "This scroll contains 40 million Ryo. Keep it properly. And the other scroll contains information we gained from the fake Bounty Hunter who targeted you. Read up. Provide this scroll to Terumi Mei. You can use this information to get an advantage over her or a favor from her."


    Fujin nodded. Hiruzen''s expression became serious. He said, "Though I believe there wouldn''t be any conflict, there is a chance it might be a trap. If it is, then focus on surviving. Disperse in different directions and make your way back here somehow. I will have ninjas deployed along our coast with Kiri."


    Fujin and his team nodded with solemn expressions behind their masks. They understood how bad the odds were if a conflict were to break out.


    Meanwhile, Hiruzen thought, ''If Renjiro ends up falling because of being held back by his teammates, then it will be sad. If his student were to fall due to the same reason, then it would be a tragedy. Only by dispersing can they guarantee Fujin''s safety.''


    He said, "Fujin, you will inspect Renjiro properly. If he is ced under Genjutsu or some other means of mind control or if they are tortured, then I will give you the full autonomy to decide on how to proceed."


    Fujin nodded though he hoped that situation didn''t reach that stage. For one, he didn''t want anything bad to happen to Renjiro. And secondly, he had no confidence in defeating Mei.


    After exining all the details, Hiruzen said, "Fujin, use your Hawk mask for this mission."


    Fujin realized what Hiruzen''s n was. He nodded and asked, "Does Kiri have anyone who can fly?"


    Hiruzen shook his head and said, "Not that I know. But their Mizukage is a perfect Jinchuriki. Flying against him won''t be much help."


    Fujin nodded. His team left immediately.

 Chapter 327: High Speed Travel

    As they travelled, Fujin thought, ''Facing a rank S¡­ Sigh¡­ I hope that nobat happens. But if it does and they kill or mutte Renjiro before I reach, what should I do?''


    Noticing Fujin being lost in thoughts and recalling his reaction earlier, Bunjiro asked, "Captain, who is Senju Renjiro?"


    Fujin answered, "He was my Jounin Sensei after I graduated."


    Yugao already knew it, while Fumito and Bunjiro were surprised. Bunjiro said, "Don''t worry, Captain, he should be alright. Lord Hokage said that the chances of it being a trap are very low."


    Fujin nodded and replied, "Don''t worry, I am fine. It''s best if the situation is peaceful. But if something goes wrong, prepare to run away. I might not be able to help you guys much considering their numbers. But I''ll slow them down enough to give you an opportunity. Don''t miss it."


    Yugao immediately said, "You can''t risk your life for us, Captain. Your speed with the Body Flicker jutsu is very high. We don''t want to slow you down."


    Bunjiro nodded. However, Fujin said, "You don''t need to worry about me. They won''t be able to hurt or capture me. Just focus on escaping."


    The determination in his voice made his team unable to respond. They just nodded and travelled without speaking more.


    Despite speaking with determination, Fujin wasn''t very confident. After all, Mei was a rank S ninja. Someone who''d be a Kage not long after. And unlike Gaara, who was still a kid, she was in her mid-20s.


    Fujin thought, ''I knew that Mieko would eventually die. As for Hoka, his life and death are controlled by the main family of the Hyuga n. Which is why I tried to keep a sufficient distance from them. Only Renjiro was someone who I knew wouldn''t die for sure¡­ But this world is too dangerous. One wrong mission or bad choice is all that is needed to be at risk of losing your life!''


    Fujin was very close with Renjiro. Of all the people he had spent time with in this world, he had spent the highest with Renjiro. Though he wouldn''t give up his life for Renjiro, he didn''t want to see Renjiro die. Fujin sighed secretly and thought, ''Let''s put my emotions away. They won''t help me. If conflict breaks out, can I take on Mei?''


    He recalled her performance from the Fourth Great Ninja War and thought, ''If I were to rank the five Kages in that war from strongest to weakest, Mei would probably be the weakest. Though having two Kekkei Genkai is cool and sounds strong, her jutsus aren''t very effective on an open battlefield.


    Herva jutsus are too slow and I can easily dodge them. Same for the Vapor jutsus. They are only effective in a closed space. As long as I don''t get trapped inside a formation, I should be fine. But there are still some issues.


    For one, it''s the 70 other ninjas with her. I can''t take on them while fighting with her. Any distraction could be deadly. Secondly, if her speed is as fast as Hiruzen, then I will be in trouble. And thirdly, the sea¡­ I have no expertise in water jutsus. I can barely perform a few rank E and D jutsus. But they should all be able to manipte water and make the fight ridiculously difficult for me.


    In addition, even though I am confident in dodging her attacks and making them harmless, it doesn''t mean that I can harm her. To dodge her two Kekkei Genkai jutsus will force me to maintain distance, which would give her enough time to dodge my Vacuum jutsus. So the best result I can hope for is a stalemate, which won''t be of any help to me in this particr situation. Fortunately, I have two means of dealing with the situation.


    The first is obviously running away. But¡­ I don''t want to do it. I couldn''t do anything during Mieko''s death. After all, Itachi and Obito were just too damn strong. And I had no confidence in facing Danzo''s and Hiruzen''s schemes or Mieko''s threat if she became unstable.


    But now, even though I''m not strong enough to face stronger rank S ninjas like Hiruzen, Ay or Onoki, facing someone like Mei and making her regret should be possible. I''ll just summon Kurogan and make them experience hell! After all, how will they fight me when I''m so high in the air?''


    Having thought about all possibilities, Fujin made his decision. If a conflict breaks out, he would engage them in aerial gueri warfare.


    Land of Water :


    Not everything was merry in Mei''s camp. Though Renjiro''s words had gained the support of a good number of her ninjas, a few were still skeptical. There were many whose family was harmed by Renjiro or his subordinates in the previous war. Many ninjas still hated Konoha.


    A few banded together and approached Mei. Since they were her subordinates, Mei couldn''t dismiss them casually. She sighed and said, "I understand your emotions but keep the bigger picture in mind. Right now, we are in a stalemate against the Mizukage faction.


    If we push Konoha towards them, we will be at a bigger disadvantage. If the sensors from Konoha were to join them, then our allies, who are hiding and building their strength, will be affected."


    Her words made them quiet down. They wanted revenge but understood what terrible cost it would have. One girl among them sighed and said in a sad tone, "Aunt Chou had entered the Land of Fire a few years ago while she was being chased by a squad from the Mizukage faction.


    But both the squadspletely disappeared after that. They should have encountered Konoha ninjas. I just hoped that we could ask Konoha what exactly happened to her and to return her body."


    Hearing her request, Mei replied, "It''s been 3 years since then, Yumi. But alright, I will ask Konoha to send any information they have regarding her. Though I don''t expect them to say much. Does anyone else have such requests?"


    No one else said anything. After all, their family members were mostly killed in the Third Great Ninja War. It had been a long time. And after Sakai Chou went missing in the Land of Fire, the rebel faction avoided entering the country and instead preferred the weaker countries around it. So no simr issues urred.


    Land of Fire :


    After Fujin gathered his thoughts and made a decision, he thought, ''Travelling there even if we go at full speed will need around 2 and a half to 3 days. But going at full speed will exhaust us. It''ll be stupid to do so when the enemy is fully rested.


    But if we take a ship, then it might take over a week to reach. And the longer it takes, the more the chances of something going wrong. Oh well, no other choice.''


    Fujin suddenly stopped. His teammates stopped as well. All three activated their chakra fields but didn''t sense anything and were confused. Yugao asked, "What''s the matter, Captain?"


    Fujin answered, "Nothing. Not many people know about this. So keep quiet."


    A small de of wind cut his thumb as he began weaving signs and mmed his hand on the ground.


    ''Summoning jutsu''


    A majestic 9-meter-tall Sabertooth appeared in front of them, shocking Fujin''s teammates. Due to having their chakra fields activated, they could sense the vast amount of chakra in him. He turned his eyes to the strangers, who immediately stepped back.


    Fujin chuckled and said, "He is my summon. You can call him Kaito."


    He looked at Kaito and said, "Kaito, we need a lift to the Land of Water."


    Kaito grumbled, "I don''t mind flying you, but don''t treat me like a free transport service."


    Fujin jumped on his back and chuckled, "Sorry buddy. It''s an emergency this time. I might even need some aerial support from youter. Though I hope the situation doesn''t deteriorate to that state."


    Though Fujin chuckled, Kaito could hear the seriousness in his voice. He asked, "Is it that serious?"


    Fujin nodded and replied, "I might have to summon Kurogane."


    Kaito replied, "Ah, big brother has been itching for a fight for a long time. I''m sure he''ll be delighted. But don''t count much on me though. Fighting isn''t my forte."


    Fujin nodded. Though Kaito said that he wasn''t strong, Fujin knew that he was numerous times stronger than Goro. He looked at his teammates and said, "Hop on."


    Seeing that he was friendly, they jumped on his back. Bunjiro asked, "Is Kaito gonna run all the way to the shore? It would help us save a lot of stamina."


    Fujin didn''t reply. In the next moment, Kaito spread his wings. Bunjiro, Fumito and Yugao were surprised. With one p of his wings, he took off the ground and broke through the clouds.


    Bunjiro was stunned by that sight. So were the other two. Despite being a ninja for over a decade, neither of them had seen such a sight.

 Chapter 328: Hand me the Money!

    Bunjiro said, "Summons are cool! I want one as well!"


    Fujin replied, "Good luck. You can find the summoning seals in the library. But be careful. It''s very dangerous. I almost died. Preferably discuss with your sensei or the Anbu Commander. They might help you reduce the risk."


    Bunjiro nodded. Fujin said, "Kaito will carry us close to the target. Use this time to rest. Eat a soldier pill. Your chakra and readiness need to be at the highest levels."


    Everyone nodded. Kaito flew straight towards the target for eight hours straight. They finally reached close to the ind. The ind was surrounded by water for tens of kilometers. Fujin asked Kaito to stop around 7 kilometers away from the ind so that they would be out of reach of all sensors.


    The groupnded on the water. Fujin said, "Be on your guard. We will be heading straight to the ind. Kaito, hide above the clouds. If a conflict happens, then sneak attack their strongest fighters from above with your Wind Breath. If that fails, clear out their weaker ninjas.


    Also, one of them can spitva and blow extremely hot steam. Both will be very harmful to you if they hit. So stay on guard against them and sudden changes in the temperature.


    Kaito replied, "Alright. Good luck to you."


    He took off and disappeared above the clouds. The Konoha ninjas ran straight to the ind. When they were around 2.5 kilometers from the shore, a sensor sensed them. Everyone in Fujin''s squad felt it and prepared themselves. 1 Jounin and 3 Chunin from Mei''s forces moved towards Fujin''s squad while a ninja went to inform Mei and Ao.


    The Kiri squad running towards Fujin noticed that they weren''t slowing down. They were rmed by seeing the Anbu outfits. Around 1 kilometer from the shore, the two squads met.


    The Kiri Jounin weaved hand signs while shouting, "Stay where you are and state your purpose!"


    ''Water Release: Water Wall jutsu''


    A wall of water appeared in the path of the Konoha ninjas. However, des of wind suddenly appeared out of nowhere and hit the water wall, causing it to crumble down. The Kiri ninjas were surprised by the result. Fujin said, "I''m here to meet Terumi Mei. Lead me where she is."


    The Jounin frowned and asked, "Are you from Konoha?"


    Fujin nodded.


    The Jounin replied, "I will have to ask you to wait here."


    Fujin sneered, "Wait on the water to meet with Kiri ninjas?"


    He exerted a bit of his chakra and killing intent and said, "Get out of the way. I''ll wait for her on the beach."


    The Jounin frowned. He understood that conflict there would result in unnecessary casualties. He thought, ''If we fight on the ind, then they will be outnumbered heavily and at a greater disadvantage. The chances of escape would be zero. What a fool!''


    He replied, "Alright, follow me."


    They began rushing towards the ind. Mei and Ao were informed about the intruders. Ao activated his Byakugan and observed, "There are four ninjas. They shed with one of our squads, but they are much stronger."


    Mei frowned. She got out of her tent and asked, "Are they in danger?"


    Ao shook his head and said, "Fortunately not. They areing to the beach."


    Mei nodded and moved towards the beach. She wondered, ''Are they from Konoha? But how did they send a squad in just around a day? Did Renjiro send a message to Konoha or is he scheming against us?''


    Meanwhile, Renjiro noticed, ''Hmm, Mei and Ao stopped keeping an eye on us? Did they encounter trouble?''


    He looked at his teammates and said, "There seems to be an unusual movement. Sense what is happening, Makoto."


    Makoto nodded and activated his chakra field. His chakra field covered the entire ind and went a kilometer into the sea. He said, "I sense 4 additional chakras. Three at the Jounin level and one at the Chunin level. Most of the Kiri ninjas are reacting to them."


    His words confused them. Itaru asked, "Could Lord Hokage have sent a squad to rescue us?"


    Kazuki shook his head and replied, "It''s just been a day since we sent a message. They can''t reach so quickly. I''m afraid that it might be a squad from the Mizukage faction or someone who isn''t allied with the Rebel faction as of now."


    The others agreed with his analysis.


    While being just a couple of hundred meters away from the sea, Fujin felt 7 sensors scanning him. He thought, ''Well since everyone is scanning so liberally¡­''


    He activated and spread his chakra field as well. It covered the entire ind! He immediately focused on three Chakra signatures. Two were rushing towards him and were clearly far stronger than the other Kiri ninjas on the ind. And thest one was a familiar one.


    A smile appeared on Fujin''s face as he realized, ''Looks like he is safe. At least there is nothing wrong with his chakra. And the number of Kiri ninjas is the same as reported. Though a few could still be hiding.''


    Inside the house, a smile appeared on Renjiro''s face as well. He had felt such a chakra field scanning him several times in the past. He muttered, "Sending my student on a mission to rescue me¡­ The old man still loves to make everyone feel embarrassed."


    His voice was very low. Kazuki asked, "Did you say something, Renjiro-san?"


    Renjiro stood up and said, "They are allies. Get ready. We will break out as soon as there is a sh."


    Renjiro''s words surprised them. But no one questioned him and prepared for a fight.


    Though Mei and Ao had left, there were still 16 Jounins and 12 Chunins keeping an eye on them. Breaking through them would likely lead to a sh. Since Renjiro wasn''t sure who the rest of the ninjas with Fujin were and because they were still heavily outnumbered, he decided to be patient.


    On the other side of the ind, Mei and Ao reached the beach and saw Fujin and his squad. Fujin observed Mei and Ao. In addition to them, there were 20 other Kiri ninjas. 7 were Jounins while the rest were Chunins.


    Fujin analyzed, ''Their numbers are divided into four groups. One is keeping an eye on the ships, another is in the vige, the third is keeping an eye on Renjiro and finally these guys here. The odds are a bit better than I anticipated. Though winning is still impossible.''


    At the same time, Mei also took a measure of Fujin''s group. She wondered, ''Who are they? And how did Konoha send a squad so quickly? And why didn''t the Hokage send an Elite Jounin to ensure the safety of the captured ninjas?''


    She thought a bit and concluded, ''Did Konoha send a weaker squad to reduce their losses in case this was a trap?''


    Seeing that she wasn''t speaking, Fujin said, "Lord Hokage received Senju Renjiro''s message and asked me to take him from here."


    A scroll appeared in his hand. He added, "This scroll has the negotiated 40 million Ryo. So bring the Konoha ninjas here and we willplete the deal."


    Mei asked, "How did youe here so quickly?"


    Fujin replied in a neutral tone, "I''m afraid that isn''t your concern."


    His tone surprised Mei and Ao. They thought, ''Despite being outnumbered and outmatched, he isn''t afraid. Does he have something up his sleeve? Or is he not afraid of death?''


    Mei said, "I am afraid it is. How do I know that you are from Konoha?"


    Fujin replied, "Just release them and they will confirm."


    That sentence eliminated the doubt of their identity. However, Mei didn''t want to appear in a weaker position against a nobody. She asked, "How do I know that the scroll has the money? Give me the scroll first and let me check."


    Fujin answered with a question, "Why would we bother travelling so far with so few people if we didn''t bring the money?"


    Ao and Mei''s expressions became serious. Fujin''s rhetorical question was both, apromise and a threat. It implied that they couldn''t win a fight but at the same time, it also threatened Mei that Konoha could crush them on a whim.


    Fujin knew that they would be smart enough to understand the hidden message. The serious expression on Mei''s face faded away as a seductive smile appeared. She giggled, "What an interesting young man. Unfortunately, you have no power here. Hand over the scroll or I will capture you as well!"


    She suddenly riled her chakra! Massive pressure was exerted on the Konoha ninjas. A look of surprise appeared behind Fujin''s mask. As for the rest, they werepletely shocked. In fact, Bunjiro was terrified.


    Despite having met with Hiruzen numerous times, none of them had seen him exert his chakra. So they had never sensed such a massive chakra from anyone other than Roshi. But Roshi hadn''t focused on them, so they never experienced such a domineering chakra. All three of them instinctively grabbed their weapons.


    Unlike his teammates, the surprise on Fujin''s face was due to an entirely different reason!

 Chapter 329: Not yet S rank!

    Unlike his teammates, the surprise on Fujin''s face was due to an entirely different reason!


    He thought, ''That''s it? Her chakra is barely higher than Renjiro''s! But why is it so low? I thought that it''d be higher than Hiruzen at the very least!''


    Suddenly, it clicked. He realized, ''I see. She hasn''t reached the S rank yet. There are still 6 years until the start of the war. She should have reached that level during this time. Now that I think about it, the scroll with her information said nothing about her being an S ranked ninja. And if she was rank S, then the rebels wouldn''t be hiding so much. Maybe even the Genjutsu on the Mizukage would have been figured out by now!''


    During thest 8 hours, Fujin was under a lot of stress! Taking on S ranked ninjas was not a matter he could take lightly. Even more so when they were holding hostages. But since Mei wasn''t at that level, all the stress was released.


    A smirk appeared on Mei''s face seeing the state of Konoha''s ninja. The Kiri ninjas were also smirking. They saw that the leader of Konoha ninjas was looking dumbfoundedly at Mei while his subordinates were under heavy pressure.


    Unknown to them, a smile appeared behind Fujin''s mask. The scroll in his hand disappeared. He said softly, "Unfortunately, you won''t be able to afford the cost."


    To everyone''s surprise, Fujin riled his chakra as well! And to the horror of Kiri ninjas, his chakra was at the same level as Mei! In fact, it could even be said to be barely higher!


    His chakra lifted the pressure from his teammates and put the Kiri ninjas under pressure. At the same time, two swords appeared on the left side of his waist. Their sheaths had intricate designs carved on them.


    Ao''s eyes widened as soon as theynded on the swords. He looked at Fujin again and realized, ''Hawk mask¡­ Those two swords¡­ And those patterns!''


    He immediately whispered, "He is the Spectral Swordsman!"


    Mei was already surprised to see another Konoha ninja match her chakra. However, after learning about his identity, she felt that it was normal. The name Spectral Swordsman was very well known throughout the Land of Water. The reason for that was the insane number of rogue Kiri ninjas that fell to his de! Over 80% of the rogue Kiri ninjas were estimated to have been killed by him.


    On the other side of the ind, a look of surprise appeared on Renjiro''s face as he felt Fujin''s chakra! He looked in the direction of Fujin and thought, ''He has already reached this level?''


    Soon, the look of surprise was reced with a prideful smile. He said, "Let''s move!"


    They appeared on top of their houses as Renjiro riled his chakra as well.


    Both Fujin and Mei sensed his chakra. Fujin chuckled and asked, "Do you still refuse to ept my terms? If you do, I''m afraid that the losses you will experience, even in victory, will far exceed what''s in the scroll."


    Mei wasn''t offended. She said, "I never thought that Konoha would show that the Spectral Swordsman is from your vige. But, if the Hokage sent you, I doubt he''d lie about the money."


    She stopped exerting her chakra and said, "Ao, bring Renjiro and his squad here."


    Ao nodded and immediately flickered. Mei looked at Fujin. Though she was confident in taking him on, she knew that the circumstances weren''t in her favor. A conflict would result in arge number of casualties on her side. And even if she managed to kill all Konoha ninjas, she wouldn''t gain anything apart from a new and strong enemy.


    Renjiro''s squad was surrounded by 28 ninjas. They were extremely tense. But since no conflict had started on the opposite side of the ind, they didn''t start the fight either. Their actions would depend on what Mei and Fujin decided.


    Soon, Ao appeared and said, "Renjiro,e with me. You guys follow too."


    Renjiro and the Kiri ninjas nodded. Everyone left towards Fujin and Mei. Though no one showed it on their faces, everyone was secretly relieved. None of them wanted meaningless casualties.


    Meanwhile, Mei looked at Fujin and said, "If it weren''t for the circumstances, I''d have liked to fight the one who killed so many of our rogue ninjas. I wonder who you are behind the mask."


    Mei thought, ''Though I have information on all the top Konoha ninjas and have a few guesses, I have a feeling that none of them are right.''


    She focused on Fujin to memorize his chakra. Unfortunately, Fujin''s chakra kept fluctuating the entire time. So Mei realized that Fujin could disguise his chakra. But, the frequent changes gave her more information. She analyzed, ''To be able to change his chakra fluctuations so rapidly¡­ He should be a very good sensor.''


    Fujin chuckled and replied, "Why would I bother wearing a mask if I''d be willing to reveal my identity so easily? Besides, even if I show you a face, would you trust me?"


    Mei replied, "I guess not. Still, I do have a bone to pick with you. You killed too many of our rogue ninjas. I was nning to recruit them after this civil war ended to recover our strength."


    Fujin replied in a deep voice, "I would suggest you focus on winning the war first."


    Mei frowned. She analyzed, ''What does he mean by that? Does he know something that I don''t?''


    She had a bad feeling. Before she could ask, Ao and Renjiro arrived along with the rest. Fujin''s eyes glowed as he observed the 4 Konoha ninjas. He and Renjiro exchanged nces. Renjiro nodded in acknowledgement to say that everything was fine.


    Fujin thought, ''Good. No injuries or signs of torture. And their chakra flow is steady as well.''


    He looked at Fumito, who nodded in response. Fujin said, "I''m d you honored your part of the deal, Terumi Mei."


    He tossed the scroll with 40 Million Ryo to Mei. Mei grabbed it and checked the contents inside the scroll. She nodded and said with a smirk, "It''s been a pleasure doing business with you."


    Fujin knew that it was a taunt. After all, Mei had received 40 million Ryo without giving anything in return. She didn''t even risk the lives of her subordinates. However, the money didn''t belong to Fujin. So he wasn''t bothered.


    He thought, ''If that was my money, I''d definitely steal it back. But, Hiruzen is too loaded. Just the trade deals he did with those 4 countries would bring over a hundred million Ryo on a monthly basis. And that is without considering the cost of Elemental Crystals. 40 million Ryo is probably just pocket money for Konoha.''


    Though it might be a small some for Konoha, for Mei, whose finances were tight, this was like a boon from the heavens.


    Fujin looked at Renjiro and asked, "Ready to leave?"


    Renjiro nodded. The Konoha ninjas were about to leave, when Mei said, "Wait, I have two things to clear up."


    From their exchange so far, Fujin knew that she wouldn''t abruptly begin attacking. He said, "Speak."


    Mei said, "Around 3 years ago, one squad from my faction was chased into the Land of Fire by a squad from Mizukage''s faction. However, both squads disappeared. I want to know what happened to the squad from my faction. I hope the Hokage can provide me with the truth."


    Fujin thought, ''Just cause he gave you money, you expect him to speak the truth?''


    He was about to agree, when Renjiro asked, "Who were in the squad? And who were the ones chasing?"


    Before Mei could answer, a young girl said, "The leader of the squad was Sakai Chou. She was chased by a squad led by Karatachi Kazuki."


    Fujin looked at the girl and thought, ''She looks a bit familiar¡­''


    After a few seconds, he recognized her and thought, ''Sakai Yumi. I didn''t expect to see her here. Regardless, it looks like Mei is nurturing her. Or at least has some hopes from her.''


    Fujin didn''t pay any more attention to her. He was stronger than her during the Chunin exams. And right now, the difference in their power was evenrger.


    Renjiro said, "I don''t know anyone by the name of Sakai Chou, but the mission to deal with infiltrators back then was taken by me. I remember encountering a squad of 5 led by Karatachi Kazuki. Unfortunately, we didn''t see anyone else.


    We managed to find him because we found 2 corpses that were brutally mutted and blown up into pieces. After defeating him and searching the forests, we found another body that was destroyed and blown into bits.


    I don''t remember the exact number, but the blood on their weapons was tested to be from more than 15 people. But we never managed to find any other bodies. So they might have been eaten by Wild beasts or killed before entering the Land of Fire."

 Chapter 330: A Tragedy!

    Renjiro''s words shocked the rebels. To be killed and then blown up to pieces was extremely cruel. However, most Kiri ninjas didn''t doubt his words. They had seen the horrendous actsmitted by the Mizukage faction. They had no doubts that they would do something as heinous as that.


    Mei was a bit doubtful of the uracy of Renjiro''s words, but she knew that nothing good would happen by pursuing such an old matter. Even if Konoha were the one to kill her, she wouldn''t be able to get justice for Chou. Instead, her followers might pressurize her to make a new enemy and reduce their chances of victory in the war. After all, it was unreasonable to expect everyone to see the bigger picture.


    She let out a sigh and said, "What a tragedy."


    She looked at Fujin and asked in a serious tone, "I hope you can tell me what you meant by that statement."


    Her first question was just to satisfy the people who believed in and followed her. However, the answer to the second question was what she wanted to know. She had a feeling that it would have a significant impact on her campaign.


    Fujin replied, "Sure."


    He took out a scroll from his jacket and tossed it at Mei. Mei caught the scroll and opened it while Fujin said, "You have underestimated the Mizukage faction. Your estimates regarding their finances are way off. I''d be very careful if I were in your position."


    Fujin''s words confused the Kiri ninjas. Some thought, ''Why would we hide from them if we had underestimated them?''


    However, they became serious as they noticed the change in Mei''s expression. Her face had a very grim expression. She thought, ''I thought they were all tired of the situation in the country and went rogue. But the majority of them were rogue only in name. They did bounty hunting and sent money back to the vige.


    If that is indeed the case, we have heavily underestimated their finances. And their resolve as well. We thought that if we stayed hidden, their forces would begin disbanding inrge numbers and our chances of victory would increase. In fact, we even tried to recruit them¡­ WAIT!''


    Her eyes widened as she realized, ''No! We managed to recruit a few of them. But, with this information, there is a chance that they are spies that infiltrated our forces. Shit, we are in danger.''


    The rebel camp was currently hiding and engaged in a gueri campaign. But if they had spies among their ranks, then it was only a matter of time before they encountered a trap or were assaulted by a massive force!


    Fujin studied her expressions. They were as per his expectations. He had already read the scroll and was waiting for an opportunity to hand it over to her.


    Mei looked at him and let out a sigh. She said, "I don''t know how to thank you for this information. Its value far exceeds the 40 million Ryo we agreed upon. I''d have returned the money if my finances weren''t so tight. Unfortunately, I have nothing of equivalent value that I can offer you right now. We owe you a favor."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Good luck with your campaign."


    Mei nodded. The Konoha ninjas finally took their leave. Fujin looked at the skies for a second before leaving. As soon as they left, Ao asked, "What information did he provide?"


    Mei rolled back the scroll and said, "We might have a problem. I''ll need your helpter. For now, let''s leave."


    Mei didn''t want to spread the news. It might cause unnecessary suspicions. The Kiri ninjas under hermand quickly boarded the ships and left the ind. While alone, Mei informed Ao of the information sent by Konoha. Ao was stunned as well. They decided to properly inspect every rogue ninja they took into their forces in thest 3 years and to limit their participation in critical activities.


    Meanwhile, the Konoha ninjas ran rapidly across the seas. After creating some distance, Renjiro asked, "How did youe so quickly?"


    Fujin replied, "We had some aid. I''ll tell youter."


    Renjiro was puzzled. But he understood that Fujin didn''t want that information to spread. So he didn''t push him for an answer.


    As for Kaito, he had seen Fujin look up at him. After they left, he ended the summoning jutsu and returned to Mount Muteki.


    Fujin asked, "Did they do anything after capturing you?"


    Renjiro shook his head and said, "No. She didn''t want to get into a conflict with us. Besides, she profited heavily from our encounter."


    Fujin nodded. Mei received 11 talented kids, 40 million Ryo and a critical piece of information that could save the lives of hundreds of her allies. Her gains were too high. And the only cost she had to pay was the time she used. Byparison, Konoha didn''t get much.


    Fujin thought, ''It''s rare to see Hiruzen suffer a loss in diplomacy. I guess he wants the rebels to win and used this as an opportunity to provide them some assistance. It should also create goodwill between the two viges when Mei wins in the future and could provide an opportunity to ally in the next Great War.


    Considering how brittle the ties between Konoha and Suna are, this could provide more breathing space for Konoha. After all, Konoha doesn''t have the same domineering power as it did during the previous Great Wars.


    Hmm, thinking about it from this point of view, he didn''t exactly suffer a loss. After all, 40 million Ryo isn''t much. And the information was useless in our hands. And the kids originally belonged to Kiri too. So getting 3 capable jounins, and a prospective ally for the next war is more than enough gain for such a small cost.


    That said, I wonder if Hiruzen would have taken the same steps if he had known how strong Naruto would be during the next Great War or that the next war wouldn''t be fought between the viges?''


    Unlike Fujin, Hiruzen didn''t know what the future generation would aplish. Though he was hopeful about their futures, he had to make his calctions based on the ninjas that were active currently. And he didn''t know that the next Great War would be fought between the Alliance of Shinobi Viges and Akatsuki. So his calctions were very appropriate.


    As they moved, Nara Kazuki asked, "Did you bring any means of transportation?"


    Fujin replied, "Nope. Did you guys consume any soldier pills?"


    Kazuki replied, "Yes, around a day ago."


    Fujin said, "Alright, let''s just run all the way back to the Land of Fire then. We will rest in a Patrol camp."


    Fujin''s casual reply stunned the Nara. He muttered softly, "Run for two days straight. Great!"


    Makoto and Itaru chuckled at his sorrow. As for the others, they were already used to theziness of the Nara n ninjas.


    They quickly formed a basic n on how to travel, which ces to avoid and how to use their sensors to avoid any more confrontations.


    The group travelled for half a day straight and reached close to the outer ring of inds in the Land of Water. Once they exited it, they would leave the area officially controlled by Kirigakure. However, Makoto sensed something.


    He turned his attention towards a small ind to their right. Smoke could be seening from the ind. He said, "Something horrible is happening there. It''s as if death is spreading across the ind."


    His words surprised the rest. Fujin extended his chakra field as well and said, "There are no ninjas there. But I can feel numerous people dying by the minute."


    Renjiro said, "Let''s check it out."


    The Konoha ninjas changed their directions and entered the ind. They headed straight to the vige on the ind.


    But, as soon as they got close to it, they slowed down. Everyone''s eyes widened! The scene in front of their eyes was straight from a horror story!


    The houses in the vige were all damaged. Some had a few cracks, others had crumbled. However, that wasn''t the worst sight. The entire vige was dyed in blood! Corpses, that were sliced open, littered the streets. Among these corpses were a few people that hadn''t died yet, but were not too far away from it.


    Fujin frowned. He walked into the vige and asked softly, "Who did this?"


    Renjiro let out a sigh and said, "It is likely the Mizukage faction. Over a dozen viges and towns in the Land of Water have been eliminated by them in this manner. Mostly due to suspecting some people with bloodlines among them or if their vige had any dealings with the rebels."

 Chapter 331: Rescue

    Renjiro''s words surprised Fujin''s team. Unlike Renjiro''s teammates, who had spent almost four months in the Land of Water, they hadn''t heard of these atrocities happening in the Land of Water. To know that a vige wasmitting such atrocities on their citizens was shocking.


    Even Fujin, who had some ideas regarding the civil war, was shocked. He thought, ''No wonder such a massive rebellion is happening here. I initially thought that it was just the ns with Kekkei Genkai against normal ns. But this is disturbing.''


    Fujin let out a sigh and wondered, ''Is this the act of some lunatics in the Mizukage faction or has Obito made the Mizukagemit such atrocities?''


    Renjiro said, "Makoto, check who all are alive and can be saved. Heal them."


    Fujin objected, "This ce just had a conflict. If we spend time here, we could once again be attacked."


    Fujin was opposed to Renjiro''s decision. After all, Renjiro''s squad was captured not long ago. And seeing the horrendous state, he doubted whether any of them would be able to live a normal life after experiencing such a horrifying incident.


    Renjiro shook his head and said, "The situation is different. If we see any shipsing, we will run away. If not, we will save as many here as we can."


    Fujin sighed and asked, "Would they even want to live after experiencing such an incident?"


    Renjiro replied, "That isn''t something we should decide."


    Fujin said, "Alright. I''ll help out Makoto. But keep an eye on your chakra levels, Makoto. Running away will be difficult if it is low."


    Makoto nodded. The group immediately began looking for survivors. The vige had around 450 people. However, only 60 were alive when they arrived. And among those 60, 20 were in a very critical state and couldn''t be rescued withoutplicated medical treatments.


    Makoto healed most of them while Fujin healed their external wounds. Among the survivors, 24 had lost one or more limbs. Only 16 were well physically. However, their mental health was aplete mess. It wasn''t a surprise though. Not only did they undergo tremendous physical pain, but they also lost their loved ones. And the streets were still covered by their blood.


    The Konoha group spent half a day on the ind. Fortunately, no one sailed to the ind. After putting everyone to sleep using Genjutsu, Fujin asked, "What are you nning to do with them? Leaving them here wouldn''t be wise."


    Renjiro nodded and replied, "Yeah, the trauma is too intense. I''ll build a ship for them to sail away towards nearby inds. As for whether they survive or not, it''s their fate."


    Fujin nodded. Though Konoha was doing well, they couldn''t interfere anymore in this matter. Until then, no other country had interfered in the Civil War happening in the Land of Water. But once Konoha stepped in, the remaining 3 viges would also have to step in. It would make the situation veryplicated and could lead to an all-out war between the 5 viges with the Land of Water as the battlefield.


    During the night, the Konoha ninjas built a boatrge enough to carry 40 people. The next day, they asked whether the people wanted to stay on the ind or leave. Knowing that the Mizukage''s forces could return, everyone chose to evacuate.


    However, one young boy, around 6 years old, approached Renjiro. He was very skinny, had pale skin and white hair. He looked into Renjiro''s eyes and asked, "Can you train me to be a ninja?"


    His voice was surprisingly calm and steady. Renjiro bent down to his level and asked with a kind smile on his face, "What is your name, brave child?"


    The kid answered, "I am Kyushu Hayami."


    Renjiro asked, "Hayami-kun, why do you want to be a ninja?"


    Fujin noticed as the boy struggled to control his emotions. He clenched his fists and said, "They made my mother and sister scream in pain for a long time before killing them. I don''t want to be helpless while my loved ones are harmed."


    Fujin and the other ninjas sighed on hearing his words. Renjiro let out a sigh as well. He said, "It''s unfortunate what happened here. But, to be a capable ninja, you will have to train extremely hard for years. Are you willing to do that?"


    The boy answered, "I will train as hard as you want me to."


    Renjiro ced his hand on his head gently and said, "Alright. I will train you to be a ninja."


    He looked at the survivors and asked, "Are any of your rtives alive?"


    The boy shook his head. An old man approached and said, "Hayami-kun never talked much with anyone. But he was very close with his mother and sister. Please take good care of him and take him away from this country."


    The people already knew that Renjiro and the rest were from Konoha. They wanted to evacuate to the Land of Fire, but Renjiro declined their request as he wasn''t able to guarantee their safety.


    Renjiro said, "Alright. I''ll take good care of him."


    At the same time, he thought, ''The boy''s chakra is a bit dark. He might be an expert in Yin release.''


    The Konoha ninjas saw the survivors sailing away in the boat. After they left their sight, the group began running towards the Land of Fire once again. Renjiro carried Hayami as they ran across the seas. Seeing people run on the water was a first for Hayami. However, despite his young age, he didn''t seem interested in it. His mind was still affected by what had happened to his family.


    Due to the break, Renjiro''s squad had to eat another soldier pill to continue moving. After travelling for over a day, the group finally reached the shores of the Land of Fire!


    The group took a break at a patrol camp before continuing their journey to Konoha. During this time, Fujin interacted a bit with Hayami. Though the kid was polite, he wasn''t very responsive.


    Fujin thought, ''Recruiting talented kids not from the vige¡­ It leaves a threat of young kids being sent as spies by enemy viges. Even if that isn''t the case, the loyalty of such ninjas can also be questioned. But, I guess Hiruzen doesn''t even consider this issue. The Will of Fire¡­ What a convenient tool.


    I need toe up with a simr ideology to ensure the loyalty of my members. But¡­ though it seems simple, it is very difficult. After all, what fuels this ideology is the sacrifice of the previous generations. If the older generations don''t sacrifice themselves for the next generation, then this ideology will copse in no time.


    Sigh, I hope I cane up with something good enough to influence a few people. Otherwise, the only way would be a curse seal.''


    A few hourster, the group reached Konoha and arrived at Hiruzen''s office. Hiruzen looked at Renjiro and said, "It''s good to see you all unharmed."


    At the same time, he looked at Fujin meaningfully and thought, ''For them to have returned so quickly, Fujin should have used his summons to fly over. It was the right decision to send him over.''


    Renjiro nodded and replied, "Thank you. Unfortunately, our mission was interrupted."


    Hiruzen looked at Hayami and asked, "So, who is this young friend?"


    Renjiro let out a sigh and said, "On our way back, we encountered a vige in the Land of Water that was destroyed by Kirigakure ninjas from the Mizukage faction. We rescued and healed a few survivors. Kyushu Hayami was one of them. He wants to be a ninja, so I brought him with me."


    Hiruzen observed the boy carefully. With a smile, he said, "Alright. We will take good care of you, Hayami. I have a lot of hopes for you."


    He looked at Renjiro and asked, "Should I make living arrangements for him, or will you be taking him to the Senju npounds?"


    Renjiro looked at Hayami. Hayami also looked back at him with eyes full of hope. Renjiro said, "I''ll make arrangements for him in the Senju npound."


    Hiruzen wasn''t surprised. Over thest few decades, especially since the start of the Second Great Ninja War, the Senju n frequently took in orphans. Hiruzen nodded and said, "Alright. I will leave it to you then."


    He looked at Hayami and said kindly, "Hayami-kun, can you wait outside the room for a while? We have some matters to discuss."


    Hayami obediently said, "I can."


    He walked out of the room.


    Hiruzen asked, "So, how did the mission go?"


    Fujin replied, "It went well. I had a small confrontation with Mei, but no conflict happened. Since everything went well, I created some curiosity in her and handed her the scroll. She was grateful and said she owes us a favor."


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "Good. The mission can be considered aplete sess. Though your mission was cut in half, it can be considered a sess as well, Renjiro. I have already moved the kids you sent over into the academy."


    Renjiro nodded. They discussed some more details. Finally, Renjiro said, "I''ll be needing some time off. It''s been a while since I returned home."


    Hiruzen nodded and replied, "You can leave. Send me a mission reportter."


    The group left the office. Renjiro looked at Fujin and said, "Meet me tomorrow at noon in Yakiniku with Hoka. It''s been a long time since we have been together."


    Fujin replied, "Yeah, it''s been a while. Alright, I''ll call him."


    Renjiro nodded. He took Hayami with him and the group went their separate ways.

 Chapter 332: A Get-together

    Renjiro took Hayami to his home and introduced him to his family. His wife and children entertained Hayami and made him feel at home while Renjiro arranged for Hayami to stay in the Senju npounds.


    After making arrangements, Renjiro took him to the T&I Department where Hayami was put to sleep using a Genjutsu and the authorities did a thorough checkup on him. They inspected his body for any possible seals. After confirming there were none, they had a Yamanaka ninja read his memories. Once again, he was cleared and they confirmed he wasn''t a spy. After confirming, Ibiki let Renjiro take him back.


    The procedure wasn''t created especially for Hayami. All the 35 children Renjiro had sent before were subjected to the same. Of course, none of the kids remembered any of this.


    The next afternoon, Fujin walked into Yakiniku. He heard, "Fujin, here."


    Fujin turned his head in the direction of the voice to see Hoka. He joined him and said, "It''s been a long time."


    Fujin had gone to Hoka''s residence the day before. Unfortunately, he wasn''t at home. So he just dropped a message for him and left.


    Hoka replied, "Yeah. It''s been over a year since west met up. Time flies so quickly. Seems like the Anbu life is very hectic."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Yeah. Some missions need me to stay out for months."


    He let out a sigh and added, "And for some reason, Lord Hokage seems to like giving me a lot of missions. You are lucky to not be in it."


    Hoka nodded and replied, "Yeah, it gives me a lot of time to train."


    Fujin chuckled and teased, "So, why aren''t you a Jounin yet?"


    Hoka immediately became dejected. He said in a depressed tone, "Lord Hokage is so strict when ites to promoting. I can already fight against Jounins from other major viges and even in my n. But he promoted me to just Special Jounin. Father said that I''ll probably need another couple of years to be officially promoted to the Jounin rank."


    He looked at Fujin and asked, "What about you? Do you remember the promise we made two and a half years ago? You only have six months left."


    Fujin replied, "I got promoted to Anbu Captain a few months back. That rank is equivalent to Jounin. I''ll be Jounin when I retire."


    Hoka quickly caught on to the information. He asked, "You are nning to quit the Anbu?"


    Fujin nodded and answered, "I don''t get much time to train. But I still have some work to do in the Anbu. It should bepleted in around 6 to 8 months."


    Hoka replied, "Alright. Let''spete when you are done with your work then."


    A grin formed on his face as he said, "I can''t wait to fight against you again."


    "Is fighting all you two can think about?"


    Fujin and Hoka turned their heads to see Renjiro approaching them. Fujin chuckled and replied, "Well, we can only do what our Sensei taught us."


    Hoka nodded, "Yup. Feel free to me our Sensei."


    Bothughed at Renjiro''s expense. Renjiro sighed at their antics and joined the table. It had been just over 3 years since Fujin and Hoka were Genins under his tutge. However, now Hoka was a Special Jounin while Fujin was an Anbu Captain.


    In terms of strength, Hoka was at the Jounin level while Fujin was as strong as Renjiro. Though hecked in terms of overall capabilities and experience, in terms of speed and lethality, he had already surpassed Renjiro. In a fight, Renjiro would need to be very careful against Fujin.


    Renjiro was very proud of his students. However, he couldn''t help but think, ''It''s a shame that Mieko got caught in the Uchiha mess. She would have been at the Jounin level as well if she had been alive.''


    A server delivered them meat as the three of them caught up and shared some of their experiences. Of course, no one spoke about any missions that had to be kept a secret. So Hoka and Renjiro were unaware of the stunts Fujin pulled in the Land of Wind and his fight against Roshi.


    After having lunch and talking for a couple of hours, Renjiro asked Fujin, "So, how did you make it to the Land of Water so quickly?"


    Fujin replied, "I signed a Summoning Contract. My summons can fly quite fast."


    Hoka was surprised. He said, "Summons that can fly you? That''s very rare. Congrats Fujin."


    Renjiro added, "No, Summons that can fly four people and probably fly at twice the speeds of messenger birds. That''s even more impressive."


    Hoka was surprised, "That good? Wait!"


    He squinted his eyes and stared at Fujin. Fujin realized his thoughts and chuckled. Hoka let out a sigh and cursed, "Bastard! It''s already annoying to fight you when you keep running away! For thest two years, I kept working on strategies tobat your style ofbat. But now you can fly? How the heck am I supposed to fight you if you fly and keep attacking from above?"


    Fujin didn''t reply and just grinned. Unknown to Hoka, his summons had great control over Wind chakra and were just as lethal as him if Vacuum jutsus weren''t considered.


    Hoka sighed and said, "No summons and no running and hiding during our fight. Wait, no clones either."


    Fujin tilted his head and asked, "Are you gonna tell your enemy that?"


    Hoka replied, "It''s a spar, that''s different."


    Renjiro chuckled and said, "So much talk about sparring. Do you two want to spar against me?"


    Both Fujin and Hoka looked at him. Hoka replied, "Sensei, I know that you could take three of us at the same time back when we were Genins. But do you think that you can take the two of us at the same time right now as well?"


    Over thest few years, Hoka''s Taijutsu improved a lot. It didn''t have any ws and he was confident in going up against Renjiro when it came to Taijutsu. With Fujin supporting him with Ninjutsu, he didn''t think that Renjiro would have an easy time against them.


    Renjiro shrugged and said, "It''s not necessary to win in a spar."


    Fujin said in an uncertain tone, "Sparring¡­ I''m kinda against doing much of that now."


    Fujin''s words surprised Renjiro and Hoka.


    Hoka asked, "Why so?"


    Fujin replied, "Thest time I sparred with my team, I had a hard time controlling myself. The missions in Anbu have honed my killing instincts to an extreme. It gets difficult to control myself when I see openings. And it is very dangerous considering that I use Wind jutsus primarily. One bad attack could end up killing a friend."


    Fujin''s words surprised Hoka. Unlike Fujin, Hoka went on missions that were tailored to his growth. The Hyuga n had a proper system in ce for anyone who worked hard to get stronger. So Hoka benefited from it. And unlike Fujin, his missions didn''t involve as much killing.


    Renjiro said, "Yeah, that happens when you spend a lot of time in Anbu. Even after leaving the Anbu, it stays for many years. That said, losing control over your actions is not good. It may seem advantageous in battle, but you''ll end up making a lethal mistake at some point. You should find a sparring partner to learn and control those instincts."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Yeah. I guess Lord Hokage feels the same. My missions over thest few months don''t involve much fighting."


    After his sh with Roshi, Hiruzen realized that Fujin''s tactics and thoughts had developed to be extremely lethal. He realized that Fujin''s actions in the Land of Wind wouldn''t be a one-off event. So to tone down his aggression, Hiruzen had assigned him missions that dealt more with diplomacy and protection rather than elimination.


    Though the mission to rescue Renjiro''s squad had a chance of high-levelbat, it too fell under diplomacy as Fujin had to avoid conflict to ensure theplete sess of the mission. So as such, Fujin hadn''t killed a lot after his mission to eliminate the base that Suna had created in the Land of Fire.


    After talking for a bit, the group decided against sparring. Renjiro was concerned that an all-out spar between them would wreck an entire training ground. Though the vige generally disregarded such destruction, he had a feeling that the scale might surpass what the vige could ignore. As for Hoka, he wanted to keep his improvements a secret from Fujin. So he didn''t push for a spar either.


    Fujin changed the topic by asking, "How many kids did you rescue from the Land of Water?"


    Renjiro replied, "Including Hayami, 36."


    Fujin was surprised. He said, "That''s quite a lot. Do any of them have Kekkei Genkai?"


    Renjiro shook his head and replied, "They are too young. So it hasn''t manifested in anyone. But some of them do have the bloodline. Hopefully, a few of them will unlock their Kekkei Genkai. Though even if they don''t, it''s fine. At some point in the future, one of their descendants will unlock it."


    Fujin nodded. Establishing a new bloodline n in the vige was a long-term project. It would take a few decades to show results. And the frequent wars and deaths during the missions would be a huge obstacle towards that goal.


    But Fujin wasn''t very interested in the long-term aspect. He hoped that a few of the kids would unlock their Kekkei Genkai very soon. He was nning to start fusing his own elements soon to learn a Kekkei Genkai. Having a reference would be a huge help for him. He thought, ''I''ll need to keep an eye on those kids.''


    Seeing how much time had passed, Renjiro said, "I lost track of time. I have some work to do at home. It was good meeting both of you again."


    Hoka nodded, "Yeah. We should do this more often in the future."


    Fujin and Renjiro nodded. They said farewells and went their separate ways.

 Chapter 333: Konohas Light and Darkness!

    After a few days off, Fujin once again became busy with his Anbu duties. Hiruzen was quite busy as well. He made arrangements for Hayami to join the 1st year in the academy.


    Though the kids Renjiro brought from Kiri were talented enough to be ced in Elite batches, Hiruzen didn''t do that and instead distributed them in the normal batches that had 100 students. His goal was to ensure that they made good friends in Konoha. Combined with his frequent ''motivational'' speeches, the unsuspecting kids were quickly assimted into Konoha.


    Once the assimtion wasplete, Hiruzen analyzed, ''36 good kids. Their circumstances will make them train harder than most. And they might even motivate others to train hard. Once their strength grows beyond the normal students, I''ll expand the Elite batches to include the ones that stand out.''


    Seeing how good they were, Hiruzen thought, ''It''d be good if we could recruit such kids frequently from there. Unfortunately, it will be very difficult and risky. Both sides should have noticed these events. They''ll be on the lookout for such operations done by other viges. Not to mention, there will bepetition from other viges.''


    He began analyzing to check if he could continue the operations in the Land of Water somehow. However, he could only think of one solution. He wondered, ''Should I ask Danzo to make a move there?''


    Hiruzen was in a dilemma when it came to Danzo. Though he was arade, he had been very extreme in the past few years. The Uchiha''s loss was a big blow for Konoha. In addition, unlike others, Danzo won''t obediently do what Hiruzen wanted.


    He thought, ''The only way Danzo would agree is if I let him induct the kids into Root. No, he will agree even if I decline and would instead secretly induct the most talented kids he finds into the Root.


    But, I have already disbanded the Root. Though he still has a few dozen Root ninjas under hismand, it is a far cry from what he controlled before the Uchiha Massacre. If I let him recruit kids from here, then he will begin rebuilding the Root again.''


    Hiruzen began analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of such an action. After around 10 minutes, he decided, ''Though the rebels aren''t lunatics like the Mizukage faction, at the end of the day, they are still a different vige. I can''t guarantee that they would ally with us. Even though Danzo is extreme, at the end of the day, he is still loyal to Konoha.


    I''ll let him take over this operation. Even if he recruits talented children now, he will need around 10 years to raise arge number of Jounins from their ranks. He will be too old by then to have any more ambitions towards the Hokage seat. Besides¡­''


    A glint appeared in Hiruzen''s eyes as he decided, ''In around 6 years, I''ll pass my seat to Kakashi or Fujin. And I''ll make the other themander of Root and force Danzo to retire along with me. That would be the best oue for Konoha.''


    Though there were a lot of reasons for Hiruzen to be upset with Danzo, it was undeniable that Konoha had benefited heavily due to him. Of all the viges, Konoha was the only vige where a rank S ninja willingly took over the role of Darkness and stayed away from the limelight.


    One rank S ninja leading in the light and another hiding in the dark was a deadlybination. Even if Konoha didn''t have any other rank S ninjas, Hiruzen was confident in defending Konoha during the Second and Third Great Ninja wars despite being surrounded by enemies on all sides.


    So if Hiruzen could see any opportunity to create such abination in the future, he would make a move towards it.


    He let out a sigh and thought, ''I was hoping that the ones who reced us would be Jiraiya and Orochimaru. Back then, my rtionship with Danzo was very good. If Jiraiya had epted the Hokage position and Orochimaru seeded Danzo, we would have been in a stable position for another couple of generations.


    Unfortunately, Jiraiya didn''t take my seat. And Orochimaru wanted to be the Hokage instead of letting Minato be the one. After Minato''s death, everything became a mess.


    I had given up any hopes of recreating this arrangement. To think that such an opportunity would present itself once again. And unlike the ones before, Kakashi and Fujin can take the roles of both, Light and Darkness. It would provide a lot of flexibility to the vige.''


    After dissolving the Root, Hiruzen initially didn''t intend to revive it again. There were two main obstacles to reviving the Root. The first was a capable leader to seed Danzo. And the second was the manpower. Fujin''s performance in the Land of Wind provided Hiruzen with a second possible future leader. And the orphans in the war-torn Land of Water provided him with the required manpower. Though there were some risks, the advantages far outweighed them in Hiruzen''s opinion.


    Having concluded his thoughts, Hiruzen decided on going forward with his ns. He disappeared from his office. A few secondster, he appeared in a secret underground chamber.


    Danzo, who was sitting in a chair and handling some work, suddenly looked up. To his surprise, Hiruzen had shown up unannounced. He asked, "What do you want?"


    Hiruzen replied with a question, "Are you aware of Renjiro''s mission in the Land of Water?"


    Danzo looked at Hiruzen without speaking, but there was no change in his expression. He replied, "The one to rescue orphans from the Land of Water?"


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "He ended up confronting the rebel faction. So I had to stop the mission. But, it''s a waste if we don''t act on such an opportunity. I want you to deploy your forces and rescue such orphans."


    Danzo squinted his eye. He asked, "My forces? Did you forget that you disbanded Root?"


    Hiruzen sighed and asked, "Do you think I''m oblivious to everything you do?"


    Danzo didn''t reply. He knew that Hiruzen knew about the forces still under his control. But he didn''t expect Hiruzen to confront him about it.


    Hiruzen said, "So, will you?"


    Danzo replied, "I want my former Root ninjas back under mymand."


    Hiruzen shook his head and replied, "That''s not negotiable. Root won''t be officially started either."


    A frown formed on Danzo''s face. He asked, "How will I rescue the orphans?"


    Hiruzen replied, "Use your current forces. You can deploy all of them if you want. In addition, the kids you recruit can be recruited into Root. But I want proper documentation on each of them, along with yearly reports on their progress. Especially if someone unlocks Kekkei Genkai."


    Danzo was surprised by the offer. He thought, ''I do have enough force to undertake such a task. But why is Hiruzen being so generous? I thought I would only get to induct a few kids sneakily. But if he allows me to induct them openly, I can rebuild my Root forces in 8 to 10 years.''


    Hiruzen stared at Danzo,pletely understanding his thought process. He thought, ''I don''t want to do something like this to an oldrade. But you left me with no choice. I can only give you false hope and take it away from you before it gives you any results.''


    Not knowing Hiruzen''s n to force him to retire, Danzo replied, "Alright. I will take over this mission. But you can''t change your mind in the future."


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "Of course. Recruit as many orphans as you can. But be careful of the Mizukage and Rebel factions. Their fighting will intensify soon."


    Danzo nodded. Hiruzen disappeared from the office as rapidly as he appeared. After he left, a frown formed on Danzo''s face. He thought, ''Konoha''s current condition is very stable. So why did Hiruzen give me an opportunity to reestablish my forces?''


    He thought for a long time, but couldn''te up with a definite answer. He decided, ''Whatever. No matter what he is up to, I''ll just counter his schemes when they pop up. Besides, even if I figured out his schemes, I would still want to recruit those orphans.''


    The following day, 36 Root ninjas sneakily left Konoha. They moved into the Land of Water and began their mission of ''rescuing'' arge number of orphans who were suffering due to the war.


    Around the time the Root ninja reached the Land of Water, Fujin entered his basement. There were multiple scrolls in his hand. Heid the scrolls on the floor and opened them while thinking, ''In thest eight months, I have learnt all the new Fuinjutsu symbols that were in Section A of the Library. In addition, I have learnt hundreds of new seals. Finally, my basics are good enough to begin learning this jutsu.''


    He sighed and muttered, "It''s been such a long time since I wanted to master this seal. Finally, I can do it!"


    The scrolls in front of him contained information and a training n to learn the Four Symbols Seal!

 Chapter 334: Four Symbols Seal

    Fujin sat in his basement, carefully reading the information in the scrolls. It wasn''t the first time he had read it. In fact, it was the first seal he studied after getting promoted to the Anbu Captain rank. But thest time he read, he realized that he wasn''t ready to learn the seal.


    After reading all the information once again, Fujin summarized, ''Four Symbols Seal¡­ A seal made of just four symbols. Sounds so simple... Unfortunately, that isn''t the case. The truth is that this seal contains thousands of symbols arranged in a veryplicated manner. In terms ofplexity, this is the mostplex seal I have seen.


    The thousands of symbols are arranged in such a way that they take the shape of four symbols, giving the seal its name. The four symbols themselves have a particr function.


    The first symbol is to make the seal adaptable. It allows certain changes to be made to the seal such that every Four Symbols Seal is different from each other, sort of like a signature or a fingerprint. And once the seal is created, this symbol allows the seal to be further modified.


    Due to this, the ones who know this seal and are aware of the details in this symbol can make it stronger or weaker if the host doesn''t resist or considers them a threat. In addition, the seal can also be influenced by other seals to make the sealing much stronger.


    The second symbol is to suppress what is sealed inside this seal. It restricts the amount of power the Tailed Beast controls. In fact, it can pretty much shut down all power of a tailed beast and forcefully put it to sleep.


    The third symbol is to make the seal resilient. If the Tailed Beast somehow ovees the suppression of the second symbol, then the resilience granted by this symbol is enough to temporarily stop a Tailed Beast from breaking out and provide the host with an opportunity to resist and fight back.


    It would also provide defenses to prevent someone from forcefully changing the seal. Though if the difference in power between the two ninjas is high, it won''t be much help.


    Thest symbol''s effect is a bit vague and variable. It uses the willpower and determination of the host to increase or decrease the effects and strengths of the other three symbols. Though it isn''t a fixed boost, it is a good addition. After all, the willpower of any person will be the highest when death is right in front of them.


    So at the moment when the Tailed Beast is about to break out forcefully, this symbol would provide a huge help to the host. In addition, if the host faces an external threat, such as a situation where his friends are being killed while he helplessly watched, the determination to live or resist the Tailed Beast can decrease, lowering the power of the seal and allowing the Tailed Beast to break out and rampage against a superior enemy force.''


    Fujin stayed in silence for a few minutes to digest all the information. After around seven minutes, he analyzed, ''If the purpose is to only seal a Tailed Beast or something simr, then this seal is good enough. But there are some major ws.


    The first major w is that it doesn''t steal chakra from what is sealed inside. So if a Tailed Beast is sealed inside a ninja, then that Jinchuriki can only act as a nuke. He won''t be able to ess any chakra of the Tailed Beast unless the Tailed Beast breaks the seal and kills him before rampaging on the battlefield.


    And the other major w is that, unlike Naruto''s seal, this seal doesn''t allow anyone else to enter the seal and help them fight the tailed beast.


    So these effects should be from the Eight Trigram Divination Seal, which is created by ovepping two Four Symbol Seals. Unfortunately, the Library doesn''t have the Eight Trigram Divination Seal. And asking Hiruzen for it will raise a lot of questions, starting from how I even know about that seal or what I n to do with it.


    Fortunately, I do have some ideas. The Four Symbols Seals have to be ovepped in such a way that they don''tpletely ovep with each other. I can try learning using the Trial and Error method. If I can''t, then I can only think of a way to ask for it from Hiruzen without arousing suspicions.


    After all, for me to implement any of those ns I created, the Eight Trigram Divination Seal is more important than even the Flying Thunder God!''


    There was a reason why Fujin wanted to master this seal. It was due to an idea he had long ago when he was in the academy. Over the years, he introspected the idea several times. Though he became more and more aware of how difficult it would be to make that idea a reality, he never found anything that wouldpletely rule out the feasibility of his idea. Finally, he was about to take a major step towards it.


    Without wasting any time, Fujin created 80 Shadow Clones and began learning the seal. Theplexity of the seal meant that even with numerous clones, Fujin would still need a long time to learn and master the Four Symbols Seal!


    For 13 days straight, Fujin kept working on the seal until he was called for another mission. After dressing up in his Anbu attire, Fujin flickered towards the Anbu Headquarters.


    He appeared inside Eagle''s office and asked, "Another escort mission?"


    Eagle shook his head and said, "No."


    He ced a map on the desk between them, pointed at a location and said, "The Ito family in the Land of Waterfalls has recently been experiencing strange incidents. There have been a lot of murders happening in the viges in their territory. In some cases, the entire poption inside the viges have disappeared. And there have been no signs of struggle.


    Tanigakure sent some of their ninjas to investigate but came empty-handed. I sent another Anbu squad to investigate but they didn''t find anything either. They stayed in their territory for one month during which no incident urred. However, a few days after they returned, the incidents began happening again.


    For some reason, whoever is doing this, is only targeting the civilians. And they have managed to hide from any ninjas investigating. The previous squad I sent specialized in tracking and investigation but was unsessful as well. So I''m guessing that a SealMaster or GrandMaster might be involved."


    Fujin listened carefully. Eagle added, "Your mission is to inspect who is causing this. If you find the culprit, you can decide whether to kill or capture them or even let them go if you have a good reason. If you don''t find anyone, then make a decision on when to stop and return back to the vige."


    Fujin nodded and replied, "Alright. We will move out soon."


    He took the map that had all the markings of where the incidents had happened. He went into his team''s assigned room and analyzed the information while his clones moved to call his teammates.


    Fujin analyzed, ''This case is weird. The targets are all over the Ito family''s territory and no one area has a higher number of attacks. Still, attacking civilians and possible Fuinjutsu mastery¡­ Is it the Jashin?


    They were active in the Land of Grassst time. And this area isn''t too far off from them. But the Land of Earth is also close to this ce. So there could be a possible Iwagakure involvement. I need to be careful in case the Jinchurikis or Onoki are involved.''


    In around half an hour, his team assembled, ready to move. Fujin exined the mission parameters and left the vige. Though Fujin''s squad didn''t have anyone who specialized in tracking or picking up small clues like scent or hidden footprints, every one of them was a sensor. Though Yugao and Bunjiro''s sensor skills were very good, they were still quite handy. Both had improved considerably during thest 7 months.


    Within a day and a half, Fujin''s team reached the town in the Land of Waterfall where the Ito family lived.

 Chapter 335: A Complex Situation!

    Fujin''s squad went straight into the Ito family''s mansion. Seeing that another Anbu squad from Konoha had arrived, they were quickly weed into the mansion.


    Ito Yuya immediately appeared and said, "I am d that Konoha sent another squad so quickly. Come with me. I''ll update you on the recent incidents."


    He began walking inside the mansion while the Konoha ninjas followed him. As he walked, Fujin looked to his left and right. Numerous servants were staring at them. On seeing his gaze, they quickly averted eye contact and continued their work.


    A frown formed on Fujin''s face behind his mask. He thought, ''That''s weird. Not all of those gazes were filled with curiosity. Though no one showed it on their faces, it felt like someone was excited to see us. There is a problem in this mansion.''


    He remembered their faces and continued following Yuya. They soon entered arge room with a lot of maps. The room had several ninjas and people from the Ito family, who were trying toe up with a solution.


    As soon as they entered, all eyesnded on them. A look of relief appeared on their faces. While Fujin identified several faces, one stood out. He looked at one person and thought, ''Hara Yuto. As expected, he is here as well.''


    Hara Yuto was a capable Jounin from Takigakure. In terms of strength, he was about the same level as Fumito. Around a year ago, Fujin''s previous Anbu squad had taken a mission to eliminate the ninjas from the Kawaguchi family who wanted to kill Ito Yuya and Kara Yuto. So Fujin had some impression of them.


    Fujin walked towards a circr table that had arge map. The map was of the territory they controlled. He asked, "So, what''s the current status?"


    Yuto answered, "This is the most detailed map we have. The viges crossed out in ck are viges where the entire poption disappeared."


    He pointed towards one vige and said, "This vige faced their fate five days ago. The remaining three happened before your previous Anbu squad had arrived.


    As for the other viges, the numbers next to them state how many people have gone missing. We have tried searching for them continuously but have had no luck until now.


    There is no pattern to their activities. The people kidnapped are of both genders, all ages and all professions. The attacks are also atpletely random ces. We have tried forming a pattern to deduce what they will attack next, but have never seeded."


    He took a pause and looked at the Konoha ninjas. He continued, "However, there is one thing. Not a single Ninja has gone missing. The viges where we sent a ninja squad didn''t experience such incidents. But if we withdraw the squad, then such attacks resume. In addition, when the Konoha Anbu squad was here, not a single attack took ce. But after they left, it resumed."


    Everyone in the room waspletely helpless. They had tried all they could but couldn''t do anything to resolve the situation. Previously, they had specifically asked for a squad that specialized in tracking. But that didn''t help them either.


    Yuto concluded, "So our analysis is that the culprit is someone who specializes in stealth but either isn''t strong enough to face our ninjas or doesn''t want to risk facing us."


    Fujin''s subordinates also fell into thought while Fujin focused on the map, trying to find any attack patterns. Bunjiro asked, "Why don''t you deploy a ninja squad to every vige? Wouldn''t that solve the issue?"


    Bunjiro''s analysis was on point. Though they won''t find the culprits, they would avoid taking any more losses. However, Yuya helplessly replied, "Unfortunately, we don''t have that many ninjas. We tried asking our vige for it, but the request was refused because they were afraid that these attacks would spread to other territories."


    Yuto nodded and replied, "In addition, if we do that, then the defenses of Takigakure will be weakened. We have to shield against the possibility of this being an attempt tounch an attack on our ninja vige."


    Their exnations made Bunjiro''s solution unimplementable. He didn''t say anything else. However, Fujin muttered while staring at the map, "Yeah. But you might not have a country if you don''t stop this."


    Fujin''s words caused a few frowns to appear in the room. However, no one said anything. They were concerned about it as well. And since Fujin was staring at the map, they didn''t want to disturb him.


    Fujin continued observing as he thought, ''Random incidents¡­ Nothing is random. Even if they used a chance-based system, patterns will appear. If they tried avoiding that by having a human decide, even then the patterns will appear due to that person''s mentality.''


    He stared at the map for 5 minutes before concluding, ''Unfortunately, it is tooplicated. I should have brought a Nara with me.''


    Finally, Fujin stopped looking at the map. Yuya looked with a hopeful expression and asked, "Did you notice anything?"


    Fujin shook his head and asked, "No. Can I kill some of your servants?"


    A frown appeared on his face. He couldn''t decide what to say. Seeing him struggle, an old man said, "You can, but we need a proper exnation. You can''t kill anyone on a whim."


    Fujin thought, ''Alright. They don''t seem to beplete scumbags. So it shouldn''t be done by them.''


    The Ito family was one of Fujin''s suspects. After all, every incident urred in their territory. And wherever their ninjas went, the incidents didn''t happen. So all the helpless people in their territory would begin looking at them as their protectors from the mysterious enemy that keeps kidnapping ordinary citizens. However, Fujin had no proof for the same. And from their previous record, such behaviour was unlikely. So, he decided to move ahead with the lead he had.


    Fujin replied, "Alright, summon all your servants."


    Attempting to calcte the pattern and predict the next attack was a helpless proposition. Not to mention, they could stop attacking like they did when the previous squad was here. Fujin had no intention of wasting a month in that town. So he could only solve it through a different approach.


    In around 15 minutes, all the servants in the mansion were gathered in arge hall. They were confused as no information was provided. Ito Yuya asked everyone to maintain silence and stand in discipline.


    Fujin looked at Yuya and asked, "Are they all?"


    Yuya nodded.


    Four shadow clones appeared next to Fujin. They walked towards the servants and carefully observed them. After seeing a servant, the clone said, "You can leave."


    The other clones acted simrly. They took their sweet time in dismissing the servants.


    Due to the time and since they didn''t know what was happening, every servant who hadn''t been sent away was getting more and more tense as time passed. Half an hourter, only 16 servants stood in the room.


    Fujin observed them and thought, ''These were the sixteen staring at me in the corridor.''


    Fujin''s clones dispelled themselves as Fujin said, "Lock down the doors. You 16, stand next to each other."


    The ninjas from the Ito family closed all exits while the servants nervously stood next to each other, while Fujin continued staring at them. Finally, one couldn''t bear the tension. He asked, "Can you say what this is about?"


    Fujin gazed at him and observed for a minute. He concluded, ''Not him.''


    He said, "We havee here to investigate the recent incidents happening around this town. After looking for a long time, we realized that a servant working in the mansion has turned traitor."


    Fujin''s words surprised the servants and the Ito family. The Ito family ninjas looked at Fujin with skepticism. After all, they had already investigated each of their servants and hadn''t found anyone suspicious.


    The servants quickly began defending themselves. One said, "We will never betray the hands that feed us."


    Another said, "Lord, please recheck your information. We will never do that."


    Othersined as well.


    Fujin said, "My information is urate."


    He made a hand seal and said, "I will give the traitor an opportunity. Confess. If you do, then I will let the Ito family handle your punishment."


    He released some killing intent and stated very coldly, "But if you don''t, then not only will I kill all of you, I will also ughter each and every member of your families!"


    ''Boufura no Ekirei jutsu''


    The Ito family frowned again. Once again, Fujin had done something that they didn''t approve of. However, since he hadn''t acted yet, they controlled themselves. After all, they had already talked with him.


    Only Yuto noticed what Fujin did. He thought, ''A Genjutsu? But which one?''


    Since Fujin used only one hand seal, Yuto couldn''t identify what he did.


    The servants began arguing and pleading hysterically. They didn''t want their families to suffer.


    However, as they shouted, they suddenly felt a pain in their stomach. They all held their stomach and fell to the ground while screaming in pain. The Ito family finally had enough, but Yuto said, "It''s fine. Stay back and watch."


    Meanwhile, a frown appeared behind Fujin''s mask as well. He thought, ''That''s strange. None of them are ninjas. And I didn''t sense anyone speaking lies. Was what I felt wrong? Or is there such a good civilian spy?''


    The pain soon turned into panic as the servants noticed maggots drilling through their abdomen and crawling out. They pleaded with Fujin to spare their lives.


    Fujin looked at them and said emotionlessly, "For onest time, have you done anything to betray the Ito Family or passed information to someone else?"


    All 16 servants replied negatively. However, Fujin''s and Fumito''s eyesnded on one servant. Both detected that he was lying.


    A few secondster, all the servants lost consciousness. Fujin looked at Fumito, who nodded in response.

 Chapter 336: The Right Question...

    Fujin created a Shadow Clone who walked towards the servant who had lied and picked him up. Fujin said, "Give me a small room. I want to interrogate him."


    Yuya asked, "What about the remaining 15? And what did you do to them?"


    Fujin replied, "They were ced under a Genjutsu. They will wake up in a day or so. Keep them in the same room and have a doctor monitor their health. And they won''t remember much of what happened. So make up a story for them."


    Yuya replied, "Alright."


    Soon, a closed room was arranged for the Konoha ninjas. Fujin ced a few privacy seals in the room and said, "Go ahead Fumito. Check what he is hiding."


    Fumito nodded and walked towards the unconscious servant and ced his hand on his head. Yin chakra entered the servant''s brain as Fumito began reading his memories. Fujin observed him carefully.


    He thought, ''It was a boon to have a Yamanaka on my squad. In thest 6 months, I have seen him read memories several times. Thanks to that, I have gained valuable insights into the technique. I used some bandits to experiment on and I can finally read some memories.


    But my method is still too crude. I have only a 25% sess rate and I can''t read all the memories as the brain gets destroyed after a few minutes. Still, this is good. In a few years, I will be able to use this technique properly.''


    For 30 minutes, Fumito kept reading his memories. Finally, he let him go and took a deep breath. Fujin asked, "So, what did you find?"


    Fumito replied, "He isn''t a traitor. Or at least, he doesn''t consider himself as one. That is why we couldn''t detect any lies earlier.


    He lives alone as his family died around a year ago. He knew who the killer was but had no proof and couldn''t do anything as the killer held a lot of influence in the Ito family. He could only bottle it up in himself and continued living bitterly.


    However, a few months ago, a man approached him. He knew about his situation and promised to get justice for his family if he passed information about any foreign ninjasing into this mansion."


    His words generatedplicated emotions in the Konoha ninjas. Bunjiro sighed and said, "No wonder he didn''t consider himself a traitor."


    Yugao asked, "Did he pass the information?"


    Fumito nodded. He said, "He agreed but added that he will only do it once. The man agreed and eliminated the person who had killed his family.


    In return, he informed the man when our previous squad arrived here. After passing on the information, the man gave him another deal. If he passed them information for the second time, he would eliminate the ones who supported the killer and allowed him to live in peace without any consequences for his actions. He agreed once again.


    When we were analyzing the map and the situation, he went out to report our arrival to that man."


    A frown formed on the faces of the Konoha ninjas. Yugao said, "That means that our arrival is likely known to the enemy."


    Fujin nodded. He asked, "Did he know anything about the man?"


    Fumito replied, "Nothing apart from his appearance."


    Fujin replied, "Alright, draw his sketch. It might help if that person wasn''t a ninja. Otherwise, this is a dead-end as well."


    Fumito nodded. Though he got a lot of information from the servant, it wasn''t very useful for their mission. The only person who mattered was that man, and the servant knew almost nothing about him.


    Fumito began drawing a detailed sketch while Fujin analyzed, ''No wonder it took me so long to find this guy. If he was just a spy, then it would have been much easier. The excitement I felt earlier should have been from this guy seeing an opportunity to get rid of the ones that helped the killer. And until I asked whether they passed any information, he hadn''t told any lies.


    And my threat of killing their family was useless against him as well. Regardless, this route will lead to a dead end as well. What should I do next?''


    Fujin began thinking of a n. By the time Fumito was done, Fujin strategized, ''The next step will be waiting patiently. I can make a decision based on whether such incidents ur again. If they do, then I''ll need to use the clues to track and hunt them. If not, then I will have to make an arrangement for us to stay here for a long time¡­''


    Fumito handed Fujin a paper and said, "This is how he looked."


    Fujin observed the sketch. He didn''t identify the man. He said, "Let''s leave it to the Ito family to find this guy."


    His team nodded. Searching an entire town would be too tedious and time-consuming with just 4 people.


    Fujin deactivated and collected the privacy seals he had attached and exited the room with his team. Yuya immediately asked, "Did you find anything?"


    Fujin nodded, handed him the sketch and asked, "Do any of you know this man?"


    Everyone observed the sketch but couldn''t identify him. Fujin said, "He is the one who bribed this servant to inform him about the movement of foreign ninjas. So the knowledge of our arrival is already known to the enemies. Put the town under lockdown and find this man. He could be the key to helping us understand what is happening in your territory."


    Fujin''s words enraged the Ito family members. Yuya asked, "He took bribes to betray us?"


    Fujin looked at Fumito who exined what the ''bribe'' was. The exnation doused their anger. Yuya sighed and said, "I can understand his thought process. But this is still a betrayal of our trust. He won''t be able to escape punishment."


    Fujin replied, "While I don''t care what you do with your people, I''d advise you against it. Like others, he won''t know what happened. So we can use him to pass false information to the enemies.


    If you can''t find that man, you can keep an eye on him to find that manter on. In addition, you can also grant secret protection to his targets to trap and capture any attackers.


    Once the issue is resolved, feel free to do what you want to with him."


    Yuya thought about Fujin''s words and immediately agreed. He quickly dispatched his ninjas to investigate the town. At the same time, he made living arrangements for the Konoha Anbu in the mansion.


    The Konoha ninjas made themselvesfortable. Sensing the opportunity, Fujin called Yuya and Yuto into their room.


    Yuya asked, "What did you want to discuss? And why did you tell us toe alone?"


    Fujin looked straight into his eyes and said, "I have a doubt. I''m wondering if you could provide me with a satisfactory answer."


    Yuya replied kindly, "Just say. We will do our best to fulfill any of your requests."


    Fujin didn''t break eye contact and asked, "Is the Ito family behind these events?"


    Fujin''s question shocked everyone in the room. Yuto quickly looked at Yuya who looked angry. Yuya controlled his temper and asked in an unpleasant tone, "What do you mean?"


    From his reply, Fujin could see that Yuya wasn''t a part of it. He said, "Stop being emotional and think rationally. Such arge incident without the support of someone from inside is difficult. Do you suspect anyone from your family is behind this? Or perhaps providing them with information that could assist them in some way?"


    Yuya thought for a minute before shaking his head. He said, "I can''t think of anyone doing something like this. There is nothing for our family to gain. Some rival families may have a hand, but even after investigating, we didn''t find any proof."


    Fujin replied, "Alright. Keep an eye out. Though I don''t have any proof either, this being an inside job has a high possibility. For that reason, I will only be informing you two about the next step of my n."


    Yuya got serious. Yuto asked, "What n did youe up with?"


    Fujin replied, "If the attacks continue happening, we will begin the hunt depending on the situation. But, if the attacks stop likest time, then we will stay here for a week. You will take that opportunity to see how we act here. And you will arrange for 4 ninjas you trust to disguise as us.


    We will sneak out during the night without alerting anyone and those 4 ninjas will continue disguising as us to deter any future incidents."


    Yuya and Yuto fell silent and began analyzing. Finally, Yuto let out a sigh and said, "Looks like that is the only feasible action."


    Fujin nodded and said, "If the incidents continue happening in the future, then we can meet somece outside the town secretly and create a n to stop them. But if they keep hiding, there isn''t much we can do."


    Yuto nodded. They discussed some more details before leaving.


    While walking back, Yuya sighed and said, "Looks like this is our only way. The vige won''t send us more ninjas and Konoha doesn''t want to station a squad here permanently."


    Yuto nodded and replied, "Yeah. But this is better than nothing. It could buy a few months of peace until they realize that something is wrong. We can use that time to investigate further."


    Yuya nodded. Since the information was leaked, they didn''t have any hopes of catching the culprits and could just wish for temporary peace. Unknown to them, their prediction would turn out to bepletely wrong!

 Chapter 337: A Creepy Feeling!

    Yuya and Yuto began overseeing the task of searching for the man. They showed the sketch around the town. However, not a single person simr to the sketch was seen by anyone in the town.


    Yuya went to Fujin and reported to him the state of investigation. Fujin said, "Looks like that man is a ninja. He should have used the Transformation jutsu when the servant saw him."


    Yuya asked, "What do we do now?"


    Fujin instructed, "It''s fine. Continue the search until everyone is asked. Once it ispleted, inform me. Inform me as soon as the ninjas stop the search."


    Yuya was surprised by the weirdmand. But he nodded. His ninjas investigated until the evening before giving up. Yuya informed Fujin that the search had stopped and the ninjas would return in a couple of minutes. Fujin nodded and dismissed him.


    Around 10 minutes after the ninjas returned, a chakra field covered the entire town! It was activated by Fujin, who sat at the top of the mansion.


    He thought, ''I can''t sense any other ninja. It looks like he is still being careful. That sucks. I was hoping that he''d drop his guard after the ninjas returned. Anyways, time to mess with him.''


    In one ordinary house in the town, a man began sweating. He held his breath and didn''t dare to even move a muscle. After 2 minutes, when the chakra field disappeared, he finally rxed.


    He thought, ''What a crazy bastard! Did he cover the entire town with his chakra field? Fortunately, I kept my chakra suppressed. If I had rxed because those annoying Ninjas gave up, I''d be dead now.''


    He collected himself and decided, ''It''s best to not use my chakra for a while. I might not get lucky every time. But as long as I don''t use my chakra, I will be safe.''


    After consoling himself, he calmed down. However, his night wasn''t peaceful. Throughout the night, Fujin and Fumito kept activating their chakra fields alternately. The first started to do them at an interval of 10 minutes. But then they suddenly changed the interval to 1 minute.


    They followed it up by goingpletely random. At some point, both stopped and didn''t sense any more before suddenly sensing after 3 hours! The man didn''t dare to sleep in case he identally released some chakra during his sleep. And he didn''t dare to consume a soldier pill to stay awake as that would make it difficult for him to hide his chakra.


    So he had a sleepless night followed by a sleepless day and another sleepless night. However, he didn''t blow up his cover. Fujin finally decided to stop as he had to leave after 6 days and the Ito family wouldn''t be able to replicate such sensing skills.


    During these two days, reports of missing people were sent continuously to the Ito family. However, Fujin didn''t move out as those incidents took ce before they arrived or just after they had arrived. So there wasn''t much point in moving out. The Ito family could only send their own squads out.


    After two days passed, the reports stoppeding. As they had predicted, the incidents had all stopped. For three days straight, not a single incident happened. Knowing Fujin''s n, Yuya began spreading the news that the incidents had stopped because the culprits were afraid of Konoha ninjas.


    Within a day, everyone in the town and neighbouring viges knew that the Konoha ninjas were responsible for their peace. He also said that the Konoha squad will be staying in their territory until the culprits are found! That lifted the morale of themon people.


    However, out of everyone''s expectations, a dayter, a report arrived that shocked the Ito family and everyone living in their territory! Every single person from another vige had suddenly gone missing. In addition, over 25 reports of missing people were filed from all around their territory. The entire mansion was in chaos.


    Fujin and his team were immediately summoned to the Meeting room. Fujin analyzed the information and said, "It looks like they have decided to confront us."


    Everyone nodded. Fujin asked, "Do you have any ns?"


    Yuto replied, "Our initial n was to attack one spot with all our forces. However, the sudden attack has caused a lot of panic in the poption. We will have to split up to restore calm in the public."


    He pointed at the map and continued, "You guys go to the vige with missing people. I have already gone to 4 of them and haven''t found any clues. I will go to this vige which had 5 incidents. The rest will investigate the other cases."


    Fujin nodded and replied, "Alright. We will take our leave then."


    Fujin didn''t mind the n. He wanted to move just with his squad in either case. The Taki ninjas would only get in their way. Yuto was the only Taki ninja with decent capabilities. The rest could barely be considered Chunins.


    Yuto replied, "Good luck. I hope that you can resolve this issue in one go."


    Fujin nodded and his squad left the town and began moving towards their target. Around the same time, a couple of dozen more ninjas left the town. Yuto moved in a direction opposite Fujin''s squad while the others were dispersed in all directions.


    Though the vige where Fujin was heading wasn''t close, it wasn''t too far away from the town either. After 30 minutes of continuous running at the optimal speed, Fujin''s squad reached the vige.


    The squad stayed a sufficient distance from the vige and hid among the trees while observing the vige. Fujin''s eyes stopped glowing as he muttered, "That''s strange. I''m not seeing anyone''s chakra. But the vige is giving me strange creeps."


    Bunjiro replied, "Maybe it is because the vige is empty."


    Fujin replied, "No. That''s not it. Be on your guard. Fumito, let''s investigate the vige."


    Fumito nodded. Both he and Fujin activated their chakra fields. However, neither sensed anyone or anything strange. But Fujin had a frown on his face. He said, "Let''s go. Everyone keep your chakra field active. Be on your guard and stay behind me. Retreat when I say so without any questions. Is that understood?"


    His team nodded. They began walking towards the vige. All four were actively sensing. In a minute, they appeared at the entrance of the vige. Fujin stopped walking as he stared into the vige with hesitation in his eyes. His team also stopped behind him and wondered whether he discovered anything.


    Fujin stood for two minutes but still couldn''t make sense of anything. He thought, ''My first thought is Fuinjutsu. But this doesn''t feel like it. I normally understand it very well when something is hidden with the help of seals. What is th¡­?''


    As he was thinking, his instincts warned him. Suddenly, a wide grin appeared behind his mask as he thought, ''Not bad at all. You almost had me!''


    A sword appeared in his right hand and he swung it forward with all his strength as he said, "Retreat!"


    In the next moment, Fujin''s sword met with a hardened ck fist! Yugao, Fumito and Bunjiro immediately jumped backwards. The sword cut into the fist for a few millimeters but couldn''t pierce any deeper. Instead, the force of the punch overwhelmed Fujin''s sword. But Fujin wasn''t bothered and instead used the force of the punch to be sent flying backwards. Heughed loudly and shouted in excitement, "Very Impressive. Consider me impressed!"


    Though Fujinughed and said those words, they were only a taunt to provoke the ones hiding inside the barrier and make theme outside. He didn''t want to fight on a battlefield created by the enemy. Unfortunately, no one fell for his taunt.


    Fujin continued moving backwards as he built up arge amount of chakra. Hundreds of shurikens, explosion tags, kunais, spikes, earth spears and a few jutsus appeared out of thin air and came rushing at the Konoha ninjas.


    ''Wind Release: Infinite Breakthrough jutsu''


    Fujin released a supercharged Infinite Breakthrough jutsu at a massive speed and with dozens of wind des and a couple of Vacuum Waves in it. The jutsu shed with the iing attacks!

 Chapter 338: Failing for the First Time!

    The iing weapons and jutsus shed with Fujin''s attack. Without any suspense, all were knocked back towards the vige. In fact, the Wind current was so strong that it looked like it would uproot the entire vige!


    However, a massive invisible barrier appeared around the vige. The winds hit the barrier and couldn''t prate through it!


    Fujin observed the barrier and thought, ''Fortunately I learnt those new seals. Looks like this is the work of a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster. I almost fell into a deadly trap!''


    While it was easy to be a SealMaster, Fuinjutsu Grandmasters were very rare. The only one with whom Fujin interacted during missions was Uchiha Sora. Apart from him, Jiraiya, Hiruzen, Tsunade and Danzo were the only ones he knew in Konoha that were Grandmasters for sure.


    Apart from them, there was one Fuinjutsu Grandmaster who made inscribed seals for the Anbu, but Fujin never found his identity. Fujin did specte there to be a few more in Konoha, but the knowledge wasn''t publicly known. It was the same for the other viges. No information was avable on who reached this level of Fuinjutsu due to how easy it was to hide.


    Though Fujin hade across seals inscribed by Grandmaster previously, they were in ces where he had expected them to be and without anyone actively managing them. This was the first time for him to be ambushed on the battlefield by one. So he had never experienced how the advanced seals ced by them would be perceived by his senses. Fortunately, his long training in Fuinjutsu prevented him from walking into a trap.


    Fujin thought, ''It''d be great if I can see who this person is. Once the identity is leaked, he or she will be forced to stay hidden. But for now, I need to draw them out.''


    While the barrier blocked the attack, Fujin and his teammates immediately retreated away from the vige. Though they didn''t sense anyone, they realized that many ninjas were hiding in the vige. Inside the barrier, a frown formed on the face of the ninja who punched Fujin''s sword.


    Seeing no way to lure the Konoha ninjas in, he shouted, "Chase and kill them!"


    Immediately, dozens of ninjas rushed out of the barrier. In addition, 3 squads of ninjas appeared on the nks and behind the Konoha ninjas.


    As soon as they appeared, the Konoha ninjas became very serious. Fujin wondered, ''Iwagakure ninjas? What is Iwagakure nning by kidnapping so many people? This isn''t their style of action. And¡­''


    Fujin looked at therge man that had punched his sword and thought, ''What is so important that they sent Kitsuchi on this mission? Shit, this guy is considered S rank. Though he is probably among the weaker S ranked ninjas, he will still be a very difficult opponent. We need to retreat.''


    Fujin''s teammates also saw Kitsuchi and had a grim expression. One S ranked ninja along with 96 Iwa ninjas was too much for them to handle. And they didn''t know if anyone else was still hidden in the vige.


    At the same time, Kitsuchi looked at Fujin and thought, ''Suzuki Fujin¡­ So close. Had he stepped in, I could have killed him. But such alertness¡­''


    An old man stepped next to him and said, "This young man has a good grasp of Fuinjutsu. It''s possible that he is a Grandmaster as well. Don''t take him lightly."


    Kitsuchi nodded and said, "He has a lot of other annoying capabilities as well. This will be a costly battle."


    If Fujin was aware that Kitsuchi was aware of his identity, he would be surprised. In addition, he would also smell something fishy. Unfortunately, he couldn''t read Kitsuchi''s thoughts. And he had already stepped into their trap. He appeared next to his team and said, "Formation 77, Rear."


    His squad immediately understood themand. They stood in a triangle formation with Fujin at the center. All three grabbed a scroll and opened it while facing outwards and made the confrontation hand seal.


    Immediately, 33 Kunai with explosive tags attached wereunched from each scroll.


    Seeing the attack, a few of the Iwa ninjas mmed their hands on the ground.


    ''Earth Release: Earth Wall jutsu''


    Multipleyers of walls appeared in front of them, surrounding the Konoha ninjas from all sides. The kunais hit the wall and exploded. Oneyer of the walls was destroyed by the explosion but theyers behind it stood. However, this was just the start of Fujin''s tactic.


    Four Shadow Clones of Fujin appeared around them. Without wasting any time, all flickered in front of the walls.


    ''Wind Release: Vacuum Serial Wave jutsu''


    At the same time, Fujin''s squad moved towards the enemy squad at their rear. Fumito rapidly weaved hand seals.


    ''Lightning Release: False Darkness jutsu''


    Fujin''s clonesunched dozens of Vacuum des at the walls. All pierced through the walls with ease and moved towards the Iwa ninjas. A smile formed on the faces of Fujin''s clones. Hitting enemies who thought that they were safe was a tactic that had yielded him too many kills.


    At the same time, the Lightning spearsunched by Fumito broke through the walls and moved towards the ninjas behind them.


    However, something happened that shocked Fujin''s clones. As the Vacuum des approached the Iwa ninjas, every one of them got out of their way. And they didn''t do it by just marginally avoiding them. Instead, they dodged leaving sufficient distance to not be harmed by any suction force. It was almost as if they were waiting in anticipation to dodge the iing attacks.


    The four Iwa ninjas dodged Fumito''s Lightning spears as well. But the Konoha ninjas had anticipated that. Fujin followed up by shooting 8 Vacuum Bullets, 2 for each ninja, from a very close range. However, as soon as the Vacuum Bullets were shot, the Iwa ninjas immediately jumped out of the way, almost as if they knew that Fujin would attack them in this manner. All the bullets were dodged safely.


    Fujin''s eyes widened. He thought, ''What the hell? They dodged at such close range? Wait, I don''t sense any chakra disappearing from my clones'' attacks either. Did they all dodge?''


    Fujin didn''t understand. If he used the Vacuum bullets at such close range, only Elite Jounins would be able to dodge in such a convincing manner. But the chakra levels of the four ninjas were much lower. In addition, his clones'' attacks were dodged as well. But there was no way that all the dozens of Iwa ninjas were Elite Jounins.


    Unfortunately, he didn''t have any time to make sense of the situation. The four Iwa Jounins facing them counterattacked. Though the Konoha ninjas managed to deal with the attacks, it provided enough time for the remaining Iwa ninjas toe swarming towards them.


    He thought, ''This is bad. My tactic''s sess depends on killing a few enemies quickly and demotivating the rest to chase us due to the costs they would have to incur. But since neither Vacuum waves nor bullets managed to kill anyone, we will be swarmed by them.''


    Fujin had a bad feeling. He properly observed the Iwa ninjas. They didn''te flooding towards the Konoha ninjas to abuse their numerical superiority. Instead, only 7 additional squads rushed at them. The others quickly began establishing a perimeter to stop any escape. But they were very close as well and could jump into the battle at any moment. It was as if the Iwa ninjas wanted them dead at all costs.


    Seeing the situation, Two of Fujin''s clones moved towards a couple of iing squads and stalled them. The remaining two clones got together and faced the direction which had the maximum number of Iwa ninjas.


    ''Fire Release: Searing Migraine jutsu''


    ''Wind Release: Infinite Breakthrough jutsu''


    The two jutsusbined seamlessly and a massive Firestorm wasunched at the iing Iwa ninjas. However, before they could be hit, Kitsuchi mmed his hands on the ground.


    A massive Earth Wall appeared in front of the Iwa ninjas. The Fire and Windbination jutsu hit the wall and was about to move around and over it, but the size of the wall kept increasing and surprisingly kept up with the expanding firestorm. The wall curved to properly protect all the Iwa ninjas so that the Firestorm would harmlessly pass by.


    Though the attack was stopped to the clones'' dismay, it stopped the Iwa ninjas behind the wall temporarily, allowing Fujin and his remaining clones a breather.


    One of the clones flickered in front of the iing squad and shot a dozen Air bullets. Once again, all the bullets were dodged. The clone stopped their counterattack while analyzing, ''They know about my skills. They move as soon as I attack. The same should have happened with Vacuum waves. But why would everyone be aware of my skills?''


    Suddenly, the clone flickered again and appeared behind them. The Iwa ninjas quickly dispersed in four different directions immediately. Surprisingly, a cut appeared on the back of each of their necks. Before it could cut through, two of the ninjas hardened their bodies using Iron Skin jutsu and stopped the attack. The remaining two dropped dead.


    The clone analyzed, ''Looks like they don''t know all my tricks. Air Bullets, Infinite Breakthrough and Vacuum jutsus were anticipated. But de of Wind caught them off-guard.''


    As soon as the two ninjas died, a squad from the perimeter moved and attacked the clone, keeping him busy. So despite the killing, the situation of the Konoha ninjas didn''t improve.

 Chapter 339: Countering Fujin!

    While one of Fujin''s clones had some sess in killing, the other clone couldn''t get rid of his opponents so easily and was stuck fighting. He realized the same too. He analyzed, ''Did Iwa know that I wasing here? Regardless, mid-ranged Wind jutsus isn''t all I can do.''


    Suddenly, a massive amount of wind was sted behind him. He disappeared and appeared next to a ninja in the blink of an eye and shed his sword at his neck. The ninja immediately raised his kunai while moving backwards and leaning backwards.


    At the same time, his teammates attacked Fujin''s clone with shurikens. The sword sliced through the kunai, but the ninja leaned back enough to avoid the sword and the wind chakra flowing along it. The clone couldn''t keep attacking due to the iing attacks.


    Fujin''s clone used Assassin''s Rush again and tried attacking another ninja but the ninja dodged once again while the others attacked the clone. This time, the clone hardened his body with the Iron Skin jutsu to block the counterattacks. At the same time, wind flowed along his de as his sword released a Wind sh along with the swing of his de.


    The Iwa ninjas quickly got out of the way of the sh and weaved the hand signs for the Iron Skin jutsu. All four of them saw their skins turning ck and hard to defend against the apanying wind shes. However, dozens of shes still appeared on their bodies, including a few cuts across their necks, killing them on the spot.


    The clone looked at them coldly. The hand signs made him realize a crucial point. He thought, ''They are too familiar with my fighting style. If not for Susumu''s Genjutsu, they would have managed to block all the apanying shes.''


    Though the Iwa ninjas thought that they had used the jutsu, in reality, they hadn''t. While Hiruzen had asked him to keep the technique a secret, the current circumstances didn''t allow him to hold back much. That said, it was still difficult for the bystanders to figure out why the Iwa ninjas didn''t use the jutsu to defend themselves.


    Fujin''s clone turned his eyes towards the two squads rushing towards him and analyzed, ''All of these guys are Jounins! Though their speed isn''t as high as mine, they are able to anticipate my attacks, movements and react at thest moment to barely save themselves while the others distract me. Even though I will win eventually, I don''t have the luxury of time. Once the remaining Iwa ninjas rush in, I will be the one at greater risk.''


    Fujin himself felt the same issue. Despite having more chakra than his clones and his teammates to assist, his performance wasn''t much better as they were facing two Elite Jounins along with multiple Jounins. Though he managed to kill 5 ninjas, he wasn''t happy.


    He analyzed, ''These guys nevere too close to me so that they will have sufficient time to dodge. In addition, every one of them is aiding others in defense. And all their attackse from my blindspots.


    It is almost as if someone has properly studied my fighting style and trained these guys to fight most optimally against me. The only way I can overturn this situation and get a quick victory is by spamming Shadow Clone and eliminating their advantage of numbers.


    But, in this situation, dividing my chakra that much is suicidal. Fifty clones fighting means the amount of chakra I use would be ten times higher than what I''m currently burning.''


    He let out a sigh and thought, ''It would have been so much more convenient if I was here by myself. I could just run away like I did in the Land of Wind. Unfortunately, though these three are quick, they don''t share my expertise in running away.''


    Unknowingly, Fujin fell into a simr situation as his sensei had not too long ago. But it was unknown whether he would make the same choice as his sensei or think of any other way.


    On the other side of the battlefield, separated by a Firestorm and a massive wall, Kitsuchi thought, ''I had to waste so much chakra. If it wasn''t for his Wind Vacuum attacks, we could have just escaped underground and sneaked upon them unharmed from this attack. But I can''t keep waiting. The more time I waste here, the more of my men will die at Fujin''s hands. I can''t afford to lose so many well-trained ninjas.''


    He suddenly increased the amount of chakra he poured into the Wall. Thousands of spikes appeared on the outer surface of the wall. In an instant, all wereunched at the Konoha ninjas!


    The two clones saw the iing attacks. They couldn''t dodge as the attack would hit Fujin and the rest who were behind them. One clone mmed his hands on the ground while the other charged up his chakra.


    ''Wind Release: Vacuum Cannon jutsu''


    ''Earth Release: Earth Wall jutsu''


    A clone shot a Vacuum Cannon at Kitsuchi. Immediately after, a wall rose from the ground. In terms of size and majestess, it was far less impressive whenpared to the wall raised by Kitsuchi. However, it did its job by blocking the earth spikes moving towards Fujin and his team.


    At the same time, the Vacuum Cannon pierced through the gigantic wall and headed straight at Kitsuchi. A look of surprise appeared on Kitsuchi''s face. He immediately dodged by moving underground. He thought, ''Roshi wasn''t kidding. This kid is very dangerous.''


    He concentrated chakra on his body.


    ''Earth Release: Earth Instantaneous Body jutsu''


    Kitsuchi suddenly began moving towards Fujin''s squad at a fast speed from underground. Fujin''s clones sensed him and immediately shot Vacuum Bullets into the ground. To their surprise, Kitsuchi maneuvered around and dodged all the bullets and passed from under them. The clones thought, ''So fast while under the ground? Even Renjiro isn''t this agile under the ground!''


    Fujin immediately sensed the massive chakra moving towards him from under the ground. A frown formed on his face as chakra gathered on his fist. Just before Kitsuchi was about to reach his location, he punched the ground with all his might.


    The punch instantly cracked the ground. The ground trembled as a strong shockwave moved towards Kitsuchi. The shaking caught the remaining Iwa ninjas off-guard and they immediately retreated momentarily in order to not give an opening to the Konoha ninjas.


    Kitsuchi, who was about tounch a couple of jutsus, was shocked. He immediately hardened his skin. Due to the shockwave, he felt some impact of the punch. Sweat appeared on his face as he thought, ''Fortunately, I used the Iron Skin jutsu. Otherwise, I could have been injured. Roshi didn''t mention this absurd strength. Did he manage to hide some cards while fighting Roshi?''


    Unlike Kitsuchi, Fujin didn''t bother thinking much. The punch had brought him a slight breather. He immediately shot a dozen Vacuum Bullets at Kitsuchi. Kitsuchi immediately moved. However, the Vacuum bullets fired by Fujin targeted all his escape routes as well. He could only move in one direction. By twisting his body far beyond what someone of his size should have been capable of, he barely managed to avoid the attack. The Vacuum bullet grazed his left arm, leaving a slight cut despite the Iron Skin jutsu protecting him.


    Kitsuchi immediately appeared out of the ground. Before Fujin could attack, he said, "Suzuki Fujin. You are very impressive for your age."


    Fujin''s eyes widened. Seeing Kitsuchi facing them, the other Iwa ninjas quickly surrounded the Konoha ninjas in a couple of seconds. Fujin nced and understood, ''Looks like escaping normally is not possible. But I guess that isn''t my main concern right now.''


    Since the Iwa ninjas weren''t attacking, Fujin asked, "How do you know my identity? And why are you targeting the civilians?"


    Fujin had understood by now that Roshi had leaked all hisbat abilities and fighting style to Iwa. But he was surprised to know that Iwa managed to link the Spectral Swordsman''s identity to his real identity. Of course, what disturbed him the most was that they had prepared an army of Jounins specifically to counter his style ofbat!


    Kitsuchi smirked and replied, "You gave us quite a scare with your fight against Roshi. Did you think that we can''t see behind your mask?"


    Fujin watched back without replying. Kitsuchi''s statement gave no information. More importantly, he was building up a massive amount of chakra! Fujin understood why the remaining Iwa ninjas weren''t jumping on them.


    Of course, Kitsuchi won''t give him the answer. When a secret gets leaked, a lot of suspicions arise. If Fujin suspected a Konoha higher-up, it could decrease his loyalty to the vige. Kitsuchi looked at Fujin and thought, ''Six months of nning just to bait and trap him. It''s time to deal the final blow.''


    Six months ago, Iwagakure :


    Kitsuchi walked into Onoki''s office and put a few files on his desk and said in a tired voice, "It''s too difficult to trap him, old man!"


    Onoki looked at all the files on his desk. Every file had information on Suzuki Fujin. Unknown to Fujin and anyone in Konoha, Iwagakure had begun scheming against Fujin a few weeks after his sh against Roshi!

 Chapter 340: A Six Month Long Scheme!

    Kitsuchi reported, "There is very little information on Fujin. None of our spies in Konoha have seen him in action or heard about his abilities. The only information they have is his fights during the Chunin exam three years ago. And that information is very outdated.


    And since he is in the Anbu, it is very difficult to track when he leaves on missions and to where. So trying to ambush him during a mission is almost impossible. We will have toy a bait and hope Konoha sends him over."


    A frown formed on Onoki''s face. He said, "Though it is normal for ninjas to hide their skills, some information eventually leaks out. To be so secretive¡­ Hiruzen must be scheming something. If it wasn''t for sending Roshi on that mission, we would have beenpletely in the dark. It''s an even greater reason to eliminate him now. Any news from Suna?"


    Kitsuchi shook his head and replied, "No. I wanted to get information about the ninjas who wreaked havoc there and see if that was this kid as well. However, none of our spies saw the culprits and Suna has refused to give any information regarding the culprits."


    Onoki chuckled andmented, "It looks like they have been badly humiliated to hide it so deeply."


    Kitsuchi said, "So our only source of information is Roshi."


    Onoki replied, "It''s fine. He should have used most of his tricks against Roshi. Just make a n based on it. Did you decide on the location?"


    Roshi nodded and replied, "The Land of Waterfall."


    He opened a map andid pointed at a location and said, "Around a year ago, our scheme against the Ito family was suspected to be destroyed by the Spectral Swordsman. 2 of our Anbu died while the Kawaguchi family forces were decimated. So there is a chance that he will be sent here once again.


    If he does, we will eliminate him and withdraw in order to avoid any retaliatory actions by Konoha and prevent escting the conflict. If he doesn''t and Konoha doesn''t send anyone equally powerful, then I will destroy the Ito family.


    We use their territory as a base and change the power structure in nearby territories. So at least a third of the influential families in the Land of Waterfall will be on our side. By the time Takigakure and Konoha react, it will be toote for them to do anything."


    Kitsuchi further exined the details of his n to target the civilians to create panic in the Land of Waterfall.


    Onoki thought for a bit and nodded. He replied, "It''s a good n. Both situations would be advantageous for us. The second situation will be a great diplomatic victory for us. It will offset the losses we had in the Land of Grass and make the situation more advantageous for us.


    However, if we manage to kill him, it will be another diplomatic disaster for us as the Land of Waterfall will bepletely pushed into Konoha''s camp just like the Land of Grass. But, considering his potential, it''s a trade-off I''m willing to make."


    Kitsuchi nodded. He agreed with Onoki''s decision. Someone forcing Roshi to resort to the Tailed Beast mode and still managing to escape at the age of 14 was a huge future threat to Iwagakure.


    Onoki asked, "Have you begun the training?"


    Kituschi nodded. He, along with Onoki, had discussed Fujin''s fighting style, jutsus, their mastery and specialities extensively with Roshi and Gin. After analyzing Fujin''s skills, they came up with a proper training n to counter Fujin.


    Kitsuchi replied, "I have selected 43 Jounins and 52 Elite Chunins so far. I am still looking for around 30 more. The ninjas I have selected all have good speed and reactions.


    I have already begun training the ones who don''t know, the Iron Skin jutsu. The ones who know it are working on reducing the hand seals needed for the jutsu. This jutsu will make most of his Wind and Fire Release jutsus pointless against them. The only threats it leaves are the Vacuum jutsus and getting hit by his sword directly."


    Onoki nodded and thought, ''Good. I would have done the same. I could have created a n myself, but I''m not sure how my back will be during the next war. Kitsuchi will have to be the one to lead our forces on the battlefield. This will be a good opportunity to test his tactical skills. As for leadership, he has already proven that in the previous war.''


    As his back problems kept worsening, Onoki knew that he would need to find a sessor quickly. Unfortunately, though Kitsuchi was strong and was considered a rank S ninja, he was no match for the other Kages.


    The Fourth Raikage, the Sannins, and the Fourth Mizukage all outmatched him by arge margin. Rasa was the only one he couldpete against. So Onoki was reluctant to pass the Tsuchikage position to him.


    Kitsuchi continued, "The bigger problem wille next. Roshi said that Fujin could flicker continuously without making any seals. He seems to have trained his body a lot to increase his natural speed to a ridiculous level as well. And he has mastered Assassin''s Rush jutsu on top of it.


    In order to counter that, I want you to ask Han to aid in our training. It is impossible to increase their speed to such a level quickly. But we can raise their reaction speed and ability to defend, dodge and survive by letting Han make them experience what facing someone so fast will feel like.


    In fact, we could do even better. Roshi said that though Fujin was faster than him, his speed is still lesser than Han''s. So after facing Han for a few months, they might be able to see and react to Fujin very easily."


    A smile formed on Onoki''s face as he replied, "Alright, I will send Han over."


    Kitsuchi understood why Onoki smiled. He thought, ''This will allow Han to interact closely with our ninjas who may fear him. More importantly, after this training is done, all the Elite Chunins will be as strong as Jounins.


    We will have around 60 new Jounins who will have very high survival skills during the next war. If our luck is good, then a couple of Jounins could also reach the Elite Jounin level.''


    Kitsuchi added, "I also need a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster to trap Fujin. I will send a few squads over to scout the Land of Waterfall and create a proper n of action."


    Onoki nodded and assigned one of their 3 Fuinjutsu Grandmasters to aid Kitsuchi. The two discussed a few more details before Onoki said, "Good work. I will leave this matter to you."


    Kitsuchi nodded and took his leave. Onoki looked at his back and thought, ''Since the time of peace started, the readiness of our ninjas has dropped several levels. Especially after Minato died and Konoha became weaker.


    This is a good opportunity to start rebuilding our famed Elite armies. Once this mission ispleted and the ninjas have high motivation, I will push Kitsuchi to expand the numbers of this force to 500 ninjas. At the same time, I will start rebuilding the Thousand Ninja Elite army units that we are famed for.


    With the Third Raikage and the Fourth Hokage no longer alive, we won''t suffer simr losses as in thest Great War. Once the armies are raised, the only thing missing will bemanders. I, Roshi, Han and Kitsuchi could handle the next war. But we will need the next generation to step up for the wars after that.


    Thankfully, this generation does have some promising youngsters. Akatsuchi has shown a lot of promise. So has my granddaughter. There is also the Deidara kid who has the Explosion Release Kekkei Genkai. If these 3 reach the S rank, then Iwa will be safe for another 50 years.''


    After Kitsuchi left, he selected more suitable ninjas and began the training with full intensity. For 3 months straight, the ninjas trained with a n tailored to counter Fujin. Every single ninja became capable of using the Iron Skin jutsu rapidly and had sufficient defenses to defend against normal Wind jutsus.


    At the same time, Han used his speed in order to give the ninjas a taste of what a fight against Fujin would be like. The initial phase of that training resulted in a lot of pain for the ninjas as they couldn''t even see Han move. However, after 3 months of being beaten daily, the reactions of the ninjas improved several times!


    They could finally protect themselves from Han''s attacks. As an added bonus, the beatings also motivated them to learn the Iron Skin jutsu better. A few ninjas managed to learn how to use that jutsu without any hand seals.


    Three monthster, Kitsuchi left for the Land of Waterfall along with the ninjas who were adequately prepared in his opinion. The remaining ninjas continued their training and joined his campaign at ater stage.

 Chapter 341: Patience!

    After entering the Land of Waterfall, Kitsuchi kept a major chunk of the ninjas he trained with himself and distributed the remaining along with more Iwa ninjas around the Ito family''s territory. They immediately began their n of creating unrest in the territory by kidnapping civilians.


    At the same time, Kitsuchi summoned his best spy. Sho appeared in front of him and asked, "What are yourmands for me, Kitsuchi-sama?"


    Kitsuchi said, "I want you to infiltrate the Ito family''s main town. Keep an eye on the ninjasing in and out of the town."


    Sho nodded and asked, "Alright. Is there anything, in particr, I should keep track of?"


    Kitsuchi nodded and answered, "Yes. I''m looking for a Konoha ninja named Suzuki Fujin."


    Kitsuchi showed Fujin''s appearance from the Bingo book and added, "He is now in the Anbu and generally wears Hawk or Turtle masks. Thest time he moved, his teammates were a blond Yamanaka ninja, a long-purple-haired kunoichi who uses a sword, both likely in their early twenties. And thest member was probably around the same age as Fujin.


    If a squad that is simr in appearance shows up, then you have to inform me right away."


    Kitsuchi handed him 40 seals of 5 types. The seals were specifically made by the Fuinjutsu Grandmaster sent by Onoki to assist Kitsuchi. He picked up the first seal and said, "If you recognize Fujin''s squad, then crush this seal. I will understand the message."


    He pointed at the other four seals and said, "This seal is if an Elite Jounin from Konoha arrives instead. This seal is for any other Konoha squads. And thest seal is for considerable reinforcements being sent by Takigakure. Like at least more than 20 ninjas. And thest seal is to inform us about when Konoha''s squad quit their mission and leave. Are the instructions clear?"


    Sho took the seals and said, "I will do my best, Kitsuchi-sama."


    Kitsuchi smiled and said, "Good luck. Don''t engage in any battles with them though. We won''t be able to provide much aid."


    Sho nodded and took his leave. A few dayster, he entered the Ito family town under disguise. Around a week after entering, Sho convinced that servant to work for him. When the previous Anbu squad from Konoha arrived, he quickly crushed the appropriate seal to inform Kitsuchi.


    When the Anbu squad went to investigate the viges with the missing poption, Kitsuchi checked them and confirmed that they weren''t Fujin''s squad. Due to the seals, the Anbu squad never suspected anyone spying on them while they were inspecting the vige.


    Kitsuchi waited patiently for a month until the Konoha Anbu retreated and began the attacks after they left to force Konoha to send an even stronger squad. Luckily for him, Fujin''s squad was the next one to be sent.


    When Sho learnt about the appearance of Fujin''s squad, he immediately crushed the seal to inform Kitsuchi. As soon as he received the message, Kitsuchi was thrilled. His six-month-long effort and patience were finally rewarded. He cooperated with the Fuinjutsu Grandmaster to create the perfect trap for him.


    He redistributed his forces, calling back the majority of the ninjas that he had trained to counter Fujin. Once the distribution was done, they did multiple attacks at the same time to force the Ito family to split up their forces, so that Fujin''s squad would have little to no reinforcements and thus prevent any unforeseen circumstances from urring.


    When Fujin reached the vige with just his squad, his tactic seeded. The only part of the n that didn''t seed was that Fujin didn''t step into the vige. Kitsuchi didn''t manage to find out about Fujin''s expertise in Fuinjutsu and thus revealed a w at thest step. Despite that, Fujin was in a very bad position in Kitsuchi''s eyes. So his n could be considered aplete sess.


    As he continued building up his chakra, Kitsuchi said, "Surrender. Otherwise, you and your teammates will have no means of survival."


    Yugao, Fumito and Bunjiro became very tense. However, to Kitsuchi''s surprise, Fujin chuckled and said, "I recall Roshi saying something simr. Still, what a good scheme! Formation Sixty Six!"


    As soon as they heard that, chakra gathered at the feet of the Four Konoha Anbu and Fujin''s clones. All jumped high into the air. Almost instantly, Kitsuchi mmed his hands on the ground.


    ''Earth Release: Opening Earth Rising Excavation jutsu''


    Arge mound appeared under the Konoha ninjas and a huge st of force was released at them. Fujin looked down at the attack and thought, ''I thought that this attack could only be used to target the ones hiding underground. To think that he would use this against us. If we were hit directly, even I might have been blown apart even if I used Iron Skin jutsu!''


    Fortunately, Kitsuchi couldn''t hide the high amount of chakra built up for this jutsu, giving Fujin plenty of time to n a counterattack. Fujin''s clones all made the same hand seal. At the same time, Wind moved sted around their bodies and helped them move in such that they were vertically above each other with the four Konoha ninjas at the top.


    Immediately, 4yers of barrier appeared. A frown formed on Kitsuchi''s face as he noticed the barrier. The frown became worse as he noticed arge amount of chakra Fujin was building up. He thought, ''Such proficiency with the barrier. But it won''t help him much in this situation. All barriers can be destroyed. He will eventually run out of chakra. The bigger issue is the chakra he is building up. What is he nning?''


    The st force due to Kitsuchi''s jutsu hit the first barrier. It crumbled instantly. The clone dispelled itself before the attack hit him. The 2nd barrier endured the impact for a couple of seconds before crumbling as well. The second clone dispelled itself as well. Finally, the attack hit the third barrier. Multiple cracks appeared on the barrier but it held on.


    Seeing that Kitsuchi''s attack was stopped, the remaining Iwa ninjas weaved hand signs.


    ''Earth Release: Stone Pistol jutsu''


    All the Iwa ninjas shot small stones at the barrier. As they travelled up in the air, their size increased until they could be considered boulders.


    However, Fujin wasn''t concerned about the attack. He bit his thumb and thought, ''It was great that I didn''t expose this against Roshi. Otherwise, I''m afraid that Onoki might have shown up to kill me.''


    ''Summoning jutsu''


    Just like how Kitsuchi patiently waited for Fujin, Fujin had been patiently hiding his trump cards as well. Very few knew about his summon or his mastery of Fuinjutsu and barriers. Not a single person was aware that he could use Lightning jutsus. Those were the trump cards he saved when a day like this arrived!


    The Summoning jutsu directly consumed nearly 35% of Fujin''s chakra! The stones shot by the Iwa ninjas crashed into the 3rd Barrier and crushed it as well but the clone safely moved above thest barrier. Despite there being only one more barrier, the Iwa ninjas didn''t rejoice. A loud jagged roar was heard throughout the region for multiple kilometers!


    A massive silhouette of a Winged Sabertooth appeared above therge barrier. He spread his wings wide and stared at the Iwa ninjas below as the Konoha ninjasnded on his back. The Iwa ninjas gulped as they felt a menacing stare.


    Kitsuchi was shocked. He thought, ''What the hell? He has a flying summon?''


    Up in the sky, the beast said grumpily, "Took you three long years to summon me?"


    Fujin chuckled and said, "Kurogane, everyone below is an enemy. So feel free to go on a rampage. But be careful. They spit out rocks at a high speed."


    Kurogane said, "Alright. I had always heard about how humans are very innovative and skillful. I hope they live up to it."


    Fujin smirked. All three of Ryo''s children were unique. The youngest, Goro, had a mischievous personality and loved pranking and having fun. The middle one, Kaito, loved flying and spent most of his time sailing over the vast world. And his oldest, Kurogane, was a battle maniac. He regrly sought strong foes and entered into bloody duels or wars. It was the reason why his body was covered in fearsome scars!


    Kitsuchi thought, ''Shit, my n didn''t consider his ability to fly! If he decides to fly away, there isn''t much I can do.''


    Kitsuchi''s expression became very ugly. Fujin had rarely shown his summon to anyone. So even in Konoha, very few knew what his summon was. In fact, even Renjiro, Hoka and Teru, the three people closest to him didn''t know what his summon was. So there was no way for Iwa to get this information.


    Despite the unfavorable circumstances, some hope appeared in Kitsuchi''s eyes. He analyzed, ''I expected him to fly away with the help of his summon. But surprisingly, they are hovering in the same area. If he decides to stay and fight, I might have some opportunity. But it is still very low.''


    An opponent who could fly and attack from a range was very annoying to deal with. But Kitsuchi had trained the ninjas in survival. So he had some confidence in fighting against Fujin.


    As he nned his counterattack, thest barrier disappeared and the two clones began falling to the ground. At the same time, nature chakra gathered in Kurogane''s wings as he pped them. A very strong windstorm, multiple times stronger than Fujin''s Infinite Breakthrough jutsu, was released towards the ground.


    Kurogane perfectly controlled the winds so that they wouldn''t hit the two clones. As soon as the winds passed the clones, they got in action as well.


    ''Fire Release: Searing Migraine jutsu''


    Both exhaled a massive amount of fire into those strong winds. Iwa ninjas looked up as hellfire rained down on them!

 Chapter 342: Annoyance!

    A squad of four Takigakure ninjas were rushing towards the Ito family''s town. One said, "Captain, what do you think is happening in this territory? It''s been nearly four months since the first missing case was reported. And despite sending so many ninjas, they have still failed."


    The captain of the squad replied, "It''s difficult to say. The situation is very serious and peculiar. If the Ito family doesn''t resolve this soon, then they might be overthrown."


    The ninja was surprised. He asked, "Is it that serious? After all, only some civilians went missing."


    The captain answered, "That is why no serious action has been taken until now. However, as the number of missing cases keeps rising, everyone will be very serious. After all, what''s the use of a ninja vige if it can''t protect its citizens? Everyone will begin migrating to other countries. So it is a critical period for the Ito fam¡­"


    He suddenly stopped speaking. All four ninjas stared in the Western direction. Their eyes opened wide and their throats dried as they saw a massive firestorm raining down from the skies!


    One of the ninjas bulked and muttered in terror, "What the hell is happening there?"


    Another gulped andmented, "This¡­ this looks like Armageddon!"


    The captain said, "I don''t know. But we need to get away and go to the town very quickly. If something like this falls on the town, the entire town will be destroyed!"


    They immediately ran away. Unlike them, Iwa ninjas didn''t have the option to run away. Kitsuchi rapidly made hand seals and shouted, "Take cover!"


    Hearing hismand, every Iwa ninja who wasn''t close to him went underground. Kitsuchi mmed his palms on the ground. A gigantic dome rose from the ground and covered him and the ninjas around him.


    The firestorm finally impacted the ground. In an instant, all vegetation in the vicinity was destroyed. The fire spread in the surrounding areas and soon a massive forest fire would spread in the Land of Waterfall.


    The sharp winds released by Kurogane impacted the ground and the dome. The dome and the ground were instantly covered in long scars. However, the dome held on and the sharp winds couldn''t dig into the ground.


    The attack, which the Taki ninjas believed would destroy an entire town, ended up not injuring even a single Iwa ninja!


    Fujin observed from the sky, ''Normally, digging into the ground against me is suicide. But everyone who went underground is at least 40 meters deep into the ground. I can''t prate that deep. They know how deep my attacks can prate.


    Sigh, this is why I like keeping my abilities a secret. Fighting is infinitely easier when the enemy doesn''t know what to expect from me. Still, though hiding deep underground counters me to an extent, they are trapped there as I can attack when they try toe up.''


    Unfortunately, there was no way for Fujin to hide his exposed secrets once again. In fact, after this battle, even more of his secrets would be exposed. Iwagakure might even spread them around, so even the other hidden viges might be aware of his capabilities.


    While Fujin was observing, Kurogane said, "Killing them won''t be easy. Fujin, support me."


    Fujin didn''t need to be told twice. He immediately riled his chakra up and said, "My clones will provide you with ground support. Take advantage of the openings."


    Fujin''s clonesnded on the ground. At the same time, Fujin shot a Vacuum Cannon at the top of the dome Kitsuchi had created. At the same time, Kurogane opened his mouth and exhaled Wind Breath at the same spot.


    Within the dome, some sensors said, "They are attacking the dome from the top. Be ready to defend yourse¡­"


    Before theypleted saying, the Vacuum Cannon hit the top of the dome. It prated the dome with ease, leaving a gigantic hole. Kitsuchi, who was standing at the center of the dome, immediately moved out of the way while hardening his body. He weaved a hand seal.


    ''Earth Release: Fist Rock jutsu''


    The Vacuum Cannon hit the ground and created a 25-meter-deep hole in the ground. Mere fractions of a secondter, Kurogane''s Wind Breath arrived at the opening created by the Vacuum Cannon. At the same time, Kistuchi''s right arm turned into rock and he punched towards the hole, aiming to block the opening. He shouted, "Be careful! We don''t know what that summon can do!"


    The ninjas nodded and all instinctively hardened their bodies with the Iron Skin jutsu as well. They didn''t want to escape underground as they knew thating back up and joining the battle would be a challenge.


    Kurogane''s Wind Breath, which travelled like a beam, suddenly dispersed into all directions, filling up the inside of the dome. A secondter, Kitsuchi''s Rock Fist hit the hole and blocked the attack.


    Seeing the winds, most Iwa ninjas quickly used more defensive jutsus. Numerous walls of varied shapes appeared in the dome. However, three ninjas were slower by a few milliseconds.


    The Wind Breath hit them. Despite being covered by the Iron Skin jutsu, hundreds of small cuts appeared on their bodies! Blood began sprinkling from their bodies like a fountain.


    The surrounding Iwa ninjas watched in horror as their bodies were turned into minced meat in mere seconds!


    At the same time, Kitsuchi''s Rock Fist was rapidly being eroded. He thought in shock, ''Such terrifying affinity to the wind nature! And the ability to fly. Shit, he will be a menace in the next war! Probably only the old man Onoki and the two Jinchurikis can force him to retreat.''


    The Iwa ninjas didn''t have any time to grieve for their fallenrades. They sensed the dome getting damaged. Thanks to their long training, they all knew what wasing.


    At the next moment, 36 newer and smaller holes appeared in the dome as Fujin and his two clones shot a dozen Vacuum Bullets each at the dome. The Iwa ninjas quickly took evasive actions. Thanks to being exposed to Han''s blinding speed, they were all able to dodge the attacks despite the low distance between them.


    At the same time, Kitsuchi weaved more hand seals and mmed his hands on the ground. The dome began transforming into spears. In a second, hundreds of pointed Earth Spears wereunched in all directions at a very high speed.


    Fujin''s clones immediately raised an Earth Wall to protect themselves. Despite being a couple of hundred meters above in the sky, Kurogane was under attack as well. He immediately pped his wings again.


    Hundreds of Wind des wereunched from his wings. They hit the iing spears and knocked them back to the ground. A few continued down towards the Iwagakure ninjas who quickly moved out of the way, allowing the wind des to hit the ground without harming anyone and raising a dust cover.


    A frown formed on Fujin''s face as he analyzed, ''This is getting annoying. Why does everyone have to be so nimble and evasive?''


    Though Fujin had fought against enemies while being outnumbered vastly, he had never been troubled so much by them. In most cases, he could use the weaker ninjas to create a handicap for the truly strong enemy ninjas. The losses would instantly make their hearts bleed and make them reluctant to continue the fight. For the first time, he truly had to experience what it was like to be outnumbered helplessly.


    He turned his eyes towards the ninjas hiding underground and thought, ''Even them. Instead ofing up to the surface, they are staying that deep and moving towards the vige. Once they enter the barrier, I might not be able to harm them.''


    Kitsuchi had established strict protocols and procedures to be followed while fighting Fujin in order to keep his losses to a minimum. Anyone who escaped underground had to retreat back to the vige and then rejoin the battle instead ofing up normally. Though it would take more time, it was better than dying needlessly in Kitsuchi''s opinion.


    Fujin observed the situation while analyzing, ''What should I do? I knew that killing Kitsuchi wouldn''t be possible, but I wanted to eliminate these ninjas that were specially trained to deal with me. But, is there any point in doing so if it is so difficult? After all, Kurogane''s summoning has a time limit. And I can''t sustain my chakra for a very long time either.''


    As Fujin was nning, his clones moved towards the Iwa ninjas who were with Kitsuchi. Sensing an opportunity, Kurogane dived down. Fujin quickly ate a Soldier Pill and said, "Kurogane, focus on safety first. It''s fine if we can''t kill many, but ensure that you can fly us away from here."


    He quickly instructed his teammates, "If you see an opportunity, use your long-range jutsus, especially your Lightning release Fumito, to kill or injure them. But don''t fall off Kurogane. It will be very difficult to save you if you do."


    Fujin''s teammates ate the soldier pills as well and nodded. They all knew that survival would be impossible if they were to fall off. Kitsuchi saw Kurogane dive down and thought, ''Finally, I can have an opportunity. But if he is diving towards us, he must be very confident in his close-range fighting abilities.''


    The long-range battle would soon end and instead, a mid and close-range battle would begin!

 Chapter 343: An Intense Clash!

    Fujin''s clones approached the Iwa ninjas from opposite directions. Wind chakra flowed through both their swords and at the same time, they puffed up their cheeks, preparing the Vacuum Bullets. The two Elite Jounins immediately faced each clone.


    Though this was the first time Fujin and Kurogane were fighting together, both had practiced several times. He knew what the clones were about to do. He quickly closed in on the Iwa ninjas from the top while gathering wind energy in his mouth.


    At the same time, Fujin created another Shadow Clone. The clone looked towards the vige with the missing people.


    ''Wind Release: Instantaneous Body jutsu''


    He disappeared from Kurogane''s back and appeared right on top of the Iwa ninjas who were travelling towards the vige through the underground.


    At the same moment, the two Shadow Clones swung their swords, releasing two long wind shes along with apanying winds, sandwiching the Iwa ninjas between them. The Elite Jounins mmed their hands on the ground and shouted, "Their cheeks are puffed. Keep an eye out for the Vacuum Bullets!"


    The wind shes hit the walls, leaving arge scar at their centers, but the wall withstood the attacks. A secondter, dozens of Vacuum Bullets pierced through the walls.


    At the same time, Kurogane opened his mouth wide. Kitsuchi''s eyes widened as he noticed 8 spheres of wind in Kurogane''srge mouth. Kitsuchi shouted, "Keep an eye on the sky as well!"


    In an instant, he fired them at the Iwa ninjas who were dodging the Vacuum Bullet. Kitsuchi had a very ugly expression. Though Fujin was frustrated by the Iwa ninjas'' consistency in dodging his deadly attacks, Kitsuchi was equally frustrated with Fujin''s tactics, if not more.


    He rapidly weaved hand signs as he thought, ''First those deadly vacuum jutsus. And now a three-directional attack! My ninjas are barely even able to dodge the Vacuum Bullets by paying full attention to him. But now, not only do they have to dodge attacks from the front, but they also have to keep an eye on their back while also keeping an eye on the skies!


    Not to mention, just like his Vacuum jutsus, the perverse attack of his summon also cuts through Iron Skin jutsu!''


    The attack from multiple directions finally made the Iwa ninjas struggle. They dodged the Vacuum Bulletsing from the front and quickly twisted their necks to look at the attacksing from behind. Fortunately, they could sense Fujin''s Vacuum Bullets and Kurogane''s Air Bullets moving rapidly through their chakra fields. Unfortunately, they had very little time and space to maneuver their bodies.


    They moved their bodies in a manner that allowed them to save their vitals and avoid any lethal injuries. A few Vacuum Bullets grazed past the hardened arms and legs of the Iwa ninjas, leaving a few deep scars. However, to make matters worse, therge Air Bullets fired by Kurogane maneuvered as well and targeted 8 Iwa ninjas.


    In the nick of time, 8 inclined walls appeared from the ground, providing a cover for those ninjas. Unfortunately, Kitsuchi couldn''t urately calcte the directions in which they would dodge nor was he aware that the Air Bullets could maneuver in the air. He ended up miscalcting for two ninjas, both of whom were engulfed by the Air Bullets. The ninjas could only hope that their Iron Skin jutsus protected them.


    Though the Winged Sabertooths called the attack as Air Bullets, that was only due to theirrge size. In terms of size, they were thrice asrge as Fujin''s Vacuum Cannon.


    Despite theirrades being hit, the Iwa ninjas, who weren''t under attack, ignored it and counterattacked. Six ninjas each, led by an Elite Jounin, rushed to intercept the two Shadow Clones. The remaining shot Stone Pellet jutsu at Kurogane who hade much closer to the ground. Only Kitsuchi kept an eye on the two ninjas that were hit, as his eyes turned red.


    On Kurogane''s back, Yugao and Bunjiro immediately used defensive jutsus while Kurogane flew out of the way. The Iwa ninjas continued their attack but were met by Fumito and Fujin''s counterattack.


    Fujin shot Vacuum Bullets at the Iwa ninjas through the iing stone pellets while Fumito weaved hand signs.


    ''Lightning Release: False Darkness jutsu''


    Heunched multiple spears of Lightning, forcing some of the Iwa ninjas to dodge. However, he controlled the jutsu and chased after the Iwa ninjas, forcing them to use a few defensive jutsus while evading.


    Meanwhile, Kitsuchi was surprised. He looked at the two ninjas who were hit by Kurogane''s attack. Despite taking the full hit, only a few scars appeared on their hardened skin. He thought, ''So this attack isn''t as powerful as the previous one? I was afraid that they would be shredded into pieces as well.''


    He turned his attention towards Kurogane who was still being attacked and analyzed, ''So far I have seen 3 attacks from him. The first one is where he ps his wings and generates a windstorm. Though that attack is strong, it can''t break through our wall defenses. Though considering their momentum, they might still harm us despite the Iron Skin jutsu.


    The second is the beam he shot earlier. It gets stopped by walls as well, but Iron Skin jutsu doesn''t protect against it. And the giant balls of wind look to be his weakest attack.''


    Kitsuchi looked at Fujin on Kurogane''s back and thought, ''Though killing him right now is very difficult, I should collect all the information I can about him. It will be useful if we n another trap or if he makes a move against Iwa in the future.''


    Kurogane also noticed that the Iwa ninjas weren''t harmed badly by the attack. He analyzed, ''These guys have a tough body. It''s almost simr to those tortoises in the Northern Lakes. Unfortunately, I haven''t yetpletely mastered infusing Nature energy into the Air Bullets like I can with the Wind Breath. And the amount we can infuse in the Windstorm created by pping wings is very low.


    It looks like Wind Breath will be the only method I can kill them with. But, it takes a lot of chakra and nature energy. I can concentrate that much nature energy into that attack only 3 more times.''


    Closer to the vige, Fujin''s Shadow Clone ced his palms on the ground. He converted 80% of his chakra to supercharge his jutsu.


    ''Wind Release: Geyser Creation jutsu''


    Numerous cracks appeared around the clone, forming a web-like appearance. The cracks spread up to 50 meters under the ground. The Iwa ninjas, who were travelling underground, were surprised by the sudden change. They all instinctively used Iron Skin jutsu to protect themselves.


    A secondter, sharp winds ran through all the cracks, hitting the Iwa ninjas. As they endured the sharp hits, they thought, ''Thankfully we mastered this jutsu. Otherwise, all of us might have died!''


    None of them had expected to be in danger despite staying so deep underground. Fujin''s clone took a few heavy breaths as his chakra became very low. He thought, ''Time to end this!''


    On the other side of the battlefield, Kurogane once again shot multiple Air Bullets at the Iwa ninjas. He followed it up by pping his wings andunching a windstorm at the Iwa ninjas.


    Kitsuchi ignored the bullets as they didn''t pose many challenges and could be dodged. He mmed his hands on the ground. Multiple rocks ofrge size wereunched into the air, blocking the way of the sharp wind shes within the wind storm.


    The wind shes hit the rocks and sent them flying towards the Iwa ninjas. However, the rocks neutralized their sharpness and eliminated their threat towards the Iwa ninjas. Though the rocks were stilling at them, they were far easier to dodge than the unpredictable wind shes in the wind storm.


    However, Kurogane didn''t mind this result. Seeing that all the Iwa ninjas other than Kitsuchi were focused on dodging the rocks, he immediately sped up and appeared right on top of him. He raised his massive front foot. In an instant, a massive amount of Wind chakra gathered, engulfing his leg.


    Kitsuchi''s eyes widened as he noticed wind chakra gathering on his paw. He immediately weaved a hand seal.


    ''Earth Release: Rock Fist jutsu''


    His right arm was covered by rocks which kept increasing its size. He moved backwards as he punched towards the iing paw. The paw and the rock fist shed!


    In an instant, Kitsuchi was dragged backwards due to the force of the paw. The rock first kept crumbling at the point of impact. Kitsuchi thought, ''Such physical might! Thankfully I moved backwards. Otherwise, I could have been crushed under this enormous paw!''


    Kurogane''s paw almost entirely crushed the rock fist. Knowing that he couldn''t hold on, Kitsuchi flickered backwards. However, his eyes widened as he saw a figure flicker even faster towards him.


    Noticing the opportunity, Fujin flickered towards Kitsuchi, his sword overflowing with Wind chakra!

 Chapter 344: A Close Call

    Under the ground, the Iwa ninjas were hit by extremely sharp winds. Despite their defenses, a few cracks appeared on their hardened skin. Wanting to take advantage of the momentary distraction, Fujin''s clone entered the ground.


    However, the Iwa ninjas were aware of the danger they would face if Fujin''s clone got close to them. A few ninjas immediately sensed the clone''s location and weaved hand signs.


    ''Earth Release: Spear Trap jutsu''


    In an instant, the surface walls of the entire crack that Fujin''s clone was travelling through began transforming. Hundreds of spears appeared from both walls, leaving no space for a normal-sized person to move through. In addition, the walls themselves began moving closer to each other!


    The clone frowned and immediately hardened his skin using the Iron Skin jutsu. He thought, ''I wanted to go closer and try using Vacuum jutsus underground. Unfortunately, it doesn''t look like I can do that. My main body calcted correctly. That is why I was given so little chakra.''


    Dozens of spears hit his hardened body and were stopped. But Fujin''s clone wouldn''t be able to travel normally. He weaved a hand seal and thought, ''Oh well. Time to do what I was created for.''


    A thousand Explosion Tags appeared around him. A breeze appeared, carrying the explosion tags into all the cracks created by the Geyser Creation jutsu! Some also flew where the Iwagakure ninjas were. Their eyes widened. Without the need for anymand, everyone took evasive actions focusing just on their own survival!


    Kitsuchi saw Fujin flicker towards him and noticed his sword as well. Rock engulfed his right arm once again as he sent a punch at Fujin. The remaining Iwa ninjas, other than the ones engaged by the clones, also noticed the attack and immediately sprung into action.


    Fujin observed the iing Rock Fist, sidestepped it and shot a Vacuum Bullet at Kitsuchi. Kitsuchi barely managed to move to his right to dodge the attack. Fujin used that time to move around the Rock Fist and appeared on Kitsuchi''s left!


    Kitsuchi''s left arm also started transforming into Rock, but he frowned and thought, ''Shit, there is not enough time!''


    He immediately used Iron Skin jutsu to cover his body. Suddenly, two Iwa ninjas appeared next to Fujin, attracting his attention. At the same time, the remaining Iwa ninjas alsounched jutsus at Kurogane and Fujin.


    Fujin observed some lightning sparks on their bodies and thought, ''Lightning transformation jutsu¡­ I will only get one attack.''


    He immediately puffed his cheeks, preparing a few Vacuum Bullets and ignored the two ninjas who appeared using the Lightning jutsu and shed his sword at Kitsuchi.


    The two Iwa Jounins shed their kunai at Fujin. However, before they could hit him, tworge Air Bullets shot by Kurogane hit them at point nk! Since they were using enhancement from Lightning jutsus to enhance their speed, neither could use the Iron Skin jutsu. Numerous cuts appeared on both their bodies as both were sent flying to their deaths. The threat to Fujin was temporarily alleviated.


    At the same time, Yugao, Fumito and Bunjiro used defensive jutsus to protect Kurogane from the iing attacks. Kurogane pped his wings as well and generated additional winds to knock off some of the attacks. However, due to being attacked by over 30 ninjas, their defenses were easily overwhelmed.


    Fujin shed his sword horizontally at Kitsuchi who kept moving backwards but wasn''t in a position to dodge. He tried blocking with the Rock Fist on his left arm. However, Fujin cut through the partially formed Rock Fist and his swordnded on Kitsuchi''s chest.


    The Iwa Ninjas watched with their eyes widened as a long cut appeared on Kitsuchi''s hardened chest! Kitsuchi gritted his teeth and endured the pain. He thought, ''This attack won''t kill me. But if he uses Vacuum Bullets from such close range¡­''


    Until now, Iwa ninjas took advantage of theirrge numbers and specialized training. They didn''t provide Fujin or his clones with any opportunity to focus on and overwhelm a single ninja and ensured that they aided each other to reduce his danger. However, at such close range, Kitsuchi wouldn''t be able to dodge a dozen or more Vacuum Bullets even if he saw them.


    Fortunately for Kitsuchi, Fujin disappeared from his spot, leaving behind an afterimage. As soon as he disappeared, multiple stone pellets pierced through the afterimage. Fujin appeared on top of Kurogane and shot the Vacuum Bullets at the jutsusunched at Kurogane. The Vacuum Bullets pierced through stone pellets, spears and other jutsus that they hadn''t managed to defend against, sessfully stopping them.


    As soon as he felt Fujin on his back, Kurogane flew up in the sky once again and muttered, "They are good. Those attacks would have injured me to an extent."


    Fujin replied, "Yeah. Be careful."


    He thought, ''Though I could havended a fatal blow on Kitsuchi, I would have been hit as well. Though I might have been able to defend against, if Kurogane got injured and was forced to return, then these three would have been goners.''


    Kitsuchi also looked at Fujin who had gone back into the sky. He stopped using his Iron Skin jutsu. A sword sh was visible cutting across his chest. He felt a lot of pain in his rib cage. One of the Iwa Jounins, who could use Medical Ninjutsu, flickered next to him and said, "I will heal you."


    However, Kitsuchi replied, "No need. I can still fight. Look out for attacks for now."


    He looked at Fujin and thought, ''He could havended a deadly attack on me. Even if I had survived, the injuries could have permanently decreased my capabilities. Fortunately, he wanted to save his teammates and his summon.


    It looks like he isn''t as heartless as Gin thought. Had he been like Danzo, he would have epted the loss of three Anbu ninjas for the chance of killing or maiming me. Konoha would have heavily benefitted as a result.''


    Fujin, of course, knew that. However, he didn''t see the point of doing that. He thought, ''Sacrificing my teammates to kill Kitsuchi would have been more beneficial for the vige from the point of view of other ninjas. But, I know that the next Great War won''t be fought between the viges.


    So I have no benefit to gain from killing or maiming him. Unlike Suna, Iwa won''t be going to war against Konoha. Instead, we would lose a capablemander. And the drawbacks could be worse. After all, right Onoki only wants me dead due to my potential. But if I kill his son-inw, then it would be personal. Though I could run away from him, it''s better to not have a needless headache.


    That is why I didn''t try to hack his arm and instead just cut through the rock fist to leave a scar on his body. This should be enough to force Iwagakure to think multiple times before trying to pull off another stunt like this. They would be far less likely to send someone like Kitsuchi after me if it meant that they could lose them. As for Onoki and the two Jinchurikis, they won''t move so easily.''


    His eyes turned towards the vige as he thought, ''Regardless, it should be about time!''


    At the very next moment, a loud explosion rocked the entire ce! The ground trembled, forcing the Iwa ninjas to turn their attention towards the source of the explosion. Fujin''s clones, his teammates and Kurogane were surprised as well. However, the clones instantly received the memories and noticed an opportunity. For the first time since their sh began, the Iwa ninjas weren''t focused entirely on them.


    They wasted no time in shooting multiple Vacuum Bullets. The Elite Jounins immediately noticed and shouted, "Pay attention."


    They got out of the way and counterattacked. Unfortunately, the short distraction was all Fujin''s clones needed. Despite their quick reflexes, one clone managed to kill 4 and the other managed to kill 3 Jounins. Both clones were very low on chakra due to the intensebat. They didn''t even attempt dodging the counterattacks and were dispelled.


    At the same time, Fujin built up his chakra and instructed, "Kurogane, fly over there. You three support me."


    The trio understood Fujin''s intentions.


    ''Wind Release: Infinite Breakthrough jutsu''


    ''Fire Release: Great Fireball jutsu''


    ''Wind Release: Air Bullets jutsu''


    ''Wind Release: Wind Dragon jutsu''


    Fujin exhaled strong and sharp winds at the Iwa ninjas below him. Yugaounched the fireball in the winds he generated, turning the windstorm into a firestorm! Bunjiro and Fumito added more attacks into the Wind to make life difficult for the Iwa ninjas.


    The lethalbination attack forced the Iwagakure ninjas to use defensive moves. At the same time, they were on their guard. They had just seen 7 of theirrades die because they dropped their guard for a second. They didn''t want to fall prey to Fujin''s Vacuum bullets again.


    However, their eyes soon widened. Instead of sensing Fujin''s attacks, they sensed him moving away at a rapid speed. Kurogane flew towards the area where the st had taken ce and reached it in a few seconds. Kitsuchi understood Fujin''s intentions and had an ugly expression.

 Chapter 345: A Bluff!

    Kitsuchi had an ugly expression as he sensed where Fujin was heading. He thought, ''There are at least 40 ninjas there. We can''t lose them all.''


    He looked at the storm that was obstructing them andmanded loudly, "We will move underground and chase them. If they return to attack us, we will escape deeper and move towards the vige. If they don''t, then we will return to the surface after getting out of range of the storm and chase."


    Immediately, all the Iwa ninjas followed him. Despite his quick thinking, Kitsuchi was much slower than Kurogane who reached the location in merely a couple of seconds. Fujin looked down and sensed, ''Oh, there are 44 trapped here due to the explosion. But they won''t be trapped for long. In fact, 13 have already escaped even deeper and are moving towards the vige...''


    The simultaneous explosion from 1000 explosion tags had blown up the ground and transformed it into the soil. More than 60% of this soil was blown into the air while the remaining stayed in the depression that the explosion created, burying the Iwa ninjas within.


    However, thanks to Iron Skin jutsu and using the ground itself as cover, none of the Iwa ninjas were critically injured. And despite being buried, they weren''t in any danger. They just needed slightly extra time to move through the soft soil. But, in high-speed intensebat, time was a luxury.


    Without wasting any time, Kurogane once again infused a massive amount of Sage chakra in his breath and shot a beam towards the location where he sensed the maximum number of Iwa ninjas. Fujin was even faster. He shot a dozen Vacuum Bullets where the soil cover was the thinnest.


    Since more than half the soil was blown away, the defense provided was reduced by more than 50%. In addition, the loose soil provided far lesser resistance than hard ground. Fujin''s teammates just stayed alert, prepared to defend in case they were attacked. They didn''t have any jutsus to pierce that deeply into the ground despite the weakened defenses.


    The Vacuum Bullets pierced into the soil. Kurogane''s Wind Breath also hit the soil and moved straight through it, pushing the soil out of its way and creating arge hole. The Iwa ninjas sensed Fujin''s and Kurogane''s attacks and tried to move. However, they couldn''t move as freely under the ground as they could above it.


    Of the 12 Vacuum bullets, 7 pierced into the hearts of the Iwa ninjas. The remaining 5 ninjas managed to avoid taking a fatal blow but were still left with a hole in their body.


    The Wind Breath directly hit 5 Iwa ninjas that were in the path. All 5 were obliterated on the spot. Fujin created another dozen Vacuum Bullets and shot them at the 5 injured Iwa ninjas and another 7 ninjas who were escaping. He thought, ''Finally some easy kills. I was so sick of them dodging every attack!''


    Meanwhile, Kurogane changed the direction of the beam towards the Iwa ninjas in the vicinity. He managed to kill another 3 when he and all the Konoha ninjas looked to their right, towards the vige. A strange bird made of rocks flew from inside the barrier and moved towards Kurogane.


    The Konoha ninjas and Kurogane were shocked. Fujin immediately made a hand seal while Kurogane pped his wings and began soaring into the sky. Fumito muttered, "Such high chakra!"


    The rocky bird tried to give chase but was too slow. As soon as the distance began growingrger, the rocky bird pointed its wing tips towards Kurogane and began glowing. In the next moment, it exploded!


    Fujin immediately pointed his hand forward. A barrier appeared under them, shielding Kurogane. Thanks to their quick response, the distance was quiterge. Despite the massive explosion, only a small impact was felt on the barrier. But Fujin didn''t let his guard down and kept pouring more chakra into the barrier.


    As he expected, two rock spears crashed into the barrier at tremendous speed! They were the rock spears inside the rocky bird''s wings which it had pointed at Kurogane before detonating. They created multiple cracks in the barrier before losing their power and crumbling into the soil as they fell to the ground. The Konoha ninjas were finally relieved as Kurogane continued rising in the air.


    Bunjiro looked towards the vige below and asked in shock, "What was that?"


    Fujin replied, "Explosion Release Kekkei Genkai."


    He wondered, ''That didn''t seem like Deidara. Besides, he should be younger than me by a year. It looks like there are others with this Kekkei Genkai in Iwa. But who and how strong is the one hiding inside the barrier?''


    The intensity of the chakra in the jutsu had surprised Fujin. His first thought was that the attacker might be as strong as Kitsuchi. His eyes glowed as he observed the vige but wasn''t able to gather anything. He asked, "Kurogane, can you sense anything inside that barrier?"


    Kurogane tried sensing using Nature''s energy. However, he shook his head as well and said, "No. I can''t sense anything. I didn''t even notice that barrier earlier. What do you want to do?"


    Fujin calcted, ''I still don''t know who is inside the vige. Considering that they didn''te out to help, I assumed that they aren''t strong or confident enough to finish me off. But this attack was strong. Even flying on Kurogane won''t guarantee our safety. Should I test out who it is and why that ninja hasn''t revealed himself?''


    Fujin thought for a few seconds and decided, ''Leave it¡­ It''s not worth the risk. My chakra is already very low. And creating another opportunity to kill them easily will be difficult. Not to mention, if the ninja hiding inside the barrier is as strong as Kitsuchi, then even my life would be at risk.''


    He said, "Let''s retreat. We have killed enough today."


    Kurogane agreed with Fujin''s decision and his teammates didn''t object either. Fujin pointed Kurogane in the direction of the Ito family''s town as he flew away.


    On the ground, Kitsuchi''s group arrived a couple of seconds after the Rocky bird exploded. Kitsuchi sighed and muttered, ''Old man Yoshiki was forced to make a move¡­''


    Inside the barrier, an old man was on his knees, coughing heavily. He had a very pale face. It was the same old man who warned Kitsuchi about Fujin''s attainments in Fuinjutsu. He thought, ''Fortunately, my bluff worked! I poured almost my entire chakra into the jutsu and would not be able to perform another any time soon. If he had stayed, then we could have faced more losses.''


    A younger man supported him and asked, "Are you fine, master?"


    Yoshiki caught his breath and said, "I am fine, Makoto. It''s just that I used too much chakra in that jutsu. Looks like my old bones won''t support me much."


    Makoto sighed. Yoshiki was 76 years old. Though he was an Elite Jounin in his prime, his prime was far behind him. Of course, he was still highly respected. The reason was that he was among the only 3 Fuinjutsu Grandmasters in Iwagakure. As for Makoto, he was one of the SealMaster that Yoshiki was guiding.


    Makoto looked into the sky and saw that Kurogane was flying away. He asked, "Why did you scare him away? Now we can''t kill him."


    Yoshiki got up and shook his head. He said, "The battle was lost even before we started. Kitsuchi wasn''t aware of his summon nor did he know about his expertise in Fuinjutsu. So killing him today wasn''t possible. He would have just continued attacking until he ran out of chakra and then escaped. The only thing that would happen is that more of our ninjas would have died."


    Makoto had aplicated expression. He was being guided to be the next Fuinjutsu Grandmaster in Iwagakure. Though he wasn''t anywhere close to reaching it, his future prospects were very good. But, to know that someone 7 years younger than him from an enemy country was not only strong enough to fight against one of Iwa''s strongest ninjas but also better than him in his speciality was a bitter pill for him to swallow.


    He muttered, "But isn''t he just 14?"


    Yoshiki sighed and nodded. He said, "In every generation, Konoha produces many such talents. Two decades ago, it was the 3 Sannins. A decade ago it was the Fourth Hokage. And now they have the Copy Ninja, Konoha''s Green Beast and this youngster, the Spectral Swordsman.


    Not to mention, I heard that the children of their n leaders will be graduating from the academy in little more than a year. Once they do, Konoha would likely gain even more elites in another 4 to 5 years even if they don''t reach the same level as these three."


    Makoto didn''t have any response. He could just sigh helplessly.

 Chapter 346: A Clash with no Winners!

    Outside the barrier, Kitsuchi began checking in on the ninjas who were caught in the explosion. He thought, ''I thought I could make him let his guard down and kill him in one blow. But it looks like Yoshiki disagreed with my analysis. Makes sense considering the massive losses we took. I miscalcted badly in this fight.''


    Not a single ninja was alive in the pit dug up by the explosion. The reason was that whoever was alive quickly escaped after the rocky bird forced the Konoha ninjas away. They entered the vige before appearing back on the surface.


    Everyone had minor injuries due to the Geyser Creation jutsu and the explosion tags. Only three had critical injuries.


    One ninja had a hole in his right thigh, another was missing his left arm and the third had a huge chunk of flesh and bones missing on the right side of his chest.


    Fujin''sst attack managed to kill the 5 injured ninjas while killing two more and injuring 3. Two ninjas managed to get deep enough into the ground just in time. The medical ninjas hiding inside the barrier quickly began healing the injured ninjas.


    In a few minutes, Kitsuchi and the rest dug out the Iwa ninjas that had been killed underground. They found 16 dead bodies that had one or more holes in them. There were 3 more spots where blood and minced flesh and bones had mixed, forming a gory sight. The Iwa ninjas understood that a ninja died at each spot. The worst was that spot that Kurogane had targeted first. The sight of the gore made even the most experienced ninjas nauseated!


    Kitsuchi stood still realizing the losses they took. The Iwa ninjas around him had solemn expressions. They had trained intensely for months to kill Fujin. However, after encountering him, nothing good happened. Not only did Fujin manage to escape uninjured but a lot of Iwa ninjas died!


    Kitsuchi asked everyone to gather the remains of the fallen Iwa ninjas and went inside the barrier. He met up with Yoshiki. Yoshiki looked at him and said, "It''s fine. You didn''t have all the information. You won''t experience such a failure the next time."


    Kitsuchi sighed and said, "There might not be a next time. His summon can fly at a high speed. We can''t trap him even if we know about this information unless Lord Tsuchikage makes a move himself. Not to mention, Konoha will be very careful next time."


    Yoshiki didn''t say anything. He agreed with Kitsuchi''s analysis and only said those words to lift his spirits.


    Kitsuchi nced at the vige once and said, "Make preparations to leave. We will destroy all the seals and evidence that might be linked to us. We will retreat after everyone is healed."


    Yoshiki nodded and looked at his students. Everyone nodded and got to work. A few secondster, an Elite Jounin approached Kitsuchi and Yoshiki and said in a grim tone, "We have tallied our losses."


    Kitsuchi, Yoshiki and a few ninjas around them had dejected expressions. The ninja said, "We found 36 dead bodies. 34 of them were killed by Fujin and 2 by his summon."


    A hint of anger could be felt in his voice as he said, "And there are a few more ninjas whose bodies were minced by that beast''s attack. We tallied the missing ninjas and calcted that the ce with thergest amount of blood and flesh should have had 5 ninjas. So 11 more ninjas should be dead. We lost 47 capable Jounins in this sh!"


    He clenched his fists very tightly as he finished speaking. The nails dug into his palms, making them bleed! He wasn''t alone. The remaining Iwa ninjas couldn''t believe the losses they took in that fight! Almost half the ninjas that participated in the attack had died! And they didn''t kill or maim even one Konoha ninja!


    Kitsuchi gritted his teeth. He thought, ''I wanted to use this opportunity to train a special Elite army unit. But 47 are dead and another is handicapped. To think that I would lose 40% of the ninjas I trained in one blow! Damn it!''


    He hated Fujin a lot at this moment. However, he couldn''t do anything but sigh. He wasn''t stupid enough to make a move that would cause Iwagakure more losses.


    He thought, ''Along with losing so many ninjas, we will also face the consequences of our earlier actions. Just like the Land of Grass, the Land of Waterfall will hate Iwagakure as well and would closely align with Konoha.


    With the Land of Rain having Hanzo and Suna being allied with Konoha, Konoha haspletely secured their western borders. And Kiri is embroiled in a civil war. At this rate, only Kumo would be in a position to attack Konoha. Of course, that is if Suna doesn''t betray Konoha.''


    He looked towards the direction of the Land of Wind and thought, ''I never imagined that after being humiliated so badly in thest war, Sunagakure would be the kingmaker in the next war!''


    Kitsuchi was surprised by the conclusion he reached. However, he stopped thinking about the future and turned his attention to the present. He ensured that all the injured ninjas were being treated and the dead bodies were properly stored in seals to be brought back.


    After storing the dead again, Kitsuchi looked at the scrolls in his heart with a heavy heart. He wondered, ''47 lives just to gain information on a fourteen-year-old ninja who is very close to bing a fearsome rank S ninja in the future. Is it worth it?''


    Kitsuchi couldn''t say for sure.


    Though the Iwagakure ninjas were upset that they had losses while Konoha didn''t, Fujin wasn''t pleased by the result either. In fact, he was even more upset than Kitsuchi. Kitsuchi at least gained knowledge about the skills Fujin kept hidden until then. But Fujin had no gains at all.


    While this wasn''t the first time he had to run away from a fight, it was the first time that Fujin was so disgusted by a fight.


    He thought, ''This feeling is almost as bad as when I had to escape from Darui. Though my life isn''t under any threat this time, it feels like I was paraded naked in front of an entire city. Bastards knew almost every move I would make in advance!


    Fortunately, Roshi didn''t see Goro, or else I might have been in grave danger. At the very least, these three would have died. Though I am not very attached to them, I don''t want to develop a reputation for being someone who runs while his teammates are killed. Though I could live with such a reputation, it will create a lot of inconveniences for me in Konoha.''


    While Fujin wasn''t too concerned about his reputation unlike some others, he understood the importance of maintaining a good reputation. He still had a lot of more important knowledge and resources that he wanted from Konoha.


    If he had a good reputation, Hiruzen would not make it very difficult for him to get it. But if he had a bad reputation, then getting them from Hiruzen would be very difficult. Not to mention, he was no longer as young as he was during his Academy or Genin days. Trying to use his ''innocence'' to get rewards from Hiruzen would no longer work.


    Fujin sighed internally thinking, ''But now, they know almost everything about me. The only thing that is definitely a secret is my Lightning Release. One of my clones even used the Wind Style Genjutsu. I can only hope that no one figures it out.


    Though I did manage to kill many Jounins, that doesn''t give me any benefit. If anything, it might make Iwagakure want to kill me even more. I''d prefer keeping my skills a secret rather than killing some ninjas that don''t pose me any direct threat.''


    If it wasn''t for the fact that Fujin had already exposed his secrets, he wouldn''t have bothered to even kill them. But since they were, he was forced to make use of those secrets to make Iwa suffer some losses. If he hadn''t, then he would have been the only one to experience losses and Iwa would havee after him again after making even more preparations and a better n.


    Just like Fujin, his teammates were also silent and in thought. During the entire battle, forget about killing, they hadn''t even managed to injure one ninja!


    Bunjiro thought, ''I felt that I was getting stronger. But every single one of them was stronger than me. I didn''t think that I would still be so weak!''


    Fumito and Yugao had simr thoughts. They knew how ridiculously fast Fujin was and that he could have escaped if he was by himself. They thought, ''We were the reason why Fujin didn''t escape and had to fight against such terrible odds. Though things turned out well this time, it might not always be the case.''


    At the same time, all three thought, ''We need to be stronger. We need some time off so that we can train and catch up with Captain.''

 Chapter 347: Ito Family Crisis!

    Kurogane noticed the gloomy mood on his back and was annoyed by it. He muttered to himself, ''I''d rather fight those ninjas than keep getting this depressed feeling from my back.''


    He snapped them out of their thoughts by asking, "How far do you want me to carry you, Fujin? You know that I don''t like flying for a long time."


    Fujin answered, "We have to pass by a town which should be very close. After reaching it, just fly South for an hour. You can drop us in the Land of Fire. Our chakra is very exhausted. I''d prefer to not have any more surprises."


    Kurogane replied, "Alright. You''ll have to guide me though. I have no idea about the geography here."


    Fujin nodded. Fujin''s words surprised Yugao. She asked, "Are we not going back to the town?"


    Fujin shook his head and replied, "No. The enemy is stronger than us. Staying in this country is very risky. If there is any other such force here or they decide to chase us to this town, then we could be in danger.


    The seals in the vige were made by a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster and they have someone who can create that strong explosion. So they have multiple means of trapping us in the city or even destroying the mansion when we might be resting. So it''s not worth it."


    None of his subordinates disagreed and they continued moving forward.


    Since no one was bothering him, Fujin began thinking about the situation again. He thought, ''What''s done is done. There is no point in getting upset over it. I need to analyze why I fell into such a mess in the first ce and how Iwagakure knew I would be sent here. I need to calm my mind as being annoyed won''t help me analyze it properly.''


    He began meditating. A few minutester, they reached above the town. Fujin created a Shadow Clone who jumped off Kurogane. As for Kurogane, he changed direction and began flying towards the Land of Fire.


    The town was still in panic. It had only been an hour since they had heard about the incidents. Though the Ito family tried to calm the public down, it wasn''t very effective. While the Ito family was thinking about what methods they should use to quell the panic, their guards noticed something in the air. Their eyes widened as they noticed someone falling down.


    Fujin''s clone used Assassin''s rush in short bursts to slow down his fall. When he reached close to the ground, he exhaled a forceful but harmless Infinite Breakthrough jutsu on the ground to slow down his fall andnded on his feet.


    Though the guards were surprised, they immediately recognized his attire. However, they weren''t sure if it was him or an enemy under disguise. Fujin''s clone didn''t bother talking with them. He flickered and appeared inside the mansion, next to Ito Yuya. The guards were surprised and hurriedly ran inside to inform them what they had witnessed.


    Yuya was taken aback by Fujin''s sudden appearance. Fujin''s clone said, "I have important information. Call another meeting instantly."


    Yuya frowned and wondered, ''Why did hee back so quickly? More importantly, is it him or someone else disguising as him?''


    He quickly asked, "Why did youe back so quickly? And how can I be sure if you aren''t someone else in disguise and want to gather our family and kill us at the same time?"


    Fujin''s clone wasn''t surprised by the questions. The Anbu frequently faced such issues. He said in a in voice, "You sent most of the ninjas in this town out. If I wanted to kill you and your entire family, then no one could stop me."


    Yuya was intimidated by his words. Fortunately, the clone didn''t continue threatening him and said, "But I don''t have much time. If you want to listen to it yourself, then that''s fine as well. As for what you do after is none of my business.


    The one behind the recent incidents is Iwagakure."


    Yuya''s eyes widened. He said loudly in disbelief, "How can that be? Why would a major vige do something like this?"


    Fujin''s clone answered, "No idea. We didn''t talk much. The vige with the missing people is covered with seals by a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster. The vige itself had around a hundred Iwa ninjas. Maybe more if they stayed hidden. And they are led by the Third Tsuchikage''s son-inw, Kitsuchi."


    Yuya''s heart became increasingly heavier as Fujin''s clone provided more information. Though the Ito family was the most dominant family in the territory, they were no match for a behemoth like Iwagakure. Just thinking about one hundred Iwa ninjas led by Kitsuchi made his knees weak.


    Fujin''s clone added, "We shed but were forced to retreat. They would likely not make a move for a few hours, but I am not sure what they will do afterwards. Since their cover was blown, there are two possibilities.


    The first possibility and the one you might prefer is that they will retreat back to the Land of Stone. The second is that they might try to speed up whatever they were nning. It might involve an attack on this town."


    Yuya''s mind went nk for a few seconds. The information was too much for him to handle. However, as an experienced politician, he gathered himself quickly. He bowed and pleaded, "Please help us defend the town."


    Fujin''s clone shook his head and said, "The amount of Iwa forces is enough to start a war. This matter is something that Takigakure needs to handle. As someone from Konoha, I can''t be involved lightly in this matter. Slowing them down and providing you with sufficient time is the most I can do.


    My squad is already heading back. I''ll report the details to Lord Hokage and he will make a decision on Konoha''s further involvement. In the meantime, you should coordinate with Takigakure and take appropriate measures."


    Yuya immediately understood his mistake. He realized, ''If the Konoha ninjas get involved, then this could result in a war between Konoha and Iwagakure fought in the Land of Waterfall. Our country will be one to suffer the most. I can''t make such a decision. It will have to be made by Takigakure.''


    He replied, "Alright. Thank You for your suggestions. We will act hurriedly."


    Fujin''s clone nodded and replied, "Good luck."


    He dispelled himself. Yuya thought, ''So he was just a clone.''


    He immediately gathered the important members of his family and informed them about Fujin''s words. The entire Ito family was terrified. Thankfully, while the meeting for taking ce, the ninjas from Takigakure, who were terrified by the mes raining down, reached the town.


    They quickly met up with the Ito family and informed them about what they had witnessed. The Ito family was shocked once again. Yuya wondered, ''Is that what the Konoha ninja meant by slowing them down? Who was he to be capable of doing something so crazy?''


    Though Konoha was known for having ninjas with very good fire affinity, it was the first time they had heard about something like this. The fact that a single jutsu could burn down the town they were proud of was a bitter pill to swallow.


    The Ito family informed the Taki ninjas about what Fujin had informed them, shocking the Taki ninjas. After discussing it for a bit, they quickly formed a n. They quickly sent messenger birds to Takigakure. In less than 15 minutes, the entire Ito family quietly departed from the town and went into hiding.


    Fujin and his squad were still flying on Kurogane. Fujin had calmed down. He analyzed, ''I need to start from the very basic question. How did Iwagakure know I would be sent here?''


    He thought of many possible answers, ''My first thought was that someone from Konoha leaked my movements. Possibly someone like Danzo¡­ But it doesn''t seem very practical now that I think about it. After all, Iwa had started this mess around 4 months ago.


    There is no way Danzo could have known that I would be sent here. Unless he or someone else influenced Eagle to send me on this mission. Still, the chances of this are low. I haven''t irked Danzo or any other ninja in power as of yet. But even though unlikely, I will need to check on this. I don''t want to leave myself vulnerable to someone scheming against me in the dark.


    Other than that, there is only one possibility. Iwagakure somehow predicted that I would be dispatched here¡­ Or at least, they betted that I might be dispatched here. Maybe they hoped I''d be dispatched but were willing to trap any Elite Jounin who might have been dispatched here from Konoha. A good scheme indeed.''


    Fujin felt a chill as he realized how much Iwa had nned and how much effort they were willing to take to eliminate him.

 Chapter 348: Becoming Stale!

    Fujin analyzed, ''They should have started nning right after I shed with Roshi. These ninjas should be trained with the help of Roshi so that they can anticipate my attacks and movements and take preventive measures to avoid being killed by me.


    Training a hundred ninjas just to kill me¡­ What a freaking overkill! I''m not even an Elite Jounin officially! Though it might not be just for me. The skills they develop will help them survive tough battles against others as well.


    With such a good trap, there were only 3 ways for me to counterattack. The one that I used was my summon. Another way was using Lighting release. But I don''t think it would be as effective as Kurogane. Though my Lightning Release is good, it is a far crypared to my Wind Release. Thest method was Wind Style Genjutsu. The three skills they didn''t know about.


    Of course, the simplest option was to just run away with Wind Instantaneous Body jutsu. Had I been alone like I was in the Land of Wind, I''d have directly left. The n would have been nullified without much effort. So despite being in a difficult spot, my life wouldn''t have been in any danger had I abandoned these 3.


    I guess since I disappeared using Reverse Summoning jutsu, Roshi and the rest don''t know about my skill with that jutsu. They should have some spections, which is why that barrier was probably ced around the vige. But they should be unaware of the specifics.


    Regardless, this makes my life incredibly difficult. If they provide this training for more ninjas then all my future confrontations with Iwa will prove to be a challenge. And what if they provide my information and the training n to other viges?


    If that happens, then there will be special forces in all major viges just to counter me. Maybe others mighte up with even better tactics in the future and create even more devious traps for me.''


    Fujin sighed at that thought. He began analyzing why the trap was so sessful against him. He thought, ''The main reason why I fell in such a position is my actions after I shed with Roshi is that most of my skills were exposed in that fight. So I knew that Iwa would have a lot of information on me. Despite that, I made no effort to upgrade my skills or learn newer ones. Due to this reason, Iwa''s n was so effective.


    In another way of speaking, my power has be stale¡­ Though I can''t be entirely med for that as I spent most of my time on Fuinjutsu, it still left a w. A w that I was aware of but didn''t act on as I never expected anyone to make use of it.


    After all, if the information about a ninja is avable, no matter how strong that ninja is and how well-rounded his abilities are, this world has enough smart and intuitive ninjas toe up with ways of defeating that.


    Though the performance of these Iwa ninjas against me can be considered remarkable, it isn''t evenparable to Shikamaru defeating Hidan. The two were leagues apart in strength and abilities.


    And Hidan was still someone with a lot of weaknesses. Even someone with no visible weaknesses like the 3rd Raikage was defeated by Naruto''s clone after he received information from Eight Tails.


    Another example of this can be the Uchiha''s Sussano. Though most ninjas will be very rmed by that jutsus, for me, it''s the least threatening of all the Mangekyou abilities that I know of. After all, it is very exhaustive to maintain a Sussano. I can easily run away when it is activated and return when it is deactivated during the fight, making it useless. Of course, that is if it is used with normal Mangekyou.


    Since others can be dealt with after getting enough information, I too am vulnerable despite my high speed and the prative power of the Vacuum jutsus. While it still isn''t something that could kill me, if I staycent, it is only a matter of time. I will have to start working on those ideas that I have.


    Sigh, I''m so close to bing a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster. It would have been great if I could have achieved that before being made to work on this. But dying this any longer will be more harmful than the gains from Fuinjutsu. After all, though I have the ideas, it would probably take me over a year to sessfully master them. Then I can get rid of this vulnerability.''


    Fujin had reached a satisfactory conclusion when his eyes suddenly widened. He realized, ''No. That is not correct. Even if I create a new fighting style, even that can be countered when information about it gets known.


    What I need to do is keep working on it consistently and keep upgrading it. My speed of developing new styles needs to be faster than my enemy''s speed of countering my fighting style. Only then I can truly avoid such scenarios.


    This will have to continue until my strength reaches a perverse level like Hashirama and Madara or I develop and learn jutsus that can''t be countered. Like the Flying Thunder God and perhaps the Blood jutsus of the Jashin Grand Priest. Sage Mode would also help but Ryu is still unwilling to teach me.


    Regardless, I need to start working on my Ninjutsu once again.''


    Having made up his mind, Fujin stopped analyzing further and rested. Kurogane carried the Konoha ninjas into the Land of Fire and dropped them before returning to Mount Muteki. Fujin''s squad continued moving towards Konoha at a high speed.


    A couple of hourster, Takigakure received messages from the messenger birds. As he read the details in the scrolls, Shibuki''s expression became very grim. He cursed, ''This is bad¡­ Very bad!! We can''t fight Iwagakure right now.''


    One of his advisors said angrily, "Lord Shibuki, this is uneptable. We have to respond to this provocation. Please give us permission to lead our troops and force the Iwagakure ninjas out of our country!"


    Shibuki looked at him and retorted, "Fight against Iwa? Are you crazy? Didn''t you read that the Konoha Anbu Captain reported that Kitsuchi and a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster were there? What if they fight back instead of retreating?"


    His reply had everyone in the room looking at him with a deadpan expression. They all had the same thought, ''As expected."


    Shibuki ignored those looks and instructed, "Send the highest priority message to the Hokage. Request him to dispatch an army towards our borders. Once they are in position, we will dispatch our forces to confront Iwagakure. If they retreat, then it is for the best. Otherwise, Konoha will be allowed to enter and we will ally against Iwa."


    Everyone nodded and got to work. After leaving the room, one of the advisors sighed and muttered, "He is so cowardly."


    Another nodded and said, "Yeah. He reminds me of his father in all other aspects. But in terms of courage, he is theplete opposite. The time needed to dispatch our forces and have them confront Iwa would have been sufficient for the Konoha ninjas to arrive."


    He sighed as well and said, "Leave it. He is still a very good leader."


    Everyone nodded and began working.


    Thanks to Shibuki''s inaction, Kitsuchi gained valuable time. In the vige where they were staying, the Iwa ninjas who weren''t injured ced the people back in their homes. The people were still asleep due to Genjutsu. Simr actions happened in the other viges with missing people.


    Thanks to Yoshiki''s Fuinjutsu, he had kept all the people in those viges in underground basements, hidden from the eyes of anyone who tried to inspect the viges. They deployed some ninjas in those viges to ensure that the vigers could be kept under Genjutsu and not die of thirst or hunger.


    As for other people they had randomly kidnapped, Iwa didn''t have any choice but to kill and bury them silently. Though they sent a considerable force, they couldn''t handle so many people properly. So keeping them alive would have created some chances of their operation being exposed.


    After moving the vigers, the Iwa ninjas destroyed the underground basements and filled them up using Earth Release jutsus while the SealMasters destroyed all the seals. They removed every trace of their involvement. After confirming that no evidence was left, all the Iwa ninjas in the Land of Waterfall began stealthily moving towards the vige where Kitsuchi was at.


    Though Fujin inflicted a lot of damage on the ninjas that attacked him, the remaining Iwa forces didn''t have any casualties. Kitsuchi waited until everyone had returned to the vige and then retreated to the Land of Stone along with everyone else. Only Sho was left back to continue spying.


    Konoha :


    It waste at night. Hiruzen had wrapped up all his work and was sleeping peacefully at his home when his sleep was disturbed. An Anbu woke him up and handed him the high-priority message scroll!


    Hiruzen opened the scroll and began reading. His eyes immediately widened before going back to their usual size. He said, "Call Shikaku to my office."


    The Anbu nodded and flickered away.

 Chapter 349: Request for a Vacation

    Shikaku grumpily walked towards Hiruzen''s office. He muttered, "It has just been a couple of months since the situation with Suna cooled down and I could sleepfortably. Don''t tell me that they have be active again."


    He reached the office and asked, "What''s the situation this time?"


    Hiruzen tossed him the scroll and said, "Take a look."


    Shikaku began reading. He muttered in dissatisfaction, "What does Iwa want in that country?"


    Hiruzen said, "To send that many ninjas, for so long, and take action against so many civilians. It looks like they were looking for something. Or nning something huge in that country."


    Shikaku nodded. He added, "It''s tough to say exactly though. With those actions, they could annex the western half of the Land of Waterfall. But it won''t benefit them much. After all, Takigakure itself would have been safe and that''s where the forces of that country are umted. And hurting a buffer country between our viges will cost them diplomatically. So overall it would be a loss.


    I have a feeling that they were searching for something or someone. Which Anbu squad did you send?"


    Hiruzen replied, "Fujin''s squad."


    Shikaku became mildly annoyed on hearing Fujin''s name. He muttered, "Nothing good happens when that brat is involved. Our rtionship with Suna is still brittle. And Kumo is eyeing us like Wolves. If he provokes a war with Iwa, then we will be in a tough spot when hostilities begin."


    Hiruzen sighed and said, "Even if he doesn''t our situation won''t be any different. We have always had to face all four viges. Regardless, Fujin has calmed down a bit since he shed with Roshi. Let''s wait for him to arrive. In the meantime, start deciding who we should send to the border."


    Shikaku nodded. Fortunately, they didn''t have to wait for long. A few minutes after Hiruzen and Shikaku met, Fujin and his squad arrived in Konoha. Since they had eaten soldier pills, they travelled non-stop until they reached the vige.


    After entering, Fujin said, "It''s nighttime. Lord Hokage should be asleep. You guys can go to your homes. I''ll report the mission to him."


    His teammates nodded. But before he could leave, Yugao said, "Captain, I thought a lot during our journey here and have a request."


    Fujin stopped and turned around. He asked, "What request?"


    Yugao said, "During this mission, every one of the enemies was as strong as me. I couldn''t do anything to help you. I want a few months'' break to train so that I won''t be a burden the next time."


    Fujin was surprised by her request. Before he could speak, Bunjiro said, "I have the same request."


    Fumito added, "Same here."


    Fujin said, "The enemy was strong this time. Even if you get stronger, there will still be someone stronger than you. So don''t be too discouraged. But alright. Taking time off to train is good. I was thinking about it as well. I''ll discuss with Lord Hokage to see if I can get a training vacation for our team."


    Yugao said, "Thank You, Captain."


    Fujin nodded and flickered away. His team stayed in the same spot for a few seconds. Fumito chuckled and said in a self-mocking tone, "We werepletely useless during this mission."


    Bunjiro didn''t know what to say. Yugao sighed and said, "They were probably all Jounins. If not for his summon, we would have died there. And could have dragged him with us as well."


    Fumito said, "They had a few chances to deal fatal blows to us during the initial phase of the battle. But for some reason, they didn''t. Thinking about it, I believe they wanted to keep us alive so that he would be forced to stay and defend us."


    Yugao nodded. She had realized it as well. That was the main reason she asked for a break. Bunjiro''s eyes widened. He thought, ''I was wondering about that as well. I never imagined that this would be the reason!''


    Fumito said, "Anyways, we have managed to return in one piece. Let''s train so that we won''t feel this way again. Good luck to both of you."


    Yugao and Bunjiro wished him luck as well and went their separate ways. Fujin was unaware of their conversation. As he approached the Hokage building, he thought, ''If they train seriously for a few months, Yugao and Fumito will quickly get promoted to Anbu Captain. Though Bunjiro wouldn''t, his strength will reach close to this rank as well.


    That''s good. I''ll convince Hiruzen to give us a long break. After the break, I''ll rmend Yugao and Fumito for the Anbu rank and quit the Anbu using that opportunity as my team will be dissolved. Hmm?''


    Fujin focused his attention towards the Hokage office and sensed two chakras. He wondered, ''What are these two doing awake at this hour? Did Taki send a message? Anyway, this is good. I won''t have to wait for an Anbu Guard to go and wake him up.''


    He quickly went to the office. An Anbu Guard appeared and asked, "Tortoise, what are you doing here at this hour?"


    Fujin answered, "Here to meet Lord Hokage."


    The Anbu Guard said, "He is having a secret meeting."


    Fujin replied, "I''m pretty sure the discussion inside is regarding my mission. Regardless, this is a high priority."


    The Anbu Guard said, "Alright. Go ahead."


    They had interacted on several asions. So, he knew that Fujin had a great rtionship with Hiruzen.


    Hiruzen and Shikaku immediately looked at Fujin, who entered the room. Fujin closed the door, looked at the scroll on Hiruzen''s table and asked, "Did Takigakure send a request for reinforcements?"


    Hiruzen nodded, "Something like that. But there isn''t much information here. Report what happened."


    Fujin nodded and said, "It was probably a trap. After we reached the town, the attacks stopped once again like what happened when we sent a squad earlier. But a few dayster, a big incident urred and everyone in one of the viges went missing.


    When we went to investigate, I realized that the vige was covered in seals that were extremely difficult to detect. I believe that they had a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster hiding in the vige. Though we avoided the trap, we were attacked by the Iwa ninjas hiding inside the barrier."


    Fujin took a pause. Shikaku looked at him and thought, ''Why do I get the feeling that what he says next will be very troublesome?''


    Fujin continued, "The attackers were led by Kitsuchi."


    Hiruzen and Shikaku weren''t surprised as his name was mentioned in the scroll sent by Takigakure. But what Fujin said next shocked them. He added, "Along with him were 96 other ninjas, every single one at the Jounin level."


    Shikaku asked in disbelief, "They moved 96 Jounins along with an S ranked ninja and a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster there?"


    Rank S ninjas making a move was verymon. After all, they could move freely throughout the world and very few would be willing to oppose them. Just from Konoha, Jiraiya and Tsunade would frequently be heard about roaming randomly in the smaller countries.


    Hundreds of ninjas moving also happened frequently. Not too long ago, all the major viges were moving over a thousand ninjas each around their countries due to the vtile conditions. But a hundred Jounins moving together was extremely rare. Even during wars, that would be a rare urrence.


    Fujin nodded. Shikaku asked, "What was their goal?"


    Fujin answered, "I am not sure, but my best guess is they wanted to kill me."


    Shikaku and Hiruzen were surprised again. Hiruzen asked, "Why do you say that?"


    Fujin answered in a serious tone, "Kitsuchi recognized my real identity. And every single one of those Jounins was trained to counter me. They all were quick on their feet and could use Iron Skin jutsu quickly, which protected them against most of my Wind Jutsus.


    In addition, they were very on guard against my Wind Vacuum Techniques. They would observe the slight changes in my body and take preemptive measures to assist in dodging my attack. They also had a few chances to deal a lethal blow to my teammates, but refrained from doing so to keep me from running away.


    If it wasn''t for the fact that they didn''t know about my Fuinjutsu skills and my summon, I would have been in deep trouble."


    Hiruzen and Shikaku went silent on hearing that. Both realized how serious the matter was. After a while, Shikaku asked, "How did they know you would be sent there?"


    Fujin replied, "I was hoping you''d find out. If the locations of Anbu ninjas are getting leaked, then we will be facing a lot of trouble. Even more so if they have some degree of control over who gets dispatched on some missions."


    Neither Hiruzen nor Shikaku opposed him. Both could see the Anbu squads getting picked one by one by enemies if that was the case. Hiruzen said seriously, "I will look into this matter. If someone is leaking information, then that person would be eliminated."


    Fujin nodded. Just like Fujin, Hiruzen''s first thought was Danzo as well. But he couldn''t think of any reason for Danzo to do that.


    Shikaku asked, "What happened after that?"


    Fujin continued, "Well, I summoned my summon and began attacking from the air. After a long difficult fight, I managed to kill 47 ninjas and a few more were injured. But someone hiding inside the vige attacked us with Explosion Release Kekkei Genkai.


    The power behind the explosion made it look like it was another S ranked ninja. But I''m suspicious as that ninja never showed himself. I decided that it was too risky to continue and withdrew along with my team.


    Once again, Shikaku was left speechless. He wondered, ''Did they set a trap for him or offer him their heads?''

 Chapter 350: Konoha makes a move!

    Shikaku asked, "You killed 47 Jounins who were trained to counter you?"


    Fujin replied, "Well, they didn''t have any defense against my Vacuum jutsus. So I had to create opportunities to make them drop their guard momentarily or make a slight mistake. Though difficult, I managed to do that a few times and managed to kill a few of them. But I didn''t manage to kill many.


    Thankfully they made a big mistake towards the end of the battle that allowed me to kill more than 20 in one go. It''s probably what forced the Explosion Kekkei Genkai ninja to act."


    Shikaku didn''t know how to respond. He thought, ''Killing 47 Jounins is a huge achievement. But there isn''t even a single bit of joy in his voice or a sense of achievement in his expression. Instead, he sounds like he was the one who lost 47 Jounins.''


    Unlike Fujin, who was very frustrated over his skills being countered, Shikaku and Hiruzen weren''t worried about it. After all, Hiruzen was probably the most all-round ninja in the world. He had no weakness and he could freely switch to any fighting style to counter his opponent.


    As for Shikaku, his opponent''s intelligence was thest thing he worried about. He could make numerous strategies on the battlefield to counter whatever n the enemy came up with. So neither shared Fujin''s vulnerabilities. Though they understood his position, from their point of view, it was just a natural obstacle that any top-level ninja would have to ovee.


    Hiruzen thought, ''If Fujin can ovee this by himself, he will be a force to reckon with. If not, then I will have to provide him with more jutsus to ensure that he doesn''t stay susceptible to such tactics. But if I have to do that, then his future prospects won''t be as bright as I expect. He will still be a rank S ninja but won''t reach the same heights as me or Minato.''


    Hiruzen said, "You did great. Take a break. We will be sending an army to reinforce Takigakure."


    Fujin said, "Thank you. I have a request though."


    Hiruzen said, "Speak."


    Fujin said, "I was hoping to get a long vacation. This mission was difficult for my team. But on the positive side, it has motivated them a lot. They all want a break to train and get stronger. I want a break as well to avoid being vulnerable to such traps."


    Shikaku''s face became dark. He thought, ''This brat! He keeps increasing my workload and then asks for a vacation in front of my face?''


    Hiruzen wasn''t a stranger to this request. Fujin had asked for vacation several times in the past. He thought, ''Though I refused his requests in the past and kept him busy with missions, it won''t look good to reject this time. Plus, this incident should motivate him to train more instead of just meditating in the training rooms. And I''m curious to see how he breaks through his current situation.''


    He asked, "How long of a vacation do you want?"


    Fujin replied, "Preferably 6 months."


    Hiruzen replied, "That''s too long. I''ll give your squad a 3-month vacation. But, if the situation in the Land of Waterfall worsens, you will be called back to duty."


    Fujin replied, "Alright. I''ll convey the message to my team."


    Hiruzen was puzzled. He thought, ''That''s it? He didn''t argue for more?''


    Meanwhile, Fujin thought, ''That''s good. I didn''t think he''d agree so easily. I''d have been happy with one and a half months'' break. 3 months should be plenty for what I have nned.''


    Before leaving, Fujin asked for another favor. He said, "I have one more request."


    Hiruzen said, "Speak."


    Fujin asked, "Do we have any soldier pills that could aid in training longer? I have tried using the best ones avable for Anbu, but they aren''t sustainable for long-term use. And, the chakra they provide is very less at my level."


    Fujin hadn''t used soldier pills to train for a long time. The only time he used them without much restraint was during his academy days. Back then, since his chakra was much lower, he would need lower quality soldier pills. They wouldn''t cause much strain on his body.


    In addition, as a student, he wouldn''t be called suddenly for any missions that could pose a danger to his life. So he wasn''t worried about the time when the collective exhaustion would hit him and would force him to rest for a few days.


    But the normal soldier pills didn''t have much effect on him anymore. With the crazy amount of chakra some of his jutsus needed, even the highest quality of soldier pills avable to him didn''t provide him with much help in training. And despite that, the exhaustion it would cause was greater than ever.


    So Fujin had been reluctant to use them to train. Since he wasn''t in a hurry and felt that he still had plenty of time before the important incidents took ce, he hadn''t bothered to look for other means. But the trap set by Iwagakure created a sense of urgency in him.


    Hiruzen replied, "No soldier pill is sustainable for long-term use. They are meant to be used only in war to help you fight for a longer time."


    He opened his drawer, grabbed a bottle and tossed it at Fujin. He said, "These pills are specially made for me. The amount of chakra they provide is several times what the Anbu use. In addition, it works for two additional days.


    But, the exhaustion it causes is very bad as well. Don''t train for a day after the exhaustion hits. And don''t consume another pill for a week after you recover from the exhaustion."


    Fujin observed the pills in the bottle and said, "Thank you, Grandpa. I''ll see youter."


    He left the room, leaving Hiruzen and Shikaku alone. Shikaku asked, "Was it safe to give him that pill?"


    Hiruzen replied, "It''s fine. He trains a lot but takes good care of not overexerting himself. He also has some expertise in medical ninjutsu and regrly gets himself checked by Yoshi and Isamu. As long as these pills don''tnd in Guy''s hands, we won''t have any issues."


    Shikaku replied, "True. His training is just too much."


    Shikaku nced at Hiruzen and asked, "By the way, can I get a vacati¡­"


    Before he couldplete his question, Hiruzen interrupted and said, "No, get to work."


    Shikaku let out a sigh and got back to work. He wrote a reply to Takigakure and sent it to them through the same messenger bird. While the bird travelled, the two of them worked through the night.


    After leaving the office, Fujin wondered, ''So, what should I do now?''


    As he had eaten the soldier pill, Fujin wouldn''t be able to sleep for another 2 and a half days. He thought, ''Though my chakra isn''tpletely exhausted, it is still very low. It will take around 8 to 10 hours to recover. Until then, I can''t train or create a lot of clones for Fuinjutsu. Looks like I only have one choice.''


    Fujin went straight to the Wind Training Room and began meditating. As he meditated, he thought, ''The Wind Crystals barely have any effect on me anymore. Though thousands of small, minute improvements could still create some qualitative change, the process will be very slow and might need decades.


    I don''t need to waste my time in these rooms anymore. Though there is no harm ining here when I have to meditate for any reason.''


    Fujin eliminated all thoughts from his mind and began meditating earnestly. The energy from the Wind Crystal began dissipating rapidly.


    By noon, Shikaku had assembled 250 ninjas. Around 60 were Jounins while the rest were Chunins. Once again, the leadership was given to Kakashi.


    Kakashi stood in front of the small army and muttered, "Aren''t we doing this too frequently?"


    Guy, who was standing close to him, said, "Yeah and we don''t even fight anyone. We just move around until the situation diffuses itself."


    Kakashi sighed. He wasn''t a big fan of war. But since Hiruzen wanted to nurture him, he had been assigning Kakashi to all such leadership roles. Due to frequently leading hundreds of ninjas and in addition to his reputation, almost everyone in Konoha had begun seeing Kakashi as the leader of the next generation.


    Under Kakashi''s orders, the Konoha forces began moving towards the Land of Waterfall. An hourter, the messenger bird reached Takigakure. Shibuki received the message and called for another meeting.


    He informed the council, "Konoha said that they will send out 250 ninjas this noon. Meaning that they should have already left. In addition, they will dispatch 500 more ninjas tomorrow."


    One of his advisors said, "Konoha is quick as always. The first force should arrive at our borders by tomorrow morning. So they will be in a position to reinforce us quickly after our shes begin."


    Shibuki asked, "How is our preparation?"


    Another advisor answered, "We have prepared all our ninjas. All 2000 ninjas are avable and are awaiting orders.


    Shibuki thought for a bit and said, "If we move now and run into Iwagakure''s trap, then we will suffer a lot before the Konoha forces arrive. We will wait for a bit more to prevent any needless casualties.


    At midnight, you will lead half our forces towards the Ito family''s territories. We will use the cover of the night to sneak attack any enemy forces in our territory. The remaining half will stay back and defend the vige in case this is some sort of distraction."


    Everyone agreed with his decision and began making preparations.

 Chapter 351: Training Plan - New Vacuum Jutsus

    While Takigakure got busy, Fujin finally stepped out of the Anbu training facility. He stretched his body and thought, ''My chakra haspletely recovered. Looks like I can return to training. But first, I need to inform them of the vacation.


    3 Shadow Clones appeared around Fujin. They immediately flickered away and informed his teammates about the 3 months long vacation. Everyone thanked him and promised to spend the entire vacation training to be stronger. The clones gave some tips to them, especially to Bunjiro, before dispelling themselves.


    When Fujin received their memories, he was back in his home. He thought, ''Not bad. Their determination hasn''t decreased. But¡­ how should I move forward?''


    He thought for a bit and analyzed, ''My initial n was to have my clones continue learning the Four Symbols Seal while I begin Ninjutsu training. But, I won''t be able to sustain such training until I eat the Soldier Pill Hiruzen gave me. So for the next couple of days, I will focus on ninjutsu.


    Even in Ninjutsu, I can''t keep moving blindly anymore. Though I did create a fewbat systems in the past to ensure that I have no weaknesses, those systems won''t be very useful against rank S ninjas or Jounins who have been trained to counter me.


    But, that doesn''t mean I need to scrap everything I learnt in the past ande up with somethingpletely new. After all, these techniques are still very lethal and provide a skeleton for my futurebat systems. I just have to make a few additions or changes that would make any preparations against the current me useless against the future me.''


    As he analyzed, Fujin walked into his basement and entered one of the rooms. This room was his study room. It had a few desks, a lot of books, scrolls and writing and drawing tools. Of course, nothing in the room was something that needed to be kept a secret.


    Fujin grabbed a pen and a piece of paper and made a few notes as he thought, ''My current strengths are my high movement andbat speed, high speed and prative power of Vacuum Bullets, Cannon and Waves, the versatile nature of my Infinite Breakthrough jutsu and my swordy.


    In these aspects, I canpete with almost everyone except the ones that stand at the very top like Hiruzen, Ay or Onoki. Among the ninjas still alive, I guess Ay and Obito are the only ones who can dodge my Vacuum jutsus with ease and would dare to get hit by it. Even though Hiruzen and a few others could dodge, while some like Orochimaru and Kakuzu have their quirks, they would still be very wary when facing me and would be forced to ce the majority of their attention on me.


    But, it''s this prative power that made me a bitcent. Iwa took the perfect advantage of thiscency. I currently use 3 Vacuum jutsus regrly. Vacuum Bullets, Vacuum Cannon and Vacuum Serial Waves. All 3 have to be shot from my mouth. And though short, all 3 need some preparation time.


    The Iwa ninjas used this fraction of a second tofortably dodge my attacks. And, this isn''t something I can improve on. The time I take is already very low. Decreasing it any further by a substantial amount isn''t viable.


    So that leaves me with two options to make my Vacuum jutsus even more threatening¡­''


    Fujin raised his left palm. A Wind Sphere with a vacuum core began forming quickly. Fujin looked at the Vacuum Sphere and thought, ''This was the first Vacuum jutsu I learnt. Iwa ninjas didn''t know about this. I could have used it in the battle, but I didn''t because I wouldn''t have got a lot of kills.


    The main reason is that unlike Vacuum Bullets and Cannon, this attack is much slower. After killing 2 or 3 with the element of surprise, the rest wouldn''t have fallen for it. I would have just needlessly exposed the fact that I have other methods of using Vacuum jutsus.


    What I need to do now is to develop Vacuum jutsus that don''t need to be shot from my mouth but can still be fired at a high speed. Like say, if I could fire high-speed Vacuum Bullets from the tip of my fingers, the Iwa ninjas wouldn''t have dared attempt something like this. So this will be one thing I will need to work on.''


    He dispersed the Vacuum Sphere and continued analyzing, ''The second thing is the scale of my Vacuum jutsus. Other than Serial Waves, all my Vacuum jutsus are single-target attacks. And though Serial Waves can target multiple, it is much slower than the other two in speed.


    I remember that Danzo had somehow used Vacuum Serial Waves to pierce Sasuke''s Susanoo. Though that attack was named the same, it was more like a vacuum version of the Great Breakthrough jutsu. I need to develop one such jutsu.


    An AoE attack that shares the prative power and speed of Vacuum jutsus. Once I develop it, just barely dodging my attacks won''t be of any further help. The opponent will either need a very good defense or be fast enough to escape the range of the jutsu. A feat that very few would be capable of.''


    Fujin kept the pen down and thought, ''Once I master these 2 aspects, Iwa''s current preparations against me will be useless. Unless of course, they coulde up with something new to counter that. But¡­''


    Fujin''s expression became very serious and determined as he muttered, "But, in order to get that information, they will have to pay the lives of hundreds of Jounins. A loss that would make their hearts bleed!"


    Fujin shook his head and analyzed, ''This should be enough to break out of the current situation. But, it won''t be enough to dominate the rank S ninjas. I need to create jutsus and techniques thatplement my fighting style and keep improving them until I can reach rank S through this.


    One idea I have had for a long time was using Wind chakra for Taijutsu. Though the Senju Taijutsu style is strong, just like Vacuum Bullets, dodging them is easy. But if I can cover my fists with Wind, then merely dodging won''t be sufficient. If I seed, my punches can be as lethal as my sword.


    If I can go a step further and create a Wind Cloak simr to Raikage''s Lightning Chakra Mode. But that will be very difficult. I will have to see how I could use Wind to enhance me. I can see how I can use it to make a threat to anyone attacking me, but if I can also use it to increase my speed and power, then the effect will be numerous times higher. And, I will have to do the above without putting a huge strain on my chakra reserves.


    Apart from this, there is the idea I had with the rank E and D jutsus before I decided to drop them. That idea might be the key to implementing the idea I had when I was learning Susumu''s Wind Style Genjutsu. If I can master this and reach the level I am imagining, then I''m certain that I will be able to go against any rank S ninja.


    Though that is a big if. This will be a long-term project. I can''tplete this one or the cloak in a short time. But I will begin studying the basics. I will get more ideas to improvise once I start the training.''


    Fujin stopped thinking and looked over the notes he had made while analyzing. After a few minutes, he nodded and crumbled the piece of paper in his fist. The paper caught fire and was soon reduced to ashes.


    Fujin left his home and stepped into Training Ground 23. He entered into the deepest part of the Training Ground as he thought, ''It''s been a while since I learnt a new jutsu. More importantly, this is the first time I am developing my own jutsus without much reference from this world.''


    He stretched his body and muttered, "Oh well, I hope everything goes well."


    He clenched his right hand into a tight fist and stared at it. Chakra gathered around his fist and forearm. The chakra transformed into the wind and began revolving around Fujin''s arm. Fujin focused on the wind and made it revolve faster.


    Under Fujin''s control, the wind began revolving at a higher speed, almost forming a mini-tornado around his fist and forearm. Suddenly, a long cut appeared across Fujin''s forearm! Blood spouted like a fountain and mixed with the mini-tornado, giving it a reddish shade!

 Chapter 352: Training Begins!

    Fujin immediately stopped providing the chakra. The winds lost their sharpness and slowly dispersed away. 3 long cuts had appeared on Fujin''s forearm.


    Fujin sighed and thought, ''I was expecting something like this to happen. That is why I didn''t try this idea when I had it. Unfortunately, after learning medical ninjutsu, I became busy with a lot of matters. Since high-level ninjutsu were readily avable, I didn''t bother learning this jutsu.''


    A green glow appeared on Fujin''s right forearm. The 3 cuts stopped bleeding and started healing at a rapid speed. If Hiruzen saw this sight, he would be shocked. Fujin was healing himself without using any hand seals. An extremely small number of ninjas were capable of this feat.


    Fujin observed as the cuts closed up and thought, ''Sealless healing sure is convenient. But the chakra control needed for this is nuts. I needed over two and a half years to learn this. And my current speed of healing isn''t high enough to shrug off any damage I take in between a fight. Fortunately, I can y a game of cat and mouse until I am healed.''


    Once the cuts closed up, Fujin''s right forearm became ck in color. He once again gathered chakra around his fist and forearm. The chakra transformed into wind and began revolving around his arm at a rapid speed.


    As the speed increased, Fujin felt several blows to his arm. Fortunately, the Iron Skin jutsu prevented any more injuries. Once the speed reached an optimal level, Fujin flickered and appeared before a tree. He sent a punch towards it but stopped just before his fist made contact with the tree.


    The mini-tornado around his fist moved forward and hit the tree. It created hundreds of cuts on the tree every second. After around 5 seconds, the winds began losing their sharpness and dispersed away. Fujin withdrew his fist and observed the tree. The tree had thousands of small cuts on its trunk and a few small holes drilling through it but was still standing.


    Fujin analyzed, ''Hmm¡­ This is much weaker than I thought. But it''s understandable as this is the first time I did it and didn''t physically punch the tree. Once I master it, I should be able to blow the tree apart. The power will still likely be weaker than the Senju Taijutsu style but it will be more lethal. But, something doesn''t feel right. It''s as if the jutsu wasn''t as free-flowing as I imagined it to be.''


    Fujin went silent. He once again hardened his right arm and created the tornado around it. He closed his eyes and allowed the winds to flow rapidly for a few minutes. He submerged his mind focusing only on feeling the wind to understand what was wrong.


    After 5 minutes, the wind slowed down and dispersed. He opened his eyes and thought, ''There are two main problems. Though using Iron Skin jutsu protects my hand, it also takes some of my concentration away from the Winds. The reason for this is that I have to simultaneously convert my chakra into Wind and Earth at the same time. So the jutsu isn''t as free-flowing as I envisioned.


    The other issue is the very fact why I need to use the Iron Skin jutsu. I can feel the wind hitting my arm randomly. Just like the tree, the wind hits my arm hundreds of times per second. Even though the Iron Skin jutsu protects my arm, the hit from the wind imparts some force to my arm. And this force isn''t aligned with my punching force.


    One way of seeing this can be me punching an opponent and my opponent using his palm to attack my forearms and divert my punch away. Due to these random hits on my arm, the direction of my punch will change slightly.


    So my punches won''t necessarily hit where I want them to. But¡­ Is this a bad thing? After all, some unpredictability is always good.''


    Fujin began analyzing the pros and cons of his wayward punch. Soon, he shook his head and realized, ''No. This waywardness will be useful only when my opponent is dodging. If my opponent hits back, then this uncontrolled punch can cost me dearly.


    The most ideal way would be to properly control when the wind would hit my arm and use it to catch my opponent off guard. Unfortunately, that is quite difficult. I will first have topletely prevent any such random winds from hitting my forearm and fist.


    Then I will have to find a way to hit my arm with the same winds, but without their sharpness and in a controlled manner. Either that or I could use the Assassin''s Rush as a reference to do something like that. But first thing first. I need to stop getting hit.


    Luckily, this training will also allow me to improve my control over the winds further. Something that will be very useful for my ns to create new Vacuum Jutsus and Wind jutsus.''


    Fujin began his training. Since the technique didn''t require a crazy amount of chakra, he created 3 Shadow Clones. Fujin and a clone continued hardening their right arm and tried to control the winds while the other two did the same with their left arm.


    While Fujin lost himself in his training, Shikaku and Hiruzen were very busy. Shikaku had already arranged for the next 500 ninjas to move. So he and Hiruzen focused on the next most important issue - How Iwagakure could know that Fujin would be sent there a few months in advance.


    Hiruzen entered Eagle''s office. Eagle, who was busy handling the files, looked up and saw Hiruzen standing in front of him. He asked, "What brings you here, father?"


    Hiruzen said, "The current deployment is due to the mission you assigned to Fujin. The one behind those incidents in the Land of Waterfall was Iwagakure. Fujin''s identity waspromised and Iwagakure knew about his arrival far in advance."


    Eagle''s eyes widened. He was surprised to hear that. Hiruzen obviously wouldn''t doubt his own son. He asked, "Did Danzo or anyone else influence you to send him?"


    Eagle shook his head and said, "That''s impossible. No one asked me or even hinted at sending Fujin to that mission. In fact, I didn''t know I would send him there myself. I only decided that after the previous Anbu squad returned empty-handed. Considering that the incidents started around 4 days ago, there was no way Iwagakure knew that he would be sent there."


    Hiruzen fell into a thought on hearing his words. He thought, ''His words are logical. How could anyone know that Fujin would be deployed four months ago? The only way would have been if Iwa could arrange for him to be sent. But that doesn''t seem to be the case. Did they somehow predict, or perhaps gamble, that we would send Fujin when we learnt that this matter needed an Elite Jounin to handle?''


    Hiruzen said, "Alright. If you find or recall anything strange about this incident,e to my office."


    Eagle nodded. Hiruzen disappeared as quickly as he arrived. Later in the evening, Shikaku once again arrived in Hiruzen''s office. Dark bags were visible under his eyes due to hisck of sleep. He asked, "Did you find anything from Eagle?"


    Hiruzen shook his head and answered, "No. No one influenced his decision to send Fujin. Did you find anything?"


    Shikaku replied, "No. I didn''t find anyone suspicious. This means that Iwa didn''t know that Fujin would be sent there in advance. They might have been wanting to target any Elite Jounin we send sneakily and eliminate him.


    It''s likely that they had some spies in the Land of Waterfall who identified Fujin''s squad when they reached there. So they either activated the trap that they had in ce or called for reinforcements within the 3 days when they were silent."


    Hiruzen nodded. He had reached the same conclusion as well. He said, "So that leaves us with just one more question¡­"


    Shikaku muttered, "How hard Iwa will retaliate considering the losses they took?"


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "47 Jounins is a huge number. Onoki should be in a rage once he gets the information about the losses his forces took. But, he should also know that a war between us will be detrimental to both our viges. Suna and Kiri aren''t in shape to take advantage of it. So Kumo will benefit heavily."


    Shikaku agreed. He said, "Yeah. In addition, though they suffered a heavy loss, they were the ones who attacked first. And the war won''t be just between us. Taki will assist us as well.


    Kusa might help as well considering that Iwa sent their Jinchuriki into their territory a few months back. At the very least, we can ask them to deploy their forces on Iwagakure borders to pressurize them and split their forces."

 Chapter 353: Taki Moves, Iwa Schemes!

    Hiruzen nodded and said, "Yeah. Let''s hope that Onoki followsmon sense and doesn''t act irrationally. Keep a close eye on the situation. If the situation worsens, deploy any tactics you can to inflict heavy losses on Iwagakure as soon as the war starts.


    That would deter Iwa from escting the situation, or at least slow them for some time, allowing us important time to reess the situation and mobilize our forces appropriately. Also, call Renjiro here. Call Eagle as well. He will act as Renjiro''s deputy and both will lead tomorrow''s army. If a war starts, then they could inflict high damage quickly."


    Shikaku nodded and left the office. He sent messengers to call for Renjiro and Eagle.


    In Training Ground 23, Fujin dispelled his clones. Over the past 7 hours, he had frequently dispelled his clones to get their experiences and chakra and created new ones to continue training. His right arm hardened once again. Winds began flowing around it.


    The amount of times the winds hit his arm was very lowpared to when he had started. Fujin flickered and punched at another tree, stopping just before his fist hit the tree.


    The sharp winds around his fist bombarded the tree, creating thousands of cuts and a few holes through the stem. Though the tree still stood, it looked like it might split into two with just a small force.


    Fujin observed the damage and thought, ''Much better. Currently, I''m only being hit around 22 times per second. I should be able to reduce it to zero in a few more training sessions. The damage also has increased. It looks like I''ll be able to add this attack to my arsenal soon.


    Unfortunately, my chakra is too low right now. I''ll go to meditate again. After my chakra recovers, I should be able to train for another session before the effect of this soldier pill is over and I''m forced to take a long sleep.''


    Fujin immediately flickered towards the Anbu Training Facility.


    Shikaku returned to the office with Renjiro and Eagle after some time. Both Hiruzen and Shikaku briefed them on the situation and properly exined the n they hade up with. Renjiro and Eagle immediately understood the severity of the situation.


    Both immediately got to work. In order to have the ability to quickly inflict damage on Iwa, both used their connections to call multiple veteran Jounins to assist them during the mission. Neither called in Fujin as they knew that he needed some time to rest.


    Land of Waterfall -


    At midnight, a thousand ninjas snuck out of Takigakure in search of Iwagakure ninjas who had long left. So they didn''t find any enemy en route. Before dawn, the Takigakure forces reached the vige where Iwa forces had shed with Fujin. They were weed by a massive fire, covering the entire horizon!


    Before leaving, Iwa ninjas had eliminated any and all traces ofbat. The ground was brought back to normal. All the holes dug due to Fujin''s Vacuum Bullets or craters formed due to explosions or changes due to other Earth jutsus were fixed.


    The only thing they couldn''t hide was the massive forest fire Fujin''s and Kurogane''sbination attack had created. Though they could douse the fire, they weren''t confident of hiding the traces.


    Kitsuchi had analyzed, ''Fixing this is impossible. I can''t raise so many new trees in the blink of an eye. What we could do is douse the fire and bury the burnt trees deep underground. This will remove all traces of the fire.


    But, it will leave a lot of ws. For one, the people familiar with the surroundings will notice a huge patch of forest missing. Also, since the fire was shot from the skies, it is possible that others noticed it as well. Leave it. I''ll let this forest fire spread. Hiding it will raise more questions than solving them. Besides, Iwa isn''t known for Fire jutsus anyway. It might align properly with our cover."


    Kitsuchi decided against dealing with the Forest Fire. So for over a day and a half, the fire had been spreading throughout the area. Millions of trees had burnt down. Even more wildlife was escaping the area.


    Despite the nighttime, the Taki ninjas didn''t have any cover of the night due to the light from the massive fire! Fortunately, the forest fire was a long distance away from the vige and was spreading in the other direction. The Taki ninjas tried to hide as much as they could and moved towards the vige, encircling it slowly.


    Taking utmost precaution, they stayed some distance away and kept an eye on the vige. They hadn''t expected to find anything and were nning to send clones first and then a few weaker ninjas to inspect the vige. However, to their surprise, they spotted a few people moving in and out of the vige. The people looked like normal vigers.


    Confused, they decided to inspect properly. One brave Jounin, Kegon, along with a few genins were sent into the vige to inspect. Kegon inspected the people and interacted with them.


    He thought, ''What the hell is happening here? These people all look fine. The vige itself has no damage at all! It''s almost like nothing has happened here.''


    Kegon quickly found the old vige chief and said, "What happened here?"


    The vige chief quickly recognized his headband. He immediately said, "We are not sure ourselves. A few days ago, a few ninjas appeared in our vige. They captured us all and did something. I and everyone else fell unconscious. We don''t remember anything after that.


    We woke up around a couple of hours ago and were scared by the massive fire outside. Fortunately, our vige is safe from it. Also, nothing from the vige was stolen. We decided to fill our stomachs first as everyone was hungry and nned to send a messenger to the Ito family after Sun rose."


    Kegon was confused. He thought, ''What the hell? Their falling asleep should mean that Iwagakure ninjas used Genjutsu on them. But why did they keep everyone in the vige alive? What were they nning? And where are those Iwagakure ninjas?''


    He looked at the vige chief and asked, "Do you remember what those ninjas looked like?"


    The vige chief tried to think, but he couldn''t recall any face. He said, "I can''t recall anyone''s face. But I remember one thing."


    Kegon asked, "What do you remember?"


    The vige chief answered, "They all wore a headband on their foreheads, just like you. But the symbol was different. It looked like a leaf. Like the symbol of Konohagakure."


    Kegon''s eyes widened on hearing that. He became serious and thought, ''Does he mean to say that Konoha was behind this incident? Or did Iwagakure try to set them up by disguising their headbands?''


    He thought for a bit before deciding, ''I can''t make a decision on this matter. I will have to report it to the advisors.''


    He said, "You don''t need to send a messenger to the Ito family. Stay in the vige and check whether everything is in ce. If you remember something else, contact me."


    The vige chief nodded. Kegon asked simr questions to others in the vige. However, everyone he asked gave the same answers. He left the vige and reported what he found to the advisors hiding outside.


    The advisors were also stumped by the information. But they decided to ignore it for the time being and decided to inspect the vige. A couple of SealMasters were sent to check the vige for any seals.


    Iwagakure -


    A few hours after the Taki army reached the vige, Kitsuchi returned to Iwagakure. The forces with him would return to the vige in smaller batches to avoid any suspicions.


    In order to show that Iwa had nothing to do with the incidents, Kitsuchi didn''t deploy any forces on the border. He wasn''t worried about Takigakure attacking their borders. If they did, then Iwa would hit back hard and Konoha wouldn''t have any righteous excuse to help Takigakure.


    Kitsuchi entered Tsuchikage''s office. Onoki looked up and saw him. He said, "Good to see you back¡­"


    A frown formed on his face as Onoki asked, "Why is your expression so down?"


    Kitsuchi sighed and said, "Everyone leave."


    Immediately, all the ninjas and the Anbu in the room left. The doors and windows were shut and the secrecy seals were activated.


    Onoki asked, "What happened in the Land of Waterfall?"


    Kitsuchi said, "We lured Suzuki Fujin into the trap. But nothing after that happened as per our n."


    Kitsuchi narrated the fight against Fujin to Onoki. Onoki''s eyes widened. His expression became serious as he learnt the full range of Fujin''s abilities. He muttered, "Vacuum jutsus, a Summon that can fly and is equivalent to an Elite Jounin in power, high Fuinjutsu attainments, 47 Jounins¡­"


    He went silent for a minute. Despite having seen so much, the details were still too much for Onoki to digest easily. A well-nned trap that was created by Kitsuchi and overseen by him was broken. They suffered heavy losses and only received more information in return.

 Chapter 354: Onokis Decision

    Kitsuchi waited without speaking, waiting for Onoki. Finally, Onoki sighed and muttered, "This brings back the bitter memories of thest war."


    Kitsuchi understood what Onoki meant. Iwa had paid a bitter price to eliminate the 3rd Raikage. Soon after, Minato eliminated an entire army of thousand ninjas consisting of only Jounins and Chunins by himself. The twin blows forced Onoki to back down and sign a peace agreement with Konoha.


    Onoki could see that Kitsuchi was very dejected by his loss. In order to lift his morale, he said, "Though the losses are high, they show how dangerous this kid is. Any one of these 3 aspects would force us to take that ninja seriously. But this kid has all 3. And that too at the age of 14.


    In the future, he will be as dangerous as Hatake Kakashi. Perhaps, he might even reach the same heights as Minato. If a simr incident like the Kyubi assault doesn''t happen again, Konoha will once again enter a Golden period. We have to crush him before hepletely matures. Otherwise, we won''t have anyone to defend against Konoha in the future."


    Onoki thought, ''Though we too have 3 promising youngsters, they are farcking aspared to Fujin and Kakashi. It''s very unlikely that Kurotsuchi, Akatsuchi or Deidara will reach the same level as me. So once my power begins to fade, we will be very vulnerable to any attacks from Konoha.''


    Kitsuchi interrupted his thoughts and asked, "I agree. But how should we kill him? On seeing his speed first-hand and knowing that he has a summon that can fly, I can''t deal with him myself. In fact, when he works together with his summon, even I am at risk."


    Onoki nodded and said, "Yeah, you can''t. The only way to kill him will be by catching him off guard with my Dust Release or with the Tailed Beast Bomb."


    Kitsuchi argued, "But creating chances to do that will be very difficult. He will be more careful while going on missions from now on. Not to mention, you, Han and Roshi can''t move around normally. It will raise a lot of questions if you do and enemy viges could set up traps to lure and eliminate you as well."


    Kitsuchi understood that Konoha and other countries could set up traps as well. Konoha especially was very dangerous in this aspect due to having intelligent and devious nners like Hiruzen, Shikaku and Danzo and also had the Sannins to ensure the sess of such traps.


    Onoki said, "That''s true. In addition, creating such chances will cause a lot of losses to our vige. We could endure losing 50 Jounins once. But if it happens a couple more times, our strength will be crippled. So we will need outside aid."


    Kitsuchi was surprised. He asked, "You mean?"


    Onoki nodded and replied, "Even though Fujin is a threat, he specializes in Wind Release. Hiruzen should be developing him to restrain Kumo. Ay would understand what threat he would pose to them in the future. In fact, he will be even more worried than us."


    Kitsuchi nodded. Onoki said, "I will send a messenger to Kumo and ask them for one thousand Earth Crystals in exchange for his information. Once they understand his threat, Ay will also act to kill him. Irrespective of whether Kumo kills him or he kills numerous Kumo ninjas, we will benefit from their losses.


    Once Kumo sends over the resources, I will increase his bounty from 20 million to 50 million Ryo. Luckily, there is a certain mercenary organization that seems to need a lot of money."


    Kitsuchi asked, "Akatsuki?"


    Onoki nodded. Kitsuchi asked, "What about Suna? Considering his skills, it was likely that Fujin was the one behind the incidents in the Land of Wind a year ago."


    Onoki snorted and answered, "That brat Rasa is useless. We have already provided them with so much information and yet, they have done nothing. Besides, they won''t be able to afford the price of this information. Let them be caught off guard and suffer just like us."


    Kitsuchi replied, "Alright."


    Onoki said, "For now, focus on the ones who were killed. Find suitable excuses for their death and inform their families one by one. Keep the matter as quiet as you can. If the news of so many Jounin deaths is leaked, panic will spread in the vige."


    Kitsuchi''s mood became heavy once again. He med himself for those losses. He nodded and said, "I will get it done personally."


    He began walking out of the office. Onoki looked at his back and said, "Though this loss was unfortunate, it isn''t a reason to give up what you started. Continue building this unit. Raise its numbers to beyond 200. Use what you learnt about him from this battle against him and train the ninjas to counter that.


    Even if we don''t get to use this unit against Fujin, a unit like this will be an asset for our vige. Its impact might be as good as a rank S ninja."


    Kitsuchi looked back and said with determination, "I will keep working with the ninjas and provide them with more training. Next time, we won''t suffer such a loss."


    Onoki nodded. Kitsuchi left the office. Onoki stayed silent for some time before letting out another sigh. He muttered, "What a troublesome brat. I need to provide more training to the youngsters."


    Onoki grabbed a scroll and began writing a letter to Kumogakure.


    Land of Waterfall -


    Around the same time that Kitsuchi exited Onoki''s office, Kakashi reached the border with the Land of Waterfall.


    By then, the forest fire was doused and Takigakure''s SealMasters had checked the vige several times. However, no matter how many times they checked, they found no evidence of any seals in the vige. They dered the vige to be perfectly safe.


    During this time, the other viges, where the vigers were supposed to be missing, sent messengers to nearby viges and the Ito family''s town. Since those vigers also remembered just the headband, they informed everyone about the same. Due to the same thing being said to dozens of viges, a rumor started forming in the Ito Family''s territory.


    The rumor stated that Konoha ninjas were behind the recent missing incidents! Neither Konoha nor Takigakure were aware of the start of this rumor. Since the Ito Family wasn''t in their town, they were unaware as well and did nothing to stop it.


    Since the Takigakure army didn''t find anything wrong in the vige or any signs of Iwagakure ninjas, they decided to move on. They left just 2 squads in the vige so that they wouldn''t fall into a trap if Iwa had left one behind. They separated into smaller groups and began moving around the Ito family''s territory to find any traces of Iwa ninjas.


    However, despite searching for hours, they didn''t find any traces of Iwa ninjas. Instead, they found that people in the remaining viges that had gone missing months ago also reappeared safe and sound. In addition, they also heard the rumors that were spreading.


    They sent a message back to Takigakure and continued looking.


    Takigakure -


    Shibuki sat in his office with a confused expression. He read the scroll once again and wondered, ''What the heck is going on in the Ito Family''s territory? First, so many people went missing without leaving any traces. Then Konoha ninjas imed that they fought against Iwa ninjas and med them for the incident.


    But our armies found no traces ofbat. They only found a burning forest. And the missing people suddenly appeared back without any harm done. Only the people who were kidnapped individually are still missing. But the people who returned say that Konoha is behind the incidents...''


    He wondered, ''Is Konoha trying to make a fool of me? But what would they get from such actions?''


    He analyzed for a few minutes before shaking his head. He concluded, ''No, Konoha doesn''t have anything to gain from this. If they wanted something, they could have easily hidden their identities from normal civilians. They won''t do such a sloppy job. So Iwa is still the most suspicious one. But why is Iwa doing this?''


    Shibuki called for a council meeting. After a long discussion, they reached the same conclusion. The only thing they couldn''t agree upon was the intention behind Iwa''s actions.


    They waited for a day to receive more updates from their ninjas. However, they didn''t find any additional information. The only thing that happened was that the rumor spread even more and started spreading to nearby territories.


    Shibuki sent a messenger to Kakashi''s camp, informing him about the situation. By the time the messenger reached, Renjiro and Eagle had already reached and joined up with Kakashi''s 250 ninjas, taking the total number to over 750.


    Kakashi, Renjiro and Eagle sat in themander''s camp with confused and peculiar expressions on their faces. All three were trying to make sense of the situation.

 Chapter 355: Hurricane Fist

    Kakashi asked, "What is Iwagakure nning?"


    Renjiro said, "It''s tough to say. They might still be hiding considering that they have a Grandmaster in Fuinjutsu. But, if they wanted to attack, they could have already taken out a good number of Taki''s forces without taking much damage."


    Unlike the two of them, Eagle, who frequently dealt with things in the shadows, could see a few clues. He said, "It looks like they want to change the public perception."


    Renjiro and Kakashi immediately understood. They thought for a bit. Renjiro said, "I see. The important part isn''t what the people in the viges saw and instead, the rumor they started. Once the rumor spreads, themon people in the Land of Waterfall will hate us or be fearful of us."


    Kakashi added, "Not just the Land of Waterfall, the people in the surrounding countries will also be alert. They will develop some vignce towards us."


    Renjiro nodded and said, "True. But it will only spread to themon people. The military leaders will be able to see the truth at first nce. Takigakure will be forced to ally more deeply with Konoha. That''s the most important matter."


    Kakashi argued, "But if we leave this matter unchecked, it could develop into a big problem. Especially if the next generation of Nobles and ninjas grew up hearing this rumor."


    However, Renjiro shook his head and said, "That will take over ten years to happen. We can change the public perception a hundred times during this time."


    Eagle nodded in agreement. He could see that he would have to assign numerous Anbu missions in the Land of Waterfall to clear their image. He said, "It looks like Iwa has epted their defeat in this matter. These rumors are like a constion win for them."


    Renjiro nodded. Kakashi sighed and thought, ''Another big troop movement without any fight.''


    He asked, "So, do we stay or leave?"


    Renjiro replied, "It''s better to stay for some time to dissuade Iwa from getting adventurous. Besides, Taki would want us to wait here as well."


    Neither Eagle nor Kakashi opposed his decision. Eagle sent a reply back with the messenger, asking Taki to rein in the rumors andy the me on Iwa. However, considering the bleak mood in themon people due to recent events, Taki decided against ming Iwa and instead just tried to clear Konoha''s name without much sess.


    This would create a peculiar situation in the Land of Waterfall. A situation that neither Taki nor Konoha foresaw when they dispatched their armies.


    The ninjas and the nobles in the Land of Waterfall believed that Iwagakure was behind the recent incidents and that Konoha saved them.


    While themon people believed that Konoha was behind the recent incidents and med them for the people who were still missing.


    When Hiruzen and Shikaku received the reports, they analyzed the situation as well. After some time, Shikaku said, "It looks like ast-ditch effort to get some sort of benefit. Iwa really suffered in this adventure."


    Hiruzen nodded and added, "Onoki won''t start a war. But, he might try to assassinate our top talent. Fujin and Kakashi would be at the top of his list. Start developing countermeasures if he does act."


    Shikaku replied, "I will. It''s also possible that he might get other viges involved. Especially Kumo. They might see Fujin''s Wind Release as a threat."


    Hiruzen nodded.


    Just like Shikaku spected, a messenger reached Kumogakure about a week after the sh in the Land of Waterfall. He asked for an audience with the Fourth Raikage and handed him the scroll before being escorted into a guesthouse.


    In his office, a frown formed on Ay''s face as he read Onoki''s message. He muttered, "What information does that geezer have to charge such an exorbitant price?"


    Mabui, who looked into the scroll as well, said, "1000 Earth Crystals is a huge price, Raikage-sama. It''s worth billions of Ryo. Do you think that the Tsuchikage is trying to make a fool out of us?"


    Ay thought for a bit and said, "It''s unlikely. Though the price is huge, it''s not enough topletely give up his credibility. And from his warnings, it''s likely that isn''t the information that is costly. Rather, the cost that we may have to bear if we don''t know about this."


    Mabui thought for a bit and agreed. Though 1000 Earth Crystals was a high price, it wasn''t enough to give up a Kage''s credibility.


    Ay said, "Arrange for the crystals and hand it to the messenger."


    Mabui nodded and left the office.


    Despite many schemes being devised against him, Fujin was clueless about these developments. However, ever since his sh with Kitsuchi, Fujin was aware that it was only a matter of time before his information was leaked. So he didn''t dare to ck off.


    Fujin''s breathing was rough, he looked exhausted and both his fists were visibly bruised. Around him were several broken trees and numerous rocks with cracks on their surface.


    He sighed and muttered, "I''m low on chakra once again."


    He took a few deep breaths. A smile slowly appeared on his face. He clenched his right fist and pulled it back while he thought, ''But it''s worth it!''


    Winds appeared around his right fist and forearm. In the blink of an eye, they began flowing like a tornado around his arm. To an untrained eye, it would appear that winds were revolving around his arm at a very high speed.


    However, there were multipleyers and features to this wind. Underneath the winds, his fist and arm were covered with concentrated chakra. The concentration was more on his fist with a very thinyer on the rest of his arm. If Fujin punched anyone who didn''t use a good defensive jutsu or didn''t have an insane physique, it was sufficient to kill that person.


    In addition, the chakra wasn''t static. Instead, it moved in the opposite direction of the wind that was revolving around Fujin''s arm. Due to this, in addition to its offensive nature, it also protected Fujin from his own technique. Fujin was inspired by the thin film of chakra that he used to iste Vacuum cores while using Vacuum jutsus while creating this.


    In the past few days, Fujin had managed to ensure that no winds hit his arm. However, he decided to do this in order to ensure that he wouldn''t be injured in case he ever made a mistake. If he ended up making a mistake in the heat of battle and got distracted by the pain, that split-second distraction could put him at a disadvantage or, in the worst case, cost him his life.


    The winds themselves were extremely sharp. They could easily tear apart a person leaving only his skeleton behind.


    Fujin flickered and appeared in front of a small hill he had raised earlier using Earth Release. He punched it with his full might. The chakra-enhanced punch immediately created a giant crater on the side of the hill. Several giant cracks spread throughout the hill.


    At the very next moment, the winds around Fujin''s arm hit the damaged hill. Some winds bombarded the parts that were still undamaged, creating hundreds of deep scars in the hill. Some wind moved into the cracks that were created by the punch and began damaging the hill from inside.


    Fujin immediately jumped back. The part of the hill where he had punched crumbled and fell on the ground, releasing a lot of dust.


    Fujin looked at the damage with a smile and thought, ''Great. Iron Skin jutsu won''t be able to block this attack. The chakra-enhanced punch is sufficient to create cracks in Iron Skin jutsu used even by a top-level ninja like Kitsuchi. When followed up by sharp winds that invade into the cracks, the attack would end up ripping the person from inside!''


    Fujin had a thoughtful expression. He analyzed, ''Actually, I can make this technique several times more lethal. No, I can make it so lethal that no one would dare to fight me with Taijutsu. Perhaps only thest 2 gates of Guy, maybe the sixth as well, might be able to counter me then. It''s likely that I could hurt Raikage with it as well.


    The way to make it so lethal is to add Vacuum waves to the winds rotating around my arm. As long as I managed to add it properly, no one would dare fight me in close range. Unfortunately¡­''


    A wry smile appeared on Fujin''s face. The idea he came up with was great. It had the potential to be ssified as a rank S jutsu and the potential to revolutionize Taijutsu. But, Fujin didn''t dare attempt it!


    He thought, ''If I mess up even once, I will directly lose my arm. No amount of chakra or protection from Iron Skin jutsu would help me avoid that. Though I could use Shadow Clones to master this, there is always a risk while using a technique like this even if I master it. Despite its potential, the benefits from this technique are just not enough to justify the high risk.''


    Fujin shook his head and thought, ''Anyways, even without adding Vacuum, to develop a new jutsu from scratch in just a week¡­ and such a lethal jutsu at that¡­ Hehe, these 3 months are going to be fun.


    Sadly, this was the easier part. I had some inspiration from Kurogane''s attack as well as from the way Vacuum jutsus were formed. The next part won''t be easy. Regardless, this calls for celebration.''


    He began walking towards Ichiraku while thinking, ''What should I call this jutsu? Hmm¡­ Well, it doesn''t have to be something veryplicated. I''ll just call it the Hurricane Fist!''

 Chapter 356: Hiruzens Soldier Pills

    Fujin celebrated his sess in creating a new jutsu within a week by eating in Ichiraku until he couldn''t eat anymore. He followed it up by taking a long, well-deserved sleep.


    At dawn, Fujin woke up as usual, freshened up and got ready for another day of training. He thought, ''It''s been 6 days since the effects of the previous soldier pill ended. My body is rested sufficiently. There shouldn''t be any danger in consuming another soldier pill. Let me see how good Hiruzen''s pill is.''


    Fujin grabbed the bottle that Hiruzen had handed him and moved to the lowest floor in his basement. He opened the bottle and tossed a pill in his mouth. At the same time, the chakra in his body separated into two parts, one having 80% of his chakra and another having 20%.


    At the next moment, the entire basement was filled with smoke. 80 Shadow Clones appeared in the basement, each having 1% of Fujin''s chakra. Without any word, every clone began working on the Four Symbols Seal. As for Fujin, he left his home and entered the Wind Training room in the Anbu facility.


    As he began meditating, he thought, ''I''ll skip my physical training when I''m using this chakra pill. While physical training is important, I won''t be making any major breakthroughs anytime soon. I can dy it for a bit and use the time to focus on Ninjutsu. Anyways, let''s see how effective this pill is.''


    Fujin closed his eyes and started his meditation. Two hourster, Fujin opened his eyes. A look of surprise could be seen on his face.


    He muttered to himself, ''This pill is incredible. The pill I was using earlier would have needed 10 hours to bring me back to full chakra. But with this pill, I managed to reach it in just slightly over 2 hours! This pill is nearly 5 times as effective!


    Such a good pill! I should have asked Hiruzen about this earlier. Once this batch is consumed, I should ask him to procure more for me as well. These are too good. Anyway, it looks like I can train at full strength for at least 80-90 hours in the next 5 days.''


    With his chakra back to full, Fujin immediately left the training facility and returned to Training Ground 23. He decided, ''It''s time to work on Wind Vacuum Technique. I will first start by creating Vacuum jutsus that don''t have to be shot from my mouth. Once I have a sufficient number of them, I will start creating a Vacuum jutsu that can affect arge area.


    The first part will also have to be divided into multiple phases. The first phase will involve deciding on a structure of the jutsu and creating it. This should be rtively easier.


    The second phase will involve increasing the number of jutsus I can use at the same time as well as using the jutsu in creative ways to catch enemies off guard.


    And thest phase will involve granting speed to these jutsus. As long as I can reach the same speed as Vacuum Bullet, then this fighting style will be very difficult to counter.


    Anyway, enough nning. Time to convert my ideas into a reality.''


    Fujin extended his right arm forward and pointed his finger at a tree. Slowly, a vacuum core, shaped like a bullet, began forming in front of his finger. As soon as the Vacuum Core was formed, it was covered by a multiyered chakra film and engulfed by winds.


    Fujin fired the bullet at a rock. However, mid-route, the bullet copsed and dispersed into the air. Fujin analyzed, ''Though the concept is simr, I am not used to creating Vacuum Bullet outside my mouth. Still, I should be able to learn this quickly. The difficult part will be travelling speed. It was too slow¡­''


    Fujin began practicing creating and firing a Vacuum Bullet with his finger. After a few tries, he managed to make a proper bullet which pierced through the rock. He continued the training as he couldn''t do it with 100% uracy.


    A few hourster, Fujin stood at the same spot in the training ground. 3 Shadow clones stood around him, facing in different directions. Each one was facing a different rock. Each rock had hundreds of small holes in them.


    At the same time, they pointed at the rocks. Vacuum Bullets began forming in front of their fingers at a quick speed. 1 secondter, they fired the bullets at the rocks. The Vacuum Bullets pierced through the rocks and travelled for over a hundred meters, piercing several trees in their paths.


    Fujin dispelled his clones and got their experiences. He thought, ''Good. I can now use it without any mistakes all the time. Though the time needed to create it is still high, it shoulde down as I practice it more. I will begin creating multiple bullets at the same time.''


    Fujin extended his right hand forward once again, this time extending all 5 fingers. 5 Vacuum Cores began forming simultaneously, 1 in front of each finger. However, after forming partially, all 5 copsed.


    Fujin sighed and muttered, "Looks like it won''t be as easy as I imagined it to be."


    He created 3 Shadow Clones and continued his training.


    Half an hourter, Fujin sat down with his back against a tree while breathing heavily. He had already dispelled his clones. After catching his breath, a bitter smile appeared on his face. He thought, ''Creating 5 Vacuum Bullets at the same time increased my chakra expenditure by 5 times as well. Using Shadow Clones here isn''t very helpful.''


    Since his chakra was very low, Fujin returned to the Anbu training facility to meditate for a couple of hours until his chakra recovered.


    For the next 4 days, Fujin followed this training n. He would practice creating Vacuum Bullets with his hands until he ran out of chakra. Once out of chakra, he would go back to Wind Training rooms and meditate for a couple of hours until the soldier pill did its job.


    In addition, once every 8 hours, Fujin would dispel the Shadow Clones who were learning the Four Symbols Seal and create new ones. For the first time in his life, Fujin didn''t take a single break for 4 days straight. Instead, he considered the meditation time as a break.


    As a result, he made rapid progress in two veryplex techniques. He could feel that he was getting close to mastering the Four Symbols Seal. And, his control over Vacuum Bullets created outside his body also increased.


    And, despite making such rapid gains, no one was aware of Fujin''s progress. No one except one person who had rather mixed feelings about the same.


    Hiruzen watched in his crystal ball as a few drops of sweat rolled down his face. He swallowed his saliva and wondered, ''Does he have to return to meditate there every time he runs out of chakra? Those Wind Crystals shouldn''t even have any more effect on him. It''s aplete waste for him to keep using so many of them! In fact, I think he has already consumed more Wind crystals than I consumed Fire crystals!''


    As the sessor of the mighty Sarutobi n and Tobirama''s student, Hiruzen received abundant help from his n and the vige. So he used a lot of Elemental Crystals. But once the effect of the crystal began reducing, he was made to stop. After all, the Sarutobi n as well as Konoha had a lot of other ninjas to nurture. Hiruzen understood it and never used an Elemental Crystal after its effect decreased under a certain level.


    However, Fujin didn''t think about such matters. Unlike a young Hiruzen, Fujin couldn''t care less about whether others received Wind Crystals or not. He just focused on bing strong himself.


    Unfortunately, Hiruzen couldn''tin to anyone. He couldn''t even ask Fujin to stop using them or use them within limits. After all, ever since the day Fujin stepped into the academy, he had bombarded him with the Will of Fire. Though Fujin was quite mature for his age, Hiruzen wasn''t sure how Fujin would take the news of him not being allowed to use any more Wind Crystals.


    Hiruzen thought, ''Considering his greedy nature, he will question my Will of Fire if I ask him to limit its usage.''


    A bitter smile appeared on Hiruzen''s face as he sighed. He muttered, ''Now I see why he agreed for 3 months without any argument. I messed up¡­ I should have said 1 month and settled for 1 and a half or 2 months vacation.''


    Fujin was blissfully unaware of Hiruzen''s sorrow. Of course, even if he knew, he would just grin and continue doing the same. Once his chakra reserves recovered, Fujin returned to the training ground.


    He extended both his arms forward and stretched his fingers. In about a quarter of a second, 10 Vacuum Bullets were created. Heunched them all at the rock in front of him. The Vacuum Bullets pierced through the rock leaving 10 new holes in it.


    Fujin repeated the attack a dozen times until the rock crumbled. Fujin observed the result and analyzed, ''Alright, I can use this attack without any mistakes. The basic form of this jutsu can be considered as mastered. Though I still need a few improvements.''

 Chapter 357: Chaoter 354: Three Improvements!

    Fujin analyzed, ''The first improvement is increasing the amount of bullets I can fire. The ideal will be if I can fire ten rounds of this attack in less than a second. That will make trying to outnumber me very expensive in terms of life. This attack alone could force an army to retreat. Of course, that is if that army isn''t suicidal like the one that fought the Third Raikage until he died.


    The second improvement is to increase my control over these bullets. Right now, I can change the direction, in which I want to fire the bullets, by pointing each finger in a different direction. But once I fire it, I can''t control it any longer and it only travels in a straight line. Also, I can''t twist my fingers too much.


    But if I can make the bullets curve in the air, or better, get the ability to freely change their direction mid-flight, then it will add even more aspects to this jutsu. It willpletely make all preparations against mepletely redundant.


    And thest and the most critical improvement needed is speed. Though the speed of these bullets is higher than my Vacuum Sphere, it is much slower aspared to the Vacuum Bullets I shoot from my mouth. In fact, it is even slower than the Air Bullet jutsu.


    At this speed, the jutsu wouldn''t be as effective as I wanted it to be. Though it will still add a new dimension to my fighting style, it won''t be that threatening. After all, those Iwa ninjas could dodge the Vacuum Bullets consistently.


    In addition to the above, I also need to decrease the amount of time I need to create andunch the jutsu. But that will keep decreasing just like it did during thest three days.''


    Fujin analyzed for a bit and decided, ''I will start by working on the speed aspect. I''ll move on to the other two improvements once its speed is at least greater than the Air Bullet jutsu.''


    Fujin began working on the jutsu again. Since he was only working on the speed of the bullet, he created 3 Shadow clones and worked with just one bullet at a time.


    Fujin and his clones worked on the jutsu for around half an hour. A frown formed on Fujin''s face. He dispelled his clones and got their memories.


    His frown deepened as he thought, ''I have made no improvements at all. Is this the max speed I can go?''


    Fujin shook his head and thought, ''No. How can that be? There should be some method of increasing the speed. But, I will have to innovate because the normal method doesn''t seem to be very effective.''


    Fujin began thinking. However, even after 10 minutes, he couldn''te up with anything. Fujin sighed and muttered, "This is tough. I can''t think of anything that could give me a breakthrough. When I shoot the Vacuum Bullets or Air Bullets from my mouth, I am able to give an additional push to it due to the wind chakra I gather in my mouth and throat and use it to blow the bullets.


    But doing so with hands is difficult. For some reason, when I try to infuse wind chakra from my finger in the same way, the result is very subpar. I need a better way... Should I ask Hiruzen for help?"


    Fujin thought for a few seconds before shaking his head. He thought, ''I''m sure Hiruzen would have some methods to resolve this. Even if he doesn''t, he could apply the concept behind Tobirama''s high-speed Water jutsus to Wind jutsus and teach me. But, I don''t want to take such a shortcut. At least not yet when I haven''t given it my all.


    If I be dependent on him, then I will struggle a lot in the future when I try to develop even more advanced jutsus. Of course, if there is no choice, I won''t shy away from asking him. I could think of at least a dozen ways of using the Will of Fire to make that old fox teach me.''


    Having made his decision, Fujin immediately created Shadow Clones. A couple of dozen clones appeared next to him. All of the clones had very low chakra. They all sat down and began thinking about methods to increase the speed of the bullets.


    Despite thinking for another hour, Fujin couldn''t think of any good ideas. He looked at his clones and thought, ''I hope some of them had better luck.''


    He dispelled his clones and received their memories. After organizing all his thoughts, Fujin analyzed, ''Hmm, nothing too revolutionary. The only decent idea I coulde up with was using my own speed to grant more momentum to the Vacuum Bullets. But this isn''t very promising. Inbat, I might not always get the chance to move at a very high speed to provide momentum to the jutsu.


    One way to ovee this could be by providing momentum by just moving my hand at a fast speed. However, it is a problem as well. My main reason for making this jutsu is to not give a lot of signs to show that I''m preparing Vacuum jutsu. The jutsu will lose its purpose if that ispromised.


    Regardless, I don''t have any better ideas. I will first try with increased momentum and then try to increase the amount of Wind chakra I infuse in the jutsu.''


    Fujin extended his arm forward and began creating a Vacuum bullet in front of his index finger. Suddenly, he moved forward at a rapid speed while the Vacuum Bullet was still being created. As soon as the Vacuum Bullet was created, he shot it straight in front of him.


    The Vacuum Bullet travelled at a high speed, piercing everything that stood in its way. Fujin analyzed, ''That''s better. The speed isparable to Air Bullet jutsu, though it is still slightly slower. Unfortunately, this method has one big weakness.''


    Fujin began creating another Vacuum Bullet and moved at a high speed. As soon as the Bullet was prepared, he turned his hand towards his right and fired it.


    The Vacuum Bullet began travelling towards his right. However, due to his momentum, the Vacuum Bullet also moved forward. Fujin missed his target by a huge distance. And, the speed of the bullet was much slower.


    Fujin thought, ''As I calcted. The momentum is only useful while firing the Bullet in the same direction. But which fool will keep standing at the same ce in a battle? The technique is almostpletely useless while firing in other directions. Not to mention, it will put a huge retrain on my fighting style.''


    Fujin raised his right arm and thought, ''I wonder if the momentum from a jab will be sufficient.''


    Fujin pulled his arm back, preparing to jab the air in front of him. A Vacuum Bullet began forming once again. He jabbed forward as fast as he could. The hand stopped exactly when the Vacuum Bullet was formed. At the same moment, the Vacuum Bullet was fired.


    It travelled at nearly the same speed as the Vacuum Bullet Fujin fired earlier. Fujin analyzed, ''Hmm, not bad. It''s faster than I expected. This is more usable in battle. Though it still gives a little clue due to my arm movement, it''s probably better than puffed cheeks.


    Unfortunately, the speed is still slower than Air Bullets. There is no point inparing it to the Vacuum Bullets I shoot from my mouth. How can I increase it further?"


    Fujin analyzed for a minute and concluded, ''I guess I could move at a fast speed while jabbing forward. The two boosts shout stack up and increase the speed to at least beyond the air bullet. But it still has the same weakness. I should instead focus on making my jab faster.''


    Fujin suddenly had an idea. He thought, ''The Assassin''s Rush jutsu works by expelling arge amount of wind behind me at a high speed. What if I create a smaller, localized version of this jutsu?


    I could expel the winds just behind my elbow and move my arm forward at a high speed using the Assassin''s Rush. It will not only increase the speed of my bullet but will also reduce the amount of time I need to jab and hence reduce the warning time that my enemy has.''


    Fujin thought for a bit to analyze whether the idea was feasible. After a few minutes, he nodded and thought, ''Yes, this should be the way to go. Not to mention, I could also use this method to improve my Taijutsu. I can use a simr force to increase the speed of my punches and kicks. Maybe even the speed of my sword sh. In fact, I can even do a¡­''


    Fujin''s mind suddenly went silent as another idea appeared in his mind. A weird expression appeared on his face. He felt an overwhelming urge to facepalm himself.

 Chapter 358: Difficulty Level - Insane!

    A wry smile appeared on Fujin''s face as he thought, ''Since when did I be so stupid? Why should I develop a localized version of the Assassin''s Rush jutsu to increase the speed of my jab? Instead of releasing wind towards the back of my elbow, why don''t I release it from the tip of my fingers? All the speed will be transferred to the Vacuum Bullet directly. And I won''t need to do any wasted movements that could drop hints to my opponent.''


    Fujin maintained a minute of silence for missing such an obvious trick to solve his issues. Finally, he shook his head and thought, ''Leave it. Such things need to click. Otherwise, one may not see it even if it is in front of their eyes. Still, I should work on the localized version of Assassin''s Rush as wellter on. Perhaps I could test it against Guy.''


    Fujin raised his right hand to his chest level and pointed his index finger forward. He closed his eyes and recalled how he normally used the Assassin''s Rush jutsu.


    Soon, a small amount of chakra appeared on Fujin''s finger. It quickly transformed into wind and was released from Fujin''s entire index finger instead of just the tip. Fujin watched with deadpan eyes as a gentle breeze moved for a couple of feet before dissipating.


    He let out a sigh andined, "This won''t be as easy as I thought. Why does everything have to be so difficult?"


    Fortunately, it consumed very little chakra. Fujin created a dozen Shadow Clones and started his training to modify the Assassin''s Rush jutsu.


    Fujin trained till 2 AM. Since the jutsu consumed very little chakra, he needed to visit the Wind Training room to rest just once. Due to his clones, he made rapid progress. However, he was still far away from reaching a satisfactory level.


    He walked to his home and took a bath before diving into his bed. Lying in his bed, he thought, ''Just another couple of hours for the effects of the pill to end. To think that I still don''t feel any physical tiredness. This pill is good. Still, this is so difficult¡­


    In thest 118 hours, I have had 80 clones working on the Four Symbols Seal for at least 108 hours. Which means that I spent 8960 hours learning that seal. That''s more than a freaking year! A freaking year without any break! And still, I haven''t mastered it. How the fuck did Minato, Jiraiya, Orochimaru and Hiruzen even master this?


    I wonder if the Uzumaki n had some sort of shortcut to learn this seal that they know of. Or is it simply a difference of talent? Then again, it is possible that all four of them took the same route as me and needed to work on it for a long time with numerous clones. All four have or had more chakra than I have right now.


    Leave it. It doesn''t matter. I am very close to mastering it. I should be done in another session or two with these pills.


    Hiruzen said that I should take a day''s break after the effect of the pill runs out. But I suppose he didn''t imagine that I would train for so long. It might be better to take two days off.


    Then I''ll focus on physical training while simultaneously improving my control over Assassin''s Rush for a week. Then I can consume the pill once again and repeat the entire process 5 more times until the 3 months are up.''


    Fujin closed his eyes and kept lying in his bed without thinking about anything else. Thest 5 days were very taxing on his mind. He needed a long sleep and a break from continuously straining his brain to find ways of increasing his strength.


    At dawn, the effects of the chakra pill ended and Fujin fell into a deep sleep.


    While Fujin slept peacefully, a ninja entered Iwagakure. He moved stealthily and entered into the Tsuchikage''s building without attracting much attention.


    The messenger, who Onoki had sent to Kumo, returned and silently entered the Tsuchikage''s office.


    Onoki saw him and said, "Everyone, leave."


    Immediately, everyone except the messenger left. Onoki asked, "How did it go?"


    The messenger said, "It went as you predicted, Tsuchikage-sama. The Raikage didn''t give me much trouble."


    He quickly handed Onoki a scroll. When Onoki grabbed it, a huge pressure was lifted from his shoulders. The messenger thought, ''Finally. I was so tense and worried that someone might rob me. And I had to travel to such dangerous areas as well!''


    Onoki noticed his expression and chuckled. He said, "You have done well. You can take a couple of weeks off. When you leave, ask the Anbu outside to call for Kitsuchi."


    The messenger quickly said, "Thank you, Tsuchikage-sama."


    He took his leave. Onoki inspected the scroll and thought, ''All 1000 Earth Crystals here. It looks like Kumo hasn''t developed a substantial number of Earth affinity ninjas.''


    Though Onoki was pleased with getting so many resources, there wasn''t any happy expression on his face. He stared at the scroll and sighed while thinking, ''1000 Earth Crystals for the lives of 47 Jounins. This is so not worth it.''


    Onoki kept the scroll down and began writing another letter. It was addressed to the Fourth Raikage and included numerous details about Fujin''s abilities.


    While he was writing, Kitsuchi arrived and entered the room. He noticed the scroll on the desk and asked, "Kumo paid the price?"


    Onoki nodded. He finished writing on the scroll and tossed it at Kitsuchi.


    Kitsuchi grabbed the scroll and began reading. His eyes widened. He eximed, "This? Shouldn''t we¡­"


    Onoki cut him off and said, "None of the information there is a lie. Besides, we just suffered a heavy loss. Why should we ensure that Kumo doesn''t lose any ninjas? Let them fight him. No matter which side gets hurt, both results are good for us."


    Kitsuchi nodded. Onoki instructed, "Send this scroll with a messenger bird. After a couple of days, increase Fujin''s bounty. Raise it to 50 million Ryo. But don''t mention any skills beyond Vacuum jutsus and Fuinjutsu."


    Kitsuchi became a bit thoughtful. After a few seconds, he asked, "Do you want to deal with the Akatsuki as well?"


    Onoki''s expression became a bit grim as he said, "That organization gives me a bad feeling. To have so many rank S rogue ninjas gathered together. If they decide to partner with some vige in the future, that vige will immediately have a huge advantage over the others. If they want to, they could take over a minor vige and turn it into a major one.


    An organization that is so strong and with no mentioned goals can pose a lot of danger. Though I doubt Fujin would be able to kill their members, it''d be great if Hiruzen tasked his students to hunt them down."


    Kitsuchi nodded. He realized, ''No matter whether Kumogakure takes action or whether Akatsuki does, irrespective of their sess or failure, Iwa will get a lot of advantage. Sigh, the old man is worthy of his title.''


    Kitsuchi immediately got to work. Around a dayter, Raikage received the scroll Onoki sent.


    Raikage''s office -


    Ay sat in his chair, reading the letter. Around him, Mabui, Darui and C were present. Ay read the scroll and muttered, "This brat has be strong."


    He handed the scroll to the three to read. Darui, C and Mabui''s expressions became serious as they continued reading. Finally, Darui sighed and muttered, "I knew that he would be strong. But I didn''t expect him to reach this level in less than 3 years."


    Mabui questioned, "The Tsuchikage said that he could run away from Roshi and Kitsuchi. Do you think that he is telling the truth?"


    Ay replied, "It should be the truth. In fact, I suspect that Iwa experienced some sort of painful loss against him. That''s why they are trying to get us involved.


    The information he sent mentions the same Vacuum jutsus that Darui reported. The only addition is the Vacuum Waves jutsu. The more critical matter is his Fuinjutsu skill and his Flying summon. This information, along with the fact he managed to escape from Kitsuchi and Roshi shows what threat his talent could be in the future.


    But, Onoki should be hiding a lot more information. Information that could cause us a lot of losses. We can only have a chance of killing him after we figure out this information."


    Mabui nodded and asked, "That''s right. We can''t expect him to care about our well-being. But, should we still make a move against him?"


    Ay answered, "We don''t have an option. Since Onoki sent this information, he must have concluded that this kid has a very high potential. Since he specializes in Wind Release, Konoha likely intends to raise him as someone to handle our vige during a war. So getting rid of him before he matures will be the best scenario for us. Otherwise, he could cause a lot of deaths in our future wars with Konoha."

 Chapter 359: A Sparring Partner

    Mabui, Darui and C listened silently. None of them objected to Ay''s decision.


    After a few seconds, C said, "I guess the only question is how we kill him. If Iwa''s information is right and he is good at Fuinjutsu, we can''t use it to set a trap for him. In addition, he is also a damn good sensor. Drawing him into a trap would be nearly impossible. Even if we seed somehow, he can easily escape using his summon."


    Darui added, "No, even without his summon, his escaping skill is very good. Last time, we only gave him a few seconds of rest and he created an opportunity to escape. And now, they should be even better. Pinning him down to kill him will be very difficult. Iwa should be hiding this information or perhaps didn''t get to see it as he decided to fly."


    C nodded and said, "Yeah. Such a troublesome fellow. Considering his speed with Wind Instantaneous Body jutsu and his summon''s flight, the only sure shot way I can think of killing him is if Raikage-sama and Bee-sama act together against him."


    C''s words left the entire room, including the four hidden Anbu guards, speechless. To deploy their Kage and their perfect Jinchuriki against a mere 14-year-old ninja!


    However, no one countered C. Without Ay, Fujin could just run away by spamming Wind Instantaneous Body jutsu. No one apart from Ay would be able to give chase. But, Ay didn''t have any good means of attacking someone who flew at a high altitude. Though he could kill Fujin before he got an opportunity to use the summoning jutsu, if Fujin managed to summon, there wouldn''t be much he could do. So, they would need Bee''s Tailed Beast Bomb to target Fujin in that case.


    But, to deploy them both would be very embarrassing for Kumogakure. Ay thought, ''For both me and Bee to go on a hunt to kill one 14-year-old boy¡­ What an embarrassment will that be!''


    Just like Onoki and Iwa, Ay and Kumo fell into the same dilemma. Though Fujin wasn''t necessarily stronger than their top ninjas, killing him was an incredibly difficult task. Even if Fujin was defeated, the victory would be pointless if Fujin managed to escape. Due to his young age, he would steadily grow stronger and eventually be a headache for them.


    Mabui said, "That wouldn''t be wise. If we have to deploy our Leader and our Jinchuriki against him, we will be a joke in the ninja world. Not to mention, their movements will attract a lot of attention. And Konoha could retaliate by sending their Sannins after our talents as well."


    Ay replied, "I don''t mind beingughed at. Killing him now will save a lot of lives in the future. But you are right. I can''t move around rashly. Once I move, I will have to guarantee his death. Until that opportunity arrives, you will have to deal with him and find the information that Iwa hasn''t mentioned, Darui."


    Darui nodded and said, "Alright boss."


    He followed it up by sighing and muttering, "That''s such a pain in the ass."


    Ay''s fury surged on hearing Daruiin. Veins visibly pulsated on his forehead. He scolded, "It''s all your fault for being soft! If you hadn''t shown mercy thest time and killed him there, we wouldn''t have this problem."


    Darui immediately apologized, "Sorry boss."


    Ay snorted and said, "No need to keep analyzing. Have our spies check to see what he is doing. We could try to attack him if he takes a mission in the Land of Frost or the Land of Hot Water."


    Darui nodded. Both he and C left the room while Mabui continued her work. As he left, Darui thought, ''I''m curious to see how strong he has be since thest time.''


    Despite their ns to kill Fujin, both Onoki and Ay missed one crucial aspect. That crucial aspect was the intense training Fujin was undergoing to eliminate his current weaknesses.


    Onoki, despite all his intelligence and experience, never imagined that his failed trap would result in Fujin taking training so seriously and working topletely revamp his fighting style and habits.


    Instead, both he and Kitsuchi believed that Fujin would be very happy considering the number of Jounins he killed despite falling into Iwagakure''s trap. Any other 14-year-old would be thrilled by having such an achievement under his belt. But, with Fujin''s mentality about caring just about himself, he didn''t feel any sense of achievement and instead focused entirely on the huge threat to his life.


    Of course, that training could still not yield any result if he encountered the likes of Ay or Onoki prematurely. But if the two Kages and their Jinchurikis didn''t make a move and instead sent their subordinates, their vige could end up paying a heavy price for targetting Fujin!


    As he nned, Fujin spent a couple of days entirely resting. The bacsh from using the pill was as bad as how effective the pill was. Fujin didn''t have any energy or stamina to train on the first day. For safety reasons, he decided to rest on the second day as well while treating himself to a lot of delicious and nutritious food.


    On the third day, Fujin got up early and began his morning training routine. He increased the training seal pressure from 69% to 88% for the duration of the training to exert his body as much as he could.


    Four hourster, Fujin sat exhausted in the training ground. He drank some water and ate a few ration bars while thinking, ''My Taijutsu is stuck at the same level for quite some time. Even though my body is growing stronger steadily and my chakra control is improving, in terms of basic Taijutsu, I have long grown stale.


    I guess the main reason for this is how rarely I use Taijutsu inbat. Generally, my sword gives a far better result. And when I do use it, it''s just a chakra enhanced punch or kick to win the fight or gain an advantage. Modifying the Assassin''s Rush jutsu will aid, but the improvement will just be on top of my basic Taijutsu which needs improvement desperately.''


    Fujin thought for a bit before concluding, ''I need a Taijutsu partner. And a damn good one. The only decent ones I can think of are Guy, Renjiro, Kakashi and Hoka, in that order. But, Hoka won''t spar with me right now, Kakashi might not agree to spar on a consistent basis and Renjiro and Guy are frequently out of the vige. Even now, all four have been dispatched to the Land of Waterfall border due to my sh with Kitsuchi.''


    Fujin sighed and decided, ''Leave it. I''ll work on my Taijutsu forms with my clones and do a basic Taijutsu spar without using any chakra enhancement. At the same time, I will continue training my control over Assassin''s Rush jutsu. It''ll be the best if I reach an eptable level before they return.''


    Fujin continued his rest. After recovering sufficient stamina and chakra, he got up and created 11 shadow clones.


    8 clones immediately moved away and began training. The remaining 3 stood around Fujin. At the next moment, 2 clones attacked Fujin, while thest clone tried to sneak attack the 2 clones.


    They began a four-way battle involving only basic Taijutsu. Since a one-on-one Taijutsu would be boring, Fujin decided to have some fun with a four-way battle with all four fending for themselves.


    The fight was as chaotic as Fujin imagined. Since all four had the same intelligence and thought process, they had to consider what others would think and do something that they normally wouldn''t do. In addition, since there were no teams, temporary alliances would randomly form and when least expected, there would be backstabbing. So they had to stay on alert even against any temporary ally.


    As the week progressed, Fujin''s Taijutsu began showing slight improvements. The constant scheming and backstabbing also raised his awareness and added some new aspects to his scheming abilities. However, what had the most improvement was his Assassin''s Rush jutsu.


    Fujin stood on the training ground and pointed his index finger at a tree. Immediately, a stream or wind was released from the tip of his finger. The wind moved at a high speed like a ray for a dozen meters. After that it began spreading out, covering a slightlyrger area.


    Finally, it hit the tree. The highest amount of pressure was at the center of the ray, while the rest hit around it, forming a circle of about a 5 cm radius. Despite having a high speed, the attack didn''t have much destructive capability. It left no marks on the tree.

 Chapter 360: Wind Laser

    Fujin analyzed, ''It''s almost like an entirely new jutsu. Though it can''t maintain its form for more than 12 meters, that''s not an issue. After all, I only need it to give a boost to the Vacuum Bullet.''


    Fujin pointed at the same tree again. A Vacuum Bullet started forming in front of his index finger. As soon as it was formed, a stream of wind was released from his finger and the Vacuum Bullet was fired.


    Due to the force from the wind stream, the speed of the Vacuum Bullet was much faster than what Fujin was capable of earlier. However, its aim was a bit off. Instead of hitting the center of the tree, it grazed past it.


    Fujin analyzed, ''Hmm, aiming became difficult. The Vacuum Bullet has to be right in the center of the wind stream. If it is even a few micrometers away, my target will be off.


    Though this isn''t entirely bad. Once I master this, I can use this to control the direction of my Vacuum Bullet. I can be pointing at one ninja and shooting another.


    More importantly, the speed is considerably more than the speed of my Air Bullet. Though it''s still slower than the Vacuum Bullet I shoot from my mouth.


    But, with practice and as I be more efficient in this technique, I should reach a simr speed. In fact, it is likely that I could even reach faster speeds. Even if it doesn''t and is slightly slower, it will still be sufficient to fulfil my needs.


    Though there are still a few more improvements that I need to make, I have overlooked one important fact¡­''


    Fujin fell into a thought. He deeply analyzed and concluded, ''Though I have modified the Assassin''s Rush jutsu to create this, it is more like apletely different jutsu. While I am only concerned about the boost it provides, it also has the potential to be a jutsu on its own¡­''


    Fujin pointed at another tree. This time, instead of releasing the wind stream instantly, Fujin concentrated arge amount of Wind chakra on his index finger. Once the chakra reached the required level, Fujin released a highly concentrated beam of wind from the tip of his index finger.


    This time, the beam maintained its form and travelled like aser until it hit the tree. On impact, it immediately created a tiny 1 cm hole in the tree. However, since Fujin was continuously releasing the stream, the hole was bombarded even more by the attack. Its depth continued to increase. In addition, the sharp winds also increased the size of the hole by hitting and eroding its walls.


    After around 15 seconds, Fujin couldn''t continue supercharging the attack and finally stopped. His attack immediately lost effect and dispersed after increasing the hole''s size a bit more.


    Fujin appeared in front of the tree and observed the hole. A smile formed on his face as he saw, ''The hole is around 20 cm deep. If I had continued for a few seconds more, it would have pierced through this tree.


    I was right. This attack can be a deadly one as well. When providing a boost to the Vacuum Bullet, I didn''t pour much chakra into it. And whatever I poured was used to provide more momentum.


    But this time, I supercharged it with Wind Chakra. Its principle is simr to the Wind Breath of my summons. Though it doesn''t have the same prative power or speed as Vacuum Bullets, it does have its own advantage.''


    Fujin once again extended his index finger and began concentrating his chakra on it. A few secondster, he released another stream of extremely sharp winds. This time, he targeted a rock.


    The wind stream hit the rock and created a few scratches on the surface. However, instead of focusing on one spot, Fujin moved his finger towards his right. As a result, the wind stream also moved towards his right.


    Fujin kept moving his finger and observed as the wind followed. He began moving it in a circr motion causing a spiral-shaped Wind Stream to be released.


    He stopped and thought, ''Yes. This can be a good option in some situations. Though the speed is slower, I can release it continuously and keep targeting the enemy. Though harming a strong ninja with this is unlikely, I could use this to draw them towards a trap. So this will work great with Fuinjutsu traps.


    Another possible way of using this will be by spamming it with shadow clones. A dozen Shadow Clones using this jutsu at the same time will make any enemy''s skin crawl. And while defensive jutsus like Earth Wall and Iron Skin jutsu can stop it, I can just shoot Vacuum bullets through this windser to break any defenses. In fact, the windser might make it difficult for enemies to spot the Vacuum Bullet.''


    Fujin was very satisfied with the result. He was even more pleased as he basically learnt that jutsu for free without having to spend additional time to learn it to wreck his brain for several days toe up with it. After all, creating that jutsu wasn''t what he initially intended and he had developed it just for support.


    He thought, ''Since it is almost an entirely new jutsu, I will need another name for the jutsu. What should I keep?''


    Fujin thought for a few seconds before deciding, ''I will go with Wind Laser jutsu. Seems appropriate. But I will need to increase its power a lot to live up to that name.


    Regardless, I will work on thister to raise it to a level that can be used inbat. Right now, I still need to improve my control over this. For one, I need more speed. And more importantly, I have to be able to use 10 Wind Lasers at the same time to give a boost to 10 Vacuum Bullets.


    That will need some practice to perform this jutsu correctly and consistently. In addition, I also need to improve my aim and work on controlling it such that I don''t necessarily have to fire straight.


    I will eat the soldier pill tomorrow. Hopefully, 5 days will be enough to bring this jutsu to a level good enough to be used on a battlefield. When I take the 3rd pill, I should do both, master this jutsu and learn the Four Symbols Seal.''


    Since it was already dusk and his chakra reserves were low, Fujin decided to stop training and he returned to his home.


    The next day, Fujin consumed the soldier pill once again. Just like a couple of weeks earlier, Fujin created 80 Shadow Clones, who continued studying the Four Symbols Seal, while Fujin went to the Anbu Training Facilities. En route, he thought, ''The Wind Crystals barely have any effect on me anymore. There is no point in meditating there unless I can somehow increase my absorption speed by several times andpensate quality with quantity.''


    Fujin thought of ways to do that until he reached the training facility. Unfortunately, he couldn''te up with anything once again. He sighed and decided, ''Leave it. I''ll visit other training rooms. A shame that I couldn''t live up to the grand expectations of the benevolent Lord Third Hokage.''


    Fujin entered one of the Fire Training rooms and meditated for a couple of hours to recover his chakra. After recovering his chakra, Fujin returned to the training ground. Fujin decided to focus on two things. The first was shooting Vacuum Bullets from his finger and propelling them forward using the Wind Laser jutsu.


    The second was shooting 10 Wind Lasers simultaneously from the tip of his fingers. Of course, in both aspects, the Wind Laser wasn''t the supercharged one that could do damage. Instead, it was harmless and just increased the Vacuum Bullet''s speed by providing it additional momentum.


    Fujin created a dozen clones and alternated his training between those two aspects. Unfortunately, the two aspects didn''t require as little chakra as it did to try and master just one Wind Laser.


    Using ten Wind Lasers at the same time needed ten times more chakra. While shooting a Vacuum Bullet needed more chakra than even the ten Wind Lasers. So Fujin needed to take a meditation break several times to recover his chakra.


    Despite that, the progress was rather quick. After experimenting just for a day, Fujin got a feel of the Vacuum Bulletbined with the Wind Laser. He could position the Vacuum Bullet in the dead center of theser about 70% of the time he tried. On the next day, the uracy reached 100%! Fujin stopped training this and instead divided the training time into two more aspects.


    The first was the speed aspect. He tried to increase the power of the Wind Laser so that it would grant more speed to the Vacuum Bullet. The second aspect was positioning the Vacuum Bullet just slightly off the center so that Fujin could aim the Vacuum Bullet in a direction where his finger wasn''t pointing. Both were considerably more difficult to achieve aspared to merely cing the Vacuum Bullet at the center of theser.

 Chapter 361: Vacuum Gatling

    On the third day, Fujin stood facing 10 human-sized rocks on the training ground. His fingers were pointing at each of the rocks. At the same time, he fired 10 Wind Lasers from the tip of his fingers. Everyser hit the top of the rock it was aimed at.


    Fujin stopped the attack and once again pointed his fingers at the 10 rocks. 10 Wind Lasers were fired once again. However, this time, they didn''t hit the rocks at the same time. Instead, the fastest reached in around 0.25 seconds while the slowest hit the rock in 1 second. The rest Wind Lasers hit at some moment in between those ranges.


    Fujin thought, ''Great. I can use 10 Wind Lasersfortably now. Not only can I aim urately, but I can also control the speed. This will allow me to shoot Vacuum Bullets at varying speeds at the same time. This will make predicting the path of my Vacuum Bullets and dodging them much more difficult. In this aspect, this new Vacuum Bullet jutsu will be superior. The attack will be just too difficult to predict.''


    Fujin stopped pointing at the rocks and decided, ''This is enough training for shooting 10sers at the same time. I should move on to working on perfecting the aim with 10 Vacuum Bullets at the same time. I can already do it with one Vacuum Bullet. So this will just need some practice until I get a hang of the remaining 9 as well.''


    Fujin continued his training. However, shooting 10 Vacuum Bullets assisted by a Wind Laser each was very exhaustive on his chakra. In addition, he also had a couple of clones training to increase the speed delivered by the Wind Laser and another couple of clones training to position the Vacuum Bullet at different positions inside the Wind Laser. So he had to take a meditation break after every hour!


    While Fujin was training, Hiruzen was reading the reports in his office. His main focus was on the report sent by Renjiro. He analyzed the report and thought, ''As we analyzed¡­ Onoki doesn''t seem to have any intentions of starting a war. I''ll ask them to stay there for another couple of weeks. If Iwa doesn''t make any move, they can pull back and leave around 100 ninjas on our border to take care of any emergencies.''


    He wrote a message and handed the scroll to an Anbu ninja to deliver. He picked up another file and began reading. His eyes widened immediately. He thought, ''The rate of consumption of the Wind Crystals reduced? How? Did that greedy boy finally think about the good of the vige? Or was the effect too little for him?''


    Hiruzen immediately activated his crystal ball and searched for Fujin in Training Ground 23. On not finding him there, he turned his attention to the Training Rooms. After looking for a bit, he found Fujin meditating in the Fire Training room.


    A rxed look appeared on Hiruzen''s face. He could feel a lot of pressure being lifted off his shoulders. It almost looked like he became younger by a few years! He sighed in relief and thought, ''His rate of absorbing energy from Fire Crystals is just a fraction whenpared with the Wind Crystals. If he doesn''t decide to switch back to Wind Crystals, I can finally rest easy.''


    Had Hiruzen been an emotional person, he might have cried tears of joy! Fujin had given him quite a headache and he had to make a lot of efforts to ensure that Konoha didn''t run out of Wind Crystals. However, his confidence in his ability to do that was waning every day Fujin visited the Wind Training rooms.


    Despite the good news, Hiruzen couldn''t help but pray, ''I hope his speed of absorbing energy from Fire Crystals doesn''t increase like what happened with the Wind Crystals.''


    Two dayster, Fujin was sitting with his back against a tree while breathing heavily. He muttered, ''I need to find who made this soldier pill. And I need to ask that person to make a better one. Despite being so good, it still isn''t sufficient for training non-stop. Needing to take a break after just 50 minutes is rather annoying. Regardless¡­''


    A smile appeared on Fujin''s face. He muttered, "I have mastered shooting Vacuum Bullets from my fingers. That Iwa army will be decimated if they face off against me right now!"


    Fujin looked around him. There were hundreds of rocks and walls that he had raised from the ground using Earth Release. Every single one of them was riddled with holes! Several trees for hundreds of meters had suffered the same fate. If someone was to walk onto that training ground, they would wonder what exactly was happening there!


    Fujin thought, ''Though this jutsu is considered mastered, there is still a lot of scope for improvement. I have increased their speed to just above half the speed of the Vacuum Bullets I shoot from my mouth. This makes this my fastest attack behind Vacuum Cannon and Vacuum Bullets.


    But I can still increase this speed further. And I still need to keep working on the multi-directional variant by adjusting the position of the Vacuum Bullet. And I also need to work on firing multiple rounds in quick session.''


    Fujin analyzed for a few minutes and decided, ''I was nning to move on to my other ideas. But, I''ll spend another 5 days, when I eat the third soldier pill, to improve this jutsu and master the multi-directional variant. After that, the improvement will be very slow. It will improve as I use them and I can spend additional time on this after I retire.


    In the week until then, I will begin practicing the forms of my next idea for Vacuum jutsu. Still, just like Wind Laser jutsu, this one can also be said to be quite different. I should give it another name. Hmm, what should I give?''


    Fujin thought for a few seconds before deciding, ''I will just call it Vacuum Gatling jutsu as I fire multiple bullets at the same time and I intend on improving it further to fire several rounds within a second. That should make the jutsu simr to the Gatling gun from my previous world. Yeah, I''ll go with that. No point in thinking much about it.''


    Fujin wasn''t very concerned with the names of his jutsus. He just thought of a basic one and stopped thinking about it. After meditating and recovering his chakra, Fujin continued his training.


    He stopped when just 2 hours were left for the effect of the pills to end and began moving back to his home. En route, he couldn''t help but sigh and think, ''The Four Symbols Seal is still not mastered! And the constant influx of memories from those clones gives me such an intense headache! Processing a year''s worth of memories in just 5 days repeatedly is a tough job. Especially when I am also training Ninjutsu.''


    Fujin sighed again and muttered, "Oh well. I am almost done. I am very close now. My clones have seeded in creating all parts of this seal. It''s just that no one managed to make the entire seal by himself. Probably 2 more days of this torture and I will have this seal down. 3 at max if my luck is bad.''


    Exhausted, Fujin took a couple of days off once again. During this time, he visited Isamu in Konoha''s hospital to get his body checked and to heal any hidden injuries and eliminate the umted trauma. It helped Fujin in relieving the stress on his body and, to an extent, his mind.


    After resting for a couple of days, Fujin returned to training once again. Afterpleting the morning workout ritual and getting some rest, Fujin decided to work on adding more jutsus to his arsenal.


    Fujin thought, ''This idea could be fun. Though Vacuum Gatling jutsu will be devastating, it''ll be a shame if I have to expose it against normal Jounins. This jutsu can make their preparations useless while keeping my Vacuum Gatling to catch any rank S ninja off guard. Even if I''m not able to kill them, causing them a serious injury should be sufficient to force these viges to back off.''


    Fujin raised his right hand and extended his index and middle finger towards the sky. His eyes focused on the two fingers as wind chakra began concentrating on the two fingers. A 15 cm long Vacuum core began forming on top of his two fingers. In a few seconds, the core took the form of a de. It was soon enveloped by winds.


    Fujin didn''t move his fingers. Despite that, under his control, the de flew towards a rock and cleanly sliced it into two!


    A smile formed on Fujin''s face. He muttered to himself, ''Mypatibility with this jutsu is too good. Just like the de of Wind jutsu, I was able to seed on its vacuum variant on my first try!''

 Chapter 362: Vacuum Blade, Vacuum Slash, Hurricane Sword!

    Though Fujin seeded in creating the Vacuum de on the first try, the jutsu needed a lot of improvements, unlike the de of Wind jutsu.


    Fujin concentrated wind chakra on his two fingers once again. 5 Vacuum des began forming above his fingers. However, before they couldpletely form, the Vacuum core copsed. Fujin immediately moved backwards and sighed.


    He analyzed, ''Looks like mastering this jutsu won''t happen on the first try. Oh well, it should still be done sooner than Hurricane Fist and Vacuum Gatling. I just need to increase the amount of des I can create and be able to control them like I can control the de of Wind jutsu.


    Though this jutsu will be much slower than the Vacuum Bullet and Vacuum Gatling, it is far superior in maneuverability. That is why, the Iwa ninjas, who could easily dodge my Vacuum Bullets, weren''t able to dodge the des of Wind at a close range.


    Unfortunately, de of Wind jutsu could be defended against with the Iron Skin jutsu. The Vacuum de won''t have that weakness.''


    Fujin began his training. He started by increasing the number of Vacuum des to two. Within half an hour, he managed to sessfully create 2 Vacuum des consistently. By the time the pre-lunch training session waspleted and Fujin''s chakra reserves started taking a hit, he managed to sessfully create the 3rd Vacuum de as well.


    Since he was low on chakra, Fujin decided to use the post-lunch training session to practice Taijutsu with his clones and only continued training the Vacuum de jutsu in the evening.


    For the next four days, Fujin repeated the same training pattern. The only change was that as the number of Vacuum des increased, the rate of his chakra consumption also increased. So his training time for Vacuum de decreased while he focused more on the Taijutsu spars.


    The terrain of Training Ground 23 became even more weird. The rocks that were riddled with holes were now shed into several pieces. So now, small rocks that had a lot of holes were spread throughout the training ground. Several trees also had simr holes. Luckily for them, Fujin stuck to testing the Vacuum des on the rocks.


    Fujin ignored the terrain and analyzed, ''I can already create 7 Vacuum des at the same time and control their directions very well. This should be enough for the time being. Time for the next idea.''


    Fujin mmed his hands on the ground and an Earth Wall appeared in front of him. Soon after, the seal on Fujin''s bracer lit up and a sword appeared in his right hand. Chakra immediately began flowing alongside its edge and was quickly transformed into Wind nature.


    Soon, the wind chakra just in front of the edge of the sword began transforming. An extremely thin Vacuum Core began forming along the edge of the sword. A few secondster, Fujin pulled his sword back and swung it forming an arc in the air.


    Immediately, a sword sh was released along the arc that the sword created. However, unlike Fujin''s previous attempts, this time the front part of the sword sh was a thin arc made of Vacuum.


    The sword sh hit the Earth Wall in the center and cut it through into two pieces! The upper part of the wall was sent flying in the air by a few centimeters. At that moment, it was hit by the winds apanying the Sword sh.


    The impact of the winds pushed the upper half of the wall backwards, and it copsed. Fujin analyzed, ''Good. My normal sword shes couldn''t cut through the walls. But this attack can. I''ll call it Vacuum sh.


    If someone uses the Earth Wall and keeps standing like a fool, he will be cut in two. Even if they duck or jump to barely avoid the sh, they will be hit by the falling wall. The only way topletely avoid it is by moving backwards and jumping by a safe distance while using the Iron Skin jutsu to defend against the apanying winds or escaping underground instead. But¡­''


    Fujin raised his sword and observed it for a few seconds. He wondered, ''I remember that the way Danzo used the Wind Vacuum Technique with his sword was different. He blew winds on his sword which hovered around the sword making it very sharp. But, was that technique a Vacuum jutsu or just normal sharp winds?''


    Fujin thought for some time before giving up. He thought, ''I barely even remember how it looked. I don''t recall if any theory behind it was stated. Regardless, continuously maintaining vacuum cores around my sword doesn''t seem feasible.


    Though I don''t need to maintain vacuum cores. After all, I don''t need to blow wind on my sword to create it. I can just create new Vacuum sh cores whenever I need it. And I can use this attack in both, close-rangebat and long-rangebat.


    In these aspects, my way of using the Wind Vacuum Technique on my sword is superior to his, or at least superior to what I recall Danzo is capable of. That said, this isn''t the max I can do.


    Though I couldn''t add the Vacuum Waves to my Hurricane fist, I should be able to use them with my swo¡­''


    Fujin was about to pour his chakra into his sword and try it but suddenly stopped. He thought, ''Never mind. If I mess up, I''ll destroy this sword. That''ll be a rather expensive price to pay for no reason.''


    Fujin ced his sword back in his seal and opened a scroll that had a few ordinary swords. He grabbed the sword and swung it around a few times to get a hang of it. He nodded and decided, ''Yeah, this should be good enough. Inbat, I''ll leave this attack to my clones. I''ll use it just as ast resort.''


    Fujin sent his chakra flowing into the ordinary sword. Soon, it turned into wind and began revolving around the sword at a high speed. Unlike his arm, Fujin didn''t bother putting a protective chakra cover that spun in the opposite direction on the sword. He didn''t particrly care if the sword was damaged.


    Soon, 3 Vacuum Waves began forming just outside the hurricane. In a couple of seconds, they began revolving around the sword at a high speed as well.


    Fujin observed his sword and thought, ''It lookspletely like a mini-hurricane consisting of thousands of sharp des moving at a speed. I wonder if I can make a full-scale version of this.


    A massive hurricane full of sharp winds and maybe a dozen Vacuum Waves spinning at a high speed¡­ Preferably one big enough to consume an entire vige.''


    Fujin''s eyes lit up at that idea. However, his excitement doused as he analyzed, ''Unfortunately, the chakra consumption for such an attack will be too high. And, the ninjas who are good with Body Flicker jutsu or other movement jutsus can easily escape from the attack. They could even hide underground.


    The only way such an attack will work is if I attack a vige having a lot of civilians that the ninjas care about. Not too useful. Oh well, I''ll develop a medium-sized er to see if I can think of better applications for the same. For now¡­''


    Fujin pulled his right arm back and jabbed forward with his sword. The mini-hurricane wasunched forward. As it travelled, its size grew. It hit the remaining part of the Wall. The hurricane was stopped momentarily until the Vacuum Waves hit the wall and pierced through it, carving a path out for the hurricane.


    The hurricane broke through the wall and carried some debris in it as it continued moving forward, tearing apart everything in its way and creating a new path in the training ground. As it moved, several wind des wereunched from the hurricane into the surroundings, cutting even more trees. It finally lost its power after travelling for around 60 meters!


    Fujin had a thoughtful expression as he observed his attack. He analyzed, ''I see. I never thought of this possibility. The normal winds don''t have the same prative capabilities as Vacuum Waves. So once they hit a tough obstacle, they get stopped and the Vacuum Waves move to the front.


    So anyone facing the attack will just have to dodge those Vacuum Waves if they are confident in their defense. Still, despite this oversight, this is a great attack.


    If any ninja were to just dodge the iing hurricane, they could be cut by the wind des that randomly get thrown out due to the centrifugal force. This attack can be very devastating when facing an army.''


    A smile formed on Fujin''s face as he muttered, "Anyway, that''s the one jutsu nearly mastered and two new learnt today. I''ll call this attack the Hurricane Sword!"

 Chapter 363: Finally!!!

    Fujin spent the next couple of days practicing Vacuum sh and Hurricane Sword to get used to them. Normally, getting used to such jutsus would take a lot of time. Fortunately, the jutsus suited Fujin a lot and quickly became his second nature. Fujin quickly got used to performing them asfortably as their normal versions.


    Because a week passed, Fujin consumed the soldier pill and shifted back to his previous routine with his focus divided between the Vacuum Gatling jutsu and the Four Symbols Seal.


    On the evening of the 2nd day, Fujin stood in the training ground. His chakra was low to continue training further.


    He extended his arms and pointed his fingers at 10 human-sized rocks. In an instant, 10 Vacuum Bullets wereunched. Each hit their target on the mark and travelled a long distance behind them.


    Approximately 0.23 secondster, Fujin shot another round of 10 Vacuum Bullets. They hit their target as well. Approximately 0.76 seconds after shooting the 2nd round, Fujin shot the 3rd round of the Vacuum Bullets.


    Fujin nodded and thought, ''Good. This now looks like a Gatling. However, I still need to improve this more. It''ll be great if I can fire 5 rounds within one second and 10 rounds in around 2.5 to 3 seconds. Only then it''ll live up to its name.''


    Fujin extended his index finger once again and pointed at a rock. He fired a Vacuum Bullet. However, instead of hitting the rock he was pointing to, the bullet hit a hole in the rock adjacent to it.


    Fujin muttered to himself, ''This has reached partial mastery as well. I can aim my target around 20¡ã away in any direction from what I''m pointing at. I guess I''ll be able to go up to 60¡ã max by the time I''m done tra...''


    Fujin suddenly stopped his analysis as he received a memory. Immediately, an ted expression appeared on his face. He screamed in his mind, ''FINALLY! It feels like I have been working on this for fucking centuries!''


    Had Fujin been as emotional and reactive as someone like Naruto, he might have screamed and jumped for joy. The memory he received was from a shadow clone who dispelled himself. He was the first and the only shadow clone so far to sessfully create the Four Symbols Seal!


    Fujin decided, ''I will meditateter. Time to visit my basement. Since this clone passed on his memories, the other clones should be getting it done soon as well.''


    Fujin immediately flickered towards his home. In his basement, 79 Shadow Clones were sitting, each and everyst one of them in deep thought. Just like the clone who dispelled himself, the remaining 79 clones were very close as well. It was just that they were stuck at some level or the other.


    After receiving his memories, theypared their results with those memories and immediately had a breakthrough. By the time Fujin reached his home, they continued working on their seals.


    Fujin observed his clones sitting while making seals. He thought, ''No point in disturbing them. I''ll take this opportunity to get a third person''s perspective.''


    Fujin sat on one side of the room and observed his clones closely. Within 15 minutes, a second clone managed toplete the seal. As soon as he did, he dispelled himself as well. The remaining clones received his memories as well and increased their speed of creating the seal.


    Fujin observed, ''Using Shadow Clones for learning is crazy good. Normally, even after learning a seal, I will have to practice several times to be morefortable with it. But with clones, when one seeds, they dispel themselves. Due to this, the knowledge is transferred to the remaining clones.


    This has two advantages. The more obvious one is that every clone learns the same method. And the hidden and the more fearsome one is that every clone can think of methods to improve the seal.


    So by the time thest clone sessfully manages to create the seal, I will have improved the seal slightly 79 times!


    But, that will still not be enough. The current time needed to create this seal is too high. The first clone who seeded was at it for 5 hours straight. The second clone had started working on it 6 hours 8 minutes before he seeded.


    Even if I create a more optimized version, I will need at least an hour to create a Four Symbols Seal¡­ But I remember that the likes of Minato, Orochimaru and Jiraiya were very quick with the seals¡­''


    Fujin thought for a while as his clones keptpleting the seals one by one. A few minutester, Fujin shook his head and concluded, ''I can''t think of any way to decrease the creation time of this seal to a few seconds. The only way will be if I create the seal beforehand and use it in battle. But how do I do that?''


    Fujin analyzed but once again, he couldn''te up with any solution. He sighed and decided, ''I will ask Hiruzen. Though I coulde up with a way eventually, it will take a lot of time. The wait has no benefits.''


    Though Fujin didn''t ask Hiruzen for help in increasing the speed of his Vacuum Gatling, that was because he was creating a new jutsu. Creating a dependency on Hiruzen for matters he could resolve could be detrimental to him in the future.


    But, the matter with Fuinjutsu was different. It could be applied to all seals and Fujin wouldn''t have to improve it. So he didn''t mind asking Hiruzen.


    Fujin kept waiting in his room while observing his clones. In 2 hours, all 80 clones had sessfully created the Four Symbol Seal. On receiving thest clone''s information, Fujin realized, ''Not bad. I think I can create this seal within an hour already. Of course, that''s still too slow.''


    Fujin created a shadow clone who left his home and flickered towards the Hokage''s Building. Fujin''s clone thought, ''It''s kindate. I hope the old fox is still in the office. Otherwise, I''ll have to wait till tomorrow.''


    He reached the building in a few seconds. Fortunately, the lights of his office were still on. Fujin''s clone wasted no time in flickering to the office.


    Inside his office, Hiruzen was writing on a scroll. There were a couple of dozen more scrolls on his desk. Konoha''s decision to withdraw the majority of their forces was conveyed to Takigakure who immediately became worried. They tried making the Konoha ninjas stay, however, they didn''t have anything to convince them.


    Iwa had left no clues in the Ito Family''s territory. So Taki refused to me them openly. They had also been unsessful in curbing the rumors that were spreading. These two points caused dissatisfaction among Konoha leaders. So Hiruzen didn''t intend to keep the army deployed for any longer.


    The only way Taki could make the Konoha ninjas stay was by issuing them all missions. Unfortunately, they didn''t have that kind of budget to splurge money. So they couldn''t stop Konoha from retreating.


    Hiruzen had concluded his negotiations with Takigakure. The scrolls he was writing on were for the Noble families in the Land of Waterfall that supported Konoha. He assured them of Konoha''s support and stated that they were retreating because the chances of Iwa attacking were very low. Hiruzen also assured them that if Iwa attacked them, Konoha would send an even bigger army.


    Hiruzen had just started writing the 2nd scroll when he heard a knock. He looked up to see Fujin''s clone entering. A smile formed on his face. He said, "Fujin. Why are you here?"


    Hiruzen had always been fond of Fujin. However, he had been more fond of him than ever for thest couple of weeks since Fujin stopped visiting the Wind Training Room.


    Fujin''s clone wondered, ''Why is he so happy to see me? Wait! Does he know that I''m here to ask for help and he is so enthusiastic to help me? Yup, that must be it. Sigh, we have such a benevolent Kage!''


    Fujin asked, "Grandpa, are you done with your work?"


    Hiruzen, who was in a happy mood a few seconds ago, suddenly became alert. He thought, ''I know that tone! He is here to ask me for something that would cost me a lot.''


    He put up an exhausted expression and replied, "Unfortunately I had some extra work today. I will be busy here for another couple of hours."


    He thought, ''Sigh, I thought I''d leave in 20 minutes. Now I''ll have to keep waiting here for another couple of hours in case he tries to check where I am.''


    Meanwhile, Fujin''s clone wondered, ''Really? Or is this old fox faking?''


    He said, "That''s rough on you Grandpa. I''m here because I need your help. I was hoping you''de with me. But since you are busy, you can send a Shadow Clone with me.''


    Hiruzen was speechless. He thought, ''Despite being Hokage for so long and having helped so many young ninjas over decades, this is the first time someone directly asked me to send a clone to help him. Wait! He isn''t even asking! He is directly giving me a choice!''

 Chapter 364: Seal Imprint

    Hiruzen took half a minute topose himself and gather his thoughts. However, despite his lively thoughts, the look of exhaustion never disappeared from his face. Of course, Fujin''s clonepletely ignored the long pause he needed.


    Hiruzen asked, "What help do you need?"


    Fujin''s clone replied, "I am working on Fuinjutsu but have hit a roadblock in terms of speed. At my current speed, I need around an hour to create that seal. It makes it useless in war. I need some help and advice in regards to that."


    Hiruzen was surprised. He thought, ''He has already reached that stage? A seal that needs an hour to create will be a veryplicated one. It looks like he will soon be a Grandmaster. No harm in teaching him seal imprints. But¡­''


    Hiruzen said, "Alright. I can help you with that. But, I have a question as well. Did you ask anyone else to help you?"


    Fujin''s clone tilted his head and asked, "Why would I ask anyone else, Grandpa? You are the one everyone calls The Professor!"


    Despite his vast experience, Hiruzen couldn''t help but look at Fujin''s clone with a deadpan expression. He muttered internally, ''I have led Konoha for over 4 decades. I have lived through 3 deadly wars. I never expected that I would experience so many firsts within a few minutes at this age¡­


    This is the first time anyone sent a clone to ask for my help outside of wartime. Apart from my students and children, this is the first time anyone hase to me directly for help without asking anyone else. And, this is the first time someone directly asked me to send a Shadow Clone to help him¡­''


    Fujin''s clone maintained his ''innocent'' expression. However, he wasughing in his mind. He thought, ''Old man, you have tried brainwashing me with the Will of Fire so many times that I don''t even remember the count. I guess you even believe that you have seeded. You even asked me to call you Grandpa. Let me see with what face you decline my request when there is no good excuse!''


    Hiruzen was in the same dilemma as Fujin had calcted. Though he regrly preached the Will of Fire to motivate his ninjas to push themselves harder for the vige without having to do anything himself, the Will of Fire was a two-way street. Just as he had expectations from the younger generation, the younger generation also had expectations from him that he had to live up to.


    Of course, that wasn''t necessarily bad for Hiruzen. After all, unlike Fujin who viewed the Will of Fire as an ideological tool, Hiruzen believed in the Will of Firepletely. In fact, he could be even said to be the most devout follower of the Will of Fire. So he usually did what was expected of him even before anyone asked him to do so. However, when faced with someone like Fujin, Hiruzen realized an issue.


    He shuddered while thinking, ''If I agree, it will create a dangerous precedence. What if everyone else begins running to me for every small thing? How many Shadow Clones can I even create?


    Until now, though everyone knows that they can ask me for help, they are very respectful and mindful to not disturb me too much. But this boy¡­''


    Unfortunately, Hiruzen could just sigh internally and hope that others didn''t get any ideas from this instance. His principles didn''t allow him to say no to Fujin without any reasonable reason. He replied, "Alright. I''ll send a clone to help you."


    Fujin''s clone smirked internally and thought, ''Lord Hokage really is the best! I can''t imagine this being done in any other vige. Even among the Hokages, I guess just future Naruto and maybe Minato and Hashirama would agree to such requests.''


    He weaved a hand sign and a Shadow Clone popped next to him. The clone approached Fujin''s clone and said, "Let''s go."


    Fujin''s clone immediately said in a respectful and excited tone, "Thank you, Grandpa."


    The two clones immediately left and arrived at Training Ground 23 where Fujin was waiting for Hiruzen while thinking about the Four Symbols Seal. He looked up and looked at the two arriving and thought, ''I see. He sent a clone.''


    As their eyes met, Fujin''s clone dispelled himself and passed the memories to Fujin. Fujin smiled and said, "Thank you foring here despite being so busy, Grandpa."


    Hiruzen''s clone''s eyebrows involuntarily twitched. However, he immediately put up a smile and said, "How can I say no to a youngster who is working so hard? Which seal are you working on?"


    Fujin replied, "The Four Symbols Seal. But I''d like the same advice for other seals as well. I recall you sealing up the Suna Jounins using Juinjutsu. But despite learning almost all Juinjutsu, I can''t activate them that quickly. I still need more than a few seconds which is just too slow to be used in a battle."


    Hiruzen''s clone was surprised. He thought, ''He has already learnt the Four Symbols Seal? That''s the most difficult seal avable in the Library. Has he learnt all the other seals or did he just focus on this seal? But why does he need this seal?''


    He became suspicious but didn''t show it on his face and asked, "Have you learnt all the other seals in the Library? Or did you focus on the Four Symbols Seal after bing an Anbu Captain?"


    Fujin answered, "I am done with all Juinjutsu and simpler seals in the Library. I still have a fewplicated seals to learn. But they didn''t seem as good as the Four Symbols Seal at restraining enemies. Especially the enemy Jinchurikis. So I decided to leave them forter."


    Hiruzen''s clone realized, ''I see. I guess he is more obsessed with this seal due to his encounter with Roshi. Normal Chakra Suppression Seals have no effect on a Jinchuriki. Even advanced ones are useless against ones that can use most of the Tailed Beast''s chakra like Roshi.


    Regardless, such speed is very good. In terms of speed of learning this seal after getting ess to it, he is slower than only Kushina and Minato ever since I became the Hokage. And his chakra is lesser than theirs at his age. So the effect of Shadow Clones should be lesser for him than them.''


    He nodded and answered, "I understand. It is a good choice. Your issue is a pretty basic one that all SealMasters have to face. Unlike Ninjutsu, you can''t create Seals in the blink of an eye as it isn''t entirely dependent on merely manipting your chakra and is much moreplicated. Especiallyplicated seals like the Four Symbols Seal."


    Fujin analyzed Hiruzen''s words and nodded. He asked, "So, how do we shorten the time?"


    Hiruzen''s clone said, "It''s pretty easy. The concept is simr to pre-made seals that you use instantly in battle. Can you figure it out?"


    Fujin began thinking. After a couple of minutes, he shook his head and answered, "No. I had thought of creating seals for the same. But, those are for one-time use. While I can make a lot of them as a preparation and have a simr effect, it won''t be the same. In addition, I won''t be able to modify the seal if I use seals I drew on paper.


    The only workable idea I have is probably creating the seal partially so that I can use it by justpleting the remaining seal. But I am not sure how I could sustain a partial seal for that long without it putting a drain on my chakra reserves and taking a lot of my attention."


    Hiruzen''s clone smiled and said, "Not bad. You are a bit off, but the method is simr to the two ideas."


    The clone raised his right hand and showed his palm to Fujin. In an instant, the Four Symbols Seal appeared on his palm. Fujin''s eyes widened in surprise. He thought, ''That was almost Instantaneous. It''s as if he merely needs to think about it to create the seal!''


    Hiruzen''s clone said, "Most people consider Grandmaster as the peak level of Fuinjutsu. Every Grandmaster in Fuinjutsu is respected by every ninja. However, for the ones who reach that level, bing a Grandmaster is just the start of the journey.


    Once you reach this level, there are two things you need to do. The first one is imprinting all the seals you have learnt on your body, preferably the palm. This allows you to use every seal that you have imprinted instantaneously.


    I would have taught you this after you became a Grandmaster. But since you asked me before you became one, I''ll teach it to you now."


    Fujin smiled and said, "Thank you, Grandpa. But what is the second thing?"


    The clone smiled and said, "It''s to create new seals."


    Fujin thought, ''Ah, that was a stupid question. What else could they do?''


    He replied, "I''ll leave creating newer seals for the future. For now, can we start learning the imprinting part?"

 Chapter 365: The Complications in creating Seal Imprints!

    Hiruzen''s clone nodded and said, "Yes. But before we start, I need to warn you. Toplete this is even more difficult than bing a Grandmaster. In Konoha, we have 10 Grandmasters, the most of any vige. But, including me, there are only 3 ninjas who havepleted this step. And even we can''t be said to have trulypleted this step as we didn''t imprint hundreds of seals that we judged to be unneeded inbat."


    Fujin raised an eyebrow and asked, "Why is it so difficult?"


    Hiruzen''s clone answered, "It is easy to imprint seals at the start. But as you keep increasing the number of seals imprinted on your body, it bes increasingly difficult. The reason has to do more with your ability to create multiple imprints on your body and your ability to remember everything about them without any error.


    Due to this reason, this step bes very difficult toplete. It takes around a couple of decades toplete this step as the Shadow Clones won''t be of any help here. And, the high time required makes every Grandmaster reluctant toplete this. They will just imprint a few important seals and instead use their time for other tasks.


    So before we begin, remember this. Only imprint the seals that are important for you on your body. If you create a good seal in the future that you want to imprint, you will face difficulties if you imprint all the useless seals on your body. In the future, if you want toplete this step like me, go ahead. But don''t waste your time on this in the short term."


    Fujin thought for a bit and nodded. He said, "Alright Grandpa. Now can we begin the process of imprinting the Four Symbols Seal?"


    Hiruzen''s clone immediately shook his head and said, "No. Four Symbols Seal is a very high-level seal. Creating that imprint will be a task for you so you can learn how to do this by yourself. I will teach you how to create imprints with two other seals."


    Though Hiruzen''s words sounded sensible, Fujin couldn''t help but think, ''Why does it feel like he is not saying something?''


    Hiruzen''s clone didn''t say the following out loud and only muttered in his mind, ''Not to mention, making an imprint of the Four Symbols Seal will need around one and a half to two weeks and will have to be done in multiple phases. I don''t want to keep sending a clone daily for the next two weeks!''


    Unfortunately, Fujin couldn''t read his thoughts. He replied, "Alright. Which two seal imprints will you teach me?"


    Hiruzen''s clone replied, "The two seals that you''ll use the most. Chakra Suppression Seal and Self-Cursing Seal."


    Fujin said, "I see. A Fuinjutsu and a Juinjutsu so that I''ll get a hang of both."


    Hiruzen''s clone nodded and said, "Yes. Once you get a hang of how to imprint these seals, you should be able to slowly work the rest out yourself. But I''ll advise you to not work on the imprint of the Four Symbols Seal until you try a few other seal imprints to get a hang of this technique."


    Fujin nodded. Hiruzen''s clone said, "Before we start, extend your hand and show me your palm."


    Fujin followed his instructions. The clone asked, "Are you aware of where the chakra points in your palm are located?"


    Fujin nodded. Inspecting chakra points on his own body wasn''t a difficult task. After all, those were the points from where his chakra would be emitted from. Hiruzen''s clone said, "Good. Create the Chakra Suppression Seal and observe from which chakra points your chakra is being released to support the seal."


    Fujin nodded and created a Chakra Suppression Seal on his right palm while observing the chakra points that were releasing the chakra. He mentioned the location of the chakra points to Hiruzen''s clone who nodded his head in agreement. The clone instructed him to memorize those chakra points.


    Once Fujin was done memorizing, Hiruzen''s clone said, "Now, ce this seal on your palm without activating it. Remember to ce the seal such that it covers all the chakra points that release the chakra to power this seal. Try to ce the seal as much as the center of those chakra points as you can."


    Fujin followed his instructions. Hiruzen''s clone continued giving instructions to Fujin on how to imprint the seal on his palm. Around 15 minutester, Fujin exhaled a lot of air. On his right palm, the Chakra Suppression Seal was imprinted.


    Fujin observed the seal and thought, ''Wow! The seal ispletely imprinted on my palm. I can activate it with a mere thought. This is different from my earlier uses of this seal. Though I could use this seal rather quickly, it isn''t evenparable to my current speed. But¡­ The imprint is a problem. Won''t everyone be able to see this? I don''t see any such imprints on Hiruzen''s hands either.''


    Hiruzen''s clone immediately noticed his confusion. He asked, "Are you wondering why my palms don''t have any such imprints?"


    Fujin nodded. The clone answered, "Because you have justpleted the first step. Now sit down and focus entirely on this imprint. Flow your chakra through it, control the seal and reduce its size to as much as you can."


    The clone extended his palm and showed it to Fujin and said, "Focus chakra in your eyes and observe me properly."


    Fujin''s eyes began glowing as he concentrated chakra in them. A Chakra Suppression Seal appeared on the clone''s palm. Immediately, chakra began flowing through it and its size began decreasing. In mere seconds, the size became so small that no one could see it with a naked eye. A couple of secondster, Fujin couldn''t see it despite concentrating chakra in his eyes.


    Hiruzen''s clone instructed, "Now that you have seen how it works, copy the method and try it yourself. Don''t worry about messing up. You can always destroy the imprint and create a new one. But the process is a bitplicated. So try to get it done on your first try."


    Fujin nodded and began copying Hiruzen''s method. Soon, chakra began flowing through the seal. Fujin took control of the seal and began decreasing its size without changing the shapes and proportions of the symbols. Over the next 5 minutes, it decreased to the size of a mere ck dot.


    Fujin''s concentration was at its highest level. His mind didn''t have any thought apart from maintaining the shape of the symbols while decreasing the size even further.


    Hiruzen''s clone observed, ''I didn''t expect him to do so well on his first try. His chakra control is better than I thought. It looks like he kept working on the Senju Taijutsu style even after leaving Renjiro''s squad. And his skill with the seals is very promising too.


    Though seeing his performance, it doesn''t look like it''s due to his talent in Fuinjutsu and is instead due to the amount of practice he has.''


    He took a look at Fujin''s face again and wondered, ''How long does he use the Shadow Clones to practice seals?''


    He sighed internally and thought, ''Though he bes very greedy when he wants something, his work ethic is admirable. It isparable to my three students and Minato when they were young. In terms of Fuinjutsu, he is already superior to what my three students were when they were his age.


    Only Minato did better. But he had Kushina''s help which not only made his path simpler but also gave him a lot of motivation to be a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster. And unlike those four, Fujin has done it while staying hidden in the Anbu and keeping his skills a secret.


    To be able to push himself without having a friend to push him or having themon people and other ninjas sing his praises is remarkable. It looks like my previous analysis of him bing capable of leading Konoha''s darkness was on point.''


    While Hiruzen''s clone was analyzing Fujin, Fujin made rapid progress. The size of the seal was finally reduced by so much that Fujin couldn''t see it. However, he was very much aware of where the Seal was.


    Hiruzen''s clone observed it as well and said, "Good work. You have seeded on your first try. Can you feel where the seal imprint is?"


    Fujin nodded. The clone continued, "Good. I''m sure you can sense it very clearly. But the reason for this is that this is the only seal imprint you have created. Once you create hundreds or even thousands of seal imprints, sensing every seal individually bes very difficult.


    As for remembering their locations, that is difficult as well. While you may remember the seals that you use regrly, you will struggle with the seals that rarely get used. That''s why I instructed you to not imprint too many seals right now."


    Internally, Hiruzen sighed and thought, ''Seeing the crazy work he has done with his house, I have no doubts that he will create hundreds of imprints on his body if I don''t stop him.''


    He turned his head to his left and gazed towards Fujin''s house, which was just outside the training grounds, and thought, ''3 years ago, that house had more than 2500 seals. Its number has been steadily increasing since then. Right now, there are so many seals that even I can''t see them all! Despite being better at Fuinjutsu, the quantity of the seals is so much that I couldn''t keep track after the number crossed 5000 as even I can''t see through all of them!''

 Chapter 366: Another Base!

    Fujin noticed Hiruzen''s Clone''s gaze and a wry smile appeared on his face. He realized, ''So that''s why he keeps saying that again and again. He isn''t wrong though. This method, thoughplicated, is still very easy to implement. If I didn''t know that it would getplicated at ater stage, I would be tempted to do just that.''


    Fujin replied, "Alright. I''ll limit the number of Seal Imprints to just the essential seals. I have a question though. Since I created the imprint on my right hand, doesn''t that mean that I can use this seal quickly with just my right hand? So do I need to create the same imprint on my left arm as well?"


    Hiruzen''s clone answered, "If you want to, then yes. But it''s pointless to do that for a seal like the Chakra Suppression Seal. This seal merely suppresses your enemy''s chakra. There are many other seals that offer simr or even better effects. Like the Self-Cursing Seal which paralyzes your opponent.


    This is another reason why I suggested you start with these two seals. You can use the Chakra Suppression Seal with your right hand and the Self-Cursing Seal with your left. If you feel like a seal is very important and irreceable, then feel free to create imprints on both your hands."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Alright. I''ll keep that in mind. Another question. Does the seal have to be in between the chakra points that release the chakra? I was thinking about imprinting a few stealth seals on my body, perhaps barrier seals as well. That way, I could activate them instantly and gain an advantage, be it in stealth or defense."


    Hiruzen''s clone answered, "Well, seals don''t need to be imprinted between the chakra points. But, the closer they are to the right chakra points, the faster you''ll be able to activate them and the lesser the chance of any of them failing. Since your main concern was speed, cing them in between the chakra points is the most reliable method.


    As for seals like stealth, hardness, barrier and other simr utility seals, having them on your clothes like you have now is more than sufficient. There is no need to create imprints for them."


    Fujin thought for a bit and decided, "Yeah, you are right. Doubling them up won''t help a lot. If someone is strong enough to deal with those seals on my clothes, having those seals on my body might not help me much."


    Fujin recalled the time he was escaping from Roshi''s Tailed Beast Bomb. Just the mere stwave destroyed his clothes despite the high number of seals he carved on them. Only the Iron Skin jutsu managed to hold on for a few seconds.


    Hiruzen''s clone replied, "Good analysis. Let''s start creating the imprint for the Self-Cursing Seal. Though it is Juinjutsu, its process is almostpletely simr to that of Fuinjutsu."


    He began guiding Fujin once again, who absorbed all his teachings in no time. An hourter, Fujinpleted imprinting the Self-Cursing Seal on his left palm. Fujin observed it and thought, ''No wonder so few use Fuinjutsu in battle despite there being so many SealMasters. Withoutpleting this step, it is very difficult to use seals inbat.''


    Hiruzen''s clone said, "You have learnt the way to create imprints for both Fuinjutsu and Juinjutsu. I will leave the work of imprinting the remaining seals to you. Just remember my warnings. If you face any confusion or have any doubts, you cane and see me."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Thank you, Grandpa. I will."


    The clone smiled and dispelled himself. In his office, Hiruzen, who had alreadypleted his work, received the memories. He sighed and thought, ''Fortunately, everything went well. I just hope that I don''t end up regretting thatst sentence.''


    Hiruzen left his office and returned to his home to sleep. As for Fujin, he still had 3 more days for the soldier pill to run out. He sat in the training ground while analyzing, ''What do I do now? Should I begin working on creating the imprint for the Four Symbols Seal? Should I make imprints for a few more important seals? Or should I just focus on learning the remaining seals?''


    After analyzing for a while, Fujin concluded, ''Creating an imprint for the Four Symbol Seals might take a longer time. It''s probably why Hiruzen didn''t want to teach me that. While the imprints of some simpler seals will take a lesser time, they will be a waste.


    Imprinting seals need a high amount of concentration and not a lot of chakra. Though I could create Shadow Clones to train, if one pops and sends me the memories, I will fail in creating an imprint.


    For now, I''ll continue with learning the remaining seals while I train Vacuum jutsus. Once I run low on chakra, instead of meditating in the training rooms, I''ll begin imprinting seals. However, I need to decide which seals I should imprint. Sigh, that will take a long time as well considering the insane number of seals I have learnt over thest year.''


    Fujin got up, went back to his house and entered the basement. He created 80 Shadow Clones with 1% chakra each so that they could continue working on the remaining seals.


    Though he had learnt the mostplicated seal in Section A of the library, he still had a few more top-level seals to learn like the Five Elements Seal, Five Elements Unseal, Evil Sealing Method and Iron Armor Seal.


    His clones immediately began working on the Five Element Seal. Thanks to having already worked on the Four Symbols Seal, their progress was much smoother.


    As for Fujin, he sat down in the basement and began analyzing which seals to imprint while waiting for his chakra to recover.


    For the next hour, Fujin recalled and analyzed all the seals he had learnt over the past few years. Aplicated expression appeared on his face as he let out a sigh. He thought, ''Though I have learnt thousands of seals, the seals I can use directly in battle are almost non-existent.


    Hiruzen knew what he was doing when he asked me to create imprints for these 2 seals. Apart from the Four Symbols Seal, none will be as effective as these 2.


    The issue is that though many seals are very good, they are designed to fulfill just one purpose. Though they are useful in one way or another, they aren''t so useful in battle. While I can use them by bing creative, like say storing a lot of one element in element-specific storage seals, their effect in battle would be equivalent to just rank D jutsus. And I can''t supercharge them.


    And, in almost all cases, I can just inscribe those seals on my clothes and activate them when needed. There isn''t much reason to create imprints. So, what do I do¡­''


    Fujin fell into deep thought. After a few minutes, he decided, ''Though my main reason for learning Fuinjutsu was for the Tailed Beasts and the Flying Thunder God technique, it will be a shame if that''s all it is good for after spending such a long time learning it.


    Though I can still use it to set up traps or create defensive bases like this house, it still isn''t good enough. There is only one way to make my knowledge implementable in battle. A very simple way¡­


    I need to create seals that I can use during battle. Of course, creating entirely new seals would be a very difficult and time-consuming task. It won''t be worth it as the chances of sess will be low. What I need to do is use the knowledge of my current seals to createplex seals that contain several of those seals and replicate their effects at the same time. Only suchbinations of seals could be of some help in battle.


    Though this can beplicated as well, fortunately, I already have two good ideas. Hopefully, I''ll get more in the future. For now, I''ll create imprints for the two seals that might be of some help to me.''


    While Fujin became busy with learning more Fuinjutsu seals, creating seal imprints and perfecting Vacuum Gatling, the Konoha''s army, which had stayed on the borders with the Land of Waterfall for over a month, began withdrawing.


    During the past month, the Konoha ninjas had created arge and permanent base on the border with the Land of Waterfall. Though the majority of the ninjas withdrew, one hundred ninjas under the leadership of a Veteran Jounin from the Nara n stayed behind.


    This base served two purposes. The first one was that it acted as a forward base. If Iwagakure took any action in the Land of Waterfall or even in the Land of Grass, the ninjas from this base could act as a vanguard and slow them down while cooperating with Kusa and Taki.


    Secondly, it also acted as a mission center for missionsing from the Land of Waterfall. Thanks to the Konoha ninjas being stationed directly on their borders, their location was closer than Takigakure for some of the citizens in the Land of Waterfall. So it would bring in more mission revenue from the Land of Waterfall.


    Now, in addition to the Land of Tea and the Land of Noodles, Konoha had a forward base alongside the border with the Land of Waterfalls as well. Not only were those countries not offended by it, but they requested for these bases to be created and even paid Konoha to keep them running!

 Chapter 367: Exposed!

    In the Hokage''s office, Hiruzen was sitting in his chair while reading something. He had aplicated expression on his face. Even though he expected Onoki to do this, when it truly happened, he couldn''t help but feel a bit gloomy.


    After a couple of minutes, he exhaled the smoke and said softly, "Bring Fujin here. He should be in Training Ground 23."


    Immediately, an Anbu Guard disappeared from the room. Fujin, who was training his Vacuum Gatling, stopped because he sensed a ninja entering the training ground. After getting the messenger, he left to see Hiruzen.


    He entered the office and before he could ask anything, Hiruzen pushed forward the book on his desk and said, "Take a look at this."


    Fujin picked up the book while muttering, "Bingo book?"


    As soon as his eyesnded on the page Hiruzen had opened, his eyes widened. He sighed and muttered, "Iwa finally decided to do this¡­"


    Hiruzen nodded. Iwa had increased Fujin''s bounty from 20 million Ryo to 50 million Ryo. Surprisingly, his summon and Fuinjutsu skills weren''t mentioned in the report. But theybelled him as the ''Spectral Swordsman''!


    Fujin said, "Exposing this identity will cause a lot of trouble. I have killed way too many people in thest 3 years."


    Hiruzen replied, "Yes. It will be a diplomatic disaster. To avoid this, you won''t ever ept this title."


    Fujin nodded and said, "That goes without saying. But I doubt the neighbouring countries will ept that so easily."


    Hiruzen replied, "It doesn''t matter. Iwa can give no proof. I can just deny everything they say. And considering the recent movements in the other 4 major viges, these smaller countries don''t want any trouble with Konoha. They can only ept their losses and move on.


    But, they might try something against you when you are on missions. Be it for revenge or the 50 million Ryo. There are a few bounty hunters as well who would be tempted."


    Fujin replied, "Yeah. I will be careful. But, why didn''t Iwa mention all my details?"


    Hiruzen chuckled and answered, "They want others to suffer losses against you just like they did."


    Fujin was surprised. He thought, ''That''s smart! And so fucking shameless! Irrespective of whether I''m dealt with or if I deal with the attackers, they will benefit.''


    Hiruzen understood what Fujin was thinking about and said, "It doesn''t matter what they are scheming. Just ensure that you don''t fall prey to any more traps."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Yes, I won''t. Thanks for the warning. I have another question though. Did you find out if anything was fishy in the previous incident?"


    Since there were Anbu Guards in the room, Fujin was vague about the question. Hiruzen understood and answered, "It wasn''t anyone from the vige. Shikaku and I concluded that they set a trap for any top-level ninja we send. Though you might have been their primary target. Regardless, you were just the unlucky one. As for your identity, that should be due to the previous information about you in the Bingo book."


    Fujin thought, ''That''s just as I predicted. Oh well, I''ll just need to be more careful in the future. I can''t take thezy route.''


    He ced the Bingo book back on the desk and said, "Alright. Thanks for the information, Grandpa. I''ll return to training."


    Hiruzen nodded and saw Fujin leave. He looked back at the Bingo book and thought, ''50 million Ryo. The same amount as Kakashi. Looks like Onoki sees the same potential in him as he does in Kakashi.''


    He closed the book and continued working. As for Fujin, he wasn''t very worried. While walking back to his training ground, he thought, ''I had expected such a thing to happen. In fact, I am sure that a few schemes that are several times worse than this are already cooking behind the scenes. I just have to be more careful to avoid falling for such schemes and be strong and resourceful enough to destroy those schemes if I get caught up.''


    Unperturbed, Fujin continued his training. However, many influential people paid great importance to this news.


    On an obscure ind in the middle of nowhere, a camp containing more than 500 ninjas existed. In the central tent in this camp, ady with long, auburn hair sat while reading the Bingo book. Her eyes showed a glint of interest in what she was reading.


    A smile appeared on her face and she said, "He is very good at bluffing. Since he is Renjiro''s student, it was unlikely that he would have carried out the threat he made when we met."


    Ao, who was standing next to her, said, "We benefited heavily from the information he shared. So it doesn''t matter much. Still, he is merely 14 years old. I didn''t expect him to be so young."


    Mei nodded and said, "Yeah. He is already as strong as me. If he sessfully keeps growing for another decade, Konoha will once again have a fearsome rank S ninja. No wonder such a bounty was ced on his head. I''m sure that whoever ced the bounty is scheming a lot in the background."


    Ao thought for a few seconds and said, "If he has such a potential, should we try to kill him? If a second Minato appears in Konoha, then we won''t be able to defend in a war against Konoha."


    Mei shook her head and said, "No. That would be a big mistake. Since the Third Hokage sent him to meet me with the secret information, it should mean that he is hoping for an alliance in the future. If it does happen, then I will have to negotiate with this boy. Those negotiations won''t be easy if we try to kill him and fail.


    Not to mention, Kumo will do everything they can to eliminate him considering that he specializes in Wind nature maniption. Besides, I doubt all his skills are mentioned in the Bingo book. Even if they are all, killing him will still be a very costly affair.


    But, if the Mizukage''s Faction wants to take him out, then we could benefit heavily. Ask our spies to spread out rumors. There is a lot of hatred in the Mizukage Faction for the Spectral Swordsman due to how many of their fake rogue ninjas he killed. Let them try to fight him and lose their elites."


    Ao nodded and got to work.


    Sitting in his office, Rasa had a thoughtful expression on his face as he read Fujin''s information for the umpteenth time. A frown appeared on his face as he thought, ''I remember Iwagakure sending information regarding him and specting that he was the troublemaker. This sudden increase in his bounty should be Iwa''s work. But, is he worthy of such a bounty or does Iwa hate him for some reason?''


    He fell into deep thought. After a few minutes he shook his head and concluded, ''Regardless of whether he is worthy or not, I can''t overlook him. For Iwa to be so troubled, he should at least be at the Elite Jounin level. And at such a young age too. Not to mention, his skillset is too simr to the culprit who created so much chaos in my country. It doesn''t matter if it was the copy ninja or him, I need to eliminate him if I get the chance.''


    Kumo and Iwa leadership didn''t have much reaction towards this news for obvious reasons. However, the information caused a lot of chaos in the minor viges that were allied with Konoha. Their leaders immediately called for council meetings and sent a scroll to Hiruzen asking for an exnation.


    The people who took this news seriously weren''t limited to other countries. In an office under the Konoha, Danzo sat with a thoughtful face as he read Fujin''s bounty and information.


    He thought, ''The boy I asked Hiruzen for less than 4 years ago has already reached this stage? No wonder Hiruzen refused to tell us who the Spectral Swordsman was no matter how many times I asked him.''


    Danzo was genuinely surprised. However, he curbed his surprise and wondered, ''Who exposed him? And who did he offend to get such a huge bounty?''


    Danzo thought about the recent events and realized, ''Recently, Iwagakure created a mess in the Land of Waterfall. Hiruzen didn''t tell me or the other elders what happened, but ording to my information, one of our Anbu squads shed with Iwa there. So it should be his squad. But why would that make Iwa so rme¡­''


    Danzo''s left eye widened as he recalled, ''Wait, around half a year ago, the Four Tails'' Jinchuriki, Roshi, went on a rampage in the Land of Grass. Information regarding that incident was buried as well. I thought we benefited only due to Iwa''s folly.


    But if I assume that Roshi shed with him, then it would make sense for Kusa to trust Konoha so much and for Iwa to attach so much importance to him. But, can Fujin go up against Roshi?''


    Danzo looked at his bounty and a frown appeared on his face. He thought, ''No wonder Iwa put up such a huge bounty. He must have survived against Roshi and they probably set up a trap for him in the Land of Waterfall.


    I should have been more forceful and inducted him in the Root. Such a talent will now be corrupted by Hiruzen''s naive thoughts. But, this can be an opportunity as well.''


    Danzo entered into deep thought. He analyzed, ''For an Anbu, maintaining their disguise is the most important. If their identity is leaked, then everyone who they targeted and their families will try to get back at them. Hiruzen has failed him by failing to protect his identity. I can use this to try and recruit him.


    In addition, the Spectral Swordsman is known to be very ruthless and efficient. His method seems to be very simr to mine. I could try to influence him with my ideology as well.''


    He looked at a Root ninja in his office and instructed, "Call the two elders here."


    Due to his analysis, Danzo was upbeat about his chances of recruiting Fujin. However, if he was to know that Hiruzen was nning to pass the Root to Fujin in the future, one would wonder what Danzo''s expression would be.

 Chapter 368: A Casual Spar...

    The people surprised by this bounty weren''t limited to just Vige Leaders.


    Akimichi Choza saw Fujin''s bounty while looking through the new Bingo book. A thought, ''Such a high bounty. No wonder Lord Hokage wants to nurture him. But, I still don''t understand why he wants to make someone this talented a negotiator.


    Yamanaka Inoichi thought while looking at Fujin''s information, ''So this is the boy that has been giving Shikaku sleepless nights. Fumito is on his squad. I''ll ask him to improve his rtionship.''


    Hyuga Hiashi analyzed, ''So this is the boy pushing Hoka to continuously be stronger. I hadn''t paid much attention to him earlier. But if someone like him is pushing Hoka, then it''ll be very beneficial for Hoka.''


    A look of surprise appeared on Inuzuka Tsume''s face as she thought, ''I remember how dedicated he was to training during the Chunin exam. I knew he''d be strong. But I never imagined he''d reach such a level so quickly.''


    The other n leaders had simr reactions. However, because they hadn''t been in direct contact with Fujin, they had to look up for more information on him.


    Since not everyone checked the Bingo book regrly, the ones other than the n leaders didn''t get to know about Fujin''s bounty immediately. But as the word about this matter, almost everyone in Konoha became aware of another talented youngster rising through their ranks.


    Of course, the one who was the most proud was Renjiro. A smile formed on his face as he muttered, "It looks like I might not be able to keep up with him anymore."


    He looked at the sky and wondered, ''Is this a sign for me to retire and leave active duty?''


    Fujin was unaware of the fame he was gaining in his vige. However, even if he had known, he wasn''t in a state to think about it. The effect of the soldier pill had run out and he was in a deep sleep as his body and mind werepletely exhausted.


    He rested for a couple of days before continuing his morning routine. To push himself to his limits, he started to use his training seal at 100% capacity for the duration of the training.


    After the training, he sat with his back against a tree while breathing heavily. He thought, ''100% capacity is too much to handle with that intense workout. I should go at 92% from tomorrow and slowly increase it to 100% in a month.''


    Fujin took a while to catch his breath. On recovering, he analyzed, ''In thest 3 days before the pill ran out of energy, I managed to create imprints for all the seals that I decided on. And my clones managed to learn both, the Five Elements Seal and Five Elements Unseal.


    I will next create imprints for these two. Theirplexity level is much higher than the other seals I imprinted. Once I manage to create imprints for them, I''ll begin working on the Four Symbols Seal''s imprint.


    My Vacuum Gatling is also at a usable level now. Its speed is around 71% of my Vacuum Bullet. And I can fire them at an angle of up to 45¡ã. In terms of firing rate, I can fire 4 rounds in a second and 10 in 3 seconds.


    Spending more time on improving any of these aspects would be pointless. Over the next few months, as I be more used to this jutsu, its speed should increase to around 90% of the Vacuum Bullet and the angle should increase to 60¡ã. The firing rate should also increase to 5 rounds in a second.


    I only need to train one more thing with the Vacuum Gatling. After I''m done with it, I''ll begin working on an AoE Vacuum jutsu. But, these can wait for some time. I need to do something more important today.''


    Fujin kept resting until he hadpletely recovered and then got up and began moving towards another Training Ground. He thought, ''I hope this goes well. If possible, I would love to explore this route further as well. Maybe not to the limit, but close to that point.''


    Fujin disappeared from his spot and moved at a rapid speed using Body Flicker.


    In one of the many training grounds in Konoha, a voice could be heard reverberating among the trees.


    "894"


    "895"


    "896"


    "897"


    "898"


    "899"


    Suddenly, the person stopped and looked up. After a moment, he continued doing his pushups and asked enthusiastically, "Fujin! How have you been?"


    Fujin replied, "Doing well, Guy-san. How about you?"


    Guy replied with the same enthusiasm, "Never been better. Why are you here? Also, just call me Guy."


    Fujin, "Sure. I need your help. My Taijutsu skills are growing rusty and I was wondering whether you''d be up for some sparring."


    Guy said, "So you want to spar? Alright!! Just give me a few minutes."


    "932"


    "933"


    "934"


    "935"


    "936"


    "937"


    Fujin watched with a deadpan expression as Guy doubled his speed of doing push-ups. He sighed internally, ''As expected...''


    Fujin moved away and began stretching his muscles until Guy was done. In less than a minute, Guy shouted, "1000!"


    He got up and said, "Alright, let''s fight now."


    Fujin nodded and took his stance. A smile appeared on his face as he felt a sudden surge of excitement. He thought, ''Might Guy¡­ Though I have fought a lot of exciting battles, be it against Kakuzu, Darui, Roshi or Kitsuchi and have seen someone like Hiruzen in action, no onees close to this beast in terms of real strength.''


    Despite it being over a decade, Fujin couldn''t help but recall the scene of Uchiha Madara dering Guy as the strongest in Taijutsu!


    Guy shouted, "Here Ie! Let the power of youth explode!"


    Without further ado, Guy burst forward like a whirlwind at an incredible speed. At the same time, Fujin moved forward as well and unleashed a punch. Their fists shed, producing a loud sound and a minute shockwave!


    A look of surprise appeared on Guy''s face. It soon turned into a grin as he eximed, "Good! I can feel the power of youth coursing through your body!"


    A grin appeared on Fujin''s face as well while he said, "Might Guy¡­ I have heard that you are the greatest Taijutsu master in our vige. A shame that I couldn''t spar with you until now. I really hope you live up to your reputation because I haven''t felt so excited about a fight in a long time."


    Fujin immediately unleashed a barrage of punches and kicks relentlessly, forcing Guy on a backfoot. Guy blocked and dodged his attacks and in a few seconds, began counterattacking. The two exchanged blows without a break.


    As the fight continued, Fujin slowly started getting overwhelmed. He parried Guy''s kick while thinking, ''Such crazy raw power and speed! His experience in Taijutsu is far superior to mine as well. I haven''t seen anyone apart from Hiruzen move this fast. And we aren''t yet using Chakra to enhance our power and speed.''


    Though Guy was better and was overwhelming Fujin, Fujin could still hold on. Since he was the one to request a Taijutsu spar, Fujin refrained from using Chakra to enhance himself to get an advantage.


    If someone were to see this fight, they would be shocked. Both Fujin and Guy moved at such a tremendous speed that neither could be seen by an untrained eye. Only the sounds of their fists and legs shing could be heard. asionally, some part of the ground would blow up or a tree or two would be broken.


    After 5 minutes of such intensebat, both fighters finally stopped and stood around 10 meters apart while facing each other. Fujin''s breathing was slightly rough. A few bruises could be seen on his arms and legs. However, none were serious. Inparison, Guy didn''t have any injuries on his body. His breathing, though slightly heavier, seemed normal as well.


    Guy praised, "Excellent, Fujin! You truly embody the spirit of youth!"


    Fujin replied, "Thanks, Guy. Your reputation doesn''t do you justice."


    A grin appeared on his face as chakra began flowing around his body. He asked, "I wonder if you''d like to get serious now."


    Guy observed Fujin and said, "The Senju Taijutsu style. Good. Other than Lady Tsunade, I haven''t seen any other ninja from the Senju n exerting more chakra than you."


    Guy took his fighting stance. Fujin immediately became extremely serious. He immediately concentrated chakra in his eyes. He could sense an intense chakra being radiated from Guy. It wasn''t as strong as his chakra in quantity, but it felt far more intense.


    Sweat dripped down Fujin''s forehead as he observed Guy''s application of chakra. He could only think, ''This guy¡­''

 Chapter 369: Strong Fist Style

    Looking at the serious look on Fujin''s face and his glowing eyes, Guy said, "My fighting style is called the Strong Fist style. Unlike the Senju Taijutsu style which uses Chakra to just enhance the power behind the punch or the kick, this method enhances the entire body. Though itcks explosive strength, its impact is much higher."


    Fujin was still surprised. He replied, "I see."


    He thought, ''I should have expected his fighting method to not be merely Taijutsu. His chakra ispletely infused in his body! There is no leakage. But¡­


    This method is different from just concentrating chakra in one part of the body. Infusing chakra directly into the body puts intense pressure on muscles and the chakrawork itself.


    I can understand infusing chakra in Limbs. I should be able to do that as well. Though it might be a bit painful. But infusing chakra in vital organs is very risky. Is his chakra control and medical knowledge so good that he is so confident in not damaging himself? But that doesn''t sound like Guy at all!''


    Before he could analyze further, Guy made a move. He burst forward like a bullet and within the blink of an eye, he had reached Fujin.


    Fujin''s eyes widened as he thought, ''So fast!''


    He immediately clenched his right fist and concentrated a lot of chakra on it and punched at the iing fist. The two fists collided, causing a strong shockwave to spread from the impact. Fujin and Guy immediately jumped back and created some distance between themselves.


    Fujin shook his right hand andined, "What is your fist made of? I felt like I was hitting Iron!"


    Guy chuckled, "You aren''t bad yourself. Get ready. I''m about to be serious."


    He moved towards Fujin and both exchanged a flurry of punches and kicks once again. Suddenly, Guy took a step back and began spinning while shouting, "Severe Leaf Hurricane!"


    He unleashed a series of kicks, targeting Fujin''s legs, Waist and Head in a random pattern. However, Fujin managed to block or dodge every kick. Suddenly, Guy jumped in the air and attacked Fujin with a heel drop.


    Fujin immediately moved out of the way and retreated. As he expected, as soon as Guy''s kicknded on the ground, rocks were sent flying everywhere around him.


    Guy ignored those rocks and attacked Fujin again. As the two of them fought, Fujin analyzed Guy''s abilities. He thought, ''In terms of speed, he is just barely slower than Hiruzen! The only way I could be faster than him is if I use Assassin''s Rush jutsu. Though if he uses the Inner Gates, I doubt Assassin''s Rush jutsu would be able to keep up. Not to mention, Assassin''s Rush only provides a linear speed boost.


    That said, though he is faster, I can still keep up and defend myself, even if just barely. One mistake and I''ll take a bad punch or a kick.


    I''m very intrigued about this Strong Fist style though. His punches and kicks are enhanced with chakra. But not the same degree of chakra as the Senju Taijutsu style. I can concentrate far more chakra in my fists and legs than him.


    On the flip side, the Senju Taijutsu style consumes chakra at a much higher rate. And it doesn''t buff speed or defenses like the Strong Fist style. Still¡­''


    Despite seeing it for a considerable amount of time, Fujin could still not wrap his head around one fact. He cursed, ''I still can''t believe how fucking good Guy''s chakra control is! Isn''t he supposed to be an untalented ninja who reached the top with nothing but hard work and determination? This changes my entire understanding of this world!''


    Of course, Fujin would never say that out loud. Fujin and Guy kept going at each other relentlessly for over 2 hours before finally stopping.


    Fujin sat on the ground while breathing heavily while Guy sat on a broken tree while taking deep breaths as well. Guy said, "You are good. No one other than Kakashi gives me such an intense fight. I see why you received such a huge bounty."


    Fujin was surprised to hear that. He asked, "You know about my bounty?"


    Guy replied, "How could I not? It''s the talk of the vige as of now. Everyone is curious about you."


    Guy put on his trademark smile and gave Fujin a thumbs up as he said enthusiastically, "Seeing someone as young as you getting such a high bounty makes the youth in me explode!"


    Fujin watched Guy and sighed in relief internally while thinking, ''Lucky. I thought he might begin shedding tears and summon a Sunset right at noon!''


    Fujin got up and said, "I''m more impressed by you, Guy. Is it fine if I ask some questions about your Strong Fist style?"


    Guy replied, "Ask! I can''t deny the request of someone so youthful!"


    Fujin asked, "How can you infuse chakra in your entire body? Doesn''t it put a strain on your muscles, chakrawork and even your internal organs?"


    Guy answered, "It''s simple. The answer is hard work!"


    Fujin was confused. He asked, "What do you mean?"


    Guy put up his trademark smile again and answered, "You just have to keep training day in and day out until the chakra infuses naturally in your body?"


    Fujin''s left eyebrow twitched. He asked, "Do you mean that you don''t do that via chakra control?"


    Guy replied, "No. That''s tooplicated."


    He gave Fujin a thumbs up again and said, "You just need to keep training until that happens naturally. There is no other way. At least none that I know of."


    Fujin sighed internally and thought, ''I should have known. Top-tier chakra control and medical knowledge just don''t match Guy''s personality.''


    He became serious as he analyzed, ''Still, though the method is strange and unconventional, I don''t think it will be risky. In fact, I have a feeling that this might be a prerequisite for learning the Eight Inner Gates. Or at the very least, being able to strengthen the body this way could help in improving the ability to sustain the Eight Inner Gates.


    The reason why I don''t think this is risky is due to how often Guy might be using it. In the future, Lee would master this easily too. And it''s possible that Might Duy knew this as well. Or perhaps he knew something simr and Guy improved upon it.''


    Guy saw Fujin in a deep thought and asked, "What are you thinking about?"


    Fujin said, "I have been feeling like my Taijutsu has been stuck at the same level for a couple of years. I was wondering whether you could help me develop a new training n for myself."


    Guy raised his thumb again and replied with his trademark smile, "You can count on me."


    Fujin said, "Also, one of the reasons why my Taijutsu was stuck was due to ack of fights as I prefer using Ninjutsu inbat. So, can you please spar with me on a regr basis?"


    A grin formed on his face as Fujin added, "I have a feeling that I''ll improve rapidly if I keep sparring with you like we did today."


    Guy grinned as well and said enthusiastically, "Of course. I can already see us unleashing our youthfulness in our spars! Do you have any other requests?"


    A smile formed on Fujin''s face. He said, "Just one more thing. How much did you hold back against me today?"


    A look of surprise appeared on Guy''s face. However, it quickly turned into a smile. He said, "I am surprised you noticed."


    Though Fujin had said that his Taijutsu was growing rusty, he was still very confident in his Taijutsu. He was confident in winning even against the Hyuga elites in Taijutsu. The number of ninjas who could defeat him in Taijutsu was quite low.


    However, despite his confidence, Fujin was one of the few who knew how insanely strong Guy was. In fact, even the ones who knew Guy''s strength didn''t know how strong Guy could be for sure. In fact, Fujin knew about it more than even Guy himself did.


    In addition, unlike Fujin, who trained in every aspect, Guy focused entirely on his Taijutsu. Despite his confidence, Fujin clearly knew that he was far inferior to Guy in Taijutsu.


    Guy answered, "Not much. My speed and power are as you saw. I just pulled a few punches to not injure you."


    Fujin thought, ''I see. He didn''t consider the Eight Inner Gates.''


    Fujin replied, "Alright. Thank you. Hopefully, you won''t have to hold back against me soon. Let''s start creating a training n."


    Fujin and Guy began discussing Fujin''s current body training n and began creating a new one. Fujin''s goal for this new training n was to infuse the chakra in his body just like how Guy could.

 Chapter 370: Deadly Training and a New Danger!

    Fujin and Guy discussed the training n for quite some time. It wasn''t like when Fujin asked Genki or Renjiro to help with training ns. Back then, his knowledge was too low and he merely followed the training ns they created with little input from him. But now, Fujin was quite experienced as well.


    In addition, his rtionship with Guy was more like a colleague rather than a teacher-student rtionship. So both were quite casual. After around half an hour, the n was finalized. Fujin thanked Guy and took his leave.


    As he left the training ground, Fujin sighed involuntarily and thought, ''What a weird exchange.''


    He recalled Guy''s first words. After asking for Guy''s help, Guy immediately created aplete training n and exined it to Fujin with extreme enthusiasm. His words left Fujinpletely speechless. Guy had created a training schedule that started at 5 AM and went on till 11 PM with extremely small breaks sprinkled in between for eating. In addition, some of the training involved embarrassing tasks like walking around Konoha on his hands!


    Fujin thought, ''He is even more crazy than I remember. Training in such a manner is very harmful to the body. Not to mention, it is useless for anyone who doesn''t want to abandon Ninjutsu and Genjutsu.


    More than half the time we spent discussing it was to cut the training time from 18 hours to 4 hours. A good amount of the remaining time was spent on removing the embarrassing exercises. While I don''t mind some strangersughing if I can benefit heavily, those exercises don''t provide any significant benefit. I guess he does it to improve his mental fortitude and to keep himself humble or grounded. But that isn''t an issue for me.''


    Fujin shook his head and thought, ''All the weirdness aside, the interaction went quite simrly to how I imagined it would. His nature is as helpful and straightforward as I remember. But, he definitely isn''t as simple or naive as he was in the series.


    No, even in the series, though he acted as a fool, I didn''t consider him as one. Though he wasn''t the sharpest, he was still very mature, stable and decently smart. But, in this treacherous world, he''d be even more smart. Regardless, since he has decided to help me, I don''t need to worry much about it.


    This method of training will be very effective. Since my body is already very strong, I won''t need a long time before I can replicate this. In maybe 3 to 4 months, I should be able to infuse chakra throughout my body.


    And, unlike Guy, I canbine the Strong Fist style with the Senju Taijutsu style. As long as I ignore the Eight Inner Gates, my Taijutsu could surpass his level if I devote the majority of my time to it.


    Sadly, the gains won''t be worth it as what makes Guy stand out is his skill with the Eight Inner Gates. I wonder if he''d be willing to teach me the Eight Inner Gates.''


    Fujin analyzed for a bit and concluded, ''Asking for it right away will be foolish. Let me first master the chakra infusion. In that time, I can improve my rtionship with Guy considerably with regr spars. It''ll be best if he proposes this idea himself. If not, I can ask him when I feel it''ll be appropriate.


    If he refuses, I can only ask Hiruzen whether Konoha has this forbidden method. Hiruzen should know about it considering that Madara was aware of this technique. So Might Duy shouldn''t be its creator.


    Though I''m not interested in the Eighth Gate, the ones before that will be very helpful. The ability to open the Second Gate is the one I want the most. To be able to get a second chance in the middle of a fight is invaluable at the top level. Even if my enemy is too strong for me, I can at least get a second chance at running away.


    From the Third Gate onwards, if I can use that excess chakra to supercharge my Ninjutsu while amplifying my Taijutsu, it would instantly take me to the peak among the rank S ninjas for that duration. However, that might not be easy considering that there is no precedent for it.


    Oh well, I''ll leave this matter forter.''


    Fujin flickered towards Yakiniku as he remembered another matter. He thought, ''Guy said that my name is getting well known due to the bounty. I was afraid that something like this would happen. Sigh, fame isn''t good.


    Hiruzen, Shikaku and Eagle have done a great job in keeping my identity under wraps until now. Even the Elders didn''t know about my identity. This sudden fame will probably pull me into this vige''s political mess sooner than I wanted to.


    I need to be more alert from now on. It was a lucky break that I learnt seal imprints and developed a cool idea that happens to help me in this regard. Hehe, I wonder who''ll be making the first move against me.''


    Though Fujin preferred dealing with matters with a swing of his sword, he didn''t mind shing with just intelligence either. Suna was still suffering due to the schemes he set in the process almost a year ago. He had also managed to get away safely from a terrible position against Mei with just a verbal exchange. Despite not wishing for it, he was looking forward to dipping his hands into Konoha''s internal mess.


    After having lunch, Fujin returned to Training Ground 23. He created a dozen Shadow Clones to think about how to create a wide range Vacuum jutsu. As for his main body, he decided to practice the training n he had finalized after a long discussion with Guy.


    Fujin stretched his body while muttering, "We packed an eighteen-hour workout session into 4 hours. I hope my body still stays in one piece after this."


    Fujin began the most intense workout session of his life until that moment.


    After a couple of hours, one of Fujin''s Shadow Clones suddenly snapped his eyes open. He disappeared from his spot and flickered rapidly towards the border of the training ground.


    Hended on a spot and thought, ''That''s weird. I locked on to a couple of minute chakra signatures that suddenly appeared. However, it dissipated as soon as I locked on to it.''


    Other ninjas entering his training ground happened every once in a while. In most cases, it''d be someone who wanted to visit Fujin. In some rare cases, it''d just be someone who was passing through. However, it was the first instance of someone disappearing after being sensed.


    The clone squinted his eyes as he noticed something on the ground. He bent down and picked up two dead bugs. He analyzed, ''These should be the source of the chakra. What was an Aburame ninja doing here? And why did he kill his own bugs and run away?''


    He spread out his chakra field, covering a circr area with a radius of 3 kilometers! Immediately almost every high-level ninja in this area looked in the direction of Fujin''s clone.


    Fujin''s clone deactivated his chakra field and analyzed, ''I didn''t find anyone hiding in nearby training grounds. Whoever it was should have mixed with the civilians and the ninjas. Regardless, why would the Aburame n send a ninja to do something so fishy?''


    He thought for a few seconds before shaking his head. A frown formed on his face as he concluded, ''No, this isn''t the style of the Aburame n. It should be Shimura fucking Danzo. Why the hell is that bastard crawling out of the ground?''


    He took another look at the bugs and observed, ''These bugs aren''t poisonous ones. Rather, they are the ones used for scouting and spying. He wants to collect my information. Knowing his record, he wants to either eliminate or recruit me. If it''s thetter I can handle him. But if it''s the former¡­''


    The frown on his face deepened. He thought, ''Though I am confident in being able to go up against Danzo and even his remaining Root ninjas in a fair fight, these bastards will never fight fair. In addition, though Hiruzen is extremely devious, he has a soft spot for Danzo.


    Even though taking the Root from him might seem a big punishment, it is very tame considering that he killed a rank S ninja, caused another rank S to go rogue and was the main reason behind the massacre of Konoha''s strongest n.


    So even if Danzo makes a move against me, I can''t count on Hiruzen to back me up. And, I''ll also need to be on guard against that freakish eye. Sigh, as I expected, fame is a pain in the ass. Danzo, I hope you don''t make things difficult for me, else I don''t care if Hiruzen gets offended.


    I should wait till I take the Flying Thunder God though. It shouldn''t be an issue as I doubt Danzo would make a move against me in a hurry.''


    Afterpleting his analysis, the clone clenched his fists. The dead bugs in his hand were cut into minute particles and cremated. A secondter, he dispelled himself.


    Fujin was sweating heavily as he exerted his body to the max. Suddenly, his eyes widened as he received the clone''s memories. His expression went back to normal and a smile appeared on his face as he thought, ''So you have decided to crawl out? It looks like things might not get boring even after I retire from the Anbu.''

 Chapter 371: Failure!

    Fujin didn''t bother thinking about Danzo anymore and focused on his training again.


    After four gruelling hours of relentless training, Fujin''s body felt like it had been pushed beyond its limit several times. His muscles burned with a searing intensity, and every breath he took was aborious effort.


    With a deep, ragged exhale, he finally released the tight control he had maintained over his body. He copsed backwards onto the training ground, his back making contact with the earth.


    Drops of sweat glistened on his forehead before trickling down, mingling with the earth below. His chest heaved as hey there, staring up at the sky. He muttered, "Finally done! What a fucking crazy training n! And I have to put my body through this hell on a daily basis¡­"


    Fujin closed his eyes and kept lying there, recovering both body and spirit. After around 5 minutes, Fujin finally got up. He stretched his sore muscles while thinking, ''No wonder the Eight Inner Gates isn''t popr. Only a maniac can put his body through this hell for years.


    Still, there is no doubt that this will be very beneficial for me. I should have gone to Guy right when Renjiro''s training n began losing effect. I should also make a new Training Seal. I will befortable with the maximum limit of this seal in less than a month with this training.''


    Fujin dispelled his clones and received their memories. A look of surprise appeared on his face. He thought, ''That''s weird. None of my clones could think of a good AoE Vacuum jutsus¡­''


    He began walking home while analyzing, ''The only decent idea they came up with was using several vacuum jutsus while using the Infinite Breakthrough jutsu at the same time. It would affect a wide range. But it isn''t the same.


    It is merely spamming the normal Vacuum jutsus. Though it would appear as a simr effect, it won''t be the case. Not only will there be a lot of gaps to dodge the attack, but it won''t be stronger than my normal Vacuum attacks either. I need to think of something better.''


    Fujin freshened up and had dinner before calling it a day. Lying in his bed, Fujin wondered, ''Now, what to do about Danzo?''


    He stayed quiet for some time while recalling all the information he could about Danzo. He analyzed, ''From what I remember, Danzo stayed inactive since the Uchiha''s massacre until he put Sai on Naruto''s squad. He didn''t make a move during Konoha Crush or for the 5th Hokage, either.


    While I can understand the former considering his actions during Pain''s assault, thetter is very suspicious. Why didn''t he try and im the 5th Hokage''s spot after Hiruzen died to his own student?''


    Fujin analyzed for a while before concluding, ''The only reason I can think of is the fame and reputation of Jiraiya and Tsunade. Perhaps, even if he tried, the other council members would push for Jiraiya to take the seat. After all, in terms of fame and reputation, Jiraiya is in a whole different league than Kakashi.


    Even if he tried using Shisui''s eye to influence the Daimyo, everyone would be very suspicious of such a decision. So his secrets would be out and would be far more detrimental for him in the long run.


    Wait, now that I think about it, the Hokage''s appointment needs a vote from Jounins. Without a crisis created by Akatsuki and an opportunity to create and lead a Shinobi alliance, he wouldn''t be able to be the Hokage. No wonder he didn''t fight for it.


    But, since he is making a move now, there might have been a change I''m not aware of, or perhaps my existence is tempting him to make a move. Either way, he has the potential to create a lot of mess.''


    Fujin was unaware of the fact that Hiruzen allowed Danzo to recruit talented orphans from the Land of Water into the Root. Though the Root was merely in the beginning stages of recruiting and the recruits didn''t add any immediate power to the Root, it increased Danzo''s hope. It also gave him an opportunity to exert some political influence in Konoha again.


    Fujin analyzed, ''If Danzo begins interfering, then he has the ability to change the future events. If he does that, I will lose a lot of my advantage needlessly. Though he won''t be able to affect Akatsuki''s operations much, he could alter the future by interfering in Konoha''s politics or worse, by interfering with Naruto and Sasuke. What to do?''


    Fujin kept lying in his bed while thinking about the insane amount ofplications that would ur if someone like Danzo began acting in a different manner than what he remembered.


    After a long while, he let out a sigh and decided, ''The best case scenario will be if he doesn''t interfere beyond a certain limit. But if he does, then I might need to interfere. Though killing him will be difficult and raise too many questions, I can cut off his arms by eliminating the few loyal Root ninjas he has one by one.


    Without them, his ability to act will be severely restricted. And though Hiruzen has a soft spot, I doubt he''ll give Danzo additional forces. He isn''t that naive. But, I can''t use Wind Release. Even though I can remove the traces, Hiruzen and Eagle have too much information about me. They will be suspicious and begin keeping tabs on me. Fortunately, I still have a hidden card¡­''


    Lightning sparks appeared on Fujin''s body before disappearing. Though Fujin''s Lightning jutsus weren''t as broken as his Wind jutsus, they were still strong enough to take on a Jounin. More importantly, they were backed by his fearsome speed and strength. Normal Jounin-level Root ninjas wouldn''t stand a chance against him.


    Fujin analyzed, ''No one is aware of my skill in Lightning Release. To avoid any suspicions, I didn''t visit the Lightning Training Rooms. If I kill some Root ninjas using Lightning Release, Danzo will suspect Kakashi. Since Kakashi wouldn''t do something so drastic by his own will, he will suspect Hiruzen. If a conflict between the two happens, then that''ll be for the best oue.''


    Fujin yawned and muttered, "Enough nning for today. I''ll have to wait to see what he does first."


    He closed his eyes and fell asleep within a minute. The training had drained him entirely!


    From the next day, Fujin followed this routine. He trained with the new training n early in the morning. He would follow it up with a 3-hour-long Taijutsu spar with Guy. After lunch, he would experiment with the ideas he had for an AoE Vacuum jutsu.


    This continued for 5 more days until Guy said, "The power of youth overflows in you, Fujin! Unfortunately, I have to take a mission tomorrow."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Good luck, Guy. Let me know when you return. I am usually in Training Ground 23 or therge house next to it."


    Guy gave Fujin a thumbs up and said, "Definitely!"


    Fujin took his leave. Guy''s trademark smile faded away as Fujin left. He thought, ''Suzuki Fujin¡­ I never thought that someone so talented in Ninjutsu would be willing to undergo such a training regime for 6 days straight. His Taijutsu is already better than Kakashi''s if he doesn''t use the Sharingan.''


    His grin returned as he eximed, "A junior is pushing himself so much! I need to increase my training even more. Before I leave, I will do a week''s training in only a day!"


    He immediately dropped down and began doing pushups at such a speed that his body looked blurry and left several afterimages!


    Fujin didn''t bother Guy anymore. He had another issue to take care of. While eating in Ichiraku, his mind was upied by the issue he was being troubled with. He thought, ''It''s almost been a week since I started. But I still haven''t had any sess in creating an AoE Vacuum Jutsu.


    Though I could create the idea I had, its effect was much lower than what I wanted. I won''t be able to pierce a Sussano with this method. Unfortunately, I don''t have any other good ideas.


    Creating arge enough Vacuum Core for an AoE attack is not possible. Perhaps spamming Vacuum Cannon might be the only way to replicate Danzo''s sess against the Sussano. I wonder how he does it.''


    Unfortunately, no matter how hard Fujin thought, he couldn''te up with a decent idea. It came as a surprise to him considering how quickly he could create the other Vacuum jutsus.


    The next day, after consuming the soldier pill, Fujin decided, ''There is no point in wasting a lot of time trying to figure this out. With Vacuum Gatling, Vacuum de and Vacuum sh, that Iwa army will be helpless against me.


    So I don''t need to worry much about this. I will begin working on taking my Wind Release to the next level. Hopefully, I''ll find some inspiration as I work on it.''

 Chapter 372: Wind Domain

    Fujin was sitting on the training ground while waiting for his chakra to recover. His clones had continued working on the remaining seals. Fujin didn''t bother visiting the training rooms because he was deep in thought. His mind was upied with thinking about what he wanted to create.


    Once his chakra recovered, Fujin got up. He began emitting chakra into the air from every chakra point on his body. As soon as the chakra was released, it transformed into the wind and mixed with the surroundings. If a normal person saw, he wouldn''t feel anything different.


    However, any ninja would immediately feel the high amount of chakra concentrated in the area. Fujin analyzed, ''Unlike the Wind Style Genjutsu, this can be easily detected. But doing what I have in my mind can''t be done with that little amount of chakra.


    But, it shouldn''t be an issue. Even though I''m sacrificing stealth, it will bepensated by the abilities of this technique.''


    Fujin focused his eyes on a branch of a tree in front of him. More urately, he focused on the wind around the branch which had his chakra mixed in. In an instant, the wind attacked the branch. The winds caused the branch to sway. A few leaves fell but no damage was inflicted to the branch.


    Fujin furrowed his eyebrows as he analyzed, ''This will take a lot of time.''


    He closed his eyes and continued emitting more chakra in the surrounding area. As he did, he also focused all his attention on sensing his wind chakra that was mixed into the surroundings.


    After 5 minutes, he snapped his eyes open and exerted control on the chakra he had released. Immediately, winds began flowing around him. The branches of the trees around him began swaying in the wind and a few leaves broke off.


    Fujin sighed and thought, ''It''s very difficult to exert control over this chakra. Making it sharper is even more difficult.


    Though my control over wind jutsu is normally very good, it is because I manipte it however I want before it leaves my body. Even though I have some more control over jutsus like des of Wind and Infinite Breakthrough due to Yin-Yang maniption, it still has more to do with what I do before Iunch the jutsu. As I spected, this will be a rather difficult technique to create.''


    Memories regarding his idea shed into his mind. Fujin thought, ''It has been a long time since I wanted to create something like this. I first had the idea after seeing the rank E Wind jutsus.


    But the idea was very vague back then. And I didn''t have any idea of how to even start working towards it. That changed when I fought with Susumu. His application of Wind Release to cast Genjutsu gave me an idea of how I could start.


    My idea is to emit chakra into my surrounding winds and control it. If it goes as I want it to, then I should be able to create extremely high-speed winds at will. I should also be able to make those winds extremely sharp. At ater stage, I should also be able to mix Vacuum des in this technique.


    Once it ispleted, it will be akin to the Wind variant of the Raikage''s Cloak of Lightning. Though it won''t buff my speed or physical defense and attack like the Cloak of Lightning, the entire area around me will be a death zone.


    I can use the Winds to tear apart anyone who enters in the range of this technique. I can also use the winds to defend against ranged attacks. And though I''m not sure whether I can use this to buff my speed, this could potentially aid me in another way. That is, the power of flight.''


    A glint appeared in Fujin''s eyes. The ability to fly and to create such a domain around him were among the top abilities that he craved. He thought, ''Considering the nature of this technique, it can''t be called a jutsu. Instead, I will call this my Wind Domain! Once I master it, even Obito would be very wary of sneak attacking me in the middle of a battle. He can enter my domain, but he can''t deactivate his intangibility while he is in it.


    Unfortunately, this technique will be very difficult to create. ording to my calctions, I''ll need at least a year of extreme training to make this technique workable. Raising it to a levelparable to Raikage''s Cloak of Lightning will need even more time.


    In addition, I will have to break this technique into several parts as trying to directly master it in its entirety will be doing too much at the same time. Also, these parts would help me keep track of my progress. As for what these parts will be¡­''


    Fujin chuckled as he thought, ''They would be the rank E jutsus in the library. Wind Levitation jutsu, Projectile Control jutsu, Wind Retrieving jutsu and the rank D Propelling Winds jutsu will be ideal for creating this technique. It''s just that instead of using my own chakra, I need to perform these jutsus with the chakra I have emitted into the surroundings.


    Of course, these alone won''t be enough. They can improve my control but won''t help me much in attack. For that, I need to create des of Wind andter Vacuum des with the emitted chakra. In addition, I need to create a new jutsu.


    The jutsu will be the ninjutsu variant of Wind Style Genjutsu. While maintaining the stealth aspect, I want to form an attack with the wind chakra I have emitted. Since the chakra will be very low, I can only create one attack. One simple cut with sharpened winds at the neck. I will call it the Silent Cut jutsu.


    This will have two usages. The first one is obviously for assassination. The second is to use this to sneak attack anyone who detects my technique, stays a safe distance away and is able to defend against me.


    Hmm¡­ Though I have a few more ideas, this should be enough for now. I''ll begin my training.''


    Fujin created 5 shadow clones. Fujin and his clones spread out around the training ground. Each of them emitted their chakra into the air and tried using it to use the Wind Retrieving jutsu.


    Fujin quickly became engrossed in his training. Though the jutsu had the potential to require arge amount of chakra, Fujin didn''t have much mastery over it. So he and his clones only released as much chakra as they could control.


    Due to this, Fujin''s chakra regenerated at a much faster rate than he and his clones could use. So apart from needing a break after dispelling and recreating the clones working on Fuinjutsu, Fujin didn''t need any other break. Fujin ignored everything else and continued his training.


    Three dayster, a ninja wearing a mask appeared in an underground tunnel. He walked towards a room and entered it. He knelt and respectfully said, "Danzo-sama."


    Danzo looked at him and said, "Torune, report your observations."


    Torune reported, "I tried keeping an eye on Suzuki Fujin for thest 10 days. For the first 6 days, he woke up at 4:30 AM. He went to training ground 23 at 5 AM. He stayed there until 10 AM. From 10 AM to 1 PM, he went to the training ground where Might Guy was at.


    He spent 3 hours there before going to have lunch in either Yakiniku, Ichiraku or his house. He returned to the training ground 23 after lunch and spent another 4 to 6 hours there before going back to his house.


    On the 7th day, Guy had to go on a mission. So Fujin stayed in the training ground 23 until Lunch time. But, in thest 3 days, he has stayed all the time in the training ground 23. He hasn''t left for food or sleep. I believe he is using a soldier pill to train continuously."


    Danzo was surprised. He thought, ''So much training? Is he preparing for something? Or is this how he always is?''


    He asked, "What is he training in? And did you inspect his house?"


    Torune answered, "I nted some of my insects to spy on what he and Guy were doing. They both sparred for 3 hours straight on a daily basis. Fujin''s Taijutsu is very good. He uses the Senju Taijutsu style. In a pure Taijutsu fight, I don''t think any Root ninja will be a match for him.


    As for what he did in training ground 23¡­"


    He took a pause before continuing, "I couldn''t find out. He keeps his chakra field activated in the training ground all the time. I tried sending in some insects, but he detected them and even tried looking for me.


    I nted some bugs in the training ground in the night, but he could somehow find and kill all of them before he began doing whatever he was doing. So I have no idea what he does there.


    As for his home¡­"


    Sweat gathered behind Torune''s mask before he could give an answer.

 Chapter 373: Limitless Applications of the Wind Domain!

    Danzo asked, "What about his house?"


    Torune answered, "Whenever Suzuki Fujin leaves his house, he puts a Five Seal Barrier tag on the door. I managed to find two more tags within a day. But despite searching for a long time, my bugs couldn''t find the two remaining tags around his house.


    I can''t say for sure, but I think that there are a lot more seals on and around his house. I got a feeling that if I had gone to inspect myself instead of sending bugs, I would have been discovered even if Fujin wasn''t there."


    Danzo was stunned. He began analyzing, ''Such carefulness while training and such protection for his house. Even the Uchiha n wasn''t so much on guard despite knowing that we could attack preemptively. What is he up to?''


    Danzo became very suspicious of Fujin. No other Konoha ninja took so much effort to protect their secrets. The only one who did was Danzo himself.


    Danzo analyzed, ''There shouldn''t be anything fishy in what he does in the training grounds. Hiruzen can inspect them anytime he wants to. However, his house might contain a lot of secrets. But, why didn''t Hiruzen look into it?


    Such behavior is even more brazen than what Orochimaru did. At the very least, he didn''t do anything in his own house and created secret bases around the vige. So why didn''t Hiruzen look into it? Or could it be that he has given the boy his approval?''


    Danzo analyzed for a few more minutes before concluding, ''I forgot that Suzuki Fujin is only 14 years old. What secrets can he hide? Apart from some sessions to learn Mystical Palm, he has no record of any expertise in Medical Ninjutsu.


    Hiruzen is likely using that boy to bait me. The seals should have been ced when Hiruzen understood that it was inevitable for his identity to be leaked. Once I make a move, he will get a reason to take the orphans I just recruited.''


    Danzo looked at Torune and instructed, "Don''t spy on him continuously for now. Instead, you will spy on him for two days once every fortnight. Select the days randomly."


    Torune replied, "I will, Danzo-sama."


    Torune left his office. Danzo watched him leave and thought, ''Though this might be a trap, I can''t stop spying on him. There is a lot about this boy that doesn''t add up. To recruit him, I will need information about his personality, values, ideology and his abilities. I can then find a way to drive a wedge between Hiruzen and him.''


    A frown formed on Danzo''s face as Hiruzen''s face appeared in his mind. He thought, ''Hiruzen is up to something. He is hiding a lot about this boy. Despite pushing him so much in thest meeting, he refused to tell us anything about the boy''s abilities that wasn''t already mentioned in the Bingo book. Seeing how secretive he is, there should be a lot more to this boy.''


    Unfortunately, Danzo had no way to know what was being hidden. He could only stay patient and wait for Torune to find something.


    Though Fujin had an idea that Danzo''s subordinates were likely spying on him, he didn''t know who was doing the job. After the 1st mistake, Torune was extremely careful. He stayed long away and only sent scouting bugs to check on him. He avoided doing anything that could expose him. He didn''t send his bugs when Fujin was inside the training ground and stopped nting bugs in the training ground during the night after Fujin got rid of them thrice.


    As a result, Torune managed to stay hidden. But as a consequence of such carefulness, he wasn''t able to get any information about Fujin''s abilities other than his Taijutsu. He did collect some other data like the restaurants Fujin preferred to visit, his schedule and simr misceneous information, which was important as well.


    However, Fujin was aware that there was no way of hiding such basic information about himself. So he didn''t bother trying to hide them. Instead, he just raised his guard against any attempts to poison him.


    Since Torune didn''t expose himself again, Fujin stopped caring about him and continued his training. His progress with the Wind Domain was slow but he made rapid improvements in Taijutsu after Guy returned from his mission. However, his biggest gain was something else entirely.


    Fujin was sitting in his basement, his mindpletely focused. His eyes were glued to his left arm, which was entirely covered in various symbols. Under Fujin''s control, the symbols began rearranging themselves, forming a seal on his left arm.


    Fujin let out a sigh of relief. A smile appeared on his face as he muttered, "Four Symbols Seal imprint is done!"


    He focused once again. The seal on his arm began moving to a point on his left palm. Within minutes, itpletely disappeared.


    Fujin observed his hand and thought, ''Finally I have a reliable method to deal with Jinchurikis. However, for it to be sessful, I''ll need to use the seal before they transform into their Tailed Beast mode. Otherwise, it might be very risky. However, I can''t say for sure until I experiment.


    Experimenting on Tailed Beasts right now isn''t possible. But I should try to experiment on other stronger beasts. Though the Four Symbols Seal is mostly used for Tailed Beasts, there is no reason why it can''t be used to seal other beings.''


    The scene of the gigantic whirlpool appeared in Fujin''s mind. He shook his head and analyzed, ''But, unlike the Tailed Beasts, the other beasts can probably not be used as a Chakra Battery. The best way to use them would be a summoning contract. If they disagree orck intelligence, then I can seal them with this seal and release them for rampaging around. They would serve as a good distraction.


    I also need to create the Eight Trigram Divination Seal. That would require some experimentation as well. Once that is done, I can begin working towards an original seal. I will have my clones working towards this after the remaining seals are learnt. Shouldn''t be too long now. I should be done with this in the next round of training.''


    Fujin left his house and went to the training ground to continue with the Wind Domain training. Fujin walked to the center of the training ground while inspecting the training ground with his chakra field and stood facing a tree.


    After confirming that there was no one spying, he began emitting chakra into the air. Soon, the entire surrounding was filled with his chakra. Fujin concentrated on the chakra in front of him.


    Winds formed and began moving towards the tree. However, instead of moving normally, the wind moved in a unique pattern. Arge amount of wind concentrated together as if it was forming something. Soon, it took the form of a human hand. Its size was asrge as a normal person and instead of fingers, it had sharp-looking ws.


    Fujin controlled it and used it to grab a branch of the tree. Immediately, around a quarter of the leaves on the branch were pulled off. The branch itself was assaulted by the winds several times.


    Fujin observed the attack and thought, ''Though I haven''t made any groundbreaking progress in the Wind Domain, I am progressing steadily. This attack is a result of 3 weeks of training. I will call it the Ghost Palm.


    Once I master it, I can use it to grab or just sh my opponent. If I grab it, then I can use it to either immobilize him or to shred him.''


    Fujin controlled the Ghost Palm and pulled all the leaves that were broken off towards him. The Ghost Palm slowly dissipated while a few hundred leaves moved towards Fujin. The branch stopped swaying. Some of its bark was peeled off but the branch itself wasrgely unharmed.


    Fujin analyzed, ''Its power is stillcking but I still have more than a month of vacation left. By the time it''s over, this attack will be ready.


    Regardless, the Wind Domain has a lot more applications than I thought. Due to my chakra getting mixed with the wind, I get a lot of control over it. I can use it to concentrate the wind in one spot and decrease its density in the remaining ces.


    It''s this ability that I used to form the Ghost Palm. And by doubling down on this, I can use the Ghost Palm to create an immobilizing effect. Even without the Ghost Palm, if I just increase the concentration of air around and above an opponent, he will feel immense pressure.


    And, once the Wind Domain is properly developed, I''ll be able to do the vice versa as well. Every ninja, barring Obito, Pain''s six bodies, and maybe the likes of Kakuzu, Hidan and Sasori, needs air to survive.


    Though this technique wouldn''t be effective by itself as even an Academy student can move out of the range, if Ibine it with a Fuinjutsu Battlefield, this will be an easy killing move! If my opponent doesn''t have a space-time movement jutsu like Reverse Summoning to escape, they''ll die helplessly!

 Chapter 374: The Promised Fight!

    Fujin continued analyzing, ''The ability to control the wind and increase and decrease its density also has another advantage. My Projectile Control jutsu is on a whole new level inside my Wind Domain. As my control improves, I''ll be able to use it to redirect my Vacuum Bullets and Gatling.


    Though the control over them wouldn''t be too high, it''ll be sufficient to deal with anyone who tries to preemptively dodge them or barely dodge them by a few inches. Though this slight redirection can happen only inside the domain, it''s fine as I could redirect them just before they leave the domain. And¡­''


    Fujin''s eyes sparkled as he had a terrible idea. He analyzed, ''If I can go one step forward and control individual gasses in the air inside my domain, then I''ll reach a simr level of battle prowess as Hashirama and Madara despite having far lesser chakra. Controlling what my opponents breathe¡­ They wouldn''t even know how they died!


    Unfortunately, I have no clue how to differentiate between gasses, let alone control them. The difficulty of learning how to do either of that will be insane. It''ll be like trying toe up with a new Kekkei Genkai.


    Leave it. This kind of thing can''t be forced. It''s like what Renjiro said for Kekkei Genkai. If I''m lucky and have the inspiration or somehow manage to merge the two elements properly instinctually, I''ll learn the Kekkei Genkai. Otherwise, I might not learn one even after spending decades working on it.


    Besides, even if I can''t learn this, I do know how to learn a rank S jutsu that could neutralize almost all rank S ninjas if I hit them. The Rasenshuriken¡­ Should I try to learn it?''


    Fujin fell into deep thought. After a few minutes, he concluded, ''There are a lot of drawbacks. Though my body is strong, I doubt itpares to Naruto''s in healing and resilience. The bacsh I''ll receive will be even more severe. However, I could circumvent that by just having my Shadow Clones use that jutsu until I am strong enough.


    The other issue is time. Despite having the right idea, Naruto still needed several days or weeks with hundreds of Shadow Clones to learn this jutsu. Though this soldier pill is impressive, it is shit whenpared to Kurama. Even if I assume that my affinity for Wind is significantly greater than Naruto''s, I will still need a lot of time to master this jutsu.


    And, these aren''t even the main issues. How do I exin to Hiruzen how I learnt Rasengan? That bastard regrly peeks at my training with that perverted crystal ball. What''s so entertaining about my training to peek so frequently? Can''t he just watch girls like his perverted student?


    Anyways, he will notice my training if I train anywhere other than my basement. But learning such a destructive jutsu in my house is a strict no. Even with barriers, I don''t think my house willst for long.


    I had hoped that the Rasengan would be in section A of the library. That would have given me the perfect exnation for how I know this jutsu. Unfortunately, that wasn''t the case. Apart from some scrolls about Minato mentioning this jutsu, there is no information about Rasengan or how to learn it in the library.''


    Fujin began thinking again. Unfortunately, he couldn''t think of any method that could work. He sighed and decided, ''Leave it. I''ll learn this technique after I master the Flying Thunder God. I can just leave the vige and create Shadow Clones to learn it where no one is prese¡­''


    Suddenly, Fujin''s eyes widened as he had an idea. He thought, ''Wait a minute! Why do I have to say that I replicated Minato''s Rasengan? I''ll use the same reason that Minato gave. I''ll say that I was inspired to create this technique by Roshi''s Tailed Beast Bomb!


    I can even say that I thought that the Fourth Hokage''s jutsu sounded simr to the Tailed Beast Bomb and was inspired to create it this way. Since I''ll be trying to merge Wind into it to create something that Minato failed in, I can im the Rasenshuriken to be my personal invention!


    The only w in this line of reasoning is that it''s been just around 8-9 months since I saw it. Minato needed 3 years to create this jutsu¡­''


    Fujin thought for a few minutes again and decided, ''Screw Minato. Let Hiruzen think that I''m more talented than him. Or let him think that I got lucky and got the right inspiration quickly.


    However, showing Rasengan will undoubtedly attract some suspicion from Hiruzen. I''ll wait until I get the Flying Thunder God from him. After that, there isn''t much that I''ll want from Hiruzen.


    The only things thate to mind are Edo Tensei and Eight Trigram Divination Seal. But the Eight Trigram Divination Seal isn''t veryplicated. I already have a basic idea and should be able to create it quickly. As for Edo Tensei, Hiruzen won''t give it to me no matter what. So it''s pointless to think about it.


    Alright, after I get the Flying Thunder God, I will also begin learning Rasenshuriken. Until then, I''ll continue working on my Wind Domain and Taijuts¡­''


    Fujin suddenly looked to his left. Someone had entered the training ground! A confused look appeared on Fujin''s face as he wondered, ''Why is he here?''


    A few secondster, Hoka appeared in front of him. He had a serious look on his face. Fujin asked, "Hey. Did something happen?"


    Hoka shook his head and replied in a serious tone, "Three years have passed since the day we made that promise."


    Fujin became silent. He recalled the promise he made to Hoka in front of Mieko''s grave. He also recalled the words they exchanged when they met a few months ago. Fujin said, "I am still a part of the Anbu. I can''t go on a hunt right now."


    Hoka replied, "It''s fine. We can start once you quit. But since you are here, let''s fight. I want to see how far I have progressed. If I beat you, we will begin looking for and hunting Uchiha Itachi."


    Fujin asked, "You haven''t ever defeated me yet. Are you confident in doing so now?"


    Hoka took his fighting stance and said, "I have trained every day for the past 3 years. Don''t underestimate me, Fujin. It''ll be the worst if we meet a cmity in the future because you didn''t take me seriously today."


    Fujin was surprised by Hoka''s words. He thought, ''So he figured that out? I wonder if it was time, experience or guidance that made him understand.''


    Hoka was thinking about the same matter as Fujin. He thought, ''Three years ago, I was very impulsive and naive in wanting to hunt someone who could exterminate the entire Uchiha n alone! Thankfully Fujin stopped me and put forth this challenge. I didn''tpletely understand him back then.


    But I now understand why he wanted me to defeat him before we could begin our hunt. I understand why Renjiro sensei didn''t try to get revenge. If I can''t fight Fujin equally, then we will stand no chance against someone like Uchiha Itachi. In order to kill someone like Uchiha Itachi, we need to be strong enough to defeat the entire Hyuga n by just ourselves!''


    Fujin took a deep breath. He deactivated the training seal on his body. He grabbed a pebble, looked into Hoka''s eyes and said, "Get ready. I won''t hold back. We start when the pebble hits the ground."


    Fujin tossed the stone into the air. Unlike Hoka, he didn''t bother getting into a fighting stance. He didn''t even bother looking at the pebble. Instead, he just stared straight into Hoka''s eyes.


    As soon as the pebble hit the ground, Hoka attacked!


    ''Eight Trigrams: Vacuum Palm''


    Hoka thrust his right palm at Fujin''s chest. A vacuum shellpressed with Gentle Fist style was fired at Fujin''s heart. However, Fujin''s figure disappeared and reappeared a meter to the left.


    Hoka''s eyes widened. He thought, ''So fast?''


    Fujin disappeared again. This time, he was moving rapidly towards Hoka.


    Hoka mmed his hands on the ground.


    ''Earth Release: Stone Shuriken jutsu''


    In an instant, hundreds of stone shurikens formed and were fired at Fujin. They targeted Fujin as well as his escape routes. However, contrary to Hoka''s calctions, Fujin didn''t retreat. Instead, he continued moving forward while easily navigating through the gaps in between the hundreds of stone shurikens flying towards him.


    Hoka was surprised once again. He analyzed, ''His speed has increased too much. But why is he closing the distance between us? I calcted that he''d stay far away and tire me out with clones and long-range jutsus.''


    Fujin''s approach to the fight waspletely different from any of his previous spars with Hoka and Mieko. It made all of Hoka''s ns useless. But, it wasn''t an issue with Hoka''s strategic skills.


    Logically, Fujin should have maintained a distance from Hoka to avoid getting his chakra points blocked by Gentle Fist style. If he doesn''t, then he''ll be allowing Hoka to use his speciality against him. But for some reason, his approach to the fight waspletely opposite of his normal fighting style.


    Hoka thought, ''All my ns were to force you into a close-range fight. But if you want to fight me with Taijutsu yourself, then I don''t need to bother with any distractions andplicated tactics either. Regardless, you are in my range.''


    He immediately took his stance.


    ''Eight Trigrams: Thirty-two Palms''

 Chapter 375: Fujin Vs Hoka

    As soon as Fujin appeared in front of him, Hoka unleashed a barrage of strikes. He didn''t increase his attack step by step and directly unleashed 32 consecutive strikes. Fujin looked at the flurry of iing attacks and thought, ''Correct response.''


    His arms moved at an even faster speed than Hoka''s. But instead of attacking, he blocked all 32 consecutive strikes from Hoka. Hoka didn''t manage to block even one chakra point on Fujin''s body!


    After blocking thest strike, chakra concentrated on Fujin''s right fist as he punched towards Hoka. Hoka''s eyes widened as his Byakugan noticed the high amount of chakra concentrated on Fujin''s fist. He immediately moved backwards and released chakra from all of his chakra points and immediately began spinning.


    ''Eight Trigrams: Palm Rotation''


    Fujin followed him and punched the protective shield around Hoka. The rotational force of Hoka''s jutsu repelled Fujin''s attack with an equal amount of power, forcing Fujin back a couple of dozen meters.


    Hoka wasn''t spared either. The force of Fujin''s punch was too high and he didn''t have enough time to reach his maximum rotation speed. As a result, he felt the full impact of the force as well and was sent flying backwards towards a tree.


    Hoka flipped at thest moment andnded on the tree''s trunk on his feet, before jumping back on the ground.


    Fujin shook his right hand while looking at Hoka and evaluating him. He analyzed, ''Not bad. I would have been disappointed if 32 Palms was the best he could do. I wonder how he learnt it. Did he copy it like Neji or did Hiashi teach him for some reason?''


    He said, "Palm Rotation, the secret Taijutsu of Hyuga''s main n. It''s impressive that you learnt it."


    Hoka was in no mood to hear Fujin''s praise. His mind was in shock at how good Fujin''s Taijutsu was! Not only did he take on the 32 Palms head-on, but he also made a dent in his best defense.


    He asked, "Did you ever take me or Mieko seriously in a spar, Fujin?"


    Fujin answered, "I always take all my fights seriously. I just prefer fighting in a way that has the least amount of risk."


    Hoka immediately realized, ''He is fighting in this manner so that I won''t be able toin about not being able to use my forte in the spar.''


    Fujin said, "Don''t get distracted."


    He disappeared and appeared behind Hoka and attacked him with a kick. Hoka barely managed to dodge the kick and counterattacked with Gentle Fist.


    Both entered into an intense Taijutsu fight. Hundreds of punches and kicks were exchanged every minute. Neither Fujin nor Hoka made a single unnecessary movement. All their strikes were precise. Fujin had an advantage in speed and power. However, Hoka relied on his Gentle Fist style to counter all his attacks and forced Fujin to pull his attacks back several times, despite having the advantage, to avoid getting his chakra points blocked.


    After 4 minutes of intense fighting, Fujin finally created an opening. He had blocked Hoka''s arms and Hoka was barely off the ground. He immediately kicked towards Hoka''s chest. Hoka saw the kick and cursed, ''Shit! I won''t be able to block or dodge it.''


    He immediately emitted chakra from the chakra points on his chest. Fujin ignored it and his kicknded on Hoka''s chest. Hoka immediately coughed blood and was sent flying back.


    However, Fujin had a thoughtful expression. He analyzed, ''I was nning on decreasing the amount of chakra I concentrated on my leg to not kill or injure him badly. But, I didn''t expect him to emit such arge amount of chakra from his chest to soften the impact of the kick. He has improved a lot. However, it isn''t enough.''


    Though Fujin wasn''t known for his Taijutsu, it was at a very high level as well. Sparring with Guy for a couple of weeks had resulted in rapid improvements due to how rarely Fujin had sparred in Taijutsu prior. As such, Fujin was sure that no one in the Hyuga n, barring Hiashi, would be able to defeat him in a Taijutsu fight. By giving Fujin such a close fight, Fujin was sure that Hoka was one of the strongest among the Hyuga n despite his young age.


    Hoka, who was flying backwards, gritted his teeth and ignored the pain and blood as he began weaving hand signs.


    ''Water Release: Water Dragon jutsu''


    Hoka spat out arge amount of water as soon as hended on the ground. It immediately took the form of a Dragon and began moving towards Fujin who was just observing it. Fujin analyzed, ''His Ninjutsu is the biggest surprise though. To be able to create such a huge Water Dragon so quickly.


    Combined with his Taijutsu, he is definitely at the Jounin rank. However, he is still some distance from the Elite Jounin rank. As for rank S¡­''


    Fujin sighed and muttered internally, ''That''s just too far.''


    Just like Fujin, Hoka was thinking a lot as well. He had a bitter expression as he thought, ''My n was to use Ninjutsu to force Fujin into fighting me with Taijutsu or at least his sword. To think that I''m the one resorting to Ninjutsu in order to buy some time.''


    The Water Dragon reached Fujin. Fujin ignored it and just flickered out of its path. Though the jutsu was impressive, it was just too slow to be of any threat to Fujin. He flickered again to approach Hoka. Hoka''s Byakugan were glued on Fujin.


    As soon as he saw Fujin, he immediately attacked the spot he was moving towards with the Vacuum Palm jutsu.


    Fujin immediately sidestepped it, but Hoka continued spamming the attack to target Fujin. Fujin continued dodging while getting closer to Hoka step-by-step. He wondered, ''Did he take inspiration from my Wind Explosion jutsu? Not a bad tactic, but he doesn''t have my chakra reserves to support such a high chakra expenditure.''


    In order to spam such tactics, the basic requirement was that your chakra reserves had to be higher than your opponents.


    As Hoka fired the Vacuum Palm jutsus rapidly, he concentrated chakra under his feet. His eyes followed Fujin closely. After Fujin dodged thest attack, Hoka thought, ''That''s it!''


    He immediately jumped towards Fujin at blinding speed. At the same time, he shot thest Vacuum Palm. A smile formed on Fujin''s face as he thought, ''As I expected. He was trying to lure me in.''


    He dodged the iing Vacuum Palm and got ready for Hoka''s attack. Hoka took his stance and muttered, "You are in my range."


    Hoka attacked Fujin twice, but Fujin blocked his wrists and didn''t allow Hoka to hit him. Hoka followed with 4 strikes, 8 strikes, 16 strikes and eventually 32 strikes, his momentum increasing each time. However, Fujin blocked all of his attacks perfectly.


    Hoka gritted his teeth and began attacking with even more ferocity and speed!


    ''Eight Trigrams: Sixty-Four Palms''


    This attack finally forced Fujin to his limit. However, instead of being bothered, a smile appeared on Fujin''s face as he continued blocking the attacks and thought, ''Now that''s more like it.''


    Fujin''s arms moved at the same speed as Hoka''s as he continuously blocked every strike that Hoka did. Hoka had a grim expression. He had already attacked 48 times without any sess. He gritted his teeth harder and pushed himself to his utmost limits.


    Fujin finally started having trouble keeping up. He barely managed to block 12 more strikes. However, just after he had blocked the 61st strike, Hoka''s right arm passed through his defenses.


    Hoka''s eyes lit up. He thought, ''Finally!''


    His right palm reached very close to Fujin''s chest. However, before he could hit Fujin, blood sprouted out like a fountain!


    Hoka was shocked! The blood that erupted was from his right arm. He didn''t understand how he was hit. The sight and pain made him stop momentarily. Fujin used that small opening and kicked his stomach, sending him flying across the training ground once again.


    This time, Hoka couldn''t recover. Though Fujin hadn''t concentrated chakra in thest kick, the attack had caught Hokapletely off-guard and stunned him. In addition, he was mentally and physically tired from using the Eight Trigrams: Sixty-Four Palm jutsu. So he couldn''t brush off the kick and fight back like the previous times.


    Hoka mmed into a tree and dropped to the ground. Fujin observed him and realized, ''It looks like he isn''t used to using the 64 palms attack. All his focus was on the attack and he didn''t have the capacity to focus on anything else.''


    A frown formed on Fujin''s face as he thought, ''I expected him to get much stronger than this. Did he lose the conviction that he had on that day? Or did he think that his current level was sufficient?''


    This time, Hoka didn''t get up. Instead, he just sat there while coughing. Though the kick hadn''t done a lot of damage and the cuts on his arm were shallow, Hoka understood that he would have died had Fujin concentrated chakra on his leg. He muttered in disbelief, "I lost."

 Chapter 376: Harsh Truths!

    Fujin sighed on hearing Hoka''s words. He flickered next to Hoka and tossed him a bottle stored in his bracer. Hoka caught it and began drinking the water. After a minute, he said, "Thank you."


    Fujin nodded without replying. He wasn''t sure what would be the appropriate thing to say in that situation. Both stayed there silently. After a couple of minutes, Hoka said, "You have be very strong, Fujin. I managed to defeat my father for the first time in thest month. I even learnt several Ninjutsus to improve my medium and long-ranged fighting abilities. So I thought that I''d at least be able to fight equally with you. I never imagined that your Taijutsu would be as good as mine. And¡­"


    He looked at the cuts on his right arm and continued, "And that it would be so good that I forgot about your Wind jutsus during our fight."


    Fujin extended his palm towards his arm and began healing him while replying, "You have grown strong as well. Palm Rotation would have been an obstacle if I had used Ninjutsu. And I heard that only the Main family in your n can use the 64 palms attack."


    Hoka nodded and said, "I haven''t yet mastered it. I managed to push myself to the limit in thest week as our challenge was close and barely managed to learn it. I still can''t do it sessfully every time. That said, I didn''t know you learnt medical ninjutsu."


    Fujin stopped healing him as the cuts had already closed up. He replied, "Just the Mystical Palm jutsu. It is a handy skill to have. Especially if you get trapped in enemy territory. It can save your or your teammates'' lives. You should learn it as well. You can ask about it in the Hospital when you go to check your chest and abdomen. With your expertise in the Gentle Fist style, you should pick it up very quickly."


    Hoka chuckled and said, "We Hyuga ninjas already serve as the best support on any squad due to our Byakugan and ability to protect ourselves. If we learnt Medical Ninjutsu as well, then our n would be known as the support n, hahaha."


    Fujin chuckled as well andmented, "Yeah, that''s true."


    Hoka said, "Well, at least I didn''t lose to you in just Taijutsu and forced you to use a Wind jutsu. I would have been extremely embarrassed if that happened! Hahaha."


    Fujin didn''t join in hisughter and had a peculiar expression. Hoka immediately noticed it. His eyes widened as he cursed, "Asshole! Don''t tell me you held back!"


    Fujin replied awkwardly, "Well, not exactly. It''s just that I could have just stepped back to avoid your attack which broke through my defense. Even though we were shing using Taijutsu, it wasn''t a reason for me to defend against every attack. And seeing how much attention and energy you had to put into the Eight Trigrams: Sixty-Four Palm, you''d probably be defeated quickly with my counterattack."


    Hoka''s expression immediately fell. He muttered, "You don''t want to leave me any dignity, do you? Why did you use Ninjutsu if that was the case?"


    Fujin shrugged and replied, "You didn''t have any guard up. So I couldn''t resist the temptation of using it. Besides, I have defeated you several times by exhausting you to your limits. I didn''t want to do the same this time."


    Hoka''s head fell due to being depressed. He muttered, "I didn''t have any chance, did I?"


    Fujin didn''t reply. The two fell silent once again. After a couple of minutes, Hoka looked at Fujin and asked in a serious tone, "Fujin, since you are so strong right now, why are you still against hunting Uchiha Itachi? If you catch him off guard, you can kill him with a single Vacuum Bullet."


    Fujin didn''t answer Hoka''s question and instead replied with another question. He asked, "You were recently dispatched to the Land of Waterfall, weren''t you?"


    Hoka nodded. Fujin asked, "Do you know why our armies were dispatched there?"


    Hoka furrowed his eyebrows. He didn''t understand where Fujin was going with this. He answered, "We were dispatched due to some weird movements made by Iwa. They first kidnapped arge number of civilians andter released most of them and tried to pin the me on Konoha. However, I have no idea why they did that or how they were discovered."


    Fujin nodded and replied, "They were discovered by my squad."


    Hoka was surprised. He hadn''t expected that the situation would have anything to do with Fujin. Fujin continued, "I fought with Kitsuchi in the Land of Waterfall."


    Hoka''s eyes widened. He eximed, "You mean the Tsuchikage''s son-inw? The rank S ninja?"


    Fujin nodded and continued, "He can barely be considered a rank S ninja. Kinda like the previous Uchiha n leader, Wicked Eye Fugaku. But due to his Sharingan, I believe that Fugaku would be a much more difficult opponent on the battlefield."


    Hoka nodded. He had frequently struggled against Mieko due to her Sharingan. Byparison, he had a much easier time against others at her level. He asked, "What are you implying by this?"


    Fujin replied, "If I had fought against Kitsuchi in a one-on-one battle to the death, I would have most likely been the one to die. Uchiha Itachi killed someone stronger than him along with the rest of the Uchiha n ninjas at the mere age of 13! Just like how we became stronger in thest 3 years, it is very likely that he has gotten stronger at the same rate."


    Hoka became silent on hearing Fujin''s words. He sighed internally. Hoka''s entire basis for revenge was Itachi getting overconfident and cocky and not bing any stronger than he was 3 years ago. He thought, ''Though I want to deny it, what Fujin said is true. If Itachi became stronger, then we might die without even getting a chance to escape.''


    Fujin continued, "We probably can''t even beat the Itachi that killed his entire n. Even if we assume he hasn''t grown even a bit since that day, our chances of victory are very low. To make matters worse, we don''t know what skills he might have been hiding back then or the new skills he might have picked up since then.


    We also don''t know what he has been up to since going rogue. I did try to look at his information in the Anbu, but there was no news about him. If he is alone, we could try to test him out. But if he has made any allies or created a base, then the matter will be far moreplicated."


    Hoka stayed silent. What Fujin said wasn''t a lie. The Anbu had no record of Itachi''s movements after he went rogue. Though Hiruzen knew about Itachi''s movements and Akatsuki, he hadn''t passed the information to anyone other than the elders. Even Shikaku was kept in the dark though he had some estimates. As for the abilities of his Mangekyou and his spirit weapons, Fujin wasn''t sure whether even Hiruzen and Danzo were aware of either of them.


    After some time, Hoka sighed and said, "You are right. Trying to attack him with our current ability and information will be suicidal. I will continue training. But, how strong do you think that we need to be to hunt him down?"


    Fujin replied, "We will both need to be at least rank S ninjas. That will allow us to fight and retreat several times so that we can force him to expose all his cards one by one and create strategies to eliminate him. Killing him will take several rounds of battle. And that is assuming he has no help. But if we are both at rank S, then we could even test out his allies."


    Hoka sighed and said, "Rank S is more difficult than I thought it to be."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Even your n leader isn''t a rank S ninja. To be one, you''ll have to defeat him at the very least."


    Hoka winced at that thought. Though Hiashi didn''t use the threat of the curse seal liberally, it always stayed in the back of the mind of every branch family member of the Hyuga n. He sighed internally and thought, ''Bing stronger than the n leader himself¡­ I hope nothing bad happens.''


    Fujin looked at the expression on Hoka''s face and immediately understood his dilemma. He sighed internally, ''What teammates I received¡­ One whose death was a certainty and another whose life and death aren''t in his own hands. Though there isn''t a record of Hiashi abusing this power, who would like to leave their life and death in someone else''s hand?''


    Fujin understood Hoka''s internal struggle. The main job of the members of Hyuga''s branch family was the safety of the main family. The n leader was always looked at as the leader. If a member of the branch family gained higher strength or higher influence than the n leader, then that member could be looked upon as a threat. For this reason, the Hyuga were kept out of Anbu, Root and any high-level positions in the vige.

 Chapter 377: Hokas Resolution and Fujins Reasoning

    Despite hisplicated feelings, Hoka said, "I will train even harder, Fujin. Though our target is very strong, I''ll be disappointed in myself if I don''t even try to avenge our friend."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Good luck. You will need to train a lot more. The difference between a Jounin and a rank S ninja is very high. A couple of years of training isn''t enough to bridge that gap. In addition, you will also need a lot of strong fights during missions to help understand what youck."


    Hoka nodded and smiled. He said, "I believe you aren''t too far from that level. Good luck, Fujin. I am sure sensei will be proud of you for bing one so quickly."


    Fujin smiled and said, "Thanks. But I still have a lot to grow. Don''t count on me to ck off just so that you can catch up to me."


    Hoka grinned and replied, "I will be disappointed if you do that. If that happens, then it won''t be satisfying to finally defeat you."


    Fujin chuckled and said, "Don''t forget to visit the hospital. I don''t have much expertise in detecting or healing internal wounds."


    Hoka nodded and took his leave. Fujin looked at his back and thought, ''Though I was a bit harsh, it was needed. Mieko is already dead. There is no point in meaninglessly joining her. Though he is strong, if I give him false hope and he tries to go after Itachi by himself, he will die without a doubt unless Itachi convinces his partner to leave him alive. If Hoka doesn''t surpass Hiashi and reach the rank S, then it is pointless for him to even think about revenge.''


    As he left the training ground, Hoka sighed and muttered to himself, ''I thought that I was training too much for thest three years. My parents as well as n elders frequently told me to take it easy. But Fujin¡­


    How hard did he train for his Taijutsu to be better than mine? And the information in the Bingo book says nothing about his Taijutsu! Meaning that his Ninjutsu skills should be even more fearsome. I will have to train like a crazy person if I am to have any hope of catching up to him. After all, he doesn''t have anyone to tell him to take it easy!''


    Fujin was lost in thoughts as well. After Hoka left the range of his chakra field, Fujin sighed. He thought, ''Though everything I said was what almost everyone believes to be true, I didn''t tell him that I am probably the one who knows the most about Itachi''s abilities.


    Though I am quite strong, and probably could even barely be considered a rank S ninja or at least extremely close to it thanks to the jutsus I learnt in thest 2 months, defeating Itachi is still pretty much impossible.


    He can neutralize me at a nce using Tsukuyomi. Though I am confident in my speed, if I mess up and get hit by Amaterasu, it would be deadly as well. Now that I think about it, I should make a seal imprint for sealing Amaterasu. It could be useful if I do end up fighting him or Sasuke.


    Anyways, in addition to being vulnerable to his attacks, I have no methods of piercing through his Sussano. Even if I did, he still has the Yata Mirror to block anything I can throw at him. That asshole is full of cheats! And that''s not even considering Kisame or Jozu who might be with him.


    Anyways, what''s the use of killing someone who is suffering himself, be it mentally or from a deadly disease? He is already dead inside and isn''t even the true culprit behind the event. If there is a culprit¡­''


    Fujin looked in the direction in which he had sensed the bugs around 3 weeks ago. A frown formed on his face as he thought, ''Danzo, I hope you don''t give me a reason to eliminate you so soon. Just keep hiding in the roots and wait for the death I have nned for you. I promise you, it will be a death in every possible meaning of that word!''


    Fujin stopped thinking about Danzo and Itachi and returned to his training. However, there was a bit of restlessness in him, a restlessness to be stronger quickly. Fujin suppressed it and continued his training. Unfortunately, it didn''t diminish much even after he was done with his training.


    While eating dinner, Fujin sighed and thought, ''This restlessness is simr to what Ryo had pointed out. I was already upset at being countered that badly by Iwa. I haven''t even gotten a chance to repay that Tailed Beast Bomb Roshi shot at me. And now Hoka brought back memories of Mieko and reminded me of the abilities of those crazy bastards¡­''


    Fujin sighed once again and thought, ''I hope the opponent in myst Anbu mission gives me a good fight. I have been itching for one ever since my fight with Roshi. That said, I need to return to Mount Muteki to calm myself a bit. Impulsiveness and restlessness are the bane of any ninja. A moment''s distraction is all that is needed to lose my life.''


    The next day, after sparring with Guy, Fujin informed him that he would be away for a few days and returned to Mount Muteki to meditate and calm his mind. He spent 3 days at Mount Muteki, mostly flying extremely high in the sky while meditating on Kaito''s back. He also used the environment to improve his control over the Wind Domain at a much faster speed.


    After returning from the small break, Fujin returned to his routine of training to his limit. Though the progress he made wasn''t visible on a day-to-day basis, the massive amount of hard work he put in finally started showing results.


    One week before the end of his 3-month long vacation, Fujin was training in the training ground along with a dozen Shadow Clones.


    Standing facing a tree, Fujin extended his right arm ahead and made a grabbing motion. In an instant, a w formed around the trunk of the tree. Following the motion of Fujin''s hand, it grabbed the trunk as well. The sharp winds that made the w immediately pierced into the tree, breaking it in two!


    A smile formed on Fujin''s face. He analyzed, ''The Ghost Hand is finally ready to be used inbat. It also provided me with a lot of insights into the entire Wind Domain. The reason why I managed to make the ghost hand sharp so quickly was because of the increase in the concentration of air to create the ghost hand.


    Though it''s good enough for the Ghost hand, I don''t want to do this with the Wind Domain. If I have to concentrate the air in one ce to make it sharp, it will make the process very slow. And anyone will be able to sense the change in air density, making dodging the attack much easier.


    For the Wind Domain to be as effective as I want it to be, I need the wind des to be created spontaneously without any signs or a lot of time. Als¡­''


    Fujin suddenly received a bunch of memories. So did his Shadow Clones. Immediately, everyone stopped training. An ted expression appeared on Fujin''s face. A massive grin broke on his face. He muttered, "It''s done! I''m a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster!"


    Fujin''s clones had learnt each and every seal in section A of the library! He had fulfilled the requirements of bing a Grandmaster in Fuinjutsu!


    Fujin almost began moving towards Hiruzen''s office to demand the Flying Thunder God jutsu when his foot stopped. A frown appeared on his face as he realized, ''Though Hiruzen unknowingly promised me the Flying Thunder God after the Chunin exam, knowing how cunning he is, I doubt he will hand it to me so easily. How do I ensure that he does so?''


    Fujin dispelled the Shadow Clones in the Training Ground. At the same time, he created a new Shadow Clone and dispelled itself. Immediately, the clones that were still in the basement received a message. One by one, they dispelled themselves as well after short intervals.


    While he received their chakra and memories, Fujin sat down on a rock with his chin resting on his right hand while thinking about how to approach Hiruzen to raise the probability of his sess as much as he could.


    Fujin''s mind waspletely focused. Hepletely exerted himself and extracted everyst ounce of shamelessness hidden in each and every cell in his body toe up with arguments to confront Hiruzen and create contingency ns in case they didn''t work!


    When thest clone dispelled himself, Fujin decided, ''There is no foolproof way. I did think of 2 arguments to appeal to him emotionally and another 5 to appeal to him logically. I can only hope that they work.


    If he still denies me the jutsu, then that would mean that the chances of getting this jutsu in a fair manner will be very low. Or rather, he would only give it to me when I make a huge contribution to the vige. But, there is no significant event that is about to happen for me to make such a contribution. And when one happens, Hiruzen will be the one kicking the bucket unless my actions change the future. And getting it from Tsunade or the elders will be even more difficult as I have little to no connection with them.


    So waiting obediently is out of the question. If he doesn''t give it to me willingly, I can only force him to give it unwillingly. As for the method¡­''


    A sadistic smile appeared on Fujin''s face. If Hiruzen had looked at Fujin''s expression at that moment using his crystal ball, he would have shivered involuntarily!

 Chapter 378: A Feeling of Emptiness!

    Fujin decided, ''If Hiruzen doesn''t give me the Flying Thunder God jutsu at all costs, I will take Naruto under my wing. I will first teach him the Shadow Clone jutsu and then teach him the Wind jutsus that would be perfect for pranks.


    And since he is so gullible, I''ll convince him that in order to be a Hokage, he will have to sessfully prank the current Hokage one thousand times!


    Though I don''t think Hiruzen would refuse to relent after that, if he does, I will drop hints of intending to teach Naruto the Great Breakthrough jutsu and also of teaching him how to supercharge it.''


    Fujin almostughed in an evil manner while imagining the scene of a thousand Shadow Clones spamming a supercharged Great Breakthrough jutsu! He seriously doubted whether Konoha would continue to remain standing. There was no way Hiruzen wouldn''t take that threat seriously.


    He began walking towards the Hokage Building. En route, he thought, ''Maybe that''s why Kakashi never taught Naruto any jutsu to take advantage of his ridiculous chakra levels. But still, it''s such a waste to know 1000 jutsus if you aren''t going to use them yourself or teach them to his students. Could have at least given Naruto a few jutsus that weren''t too destructive in nature.''


    Fujin stopped thinking about Naruto and went over the ns he hade up with to convince Hiruzen. After all, Naruto was hisst resort. He''d prefer getting the jutsu directly from Hiruren on that very day. If he failed, then he could think of all the nefarious ns for however long he wanted to.


    Soon, he arrived at the building and knocked on his door. Hiruzen looked towards the door and wondered, ''Why is he here?''


    He put a smile on his face and said, "Come in. Why are you here, Fujin?"


    Fujin entered and put up the same smile as Hiruzen. He said, "Grandpa, I have something to tell you. But it has to be alone."


    Hiruzen wondered, ''Alone? Did he figure something out about Iwa''s intentions? Or is he here to ask me for some favor?''


    Due to his previous interactions with Fujin, Hiruzen was on a high alert! He nodded and said, "Sure."


    His eyes moved towards the ceiling. Immediately, all 4 Anbu Guard flickered out of the room and shut all doors and windows. Hiruzen activated the seals and said, "Speak."


    Fujin said in an excited tone, "Grandpa, I have learnt all the seals from the Library. I''m now a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster!"


    Hiruzen immediately understood. He thought, ''So that''s why he is here. As I guessed, he wants something.''


    Knowing what Fujin wanted, Hiruzen rxed. He said, "That''s good. Have you created an imprint for the Four Symbols Seal as well?"


    Fujin nodded. He extended his left arm. Immediately, a seal spread out from his left palm and covered his left hand and forearm. Hiruzen observed the seal imprint and analyzed, ''Hmm, this is good enough. Since he could create a Seal Imprint for such aplicated seal so quickly, I don''t need to test all his remaining seals.''


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "You have done a good job. Congrats. You are the 11th Grandmaster in Fuinjutsu in our vige."


    Fujin immediately replied, "Thank you, Grandpa."


    Hiruzen asked, "Do you want to keep this a secret, or should I make your status as a Grandmaster in Fuinjutsu public knowledge?"


    There were quite a few advantages of making the knowledge public. As a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster, Fujin''s status would be on an entirely new level. His prestige would increase. A lot of ninjas and even the n leaders would try to create good rtions with him.


    Though it would put a mark on Fujin''s back, Fujin already had a 50 million Ryo bounty. So, by no means would it make his situation any worse. And, unlike most Grandmasters who focused entirely on Fuinjutsu and hence had limitedbat strength, Fujin''s main focus was Ninjutsu. So he didn''t have that weakness just like Hiruzen, Jiraiya and Danzo. However, Fujin still preferred keeping his cards hidden.


    He replied without thinking much, "Keep it a secret. If need be, we can make it public anytime we want to in the future."


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "Alright."


    Fujin said, "Actually, there is one more thing."


    Hiruzen thought, ''Here ites.''


    Fujin continued, "After I became a Chunin, you promised that you would teach me the Flying Thunder God jutsu after I became a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster. So could you teach it to me now?"


    He looked at Hiruzen with a hopeful look on his face as thoughts shed at the speed of light in Fujin''s head to counter anything Hiruzen might say to decline his request.


    Hiruzen sighed internally and thought, ''I just said it so that he would stop bugging me. How would I have even known that he would be a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster from nothing in less than four years? It almost feels like he already knew that this was a requirement and baited me into saying it.''


    Hiruzen couldn''t help but wonder, ''I wonder what Sensei would think if I started giving the Flying Thunder God as a reward for breaking a record in the Chunin Exams.''


    Hiruzen could imagine Tobirama lecturing him on making promises so carelessly. He thought, ''Well, this won''t be the first time I have disappointed Sensei.''


    As Fujin expected, Hiruzen shook his head! However, Hiruzen''s words were something he never imagined!


    Hiruzen said, "I have no talent for Space-Time Ninjutsu. The only ones I can use are Summoning and Reverse Summoning jutsus. So I can''t teach, guide or even help you in this regard. But, I''ll hand you the scroll for learning the Flying Thunder God jutsu that the Second Hokage created and the Fourth Hokage improved. Whether you can learn it or not depends upon you."


    Fujin was stunned by Hiruzen''s words. He thought, ''That''s it? He isn''t going to make me work to get the scroll? And he isn''t going to give me a Will of Fire lecture for 3 hours?''


    Hiruzen continued, "I will arrange the scroll for you in a week. You can take it from me after you return from your next Anbu mission."


    Fujin was still speechless. He had calcted numerous schemes and arguments for so long. He never imagined that Hiruzen would just hand it to him. He just nodded absentmindedly.


    Hiruzen asked, "Anything else Fujin?"


    Fujin gathered his thoughts. He shook his head and said, "No. Just keep this a secret as well."


    Hiruzen nodded and replied, "Of course. You have done very well, Fujin. Though no one knows it yet, Konoha is proud of you. If you manage to learn the Flying Thunder God jutsu, then you will be a beacon of hope for our vige, just like the Fourth Hokage was. Even if you don''t, you are still doing very well. So don''t force yourself too much.''


    Fujin nodded and replied, "I will, Grandpa. Thank you. I will see youter."


    Hiruzen nodded and Fujin took his leave. Fujin didn''t talk to anyone and just began walking back to the training ground at a slow speed. He was still processing his thoughts. Finally, he let out a sigh and thought, ''I should be happy and ecstatic for receiving this jutsu so easily.


    But for some reason, it feels like I have just suffered a great defeat. It almost feels like there is an empty feeling in my heart. Why is that?''


    Meanwhile, in the Hokage''s Office, Hiruzen continued his work. He recalled his earlier interaction with Fujin and chuckled. He thought, ''Does he still think that he is eleven or that I don''t know him? I could smell his intention to fight for that jutsu from miles away. Why would I even bother making things difficult for myself when I intended to give him that jutsu eventually in any case?''


    Though Fujin had tricked Hiruzen four years ago, Hiruzen didn''t mind it. In his view, Fujin was already capable enough to receive a jutsu like the Flying Thunder God. After all, he had given it to Minato when he was even younger and weaker than Fujin. Though he would preferred to make Fujin contribute more to Konoha before giving him the jutsu, Hiruzen decided against it after recalling Fujin''s actions in the Land of Wind and the Land of Grass and his way of ''contributing''.


    Fujin reached the training ground but was still a bit down. He shook his head and thought, ''Ah, screw it. I got the jutsu. That''s all that matters. I''ll teach Naruto some Wind jutsus topensate for the emotional roller coaster Hiruzen put me through. Besides, I will need some entertainment in my retired life. But since Hiruzen gave me the Flying Thunder God jutsu without any trouble, I''ll leave out the Shadow Clones, supercharging and the part about pranking the Hokage a thousand times.''


    Having cheered himself up, Fujin returned to training!

 Chapter 379: The Mole in the Anbu!

    In one of the many training grounds inside Konoha, it looked like a cmity had struck. Hundreds of trees were broken. The ground had dozens of craters. In fact, the entire training ground was covered in cracks.


    In this training ground, two individuals sat on broken stumps while breathing heavily. Guy said, "You are growing very rapidly. Small quantities of chakra have already started infusing into your body."


    Exhaustion could be heard in Guy''s tone. Fujin''s breathing was even rougher. He said, "It''s thanks to your training n. I already feel much stronger. In another couple of months, this process should reach the initialpletion stage."


    In thest month, Fujin visited Yoshi in the Konoha hospital several times to confirm that the process wasn''t harmful to his body. Though he trusted his analysis and Guy''s intentions, there was no harm in being more careful. Fortunately, the process was very safe and beneficial for him.


    Guy nodded and said, "Yeah. Your progress will slow down once you reach that stage. But don''t be discouraged. As long as you keep training, your body will keep getting stronger."


    He grinned, gave Fujin a thumbs up and said, "There is no limit to how much our bodies can improve!"


    Fujin nodded and thought, ''Yeah. Who''d have imagined that this crazy guy would nearly kill Madara who was at a level far beyond what he was in his prime.''


    Fujin said, "Don''t worry. I''ll keep working on my body."


    He chuckled and added, "I''d hate it if I couldn''t make you go all out in our spars."


    Guy chuckled as well. Fujin continued, "But, we won''t be able to spar for a few days. I''ll be going on a mission."


    Guy replied, "Actually, our spars will have to be less frequent."


    Fujin raised his eyebrow and asked, "Why?"


    Guy grinned and said, "Because I''m gonna be a sensei."


    Fujin acted surprised and said, "Ah, I nearly forgot that a new batch will be passing out from the academy."


    He chuckled and teased, "But I didn''t think you were the sensei-type, Guy. Hahaha!"


    Guy ignored the teasing tone and imed proudly, "My squad will have a very promising youngster. In the future, he may even give you a tough time, Fujin. So don''t get toofortable with your power."


    Fujin waved his arm dismissively and replied, "I''m still a few days away from my 15th birthday. So, I am still in my youth and have a lot to grow. It''s you and Kakashi who are getting older and have to be worried about being surpassed."


    Guy immediately stood up and eximed passionately, "Don''t underestimate the power of my youth!"


    Fujin chuckled and said, "I''ll see you around, Guy. Good luck with your new students."


    He disappeared from the training ground. Guy muttered in annoyance, "Did Kakashi send him to me so that I wouldn''t challenge him anymore?"


    He snorted and eximed loudly, "Kakashi! My eternal rival! We need to have anotherpetition before we both be Sensei!"


    He disappeared from the training ground as well!


    Fujin returned to his home. Since it was thest day of his vacation, he decided to rest so that he would be at his full strength during the mission.


    Fujin analyzed, ''This vacation was very fruitful. I created an array of new Vacuum and Wind jutsus thatpensate for my previous weakness. Though a new counter can be created for my new fighting style, it will be more difficult and take a longer time. More importantly, they would have to know about these new jutsus. And I have several methods of keeping them hidden.


    Beyond that, my biggest gain was bing Fuinjutsu Grandmaster and creating Seal Imprints. My Taijutsu has also made massive improvements. And, I have made my idea of the Wind Domain a reality, though it still needs a lot of work.


    After I quit Anbu, I will have to keep working on my Taijutsu and Wind Domain. Along with them, I''ll have to work on learning the Flying Thunder God and creating the Eight Trigram Divination Seal.


    Of these 4, the Eight Trigram Divination Seal should be the easiest. Once I''m done with it, I''ll create its seal imprint and then begin working on creating a Battlefield as Uchiha Sora did. Sigh, the next year is going to be as hectic as myst 3 months. And that''s without considering any outside interference.''


    Fujin rested for the remaining day. The next day, he returned to the underground Anbu Headquarters after 3 months. As usual, the Anbu headquarters had several Anbu moving around it. A few nced at Fujin before continuing with their work. Fujin noticed their nces and didn''t mind them. He just entered his assigned room.


    Unknown to him, one Anbu ninja became serious about seeing Fujin. However, he didn''t nce at Fujin for more than a second, due to which Fujin didn''t notice anything odd. He thought, ''That''s Suzuki Fujin, the Spectral Swordsman. Though he is wearing a mask, I can easily identify him.


    Danzo-sama said that he had taken a 3 month-long vacation. Since he is back, he should be taking a mission today.''


    He immediately moved towards Eagle''s office.


    Inside his room, Fujin met up with his team. He looked at all 3 and asked, "So, did you enjoy the vacation?"


    Bunjiro grinned and answered, "Of course. I was afraid that my sensei would have broken his ties with me had the vacation been any longer."


    Hearing his words, Yugao''s expression also became weird. She had made Hayate teach her so much that he had fallen sick. Fortunately, she was wearing her mask. She and Fumito nodded.


    Fujin said, "I would have loved to spar with you guys once again. But we will be hitting the ground running. Our next mission will bepleted by you three. I will be just observing you three and will only interfere if you can''t handle the mission."


    Yugao replied, "You can leave it to us, Captain."


    Fumito nodded and added, "I have been wanting to test my skills for some time as well."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Good. I''ll go take a mission from Eagle. You three wait here. By the time I return, decide on which disguise you want to use during the mission. We will bepleting the mission under disguise."


    After thest mission, Fujin didn''t wantziness to be the reason for getting caught in another trap. Though maintaining transformation jutsu all the time strained chakra reserves and concentration, it wasn''t unbearable.


    The trio nodded. Fujin left his room.


    While Fujin was talking with his team, Danzo''s subordinate entered Eagle''s office and approached him. Eagle looked up and asked, "Tiger, does your team want to go on a mission again?"


    Tiger nodded. He was an Anbu Captain just like Fujin. Of course, he was much weaker. Eagle quickly handed him a mission.


    Tiger read the mission information and asked, "Can I look into the other missions as well, in case there is one that suits my team more?"


    Eagle nodded. Anbu ninjas picking out missions for themselves during peacetime wasn''t strange. Pretty much everyone did it regrly unless there were special instructions from the Hokage or a mission required a particr set of abilities.


    Tiger quickly looked into all the avable missions. After a couple of minutes, he shortlisted two. He analyzed, ''A diplomatic mission to the Land of Grass. Danzo-sama said that Fujin was frequently given diplomatic missions in thest year. So he could be given this mission. But¡­''


    Tiger looked at the second mission and analyzed, ''But the situation in the Land of Waterfall is more important. We have to eliminate an entire Noble family because they are nning for a deep cooperation with Iwa. They will have a few Jounins protecting them and Iwa ninjas could also be involved. With his past record, Fujin would likely be sent here.''


    Tiger said, "I want to take this mission to the Land of Grass."


    Eagle replied, "Alright. Your team can take it."


    Tiger nodded and left. As soon as he left, he created two Shadow Clones. One Shadow Clone went out to inform his teammates while the other Shadow Clone snuck into the Root facilities hidden underground. He himself kept waiting in the hall.


    His Shadow Clone reached Danzo''s office in a minute. Danzo noticed him and asked, "Did Suzuki Fujin appear?"


    Tiger nodded and said, "He and his team have appeared in the Anbu Headquarters. I believe they will take a mission today. I checked up on all the missions. There were two that I thought he would be given. I have taken one of them. So he should be dispatched to the Land of Waterfall to eliminate the Yanagi family."


    Danzo nodded and analyzed, ''The Yanagi family. They are trying to enter into an alliance with Iwagakure due to the previous events. A good mission. The presence of Iwagakure ninjas wouldn''t be seen as suspicious.''


    He said, "Good work. Return to your duties. Send me a confirmation when you see him leaving. After that, justplete your mission properly."

 Chapter 380: Danzos Treacherous Scheme!

    Tiger nodded and dispelled his Shadow Clone. Danzo got into action as well. He dispatched a couple of Root squads. Both squads consumed soldier pills and travelled straight to Iwagakure. Their goal was to inform Iwagakure of the fact that Fujin was sent to eliminate the Yanagi family.


    Danzo saw the two squads leave and thought, ''Iwagakure suffered heavily at Fujin''s handsst time. They should understand that his threat is far greater than the benefits of befriending the Yanagi family. So Onoki will use this opportunity to set up a trap to lure and kill Fujin.


    But, ording to my calctions, they will fail. Onoki and the Jinchurikis can''t move. They can only send Kitsuchi and more Jounins. Though I''m not sure what training Fujin did, considering how intense and secretive it was, I believe he should have trained in a way to counter Kitsuchi and other Iwa ninjas.


    So Fujin won''t die. But the same can''t be said about his teammates. However, losing 3 Anbu ninjas in exchange for dozens of Iwagakure Jounins is beneficial for the vige. This sh, in addition to the previous one, will significantly weaken Iwa''s morale and confidence.


    More importantly, getting ambushed for the second time will make Fujin question Hiruzen and the Anbu organization''spetence and intentions. I can use that to recruit him. Hiruzen has been giving Fujin diplomatic missions and taking him along for negotiations. Such a waste of his potential. Only under my guidance can he contribute the most for Konoha!''


    Danzo''s strategy was extremely treacherous. Even more impressive was that he came up with it in mere minutes. His scheme would cause heavy damage to Iwagakure and create a deep wedge between Fujin and Hiruzen. If everything went ording to his n, then he could get a very capable subordinate. Even if calctions were inurate and Fujin ended up dying, Danzo wouldn''t suffer any losses or lose any sleep over it.


    Fujin was unaware of the treacherous trap targeting him. Though he had taken sufficient precautions against Danzo, he never imagined that Danzo would use such an unconventional method to create trouble for him. He entered Eagle''s office. Tiger, who was near the office, noticed him entering.


    Eagle saw Fujin and said, "It''s good to have you back."


    Fujin nodded and said, "It''s good to see you again as well. We will be hitting the ground running. Have any good missions?"


    Eagle nodded and handed Fujin the mission to eliminate the Yanagi family. Fujin read the information and analyzed, ''Hmm, a typical elimination mission. They have 2 Jounins, but they are from Taki and not one of the 5 major viges. It won''t be any challenge to eliminate them.


    However, since Iwagakure is involved, a couple of their Anbu could also be hiding there. That could make things interesting. But¡­''


    Fujin sighed internally and thought, ''It''ll be a rather lousy mission for myst Anbu mission.''


    Fujin ced the mission file back on the desk and said, "It''s not good enough. Do you have any rank S mission?"


    Eagle was confused. He said, "This is a rank S mis..."


    Fujin interrupted him and said, "It''s too easy. I want a tougher mission to test my team. Something that will have multiple Jounin level ninjas in the enemy ranks."


    Eagle wondered, ''Is he upset that his team wasn''t much help in the previous mission and wants to put them to the test?''


    Suddenly, Eagle''s eyes widened. He asked, "Do you intend to¡­"


    Fujin nodded and said, "It''s time. Yugao and Fumito are already very capable."


    Eagle nodded and said, "Alright."


    He went through his files and grabbed another file. He handed it to Fujin and said, "This is a mission from the Land of Hot Water. Their southern territory has seen a lot of attacks from Rogue ninjas from Kirigakure. The high number of attacks shows that there is some sort of cooperation among those rogue ninjas.


    Lord Hokage believes that Kirigakure itself is involved in these attacks and these rogue ninjas are just a front. As we aren''t sure of the situation, we were nning to send 3 Jounin squads left by 2 Elite Jounins to deal with this situation.


    However, since you want a more difficult mission, your squad can take it. But, you will ascertain the situation first. If it is beyond what you can deal with, you can retreat. We will be sending the units we nned one weekter. You will cooperate with them to get the job done."


    Fujin went through the details in the file and said, "Alright. We will take this mission."


    He tossed a seal to Eagle and said, "If we can''tplete the mission, this seal will burn."


    Eagle took the seal and said, "Alright. Good luck. Meet up with the Daimyo of Hot Water to get updates on the situation. They could have already found out the location of any enemy bases in their country."


    Fujin nodded and stored the file in his bracer before leaving. He quickly met up with his team and they left the Anbu Headquarters. Tiger noticed their movements and thought, ''I was right.''


    He quickly sent another Shadow Clone to Danzo to inform him about Fujin''s team''s departure. Unfortunately, despite making an excellent n on the go, Danzo failed to consider that Fujin would refuse the assigned mission and take a mission that required several squads toplete and wasn''t supposed to be an Anbu mission!


    So the Root ninjas he deployed moved in theplete opposite direction of Fujin''s squad. While Tiger could nce a few times at Fujin inside the Anbu Headquarters, he didn''t dare to chase Fujin outside to keep an eye on his movements. So Danzo would stay unaware of the real mission that Fujin took for a few days, making it toote for him to do anything about it.


    Fujin''s team moved rapidly through the Land of Fire. En route, they had used Transformation jutsu to disguise themselves. No one would be able to link them to Fujin and his team. They rested at the border between the two countries at night and continued moving the next day. At noon, they reached Yugakure.


    They quickly flickered in front of the Daimyo pce. The samurai guards were startled to see 4 masked ninjas suddenly appearing out of nowhere. Before they could ask anything, Fujin tossed a file and said, "Wee from Konoha regarding the mission Lord Daimyo issued. Inform him of our arrival."


    The Samurai caught the file and looked at it before replying, "Alright, stay here for a few minutes."


    He immediately sent a servant inside to deliver the message. Opposite the Daimyo pce was a small shop. As soon as Fujin''s squad arrived, his eyes immediately moved towards them. He observed them and within a second turned them away.


    He thought, ''From Konoha, eh?''


    If Fujin had known that the words he spoke were heard by a shopkeeper across the street, he would be surprised. After all, though he wasn''t too soft, his voice wasn''t loud enough to be heard on the other side of the street.


    The shopkeeper analyzed, ''Two fatties, 1 skinny and 1 with a slightly decent build, all 4 men. Lord Raikage had said that the squad he is looking for has one girl who has long purple hair, a blond man and two with ck hair. And none of them were fat. This isn''t the squad he is looking for.''


    He went about his business and didn''t look at the Konoha ninjas again. Unknowingly, Fujin had dodged two menacing bullets in two days! Had he known about it, he''d be amused and be thankful that luck was finally with him. Unfortunately, he had no way of knowing the two devious schemes he avoided unknowingly.


    After a few minutes, Fujin and his team were invited in. They were escorted to the conference room. On entering the room, Fujin noticed the Daimyo sitting on the farthest seat from the door. Several Nobles were also sitting in the room. In addition, there were a few Samurais in the room. There was a familiar face as well.


    Fujin looked at arge man sitting next to the Daimyo and thought, ''Tokuhei¡­ Since when did he start sitting next to the Daimyo? Is there a change in the internal politics of this country?''


    Tokuhei was one of the few who advocated for more funding for the ninjas in the Land of Hot Water. On the other hand, the Daimyo and most of the Nobles wanted topletely stop funding for the ninja academy due to numerous reasons.


    Though Fujin was intrigued, he didn''t have any time to investigate it. The Daimyo said, "This mission will require more than just four ninjas. And it will be a joint mission with our ninjas. Why did Lord Hokage send just the four of you?"


    Fujin replied, "Lord Hokage believes that Kirigakure might be the ones backing the rogue Kiri ninjas. So this mission could be far moreplicated than what you imagined it to be."


    [Alternate Title: Dodging Two Bullets]

 Chapter 381: A Massacre!

    A frown formed on the officials from the Land of Hot Water. Tokuhei said, "We have that suspicion as well. But it still doesn''t answer why there are only four of you here?"


    Fujin answered, "We will be entering into their territories to investigate. If Kirigakure is involved, then Lord Hokage will send the required forces a weekter. You can join them but be prepared. The conflict could be a lot more intense than what you have calcted. If Kirigakure isn''t involved, then we will bepleting the mission by ourselves."


    Tokuhei thought for a bit and replied, "Alright."


    Fujin said, "Hand over what you have already analyzed so that we won''t waste any time repeating the same or searching fruitlessly."


    Tokuhei nodded and ced a map on the table. He quickly exined their findings and analysis to Fujin and his team.


    After getting all the required information, Fujin and his squad left immediately. After they left, Tokuhei sighed and muttered, "It is so difficult to cooperate with the Anbu of other countries."


    However, one of the Nobles snorted andmented, "At least they are willing to undertake such risky missions."


    Tokuhei looked at the Noble but didn''t say anything. The amount of ninjas in the Land of Hot Water was already pitifully low. He had no intention of wasting their lives just to prove a point.


    Fujin''s team rapidly moved through the Land of Hot Water towards the coastal areas. While moving, Fujin instructed, "As I said, this mission will be up to you. Yugao, you will take over my role. I will keep an eye out from far and will jump in if need be, but operate under the assumption that I''m not here."


    Everyone nodded. Within a couple of hours, they reached one of the locations that Tokuhei had pointed out. The location was a small hill that had arge cave within it. Fujin stayed back while Yugao took charge. She moved close to the cave along with Fumito and Bunjiro.


    Bunjiro softly said, "The cave seems to be abandoned."


    Yugao nodded and instructed, "Fumito, send a Shadow Clone through the underground. See if you can feel any chakra signatures. If you don''t, then activate your chakra field and inspect."


    Fumito nodded and created a Shadow Clone. The clone moved through the ground into the cave. He tried to feel any chakra fluctuations in the cave passively but didn''t sense anything. After a few minutes, the clone activated his chakra field. It covered the entire hill. He didn''t detect anyone and came out of the ground and began inspecting the cave. After some time, the clone dispelled himself.


    Fumito received his memories and said, "There is no one inside the cave. There aren''t any traps inside either. Even if there was anyone here earlier, all traces have been eliminated."


    Yugao said, "Alright, we will move on to the next location."


    The group immediately began moving towards other bases that Tokuhei had pointed out earlier. However, every base they went to turned out to be empty.


    Yugao fell into a dilemma. After thinking for a bit, she said, "The mission also requires us to check up on the viges in this area. We will do that before moving closer to the shore."


    Fumito and Bunjiro nodded. They arrived at the first vige. However, to their surprise, it was empty as well!


    Bunjiro frowned and asked, "What the hell is going on here? Why is everything that guy pointed to empty?"


    Fumito muttered, "I''m afraid that something huge is happening here."


    Fujin, who was observing from a bit away, wondered, ''That''s strange. Why is this vige empty as well? If there was a sh, there would at least be blood stains in the vige. But there is nothing of that sort. It''s as if everyone left obediently.''


    He thought for a bit before his eyes suddenly widened. He thought, ''Don''t tell me Hidan is nning his ritual. I haven''t heard any news of his ughter yet. Things will be a lot moreplicated if he gets involved.''


    Yugao instructed, "Let''s check up on the other viges."


    They immediately began moving. The next vige turned out to be empty as well. Fujin wondered, ''Exactly how many people does he need for the ritual? Hmm, now that I think about it, Hidan would be the perfect target to master reading memories perfectly. But should I kill him now? It''ll create some changes in the Akatsuki.''


    Fujin was on the fence. He followed his subordinates while analyzing, ''Right now, Hidan is the only future Akatsuki member that I''m confident in defeating other than Deidara who hasn''t gone rogue yet. I can cut him into pieces and seal him up. But who would partner up with Kakuzu if I eliminated Hidan now?


    It will be a pain in the ass if the pairings of Akatsuki are changed. It could change the futurepletely. If they decide to not recruit Deidara and partner Sasori and Kakuzu, then I''m not sure how the Gaara rescue mission would go. I will have to convince Tsunade, or Hiruzen if he lives, to add me to that squad as well to ensure that the future doesn''t get too disrupted.''


    Fujin suddenly looked up and a frown appeared on his face. He decided, ''I''ll decide when I encounter Hidan.''


    Just like Fujin, the expressions of his teammates became dark as well. Despite wearing masks, their gloominess could be sensed.


    Bunjiro entered the vige and muttered, "Which bastard would do something like this?"


    After finding 5 empty bases and 2 empty viges, the group finally entered a vige that wasn''t empty. Instead, it was dyed in blood. The streets were littered with dead bodies. The three of them immediately began inspecting the bodies.


    Fujin entered the vige as well and began observing. He thought, ''It looks like everyone was killed by a sword. It doesn''t look like a ritual.''


    He was confused. He wondered, ''This should be done by rogue Kiri ninjas. So is Hidan not involved? Or did he take the opportunity of the chaos to kidnap normal civilians for his ritual?''


    Bunjiro asked, "Should we bury them?"


    Yugao shook her head and said, "They are already dead. There is no point in wasting time here. The killings happened more than a day ago. We will move to the next vige."


    Bunjiro didn''t argue. He knew that saving the ones alive was more important than burying the dead. They immediately began moving towards the next vige.


    After a few minutes, they arrived in the next vige. This time, they finally found someone alive! The vige wasrgely abandoned as well. Only a few dozen elderly and a handful younger people were in the vige.


    The people immediately became tense after seeing them. Yugao approached an elderly man and started having a small conversation. After learning that they were sent by the Daimyo, the people finally rxed.


    Yugao asked, "Why are there so few people in the vige?"


    The elderly man sighed and said, "Around 2 months ago, all the money in our homes started disappearing. Every house in the vige had most of their money taken away. And not a single person saw anything. So we believe that a ninja stole all our money."


    Yugao and the rest were surprised to hear that. The elderly man continued, "It caused a lot of unrest in the vige. However, we slowly moved on from it as nothing could be done. But then it happened again a month ago.


    That made many people leave the vige and migrate closer to Yugakure. Until the day before yesterday, around half the people had migrated. However, yesterday, one person came running to the vige.


    He told everyone that everyone in the neighbouring vige was killed and their bodies and blood littered the vige. That caused almost everyone in the vige to panic and escape immediately. Only us old fellows who don''t want to leave our home stayed behind."


    Yugao, Fumito and Bunjiro let out a sigh. They understood the trauma those people would have faced. However, they were d to realize that the people in the empty vige were moving to Yugakure instead of being dead. Yugao said, "Thank you for telling us. We will take action immediately."


    The elderly man and others around him immediately thanked her. The Konoha ninjas moved out and began moving towards the shore. As she moved, Yugao thought, ''Being a captain is a lot more taxing than just having to follow orders. I have to ept the responsibility for the lives of so many people. One wrong decision could result in more massacres like the one in the previous vige. No wonder Lord Hokage hasn''t promoted me yet.''


    A few dozen kilometers away, along the shores of the Land of Hot Water, a miserable shriek was heard. A person, dressed in civilian attire, was on his knees. Though he looked ordinary, he was a Jounin from Kirigakure.


    His right arm had been cut off at the elbow. However, instead of being concerned about it, he looked hatefully at the person standing in front of him.


    In front of him was a tall and slender man. He had no eyebrows, creases under his eyes, and a cross-shaped scar on his right cheek. His hair and eyes were dark grey in color and his hair was short and spiky. He also had a red grid-shaped marking covering his jaw. However, the thing that stood out the most was that he held a sword that was as long as his height!

 Chapter 382: Betrayal!

    The man cursed, "Juzo! You bastard! Our vige raised you and trained you for years. The Third Mizukage even gave you that sword! Why the hell did you betray us? And why are you attacking me? Did you forget how long we fought together before you were chosen as one of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist? Also, what''s with that weird cloak?"


    Juzo didn''t answer his question and instead asked, "Mitsuru, were you the one to ughter those two viges?"


    Mitsuru frowned. He asked, "What of it? We have done the same thing so many times in the past war! Our vige needs funds for defeating those fucking rebels. Don''t tell me you have gone soft after betraying our vige."


    Suddenly, a grin appeared on Juzo''s face. He said, "I don''t care about that trash. I have just been asked to collect the bounty on your head."


    In the next moment, Juzo disappeared from his spot. He appeared behind Mitsuru. A secondter, Mitsuru''s head flew from his head. He looked at Juzo hatefully as he, a Jounin from the Mizukage faction, died.


    Juzo collected his head while recalling his interaction with Pain.


    A few days ago, in a hidden base inside the Land of Rain, a silhouette suddenly appeared. Two pairs of eyes nced towards the figure.


    The Deva Path Pain instructed, "Juzo, go to the southern shores of the Land of Hot Water. Arge number of Kiri ninjas have infiltrated there and are causing several massacres. You will collect the bounties of the Kiri ninjas that are attacking."


    A frown formed on Juzo''s expression. He said, "I already informed you that I have no intention of dealing with Kirigakure. You can send Kakuzu or Itachi there instead of me."


    Pain shook his head and replied, "Kakuzu is finding information about the two Jinchurikis in Iwagakure. However, he had hit a dead end. Itachi will be sent there to cooperate with him. Not to mention, you are more familiar with how the Kiri shinobi operate. For that reason, I have also sent Kisame to that location."


    Juzo sighed and said, "Alright."


    Pain nodded and instructed, "Both of you will leave right away."


    His figure disappeared from the base. Soon after, Itachi and Juzo disappeared as well. One moved towards the Land of Earth while the other moved in the opposite direction and entered the Land of Fire.


    As Juzo stored Mitsuru''s head, he thought, ''Though he asked me to collect the bounty, I believe his main concern was the innocent people who were dying due to the actions of the Mizukage. Being soft like that won''t be of any help in fulfilling his goal.


    Regardless, I need to speed up. Once the Kiri ninjas learn about Mitsuru''s death, they will escape. I need to find their main base before that happens. That said, I have to admit that they have be far better at hiding. From what I remember, they should have been moving openly in a weak country like this one. I wonder what changed after I left.''


    He sighed and wondered, "Why couldn''t he send Kakuzu here and send me with Itachi instead? Isn''t collecting bounties his job? Also, why does Akatsuki need so much money? I don''t recall any operations needing money so far."


    He disappeared from his spot and began looking for the remaining Kiri ninjas. Just like him, another group was searching for the Kiri ninjas near the shores.


    After searching for almost half a day, Yugao and the rest had gone through every suspected base and had returned empty. With his shoulders dropped, Bunjiroined, "This Land of Hot Water ispletely useless. Not a single base they marked had anyone inside it. Forget people, we didn''t even find any signs of the bases being upied previously!"


    Fumito sighed as well. Since no conflict urred, he had to do all the work. Though Yugao and Bunjiro were sensors as well, they paled inparison to Fumito''s sensing skills. Since the opponents were suspected to be quite strong, they didn''t take any unnecessary risks.


    Yugao said, "It''s already past midnight. Let''s take a break. We will begin our investigation again tomorrow."


    The three of them began looking for a decent ce to rest for the night. While looking for it, they found a cave that was very well hidden from sight. They were about to walk towards it when all three suddenly stopped and hid behind trees. A momentter, 2 ninjas appeared out of the cave.


    All three Konoha ninjas had a peculiar expression. They cursed in their minds, ''We searched for these bastards all day! And just when we were about to quit and take a break, they appeared in front of us by themselves?''


    Of the two ninjas that appeared from the cave, one was a Jounin while the other was a Chunin. The Chunin eximed, "Finally, we can move out again. I can''t spend any more time in that dull cave."


    He looked at the Jounin and asked, "Captain, why do we stay so careful? Unless Yugakure mobilizes its entire force, they won''t be able to do anything to us."


    The Jounin frowned and said, "Don''t get too overconfident. This isn''t the first time we are doing such a mission. Thest time we tried it, we suffered heavy losses. That is why we are acting so carefully this time."


    The Chunin was surprised. He asked, "How could Yugakure have someone who can defeat us?"


    The Jounin answered, "It wasn''t Yugakure ninja. They issued the mission to Konoha who sent that cowardly swordsman. That coward cut down dozens of our dispersed ninjas one by one. If we hadn''t been lucky, we might not have even understood who it was. But, by the time we realized it, our forces had already suffered a heavy loss. When we grouped together, he didn''t attack us even once."


    The incident that he said was before Fujin had be an Anbu Captain and the title of the Spectral Swordsman wasn''t given to him yet. During one assassination during the mission, 3 Kiri Jounins suddenly appeared, forcing Fujin to retreat. It was the first instance of him being seen in action by someone who didn''t end up dead.


    The Chunin was shocked. He said, "I had heard rumors about the Spectral Swordsman. But I thought they were just rumors. Why would Konoha dare to attack us? We are a major vige too."


    The Jounin replied, "But we are embroiled in a war. At such a time, we can''t afford to go to war with Konoha. Besides, we didn''t know for sure if it was Konoha back then. But now we do."


    The Chunin nodded. He said, "That''s enough depressing talks. Let''s just go and steal from those losers again."


    The Jounin nodded. Both he and Chunin began moving towards a vige.


    Though Yugao and the others couldn''t hear their words, they understood that the Kiri ninjas were moving out to attack the viges. All three exchanged nces. At the same time, all three disappeared from their spots and silently trailed the two Kiri ninjas.


    After moving a sufficient distance away from the cave, they immediately sprung into action. Yugao grabbed her sword.


    ''Hazy Moon Night''


    She flickered and moved towards the Jounin. Though he hadn''t sensed the Konoha ninjas, as soon as Yugao made her move, he became alert. He grabbed a kunai and turned around while shouting, "There are enemies!"


    The Chunin also became alert. The Jounin saw Yugao moving rapidly and the afterimages of her sword. A grim expression appeared on his face.


    Yugao appeared in front of him and swung her sword straight at his neck while utilizing her high speed. To her surprise, the enemy Jounin blocked her sword with his kunai perfectly.


    Yugao quickly followed up with several dozen high-speed sword attacks. The Kiri Jounin also moved his kunai rapidly and blocked every attack while retreating backwards.


    The Kiri Chunin was shocked to see such a high-speed battle. He was about to attack Yugao when he noticed another figure from the corner of his eye.


    Bunjiro appeared and threw six Shurikens at the Chunin. The Chunin blocked a couple with his kunai and dodged the rest.


    The Jounin moved towards him and shouted, "Send a signal immediately. I will cover you."


    The Chunin shouted, "I will!"


    The Jounin couldn''t take his attention off Yugao for even a second. He was having difficulty in blocking her sword. And due to her fast-paced attacks, he didn''t have any time to weave hand signs.


    The Jounin blocked another Yugao''s sword once again and cursed, "I will make you regre¡­ Ugh!!"


    In horror, he turned his head to look behind him. His subordinate had stabbed him with his kunai instead of sending a signal!


    Before he could understand what was happening, Yugao took advantage of the distraction and beheaded him! He died without understanding why his loyal subordinate had betrayed him.

 Chapter 383: Ambushes!

    Bunjiro flickered next to Yugao. Both of them looked at the Kiri Chunin. The Chunin looked at them and said, "Tie me up as usual."


    Yugao and Bunjiro nodded. They knew that it was Fumito who was hiding earlier and took over the Chunin''s body. In a few seconds, the Chunin was properly tied up. Fumito released his jutsu and returned to his original body. The Chunin had just regained consciousness when he was knocked out by Yugao.


    Fumito immediately began reading his memories. After around 10 minutes, he said, "There are 23 ninjas inside that cave. All are Kirigakure ninjas and none have gone rogue. Of them, 4 are Jounins while the rest are Chunins."


    A frown appeared on Yugao''s face. She muttered, "We won''t be able to take on such numbers in a direct conflict. We will have to sneak into the cave and eliminate them silently one by one. But even that will be very risky."


    She looked at Fumito and asked, "Did you see the internalyout of the cave from his memories? Is there a way to target the ninjas inside one or two at a time?"


    Fumito answered, "I did see theyout. Unfortunately, there is no way to do that as we won''t be able to enter the cave without being detected. The cave is covered in numerous seals. They can detect if anyone who isn''t a part of their group enters the cave. And there are numerous barriers as well.


    This man doesn''t know which seals were used. I could read the Jounin''s memories, but I doubt they would help much either."


    Yugao nodded and said, "I see. We can''t infiltrate in that case. We don''t have the same Fuinjutsu skills as Captain."


    Fumito and Bunjiro nodded. Yugao said, "I guess that leaves us with just one option."


    Her eyes moved towards the unconscious ninja. She asked, "Where were they nning on going? And will the others inside the cave be moving out as well?"


    Fumito answered, "These two were heading towards a vige. Their goal was to steal all the money inside it. As for others, they won''t be moving out. They have a rule that only 2 pairs of people can move out at the same time. The rest stay within the cave. The second group is already out. So the others won''t move out until the other group returns."


    Yugao analyzed for a couple of minutes and said, "Read both their memories. Find out who was in the other group that is outside. Find any other information you will need to impersonate them. You will be the one infiltrating inside the cave."


    Fumito nodded and got to work. He ate a soldier pill and began reading memories of the dead Jounin and the unconscious Chunin. In an hour, he had collected all the information that he wanted. He learnt that Mitsuru had moved out alone a couple of days ago.


    He stopped reading memories and sat down to rx for a bit while informing Yugao about what he found. Yugao immediately created a basic n and exined it to Fumito.


    A few minutester, the unconscious Chunin finally showed signs of waking up. Fumito got up. He grabbed a pill and swallowed it. Bunjiro and Yugao did the same.


    Fumito looked towards the Kiri ninja and made a hand seal.


    ''Ninja Art: Mind Transfer jutsu''


    His consciousness turned into spiritual energy and entered the Chunin''s body once again. At the same time, his body copsed. Bunjiro caught Fumito''s real body while the Kiri Chunin''s eyes snapped open.


    He looked at Yugao and nodded. Yugao grabbed her sword and cut off his bindings, freeing him. He got up, stretched his body and said, "Look after my body. Keep it at the same location that we were hiding earlier so that I can return to it immediately."


    Yugao said, "We will move first. Memorize the location properly. I''ll leave a Clone to watch over your body."


    He nodded. Yugao and Bunjiro immediately left while carrying Fumito''s body. Fumito saw them leave. He waited for a few minutes and got used to the new body. At the same time, he took a kunai and made numerous light cuts on his arms, legs and cheeks. He made a few more preparations.


    After 5 minutes, a look of panic appeared on his face and he began running towards the cave. Fear could be seen on his face. As he reached the cave, he nced towards the spot where Yugao and Bunjiro were hiding and saw his body.


    He continued running, entered the basement and shouted as loudly as he could, "There is trouble!"


    His loud voice immediately woke up every sleeping Kiri ninja. Fumito continued running towards the central room in the cave while breathing roughly. All Kiri ninjas, including the SealMaster, arrived in that room as well.


    The Kiri ninjas immediately noticed all the blood covering his clothes and the injuries on his body. Everyone immediately became serious. One asked, "What''s the situation?"


    Fumito spoke hurriedly, "Mitsuru-sama was attacked while he was returning here. We saw him fighting with 8 ninjas by himself. So Captain and I jumped in to help him. However, they were too strong for us. They bought an opportunity for me to escape. We have to reinforce them quickly."


    His words immediately made everyone''s expression grim. The SealMaster immediately said, "We need to se¡­"


    Suddenly he noticed something odd and took a look at the ninja. His eyes had be unfocused as if he was waking up from a sleep. At the same time, he sensed a bit of chakra emitting from his body.


    He wasn''t the only one. The other Jounins also noticed something odd. Before they could say anything, the Kiri Chunin exploded with a massive bang!


    So The explosion was incredibly powerful. Fire and shockwaves immediately engulfed the surrounding Kiri ninjas, most of whom werepletely caught off guard. Only the Jounins and a few Chunins managed to react in time and retreated backwards.


    13 Chunins took the full brunt of the explosion. Their bodies were sted into the walls of the cave. Not a single one survived. Another 4 Chunins managed to barely retreat in time. They were still hit by the explosion which left burns of varying degrees on their bodies. The remaining 2 Chunins and the 4 Jounins managed to retreat safely. However, everyone had grim expressions.


    One cursed, "That ipetent bastard!"


    Another said, "How will we exin such losses to the Mizukage?"


    The third one asked, "Was he under a Genjutsu? But who can cast such a strong Genjutsu?"


    The SealMaster thought for a bit and said, "It could be Genjutsu or the Yamanaka technique. Regardless, we are in danger. The culprit should be waiting outside for us. We need to prepare for a batt¡­"


    He stopped speaking and suddenly began coughing nonstop. Several drops of blood fell on the ground. Immediately, the others also began coughing. After some time, one of them cursed, "Poison! That explosion also contained poison!"


    The SealMaster said, "Our health will get worse with time. We need to retreat into the sea."


    Just after he said it, sounds of explosion were heard once again. Soon, tremors were felt as the cave started copsing. While running inside the cave, Fumito had discretely nted a few explosion tags on the floor and walls of the cave. The cave''s structure was already damaged heavily due to the earlier explosion. The new explosions immediately caused the cave to copse.


    Outside the cave, Bunjiro''s clone said, "That was a good explosion. The cave is copsing."


    Fumito, who had just returned to his body, said, "It better be. I had stuck 60 Explosion tags on that guy''s body. I''m surprised that the cave is still standing despite that explosion. I wanted to use the other tags to ambush them while they were escaping."


    Inside the cave, the surviving ninjas immediately used jutsus to ensure that the cave didn''t copse. Using that time, they began escaping from the cave. As they moved, they prepared themselves for a fight. Everyone had a grim expression as the poison was making it difficult for them to move normally.


    As soon as they exited the cave, Yugao and Bunjiro along with their clones bombarded them with Kunai that had explosion tags attached to them.


    The Kiri ninjas noticed it and immediately made hand seals.


    ''Water Release: Water Wall jutsu''


    Multiple water walls went up in front of them. The kunais hit them and exploded. The water walls copsed but the explosions were stopped.


    As soon as the water walls copsed, Yugao appeared next to one of the Kiri ninjas who was injured. He turned his head and his eyes widened as he saw several afterimages of her sword. At the next moment, his head was sent flying in the air.


    Before the others could react, another head was sent flying. Finally, the Jounins managed to react and counterattacked, forcing Yugao to retreat. However, she was very determined. As Bunjiro and her clones bombarded them with another round of explosion tags, she prepared herself to attack once again. At the same time, Fumito was also looking for an opportunity.


    Fujin''s eyes glowed as he observed the conflict while standing on a tree branch. He analyzed, ''Hmm, that''s good. They were heavily outnumbered and outmatched as well. But by killing many of them in a trap and poisoning the rest, they have aplete advantage now. This mission has beenpleted almost perfectly. The only imperfect factor was that a bit of luck was involved in how they found the cave.


    Still, both Yugao and Fumito are good enough to be Anbu Captains. Not many Anbu Captains would be able to replicate such a result.''


    The Kiri ninjas were fighting desperately while retreating to save their lives. They absolutely hated Yugao and the others. But unknown to them, an even stronger enemy was watching them.


    Actually, not one, but two. Unknown to Fujin, another terrifying ninja was hiding and watching the fight.


    Juzo watched Yugao cut down 4 Kiri ninjas while thinking, ''They were supposed to be my targets¡­ But that ninja''s sword style¡­ They are from Konoha. I don''t know why Akatsuki needs money, but my mission will fail if the Konoha ninjas leave with their bodies.''


    Yugao had justpleted her second round of attack and was forced to retreat once again. However, before she could rx, she immediately shed her sword to her right. A muchrger sword shed with her sword!

 Chapter 384: Second Clash with the Akatsuki!

    Yugao had justpleted her second round of attack when she sensed a grave danger. She swung her sword to her right, shing with a muchrger swording her way.


    The force behind Juzo''s sword forced Yugao back, but she managed to hold on and not let go of her sword. At the same time, her eyes widened when she saw Juzo''s face. She thought, ''One of the Seven Ninja Swordsman of the Mist? But hadn''t he gone rogue? Don''t tell me that it was a lie as well!''


    The Kiri ninjas, who were in a clutch, were surprised as well. They recognized Juzo in an instant. A few of them thought, ''Juzo? Why is he here to help us? Does he want to take this chance to return to the vige? But didn''t he hate the vige a lot?''


    Fumito and Bunjiro were surprised as well. Neither saw nor sensed Juzo''s movements. They wanted to help out Yugao but the Kiri ninjas attacked and stalled them.


    A wide grin appeared on Juzo''s face as he felt Yugao struggle. Yugao''s eyes widened while the others on the battlefield were stunned as they felt Juzo''s intense bloodlust! He said, "Not bad! You should be able to keep me entertained for a while."


    He suddenly applied a lot more pressure on his sword, forcing Yugao to her knees. At the same time, he formed his left hand into a w and was about to attack Yugao.


    However, he stopped and leaned backwards. Multiple Vacuum Bullets tore through the space he was previously upying. Since he was too close to the bullets, the bullets tore through his cloak and left a few small cuts on his chest and upper arms.


    Juzo''s eyes widened as he immediately stepped away from Yugao while thinking, ''Vacuum attacks? I didn''t even sense them. Who is it?''


    Yugao immediately took the opportunity to move away from Juzo.


    Juzo, who was now on full alert, turned around and swung his sword behind him. As he did, he noticed chakra flowing through Fujin''s sword through the corner of his eyes. In an instant, chakra began flowing through his sword as well.


    The two swords shed, producing a loud sound. Both were equally matched. However, instead of engaging in a sword fight, Fujin forced his sword out of the way and punched Juzo with his left hand. Noticing the chakra concentrated in his hand, Juzo concentrated some chakra in his feet. He used the force of Fujin''s sword to step away from him and kicked the iing punch.


    Unlike the swords that were equally matched, this time Juzo was sent flying for a few meters. He winced as he felt a pain in his foot. However, he ignored it and flipped in the air tond on the ground while staring at Fujin. His entire attention was on Fujin.


    Seeing Fujin take action, his teammates sighed in relief. They didn''t have any confidence in taking on one of the few remaining Seven Ninja Swordsman of the Mist. At the same time, the Kiri ninjas were shocked once again. They were already surprised to see Juzo. But seeing him getting forced back so easily was an even greater surprise.


    Fujin didn''t continue his attack. He was in an even more serious mood aspared to Juzo. He cursed internally, ''What the hell is Juzo doing here? And since he is here, does that mean Itachi is here as well? Shit¡­''


    Fujin activated and spread his chakra field over a radius of 3 kilometers. However, other than Juzo, his team and the Kiri ninjas, he didn''t detect anyone. However, a frown existed behind his mask as he analyzed, ''I can''t fully trust my sensory skills. Itachi might be able to stay hidden. Though I will sense him if he uses his chakra.


    Another one I need to look out for is Zetsu. I can''t use the skills I want to keep a secret if he is spying on me. But without them, defeating Juzo would be very challenging.''


    Since Fujin didn''t press on the offence, Juzo managed to get a breather. Fujin''s team and the Kiri ninjas were on alert as well. The battlefield entered a deadlock as no one made a move.


    Juzo broke the silence as he chuckled and said, "I thought I was only attacking some small fries from Konoha. To think that I would draw out the Spectral Swordsman. Haha, what a lucky day."


    Though Fujin was wearing his mask, using the Vacuum jutsus gave away his identity easily.


    Juzo thought, ''This bastard has a higher bounty than all these Kiri ninjasbined. Kakuzu would be pissed at missing out on such a bounty. Hahaha.''


    Hearing the name, the expressions of the Kiri ninjas became grim. However, they soon recovered as they had Juzo who looked to be on their side. But they weren''t too sure as everything happened too suddenly.


    Fujin instructed, "Leave this guy to me. Hunt down the rest."


    Yugao, Fumito and Bunjiro immediately flickered. Juzo didn''t move. Unlike what the Kiri ninjas thought, he was here to collect their bounties. It didn''t matter to him whether he killed them himself or collected their dead bodies from the Konoha ninjas.


    The Kiri ninjas immediately retreated leaving only Fujin and Juzo facing each other. Fujin continued scanning everything in his surroundings properly and talked with Juzo to buy some time. He asked, "Haven''t you gone rogue? Why are you getting in the middle of my mission?"


    Juzo replied, "If you let me kill you, I will let your teamplete the mission and go back to Konoha. Otherwise, all of you die."


    As he said, he once again unleashed his bloodlust. Fujin was unaffected by his bloodlust. He muttered in a soft but audible voice, "Juzo Biwa, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsman of the Mist, known throughout the world for your inhumane brutality and ughtering the weak without any reluctance."


    A grin appeared behind his mask as he unleashed his killing intent as well and said, "It''s not often I meet someone with a more intense bloodlust than mine. I wonder whether you live up to your reputation."


    Though Fujin had killed a lot of people in the past 3 years, it still paled inparison to someone like Juzo who was known to inhumanely ughter for a longer time than he spent in this world.


    Fujin flickered and appeared in front of Juzo, swinging his sword at full power. Juzo replied in the same manner. The two swords shed. However, the result was different from the earlier sh.


    Juzo''s eyes widened as he noticed therge amount of force behind Fujin''s sword. In addition, a crack appeared on his Kubikiribucho sword. However, even before he could react to that danger, he noticed another grave threat.


    Instead of engaging in a pure swordfight, Fujin shot a dozen Vacuum Bullets at a close range. Juzo immediately retreated and barely managed to dodge the iing Vacuum Bullets. However, several more cuts appeared on his body.


    At the same time, he became very serious as he realized, ''His reputation isn''t fake. This will be a tough fight.''


    Fujin didn''t give Juzo any time to rest. He flickered behind him and shot a Vacuum Cannon at Juzo. Juzo immediately got out of the way and counterattacked with Water Bullets, forcing Fujin to dodge as well.


    As for the Vacuum Cannon he dodged, it kept travelling through the forest. Weirdly, it didn''t hit a single tree and kept moving in a straight line for 200 meters, as if Fujin had aimed it in a manner to avoid all the trees in its path.


    Finally, it was about to hit a nt that had a weird shape and was made of two distinct colors, unlike every other nt in the forest. In an instant, that nt moved and went underground.


    As soon as it did, one of its halves eximed, "That was scary! That attack nearly killed us! But how did he know that we were here? Or was that attack just a fluke?"


    The other half, which waspletely ck, said, "He was sensing the entire area earlier. I felt his chakra field at our location a few times, but he didn''t focus on us. So I thought that he couldn''t sense us. His information in the Bingo book isn''t urate. With such sensing abilities, he is among the best sensors out there."


    As soon as the Zetsu moved, Fujin sensed their chakra fluctuations. A smile appeared behind his mask as he thought, ''That area felt a bit off for some reason. My guess was right. That bastard Zetsu is keeping an eye as usual.''


    Juzo didn''t notice that Fujin''s real attack wasn''t aimed at him. He continued attacking. Several Water Dragons formed in front of him and moved towards Fujin. Fujin moved back and jumped on top of the trees. Several Vacuum Bullets formed in his mouth and he aimed at the heads of the Water Dragons.


    The Vacuum Bullets pierced through the Water Dragons and dispersed the jutsu. Juzo ignored them as they weren''t heading at him, but they kept travelling and pierced the ground a long distance away.

 Chapter 385: A Foreign Chakra!

    Zetsu, who was hiding underground, instantly felt something drilling through the soil. It immediately went deeper into the ground. A fraction of a secondter, the Vacuum Bullets passed through the space it was in earlier, barely missing its head by a few inches. It pierced through the Venus Flytrap-like extensions around its head, tearing away a good chunk of it!


    White Zetsu looked at the damage and said, "This guy is scary! He almost killed us again. I''m afraid Juzo will have a tough time if he can even find time to attack us while fighting him."


    ck Zetsu said, "Juzo is strong as well. But we need to inform Tobi and Pain. This fight will be a close one. Let''s first ask Kisame to reinforce him."


    Zetsu immediately left the battlefield. Fujin sensed his movement and wondered, ''Did I scare it away?''


    He dodged Juzo''s attack and analyzed, ''Unlikely. ck Zetsu doesn''t want to expose its fighting abilities. He should have gone to call in for reinforcements. I will have to end the fight before they arrive. I can''t take on two ninjas close to the rank S at the same time.


    I should also consider the possibility of just one half having left and the other half staying back to observe or interrupt. Though I doubt he would want to expose himself, I should maintain my chakra field in case he does so.''


    He turned his attention towards Juzo as he wondered, ''Why is he so determined to kill me? I have given him several opportunities to retreat. Sigh, I didn''t want to get on Akatsuki''s radar so quickly.''


    Despite being aware of him, Fujin barely had any memories of Juzo. After all, he was barely even shown in the series. Though Fujin did collect all his information avable with Konoha, it didn''t include any information about how loyal Juzo was to Akatsuki and Pain as Hiruzen couldn''t make information he received from Itachi public. So Fujin couldn''t guess his intentions.


    As they battled, Fujin felt Juzo''s killing intent increasing steadily. He thought, ''I don''t remember who killed him and how, but I know that he will end up dead soon. So I wasn''t very interested in killing him. But if he wants to go all out, I can''t afford to hold back.''


    Without having to monitor Zetsu''s location, Fujin became very determined and focused entirely on Juzo. He flickered to dodge the iing attacks and flickered again to appear next to Juzo and shed his sword at his waist.


    However, Juzo flickered away without any seals as well. He appeared behind Fujin and attacked him with his sword. However, Fujin flickered out of the way as well. Juzo immediately followed him.


    Both Fujin and Juzo flickered continuously trying to outspeed one another andnd a fatal blow. Loud sounds of their des shing with each other were heard several times. Several scars were left in the ground and several trees were cut. However, Fujin was unharmed while Juzo didn''t take any more damage.


    Fujin appeared in front of Juzo once again and attacked with his sword. Juzo flickered away to dodge. Fujin stopped swinging his sword and immediately flickered as well. Both appeared close to each other at the same time. Having the initiative, Fujin shed horizontally aiming to hack Juzo into two.


    Juzo raised his sword defensively while building up his chakra. Fujin''s sword hit Kubikiribocho once again. And yet again, a new crack appeared in the sword. This one was thergest yet as it moved almost halfway into the sword!


    Therge Kubikiribocho had around a dozen cracks in it by now. Though Juzo was also proficient in using Chakra Flow, his chakra flow didn''t have any element to it. Due to Fujin''s Wind Chakra, his sword was much sharper than Juzo''s despite the Kubikiribocho being a better sword.


    Juzo used the force of Fujin''s attack to fly backwards while spitting out arge amount of water towards Fujin. Due to its volume, it built momentum and began copsing towards Fujin.


    Fujin stood his ground and built up chakra as well.


    ''Wind Release: Infinite Breakthrough jutsu''


    He exhaled extremely strong winds. The Winds directly broke through the water and forced it back. They continued moving towards Juzo who was quickly backing away while weaving hand signs.


    ''Water Release: Great Waterfall jutsu''


    Juzo expelled arge amount of water from his mouth high into the sky. After reaching high enough, it began cascading down towards the Windstorm heading at him.


    The Winds broke into the Water and changed its direction back towards Juzo. However, the high volume of water dulled the wind des in the jutsu and slowed down the jutsu until it was harmless.


    Fujin didn''t attack anymore and just observed Juzo getting hit by his own attack despite knowing that it wouldn''t harm him. He analyzed, ''He is strong. Very strong. Though I have an advantage in chakra reserves and strength, I don''t have an advantage in speed. His movement andbat speed are as fast as mine while his reaction speed is even faster.


    Due to his significantly richer battle experience, he is able to negate my advantage in terms of strength very easily and has no issue dodging my Vacuum Bullets and des of Wind. Even if I use Vacuum sh, I will probably be only able to cut that sword in half while he will flicker away. It will be the same with Vacuum Gatling.''


    Fujin sighed internally as he thought, ''These attacks can easily rip into those Iwa Jounins trained to counter me. But against Juzo, though I will make things difficult for him, I won''t be able tond a killing blow.


    Not to mention, I doubt this will be myst sh with the Akatsuki. Exposing those skills now would put the entire Akatsuki on guard against those attacks. It will be disadvantageous for me in the future.''


    As Fujin was analyzing, Mist began covering the entire region. Fujin stood in his spot as the mist engulfed him. Unknown to Juzo, a glint appeared in Fujin''s eyes.


    Just like Fujin, Juzo was thinking hard as well. He thought, ''From the reports, he should be barely 15 years old. To be able to give me such a hard time at such a young age¡­ Another fearsome talent has appeared in Konoha.''


    Juzo couldn''t help but shudder as he suddenly had a thought. It was, ''They still have the 3rd Hokage in addition to the two Sannins who are in their prime. And from Itachi''s words, Hatake Kakashi and Might Guy are very impressive as well and live up to their father''s reputation. Now this guy. If Konoha still had Uchiha Fugaku and Itachi in addition to them¡­''


    Juzo felt a chill at that thought. Once Fujin, Kakashi and Guy reached rank S, Konoha could have had a greater number of rank S ninjas than Akatsuki!


    Juzo stopped thinking about such a hypothetical scenario and turned his attention back to Fujin who was being engulfed by the mist. He was confused as he wondered, ''Why didn''t he push on the attack? Is he afraid of fighting me when there is a lot of water around me? But that doesn''t exin why he is letting the Mist engulf him and not blowing it away.''


    Juzo had expected Fujin to use a Wind jutsu to blow the mist away. He intended to take action at that time and create an opening. However, Fujin''s inaction made his tactic pointless. So Juzo decided to make use of the mist and made a hand seal.


    ''Water Release: Water Clone jutsu''


    4 Water Clones appeared around him. They immediately moved silently towards Fujin''s location. Juzo looked at the cracks in his de and thought, ''I will have to let Kubikiribocho drink some blood now.''


    He disappeared and began moving through the mist. Not a single sound was heard as he moved.


    The 4 Water Clones arrived where Fujin was standing. To their surprise, he was still standing in his spot with his eyes closed. They observed him for some time, but Fujin didn''t make any movements at all and stayed like a statue. All 4 clones wondered, ''What scheme is he cooking?''


    In order to not let him bide time, 2 of the Water Clones moved towards him. One appeared behind him and another appeared in front of him. Both swung their swords at the same time.


    Fujin''s eyes snapped open and gazed into the eyes of the Water Clone in front of him. Despite the attack, he didn''t move. The two swords cleaved him into 3 pieces!


    However, no blood was spilled. Instead, the two clones felt a breeze. At the very next moment, Fujin exploded,unching wind des around him. Both the water clones were too close to react and were hit by the des. Though the attack wasn''t extremely fatal, it was enough to dispel them both.


    Juzo''s remaining two Water Clones were surprised. They realized, ''A Wind Clone!''


    Juzo, who was hiding not too far away, was shocked as well. He thought, ''Impossible! I didn''t feel him move at all. Where is he? I can''t feel him at all in this Mist.''


    Juzo and his clones became very alert. Not being able to find Fujin in the mist made Juzo nervous for the first time. He stayed on alert but his eyes suddenly widened. He thought, ''The mist is mixed with some foreign chakra. SHIT!!!''

 Chapter 386: Clash of Swords!

    Juzo felt a chill in his heart. He turned around while swinging his sword with full strength.


    Fujin chuckled internally while attacking with his sword as well. He thought, ''Though the Hiding in Mist assassination technique is impressive, how can itpare to Tobirama''s Bringer of Darkness? It even counters the Mangekyou Sharingan to a certain extent. In order to prepare myself for any future fights with Itachi, Obito or Madara, I have trained a lot in that darkness. Compared to it, fighting in this mist is a child''s y.''


    The two swords shed. Fujin''s sword hit thergest crack in Kubikiribocho. The crack immediately began erging and moving across the de.


    At the same time, Fujin shot several Vacuum Bullets at Juzo. To his surprise, Juzo didn''t flicker away like before and instead dodged them without using any jutsu. At the same time, he disrupted his own chakra flow.


    Due to the close distance and being taken by surprise, Juzo couldn''t dodge by arge distance. In fact, one Vacuum Bullet grazed past the right side of his abdomen. Several new and deeper cuts opened up on his arms and legs. The Vacuum Bullet that grazed past his abdomen took out arge chunk of flesh as it passed him, causing it to bleed profusely.


    However, Despite injuring him, Fujin wasn''t happy. He thought, ''He realized that my Wind chakra was infiltrating into his body and hence didn''t flicker. Tsk, so much for keeping it a secret. I was hoping to kill him or at least fatally injure him.''


    Juzo flickered away and disappeared within the mist. Though Fujin couldn''t see him, he could hear Juzo''s voice from all directions. Juzo said, "You know Susumu''s Wind Style Genjutsu? So you were the one who made that mess in the Land of Wind."


    Though Akatsuki wasn''t interested in the affairs of Sunagakure, they were forced to look into it when they received the news that Suna''s Jinchuriki was injured. So Juzo was aware of the events that urred back then despite not interfering in it.


    Juzo''s remaining two Water Clones moved towards Fujin. Two Wind Clones formed around Fujin and moved to intercept them. As for Fujin, a dense wind chakra began flowing through his sword once again.


    Suddenly, a sound of metal hitting the ground was heard. In an instant, Fujin flickered to that spot. Therge crack that he had created in Kubikiribocho expanded along the length of the sword as it snapped into two. Though Juzo was aware of his sword''s state, his attention was more towards the injury on his abdomen. This created a temporary opening.


    As soon as Fujin appeared, he attacked with his sword while preparing more rounds of Vacuum Bullet. Despite having just half of his sword, it was stillrger than Fujin''s sword. Juzo''s chakra flowed through Kubikiribocho as he used it to block Fujin''s sword and flickered away to dodge the Vacuum Bullets. At the same time, he constantly disrupted his chakra to not be affected by any Genjutsu.


    Fujin gave chase and the two engaged in high-speedbat once again. The two Water Clones were dispelled by kamikaze attacks by the Wind Clones. Due to how evenly they were matched, Fujin knew that the clones would be in a deadlock as well. So Fujin chose to explode his clones to finish their battles in a rush and gain an advantage. After all, if both of them consumed their chakra at an equal speed, he would get the advantage.


    While Fujin and Juzo were fighting, Yugao and the rest chased down the Kiri ninjas. Though the Kiri ninjas put up a good resistance, the poisoning kept worse as time passed on. So they kept on getting weaker and had difficulty in dodging and controlling their chakra. Eventually, despite reaching the sea, they were still all killed by Fujin''s team.


    As they sealed and stored the bodies, Bunjiro said, "Getting poisoned with an unknown poison before a battle is extremely disadvantageous."


    Fumito nodded and said, "We would have lost easily and the Captain would have to step in if they weren''t poisoned. But the situation waspletely reversed."


    Yugao sealed thest body and said, "We still have to help our captain. Juzo is one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. He is incredibly strong. Though we have to be careful about not getting in his way."


    Fumito thought for a bit and replied, "I don''t think Mind-Body Switch will work on him if we can''t pin him down first. Even if I seed, maintaining it will be very difficult."


    Yugao nodded and said, "Yes. Let''s go back and observe the situation firs¡­ What happened?"


    As Yugao was talking, she noticed Fumito''s eyes widening all of a sudden. A look of shock appeared on his face. Fumito looked towards the sea and thought, ''What an immense chakra! Who is it?''


    He quickly said, "Retreat!"


    In an instant, all three flickered and began moving towards Fujin. En route, Fumito exined what he had sensed.


    Fujin and Juzo continued fighting without any external interference. As the two fought, Fujin''s expression became grim. Despite his injuries, the only effect it had was that Juzo became more and more bloodthirsty. He became far more aggressive and his fighting style. Fujin didn''t mind that and wanted to take advantage of any opening he might get due to over-aggression. However, Juzo didn''t give him a single opening.


    Fujin analyzed, ''His resilience is mindblowing. Despite those injuries and the blood loss, he is fighting as if he hasn''t been injured at all. He is also constantly disrupting his own chakra to eliminate any chances of me casting Genjutsu on him.''


    Despite the bloodlust he was projecting on Fujin, Juzo''s mind was calm and serious. He analyzed, ''Not good. Despite having an advantage, this kid isn''t getting cocky and seems content to slowly whittle me down. I can''t deal him a fatal blow if he maintains such a guard the entire time. More importantly, my sword is almostpletely ruined!''


    Juzo was no longer uncaring about his sword. Due to their frequent shes, it waspletely covered in cracks and it was only a matter of time before it crumbled entirely. Though he could repair his swordter, Juzo understood that he would be in deep trouble against Fujin without his sword.


    As they were fighting, Fujin''s eyes suddenly widened. Juzo noticed that and instantly attacked Fujin''s wrist with his free hand as their swords shed once again. Fujin saw the attack and hardened his right arm with the Iron Skin jutsu while kicking Juzo''s elbow.


    Despite hardening his arm, the strike on his wrist caused Fujin to open his hand and lose his sword. Fujin''s kick did the same. It knocked the sword from Juzo''s hand and worsened the cuts on his right arm.


    Fujin ignored his dropped sword and unleashed a flurry of punches and kicks on Juzo. Fujin knew that if he concentrated chakra in his fists, Juzo would run away. So he didn''t bother doing it and focused entirely on the speed of his punches.


    As he didn''t sense any Chakra Concentrated on his fists, Juzo fought back as well. However, to his surprise, he was outmatched once again! Though he defended himself well, Fujin''s fistsnded on his chest and abdomen several times. He had to use his bleeding arms to defend himself several times, especially because Fujin kept targeting the injury on his abdomen.


    Even though none of the hits were fatal, Juzo felt the impact of every punch, causing him to cough blood as he fought. Finally, he raised his leg to block Fujin''s kick and used it to get away from him.


    At that moment, Yugao and the rest arrived andnded next to Fujin and shouted, "Captain!"


    However, Fujin ignored them and fired a few Vacuum Bullets at Juzo who was still in the air. Juzo immediately shot water from his mouth into the air and used the force to fall back to the ground. He barely managed to avoid the bullets, but he crashed into the ground and was dragged due to his speed.


    Fujin flickered and summoned his other sword in his left hand. Juzo quickly recovered and got onto his feet. He saw Fujin appearing in front of him and swinging his sword vertically, aiming to hack him in two. Without his sword, he had no method of defending against the sword. He moved back while building up his chakra and weaving hand signs.


    ''Water Release: Water Prison jutsu''


    A water bubble began covering Jozu in order to provide him with some defense. At the same time, he concentrated chakra on his chest, neck and head to slow down Fujin''s sword.


    Despite the dense water, Fujin''s sword easily pierced into the water prison. Juzo gritted his teeth and weaved hand signs. He thought, ''I''ll endure this hit and use my body to slow him down. Once his swordnds on me, I''ll kill him!''


    Fujin understood Juzo''s thought but he wasn''t concerned about his counterattack. He was confident in cutting him in two before Juzo could attack. He kept going. However, at that very moment, another figure broke into the Water Prison and appeared in front of Juzo. Arge white sword blocked Fujin''s sword and began sucking the chakra flowing through it.

 Chapter 387: Explosions!

    As Fujin''s sword shed into the Water Prison, a tall, muscr ninja with a shark-like appearance appeared in front of him and blocked his sword with arge sword that was wrapped in a white cloth. Even before the two swords shed, the wind chakra flowing along Fujin''s sword was sucked by the sword.


    As their swords shed, both Fujin and Kisame stared into each other''s eyes. However, their confrontation was cut short as Juzopleted his hand seals.


    ''Water Release: Water Bullets jutsu''


    He shot several water bullets at Fujin. Fujin pulled back and flickered out of the line of attack and appeared next to his sword that was knocked out earlier. He picked it up and flickered next to his team while storing the other sword back in the storage seal on his bracer.


    Fujin''s squad had very grim expressions. Just taking on one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist was already an extremely difficult task. If not for Fujin, they would have retreated after just seeing Juzo. So facing two was just too much for them to think about.


    Kisame didn''t press on the attack immediately and checked on Juzo first instead. On seeing that his injuries weren''t fatal, he chuckled and asked in a taunting tone, "Looks like the kids roughed you up pretty badly. Can you still fight?"


    Juzo gathered himself and stood up. He replied annoyingly, "Stop mocking me. Of course, I can."


    His tone became serious as he warned, "Don''t underestimate that Spectral Swordsman brat. He is strong."


    While Kisame was checking up on Juzo, Fujin instructed, "Prepare to fight. Also, be ready to retreat in case more of them appear."


    Fujin''s teammates were surprised. They had expected Fujin to focus on retreating. With his summons, none of them felt that retreating would be difficult.


    Yugao said softly, "Captain, we need to retreat. We can''t take on two Swordsm¡­"


    Fujin cut her off andmanded, "It''s fine. Focus on the fight. When you get a chance, help me distract one of them."


    Yugao had a bitter smile behind her mask. She couldn''t help but recall Hiruzen''s words to her before she joined Fujin''s squad. She recalled his warning about Fujin''s tendencies to take the missions to an extreme. Unfortunately, there wasn''t anything she could do in that situation. Fujin was insistent on facing the enemies and she didn''t have any time to logically argue against him.


    Kisame nodded on hearing Juzo''s warning. He turned his attention to Fujin and said, "The Spectral Swordsman of Konoha. Do you think that you can increase your reputation by taking on the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist?"


    Fujin ignored his question and said, "Biwa Juzo and Hoshigaki Kisame¡­ Two of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist joined Akatsuki?"


    Juzo and Kisame were surprised to hear the name of their organization. Akatsuki wasn''t very active around Konoha. Kisame said, "I''m surprised that someone from the mighty Konoha knows about me and the Akatsuki."


    Unlike Juzo, Kisame hadn''t gained much fame in the world. After all, he had joined Akatsuki immediately after getting one of the seven swords. And despite being strong, he didn''t have much fame as he hadn''t aplished anything spectacr.


    Fujin ignored him once again and continued, "I had heard that your group was active around the Land of Earth and the smaller countries around there. But by showing here and assisting Kirigakure, are you two also fake rogue ninjas who keep serving the Mizukage obediently?


    Or is Akatsuki secretly controlled by the Mizukage? Regardless, it is impressive. Every other vige considers Kirigakure to be very weak right now. But now, everyone will need to reconsider Kirigakure''s forces."


    Fujin was very careful with his words. He said nothing about the Jinchurikis like Kakashi had. If he did, he didn''t doubt the fact that returning to Konoha would be an incredibly difficult task.


    Kisame was amused by Fujin''s analysis. He had no reason to correct Fujin. However, Juzo was offended. He snorted and asked loudly, "Do you think I''ll work for those scumbags?"


    Fujin asked, "So why did you stop us? Why are you even fighting and risking your life?"


    Juzo answered in an annoyed tone, "I already told you. I want your bounty. Just hand over your head obediently and I''ll let your subordinates escape."


    Both Kisame and Juzo began charging up their chakra. Though they had the advantage and had a confident expression, both were very alert towards Fujin. After all, his Vacuum attacks still posed a great danger to them. One careless moment could cost them their lives. At the same time, Zetsu spectated the fight once again. This time, Fujin couldn''t detect his presence.


    On seeing them charge their chakras, Yugao, Fumito and Bunjiro grabbed their weapons and took a fighting stance.


    Fujin, holding his sword in his right hand, also began exerting his chakra. However, instead of attacking, he looked at Kisame and said, "Why would I want to take on the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist to enhance my reputation? A group that was imed to have the capability of hunting a Kage but was annihted by a mere Genin! If I was a part of your little ygroup, I would have long killed myself from shame."


    Juzo''s expression immediately became dark. Kisame was a bit offended as well. It was truly as Fujin said. Might Duy had dragged the name of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist through the dirt.


    Even though Duy had power beyond the Kage level, he was only a Genin officially. Once the news regarding their defeat spread in Kirigakure, their reputation hit rock bottom. The seven ninjas, who were treated as the heroes in Kirigakure, became the butt of all jokes. Though none of themmitted suicide, their situation was far worse than Hatake Sakumo''s. It was one of the main reasons why 2 of the remaining 3 betrayed Kiri.


    Of course, Fujin didn''t care about that. Instead, he was one of the very few who knew about Might Duy and admired him. He had only said those words for one reason. A glint appeared in Fujin''s eyes as soon as their expressions became dark. He just wanted a momentary distraction!


    In an instant, 12 Wind Clones appeared around Fujin. Kisame and Juzo immediately became alert. However, that moment''s dy was sufficient for Fujin. All his clones flickered and surrounded Kisame and Juzo on all sides. At the same time, all 12 sted Infinite Breakthrough jutsu from all directions.


    The process of creating 12 clones, surrounding the two Akatsuki members and sting them with Infinite Breakthrough jutsu from all sides took merely a fraction of a second. So Juzo and Kisame barely had any time to react.


    They quickly stood with their backs to each other while weaving hand signs rapidly. Theypleted their hand seals at the same moment and expelled a massive amount of water from their mouths. The water surrounded them on all sides and began rushing out and hit the intense winds, acting as a barrier for the two Swordsmen.


    Fujin''s teammates were surprised by the quick attack. Fujin didn''t pay any attention to them as his entire attention was on Kisame and Juzo, who were trapped at the center while surrounded by water and intense winds. Though the situation was temporary, Fujin thought, ''This is sufficient.''


    Chakra flowed through Fujin''s sword once again as he took a step forward.


    Juzo shouted as he controlled the water around him, "Look out for Vacuum Bullets. They are very fas¡­"


    Suddenly, both Juzo and Kisame felt danger. Juzo looked at his body while Kisame turned his eyes towards Juzo. Juzo immediately tried to cover his own body with chakra. But it was toote. With multiple loud booms, a series of explosions went off on Juzo''s body as if his body was covered in Explosive tags!

 Chapter 388: The number keeps decreasing...

    First, an explosion went off on Juzo''s right foot. Immediately after, around a couple of dozen explosions went off on his chest, abdomen and arms! Each explosion was just slightly weaker than the explosions from an explosive tag.


    Kisame, due to being very close to Juzo, was caught off guard. He was caught in some explosions. Fortunately, he was facing Juzo''s back, so the explosions didn''t harm him much. Only his cloak was badly damaged. He immediately moved away from Juzo and looked at him with a frown on his face. He wondered, ''What the hell? Why did so many explosions go off on Juzo''s body?''


    He turned his attention towards Fujin and wondered, ''Did he do it? But how could he set up Juzo?''


    As Juzo was hit and Kisame was distracted, their control over the water defending them from the winds was lost. So the Wind immediately began piercing through the water.


    Noticing the danger, Kisame took control of the water around them. It gathered around him forming a protective barrier. At the same time, 12 powerful jets of water wereunched at the 12 Wind Clones who were still sting them with Infinite Breakthrough jutsu. In addition, Kisame alsounched water towards the winds to reduce their momentum and dull its sharpness.


    Though it consumed a high amount of chakra, Kisame''s quick action forced the Wind Clones to stop attacking and take evasive actions. It also dealt with the winds trapping him and Juzo. Having caught a breather, Kisame looked towards Juzo. His eyes widened and his pupils dted as he saw Juzo''s condition.


    The smoke around Juzo due to the explosion had finally cleared. Despite the explosions, Juzo still stood straight! However, his condition was terrible. The skin on his right foot''s sole was torn off due to the explosion. Attempting to walk on it would be worse than any physical torture.


    His arms were in a simr state. The explosions were even worse here due to preexisting cuts on his arms. In some spots, the impact was so bad that all skin and muscles had been blown off and his bones were exposed to the air. However, they weren''t visible due to being covered with blood.


    The worst was his chest and abdomen. They were aplete mess. Despite having already seen a lot, Fujin''s teammates were still affected by the gory state of his chest and abdomen. It was a shock that Juzo could still keep standing!


    Kisame was shocked as well by the sudden change in the situation. So was Zetsu who was observing the fight from some distance. Only one person was unaffected by it. It was Fujin, who was observing without any emotion behind his mask. The entire situation yed out exactly like he had pictured it in his mind.


    Kisame''s breather was short-lived. As per the n, the Wind clones turned their attention towards Kisame and fired multiple Vacuum Bullets at him. Despite being much stronger than the clones, Kisame had no choice but to give those attacks all his attention and take evasive actions.


    Fujin''s teammates also understood Fujin''s intentions behind his actions and words earlier and moved. All three attacked Kisame from range to keep him upied.


    With Kisame upied, Fujin made a move. He shot a Vacuum Cannon at Juzo while moving towards him. The Vacuum Cannon easily pierced through the Water surrounding Juzo and moved towards him. At thest moment, Juzo snapped his eyes open and moved out of the way.


    His resilience shocked Fujin once again. Despite such lethal injuries, Juzo moved as if he wasn''t injured at all! However, it wasn''t going to be enough to survive. After all, Fujin wouldn''t take pity on someone who tried to kill him.


    Fujin swung his sword to blow away all the water around Juzo and appeared in front of him. Juzo looked at Fujin and asked in a coarse voice, "You are a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster?"


    Fujin didn''t answer. However, Juzo knew he was right. But he was still confused. He wondered, ''Why couldn''t I sense the explosive seals he ced on my body? Though I wasn''t expecting him to be able to do this, I should have sensed it after he ced one on me and taken the required precaution.''


    Fujin could easily guess what Juzo was thinking. The answer to it was the break Fujin had taken earlier. During his vacation, Fujin created Seal Imprints for the Explosive Seal. His idea was to simply put these seals on enemies when engaging them in Taijutsu or even touching them in general and blow them up after he had umted sufficient seals on the enemy''s body.


    But he faced one major issue. It was that the seal could easily be detected when a ninja circted their chakra. So using them to surprise his enemies on the battlefield wasn''t viable. Understanding the danger, any ninja would cut off that part of their skin in order to survive. Only Chunin-level and weaker or indecisive ninjas would fall prey to it. While it would still give Fujin an advantage, he wasn''t satisfied with it.


    In order to make it usable, Fujin''s clones worked for several days in order to mixponents of various stealth seals into the Explosive seal. That was why Fujin took longer to master all the seals in the Library.


    After spending more than the equivalent of a year, Fujin''s clones finally seeded. The result was a seal that was very difficult to detect unless the opponent was a Grandmaster in Fuinjutsu as well or had incredible sensor skills.


    The only drawbacks were that the power of the explosion was reduced a bit and the seal was far moreplicated. However, thanks to Seal Imprints, that wasn''t an issue. Fujin immediately removed the earlier seal imprint and created new ones.


    And he hadn''t created just one but instead created four of them. Two on his palms and two more on his knuckles. So every time Fujin''s punchnded or he used his hands to block his enemy, he could create one explosive seal on the enemy''s body.


    Against an opponent of Juzo''s caliber, Fujin wasn''t sure if his new Vacuum jutsus would have much impact on the battle. So he decided to keep them hidden and instead decided to expose his Fuinjutsu.


    As luck would have it, Akatsuki wasn''t aware of Fujin''s capabilities in Fuinjutsu. Onoki hadn''t exposed Fujin''s expertise in Fuinjutsu to anyone other than Kumogakure who had paid arge price, hoping that he would be able to take out some of the ninjas, especially from Akatsuki, who tried to hunt him before going down. Onoki''s little scheme seeded on this battlefield.


    Juzo didn''t even consider that Fujin had put a seal on his foot right at the beginning of their fight. Instead, he was more focused towards Fujin''s ability to concentraterge amounts of chakra easily.


    Later, when Juzo tried to unarm Fujin, Fujin dly epted the exchange because he wanted to engage in a Taijutsu to fight to put more seals on Juzo''s body. As a result, Fujin managed to put several seals on Juzo without him even suspecting Fujin.


    Of course, Fujin had no intention of exining this to Juzo. He moved forward. Kisame noticed it and wanted to interfere, however, the Vacuum Bullets made it extremely difficult for him to interfere directly.


    He muttered to himself, ''So annoying! Having to keep an eye on 12 ninjas who are ridiculously fast and keep spamming jutsus that I can''t block or afford to take is a headache. And then there is also that ninja who uses Lightning jutsus into the water I am controlling.''


    He turned his gaze back to Juzo and thought, ''You will have to hang on for a few seconds, Juzo.''


    Suddenly, everyone in the battle felt a massive amount of chakra emanating from Kisame. The chakra was incredibly intense and massive. It was as if a Tailed Beast had arrived on the battlefield. A massive amount of water appeared around Kisame and began flowing in all directions.


    Fujin''s team became nervous but kept attacking from a distance. As for Fujin and his clones, they knew that even with arge amount of chakra, Kisame still wouldn''t want to get hit by the Vacuum Bullets. So they weren''t concerned.


    Seeing Fujin rushing towards him with a sword in his hand and sensing Kisame''s massive chakra and the water he released, Juzo''s hands moved to weave a hand seal.


    However, his right hand suddenly stopped. Dark markings suddenly appeared on Juzo''s body, paralyzing him! Shock could be seen in Juzo''s eyes as he realized, ''The Self Cursing Seal? When did he put it on me? And why didn''t he use it until now?''


    Just like the explosive seals, Fujin had ced this seal on his body when they had engaged in a Taijutsu. Fujin had used his left palm to stop an iing punch and had put the seal on his at that instant. Fujin didn''t activate it earlier as Juzo could try and break through it with his chakra, but in his current exhausted state, he stood no chance.


    Before he could get any answer, he saw Fujin''s sword sh past his neck. Unable to move or resist or get any help, he was beheaded and his head was sent flying away from his body.


    Juzo, one of thest two surviving members of the original Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, died at the hands of Suzuki Fujin in the Land of Hot Water! The number of the Swordsmen from the Mist kept decreasing.

 Chapter 389: Testing Kisame!

    The act of beheading Juzo immediately gained everyone''s attention. Despite working with him for over a year, Fujin''s squad were still surprised to see Fujin kill off such a fearsome ninja so quickly. After all, though Fujin had fought with Roshi and Kitsuchi in the past, he hadn''t seeded in killing any of them.


    Of course, the one who was shocked the most was Kisame. He couldn''t help but exim, "Impossible!"


    Had Juzo managed to hold on for a few seconds, Kisame would have been able to rescue him and force Fujin to retreat. However, to Kisame''s disbelief, Juzo didn''tst for even a short while.


    Some distance away, White Zetsu said, "He is indeed scary. Poor Juzo was so helpless."


    ck Zetsu agreed and added, "Yeah. He also used him as a trap to hit Kisame. Had Kisame not been careful, he would have been hit by the explosions as well. In that case, he could have tried to kill them both."


    ck Zetsu''s mind quickly began calcting why Juzo suffered a loss so quickly.


    Despite the achievement of killing such a high-level ninja, Fujin didn''t get lost in it. Instead, at the very next moment, he opened up a scroll, sealed Juzo''s body and quickly moved towards his head.


    However, multiple jets of water wereunched at him suddenly. At the same time, water was moving towards him like a Tsunami. Fujin''s team and his clones were already retreating. Fujin was about to seal Juzo''s head when a water jet hit Juzo''s head and pierced into his brain, destroying it from the inside.


    Fujin frowned and retreated. He looked at Kisame. Annoyance could be seen in his eyes, but it was just an act. Though taking Juzo''s head would seem like Konoha would get a lot of information and would benefit heavily, it was actually extremely counterproductive.


    Itachi was a spy Hiruzen sent to Akatsuki. So he already had a lot of information about the Akatsuki without the Akatsuki, except Obito, knowing about it. As for Fujin, he was the person who was the most clear about what Akatsuki was, who their members were and what their goals were.


    So any information that Juzo might have was borderline useless for both Fujin and Konoha. On the contrary, Akatsuki would know that Konoha had a lot of information about them. So they could be forced to make a move on Konoha and effectively change the future to arge degree.


    It was something that Fujin didn''t want to see. That is why he first sealed Juzo''s body and used a storage scroll to seal his body instead of one of the many storage seals on his bracer to waste some time without making anyone suspicious of his actions. It warned Kisame and gave him an opportunity to destroy Juzo''s head.


    As they retreated, the massive amount of water kept following them like a Tsunami. Fujin said softly, "Back me up."


    He immediately began building up his chakra. His clones and teammates immediately felt a massive amount of chakra from him. While his teammates would usually be very impressed, at that moment, the chakra that Fujin built up was much less than Kisame''s. Regardless, everyone prepared themselves too.


    ''Wind Release: Infinite Breakthrough jutsu''


    ''Wind Release: Air Bullet jutsu''


    ''Fire Release: Searing Migraine jutsu''


    ''Lightning Release: False Darkness jutsu''


    Almost at the same time, Fujin and his teamunched their attacks. Fujin led with a massive Infinite Breakthrough jutsu. Bunjiro couldn''t use Water jutsus while his Wind jutsus were far weaker than Fujin''s. So he just shot a few Air Bullets in his attack.


    Yugao shot her Fireball on one side of the Infinite Breakthrough while Fumitounched his Lightning jutsu on the other side. They were followed up by Fujin''s Wind Clones who exhausted all their remaining chakra andunched Vacuum jutsus into thebination attack.


    The massivebination attackbined seamlessly and hit the iing Tsunami that Kisame had started! The intense winds put a stop to the water''s momentum temporarily and even forced some of it backwards. Some sharp winds pierced into the water but couldn''t travel far within it.


    The fire evaporated a lot of water but wasn''t very effective considering therge amount of water. Only Fumito''s Lightning spears managed to enter the water and electrify it. However, Kisame createdyers within the water and controlled their flow to keep the electrified water away.


    The Vacuum jutsus shot by Fujin''s clones pierced into the water easily and moved towards Kisame. However, due to the disturbance they caused in the water, Kisame could easily see and dodge them.


    Sweat gathered behind Fujin and his team''s masks. Despite the four of them attacking together, they were only evenly matched with Kisame. In fact, some water had already begun moving towards them through the intense winds!


    Fujin analyzed, ''This guy is nuts! Kiri was crazy to use him merely to kill his teammates. He is already in a whole different league aspared to someone like Juzo.''


    Though Fujin was already aware of how strong Kisame would be by the start of the Fourth Great Ninja War, he was interested in checking how strong he already was. His observation made him very unwilling to fight Kisame so far away from Konoha.


    Fujin decided, ''It''s time to retreat. But running away from him will be difficult if he doesn''t intend to let us off. Even though I''m faster at escaping, the other 3 won''t be able to shake him off. Sigh, I''ll have to expose my summons as well.''


    Fujin was about to summon Kaito when he suddenly sensed something. A look of surprise appeared behind his mask as he wondered, ''What are they doing here?''


    He suddenly put over 10% of his chakra into the Infinite Breakthrough jutsu. The sudden infusion of chakra into the jutsu powered it up considerably, causing it to force its way through the water Kisame was controlling.


    His actions surprised Kisame and his teammates. Kisame retreated backwards while wondering, ''What is he intending? Though he forced me back, such a chakra expenditure will be very disadvantageous for him.''


    Suddenly, 3 Shadow Clones, each with 10% of his maximum chakra appeared around Fujin. At the same time, a seal lit up on his bracer and 600 Explosive Tags appeared in front of him. He said, "Retreat!"


    Fujin''s teammates, who weren''t able to understand the reason behind his actions, immediately flickered in the opposite direction along with Fujin. They finally guessed the reason behind Fujin''s actions and wondered, ''Does he intend to dy Kisame long enough that we escape his detection range? But why is he still keeping his chakra field active? And why did we fight first if he wanted to withdraw?''


    Unlike Fujin, his teammates weren''t aware of Zetsu''s existence and his abilities. Due to Zetsu, Fujin knew that escaping like usual wasn''t possible. The only way to escape was by either deterring Kisame from chasing them or flying away.


    Unfortunately for them, Fujin didn''t bother clearing their doubts. He consumed a soldier pill and said, "We will keep running until we reach Konoha. No breaks. And at least one of us will keep chakra fields active at any given time. If any more strong enemies appear, we will avoid them."


    His teammates nodded and kept moving at a fast speed.


    Back on the battlefield, Fujin''s Shadow Clones controlled the explosive tags and rained them down towards Kisame in waves. Kisame immediately spat out more water to douse those explosions.


    As he did, he realized, ''Despite having so many tags, he is only using a few in every wave. He wants to dy me until he can get out of the range. It looks like he doesn''t know about Zetsu''s abilities.''


    Kisame didn''t mind wasting some time to defeat the Shadow Clones. He could find Fujin easily with Zetsu''s aid. He blocked all the waves of the explosive tags and then rode a water wave to move closer to Fujin''s clones.


    Fujin''s clones analyzed, ''This might be a good time to test some of Kisame''s abilities. For instance, would contact with the sword immediately pop up a Shadow Clone due to its ability to suck chakra?''


    One of the clones flickered and appeared on top of Kisame. Chakra concentrated on his fist as he punched Kisame. Kisame immediately raised his sword to block the punch. The chakra gathered around the clone''s fist was easily absorbed by the sword.


    Despite that, when the clone''s punchnded on the sword, Kisame felt an intense force. Had he been weaker, he would have been forced under the water.


    As soon as his fistnded on the sword, the sword began absorbing his chakra. The clone analyzed, ''Hmm, so the clone won''t be dispelled in an instant. I guess it will only happen after it sucks away enough energy.''


    As he was analyzing, sharp scales broke through the bandages and hit the clone''s hand. Fujin''s clone immediately used Iron Skin jutsu to harden his fist, however, the chakra the sword absorbed caused his jutsu to fade away instantly and created deep cuts in his arm, dispelling him.

 Chapter 390: Swordsmen of the Mist Clash!

    Zetsu, who was observing the fight, felt something and turned its head around. Its eyes immediately widened as it thought, ''Not good. We can''t stay here.''


    Kisame turned his attention towards the remaining two clones as all the bandages around his sword were torn apart by Samehada. Neither clone had made any move. He wondered, ''Why are they just observing like they want to test out my abilities? I thought that he wanted to buy some time.''


    The clones received the memories of the dispelled clone and realized, ''It looks like the Senju Taijutsu style is ineffective on him. No, rather, it benefits him instead of harming him. And he also absorbs the chakra flow from my swords. Sigh, what an annoying fighter. Apart from those annoying Mangekyou and Rinnegan users, Kisame might be the toughest opponent for me.''


    Immediately, a sword appeared in each clone''s hands as they prepared for another sh with Kisame. Kisame weaved hand signs rapidly.


    ''Water Release: Shark Bomb jutsu''


    Immediately, the water around Kisame transformed into 5 sharks and moved towards the clones rapidly. Both clones just shed their swords, generating wind shes that destroyed the sharks. At the same time, both flickered away from Kisame as a lot of water was flooding towards them from behind the sharks.


    Kisame riled up his chakra and was about to attack when he suddenly stopped and looked behind. From the ground, two Venus Flytrap-like extensions emerged before Zetsu became visible.


    Immediately, the eyes of Fujin''s clones began glowing as they observed Zetsu, or more specifically, ck Zetsu. One of the clones muttered aloud, "What kind of freaks do you have in this organization? What is that? A Venus Flytrap?"


    Zetsu ignored Fujin and said in an urgent tone, "Kisame, you need to retreat. Arge number of Kirigakure ninjas are rushing towards us."


    Meanwhile, Fujin''s clones observed, ''He has such a strange body. I can barely detect anything from him. I wonder if the Sharingan or the Byagukan can see more. Probably not considering how much Madara trusted him and that no Hyuga mentioned anything odd about him. I''ll need someone like Orochimaru to dissect him and study him properly.''


    Kisame was surprised. He looked at Fujin''s clones and said, "I see. So you retreated on sensing them."


    Kisame had felt Fujin''s chakra field while approaching that ce. So, he was aware of howrge the range of his sensor ability was.


    One of Fujin''s clones nodded and answered, "Yes. Though I wasn''t sure who it was, I guessed it was Kiri. However, I''m surprised that you want to retreat so quickly. Aren''t you just an undercover Kiri ninja? I thought that you would ally with them and outnumber us."


    Kisame understood that Fujin''s clone was talking because he wanted to waste time and keep Kisame there until the Kiri ninjas arrived. He said, "I will remember you. Next time, you won''t escape so easily."


    Fujin''s clone chuckled and replied, "If there is a next time, that is. Do you think that escaping will be so easy?"


    Immediately, both clones flickered and peppered Kisame with Vacuum Bullets. They had only one goal, and that was to dy Kisame. Though they were just Shadow Clones, Kisame couldn''t dispel them easily as they kept their distance from him and dodged all attacks. He tried escaping in other directions, but the clones would always follow him and slow him down.


    Half a minuteter, another figure appeared on the battlefield. He observed, ''Kisame? What is he doing here? Didn''t Mitsuru say that Juzo was the one attacking him? Where are he and Juzo? And who is that masked ninja making Kisame retreat?''


    Zetsu had already disappeared under the ground. So he wasn''t seen by the neer. His appearance immediately attracted Kisame and Fujin''s clones'' attention. Fujin''s clones thought, ''Ah, he is the one leading them. Not bad, he is quite strong. It''ll be interesting to see how this goes.''


    Meanwhile, Kisame had a serious face as he muttered, "Hozuki Mangetsu."


    Fujin''s clones immediately flickered and moved to a location such that Kisame would be between them and Mangetsu. Theyunched supercharged Infinite Breakthrough jutsu at Kisame, cutting his path off and forcing him to defend.


    As Kisame defended, Fujin''s clones observed Mangetsu. To their disappointment, Mangetsu didn''t make a move to attack Kisame and instead observed the situation carefully from a distance. The clones realized, ''I see. He is unclear about what the situation is. Or perhaps he wants us to fight it out and then take advantage of our weakened state.''


    They understood Mangetsu''s thoughts as Fujin would have had simr thoughts had he been in Mangetsu''s ce. Immediately, one clone looked at Kisame and loudly dered, "You are lucky that your allies have arrived. Next time, I will kill you and take your sword!"


    In an instant, both clones disappeared by using Wind Instantaneous Body jutsu and escaped in opposite directions.


    Kisame was incredibly annoyed. He thought, ''What an annoying piece of shit! Kill me my ass! Had he stayed, he would have been the one to die. He just wants to force a conflict between me and Mangetsu and reap benefits without risking anything.''


    Mangetsu heard his words and thought, ''So my presence forced him away? No matter. Seeing his speed, catching him would be impossible anyway. And without an unknown factor, Kisame wouldn''t be able to escape me.''


    Mangetsu flickered and appeared behind Kisame in the blink of an eye. Unlike Fujin, he wasn''t wary of stepping into the water while fighting Kisame. He was more proficient than Kisame in fighting on water. Kisame immediately turned around and swung his de to block the iing strike.


    Arge sword hit the Samehada and immediately a series of explosions took ce, forcing Kisame to retreat. Both Mangetsu and Kisame moved away from each other. Kisame looked at Mangetsu and the Shibuki sword he was holding. He said, "Mangetsu, I didn''t expect to meet you here."


    Mangetsu looked at Kisame and said, "I didn''t expect to meet you here either. I know Fuguki was a traitor. So I won''t hold you to his murder. But I want the Samehada back. Give it up and you can go."


    Kisame grinned and asked, "Do you think you can take it from me?"


    A massive amount of chakra was released from Kisame. The chakra was so intense that even Mangetsu was surprised for a moment. His expression changed to normal immediately as he threatened, "If you don''t hand it over obediently, then I will have to take it from your corpse."


    As soon as Mangetsu finished his statement, several figures appeared. In a second, they became visible. Kisame became serious as he observed, ''24 Hunter ninjas¡­''


    Though Kisame''s disy of his chakra surprised Mangetsu, he wasn''t worried about taking him on due to the backup he had. Both sides immediately entered into an intense conflict. The two sides battled for about half an hour before the battle concluded. Unknown to any of the parties involved, a pair of eyes observed their entire battle.


    Fujin''s squad kept moving rapidly through the Land of Hot Water. As everyone had eaten soldier pills and frequently used the Body Flicker jutsu, they moved very quickly. They weren''t too far away from the border with the Land of Fire. Suddenly, Fujin''s eyes widened as he received new memories.


    He realized, ''I see, so they were all Hunter nins from Kiri and were led by Mangetsu. Still, Kisame still managed to escape. And he also killed 7 Hunter nins before getting away.''


    Fujin analyzed, ''That was expected though. I don''t see Kisame being killed so easily. I am surprised that he had to face as much trouble as he did. Mangetsu is quite strong. And, he also has several of the seven swords. Even without the reinforcements, he would have managed to hold Kisame back for a long time.


    Kisame''s performance was surprisingly underwhelming against the Kiri ninjas aspared to me though. But it is probably due to our fighting styles. My Taijutsu and Sword skills werepletely nullified by him. And, therge amount of water allowed him to create sufficient distance from me, giving him plenty of time to dodge or stop my Wind attacks.


    Byparison, Kiri ninjas who weren''t afraid of stepping into that water were able to give him a tougher fight. And since they don''t use chakra flow or supercharged jutsus, they don''t provide Kisame with a lot of opportunities to absorb their chakra.


    Of course, the biggest factor was Mangetsu himself. He has mastered all 7 swords. So it is likely that he has raised special forces to target the Seven Ninja Swordsmen members who went rogue, kind of like what Iwa did against me.


    This fight also made me realize. Ipletely overlooked an important aspect during my training. Now that I think about it, I was lucky that I didn''t manage to kill Juzo quickly and hence got to fight Kisame. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have thought of it even though it was so obvious.''

 Chapter 391: Double Blow!

    Back on the battlefield, Mangetsu stood along with 17 Hunter ninjas. They were treating the wounded and sealing the dead. One ninja approached Mangetsu and hatefully said, "Kisame managed to escape. We need to organize more hunting parties to trap and kill him!"


    However, Mangetsu shook his head and said, "No."


    His words surprised his subordinates who were around him. Mangetsu exined, "It''s pointless. Kisame was already in a battle before we found him. And despite outnumbering him so much, we weren''t able to kill him.


    So any hunting squads we send will be killed by him. Even if they manage to inform us, what''s the use if we can''t kill him? Only Mizukage-sama can kill him, but he can''t move around so lightly."


    The hunter ninjas sighed on hearing the exnations. None of them argued against him. They had just fought Kisame. And his strength was far beyond their expectations!


    Suddenly, a hunter ninja approached Mangetsu with excitement and said, "Captain, look what I found!"


    Mangetsu immediately looked at the ninja. His eyes widened as he saw what the Hunter ninja was holding. He immediately grabbed it and observed it properly. After a couple of minutes, he nodded and said, "There is no mistake. This is the hilt of Kubikiribocho! But¡­"


    His voice became a bit unsteady as he asked, "Who damaged it to this extent? There is almost nothing left of the sword. Also, where is Juzo?"


    No one answered him. Mangetsu instructed, "Search this battlefield. See if you can find any pieces of the de. Also, see if you can find any dead bodies."


    The hunter ninjas nodded. The ones who weren''t gravely injured immediately got to work.


    Due to the high intensity of the battle, neither Fujin nor Kisame had any time to pay attention to and pick up Juzo''s sword. In addition, the entire battlefield was flooded by Kisame. So, the sword was a few meters under the water. Even if they had time, neither Fujin nor Kisame were very interested in that sword.


    Only Zetsu could collect the sword, but it didn''t see any point in doing that as Juzo was dead. As the ones who managed to hold on to the battlefield until the end, the swordnded in the hands of the Kiri ninjas.


    They quickly found some of the shattered pieces of Kubikiribocho. Mangetsu observed them and concluded, ''It looks like they were cut by wind. The masked ninja that Kisame was fighting was using Wind jutsus. Did he defeat Juzo before fighting Kisame?''


    While Mangetsu was storing the pieces of Kubikiribocho, a ninja appeared holding the damaged head of Juzo. The head was very damaged. Kisame''s attack had poked a hole through Juzo''s head and destroyed his brain. Arge part of his face was unrecognizable. So the Hunter nins weren''t able to identify him.


    However, having fought alongside Juzo for so long, Mangetsu had no doubts. He sighed and muttered, "Biwa Juzo was killed by that masked ninja who was engaged with Kisame in a fight. From our reports, Kisame and Juzo had joined the same organization. It looks like they came in a conflict."


    His words silenced the ninjas around him. Though they were trained to hunt them down, everyone knew how difficult that task was. To see that one of their famed Swordsmen was killed left them with aplicated feeling.


    Finally, one ninja asked, "Who could that masked man be? To first kill Juzo and then fight Kisame¡­"


    Mangetsu muttered, "He used Wind Vacuum jutsus and wielded swords. From the recent rumors, there is only one such person who is very active."


    The expressions of all the Hunter nins became serious. Finally, one hatefully said, "The Spectral Swordsman!"


    Mangetsu nodded and said, "Yeah. Though I suppose we need to be thankful to him for once. He killed Juzo and didn''t even take the sword away. In addition, he also allowed us to attack Kisame and understand how strong he is."


    The Hunter nins weren''t sure what to say. After clearing the battlefield, they looked for the base they had created. Unfortunately, the base was in ruins. They could only collect the dead bodies buried under the cave and retreated from the Land of Hot Water. The high losses forced them to call off their operations in that country.


    While the Kiri ninjas were retreating, Fujin was wrecking his mind trying to find a solution to an issue he had realized. He analyzed, ''Though my ns for creating a Wind Domain are excellent, I overlooked one important aspect. That is ninjas who can absorb chakra. If I just emit chakra and let it form a domain around me so that I can control winds, doesn''t that mean someone like Kisame can just absorb it?


    Granted that there aren''t many ninjas with this ability, but the ones who do are absolutely broken. Pain, Madara andter Obito and Sasuke would all be able to directly absorb the chakra I emit. If I can''t use my main fighting style against them, then my chances of victory would drop hard. How do I counter that?


    The only thing I can think of so far is to directly convert all the chakra I emit into wind. This way, they can''t absorb wind. Hmm, no, Rinnegan might still be able to absorb it, but there is nothing I can do about that.


    Regardless, I won''t be able to make the winds sharper or concentrate them in one ce without chakra. Though I could create sharp winds out of their absorption range, it will lose effect as they will have sufficient time to dodge.''


    Fujin thought for several hours, but he couldn''te up with any ideas he could implement at that time. He sighed internally and thought, ''The only way I could stop them or make them pay is if the chakra I emit is Nature Chakra. But I haven''t learnt Senjutsu yet¡­


    Sigh, there is no other way I can think of currently. If I can''t think of a good way, I''ll have to be very careful while fighting any of them. Without the Wind Domain, I won''t have much of an advantage against them.


    Fortunately, Madara is dead while Obito and Sasuke won''t have that ability for quite some time. Nagato won''t expose himself and I can escape from Kisame. Not to mention, I still have a long time before I master my Wind Domain. If I can learn the Flying Thunder God by then, then I can escape easily even if I encounter Nagato and create an alternative fighting style that is equally dangerous.''


    While Fujin was wrecking his brain and the Kiri ninjas were returning to Kirigakure, a meeting between 8 rank S ninjas was taking ce!


    In a cave, the illusionary bodies of the Akatsuki members appeared. As soon as they did, Orochimaru joked, "We seem to be missing some members."


    No one joined in his joke. Pain informed the group, "Biwa Juzo is dead. In thest 3 days, we have lost 2 members."


    Everyone''s attention was immediately drawn to Kakuzu, whose partner was missing as well. Sasori asked, "How did they die?"


    Zetsu answered, "Juzo was killed by Konoha''s Spectral Swordsman during a mission. The other one died in friendly fire."


    Once again, everyone stared at Kakuzu who replied unapologetically, "He was too slow."


    Orochimaru asked, "You attacked him, didn''t you?"


    Kakuzu didn''t bother replying. Orochimaru turned his attention to Itachi and asked, "Juzo was your partner, wasn''t he? I wonder who you would team up with next?"


    Itachi didn''t respond. Pain offered Kakuzu and Itachi to team up, however, both refused. So, Pain announced that they would begin looking for new members.


    Kakuzu looked at Zetsu and asked, "Spectral Swordsman is on my hit list for his bounty. How strong is he and what are his abilities?"


    Quite a few Akatsuki members were interested in the answer. Though Fujin had gained a lot of fame recently, none of them expected him to kill an Akatsuki member.


    White Zetsu answered, "He is very strong and dangerous. His Vacuum jutsus are far more lethal than what the Bingo book mentions. His sensor skills are top-notch as well. He nearly killed us a couple of times."


    ck Zetsu added, "He is a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster and can apply explosive and paralysis seals stealthily. Juzo died because he wasn''t aware of those seals being applied on his body. In addition, his chakra reserves and speed can be categorized as rank S. More importantly, he is very cunning and schemes continuously. Even Kisame fell into a tough spot due to him. Don''t underestimate him or you might lose a few hearts."


    Zetsu''s words weren''t too much of a surprise for the Akatsuki members. After all, Fujin wouldn''t have been able to kill Juzo had he been weak. Still, no one was too rmed as Juzo was one of the weakest members of Akatsuki.


    Since no one had anything else to add, Pain said, "We will be taking the first step towards our goal soon. Our target is Han, the Jinchuriki of Five Tails."

 Chapter 392: A Sense of Freedom

    Fujin was unaware of the developments taking ce inside Akatsuki. But he wasn''t very concerned about them as Akatsuki didn''t have any record of taking revenge for their fallenrades. He kept thinking about more ways to counter ninjas who could absorb ninjutsu until Konoha appeared in their sight.


    Fujin looked at the vige and thought, ''Leave it, I''ll think about it after I develop itpletely. Anyway, this mission wasn''t bad. I kind of expected things to go south when Akatsuki got involved. Fortunately, everything went well.


    I managed to collect some information on Zetsu and Kisame and got to see Kisame and Mangetsu in action. And the only loss I suffered was that my Fuinjutsu mastery was revealed to them. But that is fine. Even if they are aware of it, Fuinjutsu will be a big pain in their ass.


    Though I also used the Wind Style Genjutsu, I doubt they would be aware of it. Zetsu had probably gone to call Kisame and we were covered by Mist. But, even if that stays a secret, it won''t be very effective against rank S ninjas. All of them are too sensitive towards such chakra.


    More importantly, I got an opportunity to fight two very strong ninjas. It showed me a lot of my weaknesses. The new range of Vacuum jutsus that I developed, though effective, won''t have any chance of killing a rank S ninja or ninjas close to that level.


    But, it''s fine. I created them to cut through Jounins who were trained to counter my previous fighting style. And if killing rank S was so easy, then they would have already been dead.


    Besides, even if they can dodge them, it will create a lot of pressure on them. Especially when I use them along with Wind Style Genjutsu and Fuinjutsu. Hehe, they will be incredibly annoyed to face me when I go all out. One small mistake will cost them their lives.''


    A glint appeared in Fujin''s eyes as he thought, ''Of course, my biggest gain was Juzo''s death. Though he wasn''t a rank S ninja, Juzo was very close to that level. To be able to kill such a ninja, especially in the presence of another rank S ninja, I can be considered as a rank S ninja!


    A 15-year-old rank S ninja, hehehe. Who would have thought that the thing that would help me breach the gap between rank A and rank S level would be Fuinjutsu?


    When I first arrived in this world, this was the step I wanted to reach. At this level, killing me would be incredibly difficult. I no longer have to worry about offending anyone or being targeted by someone with malicious intentions.''


    A smile appeared behind Fujin''s mask. Though he had long gained the ability to face and escape from rank S ninjas, finally reaching that level gave him an entirely different feeling. It was as if he was no longer bound by anything. As he stepped into Konoha, he felt a sense of freedom like never before. It was a feeling he hadn''t experienced in either of his lifetimes.


    Fujin looked at his teammates and said, "I will report to Lord Hokage. You guys can go back home if you want but meet me in our room in half an hour for a meeting."


    Yugao, Fumito and Bunjiro were a bit surprised by the sudden meeting. They nodded and went their separate ways.


    Fujin continued forward to Hiruzen''s office. He flickered directly outside Hiruzen''s office. Hiruzen, who was busy with paperwork, looked above and noticed Fujin. A bit of confusion appeared in his eyes as he thought, ''He feels a bit different.''


    He said, "Come in."


    At the same time, he looked at the ceiling at the hidden Anbu Guards. They immediately left the room and closed all doors and windows.


    Hiruzen made a hand seal, activated the seals and said, "You are back early. Eagle informed me that you took the rank S mission to the Land of Hot Water. Was the mission sessful?"


    Fujin nodded and said, "Yes. It was as you calcted. They were ninjas from Kirigakure who were creating trouble. All were eliminated."


    Hiruzen said, "Good. Send me the reportter."


    Thanks to his previous record, Hiruzen wasn''t surprised that Fujin managed toplete the mission with just his squad. Unfortunately, Hiruzen waspletely oblivious to the several shocks he would receive very soon. He went through his drawers and grabbed a scroll.


    He tossed it to Fujin and said with a gentle smile on his face and a hint of tiredness, "I copied all the details regarding the Flying Thunder God jutsu in this scroll. It has insights from both the Second and Fourth Hokage. The rest will be on you. I hope you learn this jutsu."


    Fujin grabbed the scroll and looked at it. A smile appeared on his face as he thought, ''Sweet! Even though he fakes a smile and tiredness to invoke sympathy, he is truly magnanimous! Now, how do I break the news to him?''


    Fujin stored the scroll and looked at Hiruzen. He said, "The missions had a fewplications. You might still need to send a couple of squads led by Elite Jounins to sweep that ce."


    Hiruzen raised an eyebrow and wondered, ''You couldn''t say that before I gave you the scroll? Why does it feel like I was baited into giving him this scroll? Also, what is this different feeling I am getting from Fujin? It''s as if something about him has changed.''


    He asked, "Whatplications?"


    Fujin said, "I didn''t do the mission and left it to my subordinates toplete it. Yugao acted as the leader. They encountered 25 Kiri ninjas, 5 Jounins and 20 Chunins. All were eliminated by the three of them."


    Hiruzen was surprised to hear that. He had thought that Fujin was the one to cut down most of the Kiri ninjas. He thought, ''I didn''t expect Yugao and the rest to kill 5 Jounins and 20 Chunins by themselves. Such efficiency¡­ They have already exceeded the requirements of bing an Anbu Captain.''


    Fujin continued, "Unfortunately, while they were fighting, Yugao was ambushed by Biwa Juzo, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist."


    Hiruzen''s eyes widened. He asked, "Has he also gone rogue just in name? And is Yugao fine?"


    At the same time, he wondered, ''Why was Akatsuki there? Did he encounter Itachi as well?''


    Fujin answered, "I had thought the same as well. But that wasn''t the case. Yugao and others are fine. I confronted Juzo while they eliminated the Kiri ninjas. I asked his intentions of fighting us several times. But he only said one thing. He said that he wanted the bounty on my head. From his actions, that seems to be the case."


    Hiruzen knew that Akatsuki was looking for funds. So he wasn''t surprised by what Fujin said. He asked, "Alright. How did you manage to get away from him? Also, did he have any allies?"


    Hiruzen hadn''t heard about Itachi in a long while. So he was curious as to how he was doing. At the same time, there was some sorrow inside him due to what they had forced Itachi to do.


    Fujin nodded and said, "Yeah, he had two allies. While we shed, I sensed a being hiding in the forest andter underground. When I attacked it, it escaped. Some timeter, Hoshigaki Kisame arrived to reinforce Juzo.


    That being who escaped showed itselfter. I am not sure what it was. It looked like a Venus Flytrap nt. It had a humanoid body inside, one half of it was white while the other half waspletely ck. It certainly didn''t look like a human."


    Hiruzen analyzed, ''That sounds like the Akatsuki member called Zetsu.''


    To Hiruzen''s surprise, Fujin tossed him a scroll. Hiruzen caught it and asked, "What is this?"


    Fujin answered, "It contains Juzo''s headless body. I tried to seal his head as well, but it was some distance away from me and Kisame destroyed it."


    Hiruzen''s eyes widened. He instantly realized, ''I understand why I am getting this feeling from Fujin.''


    Fujin continued, "I managed to catch Juzo off guard thanks to Fuinjutsu. He wasn''t aware of my expertise in it. Unfortunately, that is leaked now. I shed with Kisame as well. Our information regarding him is incorrect. This guy is incredibly strong. His chakra is insanely high. He was in a whole different league aspared to Juzo. I didn''t see any way of defeating him.


    Thankfully, I received some aid and managed to escape. Hozuki Mangetsu arrived with 24 Hunter ninjas. I am not sure who informed him or why they were there. Anyways, in the fight, Kisame managed to kill 7 Hunter ninjas before escaping.


    I am not sure what Mangetsu didter. But considering that we killed 25 Kiri ninjas and Kisame killed 7 more, they should have retreated from the Land of Hot Water. The squads you send will just have to confirm that they did."


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "The mission was indeed veryplicated. It''s good that everything went well."


    Fujin handed him a few scrolls and said, "These scrolls have the dead bodies of the ninjas my teammates killed. Their memories can still be checked to understand what their mission was."


    Hiruzen nodded and replied, "Alright. Anything else?"


    Fujin nodded and replied, "Yes. Seeing the performance of Uzuki Yugao and Yamanaka Fumito in this mission, I rmend both of them be promoted to the Anbu Captain ranks. Handa Bunjiro is growing strong as well, but he still needs some time before he is ready to be promoted to the Anbu Captain rank. I will send a reportter highlighting their performance in this mission."


    Hiruzen had expected Fujin to say that as he had made themplete the mission by themselves. He nodded and replied, "I will have them take an Anbu Promotion mission. Good work in ensuring that they be capable enough to reach this level."


    Fujin replied, "I didn''t do much. All three of them are highly motivated. They have grown stronger rapidly and are very well-versed in Anbu''s strategies and tactics. I''m sure they will be capable Captains in the future."


    As he spoke, Fujin removed his mask. He looked into Hiruzen''s eyes and said with a smile on his face, "Just one more thing. I''m retiring from Anbu."

 Chapter 393: Hiruzens Headache!

    Hiruzen was stunned! His eyes widened. In thest few minutes, Fujin had given him one surprise after another. Be it the unfamiliar feeling, his team''s performance or the involvement of Akatsuki. Juzo''s death had shocked him the most, but he had still managed to hold it together. However, the sudden announcement of retirementpletely shocked him!


    It was important to remember that Fujin had just turned 15. It was the age when most joined the Anbu. In all the decades that Hiruzen had been the Hokage, this was the first time anyone asked to retire from Anbu at such a young age. No, Fujin didn''t even ask him!


    Fujin chuckled internally and thought, ''I don''t know why, but seeing Hiruzen rattled is so exciting and satisfying.''


    Hiruzen finallyposed himself and asked, "What do you mean?"


    Fujin tilted his head and asked in a confused tone, "What else can it mean?"


    Hiruzen shook his head and asked, "No. I mean, why do you want to retire?"


    Fujin was an integral part of Hiruzen''s ns. He wanted Fujin to take over the Root or even be the Hokage depending on the situation. But for that to happen, Fujin needed a lot of aplishments. And the Anbu was the perfect ce to gain such achievements and to prove himself. Hiruzen even nned to rece his eldest son with Fujin as themander of the Anbu to give him more exposure and experience. So Hiruzen didn''t want Fujin to leave the Anbu.


    Taking inspiration from Hiruzen, Fujin faked a sigh full of tiredness and exhaustion and answered, "For thest three years, I have been running around the elemental nations killing one guy after another. During this time, I have frequently encountered ninjas who were far stronger than me and would kill me had I made just one mistake.


    I am exhausted from all this killing and fighting on the edge. My recent shes, be it with Roshi, Iwa or Kisame, all show me that I need to work on my jutsus a lot. But I barely have any time to train to make myself stronger while the enemies I face keep getting stronger. And between my training and missions, my schedule has be very hectic leaving me little or no time to rest.


    So, I want to retire from the Anbu and take a long break to learn new techniques and rest my mind."


    Hiruzen was speechless. He thought, ''Hectic? He is the only Anbu who regrly asks for vacations. I just gave him a 3-month long vacation! And I rarely gave him a mission that required killing in thest year.


    Don''t tell me he isining about not getting enough time to meditate in the training rooms. After nearly emptying all our Wind Crystal reserves, he isining about it?''


    Hiruzen said, "If you quit, you won''t be able to train in the Anbu Training Facility."


    Fujin asked in a pleading tone, "Not even for a little while, Grandpa?"


    Hiruzen said in a strict tone, "No."


    The tactics he could use as a kid had long lost their effect on Hiruzen. Fujin sighed and said, "That''s unfortunate, but I expected as much."


    He thought, ''The Wind Crystals don''t have any effect on me anymore. As for Fire and Earth, my affinity for them isn''t very impressive. So the absorption speed is too slow for it to be of much help. So the Elemental crystals are no longer of any help to me.''


    Hiruzen was surprised. He analyzed, ''So it wasn''t because he wanted more crystals. But why does he want to retire? It can''t be because of exhaustion. Kakashi took missions non-stop for years without needing a break. So did I when I was younger. In fact, there has never been an Elite Jounin in Konoha who retired due to the workload!''


    He asked, "Why don''t you just take training breaks and continue being in the Anbu?"


    Hiruzen sighed internally and thought, ''Why does everyone keep giving me headaches? This kid barely ever socializes with anyone! He has almost no connections. I was nning to give him Anbu ninjas who are already ready to be Anbu Captains and increase his influence through them. But he wants to quit after influencing just two? How will I even increase his reputation enough to make him a possible candidate for Hokage?''


    Hiruzen couldn''t directly tell Fujin that he wanted to raise him to be the next Hokage. After all, he couldn''t guarantee that Fujin would be the Hokage. Not to mention, telling something like that or even hinting it would create variousplications.


    So, Fujin was unaware of Hiruzen''s ns to make him the Hokage. In fact, the thought ofpeting for the Hokage position didn''t even cross his mind. Despite his impressive talent, Fujin had no connection to any of the Hokage.


    The First and Second Hokage were brothers. The Third Hokage was a student of the Second Hokage. The Fourth Hokage was Jiraiya''s student who was the Third Hokage''s student. In the future, the Fifth Hokage would be the student of the Third Hokage, the Sixth Hokage would be a student of the Fourth Hokage. While the Seventh Hokage would be the student of the Sixth Hokage and the son of the Fourth Hokage.


    Fujin didn''t have any such connections. Though he took advantage of Hiruzen''s weird obsession to be every kid''s Grandpa, he was well aware that their rtionship wasn''t as deep as Hiruzen''s rtions with his students.


    Of course, the most important factor was that Fujin was aware of the future. Had Hiruzen known how strong Naruto and Sasuke would grow in the future, he wouldn''t have bothered spending so much effort on nurturing Fujin.


    So Fujin was in a weird spot. At the present time, due to his young age, he had no way of bing the Hokage. If anything were to happen to Hiruzen, both the Sannins and Kakashi had a much higher chance of bing Hokage than him. His name might not even be brought up by the council and even Shikaku would be preferred over him despite being weaker than him. Even if he kept bing stronger and gained a lot of achievements, six yearster, Naruto''s reputation would reach a level far beyond any other ninja in history.


    So Fujin didn''t see much hope of bing the Hokage. Even if he did, he wasn''t particrly interested in the post. Though he did see some benefits of bing the Hokage, such as getting ess to all the forbidden jutsus, holding on to that post for a long time was something he wasn''t interested in.


    Being a Hokage was a selfless and thankless job. While he did enjoy ying mind games, he wasn''t particrly interested in doing that all the time. After all, it was fun to do so when Hiruzen and Shikaku had to deal with all the consequences. It won''t be the same when he would have to deal with such situations on a regr basis and clear up messes that others create.


    So, on this topic, Fujin and Hiruzen weren''t on the same page and both werepletely unaware of each other''s thoughts.


    Fujin didn''t think much and replied, "No, I think I am done with the Anbu. Sorry Grandpa."


    Hiruzen was lost for words. Hisst offer would have allowed Fujin to use the training rooms as much as he wanted. And still, Fujin rejected him. He understood that Fujin had already made up his mind. He sighed and said, "Alright. Let me know if you change your mind."


    Fujin nodded and said, "I will. Thank you, Grandpa."


    He left the room and shut the door behind him. Hiruzen let out another sigh and muttered, "They are all the same."


    He thought, ''The weird feeling I got from Fujin earlier is the same one I got from Jiraiya, Tsunade, Orochimaru and Minato. By killing Juzo, he should have understood that he is a rank S ninja. This realization brings about a change in mindset that is hard to determine.


    When Jiraiya reached this level, he left Konoha and began touring around the world to fulfil his prophecy. When Orochimaru did, he began doing experiments. Tsunade didn''t change much on the surface, but she became wilful enough to try to forcefully revamp Konoha''s medical ninjas in the middle of a war. Byparison, Minato didn''t change much other than bing very confident in himself.


    I never imagined that Fujin would reach this level at such a young age and the changes he would experience would lead him to quitting Anbu. ording to my estimates, I had thought that he would have needed at least 4 to 5 more years before reaching this level. That would have been enough for me to increase his reputation by several levels in Konoha. But now¡­''


    Hiruzen had a massive headache.

 Chapter 394: A New in Fujins Life

    Hiruzen grabbed his smoking pipe and got up from his seat. He looked outside the window, staring at the Hokage faces as he thought, ''This brat is indeed good at giving headaches. No wonder Shikaku was so annoyed by him. So many ns I had made¡­ All are useless now.''


    His mind rapidly calcted what he could do next. After a few minutes, he concluded, ''Without him being in the Anbu, I can''t increase his influence among the younger generation. And from his words, it looks like he doesn''t intend to take missions unless they arepulsory to take. The only way I can increase his reputation now is if I tell everyone what his achievements are. But¡­''


    A frown appeared on Hiruzen''s face as he continued thinking, ''But he wants to keep all his achievements a secret. Exposing them could make him resent me. And I can''t casually say that he is the Spectral Swordsman without facing a diplomatic disaster.''


    Even though everyone knew and believed that Fujin was the Spectral Swordsman, the smaller countries around Konoha didn''t act against Konoha. They were already facing threats from other major viges and if they offended Konoha as well, they would face a lot of problems. So they wanted to bury the whole thing as much as Konoha did. As long as ''The Spectral Swordsman'' didn''t act openly against them, they wouldn''t say a word.


    But, if Hiruzen was to openly admit that Fujin was the Spectral Swordsman, then those smaller countries would have no choice but to act against Konoha and restrict their ties with Konoha due to pressure from their own nobles and ninjas. So Hiruzen couldn''t do that.


    He sighed again and muttered, "The only way for him to be popr quickly now would be a war. As long as he kills several ninjas at Juzo''s level in a war or kills hundreds of enemy ninjas in an open battle, his reputation would increase in no time at all. But until such a war happens, he won''t be able topete with Kakashi for my seat even if he bes stronger than Kakashi.


    Leave it. Until a few years ago, I hadn''t expected Fujin to be so strong. By killing Juzo, he has pretty much announced that he is a rank S ninja. As long as he doesn''tpletely ck off, he will reach around my level by the time he grows up.


    Having such a ninja is very beneficial for Konoha, irrespective of how reputed he is or which post he has. And with his strength, gaining reputation won''t take a long time once he decides to build some.''


    Hiruzen decided to stop worrying about Fujin. He knew that strength was far more important than reputation. Though Fujin foiled his ns by quitting Anbu, Hiruzen could still make use of his strength when needed. In fact, he had already thought of one method to increase Fujin''s fame within Konoha immediately. He deactivated the seals and got back to work.


    As for the person who had just given Hiruzen a lot of headaches, he was chilling in his Anbu room, waiting for his teammates. Since he had nothing to do, he wondered, ''Why was Hiruzen so desperate to keep me in the Anbu? My first guess was that he just wanted someone who could keep taking missions non-stop like how I was doing and how Kakashi was doing before me.


    But thatst offer gave me a lot of advantages. To take long training breaks while in Anbu would have allowed me to go through the reserves of Elemental Crystals. Did he have any other intentions?''


    Fujin thought for a bit, but couldn''t think of any good reason. So he just kept thinking while waiting for his subordinates to arrive. In a few minutes, Yugao, Fumito and Bunjiro arrived and saw Fujin sitting without his mask and in deep thought.


    Fujin looked up and noticed them. He smiled and said, "You guys are finally here. Sit down. I have a few important announcements."


    Yugao and Fumito immediately guessed what it would have been about. After all, theirst mission was a bit strange. They immediately sat down.


    As they expected, Fujin said, "We have been working as a team for thest year. During this time, I have carefully observed your progress. And, I am very impressed by it.


    Especially you, Bunjiro. Your abilities and mission awareness have improved several times over thest year. You are now a full-fledged Anbu ninja. However, you still need more experience and still need to improve the speed and scale of your Wind and Water jutsus."


    Bunjiro nodded and replied, "Thank you, Captain. I will keep working on it."


    Fujin looked at Yugao and Fumito and said, "Both of you were already very close to the Anbu Captain level a year ago. I have judged that both of you are ready to be the Anbu Captain right now. I have already talked with Lord Hokage. Both of you will be given Anbu Promotion missions soon."


    Yugao and Fumito were immediately excited by the news. They said in unison, "Thank you, Captain."


    Fujin nodded, looked at Bunjiro and said, "Don''t be discouraged. I''m sure you''ll be able to take this mission in less than 2 years."


    Bunjiro replied, "I understand, Captain. Don''t worry, I will keep training under you."


    However, Fujin shook his head and said, "Our team will be disbanded. I am quitting Anbu. Eagle will assign you a new squad."


    Fujin''s words shocked his three subordinates. Just like Hiruzen, they didn''t see any signs of Fujin retiring from the Anbu. In fact, they had the front row seats as they saw Fujin fight with opponents who were famed throughout the world and create one trouble after another. So this sudden announcement caught them off guard.


    Bunjiro asked, "Why?"


    Fujin shrugged and replied, "I had some time to think about what I wanted to do during our training break. After thinking for a while, I decided to quit."


    All three were left speechless and looked at Fujin with a deadpan expression. Though Fujin had answered, it was equivalent to not saying anything.


    Fujin chuckled and said, "Don''t worry. Take care of yourselves. Next time, I won''t be around to back you up."


    Everyone nodded. Knowing that they won''t be meeting very frequently in the future, Yugao, Fumito and Bunjiro asked all the queries they had. Fujin answered all of them patiently. Around half an hourter, no one had anything more to say.


    Fujin said, "Though we won''t meet up much in the future, you all know where I live. Feel free to visit if you need anything. Good luck with your future missions."


    Yugao, Fumito and Bunjiro said their farewells and thanked Fujin once again. All three took their leave. As he left, Bunjiro thought, ''I was dreaming about bing Anbu Captain before I turned 16. To think that Fujin would quit Anbu at my age. Did he quit because the Anbu missions weren''t challenging him?''


    Bunjiro had a lot of excitement in following Fujin''s footsteps and bing an Anbu Captain. But he wasn''t sure about it anymore. However, he still had the determination to be as strong as Fujin.


    Fujin packed up all his stuff from the room and thought, ''3 years¡­ I spent 3 years in the Anbu. During this period, my strength has increased from Jounin level to rank S. Though fighting other rank S ninjas will be fun, I have some things to do before that..''


    Fujin left the Anbu Headquarters and walked on the streets as he decided, ''Now that I am rank S and have also be a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster, I can start implementing my ideas one by one. How sessful I am in implementing them will indicate how much farther I can go.


    Once I am sessful, I can begin taking advantage of the future events that I know will happen. Even though I did mess up with Suna badly, which could have some effect on Konoha crush, the events regarding Akatsuki shouldn''t be influenced much.


    Though I did kill Juzo, he was supposed to die anyway. Kisame should join up with Itachi. Unless the one who killed Juzo can also kill Kisame, it won''t have any effect on their activities.


    Anyways, for now¡­''


    Fujin looked at the Ichiraku ramen stall and entered. He thought, ''Though I don''t need to eat due to the soldier pill, there is no harm in eating to treat myself.''


    As soon as he entered, Ayame noticed him and said, "Fujin,e in. What do you want to eat?"


    Fujin sat down and replied, "Just the usual 3 bowls."


    Ayame said, "Coming right up."


    She immediately went to assist her father in making the Ramen.


    Within a few minutes, the first bowl was ready. Ayame delivered it and Fujin began eating. Fujin ate, enjoying the delicious taste and the peace and tranquillity.


    Suddenly, a certain someone came running into the stall and sat on the stool next to Fujin''s and shouted, "2 Miso Ramens for me!"

 Chapter 395: Easy Mode

    Ayame heard Naruto''s shout and said, "Wait for a few minutes, Naruto. I''ll prepare it right away."


    She and Teuchi got to work while Fujin enjoyed his meal and Naruto impatiently waited for his. A few minutester, Ayame brought out two bowls and ced them in front of Naruto and Fujin.


    Naruto immediately said loudly, "Thank you!" and dived into his bowl.


    Despite sounding happy, Ayame could clearly make out the annoyance in Naruto''s voice. She asked, "Did something happen in the academy, Naruto?"


    Naruto replied, "Hmph, Iruka sensei failed me once again. I have to keep studying until next year."


    Ayame consoled him and said, "Oh, don''t worry Naruto. I am sure you will pass with flying colors next year."


    Naruto replied enthusiastically, "Of course I will! I will be the Hokage. Believe it!"


    Ayame smiled noticing that Naruto wasn''t depressed. Suddenly, she remembered that Fujin was sitting next to Naruto and realized, ''Now that I think about it, I don''t think Fujin and Naruto have ever met. That''s weird. Both of theme here so frequently. It is strange that they never showed up at the same time.''


    Despite finding it odd, Ayame didn''t dwell on it for long. After all, her mind couldn''tprehend the fact that Fujin purposefully avoided Naruto until that day. She cheerfully said, "Fujin, you haven''t met with Naruto yet, right?"


    Fujin looked up at her and asked in a questioning tone, "Naruto?"


    He looked at Naruto sitting beside him and asked, "Him?"


    Naruto, who was busy eating, immediately looked up as he realized that Ayame was talking about him. He looked back at Fujin who was looking at him.


    Ayame introduced Fujin by saying, "Naruto, he is Fujin. He is a very strong ninja."


    Though Ayame didn''t know much about Fujin, she knew that he graduated at 10 and became a Chunin at 11. Though there were a few other ninjas who became chunin at that age, their number was very low. So despite not knowing Fujin''s real strength, her words were spot on.


    Hearing that Fujin was very strong from Ayame''s mouth, Naruto was surprised. He looked back at Fujin to see that he was still staring at him without saying anything. He introduced himself, "I am Uzumaki Naruto. I will be the Hokage. Believe it!"


    Fujin replied, "The Hokage, huh?"


    Naruto looked into Fujin''s eyes. Ayame noticed it and suddenly became nervous. She thought, ''Ugh! I forgot that most vigers avoid Naruto for some reason. I hope Fujin isn''t one of them.''


    Teuchi also looked at Fujin. Though he liked Fujin, he didn''t want anyone to mistreat Naruto.


    Fujin stared at Naruto just like the rest of the vigers. However, Naruto noticed some differences. The most important difference was that Fujin''s gaze wasn''t cold. Naruto was surprised and wondered, ''Though he is staring at me, it doesn''t feel like he hates me or wants me to disappear. But what is this look?''


    Naruto had never seen someone looking at him in this manner. So he didn''t understand that Fujin''s gaze was full of curiosity and amusement. As someone who had seen Naruto several times, it was natural for Fujin to be curious towards him. Though he has observed Naruto several times, this was the first time he was interacting with him. This curiosity was something that no other person in Konoha had.


    As for the amusement part, Fujin couldn''t help but think, ''In my previous world, we debated several times about who was the best maniptor in Naruto. The normal choices for the same would be Danzo, Orochimaru or even ck Zetsu at times. But, they don''te anywhere close to Hiruzen!


    How the hell does someone, whose existence is not acknowledged, who has to hear things terrible enough to leave mental trauma on a daily basis for years, and who is pretty much hated by everyone, want to do nothing but look after and care for the very people who put him through such torture and be willing to give up his life for them?''


    Fujin couldn''t make any sense of it. He could only marvel at how capable Hiruzen was. He even wondered whether the reason Hiruzen kept Naruto in such circumstances was to fuel his dream of bing the Hokage even further. However, even if that was the case, Fujin didn''t agree with the method.


    He chuckled and said, "Sure. And I will be the God of this world. Believe it!"


    Fujin''s reply left Ayame, Teuchi and Naruto speechless. None of them had expected such a reply. Soon, a smile appeared on Teuchi''s face and Ayame began giggling.


    Naruto''s face immediately became red in embarrassment. He immediately jumped from his stool and shouted, "Don''t mock me! I will be the Hokage, believe it!"


    Fujin chuckled and asked, "Do you know of a Hokage that failed the graduation exam?"


    Naruto immediately became a bit nervous and argued back, "No. But I only failed in the Clone jutsu. I can perform the Substitution and the Transformation jutsu perfectly."


    Fujin still maintained a sly smile and asked, "Do you know of any Hokage that know only two jutsus? Lord Third is said to know every single jutsu in Konoha."


    Getting constantly berated by Fujin annoyed Naruto. He mmed his hand on the table while iming, "I will learn even more jutsus tha¡­"


    Suddenly, his eyes moved towards the table. His hand hit his ramen bowl causing it to move and fall. His eyes widened in horror as he saw the ramen bowl turnover and his precious ramen falling towards the ground.


    However, suddenly, it felt like a miracle took ce. The ramen, which was falling towards the ground, suddenly stopped. Winds flowed around the falling ramen and the bowl. Naruto, Ayame and Teuchi saw in astonishment as all the falling ramen went back into the bowl and the bowl moved back to the table and floated around an inch above the table.


    Slowly, the bowlnded on the table and the winds moving around it dispersed. The entire room was quiet due to the sudden disy. None of them had ever seen something like that.


    Naruto turned his attention towards Fujin and thought, ''How did he do that? I haven''t even seen Iruka sensei do something like this!''


    To see someone, who just said his dream was impossible, do something so crazy shocked him. However, his shock soon turned into excitement. His eyes almost sparkled as he said in excitement, "That was so cool! How did you do that?"


    Fujin replied, "It''s a basic application of Wind nature maniption."


    Naruto eximed, "Wind nature maniption? That sounds cool! Can you teach it to me?"


    Fujin raised an eyebrow and asked, "Teach you?"


    He continued eating noodles as he said, "It might be basic, but it is still veryplicated. To learn, you will have to train for hours daily for months. Do you think you can focus on training that long?"


    Naruto was surprised. This wasn''t the first time he had asked anyone to teach him jutsus. He had asked nearly all teachers in the academy and had also bugged Hiruzen when he met him. But this was the first time his request wasn''t denied right away.


    Naruto said, "Of course I can. I will train non-stop until I learn it. Believe it!"


    Fujin asked, "Do you know where Training Ground 23 is?"


    Naruto replied, "No, but I can find it in no time, believe it!"


    Fujin said, "Alright. Show up there at 5 in the morning tomorrow. If you can learn how to control the wind as I can, then I''ll believe that you can be the Hokage."


    Naruto was immediately ted. It was the first time anyone had agreed to teach him. He immediately shouted in excitement, "I will be there and learn it in no time. Believe it!"


    Naruto''s reactions werepletely like Fujin aspected. All his words to Naruto were well-measured. He first made Naruto agitated by saying that his dream was impossible, then blew his mind with the sudden disy and finally agreed to Naruto''s request of teaching him and gave him a way of making him ''convince'' Fujin that he could be the Hokage. As a result, Fujin''s impression in Naruto''s eyes skyrocketed.


    Considering how few people treated Naruto well, Fujin''s favorability immediately rose near the top in Naruto''s eyes. Fujin sighed internally and thought, ''This is too easy. After engaging in mind games with Hiruzen, trying to manipte Naruto is like going from Insane difficulty mode to Baby mode. He is lucky that I have no ill intentions.''


    Fujin couldn''t help but wonder, ''Now that I think about it, doesn''t Hiruzen always target little kids? Most of his Will of Fire speeches are given in the academy. He has influenced Naruto since he was young. The same could be said about Itachi. If Naruto and Itachi were older like me, would they have fallen for his maniptions?''


    Teuchi and Ayame weren''t aware of what was going through Fujin''s mind. They just smiled. Though neither were ninjas, both were happy to see Naruto being treated well. Having interacted with Fujin for so long, they knew that he wouldn''t harm Naruto or leave him hanging.


    Teuchi said, "Your ramen is getting cold, Naruto. Eat it quickly."


    Naruto immediately began eating while Teuchi brought out thest two bowls of ramen.

 Chapter 396: Confrontation

    Fujin finished up his bowls of ramen before Naruto. He got up and said, "I''ll be waiting for you tomorrow morning. Don''t bete."


    Naruto quickly swallowed the noodles and said, "I will be there on time. Believe it!"


    Fujin nodded and left. As he left, he heard Naruto talking to Ayame in excitement iming that he would be able to control winds like Fujin in no time. Naruto seemed to have already forgotten about failing the graduation exam. Fujin ignored it and began walking home.


    He sighed and thought, ''I forgot how much of a punk Naruto was. Even though it''s understandable considering his situation, It''ll be rather annoying to deal with all the time. Should I curtail it?''


    Fujin thought for a bit before deciding, ''Leave it. It''s a thankless job and will require a lot of time and effort. I''ll just have him act properly in front of me andpensate for that by filling his head with more prank ideas. As long as I''m not the one he annoys, I don''t care. Besides, considering the amount of trauma he has, it will be better for him to let some of it out through pranks rather than bottling it all up.''


    Fujin then began thinking about what to train Naruto in. Since Hiruzen had handed him the Flying Thunder God peacefully, he didn''t intend to create much trouble for him. He thought, ''Training Naruto¡­ It is something I have contemted for a long time.''


    He recalled his analysis, ''The advantage of doing so is very simple. Naruto''s stocks are set to explode in the future. And no one, including Naruto himself, knows about this. Investing in him at this time, when very few others have, will make him feel indebted to me and make him take my side or support me as long as I don''t do anything that is totally against his morals. No, even if I do something evil, he will still fight for my forgiveness.


    So, if some of my future ns go horribly wrong and put me in a dangerous situation or make me an enemy of the elemental nations, I will always have a path of retreating.


    Regardless, if things happen just as in the canon, there are only benefits in doing this. Even if things don''t pan out the same, having a rank S ninja that I can easily influence is something invaluable.


    However, there is a big problem with this¡­ If I train Naruto, and if that helps him be stronger quicker than the canon timeline, then the story could change in ways that I might not be able to calcte, costing my advantage of future knowledge.


    And the changes start at a very basic level. For instance, if my training somehow makes himpetent enough to learn the Clone jutsu, then he will graduate and Mizuki won''t be able to make him steal the scroll.


    That would mean that Naruto wouldn''t learn the Multi Shadow Clone jutsu until the Sun rises from the West and Kakashi or Jiraiya decides to teach him the jutsu that is tailormade for him. And I have no idea how much that would impact his ability to fight or even survive in his future fights.


    Luckily, this change is easy to see and fix. I can just teach him the Multi Shadow Clone jutsu myself as a gift for graduating. Though I will lose my chance to sneak a peek at the contents of the forbidden scroll, I doubt the scroll he stole was the actual forbidden scroll. There''s no way the Hiruzen I know would be this careless.


    But regardless, such changes will happen in the future. At least the events during the Chunin Exams will change. Fortunately, the major events, like Akatsuki''s movements, shouldn''t be affected by the increase in his strength. Suna and Oto''s invasion might be affected, but that''s more due to me rather than Naruto.''


    Fujin let out a sigh and muttered, "So manyplications. What do you want?"


    As Fujin walked, he reached a street that waspletely deserted. In an instant, a masked ninja, wearing the Anbu outfit, appeared behind Fujin. The masked ninja heard Fujin''s question and said in a monotonous tone, "Stay away from Uzumaki Naruto."


    Without turning around to face him, Fujin asked in a in tone, "Why?"


    The ninja answered, "Lord Hokage''s orders."


    Fujin replied, "That''s funny. I don''t recall him passing such orders. So why don''t you stop beating around the bush and say the real reason."


    The ninja was surprised. He didn''t expect someone to actually question him back. After all, very few ever questioned the Anbu. He said, "You ca¡­"


    However, Fujin cut him off and said, "I thought Root was dissolved. What are you doing keeping an eye on the citizens of Konoha?"


    Fujin was very well aware of Anbu''s operating style. During thest three years, he had gone onbined missions with several teams. So it was very easy for him to realize that the ninja behind him wasn''t from Anbu.


    The Root ninja was shocked once again. Not only did the youngster in front of him not obey him, but he also revealed his identity. Not knowing how to handle the situation, he released a bit of his killing intent at Fujin and said, "Do as you are told."


    For the first time, Fujin turned his head and looked into the eyes of the Root ninja. In the next second, the Root ninja immediately jumped away. His eyes widened in shock and disbelief as sweat appeared behind his mask. He wondered, ''Who is he? And how many people did he kill?''


    Instead of backing out, Fujin had unleashed his own killing intent at the Root ninja. As someone who had spent the better part of thest 3 years killing arge number of ninjas and Nobles, the amount of people he killed far exceeded what the Root ninja had.


    Though Fujin couldn''tpare to Juzo in this regard, a Root ninja, who wasn''t even at the Jounin level, wasn''t his match. Since the entire killing intent was focused on him, the Root ninja couldn''t endure it. He felt that he would lose his life if he didn''t move away from Fujin.


    Fujin muttered, "The next time you or any other Root ninja sneaks up on me, I won''t be polite."


    Without looking back, Fujin walked away. The Root ninja was still in shock. It was his first time seeing someone from Konoha who had no regard for either the Anbu or the Root. He wondered, ''Who is that guy? All ninjas are very polite towards the Anbu. If they know that I am from Root, they be even more polite and slightly fearful. But he directly threatened me and other Root ninjas?''


    He quickly retreated and rushed towards the underground Root base.


    Fujin ignored him and continued walking home. He thought, ''That''s weird. I thought all Root ninjas would be aware of me. Even if Danzo didn''t tell them, do they not read the Bingo book? That said, he felt quite weak and was probably only at the Chunin level. Maybe Danzo kept him busy for some mission.


    Regardless, Danzo has gonepletely silent. I had expected him to do something after spying on me. Though I didn''t sense anyer, I am sure that he still kept an eye on me. But it''s been nearly 3 months. And I also went out on a mission. It is strange that he hasn''t tried anything.


    The main reason why I was so provocative in this little interaction is to see what Danzo would do now. If he has some malicious intentions, then this would provide him a good excuse to take action. Even if he doesn''t take any action, I''ll be able to get some clues on his intentions.''


    Fujin was very interested in seeing Danzo''s schemes. If Danzo hadn''t tried spying on him, Fujin would have ignored his existence until it was the right time. But since Danzo disyed some intentions against him, Fujin knew that just waiting passively would give all initiative to Danzo. Once he ascertained Danzo''s intentions, he would have a better idea of how to proceed forward.


    Fujin reached his home and entered the basement. He finally took out the scroll and opened it as he muttered in excitement, "Flying Thunder God jutsu¡­ Finally, I can learn it!"


    He immediately began reading all the information regarding it.


    While Fujin began studying, a figure appeared in the underground base of Root. He was the same Root ninja who tried warning Fujin. He went straight to Danzo and after getting permission, entered it.


    He bowed respectfully and said in a hurry, "Danzo-sama, there is an issue. A Shinobi interacted with Uzumaki Naruto and promised to train him. I warned him and asked him to stay away from Naruto, but he refused to do so."


    Danzo was surprised. He asked, "Didn''t you threaten him?"


    Sweat gathered behind the Root ninja''s mask as he recalled how his threat went.

 Chapter 397: Flying Thunder God

    The Root ninja nervously reported, "I tried, but he arrogantly imed that the Hokage didn''t tell him to stay away from Uzumaki Naruto. Then he somehow recognized that I was from the Root and asked what I was doing keeping an eye on the citizens of Konoha. When I tried to threaten him, he unleashed his killing intent and forced me to retreat. I''m not sure who it was, but that ninja has killed a lot of ninjas.''


    Danzo was surprised. He wondered, ''Who did he encounter? And since when did someone start threatening Root ninjas?''


    He asked, "Who was it?"


    The Root ninja replied, "I didn''t identify him but when he was inside the Ichiraku Ramen shop, I overheard that he was called Fujin."


    Danzo''s eyes immediately widened before going back to their usual size. He wondered, ''Suzuki Fujin? Hasn''t he gone to the Land of Waterfall? The two squads I sent to the Land of Earth even made Iwagakure send Kitsuchi and a few dozen Jounins to set a trap for him there. Why is he still here?''


    The Root ninja was surprised to not receive any response from Danzo. He looked up and asked, "Danzo-sama?"


    Danzo replied, "I will look into it. For now, stay away from him. Continue spying on Uzumaki Naruto, but maintain distance."


    The Root ninja nodded and left. Unlike his steady voice, Danzo''s mind was in a mess. He calmed himself down and analyzed, ''Did Tiger make a mistake in identifying him? No, that''s unlikely. So why is Suzuki Fujin back in Konoha? Or could it be possible that he never left?''


    Danzo analyzed for a few minutes and concluded, ''No, he should have left the vige. Otherwise, Torune would have informed me. The mistake I made should be in assuming the mission he took. He should have taken a different mission that allowed him to return so quickly. But which mission did he take?''


    While Danzo was aware of the mission issued by the Daimyo of the Land of Hot Water, he wasn''t informed that Fujin''s squad had taken that mission. Hiruzen and Eagle didn''t have any reason to inform him and they continued creating a strong squad to send to that mission in spite of the fact that Fujin''s squad had taken the mission. So Danzo waspletely clueless.


    He continued thinking, ''I will find that outter. For now, the important question is why he wants to teach the Nine Tails Jinchuriki?''


    Naruto was someone who Danzo wanted to control. Unfortunately, Hiruzen never allowed him that. However, Danzo used the political situation in Konoha and Hiruzen''s worries perfectly to ensure that no one else managed to gain control over Naruto either. For Fujin to suddenly take an interest in Naruto baffled Danzo.


    He analyzed, ''That ramen shop. Torune said that Fujin visits it frequently. And so does Uzumaki Naruto. That is the onlymon point between the two of them. But if that''s the case, why did he wait for so long before taking an interest in him? And what gives him the confidence to offend Root for that boy?''


    He realized, ''It feels like I am missing something. Something important should have happened in thesest 3-4 days. I need to gather sufficient information to understand what the situation is. Only then I can decide what move to make.''


    Danzo immediately understood that he was missing a lot of information. So despite Fujin''s provocation, he decided to not respond and decided to wait until he had a better picture of the situation.


    Inside his basement, Fujin had gone through all the information inside the scroll. He thought, ''Of all the scrolls I have seen in this world, this one is the most detailed one. It contains the optimal method of learning this jutsu. It contains a ridiculous amount of theory on Space-Time Ninjutsu.


    It also contains Tobirama''s research leading to the creation of this jutsu and how Minato improved upon it. And despite saying that he doesn''t have any talent in this field, Hiruzen has still added his thoughts and tips in this scroll.''


    Fujin took a deep breath and recalled the method of learning the Flying Thunder God. He summarized, ''The process of learning the Flying Thunder God jutsu is divided into several steps. And each of these steps is extremely difficult.


    The first step is learning to make the seal required for this jutsu. In terms ofplexity, this seal can be considered to be at a higher level than the Four Symbols Seal. This means that if the ninja isn''t a Grandmaster in Fuinjutsu or close to that level, it will be impossible to evenplete the first step of this jutsu.


    However, there is one shortcut Minato created so that SealMasters who show some Affinity to Space-Time Ninjutsu could learn this seal as well. Of course, its effect isn''t as good as learning the seal yourself. Regardless, for me, this step should be the easiest.


    The second step is sensing the space coordinates of the seals I create. Sensing space coordinates is different from normal sensing. I can''t use my chakra field. Instead, I will have to use a Space-Time Sensing Technique to sense its location.


    This step is very difficult. ording to what Hiruzen wrote, he failed at this step. Almost everyone who tried learning the Flying Thunder God jutsu fails at this stage. This step shows whether you have an affinity for Space-Time Ninjutsu or not.


    I suspect that the reason why Genma and the other two were selected by Minato is that they should have shown some talent in this step. Though they aren''t Grandmasters in Fuinjutsu, the scroll states that Minato developed a simpler version of this jutsu.


    The Thunder God Formation Technique. I suspect that he somehow created the seals himself for the three of them to sense. It''s likely that Minato tested every eligible ninja and found just the 3 of them. Or perhaps there were more but they couldn''tplete thest step. Sigh, I hope I am able toplete this step.


    Fortunately, Minato made this step a bit simpler by improving the structure of the seal slightly. It decreases the time needed to sense the seals and makes sensing over longer distances easier. ording to what Hiruzen added, it was only due to these improvements done by Minato that Konoha began discovering more ninjas who have talent for Space-Time Ninjutsu.


    The third and final step is the main step. After sensing the seal, I have to move to that location. It sounds a bit simr to the summoning jutsu, or rather, the reverse summoning jutsu. Basically, I have to be summoned to the location of the seal.


    Only, there is one big issue. During reverse summoning, the one who does the reverse summoning uses his or her chakra to do so. But here, there is no one to do that at the seal.


    Another issue is that reverse summoning needs a lot of chakra. To do that a few times will be fine. But doing that hundreds or even thousands of times repeatedly like how Minato would do, would use up all the chakra in an instant.


    The initial form of this jutsu that Tobirama created actually used this concept. Minato''s Thunder God Formation Technique also uses this principle. So, the initial form of this jutsu couldn''t actually be considered Teleportation. It was a long-distance movement jutsu that Tobirama created by using numerous existing concepts and techniques.


    Though it was still remarkable, it wasn''t very usable in battle. Understanding the drawbacks, Tobirama improved this step to actually moving through Space-Time and arriving at the location of the seal in an instant.


    This consumes far less chakra and is much faster, making it viable to use inbat. However, it is far more difficult to learn. Regardless, as long as I seed in step two, even if I fail in this step, I could still copy the Reverse Summoning trick and use this jutsu for travelling long distances. Of course, if I manage to master step 3 as well¡­''


    A wide grin appeared on Fujin''s face. His speed was already ridiculously high. Apart from the top-tier ninjas, no one could keep up with him at his current level. His Vacuum jutsus and Fuinjutsu further restricted his opponents. However, if he were to add the Flying Thunder God jutsu to his arsenal, he would be the fastest ninja alive in a heartbeat! Even the Fourth Raikage and Obito would struggle to keep up with him.


    Fujin calmed himself and muttered, "I need to learn this first. I can get excitedter."


    In an instant, a hundred Shadow Clones appeared in the basement. Everyone began learning the Flying Thunder God seal.


    While Fujin upied himself in learning the Flying Thunder God Seal, Shikaku entered Hiruzen''s office and asked, "What is the matter this time?"


    Hiruzen looked at Shikaku and said seriously, "Fujin took the mission in the Land of Hot Water with his squad. He returned some time ago."


    Shikaku immediately had a dark expression. He sighed and thought, ''I will miss my next few month''s sleep.''

 Chapter 398: A Seat on the Council

    Hiruzen noticed Shikaku''s expressions. Though he was amused, his mind was still upied by Fujin''s resignation. He thought, ''Without Fujin creating trouble, Shikaku will bezy again. I need to think of something to keep him busy now.''


    Shikaku muttered, "Say it. What upheaval did that boy cause this time?"


    Sorrow could be heard in Shikaku''s tone. It was as if someone was about to steal his most precious belongings and he could do nothing but see it happening with his eyes.


    Hiruzen looked at his Anbu Guards, who immediately left the room and locked all the doors and windows. Hiruzen activated the seals and said, "He encountered the Akatsuki organization as well as the Mizukage faction during the mission."


    Shikaku was puzzled. He asked, "What was that mercenary organization doing there? Aren''t they active in the West?"


    Hiruzen replied, "Fujin couldn''t figure that out. Our only guess right now is that they received a mission in the Land of Hot Water and encountered them fighting. Regardless, Biwa Juzo wanted to collect his bounty and was killed by Fujin."


    Shikaku was shocked. He asked, "He killed Juzo?"


    Hiruzen nodded. Shikaku immediately became serious as he analyzed the implications. He said, "Killing Juzo will imply that Fujin is a rank S ninja. And he is merely 15 years old."


    Shikaku was stunned. Knowing all the shit Fujin pulled over thest year, Shikaku expected Fujin to reach that stage. But he didn''t expect him to reach it so quickly.


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "His victory wasn''t a fluke. He also found out more information."


    Hiruzen informed Shikaku about Fujin''s analysis of Kisame and mentioned Zetsu''s abilities. He even told him about the actions of the Mizukage faction.


    Shikaku analyzed everything thoroughly and said, "The Mizukage faction is getting desperate. If the Fourth Mizukage falls, then their faction will copse in no time. Kisame''s power is a surprise. But we didn''t hear much about him after the end of thest war. For his strength to rise significantly over thest decade, though difficult, isn''t impossible.


    That nt-like creature sounds like it will be good at spying and infiltration. We may need to upgrade our barriers considering that it was able to hide within Fujin''s chakra field. The more important question is, would the mercenary organization retaliate?"


    Hiruzen shook his head and answered, "Unlikely. It''s not a hidden vige. So they don''t have the same sense ofradery. And this isn''t the first time one of them has been killed. So it is very unlikely."


    Shikaku didn''t have much information about Akatsuki''s movements and actions. He was worried about such high-level ninjas ambushing Konoha ninjas on the field. But since Hiruzen wasn''t worried, Shikaku stopped thinking about it. However, he was puzzled.


    He asked, "Everything sounds well. Why did you call me?"


    Shikaku thought, ''I was expecting a lot of work, but so far, he has only given me good news. The Mizukage faction will retreat from the Land of Hot Water. One deadly rogue ninja is dead and no one will avenge him. And, Konoha has a new and young rank S ninja. This would make the vige''s position very stable. Did he call me here to just give me good news?''


    Hiruzen sighed and said, "Fujin resigned from the Anbu. He will be taking a long break to train and rest."


    Shikaku''s eyes widened. He eximed in shock, "He resigned?"


    Almost immediately, his shock changed into delight. He thought, ''Fujin retired from Anbu and will take a long break? Unbelievable! He indeed called me to give me good news!''


    Fujin had been a huge headache for Shikaku. In fact, Suna was still sending ninjas to the Fire Capital asionally. In addition, the situation with Iwagakure was continuously getting tense ever since Fujin and Roshi shed.


    Though nothing happened on the ground, the tensions always existed. So Shikaku was always very busy. He had to move around Konoha ninjas several times and had to recalibrate Konoha''s strategy very frequently.


    Considering Fujin''s age, Shikaku had mentally prepared himself to be continuously tortured for at least a decade. This sudden news was like an unexpected blessing for him. With Fujin no longer taking missions actively, Shikaku felt like arge amount of pressure was lifted from his shoulders!


    Hiruzen said, "You could at least act to not be so pleased."


    Shikaku coughed and said, "I am just happy that our vige has a new rank S ninja. It will make nning much simpler in the future. Kakashi and Guy should be close to or at the same level as Fujin as well. In a few more years, Konoha will regain the influence lost due to Minato''s death and Orochimaru''s betrayal."


    Hiruzen nodded. What Shikaku said waspletely true. He had increased the number of Konoha ninjas as well as the number of Jounins aggressively in thest few years. Once Konoha gained 3 new rank S ninjas, it would bring them closer to the strength they had during the previous war. However, he clearly knew that it wasn''t the reason for Shikaku''s happiness.


    Hiruzen said, "I called you here because I need your opinion on a matter."


    Shikaku became serious and asked, "What is it?"


    Hiruzen said, "With Fujin no longer a part of Anbu, I can''t use my previous method to increase his reputation."


    Shikaku recalled the conversation he had with Hiruzen a year ago. He nodded. Hiruzen continued, "So I have decided to do that using two methods. The first one is promoting him to Elite Jounin officially. That shouldn''t be an issue. However, I''m not sure what the impact would be of the second method. I want your opinion on it."


    Shikaku listened carefully. Despite his intelligence, Hiruzen''s next words surprised him. Hiruzen said, "I am nning to create a new seat in the Council. A council member who will represent the Civilian ninjas. And I want to give that to Fujin."


    Shikaku hadn''t expected Hiruzen to think of such a thing. He immediately began analyzing if it was feasible. After some time, he said, "Until now, civilian ninjas don''t have a seat on the council. Though Jiraiya and Orochimaru participated at times, it was due to their status as the Sannins.


    Fujin doesn''t have the same reputation and influence as they did. But if you create a new seat, that won''t be an issue. Creating a new seat should be fine as well as there are already a few non-ninja civilians on the council to handle the civilian matters.


    The only issue is Fujin himself. He is still too young. And, we n leaders represent our ns. But, can Fujin really represent all the civilian ninjas? Currently, the number of civilian ninjas far exceeds that of any n.


    Since he doesn''t have any fame here apart from his bounty and his title, it will raise a lot of questions and perhaps some dissatisfaction from the civilian ninjas. Do you need to give him that post so impatiently? There is no harm in waiting for a few more years."


    Hiruzen replied, "I have been sending him on almost all negotiations. If I don''t give him a seat on the council, then other countries will think that I am sending the Spectral Swordsman to intimidate them during negotiations. But if he is an official council member, then it sends an entirely different message. At the same time, it gives him the authority to close deals.


    As for his reputation and dissatisfaction from others, it isn''t an issue. With time, as his strength gets slowly exposed, his reputation will grow by itself and the voices of dissatisfaction will disappear as well."


    Shikaku nodded and said, "That''s true. Alright, go ahead. I''ll ask Inoichi and Choza to support your proposal. The civilians will support you easily as well. So there shouldn''t be any trouble in passing the proposal to create a new seat even if some n Leaders or Elders oppose that.


    Though Fujin''s appointment might face some opposition, it can be easily resolved by informing the n Leaders about Juzo''s death. None of the n Leaders would oppose him in that case."


    Hiruzen nodded. He discussed a bit more with Shikaku before letting him go. As Shikaku appeared back in his office, a smile appeared on his face. He thought, ''That troublemaker finally quit. This was a good surprise. I can finally sleep no¡­''


    Suddenly Shikaku''s eyes widened as he realized something. He thought, ''Wait a minute! Why did Hiruzen allow Fujin to retire? Does that mean anyone can retire? Why does he keep blocking my retirement ns then? I need to know how Fujin convinced Hiruzen to let him go!''


    Fujin was unaware of Hiruzen''s ns. He was more concerned about Hiruzen''s friend instead. He worked on the seal all night until an rm rang. Fujin shut the rm and thought, ''I lost track of time. It is 4:45 in the morning. Naruto should arrive soon.''

 Chapter 399: Indiscipline

    Fujin freshened up and went to the training ground opposite his house while his Shadow Clones continued working on the seal. As he walked, Fujin analyzed, ''Though the seal is quiteplicated, I should be able to learn it faster than the Four Symbols Seal. Without having to worry about any missions, I can keep training this non-stop alongside my Wind Domain.''


    He soon saw Naruto who was waiting restlessly inside the training ground. As soon as Naruto saw Fujin, he immediately became excited. He thought, ''He came!''


    Fujin noticed his restlessness and excitement and realized, ''He was worried that I wouldn''t show up. Sigh, so much mental trauma. I wonder whether Minato would have given up his life if he knew how Naruto would be treated¡­''


    Even though the answer seemed simple, Fujin wasn''t sure. The Will of Fire burned intensely within some ninjas. Those ninjas would still choose to serve the vige even if the vige harmed their friends and family. Their decisions were difficult for someone like Fujin, who gave the highest priority to himself, toprehend.


    He asked, "How long have you been waiting here?"


    Naruto replied, "Only 25 minutes."


    Fujin said, "You don''t need to show up too early. Juste at the exact moment. If I''m everte, just knock on the house opposite the training ground."


    Naruto asked, "Thatrge house is yours?"


    Fujin nodded and said, "Let''s start. Before we begin, show me the jutsus you can perform."


    Naruto nodded and immediately showed Fujin the three basic Ninjutsus. While he performed the jutsus, Fujin''s chakra field spread out and covered the entire Training Ground. Immediately, two figures escaped from the training ground and flickered outside. Both had a frown behind their masks.


    One of the two was the same Root ninja whom Fujin had threatened the day before. Due to Danzo''s instructions, he obediently left and stood outside the Training Ground.


    The other one was an Anbu assigned by Hiruzen to keep an eye on Naruto. After leaving the training ground, he wondered, ''Anbu Captain Suzuki Fujin¡­ Though he met up with Naruto yesterday, I didn''t think that he would actually show up today. But is he doing it by himself or did Lord Hokage ask him to?''


    He thought for a bit and decided, ''Lord Hokage should have told me if he assigned him this job. I should inform him to be safe.''


    He created Shadow Clone which immediately flickered away. Unlike the Root ninja, he didn''t bother confronting Fujin. He was aware of Fujin''s Anbu Captain rank and knew that he couldn''tmand him. So he decided to stay back and wait for Hiruzen''s response.


    Fujin analyzed Naruto''s jutsus, ''Hmm, not bad. His Substitution jutsu and Transformation jutsu are very well mastered. The clones are horrible though. But, it''s not exactly his fault.''


    Failing at the Clone jutsu wasn''t umon. However, in almost every case, that would happen because the academy student couldn''t infuse enough chakra to create a good clone. However, with Naruto, it was theplete opposite. The chakra he infused into the clones was too high. In addition, his chakra control was terrible.


    Fujin thought, ''Even if his chakra control bes very good, it is unlikely that he can create a Clone. Unless he decided to create something like a hundred thousand clones, but that has its own set of challenges.''


    Fujin wasn''t particrly interested in helping Naruto learn the Clone jutsu. While he wanted Naruto to view him favorably, he wanted to do so while minimizing the impact on future events. Though some changes would invariably happen, as long as they weren''t too drastic, Fujin could take advantage of his knowledge.


    Seeing Fujin in thought, Naruto asked, "What do you think?"


    Fujin nodded and said, "Except for the Clone jutsu, you can perform the remaining two well. So you might have some chance to learn what I am nning to teach you."


    Naruto immediately became excited and asked, "Will you teach me the jutsu to control ramen using the wind like you did?"


    Fujin shook his head and answered, "That wasn''t a jutsu. It was just the application of a few jutsus."


    Naruto became confused. He interrupted Fujin and asked, "What does that mean?"


    Fujin exined patiently, "The method of using a jutsu isn''t limited to one. Once you properly master a jutsu, you can use it in several different ways. It is only restricted by your creativity. You will understand it soon.


    For now, I will teach you 4 jutsus that will help you control the wind."


    Naruto''s eyes immediately sparkled. He eximed, "Four jutsus?"


    Fujin ignored his excitement, extended his palm in another direction and said, "Watch carefully. This jutsu is called the Gale jutsu."


    Naruto focused his attention on Fujin''s hand. Soon, a small amount of wind was released from Fujin''s palm. It created a small wind flow and blew away all the fallen leaves and some soil in its path.


    Fujin exined, "This is the most basic jutsu in Wind nature maniption. Once you learn this, I will teach you three more jutsus."


    Fujin taught Naruto the hand seals for the jutsu and exined the inner workings of the jutsu in anguage that Naruto could understand. He asked, "Did you understand?"


    Naruto nodded his head repeatedly and said, "I got it! I will create the strongest wind, believe it!"


    Naruto weaved hand signs and shouted, "Gale jutsu!"


    As he shouted, he moved his right palm forward forcefully as if he was pushing the air and then maintained that form. Unfortunately for Naruto, no wind flowed from his palm. As he stood, a gentle breeze flowed in the opposite direction and blew a leaf into his face, making him look incredibly stupid.


    Fujin watched with a deadpan expression, ''This kid. His ability to manipte chakra is horrible! No, even horrible is too kind of a word!''


    Had it been someone else watching, they would have questioned Naruto''s talent. Not being able to do something so basic usually showed that the ninja had little to no talent in Ninjutsu, something that was for a ninja like Rock Lee. In fact, every teacher in the Academy believed that to be the case for Naruto.


    Had Fujin not known about Naruto''s future achievements, he might have thought the same as well. But Fujin was very clear about how monstrous Naruto''s talent was. What he was seeing was just a result of the indiscipline of the highest grade.


    Naruto asked in an awkward voice, "Why didn''t any wind blow?"


    He looked at Fujin nervously and said, "Don''t worry, I will do it this time."


    He quickly weaved his hand signs, shouted the name of the jutsu and pushed his palm out again. Obviously, the result wasn''t any different. Of course, Naruto wouldn''t quit. He continued trying the jutsu again and again non-stop.


    Fujin didn''t say anything and just observed Naruto. He analyzed, ''Though he has a massive amount of chakra, he is barely even able to manipte him. The reason why he is able to perform the Substitution and Transformation jutsu so well should be due to working on them for an extremely long time.


    But if he has to learn a new jutsu, especially one that needs the user to knead chakra inside his body, he will struggle a lot. The reason for this is very simple. He just has rarely trained in this aspect. Unlike me, who went systematically, he is directly trying to learn the jutsus despite not having the basics down.''


    Fujin observed Naruto, who was getting more desperate, and wondered, ''It has only been 5 years since I left the academy. How did the quality of teachers drop so much? Or rather, why did the Academy stop being strict?


    Even if I assume that Naruto was the only one being ignored, why didn''t Hiruzen assign him a teacher who could ensure that Naruto had the basics right? After all, even if I ignore his parents, he is the Jinchuriki. How can a Jinchuriki be allowed to be so terrible at basics?''


    Fujin couldn''t make any sense of it. Though he normally marvelled at Hiruzen''s schemes, his decisions in regard to Naruto confused him. Had he been in his ce, raising the Jinchuriki to be strong and creating more bonds for him in the vige had been his first move. He didn''t understand why Hiruzen didn''t do that and why no one, be it the Elders or the n Leaders, pushed him to do it.


    After trying unsessfully a few hundred times, Naruto walked back to Fujin with his head down. He said, "I''m sorry, I couldn''t do it. But I promise that I will learn it quickly. Believe it!"


    Fujin sighed and raised his arm. Naruto was fearful but didn''t move. In the next moment, a karate chopnded on Naruto''s head. Naruto immediately held his head but quickly realized, ''That didn''t hurt?''


    Of course, Fujin didn''t intend to hurt Naruto. That was just an action to calm him down and stop Naruto from being too fidgety. Fujin asked, "Did you forget what I said yesterday?"

 Chapter 400: Temptation

    Naruto looked up and asked, "What did you say?"


    Fujin replied, "I said that you will have to work for hours daily for a few months to learn that. Why are you thinking that you will learn it in 15 minutes? And what are you so upset about? I needed more than a month to learn this jutsu perfectly. Others need around 3 months to learn it.


    I will ask you again. Can you put in the hard work needed to learn this jutsu? If not, you can quit now and save yourself from a lot of trouble."


    Naruto immediately responded, "I will train until I learn the jutsu."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Good. For the next three hours, keep practicing seriously. Even if it seems like you aren''t making any progress, in truth, you will be. So don''t get restless."


    Naruto nodded and started his practice again. He was very grateful that Fujin continued teaching him and didn''t abandon him because he was slow at learning.


    As for Fujin, he just observed while thinking, ''Though my words were a lie, it will give him some hope. If he knew that I learnt it within a few days, he would be very discouraged. That said, I am not sure if that''s a bad thing considering his never-give-up attitude.


    Still, I should give him some tips slowly. That chakra control needs to improve, even if just slightly. However, asking him to meditate would likely lead nowhere. I recall him saying to had never taken that seriously. Guess I''ll have to make up some bullshit.


    And maybe I should introduce him to the leaf-cutting exercise as well. Though training Wind Affinity isn''t needed for a low-level jutsu like this one, it won''t be any harm. And, it will give him something to do to spend time.''


    Fujin sat down with his back against a tree while Naruto practised. Though he kept an eye on Naruto, his mind began thinking about the Frying Thunder God seal. He had a hundred Shadow Clones working on it, so he didn''t need to practice it himself. Instead, he recalled the various theories in the scroll. Though practising the seal was important, studying and analyzing it was equally important in Fujin''s eyes.


    Unlike Fujin, whose day was going as nned, a certain someone had a strange start to his day. Hiruzen had just reached his office when he saw an Anbu waiting for him. He immediately informed him about Fujin''s actions.


    With a confused expression, Hiruzen sat on his chair and grabbed his crystal ball. He thought, ''First he leaves the Anbu and then he suddenly takes an interest in Naruto? What is Fujin up to?''


    He began watching in the crystal ball. Soon, the scene of Naruto practicing Gale''s jutsu and Fujin monitoring him appeared in the crystal ball. Hiruzen observed for a few minutes, but nothing else happened. That confused Hiruzen even more.


    He wondered, ''Why is Fujin teaching Naruto rank E wind jutsus? Does he intend to guide him like he did for those 5 orphans? But why Naruto? And, he should know that Naruto has Nine Tails sealed inside him.''


    Hiruzen analyzed and had a few guesses, but he had a feeling that none of his guesses were right. He decided, ''I''ll need to keep an eye on him. Fujin seems to have a soft spot for orphans, so he won''t harm Naruto. On the contrary, this might be good for him. But I need to monitor him. He rarely does things that arepletely selfless. Besides¡­''


    A smile formed on Hiruzen''s face as he realized, ''I doubt Danzo would want someone to gain influence on Naruto. Fujin''s current actions might force him out. It will be interesting to see a confrontation between these two. Regardless, if he crosses any lines, I will get a reasonable excuse to take away the kids he recruited from the Land of Water.


    Though it would result in him pulling the Root out of the Land of Water, it won''t be a loss. Both Rebels and the Mizukage factions have realized that their next generation is being kidnapped and have started taking action. Getting any more kids out of that country will be very difficult.


    However, this will spoil my idea of having Danzo rebuild Root and handing it over to Fujin or Kakashi.''


    Hiruzen thought for a bit before letting out a sigh. He decided, ''Leave it. Bing the Shinobi of Darkness isn''t easy. And there is always the possibility of losing yourself to the darkness like Danzo has. I have a feeling that the next generation might not need the darkness that we needed. If they do, they can always recreate it.''


    Hiruzen grabbed a few files and thought, ''I was nning to do this after a few days, but now I want to talk with Fujin to see if I can understand his intentions behind training Naruto.''


    He immediately began working on the paperwork needed to promote Fujin to the Elite Jounin rank officially.


    Naruto trained for 3 hours straight. He hadn''t made any progress but still had the same enthusiasm as earlier. He finally started getting tired. However, Fujin couldn''t help but feel a tiny bit of envy after observing Naruto properly.


    He observed, ''He isn''t tired because his chakra is getting depleted. Instead, he is tired due to thrusting his palm forward again and again for 3 hours straight. Sigh, what insane chakra reserves¡­''


    Fujin couldn''t help but think, ''I began training at the age of 5. After joining the Academy at 6, I created proper training ns and followed them rigorously without taking a day off for years. It still took me more than 5 years to go from the level of an Academy student to Jounin. And, it took me two more years from there to reach the level of Elite Jounin and another two years to reach the rank S.


    But Naruto¡­ If I were to teach him seriously, I could easily raise him from his current weak self to a Jounin even before he graduates. Heck, he might even reach the Elite Jounin level by then.


    I will just need to teach him the Shadow Clone jutsu, then improve his Chakra control to an eptable level and let the magic happen. He can easily master the Wind element within a few weeks and learn most of my Wind jutsus thanks to the brokenbination of Shadow Clone jutsu and insane chakra reserves.


    Once he learns to supercharge jutsus, he will have a stronger offense than most Jounins. And with his chakra, he can keep spamming them until the other side runs dry and escapes or dies.


    Going to rank S from there won''t be very difficult either. Perhaps in just one more year, he could reach that.''


    Fujin couldn''t help but sigh at the unfairness. At the same time, he had a temptation in his heart. A temptation to teach Naruto seriously and make him ridiculously overpowered.


    However, after a few minutes, Fujin shook his head and decided, ''Unfortunately, doing that has the potential topletely ruin any knowledge of the future I have.


    Would Hiruzen put Naruto on the same squad as Sasuke and under Kakashi if he is already close to the Elite Jounin level?


    If he does, how would it impact their sh with Zabuza?


    How will his rtionship with Sasuke be if he is so much stronger than him even before graduating?


    And, if Naruto reaches close to rank S by the time the Chunin exams take ce, his encounter with Orochimaru will turn out to be very different. With his unpredictability, he might even prevent Orochimaru from putting the cursed seal on Sasuke.


    And, it is possible that Akatsuki might take him very seriously and attack preemptively. After all, unlike the rest of the ninjas, rank S would merely be a starting point for Naruto. As he continuously keeps growing stronger, even Obito and Nagato, despite their arrogance, might not want to risk seeing Naruto getting stronger.


    Irrespective of what happens, my advantage will bepletely ruined. Though I would still be a rank S ninja and my life won''t be threatened easily, I''ll lose out on a lot of critical opportunities.''


    Fujin could only shake his head and give up on that idea. Though he pitied Naruto''s situation and could fully explore his potential, Fujin''s gains just didn''t match up with the horrendous losses he would incur due to the opportunities he would have given up.


    Naruto was oblivious to the opportunity he just lost. Of course, even without Fujin''s help, his future would still be very bright. Though Fujin decided against helping Naruto too much, he didn''t intend to block his path to rank S and even nned on assisting him a bit and making his path slightly easier.


    As he trained, Naruto''s breathing became rougher. He wanted to stop but thought, ''I have to keep going. I have to show that I am serious about learning this jutsu.''


    He weaved hand signs, thrusted his palm forward and once again shouted, "Gale jutsu."

 Chapter 401: Building a Bond

    "Gale jutsu."


    Naruto thrust his palm forward but nothing happened as usual. He was about to do it again when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Naruto turned around to see Fujin standing there.


    Fujin said, "You look tired. That''s enough training for now."


    Naruto immediately replied, "I can still keep training!"


    Fujin replied, "I am sure you can. But rest is equally important. While you rest, think about what you practice and analyze how you can improve."


    Fujin''s words confused Naruto. He wondered, ''Analyze? What should I analyze?''


    However, he still nodded his head. Fujin said, "For now, go and eat something. Do you want to train in the afternoon as well? Or will you be ying with your friends?"


    On hearing the question, Naruto immediately became depressed. Though he would asionally hang out with the boys in his ssroom, it would generally happen when the academy was on. During vacations, meeting up with them would be very rare.


    Naruto nervously asked, "Can I train with you?"


    Fujin had expected such a response, which is why he had asked it in the first ce. He answered, "Sure. You can go to eat and return in an hour."


    Naruto excitedly said, "Yahoo! I''ll be back in no time, believe it!"


    He was about to run away when Fujin said, "Wait. What are you nning to eat?"


    Naruto turned around and replied proudly, "Obviously instant ramen!"


    Fujin put up a curious expression and asked, "Do you eat anything else?"


    Naruto showed confusion on his face as he asked, "Why would I eat anything else?"


    Fujin sighed and said, "You areing with me."


    Fujin began walking. Naruto quickly followed him and asked, "Where are we going?"


    Fujin replied, "To eat."


    Naruto became excited and asked, "Are we going to Ichiraku?"


    Fujin chuckled and answered, "Nope. No Ramen for you today."


    Naruto stopped moving. A look of horror appeared on his face. He shrieked, "You can''t do that to me!"


    Fujin smirked and said, "Sure I can."


    He raised his right hand and snapped his fingers. Immediately, the wind began flowing around Naruto. Naruto tried moving, but it was very difficult. Fujin grinned evilly and said, "If I want to, you won''t even be able to eat."


    Naruto was dumbstruck. The wind around him was so dense that he couldn''t move his arms and legs. In addition, he felt the wind revolving around him at a very high speed. He looked at Fujin fearfully. He hadn''t expected Fujin to do something like that. He understood that Fujin''s threat was true.


    Suddenly, the pressure around him disappeared and Fujin beganughing loudly. He said, "Hahaha! You should have seen your face! Hahaha."


    Naruto immediately understood that he was pranked. His face immediately became red in embarrassment. He was the one who always pranked others and not the other way around.


    He cursed, "You jerk!" and ran towards Fujin and punched towards him. Fujin easily blocked all his punches and kicks with just one arm without moving and slightly pushed him back, making him lose his bnce and fall on his buttocks.


    Fujin chuckled and asked, "After doing so many pranks, you never expected that someone would prank you as well?"


    Naruto snorted childishly and turned his head away and said, "I just didn''t see iting. Besides, that was so uncool!"


    Fujin said, "Alright, don''t keep moping and follow me. Though what I did was a prank, you aren''t eating Ramen today."


    Naruto tried arguing, "But¡­"


    However, Fujin cut him off and said, "Don''t worry, there are a lot of delicious foods in Konoha. I''ll take you there. If you don''t eat any noodles today, I''ll teach you some techniques to help you learn Gale jutsu faster."


    Naruto asked, "Really? But¡­"


    Naruto was in two minds. He didn''t want to give up on Ramen but Fujin''s offer was very tempting as well. Fujin sighed and said, "I''ll treat you to Ichiraku tomorrow. So just follow me."


    Naruto''s eyes immediately sparkled. He jumped and said, "You are the best, Fujin!"


    Fujin began walking towards one of the Sushi restaurants in Konoha. On the street, several odd looks fell on Fujin and Naruto. Naruto became a bit nervous, but since Fujin didn''t react, he didn''t say anything and tried to ignore them.


    Fujin couldn''t help but wonder, ''Facing such looks every time he steps out on the street. How bad would that be?''


    He thought for a bit and concluded, ''It won''t affect me at all. Why would I care about what random people think? However, this is because I am far more mature mentally. Had this happened when I was under 12 in my previous life, then I would have been affected a lot too.''


    Unfortunately, there wasn''t much Fujin could do in regards to those stares. The damage was long done. Hiruzen and others in charge had messed up long back. It was already toote for anyone to do anything about it. As unfair as it was, the change could only happen slowly as Naruto gained more respect due to his actions.


    Fujin shook those thoughts from his mind and entered the restaurant with Naruto following him. Once again, they received very unfriendly looks. Fujin ignored them and sat on a table. He looked at Naruto and asked, "What do you want to eat?"


    Naruto ignored the looks and began going through the menu. Since he hadn''t ever been to that restaurant, he was confused. So Fujin asked him about his preferences and gave him some suggestions.


    While the two of them were busy deciding, the rest of the restaurant wasn''t very peaceful. A few customers saw Naruto, got up and left. As for others, they became much silent. The owner had a frown on his face as he saw that he was losing customers.


    He looked at Fujin and thought, ''That boyes here frequently and orders a lot. But why did he suddenly bring that demon here?''


    He walked towards Fujin and Naruto with an unfriendly look on his face. He stood next to their table and asked angrily, "What are you doing in my restaurant?"


    Naruto immediately had a grim expression. He had already experienced that several times and knew what was about to happen. While he had gotten used to it by now, he was afraid that it would force Fujin to go away from him.


    However, to his surprise, Fujin didn''t react much and just stared into the owner''s eyes. He replied with a hint of amusement, "To eat, of course. Why else would someonee to your restaurant?"


    Naruto had expected the owner to blow up, but to his surprise, nothing like that took ce. Fujin smiled kindly and said, "I hope you give us your best hospitality. Naruto, make your order."


    The restaurant owner was shaking in his boots. Though Naruto felt that Fujin''s smile was kind, the restaurant owner was terrified due to the killing intent he felt when their eyes met. Fujin hadn''t unleashed his killing intent entirely like he did with Root Ninja, but what little he used was enough to terrify a civilian.


    He immediately nodded and said enthusiastically, "Of course. Everyone whoes to my restaurant is my valued guest. What do you like to eat? It will be on the house."


    Fujin pointed towards Naruto and said, "Ask him. As for the money, don''t worry, I have plenty."


    The owner looked at Naruto and tried smiling as well as he could in that circumstance and asked, "What would you like to eat, young man?"


    Naruto was surprised by the sudden change in the owner. He ced a ratherrge order for himself. Fujin ordered some Sushi as well. The owner wrote down their order and immediately left.


    As soon as he exited from the dining room, his legs finally gave up. He dropped to the floor and sat down. His entire back was wet due to fear. He thought, ''Why didn''t he ever say that he was a ninja? I wouldn''t have dared to do something so stupid.''


    Though the crimesmitted by ninjas on civilians were close to nil due to the strictws of Konoha, they still happened at times. Even if they didn''t, a civilian would naturally be afraid of a ninja due to therge difference in their strength. So, the owner didn''t dare to offend Fujin after realizing the threat. Even if he got justice, he didn''t want to pay for it with his life.


    He quickly went to the kitchen and overlooked the process of cooking to ensure that nothing went wrong with the order.


    Naruto was still confused. He asked, "How did he go from angry and grumpy to kind and gentle so quickly?"


    Fujin shrugged and said, "Who knows? Maybe he had a bad day or a bad customer earlier. Or perhaps he didn''t get a proper sleep. Hard to say. I guess my smile reminded him to act kindly. What do you think?"


    Naruto tried thinking but he couldn''t find anything wrong with Fujin''s words. After all, Fujin had smiled and the man suddenly started acting nice. He just nodded absentmindedly and muttered, "I guess smiling is good to calm others down."

 Chapter 402: Promotion

    As they waited for the food, Fujin made some small talk with Naruto and asked him some questions about his daily life, which Naruto talked about enthusiastically.


    After some time, the owner arrived with the order. Fujin looked at him and wondered, ''Is he so scared that he won''t even ask his employees to serve us fearing that they might make a mistake? Oh well, whatever.''


    The owner arranged the food on the table in a way that made it very pleasing aesthetically. Though nervous, he put up a smile on his face and said, "Enjoy your meal. I hope it is to your liking."


    A look of surprise appeared on Naruto''s face. It was the first time someone had arranged food for him this way. He enthusiastically said, "I will. Thank you, old man!"


    He immediately dug in. Fujin didn''t particrly care about the aesthetics but enjoyed the range of emotions the owner was experiencing. He began eating as well.


    The food was obviously delicious. Naruto eximed, "This is delicious."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Of course it is. Did you think that only noodles taste good?"


    Naruto said, "I didn''t know. I have never been here before."


    He continued eating. Fujin thought, ''Of course, he didn''t. Only one restaurant in the vige epts him enthusiastically. It''s little wonder why he prefers eating ramen all the time. Though, to be fair, it does taste good and needs minimal time and effort to make at home, making it very convenient for an orphan who lives alone and has no idea on how to do so properly.''


    The owner watched nervously from a distance. Seeing that both were enjoying the food, he breathed a sigh of relief. After some time, all the food on the table was cleared. Fujin asked Naruto whether he wanted more, but Naruto was full. So, Fujin asked the owner to bring the bill.


    The owner offered to have the food on the house once again, but Fujin insisted on the bill. Not wanting to offend him unnecessarily, the owner brought him a bill.


    Naruto looked at it curiously and was shocked. The total amount was 5460 Ryo. He asked, "So much?"


    Naruto generally spent only a few hundred Ryo in Ichiraku and depended a lot on the coupons to get free or discounted ones. Fujin nodded and said, "Yup. And considering how much you ate, you have to pay 4380 Ryo."


    He ced the bill in front of a shocked and tongue-tied Naruto. Naruto nervously grabbed his frog-shaped wallet and said, "I don''t think Gama-chan can afford that!"


    Fujin immediatelyughed lightly and said, "I''m just messing with you."


    Naruto looked at Fujin and pouted in annoyance. It was the second time in a very short time that he got pranked. Fujin paid the bill and they returned to the training ground.


    Recalling Fujin''s words, Naruto excitedly asked, "Which trick will you teach me to help me learn the Gale jutsu quickly?"


    Instead of answering him, Fujin asked, "Did they teach you the Leaf Concentration exercise in the academy?"


    Naruto nodded and replied, "Yes, Iruka-sensei did."


    Fujin asked, "How long can you hold it?"


    Naruto answered, "I am not sure. Maybe 5 minutes."


    Fujin sighed internally and thought, ''Yeah, I guess so.''


    Almost everyone from Fujin''s ss could hold it for longer after just their first year. So, Naruto''s current ability was just too bad. And it had nothing to do with hisrge amount of chakra and instead just showed a seriousck of effort on Naruto''s part.


    Fujin said, "My trick is very simr. You''ll sit on the ground, stick a leaf to your forehead and use chakra to ensure that it doesn''t fall off your head. However, while you do that, you will also try to feel the winds flowing around you that will make that leaf fall off your head.


    If you can feel the winds properly and ensure that the leaf sticks to your head for 2 hours continuously, you''ll be able to learn Gale jutsu in a few days."


    Naruto''s eyes widened. He asked, "Only a few days?"


    Fujin nodded and said, "Yes. However, keeping the leaf stuck to your head for that long won''t be very easy either. You''ll need to be very serious to do so. But, if do manage to do that, it will be very helpful in any Wind jutsu you learn in the future."


    Naruto immediately replied, "I''ll keep the leaf stuck to my head for 2 hours. Believe it!"


    He immediately grabbed a leaf, sat on the ground and ced it on his head.


    Fujin''s words about feeling the wind were obviously bullshit. It had nothing to do with the Leaf Concentration exercise or the Gale jutsu. He just said it so that Naruto would have something to do while doing the Leaf Concentration exercise and wouldn''t quit out of boredom like he did when Iruka tried to get him to do that.


    Fujin looked at Naruto and thought, ''As long as I don''t teach him the Shadow Clone jutsu and use it to train him, his growth shouldn''t explode beyond control. I''ll get him to improve his chakra control and teach him a few Wind until Graduation. I''m interested to see how Naruto would develop if he already has a few Wind jutsus under his belt before Graduating.


    Anyway, Naruto will be here for a while. I have already spent a lot of my time with him. This is enough rest for me.''


    Fujin created a Shadow Clone and went back to his home. He dismissed the clones in his basement, created new ones and continued working on the Flying Thunder God Seal.


    A couple of hourster, the Shadow Clone watching over Naruto suddenly became alert and turned his eyes in a direction. A few secondster, an Anbu ninja stealthily flickered behind him. He muttered a few words in his ears and left. Naruto, who was still training, didn''t notice the Anbu arriving and leaving.


    Fujin''s clone wondered, ''Hiruzen wants to see me? That''s strange. I expected Danzo to make a move. However, he hasn''t done anything yet while Hiruzen called for me.''


    He created a Shadow Clone with the least amount of chakra and dispelled it. Immediately the memory was sent to Fujin and the clones in the basement. Fujin wondered the same but couldn''t say for sure. He grabbed the report he had written and left towards the Hokage Building while his clones continued working.


    A few minutester, he appeared inside Hiruzen''s office and asked, "Did something happen?"


    At the same time, he handed over the report and said, "This is the mission report for my previous mission."


    Hiruzen epted the scroll and handed him another scroll. He said, "The reason for calling you is rted to this mission. Due to your recent achievements, I have decided to officially promote you to the Elite Jounin rank."


    Fujin''s eyes widened for a moment. He asked, "Officially? Isn''t that too soon?"


    Though Fujin''s strength had long reached that rank, Konoha would rarely grant it to ninjas who were still very young. In fact, Kakashi was promoted to that rank just slightly more than a year ago while Guy had been promoted only a couple of months ago and both were nearly a decade older than Fujin. So, Fujin wasn''t expecting this promotion.


    Hiruzen replied, "No. I don''t promote ninjas officially to this rank to avoid them being targeted too much by our enemies. But, you have already been attacked several times and have proven yourself to be strong enough to ensure your safety and inflict heavy losses on the enemy. So no need to worry."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Alright. Thanks for the promotion."


    Fujin didn''t particrly care much about the promotion. It didn''t grant him a lot of benefits other than increasing his reputation. And, it didn''t have much disadvantage either as his bounty was already very shocking.


    Fujin asked, "Is that all?"


    Hiruzen nodded. Fujin said, "Alright. I''ll see youter, Grandpa."


    He turned around and was about to walk out when Hiruzen said, "I almost forgot."


    Fujin stopped and turned around. Hiruzen said, "I recently saw you with Naruto. What is your opinion of him?"


    Fujin looked at Hiruzen and wondered, ''He should have been told about this yesterday or this morning. Don''t tell me that he promoted me just to get a good excuse to call me here without seeming overbearing¡­''


    Of course, he didn''t show his thoughts on his face and said, "He is definitely interesting. The amount of chakra he has is enviable. Unfortunately, he hasn''t trained properly. His ability to manipte and control his chakra is extremely bad."


    A frown appeared on his face as he asked, "Did the Academy teachers ignore him? Or has the Academy be very lenienttely? There is no way he''d be this bad if he had someone like Genki-sensei looking over him."

 Chapter 403: Hiruzens Knowledge, Danzos Opportunity

    Hiruzen was surprised by the question. He thought, ''I never imagined that Fujin would be interested in the affairs of the Academy. Now that I think about it, he was very methodological and disciplined in his training.''


    He answered, "It is the second case. Our number of ninjas has recovered from the several losses we took. So, there is no need to push the Academy students to graduate earlier or train too hard. Let them enjoy their childhood and maintain their innocence for a bit longer."


    Fujin wasn''t surprised by the answer. He had expected that such a thing would happen. After all, it was very difficult to maintain the same level of discipline when people lived peacefully and without any grave threat.


    However, he was still curious about Hiruzen''s thinking. From his point of view, Hiruzen should have pushed for students to be properly trained instead of taking it easy. He asked, "Is that so? I can understand not allowing early graduation, but why is the training lenient as well? Won''t it be beneficial if they are trained properly so that they will be able to fight well on graduating?"


    Hiruzen shook his head and said, "Your analysis isn''t incorrect but you are missing a few critical aspects. Maintaining the same intensity for a long time is difficult. If I sustain it forcefully, then the vige will slowly feel the exhaustion and when the time for battlees, they won''t be able to give it their all.


    It''s like how you felt the exhaustion of continuously doing missions and wanting to take a rest. The same also happens with other ninjas and also the Academy teachers. Once they see their teachers, parents and other elders exhausted all the time, the exhaustion will also brush off on the students and negatively impact their growth."


    Fujin was surprised by Hiruzen''s words. He hadn''t considered that aspect. He thought, ''Now that I think about it, Konoha has been tense ever since Minato''s death. When conditions seemed to have improved, the Uchiha n was massacred and Konoha lost 2 young rank S ninjas and a lot of Jounins and Elite Jounins. Now that the vige can rx again, it''s no surprise that everyone is rxing until hell breaks loose again.''


    Fujin was snapped out of his thoughts as Hiruzen added with a smile, "Besides, the methodological way of training isn''t always good for raising the next generation."


    Fujin was confused. He asked, "What do you mean?"


    Though Fujin had his thoughts on the matter, he wasn''t arrogant enough to think that he knew better than Hiruzen at how to train ninjas. After all, Hiruzen had trained 3 ninjas who were strong enough to be a Kage. And, two of them weren''t even part of any ns or had any good background. Not to mention, he had looked over Konoha''s academy for decades.


    Hiruzen answered, "Training students methodologically is a good way of ensuring that most of them be Chunins and some of them be Special Jounins or Jounins. But it is very rare for an Elite Jounin or a rank S ninja toe from this method of training.


    For instance, from your batch, you are the only one to have reached this level. No one else has even been officially promoted to the Jounin rank, though Hoka and Teru have reached that level of strength. The rest from your Elite ssroom have be Chunins. As for the other sses, most are still Genins. They will need another 3 to 5 years to be Chunins.


    If Ipare other batches that graduate a few years before you, they are even worse when ites to the number of Jounins despite having a simr number of Chunins."


    Fujin thought for a few seconds and said, "I see. But I don''t see how not following a methodological way would help someone to be stronger."


    Hiruzen shook his head and said, "It''s difficult to exin. As you grow older and experience more, you might understand."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Alright."


    He was about to leave when Hiruzen said, "I am surprised that you are so interested in this matter. Do you want to be involved in the academy or perhaps be a Jounin sensei?"


    Fujin shook his head and said, "Not in the near future. I was just curious about it due to meeting Naruto. Besides, I am too young to be a Jounin sensei."


    Fujin had too many things nned. He couldn''t assign any time to guiding more kids. Hiruzen nodded disappointedly and thought, ''He just started his vacation. I''ll have a discussion with him before the next batch graduates.''


    Fujin said, "I''ll see youter, Grandpa. Thanks for the promotion again."


    Fujin turned around and left. Hiruzen smiled and thought, ''Perhaps, getting him into the council would bring more benefits to Konoha than I assumed.''


    He went back to his work while Fujin went back to his basement and continued working on the Flying Thunder God Seal until noon.


    At noon, Fujin asked Naruto to stop training and took him out to lunch. Their experience was quite simr to the Sushi restaurant. Naruto couldn''t help but marvel as he thought, ''Wow! Fujin is so good. Just a smile from him turns all their angry faces into a smile and they treat me so well.''


    Fujin could read Naruto''s thoughts from his expressions easily. He couldn''t help but wonder what Naruto''s reaction would have been had he known what was actually happening.


    After lunch, the two returned to the training ground. Fujin grabbed a leaf and said, "This is the next trick to help you. Observe carefully."


    Naruto observed the leaf in Fujin''s hand with full seriousness. Suddenly, it was cut into two without Fujin taking any action. Fujin exined, "This is the training to improve your ability to manipte the Wind chakra. Once you can do it, it will help you in learning other Wind jutsus. So this, along with keeping the leaf stuck to your forehead for two hours, are two things you''ll need toplete if you want to learn all my four jutsus quickly."


    Naruto nodded and said, "Alright, it''s just cutting the leaf. I''ll get it done in no time, believe it!"


    He immediately began trying it. Fujin thought, ''It''s good to see that he is still upbeat despite failing in everything I have asked of him so far. Oh well, these should keep him busy for a few days until his patience runs out.''


    Fujin left a Shadow Clone to watch over Naruto and answer his doubts if he had any. While the two of them trained, the news of Fujin''s promotion reached the n Leaders in Konoha. Since they already knew about his bounty and title, they weren''t surprised. However, they wondered why Fujin was no longer in Anbu.


    Under Konoha, in a dark hidden room, Danzo sat with two scrolls in front of him. Both were open. He stared at them but wasn''t reading and instead was analyzing them. He thought, ''Hiruzen promoted Fujin to Elite Jounin. On the surface, this doesn''t look odd. He promoted Hatake Kakashi and Might Guy not too long back. Soon, he will promote his younger son as well. These new promotions signal to our enemies that Konoha''s next generation is ready.


    However, Fujin''s promotion is different. It means that he is no longer a part of Anbu. But¡­''


    Danzo wondered, ''Why would Hiruzen let go of such a good piece? No, that isn''t his nature. It''s too early for him to allow the boy to retire. Most likely, Fujin quit himself. As for the reason¡­''


    Danzo''s eyes moved towards the second scroll as he thought, ''My Root spies in the Land of Water sent an intelligence report. Hozuki Mangetsu led numerous Hunter Ninjas into thend of Waterfall. He returned with the Kubikiribocho and the news that Biwa Juzo was dead.


    However, they didn''t im that Mangetsu killed him. That means someone else killed Juzo. In addition, several dozen Kiri ninjas died.


    Fujin''s Anbu squad didn''t go to the Land of Waterfall and instead went somewhere else. Most likely, he took that mission to the Land of Hot Water. However, instead of just facing Kirigakure, he also had to face an Akatsuki member.''


    Danzo analyzed it for some time. A glint appeared in his eye as he sensed an opportunity. He thought, ''In his previous mission, he was ambushed by Iwagakure and put in a difficult spot. This time, he had to fight Juzo, someone who shouldn''t have been there. Did he get upset at how bad Hiruzen''s intelligence reports are?


    If he did and is upset with Hiruzen, then it makes sense for him to quit Anbu in frustration and disappointment over Hiruzen. In that case, this is the right time to recruit him into Root. But I need to prepare first.''


    Danzo sensed an opportunity. An opportunity that he wasn''t willing to let go of. Fujin was unaware of Danzo''s misunderstanding, but he was expecting him and waiting for him either way.

 Chapter 404: Come inside if you dare!

    Naruto spent the entire afternoon and a better part of the evening getting frustrated. But since Fujin was the first and the only person who had helped him train so far, he didn''tin.


    Understanding that Naruto had enough training for one day, Fujin''s clone brought him to his house. As they arrived in front of Fujin''s house, Naruto''s eyes widened as he took a proper look at Fujin''s home. He said, "Your house is damn cool, Fujin!"


    Fujin''s clone nodded and said, "Thanks. Come on in."


    Fujin sensed his clone and Naruto entering his house. He stealthily swapped ces with his clone. Naruto was too busy looking at Fujin''s house to notice the swapping. He asked, "What will we do now?"


    Fujin said, "Though we didn''t eat noodles today, eating outside all the time isn''t cheap and you''ll run out of money in a few days. So I''ll give you a few simple cooking tips that I used to use during the academy days."


    Naruto immediatelyined, "That''s boring!"


    Fujin chuckled and replied, "Just a little. Besides, it is a lot more fun when you can make something to eat other than just instant ramen."


    He added, "Of course, it''s not always possible to have the time. That''s why fruits and ration bars exist."


    As soon as Naruto heard ''ration bar'' he made a disgusting face. It earned him another light knock on his head. Naruto held his head as Fujin said, "Once you go out of the vige for a mission, you might not have any choice but to eat just ration bars and soldier pills. If you can''t even do that, then you should give up your dream of bing the Hokage."


    Naruto was shocked. His mind was in a mess. He couldn''t keep up with Fujin''s words. He wondered aggrievedly, ''How did he go from there to giving up on my dream?''


    He pointed at Fujin and argued loudly, "Hey, how are those two even connected?"


    Fujin chuckled and said in a teasing tone, "Imagine yourself hiding behind enemy lines and you get hungry. Now, will you light a fire to heat water so that your enemies can see that fire?"


    Naruto''s mouth opened wide. Despite how unrealistic it sounded, Fujin''s words made total sense. Fujin continued, "Even if they somehow didn''t spot the fire, won''t the smell of your delicious instant ramen spread throughout the entire area like you said it does?"


    Naruto recalled praising ramen non-stop in front of Fujin earlier. His shoulders dropped in defeat as he couldn''t think of any good points to argue against Fujin.


    Seeing his hrious reactions, Fujin decided to push him a bit more. He chuckled again and said, "Maybe instead of bing a Hokage, you should be a cook."


    Naruto looked at Fujin with a confused look. Once again, he couldn''t follow Fujin''s logic. Fujin continued, "After your enemies find and kill you, they will enjoy the instant ramen you cook. So, it wouldn''t be wrong to call you a cook."


    He immediately burst outughing. Naruto annoyingly said, "Stop mocking me. Hmph, I''ll eat ration bars to be the Hokage. Believe it!"


    Fujin smirked and thought, ''So easy. I can''t believe that Iruka couldn''t do such a simple thing. No, what''s more unbelievable is that Hiruzen didn''t take advantage of Naruto''s gullibility. Considering how much he invested in me and tried to manipte me, he should have taken Naruto as his personal student and trained the shit out of him. The only exnation I can think of is that he doesn''t think Naruto can reach the rank S without resorting to Kurama. If he knew about his potential, Hiruzen would have probably adopted Naruto regardless of any political pushback.''


    Seeing Fujin smiling, Naruto pouted and said, "But, even if I want to, I can''t follow what you said. The groceries are too expensive and I haven''t been given any ration bars for a long time."


    Fujin raised an eyebrow and asked, "How much money does Lord Hokage give you every month?"


    Naruto answered, "He gives me full one thousand Ryo!"


    Fujin''s eyes twitched. He muttered to himself, ''The son of Minato, the Fourth Hokage, and the godson of Jiraiya, a Sannin, lives on merely 1000 Ryo per month?''


    Though Fujin had received the same amount, he had understood that it was very difficult to survive on it alone if he didn''t eat the ration bars that were provided for free by the Academy. Even then, he had resorted to Fuinjutsu to earn some money to buy tools and weapons.


    Fujin thought, ''Since Naruto didn''t eat the ration bars, cheap instant ramen was probably all he could afford anyway. Though Hiruzen wants to avoid any suspicions, Naruto''s secret is out in the open anyway. Nearly every adult in the vige hates him. And, there is no way that there isn''t a single spy in the vige who doesn''t know why that is. Does he still need to be so stingy?


    I suppose Iruka or perhaps even Hiruzen would bring him groceries for free if he asked. But which kid would ask for groceries? Even more so when he has little to no idea about cooking?''


    Fujin sighed internally and thought, ''I was a bit too lenient towards the ending days. Maybe I should rejoin the Anbu and use up those Wind Crystals for good.''


    He said, "Don''t worry. I''ll stock some extra groceries and fruits. Juste pick up whenever you want to. Just don''t try to enter if there is a sign on the door saying that I''m not home. As for the ration bars, just ask your sensei for them. He should provide them to you for free, but if he doesn''t, let me know."


    Naruto nodded and thanked Fujin. He spent the evening at Fujin''s home until they were done with dinner. When it was time to leave, Naruto asked, "Can Ie to train with you tomorrow as well?"


    Fujin shook his head. His soldier pill would run out of effect around midnight. So he won''t be getting up untilte the next day. He said, "No, I have some work to do tomorrow. So I won''t be able to look over you. Just train by yourself and visit me at 5 in the morning the day after tomorrow."


    Naruto excitedly said, "Alright!"


    He left Fujin''s house. Fujin closed his door and sighed tiredly. He muttered, "It''s been such a long time since I had to interact with someone for an entire day without talking about or doing any official matters. Hmm, now that I think about it, I have never done that in this world. Any casual meetups I had were generally for just a few hours and never for an entire day.


    Trying to be social after being alone for years is a pain in the ass. Oh well, at least Naruto isn''t as troublesome as I thought he would be and is even less social than me due to his messed-up situation. And luckily, his reactions are fun enough to keep me entertained."


    Fujin continued working on the seal until the effect of the pill ran out and went to bed.


    The next day, Fujin woke up after noon and freshened up. He had just grabbed a bite to eat when his doorbell rang. Fujin wondered, ''Who was nning to meet me today?''


    He tried sensing the person outside the door but his chakra didn''t feel familiar. Fujin muttered, "That''s weird."


    He went up to his door and opened it. What he saw momentarily shocked him, but his expression didn''t change. Outside his door was an old man holding a cane in his left hand to support himself and looking straight into Fujin''s eyes. His forehead and right eye were covered in bandages, while his robe concealed his right arm, which was covered in bandages as well.


    Very few from Konoha''s younger generation would recognize that man. However, Fujin knew too much about him. A part of his consciousness immediately focused on his chakrawork, looking out for any external interference. Yet, his expression didn''t show any alertness.


    Instead, he smiled and said politely, "Elder Danzo. I didn''t expect you to visit my house. Come in."


    He opened the door wide to wee him in. However, would Danzo step into Fujin''s house? The answer was a clear no. He didn''t dare to take a step inside Fujin''s house! What he had sensed a few minutes ago had shocked him and made him very alert against Fujin! He no longer thought that the task of recruiting him would be an easy one!

 Chapter 405: Chaoter 402: Fujin Vs Danzo

    A few minutes ago, Danzo hadpleted all of his preparation. He was ready to approach and talk to Fujin for the first time and manipte Fujin into joining the Root. Next to him were several Root ninjas who had helped him gather the information he needed about Fujin and his activities to allow Danzo to create the optimal strategy to recruit Fujin.


    Torune asked, "Lord Danzo, should we apany you?"


    Danzo replied, "No. Hide yourself in the vicinity such that he can''t sense you, but don''t step anywhere near the seals. I''ll meet him alone."


    Everyone nodded. Torune led a few Root ninjas and they hid around Fujin''s house but stayed far enough to avoid any seals and hid their chakra signatures.


    A few minutester, Danzo flickered to Fujin''s house and stepped in front of his house. He was nning to walk normally and knock on his door, however, his feet stopped moving as he sensed something extremely absurd!


    He looked at Fujin''s house in disbelief and shock while thinking, ''What the hell? It feels like there are hundreds¡­ no thousands of seals inscribed on his house.''


    He focused chakra in his left eye to observe Fujin''s house properly. The sight stupefied him! He wondered, ''Which maniac put seals on his house? Without using my Sharingan, I won''t be able to even count exactly how many seals are inscribed on those walls. There should be at least over three thousand Seals.


    And I can feel that several of these seals are stealth seals. But, since his house isn''t hidden, those should be used to hide more seals. So the real number of seals could very well be much higher than three thousand.


    Even someone like me will likely need days to find every seal and I still won''t be sure of sess. Even my Root headquarters doesn''t have so many seals. Besides¡­''


    Danzo''s eyes focused on one spot on Fujin''s house as he wondered, ''Why is there a Four Symbols Seal on his house? Is a Tailed Beast sealed inside? And why would Hiruzen put so many seals on his house? I need to reevaluate Fujin and Hiruzen''s rtionship.''


    Danzo kept standing in front of Fujin''s house while analyzing for a couple of minutes, confusing the Root ninjas. The only one who had a clear understanding was Hiruzen, who was sneakily watching from his crystal ball.


    He observed Danzo''s reaction and a peculiar expression appeared on his face. He wondered, ''Did this boy put every seal he ever learnt on his house? Still, this should be interesting.''


    Hiruzen kept observing silently. Danzo concluded, ''No, this isn''t Hiruzen''s style. None of the Grandmasters in Konoha will do something like this. There is only one exnation. Hiruzen didn''t make someone put seals on his house. This boy is a Grandmaster in Fuinjutsu as well.


    Unbelievable, Hiruzen kept something like this hidden from me? Fighting Roshi, ughtering numerous Iwa Jounins, killing Juzo and this level in Fuinjutsu¡­ Once a war happens, he will easily be able topete for the Hokage seat.''


    Danzo''s mood became very gloomy. The stronger Fujin was, the lower the chance of recruiting him. In addition, despite his extensive research, Danzo realized that he didn''t have enough information about Fujin.


    Unfortunately, he didn''t have the time to wait. Despite the surprise, this was still the best time to talk with Fujin. He walked forward and rang the doorbell.


    However, knowing how many seals Fujin''s house had, Danzo didn''t take a step through the door and kept standing outside. Though he was sure that he wouldn''t be in any danger in Konoha, the vast number of unknown seals made him feel very uneasy.


    So, when Fujin invited him in, Danzo said, "It''s fine. We can talk here."


    Fujin didn''t insist on it and asked with a smile, "Okay. I wonder why an Elder is visiting me."


    Danzo didn''t reply immediately and observed Fujin properly. The start of the conversation wasn''t how he wanted. Fujin seemed to hold the initiative instead of him. Danzo asked, "Suzuki Fujin, what are your opinions about the Anbu?"


    Danzo had initially nned to butter Fujin up at the start and then try to recruit him. However, since he didn''t hold the initiative, he decided to change his tactics.


    Fujin wasn''t too surprised by the question. Since Danzo approached him openly, he understood that Danzo didn''te in to attack him. If he wanted, he wouldn''t meet him at a ce where Fujin was the safest and he wouldn''t appear alone. Of course, he still kept his guard up against any attempts of Genjutsu.


    Instead of answering, Fujin showed a confused expression and asked, "What do you mean?"


    Danzo replied, "I want to know what you think about the Anbu organization, the role it ys for the vige, whether you think it should exist or not, and any other thoughts you might have on it."


    Fujin thought, ''Indeed, it looks like this visit is for recruiting me. Does he think I''ll be as easy to influence as Kakashi? After all, I don''t have the mental baggage that Kakashi does.''


    Fujin raised an eyebrow and said, "I wasn''t aware that the Elders in the vige are responsible for taking exit interviews and doing surveys. Did Grandpa send you?"


    The only way for Danzo to recruit a capable ninja would be by creating a wedge between that ninja and Hiruzen. The wedge can be created with real reasons or by the stuff he made up to manipte that ninja. However, by calling Hiruzen Grandpa, Fujin crushed most of Danzo''s hopes.


    Danzo didn''t show any emotion on his face and replied, "We don''t and Lord Hokage didn''t send me. Suzuki Fujin, I''m interested in your answer."


    Danzo''s calmness and immunity to all hidden taunts surprised Fujin. However, seeing how different and scheming Hiruzen was, Fujin wasn''t too surprised.


    He sighed and said, "That''s a ratherplicated thing to answer on the spot. In my opinion, the Anbu is what absorbs the darkness in the ninja world and allows the vige to enjoy the light. Of course, it won''t be able to do that sessfully all the time. Otherwise, the Great Ninja Wars would not have happened. As for its necessity¡­"


    A smile appeared on Fujin''s face as he continued, "I am sure that you Elders know the answer the best."


    Danzo nodded and said, "Good answer. You are right. It is because of the work we do in the dark that our vige can enjoy peace. However, there are still things that Anbu won''t do. Or rather, it can''t due to several issues such as manpower or secrecy.


    For that purpose, I created the Root. We ensure that everything that is needed to be done for the vige gets done. We are the roots that ensure that Konoha can stand strong."


    Fujin asked, "Wasn''t Root disbanded around 3 years ago?"


    Danzo didn''t answer Fujin directly and instead said, "The vige will always need us. The Root will never be disbanded in its entirety. And, the members who were disbanded still have the same capability."


    Fujin said, "I understand. But why are you telling this to me?"


    Danzo said, "Suzuki Fujin, you might not know this, but I have kept an eye on you ever since you were young due to your talent. I wanted to invite you into the Root, but the Hokage didn''t allow me. Seeing your current state, my expectations about you were correct.


    The purpose of my visit is to invite you to the Root. With your capability, the best way you can serve the vige is by joining Root. Every mission in the Root ispleted with anonymity. So your identity will never be leaked. In addition, no one will be able to track your movements either. There won''t be any ipetence in Root. And, you won''t need to hold back while dealing with our enemies."


    Fujin was surprised. He analyzed, ''I see. He is taking advantage of what Iwa managed to do and driving a wedge between me and Hiruzen while trying to fan and exploit any Will of Fire in me. Hmm, not bad. As expected from Danzo. No wonder so many talented folks stay loyal to Root. Unfortunately, he''s trying it on the wrong guy.''


    Fujin shook his head directly and said, "I''m afraid you have the wrong information. I''m tired of fighting in the darkness. I have no intention of joining Root or rejoining Anbu."


    Danzo was surprised once again. This time, it was for apletely different reason. He thought, ''Strange. Not only did I miscalcte his abilities, but I also miscalcted his nature. He quit because he is tired of the darkness?''


    Danzo felt a sense of disappointment. It was disappointment in failing to recruit Fujin, but rather a disappointment that Fujin couldn''t adapt to the darkness. At the same time, he had nothing to say to Fujin to convince him to join Root. Fujin''s excuse eliminated almost every reason he could use to convince him.

 Chapter 406: Readiness to kill Danzo!

    However, that reason alone would not cause Danzo to back off. He had led the Root for decades. The amount of schemes he created and the number of ninjas he manipted during that time far exceeded anyone''s imagination. Even Hiruzen, the person who was the most clear about what Danzo did, wasn''t entirely aware of all of his operations.


    Danzo said, "Our vige is right in between four major viges and numerous minor ones. We constantly face crises. Even a moment''s carelessness could lead our vige into a life-and-death situation. And yet, despite having such amazing talent, you don''t want to serve the vige the best you can?"


    Danzo''s tone had changed. It was no longer neutral and instead sounded disappointed with a hint of anger. It sounded like he was offended due to Fujin''sck of passion to serve the vige. Though the emotions he disyed weren''t his real emotions, even Fujin couldn''t see through them.


    Fujin thought, ''Wow! He is good. I had thought Hiruzen would be the best actor in Konoha. I was wrong. If I didn''t know what kind of scum he is, Danzo could have fooled me with his fake passion.''


    To Danzo''s surprise, a smile appeared on Fujin''s face. He said, "While the duties of Anbu are important, those aren''t everything. I can serve the vige in numerous ways, Elder Danzo. After all¡­"


    Fujin''s smile disappeared and he looked straight into Danzo''s left eye. His voice changed from a pleasant respectful tone to apletely neutral one as he added, "If I couldn''t, I doubt you''d even be here looking for me and standing outside instead of entering my home."


    The smile reappeared on Fujin''s face. He continued, "So, you don''t need to worry about my passion, Elder Danzo. What I do will benefit the vige a lot more than staying in the Anbu and getting consumed by the darkness."


    Though Danzo didn''t have any change of expression, his mood became very bad. He thought, ''This boy¡­ Those words and the threat he gave a couple of days ago. He knows more about the Root than what someone like him should know. Did Hiruzen warn him about me?


    Not to mention, though he is behaving respectfully and politely, he has his guard up. If I were to make any move, he would probably counterattack in the blink of an eye.''


    Though Fujin''s actions didn''t give any signs, as an experienced fighter, Danzo could easily feel that Fujin waspletely on guard. Indeed, Fujin was prepared. In fact, Danzo had underestimated Fujin''s preparation. After all, he couldn''t have known that Fujin would bepletely aware of his abilities.


    Fujin looked at Danzo and thought, ''There are four ways he can attack me. The first is Wind Vacuum jutsus. But, they are too slow and easy to see. I can counterattack faster.


    The second is Juinjutsu. If he acts kind and tries to touch me, then that''s what he would be doing. So, if his hand extends towards me, he will be losing it. Even if he somehow surprises me, I have several means of dealing with them.


    The third is the Genjutsu of Shisui''s eye, the one that he cast on Mifune. It is difficult to sense and can give him aplete advantage in a sneak attack. However, it is easy to break. And, since I''m on full guard, it will be difficult for him to cast it on me. Especially because my chakra flow is already in a state of disruption. Any external interference will easily be detected.


    The fourth is if he removes those bandages and uses the Sharingan on me directly. If he seeds, I will be defeated. However, he will have to remove those bandages first. That''s enough time for me to attack at such a close range.''


    The moment Danzo showed any signs of making any of the four above moves, Fujin would attack. And his attack wouldn''t be to force Danzo back. Instead, it would be to kill him in one shot.


    Though killing a ninja of Danzo''s capabilities wasn''t easy and Danzo was probably stronger than Fujin at that point, the circumstances were special. Fujin''s n was to sneak attack Danzo while Danzo was sneak attacking him and wouldn''t expect Fujin to counterattack so quickly and viciously. The chances of pulling that off sessfully were very high.


    Though killing Danzo could cause some troubles, with his current power, Fujin wasn''t afraid of any political bacsh that would arise. Just by exposing the Sharingans and the first Hokage''s cells, he could easily turn the entire Konoha against Danzo. After all, who would defend a dead guy?


    Though it could destroy his rtionship with Hiruzen, Fujin had already gotten almost everything he wanted from Hiruzen. So he didn''t care much. Besides, Hiruzen wouldn''t want Konoha to lose another young talent. Even if he failed to convince everyone and Konoha decided to hunt him, Fujin could just leave Konoha, go to Mount Muteki and train in seclusion until it was time to implement his ns.


    Unfortunately or fortunately, all the ns Fujin made would be a waste. Having realized Fujin''s guard, Danzo dropped any ns of attacking Fujin. He thought, ''A fight here wouldn''t be good for me. Though I can''t sense him, I''m sure Hiruzen is keeping an eye on me. Not to mention, I don''t have the exact information of his skills and abilities or the seals on this house. Regardless, I need to keep an eye on this boy. He isn''t as simple as I thought.''


    Though the two thought a lot, in reality, not a lot of time had passed as both were thinking very quickly. After half a minute of silence, Danzo said, "Alright. I will keep an eye on you, Suzuki Fujin. I hope that you don''t waste your talent and serve the vige the best you can."


    Danzo turned around and began walking without waiting for Fujin''s response. Suddenly, he stopped and looked back at Fujin and said, "Uzumaki Naruto is a very important member of the vige. He holds a power that can reduce the vige to rubble within minutes. Keep your distance from him."


    One of the main reasons why Danzo didn''t try to attack was the fact that Fujin was a rank S ninja. So he wasn''t sure of his victory. As such, he didn''t want Fujin to take control of Konoha''s only Jinchuriki and increase his influence more.


    However, Fujin chuckled and replied, "Sorry, no can do."


    A frown appeared on Danzo''s face. Fujin had done nothing that he had asked for so far. Danzo said, "Though I admire your talent, don''t forget that I am an Elder of Konoha. Acting against my orders won''t be good for you."


    Since he couldn''t recruit Fujin, Danzo no longer maintained the image of a just leader. He threatened Fujin directly. Unfortunately for him, Fujin didn''t intend to back off. He replied, "The Elders have no authority tomand a ninja in Konoha. If you have an issue with me, feel free to raise it with Grandpa. I''ll follow his order."


    Danzo''s frown deepened. He didn''t expect Fujin to keep rebuking him. Fujin continued, "Besides, a Jinchuriki who is isted and hated by all and has no proper training is a disaster waiting to happen.


    I wonder what Elder Danzo thinks would happen if Konoha''s only Jinchuriki hates the vige and doesn''t have any strength to resist the beast inside of him."


    Fujin''s words left Danzo without a good reply for the second time. After all, Danzopletely agreed with Fujin''s analysis. He had the same thoughts about Naruto as well. It''s just that he wanted Naruto in Root and not with someone else.


    With Jiraiya and Tsunade not in the vige and Hiruzen busy with the Hokage duties and unwilling to confront Danzo too much, he could ensure that no n managed to get Naruto. His Root subordinates scared away any civilian ninjas who took pity on Naruto, just like the one who tried scaring Fujin.


    However, now that Konoha had a new rank S ninja who took an interest in Naruto and had no intentions of following Danzo''s instructions or worrying about his threats, Danzo immediately felt difficulty in ensuring that Naruto stayed away from any faction.


    Knowing that Fujin would argue against whatever he said, Danzo turned around and continued walking while saying, "I will talk with Hiruzen."


    Fujin watched Danzo leave. He wondered, ''Would Danzo be able to convince Hiruzen to make me leave Naruto alone? Difficult, but Hiruzen does have a soft spot for Danzo. Regardless, even if Danzo managed to convince Hiruzen, how can Hiruzen convince me?


    I have already promised Naruto to train him and overlook his training. If Hiruzen wants me to not do that, he will be forcing me to break my promise. The promise of a rank S ninja. How can anyone trust what I say in the future?


    Granted that any promise made by a cunning ninja has no real value, Hiruzen can''t say that to my face. I''ll just ask him for twenty thousand Elemental crystals of each element aspensation if he wants me to break my promise.


    Let me see if he still dares to ask me to break my word. Even if that greedy fox pays that price, I''ll just keep the crystals and say that I felt pity for Naruto and keep training him. What can he do when I''m morally correct?''

 Chapter 407 Chapter 404 : Page Not Found

Chapter 407 Chapter 404 : Page Not Found


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    The page you are looking for may have been moved, deleted or possibly never existed!!!

 Chapter 408: Hiruzens Headache

    Fujin stopped thinking about Danzo and shut his door. From the meeting, he understood that Danzo wouldn''t take any direct actions against him. As for the indirect actions, he wasn''t much worried. On the contrary, he was looking forward to it.


    Irrespective of Danzo''s morals, it was undeniable that he was at the top of the ninja world when it came to scheming and hiding in the dark. Fujin hoped to gain some experience by engaging in such tactics against someone like Danzo.


    Even if Fujin suffered any losses, he wouldn''t be too concerned considering that Danzo''s influence was already waning while his influence would keep increasing as he kept getting stronger and started involving himself in Konoha''s internal politics.


    Not to mention, Fujin didn''t particrly care much about his influence in Konoha. As long as he stayed strong, any loss of influence or reputation was inconsequential. So, even aplete defeat won''t actually cause him any loss and would just improve his political skills.


    After Danzo left, the Root ninjas hiding around Fujin''s house left as quietly as they arrived. Only Hiruzen kept looking at the crystal ball with a thoughtful expression on his face.


    After a few minutes, he thought, ''The exchange was quite different from what I guessed. Fujin faced numerous deadly opponents in hisst two missions. To think that Danzo would take advantage of that and exploit any wedge between us.


    Fortunately, Fujin hadn''t med me for any of those and I just gave him the Flying Thunder God jutsu without creating any trouble. So, our rtionship was very good. Otherwise, Danzo could have temporarily poached Fujin just like he poached Kakashi. That would have been rather annoying to deal with.


    Though I am sure that Fujin won''t act against me, it would have been hard to say what he would have done due to Danzo''s maniption and his devious schemes. Thankfully, I don''t have to worry about that. Still¡­''


    Hiruzen looked at Fujin''s house and analyzed, ''Fujin gave me another surprise. Though he looked casual, it was obvious that he was prepared to fight. Though doubtful, I suspect that he was prepared to even kill Danzo. And, for some reason, I feel that Danzo would have been the one getting beaten badly despite having those eyes.


    Did Fujin have any previous contact with Root or Danzo? Or rather, does he have any enmity with them?''


    Hiruzen went through his memories but couldn''t recall any instance that would make Fujin despise Root or Danzo. He shook his head and thought, ''Leave it. Fujin being on guard against Danzo is a good thing. I could use him to suppress Danzo further. Still, this boy''s habit of causing trouble for me hasn''t changed. This time I can''t even toss it to Shikaku.''


    Hiruzen looked towards the door and wondered, ''Since when did he be so obedient that he would do everything I tell him? If that were the case, would I allow him to quit Anbu? Yet, he imed he would listen to mymands and sent this trouble over to me.''


    A couple of secondster, Danzo arrived in Hiruzen''s office. The two stayed alone in the Hokage''s office while Danzo did his best to convince Hiruzen to instruct Fujin to stay away from Naruto.


    Half an hourter, a fuming Danzo left Hiruzen''s office. He had an ugly expression on his face as he thought, ''No matter what I said, Hiruzen didn''t budge an inch! I was right. Getting a new rank S ninja who is loyal to him has given him a lot more liberty and allows him to make a few political maneuvers.


    And with Hiruzen taking Fujin''s side, the other ns won''t support me if I try to use them to pressure Hiruzen. After all, Fujin doesn''t have any faction of his own. Him looking after Naruto won''t harm their interests and they might see it positively instead. They could also use this chance to improve their rtionship with him.''


    Danzo didn''t see any way of keeping Fujin away from Naruto. He returned back to Root headquarters while thinking about what his next move should be.


    In his office, Hiruzen had a tired expression on his face. Unlike the earlier times when he faked tiredness to gain Fujin''s sympathy, this time, he really was tired. He thought, ''I''m too old for shit. That brat¡­ purposefully sending Danzo to me... As if I can stop him from doing something without any good reason. Even if I somehow could, I''m sure that greedy boy would ask for something very ridiculous!''


    Hiruzen knew that he wouldn''t be able to convince Fujin. So he couldn''t agree to Danzo''s idea. As such, their argument had be very heated and pointless.


    He sighed and decided, ''I''ll let it go this time. I doubt they would act openly against each other. I''ll just turn a blind eye to whatever they do in the dark. Let them fight it out and leave this old man out.''


    Fujin spent his day taking a well-deserved break. From the next day onwards, he sent a clone to guide Naruto. At the same time, he practiced his Wind Domain while some of his clones kept working on Flying Thunder God Seal.


    Around a weekter, Fujin decided to approach Guy once again. The two hadn''t spared for almost a week and a half.


    Fujin arrived at noon at the training ground where Guy usually practiced at. As he expected, Guy''s team was with him and was lying on the ground,pletely exhausted.


    Fujin flickered next to Guy and asked, "Since when did you start arranging sleepovers? And that too in a training ground and at noon. No wonder there are only three kids here."


    Guyughed at Fujin''s taunt while a tick mark appeared on the foreheads of his three students. Unfortunately, all three were too exhausted to argue or even wonder who had arrived. Guy said excitedly, "Fujin, meet my students."


    He pointed at the lying kids one by one and said, "He is Neji. She is Tenten. And this one, who looks like me, is Lee. Get up you three. How long are you going to lie down?"


    Neji, Tenten and Lee reluctantly got up but still stayed sitting on the ground. Guy pointed at Fujin and said, "He is Suzuki Fujin, my sparring partner who I told you about."


    The genins were surprised to see someone whom Guy had spoken about. Even more so, they were surprised at how young Fujin was.


    Fujin looked at them and smiled. He said in a gentle voice, "To get a sensei like Guy, you three are very lucky. I just hope you have the will and determination to endure through his training to enjoy the fruits of your hard work."


    Lee immediately said enthusiastically, "Of course we do!"


    Meanwhile, Neji and Tenten looked at Fujin suspiciously and wondered, ''Why does it feel like he is taking pleasure out of our misery?''


    Guy clearly saw it as well, though he didn''t mind it. He asked, "So, why did youe to meet me, Fujin?"


    Fujin replied, "It''s been a while since we sparred. Wanna have a go?"


    Guy grinned and replied, "Sure."


    He looked at his students and said, "No afternoon training session today. Instead, you will observe our spar and learn from it."


    The mood of the three Genins immediately brightened up. Suddenly, they looked at Fujin as if he was their savior. Fujin and Guy immediately moved to the center of the training ground while the genins kept sitting where they were.


    Lee observed Fujin and Guy taking stances and eximed, "This is so exciting! To see Guy-sensei in a fight so quickly!"


    Tenten nodded. However, Neji''s eyes were on Fujin. He said, "Pay attention to that guy as well. I heard from some of my n members that someone named Fujin was recently promoted to Elite Jounin at the age of just 15. It should be him."


    Neji''s words surprised Tenten and Lee. They looked at Fujin more carefully. Guy said, "Let''s begin!"


    The eyes of the three Genins, who were watching carefully, suddenly widened. In front of their eyes, both Fujin and Guy disappeared! A momentter, the sound of two fists shing was heard. And in a few seconds, hundreds of such shes urred. None of the three could see even the shadow of Fujin and Guy!


    Neji immediately activated his Byakugan. However, despite his Byakugan, he could still not see Guy and Fujin and just saw the trails of their chakra that were left behind. He was astounded. It was the first instance of his Byakugan not seeing something clearly.


    Unlike Lee and Tenten, Neji had been upset about receiving Guy as his sensei until he learnt that Guy was an Elite Jounin. However, he hadn''t seen him do much and was skeptical about it. Now that he saw Guy in action, Neji had no words.


    He thought, ''Incredible! So this is an Elite Jounin? I can''t see them move despite my Byakugan. Also, why does it feel like two mountains are shing with each other instead of fists and feet?''

 Chapter 409: Respect & Awe

    While the three genins observed with shocked expressions, Fujin dodged Guy''s kick and Guy''s heel mmed on the ground, creating arge crack on its surface. A lot of stones were sent flying in every direction from the crack. A few of them barely missed the three Genins. A look of horror appeared on their faces as they felt a few stones moving past them like bullets.


    All three immediately got up, ran backwards and jumped on trees. Lee muttered, "So scary! We nearly got hit!"


    Tenten said, "I thought we were a goner. I didn''t know that just watching a fight could be so dangerous."


    As for Neji, he didn''t say anything and kept observing. Despite only being able to follow their trails, he didn''t want to miss a single second of this battle. Only Fujin thought differently.


    He observed the trajectory of the stones and wondered, ''That''s weird. For every stone to miss those 3. Did he control his kick such that the stones that would fly off from its impact would avoid them?''


    Fujin''s spection was very wild. To do something like that was very difficult. Perhaps only a Sharingan could allow any ninja to make the necessary calctions and even then it would be extremely difficult.


    However, Fujin didn''t think it was too odd. He dodged the iing attacks and counterattacked while analyzing, ''Though calcting it will be impossible, developing those instincts with practice might be doable. Once my Wind Domain is properly developed, I''ll be able to change the direction of stones flying in my domain with ease.


    And Guy has focused a lot more on Taijutsu than I have on Wind maniption. So it wouldn''t be impossible for him to do so. Still¡­''


    Though Fujin had focused a lot on Wind jutsus, he had also worked on his other skills. His Taijutsu was extremely good, his Genjutsu was better than most Jounins and Special Jounins who focused on Genjutsu, he was a Grandmaster in Fuinjutsu and his Sword skills were phenomenal as well.


    Byparison, Guy devoted almost all of his time to Taijutsu. Though he had raised his other skills to eptable levels, he never focused much on them. In addition, he had been a ninja a lot longer than Fujin. So the amount of time he spent on his Taijutsu was several times the amount of time Fujin spent on Wind jutsus even if his clones were considered.


    Fujin sighed internally and thought, ''His Taijutsu is just ridiculous. Heck, he is even mocking me by giving lessons to his students while fighting me. If they keep sitting like a fool while two Elite Jounins or stronger ninjas are fighting, they''ll end up dead even if they aren''t targeted.''


    Fujin and Guy kept fighting while the three Genins tried to see them. After 5 minutes, Tenten asked in a dejected tone, "How can we learn if we can''t even see them? Neji, do you see anything?"


    Neji answered without looking at her, "No. But they won''t be able to maintain such a high-intensity battle for long. So we will be able to observe them soon."


    Lee and Tenten nodded. Neji''s reasoning was reasonable. Unfortunately, the two ninjas sparing in front of them were anything but reasonable. Not only did their speeds and intensity not decrease, but instead they increased!


    For the next 3 hours, the Genins only hopelessly tried to follow the sounds made by fists and feet colliding. Apart from a few rare instances when Fujin or Guy stopped and stood at the same spot, the Genins didn''t even manage to see them. In addition, they had to move away several times during these 3 hours.


    Finally, Fujin and Guy stopped. Both were breathing roughly and were covered in dust, but neither had any injuries. Guy gave Fujin a thumbs up and said, "Your Taijutsu is improving rapidly. Your punches and kicks are no longer as slow as they were when we first fought."


    Fujin nodded and said, "It''s thanks to you. Senju Taijutsu style needs a fraction of a second longer due to having to concentrate chakra on my fists or legs. Though the Strong Fist stylecks in power slightly, it doesn''t have that weakness."


    Guyughed and replied, "You can''t have it all, Fujin."


    Fujin chuckled as well. Though the Strong Fist style wasn''t as destructive as the Senju Taijutsu style, Fujin could easily switch between the two styles and use what he wanted. So, his Taijutsu hadn''t gotten weaker in any sense.


    If he wanted speed, he could stick to the Strong Fist style. If he wanted power, then he could concentrate his chakra like in the Senju Taijutsu style while using the Strong Fist style. And even without the extra boost, the Strong Fist style still hit hard.


    Fujin asked, "Will you be taking missions for your new team?"


    Guy answered, "Not for the next couple of months. So you can find me to spar if you want to."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Alright. I''ll see youter. I have a feeling that I''ll be needing a lot more sparring to improve further."


    Guy nodded. Fujin nced at the three genins once again and disappeared from the training ground.


    As soon as he left, the three Genins moved towards Guy. However, when they saw Guy this time, respect and awe could be seen in their eyes. Though Lee already worshipped Guy, Tenten and Neji were a bit sceptical until they saw the fight.


    Lee thought, ''I knew Guy was strong but I didn''t know humans could move at that speed. Will I be able to do that one day too?''


    Unlike during the Chunin exam before Suna and Oto''s invasion, Lee was still very weak and could barely be considered a Genin. So he didn''t have the same confidence and excitement as he would have in the future.


    Tenten thought, ''I never expected Guy sensei to be so strong. Hehehe, I lucked out. That Fujin guy was right when he said we were lucky. Sadly the training though¡­''


    Neji clenched his fists and thought, ''I knew that he was an Elite Jounin, but are all Elite Jounins as strong as these two? If Hiashi is also as strong as them, then I need to train a lot harder to reach their level.''


    Neji suddenly felt a lot of pressure. While he was regarded as a genius in the Hyuga n, he understood that he would need to train hard for a long time to reach the level of Guy and Fujin.


    Guy noticed the expressions on the faces of his students and was pleased. He thought, ''Good timing Fujin. This will make my job much easier.''


    He asked enthusiastically, "Are you ready to begin the evening training?"


    Lee shouted, "Yes, Guy-sensei!"


    The other two nodded as well.


    Guy shouted enthusiastically, "Good! We will run a thousand rounds around this training ground on our hands!"


    He immediately stood on his hands and began running. The three genins followed him enthusiastically as well. Unfortunately, their enthusiasm wouldn''tst for too long.


    Fujin appeared in his home and began nning, ''Hmm¡­ This spar was good. A couple of months of intense physical training along with regr spars with Guy shouldplete the process of infusing chakra through my entire body.


    Once that is done, I''ll ask Guy whether he can teach me the Eight Inner Gates technique! If he agrees, then it''ll add another fearsome trump card to my arsenal. And, unlike the Flying Thunder God and Senjutsu, I''m sure that I''ll easily learn how to unlock the first few gates.


    While I train my body, I''ll also work on the Flying Thunder God seal and the Wind Domain simultaneously. The wind domain doesn''t have much scope to give me quick results. I guess I''ll need another year for it to be a viable technique to use against enemy rank S.


    Fortunately, my progress in the Flying Thunder God seal is much faster. At my current speed, I''ll be able to learn it around 5-6 weeks if I start using Hiruzen''s special soldier pills again. Then I can focus on the second step of the Flying Thunder God.


    Unfortunately, this won''t allow me any time to learn the Rasenshuriken or work on the Eight Trigram Divination Seal.''


    Fujin sat silently and began analyzing whether it would be right to not focus on those two techniques for the time being. After a few minutes, he decided, ''It''s fine. Though Rasenshuriken is very powerful, Vacuum and Wind jutsus get the job done for now. Only if I encounter someone like the Fourth Raikage, Orochimaru or Kakazu will I need it. I don''t need that jutsu while I keep hiding in the vige.


    As for the Eight Trigram Divination Seal, I won''t need it until I decide or have to face Tailed Beasts. The next encounter I could have with a tailed beast will probably be Shukaku, which still has some time. So there is no hurry here either. I will have my clones work on this seal after the Flying Thunder God Seal is mastered.''


    Having made his decision, Fujin ate the special soldier pills that he had taken from Hiruzen and restarted a simr training regime that he followed for 3 months continuously earlier. The only change was that he would leave one clone to watch over Fujin.


    Fujin decided to focus on nothing but his training until he reached his short-term goals. Unfortunately, he would manage to do so for only a week before he got dragged into an unexpected mess.

 Chapter 410: Chaoter 406: Konohas Internal Political Structure

    Around a week after Fujin restarted his high-intensity training, numerous important people in Konoha received a notice from Hiruzen.


    Inoichi read the notice and wondered, ''The Quarterly Council meeting won''t happen for another couple of months. Why did Lord Hokage call for a council meeting all of a sudden?''


    The same thought ran through the minds of all but one of the remaining n leaders, elders and civilian council members.


    A couple of hourster, everyone from the Konoha council arrived in the council room and took their seats. Quite a few of them were surprised to see that even Danzo was present for the meeting.


    The council room had 15 people. They included the 7 n Leaders, that is, Hyuga Hiashi, Nara Shikaku, Yamanaka Inoichi, Akimichi Choza, Aburame Shibi, Inuzuka Tsume and the Senju n leader. In addition, there were the three elders, Shimura Danzo, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu. Finally, there were 5 civilians who looked after the policies for normal civilians in Konoha and helped the Hokage in issues such as Finance, Trade and other non-ninja matters.


    A couple of minutes after everyone arrived, Hiruzen stepped into the room and took his seat.


    Homura asked, "Why did you call for a council meeting suddenly? Did something unexpected happen?"


    Though Konoha was currently enjoying peace, the situation in the ninja world was very vtile. Especially in the Land of Water, where two factions were engaged in a civil war. Since nothing strange had happened in Konoha, that was their best guess.


    However, Hiruzen shook his head and said, "Nothing important took ce recently. Well, other than a new ninja being appointed as one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist by the Mizukage faction. Anyway, this meeting isn''t for that purpose. I have summoned you all here to discuss expanding the council."


    Hiruzen''s words surprised everyone. Homura asked, "What do you mean?"


    Hiruzen said, "When the vige was formed, all the ninjas in the vige belonged to ns. However, ever since the First Great Ninja War, we began training civilians to be ninjas.


    The three great wars inflicted heavy damage to our ns, to the extent that some of the ns are no longer considered ns and have lost their seat in the council. On the other hand, the number of civilian ninjas is continuously increasing. After this year of graduates, their number has exceeded 50% of the total forces. In the future, it will continue increasing."


    Hearing Hiruzen''s words, everyone went quiet. The n Leaders knew about the state of their ns. The Great Wars were like a grinding machine that killed their promising ninjas. So, despite the long peacetime, their numbers were a far cry aspared to their peaks.


    Hiruzen continued, "Due to the circumstances, I propose adding a seat in the council to represent Civilian ninjas, or rather, ninjas who aren''t part of any ns."


    Most of the n Leaders sighed internally.


    Hiashi thought, ''So it''s finally time to do this¡­''


    Tsume thought, ''Creating seats for civilian ninjas will cut into our authority.''


    Shibi thought, ''Unfortunately, even though our authority will get reduced, this step is inevitable.''


    Inoichi thought, ''Though right now there isn''t much demand for this, with time, many will start demanding this. They might even demand more seats to represent theirrge poption.''


    Choza thought, ''Besides, even at the top level, the civilian ninjas have been dominating. At the end of the 3rd Great Ninja War, almost half of our rank S ninjas were from a civilian background. Considering that Lord Hokage and Danzo had retired, that number rose to 60%. Even right now, of the three most promising uing ninjas, two have civilian backgrounds and one is from a n that no longer has a seat on the council.''


    As Inoichi had thought, one of the civilians on the council asked, "Lord Hokage, since their poption is so high, why don''t we create more seats to represent them?"


    Hiruzen immediately answered, "Let us start with one and understand whatplications happen. If it is beneficial for the vige, then an expansion can be considered in the future."


    The council member nodded and didn''t say anything else. Koharu frowned and said, "There are many problems with your proposal. The biggest one is about how a n functions. In a n, the n leader thinks about the welfare of all his n members.


    However, the same won''t work with civilians. They only look after their family and some friends. So despite having more than 50% ninjas, anyone sitting in this seat will only represent a minuscule fraction of the ninjas."


    Koharu''s points were valid. She immediately got support from some of the n leaders who put forth simr points in front of Hiruzen. For them, this represented a barricade. Once this barricade was breached, in the future, their power in the council would keep diminishing.


    On the other hand, the civilian council members saw it as an opportunity to expand their influence in the vige and gain more opportunities for them. Though they were apprehensive about opposing the strong n leaders, with Hiruzen''s support and encouragement, they defended Hiruzen''s idea and kept listing the benefits of such a move.


    The entire group kept debating for over 2 hours until they had nothing more to add. Hiruzen said, "Since the opinion is split, we will have a vote to decide this. Everyone will have 2 minutes to make a decision."


    As soon as it was announced, everyone exchanged nces. Shikaku looked at Inoichi and Choza and nodded. At the same time, Hiruzen nced at the 5 civilians before ncing at Shibi, Tsume, Hiashi and the Senju n leader, hoping that they would support him as well. Meanwhile, Danzo looked at one of the 5 Civilians. The Civilian council member became nervous on noticing Danzo ring at him.


    Finally, Hiruzen asked, "All those in favor, raise your hands."


    Immediately, Shikaku, Inoichi, Choza and 4 of the 5 Civilians raised their hands.


    Hiruzen looked at the civilian who didn''t raise his hand and was displeased. He wondered, ''He isn''t under any influence. Since when did Danzo dig his ws into him? Sigh, I will need to make a move here. Andter on, I will have to rece this guy as well.''


    Since there were only 7 votes in favor as opposed to the 8 he wanted, Hiruzen raised his own arm to support his proposal.


    A frown appeared on Danzo''s and the remaining two Elder''s faces. However, they quickly realized, ''With the Nara, Yamanaka and Akimichi ns supporting them, the result would be obvious. Hiruzen must have already convinced Shukaku.''


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "All those who are against, raise your hands."


    Danzo, Koharu, Homura, Hiashi, Tsuma and 1 Civilian council member raised their arms.


    Hiruzen nodded and announced, "8 in favor, 6 against it and 2 abstained. From now on, there will be a new seat on the council to represent ninjas not a part of any ns."


    Hiruzen thought, ''It''s good that those two abstained. Though even if they hadn''t, the vote would have only been a tie. I could have still pushed it through by using my second vote. Unfortunately, that would have damaged my rtionship with the n leaders.''


    Luckily for Hiruzen, he didn''t have to face that. Since the results were clear, no one argued. The Senju n leader asked, "What about the ns who have lost their seat at the table due to the losses they took? The White Fang''s son is a genius just like him."


    Hiruzen answered, "The Hatake n was badly hit in the previous war. So was the Kurama n. I gave them 5 years to increase the number of their ninjas to beyond 100, but both failed. Once they hit the minimum requirement, they will be reinstated into the council. Hopefully their ns not being in the council will spur them to raise their youngsters more passionately.


    As for the Uchiha n, Sasuke is still too young and the remaining kids are still in the academy. So, they have no ninja among our ranks currently. Considering the tragedy they faced, they might require a couple of generations to reach the minimum number. But considering their case, Sasuke will get a seat on the council once he gets promoted to Jounin.


    The n leaders nodded satisfactorily. As long as a new war didn''t happen, the Hatake n and the Kurama ns could regain their seats. Sasuke just needed time as well. Considering his father and brother, everyone believed that he would need less than 6 years to reach the Jounin rank after graduating. So the number of seats held by n ninjas would increase further.


    And, if a new war did start, then a seat on the council would be the least of their worries.


    Finally, for the first time since the meeting started, Danzo opened his mouth. And the question he asked was what everyone was thinking about. He asked, "Who do you have in mind for this seat?"


    Everyone''s eyes immediately turned towards Hiruzen. Since he had put forth this proposal, it was obvious that he would have someone in his mind.

 Chapter 411: Fujin Vs Three Elite Jounins!

    Except for Shikaku, everyone in the council stared at Hiruzen. Though many of them didn''t want an additional seat to be added to the council, since it was already done, they wanted someone who was on friendly terms with them to be appointed. As such, everyone had someone in their minds.


    That was especially true for Danzo and the civilian council members.


    Danzo thought, ''By making such a move, Hiruzen will displease the ns. The Hyuga and Inuzuka ns were directly opposed to this proposal. The Senju and the Aburame n didn''t vote as it would have been pointless. Even though Shikaku convinced Inoichi and Choza, they would have someints as well.


    I can use this to increase my influence in these ns once again. I can also increase my influence in the ns who don''t meet the requirements for getting on the council as well. In addition, if I can get everyone to reject Hiruzen''s choice and appoint someone I can influence, then I''ll be the biggest winner in this meeting. In some time, I might even be able to restart Root openly.''


    On the other hand, the civilian council members saw this as an opportunity to decrease the influence of the ninja ns and increase theirs instead.


    Schemes ran constantly through everyone''s minds as they waited for Hiruzen to respond. Hiruzen smiled and said, "Suzuki Fujin."


    Hiruzen''s reply surprised everyone in the room. Hiashi asked, "Not Jiraiya?"


    Many of the n leaders had the same doubts. They had expected Hiruzen to include his own student in the council and increase his influence. More importantly, if Hiruzen chose Jiraiya, no one would oppose him for obvious reasons.


    Hiruzen shook his head and said, "Jiraiya has no interest in being on the council."


    He chuckled and added, "If he was, then I would have already passed my seat to him."


    Danzo frowned on hearing that. However, everyone else nodded. Though Hiruzen had more experience and had led Konoha for a long time, considering his age, Jiraiya was a far better choice for Hokage. Unfortunately, he had no interest in the position and rarely stayed in the vige.


    The n Leaders began analyzing whether Fujin would be a good choice for them. Shikaku obviously agreed.


    Choza had interacted with him during a few negotiation missions and had also fought alongside him. So he had a good impression.


    Tsume had seen him during the Chunin Exams and had a favorable opinion of him ever since.


    Though Inoichi, Hiashi and the Senju n leader had no interactions with him, all regarded him highly due to the ninjas of their n who were close with Fujin.


    Only Shibi didn''t have much information on Fujin.


    However, the civilian council members didn''t share the same opinion as the n Leaders. In fact, apart from his bounty and his recent promotion to Elite Jounin, they didn''t know anything about him.


    While the n leaders were analyzing their gains and losses on Fujin gaining that seat, one of the civilian council members immediately opposed, "Lord Hokage, Suzuki Fujin is only 15 years old. He has no knowledge of how the council works or the duties of the council. He hasn''t experienced any war and from what I know, doesn''t have a lot of rtionships with other ninjas. I don''t think he would be a good option for this as he won''t be able to represent all ninjas from outside the ns."


    Another added, "I agree. In my opinion, it will be better if we choose someone who has experienced both the Second and the Third Great Ninja Wars and is looked up to by everyone."


    A third member added, "I agree with them, Lord Hokage. Since this is a new post, it will be better to select someone who is more mature and responsible."


    The other four agreed with him. They waited for Hiruzen''s response. However, before he could speak, Homura said, "I have interacted with Suzuki Fujin earlier. He is very mature and responsible. If that alone is your concern, then you don''t need to worry."


    Homura thought, ''When Hiruzen gave him permission to speak during negotiations, I expected him to mess up at least a few negotiations and cause Konoha heavy losses. I was surprised that despite getting the permission, he never spoke and instead just learnt by observing us.''


    Shikaku added, "I agree with Elder Homura. Fujin''s maturity and ability to handle official matters is very good."


    He made a small mental note, ''Well, other than his tendency to push Konoha to the brink of a war.''


    Shikaku continued, "He won''t have any issue integrating with our council. While it is true that he has very few connections, that is instead a good point.


    As Elder Koharu pointed out, anyone selected could y favorites. However, Fujin won''t have anyone to y favorites with. That is something that someone old would not be able to do."


    Homura and Shikaku''s words put a stop to the schemes running through the minds of the 5 civilian council members. With the two of them rebuking them so harshly, they quickly shut their mouths. Seeing them back off, Danzo frowned.


    Koharu said, "Though you two have a good impression of him, 15 years old is too young to be a council member. Besides, he was just promoted to an Elite Jounin. The current three Elite Jounins who aren''t from the ninja ns would haveints if they aren''t considered."


    The civilian council members nodded. Most of the n leaders also didn''t say anything. Apart from Shikaku, most weren''tpletely aware of Fujin''s capabilities. The bounty and his promotion both happened too suddenly and without much information being exposed to the public. Even Choza and Homura, despite seeing him in action, didn''t know much about him.


    Hiruzen was about to reply when Danzo said, "I agree with Koharu. In addition to her points, Fujin''s loyalty to the vige is also notpletely proven. If he quits the Anbu after being a part of it for just 3 years, then it raises a lot of questions about whether he will dedicate his life to the vige or not.


    Byparison, the three Elite Jounins, who have sacrificed their blood for the vige, are far more suitable options. I rmend Elite Jounin Katsuhiro to be selected for the new seat."


    Hearing Katsuhiro''s names, the 5 civilian council members nodded. One of them thought, ''Though I have someone who will be more favorable for me, pushing him to this seat will be very difficult as no one else would support me. Though Katsuhiro doesn''t owe me much, he has maintained a very good rtionship with all the five civilian council members and will listen to our opinion. He will be far more useful than Fujin.''


    A simr thought ran through the minds of the remaining civilian council members. They understood that they would have to be united to get their way. Each of them exchanged nces. Of course, their nces weren''t missed by any ninja in the room.


    Though Danzo showed no expression, he was very pleased. He thought, ''Good. With these 5 and me, I already have 6 votes. Koharu should vote for me. Even if Homura doesn''t vote with me, as long as two of the n Leaders support Katsuhiro, I will win!''


    Seeing that everyone had stopped speaking, Hiruzen looked at Koharu and said, "Age isn''t an issue. The four of us were taught about how council works by Lord Second when we were very young as well. By including Fujin in the council at the age of 15, Konoha will have someone who can stay in the council for the next 50 to 60 years just like us."


    Hiruzen looked at Danzo and said, "As for his loyalty to the vige, there is no question. Fujin''s performance in the Anbu shows his unwavering loyalty to the vige. If that wasn''t the case, would I suggest his name? As for him leaving the Anbu, I rmended him to quit. He has already learnt all he could through the Anbu. Staying there any longer would be a waste of time and will be detrimental to his potential."


    Danzo frowned upon listening to Hiruzen''s words while Shikaku smirked in his mind on hearing Hiruzen lie so casually. Hiruzen looked at everyone in the room and added, "As for Fujin''s strength¡­"


    Hiruzen took a small pause and let everyone wonder what he was about to say. He continued, "Two weeks ago, he led an Anbu squad to the Land of Hot Water to eliminate rogue ninjas. He killed Biwa Juzo."


    The eyes of everyone in the room apart from Shikaku and Danzo widened in shock. Apart from Hiruzen and Danzo, no one in the room had any guarantee of defeating Juzo. In fact, in one-on-onebat, most of them would have to work very hard to retreat alive.


    Before their shock subsided, Hiruzen added, "After killing him, he caused Hoshigaki Kisame and Hozuki Mangetsu to fight each other and retreated safely without taking any losses. ording to our intel, several Kiri Hunter nins died in that fight and Kisame''s status is currently unknown."

 Chapter 412: Hiruzens Warning

    A wave of silence passed through the room. Despite being only 15 years old, Fujin''s feat of killing Juzo by himself was beyond what several of the n Leaders and Elders could do.


    Though they had various other ways by which they contributed a lot to Konoha, they all realized that they were weaker than Fujin inbat. The three Elite Jounins from non-ninja ns were obviously notparable to Fujin in this aspect.


    Danzo frowned on seeing the reactions of the n leaders. He thought, ''Hiruzen was ready to reveal that in public? It looks like my previous assessment was wrong. Their rtionship is still very close. Since Fujin doesn''t have any mental scars like Kakashi, influencing him is very difficult.''


    Danzo nced across the room to see the shocked expressions on the faces of the n leaders. He frowned and argued, "Even then¡­"


    However, before he could make his point, he was cut off by loudughter. The Senju n Leaderughed loudly and said, "This boy sure is good. I now see why Renjiro always keeps singing his praises, haha.


    Killing Biwa Juzo implies that Suzuki Fujin is a rank S ninja. It''s been a long time since we had a new rank S ninja join the council. I agree with Lord Hokage''s choice. There is no need to discuss any further."


    Danzo''s frown deepened. He wanted to butt in again, but wasn''t allowed to as Shikaku said, "I agree as well."


    He thought, ''That boy has increased my workload so much. Once he joins the council, I''ll return the favor.''


    Inoichi followed and said, "I agree as well. I have heard very positive things about Fujin from some youngsters in my n. Though he is still very young, us old-timers can help him adapt to this position."


    Choza added, "I agree as well."


    Tsume chuckled and said, "I had seen that brat during the Chunin exams. I still remember how hardworking and dedicated he was back then. To think that he would surpass us so quickly... He will be a good addition to the council."


    Following Tsume, Hiashi and Shibi supported Hiruzen''s choice as well. With all the 7 n leaders supporting him, Hiruzen already had 8 votes in his favor. Even if the remaining 8 voted against him, they won''t be able to overturn Hiruzen''s decision.


    One of the civilian council members spoke, "Though I was a bit sceptical at first, considering his future prospects, I believe that Lord Hokage''s decision is the best. The council and our vige will benefit from getting such a talented youngster among our ranks. I agree too."


    The council member who spoke was against Fujin''s selection. However, after realizing that he couldn''t stop Fujin''s selection, he immediately changed his tone.


    He thought, ''Though it''s a shame that I can''t push someone more favorable, I shouldn''t make things difficult for me. Though I don''t have much of a rtionship with this boy, my rtionship with him isn''t bad. Instead, it is just neutral. I can try to influence him by appealing to his civilian background and creating a good rtionship with him. Then I''ll be able to get him to vote for the stuff I want.''


    The other civilian council members weren''t slow. They immediately realized his thought process. All 4 of them began singing Fujin''s praises and agreed with Hiruzen''s choice.


    Since the votes were unanimous so far and the decision was fixed, none of the three elders bothered voting. Unlike the remaining council members, Homura and Koharu saw no need to try and curry favor with Fujin. As for Danzo, voting against Fujin waspletely pointless. So he didn''t say anything either.


    Hiruzen said, "Since everyone agrees, Fujin will be appointed to the Council to represent ninjas that aren''t a part of any ninja ns."


    The meeting ended and everyone except Hiruzen and Danzo left. Hiruzen was about to leave as well when Danzo said, "I know what you are trying to achieve, Hiruzen."


    Hiruzen turned around and looked at Danzo curiously. Danzo said, "The Nara, Yamanaka and Akimichi ns support you blindly. By including another who will support you every time, you will have an even easier time getting your way in the council and won''t even have to depend on your second vote to break any deadlocks."


    Danzo was angry. By dissolving Root, Hiruzen had cut off arge part of his political power. Only after he started inducting the orphans from the Land of Water did he start seeing hopes of reviving his political influence.


    However, even before he could increase his influence, Hiruzen had already increased his power. If Hiruzen made a few more moves and inducted a few more people who were loyal to him in the council, Danzo wouldn''t have any method of influencing the council without getting Hiruzen onboard first,


    Hiruzen could see Danzo''s thoughts at a nce. He turned around and began walking while shaking his head. He said, "I don''t control Fujin. If I did, he would still be in Anbu and you wouldn''t have got a chance to attempt to recruit him. Besides, he shares some of your ideals when ites to dealing with our enemies.


    In fact, he is far more aggressive than what you were when you were 15. He almost reminds me of Sensei. So, you might see him supporting your policies more than mine."


    Danzo was surprised by Hiruzen''s words. Hiruzen chuckled and added, "Of course, if you want to control him, then that isn''t possible. I don''t know what you or Root did to piss him off, but I''m sure you felt his alertness and preparedness when you met him."


    Danzo''s expression became dark upon hearing Hiruzen''s words. It hadn''t been a long time since he met Fujin. He still recalled how prepared Fujin was to make a move. Despite thinking for a couple of weeks, he couldn''t understand why Fujin was so alert against him.


    Hiruzen continued, "Danzo, three years ago, I dissolved the Root. Though you kept a few loyal subordinates, I didn''t interfere with you and even gave you a chance to rebuild the Root. However, if you even think of overstepping your boundaries again, I''ll take away each and every subordinate that you have, no matter how loyal they are to you."


    After warning him, Hiruzen''s figure disappeared from the meeting room, leaving Danzo alone in the Council room. His expression was extremely ugly. Hepletely understood Hiruzen''s threat.


    He thought, ''Damn you, Hiruzen! If it was anyone else, no matter how strong they were, they wouldn''t be able to make my Root ninjas betray me and change their allegations. My Root ninjas would rathermit suicide. But Hiruzen¡­


    He has already inducted the majority of my former subordinates into the Anbu. Not a single one of them listens to mymands anymore. Hiruzen has changed their allegiance from me to Konoha.''


    The Root ninjas that Danzo trained were indoctrinated to put the vige above everything else. Even their own life could be discarded if it benefited the vige. That was the basis due to which Danzo could influence so many. Danzo merely took advantage of it and made every Root ninja believe that Danzo was the only one who could lead Konoha to glory and that Hiruzen and his students were ipetent.


    For Hiruzen, who could wield the Will of Fire better than anyone else, changing their allegiance back to only Konoha and not Danzo was a doable task despite the difficulties involved. The Sannins or others wouldn''t have been able to do that, but Hiruzen did it extremely quickly and efficiently, leaving Danzo at a loss.


    Danzo muttered, "His attitude towards enemies isparable to Sensei? Is Hiruzen lying? If not, what all about him has Hiruzen kept hidden? Was Fujin behind some other big event other than fighting Roshi and Kitsuchi? Or did he intend to do something about those two events but was stopped by Hiruzen?"


    Danzo snorted and began leaving. A couple of Root ninjas flickered behind him after he left the room. Danzo thought, ''I need to dig for more information about him. And, I need to see his attitude. With time, everything will be clear.''


    Danzo decided to increase surveince on Fujin. He also decided to go through the official documents in Konoha to dig out more information. Of course, he faced headaches towards implementing both tasks.


    Spying on Fujin was very difficult. Even the bugs raised by the Aburame n would get detected and destroyed by him. On the other hand, Shikaku had already destroyed all the paperwork that was rted to any important mission Fujin had undertaken and had created a lot of fake missions that Fujin had never performed. So Danzo had a very difficult task of analyzing which of his missions were real and which were fake.


    As for the person about whom the entire Konoha Council was so curious, he was lying in his bed. Exhaustion could be seen on his face.


    Fujin thought, ''Damn, the training is bing more and more chakra intensive. It will be even crazier once my control over the Wind Domain improves further. Even Hiruzen''s soldier pills won''t be very effective for long. Sigh, I need something better.''


    Fujin closed his eyes and was about to sleep when someone rang his doorbell.


    Fujin got up with an annoyed expression and wondered, ''Who ising here to disturb me? I already told Naruto to take today''s day off.''

 Chapter 413: Increased Cellular Activity!

    Fujin was annoyed. He had trained extremely hard without rest for several days. He didn''t want anyone to disturb him at that moment. He activated his chakra field to sense who had arrived. A frown appeared on his face as he wondered, ''An Anbu? Did Eagle send him here or did Hiruzen? Or does Danzo still have some ideas?''


    He flickered to his door and opened it. As soon as he did, the Anbu said, "Lord Hokage has asked you to visit his office immediately."


    The Anbu ninja disappeared after giving Fujin the information. Fujin wondered, ''Calling me? Did something happen?''


    It had been just 2 weeks since Fujin said he was taking a break. For that reason, Fujin wasn''t expecting any missions from Hiruzen for some time. So he couldn''t guess what Hiruzen''s motive was. He flickered to the Hokage''s building and appeared outside Hiruzen''s office in a few seconds.


    Hiruzen saw Fujin and smiled. He said, "Come in, Fujin. Take a seat."


    Fujin was puzzled. He wondered, ''What''s up with him? He rarely asks me to sit down. Now that I think about it, the only time I did was after Jiraiya destroyed that mine and killed several hundred Kumo ninjas. Has anything major happened recently? Was it due to my fight with Juzo and Kisame? And, why is he smiling so much?''


    Confused, Fujin sat across from Hiruzen and asked, "Did something important happen recently?"


    Hiruzen replied, "Yeah, though it isn''t bad. What''s up with you though? Why are you looking so tired?"


    Fujin answered, "The Soldier Pill''s effect just ran out. So I need some rest. That reminds me, the bottle of soldier pills you gave me is almost empty. Can you give me a few more bottles?"


    Hiruzen furrowed his eyebrows and said, "It''s already close to finishing? Fujin, though I said that it is safe if you keep a week''s break in between, using them consistently isn''t good for your body."


    Fujin replied, "I know, but don''t worry. I get my body checked and treated in the Hospital once every month. Yoshi-sensei said that it was fine. If I overexert, I''ll immediately take a break."


    Hiruzen shook his head and said, "That''s good, but even then you shouldn''t use them so frequently. When you overexert, the time you waste resting will make your progress far slower aspared to if you train slow and steady."


    Fujin sighed and replied, "I know, but there is no other way. Training is so chakra intensive. Without soldier pills, I will be able to train at max a couple of hours a day."


    Though Fujin understood Hiruzen''s advice, he couldn''t follow it. Without soldier pills, maintaining Shadow Clones to learn the seals was very difficult. Fujin would have needed several times more time to master the Four Symbols Seal. The same was the case with the Flying Thunder God Seal. As for the Wind Domain and other powerful Ninjutsus, the time needed would be even more as they required far more chakra.


    Fujin looked at Hiruzen and asked, "Do you know of any methods to increase our chakra? I don''t mean any temporary methods like Soldier Pills, but a permanent increase in it."


    Hiruzen shook his head and said, "Artificial methods of increasing chakra have huge ws. Your chakra reserve is already quite huge. Even I didn''t have that much chakra at your age. You will exceed my current chakra reserves in less than a couple of years. And you are still very young, so it will keep increasing for quite some time."


    Fujin replied, "My chakra reserves are growing very slowly."


    Hiruzen said, "Your chakra reserves will obviously not increase at the same rate as when you were in the academy. However, your chakra reserves are already enormous. Even a small percentage increase will be several times more than the increase in chakra reserves you experienced in the Academy in terms of quantity.


    Even if it takes 5 years for your chakra reserves to double, very few will have as much chakra as you do. 10 to 15 yearster, only Jinchurikis and someone like Kisame will have higher chakra than you.


    In addition, as the growth rate reduces, the quality of your chakra will improve. As will your chakra control. The amount of chakra wastage while performing jutsus will go down significantly as you practice your jutsus for years. That''s why I said you don''t need to do something so risky."


    Hiruzen was very serious while exining to Fujin. He thought, ''He is only 15 and has already reached rank S. In less than 5 years, he will be strong enough to be able to survive against any Kage. Strong enough to survive against me at my peak. If he is lucky, he might even reach the same level as me or even surpass me. And he can easily maintain his peak for the next 4 decades, making it extremely difficult for anyone to harm Konoha.''


    Fujin, despite his inexperience, was easily able to understand Hiruzen''s thoughts on seeing how serious he had be. Hiruzen''s attitude made him feel depressed. He sighed internally and thought, ''Why did he get so serious? Doesn''t Konoha still have Kakashi and the Sannins?


    There are several methods of increasing chakra artificially. Even I know a few that could multiply my chakra reserves by a few times. It''s just that essing and using them to do that is very difficult and my current strength isn''t high enough to get some of them. Can''t he just tell me what methods Konoha has developed?


    With Tobirama, Danzo and Orochimaru focusing so much on research and ninjas like Hiruzen and Tsunade who reached the peak in their respective fields, there is no way that Konoha doesn''t have any methods. Even though I will gain more methods in the future, having a stronger base will always be helpful. Now, how do I make him tell me?''


    As for Hiruzen''s advice of waiting for 10 to 15 years, Fujin didn''t even consider it. The next great war will happen in less than 6 years. Fujin had a lot of ns that needed to be implemented before that war broke out. Waiting patiently and being a mediocre rank S ninja wasn''t what he wanted.


    Fujin thought rapidly and said, "I had read a few theories about increasing chakra reserves in the library."


    A look of surprise appeared on Hiruzen''s face. However, his expression changed to serious in an instant. He thought, ''I forgot that this brat loved sitting in the library for hours while using Shadow Clones! Sigh, I wanted to tell him that he has been selected to join Konoha''s council. How did the discussion change to this?''


    Fujin continued, "Unfortunately, they were only theories and it didn''t say whether anyone sessfully implemented them. So I don''t want to experiment with them blindly. However, one of those theories seemed very ingenious and doable. It talked about increasing cellr activity and extracting more chakra from each cell to increase our chakra reserves. I wonder if you know more about that, Grandpa."


    Hiruzen muttered softly, "Orochimaru¡­"


    At the same time, he was relieved. He thought, ''I''m d that nothing rted to Lord First''s cells is in the library. Otherwise, it would have be a major headache if Fujin read it and became fixated on it. Even though Orochimaru and Danzo had some gains in the research on his cells, they are still far too dangerous to be used.''


    Hiruzen shook his head and said, "I know about it. It was done by Orochimaru and I assisted him in it."


    Fujin was surprised. He thought, ''Hiruzen assisted him? Strange¡­ Then again, he was his sensei. Perhaps Orochimaru researched this when he was very young.''


    Hiruzen continued, "You aren''t the only one who is troubled by the matter of chakra reserves. Many capable ninjas were concerned due to it. Even rank S ninjas wanted more of it. So, over the years, a lot of study has been done on this matter.


    A lot of new theories appeared. Even though many of them were absurd and couldn''t even be experimented on, a few were experimented on. Unfortunately, this is very risky. Many capable ninjas were crippled while performing those experiments. And the majority of the crippled ninjas were the ones who came up with those theories.


    That is why I asked you to not think about this."


    Unfortunately, Hiruzen''s words didn''t have the effect he wanted. Fujin''s eyes widened and a look of surprise appeared on his face. He muttered, "Many were crippled¡­ But Orochimaru became a rank S ninja, and a rather strong one at that. Does that mean that he seeded?"


    Hiruzen sighed and nodded. He answered, "Though many experiments were done on several theories, this one is the most sessful in Konoha until now. However, even then, it has risks and is very difficult to implement."


    Fujin became very curious. Though he knew a few methods, all of them involved strong forces of nature, many of which were beyond his understanding currently. He wasn''t aware of any method that was invented by humans. He asked, "What risks and difficulties?"

 Chapter 414: Tsunades Help

    Hiruzen answered, "It has very high demands for learning. To energize the cells and increase their activity, the ninja needs to have at least rank S levels of chakra reserves. In addition, the chakra control has to be extremely high as well. So, it can be done by a very small number of ninjas."


    Fujin wasn''t concerned by it. Rather, he was pleased. He said, "I satisfy those requirements. What are the risks?"


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "Yes, your chakra reserves and control should be sufficient. As for the risks, I will first exin the benefits as the risks are rted to it. Energizing every cell in our body is actually very beneficial for us.


    If used correctly, it maintains our cells in optimal condition, improving our health considerably. It improves the speed of chakra recovery, the speed at which your injuries heal and reduces the chances of getting sick. It also slows down ageing, but not by much. Ageing is difficult to calcte, but our estimates were around 3-4%.


    As for the increase in chakra reserves, it varies. I''m not sure what those factors are because we didn''t have enough information since the number of ninjas who met the requirements to try this was very low. Among the ones who tried this method, Danzo had the least gains as his chakra reserves increased by just 12% while Tsunade had the most gains. Her chakra reserves increased by 63%."


    Fujin''s eyes widened and his face lit up on hearing the benefits. They were very good. He almost became impatient to get those benefits. He thought, ''Damn! 63%? If I get a simr boost, my chakra reserves will be among the highest in the world not counting the Jinchurikis. Even half of that boost will increase it beyond Hiruzen''s current chakra reserves. Hehehe, I can''t wait. I''m so d that I brought this up with Hiruzen.''


    Hiruzen continued, "As for the risks, they are very simple. You get the benefits I mentioned only when you maintain the cells at an optimal level. If you want more chakra, you can overexert your cells and draw out more chakra, be it in the middle of a battle to recover your chakra or to increase your chakra reserves even further.


    If you do that, all the benefits will change into disadvantages. Arge amount of cells in your body will begin dying due to overexertion. Though this won''t kill you and your body will produce new cells and rece the old cells, it will have grave consequences.


    Arge number of dead cells will remain in your body. Though our medical ninjas can remove some of them, even our best medical ninjas can''t remove all of them. Those dead cells in your body will slowly affect cells around them and slowly those cells will die as well.


    Though you won''t suffer immediately, it will reverse the benefits you get. Once the number of dead cells in your body surpasses a certain limit, your chakra will regenerate more slowly, your chakra reserves will increase at a slower rate, you will age faster and your body will be vulnerable to diseases as more and more dead cells umte in your body.


    If you overexert your cells too much, then your chakra reserves could even start dropping, though they will likely still be higher than before you use this technique. You might not feel much immediately, but 15 to 20 years down the line, you''ll feel the damage that this will do to your body."


    Fujin''s excitement died down and he became very serious. Though the benefits were good, the disadvantages were just as bad. He contemted Hiruzen''s words seriously and asked, "If I only maintain the optimal condition, won''t it be just beneficial for me? As long as I don''t overexert myself, I should only enjoy the benefits, right?"


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "You are right. However, that is difficult to do. After all, when you are in the middle of a fight and are heavily disadvantaged, you will be very tempted to do this.


    You have fought with Roshi, Kitsuchi, Juzo and Kisame. Against each of them, you could have just retreated easily. Instead, you kept fighting until retreat was the only option.


    Once you get this method, you''ll be tempted to fight for even longer. Over the years, it will have a detrimental effect on your body. When that happens, you will regret learning this and wasting your potential."


    Hiruzen''s words surprised Fujin. He thought, ''Ah, now it makes sense why he was so reluctant to tell me anything. Assuming any other method Konoha has, results in an even severe bacsh, Hiruzen will be worried that I might injure myself and stop getting stronger in just one major fight.


    That said, I never really overexerted myself in any fight. I have only fought within my limits and have always been ready to retreat in case something outside my expectations happens. The only instance when it got very risky was when Roshi suddenly transformed into Son Goku and maintainedplete control which I didn''t anticipate.


    Otherwise, I have always paid more attention to my safety rather than my enemy''s demise. After all, what use is it to kill an enemy if I suffer as well? It''s not like killing anyone gives me a special benefit or some treasures. At max, I can steal their weapons and money.


    Unfortunately, the weapons that are worth stealing are even more rare than a rank S ninja and money is useless in this world for someone who doesn''t have to support a huge family, n or organization. Besides, I can easily steal money from the corrupt Nobles.''


    Fujin looked at Hiruzen and said, "You don''t need to worry, Grandpa. I will give priority to retreating over overexerting myself in a fight. The only time I will overexert my cells is if my enemy is so strong that I can''t retreat safely or if the vige desperately needs me to do so."


    Fujin immediately cursed in his mind, ''Shit, I almost forgot about saying that I will use it when the vige needs me to do so. Luckily, I thought of it in the nick of time!''


    Hiruzen was pleased to hear that. He nodded and said, "Good."


    A smile appeared on Hiruzen''s face. Fujin smiled as well. He thought, ''I have already be a rank S ninja. Though this technique will just increase my chakra and not mybat power, It''ll be extremely beneficial for me when my Wind Domain reaches a good enough stage. I''ll be able to sustain it much longer and can use attacks that need a lot more chakra with more freedom.


    I''m also not sure how much chakra Flying Thunder God will need. Rasenshuriken will also be very pervasive in terms of the chakra needed. So even though mybat strength won''t increase immediately, it will give me an amazing base to get stronger much quicker. More importantly, it might also make Ryo allow me to learn Senjutsu!''


    Though he generally stayed very calm, Fujin was excited about the number of possibilities that would open up. Unfortunately, Hiruzen didn''t say anything and just kept smiling. Not willing to wait any further, Fujin asked, "Grandpa, can you teach me how to increase my cellr activity?"


    To Fujin''s surprise, Hiruzen shook his head and answered, "I can''t."


    A frown appeared on Fujin''s face. He immediately asked, "Why not? Didn''t you say that I have met the requirements to learn this?"


    Hiruzen answered, "I did. But I can''t teach you how to do it because I am not capable of teaching you that."


    Fujin was confused. He asked, "Didn''t you say that you helped Orochimaru develop this?"


    Hiruzen replied, "I did. Unfortunately, this is tooplicated even for me. Even though I helped Orochimaru, I just guided him and helped him avoid some pitfalls that urred in earlier experiments on increasing chakra reserves. The cellr activity falls under Biology which isn''t my strong suit. Doing something that requires you to employ each and every cell of your body is extremely difficult. The only reason why this could bepleted is due to Tsunade."


    Fujin''s eyes widened. He thought, ''Tsunade! That makes sense. Even though Orochimaru is an excellent researcher, his knowledge of the human body is probably far from Tsunade''s. But, can Hiruzen really not teach this to me?''


    Hiruzen continued, "To be able to increase cellr activity in every cell in your body, you will need Tsunade''s assistance. Even I could only do so with her help. Orochimaru was the only one who became capable of doing it without her help. If I try to help you without Tsunade present, I won''t be able to handle any unexpectedplications that might arise. So, it is very risky and has little to no chance of sess."


    Fujin fell into deep thought. Ideas shed in his brain at the speed of light. Unfortunately, he couldn''t think of anything. After a couple of minutes, he sighed and muttered, "That sucks."


    Hiruzen smiled on seeing Fujin''s reaction. For once, he had let Fujin experience the emotional roller coaster that Fujin frequently put Hiruzen and Shikaku through. As he had guessed, Fujin''s mood became very down. Hiruzen had dangled something Fujin wanted a lot in front of his eyes and had taken it away without any hope of Fujin getting it anytime soon.

 Chapter 415: Council Member Suzuki Fujin

    Seeing Hiruzen''s smile, Fujin cursed, ''Why is this old fox smiling? It almost feels like he is enjoying my helplessness!''


    Unfortunately, there wasn''t much that Fujin could do. He asked, "Is there any chance you can arrange a meeting between me and Lady Tsunade, Grandpa?"


    To Fujin''s disappointment, Hiruzen shook his head and said, "Unfortunately, I can''t. Until a Great War breaks out, she won''t return to the vige. She has sacrificed too much for the vige and doesn''t want to be disturbed unless it''s an emergency."


    Fujin sighed once again. He didn''t say anything and thought, ''I guess I can only wait for her to return to the vige. Even though finding her shouldn''t be too difficult, I have no rtionship with her. So, it is highly unlikely that she will agree to help even if I track her down. I can only wait until Naruto changes her heart. That said¡­''


    Fujin looked at Hiruzen and wondered, ''Will events really y out as I remember? Hiruzen is an entirely different league aspared to what I remember about him from the show. I don''t see him ying with roof tiles when facing Orochimaru.


    That said, it is unlikely that Orochimaru is as weak as I recall either. Just like Hiruzen, he barely used any good jutsu in that fight apart from Edo Tensei. Tobirama didn''t use his Flying Thunder God from what I remember while Hashirama wasn''t as overbearing as he is. Even if Hashirama''s strength was limited due to the Edo Tensei not being as perfect as it was during the war, he could still be far more devastating.


    Besides, I myself have be a factor that others must consider. Even if they don''t get the news that I killed Juzo, the bounty should show that my threat is at leastparable to Kakashi''s. And I am an expert in Wind Release. In a war, just my ability to strengthen Fire jutsus will be very devastating. Not to mention, I have already created a lot of mess against Suna and Iwa¡­


    Sigh, so manyplications and calctions. No point in thinking too much about it pointlessly. I''ll just see what happens and act ordingly.''


    Hiruzen let out a chuckle on seeing Fujin think so deeply and said, "Don''t worry so much. Even if no war happens, Tsunade will eventually return to the vige. When she arrives, I will ask her to help you. Now, let''s talk about why I called you here."


    Fujin said, "Thank you. And yeah, I almost forgot that you called me here for some reason, haha."


    Hiruzen smiled and said, "It''s good to see that you are happy. This news is rted to you."


    Fujin raised an eyebrow and wondered, ''A news rted to me? But I have been in the vige all the time. Did someone I know experience something good?''


    Hiruzen waited for a few seconds for some suspense to build up. Finally, he said, "Congrattions Fujin. You have been selected to join the Council of Konoha."


    Fujin raised his eyebrows and wondered, ''Konoha''s Council? What the hell?''


    He asked, "What do you mean?"


    Hiruzen asked, "You know what the Konoha Council is and who the council members are, right?"


    Fujin nodded. He had studied the Council in Konoha very thoroughly. Hiruzen said, "We have decided to expand the council and add one more seat to represent ninjas who aren''t from any ninja ns. I decided to appoint you to that seat and the council supported my decision."


    Fujin thought, ''The council supported me? I barely know anyone in it and the council members have a lot of political influence. There is no way that they will just pass it along to someone who has no background. I guess Hiruzen yed quite a few cards to make this happen.


    Still, this is good for me. Extremely good! I wanted to enter the council before that incident took ce. I didn''t expect that I''d be able to join it so early.''


    Fujin replied, "Grandpa, I barely know any Civilian ninjas. How am I supposed to represent them?"


    Hiruzen waved his hand dismissively and said, "Even though there was no such seat earlier, the council works to ensure that everyone in Konoha is looked after properly. So you don''t need to worry about it. At most, your job is to ensure that the council doesn''t make any decisions that will harm the interests of the civilian ninjas.


    The real reason why I got you in the council is to give you sufficient power for you to be able to negotiate without any worries."


    Fujin was surprised. He said, "Oh, that sounds doable. Alright, Grandpa. I will do my best for the vige. Is there anything I should know about being a council member?"


    Hiruzen nodded. He briefed Fujin about additional duties he would have, about how to act in several scenarios that Hiruzen expected Fujin to face and also discussed with him the political implications of his appointment to the council. Fujin asked several questions to clear his doubts which were answered patiently by Hiruzen.


    The two talked for over a couple of hours. In the end, Hiruzen said, "Don''t worry too much. Even if you meet with some issue that you are not sure how to handle, you can just say that you''ll handle itter and talk with me about how to resolve it. If I''m not in the vige, you can consult Shikaku."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Alright."


    He let out a yawn and said, "If that''s all Grandpa, then I''ll go take my nap."


    Hiruzen chuckled and said, "That''s all. Go take a proper rest. I''ll hold another council meeting soon to introduce you to it."


    Fujin nodded. He got up and began walking when he suddenly had an idea. He turned around and said, "The ninja ns get a certain number of elemental crystals allotted to them every year, while the civilian ninjas don''t have ess to this. If any of the civilian ninjas ask me to raise this point, what should I say?"


    Hiruzen replied, "Unfortunately, the number of elemental crystals we receive is too low and is decreasing continuously. If not for the deals we made with neighbouring countries, we wouldn''t have been able to sustain it. So we can''t allot the Elemental Crystals to everyone. In a few years, we may need to stop supplying them to ns as well.


    But, as of now, as long as a civilian ninja shows promise, I will induct them into Anbu and give them ess to it. Just like you and Bunjiro. The senior ninjas will all be aware of this, so they won''t bother you about this matter."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Alright. I''ll see youter."


    He disappeared from the office. Hiruzen stared at where he was standing and wondered, ''Was his query genuine or does he want more elemental crystals for himself for some reason? Hasn''t he already reached his limit of using them?''


    Hiruzen thought for a bit but couldn''t reach any conclusion. After a few minutes, he dropped it and returned to his work.


    Fujin appeared in his house in less than a minute and thought, ''That''s a shame. Though Wind Crystals no longer have much of an effect on me while Fire and Earth Crystals are too slow to absorb, I haven''t tried absorbing energy from the Lightning Crystals since the Chunin Exam.


    Had Hiruzen given me the crystals, I could have used the Lightning ones in secret. After all, while Hiruzen can monitor the Anbu Training Facility, he can''t monitor my house. Ah, leave it. It''s highly unlikely that my rate of absorbing Lightning energy will increase as it happened with Wind Crystals.


    Anyway, this is quite good news. I wanted to enter the council before Akatsuki started making their moves. I thought I''d have to influence Tsunade into creating such a seat for me. By then, considering how much stronger I''d have grown, I would have been able to force my way in.


    I never thought Hiruzen would solve this issue for me so early. This will make implementing that n much easier and the bacsh will be smaller aspared to if I had just joined the council and displeased some of the members due to having forced my way in.''


    Fujin yawned again and rubbed his eyes. He muttered, "I really need some sleep. I''ll see how this goes after the first meeting is arranged."


    Fujin went to sleep. While he slept, news spread rapidly throughout Konoha. The news that a new Council Member had been appointed surprised many people. The fact that the new Council Member was supposed to represent Civilian ninjas brought joy to the vast number of Civilian ninjas in Konoha.


    Though a few people were sceptical about Fujin''s selection for that seat, no one said anything considering his high bounty and the fact that the Third Hokage had rmended him for the spot.


    Irrespective of whether people were pleased or not, everyone was talking about the new Council Member Suzuki Fujin.

 Chapter 416: RIP Privacy

    It had barely been an hour since the Sun rose. In one of the many training grounds inside Konoha, a young man was sitting with his back against a tree while breathing heavily.


    As he caught his breath, Fujin thought, ''Nothing like an intense morning workout to clear up my mind. Now, what do I do about this situation?''


    Due to his tiredness, Fujin hadn''t thought much about getting into the council. Fujin analyzed, ''I recall thinking about creating a faction inside Konoha post the Fourth Great Ninja War taking advantage of the void created by Danzo''s death and the insane number of deaths in the war. Though I had given up on it, to think I would receive a position that would allow me to do just that with ease¡­''


    Fujin began thinking about his old idea about spreading his influence among the many orphan ninjas in Konoha and the civilian ninjas.


    After a while, Fujin shook his head and decided, ''No, it is sort of pointless. Even if it is after the war, such a faction will be heavily monitored by every force in Konoha. I will have to engage in a lot of political battles for gains that won''t be of any use to me.


    This isn''t the same as creating an organization outside Konoha. I will have full control over such an organization with little to no outside influence. I can use them to do work that would be very shady for someone in Konoha to do openly.


    But a faction inside Konoha won''t have such an unrestricted environment. Leave it. If I want more influence inside Konoha, I''ll directly contest the post of Hokage. Though my reputation inside Konoha is far lower than Kakashi''s and the Sannins'' reputation, it will change in the future.


    Irrespective of who the enemies are in Konoha Crush, that war will allow me to rapidly increase my reputation and influence. Once Akatsuki starts gaining fame, I can pick on their members to increase my reputation further.


    My current prowess is sufficient to neutralize Hidan from the future. Once Wind Domain is ready, I can also defeat future Deidara without resorting to Lightning Release. And I still have around 5 years. That should be sufficient for me to be capable enough to kill Kakuzu, Sasori and perhaps even Kisame.


    With those wins, I can easily gain the basis to fight for the Hokage seat if I want it. And that is without considering Flying Thunder God and Sage Mode. As long as I get any one of them down, it''s likely that Kakashi might not even want topete against me.


    So there isn''t much point in creating a faction inside Konoha. I''ll just focus on increasing my influence while spending as little of my time and resources as I can.''


    Having made his decision, Fujin got up and began walking to the Hokage''s Building. He had already informed Naruto that he would be busy for around a week. So, Naruto hadn''t visited him for training.


    Fujin entered Hiruzen''s office and thought, ''I wonder what office he will be giving me.''


    Hiruzen saw Fujin and said, "Good, you are here."


    He stopped doing his paperwork and got up from his seat. He said, "Follow me. I''ll show you your office."


    Fujin nodded and followed him. Within a minute, both arrived inside a room on the floor under Hiruzen''s office. Fujin looked around the room. The room wasn''t too small or too big and looked as if it was very recently cleaned properly.


    Hiruzen said, "I had this room cleared for you yesterday. As I had said, every council member has a room inside the Hokage''s Building. Of course, you don''t need to show up here daily, but if you have any meetings or official work, you can get it done here."


    Fujin nodded and looked around the room. His eyes focused on a few ces. He asked, "Did you also put seals in the room, Grandpa?"


    Hiruzen answered, "The seals here are very old. Their purpose is for secrecy and some defense. Feel free to remove them and carve newer seals. But don''t overdo it. I don''t want to see thousands of seals in this room."


    Fujin chuckled and replied, "Alright. Don''t worry, I know that this isn''t my home."


    Hiruzen nodded. He was nervous about Fujin doing something like what he had done with his own house. Hiruzen thought, ''Though I trust him, I don''t want a room so close to my office to have thousands of seals. Even with my expertise, it is very likely that I''ll miss a few seals even if I carefully inspect such a room. It''s no wonder that Danzo didn''t dare to step inside his house.''


    Hiruzen said, "I''ll leave you to handle your room. Stay here for some time. I''ll assign you a couple of assistants who wille here to meet you. They will be responsible for informing you if anyonees here to meet you when you aren''t present. Though there won''t be much paperwork for you, they will also help out in what little there is.


    As for the council meeting that we talked about yesterday, I have arranged for one to introduce you to the council. It will be on the day after tomorrow, at 9 AM. Be there on time."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Alright, I''m looking forward to it."


    Hiruzen nodded and left, leaving Fujin alone in the room. Fujin stood quietly while observing the room properly for around 5 minutes. Suddenly, a mischievous smile broke out on Fujin''s face.


    Fujin thought, ''Hiruzen asked me to not overdo it. He said that he doesn''t want thousands of seals in this room. Meaning, as long as it doesn''t reach that number, it should be fine, right? Hehehe, I''ll just inscribe 999 seals in this room.


    Hmm, wait! He said ''thousands'' with a ''s''. There have to be at least 2 to make it plural. So he allowed me to inscribe 1999 seals in this room. I don''t understand why he wants so many seals in a room so close to his office¡­


    Oh well, I''ll inscribe 999 seals for now. That should be more than enough. I''ll leave the remaining ones for the future in case I develop any cool seals.''


    With a smile stered on his face, 8 Shadow Clones popped next to him. Within a minute, every existing seal inside the room was wiped off. In the next few minutes, 999 seals were inscribed in the room!


    Of the 999 seals, only 125 seals were to prevent spying and added some defense to the room, to ensure that it could endure a couple of rank A jutsus before copsing.


    Of the remaining seals, 125 seals were made for the sole purpose of spying on others. Of course, Fujin wasn''tpletely unbridled. Though the seals could spy, he didn''t make the seals strong enough to break through the privacy seals in the remaining rooms despite being able to.


    Fujin had analyzed, ''Even though my Fuinjutsu skills are great, I shouldn''t look down on others. Hiruzen will definitely notice it if I use it several times. Others might notice too. Especially if I can break through privacy seals. But as long as I don''t do that, the chances of anyone discovering it will be low. Even if they do, they can''t do anything.''


    Since Fujin dared to do something like this, he had implemented countermeasures. After all, those were just 250 seals. Fujin''s Shadow Clones inscribed 500 seals just to hide those 250 seals. All the important 250 seals were thus hidden under several levels of disguise and cover.


    The only way to see them would be if someone destroyed a good portion of those 500 seals. However, even if someone did that, Fujin had inscribed another 125 seals just to destroy the spying seals. So no proof would remain.


    As for the remaining 124 seals, all were useless. Fujin had just randomly put seals which made no sense and served the sole purpose of confusing the shit out of anyone who wanted to investigate the seals inside his office.


    Fujin closed his eyes and sensed the seals that his clones had just inscribed. One by one, the seals began activating. In a few seconds, the majority of the seals in the room disappeared and could no longer be sensed by anyone other than Fujin.


    Soon, the privacy seals were activated. The room waspletely sealed. No one would be able to spy on what was happening inside the room. If anyone tried to, Fujin would be warned. If someone better than Fujin forcefully breaks through the privacy seals to spy on Fujin, Fujin will be warned of it.


    Finally, the seals for spying were activated. One by one, Fujin began hearing the words spoken inside the Hokage Building. Fujin avoided any rooms with Jounins or stronger ninjas inside them so that no one would be able to realize that someone was spying on them.


    The sounds Fujin heard were initially very chaotic. But under Fujin''s control, he began hearing distinct voices from every room. He could freely control what he wanted to hear and what he didn''t.


    Finally, Fujin deactivated all the spying seals. A smile appeared on Fujin''s face as observed his work with pride! He thought, ''Neither Sasori nor Deidara is right. This is ART! Hahaha! I can spy on almost everything that happens inside this building. The amusing part is that I didn''t even intend to do so until a few minutes ago, hahaha.''

 Chapter 417: Hiruzens Confusion

    Fujin became serious and analyzed, ''Though my seals can spy without being detected, there is a limit. As long as I don''t use them for spying, no one will notice anything odd. Even Hiruzen, with his expertise in Fuinjutsu and decades of experience, wouldn''t sense them.


    But, once I use it, top ninjas should instinctively feel that something is wrong. So, I can only use it a few times before people start suspecting something is wrong.


    Fortunately, my target isn''t the n Leaders. Even though they are important, they barely know anything important happening in the vige. After all, everyone is in the dark about the Uchiha Massacre. Only the four of them know about it and perhaps Shikaku might have guessed it. The rest arepletely in the dark. Even if they have their guesses, it''s not something I can spy on.


    The ones I wanna keep an eye on are those two Elders. Once things start getting tense, I can know what schemes they are cooking by keeping an eye on them. Fortunately, I know the future events. So I won''t have to use this frequently.


    So, the chances of getting discovered are low. Even if they discover it, linking it back to me will be difficult. Besides, even if guess that it is me, they can''t do shit to me without any proof. Their era is long over. And I have no intention of being polite and respectful with them like others.''


    Though Fujin had just joined the council and didn''t intend to offend everyone in it, he didn''t mind doing so when the need arose. In fact, he was looking forward to it. Fujin thought, ''I found politics very tedious in my previous life and stayed far away from it. To think that I would be jumping in it at a mere age of 15 in this life¡­ Who''d have ever thought?''


    Fujin''s gaze turned towards the door. A couple of secondster, a knock was heard. Fujin said, "Come in."


    Two men opened the door and entered inside. Fujin observed them. Both were in their mid-20s, had average builds and their chakra was just high enough to be considered as Chunin-level.


    Just like Fujin, the two of them were also observing him. Both hadplicated feelings. They both had civilian backgrounds. Both were proud of having a safe job inside the Hokage''s Building. However, the boy in front of them was 10 years younger than either of them.


    Yet, he had such immense power that his bounty was 50 million Ryo and he had been selected to be one of the few Council Members inside Konoha and represented the highest number of ninjas than any other Council Member apart from the Hokage and the Elders.


    Though they felt that the other civilian Elite Jounins would have been better choices, neither dared to disrespect Fujin.


    One guy respectfully said, "I am Haruma."


    The other guy said, "I am Yasushi. Lord Hokage assigned us to assist you in your duties as a Council member."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Good. This seat is mine. Feel free to take any other chair in this room. Did either of you assist any other council member before me?"


    Yasushi nodded and said, "Yes. I had assisted Lord Yamanaka Inoichi before you. Haruma has been newly assigned though. So it''s his first time assisting a council member."


    Fujin said, "That''s good. You can guide Haruma on how everything''s done. Did Lord Hokage give you my information?"


    Yasushi answered, "Not much apart from your name."


    Fujin said, "I see."


    Fujin thought for a few seconds and instructed, "I''m not sure how Inoichi handled his Council duties. As for me, I won''t be in the office often. So you two will have to handle anyone who wants to meet up with me. If there are any visitors, you will make a note of who it is and send a report to my house in the evening.


    I live in the house across from the 23rd Training Ground. I''ll handle all the meetings on Saturday. So unless there is anything urgent, you two won''t be disturbing me and just arrange for the meetings to take ce on Saturday. Is that understood?"


    Both Yasushi and Haruma nodded and replied, "Understood."


    Fujin asked, "Is there anything else that you would like to know or discuss?"


    Haruma didn''t say anything but Yasushi asked Fujin a few questions about how he should act in various scenarios. Fujin patiently answered him. 15 minutester, Fujin asked, "Anything else?"


    Yasushi shook his head and answered, "No. It''s just that we will have to report your work schedule to Lord Hokage."


    Fujin replied, "Alright. You can do so. I''ll see youter."


    In front of both their eyes, Fujin''s figure disappeared from the room. Sweat gathered on their faces. Haruma asked nervously, "Yasushi-senpai, did you see him leave?"


    Yasushi shook his head and said, "I couldn''t see him at all. He just disappeared."


    Haruma sighed and eximed, "No wonder Lord Hokage appointed someone so young."


    Yasushi chuckled and said, "Don''t worry about it. How can someone whom Lord Hokage appoints be ordinary? Luckily for us, he seems veryid back. As long as we don''t mess up, we won''t face any difficulties on this job."


    Haruma nodded with a smile on his face. For officials working in the Hokage Building, all they wanted was a boss who wouldn''t purposefully make things difficult for them. Hence, both Yasushi and Haruma were happy with their new position.


    Both reported to Hiruzen and informed him about Fujin''s arrangements. Hiruzen asked them a few questions before dismissing them. Sitting in his office, Hiruzen analyzed, ''Just meetings on Saturday¡­ It looks like he will not be using this position to increase his influence in the vige.''


    Hiruzen analyzed for a couple of minutes before letting out a sigh. He got up and began walking towards the office he assigned Fujin. As he walked, he thought, ''I have been too impatient. Though bing a Council Member representing the civilian ninjas offers the potential to gain a very high influence in Konoha, Fujin will not do that.


    The reason is simple. He most probably doesn''t know what the use of creating such an influence inside the vige is. Even if he dreams of bing the Hokage, he wouldn''t know that this is the easiest way for him to create a support base.


    Regardless, this isn''t bad. Even if he doesn''t actively try to gain influence, his influence will gradually increase in time due to the post. More importantly, hisbat prowess has improved faster than my calctions. So even without this seat, his influence will increase rapidly once we enter a conflict.''


    Hiruzen thought for a while and nodded to himself while thinking, ''That''s right. I don''t need to worry about increasing his reputation and influence anymore. Perhaps it is a good thing that he isn''t actively increasing it as that could have created some internal strugg¡­''


    Hiruzen''s thoughts stopped as soon as he entered the office he had just assigned to Fujin. His expression became very dark. He looked around the room. His eyes saw dozens of seals at every nce.


    He muttered to himself, ''This boy! I told him not to overdo it! I can easily sense over a hundred seals inside this room. And most of them are seals that are used to hide other seals. How many seals did this boy inscribe in this room? And how did he inscribe them so rapidly? It''s been just over half an hour since I assigned him this office and I doubt he did it in front of his assistants.''


    Hiruzen was speechless. Chakra concentrated in his eyes and they began glowing as he observed the seals with all his focus. 5 minutester, he let out a sigh and stopped looking.


    He thought, ''I inspected through twoyers of disguise. I can''t inspect any deeper without dismantling the seals. But, I don''t understand this. I clearly asked Fujin not to overdo it. Why did he still inscribe so many seals and hide them under so manyyers? He hasn''t openly disobeyed me before this. Did he discover something?''


    Hiruzen left Fujin''s office while analyzing what Fujin could have discovered and returned to his office. After a few minutes, he shook his head and thought, ''I can''t think of anything. Even if he discovered anything, why didn''t hee and inform me instead of creating such aplicatedwork of seals? I''ll wait until the meeting. If he doesn''t talk with me until then, I''ll ask him myself.


    Regardless, his ability at Fuinjutsu is remarkable. Though he is far from being the best Grandmaster in Konoha, his speed of inscribing seals might be the fastest in Konoha. Either that or he has created a ridiculous amount of Seal Imprints. But, in that case, he would be the fastest Grandmaster at creating seal imprints.''


    Hiruzen stopped thinking about Fujin and got back to work. He had suffered enough headaches for a day to bother Fujin that day.

 Chapter 418: The Council Meeting

    Unlike Hiruzen, Fujin didn''t think much and returned to training. His thoughts were, ''Though joining the Council is advantageous for me, I need to wait a long time to reap those benefits. For now, I don''t need to waste my time on any council duties. I''ll just send a Shadow Clone on Saturday to handle anything I want to.


    My main focus has to be on training. Strength is the basis of everything in this world. Ignoring it and focusing on political influence will be beyond stupid. Even if I lose some reputation, it doesn''t matter. With overwhelming strength, I can have my way in one way or another.''


    With such thoughts, Fujin didn''t bother thinking about the Council and instead focused entirely on his training.


    Two dayster, the Konoha Council began preparing to meet once again. This time, they will be having one additional member!


    Fujin arrived in Hiruzen''s office around a few minutes before the time of the meeting. Hiruzen looked at Fujin and asked, "Nervous?"


    Fujin shook his head and replied, "Not really. It''s just a meeting."


    He chuckled and said, "If it was a fight between all the council members, then I might have been a little bit nervous."


    Hiruzen chuckled as well and said, "A fight between all the council members¡­ Now that would be a sight to see."


    At the same time, he thought, ''Fortunately, he can''t create a mess in the Council like he did in the Land of Wind. Still, he didn''t say anything about those seals.''


    Hiruzen instructed, "Meet me in the office after the meeting is over."


    Fujin nodded. The two left the office and walked towards the Council Room. Since it was his first time in the Council, Hiruzen decided to introduce Fujin to the Council himself.


    When the two arrived, everyone else was already present in the room. Everyone immediately looked at Fujin while Fujin observed them as well. The center of the room had a long table with 8 chairs on either side and one chair at the end of the table. On one side of the table, the 7 n Leaders, that is, Shikaku, Inoichi, Choza, the Senju n Leader, Hiashi, Shibi and Tsume, sat. On the other side were Danzo, Homura, Koharu and the 5 civilian council members.


    As their eyes met, some of the members greeted Fujin with a smile.


    Before anyone could say anything, Hiruzen said, "Fujin, take the empty chair."


    Fujin nodded and took the seat next to Tsume. Hiruzen took his seat as well and said with a smile on his face, "Today is a joyous asion for Konoha. By introducing a new position in the Council, we have increased the representation of the ninjas in the council to a great extent. In addition, our council also wees a very talented young ninja to join our ranks.


    I know that several of you haven''t met him yet. So I''ll let you get familiar with each other."


    Once again, every eye in the room focused on Fujin. Sitting next to him, Tsume said, "You brat. It has barely been 4 years since I saw you in the Chunin Exams. To think that you would join the council so soon. Congrattions."


    Fujin smiled and said, "Thank you, Tsume-san."


    Following Tsume, Shikakuzily said, "Wee to the Council."


    With a smirk on his face, he added, "I''m looking forward to your performance here."


    Everyone in the room was experienced at scheming. Shikaku''s smirk didn''t go unnoticed. Immediately everyone began thinking about the meaning behind his smirk and words. The one who analyzed it the most was none other than Danzo.


    Right after Shikaku, Choza smiled at Fujin and said, "It''s good to see you again, Fujin."


    Fujin smiled back at Choza and nodded his head. Inoichi said, "I have heard a lot about you from Fumito. It''s good to finally meet you in person. Wee to the council."


    Fujin smiled and said, "It''s good to finally meet you as well, Inoichi-san."


    The Senju n Leader looked at Fujin and said, "So you are Suzuki Fujin? It''s good to finally see you. That brat Renjiro turned my hair white by telling me stories about how impressive you are. Hahaha."


    Fujin looked at the Senju n leader. In terms of age, he looked to be older than anyone else in the room, even older than Hiruzen and the elders. His hair had long turned white and wrinkles could be seen on his face. Yet, he still still seemed very lively.


    Fujin smiled and said, "Renjiro-sensei frequently talked about you very fondly as well, Hiromasa-sama. It''s great to see you in person."


    In terms of strength, Hiromasa had long regressed. Even at his peak, he was never known to have reached rank S. If Tsunade had stayed in the vige, she could have imed his position at will. However, as the n Leader of his sensei, Fujin decided to treat him respectfully.


    Hiromasa smiled and said, "Good. Renjiro got lucky with his students. I wish my Senju n would have a promising youngster like you as well. Then I can finally retire and live peacefully, hahaha."


    He once again broke outughing. Fujin smiled while wondering, ''Is he genuinely saying that or is it an indirect way of inviting me into the Senju n? I can''t say for sure¡­ The Senju n, after the creation of the vige, has been weird.''


    One by one, the remaining members of the council introduced themselves to Fujin as well. The only ones who didn''t were Hiruzen and the three Elders.


    With the introductions out of the way, Hiruzen said, "Though this isn''t the time for our biannual meeting, since we are here, we might as well deal with the issues that have arisen recently. I believe all of you have something to discuss as well."


    The council meeting began officially. Fujin didn''t have anything to discuss. So, he merely paid attention to the topics that were discussed. A number of issues, ranging from food and trade to border patrols and shes with enemy squads, were discussed. However, since nothing serious, other than Juzo''s death, had happened in thest month, the discussions didn''t get intense.


    Around 3 and a half hourster, the discussion finally came to a halt. Hiruzen said, "If there is nothing else, I will end the meeting now."


    Everyone was about to get up when Danzo said, "I have noticed something that is very important for the vige recently. I''m afraid that if we overlook it, our vige will fall in grave danger in the future."


    Danzo''s words caused a few members to frown. Everyone looked at Danzo. Danzo waited for a few seconds before continuing, "I observed some of the Academy students who will be joining the final year after the vacation. What I saw was just too disappointing. Compared to a few years ago, the standard of students has dropped drastically in almost every aspect.


    I looked into the reasons behind it. I noticed that the teachers in the academy have be veryx. Another possible reason is that several experienced teachers resigned a couple of years ago. As a result, the quality of teaching and discipline has dropped severely. If we continue down this path, our future generation will be handicapped."


    The frowns on the faces of n Leaders eased. Though Danzo had spoken big words, none of them felt it to be much of an issue. Their thoughts were in line with what Hiruzen had told Fujin.


    Fujin looked at Danzo and thought, ''Weird¡­ I don''t think any such change had happened in the original story. Did Danzo bring this up because his spies observed Naruto more closely because I trained him? Or would he be shut down by others and the training process will stay the same?''


    Fujin was interested in observing in which direction the debate would go.


    Inoichi shook his head and said, "We can''t maintain full intensity all the time. Doing so will cause our vige to copse due to exhaustion. It''s the same reason why so many capable teachers retired. Our vige is finally in a stable position. Our ninjas deserve rest."


    Danzo replied, "How can you ck off when our future generation is at stake? Even if there is exhaustion, it won''t affect the academy students. We need to make the academy stricter and raise the standards of our students."


    He nced at the n leaders and added, "I know that you have ns for your children. So I won''t interfere in the Elite ssroom. However, the teaching in the other ssrooms has to be made stricter. Students have to meet certain standards even to be included in the reserve forces. Otherwise, none of them will have any hope of ever bing Chunins."


    Hiashi asked, "Who in the Genin reserve force even bes a Chunin? The number of ninjas who manage to do so is too low to matter. Any talented ninja is identified in the academy and the vige makes efforts to ensure that they gain strength.


    Though your words sound good, forcing teachers to concentrate on hundreds of students for decades is unrealistic. We need to give them rest so that they can overexert themselves when the vige needs them to."


    Every n Leader nodded, agreeing with Hiashi''s words. The 5 civilian council members didn''t have anything to do with the conversation. Fujin, Hiruzen, Homura and Koharu just observed.


    Danzo looked at Hiashi and others and said in a in tone, "If the Academy can''t do it, then let the Root be restarted. I''ll take in the untalented ninjas and raise them to be strong enough to be Anbu."

 Chapter 419: Fujins Response

    A frown appeared on the face of every n leader. Not one of them wanted the Root to restart officially. Apart from the Hyuga n, every n had to contribute a significant amount of their talents to the Root in the past. And, no one was happy about it.


    Shibi snorted and asked, "Since when did Root begin taking in untalented ninjas? Over thest few decades, more than a thousand talented ninjas were incorporated into the Root. More than half of them die during the training phase itself. And despite such losses, not a single rank S ninja came out of the Root."


    Danzo argued back, "The Root''s contribution to the vige is unquestionable. Without Root, Konoha would have had to face the full force of all our neighbours. Even if no rank S ninja appeared in the Root, its contribution far exceeds that of any rank S ninja."


    He looked at Shibi and added, "As for your words, this time I will take in the ninjas rankedst in the academy and raise them. Using your words, there won''t be any loss to the vige, right?"


    Fujin was impressed by Danzo''s words. He thought, ''Impressive indeed. In terms of words, he is as good as Hiruzen. Even if Danzo recruits only untalented ninjas at first, once his authority increases, he will immediately pounce on talented kids from the ns. I wonder how the n leaders will oppose him.''


    As he thought, Fujin''s gaze turned towards Shikaku. As Fujin expected, Shikaku said, "Elder Danzo, no one in this room is a fool. So stop treating us as one. Restarting Root is out of the question. However, I can understand your concerns.


    Though Root won''t be started, we can make arrangements for Root instructors to teach students in the academy. We will even have the regr teachers assist Root instructors in the academy to have the optimal result."


    A smile formed on Fujin''s face. He thought, ''What an answer! Hehe, if all the future meetings happen like these, then they will be rather fun to attend.''


    Just like Fujin, the remaining n leaders liked the answer as well while Danzo''s expression became slightly darker. Shikaku''s reply showed his strong stance against restarting the Root.


    At the same time, he also gave a way for Danzo to solve the issue he had raised. In addition, by saying that the academy teachers would aid the Root instructors, Shikaku ensured that they could keep an eye on what the Root instructors were doing and ensure that Danzo couldn''t increase his influence.


    Of course, Danzo wouldn''t ept difficulty so easily. He replied, "How can that be the same? The methods of teaching in the Root and the Academy arepletely different. It won''t have any effect on the students."


    Shikaku immediately replied, "That''s not right. ording to you, the reason why the academy students arecking is because the teachers aren''t good enough and are taking it easy. Since Root instructors don''t share the same problem, they should be able to deliver much better results."


    Danzo argued back, "They will, but they won''t be able to raise them to Anbu standard by training them in the Academy. At most, they will be stronger than a normal Genin while a few will be Chunins. That will be a huge loss for the vige. That is why I insist that the Root program needs to be restarted."


    Shikaku was about to reply again, however Danzo stopped him. Danzo knew that an argument between the two of them would be endless and without much point. He said, "Almost all of the students who are at the bottom ranks are from civilian backgrounds. I would like to hear what the council member who represents the civilian ninjas has to say on this matter."


    In an instant, everyone''s eyes turned towards Fujin. Fujin, who was merely interested in watching the drama, was caught off guard. He thought, ''Eh? Me? Why does he want to hear my opinion?''


    At the same time, Danzo thought, ''If I put this to vote, Hiruzen and the 7 n Leaders will oppose me. I can get the remaining 8 votes in my favor. Previously, Hiruzen could use his extra vote to reject my proposal. But now, it depends on Fujin. Though I don''t have much hope of him voting in my favor, it will allow me to see if Hiruzen was sincere when he said that Fujin won''t listen to everything he says.''


    A simr thought ran through the heads of the n Leaders. Shikaku wasn''t worried as he had interacted with Fujin several times. However, the others didn''t know much about him. Since Hiruzen had nominated Fujin, they believed that Fujin would follow Hiruzen. But, Danzo''s sudden question created some doubts.


    Fujin looked at Danzo and wondered, ''Is he trying to make things difficult for me because I rejected his invite? Regardless, how do I answer this question? I can''t say that I just want to enjoy the drama, can I?''


    Fujin fell into deep thought. His mind quickly thought about the points he should speak about and began analyzing how he should articte them.


    Danzo said once again, "What are your thoughts, Suzuki Fujin?"


    Fujin casually replied, "It''s a ratherplicated and important matter. Give me a couple of minutes to think about it."


    Fujin''s reply surprised some of the council members. A smile appeared on Hiruzen''s and Shikaku''s faces as they were very familiar with Fujin''s ways. Inoichi and the rest thought, ''To not be pressurized in such a situation and casually ask for time to think¡­ He is impressive.''


    For the next couple of minutes, everyone in the room looked at Fujin who sat calmly without looking at anyone. Finally, he looked at Danzo and said, "The point of academy students not having sufficient training is valid. I have been in contact with one of the students and theck of proper training is rather apparent."


    Fujin''s words caused some of the n leaders to frown. At the same time, Danzo became hopeful. He had expected that Fujin would directly refute him. So Fujin''s words were a pleasant surprise to him.


    Fujin continued, "However, I''m afraid that sending them to Root would cause a cmity in the vige and will cause an existential crisis for the vige.


    From your earlier discussion, it seems like more than half the talented kids recruited into Root die. I''m not sure how the ns in our vige are able to bear such high costs, but the civilian families in the vige can''t bear such costs.


    After all, most families have only one or two children. If dozens, or worse hundreds, lose all or half their kids while the kids should have been studying in the academy, I''m afraid that it would cause widespread riots in the vige.


    As a result, no family would be willing to send their children to the academy. We would lose the main source from where our vige gains new students. So while I do agree with your observations, I''m afraid that your solution would just make matters far worse very quickly."


    Fujin''s answer caused a smile to appear on Hiruzen''s face. He thought, ''Very good answer! He used Danzo''s tone and made the problem sound far worse than it was. With such an answer, the 5 civilian members can''t support Danzo or they will face bacsh and could get reced.


    With his answer, he not only took away the 5 votes that would have been in Danzo''s favor but even turned them in his favor. I wasn''t mistaken in wanting to make Fujin a negotiator and including him in the Council.''


    Shikaku smiled as well and thought, ''I''m so happy that he retired from the Anbu. From his eyes, it seems like he might have some hostility with Danzo. Good, I can use him to deal with Danzo in the future and rest even more in the future.''


    The remaining council members also began seeing Fujin in a new light. Other than Choza and Homura, no one expected such an answer from Fujin. Even Choza and Homura were impressed as Fujin spoke in a high-pressure environment instead of casually discussing with Hiruzen.


    Danzo''s expression became dark once again. He countered, "Ninjas are tools for the vige. They should be prepared to sacrifice their lives for the good of the vige."


    Fujin replied nonchntly, "Good luck convincing anyone how losing 50% ninjas during training is good for the vige. Besides, the Academy students aren''t ninjas. So I''m afraid that your logic doesn''t hold true. Your methods would just give our vige a bad name like the Vige of the Bloody Mist. I''m sure that no one here wants our vige to meet the same fate as Kirigakure."


    Danzo replied, "That''spletely different. Don''tpare my methods to their barbarian wa..."


    Finally, Hiruzen interrupted, "That''s enough. Restarting Root has far more disadvantages than advantages. That is very evident from the discussion that we just had. Unless you want to put it to vote, this discussion ends here."


    Danzo looked at Hiruzen but didn''t say anything. He was aware that he would lose if a vote happened. So he didn''t bother asking for one.


    Hiruzen looked at Fujin and asked, "What are your views on how to improve the training for the students?"

 Chapter 420: Fujin Vs Danzo

    Hiruzen looked at Fujin with a smile on his face. Fujin''s answer had impressed him. So, instead of letting Danzo keep arguing, Hiruzen decided to see what solution Fujin woulde up with.


    Fujin thought for half a minute and answered, "I can understand exhaustion hitting the teachers. In the four years I was in the academy, every teacher enthusiastically helped us. Even if they weren''t our assigned teachers, they still guided us if we asked them to. In addition, the exams were held in a way that promotedpetition among us.


    Though doing that isn''t sustainable for a long time, we can just work around it. For starters, since our vige is in a stable situation, the teachers don''t need to pester the students and keep checking their progress frequently. Instead, we can just create a curriculum that the students will find cool and would want to learn by themselves and evenpete without the interference of a teacher.


    Though there will still be some who would ck off and not give their best, it will give an opportunity for the rest to improve during their basics andy a foundation for them to get stronger in the future. Perhaps a few will get engrossed in the training and keep exploring it further.


    This will allow us to see which students are serious and determined about bing strong ninjas and check how talented they are. We could focus on such students. Even if they don''t show sufficient talent to be included in the Elite batch, we could form another batch that is made of such students. The teachers guiding this batch should be as good as the Elite batches and training intensity should be kept high."


    Fujin''s words made the experienced ninjas in the room think. However, within a few seconds, everyone was a bit disappointed. Shibi thought, ''His previous answer was just too good. Though this answer isn''t bad, it doesn''t live up to the expectations.''


    Danzo voiced what everyone was thinking. He said in a taunting tone, "If only we could create such a curriculum that students would enjoy and follow voluntarily instead of being forced to do so."


    Fujin waved his hand dismissively and replied, "It has been nearly a century since you were in the academy. So, it is normal that you don''t remember. Or perhaps those were different times."


    Fujin''s words amused the council. Only Danzo, Homura and Koharu cursed internally while Hiruzen felt a bit awkward as he was of the same age as them. Fujin ignored everyone and continued, "Regardless, there is no need to change the curriculum. After all, a curriculum where students would enjoy everything in it simply doesn''t exist. Even if someone makes it, students will eventually find that tiresome as well.


    What we need to do is just stick with the current curriculum and just add a few things that students would enjoy far more than the normal curriculum and take an interest in doing it.


    For instance, there is likely no student in the academy who wouldn''t like to walk up a tree or to walk and run on water. A teacher just has to introduce these to the students one by one and let them learn them by themselves without bothering to monitor or grade them. Their chakra control will improve far quicker than by only doing the Leaf Concentration exercise.


    We could introduce Tree Climbing in the second year and Water Walking at the start of the third year. At the start of the fourth year, we could introduce Nature maniption. Though the training for nature maniption is boring, the jutsus themselves are fun. Rank E and D jutsus can be performed without needing to train in nature maniption.


    So by the time students reach their final year, the majority will have good chakra control and some basic jutsus of one or two elements. A few will work hard on nature maniption and show good results in it. If that ignitespetition among the rest, then there is a chance that even the ssroom I rmended earlier might produce stronger ninjas than an Elite ssroom."


    Fujin''s words made the ninjas in the room think. After a couple of minutes, everyone nodded. Shikakumented, "That''s a good suggestion. With minimal work from the teachers, the students would build a strong foundation for themselves."


    Choza added, "True. Even though it will only make most students slightly stronger, there is a chance of a few promising talents being found who can be much stronger in the future. Even if it doesn''t work, we won''t lose out on anything considering how little effort we have to put in."


    Everyone agreed with their words. Hiruzen looked at everyone''s reaction and said, "Alright. The academy will follow these suggestions. Though we won''t be able to apply it perfectly to students who are about to graduate, we will begin introducing these three steps in phases. In addition, I will also restart the mentorship program where retired ninjas and ninjas who aren''t extremely active will have to mentor 5 students in their free time once a month. Does anyone have anything else to add?"


    Danzo immediately said, "This isn''t enough. The chances of someone bing a Jounin through these methods are almost nil. Having stronger genins won''t make any difference for Konoha in the war. To make an impact, we will need arge number of Chunins to appear out of the ninjas from normal ssrooms."


    Danzo looked at Fujin and said, "Though your methods seem good, just leaving it to students and hoping that they take training seriously isn''t the way to train ninjas."


    Fujin replied, "Forcing kids is never the way to teach children. The children will be resentful and will ck off the first chance they get. Unless you want to employ torture, but I''m afraid I can''t support that.


    For the best results, the two main factors are motivation and interest. No one forced me to train as much as I could. I just did so because I wanted to ensure that my vige stayed safe and because there are so many fascinating techniques that intrigued me."


    Danzo shook his head and said, "Just because it worked for you doesn''t mean it would work for everyone else."


    Fujin smiled and said, "The fact that it worked for me makes your argument void. If you want to insist on it, arrange for any of your current or former Root ninjas who were trained by Root to face me in a one-on-one spar. I wouldn''t even insist that they be the same age as me. As long as your chosen ninja defeats me, I will ept that your method is better."


    Fujin''s words once again caught everyone''s attention. Koharu thought, ''What a devious brat! To openly say that Root still exist and challenge Danzo and the Root when Danzo can''t fight back. If Danzo did, it would be admitting openly that Root still exists and everyone would be forced to dismantle the Root for good.


    Besides, Root doesn''t have any rank S ninja. Even though a Root ninja might have the benefit of his skills being a secret, Fujin''s skills aren''t known to anyone other than Hiruzen either. So, that advantage also doesn''t lie with them.''


    Everyone realized the trap Fujin casually set for Danzo. Obviously, Danzo wouldn''t step into it. He snorted and stopped arguing.


    Fujin broke the silence and said, "It''s true that my 3 basic steps won''t guarantee a high number of Chunins. However, that is because my idea is based on minimal efforts from the academy so that the workload doesn''t be too high. If we make some changes to the academy, then we might see better results without the teachers having to overexert themselves."


    Fujin thought, ''Though this world is far more devious and cunning than my previous world, it is also ravaged by wars. As such, the school system hasn''t had centuries to improve slowly. Until Tobirama started the academy in Konoha and other viges replicated it, a proper school system was basically non-existent in this world.


    Even after the academies were created, the world has been through several wars. So the academies have been solely focused on producing more ninjas to fill in the numbers. It hasn''t evolved like in my previous life. I can easily apply some basic knowledge from my past life to revolutionize the academy here.''


    Fujin''s words intrigued the council once again. Hiruzen asked, "What changes do you suggest?"

 Chapter 421: Revolutionary Changes to the Academy!

    Fujin replied, "Off the top of my mind, I can think of two changes. The first one is rather simple, that is, specialization. I recall that we were introduced to various specializations in the Academy. However, nothing was taught regarding it. In addition, it was only mentioned to elite batches while the normal batches weren''t introduced to this.


    We could add additional sses where students are taught about specific specializations, like Genjutsu, Taijutsu, Fuinjutsu, Medical Ninjutsu, Sensor, Tracking and Investigation, Scouting, Elemental Ninjutsus and so on.


    Though I haven''t seen how Konoha was in the past, considering the various ns in the vige, the ns covered most of these bases without the vige needing to put any effort into it. However, the same doesn''t apply to students from civilian backgrounds. They have to learn just the basics taught in the academy. If they don''t take the initiative to learn about it, they will never know these options.


    By introducing specializations, we may find that some students who seem ordinary at the basics taught in the academy might have hidden talent or extreme interest in one of these fields. While this may not produce Elite Jounins, it does have a scope to produce a high number of Special Jounins from civilian backgrounds. Their numbers might even touch a hundred every year. In the future, they might be the backbone of our army.


    We could introduce these specialization sses in the second half of the third year as most of the students would have good chakra control due to learning tree climbing and water walking by then. In the fourth year, we can make these sses optional, so that everyone just attends the specialization that interests them.


    In the final two years, when the students have chosen their specialization, we can segregate them into different batches based on their specialization with teachers that have the same specialization. Perhaps we could even arrange for some retired ninjas to show up once in a while to assist the teachers with their knowledge and experience or inspire the students with their stories.


    Of course, not every student should be segregated as per specializations. If there are some students who don''t want to specialize in anything, they can continue in normal sses. And, there will also be students who want to specialize in several fields and have the talent and determination to do so. We can include such students in Elite batches and focus on trying to make every student in that batch at least a Jounin."


    Fujin looked around the room and added, "That said, such a change will increase workload a lot in the short term. The Academy will need to hire more teachers and build more ssrooms. However, in the long term, this workload can be decreased with the second change, that is, creating clubs.


    We can create student-only clubs in the school with each club in a particr field just like the specializations. For instance, there can be a Fuinjutsu club or a Genjutsu club and so on. Each club will have one teacher to handle any issues, but the role and interference of the teacher have to be minimal.


    Instead, the work will be done by students themselves. The senior students will be responsible for guiding the junior students. For instance, if someone in the first or second year of the academy takes an interest in Fuinjutsu and decides to join the Fuinjutsu club, then the fifth and sixth-year students could help them with the basics about how to be a SealMaster. Their guidance could even be better than a teacher''s as the students might feel morefortable talking with other students and the senior students would have just finished learning what they would teach the juniors.


    With several clubs, many students will be interested in seeing what their seniors are teaching and understand several specializations by themselves. This will make the task of teachers very easy as in the future the students will realize what they want to specialize in by themselves and will also learn the basics of it.


    We can amplify the effect further by making the clubspete with each other. However, considering the diverse nature of the clubs, deciding on amon ground forpetition will be difficult.


    Perhaps we can go with something along the lines of the number of students in each club so that the seniors feel the urge to recruit and teach more juniors. And, we could create new levels of mastery for each club that are achievable by Academy students. We could promote a healthypetition among the clubs to have the most number of students at the higher levels of mastery."


    Fujin''s words surprised the council members. Every ninja in the room fell into a deep thought. While several of them had thought about Fujin''s previous suggestions, no one had remotely thought about introducing specializations to the academy. As for clubs, that was something brand new for them. None of them had heard about such a thing before. Even Danzo was surprised by the suggestions and pondered their implications.


    Fujin sat in his chair with an awkward expression on his face as he looked around the room. He thought, ''The hell? They just all begin thinking without a single word? Even Danzo is quiet! It''s been over five minutes, how long will you fellows keep thinking?''


    Another 5 minutes passed with no words being spoken. Finally, some of the ninjas began looking at Fujin. However, the look in their eyes waspletely different. They no longer looked at him as if he was just a junior. Instead, they admired him for bringing up such an idea. At the same time, some vignce formed in their hearts.


    Hiruzen looked at Fujin and thought, ''Incredible! His analysis is on point. Thanks to the ns, we never had to worry about specialization. We only needed to consider something that no n specialized in, like Medical Ninjutsu. But with the number of ninjas in ns reducing, specialization has be very critical. Otherwise, a lot of potential will be wasted among the civilian students.


    As for the clubs, I have never heard of anything like that in any vige. If it works like how he portrayed it, then it might be the best thing for the vige after sensei''s decision to create an Academy!''


    Hiruzen was extremely pleased with his decision to forcefully include Fujin in the Council. At the same time, Shikaku also saw Fujin in a new light. He thought, ''Such innovative thinking¡­ No wonder he keeps wrecking trouble no matter where he goes. Though this n has one major w, if we overlook it, then the vige will bepletely transformed in a decade or two.''


    Shikaku felt someone staring at him. He looked around and noticed Hiruzen staring at him. Suddenly, he had a bad feeling. He cursed, ''Shit! Hiruzen will throw the work of modifying the academy on my head! How does this brat still keep getting me in trouble? This thing is almost as troublesome as that issue with Suna!''


    Though Fujin meant well, he overlooked one major issue with his suggestion. An issue that everyone else noticed. However, no one brought it up as it wouldn''t have looked good.


    Danzo observed the n leaders as he analyzed, ''Good n indeed. It will transform the structure of Konoha''s forces. However, he is directly intruding into the interests of the ns. Right now, most specialization is done by ninjas from ns. They get the Special Jounin ranks while most of the Civilian ninjas stay at Genin or Chunin ranks.


    If these suggestions are implemented, the ns might not be pleased and might view it as a threat.''


    Danzo immediately sensed an opportunity. However, he knew that it wasn''t the best time to make use of that w. Instead, he patiently waited for Hiruzen''s decision.


    Since Danzo could see the w and understand the implications, Hiruzen could as well. Hiruzen looked at the n leaders and observed their expressions. After a couple of minutes, he said, "Your ideas are very impressive, Fujin. They have the potential to revolutionize the ninja academy.


    However, implementing it will be difficult. We need to figure out what specializations to include, who to hire and how the clubs should be formed. We will also need to decide whether it will be safe for students in clubs to teach their juniors. In addition, we will also need to figure out what to do if one specialization gets a lot of students while the rest don''t."


    Fujin nodded. Hiruzen''s concerns were valid. Hiruzen added, "Since such a move will also require students to have good chakra control, we won''t implement it this year. Instead, we will move forward with Fujin''s earlier suggestions and implement them as soon as the academy starts.


    This year, we will finalize all the details regarding specializations and clubs and decide how to implement them starting the next year. Does anyone have an issue with this or any better suggestions?"


    No one answered. Hiruzen said, "Good."


    His expression hardened as he looked around the room. In a serious tone, he instructed, "This goes without saying, but nothing we discussed today should be leaked outside. Once we implement these changes, it is inevitable that other viges will find out and try to replicate it.


    However, they will need several years to understand the implications behind these actions. That will allow Konoha to get an edge over the other viges. If we pull it properly, then our armies will be far stronger than any other vige for quite some time. Hence, nothing should get out of this room. Is that clear?"


    Everyone nodded in response. Hiruzen looked around the room and said, "We will end this council meeting here. Unless somethinges up, the next meeting will be as per the normal schedule."

 Chapter 422: Hiruzens Hidden Message

    The council meeting finally ended. Hiruzen and the three elders left immediately. Fujin was about to leave as well when Choza stopped him. For the next 15 minutes, Fujin exchanged pleasantries with the n leaders. They praised Fujin for his ideas and a few invited him to visit their nster.


    The civilian council members also wanted to greet Fujin. However, seeing him busy with the n leaders, the five of them left as well.


    Fujin politely replied to all the n leaders and epted their invites as it would have been rude to reject it. After getting free from them, Fujin returned to Hiruzen''s office.


    In Hiruzen''s office, Hiruzen was analyzing Fujin''s idea. He thought, ''Though his idea is very good, it will pose a threat to the ns¡­ What to do?''


    Hiruzen analyzed the issue properly. After a few minutes, he concluded, ''No, this is unavoidable. The number of ninjas from the ns has already dropped to less than half. If another Great War happens, that number will drop even further. If ninjas from civilian backgrounds can''t keep up with the n ninjas, then the vige will be verypromised after the end of the next war.


    It was a concern that we had for several years but we couldn''t think of any good solution other than taking more efforts in the academy and inducting more civilian ninjas into the Anbu so that they can be trained more. However, making them capable enough to reach the Anbu was a challenge. Fujin''s rmendation properly fills this missing link.


    Not to mention, even though the civilian ninjas would be Special Jounins inrge numbers, the ninjas from the ns would still have the advantage. After all, the civilian ninjas won''t have ess to secret techniques and Kekkei Genkai. So in their fields, the kids from ninja ns will have a huge advantage.


    Yeah, it should be fine. I will just have to convince the n leaders one by one. Most of them should see the big picture. I''m just afraid that Danzo might make some moves. Fortunately, everyone is on guard against him. Perhaps I should make the ns change their focus on creating Jounins rather than just Special Jounins.''


    As Hiruzen was thinking, Fujin entered the office. Hiruzen looked at him and smiled. He said, "You did great in the meeting today. I didn''t expect such a surprise from you."


    Fujin smiled and replied, "They were just some ideas I had that I felt might benefit the vige. I''m d that I got to present them. I didn''t think that you would value them so highly though."


    Hiruzen replied, "The academy hasn''t been revamped in a long time. Your suggestions were invaluable. You might not see it at your age, but in a couple of decades, you''ll see the change that your ideas bring in. Anyway, I have another important matter to discuss with you."


    Fujin wondered, ''So he hadn''t called me to his office to just take feedback on how I felt and give me some advice?''


    Fujin asked, "What is it?"


    Hiruzen asked in a serious tone, "Did you notice something odd in this building?"


    Hiruzen''s question surprised Fujin. Fujin thought, ''What the hell? Is there something wrong with the building? Shouldn''t he be checking it himself rather than asking me? Or does he want a second opinion because he suspected something but couldn''t find it?''


    Hiruzen noticed Fujin''s expression and frowned as well. He becamepletely confused by Fujin''s actions.


    Fujin analyzed but couldn''t think of anything. He shook his head and replied, "I never checked this building much. Has there been an issue recently?"


    Hiruzen looked into Fujin''s eyes and asked, "If you didn''t notice anything odd in the building, why did you inscribe so many seals in your office?"


    Fujin was surprised once again. He thought, ''That''s it? For that thing he made me think so much?''


    He smiled and replied, "I followed your instructions, Grandpa."


    Hiruzen''s left eye twitched on hearing ''Grandpa''. He asked as steadily as he could, "What do you mean? I asked you to not overdo it. So why did you still inscribe hundreds of seals?"


    Fujin tilted his head and asked, "But isn''t that what you meant, Grandpa?"


    This time, Hiruzen fell into a dilemma. He asked, "What do you mean?"


    Fujin exined, "You asked me to not overdo it. At the same time, you told me to not inscribe thousands of seals. Didn''t you imply that it is fine to inscribe hundreds of seals? I assumed that you wanted me to make those because you couldn''t do so for some reason."


    Hiruzen was dumbfounded by Fujin''s response. He wondered, ''My words meant that? How?''


    Hiruzen had a headache. Thoughts ran through Hiruzen''s brain at the speed of light. He realized, ''Though outrageous, my words could actually be interpreted like what Fujin understood. But that isn''t what I meant. How did he even reach such a conclusion?''


    Fujin maintained a neutral face, but seeing Hiruzen being so stressed amused him to no end. Finally, Hiruzen asked, "What do those seals do?"


    Fujin replied, "Nothing. You didn''t say why you needed me to inscribe those seals. So I just inscribed some defense and privacy seals and hid them under a few hundred stealth seals of different types for disguise. This way, I can inscribe the seals that you want when you ask me to and no one will suspect a thing."


    Hiruzen replied, "Alright. I''ll let you know when I want you to. You can leave for now."


    Fujin smiled and said, "Alright. See youter, Grandpa."


    He turned around and left. As he left the building, a wide grin appeared on his face. Back in the office, Hiruzen massaged his forehead. He muttered in defeat, "Now what do I do about this boy?"


    Fujin''s reasoning left Hiruzen speechless. Though he could ask Fujin to remove those seals, since Fujin had already inscribed them and offered Hiruzen to take advantage of them in the future, he decided to let them be for the time being. Of course, that didn''t do anything to ease the headache he was suffering.


    Hiruzen thought, ''I''ll have to be very careful with the words I use in front of him. Who knows what cmity he will cause if I let him freely interpret my words?''


    Unlike Hiruzen, Fujin didn''t bother thinking much about it. He was merely amused by Hiruzen''s state and expressions. As for his suggestions for the academy, they would require a couple of years to implement and at least a decade to show results. So it wouldn''t benefit him in any way before the start of the next Great War.


    Without wasting any time, Fujin returned to his training. He spent the next week shuffling between training and visiting the n heads that had invited him. Once the meetings were done, his life returned to normal. His Shadow Clones worked on the Flying Thunder God Seal while he worked on the Wind Domain and sparred regrly with Guy. In addition, he had one Shadow Clone look over Naruto''s training.


    One monthter, inside his basement, a smile formed on Fujin''s face. He dispelled all the Shadow Clones in the room. On both of his palms, a distinct seal could be seen. With one thought, both seals disappeared. Fujin muttered, "Flying Thunder God Seal mastered and imprinted!"


    At the same time, in the training field opposite Fujin''s house, two words could be heard throughout the training field.


    "Gale Jutsu!"


    "Gale Jutsu!"


    "Gale Jutsu!"


    Fujin''s clone opened his eyes and looked at Naruto. A smile appeared on his face as a Shadow Clone appeared next to him and popped, sending a message to Fujin.


    Naruto continued stretching his right arm.


    "Gale jutsu!"


    "Gale jutsu!"


    Suddenly, a small amount of wind was released from Naruto''s right palm. The wind formed a breeze and caused some leaves in its path to move along the winds for around a meter before stopping. Naruto''s eyes widened. A wide grin broke out on his face as he jumped in joy and eximed, "I did it! I did it!"


    He immediately ran towards Fujin, who had already taken the ce of his clone, and asked, "Did you see it Fujin? I did it! Wind blew from my hand! And I only took one and a half months!"


    Fujin smiled and said, "Good work, Naruto."


    Naruto grinned even more upon getting praised. He jumped up and shouted, "I will be the Hokage, believe it!"


    Fujin chuckled and wondered, ''Maybe I should make him challenge Hiruzen like how Konohamaru does. That would be a sight to see.''


    Fujin chuckled at that thought. However, he decided against it thinking, ''Leave it. The old man has been rather kind to metely. If only I could have Naruto mess with Danzo somehow. Unfortunately, that asshole keeps hiding underground and has several Root ninjas keeping an eye all the time. Even I won''t be able to enter the Root base undetected.''


    Fujin let Naruto run around and celebrate for around 5 minutes until he tired himself out. Finally, Naruto copsed on the ground and eximed once again, "I did it!"


    Fujin chuckled at the sight and asked, "Want to go to Ichiraku? My treat."


    Naruto''s eyes sparkled. He jumped up once again and eximed, "I want to, believe it!"

 Chapter 423: Looking past the Hateful Gazes

    Fujin and Naruto walked over to Ichiraku Ramen. Once again, several eyesnded on the two of them. However, unlike the earlier times, the reaction of the watchers was mixed.


    On one side was Naruto, someone whom everyone vilified as the demon brat! However, along with him was Fujin, someone who had recently be a Council Member. He was a person that no ordinary citizen wanted to offend for no reason. As such, not many dared to gaze unkindly at Naruto or gossip about him while he walked next to Fujin.


    Of course, there were a few exceptions. A middle-ageddy whispered to thedy next to her, "Why is a council member hanging around that demon brat? Wouldn''t it caus¡­"


    Her words stuck in her mouth as she suddenly felt intense danger. She almost wanted to puke in fear. She didn''t dare speak another word. Thedy opposite was scared as well after looking at her expression. She asked, "Are you fine? What happened?"


    Simr to thatdy, several others who tried gossiping or gazing hatefully at the duo also felt an intense killing intent. As such, no one dared to hang around and quickly continued their work.


    Fujin sighed internally and thought, ''Threatening civilians is not what I wanted to do. It could pose some trouble as ninjas aren''t allowed to attack civilians. However, I should be able to deal with it as long as I don''t overdo it. I doubt anyone, even Danzo, would bother trying to make a move against me for something like this. Unfortunately, this is unavoidable.


    People, even civilians, are brutal. Though there are rules andws, they be meaningless when too many people do it. Hiruzen has already issued a gag order. However, too many still openly discriminate against Naruto while sneakily passingments that are just loud enough for him to hear and be depressed.


    And it isn''t just because he is weak. After all, even Hatake Sakumo, a top-tier ninja, fell prey to such gossip and me games. Granted that the situation with him was different and there might have been some other factors involved, it doesn''t change the fact that even civilians won''t have any constraints in talking shit about a rank S ninja if the ninja doesn''t retaliate in one way or another.


    So, if I just let them speak, others will be emboldened to do so as well. Very soon, things will return to normal for Naruto where everyone openly disys their hostility, undoing all my good work so far. Worse, I might be subjected to that too. Granted that I am no Sakumo to take things lying down or be suicidal due to others'' words, but it''ll be too much of an inconvenience to let things reach that stage. It''s better to just crush any such thoughts in the initial phase.''


    Unlike Fujin, who was engrossed in his thoughts, Naruto was having a great time. For the first time in his life, he wasn''t getting a look wishing that he would disappear from everyone in the streets. Though people were still avoiding him and maintaining distance, it was far better than receiving those looks all the time.


    Naruto wondered, ''Are they treating me differently because I learnt a Wind jutsu? But why do they still avoid me?''


    He looked at Fujin and asked softly, "Fujin, why is everyone avoiding me?"


    Fujin replied, "They are probably avoiding me."


    Naruto was surprised by Fujin''s answer. He asked, "What do you mean?"


    Fujin replied, "I just became a Council Member in the vige. So they probably don''t want to risk offending me."


    Naruto asked, "Council Member? What''s that?"


    Fujin looked at Naruto and asked, "Didn''t you learn that in the Academy? Don''t tell me you didn''t pay attention."


    Narutoughed nervously in response. He couldn''t recall thest time he paid attention in ss. Fujin exined, "Konoha''s Council is a group of people who are involved in making the rules for the vige. We help the Hokage in running the vige. If you want to be the Hokage, then it is important for you to know such things, Naruto. Knowing strong jutsus and being able to fight is just one part of bing the Hokage."


    Naruto nodded obediently and said, "I will pay attention in ss. Believe it!"


    Fujin obviously didn''t believe it. Focusing while learning an interesting jutsu that would allow you to do even more interesting things and focusing in a boring ssroom were twopletely different things. Even Fujin, despite his maturity, couldn''t bring himself to pay attention in the ssroom all the time and instead used that time to work on his Wind and Earth nature maniption training.


    Naruto said, "But I still don''t understand why people need to fear a Council Member. I mean, you guys only run the vige, right?"


    Fujin shrugged and said, "They are just cowards. Look properly at the crowd. Not everyone is afraid. Some are just going about their day. Some are opportunistic and are probably thinking about how they can be friends with me. Some who need help and have courage will approach me."


    Fujin''s words surprised Naruto. He looked into the crowd and began carefully examining everyone. His eyes widened in surprise. He thought, ''It''s true!''


    As Fujin had said, there was a very small minority of people who didn''t care much about Naruto. They didn''t hate Naruto and hence didn''t have any such hate in their eyes.


    Fujin looked at Naruto''s surprised look and thought, ''Though many hate him and have vilified him, it is unrealistic for every single person to hate him. After all, he is just a kid. None of the experienced and knowledgeable ninjas in the vige hate him. Even among the ordinary civilians, there should be several like Teuchi who wouldn''t hate a kid and perhaps even feel sorry for his situation.


    But, since the majority hate Naruto and take the initiative to make their hate known, it is inevitable that a young kid will only notice those hateful people and will not be able to see the people who are in the background and have no hatred towards him and do nothing to convey that. After all, would a kid even dare to look at everyone in the crowd when all the ones he first looks at are looking at him hatefully?''


    Naruto carefully screened through the crowd. Since everyone wasn''t staring at him hatefully, he didn''t feel nervous and depressed and could keep looking through the crowd. While most ignored him, a couple of people felt the gaze and smiled back at him in response before continuing with their work.


    A smile appeared on Naruto''s face as he smiled back. Fujin said, "Learn to ignore those who ignore you or are afraid of you. You''ll then see the people who are good to you. Then you won''t need to worry about the cowards around you."


    Naruto nodded. The two finally reached Ichiraku Ramen. Naruto rushed in while Fujin followed at his normal speed. Naruto excitedly ordered in a loud voice, "One Miso Ramen for me!"


    Immediately, Naruto turned his head and asked with stars in his eyes, "Can I order all I can eat once again?"


    Fujin stared at Naruto and asked sternly, "You want to ask that question after eating 8 bowlsst time?"


    Naruto immediately became nervous. At the same time, Teuchi and Ayame smirked. Both recalled Naruto''s expression thest time Fujin treated him to Ramen and his nervousness after eating too many bowls. Fujin chuckled and said, "You still keep getting nervous. Order as much as you want."


    Naruto immediately lit up. Fujin sat down and ordered a few bowls for himself as well. He thought, ''I have finallypleted the first step of the Flying Thunder God. And, I do not know whether I will seed in step two or not. I might as well treat myself now that I am happy.''


    The first step of the Flying Thunder God involved merely learning the seal and creating an imprint for it. With his expertise in Fuinjutsu, it was pretty much guaranteed that Fujin would learn it. However, the next step needed the ninja to have talent in Space-Time Ninjutsu. So, Fujin wasn''t sure whether he would seed at the next step. As such, he decided against worrying about it and leaving it to fate.


    Fujin enjoyed his Ramen peacefully while Naruto kept telling Ayame and Teuchi about how he learnt a cool new jutsu. The duo stayed in the Ramen stall for quite some time until both were full. Fujin paid and both returned to the training grounds.

 Chapter 424: Unleashing the Little Devil!

    Naruto looked at Fujin and excitedly asked, "Which is the second jutsu?"


    Fujin had promised Naruto four jutsus. So, Naruto was very excited about knowing which other jutsus he had nned.


    Fujin smiled and said, "Calm down for now. I have some things to say and ask."


    Naruto stopped speaking and acted calm. Fujin said, "Though you have learnt the jutsu, there is a lot for you to improve. Perform the jutsu again and use it to attack me."


    Naruto asked, "Wouldn''t you get hurt?"


    Fujin waved his arm dismissively and said, "With your current skills, no. Just do it."


    Naruto nodded and weaved hand signs. He aimed his palm at Fujin and shouted, "Gale jutsu!"


    Immediately, a gentle wind flow was released from Naruto''s palm and moved towards Fujin. Fujin''s shirt fluttered and some leaves around him moved, but Fujin was unmoved. The gentle breeze had no effect on him.


    Fujin said, "See, nothing. Now stand in one ce."


    Fujin raised his right arm towards Naruto. Naruto stood still and looked at Fujin''s palm. A secondter, a strong wind current was released from Fujin''s palm. Naruto''s eyes widened as he felt the intense windsing towards him. In a moment, the winds sent him flying backwards,pletely surprising Naruto who yelled in shock. He flipped in the air andnded around 20 meters behind. However, he still lost his footing and ended up stumbling backwards.


    He quickly got up and rushed towards Fujin and eximed, "That was so cool! Can I do this as well?"


    Despite getting hurled backwards, Naruto wasn''t hurt and didn''t have any hard feelings as Fujin had only done that to prove a point. Fujin smiled and said, "You can, but you will need to keep practicing. If you never practice this jutsu again, then it won''t keep improving. Of course, spending all time on one jutsu isn''t a good thing. So you should learn other jutsus as well, but keep practicing this jutsu asionally so that you can improve and do something like this as well."


    Naruto immediately nodded and shouted, "I will keep practicing, believe it!"


    Fujin smiled and asked, "What is your progress with Leaf Concentration and Leaf Cutting?"


    Naruto answered, "I can stick the leaf to my forehead for 25 minutes. As for Leaf-cutting, it is still very difficult. I am only able to create a tiny cut in the leaf."


    Fujin thought for a bit and said, "Leaf cutting takes time. So the slow progress is understandable. I think you''ll be able toplete it in around 3 or 4 more months. However, your progress in Leaf Concentration is very slow. Focus more on it. Once you reach the 2-hour mark, I will teach you two things that are very cool."


    Naruto''s eyes sparkled. He immediately asked, "Which techniques?"


    Fujin grinned and replied, "That will be a secret. I can only say that they are very cool and you would love them. So reach it quickly if you want to learn them."


    Naruto replied, "I will stick the leaf for 2 hours, believe it!"


    Fujin smiled and said, "I believe you, Naruto. Now, it is time for you to learn your second Wind Release jutsu."


    Fujin grabbed a couple of shurikens and said, "Your second jutsu will be Projectile Control jutsu. Here, take this."


    Fujin handed Naruto a shuriken. Naruto epted it with a confused look. He asked, "Projectile Control jutsu? That sounds boring..."


    Fujin ignored hisint. He pointed at a nearby tree and said, "Throw the shuriken at that tree."


    Naruto aimed and threw the shuriken at the tree. The shuriken hit the tree, confusing Naruto even more. Fujin handed him the other shuriken and said, "Do it again."


    Naruto replied, "Alright."


    He aimed and threw the shuriken once again. To his shock, the shuriken changed course mid-flight and instead hit the tree next to his target tree. He looked at Fujin and asked in shock, "Ho¡­ How? How did that happen?"


    Fujin smiled and answered, "That is the Projectile control jutsu. You use the winds to control the direction of flying objects. It is very effective inbat. If you throw a shuriken and your enemy dodges it, you can use this jutsu to change the direction of the shuriken and catch your opponents off guard. You can also use it to divert the enemy shurikens or kunaiing towards you."


    Naruto heard Fujin''s answer with awe on his face. To his surprise, a grin formed on Fujin''s face. Fujin added, "Of course, that''s just the tip of what this jutsu can do. One of the best uses of this jutsu is messing with others."


    Naruto asked in confusion, "Messing with others?"


    Fujin nodded and said, "Imagine someone in your ssroom tosses an eraser to his or her friend. And you use this jutsu to change the direction of the eraser and hit someone else, creating a fight."


    Naruto was stunned. He looked at Fujin with a stupefied expression on his face. He never imagined that the dignified Council Member would ever say such words.


    Fujin continued, "You can use it on several other things. For instance, balls in the ying ground. This jutsu is only limited by your imagination. Of course, the same also applies on battlefields. So don''t limit yourself to traditional use of the jutsu."


    Ideas kept pouring into Naruto''s mind as heprehended Fujin''s words. A mischievous grin appeared on his face as well. He eximed in a goofy tone, "Oh boy! I can think of so many pranks with this jutsu! Hehehehe! Iruka sensei is going to hate me."


    Naruto couldn''t stop grinning. Fujin gave himself an imaginary pat on his back and thought, ''Good, entertainment for the next year is secured.''


    Naruto looked at Fujin and asked, "Is it fine to use this jutsu for pranking?"


    Fujin nodded and said, "Enjoy. You''ll be able to improve your control over this jutsu far more quickly by employing it in pranks than trying to learn it by yourself in a training ground. Your sses should start in a couple of weeks, so you won''t be able to train here all the time. You can use the Gale jutsu for pranks as well. However¡­"


    Fujin''s face became strict as he said, "A few warnings. Listen seriously. If you don''t follow them, then I won''t teach you anything in the future."


    Naruto became serious. Fujin was the only one who taught him new jutsus and he didn''t want to push Fujin away. Fujin instructed, "You will never use this jutsu to control sharp objects until I allow you to do so. So no changing trajectories of shurikens, kunai, knives, needles and other such items until I permit you. For the time being, I''ll make wooden shurikens for you to practice. Understood?"


    Naruto nodded obediently. Fujin continued, "Good. Even after I give you permission, the same rules will apply in a few conditions. You won''t use this jutsu on sharp objects while pranking. You won''t use it to control shurikens you throw while sparring with your ssmates either as they can be severely hurt if they don''t dodge. But using it against spars with teachers or someone like me or in a battle is fine. Also, take care to not hurt anyone while using this to prank. Even harmless objects can hurt someone if you identally poke their eyes."


    Naruto nodded and said, "I''ll use it carefully, believe it."


    Fujin smiled and said, "Good. I''ll now teach you how to use this jutsu."


    Fujin quickly taught Naruto the hand seals to the jutsu and exined to him the mechanics of the jutsu. It took an hour, but Fujin was finally done! Fujin created a set of wooden shurikens, kunais and needles for Naruto to practice.


    Naruto began practicing the jutsu. Once again, the sound of the jutsu name that Naruto shouted reverberated throughout the training field. Fujin observed him and wondered, ''Should I ask him to stop yelling out jutsu names?''


    He thought for a bit and shook his head. He muttered to himself, ''Leave it. It''s kind of fun to see him yell the jutsu name so loudly. I''ll leave this job to Kakashi.''


    Fujin created a Shadow Clone to look over Naruto and disappeared from the training ground. He entered his house, shut the door and muttered, "It''s time to test step two!"

 Chapter 425: An Unexpected Surprise!

    Fujin looked at his palm. The Flying Thunder God seal appeared on it. He extended his arm towards the door and touched it with his palm. In an instant, a mark of the Flying Thunder God seal was imprinted on the door.


    Fujin''s eyes glowed as he observed the seals on his door. A weird expression appeared on his face as he saw several dozen seals hidden on his door. Fujin wondered, ''78 seals just on the backside of a door¡­ Exactly how many seals did I inscribe on my house? Five thousand? Ten Thousand? More?''


    Fujin thought for a few seconds before giving up. Considering the crazy number of seals he inscribed, he hadn''t bothered keeping a count. In fact, he couldn''t even recall every seal he inscribed on the house. It was impossible for anyone to do so unless they had perfect memory.


    He muttered to himself, ''Meh, it doesn''t matter. The more, the merrier. If I don''t know, then it is impossible for anyone else to know. Fortunately, I had the foresight to ensure that the seals could act autonomously to respond to various kinds of threats. Apart from a few seals that I would need to manage actively, the rest will respond by themselves. I''ll let anyone stupid enough to attack this house figure out how many seals are here.''


    Fujin focused his attention on the Flying Thunder God Seal. After a minute, he observed, ''This seal is slightly different from other seals. I can control it to change its position slightly.''


    Under Fujin''s control, the mark moved a few inches upwards on the door before stopping. Fujin analyzed, ''That said, it''s the other factor that makes this seal very unique. Even though I am good at making seals, any Grandmaster can remove my seals given enough time. However, this seal is permanent. Unless I voluntarily remove this seal, it will stay forever.


    Of course, it is possible that Tobirama and Minato know of ways to remove the seal but Hiruzen didn''t include them in the scroll so that the method won''t get leaked. It is also possible that Hiruzen and Danzo havee up with means to remove this seal considering that they had decades to study it.


    Regardless, once I mark any enemy with this seal, that ninja will be as good as dead. Even if he is far stronger than me, I can just run away and keep sending Shadow Clones to kill him. Worse, I can have my clones prepare deadly jutsus before teleporting.


    I can even send several clones at the same time. If the enemy still somehow survives, I can keep hiding and send Shadow Clones at random times to catch my enemy off guard. There is just no way to survive unless they can cut off the body part that was marked. Perhaps only someone as perverse as Obito might have a chance. Anyway, it''s time to test it.''


    Fujin disappeared from his spot and appeared at several spots inside his room. Thest ce he appeared in was the basement, where he sat down at the center and thought, ''I created 48 markings inside my house. Now time to see if I can sense them all.''


    Fujin opened the scroll Hiruzen had given him and once again went through it. After a few minutes, he closed the scroll and sat in a meditative position.


    Using the methods in the scroll, he tried applying the sensing technique mentioned in the scroll. Within an instant, Fujin sensed 48 markings! He could clearly feel the markings he had left inside his house.


    Fujin''s eyes snapped open. Shock could be seen within them. He wondered, ''What the hell? I sensed them on my first try? And I could sense all 48 markings so clearly?''


    Fujin fell into deep thought. A couple of minutester, he got up and left his house. He left 2 markings 50 meters from his house and another two at 100 meters before returning to his basement and trying to sense them. Once again, he managed to sense them without any effort.


    He left his house and left more markings on trees at various distances from his house, the farthest being 2 kilometers from his house. Once again, he returned to his basement and tried sensing them. This time, he only managed to sense around half the markings.


    Fujin opened his eyes and pondered, ''It looks like I can sense all the markings I make within a distance of 1.05 kilometers from me. Any farther and I can''t sense them any longer. Still, this is nuts!


    From the notes in the scroll, it is almost impossible to detect the markings on the first try. In fact, most who are considered ''talented'' in space-time ninjutsu only manage to detect it after a few hundred tries. Only the likes of Minato and Tobirama probably sensed them more quickly. As for detecting up to 1-kilometer range¡­ That''s even more absurd!''


    Fujin stayed in his spot in disbelief for a few moments. Soon, a smile appeared on his face. He muttered, "Now this is an unexpected surprise! I never thought that my talent in Space-Time Ninjutsu would be this damn good!


    At least in terms of sensing the markings, it is likely that my talent is better than both Minato and Tobirama. But..."


    Fujin''s mind suddenly became quiet. His expression became very serious. While he had always ignored an important aspect because he was too weak to do anything about it, his outrageous talent made him think. He couldn''t help but wonder, ''Why is my talent in Space-Time Ninjutsu so absurd?


    I''m not originally from this world and have transmigrated here. The body I transmigrated in didn''t have any remarkable talent to speak of. Though my talent in the Wind element is very high too, it only became apparent after years of intense training. I couldn''t be that lucky that the random body I transmigrated to not only had exceptional talent in Wind Maniption but also had the best talent in Space-Time Ninjutsu, could I?


    Or, is it because I have transmigrated here that I am talented in Space-Time Ninjutsu? After all, transmigrating in this world is far more advanced than merely teleporting from one ce to another in this world. So, could the process of transmigration have given me remarkable talent in this aspect?''


    Fujin let out a sigh and looked above. Though he was in his basement, the look in his eyes was as if he was seeing the vast space far beyond that world.


    He questioned, ''Transmigration¡­ I was always very curious about how I transmigrated¡­ Is it just aw of nature? Does everyone do so? Or only some lucky souls get transmigrated? Or could there be some entity who transmigrated me here? If so, what is the purpose of doing that? After all, I was just an ordinary guy. What benefit would someone get from transmigrating me into what is most likely an alternate universe? Or is it just someone bored wanting some amusement?''


    Fujin had several questions. Unfortunately, he would receive no answers. He shook his head and thought, ''Leave it. There is no way I can figure out this mystery as I am now. If I ever reach the level of Hagoromo, I can explore how Reincarnation works. After all, Hagoromo''s sons have been reincarnating for centuries.


    As for transmigration in a different universe, that should be way more advanced than that. I doubt even the strongest Otsutsuki has any knowledge of this. I can only keep getting stronger and hope that someday I am able to solve these mysteries.''


    A smile appeared on Fujin''s face as he thought, ''I just hope I don''t end up dead before reaching such a level. Well, whatever, that''s too far away. I first need to master the Flying Thunder God jutsu and take advantage of my knowledge to gain the most out of uing wars.


    For now, I will have to spend some time increasing the range up to where I can detect the markings. From the notes, it seems like Tobirama''s range wasn''t very impressive. It was probably why he failed to escape.


    However, Minato managed to increase his range to a ridiculous level. In the fourth Great Ninja War, he was able to teleport from the battlefield to Konoha while taking the Truth Seeking Balls with him.


    I wonder if Sage mode helps in increasing the range. If I can mark several locations on the entire and sense them at will, then killing me would be impossible. After all, unlike Tobirama and Minato, I have no intention of sacrificing myself.


    I will work on extending the rangeter. The 1-kilometer range is good enough. I''ll directly begin working on the third step. It''ll be wonderful if I can get it down in one try as well, hehehe.''

 Chapter 426: The First Victim

    Fujin went through the scroll once again to revise the third step of learning the Flying Thunder God jutsu. This was the most critical step and also the step where things could go horribly wrong. After all, travelling through Space-time could be very dangerous if done incorrectly. As such, he didn''t dare to take any unneeded risks.


    After going through the scroll, Fujin rolled it back and shut his eyes. He began sensing the markings within his range. He focused on the marking on the pir in front of him. Within a few seconds, Fujin''s mind became very calm. Not a single trace of thought remained. The other markings that he could sense also disappeared from his mind. He could only sense himself and the marking in front of him.


    Once he reached this state, he subconsciously tried using the method in the scroll to travel through space-time and teleport to the marking. Unfortunately, he wasn''t about to get two surprises in a row.


    After five minutes, Fujin opened his mind and let out a sigh. He muttered, "No wonder this step is said to be the hardest. I didn''t have any sess at all!"


    Fujin analyzed the third step for a few minutes. He concluded, ''The scroll did say that it takes a lot of time and practice to learn how to travel through space-time. I suppose I''ll just have to be patient and keep trying it.


    If I don''t seed after a long time, I can only depend on the inferior version that utilizes the concepts of the Reverse Summoning jutsu. Though I won''t be able to use it in battle, having a method of travelling over long distances in an instant and a better method of escaping from a battlefield will still be very handy.


    But, hopefully, things shouldn''t be that bad. After all, my talent in sensing the markings is ridiculously high. It would be strange if I didn''t have any talent in moving through Space-Time.''


    15 Shadow Clones popped around Fujin. Each flickered and sat in front of one of the markings. Fujin and his 15 clones all closed their eyes and began practicing. They quickly became engrossed in training and lost track of the time.


    While Fujin trained the Flying Thunder God jutsu and Naruto trained the Projectile Control jutsu, Hiruzen opened a scroll. As he read through it, his expression became grave. After some time, he closed the scroll and kept it back on his desk.


    He thought, ''Akatsuki captured Han, the Five Tails Jinchuriki of Iwagakure¡­ And they somehow managed to extract the Tailed Beast perfectly and stored it inside some statue¡­ Onoki did a good job of hiding information. If not for Itachi, we would havepletely been in the dark.


    Worse, Orochimaru tried attacking Itachi for his Sharingan. Thankfully, he failed and has left the organization. However, Itachi is afraid that he might target Sasuke or anyone else who awakens Sharingan and has asked me to ensure their safety. Not to mention, Akatsuki ns on targeting all the Tailed Beasts. So they will eventuallye for Naruto.''


    Hiruzen massaged his forehead as he sighed, ''So many rank S ninjas¡­ What a headache! What do they even want to do with such a force? And does their leader really have the fabled Rinnegan or is it something else?''


    Hiruzen analyzed for a bit but couldn''t think of anything. Akatsuki was a strange organization. It was the only force in the world made solely of rank S ninjas. As such, they didn''t need topete for territory like the viges. However, their actions confused Hiruzen.


    Hiruzen decided, ''There is no point in specting. I''ll just have to wait for more intel. I''ll also need to ensure that Naruto has proper protection when he leaves the vige. Thankfully, it seems like the Nine Tails will be one of theirst targets. So I will be able to learn more about them as they sh with other viges and understand what to do with them.''


    Hiruzen looked towards the ceiling and instructed, "Instruct Monkey and Wolf to take turns to monitor and protect Uzumaki Naruto. From this moment onwards, Naruto will have two Anbu looking after him at any point. However, don''t interfere with his training under Fujin."


    One of Hiruzen''s Anbu Guards disappeared from the room. Hiruzen thought, ''It''s unfortunate that I can''t discuss this with Shikaku. He will easily figure out that Itachi isn''t a traitor and instead is spying on Akatsuki. Though he should already have his guesses, he has no way to confirm them.


    Regardless, I should pass some of this intel to Kakashi somehow. Hmm, I should also pass the same intel to Fujin. He has already shed with them twice. I''m afraid that those are just the start. If Akatsuki has arge ambition, Fujin might end up fighting against them several times. He should stay on guard against Akatsuki. They no longer have any ninja that isn''t rank S.''


    Even though Hiruzen couldn''t take Shikaku''s opinion, he quickly made the appropriate countermeasures. Around a weekter, he secretly informed Kakashi about the fact that Akatsuki was targeting Jinchurikis and that Naruto was on their radar and asked him to keep it a secret.


    A week after that, he called Fujin to his office and informed him about the fact that Akatsuki had kidnapped Han and asked him to be more on guard against Akatsuki. Of course, he was asked to keep the intel to himself as well.


    Fujin was quite surprised by the information. After he left Hiruzen''s office, he wondered, ''Akatsuki captured their first victim so quickly? And that too Han?''


    Fujin was confused. Suddenly, he recalled something. He analyzed, ''Wait a minute! If I recall correctly, while extracting Shukaku from Gaara, I recall someone making ament that the process was smoother when Orochimaru was a part of the Akatsuki. Does that mean that Orochimaru is still a part of Akatsuki?''


    Fujin thought for a bit before agreeing with his conclusion. He thought, ''Orochimaru should have been a part of the process while extracting the first Tailed Beast from a Jinchuriki. He will probably leave the Akatsuki soon now. I wonder if he will still find Rasa and make a deal to attack Konoha together¡­


    As for Akatsuki, they should stay silent for some time. From what I remember, Gaara was the third Jinchuriki they captured. The second should be that girl from Taki. But there are still a few years before they make a move on her. I wonder why they needed such a long time. Does extracting a tailed beast and absorbing it into that statue have some conditions or requirements?


    Hmm, if there are any, it should be because Nagato isn''t strong enough. After all, Madara was able to absorb all 9 Tailed Beasts in one go. Though Nagato is ridiculously strong, he is still verycking whenpared to the likes of Hashirama and Madara.


    Oh well, it doesn''t matter what Orochimaru does next or what Akatsuki''s issue is. I need to return to training! I have a feeling that it won''t be too long before I have a breakthrough in the third step. Though it wouldn''t be ready for battle use any time soon. I guess I should also talk with Naruto once. His school starts tomorrow and he won''t be able toe to my training grounds to practice.''


    Fujin walked towards the training ground and reced his Shadow Clone. Some distance away from him, Naruto waspletely focused on training.


    Naruto grabbed a wooden shuriken, threw it at a tree and immediately weaved hand signs. He shouted, "Projectile Control jutsu"


    Immediately, wind began flowing around the shuriken. It changed its track slightly and missed the tree. Naruto groaned as it didn''t hit the tree next to it and kept practicing.


    Fujin analyzed, ''Hmm, not bad. His progress is faster with this jutsu. Still, having to weave hand signs for this jutsu makes it too slow. Should I advise him on how to reduce andter eliminate the hand seals?''


    Fujin thought for a bit and decided, ''No, his chakra control is abysmal. To reduce the number of hand seals, you need to manipte chakra inside your body appropriately. I doubt Naruto will be able to do that any time soon.


    Though weaving hand signs is tedious, Naruto is very innovative and unpredictable when ites to using Ninjutsu. I''ll let him try and resolve this himself. Trying to interfere too much in his training would have a negative impact instead.''


    Fujin walked out of the shadows and approached him. He said, "Naruto, that''s enough training for today."

 Chapter 427: Progress

    Naruto, who was about to throw a shuriken, stopped and turned around. He asked, "Why?"


    Fujin said, "It''s already evening. The academy starts tomorrow. You need to prepare for it. Also, since you have to attend the academy, you won''t be able to train with me from tomorrow."


    Naruto became a bit dejected. He asked, "Can''t I skip the academy? I learnt a lot more from you than from the Academy in the past 5 years, you know."


    Fujin chuckled and said, "What you learn in the Academy is important as well. Ninjutsu isn''t everything. Even more so if you want to be the Hokage."


    Naruto nodded unwillingly and said, "I''ll go to the Academy."


    Fujin smiled and said, "Besides, just because you won''t be able to train with me doesn''t mean that you shouldn''t train. Keep working on the Projectile Control jutsu along with Leaf Concentration and Leaf Cutting exercises.


    Your Leaf Concentration has improved rapidly in thest 2 weeks. Keep up that speed. As for Leaf Cutting, you can carry a few leaves to a ssroom and do that exercise there in your free time or if a lecture bes too boring. As for the Projectile control jutsu, you are already able to slightly change the directions of flying objects. Try using it to prank and you''ll get plenty of practice for it."


    Naruto got several ideas from Fujin''s words. He looked at Fujin with stars in his eyes. It was as if Fujin had be his idol. He said, "Ideas to train in the ssroom. Plus being able to use these jutsus to prank. You are the best, Fujin!"


    Fujin smiled and said, "Of course, just because you can''t train with me all the time doesn''t mean you shouldn''te visit me. Feel free toe when you want more supplies or some help in training or just to hang around and rx if you want."


    Naruto smiled and said, "I will."


    Fujin nodded and took out a seal from a pocket. He handed it to Naruto and said, "In the past couple of months, you have trained with dedication. I am impressed, Naruto. This is a gift for you."


    Naruto grabbed the seal and inspected it. He asked curiously, "What is this?"


    Fujin said, "It''s a training seal I created for you. ce it on your chest."


    Naruto was intrigued. He followed Fujin''s instructions while asking, "Training seal? What is a training seal?"


    Fujin answered, "As its name says, it is a seal that helps you in training your body. By activating the seal, you can increase the pressure on your body and the resistance you face. So moving around will be very difficult. It is an excellent way to train our body.


    The seal I gave you can apply a maximum pressure of 50 kilograms. So don''t dare activate it to 100%. You''ll hurt yourself if you do that."


    Naruto''s eyes sparkled. He said, "That sounds great! How do I use it?"


    Fujin answered, "Just close your eyes and feel the seal on your chest. Use the confrontation hand seal to concentrate on your chakra and insert your chakra into the seal. You will be able to increase or decrease the pressure. For now, try to activate 2% pressure."


    Naruto followed Fujin''s instructions. In a few seconds, he managed to increase the pressure to 2%. He tried moving and jumping around and said, "It''s true. Walking and jumping have be difficult!"


    Fujin said, "Yes, it is a result of the seal. Trying to move, or better yet, train while using this seal will make the training even more difficult for you. As a result, this seal will help you train your body. It will help you increase your speed and power. You can use it while walking, training, doing normal daily activities or even when you sit in ssrooms.


    However, only increase it gradually. If you hurt yourself by mindlessly increasing the pressure, I''ll take the seal away. Also, don''t leave the seal on while sleeping or sparing. And leave the seal in your home whenever you leave the vige in the future for missions."


    Naruto nodded and said, "Understood. But why should I not use this seal during sparring? Won''t it help me fight better when I deactivate the seal?"


    Fujin shook his head and exined, "If you keep the seal activated while sparring, then your body''s instincts will get confused and will adjust to when you are under a lot of pressure. When you suddenly deactivate the seal, your body will need some time to readjust to normal pressure and resistance.


    Besides, if you use this seal during a fight, someone like me will kill you before you even have a chance to deactivate the seal and adjust your body. The same also applies when you are out of the vige and can be sneak attacked anytime. Even I don''t dare to keep my training seal activated when I am outside the vige or sparring with someone."


    Naruto nodded and said, "Alright. Thank You, Fujin."


    The two talked for some more time before Naruto left. Fujin saw him leaving as he thought, ''Will he really listen to warnings? Oh well, it doesn''t matter much. He should listen to not controlling sharp objects with Projectile Control jutsu. Though he is known to prank a lot, there isn''t any instance of his pranks actually harming anyone.


    As for the training seal, I purposefully made something that applies less pressure. Even if he raises it to 100% in order to push himself, he won''t suffer any serious injuries. With Kurama''s chakra, It''ll heal in no time. All that will happen is that he will have to rest for some time. As for during the missions, any Jounin would be able to see it activated at first nce and make him deactivate him.


    Anyway, a few basic wind jutsus, training to improve wind maniption, better chakra control, a slightly stronger body and some sparring practice¡­ This is all the help I''ll give Naruto before he graduates.


    Though it iscklustre whenpared to what he could have achieved had I taught him the Multi Shadow Clone jutsu now and spammed it for a year, this should still improve his basics considerably. More importantly, this improvement shouldn''t have much of an impact on major events in the future. So, I don''t need to worry about the future changing too drastically.


    Regardless, I''m looking forward to seeing how Naruto progresses after getting a good foundation. His basics in the original story were just toocking. The only thing he had going for him was numerical superiority due to having arge chakra reserve and the Multi Shadow Clone jutsu.


    If he shows some promise with the Wind Release, I''ll teach him the Infinite Breakthrough jutsu at some point in the future and teach him how to supercharge it. I also wonder if his improved chakra control will help him learn the Clone jutsu within the next 10 months¡­ If he does so and doesn''t get the scroll, I will have to teach him the Multi Shadow Clone jutsu as a gift for graduating.


    Oh well, there is still some time for that. Time to get back to my training.''


    Fujin returned to his training. Thest couple of months of training had brought him great results in the three areas that he was focusing on. His biggest improvement was obviously in the Flying Thunder God. He hadpleted the first two steps and had a feeling that he would experience some breakthrough in thest step soon.


    His Wind Domain was also developing rapidly. Fujin felt that it was good enough to deal with normal Jounins. Even Elite Jounins could suffer heavily if they didn''t have any prior information. However, it was the third area where he would reach the critical point the earliest.


    A new year in the academy started and life in Konoha went as normal. Fujin continued training in solitude. Hiruzen didn''t disturb him. Danzo wanted to make some moves, but Fujin''s monotonous lifestyle didn''t give him any opportunity to do so. Apart from Naruto asionally visiting him, no one bothered Fujin.


    One day, while he was in between his deadly physical training routine, a smile appeared on Fujin''s face. Excitement could be seen in his eyes. He stopped training and deactivated his training seal.


    He closed his eyes and focused his mind on his body. A secondter, his chakra red. However, it wasn''t what he normally did. Instead, the chakra had infused into his entire body. It even infused into his vital organs.


    Fujin smiled and thought, ''The insane training n has finally given the result I wanted. To train so hard that chakra infuses into your body naturally¡­ What a crazy training n.''

 Chapter 428: A Favor

    Fujin thought, ''Though this is good, I''ll have to keep up this training n for a long time to ensure that this is permanent and to keep increasing the amount of chakra I infuse in my body. If I don''t, the amount of chakra I can infuse into my body will slowly decrease. Over a few years, my body will lose this ability. Anyway, time to test it!''


    Fujin clenched his fist and punched the ground as hard as he could. A loud sound was heard throughout the training ground. Cracks spread on the ground like a spiderweb for a dozen meters from the spot where the fistnded.


    Fujin analyzed, ''Not bad. It''s definitely much stronger than my normal punch. No ninja with a normal body would want to be on the receiving end of this. Even with Iron Skin jutsu, they will feel the pain and might suffer some internal damage. Now¡­''


    Fujin concentrated his chakra on his fist. He was using the Senju Taijutsu Style alongside Guy''s Strong Fist Style. Once again, he punched the ground with all his might at the same spot.


    This time, the impact of the blow could be felt throughout the training ground! The birds, that were brave enough to still live in the trees in that training ground, immediately began flying away due to the tremors! A few people, who were walking close to the training ground, turned their heads due to the sound that was heard!


    Fujin, who was the source of thismotion, was standing in a hole in the ground that had copsed due to his punch. For several dozen meters, the ground was a wreck! The cracks had opened wide and several rocks were thrown out of the ground. Fujin himself was covered in dust. However, a wide grin could be seen on his face.


    Fujin wiped the dirt on his face off and analyzed, ''Great. In terms of destructive power, this isn''t too far away from Tsunade''s level. However, in terms of usability, it is still far behind. The time I take to concentrate my chakra on my fist reduces its effectiveness in a high-speed battle. My opponents will easily sense it and take evasive actions.


    That said, with my wind jutsus, it isn''t critical for me to improve this aspect. I''ll be able to shred my opponents far faster instead of trying to obliterate them with a punch or kick. I can also use my Wind Domain to slow down my enemy and attack them with this if Wind attacks don''t work for some reason. Regardless, this is very good.''


    Fujin returned home to have a shower. Due to the intense training and being covered in dust, his body was quite dirty. After a small break, he immediately went to find Guy.


    As usual, Guy was training his three students. They had just finished an intense training session when Fujin showed up. Immediately, Neji and Tenten''s expression became dark. Tenten cursed, ''Great! We have just rested for 10 minutes and this monster has already shown up! Why did he arrive so early today?''


    Guy smiled on seeing Fujin and instructed, "I and Fujin will spar for now. Until we are done, you three have to run 80 rounds around the training field on your arms."


    Tenten wanted to cry, unfortunately, her tears had dried out long ago! Since Fujin regrly showed up to spar with Guy, Guy decided to have his students train while he sparred with Fujin. After all, there wasn''t much for them to learn from their fight because the three Genins couldn''t even follow their movements.


    As such, Guy gave them very difficult training tasks to do while he and Fujin sparred. The tasks were so difficult that none of them had evenpleted them once. To make matters worse, Guy continuously kept increasing the difficulty of the training tasks little by little on a daily basis to push them more. And, if either of the three Genins dared to ck off, Guy would lead them to train in a way that made them embarrassed like following Guy on the streets of Konoha while all 4 of them walked on their arms.


    Unwillingly, they left to train. Guy looked at Fujin and said, "You are early today."


    Fujin smiled and said, "It''s a special asion. Let''s fight. No warm-up today."


    Guy was surprised. He began unleashing his chakra and fusing it with his body while eximing, "Alright! Let the power of youth explo¡­"


    Guy''s words got stuck in his mouth as he noticed Fujin doing the same. A grin appeared on his face as he said, "No wonder you are so impatient. I can feel the excitement of an intense spar!"


    Guy disappeared from his spot and attacked Fujin, who disappeared as well. As usual, the two engaged in an extremely high-speed fight. The only difference was they were even faster this time! The ground, which already had scars from their previous spars, was changed beyond recognition.


    Two hourster, both were breathing heavily. Especially Fujin who lookedpletely out of breath. He muttered, "Damn, using this continuously is very exhausting!"


    Guy replied, "You have just learnt it. Managing to keep it up for two hours is very impressive. More than chakra reserves, this method puts a strain on the body. That is why you are so exhausted. In time, not only will your stamina improve, but you''ll also learn to better manage it by easing on the chakra depending on the battle situation."


    Fujin nodded. He could sense that his chakra reserves hadn''t decreased much. But his body was just too tired. He looked at Guy and analyzed, ''Even though I managed to infuse chakra into my body, the amount of chakra I can infuse is far less than him. In addition, his Taijutsu is far more refined than mine.


    It looks like forcing him into using Eight Inner Gates would be impossible unless I use Wind jutsus in the spar. Even then, he might just ept defeat and not use the Inner Gates. After all, this is merely a spar.''


    Seeing Fujin silent, Guy said, "Just increase the intensity of your training. If you can''t, then increase the time you train maintaining your current intensity. You will be able to maintain this state for far longer."


    Fujin nodded. He looked at Guy and said, "I will. But I have a favor to ask."


    Guy asked, "What is it?"


    Fujin directly asked, "I want to learn the Eight Inner Gates technique. Can you teach me that?"


    Guy was surprised by Fujin''s directness. He thought, ''Even Kakashi wasn''t this direct.''


    He became quiet and began thinking. Fujin didn''t disturb him. He thought, ''This request is no doubt huge. For one, this jutsu is a forbidden jutsu. Secondly, it is his trump card. If someone came to me and asked me to teach them my wind domain, there is no way I would agree. I would either directly say no or make some excuses depending on who asks.


    That said, Guy isn''t the only one who knows about the Eight Inner Gates. So there will be other means of getting my hands on this technique. It''s just that I''ll not have the benefit of someone who has learnt this technique guiding me, making it slightly more difficult to learn this jutsu.''


    Fujin observed Guy and waited for his decision. After a couple of minutes, Guy said, "I can teach you. However, the Eight Inner Gates is a very dangerous technique. It has a lot of risks."


    Fujin nodded and said, "I know. Opening the Eighth Gate would result in death. Even the earlier gates put a lot of stress on the body. If it is used recklessly, it could cause irreversible injuries or even cripple the user."


    Guy was surprised. He said, "It looks like you did the research before asking me."


    Fujin nodded and said, "It is a forbidden technique. I won''t mess around with it."


    Guy smiled and said, "Alright. I''ll teach you this technique. But before you begin, I want to know how much you want to progress in it. Do you want to focus entirely on it? Or do you just want it as a hidden card and use it to gain an advantage?"


    Fujin sighed in relief internally and thought, ''Good. If he hadn''t agreed, I would have had to pester Hiruzen again. Not to mention, learning a forbidden jutsu alone has a lot of risks.''


    Fujin answered, "I can''t focus entirely on it. My mainbat method still revolves around Wind jutsus. I want to learn this so that I can use it in instances where my opponent is somehow immune to my Wind jutsus and other skills, forcing me to rely just on Taijutsu."


    Guy frowned and said, "I can''t think of any such opponent. Still, it''s a shame that you don''t want to focus on this entirely. With your willingness to work hard, you would have progressed a long way through it."


    Fujin smiled and said, "I might still go a long way, Guy. I''ll decide how much to focus on it after learning how to open a few gates. Can we start now?"

 Chapter 429: Eight Inner Gates

    Guy replied, "Yes. I''ll first exin the basics. How much do you know about the inner gates? Tell me everything."


    Fujin thought for a bit and replied, "I don''t know much apart from the basics. The Eight Inner Gates are limiters ced on the human body. The Eight Inner Gates technique breaks through these limiters. My information is too vague. I''ll proceed assuming that I know nothing about it and just follow your advice."


    Though Fujin recalled more details from his previous life, he didn''t say more because he couldn''t find in-depth information on the Eight Inner Gates technique anywhere. After looking through the library, he had only found a few scrolls that had some vague information. In addition, Fujin wasn''t sure whether all the information from his previous life would be true.


    Meanwhile, Guy was impressed. Throwing away what you know and just listening to someone more knowledgeable and experienced was something very few could do. Most would try to stick to their knowledge and beliefs until they experienced a loss and reluctantly listen to others. He said, "Alright. I''ll exin it to you.


    Your initial information is right. The human body can''t exert all of its strength. There are limiters in ce to ensure that we don''t hurt ourselves. The Eight Inner Gates forbidden technique breaks through these limiters. As for the limiters, there aren''t any literal gates or blockades in our bodies.


    Instead, the limiters are just like ordinary chakra points. There are eight special chakra points in our body that are responsible for limiting the amount of chakra flowing through it and thus limiting our body''s capabilities. These eight chakra points act like gates. To unlock each gate, you have to push a high amount of chakra through the respective chakra point.


    While this sounds easy, that isn''t the case. Finding the chakra point is easy. However, you won''t be able to flow a high amount of chakra through them if your body isn''t strong enough to handle that. No matter how much you try, the chakra point will not budge. That is the biggest difficulty in learning the Eight Inner Gates technique.


    Your body has to be strong. If your body isn''t strong enough, you won''t even open the first gate. Even if your body is strong enough, if you don''t train in the future, you''ll slowly lose the ability to open the gates one by one. It isn''t like Ninjutsu or Genjutsu where your skill will always remain with you with little practice.


    That is why almost no ninja learns this technique. No one wants to keep training their body all the time. If you want to learn it, you''ll have to increase the intensity of your current training and keep doing so for as long as you want to increase the number of gates you can open. Do you still want to learn this technique?"


    Fujin nodded without thinking much. Training was never an issue for him. Even when he was busy in the Anbu, he still did the basic training every day except for the days he was on missions.


    Guy grinned and said, "Very good. I''ll now exin the gates. The First Gate is the Gate of Opening. Its chakra point is located in the left hemisphere of your brain. It removes your mental inhibitions. That is, it removes the limits ced on your body by your brain.


    Your chakra will increase slightly, but the main advantage is that your muscle movement will increase. Your muscles will be able to expand and contract optimally and your blood flow will improve. Of course, the bacsh of being able to do that is heavy as well. You know that the Eight Inner Gates allows you to use all your strength by removing the limiters, right?"


    Fujin nodded and replied, "Yes."


    Guy grinned and said, "In truth, that isn''t entirely correct."


    Fujin was surprised. He asked, "What do you mean?"


    Guy answered, "The Gate of Opening itself allows you to use 100% of your body''s capability!"


    Fujin was surprised by the information. However, very quickly, it clicked. He asked, "You mean?"


    Guy nodded and said, "Yes. The Gate of Opening allows you to exert 100% of your strength without harming yourself. The remaining gates extract more from your body to help you go far beyond what your body should be able to do.


    Of course, that doesn''te from thin air and is instead the strength extracted from your body. As such, every Gate after the first is harmful to your body. This is especially true from the Gate of Life onwards. The damage done to your body is far worse than the muscle tears you will experience after opening the Gates. And, no healer will be able to heal that damage.


    Only through intense training, you can make your body strong enough to sustain and ovee the damage to keep getting stronger. This is what I meant by you having to train continuously. The more you use the Eight Inner Gates inbat, the more you need to increase the intensity of your training.


    For the Gate of Opening, the drawback is just exhaustion and some physical damage and trauma to your body due to using 100% of your strength without any mental inhibitions. You can heal the damage with some rest and the help of a good medical ninja.


    The Second Gate, that is, the Gate of Healing overexerts each and every cell in your body to generate more stamina and chakra for you to recover and have a second chance in a fight. However, even this can be recovered from by eating a lot and providing sufficient nutrients to your body. From the Third Gate onwards, there is no other way other than excessively training your body. Remember this. If you learn to open them, avoid using them as long as you can."


    Fujin''s expression became grim. Even though he was aware of the drawbacks of the Eight Inner Gates Technique, it seemed like he had still underestimated their bacsh. He thought, ''Looks like the price to pay to use them is too high. Fortunately, the cost of opening the Gate of Healing isn''t high. And, I don''t need to use the Eight Inner Gates against most of my opponents. I only need it against enemies who can absorb Ninjutsu or are immune to it.''


    Fujin said solemnly, "I will remember this, Guy."


    Guy smiled and said, "Good. The chakra point of the Gate of Healing is located in the right hemisphere of your brain. As I just said, this Gate re-energizes you by recovering your stamina and chakra to optimal condition and healing minor injuries such as muscle tears caused due to opening the Gate of Opening.


    If you are exhausted, be it from opening the first Gate or through just normal fighting, this Gate will give you a second chance of fighting. In addition, it also increases your physical strength and chakra slightly like the other Gates,


    The Third Gate is the Gate of Life. Its chakra point is located on your spinal cord. This is the Gate where you see an explosive growth in your strength and speed. Both are increased several times aspared to the Gate of Healing. As a result, your skin bes red and your pupils disappear.


    Of course, it is also very difficult to open for that reason. If you do manage to open the Gate of Life, you''ll have to rest a long time whenever you open it. The overexertion also happens from this Gate onwards. And, as I said, some irreversible damage will be left in your body."


    Fujin nodded, greedily absorbing all the information and remembering all the warnings. Guy added, "For now, this much information is sufficient for you. Learning about the higher gates won''t be of any help. If you manage to learn how to open this Gate, I''ll teach you about the Gate of Pain and the Gate of Limit."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Alright."


    Guy said, "I will now demonstrate the process of opening the First Gate. Observe me carefully."


    Fujin nodded and concentrated his chakra in his eyes. Guy noticed Fujin''s glowing eyes and shouted, "Eight Inner Gates Formation: Gate of Opening: Open!"


    As soon as Guy opened the First Gate, the air around him became erratic. But that wasn''t all. With his glowing eyes, Fujin noticed a surge of chakra flowing in Guy''s body. In addition, his muscles also looked to be slightly stronger.


    Guy said, "This is the Gate of Opening. I will attack you now. Observe me carefully and defend or dodge."


    Fujin immediately moved away from Guy and prepared himself. Guy said, "Here Ie¡­"


    His figure disappeared and he appeared right in front of Fujin. Fujin''s eyes widened as he thought, ''So fast!''

 Chapter 430: The Gate of Opening

    Fujin quickly ducked down to avoid a kick and moved back to avoid Guy''s fist. However, Guy followed up with a kick straight towards Fujin''s face. Fujin cursed, ''Shit, I can''t dodge fast enough!''


    He quickly jumped backwards to soften the impact of the blow. At the same time, he raised his arms to block the kick. Before Guy''s kicknded, he instinctively used the Iron Skin jutsu to harden his arms.


    Guy''s kicknded on Fujin''s arms. Immediately, shock appeared on Fujin''s face as he felt the power behind the kick. Fujin had sparred with Guy on a regr basis for the past few months. He had to endure several kicks and punches. Though Guy''s body was stronger and his attacks were heavier, Fujin could always endure the hits.


    However, this time, Fujin wasunched backwards like a cannonball. The Iron Skin jutsu covered his entire body. He smashed through two trees which slowed him enough to flip in the air andnd on his legs and knees.


    However, he was still dragged along the ground for around 25 meters and only stopped after hitting the third tree. Despite protecting his arms with Iron Skin jutsu, Fujin could still feel them aching. Fortunately, the rest of his body was fine.


    He thought in amazement, ''Just the First Gate provides so much buff? So this is the result of using your body at 100% and removing all mental inhibitions? His speed was fast. More importantly, his movement was just too fluid. Is this due to the improvement in Muscle Movement that he said? And his kick was so heavy as well!''


    Guy looked at Fujin''s expression and said, "By removing the mental inhibitions, your brain no longer limits the extent of physical energy you can use. It also removes any sense of holding back due to the fear of hurting my body due to my power. Hence, I can use all my strength.


    Though the effects aren''t very obvious to the eye, you should have felt them. Apart from my increase in chakra, the improvement in my muscle movement allows me to move and more importantly react faster.


    You could dodge my first attack, but the sessive attacks became harder for you to dodge because your body couldn''t react as fast as mine. And since I no longer cared about hurting myself, my strength was far greater than yours."


    Fujin thought for a bit and nodded. He said, "Yeah, dodging your first kick wasn''t difficult. But it became very difficult to dodge the follow-up attacks. Your kick was far heavier as well. I can still feel it."


    As he talked a smile appeared on Fujin''s face. He thought, ''Not bad at all. Though I have already seen it, I wasn''t expecting such a surprise from the First Gate. In the show, only thest 3 Gates were useful whenbating against rank S ninjas. So, I didn''t have much hope from earlier Gates other than the Gate of Healing.


    Once I am done with the Flying Thunder God and the seals I want to create, I can focus on the Eight Inner Gates along with my Wind Domain and keep that up at least until I can learn Senjutsu. No matter how many Gates I can open, it''ll just be beneficial for me as long as I don''t use them repeatedly.''


    He looked at Guy and asked the question he wanted to ask for a long time, "How do I open the Gate of Opening?"


    Guy said, "You will first have to locate the chakra point in the Left Hemisphere of your brain."


    Guy took out a few scrolls from his jacket and went through them until he found the scroll he wanted. He opened it, showed it to Fujin and said, "Study this diagram properly and observe the location of that chakra point in the diagram. Every individual has their chakra points at slightly different positions, but they are still close by. Try to find your chakra point that acts as the first Gate. If you want, you can read the notes as well."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Thanks, Guy."


    Fujin carefully went through the scroll. After understanding everything, he closed his eyes and sat in a meditative position. Chakra began flowing smoothly throughout his body. He focused on just the chakra points in the left hemisphere of his brain. In a couple of minutes, he located the chakra point that Guy and the scroll were referring to.


    He opened his eyes and said, "Found it."


    Guy said, "Good."


    He took back the scroll. Fujin couldn''t help but ask, "Do you carry such scrolls all the time with you?"


    Guy chuckled and said, "Just a few. They don''t have details on all the Gates. I also use it to make notes in case I discover something new while training or opening the Inner Gates during a fight. Besides, most of the viges already have the method of learning this technique. They justck anyone who would be willing to train all the time."


    Fujin thought, ''Hmm, that makes sense. Even in Konoha, there are the likes of Hiruzen, Danzo, the three Sannins and Kakashi. None of themcked talent. However, none of them are willing to train all the time like Guy did. Of course, considering their talent, it could be just because they don''t need it.


    After all, not everyone can be like Guy who almost killed Madara who had reached the level of the Sage of Six Paths. Byparison, Might Duy, who opened the Gate of Death, was only able to kill four out of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.


    Madara, even when he only had the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan could still kill all Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist without breaking a sweat. Heck, even Hiruzen might be able to do it, assuming someone like Kisame isn''t a part of that team. So I guess they didn''t value it that highly considering the costs.''


    Still, Fujin was surprised. He chuckled and said, "I never thought of you as someone who would make notes, Guy."


    The image of Might Guy sitting and writing notes was just too funny for Fujin to imagine. Guyughed as well and said, "Well, it can''t be helped. No matter who, if you want to be strong, you can''t ignore such basics. Anyways, now that you have found the chakra point, focus your chakra on it. You will feel some resistance. If you don''t, then it would mean that the chakra point you chose is wrong and stop immediately.


    Once you feel the resistance, force as much chakra as you can through it. Since it is your first time, it will be difficult. But your body is sufficiently strong. You should be able to do it rtively easily. In the best case, you might get it done in a few minutes. In the worst-case scenario, you''ll open it in a week."


    Fujin was surprised. He wondered, ''That fast? Hmm, now that I think about it, it makes sense. After all, Lee would master up to the 5th Gate in less than two years. And his body now is far weaker than mine when I graduated. Well, let''s hope everything goes well.''


    Fujin closed his eyes and focused on that Chakra Point once again. He tried to gently push a little amount of chakra through it. At the start, some chakra went through the Chakra Point. But very quickly, it resisted. Fujin couldn''t push any chakra through it.


    He thought, ''It looks like I spotted it correctly. Alright, here goes nothing!''

 Chapter 431: A Couple of Minutes

    Fujin focused on the chakra point once again. This time, he didn''t try to push it gently. Instead, he bombarded that chakra point with as much chakra as he could. The chakra point immediately felt a lot of pressure but resisted the bombardment. However, Fujin kept up the pressure.


    A couple of minutester, under constant bombardment, the chakra point gave in. The blockade disappeared and a high amount of chakra flowed through that chakra point.


    Fujin''s eyes snapped open. He felt a surge of chakra flowing through his body. The air around him became erratic.


    Guy, who was observing Fujin, was surprised. He smiled wryly and thought, ''Less than 4 minutes? He is just like Kakashi. Even he needed less than 5 minutes to open the Gate of Opening. On the other hand, I needed a month to open it.


    That said, they did attempt opening the First Gate when they were far older than me and had a far stronger physique.


    Still, it looks like Fujin''s physique is far better than I thought. Opening the Gate of Healing shouldn''t take much time for him either. At most, it''ll take a week. However, the Gate of Life is where the real determination gets tested. While he will seed, it will take a long time. And, he will feel demotivated to work on opening more.


    I wonder if he will keep opening more Gates or quit like Kakashi after the Gate of Life¡­''


    While Guy was lost in his thoughts, Fujin was lost in the incredible feeling he was experiencing. He thought, ''Damn! I have never felt so free in my life. I can feel it. It''s as if all restraints ced on my body have been removed.


    My brain is much more active. It''s as if my senses are amplified several times. My eyesight is far better. I can pick up the lightest sounds and my sense of smell has improved as well. More importantly, my body''s instincts are heightened to a whole new level. I doubt anyone would be able to sneak attack on me as I am now. And the cherry on the cake is that my thinking speed seems to have increased as well.


    Apart from my brain, my muscles have improved considerably as well. Though there is no observable change, I can sense that my muscles can provide me with far more strength than before. And, I have a feeling that they will be far more responsive. No wonder Guy could make his follow-up attacks that quickly. Increased thinking speed plus reduced response time for muscles.


    My chakra also has increased by around 15%. However, the most incredible part about the Gate of Opening is the feeling I am getting. I can get addicted to this feeling! It feels as if this is how my body is supposed to be.


    Even those medical sensations with Yoshi and Isamu aren''t this rxing. The only thing that came close was when I sensed Nature Energy while riding on Ryu''s back. But even that didn''t feel as natural as this! Hmm, I wonder what would happen if I mix Sage Mode with the Gate of Opening¡­ Regardless, it''s time to test it.''


    Fujin got up. He looked towards a rock that was raised from the ground due to the earlier spar. Fujin disappeared from his spot, appeared in front of the rock and punched it in one fluid motion.


    As he expected, his punch decimated that rock! Small pieces of the rock were scattered away from Fujin. He looked at his fist and marvelled, ''This is incredible! The power is far beyond the normal Strong Fist Style. It is almostparable to concentrating chakra on my fist, but it doesn''t have the drawback of requiring time and is even faster than my normal punches due to the speed increase!''


    He looked at Guy and said with gratitude, "It feels incredible, Guy! Thanks for guiding me."


    Guy looked at Fujin''s fist and said, "Good work opening the Gate. However, don''t do that again."


    Fujin was confused. He asked, "Do you mean don''t punch? Why not?"


    Guy answered, "This is the first time you opened a Gate. I''m sure you are feeling restless to test it. Perhaps you even want to spar against me. Unfortunately, this will also be the first time you face the bacsh for pushing past the natural limits of the human body. So, don''t strain your body. I''m sure it feels incredible, but it''ll soon feel just as bad."


    Guy''s words made Fujin feel awkward. He thought, ''Ugh, I got carried away. This feeling is indeed great. The desire to experience an epic battle is too intense! I would even want to spar against Hiruzen while I''m experiencing this. Unfortunately, I don''t think I can sustain it for long.''


    Seeing his expression, Guy said, "No need to test out what your stamina is. You can slowly explore it over the next few days or weeks by increasing the duration each time. That way you won''t identally overexert yourself. You can close the Gate of Opening now."


    Fujin nodded and stopped pushing the chakra through the chakra point. The blockade on his body reappeared. The surge of chakra through Fujin''s body disappeared and instead, he felt a wave of exhaustion washing over him. His breathing became rough. And, a terrible pain could be felt in his right fist.


    Fujin cursed, "Damn! The bacsh is intense. It almost feels like I have broken my fist and used up all my stamina!"


    Guy nodded and said, "That''s why I asked you to not overexert yourself. This is just the first time, so your body isn''t used to it. With practice, the bacsh for the Gate of Opening won''t be this intense."


    Fujin nodded. He said, "Regardless, thanks, Guy. I didn''t think I''d learn this so easily."


    Guy replied, "Well, this technique isn''tplicated despite being a forbidden jutsu. One just needs to have a strong enough body and know what to do. You will be able to open the Gate of Healing quickly as well. But don''t try it until you get a hang of the Gate of Opening.


    Right now, it takes you around 3 to 4 minutes to locate the chakra point and open the Gate of Opening. In a battle, you won''t have this luxury. So, you need to work on opening the Gate at will.


    In addition, you also need to improve your stamina. Keep working on it until you can sustain it for at least 5 minutes while you meditate and 2 minutes while you fight. It shouldn''t take a lot of time to do this. Only after fulfilling these two conditions, attempt to open the Gate of Healing."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Alright. I''ll follow your instructions."


    Guy said, "Good. I''ll help you find the Chakra Point for the Gate of Healing as well. You can try opening itter when you fulfil the two conditions for the Gate of Opening."


    Fujin nodded and sat down. Guy provided him with another scroll with a diagram and some notes to help locate the chakra point in the right hemisphere of his brain. After finding it, Fujin opened the First Gate and tried to push some chakra through the second chakra point to confirm whether he found the right one. After confirming, he closed the Gate of Opening.


    Of course, that caused him to be even more tired. Guy grinned and said, "Seeing you work this hard ignites the mes of youth in me! Take a rest for today, Fujin! I''ll focus on training my students for the remainder of the day.


    You don''t need to find me for sparring until you befortable with opening the Gate of Healing. It''ll be better if you just focus on training your body and getting it ustomed to opening the Inner Gates instead of sparring with me or anyone else."


    Fujin chuckled and said, "Alright, I''ll focus on the Gates of Opening and Healing. Also, have fun with your students. Let them experience the mes of youth as well. I''ll see youter, Guy. I''ll visit after opening and getting ustomed to the Gate of Healing."


    Fujin disappeared from the training ground. Guy disappeared as well and appeared where his three students were. All of them were running on their hands. Guy asked, "How many rounds are you done with by now?"


    Tenten nearly cried as sheined in her heart, ''3 hours haven''t even passed! Why is he back so early?''


    Lee excitedly said, "We are doing our 57th round, Guy-sensei!"


    Guy said loudly, "Just 57th? That''s too slow! We will do 300 rounds today! Follow me!"


    Guy''s excitement horrified Neji and Tenten. Both muttered internally, ''We are doomed!''


    Guy too got on his hands and began running upside down in front of his students. Lee followed excitedly while the other two followed reluctantly.

 Chapter 432: Permanently opening the Gate of Opening!

    As he returned home, Fujin chuckled at the thought of Guy training Neji, Lee and Tenten beyond their limits. He muttered, "Well, sucks to be them. Knowing Guy''s training, I doubt they''d be able to get off their bed for a few days. That said¡­"


    Fujin entered his house and took a deep breath. He pondered, ''I still feel so exhausted. Opening the Gate of Opening twice in quick session takes a lot of toll on my body. And my fist still aches.''


    Fujin stared at his right fist. Soon, a green chakra covered his fist and began healing the damage. In a minute, the pain subsided. Fujin stretched his palm and analyzed, ''Fortunately, the damage was only superficial. And though I feel tired, it''s only my body and mind being a bit exhausted due to suddenly getting used to their full extent.


    My chakra is still fine. After resting for half an hour, I can continue training the Flying Thunder God. Still¡­ That sensation I had on opening the First Gate¡­ How beneficial it''ll be if I can experience that all the time?


    Is it possible for me to keep the Gate of Opening open all the time?''


    Fujin fell into deep thought. After a minute, he thought, ''My current body definitely can''t handle that much stress. I''ll copse very quickly. But can I train my body so much that it bes strong enough to sustain it?''


    Fujin very quickly shook his head and thought, ''No, even if I make my body strong enough, it won''t be the same as using my body at 100% capability. Instead, what 100% of my body can do would be greater as well. Even if my future body can do my current 100% naturally, that wouldn''t be the same as keeping the Gate open. So, how can I do that?''


    As he waited for his body to rest up, Fujin thought continuously about ideas to be able to use his body at 100% capacity all the time without experiencing the drawbacks. Unfortunately, even after thinking long, he couldn''te up with anything.


    He sighed and thought, ''A shame, I can''t think of anything. That said, had it been that easy, I''m sure someone else would have already figured it out and a lot of top-level ninjas would have been able to do this. Now that I think about it, Guy''s description of the benefits of Gate of Healing is quite simr to that theory on increasing cellr activity researched by Orochimaru.


    I wonder if the Gate of Healing is what inspired him to undertake that research. Still, there are some differences. In some aspects, Orochimaru''s method is superior. Increasing cellr activity increases chakra reserves permanently and without any drawback. The effect is much better than the Gate of Healing.


    However, when using it in the middle of a battle to recover chakra, the drawbacks to Orochimaru''s method are very harmful. Inparison, the Gate of Healing has no permanent bacsh.


    Regardless, the two are indeed simr. If Orochimaru was inspired by the Gate of Healing, I wonder if something simr can be done with the Gate of Opening. To figure out a way to increase the per cent of our physical strength our body can use¡­ That will be difficult though it shouldn''t be a dead end. I''ll try working on this if I have a lot of time on my hands in the future.


    Another interesting aspect is whether the effects of increased cellr activity and the Gate of Healing can ovep¡­ Or if I can only use one at a time. From Guy''s words, I should be able to open the Gate of Healing quickly. However, for increased cellr activity, I will need to wait for Tsunade to return to the vige¡­


    That is more than a year and a half away at this point. And that''ll only happen if events y out the same. If Hiruzen survives, then it is unlikely that Jiraiya will go looking for her. Even Kakashi and Sasuke won''t be in critical shape as Itachi would likely not show up in the vige. Only Lee would be injured, but I doubt that would make Hiruzen call back Tsunade¡­''


    Fujin sighed. Calcting the possible variations in the future he knew was too exhausting and extremely difficult. He decided, ''Leave it. There is no point in specting so much. I''ll just focus on increasing my strength. If the future does change and Hiruzen survives, I''ll just use an alternate identity to target and injure someone important to Hiruzen bad enough that only Tsunade can heal them.


    Preferably Homura or Koharu. If those two don''t give any such opportunities, then I can only target Asuma. Though defeating them with just Lightning Release will be difficult, I still have a lot of time to create a goodbat system revolving around my Lightning Release. Not to mention, I already have a very good idea. It won''t take much time to be able to confront Elite Jounins while using just Lightning jutsus thanks to my strong basics.


    Anyway, as long as I injure either of them badly enough, it should be enough to force Hiruzen to recall Tsunade to the vige temporarily. I can take the opportunity to get her help to increase my cellr activity.''


    With his decision finalized, Fujin continued his training. He rested long enough for the tiredness from opening the First Gate to disappear.


    For the next few days, Fujin followed a different pattern. He stopped practicing his Wind Domain. Instead, he trained his body in the morning and followed it up by training the Flying Thunder God for the rest of his day. However, he opened the Gate of Opening twice daily with a long time between them to get used to it.


    A weekter, Fujin was sitting inside the Meditation room in his house in a meditative position. Suddenly, he opened his eyes and muttered, "Today''s the day."


    He took an rm clock and ced it in front of him, setting the timer for 5 minutes. Almost instantly, the Gate of Opening opened and a surge of chakra appeared around Fujin.


    Fujin had been able to open the Gate of Opening at will on the 4th day of practice. On the 6th day, he had be capable of keeping it open for 2 minutes straight while he moved around at a rapid speed and wreaked havoc in the training ground. His fists and legs did hurt a lot when he hit trees and rocks, but he could endure the pain and heal themter.


    After opening the Gate of Opening, Fujin closed his eyes again and kept meditating. He was aiming to keep the Gate open for 5 minutes straight. He had barely missed on his previous try, reaching 4 minutes and 48 seconds. Hence, he was quite confident about it.


    Slowly, the time ticked. 1 minute passed, then two, then four. Fujin felt a slight strain on his body, but it was nothing he couldn''t bear. He stayed in his meditative posture.


    Finally, the rm sounded in his room. A smile appeared on Fujin''s face. He met the conditions set by Guy. Almost immediately, he began bombarding the chakra point for the Gate of Healing.


    Just like the earlier Chakra Point, this one resisted as well. Fujin continued bombardment. However, even after 30 seconds of bombardment, the chakra point didn''t show any signs of giving in. Fujin stopped the bombardment and the Gate of Opening closed.


    Fujin''s breathing became rough. He thought, ''Well, this is tough. The resistance is much higher. However, that isn''t an issue. The issue is that I have to keep the First Gate open. Only then can I try this. So I can only try this two or three times a day for 5 to 6 minutes each time. Looks like opening the Gate of Healing will take some time.''


    Fujin got up and went to rest. He continued with the same training pattern. The only change was that he kept bombarding the second chakra point whenever he opened the Gate of Opening.

 Chapter 433: Dimensional Void

    In his basement, Fujin and several Shadow Clones were sitting in a meditative position. Each one of them faced a pir or the walls which had one Flying Thunder God seal marking on them. Fujin''s body was tired from opening the Gate of Opening and trying to open the Gate of Healing. As such, he and his shadow clones focused on the Flying Thunder God technique. Despite having felt that a breakthrough was close, the breakthrough eluded Fujin for a month!


    As they meditated, one Shadow Clone suddenly felt a change. He kept his eyes closed and focused entirely on the seal in front of him.


    In a few seconds, some chakra disappeared from his body. Almost instantly, a small portion of the chakra that had disappeared from his body appeared on the Flying Thunder God Seal in front of him. A glee appeared on his face as he thought, ''I see, so this is how space-time travel happens¡­''


    The clone closed his eyes and recalled how the process happened. He thought, ''When the chakra exited my body, it entered a different dimension. It was able to somehow move through it because I could sense the marking in front of me. This is exactly what is mentioned in the scroll.


    The scroll stated that after Tobirama wasn''t satisfied with just using Reverse Summoning for Flying Thunder God, he kept researching more about Space-Time Ninjutsu. However, it was mostly a dead-end. Only after finding this dimension, did Tobirama make a breakthrough and create a true teleportation technique that is usable in battle. The scroll says that Tobirama named this as Dimensional Void.


    But¡­ What is this dimension? The scroll doesn''t mention how Tobirama found or even sensed this dimension. It doesn''t even say anything about what this dimension is. It only says that the dimension can only be essed with the Flying Thunder God Seal and that travelling through it isn''tpletely safe.''


    The clone thought for a few minutes before letting out a sigh. He muttered to himself, ''This world is still so full of mysteries. Even someone like Hiruzen is unaware of the fact that all the chakra we use originated from Kaguya. And she is from a crazy strong n. Who knows what mysteries are involved with the Otsutsuki n? And that is just the start. How many such mysteries exist in this universe?


    Even just restricting myself to this, there is so much that no one knows. Why are there so many chakra-rich resources in this world? Do resources like those exist on every or is this special for some reason? What is this dimension that can be used for space-time travel? What is the extent of this dimension? Does it only cover this or does it cover the entire universe? Why do some symbolsing together form a unique power that allows us to ess this dimension?


    Even though I have be a Grandmaster in Fuinjutsu, I still don''t understand why these symbols have such power. I don''t think anyone else does as well. Sigh, so many mysteries. I wonder if I will ever get to the bottom of this¡­ Anyway, time to test it.''


    The clone raised his left hand slightly and brought it to his chest height. The Flying Thunder God seal appeared on his palm. Soon, a Wind Explosion Sphere formed on top of his left palm.


    The chakra fluctuations due to creating a jutsu were sensed by everyone in the basement. Immediately, Fujin and all his clones spanned out of their meditative states and observed the clone who was creating the jutsu. All couldn''t help but wonder, ''Did heplete the first part of this third step?''


    Despite wondering that, no one disturbed the Shadow Clone. The clone, who had formed the Wind Explosion Sphere, had his entire attention focused on it. In front of everyone''s gazes, the Wind Explosion Sphere disappeared!


    Everyone''s eyes widened. The jutsu hadn''t dissipated. Instead, it had disappeared from the room. The Wind Explosion Sphere appeared in the Dimensional Void. However, before the clone could make it appear at the Flying Thunder God Seal in front of him, the jutsu dissipated in the Dimensional Void. Nothing reached the seal in front of him.


    A frown formed on the face of the clone as he analyzed, ''The warnings were true. Even though I can now sense the Dimensional Void, moving through it is still very difficult. Wind Explosion Sphere is a very unstable jutsu and uses very little chakra. I need something more solid¡­''


    The clone focused on his left palm again. He released the chakra and it began rotating rapidly. Soon, a Rasengan formed in his left hand. Just like the Wind Explosion Sphere, the Rasengan disappeared from the basement as well. It appeared in the Dimensional Void.


    The clone immediately sensed the Flying Thunder God Seal in front of him and had the Rasengan move towards it. Unfortunately, the Rasengan began crumbling as well. Only some chakra made it through and hit the pir in front of him, causing a small explosion.


    The eyes of everyone in the room glittered. The clone had indeed had a breakthrough. However, the clone wasn''t satisfied. He analyzed, ''It looks like this will require a lot of practice as well. The second part of this third step, huh? That said, I''m interested in seeing what this Dimensional Void is and how things move through it. Experiencing it will makepleting this step a bit easier.''


    He closed his eyes again and focused on himself. A secondter, he disappeared from the basement. Once again, no one in the basement could sense where he went.


    The clone appeared in the Dimensional Void and opened his eyes. His eyes widened in shock as he realized, ''What an intense pressure! My body can''t move an inch! How can I even move in this dimension?''


    The clone was confused. The pressure was too intense. Even if he became stronger in the future, he didn''t see himself being able to move around in the Dimensional Void.


    The clone immediately unleashed most of his chakra to resist the pressure. Unfortunately, it wasn''t much help. He still couldn''t move. However, his eyes moved rapidly trying to absorb any information he could. At the same time, his mind tried to sense the seal markings he had created.


    Immediately, the clone noticed two things. The first was the dimension itself. There was nothing in the dimension at all! Even light wasn''t present there! The clone couldn''t see anything. However, as a ninja, light wasn''t something he relied on entirely. His eyes glowed and he focused chakra on his ears and nose as well. However, he still couldn''t see, hear or smell anything.


    He thought, ''No wonder Tobirama named this as the Dimensional Void. There is nothing here. Or at least, there is nothing here that a rank S ninja is capable of sensing.


    That said, this is indeed a surprise. I thought that we would have to move through this dimension in order to be able to teleport in the Naruto world. I assumed that either I would be able to travel in this dimension at the speed of light, allowing me to move like I am teleporting, or the speed at which time flows in this world would be far faster, creating a simr effect.


    However, I can''t even move my body in this dimension. Instead, I can clearly sense all the markings that are within 1.05 kilometer range from the ce I was sitting at. I just have to decide which marking to select and I can teleport there at will¡­ Or rather, I will be able to do so in the future.


    In other words, these markings act as portals. Or rather, the seal on my body and any marking I choosee together and act as a portal using this dimension as the medium, allowing me to teleport. Hmm, can this be called teleportation? Tough to say. Regardless, the effect is indeed simr.''


    The clone focused his mind on the marking on the pir in front of him and tried leaving the Dimensional Void through it. Unfortunately, he couldn''t do so. Finally, his body couldn''t handle the intense pressure and he was dispelled.


    Though the clone had experienced a lot, he didn''t actually spend a lot of time in it. He was in the Dimensional Void for less than a second! As soon as he was dispelled, his memories were transferred to Fujin and the remaining Shadow Clones.

 Chapter 434: The Complicated Third Step

    Fujin quickly analyzed his Shadow Clone''s memories. He let out a sigh at the questions that his clone had wondered about. Unfortunately, he wasn''t strong enough yet to resolve those mysteries. Though they weren''t as miraculous as his transmigration, they were still concepts beyond his current strength. However, unlike his transmigration, Fujin was hopeful that he would figure out these mysteries in the future.


    He quickly removed those thoughts from his head and focused on the Flying Thunder God jutsu. He let out a sigh and muttered, "I had a feeling that I would experience a breakthrough only two weeks after I began practicing the third step.


    To think that I would need another month of training to actually achieve that breakthrough! And, that is when I kept training with 15 Shadow Clones. That is equivalent to training for 16 months. No wonder such a technique didn''t exist before Shadow Clone jutsu was created. Who''d spend so much time on this while your n was constantly at war?"


    Having analyzed the information, Fujin dispelled his Shadow Clones. All their experience and analysis poured into Fujin''s brain. He spent a few minutes getting his thoughts together.


    He analyzed, ''The first two steps to learn the Flying Thunder God were straightforward. However, the third step is quiteplicated. In fact, it is further divided into four more steps.


    The first step is to sense the Dimensional Void and send my chakra into it. Sensing my markings from the Dimensional Void is also a part of this step. It took me a month and a half toplete this step.


    The second step is to transport a jutsu through the Dimensional Void. Unfortunately, only the jutsus where chakra is concentrated can be transported through the Dimensional Void. Jutsus like Infinite Breakthrough jutsu will directly copse in the Dimensional Void.


    The reason for this should be the intense pressure my clone felt. I will have to add ayer of chakra coating to my jutsus for them to maintain their forms while transporting through the void. Now that I think about it, Rasengan and its elemental forms will be perfect for travelling through the Dimensional Void. They are made purely of chakra and hence don''t need any suchyer of protection.


    Once I befortable with this step, I''ll be able to teleport Rasengan with the help of the Flying Thunder God jutsu. I wonder if this was one of the reasons why Minato created the Rasengan.


    Still, this second step is just so that I can get used to moving Space-Time teleportation. It isn''t practical to sneak jutsus through this for several reasons. For starters, most jutsus can''t travel through the Dimensional Void. And more importantly, momentum isn''t conserved during this teleportation.


    So if I randomly send a jutsu to one of my markings, the jutsu will just copse or explode on reaching the marking. Sigh, this shatters my dream of firing Vacuum Bullets through these markings. How cool would that have been¡­


    The only way this would be useful is if someone is carrying something with my marking or is directly marked by me. In that case, I can just create Rasengan, teleport it to that marking, have it explode on their body and just keep spamming it until they die.


    Hmm, I wonder if the Rinnegan can absorb ninjutsus instinctively¡­ If not, I can even kill Nagato if I am able to mark his real body. Only Obito might be tough to deal with as I am not sure if I can sense the markings in his Kamui Dimension. Perhaps I could cooperate with Kakashi and have a few Shadow Clones active in that dimension to attack him once he is marked. Sigh, that bastard is so difficult to kill.


    That said, the biggest advantage of this step is probably defense. I can just send any attacksing at me into the Dimensional Void. It doesn''t matter if those attacks can survive in the Dimensional Void or not, I will stay safe. Though it takes some chakra to transport attacks here, the chakra needed is just a fraction of what is needed to form jutsus. Unless my opponent is a Tailed Beast or a Jinchuriki, I won''t have to worry about running out of chakra.


    The best part is that if I have already marked my enemy and he attacks me with a jutsu that I can transport through the Dimensional Void, then I can hurt or kill them with their own attacks! Hehe, if I be capable of teleporting a Tailed Beast Bomb, it''d be hrious if I teleport it back to the Tailed Beast''s body. That would be fun to watch, haha.


    Anyway, once I amfortable with this second step, I can move on to the third step, which is having my Shadow Clones teleport through the Dimensional Void. Until my Shadow Clones can teleport with 100% uracy for a month, I shouldn''t try it with my real body. Only after a month of experimentation with no problem, I can try the fourth step, which is doing it with my main body.


    At that point, this technique can be considered as sessfully learnt. I will only have to improve it further by increasing the range up to where I can sense my markings and the range of teleporting as well. Being able to teleport across countries¡­ Sigh, that will take some time. However, it should be doable considering that even those three could do so. After all, Mei was quite far away from the battlefield that Madara was on and they still managed to sense the marking and send her there.''


    Fujin looked around in his basement. He analyzed, ''Though I do have a lot of seals here, I doubt they can endure a barrage of Rasengan. I will need to increase the protection.''


    Fujin made the confrontation hand seal. Immediately, several seals on the walls and pirs began glowing. One shadow clone appeared next to Fujin. He moved to the center of the basement and sat there. Immediately, several seals appeared on the floor and the ceiling with the Shadow Clone at the center. Immediately, a barrier appeared and covered the walls, pirs, floor and ceiling in the basement. With the barrier, Fujin no longer had any worries.


    Fujin created a new set of Shadow Clones to assist him in training. All of them began trying to teleport a Rasengan to the markings in front of them.


    All their attempts were unsessful as Fujin wasn''t used to Dimensional Void yet. Only a small amount of chakra reached the markings, causing a series of small explosions in the basement. Fortunately, the barrier ensured that his house was undamaged. Unfortunately, Fujin overlooked one important factor.


    Fujin dispelled his clones as his breathing became heavy. He cursed, ''Shit! I forgot that my chakra reserves won''t be able to sustain a continuous barrage of Rasengan! Not to mention, keeping the barrier up while enduring a barrage of small explosions burned the clone''s chakra rapidly as well. I''m already empty.''


    There was no helping it. Even Naruto wouldn''t be able to sustain a Rasengan Barrage for more than a few minutes unless Kurama provides him with his chakra continuously. For Fujin, sustaining it for even a few minutes with 15 Shadow Clones was too difficult. Even more so when the Rasengan had to be sent to the Dimensional Void since that required chakra as well.


    Fujin sighed and decided, ''I guess I have to stick to the Wind Explosion Sphere. It''ll be a lot harder to do than the Rasengan. But it won''t be very chakra exhaustive and I won''t need to use a barrier as the normal strengthening seals should be sufficient to shrug off the damage due to some winds.''


    Fujin took a break and continued his training once his chakra had recovered. Even though Wind Explosion Sphere consumed just a fraction of the chakra aspared to Rasengan, it still burned Fujin''s chakra very quickly. As such, his speed of training the Flying Thunder God jutsu slowed.


    However, his progress with the Gate of Healing was steady. Three dayster, he managed to open the Gate of Healing for the first time!

 Chapter 435: Gate of Healing

    Sitting in his basement, Fujin observed his own body with amazement. He analyzed, ''Wow! I only had 75% of my chakra left. In an instant, it recoveredpletely. In addition, it has also increased further by 50% temporarily. I''m not sure how much, but I can feel that my physical strength has increased as well.''


    Fujin closed both the Inner Gates and took a few breaths. Soon, he felt a wave of exhaustion and an intense hunger. He thought, ''No wonder Guy said that we need to eat a lot after opening the Gate of Healing. It feels like every cell in my body is exhausted.


    Getting used to this Gate will take some time as well if I have to wait for my body to recover properly every time I open this Gate. It looks like I should open the Gate of Healing only when my chakra reserves are full and I''m properly rested.


    That way, no energy would be required to recover my stamina and chakra and the bacsh would be reduced greatly. So, I can recover quickly.


    Still, the Eight Inner Gates is far more sophisticated than I thought. The First Inner Gate allows our body to function at 100%. The Second Inner Gate recovers Chakra and Stamina. During a fight, if higher-level Inner Gates are opened, the lower ones stay open as well.


    It implies that while fighting, the chakra level and stamina will always be preserved at the highest levels. As long as the body can keep the Inner Gates open, I will have limitless Chakra and Stamina. In a way, the First and the Second Inner Gates provide the perfect base for fighting.


    Even my minor injuries will be healed so that I don''t face any obstacles in fighting. So as long as my body doesn''t crumble or I don''t take any major injuries, I will be able to fight at my strongest level. Of course, the bacsh of doing so would be crazy as well. Instead of doing that, it would be better to just teleport away.''


    Fujin was very tempted by the possible advantages gained by using the Gate of Opening and Gate of Healing. Unfortunately, the bacsh was just as bad. As such, Fujin was in no hurry to try it out.


    He analyzed, ''Regardless, the buffs from these two Inner Gates are sufficient to raise a normal ninja and put him on an equal or even higher footing than the ones who have Kekkei Genkai. Only something ridiculous like the Mangekyou Sharingan is stronger, but how many ninjas unlock the Mangekyou Sharingan in every generation?


    Byparison, anyone who is willing to put in the hard work can learn how to open the first two Inner Gates! If Hiruzen can find children who are willing to work hard and influence them to keep training hard enough, then it might be possible to raise several dozen ninjas who can open the Gates of Opening and Healing.


    Still, why didn''t someone like Danzo implement this in Root? Could it be just because Root prefers to hide in the darkness? Despite being strong, the Eight Inner Gates isn''t very helpful in that regard. Still, that reason isn''t good enough to reject this idea. Especially considering that Might Duy was able to kill four of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. I wonder if there are any more issues in training such a force...


    Anyway, I needed just a couple of minutes to open the Gate of Opening. The Gate of Healing needed only 6 days. I wonder how much time the Gate of Life will take.


    I have a feeling that it will take more than just having a strong body to open more Inner Gates. Otherwise, there would have been a lot of other ninjas who practiced the Eight Inner Gates technique. Well, whatever. I''ll get used to the Gate of Healing first and then see. After all, the Gate of Healing is why I wanted to learn the Eight Inner Gates in the first ce.


    From the Gate of Life, the bacsh is very intense. Even if I manage to learn them, I''m better off never using them in battle. Perhaps I should improve my healing skills first. I wonder if Tsunade''s Mitotic Regeneration can heal the damage from the bacsh¡­''


    Fujin thought for a bit before he shook his head. He thought, ''On second thought, that technique forcibly creates new cells, shortening the lifespan of the user. While it might heal the damage, it isn''t without its bacshes either. And there is no guarantee that all the damage will be healed. Leave it. I''ll focus on getting ustomed to the Gate of Healing and then try whether that idea is possible. If it is, then my Eight Inner Gates would be a lot scarier than Guy''s.''


    Fujin stopped analyzing and began resting. For the next 4 days, Fujin didn''t try opening any of the Inner Gates. His body needed rest due to having extracted a lot of energy from his cells. Forcibly opening the Inner Gates would have resulted in the bacsh that Guy had stated. Fujin focused entirely on training his body and the Flying Thunder God jutsu on these four days.


    On the 5th day, Fujin''s body finally felt energetic. However, as a precaution, he didn''t open the Inner Gates for one whole week. As soon as the week was up, Fujin began opening the Inner Gates and getting his body ustomed to it. He ensured that his chakra reserves were full and his body was properly rested before opening the Gates to avoid triggering the bacsh of the Gate of Healing. As a result, he could open the two Inner Gates twice every day!


    Five dayster, Fujin became capable of keeping the Gate of Healing open for 5 minutes while he meditated and 2 minutes while he fought and reached the conditions set by Guy. However, he wasn''t in a hurry to go to Guy and work on opening the Gate of Life. Instead, he took the day off and returned to his training ground the next day.


    Instead of training his body, Fujin stood still on the training ground. He thought, ''Though Guy is ridiculously strong when he uses the Eight Inner Gates, he only uses Taijutsu. Opening the Inner Gates not only improves the body, it also increases the chakra levels temporarily. We can supercharge jutsus with far more chakra than normal.


    Though Guy isn''tpletely without talent and can use Elemental Ninjutsus, his level of Ninjutsu is obviously nowhere near his Taijutsu level. So, it is understandable why he never uses Ninjutsu after opening the Inner Gates. However, my situation is the opposite. I am far better at Ninjutsu than Taijutsu. If I can use Ninjutsu while having my Inner Gates open, my strength will be in an entirely different league!''


    Fujin was very excited just by the possibility of doing that. He immediately opened the Gate of Opening. Just like he had experienced dozens of times, Fujin''s chakra reserves increased and chakra began surging around him. His body began performing at 100% of its capability. He took a deep breath.


    ''Wind Release: Infinite Breakthrough jutsu''


    Fujin built up his chakra and was about to blow when he suddenly stopped. A frown appeared on his face. He muttered to himself, ''That''s weird.''


    Fujin closed his eyes and focused on the chakra flowing through his body. He analyzed, ''My chakra is very erratic. No, rather, it is in a state of hyper-activity. Hence, it wasn''t manipted properly as usual. But, why didn''t I face any problem in manipting chakra earlier?''


    Fujin took a deep breath again and decided to use the jutsu again to properly inspect himself.


    ''Wind Release: Infinite Breakthrough jutsu''


    Unfortunately, the same thing happened. The chakra in his body didn''t knead urately enough to form the jutsu. The frown on Fujin''s face deepened.


    Immediately, the chakra in his body became concentrated on his right fist. Fujin punched a rock that was next to him, obliterating it into pieces!


    He analyzed, ''Strange, very strange! My chakra flows very smoothly when I''m manipting it to assist my Taijutsu. The Strong Fist Style is working subconsciously while I can use the Senju Taijutsu Style at will as well.


    However, when I try to manipte the chakra for forming a Ninjutsu, it doesn''t work! Hmm, could it be because the way chakra moves while assisting in Taijutsu is very simple and something that is supported instinctively, whereas manipting it for creating Ninjutsus is unnatural and hence not supported by my body instinctively?


    After all, we do need to use Hand Seals to guide the chakra inside our body to be able to create jutsus. Hmm, let me try that.''


    This time, Fujin weaved hand seals for the Infinite Breakthrough jutsu to create the jutsu. Unfortunately, he felt the same obstacle once again and failed in his attempt.

 Chapter 436: Drawback of Eight Inner Gates

    Despite weaving hand seals, Fujin still couldn''t perform the Infinite Breakthrough jutsu. Fujin muttered to himself, ''I still failed? Hmm, this feeling¡­ It feels familiar... I remember it now! It almost feels like the first time I tried a new jutsu. Even if I weave hand signs, I won''t be able to perform it unless that jutsu is very simr to another jutsu that I know.


    Still¡­ Why am I getting that feeling? Is it because of the hyperactive nature of the chakra flowing in my body? Let me see if I can use simpler jutsus.''


    Fujin tried using the Wind Explosion Sphere jutsu. The result didn''t change. Not wanting to give up, Fujin tried using Gale jutsu, the simplest Wind jutsu he was aware of. To his surprise, even that didn''t work.


    Fujin had a peculiar expression on his face. He closed the Gate of Opening and muttered while chuckling, "Never in a million years would I have imagined that I would fail to use the Gale jutsu."


    The situation was too awkward for Fujin. While he had expected some difficulty in using high-level jutsus, he hadn''t expected to fail at rank E jutsus.


    Fujin tried thinking about what went wrong while he rested his body. Though he thought of a few reasons, he wasn''t sure which was the real reason. He sighed and decided, ''There is no point in randomly specting. I''ll directly ask Guy. Though he focuses on Taijutsu, it''ll be weird if he never tried or considered using Ninjutsu while having the Inner Gates open.''


    Fujin disappeared from his training ground and arrived at the training ground where Guy trained after flickering a few times. To his surprise, Guy was training alone. Fujin raised his left eyebrow and asked, "Where are your students?"


    Guy was pleasantly surprised to see Fujin. The two hadn''t sparred for a few weeks. He said, "I trained them a bit too much yesterday and decided to give them a day off. Though they are young, it will still take some time for their youthfulness to bloompletely. Anyway, It''s good to see you again, Fujin. Did you master how to open the Gate of Healing?"


    Fujin wondered, ''This guy gives a day off? Those three should be in terrible shape for this monster to take pity on them.''


    He nodded and answered, "Yeah. I managed to do it yesterday. But I am facing one issue."


    Guy became serious. He asked, "What issue did you face?"


    The Eight Inner Gates was a forbidden technique. Facing issues while using it could result in serious injuries. So, Guy didn''t dare to take it lightly. However, Fujin''s answer caused a peculiar expression to appear on Guy''s face.


    Fujin said, "I tried using Ninjutsu while having the Gate of Opening opened. However, I failed to perform even the rank E jutsus. Is there any reason why we can''t use Ninjutsus along with Eight Inner Gates? Or do we have to use them in a different way?"


    Guy merely stared at Fujin. He couldn''t believe what he had just heard. This was his first time facing someone who was learning a forbidden jutsu and wasn''t satisfied with it even before he had actually learnt itpletely. He wondered aloud, "You want to use Ninjutsu while using the Eight Inner Gates?"


    Fujin ignored his surprise and nodded. He answered, "Yes. Our chakra surges considerably on opening the Inner Gates. I was nning to use that excess chakra to supercharge my jutsus."


    Guy shook his head and said, "That''s impossible. No, that won''t be correct. Even though it is possible, it will be very difficult to do so. The difficulty is so high that it can be considered impossible."


    Fujin asked, "Why?"


    Guy answered, "Your body and mind aren''t used to controlling the flow of chakra in your body when the Gate of Opening is opened. Trying to mold chakra in that state is the same as trying to learn how to mold your chakra when you tried it for the first time.


    You would have required several weeks, if not months to learn your first jutsu. If you want to use Ninjutsu while using the Eight Inner Gates, you''ll have to devote a simr amount of time to relearn your jutsus.


    Unfortunately, that is impossible. You can only keep the gates open for a few minutes in a day. And from the Gate of Healing, opening a Gate has an intense bacsh associated with it. So, there is no way you can have that much time to train your jutsus.


    Not to mention, the flow of chakra inside your body changes every time you open an Inner Gate. So, it is different for when you only open the Gate of Opening aspared to if you open the Gate of Opening and the Gate of Healing. The differences only increase as you open more Inner Gates. So, even if you train yourself to be able to use Ninjutsu after opening the Gate of Opening, you won''t be able to use Ninjutsus when you open more Inner Gates."


    Fujin analyzed Guy''s words. Guy''s reasoning was one of Fujin''s spections. However, Fujin hadn''t analyzed it deeply as he had several spections andcked proper information to be so precise. After some time, he sighed and said, "That makes sense. I had a feeling that I was molding my chakra for the first time as well."


    He thought, ''That sucks. I guess using Ninjutsu along with Eight Inner Gates won''t be possible.''


    Fujin looked at Guy and asked, "But why is it that we are able to use Strong Fist Style so easily then?"


    Guy answered, "I already told you, the Strong Fist Style is just training hard enough for your chakra to fuse with your body naturally. So, it is something your body does instinctively. This is amplified further when your body bes able to function at 100% of its capability.


    However, you can''t use Ninjutsu instinctively. As you know, Ninjutsu requires you to carefully and properly mold the chakra inside your body in a certain way for those jutsus to form. It is so unnatural that we have to use hand seals to guide the chakra inside our body to create the jutsus.


    Though opening the Inner Gates increases your chakra temporarily, you can only use that chakra in the rudimentary form. You can use chakra control to create attacks that improve your Taijutsu, like say using stronger punches and kicks or strengthening your body. As for Ninjutsu, unless there is a jutsu that doesn''t require you to mold your chakra inside your body, you won''t be able to use any Ninjutsu. Unfortunately, I''m not aware of any such jutsu."


    Fujin immediately memorized his words. He thought, ''A jutsu that doesn''t require molding chakra inside my body¡­ I think I might just know a few¡­ That said, all of them are veryplicated. It is difficult to say whether I would be able to use them while having Inner Gates opened...''


    He replied, "Alright. Thanks, Guy. Can I start opening the Gate of Life right away? Or do I need to do something before it?"


    Guy replied, "Your body should be strong enough to open the Gate of Life. However, I should warn you one thing."


    Fujin became serious and asked, "What is it?"


    Guy answered, "Opening the Gate of Healing and the Gate of Opening isn''t very difficult and only depends on whether your body is strong enough. But, from the Gate of Life, just having a strong body isn''t enough. You need the will and determination of wanting to surpass yourself and be willing to subject your body to intense pain and pressure.


    That is why ninjas who specialize in Ninjutsu and are geniuses at it don''t seed at Eight Inner Gates. They have already reached the top with merely their Ninjutsu skills. So, they don''t have the same determination as someone who depends only on Taijutsu. You may fall in that category too, Fujin."


    Guy''s words made Fujin think once again. Guy was right. Fujin had reached a very high level with the help of his speed and Wind jutsus. Once the Wind Domain reached an appropriate level, Fujin would be even more fearsome on the battlefield. With the Flying Thunder God, he''d more or less be invincible on the battlefield.


    As such, he didn''t desire the higher levels of the Eight Inner Gates technique as much as the likes of Guy and Lee. In a few years, Fujin would be capable of fighting against Guy even if Guy opened the Sixth Inner Gate. With the Flying Thunder God, he didn''t even need to fear the Gate of Death. He could just escape and wait for Guy to die by himself.


    Of course, even though he didn''t desire it as much as Guy, he didn''t have any excuse for not learning the technique. As such, Fujin would give his all. He grinned and said, "Don''t worry, Guy. I''ll be opening it. Just tell me what to do."

 Chapter 437: A Desire to Kill!

    Guy grinned and gave Fujin a thumbs up. He said, "Good! I''m impressed by the power of youth in you, Fujin! The process of opening the Gate of Life is the same. You just have to bombard the chakra point until you can open it.


    The only difference is that the blockade is much stronger. It''ll require a great deal of determination and will also be a painful process. The way to make this process easier is by increasing the intensity of your training by several times. So focus on doing that. You cane and find me to spar as well to push yourself more. Only when you constantly push your body beyond your limits, can you open the Gate of Life."


    Fujin sighed internally and thought, ''I had a feeling that just having a strong body wouldn''t be sufficient. Surpassing my limits¡­


    That would have been easier to do when my body was still quite weak. It looks like opening the Inner Gates would be easier when the body is just barely strong enough to allow the respective Inner Gates to be opened. It''ll be much harder for me. No wonder Lee progressed so rapidly. The body requirements for the initial five Inner Gates shouldn''t be too high. From the Sixth Gate onwards, it will be very difficult.


    Oh well, even if I don''t open a lot of the remaining Inner Gates, just this training should make my body much stronger. So there isn''t any loss.''


    Fujin nodded and said, "Alright, Guy. I''ll keep working towards it. I had just opened the Gate of Opening though. So I''ll find you tomorrow to spar."


    Guy nodded and said, "Alright. Get good rest and let your youth explode tomorrow!"


    He gave Fujin his trademark grin and the thumbs up. Fujin smiled and took his leave.


    After returning home, Fujin wondered, ''A jutsu that doesn''t require chakra to be manipted carefully inside our body¡­ Fortunately, I do know a few of them and can learn a few more. Rasengan, Wind Domain and Wind Style Genjutsu all work by first releasing the chakra outside my body and then manipting it. The Elemental forms of Rasengan are also the same. Does that mean that I can use those jutsus even after opening the Inner Gates?


    Hmm, I need to test it out. It will be very beneficial to be able to perform them. Rasengan will give me a very strong frontal attack. While punching and kicking is good, having an attack like Rasengan would be more helpful, at least until I can open thest three Inner Gates.


    Though Rasengan has the disadvantage of needing to m it into the enemy, punches and kicks have the same issue as well. Not to mention, thanks to my speed buffs from opening the Inner Gates, there wouldn''t be many ninjas who are faster than me. So that disadvantage won''t matter much.


    Wind Domain will add variety to my attack and make me more unpredictable. And, Wind Style Genjutsu can help me catch my opponent off guard. After all, who''d have time to consider Genjutsu when your opponent is opening the Inner Gates?''


    Fujin began resting his body. Since he hadn''t kept the Gate of Opening open till he reached his limit the previous time when he experimented, he didn''t need to wait half a day. After a few hours, he had rested enough to open the Gate of Opening once again.


    Fujin entered his basement and opened the Gate of Opening. Immediately, he raised his right palm and released chakra from the chakra points on his right palm. He controlled the chakra to rotate at a very high speed.


    Soon, a shape simr to the Rasengan formed. However, it wasn''t a proper sphere. The chakra ball in Fujin''s right hand was still very unstable. Fujin observed, ''Hmm, my control over it isn''t perfect. It looks like it''ll explode at any point.


    Still, this is far better than Wind jutsus. With some practice, I should be able to use the Rasengan while having the Inner Gates opened. The only question is whether it''ll change when I open more gates¡­ Oh well, time to test out the Wind Domain.''


    The Rasengan dispersed. Fujin began emitting chakra into the basement. As it left his body, Fujin''s chakra transformed into wind and mixed into the air in the basement. The process happened too smoothly, surprising Fujin.


    Fujin muttered, "This is just too smooth!"


    Fujin immediately focused on the winds flowing in front of him. Soon, a w made of wind appeared in front of him. It grabbed one of the pirs and sharp winds began hitting the wind. Fortunately, the pir was strengthened and protected by too many seals. As such, no damage was done to the pir.


    Fujin analyzed, ''Not bad. Though my control is a bit unsteady, this is still very good. The important factor is that the time needed to perform the jutsus hasn''t been reduced. For Rasengan, I need to improve my control. Whereas, for the Wind Domain, I''m not able to form as many sharp winds as I can normally.


    So it is a bit less potent, but it still has the ability to do a lot of damage. After all, I only need one good sh to kill my enemy. Regardless, this is very good. It is as if the Wind Domain is instinctual for me... I wonder if I can create Vacuum Cores as well.''


    Considering the instability, Fujin didn''t want to risk creating a Vacuum Core inside his mouth. He raised his right palm once again. He started creating a Vacuum Core to create the Vacuum Sphere jutsu. Though he wouldn''t be able to use his own chakra to form a wind sphere around it, he could easily do so with the help of the Wind Domain.


    Unfortunately, while Fujin was attempting, the core exploded! Fujin immediately moved far away from it. Thanks to having the Gate of Opening open, reacting quickly and moving at a fast speed wasn''t an issue for him. As such, he was unharmed.


    Fujin analyzed, ''Too difficult. Even though a Vacuum Core forms outside my body, it is far more intricate andplicated than a Rasengan which merely requires chakra spinning at a high speed. It looks like I won''t be able to use my Vacuum jutsus with the Eight Inner Gates technique even if I learn how to create Vacuum Cores with the help of the Wind Domain. A shame¡­ These two techniques together would have been very destructive.''


    Suddenly, Fujin''s chakra surged even more! He had opened the Gate of Healing. Immediately, another Ghost Palm formed in front of him. Fujin observed it carefully before stopping. He raised his right palm and formed another Rasengan. After observing it, he stopped and closed both the Inner Gates.


    His breathing became a bit heavy, but a smile could be seen on his face. He analyzed, ''Good! There isn''t much difference in control be it with the First or the Second Gate. It looks like both these jutsus are verypatible with the Eight Inner Gates! Hehe. This will be fun. I wonder who will be the one to force me into using this deadlybo. Regardless, I need to train more.''


    Satisfied with his experiments, Fujin continued his training. He restarted practicing the Wind Domain and split his time between training it, the Flying Thunder God, physical training and sparring with Guy. The only thing that changed was that Fujin would suddenly increase the pressure from his training seal beyond what his body could bear while training to push himself further.


    In the next month, Fujin made rapid progress in Wind Domain. He also became capable of using the Rasengan and the Wind Domain seamlessly while having the Gate of Opening and the Gate of Healing open. Unfortunately, he was stuck in other aspects. Though he improved in teleporting the Wind Explosion Sphere through the Dimensional Void, it hadn''t reached a satisfactory level. More importantly, despite having a strong body, he couldn''t open the Gate of Life.


    Theck of progress in those two aspects caused Fujin some frustration. One day, while he was eating in Ichiraku with Naruto, he muttered to himself, ''It feels like I am in a rut. The constant training with no action is causing me to feel some boredom. I''m missing the constant bloodshed I had engaged in earlier. It feels like my instincts are telling me to go out and kill!''

 Chapter 438: Situation of the Uchiha Clan

    "Oh boy! You should have seen the drama in my ssroom when the eraser Kiba threw hit Ino instead of Shikamaru. All hell broke loose, you know. It was h¡­"


    Unable to finish his story yet again, Naruto burst intoughter. Normally, Fujin would take an interest in Naruto''s pranks. However, today his mind was preupied with his training. He just chuckled in response and let Narutoplete his stories while eating the ramen.


    After some time, Naruto said, "During our recent sparring ss, I managed tond a punch on Sasuke for the first time! He still beat me, but I will defeat him very soon, believe it!"


    Naruto looked at Fujin and asked, "When do you think I can beat him, Fujin?"


    Fujin replied casually, "From what I hear, he''s still quite stronger than you. So don''t get your hopes too high anytime soon. However, if you keep training seriously, you''ll be able to catch up with him and even leave him in the dust in a matter of time. So, just keep training seriously. Though you have learnt two jutsus, you are still struggling with Wind Levitation jutsu."


    During thest couple of months, Naruto had managed to learn Projectile Control jutsu to a sufficient level. Fujin had already taught him the next jutsu. Thanks to the training seal Fujin provided, his physique also made rapid improvements. So he was much more impressive than he was at the start of the series.


    That was even more true in terms of pranks. The students, teachers, and normal citizens in Konoha were all getting more frustrated by the day! Despite their frustration, no one knew that the person behind this change was merely enjoying their misery while he kept training and eating delicious food.


    The only person who linked the dots was Hiruzen. However, since Naruto didn''t trouble him, he didn''t bother looking much into it. He just took precautions to ensure that Fujin didn''t suddenly take an interest in Konohamaru. Unlike Naruto, who tormented the vige, Konohamaru focused entirely on challenging Hiruzen. As such, Hiruzen didn''t want to risk facing the nightmare of a little kid with little control over jutsus targetting him dozens of times daily!


    As for Fujin, he mostly just listened to Naruto describing the sess of his pranks. At times, Fujin sent a Shadow Clone to watch and have some fun, but that was very rare due to his training. Regardless, he enjoyed the entertainment that Naruto brought in.


    Naruto said, "I will keep training hard. Believe it!"


    Naruto''s words about Sasuke made Fujin recall some memories. In thest couple of months, Fujin had sent his clones to the new Uchiha npound. The fact that a few Uchihas survived was a major change to the story he recalled.


    While the kids who survived were unlikely to make an impact with their strength in the Fourth Great Ninja War, they could cause some changes to the future due to their influence on a critical person like Sasuke.


    In the original story, Sasuke was always alone. He was consumed with hatred for Itachi and didn''t have anything to protect. In fact, his hatred was so great that he was willing to sacrifice his second goal, that is, to revive the Uchiha n.


    However, now Sasuke was the de facto leader of a few dozen orphans who represented everything that was left of the Uchiha n. He had a responsibility to guide them. He had a responsibility to protect them. In Fujin''s opinion, that should make Sasuke far more mature than what he remembered.


    On the other hand, since he wasn''t the only survivor, he didn''t need to worry about the Uchiha n disappearing if he died. As such, he could chase after Itachi even more recklessly. So Fujin was very interested in seeing what path Sasuke would take. Would he focus on being a good leader or would he focus entirely on avenging his n? It was a decision that would impact the ns that Fujin would make.


    To understand Sasuke better, Fujin sent his clones to check on the Uchiha n several times. He initially intended to sneak in and check, but the security around thepound was just too good.


    Thepound was protected by a wall which was covered in Fuinjutsu inscribed by a Grandmaster. Four squads of Anbu always kept an eye on thepounds to ensure the safety of the Uchiha orphans. In addition, there were two Hyugas keeping an eye out for any trespassers.


    These three factors working together made it very hard for anyone to sneak in. Even when they changed their shifts, they didn''t let their guard down. While Fujin could still enter sneakily and observe the Uchiha n without anyone noticing, it would require a lot of preparation and would involve some risk. So, he didn''t bother and just showed up openly.


    He imed that he was interested in seeing the students from the Uchiha n. Since he was a Council Member and had a good reputation in the vige and the Anbu, no one turned him away. They allowed his clones to observe and only reported it to Hiruzen who took no action.


    While he was intrigued, he didn''t ask Fujin anything as Fujin had trained and guided young kids by himself several times. If a few Uchiha kids caught Fujin''s eye and he decided to train them like Naruto, Hiruzen would only be pleased. As such, Fujin was allowed to observe as much as he wanted.


    As he observed, Fujin noticed quite a few things. He analyzed, ''Though a lot of Uchiha orphans have survived the massacre. They are still very weak. I guess having this level of protection was something Itachi asked Hiruzen to do to ensure that they could grow up safely.


    Still, Sasuke isn''t much different from what I remember. I can see that he is still consumed by the desire to kill Itachi. And though there are many Uchiha orphans, he is still aloof and only interacts with them when they approach him. Pretty much everything in thepounds is taken care of by the caretakers employed by Hiruzen.


    I guess his future path won''t be much different. In fact, it might make even more sense for him to be willing to sacrifice his body to Orochimaru in return for his promise to kill Itachi. Still, what a shame¡­


    Even though he has so much talent and has a desire burning inside him, he doesn''t train hard enough and doesn''t use that hatred as fuel to grow stronger. If he did, he could rise to the level of a Special Jounin within a year.


    What a waste¡­ That said, the me doesn''t entirely lie with him. He is already at the top of his ss. In fact, no student in the academyes close to matching him. And he has no idea how strong Itachi and the other strong ninjas are. So, I guess he just doesn''t see any need to train harder and wouldn''t see it unless someone from the Academy challenges him or he sees how strong Elite Jounins can be.''


    As Fujin recalled his analysis, he couldn''t help but shake his head. He thought, ''Despite having Naruto and Sasuke, two students who were at the peak of the world in terms of talent, Konoha didn''t bother assigning anyone to train them properly and push them to be stronger.


    Then again, this is just because no one knows their true talent. I wonder what Hiruzen would have done had he known how strong both of them would grow in the future¡­''


    Fujin and Naruto were done eating. Naruto ran out of funny stories to tell as well. Fujin looked at Naruto and said, "Naruto, I''ll be out of the vige for some time. So you won''t see me at my house for probably a couple of weeks. Feel free to use the training ground if you want though. Keep working on your training. By the time I am back, you should manage to cut the leaf entirely and do leaf concentration for 90 minutes."


    Naruto was curious. He said, "I will train hard, believe it! Are you going out for a mission?"


    Fujin nodded.


    Naruto had a look of curiosity and longing as he said, "I have never been out of the vige. I wonder how it is outside."


    Fujin chuckled and responded, "Just train hard and be a strong ninja. You can then see as much of the world as you want."


    Naruto nodded and imed, "I will be strong enough. Believe it!"


    Fujin chuckled and said, "I do. Now go and continue your training."


    Naruto immediately left. Fujin left as well. He sent a clone to inform Guy of his absence and strolled towards the Mission Center in the Hokage''s Building.

 Chapter 439: Return of the Bandit Exterminator!

    Upon entering the mission center, a familiar face appeared in front of Fujin. A face he hadn''t seen for quite a few years. Shichiro looked at Fujin in surprise. He said, "I haven''t seen you here in a long time. It''s good to see you again. Do you need any help?"


    He thought, ''Thest time I saw him, he was only a Chunin. Now, three yearster, he has be an Elite Jounin and is also a council member. What rapid progress!''


    Fujin smiled and said, "It''s good to see you again, Shichiro. I''m just bored from staying in the vige and want to kill some time. Do you have any bandit elimination missions inside the Land of Fire?"


    Fujin''s question caught Shichiro by surprise. He chuckled, "This brings back the memories of the Bandit Exterminators. I recall how unwilling you three used to be to ept these missions. I never thought you''d willingly ask for them.''


    Fujin chuckled as well and replied, "I''m just bored. Thought I''d help out a bit in this regard. Just give me the missions that are located in one area. Also, give any missions that involve killing rogue ninjas in the same area. The rank of the mission doesn''t matter as long as I don''t have to interact with anyone."


    Shichiro nodded. He was aware that Elite Jounins would frequently go on rank S missions by themselves. He quickly took out every elimination mission that existed in the southern part of the Land of Fire.


    Fujin epted the missions and went through the files one by one. He analyzed, ''Hmm, these bandit camps target the trading route between Konoha and the Lands of Noodles and Tea. Didn''t Hiruzen create two camps along their borders?''


    As Fujin read more mission files, he realized, ''I see. Due to the establishment of those two camps, the trade between the three countries has blossomed. The Land of Tea and the Land of Noodles even took advantage of the situation and increased their trade rtions taking advantage of the safe conditions created by Konoha. The Land of Fire benefits as well due to the transit tax these two countries pay.


    However, since the trade has increased so much, it has attracted more bandits and rogue ninjas, especially from the Land of Water. No wonder the two camps aren''t able to clear out all of the bandits and rogue ninjas. Oh well, these missions should be plenty. Though I still haven''t mastered the Flying Thunder God jutsu, it is never too early to start preparations.''


    A mischievous smile appeared on Fujin''s face. Shichiro noticed it but didn''t understand. Due to Fujin''s high position, he didn''t ask. However, had Hiruzen seen Fujin''s smile and known the fact that Fujin had experienced some sess in the Flying Thunder God jutsu, he would have understood it immediately.


    Fujin was someone who had covered his house with tens of thousands of seals. It took no genius to figure out what he would be doing with the Flying Thunder God jutsu.


    Fujin epted all of the missions. There were a couple of rank S missions that involved a few rogue Jounins. However, most of the missions were ranked C and B.


    Shichiro had properly arranged the missions in order so that Fujin could target them one by one on his way with the least amount of travel. Fujin stored the missions in a scroll and left the Hokage Building. He leisurely walked towards the gates in Konoha and left the vige.


    On leaving, he muttered to himself, ''Alright, I have taken my sweet time in going to the mission center and leaving the vige. Now let me see how many snakes will crawl out.''


    Fujin didn''t have a lot of expectations from the missions to provide him with a challenge. Encountering Elite Jounins during a rank S mission was rare. As for rank S ninjas, encountering them was even more unlikely. If not for an organization like Akatsuki, Fujin wouldn''t have seen many rank S ninjas either. So Fujin decided to expose his movements and bait anyone scheming against him. Be it Danzo or any enemy country who''d want to target him.


    On leaving the vige, Fujin began moving south at a normal speed. It wasn''t slow for anyone to get suspicious, nor was it fast enough to make others unable to keep up. While he jumped from branch to branch, Fujin would asionally touch the trees he stepped on with his palm. A marking would appear wherever his palm touched and it would disappear in a moment, leaving no trace behind.


    After moving some distance from the vige, Fujin activated his chakra field. Fujin''s chakra field spread for 2.5 kilometers around him. A look of surprise appeared on Fujin''s face as he thought, ''Hmm, no one is following me? Or are they just keeping some distance?''


    Fujin kept moving while asionally leaving the Flying Thunder God markings on the trees. After travelling a few kilometers, he suddenly increased his chakra field to 3.5 kilometers.


    To his surprise, he still didn''t sense anyone. He analyzed, ''It''s nearly 25 kilometers away from the vige. Still no one? Is no one following me or are they taking precautions by staying out of my detection range? Or are they very good at hiding their chakra?''


    A smile formed on Fujin''s face. He muttered to himself, ''Though I couldn''tplete the step of sending a jutsu through the Dimensional Void, my training for the Flying Thunder God yielded a different kind of result.''


    He stopped activating his chakra field and closed his eyes. In an instant, a picture formed in his mind. Everything in a radius of 4.5 kilometers, be it on the ground, in the air or under the ground, appeared in Fujin''s mind. In this picture, Fujin saw two disturbances behind him which implied that there were two chakra signatures trailing him.


    Since his progress in teleporting through the Dimensional Void had slowed down, Fujin worked on increasing the range up to which he could sense the coordinates of his markings. In thest month, it had increased to beyond 15 kilometers. While he was training it, Fujin detected a new ability.


    While detecting the space coordinates of his markings, Fujin suddenly sensed some disturbances in the Space that he was detecting with the help of the Space-Time Sensing Technique. On investigating, Fujin discovered that the disturbances represented chakra signatures. It was unreliable at the start but with training, Fujin became capable of using it to sense other chakra signatures within his range.


    It was different from normal sensing that required Chakra Fields. Since this method didn''t require a chakra field, others couldn''t detect that someone was sensing them. The only thing Fujin wasn''t sure about was if others who have talent in space-time Ninjutsu would sense it, but on experimenting with his Shadow Clones, he understood that they didn''t sense anything.


    Another advantage that Fujin''s new detection method had was range. Fujin could detect his markings within a radius of 15 km. Though he couldn''t use this sensing ability for the entire 15 km, he could use it for 4.5 km, which was greater than what he could normally sense. Not to mention, it was still improving rapidly unlike his chakra field which was very difficult to improve further.


    In addition to sensing, it also gave Fujin another ability. He could feel that he was very sensitive to disturbances in space-time. So if someone else used Space-Tine Ninjutsus, they would have a hard time sneaking up on Fujin. While Fujin wasn''t sure how effective it would be, it was still a happy surprise.


    As Fujin activated his new sensing ability and the picture formed in his mind showed two disturbances in the space-time field, a smile formed on Fujin''s face. He realized that his guess was urate. He was being trailed!


    Around 4 kilometers behind Fujin, two masked Root ninjas were trailing Fujin. Both were very careful as they trailed him and had concentrated chakra in their eyes to observe any changes. One of them said to the other, "Lord Danzo''s analysis was perfect. His initial chakra field stopped at 1.5 kilometers from us but it suddenly expanded so much! Had we been closer, he would have discovered us."


    The other ninja replied, "Yes. As Lord Danzo said, this guy is full of mysteries and his actions are very unpredictable. We have to trail him properly and collect as much information as we can. If there is some issue with him, Konoha will be in a lot of trouble considering his high post. Pay more attention. He has deactivated his chakra field. Trailing him will be more difficult."


    The Root ninja nodded. Though they were trailing Fujin, neither was aware of the fact that they were already discovered by the person they were trailing. And thanks to therge distance between them, neither could sense what Fujin was up to.


    Neither of them sensed any danger as they were moving. All their attention was in the front. Since Fujin had deactivated his chakra field, their eyes couldn''t see it. Hence, they didn''t know how far ahead Fujin was or where he was heading. They had to trail Fujin merely from the signs he left while moving, which wasn''t easy by any means. In addition, they had to ensure that they didn''t get too close to Fujin and get detected if Fujin suddenly activated his Chakra Field.


    As such, neither of them could sense the Vacuum des that beheaded them from the back! They died without knowing how they were detected and who their killer was!

 Chapter 440: Finally Mastering the Technique!

    The bodies of the two beheaded Root ninjas fell while their heads rolled on the ground. A few meters behind them, Fujin''s figure appeared as he coldly watched the two dead bodies.


    A few minutes ago, Fujin had created a Shadow Clone and had it move straight forward. At the same time, he moved away from the path and hid his chakra while waiting for the ones trailing him to catch up. As a result, neither Root ninja sensed him.


    Fujin observed the two dead bodies and thought, ''As I guessed, it was Root. Now, did Danzo send them behind me to assassinate me or for some other purpose?''


    Fujin couldn''t be sure. Danzo wasn''t as reckless as he had imagined. So Fujin knew that Danzo wouldn''t make a sloppy assassination attempt. Regardless, it didn''t bother him much. He stored the two dead bodies and also the blood they spilt on the ground, eliminating all evidence of them dying there. He muttered to himself, ''Though I can''t be sure yet, it is only a matter of time. I should master that technique this time. Once I do, I''ll see what Danzo is up to.''


    Fujin had inspected the area with his Space-Time sensing technique once again and didn''t sense anyone else. He analyzed, ''I guess these two are the only ones chasing me. Makes sense. Even if other viges have spies in Konoha, the spies won''t act by themselves. Oh well, no point in waiting for them. I should do what I intended to do. If any more enemies show up, I hope that they are more of a challenge.''


    Fujin continued moving South. This time, his speed was much faster. And as he had nned, he left Flying Thunder God markings at intervals of 1 kilometer as he moved.


    A smile appeared on Fujin''s face as the number of markings he left outside Konoha crossed a hundred. He thought, ''I''m not sure if Minato or Tobirama did something like this, but I''ll be touring all the Elemental nations and leave my markings everywhere. Once that ispleted, I''ll tour with Kaito and leave markings in the remaining world as well.


    The ability to teleport anywhere in this world, hehehe. As long as I stay alert and don''t fall prey to a sneak attack or a strong Genjutsu, no one will be able to kill me!''


    While Fujin was moving South, Hiruzen finally received the news about Fujin epting several missions and leaving the vige. A look of surprise appeared on his face as he wondered, ''He left the vige because he was bored? That''s strange. That''s the first time I have heard himining about being bored. It looks like he has some other intentions. But what exactly?''


    Hiruzen thought for a bit, but he couldn''t think of anything. He just let it go as he didn''t think Fujin would do anything to harm Konoha.


    A few hourster, Danzo became a bit nervous. Despite it being several hours, he didn''t receive a single report from the two Root ninjas he sent after Fujin. He couldn''t guess what happened to them.


    Fujin spent the entire day moving south while leaving thousands of markings before resting for the night. The next morning, he arrived at his first target.


    Fujin stood on a tree branch with the leaves covering his figure. In front of him was a bandit camp with just 5 huts. There were only 11 people in it. Fujin muttered to himself, ''Though this ce has a lot of bandits, there are norge bandit camps. Makes sense I guess. If any bandit camp bes too big, Konoha would deploy squads immediately to eliminate them. Oh well, it doesn''t matter. I should have enough test subjects.''


    Fujin disappeared from his spot. In less than half a minute, the throat of every bandit was slit. It was a quick and painless death. Fujin gathered all the bodies together. He ced his hand on the head of one dead bandit and emitted Yin chakra inside his brain.


    Fujin managed to read a few memories but the brain was quickly destroyed. Fujin sighed and did the same for the remaining 10 dead bandits. Fujin managed to read a varying amount of memories from each of the bandits. Unfortunately, all the brains were destroyed.


    Fujin analyzed, ''Hmm, it''s been a long time since I tried to read memories. I have be a bit rusty. Still, I hope I''m able to master this technique during this trip. I have been holding on to that priest''s body for years without being able to get any benefits from it.''


    Fujin moved away from the bodies.


    ''Fire Release: Great Fireball jutsu''


    He exhaled a giant Fireball that engulfed all the 11 dead bodies. Fujin observed carefully as the 11 bodies were destroyed beyond recognition in the intense fire.


    He thought, ''If anyonees across the dead bodies and inspects them, they will notice that their brains have been destroyed. It won''t take a genius to figure out that someone was practicing the Yamanaka n''s secret technique.


    Since I''m the one who epted the mission to hunt them down, linking it to me wouldn''t be difficult. That would be troublesome. Though I can handle that trouble, it''s best to not attract it at all. It''s best to read the memories in secret and prepare myself while keeping my enemies in the dark.''


    Soon, the 11 dead bodies were burnt to crisp. Only their bones were left. Even if anyone found these bodies, they would think that their brain was destroyed due to the fire. Fujin ced his palm on the ground.


    The earth opened up and swallowed the bones before closing back. At the same time, Fujin blew away the huts as well. The ground became normal once again showing no signs that there was a bandit camp there and 11 people were just killed, cremated and buried there.


    Fujin quickly moved towards his next target. Konoha hadn''t collected the exact location in the majority of the missions that were given to Fujin. They only had approximate locations due to which those missions weren''t given to others yet. So Fujin had to look for a bit.


    Fortunately, with his Space-Time Sensing Technique, the process was quite easy. He didn''t have to worry about enemy ninjas sensing his chakra field and trying to run away. However, despite the ease, Fujin didn''t hurry. He took his time and focused on mastering the mind-reading technique.


    Over the next 2 weeks, Fujin eliminated every single bandit group and rogue ninja that the missions required. He also eliminated several other groups in the area that were still unknown but had the misfortune of getting within the range of Fujin''s sensing technique.


    Fujin tried reading the memories of almost every person he killed. The only memories he didn''t read were of the ninjas whose bodies had to be brought back to Konoha.


    As Fujin had guessed, none of his targets was able to put up a fight against him. Pretty much everyone was assassinated in one strike. Fortunately for Fujin, hepleted his original goal!


    On the ninth day, Fujin managed to read all the memories of one dead ninja without destroying his brain. From that day onwards, he managed to do it several times. On the thirteenth day, he managed to read all the memories of every person he killed without destroying any brain. He managed to do the same on the fourteenth day as well!


    A smile appeared on Fujin''s face as he read the memories of thest person he killed. He thought, ''Great, no failures at all. I guess this technique can be considered mastered now! Should I try to read the memories of the Jashin Grand Priest?''


    Fujin thought for a bit before shaking his head. He decided, ''No. I''ll wait a few days and experiment more. If I don''t fail even once, then I will try to read his memories. I only have one chance to read his memories properly. If I mess up, then it will be a huge loss.


    Besides, I''m interested in seeing who or what this Jashin is. How can rituals allow someone to control their blood or be undying? Oh well, just a few more days. I''ll understand everything that the Grand Priest knew. For now, it''s time to check those two memories.''


    Fujin opened a scroll and made a hand seal. Immediately, the heads of the two Root ninjas appeared. He ced his hand on one of the heads and inserted Yin chakra into his brain. He muttered, "Now, let me see what scheme you are cooking, Danzo."


    Immediately, Fujin''s Yin chakra rushed into the dead ninja''s brain. Fujin followed the same process as always and tried to read his memories. Suddenly, Fujin''s eyes widened in shock!

 Chapter 441: Curse Seals

    Several symbols appeared on the head that Fujin was holding. Fujin immediately withdrew his hand and retreated. Unfortunately, the symbols travelled through Fujin''s Yin chakra and appeared on Fujin''s right hand.


    Fujin ignored the head and focused on his right hand. The Yin chakra dissipated and ayer of Yang chakra appeared on Fujin''s right arm and hand to stop the symbols. It stopped the symbols from proceeding any further. However, the symbols came together forming an ''X'' shape. It was a seal.


    Fujin frowned and wondered, ''A trap? Hmm, a Juinjutsu¡­ Did Danzo prepare it specially for me or is this something that all Root Ninjas have?''


    Fujin''s eyes glowed as he properly observed the seal on his right hand. It was a seal that he had never seen before. However, the symbols the seal used were familiar. Fujin analyzed the seal for a couple of minutes.


    Immediately, several symbols appeared on Fujin''s right arm and moved towards the ''X'' mark. Within a minute, the seal on his right palm was destroyed. It was as if no seal had ever appeared on his palm.


    Fujin muttered, "To give me a feeling of danger... What a weird seal¡­"


    Fujin turned his attention towards the head and observed it carefully. He realized that his brain was destroyed. He won''t be able to read any memories from it. Fujin analyzed, ''I see. It looks like Danzo nted a seal that protects the brains of the Root ninjas. So the Root ninjas can neither say what they do nor let anyone else read their memories to let them know.


    In addition, this seal attacks anyone who tries to read memories. And, the path it takes is very interesting as well. The seal is probably stimted by foreign Yin chakra and travels through it. If I hadn''t stopped using Yin chakra and used pure Yang chakra instead, the seal would have spread all over my body. Even for me, the consequences of that could be heavy.


    Not to mention, the seal is quiteplicated. If the one who is reading the memories isn''t a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster, he would suffer the effects of the seal. The chances of someone who is able to read memories also being a Grandmaster in Fuinjutsu is very low. What a devious trap!


    I wonder if it is another seal or if it is a part of the curse seal he nts on their tongue or if Danzo has also put a second seal on the Root Ninjas. Hmm, now that I think of it, I should also learn the curse seal on their tongue. It should be a good inspiration for creating my own curse seal.''


    Fujin tried observing the seals on the head. Unfortunately, there wasn''t much he could observe. After destroying the brain and attacking Fujin, the sealpletely disappeared. Even the seal on the tongue no longer existed. Fortunately, Fujin had the head of another Root ninja.


    Fujin stored the head back into the scroll and began studying the second head. This time, he didn''t insert chakra into his brain and instead just focused on figuring out the seals.


    As he observed, Fujin''s eyes widened in surprise. He had noticed not one but two seals on the head! He analyzed, ''I see. Devious indeed. On the surface, every Root ninja has just one seal, which is the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal.


    If any Root ninja tries to say something that would leak the secrets of either Root or Danzo, then his or her body will be paralyzed, taking away their ability to speak or move. However, Danzo has applied a second seal in secret.


    A seal that is inscribed at the back of their heads and not visible to the naked eye. A seal that is so well hidden that even a Grandmaster won''t notice it until someone tries to read his memories. If it wasn''t for the fact that I am studying a head that I beheaded and tried to read his memories, I wouldn''t have noticed this seal either. I guess that the Root ninjas are unaware as well.


    The two seals don''t have anything inmon and are entirely independent of each other, making the second seal hard to detect. The Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal is for stopping the Root Ninja from leaking out secrets, be it voluntarily or under torture. The second seal is to stop anyone from reading or influencing the mind to gain information.


    Still, both the seals are quiteplicated. I''ll need some time to study them¡­ Unfortunately, taking them back to Konoha would be stupid. I''ll have to study it now. Though I shouldn''t stay in this location. Ninjas and traders travel through the path near this camp rather frequently. And, I''m not sure if the seal had a backdoor for informing Danzo about anyone tempering with it.


    Such a seal... It would be impossible for Hiruzen to not know about it. Meaning that he agrees with Danzo about this decision. Or perhaps, Hiruzen was involved in creating this seal as well¡­ I''ll travel to the Land of Rivers and study there. If I can create a new seal, I''ll meet up with Shigeki and have him expand the organization.''


    Fujin stored the head back carefully and began moving towards the West at a fast speed. En route, he destroyed any bandit camp he came across and used the bandits as test subjects to perfect his mind-reading technique.


    A dayter, he reached the borders with the Land of Rivers and infiltrated it. He found an empty cave and inscribed some seals for safety and stealth. He created several dozen Shadow Clones and everyone began studying the seals properly.


    Four dayster, Fujinpleted studying both the seals. A look of appreciation could be seen on Fujin''s face. He analyzed, ''Danzo¡­ If these two seals were invented by him, then he is indeed a genius. And a terrifying one at that. I guess he only seeded in creating such a seal due to his obsession with the Root.


    The Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal is made of 3 parts, all serving different purposes and acting one after another to make the seal effective. The first two parts of the seal are for merely detecting emotions.


    The first one detects the ninja''s intentions about divulging secrets. The second part detects the ninja''s decision to put those thoughts into action. It activates the third part of the seal, which is a very potent paralysis seal, stopping the ninja from doing so.


    Once the seal is activated, it remains activated until Danzo decides to turn it off. So if Danzo is unaware of such a thing happening, the Root ninja could stay paralyzed for life!


    That isn''t the ingenious part though. After all, any Grandmaster and even a few SealMasters know how to deactivate the paralysis jutsu. At least, I won''t have any issues deactivating it. Unfortunately, any such attempt would just reform the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal and the Root ninja wouldn''t be able to say anything.


    The only way to counter this seal would be by getting rid of it entirely. Unfortunately, even that isn''t possible! The seal has an imprint, sort of like a thumb imprint or password. Only the person who knows what this imprint is will be able to lift this seal. It means that Danzo is the only one who can lift this seal. Unless my Fuinjutsu reaches an entire level beyond Danzo, I won''t have any way of lifting this curse seal. And since Danzo is already a Grandmaster, it means that no one other than him can lift this seal.


    It is the same for the other seal as well. It has 3 parts as well and no one can remove it. The first part is to detect any external Yin chakra headed towards the brain. The Yin chakra can be as I tried to read the memories or a Genjutsu which attempts to force the truth out.


    If it detects it, the remaining two parts get activated. The first part simply destroys the brain, making it impossible for anyone to read memories. The second part infiltrates through the external Yin chakra and attacks the one trying to read the memories with a rather strong Juinjutsu. It is a paralyzing seal as well, however, it directly attacks the brain and the nervous system of the one trying to read the memories or cast a Genjutsu.


    If that ninja gets hit by this Juinjutsu and isn''t an expert in Fuinjutsu or has one such expert around, he will suffer heavily. Though it isn''t life-threatening, it can reduce a ninja to a vegetative state if no help is provided in time.


    Such a brutal seal... No wonder Danzo is so hated by the higher-ups in other viges. The Root ninjas have no morals andck sympathy. That alone makes them a difficult opponent. To make matters worse, even if they are captured, the enemy vige won''t get anything from them. It is too much effort for neutralizing ninjas at Elite Chunin or Special Jounin levels.''

 Chapter 442: Creating and Destroying the Seals

    Fujin continued analyzing, ''Of course, such efficiencyes only after discarding the lives of Root ninjas. The second seal shows the willingness of Hiruzen and Danzo to sacrifice them without a second thought.


    Though it is rather brutal to sacrifice your own ninja, I can understand why Hiruzen would allow Danzo to do so. If the situation bes that bad, then it already means that the Root ninja is more or less dead. He will just be tortured until they can get all the information from him.


    By choosing to sacrifice his life and using that chance to counterattack the enemy, the enemy will be far more reluctant in trying to capture and torture any Konoha ninja, even more so if the captured ninja is an Anbu. This way, at least the final moments of the ninjas won''t be filled with torture and ming themselves forpromising the safety of the vige or their friends.


    Of course, the biggest reason why Hiruzen allowed Danzo to use these two seals is because Danzo doesn''t have any control over these two seals other than being able to put them and release them. Unlike the Hyuga n''s curse seal, these two seals don''t have any features to allow Danzo to paralyze a Root ninja or to destroy his brain at will.


    As long as the Root ninja is safe and doesn''t intend to divulge any information, even Danzo can''t use the seal to control or torture them. He will have to depend on his other skills to do so. Only¡­ I wonder if Danzo created the seals in such a way to ensure that Hiruzen would agree or if there are any restrictions due to him being able to include his imprint in the seal.


    Even though I understand all the functions of these two seals, there are still some aspects of the seal that I am not clear on. That will need experiments to bepletely clear. I also wonder if the seal can be made even more dangerous. After all, I won''t be having someone like Hiruzen to restrict me.


    Hmm, now that I think about it, doesn''t Orochimaru use his curse seal to seal a part of his soul inside them? I wonder if his seal is just the next step of this seal. That said, even if that is the case, it won''t exin how Orochimaru is able to divide his soul to do so. Sigh, that guy is even more weird than Danzo. It''d be so damn helpful if I could read his memories!''


    Unfortunately, there was no way that Fujin could think of to make that absurd thought a reality at that moment. He shifted his attention back to the head in front of him as he thought, ''Luckily, there are no backdoor mechanisms for Danzo to know if or when either of the seals get activated. So, he should be in the dark about the fates of these two. Sadly, I can''t read their memories to understand his intentions either.


    Oh well, it doesn''t matter much. I already know what to expect from Danzo, but he doesn''t know much about me. Even if Hiruzen gave him all my information, he still wouldn''t have the right picture. Regardless, I would need to experiment¡­''


    Fujin let out a sigh and muttered, "It looks like I''ll have to leave the vige once again in the future after I master this seal and find more bandits and rogue ninjas to experiment. Meeting Shigeki will have to be pushed back until then."


    He looked at the seal and thought, ''Though I felt this issue earlier, I didn''t focus on it as I was more focused on the workings of the seal. But, how do I apply this seal on a person?


    Making a seal imprint shouldn''t be an issue. I just need to create the 3 parts for both the seals and then merge them together. But, how do I create an imprint in the seal such that only I can deactivate this seal? Learning how to create that and add it to curse seals will take some time.


    Another issue is that I have only studied that seal through the curse seal on this dead Root ninja. So, I ampletely in the dark about any limitations this technique might have and the theories behind it. So applying and improving this will be dependent on me.''


    Fujin stretched his body and muttered, "Oh well, I''ll work on thister. Hopefully, it shouldn''t be too difficult. That said, I wonder if I can lift this seal¡­"


    Fujin suddenly had an idea. He pondered it deeply. Soon, the idea took root. Fujin thought, ''It is difficult¡­ Very difficult. I will probably fail. But there is no harm in experimenting. After all, this head is useless to me now. I might even get more insights about how this seal is applied.''


    Fujin''s eyes glowed as he observed the two seals once again. He analyzed, ''Though the two seals are independent of each other, the second seal will be triggered if anyone attempts to remove the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal or the second seal. So, the result will be the same as when I tried to read the memories.


    I will ignore the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal. If I manage to neutralize the second seal, then I can remove the Cursed Tongue Eradication Sealter. What I need to do is stop the second seal from getting triggered. How should I proceed?''


    Fujin began analyzing his options. The seal would get triggered if it detected a foreign Yin Chakra or if someone tried to remove it forcibly. After nning for a bit, Fujin began inscribing some seals on the head. His n was to counter Juinjutsu with Juinjutsu. Two Shadow Clones appeared next to him and began helping him out.


    The seals he inscribed on the head were to try and stop the seal from destroying the brain. As for the attack, since Fujin wasn''t using any Yin chakra, he was under no threat. Fujin had already studied the seal very thoroughly, so he wasn''t worried about it harming him.


    The head soon became covered in seals. However, since the seals hadn''t posed any threat yet, the seal on the back of the Root ninja''s head didn''t trigger. Once Fujin was ready, he controlled all the seals and attacked the seal on the back of the head.


    As he observed, Fujin thought, ''I have two main tasks to do. First, I have to stop the seal from destroying the brain. And secondly, I have to iste the entire seal, including the imprint Danzo left.''


    If Fujin seeded, then even if he couldn''t unseal the seal, the seal would be useless as it wouldn''t be able to do its task. It would also allow Fujin to study the seal more closely and understand all its secrets.


    Unfortunately, while Fujin''s ns were good, they weren''t good enough. Fujin managed to keep the brain safe for a few seconds and used that time to iste the seal. Unfortunately, he failed to do so due to Danzo''s imprint and the seal managed to damage the brain. Within a few seconds, the brain was sufficiently damaged to ensure that no memories could be read from it.


    Fujin sighed and muttered, "As I thought, this is too difficult. That imprint is pretty much buried into his head. I''ll need to experiment on a lot of Root ninjas to have any chance of sess. But where would I find so many Root ninjas? Leave it. I had sufficient gains from studying the seal."


    Fujin extended his palm towards the head of the Root ninja. Chakra was emitted from his palm and began spinning at a high speed. It was like the Rasengan, but not the usual one. Instead of forming a sphere, the chakra engulfed the head while moving rapidly. Within a few seconds, the head waspletely destroyed. The bodies of the two Root ninjas were also destroyed. Danzo would never know where and how his two subordinates died.


    With the traces of the two Root ninjas wiped out, Fujin decided, ''It''s time to read the memories of that Grand Priest of Jashin.''


    Fujin removed his bracer. On his forearm was a storage seal that he had inscribed on his arm. Fujin focused on it and a scroll popped out. It was the scroll that he had stolen from Uchiha Akihiko and kept it hidden since then. A few secondster, the body of the dead Grand Priest of Jashiny on top of a stone table.

 Chapter 443: Zankokus Tragedy!

    Despite it being several years, the body of the Grand Priest was in the same condition as it was when he died. Though the Uchihas tried to study him, they didn''t have sufficient time to devote resources and manpower to do so. So, they took great care to maintain the state of the dead body to study it deeply after the coup. As for Fujin, he never once removed the body from the scroll to ensure that the body didn''t degrade and stayed in optimal condition.


    Having already experienced a bacsh while trying to read the memories of the Root ninja, Fujin didn''t recklessly try to read his mind and instead observed and studied the dead body carefully. While Danzo and Orochimaru were very weird, Jashin took the crown when it came to being the weirdest in the Naruto World. Being aware of that fact, Fujin was very careful.


    Fortunately or unfortunately, Fujin didn''t find any seals on his body. Fujin wondered, ''Did his body have no seal or did the Uchiha remove any seals on him? Tough to say. Oh well, I hope that his memories are still well preserved.


    From what Fumito said, memories start disappearing after the person dies. If their head isn''t preserved in a storage scroll where time barely moves, then almost all their memories will dissipate in a few days and only some important events still stay stored. But even that bes very difficult to find. If the brain is damaged due to the passage of time, then all the memories will be lost. So, I should try to learn as much from him as I can quickly.''


    Fujin ced his palm on the Grand Priest''s head. As usual, two Shadow Clones kept a watch in case something unusual urred. Fujin inserted his Yin chakra into his brain and began reading his memories one by one.


    A long time ago, in the Land of Bats there existed a small hidden vige. The vige was called the Hidden Bat Vige. It was the sole ninja vige in the Land of Bats. The vige was covered in greenery and had traditional Japanese-style houses. Despite it being day, several bats could be seen flying in the vige.


    A young handsome man walked into the central house in the vige. As he did, a few servants greeted him respectfully by bowing slightly. He smiled in response and continued on his way and entered one of the rooms.


    An older man looked up and noticed the young man walking in. In terms of facial features, the young man looked very simr to the old man. If the old man didn''t have some wrinkles and a head full of grey hair, they would look very simr.


    The young man greeted respectfully, "Father."


    A serious look could be seen on his face. The old man nodded and asked, "Is something the matter, Zankoku?"


    Zankoku nodded and said, "Father, I received reports from the spies I nted in the neighboring Land of Eagles. They are rapidly building up their military. If we don''t act soon, then we will be in grave danger."


    The old man sighed and muttered in a tired voice, "This again?"


    Zankoku pressed on, "Father, ording to my reports, their hidden vige has promoted 6 Chunins to the Jounin rank. Their total number of Jounins is now 28. That is twice the number of Jounins we have.


    Not to mention, their number of Genins and Chunins is increasing rapidly too. Though you are stronger than any ninja in that vige, we don''t have any chance if a war breaks out.


    Let us start training our ninjas as well. And, let me lead a squad to hunt their Elites one by one to buy our vige some time. In time, our strengths will achieve parity once again."


    Even though Zankoku''s words had some logic to them, his father shook his head and said, "We have experienced peace for a long time now. No war has happened for more than a decade and a half. It is unlikely that anyone would want to disrupt this peace.


    Taking action against the Land of Eagles will force them to attack us. Even if we win, your actions will spell doom for our vige. As for training more ninjas, we can''t divert any more resources. If we do, then themon people will have to face the pinch. A Vige won''t be able to survive for long in that case."


    Zankoku wasn''t convinced. He tried arguing but couldn''t change the decision of his father, who was also the leader of that small hidden vige.


    Zankoku left the house in a gloomy mood while thinking, ''Though there are no wars, there are too many undercurrents in the world. All the viges are busy strengthening themselves. If we don''t act, then our demise is set in stone!''


    He quickly left the vige and entered a cave that was some distance away. The number of bats in the cave was very high. However, they didn''t attack Zankoku and let him pass through.


    After walking for a bit, Zankoku arrived in front of a person. The person in front of him was wearing a religious robe and had several strange tattoos on his body. The person asked, "Did you convince your father?"


    Zankoku replied, "I failed, Lord Ketsueki. My father is as stubborn as ever. The chances of him changing his ways are very low."


    Ketsueki said, "In that case, your vige will be destroyed. Your only way of survival is to worship Lord Jashin and perform the ritual."


    Zankoku had aplex expression on his face. A struggle could be seen happening inside him. He sighed and replied, "If I perform the ritual, it will be no different than destroying the vige."


    Ketsueki shook his head and said, "You are wrong. You won''t be killing them. You will be sacrificing them to Lord Jashin. They will merely be freed from their mortal bodies and find peace with Lord Jashin. And with the help of Lord Jashin, you can destroy anyone who has or will wrong you."


    Zankoku sighed once again and asked, "Is there any way to gain Lord Jashin''s help without sacrificing everyone in my vige?"


    Ketsueki answered, "No. If you can''t even make a sacrifice for Lord Jashin, then Lord Jashin won''t help you. Your faith in Lord Jashin isn''t enough. Leave for now. In the future, when you see the truth,e and find me."


    Zankoku took his leave. He had encountered Ketsueki who introduced himself as a Bishop who worshipped Lord Jashin. Zankoku was immediately captivated by Jashin and epted Ketsueki''s teachings. However, he was unwilling to perform the ritual as it needed a lot of sacrifices from the people who were close to him.


    Not to mention, even if he wanted to, he couldn''t do so. His father was much stronger than him. In addition, there were 3-4 more ninjas who were stronger than Zankoku. So, sacrificing all of them wasn''t something he could aplish by himself.


    Life continued as usual for the people in the Land of Bats and three years passed. However, the rest of the world slowly became uneasy. Several hidden conflicts happened on a daily basis. The major as well as the minor viges began preparing for a war.


    The Land of Bats was unable to stay separated from this conflict. Zankoku''s father began preparing for war toote. As a result, the Hidden Bat Vige was attacked by the Hidden Eagle Vige.


    The attack was swift. The Hidden Bat Vige was almost entirely annihted. Rivers of blood flowed inside the vige. Only a few Jounins had managed to hold on, but they were outnumbered as well.


    In one such battle, Zankoku was facing three enemies Jounins. His body was riddled with injuries and he was on hisst legs. Just when one of the enemies was about tond the killing blow, a figure appeared on the battlefield and killed all three Jounins in a perfect sneak attack. He quickly grabbed Zankoku and disappeared from the battlefield.


    Not long after, everyone else in the vige was killed and the Hidden Bat Vige became one of the many viges that disappeared in the long river of history!

 Chapter 444: Jashins Ritual

    In a cave close to the former vige, Bishop Ketsueki healed Zankoku. Zankoku''s condition was very bad and he needed a couple of days to even be able to move.


    As soon as he could, he got up and informed Ketsueki, "I''m heading back to my vige."


    Ketsueki replied remorsefully, "Your vige is no more. The battle was over in a few minutes after you fell. If I hadn''t rescued you, then you would have been dead as well. The ninjas from the Hidden Eagle Vige have already retreated, leaving behind a few ninjas to watch over your vige."


    Ketsueki''s words shocked Zankoku. While he knew what the result would be, his heart didn''t want to ept it. The vige had his parents, his siblings, his lover, the friends he grew up with and trusted his back to and everyone else whom he saw on a daily basis. Losing them all at the same time was a huge blow to him.


    Ketsueki allowed Zankoku to mourn his loss in silence for a while. When he noticed that Zankoku had epted the reality, he said, "Lord Jashin had warned me about the cmity that would befall your vige five years ago. It is fate. Nothing would change that. Lord Jashin could only give you an opportunity to act first and strengthen yourself to take revenge on the ones who would destroy you. Unfortunately, you didn''t ept the ritual."


    Zankoku looked at Ketsueki. Hatred, determination and a strong will were visible in his eyes. He asked, "Will Lord Jashin allow me toplete the ritual now?"


    Ketsueki answered, "As long as you have faith in Lord Jashin and are willing to follow his teachings, you can."


    Zankoku replied, "I have faith in Lord Jashin and I''m willing to follow his teachings."


    Ketsueki replied, "Good. Unfortunately, everyone in your vige is dead. All your family and n members who shared your blood are no more. Fortunately, it hasn''t been too long since then. The ritual can still happen. However, it will require even more sacrifice."


    Zankoku replied, "It doesn''t matter who or how many need to be sacrificed, I am willing! Everyone I know and cherish is already dead. I am willing to sacrifice the entire world if I need to!"


    Ketsueki nodded in approval and said, "Good."


    He extended his hand towards Zankoku and healed all his injuries, surprising Zankoku once again. Zankoku returned to his optimal condition. Ketsueki began walking out of the cave and said, "Follow me."


    Ketsueki and Zankoku walked back to the Hidden Bat Vige. The Vige only had 1 Jounin and 8 Chunins watching over it. Ketsueki said, "Though your n is dead, their blood still flows on the street. So does the blood of the ones who killed them. Go, kill all your enemies in this vige.


    Then collect as much blood from the streets as you can. And, collect the hearts of every dead person who was rted to you."


    Zankoku immediately got into action. Though the vige had 9 enemy ninjas, none of them could take on Zankoku by themselves. To make matters worse, they weren''t gathered together. Zankoku killed them all in no time without Ketsueki needing to take action.


    He followed it up by ripping the hearts out of every dead person from his n whose bodies still littered the streets. He even collected the blood that was flowing on the streets, which for some reason hadn''t dried, solidified or seeped into the ground. Though Zankoku noticed the anomaly, he was too consumed by grief and rage to analyze it rationally and just considered it as the will of Lord Jashin.


    The process of collecting as much as he could took half a day. He approached Ketsueki and handed him the scrolls he used to store what he collected. Ketsueki observed it and said, "Good work, this should be sufficient. However, this can''t be considered as a sacrifice as they are already dead. You will need to sacrifice 800 alive people to Lord Jashin to prove your faith and gain his recognition.


    After destroying this Vige, the forces of the Hidden Eagle Vige moved through the country to conquer it properly. Themon citizens in other small viges didn''t take a second to switch their allegiance. You should sacrifice them to Lord Jashin."


    Zankoku nodded and agreed. Over the next couple of weeks, Zankoku and Ketsueki visited small viges spread over the country. Ketsueki cast a Genjutsu on them and guided them to a massive hidden cave that he had prepared for the purpose of conducting a ritual. They ended up gathering over a thousand. Zankoku also eliminated any ninjas from the Hidden Eagle Vige that he came across.


    After gathering all the sacrifices, Ketsueki got to work. Zankoku waited in the cave patiently. He noticed a high number of symbols and seals inscribed everywhere in the cave. The spot of the ritual was already marked. For the first time, Zankoku also met a few other followers of Jashin who served Ketsueki.


    Zankoku observed what Ketsueki was doing and noticed him inscribing a few seals and markings on every person they had kidnapped. Zankoku didn''t know much about seals and didn''t identify any seal or symbol that was used by Ketsueki.


    Ketsueki needed another week toplete the preparation. In arge formation that covered a huge portion of the cave, Ketsueki arranged the kidnapped people who were still under Genjutsu, the hearts of the people rted to Zankoku and the mixture of the blood of the people rted to Zankoku and the blood of the people who killed them. During this time, Ketsueki also exined the process of the ritual to Zankoku and informed him what he needed to do during it.


    The process left Ketsueki visibly exhausted. Zankoku wondered whether Ketsueki had aged by several years in thest week. Ketsueki approached Zankoku and said, "The preparations areplete. The rest will depend on you. We will conduct the ritual on the next full moon."


    Zankoku nodded. He desperately wanted the power to avenge his vige and to serve Lord Jashin. So he had no intention of messing up the only thing that would immediately make him stronger. He waited patiently while meditating and worshipping Lord Jashin.


    On the night of the full moon, Zankoku moved to the center of the cave. The center of the cave had arge circr room with a dome-like ceiling. There were eight narrow pathways connected to the room. Several symbols and seals were drawn from those pathways to the room.


    At the center of the room was a small circr pool that contained blood that Zankoku had collected earlier. If one looked closely, then numerous hearts could be seen at the bottom of this pool. A narrow canal came in from each of the 8 pathways connecting to the room and joined the pool. However, those canals were empty for the time being.


    Following Ketsueki''s instructions, Zankoku walked into the pool and sat at its center. He closed his eyes and began meditating, his mind only having thoughts about Lord Jashin and gaining strength.


    Meanwhile, Ketsueki started the ritual. Zankoku was instructed to only focus on meditation and to not get distracted even for a second. Ketsueki activated all the symbols in the room. Immediately, a glow appeared in the room due to the seals shining. At the same time, several seals on Zankoku''s body were activated as well.


    Zankoku immediately felt a surge in chakra. At the same time, his body felt intense pressure while his mind became very restless. He gritted his teeth and recalled the bloody state of his vige. He continued meditating and believing in Lord Jashin.


    Slowly, the hearts in the bloody pool began burning up. The blood in the pool began flowing towards the seals on Zankoku''s body.


    On the other side of the 8 narrow pathways surrounding the room were 8 rooms. Each had a hundred ordinary people. The seals on their bodies began glowing as well. Suddenly, they felt an intense pain. The pain was so high that they snapped out of the Genjutsu they were under. Unfortunately, they couldn''t do anything. They all screamed in pain as blood was being sucked out of their bodies!


    Their screams could be heard in the central room where Zankoku was meditating. However, he paid no attention to them and just gritted his teeth. The pain he experienced was far more intense than any of the 800 screaming civilians.


    The blood extracted from their bodies began moving through the canals connecting to the blood pool. Soon, their blood flowed into the pool as well.


    Under Ketsueki''s control, all the blood began flowing into Zankoku''s body with the help of seals he had inscribed on Zankoku''s body. Despite the intense pain, Zankoku hung on.

 Chapter 445: A Secret Organization

    While Zankoku could endure the pain, it wasn''t the case with themon people. Unfortunately, the pain didn''t allow ordinary people to stay unconscious for long. They screamed until they could no more and merely waited for their eventual death.


    The ritual continued for three days straight! By then, all the 800 people had died. The blood in the canals and the pool had been absorbed into Zankoku''s body. All the hearts were missing as well. Zankoku was now sitting at the bottom of the empty pool. The pain he was experiencing had now subsided. Or perhaps he had gotten used to it as his body still felt itchy.


    He opened his eyes and observed his body. Strange tattoos covered his entire body. However, Zankoku didn''t mind. Instead, his focus was entirely on the power he was feeling coursing through his veins. In merely three days, his chakra reserves had tripled. In addition, he could feel a strange power in his blood, though he wasn''t aware of what it was.


    Suddenly, he heard a voice. "Lord Ketsueki, are you alright?"


    He turned his head and noticed that Bishop Ketsueki had copsed. He quickly approached him. Ketsueki was thoroughly exhausted. Though no blood was drawn from his body, his condition wasn''t much better than the 800 people who had died. Zankoku was shocked to see his state.


    Despite being in a terrible state, Ketsueki wasn''t concerned. Instead, a twisted smile could be seen on his face. He eximed, "I seeded! I seeded! I seeded! Hahahaha!"


    Ketsueki''s state surprised his followers and Zankoku. None of them had ever seen Ketsueki lose hisposure before. Ketsueki looked at Zankoku and said, "I lied earlier. This isn''t my first time performing this ritual. Instead, it is my 9th time!


    Unfortunately, the eight that preceded you didn''t have sufficient faith in Lord Jashin and failed during the ritual. As a result, all of them died!"


    Zankoku was shocked to learn that. He understood that the risk he had taken was far greater than what he had imagined it would be. However, he had already performed the ritual and seeded.


    Ketsueki continued, "Bypleting this ritual, you are now a Grand Priest. You have the right and the duty to propagate Lord Jashin''s name and convert others to Jashin. Take my followers and lead them. The people you convert will also be your followers. Try to build a huge force and always follow the teachings of Jashin."


    Ketsueki''s passionate speed confused everyone. Zankoku asked, "What do you mean?"


    Ketsueki replied, "For the ritual to be sessful, a Bishop has to supply his life force. Since you seeded, I will die in a few minutes. However, I have sessfully performed my duty and followed Lord Jashin''s words and instructions.


    ording to Lord Jashin''s divine message, you will gain the power to control your blood. You will be able to use it to attack, defend and heal yourself. In terms of healing, you will be superior to any ninja currently alive. In terms of power, you will be an elite as well.


    However, I should warn you. Don''t let the power go into your head. There are several ninjas who can still easily defeat you. Especially the Kages and the Elite Jounins. Don''t challenge the major viges. Stay hidden and grow your strength and your army in the dark."


    Zankoku nodded and said, "I will remember your instructions."


    Ketsueki smiled and said, "Good. I havepleted my duty. I will finally unite with Lord Jashin again."


    Ketsueki closed his eyes. A secondter, he died peacefully unlike the 800 civilians he had just condemned to death!


    With Ketsueki''s death, Zankoku tookmand of his followers. He immediately began nning his revenge. However, he was well aware that he couldn''t destroy the Hidden Eagle Vige alone.


    For the following year, he targeted individual squads from the Hidden Eagle Vige that were out for missions, slowly whittling down their strength. The Hidden Eagle Vige tried to find who was attacking them but never seeded.


    A yearter, the Second Great Ninja War finally broke out. During the opening stages of the war, the neighboring Land of Birds invaded the Land of Eagles and annihted their armies.


    At the same time, the Hidden Eagle Vige was attacked by Zankoku and his followers. He took advantage of the fact that most of its ninjas were out of the vige to fight the war and reduced it to the same state as his own vige. Irrespective of their age, gender and ability, every single person in the vige was killed.


    Just like the Land of Bats, the Land of Eagles was also lost in the long river of History. Both the countries were incorporated into the Land of Birds.


    Zankoku went into hiding after the destruction of the Land of Eagles. He took advantage of the war and tried to spread Jashin''s word to the affected people, increasing his followers.


    Over the duration of the two wars, Zankoku focused on increasing his strength and his followers. The number of Priests under him rose from 1 to 7. His nature and morals changed vastly as well, leaving no resemnce with the Zankoku who had just be a Grand Priest.


    His own strength became very formidable among Elite Jounins. Unfortunately, no matter what he did, his strength never rose past that rank. He never became a rank S ninja. As a result, he tried to replicate Ketsueki''s ritual to increase his strength further. Unfortunately for him, he was discovered and eliminated by Fujin''s squad.


    Fujin finally took his palm off Zankoku''s head. He had read several important memories from Zankoku''s life which had the highest impact on Zankoku. The conversation with his father, the conversation with Ketsueki, the fall of his vige, the ritual, his revenge, a few bouts of madness and his final fight with the Uchihas were his most impactful memories. Fujin could read them clearly. The rest was very difficult to read and Fujin didn''t have much hope of seeding in doing that. Regardless, he was satisfied with the information he gained.


    Fujin analyzed, ''So his name was Zankoku, huh? Looks like he led a rather eventful life. He was lucky to be born as the son of the Vige Leader and be quite talented. If everything had been peaceful, he would have seeded his father and led the vige.


    Unfortunately, this world is anything but peaceful. His father was too pacifist and didn''t listen to his suggestions. As a result, the entire vige was wiped out, leaving him as the lone survivor. However, everything might not be as straightforward as it seems. After all, these memories just show things from Zankoku''s perspective.


    For starters, why did that Ketsueki guy approach Zankoku? And, how did Ketsueki know that the Hidden Eagle Vige would invade in the future? Did he just guess the trends of the world or did he work behind the scenes to make that invasion happen? Or is there really someone called Jashin who conveys messages like this?


    But, who could be such an entity? More importantly, what would he gain by creating a few Grand Priests? Hmm, is there another being like Kaguya who is sealed on this and trying to get out? Only in that case would it make any sense. But who is it and who sealed him?''


    Fujin thought for a bit. However, he didn''t have any information to make any guesses. Fujin decided to stop thinking about it. He analyzed further, ''There is just too little information. Ketsueki mentioned several times that Jashin instructed him and he heard Jashin''s voice. However, Zankoku doesn''t have any memory of any such voice guiding him. Other than feeling a sense ofpulsion, there was nothing unusual in his life.


    So, it is impossible to say whether Ketsueki was telling the truth or whether he just made it all up for some reason. Oh well, no point in thinking about such an entity. Even if I find it, it won''t help me unless I get a lot stronger and can subdue it.


    Rather than thinking about such an entity, the Jashin cult is worth paying more attention to. This Ketsueki fellow had the rank of a Bishop. The members of Jashin are generally divided into four ranks, that is, the Grand Priest, the Priest, the Devotees and the Servants, with the Grand Priest having the highest authority and the servants having the least.


    As for the Bishop, Zankoku never met another in his life. It seems like the Bishops perform the rituals which can create a Grand Priest. Most likely, they all die on creating a Grand Priest. This way, the Grand Priest''s knowledge will be limited to what the Bishop passed down to him. He won''t be able to threaten the ce or organization from where the Bishop came.


    If I assume that this is the case, then there is perhaps a secret sect or a secret cult of Jashin somewhere in this world.''

 Chapter 446: Hiruzen the Matchmaker

    While Fujin was researching about the Jashin, Hiruzen was sitting in his office facing a different headache. Hiruzen was staring intently at the 3 letters on his desk.


    Despite his decades of experience, Hiruzen was left clueless about how to handle the situation in front of him. The three letters were sent to him by the Hyuga, Yamanaka and the Inuzuka n leaders. All three letters were extremely simr to one another!


    He cursed, ''That brat. Just when I thought that he wouldn''t trouble me again, he caused me headaches once again. Though I can''t fault him on this one, he is still the reason for this headache. Sigh, I''m getting too old. Though they don''t state it specifically, don''t they have any shame asking a widowed old man to decide something like this?''


    The letters from the three n leaders requested Fujin to be the Jounin Sensei of teams of their respective children.


    Some time ago -


    Hyuga n Compound -


    Hyuga Hiashi sat in front of a table writing a letter. Once he was done, he read it while wondering, ''Is this the right thing to do?''


    He fell into deep thought for a few minutes. Finally, his expression became resolute as he thought, ''Hinata is too timid and soft. As she is now, she won''t be able to aplish much as a ninja. The chances of that changing is negligible. Once the timees, there will be no other choice but to put the seal on her.''


    Hiashi stopped thinking. He had seen what had happened with his brother due to the seal. If possible, he would choose to not have either of his daughters be branded by the curse seal. Unfortunately, that was a difficult task and against their customs.


    He thought, ''Suzuki Fujin is almost opposite to her. Though not a lot of his information is avable even to us n leaders, there is little question about how lethal and ruthless he is on the battlefield. Though I failed, there might be some hope for him to seed.


    Even if he doesn''t, if he trains Hinata, it''ll give me several opportunities to interact with him. I''ll take these opportunities to get closer to him and ask him to marry Hinata.


    The reason to brand the curse seal on branch members is for their safety on the battlefield. However, what better safety there will be than being with a rank S ninja? Not to mention, there is no way someone like him will allow his partner to be branded by the curse seal.


    I can use the pressure applied by a rank S ninja to avoid branding Hinata with the curse seal. That will be the best for her. I just hope everything goes well.''


    Yamanaka n Compound -


    Just like Hiashi, Inoichi had written a letter as well. His request was the same as well. He asked Fujin to be Ino''s Jounin Sensei.


    Inoichi thought, ''I hadn''t expected Fujin to be a good teacher as well. After all, Kakashi, despite his prowess, failed every team he was assigned. And, he was assigned the top teams of each year. Unlike him, Fujin already has shown great signs despite being much younger.


    From what Ino says, Naruto has steadily be stronger this year. His Taijutsu has improved and within a few months, he has mastered some Wind jutsus. When I heard that Fujin had taken an interest in Naruto, I thought that he wanted to create an influence over Konoha''s only Jinchuriki. I never expected that he''d surprise me. Such progress by someone like Naruto is shocking. If Fujin can be assigned to Ino''s team, she will benefit a lot. So will Shikamaru and Choji.


    Though Lord Hokage wants Asuma to be their Jounin Sensei, our three ns are already very close to the Sarutobi n. There won''t be any change. However, with Fujin, there are a lot of benefits. I''ll ask Shikaku and Choza to back me up as well.


    Not to mention, Fujin is an orphan without any n. If they fall in love and he marries Ino, he''d be a part of the Yamanaka n as well. With a rank S ninja among our ranks and two votes on the council, I could increase the amount of benefits the Yamanaka n gets several times.''


    Inoichi sent the letter to Hiruzen and asked Shikaku and Choza to do the same very soon as well.


    Inuzuka n Compound -


    Tsume wrote a simr letter as well while thinking, ''Though Kiba has talent, hecks discipline and focus. I still recall how much that kid trained in the 5 days he was in the central tower in the Forest of Death. If he can instill that discipline in Kiba, then I wouldn''t need to worry.''


    A smirk appeared on her face as she thought, ''Of course, if he bes Kiba''s Jounin Sensei, then it''ll provide me a chance to push Hana closer to him. That girl is still very reserved. I need to teach her a thing or two about being a woman!''


    Back to the present -


    Hiruzen stayed in his chair while wondering what he should do. Though he could very easily see what the true goal of the n leaders was, he still needed to make a decision.


    He analyzed, ''What should I do? In terms of rtionships, I''m a lot closer to Inoichi. However, the Hyuga n has a lot more influence. Not to mention, the Inuzuka n is with them as well on this matter. While forming a squad, Hyuga and Inuzuka ninjas are the most preferred teammates due to their abilities. I can''t offend both of them at the same time.''


    Hiruzen massaged his forehead while thinking, ''That said, what luck this brat has. Three n leaders want to set him up with their daughters. Now that I think about it, the same should have happened with Minato. He was even more impressive than Fujin at this age.


    However, he was already in a rtionship with Kushina by the time he gained fame. No one dared to make a move fearing Kushina''s response. Since Fujin isn''t in any rtionship, nothing is stopping them. Fortunately, Hinata and Ino are still very young and Fujin is stronger than the n leaders. Otherwise, they might have gone past me and directly tried to do something.''


    As Hiruzen was thinking, he heard a voice, "What interesting letters, Sensei. This brat''s luck makes even the Great Toad Sage Jiraiya feel envy, hahaha."


    Hiruzen looked behind him to see that Jiraiya was sitting at the window. He looked at him with annoyance. Without being asked for, Jiraiya gave his free advice, "Why don''t you just put the three of them in one squad? Won''t that solve the issue? Just imagine that lucky brat with three girls. He''ll be in heaven and hell at the same time. It''ll be fun to watch. I''ll get so much more research material for my next book!"


    Hiruzen looked at the letters again as he asked, "Solve the issue? Or raise a hundred new ones? The Ino-Shika-Cho formation can''t be disrupted. With the three of them working together, they can be a rank S-level threat in the future just like their parents. It''s not something we can give up on for some whim."


    He thought, ''Besides, what fun will I get to watch? Those girls won''te of age for the next 6 years. Will I be even still alive and kicking by them? Even if I am, this brat hides behind a million seals. Even my crystal ball doesn''t work! Who knows what he needs so much privacy for!''


    Jiraiya said, "Stop being a party pooper, Sensei. Just imagine that my next book can be titled, The Orphan and the Three Princess!"


    Hiruzen looked at Jiraiya with a tick mark on his forehead. Jiraiya chuckled and asked, "So, what will you do?"


    Hiruzen answered, "What can I do? I''ll obviously need to ignore their real agenda. As for the decision, I''ll leave it to Fujin. Let him decide."


    Jiraiya sighed and said, "That''s boring."


    Hiruzen nced at him and said, "If you want to make it interesting,e take this seat. Feel free to do whatever you want to then."


    Jiraiya immediately replied, "No thanks, I am out!"


    A cloud of smoke suddenly appeared and Jiraiya disappeared within the smoke. Hiruzen cursed internally, ''At this rate, I''ll have to do paperwork until I am 100 years old! I need to quickly find someone to dump these neverending files on!''


    He looked at the three letters and muttered to himself, ''Enjoy, for now, kiddo. I promise that your future years won''t be this carefree!''


    Hiruzen decided to leave the choice to Fujin. He didn''t want any more headaches. As for Fujin, he waspletely unaware of the fact that two grown men and one woman were about to force their daughters on him as soon as he returned back to the vige! Whether he''d be pleased or annoyed remains to be seen!

 Chapter 447: So Many Complications!

    Fujin continued analyzing, ''That secret organization is likely responsible for training the Bishops and sending them into the Elemental nations to create Grand Priests. If that is indeed the case, then even if a Grand Priest did something extreme and all the known Jashins were hunted and killed as a result, the religion itself would never be in danger of extermination.


    The only other way would be if Jashin himself appointed his Bishops and directed them towards the Grand Priest. However, in that case, no one will be able to find anything and I can''t do anything either. So, there is no point in thinking about this possibility.


    Still, it seems like there are some simrities among the Grand Priests chosen. Hidan and Zankoku were both from minor viges. They weren''t satisfied with the pacifist leader and wanted to expand their vige''s military power rapidly. And, both were quite talented for someone from minor viges.


    Anyway, I''ll consider themter on. For now, my only focus is on Blood Maniption. Unfortunately, it doesn''t look like I can get my hands on it easily.''


    Fujin had a serious expression on his face. He recalled all the details of the ritual that gave Zankoku the ability to manipte blood. He analyzed, ''While I did learn a lot of surprising information, the most surprising is what was used to conduct the ritual. It was Fuinjutsu! Or rather, abination of Fuinjutsu and Juinjutsu.


    I''m not sure who or what Jashin is, but that Bishop was definitely a Grandmaster in Fuinjutsu. The seals he inscribed on the 800 ordinary people and Zankoku were all Juinjutsu whereas the seals and symbols covering the cave were Fuinjutsu.


    Unfortunately, Zankoku wasn''t a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster. He wasn''t even a SealMaster. Despite participating in the ritual, he didn''t pay much attention to what Ketsueki did. Even after Ketsueki died, he didn''t try to learn it and merely focused on his revenge and spreading the word of Jashin.


    As such, he had no idea how to recreate the ritual. It was only when his strength began dropping due to age that he became interested in it. Unfortunately, it was toote by then. He revisited that old cave, but it wasn''t in the best shape due to being abandoned for decades.


    Fortunately, one of his Priests was a SealMaster. He spent a lot of time studying the seals that still remained in the cave. With the help of Zankoku, the SealMaster Priest and the one Priest who used to follow Ketsueki before his death, they managed to recreate the ritual.


    Unfortunately, it wasn''t perfect. They were still missing several seals. And there were many seals that the SealMaster couldn''tprehend. As such, he had to remove several parts of the ritual and only managed to create a substandard ritual, one which couldn''t even hold half of the 800 people that Ketsueki''s ritual could. To make matters worse, it could only work on children aged 2 to 6.


    What makes it even more unattractive is the fact that they weren''t 100% sure that the ritual would work. And, despite being involved, Zankoku still doesn''t know entirely about the seals as even the simpler seals were veryplicated for him¡­''


    Fujin let out a sigh and thought, ''If I could read Ketsueki''s memories¡­ I''m 90% sure that I''ll be able to seed easily. Unfortunately that bastard died decades ago! Even if I find him, there is no way any of his memories are still intact. The only possible way to extract information from him is by using Edo Tensei! Unfortunately, extracting that jutsu from Hiruzen would be impossible. I might have a better chance of getting it from Danzo!''


    Fujin began analyzing again. Depending on just Zankoku''s memories wouldn''t be reliable enough. He calcted, ''I guess there is just one way for me to learn how to perform that ritual. I need to go to that cave and inspect the seals myself. At the very least, I''ll be able to do a far better job than a SealMaster.


    However, there are a few moreplications. Ketsueki said that 8 people had failed before Zankoku seeded. He also said that Zankoku needs to haveplete faith in Jashin. Ketsueki even spent 5 years slowly influencing Zankoku and ensuring that he waspletely devoted to Jashin.


    If that is indeed a requirement, then there will be no way for me to perform it and learn Blood Maniption. I have no intention of joining that crazy cult and worshipping a fake or a lunatic God.


    Another issue is that these rituals definitely have a side effect, a rather nasty one at that. Though Zankoku never heard any word from Jashin, he frequently kept getting an urge to kill someone and drain their blood. He kept his urge under control for several years, but eventually, he couldn''t do so anymore. By the time he died, he pretty much had a fetish for blood. He also had an unnatural urge to recruit more followers.


    Considering all theplications, the best way for me would be to bypass the ritual and directly gain the ability to manipte my blood. It shouldn''t be impossible to do so. After all, Ketsueki merely used Juinjutsu, be it to suck blood from people or to give Zankoku this ability.


    If I can just study the seals in Zankoku''s body, I might be able to imitate them. In fact, when I first saw the ritual, that was my intention. But¡­''


    Fujin once again focused on Zankoku''s dead body in front of him. His eyes glowed and looked restlessly as if he wanted to find something. As time passed, frustration could be seen on Fujin''s face. He couldn''t help but curse, "Where the fuck are the seals that were supposed to be on his body? Don''t tell me those damned Uchihas wiped out everything!"


    Oneplication after another left Fujin feeling a bit depressed and annoyed. He raised a small rock from the ground and sat in front of Zankoku''s dead body while calming down himself and thinking about the situation.


    After some time, he realized, ''Wait a minute¡­ Why would the Uchihas wipe out the seals on his body? Unless they made some progress in replicating it and wanted to stop anyone else from gaining it. But, they already had his body with them. How would anyone else study it?


    Not to mention, they didn''t wipe out any markings that were on his body. So why would they only clear out the seals?


    Hmm, now that I think about it, I had observed this guy carefully when he fought with the Uchiha Jounins. Back then, though I wasn''t a Grandmaster, I was already a SealMaster. Even if his seals wereplicated, I should have been able to detect them even if I didn''t understand them. So why couldn''t I?''


    On calming himself down, Fujin realized that he had missed one, no, two important points! He analyzed further, ''Another point to consider is the Juinjutsu itself. There is no Juinjutsu in Konoha and perhaps any other Elemental viges that can give such a crazy ability.


    Now that I think about it, I haven''t heard of any of the dead Uzumakis having such ability either.''


    Fujin''s eyes suddenly widened as he realized a crucial point. He gazed at Zankoku''s dead body once again and cursed, ''Shit! How did I miss such a simple point! This Juinjutsu¡­ It likely has nothing to do with having faith in Jashin. Rather, it is at an entirely different level than what we ninjas practice.


    A Juinjutsu that can inscribe seals on and in the body so intricately that it fuses with the body and bes a part of it. That is probably why I can''t see any seals on his body. They most likely still exist, but they have already be a part of his body. Most probably, his body has been modified by that ritual, just like Hidan.


    If I can learn this¡­''


    Fujin felt a wave of excitement flowing through his body! A whole new world had opened up in front of him. He had a feeling that his strength would increase tremendously if he grasped this knowledge. He felt that this could be a way to surpass the S rank! Fujin muttered, "I have a feeling that I can escape the limits of the human body and lifespan if I can grasp this! Though I might not be as strong as Hashirama or Madara, the benefits will be far more significant than a simple increase in strength."

 Chapter 448: Medical Ninjutsu and a New Target

    Fujin felt that his spection was on point. His mind quickly began calcting how he could learn that level of Juinjutsu. His eyesnded on the dead body in front of him as he thought, ''One way will be to study this dead body properly.


    I need to understand what biological changes Zankoku experienced after undergoing the ritual. I will need topare his body to a normal body and experiment to understand which seals could cause such a change. That could form a base for me to understand how a Juinjutsu of this level could be created.


    To reach that stage, I will first have to properly study and research this dead body. Unfortunately, I have zero expertise in this field¡­ To be able to do that, I will need to take up Yoshi''s offer and pursue Medical Ninjutsu. But¡­''


    Fujin had a headache. He was already learning a lot. He specialized in Ninjutsu and had mastered well over 50 jutsus. While his main focus was on the Wind element, he had also learnt several powerful ninjutsu of Lightning, Fire and Earth elements. In addition, he was also working on Space-Time Ninjutsu, which was entirely different from any other Ninjutsu.


    Though Ninjutsu was his speciality, he had diversified his skills a lot already. In terms of Fuinjutsu, he was already at the highest rank in the ninja world. Considering the speed of his progress, very few would be able to im to be as good as him at Fuinjutsu after a few years.


    His Taijutsu was extremely strong as well. Not only did he know two of the strongest fighting styles, he also knew the forbidden Eight Inner Gates formation and he could open two Inner Gates. That alone made him one of the strongest Taijutsu users in the Ninja world.


    While his Genjutsu wasn''t as spectacr as the other three fields, Fujin was still better than any Special Jounin who specialized in that field. More importantly, he had developed the skills to counter the Sharingan and was extremely good at detecting and breaking Genjutsu.


    If Fujin worked on Medical Ninjutsu, then it would take a lot of his time and energy. Even with Shadow Clones, it won''t be an easy task.


    Fujin sighed at the thought of increasing his already ridiculous workload. He decided, ''I have no choice¡­ It looks like I have to work on this aspect. Even if not today, I might need this skill sometime in the future. In fact, I have a feeling that I''ll be needing these skills a lot in the future.


    That said, researching dead bodies isn''t an easy task. Though I came from a technologically advanced world, I never focused on improving my medical knowledge. So I won''t have any advantage over others in this world despite the advances in my previous world.


    Not to mention, being able to research something asplicated as Zankoku''s body can probably be done by only a handful of ninjas. The only ones thate to mind are Tsunade, Orochimaru and maybe Kabuto and Sasori. The process of studying his body will be far more efficient if I can get the help of one of them. However, how can I get their help?''


    While Fujin''s analysis was logical, he had no method of cooperating with either of those four or anyone else who was very good at this aspect. He thought enviously, ''To have a subordinate like Kabuto¡­ That bastard is extremely lucky. Maybe I should focus on raising ninjas that can assist me in this regard.


    Hmm, yeah. That will be the best. If I can raise or recruit someone who is very good at Medical Ninjutsu and researching, then my work will be simplified. After all, it is unrealistic to assume that I can reach the top in every field. If I hit a limit, then all my ns rted to this would have to be dropped. If I can raise someone talented at this, I will only need to improve my medical knowledge sufficiently to ensure that I don''t get tricked.


    I will begin working closely with Yoshi after I master the Flying Thunder God and make a curse seal. Once my expertise in Medical Ninjutsu improves and I get help from someone capable, I can begin researching the changes the Ritual and the seals brought to his body.


    However, this will be a long-term n. There is actually another way for me to learn more about this level of Juinjutsu. That way is Hidan!''


    Fujin stored Zankoku''s body back in the scroll. He removed all the traces he left in the cave, left the cave and began moving back to Konoha.


    En route, he analyzed, ''If a Bishop is indeed needed to perform the sacrificial ritual, then a Bishop should already be in touch with Hidan. I need to find that Bishop and read his memories. If his strength is the same as Ketsueki''s, then it wouldn''t be a problem for me to neutralize him.


    His memories should clear all my doubts. I might even understand the high-level Juinjutsu that the Bishops use. That said, I don''t think that he would know the ritual to be able to manipte blood.


    After all, Hidan didn''t have that ability. His ability was immortality. I wonder if the Bishop sucked out the Life Force from ordinary people or something like that¡­ Regardless, Hidan''s ability is even more broken. I won''tin if I can gain that.


    Even if he doesn''t have the information, as long as I can find the location of that secret Jashin sect or cult, I will achieve my goal. Once I master the Flying Thunder God, I''ll directly attack them and read their memories one member at a time.


    As a society that has been hiding for a long time and has such a high level of Juinjutsu, its strength should be quite high. But since they don''t dare to expose themselves, it implies that their strength is far weaker than the Five Great Viges. As long as I watch out for any Juinjutsu traps, they shouldn''t be able to stop me. And considering their mysterious means, the knowledge they have might be as good or even better than what the Uzumaki n had.


    Reading his mind will also allow me to understand whether there really is a Jashin who speaks with them or if it is just some scheme they are running to achieve some goal.


    The only issue with this n is that capturing and reading the memories of that Bishop can affect Hidan''s ritual. If it doesn''t go through, then Akatsuki''s structure might undergo some changes. However, even if it causes some changes to the future I know, the benefits of doing so are too high. Akatsuki''s goals won''t change even if Hidan doesn''t join them while my strength will grow several folds due to doing this.


    I will do it now. I''ll return to the vige and take some elimination missions in the Land of Hot Water. Once I find Hidan and the Priest, I will find my answers!''


    Fujin returned to the vige at a high speed, resting just once during the night. While he rested during the night, Fujin had a thought and his expression became very peculiar. He thought, ''In my previous life, whenever I read about someone working with dead bodies, I would always feel very weird and get a creepy feeling due to the nature of the job.


    It was even more so in anime when I read about characters like Danzo, Orochimaru and Kabuto experimenting with them. However, I unknowingly spent thest few days studying a head that I cut off and a dead body I have been storing for over 3 years! When did I be like this?''


    Fujin was left speechless by the realization. While the excessive amount of killing he did in this world meant that he no longer felt any stigma while inspecting the dead bodies, he never thought that someday he would be so focused on studying dead bodies and even n on improving his medical knowledge to do that better!


    Fujin just shook his head and thought, ''I doubt the me who had just arrived in this world would be able to connect with the present me. Oh well, nothing I can do about it. Surprisingly, it isn''t that hard to get used to being around dead bodies.''


    Fujin began resting for the night and continued his journey the next day. In Konoha, Hiruzen was working in his office when he received a high-priority scroll from the Daimyo of the Land of Hot Water.


    As Hiruzen read the details in the scroll, a frown appeared on his face. He thought, ''I expected them to face troubles in bing a peaceful country, but this is just too much. No wonder the Damiyo is panicking so much. Still, this resembles a lot with that particr mission...''


    Hiruzen thought for a bit and instructed, "Takao, call Fujin to my office."

 Chapter 449: Fujins Frustration

    Fujin arrived in Konoha a couple of hours before noon. He went straight to the Hokage Building and was about to walk into the mission center when someone called out his name.


    Fujin turned around to see Hatake Takaoing towards him. Takao appeared in front of Fujin and said, "Fujin! Here you are. I visited your house and the 23rd training grounds in the morning to find you."


    Takao had gone to look for Fujin in the morning following Hiruzen''s instructions. However, he wasn''t at his house or in the training ground. Instead, he met Naruto who informed him that Fujin hadn''t returned from his mission. He went to the Mission Center to confirm it and informed Hiruzen about the same. As a result, Hiruzen had begun creating another squad. However, as luck would have it, Takao hade down for some work at the same time that Fujin arrived at the Hokage Building.


    Fujin raised an eyebrow and asked, "Does Lord Hokage need me??"


    Fujin was surprised. It hadn''t even been a few minutes since he had returned to the vige and yet Hiruzen was looking for him. Takao nodded and answered, "Lord Hokage was looking for you earlier in regard to a mission. You should meet him and see if he still needs you to go for it."


    Fujin wondered, ''A mission right when I wanted to head to the Land of Hot Water? Sigh, I hope it is in that country or some ce beyond it.''


    Fujin replied, "Alright. I''ll go see him."


    He handed Takao a scroll and said, "Hand it to Shichiro. It contains mission files and dead bodies that had to be collected. Please inform him that I havepleted all the missions."


    Takao epted the scroll and replied, "Sure."


    Fujin walked over to Hiruzen''s office and entered the room. Hiruzen looked at Fujin and said with a smile on his face, "It is good to see you, Fujin. How did your missions go?"


    Fujin casually answered, "They went well. There were noplications."


    Hiruzen said, "Good,e sit. I have received a mission from the Daimyo of the Land of Hot Water which is eerily simr to one of your past missions."


    Fujin sighed in relief upon hearing that. The mission was exactly where he wanted to head to. As for which mission it was, Fujin didn''t think much. He had been on hundreds of missions and couldn''t specte which mission Hiruzen was hinting at. Unfortunately, Hiruzen''s next words would shock Fujin!


    Hiruzen said, "In recent times, the Land of Hot Water has been reducing their military strength and are depending more on us and the Land of Iron for solving their issues. Their country is transforming from a militaristic state to a tourist destination due to therge number of hot springs in their country. However, some ninjas aren''t happy with this trend.


    One of those ninjas killed 18 Yugakure ninjas and a few dozen civilians before escaping. They arranged for ninjas to hunt him down but couldn''t find him. More importantly, while they were hunting him, over 300 people went missing all of a sudden from the small viges in their country. They aren''t sure if the two events are linked, but some feel that the same ninja is behind the kidnapping.


    They have issued a rank S mission to our vige. I want you to go to the Land of Hot Water and find and rescue the missing people. If the same ninja is involved, kill or capture him depending on the situation. Otherwise, ignore him. The ninja is called Hidan."


    Hiruzen''s words left Fujin stunned. He was so stunned that he even forgot to hide his emotions. Hiruzen noticed it and asked, "Is something the matter?"


    Fujin realized his mistake and calmed himself down. He shook his head and answered, "It sounds like that cult named Jashin. Our mission involving them had gotten rather nasty. If those people have been missing for a long time and if no new people have gone missing for some time, then I''m afraid that it will be toote."


    While he answered in a calm tone, Fujin''s mind was anything but calm. He cursed, ''What the fuck? That bastard couldn''t wait a few days? I hope the ritual isn''tplete yet. I don''t care about Hidan, but I need that Bishop''s memories!''


    Fujin was extremely pissed and frustrated! His attempt to learn Blood Maniption by reading Zankoku''s memories met a huge number ofplications, leaving him unable to replicate it in the short term. Fortunately, he thought of a method to get it easily.


    However, even before he could act on it, that method was snatched away from him! The entire ordeal left him mentally exhausted. He muttered to himself, ''It almost feels like someone is making my life difficult and enjoying my sufferings!''


    Hiruzen didn''t know about Fujin''s internal struggle. He replied, "Yes, it is worrying. The killings happened three weeks ago. People started going missing a few dayster. Thest case of a missing person was reported 6 days ago. So time is precious.


    I have already arranged 3 members and was looking at who was avable to lead them. Fortunately, you came back at the right time. I''ll leave this mission to you. Leave right away, meet up with the Daimyo and get the exact information."


    Hiruzen tossed Fujin the scroll. Fujin caught it and said, "Alright. I''ll move immediately."


    He was about to leave when he suddenly had an idea. His feet stopped and he looked at Hiruzen and thought, ''Isn''t he supposed to be the professor? I wonder if he knows about this¡­''


    Fujin said, "I recently faced a question while training. I wonder if you know something about this."


    Hiruzen asked, "What did you face?"


    Fujin replied, "I was wondering whether we can use Juinjutsu to permanently strengthen ourselves or give us new abilities."


    Hiruzen was surprised by the question and became serious. He hadn''t expected Fujin to ask such a question. He wondered, ''Did he witness anyone having such abilities or did he just think it by itself?''


    Hiruzen couldn''t be sure. He asked, "Are you aware of the Uzumaki n?"


    Fujin nodded. Even though almost no one from Fujin''s generation would know about the Uzumaki n, Hiruzen wasn''t surprised to know that Fujin knew about them considering how much time he spent in the Library and learning the seals. He said, "Most of the Fuinjutsu and Juinjutsu in Konohae from the Uzumaki n."


    Fujin had spected it to be the case. So he wasn''t surprised. Hiruzen continued, "The Uzumaki n was a step ahead of the world in terms of sealing. It was why they were considered a threat by other viges and annihted before the start of the Second Great Ninja War.


    However, even in the Uzumaki n, a seal like you said was never propagated. It was only during their final struggle that their leader, Uzumaki Ashina, showed abilities simr to what you described.


    I''m not sure what exactly you mean by giving permanent abilities, but I guess you mean being able to do something beyond what normal seals should. The seals Uzumaki Ashina used touched that concept and were spected to be able to take our understanding of Fuinjutsu and Juinjutsu to the next level.


    However, with his death, the technique was lost. I''m not sure why he never taught the technique to anyone else in his n. Or perhaps he did but no one else was able to learn. Another possibility could be that everyone who he taught those seals was killed in the war. Or perhaps someone survived and the knowledge still exists but that person has kept it a secret."


    Fujin was surprised by the answer. Though he had asked Hiruzen, he wasn''t expecting Hiruzen to know anything about it. He thought, ''Uzumaki Ashina¡­ Wasn''t he the leader of the Uzumaki n when Hashirama was alive? Unfortunately, I barely remember anything about him. Now that I think about it, I don''t think much was shown about him anyway.


    I wonder if these Juinjutsu seals were passed down in the Uzumaki n or if he created those seals by himself. Regardless, it shows that even if you don''t worship Jashin, you can create seals that are simr to the ones that form in the Ritual or at least have the potential to reach that level.''


    Fujin asked, "Did no one try to investigate what seals they were? Also, what abilities did the seal give him?"

 Chapter 450: Uzumaki Ashina, Danzos Suspicion, Hiruzens Admiration!

    Hiruzen answered, "Uzumaki Ashina was a rank S ninja who specialized in sealing. His ability in sealing was so good that even other rank S ninjas, including myself, wouldn''t want to face him in a one-on-one battle. It made him a grave threat on the battlefield. The other viges attacked the Uzumaki n only when he had grown very old and hadn''t been active for over a decade.


    Thebined armies of several countries assaulted them. Though the attacking armies suffered high losses due to the traps set around Uzushiogakure, their numerical advantage allowed them to endure the losses and attack the vige. When it looked like the fall of Uzushiogakure was inevitable, Ashina appeared once again.


    He used a technique that allowed him to regain his youth and return to his peak. As a result, the invaders suffered even more losses. Unfortunately, he was facing three Kages at the same time.


    We wanted to reinforce the Uzumaki n, unfortunately, arge portion of our forces, including myself, were deployed against the Kumo border who had arrived with their full force led by the Third Raikage. In addition, other viges had also deployed small armies along our borders, forcing us to spread our armies and top-level ninjas.


    By the time we realized what was happening and sent an army to reinforce the Uzumaki n, it was toote. Uzumaki Ashina had fallen and Uzushiogakure was no more.


    His body was taken by the Third Mizukage and Kirigakure extensively studied the seals on his body. However, they never found the seals that allowed Ashina to revert back to his peak. Hence, that is now considered a lost technique."


    A hint of sadness could be heard in Hiruzen''s voice. Konoha had lost a strong ally in that war. As a result, Konoha suffered a lot more losses than they would have in the two Great Wars.


    Fujin''s mind waspletely upied by those seals. As such, he didn''t register the sadness in Hiruzen''s voice. He analyzed the information and asked, "Doesn''t Lady Tsunade also have an ability that allows her to maintain her youth?"


    Hiruzen shook his head and said, "That isn''t the same. Tsunade''s technique is her own. Though it involves some seals, it is mainly based on her expertise in Medical Ninjutsu. And there are limits. Uzumaki Ashina''s transformation was very pure. From the intel we gained, his body was full of lifeforce and chakra when he activated whichever seals he did. It didn''t seem like he was an old man who was extracting all that he had left, instead looked like someone who was at his prime. More importantly, they didn''t discover any side effects or bacsh of the seal he was using.


    We spected that he was working on a seal that would allow him to permanently be younger or at least expand his life force significantly. Had Uzushiogakure not been attacked, it was likely that he would have seeded and Uzushiogakure might have be the Sixth Major Ninja Vige. Unfortunately, that wasn''t to be."


    Fujin analyzed, ''Not being able to find the seals¡­ That sounds exactly like what happened with Zankoku. Despite being a Grandmaster, I''m at a loss. Considering that they have the body, they might have even tried to open up his body and study him thoroughly. Still, they failed! Sigh, the difficulty is as high as I imagined.''


    Fujin replied, "I see. A shame that he died before he couldplete it. Anyway, thanks for letting me know. If I have any more ideas regarding this, I''ll discuss it with you. Anyway, who will be going with me on this mission?"


    Hiruzen replied, "This mission will be a searching mission. You will have Special Jounin Inuzuka Shiro, Jounin Hyuga Hisao and Jounin Yamanaka Ken helping you. Shiro and Hisao will be good for tracking while Ken can help you in information gathering if needed."


    Fujin nodded. The team was good and he was familiar with one of them. He said, "Just have them meet me. We will leave immediately. I''ll exin the mission on the way."


    Hiruzen nodded. Within a few minutes, all 3 of them gathered in the office. Fujin left with the three of them immediately. On leaving the vige, he looked towards the direction of the Land of Hot Water and wished, ''I hope that I''m not toote. Finding another clue regarding Jashin will be very difficult and entirely luck-based.''


    The four of them and Shiro''s ninja dog moved rapidly towards their destination.


    Back in Konoha, a figure rushed into the underground Root office. He entered Danzo''s office and reported, "Lord Danzo, Suzuki Fujin returned to the vige but he was sent to another mission by Lord Hokage. He led a team of 2 Jounins and 1 Special Jounin. I couldn''t find out what the mission is and where he is heading to as the mission was given directly by Lord Hokage."


    Danzo frowned on hearing that. He analyzed, ''He returned but the two I sent after him are still missing? Did he sense and eliminate them? But sensing them shouldn''t have been easy. And even if he did, why would he kill them?''


    While Fujin had disyed that he had no love for Root, Danzo didn''t see any reason why he would kill a Konoha ninja. After all, there were several powerful ninjas in Konoha who didn''t like Root. However, that didn''t mean that they would kill them on sight. Even if the Root ninjas were in the wrong, they would show restraint and discuss with Hiruzen. In the worst-case scenario, they would arrest the Root ninjas and ask Hiruzen to investigate.


    Danzo concluded, ''It is unlikely that he would kill them unless they tried to assassinate him. However, neither of them sent me any messages. It implies that they were killed within a few hours of leaving the vige. And, they were instructed to not make any reckless moves anytime soon.


    Did they encounter someone else who killed them? But who? Did Suna send an Elite Jounin to infiltrate into the Land of Fire again? Or was it someone else who has hostility towards Konoha ninjas or at least our Anbu Forces?''


    Danzo couldn''t be sure. He looked at the ninja in front of him and instructed, "Take two squads and inspect the path Fujin should have travelled. ording to the information, he took missions to eliminate bandit camps and rogue ninjas to the south. Trace his steps and find signs of any battles along or near the route.


    Inspect carefully as there might have been an attempt to cover up any signs of battle. Also, find out who left the vige along the same route after Fujin and after how long."


    The Root ninja replied, "Alright, Lord Danzo."


    He flickered out of the room and began assembling a team. A few minutester, Eight Root ninjas began trailing the steps Fujin took a few weeks ago.


    Meanwhile, Hiruzen, who was unaware of the hidden exchange between Fujin and Danzo, kept thinking about his little discussion with Fujin. He thought, ''Though some simpler seals can be used to add more defenses to the body, there is no way to truly strengthen a ninja with the help of it. In fact, the main concept behind Juinjutsu is to restrict enemies.


    To think of using it as an enhancer instead¡­ No wonder he managed to be a Grandmaster so quickly and with minimal guidance. Seems like the next revolution in seals wille from Konoha.''


    A smile appeared on Hiruzen''s face. He could see the benefits Konoha would enjoy if Fujin seeded in doing that. Of course, he didn''t have very high hopes considering the crazy level of difficulty.


    Fujin''s squad moved at a high speed and managed to reach Yugakure the next day at noon despite taking a couple of breaks. Fujin had informed them about what the mission was. Due to the state of the mission, none of them cked off. To add to it, Fujin made everyone move at a rapid speed. He didn''t care much if those 3 couldn''t help him inbat. He just wanted to find Hidan quickly.


    As soon as they reached, Fujin met up with the Daimyo. Sitting in the conference room, Fujin said, "I have gone through the information you provided Lord Hokage. Do you have any additional information on the movements of Hidan or the news of any more missing people?"


    The Daimyo replied, "Unfortunately, there is no new news. Thest person, who was reported to be missing, disappeared a week ago. No new kidnapping has happened since then. However, we haven''t found any traces of the missing people."


    Fujin had already thought about how to approach this mission while he was moving towards the Land of Hot Water. Without missing a beat, he said, "Tell me the areas that you had suspected the most irrespective of whether you searched for those ces or not."

 Chapter 451: Finding the Hiding spot!

    Fujin''s words surprised the Daimyo and the Yugakure ninjas who were rather offended by the statement. One of them asked, "What do you mean? Do you want to say that we couldn''t find them despite looking in the right area?"


    In front of the Daimyo, he didn''t dare to explode in anger. However, his tone disyed his anger and dissatisfaction at being treated in this manner. He thought, ''Even if he is from Konoha, who does he think he is to look down on us? We fought in wars even before he was born!''


    Unfortunately for him, Fujin wasn''t in the mood to be patient with him. He nodded and nonchntly said, "Yes."


    Fujin''s brazen disregard for their pride caught everyone, including the Daimyo, off guard. Even Fujin''s teammates looked at him with surprise. Though they looked down on ninjas from the minor viges, they never spoke about it in front of them. For a moment, everyone in the room was left speechless.


    Before any of the Yugakure ninjas exploded in anger, Fujin looked at the Daimyo and said, "These incidents resemble the way in which a cult called Jashin operates. I had faced them in a mission earlier in the Land of Grass and more than 200 kids would have died had we beente by a day.


    Considering that thest missing case urred one week ago, I''m afraid that it is already toote. So I would rmend helping me out and giving me the information I need if you want to have any chance of saving the missing people. If I was to start looking by myself, I''m afraid that it would bepletely pointless. You will be better off by just giving up on them."


    Fujin''s words surprised the Daimyo and the ninjas in the room. Though the Yugakure ninjas were offended by Fujin''s words, they knew that getting angry at that moment would be detrimental. The Daimyo looked at them and said, "Help him out."


    Daimyo''s words left little room for discussion. Without any dy, everyone gave Fujin the information he needed. They pointed out and marked the locations where they had spected where the kidnapped people could be held. They also informed Fujin about how they had inspected those locations.


    Fujin and his team pieced together all the information and clues and tried forming their own ns. While nning, Fujin enquired about thendscapes in each of the locations and marked them on the map.


    Fujin analyzed, ''It seems like the rituals are always conducted in a cave, be it created artificially or with the help of jutsus. Regardless, the mountain has to be natural or these ninjas would have noticed the anomaly.


    Even if Zankoku''s ritual was an exception, they should still conduct such a ritual in a closed-off space to stay hidden. If not for caves, the only other possible location is if they create and hide in an underground base.


    For now, I will only inspect the suspicious locations that have mountains. If I don''t find them, I''ll look at the other locations. The caves should be hidden with the help of Fuinjutsu. So it is no wonder that these guys couldn''t find anything.''


    Fujin quickly began nning which route he should take. While he did so, he said, "If you have a picture of Hidan and some of his belongings with his scent on them, give them to us."


    He kept looking at the map. The Yugakure ninjas quickly handed a piece of cloth and a small picture to Fujin''s teammates. Hyuga Hisao observed the picture properly while Inuzuka Shiro and his ninja dog memorized Hidan''s scent.


    After drawing up a n, Fujin rolled up the map and left Yugakure in a hurry along with his team. A couple of minutes after they exited the vige, 3 Shadow Clones popped next to Fujin. They dispersed along different paths.


    Fujin''s teammates immediately understood what Fujin was up to. However, they were confused. Yamanaka Ken wondered, ''Why is he so relentless? We have barely rested since we left Konoha. At this rate, we won''t be able to fight at our full strength. He wasn''t like this during the two missions I was with him earlier¡­''


    The other two had the same confusion as well. Fujin could guess his teammates'' thoughts. In order to not make them suspicious, he looked at his teammates and said, "I''m not sure who our enemy will be or what abilities they will have but I have a bad feeling.


    We should capture them before they do whatever they are nning with the kidnapped people. After we find them, be ready to consume a soldier pill if the fight bes intense as we won''t be resting much until we find them."


    Fujin''s teammates nodded. Though Fujin didn''t give a proper exnation, they knew that trusting one''s instincts was crucial for a ninja. Several times, a ninja would have to head into a mission with little information. Even in their current situation, they were unaware of the reason behind the kidnapping and the identity of the kidnappers. As such, trusting your instincts bes an important factor.


    It was the reason why Fujin used such a reason. It saved him from having to exin his urgency. After all, he couldn''t say that he was hurrying them just because he wanted to catch the Bishop and read his memories before hepleted the ceremony and kicked the bucket.


    The group moved rapidly. So did Fujin''s clones. Though Fujin wasn''t from the Land of Hot Water, he had taken several dozen missions in this country, most of which entailed hunting down rogue Kiri ninjas and bounty hunters. Apart from the Land of Fire, this was the country where he was the most active. As such, he knew the area very well.


    Fujin and his squad began moving directly towards the ce where Hidan had done the massacre. As for his clones, they began scanning the decided locations one by one.


    Within six hours, several of the suspicious ces were searched. The location where Hidan had killed civilians and fellow ninjas didn''t have any clue to track Hidan. Though Shiro picked up some scents, he couldn''t use them to track Hidan.


    His clones didn''t have much luck either. Each of them had properly searched 3-4 locations without much sess. One of Fujin''s clones kept moving in the direction of the Land of Frost. He was only a couple of dozen from the border when he reached a small mountain range that existed there.


    He thought, ''I have already looked through 3 locations and haven''t found anything. Since I didn''t receive any message, the others shouldn''t have had any sess either. Sigh, I hope I find them in time.''


    He activated his Space-Time Sensing Technique. Just like all the previous times, he didn''t sense any disturbances in the Space-Time field, implying that there was no ninja in a 4.5 kilometer radius. The clone moved around for a bit to cover the entire mountain range but still didn''t find anything.


    Finally, he deactivated his technique and activated his chakra field. He began inspecting the Mountain range once again. After a couple of minutes, he sensed a location that he couldn''t sense. His eyes widened. He immediately deactivated his chakra field and hid himself.


    He wondered, ''Is this it? But why didn''t I sense anything with my Space-Time Sensing Technique? Hmm, normal seals shouldn''t be able to hide themselves from my Space-Time Sensing Technique. This means that either the seals here counter Space-Time Techniques or, more likely, there is no one inside whatever is being hidden by the seal.


    I hope that it is the former. Konoha''s library didn''t have any seals to stop or block Space-Time techniques. If this cave does have such seals, then I can use them against Obito. As long as his intangibility is neutralized, killing him wouldn''t be that difficult.''


    Fujin''s clone was excited by that possibility. However, he turned his focus back to the matter at hand. He analyzed, ''It wouldn''t be strange to have an abandoned base inside this country. It could have been created by them during wartime. Or perhaps it could be created by any other major viges during one of the Great Ninja Wars. So, I can''t be sure that this is done by Jashin. I need to inspect it while taking care to ensure that no one inside the hideout gets suspicious.''


    He created a Shadow Clone with a very low amount of chakra. The clone immediately transformed into a rabbit and began moving towards the area being blocked by seals that he had detected earlier.


    The rabbit reached that location in a few minutes. He hid in bushes and observed it. The area lookedpletely natural. It was a mountain wall and nothing else.


    The rabbit analyzed, ''It looks like the entrance to the cave is properly sealed off, making it lookpletely normal. Now, let me see the level of the person who inscribed seals here.''


    The rabbit concentrated chakra in his eyes as he began observing the wall. Soon, several dozen seals appeared in front of him. The rabbit properly analyzed every seal he could see and dispelled itself.


    The clone immediately received the memories. He analyzed, ''This level of sealing¡­ Whoever did it should be a Grandmaster. More importantly, the style of the seals and symbols is quite simr to the ones in Zankoku''s memories. It looks like this is it!''


    The Shadow Clone wasn''t the only one to receive the memories. Fujin and his other clones received the memories as well. Fujin immediately began moving towards the Land of Frost. As for his two Shadow Clones, they dispelled themselves, sending memories and chakra back to the main body. The Shadow Clone that found the base kept hiding there, ensuring that no one escaped.

 Chapter 452: A Suspicious Feeling!

    Within a couple of hours, Fujin and his squad reached the Mountain range and appeared where his clone was hiding. On seeing Fujin, the clone dispelled itself. Fujin received his memories.


    In thest 2 hours, there was no movement into or from the base that his clone had detected. In addition, the mountain range''s location was such that no major trading route passed nearby. As such, the clone didn''t detect traders or ninjas passing by either.


    While Fujin was analyzing the memories, his teammates were scanning the area. Shiro couldn''t smell any scent while Hisao''s eyes didn''t pick up anything out of the ordinary. Both looked at Fujin with odd expressions on their faces wondering whether Fujin had brought them to the right ce. As for Yamanaka Ken, Fujin had instructed him against activating his chakra field.


    Hisao said, "I don''t see anything odd."


    Shiro added, "Same, I don''t smell Hidan or anyone else nearby. Are you sure that they are here?"


    Fujin replied, "I can''t say for sure. Let''s check."


    He began walking towards the spot where his clone had disguised as a rabbit and inspected the seals. His teammates were surprised by the casual response. They followed him. Unlike his clone, Fujin didn''t bother hiding his presence much. If his presence lured out the ones hiding inside, he would be d instead of getting worried.


    His eyes glowed as he observed the seals. Without the need to hide himself, Fujin could observe in greater detail. He saw a lot more than just the seals on the surface. Even the seals on the inner side of the walls were visible.


    Fujin raised two fingers on his right hand. Four Vacuum des formed on top of his fingers. They flew and hit the wall in a way that none of the seals were damaged. Fujin wasn''t sure whether his targets were inside the cave. As such, he wanted to leave the seals unharmed to study themter and avoid being left empty-handed on a mission that gave him so many headaches.


    The four Vacuum des cut open a door in the mountain. Fujin''s teammates were surprised to see a cave hidden behind the wall. Hyuga Hisao thought in surprise, ''Incredible. I didn''t detect anything! It must be hidden with seals. Is Fujin a SealMa¡­''


    A few seconds after the door was cut open, Shiro smelled a scent that made his expression grim. Despite not sharing his sense of smell, the other three noticed it as well and recognized what the stench was. It was the stench of dead bodies rotting! Hisao immediately activated his Byakugan, while Fujin and Ken activated their chakra fields.


    All 4 immediately had grim expressions. Fujin muttered to himself, ''No wonder I couldn''t sense any disturbances with my Space-Time Sensing Technique. Everyone inside is already dead. Sigh, am I toote?''


    Fujin asked, "What do you see?"


    Hisao answered, "Dead bodies¡­ More than 300 of them. They are spread in 6 rooms. However, I don''t see any clear injuries on their body. We will need to inspect it properly. There is no one alive inside unless they are hiding with the help of seals."


    Fujin looked at Shiro and asked, "Did you notice anything?"


    Shiro answered, "I can confirm that Hidan''s scent was in this cave. He should have left. However, I can''t find any trail of his scent. It looks like he can eliminate traces of his scent."


    Fujin thought for a bit and instructed, "Send a messenger bird to Yugakure and inform the Daimyo. Ask him to deploy ninjas here and take care of the dead bodies."


    Fujin looked at the cave and said, "Entering inside will be risky as there are a lot of seals inside. I will send my clones to investigate the cave. Shiro, you search for any traces of Hidan on this mountain range that could aid us in tracking him.


    Hisao and Ken, you two inspect the remaining mountain range and check if we missed anything. Also, keep an eye out for any unusual activity or presence."


    Everyone nodded and got to work. Meanwhile, Fujin created several Shadow Clones who entered the cave in two waves.


    Fujin analyzed, ''Though the ritual is over, it shouldn''t have been a long time. If that Bishop''s body is still inside this cave, then I might still be able to read some of his memories. As long as I can find the location of their secret organization, I can always find more targets to read memories and learn about these rituals.


    Unfortunately, there are two issues. The first is if the Bishop dying isn''t something that always happens after a ritual. And, the second is if Hidan hid his body. In that case, I''ll have to capture Hidan and read his memories. But, how do I do that with these three following me everywhere?


    Sigh, so manyplications once again. Couldn''t he have just waited for a few weeks before starting the ritual? Why did he have to undergo the ritual exactly at this moment? If it had happened a bitter, I would have gotten what I wanted. If it had happened earlier, I wouldn''t have cared much about this. This timing really feels like someone is messing with me, be it intentional or unintentional.''


    The timing of the ritual felt too much of a coincidence for Fujin. As such, he couldn''t help but be suspicious. However, he couldn''tprehend how anyone would have known that he would read Zankoku''s memories and go after Hidan at that time.


    While Fujin waited outside the cave, his clones got to work. The first wave of the clones was responsible for studying the seals. They recorded every seal in the cave into various scrolls that Fujin had handed them. In addition, they were also responsible for disabling any traps left among those seals and making the cave harmless to anyone else.


    The second wave of Shadow Clones began inspecting the dead bodies. Fujin''s main goal was to find the bodies of the Bishop and his priests. At the same time, he was also curious about how the people had died during the ritual and the seals on their bodies. In Zankoku''s case, the people had died due to the blood being sucked out from their bodies. Fujin was curious about what they had to sacrifice to give Hidan such a broken ability.


    The first wave of Shadow Clones progressed slowly but steadily. Though there were some seals and symbols that Fujin didn''t recognize, those seals were rted to the ritual and didn''t have any offensive capabilities. As such, none of his clones were dispelled.


    Once the pathways were secured, they continued recording the seals while the clones from the second wave began inspecting the dead bodies.


    On observing, the clones immediately noticed simrities among the corpses. They analyzed, ''That''s weird¡­ ording to the mission details, people of all ages were kidnapped. Still, everyone here is extremely old!


    There are no signs of any injuries on them. It''s almost as if they weren''t killed. Instead, they died due to old age. Hmm, does that mean the ritual absorbed the life force or lifespan of these people? Would increasing life force by multiple times give the ability to be an Immortal like Hidan? Or are there more factors involved?''


    The clones began studying the corpses more carefully. As soon as they touched the corpses, the clones immediately noticed another aspect. They thought, ''The cells in their body¡­ So weird¡­ The cells in their bodies don''t resemble that of someone who died a few days ago. Instead, they have deteriorated to such a stage that it might look like these bodies died several years ago!


    But why is this? Could it be that a ritual was conducted here a long time ago? No, Shiro said that he smelled Hidan''s scent. Not to mention, the number of dead people here is simr to the number of kidnapped people.


    So, did their cells deteriorate so quickly because their lifespan was sucked? Now that I think about it, Hidan would frequently harm himself, be it to act as a distraction or to activate his killing technique. Despite the damage, he is able to move around freely.


    This should imply that he is able to heal very quickly. His ability to survive can be divided into two parts. The first is being able to survive attacks that would kill a normal person, such as a spear through his heart. The second is being able to recover from that damage.


    There is only one way to recover from that damage, that is, cell regeneration. It should be at the same or higher level than Tsunade''s Mitotic Regeneration. The only limit it has is when he is cut into two or more pieces like Asuma andter Shikamaru did. Or perhaps he isn''t skillful enough to use this in that situation.


    Regardless, it looks like they not only sucked the life force but also sucked out the cells'' ability to regenerate themselves. This is why the cells in these corpses have deteriorated so quickly. My guess is that they will continue deteriorating at a high speed andpletely dpose themselves. In a few months, it will be impossible to even identify these people.''


    Fujin''s clones who were studying the dead bodies began studying the seals inscribed on the dead bodies and copied them in scrolls. Meanwhile, the remaining clones from the second wave were searching for a body wearing the same outfit as Bishop Ketsueki.

 Chapter 453: The Mysterious Factor!

    While the clones were recording the Juinjutsu seals on the bodies of the corpses, one Shadow Clone ced his hand on the head of one of the corpses and inserted some of his Yin chakra into his brain.


    After a couple of minutes, he withdrew his arm and analyzed, ''As I expected... I can''t read the memories¡­ The fast speed of dposition of their bodies has also made it impossible to read their memories. All their memories have been lost to time. Sigh, I hope that Bishop''s case isn''t the same.''


    After nearly an hour, Fujin''s clones had recorded each and every seal in therge cave. Fujin''s teammates, who were kept busy by the misceneous tasks he assigned them, had no idea that Fujin was recording all the seals in the cave under the guise ofpleting the mission.


    Despite recording all the seals properly, Fujin wasn''t very happy. Inside the cave, he had found the bodies of all the kidnapped people. However, he didn''t find anyone wearing the outfit that Ketsueki wore in Zankoku''s memories.


    To make matters worse, in addition to the kidnapped people, there were 32 more dead bodies in the cave which were cremated long before Fujin''s clone found the hideout. Fujin spected that they were the Priests and servants under the Bishop.


    He analyzed with a grim expression on his face, ''As I thought. Someone is indeed messing with me! I can understand not being able to read the memories of the sacrifices due to the nature of the ritual, but what was the need to cremate the followers of the Bishop?


    Thispletely counters my ability to read memories and learn about the identity and appearance of the Bishop along with what exactly happened during the ritual.


    Besides, why would they kill the followers of Jashin instead of having them follow Hidan? The situation ispletely different from Zankoku. It looks like my only option is to capture Hidan and read his memories to find out more about the Bishop. But¡­''


    A frown formed on Fujin''s face again as he thought, ''But there are no leads on Hidan. How the hell am I supposed to find him in this vast country? Not to mention, he doesn''t need to stay in this country.


    Another obstacle is Akatsuki. I don''t know when the Akatsuki will make a move to recruit him. Once they recruit him, I won''t be able to deal with him for quite some time.


    Though I''m confident in dealing with Hidan, Kakuzu is not someone I can defeat for sure right now. Even more so when Hidan is cooperating with him. I''ll need to wait for some time for my strength to increase considerably and only then deal with both of them together.''


    Fujin let out a sigh and looked at the cave in front of him. He thought, ''It looks like there are only two ways now. I can only study the seals and try to study Zankoku''s body. I have some confidence in studying the seals, but Zankoku''s body is another hopeless prospect.


    Fortunately, Zankoku''s memories were more or less intact. Even if I don''t achieve any sess in those two methods, I can learn more about this when I get my hands on the Edo Tensei jutsu.


    But there is still the interference I am feeling¡­ Hmm, I should move quickly and secure Ketsueki''s corpse. It would suck big time if someone moves or destroys it. If there is indeed someone interfering, then they might try to attack me when I am holding Ketsueki''s body. That would be a good way to draw out whoever is hiding.''


    Fujin was left stuck once again. Despite feeling that he was very close, Fujin just barely missed gaining the secrets of the Jashin ritual. As such, he could only make ns for the future.


    A long distance away from the mountain range Fujin was inspecting the Jashin hideout used for ritual, a figure could be in the forests. He was holding a bag and pouring some ashes on the ground, letting the wind spread it.


    It was the person Yugakure was searching for. Hidan emptied the contents of his bag andined, "That motherfucker! He asked me to cremate his body after his death and asked me to scatter his ashes all over the Land of Frost!


    First, he hurried the ritual for some reason. Though those Yugakure cowards are ipetent, they still managed to catch us a couple of times. Afterpleting the ritual, he burned the dead bodies of all of his followers and asked me to do the same to his body and even asked me to spread his ashes."


    He wondered, ''Why did Lord Jashin ask Bishop Shikabane to do that?''


    Of course, Hidan couldn''tprehend the reason. If Fujin were to learn of it, he would easily understand. Hidan cremating Shikabane''s body ensured that Fujin wouldn''t be able to read his memories. And, by spreading his ashes over long distances, all his ashes would be mixed with the earth and be impossible to find even if Fujin read Hidan''s mind in the future. As such, Edo Tensei wouldn''t work either!


    However, even this knowledge would force Fujin to wonder a lot. After all, Shikabane began gathering people for the ritual even before Fujin attempted reading Zankoku''s memories and having any intentions towards Shikabane and Hidan. Not to mention, Fujin had read Zankoku''s memories in absolute secrecy! Unfortunately, Fujin had no way of knowing that his suspicions of someone messing with him were indeed the truth!


    Unlike Fujin, Hidan didn''t bother thinking much about such aplicated matter. He cursed a bit loudly, "Whatever, I just need to spread the word of Jashin. I will kill and sacrifice those bastards to Lord Jashin! Hmm?"


    Hidan immediately jumped backwards. A few shurikensnded where he was standing. In front of him, 8 ninjas appeared. All staring at him. One of them wondered, ''Who is this guy? And why is he shouting about killing us in the middle of nowhere?''


    Hidan frowned on seeing them and asked, "Kumo ninjas? What do you want?"


    The leader among the 8 Kumo ninjas replied, "That is what I want to ask you. Kill and sacrifice us? Who do you think you are? Since when did rogue Yugakure ninjas be this arrogant?"


    Hidan watched dumbfounded and thought to himself, ''I didn''t even sense them. What a coincidence that they were here and heard what I was saying.''


    He suddenlyughed out loudly and eximed, "Lord Jashin is mighty. He already brought me more sacrifices! Be proud of the fact that you would be the first ones I sacrifice to Lord Jashin."


    The Kumo ninjas looked at him like he was a moron. Their leader said, "We need to meet up with Darui soon and head to the Land of Hot Water. Let''s kill this clown and get on our way. We have rested enough."


    Everyone nodded. In the Land of Frost, a few kilometers away from their border with the Land of Hot Water, 2 Kumo squads shed with Hidan!


    Back in the Land of Hot Water, Fujin was oblivious to these developments. Fujin''s clones kept recording all the seals. It took them around 4 hours to record everything perfectly. At the same time, his remaining clones checked up on all the corpses, confirming that none of their memories could be read. His teammates scanned the mountain range and didn''t find anything suspicious.


    Fujin looked at the cave and wondered whether he should wipe out the seals left in the cave. After some time, he decided, ''I''ll let them be in case I need to refer it at some point in the future. I have already left a Flying Thunder God marking in the cave. When I master it in the future, I can freely ess this cave.


    Even though doing this could allow other Grandmasters to observe this cave as well, it isn''t an issue. In fact, it might even be better. After all, I am just one person. Now that I think about it, I should give information about these seals to Hiruzen as well.


    If others work on it as well, the chances of someone seeding in making sense of these new seals and symbols would be much higher. If it is someone from Konoha, other than Danzo, then getting my hands on it wouldn''t be difficult.


    Even if it is someone not from Konoha, as long as it is exposed, I can go and hunt that Grandmaster and read his memories. After all, once I master the Flying Thunder God jutsu, who can stop me from infiltrating and escaping?


    Another possible aspect can be if the spread of this knowledge makes the Jashinistse out of their cave. That would make my life easier as well. Hmm, yeah, I''ll do this. I''ll give Hiruzen some of the new seals and symbols I discovered in this cave. As for the entire seal formation, I won''t give it to him. Making it requires a lot of work. I won''t be able to create another copy to give it to him in time. Let him send a squad and take the notes.''


    Fujin immediately began acting on his n. He created a few more Shadow Clones to copy some of the new seals and symbols in different scrolls which he would give to Hiruzen.


    A couple of hourster, the Yugakure ninjas finally arrived.

 Chapter 454: Five Forces Move (1)

    The Yugakure forces were led by a familiar face. It was Takeshita Tokuhei leading a group of 24 Yugakure ninjas. Some of his subordinates were the same ones who had cooperated with Renjiro''s squad on an elimination 4 years ago.


    Tokuhei looked at Fujin. Though Fujin and his teammates had made an impact back then, Tokuhei hadn''t thought much of it. After all, several geniuses appeared every year. However, the ones that made it to the top were very few. Most would either die or not have the dedication to keep training to be a fearsome ninja.


    Of course, that was until he saw Fujin''s bounty poster with an insane bounty and the spection of him being the Spectral Swordsman! It was a name even he wouldn''t want to face on the battlefield. When Iwagakure updated Fujin''s information in the Bingo book, Tokuhei was left stunned. He never anticipated that the Spectral Swordsman would be so young and someone with whom he had cooperated earlier.


    While the ninjas from the major viges weren''t too intimidated by the Spectral Swordsman, the situation waspletely opposite for the minor viges neighboring the Land of Fire where Fujin was highly active. The sheer amount of people he killed during his time in Anbu made them very fearful of him despite him not being very active in recent times.


    Tokuhei thought, ''From a newly promoted Chunin to an Elite Jounin in merely 4 years¡­ Thankfully we aren''t on opposite sides.''


    He said politely, "Suzuki Fujin, it''s good to see you again."


    Fujin looked at Tokuhei. Unknown to Tokuhei, Fujin had worked several times with him while he was an Anbu. It is just that Tokuhei wasn''t aware that it was Fujin. He nodded and said, "It is good to see you once again as well. Unfortunately, the asion isn''t a joyous one."


    On hearing it, the expression on every Yugakure ninja''s face became grim. They were informed of the information the Konoha ninjas sent to the Daimyo. Among their group were a few ninjas who were offended by Fujin''s words in the meeting room and a few who had inspected this spot earlier and not discovered any hideout. Through his actions, Fujin had proven his words true, making them feel ashamed and guilty.


    This loss was a significant one for the Land of Hot Water. Losing so many civilians in one blow would cause a lot of chaos and panic in the country. Their economy would suffer as well as trading would slow down and tourism woulde to a halt temporarily. As a result, the country would be in for a hard time for a few months at the very least.


    Fujin looked at the cave and said, "There are many seals in the cave. Fortunately, they don''t trigger automatically. You guys can recover the corpses. That said, I''m not sure what the seals do. So, avoid damaging the cave and identally triggering any seals."


    Tokuhei nodded. He had no intention of arguing with Fujin. He instructed his men to collect and store the dead bodies properly.


    While the Yugakure ninjas were cleaning up, Yamanaka Ken asked Fujin, "The mission seems to be over, captain. Should we stay or return to Konoha?"


    Fujin thought for a few seconds and answered, "Let''s apany them back to Yugakure. It''ll be in our path anyways."


    Fujin''s teammates nodded. Fujin thought, ''Collecting all the bodies and returning will need some time. If Yugakure gets news of Hidan''s movements, I''ll have an excuse to find and hunt him.''


    Though Fujin knew that the chances of getting what he wanted were very low, he didn''t want to give up on it considering that there wasn''t much danger in doing so. Apart from losing some time, he wouldn''t lose anything else.


    While the Yugakure ninjas were storing the bodies, a new development happened elsewhere. Close to the border between the Land of Hot Water and the Land of Frost, eight Kumo ninjas stood.


    Cined, "Where are those guys? They were supposed to meet us several hours ago. If we dy any further, then our mission will be a failure."


    Darui calmed him down and said, "Rx. They should have a good reason to bete. Besides, we can''t guarantee that we would be able to take him down with just the 8 of us. We need a SealMaster to be able to pin him down and avoid his traps. Without him, our chances of seeding will drop hard."


    C said, "I know. But if we wait any longer, he might leave and return to Konoha. We had to wait for months for him to leave his vige. Fortunately, he left it twice in a row! Who knows how long he will stay holed up in Konoha like a turtle once again?"


    Darui sighed. He knew that time was running out as well. However, he didn''t want to take any meaningless risks and waited patiently. Suddenly, C''s eyes widened. He said in a serious tone, "Follow me quickly."


    C flickered right away. The remaining 7 Kumo ninjas followed him immediately. After flickering a few times, C arrived in front of an injured Kumo ninja. The Kumo ninja was covered in blood and had several injuries on his body. Soon, others arrived as well.


    C immediately began healing the injured ninja while Darui asked, "Who attacked you? And where are the rest?"


    The injured ninja was in a state of shock. Though C healed him, his mental state didn''t recover. The injured ninja looked at Darui and said, "They are dead! All died! He is a monster!"


    Panic and fear could be heard in his voice. His entire body was shivering. The eight Kumo ninjas were surprised to see his state. Everyone could see his horror. In addition, the fact that 7 Kumo ninjas died to just one person surprised them. After all, none of them were weak. Every one of them was a Jounin or a Special Jounin.


    Darui asked, "Who is a monster?"


    The injured Kumo ninja said, "He was a rogue ninja from Yugakure. He is Imm¡­"


    Suddenly, the injured Kumo ninja coughed and vomited blood. He clutched his chest as if he was trying to hold his heart. A secondter, he lost his life and dropped dead!


    The Kumo ninjas were all shocked! Darui asked hurriedly, "C, what happened? How did he die?"


    C had a grim expression. He was healing the injured ninja when he suddenly copsed. He answered, "I don''t know. Though he was injured, his condition wasn''t critical. Seeing him hold his heart, I guess he might have suffered a heart attack. We will need to take him back to the vige to inspect him."


    One of the other ninjas said, "We can take him back to the vigeter, but we need to first get them justice. Which bastard dared to kill Kumo ninjas? Since when did Yugakure have such a strong rogue ninja?"


    Samui said, "I read some reports from the Land of Hot Water recently. Apparently, one of their ninjas killed 18 other ninjas and several civilians before going rogue. I believe his name was Hidan. It might be him."


    Darui thought about Samui''s information. He asked, "C, do you detect anyone nearby?"


    C shook his head and replied, "My chakra field has been activated for some time. I didn''t detect anyone else."


    Darui said, "Then our only choice is to trail his steps and find out what exactly happened. Then we can hunt that rogue ninja."


    Samui asked, "But what about our mission?"


    Darui sighed and said, "We can''t risk taking on Suzuki Fujin without a SealMaster. It''ll make it very difficult to kill him as he is spected to be a Grandmaster. If we fail once, then he will forever be on guard and Konoha might take some retaliatory measures."


    Everyone agreed with Darui''s reasoning. They stored the dead body properly and began tracing his steps back.


    A couple of dozen kilometers away from Darui, a burst of loudughter could be heard in the snow-covered forest. Several diagrams made from blood could be seen on the ground. In addition, there were a few corpses and a lot of blood from the dead ninjas.


    Hidan thought, ''I have offered my first sacrifices to Lord Jashin. Even that ninja who managed to run away. I want to know what his expression was when he died even after managing to escape.''


    The thought made Hidanugh once again. He thought, ''Still, this isn''t enough. I need to sacrifice more people to Lord Jashin!''


    Hidan grabbed his weapons and continued his aimless journey. Around the same time, a messenger bird reached Tokuhei from Yugakure. His eyes widened on reading the message. Fujin noticed that and asked, "What is it?"


    Tokuhei informed, "To find the missing people, we had our ninjas spread out all over the country. Some even cooperated with the patrol camps of neighbouring countries along our borders.


    A couple of our ninjas were searching inside the Land of Frost while cooperating with the ninjas of Shimogakure. They found Hidan. He was engaged in a battle with Kumogakure ninjas and was winning. They left immediately and sent back a message."

 Chapter 455: Five Forces Move (2)

    Fujin was surprised by the information. He wondered, ''Hidan is in the Land of Frost? Makes sense that he escaped there, but why is he fighting Kumo ninjas? Is that crazy guy trying to sacrifice everyone he meets? He isn''t that crazy, right?''


    Tokuhei said, "I will leave some men here toplete the work here and lead the remaining forces to hunt him down. What will you be doing?"


    Fujin acted like he was thinking for a few seconds and answered, "Well, our mission statement also included hunting him down if we meet him. Give me the location, we will move ahead first."


    Tokuhei nodded and informed Fujin about the location where Hidan and Kumogakure ninjas fought. Fujin''s squad left immediately. A few minutester, Tokuhei also followed them with 3 squads.


    Around the same time, in Shimogakure, 2 squads stood in front of a person. He looked at them and informed them about the fight between Hidan and Kumo.


    He instructed, "Considering that the rogue ninja was winning, it is safe to say that Kumogakure will take some actions to eliminate him. From reports, he seems to have killed many Yugakure ninjas as well. So they might cooperate with Kumo ninjas to eliminate him.


    You don''t need to fight him. In fact, if you do meet him, escape without fighting. If you meet Kumo or Yugakure ninjas, feel free to help them out with intelligence, but don''t fight for them. Just observe what happens with the rogue ninja and try to ensure the safety ofmon people if you can without risking your life."


    The leader of the 2 squads nodded his head. He and the remaining ninjas left Shimogakure and moved towards the location of the fight. They didn''t want to get involved, but since the fighting was happening in their country, they had the responsibility of monitoring the battle and ensuring thatmoners didn''t be needless casualties once again.


    As a result, the forces from four viges, that is, Konohagakure, Kumogakure, Shimogakure and Yugakure, began moving to find Hidan in the Land of Frost. Kumogakure were unaware of the movements of the other forces, while Fujin and Tokuhei were the most clear about which viges would be involved. However, even they weren''t aware of another force that was about to get involved.


    In the Land of Rain, a white & ck figure appeared from the ground and looked at Nagato''s Deva Path and Konan! ck Zetsu said, "I have found an interesting person. I believe he will be the perfect partner for Kakuzu."


    Nagato and Konan were surprised. Konan asked, "You mean you found someone stronger than Kakuzu? Who is it?"


    White Zetsu answered, "It is a rogue ninja from Yugakure. He killed 18 ninjas and went rogue a few weeks ago. We saw him fighting Kumogakure Jounins a few hours ago. He isn''t stronger than Kakuzu, but it looks like his body is immortal."


    His words surprised the two. Nagato asked, "What do you mean by Immortal?"


    ck Zetsu answered, "He can''t be killed by physical injuries. In his fight against Kumo, his heart was stabbed several times. At times, he did it himself. Yet, he kept moving around and fighting as if nothing was wrong. Elemental jutsus doesn''t seem to have much effect on him either. His offensive abilities are very peculiar as well."


    Zetsu informed the two about what they had witnessed during the battle. Konan was quite surprised and impressed by Hidan''s abilities. Nagato said, "Alright, let''s recruit him. Konan, I will leave this matter to you. Take Kakuzu and Itachi with you to test and recruit him."


    Konan nodded. She was about to leave when White Zetsu said, "You should hurry up. Darui from Kumogakure was close to where the fight happened. And a few Yugakure and Shimogakure ninjas spotted him as well. Though I doubt he will die, he could be in trouble if he gets heavily outnumbered."


    Nagato nodded. His Animal Path body appeared, weaved hand seals and mmed his palm on the ground.


    ''Summoning Jutsu''


    A giant bird with a long and massive beak appeared. Nagato said, "You can use it to fly over to the Land of Frost."


    Konan nodded. She immediately left along with the bird, while picking up Itachi and Kakuzu on the way.


    Hidan, the one who was at the center of all this action, waspletely clueless about the five forcesing for him and their intentions. One of the forces just wanted to observe and limit the destruction. Two Forces wanted revenge and justice and wereing for his head. One just wanted to capture him and read his memories. And thest one wanted to recruit him.


    Darui''s team was the first one to reach the spot as they were the closest to it. They followed the bloody trail left by the dead Kumo ninja while he made his way to them. The expressions of the Kumo ninjas became grim as they saw the gore in front of them.


    C cursed, "To kill our ninjas so brazenly! That bastard doesn''t want to live!"


    Everyone agreed with him. The dead bodies of the Kumo ninjas were too pitiful to watch. Their blood was boiling in rage at the sight. They stored the dead bodies properly and began looking for Hidan''s trail. Unfortunately, it wasn''t easy.


    They could follow the bloody trail to find the location where Hidan and the Kumo ninjas had shed. However, trailing Hidan from there onwards wasn''t easy. Yet, they had no intention of giving up and continued looking.


    Around three hourster, Fujin''s squad reached the ce. Shiro looked in surprise and said, "So much blood! It looks like their reports were correct. A huge battle took ce here."


    Fujin nodded. Hyuga Hisao added, "There is no one nearby. They should have already left. Fortunately, they left a trail behind."


    Fujin instructed, "Shiro, investigate the scents you can find in this ce and see how many tracks you can find. Ken, help him. Hisao,e with me."


    Fujin and Hisao moved and found the bloody trail left behind by the Kumo ninja who had escaped temporarily. Hisao pointed out some footprints that were mixed with blood which Fujin observed and analyzed, ''It looks like someone managed to escape. But, considering the amount of blood that person lost, there is no way he would survive against Hidan even if he ran away.


    And for that very reason, it is unlikely that Hidan would bother chasing him. That said, why did the Kumo ninja escape towards the Land of Hot Water instead of escaping towards the Land of Lightning? Was any Kumo squad in that direction?''


    Fujin was confused. He could understand there being some Kumo ninjas in the Land of Frost considering that they were neighbors. But his movement made Fujin a bit suspicious. He and Hisao returned to where Shiro and Ken were.


    Shiro noticed Fujin and reported, "Captain, I can sense 17 scents that were lingering here some time ago. One of them belongs to Hidan but I can''t identify the rest of them."


    Fujin fell into deep thought. He analyzed, ''17? It looks like the ninja who escaped went to find reinforcements. He should have seeded in finding them. That''s weird. Why didn''t Hidan kill him? Can he not lick the blood that has fallen to the ground or is there any time limit for how long the blood should have left the target''s body?


    No, that shouldn''t be it. After all, Kakashi had taken Kakuzu''s blood and Shikamaru took his own sweet time to use it. Could it be that he just disdains licking the blood that has fallen to the ground?''


    Fujin couldn''t be sure but he felt that was the case. He asked, "Can you track where the 17 who were here have gone? Or rather, can you track Hidan?"


    Shiro nodded and said, "Yes. I can track his scent. The issue is that there are multiple paths. I''m afraid that he left behind some pieces of cloth which were taken by others. As a result, there are two tracks."


    Fujin was surprised once again. He thought, ''That''s weird. He hid his tracks so well in the Land of Hot Water. No matter what we did, we couldn''t track him. How did he be so careless all of a sudden?


    Regardless, if I assume that the ones who took the pieces of his clothes were reinforcements from Kumo, then they might be trying to hunt him down right now. It will create an opportunity for me. I should move quickly.''

 Chapter 456: Dreams of Invincibility!

    Fujin asked, "Can you create Shadow Clones?"


    Shiro answered, "Just one. I''m not very good at it. Also, it exhausts my chakra very rapidly."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Don''t worry. Just make one with minimal chakra. Your clone will follow my clone to see where those bloody footprints go. Check whether you can smell some of the scents here on that route."


    Shiro nodded. He created a Shadow Clone with 15% of his while Fujin created one with 1% of his chakra. Both immediately left along the trail left by the bloody footprints.


    Shiro asked, "Which track should we follow?"


    He had smelled two tracks of Hidan''s scent. They could only follow one route unless they split up and made Shiro and his ninja dog move into two separate teams.


    Fujin didn''t intend to split the team so quickly. If the other team found Hidan, then they would be in danger and he didn''t have the ability to teleport as of now. He answered casually, "The one where you can smell a hint of blood."


    Shiro was surprised by the answer. However, he followed the instruction without any dy and the four moved once again.


    Fujin thought, ''Hidan''s fighting style involves a lot of blood. His weapons should still be smeared in enemy blood. Byparison, the Kumo ninjas would be careful enough to not make such a silly mistake.


    Not to mention, knowing Hidan, he should leave a bloody trail in his path. As long as there is no unexpected factor, I should get to him. The only thing I need to worry about is how I can read his memory while these three are with me¡­''


    Fujin was finally hopeful once again. Though they were moving slightly slowly, he felt that they had a high chance of catching Hidan.


    While they were following the tracks, Hidan met another bunch from Kumo. Darui and his teammates had finally found Hidan. Despite not being good at smelling, everyone could smell a stench of blood from Hidan.


    Hidan eximed, "Another bunch from Kumo? You are too eager to be sacrificed to Lord Jashin!"


    His words immediately angered the Kumo ninjas. Darui said, "So you admit to killing our ninjas. Good. Let me see where you get the courage to do so!"


    He weaved hand seals.


    ''Lightning Release: ck Panther''


    Darui released ck lightning which immediately took the form of a panther and reached Hidan in the blink of an eye. The speed of the jutsu was too fast. Hidan was surprised.


    He had a rtively easy time killing ninjas from Yugakure. Though he struggled a bit against the Kumo ninjas, it was due to being outnumbered rather than being outmatched.


    The jutsu hit Hidan and electrocuted him. His screams were heard. A ck glow appeared around him due to the ck lightning. The Kumo ninjas enjoyed Hidan''s screams. However, to the surprise of the Kumo ninjas, Hidan''s screams slowly became softer. By the time the attack was over, Hidan was still standing. Only his clothes were damaged.


    Hidan looked at the Kumo ninjas hatefully and was about to curse when he felt someone grab his neck. One of the Kumo ninjas took advantage of Hidan''s inattentiveness and snuck up on him. He lifted Hidan by his neck and mmed him into the ground.


    He looked at Hidan and asked, "Do you know how we were able to track you?"


    Hidan tried to release his neck from the enemy''s grip, but the Kumo ninja was much stronger physically. Plus he was just given shock therapy by Darui. The ninja answered his own question, "We lost your trail multiple times. But each time we did, we found several people who you butchered. It was only due to the blood trail you left that we managed to find you!"


    The Kumo group wasn''t as skilled as Fujin''s squad in terms of tracking. As a result, tracking Hidan was quite difficult for them. However, whenever they lost his trail, they found a few people or families that were ughtered by Hidan. As a result, they were able to stay on his trail and eventually reached him.


    Having ensured that Hidan would regret killing mindlessly at thest moment of his life, the Kumo ninja grabbed a kunai and stabbed it into Hidan''s heart!


    The Kumo ninjas just watched from a distance. After all, the one attacking was an Elite Jounin as well. Though they were alert against Hidan due to him having 8 Kumo ninjas, they were still confident in defeating him easily.


    However, to the surprise of every Kumo ninja present, Hidan dug his nails into his forearm and caused the Kumo ninja to bleed. At the same time, he grabbed his retractable spear and attacked the Kumo ninja while ignoring the kunai stuck in his chest.


    The Kumo ninja quickly backed away. The remaining Kumo ninjas quickly grabbed their weapons and looked with shocked expressions. Darui asked, "How is he still alive?"


    The ninja who had just fallen back replied, "I don''t know. I''m sure that I stabbed his heart."


    C said, "Remember the words of our dyingrade? Hisst words were ''He is Imm¡­''. Do you think he meant to say that he is an immortal?"


    Darui replied, "It could be. What an annoying opponent. No wonder they didn''t survive¡­"


    While the Kumo ninjas were talking, Hidan got up and removed the kunai from his chest. Immediately, blood poured down from the injury. He licked the blood on his nails. Immediately, several tattoos appeared on his face and body. At the same time, he used his foot to draw the sacrificial diagram on the ground with the blood that had poured down.


    He looked at the Kumo ninjas and cursed, "You Motherfuckers! The ritual has now begun! Let''s experience the ultimate pain together!"


    The Kumo ninjas were confused by his words. However, they didn''t dare to underestimate him anymore. The 8 ninjas spread out and surrounded Hidan from all sides. A few began weaving hand signs.


    While the Kumo ninjas were engaged in a battle with Hidan, Fujin''s squad was rapidly moving towards the location where Hidan and the Kumo ninjas were fighting. Unfortunately, they were still too far away to be able to detect the fight. Luckily for them, the two sets of scents kept merging on the same path again and again. As a result, they were able to confirm that they were moving in the right direction.


    At the same time, the Akatsuki members led by Konan were flying in rapidly. They had crossed over the vast area of the Land of Fire and had entered the Land of Hot Water thanks to the high speed of the Giant Drill-Pecked Bird they were riding. Since none of them were the talkative type, they flew inplete silence.


    As for the Yugakure and Shimogakure ninjas, they were still some distance away and they didn''t have the advanced tracking capabilities of the other three forces.


    At the ce where Fujin''s team was heading, the Kumo squad were by themselves. The only difference was that instead of 8, there were only 6 ninjas. The remaining two were lying lifelessly on the ground. One of the ninjas cursed, "That bastard ran away."


    C said, "How far can he go? With that bloody wound, tracking him wouldn''t be difficult. But, we need to n first. Otherwise, we will lose more people."


    Samui analyzed, "His abilities are very peculiar. I now understand how he was able to kill those 8 ninjas. Stab wounds and jutsus have no long-term effect on him. In addition, he can ensure that one of us suffers the same damage that he does, allowing him to kill that person by stabbing his own heart."


    Darui continued, "However, to do that, he needs to lick the blood of that person. As long as we don''t let him injure us, he won''t be able to use that curse against us. The best way to fight him would be to fight him from a distance."


    Samui questioned, "But how can we fight him from a distance? So far, the only wound he couldn''t shrug off was when you cut his arm off. But if we fight from a distance, we can''t do that. He isn''t impacted much by our jutsus and moves fast enough to dodge any weapon we throw."


    C said, "One of us would need to fight him at close range. As long as he can avoid getting injured and we keep Hidan away from the circle, we will be able to neutralize him."


    Darui said, "I will do it. Unless he somehow reattaches his arm, he won''t be able to keep up with me, let alone injure me. I''ll cut his legs off and then we can keep attacking him until he dies. If not, we will tie him up and carry him to the vige. If we can get his technique, then the vige will benefit a lot."


    Everyone nodded at Darui''s idea. Hidan''s technique was just too absurd. If they could gain it, they wouldn''t have to worry about much during fights. Even if a small percentage of ninjas in Kumogakure mastered that technique, their vige would be invincible in war!

 Chapter 457: Splitting Up

    Tempted by Darui''s idea, the six Kumo ninjas quickly stored the dead bodies of theirrades and prepared themselves to move.


    Darui looked at everyone and said, "We don''t know whether he can activate his curse with any blood or only the blood he draws. So, if any of you have any cuts, get healed and apply bandages. Not a drop of your blood should flow while fighting against him."


    Everyone nodded. C quickly healed everyone and they restarted their chase in a hurry! Despite it not being their mission, everyone knew that the Raikage would be more pleased with Hidan''s body rather than eliminating Fujin. Hence, they gave up on their official mission entirely.


    Some distance away, Hidan was running at a fast speed. He was holding his left arm in his right hand while he was running away. He cursed, "What strong bastards! If I didn''t catch them by surprise and escaped, that motherfucker would have cut me into several pieces! I will find themter and sacrifice them to Lord Jashin."


    Though Hidan''s arm was cut, his wounds had long stopped bleeding. In fact, he wasn''t even feeling any weakness. And, he was well aware of the fact that even with his immortality, he wouldn''t win against them. So, he was rushing ahead at a rapid speed.


    This loss also made Hidan slightly wiser. He thought, ''I now understand why Shikabane took so much effort to ensure that we didn''t leave any trail. I need to do the same as well. But it is so much fucking work!''


    Kumo ninjas didn''t anticipate that Hidan would move faster than ever and would take efforts to make trailing him more difficult. As such, their new chase would be many times more difficult than their previous chase despite being much closer.


    While the Kumo ninjas chased after Hidan, Fujin and Shiro''s Shadow Clones reached the location where Darui''s team was when the injured Kumo ninja found them. With Shiro''s ability, they easily found blood at the spot where that ninja had died.


    Shiro''s clone inspected the ce and said, "The same 9 scents are lingering here. But if we continue forward, one scent disappears. I guess 8 Kumo ninjas fought with Hidan and only one managed to escape here. He met with another squad of 8 ninjas here, most likely from Kumo, and they went back to find him. That is why there were 17 scents there."


    Fujin''s clone nodded. He had reached the same conclusion. He said, "Well, it looks like this is a dead end. Still, it clears up the picture. Let''s dispel ourselves."


    Both clones dispelled themselves and sent the memories back to their main bodies. Fujin immediately analyzed the memories, ''Hmm, so that''s how it was. But Shiro can only smell 8 other scents other than Hidan asionally. That ninja who escaped should have died as well.


    I wonder who the Kumo ninjas chasing Hidan are and whether they would be able to stop or stall him for long enough. It''ll be great if they can exhaust him enough to force him to take a nap. Otherwise, this will be a rather long hunt.''


    A little whileter, the Giant Drill-Pecked Bird reached the location where the first sh between Hidan and Kumo ninjas happened. Hovering above the area, they scanned thends below.


    Kakuzu said, "There is no one here. Tracking them will take a lot of effort considering that it has been a while since they fought here."


    Konan said, "Wait for some time. Zetsu sent a clone to keep an eye on him."


    While she was speaking, a White Zetsu appeared from the ground. He took a few heavy breaths and said, "I ran so much!"


    The bird flew lower andnded on the ground in front of him. The White Zetsu looked at Konan and said, "Hidan has escaped to the east and fought with another Kumo squad led by Darui. I couldn''t watch the fight, but Hidan ran away once again while the Kumo ninjas gave chase again.


    They are moving to the South East. I tried to track them but their sensor sensed me and they tried looking for me. So you will have to find them on your own."


    After getting the location from White Zetsu, Konoha flew once again. Thanks to the speed of the bird, they overtook Fujin''s squad and reached the location where Darui and Hidan shed before the Konoha ninjas. After inspecting, Konan said, "If we keep flying, we won''t be able to search for clues. We will move on foot from here onwards. Itachi, check if you can find any tracks."


    Itachi activated his Sharingan. He immediately found a few tracks and the trio began moving.


    Around half an hourter, Fujin''s squad reached the location where Hidan and Darui''s squad had shed. Shiro inspected the ce and a frown appeared on his face.


    He reported, "This ce has Hidan''s scent and 8 scents that were in the previous ce. However, there are 4 new additional scents. One of them smells like a bird. I''m not sure if they are chasing as well or if they were just passing through¡­"


    His words surprised the team. Fujin asked, "Do you recognize any of their scents?"


    Shiro answered, "I feel that one scent is a bit familiar. Unfortunately, I can''t recall whose scent it is. It must have been a long time since I encountered that person."


    Fujin didn''t find it odd. After all, it was impossible for anyone to remember everyone''s scent for years. It was the same as normal people forgetting the faces and names of someone they hadn''t met for a long time.


    Fujin said, "I see. Check in which directions all the scents here are travelling. Hisao, check if you can see anything odd around."


    The two immediately got to work. Fujin and Ken used their chakra fields and Space-Time Sensing Technique to see if they could find something. Unfortunately, there wasn''t anything for them to detect.


    Shiro and Hisao quickly found tracks and the team began moving once again. Shiro said, "Of the 13 people, 10 are moving in this direction. They are Hidan, six people from the 2nd group and 3 people from this new group. The one who smells like a bird isn''t moving on this route."


    Fujin was confused. He analyzed, ''Which ninja smells like a bird? Is it someone with a bird summoning? Or is it a bird summoned by one of those 3 people? Also, Kumo lost 2 more ninjas. It looks like they suffered losses at the hands of Hidan once again.


    But since they weren''t wiped out, this squad should be quite strong. But considering that Hidan escaped, they shouldn''t be too strong. At the very least, the Raikage and the two Jinchurikis shouldn''t be among those six.


    Since they are still chasing, they should be quite strong. I''m guessing there should be one or two Elite Jounins in that squad, giving them the confidence to still chase Hidan. Unless of course, it''s them who are escaping with Hidan chasing them. That would be a sight to see, hahaha.''


    Fujin couldn''t help but wonder who it could be if it was indeed an Elite Jounin chasing Hidan. Involuntarily, he recalled Darui and his previous squad when he was a Chunin which met their demise against the Kumo ninjas under Darui''smand.


    The situation changed once again. Hidan was running at the foremost. He was being chased by 6 Kumo ninjas led by Darui. However, they were finding it increasingly difficult to trail him properly. They were followed by the three Akatsuki members who were moving at a very rapid speed.


    Behind them was Fujin''s squad. Despite not being as fast as the Akatsuki members, Fujin''s squad still moved at the fastest speed as they had four trails and ninjas who were excellent at tracking. As a result, they never had to waste any time in confirming that they were on the right track. It was an advantage that neither Kumo ninjas nor Akatsuki members had.


    Elsewhere, the Yugakure and Shimogakure ninjas encountered each other. They began moving together in search of Hidan. Shimogakure ninjas weren''t interested in fighting Hidan, but they offered their help to find him and to ensure that other Shimogakure ninjas didn''t fight them. Unfortunately, their squads were left far behind.


    After a couple of hours, the Kumo ninjas finally stopped! C said, "It''s getting increasingly difficult to keep track of him. How is that bastard still running? There are two trails in front of us. What do we do?"


    Darui replied, "Let''s split up. We will move in squads of three. Whoever finds him will send a signal to the other team. Don''t fight him recklessly. Just keep him at bay and don''t lose sight of him until the other squad meets up."


    The Kumo ninjas nodded. They split into two squads and began moving ahead. When Akatsuki reached the same location, they fell into a dilemma as well. Itachi said, "There are three different tracks ahead of us. It is difficult to say which one is Hidan."


    Konan thought for a bit and said, "Let''s split up."


    She created a few butterflies made of paper which flew andnded on Itachi and Kakuzu''s shoulders and said, "I will use the butterflies tomunicate if any of us find him. Let''s move quickly."


    The three of them split up and began moving rapidly. Though Konan and Kakuzu weren''t as good as Itachi at tracking, they were still quite good at it.

 Chapter 458: Heavenly Luck!

    A few minutester, Fujin''s team reached the same location. For the first time, their team stopped. Shiro inspected the scents and said, "They have split into three groups and are moving along three paths."


    Hisao nodded and agreed with his observation. Fujin asked, "Which path did Hidan take?"


    Shiro pointed in one direction and said, "He is moving along this path. Only one other person is moving in this direction. He is from thest group."


    Fujin instructed, "Let''s keep following him."


    The Konoha ninjas continued moving. Fujin didn''t particrly care about the Kumo ninjas or the other group. He only wanted Hidan. Unfortunately, as everyone split up, he wasn''t sure of how he could get Hidan alone and read up his memories.


    He calcted, "I was initially nning to use the Kumo group to split our group and catch Hidan alone. I could knock him out and read his memories as much as I wanted and let him go. But what do I do now?''


    Fujin thought for a while and realized, ''There is only one way. I have to let Hidan kill all three of them or perhaps do it myself while they are fighting him. However, in that case, I can''t let Hidan go. I''ll have to capture and seal him. He''ll be my test subject to experiment on. But, is there any value to doing this?''


    While Fujin didn''t want to kill innocent people, he wasn''t opposed to it if he had a lot to gain. If sess was guaranteed, Fujin would have done it. However, the chances of sess were just too low. Over a day had passed from the moment Fujin found the cave used for ritual. The ritual itself most probably took ce a few days before Fujin found the cave.


    Even if the dead Bishop''s body wasn''t burned like his subordinates, the chances of his memories staying intact were almost nil. The longer the chase went on, the lesser Fujin''s hopes were.


    To make matters worse, not only was Fujin not guaranteed any benefits, on the contrary, he would suffer two disadvantages. For starters, Hidan wouldn''t be able to join Akatsuki in the future. As a result, the internal structure of Akatsuki would change. Their movements in the future could change as well.


    Secondly, this matter would cast a lot of suspicions on Fujin. There was no need for him to volunteer to hunt Hidan. His job was done when he found the missing people. If he were to lose all his subordinates, be unable to recover their bodies and allow their killer to escape, Hiruzen would easily suspect that there was something fishy.


    Even though Fujin would not leave any proof behind, he would be foolish to think that Hiruzen wouldn''t get suspicious and raise his guard against Fujin. Considering his future ns, Fujin didn''t want to be under constant watch by Hiruzen.


    Considering the advantages and disadvantages, Fujin decided, ''It''s not worth it. The only way I can get what I want is if Hidan preserved that Bishop''s body or if that Bishop is alive and Hidan knows where he is. Both are very unlikely. Despite doing all I can, I have already failed in achieving any of my goals for this hunt.


    It''ll be better to let him live for now. I''ll capture him in the future and have Tsunade study his body. Even if I raise my medical knowledge and recruit someone who is damn good at it, it won''t be anywhereparable to what Tsunade can do. Not to mention, Akatsuki''s movements will stay more or less the same as I remember.''


    Fujin sighed internally. He muttered to himself, ''Chasing Hidan here was a mistake. Now, how do I convince them to stop looking and turn around?''


    Since Fujin didn''t see much hope in being able to read the Bishop''s memories, the entire chase seemed pointless to him. He no longer wanted to capture Hidan. After all, if he captured Hidan now and brought him to Konoha, Hiruzen would most likely ask Danzo to experiment on Hidan. Though Fujin no longer consider Danzo as a great threat, he had no intention of underestimating Danzo and giving him the means to strengthen himself.


    Unfortunately for Fujin, he was already very deep into this mission. Calling it off suddenly without a good exnation would look suspicious as well. He moved along his squad while thinking about how to back off from the mission.


    As they moved, Fujin asionally used his Space-Time Sensing Technique. At one such instance, he sensed a disturbance. He looked in front of him and thought, ''Hmm? There is someone around 4 kilometers in front of me. Who is it? Is it Hidan?''


    Just when Fujin gave up hope, he sensed someone. Fujin was generally a very calm person. This mission was one of the rare times where he had lost his cool several times and be very frustrated. Once again, Fujin''s anger red!


    He cursed internally, ''This bastard. I have been hunting him for so long and he doesn''t show himself. Finally, when I give up, he presents himself to me. I hope that damned Bishop is alive. Otherwise, I will skin this bastard alive!''


    Thest few days, Fujin''s mind had experienced an emotional roller-coaster. None of his ns went as he wanted. It was as if the entire world wanted to stop him from seeding. As a result, he was extremely frustrated and wanted to take it out on someone. Though he didn''t want to capture Hidan anymore, he doubted whether he''d be able to control himself.


    He decided, ''I don''t want to take his body back to the vige now. Hiruzen will probably give it to Danzo. I don''t want that old bastard to get some sort of power up. I will just pummel him here and cut his body into pieces. Akatsuki can fix him up if and when they find him. I''ll mark his body just in case they don''t and someone else gets to him.''


    Fujin''s team continued moving. The one in front of them was moving slower than their group. When the distance was reduced to 3 kilometers, Fujin activated his chakra field and tried to sense his chakra signature.


    His eyes suddenly widened in shock. Though Fujin could detect disturbances with his Space-Time Sensing Technique, he couldn''t detect who caused the disturbances. As a result, he had to depend on his normal sensing ability to identify who it was. Of course, just like Shiro''s sense of smell, it wasn''t practical to remember everyone''s chakra signature. However, the chakra signature Fujin sensed was something he could never forget!


    Fujin''s shock soon changed into excitement. He thought, ''Fucking Kakuzu! Excellent. I''ll run into him and begin fighting him. It''ll be the best reason to stop chasing Hidan and retreat back to Konoha.''


    Fujin immediately made ns. However, he wondered, ''That said, what is he doing here? Is he just hunting some bounty? Or is he one of the three from thatst group? If so, does that mean that three Akatsuki members are here and are chasing after Hidan to recruit him?''


    Fujin was surprised by how quickly the Akatsuki moved. He quickly put together all his information and spected, ''Zetsu should have seen Hidan''s fight with Kumo ninjas. Only that would exin such quick movement. After all, 3 viges are hunting Hidan. If they are slow, even if he is immortal, he''ll be captured.


    Shiro stated that he smelled a familiar scent. I guess that''s Itachi. Itachi has a bird summon as well. Or it could be Nagato''s Bird summon if they used it to travel. It all makes sense now. Still... How lucky is that bastard? I hunted him so much and he managed to avoid me each time. In fact, he is probably not even aware of the fact that I''m chasing him!''


    Fujin couldn''t help but wonder if Jashin''s ritual improved the luck of an individual. It was difficult to exin Hidan''s incredible luck otherwise. Despite being stronger, faster and having better assistance, Fujin lost to Hidan merely due to Hidan''s luck! He found the entire ordeal utterly ridiculous!


    He shook his head and stopped thinking about it. He said, "Prepare yourselves. I can sense a strong chakra signature 2.7 kilometers ahead. Hisao, check whether it is Hidan or someone else."


    The entire team became alert at once. They had been moving around for a long time without finding any enemy to fight. As such, all of them were exhausted and had gotten slightly lethargic. They were aware of that fact. Hence, with Fujin''s warning, all of them prepared themselves. They didn''t want to be caught off-guard when they finally faced an enemy!


    Kakuzu turned around and looked behind him. He wondered, ''There is someone chasing me from behind? Or is it a squad just passing through the area? Or did I somehow overtake that ninja called Hidan? Or were there more people chasing him? But how are they able to track so quickly?''


    Kakuzu could feel the chakra field moving rapidly, implying that whoever was behind him wasing rapidly. He stood his ground and muttered, "Whoever it is, I hope that they have a good bounty!"

 Chapter 459: Testing each other

    The Konoha ninjas got closer. Hisao activated his Byakugan. He said, "There is one person in front of us. Around 1.5 km ahead. He isn''t moving, but he isn''t Hidan either. He..."


    Suddenly, Hisao''s eyes widened. A look of shock appeared on his face. He said, "His body is very weird! It is as if there are multiple sources of chakra on his body."


    Fujin acted as if he was surprised and said, "Be careful. I recall fighting one such person before. He was very strong. If I say retreat, do so without any word or hesitation."


    Fujin''s teammates were surprised. However, hearing the seriousness in his voice, no one dared to oppose him.


    They continued moving forward. At one point, Shiro confirmed Fujin''s suspicions by saying, "I can smell him. He is one of the three from thest group."


    Fujin nodded in response. A few secondster, they appeared in front of Kakuzu, who was waiting to see who was pursuing him. His eyes widened momentarily on seeing Fujin. So did Fujin''s eyes. However, unlike Kakuzu, he was just acting.


    Kakuzu said, "The Spectral Swordsman from the Hidden Leaf. I didn''t expect to see you here."


    It hadn''t been a long time since Fujin cut down Jozu. As a result, Fujin was still very fresh in the minds of Akatsuki members. That was especially the case with Kakuzu who was very tempted by the bounty on Fujin''s head.


    Fujin replied, "Kakuzu, a rogue ninja from Takigakure. What are you doing here?"


    As he spoke. Fujin''s eyesnded on a couple of paper butterflies on Kakuzu''s shoulders. He immediately realized, ''Paper butterflies? That should be Konan. Hmm, Itachi, Konan and Kakuzu¡­ What a weird team structure. Oh well, as long as it isn''t Obito or Nagato, I don''t care. I''ll run as soon as I sense Konan or Itachi.''


    From the words exchanged, Fujin''s teammates immediately understood that Fujin knew the opponent. At the same time, they took a second look at Fujin. They wondered whether Fujin would ept the title. Though the majority of Jounins in Konoha believed that Fujin was the Spectral Swordsman, no one had heard him admitting it openly. However, they would be left disappointed as Fujin neither epted nor rejected the title.


    Kakuzu chuckled and asked, "Do I need to inform Konoha about my whereabouts?"


    Fujin didn''t particrly care about his sarcasm and directly said, "Seeing the route you are taking, it looks like you were chasing after Hidan as well. I wonder what Akatsuki has to do with that rogue ninja."


    Kakuzu replied, "You should be more concerned about yourself. 50 Million Ryo¡­ Your bounty is very tempting."


    Kakuzu prepared himself for a sh. Fujin''s teammates quickly grabbed their weapons sensing the change in his temparament. However, before the battle could begin, Fujin said, "You guys aren''t his match. This mission ends here. Leave and report the mission to Yugakure and then retreat back to Konoha. I''ll hold him back and directly return to the vige."


    Fujin''s words surprised them. However, remembering his previous warnings, all of them retreated in a sh, leaving Fujin and Kakuzu alone in the snowy forest. Kakuzu was surprised by the sudden development.


    He said, "That''s rather courageous of you. I never imagined that the boy who escaped on seeing me would have the courage to face me in a battle so soon."


    Fujin chuckled and responded, "That''s surprising. I didn''t think you''d remember me. Where is Kaminari? I wanted to have a rematch with him."


    Kakuzu replied, "You did make quite an impact. Unfortunately, Kaminari has long been dead."


    Fujin replied, "That''s a shame. Anyway, are you sure you want to fight me? If we both fight, Hidan will manage to escape."


    Kakuzu said, "As I said, you should worry about yourself. Enough chit-chat. You subordinates have gone far enough."


    Fujin was merely chatting to waste some time. While he was confident in holding Kakuzu back, he had no confidence in ensuring the safety of his subordinates if a second Akatsuki member arrived.


    On the other hand, Kakuzu expected a tough fight. He wanted to be sure that Fujin''s subordinates left instead of hiding and sneak-attacking him while he was inbat. Though they were much weaker than him, the ns in Konoha were famous for having peculiar jutsus that could turn the battle in an instant.


    As soon as he was done speaking, Kakuzu''s fist hardened. He suddenly appeared in front of Fujin and punched towards his face. A sword appeared in Fujin''s hand. As he shed at the iing fist, wind chakra began flowing along the de. The sword and the fist shed. To Fujin''s surprise, his sword wasn''t able to put a scratch in Kakuzu''s fist.


    Fujin thought, ''Damn! How much did he practice the Iron Skin jutsu to raise it to such an insane level? This is the first time I have failed to even scratch with my sword!''


    Fujin had fought Kitsuchi and Roshi earlier. Kitsuchi could use the Iron Skin jutsu as well whereas Roshi used a Lava Armor. However, neither of them could block his swords without taking any damage. It was the first time his sword waspletely blocked when he was using chakra flow.


    Kakuzu followed up with a flurry of punches. Fujin used his sword to block some and his left palm to block the rest as he retreated continuously. A deep frown could be seen on his face as he struggled to defend against Kakuzu''s onught.


    In terms of speed and strength, Kakuzu appeared to be slightly superior to Fujin. And since Fujin''s de couldn''t hurt him, Fujin fell into a disadvantageous position. Kakuzu hadplete momentum. Fujin was struggling to keep up. Eventually, a few punches made it through Fujin''s defenses. Fortunately, he was able to barely dodge them and avoided getting pummelled.


    Suddenly, Kakuzu stopped attacking and jumped behind, puzzling Fujin. Kakuzu looked at the spots on his body that Fujin had touched while defending himself.


    He looked at Fujin and said, "It looks like the information was right. You are a Grandmaster at Fuinjutsu. And a pretty good one as well. Even I wouldn''t have been able to notice them if I wasn''t anticipating them. No wonder Juzo died to you. His death wasn''t unjustified."


    The main reason why Kakuzu attacked Fujin with Taijutsu was because he wanted to see whether Fujin could apply seals as Zetsu had spected. He had intentionally given Fujin an opening and as he expected, Fujin took the bait.


    Fujin''s eyes widened. This time, it wasn''t an act. Every time he touched Kakuzu''s body, he applied a seal. Kakuzu''s fists and arms had several Explosion seals and Self Cursing Seals inscribed on them. To keep stacking on the seals, Fujin even acted like he was struggling to keep up with Kakuzu.


    In an instant, Fujin activated every single one of those seals. However, Kakuzu was faster. He released Chakra from his body and eliminated every single seal on his body with perfect uracy.


    Fujin cursed internally, ''This old fossil! He is an expert at Fuinjutsu as well. It shouldn''t be a surprise considering how long he has lived or what state his body is in. Oh well, since I had already exposed this against Juzo, I wasn''t expecting this to work against any other Akatsuki member anyway.''


    Fujin had already exposed his mastery with Fuinjutsu against Juzo. As such, he didn''t expect to trap any other Akatsuki member as easily as Juzo. It was only because Kakuzu gave him the opening that he decided to use them and put up an act.


    Fujin immediately riled up his chakra and shot a dozen Vacuum Bullets at Kakuzu. Since he couldn''t trap Kakuzu with seals, he didn''t need to put up any act. Kakuzu immediately got out of the way. A few bullets grazed past his cloak, causing it to tear in various spots.


    Fujin flickered and shed his sword at Kakuzu as if he wanted to cut him into two halves! Kakuzu raised his arm and hardened it. The sword hit his arm and was stopped as Kakuzu expected. This time, he was neither slower nor weaker than Kakuzu. Both were equal.


    Not wanting to allow Fujin to take the momentum, Kakuzu counterattacked instantly with his other fist and tried punching Fujin. Fujin''s left palm was already moving to block the iing fist. However, Kakuzu felt something odd. Instead of blocking normally, the wind was flowing in a peculiar manner at Fujin''s fingertips. Kakuzu''s eyes widened in shock as he understood what was happening.


    He immediately moved backwards while hardening his entire body. However, Fujin had no intention of letting him off that easily. Though Fujin didn''t expect to kill Kakuzu and was neither interested in doing so, he would be terribly disappointed in himself if he didn''t cause Kakuzu to lose any hearts.

 Chapter 460: Neverending Hidden Cards!

    While Kakuzu and Fujin had engaged in a fight, two more face-offs were happening in the snowy forests of the Land of Frost.


    Darui looked at the person in front of him. His expression was very serious. He muttered, "Uchiha Itachi. Why were you chasing after us?"


    Darui''s subordinates were tense as well. Though they were confident in Darui''s strength, Itachi was someone who massacred the entire Uchiha n. They didn''t dare to underestimate him. They prepared themselves for a life-and-death battle!


    Elsewhere, the Kumo team led by C and Samui encountered Konan. Though they weren''t aware of who she was, C was able to sense her vast chakra reserves. As a result, they were in a tense situation as well.


    Suddenly, Konan sensed something and looked in the direction where Kakuzu and Fujin were fighting. She thought, ''It looks like Kakuzu is fighting someone. My butterflies were destroyed.''


    Konan took a look at the Kumo ninja once again before leaving the battlefield. C asked, "Should we chase her?"


    Samui suggested, "We don''t know who she is. Though she is strong, capturing Hidan is more critical right now."


    C and the other ninja nodded. They continued their trail. Elsewhere, Itachi received a message from the paper butterfly. He too left and began moving towards where Fujin and Kakuzu were. Darui''s team breathed a sigh of relief. They pondered for a few seconds and took the same decision as their other team.


    While Kakuzu was retreating backwards, 5 Vacuum Bullets formed at Fujin''s fingertips and shot at Kakuzu at blinding speed at the same time that he moved backwards. He twisted his body at weird angles to be able to dodge them.


    However, the small distance meant that he couldn''t dodge them entirely. Three Vacuum Bullets hit his hardened body and pierced through it. In addition, one of the two bullets he dodged destroyed the paper butterflies on his shoulders.


    Despite hitting Kakuzu, there was no happiness in Fujin''s expression. None of the bullets managed to hit his heart. Unfortunately for Kakuzu, it wasn''t the end of the attack. Fujin couldunch four waves of attack with his Vacuum Gatling jutsu by now.


    Despite Kakuzu''s incredible speed, Fujin chased after him and kept attacking. In the second wave, 2 more pierced through Kakuzu''s body. In the 3rd wave, 4 bullets pierced through his body. And, in thest wave, though Kakuzu managed to dodge 4, thest one was heading straight towards one of his hearts.


    Fujin''s eyes glowed as he watched in anticipation. In terms of strength, Kakuzu was extremely strong. He was only below the likes of Hiruzen, Onoki and Ay. Even though most weren''t aware of Kakuzu, ording to Fujin, to be able to kill him once would be an even greater achievement than killing Juzo.


    Unfortunately, it wouldn''t be that easy. To Fujin''s shock, Kakuzu''s heart moved inside his body. The bullet passed through his body but barely missed the heart! All 5 of Kakuzu''s hearts were still intact despite him being hit by 10 Vacuum Bullets at a close range.


    The movement of Kakuzu''s heart surprised Fujin for a moment. However, on second thought, he didn''t find it odd. After all, the heart could leave Kakuzu''s body and function independently.


    Even though Fujin''s Vacuum Bullets had the ability to suck the items that were close to its path, it wasn''t very effective against Kakuzu as the only things that got sucked were the dense threads inside his body. To make matters worse, the damaged threads immediately attached to other threads, ensuring that Kakuzu didn''t suffer much damage and was able to fight at his full strength.


    Fujin sighed internally and thought, ''As I guessed¡­ I can''t kill a strong rank S ninja this easily.''


    Seeing no new bullets forming at the tip of Fujin''s fingers, Kakuzu was relieved. He looked at Fujin and thought, ''What a dangerous brat! If I had been slightly slower to react, he could have destroyed all five of my hearts with that unexpected attack!''


    Since Fujin couldn''t spam Vacuum Bullets, he moved faster and swung his sword at Kakuzu once again. Once again, Kakuzu hardened his arm and raised it to block Fujin''s sword, confusing Fujin who wondered, ''Isn''t he afraid of falling to the same attack once again?''


    Of course, Kakuzu wasn''t a fool. When Fujin''s sword neared, several threads appeared from Kakuzu''s body and tore through whatever was remaining of his cloak. He had no intention of falling to the same tactic. Instead, it was his turn to surprise Fujin. The threads moved rapidly towards Fujin''s heart!


    Unfortunately for Kakuzu, Fujin showed no interest in those threads. Kakuzu''s eyes widened in shock and he immediately looked upwards. Instead of being stopped, Fujin''s sword cut straight through Kakuzu''s hardened arm! He tried moving, but the sword hit his left shoulder and began cleaving through his body!


    Even though Kakuzu had hardened his entire body, it couldn''t put up any resistance against Fujin''s sword. It was as if Fujin was merely swinging his de through the air. Kakuzu immediately flickered to his right. However, he was still too slow. Fujin''s de cleaved through one of Kakuzu''s hearts, cutting it into two halves. Not only that, Fujin''s sword had cut his body. Kakuzu''s left chest, shoulder and arm were cut off from his body.


    Kakuzu''s remaining body had moved to the right due to him flickering before the sword had cut through his body. He fell to the ground and rolled for several dozen meters before stopping. Hey there as if he was a corpse!


    Lying on the ground, Kakuzu was in shock. He had lost one of his heart! One of his arms was cut off from the forearm and the other arm waspletely cleaved from his body! Though they weren''t a major loss for Kakuzu, he couldn''t control them as those parts didn''t have a heart to allow him to control them.


    He thought, ''Zetsu''s information is iplete! His Wind Vacuum Technique is far more dangerous than his Fuinjutsu. He applied ayer of vacuum to his sword. That is why I couldn''t block him like before. To make matters worse, he made me feel confident in being able to defend his de and hence forced me to make this mistake.''


    With his experience, Kakuzu immediately understood what his mistake was. At the same time, he looked at Fujin in a whole new light. Though Fujin wasn''t stronger than him in any way, he kept way too many cards hidden.


    Juzo fell to his Fuinjutsu which no one knew of despite Fujin having such a high level of mastery. On the other hand, Kakuzu almost fell prey to apletely new style of using the Wind Vacuum Technique. If he had just one heart, he would have died. That said, if he just had one heart, he wouldn''t have fought Fujin in such a reckless manner. He kept lying hoping that Fujin would lower his guard down and approach him.


    Fujin naturally wouldn''t believe that he was dead. He thought, ''This old geezer is good at hiding his chakra. Even though he still has 4 hearts, it feels like he ispletely dead. I can''t sense any chakra from him!


    Still, I was only able to destroy one heart after exposing Vacuum sh and Vacuum Gatling. And now that I have exposed them, it will be very difficult to catch him off guard with them again.''


    Fujin was very careful while exposing his hidden cards. He would generally avoid exposing them even if it meant he would have to retreat if he didn''t have any benefits to be gained. That is why he didn''t use his new collections of Vacuum jutsus against Juzo despite knowing that he could gain a huge advantage in the battle.


    However, since then, Fujin had made rapid progress in learning the Flying Thunder God jutsu. It was only a matter of time before hepletely mastered it. In addition, he was also learning the Eight Inner Gates technique.


    Since he would have those techniques as his hidden cards in the future, Fujin didn''t mind exposing some of the Vacuum jutsus he created. Not to mention, against someone like Kakuzu, he would struggle a lot and could be at risk if he restricted himself to using the same techniques that he did against Juzo! After all, he was far away from Konoha and Kakuzu had the backup of two strong rank S ninjas! Fujin couldn''t afford to get injured at that ce.


    Since Kakuzu was ying possum, Fujin decided to take his time. He created two Shadow Clones and immediately riled his chakra. He shot Vacuum Cannon at Kakuzu''s body while his clones followed up with the Infinite Breakthrough jutsu and the Searing Migraine jutsu. The two jutsus merged seamlessly and moved towards Kakuzu who was still ying dead!

 Chapter 461: Standstill

    Kakuzu, who was lying pretending to be dead, was dumbfounded. It was amon practice in the ninja world to collect the dead bodies of enemy ninjas instead of destroying them. After all, the dead body of a strong ninja was a treasure trove. It contained a lot of information. It was even more true in the case of Konoha ninjas due to the Yamanaka n''s ability to read memories. Hence, Kakuzu never expected that Fujin would try to destroy his dead body!


    He immediately jumped up. The Vacuum Cannon hit where he was lying and created a canal in the ground as it moved. Of course, that wasn''t the end of Kakuzu''s trouble. He quickly hardened his body before he was hit by the Fire-Windbination jutsu!


    He wondered, ''Is there something wrong with his head? Or does he have information about my abilities? Did Konoha find out so much about me after that small sh with Renjiro?''


    Kakuzu couldn''t be sure. Unfortunately, he didn''t have the time to ponder about it deeply. Even though Kakuzu managed to barely protect himself in time, it wasn''t enough topletely stop thebination attack. The high speed and razor-sharp windsbined with hot mes forced Kakuzu backwards! The Akatsuki cloak on his body was blown away. Several burns and a few cuts appeared on his body.


    Fortunately, he could endure the pain. Unfortunately, he didn''t dare to use any defensive jutsus to help himself and instead focused entirely on the iing attack. Immediately, he moved within the firestorm. A few Vacuum Bullets pierced through the space he was standing at earlier.


    Outside the firestorm, Fujin sighed and thought, ''He dodged them so easily. Vacuum Bullets have no chance of killing a strong ninja unless I catch himpletely by surprise. I need arge-scale Vacuum jutsu. He wouldn''t have had much chance of dodging while ying possum if I had it. But how do I create one?''


    Though Fujin had created an array of Wind Vacuum jutsus, he had failed to create one that had a wide range. The Vacuum Core would always copse when he tried to do so. Though he hadn''t practiced Vacuum jutsus much in recent times, he did keep thinking about solving this issue. Unfortunately, he hadn''t had much luck.


    As he fell back, arge number of threads began poking out of Kakuzu''s body. They reced his missing arms and the left side of his body. Two masks, the Fire Mask and the Wind Mask, appeared next to his head. Another mask, the Lightning Mask, appeared on his chest.


    In an instant, the Fire and Wind masks began preparing their jutsus.


    ''Wind Release: Pressure Damage jutsu''


    ''Fire Release: Searing Migraine jutsu''


    In order to stop thebination jutsu, Kakuzu decided to counterattack with a simrbination jutsu. Normally, the two jutsus would have been equally matched. However, Fujin''s jutsu had already been active for some time. As a result, Kakuzu''s jutsu managed to overpower what was remaining of Fujin''s jutsu and his jutsu moved through the Firestorm Fujin had started.


    Fujin saw the iing attack and shot a few Vacuum Bullets before flickering to the side. The Vacuum Bullets had no chance of stopping the iing attack. They were only meant to annoy Kakuzu who was standing on the other side of the firestorm. He dodged the iing Vacuum Bullets as Fujin predicted. However, Fujin had achieved his goal. The Vacuum Bullets once again forced Kakuzu to be on high alert at all times and kept up the pressure Fujin had built up!


    With no opposition, the Fire-Wind Combination jutsu moved through the snow-covered forest. Every tree in its path was set on fire. The snow on the ground began melting as well. In fact, even the remains of Kakuzu''s arms were burnt to a crisp by the firestorm.


    After travelling a few hundred meters, thebination jutsu finally died down. As for the target of the jutsu, he flickered a few times topletely avoid the jutsu and snuck behind Kakuzu. Kakuzu quickly turned around to face him and thought, ''His fighting style is as relentless as the intel said.''


    Akatsuki had researched Fujin and the Spectral Swordsman after Juzo''s death. ording to their intel, Fujin''s method of fighting was being extremely relentless and peppering the enemy with jutsus that consumed less chakra but had high speed and high prative power continuously. His enemy has to fail to dodge just once and the battle would be over. Unfortunately for Fujin, Akatsuki had several individuals who didn''t have a normal body. As a result, fighting with his usual fighting style was very restrictive for Fujin.


    On seeing Kakuzu''s form, Fujin wondered, ''Is this his most powerful form? After all, he used it against Kakashi when he had lost two of his hearts. Seeing the Lightning Mask on his chest, I guess his current level is stronger than what he was against Naruto. I wonder how strong he''d be if he had the 5th heart as well¡­''


    Fujin quickly moved closer to cut him with his sword once again. However, Kakuzu had no intention of engaging in close-rangebat with Fujin after getting hurt twice. The Wind Mask shot Air bullets, the Fire Mask shot small fireballs and the Lightning Mask shot a few lightning bolts to keep Fujin far away. At the same time, threads extended from Kakuzu''s body to make it very difficult for Fujin to engage in closebat.


    The barrage of attacks forced Fujin backwards as he dodged. A few threads drilled out from the ground to trap Fujin, however, he flickered far away as soon as he felt something drilling through the ground. He concentrated his wind chakra into his sword and swung it horizontally.


    A massive sword sh apanied by several sharp winds flew towards Kakuzu. However, Kakuzu once again resorted to the Fire-Wind Combination jutsu, forcing Fujin to escape once again.


    After dodging, Fujin flickered a few times to approach Kakuzu from another direction but was stopped again. The masks fired a few more shots as Kakuzu asked, "You are good. How did you detect that I wasn''t dead?"


    Kakuzu didn''t get any response from Fujin. Though Kakuzu was the one at a disadvantage, Fujin didn''t dare to underestimate him. Every one of the elemental attacks could hurt him considerably. And, the threads were constantly trying to sneak up on him through the ground. He had to maintain full attention on the battle to ensure that Kakuzu didn''t gain momentum once again.


    The two continued fighting. With his sword and des of Wind jutsu, Kakuzu''s threads weren''t of any danger to him as long as he detected them. Whenever they got too close, Fujin would cut them off. However, due to the elemental bombardment along with attacks from the threads, Fujin was unable to get close to Kakuzu. His Vacuum Bullets and other attacks didn''t pose much of a threat to Kakuzu as he had plenty of time to dodge them.


    To pressure Kakuzu, Fujin used his Shadow and Wind clones to bombard him with more Vacuum Bullets from various angles. It put Kakuzu under a lot of pressure. But even under such pressure, not a single Vacuum jutsu hit Kakuzu!


    The battle entered a standstill with Kakuzu sessfully keeping Fujin at midrange. Though he couldn''t harm Fujin, Fujin was unable to harm him either. He also used Fire-Wind Combination jutsu several times, but Fujin dodged each time without counterattacking.


    The main reason for not counterattacking withrge-scale jutsus was that this battle was one of the few ones where Fujin didn''t have the advantage in terms of chakra reserves. Kakuzu was considerably superior to Fujin in this aspect. Since Fujin didn''t see any way to overpower Kakuzu''sbination jutsu, he didn''t bother wasting his chakra as there wasn''t much point in merely stopping it.


    As a result, several Firestorms moved unrestricted through the snowy forests. Arge area was burned down. If not for the snow, multiple forest fires would have started spreading throughout the Land of Frost.


    Fujin sighed internally after being unsessful in closing the distance for the nth time. He thought, ''There is no end to this. We will just have to keep fighting until one of us runs out of chakra. Of course, no one is stupid enough to reach that stage.


    Worse, he is getting used to my fighting style. Even if I somehow make him run low on chakra and be unwilling to use so many elemental attacks, I doubt I''ll be able to injure him as well as I did earlier. I will need to use my Wind Domain if I want to injure him now. Unfortunately, my Wind Domain isn''t strong enou...''


    Suddenly, Fujin sensed a disturbance. During the fight, he had kept his Space-Time Sensing Technique activated at all times. Someone had entered into it!

 Chapter 462: Fooling Kakuzu

    Fujin thought, ''Hmm, someone is heading towards here. Is it Itachi or Konan or someone else?''


    Unfortunately, Fujin couldn''t sense who it was as his Space-Time Sensing Technique didn''t allow him to identify chakra signatures. A momentter, he sensed another disturbance. A few secondster, both of those entities entered his chakra field.


    However, a peculiar expression appeared on Fujin''s face. He muttered to himself, ''What''s the use of being able to identify chakra signatures if my chakra field can''t even detect that a couple of ninjas have entered it?''


    Fujin''s chakra field failed to pick up either of the chakra signatures. If not for the Space-Time Sensing Technique, he would have been in the dark about their arrival. Being able to hide themselves so well left little doubt of their identities.


    Fujin looked at Kakuzu and said, "You are quite stronger than what we thought. We will have to reevaluate your threat."


    Kakuzu was confused by Fujin''s words. Fujin hadn''t spoken a word since they started fighting. He couldn''t help but wonder why he talked all of a sudden.


    Suddenly, 4 Shadow Clones popped next to Fujin. A breeze could be seen flowing around Fujin. He disappeared within that breeze. Kakuzu immediately recognized, ''Wind Instantaneous Body jutsu? Why did he escape when he had the upper hand?''


    Though the fight was a stalemate for a long time, Fujin held the initiative due to his Vacuum jutsus. Of course, that little advantage wasn''t much of a threat for Kakuzu. He believed that he would gain the upper hand if the fight continued for a long time. Breeze began flowing around him as well, however, Fujin''s clones immediately attacked him, interrupting his attempt to use the same jutsu to chase after Fujin.


    One of the clones said, "Give it up. You can''t chase after me anymore. Even though you can use Wind jutsus, they can''tpare to my mastery of Wind jutsus."


    Kakuzu knew that the clone was right. Though he had other advantages over Fujin, in terms of control over Wind jutsus, Fujin was in an entirely different league. Since he failed to give chase instantly, he understood that he wouldn''t be able to catch up with Fujin anymore. However, he still didn''t understand why Fujin escaped.


    He asked, "Why did you escape?"


    The clone shrugged and said, "What''s the point of our fight? You don''t dare to engage me in close range. And neither of us can hurt each other at mid-range."


    Kakuzu agreed with the clone''s words. Ever since they stopped fighting in closebat, neither of their attacksnded as both Fujin and Kakuzu were too fast. However, he couldn''t help but wonder, ''If that is the case, then why did he fight for so long? Besides, without the Hyuga and the Inuzuka ninja, he can''t track Hidan anyway.''


    Seeing Kakuzu in thought, the clone asked, "By the way, what is up with your body? I''m pretty sure I shed your heart. How are you still alive? And what''s with all those threads? I haven''t ever seen a body like yours."


    Kakuzu watched the clone with a deadpan expression. Of course, he wouldn''t answer the question and instead asked, "Is that so? Why did you attack me after you destroyed my heart then?"


    The clone replied, "Well, sensei said that your body was very weird. I just wanted to make sure that you are dead. Fortunately, I made the right decision seeing how lively you are."


    The clone''s reply was very casual. It caused Kakuzu to be even more confused. He wondered, ''Did he leave some clones behind to chat with me? I expected them to use suicidal attacks. But it seems like they are content with wasting time. Besides, how could Renjiro analyze so much of my abilities in that short fight? He shouldn''t have been aware of what happened after his Shadow Clone exploded.''


    Having no intention to talk any further, Kakuzu was about to attack when he felt someone approaching. He looked back and saw Konan arriving. At that very instant, the clonesunched Vacuum Bullets at Kakuzu.


    However, despite getting distracted, Kakuzu was still very alert. He dodged all the iing attacks. The Vacuum Bullets kept travelling forward towards Konan, who was approaching from behind.


    She saw the iing bullets and got out of the way as well, ncing at them as they passed her. She thought, ''Vacuum Bullets? Kakuzu''s opponent is the Spectral Swordsman of the Hidden Leaf?''


    Right after dodging, Kakuzu''s Fire and Wind Masks used theirbination jutsu on the clones. While the clones dodged, Konan gathered arge number of paper sheets into 4 chakram-like shapes and threw them at the clones who were dodging the Fire-Windbination jutsu. At the same time, Itachi arrived from the opposite direction as well. However, he didn''t attack and instead stood next to Kakuzu and Konan who were standing together.


    Dodging thebination jutsu wasn''t difficult. However, Konan''s Paper Chakrams were very difficult to dodge as they chased them continuously. The clones had to use Vacuum Cannons to shoot down the chakrams.


    After dealing with the jutsus, the four clones got together once again and stood opposite the three Akatsuki members. One of the clones muttered aloud, "Uchiha Itachi¡­ How many rogue ninjas does Akatsuki have? And who is thedy?"


    Konan wasn''t wearing any headband. So Fujin shouldn''t know anything about her under normal circumstances. Hence his clones acted ignorant.


    Konan and Itachi were slightly surprised. They believed that Fujin should be able to sense how strong Konan was even if he didn''t know her. As for Itachi, there was no exnation needed. In addition, there was also Kakuzu. Facing 3 rank S ninjas, there wasn''t a hint of fear on Fujin''s or his clones'' faces.


    Konan said, "The Spectral Swordsman of the Hidden Leaf. To not be afraid in such circumstances, it seems like everyone has still underestimated you."


    Meanwhile, Itachi wondered, ''Suzuki Fujin¡­ I still remember him asking Lord Third for a reward for breaking my record in the Chunin Exams. I didn''t think he''d be so strong so quickly. I hope he''ll be able to escape unharmed.''


    Kakuzu understood the thought process of his fellow members and said, "All four of them are clones. That is why they aren''t afraid. His main body escaped some time ago. He should have detected you twoing and decided to leave."


    Konan and Itachi understood why their opponent was fearless. Both were also surprised by the fact that Fujin was able to sense them. Konan asked Kakuzu, "Why were you fighting him? Our mission doesn''t involve him."


    Kakuzu replied, "He has arge bounty. Besides, his mission was the same as ours. We would have had to fight either way. They gave up after encountering me. We just need to destroy these 4 clones and continue."


    Konan and Itachi finally understood the entire picture. They were about to attack when one of the clones chuckled. He asked, "Gave up? Who told you that?"


    Kakuzu was surprised. However, he immediately thought of a possibility. He thought, ''Wait! Were his orders false? Now that I think about it, his subordinates withdrew very quickly. Don''t tell me that they just pretended to leave and instead went around me to continue their chase. In that case¡­''


    Kakuzu''s expression changed. Though he didn''t particrly care about Hidan, getting yed in such a manner by someone so much younger than him didn''t feel good. Fujin''s clone chuckled once more and said, "By now, my main body should have already caught Hidan. As for you three, we will kill you here right now!"


    Immediately, the four clones flickered and entered into an intensebat with the three Akatsuki members. Of course, the clones weren''t a match for the three of them. They just wanted to get a feel of Uchiha Itachi and Konan and experience their prowess first-hand. Apart from checking out their chakra signatures, that was the main reason why Fujin left his Shadow Clones behind.

 Chapter 463: Collecting a Skeleton!

    After a few minutes of very high-speedbat, all four Shadow Clones were dispelled. However, the Konan was very annoyed. Fujin''s clones had flickered almost non-stop and peppered the three of them with Air and Vacuum Bullets all the time! As a result, dispelling them took longer than it should have. In fact, the main reason why the clones were dispelled was because they ran out of chakra.


    Konan looked at Kakuzu and asked, "What did he mean by those words?"


    Kakuzu replied, "I guess his team only pretended to retreat and went around me instead. However, his im of being able to catch Hidan by now should be a bluff because his team would have slowed down due to having to move around me. Still, their team had a Hyuga and an Inuzuka. So, this should be the path Hidan must have taken. We need to chase faster and catch up with them."


    Konan was about to speak when Itachi said, "This area haspletely been destroyed by your jutsus. Finding Hidan''s trail from here would be impossible."


    Konan frowned upon hearing Itachi''s words. However, she realized that he was right. The terrain waspletely ruined. All trees nearby were burnt and even the snow below had melted into water. Whatever trail Hidan might have left behind would have long been destroyed in their fight. She said, "I will call Zetsu. We will depend on him to find Hidan."


    Kakuzu and Itachi agreed with her decision. There was no other alternative. As for the person who had given them the headache, he was flying above the clouds while rxing on Kaito''s back.


    He let out a chuckle on receiving the memories of his clones and thought, ''I wonder if they are panicking right now. Though chances of it are low. Oh well, it doesn''t matter. This will ensure that they focus on finding Hidan rather than chasing after those three. Besides, let them experience 1% of the frustrations that I felt over thest couple of days.''


    The words Fujin''s clone said were all lies. He just wanted to make them feel a sense of urgency and fight seriously so that he could get a better measure of their abilities and strength. While Fujin could have done what his clone said, it involved a lot of risk.


    For starters, catching Hidan was difficult as he constantly kept on changing his location. Until he stopped moving, his squad would have a very difficult time catching up to him. Not to mention, they might have to face Akatsuki on their way back. With little chance of being able to read the Bishop''s memories, Fujin had no interest in taking such a huge risk.


    Lying on Kaito''s back, Fujin began analyzing his battle with Kakuzu and the skills of Konan and Itachi. He analyzed, ''Konan and Itachi''s powers are quite simr to what I remember. Though Konan''s control over the paper is too good. If we fought seriously, I''ll likely end up on the losing side. But, once my Wind Domain is ready, she''ll be at a huge disadvantage against me.


    Itachi barely did anything in the fight. I guess he didn''t want Akatsuki to gain another S-rank ninja. I can''t judge him yet. That said, there is no need to judge him. As for Kakuzu¡­''


    Fujin had aplicated expression on his face. He thought, ''Rank S ninjas are difficult to deal with. Apart from Kisame, Kakuzu might be the worst match-up for me. I guess he''llpete with the Raikage for that spot.


    My fighting style is based around high speed and relentless assault with jutsus that have high prating ability. Though directly killing is difficult, one mistake against me would imply a hole opening up in their body. At that level ofbat, one major injury is all I need to turn the advantage in my favor and eventually win the battle.


    However, against Kakuzu, my fighting style fails. As long as I miss his heart, I basically do him no damage. His threads reconnect with each other after being pierced or cut through. They can also rece his missing body parts. So I can''t whittle him down like whittled down Juzo.


    I guess dealing with him like Naruto did would be the best way to take him down. Actually, if he had split into five, or rather, four bodies like he did against Asuma''s team and Kakashi, I would have a better chance of defeating him.


    Those bodies individually aren''t a threat to me. I could have used clones to destroy them one by one without letting Kakuzu merge back with them. Unfortunately, he seemed to have realized that as well and hence never gave me the chance to do so.


    After I learn the Flying Thunder God jutsu, I should start learning the Rasenshuriken. It''s about time I had an extremely destructive jutsu in my arsenal. Also, what do I do about therge-scale Vacuum jutsu? I could have destroyed all 4 remaining hearts while he was pretending to be dead if I had such a jutsu. Sigh, so much to do¡­''


    Though Fujin had quit the Anbu and devoted all his time to training, he still felt like he needed more time. It was a result of him trying to learn a lot of high-level techniques that weren''t rted to each other at the same time.


    Flying Thunder God and the Eight Inner Gates were extremely difficult techniques to learn and needed a lot of time. The Wind Domain was equally difficult and Fujin didn''t even have any guidance for that technique.


    As a result, Fujin never felt like he had enough time. Only after he finally masters these techniques, would he have free time to pursue other techniques he intended to learn.


    While Fujin was in deep thought, Kaito continued flying. He flew across the Land of Hot Water and entered the Land of Fire. However, he wasn''t headed towards Konoha. Instead, he flew towards the Land of Rivers. One of the reasons why Fujin made his team retreat without him was because he wanted to make a quick trip to the Land of Birds.


    Back in the Land of Frost, without interference from Fujin and with Zetsu''s help, the Akatsuki members quickly found Hidan. They had taken the threat of Fujin''s clones seriously and hence moved very quickly. To their confusion, Zetsu and his clones didn''t find any traces of either Fujin or his squad.


    After intercepting him, Kakuzu fought with him and lost another heart before defeating Hidan. Intrigued by Kakuzu''s immortality, Hidan agreed to join the Akatsuki and became Kakuzu''s partner.


    In a remote ce in the Land of Birds, arge Flying Sabertoothnded in front of a hill. Kaito asked, "Is this the ce, Fujin?"


    Fujin got off and said, "Most probably from what I remember. Let me inspect."


    Fujin''s eyes glowed as he observed the hill. As he recalled from Zankoku''s memories, he found the cave hidden behind one of the walls of the hill. Zankoku had sealed the entrance when he abandoned this hideout. Fujin destroyed the cave and entered it.


    He quickly moved towards a corner of the cave. He weaved a hand seal and ced his palm on the ground. The ground opened up and a skeleton appeared underneath it.


    Fujin stored the skeleton and thought, ''If I manage to get my hands on Edo Tensei, I can use this skeleton to revive the bishop Ketsueki. I have a feeling that the intel I''ll get from him will be the key to understanding what Jashin is and how those rituals work. At the very least, it''ll be more useful than Zankoku''s memories and his dead body.''


    Fujin turned his attention to the cave. It had been a long time since the ritual was conducted here. Though the cave wasn''t destroyed, it wasn''t in an optimal condition due to the passing of time. Many seals had faded away. Quite a few were no longerplete. Fujin still recorded as many of the seals as he could find in a scroll. Unlike the seals he found from Hidan''s ritual, Fujin had no intention of sharing these seals with anyone.


    He left the cave and sealed the entrance once again before flying towards Konoha on Kaito''s back. Though Hidan had escaped, this matter wasn''t closed. In the original story, no one found the ce where Hidan underwent the ritual. However, Fujin''s involvement meant that it was no longer the case.


    Fujin, his squad and a couple dozen Yugakure ninjas had all been to the cave where the ritual took ce. It was impossible to keep that ce hidden anymore. Once it was understood that the cave had seals that were never seen before, every major force would flock to that cave.


    In addition, Hidan''s abilities were revealed to Darui and other Kumo ninjas. If his abilities were linked with the seals in the cave, the entire ninja world could be chaotic once again!

 Chapter 464: The Key Person!

    While Fujin was aware of theplications that could arise, he didn''t particrly care. Hidan will be joining Akatsuki and will be travelling with Kakuzu. Without proper information, taking them down would be pretty much impossible unless multiple Kages teamed up against them. The chances of that happening were more or less null. Even with proper information, it would take a couple of rank S ninjas to defeat them. Apart from Konoha, no other viges had a couple of rank S ninjas who took missions actively.


    As for the new seals, Fujin was hoping that someone would seed in cracking them and understanding their secrets. He just intended to stay back and swoop in to steal their gains in case he didn''t seed. Hence, Fujin decided not to interfere much in whatever would happen due to the recent movements.


    Kaito brought Fujin to Konoha from the Land of Birds in a few hours. Though Fujin travelled a lot more, having to go to the Land of Birds which was on the opposite side of the Land of Fire and didn''t even border it, and spent some time noting down the seals from Zankoku''s ritual, he still reached Konoha earlier than his teammates thanks to Kaito. The two bade farewell a few kilometers from Konoha.


    On entering Konoha, Fujin went straight to Hiruzen''s office. Hiruzen was surprised to see Fujin so quickly. He asked, "Is the mission over?"


    Fujin nodded and said, "More or less. Did my teammates return?"


    Hiruzen was confused by Fujin''s question and wondered, ''Did they split up?''


    He replied, "No. What happened during the mission?"


    Fujin replied, "Quite a bit. I might have some confidential news."


    Hiruzen understood the message and nced at his Anbu Guards. They immediately left the room and shut all doors and windows. Hiruzen activated the privacy seals.


    Fujin said, "The mission was a bitplicated. We managed to find the missing civilians. Unfortunately, they were all killed before we reached. It was the same as my previous mission against Jashin followers. The only difference was that we werete."


    Hiruzen sighed and said, "That''s a shame."


    Fujin nodded and continued, "I have a feeling that something weird is going on. The dead bodies of the civilians were in a sealed-off cave in a remote mountain range. Inside the cave, there were also a few other dead bodies. I spected that they were followers of Jashin. Their bodies were cremated.


    Meanwhile, the dead bodies of the civilians had dposed at a very fast rate. Just by looking at the dead body, one would assume that they have been dead for several years. Probably due to that, Yamanaka Ken couldn''t read any of their memories for us to understand what happened in the cave."


    A frown appeared on Hiruzen''s face. The mission was a lot weirder than he expected. Fujin continued, "The inside of the cave was covered in various seals. It was almost as if they had created a formation of some sort. And there were numerous seals in the cave that I had never seen before."


    Hiruzen''s eyes widened. He immediately understood its importance and why Fujin said the information be kept confidential. He asked, "Did you record the seals?"


    Fujin nodded. He took out a few scrolls and ced them on the desk. He said, "I recorded the seals I had never seen before in these scrolls. Unfortunately, I didn''t have the time to look into what these seals do or what purpose they served in the formation."


    Hiruzen immediately opened the scrolls to check the seals. To his surprise, even he failed to recognize any of the seals. He thought, ''These seals¡­ Even the Uzumaki n didn''t have these seals. Or could it be that they did have these seals but managed to keep them hidden from us?


    But if so, why did they surface suddenly? More importantly, who has ess to them? Are there any survivors of the Uzumaki n or were they stolen by someone when Uzushiogakure was destroyed? And why do these seals have to do with the death of those civilians?''


    Hiruzen had a lot of questions. And, he was very curious about what was happening. Unfortunately for him, Fujin had no intention of telling him something that no one else apart from Fujin and Jashin''s followers knew.


    Hiruzen asked, "Did you record the seal formation?"


    Fujin shook his head and said, "It was veryplicated. I would have needed a lot of time to inspect and record it. I will rmend sending another Grandmaster to the cave secretly to record it. I would have done it myself after the Yugakure ninjas left, but we received news of Hidan''s whereabouts and gave chase."


    Hiruzen understood the importance of catching Hidan. He nodded and asked, "Did you catch him?"


    Fujin shook his head and said, "We chased for over half a day. Unfortunately, it seems like he was being chased by others as well and hence was constantly on the move. He was chased by a couple of Kumo squads and for some reason was also chased by Akatsuki.


    I called off the mission after we encountered Kakuzu. I asked my teammates to withdraw and report the mission to the Hot Water Daimyo beforeing back to the vige. I stayed and fought Kakuzu until he received reinforcements."


    Fujin looked at Hiruzen and said in a serious tone, "Uchiha Itachi has joined Akatsuki as well. Along with Kaminari, Juzo, Kakuzu and Kisame, that''s 5 powerful Rogue ninjas in Akatsuki. Even though two of them are now dead, it is concerning that so many rogue ninjas are in it."


    Hiruzen was already aware of all the details. He acted as if it was the first time he heard it and had a grim expression. He said, "Yes, this development is concerning."


    Fujin added, "Apart from Itachi, a blue-haired kunoichi also assisted Kakuzu. She could control Paper and was a rank S ninja as well. My clones fought against the three of them while I retreated. I took a different route in case they chased me. So I guess I overtook my teammates at some point. They should arrive in the vige soon."


    Hiruzen nodded and fell into deep thought. Fujin had given him a lot of unexpected news. Be it Akatsuki''s movements, the dead civilians or the never-seen-before seals. On analyzing, he realized, ''Everything finallyes back to one person. That is Hidan¡­ Who is that kid? And how did he get ess to something like this?''


    He looked at Fujin and asked, "Is there any chance we can capture Hidan?"


    Fujin replied, "Very difficult. We have lost his trail. Even assuming that he is alone, finding him will be very difficult. Not to mention those 3 rank S ninjas from the Akatsuki. If they were there to kill him, then it''s already toote. And, if they were there to recruit him, then I''m not sure how much manpower we will need to get him from them. I''m not confident in being able to kill either of those three by myself."


    Hiruzen understood Fujin. Facing three rank S ninjas was very difficult. Even if Hidan was apanied by just 1 rank S ninja, Konoha would struggle to capture Hidan unless he encountered Jiraiya or Hiruzen or decided to attack Konoha for some reason.


    Hiruzen sighed and said, "Then there is very little we can do. Regardless, you have done a great job. Tell me about Kakuzu''s abilities in the report. We don''t have enough information on him. For now, I will call a council meeting tomorrow. These new seals will generate a lot of interest and could start a new conflict. So our vige should be prepared. Also, the ns would want to study the seals as well.


    I will send a Grandmaster and a squad there to investigate it properly and record the formation. In the meeting, inform everyone about your findings. It''ll expose the fact that you are a Grandmaster in Fuinjutsu, but this matter is serious."


    Fujin nodded and said, "I understand."


    By now, Iwagakure and Akatsuki were aware of the fact that Fujin was a Grandmaster. He didn''t know to whom the information had spread and who all knew it. Regardless, he couldn''t count on it being a surprise anymore. As such, it was pointless to keep it a secret anymore.


    Hiruzen said, "I will call youter."


    Fujin was about to leave when he stopped and suddenly asked, "Grandpa, I am facing an issue. I was wondering whether you could help me."


    Hiruzen''s instincts immediately warned him. The word ''Grandpa'' along with Fujin''s tone made him realize that Fujin was about to ask a favor.


    He sighed internally and asked, "As long as I can. What is the issue?"


    While he spoke, he prayed, ''I hope he doesn''t ask for my kidney this time.''

 Chapter 465: Who is more Shameless?

    Hiruzen was indeed very fearful of Fujin''s tendencies to ask something very unreasonable. And even though what Fujin asked would be unreasonable, in most cases, it was something Hiruzen couldn''t refuse without looking like a terrible leader and damaging the image he had created.


    Fujin said, "It''s nothing too serious. I was developing a range of Vacuum jutsus to make my arsenal more versatile. Unfortunately, no matter what I do, I can''t create a Vacuum jutsu that has a wide range like say the Great Breakthrough jutsu. Whenever I try, my Vacuum Core copses. Do you know anyrge-scale Wind Vacuum jutsu?"


    Hiruzen breathed a sigh of relief on hearing the request and thought, ''Fortunately, he isn''t asking for my kidney this time.''


    He answered, "Though I can use the Wind Vacuum technique, I''m not very proficient in it. I don''t have such a jutsu. However, there is someone else in the vige who does know it."


    Fujin knew who that someone else was. He was hoping that Hiruzen knew the jutsu, or that he would mention that Danzo knew it. However, to keep up the act, he still asked with a curious expression on his face, "Who is it?"


    Hiruzen replied, "It''s Elder Danzo."


    Fujin put up a thoughtful expression and appeared to be in deep thought for a few seconds. Finally, he looked at Hiruzen and said, "I rebuked him quite a bit in the only two meetings we had. I doubt he''ll tell me about it. Is there any chance you can get it from him and then teach it to me, Grandpa?"


    Hiruzen looked at Fujin with a deadpan expression. He cursed internally, ''So he wants Danzo to ask for my kidneys?''


    Hiruzen coughed and said, "Fujin, at your level, especially considering your mastery of Wind Vacuum Technique, I''ll rmend you to depend on yourself. Every person''s understanding of the technique differs slightly. If you just copy it from others, then you won''t be able to form your own ideas and might lose out on something special."


    Fujin sighed and replied, "I had the same feeling. That was why I never asked you about this and worked on it by myself. Unfortunately, it caused me to lose out big time. If I had such a jutsu, I might have been able to kill Kakuzu during this fight."


    Hiruzen''s eyes widened. He was aware that Kakuzu was far stronger than someone like Juzo. Fujin continued, "Unfortunately, I don''t think he''ll ever give me such an opening again. I just don''t miss out on any such opportunities to eliminate strong foes in the future.


    Though I might lose out on the opportunity to create my original jutsu that is verypatible with me, I''m willing to make that sacrifice for the sake of our vige!"


    If anyone were to hear Fujin''s words, they would be shocked and impressed by Fujin''s righteousness and his spirit of sacrifice for the sake of the vige! For a moment, even Hiruzen was caught off guard. He couldn''t help but think, ''He is asking for a jutsu¡­ Why does it sound like he is making some big sacrifice for the vige?''


    Fortunately for Hiruzen, he was no stranger to Fujin''s greedy nature and saw through his lies in a few seconds.


    He let out a sigh as well and said, "That''s a shame, but I can understand your reasoning. When I was young, I was filled with the spirit of sacrifice for our vige and had to make such decisions several times. You can ask Elder Danzo for the jutsu.


    Though you two had some disagreements, both of you want the well-being of our vige. Such disagreements shouldn''t get in the way of helping out each other. Otherwise, the vige wouldn''t function."


    This time, it was Fujin''s turn to be surprised by Hiruzen''s shamelessness. He sighed internally and muttered to himself, ''Why did I expect this shameless old fox to be kind and helpful? Asking it from Danzo¡­ As if he''d give it to me! If such disagreements didn''t get in the way, the vige might still have had the Uchiha n.''


    Unfortunately, just like Hiruzen, Fujin couldn''t speak his thoughts out loud. In fact, since Hiruzen rmended it, he would have to ask Danzo for the jutsu. Otherwise, it would be clear to Hiruzen that Fujin has a major issue with Danzo, causing him to be even more suspicious considering the fact that Fujin and Danzo had never had any confrontation. He said, "Alright. I''ll try asking Elder Danzo."


    Fujin took his leave. A smile appeared on Hiruzen''s face as he imagined the scene of Fujin asking Danzo for a jutsu. He muttered, "Tomorrow''s meeting will be interesting in more ways than one."


    Hiruzen stopped his work and opened the scrolls Fujin had given him. He began studying the seals that Jashin Bishop had inscribed in the cave. Though Fujin had failed in studying them, Hiruzen was far more experienced than Fujin. Even if he couldn''t understand the entire seal, he was hopeful of uncovering some of their functions.


    While Hiruzen studied the seals, Fujin returned to his house after leaving one Shadow Clone in the Hokage Building to meet up with his team when they returned.


    After entering his house, Fujin thought, ''Asking Danzo for the jutsu¡­ That seems to be a dead end. Even if I ignore his nature, it hasn''t been a long time since I killed a couple of the Root ninjas he sent after me. Though I left no clues, it is inevitable that he would suspect me considering the fact that they were trailing me.


    It looks like I''ll have to depend on myself to master this jutsu. The only other way would be if I catch Danzo outside the vige, ambush him with my clones and make him use that jutsu. Unfortunately, that is just too difficult. That bastard''s movements are too secretive. It''ll be hard to know if and when he leaves the vige.


    Oh well, time to return to my training. Once details of Hidan''s abilities and the news of new seals get leaked, every major vige will get restless for some time before things calm down.


    By the time things calm down, I want to master the Flying Thunder God jutsu. Even if it is just short distances, being able to teleport will be very handy. I also want to master Danzo''s curse seals by then and create my own seals. I''ll finally be able to continue working on my organization then. Of course, I can''t stop working on Wind Domain and the Gate of Life either. Only after I''m done with these, can I move on to other areas that need my attention.''


    Though Fujin had just returned from a mission, Fujin began training immediately. He had no time to waste. The events of the Naruto story were only a few months away. Fujin no longer had years'' worth of time to train. Fortunately, the soldier pill he had consumed earlier still had a couple of days left. So being tired wasn''t an issue.


    The day continued as normal for the people in Konoha. Fujin''s teammates returned a few hourster and met up with his clone. They informed him about their meeting with the Daimyo. Apart from that, nothing else happened during their return journey.


    As for Hiruzen, he sent messengers to every n leader and elders to inform them about the council meeting the next day. Fujin already knew about it. Considering the nature of the meeting, Hiruzen didn''t invite any civilian council members.


    He studied the seals untilte at night. He took a look at every seal that Fujin had handed him. Though he didn''t study any seal in detail, he was still expecting some gains. To his surprise, he failed to figure out the functions of any seal.


    He thought, ''These seals are quite different from the normal seals we use. It looks like this will require a thorough study to understand what these seals do. Topletely understand their functions, it might take years.


    I''ll need to hand these seals to every Grandmaster in the vige and have them study it. Fortunately, I won''t have to persuade them as everyone will be intrigued by these new seals.


    Apart from this, the only way to speed up the process of understanding the seals would be if that formation has any clues. Regardless, these seals have the potential to cause a breakthrough in our current mastery of seals. If their functions are useful, then Konoha will have an advantage over other viges.''


    Hiruzen could easily see the advantages of these seals. While he couldn''t be sure, any chance of getting an advantage over your enemies that didn''t involve much risk was precious. Hiruzen had no intention of letting it go. He immediately sent his Anbu ninjas to call for a few ninjas.


    Within half an hour, four ninjas gathered in his office. They were Kakashi, the Anbu Commander Eagle, the Fuinjutsu Grandmaster of the Senju n and the Fuinjutsu Grandmaster of the Yamanaka n. Hiruzen informed them about Fujin''s mission and findings and shared some of the new seals with the Grandmasters. Seeing seals that they had never seen before immediately made them very curious. Kakashi and Eagle understood the importance as well.


    Hiruzen instructed, "Leave the vige secretly and reach that cave. Once you do, record the entire formation properly. Don''t miss a single detail. Once you have recorded everything, destroy the cave.


    No other vige should get a hand on these seals. Though Yugakure sent a few ninjas earlier, they didn''t include any SealMaster. So they should be unaware of the uniqueness of these seals. I want it to stay that way.


    The cave should be empty as the process of storing the dead bodies should be long done. However, if Yugakure has stationed a few ninjas at the cave, eliminate them and don''t leave behind any proof."


    Everyone nodded seriously. They understood the importance of the matter and the need to keep it a secret from other viges. They left the vige secretly under the cover of the night.


    The next morning, the Council of Konoha met once again. It was the third time a council meeting was convened due to Fujin.

 Chapter 466: Emergency Meeting

    Hiruzen, the three Elders, the seven n Leaders and Fujin sat in the council room. Since it was an emergency meeting, everyone had arrived on time. Except for Fujin, everyone looked at Hiruzen, waiting for him to start the meeting and state the reason for the emergency meeting.


    Hiruzen looked around the room, meeting his eyes with everyone in the room. He started the meeting by saying, "I''m sure every one of you is curious about why I called this meeting. This meeting is due to some recent events that Fujin discovered during his mission to the Land of Hot Waters."


    His tone became serious as he said, "What will be discussed today will be very important for the future of our vige. It goes without saying that all the information must stay within these walls. If any information gets leaked, I''m afraid that it will provoke some countries into starting a war."


    Hiruzen''s words made everyone serious. Even Shikaku, who was looking sleepy and yawning until then, became sharp. Meanwhile, Danzo looked at Fujin and thought, ''This meeting is due to him as well? I still haven''t discovered what happened to my two subordinates. And he is already a part of something that involves the future of the vige?''


    He looked at Hiruzen and wondered, ''Did Hiruzen give him some secret mission and ask him to eliminate everyone who interfered? But what mission could that be?''


    Danzo was indeed confused. His ninjas had looked along the path Fujin should have taken when he eliminated the bandits. However, they didn''t find any clues regarding the two missing Root ninjas. So even though Danzo suspected Fujin, he had no evidence to me him or make Hiruzen investigate him.


    Seeing that everyone in the room was serious, Hiruzen said, "In Yugakure, a ninja named Hidan went rogue recently. He killed 18 ninjas and several civilians before going rogue. He was also involved in kidnapping more than 300 civilians. Fujin was sent to hunt him down and rescue the kidnapped people, however, he arrivedte.


    All the kidnapped people were killed in a mysterious way, their bodies dposing several hundred times faster than normal. And, the cave they were in was covered in a formation made of seals. Many of those seals and symbols are the ones we have never seen before. They arepletely different from our usual seals and¡­"


    He looked around the room beforepleting his statement, "Even I couldn''t identify their functions despite studying them for several hours."


    The words surprised everyone in the room. Though most in the room weren''t good with seals, they all understood what Hiruzen''s words implied. At the same time, everyone looked at Fujin as well. Since Fujin was the one who discovered it, that meant that he should be able to identify every seal in Konoha at the very least.


    It implied that he was close to being a Grandmaster in Fuinjutsu if he wasn''t one already. Except for Danzo, Shikaku and Senju Hiromasa, no one had heard about Fujin even being a SealMaster, let alone a Grandmaster. It made everyone reevaluate the young man.


    Danzo asked, "Do you mean that the seals arepletely different from any other seals we studied?"


    Danzo looked into Hiruzen''s eyes. Though his question seemed normal, it was different for Hiruzen. Both of them had looked a lot into the Uzumaki seals, be it with Uzumaki Mito''s help or scavenging the vige after it was destroyed. No one else in Konoha had studied seals as much as either of them. The only one who came close in this aspect was Orochimaru who was no longer in the vige. To his surprise, Hiruzen still nodded and said, "Yes."


    Danzo''s eyes widened. He immediately understood the importance of that matter. Hiruzen ced the scrolls that Fujin handed him the previous day and said, "Fujin recorded these scrolls. If anyone is interested, you can see them."


    Danzo immediately grabbed one scroll. A few others also looked into the other scrolls with some curiosity. While they did, Hiruzen said, "Due to the mission, Fujin couldn''t record the entire formation. I have dispatched a squad to record the entire formation. They should be done in a few days. The cave will be destroyed to prevent the other viges from getting ess to this seal."


    Fujin sighed internally on hearing that. He thought, ''I was hoping that the other viges work on this too. That way I''ll be able to get a lot more help in studying these seals. That said, it isn''t a surprise that Hiruzen chose this. I''d have done the same if I was in his shoes. Oh well, getting help from the Grandmasters in Konoha isn''t bad either. They''ll be able to devote far more time to it than me. After all, researching new seals will take a long time and there won''t be any guarantees of sess.''


    Hiruzen continued, "The knowledge of these seals and the formation will stay only among us, the Grandmasters in our vige and Kakashi and the Anbu Commander. Once we record the formation, every Grandmaster in the vige will be allowed to study these seals and figure out what the seals do and what the symbols mean.


    Once every month or so, I''ll organize a meeting for all the Grandmasters to share their findings and decide on how to progress further. If anyone has a different opinion, feel free to share now."


    Hiruzen knew that there could be some obstructions. He only allowed Grandmasters to study the seals. Not every n had a Grandmaster in Fuinjutsu. After all, it wasn''t easy to reach that stage. Not everyone had the time, interest, patience or ability to create dozens of Shadow Clones and sustain them for hours to study the seals.


    As he expected, Tsume said, "I have just one suggestion. Open up those meetings to us n leaders to observe so that we may know what the progress is."


    Hiruzen thought for a few seconds before nodding and said, "Alright, that can be arranged. However, any n leader who isn''t a Grandmaster will be there only as an observer. Also, the attendance of n leaders will be optional."


    Tsume nodded and said, "That''s fine with me."


    Hiruzen looked around the room. There weren''t any other objections or suggestions. Hiruzen said, "Since everyone agrees, the meeting ends here. Once Kakashi''s squad returns, I''ll make copies of the formation and distribute them among the Grandmasters. Once again, nothing discussed here gets out. The meeting has concluded."


    Everyone nodded and began leaving. Only 3 people didn''t leave. They were Hiruzen, Fujin and Danzo, each of whom continued sitting in their spots.


    Once everyone left, Danzo said, "Hiruzen, did you make copies of these seals? I want to take these to study."


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "I did make a copy. However, this one was made by Fujin. I was intending to return it to him so that he can continue studying them."


    Danzo was confused. He wondered, ''What is he nning by giving such an answer? Does he want to give these to Fujin and stop me from getting ess to them? But what will that aplish considering that he is nning to distribute the formation to every Grandmaster?''


    Unlike Danzo, Fujin didn''t miss the obvious helping hand Hiruzen had given him. Danzo looked at Fujin and asked, "Are you nning on studying these or can I take them?"


    Fujin put up a thoughtful expression and replied, "I was nning to study them. It is the first time that I''ve seen seals that aren''t recorded in our vige."


    Danzo frowned. He thought, ''Though I don''t know what these seals do, I have a feeling that they will be very beneficial for me! I don''t want to give Hiruzen any opportunity to y any games.''


    Before Fujin could continue, Danzo replied, "I can study the seals far faster than you. Considering the importance of the seal, I insist that you let me study them for now."


    Fujin replied with a smile on his face, "That''s true. I can wait. Actually, even if you didn''t say it, I was nning to let you take it, Elder. But I hope that you can help me resolve an issue I''m facing."


    Danzo immediately realized. He nced at Hiruzen and cursed in his mind, ''So this is why he said those words. He wanted me to owe Fujin one and help him out.''


    He asked, "What is the issue?"


    Fujin replied, "I was trying to create a Vacuum Jutsu that covers a wide range, something simr to the Great Breakthrough jutsu. Unfortunately, I couldn''t create a Vacuum Core stable andrge enough to do so."


    Danzo immediately realized the issue. He couldn''t help but think, ''I heard that he is extremely good with Wind Vacuum Technique, but is he treating it as just Wind Maniption? Still, before I answer, I need to know one thing.''


    Danzo said, "Before I help you, I have one thing I wanted to ask you as well. I heard that you had taken a few missions around 3 weeks earlier and moved south. During your journey, did you see any ninjas from the Root?"

 Chapter 467: Forcing Danzo to Teach!

    Danzo''s sudden question surprised Hiruzen. He looked at Danzo with suspicion and wondered, ''Was it a coincidence or did he specifically send them after Fujin?''


    Even Fujin was surprised. He didn''t expect Danzo to openly ask such a question. Fortunately, he was prepared just in case. He put up a confused expression and replied, "I didn''t. In fact, I didn''te across any Konoha ninja during my time down south. Did something happen?"


    While Fujin answered, Danzo observed him carefully. He analyzed, ''His chakra flow was calm as he answered. But he is an experienced sensor. It shouldn''t be difficult for him to disguise it if he is lying.''


    Danzo replied, "Yes. Two Root ninjas left around the same time that you left the vige and were headed in the same direction. Both went missing immediately. I never heard back from either of them."


    Fujin put up a thoughtful expression. Meanwhile, Hiruzen observed both Fujin and Danzo. Unfortunately, neither of their expressions gave any hint of the truth. Hiruzen spected, ''Knowing Danzo, it is likely that he sent them to keep an eye on Fujin. The chances of it being a coincidence are very low. But what happened to them? Don''t tell me Fujin really eliminated both of them.''


    Hiruzen became serious. While he knew that there was some tension between Fujin and Danzo, he didn''t want it to develop into an all-out battle. He immediately started feeling a headache.


    Cutting his thoughts off, Fujin asked, "Did you find out whether they left the vige before me or after me? Also, how strong were they?"


    Fujin''s questions confused both of them. Neither Danzo nor Hiruzen could understand the reason behind the questions. Danzo answered, "Both were Jounins. They left the vige a few minutes after you."


    Fujin replied, "No wonder I didn''t sense them. I was travelling at a very fast speed. A normal Jounin wouldn''t be able to catch up with me. Besides, I activated my chakra field several times while moving. Had theye close to me, I''d have detected them even if they hid their chakra.


    That said, I did inspect the route I was travelling along. I didn''t detect any ninja hiding along the route. Unless it was a rank S ninja or someone absurdly good at stealth, I''m confident that there was no one hidden along the path. The only possible exnations are that those two took a different route or someone crossed that encountered them long after I had already moved on.


    Unfortunately, I am afraid that I can''t help you in either of the cases. I''ll rmend asking ninjas who left the vige after them. If there was someone faster among them, maybe they might have seen something."


    Fujin''s reply left Hiruzen and Danzo speechless for a moment. Danzo thought, ''No Jounin can catch up with him? He stated that as if it was a fact without a shred of doubt in his voice. What arrogance! Even Minato wasn''t this arrogant despite his power!''


    Even Hiruzen had the same thought. He sighed internally while thinking, ''Now that I think about it, we were arrogant when we were young as well. That said, we never acted arrogant in front of Lord Second.''


    However, even though they were irked by Fujin''s arrogance, both understood that he was right. While Hiruzen had barely seen a glimpse of Fujin''s battle and Danzo had only heard about his achievements, the reputation of the Spectral Swordsman was too high. Despite being inactive for quite some time, the minor viges still feared that name. He was known for appearing out of nowhere, killing his enemies at blinding speed and disappearing before anyone understood what was happening. An ordinary Jounin stood no chance against him.


    Not to mention, since Danzo had no proof, he had to ept whatever Fujin said. He had no points to counter Fujin or interrogate him more. He could only reply, "Alright, I''ll look into the matter more deeply."


    Fujin nodded while thinking, ''Look as much as you want. Both of them are dead, cremated and even their ashes are buried deep under the ground somewhere in the Land of Rivers. Good luck finding them.''


    Fujin quickly changed the topic and asked, "So, can you tell me how to create a stable Vacuum Core for wide-range Vacuum jutsu?"


    Danzo shook his head and said, "It is impossible to do so. A jutsu like the Great Breakthrough jutsu works because winds can spread very easily with little to no resistance.


    To be able to create a Vacuum core to support such a jutsu, your Vacuum core should be able to expand itself and spread along the jutsu. And the expansion wouldn''t just be horizontal, but also vertical. It is impossible to create such arge Vacuum Core normally, let alone by making a smaller core expand."


    A frown formed on Fujin''s face. He had obviously thought of all theplications Danzo had stated. It was why he had failed to create the jutsu. However, he recalled Danzo using a jutsu to pierce Sasuke''s Susanoo.


    Though the jutsu wasn''t as wide-scaled as a Great Breakthrough jutsu, it still was far better than the Vacuum Bullet or Vacuum Cannon. The only thing that Fujin wasn''t clear on was how much of a factor Danzo''s summon was in that attack.


    Fujin said, "I have thought of it as well. So, how do we bypass these issues and create one?"


    Hiruzen chuckled internally at Fujin''s response. He thought, ''He directly ignored all theplications and demanded for the jutsu.''


    He found the situation extremely amusing. For once, he wasn''t the target of Fujin''s demands. Instead, it was the guy who constantly gave him headaches. Danzo was surprised once again. He couldn''t help but nce at Hiruzen. Having known Hiruzen for so long, he could easily recognize the amusement in his eyes.


    He cursed internally, ''Now I understand. I wondered why Hiruzen pushed this boy to the council despite never attempting to do the same for Kakashi, whose background is considerably stronger and would have received a lot more support.


    Hiruzen didn''t get Fujin into the council because he was strong. He did it because this boy is as shameless as him!''


    Danzo had no choice but to answer. Hiruzen''s earlier words implied that Danzo was receiving a favor from Fujin. In addition, Fujin also cooperated in providing information regarding the missing Root ninjas. Not to mention, passing knowledge to the next generation was a part of the Will of Fire.


    Even though Danzo had fallen into the Darkness, he still needed to keep up his image. So, even if Fujin didn''t do him any favors, he would have still had to tell Fujin about it. After all, Danzo was no longer active on the frontlines while Fujin would be active for decades. If he declined, Hiruzen would find another reason to restrict whatever remained of his Root even more.


    Danzo answered, "It''s simple. Just reduce your goal. Though it won''t be as wide or as strong as you want it to be, the jutsu will still be very strong. Observe this."


    Danzo stretched his left arm forward. A Vacuum Core began forming in his hand. Fujin''s eyes began glowing as he concentrated chakra in them. So did Hiruzen''s eyes. As the core formed, both were surprised. While Danzo had created a Vacuum Core, it was very different. The Vacuum Core itself consisted of several Vacuum Cores. Fujin could see 9 Vacuum Cores inside it.


    Danzo exined, "Create a Vacuum Core that can store multiple Vacuum Cores inside it. When you use it to attack, you can split the Vacuum Cores inside and send them in different directions, increasing the area your jutsu can cover.


    You have two choices in this aspect. One, you can send the Vacuum Cores very far away from each other. This is helpful when you are facing several ninjas that are considerably weaker than you and close to each other. However, stronger ninjas can easily dodge the vacuum cores and endure the rest of the jutsu.


    The other way is to have those Vacuum Cores move close to each other. The distance should be such that no one can slip in between any two Vacuum Cores. This way, the area the jutsu covers is far less than the first way. However, it is still greater than a normal Vacuum jutsu.


    You canpare it to shooting multiple Vacuum Bullets very close to each other. To dodge them, your enemy would have to move out of the way entirely. However, since those are individual bullets, they aren''t as impactful as this. If you do it by storing those Vacuum Cores in another Vacuum Core, sharp winds will naturally form between each individual Vacuum Core once they split up. As a result, they are far more dangerous.


    In addition, there is a limit to how many Vacuum Cores for Vacuum Bullets or other techniques you can form at the same time. Byparison, it is easier to increase the number of cores stored inside this Vacuum Core. Of course, there are limits as well, but that limit is much higher. Creating over 50 Vacuum Cores inside it isn''t difficult. Then, you can increase the range further without losing its power and threat."

 Chapter 468: Tunnels in the Training Ground

    Fujin properly observed the Vacuum Core while listening to every word Danzo said. He wasn''t worried about Danzo lying. After all, he had the Professor sitting with him and listening as well. Not to mention, Fujin''s own expertise in the Wind Vacuum technique wasn''t very far from Danzo''s.


    In fact, Fujin was even more efficient than Danzo considering the fact that Danzo hadn''t been active for years while Fujin had several run-ins with Elite Jounins and Rank S ninjas.


    Fujin only fell short in the amount of time they had the jutsus for.


    Analyzing Danzo''s words, he realized, ''I see. I had nearly got it right! I created multiple Vacuum Cores and spread them inside the Infinite Breakthrough jutsu. Unfortunately, those independent cores don''t amplify the effect and don''t have any interaction between themselves. Instead of creating multiple separate Vacuum Cores, I have to create multiple Vacuum Core inside one Vacuum Core!''


    Fujin finally understood the point he overlooked. Though Danzo''s method wasn''t as good as the one he wanted, it was still far stronger than what he hade up with. Regardless, it was still a major improvement for Fujin. If he had learnt that jutsu earlier, Kakuzu would have lost far more than just 1 heart.


    Fujin looked at the Vacuum Core in Danzo''s palm and analyzed, ''The Vacuum Cores inside it are for the Vacuum Bullet. Once he shoots it, it''ll split into 9 different Vacuum Bullets. Assuming he keeps one at the center and the remaining 8 forms an octagon around it and stay a foot away from it, it''ll cover a distance of 1 foot in every direction.


    Considering the ability of the Vacuum cores to absorb nearby items, the target would have to move slightly more than a foot in any direction. That said, Vacuum Bullet isn''t the ideal jutsu for this. Vacuum Waves jutsu will be ideal for this as it covers arger area than a Vacuum Bullet.


    Once I increase the number of cores I can store inside it beyond 30, it''ll cover more area than a Great Fireball. Not too extravagant but still far better than my current attacks.''


    Danzo extinguished the Vacuum Core in his palm, snapping Fujin out of his thoughts. He asked, "Anything else?"


    Fujin shook his head and said with a smile on his face, "No. Thank you for your guidance."


    Though Fujin had long nned out Danzo''s death and still intended to follow it unless Danzo forced him to kill him earlier, he saw no issue in epting Danzo''s help. In fact, if Danzo offered more help, Fujin was willing to ept all help with a smile on his face. After all, how could he get anything from Danzo after Danzo died?


    Of course, Fujin understood that this was a one-off event. Danzo only helped Fujin because he wanted those scrolls and because Hiruzen was there.


    Danzo nodded and grabbed the scrolls on the table before leaving. Fujin took a look at the scrolls and thought, ''Though Hiruzen applied some pressure, the main point was those seals. I hope that it is just his instincts and not some clue he found. With Izanagi, though he is annoying, killing him isn''t difficult. However, if he gains something like Hidan''s immortality, he could be a pain in the ass to deal with.''


    After Danzo left, Hiruzen smiled and said, "Didn''t I tell you? All elders will support the youngsters in our vige. Especially if the youngsters are as promising as you. Though I''m normally busy, you can approach the other Elders whenever you want."


    Fujin looked at Hiruzen. He understood that Hiruzen wanted him to trouble Homura and Koharu as well. Unfortunately, there wasn''t anything Fujin could think of to ask them for. Instead, Hiruzen''s mischievous speech caused him to have an irresistible temptation to ask for the Edo Tensei jutsu!


    Fortunately for Hiruzen, Fujin was able to resist the temptation. There wasn''t any good argument Fujin could make to demand a forbidden and controversial jutsu like the Edo Tensei. He smiled and said, "You are right. I''ll approach them when I need something."


    He got up and said, "I''ll leave now, Grandpa. I want to try out this jutsu."


    Hiruzen nodded. Fujin disappeared from the council room. A smile formed on Hiruzen''s face as he recalled the interaction between Fujin and Danzo. He muttered to himself, ''It was worth it. Perhaps agreeing to Danzo''s request of inducting Fujin into the Root four years ago wouldn''t have been an entirely bad thing. If it wasn''t for those seals, it might have been better to agree.''


    Hiruzen disappeared from the meeting room as well. For the rest of the day, his mood was quite good.


    Fujin didn''t waste any time and began practicing. Though the concept of creating multiple Vacuum Cores inside another Vacuum Core was a new one, it wasn''t very difficult for Fujin. Within a few hours, he managed to create one Vacuum Core inside another. Two dayster, he managed to replicate the Vacuum Core that Danzo had created.


    The next day, Naruto entered the training ground early in the morning. He stretched himself and eximed loudly, "Today I''ll cut the leaf in half, believe it!"


    He went to grab a leaf but suddenly stopped and said, "Huh? What''s this?"


    Naruto saw that a part of the trunk of the tree in front of him was missing. It was as if someone had carved out a part of the trunk. He looked beyond the tree and his eyes widened. Every tree that was in line had arge chunk carved out. In addition, some trees had split into two. And, those two parts didn''t fit together. It was as if some part in between was missing.


    Naruto curiously followed the trail of destruction before he reached a small hill. His eyes widened in shock as he shouted, "What the hell happened here? How did such a deep hole appear inside the hill? Was someone trying to dig a tunnel?"


    The curiosity caused Naruto to forget about training. He began looking around the training ground and found simr scenes all over the training ground. While he was looking around, Fujin entered the training ground and sensed Naruto moving around everywhere. He thought, ''What is this knucklehead up to?''


    He flickered behind Naruto who was looking at a hill which in fact had a tunnel going through it. Naruto felt something behind him and looked back. He excitedly said, "Fujin, you are back! Check this out. Someone was digging tunnels in the training ground while you were gone!"


    Fujin was amused by Naruto''s excitement and curiosity. He thought, ''I wonder how he would have reacted if he had visited this training ground when I was training Vacuum Gatling.''


    When Fujin trained Vacuum Gatling and other Vacuum jutsus, the entire training ground was covered in holes and debris at one point. Even the density of trees in the training ground had decreased considerably during that time. Their numbers still hadn''t recovered and if Fujin continued training there, they were unlikely to recover any time in the future.


    Fujin said, "Ignore them, how''s your training going?"


    Naruto grinned and said, "I have mastered the Wind Levitation jutsu. Watch this!"


    Naruto weaved a few hand seals and shouted, "Wind Release: Wind Levitation jutsu"


    Naruto was looking at a few twigs that were in front of him. In a second, winds began flowing around the twigs. Soon, they were lifted into the air due to the airflow and floated a couple of feet above the ground. Around 5 secondster, Naruto couldn''t maintain the jutsu and the twigs fell back to the ground.


    Naruto said excitedly, "See! I told you that I will master it. Believe it!"


    Fujin nodded and said, "Good progress. However, the time you can maintain the jutsu is too little. Try to maintain it for at least 30 seconds. Only then it can barely be considered as mastered."


    Naruto nodded. Fujin asked, "What is your progress with Leaf Concentration and Leaf Cutting exercises?"


    Naruto said, "I can stick the leaf to my forehead for 90 minutes. The Leaf Cutting exercise I''m almost done with."


    Naruto picked up a leaf and ced it on his left palm. He ced his right palm on top of it and began releasing wind chakra. It slowly cut through the leaf and almost split the leaf into two halves. Only around half a centimeter was left.


    Fujin observed it and thought, ''Not bad. His progress in these two exercises has surprisingly been quite fast. Looks like he didn''t ck off. He should be able to cut through the leaf in a week. Leaf Concentration might take another month though. Still, that''s fine. There will be enough time to teach him tree climbing and water walking before he graduates.''


    Naruto asked, "Will you teach me the fourth jutsu?"


    Fujin replied, "For now, focus on Leaf Cutting. When you can cut through it and maintain Wind Levitation for 15 seconds, I''ll teach it to you."


    He smiled and said, "Keep working hard Naruto. You have progressed a lot since I met you."


    Hearing Fujin''s praise, Naruto felt proud. He smiled and nodded his head while saying, "I will, believe it!"


    Fujin said, "You can train at your home for the next couple of weeks. This training ground is going to be a bit busy."


    Naruto was confused and wondered, ''Huh? Is it because of these tunnels?''


    He nodded and left. Fujin saw him leave. Naruto''s progress was very much in line with what Fujin had expected. However, for the time being, he didn''t spend much time thinking about him. Instead, his focus was on his Vacuum jutsus. He thought, ''I have sessfully learnt how to store multiple Vacuum Bullet Cores inside a Vacuum Core. Today, I''ll master how to store Vacuum Wave Cores!''

 Chapter 469: AoE Vacuum Jutsu

    Fujin muttered to himself, ''This might take some time. With Vacuum Bullets, I could refer to and replicate Danzo''s vacuum core. However, I will have to create an entirely new core this time to amodate the cores of Vacuum Wave. After all, the shapes of the cores of the two jutsus are very different from each other. Still, it shouldn''t take too long.''


    Fujin extended his palm ahead. Arge spherical vacuum core formed on top of his hand. Soon, a vacuum core began forming inside therger core. Unlike the Vacuum Bullet core, which was shaped like a bullet, this one was shaped like a thread. It was a lot longer but very thin and curved in shape.


    Since Fujin could already store 9 Vacuum Bullet cores inside therger core, it wasn''t a challenge for him to create one Vacuum Wave core inside it.


    Suddenly, Fujin noticed something. He analyzed, ''Wait a minute! Unlike the Vacuum Bullet core, where I need to maintain the spherical shape and have to create proper spaces inside therger vacuum core to hold them, the Vacuum Wave core has a huge advantage. Since their shape is elongated and doesn''t need to be straight, I can just curve, or better yet, coil them inside therger core while creating a small chakra film to keep them separated from each other.


    In that case, I''ll be able to increase the number of Vacuum Wave cores inside it very easily. As I thought, Vacuum Wave is indeed the jutsu most suited for this technique.''


    Fujin''s expression lit up upon realizing it. He quickly began creating more Vacuum Wave cores inside therger core. As he expected, he faced very little trouble in creating it. He quickly managed to create 7 cores inside it. The Vacuum Wave cores were just toopatible with this technique.


    Fujin dispelled the vacuum core and thought, ''Wow! 7 on my first try! I needed a couple of days to reach 9 with Vacuum Bullet cores. Still, that bastard Danzo¡­ He knew that Vacuum Wave would have been the mostpatible jutsu with this, yet he only showed me Vacuum Bullets. I guess he was very reluctant to inform me about this technique. Well, whatever. It shouldn''t be hard to apply this technique to my remaining Vacuum jutsus.''


    Fujin began practicing again. On every try, the amount of vacuum cores he could store inside therger vacuum core increased. An hourter, the number reached 76!


    Fujin stared at the vacuum core in his hand and thought, ''This should be my limit for now. Though increasing it further shouldn''t be much harder. I just need more practice. Anyway, It''s time to test it.''


    Fujin dispelled the vacuum core and a Shadow Clone appeared next to him. The clone stood around 25 meters in front of Fujin and mmed his palm on the ground. Arge wall appeared in front of him. He moved backwards slightly while continuing to m his palm on the ground.


    In all, 4rge walls stood between the two. Each wall was about 0.5 meters thick. Fujin took a deep breath and began forming the vacuum core in his mouth. Soon, 76 Vacuum Wave cores formed inside that vacuum core and therge vacuum core was surrounded by Wind chakra.


    ''Wind Release: Vacuum Serial Waves jutsu''


    Fujin shot out the jutsu. Immediately, therger vacuum core copsed and the 76 vacuum cores inside it were released. It was equivalent to Fujin using the Vacuum Wave jutsu 76 times!


    The jutsu hit the first wall. Several Vacuum Waves hit the wall and pierced through it. Around a 10-meter-wide section of the wall copsed. The remaining vacuum waves followed through the copsing part of the wall, cutting through any stones that were in their way. The jutsu continued moving through all 4 walls in the same fashion!


    The clone saw the jutsuing at him, bit his thumb and mmed his bloody palm on the ground.


    ''Summoning jutsu: Rashomon''


    Arge metal gate having a demonic face on the gates appeared in front of the clone. A momentter, the gate was hit by Fujin''s jutsu. Unlike the Earth Wall jutsu, the Rashomon could endure the Vacuum jutsus.


    In the past, Fujin''s vacuum jutsus had failed to create much of an impact on the Rashomon. Only the Vacuum Cannon jutsu had created arge dent into the Rashomon gate, but even it couldn''t pierce through it. However, this time, Fujin watched with hopeful eyes.


    The Vacuum Waves mmed into the Rashomon gate, each creating a small dent and damaging its structural integrity. Cracks soon developed on the gate. When the 59th Vacuum Wave mmed into it, the Rashomon gate copsed before disappearing! The jutsu hit the clone hiding behind it and dispelled him.


    Without any obstacle, the Vacuum Serial Waves jutsu continued moving for another 80 meters, destroying any tree and cutting deep into any small hill in its path!


    A wry smile appeared on Fujin''s face as he muttered, "I overdid it¡­"


    The training ground was a wreck! If the tunnels formed due to the Vacuum Bullet jutsu intrigued Naruto and awoke his curiosity, the sight in front of Fujin would horrify him! First, there was the debris due to the broken walls. That was followed by every tree in the path of the jutsu being cut down for 80 meters! In addition, a couple of small hills had deep cuts in them while one had copsed.


    Fujin thought, ''I damaged the training ground a bit too much. Fortunately, there aren''t any penalties for doing so. I''ll just ask Hiruzen to do something about it.


    Anyway, the good news is that I finally have an AoE Vacuum jutsu! At a range of around 20 to 25 meters, I can spread this jutsu 10 meters wide and 5 meters high to have the optimal effect. Once I increase the cores inside it even further, the area it covers can be increased more or alternatively I can make it stronger by focusing on a limited area.''


    Fujin chuckled while thinking, ''I never would have imagined that Danzo would have been the one to help me take my Vacuum jutsus to the next level!


    I can rece my older Vacuum Serial Waves jutsu with this one. This one is far more efficient and powerful in every way. As for the Vacuum Bullet jutsu, I should rece it as well. By keeping several vacuum cores within one, I''ll be able to create more Vacuum Bullets at a time. Not to mention, sharp winds flow between the Vacuum Bullets, making dodging far more difficult.


    The only time I''ll need to use my normal Vacuum Bullets is when my enemies are very far from each other or to conserve my chakra if the enemy is too good at dodging. With this method, even though I can spread the Vacuum Bullets, they still have to be in a simr direction. Unless I can create tworge cores with multiple cores within them. Hmm, I''ll try this outter once I''mfortable with this technique.


    That said, there is one drawback. The time needed in this method is higher. But, that shouldn''t be an issue after using this method for a few months. Not to mention, needing more time to create more cores is a natural thing. There isn''t much I can do about it if I have to create several dozen cores.


    Due to this drawback, using this technique on Vacuum Gatling isn''t very practical. After all, the essence of that technique is speed and surprise. Though there is no harm in learning it in case I need it for some reason. It could be a good way to learn how to create multiple such cores.


    As for Vacuum Cannon, this method would be good only when I have a defense to pierce. I can line up the Vacuum Cannons behind one another and have them hit the same spot. I wonder if Susanoo would be able to resist such an assault¡­


    Anyway, in all other cases, the normal Vacuum Cannon will be better. As for Vacuum de and Vacuum sh, this method isn''t verypatible with them. Is there any way I can use them?''


    Fujin thought for a few minutes and concluded, ''Using this method with Vacuum sh is pointless. I need to form it in the time I swing my sword. I can''t waste time creating multiple vacuum cores. However, Vacuum des can have a possible use.


    If I can store Vacuum de cores in this vacuum core and activate it after I have thrown the jutsu, then it has the potential to catch enemies by surprise. The enemy might see it as a normal Vacuum Bullet or Vacuum Sphere and dodge it, only to be attacked by several Vacuum des. This has some potential. If I manage to store it in a seal, then it can act as a deadly trap. Alright, I''ll learn this as well.''

 Chapter 470: Hiruzens Disbelief!

    Fujin analyzed his ns for a while before nodding. He thought, ''Alright, these ns should be good. It''ll make my attack patterns extremely unpredictable and increase the difficulty of dodging. At the very least, there is no way a group of well-trained Jounins will be able to counter me as Iwa did.


    In fact, once I master them, even a rank S ninja will have to be very careful against me. It''ll no longer be as easy as dodging my Vacuum jutsus and putting up a defense for the rest.''


    Fujin''s eyes moved towards the spot where his clone had dispelled and thought, ''There is just one other thing. Rashomon isn''t good enough for me. I need the Triple and the Five-Layer Rashomon. Unfortunately, they aren''t avable in the library.


    That said, creating them shouldn''t be very difficult, but it''ll require some time for me to create those variations¡­''


    Fujin thought for a bit before deciding, ''Unfortunately, I have been feeling that I have very little time as ofte. Screw it, I''ll just ask Hiruzen. Once my chakra recovers, I''ll tell him to send a Shadow Clone and also take the opportunity to find a better training ce. If I keep practicing my Vacuum jutsus here, the scenery in front of my house will bepletely destroyed!''


    Increasing the number of vacuum cores also increased the amount of chakra required in the same ratio. As a result, Fujin''s chakra reserves had be quite low. He decided to do physical training until his chakra recovered.


    While Fujin got busy with his training, one ce became quite chaotic and heated up.


    "What did you say?" A loud shout was heard in the Raikage''s office. Darui, C and Samui stood in front of the Fourth Raikage. There was no one else in the room and all privacy seals were activated. Otherwise, everyone in the building would have heard that shout. Even then, the ones near the office felt some tremors.


    Ay looked at his three subordinates and asked, "I sent you three to find and kill Suzuki Fujin. You didn''t even meet him and yet ten of the sixteen ninjas died? What the hell were you three doing?"


    Ay was mad. When Kumo ninjas met Fujin for the first time, he managed to kill more than a dozen ninjas and escape despite facing Darui. His escape resulted in Konoha getting crucial information which resulted in Jiraiya wiping out more than 250 Kumo ninjas while Hiruzen''s political maneuvers eliminated every possibility of Kumogakure getting revenge without having to face extremely serious consequences.


    Since he couldn''t attack Hiruzen or Jiraiya, he set his eyes on Fujin. However, Fujin stayed holed up inside Konoha andter in the Anbu for years, leaving no traces of himself. While it annoyed Ay and strategic nners in Kumo, their annoyance reduced with the passage of time and eventually no one thought of him anymore.


    That was until Onoki informed him that Fujin was the Spectral Swordsman and he had be extremely ferocious. Since that day, Kumo once again began looking for an opportunity to eliminate Fujin. To their dismay, Fujin stopped taking missions and stayed hidden inside Konoha once again!


    In the seven months since then, Fujin left the vige just once and that too under a disguise. So Kumo failed to track his movement until a few days ago when Fujin left with a new squad to Yugakure. They responded quickly, dispatching a Sealmaster and several Jounins and Elite Jounins under Darui.


    For the first time in 3 and a half years, they had a trail. As a result, when Darui and his team returned with more than half their members dead without even seeing Fujin, Ay couldn''t control his rage! His desk waspletely pulverized. Fortunately, Darui, C and Samui were used to his antics.


    Darui sighed and answered, "Nothing we could do Boss. The circumstances were out of our control. The other two squads you sent ran into a formidable opponent and were eliminated. Without the SealMaster, chasing after Suzuki Fujin was pointless. We could have fallen prey to his seals."


    Ay frowned and asked, "Who was it? To be able to eliminate two entire squads, did they run into a rank S ninja?"


    Darui nodded and informed him about Hidan. He carefully exined Hidan''s skills to him. Ay''s expression became serious upon learning about Hidan''s skills. It was too unbelievable to believe.


    Darui added, "Since we couldn''t hunt Suzuki Fujin, we decided to take down and capture this guy. If we can torture him and force him to tell us how to learn that technique, our vige''s strength will increase drastically."


    Ay agreed with the analysis. He thought, ''While I don''t need that technique as no one can pierce through my defenses, if a few Elite Jounins managed to learn it, they could easily be ssified as rank S ninjas. Even Jounins with these skills would be superior to normal rank S ninjas in terms of survival.''


    Ay could easily see the unimaginable advantages Kumo would gain. Darui continued, "Unfortunately, he was too good at escaping. We tried finding him in the Land of Frost, but couldn''t find him. During the chase, we met up with two Akatsuki members.


    Uchiha Itachi has joined Akatsuki. There was another Blue-haired kunoichi, but we couldn''t identify her. She isn''t in the Bingo book but is most likely a rank S ninja too. Weter found traces of a huge fight that happened very close to where we met them."


    Ay furrowed his eyebrows. While he knew about the existence of Akatsuki and the presence of some strong ninjas in it, learning that Itachi and an unknown rank S ninja were a part of him caused him to feel a headache.


    Darui continued, "We aren''t sure what their aim was but I suspect that they were after Hidan as well. We continued looking for Hidan after that, butpletely lost his trail. However, I suspect that he is still hiding in the Land of Frost or the Land of Hot Water."


    Samui said, "There is another piece of intel we received. Apparently, Hidan had kidnapped 300 civilians inside the Land of Hot Water. Suzuki Fujin''s mission was to find them. He managed to find them, but could only recover their corpses.


    Our spy reported that the cave where the corpses were was covered in seals, which is why Yugakure ninjas couldn''t find them. In addition, every corpse had decayed at an extreme speed. Suzuki Fujin chased after Hidan in the Land of Frost as well, but we aren''t sure what happened to him after that.


    However, the cave where the corpses were found was destroyed yesterday. Someone eliminated the six Yugakure ninjas stationed there and destroyed the cave. There is no information on who did that."


    The additional information troubled Ay even more. He thought, ''So many events¡­ I have a feeling that there is something important happening here. But what is it?''


    Unfortunately, Ay had very little information. He said, "We have a lot of ninjas who don''t have any missions. I''ll deploy them in the Land of Frost and the Land of Hot Water. Lead them and try to find Hidan. Give proper instructions to ensure that they don''t fall prey to his technique. I don''t want to lose more ninjas meaninglessly.


    As for Suzuki Fujin, ignore him for now. I''ll send a Grandmaster with you to inspect that cave. I have a feeling that it will have the clues we need."


    Darui and the other two nodded. They had the same thoughts as well.


    Within a few hours, several hundred Kumo ninjas were dispatched. Every single one was instructed to not engage Hidan in a fight. Their only job was to inform the Elite Jounins they were under about Hidan''s location once they found him. Every ninja was given hundreds of Explosion Tags to help escape if Hidan chased after them.


    Once an Elite Jounin found Hidan, he would trail him without engaging in a battle while waiting for Darui''s team to reinforce him.


    Needless to say, the entire mission was pointless. Hidan had already joined Akatsuki and was moving towards the Land of Rain. As for the cave, the Grandmasters Hiruzen deployed had eliminated most seals inside them before the cave was destroyed. The only seals that still remained were the ones that were very well-known throughout the ninja world. So, there was nothing that they could gain.


    While Kumogakure was carrying out a meaningless operation, Hiruzen was staring in disbelief at the person in front of him. For the second time, Fujin had sent a Shadow Clone and asked Hiruzen to send a Shadow Clone to help him out. In fact, this time Fujin didn''t even bother requesting or asking it!

 Chapter 471: Pitiful Hiruzen

    A few moments earlier, Fujin''s clone entered Hiruzen''s office. Hiruzen looked at him and asked with a smile, "Wee Fujin. Is anything the matter?"


    Fujin clone nodded and answered with a smile, "Yes Grandpa, but it is nothing too serious to disturb you a lot. I am facing a couple of issues. Just send a Shadow Clone to help me out."


    For a moment, Hiruzen waspletely speechless. In fact, he even struggled to form proper thoughts. He was even wondering whether he heard the right thing! The speechlessness could be seen on his face. Needless to say, Fujin enjoyed the disbelief on Hiruzen''s face but didn''t react to it and acted as if everything he didn''t notice it.


    Hiruzen finally gathered his thoughts and cursed, ''This brat! Last time, he was at least respectful about it! This time¡­ This time he didn''t even ask or request it! He just said it as if it is the most natural thing to do and I have no reason to say no!''


    Though Fujin''s tone wasn''t disrespectful nor his words extremely demanding, it wasn''t servile either and it didn''t sound like he was making a request. It was as if an old friend came up to you and asked you to tag along with him to do something. The old friend wouldn''t request it due to your long rtionship while you too would go along with it because of your rtionship and the fact that the request wasn''t anything ridiculous.


    The only issue was that it wasn''t the rtionship Fujin and Hiruzen shared. One was the leader of the vige and had been sitting in that position for decades while the other person was just a youngster who received guidance from time to time. The two were multiple generations apart. And though Fujin called Hiruzen Grandpa, Hiruzen was aware that Fujin just tookplete advantage of the fact that Hiruzen loved to act as a Grandfather-like figure for promising kids while Fujin was aware that Hiruzen was aware of that fact!


    Hiruzen was once again put in a tough spot. Thest time Fujin approached him, he set a precedent. So, if Fujin had sent a clone and requested him like before, he would have agreed. Unfortunately for Hiruzen, Fujin decided to push the bar a bit, putting Hiruzen in an awkward situation once again.


    Hiruzen''s mind calcted rapidly, but there was only one solution. He sighed in his mind and thought, ''If it was someone else, I''d have thrown them out. But I have invested too much in this boy. I can''t damage our rtionship by declining him when he isn''t asking for much despite his method being too straightforward.''


    He looked at Fujin and thought in grief, ''Why isn''t this boy as respectful as Kakashi? Even though Kakashi reads that lewd book openly and shows upte, he is at least respectful towards me and never asks me for anything. Sigh, I wonder which demon possessed me when I asked him to call me Grandpa. I need to be more careful in the future.''


    Hiruzen hadn''t responded for over half a minute. Fujin looked at him with a confused expression and asked, "Grandpa?"


    That snapped Hiruzen out of his thoughts. He said, "Sure. I''ll send one."


    He was about to make his Shadow Clone when Fujin said, "Ah right, don''t create the clone with too little chakra. I''ll need him to have some to help me."


    Hiruzen was left speechless once again. Unfortunately, he could only swallow hisints and create a Shadow Clone with 30% of his chakra. Both the clones left the office and flickered towards the 23rd Training Ground. Meanwhile, Hiruzenined in his heart, ''I told him to trouble Homura and Koharu. Why does he still keep giving me trouble?''


    Unfortunately for Hiruzen, though Fujin agreed, he had very little rtionship with the two of them. Not to mention, he was unsure whether they knew the jutsu or not. So, even though Fujin wasn''t a fan of those two, he could only request Hiruzen for help. Besides, considering how much work he put in to create a good rtionship with Hiruzen, he would be stupid to not take advantage of it when he should.


    Hiruzen''s clone arrived at the training ground and was speechless once again. He couldn''t help but mutter, "Did the sky copse? What the hell happened here?"


    Fujin''s clone replied, "I underestimated the power and range of my new jutsu, Grandpa. It was one of the reasons I called you here. I wanted to know if you have a better ce to train Wind Vacuum jutsus. If I keep practicing here, I''m afraid that this training ground won''tst for a long time."


    Hiruzen''s clone nced at Fujin''s clone and thought, ''He has already mastered a wide range Vacuum jutsu? It has barely been more than 2 days since Danzo showed him the technique.''


    Hiruzen''s clone was surprised. The Wind Vacuum Technique was extremelyplicated and risky. While it was kept secret, promising ninjas would have an affinity to Wind maniption were given an opportunity to learn it. However, even then, there were only 3 ninjas in the vige who could use it. Even someone like Asuma failed to learn it when Hiruzen tried teaching him while Sunagakure didn''t have even a single ninja would could master it.


    Not to mention, the Wind Vacuum Technique got increasinglyplicated as one tried increasing its power. To see Fujin learn the advanced technique Danzo disyed so quickly was outside his expectations. Even Hiruzen would struggle to replicate such a speed. It once again showed how ridiculously good Fujin''s affinity to Wind Maniption had be.


    Fujin''s clone dispelled himself as Hiruzen''s clone appeared next to Fujin. Fujin received all the memories from the clone, smiled at Hiruzen''s clone and asked, "Well Grandpa? Does the vige have a better spot to train this jutsu?"


    Hiruzen''s clone shook his head and replied, "There isn''t. I doubt there would be any facility that can endure continuous assault from Vacuum jutsus. The only way is if you aim it at the skies. However, I''m afraid that it might cause some panic among civilians if bloody birds start dropping from the sky."


    Fujin nodded. He would have no control over where the bodies of the birds would be flung due to the winds. It was likely that the unlucky birds would be killed and pieces of their bodies would scatter all around Konoha.


    Hiruzen''s clone said, "Ask your Shadow Clones to create a barrier to stop the damage. You can use the Four Violet mes Formation, but you don''t need to create the four walls or the ceiling and floor. Just create one wall and shoot the jutsu in that direction."


    Fujinined, "But that would consume too much chakra!"


    Hiruzen''s clone shrugged and said, "The only other way would be for you to travel to the south and practice it on seas. However, training while away from the vige isn''t a good idea. Iwa or Kumo might make a move if they receive news of you training in the middle of nowhere. The Akatsuki organization mighte after your bounty as well. If they find you when your chakra is low, you''ll be in trouble."


    Fujin nodded. Despite being as strong as he was, training outside the vige was too risky. At his full strength, there weren''t many foes that Fujin was afraid of. However, it was a different story once his chakra dropped too much.


    Fujin let out a sigh and asked, "Is it fine if I change the terrain of this training ground?"


    Hiruzen''s clone understood what Fujin was implying. He nodded and said, "Sure. Just keep it limited to the training ground and maintain the trees on the edges of the training ground. Also, don''t build something so big that it''ll affect the surroundings on being destroyed."


    Fujin replied, "Alright. I''ll make a suitable one for this training then."


    He thought, ''This might be a good opportunity to practice Earth jutsus again. I have been wanting to upgrade them and Fire jutsus for some time. Hmm, I should ask Hiruzen for suitable jutsus for them as well.


    Actually, Fire and Earth elements aren''t the mainstay of my strength. Even if I strengthen them, they will be far inferior to Wind and Lightning. So it''ll be better if I directly ask him for a ready-madebat system for those elements. I won''t need to waste any time creating them. Anyway, that can wait for the time being.''


    Hiruzen''s clone asked, "What was the second thing you wanted?"


    Fujin replied, "I wanted a stronger defensive jutsu. Unfortunately, the library didn''t have Triple Rashomon or the Quintuple Rashomon jutsus. Can you teach them to me?"


    Hiruzen''s clone stared at Fujin. He thought, ''As I guessed. He wants me to teach him a jutsu that he can''t find in the library. Don''t tell me he''ll keep finding me whenever he needs new jutsus.''


    He wasn''t sure, but his spection was exactly on point. Fujin was lucky enough to find an expert old ninja who was so good that everyone called him ''The Professor''. In addition, he was very kind-hearted and magnanimous and always showed how much he favored the younger generation. There was no way Fujin wouldn''t deny such a kind-hearted soul the opportunity to pass down his knowledge to a promising youngster.


    Fortunately, Hiruzen was unaware of Fujin''s thoughts. If Hiruzen knew what Fujin''s thoughts were, who knew what expression he would show?

 Chapter 472: New Jutsus (1)

    ''Summoning jutsu: Quintuple Rashomon''


    Fujin weaved the snake seal, bit his thumb and mmed his hands on the ground.


    In an instant, 5 Rashomon Gates appeared one after another in a straight line in front of Fujin. Standing next to him, Hiruzen''s clone nodded. He said, "That''s good. You can use the jutsu perfectly."


    Fujin''s eyes were focused on the gates. The Triple and Quintuple variants of Rashomon weren''t difficult to learn as Fujin already knew the Rashomon jutsu. Even without Hiruzen''s help, Fujin would have figured them out in a couple of weeks. However, thanks to Hiruzen''s clone, Fujin was able to learn and master both the jutsus in merely half an hour. Since it was just basic summoning, there wasn''t much for Fujin to improve upon the jutsu once he could summon them in an instant.


    Fujin turned his gaze away from the gates and looked at Hiruzen''s clone. With a smile on his face, he said, "Thank You, Grandpa."


    The clone nodded and said, "I forgot to mention this earlier, but Kakashi''s squad returned earlier today after recording the entire formation. We are making copies currently. Since you were the one who discovered it, you can get the first copy."


    Fujin thought for a few seconds and said, "I will be busy with training in Ninjutsu and Taijutsu. Though I want to study it, I won''t be able to focus on it anytime soon. So, it is fine if you give it to mest. You can give it to the Grandmasters who have the time and are interested in studying it."


    Fujin already had recorded the entire formation even before Hiruzen had learnt about it. It made no difference to him whether Hiruzen gave it to him first,st or never gave it to him at all. As a result, he wasn''t concerned about it and took the chance to earn some brownie points.


    Hiruzen''s clone felt better. He thought, ''Though he is very greedy when ites to jutsus and money, he knows when to step back and let the vige benefit. Though it doesn''t seem very significant, it shows that his nature is good.''


    The clone nodded and said, "Alright. I''ll focus on the ones who have time to study it right now. Is there anything else you want to know?"


    Fujin shook his head and replied, "No, Grandpa. If I need anything, I''lle visit you."


    The clone''s eyes twitched. The good feeling he had evaporated in an instant. Fujin''s words were extremely casual. It was as if he saw Hiruzen helping him to be apletely natural thing. In the decades he had served as the Hokage of Konoha, this was the first time Hiruzen was experiencing something like this.


    He muttered to himself, ''I made a mistakest time. I shouldn''t have agreed. But¡­''


    Hiruzen knew that evenst time, he had no way of declining Fujin''s request. After all, Fujin was merely asking for a clone to help him out. Though the request was quite brazen, it didn''t require much effort on Hiruzen''s part. So, Hiruzen didn''t have the option of declining.


    If he did, he knew that Fujin would be forced to reevaluate Hiruzen or think that there was an issue in their rtionship. After all, which Hokage would decline to help a promising young ninja who would be a pir of the vige in the future unless they have an issue with that ninja?


    With no other option, the clone could only smile and say, "Alright. Feel free toe whenever you want."


    Hiruzen''s clone dispelled himself. A smirk appeared on Fujin''s face. He thought, ''Well, that was fun.''


    He turned his attention to the training ground and thought, ''Now, time to modify this training ground. Though I don''t haven''t learnt that jutsu yet. Oh well, it shouldn''t take much time.''


    Fujin created a Shadow Clone and sent it to the library.


    A couple of dayster, Fujin was in the training ground. He was at the part of the training ground which was on the opposite side of his house. He weaved hand signs while supercharging the jutsu. After half a minute, he mmed his hands on the ground.


    ''Earth Release: Rampart of Flowing Soil''


    A gigantic rampart began rising up from under Fujin''s feet. It continued rising until it was 50 meters in height. Its width was around 200 meters. Fujin flickered and appeared in front of the rampart and used the same jutsu. Another rampart rose around 50 meters in front of the first rampart. Fujin repeated the jutsu twice more, sealing off a 50m by 50mnd between four ramparts.


    Creating four gigantic ramparts caused Fujin''s breathing to be a bit rougher. It consumed quite a bit of his chakra. Fortunately, he didn''t need to keep creating them on a daily basis. He stood atop one of them and thought, ''Alright, this should be good enough.''


    He gathered chakra and began creating a vacuum core.


    ''Wind Release: Vacuum Serial Waves jutsu''


    Without holding back, he shot the strongest Vacuum Serial Waves jutsu he created towards the ground. The jutsu hit the ground, the Vacuum Waves piercing deep into the ground for several meters, making the entire surface uneven. Arge amount of dust and soil wereunched towards the skies due to the impact and the strong winds.


    However, Fujins released his chakra into the air, transforming it into wind. It quickly began transforming into his Wind Domain. Within a few seconds, the entire airspace between the four ramparts was covered under Fujin''s Wind Domain.


    The winds in the domain prevented the soil and dust from beingunched into the sky and attracting unwanted attention. Within a few seconds, the soil fell back to the ground.


    A smile appeared on Fujin''s face. This was the perfect ce to not only train the wide range Vacuum jutsus but also to improve his control over the Wind Domain.


    For the next week, Fujin continued training here daily until he ran out of chakra. He even consumed a special soldier pill to allow him to train more. The ground couldn''t sustain such a bombardment and had copsed more than once. Fortunately, there wasn''t anywhere it could escape or fall. Fujin had to use Earth jutsus to stabilize the ground and make it firm once again. A couple of the ramparts copsed as well at some point during the week but were rebuilt by Fujin.


    In a week''s time. Fujin had more or less mastered the jutsus. Standing on top of one of the ramparts, Fujin thought, ''This much should be sufficient. Though I can improve it further, it''ll take some time as I''ll need a lot more practice.


    Anyway, though the jutsus are quite simr, they are still quite different from their previous versions. Calling them advanced variants will not necessarily be true, but I should name the new jutsus in order to differentiate them. Fortunately, I have thought of a few good ones.''


    Fujin gathered chakra and began forming a vacuum core in his mouth. The vacuum core contained 144 smaller vacuum cores inside it.


    ''Wind Release: Vacuum Serial Waves jutsu''


    Fujin unleashed a massive attack towards the ground. The jutsu bombarded the ground, causing a mini-earthquake between the four ramparts. In some ces, the jutsu pierced more than a couple of dozen meters into the ground. The entire ground, which was fixed by Fujin not long ago, was covered in scars once again.


    He thought, ''I don''t need to rename this jutsu. After all, I have no reason to use the previous variant of this jutsu. Anyways, in terms of area covered, this is my best Vacuum jutsu. I managed to increase the number of cores to 144. And, I can even control how much this jutsu should spread, allowing me to switch between hitting arger area or concentrating on a smaller area to overwhelm defenses.''


    Fujin gathered chakra once again and began making vacuum cores. This time, he created 36 vacuum cores.


    ''Wind Release: Vacuum Cluster Bullets jutsu''


    Fujin shot therger vacuum core which contained 36 Vacuum Bullets in it. The bullets exited therger vacuum core and moved towards the ground. Some bullets travelled next to each other, and the others were behind or in front of other bullets, maintaining a distance of 1 foot from each other. In addition, extremely sharp winds flew between the bullets. It caused the attack to look like a beam.


    The beam hit the ground and drilled into it with little resistance. It created an 80-meter-deep hole in the ground! Not to mention, the hole was quite wide as well due to the high number of Vacuum Bullets and the sharp winds flowing in between them.


    Fujin thought, ''I''ll call this jutsu the Vacuum Cluster Bullets jutsu. This jutsu is most destructive when travelling as a beam. That said, against a nimble opponent, I''ll be better off spreading the bullets slightly farther from each other. Though it won''t be that destructive in that case, there aren''t many ninjas who can defend a normal Vacuum Bullet. So it shouldn''t matter.''

 Chapter 473: New Jutsus (2)

    For the third time, Fujin gathered chakra and created arge vacuum core in his mouth. This time, there were only 9 smaller cores inside therger core. However, each of these 9 cores was double the size of the vacuum bullet cores.


    ''Wind Release: Vacuum Cannon Barrage''


    Fujin shot out the jutsu. It split into 9 Vacuum Cannons, travelling in a straight line! Each Vacuum Cannon drilled 20 meters into the ground, before being slowed down enough for the Vacuum Cannon behind it to catch up and continue the destruction. In less than a second, a 187-meter-deep hole formed in the ground!


    A smile formed on Fujin''s face. He thought, ''In terms of prative power, this is indeed my strongest jutsu. Unfortunately, it isn''t very practical inbat. No top-level ninja will be stupid enough to stay in the path of this jutsu. It''ll only work on someone who is extremely overconfident in his defense and dodge as soon as I shoot the jutsu.


    Another usage of this jutsu will be killing those who stay hidden deep underground to be safe from my Vacuum jutsus. Though it is possible to travel deeper than 200 meters underground, it is not something that ismonly done and not something most ninjas would have tried before. Going more than 25 meters underground itself is extremely rare. As long as I kill everyone who tries to hide underground from my attacks and don''t let the knowledge spread, this will be a sure shot method to kill my enemies who think that underground is safe.''


    Fujin extended his hands and fingers towards the ground. A vacuum core began forming in front of each of his fingers. 15 smaller vacuum cores were created inside each of the 10 bigger vacuum cores. The cores were soon covered with wind chakra.


    ''Wind Release: Vacuum Infinite Gatling jutsu''


    Unlike the previous three jutsus, Fujin didn''t shoot out the jutsu. Instead, the smaller vacuum bullets inside the 10 cores wereunched. In a second, 15 rounds of Vacuum Gatling wereunched. In all, 150 bullets hit the ground, creating 150 new holes in the ground.


    Fujin thought, ''This jutsu was a surprise. I was initially not very interested in applying this technique to Vacuum Gatling. After all, it sacrifices the most important aspect of the jutsu for which I had created the Vacuum Gatling jutsu.


    The Vacuum Infinite Gatling takes quite a long to create aspared to the Vacuum Gatling. I can''t catch even a normal Jounin by surprise with this. However, it instead allows me to shoot a ridiculous amount of Vacuum Bullets, justifying its name.


    So, even though the enemy will see iting, dodging it won''t be an easy task. If I had this jutsu when Kitsuchi ambushed me with those Iwa Jounins, I would have ughtered all of them in a few breaths.''


    Vacuum Infinite Gatling was a jutsu that surprised Fujin. He didn''t have such great expectations from it. He was very pleased. Fujin extended his right hand and stretched his palm. He was about to try the fifth and thest Vacuum jutsu he had created and mastered in thest week.


    Though Fujin had created several types of Vacuum cores, the overall volume of each core would be quite low. However, the next jutsu was an exception. The vacuum core that formed in front of his palm was as big as a Rasengan.


    Since its size was thergest by a huge distance, the amount of vacuum cores it could contain was also the highest by a huge margin. A total of 729 vacuum cores formed inside therge vacuum core. Of course, creating so many vacuum cores took a long time as well and consumed a lot of Fujin''s chakra.


    Fujin''s wind chakra engulfed the vacuum core and began spinning around it rapidly, increasing its size further.


    ''Wind Release: Vacuum Trap Ball''


    Fujin released the ball while gathering chakra on his feet. It travelled to the center of the ground trapped between the four ramparts. The ball suddenly crumbled and Vacuum des wereunched in every direction at a blinding speed!


    A staggering 729 Vacuum des wereunched from the Vacuum Trap Ball! More importantly, Fujin had no control over any of the Vacuum des. Some Vacuum des hit the ground creating more scars on the ground, some hit the four ramparts surrounding the ground causing all of them to copse, some flew into the sky and killed a couple of unlucky birds and dispersed after travelling a long distance.


    One Vacuum de also flew to exactly where Fujin was standing. Fortunately, he was prepared ever since he almost lost his life when he tried the jutsu the first time! He immediately moved to his left as the Vacuum de flew past his previous location. However, soon after, he had to jump because the rampart he was standing on copsed.


    As hended on the ground and was engulfed in dust, Fujin thought, ''I didn''t think applying this technique to the Vacuum de jutsu in this manner would result in such a ridiculous result. I''d have named it the Vacuum Big Bang jutsu if I could control the Vacuum des inside it.


    Anyway, for the time being, this name suits it perfectly. Who''d expect that small ball to create such devastation? The core of Vacuum de is quite simr to the core of Vacuum Wave. It is flexible in shape.


    As a result, I could create elongated cores which kept coiling around the center in therger Vacuum Core. Since the core is outside my body, I don''t need to be considerate about its size. Due to these two factors, I could fit in a ridiculous amount of vacuum cores inside it.


    That said, though the jutsu is very strong, it does have a few limitations. The speed of the jutsu before it explodes and unleashes the Vacuum des isn''t fast enough. If someone is rmed and moves a long distance away, then they can dodge it just like I did.


    Another issue is the amount of time needed to create it. My enemy will have a chance to attack me multiple times while I am creating it. Fortunately, I can move around freely while creating it. Another issue is that I can be hit by the jutsu as well, meaning that I can''t let it explode very close to me.


    Of course, in a battle, using this level of jutsu isn''t practical. If I fail to hit, then the amount of chakra wastage would be unjustified as well. The only way I can use it is by reducing the number of vacuum cores inside it significantly.


    The real usage of this jutsu is using it as a suicide attack or a trap. If my clones use this jutsu like a Rasengan and try to m it into my enemy, he will be dead even if he defends or barely dodges the ball.


    Another possible usage is using it like a trap. Though I can''t control the Vacuum des after the ball explodes, the ball itself is very stable. If I can seal the ball and store it stably, then it can be a deadly trap.''


    A mischievous grin appeared on Fujin''s face as he thought, ''Imagine if someone broke into my house. They''ll first have to worry about the ridiculous amount of seals there. And if they somehow make it inside, they''ll be weed by a few hundred or a few thousand Vacuum des.''


    The thought made Fujin chuckle. He thought, ''Unfortunately, it would also destroy my house. So it is better to avoid it. That said, bases outside the vige are a fair game. After all, I can build as many as I want. It only takes a little bit of time. If I can seed in sealing this jutsu, then it''ll be a good trap against any invaders.''


    Fujin took a deep breath and took a look at the copsed ramparts. The training ground was a mess once again. Fujin thought, ''It''s time to switch my attention back to Flying Thunder God. I also need to analyze those two curse seals that Danzo uses on Root ninjas and need to create my own curse seal.''


    Fujin sighed and thought, ''It''s been a long time since I have been working on Flying Thunder God jutsu. It''s time topletely master it. Until I''m done, I won''t be taking any missions or doing any task that will require a lot of time!''


    Fujin resolved himself. He fixed the training ground, creating the fourrge ramparts once again for future training. Once he was done, he focused entirely on his training, detaching himself from the other happenings in the ninja world!

 Chapter 474: Jutsu List (Chp 468) (Not a Chapter)

    Chapter 474: Jutsu List (Chp 468) (Not a Chapter)


    [A/N: This post includes the list of jutsus Fujin has mastered. It was requested earlier, unfortunately, I forgot to post it earlier.


    Anyway, this contains all the jutsus Fujin has been shown to learn/use so far (up to chapter 468). It doesn''t mean that these are the only jutsus Fujin knows as some of the training might not have been shown. The same in the case of seals. For instance, very little (or probably nothing) is shown of the Lightning release since Fujin joined the Anbu. Same in the case of Genjutsu and Fuinjutsu as there are too many seals that Fujin had to learn to be a Grandmaster. So, more jutsu/seals can be revealed in the future. Anyway, enjoy.]


    Ninjutsu :


    Transformation jutsu (E)


    Clone jutsu (E)


    Substitution jutsu (E)


    Body Flicker jutsu (D)


    Shadow Clone jutsu (B)


    Multi Shadow Clone jutsu (Forbidden)


    Rasengan (A)


    Shadow Clone Explosion jutsu (A)


    Summoning jutsu - Flying Sabertooths


    Summoning Jutsu : Rashomon (B)


    Summoning Jutsu : Triple Rashomon (A)


    Summoning Jutsu : Quintuple Rashomon (A)


    Sensing Technique (range 3.5km)


    Wind Release :


    Gale Jutsu (E)


    Wind Clone (E)


    Wind Levitation (E)


    Projectile Control Jutsu (E)


    Wind Retrieving Jutsu (E)


    Gale Surge (D)


    Breakthrough (D)


    Dust Cloud (D)


    Wind Explosion (D)


    Propelling Winds (D)


    Great Breakthrough jutsu (C).


    Spinning Shield of Wind (C)


    Wind Gale Wolf (C-S)


    Wind Dragon (C-S)


    Wind Instantaneous Body jutsu (C)


    Wind Sword Jutsu (B)


    Infinite Breakthrough jutsu (B)


    Wind Torpedo jutsu (B)


    Air Bullet jutsu (B)


    Vacuum Sphere jutsu (B)


    Vacuum Bullet jutsu (B)


    Vacuum Wave jutsu (B)


    Vacuum Serial Wave jutsu (B) (old one)


    de of Wind jutsu (A)


    Wind Explosion Clone jutsu (A)


    Assassin''s Rush jutsu (A)


    Geyser Creation jutsu (A)


    Original: (Created by Fujin)


    Vacuum Cannon jutsu (B)


    Hurricane Fist (B)


    Vacuum Gatling jutsu (S)


    Wind Laser jutsu (B)


    Vacuum de (A)


    Vacuum sh (A)


    Hurricane Sword (A)


    Silent Cut (A)


    Wind Domain (S) - learning


    Ghost Palm (B)


    Vacuum Serial Waves (S)


    Vacuum Cluster Bullets (S)


    Vacuum Trap Ball (S)


    Vacuum Cannon Barrage (S)


    Vacuum Infinite Gatling (S)


    Space-Time Ninjutsu :


    Flying Thunder God (still learning)


    Space-Time Sensing Technique (range 4.5 km)


    Lightning Release :


    Burst jutsu (D)


    Lightning Transformation jutsu (C)


    Electric Skin jutsu (B)


    Lightning Bolt jutsu (D)


    Lightning st jutsu (C)


    Lightning Beam jutsu (B)


    Electron jutsu (C)


    Twitching Limb jutsu (C)


    Electric Needle Spread jutsu (B)


    Piercing Arrows jutsu (B)


    False Darkness (B)


    Earth Release :


    Rock Shield jutsu (E)


    Earth Military Movement jutsu (D)


    Mud Moat jutsu (D)


    Earth Release Camp jutsu (D)


    Earth Instantaneous Body jutsu (B)


    Earth Holding jutsu (C)


    Earth Wall jutsu (B)


    Rampart of Flowing Soil (B)


    Iron Skin jutsu (B)


    Fire Release :


    Great Fireball jutsu (C)


    Fireproof jutsu (C)


    Fire Release: Five (B)


    Searing Migraine (B)


    Fire Dragon me Bullet (B)


    Secret Technique :


    Yamanaka n Mind Reading Technique


    Taijutsu :


    Leaf (Academy) Style


    Senju Taijutsu Style


    Strong Fist style


    Eight Inner Gates :


    Gate of Opening


    Gate of Healing


    Gate of Life (still learning)


    Genjutsu :


    Double Vision jutsu (E)


    Demonic Illusion : Hell Viewing jutsu (D)


    Bringer of Darkness (B)


    Boufura no Ekirei jutsu (B) (gue of Maggots)


    Wind Style Genjutsu (B)


    Fuinjutsu :


    Basic Seals (E)


    Storage Seal


    Heat Seal


    Cool Seal


    Hard Seal


    Soft Seal


    Shock Seal


    Wet Seal


    Intermediate Fuinjutsu (D)


    Elemental Sealing


    Smaller storage seal


    Rank (C)


    Finger Carving Seal


    Five Seal Barrier


    Binding Cloth


    Explosion Tag


    Advanced Fuinjutsu (C-B)


    Sealing Tag


    Chakra Suppression Seal


    Barrier Tag


    Silence Seal


    Anti-Byakugan Seal


    Anti-Sharingan Seal


    Stealth Seal


    Light Absorption Seal


    Training Seal


    Resistance Seal


    Gravity Seal


    Sensory Seal


    Grandmaster level (A-S)


    Four Symbols Seal


    Five Elements Seal


    Five Elements Unseal


    Evil Sealing Method


    Iron Armor Seal.


    Juinjutsu :


    Self-Cursing Seal


    Seal Imprints : (only the mentioned once)


    Chakra Suppression Seal - right palm


    Self-Cursing Seal - left palm


    Sensory Seal - back


    Sealing Tag - chest


    Explosion Seal - palms, soles


    Four Symbols Seal - left palm


    Flying thunder God Seal - palms


    Kenjutsu :


    Basics learnt


    Dual wielding


    Samurai Saber Techniques


    Chakra Flow


    Flying sh (made of wind)


    [A/N: Good luck remembering all of them ?? I''m struggling to do so ??]

 Chapter 475: Three Months Later...

    Chapter 475: Three Months Later...


    "Huff huff huff"


    Deep breathing sounds were heard in the basement. A 15-year-old youngster was on his knees, his hand resting against a pir. His body was covered in sweat. His chakra was exhausted. It looked like he was barely hanging on. However, contrary to his physical state, a wide smile could be seen on his face despite the fact that he was breathing heavily. Suddenly, the smile grew wider and the youngster beganughing in an unbridled manner!


    "Hahahaha hahahaha!"


    The sound of deep breathing was reced by continuousughter. Fortunately, the basement was sealed. If he was outside, people would wonder if he had some issues.


    Finally, the youngster took his hand off the pir and sat with his back resting against the pir. He constantly switched betweenughter and breathing heavily. The spot from where the youngster removed his hand had a small mark.


    Fujin took a few minutes to catch his breath. However, the smile was stered on his face. He thought, ''I did it! I''m the 3rd person in Konoha and perhaps in the history of this world to master the Flying Thunder God jutsu!''


    He continued taking deep breaths while thinking, ''This damn jutsu! For so long I felt like I was close to learning it. It still took me 3 months to finally master it! Also, how insane was that pressure? It sapped all my chakra when I tried resisting it! Though my clones also experienced that pressure, it was far more intense for me! Why is it so?''


    Fujin couldn''t be sure. He could only guess, ''Is it because my chakra is far greater than my clones? Hmm, I doubt it. Even when my chakra decreased, the pressure didn''t decrease. Besides, the clones that tried entering the Void Dimension didn''t necessarily have the same chakra.


    If not chakra level, could it be because I''m a being made of flesh and blood instead of a chakra construct?''


    Fujin felt that this was the case. Unfortunately, the scroll Hiruzen provided didn''t have any information regarding this matter to verify his spections.


    Fujin thought, ''After I enter the Void Dimension, I have to resist the pressure while locating the mark I want and creating a connection with that mark. Both of them take a lot of chakra. Moving through the dimension takes some chakra as well, though it isn''t much.


    From what Tobirama wrote, the amount of chakra I consume will reduce once I get used to the pressure. If I can locate the mark and teleport in an instant, then I won''t have to resist any pressure. Only at that stage, this jutsu can be freely used in battle with very little chakra expenditure.


    Fortunately, it isn''t very difficult. I''ll just need to practice it a few tens of thousands of times to reach that stage. Once I do, I''ll need to start working on increasing the range I can teleport. For now, I have been only practicing in the basement. My Shadow Clones can freely teleport to any marker in my house.


    This distance isn''t enough to escape but it is good enough to be a menace on the battlefield. That said, how do I practice teleporting a longer range? I can''t practice it in the open. Hiruzen will notice me without the seals.


    I can''t ce seals all around the vige to create hiding spots either. Even if Ie up with a bullshit excuse, Hiruzen and Danzo will be suspicious and investigate further. Should I openly im that I have mastered this jutsu?''


    Fujin thought for a bit and shook his head. He decided, ''No, I am nning some crazy things to do in the future. I might need the Flying Thunder God then if I need to escape. If it ismon knowledge that I know this jutsu, then it''ll be very easy to link it to me.


    Though I''m not scared, it''ll be a huge headache if Akatsuki and enemy Kage begin targeting me openly. If that happens, I''m not sure if Hiruzen or Tsunade would support me if those thingse to light. Regardless, such obstructions will slow down my ns considerably. It''s best to keep it a secret. If I have to use it, everyone who sees me using it has to die.


    But, if I keep it hidden, how do I train it?''


    Fujin was in a dilemma. He ced his chin on his hands and thought while he was staring at the ground. Suddenly, he realized, ''Wait a minute! I just need space to teleport. Why does it have to be onnd? I have to think in terms of altitude, or rather, depth. I''ll just practice underground.


    To start with, I''ll dig a hole and cover it in seals to prevent anyone from detecting it. I can go as deep as the temperature allows me to. It''ll allow me to increase my range considerably.


    Once I increase the range to beyond a few hundred meters, I can just go to the wall around the vige and teleport my Shadow Clones outside. They can move some distance away from the vige and practice longer range teleportations. Hmm, that should do. If I still face any issues, then I can only go to Mount Muteki and practice there.''


    Fujin was satisfied with his training n. However, there was one thing still on his mind that he couldn''t get rid of. He thought, ''Why was the pressure on me in the Void Dimension so high? Also, what happens if I can''t resist it?


    My clones get dispelled once they can''t resist it. But they are chakra constructs while I''m a living being. Will I be killed by the pressure? But if there is such a huge risk, why didn''t Tobirama or Minato mention it? Also, why didn''t they use it to kill their opponents? Can''t I just teleport an enemy here and wait for them to die due to the pressure?


    If that is the case, there should have been no one who could resist Minato and Tobirama. Even Hashirama and Madara wouldn''t survive that. Perhaps only Obito and Kaguya could due to them having ess to their own dimensions. However, they couldn''t do that. So, what is that I am missing?''


    Fujin thought for a long time and thought of several possible answers, but he couldn''t be sure of any of them. He decided, ''I''ll need to experiment. This is too big of a danger to ignore. Unfortunately, my clones can''t help me. I''ll need to take a risk to find out the truth! I need to wait until my chakra recovers.''


    Fujin had be impatient. He wanted to uncover the truth as soon as he could. He grabbed a small bottle and consumed a pill from it. Sitting with his back against the pir, Fujin closed his eyes and began meditating.


    A couple of hourster, Fujin''s chakra hadpletely recovered. He opened his eyes and thought, ''This might be the most risky act I have done in this world. Probably even more risky than when Roshi fired that Tailed Beast Bomb at me. I hope everything goes well.''


    Fujin focused on one of the Flying Thunder God marks in the basement. A momentter, his body disappeared and entered into the Void Dimension. An immense pressure was applied on him and he instinctively used his chakra to defend himself. He muttered, "Here goes nothing."


    Suddenly, Fujin stopped using his chakra to defend against the pressure. His chakra reserves were still quite full. His mind was at the highest alert. He was prepared to use the chakra to defend himself once again if his body couldn''t bear the pressure.


    To Fujin''s surprise, as soon as he stopped resisting, his body was expelled out of the Void Dimension and he appeared at the same spot in his basement.


    A wry smile appeared on Fujin''s face as he thought, ''No wonder they didn''t say anything. We just get pushed out if we run out of chakra to resist the pressure. That''s quite convenient. Now I see why this method can''t be used to kill other nin¡­''


    Suddenly, Fujin had another idea. He analyzed, ''Wait, even if I can''t send other ninjas to this dimension to kill them, can''t I send them here just to exhaust their chakra? After all, any rank S ninja will instinctively resist the pressure. And, in a dimension where they can''t see, smell, hear, feel or sense anything, they''ll exert themselves to the fullest just to survive.''


    Fujin thought for a bit before concluding, ''Yes, this seems practical. The only issue is that this method was never used before either and isn''t mentioned in the scroll. Neither Tobirama nor Minato should be stupid enough to overlook such a simple thing. I guess I''ll need to find a test subject to experiment on¡­''


    [A/N : Bonus chapter on next Sunday if the fic gets 1000 Power Stones. Bonus chapter on next week''s Saturday if the fic gets 2000 Power Stones.]


    -----------------------------------


    Thank you Thomas, Arunachm, Lazy_Daoist, LazyLizard, Kyle, FukikoFam, Faizal and Zay for supporting me on P@treon.


    Thank you Parvathini for supporting me through UPI.

 Chapter 476: Twisted Personality

    Chapter 476: Twisted Personality


    [A/N: Bonus chapter for reaching 6838 Power Stonesst week! We ranked 8th this week! Keep it up guys :)]


    Fujin''s first thought was to use his summons to experiment. However, he quickly shook his head and decided, ''No, I''m still new at using this jutsu. Even though it is unlikely, if an ident happens and one of them dies, then that will be a great loss. I''ll leave the vige once again and find some rogue ninjas to experiment on.


    That said, I need to practice this jutsu a bit before going out to experiment. I''m also very close topleting that seal. I''ll go out once I''m done with that task. I also need to meet up with Shigeki and actually start working on the organization. Sigh, it''s been a long time since I met Shigeki¡­''


    Thinking of Shigeki, a weird expression appeared on Fujin''s face. Kasai Shigeki was the Jounin from Tanigakure whom Fujin had rescued while he was returning from the Land of Wind afterpleting his Anbu Promotion mission. Fujin made Shigeki the first member of his non-existent organization after making some promises and lying about the organization. However, it had been a long time since he had met him.


    Fujin wondered, ''Would he still be even there? It''s been over two and a half years, I won''t be surprised if he left by now. Even though I promised to help him take the revenge, it won''t be a surprise if he lost his patience after such a long time and left to get it himself.''


    Fujin let out a sigh and thought, ''Oh well, nothing I can do. It was too early to start an organization in any case. If he has left, I will just have to start over. Besides, I didn''t make much effort to recruit Shigeki or spend any resources or time. So I won''t be losing anything.''


    There was nothing Fujin could do about it. The situation just didn''t allow him to do much about it. Even though he could have met Shigeki after he left the Anbu, there wasn''t anything for Fujin to say to him.


    Fujin stopped thinking about him and continued his training. The soldier pill he consumed would stay active for 5 days. And Fujin would require another couple of days of rest after that. Fujin decided that he wouldpletely master the Flying Thunder God jutsu for low range within these 5 days.


    Fujin made rapid improvements. His clones had already practiced the jutsu for sufficient time in order to ensure that he wouldn''t face any danger. As a result, his main body was getting used to it rapidly as well. Every day, he became more ustomed to teleporting using the Void Dimension as a medium.


    Three dayster, Fujin''s bell rang, marking the first time he was disturbed in recent days. Fujin was nning to ignore it and focus on his training, however, the bell kept ringing continuously.


    An annoyed expression appeared on Fujin''s face. He cursed, "Which bastard is it?"


    He activated his chakra field and sighed while muttering, "I should have known."


    A Shadow Clone popped next to him and left the basement. He opened the door and saw an over-enthusiastic blonde boy. Naruto excitedly said, "Fujin, I managed to stick the leaf to my forehead for 2 hours straight!"


    Naruto was extremely excited. Though Fujin taught him a few Wind jutsus which he had to work hard to learn, it was this exercise that was the most difficult for him toplete.


    Fujin''s clone thought, ''He finally managed to do it. His speed fell considerably in this exercise. I expected him to reach this stage a month and a half ago. Byparison, he has progressed rapidly in Wind jutsus. I suppose he just got bored and lost his drive. Well, not surprising considering how boring it is.''


    Naruto said, "You promised me that you''ll teach me something cool after I manage to do it."


    Fujin''s clone nodded and said, "Sure, but show it to me first."


    Naruto''s expression became awkward. He asked, "Can''t we directly begin learning it?"


    Fujin''s clone shook his head and said, "It is important to have your basics right. Otherwise, major issues can happen when you try to learn what I am about to teach you. In the worst-case scenario, you will be injured and might not be able to leave the hospital for weeks."


    Fujin''s clone''s expression was extremely strict and serious. It was so serious that Naruto gulped in nervousness. He said, "Alright, I''ll do it."


    The clone thought, ''Who told you to keep ringing the bell and disturb me? Now sit in one ce for another couple of hours.''


    What the clone said was obviously bullshit. Though Naruto could get injured due to falling, it wouldn''t be serious enough to even visit the hospital, let alone be admitted for several weeks.


    Naruto and Fujin''s clone walked over to the training ground. Naruto grabbed a leaf and obediently sat down to meditate. He ced the leaf on his forehead and closed his eyes. Fujin''s clone set a timer on a stopwatch and sat in front of him.


    1 hour and 53 minutester, Naruto couldn''t maintain control anymore. Naruto opened his eyes and looked at the stopwatch. His eyes widened as he realized that he was 7 minutes short! He looked at Fujin''s clone, only to see Fujin looking back at him with a deadpan expression.


    Naruto became nervous and said, "I really held it for 2 hours earlier. I don''t know how I fell short right now."


    Fujin''s clone sighed and said, "It''s fine. I guess it was a one-time thing. You''ll still need some time to be able to do it every time."


    Naruto became dejected on hearing that. He would still have to wait for some time. Fujin''s clone watched the range of emotions and panic on Naruto''s face until he was satisfied. With a smile, he said, "But, this is good enough. I''ll train you now."


    Immediately, Naruto became very happy and cheered loudly. The clone sighed internally and thought, ''Dealing with Hiruzen and Shikaku frequently has made me weird. Since when did I begin taking pleasure out of making others feel an emotional turmoil?''


    Fujin did take pleasure in making experienced folks like Hiruzen and Shikaku feel such turmoil. But that was different. Both were extremely experienced and shrewd. Fujin initially enjoyed it because of the challenge of achieving that and due to how stuck up those two were. However, it was different with Naruto. Naruto was theplete opposite of those two. He was naive, inexperienced and listened to Fujin obediently. So Fujin didn''t expect that he''d get the same pleasure from making him experience that.


    Fujin''s clone muttered to himself, ''Those two geezers twisted my personality. Either that or perhaps because I know that Naruto will be very strong in the future as well. Sigh, whatever.''


    Naruto broke Fujin''s train of thought by asking, "What will we be learning?"


    Fujin''s clone said, "I''ll teach you how to climb trees."


    Now, it was Naruto''s turn to watch Fujin''s clone with a deadpan expression. A smirk appeared on the clone''s face. Narutoined, "I already know how to do that, believe it! Teach me something cool!"


    Fujin''s clone chuckled and asked, "Are you sure you can do it?"


    The clone got up and walked to a tree. To Naruto''s shock, he began walking up the tree with just his feet while his hands were in his pockets. He soon stood upside down on a branch and asked, "Is this cool enough?"


    Naruto immediately nodded repeatedly and said, "Super cool! How did you do it?"


    Fujin''s clone answered, "To do this, you have to release chakra from the bottom of your feet. Use that chakra to stick to the tree. Then you can climb on trees like I did. Try it."


    Naruto immediately released chakra from his feet and tried climbing on the tree. Needless to say, his feet slipped and he fell to the ground.


    Fujin''s clone chuckled and said, "It''s not that easy. The chakra you release from your feet has to be an exact amount. If it is too little, your feet will slip and you''ll fall down. If it is too much, you''ll damage the trunk and won''t be able to continue walking up.


    So, it requires very good chakra control. That is why I had to do the leaf concentration exercise until you could reach 2 hours."


    Naruto nodded and said, "Alright, I''ll try it."


    Fujin''s clone stopped sticking to the branch and dropped to the ground. He made a hand seal and mmed his hands to the ground. Immediately, some changes happened on the surface, but nothing much happened. Naruto looked at Fujin''s clone with confusion.


    Fujin''s clone said, "I have softened the ground. So, even if you fall, you won''t be hurt much. Keep training under this tree for the next half an hour. I''ll teach you something else as well today."


    Naruto immediately became excited and continued trying to climb up the tree.


    [A/N : Bonus chapter on next Sunday if the fic gets 1000 Power Stones. Bonus chapter on next week''s Saturday if the fic gets 2000 Power Stones.]


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 477: A New Path for Naruto

    Chapter 477: A New Path for Naruto


    For the next half an hour, Naruto kept trying to climb the tree and consistently kept falling to the ground. Thanks to Fujin''s clone, the ground was quite soft. So Naruto was barely hurt, if at all.


    Fujin''s clone looked at Naruto and thought, ''I had initially nned to teach Naruto the four basic Wind jutsus to get some inspiration from him for the Wind Domain. After all, he is very unconventional and usuallyes up with crazy ideas.


    That said, my Wind Domain is more or less ready now. Jounins won''t have any chance of survival if they enter my Wind Domain. Elite Jounins will struggle as well and are very unlikely to survive. Only if they have excellent defense and are able to move instinctively, they will be able to survive. Only rank S ninjas are difficult to kill. But once I manage to integrate Vacuum de jutsu into my Wind Domain, they won''t be able to rest easy either.


    As such, there is no longer much need to push Naruto in this direction. That said, there is no harm in doing so either. Maybe he''ll give me a surprise. Even if that isn''t the case, it''ll be interesting to see how Naruto does with this technique at his disposal.''


    Fujin had been very careful while teaching Naruto. Unlike others, he knew how scary Naruto''s potential was. If he trained Naruto seriously, the majority of the plot would have changedpletely. However, within limits, Fujin was curious to see how Naruto would grow when he had a few more options.


    After all, until Naruto met Jiraiya, his jutsu repertoire was extremely pathetic. He only knew the Transformation jutsu, Substitution jutsu and the Shadow Clone jutsu. The only thing he could do was leverage his vast chakra reserves, spam the Shadow Clone jutsu and use ordinary Taijutsu along with shurikens and kunai. Only after he learnt the summoning jutsu and the Rasengan, did he gain more variety. However, even that was extremely limited.


    Byparison, Fujin knew close to a hundred jutsus. And, he was still far inferior in this aspect whenpared to the likes of Orochimaru, Hiruzen or Kakashi. While knowing more jutsus didn''t mean that they used all the jutsus or that all jutsus would be strong, it allowed them to choose the jutsus that suited them the most.


    In addition, there could be circumstances where a particr jutsu or a particr element was extremely effective. In such instances, having a range of jutsus was extremely effective. Naruto, despite his insane chakra reserves, didn''t have this advantage until the very end.


    After Naruto fell for the umpteenth time, Fujin''s clone said, "That''s enough for today. You can keep practising thister on. Come here."


    Naruto immediately got up and rushed towards Fujin''s clone. While he was interested in climbing on the tree, he was more interested in knowing what new technique Fujin wanted to teach him again.


    Fujin''s clone said, "Naruto, disy the four jutsus I taught you so far."


    Naruto was confused, but he did so without any questions. He weaved a few hand signs and pushed his right palm forward. A gentle breeze was released from his palm.


    He grabbed a few wooden shurikens and threw them into the air and quickly made a few hand seals. He was able to change their direction 40 degrees to the right and once again changed it 20 degrees to the left before the shurikens collided with a tree.


    He then disyed Wind Levitation jutsu by making a few leaves and small stones levitate and then used Wind Retrieving jutsu to pull some leaves towards himself and catch a couple of them.


    He looked at Fujin''s clone with a proud expression and said, "I told you I''ll master them, believe it!"


    Fujin''s clone nodded and said, "You did well. However, these are only the basics. You should continue practicing them, but practice them in these ways."


    Naruto was confused. Fujin''s clone instructed, "ce a few wooden shurikens around 5 meters away."


    Naruto followed his instruction and returned to his side. Fujin''s clone said, "Now use the Wind Levitation jutsu and make them float."


    Naruto weaved hand signs and shouted, "Wind Levitation jutsu"


    Immediately, the 6 wooden shurikens began levitating a couple of feet above the ground. Fujin''s clone instructed, "Now use the Gale jutsu exactly on the shurikens. Force them to move forward like you have thrown them."


    Naruto began weaving the hand signs for the Gale jutsu. However, by the time he hadpleted them, the shurikens dropped to the ground. Narutoined, "That is very difficult. How can I keep them floating if I have to weave hand signs for Gale jutsu?"


    Fujin''s clone replied, "With the training of course. Watch."


    For the sake of showing it to Naruto, Fujin''s clone weaved hand signs while saying, "From here onwards, you should practice these jutsus until you can do this. First, use the Wind Levitation jutsu to make the shurikens float in the air."


    The shurikens on the ground began levitating once again. Fujin''s clone quickly used the Gale jutsu and blew the shurikens away and said, "Then use the Gale jutsu to make the shurikens fly away at a fast speed and control them with the Projectile Control jutsu."


    He quickly changed the hand seals and then began using the Projectile Control jutsu to control the path of the wooden shurikens. Finally, he changed hand seals onest time and caused the wooden shurikens to fly back towards him. He grabbed the shurikens and added, "Andstly, use the Wind Retrieving jutsu to grab the shurikens."


    Naruto watched with astonishment as Fujin wlessly switched between the four jutsus. However, remembering what he had seen Fujin do with the wind previously, Naruto wasn''t that surprised anymore. He still eximed, "That was so cool!"


    Fujin''s clone said, "From here onwards, you''ll do three things. The first is to try and climb the tree without using your hands. That''ll improve your chakra control and allow you to move more freely during a fight. As for the Wind jutsus I just showed you, you''ll divide them into two parts.


    The first part is using Wind Levitation and Gale jutsus one after another. And the second is using Projectile Control jutsu and Wind Retrieving jutsu one after another. Once you are able to do those jutsus in pairs, you can try doing all four together at the same time like I did. You can even change the order in which you use them if you feel that it would make thebination stronger."


    Training just one thing would be boring and monotonous. Hence, Fujin''s clone decided to give three training routines to Naruto. Naruto immediately nodded. He couldn''t wait to try using all 4 jutsus at the same time! Fujin''s clone added, "In order to progress faster, you have to follow another rule from now on. While pranking others, you are not allowed to use just one of these four jutsus. Instead, you have to use at least two of them one after the other."


    Naruto nodded and said, "Alright. I''ll prank everyone with two jutsus, believe it!"


    Fujin''s clone chuckled and said, "Go easy while pranking civilians. If you are pranking your teachers, then it''s fine to go all out. If they aren''t a challenge, you can even try using your pranks on Lord Hokage. If you can prank him sessfully, then you would have made a huge progress towards your goal."


    The clone had a gentle smile on his face. Naruto''s eyes sparkled and said, "Alright, I''ll do that!"


    The cloneughed in his mind while thinking, ''I haven''t messed with Hiruzen much in thest three months. I am not sure if I''ll get many opportunities in the future. It''s time I pass the baton to Naruto. Can''t let the poor old man feel lonely.''


    The clone added, "You can leave and train by yourself, Naruto. I''ll be a bit busy and will be heading out of the vige soon. Master walking up the tree by the time I return. I''ll teach you another cool trick when I return."


    Naruto was even more excited. He thanked Fujin and left. As Naruto left, the clone analyzed, ''Though these four basic jutsus won''t increase his strength considerably, if he manages to use these four jutsus simultaneously at will, then his control over the Wind will go far beyond what a Genin, or perhaps even a Chunin can have. It forms the perfect base to learn the moreplicated Wind jutsus easily in the future. It''ll be interesting to see how h¡­''


    The clone suddenly received a set of memories. A grin appeared on his face as he thought, ''It''s about damn time!''


    The clone disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Inside his basement, Fujin received the same memories as well. For the first time in 3 days, he stopped training the Flying Thunder God jutsu for a reason other than running out of chakra!


    [A/N : Bonus chapter on next Sunday if the fic gets 1000 Power Stones. Bonus chapter on next week''s Saturday if the fic gets 2000 Power Stones.]


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 Chapter 478: Phantom Seal

    Chapter 478: Phantom Seal


    Fujin stared at a seal in front of him. It was created by the Shadow Clone who dispelled himself and sent everyone the memories. A smile appeared on his face as he thought, ''The curse seal is finallyplete!''


    The curse seal was shaped like a windmill, with several symbols in it. Fujin thought, ''Though I hadn''t seen either of the seals before, studying it wasn''t difficult as they were made of familiar symbols. The difficult part was learning how Danzo could create an imprint to ensure that others couldn''t remove his seals. Fortunately, I managed to get a hang of it a week ago. I guess that''s another reason to be thankful to Danzo, hehe.''


    Danzo''s help allowed Fujin to raise his Wind Vacuum Technique to a whole new level. And now, he had also helped Fujin improve his Juinjutsu.


    Fujin''s smile faded as he thought, ''Unfortunately, while I can apply the curse seal at will, I can''t apply my imprint at will. I can only do so if the one I''m nting the curse seal on doesn''t resist. If there wasn''t this w, then Fuinjutsu Grandmasters would have been the strongest ninjas in the elemental nations. It''d be stronger than any Kekkei Genkai. In fact, I doubt even the Mangekyou would beparable to this ability.


    Fortunately, I don''t need to inform the target about the abilities of this seal. As long as I have his or her consent and they don''t resist, I can apply it to them. So it shouldn''t be an issue for me to apply it to my subordinates. Not to mention, I can also add it to seals I ce in any bases I create in the future. It''ll increase their defenses considerably.


    Anyway,ing back to the seal, it has all the functions of Danzo''s two seals in addition to a few more functions that I added. I also changed the structure and used a different method to construct them so that no one would be able to connect those two seals to each other. Of course, without anyone constraining me, my seal is far more powerful than what Danzo uses on the Root ninjas!''


    Unlike Danzo, Fujin didn''t intend to use two different seals. Instead, he had merged the two seals into one, but the seal was still made of two different parts.


    The first part was simr to the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal. It would detect whether the ninja had any thoughts of divulging secrets of the organization. If the ninja ever tried to put those thoughts into action, the seal would activate and paralyze him.


    The only difference was that, unlike Danzo, it would alert Fujin that the seal was activated. In addition, it would also allow him to locate the position where the seal was. Of course, it wasn''t a godly ability and was instead an application of the Flying Thunder God mark. As such, Fujin could only locate the position if it was within the range Fujin could detect it.


    During the 3 months of training, Fujin''s range of detection had increased from 15 kilometers to 80 kilometers. His Space-Time Sensing Technique''s range had also increased from 4.5 kilometers to 12 kilometers. As such, it was far superior to Fujin''s chakra field. Regardless, for the time being, Fujin wouldn''t be able to detect the location of the seal if it went off in the Land of Rivers while he was in Konoha.


    Once the seal was activated, the paralyzed person would stay paralyzed until Fujin decided to stop it or if another Grandmaster or someone who knew how to stop it helped him out. Of course, even if the Grandmaster helped him, the seal would reform, not allowing any information to be leaked.


    The second part was even more strengthened. Unlike Danzo''s seal, which was activated only when it detected foreign Yin chakra, Fujin added another feature. Not only would it activate when a foreign Yin Chakra tries to infiltrate the brain, but it would also activate if a Grandmaster tried to remove the first part of the seal.


    While the seal couldn''t be removed thanks to Fujin''s imprint, Fujin had left a small portion of the seal unprotected by his imprint. It was still extremelyplicated, implying that only a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster could sessfully remove it. As soon as that portion of the seal was destroyed, the second part of the seal would attack the Grandmaster in a simr way Fujin was attacked when he tried reading the memories of the Root ninja he killed. In addition, it would also transfer a Flying Thunder God mark onto that person, allowing me to hunt down that personter on.


    On the other hand, if someone tried reading his memories, the effect would be very simr. The enemy will be attacked while the seal will destroy the brain of the one who bears this seal, killing him or her in the process.


    However, there were two big differences. The first one was that the second seal also contained Fujin''s Flying Thunder God mark! As such, he would be able to teleport to every ninja who had this seal once his range increased.


    And secondly, enemy Yin chakra wasn''t the only condition to activate the seal, killing the ninja in the process. Fujin could activate the seal at will! The life of every person in his organization would be in Fujin''s hands!


    If Danzo could have his way, he would have added this ability to the seals as well. Unfortunately for him, even though he had full control over the Root, he still had to adhere to certain limits. Hiruzen watched over his actions. Creating such a seal was something Hiruzen would never allow. Even if Hiruzen allowed it, as long as others learnt of it, every n in Konoha would have been in an open rebellion. Either the two of them would have been overthrown or the vige would have copsed.


    Luckily for Fujin, he didn''t have any such constraints. Unless one of his subordinates became a Grandmaster in Fuinjutsu, they wouldn''t even be aware of the fact that Fujin could kill them with a thought.


    Of course, Fujin had no intention of being a tyrant like Danzo or Orochimaru. He had only added that ability to take out any spies or traitors. He didn''t intend to force the members to do something that wentpletely against their will.


    There was another major difference between Fujin''s and Danzo''s seals. Danzo''s Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal was visible on the tongues of Root ninjas while his other seal was hidden. In the case of Fujin''s seal, both parts of his seal were hidden.


    As such, an enemy was extremely unlikely to discover the seal before the first part was activated. The second part was even more difficult to detect as it was further hidden by the first part of the seal. Unless someone managed to remove a part of the seal, it wasn''t possible to understand what was hidden.


    However, if someone managed to do so, they would activate the second part of the seal, making it impossible to study it. Not to mention, the seal had Fujin''s imprint. So only the part of the seal that Fujin had purposefully not protected by the imprint could be removed and it wouldn''t be sufficient for anyone to study the second part of the seal.


    In all, it was quite an effective and disgusting seal. It was an extremely effective seal for ensuring discipline and maintaining control in an organization. And, it was disgusting for anyone trying to undo the seal. It was filled with several traps. Once Fujin''s Flying Thunder God''s range improved, he could directly send Shadow Clones who had prepared rank S jutsus to the location of the seal and destroy anyone who had captured his subordinates and was trying to undo the seal.


    Fujin was extremely pleased with the seal. He had worked quite hard to cover all aspects he wanted to. He spent a couple of hours making an imprint of the new seal. He looked at his left palm where the new seal imprint was created and thought, ''This seal¡­ I''ll call it the Phantom Seal. It will be the sign of every member of my organization. It will also go well with the name I have thought of.''


    Fujin smiled and muttered, "The name of my alliance will be¡­"


    [A/N : Bonus chapter on next Sunday if the fic gets 1000 Power Stones. Bonus chapter on next week''s Saturday if the fic gets 2000 Power Stones.]


    -----------------------------------


    [A/N: Latest chapter on P@treon - First Kiss]

 Chapter 479: Phantom Haven Society

    Chapter 479: Phantom Haven Society


    Fujin smiled and muttered, "The name of my alliance will be Phantom Haven Society."


    During thest three months, whenever Fujin wasn''t training, he had spent a lot of time thinking about what to do with the organization. His reasons for creating the organization were extremely selfish.


    Fujin desperately needed a better way of getting information. Konoha was obviously very good at it, however, Fujin had no control over it. Jiraiya''s informationwork was the most famous, but all his findings would only be reported to Hiruzen. Hiruzen would only share the information with Fujin if saw any need to. Otherwise, Fujin wouldn''t be able to ess any information at all.


    Danzo had his spywork as well, but he didn''t even share his findings with Hiruzen unless he had something to gain from it. Fujin had no chance of getting ess to it.


    The only informationwork Fujin had ess to was Anbu''s informationwork. Even though he wasn''t a part of the Anbu anymore, Fujin could still ess it and did so every once in a while. However, once again, the information was filtered by the Anbu Commander. Information could still be hidden from Fujin.


    Not to mention, there were limitations. If Fujin discovered some important information and decided to do something about it, it would be child''s y for Hiruzen to link the rted events to Fujin. If Fujin did something that harmed Konoha''s interests, it would strain his rtionship with Hiruzen and Hiruzen could restrict his ess to intelligence.


    As a result, having his own organization that gathered information would be very helpful to Fujin.


    Another aspect was gaining some capable subordinates. While Fujin wasn''t very interested in this aspect initially as he preferred to rely on his own strength, he realized the importance of having capable subordinates when he was trying to study Zankoku''s dead body. If he had a subordinate like Kabuto, he could leave the task to him.


    Even without someone as capable as Kabuto, having a few ninjas who specialized in Medical Ninjutsu could have helped Fujin a lot. As a result, if Fujin could raise some capable subordinates in each field through such an organization, it could make his life quite easier.


    Though it was unlikely that Fujin could raise rank S ninjas before the start of the Fourth Great War, especially considering the fact that Fujin would be spending most of his time in Konoha, the organization had the potential to flourish once a power vacuum was created after Akatsuki''s destruction and death of the majority of the ninjas in the next Great Ninja War.


    Though Fujin hadn''tpletely nned out what he would do after the war, having this option would give him a lot of options and flexibility.


    Unfortunately, all these reasons were extremely selfish. Who would like to be a part of an organization if these reasons were listed? So, Fujin needed a noble purpose and a dream. A purpose that people would be passionate to follow. A dream that people would be willing to give their lives up to achieve.


    Thankfully, in the current world, it wasn''t difficult toe up with a good reason. After all, the world was aplete mess. Only the major and the minor viges enjoyed long periods of peace in between wars. The people who didn''t live there had an extremely difficult life. It would only take one unfortunate event for them to die or lose their family members and fall into misery.


    In addition, Fujin knew the reason behind Akatsuki''s formation. He knew what Orochimaru did. He knew how Konoha depended on the Will of Fire to rile everyone. He knew how Danzo trained the Root ninjas. So, he wasn''tcking in knowledge. The only question was whether Fujin could utilize the knowledge properly and implement the right ns.


    Fuhin muttered, "I finalized almost every detail I could think of. I hope I didn''t forget anything and what I thought of is sufficient to start it."


    Though Fujin nned a lot, he was still not sure about whether he would seed. After all, he had never tried anything like that. He decided to stop being worried about it and focused on his training once again. Four dayster, Fujin epted a bunch of elimination missions and began heading towards the Land of Grass.


    Unlike thest time, Fujin didn''t intend to use the bandits as test subjects for practicing memory reading. As a result, he moved very quickly while eliminating every bandit camp in his path. He continued the ughter until he ran into a trio of rogue ninjas who were on his hit list as well.


    In the middle of the forest, three middle-aged rogue ninjas were facing Fujin. All three looked quite simr to each other in terms of facial features. Their headbands showed that they were formerly from the Land of Rain.


    One of them said, "Big brother. It looks like Konoha is now sending kids against us."


    Another added, "Konoha has been trying to hunt us for 3 years. It''s about time that we make them regret, hahaha!"


    Fujin looked at the three of them like they were retards and thought, ''They are from Hidden Rain I wonder whether Nagato has already killed Hanzo. Oh well, time to see how it goes.''


    The three grabbed their kunais. The oldest one among them walked forward towards Fujin and asked, "Are you scared br"


    Before he couldplete his question, Fujin disappeared in front of his eyes. At the same time, the rogue ninja''s arms also disappeared! It happened so quickly that he didn''t even feel pain and just saw a red line. When he looked at his arms, he was horrified to see both of them sliced clean.


    A horrifying scream escaped his throat! It scared away some of the animals and birds around that ce. The remaining two rogue ninjas were just as shocked. Before they could react, both were in the same state. In fact, Fujin went a step further and cut off their legs as well to prevent them from trying to run away. They began screaming in horror as well.


    Neither of them expected such a result. They looked up to see Fujin standing next to the first guy he attacked. This time, Fujin no longer seemed like a youngster in their eyes. Instead, he seemed like a terrifying and bloodthirsty demon! Their screams began desperate as they apologized and begged for mercy.


    However, Fujin ignored them. He had already sensed the area and there was no ninja in the vicinity. He didn''t care how loudly they shouted. Fujin thought, ''It''s not bad to be ignorant, but people should at least stay aware of the reality. Don''t go around threatening someone if you don''t know who that person is. Though they would have still died, perhaps it would have been a little less dreadful.''


    The first rogue ninja looked at Fujin and asked in terror, "Who are you? What do you want?"


    Fujin didn''t say anything and instead ced his palm on his chest. In an instant, the rogue ninja disappeared from the Land of Fire and appeared in the Void Dimension! However, a momentter, he was ejected and appeared in front of Fujin once again.


    A frown formed on Fujin''s face as he analyzed, ''His chakra didn''t decrease at all. On second thought, he barely stayed in that dimension for even a moment. I didn''t seal his chakra because I wanted to experiment with this idea.


    But why did nothing happen? Though he is barely at the Chunin level, his chakra is still higher than some of my Shadow Clones when they tried entering the Void Dimension. So, it shouldn''t be a matter of strength. Is he so terrified that he can''t resist, or is he incapable of resisting for some reason?''


    Fujin couldn''t be sure. He sent the rogue ninja into the Void Dimension several times, but the result was still the same. Finally, he applied the Self-Cursing Seal on the rogue ninja and began reading his memories.


    He realized, ''I see. It''s not that he didn''t try to resist. Rather, he did it and was still expelled from that Dimension. Even with his chakra, he couldn''t resist the pressure at all. That said, it isn''t the issue with the amount of chakra. I guess only the ones who have some level of mastery of the Space-Time technique can resist the pressure. I guess using this to drain chakra of enemies isn''t possible either. A shame.''


    Fujin read his remaining memories before knocking him out. He tried sending the second rogue ninja to the Void Dimension as well, but the result was the same. He knocked him out as well after reading his memories. The third one was ejected as well. However, Fujin wanted to do one more experiment.


    [A/N : Bonus chapter on next Sunday if the fic gets 1000 Power Stones. Bonus chapter on next week''s Saturday if the fic gets 2000 Power Stones.]


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 480: 1 Person, 3 Identities

    Chapter 480: 1 Person, 3 Identities


    [A/N: A couple of points


    I kinda underestimated the amount of work that would be needed to create an organization. As a result, quite a few chapters were needed toplete it. Going by thements (not just the recent ones), I can see that there are many who don''t want an organization. Unfortunately, this organization is something that I had decided on very early on while creating the plot and will be ying a very important role in the future events. So, it isn''t something I could change withoutpletely messing the plot that I have nned out. For the ones who aren''t very interested in organization building, I''d rmend taking a break for a couple of weeks and just reading briefly through it (can continue from chp 486). Would honestly prefer if thement section isn''t again filled with asking me to skip past this arc as it is extremely discouraging for a writer to see that in every arc.


    Secondly, my chapter length on average is 1.5k words. I do go around 1.7-1.8k in some rare cases, however it is extremely draining for me to do so regrly. Even maintaining the 1.5k words per chapter is extremely taxing to do. If such a chapter length is a turn off for you, I can only rmend reading every other day so that you can read 2 chapters in one go. If that''s not cool either, then unfortunately there isn''t much I can do about it. Apologies for not being able to live up to what your expectations are.]


    Fujin held the ninja and entered the Void Dimension along with him. Once again, he felt the pressure. He used his chakra to resist it. At the same time, he also used his chakra to help the rogue ninja resist it. The rogue ninja was finally able to stay in the Void Dimension. He was confused as he couldn''t sense anything at all for a second. It was as if all his senses had been shut down.


    After verifying, Fujin stopped resisting and immediately returned back to the Land of Fire. He didn''t want to exhaust a major chunk of his chakra for no reason. He analyzed, ''The scroll was right. I need to help whoever I bring into the Void Dimension resist the pressure there.


    Of course, once my speed of teleporting increases, I won''t need to resist pressure as I canplete the process in an instant. That said, bringing others with me will increase chakra consumption. The additional chakra I''ll need will depend on the number of people I''m teleporting, their chakra levels and whether they are resisting or not. Teleporting a Tailed Beast that doesn''t want to be teleported will likely be impossible for the time being. Sigh, how much chakra did Minato have to teleport aplete Kurama?''


    Fujin stopped thinking about it. There was no point inparing himself with Minato. After all, Minato was already dead while he was still alive and kicking. He looked at the three rogue ninjas in front of him. Though he was done experimenting with the Flying Thunder God jutsu, there was still another experiment he wanted to carry out.


    Fujin applied the Phantom Seal on the three of them and tested it out to confirm that there was no issue with the seal. After some time, Fujin thought, ''Alright, it looks like there are no issues with the seal. Now, time to test the kill switch.''


    Fujin made the confrontation hand seal and activated the three seals. In an instant, the brains of the three rogue ninjas were destroyed! Fujin nodded in satisfaction and followed up with his usual ritual of destroying and cremating the dead bodies and burying the ashes deep in the ground so that even Edo Tensei wouldn''t be able to revive them.


    He continued the journey. Hepleted the missions he had epted within a couple of days while also testing out the Phantom Seal on the rogue ninjas he was supposed to eliminate. Needless to say, he had also left hundreds of Flying Thunder God marks between Konoha and the Land of Grass. Instead of returning to the vige, he moved south and headed past the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Rain to move towards the Land of Rivers.


    En route, Fujin changed his appearance to that of Shiden, the identity that he had used when he met Shigeki. He thought, ''I overlooked one aspect earlier. I was initially nning on using this Shiden identity to fight under disguise. However, Shiden will be the leader of the Phantom Haven Society.


    If my targets link Shiden to the Phantom Haven Society, then it will be destroyed in no time wasting all the time and effort I''d be spending on it. It means that I can''t use this identity for those purposes. I''ll need a third identity as well. That identity will mostly fight with the Lightning element. In that case, what should I use to fight while I''m Shiden?''


    Fujin fell into deep thought. While he had learnt a range of jutsus, there was only so much he could hide while still maintaining his strength.


    Fujin thought for a while before sighing and deciding, ''There are very few options. I can''t use my Vacuum jutsu. That is a dead giveaway. Even with Lightning, I''ll have to avoid oveps and I can''t use the same fighting style. It means that I can''t use my strongest jutsus and my most effective tricks.


    Flying Thunder God is also out of the question. Hiruzen will link it to me. Even if he dies, I''m not sure if he told anyone about giving me this jutsu. If Shikaku knows, he can link it as well. However, once my range increases, I can pretend to be using Reverse Summoning to get away and I can do so with all 3 identities.


    Without Wind and Lighting release, my swords won''t be very effective either. However, using chakra flow should be fine. That said, I''ll need new swords for Shiden and the third identity, especially for the third identity.


    I wonder if that Noble in the Land of Frost still has that chakra metal sword. His family''s book on the iplete research about merging Wind and Water to create Ice Kekkei Genkai has been useless to me so far. Oh well, guess I''ll steal itter. If he doesn''t have it, then I''ll have to pay a visit to the Land of Iron, either to make new swords or steal old ones.


    If I had created a Kekkei Genkai, then I could have given it to this identity. After all, it is unlikely that an Elemental Kekkei Genkai will add much to my strength. If I had the Swift or Scorch Kekkei Genkai, then I could have used them to enhance Shigen''s power. Unfortunately, I don''t have either of them.


    Anyway, without all these options, I guess the only thing that is left is Fuinjutsu. After all, my Fire and Earth elements kinda suck. Though I am known to be a Grandmaster in Fuinjutsu, not many know what my skills are.


    As long as I don''t use the Explosion Seals I used against Juzo and Kakuzu, it''ll be hard to link it to me. I can use the Self-Cursing Seal and the Chakra Suppression Seal liberally in my fight to restrict my opponents. Those will be the main skills of Shiden.


    Of course, that will be backed by my speed and strength. I''ll use the Body Flicker jutsu for movement. For defense, I''ll use barriers along with Iron Skin jutsu and Earth Wall jutsu. I''ll use the Samurai Saber Techniques with my swords once I get new ones. Perhaps I should add a Fire jutsu for an AoE attack. I suppose Searing Migraine jutsu should be sufficient. Using some Genjutsu is fine as long as I avoid the Bringer of Darkness and Wind Style Genjutsu.


    This should allow me to deal with Elite Jounins with some ease. As for stronger rank S ninjas, I can only hope to fend them off with Fuinjutsu and make the fight a stalemate. Without Assassin''s Rush jutsu, I won''t be able to get an advantage in speed. However, unless I''m facing the Raikage, I doubt anyone could use speed to defeat me either.


    That said, with so many restrictions, it''s best if I don''t fight with Shiden identity. Especially against the ones I have already or will fight in the future. I''ll only fight if the base is at risk. Even then, I''ll hide behind arge number of seals and use them in the fight.


    The only reason for me to disy my strength should be if an unruly rank S was raised through the Phantom Haven Society. Though I can use the Phantom Seal to suppress such a person, I don''t want to follow the Hyuga model. Though effective in maintaining control, it is terrible in terms of morale and mentality. No matter how loyal, no one would want to ce their lives in the hands of others.''


    Fujin understood clearly that the real effects of the Phantom Seal should never be exposed to anyone. As for suppressing a rank S that might arise in the future, Fujin wasn''t concerned. After all, he was still growing as well. The Phantom Haven Society wouldn''t be able to raise a rank S ninja out of thin air. By the time such a ninja appeared, Fujin believed that his own strength would be at an entirely different level.


    Engrossed in his thoughts, Fujin, using Shiden''s disguise, entered the Land of Rivers and moved towards the cave where he had left Shigeki. He couldn''t help but wonder if Shigeki was still waiting or had already left.


    [A/N : Bonus chapter on next Sunday if the fic gets 1000 Power Stones. Bonus chapter on next week''s Saturday if the fic gets 2000 Power Stones.]


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 481: A Capable Subordinate (1)

    Chapter 481: A Capable Subordinate (1)


    Moving at a rapid speed, Fujin reached close to the cave where Fujin had carved seals to create a safe hideout for Shigeki. When he was 12 kilometers from the cave, a smile appeared on Fujin''s face. He thought, ''Though I''m not sure it is him, I can sense a disturbance in the Space-Time field. If it is him, then I''ll be impressed. To have such perseverance Hehe, I got lucky in being able to recruit such a good subordinate so easily.''


    Gaining a capable person to handle matters when he wasn''t present was important for the organization''s ability to survive and be stronger. It was the reason why Fujin made a move when he got the chance. Though Fujin couldn''t visit him since then, that also served a purpose. It allowed Fujin to test his character and perseverance. After all, Fujin was the one who saved his life and gave him an opportunity to get revenge for his family. While this wasn''t something Fujin did intentionally, he wouldn''t reject the observations he gained due to it.


    As he reached closer, Fujin could finally sense the chakra signature. Behind the mask, his smile grew wider. Meanwhile, inside the cave, Shigeki looked outside and wondered, ''Someone is able to sense me despite the seals in the cave?''


    He immediately became alert. It was the first time someone had sensed him inside the cave. At the same time, he became hopeful and wondered, ''Has the Lord returned?''


    Shigeki hoped that was the case. However, he prepared himself for a battle as well. While Shigeki wouldn''t stand out if ced in a strong vige like Konoha, in a minor vige, he was ranked quite highly. After training continuously for nearly 3 years, his confidence had grown.


    Very soon, Fujin appeared in front of the cave and entered it. On entering, he saw Shigeki in front of him. Shigeki immediately recognized him. He bowed slightly and said respectfully, "It''s good to see you again, Lord Shiden."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Drop the ''Lord''. It''s good to see that you are still here, Shigeki. I''m impressed that you haven''t left."


    On hearing themand to drop ''Lord'', Shigeki sighed in relief. It wasn''t anyone in disguise nor had his savior''s nature changed over thest 3 years.


    Shigeki said, "You saved my life and gave me an opportunity. I won''t break my promise unless you do something that goes against my beliefs."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Good."


    Shigeki asked, "If I may ask, can you tell me why you didn''t appear for so long?"


    While he did wait patiently, he couldn''t help but think that Shiden had abandoned ns to build a branch there and hence hadn''te to visit him. Had he been strong enough to get his revenge, he might not have waited.


    Fujin nodded and said, "It was a test."


    Shigeki was surprised. He asked, "A test?"


    Fujin replied, "Yes. It served two purposes. The first purpose was to test your nature. If you had left during this time, then it would have implied that you are ungrateful and don''t stick to your words. I wouldn''t want someone like that in our organization.


    The second purpose was to test your perseverance. You were too weak to avenge your family back then. This time in istion was the perfect environment for you to train yourself. I will need to check whether you have stayed true to yourself and your family and used this time well. Then I''ll judge how you performed in this parameter."


    Shigeki was surprised. At the same time, he was relieved and thought, ''Luckily, I didn''t leave and kept training all the time!''


    Shigeki nodded and said, "Alright. I hope I don''t disappoint you. Can you tell me more about the organization?"


    Fujin shook his head and said, "First, I''ll need to see your strength. I''ll then decide what your role will be and what you should know."


    Shigeki was surprised. He asked, "Should we fight here?"


    Fujin shook his head once again and said, "No. Though this ce is decently hidden, a fight here can attract attention if someone is passing by. This is your first task for the organization. Identify a ce in the Land of Rivers that is so remote that no one would visit there even by ident. Also, the ce has to berge enough to house hundreds of people and have a lot of space for training, sparring and other activities."


    Shigeki was surprised by Fujin''s words and realized, ''He ns on building a base!''


    He thought for a bit and said, "I do know a couple of such locations."


    Fujin said, "Choose one and lead the way."


    Shigeki thought for a couple of minutes before saying, "Alright, follow me."


    Shigeki began moving. Fujin followed him. The two moved around a couple of hundred meters, travelling past dozens of rivers. Finally, they entered a location that didn''t have any rivers at all. Instead, there was an extremely deep andrge valley surrounded by mountains on all sides!


    Standing on the edge, Shigeki said, "No one in this country ever travels inside this valley. It has an extremely high number of deadly wild animals. Hence, normal people don''t dare to enter. As a result, our ninjas never receive any missions to this ce.


    Also, since there aren''t any rivers nearby, there are no settlements for dozens of kilometers around this valley either. Another advantage is that there are no trade routes near this area. The closest trading route is the one between Sunagakure and Tanigakure and even that is 37 kilometers away."


    Fujin thought for a bit and nodded. The location was excellent. Even if there were human settlements around the valley, the valley itself was extremely huge and deep, making sensors more or less useless unless they decided to venture in deep. In addition, the valley was covered in mist, blocking sight. As a result, even if a fight happened in the valley, it wasn''t possible for anyone to see any shes.


    Fujin asked, "Is this valley always covered in mist?"


    Shigeki nodded. Fujin asked, "Did Tanigakure investigate the valley in the past?"


    Shigeki replied, "Yes. We did it sometime after the end of the First Great Ninja War. We were hoping to find some resources in the valley. Unfortunately, there wasn''t anything worth considerable value to create a base in the valley. It has pretty much been abandoned since then.


    The only usage this valley sees is if Sunagakure or Konohagakure are trying to sneak troops to the other side during a war. Even then, they mostly stay on the edges as it provides sufficient cover in any case."


    Fujin nodded and enquired about some more details, such as the wildlife and the presence of any poisonous species. Once he was satisfied, he said, "Alright, this should be good enough. Let''s go."


    Fujin began moving down the slope. The slope wasn''t very steep, so normal people could still climb out if they went in as long as no wild animals attacked them. For Fujin and Shigeki, it wasn''t worth mentioning. Shigeki followed Fujin and asked, "Where are we heading inside the valley?"


    A smile formed behind Fujin''s mask as he said, "To the deepest point obviously."


    Shigeki was surprised. The Valley was surrounded by tall mountains. Compared to the edges, the deepest point of the Valley was almost a kilometer and a half deep. If it was a t surface, then the deepest point would be around 10 kilometers away from the closest edge. As a result, the deepest point will bepletely hidden from anyone!


    He couldn''t help but wonder, ''Is Shiden nning to create a base so deep in the valley? Wouldn''t it make essing it very difficult? Also, what''s the purpose of this organization? He didn''t even tell me the name of his organization.''


    As they moved rapidly, Fujin asked, "Shigeki, before we fight, how would you evaluate your strength?"


    Shigeki answered, "If I return to Tanigakure, then I''m sure I''ll be able to contend for the spot of the strongest ninja in the vige. If I was in a major vige, I guess I would be an Elite Jounin."


    Fujin was surprised by his self-evaluation. That said, he didn''t assume it to be true. After all, most minor viges didn''t believe themselves to be much weaker than major viges. The only points where they epted their inferiority were the absence of rank S ninjas, Jinchurikis and the total number of ninjas.


    Fujin asked, "And, what do you specialize in and what are your abilities?"


    Fujin already knew the answer to this question. However, he didn''t know what Shigeki did after their meeting. As such, he was curious to know.


    Shigeki answered, "I specialize in Ninjutsus. More specifically, Wind and Water nature maniption. The Land of Rivers is covered by numerous rivers. These two natures allowed me to restrict our enemies and keep them on the opposite bank. I''m decent at Taijutsu and can use some Genjutsu as well. Though they aren''t as good as my Ninjutsu."


    Fujin already knew that information. He asked, "And which are your strongest jutsus?"


    [A/N : Bonus chapter on next Sunday if the fic gets 1000 Power Stones. Bonus chapter on next week''s Saturday if the fic gets 2000 Power Stones.]


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 482: A Capable Subordinate (2)

    Chapter 482: A Capable Subordinate (2)


    Shigeki was about to answer when Fujin said, "Leave it, just use them in our spar. It won''t be fair to you if I know everything beforehand."


    Shigeki nodded. The two travelled to the deepest part of the valley. As they ventured deeper into the valley, an expanse of lush, verdantndscape greeted their eyes. Towering trees draped in moss and vines, their canopies interlocking in a verdurous ceiling, cast intricate patterns of light and shadow across the forest floor. Due to the absence of human interference, myriad species of flora carpet the ground, from delicate ferns to vibrant, sprawling bushes bearing sulent fruits.


    Amid this tranquillity, there was a range of wild animals. As he moved deeper, Fujin saw a bunch of deer, bison and rabbits. He also saw various predatory animals, such as a small pack of wolves, a few sleek panthers hiding among the trees waiting for their prey and an array of snakes, some poisonous, and some gigantic.


    Fujin thought, ''This brings back the memory of that wolf valley I entered while finding my summon. If the animals in this valley could use chakra as the summons can, then this valley would have been a forbidden area even for ninjas. Even rank S ninjas won''t casually enter too deep if that was the case.''


    Fortunately or unfortunately, it wasn''t to be. Very quickly, Fujin and Shigeki reached the deepest part of the valley. The ce was entirely covered in mist. Shigeki looked around and asked, "Are you sure that we should make our base here? The visibility isn''t good and this ce isn''t exactly safe."


    The area was sprawling with wild animals. While they weren''t a concern for Fujin or Shigeki while they were awake, even they would be on guard while they slept.


    Fujin nodded and answered, "It''s fine. Our spar will scare away the wild animals. As for the environment, I''ll handle it. Don''t worry."


    Fujin flickered and appeared 20 meters in front of Shigeki, facing him. While Shigeki couldn''t see through the mask, he could see a pair of eyes staring at him. Fujin said, "Let''s start. Come at me with the intention to kill me. Show me your full strength."


    Shigeki prepared himself and began building up his chakra. The wild animals, who were on guard and observing the two intruders who entered their territory, immediately began fleeing away on sensing his aura.


    Shigeki grabbed a kunai and said, "Here Ie!"


    Having trained continuously for nearly three years, Shigeki was excited to test his strength. If it wasn''t for the fact that he wanted to keep his survival a secret, he would have long challenged other ninjas to a spar. At the same time, he was curious how strong Fujin, or rather, Shigan was. After all, Fujin had killed his pursuers in the blink of an eye, giving him no opportunity to evaluate his strength.


    He moved forward at a fast speed and thrust his kunai towards Fujin''s heart. However, Fujin easily moved out of the way. He continued attacking Fujin with his kunai, shot a few shurikens and tried kicking several times, but Fujin dodged them all with rtive ease.


    Fujin was about to counterattack when Shigeki retreated realizing that he waspletely outmatched in closebat. He began weaving hand signs as he moved away from Fujin.


    Fujin observed him and thought, ''Those hand seals The Water Dragon jutsu, huh? Sigh, it is so tempting to attack. I''m too used to killing. Thankfully, my spars with Guy helped curb some of the killing instincts I developed during my Anbu days.


    That said, even if I wanted to, I doubt I could kill Guy even with a sneak attack. Of the ninjas I have seen fighting, he has the highest alertness other than Hiruzen. If Kakuzu didn''t have five lives, perhaps he would have been as alert as Hiruzen.


    Hmm, a water dragon of this size Not bad. Even in Konoha, he could be promoted to the Jounin rank, but only barely. As for Elite Jounin, that''s out of the question.''


    As Fujin was thinking, a 25-meter-long Water Dragon formed in front of him. In a second, it came rushing straight at him. Shigeki saw as the Water Dragon hit Fujin and swallowed him. However, a frown formed on his face as he failed to see Fujin''s figure anymore.


    As the water wave created by the Water Dragon hitting the spot Fujin was standing began settling, Shigeki looked around himself and thought, ''How did he disappear? Now that I think about it, he had disappeared thest time as well. All this mist around me Is he using the infamous Hidden Mist jutsu? Not good!''


    He quickly weaved hand seals while keeping a watch around him to prevent any sneak attacks.


    ''Wind Release: Great Breakthrough jutsu''


    Instead ofunching the jutsu in a direction, Shigeki spun once while exhaling high-speed and razor-sharp winds. As a result, the winds moved in every direction, dispersing the mist around the area. Shigeki quickly looked to his right and saw Fujin standing around 50 meters from him. He couldn''t help but wonder, ''How did he dodge those sharp winds? Or is he invulnerable to attacks somehow?''


    He didn''t think much about it. In fact, even before the mist had dispersed, Shigeki had already begun weaving hand seals for the next jutsu.


    ''Water Release: Exploding Water Colliding Wave jutsu''


    Shigeki spat out arge volume of water from his mouth. It immediately turned into a giant wave. A major portion of the water moved in the direction of Fujin, but the rest spread equally in all directions. Seeing Fujin''s ridiculous speed, Shigeki understood that single-target attacks would have no chance of hitting Fujin.


    A smile appeared on Fujin''s face as he saw the massive volume of water heading towards him. He thought, ''Not bad. Not bad at all. He''s able to take advantage of the terrain very well. In a ce where water is abundant, he''ll be able to pack quite a punch. I''ll need to correct my judgment. He will have no issue in bing a Jounin in Konoha.''


    Fujin would have to reevaluate Shigeki once again. After all, he wasn''t done. The massive amount of water was just the start. Even before it could reach Fujin, Shigeki had shot another Great Breakthrough jutsu, this time into therge amount of water he had just spat out.


    Fujin was intrigued. He quickly moved backwards while analyzing, ''Is he nning to use the Great Breakthrough jutsu to speed up the water? However, how will that be of any help against someone as fast as me?''


    As Fujin expected, the speed of the water indeed increased. However, there was one thing he didn''t anticipate. The winds didn''t just speed up the water, but they also allowed Shigeki to control the water to a great extent.


    Dozens of water des flew at Fujin at a rapid speed. It was far faster than a normal water jutsu. Fujin stepped out of the way, but his new position was bombarded with high-speed jets of water, forcing Fujin to flicker repeatedly.


    Shigeki observed Fujin''s movements and thought, ''He is still able to dodge them so easily? How did he even train to have such a speed? I''ll have to change my style of attack.''


    He exhaled more wind into the water. A secondter, hundreds of shurikens were shot at and around Fujin, leaving him no space to dodge. Of course, it wasn''t enough to stop Fujin who flickered a couple of times and appeared to Shigeki''s left.


    For a moment, Shigeki was left speechless. He thought, ''He flickered such a long distance? Though my shurikens covered arge area, it was useless against him. How am I even supposed tond an attack on someone like him?''


    As opposed to Shigeki''s helplessness, Fujin was excited. He thought excitedly, ''He improved so much in these few years? Marvellous! To be able to keep me on my toes. Now, let me see the limits of thisbination jutsu, hehehe.''


    To Shigeki''s surprise, Fujin flickered on top of therge water body he had created and shouted, "Give me your best shot."


    A sword appeared in Fujin''s right hand. It wasn''t his usual sword and instead was just an ordinary sword he had picked up from the targets he eliminated earlier. With Fujin standing atop the water, Shigeki''s attacks became much faster as they didn''t need to travel.


    Fujin flickered continuously to dodge the iing attacks. In most cases, he moved just a couple of meters away to dodge an attack. However, every now and then he''d be forced to flicker long distances or defend with his sword.


    Fujin stayed atop the water for 5 whole minutes, dodging everything Shigeki could throw at him. Thebination jutsu surprised Fujin a lot. He had researched Shigeki before he left the vige. Shigeki did have a history of using Wind attacks in water bodies to block enemies from progressing. However, what he was using was in apletely different league.


    Fujin judged with excitement, ''He is good. He''s at least on par with Tokuhei from Yugakure. Though he still can''t be considered an Elite Jounin, he isn''t too far away. With my help, he''ll reach it in no time at all. Anyway, it''s time to end this. His chakra has almost run out.''


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 483: The Cover Story

    Chapter 483: The Cover Story


    Fujin''s figure suddenly disappeared. Shigeki couldn''t see him but could still track his movements due to the ssh he would create whenever he stepped on the water. He tried attacking, however, he waste every time. After missing 3 attacks, Shigeki realized, ''He ising towards me. In close range, I''m no match for him!''


    He immediately weaved hand seals and shot another Great Breakthrough jutsu in the direction that Fujin wasst in. However, at the next moment, he felt a light tap on his back.


    In an instant, various symbols covered his body. Shigeki became paralyzed! He couldn''t move his body nor could he use his chakra. He immediately realized, ''Self-Cursing Seal! To be able to apply and activate it so quickly He should be a Grandmaster in Fuinjutsu! No wonder no one could detect that cave!''


    Without Shigeki''s control, the water began spreading in all directions. Fujin deactivated the seal and said, "That''s enough for now. Your skills have impressed me."


    Shigeki smiled but didn''t think much of it. He was already in histe thirties. Hearing such praises wasn''t something that would make him happy. However, to his surprise, Fujin added, "That said, you are still some distance away from bing an Elite Jounin."


    Shigeki was surprised. He wondered, ''Even mybination jutsu won''t allow me to fight against an Elite Jounin?''


    Fujin continued, "Your chakra reserves are slightly lower and they are unlikely to increase much considering your age. And, you are still falling short in some aspects. Can you use the Body Flicker jutsu?"


    Shigeki nodded and said, "Yes. I just didn''t use it in the fight because there wasn''t any chance to use it."


    Fujin said, "Good. However, can you use it without any hand seals?"


    Shigeki replied, "No."


    Fujin advised, "The first thing you need to do is train yourself to use the Body Flicker jutsu without any hand seals. It will improve your mobility a lot and you can move around like how I did. Other than that, your Water maniption and thatbination jutsu is very impressive, but do you know any Wind jutsus stronger than the Great Breakthrough jutsu?"


    Shigeki shook his head and answered, "No. Tanigakure doesn''t have many Wind Release jutsus. Due to the high number of rivers in this country, Water Release is the one that has been focused on the most. So I only had ess to stronger Water jutsus."


    Fujin replied, "I see. In that case, I''ll give you these."


    Fujin grabbed a couple of scrolls and handed them to Shigeki. He said, "Your Water jutsus are sufficiently strong. I don''t have anything that''ll strengthen you in that aspect. However, your wind element can be strengthened.


    These are two of the strongest Wind jutsus which are popr among the Sunagakure ninjas. The first is the rank B Pressure Damage jutsu. It is a wide-range jutsu that is far stronger than the Great Breakthrough jutsu. It will help you strengthen yourbination jutsu.


    The second is the rank A des of Wind jutsu. It''ll provide you with a good option to use in closebat and will also make you versatile in battle."


    Shigeki was surprised once again. He thought, ''What the hell? Suna ninjas take pride in those jutsus. He just brought them out like this?''


    Fujin already knew about Shigeki''s skills. Though he had trained for a long time by himself, Shigeki didn''t have ess to new jutsus. As for creating original jutsus, that was extremelyplicated and required a great deal of luck, inspiration and skill.


    So, he had prepared these two jutsu scrolls for Shigeki. The information was from Konoha''s library. However, Fujin changed the wording and added some of his own insights to ensure that no one would recognize it came from Konoha even if someone from Konoha got their hands on it.


    Fujin actually intended to go one step further and teach Shadow Clone jutsu. With Shadow Clones along with soldier pills, the speed of training could be increased by several times. It was especially helpful while learning chakra control, nature maniption or studying Fuinjutsu and Medical Ninjutsu.


    However, after analyzing it for a long time, Fujin decided against it thinking, ''Konoha is quite protective about some of the secret jutsus like the Shadow Clone. It might not be able to do much if a major vige began practicing it on arge scale, but if a minor vige or an uing organization were to know it, Hiruzen would send forces to eliminate them. Heck, he might deploy me to do the job.


    Even if I''m able to save the organization, it''ll restrict its movements heavily. Leave it. It''s not as if I''m counting on anyone here to help me in a fight. There is no need to take such a needless risk. If I need a strong army in the future for some reason, then I''ll reevaluate the situation.''


    Shigeki looked at the scrolls again and said, "Thank you. I''ll learn them immediately."


    Fujin said, "Once you learn these 2 jutsus and be capable of using Body Flicker seallessly, then you should be able to contend against Elite Jounins from the major viges. Anyway, now onto the important topic. I''m sure you are curious about what organization I''m building and what our goals and purposes are."


    Shigeki nodded. Apart from taking revenge, this was the matter he thought of the most.


    Fujin said, "The organization I''m building is called the Phantom Haven Society. As I had said when we met the first time, this is just another branch I''m opening. It''ll be independent of other branches. You''ll be the one handling all matters here in my absence."


    Shigeki thought for a bit and asked, "Why have I never heard of such an organization before? Also, what does the Phantom Haven Society do?"


    Fujin answered, "It''s simple. The Phantom in the name is to indicate our method of operation. We operate in absolute secrecy and stay elusive, rarely appearing in the light. Even when a member appears in the light, he or she shouldn''t be mentioning the name of the organization. The same rules will apply here as well. This is why it is very unlikely for anyone to have heard of us. As for my goal"


    Fujin paused for a few seconds before continuing, "The goal of Phantom Haven Society is to save the innocent and the weak from the evils of society. A good portion of the world''s poption suffers due to torment inflicted by bandits, rogue ninjas, greedy Nobles or by bing targets of schemes of the leaders of various hidden viges.


    You, despite having decent strength and status, still fell prey to the schemes of an elder. The normal people who can''t utilize their chakra have it far worse. They are entirely dependent on the whims of the strong. The Phantom Haven Society will work to get strong to be able to help such people."


    Shigeki was stunned. In such a cruel world, he never expected there to be someone with such noble goals! In fact, even he himself wasn''t that noble and only wanted revenge. Though Shigeki couldn''t see Fujin''s face, he could sense how serious Fujin was through his voice!


    He thought, ''Such a noble goal. I was lucky to be saved by him. Once Iplete my revenge, I''ll dedicate my life to this goal. To ensure that no one else goes through the same suffering as my family. I''m sure my daughter and wife would want that as well.''


    Shigeki had several doubts about who Shiden was and what his goals were. On learning the truth and realizing Fujin''s seriousness, he was heavily influenced by the idea of making the world a better ce. Fujin observed his expression and sighed in relief while thinking, ''Good. He bought it!''


    While Fujin regrly yed games with Hiruzen and at times with Shikaku and Danzo, this was the first time he tried it when something was at stake. He immediately became pleased after he tested what he learnt from them.


    Shigeki said, "I''ll be honored to help you make that goal a reality. However, such goals will harm the benefits of several Nobles and Leaders. We could be targeted by major and minor viges."


    Though he was influenced, Shigeki understood how difficult the task was. Fujin nodded and said, "Yes. That is why it is necessary to be elusive and act in secrecy. If the word of our activities spreads, others will ignore us at the start. However, once we begin intruding on anyone''s benefits, we will be opposed heavily. Even with my strength, I can''t bear the force of an entire ninja vige.


    Even if we keep acting in secrecy, there is always a chance that details still get leaked. That is why, every branch is independent of each other. If one branch messes up and attracts trouble, the others will be safe. I''ll dissolve that branch and have them help other branches or create another secret force that will secretly aid other branches."


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 484: Phantom Will

    Chapter 484: Phantom Will


    Shigeki nodded. He agreed with the steps Fujin had taken. He asked, "Alright. What should I do right now? How will I manage this branch?"


    Fujin said, "Though the goal of Phantom Haven Society is good, we can''t do good just by wishing for it. Otherwise, this world would have long achieved peace. To help progress towards our goal, we need to do three things. They''ll be your main activities.


    One, we need to recruit more people. I can''t stay here all the time. And you won''t be able to handle everything by yourself. For starters, you''ll be responsible for recruiting other ninjas like you. Ninjas who you trust, are good-natured and will be willing to work with dedication towards such a goal.


    Of course, considering the risky nature of the job, you should only recruit ninjas who don''t have anything to lose and don''t have anyone dependent on them."


    Shigeki understood the reason behind Fujin''s words. Once someone joins such a secret organization with such an outrageous goal, they will have a difficult time returning to live with their loved ones. Not to mention, they could be hunted down once their past is exposed. Even if they escape, their families will suffer.


    Fujin continued, "Once you have recruited a few capable ninjas, you can start operating. To start with, we will be focusing on two things. Our goal is to help unfortunate people who face cmities.


    But, in order to help such people, we need to know that they are suffering and need to know that quickly enough. Otherwise, we won''t be able to help them all. To do so, you will need to build an informationwork.


    The third thing will apply when we get into action and rescue an affected vige ormunity. We will help them resettle, either in the same ce by eliminating the danger if we can or in a nearby vige if we can''t and they are willing to move.


    During such rescues, we will also recruit young kids who have the passion to join an organization like ours and the talent to be a ninja. Unlike the hidden viges, we will never send the kids to war. Instead, they will stay safe in this hideout until they are trained enough to be considered Chunins. This will be your most important task.


    Though we are decently strong, there isn''t much two people can do by themselves. In fact, even with help, we can''t be sure if this goal will be achieved during our lifetime. We will need strong and passionate youngsters with the drive to see that our goal will be achieved even if we pass on."


    Fujin looked into Shigeki''s eyes and asked in a serious tone, "Kasai Shigeki, are you willing to take over this role?"


    Shigeki replied respectfully, "I am willing."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Good."


    He extended his right palm towards Shigeki. A seal appeared in his right hand. Fujin said, "This is the Phantom Seal. Every member of the Phantom Haven Society will have this seal. This seal has several functions. For starters, it''ll allow me to identify the members of our society.


    Secondly, this seal will prevent anyone from betraying us. If anyone tries to leak our secrets, then his or her body will be paralyzed. Even other Fuinjutsu Grandmasters won''t be able to help them. In addition, this seal also prevents anyone from controlling or reading the minds of our members. Show me your back and lift your shirt. I''ll apply the seal to you."


    Shigeki followed his instructions and presented his back. He thought, ''As I guessed, he is a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster. He might even be one of the best ones seeing how confident he is in this seal.''


    Shigeki didn''t suspect Fujin and epted the seal. As a result, Fujin didn''t face any obstruction and was able to ce the seal properly. Fujin said, "One important aspect of this seal is that I can only ce it on those who are willing to join us. Otherwise, I won''t be able to ce the seal.


    It will prevent the ones who are unwilling or forced due to any reason from being able to join us. In the future, when you recruit, you have to ensure that you don''t force someone to join us. I won''t ept anyone if they aren''t willing. By epting this seal, it shows that you believe in the Phantom Will."


    For the umpteenth time, Shigeki was surprised. The Seal was far more advanced than any seal he had seen or heard of. However, he was also confused. He asked, "What is Phantom Will?"


    Fujin answered, "It''s an illusionary will that we believe in."


    Shigeki was even more confused. He asked, "What do you mean by illusionary?"


    Fujin answered in a serious tone, "Who in this world doesn''t want peace? Who doesn''t wish that everyone prospers and no one suffers? If you randomly take 10 people, at least 9 will say that they want the world to be peaceful. Even among ninjas, the number will be the same.


    However, the world is still filled with non-stop conflict. Even during peacetime, the Anbu of major viges are engaging in secret wars. Several minor viges go to war frequently. The ordinary people suffer due to such wars. Even if there are no wars on the surface, they still have to suffer due to bandits, rogue ninjas, famines, illness and in several other ways. This world has enough resources for everyone to be satisfied and to ensure that no one suffers.


    Yet, people suffer. The Phantom Will is the will everyone has to bring peace to the world. However, since no one acts on it, I call it the Phantom Will. The Phantom Haven Society will follow the Phantom Will. Though we aren''t strong enough to bring about world peace, we will do every little thing in our power to bring peace, even if it is temporary and restricted to a small area. In the future, if we gain sufficient strength, then we will focus on making the entire world a peaceful ce."


    Fujin''s words made Shigeki fall into deep thought. While he was always an upright and kind-hearted person, he hadn''t ever gone out of his way to help themon people unless it was a mission. When he heard Fujin''s goals, he was impressed that someone so strong could devote his life to such a noble cause. It waspletely opposite of every higher-up he had ever seen.


    Hearing Fujin speak about the Phantom Will made him ce Fujin at an even higher ce in his heart. He had never heard about something like it. Though many viges had their own wills, starting from the famed Will of Fire propagated by the First Hokage, it was his first time hearing about a Will thatpassed every human! It was also the first time he felt so attached to a will.


    Memories resurfaced as he thought of his own experiences. He recalled how he observed the unfairness in the world several times. However, he never did anything to reduce it despite wanting to and having a few opportunities.


    He was also at the receiving end during the previous Great Ninja Wars when the Land of Rivers waspletely at the mercy of Konoha and Suna ninjas. He felt helpless but didn''t have the strength to do anything about it. The ones who did have the strength were engaged in a deadly war instead of helping others.


    Within a few minutes, Shigeki had convinced himself and be the greatest follower of the Phantom Will. It was a strange situation where his belief in the Phantom Will was infinitely greater than the one who could be considered its founder!


    Shigeki looked at Fujin and asked, "Shiden, can you tell me how strong you are? Are you a Grandmaster in Fuinjutsu? Also, what are your other specialities?"


    The sudden question surprised Fujin. He wondered, ''Exactly what conclusion did he reach to suddenly ask me such a question?''


    To maintain the flow and ensure that Shigeki stayed loyal to him, Fujin had no choice but to satisfy his query. For a moment, Fujin felt just like how Hiruzen feels while dealing with him.


    [A/N : Bonus chapter on next Sunday if the fic gets 1000 Power Stones. Bonus chapter on next week''s Saturday if the fic gets 2000 Power Stones.]


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 485: Structure and Ranks

    Chapter 485: Structure and Ranks


    Fujin answered, "Yes, I''m a Grandmaster in Fuinjutsu. It is why I dare to make a base in such a ce. I don''t specialize in anything else, but I do know a little bit of everything. I can use all five nature maniptions, Samurai Saber Techniques, Genjutsu, Taijutsu, Medical Ninjutsu and Sensing. Of course, they aren''tparable to my Fuinjutsu. Overall, I can be considered as a rank S ninja."


    When Fujin had thought about how to answer this question, he had expected Shigeki to be awed. However, the sudden change in Shigeki''s attitude made his spection incorrect. There was no awe on Shigeki''s face. Instead, there was pride!


    Learning all 5 elements was an extremely rare feat. Very few ninjas could im to have done that in history. And, very few of them could im to be Grandmasters in Fuinjutsu. Not to mention, Fujin had mentioned that he had some expertise in nearly every other field. To have such a person as the leader was something to be proud of. Shigeki immediately felt much more confident in achieving the goals of the Phantom Haven Society.


    Fujin felt ufortable on seeing Shigeki''s passionate stare. The hair on his body stood as he felt goosebumps from the gaze. He muttered to himself, ''If I ever decide to take off the mask, I need to disguise myself as an old man. Maybe I shouldn''t have bluffed about the five elements.''


    Though Fujin said he could use all 5 elements, his ability in the Water element was extremely lousy. Fujin had only managed to learn some rank E and D jutsus which were more or less useless in battle. In fact, his most effective way of using water in a fight was unleashing arge amount of water that he kept in a few storage seals and speeding it up with wind. Of course, he wasn''t particrly concerned about it being exposed as he never nned on fighting much with this identity.


    Ignoring Shigeki''s passionate stare, Fujin was very satisfied with his reaction. He had to think extremely hard toe up with the philosophy of the Phantom Will. Though the goal of the Phantom Haven Society was something people would support and would want to be a part of, in Fujin''s perspective, the Phantom Will was even more important.


    Looking at the history of the ninja world, there was no doubt that the most sessful organizations were the major viges. Each of them had their own Will and passed it on to the next generation who firmly believed in it. If Fujin wasn''t a transmigrator and had directly been born in Konoha or didn''t have the memories of his past life, he didn''t doubt that he would have been a staunch believer in the Will of Fire too.


    Byparison, Akatsuki had terrifying power and a noble goal as well. However, they didn''t have any such Will to believe in. With none of their members believing in amon Will, theycked the same cohesiveness as a ninja vige. Most of their members had their own goals. Even the loyalty of most members was questionable. Despite having so many top-tier ninjas, the fact that they didn''t even bother trying to avenge a fallenrade said a lot about the nature of their organization.


    For Fujin, the strength of his organization wasn''t very important. Instead, he needed loyalty and diligence. As long as they created and maintained a good informationwork and provided real information to Fujin, he didn''t care as to whether they actually did anything else. As a result, having a Will that united everyone became very important for Fujin. Seeing Shigeki''s reaction, Fujin became confident that the Phantom Will would be good enough to keep his organization united for a long time.


    He thought, ''I guess I need to be thankful to Hiruzen. Without his frequent attempts to influence me with the Will of Fire, I might not have been able to create this.''


    Fujin took out a scroll and said, "I''ll exin to you the structure of the Phantom Haven Society. Of course, these are just the guidelines. If you want to make some changes to improve the efficiency, feel free to do so."


    Shigeki epted the scroll and opened it as Fujin exined, "While I''m the Leader, I won''t be here very frequently. In my absence, you will be handling all the activities here. Hence, your rank will be the second highest, that is, the Vice Leader.


    The lowest rank will be of the young kids you recruit. They will be the students and the future of the Phantom Haven Society. We won''t be epting anyone who can''t be a ninja here, so there won''t be any ordinary civilians here. The students will be trained until they can be considered as a Chunin in minor viges."


    Shigeki interrupted Fujin and asked in confusion, "Chunins?"


    Fujin nodded and exined, "Yes, Chunins. In a fight between ninjas, the fatality of Genins is very high. I don''t want to see young kids meeting their death meaninglessly."


    Shigeki''s respect for Fujin increased once again. Fujin continued, "Unlike the hidden viges, the academy here will continue training kids until the age of 15. If they reach the Chunin level earlier, they''ll be allowed to graduate early. If they fail to reach that rank, then they can be developed as spies or informants or they can be given nonbative misceneous roles within this base depending on their talents. If their strength improves in the future, they can be promoted to Field Agents.


    As for the ones who manage to pass, they will be Field Agents immediately and can participate in our rescue missions. They will likely make the bulk of our forces. They will be divided into smaller teams and be led by Captains.


    A captain will have to be as strong as an Elite Chunin or a Special Jounin from the major viges. Your strength when we met the first time was probably at this level.


    If someone manages to be strong enough to be considered as a Jounin in major viges, they''ll be promoted to the Commander rank. They will be the onesmanding any operation. Every promotion to this rank will have to be approved by me.


    Apart from these ranks, I''ll alsobel a few members as Special Elites. This will be for members who develop one skill to an extreme, like say bing Grandmaster in Fuinjutsu or bing one of the best medical ninjas or developing a Kekkei Genkai beyond a certain limit and so on. Of course, if anyone manages to reach the Elite Jounin level, they''ll also be included here. We will decide their duties when we have anyone at this rank."


    Shigeki took a couple of minutes to digest all the information. While he was in thought, Fujin added, "Of course, this will only work properly once we have sufficient members at each rank. For the time being, you''ll need to make do with what you have. You''ll have tomand the missions yourself and appoint others depending on their skills and your needs."


    Shigeki nodded. It was a tough task. Fujin was asking a lot. Fortunately, Shigeki was willing to make the efforts needed to make the goal of the Phantom Haven Society a reality. He said, "If a dayes when we have thousands of field agents, hundreds of captains, dozens ofmanders and several Special Elites, we might be able to make this dream a reality."


    Fujin nodded. If the Phantom Haven Society reached such a level, then it might truly be a reality. Unfortunately, the chances of that happening before the Fourth Great Ninja War started were more or less nil.


    Despite having good guidance in the academy and an amazing sensei after Graduation, Fujin still needed almost 6 years to reach the Jounin level. Though he managed to reach the level of Elite Jounin soon after, it would have taken a lot longer if Hiruzen hadn''t taught him the Wind Vacuum Technique as a reward for beating the record in the second stage of the Chunin exams.


    Simrly, to be a rank S ninja, Fujin was extremely overdependent on using Shadow Clones to be a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster and developing a few extremely stealthy seals. Without either of those factors, Fujin''s route to bing a rank S would have been much more difficult and time-consuming.


    That is why, Fujin wasn''t counting on any young kid the organization recruited to have the ability to reach rank S in the next 5-6 years. Even reaching the Elite Jounin level would be only possible if Fujin or Shigeki managed to directly recruit a promising young Genin or Chunin. The only possible exceptions would be if Fujin managed to recruit someone who was already a rank S ninja or an Elite Jounin. Unfortunately, the chances of someone that strong joining and willingly epting the Phantom Seal were extremely low.


    Shigeki followed up by asking several questions that were important for running the base sessfully. Fujin had already thought of all the questions and patiently answered every question properly.


    [A/N : Bonus chapter on next Sunday if the fic gets 1000 Power Stones. Bonus chapter on next week''s Saturday if the fic gets 2000 Power Stones.]


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 486: Two Choices

    Chapter 486: Two Choices


    At one point, Shigeki asked, "What if one of our members wants to quit and return to a normal life?"


    Fujin answered, "Then we let them go. As I said, though the Phantom Will exists in everyone, it is unrealistic to expect everyone to act on it. Of course, we won''t be removing the Phantom Seal. So there won''t be any danger of them leaking sensitive information.


    If they change their mind in the future, they can rejoin. They could also rmend others to join us. Not to mention, any former member will help us with gathering information. Whether they do it actively or passively will be their choice. So, they will still help us reach our goal faster. Besides, with them out there, they can ensure that the crimes against the weak are reduced. At the very least, no normal bandit group will be able to harm the vige they are staying in."


    Shigeki nodded. Though it could reduce their fighting power temporarily, it''ll make their unity stronger if they aren''t forced to serve. Shigeki continued asking more questions until he covered every aspect.


    Once he was done, Fujin asked, "Do you have anyone in mind that you would like to recruit?"


    Shigeki nodded and answered, "Yes. I thought of them when you said that I would have to recruit. I know 13 former ninjas from Tanigakure who were falsely used at different times. They became rogue ninjas and I was even sent to hunt a few of them down. But after learning the truth, I let them off and reported that those missions had failed.


    All of them became rogue ninjas. Some lived while hiding from the official ninjas while some became bounty hunters. 5 of them stayed together in a group and 4 more stayed together forming another group. The remaining four moved alone.


    Unfortunately, it has been 3 years since I heard about them. So I''m not sure if I''ll be able to find them or even if they are still alive and well."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Alright, that''ll be a start. How long will it take you to find them?"


    Shigeki answered, "I can''t say for sure. If I''m lucky, then in 3 days. If not, then it might take a month and I still might not track all of them down."


    Fujin thought for a bit and instructed, "Alright, you''ll set out to find them. Return here in 10 days'' time irrespective of how many you find. I''ll build the basic structure of the base until th"


    He suddenly paused and began thinking. Shigeki wanted to ask something but stopped since Fujin was busy thinking. After a minute, Fujin looked at Shigeki and said, "Actually, I''ll build the main base here and a mini base halfway into this valley. Only the members I have applied the seal on will be allowed in the main base. The rest will have to stay in the mini base until I visit to apply the seals. This will reduce the risk of any spy leaking information about our main base. Also"


    Fujin grabbed a storage scroll and opened it. From one of the seals, he summoned a few hundred tags with some sort of seal on them. Fujin handed them to Shigeki and said, "Though my Phantom Seal is very safe, idents could always happen. If someone identally triggers the seal and it paralyzes them, you can use these tags to undo the paralysis. The Phantom Seal will reform itself, so don''t worry about someone trying to use this to get rid of the seal.


    When you try to recruit those guys, be careful what you speak. You can''t leak the secrets of Phantom Haven Society until the Phantom Seal is applied to them."


    Shigeki nodded and said, "Yes, I figured that out. And thank you, this will make my job easier."


    He epted all the tags. Fujin instructed, "Now get going. I''ll send a Mud Clone with you to inform you of the location of the mini base."


    Fujin was about to create a clone when Shigeki said, "Actually, I wanted to ask something."


    Fujin stopped and said, "Ask."


    Shigeki said, "You had promised to help me get revenge. Can I know when we can do so?"


    Though Shigeki was impressed by the Phantom Haven Society, he never forgot the fate of his family. It had tormented him for years. Fujin had thought of this matter as well. Initially, he wanted to have Shigeki give shape to the organization and only then help him. After all, if Shigeki lost his will after getting revenge, Fujin would suffer a needless loss. However, Fujin changed his mind after seeing how much he was influenced by the Phantom Will.


    Fujin said, "I''ll give you two choices. The first one is that we''ll go now and eliminate the ones who caused injustice to your family. However, since it will be just the two of us, the entire operation will be done silently. I''ll give you an opportunity to assassinate them. Or, you can knock them out, take them away from Tanigakure and torture them for a few hours before killing them. Regardless, no proof would be left behind. No one will know that this was done by you or that those scums were finally served justice.


    The second choice is that you wait a few years and form a formidable force in this base. You can then lead them openly to help get your revenge. Everyone will know that justice was served. Everyone will know that it was you who did it. In the future, the higher-ups will think ten times before subjecting anyone else to such a fate.


    The choice is yours."


    Fujin stayed quiet after speaking. It was quite easy to deduce which path he wanted Shigeki to take. Shigeki fell into deep thought. He spent nearly 5 minutes thinking before he answered, "When I work towards the goal of Phantom Haven Society, I don''t want to be distracted by anything else.


    Nor do I want to feel resentful that the killers of my family are still alive. I choose the first option. I don''t want any glory nor do I want to use the Phantom Haven Society to fulfil my goals. I just want to deliver justice for my family. I hope you can help me kidnap them and give me a few hours alone with them.


    Also, if I am able to kill them first, it''ll be very helpful in recruiting others to join us as most of them hate the higher-ups in the vige. In addition, I also want to gather some information about the vige. If more were subjected to a simr treatment as me, I might be able to recruit them as well if they are still alive."


    Fujin was surprised by the answer. He thought, ''Weird. After getting entranced by the Phantom Will, I expected him to choose the second option. I guess I''m not that good at reading people yet. Oh well, it shouldn''t matter much. With this out of the way, he''ll focus entirely on making this base stronger.''


    Fujin nodded and said, "Alright, let''s go."


    The two left immediately. En route, Fujin showed him where the mini base would be created. It was around 6 kilometers from the main base and still very well hidden from outside the valley, making it extremely unlikely for anyone to stumble upon it.


    In one of the pces in Tanigakure, a loud shriek could be heard in the middle of the night. Two medical ninjas were around a man in his twenties, while an older man was standing behind them. He frowned and asked, "How long would it take you to heal my son''s injuries? It has been over two and a half years now!"


    Anger could be heard in his voice. However, the old man was still restraining himself. One of the medical ninjas sighed and answered, "We already told you, Kanji-sama. There isn''t much we can do. Itsuki''s chakrawork was extremely damaged when he was attacked. Even though we have repaired his chakrawork as much as we could, it is still very fragile. Every time he uses his chakra, he''ll feel an extremely high amount of pain."


    Suddenly, Itsuki screamed once again. He could hear everything the medical ninja said. However, it wasn''t his chakrawork or the pain that caused him the most sorrow. It was what was missing between his legs. He shouted angrily, "Father, I want to see that motherfucker Shigeki and mutte him too!"


    Kanji sighed seeing his son''s situation. As time passed, his mental state continuously became worse. He said, "Shigeki is long dead, Itsuki. If he was alive, he would have tried to get his revenge long back."


    Kanji had sent 5 ninjas to kill an injured Shigeki. He had expected it to go without any ident. Unfortunately, Fujin had ruined his ns. He never heard about those 5 ninjas again. For some time, he was afraid that Shigeki had killed them. However, as time passed, he believed that Shigeki died as well. He spected that he did a suicide attack that killed all six of them. Of course, that didn''t do much to reduce the hatred he felt for Shigeki.


    Just as the father-son duo were cursing Shigeki, a voice was heard, "Oh, you wanted to see me? Good. I have been wanting to see the two of you for every second since that ursed day!"


    Suddenly, everyone in the room turned around and looked in the direction of the voice. To their surprise, Shigeki stood there, along with a masked man.


    Itsuki jumped out of his bed while screaming, "Bastard! I''ll kill you!"


    Luckily for him, the medical ninjas held him back.


    Meanwhile, Kanji asked in surprise, "How did you enter here undetected?"


    [A/N : Bonus chapter on next Sunday if the fic gets 1000 Power Stones. Bonus chapter on next week''s Saturday if the fic gets 2000 Power Stones.]


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 487: Revenge

    Chapter 487: Revenge


    Memories flooded Shigeki''s brain as he recalled the answer to Kanji''s question. He had prepared himself for an extremely difficult battle when he and Fujin were moving towards Tanigakure. In fact, he was surprised when Fujin imed that he could help take revenge with just the two of them despite seeing a portion of his strength. They would have to pass through severalyers of defenses to reach Kanji.


    For the first time in his life, Shigeki discovered how convenient it was to work alongside a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster. Is the wall around the vige covered with seals and a barrier? Not an issue. Fujin created a small hole in the barrier which went undetected. He freely manipted the seals on the wall and the two of them entered the hidden vige without any obstacle!


    From there, reaching Kanji''s pce was a walk in the park. Of course, the pce had some defenders. They were mostly ninjas from Kanji''s family who patrolled asionally. Needless to say, every single one of them was killed. Their bodies were pinned to the walls of the pce with their own weapons. Thanks to Fujin, no one else heard a single thing.


    Shigeki answered, "That''s not something you should worry about. Instead, you should think about the disgusting and vile acts you and your sonmitted all these years."


    He began walking forward while saying, "Karma has finally caught up with you. I''ll let the two of you feel the pain I felt since that ursed day!"


    Kanji snorted and prepared himself for a battle. He said, "You have grown very cocky. Do you think that you can defeat me? Actually, I am d that you have appeared here yourself. I''ll shred you to pieces with my own hands!"


    Kanji wasn''t afraid of Shigeki. His attention was instead on the mysterious masked ninja next to him. If Kanji and Shigeki had fought 3 years ago, Kanji would have easily won. After all, his strength was the reason that he could be an elder in a hidden vige. Even if he was ced in a major vige, he could be considered a Jounin. It was one of the main reasons why Shigeki listened to Fujin and didn''t try to get his revenge instantly.


    Even now, though Shigeki had grown a lot stronger, defeating and killing Kanji would still take some time. Themotion it would cause would make the other ninjas in the vige rush over there. As a result, if Shigeki hade by himself, he would have lost and been captured instead. Thankfully, he had a very strong ally.


    Kanji and the medical ninjas began grabbing their weapons. However, even before Kanji could take out his kunai, Fujin''s left hand clutched his throat. Kanji''s eyes widened in horror as he realized, ''So fast! Who is he? And is this Swift Release?''


    Before he could figure anything out, Fujin lifted him and mmed Kanji''s entire body into the ground, creating cracks in the floor. Kanji''s back and spine were severely damaged due to the impact. He still tried to attack, but various symbols appeared on his body. Fujin had used the Self-Cursing Seal to restrain him.


    The medical ninjas and Itsuki were shocked by the sudden development. They looked at Fujin who was staring back at them instead of paying attention to Kanji. Before either of them could react, two shurikens pierced through the necks of the two Medical ninjas. Both died on the spot, leaving only the Father-Son duo alive.


    Seeing his father and the two medical ninjas on the ground, Itsuki was horrified. He walked backwards while asking, "Who are you?"


    Terror could be heard in his voice. Unfortunately, there would be no mercy as Shigeki flickered behind him and knocked him out. Kanji wanted to speak but couldn''t move his mouth. Fujin knocked him out as well and asked, "Do you still want to torture them?"


    Shigeki nodded. Fujin said, "Alright, carry their bodies. We need to leave this vige first before someone discovers something odd."


    Shigeki nodded. He carried the both of them as they left the vige as silently as they arrived. A few kilometers from the vige, they entered a cave. Fujin inscribed a few seals on the cave as well as on Kanji and Itsuki and said, "No one should be able to detect you in this cave. No one will be able to hear any screams from the cave either. I''ll leave them to you. But, don''t spend too much time here. Find the ones you want to recruit and return to the base within ten days."


    Shigeki nodded. Before Fujin left, he bowed and said, "Shiden, thank you for helping me get revenge. I will forever be in your debt."


    Fujin continued walking away as he said, "Don''t worry about it. Just give your all to the Phantom Haven Society. It''s the only thing I would ask from you."


    His figure disappeared. Shigeki finally raised his head. He was genuinely thankful to Fujin. Without him, this day would have nevere. He entered the cave. Alone with the culprits who tortured and killed his family, Shigeki finally couldn''t restrain his rage.


    For nearly half a day, abominable screams were continuously heard in the cave! Thankfully, none of the screams could be heard outside the cave. Otherwise, if anyone were to stumble nearby, they would be horrified.


    During this time, Tanigakure wasn''t calm either. It didn''t take very long to discover the dead bodies in Kanji''s pce. The entire vige became alert within minutes. One of their Elders was missing and many of his family members were dead and pinned to the walls of his pce!


    Immediately, they began investigating. At the same time, the other families in the vige raised their protection several times. Several ninjas were seen moving around the vige to check if anyone was hiding. A few patrol teams searched outside the vige as well. They even moved past the cave Shigeki was in but failed to detect anything strange about it.


    After nine hours of non-stop torture, both Kanji and his son died. Shigeki remained in the cave for some more time, reminiscing about his family who he couldn''t protect. He cried, he drank and stayed in the cave for a day.


    Finally, he got up. As he walked out of the cave, he muttered, "I have finally got justice for my family. From now on, I''ll dedicate my life to seeing Phantom Haven Society achieve its goal."


    He left the cave and began moving towards the location of the rogue ninjas that he recalled.


    Eight dayster, a group of 12 ninjas were moving across the Land of Rivers. Needless to say, they were being led by Kasai Shigeki. They reached the valley that was chosen to be the base of Phantom Haven Society. As they stood on the edge, one of them asked, "Of all the ces, you chose this freaky ce? Will we even be able to sleep peacefully here?"


    Another added while adjusting his spectacles, "Ignoring Mitsuo''s concern, it''s actually not a bad idea. No one will think that someone has built a base here. That said, making a safe base here is very difficult. How did you manage it?"


    Shigeki himself wasn''t aware of the answer. He just decided to trust a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster and said, "It is my benefactor who is building a base here, Hayato. You''ll see soon, follow me."


    He quickly moved towards the location of the mini base that Fujin had decided. Soon after they entered the valley, Fujin detected disturbances in his Space-Time field. He looked in their direction and thought, ''Looks like Shigeki has returned. I overestimated the amount of time I''d need to build a base. I managed to do it in just 4 days. Oh well, it''s not like it was a loss. I did spend my days training''


    If one were to look in the valley, the ce where Fujin was sitting at was quite normal if one didn''t try to find any seals. However, a couple of kilometers away, the slopes were covered in hundreds of small craters! In fact, almost every animal had moved away from that location! It would be a long time before they dared to return back to that ce.


    Fujin disappeared from the base and moved towards the mini base as well. With Wind Instantaneous Body jutsu, he didn''t require a long while to reach. A few minutester, Shigeki''s group arrived at the spot where the mini base was. However, confusion appeared on Shigeki''s face as he stopped moving.


    Hayato asked, "What happened? Why did you stop?"


    Shigeki answered in an unsure tone, "The base was supposed to be here."


    Everyone immediately looked around in confusion. After a few seconds, Hayato said, "There is nothing here."


    Mitsuo sighed in disappointment and asked, "Shigeki, is your benefactor unreliable or has your memory gone bad in thesest few years?"


    Shigeki was confused. He wondered, ''Did something happen to the benefactor? Why else would there be nothing here? Should I go and check the main base? But, I can''t take these guys there. There is no choice. I''ll have to ask them to wait here while I go ahead and check.''


    Shigeki was about to leave when suddenly everyone felt a killing intent. Before anyone could react, a voice was heard, "I wouldn''t move if I was in your ce."


    [A/N : Bonus chapter on next Sunday if the fic gets 1000 Power Stones. Bonus chapter on next week''s Saturday if the fic gets 2000 Power Stones.]


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 488: New Recruits

    Chapter 488: New Recruits


    "I wouldn''t move if I was in your ce."


    Everyone except Shigeki, who identified the voice, wanted to move. However, their legs froze as the scenery around them changed. Instead of a lush green valley, everyone was surrounded by long spears that had risen from the ground. Had they moved, they would have been stabbed by several spears.


    They quickly looked in the direction of the voice. Arge cave opening appeared out of nowhere on the surface of the slopes. A masked man stood next to it while leaning against the wall.


    Mitsuo asked, "What''s the meaning of this? Shigeki, we trusted you. How could you betray us, you bastard?"


    The same thoughts ran through everyone''s head. Fujin chuckled and said, "Rx. He didn''t betray you. I just wanted to test out the new base."


    Fujin snapped his fingers. In an instant, all Earth Spears crumbled and fell to the ground. The rogue Tanigakure ninjas finally rxed. Hayato asked, "Is this the benefactor you mentioned? Quite an impression he made. I have never seen such a high level of Genjutsu. I never felt anything influencing my chakra."


    Fujin said, "This isn''t Genjutsu. Instead, it is Fuinjutsu. It''ll ensure that the base is safe even when I am not here."


    Fujin''s response surprised them. None of them had ever seen Fuinjutsu in this way and to such a degree. In fact, some of them were still suspicious.


    Fujin said, "Anyway, enough small talk. Shigeki, are these the ones you wanted to recruit?"


    Shigeki nodded and said, "I managed to find 10 of the 13 I mentioned and found another friend who was banished from the vige a year ago."


    One by one, Shigeki introduced all 11 members. The members covered a lot of specializations. There were a couple of sensors and a decent medical ninja. At the end, he added, "Mitsuo and Hayato were formerly Jounins in our vige. The rest were Chunins."


    Fujin observed them properly and said, "Alright. Hayato and Mitsuo will be Captains. The rest will be Field Agents."


    Shigeki immediately realized, ''Shiden doesn''t think that they are strong enough to be considered Jounins in a major vige.''


    Hayato said, "While we have agreed to join, Shigeki said that we won''t learn any more information before we actually join you. We would like to hear the further details."


    Fujin nodded and said, "In order to be a member of the Phantom Haven Society, you have to ept the Phantom Seal. It will prevent you from ever leaking the secrets about the organization or your fellow members. At the same time, it will also give you some benefits."


    Hearing that a seal would be ced on them made them tense. Though Shigeki had impressed them with the Phantom Will, they didn''t share his trust in Fujin. Hayato asked, "How can you guarantee that you won''t harm us?"


    Fujin shrugged and said, "If I wanted to harm you, you''d all be dead. Regardless, I''m not forcing you. If you want to leave, you can. If you want to stay and achieve ourmon goals, then stay. Without the seal, the members of the Phantom Haven Society will be very vulnerable to spies from hidden viges. I can''t risk that. I hope you understand."


    Fujin''s words were very nonchnt. It was as if he didn''t care whether they stayed or not. It irked the Tanigakure ninjas. Mitsuo asked, "Don''t you care about helping the weak and the innocent?"


    Fujin replied, "I do. But I can''t force others to do so. After all, everyone wishes that the world would be at peace. However, how many actually do something about that wish? If I have to force someone to do it, then I''ll be better off without trying at all."


    In an instant, everyone suddenly remembered what Shigeki had exined to them about the Phantom Will. They understood why Fujin was nonchnt. It wasn''t that he didn''t care about the goal. Rather, he didn''t have any interest in forcing or pursuing anyone to work towards that goal. It would be rather pointless if he had to do that and the organization wouldn''t have many people who are truly dedicated to its goal.


    Everyone became quiet. The 11 ninjas Shigeki brought with him exchanged eye nces. Finally, Hayato stepped forward and said, "We are willing to join, but we need your help in getting justice for us like you helped Shigeki."


    Fujin shook his head and said, "I won''t help anyone get their revenge. If you join the Phantom Haven Society, then you won''t be allowed to use our members to get your revenge. While I won''t stop you if you were to go alone, you won''t be allowed to take anyone else with you, no matter how close you are."


    Fujin''s words surprised everyone. Considering that Shigeki had appeared to recruit them, they assumed that they would be able to put forth some demands. To their surprise, Fujin didn''t entertain any demands at all. It left them in a tough spot.


    They did agree with Phantom Will and hence followed Shigeki. However, they were more interested in how Fujin helped Shigeki get revenge and wanted to use his help as well. In addition, life as a rogue ninja was very difficult. If they were to get a safe haven where they could stay together and form a strong force, then their life would go much easier. So, their intentions weren''t entirely noble.


    However, Fujin''s words forced them into a corner. Fortunately, Fujin added, "Of course, if the one who you want to take revenge on does something that harms the innocent, then it would be a good reason for the Phantom Haven Society to make a move.


    However, the Phantom Haven Society will only move when there isn''t a grave danger to us. After all, we won''t be able to help anyone if we are dead. If your targets hide inside Tanigakure, you shouldn''t expect to get revenge any time soon. How soon you''ll be able to get revenge will depend on whether your target is actually a scum and how much effort you put into the Phantom Haven Society."


    Fujin''s words finally gave them hope. They exchanged nces and said at the same time, "We want to join the Phantom Haven Society."


    Fujin nodded. One by one, he applied the Phantom Seal on everyone. It failed once when the ninja resisted subconsciously, but was applied on the second try after Fujin exined it.


    Once the seal was applied, Hayato asked, "Shigen, now that we have joined you, I hope you can answer this question truthfully. Would you have really let us go if we had refused to ept the Phantom Seal?"


    Fujin chuckled and answered, "Why would I stop you? Besides, what will you even do with this information? Will you go out and tell the world that a guy who is supposed to be dead and a masked person wants to make an organization that aims to bring peace to this world?"


    Fujin''s words left everyone, including Shigeki, speechless. Fujin had instructed Shigeki to not mention the fact that he had created simr organizations to anyone else. So, for everyone apart from Shigeki, the Phantom Haven Society was merely a two-man organization. What was even the point of leaking this information?


    Hayato coughed and said, "Well, if you had be sessful in the future, we could have leaked the location of your base."


    Fujin waved his arms dismissively and said, "This is just a mini base. There are 3 other such bases in this valley. And that''s apart from our main base. If you guys had left and betrayed us in the future, all that would wee you would be a deadly trap. Even a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster wouldn''t have noticed the trap until it''s toote. While some ninjas could survive, you fellows would definitely have died."


    Once again, everyone was speechless. There was no need to think about how advanced that base was. All 12 of them would have died without any chance of resisting had Fujin wanted them dead. Heck, they wouldn''t even know how they died! And now they learnt that Fujin still had 3 more simr bases along with a main base that would have undoubtedly been much more advanced!


    Unknown to them, Fujin had initially nned just one mini base to act as a cover for any spies that infiltrated. However, on seeing how easy it was to create it, he created 3 more. After all, the more the merrier. If Hiruzen was here, he would have understood Fujin''s point of view.


    Fujin said, "That said, even though I built the bases, they are still very basic. You guys will need to do some construction. Come on in."


    Fujin entered the cave. The others quickly followed him in. As soon as they did, their eyes widened. Mitsuo muttered, "I never would have imagined that there would be something like this in the normal-looking valley!"


    In front of them was a massive base. Though its appearance was basic as everything was carved out of rocks and had no decorations whatsoever, the base in itself was extremely huge! They could easily house over a couple of hundred people inside the cave without making it seem crowded.


    While everyone was observing, Fujin said, "There isn''t much more to see here. I''ll let you guys handle the decorations and make this ce look more weing and amodating. I''ll inform you guyster how the seals here work and how you can use them in case someone somehow discovers the base and manages to forcefully enter. For now, let''s visit the main base."


    [A/N : Bonus chapter on next Sunday if the fic gets 1000 Power Stones. Bonus chapter on next week''s Saturday if the fic gets 2000 Power Stones.]


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 489: Phantom Haven Base & Possible Future Expansions

    Chapter 489: Phantom Haven Base & Possible Future Expansions


    [A/N : Hey guys. This chapter is Sponsored by Terrance Smith. You can thank him for the double release.]


    Fujin''s words caused the 12 members to feel excited. All of them knew how rare Fuinjutsu Grandmasters were. Even Major Viges would treasure them. To be able to control the seals created by a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster was a huge honor.


    In addition, everyone was anticipating how majestic the main base would be. Even though the mini base looked simple, none of them doubted that it would look grand once they improved the aesthetics. And, with all the protective seals along with the locations of the bases, they no longer had to worry about someone trying to hunt them.


    In a few minutes, the group reached the deepest point of the valley. Shigeki looked around. The ce looked exactly how it was when he and Fujin had gone there the first time. Everyone was looking around as well. Mitsuo asked, "So, where is the base hidden?"


    Fujin made the confrontation hand seal and said, "Watch your feet."


    In the next instant, the ground under their feet disappeared, surprising all 12 of them. Fortunately, they could see anotheryer of ground below them as they fell andnded safely on it. It was 25 meters deeper than thend they were standing on initially.


    Shigeki asked in surprise, "What was that?"


    Fujin answered, "A barrier. Look up."


    Everyone looked up. The sky looked normal. Suddenly, a brown appeared 25 meters above them. Fujin exined, "I created a barrier on the top of the base. As you saw, it looks just like the ground and stays consistent with the terrain. It also guards against all forms of sensory skills. So, it is impossible for anyone to sense anyone who is hiding in this base even if they are standing above it.


    Of course, if another Fuinjutsu Grandmaster appears here, then he or she might be able to find the barrier. I have prepared a few escape routes with several traps to slow down the enemies in that scenario. I''ll show themter."


    Everyone marvelled. They truly were speechless. Mitsuo muttered, "Even our vige isn''t this well protected."


    Hayato added, "Yeah. This is truly a hidden base. If anyone finds us here, then it only means that even the Gods want us dead!"


    Shigeki was more focused on the defense of the base as he would be the leader in Fujin''s absence. He asked, "Shiden, how strong is that barrier?"


    Fujin answered, "Not very strong. While normal animals and humans won''t be able to do anything to it, a few rank A jutsus will easily destroy the barrier. So will a bombardment from lower-ranked jutsus or even explosive tags. Of course, that is under normal circumstances.


    If you guys provide chakra to it, then it''ll be just slightly weaker than the Four Violet mes Formation. In that case, it''ll only be destroyed once you run out of chakra. Though it is weaker than the Four Violet mes Formation, it is more practical for our base.


    As many as eight people can provide chakra to the barrier and all eight will have to run out of chakra for the barrier to copse, unlike the Four Violet mes Formation. In addition, the people providing chakra to the barrier can be swapped with others inside the base. So, if our size growsrge enough, only something like a Tailed Beast Bomb or an assault by arge ninja army would break it.


    That said, once you provide chakra to the barrier, any decent sensor will be able to detect the barrier. So, don''t do it unless we are under attack.


    There is another thing you need to keep in mind. The brown 25 meters above us indicates that the barrier is active. If the brown doesn''t exist, it means that the barrier is turned off."


    The former Tanigakure ninjas just helplessly exchanged nces. They didn''t even know what to say. For a moment, they couldn''t help but wonder, ''Such level of preparation It''s as if he is preparing to take on all 5 major viges in this valley!''


    Fujin ignored their nces and added, "The barrier surrounds the base from all the other sides as well. It ends 100 meters under the ground from here,pletely enclosing the base. So, any construction you n on doing here can be done in two ways.


    One, on this ground, but it''ll be restricted in terms of height by the barrier above us. Alternatively, you can dig and carve buildings and houses in the ground but pay attention to venttion. I have already done so for the official building, the academy, library, training facilities, meditation center and staying quarters. Apart from the library and the meditation center you can make changes to the rest. Feel free to check out the base as much as you want to. Meet me in the library in half an hour."


    Fujin could feel that all of them were overwhelmed by the base. As a result, he decided to give them some time to cool down. Even though they were mature and hardened ninjas, it was a no-brainer for them to be surprised at seeing such a high level of Fuinjutsu. It was even more so for Shigeki who knew how barren the ce was merely 10 days ago!


    Hayato looked at Shigeki and asked, "Shigeki, how did you even meet this guy?"


    His question brought Shigeki out of his thoughts. He looked towards him and answered, "I was just lucky. When I was escaping from the ninjas Kanji sent, I ran into him. Otherwise, I would have long been dead."


    Hayato thought for a few seconds and replied with a sigh, "You were very lucky. When you approached us, I felt that you had gone insane. The only reason why I agreed toe with you was because Kanji was killed. However, with such an expert supporting us, the goal you spoke of isn''t merely a talk.


    At the very least, we should be able to maintain peace in the Land of Rivers when no Great Ninja Wars are happening. That said, moving beyond this country would be impossible. All of our neighbors have very strong armies and leaders."


    Shigeki nodded. The Land of Rivers was surrounded by the Land of Wind to the west, the Land of Fire to the east, the Land of Rain to the north and a sea to the south. Their respective hidden viges were in an entirely different league whenpared to Tanigakure.


    However, Shigeki wasn''t worried as he thought, ''This isn''t the only base. Shiden said that he has created several other such bases. So our responsibility should be only limited to this country. I''m sure he has his ns for the remaining countries as well.''


    Unfortunately for Shigeki, he would never know how much he was lied to by Shiden. That said, from Fujin''s perspective, the situation wasn''t that restricted. Once Nagato and Konan fell, the Land of Rain would no longer be as strong as it had been since Hanzo rose to power.


    If Fujin developed any intentions of expanding the Phantom Haven Society in the future and making it a formidable force, then he could expand to the north without stopping by creating bases in the Land of Rain, Land of Grass and finally the Land of Waterfall, who would have lost their only Jinchuriki by then.


    If that happened, then the Phantom Haven Society would stand directly between the Land of Fire and the Lands of Wind and Earth, bing the new but hidden buffer zone. Of course, Fujin would need to create another simr organization to create bases in the countries between the Land of Fire and the Land of Lightning to spread his influence further and potentially raise a force greater than any of the 5 major viges.


    That said, it was a matter for the future. For the time being, Fujin''s attention was focused only on the events leading up to the Fourth Great Ninja War. Until Kaguya''s threat was resolved, he didn''t see any point in making ns for the time beyond it.


    The group spent some time looking around the base. It was muchrger than the mini base as it covered the entire ne in the deepestyer of the valley. The academy Fujin had constructed could hold more than a thousand students. The living quarters were evenrger. The training facilities were inspired by Anbu Training facilities though there weren''t any elemental training rooms.


    As such, the base would have no issue in holding close to ten thousand people if managed well. The only real drawback was that there wasn''t much space for things that would need a lot of space. For instance, there were no training grounds inside the base. However, that wasn''t much of an issue as the entire valley outside the base could be used as Training grounds.


    Another issue was that there were no farnds. While it wasn''t an issue for the time being thanks to the wildlife in the valley, food would need to be bought inrge quantities once the poption inside the base increased. It could raise some suspicions. Fortunately, there was abundant drinking water in the valley.


    After looking around the base for a while and making some ns about future renovations and aesthetics, the 12 Phantom members walked towards the Library, where Fujin was waiting for them.


    Once everyone arrived, Fujin nced at everyone and said, "I''ll now exin to you guys my ns for this base and what you need to do."

 Chapter 490: Plans and Arrangements!

    Chapter 490: ns and Arrangements!


    [A/N: Saturday''s bonus chapter.]


    Everyone became serious upon hearing Fujin''s words. At the same time, they were curious as well.


    Fujin exined, "As I told Shigeki, I won''t be staying here frequently. In my absence, Shigeki will be the leader here. As such, the rest of you need to follow his instructions."


    No one opposed it. They were quite familiar with Shigeki and didn''t have an issue in working under him. In fact, they preferred it to working under an unknown person like Fujin.


    Fujin continued, "Once I leave, you''ll have to focus on 4 tasks. The first one is obviously making this base and the mini bases more hospitable. As for the details, I''ll leave it under your capable hands. You can visit nearby viges and towns to buy whatever you need. Just make sure to hide your identity and don''t let anyone trail you."


    Shigeki asked, "Will you be providing us with mary support? Though we do have some money, I doubt any of us has enough to undertake such a huge project."


    The others agreed with Shigeki. While they each had some money due to being rogue ninjas and bounty hunters, none were very rich. To their relief, Fujin nodded and tossed a scroll to Shigeki.


    He said, "This scroll has over 41 million Ryo. I had arranged 25 million Ryo initially. However, I met a few bandits and rogue ninjas who were willing to ''donate'' to our just cause."


    Everyone had a weird expression on their faces. They all understood what ''donate'' implied.


    Fujin ced a few more scrolls on the rocky table he was leaning against and said, "These scrolls contain weapons that those kind souls donated. Put them to good use. Anyway, returning to our topic, the second task you''ll handle is creating an informationwork.


    Needless to say, these informants won''t be members of Phantom Haven. So, no need to exin our goals or to give them much information. Just pay them and treat them as employees. Retain or rece them based on how useful they are.


    You can use civilians or rogue ninjas who have a good reputation for this purpose. If any rogue ninja shares our values and goals, then we could recruit him or her in the future. You could divide yourselves into teams to handle these two tasks at the same time. You can start with the third task only after the first two areplete."


    Shigeki interrupted Fujin and asked, "Shiden, which areas should our informationwork cover?"


    Fujin replied, "Every ce except the Hidden Viges. We can''t keep an eye on them without attracting a heavy bacsh. So leave them be."


    Fujin''s words surprised everyone. Shigeki said, "But, we are surrounded by strong countries. We won''t be able to do anything in their territory even if something happens."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Yes, we won''t be. But that doesn''t mean that we should stay oblivious to the atrocities happening there. Our informationwork will cover the entire world. I believe that our efforts will be very sessful in the Land of Rivers. It might make us feel content and satisfied.


    However, the information about the atrocities happening in the rest of the world is what we need to remind ourselves that there is still a lot more that we need to do. We need to know what else is happening in the world to give us the motivation to make ourselves strong enough that one day we might be able to make a difference for those helpless people as well!"


    Fujin''s little motivational speech immediately inspired and motivated them. None of them had thought from this angle. In fact, they would be extremely satisfied as long as they made the Land of Rivers a safe ce!


    Hayato looked at Fujin in disbelief and thought, ''I can''t believe such a kind person exists. With his capabilities, he can easily live a peaceful life anywhere he wants to and yet he wants to do so much!''


    Just like Hayato, the rest of them were touched as well. Fujin was satisfied with their reaction. He continued, "The third task is to use this information to rescue the people who are being attacked by bandits or rogue ninjas. Until I say so, we won''t engage in a conflict against a hidden vige. The tasks we undertake will only be the ones we are sure toplete without any loss. As I said earlier, we need to stay alive to do good work.


    Anyway, if you manage to kill the bandits or the rogue ninjas, you will confiscate their money and weapons. What you confiscate has to be handed to Shigeki, who will be handling the finances. The money will be used for our operations or to help the affected people rebuild their viges and homes.


    During these rescue missions, if you find any kids who are orphans and have the talent to be a ninja, you will give them the opportunity to join the Phantom Haven Society. If any parents want to send their kids who have the talent to be ninjas to us, you can ept them as well. However, let the parents and the kids know that they might not ever see each other again. If they still agree, only then ept them.


    Your fourth andst task is to guide those kids. Raise them to be splendid ninjas in the future who believe in the Phantom Will. Though we have good intentions, changing the fate of the world wouldn''t be possible in just one or two generations. They will have a far bigger role to y aspared to us.


    Of course, since you''ll be teaching the kids, only recruit as many kids as you can train properly and bond with. If you recruit too many, not only will you guys be exhausted, but the kids will also feel abandoned. I don''t want to see that happening. Is this understood?"


    Everyone began thinking. After some time, Mitsuo asked, "But, if we do this, won''t we be doing just the job that the hidden viges do? The only difference is that instead of getting paid, we do it for free and help everyone."


    Fujin answered, "In a sense, but not exactly. In truth, every hidden vige has the power to eliminate all bandits and most of the rogue ninjas in their country. They just don''t because these bandits bring in jobs for their ninjas and help run the economy of the ninja viges. After all, who will be hiring ninjas if the world is peaceful?


    We don''t need to think about that. Once our strength grows, we will be sweeping through all bandits and rogue ninjas in this country. What we do after that will depend on how Tanigakure reacts when they don''t get many mission requests."


    Fujin''s words forced everyone to think. Suddenly, they all understood the implications of creating such an organization. They immediately realized how Tanigakure would react if they suddenly stopped getting mission requests!


    The vige would stop receiving funding soon if that happens. As a result, the interests of all forces in the vige would be harmed. They would immediately begin investigating the reason behind such happenings. They might even resort to creating fake bandit groups and rogue ninjas to create trouble so that they get missions. It might put them at direct odds against the Phantom Haven Society.


    Everyone nodded solemnly. They understood that they might have to sh with the mighty hidden vige in the future. However, there was also a sense of excitement as everyone other than Shigeki had someone they wanted to kill from Tanigakure.


    What none of them saw was that such a development could lead to other hidden viges bing wary due to such a development. They might aid Tanigakure in eliminating the Phantom Haven Society. Only Fujin saw this threat, but he wasn''t concerned as it was highly unlikely that the Phantom Haven Society would be that strong anytime soon.


    Shigeki nodded and said, "Alright. We understand. We will do the best we can while keeping ourselves safe."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Good. I''ll now exin my ns on how to raise and guide the kids we recruit. Does any of you have any experience in guiding young children?"


    Everyone exchanged nces. After a minute, one guy said, "None of us have taught in the Academy. However, all of us have some experience in guiding Genins."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Alright. But guiding Genins and guiding untrained kids arepletely different. I have created training ns and noted them down in scrolls which I will leave with Shigeki for you to refer to in the future. For now, make yourselffortable. It will take quite some time to exin everything."


    Everyone sat on seats that were made of rocks as well. Fujin exined all his ns on how to train the kids. The n was quite simr to how children were raised in Konoha''s academy but with quite a few changes. For starters, the focus was very heavily inclined towards practical andbat skills instead of theory. The n was created aiming to make every dedicated student as strong as a Chunin before they turned 12.


    Unlike Konoha, which had only implemented a part of Fujin''s rmendations, Fujin intended to implement everything here from the word go. The academy inside this remote valley would be the first in the entire ninja world to have clubs and offer specializations to every student despite being the youngest and having ess to the lowest amount of resources.

 Chapter 491: A Killing Zone

    Chapter 491: A Killing Zone


    After exining all the details regarding how to raise the kids, Fujin added, "The two ces I said that you shouldn''t try to modify are this library and the meditation center. I have inscribed several seals in the meditation center, making meditation much more effective than normal. You will have them practice the Leaf Concentration exercise in the meditation room. You guys can use it for meditation as well.


    As for this library, I have stored hundreds of scrolls in here to help the kids. They cover almost every field that a student needs. There will also be some stuff that you might find useful."


    Once again, everyone was surprised. To build a library that covers every aspect and could even help the veteran ninjas It implied that either the person who built the library was incredibly knowledgeable or that he had stolen the scrolls from the library of a hidden vige!


    Needless to say, Fujin had copied most of the information from Konoha''s library. That said, he was extremely careful about it. He had only copied a very small amount of scrolls and he focused on the jutsus that weremonly used in every major vige to ensure that no suspicions would be cast on him and no members would be able to guess where he came from. He didn''t copy any jutsus that were only used by Konoha ninjas.


    The ce where Fujin and the rest were sitting was just the lobby. There were several doors surrounding it. In addition, there was a staircase going to the underground floors. Fujin pointed at the doors one by one and said, "This room has a range of rank E jutsu scrolls in it. It covers all elements.


    This room has rank D jutsus. This room has basic information on other fields, such as Fuinjutsu, Sensor, Medical Ninjutsu and some other basic stuff. That said, I couldn''t get a lot of scrolls on medical ninjutsu. Hayato, since you are a healer, you will be tasked with going through the avable information and adding more if you can."


    Hayato nodded and said, "Leave it to me."


    Fujin continued, "As for thest room, it is empty for now. Everyone, including the students you recruit, can ess any scrolls on this floor. However, the underground floors will be restricted as per ranks.


    The first underground floor has several rank C jutsus and can be essed by Field Agents. The second underground floor has several rank B jutsus and can be essed by Captains. Above the Captain ranks are Commanders and above them are Special Elites. Commanders can ess the third underground floor which currently has very few rank A jutsus. Special Elites can ess thest underground floor which is supposed to have rank S and forbidden techniques but is empty as of now.


    While I won''t be here to monitor the library, I have inscribed several seals that will keep track of who uses which floors. I hope that none of you or the ones who you recruit break these rules.


    That said, there is no need to be extremely strict with this. For instance, if a captain feels that a particr rank B jutsu will be extremely useful for a field agent, then he can teach the jutsu to him or ask Shigeki to allow him to read that scroll.


    Simrly, students who show excellent talent can either be rewarded with a visit to the first underground floor to select one jutsu or the teachers could directly give them the jutsus that could help them be much stronger. The same applies to all ranks.


    Another important aspect is that I alone can''tpletely fill up this library. So, if any of you know a jutsu that isn''t in this library, then you can create proper scrolls for them and add them to the library. For example, I''m sure that the number of water jutsus in this library will be far inferior to what you had ess to in Tanigakure. So, you could add those water jutsus in the library. This would help us slowly improve the library and make it as good as the ones in the major ninja viges."


    Everyone pondered on Fujin''s words. After some time, everyone nodded in satisfaction one by one. Even though Fujin had restricted ess depending on the ranks, he still provided everyone ess to several jutsus. They just needed to see if there were any jutsus that would be helpful to them. Not to mention, Fujin still had left a way for them to get ess to higher-level jutsus.


    In a manner of speaking, all of them were getting a lot of benefits from Fujin without having contributed anything. Fujin knew about it. His initial n was to introduce a contribution point system and only give the benefits once a member has contributed towards the growth of Phantom Haven Society.


    Unfortunately, creating such a system was an extremely difficult task. Even more difficult was ensuring that the system was implemented properly. Without him personally looking over it, the system wouldn''t have functioned properly and could have created discord among the members. As a result, Fujin decided to scrap the idea and directly gave the benefits.


    Of course, it wasn''t without its positives. It would help the members get stronger at a faster speed. And, it could even make them more loyal to Fujin considering how selfless he had been with them. On the other hand, there was a risk of them getting more greedy and trying to demand more from Fujinter on. It was why Fujin didn''t entertain any demands of getting revenge.


    After some time, Mitsuo asked, "How can we be promoted up the ranks?"


    Fujin exined, "Just be stronger. Shigeki will be responsible for Field Agent and Captain promotions. Commander and Special Elites promotions will be handed just by me. Shigeki can exin the detailster on."


    Mitsuo nodded. The others asked a few more queries which were resolved by Fujin. Once all the queries were resolved, Fujin became busy in exining how they could utilize the seals and barriers he had left in the bases.


    He first showed them how to provide their chakra to the barrier to strengthen it in case there was an attack on the base. He taught Shigeki how to activate and deactivate the barrier for the main base. He spent the remaining day exining to them about other arrangements he had left in the main base.


    The next day, he did the same for the four mini-bases. He also provided Shigeki with several scrolls with instructions in case they forgot any details.


    Finally, it was time to leave. Fujin had spent 12 days in the Land of Rivers. Adding the two days he had spentpleting his missions, he had been away from Konoha for two weeks.


    Fujin said, "I''ll take my leave now. Shigeki, I''ll leave this base in your capable hands. Once again, if you rescue or recruit someone, remember to only show them one of the mini bases. They will only be allowed in the main base after the Phantom Seal is applied."


    Shigeki nodded and said, "Don''t worry, I remember. Could I know when you''ll return?"


    Thest time Fujin had asked him to wait, he had to wait for close to 3 years. He was hoping that Fujin didn''t repeat the same thing. Fujin could see his concern and answered, "I can''t say for sure. If luck is good, then within 2 months. In the worst case scenario, I''lle to visit in around 4 months."


    Shigeki nodded and said, "Alright. I''ll take good care of this base until then."


    Fujin nodded. He said, "Unlikest time, I won''t leave you without any means ofmunication. Here, take these."


    Fujin handed Shigeki several tags with different colors and said, "These tags can be used to convey certain messages to me. You just need to insert your chakra into them. The green one will convey that you have recruited a group and brought them to one of the mini bases. The blue one will convey that one of the mini bases has reached full capacity and you start using a second mini base. The golden one will convey that you are facing financial issues. The purple one will convey that there is an argument among the members of the Phantom Haven Society that you can''t resolve. The orange one will convey that the Phantom Haven Society is facing danger while operating outside. The red one will convey that the mini bases are under assault. And, the ck one will convey that the main base itself is under attack."


    Shigeki immediately understood the importance of the tags. He didn''t understand how Fujin created them, but he didn''t dwell upon it much. After all, Fujin was the only Grandmaster he had ever interacted with. The tags were made on a simr principle to the tag Fujin had created earlier which sent a message by bursting into mes. Only this time, instead of burning the corrted tag, it would just release some energy for Fujin to detect and form a symbol on it to indicate that the corresponding tag had been activated.


    Fujin was satisfied with his response. He said, "Good luck."


    In front of the 12 members of the Phantom Haven Society, Fujin disappeared. A look of surprise appeared on their faces. Mitsuo asked, "Was that Fuinjutsu as well?"


    Shigeki shook his head and said, "No. His speed is otherworldly. I have never seen anyone move as fast as him."


    The others were surprised that it was just pure speed. It made Fujin''s impression even stronger. They decided to rest for a bit before starting what would be a rather arduous task.


    As for Fujin, he turned around and nced at the valley as he left. A thought appeared in his mind, ''Though I had initially just nned on creating a base here, this valley is perhaps my best killing zone! The number of Flying Thunder God Marks I left there is probably greater than the number of seals on my house. Once my teleporting range increases to around 15 kilometers, I can solo any army that dares to step inside here. Of course, that might also give away my identity. Oh well I wonder if I''d ever use this killing zone''


    [A/N: Next chapter: A Surprise]


    [A/N : Bonus chapter on next Sunday if the fic gets 1000 Power Stones. Bonus chapter on next week''s Saturday if the fic gets 2000 Power Stones.]


    -----------------------------------


    Thank You The Reverse sh for supporting me through UPI

 Chapter 492: A Surprise

    Chapter 492: A Surprise


    Since his mission was supposed to be close to the Land of Grass, Fujin had to move back to that location and then make his way back to Konoha in order to avoid any suspicions in case something happened on that route. This time, he travelled inside the Land of Rivers and moved North while leaving his Flying Thunder God at regr intervals. While making his way to the Land of Rivers, he had done the same on the opposite side of the border.


    As he moved, he sensed a few ninjas every once in a while but ignored them. His mind was still busy thinking about whether he missed any important detail while building the Phantom Haven Society and whether he could do something more to strengthen it.


    After some time, he concluded, ''There is nothing I can think of that I missed. Everything now will depend on the sincerity of the ones I recruited. If they decide to ck off, there is little I can do. That said, Shigeki was affected quite a lot by the Phantom Will. Hopefully, this issue won''t ur. If there are any bad apples, I''ll need toe up with a scheme to eliminate them.


    The one shoring that Phantom Haven will have is ack of high-levelbatants. Shigeki should reach the Elite Jounin level soon even though his chakra levels aren''t sufficiently high. However, apart from him, others don''t even qualify to be called Jounins.


    Not to mention, even when Shigeki bes an Elite Jounin, he''ll be one of the weaker ones. There is not a lot I can think of to improve his strength after he masters Pressure Damage and des of Wind jutsus without giving him any ssified jutsus


    I guess I''ll give him the Ice Kekkei Genkai book that I received from the Land of Frost. If he seeds in merging the Wind and Water elementspletely, then his strength will increase immensely. Though he still might not reach rank S, fending off weaker rank S like Kitsuchi or perhaps even Darui shouldn''t be much of an issue.


    Unfortunately, mastering a Kekkei Genkai is extremely difficult. All the information in the book is about failed attempts. So, this method has a very low chance. Should I try to recruit a rogue Elite Jounin to increase top-levelbatants? But who?''


    There weren''t many rogue Elite Jounins. The ones who existed were almost all recruited into the Akatsuki. The worst part was that most of them had already died! Needless to say, Kakuzu was the one who killed the most.


    Fujin analyzed, ''The only ones I can think of are Zabuza, Raiga and the Six-Tail Jinchuriki, Utakata. Unfortunately, all of them are rather difficult to deal with. I might be able to convince Utakata, but Akatsuki is hunting the Jinchurikis. It could directly expose the base in the future. It''s too risky.


    However, Zabuza and Raiga''s personalities don''t suit the Phantom Haven Society. Not to mention, Zabuza''s goal is still Kirigakure. If I recruit them, then it might result in a conflict within the society. Without me being there to manage them, it''ll be too risky. Unless I can create a second organization with morales that suit them. However''


    A bitter smile appeared behind Fujin''s mask. It was too much work. He had to spend long hours and had dozens of Shadow Clones wrecking their brains toe up with every arrangement for Phantom Haven Society. To do something that might be even moreplicated would take a lot of time.


    Fujin let out a sigh and decided, ''Screw it. There is no point in spending so much time on an organization. Even in Phantom Haven Society, my interference has to be minimal. In this world, the only thing that matters the most is the strength that you have. If I were to be as strong as Hashirama or Madara, or better yet the Sage of the Six Paths, would it matter if I have 10 ninjas under me or 10 million?


    I can''t dedicate any more time to the organization than I already have. As long as it gathers sufficient information, I''ll be satisfied. If I happen toe across any talented ninja or someone with a Kekkei Genkai or a secret technique who is worth recruiting, then I''ll recruit them. Beyond that, my contribution to the Phantom Haven Society will be limited to finances, jutsus and a bit of management.''


    Having made his decision, Fujin began freely changing his appearance to decide what his third identity would look like, what his name should be, what mask he should wear, his back story and so on. Unlike his organizations, this identity was far more crucial for Fujin. It would be what he''ll be using to wreak havoc in the ninja world!


    After some time, Fujin finally decided on his disguise. He wore a Demon mask that was painted in red and ck. His build was lean but quite tall, at nearly 7 feet. It was hidden behind a long ck cloak which Fujin intended to inscribe hundreds of seals on to assist in battle. Just like Shiden, this identity didn''t wear any headband either.


    After deciding on the appearance, Fujin thought, ''What name should I give this iden?''


    Fujin suddenly stopped and jumped backwards. Several shurikens rained down on his previous location. Fujin looked forward and four ninjas appeared against him. He wondered, ''What the hell? I ignored them and they still came to find trouble with me? Besides, what do Amegakure ninjas want in the Land of Rivers? I''m still quite some distance from the Land of Rains.''


    Fujin was indeed surprised. He didn''t expect anyone to attack him without any provocation. Even more surprising was the fact that the attackers were from Amegakure and not Tanigakure.


    The leader among the four Amegakure ninjas instructed authoritatively, "Take off your mask!"


    Fujin asked in a taunting tone, "Sure and what else? Should I write my autobiography as well?"


    Fujin''s voice was incredibly deep. It was the voice he would use with his third identity. He thought, ''Oh well, though I wasn''t expecting a fight, these four aren''t very weak. The lead ninja should be a Jounin while the other three are close to Elite Chunin level, though they might be Jounins in Ame. It should be good for my first fight with Lightning jutsus.''


    Fujin''s taunt annoyed the four Ame ninjas. The leader said, "One of our ninjas stole important documents and escaped into the Land of Rivers. We need to check everyone to ensure that he doesn''t escape from under our noses."


    Fujin once again taunted, "Why would someone like that run in this direction instead of escaping?"


    The leader arrogantly replied, "It doesn''t matter. If you don''t want to die, take off your mask. Otherwise, meet your doom!"


    He thought, ''Who does this bastard think he is to be so arrogant? I would have let him go initially, but now, even if he takes off his mask, I''ll use him of using Transformation jutsu and kill him. Considering the speed he was moving, he should be at Jounin level. So, he should be having a lot of money or other valuables.''


    To his surprise, Fujin chuckled and replied, "Guess I want to die then."


    The leader snorted and pulled out a small vajra-shaped object. He shouted, "Kill him!"


    Immediately, the three Ame ninjas got into action while the leader followed them. Fujin didn''t make the first move as he wanted to test his prowess with Lightning Release. There wouldn''t be much point if he eliminated them in the blink of an eye. However, he couldn''t help but shake his head and think, ''In this world, when there are so many people who can kill you in the blink of an eye, why do you want to butt your heads with someone confident enough to face you? Even Hanzo and Nagato won''t be able to guarantee my dea''


    Fujin''s eyes suddenly widened as he noticed the weapon in the leader''s hands. A de of pure electrical energy that glowed yellow appeared from the vajra-like object. It turned out that it was just the hilt of the sword.


    Fujin quickly dodged the iing attacks while thinking, ''This guy has Tobirama''s sword? No wonder he was this cocky. Hehehe, what luck! I never imagined that I would get a suitable sword so easily for this identity!''


    Fujin did research on Tobirama''s de of the Thunder Spirit while he was in the academy. From what he recalled, the sword was stolen only a few years before Naruto graduated. So, he wanted to steal it from the ones who would attempt to steal itter. Unfortunately, the information from his memories didn''t match up.


    The de of the Thunder Spirit had been missing since Tobirama''s death. Konoha always guessed that it fell in Kumogakure''s hands. However, a couple of decadester in the Second Great Ninja War, this sword was in the possession of an Ame Jounin who was a close aide of Hanzo. Due to Hanzo''s existence, Konoha couldn''t retrieve the sword.


    Fujin had given up on the sword as well as he knew that there was an entity far more dangerous than Hanzo in the Land of Rain. In fact, he had pretty much forgotten about it. He never expected that an Ame Jounin would bring him such a valuable gift.


    A grin appeared behind his mask as he thought, ''I thought he was stupid. How ungrateful of me. This guy is even more generous than Hiruzen.''


    As Fujin kept dodging, the Ame ninja with the sword appeared in front of Fujin and swung the sword vertically. A grin appeared on his face as he shouted, "DIE!"


    To his surprise, Fujin raised his right arm and caught the sword with his right hand. A grin appeared on the ninja''s face as a massive current electrocuted Fujin! A painful scream escaped Fujin''s mouth as he was assaulted by innumerable electric shocks!


    [A/N : Bonus chapter on next Sunday if the fic gets 1000 Power Stones. Bonus chapter on next week''s Saturday if the fic gets 2000 Power Stones.]


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 493: Blade of the Thunder Spirit

    Chapter 493: de of the Thunder Spirit


    Seeing Fujin in pain, the grin grew wider on the Ame ninja''s face. His teammates grinned as well. He said, "That''s the price you pay for your arrogance. Finish him!"


    His subordinates quickly moved to finish Fujin off like they had killed innumerable other ninjas using the samebination attack. Dozens of shurikens wereunched at Fujin''s vital organs and neck.


    To their surprise, Fujin suddenly stopped screaming and said in a mischievous tone that didn''t suit his deep voice, "Just kidding"


    At that very instant, three lightning spears suddenly shot out from where Fujin was standing. The sudden development caught everyone off guard. In the blink of an eye, the lightning spears had knocked off all iing shurikens and stabbed through the hearts of the three Ame ninjas. All fell dead without any struggle.


    While the Lightning spears wereunched, Fujin thought, ''I guess I have finalized the name and the backstory of this identity. I wonder who would be the first one to hear this bullshit story, hehehe.''


    The leader''s eyes widened. Fujin let go of the sword and the Ame Jounin immediately retreated away from Fujin. Fujin looked at him and said, "Second Hokage''s de of the Thunder Spirit. That''s a rather impressive weapon. Whether you join your subordinates or not depends on whether or not you are able to impress me."


    Fujin thought, ''While I barely recall this sword, I have no recollection of what the skills of this sword are The scroll in the library only mentioned the ability to shock others and to cut through chakra. But, if the ability is so lousy, then it wouldn''t be a weapon that a Hokage would use. I hope he can showcase some skill.''


    While Fujin was thinking casually, the Ame Jounin was terrified! Fear was visible on his face. He thought, ''How was he able to endure the electric shocks? Who is he? And how did he kill 3 Jounins in the blink of an eye? Even I wouldn''t be able to do that!''


    The Ame Jounin waspletely on guard. All his attention was focused on Fujin. He didn''t dare to make the first move again. Instead, he asked, "Who are you? What do you want?"


    Fujin replied, "No one famous, I guess. I used to go by the name Akuro. As for what I want, I was just passing by until you fellows decided to stop me."


    The Ame Jounin was even more confused. He wondered, ''Used to go by? What does he mean by that? Also, was he really just passing by? No way. He should have some goal in mind.''


    He quickly said, "My vige is led by a God and an Angel. If you attack me, God will judge and kill you."


    Fujin replied, "Eh, a God and an Angel descended into this world? Alright. I''ll go pay them a visitter. As for you, do you want to join your subordinates or do you want to fight for your life?"


    The Ame Jounin''s mood became even worse on being looked down so much. He shouted, "Don''t underestimate me! Lightning Dragon!"


    He swung his sword towards Fujin. Arge amount of lightning was unleashed from the sword. It took the form of a Dragon and dived towards Fujin at a fast speed. At the same time, he opened an umbre andunched a rain of poisonous needles towards Fujin.


    To his surprise, Fujin once again extended his left arm forward and stopped the Lightning Dragon''s head with his left palm! In less than a second, the entire dragon hit Fujin''s palm, but he stayed still. The Lightning Dragon dissipated, leaving only a few Lightning charges around Fujin''s palm.


    The Ame Jounin wondered, ''Is he immune to Lightning? But how can that be? In terms of destruction, nothinges close to Lightning. Especially when ites from this sword. How do I fight him?''


    Fujin saw the iing needle rain and just waved his left palm. All the Lightning he had absorbed from the Lightning Dragon was released and formed an Electric Field in front of him. It blocked or deflected every needle heading towards him.


    Having no other choice, the Ame Jounin attacked once again. He swung his sword but aimed it at the sky instead of Fujin.


    ''Lightning Release: Lightning Crows jutsu''


    Arge amount of Lightning was unleashed once again. It reached around 50 meters above the ground. Around a hundred small crows made of Lightning were formed. Each one of them dived towards Fujin.


    The Ame Jounin quickly weaved hand seals while the Lightning Crows were diving towards Fujin.


    ''Water Release: Exploding Water Colliding Wave jutsu''


    He spat out arge amount of water creating huge waves. Without waiting to see how the jutsus worked, he turned around and began escaping.


    Fujin observed the attack and analyzed, ''Weird... Very weird The amount of chakra he is using doesn''t match the amount of chakra it should take to form such arge jutsus. His chakra consumption should have been ten times higher. Does the sword have an amplification effect?


    If so, I can see why Tobirama used this sword. He was famous for his water jutsus. Using this sword, he could seamlessly use the Water-Lightningbination jutsus. Not to mention, his chakra consumption will be much less. In a war, this could be the deciding factor between victory and death.''


    When Fujin had just be a Genin, his favorite battle tactic was staying in the background and forcing his opponents to consume all their chakra. While he used that tactic more because he was subconsciously afraid to put himself at greater risk, this tactic was disgustingly effective against opponents who had lesser chakra. As such, he could easily see how much benefit the sword would be in a war.


    This time, Fujin raised both his palms which were covered in Lightning.


    ''Lightning Release: Lightning Vortex jutsu''


    Fujin released several Lightning charges which began spinning at a rapid speed forming a Lightning Vortex. It was a defensive jutsu that Fujin had created by himself.


    The Lightning Crows mmed into the Lightning Vortex in four waves. As soon as the crows entered the vortex, they would be unstable and dissolve back into pure lightning and be absorbed by the vortex. As a result, the Lightning Vortex kept getting stronger!


    Once the bombardment stopped, Fujin controlled the vortex and mmed it as well as his hands into the ground.


    ''Lightning Release: Lightning Rage jutsu''


    In a moment, a stwave of Lightning was unleashed towards the iing water wave. As strong as the water jutsu was, Fujin''s jutsu was strengthened by the Lightning Crow jutsu unleashed with the help of the sword. As a result, the two jutsus were atpletely different levels! The stwave of Lightning tore through the water wave,pletely dispersing it in different directions!


    Fujin let out a sigh and muttered, "How disappointing"


    A senbon appeared in Fujin''s left hand. Fujin''s lightning chakra began flowing through the needle as he threw it towards the Ame Jounin who was escaping.


    As he escaped, the Ame Jounin turned around to see what the loud noise was. His eyes widened as he saw his water jutsu getting sted away mercilessly! Suddenly, he noticed a small shiny object surrounded by blue sparks piercing through several trees. Before he could react, the lightning-charged senbon pierced through his heart!


    His eyes widened in disbelief. He looked towards his chest as his jacket was being dyed red with his blood. As he lost his footing and dropped to the ground from the branches he was running on, he looked forward and saw the lightning-charged senbon continuing forward while piercing several more trees until it escaped beyond what he could observe.


    A few secondster, his eyes closed as he followed his three subordinates into the afterlife. Fujin flickered next to him and took the sword hilt from his hands.


    Fujin observed the Vajra-shaped hilt and inserted some chakra into the sword. Once again, a Thunder de appeared. Fujin observed the de as he continued analyzing, ''That said, though it can be used to conserve chakra, it isn''t strong enough to create an impact in any other way in a fight between rank S ninjas.


    Then again, even though Tobirama lost this sword during his death, he didn''t leak the correct methods of using this sword as the scroll in the library said. Those should be with Hiruzen or Danzo. Even though Amegakure had this sword for some time, they shouldn''t have unlocked all its secrets. If that is the case, then it might have more secrets.


    Oh well, let me see what this generous fellow knows.''


    Fujin ced his palm on the Ame Jounin''s head and began reading his memories.


    [A/N: There is very little information about this sword as it only appeared in one filler (and apparently a gameter on). So its applications will alle from me. If you guys have some cool ideas for this sword''s power, feel free to drop them in thements (though nothing too overpowered). I''ll use them if I like it :) ]


    [A/N : Bonus chapter on next Sunday if the fic gets 1000 Power Stones. Bonus chapter on next week''s Saturday if the fic gets 2000 Power Stones.]


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 494: Learning a Strong jutsu

    Chapter 494: Learning a Strong jutsu


    [A/N : Hey guys. This chapter is Sponsored by Zero1995. You can thank him for the double release.]


    After reading his memories, Fujin analyzed, ''I see. So Nagato has already killed and reced Hanzo quite some time ago. The Land of Rains is officially a forbidden ce from now onwards. Though I should be able to escape from the Six Pains, there is no need to risk confrontation with him as of now.


    Anyway, it looks like the Lightning Dragon and the Lightning Crows were the two strongest jutsus this guy could use with the help of this sword. Still, this guy


    The sword was given to him by Hanzo after the previous wielder died. To think that he would betray Hanzo and beg Pain to allow him to serve him instead. Should I consider him traitorous or just a smart guy to leave the sinking ship? Hmm, probably the former. He wouldn''t have attacked me if he was that smart.


    Oh well, it''s good that Ame at least did some research on this sword. When they first got it, they could only use it to cut through chakra and zap anyone by physically touching the sword to them. That would have been borderline useless in a battle at my level.''


    Fujin stopped providing chakra to the sword and the Thunder de disappeared. Fujin stored it in one of the storage seals he had inscribed on his right forearm. He cremated the Ame Jounin''s body and buried the ash deep into the ground as usual and left the area. As for the other 3 bodies, Fujin didn''t particrly care. After all, they barely saw anything before dying.


    As Fujin left, he analyzed, ''Though I have this sword, I might still need to get a couple more made of chakra metal. The de of the Thunder Spirit, though good, is in elemental form. I''m not used to such a sword.


    I''ll need to test how this sword will perform against a normal sword that has chakra flow charged with different elements. If it doesn''t work against Wind or Lightning chakra flow, then using it for defense will be suicidal.


    That said, using this sword as a medium for using long and mid-range Lightning jutsus will be very useful. If I can''t settle a fight quickly against an opponent who is about as strong as me, then I should use this sword to conserve my chakra. Oh well, I''ll experiment with thister and decide what to do.''


    Fujin quickly moved towards Konoha, changing his appearance back to Fujin once he entered deep into the Land of Fire. A dayter, he reached Konoha without any other incident. He visited Shichiro and reported thepleted missions before returning back to his house.


    After returning, Fujin thought, ''So what should I do now? Should I continue with the Flying Thunder God training? Or should I continue with what I started in the valley?''


    Fujin thought for a bit before deciding, ''I have been training the Flying Thunder God non-stop for quite some time. I''m developing some fatigue. I guess it''ll be good to take some time off that jutsu and focus on others. I guess it''s time to finally master this''


    Fujin raised his right palm and began releasing chakra. It began rotating and Immediately formed a Rasengan. Immediately, Fujin began infusing Wind chakra into the Rasengan. Slowly, Wind began revolving at a very high speed around the Rasengan. Four very small de-like shapes appeared around the Rasengan, spinning rapidly around it.


    Fujin looked at the chakra ball and thought, ''I knew that my affinity to Wind is high, but I never imagined that it would be so ridiculously high. Thanks to the Shadow Clone trick, I managed to infuse Wind Chakra sessfully into the Rasengan with an hour of practice back in that valley. However, my clones managed to infuse the Wind Chakra into the Rasengans without the aid of any other Shadow Clone on the second day of training itself. To think that I would learn Wind Release: Rasengan so quickly without needing any clones to assist me''


    Fujin slowly dispelled the jutsu without letting it explode. A breeze appeared inside his house, but thanks to Fujin''s control, no damage urred. However, Fujin''s breathing became rougher.


    He analyzed, ''That said, the chakra needed for this jutsu is beyond ridiculous! And this is just the Wind Release: Rasengan. Rasenshuriken will still require even more chakra.


    Though I spent 5 days training there, I couldn''t actually train a lot due to how chakra-intensive this training is. That said, I could only spend half my chakra back in the valley as I needed the other half in case something happened. This time, I''ll consume the soldier pill and have my Shadow Clones train 5 days straight.


    Not to mention, I have another issue to handle. While creating this jutsu shouldn''t be a tough task for me, actually mming it into an enemy would hurt like hell. My Shadow Clones instantly disperse due to the bacsh of the jutsu after they m it into an object.


    It''s time to go to Mount Muteki. As per what Ryu had said the first time we met, my chakra has already surpassed what he had said to be the minimum requirement for learning Senjutsu. If I can learn Sage mode right now, then I''ll be able to handle the bacsh caused by the Rasenshuriken. Besides, I''m excited to see what the Sage mode taught by Winged Sabertooths would look like''


    Fujin was about to summon Kaito when suddenly his bell rang. Fujin looked towards the door and thought, ''Naruto? What good timing he has. A few minutes ago, I wouldn''t have returned home and a minuteter I would have already left''


    Fujin opened the door and Naruto excitedly said, "Fujin! I had juste to train when I saw that you had returned!"


    Fujin smiled and said, "I just returned. And, I was just about to leave once again. What''s up?"


    Naruto looked in a confused manner and asked, "You are leaving already?"


    Fujin nodded and said, "Yes. I have some work. I should be back in another week or two. Anyway, how''s your progress?"


    Naruto immediately answered, "I can run up the trees now. However, I''m still struggling with using two jutsus one after another."


    Fujin replied, "That will take a lot of practice. Keep training as hard as you can and you''ll seed soon. Good work with tree climbing though. Come with me. I''ll show you another cool thing before I leave."


    Naruto excitedly followed Fujin while eximing, "You are the best, Fujin!"


    The two quickly made their way towards the river. Fujin said, "This one might be more fun than climbing on trees. This time, you''ll have to learn how to walk, andter run, on the water."


    Naruto''s eyes widened. He asked Fujin in surprise, "We can do that?"


    Fujin replied, "Sure we can. Watch."


    Fujin stepped forward and began walking on the water. He turned around and said, "Now you try. Concentrate chakra on your feet and step on water."


    Naruto nodded and followed Fujin''s instructions. Needless to say, he fell into the water on his very first step, causing Fujin to chuckle. Naruto quickly swam up, moved to the river bank and took deep breaths. Fujin said, "This is much more difficult than walking up the trees. The surface of the tree stays firm unless you apply too much chakra.


    However, the surface of the river keeps moving as the water moves. In addition, the amount of chakra you need to release to stand on it is much higher. Keep those in mind as you try again."


    Naruto said, "Alright. I''ll try it again."


    Fujin got off the river and saw Naruto trying it. After a few minutes, Naruto managed to take 2-3 steps before falling into the river.


    Fujin said, "Good. Just keep doing this until you are able to walk on it. Once you arefortable, you can try running and even try to skate on it. Practice this along with the twobination jutsus. I''ll leave for now."


    Naruto said, "Thanks again, Fujin. I''ll begin running on water in no time. Believe it!"


    Fujin smiled and said, "I will. That said, if your chakra bes low or if you are too exhausted, don''t continue this training. If you fall in and have no energy to swim out, then you will be stuck in the middle of the river, iling your limbs and might drown, unable to exit the river and will never achieve your dreams. So, be careful."


    As Fujin spoke, his voice became a bit scary, causing Naruto to shiver. Naruto nodded and said, "Don''t worry. I won''t overdo it."


    Fujin once again smiled and said, "Alright. See youter."


    Fujin disappeared from Naruto''s vision. Naruto muttered, "Fujin can be scary at times. Still, I want to learn how he can disappear out of nowhere."


    Of course, though Fujin''s words were scary, he wasn''t really worried. Naruto was thest person in this world who could die of chakra exhaustion. Even if he fell into such a situation, Kurama would have no choice but to send him chakra. Of course, that would attract Hiruzen''s attention, which was something that he didn''t want to see. That is why he warned Naruto.


    Fujin returned to his training ground, summoned Kaito and said, "Kaito, reverse summon me back to Mount Muteki."


    Kaito said, "You sound impatient. Anyway, sure. Give me a minute."


    A minuteter, Fujin disappeared from Konoha and appeared on Mount Muteki!


    -------------------------


    A/N: You can sponsor a chapter through P@treon.

 Chapter 495: Request Denied!

    Chapter 495: Request Denied!


    [A/N: Happy Valentine''s Day everyone. I hope you guys have better luck than me ]


    Kaito looked at Fujin and asked, "So, what''s up? Why did you want toe here?"


    Fujin replied, "Well, I wanted a ce where I could train alone. A ce where I can cause a lot of destruction without attracting trouble. Know any?"


    Kaito replied, "Sure. There are plenty of unupied mountain peaks nearby. Want a lift?"


    Fujin answered, "Sure, but I want to meet your father first. Take me to him."


    Fujin jumped on Kaito''s back as Kaito took a flight. He asked, "What do you want to do with father?"


    Fujin replied, "Not much. Just wondering whether he''ll teach me how to harness and control nature energy. One of the jutsus I''m learning has a massive bacsh. I''ll probably not be able to handle it unless I can strengthen myself with nature energy."


    Kaito was surprised. He asked, "Such a strong bacsh? The jutsu must be impressive."


    Fujin chuckled and replied, "It is. I''ll show itter."


    They reached Ryu''s cave. Ryu opened his eyes as he saw Kaito and Fujin flying in. Kaitonded in front of his father and Fujin jumped down. Ryu observed Fujin and a surprise appeared on his gigantic face. He said in his jagged voice, "Impressive. Your body has gotten a lot stronger since thest time we met. I didn''t expect you to make such quick progress."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Yeah, it was one of the aspects I focused on."


    There was no need to guess what caused the explosive growth. Though Fujin''s main focus in thest four months was on mastering the Flying Thunder God jutsu, he also kept his training on the Eight Inner Gates. Though he struggled to open the Gate of Life, once he did, it didn''t take him a long time to open the Gate of Pain. He was currently working towards opening the Gate of Limit, though he would require a lot more time to actually be able to open it.


    Ryu asked, "Good. Why did youe to visit me?"


    Fujin didn''t beat around the bush and directly said, "I want to learn Senjutsu. My chakra has already increased beyond what you had mentioned the requirement for learning it was. My physical body is perhaps even stronger in that regard. So, can you teach it to me now?"


    Fujin had thought a lot about the matter before asking. Learning how to harness Nature energy was risky. In terms of chakra, he was farckingpared to what Naruto''s chakra levels would be when he attempted it. However, he should be much better off than Jiraiya when Jiraiya began learning how to use Nature energy. It was why Fujin was being insistent for the first time. The only variable that Fujin was aware of but couldn''t calcte was the Winged Sabertooths would have a different method of teaching aspared to Toads involving different risks. So, he couldn''t be certain about the risk level.


    Ryu didn''t move from his lying position and looked to be in deep thought. A couple of minutester, he answered, "No. Not yet."


    A frown formed on Fujin''s face. He asked, "Why not?"


    Ryu answered, "What I had stated was just minimum requirements. You have done well in reaching those in less than 4 years. I have to admit that I didn''t expect you to do it so quickly. However, as I said, they are just minimum requirements.


    Don''t forget that no human has ever managed to learn our form of Senjutsu. So, don''t be impatient. Keep improving your strength. Once I feel you are ready, I''ll do everything I can to make sure that you learn it."


    Fujin fell silent. He could sense that Ryu''s words were genuine. However, he didn''t want to give up so easily. Senjutsu was an important power-up that he wanted. It would be the second skill that would allow him to differentiate himself from other rank S ninjas, along with the Flying Thunder God jutsu.


    If the Flying Thunder God jutsu gave Fujin invincible speed and movement ability, Sage Mode would be what would give Fujin the ability to go head-to-head against top-tier rank S ninjas and stille on top without having to rely on his speed and hope that his opponent makes a mistake.


    Fujin asked, "Didn''t you say that you could help me improve my wind affinity and increase my chakra reserves if I fell short? Can we do that?"


    Ryu answered, "Improving your wind affinity isn''t an issue, but the method of increasing your chakra reserves isn''t entirely safe and has several drawbacks. Also, it is very costly. Considering your current chakra levels, you don''t need to depend on it. Just continue doing what you are and let your chakra reserves increase naturally."


    Ryu thought, ''I didn''t expect his chakra reserves to keep increasing at a fast speed despite him already using so much of his potential. It is more than 5 times what it was back when he met me the first time. I had estimated that he would only be able to increase it by four times and that he''d need another decade to reach that stage.


    If I knew he''d progress this fast, I wouldn''t have mentioned the existence of such a method. Anyway, it''s good that he has managed to surpass my estimates. Otherwise, I would have had to use that secret technique to transfer some of my own chakra to him.


    That would have weakened me and would have severely limited his future potential. Of course, my chakra would have made it easier for him to learn Senjutsu. As long as he did, any loss in potential would be meaningless for him. And, as long as Grandfather''s prophecy came true, my losses would also be worth it.


    That was why I was willing to do it. However, the current situation is much better.''


    While Ryu was in thought, Fujin was analyzing, ''This could be troublesome. Considering his words, I think he might only teach me Senjutsu once my chakra reserves stop increasing or the rate of increase bes very slow. However, when will that be? 10 years from now? 15 years? I can''t wait that long. Though I have ways to dy the Fourth Great Ninja War, I might not be able to dy it by such a long time.''


    Fujin asked, "Can you give me an estimate of when you can teach me Senjutsu?"


    Ryu frowned. He asked, "Why are you so impatient? Something like Senjutsu can''t be rushed. If your mind isn''t at peace, then you won''t be able to learn it no matter how strong you are."


    Fujin fell quiet. After a few moments, he sighed and said, "There are a lot of undercurrents flowing in the Elemental Nations right now. There is a massive civil war in one of the major countries which has been happening for over half a decade. The other countries are slowly building up their power as well. And, recently a group has arisen that has extremely powerful ninjas and are capturing the Tailed Beasts."


    Ryu''s eyes widened on learning that a single group was capturing the Tailed Beasts. Fujin continued, "It is unknown what they n on doing with the Tailed Beasts. However, I have a gut feeling that soon a huge war will break. A war that will make the previous three Great Ninja Wars look insignificant inparison. I want to learn Senjutsu before all hell breaks loose. Otherwise, it''d be toote to learn it."


    This time, Ryu fell silent. He had no interest in the Elemental ninjas or the ninjas. As such, he wasn''t very aware of what was happening. However, from Fujin''s tone, he could understand the severity of the matter. Though Fujin didn''t provide any proof, the ''gut feeling" of someone as strong as Fujin wasn''t something anyone would take lightly. After all, it wasn''t as if there was any proof to show that the prophecy he believed in was true either.


    Ryu asked, "What''s a Great Ninja War?"


    Fujin was dumbfounded by the question. However, he quickly recalled, ''Ah right. He hasn''t had any summoner for a long while. Even I never summoned him due to how chakra-intensive it is to summon him.''


    Before Fujin could answer, Kaito replied, "It''s a war where every Ninja vige on that continent fights against one another. They do it every once in a while. Thest one was over a decade ago. Several strong ninjas die in each war."


    Unlike Ryu, Kaito loved flying across the world. As a result, he had seen various battles y out while he stayed above the clouds.


    Ryu thought for a bit and asked, "How long do you think it''ll be before the start of the next Great Ninja War?"


    [A/N : Bonus chapter on next Sunday if the fic gets 1000 Power Stones. Bonus chapter on next week''s Saturday if the fic gets 2000 Power Stones.]


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 496: My Own Twist

    Chapter 496: My Own Twist


    [A/N : Hey guys. This chapter is Sponsored by Phillip. You can thank him for the double release.]


    Fujin thought for a bit and answered, "I can''t be sure. No major vige will make a move until the civil war in Kirigakure is over. As for the organization that is capturing the Tailed Beasts, they are lying low as well and doing their job secretly. However, that might change once they capture more Tailed Beasts.


    Once that happens, the ninja viges will react and I can''t calcte what will happen. Considering the seriousness of the matter, I might not be allowed to take time off to train until the issue is resolved. And, as I am right now, I have no confidence in taking on the Tailed Beasts. If my estimates are right, then nothing big should happen within the next couple of years unless someone goes crazy. However, a big war will break out soon. I guess it''ll happen in 3-4 years."


    This time, Fujin''s words weren''t entirely true. He wasn''t really afraid of the Tailed Beasts. The only thing that he was afraid of about the Tailed Beasts was the Tailed Beast Bomb. It was true that as of now he didn''t have any counter against it.


    However, once the range of the Flying Thunder God increases, he can dodge them with ease. In fact, once he became more efficient at the jutsu, he could even transfer an iing Tailed Beast Bomb into the Void Dimension. That said, he couldn''t do that at that moment. As a result, his words were true in a sense and Ryu didn''t feel any lies in Fujin''s words.


    Ryu thought for a bit and said, "Alright. If nothing drastic happens, then I''ll teach you how to harness Nature Energy in two and a half years. If you think that the war will happen before that, then I''ll teach it to you earlier. That said, remember that I''m asking you to wait only so that you have a better chance of learning how to harness Nature Energy. So, don''t try making any reasons to learn it earlier if there is no need for it."


    Fujin nodded and said with a smile, "Alright. I am fine with that. Don''t worry, I won''t insist on it unless a war is close and inevitable."


    Ryu nodded and said, "Good. Keep up your training. You''ll have to work much harder if you want to try it in just 2 and a half years."


    Fujin said, "Of course. I''ll be staying here for a while though. I need space to practice a new jutsu."


    Ryu replied, "Sure. Kaito will be with you while you are here."


    Kaito said, "I had already agreed, Father. Let''s go, Fujin."


    Fujin nodded and flickered onto his back. Kaito and Fujin quickly left, leaving Ryu alone who was in deep thought. He wondered, ''A Great War I wonder if the prophecy has anything to do with it.''


    He thought for a bit before concluding, ''Probably not. Humans have a strange fascination with war. Even back then, they would always be at war with some n or other. And now, they have even involved the Tailed Beasts in their wars. Sigh''


    Ryu had no interest in humans or their wars. As long as one of their summoners managed to learn Senjutsu, he couldn''t care if every other human died.


    Kaito flew over to a nearby peak that didn''t have anyone living in it apart from some ordinary wildlife. Kaito asked, "Will this peak do?"


    Fujin answered, "Yes, but there is no need to be on the peak. Fly down below where we may get more space to train."


    Kaito said, "Alright. Let me know when you find a suitable spot."


    Kaito dived down. Soon, Fujin noticed a spot that would be ideal for training. On his instruction, Kaitonded there. Fujin got off his back. Kaito asked, "Do you need my help in the training?"


    Fujin said, "Not really."


    Fujin took out a soldier pill and consumed it before adding, "I''ll be training for 5 days straight. However, I''ll need to rest for a couple of days after that. I''ll need you to watch me over that period in case any incident happens. That said, there''s nopulsion. I can just return to the vige and ask you to reverse summon me if you have something else to do."


    Kaito thought for a bit and said, "I''ll keep watch."


    He yawned and added, "I spent a lot of time flying around the world in the past few months. I was nning to take a break. Might as well watch you train and keep myself entertained."


    Fujin smiled and said, "Suit yourself."


    Fujin stretched his muscles and wondered, ''Now, how should I go about learning the Rasenshuriken?''


    He thought for a bit before deciding, ''The amount of Wind Chakra needed for Wind Release: Rasengan is lesser aspared to the Rasenshuriken. Trying to create it without Shadow Clones will be difficult. I''ll have 2 clones training together to learn this jutsu. Once they can perform it consistently, I''ll have Shadow Clones try and create it without any help.


    That said, one thing I realized in the 5 days I trained this jutsu is that I don''t need to stick to just the Rasenshuriken that I remember. While the jutsu is perversely strong, there should be other methods to apply Wind Chakra to Rasengan. I can apply my own twists to the jutsu, creating unique effects that might be quite useful inbat.''


    Six Shadow Clones appeared next to Fujin. 4 of them had 10% of his chakra while the remaining two had 20% of his chakra. The two clones with 20% chakra went away alone, while the ones with 10% chakra moved away in pairs.


    As for Fujin, he began doing what he did whenever he stayed in a new ce


    Kaito didn''t have any interest in seeing Fujin apply seals. Instead, he was attracted by the intense chakra he was feeling from the Shadow Clones. He flew to a spot that would allow him to watch all the Shadow Clones.


    His eyes firstnded on the Shadow Clones in pairs. He saw one clone making the Rasengan and the other infusing wind chakra into it. His eyes widened as he saw how intense the jutsu was. He muttered to himself, ''Such a concentrated and intense jutsu. I don''t think that even Father would be able to endure such an attack. No wonder he said his body isn''t able to handle the bacsh''


    He turned his eyes towards the two clones training by themselves. Just like the ones in pairs, they formed a Rasengan as well. However, instead of infusing wind chakra into the Rasengan, they were releasing a lot of wind chakra under the Rasengan.


    One of the clones was satisfied with his creation and aimed his right hand in front of him. The Rasengan on his palm was separated by ayer of Wind Chakra. Suddenly, the winds sted, sending the Rasengan flying for around 5 meters before it exploded.


    The clone smiled and analyzed, ''Good! This idea works. I thought of this idea while trying to create the Rasenshuriken. It uses the principles of Assassin''s Rush and Wind Laser jutsus instead of infusing wind chakra directly into the Rasengan. With the help of this wind st, I should be able to send the Rasengan flying away at a fast speed. I''ll call this attack Rasengan Cannon.


    Unlike my Vacuum jutsus, from which enemies are mostly safe if they barely dodge it, with Rasengan, they''ll need to also dodge the area of the explosion. I should try to use this method with Vacuum Trap Ball andter Rasenshuriken as well. It will be a great variation to have. In fact, with the Rasenshuriken, I could apply in a lot of different ways if I can control the wind chakra within the jutsu.''


    The clone immediately got back to training. While the idea was good, he could only send the Rasengan flying for 5 meters as of then. The speed wasn''t very impressive either. Fujin would need to train a lot to make his ideas a reality.


    While Fujin''s clones were training, Fujin was done with applying the seals. He took out the de of the Thunder Spirit and muttered, "Now, let me see what all you can do."


    ----------------------------


    A/N: You can sponsor chapters through P@treon.

 Chapter 497: The Broken Sword!

    Chapter 497: The ''Broken'' Sword!


    Fujin inserted his chakra into the vajra-shaped hilt. Immediately, a sword made of pure electricity appeared in front of him. Fujin observed it for some time while thinking, ''The most basic use of the sword is to shock enemies. While it won''t shock the wielder, that can still be arranged if the wielder wants to do so.''


    Fujin poked the de with one finger. As expected, an electric current passed through his body. Fujin analyzed, ''Though it can shock, this feature is more or less useless against any Elite Jounin. For a rank S ninja like me, this is only a child''s y.''


    Fujin stopped touching the sword and swung the de at the rock next to him. The sword entered into the rock and travelled through it as Fujin''s arm moved before exiting the rock.


    Fujin''s eyes glowed as he observed the damage to the rock. He noticed, ''I see. As expected of an elemental sword. It doesn''t cut like a normal sword. Instead, it just passes through the rock like an electric current would. Instead of cutting the rock, it actually burnt where it passed through.


    So it makes the sword kinda useless to cut like with normal des. Of course, it isn''t entirely bad. Normal weapons won''t be able to stop the de. It''ll shock the opponent on contact and continue attacking. Depending on their resistance to lightning, they''ll be hurt. Now, let''s see how it works against chakra flow''


    Fujin was about to create a Shadow Clone when he suddenly had a thought. He wondered, ''Now that I think about it, can this sword be replicated with the help of Shadow Clone jutsu? When I create Shadow Clones, they also get a copy of all weapons that work just as efficiently. However, this de is extremely unique. So, will it still be replicated?''


    Fujin couldn''t be sure. However, he was extremely intrigued by the idea. He immediately created a Shadow Clone. A grin appeared on his face as the Shadow Clone was also holding a de of the Thunder Spirit!


    Fujin thought in excitement, ''Holy Shit! This sword is freaking broken! If my clones have ess to this sword as well, then I can spam Lightning jutsus from every direction! It''ll be even more lethal against armies of ninjas! Such a brokenbination!


    That damn Tobirama. What exactly was he thinking while creating so many broken things? Was he nning on finding ways to defeat Madara by himself?''


    Fujin couldn''t be sure. However, he felt that was a possibility. Though there were several ninjas throughout history who created new techniques, Tobirama stood out by a huge margin. Shadow Clone, Flying Thunder God and Edo Tensei were all jutsus that defied logic. To invent so many techniques, one needed to have a very high motivation. And what could be a greater motivation than having the Ghost of the Uchiha as your enemy?


    While the de of the Thunder Spirit was a good weapon, it wasn''t something that could disturb the bnce of power. However, inbination with the Shadow Clone jutsu, the de became a menace!


    Fujin couldn''t help but think, ''Would Shadow Clone jutsu also replicate Kisame''s sword? Hmm, it might be possible. I don''t recall if his Water Clones had the sword, but the advanced clone technique he used to intercept Guy''s team when they were on their way to rescue Gaara could replicate the sword. So, it is very likely that it can be done.


    If I can get the Samehada as well and if I can create a terrifyingbination I can create an army of Shadow Clones wielding both des. They will use Samehada to absorb the enemy''s chakra. Thanks to de of the Thunder Spirit''s amplification, it''d be like stealing 10 times the enemy''s chakra. Once the Shadow Clone is dispelled, I''ll receive all the chakra. I can create more clones or spam powerful jutsus without the worry of running out of chakra!''


    Fujin was very tempted. Thebination was just too good. Unfortunately, he couldn''t get the Samehada so easily. He muttered to himself, ''I''ll have to find a way to kill Kisame I am not strong enough to kill him right now. However, it''s just a matter of time before I get even stronger.


    Though he is always with Itachi, I can separate them easily once my range of Flying Thunder God increases. That said, there are many risks. I''ll need to calcte the effect of Kisame''s disappearance on Akatsuki''s activities. Also, it''ll leak the information about me knowing the Flying Thunder God jutsu


    Though that might not be a huge loss if my strength increases a lot in the near future, it''ll still be best to keep it a secret. I''ll need to be careful. I''ll need to find the right opportunity to make my move. And, I should do it only when I''m sure I can kill Kisame quickly. If he has any methods to call Zetsu or Obito to help him, then killing him will be very difficult.''


    Fujin decided to stop thinking about it. He''ll n his scheme once he is strong enough to pull one off wlessly. He focused back on his clone and said, "Let''s begin testing the sword."


    Fujin''s clone nodded. He stored the de of the Thunder Spirit. Instead, he grabbed his usual sword and said, "Here Ie."


    Chakra began flowing through his sword. He attacked Fujin with the sword while Fujin attacked back. As the two swords shed, Fujin''s eyes widened as he saw the de of the Thunder Spirit cut through the chakra flow! It hit the clone''s sword, sending an electric current through it, zapping the clone. Of course, it wasn''t enough to actually stop the clone.


    Fujin''s sword moved through the sword towards the clone. At the same time, the clone''s sword also moved towards Fujin, but it was slightly slower due to the electric shock. Fujin stopped his de at thest second. The clone stopped as well and moved back.


    Fujin thought, ''I knew that this sword could cut through chakra, but I didn''t expect it to do it so easily. It was as if my clone''s chakra flow was nothing but air. Now this is a good ability. I wonder if it can work against Sussano...''


    The clone said, "Once the two swords meet, the electric current should flinch the opponent for a few moments. We can use that moment to attack the enemy first. However, it is too risky. If our enemy has high lightning resistance, then we will be hit by his sword as well."


    Fujin nodded. Though the effect was quite unique, the w was pretty obvious. He replied, "Yeah, but it will be very good for Shadow Clones. Anyway, it looks like I will need a few more swords. I might need to raid the Land of Iron at some point in the future. Anyways, charge your chakra flow with Lightning."


    The clone nodded. He once again flowed chakra through the sword. This time, he charged it with Lightning. The two swords shed once again. This time, Fujin''s de was stopped! The clone wasn''t zapped either. Instead, the de of the Thunder Spirit was forced back as it couldn''t phase through the Lightning-charged sword.


    Fujin moved back and thought, ''As I thought, this sword is at a disadvantage against Lightning Chakra Flow.''


    The clone changed Lightning into Wind and attacked again. This time, his sword cut straight through the de of the Thunder Spirit forcing Fujin to retreat once again.


    Fujin muttered, "It looks like this de ispletely useless against Wind Chakra Flow Not really a surprise. Fortunately, this sword can''t break due to its elemental form. Otherwise, it would have been a great loss. Oh well, let''s try Fire."


    The clone nodded. He stopped providing Wind chakra and instead converted his chakra into fire. In an instant, his de was covered in fire. Fire chakra flow wasn''t amonly used technique as it wasn''t as lethal as Lightning or Wind chakra flows. However, Fujin wanted to test out the de of the Thunder Spirit.


    The clone attacked Fujin and the two swords shed once again. This time, the sh was simr to how it was against normal chakra flow. Fujin''s de cut through the chakra flow, zapped the clone and moved towards him. He stopped at thest moment and dispelled his clone.


    Fujin analyzed, ''Looks like using this sword in a head-on confrontation is a strict no. I''ll be better off using a normal chakra metal sword. This de will be used at long and medium ranges. The only way I could use it in closebat is if I wield two swords at the same time. After all, thanks to the elemental nature of the sword, this sword has a few interesting properties.''


    Fujin pointed the tip of his de at the same rock he had attacked a few minutes ago and increased the amount of chakra he inserted into the de. Under his control, the de suddenly began getting longer and pierced through the rock. It was around 5 meters long!


    [A/N : Bonus chapter on next Sunday if the fic gets 1000 Power Stones. Bonus chapter on next week''s Saturday if the fic gets 2000 Power Stones.]


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 498: Rasengan Variants Training

    Chapter 498: Rasengan Variants Training


    Fujin analyzed, ''Hmm, not bad. With some practice, I will be able to freely control the shape and size of this de. It can catch opponents off guard.''


    Fujin decreased the length and instead changed the shape. Instead of a sword, the weapon now looked entirely like a Vajra. Fujin changed the sword''s shape to various other shapes to find out its limits until he was satisfied.


    He stopped experimenting with the sword and muttered, "Time to experiment with the main feature of the sword"


    Fujin closed his eyes and recalled the training the Ame Jounin had gone through after he received the sword. Fujin knew neither the Lightning Dragon nor the Lightning Crow jutsu. Though they weren''t difficult to learn, he decided to keep it simple and experiment with the False Darkness jutsu instead.


    Fujin began sending his chakra into the de of the Thunder Spirit. He closed his eyes and began creating the False Darkness jutsu while using the sword as the medium. Soon, he opened his eyes and pointed the sword at the sky.


    Arge amount of Lightning was unleashed from the sword. It travelled towards the sky without any control. Fujin frowned and analyzed, ''It''s difficult to control I have no control over the Lightning I released with the help of the sword Also, my efficiency was quite low. I lost nearly half my chakra while trying to create the False Darkness jutsu. However, with the 10 times amplification that the sword provides, the jutsu was 5 times stronger than what it would have been without the sword. It looks like I''ll need to practice with this sword for a long time to increase my efficiency and control.''


    Fujin let out a sigh. He had added yet another training to his already ridiculously tight schedule! Fortunately, this one won''t need as much time and dedication as some of Fujin''s other projects like the Flying Thunder God jutsu, the Wind Domain or the Eight Inner Gates Technique.


    Fujin decided, ''Since Shadow Clones can have the de of the Thunder Spirit as well, I''ll just create multiple Shadow Clones to practice. Due to chakra amplification, the clones won''t need much chakra to practice anyway. I''ll create 10 Shadow Clones with 1% of my chakra reserves and have them train while I meditate the entire five days and only rece the Shadow Clones after they pop.''


    Fujin quickly acted on his n. He created 10 Shadow Clones which began practicing, while he constructed a cave in the mountain and inscribed the seals to improve the efficiency of meditation like the room in his basement.


    Fujin''s clones continued training while Fujin only meditated and created new Shadow Clones when the existing ones got dispelled or ran out of chakra. On day 3, Fujin made a change. He stopped training the Rasengan Cannon and instead created 2 Shadow Clones with 30% of his chakra each and another two clones with 10% of his chakra each to work on the Rasenshuriken.


    The reason for the change was that two clones with 10% of his chakra each were insufficient to create the Rasenshuriken! The clone infusing Wind chakra into the Rasengan needed a lot higher chakra to properly create it. Fujin was surprised by the amount of chakra he needed for the jutsu. However, on thinking for some time, he recalled that Naruto couldn''t make many either until he learnt Sage Mode and got control of Kurama''s chakra.


    The training continued for 5 days straight before the effect of the soldier pill ran out. While he made huge progress, he wasn''t satisfied. He rested for a couple of days before consuming another pill and continuing his training.


    Three more days passed. Fujin was meditating in his cave when suddenly his eyes snapped open. He disappeared from the cave and appeared some distance away from a couple of his clones.


    Two of Fujin''s clones were focusing on their jutsu. One clone had created and maintained the Rasengan while the other clone was continuously infusingrge amounts of wind chakra into the Rasengan.


    When Fujin arrived, the Rasenshuriken was almost created! It was the best one Fujin''s clones had created so far. Fujin and Kaito watched intently as the two clones needed another minute toplete the jutsu.


    A smile formed on their faces as they managed to create a proper Rasenshuriken for the first time! The clone holding the Rasenshuriken looked at it and thought, ''5 days to learn Wind Release: Rasengan and 8 days to learn the Rasenshuriken with just two pairs of Shadow Clones training! Excellent! Time to test it.''


    He turned around and mmed the jutsu into the mountain they were training on. The Rasenshuriken sank a few meters into the Mountain. At the same time, the Shadow Clone''s right arm felt the bacsh of the jutsu and got dispelled!


    The Rasenshuriken exploded a momentter. Arge crater was formed on the side of the wall as it disintegrated into sand and soil. A tremor was felt throughout the mountain, scaring away any birds and animals living on or around the mountain. It took several minutes for the dust and soil to settle or fly away. If one were to look at the mountain, it would feel like arge monster had taken a bite of the side of the mountain.


    Kaito, who had flown next to Fujin, said in amazement, "That was cool. What''s this jutsu?"


    While Kaito had seen the iplete version several times, aplete Rasenshuriken was in an entirely different league. He could sense that none of the Winged Sabertooths could resist the dangerous jutsu Fujin had just created.


    Fujin smiled and said, "It is called Rasenshuriken. It''s a jutsu made with Wind chakra and a high-level chakra shape transformation. In terms of destruction, this will be the strongest jutsu that I know."


    As he spoke, Fujin thought, ''That said, I still need more practice. Unfortunately, the amount of chakra this jutsu takes is ridiculous. Seeing the amount of chakra the two clones lost, I''ll need 36% of my chakra for just one Rasenshuriken. It''s just too much.


    That said, it should be much less than what Naruto needed initially. It should be because I am much more efficient in infusing Wind Chakra aspared to Naruto who had just learnt Wind maniption.


    Though the jutsu sounds simple as I only have to infuse my Wind chakra into the Rasengan, it is extremelyplicated. The only easy part is converting normal chakra into Wind chakra and releasing it. If control over wind chakra is bad, then a lot of wind chakra will be lost during the time the process of infusing chakra into it.


    Even after infusing the wind chakra into the Rasengan, the clone that maintains the Rasengan has to ensure that the Wind chakra isn''t lost and stays within the Rasengan. Even for me, I lost close to 50% of the wind chakra I infused into the Rasengan during these processes.


    If my efficiency was only 20%, then the chakra I needed would have risen 2.5 times. So, it won''t be a surprise if he needed several times more chakra aspared to me to create a Rasenshuriken of the same power. Of course, it also means that I can work towards decreasing the amount of chakra needed to create the Rasenshuriken by arge degree. At the very least, I should try to create at least 4 Rasenshuriken with my current chakra reserves.


    Of course, that is only one part. I''m not a fan of needing a Shadow Clone to help create a jutsu. I need to work towards creating the jutsu without needing another Shadow Clone to help.


    Apart from that, I also need to create a Lightning version of this jutsu. I shouldn''t be able to create it with the help of the de of the Thunder Spirit due to the level of chakra shape transformation involved, but even without that, having a rank S jutsu that is so destructive is always helpful. However, I am not as used to using Lightning as I am with Wind. My efficiency will be a lot worse with Lightning. It could create someplications.


    Another variation I want to exploreter on is if I can add Fire Chakra to the Rasenshuriken. If I can, then the jutsu will be far more devastating than the Rasenshuriken. Sigh, so much to do again. Just when I feel that I''m heading somewhere, more traininges up.''


    Fujin let out a sigh. While he understood the importance of training and strictly followed his training schedule, he couldn''t help but get a sense of Fatigue. He thought to himself, ''No wonder there are so few ninjas who reach rank S. Despite having so much motivation, I''m still feeling tired. For normal ninjas, it is highly unlikely for anyone to maintain a strict training schedule for more than a few months.


    Anyway, I should stay here for another week. Once I get a hang of the Rasenshuriken and Rasengan Cannon, I''ll leave. I''ll returnter to improve it and learn the variants. Staying any longer here without informing Hiruzen about my absence won''t be good.''


    [A/N : Bonus chapter on next Sunday if the fic gets 1000 Power Stones. Bonus chapter on next week''s Saturday if the fic gets 2000 Power Stones.]


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 499: One and a half Months...

    Chapter 499: One and a half Months...


    [A/N: Saturday''s Bonus Chapters.]


    Fujin got back to training. He trained for the next couple of days until the effects of the soldier pill ran out. After resting for a couple of days, he consumed another pill and trained for another 5 days. During this time, he had learnt the Rasenshuriken, which now needed 34% of his maximum chakra. His clones could create it sessfully every single time. However, he couldn''t create it with just one clone.


    The Rasengan Cannon was mastered as well. Fujin could propel it in a straight line for nearly 50 meters and control the timing of its explosion. In addition, he could change its direction by a few degrees by controlling the winds that propelled it forward.


    Andstly, he had managed to master the de of the Thunder Spirit. Unlike the other two jutsus, Fujin could assign a lot of Shadow Clones to train the de. As a result, his control over the de had already exceeded that of the Ame Jounin who gifted him the sword.


    Satisfied with how far he had progressed, Fujin decided to go to Konoha. In all, he had spent 20 days training on that mountain. Fujin ended his reverse summoning and appeared back in the training ground. As soon as he appeared, he saw Naruto training in front of him.


    A deadpan expression appeared on his face as he wondered, ''I have been running into him too frequentlytely. Is someone messing with me?''


    Thest time, Naruto appeared a couple of minutes after he had returned home. This time, he appeared instantly! He couldn''t help but wonder, ''Is Hagoromo helping the reincarnation of his son? Hmm, probably not. I doubt he''d pay attention to something so insignificant.''


    Naruto immediately saw Fujin when he appeared. He quickly ran towards him and asked excitedly, "Fujin, when did you return?"


    Fujin answered, "Just a moment ago. I''m a bit hungry, wanna visit Ichiraku?"


    Naruto excitedly jumped and said, "Of course I do. Believe it!"


    Fujin smiled and said, "Alright, we race there. Believe it."


    Naruto was surprised. He asked, "Rac?"


    However, before he couldplete his question, Fujin had already disappeared. Realizing that Fujin had already started, heined, "Hey, no fair! Wait for me!"


    Naruto immediately began running towards Ichiraku. Needless to say, Fujin reached the stall within a few seconds and sat down on the stool. Ayame was surprised as Fujin suddenly appeared out of nowhere and was sitting on the stool. She quickly smiled and said, "Fujin. You haven''t visited in a while."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Yeah. I was busy with some missions. Get me the usual Actually, double that. I haven''t eaten good food in a while. Also, make a few bowls for Naruto. He should be here in some time."


    Ayame said, "Naruto ising as well? Alright, ordering right up."


    She quickly went in to help her father. A few minutester, an exhausted Naruto reached the ramen shop. He took some deep breaths showing his tiredness. Just before he was about toin, Fujin said, "That''s too slow, Naruto. You need to train more."


    That caused Naruto to snap. Even before he couldin, Fujin had taunted him even more. He pointed at Fujin andined aggressively, "You cheater! You started without giving me a heads-up. And, you used a jutsu that I don''t know. Fight fair!"


    Fujin tilted his head and said, "Fight fair? During missions, will your enemies y fair? You always need to be alert, Naruto. Besides, even if I had yed fair, I would have still defeated you by more than 5 minutes. Look."


    Fujin pointed towards Ayame who was already bringing out a couple of bowls. A dumbfounded expression appeared on Naruto''s face as he said, "How can that be? I only needed 5 minutes toe here."


    Fujin chuckled and said, "Told you that you were slow."


    Naruto wasn''t sure what to say. He just became dejected and his shoulders dropped. Ayame ced the bowls and said, "Fujin, don''t tease Naruto so much. Naruto, he is just messing with you. See, he already ordered for you as well. Come eat."


    Naruto''s mood immediately brightened up as he hopped into the seat next to Fujin. Fujin just chuckled and began eating the ramen. As they ate, Fujin asked, "So, how is your training progressing?"


    Naruto answered, "I can walk and run on the water. Thebination jutsu is still very difficult though."


    Fujin nodded and said, "That''s good progress. You can focus all your attention on thebination jutsus now. Just remember to practice the four jutsus individually every once in a while and practice tree climbing and water walking once a week or so."


    Naruto nodded and asked, "Could you teach me how you can disappear suddenly?"


    Fujin shook his head and answered, "Learning too many jutsus at the same time isn''t a good thing. You should focus on mastering what you already know for the time being. Once your base bes strong, you''ll be able to learn more jutsus easily in the future."


    Naruto looked at Fujin and immediately pestered him, "Come on! Just teach me this one jutsu. I''ll master all of them, believe it!"


    Fujin chuckled and said, "Alright. How about this? I''ll teach you that jutsu as your graduation gift once you graduate. Deal?"


    Naruto immediately beamed up and said, "Deal!"


    There were only a couple of months left for his Graduation exam. Though Naruto still couldn''t perform the Clone jutsu, learning so many new jutsus and skills had increased his confidence considerably.


    The two talked a bit more about casual stuff as they ate. Naruto updated Fujin on the pranks he pulled during the time Fujin was away. Fujin gave Naruto some tips on how to improve his pranks further and sent him away ensuring that Naruto won''t be disturbing him for a few days at least.


    Fujin returned to his house. He stretched for a bit and thought, ''I guess it is back to Flying Thunder God training. I need to increase my teleportation range. I already rested a day on the mountain after the effects of the soldier pill ran out. I can do some low chakra intensity training today.''


    Fujin entered his basement and began training. He had already dug a kilometer-long hole under his house and covered it with a range of seals to prevent detection. He had just begun his training when his bell rang. Fujin wondered, ''I have sent Naruto away. Who is it now?''


    He spread his chakra field and sensed two ninjas. For a moment, he wondered, ''Who are these tw Ah, it''s them. I wonder what they want?''


    Though Fujin could remember chakra signatures, he had seen way too many of them. As such, it was difficult to identify the chakra signatures of the people whose chakra signatures he didn''t specifically try to remember or didn''t see on a regr basis.


    It was like trying to remember names or faces but a bit more difficult. After all, you would see faces whenever you meet the person and use their names while talking with or about them. However, Fujin could only see the chakra signature once he activated his chakra field or focused chakra in his eyes. It wasn''t something Fujin did regrly while in Konoha.


    He sent a Shadow Clone to see what the two visitors wanted. As soon as the clone opened the door, relief appeared on the faces of the visitors.


    Yasushi sighed in relief and said, "Finally, we found you."


    Harume sighed as well and added, "We were getting worried after not seeing you for so long."


    The two of them were the assistants Hiruzen had assigned to help out Fujin with his Council duties. Fujin''s clone raised an eyebrow as he noticed that both of them looked to be under immense pressure. He asked, "Leave me, what''s bothering the two of you? Did something happen?"


    While Fujin rarely interacted with them, the two were still his subordinates. As such, Fujin would help them out unless the matter was too troublesome. However, to his surprise, instead of answering, the two of them looked at him with an expression full ofints.


    The clone wondered, ''Why are they looking at me like I owe them a million Ryo?''


    The two Chunins were speechless seeing the confused expression on the clone''s face. After a minute of silence, Yasushi said, "You haven''t visited the office for more than one and a half months!"


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 500: Disrespect

    Chapter 500: Disrespect


    [A/N: Sunday''s Bonus Chapter.]


    Fujin''s clone suddenly realized why the two of them wereining. He thought, ''Ah, I see. Since I was busy with training, I started visiting just once every fortnight. It had been almost two weeks when I left to establish the Phantom Haven Society. I spent more than two weeks there. Then immediately went to Mount Muteki and spent nearly 3 weeks there. Now that I think about it, I have been so busy that Ipletely forgot about this job. Sigh, that Hiruzen Gives me so much work''


    Fortunately, Hiruzen couldn''t hear Fujin''s thoughts otherwise he would have summoned Enma and chased Fujin down or at least thought of doing that. Of all the Council Members other than the Elders, Fujin represented the highest number of ninjas. Yet, he was the one who worked the least.


    Without any shame on his face, the clone asked, "Ah, I was busy with training and missions. Anyway, what''s the issue? Since when did we start getting so much work for you to be so stressed?"


    Yasushi answered, "Well, the day after you left for the mission, Katsuhiro-sama wanted to meet with you. He has something very important that he wants to discuss with you. However, you weren''t there. He was patient until you returned from the mission, but since then, he has been pressuring us on a daily basis. We tried finding you, but your door had a sign saying that you were away."


    The clone wondered, ''Katsuhiro? That old Elite Jounin? What does he want with me? That said, seeing how much these two are troubled, it looks like he has been doing more than just pressuring them. Sigh, it looks like I need to establish some prestige.''


    Even though Fujin was extremely strong and feared in most of the other viges, in Konoha, he didn''t have the same prestige. Whatever reputation he had was due to his bounty, rumors about him being the Spectral Swordsman and his seat on the Council. Only a very small group of people knew how terrifying Fujin''s strength was. And, even they had never seen Fujin in action.


    As such, his reputation was far lower than Kakashi or the n leaders. Fujin didn''t particrly care about this as he never faced any obstruction in Konoha. Hiruzen more or less agreed to his requests unless they were outrageous and Guy had selflessly taught him the Eight Inner Gates. He wasn''t interested in any more influence. However, that was under the assumption that no one tried ying politics with him.


    Fujin''s clone said, "What was so urgent for him to keep visiting daily? Anyway, alright. Send a messenger to inform him that I have called him to my office."


    Haruma asked, "Umm, should we go to call him?"


    The clone replied, "No. Just send a normal messenger. You two don''t need to act like messengers unless you are contacting me, Lord Hokage or the Jounin Commander. I''ll meet you at the office."


    In front of them, the clone closed the door and disappeared. As for Fujin''s main body, he continued training in the basement.


    Yasushi and Haruma exchanged nces. Relief could be seen on both their faces. Thest three weeks had been rather tough on them.


    Haruma said, "Though it didn''t sound like it, it seems like he was upset."


    Yasushi nodded and said, "Yes. I was worried that he wouldn''t care about us. Katsuhiro has been an Elite Jounin for a long time and is very respected. In fact, he has been one since before Fujin joined the academy. I was worried that Fujin might not know much about politics. Thankfully, that doesn''t seem to be the case. He might take this opportunity to establish his prestige."


    A smile could be seen on Yasushi''s face. He had seen several such political battles when he worked under Inoichi. However, Haruma was worried as he was new. He asked, "Katsuhiro is very reputed. In fact, he is the most reputed among the civilian ninjas. Almost all civilian ninjas look up to him. Will it create an issue if Fujin confronts him?"


    Yasushi answered, "No. It''ll just be a confrontation between them. We won''t get involved. If Fujin loses, then we will be reassigned to some other duties. I guess some council members wanted to back Katsuhiro for the seat Fujin is in. You don''t need to worry. Just sit back and watch. It is one of the only entertaining things about this job."


    Unlike Yasushi who seemed to look forward to it, Haruma was still very worried. The two immediately left towards the Hokage Building. After sending a messenger to call Katsuhiro, the two returned to Fujin''s office and saw his clone skimming through the documents in the office.


    On noticing them, the clone said, "Good you two returned. Brief me about everyone who visited the office in my absence. Let''s handle their issues."


    Yasushi and Haruma immediately got to work. One by one, they began resolving all the cases that were raised during the past month. Fujin generally didn''t receive many requests. While quite a few were curious initially, most lost interest after seeing how slow he was at responding, how little time he allocated for meeting up and how quickly he dismissed them. As a result, ninjas would only visit him if it was a critical matter.


    Half an hourter, Katsuhiro showed up at Fujin''s office and knocked on the door. The clonezily said, "Come in."


    Katsuhiro entered the office and looked at Fujin''s clone who barely looked at him and said, "Wait a couple of minutes. I''ll handle this case and then listen to you."


    Without giving him any chance to respond, Fujin''s clone began asking his two subordinates questions about the matter at hand. Both Yasushi and Haruma felt awkward but remembering the pressure Katsuhiro applied on them for thest few days, they ignored him as well and just began helping Fujin. Seeing him standing without being paid any attention alleviated some of theints they had about him.


    A frown appeared on Katsuhiro''s face. Fujin didn''t give him any chance to speak. In fact, hepletely ignored him. So did his subordinates. However, Fujin''s words left him with little option to respond. Suddenly, he realized something that made his anger go through the roof! Fortunately, he was able to restrain himself thanks to his long experience.


    After four minutes, they were finally done with the case they were looking at. The clone closed the file and looked at Katsuhiro. With a smile on his face, he said, "I heard that you have been rather impatient to meet me, Katsuhiro-san. I wonder what the matter is."


    Katsuhiro snorted in annoyance and said, "First you make me wait for weeks just to meet you. When you finallye to the office, you still make me wait. And, instead ofing here yourself, you sent a Shadow Clone?"


    As he spoke, the anger in his voice continuously rose. Not only did Fujin note, but the Shadow Clone he sent also had very little chakra. It was a massive disrespect to someone experienced and respected like Katsuhiro.


    Meanwhile, Yasushi and Haruma were stunned. They nced at each other in disbelief. Yasushi looked at Fujin once again and thought, ''He is a Shadow Clone? He sent a clone to meet up with Katsuhiro? I have never even seen Lord Hokage being this disrespectful!''


    At the same time, Haruma wondered, ''Did he evere to the office in person? Or did he always send a clone?''


    Fujin''s clone ignored his anger and asked with a puzzled expression on his face, "Are you on a secret or a rank S mission?"


    Katsuhiro thought, ''What the hell? What does that have to do with anything?''


    He answered, "Not right now."


    The clone asked, "Why are you getting so worked up for a few minutes then? Seeing your state, one would assume that we are at a war or something. You should rx, Katsuhiro-san. Otherwise, others would misunderstand. Now, why did you want to meet me?"


    Haruma just kept watching Fujin with a dumbfounded expression. He thought, ''Not only did he ignore the fact that he didn''t meet him for weeks, but also ignored the fact that he only sent a clone. Instead, he admonished Katsuhiro for being worked up. Yasushi, are you sure that we will be fine?''


    Despite his experience, Yasushi was getting increasingly worried as well. He had seen Inoichi being strict and disrespectful, but he had never seen him be that way to an Elite Jounin.


    Meanwhile, Katsuhiro was stuck in a dilemma. Fujin''s shamelessness hadpletely caught him off-guard. He couldn''t decide whether he should blow up the matter or relent because Fujin wasn''t confronting him openly. The disrespect, though obvious, wasn''t something he couldin about as Fujin could easily im ignorance and give excuses.


    He thought, ''Damn you Danzo! You didn''t say that dealing with him will be this difficult. I need to calm down. Since he doesn''t want to openly offend me, I''ll continue with the n.''


    Katsuhiro said, "I had a proposal for you, a n that would be extremely helpful to the civilian ninjas and would make us much stronger. I want you to put it forth to the council and get it passed."


    Fujin''s clone was intrigued. Not long ago, Fujin had given one such proposal to the council which was still not implemented. He asked, "Oh, what is the proposal?"


    At the same time, he thought, ''He controlled his anger too easily. Old ninjas are particrly sensitive about the respect they get from youngsters. As I guessed, he is scheming something.''


    [A/N : I''ll be taking a break this weekend. There won''t be any chapter from Friday to Sunday. More details on Pat reon.]


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 501: As long as Konoha benefits, I am happy

    Chapter 501: As long as Konoha benefits, I am happy


    Katsuhiro exined, "In the ninja ns, the seniors in the n always instruct and guide the juniors. They pass them their secret techniques which make it very easy for them to be Special Jounins with little effort. In addition, they also arrange groups for them to join once they be Chunins. Byparison, we have no ess to any jutsus or guidance from any seniors. I want to level the ying field."


    Fujin''s clone tilted his head and said, "The vige library is open to all and has hundreds of jutsus. Anyone can pay a visit and take the jutsus that are suitable for them. Simrly, everyone can ask their Sensei for guidance. What exactly are youining about?"


    Katsuhiro shook his head and said, "It''s not the same. The normal jutsus in the library aren''t as useful as the secret techniques."


    Fujin''s clone said dismissively, "I disagree. Instead ofining about not having secret techniques, we need to train with more dedication and train our jutsus to the next level. There is no excuse for not having stronger or suitable jutsus other than ack of effort."


    Fujin himself had depended heavily on the library. Though he received some help from Hiruzen and Renjiro who taught him Samurai Saber Techniques, Wind Vacuum Technique, provided the scroll for the Flying Thunder God and allowed him to learn Shadow Clone jutsu quite earlier than he would have normally, there was no denying the help the library provided.


    Even without Renjiro and Hiruzen''s help, Fujin wouldn''t have any issue bing a rank S ninja. The only difference would be that he would have needed more time and progressing further would have been difficult. That said, which rank S ninja wouldn''t receive special attention from Hiruzen? Fujin saw little reason why someone wouldn''t be a Jounin other than unwillingness to put in the required effort.


    Katsuhiro understood that he wouldn''t be able to beat Fujin in this debate. After all, he had depended on the library as well. He said, "Even if jutsus are avable, it isn''t the same. Without proper guidance, it is difficult to learn the jutsus. Even though everyone gets a sensei assigned, most civilian genins get assigned just a Chunin sensei. They aren''t very qualified to help them after they be Chunins.


    That is why, I want you to propose the construction of a Guidance Hall for civilian ninjas."


    Fujin''s clone was intrigued again. He asked, "What will the Guidance Hall be?"


    Katsuhiro exined, "It''ll act as a hall where civilian ninjas can put up requests. For instance, say someone wants help in learning the water dragon jutsu. He could put up the request in the Guidance Hall. Everyone else will be allowed to view the existing requests. If a veteran civilian ninja who has mastered that jutsu has time, then he can guide that ninja.


    Of course, teaching one at a time will not be very feasible. That is why, the Guidance Hall will analyze all the requests and group them together. That way, the veteran ninjas can see which jutsu has the highest number of requests and guide several ninjas at the same time. This will allow us civilian ninjas to be more courageous while deciding the jutsus we learn and avoid any mistakes we might make while learning them."


    Fujin''s clone was surprised. The proposal was indeed very good. There was no question that the civilian ninjas would benefit a lot. Fujin''s earlier suggestions in the Council were extremely beneficial for the future civilian ninjas. On the other hand, Katsuhiro''s proposal would benefit the existing civilian ninjas who still had the hunger to be stronger.


    He thought, ''I see. Such a n... Not bad. Not bad at all. What a good scheme this is... He wants my seat on the council. That said, who gave him the confidence to think that he would be able to take my seat?''


    Fujin hadn''t gotten the seat on the council due to his political acumen. He received due to Hiruzen acknowledging and making use of Fujin''s overwhelming strength. Apart from Hiruzen, there was no one on the council that could defeat him in a fight. As such, he wasn''t very worried.


    He nodded and said, "It will be very beneficial. This is a great idea, Katsuhiro-san."


    Katsuhiro added, "Another method to make civilian ninjas stronger would be getting Elemental Crystals allotted to us. The n ninjas are stronger than us because they have had the support of Elemental Crystals since they were young. On the other hand, we can only ess it if we are in the Anbu. I want you to demand Elemental Crystals for civilian ninjas as well."


    Fujin''s clone shook his head and said, "Already asked. Lord Hokage refused. The vige is already facing a shortfall."


    Katsuhiro argued, "But the ns still get arge amount of elemental crystals every year. We deserve to get the sa"


    However, the clone cut him off and said, "As I said, Lord Hokage has refused. If you want to take it up with him, feel free to do so."


    Katsuhiro didn''t expect to be refused so directly. He analyzed, ''Looks like Danzo was right. Fujin would only follow what Lord Hokage says. What a shame.''


    He replied, "Alright, I will take this matter up with Lord Hokage. Can you get the proposal passed in the next council meeting?"


    Fujin''s clone smiled and said, "Actually, since you were the one toe up with this brilliant idea, why don''t you make the proposal as well? I''ll present it during the next council meeting and mention that you are the one who came up with this proposal."


    Katsuhiro was shocked. He thought, ''What the hell? He isn''t going to try to steal the credit foring up with this idea? That said, this isn''t bad either. Everyone will directly know that I was the one who put forth this idea. I won''t need to spread the word that it was me who came up with this No, I should do that as well.''


    He nodded and said, "Alright. I''ll get it done."


    He began leaving. However, before he could leave, Fujin''s clone said, "Once you are done, hand it to these two. Next time, you don''t need to get worked up. I''ll call you as soon as I am free."


    Katsuhiro understood what Fujin implied. Yasushi and Haruma were also relieved to hear that. Katsuhiro nodded and agreed before he left. He wanted Fujin''s seat and didn''t have any beef with his two subordinates. As he left, Fujin''s clone''s eyes began glowing as he observed Katsuhiro''s chakra flow.


    A smile appeared on his face as he thought, ''I should have guessed. His chakra isn''t flowing naturally. There is a slight difference from when I hadst seen him. Danzo So he is the one pushing him from the background. That said, Katsuhiro should have had such intentions normally. Otherwise, Danzo wouldn''t have been able to push him against me so easily while beingpletely unaware of any external influence.''


    Seeing that Katsuhiro had disappeared from his view, Yasushi softly said, "Fujin You are still new to the council and haven''t been very active. So you may not have seen this, but he wants your seat on the council."


    Since Fujin had stood up for him, Yasushi feltpelled to inform him about the political ys others yed. To his surprise, Fujin''s clone nodded and said, "I know."


    Yasushi asked, "Then why are you letting him put forth the proposal and giving him the credit? If you had made the proposal, then you could have taken the credit."


    Fujin''s clone smiled and asked, "What will I do with this little credit? I''m not interested in political games. As long as Konoha benefits, I am happy."


    Yasushi and Haruma were surprised by the words. Though Yasushi didn''t say anything he was disappointed. He thought, ''He is still too young. If he maintains this attitude, he might not be able to keep his seat. What a pity. Someone like him will be able to help the vige a lot. Unfortunately, people like him don''tst in the political arena.''


    [A/N : Bonus chapter on next Sunday if the fic gets 1000 Power Stones. Bonus chapter on next week''s Saturday if the fic gets 2000 Power Stones.]


    -----------------------------------


    Thank You Harish for supporting me through UPI.

 Chapter 502: Fujins Counterattack

    Chapter 502: Fujin''s Counterattack


    Yasushi''s thoughts were extremely urate. Or rather, they would have been, had Fujin''s words and thoughts been the same. Fujin thought, ''What''s the use of trying to take credit? He obviously came prepared. If I had tried to steal the credit, I would have fallen into a trap. Even Hiruzen would have been unlikely to support my seat in the council if that happened.


    Since I can''t take the credit, why should I put in the hard work? Let him do it all by himself or with Danzo''s aid. Besides, even though I never did any politics in my previous life, I do know how bureaucracy works. In the council, only I can put forth this proposal due to its nature. The civilian members can''t do it as they represent the non-ninja poption. The Elders obviously won''t do it as they will offend the n leaders. As for the n leaders, there is no reason to even think.


    So, let him put forth a proposal. I''ll dy my response as much as I can and then point out the ws in his proposal and ask him to redo it. As long as he fails toplete the proposal before the council meeting happens, he''ll have to wait for 6 months until the proposal can be put forth again. That''s enough time for me to figure out why Danzo''s attempting this and who are the others that are helping him''


    Fujin''s clone looked at Yasushi and said, "Let''s handle the remaining cases. We willplete all the pending ones today."


    Since he was there, he might as wellplete everything. Yasushi and Haruma immediately got to work. While he continued working, Fujin''s clone was thinking about the new issue that popped out of nowhere.


    He analyzed, ''My position in the council should have been stable. If there is any instability, then it should be due to myst proposal. I didn''t think much back then as I had thought of them on the spot. But when I analyzed it moreter, I realized that itpromises the authority of the ninja ns.


    In fact, it also affects Hiruzen''s Sarutobi n. So, if he decides against it, there is little I can do about it. However, this shouldn''t be a reason for my seat to be vulnerable. After all, if Hiruzen is against it, then those changes will never be implemented. As such, no one has any reason to oppose me as long as I don''t try to force those changes.


    On the other hand, if Hiruzen is onboard, he''ll convince the rest of the ns. In fact, even Homura and Koharu should support those changes. The only way an issue can ur is if Danzo manages to turn 1 or 2 n leaders against me and also gains the support of the 5 civilian members and the 2 other elders.


    Since he is pulling off this move, it means that he has made at least some gains. Otherwise, there is no point to it. But, why would any n leader support him?


    It''s not like the issue is big. They will just need to put in more effort. As long as they can train their ninjas to be Jounins instead of stopping at Special Jounins, they will still be the ones in charge of the vige. Not to mention, their survivability will increase.''


    Though it was a usible reason, Fujin didn''t think it was big enough for anyone to actually oppose him. After all, Fujin''s strength would remain irrespective of whether he was a part of the council or not.


    The clone concluded, ''I guess he was hoping that I would mess up against this scheme. If I had presented this proposal as my own, then the n leaders could have seen me as someone who wanted to make the civilians strong very aggressively. My proposed changes to the academy will make an impact in around 10-15 years. However, Katsuhiro''s proposal will make an impact within 2 years. One is a future threat while the other is an immediate threat.


    It would have allowed Danzo to influence a few n leaders. And once he made it public that I tried to steal credit, he could have easily made Homura and Koharu vote against me and pressured Hiruzen against taking sides.


    Hehehe, a good scheme indeed. Looks like that bastard is still not content. Killing him right now isn''t beneficial for me. But it''s time to clip his wings. Those Ame ninjas weren''t good enough for practice. I was nning on visiting Kiriter but the Root ninjas should provide decent practice as well.


    Also, I need to increase the attention I pay to the events inside the vige. Specifically, those 5 civilian council members. They hold a significant vote share in the council I haven''t agreed to any of their meeting invites despite being on the council for so long. So, it isn''t a surprise if they want to y political games. But, I don''t have time to waste on them.


    If they be a headache, I''ll have to eliminate one of them. That should ensure that the remaining four stay within their limits. It''ll also give Hiruzen an opportunity to induct someone more loyal to him. That said, why exactly did Hiruzen allow Danzo''s influence on them to be so strong? It''s such an unnecessary headache!''


    He couldn''t guess what Hiruzen was thinking. However, Fujin''s clone was satisfied with the ns he created and stopped thinking about it. There was no need to overlyplicate the situation. He continued working untilte in the night until all the work waspleted before dispelling himself and sending the memories back to Fujin.


    In the basement, Fujin opened his eyes as he received all the memories. A smile appeared on his face as he thought, ''It looks like Danzo grew impatient with me staying in my house and in the training ground for months Sigh, he is a lot tougher to deal with. Despite messing with me so many times, he hasn''t given me a single opening to act upon.


    As expected as someone who operates an organization like Root. He doesn''t leave any tracks behind. If not for my knowledge, I wouldn''t have been able to link these incidents to him Though, it isn''t entirely bad. Killing him this early would have made me miss out on a future opportunity. Besides, since he has so much free time on his hands, I''ll give him something to be worried about instead of wasting his time on me.''


    In an instant, 4 Shadow clones appeared next to Fujin. Each had 20% of the chakra Fujin currently had left. Immediately, all four changed their appearances and physiques to bepletely different from each other. On top of it, they wore masks and cloaks to disguise themselves further.


    Looking at each other, one clone said, "I''ll go East."


    "I''ll go West."


    "I''ll take the Northern base."


    Thest clone didn''t say anything. All four hid their chakra and disappeared from Fujin''s house.


    Inside Konoha, Root had one main base where Danzo generally stayed. However, that was one of the many bases Root controlled. When Fujin secretly inspected the vige, he found as many as 37 other hidden underground bases! Of course, most of the bases were closed after Hiruzen cut off Danzo''s manpower following the Uchiha Massacre.


    However, the Root still operated 4 of those bases, covering every direction. Each of those four bases had 2 to 6 Root ninjas managing it at any point depending on the avable manpower. Only if Root had to deploy all its forces outside the vige would those bases be shut down. Fujin''s target was those 4 bases!


    Fujin''s clones moved secretly through Konoha, leaving no signs of their tracks. Not a single ninja was able to detect them. The clone heading South reached his target first.


    He stopped just outside the base as surprise appeared on his face. He analyzed, ''Hmm, there are 9 ninjas inside this base? That''s strange. Is Danzo up to something? I need to check who it is. If Danzo is present here, I''ll have to retreat. My main body can send a clone to target the main Root base instead.''


    Fighting someone like Danzo would leave a lot of clues. Not to mention, killing someone as strong as Danzo would require Fujin to go all out and he still wouldn''t be able to guarantee Danzo''s death let alone keep that fight a secret. It couldn''t be done with a mere clone.


    However, since Fujin was attacking all four bases, the clone didn''t see a need to be too careful. The Root bases were hidden very well from the public. All the bases were several meters below the ground. In addition, they were covered in numerous seals to ensure they stayed hidden and were strong enough to not copse due to a few jutsus. So, there was no fear of any external forces interfering in the fight.


    The clone directly entered into the base and activated his chakra field, covering the entire base. Immediately, all the 9 Root ninjas detected the chakra field and flickered towards the clone''s location.


    Behind his mask, a smile appeared on Fujin''s clone''s face. He thought, ''Good, Danzo or any other Elite Jounins aren''t here. Time to go on a rampage!''


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 503: Lightning Release

    Chapter 503: Lightning Release


    It waste at night in Konoha. Most people had already gone to sleep. Only a few Anbu and some ninjas on Patrol duties and simr jobs were awake. In a rather inconspicuous spot in between two remote training fields, a hidden base existed around a couple of dozen meters underground. The base wasn''t very big like some of the other bases in Konoha. It only had 7 rooms and 2 paths to enter and exit the base.


    Under normal circumstances, this base was never disturbed. However, on this day, every Root ninja sensed a Chakra field aggressively detecting everyone in the base. It stunned the Root ninjas momentarily. Ever since they joined the Root, they had never experienced someone barging into a Root base with so little restraint. Even the Hokage wouldn''t do so.


    Another important factor to remember was that the base was covered in numerous seals. It was perfectly hidden. Even a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster would have trouble spotting the base. Yet, someone had barged in.


    In less than a second, all 9 Root ninjas got into the act. They began moving towards the source of the chakra field. Unfortunately, the intruder was much faster.


    Having sensed that there were no chakra signatures that he was familiar with, Fujin''s clone didn''t have any reason to hesitate. He moved forward and broke through the door blocking his path. Inside the room, the eyes of the two Root ninjas who were moving rapidly as well widened. There was indeed someone who was barging into the Root base!


    The Root ninjas immediately grabbed their weapons. There was no need to exchange words with someone who''d do that. They only needed to kill or capture him. Both threw several shurikens and kunai at Fujin''s clone.


    Seeing the iing attack, Fujin''s clone flickered and appeared to their right. At the same time, 3 senbon appeared in Fujin''s right hand and Lightning began flowing through them. In a sh, Fujin threw the three senbon at the Root ninja next to him.


    The Root ninja immediately grabbed his kunai to block the senbon. However, even before he could move his arm, the senbon moved at lightning speed and pierced through his eyes and forehead!


    Due to Fujin''s position, the two Root ninjas were in a straight line. As a result, the Root ninja behind the one Fujin targeted wasn''t spared either. Two senbon pierced through his head while the third one pierced through his neck.


    Both the Root ninjas dropped dead in an instant. Their brains were damaged as well, making it impossible for anyone to read their memories. As for the Senbon, they continued piercing through several walls before they stopped.


    At the same time, the remaining Root ninjas entered the room from opposite directions. They were horrified to see that two of theirrades had already fallen!


    The Root ninjas were extremely efficient while working in the dark. Among the ninja viges, there wasn''t any other force that came anywhere close to Root in this aspect. However, in terms of frontal assault, the Root ninjas were no better than a normal ninjas. In fact, due to theck of practice in fighting openly, they could be even considered weaker.


    Not to mention, the Root ninjas in the base were only at Elite Chunin and Jounin levels in terms of strength. Even though Fujin wasn''t using Wind jutsus and his Lightningbat system wasn''t as mature as his Windbat system, it wasn''t an issue for Fujin to face a bunch of Jounins.


    Even if Fujin didn''t use any Elemental Ninjutsu, strong jutsus like Rasengan or the Flying Thunder God, forbidden techniques like the Eight Inner Gates and his sword, Fujin''s speed and physique made him far stronger than a Jounin. It would take an Elite Jounin to stop Fujin even if he didn''t use the techniques listed above.


    With his Lightning jutsus, a normal Elite Jounin wouldn''t stand much of a chance against him either. It would take someone like Juzo or Zabuza to stop him. Of course, against rank S ninjas, Fujin didn''t stand any chance with merely Lightning jutsus for the time being.


    Unfortunately for the Root ninjas, they didn''t have someone like that. They were about to attack when something happened that horrified them! Lightning suddenly appeared on the right hand of Fujin''s clone. It released a distinct sound of birds chirping!


    One Root ninja eximed, "Chidori!"


    Another shouted, "Hatake Kakashi! What are you doing?"


    Unfortunately, they didn''t receive any answer. Fujin''s clone flickered once again and appeared moved towards the four Root ninjas who were together.


    Suddenly, one Root ninja felt pain in his chest and looked below. His eyes widened as he saw a hand poking through his chest! He vomited blood and copsed to the ground.


    The Root ninjas next to him immediately became on guard. Their expressions behind their masks were grim as they realized how far outmatched they were in terms of speed.


    However, even before they could react, the clone''s lightning-covered palm shed through the neck of another Root ninja, beheading him. The remaining two Root ninjas immediately attacked Fujin''s clone with Shurikens and began weaving hand seals.


    However, 3 Senbon appeared in the clone''s left hand. They charged with Lightning as Fujin''s clone threw them at the Root ninja on his left. At the same time, the remaining lightning on the clone''s right hand concentrated on his palm as he unleashed a Lightning Beam at the fourth Root ninja.


    The Lightning Beam knocked out every shuriken that the Root Ninja had thrown and hit the Root Ninja. His entire body was electrocuted. Though he hadn''t died, he was in no shape to fight. The other Root ninja wasn''t as lucky. His forehead and eyes were pierced by the Senbon before he could even react. Fujin''s clone caught the shurikens heading towards him from the other direction.


    While Fujin''s clone was dealing with these four Root ninjas, the other three Root ninjas immediately realized the disparity in their ability. Two weaved hand signs as one of them said, "You are the fastest among us. Quickly go and inform Lord Danzo."


    The third Root ninja began escaping without any hesitation. However, he was a bit confused. He thought, ''Something is weird. I worked with Hatake Kakashi in the past. He wasn''t this bloodthirsty. Also, that Chidori he used Though it looked simr, it was much weaker than Kakashi''s Chidori. The sound of birds chirping was softer as well. Is it really Kakashi?''


    He didn''t know that his guess was urate. Regardless, he had no choice but to continue escaping!


    ''Wind Release: Great Breakthrough jutsu''


    ''Fire Release: Searing Migraine jutsu''


    The two Root ninjas weaving hand seals unleashed two powerful jutsus. Due to the small size of the base, it covered the entire space and moved towards Fujin''s clone leaving him no way of dodging. The two of them didn''t care about the remaining Root ninjas that Fujin''s clone had just dealt with.


    Fujin''s clone immediately saw thebination jutsu and noticed the third Root ninja escaping. He charged the Shurikens in his left hand with Lightning and threw them at the two Root ninjas. At the same time, he escaped underground.


    ''Earth Release: Earth Instantaneous Body jutsu''


    Due to the considerable distance between them and the fact that Lightning-charged Shurikens were much slower than the Lightning-charged Senbon, the two Root ninjas were barely able to react and get out of the way of the Shurikens. Only a cut appeared on their bodies.


    However, Fujin''s target wasn''t them. The Root ninja who was running away felt somethinging at him. He was about to flicker away, but he wouldn''t be able to do so before being hit by the shurikens. Hence, he stopped weaving hand seals and stepped out of the way. Unfortunately for him, this small pause would prove to be fatal.


    As soon as he stepped out of the way, he felt a hand grabbing his leg.


    ''Earth Release: Headhunter jutsu''


    Immediately, his entire body was buried underground while Fujin''s clone appeared in front of him. Before he could understand what was happening, a finger, which was covered in Lightning, jabbed into his forehead. The Lightning released from the fingerpletely destroyed his brain, killing him directly.


    The remaining two Root ninjas turned around to see that theirrade who was supposed to pass the message had already died! It didn''t take a genius to know what fate awaited them. Their attacker was in an entirely different league!


    However, that wasn''t entirely a bad thing. Once your death was inevitable, the ninja had no reason to be afraid. One of them weaved hand signs while the other grabbed a tag while shouting, "Hatake Kakashi! Don''t think that you can kill us and leave scot-free! Lord Danzo will deliver justice!"


    The clone''s eyes widened as he noticed the hand seals and the tag. Immediately, senbon appeared in both his hands and he threw them at two Root ninjas. Having seen how fast the senbon was a few times, both the Root ninjas acted Immediately and began moving as soon as the senbon left the clone''s hands. As a result, the senbon didn''t hit any critical part. Though two small holes were drilled through their bodies, the injury wasn''t critical.


    However, that was enough time for Fujin''s clone to attack again. He flickered behind the one holding a tag and beheaded him in a sh. At the same time, he shot another senbon at the other Root ninja.


    From a short distance and without seeing the clone''s attack clearly, he had no chance of dodging. The senbon pierced through his forehead. However, he was still smiling as his hand seals hadpleted!


    ''Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags''


    In an instant, the ground around Fujin''s clone began transforming into explosive tags! He was surrounded by thousands of explosive tags in mere moments!


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 504: Enemy of all 5 Villages???

    Chapter 504: Enemy of all 5 Viges???


    Just as the Fujin''s clone was surrounded with explosive tags, he released arge amount of lightning from his body which spread in every direction, forming a lightning field. It covered every explosive tag around him causing Lightning to pass through the tags, diffusing them within a few moments.


    In a few seconds, the ground stopped transforming into explosive tags and the clone was done defusing them. However, it drained away almost all of his chakra. He sighed and muttered to himself, ''After I did such a good job creating such a good crime scene, why do you want to ruin it with explosions?


    As for the tag, that was even more dangerous! It was the standard tag used to blow up the entire base! It would have dispelled me and instantly alerted everyone. I wouldn''t have been able to decorate this crime scene like I want to if that happened.


    Anyway, time to get to work. Hehehe, I can''t wait for Danzo toe and look at this scene. Let me see if you still have the time and energy to try and create trouble for me.''


    Though the clone was very low on chakra, he could still maintain himself. He walked towards the Root ninja who had survived after being hit by the Lightning beam. Though his resistance was rather admirable, his paralyzed body was covered in deep cuts and was burnt thoroughly by thebination jutsu. He didn''t survive such a torture.


    Fujin''s clone used a senbon and charged it with Lightning to destroy his brain. He did the same to any other Root ninja who still had their brains intact so that no one could read any memories.


    Needless to say, Fujin wanted to divert the me to Kakashi. Had someone''s memories been read, Danzo could openly question Kakashi. However, doing that would be equivalent to proving that Kakashi was innocent. Kakashi was an extremely experienced ninja! He had been a ninja for more than a decade when Fujin graduated. He had spent several years in the Anbu.


    Would someone like him make the mistake of not destroying memories? All it would prove is that someone was framing Kakashi. So, Fujin''s clone didn''t bother leaving something so obvious. There were only two clues he left behind to point towards Kakashi.


    The first was that almost every wound on the dead bodies, other than the ones caused by thebination jutsu, had signs of damage due to Lightning. Any decent medical ninja will be able to find that out during the autopsy. Even therge number of explosive tags were damaged due to Lightning. Danzo would easily see that.


    The second clue was the hole he left in the chest of one of the Root ninjas. Kakashi''s Chidori was extremely famous. This injury plus the Lightning would force Danzo to suspect Kakashi. Of course, it wasn''t an irond proof. In fact, even this would be considered as someone setting up Kakashi. However, it was exactly as Fujin wanted. After all, he didn''t have any enmity with Kakashi and just wanted to mess with Danzo.


    After inspecting the base once again, Fujin''s clone dispelled himself. As soon as he was dispelled, every senbon he had used to attack also disappeared!


    All that was left behind were six burnt dead bodies, one of which had a hole in the chest, and three more dead bodies that weren''t burnt. A few of the dead bodies were beheaded while one was buried upright in the ground, with only his head visible above the ground with a small hole in his forehead.


    Due to the remote location of the base and the seals covering it, no one detected the fight that just happened there. Until another Root ninja shows up at this base, no one would know that anything had happened!


    While Fujin''s clone was dealing with the Root ninjas at this base, his other three clones were already done as the bases they targeted only had two Root ninjas each. In all, 15 Root ninjas had died within the span of a few minutes!


    In his basement, Fujin received the memories of all his four Shadow Clones. A smile appeared on his face. He had stopped training as he needed chakra in case something happened after the details of the incident were leaked. Apart from one clone, the remaining transferred back most of the chakra. As a result, he had more than half of his chakra reserves, which was sufficient to deal with most matters.


    Fujin chuckled as he analyzed, ''Perfect. 15 Root ninjas. Hehehe, this might be the most Root ninjas Danzo lost within a few minutes. Hiruzen had already taken away most of his subordinates post the Uchiha Massacre. I wonder how many are left after today.


    Regardless, the vige will heat up. The evidence clearly points towards Kakashi. However, I doubt whether he is even inside the vige considering how many missions Hiruzen assigns him. Even if he is, there is no way Hiruzen that I know would take any action against him without any irond proof.


    After all, for what reason would Kakashi do something so outrageous? Even Danzo would ask that question. As for its answer, there is only one that makes sense. It is that Hiruzen ordered Kakashi to do so. There is no doubt that Danzo would suspect that Hiruzen wants to finish Root for good.


    Hmm No. That''s probably not how it''ll go. I''ll be looking down on Danzo and Hiruzen to think that the action will cause them to be at each other''s throats. Though I left evidence pointing towards Kakashi, any intelligent ninja would be able to see that he was set up. Danzo will see that as well. After all, all Kakashi would need to do is take away the bodies and no evidence would remain.


    However, even though it is clear that Kakashi was set up, Danzo has no other leads. And, he has faced a huge loss. He''ll be left with no choice but to make a move against Hiruzen. Otherwise, everyone will think that he is an easy target.


    This should cause a political battle to begin between Hiruzen and Danzo. Hehe, now that would be a fun battle to watch. Once it starts, Danzo won''t have much energy left to try and rece me on the council.


    If he still interferes somehow, I''ll just add some more oil to the fire. It''s not as if he can keep all the remaining Root ninjas close to him all the time. Though I need him alive for some time, there is no reason for Root to exist. I''ll continue picking them apart one by one.''


    Suddenly, a weird expression appeared on Fujin''s face as he realized something. He thought, ''Now that I think about it, my actions in the Land of Hot Water led to Jiraiya killing over 250 Kumo ninjas, thergest loss they faced in peacetime. I probably killed a simr number of Kiri rogue ninjas during my time in Anbu.


    In Sunagakure, I killed an Elite Jounin and several dozen other ninjas. Not to mention, Ipletely ruined Rasa''s reputation in the eyes of the civilians. If this was my old world, a revolution would have started long ago and perhaps a new country would have already formed by now. And, I also killed around 4 dozen Jounins of Iwagakure which is their worst loss during peacetime as well.


    And now, I also killed 15 Root ninjas in one go, something I don''t think has happened in the past. After all, Root ninjas don''t fight on frontlines or move inrge groups. If all my actions are made public, I''m afraid that all 5 Great Viges might want to hunt me down!''


    Fujin chuckled at that thought. Unknowingly, he had caused losses to every major vige and almost every minor vige around the Land of Fire. He stopped thinking about it and began analyzing his Lightning jutsus, ''My Lightningbat system is developing very well. Though there weren''t many Lightning users in Naruto, the ones that were focused on were all top-tier.


    The range of Lightning jutsus in the library isn''t very impressive. However, it was easy to replicate some of the ideas. The entire basis of my Lightning Combat system is speed and high prating power.


    One of the uses of Lightning that impressed me the most was when Killer Bee sneak attacked Kisame with a pencil that was enhanced with Lightning. Kisame could dodge those due to his strength and speed and also the fact that Bee didn''t spam them. However, even he found those troublesome.


    I have merely applied the same technique to senbon, making them extremely deadly. Even someone like Renjiro will have to be extremely alert against this tactic. As for the ones weaker than him, they''ll struggle heavily.


    Until I can replicate Raikage''s Lightning Chakra Mode, this will be my main tactic while fighting with Akuro''s identity. The Lightning Chakra Mode is difficult to replicate though. I already have a decent base thanks to the Burst jutsu, Lightning Transformation jutsu and Electric Skin jutsu in the library. However, Lightning Chakra Mode is several levels above basic stuff like that. It''s difficult to say whether I''d manage to replicate it without getting some help''


    [A/N : Have a fun weekend :)]


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 505: A Grave Loss

    Chapter 505: A Grave Loss


    Fujin continued analyzing, ''Compared to that, the Chidori is a bit easier. While my Chidori isn''t as good as Kakashi''s Chidori, it''s only a matter of time before it bes as good as his. Actually, even without it, my current level with Chidori is sufficient to poke holes or overwhelm the usual defenses. The only time I''d struggle would be if I try going head-on against another Chidori or a Rasengan or go up against a defense at the level of Gaara.


    In addition, I also managed to create a 1 finger lightning jab by taking inspiration from the 3rd Raikage''s attack. Though it is nowhere near his level, it''ll continue improving.


    My initial n with the Lightning Release was to have abat system like this. I did create some more jutsus to help out with defenses and for some other uses. What I didn''t expect was that I would get the de of the Thunder Spirit. It allows me to fightfortably from a range as well.


    It was indeed a very helpful gift as it directly resolved the issue of me not having good mid and long-range jutsus. I was overly dependent on the Lightning Beam and the False Darkness jutsus. And, neither was strong enough to threaten an Elite Jounin. Now, it is apletely different story with the amplification the sword provides me. Looks like my Lightning Combat System is almostplete.''


    A smile formed on Fujin''s face. Unlike with Wind, he had received very little help to improve his Lightning jutsus. Reaching such a level with just himself was a great aplishment.


    Fujin let out a yawn and muttered to himself, ''It''ste at night. I need to sleep. There is still some exhaustion from the soldier pill. Tomorrow, I need to see what happens after Danzo finds the dead bodies.


    If nothing serious happens, I need to start working on creating the Eight Trigrams Divination Seal. I''ll have my clones work on it while I train Flying Thunder God and the Eight Inner Gates.''


    Fujin went to sleep. The night was very peaceful in Konoha. However, no one knew the storm that would soon hit the higher-ups in the vige!


    The next day, a Root ninja visited one of the four bases on a routine visit. When he entered it, his eyes widened as he saw two Root ninjas lying dead. He immediately sent a clone to inform Danzo.


    Within a few minutes, Danzo and 8 Root ninjas arrived at the base. Root ninjas dying inside Konoha was a huge matter. Danzo bent down and began observing the two dead bodies. So did a couple of other Root ninjas, one of whom was a medical ninja.


    The medical ninja said, "They died without any struggle. There is only one small injury on their foreheads which looks to be made by a senbon piercing through their head. Their opponent should have been much stronger than them."


    Another added, "There is no senbon inside this room."


    Danzo''s eyesnded on the two small holes in the walls. He walked towards them. Immediately, everyone else noticed them as well. Danzo said, "The senbon were thrown with a lot of power. Not only did they pierce through their heads, they also pierced through the wall. Follow this hole to see where the senbons are."


    A couple of Root ninjas immediately disappeared. A frown appeared on Danzo''s face as he analyzed, ''One of these two is at the Jounin level. Yet, he died in the same manner as the other. Who attacked them?''


    Danzo fell into deep thought. He had a bad feeling. He wondered, ''Did an enemy vige send a spy? But, who''d send such a strong spy into Konoha? And, how did they find the location of this hidden base and manage to enter without triggering any rms? Something doesn''t add up.''


    The Root ninjas returned and reported, "Lord Danzo, the trail ends on the other side of the base. There are two deep holes, but there is no senbon in either of the holes. However, the holes aren''t damaged. I don''t understand how anyone would retrieve them."


    Danzo''s frown deepened. He immediately followed them. It was as they said. There were two tiny holes that were about 3 meters deep. However, there was no senbon inside them. And, there was no sign of any external damage to the hole for anyone to remove the senbon.


    Danzo immediately began analyzing, ''Did the attacker retrieve the weapon as it would leave clues? However, removing a weapon from here isn''t easy unless the attacker is a puppet master. Another possibility is that it wasn''t a senbon and instead was a chakra-based attack that is simr to a senbon. Perhaps made of wind or ice.''


    As Fujin had guessed, it wouldn''t take long for Danzo to figure out what had happened. After all, in terms of experience, Danzo was leagues ahead of Fujin. Even more so when it came to acting in the dark.


    One Root ninja suddenly appeared behind Danzo and reported, "Lord Danzo, I inspected the injury. The insides of their head are hit by Lightning. I suspect that their memories can no longer be read. I inspected the holes in the wall as well. They also show signs of Lightning damage as well. I suspect that they were attacked with a Lightning-enhanced senbon."


    Danzo said, "I see. Call Yamanaka Fu here and have him inspect their memories to see if their memories can still be read."


    Danzo secretly deactivated the seal on their brains that was responsible for attacking anyone who tried to read their memories.


    He continued analyzing, ''An Elite Jounin or a rank S who can use Lightning enhanced senbon assisted by someone skilled in controlling puppets. Or, someone using Shadow Clones to achieve the same effect. Is it an external scheme? Or is it someone from within the vige?''


    An image of a certain silver-haired ninja appeared in Danzo''s mind. However, Danzo couldn''t see any reason why he would do something like this. More importantly, the bad feeling he was getting had only gotten worse, but he didn''t understand where it wasing from. He asked the ninja who informed him about the dead bodies, "Did you visit the other 3 bases?"


    The Root ninja answered, "No, Lord Danzo. This was the first base I visited."


    Danzo immediately instructed a couple of ninjas to collect any and all evidence there. The remaining ninjas followed him. To their shock, the next two bases were in a simr state. The situation in those two bases was nearly identical. After inspecting for some time and leaving behind more Root ninjas to gather any evidence left behind, Danzo and 3 Root ninjas headed towards thest base.


    As they did, even Danzo became a bit nervous. He thought, ''I haven''t heard anything from thest base either. There were 9 ninjas there. If they also met the same fate''


    Danzo didn''t particrly care about the lives of his subordinates. During the Great Wars, many of them would die frequently while doing extremely high-risk missions behind enemy lines. However, that was a different era. Danzo had several hundred ninjas in Root at that time. And, Danzo could freely recruit hundreds of talented kids and train them to rece the dead Root ninjas.


    Unfortunately for him, it was no longer the case. Hiruzen had been hard on the Root after the Uchiha massacre. He didn''t have many subordinates. Losing 15 subordinates in one go would mean that he would lose more than a third of his manpower!


    In actuality, that was even worse than it sounded. Danzo thought, ''Though I had 41 subordinates in Root, many can''t be deployed due to their duties. Losing 15 would mean that I would lose more than half the forces that I could deploy for missions... It will be a grave loss for Konoha if they are dead.''


    Another aspect was that Danzo couldn''t recruit any kids either. He had managed to get his hands on slightly more than a hundred kids from the Land of Water, but they were still in training. It would easily take half a decade for some of them to meet the minimum requirements of taking a Root mission. The remaining kids could take an even longer time.


    In addition, Danzo couldn''t kidnap any more kids from the Land of Water. Both the Mizukage faction and the Rebel faction had noticed the cases of children going missing and understood that someone was kidnapping young kids. Despite their conflict, both came to a tacit understanding and began taking action to prevent such incidents, making it extremely risky for Root to continue their operations. Danzo had long withdrawn his subordinates from the Land of Water as he didn''t want to lose the few capable Root ninjas he still had under hismand.


    Danzo''s group finally reached thest base. Every single person, including Danzo, was stunned by the sight!


    [A/N : Power Stones guys! Let''s go back in the top 10!]


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 506: Reminding Danzo of his Situation

    Chapter 506: Reminding Danzo of his ''Situation''


    [A/N: 500th Chapter! Kinda in disbelief that we havee so far... Thanks for all your support and love guys. There is no way I could have written half a thousand chapters without your love and support. Let''s hope we keep going strong further as well :-)]


    As soon as they entered the base, they were greeted by the sight of one Root ninja stuck underground with only his head stuck above the ground facing them. A finger-sized hole could be seen in his forehead.


    Some distance behind him were innumerable damaged explosive seals. On those sealsid two dead bodies, one of which was beheaded. Behind them was a burnt room. The smell of burnt flesh still lingered in the air.


    Danzo''s expression became very grim. It was a great loss. In terms of percentage, this was the second-worst loss that Root experienced. The worst was of course when Hiruzen disbanded the Root and inducted arge amount of Root ninjas into the Anbu.


    They quickly began inspecting the dead bodies. Danzo''s expression became very serious when he noticed the hole in the chest of one of the dead bodies. He quickly thought of Kakashi. In the past, he had looked at the bodies of a few enemy ninjas who had fallen to Kakashi''s Chidori. The injury was identical.


    Danzo''s expression became ugly as he thought, ''Hatake Kakashi! This attack is undoubtedly his work! How can an enemy find all the hidden bases and pinpoint the four where ninjas were deployed? However, why would he suddenly do this?''


    Danzo fell into deep thought. This time, none of the Root ninjas dared to disturb him. This loss was too big for Root. Danzo quickly concluded, ''Kakashi has no reason to do this. The only reason why he would do something like this is if he was ordered by Hiruzen.''


    He cursed internally, ''Hiruzen! What scheme are you making this time? Still, to secretly kill Konoha''s shinobi This is so unlike Hiruzen. Did he discover something? Or, is someone scheming in the shadows to make me go against Hiruzen?''


    Danzo couldn''t be sure. However, all clues pointed directly towards Hiruzen. He didn''t see any way that enemy countries would be able to sneak inside Konoha, search the hidden Root bases and kill 15 Root ninjas without drawing any suspicion at all! Even a Kage might not be able to pull that off. However, the Hiruzen he knew wouldn''t have done such a sloppy job. Having worked with Hiruzen for so long, Danzo knew that if Hiruzen was the one behind this incident, then the evidence would have been such that Hiruzen would have been thest person Danzo suspects.


    One of the Root ninjas asked, "Lord Danzo, should we shut down the entrance of the vige to prevent culprits from escaping?"


    Danzo answered, "No. If they wanted to escape, they would already have. How long has it been since their death?"


    The medical ninja who was inspecting the bodies answered, "All 15 ninjas died roughly around 12 to 14 hours ago. I''ll need to perform an autopsy to be sure."


    Danzo ordered, "Alright, keep inspecting the bodies."


    He looked towards the other two subordinates and instructed, "Inspect the entire base. See if you can find any clues. The fight here is much more intense than the rest. Hopefully, there might be some clues left behind."


    The Root ninjas immediately got to work.


    While the Root ninjas worked, Danzo began nning what action he could take. Despite his decades of experience, he didn''t see an easy way out of that situation. It was bad no matter what he assumed.


    If the current situation was created by enemy viges, then his Root faced an existential crisis as they seemed to want to take out Root before making any moves on Konoha. On the other hand, if it was Hiruzen, then Danzo was outmatched once again. While Danzo still had several trump cards and could make Hiruzen suffer as well, there was no doubt that Danzo would be the bigger loser.


    While Danzo nned his next move, the Root ninjaspleted their job. They approached Danzo and reported, "Lord Danzo, there are no clues in this base either. It is just like the previous three bases."


    The medical ninja reported, "Lord Danzo, the method of killing is more varied here. However, all the stab wounds are due to a Lightning enhanced object or jutsu. Though six bodies were burnt, I suspect they were hit after they had died. It was probably an attack from these 2 ninjas."


    Danzo nodded. He looked at one subordinate and ordered, "Go to Hiruzen in person and ask him toe here. Tell him that I have called him and it is an emergency. Don''t tell him the reason and observe his reaction carefully. Send Shadow Clones to call the remaining two Elders here as well."


    The Root ninja said, "Yes, Lord Danzo."


    He quickly disappeared from the base. Danzo muttered to himself, ''Hiruzen, let me see what exactly you are up to! If you think I''ll let you take the Root away from my hands once again, then you are mistaken. Thest time I couldn''t do anything due to the situation. It won''t be the same this time.''


    After the Uchiha Massacre, Danzo had no choice. If he had resisted, all Hiruzen had to do was tell the truth of the situation to the n leaders. In an instant, everyone would be asking for Danzo''s head. While that would have been impossible, the Root would truly be stripped from Danzo. Unlike Hiruzen, they wouldn''t have let him keep even a single Root ninja.


    Hiruzen was talking with a few ninjas when the Root ninja suddenly barged into his office. A frown appeared on Hiruzen''s face due to the Root ninja entering without asking for his permission. At the same time, the four Anbu Guards became alert as well.


    Without waiting, the Root ninja directly said, "It''s an emergency. Lord Danzo has asked for your presence immediately."


    Hiruzen wondered, ''Emergency? What happened?''


    He looked at the ninjas in his office and said, "You four leave. I''ll call you againter."


    The four ninjas respectfully said farewell and left while wondering what the emergency was. Hiruzen followed the Root ninja along with his Anbu Guards. At the same time, Homura and Koharu also began making their way towards the base.


    En route, Hiruzen wondered, ''Is he leading me to one of the Root bases? Why is Danzo there instead of the main base?''


    He didn''t need to wonder for long. A minuteter, Hiruzen entered the base. As soon as he did, his eyes widened as he noticed the 3 dead bodies and Danzo standing along with two Root ninjas. He asked, "What the hell happened here?"


    Before Danzo could answer, Homura and Koharu entered the base as well. Just like Hiruzen, they were stunned as well and asked the same question.


    Danzo frowned on seeing Hiruzen''s expression. He thought, ''His expression doesn''t give away anything. Is he acting or was he really not involved?''


    Seeing that Danzo wasn''t answering, Homura asked with more emphasis, "Danzo, what happened here?"


    Danzo snorted and said, "Why don''t you ask Hiruzen?"


    Hiruzen''s expression hardened. He asked with a hint of aggression, "What do you imply by that, Danzo?"


    Danzo turned around and said, "Follow me."


    He led the group to the body with a hole in his chest and said, "All my subordinates in the 4 Auxiliary Root bases were killedst night. Everyone was killed with Lightning Release. Do you still want to feign ignorance, Hiruzen?"


    Hiruzen, Homura, Koharu and the Anbu Guards immediately connected the dots. Every single one was surprised as Danzo was ming Kakashi!


    Before anyone could say anything, Danzo asked angrily, "Why did Kakashi kill my men, Hiruzen?"


    Hiruzen''s face became very serious. He harshly replied, "Watch your tone, Danzo. Kakashi isn''t even in the vige. He left for a rank S mission a week ago. Besides, if I wanted to deal with you, I would have disbanded Root for good. Why would I waste the lives of capable Konoha shinobi?"


    Danzo replied equally harshly, "Is this how you want to y, Hiruzen? Since you don''t want to ept responsibility, I''ll arrest and question Hatake Kakashi."


    Immediately, Koharu said sternly, "Danzo, control yourself. Arresting Hatake Kakashi is out of the question no matter what the situation is. The evidence you have is only spective. Besides, even if you had solid evidence to prove that Kakashi was the culprit, we can''t arrest him."


    Homura added, "The Root was disbanded 4 years ago. Officially, no Root Ninja exists. The vige can''t punish a ninja for killing someone that doesn''t exist. So calm down and work together with us. We first need to investigate to understand for sure who was behind this incident. If we fight among ourselves, then whoever is behind this will benefit at our expense."


    Unlike Danzo, Koharu and Homura had nothing at stake and hence weren''t affected by emotions. Both could clearly see the fact that it was not Hiruzen''s style. Hiruzen wouldn''t have killed Konoha''s shinobi. If he was forced to do so by circumstances, there was no way he''d leave behind such a w.


    [A/N : Power Stones guys! Let''s go to the top 10!]


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 507: A Bizarre Situation...

    Chapter 507: A Bizarre Situation...


    Danzo snorted and said, "I said, my subordinates in all four bases were killed. Do you think an external enemy can locate the exact 4 out of all the hidden bases and kill Root ninjas without raising any suspicions at all?"


    Homura added, "I didn''t rule out an internal hand in the incident. But ming someone without any evidence is pointless. Though the signs here point towards Kakashi, Kakashi is someone who knows a thousand jutsus. Why would he use his signature jutsu? Even if he was forced to, why would he leave such evidence behind? He could have just taken the body with him or changed the nature of the injury to fool us.


    Instead, everything is precisely set up to me Kakashi. If anything, it looks like someone tried to set him up to cause an argument between you and Hiruzen."


    Danzo finally calmed down. Or rather, he was always calm but had only just shown it. His attention was focused on Hiruzen all the time. He didn''t see any w in Hiruzen''s expressions. He sighed internally and thought, ''Looks like it isn''t him after all. However, there is no other clue Whoever it was, they did a damn good job. Even if Hiruzen is innocent, I can''t take this lying down. Otherwise, the Root will really be finished!''


    Seeing that Danzo had finally stopped pretending to be angry, Hiruzen said, "I''ll say it again, Danzo. This incident has nothing to do with me. If you want, you can cross-check Kakashi''s mission as well. For now, look for evidence. I''ll dispatch 4 Anbu squads to help you out in this regard. Once all evidence is gathered, we will meet in my office."


    Homura and Koharu agreed with Hiruzen''s decision while Danzo stayed silent. Hiruzen and his guards left. He quickly dispatched four Anbu squads who specialized in investigation to investigate this matter. As for the other three, they stayed to look over the investigation.


    Though Hiruzen and Danzo''s conflict had settled for the time being, all four of them were still left with a big question. Who was the one behind this incident? The matter was very serious.


    If it was done by outside forces, then it was a hugepse in Konoha defenses! Someone could enter the vige without being detected, search the bases without raising any suspicion and kill 15 Root ninjas in one go. The other possibility was the existence of an exceptional spy or a traitor inside Konoha. No matter what it was, they needed to solve the situation before something worse happened.


    Not a single one of them considered the possibility that this was done merely as a retaliation for a political y. Like every other vige, deaths due to political conflicts, though rare, happened in Konoha as well. However, it was always Root eliminating the ones creating trouble for Danzo or Hiruzen. There had never been any incident where someone else had taken the initiative to eliminate Root ninjas without Root ninjas attacking first.


    For the next few hours, the investigations continued. However, just like their initial investigation, they came up empty-handed. The only new information they received was from the autopsy of the dead Root ninjas. However, there wasn''t any useful information in that data either.


    The four of them gathered in Hiruzen''s office in the evening. Danzo snorted while looking at Hiruzen with displeasure, "The job has been done too cleanly. There isn''t any information for us to use."


    Everyone understood that Danzo was ming Hiruzen. However, all 3 understood that Danzo had no other choice. They didn''t bother pacifying him once again. They stayed quietly in the room while thinking for a while. Unfortunately, none of them coulde up with any reasonable exnation.


    Koharu sighed and muttered, "There is just too little information. From what we know, we can only say that a group or a single person who is an expert in Lightning Release and is a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster was involved. We couldy the me on Kumogakure, but there is no proof."


    Hiruzen nodded and added, "Even if there was proof against them, retaliating won''t be easy. More importantly, it''ll be a huge danger if the culprit is still inside the vige. Very few ninjas in the vige will be able to resist an attack from them."


    Koharu agreed and said, "We need to increase the security of the vige. We need to deploy all forces to find out whether the culprits are still in the vige and how they were able to enter and leave undetected. Fuinjutsu Grandmasters will have to be deployed to find them if they are hiding with the help of a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster."


    Hiruzen nodded. Danzo said, "If they are still in the vige, then it''ll mean that they are confident of staying hidden from our methods. Even though we should do it, nothing wille from it. I have already sent Root ninjas to check the barrier around the vige."


    Homura, who was quiet until then, suddenly said, "I have a feeling that something is off about this matter. A lot doesn''t make sense."


    It immediately attracted everyone''s attention. They all had the same feeling as well but it wasn''t something they could act on. Homura added, "I feel like we have overlooked some important aspect, but no matter how hard I think, I can''t see anything we might have ignored. I feel that we need to hear the perspective of someone else. It might help us see something that we might have missed."


    The room fell silent for a few seconds. Soon, everyone silently agreed with Homura''s suggestion. After half a minute, Hiruzen looked towards his guards and said, "Call Shikaku and Fujin here."


    Immediately, two Anbu Guards disappeared from the room. The three elders were surprised. Danzo thought, ''Suzuki Fujin? Didn''t Katsuhiro say that he was missing? Has he returned?''


    Meanwhile, Koharu asked, "I can understand Shikaku, but why Suzuki Fujin?"


    Hiruzen answered, "The boy has interesting takes on important matters. You already heard his rmendations for the Academy. He might surprise us. Regardless, there is no harm."


    Koharu thought for a bit before nodding. There was indeed no harm. Instead, it provided them with an opportunity to test Fujin.


    A minuteter, Fujin''s bell rang. Since he hadn''t noticed muchmotion the entire day apart from irregr movements by Anbu and Root, Fujin had gone back to training. Fujin immediately activated his chakra field. Surprise appeared on his face as he thought, ''Hiruzen''s Anbu Guard? They shouldn''t have linked the event to me, or else a single Guard wouldn''t havee. What does he want?''


    He dispelled his clones and went up. As soon as he opened the door, the Anbu Guard said, "Lord Hokage has called you. Come with me right away."


    Fujin nodded and followed him to Hiruzen''s office. By the time he reached, Shikaku had already arrived at the office. He looked at Fujin and thought, ''As I guessed, something big must have happened. Root and Anbu have been restless all day. I wonder what it is.''


    The Anbu Guards closed the door and activated all the seals. Hiruzen said, "Something terrible happenedst night."


    He filled in Fujin and Shikaku about the killings. Surprise could be seen on both their faces. However, both immediately became serious as Hiruzen said, "We brainstormed for a long time but haven''te up with anything substantial. What do you think about the situation?"


    Both Shikaku and Fujin fell into thought. Shikaku was actually thinking about what the situation could be. On the other hand, Fujin cursed internally, ''What the hell? They called me to analyze and specte on the crime Imitted? What the hell do I say?''


    Fujin never expected that Hiruzen would ask him for his opinion. He expected the Elders, maybe Shikaku and perhaps a few n leaders to work on this matter. So, he hadn''t thought of an answer. His mind quickly began thinking of what to say and who to me.


    Suddenly, his eyesnded on Danzo as he thought, ''Now that I think about it, if Danzo ys this well, he could try and coerce Hiruzen into getting some of his old subordinates back aspensation to stop ming him and Kakashi. Though it is unlikely that Hiruzen would agree as the usations are absurd, I''ll take this opportunity to add more oil to the fire. Hehehe, I wonder how he would react once he hears my reply.''


    A devious n immediately formed in Fujin''s mind. The more he thought about it, the more he loved his interpretation of the situation. Danzo''s bad situation was about to get far worse!


    -----------------------------------


    Thank You Abhinav for supporting me on UPI.

 Chapter 508: The Hidden Meaning

    Chapter 508: The Hidden Meaning


    After some time, Shikaku muttered, "Whoever is behind this incident is very brave and efficient. At the very least, a rank S ninja who specializes in Lightning, a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster and a high-level spy are involved.


    On the surface, all evidence points towards Kakashi. However, anyone with brains can see that this is a set-up. As such, due to the involvement of high-level application of Lightning, our suspicions fall on Kumogakure. I feel that this is a diversion as well. Whoever is behind this act most likely wants us to me Kumogakure and for our rtionship to sour. I am afraid that the real culprit is someone else."


    Fujin looked at Shikaku and thought, ''He can oveplicate things a lot. Then again, his final conclusion isn''t wrong.''


    Fujin hadn''t thought of ming Kumogakure. He knew that Kakashi wouldn''t be med at the end of the day. As for who gets the me, he didn''t particrly care. Regardless, he found the situation amusing.


    Hiruzen and the others thought of Shikaku''s answer properly. His intelligence was something everyone rated very highly. After a while, Homura said, "A double cover We hadn''t thought of that. It might be the case that the other three viges want us to fight with Kumogakure. Still, that doesn''t exin who was behind these attacks."


    Hiruzen looked at Fujin and asked, "What is your view, Fujin?"


    Fujin answered, "Shikaku''s viewpoint is valid and it might indeed be that the culprits want us to fight against Kumo or other major viges. However, I feel that the culprit might not be from an enemy vige and this might be an inside job."


    Everyone''s eyes widened. Especially Danzo''s who thought, ''I didn''t expect him to support me. Saying that points a finger at Kakashi and Hiruzen. It looks like you made a mistake calling him here, Hiruzen.''


    At the same time, Hiruzen got slightly worried. Though Fujin was dependable, he had a tendency to put Hiruzen in difficult positions. Hiruzen prayed that this wasn''t that time.


    Fortunately for him, Fujin continued, "It is clear that someone is trying to me Kakashi. However, the only evidence they left to me him are injuries caused due to Lightning and an injury that looks like it was made by Chidori.


    However, even though Chidori is a strong jutsu, it isn''t unique by any means. The Raikage can cover his entire body with Lightning. He can replicate the effects of Chidori with little effort. It wouldn''t be too far-fetched for someone who specializes in Lightning toe up with a jutsu that is simr to Chidori.


    Another crucial point is that every one of you seems to have decided that a spy or a traitor was involved. However, you have overlooked one important aspect."


    Everyone in the room, including Shikaku, was confused. At first, it seemed like Fujin was suspecting Hiruzen and Kakashi, but he very quickly said the entirely opposite and said that Kakashi had no me, something that everyone agreed. Yet, he said that everyone was overlooking an aspect


    Everyone stared at Fujin who paused for a few seconds to let everyone think and confuse themselves more. Fujin continued, "You seem to have forgotten that we already have traitors. Two rather strong and ranked S traitors!


    Though Chidori is strong, it won''t be an issue for someone like Orochimaru to create something simr. After all, his expertise in Ninjutsu was said to be second only to the Hokage. And that was years ago. Who knows how much stronger he has be since going rogue?


    On the other hand, anyone with a Sharingan can copy that technique from Kakashi just like Kakashi copied the other jutsus. That means that Itachi could have done so.


    Both were a part of the vige in the past and should have known a lot of secrets. Unless you changed the locations of the Root bases after they left, they can easily locate and eliminate the 15 Root ninjas without alerting anyone. It will be a child''s y for them to do so."


    Everyone was surprised. It was true, they hadn''t thought of Itachi and Orochimaru. However, there was another minute detail in Fujin''s words. The detail that Shikaku, Homura and Koharu missed but Hiruzen and Danzo caught on in an instant. Fujin had said that ''anyone with a Sharingan'' could copy Kakashi''s technique.


    Itachi wasn''t the only one with a Sharingan. There was another in that very room itself! Fujin''s words were a hidden message to make Hiruzen think that Danzo could have copied Kakashi''s technique as well! And, his words did the job that he intended. Though it was extremely unlikely, the idea that this might have been done by Danzo himself took root in Hiruzen''s mind. It was the same as how Danzo couldn''t eliminate his suspicions about Hiruzen and Kakashi despite how obvious it was that it was a set-up!


    Coincidentally, Danzo and Hiruzen looked at each other at the same time. As their eyes met, Hiruzen''s expression became grim as he thought, ''Though the chance of this is negligible, don''t tell me that you have fallen this low, Danzo! Don''t tell me that you did this just so that you will get a bargaining chip over me to get back the control over the Root ninjas I took over after the Uchiha massacre.


    If this is your scheme, then you are gravely mistaken to think that I would cave. If I find even little proof of your involvement in this matter, I won''t go easy on you this time, Danzo. As for gaining anything from this incident, don''t even think about it!''


    Having worked together for more than half a century, Danzo immediately understood Hiruzen''s thoughts. He knew that ming Hiruzen and Kakashi wouldn''t yield any results. So, he just wanted to apply a lot of pressure on Hiruzen and then give him an opportunity to make things right by getting back his old subordinates. Unfortunately, Fujin''s words ruined that idea.


    Danzo looked at Fujin. Though nothing could be seen on his face, his eye was full of hatred. He cursed, ''This damned brat! What the hell is Katsuhiro doing? Why hasn''t he made a move yet?''


    Danzo was very angry and frustrated. While the death of 15 Root ninjas was a grave loss, it provided him with an excellent opportunity as well. However, Fujin turned that opportunity into danger as Hiruzen now suspected Danzo. Given Danzo''s track record, it was extremely usible for Danzo to do something like this.


    Unlike Hiruzen and Danzo who were fixated on the hidden message in Fujin''s words, the others were thinking about Itachi and Orochimaru.


    Homura thought, ''Itachi won''t do this. He is too loyal to the vige. Even if he isn''t anymore, we still have his brother. He won''t risk this. But Orochimaru on the other hand This is something that he may do. It also feels like his style of doing things. But why would he?''


    Koharu voiced his thoughts and asked, "Why would Orochimaru or Itachi return to the vige and do something like this?"


    Fujin shrugged and replied, "How am I supposed to know that? All of you should know them much better than I know. After all, I never interacted with them while you elders saw them rise from an academy student to deadly rank S ninjas."


    Fujin''s words suddenly made them feel embarrassed. His words werepletely true from their point of view. How could he know what they were up to without knowing anything significant about them?


    Fujin continued, "Anyway, that''s just my thought. I don''t see how an enemy vige could have inserted a spy at such a high level or forced someone at a high level to betray Konoha without alerting Anbu or other special forces in the vige. Considering the situation, Orochimaru and Itachi are the most likely culprits behind this incident. Either they are directly involved in the attack, or they could have traded the information. Of course, I can be wrong as it is just a spection."


    Shikaku, Homura and Koharu nodded. Fujin hadn''t provided anything substantial. He just provided another viewpoint that was quite different from theirs and made some sense but it was still just a spection. The three of them didn''t notice Hiruzen and Danzo being in a different state of mind. Fujin could have noticed, but he chose to ignore it. After all, both were smart enough to get his hidden meaning.


    The room went silent once again as everyone except Fujin began thinking about the current situation and how to handle it.


    [A/N : Latest Chapter on Pat reon - ''Disying Kekkei Genkai'']


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 509: An Opportunity to establish Prestige in Konoha

    Chapter 509: An Opportunity to establish Prestige in Konoha


    Over five minutes passed without a word being spoken. Finally, Shikaku said, "There is no point in wasting time here. Let''s just continue the investigation. If we receive more information, then we could understand the picture better. If we don''t then we will have to nt a bait and hope the culprits fall for it. Otherwise, the only option is waiting until they attack again."


    Everyone nodded. Hiruzen said, "Alright, this meeting ends here. I''ll assign all avable Hyuga, Inuzuka, Yamanaka and Aburame ninjas to do a nket search of the entire vige. I''ll call the n Leaders here and inform them of the situation. Even npounds will be investigated. Does anyone have an issue?"


    No one had an issue. Hiruzen looked at Fujin and said, "Those ninjas won''t be able to detect any new structures hidden with the help of high-level seals. Though I can dispatch other Grandmasters, their numbers aren''t high. Can your clones search through the entire vige?"


    Everyone else in the room was surprised by Hiruzen''s question. Apart from Shikaku and Fujin, worry appeared on their faces. That also included the Anbu Guards. However, before anyone could say anything, Fujin nodded and answered, "Sure."


    Hiruzen replied, "Good. Map out every location that is hidden with the help of seals inside the vige. Also, inspect abandoned bases. Keep your main body nearby. I''ll inform you when npounds can be inspected as well. If possible, inspect a few kilometers outside the Vige Walls as well."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Alright, I''ll begin."


    Fujin opened the door and disappeared from the room. Hiruzen looked at Shikaku and instructed, "Shikaku, stay in my office. You''ll be analyzing all the new information thates here."


    He looked at his old friends and said, "You three can look over the investigation conducted by the ninjas I will dispatch and ensure that nothing is missed."


    They nodded and left the room as well, leaving only Shikaku and Hiruzen in the room. The two of them will have to soon pass a lot of orders.


    Fujin appeared on top of the Hokage Building. Though his expression was in, he was still feeling very weird. He thought, ''When I decided to kill a few Root ninjas to trouble Danzo, I never expected that I would be asked to specte about the matter and be given the most important task of investigation


    It''s like a judge asking a murderer who he thought was the murderer and then ordering the murderer to find the murder weapon and check the ces he could be hiding in. The situation is so freaking amusing and yet I can''tugh''


    Fujin could only shake his head in disbelief. Though his n was good, it wasn''t supposed to be this good. Even he couldn''t understand how things reached this stage.


    In an instant, 48 Shadow Clones appeared around Fujin. All instantly dispersed. While Fujin had done plenty of crazy things in the Ninja World, be it the riot he caused in the Land of Wind, forcing Roshi to transform, ughtering Iwa Jounins or killing Juzo, this was the first time he would be doing something crazy openly in Konoha and allow everyone to know that it was his action.


    Hiruzen had asked Fujin to investigate every single secret base inside Konoha. That included Anbu bases, Root bases, secret bases created by the ninja ns and anything else that existed inside and just outside the vige.


    It disyed two things. The first was Hiruzen''s trust in Fujin. After today, there will be very little that is hidden from Fujin in the vige. That is why everyone in Hiruzen''s office was surprised and worried. Danzo for one didn''t want Fujin to gain so much authority. Unfortunately for him, the situation didn''t allow him to speak as it was his Root facing the losses.


    Allowing Fujin to do this disyed how much Hiruzen trusted Fujin. Everyone in Konoha will be aware of this trust. While Hiruzen had nned to let Fujin inspect Konoha earlier, he wasn''t nning to let him investigate npounds.


    He changed his mind after Fujin''s words helped him realize that Danzo might have been the one behind the entire incident. In a way, it was Fujin''s reward. That said, if Hiruzen knew that Fujin was the one behind the incident, who knew what expression he would show!


    The second aspect that it disyed was Fujin''s might. To be able to search through the entire vige himself wasn''t something an ordinary ninja could do. And, considering what he was investigating, everyone in the vige would know that Fujin is a Grandmaster in Fuinjutsu from that day onwards!


    While Fujin loved keeping his abilities a secret, too many people already knew about his aplishments in Fuinjutsu. So, there wasn''t any loss in making it public. It also allowed him to establish his prestige and deter anyone like Katsuhiro from making a move against him just for his seat on the council.


    As his clones moved, Fujin thought, ''This wasn''t the conclusion I had nned for dealing with Katsuhiro. Then again, it isn''t bad either. Oh well, whatever. I don''t care. If he bes too much of a problem, I can eliminate him as well. However, I need to be more careful.


    Once Danzo meets him, he''ll know that the Root ninjas were eliminated shortly after our meeting. If I kill Katsuhiro inside Konoha, then it''ll raise suspicions. However, if I do it outside Konoha, I can remove all traces of his body. Since he suddenly went missing, he could be made a scapegoat to put the current situation''s me on. After all, though Lightning isn''t his main element, it is still his second strongest one.''


    While Fujin was making even more devious ns, an angry and frustrated Danzo reached the Root base. Though nothing could be seen on his face, his mood was terrible. He cursed internally, ''First I lost more than a third of my subordinates. Then, Suzuki Fujin eliminated my opportunity to take back my old subordinates. The situation is terrible no matter how I look at it.''


    He looked at the Root ninja next to him and instructed, "Ask Katsuhiro to meet me in my office immediately."


    The Root ninja quickly left. Danzo cursed, ''That useless fellow. It has been over a month since I gave him the idea to go against Fujin. However, he still hasn''t done anything despite the suggestion I nted in him. When did he be so useless? Now that Hiruzen has given Fujin such a responsibility, removing him from the council would be ten times more difficult!''


    Minutester, Katsuhiro reached the Root base and met Danzo. Before he could say anything, Danzo asked, "Have you put forth the proposal?"


    Katsuhiro was annoyed, ''First, he made mee here without any notice and now he demands answers from me? Though I need his help, I am not his subordinate.''


    Though Danzo had influenced Katsuhiro''s thoughts with Shisui''s Mangekyou Sharingan, he only utilized Katsuhiro''s arrogance and belief that he was the best person to represent civilian ninjas and put him against Fujin. He didn''t use the Mangekyou to make Katsuhiro loyal to him as it would have raised suspicions.


    So, Katsuhiro wasn''t loyal to Danzo nor was he his subordinate. Danzo was using his wit to keep him in line. Unfortunately, Danzo''s situation had be very bad, forcing him to lose patience.


    Katsuhiro replied, "I met with Fujin yesterday and put forth the proposal. He has asked me to draft the proposal and he will present it to the council while giving me the credit. I am currently working on it.


    The boy is still too green. You don''t need to worry too much about him or makeplicated schemes. I''ll take his seat in the Council in no time."


    As he said, Katsuhiro thought, ''I still need his vote for joining the council. I''ll endure this attitude for now.''


    Unlike Katsuhiro, Danzo''s thoughts were the exact opposite. He was stunned to hear what Katsuhiro had said. He thought, ''He gave him credit so easily? No, it isn''t right. How can someone Hiruzen chose to join the council so early be so open-minded?


    He must have seen through my scheme. As long as he says that this proposal was put forth by Katsuhiro and doesn''t try to force it on the council, the n leaders will be vignt against Katsuhiro and not Fujin. They will have no reason to vote him out. And, since he isn''t stealing any credit, I can''t defame him. Such a crafty kid!


    The only thing I can do is ruin his reputation among civilian ninjas. That said, will he be affected by public opinion?''


    Danzo couldn''t be sure. Fujin openly hung around and guided someone like Naruto who was a social pariah and probably the most disliked person in Konoha. It showed that Fujin didn''t care much about his reputation. Seeing that Danzo was lost in thought, Katsuhiro asked, "Why did you call me here?"


    Danzo looked at it and replied, "Just to ask for your progress with the proposal. You can leave."


    Katsuhiro was annoyed at being called for such a small matter. He left the Root base without exchanging any pleasantries.


    Danzo didn''t mind that. He had more important things to think about. He thought, ''Suzuki Fujin Something about this boy is awfully off But I can''t put my finger on what exactly is off.''


    [A/N : Latest chapter on pat reon - Fujin''s first official students!]


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 Chapter 510: Danzos Suspicion!

    Chapter 510: Danzo''s Suspicion!


    [A/N : Hey guys. This chapter is Sponsored by Terrance Smith. You can thank him for the double release.]


    Danzo recalled all his interactions with Fujin, ''When he first got my interest, Hiruzen refused to let me induct him in the Root. That wasn''t too odd considering Hiruzen''s nature. However, there is no exnation as to why Fujin was so on guard when I met him. Even in the council meeting, he opposed me and even challenged Root to a fight to prove his point.


    The two Root ninjas I sent after him mysteriously vanished. And today, his words caused Hiruzen to suspect me of something I haven''t done and put me in a terrible position. I have only suffered losses due to this boy.


    Not to mention, why is his house covered in so many seals? I felt that it was just a trap to lure me into making a mistake, but the more I find out about this boy, the more I feel that something about him is horribly wrong.


    Even this incident I manipted Katsuhiro into making a move against him. Yet, he somehow managed to stall Katsuhiro for over 5 weeks. And, the day he met Katsuhiro, 15 of Root ninjas died. It was as if this was a retaliation for me manipting Katsuhiro into making a move against him.


    It''s just that there is a lot of information I am missing! Why was he so on guard against me? Why would he eliminate any Root ninjas following him? How could he link Katsuhiro''s actions to me? And, how could he, someone who has no history of using Lightning, kill 15 ninjas with Lightning jutsus and replicate a high-level jutsu like Chidori?''


    Danzo had no answer to any of his questions. In fact, he couldn''t even make an educated guess as there was no information relevant to those questions. It was why Danzo wasn''t sure whether what he thought was true or not.


    In fact, even he found his analysis to bepletely absurd. There wasn''t even a hint of proof that Fujin did any of that. If he were to tell it to someone else, they would look at him like something was wrong with his brain. Yet, he couldn''t get rid of the feeling that something about Fujin was odd.


    Danzo decided, ''I need to put him under surveince once again. The only issue is that he is extremely careful. Nothing inside his house can be spied upon. Even in his training ground, he is extremely careful. Even bugs can''t enter undetected.


    Thest time I spied on him, I didn''t find anything substantial on him. Unlike others in the vige, I can''t threaten the ones close to him either. He is an orphan and mostly stays by himself. The few people he could be considered friends with are quite strong or well-connected as well. There is very little I can do against him''


    Danzo was troubled. He had made up his mind to act, however, his options were extremely limited and without much hope. Though they lived in a deadly world of ninjas, even ninjas had weaknesses and Danzo specialized in exploiting those. However, Fujin had none. Danzo couldn''t help but mutter, "I now see why youpared him to Sensei. He''s almost a perfect ninja. He might be the toughest opponent I faced. Yet, I can''t even be sure if he is facing me or whether this is all in my head!"


    While Danzo was in a dilemma and wondering what he should do, be it about Fujin or his dead subordinates, he suddenly heard amotion. He stopped thinking and looked in the direction of one of the entrances to the Root headquarters.


    At the entrance of the base, two Root ninjas stood extremely alert, as if they were facing an enemy. One of them asked, "Suzuki Fujin, why are you trying to enter the Root headquarters unauthorized?"


    Fujin''s clone replied, "Unauthorized? Lord Hokage has ordered me to inspect every base in the vige. Even Elder Danzo didn''t oppose him. Stop blocking me, or else I''ll be forced to apprehend you two before searching the base."


    The two Root ninjas grew tense. Unlike others in Konoha, Root ninjas were well aware of how difficult Fujin was to deal with. Suddenly, Danzo''s figure appeared behind them and asked, "What is happening here?"


    The Root ninjas were relieved to see that Danzo had appeared. Before they could say anything, Fujin''s clone said, "It''s good to see you, Elder Danzo. These two were stopping me from doing the task Lord Hokage assigned me."


    Danzo''s expression grew dark as he realized, ''He wants to search the Root headquarters? Have I fallen so much that even a kid wants to disrespect me so much?''


    Fujin''s clone observed Danzo''s reaction carefully. Though not much could be observed, he could clearly see how provoked Danzo was. He chuckled internally and thought, ''Do you have the sole right of creating trouble for others? Let me see how much you can endure, Danzo. Once you make one mistake, I''ll let you know how it feels to be on the receiving end for once.''


    While Fujin''s n of creating trouble and distraction for Danzo worked excellently, Fujin realized that Danzo might still target him if connected his meeting with Katsuhiro and the death of his subordinates happening the same day with each other. If so, he would trouble Fujin once again. Since that was the case, Fujin decided to provoke him right away.


    Thest time Fujin provoked Danzo, he didn''t receive much of a response from him. If that happened once again, Fujin would be d as he won''t face much trouble. If Danzo acted the opposite, Fujin wouldn''t mind that either. It was a good opportunity to have his Akuro identity break loose for real. Though it would increase Danzo''s suspicion, it would be pointless as he would already be suspecting Fujin and he would still not have any evidence.


    Facing Fujin''s clone, Danzo said, "The reason why Hiruzen asked you to investigate is because the number of Grandmasters is low. I have already inspected this base. You don''t need to waste your time here."


    Fujin''s clone asked nonchntly, "Are you sure you don''t want me to take a second look, Elder Danzo?"


    Danzo replied, "I am sure."


    Fujin''s clone said, "Alright. I''ll report to Lord Hokage that you have taken the responsibility of inspecting this base."


    Fujin''s clone disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Immediately Danzo''s expression became very ugly. Even his Root subordinates could see how infuriated he was. He cursed internally, ''Such arrogance. I can''t remember thest time I felt so insulted.''


    Danzo''s anger wasn''t unjust. Even though some opposed his methods, it was a fact that he was highly respected due to his strength, cunningness and position. Ever since the end of the First Great Ninja War, he couldn''t recall any instance of being so humiliated. If there was any such incident that was even more humiliating, then that would be Tobirama appointing Hiruzen as the Third Hokage before his death.


    Danzo turned around without speaking to his subordinates. He walked over to Torune and ordered, "Once Suzuki Fujin is done with his search, you will keep an eye on him. Take four Root ninjas with you."


    Torune was surprised. He asked, "But Lord Danzo, the killer is still roaming free. Would it be wise to disperse our forces secretly?"


    Torune wasn''t concerned about his death, but losing 5 more capable ninjas would be a deadly blow for Root.


    Danzo shook his head and said, "If an attack happens to you while you are spying on him, he''ll sense it and will be forced to help you out. It might be a good way of luring the attacker."


    Torune was surprised by the logic. However, on thinking about it, it waspletely sound. Fujin couldn''t stand by if a fight broke out in the vige. Torune asked, "What will we be spying for?"


    Danzo answered, "Nothing specific. He seems clean on the surface, but I have suspicions that he is involved in this incident somehow. Keep an eye on him and see if there is something off about him. If my intuition is urate, then we will save Konoha from a great tragedy in the future."


    Torune was surprised by how serious Danzo was. He immediately said, "Alright, I''ll start spying on him as soon as he is done scanning the vige."


    Danzo nodded and left.


    On top of the Hokage Building, Fujin received the memories of his clone and a smile appeared on his face. He opened his eyes and looked towards the location of the Root base.


    He thought, ''Just like the Anbu Headquarters, the Root Headquarters is big as well. Unlike the four auxiliary bases I targeted the previous night, the main base is huge. There are several underground floors in the base. Seeing what all he is scheming in those underground bases would have been interesting.


    Though I have been in the Anbu, I still never saw that Sakai n Jounin we captured after bing Chunins. If she is still alive, then I suspect she is being kept in the Root Headquarters. I wonder what else is hidden there and how much Hiruzen knows''


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    A/N: You can sponsor chapters through P@treon.

 Chapter 511 - 505 : Reasons to NOT use Shadow Clones!

    <h4>Chapter 511: Chapter 505 : Reasons to NOT use Shadow Clones!</h4>


    While Fujin and Danzo had their little confrontation, Hiruzen met with the n leaders and informed them of the situation. While they were displeased about their npounds being searched, no one opposed Hiruzen. After all, if someone who could silently eliminate 15 Root ninjas hid in their npounds or secret bases, then their entire n could be in danger.


    Without any restrictions, Fujin''s clones searched the entire vige methodically. Needless to say, it was all an act. With his Space Time Sensing Technique, there wasn''t much that could hide from him anyway. Not to mention, the culprit was him. How would he find anyone else?


    He merely took the opportunity to check out all the secret bases inside Konoha and left the Flying Thunder God mark secretly whenever he could. He had already put thousands of marks inside the vige. However, now he could truly im that he had marked the entire vige! Once his range increased, he could appear almost anywhere inside the vige. Unless the vige was destroyed, Fujin could soon be considered as invincible inside Konoha!


    Of course, his search wasn''t entirely unrestricted. While the ns didn''t stop him like Danzo, their ninjas still followed him when he inspected their npounds or secret bases. As such, his clones couldn''t brazenly mark every ce there.


    Regardless, he was long satisfied with what he had done. After all, these were unintended benefits of his move against Danzo. Besides, this search had bemon knowledge among the ninjas. Almost every n ninja became aware of such a search despite not knowing the reason behind the search.


    A few civilian ninjas noticed as well. The ones who didn''t notice would soone to know of it from their friends who were a part of ninja ns. Within a few days, the fact that Fujin could sustain dozens of Shadow Clones for hours and his Grandmaster attainment in Fuinjutsu would be known to every ninja in Konoha!


    One of those civilian ninjas was Katsuhiro. He was dumbfounded by what he had discovered. He immediately realized, ''So this is why Danzo seemed so annoyed. How did he suddenly get the authority to do something like this? Shit, if he is a Grandmaster in Fuinjutsu, then taking his seat will be extremely difficult. Everyone wants to have a good rtionship with a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster. However, how did he be a Grandmaster out of nowhere? I didn''t even know that he was a SealMaster, let alone a Grandmaster. What do I do now?''


    Needless to say, the spies would learn of this as well. However, seeing how tense Konoha was, they didn''t dare to send messages until things calmed down.


    The search continued the entire evening, continued throughout the night and only ended aroundte in the afternoon the next day. Fujin was long done with his part, but he still needed to coordinate with the ninjas specializing in sensing and detection to ensure that there wasn''t anyone hiding in the vige.


    While they couldn''t find any culprits for obvious reasons, they did find a few spies who were hiding in the Konoha pretending to be civilians. It ensured that the Torture & Interrogation department in Konoha would have fun for a few days.


    In the Hokage Office, there were several people including Fujin. Hiruzen and Shikaku were busy going through all the information gathered in case they noticed something others might have missed. The leaders of the sensing team were making reports as well. As for Fujin, he was just sitting on one side of the room, watching everyone work so hard to find the person sitting in that very room.


    He looked at Hiruzen and Shikaku and thought, ''While Danzo might be the most tense one, seeing these twozy fellows work their ass off is a decent benefit as well. Just look at their tired and exhausted expressions. Even under these circumstances, the two of them don''t stop acting.''


    Fujin couldn''t help but admire the two of them. He thought, ''All this work can easily be done within a few minutes by spamming Shadow Clones. Both have more than enough chakra to do so. As for their intelligence, they are probably the smartest people I have met. There is no way either of them can''t think of this.


    Instead, they just don''t do it. If they did it even once, others will ask why they don''t do it every time. Once they begin doing it every time, everyone will see how much more free time they have. Then, they''ll just pile more work on them. In essence, their workload will increase several times and the amount of time they they have to work will stay the same. No wonder they are this adamant about not using the Shadow Clone jutsu inside this building.


    Now that I think about it, Tsunade probably did the same as well. She could use paperwork as a reason to be annoyed and shoo away anyone who''de to trouble her needlessly. After all, who would want to mess with her when she is in a bad mood?


    I need to learn from them as well. This time, the benefits were very high, so it''s fine. Next time, I should avoid using Shadow Clones for such tasks. Though I can handle it, it''ll be annoying if it gets requested too many times.''


    The work in the office continued for another 3 hours. Fujin''s job was just to map the locations hidden with seals. He was long done with it. Hiruzen just made him stay in case he noticed any discrepancy in the information reported by the sensors.


    Once all the data was looked through, Shikaku sighed and muttered, "There are no traces at all. We didn''t find any new base. The abandoned bases don''t have any traces of someone staying there. Even scent isn''t present. Whoever it was, they did a thorough job."


    Only Fujin, Shikaku, Hiruzen and the Anbu Guards were still in the room. The rest had left. Hiruzen sighed as well and said, "Yeah, there is nothing. The job is too clean."


    His expression became serious as he muttered, "The attacker was so thorough that it in itself is suspicious."


    Shikaku agreed with Hiruzen''s words but didn''t voice his opinion. He thought, ''Looks like he is already suspecting someone.''


    Needless to say, Hiruzen was suspecting Danzo. However, just like Danzo, he too could see some issues. He thought, ''It is likely that only someone like Danzo can do something like this. An enemy vige or even Orochimaru doing any of this will leave some clues. But, with Danzo''s expertise, it wouldn''t have been an issue for him to nt some evidence to divert my attention elsewhere. Why didn''t he do that?''


    He couldn''t think of a reason. Seeing the two of them in thought, Fujin yawned and said, "I haven''t slept for nearly two days. Also, using that many clones is giving me plenty of headaches. I''ll take my leave for now. Call me if you two need anything."


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "Good work in the past couple of days. You can leave."


    Fujin nodded and disappeared from the room. Meanwhile, Shikaku wondered, ''Was he really tired or was he taking clues from us? Such a troublesome youngster...''


    Fujin returned to his house after flickering a few times. He activated his Space Time Sensing Technique and surprisingly, there was no one around keeping an eye on his house. He wondered, ''Did Danzo decide to not confront me? Or is he nning to attack in some other way? Oh well, I''ll handle it when the timees.''


    While Fujin learnt from the two of them, he was indeed quite sleepy. He hadn''t consumed any soldier pills this time. He quickly entered his house, cleaned up and fell asleep. While the vige was quite tense, Fujin didn''t have a reason to worry.


    Unfortunately, his spection wasn''t correct. An hour after he fell asleep, 5 Root ninjas led by Torune began spying on his house. Since none of them used chakra or stared at the house for too long and they stayed quite a long distance away, the seals on his house didn''t pick up anything. After all, Torune had tried spying on Fujin earlier. He knew how crazy his house was. All Root ninjas knew that the real spying would only be conducted when Fujin wasn''t in his house.


    Since he slept quite early, Fujin woke up early as well. It had only been 3 AM when he woke up. He stretched and was about to go freshen up when he activated his Space Time Sensing Technique out of habit. Suddenly, all theziness disappeared as his eyes became serious.


    [A/N: Next Chapter - Explosion!]


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    Link - .pat /DevilHex


    ()

 Chapter 512 - 506 : Explosion!

    <h4>Chapter 512: Chapter 506 : Explosion!</h4>


    [A/N: 5534 Power Stones and rank 12st week. Let''s go back into the top 10 this week!]


    A hint of craziness appeared in Fujin''s eyes and a smile appeared on his face as he thought, ''Hehe, you made your move after all, Danzo. Good. Now, let me see whether you are skillful enough to ensure that the Root survives.''


    While the Root ninjas were skillful enough to hide from chakra fields even when someone as skilled as Fujin used it, they had no idea about Fujin''s other skill. Even Danzo waspletely unaware. He never imagined that the spies he sent would be detected in an instant. If he knew Fujin had such an ability, he wouldn''t have bothered sending anyone to spy on him. Even if Fujin didn''t retaliate, the spies would only see what Fujin wanted to show them, which could make the Root fall into a trap.


    Unfortunately for Danzo, Fujin no longer had intentions to keep ying games. He nned to use this opportunity topletely escte the situation. On this day, two events would happen that would send shockwaves throughout Konoha that would be remembered for quite some time. One of them would also bring back some unpleasant memories.


    Fujin fell back into his bed. Sleep had recovered most of his chakra, but he was still not at full capacity. It was understandable as he had maintained a lot of Shadow Clones. However, in this circumstance, that was a good thing. A Shadow Clone, with 20% of his maximum chakra, appeared next to his bed. Without a word, he disguised himself perfectly and disappeared from the room.


    Neither of the 5 Root ninjas around Fujin''s house detected the Shadow Clone leaving from under the ground. There were two main reasons for this. Firstly, the Root ninjas didn''t dare to openly activate their chakra fields. Secondly, Fujin''s methods of hiding chakra were extremely good and his clone left through a ce where none of those 5 were present.


    Minutester, Fujin''s clone reached the outskirts of the Root Headquarters. He thought, ''Yesterday, I showed up at the front door. However, with a base this huge, I have innumerable ways of entering. Even though this base is very well hidden and protected with seals, Root currentlycks the manpower to defend its main headquarters. Of course, it is also because they don''t expect to be attacked in the first ce. After all, Konoha will be the one to take the hit first before any attacker reaches the Root Headquarters.''


    Danzo had only 26 Root ninjas left after Fujin''s stunt 2 nights ago. Out of those, 5 were outside Fujin''s house, while another 5 were outside the vige training the kids from the Land of Water in a secret location. In addition, 2 were deployed in the Fire Capital, 1 always followed Naruto and 1 was hiding in the Anbu.


    As a result, the massive Root headquarters had only 12 Root ninjas along with Danzo. Even among them, 5 of the Root ninjas were in the undergroundboratories at the lowest two levels of Root Headquarters, meaning that only 7 were avable to keep an eye on their base.


    Hence, they couldn''t pay attention to every entry into the Root Headquarters. Of course, Danzo had long sealed up such entry points. Fujin''s clone was standing in front of one such sealed entry point.


    The clone''s eyes glowed as he began studying the seals. He nodded as he realized, ''Not bad. Even I will need some time to decode these seals and enter inside without being detected. Not to mention, there are some seals I don''t recognize. Unfortunately, I don''t have the time to study them slowly. Oh well, even if I did, they would detect me in no time. So, no need to bother with stealth.''


    The de of the Thunder Spirit appeared in his right hand, but the hilt was covered by his long sleeves. The shape of the de looked nothing like a sword and instead looked like a ball of Lightning. In an instant, nearly 35% of the clone''s chakra was transformed into Lightning and transferred into the Lightning ball.


    Such a massive chakra spike just outside the Root headquarters was picked up by the seals. A couple of sensors and Danzo also felt it. Danzo thought, ''What the hell?''


    He immediately made a hand seal to activate all defensive seals on the Root headquarters. Unfortunately, he wasn''t fast enough. Fujin''s clone kicked the seal entrance, smashing it apart before the seals could activate.


    Immediately, the 5 Root ninjas in theboratories activated the defenses to ensure that thebs would stay safe. The two who were with Danzo got on alert to protect Danzo. As for the remaining 5, they ran towards where Fujin''s clone had barged in from.


    Unfortunately for them, those few seconds were all that Fujin''s clone needed to supercharge the Lightning ball with almost 99% of his chakra! As soon as three Root ninjas appeared, he waved his right arm in a shing action, unleashing all the Lightning stored inside the de of the Thunder Spirit!


    ''Lightning Release: Lightning Flood jutsu''


    The Root ninjas who had just arrived were shocked. While they came prepared for war, none of them expected to face such a devastating attack even before they could properly see the intruder! What shocked them more was the massive quantity of chakra they were feeling from the iing attack despite not being a sensor!


    Fujin''s clone had supercharged the jutsu with almost his entire chakra. That was 20% of Fujin''s chakra. However, with the amplification from the de of the Thunder Spirit, the attack was equivalent to 200% of Fujin''s chakra!


    It was important to know that Fujin''s chakra reserves were almost at the same level as Hiruzen''s. Though Hiruzen''s chakra reserves had deteriorated with age, he was still a formidable ninja and his ce in the rank S tier was unshaken.


    Very few ninjas had chakra reserves exceeding his. As for the ninjas that had chakra twice as much as him, they could be counted on one hand if the Jinchurikis weren''t considered. And, even they would never use up all their chakra in a single attack. What the Jounin-level Anbu were facing was an attack at a level rarely seen in the Ninja World!


    The three Root ninjas, as well as the two who weren''t too far away, were hit by the Lightning within the blink of an eye! They didn''t even have a chance to put up a defense and were obliterated within moments!


    Though Danzo had failed to activate the seals on the sealed entrance in time, he activated the remaining seals in the headquarters. As a result, the entire base became very resilient. Every wall could endure a couple of rank A jutsus before crumbling.


    Unfortunately for Danzo, Lightning specialized in prating through obstacles like walls. And, the attack could be considered a peak rank S jutsu in terms of pure destruction! The Lightning immediately began spreading throughout the Root headquarters.


    Fujin''s jutsu was a variation of the ''Lightning Release: False Darkness jutsu'' and was quite simr to it. The only difference was the amount of chakra infused in the jutsu which caused the nature of the jutsu to change. This change could be seen in the Root Headquarters. If a bystander had spectated this scene, it would seem like there was a Lightning flood inside Root Headquarters, spreading in every direction and piercing through every obstacle! It was a scene from a nightmare!


    In his office, Danzo''s eyes widened in shock and disbelief as he sensed the amount of chakra in the attack and how easily his base was being destroyed. Standing next to him, Yamanaka Fu nervously said, "Lord Danzo..."


    Despite being an Elite Jounin, Fu had no confidence in being able to resist the iing attack. Danzo immediately weaved hand seals while saying, "Move behind me."


    ''Wind Release: Serial Vacuum Waves jutsu''


    Immediately, Fu and the other Root ninja moved behind Danzo. At the very instance when Danzo was done weaving the hand seals, the Lightning broke through his office walls and moved towards him when he exhaled his jutsu. Several Vacuum Waves hit the iing Lightning flood continuously and kept bombarding the iing attack for a few seconds.


    The Lightning headed towards Danzo was finally stopped. Only some Lightning charges made it through the intense wind and hit the three of them. They weren''t strong enough to cause them any damage.


    Danzo and the two Root ninjas with him were safe. However, their moods were anything but calm. Even Danzo was extremely tense. He thought, ''Fortunately the Lightning wasn''t all concentrated on me. Otherwise, I would have no chance of stopping it without using Wood Release or sacrificing Shisui''s eye by using Izanagi. I didn''t even have time to remove the seals on my right arm! Which crazy bastard attacked my base? And who is strong enough to unleash such an attack? Even Hiruzen shouldn''t be able to do something like this!''


    Though Danzo stopped the Lightning flood from hitting him, it still continued spreading in other directions. Within seconds, 3 underground floors werepletely in shambles! Thankfully, while the seals weren''t strong enough to stop the Lightning flood, it slowly whittled down the power of the Lightning flood, putting an end to the destruction...


    Unfortunately, the destruction caused by the Lightning until that moment was too high! The top 3 floors copsed entirely, forcing Danzo and the two Root ninjas to evacuate in a hurry. If it wasn''t for the fact that Fujin''s clone didn''t target the pirs, the entire base might have copsed! Thankfully for Danzo, theboratories on the bottom two floors weren''t damaged.


    However, the loss was still extremely high! Danzo was extremely angry. Unfortunately, he was unaware that this was just the first step of Fujin''s n. Not a single person in Konoha would even consider the possibility of such a massive attack being merely a distraction! Fujin''s next steps would threaten Root''s existence in a way Danzo would never have imagined. The only question was whether Fujin would seed in his goal or whether Danzo would seed in defending his Root!


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    Link - .pat /DevilHex


    ()

 Chapter 513: Apprehending the Spies!

    Chapter 513: Apprehending the Spies!


    While the vige was tense, not many people in Konoha were actually aware of what was happening. Only the ninjas having authority were aware of the death of Root ninjas. The others were only following orders and weren''t provided any information. Even someone like Guy had no clue of what was actually happening in the vige. After all, the Root was supposed to be disbanded. Besides, releasing such news could cause panic to spread in the vige.


    Of course, not being aware made everyone tense as well. However, since they hadn''t found anyone in the long search, the vige had rxed slightly. Most ninjas felt that it was just an exercise in case anything happened. The vige was sleeping peacefully. Suddenly, several ninjas sensed a massive chakra spike despite not having any chakra fields activated. At the same time, a tremor was felt in a part of the vige!


    After all, Root headquarters was created underground. When Fujin''s clone destroyed three underground floors in a single attack, it caused a mini earthquake in the nearby area.


    Sleeping in his room, Hiruzen''s eyes snapped open. He immediately flickered and appeared on top of his roof. Momentster, four Anbu Guards appeared behind him. He looked towards Root headquarters in confusion and wondered, ''What the hell is happening there? Such a massive chakra signature. For a moment I thought that the Nine Tails had broken loose again. Fortunately, the chakra is much smaller. Still, what is happening?''


    He immediately began moving towards the Root headquarters. Simr scenes happened all around the vige. Every n Leader woke up. Unlike Hiruzen, they didn''t move themselves and instead sent a couple of Jounin squads to check out what was happening and reinforce Hiruzen. Several civilian ninjas, including Guy, were making their way towards the source of the explosion. Memories of the Nine Tails assault resurfaced in the minds of several people.


    And just like everyone, Fujin''s eyes snapped open in his bedroom as well. In moments, he was on top of his house. In fact, he was even faster than Hiruzen, but unlike Hiruzen he merely watched towards the Root headquarters. He looked in that direction with an expression that said he was wondering what was happening while spreading his chakra field towards the location.


    Needless to say, Fujin wasn''t the only one looking towards the Root Headquarters. The 5 Root ninjas looked towards the source of the explosion as well. Their eyes widened as they realized that the Root Headquarters had been hit! And sensing how strong the explosion was, they couldn''t help being worried.


    All 5 decided that the mission to watch over Fujin could be postponed. In a moment, all 5 began moving towards the Root Headquarters. However, the moment they decided to do so, Fujin could sense their chakra!


    A frown appeared on his face as 5 Shadow Clones appeared next to him. All 5 flickered and threw a kunai each, blocking the paths of the 5 Root ninjas. They stopped as Fujin''s clones stood in their paths.


    Aburame Torune shouted angrily, "Suzuki Fujin, why are you attacking us and blocking our path? The vige is under attack!"


    Fujin flickered a few meters behind Torune and said, "That''s what I want to ask. The vige is under threat and the 5 of you are surrounding my house instead of looking for the culprit? What is the meaning of this?"


    Torune and the Root ninjas immediately understood why Fujin had blocked them. Torune immediately turned around and said, "It was just a coincidence. This isn''t the time to argue about this. We need to reinforce Lord Danzo."


    Fujin snorted and asked with a hint of anger, "So it was a coincidence that 5 of you were strategically surrounding my house during the night right when the attack happened? I wonder what your intentions are. Lord Hokage and Elder Danzo spected that this incident was caused by someone inside the vige. Seeing how suspicious you five are, I can only assume that you are working with the culprit!"


    Fujin''s usation stunned them. They couldn''t even imagine how Fujin reached that conclusion. One of the Root ninjas cursed, "Bastard! Stop your meaningless usation. Get out of the way! Otherwise, we will assume that you are the one working with the culprit."


    Fujin replied, "Oh. You are using a Council Member of working with an enemy? Good. Very good! I hope you have proof to back your im up. Seeing how you were spying on a Council Member, I have no choice but to arrest you five right now. Don''t resist or I won''t hold back."


    Immediately, all 5 Shadow Clones prepared for a battle. A sword appeared in their right hand. The 5 Root ninjas immediately became tense. They had heard about how strong Fujin was. Torune said, "Don''t do anything crazy, Fujin. We were just on a mission."


    Fujin chuckled and said, "A mission to spy on a Council Member? Good luck exining that to Lord Hokage and the Council. As for doing anything crazy, it depends on whether you''ll be obedient or resist."


    Fujin''s words left little room for discussion. He had been overbearing from the start. It was as if he was looking for trouble. However, considering the situation, the Root ninjas didn''t find it odd. Anyone else in power would react the same way if they were being spied on. Not too long ago, an entire n was about to revolt due to this factor.


    The Root ninjas exchanged eye nces. Without anymand, all 5 attacked at the same time. Four moved to attack the clones while Torune moved backwards to attack Fujin. His hands turned purple as he extended his arm towards Fujin, aiming to touch him.


    In response, Fujin raised his right arm and extended two fingers. Wind began flowing around the fingers.


    ''Wind Release: des of Wind jutsu''


    Immediately, a few Wind des formed and moved towards Torune whose eyes widened. He gritted his teeth and moved to dodge the wind des. Unfortunately, the distance was too small to dodge all of them. However, he still weaved through the wind des, dodging most of them and only getting hit by the des that wouldn''t critically injure him so that he could continue moving forward.


    Several deep cuts opened up on his body. However, he gritted his teeth and continued moving forward while thinking, ''From what Lord Danzo said, I won''t be able to defeat him from a distance. His Wind jutsus will have too much of an advantage. The only way to defeat him is by touching him.''


    Through great determination, he reached just 1 meter from Fujin and punched him. Fujin casually raised his arm and caught his punch. At the same time, Fujin''s left palm mmed into Torune''s stomach, causing him to vomit blood. However, Torune was extremely pleased. Fujin could feel that he was smiling even though Torune was wearing a mask.


    Fujin''s arm began turning purple as Torune said, "This is my speciality. Since you touched me, you will be poisoned. Let us go, otherwise, you''ll meet your end here, Suzuki Fujin."


    He thought, ''Though he is strong, he is still too green. In a battle, it doesn''t matter who is stronger. All that matters is who wins. If he had stuck to his strengths and stayed at a distance, I wouldn''t have had an easy time against him. Now, he''ll lose due to his arrogance.''


    Suddenly, Torune realized something He couldn''t use his chakra! Fujin''s left hand had applied the Self-Cursing Seal on him! And, despite being poisoned, there was no fear on Fujin''s face.


    He heard a voice from behind him say, "The Aburame n, huh? What a unique method of using bugs. This is the first time I''ve seen something like this. Unfortunately for you, it is useless against a Shadow Clone."


    Torune immediately turned his head and saw Fujin standing a safe distance away. Slightly behind him, the remaining 4 Root ninjas were already dealt with. All had the Self-Cursing Seal and were knocked out cold. He thought, ''I attacked a Shadow Clone? He sent a Shadow Clone to sneak up on me? No wonder he was this fearless. I thought he was just arrogant. That said, is this one a clone or the real body?''


    Torune wasn''t sure. Fujin said, "Stop resisting. If your bugs attack after you are unconscious, then I''ll have no choice but to kill all of them."


    Torune said, "I hope you know what you are doing, Suzuki Fujin."


    Arge number of minute-sized bugs began exiting his body. However, Torune received no response, other than a punch in his gut from the clone he had poisoned. The punch was enhanced with chakra and strong enough to immediately knock him out.


    At the same time, a couple of clones flickered next to Torune and activated a barrier, sealing Torune, his bugs and Fujin''s clone inside. The clone sealed inside immediately applied a few more seals on Torune before being dispelled due to being attacked by the bugs.


    Fujin left his 5 Shadow Clones there to keep an eye on the Root ninjas and flickered towards the Root Headquarters. He thought, ''Step 2pleted. Now, time for step three. Unfortunately, unlike the first two steps, I will have very little control over the oue. If things go perfectly, then Root will no longer exist! If they don''t then the status quo will be maintained. Regardless, it will heavily restrict Danzo while I won''t have any loss.''


    Though the expression on his face still showed that he was annoyed and angry, internally, he was very indifferent the whole time. Even the emotions he disyed while arguing against Torune were fake. He only had them to make his actions look more convincing.


    The Root headquarters were currently in chaos as no one knew who the attacker was and why the Root was attacked. If Danzo knew that the only reason his headquarters was targeted was so that his subordinates spying on Fujin would expose themselves, who knows how he would have reacted.


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 514: Aftermath

    Chapter 514: Aftermath


    Before Fujin and the Root ninjas entered into a fight, Hiruzen along with his Anbu Guards reached the Root Headquarters. Their eyes widened as they noticed the state of the top three underground floors of the base. The walls and floors of the base had almost entirely copsed! Hiruzen quickly sensed Danzo and flickered towards him.


    He appeared behind him and asked, "Danzo, what happened here?"


    Danzo was already annoyed. As soon as he left the base, he had Fu sense the attacker. Unfortunately, Fu couldn''t sense anyone anymore. It was as if the attacker had disappeared in thin air. Of course, seeing the level of attack, Danzo spected that the attacker was too good at hiding himself and managed to escape during the destruction.


    On hearing Hiruzen''s question, Danzo answered, "My headquarters was attacked!"


    Hiruzen asked, "By whom? Did you already kill the attacker?"


    Danzo said, "No. He disappeared. I can''t sense his chakra signature."


    Surprise appeared on Hiruzen''s face. He couldn''t help but say, "You mean, someone attacked the Root Headquarters while you were inside it and left before you could even see what he looked like?"


    To say Hiruzen was surprised was an understatement. While some thought of Danzo as weak and a relic of the past, he knew very well how strong Danzo still was. He couldn''t help but wonder if Danzo was sleeping when the attack happened. He said, "Tell me everything as it happened."


    Danzo informed him about suddenly detecting the chakra signature and the massive Lightning flood that followed secondster. Hiruzen fell silent. His expression became serious as he learnt how strong the attack was. He didn''t suspect Danzo as he had felt the chakra spike as well.


    He said, "This level of attack It can only be done by a Jinchuriki. No other ninja has enough chakra to do something like this and still get away. Unless"


    Danzopleted Hiruzen''s words, "Unless they have Sensei''s sword."


    A frown appeared on his face as he said, "But Sensei''s sword is in Ame. Why would Hanzo do something like this? It makes no sense for him to provoke Konoha like this."


    Hiruzen added, "Unless he has allied with some other Major Vige to create trouble for us. Or if an incredible talent has appeared in Ame and Hanzo has be ambitious once again."


    A frown appeared on Danzo''s face as he thought of that possibility, ''Just Hanzo alone is a lot of trouble. If he gets a rank S under him, then he''ll be even more troublesome to deal with. However, why is he trying to pick on me? Couldn''t he just have attacked anyone else to establish prestige? Some things still don''t add up.


    Or could it be that Kumo sent one of their Jinchurikis and is trying to set us up against Hanzo? However, how can a Jinchuriki infiltrate Konohapletely undetected? That should be impossible.''


    Slowly, more ninjas began arriving. Hiruzen passedmands to clear up the debris in the destroyed base. Danzo had already sent one of his subordinates to inform the ninjas in the Labs to seal the ce and keep other ninjas away from it.


    In fact, Danzo was hoping that the attacker would target his subordinate who was moving alone so that he could see who it was. Unfortunately, no one attacked.


    After a few squads had appeared, Fujin appeared as well. He directly met up with Hiruzen and asked with a frown, "Someone attacked the Root headquarters?"


    Hiruzen nodded. He noticed the annoyance on Fujin''s face and wondered, ''Why does he look so annoyed? Is it rted to this attack or something else?''


    As for Danzo, he looked at Fujin once and then didn''t pay any attention. He thought, ''I already have Torune keeping an eye on him. I guess my spections were baseless. Of course, it doesn''t mean that there isn''t anything wrong with him. I need to keep an eye on him while pressuring his seat to see how he reacts.''


    Fujin asked, "Are the attackers dead?"


    Hiruzen shook his head and said, "No. There was just one and he got away."


    Fujin''s frown deepened as he asked, "I can understand someone attacking the Auxiliary bases, but how could any random ninja attack Root Headquarters and get away without any repercussions? Is the Root so ill-protected?"


    Danzo was offended by that question. He said, "Control your tongue, Fujin. It wasn''t a random ninja."


    Fujin asked, "So you know who the attacker was?"


    Danzo replied, "No, but we have our spections."


    Fujin replied, "That''s as good as not knowing anything. Grandpa, I have something to discuss with you. But I guess it can wait until we return to your office."


    There weren''t any n leaders nearby. Even the ninjas were dispatched to do the work and wouldn''t hear their conversation unless Fujin deliberately made a scene. However, that would go against the personality he had created. What Fujin nned needed n leaders around. Otherwise, destroying a good portion of the Root Headquarters and subduing 5 Root ninjas wouldn''t have the same effect that he wanted.


    Danzo frowned on hearing Fujin''s tone but he didn''t say anything as Fujin was right and there was no point in arguing. However, his eyes widened as Fujin began walking towards the debris. As he walked, Fujin said, "I''ll check if anyone''s hiding."


    Danzo immediately said, "There is no need. We have already checked. The attacker has long fled."


    Fujin turned around. He was about to say something when Hiruzen said, "He''s right. I have inspected it as well. There is no need to check the base. Just keep an eye in case you notice someone acting weird."


    Fujin frowned but didn''t argue against Hiruzen. Hiruzen sighed in relief. Danzo was slightly relieved as well. The seals could hide thebs from normal ninjas. Against Fujin, they won''t have much of a chance. And, unlike the other Grandmasters in Konoha, Fujin might not back down if a Root ninja tried to stop him from entering thebs.


    If Fujin entered thebs, then he would see the most messed up things inside Konoha. Hiruzen didn''t know how Fujin would react. If he blew up the matter, every ninja clearing the debris would alsoe to know of it. It wouldpletely ruin Danzo''s public image and raise questions about Hiruzen as well. Neither Hiruzen nor Danzo wanted to see that happen.


    The clearing continued. More ninjas kept appearing, but Hiruzen just assigned them other tasks such as scouting the area around the base to check if anyone was hiding. Around half an hourter the debris was all cleared but nothing was found apart from the dead bodies of the five Root ninjas. They were in a terrible state due to having faced nearly the full force of the terrifying attack.


    Guy, who had just cleared the debris in the area he was assigned, noticed Fujin standing alone while casually watching everyone. He immediately appeared next to him and said, "Fujin, you have arrived as well."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Yeah, the attack is just too big to be ignored."


    Guy agreed and said, "Yeah and to think they could target the Root headquarters. Do you have any idea about what is happening in the vige? There were too many searches happening throughout the vige for a couple of days as well."


    Since there was no one else near them, Fujin said, "Yeah. Two nights ago, 15 Root ninjas were killed. We couldn''t find the killers. I had thought that they escaped the vige. I guess I was wrong. Don''t tell it to others."


    Guy''s eyes widened momentarily. He said softly, "It looks like someone is targeting the Root. To think that the culprits couldn''t be caught."


    He looked at Fujin and said, "Thank you for letting me know. Usually, Kakashi fills me in on these things, but he has been away on a mission."


    Fujin nodded and said, "No worries. Just be careful. I wasn''t too concerned about the situation earlier, but the destruction here is insane. If the culprits are trying to eliminate high-level ninjas in the vige, then we could be targeted as well. I doubt it would be an easy fight. Even more so if he attacks us when we have to protect others"


    Guy could feel the seriousness in Fujin''s voice. He said, "I''ll be careful. I guess I''ll need to ease up on the training for a bit. You be careful too."


    Fujin nodded.


    While Guy and Fujin were chatting, Danzo and Hiruzen were monitoring the search. Both were concerned as nothing was found. Needless to say, Danzo''s mood was beyond terrible. Unfortunately, there wasn''t anything he could do to find the attacker. Nor could he take his anger out on someone else. This was a grave threat his Root was facing and yet he was helpless and without any lead that he could pursue immediately.


    Since nothing was found, Hiruzen deployed some Anbu ninjas and sent the remaining ninjas back. Fujin, the n leaders and the elders were called to Hiruzen''s office for a quick meeting. Fujin said farewell to Guy and flickered to Hiruzen''s office. Once everyone arrived, Hiruzen informed everyone about the events of that night.


    Hiruzen''s office became silent. Everyone except Fujin, Hiruzen and Danzo hadplicated expressions. The n leaders thought about what would have happened if such an attack had been aimed at their npounds. They realized that their ns would have unimaginable losses! After all, even someone like Danzo wasn''t able to do much other than protect himself.


    Hiruzen noticed Fujin''s expression but didn''t find anything odd. With Fujin''s strength and abilities, dodging such an attack wouldn''t be a difficult task. Even if his house was sneak attacked the same way, there was a good chance that his house would actually survive the hit! While there were ces in Konoha with more seals than in Fujin''s house, nothing came close in terms of the density of the seals!


    Seeing that no one was saying anything, Hiruzen asked, "Does anyone have any ideas on what we should do further?"


    Hiruzen was hoping for Shikaku to figure something out. Unfortunately, the situation didn''t make any sense to him either. It was just too peculiar. Two big attacks had happened and they didn''t even know who was behind it apart from some spections. And even the spections were such that Konoha couldn''t take action easily. He didn''t say anything.


    Seeing that no one was saying anything, Fujin said, "I have something that I was wondering about."


    [A/N : Next Chapter - Confronting Danzo]


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 515: Confronting Danzo!

    Chapter 515: Confronting Danzo!


    Everyone immediately looked at Fujin. Fujin looked at Danzo and said, "Four Root bases were attacked two days ago. Seeing that nothing else happened, there is little doubt that the culprit is targeting the Root. At such a time why weren''t your Root ninjas keeping an eye on the Root headquarters and were instead spying on me?"


    Everyone''s eyes widened as they heard Fujin''s words. They all immediately looked at Danzo. Danzo was stunned as well. He never imagined that the elite ninjas he sent to spy on Fujin would be discovered within hours. Nor did he think that Fujin would confront him in front of everyone during a time when the vige was facing a grave threat.


    Before Danzo could reply, Fujin added, "Your actions are too peculiar, Elder Danzo. Instead of protecting the Root ninjas, you spread them even thinner. Perhaps if they were in the Root Headquarters, then the attacker might have been spotted before it was toote. You could have kept the Root Headquarters safe. You could even have had a chance to fight and capture him. However, you decided to send them to spy on me."


    Everyone was staring at Danzo. Deploying Root ninjas at such a time made little to no sense. Not to mention, Fujin was a Council Member as well. Spying on him meant that others could be spied upon as well. Though Fujin had provided no proof, knowing Danzo, everyone in the room believed that Danzo had indeed done something like that.


    Of course, that was no reason for Danzo to ept it. He said, "I didn''t send anyone to spy on you. I don''t know what you are talking about."


    Fujin asked, "Is that so? Could you tell me why 5 of your Root ninjas were hiding their chakra signature and surrounding my house instead of staying in the Root Headquarters?"


    Danzo frowned. He said, "Don''t use me without any proof, Suzuki Fujin. I had dispatched a squad for an important secret mission. It had nothing to do with you."


    Fujin continued asking in a neutral tone without a hint of expression on his face, "Oh, I wonder what secret mission you had to do at such a point."


    Danzo disyed slight anger and asked, "Do I have to exin myself to you? Besides, my ninjas should have returned by now. Did you do anything to them?"


    Seeing that Fujin had discovered them, Danzo wondered why they hadn''t returned yet. Not to mention, they should have returned after the explosion. But there was no sign of them.


    Fujin replied, "I apprehended them."


    The eyes of everyone in the room widened. That included Hiruzen and Shikaku who were familiar with the kind of shit Fujin always pulled off! Shikaku muttered to himself, ''I''m dead! He''ll increase my workload once again! He created a mess in the Council!''


    The other n leaders also stared at Fujin. Nearly everyone had suffered at the hands of Root at some point. However, no one had ever taken the initiative to apprehend them. They would raise their concerns with Hiruzen and solve them diplomatically. It was the first case of someone taking down 5 Root ninjas before considering any diplomatic options.


    Danzo exploded in rage and shouted aggressively, "You traitor! You dare to attack Konoha ninjas inside the vige due to mere suspicions?"


    Of course, Danzo was only pretending to be in a rage. While he was indeed angry, he wouldn''t lose control over something like this. He just acted so to show that he was furious.


    Before Fujin could say anything, Koharu said, "Fujin, even though you are in the Council, it doesn''t mean that you can act willfully. If there was an issue, you should raise it in the Council instead of taking action yourself. I hope that those Root ninjas are fine. Otherwise, you will lose your seat on the Council."


    The n leaders were too familiar with how much the Elders supported each other. They had expected such a bacsh. Of course, they won''t allow that to happen. If someone was taking the initiative to take down Danzo, they would support him from the back. All the n leaders reached a tacit understanding despite not speaking a word or even exchanging nces. Only Shikaku wasn''t worried and was instead looking forward to Fujin''s reply which was immediate. He only prayed that Fujin wouldn''t increase his workload.


    Fujin turned his gaze from Danzo to Koharu and asked, "Elder Koharu, if I were to attack you with the intention to kill you, would you fight back and try to protect yourself, or would you let me kill you and call a Council Meeting from the afterlife?"


    Though Fujin''s words were extremely provocative, his tone was still extremely neutral. It was as if there was no emotion in them. It was something everyone in the room found very odd. In a situation like this, it was normal to be angry and emotional. Even more so considering that Fujin was still only 15 years old. However, Fujin didn''t disy any emotion at all. He looked neither angry at being attacked nor scared to face the Elders who stood tall in the vige for decades.


    The n leaders in the office were surprised and impressed at the same time. Senju Hiromasa looked at Fujin and thought, ''Such control over his emotions at such a young age. No wonder Renjiro praised him so much and Hiruzen included him in the council.''


    Shikaku thought, ''Though I have heard about his fighting skills, this is the first time I have seen him angry. No wonder he is so efficient and deadly during missions. If he can maintain his calm and be calctive in such a situation, then there will be little that could disturb his mental state. Still, he is getting scary. He is the kind of opponent I hate to n against.''


    Simr thoughts ran through the minds of others. Hiruzen''s office became eerily silent. It wasn''t just due to howposed Fujin was. Fujin had threatened a Vige Elder! And, he had stated in such a way that it wasn''t a big deal, implying that he didn''t think he would have any difficulty in killing her if he wanted to. And secondly, what Fujin''s words implied was that the Root ninjas attempted to kill him! That was a big usation. And knowing Danzo, everyone immediately believed that Fujin was telling the truth!


    Koharu understood that as well, but her pride was hurt. She hadn''t been threatened by a Konoha ninja in this manner since she became an Elder. She asked icyly, "Is that a threat, Suzuki Fujin?"


    Fujin replied, "If by merely mentioning it, you get so offended, do you expect me to not resist when ganged upon by 5 Root ninjas? You should be d that I didn''t kill them on the spot and only apprehended them."


    He looked towards Danzo and said, "One of the spies he sent was from the Aburame n with a strange ability to poison someone on touch. Had I not been careful, perhaps I wouldn''t be standing here. Elder Danzo, you better give me a good exnation or I won''t be letting this go.


    Despite the Root being under attack, you decided to dispatch your subordinates to spy on me and attack me with such deadly means once they got a chance. It almost seems like you don''t care what is happening to Root and instead are targetting youngsters in the vige."


    Aburame Shibi''s eyes widened on hearing about the ability. He immediately recognized, ''Torune?''


    Fujin''s usation made everyone in the room tense. The one who was the most tense was Hiruzen. He knew that Danzo was the one to cause Shisui''s death. It was a huge loss to Konoha. If he was attempting to kill Fujin, then it was a big issue for Hiruzen.


    He looked at Danzo and asked strictly, "Is it true, Danzo?"


    Meanwhile, Danzo was dumbfounded. He wondered, ''What the hell happened with Torune? Their job was to spy on him. Why did he attack Fujin? Fujin even stated his ability, meaning that what he says must be true. But why did he attack?''


    Despite being at a loss, Danzo immediately answered, "The mission I assigned them had nothing to do with Fujin. I don''t know whether they attacked Fujin and what reason they might have to attack him. I will need to talk with them to understand what actually happened."


    Since he didn''t know what exactly happened, Danzo decided to take a step back. Of course, he wasn''t actually giving up anything. Even if Torune and the rest were at fault, there would be no punishment against them or him.


    Once again, Fujin asked, "What was the mission you assigned?"


    Danzo once again refused to answer Fujin and said, "Don''t overstep your limits, Suzuki Fujin. I don''t have to answer to you."


    Fujin snorted and said, "If that''s the case, then it means that those 5 Root ninjas have betrayed the vige and have be traitors. The only other possibility is that you are lying and are the one who has fallen."


    Immediately, Homura said, "Fujin, stop suspecting Danzo. He has served the vige for decades and has been a cornerstone for Konoha in every Great War. His contribution to the vige is unquestionable."


    [A/N : Next chapter is going to be fun :) It''ll show the true extent of the third step of Fujin''s n.]


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 516: Ganging up on Danzo!

    Chapter 516: Ganging up on Danzo!


    Without missing a beat or even looking at Homura, Fujin replied, "Just because you have contributed in the past doesn''t give you a right to behave like a rogue ninja inside the vige. If every ninja who contributed to previous wars acted this way, Konoha would copse within a few hours.


    Regardless of how much a ninja has contributed, if he begins targeting the Konoha ninjas for any reason, he should be eliminated or at least imprisoned. Don''t forget that not too long ago one of the three Legendary Sannins did something simr and went rogue. Today, he is one of the main suspects behind the deaths of 20 Root ninjas and the destruction of Root Headquarters.


    Even if Elder Danzo wasn''t the one who gave those instructions, this event shows that he is incapable of leading the Root. His subordinates are willfully ignoring hismands and attacking a Council Member.


    Not to mention, he has shown that he doesn''t care much about the lives of Root ninjas. Instead of protecting the headquarters in time of crisis, he dispatched them away not caring that they might be targetted and leaving the Root headquarters with very low manpower! We cannot afford to keep losing excellent ninjas just because he is no longer capable of leading them properly."


    Silence spread in the room once again. Rage was once again visible on Danzo''s face. However, this time, it wasn''t an act. Fujin had openly called him ipetent in front of everyone! Danzo was extremely tempted to use the eye but controlled himself as Hiruzen was in the room as well and staring at him.


    Before he could explode in rage, Shikaku said, "He isn''t wrong."


    Danzo immediately looked towards Shikaku and said, "Instead of searching for the culprit, you want to me me? This time Root was targetted. Who would you me if he targets the Nara n?"


    Shikaku exined, "Dealing with the culprit would have been the best way. Unfortunately, we don''t even know who the culprits are or what their motivation is. The only thing we know is that they are targeting the Root for some reason.


    If their goal is just to seek revenge on something you or the Root have done, then the attacks should stop once Root ninjas are mixed in with the Anbu. If their enmity is too high and they still try to target Root ninjas, then they won''t be able to cover up their traces as well as they have been.


    So, it''ll be best for the Root to disband entirely. It might be our only method of dealing with the culprit. Not to mention, the incident of spying on and attacking Fujin needs to be investigated properly as well. If even council members get attacked within the vige, then no one will feel safe inside the vige.


    I suggest that we disband the Root entirely for the time being. We will continue looking for the culprit and investigate the attack on Fujin. Depending on our results on those two findings, we can decide whether Root should continue existing secretly or leave it in the past and move forward."


    As the Jounin Commander and publicly epted as the smartest ninja in Konoha, if not the world, Shikaku''s words held a lot more sway than Fujin''s. Danzo understood that. He immediately replied, "Whether Root continues to exist or not is not up to the Council."


    Not too long ago, Danzo was hoping to use the Council to revive his Root. And now, the circumstances had forced him to do theplete opposite. He understood that saying it meant that he could never use the Council to force Hiruzen to revive the Root. However, he could only handle one situation at a time. As long as the Root continued existing, he could alwayse up with more schemes to increase its strength.


    Shibi suddenly said, "I agree with Shikaku''s analysis. While the Council can''t interfere with Root normally, it''s a different case if Root ninjas are targetting a Council Member. Not to mention, we have already lost 20 capable ninjas during peacetime in thest 3 days. It''s better to disband the Root than see every Root ninja die because someone is too stubborn to see the situation."


    Inoichi added, "I agree as well."


    Immediately, every other n leader agreed with Shikaku. After all, other than the Hyuga n, all of them had several of their geniuses forcefully taken in by the Root. With Fujin taking the lead in targeting Danzo, they decided to add to the pressure on Danzo.


    Several of them voiced their own thoughts about the situation. A few brought out their grievances against the Root mentioning how so many of their n members had died during the training in the Root and how the families of the Root ninjas never saw them again among other things.


    The room became more tense. Especially Danzo and the elders. The Elders might not treat Fujin or one n leader that seriously. However, it was a different matter altogether if every single n leader was on the same page! Even Hiruzen won''t be able to dismiss them lightly. If he did, then the coup that the Uchihas were nning could look like a child''s y.


    Though Fujin didn''t show any change in his expression and seemed like he was hiding his anger, in truth, he was extremely pleased. He thought, ''Good. This is what I wanted. With all the n leaders and I, who represent the civilian ninjas even if only in name, opposing Root, these 4 can''t act willfully. Now, the rest depends on what Hiruzen wants. If he has been looking to deal Root a blow, then Root will be finished for good. Otherwise, it''ll only be restricted.''


    When Fujin realized that Danzo might still not leave him alone and continue pressuring him, he came up with a three step n against Danzo after thinking for nearly a couple of days. As soon as he detected the 5 Root ninjas spying on his house, the conditions for setting the n in motion were fulfilled.


    The first step of the n was doing something so big that it would attract the entire vige''s attention, forcing everyone to take the situation with utmost seriousness. Fujin decided to directly target the Root headquarters for this step.


    It served several additional purposes. For one, it allowed Fujin to directly inflict more damage on the Root. The Root headquarters was underground and some distance away from where people lived. Fujin didn''t need to be concerned about hitting an innocent here. As a bonus, it also showed that Danzo wasn''t capable enough of even protecting his own base. Andstly, it would force the Root ninjas that were spying on him to show themselves.


    The second step of the n was arresting the Root ninjas spying on him. In terms of difficulty, it was the easiest to achieve. However, in terms of importance, this step was the most important as it gave Fujin a chance to use Danzo. Unlike the n leaders who had gotten used to asionally suffering at Danzo''s hands and hence couldn''t escte small offenses, Fujin had never suffered a loss in Konoha. So Fujin escting the situation wouldn''t feel odd.


    Fujin knew that it wasn''t a huge offense. At the very least, it wasn''t something that could make Hiruzen take Root away from Danzo. After all, they were only spying on Fujin as Danzo had some suspicions. Hiruzen himself always spied on the entire vige with his crystal ball. Hiruzen would just give Danzo a p on his wrist and let him off.


    However, the third step of Fujin''s n came into action here. That was to let the n leaders sense an opportunity to take out all their grievances against Danzo and Root while using Fujin as a front. Under normal circumstances, they might still be reluctant, but the attack 2 nights ago and Danzo and Root being weak and vulnerable due to Fujin''s first step gave them an opportunity that they just couldn''t miss!


    The fact that Torune decided to attack Fujin instead of surrendering helped him even more. The case had changed from just spying to spying and an attempt to assassinate! As Fujin had expected, every n leader decided to take advantage of the chance he had provided!


    It was a strange n as every sessive step was less intense and destructive than the previous step. The first step was total annihtion, the second step was just retraining a few ninjas and the third step was diplomacy without any fighting involved. It went against the traditional way of slowly escting the situation. However, it fitted perfectly in this scenario.


    Seeing every n leader speaking against Danzo, Koharu and Homura decided to go silent. Danzo, of course, wouldn''t take everything lying down. He argued against everyone, but Fujin didn''t even need to open his mouth.


    In terms of politics, the n leaders were far better than him. Even in terms of intelligence, no one was a slouch. If they were, then they wouldn''t have been n leaders. They couldn''t do anything earlier as Danzo never gave them an opening.


    Now that they had it, they immediately ganged up on Danzo and countered every single point he made while levelling more usations against the Root.


    The situation became intense in no time. With neither side backing off, it immediately became very ugly. Understanding the situation, Hiruzen sighed. He red his chakra, silencing the room once again and gaining everyone''s attention.


    He looked at everyone and said, "Don''t forget that we are the leaders of Konoha. Please maintain decorum. I had called everyone here to keep everyone informed about the attack on Root headquarters. I didn''t think that the meeting would take such a turn. I''ll think about what to do and we will have an official council meeting soon. For now, everyone except Danzo is dismissed."


    [A/N : Next Chapter - Hiruzen''s Decision]


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 Chapter 517 - 511 : Hiruzen’s Decision!

    <h4>Chapter 517: Chapter 511 : Hiruzen''s Decision!</h4>


    Seeing how serious Hiruzen was, no one spoke a word. Everyone except Danzo and the Anbu Guards began leaving the office. Hiruzen suddenly realized something and said, "Fujin, take the Anbu Guards with you. Hand over the Root ninjas you captured to them."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Alright."


    The Anbu Guards followed him out. As the group began walking out of the building, Homura said, "Fujin, I can understand that you were angry due to the situation, but refrain from threatening other council members in the future. It won''t do you or the council any good."


    Homura still remembered how brazenly Fujin had threatened Koharu. While he spoke, his tone wasn''t overbearing. He spoke as if he was an elder trying to pass wisdom to the young. Hence, no one tried refuting him on the spot.


    Fujin nodded and said, "Sorry about that. I was just making a point. Besides, if I really intended to do something like that, I would have just done it. Why would I speak about it and draw suspicions?"


    Once again, Fujin''s words caught everyone''s attention. The two elders and the n leaders all stared at Fujin. They were forced to reevaluate him once again. Sweat appeared on Homura and Koharu''s faces. Fujin''s words implied that they need to be more worried about him when he doesn''t speak instead of otherwise.


    In a way, that was a far greater threat than what he had said in Hiruzen''s office. Another way of looking at his words was that if something actually happened to Koharu, he shouldn''t be considered a suspect because he wouldn''t do something so stupid. It removed all responsibility from him while increasing the threat to Koharu several times.


    Before anyone could say anything, Fujin said, "Anyway, it''s been a long day and a bloody night. I''ll take my leave for now. Stay safe. If the attacker is still in the vige, then he might target others as well."


    Without waiting for anyone''s reply, he flickered out of the building. The Anbu Guards followed him to his house.


    Koharu cursed under her breath, "This brat..."


    Senju Hiromasa chuckled and said, "The boy is still too young. Don''t take his words to heart."


    Shikaku agreed and said, "I haven''t seen him act like this before. I guess Danzo''s actions truly infuriated him this time. Not only did he leave Root unguarded, but he also sent someone with such a dangerous ability to spy on him."


    Inoichi added, "Still, his ability to control his emotions is truly unbelievable. At 15, I would have exploded in rage if someone had done that against me in the vige."


    Shikaku nodded and said, "Yeah. No doubts there. He handled this situation very maturely. Anyway, we can''t rest easy in this situation. What Fujin and Danzo said is true. If someone can destroy the Root headquarters in one attack, then our ns aren''t safe..."


    The attack was truly fierce. Thankfully, there were several protocols in ce in Konoha to deal with such situations. While Fujin handed over the unconscious Root ninjas to the Anbu Guards, the n leaders and the elders immediately got into action and began increasing the defense of the vige. None of them wanted for such an attack to fall on their families.


    Meanwhile, Hiruzen and Danzo stared at each other in Hiruzen''s office. The situation was as tense as before even though no words were exchanged. Seeing that Danzo wasn''t exining himself, Hiruzen sighed and asked in a tired voice, "Why did you do that?"


    Danzo said, "Hiruzen, I haven''t done anything."


    Hiruzen sighed again and said, "What''s the point in lying to me? Just tell me the truth and your reason. Otherwise, I''m afraid that the Root will be finished for good today."


    Hiruzen could sense the intentions of every n leader. Now that they had received an opportunity, he knew that none of them intended to let go. In truth, he knew that they were looking for such an opportunity for a long time. But with Hiruzen and Danzo at the helm, they never received such an opportunity. Now that Fujin had provided them with one, they wouldn''t rest until Root no longer existed or was heavily restricted.


    Danzo could see that as well. He said, "The boy is very suspicious. I only sent them to keep an eye on him. I am not sure why they attacked him or even if they attacked him."


    Hiruzen raised an eyebrow. He asked, "What do you mean by suspicious?"


    Danzo said, "I don''t have anything concrete about him but my instincts say that something about him is horribly wrong. He was missing from the vige for quite some time. And from the day he returned, the attack on Root ninjas began. Even earlier, the two Root ninjas who left the vige around the same time as him disappeared as well.


    Leaving these two incidents, there is a lot about him that is suspicious. Why has he inscribed so many seals on his house? It''s almost as if he doesn''t want anyone entering his house. When you proposed including him in the council, I had a couple of ninjas check on him. However, he shares the same carefulness even while he is training, not allowing anyone to look at him. It shows that he is extremely careful for some reason even when he is inside the vige. It is not something that an innocent person would do.


    Besides, his power has increased too suddenly. A 15-year-old boy being this strong is suspicious in itself. Not to mention, Fujin bing a Grandmaster in Fuinjutsu out of nowhere is even more suspicious. His rapid improvement raises a lot of questions about him."


    Hiruzen heard Danzo. Unknowingly, a look of disappointment appeared on Hiruzen''s face. He couldn''t even hide it. He couldn''t help but think, ''Have you fallen this low, old friend? Shisui was innocent, but his power was indeed a threat to the vige if his nature changed in the future. But Fujin doesn''t have any such power. Will you suspect every talented ninja that appears in the vige no matter how loyal they are?''


    The things that Danzo mentioned to be suspicious weren''t suspicious at all for Hiruzen. Fujin didn''t stop Hiruzen from spying on him when he trained. Though the seals on Fujin''s house could be seen with suspicion, Hiruzen knew that it was just Fujin''s nature. If he truly intended to do something, he wouldn''t have put so many seals in an obvious manner. As for Fuinjutsu, Hiruzen knew that Fujin had spammed Shadow Clones to be able to learn it quickly. He hadn''t be a Grandmaster out of nowhere.


    Simrly, his strength had also increased step by step. Thanks to Renjiro''s reports, Hiruzen''s crystal ball and the fact that Fujin regrly asked Hiruzen''s help, Hiruzen could see how natural his progress was. The only differentiating factor was how much Fujin trained without taking a break.


    If Hiruzen began suspecting someone just for training hard, then every capable ninja in the vige including Hiruzen and Danzo themselves should be suspected as well. As such, all Hiruzen saw was that Danzo was being delusional.


    Danzo didn''t miss the look of disappointment on Hiruzen''s face. He asked, "Why are you looking at me like that, Hiruzen?"


    Hiruzen said, "I am disappointed in you, Danzo."


    Danzo disyed some anger and asked, "Do you want to say that my instincts are wrong?"


    Hiruzen replied, "It doesn''t matter what your instincts say. You are way out of line with your behavior. There is nothing suspicious about Fujin. You only showed interest in him once he became very strong."


    Hiruzen''s expression hardened as he said, "Fujin''s and Shikaku''s words are true. From today onwards, I can''t allow Root to operate inside the vige."


    Danzo''s eyes widened on hearing that. He never expected Hiruzen to say something like that. His expression became grim. He was angry for real. He asked in a grim tone, "What are you implying?"


    Hiruzen said, "If I let you continue doing what you are right now, it is inevitable that you''ll try to eliminate him the same way you tried killing Shisui. If you hadn''t meddled back then, then perhaps the Uchiha n would still be in the vige and things might have taken a turn for the better.


    I can''t change what has already happened. However, if you disy even a bit of intention of harming Fujin or any other ninja in the vige..."


    Hiruzen''s expression became extremely serious as he stared into Danzo''s eye. He said, "Then I won''t show you the same mercy that I showed Orochimaru!"


    [A/N : Latest chapter on pat reon - An Extremely Bad Feeling!]


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    Link - .pat /DevilHex


    ()

 Chapter 518 - 512 : Root’s Fate

    <h4>Chapter 518: Chapter 512 : Root''s Fate</h4>


    Danzo''s expression became even more grim on hearing Hiruzen''s words. He had known Hiruzen for too long and knew that he wasn''t bluffing. While Danzo wasn''t a weakling and wouldn''t be afraid if Fujin or even some other Kages said it, it was different with Hiruzen. He knew that even with Shisui''s eye, Hashirama''s cells and Izanagi, he wouldn''t stand much chance against Hiruzen.


    He asked, "You will kill someone who has worked with you for over 6 decades, given everything to the vige including my limbs just because that boy used me of something that I didn''t do?"


    Danzo knew Hiruzen had a soft spot for him and the other two elders. The four of them truly had been through thick and thin together. Even though Danzo did many things that opposed Hiruzen directly or indirectly, this was the first time Hiruzen had threatened him in this manner.


    Hiruzen didn''t back off and replied, "I wouldn''t have a choice. Fujin isn''t Shisui or Itachi. Both of them matured too quickly because of the Uchiha Coup. When you attacked Shisui, both he and Itachi thought about the vige and didn''t retaliate as the Uchiha n will get a reason for officiallyunching a coup. Shisui chose to take his life while Itachi kept his mouth shut. As a result, you didn''t face any consequences for your actions.


    Even though Fujin is mature for his age as well, he hasn''t gone through something simr. If you attack, he won''t see any reason to not retaliate and start a huge fight. A fight that will alert everyone. Once it is out in the open, I won''t have a choice but to kill you.


    Even if you kill Fujin without giving him a chance to retaliate, your actions would show that you''ll target every new rank S ninja that appears in Konoha irrespective of how loyal he or she is to the vige. As Fujin said, your past contributions mean nothing if your current actions actively harm the vige. Konoha will be better off without you if you fall that low."


    He took a pause before continuing, "I forgave your previous actions because I hoped that you did what you did believing that it was for the good of the vige. However, your actions have long stopped being for the good of the vige, Danzo. If you were to continue down this path, then I would forget our friendship andradery and kill you with my own hands."


    Hiruzen''s tone was extremely serious. It was the same when he disbanded Root after the Uchiha Massacre. Danzo understood that he wouldn''t be able to change Hiruzen''s mind. Fortunately, he had a few more cards.


    He asked, "What about the Root Laboratory? Will you be bringing it to the open? You know very well what consequences it will have if what happens inside gets leaked to the public."


    Hiruzen thought for a few seconds and asked, "Do you still want to continue experimenting?"


    As he said, Hiruzen''s eyes lingered on Danzo''s bandaged arm. Danzo replied, "There is no one else in the vige who could handle that."


    Hiruzen replied, "Alright. You can keep control over theboratories. The Root headquarters won''t be rebuilt as theboratories weren''t harmed. The top 3 floors will be just cleared out. You only need 5 Root ninjas to work in thebs. I''ll let you choose 5 more Root ninjas to act as your guards. These 10 ninjas are all you would have under your control.


    Your remaining Root ninjas, including the ones teaching the rescued kids and the ones undercover in Fire Capital, will be inducted into the Anbu. The rescued kids will be taken away from Root as well. I''ll make arrangements for them and integrate them into the vige.


    From now onwards, you don''t have the authority to spy on or take action against anyone inside Konoha. Nor do you have any authority to order anyone around. Your subordinates won''t keep an eye on Naruto either.


    In addition, I''ll be taking away your vote in the Council. Your only authority will be within the Root Laboratories where others won''t be allowed to disturb you. If you were to break any of these rules, then I''ll take away theboratory as well as the remaining 10 Root ninjas."


    Danzo''s eyes widened at how thorough Hiruzen was this time. With so few subordinates, he truly didn''t have any room to maneuver. He had added plenty of restrictions on Danzo on top of it. And, by taking away the kids, Hiruzen had cut off Root''s future. However, the biggest blow was taking away his vote in the Council. Without having an influence in the Council, reviving Root would be a herculean task!


    He immediately said, "I am an Elder in the vige. Do you want to throw me out of the Council after all I have done?"


    Hiruzen replied, "It''s the cost you have to pay for keeping the Laboratories and 10 Root ninjas. If you want, you can keep your vote on the Council, but you won''t have any more rights than what Homura and Koharu have. Choose what you want."


    Danzo immediately said, "I am not looking over thebs for myself. It''s for the benefit of the vige. Hiruzen, if the experiments in thebs get leaked out, then it won''t just be my reputation that will be ruined. You won''t be able to keep your seat as the Hokage either."


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "That''s true. Go ahead and leak the information if you want. I''ll just give up on the Hokage seat and appoint the Fifth Hokage."


    Danzo was surprised by how calmly Hiruzen had responded. He understood that while Hiruzen would lose the Hokage seat, he would also lose everything he had. In the future, it would be impossible for him to have any influence whatsoever in Konoha! While Hiruzen might be alright with not being the Hokage, he wasn''t fine with losing what little influence he still had.


    Danzo didn''t say anything. It went without saying that he didn''t want mutual destruction and that he valued thebs and 10 subordinates far more than a mere vote. Seeing him silent, Hiruzen said, "I thought as much. Considering your contributions, you will be invited to important council meetings. However, you will no longer have a vote in any matter."


    Seeing that he had no way of negotiating further, Danzo said, "The vige will always require the Root. There wille a day when you regret this decision, Hiruzen."


    He turned around and began walking out. Before he could open the door, Hiruzen said, "Danzo, the culprit has still not been found. They might still try to attack the Root. Stay on guard. If a Jinchuriki is involved, then the attack might not be restricted to just Lightning. They can supercharge any jutsu with their massive chakra. As for the ninjas who spied on Fujin, I''ll question them in some time. We will have a council meeting at 9 today. Come see me before then."


    Danzo turned around and looked at Hiruzen once, before leaving his office without speaking a word. On this day, Danzo had lost a lot. And unlike the Uchiha incident, he didn''t think that he hadmitted any fault. Things just spiral out of control somehow. He was in no mood to discuss anything else with Hiruzen.


    As he left the office, his expression became very ugly. He thought, ''Such a terrible day. Of course, I''ll be prepared for an attack. Those bastards! I hope they attack once again. This time, I''ll catch and kill them myself even if I have to sacrifice a few eyes! I haven''t even done anything recently to attract such hatred.


    Also, I need to find out what happened with Torune. Why did he attack Fujin and expose his skills? As long as he hadn''t used his ability, I could have said that Fujin was making things up. But by mentioning that ability, Fujin made his words sound too convincing.''


    As he thought of Fujin, Danzo''s mood worsened. He thought, ''The odd feeling I am getting about this boy has gotten even worse. I never expected him to do something like this. He gave the ns an opportunity that they had been looking for decades! Unfortunately, Hiruzenpletely trusts him. I can''t do anything to him in the near future. Otherwise, Hiruzen might truly carry out his threat.''


    With nothing else to do, Danzo left to see what was left of his base. He would be spending a considerable amount of time adding more seals to the Root Laboratories to ensure that they could withstand a destructive jutsu if the Root was attacked once again.


    Back in the Hokage''s office, Hiruzen let out a sigh. Unlike all the times he acted, he truly was tired. The Root was attacked twice in two days inside Konoha and they still hadn''t found any culprit. On the other hand, Danzo was returning back to acting however he wanted. Both incidents gave headaches to Hiruzen.


    He thought, ''Danzo, I truly hope you don''t do anything outrageous once again. I would hate having to kill you myself. Sigh, age hasn''t been kind to me. I can''t continue as a Hokage for long in this way. I can no longer take decisions as ruthlessly as I once did.''


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    Link - .pat /DevilHex


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 Chapter 519: Hiruzens Exhaustion

    Chapter 519: Hiruzen''s Exhaustion


    [A/N: A bitte, but found out only yesterday. RIP the legend Akira Toriyama. He will be missed. Can''t say for sure how much I''d be into anime had I not been introduced to it through DBZ as a child.]


    [A/N: We are back into the top 10! We ranked 9thst week with 6303 Power Stones. Let''s keep it up and stay in the top 10!]


    Hiruzen had carried the responsibilities of the Hokage position right from the end of the First Great Ninja War to the end of the Third Great Ninja War. The era during which he led the vige was far more turbulent aspared to the rtively peaceful time Konoha currently enjoyed.


    Unlike today, when Suna was weak, Kiri was embroiled in a civil war and Onoki had grown old and wary, Hiruzen had to deal with the neverending schemes of the powerful Third Raikage, a young and more active Onoki, the cunning Third Mizukage and a Sunagakure that was much stronger with several rank S ninjas and promising youngsters among their ranks, all of whom eyed the Land of Fire like hungry wolves. In addition, he also had to watch out for the powerful Hanzo who led the Land of Rain.


    Though he hadn''t been perfect, he had led the vige admirably and had ensured that Konoha stayed strong throughout despite being surrounded by enemies on all sides. He had done his duty of passing the Will of Fire to the next generation by passing the hat to Minato. When he had retired, Konoha had 7 rank S ninjas in Hiruzen, Danzo, Minato, the three Sannins and Uchiha Fugaku along with a matured Jinchuriki and a powerful group of veteran Jounins who had survived through two Great Ninja Wars.


    Unfortunately, the Nine Tails'' assault caused the death of Minato and Kushina and eliminated the majority of the veteran Jounins in Konoha, directly pushing Konoha from being the strongest vige to a vulnerable one. Hiruzen didn''t want to let the two people whopeted with Minato for the Fourth Hokage''s seat be the Hokage as Orochimaru grew increasingly dark while Fugaku was suspected to be behind the Nine Tails attack.


    As a result, Hiruzen had to take the Hokage seat once again. Unfortunately for him, the conditions were far worse than merely the vige being vulnerable due to the losses. The powerful Uchiha n had to be treated with suspicion due to the Nine Tails Assault. Danzo''s dreams of bing the Hokage reignited with Minato out of the way and Jiraiya and Tsunade showing no interest in the position. He created more and more problems for Hiruzen which he failed to curb in time. And, Orochimaru became increasingly dark to a point where he was considered beyond saving and Hiruzen had to exile him.


    Hiruzen''s second stint as the Hokage was a mere shadow of what he had achieved during his initial reign. Being as smart and experienced as he was, he could see it clearly. Unfortunately, he hadn''t been able to handle the matters as efficiently as he could when he was younger. In his old age, he had been reluctant to be as decisive as he once was.


    Even after Minato''s death, Hiruzen had done well in keeping Konoha''s enemies at bay. Apart from the Hizashi incident, Konoha didn''t suffer any significant loss at the hands of enemy viges. Of course, the weak situations of the other viges were a big help. However, when it came to internal politics, Hiruzen had performed miserably during this time.


    Every time it felt like the vige would stabilize after a lot of effort, the vige would be hit by something that would set it back several years. And that ''something'' would always be an internal issue in Konoha which he should have handled long before it reached such a level.


    It was what exhausted Hiruzen to the point that he became tired of the job. And yet, he had no choice but to continue sitting on the post as no one who was qualified was willing to ept the responsibilities of the Hokage seat.


    Hiruzen couldn''t continue sitting in his office for a long time. After feeling pity for himself for some time, he got up and began dispatching the Anbu ninjas to cooperate with what Shikaku and the other n leaders were doing. In addition, he left to see Torune and the other four Root ninjas who were with his Anbu Guards.


    The Anbu Guards had woken the five of them up. Fujin''s clones had only knocked them unconscious while cing seals on them. It wasn''t difficult to heal and wake them up. On seeing Hiruzen, they all became serious. Hiruzen asked some questions which they answered truthfully.


    On hearing them, a peculiar expression appeared on Hiruzen''s face. He thought, ''That''s it? Are they hiding something or is this all that happened?''


    Hiruzen thought for a bit and concluded, ''I doubt they will lie to me. Besides, they were indeed spying on Fujin. Considering Fujin''s nature, things might have developed in this manner. Regardless, I should call him tomorrow as well in case there are some differences. Hmm, leave it, he and Danzo might break into a fight. I''ll just confirm during the council meeting. Still''


    As Hiruzen heard what actually happened, he couldn''t help but think how small the incident was. It was merely spying along with a small sh with no casualties and yet the incident had blown up spectacrly in Danzo''s face. Hiruzen couldn''t help but think, ''No wonder Danzo''s expression showed that he was facing injustice. He has pulled stunts a hundred times worse than this on a regr basis for decades and didn''t even face so much as aint, but this minor incident nearly cost him everything!''


    Hiruzen couldn''t help but find the situation funny. It was as if a serial killer who had killed his victims for decades and managed to stay safe from police had suddenly been apprehended because of an insignificant petty crime hemitted!


    Hiruzen left the Root ninjas with his Guards and began monitoring the efforts to look into the incident and investigate the vige. Unfortunately, it became clear very soon that it would be another fruitless search. Hiruzen gave up on it once the Sun rose and called Danzo to meet the Root ninjas.


    After learning what had actually happened, Danzo exploded in rage once again. He looked at Hiruzen and shouted, "If he hadn''t insisted on stopping them, Torune wouldn''t even have attacked him. Are you going to punish me because Fujin acted so willfully even when such a big attack had happened in the vige?"


    Danzo truly was infuriated. He had thought about what happened in Hiruzen''s office all the time and kept feeling as if a grave injustice had happened against him. On learning what truly happened between the Root ninjas and Fujin, he couldn''t keep his calm anymore.


    The only reason why Torune and others were discovered was because Root was attacked! Simrly, the only reason they attacked was because Fujin was too stubborn to let them go. Considering that the Root headquarters was blown up, Danzo couldn''t even fault them for wanting to return immediately. Yet, Fujin used this incident to make the situation miserable for him by giving everyone one-sided information. In fact, Torune didn''t even intend to kill Fujin and would have neutralized the poison, but Fujin presented the matter as if Torune wanted to assassinate him!


    Hiruzen had expected Danzo to explode in this manner. It was why he hadn''t called Fujin. Besides, having known Fujin for so long, Hiruzen knew exactly what he would have said. After thinking for a bit, he decided to speak in the same tone.


    Hiruzen said, "Well, it is a fact that you sent them to spy on Fujin, a Council Member. Just that alone makes your punishment justified, something that the n leaders will press on. Even though Fujin ignored the situation, he wasn''t wrong in asking them toe with him. He didn''t attack first either. Attacking a Council member under these circumstances is nothing short of treason.


    Besides, the attack took ce inside of Konoha. I and several hundred ninjas were heading towards the Root within seconds. In such a situation, cooperating with Fujin should have been your only thought."


    Hiruzen''s words were a huge blow to Danzo, who became lost for words. He understood that Hiruzen wouldn''t be budging no matter how well he argued. At the same time, he also understood that the n leaders too wouldn''t relent even if the matter was so small. He could do nothing but curse Fujin who blew up such an insignificant matter.


    Danzo removed the seals on the bodies of Root ninjas and began walking out. The Root ninjas followed him in confusion as they wondered what Danzo meant by being punished.


    As they left, Hiruzen said, "Danzo, you have till noon to inform me which ninjas you will be keeping. The rest need to visit me in my office."


    Danzo looked at Hiruzen once but left without saying a word. Torune and the rest were confused. After they left the room, Torune asked, "Lord Danzo, what happened in the headquartersst night? Also, what did you mean by getting punished?"


    Danzo didn''t say anything until they reached thebs under Root. He informed the 5 of them what had happened. Torune and the other 4 were immediately shocked. One of themined, "That''s so unreasonable! We only attacked because he had surrounded us and drawn his swords. Why are you getting punished for it?"


    Another one added, "Though this is injustice, we can take the me and say that we did it independently and without your orders. That way, even though we will have to sacrifice ourselves, the Root will prosper."


    Danzo replied, "It''s useless. Hiruzen and the others won''t relent even if you do something like that. They are only using this opportunity to take the Root out."


    Danzo looked at his subordinates and said, "Even if I have to let some of you go, don''t forget that you are a part of Root. Konoha will always need us to ensure that the vige stays peaceful. In the future, the vige will need us once again. At that time, I''ll call you all back and we will reform Root once again!"


    Danzo''s image, which was already heavenly in their hearts, improved even further. Despite facing such injustice, he still wanted to serve the vige. Since he only had a few hours, Danzo spent them increasing his influence on his subordinates further. He didn''t want to let Hiruzen brainwash them like he did with his previous subordinates. Danzo had little to no chance of recruiting them once again.


    Unfortunately, the kids kidnapped from the Land of Water were too far away. As such, Danzo didn''t get an opportunity to brainwash them as well.


    Sitting in his office, Hiruzen wondered, ''What should I do with those Kiri kids? They could have stayed hidden in the Root and wouldn''t have raised any questions. But if I bring them in the open, there is a chance that their identity will be leaked. If that happens, Konoha''s reputation will plummet hard.''


    He thought for a while when he suddenly had an idea. He thought, ''Yeah, this might be the best way to deal with them.''


    A mischievous smile appeared on Hiruzen''s face. He looked at his guards and said, "Invite the Council Members for a meeting. Don''t invite the civilian members."


    [A/N: Oof! Almost 2k words chapter after a long time. Anyway, almost done with this arc. Hope you guys enjoyed how Root was dealt with. I know that Danzo isn''t dead yet, but Fujin does have a use for him (which will be exinedter on in the story) due to which he doesn''t want Danzo to die so soon. Also, Danzo hasn''t really given Fujin an opportunity to eliminate him or to allow Fujin to convince Hiruzen that he needs to be eliminated immediately.


    Anyway, this was thest major thing before the start of the canon. There are just a few small matters that need to be dealt with in the uing chapters (won''t take too long as they will be dealt with very quickly). The canon will start very soon (by the end of this week)]


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 Chapter 520: Sudden Responsibility

    Chapter 520: Sudden Responsibility


    [A/N : Hey guys. This chapter is Sponsored by Zero1995. You can thank him for the double release.]


    Within minutes, Fujin, the n Elders, Homura and Koharu arrived in the Council room. Hiruzen was already present there. Seeing that everyone had arrived, he said, "Since everyone is here, I will start the meeting. Today''s meeting has two agendas."


    In an instant, everyone was surprised. Danzo had still not arrived and yet Hiruzen said that everyone was present. They understood that one of the agendas was rted to that.


    Fujin wondered, ''A meeting without Danzo? Interesting Now, the question is whether Hiruzen really did something or is it just an act and he''ll let Danzo continue as usual after staying in the dark for some time?''


    Hiruzen said, "First, about the attack on the Root Headquarters. Despite searching for several hours, none of us have found anyone remotely suspicious. Considering how strict the security was, I doubt anyone could have escaped from the vige the normal way. So, I suspect that the attacker escaped using Reverse Summoning jutsu.


    We still haven''t ascertained how the culprit entered the vige. For the near future, we will be maintaining the highest level of vignce. The walls will be properly manned and the number of patrol units will be increased. The Anbu can''t handle these duties without any help. So, I''ll need every n to contribute 2 Jounins, 7 Special Jounins and 21 Chunins to help in this matter. Let me know if anyone has any objections."


    Hiruzen scanned around the room. No oneined. Except for Fujin, everyone had participated in the search. They all knew that it waspletely pointless. It was as if the attacker had disappeared in thin air. They had reached the same conclusion as Hiruzen as well.


    Since no one opposed it, Hiruzen said, "Good. Of course, we can''t give up on finding and apprehending the culprit. The internal searches will continue for a week. In addition, I will be activating our spies in enemy viges. They might be our best way to understand whether any enemy is making preparations to make a big move against us. If someone is, then it''ll be safe to assume that these attacks were a distraction to keep us upied internally while they make their real move."


    Everyone nodded. It was the only way they had to keep investigating the matter. If there were no such movements, then it could only be assumed that someone was acting against Danzo or the Root to fulfill a personal vendetta!


    Hiruzen continued, "Now, on to Elder Danzo''s matter."


    Hiruzen took a pause before continuing, "In light of recent events, Danzo''s ability to lead Root hase under question. Despite repeated attacks on Root and even an attack on their headquarters, he didn''t manage to find who the attacker was. Not to mention, our vige lost 20 capable ninjas.


    I investigated the matter between Fujin and Root ninjas as well."


    He looked at Fujin and said, "Fujin, though the Root ninjas were at fault for attacking you, I hope that you understand that it only happened due to the extraordinary circumstances. Elder Danzo didn''t order them to attack you. If not for the fact that the Root headquarters had been blown up, they wouldn''t have acted in such a manner. I hope you can forgive them."


    Hiruzen''s words immediately made Fujin fall into a tough spot. Fujin knew that the matter was too small to force Hiruzen to punish them. However, he had finally caught Danzo in a tight spot taking advantage of the fact that the n Leaders had too many grievances towards him. He didn''t want to stop applying pressure. If Hiruzen nned on going easy on Danzo, then Fujin wouldn''t back down just because he and Hiruzen had a good rtionship. However, directly declining Hiruzen in front of everyone wouldn''t look good either.


    After thinking for a bit, Fujin replied, "As long as everyone is judged fairly, I won''t hold a grudge."


    Fujin''s answer intrigued everyone in the room. Tsume looked at him and thought, ''What a diplomatic answer He agreed to forgive them but only under the circumstances that Hokage punished them appropriately. If he feels like they aren''t punished enough, he can raise this matter once again! It ensures that we can continue supporting him in this matter.''


    Even Hiruzen was surprised by Fujin''s answer. He thought, ''Looks like this incident really offended him. Though he relented, that''s on the condition that I don''t betray his trust. Sigh, this boy is getting increasingly difficult to deal with. Had it been Kakashi, he would have directly agreed.''


    Fortunately, Hiruzen had decided to take action. Otherwise, he would have to deal with headaches from Fujin as well.


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "That''s fair. Due to the recent events, I have decided to strip Root of its powers. From now onwards, Root won''t have any authority to order or even spy on anyone. Most of the Root ninjas will be inducted into the Anbu.


    Only 10 Root ninjas will remain under Danzo''smand. They will be responsible for maintaining what''s left of the Root headquarters. That will be the only ce where Root will hold the highest authority and will be a forbidden ce for the remaining ninjas.


    In exchange for keeping this authority, Danzo will be giving up his vote in the Council. He will still be invited to the council while discussing important matters but he will no longer be able to cast his vote."


    Everyone''s eyes widened. Even Fujin didn''t imagine that Danzo would have to give up this power. He thought, ''Looks like the bottom floors have theboratories. That is why Danzo wants to keep it even at the cost of losing his vote.''


    Koharu immediately said, "Hiruzen, Danzo has contributed a lot to the vige. Stripping his vote wouldn''t look good."


    Hiruzen replied, "It was his choice. Besides, my decision is final. Fujin, are you satisfied with this?"


    The results were already better than what Fujin was hoping for. Though Danzo still had a few subordinates, it was impractical to expect him to lose every subordinate. He nodded and said, "Yes. Thank you for being fair."


    The n leaders were happy as well. While Danzo''s interference had stopped after the Uchiha Massacre, he had started getting more active in recent times. With this decision, he won''t be able to interfere with their ns in any way. If he did, then they could raise the issue just like Fujin did. Since a precedent had been created, Hiruzen would have no choice but to act again. Hence, none of them pushed Fujin to keep pursuing the matter.


    Though Koharu and Homura weren''t happy, neither said anything as the two of them were outnumbered and wouldn''t be able to change Hiruzen''s mind.


    Hiruzen continued, "Good. There is another matter. Around a year ago, a certain disaster had happened which was witnessed by some Anbu ninjas who were returning from a mission. They managed to rescue 134 Orphans from the disaster.


    Since they weren''t from Konoha, I handed them to Danzo so that they could be trained and inducted into the Root once they became qualified. However, with the current developments, I''ll be taking over them as well. Instead of joining the Root, they will directly join the Anbu once they be qualified enough.


    Unfortunately, my hands are full and I can''t keep my attention on them until then. Since they are orphans and hence would fall under civilian ninjas, I have decided that they will be ced under Fujin''s care."


    Hiruzen''s words once again surprised everyone. Apart from Hiruzen, not a single person in the room knew that 134 kids were being trained in secret to join the Root. Of course, no one believed Hiruzen''s bullshit story. Just the fact that they had been recruited into the Root by Danzo implied that every one of them was talented.


    Fujin immediately connected the dots and thought, ''Around a year ago? Don''t tell me these maniacs continued Renjiro''s mission and kidnapped more kids from the Land of Water! Hiruzen had no choice but to give them to Root. The real identities of those kids can never be exposed!


    No wonder Danzo suddenly became more active around a year ago. Those 134 kids meant that Root now had a future. That is why Danzo suddenly began bothering me. If he didn''t have these kids, he would have stayed silent and in the dark like in the original story.


    That said Why does Hiruzen want to put this burden on me? I already have so little time to train. Now I have to watch over kids who were trained by Danzo and might want me dead? Besides, the n leaders might truly see me as a threat now as I might have to take a share of their resources. Sigh, why can''t I catch a break?''


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    A/N: You can sponsor chapters through P@treon.

 Chapter 521 - 515 : Welcoming trouble with open arms

    <h4>Chapter 521: Chapter 515 : Weing trouble with open arms</h4>


    Fujin almost wanted to cry at how much workload he had. Unfortunately, the situation didn''t allow him to evenin. He couldn''t even ask why because Hiruzen had already given an appropriate reason.


    Everyone was looking at Fujin. Until the day before, Fujin didn''t have any subordinates, unlike the n Leaders. However, he had suddenly received an opportunity to create a force that would exceed every ninja n in the vige which couldn''t get a seat in the council and might exceed even some of the ninja ns of the n leaders sitting in the room. All wanted to see his reaction. To their surprise, his expression disyed some annoyance and unwillingness instead of happiness.


    Thoughts moved at light speed in Fujin''s brain. He quickly said, "Umm, I don''t have any experience in watching over kids. Though I am an orphan myself, I was always busy training and never had the chance to interact much with others. Could you find someone more capable for the kids? They deserve better considering that they had to go through a disaster and then spend time in Root."


    Before Hiruzen could reply, Shikaku said, "You are underestimating yourself, Fujin. Don''t worry, we have full confidence in your abilities. As Lord Hokage said, there is no one better than you to handle this job. We believe that you will do it splendidly."


    A smile could be seen on Shikaku''s face as he thought, ''Finally a chance!''


    Shikaku still hadn''t forgotten how much work Fujin had put him through. Even after Fujin joined the council, he had avoided taking any responsibilities. Finally, he had a chance to take some revenge! Meanwhile, Fujin thought, ''When the hell did Hiruzen say that? Don''t put words in his mouth!''


    Unfortunately for Fujin, Hiruzen quickly followed up, "I agree with Shikaku. Don''t worry. Just do your best. I believe that the kids will benefit from having a role model like you. Besides, I''ll be making arrangements so that it isn''t too much of a problem for you."


    Seeing how much both of them were praising him, Fujin was lost for words.


    The only way for Fujin to argue against Hiruzen and Shikaku would be to prove to the council that he was terrible and irresponsible. While Fujin didn''t care what others thought of him, that went against the careful persona he had constructed and he doubted whether he could still escape the responsibility.


    He could do nothing but curse the two of them. He looked at Hiruzen and Shikaku and thought, ''If I''m going down, I''m taking the two of you with me!''


    He muttered, "Alright. If I face any troubles..."


    Before Fujin couldplete his sentence, Hiruzen cut him off and said, "If you are facing any troubles, or doubts or don''t understand what you should do or how you should handle the kids, you can approach Elder Homura and Elder Koharu. Both of them are very experienced in this matter."


    Fujin looked at Hiruzen and thought, ''This old fox! Is he taking revenge for me forcing him to act against Danzo? Oh well, bothering those two stuck-up old schemers isn''t bad either.''


    Fujin didn''t particrly care who he was irritating as long as it wasn''t he who would be irritated. Seeing that Fujin wasn''t saying anything, Homura smiled and assured, "Don''t worry Fujin. You can approach us whenever you want. We will help you out."


    Though Koharu was still upset about the threat the previous day, she nodded as well. Hiruzen and Shikaku smirked in secret. Neither Homura nor Koharu knew what sort of trouble Hiruzen had diverted towards them.


    Considering the situation, Fujin nodded and said, "Alright. I''ll trouble the Elders. Thank you for looking out for me."


    The remaining n leaders watched the expression with a puzzled face. None of them understood why Shikaku vouched so strongly for Fujin. As for Hiruzen''s words, they assumed that Hiruzen wanted to soothe the ties between Fujin and the Elders since Fujin had just gone against Danzo and threatened Koharu.


    Hiruzen said, "With that out of the way, let us discuss the arrangements we will have to make in the vige to avoid such incidents."


    For the next couple of hours, the Council discussed what precautions they should take and how the ninjas should be distributed throughout the vige to prevent such attacks in the future. Special attention was given to ensuring the safety of n Compounds as they would be susceptible to attacks like the one that happened on the Root headquarters.


    Fujin didn''t contribute much to the discussion and instead just watched while thinking, ''First they sent the culprit to find where the culprit was hiding and now they are discussing all their ns in front of the culprit as well... They are so lucky that I don''t have any ns to keep attacking. Otherwise, Konoha will be a real mess...''


    Fujin suddenly realized something. He thought, ''I never had thought much about this. If one strong person in the vige is upset about the state of the vige, he or she can do a lot of damage to the vige. Had Sakumo taken the taunts personally or had Orochimaru hated the vige as much as he does now, both could have caused ridiculous harm to the vige while staying in the dark just like how I just did.


    If this can happen in Konoha, there is no reason to assume that it won''t happen in Phantom Haven Society... I need to be careful about any differences that might arise inside the organization. Though it isn''t a threat for now, it will be a threat once a few ambitious rank S ninjas are raised there.


    Thankfully, I apply seals on everyone. That way, at least no one will turn on me. However, I need to ensure that every kid raised there believes in the Phantom Will fanatically. And, I need a way to deal with or amodate anyone whose beliefs change as they grow older. Oh well, issues forter. I''ll let the future me deal with it.''


    The meeting ended after all the details were finalized. Hiruzen dismissed everyone other than Fujin. Once they were alone, he said, "Fujin, I''ll need a fortnight to make arrangements for the kids and check them to ensure that there won''t be any danger in the future."


    Fujin understood that Hiruzen was referring to any possible brainwashing done by Danzo. He nodded. It wasn''t something that he wanted to deal with and Hiruzen was undoubtedly the best person to counter that. Of course, that meant that those kids would be influenced by Hiruzen, but Fujin didn''t mind that as Hiruzen had never disyed any hostility towards him. If anything, it felt like Hiruzen was taking this opportunity to give Fujin a greater power inside Konoha. With these events, his seat on the Council was more or less untouchable. Even if Danzo continued supporting Katsuhiro, it was hopeless.


    Hiruzen said, "I also wanted to discuss with you about their living arrangements. Since you''ll be the one looking after them, they will need to be close to you."


    Fujin was immediately rmed. He immediately said, "Grandpa, there is no way I can house 134 kids in my house. It isn''t that big."


    Hiruzen chuckled and said, "That''s not what I was implying. I can offer you two choices. One, you can move into the Uchiha npound which is on the outskirts of the vige."


    Fujin replied, "That has a terrible past and probably not the best ce to raise kids."


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "I agree. But we don''t have anotherrgepound lying around. The other option is converting your currentnd into something simr to a npound."


    When Fujin was looking for a house, he bought a ratherrge piece ofnd since it was cheap due to being on the outskirts of the vige. His own house only upied a small part of it.


    Fujin thought for a bit and said, "Though I do have somend, it will only barely fit 134 kids. Not to mention, they will need a bigger house once they grow up. Also, it''ll be very crowded."


    Fujin had two thoughts while buying therger piece ofnd. For one, Fujin didn''t want the area around his house to be crowded by other houses. As someone who came from Earth, he knew how quickly a city would expand outwards and even the outskirts would soon be crowded with houses in a few years or decades. The other reason was having the ability to build more houses for others in case he decided to build a faction inside Konoha. Since he had dropped that n, the ce was just lying idle for several years.


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "Yes. However, once the kids grow up, they would want to move out and buy their own house anyway. So, that''s not a concern. Regardless, I will give you 4 plots ofnd adjacent to yournd having a simr area. The vige will also fund the construction of houses and a fence, though seals will be left to you.


    As for the kids being a bother, I don''t think you should be worried about that. If anything, your concerns must be the exact opposite considering their past."


    Fujin thought for a bit and said, "Alright. That is eptable."


    He sighed and added, "Still, Grandpa... I am feeling short of time to train even after leaving Anbu. And now this responsibility..."


    Hiruzen chuckled and said, "I have a feeling that this will be good for you. So see it as an opportunity instead of a chore. You might get some surprises."


    Fujin thought, ''Yeah, it would have been great if I wanted to fight for the Hokage spot. I''m sure I could raise most of these kids to be Jounins and have their unwavering support. But I don''t have much interest in it. So this will just be a chore... Still, this is a good opportunity.''


    Fujin immediately asked, "Grandpa, do you know of any seals simr to the ones we use inside storage scrolls that can increase the flow of time instead of slowing it down?"


    [A/N : Latest chapter on Pat reon - Kusagakure prepares for a war!]


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    ()

 Chapter 522 - 516 : Expanding the Territory!

    <h4>Chapter 522: Chapter 516 : Expanding the Territory!</h4>


    [A/N: Ugh, I didn''t think I''d meet a troll after writing for over 500 chapters ????? Guess I should be d for being able to avoid them so far... Then again, I sort of found it amusing how persistent he is, lol.


    Anyways, as you guys know, I''m all for trolling and pranking. So it''s not something I mind. However, kindly keep it civil. After all, we are all Naruto fans here. Making sexualments, abusing other''s mothers, abusing other readers will result in yourments getting deleted. Peace out and have a fun week :)]


    Hiruzen was surprised by the question. He thought for a few seconds before answering, "Not that I know of. Why do you want such a seal?"


    Fujin answered, "I could inscribe such seals in a room and use it to train at a much faster speed."


    Hiruzen''s eyes immediately widened as he understood what Fujin was thinking of. He couldn''t help but think, ''From where did he get such a crazy idea? If such a seal exists, it willpletely break the power bnce in the world! Arge number of Jounins and even a handful of rank S ninjas could be raised in a few years.


    In fact, this method could be the perfect way to raise the young kids we rescued. No one will be able to point any fingers as their ages won''t match up. Unfortunately...''


    Hiruzen said, "It''s a good idea. Unfortunately, such a seal doesn''t exist. Even if it did, you should be very careful of it. You wouldn''t want to spend your entire youth in a room."


    Though the idea was good, it was more effective for an organization like the Root. It wouldn''t be very effective in raising a future Kage as they willck qualities other than strength.


    Fujin sighed and thought, ''I thought as much. Guess trying to reverse that seal is the only way. Of course, it''s easier said than done. Fortunately, I don''t need it desperately as I still have more than 4 years.


    If I had to forcefully create it, I guess my best bet would be to revive Tobirama and have him work on it. Unfortunately, I don''t know Edo Tensei nor can I control him to do something like this...''


    He said, "Alright, Grandpa. I''ll continue training the same way."


    Fujin got up to leave but before he could disappear, Hiruzen said, "Oh, I almost forgot to mention. Some of the kids have Kekkei Genkai. One of your tasks will be giving them some attention and guiding them. I want them to be Elite Jounins in the future. And, another task you''ll have is ensuring that this stays a secret. Only n leaders and Anbu can know of it, but you don''t need to take the initiative to inform them."


    Without waiting for Fujin''s reply, Hiruzen disappeared from the room. Fujin cursed, ''This old fox, he keeps giving me more tasks! He even ran away before I could ask for anything in return...


    Still, this isn''t bad. I wanted to create a Kekkei Genkai with Wind and Lightning or Wind and Fire elements. In fact, that is my next goal after my current training isplete. Unfortunately, I never had any inspiration in this direction. Perhaps watching those kids might be helpful. I guess there is some benefit in watching over those kids...''


    Fujin disappeared from the Council Room as well. He returned home and thought, ''Before I get that responsibility, I need to create the Eight Trigrams Divination Seal. I have been putting it off for a long time.''


    Konoha became busy very quickly. The n leaders were busy making arrangements to ensure that their ns didn''t fall prey to such attacks. On the other hand, Hiruzen was increasing the security of the entire vige and was activating the spies he had ced in other viges. At the same time, he sent a message to Jiraiya, informing him about the recent events and asking him to dig out information on anyone who couldunch such a strong Lightning jutsu.


    Meanwhile, Danzo was busy increasing his influence on the Root ninjas he was nning to let go of. He wanted to ensure that he could recruit them back as soon as he got an opportunity and didn''t lose them forever like the previous Root ninjas who joined the Anbu.


    At noon, the Root ninjas left thebs and met with Hiruzen leaving the Root officially. From this day onwards, Danzo would have only 10 subordinates. Or rather 11, since Hiruzen wasn''t aware that one of his Anbu reported to Danzo.


    While everyone was busy and tense, Fujin was in his basement, working with a hundred clones to create the Eight Trigrams Divination Seal by cing two Four Symbols Seals on top of each other. Since he knew the basic idea, it wasn''t very difficult. He just had to get it right once.


    A couple of dayster, a couple of Anbu appeared at Fujin''s house and informed him about the development n to develop hisnd and the nearby plots.


    Fujin checked it once and was slightly surprised. He thought, ''Hmm, not bad at all. It looks like Hiruzen wants to keep my house at the center and develop houses on the plots next to mine. The remaining area on mynd will be used to construct a training facility for the kids and some space will be left for othermunity buildings that I might need in the future. He has also left a lot ofnd for future expansions... I wonder if he ns on diverting more kids here...


    Oh well, once it is done, it would almost be like a npound. Though it''ll be smaller than any npound. Not surprising considering that the npounds were built when each of the ns was at its peak. After three wars, their numbers have dropped a lot. Soparing with them wouldn''t be fair.


    Oh well, whatever. Let them work, I''ll just set up the sealster on. I doubt anyone would dare mess with me once the seals are up.''


    While not many were aware of it, the ones who were didn''t need to think much about how many seals Fujin would inscribe in the territory under his control. It was one of the reasons why Hiruzen wanted to put the ''rescued'' kids under him. The chances of anyone spying on them and sending information to enemy viges were almost null. It made him the best option once Root was out of the picture.


    The work around Fujin''s house continued while he continued training unbothered. He focused more on creating the seal while training his body and working on Flying Thunder God jutsu on the side. The Wind Domain training was stopped for the time being. Around 8 dayster, a smile appeared on Fujin''s face as he received the memories of one of his clones. He muttered, "Eight Trigrams Divination Seal is learnt!"


    Fujin thought, ''Now, I need to make a seal imprint and test this seal out on someone else before trying it myself. Sadly, the vige is still tense. I won''t be able to leave right now. Oh well, I can just continue training the other 3 techniques...


    My Flying Thunder God''s teleportation range is increasing rapidly. I can now teleport up to 50 meters away. Unfortunately, I still need to resist the pressure from the Void. Still, that is improving rapidly as well. I guess in around a month, Flying Thunder God jutsu can be considered as mastered.


    Then I will only need to keep working on increasing its range. I have a feeling that even that will be easier once I pass a certain threshold. Otherwise, reaching Minato''s level might take centuries. Oh well, issue forter. Time to train Wind Domain again. I haven''t trained that ever since I left the vige to meet Shigeki.''


    Fujin left his house and entered the Training ground. As he had expected, he ran into Naruto who was training as well. On seeing Fujin, Naruto excitedly said, "Fujin! Are you finally done with your work?"


    Fujin didn''t want much distraction while he was working on the seal. So he had asked Naruto to not disturb him unless it was very important. Seeing Fujin finally leave his house, Naruto was a bit excited. Fujin nodded and said, "Done for now. Anyway, what''s up with you? And why is your right wrist bandaged?"


    Narutoughed nervously and said, "There were several ninjas moving around the vige for thest few days. I decided to prank them. Hehehe, you should have seen them panic. One of them got startled and identally hurt me."


    A frown appeared on Fujin''s face. While he didn''t care that much for Naruto, he didn''t want to see him getting bullied, especially by grown-up ninjas. The poor guy already had a rather miserable childhood. He asked, "Who did it? And how exactly did he hurt you?"


    Seeing Fujin serious, Naruto immediately exined, "No no, it''s fine. That person was wearing a mask, so I don''t know who he was. He only appeared next to me suddenly and grabbed my hand very tightly. But when he saw me, he quickly apologized and took me to the hospital to heal me. He also paid all the expenses and just told me to not do that again."


    A weird expression appeared on Naruto''s face as he said, "Actually, he was very polite and apologized several times and ensured that I was fine. I don''t think anyone has been that polite with me. But he didn''t tell me what his name was."


    Fujin was slightly surprised. He thought, ''I see. I guess Naruto just startled them. Since they were tense, they assumed it to be one of the culprits and took action rapidly. Anyway, being able to startle Anbu is good. It looks like Naruto has made some progress recently.''


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    ()

 Chapter 523: Wind Domain

    Chapter 523: Wind Domain


    Fujin said, "Alright. Next time, don''t prank a ninja when he is very busy. It''s fine to prank the ones idling around though. Anyway, how many of those masked ninjas were there?"


    Naruto said, "There were 8."


    Fujin chuckled and said, "Being able to prank 2 squads of Anbu. Hehe, that''s good progress."


    Naruto asked in a confused tone, "Anbu?"


    Fujin replied, "They are the ones wearing the mask. Don''t prank them in the future. Their jobs are quite tense and they might not hold back."


    As someone whose killing instincts were honed during his time in the Anbu, Fujin was well aware of how cold and quick Anbu could be. Pranking them was generally not a good idea.


    Naruto obediently said, "Alright. I won''t prank them."


    He looked towards Fujin''s house with some interest and asked, "What is happening with your house? Are you making it even bigger?"


    Fujin chuckled and said, "Lord Hokage wants me to look after some orphan students. They''ll be moving over once everything is constructed."


    Suddenly, Fujin had an idea. He smiled and said, "Once they do, maybe you could make several friends."


    Fujin chuckled internally while thinking, ''Root''s training makes a ninja very antisocial and a bit robotic. While Hiruzen''s brainwashing should have some influence, I doubt it''llpare to what Naruto can achieve. This guy literally talked Nagato into reviving the ones he killed


    Besides, I can encourage Naruto to teach them how to prank. Hehehe. I''ll have an army of minions to unleash on the vige. I wonder what an army of talented brats trained by Root and influenced by Naruto will do to the vige.''


    While Fujin was scheming to unleash a different type of hell on Konoha, Naruto was lost in his own thoughts. Involuntarily, he asked, "I am an orphan too. Can I move here as well?"


    Fujin was caught off guard by the question. A look of surprise appeared on his face as he muttered, "You want to move in here?"


    Naruto immediately answered, "Yes!"


    Fujin thought, ''Now here''s something I didn''t think of''


    Fujin thought for a bit before concluding, ''There is no harm to it. As long as he gets along with them, it might create a good impact on him. The only issue is that he might pick up some of their jutsus. It might change his fighting style. But, as long as he doesn''t learn and spam the Shadow Clone trick, his strength shouldn''t differ by much.


    The only issue is the political ramifications it might have. Others might view it as me making a move on Konoha''s only Jinchuriki. Sigh, my influence is increasing too rapidly. I don''t have the energy to engage in internal politics any more than I already have to. That said, I just gave Danzo a bloody nose. I doubt anyone would want to mess with me so quickly. Oh well, I''ll just go with the flow.''


    Naruto asked again nervously, "Can I move here?"


    Fujin replied with a smile, "I''m not sure how the kids who will move in will be. Why don''t you make friends with them first? If you guys get along, I''ll request Lord Hokage to allow you to move."


    Naruto immediately bloomed into a smile. He jumped and said, "Alright. I''ll befriend them, believe it!"


    Fujin chuckled. He asked Naruto about the progress he made and the two began discussing it. After some time, Fujin began his training.


    A month passed. Since the houses were being constructed, Hiruzen decided to keep the rescued kids in Anbu quarters for the time being. He also used the opportunity to interact with them regrly and instill the Will of Fire in them. Considering their high numbers, this was one of the extremely rare times that Hiruzen used Shadow Clones inside the vige to do something that didn''t involvebat.


    The situation in the vige calmed down with time. However, top-levelbatants like Fujin, Kakashi and Guy were asked to stay in the vige just in case something else happened.


    In the 23rd Training Ground, Fujin was standing with his eyes closed. To a normal eye, it might look as if he was just standing there. However, if any sensor observed him, they would notice a tremendous amount of chakra being emitted from his body.


    The chakra turned into wind and mixed in the surrounding air so naturally, that it wasn''t even visible. However, the tremendous amount of chakra meant that even a normal human would sense something was wrong. The few birds that still dared to live in this training ground immediately began flying away.


    Within seconds, the winds Fujin releasedpletely encapsted everything within 50 meters of Fujin. Fujin''s eyes opened. In an instant, hundreds of deadly wind des formed in the air and cut down every tree within that range! The rocks and hills were covered in deep cuts as well.


    At the very next second, the winds began flowing circrly around Fujin with him as the center. Within a few seconds, a hurricane formed in the training ground as winds flew circrly at a very high speed.


    Fujin raised his right hand as if his palm was controlling the entire hurricane. He flipped his hand and pushed it forward. At that very moment, the tip of the hurricane suddenly moved forward while its base stayed around Fujin. The tip mmed into one of the massive ramparts Fujin had constructed when he was practicing AoE Vacuum jutsus.


    The high-speed winds began eroding the rampart, but the rampart wasn''t damaged much. Suddenly, sharp wind des began forming in the hurricane and every single one of them bombarded the rampart. Immediately, hundreds of deep cuts began appearing in the rampart every second. Within half a minute, the hurricane drilled through the rampart, leaving arge hole at its center!


    Fujin clenched his right palm before suddenly stretching all his fingers! At that very moment, the hurricane that had drilled through the rampart suddenly transformed into small wind des and bombarded thend between the four ramparts. Thousands of small cuts appeared on the ground.


    A smile appeared on Fujin''s face after seeing the destruction. Very few ninjas would be able to defend against such an attack. Of course, it did have the drawback of needing a very high amount of chakra. It used up half of the chakra that he had emitted in the air. But considering the devastation, Fujin felt that it was appropriate.


    He moved both his hands forward as if he was grabbing something. Immediately, 8 Ghostly Palms made of wind appeared around him. Under Fujin''s control, the Ghost Palms swept away the debris within the Wind Domain and sent them flying in all directions. Soon after, they transformed into small wind des as well before dissipating into the air.


    Fujin tried a few more things until he was satisfied. A grin appeared on his face as he thought, ''Wind Domain is finally good enough to be used against rank S ninjas. However, there are still a couple of ws I need to look out for and one improvement I still need to make.


    If I go up against someone who can absorb chakra like Kisame or Pain, then I''ll just be gifting them my chakra. The only way to avoid it is by turning my chakrapletely into Wind des. But, no matter how efficient I am, some chakra always gets left even in the Wind des. Otherwise, the Wind des just copse.


    Forming an attack purely of wind without any chakra involved is almost impossible. The only way I can think of is to improve my physique to such a level that I can replicate Guy''s air punches that he used against Madara with my sword. Something simr to what Swordsmen in One Piece did.


    That said, if my Physique reaches such a level, why would I need to depend on Wind Domain? I can just pummel them to death. I guess the only way to properly counter this would be learning Senjutsu. That will make absorbing it a folly. Until then, I will just have to rely on teleporting Samehada or the chakra-absorbing Pain away. Of course, that is if I have to engage in a life-and-death battle with them. Otherwise, I can just run away.


    The other w is the amount of chakra the Wind Domain needs. I had to pour half my chakra into creating the Wind Domain just now. In a battle, I should limit myself to 10%. I can increase it depending on the battle situation.


    As for the improvement, I still haven''t been able to create Vacuum cores inside the Wind Domain. Luckily, the current destruction is pretty good already. I can leave this matter forter.''


    Fujin stretched his body for a bit before deciding, ''I will pause the Wind Domain training for a long time now. And, I still can''t leave the vige. I guess it''s time to ask Hiruzen''s help again. While I didn''t need a reason, considering the huge responsibility he has put on my shoulders, he can''t refuse, hehe.''


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 524: Fire and Earth Combat Systems

    Chapter 524: Fire and Earth Combat Systems


    Without wasting any time, Fujin flickered towards Hokage''s building and entered his office. Surprisingly, Hiruzen wasn''t in his office and Fujin instead saw Takao arranging some files. Takao greeted Fujin and asked, "It''s been a while, Fujin. Are you here to see Lord Hokage?"


    Fujin nodded and asked, "Yeah, where is he?"


    Takao answered, "He went to the Anbu Headquarters for some work. He"


    Without waiting for him to be done speaking, Fujin nodded and said, "Alright, I''ll find him there."


    He immediately disappeared without waiting for Takao who continued his sentence "He will be back in a couple of hours"


    Unfortunately, he only spoke to the air. Takao cursed, ''Why do I even bother? He didn''t even ask whether he could go or not and directly left!''


    Fujin entered the Anbu Headquarters while thinking, ''Is he influencing those kids again? Well, whatever, that doesn''t need much chakra.''


    Finding Hiruzen wasn''t difficult. As Fujin expected, he was drilling the Will of Fire into them. In the past month, most of Danzo''s influence on them was already wiped out. Their belief in the Will of Fire even exceeded an average Konoha ninja''s belief in it! By the time Hiruzen handed them over to him, Fujin had little doubt that those poor kids would believe in the Will of Fire fanatically!


    A few Anbu noticed Fujin but didn''t say anything as he regrly entered to meet with Eagle and was a former Anbu Captain. Hiruzen noticed him as well and suddenly had a bad feeling. He thought, ''Why does it feel like he is here to ask something from me again?''


    Unknowingly, Hiruzen got a bit tense. He cursed Homura whose idea it was to arrange rewards for the top academy student in each year. It had caused him numerous headaches over thest few years. Thankfully, Hiruzen had stopped it. Unfortunately, it was already toote to do anything about Fujin for whom it had be normal.


    Fujin waited for a couple of minutes for Hiruzen to be done with the kids he was talking to and flickered next to him. Hiruzen smiled and asked, "Good to see you, Fujin. Are you here to meet the kids as well?"


    Fujin looked towards the kids standing close to Hiruzen and smiled. He answered, "I''ll be seeing them for several years, Grandpa. It''ll be better for them to enjoy yourpany right now. Anyway, I need your help."


    Hiruzenined internally, ''He didn''t even pretend''


    He asked, "What''s the matter?"


    Fujin answered, "Well, it isn''t anything bad, but it''s a bit tooplicated to exin here. Also, I don''t want to distract you from meeting these kids. Can you send a Shadow Clone with me? Preferably with at least a third of your chakra."


    Hiruzen looked at Fujin with a deadpan expression, but there was no change in Fujin''s expression. Having already been helped by Hiruzen''s clone several times, Fujin didn''t even see a reason to say please. And having helped Fujin so many times, Hiruzen couldn''t say no either especially if he didn''t have a good reason. Helplessly, he created a Shadow Clone and sent it with Fujin.


    Fujin and Hiruzen''s clone reached the training ground. Surprise appeared on Hiruzen''s Clone''s face as he noticed the destruction. He thought, ''This doesn''t look like the destruction he usually causes. I haven''t checked on him for quite some time. Did that Wind technique he was working on improve so much? I should check up on him sometimeter to monitor his progress.''


    While Hiruzen''s clone was observing, Fujin said, "Grandpa, I need your help in developing proper Fire and Earthbat systems."


    Hiruzen''s clone was a bit surprised. He asked, "You are working on improving Fire and Earth maniption? What is the issue you are stuck on?''


    Fujin answered, "I am not stuck on anything. I was thinking about developing these two natures in case Wind jutsus don''t work against an enemy for some reason.


    Currently. I have developed both of them toplement my Wind jutsus. Earth helps me in defense and gives me another direction to escape when I can''t resist the attack while Fire is useful in makingrge-scale wind jutsus even more destructive.


    However, if I use either of them independently, their power is verycking. I wanted your help in developing these two natures to a level where I can use them independently in battle. I know that I won''t be able to master them as much as my Wind maniption, at least in the short term. But I would still like them to be at a much higher level so that I won''t be in a terrible situation in case my Wind jutsus don''t work."


    Hiruzen''s clone thought about Fujin''s words for a few seconds and felt that was reasonable. He himself believed in training in this manner. When it came to Ninjutsu, he had mastered all 5 elements along with Yin and Yang release, a slew of Secret Techniques that were prized possessions of the proud ns in Konoha and an array of Forbidden jutsus. Fujin wanting to take a simr route was a pleasant surprise to him.


    He said, "That''s a good decision. While improving one nature is good, you need to have a diverse skill set so that enemies can''t make a n against you like what Iwa did. What ideas do you have for developing Fire and Earth? Tell me the jutsus you decided to learn and I''ll tell you if you could do better."


    Without any change in his expression, Fujin replied, "I didn''t think of anything. I directly came to find you after deciding."


    For a moment, Hiruzen''s clone was left speechless! He didn''t know what to say. Due to his jutsu mastery, everyone called Hiruzen ''The Professor''. However, considering his position, very few approached him to ask for guidance. The few who did would only approach him when they encountered an issue in their training. It was like how Fujin approached Hiruzen several times before this incident to deal with a particr issue.


    This was the first time anyone approached Hiruzen to ask for his help without making any efforts themselves! To make it worse, Fujin said as if it was the most natural thing in the world! It was as if he didn''t see anything wrong or inappropriate in it.


    Hiruzen''s clone bitterly wondered, ''What exactly did I do to deserve this in my old age? Not only do I have to look after the vige and maintain peace between ns while having to deal with Danzo''s mess, but I also have to teach anyone who asks me for help? What if others decide to follow Fujin''s example in the future? How many clones will I need to use all the time? When will those ungrateful students of mine return and allow this old man to retire?''


    Unfortunately for him, no one was interested in hearing about his troubles. He could only be grateful for the fact that Fujin did not spread this news around and didn''t tempt others to do the same. Otherwise, his peaceful days would truly be over.


    Hiruzen''s clone sighed and said, "Fujin, I have already said that in order to develop properly and grow stronger in the future, you need to work on such things yourself. It''s fine if you face a problem and want my help, but you should work on it first yourself. Asking for my help should be when you are left with no choice."


    Fujin nodded obediently. Unfortunately, his words were anything but obedient as he replied, "I know Grandpa. I have thought this through properly. I have no interest in developing Fire or Earth natures any further. After having spent so many years training Wind Maniption, I have a feeling that I might be able to advance it far further than anyone else.


    And doing that will require a lot of time, perhaps even decades. In the future, I''ll be busy with it and I don''t think I''ll have any time left to develop Fire and Earth natures. So, I decided to skip the long process of developing thebat systems around them and directly ask for your help.


    This way, I can train those two natures to a high level in a short time and then focus entirely on Wind nature. I could have thought of which jutsus to learn from the library, but I figured that it''d be best to directly ask you. That way, I won''t take any wrong turns."


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 525 - 519 : Learning from the Master!

    <h4>Chapter 525: Chapter 519 : Learning from the Master!</h4>


    As he spoke, a smile appeared on Fujin''s face. His expression and words disyed that he had full confidence and trust in Hiruzen. While Hiruzen''s clone thought of a few arguments, seeing Fujin''s expression, he understood that no matter how he argued, he would eventually have to agree to train Fujin.


    He sighed internally epting his fate of performing another thankless task!


    The reason why Hiruzen''s clone relented so easily is that he understood that Fujin had a point. One ninja had limited time and energy. Mastering several elements to the extreme was an impossible task. Hiruzen, despite having trained for over 6 decades, wouldn''t im to be the best in every element.


    He specialized more in Fire and Earth Release aspared to the other three elements. Even if a ninja learnt how to use all 5 elements, they would still gravitate towards one or two elements that they would master to the limit.


    One good example of this was Kakashi. Kakashi was one of the few ninjas who could use all 5 elements. However, he specialized only in Lightning. In addition, he was very good at Water and Earth as well even though they weren''t at the same level as his Lightning. But he only used 2 or 3 jutsus while using the Fire element and barely ever used any Wind jutsus.


    In Hiruzen''s eyes, Fujin''s decision to rely on him to directly increase his Fire and Earth mastery to a high level was a smart decision. The only issue was that Fujin was asking him to put in the hard work! Had he bothered someone else, Hiruzen would have been as supportive as he could be!


    Hiruzen''s clone asked, "What can you do currently with Fire and Earth?"


    Fujin answered, "For fire, my main attacking jutsu is the Searing Migraine jutsu which I use along with the Infinite Breakthrough jutsu to create abination jutsu. I haven''t used any other jutsu for a while even though I know Great Fireball, Fire Release: Five, Fireproof, and Fire Dragon me Bullet jutsus as well.


    For Earth, my main focus is on defense and evasion. The jutsus I generally use are Earth Wall, Iron Skin, and Earth Instantaneous Body jutsus. In addition, I also know Rampart of Flowing Soil jutsu and can create camps."


    Hiruzen''s clone thought, ''Hmm, not bad. These jutsusplement Wind Release extremely well. It also gives him a good base to start with.''


    He asked, "I know you didn''t n it, but do you have any specific ideas in mind or should I teach you what I think will be appropriate for you?"


    Fujin thought for a bit and replied, "I haven''t thought of anything particr in Fire. So I''ll depend on you. As for Earth, I haven''t thought of much either. The only thing that intrigued me was Tsuchikage''s ability to fly by controlling or changing weights. If I can learn that, then it''ll be very helpful."


    The ability to fly at will was something Fujin wanted for a long time. While he could use Assassin''s Rush jutsu to stay in the air for some time, it exhausted his chakra at a terrifying speed! If he could fly like Onoki, then very few ninjas would be able to resist his Wind or Fire-Windbination jutsus.


    Hiruzen''s clone replied, "That is a very convenient jutsu. Unfortunately, no one except the Tsuchikage knows how to use that jutsu. I can''t teach it to you."


    Fujin was surprised. He asked in a confused tone, "We weren''t able to copy his jutsu?"


    The Uchiha n was famous for copying jutsus with ease. And Konoha used to have hundreds of Sharingan-wielding Uchiha ninjas. In addition, there were a few ninjas who were at the peak of the ninja world in terms of their understanding of Ninjutsu. Tobirama, Hiruzen, and Orochimaru could all be considered as such. And, there were several other talented ninjas in Konoha''s history who didn''t gain as much fame as them or died prematurely.


    So, Fujin expected that jutsu to have long been copied. He just guessed that no one was able to use it despite knowing it. After all, even in Iwa, only the three Tsuchikages were known to be able to use this jutsu.


    Hiruzen''s clone understood Fujin''s thoughts and said, "We wanted to copy it, but we couldn''t. The Tsuchikages don''t use hand seals while using this jutsu, making it hard for someone with Sharingan to copy it. In addition, they disguise how their chakra flows as well. So all our attempts to copy the jutsu ended in failure."


    Fujin sighed and said, "That''s a shame. I guess I''ll just go with whatever you rmend then, Grandpa."


    Hiruzen''s clone nodded. He began guiding Fujin, starting with the Fire Element. For the next week, Hiruzen kept sending a clone to guide Fujin.


    For the first half of the week, Hiruzen had to send a clone with more than half his chakra as he had to demonstrate the jutsus to Fujin. He reduced it to a quarter for thetter half as Fujin was the one practicing more while he mostly monitored.


    Regardless, this was the most time Hiruzen had invested in training a single ninja apart from his three students. Needless to say, the results of investing such time in Fujin were extremely good.


    Merely within a week, Fujin''s Fire and Earth elements had grown by leaps and bounds! While he still needed some more time to master the jutsus Hiruzen taught him, his Fire and Earth elements would end up being superior to an ordinary Elite Jounin who specialized in either of those elements once he mastered them!


    Of course, improving his skills in these two elements beyond that level would be difficult for Fujin as he was entirely reliant on Hiruzen for reaching this level. However, that wasn''t an issue ording to Fujin. After all, with his high Chakra reserves, he could just supercharge those jutsus far beyond what an Elite Jounin could do. Not to mention, Fujin was already a rank S ninja and had a very high mastery in Wind maniption along with several deadly techniques.


    Fujin continued his training the same way. The only difference was that he trained Fire and Earth jutsus instead of his Wind Domain. Konoha finally settled down as well. Danzo no longer created any problems for anyone and stayed within the Root headquarters. The n leaders finally sighed in relief.


    As for Katsuhiro, he lost Danzo''s support as Danzo didn''t see any point in getting him into the Council anymore as he couldn''t use the Council to revive the Root. The only possible reason for Danzo to support Katsuhiro any longer was to create trouble for Fujin.


    However, Danzo could see that kicking Fujin off the council was pretty much impossible. It was already very difficult as Fujin hadn''t fallen for his trap and showed no signs of attempting to steal credit. Now, without Danzo himself being on the council, the difficulty rose several times.


    As a result, Katsuhiro was on his own. Of course, he still believed himself to be a better option than Fujin andpleted the proposal and reached Fujin''s office. He entered the office and saw Yasushi and Haruma, who immediately recalled the bad memories rted to him.


    However, this time Katsuhiro restrained himself. Fujin''s status in the past couple of months had undergone a massive change. While he still desired Fujin''s seat, he no longer dared to openly offend him. He handed a few files and said, "This is the proposal. Hand it to Fujin and ask him to contact me as soon as he can."


    Yasushi epted the files and said, "We will get it to him as soon as we can, Katsuhiro-sama."


    Katsuhiro nodded and left. Once he had gone a long distance away, Haruma chuckled and said, "He is no longer arrogant while talking to us. Last time he pressured us so much!"


    Yasushi chuckled as well and said, "Of course. Fujin is a Grandmaster at Fuinjutsu and is probably a rank S ninja as well. I still recall his clones scouting through the vige. Even though Katsuhiro is strong, he will no longer dare to show any hostility towards Fujin."


    Haruma nodded and added, "Not to mention, he is already old, while Fujin is still in his teens. He will continue growing stronger. Anyway..."


    A grin formed on his face as he asked, "How long do you think Fujin will make Katsuhiro wait this time?"


    Yasushi nced at Haruma. The two immediately broke intoughter. Ever since Fujin sent a Shadow Clone to meet Katsuhiro after making him wait for over a month and a half, it had be something that Yasushi and Haruma joked about frequently. If it wasn''t for the fact that they were still a bit fearful of him, the two would have spread the news of their meeting all over the vige!


    -----------------------------------


    ()

 Chapter 526: Dressing Down!

    Chapter 526: Dressing Down!


    Despite joking around, the two of them informed Fujin about Katsuhiro handing in the proposal in the evening along with some other reports. Fujin was slightly surprised. Over thest month, he was so engrossed in training that he nearly forgot about Katsuhiro. He said, "I''ll look into it when I visit the office this Saturday. If he tries to pressure you two again, let me know."


    Yasushi said, "We will."


    He and Haruma quickly left. Fujin wondered, ''Why did he take so long toe up with a proposal?''


    After thinking for a bit, Fujin concluded, ''I guess he was assigned to several missions during the chaos that followed after my attack on Root, preventing him from working on it. Oh well, whatever. I''ll look into itter.''


    Fujin put the matter out of his head and continued his training routine. With Danzo no longer in the council, Fujin didn''t see Katsuhiro as much of a threat. Besides, the n leaders owed Fujin a great favor for giving them an opportunity to deal with Danzo. Fujin doubted any of them would go against him due to such a matter. At most, they would reject the proposal. As long as he didn''t push it too hard, no one would care much.


    Regardless, he didn''t intend to let Katsuhiro have an easy time. Katsuhiro would get a taste of bureaucracy that was from a whole different world!


    On the next Saturday, Fujin sent a Shadow Clone to check out the proposal while handling other matters as well. Needless to say, he decided to handle Katsuhiro''s proposal only after he was done with every other matter that had reached his office over thest couple of weeks.


    Katsuhiro, who was waiting patiently at his house, frowned. He thought, ''Today is a Saturday. He didn''t show up on the previous Saturday. So Fujin should have gone to the office today. But why hasn''t he called me yet? Don''t tell me he will make me wait for another month again!''


    Anger shed on Katsuhiro''s face due to being repeatedly disrespected. It was soon followed by a helpless expression. With Fujin''s recent fame and with Danzo no longer backing him, Katsuhiro was left without any options. In fact, he had begun questioning whether such a proposal would help him take Fujin''s spot at all. Unfortunately, he had no option but to wait.


    Fujin''s clone only reached Katsuhiro''s proposal veryte in the evening. Yasushi and Haruma exchanged several nces as they understood that Fujin was purposefully doing so.


    While reading the proposal, a surprised look appeared on the clone''s face. He wondered, ''That''s weird Though the proposal is good, it has a few major ws. Hmm, I can understand some of these ws as this would put me against the n leaders in a very aggressive manner.


    If Danzo is still supporting Katsuhiro, I can understand why he would want to do this. But, if Danzo was the one to make this proposal, there is no way he would leave such a big w This proposal will be thrown out in a heartbeat.''


    Fujin''s clone continued reading as he said, "Send someone to call Katsuhiro here."


    Yasushi immediately dispatched a messenger. Minutester, Katsuhiro appeared in Fujin''s office. He had nearly given up hoping that Fujin would call him that day. When he finally received the message, he hurried, afraid that Fujin might run away and leave him hanging if he dyed.


    Of course, he didn''t show those emotions on his face and maintained a stoic expression. He asked, "Did you go through the proposal?"


    Fujin''s clone nodded and replied, "I''m disappointed. I had better expectations from you."


    His words surprised everyone in the room. Katsuhiro frowned and asked, "What do you mean?"


    Fujin''s clone replied, "If I present this proposal to the Council, they will throw it into the dustbin without even giving it a second thought. Why exactly were you so restless earlier if this was all you coulde up with?"


    Katsuhiro''s frown deepened. He didn''t expect a dressing down when he hurried to Fujin''s office. Despite being busy with the missions, he had worked hard on that proposal. Of course, the most insulting thing was that the one dressing down him was only a 15-year-old boy!


    He immediately retorted, "Fujin, don''t forget that I am still your senior and not your subordinate. Don''t think that you can send a clone to humiliate me."


    Fujin''s clone snorted and replied, "Humiliate you? What would I get by doing that? The next Council Meeting is in a week''s time. If I present such a wed proposal, then not only will it get thrown out, but it will also be much harder to pass it in the future. Were you genuine when you said that you wanted to help civilian ninjas or were you just looking for an opportunity to create trouble?"


    The room became tense. No one expected Fujin to be so harsh. Katsuhiro wondered, ''What the hell? What is he talking about? The proposal was perfect. But why is he so confident that I messed up?''


    He controlled himself and asked, "What exactly is the issue?"


    Fujin''s clone answered, "There are several issues. However, the biggest one is the location of the Guidance hall."


    Katsuhiro immediately replied, "The location of the hall is right next to other important buildings in the vige, like the Academy, the Hospital and the Hokage Building. That''s the perfect location for the hall."


    Fujin''s clone shook his head and said, "In order to construct the hall where you want, you will need to buy several dozen shops that are already in that area. What are your ns for those shop owners? Will they give up this lucrative position and move just because you want to construct a hall there?


    Even if you force them to move, how much will the vige need to spend to buy those properties? The council will just throw out this proposal considering how expensive it will be and how much unrest forcing them off their property would cause."


    Katsuhiro immediately said, "Considering the benefits of the Guidance Hall, it''s a sacrifice they need to be willing to make for the vige."


    Fujin''s clone immediately refuted him, "The Guidance Hall can be made anywhere in the vige. Why would they make the sacrifice just because you want the Guidance hall there?"


    Fujin''s clone ced the files on his desk and said, "Make changes to the proposal and choose a new ce for the hall that won''t impact the lives of other people. There are a few more issues in the proposal as well. I''ll leave it to you to find out what they are and correct them."


    Katsuhiro''s expression became very ugly. He clenched his fists but unfortunately, he had very little power in this situation. With Danzo no longer backing him and Fujin''s reputation already exceeding his, he could only control his anger. He took back the proposal and left.


    Fujin''s clone looked at Yasushi and Haruma and said, "Let me know when he brings in an updated proposal."


    The clone disappeared in a puff of smoke. Yasushi and Haruma exchanged nces once again. After a few seconds of silence, Haruma said, "That was so cool! I am still feeling goosebumps due to what he did!"


    Yasushi nodded and said, "Yeah, this was very exciting. Inoichi-sama was way too polite whenpared to Fujin. Hehehe, his face was worth watching!"


    Harumaughed along with Yasushi and said, "That''s what he deserves for putting us under so much pressure back then!"


    While Haruma and Yasushi enjoyed the interaction, the same couldn''t be said of Katsuhiro. He could barely contain his anger at being humiliated in such a manner by someone so junior to him! Unknown to Fujin, the way he dealt with Katsuhiro resulted in him getting a couple of fans!


    Katsuhiro returned home and opened his proposal. The more he looked at it, the more he was reminded of Fujin''s words. In anger, he punched the desk, breaking it into two and cursed, "Suzuki Fujin! I''ll show you! Your seat will be mine soon! I''ll create a proposal that the vige would be forced to ept and then I''ll take that seat on the council!"


    Spirited, Katsuhiro spent all night thinking about how he could improve the proposal further. Unfortunately, he was assigned a rank S mission by Hiruzen that would keep him out of the vige for a couple of months the very next morning!


    Fujin didn''t bother thinking about Katsuhiro and continued his training. A few dayster, a wide grin could be seen on Fujin''s face! He broke out into a burst ofughter. He had finallypleted an extremely difficult task! A task that only two other ninjas were known to have achieved in the history of the ninja world!


    After some time, Fujin stoppedughing and his expression became serious. At that very moment, he suddenly disappeared and appeared next to a pir, with his hand on the Flying Thunder God mark on that pir. He immediately disappeared and shed next to three other pirs before disappearing again and again before finally stopping.


    With joy on his face, Fujin muttered, "I have mastered the fucking Flying Thunder God jutsu! And just in time as well!"


    While Fujin was joyful in his basement, another important event was happening in the vige. Iruka looked at Naruto and said, "Naruto, perform the Clone jutsu!"


    [A/N: End of Volume 5!]


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 527: Perverted Old Man!

    Chapter 527: Perverted Old Man!


    [A/N : We got 6657 Power Stones and reached rank 8thst week!!! Keep it up guys!]


    In his basement, Fujin analyzed, ''I can finally move quick enough through the void to not have to resist the pressure from the Void Dimension. However, I still need to improve the number of times I can teleport continuously.


    Right now, I can do it only 4 times before needing to stop. However, Minato could probably teleport hundreds of times within a second. It''s why he was called the Yellow sh!


    Another aspect I need to work on is teleporting others with me at the same speed. I need to resist the pressure if I take a Shadow Clone with me. Oh well, these aspects will improve as I practice more. It''s not something I need to be worried about. For now, I should check on Naruto.


    Today is his Graduation exam. Thest time I met him, he still wasn''t able to perform the Clone jutsu. That said, his Taijutsu has improved a lot thanks to sparring with my clones asionally. And, he knows 4 Wind jutsus. I wonder if the academy will make an exception for him and let him pass''


    Fujin hoped that wasn''t the case. Naruto would steal the Scroll of Seals after he failed. While Fujin seriously doubted that Hiruzen would let him take the real one, Fujin didn''t want to give up that small chance in case Naruto really did perform a miracle. Besides, this was also the time that Naruto would be learning about Nine Tails.


    Fujin created a Shadow Clone and sent him to keep an eye on Naruto after applying several stealth seals on him.


    In the academy, Naruto weaved hand signs and shouted, "Clone jutsu!"


    Immediately, two clones appeared next to him. Unfortunately, both were terrible and looked almost dead.


    Iruka shook his head and said, "Naruto, you fail!"


    Naruto''s mood immediately became very depressed. At that moment, Mizuki said, "Iruka-sensei. This is his third time and he did manage to create two clones, even though they were a bit wed. Besides, his performance in Taijutsu and remaining Ninjutsu was very good. Why don''t we let him Graduate?"


    Iruka refuted, "He only created two and both are terrible. He has to create three to pass. This is a basic requirement of the academy. I can''t pass him."


    Just like in the original story, Naruto failed to graduate. A depressed Naruto went back to his seat. He thought, ''Even after training so much and after Fujin helped me so much, I still failed! Fujin will be disappointed in me.''


    Naruto was even more depressed than in the original story as this time someone had helped him. Fujin''s clone appeared sometimeter and noticed him sitting dejected while the other students were undergoing their tests. He thought, ''Looks like he still failed. Oh well, I guess I just need to wait."


    The clone kept hiding and witnessed the events y out. It had been over a decade since he transmigrated to this world. And it had been years since he had read the entire manga even before he transmigrated. So apart from the important events, Fujin had forgotten most of the minute details. Witnessing the events y out made Fujin recall some of those memories that were hidden deep within his brain!


    As he recalled, Naruto was contacted by Mizuki while he was leaving. The clone dispelled himself after seeing Naruto leave with Mizuki.


    Fujin received the memories of the clone and wondered, ''That''s strange Why didn''t Naruto try to find me after failing? Even while he was leaving, he wasn''t moving towards my house Is he embarrassed to approach me after he failed?''


    Fujin felt that to be the case but wasn''t entirely sure. While Naruto was easy to read, his childhood was extremely brutal even in this messed-up world. Fujin wouldn''t say that he''d be able to understand the psychology of such a person perfectly having never gone through something like that himself.


    Fujin stretched his body and thought, ''I should sleep early. If events happen just as in the original story, then Naruto will steal the scroll tonight. I need to get up early and find him so that I can ''borrow'' the scroll.''


    Fujin went to bed. A few hourster, Naruto snuck into Hiruzen''s house and stole the Scroll of Sealing sessfully.


    Fujin woke up around an hour earlier than usual and activated his Space Time Sensing Technique. As he expected, he sensed someone in the Training Ground opposite his house. He chuckled and thought, ''Guess he has be quitefortable with this training ground Oh well, lemme see what trick that old fox is ying this time! If he was indeed beaten by this knucklehead, I might as well keep the scroll with me permanently!''


    Fujin freshened up before sneaking into the Training Ground. He observed Naruto from a distance for a few minutes and thought, ''This jutsu is tailor-made for him! He is learning it at a much faster rate than even me! I wonder if Tobirama had an intention of pairing this jutsu up with a Jinchuriki when he created this jutsu. Thebination is just too magical!''


    It was important to remember that Naruto, despite learning the training trick, never used it after learning the Shadow Clone jutsu. If he did, Fujin saw no reason why Naruto couldn''t reach the peak of Ninjutsu! Even Kakashi, a ninja with top-tier talent and a Sharingan, might not be able to keep up with him. In fact, he was quite curious about whether Naruto would abuse this technique in the future or just take it easy like he did in the original story.


    Naruto''s breathing was heavy due to getting tired. He motivated himself by saying, "One more time! I''ll master th"


    "What are you doing, Naruto?"


    The sudden voice startled Naruto, who immediately turned around and lost his bnce in panic. He fell on his ass as he saw Fujin. A look of surprise could be seen on his face as he asked, "Fujin! Why are you up so early?"


    Naruto''s expression looked like a thief who had been caught red-handed! He was nning to train there for another half an hour and leave before Fujin woke up. He wanted to continue training in secret until he mastered the Shadow Clone jutsu. Fujin''s sudden appearance shocked him.


    Fujin stared at him and asked, "Are you tracking my sleep cycle now? What are you doing training at this hour? And"


    Fujin''s eyesnded on the scroll as he asked, "What''s this scroll?"


    Naruto answered slightly nervously, "I couldn''t do the Clone jutsu in the Graduation exam and failed. But Mizuki sensei informed me that I could still pass if I learnt a jutsu from this scroll."


    Fujin looked at the scroll and muttered, "The Scroll of Sealing? Where exactly did you get it?"


    Naruto grinned and said, "I got it from the Hokage''s house!"


    Fujin raised an eyebrow and asked, "And how exactly did you manage that?"


    Naruto continued grinning and said, "I defeated the Hokage with my super powerful secret jutsu! Hehehe."


    Fujin chuckled and said, "Oh really? You managed to defeat Lord Hokage?"


    Naruto said, "If you don''t believe me, then I''ll show you too!"


    "Sexy jutsu!"


    Naruto immediately transformed into a naked girl. A secondter, a chopnded on his head and dispelled the jutsu. Naruto grabbed his head and rolled on the ground as he shouted, "Ou...ouOuch! That hurt! Why did you do that?"


    Fujin tilted his head and said, "You said it was a secret jutsu. I was expecting it to be super powerful. I would have held back if you told me it was this weak. Is transforming into a naked girl all you do?"


    Naruto argued loudly, "Hey! That isn''t a weak jutsu! I knocked out Iruka Sensei and Grandpa Hokage with it! Besides, it is a hot naked girl!"


    Fujin broke out intoughter and said, "You defeated Grandpa Hokage by transforming into an adolescent girl? Hahahaha! I didn''t know that the respected Lord Hokage was this perverted. What an unexpected surprise. Anyway, which jutsu are you practicing?"


    Naruto replied, "It is the Multi Shadow Clone jutsu."


    Fujin said, "Oh, that''s a powerful jutsu. Continue your training. I''ll check the scroll and see if I can give you some tips to improve faster."


    Naruto''s face brightened up. He said, "You are the best, Fujin!"


    He continued his training. Fujin grabbed the scroll and opened it while thinking, ''Stare all you want you old fox! If this is the real deal, then I''m copying it entirely while you watch from that perverted ball!''


    Fujin had already felt Hiruzen''s gaze. So he knew the chances of the scroll being legit were low. Regardless, there was no reason why he shouldn''t mess with Hiruzen!


    Sitting in his room, Hiruzen had a helpless expression as he watched through the crystal ball. He cursed, ''This brat! First, he calls me perverted despite knowing that I did it purposefully. And then he brazenly opens the Scroll of Seals despite knowing that I''m watching? He has grown too brazen! Thankfully the scroll is a fake! Otherwise, I would have had a real headache to deal with.''


    Hiruzen was looking forward to Fujin''s disappointed reaction. However, there was none. Fujin opened the scroll and thought, ''As I guessed This scroll isn''t the real deal. It only has Multi Shadow Clone jutsu and the Shadow Clone Explosion jutsu.


    That old fox set this whole thing up to make Naruto graduate so that he could be ced under Kakashi along with Sasuke. I wonder if he knew Mizuki''s intentions all along. Or did he just eavesdrop on their conversation and decide to do this? Doesn''t matter I suppose. I guess I''ll be giving Ibiki a gift today. Now that I think about it, I haven''t given him any gift since the mission where I shed with Kitsuchi!''


    [A/N: One thing. I have said several times (though I haven''t repeated this for quite some time) that I am not a fan of writing down what happened in canon in the story if there are no changes. One of the things that I hated while I read fanfics was when the same events in Canon were written down in the fanfic with little to no change. Everyone who is reading Naruto Fanfics would have already read/seen the original story, making this quite pointless.


    So, when I began writing, I decided to never do that. However, when I was writing the Uchiha Massacre, I realized that I would have to include some of the scenes that happened in the manga in this story as well to keep the story coherent and ensure that the story has a proper flow. So, you might see some repetition from the manga, but I will be keeping this to a bare minimum (like how this chapter had Mizuki & Iruka conversing, though there was a slight change due to Fujin''s influence on Naruto).


    In normal cases, I''ll only write it if there is a change to the story that didn''t happen in the canon and I feel would add to the story. If there is no change and I don''t see a need to mention it in the story (which will be quite frequent), then I''ll just say something like - ''The events yed out just like in the original story''.


    Anyway, if you feel like I am including too much of the manga content and should decrease it or vice versa, then let me know in the future.]


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 528 - 522 : Did you really believe that?

    <h4>Chapter 528: Chapter 522 : Did you really believe that?</h4>


    Fujin hung around for a couple of hours while monitoring and asionally guiding Naruto. He didn''t need to do much as the scroll was absurdly detailed! Hiruzen had pulled out all the stops to ensure that Naruto would be able to learn it in a day.


    When the Sun rose, Fujin thought, ''I should leave. Iruka and Mizuki will soone looking for him...''


    He looked at Naruto and said, "Naruto, you are doing well. Continue training hard and you''ll master this jutsu in a few hours. I have some work, I''ll see youter. You can use this training ground."


    Naruto looked back at Fujin and said, "Thank you, Fujin. I''ll master Multi Shadow Clone jutsu, believe it!"


    Fujin smiled and disappeared. Suddenly, Naruto recalled and eximed, "I almost forgot! He promised to teach me this jutsu after I graduate! Hehe, I need to master this jutsu quickly."


    He continued his training. He was already capable of creating imperfect Shadow Clones when Fujin left. In the next couple of hours, he hadpletely mastered the Multi Shadow Clone jutsu! A kid who couldn''t master the rank E Clone jutsu had mastered the forbidden Multi Shadow Clone jutsu within a single night!


    Just like in the original story, Iruka found Naruto soon after and was attacked by Mizuki who revealed to Naruto that he was the Demon Fox who assaulted the vige 12 years ago before attacking him! Iruka took the blow for him before Naruto escaped. The secret he just learnt shocked Naruto. He involuntarily wanted to escape towards Fujin''s house but could only escape in the opposite direction as Mizuki was standing in the way.


    As he hid in the forest, he wondered, ''Grandpa Hokage knew this and still hid it from me? What about Fujin? Does he know that I am the Demon Fox? If he doesn''t, will he still treat me nicely after he learns the truth?''


    Naruto was scared. He was always confused and sad, not understanding why everyone hated him. Now that he learnt the truth, he didn''t understand what to do. He stayed hidden while asionally changing his situation, confused about what he should be doing. Unknown to him, he was watched by the watchful eyes of a certain someone through the crystal ball while another individual kept track of him using a Space-Time Technique.


    Fujin, who received some memories from his Shadow Clones, was speechless as he wondered in marvel, ''Wow! From where exactly did Hiruzen find these jokers? Does he have a list of terrible ninjas with low intelligence? Or are they in on the y too? No, he won''t involve so many people in such a scheme. There is no doubt...''


    Fujin''s clones observed the ninjas Hiruzen dispatched to find Naruto. Despite being Chunins, they could barely be considered as one. Most were actually inferior as they hadn''t been active for quite some time. Not a single one among those ninjas was a sensor or excelled in tracking.


    To Fujin''s surprise, not a single one among them ever wondered why Hiruzen sent them to find Naruto and not his Anbu or any Ninja that actually excelled in searching and tracking. The only good thing they did was ensure that they didn''t look in the same area.


    Fujin thought, ''I didn''t think that a Hokage would keep a list of such people as well. I wonder if he kept it just for a moment like this or if he just did it for fun so that he could entertain himself asionally...''


    Knowing Hiruzen''s nature, Fujin strongly felt that it was thetter! While they were searching for him, Naruto continued changing his location until he heard someone falling. He quickly looked in that direction while staying hidden and noticed Iruka and Mizuki who soon began talking.


    After a few exchanges, Mizuki said, "I can use that scroll to achieve the same kind of limitless power! The Demon Fox within him hungers for the same kind of power. You were right to fear and despise him."


    "The demon fox, huh?" Iruka was about to speak when a voice was heard. Immediately, both Mizuki and Iruka looked in the direction of the voice. Both were surprised to see someone sitting on a branch.


    It took a few seconds, however, both quickly identified him! Relief appeared on Iruka''s face while Mizuki''s expression became grim. Unlike the two of them who were at the bottom even among the Chunins, the person sitting on the branch was said to be one of the strongest ninjas in Konoha!


    Mizuki was terrified! He never expected someone like Fujin to be here. He quickly said, "What wrong did I say? He is the demon fox! He''ll try to take his revenge and kill everyone in Konoha! Just like 12 years ago, he will destroy the vige again!"


    Mizuki was onplete guard. He thought, ''Though he is strong, he is very young. As long as I lower his guard down, I can kill him.''


    Fujin could see Mizuki''s thoughts at a nce. For someone like Mizuki who had never faced the strong ninjas, beingpletely unaware of the vast difference in strength was natural.


    Fujin chuckled and said, "If he was the demon fox, you''d be long dead. No, most of the people in this vige would have been long dead. He''s just a kid with huge dreams and the determination to work hard to achieve those dreams. Sure he might be a little bit clumsy and mischievous, but which kid isn''t? You really need to think for a bit before making such lousy usations. At the very least, he is far more loyal to the vige than a scum like you."


    Naruto, who was listening to the conversation, immediately became teary. While Fujin had long been guiding Naruto, hearing those words at such a time made him feel far better. Not to mention, even Iruka was also doing everything he could to protect Naruto. He even risked his own life to protect Naruto!


    Mizuki was about to curse when Fujin said, "Naruto,e out."


    The words surprised everyone including Naruto who couldn''t help but wonder how Fujin knew he was there. He still followed his instructions and appeared to Iruka and Mizuki''s surprise.


    Fujin said, "I know you failed the Graduation Exams and what Mizuki promised you was a lie. So, I''ll give you another chance. Mizuki is a Chunin. If you beat him, I''ll graduate you and promote you to the Genin rank."


    Naruto''s eyes immediately lit up. At the same time, Mizuki was offended. Not only did Fujin not fight him, he instead asked someone who couldn''t pass the graduation exam to fight him. He shouted, "Do you think that this demon fox brat can defeat me?"


    Fujin looked at him and said, "Hmm, to make it interesting, I''ll give you an offer too. If you manage to kill Naruto and take the Scroll of the Forbidden Seals with you, then I won''t stop you and let you go."


    Fujin''s words shocked everyone once again, except for a certain old geezer peeping from a long distance away who wondered, ''Since when did I give him the authority to graduate academy students? And, why is he ying with them?''


    Iruka shouted, "You can''t make Naruto do that!"


    However, Fujin ignored him and looked into Naruto''s eyes. Naruto became serious and understood that Fujin was putting his faith in him. Naruto made the hand seal and said, "I''ll beat him!"


    In the next second, a thousand Shadow Clones surrounded that ce! A smile appeared on Fujin''s face as he thought, ''So he still went with the Shadow Clone jutsu, huh? Tsk, I was expecting him to use those wind jutsus I taught him for so long. Oh well, it doesn''t matter.''


    Needless to say, Mizuki got his ass beaten terribly. After a brutal beating, he was knocked out cold andy on the ground. Naruto looked at his body andughed awkwardly, "Hehe, I went too far!"


    Fujin flickered next to him and chuckled, "Don''t worry about it. He''s going to be far worse soon."


    Naruto was surprised and asked, "What do you mean?"


    Fujin replied, "The price to pay for trying to betray the vige is very costly. No need to think about it. I''ll handle it. Anyway, you fought very well. While I believed that you would have won, I didn''t anticipate such a one-sided fight."


    Naruto giggled on hearing the praise. Iruka was smiling as well. Naruto asked, "Does it mean that I''m a Genin now?"


    Fujin raised an eyebrow and asked, "Did you really believe that?"


    Naruto was stunned. Fujin continued, "I have no authority in the academy. So, I''m afraid that you''ll have to stay in the academy for another year. The good news is that since you have mastered this jutsu, you''ll graduate easily next year."


    -----------------------------------


    ()


    Thank you Migratory, Oliver, Alphahail, Levitress, Rub¨¦n, Nate, Stephon, Jonathan, Satyendra, Jack, Z2567, Frank and Ryan for supporting me on P@treon.


    Thank you Prahasth for supporting me through UPI.

 Chapter 529: Helping an Old Man

    Chapter 529: Helping an Old Man


    [A/N: Important notice -


    1. If you haven''t done so yet, do follow me on p@treon. Even if you can''t support me marily, join as a free member. Updates such as dy notices and some others are posted there.


    2. Read today''s public post on p@treon. It has something that a lot of you have been asking for a long time :)


    For the ones who read this chapter in the future, it''s the public post made on 9th March, 2024. The title of the post is ''Suzuki Fujin'']


    Fujin''s wordspletely caught Naruto off guard. Disbelief was visible on his face! He didn''t know how to react for a few seconds. As soon as he gathered his thoughts together, he jumped and argued loudly, "Hey! That''s not fair! I have learnt the jutsu and I even beat him! Also, you promised! You can''t go back on your word!"


    Seeing Naruto panic andin in such a manner, Fujin couldn''t control himself and beganughing out loud. Even Iruka smiled and thought, ''So he was the one guiding Naruto. No wonder he has been training in the Training Ground opposite his house.''


    Naruto realized that Fujin had pranked him once again, causing him to pout in annoyance.


    Fujin said, "Don''t worry kiddo, I was just kidding. I''ll be taking Mizuki and the scroll with me. Come visit me during dinner. Iruka, I''ll leave Naruto in your care for now."


    Naruto nodded and handed him the scroll. Fujin grabbed Mizuki and flickered away. Just like in the original story, Iruka passed his Forehead protector to Naruto and treated him to Ichiraku.


    As for Fujin, he first dropped off Mizuki in Ibiki''s office. Just when he was about to leave, Mizuki woke up. On seeing Ibiki, he was horrified. While he wasn''t aware of the vast gap between him and Fujin''s strength, he was very aware of Ibiki''s horrible reputation. Fujin chuckled and said, "It looks like he is already loving his new home. I''ll leave him in your capable hands, Ibiki-san."


    Ibiki chuckled and said, "Don''t worry about it. I''ll take good care of him."


    Just those words were too much of a mental torture for Mizuki. He looked viciously at Fujin and said spitefully, "Don''t think that you will be safe for long. It is only a matter of time before that demon fox goes on a rampage once again!"


    Fujin looked into his eyes, chuckled and said, "Once again, you should be more concerned about yourself, Mizuki."


    Fujin turned around and began leaving. Mizuki felt that Fujin was just mocking him about the torture he would have to experience in Konoha''s Torture & Interrogation department. However, to his surprise, he suddenly felt pain in his abdomen.


    He held his abdomen while grimacing in pain. Suddenly, the pain increased beyond what he could endure. He copsed to the ground while yelling. It felt like something was drilling out of his stomach. In addition, he felt like several insects were crawling under his skin.


    The pain kept increasing far beyond what he could bear but somehow he didn''t pass out. His eyes widened in horror as he saw maggots tearing the skin on his forearms and legs and crawling up his body. Secondster, maggots drilled out of his abdomen making him scream hysterically!


    The maggots that were crawling up his arms reached his face and began eating his face. He could no longer endure and finally lost consciousness!


    Several ninjas working in the T&I department looked towards Ibiki''s office. One of them muttered, "It looks like the boss went crazy once again."


    The ninja next to him said, "Yes. Let''s avoid him today. He''ll be in a very good mood tomorrow after he has rxed."


    The first ninja nodded and muttered, "He should at least wait till they are put in a cell I still don''t understand why he tortures them in his main office."


    In his office, Ibiki had a dark expression. Mizuki had passed out from Fujin''s Genjutsu. While he didn''t care about it, Mizuki had also vomited and wasn''t able to control his dder.


    He cursed, ''These assholes! What do they take my office to be? Half of my bad reputation is due to the n Leaders and other powerful ninjas torturing criminals after bringing them to my office. Couldn''t they at least wait till I put them in a cell?''


    Unfortunately, there was no one Ibiki couldin to. He could only take his frustration out on Mizuki. He summoned a couple of ninjas to clean up the mess and lock up Mizuki.


    Fujin didn''t particrly care what happened with Mizuki. He reached Hiruzen''s office, tossed the scroll towards him and said, "I found this."


    Hiruzen grabbed the scroll and looked at Fujin. He thought, ''That''s it? What about the fact that you tried to peek into such a secret scroll that is supposed to have Konoha''s forbidden jutsus? Should I just ignore the fact that you did it despite knowing that I was looking at you?''


    Needless to say, Fujin didn''t say a word about it. He couldn''t care less about what Hiruzen thought about it. Instead, he reported, "Naruto was misled by Mizuki, who intended to betray the vige. I have handed Mizuki to Ibiki. Deal with him as you must.


    And Naruto managed to master the Multi Shadow Clone jutsu. He can create a thousand clones. Though he failed Graduation, the batches haven''t been assigned yet. I rmend that we graduate him now instead of making him wait another year."


    Of course, Fujin was just saying it for the sake of saying it. He knew that Hiruzen would do so even if he didn''t say it. As he expected, Hiruzen nodded and said, "That''s a good suggestion. I''ll graduate Naruto from the academy. Do you have anything else to report?"


    Fujin acted like he was thinking for a few seconds before shaking his head and replying, "Not that I can think of."


    Hiruzen cursed under his breath, ''This brat!''


    He asked, "Did you check the scroll?"


    Fujin nodded and said, "Yeah, I was surprised to hear that Naruto used a super powerful secret jutsu to defeat you and take the scroll. I almost spected that some pervert was pretending to be you and tricking Naruto. So, I just wanted to make sure whether it was real or fake and that Naruto wasn''t practicing something harmful to him."


    "You looked into it despite knowing that it is the Scroll of the Forbidden Seals?" Hiruzen sounded a bit angry and a bit disappointed in Fujin as he asked that question.


    To his surprise, a smile appeared on Fujin''s face as he answered, "I checked it because I expected it to be a fake, Grandpa. If an academy student was able to steal the real Scroll of the Forbidden Seals, then it would have been rather disturbing. Considering that you are growing older every passing day, I would have offered to keep it safe and help take some stress off your shoulders. As a youngster who looks up to you, that''s the least I could do."


    Fujin''s response left Hiruzen speechless. His anger was obviously fake. He just wanted to put Fujin in a difficult spot and wanted to take the opportunity to reevaluate him. He didn''t expect that Fujin would y him instead. He cursed, ''This cheeky brat. Not only did he try to peek into the scroll, he is making it sound like he did apletely noble act! Where is this concern about my old age when he asks me to send Shadow Clones to guide him?''


    Unfortunately, there wasn''t anything Hiruzen could say. Fujin''s reply was just too perfect. He chuckled and said, "These old bones can still hold on for some time. Don''t worry."


    Fujin smiled and said, "I know, Grandpa. That''s why I knew it''d be fake. That said, I can still help you keep the real one safe if you want. If it''ll take some pressure off your shoulders, I''d be happy to endure it for you."


    Hiruzen looked at Fujin with a deadpan expression. Knowing how many jutsus Fujin asked him for, it didn''t take a genius to understand what Fujin wanted to do. He replied, "It''s fine. It isn''t much pressure considering everything else. If you want, you can hang on to this scroll."


    It was Fujin''s turn to be speechless. He wondered, ''What the hell am I supposed to do with it?''


    He smiled and said, "I think I''ll pass."


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "You did a good job apprehending the traitor. I''ll look into him now."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Alright, I''ll see youter."


    He was about to leave when Hiruzen said, "Wait!"


    Fujin stopped and turned around. Hiruzen said, "Did you think about whether you would like to be a sensei?"


    Hiruzen had asked Fujin about this matter some time ago but Fujin hadn''t given a clear answer. Fujin asked, "Aren''t the Jounin sensei already decided?"


    Hiruzen answered, "I do have several in mind but nothing has been finalized yet other than Kakashi''s squad. Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke will be under his tutge. As for the others, they haven''t been finalized yet. I can appoint you as the Jounin sensei for team 8 which will have Inuzuka Kiba, Hyuga Hinata and Aburame Shino or team 10 which will have Nara Shikamaru, Yamanaka Ino and Akimichi Choji. All 6 of them are children of n leaders. While their parents didn''t say anything, they would like you to guide one of the squads."


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 530 - 524 : The ’Truth’

    <h4>Chapter 530: Chapter 524 : The ''Truth''</h4>


    [A/N: Check today''s public post as well.]


    Fujin was slightly surprised. He thought, ''He is willing to give me the squad that was supposed to be given to Asuma? If I can guide one of those squads, my influence in the vige will increase considerably. Along with those kidnapped orphans that I''ll be looking after and my seat on the council, I could be a major contender for Hokage post the Fourth Great Ninja War.


    Unfortunately, the position of Hokage will be quite meaningless by then. There isn''t much I can gain from it. Besides, if I have to look after a group of Genins, then it''ll take up a major portion of my time. And, time is something I am extremely short of! It''ll eat into my training time and I won''t be able to visit Phantom Haven easily until they graduate. It will also interfere with several of my future ns.''


    Fujin replied, "I am still very busy with my training, Grandpa. And, I will also have to look after the orphans very soon as the construction is almostplete. While I would have liked to guide promising young kids, I can''t ept that responsibility for the time being."


    Hiruzen sighed and said, "That is a pity but I understand. Continue focusing on your training."


    "I will" Fujin replied with a smile and disappeared from the room. Hiruzen muttered internally, ''Such dedication towards training is very good. If only he had been a few years older...''


    Hiruzen''s expression became serious as he thought, ''That said, I didn''t expect Fujin to be so interested in the Scroll of Seals. Was he interested in a particr jutsu or did he just want to learn dangerous jutsus to expand his jutsu repertoire?''


    Hiruzen couldn''t be sure. He stopped thinking about it after a while. Though Fujin was brazen, he had just taken advantage of an opportunity and hadn''t tried something by himself. Despite the greed he usually disyed, Hiruzen didn''t think that Fujin would do something like what Orochimaru did. Of course, if he knew that Fujin was the one responsible for the tense situation the vige was in for thest couple of months, who knows what he would have thought?


    As Fujin left the office, he thought, ''That was a shame. I was hoping Hiruzen would give me the scroll. Of course, it wouldn''t be for safekeeping, but rather to give me an opportunity to learn the jutsus inside. Oh well, I guess he doesn''t want me to have ess to the darker jutsus like the Edo Tensei. Knowing what happened with Orochimaru, I am not surprised with his decision.''


    Fujin was hoping that Hiruzen would provide him with the same opportunity as Naruto. Though Hiruzen hadn''t, Fujin wasn''t offended. After all, Hiruzen had helped him a lot and even provided him with all the information on the Flying Thunder God jutsu along with several other jutsus.


    The matter of refusing to train the kids was also a missed opportunity. Though Fujin realized it, one person had limited energy and time. After weighing his options, he could only give up on it and continue forward on his original path without thinking about it for a second time.


    Later that day, Naruto arrived at Fujin''s house. Fujin opened the door and said, "Already received the headband? Congrats on passing, Naruto."


    Naruto smiled and said, "Thank you, Fujin. It was thanks to you."


    Naruto was genuinely grateful. Not only Fujin had taught him Wind jutsus and improved his chakra control, but he had also provided him with an opportunity to graduate after he had failed and even defended him when Mizuki was trash-talking about him.


    Fujin chuckled and said, "Don''t worry about it. Come on in."


    Naruto entered Fujin''s house. Fujin said, "I was nning to treat you outside, but I guessed that you have a lot of questions. So, let''s eat at home today. I made some fried chicken and prawns."


    Naruto''s eyes immediately lit up. He hade to love those two dishes during thest year. While ramen was still his favorite, he loved eating those two dishes as well. Of course, the most important point was that Fujin was willing to answer his questions. After all, Iruka wasn''t entirely clear on the situation either and didn''t want to talk much about it with Naruto.


    After arranging the tes, both sat down to eat. Naruto became nervous. He asked, "Is what Mizuki said true?"


    Fujin spoke while eating, "In a way, yes. But not entirely. He is too weak to know important details. I suppose even Iruka doesn''t know everything."


    Naruto was surprised at how dismissive Fujin was about his academy teachers. He recalled Fujin having the same attitude earlier that day. Naruto nervously asked, "So, what is the truth?"


    Fujin answered, "Twelve years ago, the Nine Tailed Beast attacked our vige. The attack was devastating for our vige. We lost many experienced Jounins. Lord Fourth lost his life while defeating him as well. Our vige was in a difficult position for several years due to those losses."


    Naruto''s expression became grim upon hearing that. He wasn''tpletely aware of how devastating that attack was on Konoha. Fujin continued, "As its name implies, the Nine Tailed Beast is a Tailed Beast."


    Naruto asked curiously, "What is a Tailed Beast?"


    Fujin replied, "A Tailed Beast is a gigantic beast that contains a massive amount of chakra. We humans can never reach that level of chakra, though there are always a few exceptions. As a result, they are extremely powerful and can be very destructive. In all, there are nine Tailed Beasts in this world, each having a different number of tails. It goes from One Tail to the Nine Tails that attacked our vige."


    Naruto was surprised. He asked loudly, "There are nine such Tailed Beasts?"


    Fujin nodded and continued, "A Tailed Beast can''t be killed. If it is killed, it''ll just revive a few yearster. As a result, Lord Fourth didn''t kill the Nine Tailed Beast. He instead sealed it inside you. So, you''re not the Nine Tailed Beast who destroyed the vige. Instead, you are the one who is keeping the Nine Tailed Beast sealed."


    Naruto was surprised to hear that. Fujin smiled and said, "So, it can be said that you are the one keeping the vige safe from the Nine Tailed Beast. I suppose you can be considered a hero for doing so."


    A smile appeared on Naruto''s face as he heard it. However, it quickly disappeared as he asked, "But if that''s the case, why does everyone in the vige hate me?"


    Fujin replied, "Just like Mizuki, they don''t know the entire truth. Even if they are told so, they may still be afraid of the Tailed Beast inside you. It is very dangerous after all. Most people will still be scared of it.


    Unlike Lord Fourth, you are still a little kid. What if you aren''t able to hold the beast back and it breaks loose? Of course, it isn''t a worry as Lord Fourth''s seal should be very strong. But it isn''t unnatural for them to be afraid. Do you remember those people who smiled back when you looked at them?"


    Naruto nodded. Fujin said, "Those are the ones who know that the seal won''t break and recognize that you are a hero for keeping the vige safe."


    Naruto understood what Fujin was saying. However, he could still see the unfairness. After all, he hadn''t done anything and yet so many hated him. Naruto asked dejectedly, "Why did Lord Fourth seal him inside me?"


    Fujin shrugged and answered, "How can I know? I was only four years old back then. Perhaps you were the only one nearby. Or perhaps Lord Fourth saw something special in you and believed that you would be the best host for the Nine Tailed Beast and do something miraculous when you grew up. It''s tough to know the real reason. Perhaps Lord Hokage might have some idea."


    On hearing the second guess, Naruto''s eyes lit up. Though there was no guarantee for it to be true, Naruto hoped that it was the case. Of course, that was the reason why Fujin said it. Naruto asked, "But how can I convince everyone that I am not the Demon Fox?"


    Fujin replied, "Just keep doing what you are doing. Train harder, be stronger and keep striving to be the Hokage. Eventually, everyone will realize the truth."


    Naruto nodded with determination on hearing that. Fujin sighed internally and thought, ''It is so tempting to tell him to stop thinking about others. Unfortunately, I have no idea what will happen if I undo Hiruzen''s work. Besides, even though Naruto struggled in his life until now, his days will get better very soon. As satisfying as it would be, there''s not much point in driving him towards taking revenge on the ones that mistreated him.''


    [A/N: Sorry guys. I know that many wanted to see Fujin as a Jounin Sensei to one of the teams, but I couldn''t adjust it into my existing ns. I would have had to adjust a lot of ns and I am not sure what the end result would have been if I went through with it as I was unable to adjust the time line to include both, looking after genins and the several responsibilities Fujin currently has and some of my future ns.


    So, unfortunately can''t do so here. That said, I''ll consider making the MC in the next story a Jounin sensei (this wasn''t the n either but I received several good ideas from you guys that I can incorporate in that story as I am still finalizing the plot :) Thanks for it.) Have a fun week everyone.]


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    ()

 Chapter 531 - 525 : Complicated Topics

    <h4>Chapter 531: Chapter 525 : Complicated Topics</h4>


    [A/N : Hey guys. This chapter is Sponsored by Phillip. You can thank him for the double release.]


    Naruto asked, "Do you know why the Nine Tailed Beast attacked our vige?"


    Fujin answered, "I don''t know for sure. The Tailed Beasts, though strong, don''t have a history of randomly attacking humans. Perhaps someone provoked it to attack us. There is also some spection that it was controlled by someone to attack us.


    So though everyone mes it, it is possible that the fox was a victim as well. Unfortunately, I''m not sure of what was the exact case."


    Naruto was surprised. He asked, "Can a demon like it also be controlled?"


    Fujin replied, "There are various mysterious techniques and jutsus, Naruto. Don''t underestimate anyone. Also, don''t judge someone too quickly. Though I don''t have proof, I believe that Nine Tails was indeed controlled. Otherwise, why would it attack a strong vige like ours?


    Regardless, if that is the case or not, I hope you won''t treat it the same way the misinformed people in the vige treated you."


    Fujin''s words surprised Naruto even more, forcing him to think, which wasn''t a verymon urrence. Fujin chuckled internally on seeing Naruto trying to think hard. Of course, there was another entity that fell into a thought. It was the tailed beast sealed inside Naruto. He never imagined that a human would defend him and sympathize with his situation!


    Naruto said, "Alright. Thank you for telling me, Fujin."


    Fujin smiled and said, "Of course, that doesn''t mean that you should treat it as a harmless being. Regardless of whether it was innocent or not, it is currently sealed inside you. It would want nothing less than to tear you apart and be free once again. It is still scarily strong. Is that understood?"


    Naruto shivered while picturing the Nine Tailed Beast ripping his body anding out. He immediately nodded repeatedly and said, "Understood."


    The two continued eating. After some time, Naruto asked, "If the Nine Tailed Beast was controlled, wouldn''t that mean that everyone in the vige is wrong in hating it?"


    Fujin nodded. Naruto asked, "But why would people hate when they aren''t sure about the truth?"


    Naruto had suffered a lot due to the hate. So he had to ask that question. Fujin said, "People areplicated. They direct their hatred where they can to vent their sorrow. Since Nine Tails was the one who attacked and did the job, they hate it."


    Naruto tried thinking but it was tooplicated. His expression becameical as heined, "Your statements today are tooplicated, Fujin!"


    Fujin chuckled and said, "The topic is as such. Here''s anotherplicated topic. This will be a test for you. Do you remember my challenge to you and Mizuki?"


    Naruto nodded. That challenge had allowed him to graduate. Fujin asked, "Do you think that it was a fair challenge?"


    Naruto thought and said with uncertainty, "Well, I failed the exam. So it is fair I guess."


    Fujin said, "But, your opponent was a Chunin. On beating him, you only became a Genin. Why is it fair that I made you fight a Chunin to only be a Genin?"


    Naruto was stumped. He never thought about it. He just thought that Fujin was giving him an opportunity. He became confused and thought, ''Man, that sounds totally unfair! But why is big bro telling that to me? Why would he tell me that he was unfair towards me?''


    Fujin chuckled on seeing his expression and asked again, "Well?"


    Naruto answered, "If you put it that way, then it sounds totally unfair."


    Fujin chuckled again and asked, "I told Mizuki that if he killed you, he could take the scroll and leave. What do you think I would have done if he was about to kill you?"


    Naruto hadn''t thought about this either. He merely thought that Fujin was helping him. He didn''t think in such depth. He looked at Fujin and replied after a while, "I guess you would have saved me and then let him go."


    Fujin smirked and replied, "Nope. If you were about to lose, I''d have hit him from the back and killed or captured him myself."


    Naruto''s eyes widened. He never imagined Fujin would do something like that. He asked, "Bu... But, wouldn''t that be unfair? Didn''t you say you would let him go?"


    Fujin answered, "I did. But why do I have to stick to my words?"


    Naruto, whose ninja way was to never go back on his word, asked in a confused tone, "What do you mean?"


    Fujin answered, "Mizuki was a teacher. He is supposed to guide students. Yet, he set you up, tried to kill you and tried to betray our vige. Why do I have to keep my word against such a scum?"


    Naruto was speechless. Fujin''s words were extremely absurd for him. However, somehow they madeplete sense. It felt like his head was spinning. Suddenly, he had a thought. He asked, "Would you still pass me if I had lost?"


    Fujin replied, "Of course. You are ready to graduate. I''d just have to work harder to convince Grandpa Hokage, but I''m sure I would have managed that. By winning, you made it much easier for me to convince him."


    Naruto was surprised. However, it was a good surprise this time. Still, he couldn''t help butin in his mind, ''So, my life was never at risk and I was set to graduate as well? I went through all that tension for no reason at all! Hmph, he knows how to keep me on my toes all the time.''


    A pout formed on Naruto''s face. Fujin asked, "What''s up?"


    Naruto replied in a childish tone, "Nothing."


    He immediately followed up, "I don''t care if you keep your word against Mizuki. But you are keeping your word for me! I have graduated, so teach me the jutsu."


    "Which jutsu?" Fujin became confused and wondered, ''When did I promise to teach him when he graduates? I''m just nning to make him eat Kakashi''s head. Though his past is traumatic, that bastard has been having it easy for too long.''


    Naruto''s expression became very annoyed as he pointed at Fujin and said, "Hey! You promised to teach me that jutsu that allows you to disappear!"


    Naruto''s words made Fujin recall. He said, "Ah, the Body Flicker jutsu. I almost forgot. Sure. Wanna train after we are done eating?"


    Naruto nodded. He began eating and asked again, "While we are at it, could you also teach me a stronger Wind jutsu?"


    Fujin replied, "You are now a Genin, Naruto. You''ll be assigned a Jounin Sensei in a few days. Until you be a Chunin, he or she will be the one responsible for training you. If I interfere, then you''ll end up confused."


    Naruto asked in a surprised tone, "I''ll get my own Sensei?"


    Fujin looked at him with a deadpan expression and said, "I thought you promised that you will pay attention in ss. I even ''believed'' you."


    Naruto immediatelyughed nervously and said softly, "Well, I tried to. But Iruka sensei was just too boring."


    Fujin just continued staring at Naruto who quietly focused on the food. Fujin chuckled internally while thinking, ''Good. He''ll be a Genin for who knows how long. I''ll just throw him at Kakashi until that bastard diverts him back to me. Thankfully, he knows almost every jutsu out there. Sending Naruto back to annoy him wouldn''t be much of a challenge.''


    After dinner, Fujin took Naruto to the training ground opposite his house and began teaching him the basics of the Body Flicker jutsu.


    After exining the basics of the jutsu, Fujin said, "This jutsu isn''t veryplicated in terms of Chakra molding as it only requires the Tiger Seal. The difficult part is chakra control. You have to concentrate a lot of chakra at your feet.


    If you had tried it earlier, you would have failed. Luckily for you, your chakra control has improved a lot thanks to Tree Climbing and Water Walking exercises. So try it."


    Naruto immediately began trying. Needless to say, the first few tries were all a failure. Only after a couple of hours of trying continuously did he manage to flicker for a few meters for the first time.


    Fujin sighed as he watched, ''Having such a high chakra is a boon. When I was trying to learn it, I could barely practice it for some time before I ran out of chakra. Meanwhile, he can practice for two hours straight despite having spentst night and early morning training the Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu and escaping from Mizuki for another hour and still is able to practice continuously...


    Fortunately, my chakra has be quite high as well thanks to training continuously for so long. Otherwise, I''d be tempted to go catch a Tailed Beast irrespective of the dangers involved!''


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    A/N: You can sponsor chapters through P@treon.

 Chapter 532: Another Mission to Sunagakure???

    Chapter 532: Another Mission to Sunagakure???


    Naruto excitedly shouted, "I did it!"


    He quickly made the Tiger seal and shouted, "Body Flicker jutsu!"


    However, nothing happened this time. He kept standing in the same ce. He tried it a few more times.


    "Body Flicker jutsu!"


    "Body Flicker jutsu!"


    "Body Flicker jutsu!"


    Unfortunately, he failed every time. Suddenly, he heard a chuckle. He turned around to see Fujin who said, "That''s enough for today, Naruto. You did good work by managing to do it sessfully once within just 2 hours."


    Naruto immediately said, "Just a few more minutes. I''llpletely master it!"


    Fujin shook his head and said, "No. You are tired. And, this jutsu will take a long time to master. Right now you only managed to flicker by a couple of meters. That isn''t very helpful in the battle. You will need to practice sincerely for a few weeks until you can flicker for at least a few dozen meters and can do so continuously."


    Naruto unwillingly nodded and left. Fujin went to sleep as well. While he hadn''t stayed up all night like Naruto, he did wake up absurdly early even by his standards.


    The next day, Fujin returned to his training, while Naruto had a rather eventful day. He met Konohamaru andter in the day created his legendary Harem jutsu.


    The day after, Fujin had just begun training when he had an unexpected visitor. One of Hiruzen''s Anbu Guards visited Fujin and called him to visit Hiruzen''s office. Fujin wondered, ''Hmm, did something happen?''


    He flickered along with the Anbu Guard and reached Hiruzen''s office. When he entered, Hiruzen sent everyone out and activated the seals. Fujin became serious and waited for Hiruzen to start speaking.


    Hiruzen asked, "Fujin, you were nning to go out for some missions, right?"


    Fujin nodded. He had asked to go out of the vige a couple of weeks ago but was asked to stay in the vige by Hiruzen. He replied, "Yeah, training all the time bes boring and stale. I find it more helpful to go out for a week or two for a change. It helps me rx and increases my efficiency in training."


    Hiruzen said, "Good. We have a couple of situations. I''ll let you handle it. Suna has been acting strangely for the past few months. From the reports from our spies, it almost looks like they are preparing their forces for something. They have raised their security so much that even the spies have been unable to send messages out for thest two weeks."


    Fujin realized, ''I see. They are starting to prepare for an attack on Konoha But shouldn''t there still be some time? Or is Rasa more serious than in the original story? Hmm, yeah, that should be the case due to my interference. He''ll be hating Konoha even more and at the same time will be preparing even more.''


    Fujin asked, "Do you want me to go to Sunagakure and investigate what exactly is happening?"


    Hiruzen immediately shook his head and said, "No, that will be very risky. While you could infiltrate with the help of merchants, if you were discovered, then you''d be surrounded by thousands of enemy ninjas. Though you have a flying summon, you will still have a difficult time escaping if the Fourth Kazekage finds you. There is no reason to take such a risk."


    Though Hiruzen''s words were full of concern for Fujin, his thoughts were the exact opposite, ''Thest time I sent him to Suna, he almost created another country! The Western area of the Land of Wind is still very unstable, forcing Rasa to deploy more than 1500 ninjas there despite there being no external danger. The Wind Daimyo transferred a lot of funds that were meant for Sunagakure to those affected areas, making Rasa even more desperate.


    Right now, we only have suspicions that Rasa is up to something. We don''t know who Rasa ns to target or if this is just an exercise to ensure the preparedness of Suna''s forces. However, if I send Fujin''


    Hiruzen strongly believed that Konoha and Suna would be at war if he sent Fujin there. He didn''t dare to do so! Not to mention, Shikaku had explicitly asked Hiruzen to not send Fujin there and threatened to go on a month-long vacation if Hiruzen did so.


    Fujin wondered, ''Since when did he be so caring? Just say that you don''t want to provoke Rasa.''


    While entering Sunagakure would be risky, there wasn''t much danger for Fujin. While he still couldn''t use the Flying Thunder God jutsu to teleport a long distance away, he could just inform Ryu and his sons that he would be going to a dangerous ce and be prepared to reverse summon him once he burnt the seal. As long as Fujin was aware of the danger, trapping him was very difficult. It was unexpected situations, like Roshi''s Tailed Beast Bomb, that were a bigger threat to him.


    Hiruzen continued, "We can''t interfere much in Suna. What I want you to look into is the Land of Rivers. As you know, the Land of Rivers is supposed to be aligned with us. However, the Yamakawa family has been acting strangely for thest few months.


    From what the Anbu observed, it looks like they have made a deal with Sunagakure. The Anbu squad was nning to act, but they discovered traces of Suna ninjas and decided to retreat. We believe that Suna has stationed an Elite Jounin and a few squads in their town.


    I want you to look into their family. If there are indeed Suna ninjas hiding there, then eliminate all of them and eliminate all adults in the Yamakawa family. Bring back the bodies of their family head and the Suna ninjas with their brains intact."


    Fujin nodded and asked, "What''s the second situation?"


    Hiruzen continued, "It is in the Land of Rivers as well. A couple of our Chunin squads disappeared in that country. I''m afraid something strange is happening there. We deployed some Anbu squads but they didn''t find anything. My first thought was Sunagakure, but it is very strange for them to do something like this. If they are nning something, then they wouldn''t alert us by doing something so small.


    Once the Yamakawa family is dealt with, spend some time in that country to see if you can find any clues. If you can find and clear that issue, then the mission will be considered asplete. Otherwise, just return in 2 weeks and report your findings. I''ll just dispatch more forces to find out what happened to them."


    Fujin nodded. Hiruzen asked, "Who do you want to go with you in your squad?"


    Fujin replied, "There is no need for it. I''ll just go by myself."


    Fujin was nning to use this opportunity to meet up with his Phantom Haven Society subordinates and create another set of a few thousand Flying Thunder God marks in the Land of Fire. If he had teammates, then that would be difficult to do.


    Hiruzen wasn''t surprised as he understood that Fujin preferred working alone. He said, "Alright. Other than the bodies you bring back, make it seem like everyone in the Yamakawa family was killed by Sunagakure ninjas."


    Fujin said, "Alright. Do we have any idea as to which Elite Jounin was sent?"


    Hiruzen shook his head and said, "No. The squad couldn''t gather much information as they would have been in danger if the information was true."


    Killing an Elite Jounin wasn''t an easy task. Only a few ninjas in Konoha could do so consistently. Hiruzen would have needed to dispatch Eagle along with a few squads of experienced Anbu ninjas to be able to ensure that Konoha wouldn''t suffer needless losses. And that force couldn''t guarantee that they would be able toplete the mission.


    Since he had the option of sending Fujin, Hiruzen didn''t need to go through otherplicated alternatives.


    Fujin replied, "Alright. I''ll leave within a few hours then."


    Hiruzen nodded as Fujin disappeared from the room. Fujin entered his house while thinking, ''It looks like Konoha crush will happen after all. Though I interfered, what I did should have infuriated Rasa even more. The attack might be more fierce than what I remember.


    Orochimaru and Rasa will also need to consider my existence and make arrangements to ensure that I don''t cut through Suna and Oto ninjas or directly attack the barrier the Sound Four will erect. Hehe, I am looking forward to what theye up with.''


    Fujin made preparations and left the vige. Around the same time, Eagle entered Hiruzen''s office.


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 Chapter 533 - 527 : First Kiss!

    <h4>Chapter 533: Chapter 527 : First Kiss!</h4>


    As Fujin left Konoha and headed towards the Land of Rivers, Eagle entered Hiruzen''s office and asked, "Did you assign that mission to Fujin?"


    Hiruzen nodded. Eagle sighed in relief. That mission fell under Anbu and Eagle had a major headache on how to handle it. The Anbu didn''t have any other Elite Jounin. Not to mention, they were stretched extremely thin due to the mess Fujin created some time ago.


    However, Fujin going on the mission meant one thing. Eagle asked, "So he declined to be a Jounin Sensei?"


    Hiruzen answered, "Yeah, he wants to focus on training for now."


    Behind his mask, Eagle smiled and said, "Yeah, he is only 15 now. It''s not a bad thing. Besides, you could make him Konohamaru''s senseiter."


    A shiver passed through Hiruzen''s spine. He had thought about it when Fujin rejected the offer. What he analyzed made him raise his guard several times!


    Hiruzen thought, ''I didn''t notice it until Fujin started guiding Naruto. He tends to double down on the existing characteristics of the ones he is guiding.


    Among the 5 kids he guided initially, 2 became very promising as that was their nature while 3 haven''t shown much progress beyond their initial improvement. He didn''t do anything to make those 3 orphans train harder and left them to their means.


    It was the same story with his Anbu subordinates. It''s just that they were very dedicated. I didn''t notice this as it seemed normal. However, with Naruto...


    Naruto''s pranks have be a hundred times worse since he came in contact with Fujin. They increased in both intensity and frequency. The only exnation is that Fujin used this aspect and motivated Naruto to prank more so that Naruto would train harder. Though it was an annoyance to the vige and I had to deal with severalints, it was a very good method to train Naruto.


    If I give Konohamaru to Fujin to train, then...''


    Konohamaru challenged Hiruzen more than a dozen times daily to battle! Fortunately, he was extremely weak and was just a headache to Hiruzen rather than an actual problem. However, if Fujin trained Konohamaru and encouraged him to challenge Hiruzen more, Hiruzen''s old age would be aplete nightmare! The very thought of that future made Hiruzen shiver.


    "Father?" Eagle called out seeing that Hiruzen was lost in thoughts. Hiruzen replied, "Yeah. I will think about it when the timees."


    Eagle nodded and discussed some official matters before he left. Hiruzen stopped doing his paperwork and looked outside the window, staring at the statues of the Hokages while he smoked.


    After some time, he decided, ''If that happens in the future, I''ll just make Fujin or Kakashi the Hokage and retire. Let my Grandson challenge either of them instead of me.''


    While Hiruzen was worrying about his future, another interesting change happened in the vige. Even though Team 7 wasn''t created yet, all but one of its members had their first kiss. The only one who still didn''t was their soon-to-be 26-year-old Sensei.


    Naruto and Sasuke kissed identally just like in the original story. However, Fujin''s interference in Naruto''s life brought one change that he didn''t even consider. Fujin ensured that Naruto had ess to good food and understood when food got spoiled. So, Naruto no longer drank milk that was a few weeks past its expiry date.


    Hence, he wasn''t interrupted when he disguised himself as Sasuke to kiss Sakura and managed to do it without any interruption. As a result, Sakura had her first kiss as well. Only, it was with Naruto who was disguised as Sasuke.


    Having kissed her dear ''Sasuke'', Sakura was on cloud nine! Unfortunately, that onlysted for a minute as she heard, "Naruto, what are you doing?"


    Both Sakura and Naruto looked in the direction of the voice and saw the real Sasuke standing there. Sakura grew confused as she wondered aloud, "Two... two... Sasuke?"


    Meanwhile, Naruto was shocked and eximed loudly, "What are you doing here?"


    Sasuke replied, "A simple rope trick. Any good ninja can escape. Why are you disguised as me?"


    Sakura, who heard their conversation immediately understood, ''I kissed Naruto?''


    Her expression became a sight to see! It was a mixture of sadness, terror, disgust, heartbreak, and ack of desire to continue living! She muttered, "Naruuuttoooo..."


    Naruto turned around and saw Sakura''s horrifying expression. A shiver passed through his spine as he immediately disappeared from the spot! Thankfully, Sakura was still in shock at losing her first kiss to Naruto instead of wanting to kill Naruto.


    Sasuke looked at Sakura''s state and muttered, "What did that jerk do?"


    Sakura said, "He..."


    She couldn''t continue. How could she tell Sasuke that she kissed Naruto... Soon, all her feelings turned into rage as she clenched her fist and shouted, "Shannaro! I am going to kill Naruto!"


    She immediately ran away to hunt Naruto down, leaving only a puzzled Sasuke who wondered, ''What the hell did Naruto do?''


    Fortunately for Naruto, he managed to stay hidden until the break was over. Naruto sighed in relief and thought, ''I am safe! She won''t hit me in front of Iruka sensei.''


    Naruto sneakily entered his ssroom at the same time as Iruka. Unfortunately for him, his squad was assigned to Kakashi, who showed up 3 hourste, giving plenty of time for Sakura to take out all her anger. When Kakashi finally showed up, he couldn''t help but wonder what happened between the three of them.


    Their introductions went just as in the original story. The only change was that Naruto spoke a bit about Fujin while Sasuke didn''t have the burden of reviving his n. He just wanted revenge on Itachi.


    While having more kids survive gave Sasuke a sense of responsibility as he was the eldest among the survivors and their future n leader, seeing all of them miss their families and suffer due to it also reminded him consistently of what Itachi had done. As a result, his desire to kill Itachi was even higher than what it would have been had he been the only survivor.


    Fujin took a break in one of the patrol camps along the border with the Land of Rivers for the night. As he rested, he wondered, ''Tomorrow, Kakashi will be conducting the Bell test. I wonder how they will perform.''


    After a few seconds, he chuckled and thought, ''Well, what does it matter whether you bring a needle or a pocket knife to a gunfight? Though Naruto is slightly stronger, Kakashi will still beat them with ease. I just wonder if he''ll still use that legendary jutsu...''


    The next morning, Kakashi once again made his Genins wait for several hours before showing up at the training ground. Just like the original story, Naruto tried attacking Kakashi on being taunted but was stopped easily. When Kakashi started the test, both Sasuke and Sakura hid themselves, while Naruto kept standing there.


    Naruto grabbed his shurikens as he imed loudly, "Fight me Kakashi Sensei. I''ll take the bells in no time, believe it!"


    Kakashi sighed as Naruto threw the shurikens. Naruto immediately weaved hand signs after throwing the shurikens and announced, "Wind Release: Projectile Control Jutsu"


    The shurikens curved through the air and moved towards Kakashi from several directions, who still dodged them with ease while wondering, ''Lord Hokage said that Fujin guided Naruto for some time. But why didn''t he tell Naruto to stop screaming the attack name? How is it supposed to hit an enemy when the enemy knows what ising?''


    Seeing that Kakashi dodged the shurikens, Naruto changed his hand seals and shouted, "Wind Release: Wind Retrieving jutsu"


    The shurikens that were flying away suddenly stopped and began flowing back. At the same time, Naruto threw more shurikens towards Kakashi.


    Sasuke and Sakura, who were observing the fight while hiding, had an annoyed expression when Naruto disyed his two jutsus. That said, they couldn''t be faulted for it. While Naruto was initially hated for no reason, these two jutsus had given half of the vige a reason to hate him!


    Of course, since they already hated him, he couldn''t see any difference. Fujin noticed it but he felt that it was justice in a weird way. So he didn''t particrly care about it as it didn''t affect him.


    Hiruzen had received severalints due to this, but he couldn''t tell Naruto to stop pranking considering what his daily life was, and since he didn''t actually hurt anyone. Not to mention, Fujin was the one who was teaching him the jutsu. That was another trouble he didn''t want to poke needlessly.


    Regardless of their annoyance, both Sasuke and Sakura were surprised to see Naruto surround Kakashi from all directions with shurikens.


    Sasuke wondered, ''Since when did his control over the shurikens be this good?''


    Meanwhile, Sakura muttered to herself, ''Since when did Naruto be so strong?''


    The shurikens enclosed Kakashi and hit him momentster, covering his entire body with shurikens. A secondter, a smoke cloud appeared and his body turned into a log. Naruto''s eyes widened as he eximed, "When did he use the Substitution jutsu?"


    He quickly looked around himself but couldn''t see Kakashi. Suddenly, he heard a voice, "A ninja should always be aware of what is happening around him. Especially what is happening behind him."


    Kakashi''s hands were making the Tiger seal. Both Sakura and Sasuke immediately became tense on seeing that seal!


    [A/N: Focused a bit on the original story in this chapter as there were some changes and wanted to show some of Naruto''s progress. Focus will change back to Fujin in the next chapter :) Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed the ''change''.]


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    ()

 Chapter 534: Who Attacked?

    Chapter 534: Who Attacked?


    "Konoha''s most secret and sacred jutsu! Thousand Years of Death!"


    Kakashi hit Naruto with the hand seal and sent him flying. Naruto fell into the water while holding his backside. As he drowned, he thought, ''Not like this! I trained so much. I can''t be defeated so easily. But how do I defeat him?''


    Naruto made the Shadow Clone hand seal but stopped as his eyes widened. Naruto suddenly had an idea. He thought, ''Wait, I can only control a few Shurikens. What if all my clones control them as well? Also, I don''t need to defeat him. I just need to''


    Immediately, he created several Shadow Clones inside the water and swam out. Naruto made small talk with Kakashi waiting for him to turn his back. As soon as he did, almost a hundred shurikens wereunched from the water. At the same time, his clones jumped out as well, surprising his two teammates.


    Kakashi turned around and noticed every Shadow Clone weaving hand signs. He muttered, "Hmm, impressive. However, it''s still not enough."


    Instead of dodging, Kakashi just grabbed the Shurikens one by one and threw them into the ground, ensuring that they stuck there. Naruto thought, ''Now!''


    ''Wind Release: Wind Retrieving jutsu''


    He quickly weaved hand signs and used the jutsu on the bell. The bell was yanked from Kakashi and flew towards Naruto. Unfortunately, Kakashi disappeared and appeared next to the bell and grabbed it before it reached Naruto. He said, "Not bad, not bad. However, this isn''t enough to be the Hokage."


    Realizing that using Wind jutsus wouldn''t help him much, Naruto shouted, "Let''s just beat him up!"


    Naruto and his clones engaged against Kakashi in Taijutsu. Kakashi easily dealt with him while observing his skills. He analyzed, ''Hmm, his Taijutsu is much better. It looks like Fujin sparred with him to give him some experience. And he has decent control over Wind as well even though he doesn''t have any destructive jutsu. Fujin likely only wanted to improve his basics.''


    Within a couple of minutes, all of Naruto''s clones were dispelled while he too was beaten back. Kakashi asked, "Is that all you can do?"


    Naruto wiped his face while thinking, ''I know Fujin asked me to not use them against an ally but he asked us toe at him with an intention to kill. Also, he is so strong, so it shouldn''t be an issue, right?''


    Naruto made another set of Shadow Clones who surrounded Kakashi and immediately jumped away, confusing Kakashi who wondered, ''What is he up to this time?''


    His eyes widened as he saw every Shadow Clone grab a couple of Kunai that had explosive tags attached to them and throw them at him at close range. The Explosive tags all exploded at the same time, covering the area in dust and smoke!


    Sakura watched with a dumbfounded expression as her eyes widened. She eximed, "Did Naruto blow up Sensei? And when did he be so powerful???"


    Even Naruto was surprised by the degree of Explosion. He hadn''t ever exploded so many explosive tags at the same spot. He thought, ''So that''s why Fujin asked me to run away and to not use this tactic on an ally. How many dangerous techniques does big brother Fujin know? He casually told me about this idea while we were eating dinner!''


    Kakashi, who hid some distance away, looked at the explosion with wide eyes as heined, ''What the hell has Fujin been teaching him? If he used that against a fellow Genin or even a Chunin, they would likely end up dead! I was nearly caught off guard as well!''


    For someone like Kakashi, dodging that wasn''t a big deal. If he wasn''t fighting newly promoted Genins, there was no way he''d be off guard. However, if Naruto used this tactic against an ordinary Chunin in this manner, very few would be able to stay unhurt.


    It took some time for the dust and smoke to clear. Once it did, no one saw any signs of Kakashi.


    Sakura thought in shock, ''Did Sensei really get blown up? Will I also be med?''


    While Sasuke squinted his eyes and observed, ''There is no sign of blood. As expected, he got away. Still, when did Naruto be so strong? If he used that against me, I would have been injured.''


    Naruto looked around while wondering where Kakashi was when his eyesnded on a bell lying on the ground next to a tree. He wondered, ''Did he drop it while escaping?''


    He quickly went to pick it up. Unfortunately for Naruto, that was a trap and he hung upside down from the tree branch. Kakashi appeared and picked up the bell while lecturing Naruto again.


    While Kakashi was having fun with his new students, Fujin reached Yamakawa town in the Land of Rivers. The Yamakawa family was one of the strongest families in the Land of Rivers. Their family Head ranked among the top 5 strongest ninjas in that country. In a major vige, he''d be considered a veteran Jounin. As a result, they built an entire town away from the main vige to strengthen their family further.


    While the walls around the town were inscribed in several seals by a SealMaster, they weren''t an obstacle for Fujin who entered the town easily. He used Transformation jutsu to disguise himself as an ordinary person and openly strolled through the town as he recalled all the information about this family.


    As usual, he activated his Space Time Sensing Technique and his eyes widened momentarily. He looked towards the central mansion and thought, ''That''s strange. 24 people are living underneath that mansion. And it doesn''t seem like a normal basement, rather they are a few floors underneath what would have been a normal basement


    Is Danzo spreading his wings or is someone taking inspiration from him?''


    Fujin walked towards the castle without attracting any suspicion. When no one was looking at him, he suddenly disappeared underground and reached close to the underground base.


    His eyes glowed as he noticed several seals covering that room and passageway to that location. He immediately became interested as he realized, ''It looks like Hiruzen''s suspicions were on point. These seals have been inscribed by a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster! Sneaking inside will take a lot of time. If that Grandmaster is here, then that will be more or less impossible.


    For Suna to put so much effort into this ce, are they nning to create a secret outpost here? Hmm, yeah, the Yamakawa town is very close to the border with the Land of Fire. It will be the perfect ce for them to rest after they travel through the vast deserts.


    When they decide to attack Konoha, they can rest here until the time is right and then make a quick headway towards Konoha through the Land of Fire. They could sneak in small groups andter use Reverse Summoning to call a majority of their forces there. Alternatively, they could even cut through Konoha''s Patrol squads. But that will be risky as messages could be sent.''


    Fujin analyzed his observations for some time before sighing, ''For Hiruzen to send me here It looks like Rasa is destined to suffer at my hands until his death Still, I wonder how Hiruzen dealt with this in the original story. Kakashi will be teaching genins and Guy isn''t a good option for a mission like this. Did he send Jiraiya? Or did Suna create a hidden base elsewhere because Konoha didn''t destroy one of their bases earlier?


    Oh well, it doesn''t matter. I''ll take this chance to study the seals for a bit.''


    Coming across seals inscribed by a Grandmaster wasn''t a regr urrence. Every Grandmaster usually added their own twist to the seals. For someone like Fujin, who hadn''t been a Grandmaster for long, studying them would help him improve much quicker.


    Inside the room, there were 24 people. 22 were Suna ninjas while 2 were members of the Yamakawa family who the family head stationed for their convenience.


    While Fujin was studying the seals, the Yamakawa family head appeared in the underground base and entered a room after knocking. Inside the room were a middle-aged man and an elderly man.


    The middle-aged man, who was also an Elite Jounin, asked with a smile, "Hiromu-san, are the preparationsplete?"


    Yamakawa Hiromu smiled and answered, "Yes, Koichi-san. You can begin expanding this base in an hour. I have made all the preparations above. No one will suspect even if some disturbances happen as long as Okazaki-sama inscribes the seals quickly."


    Okazaki was the old man who was also one of the few Grandmasters in Suna. Hiruzen never imagined that Suna would send one of their Grandmasters to this ce. Grandmasters were something every vige treasured. Sending them to a risky ce was something they rarely did. If he knew, he would have sent Fujin much earlier and sent several Jounins to assist him.


    Koichi said, "Good. We will get it done as soon as we can."


    Hiromu said, "It has been a month since you started making this base. As per our deal, it is time for you to hand in the second scroll."


    Koichi nodded and looked at Okazaki who handed a scroll to the Yamakawa family head. In order to make the Yamakawa family ally with them, Suna offered them a rank A jutsu for every month they stayed there. For a family with limited ess to jutsus, this was a heavenly opportunity.


    After thinking for some time and discussing the details with the Suna ninjas, Hiromu agreed to the deal. It was a win-win situation for both sides. The Yamakawa family got jutsus that could make them stronger and gain more influence in the Land of Rivers, while Suna got a safe base while only giving away jutsus that all the 5 Great Viges already knew how to perform.


    Just as Koichi epted the scroll, the faces of all three of them became serious as they looked above. In fact, they weren''t the only ones who were surprised. Fujin was surprised as well as he wondered, ''What the hell? Who attacked the mansion before me?''


    [A/N : Latest chapter on P@treon - Hiruzen''s Joy!]


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 535: Wind Domain (1)

    Chapter 535: Wind Domain (1)


    [A/N : We got 6941 Power Stones and reached rank 7thst week!!! Keep it up guys!]


    For the people living in the Yamakawa town, it had been a normal day like any other. Even though various schemes were operating underground, both figuratively and literally, they didn''t affect themon citizens. Even in the Yamakawa family, very few were aware of the deal between Hiromu and Sunagakure.


    Suddenly, several figures surrounded the central mansion and attacked it. At the same time, several figures appeared on the walls of the small town,pletely surrounding it.


    Yamakawa Hiromu immediately rushed out of the underground base. Koichi wondered aloud, "Who would attack them right now? Could it be Konoha?"


    Okazaki shook his head and said, "That''s unlikely. However, if they are the ones behind it, then this is a good thing for us. We could turn the entire Land of Rivers around them?"


    Koichi nodded and replied, "Let''s go and check out. If it is Konoha, then they might be after us as well."


    Koichi passed some instructions to the remaining Suna ninjas and snuck out along with the Grandmaster.


    Hiromu, who had rushed out without waiting, watched in shock as the majority of his family members had already been killed within a few seconds. His expression became extremely ugly as he noticed the culprit.


    He thought, ''Puppets? It is Sunagakure''s speciality. Don''t tell me that those bastards double-crossed me. But why would they do that?''


    The figures that attacked the mansion were all puppets! Fujin, who had exited the underground and was secretly watching the attack, was puzzled as well. He immediately activated his Space Time Sensing Technique. At the same time, his eyes glowed as he concentrated chakra in them.


    He immediately noticed that all the chakra threads controlling the puppets seemed to being from just one ce. And, there was only one disturbance in his field at that spot. Fujin wondered in surprise, ''To control so many puppets single-handedly... Sasori? Why is he here? Did someone pay Akatsuki to destroy this town?''


    Fujin observed the area around the town more thoroughly and concluded, ''It looks like he arrived alone. Has Akatsuki still not recruited Deidara? There is just one other person hiding some distance away. It should be Zetsu or one of his clones''


    Standing outside the town, Sasori controlled all the puppets. The reason for the attack wasn''t what Hiromu or Fujin spected. While Sasori was locating Orochimaru, he discovered that some Oto ninjas visited the Yamakawa family secretly and repeatedly for some reason. He captured some Yamakawa family members but they didn''t have any information.


    It made him even more suspicious. He wanted to catch some Oto ninjas but they stopped showing up. As a result, Sasori decided to attack the Yamakawa family to provoke Orochimaru. If this town was important to Orochimaru, he would be able to lure Orochimaru out and kill him. If it wasn''t, then he could just increase his puppet collection. Either way, it was a win for him.


    Sasori never thought that this town wasn''t important to Orochimaru and was instead important to Sunagakure who was his alliance partner. Nor did he think that Hiruzen also wanted the family destroyed.


    The people in the town immediately began rushing to the bunkers for safety. In the castle, Hiromu destroyed a couple of puppets. A few others managed to destroy them as well, but all were stabbed by a few poisonous needles while doing so.


    When Koichi arrived outside, he was shocked to see Puppets destroying the Yamakawa family! Koichi wondered, ''Did Lord Rasa change his min No!''


    Koichi recognized a couple of puppets and said, "Sasori of the Red Sand"


    Okazaki became serious as well. Neither of them understood why Sasori was the one attacking. Hiromu looked at the two of them and shouted, "You fucking bastards! I cooperated with you and this is how you repay me?"


    Hiromu was about to attack the two of them preemptively when a few puppets attacked the two of them. Both immediately weaved hand signs.


    ''Wind Release: de of Wind jutsu''


    ''Earth Release: Earth Spikes jutsu''


    Koichiunched several dozen des of wind which cut through the iing puppets and also deflected any needles theyunched. At the same time, several spikes wereunched from the ground and hit the puppets from below, ensuring that every one of them was dealt with.


    Hiromu was surprised by the development. He didn''t expect that the two of them would be attacked as well. Koichi and Okazaki had ugly expressions. Okazaki said, "It looks like he ns on killing everyone here."


    Fujin observed as the chakra signatures in the castle kept disappearing. He wondered, ''Well, what do I do? He is doing my job for me Should I just stay here and watch and collect the dead bodies after Sasori is done? The only issue is that Suna has poison that affects the brain. So, we won''t be able to read any memories. There is also a chance that Sasori decides to take the bodies himself to make puppets Hmm, should I just sneak attack Sasori when hees to collect the bodies?''


    Fujin thought for a few seconds before deciding, ''Sasori won''t be a major headache for the future. There is no need to eliminate him now. Not to mention, killing him in one shot will be difficult and fighting him at close range will be tricky even with my Wind Domain. If I identally get poisoned, then it will almost be a death sentence''


    Fujin''s eyes focused on a spot in the mansion as he continued thinking, ''It looks like Sasori can''t kill everyone. At least not while he is staying outside the town. If the Suna ninjas run away, hunting them down will be a pain in the ass. Oh well, it''s time to test this technique in an actual battle.''


    Suddenly, Fujin started emitting chakra into the air. The chakra transformed seamlessly into the wind and mixed with the surrounding air. Despite being quite close to the mansion, no one detected Fujin''s actions. It was as if nothing was happening there.


    Sasori, who was still standing outside the town, realized, ''Hmm, there are a few strong ones. One of them should be the Yamakawa family head. The others might be rted to Orochimaru. Since he doesn''t want to show up, I''ll add them to my collection!''


    Sasori was about to move towards the mansion when his feet froze. He muttered, "What the hell is that chakra?"


    He carefully observed and analyzed, ''This looks like Susumu''s ability. Didn''t he die a few years ago? Also, the amount of chakra Susumu used was pitifulpared to this. So who is it?''


    Even though Sasori could sense the Wind Domain that was engulfing the mansion, he couldn''t locate Fujin who was continuously emitting more chakra into the air.


    Fujin''s Wind Domain engulfed the mansion and even entered the underground base. Everyone was on alert due to the sudden attack and immediately realized the presence of a foreign chakra in the air. Koichi and Okazaki immediately disrupted their chakra flow to ensure that they didn''t fall into a Genjutsu. In the base, a few veteran ninjas warned everyone to do the same as well.


    Koichi cursed, "First Sasori and now Susumu? What is happening here?"


    Hiromu heard his words and asked, "Isn''t Sasori a rogue ninja from Suna? And isn''t Susumu your Elite Jounin? Why the hell did they attack my family?"


    Despite understanding that he was weaker, Hiromu was filled with rage and sorrow and couldn''t think rationally. Sasori''s puppets had killed everyone in the mansion! Unlike Hiruzen''s order, Sasori saw no need to keep children alive. Other than the ones that had gone outside the mansion, every Yamakawa family member besides Hiromu was dead!


    Okazaki answered, "We don''t know either. This jutsu is used to cast Genjutsu. Prepare yourself against it. If you get influenced as well, then your family will disappear for good."


    Hearing the word ''Genjutsu'', Hiromu immediately disrupted his chakra. Sasori had stopped his attack as well due to the sudden change and was nning his next move when suddenly something happened that no one expected!


    des of Wind appeared out of thin air without any sign or warning. Within the blink of an eye, all 20 Suna ninjas in the base were beheaded! Hiromu, who was disrupting his chakra, was caught off guard as well and died with his eyes wide open in disbelief!


    Koichi and Okazaki managed to defend themselves, but were soon overwhelmed by dozens of des of Wind attacking them from every direction! They too died within a couple of seconds.


    And they weren''t the only casualty. Sasori watched in disbelief as several des of Wind suddenly appeared out of thin air and severed his chakra threads, disconnecting the Puppets in and around the mansion from Sasori''s control! In an instant, Sasori lost control over most of his puppets!


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 536: Wind Domain (2)

    Chapter 536: Wind Domain (2)


    Puppet Masters were generally known for having one weakness. That weakness was closebat. If someone good at Taijutsu got close to them, they could defeat them easily without letting the Puppet Master use their puppets.


    However, there was another critical weakness that Puppet Masters had which wasn''t generally mentioned due to the difficulty in exploiting it. That was the very chakra threads that they used to control the puppets. If those chakra threads were severed, they would lose control over the puppets and would be left vulnerable without their greatest strength.


    Destroying the chakra threads wasn''t very difficult either as it was just normal chakra and not some indestructible thread. While an experienced Puppet Master could ensure that the threads didn''t break against an AoE attack, if the threads were specifically targeted, they would still break.


    Of course, that was easier said than done as the puppets would be used to block such attempts. And even if you seeded, the Puppet Master could just create new chakra threads and connect to the Puppet once more.


    When Sasori''s chakra threads were destroyed, he did the exact same thing. In less than a second, he created more chakra threads to connect to the puppets. Unfortunately for him, Fujin''s Wind Domain was the perfect counter to chakra threads. Even before the chakra threads reached his puppets, they were severed by more des of wind that appeared out of thin air.


    Sasori cursed, ''What the hell is this ability? And who is the one controlling that chakra? Is it one of Orochimaru''s subordinates or are some other forces present in this town?''


    Despite not knowing the answer to those questions, Sasori didn''t stop. There were more than 60 puppets trapped inside the Wind Domain. It was more than a fourth of his puppet collection that he had been working on for over a decade.


    Sasori repeatedly attempted to take control of his puppets but failed each time. The Wind Domain, which was only around the mansion like a dome, began extending in Sasori''s direction.


    Sasori observed, ''It''s like a branch extending from that dome. Whoever it is, should be inside that dome. Regardless, what does he want to achieve by extending that chakra here? Does he think that he can defeat me without even showing his face? Or is he up to something else?''


    Sasori wasn''t someone who''d lose control of his emotions just due to his opponents'' words or actions. However, he hadn''t ever been insulted to such a degree before. Even then, he patiently waited to see what his mysterious opponent was up to. In a minute, the Wind Domain had extended all the way from the mansion to Sasori who was standing outside the town.


    Winds began moving at a rapid speed and took the form of a Dragon. Sasori wondered, ''The Wind Dragon jutsu? So this chakra can be used to create Wind jutsus other than des of Wind jutsu. Still, this Wind Dragon As I thought''


    As Sasori observed the Wind Dragon, he realized that it wasn''t a normal Wind Dragon. Instead, it contained several dozen des of wind inside it. In a sense, it was a deadlybination of two Wind jutsus.


    The Wind Dragon suddenly dived towards Sasori. Sasori immediately took a defensive posture and extended Hiroku''s tail forward while thinking, ''Those wind des might work against normal puppets. However, it is useless against Hiroku''s defenses.''


    Sasori was confident in his defense. The Wind Dragon hit him and all the wind des were stopped. They weren''t even able to scratch the shield on Hiroku''s back. The remaining parts had some scratches, but they weren''t fatal for the puppet. However, something happened that made Sasori feel a sense of dread!


    He immediately flickered away along with the Hiroku puppet. He looked at the Wind Dragon, who had stopped attacking, with horror as he thought, ''It can cut chakra threads even when I am controlling the puppet while hiding inside it. If those wind des identally enter my body''


    Sasori''s entire body was a puppet. If the wind des destroyed the chakra threads that were controlled by his core, then he could fall within the blink of an eye! Of course, Sasori doubted that the Wind des would be able to reach his core, which was indeed the case as Fujin couldn''t create Vacuum des with his Wind Domain yet, but he didn''t dare to test it for no good reason.


    Seeing that Sasori had moved away, the Wind Dragon stopped and extended its elongated neck in the sky. Unlike the normal Wind Dragon, which Fujin couldn''t control much, he hadplete control over the Wind Dragon in his Wind Domain. So it could do much more than just tackle or shoot a Wind Explosion Sphere.


    It opened its mouth and exhaled a Wind Breath while moving its head slightly so that the Wind Breath would be able to affect arge area. Needless to say, the Wind Breath also consisted of several small wind des.


    While the Wind Dragon was keeping Sasori busy, Fujin created several clones. A few of them flickered into the mansion and sealed the dead bodies of Yamakawa Hiromu and the Suna ninjas.


    A few others flickered around in the town to the ninjas whom Fujin had detected. They killed the ones who were from the Yamakawa family with des of Wind jutsu if they were alone. For the ones that weren''t alone, they transformed into a random person wearing the Sunagakure outfit and headband and killed them in broad daylight, causing even more chaos in the town.


    The remaining clones hid their identities and flickered next to Sasori''s puppets that were lying around. One of the Shadow Clones observed the seals on the puppets properly and analyzed, ''I see. The puppets don''t just have seals to strengthen theirbat capabilities but also have several seals to help Sasori detect things happening around them. No wonder he can control them so well despite being such a long distance away.


    He is probably aware that we are inspecting his puppets right now. And, this seal should allow him to detect the location of his puppets. However, this seal has quite a low range. Suppressing these seals and sealing the puppet up shouldn''t be an issue. If I escape with these puppets, he shouldn''t be able to track them unless I am missing something.


    Oh well, I was always curious about using Puppets. I can''t refuse such a generous gift, hehe.''


    The other clones also noticed the same thing on the remaining puppets. Everyone immediately began working on suppressing the problematic seals so that they could store the puppets in storage scrolls.


    Sasori noticed the iing wind breath, grabbed a scroll and opened it. A puff of smoke appeared. A momentter, several iron particles rushed towards the Wind Breath and formed an iron wall!


    Fujin looked in the direction of Sasori and thought, ''So he decided to use the Third Kazekage puppet? Annoying, but my Wind Domain can''t be stopped so easily.''


    Fujin emitted more chakra into the air. The wind dragon disappeared as the attack took the majority of the wind chakra in that area. The iron wall was able to withstand the assault and no wind des reached Sasori. However, Sasori was still perplexed.


    Instead of a new Dragon forming, the Wind Domain continuously extended in his direction. Sasori retreated while analyzing, ''If I enter that area, then he can form wind des at will. I will lose control over the puppet once again. I need to attack the one who is controlling this wind.''


    Sasori got out of the path of the wind domain that was extending like a branch and began moving towards the town at a fast speed. Fujin''s Wind Domain didn''t have any chance of catching up with him.


    Fujin sensed his movements and a smile appeared on his face as he thought, ''In Akatsuki, Sasori is one of the most dangerous members. If I ignore the ones with Dojutsu, I''d say that Sasori is the most dangerous one even though Kisame and maybe Kakuzu are stronger. Unfortunately for him, my Wind Domain is the perfect counter for a Puppet Master. It makes him one of the easiest Akatsuki members to deal with for me!''


    Immediately, another branch extended out of the Wind Domain. However, it wasn''t moving towards Sasori but instead was quite far from him. While the first branch that had extended began cutting off Sasori''s retreat. Instead of confronting Sasori directly, Fujin attempted to trap him inside the Wind Domain!


    Understanding his intentions, Sasori immediately retreated once again. Fujin chuckled as he muttered to himself, ''What a shame. I thought that he wanted to gift me the Third Kazekage puppet as well.''


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 537: Second Strongest Puppet Collection!

    Chapter 537: Second Strongest Puppet Collection!


    Sasori, who had just entered the town, retreated once again and avoided getting trapped within the Wind Domain. He looked at the Wind Domain extending slowly towards him and muttered, "What a difficult opponent How do I retrieve my puppets?"


    Suddenly, Sasori became stunned. He sensed that his puppets were getting sealed! Within a few seconds, he became unable to sense any of his puppets that were trapped in the Wind Domain.


    Sasori cursed, ''Which bastard wants to steal my puppets? What the hell has been happening in this town?''


    Sasori was thoroughly confused. Everything was going well until the mysterious chakra appeared. After that, nothing made sense! He still hadn''t seen who his opponent was and didn''t know what his goal was. The only thing that he knew was that he waspletely enraged!


    Fujin saw a massive amount of iron floating in the air outside the town. He stored the scroll that his clone had just handed him while wondering, ''Does he want to destroy the town to force me out? Oh well, it doesn''t matter. I already have what I want.''


    Fujin had already gathered the dead bodies that Hiruzen had asked for and had also epted Sasori''s generous gift. He looked at the four Shadow Clones next to him and nodded. At the very next moment, Wind appeared around them and all 5 of them disappeared from the city.


    Sasori immediately noticed the sudden movement and noted, ''5 ninjas ran away using Wind Instantaneous Body jutsu. All are extremely good at it. I won''t be able to chase them. However, the chakra is present in the town.''


    Sasori felt in doubt once again. He analyzed, ''There are several possibilities. The ones who were controlling this chakra got afraid and ran away as they wouldn''t be able to stop my attack. They left the chakra here as they can''t take it back.


    Another possibility is that the one controlling this chakra is still here and only his teammates ran away. Or perhaps the ones who escaped were just clones and the real one is still hiding here and wants to bait me. The opponent is so tricky that I can''t even say which case it is Even if I decide to chase, I can only chase after one and catching him will be difficult. And, if the puppets are still here or with one of the other 4, I''ll lose my puppets!''


    At the next moment, a rain of small iron balls showered towards the town. They pierced through every house in the path before reaching the mansion and wrecked it as well. The mansion copsed within seconds. Everything within the Wind Domain was crushed.


    Fortunately, the people had escaped into underground bunkers. Hence no one died other than a few who had heart attacks due to the sound of destruction above the ground and the tremors they felt. Sasori wasn''t interested in killingmon people. His attention was entirely focused on the Wind Domain.


    Despite the destruction, the chakra was still present there. However, it no longer extended towards Sasori and just stayed in that location flying along the direction of the wind. The only strange thing was that despite all the winds, it still primarily stayed in the area around the mansion.


    Sasori noticed it and analyzed, ''Something feels awfully fishy! It is almost like someone wants me to enter there''


    Sasori immediately controlled some of his other puppets and sent them into the Wind Domain. For the first time since the appearance of the Wind Domain, his chakra threads weren''t severed. Yet, Sasori didn''t lower his guard and only scouted the ce with puppets that he could afford to lose.


    Unsurprisingly, he didn''t find any of his puppets. Sasori kept looking for around half an hour but his puppets didn''t find anything. Since the chakra still existed, he didn''t dare to enter inside. He turned around and stared at one of the White Zetsu''s clones who was keeping an eye.


    The White Zetsu immediately appeared next to Sasori who instructed, "You can absorb chakra, right? Clear out that Wind chakra at the center of the town. I want to study it."


    White Zetsu nodded and got to work. A few meters under the ce where the mansion stood until some time ago, Fujin''s Shadow Clone let out a sigh and muttered, ''The experienced ninjas are too difficult to defeat. If it was Hidan or Deidara, neither would have been this careful. However, Sasori didn''t even attempt to get close''


    Fujin''s Shadow Clone had his Space Time Sensing Technique activated at all times. He could sense Sasori and Zetsu''s movements without alerting either of them.


    White Zetsu, who was absorbing some of the chakra from the Wind Domain into his body, was suddenly cut up into pieces as dozens of wind des suddenly appeared around him.


    Sasori looked at the White Zetsu''s clone being dissected and thought grimly, ''As I expected! It was a trap to lure me inside!''


    However, before he could do anything, Sasori was shocked once again. It was because wind des kept forming around the Zetsu and kept cutting it up despite it already having been killed! It was as if the attacker wanted to separate every cell from its body!


    Unknown to Sasori, that was exactly the case. While Fujin had sensed an existence and spected that it was Zetsu, he didn''t know whether it was the real Zetsu or just a clone. On the off chance that it was the real one, Fujin wanted to take the opportunity to kill ck Zetsu. Of course, he didn''t think that normal wind des would be enough to kill it. However, there was no reason to not try. As it is, there was nothing else he could do with that chakra.


    Sasori just watched as all the chakra in that area was used up to brutally slice up Zetsu''s clone. Within a few minutes, the entire chakra was consumed, leaving Sasori confused once again. He wondered, ''Why would anyone use up all the chakra to kill a mere clone?''


    With the chakra gone, Sasori finally entered the central area of the town. He tried investigating but didn''t find anyone. Fujin''s clone had already dispersed himself. Sasori couldn''t help but wonder, ''Who was controlling the chakra? Did the ones who ran away leave a mechanism for it to activate once when a living being entered it? Or is this some sort of weapon instead of a jutsu?''


    Sasori didn''t consider the prospect of a clone controlling it as it didn''t make much sense for a clone to use up all chakra on just one intruder even after it was dead.


    He became a bit perplexed as he muttered, "What of my puppets? I can''t locate any of them!"


    Sasori''s puppets weren''t ordinary puppets. They were human puppets and he had worked a lot on each of his puppets. Losing more than a quarter of them in one go was a substantial blow to him even though it wouldn''t affect his fighting prowess much.


    He thought, ''One of those 5 would have left with it. Finding them will be difficult normally as I don''t have any information on them. Fortunately, the only information I have is a very unique one. I just have to find the appearance of this technique in other ces and I will find clues to them. Once I find them, they will be good additions to my puppet collection!''


    As for the one who had stolen Sasori''s prized puppets in broad daylight, he was already a long distance away from the Yamakawa town. Fujin finally stopped moving as he received the memories of his Shadow Clone.


    He thought, ''As expected, Sasori didn''t chase after me. Well, even if he did, he wouldn''t have been able to keep up with me. Now, what do I do about this?''


    Fujin was looking at the scroll which held 64 human puppets. In less than an hour, Fujin had gone from having zero puppets to having the second-strongest collection of puppets in the entire ninja world!


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 538: Seeking the Serpents Aid

    Chapter 538: Seeking the Serpent''s Aid


    Fujin looked at the scroll and analyzed, ''While I am quite fascinated with puppet mastery, trying to be a puppet master doesn''t have much benefits for me. Though it is quite good, it is unlikely for me to raise my puppeteer skills to the level of my Wind jutsus. It also falls quite short of Flying Thunder God and Eight Inner Gates.


    The only good thing is that learning it will be extremely easy for me. I can easily improve my control over chakra threads by spamming the Shadow Clone jutsu and I am already a Grandmaster in Fuinjutsu. More importantly, I have Sasori''s puppets to study. I can easily learn the mechanisms of his puppets and raise my puppeteer skills to a very high level.


    Within a few months, I can raise it to a level that would be below only Sasori and Chiyo''s level. The only thing Ick is medical and poison knowledge. However, I am nning to study that as well. So I have everything I need to learn puppeteering.''


    Fujin was in a strange situation. He didn''t see much benefits to learning puppeteering. However, it was just too easy for him to master it with his current skills!


    Fujin shook his head and decided, ''I will decide what to do after I improve my medical skills and learn more about poison. I have finallypleted my training on Wind Domain and have mastered Flying Thunder God jutsu. Once I open the Fifth Gate, I''ll ease up on training Eight Inner Gates as well. That will finally ease up my schedule. If I begin focusing on Puppeteering as well, then I''ll be locked in another brutal training regimen for a few months!''


    Fujin''s time had been extremely tight for thest few years. He didn''t want to go into such a tight schedule once again unless it was extremely critical for him.


    Fujin analyzed, ''That said, there are some issues. For starters, the seals on these puppets Even though I am a Grandmaster in Fuinjutsu, I can''t look down on others. I can''t even begin to imagine the seals needed to convert a dead human into a puppet and retain that human''s skills and Kekkei Genkai.


    Even if I don''t learn puppeteering, I should spend the next few days learning the seals Sasori used. Of course, the bigger issue is if there are any seals in these puppets that allow Sasori to detect the location of his puppets over a long distance.


    Though I suppressed the seals, I can''t be too sure as there are too many freaks in Akatsuki. Who knows what else they know? In addition, Sasori made no effort to chase me at all. It''s too big of a risk to leave these puppets in the Phantom Haven base''


    Fujin had the idea of giving these puppets to the Phantom Haven Society. If someone there had an interest in puppets and focused on it with dedication, the Fujin could raise an Elite Jounin in a very short time. However, if Sasori had any way of detecting the puppets and showed up there when Fujin wasn''t present, the Phantom Haven Society would be history in no time.


    Fujin didn''t want to take such a risk. He decided, ''I guess there is no choice but to take them to Konoha. I''ll give Hiruzen a few puppets and keep the rest to myself. Considering the level of these puppets, this might be a good opportunity to ask Hiruzen for another Forbidden jutsu. While I would like Edo Tensei, I doubt he will give it to me considering that he refused to share the Scroll of Forbidden Seals with me. However, getting that Forbidden jutsu might be doable.


    Oh well, I''ll do that. The only thing is that I will need to study the seals before handing the puppets to Hiruzen. That''ll mean that I can''t do the second mission that Hiruzen assigned me''


    Fujin thought for a few seconds before deciding, ''Oh well, that mission isn''tpulsory. Hiruzen can just deploy some more Anbu squads and dig to the bottom of those incidents.''


    Having made his decision, Fujin created several Shadow Clones. He created an underground base using the Earth Release Camp jutsu while his Shadow Clones inscribed several seals in the surrounding few kilometers to alert Fujin in case anyone came close to that spot.


    In the base, Fujin created several Shadow Clones who immediately began studying Sasori''s human puppets.


    Fujin''s concerns, though valid, were still unwarranted. Sasori had no way of tracking his puppets so far away from him. While Jashin might have seals that could do so, Hidan had no knowledge of it. And, Sasori won''t let anyone else tag his puppets unless he had no choice. As a result, though Fujin was careful, he wasn''t in any danger at all.


    While Fujin was studying his puppets, Sasori returned to the Land of Rain and informed Konan and Pain about what he had encountered. Both Konan and Nagato were surprised to learn of such a technique.


    Konan thought for a bit and asked, "Did your opponent use the Wind Vacuum Technique?"


    Sasori answered, "No. If he did, I''d have connected the dots. Do you suspect that it is The Spectral Swordsman?"


    Konan replied, "The way you described those 5 escaped is very simr to how Kakuzu described him escaping. Those 5 could have been his clones. Other than that, there is no other clue. However, he is still a suspect as he could have created that technique and used it for the first time. Anyway, I will ask Zetsu to keep an eye out for a ninja who can use such a technique."


    Sasori nodded. He was about to leave when Nagato said, "You have been without a partner for a long time. Hunting Orochimaru alone is risky. We have found a new partner for you. Go along with Itachi and Kisame to the Land of Stone."


    Five dayster, Fujin stored the puppets back in the scrolls and exited the underground base as he thought, ''I guess I was worried for nothing. I didn''t find any seals that could allow him to track me over long distances. That said, it''ll be better to not take this scroll to the Phantom Haven base. Anyway''


    A smile appeared on Fujin''s face. In order to create Human Puppets, Sasori had created several new seals that were probably unknown to anyone else. Thankfully, those seals weren''t as advanced as the ones Jashin priests used and Fujin could study and learn those seals with some effort.


    In addition, Sasori''s utilization of the seals that Fujin knew was quite unique as well. It allowed Fujin to explore apletely different direction. While Fujin wasn''t interested in walking down that path, it was still very helpful and gave Fujin several new ideas.


    Fujin decided, ''After I visit the Phantom Haven Base, I need to find a few test subjects to test out the Eight Trigrams Divination Seal. Also, it is time to create Fuinjutsu Battlefields. I have been pushing it back for too long.''


    Fujin began moving towards the location of the Phantom Haven base but suddenly stopped after a few minutes. He thought, ''Ugh, I nearly forgot! I have to bring some money along. I would have stolen from the Yamakawa family, but Sasori showed up!''


    Fujin immediately changed his direction towards Tanigakure. Within a span of a few months, Tanigakure were in panic for the second time. A few months ago, Fujin and Shigeki had infiltrated the ninja vige and killed a major family. The vige had raised their defenses and made them several times more potent while the remaining powerful families were on alert.


    Their situation was just like the situation in Konoha after Fujin destroyed the Root headquarters. Just when things had started to calm down, they received news of the destruction of the Yamakawa town!


    Even though there weren''t many civilian deaths, the Yamakawa family was wiped out! Apart from a few kids who weren''t in the mansion, there were no survivors. The few ninjas who were present in the town informed them that they had seen Puppets attack the mansion and surround the town. A couple of them also reported that Sunagakure ninjas killed the Yamakawa ninjas and that the wounds on the Yamakawa family members were made by wind.


    In a panic, Tanigakure sent several ninjas to the Yamakawa town and requested quick assistance from Konoha. When Hiruzen received the emergency request, he thought, ''Looks like Fujin did a great job. They are convinced that Sunagakure attacked them. But, how did he attack them with puppets? Did he practice puppeteering in secret? And, why did he kill the kids in the mansion?''


    Hiruzen wasn''t sure. Regardless, he quickly dispatched Guy and a couple dozen other ninjas to Yamakawa town to assist Tanigakure ninjas.


    Unknown to Tanigakure, they had requested assistance from the very person who ordered the destruction of the Yamakawa family. And, the very person who carried out the destruction was leisurely strolling in their streets while muttering, "Now then, which are the three most corrupt Nobles here?"


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 539: A Sick Pervert

    Chapter 539: A Sick Pervert


    Despite raising their defense by several levels, Tanigakure would have never imagined that the culprit behind the previous massacre would still be able to infiltrate the vige without alerting anyone. All the time, effort and money they spent improving the seals on their vige wall was nothing impressive in Fujin''s eyes. He only had to spend a couple of minutes more to be able to enter the vige. If the leaders of Tanigakure knew that the culprit they were looking for in the Yamakawa town was roaming freely in their streets, who knew how much panic would spread among them?


    It had been quite some time since Fujin was active in the Anbu. He needed a few minutes before he recalled the names of the most corrupt and scummiest Nobles in Tanigakure. In less than half an hour, Fujin entered their huge mansions and looted their treasuries without alerting anyone. While the Nobles were worried about what happened in the Yamakawa town spilling over to Tanigakure, they were oblivious to the fact that their treasuries had already been looted!


    Fujin began moving in the direction of the Phantom Haven base while thinking, ''A little over 64 million Ryo Not a bad howl from just 3 Nobles in a poor vige like this one. If I had taken the jewellery and other ornaments, it could have been much higher. However, selling them could leave a trail. Not to mention, 64 million is plenty. I''ll just loot more if more is needed. If there is one thing that no worldcks, it is corrupt scums sitting in the positions of authority. It''s almost like an infinite source of money''


    Fujin chuckled while thinking how those 3 Nobles would react when they discovered that their treasuries no longer had any Ryo. Fujin continued moving while noting down the other corrupt nobles whom he had encountered during his time in the Anbu.


    Other than the Land of Rain, where Nagato ruled, Fujin nned to loot Nobles from every other country, including the Land of Fire''s Fire Capital if needed. Unless they made their Kage protect the scums among Nobles or hired Akatsuki for that job, Fujin didn''t see any way they could stop or trace him.


    This was the basic advantage that the strong enjoyed in such a world. It was also why Fujin never concerned himself much with money apart from the initial few years when he needed it for weapons and other basic necessities.


    As Fujin reached closer to the Phantom Haven base, he took a slight detour and created a Shadow Clone with nearly 30% of his chakra and left the scroll containing puppets with him before continuing towards the Phantom Haven base.


    Within a few hours, Fujin reached the valley. As he passed by the first Mini base, Fujin was surprised. His eyes glowed as he observed, ''Interesting. 8 people with Chunin level chakra, 1 with Jounin level and 26 with very low chakra in addition to the 3 whom I recognize. It looks like this organization has been growing well. However, it can also be because they used their contacts to recruit more. Regardless, this is good.''


    Fujin was pleased. While it may seem like he put a lot of effort into the organization, in reality, he had put very little. Almost all the effort he put in was to create the philosophy of the organization. So, seeing the organization flourish without bothering him much was a good surprise.


    Fujin moved past the mini base, reached the main base and entered it. The original members of the Phantom Haven Society were surprised to notice that the barrier was deactivated by itself! They immediately became very alert and rxed only after seeing that it was Shiden. Shigeki, in particr, breathed a sigh of relief as he thought, ''Thankfully he returned quickly this time! I was worried he wouldn''t show up for another couple of years!''


    Fujin looked around the base. He could see that it looked much better now. In his absence, the infrastructure of the base had improved a lot. It was still very basic without any extravagant decorations, but it definitely was a major improvement.


    Shigeki immediately went forward to wee Fujin and said, "It''s good to see you again, Shiden."


    Fujin nodded and said, "It looks like you guys have been doing well."


    Shigeki understood what he implied and asked, "Did you see the ones we recruited?"


    Fujin nodded and said, "Yes. Tell me about them."


    Shigeki informed Fujin about them. As Fujin had spected, they were other ninjas from Tanigakure who had to face injustice and were close to some of the members of the Phantom Haven Society. Shigeki took advantage of the situation and recruited them.


    Shigeki added, "However, after recruiting them, we don''t have any leads on recruiting any more experienced ninjas. It''ll be difficult to expand further in the future."


    Fujin nodded. He knew that it wouldn''t be easy to expand endlessly. Luckily, that wasn''t his goal. He asked, "What about the kids?"


    Shigeki answered, "While we were recruiting, we came across a small vige that had been attacked by some rogue ninjas. Tanigakure didn''t send any aid to them as they didn''t have enough money to request a mission. We helped them to relocate to a nearby vige and recruited 26 orphan kids."


    Fujin said, "That''s good. I know that we won''t be able to recruit many experienced ninjas. However, we will train the kids with dedication. Ten years from now, we will have numerous capable ninjas to help us achieve our goals."


    Shigeki and others who had arrived by then nodded. Having been in the Phantom Haven Society for the past few months, they understood that as long as they didn''t face any external enemy, the Phantom Haven Society would soon grow very strong. Of course, once they grew to that size, they would inevitably gain the attention of some ninja viges. That''s when they would be put to the test.


    Fujin said, "You guys have done good work with the base. Have you been facing any difficulties?"


    Hayato replied, "We have been running low on funds. Shigeki left the finances to me. I had been nning some more upgrades to the base, but we would have run out of money. In addition, we also have to take care of the kids."


    Fujin asked, "How much will you be needing?"


    Hayato answered, "We need another 20 million Ryo toplete the upgrades in the base. Once they areplete, the base won''t have much expense. However, we had to spend nearly a couple of million Ryo while resettling the vigers. It will be better if we can have another 25 million Ryo. I will keep 5 million for any emergencies and the remaining will be used to resettle any vigers we rescue."


    Fujin nodded and tossed Shigeki a couple of scrolls while saying, "These scrolls contain 50 million Ryo. Use it as you see fit. If you face a shortage while I am not present, you can take down any bandit groups and take their money. However, take care to not expose your movements to Tanigakure or any bounty hunters."


    The former Tanigakure ninjas were surprised to see Fujin take out 50 million Ryo so easily. Hayato thought, ''It looks like he was nning to hand us this amount anyways. What does he do to be able to give us such arge budget? Unlike a ninja vige, we don''t have any businesses nor do we ept any missions or collect taxes.


    Though the money is good, being entirely dependent on the funds he gathers isn''t a good thing. At some point, we will need to find our own streams of ie. Otherwise, the Phantom Haven Society will have a very big weakness.''


    What Hayato and others didn''t know was that Fujin had directly stolen the money from 3 of Tanigakure''s nobles. In fact, he had 14 million Ryo more. However, Fujin decided against handing the entire 64 million Ryo as the Phantom Haven Society needed to stick to a budget. If he kept giving an unlimited amount, then it would be inevitable for there to be a lot of splurging and no amount of money would be sufficient.


    Shigeki said, "Thank you. We are facing another problem."


    As he spoke, Shigeki''s face disyed worry. He continued, "A formidable ninja arrived in the Land of Rivers around a month ago. His acts have been too evil. Wherever he goes, he captures people and buries them alive. Tanigakure decided to ignore all his actions as they didn''t have anyone strong enough to deal with him.


    I wanted to attack him with our forces, but it would be a close fight and even if we won, many of us would have died. Remembering your words, I decided against it and waited for you."


    Fujin was surprised. He wondered, ''Burying people alive? Which sick pervert is that?''


    He asked, "Who is it?"


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 540: Replacing Tanigakure?

    Chapter 540: Recing Tanigakure?


    Shigeki answered, "Raiga, one of the former members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist!"


    Fujin was surprised. He wondered, ''What is he doing all the way here? If it''s him, then could he also be the one behind those two missing Chunin squads that Hiruzen spoke about? Looks like I''llplete my second mission after all.''


    Shigeki continued, "Raiga wields the thunderswords Kiba and is the boss of the Kurosuki family. From what we found out, he has several capable ninjas under him. So we won''t be able to defeat him by outnumbering him."


    Fujin nodded and said, "You made a good decision by deciding to not attack him. The members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist are generally much stronger than an average Elite Jounin. Tell me his location. I will look into him. No one else from Phantom Haven Society is allowed to attack him."


    Shigeki nodded and informed Fujin about Raiga''s location. Since the Kurosuki family was mining gold, finding Raiga was quite easy.


    After noting down the information, Fujin said, "Alright. Let me meet the new members. I will apply the Phantom Seal on them so that they can enter this base as well. Others can wait here for us to return."


    Fujin and Shigeki left. En route, Fujin asked, "How is your training progressing?"


    Fujin was quite impressed with Shigeki thest time he sparred with him. As a result, he had given him some jutsus and a few tips. Shigeki answered, "It''s going great thanks to you. I can now flicker without making hand seals though the distance is still quite short. I also learnt the Pressure Damage and the des of Wind jutsus. I am currently working on learning how to use the des of Wind jutsu without making hand seals. It will allow me to attack an enemy suddenly."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Good work. Continue training your Body Flicker and des of Wind jutsu. Also, take a look at this book. It might help you be much stronger."


    He handed Shigeki a book. Shigeki epted and opened it. His eyes widened as Fujin said, "One of my colleagues had Wind and Water affinity as well. He spent several decades trying to fuse the two elements in order to create the Ice Release Kekkei Genkai.


    Unfortunately, he didn''t seed. This book has all the information about what he did. You could use it to try and fuse the elements yourself. Perhaps, you might be lucky. However, do it only after you can''t improve your Water and Wind Release anymore. After all, there is no guarantee that you''ll be able to seed in doing this."


    Fujin had created a few copies of the book he had received from Konda Kunio in the Land of Frost. Since he didn''t have a good Water affinity, the book hadn''t been very useful for him. However, it was still a very valuable book. In the eyes of Shigeki, it was a treasure!


    Shigeki immediately thanked Fujin and promised him to do his best to learn it. After receiving so much help from Fujin, he didn''t expect to receive something so valuable. The two reached the mini base and Fujin applied the seal on everyone after a slight talk and exining the Phantom Will to everyone. He paid special attention to ensuring that he made asting impression on the kids.


    They transferred everyone to the main base. Fujin stayed for around half a day in the main base, ensuring that everything was functioning well. He inspected the newly constructed buildings and facilities and also checked out the library which had quite a few scrolls added as the members had added some jutsus that they knew but weren''t in the library.


    He also inquired about what they hade up with to collect information and gave some tips to improve and expand it rapidly. It was the aspect that he was the most interested in. The Phantom Haven Society already had created a small spywork.


    However, it was very rudimentary and only existed in some rural parts of the Land of Rivers. Even then, this small spywork had already shown results! Shigeki and the others had obtained Raiga''s information thanks to this rudimentary spywork. Even though the news made Phantom Haven members feel a headache, it was very beneficial information for Fujin.


    After ensuring that everything was in order, Fujin left. He met up with his clone and took back the scroll before moving towards where Raiga was. En route, his appearance and physique changed, he changed his mask to a Demon mask and changed his cloak as well.


    A smile appeared behind his mask as he thought, ''Raiga Who''d have thought that he woulde up here? I''m already receiving the benefits of having created the Phantom Haven Society. I wanted some solid swords for this identity. To think that I would receive two that would perfectly suit me. First the de of the Thunder Spirit and now the Kiba des... Hehe, this identity is extremely lucky!''


    Fujin began thinking about the Kiba des, ''The Kiba des are nearly the perfect des for a Lightning user. In fact, it might be even better than the de of the Thunder Spirit. The Kiba des are said to be able to control and manipte natural lightning to an extent. They might be the perfect tools to create Kirin.


    Just like the de of the Thunder Spirit, they also have an amplification aspect and hence require very little chakra. That said, I guess it will be inferior to the de of the Thunder Spirit in this regard. I guess using both swords together, the de of the Thunder Spirit for mid-range and the Kiba des for closebat and long distance, would be optimal.


    Oh well, let me get those des first. Killing Raiga with my full strength wouldn''t be an issue. In fact, it might be a bit too easy. Other than Kisame, none of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist are my match. However, he will be a good opponent to test out my progress in Lightning. Since Akuro will be using those des, it''s best to take them using this identity.


    That only leaves one issue I don''t remember properly, but I recall reading about Raiga having a kid with Kekkei Genkai just like how Zabuza had Haku. That said, I have no idea what that Kekkei Genkai actually is Regardless, he could be worth recruiting to the Phantom Haven Society But if I do that, the kid will be aware that Shiden and Akuro are one and the same''


    Fujin thought for a few minutes before deciding, ''Oh well, Shiden can''t defeat someone like Raiga. I''ll just need to apply several seals on the kid if I decide to recruit him. That way, he won''t be able to tell anyone Hmm?''


    Fujin suddenly heard a scream. Fujin looked in the direction of the scream and his eyes glowed. He noticed several minute chakra signatures, meaning that they weren''t ninjas. Fujin wondered, ''44 chakra signatures Is that a small vige?''


    Fujin flickered in that direction to check out what had happened. When he arrived, he was surprised. He muttered, ''Such arge bandit camp I didn''t pay any attention to it as I thought that it was a vige!''


    Fujin had sensed the camp from a long distance away. However, considering the number of people, he expected it to be a vige and didn''t pay any attention. It was only due to the scream that he paid attention to it.


    Fujin couldn''t help but think, ''Raiga and such huge bandit camps Though my purpose for creating the Phantom Haven Society was extremely selfish, seeing the state of the Land of Rivers, it might be a very good thing for the people if Phantom Haven Society reces Tanigakure.


    Despite the existence of a Rogue Elite Jounin, they didn''t issue a mission to Konoha to eliminate him. And they are allowing suchrge bandit camps to thrive in their country. Even their leadership is extremely corrupt. In fact, it is probably the second most corrupt after Kusagakure.''


    Fujin shook his head in disappointment. He muttered, "The next time I visit Tanigakure, I''ll plunder it entirely."


    Immediately, the de of the Thunder Spirit appeared in his hand. Several Lightning bolts moved towards the bandit camp. Before anyone understood what was happening, every bandit was knocked out due to being zapped by Lightning!


    The 12 captive girls, who were being tortured were shocked to see the sudden change. It caused them to be even more afraid and be silent as something had knocked out the strong bandits that had been harassing their vige for months.


    Suddenly, a sound filled the air, "Get dressed and leave."


    The girls didn''t need to be told a second time. Everyone immediately got dressed and rushed out of the camp. They hurried towards their vige. Fujin sent a Shadow Clone to take care of the few people he detected along the path the girls took in case they were bandits as well.


    He looked at the bandits who were unconscious and muttered, "Looks like I have more than enough test subjects."


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 541: Fiery Hell

    Chapter 541: Fiery Hell


    Fujin approached a bandit. The Eight Trigrams Divination Seal appeared on his right palm as he ced the palm on the bandit''s abdomen. Immediately, a seal formed on his abdomen.


    The bandit, who was still unconscious, winced but didn''t wake up. Fujin observed the seal and analyzed, ''That looks about right. Now, let me see how it works.''


    Fujin ced his palm on the seal and inserted some chakra in it. In an instant, the scenery around him changed. Fujin looked around. He was standing in what seemed to be an abandoned cave. The entrance of the cave was locked behind arge gate.


    Fujin observed, ''Hmm, as I guessed. The Eight Trigrams Divination Seal allows us to ess a spiritual space within ourselves. A spiritual space that can be used to seal up massive Tailed Beasts The Four Symbol Seal can also create such a spiritual space, but it isn''t flexible. Only the person and the sealed being can ess it and it doesn''t create such a space when there is nothing sealed inside.


    Anyway, it looks like its appearance differs from person to person. This guy''s spiritual space looks like a cave. I wonder what it will look like for others''


    Fujin immediately began testing it out on the other bandits. As he expected, everyone had a different type of spiritual space. Some had in grasnds, some had buildings, some had mountains, a couple had sea and so on.


    Satisfied with his experiments, Fujin thought with a smile, ''I haven''t made any mistake while creating it. The Eight Trigrams Divination Seal is perfect. Now, I can finally move on to the next step and the difficult part. That is, to improve this seal further! To create a seal that no one has done before! If I can make it as I envisioned, then I could increase my power exponentially. At the very least, I''ll be a step ahead of every rank S ninja. Only the likes of Hashirama and Madara will be stronger than me.


    Unfortunately, this will be very difficult and could be risky. Not to mention, I have to ensure absolute secrecy. And, I need something weaker to test the more advanced seal on. Fortunately, I will have a perfect opportunity not too long from now. I just have to prepare the seal by then''


    Fujin''s smile faded away as he began nning for the future. His eyesnded on the bandits. His hands moved like a blur weaving a set of hand seals. Chakra began emitting from his body. Instead of turning into the wind, it turned the surroundings extremely hot. In the blink of an eye, the entire camp caught fire!


    The houses in the camp, the unconscious bandits and any other object in the camp began burning! The pain caused every bandit to wake up. Their noses were immediately bombarded with the smell of burning flesh. In a fraction of a second, their brains registered the pain they were feeling.


    Terrified screams full of pain and fear could be heard for hundreds of meters around the camp. Unfortunately or fortunately, there was no one around to hear it. The only one who could hear was standing in the middle of the fire,pletely unaffected by the heat and the screams.


    Some bandits managed to get up to their feet and wanted to run away. To their horror, their feet sunk into the ground. They looked down and to their dismay, the ground itself was melting!


    Within a couple of minutes, every bandit met a painful and traumatizing death. The fire had thoroughly destroyed their bodies. Their skins and even their bones had melted! In fact, all signs of the camp had been destroyed. The only thing that was left was the burnt ground!


    The jutsu Fujin had used was Fire Release: Fiery Hell jutsu. During the First Great Ninja War, a dozen ninjas who were under Hiruzen''smand were captured by Kirigakure ninjas and tortured brutally. By the time Hiruzen reached to rescue them, all he found were their tortured and mutted dead bodies. It was then that Hiruzen had created this jutsu to take revenge for his fallenrades.


    When Fujin asked for Hiruzen''s help to learn Earth and Fire jutsus, this was one of the jutsus that he taught to Fujin. As usual, Fujin used an Earth jutsu to bury the burnt soil deep underground and make the ground look as good as new. If someone who didn''t know about the existence of the bandit camp arrived there, they wouldn''t even suspect that there used to be a bandit camp there. Let alone think that the remains of 32 bandits were buried there.


    With the Eight Trigrams Divination Seal tested, Fujin decided, ''I should rest for the night. Though I am stronger, it''ll be best to fight Raiga when I am properly rested. After all, that guy is someone who survived or managed to escape from Might Duy''


    While Fujin was dealing with the bandit camp, his clone ensured that the girls reached their vige and killed a couple of bandits that they encountered. There were a couple of other bandits as well who weren''t in the camp. However, Fujin didn''t care about them. The bandits weren''t ninjas. There was no reason why a few adults from the vige couldn''t deal with a couple of ordinary bandits. And, that was if those two still dared to continue their activities after seeing that their entire camp was missing!


    The next morning, Fujin continued his journey. In a couple of hours, he arrived at the vige where the Kurosuki family had established their base in. As soon as he reached close to the vige, he began hearing loud bells, surprising Fujin who wondered, ''Hmm? What''s happening in the vige?''


    He flickered and appeared atop one of the cliffs surrounding the vige. His eyes glowed as he observed the situation.


    Some distance away from the vige, over a dozen people wearing cloaks were walking towards the graveyard. Four of them were carrying a coffin.


    "Why?"


    "Why?"


    "Why did he have to die so young?"


    Walking behind the ones carrying the coffin, one guy was mourning sorrowfully. Despite his words, there didn''t seem to be any sorrow in his voice or his facial expressions. He continued mourning, "I remember when we met. You were so enthusiastic when I drove away the greedy officials. I remember how happy you were when I threw you into the mines to work for me. I still recall how happy you were to see all your fellow vigers working without any breaks with you! Why did god take away such a kind soul?"


    The group finally reached the graveyard and ced the coffin in a hole. Sounds of struggling and muffled screams could be heard from the coffin. However, none of the cloaked people seem to care. They began pouring soil into the grave.


    While Raiga was mourning, he suddenly heard a worried voice, "Raiga! I can feel that someone is staring at us. I can''t sense where he is at but I have a feeling that he is very strong."


    Raiga was surprised. He softly muttered, "Someone even you can''t sense, Ranmaru?"


    Fujin, who was watching the procession from the top of a cliff, thought, ''Looks like the intel was urate. The person in the coffin is very much alive. Still, they are burying him Oh well, it''s a good thing that they are already in a graveyard. Will save me some time.''


    Fujin continued watching. He obviously wouldn''t go out of his way to save someone and get a weakness while fighting one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. However, he didn''t intend to kill the person either as it was just a civilian. He just waited for them to finish burying him because, ironically, that would soon be the safest position in the graveyard.


    Raiga''s followers continued pouring the soil until the ground was levelled. Raiga was about to say his final condolences when a ragged voice was heard, "A live burial. Hehe, now that''s something I haven''t seen in a long while."


    The sudden words surprised everyone, including Raiga and Ranmaru who didn''t detect anyone. They immediately looked in the direction of the voice and saw Fujin standing there wearing a demon mask and a long ck cloak. Most of them immediately drew their weapons. One of Raiga''s subordinates shouted aggressively, "Who are you? What are you doing here?"


    Fujin chuckled and replied, "Just a traveller. I came looking for a vige to eat some food. Your little show just attracted me here, hehe."


    Raiga''s subordinates immediately became angry as they understood that they were being mocked. One of them said, "You want to eat food? Sure, we will arrange it for you. It shall be yourst meal before your funeral!"


    As he spoke, some of the subordinates began walking towards Fujin. Fujin broke out intoughter and replied, "Hahaha, that sounds fun! You guys seem to be the kind of guys who can arrange for my favorite meal as well."


    Raiga''s subordinates were surprised by such an answer. The only ones who weren''t surprised were Raiga and Ranmaru, who felt that something was odd about the cloaked stranger. Even so, one of his subordinatesughed and asked, "Arrange your favorite meal? Hahaha. Sure we will. What is your favorite meal?"


    Hisughter and the mocking grins of others froze as an arm poked through his chest, holding his heart in his palm. A whisper was heard through the graveyard.


    "Human hearts!"


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 542 - 536 : Clash of Lightning!

    <h4>Chapter 542: Chapter 536 : sh of Lightning!</h4>


    [A/N: We got 6355 Power Stonesst week and were ranked 9th! Keep it up everyone!!!]


    [A/N: Watched Raiga''s filler episodes... I think I have seen the strangest anime character ever ?????


    He is the first (or the only) character to first be shown in Anime (filler) and then incorporated into the manga. But his story is kinda messed up.


    In the Anime, he was said to only be an Anbu when he met Ranmaru and was only able to be one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist with Ranmaru''s help. If Ranmaru didn''t help him, then he wouldn''t be considered a ninja of that level. His strength was very low too considering an unconscious pre-timeskip Lee was able to fight him equally while wearing weights even when Ranmaru assisted him.


    On the other hand, in the manga, he was shown to be one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist during the 3rd Great Ninja War, long before Ranmaru was even born. He was among their ranks when Might Duy wrecked them and managed to survive (though that might be more due to Duy running out of gas) which should imply that he is at least strong enough to not be beaten by pre-timeskip Naruto & Lee.


    Anyway, considering all the inconsistencies, I''ll be taking liberties with Raiga and Ranmaru (Ranmaru''s Kekkei Genkai is another mystery). So you might not find them consistent with manga/anime.]


    Fujin pulled his hand back while holding the heart in his palm. The action of someone so casually ripping the heart out of one of theirrades when they outnumbered him stunned everyone. The body of the ''heartless'' guy fell to the ground. The sound finally snapped everyone back to reality as they grabbed their weapons and shouted, "You are dead!"


    Except for Raiga, everyone rushed towards Fujin. Raiga carefully observed as he wanted his subordinates to test out Fujin.


    Ranmaru, who was hiding in Raiga''s cloak, focused in the direction of Fujin''s voice. His eyes had been glowing red the entire time, however, he still couldn''t see anything. He whispered in a worried tone, "Raiga, I can''t sense him. I am getting a feeling that something or someone is helping him hide from my ability."


    Raiga was surprised. This was the first time Ranmaru''s ability had failed. It was even more surprising as for the first time he could see the person who Ranmaru couldn''t sense.


    While Ranmaru''s Kekkei Genkai was quite strong, it wasn''t a surprise that he wasn''t able to detect Fujin. The reason was very simple. Fujin''s cloak was so densely covered in seals, that there were at least a thousand seals on that cloak, most of which were for stealth and anti-detection. A little kid like Ranmaru didn''t stand a chance against such a cloak despite his Kekkei Genkai.


    Fujin looked at Raiga and his subordinates and thought, ''Hmm? He wants them to test me? Why even bother? He should have guessed by now that I''m not weak.''


    Fujin just sidestepped Raiga''s subordinate who swung a sword vertically at him. At that very moment, a chakra-enhanced punchnded on his abdomen. The punch obliterated his abdomen. His innards were blown at the Raiga and his subordinates, who were immediately covered in blood.


    Before they could register what was happening, another 4 people were blown apart in the same manner by Fujin. Seeing theirrades getting blown up in such a manner finally made them understand the difference in their strength. One of them shouted, "Everyone, gather here!"


    In an instant, all of Raiga''s subordinates retreated to the guy who shouted. In a second, they piled up on top of each other, surprising Fujin who thought, ''Hmm, what are they up to? Still, it''s a surprise that they aren''t terrified yet and are still looking aggressively at me.''


    Whenever Fujin fought against ninjas of minor viges, they always lost their confidence after a few of theirrades died and they understood the difference in the power between Fujin. They generally lost their will to fight and would escape in different directions to survive. To his surprise, these ninjas weren''t afraid to that degree. He looked at Raiga and wondered, ''Is it because they are backed by a former Swordsmen of the Mist?''


    The guy, who had shouted earlier, shouted again, "Ninja Art: ck Tornado."


    Raiga''s subordinates, who had piled on top of each other, spread their arms apart. Retractable des appeared in their arms and they began spinning at a very fast speed. Their spinning made them look like a ck tornado which quickly moved towards Fujin.


    Fujin was surprised by the jutsu and moved back for the first time and wondered, ''It looks like a copy of the Inuzuka technique. The question is, how sharp are those des...''


    Fujin received the answer very quickly as he saw the tornado cutting a boulder in half. His eyes glowed as he observed, ''Hmm, not bad at all. Chakra is flowing through each of those swords. However, their control isn''t very good. It looks like Raiga has been training them to an extent at least. Oh well, whatever. This is enough entertainment.''


    Senbons appeared in Fujin''s hands. Fujin charged them with Lightning and threw them in one smooth action. Despite the ninjas spinning at a high speed and being covered by the tornado and the spinning swords, all 8 senbons pierced through 8 heads in the blink of an eye. Less than a secondter, the ones who were still alive had their heads pierced as well!


    The tornado stopped and their dead bodies flew in every direction due to the momentum of their bodies. Raiga''s expression became very serious. He analyzed, ''Lightning release and such speed! His strength is very high as well. Is he from Kumogakure?''


    Two short des appeared in Raiga''s hands. Fujin''s eyes immediately fell on them. He chuckled and said, "To just watch your subordinates getting ughtered... It seems like you really do love funerals. Should I wait for you toplete their funerals or are you impatient enough for your own?"


    Raiga asked with a grim expression, "Who are you? You couldn''t have just arrived here by chance. What do you want?"


    Fujin replied nonchntly, "I am Akuro. I am looking for some capable subordinates and I heard that a strong ninja was staying here. To be honest, I am disappointed so far. But I suppose I can give you some opportunities to prove yourself. So, are you willing to follow me?"


    Fujin''s words immediately enraged Raiga. While Fujin had disyed some strength, it was far from the level of making someone like Raiga feel threatened. His words were just an insult. He raised his swords and shouted, "Do you think that just killing those fodder would frighten me, a former member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist?"


    ''Lightning Burial: Banquet of Lightning''


    Raiga unleashed the lightning flowing through the Kiba des towards Fujin. It cut through the atmosphere and moved towards Fujin. Fujin looked at the attack and thought, ''Oh well, it was worth a try. Now, which Kekkei Genkai does the kid on his back exactly have? Is it controlling dust?''


    The lightning pierced through Fujin''s body in the blink of an eye. However, no blood was spilled. Instead, Fujin''s image disappeared and Raiga immediately retreated to dodge the iing senbons. He dodged 5 and thest one barely managed to create a cut on his left cheek. He cursed, ''These senbons are too fast! I have to be careful that they don''t hit Ranmaru.''


    From the corner of his eye, Raiga noticed Fujin moving rapidly towards him. He pointed one of his des towards Fujin.


    ''Lightning Release: Lightning Ball jutsu''


    He fired a Lightning ball at Fujin. At the same time, the de of the Thunder Spirit appeared in Fujin''s hand but stayed hidden under his sleeves. Fujin pointed it at the iing Lightning ball.


    ''Lightning Release: Spinning Lightning shot''


    Fujin fired lightning thatpressed into a cone shape and moved forward while spinning like a drill. It pierced through Raiga''s Lightning Ball and reached him in an instant. Raiga fired another Lightning Ball which redirected the Spinning Lightning shot away from him.


    Taking advantage of the time Raiga needed to redirect and dodge the attack, Fujin mmed his hands on the ground.


    ''Lightning Release: Four Pir Bind''


    Four giant rocks were summoned, surrounding Raiga from all sides. Seeing the pirs, Raiga immediately cursed, "Shit! Hang on Ranmaru!"


    He immediately unleashed arge amount of Lightning from his Kiba des. At the same time, the four pirs shot Lightning bolts at Raiga. The Lightning Raiga unleashed stayed around him and he began spinning at a fast speed.


    ''Ninja Art: Thunder Dragon Tornado''


    Raiga''s spinning caused a whirling vortex of wind and electricity to form around him. The four lightning bolts hit the vortex and were stopped by it. Fujin was surprised by the development. He analyzed, ''A Wind and Lightningbination jutsu... Not bad at all. Perhaps I could recreate it. Though I won''t be able to use it as Fujin.''


    Fujin immediately shot a few Lightning-charged senbon at Raiga, but they were deflected due to the lightning spinning in the vortex. The vortex soon took the form of a Dragon. However, Raiga didn''t use it to attack. Instead, he stayed within the dragon and poured his chakra into the Kiba des.


    ''Lightning Release: Fangs of Lightning''


    Raigaunched a Lightning bolt into the sky. It hit the clouds and disappeared. Fujin looked into the sky as his eyes glowed. Soon, surprise appeared on his face. The surprise soon turned into a grin as he muttered to himself, ''It looks like the information was urate. Hehe, now I want these swords even more!''


    As Fujin was staring into the sky, a ''natural'' Lightning bolt fell towards Fujin!


    -----------------------------------


    ()

 Chapter 543: A Scare

    Chapter 543: A Scare


    Fujin looked into the sky and saw a Lightning bolt falling towards him. Even though Raiga controlled the Lightning bolt with the Kiba des, it didn''t include any of his chakra. The Lightning Bolt waspletely natural and hence far more feral.


    However, Fujin didn''t move and instead raised his left arm. A loud sound like the chirping of birds was heard as Fujin intercepted the Lightning bolt with Chidori! Raiga watched with widened eyes as he saw Fujin cutting the Lightning strike! He immediatelyunched the Dragon Thunder Tornado towards Fujin.


    Behind his mask, a wide grin appeared on Fujin''s face. He thought, ''I always wanted to try this. Hehe, the Lightning Cutter indeed. Now, what else can those swords do?''


    Fujin saw the Dragon Thunder Tornadoing towards him. At the same time, his glowing eyes noticed some red dust within the tornado. Fujin''s left palm clenched into a fist as he punched the ground in front of him with a lot of strength.


    The chakra-enhanced punchpletely wrecked the ground, creating a giant crater. At the same time, several rocks wereunched out of the ground and hit the Dragon Thunder Tornado, disrupting itpletely and stopping it from approaching Fujin any longer. The red dust was also sent in the opposite direction. The impact was so strong that the force of the punch caused even the ground under Raiga''s feet to copse!


    He immediately flickered away while thinking, ''Who is this guy? He uses lightning-charged weapons like Kumo ninjas, can cut Lightning like the Copy Ninja and has the same monstrous strength as Konoha''s Sannin. Did hee all the way here to just insult me and mess up with my ns?''


    Raiga didn''t get any time to think about the answers to his questions as more lightning-charged senbons wereunched at him. He dodged a few and blocked the rest with his sword.


    "Behind us." Raiga''s eyes widened as he heard Ranmaru''s voice and sensed a massive chakra. He turned around and saw a massive Lightning Waveing towards him. Fujin had used the amplification of the de of the Thunder Spirit to amplify a supercharged False Darkness jutsu to a ridiculous level.


    Raiga instinctively used Fang of Lightning jutsu and flickered away. A Lightning bolt fell from the clouds on Fujin. However, Fujin just sidestepped the Lightning strike and controlled the False Darkness jutsu to chase after Raiga.


    Raiga continued running away whileunching more Lightning Fangs on Fujin, who continued sidestepping the Lightning strikes and focused on hunting Raiga. Raiga immediately realized, ''I can''t continue this. I can only dodge a few more times before being hit but he looks like he can dodge me all day. Not to mention, I''ll run out of chakra very quickly at this rate.''


    Raiga used the Fang of Lightning once again. This time, Fujin was surprised. Instead of being aimed at him, the Lightning was aimed at Raiga himself! Raiga raised his swords and let the Lightning strike hit himself. A fraction of a secondter, the amplified False Darkness jutsu hit Raiga, creating an explosion. However, there was no joy on Fujin''s face. Instead, he was confused.


    Fujin could sense that neither Raiga nor Ranmaru were injured. He wondered, ''What the hell happened? Did he somehow use that Lightning strike to neutralize my attack? But how? That Lightning strike fell a few moments before my jutsunded.''


    As the dust and smoke due to the explosion cleared, Fujin''s eyes widened. Fujin, who had beenpletely assured of his victory and quite rxed in the fight, suddenly raised his guard to the maximum.


    In a sh, one of the seals on his bracer lit up and 4 dozen kunai appeared. Each of them wasunched into the surroundings and dug into the ground! While the kunai looked normal, it had one speciality that others couldn''t notice. Each of the kunai had a special mark, the Flying Thunder God mark!


    And the reason why Fujin resorted to it was due to what he was seeing. In front of him were Raiga and Ranmaru covered in Lightning Armor! It looked very simr to the Raikage''s Lightning Chakra Mode.


    Fujin cursed, ''What the fuck? Since when did Raiga learn the Lightning Chakra Mode? What the hell is he doing in this remote ce if he is this strong? Shit, this fight will be a lot more difficult. I can''t hold back. I might need to use everything at my disposal!''


    Fujin knew fully well how ridiculously strong Raikage''s Lightning Chakra Mode was. It provided the ninja with ridiculous speed and defenses along with a strong attacking power. As fast as he was, Fujin wasn''t arrogant enough to think that he could keep up with that without resorting to Flying Thunder God.


    He didn''t think that his Lightning jutsus would be able to pierce through those defenses either. He saw no choice but to stop hiding his Wind jutsus. Fujin had only one jutsu that could guarantee a kill against the cloak of Lightning. That was the Rasenshuriken. However, his clones needed a long time to create it, which would allow Raiga to dispel his clones long before they created the jutsu. Hence, he could only hope that the Vacuum jutsus would work.


    Raiga immediately noticed the change in Fujin''s attitude and wondered, ''Why did he be so alert all of a sudden?''


    He softly asked, "Ranmaru, can you see him now?"


    Ranmaru replied, "I still can''t see him. I can only sense him when he builds up a high amount of chakra. Also, I can hear his movements now. I will be able to spot him in the mist."


    Raiga replied, "Good. I''ll test his closebat first."


    With the Kiba des in his hand, Raiga moved towards Fujin at a rapid speed. However, confusion appeared in Fujin''s eyes once again as he wondered, ''Why hasn''t his speed increased? Or is he just pretending to be slow so that he can catch me off guard? Whatever the case, I need to be ready to teleport at any point.''


    Fujin didn''t lower his guard and waited for Raiga to attack. Raiga reached Fujin and attacked him with his swords. Knowing that the de of the Thunder Spirit won''t be able to block the Kiba des, Fujin retreated a few steps andunched more lightning-charged senbons at an extremely close range.


    To Fujin''s surprise, Raiga actually blocked the senbons with his des instead of trusting his armor. He muttered, ''Strange Very strange Is this not Lightning Chakra Mode? Or is he pretending?''


    Raiga continued moving towards Fujin. Fujin moved towards him as well andunched more senbons simultaneously, forcing Raiga to block again. While he blocked, Fujinnded a kick on Raiga''s right side. Needless to say, Fujin had concentrated as much chakra as he could in a short time.


    Raiga''s Thunder Armor was hit. The force of the kick was so high that it broke through everyyer of the Thunder Armor andnded on the right side of Raiga''s abdomen. He and Ranmaru wereunched horizontally like a cannonball and crashed into the mountain.


    Fujin didn''t chase after them and just analyzed, ''Weak That was too weak! That defense probably isn''t even 1% of Raikage''s defense. The only good thing was that the armor absorbed the impact of my kick and spread it throughout the armor. Otherwise, that kick might have been just enough to cripple him despite having the armor.''


    Fujin sighed internally, ''What a bummer. This guy scared me for no reason. I even brought out the Flying Thunder God kunais''


    What Raiga had used was just a jutsu he created with the help of the Kiba des. The jutsu was called Lightning Release: Lightning Strike Armor. Its main use was enhanced defenses. It didn''t provide any increase in speed nor did it have any offensive capabilities other than zapping anyone who touched it. So even though it looked like the Lightning Chakra Mode, it was nowhere near its level.


    Of course, it wasn''tpletely useless. Raiga used the defense provided by the armor withoutpromising on speed to engage opponents in closebat. Since his armor could resist ordinary attacks, it allowed Raiga to focuspletely on his offense, providing him with a huge advantage. Other than ninjas at or close to rank S power level, everyone would struggle against thisbination.


    Raiga coughed blood as he gathered himself. Ranmaru was hurt as well due to the crash. Fortunately, Raiga had used his own body as the shield to prevent him from getting harmed a lot, something that Fujin found very peculiar. Ranmaru endured the pain to not distract Raiga. He asked, "Raiga, are you alright?"


    Riaga coughed a couple of times more and said, "Some of my ribs are damaged, but I should still be able to fight. Track and inform me about his movements."


    ''Hidden Mist jutsu''


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 544: Uncharacteristic Obsession

    Chapter 544: Uncharacteristic Obsession


    The graveyard and the area around it were soon covered in mist. Fujin didn''t bother stopping it as the jutsu was pretty much useless against him. Yet, he was surprised as he wondered, ''Is Raiga confident in being able to detect me in such dense mist? Does that kid have more capabilities other than controlling that red dust?


    I still don''t understand what that red dust can do. I thought that it might be something simr to Gaara but that doesn''t seem to be the case. Also, why does Raiga care so much for him? It is so uncharacteristic for him to be so concerned. I initially assumed that it might be a rtionship simr to Zabuza and Haku but that doesn''t seem to be the case. Though there is a chance that he might just be acting. Oh well, I''ll find out all the answers soon.''


    A thick mist cover engulfed the entire area. Fujin changed his location and activated his chakra field and Space Time Sensing Technique. What he sensed surprised him once again! With his chakra field, Fujin sensed 16 chakra signatures gathered in groups of 2 or 3. However, with his Space Time Sensing Technique, he detected just one disturbance. And, his chakra field couldn''t detect any chakra signature at that ce. It was the first time Fujin had gotten twopletely opposite results from his two sensing techniques!


    6 Shadow Clones appeared around Fujin. They flickered to investigate those 16 chakra signatures. Meanwhile, Raiga asked, "Where is he, Ranmaru?"


    Ranmaru nervously replied, "I can feel that he is sensing us but he hasn''t been able to find us. However, I can''t detect him anymore. I can''t hear any sound from him."


    Ranmaru was confused. He didn''t understand what was happening with this opponent. It was the first time he had experienced something like this. On the other hand, Raiga was easily able to understand due to his vast experience. He figured out, ''Ranmaru was able to hear him earlier because he didn''t bother reducing the noise of his movements while fighting against me.


    However, in the mist, he is paying special attention to ensure that his movements are as quiet as possible. It''s the good old hunting in the mist then. That said, I need to be careful. Something about him feels off. It''s as if he is hiding something. I also don''t understand why he threw the kunai around when I used Lightning Strike Armor.''


    Raiga changed his position as well. Though Ranmaru wasn''t much help, he had decades of experience in fighting in the mist. It far exceeded Fujin''s total experience. If not for the Space Time Sensing Technique, Fujin would have been at a disadvantage in the mist as long as he didn''t use Wind jutsus.


    Fujin''s clones reached the chakra signatures Fujin had sensed. As expected, there wasn''t anyone there. Instead, red dust was present there. His clones analyzed, ''I see, the red dust can cloud my judgment of chakra. It can create fake chakra signatures and can probably hide the real chakra signatures as well. No wonder my chakra field didn''t sense their real bodies. Still This ability means that they think that I can''t sense them, hehe.''


    Fujins''s clones dispelled themselves and sent the memories back to him. A smile appeared on his face as he muttered, ''You didn''t think that you''d be the prey in this hunting ground you created, did you Raiga?''


    Fujin stealthily moved towards Raiga. Since he still hadn''t been attacked in the mist, Fujin was sure that Raiga couldn''t sense him. Even so, Fujin knew that he couldn''t overdo it. If he built up his chakra, Raiga would feel it easily. Even without it, an experienced ninja like Raiga would have a very high sense of danger. So, Fujin knew that he would have only one chance of ambushing. If he failed, then Raiga would disperse the mist, understanding his disadvantageous position.


    Raiga was moving stealthily in the mist to find signs of Fujin. Unknown to him, Fujin appeared just a few meters behind him. Fujin pointed the de of the Thunder Spirit at him. In an instant, a Lightning de appeared and extended straight ahead for 10 meters!


    Raiga waspletely unaware of the danger. Even so, he moved his body to his left instinctively. The Lightning de pierced through the right side of his abdomen, electrocuting him and burning the organs that it passed through. At the same time, a bloodcurdling scream was heard! It came from Ranmaru whose right leg had been pierced by the Lightning de. Raiga could endure the pain, but Ranmaru couldn''t.


    Raiga became worried for Ranmaru but understood that he couldn''t afford to get distracted. He gritted his teeth andunched a Lightning ball behind him in less than a fraction of a second after he was hit. Despite his quick action, it was too slow for Fujin who anticipated and dodged the attack while getting closer to Raiga at the same time. The Lightning de transformed into a Lightning Whip as he swung it again at Raiga.


    Raiga raised his swords to defend the attack. The Lightning Whip hit the Kiba des. The Lightning Whip was blocked, but to Raiga''s surprise, it somehow forced the Kiba des to stay in the same spot, making it difficult for him to withdraw the des. While he would need less than a second to free his swords, Fujin didn''t give him the time. He appeared in front of him and kicked his chest.


    The chakra-concentrated kick brutally damaged his chest, destroying several ribs and damaging his lungs and even his heart! He spat blood as he flew backwards leaving his des with the Lightning Whip. Ranmaru, who was in a bag on his back, was also sent flying away from him as well.


    Fujin created two Shadow Clones. One flickered to Ranmaru while the other followed Raiga. Meanwhile, Fujin observed the swords for a second before storing them in a storage scroll. His main objective for fighting Raiga had been achieved. His Akuro identity now had 3 excellent swords! The collection of his swords was actually better than what Fujin used normally!


    One of Fujin''s clones flickered next to Ranmaru''s bag, caught it and flickered a few hundred meters. Fujin still wasn''t sure what his Kekkei Genkai was. Knowing the deadly techniques that existed in the Naruto World, he wasn''t interested in bing arrogant and taking any needless risk.


    His other clone flickered next to Raiga and mmed his palm on his abdomen. It caused Raiga even more pain. More importantly, the Self Cursing Seal was applied on his abdomen, restricting his movements and ess to his chakra. However, instead of being concerned about his situation, Raiga''s mind was focused on Ranmaru who wasunched away from him. Despite being restricted by the curse seal and in great pain, he still managed to open his mouth and frantically asked, "Ranmaru! Where is Ranmaru?"


    This development surprised Fujin once again. He thought, ''His personality doesn''t entirely match with Konoha''s intel. To think that someone as sick and bloodthirsty as him would be more concerned about a kid''s life other than his own. Not to mention, that kid isn''t his either.''


    Raiga increasingly became more frantic. Had he not been critically injured, he might have broken the curse seal with just his will. Suddenly, he heard Fujin''s voice, "Raiga Kurosuki, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist known for your brutality and bloodthirsty nature. To think that you would be so attached to a child. I have to admit, that isn''t something I expected."


    Fujin''s eyes glowed while he talked. He was inspecting Raiga, wondering whether he was under any influence. However, he didn''t find anything strange. Yet, he couldn''t help but feel that something was wrong with Raiga. His obsession with the kid seemed very unnatural. He couldn''t help but think, ''Don''t tell me Orochimaru''s fetishes have been spreading throughout Kiri. That would be a rather disturbing sight.''


    Raiga couldn''t care less about Fujin''s confusion and kept shouting, "What did you do with Ranmaru? Bastard! Who even are you? Why did youe here to separate me and Ranmaru?"


    ''Unnatural This is too unnatural!'' Fujin thought. He said, "Tell me who that kid is, what his abilities are and why you are so concerned about him. If you can convince me, I''ll let you meet him."


    Raiga immediately said, "He is my family. He is the only one whopletes me. Bring him to"


    Raiga''s words were stuck in his mouth as his throat was shed! Fujin muttered, "Since you thought about the answers, I can just find the truth myself."


    Fujin ced his palm on Raiga''s head and inserted Yin chakra into his brain.


    In a remote vige in the Land of River, which was only known for its proximity to a Gold Mine, Raiga Kurosuki, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, met his end! It was the second one who had fallen by Fujin''s de!


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 545: An Overpowered Kekkei Genkai

    Chapter 545: An Overpowered Kekkei Genkai


    Seeing Raiga''s state of mind, Fujin understood that he wouldn''t be able to get clear answers for him. Even if he did, he couldn''t be sure whether the answers were truthful, lies or Raiga''s delusions. The reason why he asked those questions was to make Raiga subconsciously think about them, making Fujin''s job of reading his memories easier.


    While Fujin was dealing with Raiga, Fujin''s clone set the bag on the ground. His eyes glowed as he observed, ''The bag is full of red dust making it difficult for me to sense. Oh well, let me see what ability this kid has and how he made someone as heartless as Raiga be so concerned about him.''


    The clone pointed a finger at Ranmaru. A small lightning bolt shot from the tip of his finger and pierced into the bag, zapping Ranmaru. He yelped and immediately lost consciousness. The red dust disappeared as soon as he lost consciousness. Fujin''s clone opened the bag and ced the young boy on the ground. He ced his palm on Ranmaru''s forehead and inserted Yin chakra into his brain to read his mind as well.


    While Fujin was reading Raiga''s memories, his Shadow Clone flickered away and reached the graveyard where someone had been buried alive not too long ago. Since not much time had passed, that man was still alive. Fujin''s clone created a small tiny hole from the ground to the coffin. He created a hole in the coffin to ensure that air would keep flowing into the coffin. He then stayed in the area to ensure that no one came to disturb Fujin or his clone.


    Since Raiga had been thinking about Ranmaru during the time of his death, Fujin managed to read all of Raiga''s memories rted to Ranmaru and some other matters in around 10 minutes. The more he read the more confused he became. At the same time, a sense of alertness appeared in his eyes.


    Fujin analyzed, ''This is weird Too weird! Someone as heartless as Raiga felt pity for the kid while he was ughtering an entire vige. Even though Ranmaru spoke some words to disy sympathy, how can one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist be manipted this easily? Even Naruto''s Talk-no-jutsu might not have such an effect.


    What''s even weirder is that Raiga''s obsession with Ranmaru just kept increasing over time. And it isn''t like Zabuza whose affection for Haku grew naturally over time. It''s some weird sort of obsession that made Raiga care far more for the kid than even himself. He truly believed that he would be iplete without Ranmaru.''


    A frown appeared on Fujin''s face as he muttered, "It''s almost like he was under some Genjutsu or perhaps on some drugs. Was it this kid or was it someone else?"


    Obito''s image appeared in Fujin''s mind, but he couldn''t think of any reason for Obito to do something like that. Fujin sealed Raiga''s body while thinking, ''I''ll read the rest of Raiga''s memoriester. I will be able to learn a lot of Kiri''s secrets from him. It might be helpful at some point in the future.


    Those two missing Chunin squads from Konoha were also buried by him. I will need to capture some of his subordinates who were present then so that I''ll have an excuse to give to Hiruzen on how I found them.


    I''ll keep Raiga''s dead body with me instead of cremating and burying the remains like I usually do. Since no one knows that it was me who killed Raiga, it will be safe to use him for Edo Tensei after I learn that jutsu. Though he won''t have the swords, he is still stronger than an average Elite Jounin.''


    Fujin flickered next to the clone who was standing in the graveyard and said, "Watch over the other clone from a distance. Check if there are any issues. Inform me once he is done."


    The clone nodded and flickered away. Unlike Fujin who only read a part of Raiga''s memories, his clone was reading all the memories of Ranmaru. So, he needed far longer. Fujin stayed in the graveyard while nning what to do next.


    While Fujin was waiting for his clone to be done, the vigers who were working in the mine and a few of Raiga''s subordinates who were overlooking the mine looked towards the graveyard from a long distance away with some fear.


    Not too long ago, Lightning had been raining down nonstop around the graveyard. Loud explosions were also heard continuously. They understood that an intense fight was taking ce there. However, even after the fight stopped, no one appeared.


    After waiting for 15 minutes, a couple of Kurosuki family members went to check the situation. However, they didn''t return to inform the rest of the situation. No one dared to walk towards the graveyard again.


    Around an hourter, Fujin''s clone was finally done. He dispelled himself and Fujin received the memories. His mind immediately got to work. The first question that arose in his mind was, ''Which Kekkei Genkai is this?''


    Fujin was both surprised and impressed by Ranmaru''s Kekkei Genkai. He thought, ''It is remarkable. If Danzo or Hiruzen knew about this boy, both would have gone to any extent to get him under theirmand, make him loyal to them and perhaps start a new n in Konoha.


    The basic ability of his Dojutsu is to see past obstacles and see for long distances, just like the Byakugan. In some aspects, it is actually superior to the Byakugan. The perception and the analytical powers this Dojutsu grants are excellent atprehending hidden detail. It was this aspect that caught Raiga off guard as Ranmaru could analyze him perfectly and was an important reason for Raiga to take Ranmaru with him instead of killing him.


    Just this ability would have been very good, but his Kekkei Genkai has more features. He can create and control small amounts of red dust. This red dust can be used for masking his and even Raiga''s chakra signatures. That was what allowed them to hide from my chakra field. In addition, the red dust can also be used to fabricate perfect chakra signatures to confuse sensors and Byakugan users.


    In addition, his eyes can also urately tell whether someone is alive or dead by checking what he thinks is Life Force. What''s even more absurd is that he can transfer his own Life Force to others and revive them from a near-death situation. That''s the same as the freaking Kinjutsu Chiyo developed after decades of research!


    Seriously, what the fuck is up with this absurd Kekkei Genkai? I had initially thought that it might be Ketsuryugan of the Chinoike n that the Uchiha n exiled. But it is quite different and probably much more useful.''


    Fujin could easily see the advantage of being able to transfer Life Force to heal anyone. If Ranmaru was trained to be an Elite Jounin, then he could assist a rank S ninja and essentially give them a second chance in battle. In a major war, this ability was too precious and incredibly dangerous for any enemy force. And that was just with one Ranmaru. What if there were a dozen like him?


    And that was just the basic application. Since it could transfer ''Life Force'', the first question that popped into Fujin''s brain was whether this ability could be used to increase lifespan!


    Fujin thought for a while before concluding, ''Probably not. However, even if there is a small chance, there is no reason to not test it. If I need Life Force in the future for some reason, then it''ll be good to have a way to get it.


    Even without it, just having someone who can save me from the brink of death is a good thing. Once my Flying Thunder God range can cover thousands of kilometers, I could just teleport next to him and get him to heal me in a few seconds.


    Guess I will recruit him after all. That said, I still need to be careful. There are a few things that still don''t make sense.


    For starters, Raiga''s obsession with Ranmaru. From Ranmaru''s memories, he didn''t do anything to make Raiga more obsessed with him. Instead, Raiga''s obsession just increased slowly over time. It became so big that it was the main reason for him to leave Kirigakure and be a rogue ninja. He came all the way here to create a new faction where the two of them would be in charge of everything.


    So either Raiga developed some mental problems or Ranmaru used some ability subconsciously to influence Raiga and make him more obsessed. Considering Ranmaru''s past, I''d say that it is thetter.''


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 546: Creating a Kekkei Genkai?

    Chapter 546: Creating a Kekkei Genkai?


    Fujin continued analyzing, ''Before he met Raiga, Ranmaru was a crippled orphan who couldn''t walk. While it is understandable for everyone to feel pity for him, the amount of help he got from the vigers increased significantly once he awakened the red dust ability. Until he exposed his abilities and scared everyone away, the vige was obsessed with ensuring his well-being. The only difference is that they weren''t as obsessed as Raiga, but that could be because none of them spent as much time with him as Raiga.


    If it is a part of his Kekkei Genkai, then that would mean that he has some means of mentally influencing those whoe in contact with him. I have a feeling that this is the feature of that red dust due to that incident, though I could be wrong. Regardless, I will have to be mindful of my feelings when interacting with him.


    If it feels like I am getting influenced, then I''ll be better off killing him on the spot. If I leave him in the Phantom Haven with this broken ability, I''ll lose control of the organization very easily. It''s not something I want to see.


    Another thing that doesn''t make any sense is this Kekkei Genkai itself. There is no record of such a Kekkei Genkai in Konoha''s library. It could mean one of three things. The first possibility is that the previous users of this Kekkei Genkai died centuries ago and this Kekkei Genkai has been lying dormant since then.


    The second is that all the users of this Kekkei Genkai hide it, sort of like the Jashin Priests who stay hidden from public view. And, thest possibility is that this Kekkei Genkai has been created by that kid! If he managed to create this Kekkei Genkai without any bloodline, then''


    Fujin''s breathing became slightly rougher as he realized the implications of it. Fujin had long wanted to create a Kekkei Genkai. Even though he had been busy and couldn''t invest much time to actually try it, Fujin did think of it quite frequently and did some small experiments. Unfortunately, he never had any luck.


    As a result, Fujin understood very well how difficult it was to create Kekkei Genkai when you didn''t have the bloodline. And that was when Fujin tried to recreate an already existing Kekkei Genkai with elements that he had practiced for years. If he were to try creating a Kekkei Genkai that didn''t exist in that world, the difficulty level might increase by several hundred times!


    Fujin analyzed, ''If that is the case, then this kid is an unprecedented talent! In the current generation, only Naruto and Sasuke would be more talented. He might give me clues on how to actually create a Kekkei Genkai.


    Looking at his past, he obviously couldn''t create the Kekkei Genkai on purpose. If he did create it, then it was created subconsciously. And the Kekkei Genkai that was created perfectly suits his needs. And somehow, the Kekkei Genkai kept evolving to suit any more of his desires.


    The first aspect of the Kekkei Genkai that manifested was the red dust. It actually manifested one day when he had been starving for several days and would have likely died if no one fed him. However, once the red dust manifested, everyone in the vige slowly began caring for him.


    Due to being born as a cripple, he couldn''t go outside to see the outside world. He yearned to see the outside world. And, the second ability that he developed allows him to see through obstacles and for long distances like the Byakugan.


    Finally, he discovered his ability to supply Life Force when Raiga was critically injured one day and he saved his life by transferring his Life Force and healing Raiga. This makes me wonder whether this Kekkei Genkai still has any scope to improve If so, then how far can it go?''


    Fujin was tempted to see that. Unfortunately, he couldn''t stay with Ranmaru for a long time to test it out. Taking him back to Konoha was out of the question as Hiruzen would take him. Keeping him in Phantom Haven was risky as well due to his ability. That more or less eliminated the two identities that Fujin could use.


    As for his third identity, that was the identity that killed Raiga! There was no way in hell Ranmaru would follow Akuro. Fujin thought for some time beforeing up with a n. He muttered, "I guess that''s the only choice."


    Fujin flickered and appeared next to the unconscious Ranmaru. Hisst clone had been keeping an eye on Ranmaru the whole time. Several seals appeared on Fujin''s palm which were quickly ced on Ranmaru. For the next half an hour, Fujin carefully ced seals on Ranmaru''s body.


    Once he was done, he checked the seals a couple of times before nodding. He extended two fingers and tapped on Ranmaru''s forehead. In an instant, all the seals on his body began glowing and connected with each other, forming onerge pattern. Soon after, every seal on his body disappeared. Just an empty circle was left on his forehead with three lines extending on both sides of the circle.


    Fujin thought, ''Perfect. I''ll call this seal the Kekkei Genkai Seal! A shame that this seal has to be tailored to an individual which requires a lot of time to observe them properly. Hence, I can''t make the seal imprint. Otherwise, this would be a rather useful seal to deal with those pesky Mangekyou and Rinnegan users.


    Regardless, from today onwards, he won''t be able to use his Kekkei Genkai abilities unless I lift this seal. This should stop whatever it is that makes people obsessed with him. If it doesn''t, then killing him would be the only option.


    That said, even though he can''t remove the seal, another Grandmaster can do so easily. I''ll have to add my imprint on the seal to prevent others from doing so. However, that requires his permission''


    A sparkle appeared on Fujin''s finger and a small electric shock hit Ranmaru. It wasn''t painful, it just forced him awake. As soon as his eyes opened, he saw the person who they were fighting against.


    Ranmaru quickly looked around but couldn''t see Raiga. Fearing the worst, he asked, "Where is Raiga?"


    Fujin replied in a single word, "Dead."


    Ranmaru''s eyes widened for a moment before going back to normal. Fujin''s clone had knocked Ranmaru out a few seconds before Fujin had killed Raiga. So Ranmaru didn''t sense his death.


    Ranmaru looked at Fujin and said, "I was born as a cripple. Until I met Raiga, my life had no meaning. When we met, I became his eyes and ears while he became my hands and feet. Together, we explored the world.


    Raiga and I were finding the meaning of our lives by living for each other. We were convinced that we found the answer. That''s why, if Raiga is gone, I have no reason to live. Without him, I have no purpose in this world. No cause to exist.


    There is no need for me to be here any longer. You can kill me and set me free."


    Ranmaru''s choice of words surprised Fujin. He thought, ''Interesting. Even though he is epting his fate, his choice of words will inevitably invoke a sense of sympathy within most people. Combined with that red dust ability, no wonder Raiga spared him. I wonder how it would have impacted me had I not sealed his abilities.''


    Seeing that Fujin wasn''t doing anything, Ranmaru said, "Go on, why do you hesitate?"


    Fujin chuckled and replied in his heavy voice, "Hehe, you are an interesting kid. I never expected that a child would ept his death so calmly. Perhaps if Raiga was as calm as you, he might have still been alive."


    Fujin extended his fingers towards Ranmaru''s forehead and said, "Since you are so calm, I''ll grant you a painless death."


    Ranmaru closed his eyes as Fujin''s fingers touched his forehead. However, he didn''t feel anything else. It was as if it was an ordinary tap. Fujin just took the opportunity of Ranmaru''s willingness to ept death to apply his imprint on the Kekkei Genkai Seal, ensuring that no one could remove his seal any longer!


    He chuckled internally while thinking, ''Well look at that. He is actually willing to die. There was no resistance at all. No wonder his words feel so genuine. Tsk, to do so without a scheming mind. He will have a talentparable to Naruto in talk-no-jutsu. I wonder how strong he will be with proper guidance.''


    Ranmaru opened his eyes and asked, "Why did you stop?"


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 547: Controlling Lightning

    Chapter 547: Controlling Lightning


    Ranmaru asked, "Why did you stop?"


    Fujin pulled his hand back and said, "Your words intrigued me. You said that you had found the meaning of your life. What did you find?"


    Ranmaru replied, "It''s as I said. Ipleted Raiga and Raigapleted me. That was the meaning of our lives. We are two people who have different bodies but the same mind."


    "Hehehe Hahahaha!" Fujin broke out in a burst of loudughter. Ranmaru didn''t understand the meaning of theughter but didn''t say anything. After half a minute, Fujin finally controlled himself and said, "That''s the most delusional thing I have heard in my life."


    He looked into Ranmaru''s eyes and continued, "I don''t know what the two of you have been doing before you reached this vige, but here, all you did was enve the vigers and force them to work for you. In addition, you buried several defenseless vigers alive. Vigers who were no different from cripples in Raiga''s eyes.


    Is the meaning you found in your life? Hahaha, that''s the most bizarre thing I have heard."


    Ranmaru replied, "We came here to free people from the tyrannical taxes that were imposed on them."


    Fujinughed again and said, "Oh really? Of all the ces, you came to ''rescue'' the vige that has a gold mine? Do you think that making them work like a ve and burying them alive is helping them? Hahaha. You are one sadistic bastard."


    Fujin''s words surprised Ranmaru. It was important to remember that Ranmaru was just a child. He stayed in his house all the time since he couldn''t walk outside. And once Raiga took him away, he always stayed with Raiga. As a result, his sense of morality wasn''t normal in any sense. Hearing Fujin''s words, Ranmaru began introspecting.


    Fujin touched Ranmaru''s forehead once again with two fingers and said, "I have changed my mind. I won''t kill you. However, I will make you experience how life is for a person without any abilities. From this day onwards, you won''t be able to use your Dojutsu. Only when you have helped 100 times the people you and Raiga harmed, you will be able to use your abilities again. Hehe, enjoy your new life! Perhaps you might find the real meaning of your life."


    As those words fell on Ranmaru''s ears, he fell unconscious. However, even when he was unconscious, he kept hearing those words! It was as if those words were imprinted on his brain!


    Fujin picked Ranmaru up and flickered back to the graveyard. He ced his unconscious body there and disappeared once again. Secondster, the soil covering one of the graves suddenly shifted apart. The coffin lid cracked and crumbled and the restraints tying the person inside the coffin were cut apart by the wind.


    The man opened his eyes. His fists and legs were bleeding as he had tried for over an hour to break out of the coffin. He had given up but as soon as he saw the light, he pulled at his restraints with as much force as he could. To his surprise, he managed to break free. He quickly crawled out of the coffin and took heavy breaths.


    He looked around fearfully to see if Raiga and his men were still around. To his relief, he didn''t see anyone. And, to his horror, he noticed a lot of blood! He got up and nervously checked the bodies that were lying around in the graveyard. His eyes widened as he realized that they were the dead bodies of the Kurosuki family members!


    He was stunned for a moment. Soon, he began crying. However, those were tears of joy. He looked at the skies and muttered, "God finally took justice for us!"


    He was about to run to his vige when he suddenly noticed a small kid. He looked at Ranmaru and wondered, ''Who is this kid? And how did hee here? Whatever, since God showed me mercy, I should look after this child.''


    He picked up Ranmaru and began moving towards the vige. Unknown to him, a pair of eyes were watching him. Fujin had left a Shadow Clone to keep an eye on Ranmaru. The clone thought, ''Good, exactly as I wanted. If he didn''t do that, I would have had to put him under a Genjutsu.''


    Meanwhile, the people in the mines were still quite confused. The Kurosuki family members made the people get back to mining as Raiga wouldn''t like it if they stopped. Work was happening as usual in the gold mine when suddenly a few heads flew in the air. All the Kurosuki family members were killed!


    Well, all but two members. Those two were inside a cave in the mine. They were about toe out when they saw theirrades who were standing at the entrance of the cave suddenly copse! In fear, both hid inside the cave. They only dared toe out after several hours. After seeing the headless bodies of all theirrades in the Gold Mine, both ran away without any hesitation. Unknown to them, they were followed by another Shadow Clone of Fujin.


    In the vige, the man who was buried alive returned and informed everyone about what he saw at the graveyard. Around the same time, the workers in the mine also returned and informed the vige about how everyone from the Kurosuki family was dead or missing. The vige immediately broke into celebration.


    Since Ranmaru was found at the ce where the dead bodies of the Kurosuki family members were found, he was considered a lucky charm. The vigers took care of him. They were surprised to find that he was a cripple after he woke up. However, they still arranged for his food and had their best doctor take a look at him.


    As for the one who had created this entire situation, he was standing atop one of the cliffs a few dozen kilometers away from the vige. Fujin was still in his Akuro disguise. He was holding the Kiba des. He ate a special soldier pill while thinking, ''Time to test these des. Then I''ll go and pick up Ranmaru.''


    Fujin raised the Kiba des and crossed them above his head. He remembered the process from Raiga''s memories and controlled his Lightning chakra in the same manner. Immediately, a Lightning ball began forming between his two swords.


    He shot the Lightning Ball into the valley and analyzed, ''Hmm, not bad. This sword is rtively easy to use. However, it could be more because I am already used to using the de of the Thunder Spirit. Regardless, it shouldn''t take much time to learn all of Raiga''s jutsus. Mastering them might need some time though.


    These des also have an amplification factor like the de of the Thunder Spirit. However, it is only around 3 to 4 times. A shame that I can''t stack up the buffs of these two swords and the de of the Thunder Spirit. If I could, then blowing up the entire Root headquarters wouldn''t have been an issue.


    Unfortunately, I need to control my chakra properly while using the amplification feature of either of the des. Once the amplification urs, I can''t control that chakra like the chakra in my body. I can only use it to create a jutsu and fire it. If I transfer it to another de, then even though the amplification might ur, I won''t be able to use it to create a jutsu.


    That said, I wonder if there are any tools in this world that allow a direct amplification of chakra while still allowing me to control it freely If so, then I might be able to use that to stack up amplifications. Unfortunately, considering that there isn''t any record of it, it probably doesn''t exist...


    Anyway, another restriction of the Kiba des is that these des aren''t as versatile as the de of the Thunder Spirit when ites to channelling jutsus. Raiga spent a long time trying to figure out the optimal jutsus for the de. I won''t be able to use this de for other jutsus.


    Fortunately, I don''t have a need to do so. I just need one jutsu!''


    Fujin pointed both his Kiba des towards the sky and flowed his Lightning Chakra into the de. He fired a Lightning bolt from the des into the clouds.


    He closed his eyes and felt his chakra that dispersed into the cloud. Normally, he wouldn''t be able to control that chakra. However, with the Kiba des, he could sense the changes that chakra caused in the sky very clearly and control it to an extent.


    Fujin looked at the skies and thought, ''Incredible! It''s as if the main purpose of this sword is to control Lightning. The Lightning chakra I fired is stimting the formation of Lightning in the cloud. Though it takes some seconds, I''ll be able to control when and where the Lightning falls.''


    As soon as he felt that it was ready, Fujin pointed his Kiba des towards one of the other cliffs. A Lightning bolt fell towards the cliff from the sky. However, it missed the mark and struck on its slopes.


    Fujin muttered, "I will need to work on perfecting my aim."


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 548: A Little Play (1)

    Chapter 548: A Little y (1)


    "Daimyo-sama! The environment finally seems to have calmed down! It might be safe to continue our journey."


    A man rushed into a tent and announced loudly. Inside the room was the Daimyo of the Land of Frost. The Daimyo''s ears perked up on hearing that. He cursed, "It''s about time. Did anyone find out what it was?"


    The man shook his head and said, "I am sorry, Daimyo-sama. The Samurais couldn''t get close to it as it was very dangerous for them as well. A couple of them almost died. They decided against investigating again."


    The Daimyo thought for a bit before saying, "Let it be. Since it has passed, we don''t need to worry. We will send some experts hereter to investigate this area."


    The Daimyo of the Land of Frost was visiting several other Daimyos on a schedule for some political talks. He was en route to meet another Daimyo when suddenly Lightning began falling nonstop from the skies some distance ahead on their path, forcing them to camp there.


    Though the Lightning would stop asionally, it would begin again when they started moving. They dispatched the Samurais to check what was happening, but some Lightning strikes fell very close to the Samurais, scaring them away. Since it was mountainous terrain, they only had one path to move through. As a result, his group was stuck there for two whole days!


    Needless to say, all the Lightning that fell in their path was from Fujin who was training. Though he had no idea who it was, he didn''t want to be disturbed while he was training. As a result, the entire mountain pass stayed closed for two days!


    After training for two days, Fujin was finally satisfied and moved from the area. As he moved back to the vige near the Gold Mine, his appearance changed again. His height returned to normal and his appearance changed into that of an old man. He changed his outfit as well. If someone saw him now, they would think that he is a wise and holy old man.


    As he moved, he analyzed, ''I can now control the Lightning very well with the Kiba des. I''m still not as good as Raiga, but it''s only a matter of time before I surpass what he could do with these des.


    For Raiga, the Kiba des were the core of his strength. However, even for my Akuro identity, it is just one of my many trump cards. There are just three abilities of these swords that I need and will focus on.


    The first is using them as normal swords for closebat. With my chakra flow, I don''t need to work on this aspect even a bit. The second is controlling the Lightning. Even though the Kiba des aren''t very versatile for using other jutsus, they are amazing at manipting natural Lightning.


    With their help, I can create a jutsu equivalent to or stronger than Sasuke''s Kirin. Considering the amplification feature of these des, I will need only a fraction of the chakra that he needed to use Kirin. Once I create this jutsu, it will undoubtedly be Akuro''s most destructive jutsu.


    The third application of these des that I found very interesting was the Lightning Strike Armor. Konoha already tried replicating some aspects of the Lightning Chakra Mode by developing Burst, Lightning Transformation and Electric Skin jutsu. Along with this Armor, I might have some headway in copying the Lightning Chakra Mode.


    If I somehow master it, then this identity will have Peak Rank S battle strength without having to use the Flying Thunder God jutsu. That said, replicating the Lightning Chakra Mode is easier said than done Maybe I should infiltrate Kumogakure someday to steal information on how to master the Lightning Chakra Mode''


    Lost in his thoughts, Fujin reached close to the vige. He dispelled his Shadow Clone that was keeping an eye on Ranmaru and immediately stopped moving at such a high speed. Instead, he walked the normal path at a slow speed while processing the clone''s memories. Soon, his figure became visible from the vige. A couple of vigers noticed him. His appearance immediately caught their attention.


    A few approached him and began a conversation. Fujin immediately spun a story about how he was a travelling sage who focused only on healing people. He asked them to bring people who were injured to him to heal.


    The vigers were surprised and relieved to hear that. Due to being forced to work in the mines and being beaten up whenever their bodies couldn''t keep up, several vigers were injured. Though they were treated by the doctor in the vige, the injuries weren''t healed yet.


    Hence, they were happy to see a Medical Ninja appear in their vige and offer to heal them for free. While some vigers were on guard due to having been tricked by Raiga not long ago, most didn''t find it strange for several reasons.


    While umon, there were several ninjas who travelled in this manner and offered their help tomon people without asking anything from them. The stories of such phnthropic acts were well-known amongmon people. In some rare instances, when the morale of the entire country is low due to some incidents, the hidden viges do phnthropic work as well, though it was very rare in peacetime.


    Of course, even though such phnthropic ninjas existed in the world, they were extremely rare. Unlike Fujin''s previous world, this world was extremely dangerous. Not everyone could move around freely like Jiraiya or Tsunade. A rogue ninja would eventually be hunted down. And if that phnthropic ninja was still a part of a hidden vige, then he or she would never be permitted to do such work for a long time.


    That is why, themon people would always be extremely happy and weing when someone appeared to do such phnthropic work. Of course, there was another reason why they trusted Fujin so easily. It was because he cast a Genjutsu to lower their alertness and make them more trusting in nature.


    Some injured people approached Fujin. He healed their injuries using the Mystical Palm jutsu one by one. Seeing that there was nothing fishy, the remaining injured vigers approached him as well. A few diseased people also approached, but Fujin said that he unfortunately couldn''t help them.


    When everyone was healed, an old man asked, "Can you heal someone who is paralyzed?"


    Fujin pretended to think for a few seconds and replied, "It depends on the type of paralysis, so I can''t say for sure. Lead me to the patient and I''ll take a look."


    The old man nodded. He and some other vigers led him to the house in which Ranmaru was kept. Ranmaru, who was lying in bed, saw Fujin appear. As soon as Fujin saw him, a frown appeared on his face which was noticed by Ranmaru and some other vigers.


    One guy asked, "Is there an issue?"


    Fujin shook his head and replied, "No. I will take a look."


    He approached Ranmaru and pretended to inspect his legs while thinking, ''I have already inspected his paralysis. Though I don''t have much medical knowledge of how to treat paralysis, Yoshi and Isamu forcefully taught me some basics when I was learning the Mystical Palm jutsu.


    Ranmaru''s paralysis is very easy to heal. All that is needed is to insert chakra into his body and have it flow through his chakrawork in his legs to solve his paralysis. Any Medical ninja can do it.


    Had I not read their memories, I would have wondered why Raiga didn''t ask a Medical Ninja to look at Ranmaru. However, the answer to that question bes very easy to figure considering that they considered each other to be an extension of themselves. How would Raiga be Ranmaru''s hands and feet if Ranmaru can walk by himself?''


    Fujin smiled and asked, "What is your name, young one?"


    Ranmaru was surprised by the kind smile. In the past couple of days, he had seen too many kind smiles. He had thought that it was just the vigers who were happy to see Raiga gone. Seeing their relief, he understood that the words of Raiga''s killer were true. He and Raiga hadmitted several sins which weighed heavily on him and made him depressed.


    Ranmaru replied, "I am Ranmaru."


    Fujin said, "Ranmaru, such a good name. From today onwards, you will be able to walk like anyone else."


    Fujin''s words shocked Ranmaru. Before he could process his thoughts, Fujin pointed his palm towards his legs and a green glow appeared. He said, "It will sting a bit but don''t worry, it won''t hurt. Clench your fists and grit your teeth."


    Fujin inserted his chakra into Ranmaru''s legs. Ranmaru immediately clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. The vigers watched with slight nervousness on seeing his expressions.


    [A/N : Latest chapter on P@treon - Passing Hot Potato!]


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 549: A Little Play (2)

    Chapter 549: A Little y (2)


    Though Fujin said that it wouldn''t hurt much, Ranmaru felt as if several dozen needles were being inserted into his legs every second. If it was any normal boy instead of him, he would have long started crying loudly.


    After a few minutes, Ranmaru grew used to the pain. More importantly, he began feeling sensations in his legs. For the first time in his life, he was able to move them slightly.


    "Don''t try to move your legs right now. Don''t worry, you can walk and run as much as you want very soon." Fujin instructed on seeing Ranmaru trying to move his legs. Ranmaru immediately stopped.


    After another 10 minutes, Fujin finally stopped. He pulled his hand back and said with a smile on his face, "You can try to move now."


    Ranmaru nodded and tried to move his legs. To his surprise, he was able to move his legs. However, he was still quite slow. Fujin said, "It will feel weird at the start. However, you will soon get used to it."


    Ranmaru tried to get up. A couple of vigers assisted him and helped him get off the bed. With their help, Ranmaru took the first steps of his life. When he did, his feelings immediately became veryplicated. He thought, ''I always believed that Raiga was my hands and feet. However, Raiga is dead and I can walk by myself now. Does this mean that the meaning we discovered was fake?''


    The vigers were unaware of his internal struggle and became happy for him. Many began to congratte him. A few thanked Fujin as well. Fujin waited for a few minutes for themotion to settle down before saying, "Everyone, I need to talk with Ranmaru about his condition. Could you give us a few minutes alone?"


    The vigers nodded and left. Within a minute, only Ranmaru and Fujin were left in the room. Ranmaru thanked Fujin for healing him. Fujin smiled and said, "For someone who walked for the first time in his life, you sure don''t seem happy. Mind telling me what it is that is weighing on your mind?"


    Since his abilities were sealed, Ranmaru couldn''t detect that Fujin was using a Genjutsu on him to make him trust Fujin more easily. In addition, he had just healed Ranmaru''s legs. As a result, Ranmaru felt that Fujin could be trusted. However, even then, he shook his head and said, "It''s nothing."


    Fujin was surprised. He wondered, ''Even in this situation he isn''t willing to open up? Looks like staying with Raiga made his mentality quite strong. Oh well''


    Fujin said, "Nothing? I wouldn''t call such aplicated seal on your body nothing, kiddo. When I first saw you, that seal shocked me. I never thought that someone would put such aplicated seal on a little child. So, can you tell me what it is? Perhaps I might be able to help you."


    Ranmaru was surprised. Ever since Fujin woke him up after killing Raiga, he hadn''t been able to use his abilities. As a result, everyone thought that he was an ordinary kid. He didn''t imagine that he''d meet a Fuinjutsu expert just a few days after the seal was applied to him.


    His expression became dejected as he admitted, "I unknowingly did some horrible things. Things I thought were good for the people but were actually harmful. As a result, someone sealed my abilities and said that my abilities will stay sealed until I do good work."


    Fujin acted like he was surprised and said, "That''s a surprise. I thought someone had some ill intentions towards you. I don''t know what you did, but it''s good to see that you have identified your mistakes. Do you want me to break this seal?"


    Ranmaru was surprised by the offer. He thought for a couple of minutes before shaking his head. He answered, "No. I can''t do anything for the people who suffered due to me. However, I want to do good for the people in the future. I am afraid that my abilities might put me on the wrong path again."


    A wide smile appeared on Fujin''s face as he said, "Good attitude. You might just be suitable to be a part of my organization. Let me check your seal first."


    Ranmaru wondered, ''His organization?''


    Fujin ced his palm on Ranmaru''s forehead and inserted some chakra into it. For the next couple of minutes, he pretended to check the seal. With every passing second, his smile reduced and a frown appeared on his face.


    He muttered, "This seal is a very high-level one. The one who put it on you is probably among the best Fuinjutsu Grandmasters in the world. Unless he lifts the seal himself, it looks like doing good will be the only way to get rid of it."


    He looked at Ranmaru and asked, "How are you nning to do good work?"


    Ranmaru thought for a bit before answering, "I don''t know."


    Fujin nodded and said, "As I thought. Would you like toe with me? The organization I created helps civilians who are being attacked by rogue ninjas and bandits. It will give you an opportunity to help the weak. The main reason why I came here is because I heard that this vige was being tormented by one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist and his goons. However, it looks like someone already killed them."


    Ranmaru was surprised to hear that his benefactor was hear to deal with Raiga and the Kurosuki family as well. He thought, ''It seems like we were extremely tyrannical for so many people wanting to deal with us. Should I tell him that I was working with Raiga?''


    Fujin continued, "If youe with me, you''ll be trained properly for a few years. Once you be strong enough, you''ll be able to help out people with your own strength."


    Instead of giving his answer, Ranmaru said, "I don''t want to hide things from you. Until a few days ago, I was working with Raiga."


    Surprise appeared on Fujin''s face again. He said, "I see. Can you tell me what circumstances made you work with him and what happened to him?"


    Ranmaru exined to Fujin about his background, his Kekkei Genkai, how he met Raiga and how Raiga and the Kurosuki family were killed a couple of days ago. Fujin heard him patiently.


    When Ranmaru was done, Fujin sighed and muttered, "Such aplicated life at such a young age. In any case, there is no reason to not give you an opportunity to redeem yourself. My offer still stands."


    Ranmaru immediately replied, "I would be honored to be a part of your organization."


    Fujin smiled and said, "Good."


    Fujin exined to him the details of the organization and applied the Phantom Seal on Ranmaru''s back. He informed the vigers that he would be taking Ranmaru as a disciple and taking him on his journey. The vigers were surprised but seeing that Ranmaru had agreed, no one stopped him. They bid their farewells to Ranmaru.


    Fujin carried Ranmaru to the Phantom Haven Base. En route, he wore a mask and instructed, "Ranmaru, don''t tell anyone that you saw my face. Also, don''t tell anyone about your past with Raiga or your sealed abilities."


    Ranmaru nodded. Fujin reached the Phantom Haven Base, handed Ranmaru to Shigeki and said, "He''ll be joining here as a student. Raiga and his subordinates were dealt with by someone. He won''t be harming anyone else."


    Shigeki was surprised to hear that someone as strong as Raiga was dealt with by someone else so soon after he informed Fujin about him. He nodded and arranged for Ranmaru to be ced with other students.


    Following Fujin''s advice, Ranmaru tried making friends with the kids. Fujin and Shigeki observed them from some distance away. Shigeki asked, "Is there anything special about him, Shiden?"


    The reason why Shigeki asked the question was because this was the first time Fujin recruited someone other than him. Fujin answered, "The circumstances he grew up in were very bad. Though life in our base isn''t exactly normal, it''ll still be a great improvement for him.


    Anyway, he is quite talented. I anticipate that he''ll manage to be an Elite Jounin in a couple of decades."


    Shigeki was surprised to hear Fujin''s evaluation. He remembered how strict Fujin had been while categorizing the ranks. What Shiden didn''t know was that Fujin believed that Ranmaru should be able to be a Rank S ninja if he didn''t ck off. Though it was unlikely for him to reach that level before the Fourth Great Ninja War, he might reach it a few years after the war.


    Even though Fujin didn''t have any concrete ns for the organization after the Fourth Great Ninja War, there was no reason to not recruit a possible Rank S ninja who could heal him within moments especially considering how little time he personally invested in Ranmaru.


    Seeing Shigeki''s expression, Fujin instructed, "Don''t treat him differently from other kids for that reason though. Other kids won''t like it if someone gets special treatment. Just train him like anyone else."


    Shigeki nodded. Fujin gave some more instructions and took his leave. On leaving the Phantom Haven base, he muttered, "Time toplete the mission that Hiruzen assigned me."


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 550 - 544 : Magnet Release

    <h4>Chapter 550: Chapter 544 : Ma Release</h4>


    Fujin and his clone created Shadow Clones and dispelled them to trade information. On understanding the location of his clone, Fujin quickly made his way across the Land of Rivers and located the two subordinates of Raiga whom he had left alive.


    The two had set up a tent in a forest and were hiding there. What they had seen in the gold mine had horrified both of them and they had travelled several hundred kilometers away from the gold mine. They rxed only after surviving for a couple of days as no one chased after them, or so they thought.


    It hadn''t been even a day since they had put their guard down slightly when suddenly a strong wind began blowing through the area. To their horror, the winds casually tore through their tent. In the blink of an eye, hundreds of small cuts appeared on their bodies! The wind was so potent that several nerves and tendons in their bodies were cut, forcing them to their knees. They were unable to move their limbs when Fujin''s figure appeared in front of them.


    The two looked at the Konoha headband he was wearing and immediately became worried as they remembered their past actions. As if reading their minds, Fujin asked, "You two used to work for Raiga, right?"


    Both immediately shouted, "No. We never worked for Raiga."


    Immediately, more cuts appeared on their bodies. The new cuts were much deeper than the previous cuts, causing them even more pain. Their screams scared away some wild animals around that area. Fujin said, "I can sense whether you are telling the truth or not. If you lie again, I will kill you. Now, tell me whether Raiga attacked two squads from Konoha."


    One of the two instinctively answered, "We don''t know. We never saw him attack any Konoha ninja."


    The guy kneeling next to him watched with horror in his eyes as his friend was beheaded! Fujin turned his gaze towards him and asked, "Do you want to die as well?"


    The guy immediately said everything that had happened between Raiga and Konoha ninjas. Fujin asked, "Do you remember where their bodies were buried?"


    Not wanting to end up like his friend, he nodded and told Fujin the location. Fujin stored the dead body in a scroll before he grabbed the alive guy''s neck from behind and dragged him for hundreds of kilometers across the Land of Rivers until he reached the spot the guy said. He dug out the dead bodies and stored them in a scroll.


    Thest Kurosuki family member asked, "I have led you to their bodies. Can you let me go now?"


    "Sure," Fujin replied before letting him go from this world. He stored his dead body in a scroll as well while thinking, ''Hiruzen will definitely enquire how Raiga died. For him to die right after the mission was assigned to me is suspicious. Not to mention, considering that Raiga could control the Lightning, Hiruzen might suspect him to be behind the destruction of Root headquarters.


    These two will form the perfect alibi for the details I n on feeding to Hiruzen. He can read their memories and verify a part of my details. That will be enough to stop him from looking any further. That said, it might have been fun to see him trying to find who killed Raiga, hehe. Though going by what happened when I attacked Root, he might assign this mission to me as well.''


    With the missionplete, Fujin began moving back to Konoha. Having eaten the soldier pill, Fujin didn''t need to rest. He travelled non-stop and reached Konoha by the next evening.


    Hiruzen was just about to wrap up his work when Fujin appeared in his office. He was slightly surprised to see Fujin arrive so soon. He thought, ''The ninjas I dispatched to the Land of Rivers didn''t see any signs of him. Did he find out why those two squads went missing so quickly?''


    Hiruzen didn''t have much hope of finding those two squads. He had just given the mission to Fujin because Fujin wanted to spend some time away from the vige.


    He said with a smile, "Fujin, it''s good to see you again so soon. How did the missions go? I received some interesting reports from the Land of Rivers."


    Hiruzen still remembered that puppets had destroyed the Yamakawa town. He was curious to know how Fujin got his hands on so many puppets and how he became so masterful at controlling them.


    Fujin chuckled and said, "The missions were indeed interesting. I came across a couple of ninjas that I didn''t expect to find in the Land of Rivers. That said, the information might be sensitive."


    Hiruzen got the clue and nced at his Anbu Guards. Within seconds, they left the room and activated all the seals. Hiruzen asked, "So, who did you run into?"


    Fujin didn''t answer his question and instead ced a couple of storage scrolls on Hiruzen''s desk and said in a serious tone, "This one has the dead bodies of the 8 Chunins who went missing."


    Hiruzen sighed on hearing that. While he had expected them to be dead, getting the confirmation didn''t make it pleasant. Losing 8 ninjas in peacetime wasn''t something he wanted to see. He asked, "Who was it?"


    Fujin answered, "A former member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, Raiga Kurosuki. He had established a stronghold in a vige that had a gold mine and had more or less enved the vigers there.


    I suspected that he was the one behind the missing Chunins when I heard that he was in the Land of Rivers. However, when I went to find him, I learnt that he had been defeated by someone and his subordinates were ughtered three days before I reached the vige."


    Hiruzen was surprised. He muttered, "To be able to defeat one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist and ughter all his subordinates... Who was it?"


    Fujin shrugged and said, "No idea. I ced a viger under Genjutsu and learnt that a huge fight took ce in the graveyard where Raiga and his followers were burying a living man. Since the vigers were far away, they didn''t see who it was. They only saw Lightning striking that area repeatedly.


    Sometime after the fight stopped, Raiga''s subordinates, who were overlooking the operations in the mine, were beheaded in a sh. Whoever that person was, we can say that he is incredibly fast at the very least.


    The vigers recovered the dead bodies of all but two of Raiga''s subordinates. Raiga''s body was missing as well. So I am not sure whether he is dead or whether he escaped. Considering how little information we have, it could have been Raiga himself who went crazy and killed his subordinates. It''s difficult to say for sure.


    Anyway, I hunted down the two subordinates whose bodies weren''t found and interrogated them. Raiga killed those two squads and buried them some distance away from the vige. This scroll has the bodies of those two subordinates. Perhaps we can learn more by reading their memories."


    Hiruzen thought for a bit before saying, "Did you get the dead bodies of his subordinates who were in the Graveyard? Perhaps we could know what happened from their memories."


    Fujin shook his head and said, "That path is closed as well. It had already been 3 days since they were killed. Their memories would have started dissipating. Besides, from what I found out, they had a hole in their heads. So chances of being able to read their memories are more or less zero."


    Hiruzen sighed and muttered, "They were very thorough. Nothing we can do, unfortunately. Anyway, what happened in Yamakawa town? When did you be a puppeteer?"


    Fujin raised his left eyebrow and asked, "When did I have time to be a puppeteer? I wasn''t the one who attacked with puppets. The Yamakawa family was attacked by Sasori of the Red Sand when I was in the town. So even if we hadn''t undertaken this mission, the Yamakawa family would have been history."


    Hiruzen was surprised. He wondered, ''What was Sasori doing there?''


    Fujin continued, "I am not sure why Sasori attacked them. My only guess is that someone gave that mission to Akatsuki. Most of the people in the mansion were killed by Sasori. I only killed their family head and the Suna ninjas hiding under his mansion."


    Fujin ced some more scrolls on Hiruzen''s desk while saying, "These scrolls have their dead bodies."


    Hiruzen looked at his desk. Even though they were stored inside scrolls, there were as many as 33 dead bodies on his desk! While Hiruzen didn''t find it odd, if amon person were to know of it, he would wonder if it was the Hokage''s office or a morgue!


    Hiruzen asked, "Did you fight Sasori?"


    Fujin nodded and said, "Yeah. I wanted to test a new jutsu against a rank S opponent."


    A frown appeared on his face as he said, "There is something strange about him. One of his puppets could control Iron!"


    Hiruzen''s eyes immediately widened!


    -----------------------------------


    ()

 Chapter 551: A Fair Trade

    Chapter 551: A ''Fair'' Trade


    [A/N: Apologies for the dy, guys. I had to n out a few things for the uing arc to make it interesting while ensuring that there are no inconsistencies in my ns. Took a bit longer than expected...]


    Hiruzen''s eyes widened. Immediately the image of the Third Kazekage appeared in his mind. Unlike most of the people, Hiruzen was well aware of Sasori''s human puppets and that they could retain some of the abilities that they had when they were alive.


    However, if Sasori had made the Third Kazekage, who had been missing since before the Third Great Ninja War began, his puppet, then it would send shockwaves throughout the Ninja World!


    Hiruzen asked, "Did you see what the puppet looked like?"


    Fujin shook his head and said, "No, I was fighting from a distance and couldn''t see him. I retreated right when arge amount of iron was floating outside Yamakawa town.


    So I can''t say whether he has made the Third Kazekage his puppet or if it is some other ninja who had awakened the Ma Release. Irrespective, Sasori''s threat is much higher than what we believe. If he can retain Kekkei Genkai in the puppets, then there is a chance that he could have several such puppets. He''ll be difficult to deal with."


    Hiruzen agreed. Sasori''s threat had to be reevaluated. Just the Ma Release was extremely troublesome to deal with. He asked, "The reports stated that over a hundred puppets attacked the town at the same time. Is that true?"


    Fujin answered, "Yes. He could control over a hundred puppets at the same time while he was standing outside the town. And from what I saw, his control over all his puppets was extremely good. Even Elite Chunins might not be able to take on a single puppet considering the various traps and poisons involved. However, Jounins should be able to destroy his normal human puppets as long as Sasori isn''t nearby."


    Hiruzen nodded and asked, "So, how did your fight go? And what happened in the town?"


    Fujin exined the events since he reached the town until Sasori''s attack. He continued, "I took advantage of the distraction caused by Sasori''s attack to sneak attack and kill the Yamakawa family head and Suna ninjas. I am not sure, but it is possible that one of the Suna ninjas was a Grandmaster in Fuinjutsu. If you find some new seals from his memories, please let me know."


    Hiruzen was shocked to realize that a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster of Suna could have been killed! Every country treasured their Fuinjutsu Grandmasters. It was extremely difficult to kill them as they would rarely leave the vige and even when they did, they would move in secrecy and be with at least 1 Elite Jounin. The death of 1 Fuinjutsu Grandmaster, 1 Elite Jounin and 20 Jounins and Chunins would be another huge blow to Sunagakure.


    Fujin continued, "As for Sasori, I fought him using the new technique I created. I''m sure you might have seen it a few times. I call it the Wind Domain."


    Hiruzen felt slightly awkward about being called out on his spying. Even though everyone was aware that he would do it, no one ever mentioned it on his face. Luckily, he was shameless enough to not let it affect him. His expression didn''t change and he just nodded.


    Fujin cursed internally at his shamelessness before continuing, "My Wind Domain can sever his chakra threads. So Sasori lost control of all of his puppets within my Wind Domain. I stole 64 of his Human Puppets before escaping."


    Hiruzen''s eyes widened in shock once again as Fujin imed with a mischievous smile, "Even though I am not a Puppet Master, I believe that I have the second strongest collection of puppets. If I train for a bit, I will be one of the top 5 Puppeteers in a few months."


    Hiruzen thought in disbelief, ''That jutsu where he yed around by emitting wind chakra is this strong? It can sever chakra threads? And he used it to steal Sasori''s Puppets?


    The puppet masters treat their puppets as their children. And he stole as many as 64 of them and managed to escape from Sasori?''


    Hiruzen was stunned. This was probably the first time something like this had happened ever since Puppet Masters came into existence. While there were some incidents of one or two Puppets being stolen, they would generally be when the Puppet Master abandoned them to run away. What Fujin did was unprecedented!


    As if he just recalled something, Fujin added, "Ah right, I almost forgot. Sasori never saw my face. He doesn''t know that it was me who stole his puppets. So please keep this news a secret as well. I don''t want that freak chasing me around."


    Hiruzen''s disbelief increased further as he eximed internally, ''And Sasori didn''t even see who stole his puppets!''


    Hiruzen waspletely speechless. For a moment, he didn''t know what to say. He quickly gathered his thoughts and praised, "Great work, Fujin. I didn''t expect something like this to happen when I assigned you this mission. What are you nning to do with the puppets?"


    Since Hiruzen couldn''t find any words to describe Fujin''s feats, he decided to stop thinking about it and directly focused on the puppets. He thought, ''There are a few ninjas in this vige who like puppetry. Unfortunately, our knowledge in this aspect is verycking aspared to Suna.


    However, with 64 ready-made puppets of high quality, I can raise a few Jounin level Puppet Masters. Not to mention, we can also research these puppets to improve our knowledge.''


    Fujin thought for a bit before saying, "I am not sure. I did check a few puppets and I am not a fan of Human Puppets. Even by our standards, this technique is incredibly cruel. However, if the situation is dire, then there is no harm in using dead enemies for this technique.


    Regardless, it''ll be a waste to ditch these 64 puppets for that reason. I''m nning to train a bit and be a Puppet Master myself. It''ll add another aspect to my abilities."


    Hiruzen was surprised. The way Fujin had said it earlier, he thought that Fujin was joking. He didn''t expect him to be serious. Hiruzen said, "While mastering chakra threads wouldn''t be a challenge for you, being a Puppet Master involves a lot of other things. For starters, you need to be able to make puppets with a lot of traps in them.


    In addition, you need to be an expert at Poison to make those traps deadly. You will also need high Medical knowledge to make any modifications to those 64 puppets considering that they were created from dead humans."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Yes. I am not too worried about creating traps as I should be able to handle them. As for Medical and Poison knowledge, I was nning to take on Yoshi-sensei''s offer to improve those aspects in any case. So I should be fine."


    To Hiruzen''s dismay, Fujin had already thought of everything needed to be a Puppet Master. He sighed and said, "Fujin, you have already reached rank S. While it''s fine to diversify your abilities, bing a full-fledged Puppet Master won''t do you any good.


    I''ll rmend keeping a few of them and giving me the rest. There are a few ninjas in our vige who are extremely interested in puppetry but unfortunately fall short due to not having ess to good information on it. I can create a few Jounins and hopefully one or two Elite Jounins with those puppets. This way, our vige will benefit more."


    Fujin looked at Hiruzen and thought, ''Wow! Good speech. His words are true but that requires me to give things without getting anything in return. While it''s true that Hiruzen helped me in the past, he didn''t spend money on anything other than my swords. In fact, he probably earned more than that by betting on me in the Chunin exams!


    I would have still given them if I needed a lot from Hiruzen in the future. Unfortunately, there is not much he can give me anymore. He won''t give me the Edo Tensei right now. If he dies against Orochimaru, then obviously I can''t take anything from him. If he survives, then the fame I gain during that war will be sufficient to ask for what I want from him irrespective of our rtionship.''


    Hiruzen looked at Fujin and asked, "Well?"


    Fujin sighed and said, "I was nning to use the 64 Puppets as a trump card. If I fell in a situation where my squad had to retreat, I could have my Shadow Clones use the puppets to hold back enemies while we retreated to safety. I might not be able to do the same with a few puppets.


    That said, I understand your view. Getting more Jounins and perhaps Elite Jounins will be beneficial for the vige. How about this? I''ll keep just 10 puppets with me and give you the rest. However, I want a forbidden technique to have another trump card."


    Hiruzen was surprised. He thought, ''I should have known. I guess he is still upset that I didn''t give him the scroll of sealing.''


    He asked, "Which jutsu do you want?"


    Fujin said, "Spirit Transformation Technique."


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 552: Hiruzen’s Suspicion & Soul

    Chapter 552: Hiruzen¡¯s Suspicion & Soul


    Hiruzen was surprised. He wondered, ''The Spirit Transformation Technique? The one Dan created? Why is Fujin interested in it?''


    Hiruzen fell into deep thought. The technique was extremelyplicated. More importantly, it was extremely powerful and dangerous, both to the enemies and to the user. Hiruzen analyzed why Fujin would need such a technique, but couldn''te up with any answer.


    In the end, he spected, ''Does he n on taking over someone''s body temporarily? Or does he just want another Trump Card as he said?''


    Hiruzen couldn''t be sure. He said, "Learning too manyplicated techniques at the same time isn''t good, Fujin. You are learning the Eight Inner Gates Technique. In addition, I also gave you the scroll on Flying Thunder God jutsu. What is your progress with them?"


    Fujin sighed and said, "I haven''t been able to make any progress with the Flying Thunder God jutsu. I managed to create the seal with ease but I am stuck on stage 2 of the training. I am progressing well in the Eight Inner Gates, but that technique is just dependent on how much my body progresses. So it won''t interfere with other training."


    Hiruzen sighed internally, ''A shame. It would have been very helpful for the vige if he could master the Flying Thunder God jutsu. We would have reached close to our strength during the Third Great Ninja War in terms of rank S ninjas.


    That said, if he hasn''t learnt the Flying Thunder God jutsu, then there is no need to not give him the Spirit Transformation jutsu. If he manages to master it, then Konoha will have another strong means of attack during the next Great War. Even if he doesn''t learn it, the training will improve his control over the Yin chakra which will allow him to strengthen his Genjutsu, whichcks inparison to his other skills.


    Besides, Sasori''s puppets could be very important for the vige. Even though it won''t have a huge impact today, it could result in a wave of enthusiastic youngsters choosing to be puppet masters at some point in the future. Once that happens, the vige can create a new special unit.


    That said, I don''t necessarily need to make Fujin hand over those puppets. Even if I let him keep them all, he will eventually pass them to someone. Perhaps his students or children or someone who catches his eye. However, it will stay only among that small group of people. It is better if those puppets and their knowledge are directly under the vige''s control.''


    He replied, "Alright. I''ll prepare the scroll for you."


    Fujinmented in his mind, ''Of course you will. It doesn''t cost you anything. Why did you take so much time to think like I was asking you to donate a kidney?''


    Fujin said, "That''s great. I''ll decide which Puppets to keep in the meantime."


    Hiruzen replied, "Sure. Is there anything else that happened during your mission?"


    Fujin shook his head and answered, "Not really. At least nothing that caught my eye."


    Hiruzen replied, "Alright. Considering the nature of this mission, you don''t need to file any report. We will make Suna take the me for attacking Yamakawa town. Don''t tell anyone about the fact that you were in the Land of Rivers during this time."


    Fujin nodded and took his leave. After he left, Hiruzen''s expression became serious. He analyzed, ''There are a lot of things that don''t add up. Sasori attacking the town at the same time can be considered as a coincidence, but for so many coincidences to happen when Fujin was in that country''


    Hiruzen recalled the incidents that happened in the Land of Rivers when Fujin was present there. He thought, ''First Sasori and Fujin attacked Yamakawa town at the same time. A few dayster, someone plundered 3 Nobles in Tanigakure without alerting anyone. A dayter, someone attacked and destroyed Raiga''s organization


    To be able to steal so efficiently, the thief must have a very high capability. More importantly, he would need to be close to a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster. And, to be able to uproot Raiga''s organization, the attacker needs to be a rank S ninja or have multiple Elite Jounins Is it just a coincidence?


    Not to mention, I almost forgot about Raiga. His swords can amplify Lightning jutsus as well, though not to the extent of sensei''s sword. He could be a possible culprit behind the attack on the Root. However, this lead is pretty much useless now. He is either dead or missing and even Fujin couldn''t track him. Even if I send a squad specialized in tracking, it''ll be toote to find him irrespective of whether he''s dead or alive.''


    Though Hiruzen had sent Fujin to destroy the possible base Suna had created, he was left with even newer problems that were extremely difficult to answer. Hiruzen thought for a long time before letting out a sigh.


    He concluded, ''There is no point in suspecting Fujin for no reason. He should have a lot of money from his missions. I don''t see any reason why he would need to steal arge amount of money.


    Simrly, I don''t see any reason why he would lie if he was the one who dealt with Raiga. The only thing thates to mind is Kiba des, but Fujin doesn''t specialize in Lightning. So the des are more or less useless for him. Considering his greedy nature, he could have used those des to get more forbidden jutsus from me.


    The only thing I need to do now is keep an eye out for information rted to the Kiba des and de of the Thunder Spirit. If either of them appears, it might give me some clues regarding who the attacker that night was.''


    Hiruzen immediately got into action and took steps to inform all of Konoha''s spies as well as Jiraiya, asking them to give special attention to the news rted to those two des and inform him right away.


    Fujin returned straight to his home after meeting Hiruzen. He was unaware that he had raised so many doubts in Hiruzen''s mind. Even if he was aware, there wasn''t much he could do. The good thing was that he hadn''t left any clues behind. So even if Hiruzen decided to investigate the events seriously, there wasn''t anything for him to find.


    As he entered his house, Fujin thought, ''The Spirit Transformation Technique Tobirama had created a Kinjutsu that was very simr to this while Dan improved upon it to create this jutsu by making it more usable and versatile by adding several more abilities.


    To be honest, this jutsu won''t be able to increase my power by much unless Shadow Clones can use it as well. That said, I don''t think clones will be able to use this jutsu. Regardless, increasing mybat strength isn''t the reason why I asked for this jutsu.


    This jutsu will be an excellent method to finally learn about souls. It is something I always found fascinating, even in my previous life. Unfortunately, there wasn''t anything to study Souls in my previous world apart from religious texts and some spections.


    However, in this world, there are several techniques that utilize the soul. The Yamanaka n''s Mind Body Switch jutsu can transfer consciousness. Orochimaru can divide his souls and seal them into other people, making him the most difficult ninja to kill. In addition, he can also transfer his soul permanently into a vessel''s body. The Reaper Death seal sacrifices the user''s soul and seals his enemy''s soul. And, the Edo Tensei directly summons souls from the afterlife and has them upy a body.


    The Spirit Transformation jutsu will give me a deeper understanding of these soul-based techniques. It might also be possible to create my own soul-based techniques. If I can add the ability to affect souls to my Wind Domain, then I can''t even guess to which level that technique would reach!


    And that''s just the start. If I can learn more about my soul, I might be able to glean some insights into how I was able to transmigrate across worlds, or perhaps dimensions! Is my soul somehow different from an ordinary soul, or does every soul transmigrate in such a manner?


    Studying souls might also be a way to understand whether immortality can be achieved. Orochimaru''s research has already had some sess. His curse seals give him a way to revive even if his main body is killed. And, if his main body can''t sustain itself, he can switch bodies.


    However, both his methods definitely have ws. And the ws are quite terrifying. For someone so strong and experienced, he is extremely vulnerable to Genjutsu.


    There is no way Hiruzen would fall prey to Itachi''s Genjutsu that easily. Even Jiraiya was very confident in being able to avoid his Genjutsu. And, in the Fourth Great Ninja War, despite fighting against Madara for so long, there was only one instance of a Kage falling into Genjutsu. And even then, Ay easily understood that he had been caught in a Genjutsu.


    I believe that the act of dividing his soul through curse seals should have made Orochimaru more susceptible to Genjutsu. Simrly, though he can switch bodies, it is highly unlikely for a new body to be as strong as his real body. If that is true, then the Orochimaru that will fight against Hiruzen is undoubtedly not at his peak!


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 553: Boredom

    Chapter 553: Boredom


    Fujin continued analyzing, ''That said, even though there are issues, there is no question that both those techniques are invaluable. It''s just that Orochimaru became too obsessed with them.


    If he had waited until he grew old to change his body, then the issue of his new body not being as strong as his real body would have been a moot point.


    Simrly, if, instead of creating and applying his curse seal on dozens of ninjas, he had applied curse seals on only a couple of people, then his soul wouldn''t have been divided so many times and perhaps he might not have been as susceptible to Genjutsu as he currently is. Unless the very act of dividing the soul causes him to be more susceptible to Genjutsu.


    I will need some more information on these two techniques to be able to properly analyze their ws. Unfortunately, reading Orochimaru''s memories is impossible at this point. Even with my Flying Thunder God jutsu, I can''t be sure that I''ll be able to capture or kill his main body.


    Unlike others, whom I can track down with the Flying Thunder God mark, Orochimaru might be able to get rid of that mark by shedding his skin. Fortunately, there is someone else who might have a lot of information on these two techniques.


    That said, I need to improve my knowledge about Souls first. Without a firm base, it won''t help me even if I have information. The Spirit Transformation jutsu should be more than enough to help me with that.''


    Fujin stretched his body. The effect of the soldier pill was about to run out and he could feel some tiredness. He let out a yawn and thought, ''Oh well, no point in getting too worked up for this. Once the range of my Flying Thunder God jutsu increases, I''ll be the toughest ninja to kill after Obito and Orochimaru. And, I''m only sixteen years old. I have no need to go Orochimaru''s way. At least not for another half a century.


    The best-case scenario would be if I could increase the lifespan of this body itself and make it infinitely more, like the Otsutsuki n. Though it''s difficult to say how that can be done I wonder if Hagoromo''s body would have been immortal if he hadn''t released the Ten Tails and divided it into 9 parts. Or did he divide it because his body was growing old and he understood that his body wouldn''t live for long?


    Sigh, so many questions and so few answers. I wonder how many mysteries I''ll be able to solve''


    Filled with such thoughts, Fujin fell asleep. The next day, he got up quitete despite sleeping early. Due to the bacsh of the soldier pill, he wouldn''t be training that day. He freshened up and wondered what he should be doing for the day.


    He stoodzily on his balcony and looked at the construction work that was happening around his house. He thought, ''Most of the work is already done. Hiruzen will start moving those kids here soon. Sigh, even more work. I''m kind of bored.


    Now that I think about it, I haven''t done anything funtely. It has just been training and work. Though I asionally mess with Hiruzen and Shikaku, I haven''t had too many opportunities to mess much with them. Now, what should I do for some entertainment today?''


    Fujin thought for a while. Several ideas appeared in his mind but none seemed fun enough. He let out a sigh and thought, ''There''s not much I can do Though I can think of some pranks using Wind, it''ll be more of an annoyance rather than fun pranks for anyone I target Not to mention, considering my strength, pranking civilians, or even ninjas, might not be that fun.


    I could prank Naruto as his reactions are fun to see, but the poor guy might get scarred for life if I overdo it. I guess I shouldn''t have destroyed Root. If they still existed outside that little headquarters, I could have targeted them and enjoyed the drama and chaos that would follow


    If it wouldn''t have impacted the future, I could have considered starting a couple of wars to give Hiruzen and Shikaku a headache. Those two lucked out due to how considerate I am. Oh well...''


    Fujin let out another sigh and muttered to himself, ''Once the effects of Suna and Oto''s attack are dealt with, I''ll leave the vige temporarily and tour the world with Kaito. Even though I was excited to be reborn in this world, the fear of the dangers here has kept me tense all the time.


    However, there isn''t much that I need to fear with my current strength. An adventure should help me rx my nerves. It might also give me new ideas on how I can keep bing stronger and might help me uncover more secrets in this world. Perhaps I could force some of those beasts in the sea to be my summons. That way, I will have summons for both Shiden and Akuro identities.''


    Since he couldn''t think of anything fun to do, Fujin decided to give his body some well-deserved rest. Unknown to Fujin, while he couldn''t think of anything entertaining to do, some entertainment visited his home.


    Half an hourter, the bell rang. Fujin looked towards the direction of his door and thought, ''As expected. If this was my previous world, I would have wondered whether he set up a camera somewhere to see whether I was home or not Doesn''t he have his squad to have fun now? Kakashi is toox!''


    Despite his thoughts, Fujin wasn''t displeased to see Naruto. He opened the door while thinking, ''Oh well, even though I wasn''t nning on using him for pranks, I can''t say no since he is already here. Hehe.''


    Fujin opened the door and an excited Naruto eximed, "Fujin, you are back!"


    Fujin chuckled and said, "Yeah, I returnedst night. Come on in."


    Naruto immediately entered. He began talking about his new squad and updated Fujin on the new events happening in his life. At one point, he eximed, "Man, I thought I would do something cool after bing a ninja. But Grandpa Hokage only makes us run after cats and dogs and makes us do menial jobs. This is totally not what I imagined!"


    Fujin chuckled as some memories surfaced. He thought, ''Considering that every ninja went through that, there is no way this tradition is changing.''


    He said, "Don''t worry Naruto, it gets better."


    Naruto looked at him and asked, "Really?"


    Fujin nodded and said, "Yes. You''ll only have to do such missions for a couple of years. Then Grandpa Hokage will assign you missions where you can eliminate bad bandits and save innocent people."


    Naruto''s eyes widened in horror. He eximed loudly, "A COUPLE OF YEARS???"


    He looked down with his head in his hands and muttered, "I will have to chase cats and dogs, babysit kids and pull out weeds for 2 years?"


    Fujin just grinned as he saw Naruto experiencing a nightmare in the middle of the day! He thought, ''I hadn''t thought of this earlier. If Hiruzen or Tsunade do assign me a squad, it might be fun to make them do rank D missions for a couple of years. Hmm, no, make that three!


    In three years, I''ll train them to be at least as strong as Jounins, if not Elite Jounins, but only let them do rank D missions. Then I''ll send that Jounin level squad into the Chunin exams. That would be a sight to see, haha!''


    Naruto didn''t know about Fujin''s thoughts. If he did, he would thank the gods that he wasn''t a part of his squad. When Naruto finally recovered from the horrendous news, he looked at Fujin and asked, "Can you teach me a strong Wind jutsu? Sasuke knows the Fireball jutsu and I don''t want to lose to him!"


    Fujin tilted his head and asked, "You said your sensei is Kakashi, right?"


    Naruto nodded.


    Fujin asked again, "Hatake Kakashi?"


    Naruto became confused but nodded again.


    Fujin showed a deadpan expression and asked, "Why are you asking me to teach you jutsus then?"


    Naruto became even more confused and asked, "What do you mean?"


    Fujin sighed and asked, "Did you not do any research on him? Hatake Kakashi is a ninja famous throughout the world for knowing more than a thousand jutsus!"


    Naruto''s eyes widened in shock! He eximed, "Th Thou A THOUSAND?"


    Fujin showed a tired expression and sighed. He looked at Naruto and asked, "You didn''t know that?"


    Opposite to his expression, Fujin''s thoughts were very cheerful. He thought, ''I finally have an extremely entertaining idea!''


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 554: Target Kakashi!

    Chapter 554: Target Kakashi!


    Naruto eximed, "I had no idea that Kakashi sensei was so cool!"


    Suddenly he had a thought. He looked at Fujin and asked in a confused tone, "But if he knows that many jutsus, why didn''t he ever teach us any jutsu? I even asked him several times to teach me a cool jutsu but he never taught me anything!"


    Fujin showed a confused expression as well and asked, "He didn''t?"


    Naruto replied, "He didn''t. He just taught us formations and teamwork, you know."


    Fujin put up a thoughtful expression as he said in an unsure tone, "Well, teamwork and formations are important too, but why wouldn''t he teach you jutsus?"


    Fujin pretended to be in deep thought for a few seconds. Naruto didn''t disturb him and waited patiently for Fujin to be done thinking. Fujin''s eyes suddenly widened as he eximed, "Ah! I got it!"


    Naruto listened with anticipation as Fujin exined, "I guess he doesn''t think that you and your teammates are worthy enough to be taught his special jutsus yet. Did you do anything to prove yourself to him yet?"


    Naruto replied unsurely, "We passed his graduation test."


    Fujin raised an eyebrow and asked, "Your team managed to defeat Kakashi?"


    Naruto''s voice became softer as he answered, "No, we didn''t manage to get the bells. He passed us because we decided that our teammates were more important than orders."


    Fujin waved his hand dismissively and said, "That''s good but that''s just the basic requirement to be a Genin. It can''t be considered as proving your worth. Did you or your team do anything else that was impressive?"


    Naruto crossed his arms and answered unhappily, "Other than that we only didme missions and teamwork exercises. How can I prove myself while we are catching cats and dogs?"


    Fujin''s expression became very serious. He looked at Naruto and said in a strict tone, "Naruto, a ninja must see underneath the underneath! I suspect that Kakashi has been giving you three opportunities to prove yourselves. However, since your mind is so focused on missions and training, you three havepletely missed it."


    Naruto muttered, "Underneath the underneath? I know that, but what signs did Kakashi sensei give us?"


    He became confused once again. Looking at Fujin, he wondered, ''Why do I be so confused whenever I talk with Fujin? What was underneath thoseme missions?''


    Fujin rested his right elbow on his left hand and his chin on his right hand. He put up his thinking face again and muttered, "Let''s see Hatake Kakashi Three new Genins Easy missions And teamwork exercises Hmm"


    Fujin pretended to think for a couple of minutes before his face suddenly lit up. He smiled and said, "I see it now."


    Naruto excitedly asked, "What is it?"


    Fujin answered, "It''s simple really. He is teaching the three of you teamwork, meaning that he wants the three of you to work together. And, he is giving the three of you easy missions, meaning that you guys still have some energy to do something else while you three arepleting the mission."


    Naruto''s eyes widened. He said, "I never thought of it this way. You are damn smart, Fujin!"


    Fujin chuckled and continued, "That ''something else'' is your opportunity to do something to prove yourself. As for what that can be Let''s see."


    Fujin pretended to think again for half a minute before continuing, "Well, knowing Kakashi, you can prove yourself to him in two ways."


    Fujin raised two fingers as Naruto watched with more attention than thebined attention he paid during his 6 years in the Academy.


    Fujin said, "The first way is to steal the book he keeps reading. Kakashi values that book very much and it won''t be easy for you three to do it. If you do, then you''ll prove that you are worthy of being taught his special jutsus."


    Naruto eximed, "His book?"


    Immediately the memory of Kakashi reading the book while they did missions appeared in his mind. He thought, ''Fujin is right! Kakashi sensei does love his book a lot. If we can take it away from him, he''ll be impressed with our abilities. What''s the second thing?''


    Fujin continued, "The second way is for you three to see what Kakashi''s real face behind that mask is. Very few in the vige know what he looks like behind the mask. If you three can do it, he''ll be impressed for sure."


    Naruto''s eyes widened again as he thought, ''He''s right again! We don''t even know what he looks like!''


    The more Naruto thought the more he felt that Fujin''s words madeplete sense. He eximed, "I never thought of it in this manner!"


    Fujin smiled and said, "That''s why he hasn''t taught you his jutsus yet. Once your team begins making some progress in these aspects, he''ll begin reconsidering and will eventually teach you.


    That said, don''t tell him or even your teammates that I was the one who gave you this idea. Otherwise, he''ll think that it wasn''t you who looked underneath the underneath."


    Fujin blinked his left eye as he said thest sentence. Naruto immediately understood his message. He quickly got up and said, "You are the best, Fujin! I''ll prove to Kakashi sensei that I am worthy in no time, believe it!"


    Naruto quickly rushed out of Fujin''s house. He wanted to meet up with Sasuke and Sakura and form a n to do either of the two tasks.


    A grin formed on Fujin''s face when Naruto left his house impatiently. He muttered to himself, ''Now that should guarantee some entertainment. It''s a shame that these three aren''t strong enough to give Kakashi a nightmare, but they should cause a few headaches at least.


    The next time Narutoes to meet me, I''ll tell him that if he wants Hiruzen to give him a better mission, he''ll have to sessfully prank Hiruzen until he feels that Naruto and his team are worthy. After all, why should Kakashi have all the fun?


    It''s a shame that I can''t use these three to harass Shikaku or Danzo. Otherwise, it would have been perfect. Oh well, I''ll start sending a Shadow Clone to keep an eye on them from tomorrow. Wouldn''t want to miss the free entertainment, hehe.''


    With some entertainment guaranteed, Fujin''s mood improved. He divided the puppets that Sasori donated to him. Unlike what he had said to Hiruzen, Fujin had already thoroughly researched the puppets. He didn''t need any time to decide. He kept the 15 best puppets for himself and decided to give Hiruzen the remaining 49 puppets. He rested the rest of the day and visited some of his favorite restaurants in Konoha.


    Meanwhile, Naruto gathered Sakura and Sasuke together despite it being an off day. He quickly exined to them what Fujin had informed him. Both looked at him skeptically.


    Sakura asked, "How could a ninja know a thousand jutsus? I only know three. Even Sasuke-kun knows less than 10. I know Kakashi sensei is strong, but a thousand is too much even for him."


    Naruto was skeptical at first as well of that information, but he trusted that Fujin wouldn''t lie to him. He said, "There is no doubt about that information. Kakashi sensei knows a thousand jutsus!"


    Sasuke was surprised as well, but he decided against questioning whether it was urate or not. After all, that information was irrelevant to him. What mattered was whether Kakashi would teach them. His mind was focused on the other part of Naruto''s story.


    He muttered to himself softly, "Could this really be a test for us?"


    Naruto nodded and repeated Fujin''s words, "A ninja must look underneath the underneath. Otherwise, why wouldn''t Kakashi sensei teach us his cool jutsus and why would he make us dome missions?"


    Sasuke thought, ''That makes sense, but since when did Naruto be so smart?''


    Both Sakura and Naruto looked at Sasuke who thought for some time. Finally, he said, "Well, there is no harm in trying. If this is indeed a test, then we might make him teach us more seriously. Even if it isn''t, then it''s not like he can make things worse for us."


    With Sasuke agreeing, Sakura didn''t oppose and Naruto was always on board. The three of them decided to think of ways to aplish either of the two tasks Fujin suggested.


    After a long discussion and creating several ns, they finally left. Walking towards his home, confusion was visible on Sasuke''s face. He thought, ''Something about this feels off. The biggest question is since when did Naruto be so smart to look through something like this? Yet, I can''t deny that his words madeplete sense. I guess, we''ll find out soon.''


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 555: Focus - Fuinjutsu!

    Chapter 555: Focus - Fuinjutsu!


    Fujinpleted his morning training routine before taking a small break to decide how to progress further. He analyzed, ''I have a feeling that I will open the Gate of Limit very soon. I might be able to do it this week itself.


    Once that is done, I''ll havepleted my previous training n of training the Wind Domain, the Flying Thunder God jutsu and the Eight Inner Gates Technique simultaneously.


    My Wind Domain is nearly perfect right now. The only improvement I can make is creating Vacuum jutsus using the Wind Domain. Though it is possible to improve it even more, it is very difficult. It''ll depend more on any inspiration I get in the future or any improvements I experience in other fields. For instance, once I be more knowledgeable about poisons, I could try to mix poisons in the Wind Domain. That might make me more efficient than Sasori at poisoning my enemies.


    I have mastered the Flying Thunder God jutsu as well. The only thing I need to work on is increasing the range. I will be able to slowly improve that over time. So, I don''t need to assign any time to training it consistently.


    As for the Eight Inner Gates Technique, the Gate of View is several times more difficult than opening all the first five Inner Gates. ording to what Guy said, I''ll need at least a couple of years to open it. And that is if I focus entirely on it. I guess the Gate of View would be the most I''ll be able to open until the Fourth Great Ninja War unless I decide to push the war back by a few years.


    Regardless, other than my usual morning physical workout routine and sparring with Guy, I don''t need to focus more on this technique. That finally opens up my schedule after a long time!''


    Ever since he had quit Anbu, Fujin had been focused on these three jutsus. It had been over a year since then. Though he did some other things as well like creating the Eight Trigrams Divination Seal, investigating Jashin, mastering the Mind Reading technique, learning the Rasenshuriken and creating the Phantom Haven Society, more than 90% of the time he spent other than sleeping was on training these three techniques.


    Even for someone as disciplined and focused as Fujin, he had started to feel a sense of exhaustion. As a result, he was extremely d to finally have reached a stage where he could stop focusing on them.


    Fujin continued analyzing, ''I can finally train something else. The two obvious things that I''ll start focusing on soon are Spirit Transformation jutsu and Medical Ninjutsu along with more in-depth knowledge of poisons.


    I am not sure how long it''ll take to master the Spirit Transformation jutsu. I just hope that it isn''t as difficult as the Flying Thunder God jutsu. Hopefully, the fact that I have transmigrated might help.


    As for the Medical Ninjutsu and poison, I never loved studying Biology and Chemistry in my previous life. Granted it could just be because it wasn''t as interesting as in this world and I couldn''t get superpowers by studying it. Regardless, even if I can generate enough interest, neither of those two things is simple to learn.


    Despite being excellent academically and having the best Medical Ninja helping her, Sakura still needed 3 years to reach the level she did. It''s not the kind of time I can afford to spend right now


    Fortunately, I can use the Multi Shadow Clone jutsu. Considering how much Yoshi and Isamu have pestered me to be a Medical Ninja even after my identity as the Spectral Swordsman was leaked and I became a Council Member, I will ensure that I am thest ever student they teach!


    Anyway, both Medical Ninjutsu and Spirit Transformation jutsu can wait for the time being. I have been putting off improving my Fuinjutsu for a long time. It''s time to raise my Fuinjutsu to the next level!''


    Fujin looked at his palms. Immediately, the seal imprints that he had on his palm began glowing. Fuinjutsu was something that was very crucial to Fujin''s ns. In addition, he was extremely fascinated by the kind of things it could achieve.


    Fujin thought, ''Even though I am a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster, I am probably the one with the least expertise in seals among all the Grandmasters Whenpared with someone like Sasori who was already making Human Puppets when he was my age, I''mcking a lot.


    Every SealMaster who bes a Grandmaster spends a lot of time improving the existing seals and creating new ones. There is no question that even Hiruzen, Danzo and the Sannins are far superior to me in this aspect.


    Danzo can add his imprint to a seal making it impossible for anyone else to remove his curse seals. Creating that arm might have needed a lot of Juinjutsu as well. Hiruzen is likely superior to Danzo in these aspects. Tsunade could create the Strength of a Hundred Seal. Orochimaru can store parts of his soul in a seal that applies on others.


    Byparison, my usage of Fuinjutsu is very basic. I just nullify that weakness to an extent by using a ridiculous amount of seals, deterring anyone who intends to mess with my seals. However, if Hiruzen or Danzo decide to enter my house while I''m not in the vige, the seals won''t be able to stop them. They''ll just need a long time to do so and they won''t be able to cover up the fact that they undid my seals.


    However, if I improve upon my seals, then they might not be able to do that. Unfortunately, improving seals isn''t something that can be done very easily. It takes years, or rather decades to achieve that even with Shadow Clones. It''s not something I can do in the short term.


    Unless I can understand what those Jashin seals do, the only way to improve rapidly is by copying what other Grandmasters have already achieved, like I copied the properties of Danzo''s curse seals to create the Phantom Seal.


    So, I''ll only focus on two things. The first is to make the seals more usable in battle. The way to do this is simple. I need to create battlefields using Seals like how Uchiha Sora did. The only change I need to make is that instead of needing half an hour to set up the battlefield, I want it to appear in an instant. These battlefields will be my hunting grounds.


    Other than the battlefields, the other thing to improve upon is the Eight Trigrams Divination Seal. If I can improve it in the way I envision, my strength will improve by leaps and bounds! Unfortunately, this will be very difficult. I can just hope that I can find the perfectbination before the Chunin Exams begin''


    Fujin muttered, "Oh well, time to start creating a battlefield. Creating one at the same level as Uchiha Sora will be difficult to start with. I''ll begin by creating a stealth-oriented battlefield."


    Fujin entered his basement. Immediately, a hundred Shadow Clones appeared next to him. Without wasting any time, everyone got to work.


    Three days passed. While Fujin became busy with his training again, Kakashi had a few eventful days. Lying in his bed, he had a peculiar expression as he wondered, ''What exactly happened with those three? They suddenly began acting suspiciously''


    In thest few days, Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura had all made moves on him, or rather his book and his mask. They first tried sneaking up on him which resulted in him grabbing each one of them by the back of their necks like he was grabbing cats. When he asked what they were up to, they all made excuses.


    Next, they tried distracting him and taking his book. Unsurprisingly, that failed either. Since the straightforward methods didn''t work, they became innovative. They began transforming into strangers and animals and running into Kakashi while he was walking in the streets.


    Unknown to them, Kakashi could perfectly smell their scents. As a result, they never seeded in their attempts. Regardless, while their initial attempts had been amusing, Kakashi had started to get slightly irritated as they kept increasing the intensity.


    After thinking for a bit, Kakashi wondered, ''Did someone put them up to it? But who could it be? Lord Hokage? Hmm, I don''t see why he would do that. Eh?''


    It waste at night. Most of the Konoha were asleep. Had Kakashi not been wondering about the recent events, he might have slept as well. To his surprise, someone broke into his house!


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 556 - 550 : Kakashi’s Headache!

    <h4>Chapter 556: Chapter 550 : Kakashi''s Headache!</h4>


    For a moment, Kakashi was shocked. In his entire life, his house had never been broken into by anyone! Even when his father was disgraced andmitted suicide, no one actually broke into his house. For a second, Kakashi had raised his alertness to the maximum. Just like the rest of the vige, he had raised the security of his house after the Root Headquarters had blown up.


    However, that shock and alertness quickly changed into worry as he thought, ''How can he not know the details of the jutsu he calls his speciality? The Shadow Clones are good at hiding the main body as they can replicate the appearance, chakra and even the scent perfectly. If he wants to sneak into my house, shouldn''t he at least do something to mask or alter his scent? Sigh, I have so much to teach him...''


    As he was thinking, several figures snuck into his room. They were wearing ck clothes along with masks to hide their identity. All of them were surprised to see Kakashi awake and staring back at them.


    One of them asked in surprise, "Why are you still up?"


    Another asked, "And why do you wear that mask sote in the night?"


    Kakashi watched with a deadpan expression. He decided to y along with Naruto and asked, "Who are you people and what are you doing in my house?"


    One of the clones suddenly realized that and shouted, "Crap, change of ns!"


    Immediately, all the clones exploded into a cloud of smoke, covering Kakashi''s house in smoke. Knowing how strong Kakashi was, Naruto didn''t see any point in trying to gang up on him with his clones. That would only expose him.


    Some distance from Kakashi''s house, Naruto eximed, "Crap! He''s still awake. Our n failed!"


    Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke were hiding while keeping an eye on Kakashi''s house and were waiting for their signal to enter Kakashi''s house when Naruto''s clones failed. Sasuke asked, "Did he know that it was you?"


    Naruto shook his head and said, "No way. I didn''t fight him as you nned."


    Sasuke said, "Good. Let''s retreat. We will try again with a new n."


    In the blink of an eye, the three Genins ran away stealthily. Of course, it wasn''t stealthy enough to escape Kakashi''s watch. He looked at his students from a distance and thought, ''So even Sasuke and Sakura were involved and yet they didn''t notice such a simple w... Sigh, I wonder how long it''ll take them to realize that I can identify their scents. That said...''


    A tired expression appeared on Kakashi''s face as heined, "This is too troublesome! Will they keep bothering me like this all the time?"


    Seeing how full of energy Naruto was, Kakashi understood that he wouldn''t get any rest until he stopped them. He decided, ''I need to get to the root of this change. Someone is influencing this change for sure. Also, these three have too much energy. I''ll borrow some of Guy''s tricks. That should be enough to keep them obedient. Also...''


    Kakashi looked around but didn''t feel anything odd. He opened his Sharingan and inspected his surroundings again. Yet, he didn''t notice anyone. He muttered to himself, ''Weird. I have been feeling like someone is keeping an eye on me for the past few days. Yet, I don''t see anyone whenever I investigate. It shouldn''t be those Genins. They can''t hide this well. Sigh, who is ying games with me?''


    After escaping some distance away, the trio gathered together again. Narutoined, "Man, this is so annoying! Why didn''t Kakashi sensei sleep yet? And, he wears his mask even when he is in bed!"


    Sakura was surprised and muttered, "It''s almost as if that mask is a part of his body!"


    Sasuke ignored theirints and said, "It was unfortunate that he didn''t sleep. Now, he''ll be ready if we try this again. We will have to think of another way."


    All three of them began thinking but couldn''te up with anything. Seeing that, Sasuke said, "Let''s think about it on our own. We will discuss our ideas while waiting for him tomorrow."


    Naruto and Sakura nodded. The team finally dispersed.


    Uncharacteristically, Fujin was still awake. Usually, he''d be asleep by this hour, but this day he was engrossed in his training. A smile appeared on his face as he looked at the new seal imprint on his palm. He was about to test it when he suddenly received a set of memories.


    A giggle escaped his lips as he thought, ''Not bad. Not bad at all. Those brats broke into Kakashi''s house, hehe. I wonder what he''s thinking right now.''


    For thest few days, Fujin would always receive memories from his Shadow Clone that trailed Naruto andpany. Those memories kept him very entertained despite training with so many clones.


    Fujin turned his attention back to the seal on his hand and thought, ''Anyway, time to test this!''


    Fujin mmed his hand on the ground. In an instant, a new seal appeared on the floor of his basement. In the blink of an eye, several dozen seals appeared at some spots in the basement!


    Fujin looked at his clones and dispelled all but one. The remaining clone left the basement and appeared on the floor above it. He extended his chakra field into the basement. A smile appeared on his face as he muttered, "Amazing! I can''t sense anything inside the basement!"


    He stopped using his chakra field and instead activated the Space Time Sensing Technique. He realized, ''Looks like it is useless against Space Time techniques though... The seals that I know are pretty much useless against Space Time techniques. Then again, I haven''t run into anyone else who knows such seals either.


    I guess seals that restrict Space Time techniques haven''t been created in this world yet. Unless the Uzumaki n or the Jashin cult knew them. If they don''t, then it might be safe to say that there are none.


    Though that ain''t necessarily a bad thing. At least no one will be able to stop my Flying Thunder God. The only shame is that I won''t have a way to stop that broken Mangekyou ability. I guess working with Kakashi would be the only way to deal with Obito.


    Still, I should visit Uzushiogakure sometime in the future to see if any secrets are still hidden in the vige. Though unlikely as that vige was thoroughly plundered and scavenged several times, there is still some chance considering that the very thing they specialized in was seals. Perhaps taking an Uzumaki there might help in finding the hidden stuff.''


    Fujin''s clone stopped analyzing and sent the memories back to Fujin who was waiting in the basement. On receiving the memories, Fujin thought, ''Great, it works as I want. It seems like I can make aplete battlefield in this way. Though making the seal imprint for it will be far moreplicated.''


    Three days ago :


    After deciding to make a stealth battlefield, Fujin decided to get down to work. The first task that he needed to do was to create the battlefield normally. That was the easy part. Fujin and his clones brainstormed and came up with a structure of the battlefield with seals ced in the right ces within a few hours.


    The stealth battlefield was different from the battlefield that Uchiha Sora had created to deal with the Jashinists. The one Sora created was to trap the enemies and prevent them from running while giving Sora and his allies the initiative to attack and defend at will. However, what Fujin created focused solely on the stealth aspect.


    No sensor, no matter how good, would be able to detect that someone was in that battlefield as long as he didn''t step into it. Only Fuinjutsu Grandmasters would be able to detect that something was off. However, it didn''t have any other capabilities. Meaning, that the battlefield didn''t assist Fujin in attack, defense or even in trapping the enemy.


    The reason why Fujin created such a simple battlefield was the second task. It was very difficult and Fujin was sure that he would be the first Fuinjutsu Grandmaster to do something like this. The difficult part was that Fujin would have to condense the entire battlefield into one small seal imprint.


    The seal imprints, though convenient, were traditionally used to create only one seal quickly. However, the battlefield that Fujin wanted to create had several dozen stealth seals of various types.


    As a result, the seal imprint he would be creating was a seal imprint that consisted of several dozen seal imprints within it. And, each of those several dozen seal imprints had to be ced at the proper ce inside the main seal imprint. If Fujin made a single error in the distances between each seal, the seal imprint would fail in creating the battlefield.


    Most of Fujin''s time was spent creating that imprint. He and his clones failed several times. However, he had managed to create it. Fujin looked at it and thought, ''This stealth battlefield will act as a prototype for my main battlefield. Hmm, main battlefield is kind of a boring name. I''ll call it the Fuin Battlefield instead. Anyway, I''ll begin working on it tomorrow.''


    Fujin decided to call it a night. The next day, before he could begin his training, an Anbu appeared and called Fujin into Hiruzen''s office!


    -----------------------------------


    ()

 Chapter 557: Naruto

    Chapter 557: Naruto


    At around 6 in the morning, team 7 gathered in the training ground. Well, all except their sensei. Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke all had a sleepy face.


    Naruto said, "We barely got to sleepst night. I am so sleepy!"


    Since they had been upte at night to sneak up on Kakashi, they only got a few hours of sleep.


    Sakura yawned and said, "Luckily sensei won''t be here for at least another 3 hours. We can take a nap here."


    Sasuke didn''t say anything but agreed with her. The three of them sat with their backs resting against trees and closed their eyes.


    "Hmm, did youe here for training or sleeping?"


    It had barely been a minute since the three of them closed their eyes when they heard Kakashi''s voice. All 3 woke up in an instant. Sakura looked at Kakashi and shouted internally, ''Of all the days, he had toe early today? Shannaro!''


    Sasuke wondered, ''Does he know that it was usst night?''


    Naruto watched nervously as well. Kakashi looked at his 3 students and said, "Enoughzing around. Today, we will have a special training session."


    On hearing the words ''Special Training Session'', the eyes of the three Genins lit up. Naruto thought, ''Did we prove ourselves to him? Fujin was right as always!''


    Sasuke thought, ''Finally, we can get some real training.''


    Naruto excitedly jumped and asked, "Will you teach us your special jutsus, Kakashi-sensei?"


    Kakashi said in confusion, "Special jutsus? Well, the training will be very special. All three of you will grow strong rapidly with it. So, we will start right away."


    Despite their sleep-deprived state, the three Genins were very excited. Unfortunately, the excitement didn''tst very long. Sakura''s excitement died 15 seconds after Kakashi''s ''Special Training Session'' started. Sasuke''s excitement died after 10 minutes while Naruto''s excitement nearlysted for half an hour.


    The training Kakashi put them through even surpassed the intensity of training that Guy put his students through! None of them had the physiques to endure such training. When Kakashi noticed Naruto running out of gas, he said, "The warm-up is over. Now, we will begin the real training."


    This time, none of the three genins felt any excitement. Instead, horror was setting in! True to his words, the trio that had been harassing him for 3 days were being put through hell!


    While Naruto and his teammates entered hell, Fujin woke and freshened up. As usual, he sent out a Shadow Clone to enjoy the entertainment. Unknown to him, he had missed out on some very entertaining scenes. By the time his clone reached, all three genins had passed out! Regardless, his mind quickly began thinking about the Fuin Battlefield.


    He analyzed, ''I only used 83 seals in the Stealth Battlefield. And most of the seals were simr in nature. However, the Fuin Battlefield will be a lot moreplex.


    I have to make it strong enough to at least hold any non-Jinchuriki rank S ninja. If it can''t do even that much, then what''s the use of technique? I can already neutralize threats weaker than that even without using my Wind jutsus or any forbidden jutsus.


    A normal barrier created with seals can''t hold a rank S ninja. The barriers I integrate into Fuin Battlefield will need to have the feature of strengthening with the help of my chakra.


    As long as I can do that, there would be no way to escape other than Reverse Summoning jutsu. Hmm, maybe Onoki''s dust release might be able to destroy it. Sussano could be another variable. However, the rest of the rank S ninjas will be trapped without being able to escape, giving me a chance to kill them.


    Oh well, I''ll do my physical workout and then start creating this Hmm?''


    Fujin''s bell rang. An Anbu had arrived and informed Fujin that Hiruzen had asked for his presence. Fujin followed him while wondering, ''Did he call me to give me the scroll of Spirit Transformation jutsu or is he ready to move the orphans here?''


    When Fujin reached, Hiruzen ordered his Anbu Guards to leave the two of them alone. With all the seals activated, Hiruzen handed Fujin a scroll and said, "The details of the Spirit Transformation jutsu are in there. However, be careful while practicing the jutsu. The act of releasing your soul from your body is extremely dangerous. If you make a mistake, then it can injure you. And I can''t estimate the degree of the injury.


    Once your soul is out, your body will be vulnerable. If someone makes a move on you and damages your unprotected body, you''ll die. Kato Dan, the one who created this jutsu, died in this manner during the war.


    Always leave sufficient Shadow Clones behind to take care of your body. That way, you''ll be aware of the danger and might be able to make it back in time."


    Fujin nodded. He understood the dangers involved while learning that jutsu. However, he wasn''t much worried about leaving his body vulnerable using that jutsu. After all, he knew the Flying Thunder God jutsu. His clones could escape with his body with rather ease even if someone found him.


    Fujin asked curiously, "I will be careful. That said, can Shadow Clones use this technique?"


    Hiruzen shook his head and said, "No. Even though Shadow Clones have a part of your spirit that returns to your body after they are dispelled or destroyed, it is extremely minute. No clone can use this technique. Even if you somehow manage to utilize this technique with that little spirit, the clone will be dispelled and it will return to you forcefully."


    Fujin sighed and muttered, "That''s a shame. Anyway"


    He handed a few scrolls to Hiruzen and said, "These have Sasori''s puppets. I decided to keep 15 for myself. The remaining 49 are here."


    Hiruzen nodded and took the scrolls while thinking, ''It is difficult for a puppet master to handle several puppets at the same time. Generally, 3 is the limit. Assuming that they need a couple as backup, these should be enough to equip the 5 I have in mind. The rest will be used to research and improve Konoha''s knowledge of creating puppets. Normally, I''d have asked Danzo to handle this research. However''


    Thinking about Danzo, the headaches of a few months ago resurfaced. Hiruzen decided, ''Though I can''t be sure whether Danzo had any hand in the death of the Root ninjas and the destruction of the Root Headquarters, there is no doubt that a lot of things don''t add up. I can''t clear him so quickly just because he suffered from that incident.


    Not to mention, if I let him get his hands on this forbidden technique, Danzo will surely create arge number of Human Puppets. In the worst case, he might even use Konoha ninjas for this purpose and I won''t be able to do much because it is very easy to keep these puppets hidden. I shouldn''t allow him to get his hands on this technique unless we are at a war and in a tough spot. I will create another unit for researching such forbidden techniques.''


    Hiruzen looked at Fujin and said, "There is another reason that I called you here. The construction of the buildings and facilities around your house is finallypleted. I am nning to move the orphans there tonight."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Sure, no issue. That said, I received a request some time ago."


    Hiruzen was surprised. He wondered, ''Since when did Fujin start epting requests? And, who is rich enough to ask for his help?''


    He asked, "What is it?"


    Fujin smiled and said, "Naruto asked whether he could move in along with other orphans."


    Immediately, a thoughtful expression appeared on Hiruzen''s face. He thought, ''So he only epts requests that involve giving me a headache? I know that he has been teaching Naruto for some time, but Naruto moving into his territory will be a political matter''


    Naruto was the only Jinchuriki in Konoha. As a result, several ns and factions in Konoha wanted him under their control. Considering that he was an orphan, almost every n, including the Uchiha n, had offered to take him under their wing. In fact, even Hiruzen wanted to take Naruto into the Sarutobi n. So did Danzo, who wanted him in the Root.


    Since everyone''s interests shed and everyone restricted each other, Naruto eventually ended up alone. No one had asked to take him in recent times other than Danzo. So Fujin''s statement came as a surprise to Hiruzen.


    Hiruzen analyzed, ''Since I am cing several orphans under him, he does have a good reason to justify Naruto moving in with them. Not to mention, he is already on good terms with him. So it will be good for Naruto.


    However, it will cause political shes. It is difficult to say how the ns would see this. Danzo might even use this opportunity to say that I am trying to take control of Naruto through Fujin. The only good thing is that Fujin doesn''t have an established faction yet. So others might not see it as a threat. Regardless, it will be a headache for me!''


    [A/N : Latest chapter on Pat reon - How did Fujin defeat Jiraiya?]


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 558: Warnings

    Chapter 558: Warnings


    Hiruzen asked, "Will Naruto be moving into your house?"


    Fujin shook his head and answered, "No. He just feels that he might make friends more easily with the orphans. If there is no issue on your end, then he will move in only if he gets along well with them and will be living alongside them."


    Hiruzen sighed internally, ''He makes a very strong case as usual. How will Ie out looking good if I refuse Naruto the opportunity to make friends and get along with the ones who might not discriminate against him?''


    Hiruzen asked, "Are you sure it''ll be a good idea? Don''t forget that Naruto is a Jinchuriki and hosts the Nine Tailed Beast. If he loses control, then the orphans and even you might be at risk."


    Fujin raised an eyebrow and said, "If he is going to lose control, then he might as well lose control next to a rank S Fuinjutsu Grandmaster and a bunch of Anbu Trainees instead of in the middle of the city where civilians live."


    For a second, Hiruzen was left speechless. He didn''t expect to be countered so quickly and without a shred of mercy. Despite the shamelessness running through his veins, even Hiruzen couldn''t help but feel embarrassed. Of course, it wasn''t visible on his face.


    In fact, even Fujin wondered, ''What happened to him today? Is he sick or did he fall on his head in thest 3 days? This is the first time I ever saw him say something so dumb''


    While Fujin loved messing with Hiruzen, it was generally because of how difficult Hiruzen made it to mess with him. As a result, he couldn''t help but be surprised by the excuse Hiruzen was trying to use.


    Hiruzen faked a cough and said, "Of course. I just wanted you to be aware. Even though Lord Fourth''s seal is very secure, we should always take precautions."


    Fujin just stared at Hiruzen, making it obvious that Hiruzen''s half-assed attempt at covering up what he said wasn''t working. Hiruzen added, "That said, while I don''t have any issue, Naruto is the vige''s only Jinchuriki. So his safety is of utmost importance. In addition, other Council Members will need to be informed as well. I will give you the answer a few dayster."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Well, even though mypounds are on the outskirts of the vige, safety shouldn''t be a concern as I''ll apply seals on thepounds soon. Mypounds will be one of the safest ces in the vige. The Anbu can continue keeping an eye on him from the shadows. If needed, one of the underground bases in thepounds could be used as an Anbu base."


    All the Kiri orphans that would be moving into hispounds were Anbu trainees. In addition, a few experienced Anbu would also be staying in hispounds to train those orphans. So it didn''t make much of a difference to Fujin if a few more Anbu came in. Besides, even at such a close distance, no one would be able to spy inside his house.


    Fujin continued, "As for the other council members, I don''t see any reason why anyone would have an issue. Though if they do, just let me know."


    Hiruzen was surprised. He asked, "Oh? What will you do?"


    Fujin smiled and replied, "Why would I do anything? I''ll just ask Naruto to prank their houses. The kid hasn''t been pranking much since he graduated. Though..."


    Fujin put up a thoughtful face and continued, "I might have to discuss this with Kakashi as Naruto is his student. However, he should agree as this will be a good training for Naruto."


    Hiruzen looked at Fujin with a dumbfounded expression. He thought, ''He isn''t even nning to hide the fact that he was behind Naruto creating havoc in the vige? Not to mention, Naruto has learnt the Multi Shadow Clone jutsu. If he pranks now...''


    Hiruzen immediately understood what terror Naruto could cause if he continued with his old ways. Normally, he would have stopped the person who suggested it, but he had a feeling that he would lose if he tried to debate with Fujin.


    He said, "Well, that might be a bit extreme. Anyway, don''t worry. I don''t think anyone will oppose it too much. I''ll handle it. I''ll see youter tonight."


    Fujin nodded and disappeared from the office. As he left the office, a puzzled expression appeared on his face. He muttered to himself, ''What a weird day Hiruzen says something dumb, Kakashi is somehow already in the training grounds, and his three students are instead the ones sleeping Did the Sun rise from the West today? Or did I transmigrate into another parallel universe?''


    While Fujin was chatting with Hiruzen, his clone had sent him the memories to inform him about the situation with Kakashi''s squad. The sudden change had surprised him. He anticipated Kakashi making them wait for 6 hours instead of 3 hours due to being annoyed by them. He never imagined that Kakashi would do the opposite!


    Fujin decided, ''Well, whatever. I''ll continue constructing the Fuin Battlefield. Unlike the Stealth Battlefield, this will be veryplicated. I''ll need a few days to just n the design. The only reference I have is the battlefield Sora created.


    And, I''ll also need to consider what I should do when making improvements to the Fuin Battlefield in the future. Will I just have to make a new Seal Imprint? Or can I somehow modify the current Seal Imprint?''


    Elsewhere, Kakashi looked at his three students, all of whom had passed out at some point during the intense training. Sakurasted the least with just over 30 minutes. Sasukested for over one and a quarter hours. Narutosted 30 minutes more than him.


    Kakashi analyzed, ''Weird, I didn''t feel anyone looking at me earlier. However, I can feel it now. That said, I still can''t find who it is. There is no scent, no chakra signature and it doesn''t feel like Lord Hokage''s crystal ball either I will keep an eye on these 3 to check if someone is influencing them.


    Anyway, it looks like these 3 need some training to improve their stamina. Sakura''s stamina is too low even for a Genin. Sasuke is better but this isn''t enough. Naruto is helped by his Uzumaki genes and the Nine Tails sealed inside him. However, for someone who is aided by such factors, his stamina is quite low. This training will be the new normal for them.''


    Since the three had slept for enough time, Kakashi woke all of them up. The three Genins were still extremely tired. They quickly drank some water.


    Kakashi said in a disappointed tone, "I didn''t expect that you three wouldn''t be able tost a single training session."


    Kakashi shook his head, disying his disappointment further. Sakura immediately argued, "But Sensei, the training was so intense! How are we supposed to keep doing it for a long time?"


    Kakashi stared into her eyes and said, "The fights between ninjas are far more intense. You will burn stamina at a much quicker rate. If you lose your focus for a moment, you''ll be dead. Do you think your opponent will stop after half an hour just because youck stamina?"


    Sakura immediately went quiet while a frown appeared on Sasuke''s face. He imagined facing Itachi andcking the stamina to fight him. Naruto said, "But Sensei, Isted the longest. Shouldn''t I be fine?"


    Kakashi looked at him and said, "Your main method of fighting is Shadow Clones. In a fight, you''ll lose your stamina the quickest. It is even more important for you to improve your stamina."


    Kakashi''s words shut him up as well. However, it was what he said next that horrified them. Forming his usual eye smile, Kakashi said, "You three couldn''tst your early morning training session. I hope you do better in your pre-afternoon training session which begins now."


    Sakura immediatelyined, "But sensei, we haven''t eaten anything."


    Naruto added, "Yes Sensei. We can''t train on empty stomachs."


    Kakashi maintained his eye smile and asked, "Do you think your enemies will give you lunch breaks in the middle of the war? We begin now. Also, if any of you fall asleep this time, I''ll be waking you up with the Thousand Years of Death jutsu!"


    All three Genins shivered on hearing that threat. None of them wanted to experience that. Not giving them any further break, Kakashi started the next round of training which continued until noon. All three got too tired at some point and couldn''t continue the training, but no one dared to pass out and everyone kept a close eye on Kakashi.


    At noon, the trio quickly ate the lunches they had packed. Not one second after they were done eating, Kakashi took them to the Hokage''s office to ept a mission.


    The exhausted kids unwillingly followed Kakashi in their half-dead states. Even Hiruzen was surprised when he saw them. He couldn''t help but wonder, ''What did Kakashi do with them? And why are they so on guard?''


    "Lord Hokage?"


    Hearing Kakashi, Hiruzen said, "Madam Shijimi''s cat has escaped again. Your mission is to catch and bring the cat back."


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 559: Jiraiyas Dream jutsu!

    Chapter 559: Jiraiya''s Dream jutsu!


    [A/N : Hey guys. This chapter is Sponsored by Terrance Smith. You can thank him for the double release.]


    "Not the damn cat again!" Naruto shouted in horror. Both Sakura and Sasuke sighed in agreement. Their bodies were already aching to the extreme. They didn''t want to chase the cat around the vige for hours in that state. In fact, they didn''t even have any energy to do any mission. All the three of them wanted was to return to their homes and sleep until the next morning.


    Unfortunately, Kakashi didn''t give them any choice. Hiruzen was surprised to see the three Genins ept a rank D mission without asking for difficult missions for once.


    Fujin received the memories from his clone and chuckled while thinking, ''Guess Guy will be proud of Kakashi. Hmm, maybe I should inform him the next time we spar. Oh well''


    His expression became serious as he clenched his fists and exerted his strength.


    ''Gate of Opening: Open!''


    ''Gate of Healing: Open!''


    ''Gate of Life: Open!''


    In one go, Fujin opened the first three inner gates. His skin turned red, his pupils disappeared, all the hair on his body stood up, and bulging veins appeared all over his body. At the same time, a high amount of chakra was flowing around his body.


    ''Gate of Pain: Open!''


    Fujin exerted his body further and opened the fourth inner gate! True to its name, pain spread through his body as his muscles were affected.


    Fujin gritted his teeth and muttered, "Here goes nothing."


    Despite the pain, Fujin closed his eyes and focused on the chakra point in his abdomen. In an instant, arge amount of chakra bombarded the Gate of Limit. Fujin kept up the bombardment for half a minute. Despite the steady increase in the pain his muscles were feeling, the bombardment only became more fierce.


    The Gate of Limit couldn''t withstand it and snapped open. In an instant, Fujin felt a massive increase in his chakra reserves. Despite the pain, he could feel that his body was far stronger.


    Fujin didn''t move and instead just paid attention to his body. He thought, ''It''s incredible that this body can generate so much chakra and improve my physical abilities to this extent. My chakra levels are more than ten times what I normally have.''


    He sighed as he analyzed further, ''It''s a shame that this chakra is in such a berserk state. If it was calm like my normal chakra and I could use it for Ninjutsu, I could have been able to injure a Tailed Beast!''


    Fujin finally closed his inner gates. His breathing immediately became rougher and he felt an immense hunger. However, Fujin wasn''t very concerned. He analyzed, ''With the Gate of Limit opened, I can stop training the Eight Inner Gates Technique as well.


    The Gate of Joy is just too difficult to open. Even if I train my body with the same intensity for a few years, there is no guarantee that I''ll be able to open the Gate of Joy. Instead, it''ll only get more difficult as my body grows stronger.


    From what Guy said, fighting against strong opponents is an important factor from here onwards. Only when in grave danger, will the body be able to put enough pressure on the Gate of Joy to open it. However''


    Fujin had a helpless expression. Unlike Guy, who was much weaker than Fujin when he opened the Gate of Limit, Fujin was already a fearsome rank S ninja! The number of ninjas that could threaten him and were alive could be counted with fingers.


    Fujin muttered to himself, ''The only way I could get into such a fight is if I fight with Ay, Onoki or some of the Akatsuki members. Or maybe by using Akuro''s disguise to fight with Hiruzen, Jiraiya and Tsunade. Still, all of them are far more experienced than me and no weaker than me as long as I don''t use the Flying Thunder God''


    Fujin fell into deep thought. After a couple of minutes, he decided, ''Irrespective of whether I open the Gate of Joy or not, there is no harm in engaging in such battles. Though I have fought a lot for my age, the majority of my battles were against weaker ninjas from minor viges. The number of times I fought a rank S ninja is just too low. Compared to these guys who fought regrly during the Great Ninja Wars, Ick heavily in the experience department.


    Oh well, once the range of my Flying Thunder God jutsu increases, I''ll begin finding excuses to fight them. After all, why should I refuse their help to make myself stronger? Since they aren''t doing anything important, they might as well help me a bit.''


    Having made his decision, Fujin decided to go to Ichiraku to fill himself up. En route, he saw Naruto and his teammates chasing after a cat. Noticing their sluggish movements, Fujinmented, ''I don''t think they can get up from their beds tomorrow Even Guy isn''t this brutal. Oh well, it''s none of my concern.''


    Completely ignoring the fact that he was the reason for their current state, Fujin shamelessly went into Ichiraku and began treating his stomach.


    In his basement, 4rge sheets of paper were ced on the floor at some distance from each other. Surrounding each paper were a dozen Shadow Clones. While Fujin was training his body, his clones had been working on the design for the Fuin Battlefield.


    Since the design had to be created properly, Fujin was aware that it would take some time. It didn''t make any difference whether it was he who was designing the battlefield or his clones. Hence, Fujin left it all to his clones while he began focusing on the other things.


    After filling his stomach and returning home, Fujin opened the scroll that Hiruzen had given him. Understanding the importance of theory in this jutsu, Fujin read it carefully a few times.


    After a while, he sighed, ''Kato Dan What an impressive talent From what Hiruzen informed me about him, he specialized in Fire, Wind, Earth, Yin and Yang Release. In addition, his chakra reserves were very high as well.


    I wonder if this was a reason why Hiruzen didn''t oppose much while giving this jutsu. It might be possible that all he did was just act so that he could get as many puppets from me as he could. After all, in terms of chakra natures, I and Dan are quite simr as Hiruzen doesn''t know about my Lightning Release.


    That said, I wonder why his chakra reserves were absurdly high Now that I think about it, he did help Tsunade recover her entire chakra including the chakra stored in her seal in thest war. Being able to fill up her seal is nuts. Does the Spirit Transformation jutsu help increase the chakra reserves? However, it could have also been due to the Edo Tensei. Oh well, I''ll wonder about itter.


    Coming back to the Spirit Transformation jutsu, it is remarkable. To be able to control the soul A normal person, actually, even most rank S ninjas, can''t even feel their soul, let alone control it freely.


    Just to be able to sense my soul, I''ll need remarkable control over Yin Release. By extension, my control over Yan Release has to be remarkable as well. Though my current Yang Release and Yin Release aren''t bad, I''ll have to improve them significantly to just begin training this jutsu.


    Once they improve, I will first have to sense my soul and differentiate it from my body. The next step will be detaching it from my body, allowing me to roam freely. In this form, I''ll be invulnerable to normal chakra and energy. Even Nature energy won''t be able to harm me. Unless someone develops attacks that specifically target the soul, I won''t be harmed. That said, I could still be trapped within high-level barriers.


    Anyway, thest step would be learningbat skills with my Spirit. The basic way of attacking with spirit is by entering the enemy''s body and damaging his Spirit, or better,pletely copsing it. Straightforward and brutally efficient.


    In addition, I can also take control of my enemy''s body temporarily. I can also use this technique tomunicate or transfer my chakra to an ally. Another important feature is the broken passive tracking ability. If I set someone as my target, my Soul will be able to find its way all the way to him even if I don''t know where my target is.


    Hmm I wonder if this jutsu was purposefully kept away from Jiraiya''


    Fujin was genuinely surprised that Jiraiya didn''t do everything he could to learn this jutsu. It seemed like the perfect jutsu for him!


    Fujin continued reading the scroll over and over to ensure that he didn''t miss anything. He noted down all the doubts he had as Hiruzen would be paying a visitter in the day.


    The remainder of the day passed without any incident. Kakashi nned on training the kids once again after the mission waspleted. However, he could see that they werepletely drained. They didn''t make a single move on him during the mission. As a result, he let them go home early.


    Later that night, Hiruzen arrived at Fujin''s residence along with the orphans from Kiri.


    --------------------------


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 Chapter 560: 50 years more...

    Chapter 560: 50 years more...


    Sensing a bunch of chakra signaturesing towards his house, Fujin muttered, ''I guess Hiruzen is finally here.''


    Fujin flickered outside his house. The construction around his house waspleted. The 4 plots adjacent to hisnd, each 2500 sq. meters in size, had been incorporated to create apound and a wall had been constructed around the entire property. Fujin''s house was at the centermost plot, near the front.


    The vacant area behind his house now had two buildings. One of them was the training facility. It was as good as the Anbu training facilities, though they were a bit smaller andcked elemental training rooms. The other building was for any Anbu stationed in hispounds.


    The plots just to the right and left of Fujin''s house had several small buildings. They were for the Kiri orphans to live in. Thest two plots, which were farthest from Fujin''s house, were left for future expansion. In order to not leave them empty, parks and ygrounds were constructed there.


    Fujin thought, ''Hmm, not bad. Though it is rather simple, it seems like Hiruzen asked the constructors to maintain consistency with my house. Instead of overshadowing my house or looking pale inparison, they are in sync with my house, making it quite a good sight. Though, it makes my house stand out a bit. Oh well, it''s not like anyone would dare intrude on my house for that reason...''


    A few secondster, Hiruzen appeared in front of Fujin. Behind him were a few Anbu ninjas and the 134 orphans from the Land of Water. Hiruzen looked at Fujin and nodded, indicating that it was time. Fujin looked at the kids. As he had expected, almost all of them had emotional expressions. Only a few looked around curiously. Hiruzen had already exined to them that they would be living in Fujin''spounds.


    Hiruzen introduced Fujin to them before the Anbu began assigning them the rooms to live in. While they were busy, Fujin asked, "Are all of them from the Land of Water? Also, how many have awakened Kekkei Genkai and how many have bloodlines?"


    Hiruzen looked at Fujin and thought, ''So he has already connected the dots between these kids and the ones Renjiro brought back.''


    Hiruzen wasn''t surprised. It was rather easy to connect. He nodded and said, "Yes. 5 of them have unlocked Kekkei Genkai. We have confirmed that another 14 have bloodlines. As for the rest, it is difficult to say. As you know, the Mizukage faction has been hunting everyone with Kekkei Genkai. So, several people changed their surnames while going into hiding.


    It is difficult to say if some of these kids are among them. Regardless, their talent is still very high. So it isn''t an issue."


    Fujin agreed and asked softly, "Are you nning on creating more ns in the vige?"


    While getting slightly more than a hundred talented kids who might be Jounins in the future was something no vige would say no to, it wasn''t something that the major viges would fight for. After all, the viges received talented kids every year. However, most of them would die even before they became Jounins. Some would lose their drive and would never reach that level. So, it wasn''t a big deal.


    However, it was a whole different thing when Kekkei Genkai and bloodlines were involved! It presented viges with an opportunity to raise an entirely new force. In addition, it was much easier to be Elite Jounins if you have Kekkei Genkai. It even made bing rank S slightly easier.


    Hiruzen red at Fujin and said, "Some things are better left unsaid. Don''t talk openly about such things. But yes. Over the next half-century, we can create several new ns. It''ll increase the special units that our vige will have considerably."


    Hiruzen chuckled and added, "I''ll probably be long dead by then. It''ll be something you guys would need to handle. Since you are the one overseeing them, you will have a major role to y."


    Fujin looked at Hiruzen and wondered, ''Why does it feel like he wants me to take over the Hokage seat?''


    Fujin looked back at the kids and replied casually, "Don''t worry, Grandpa. I''m sure you''ll still be the Hokage 50 yearster. The people of Konoha would love to see their ''beloved'' and ''benevolent'' Lord Hokageplete a century!"


    That immediately earned him a re from Hiruzen. Fujin felt it but he didn''t look at him and instead just kept watching the orphans casually. He knew exactly what Hiruzen''s thoughts would be.


    Hiruzen cursed in his mind, ''What the hell is the issue with this vige? Why does everyone want me to continue as the Hokage? Can''t I retire? He wants me to continue being Hokage until I be a hundred and twenty years old? Is there a reason why only troublemakers want to be the Hokage?''


    Hiruzen almost wanted tosh out in frustration. Unfortunately, he couldn''t. Not to mention, Fujin didn''t even look in his direction and instead pretended to be curious about the kids. Hiruzen could only bitterly bottle up his thoughts.


    He sighed internally while thinking, ''I failed to convince Jiraiya to take the seat. Tsunade won''t ept either. Minato''s batch unfortunately didn''t have any other candidate. However, I am not missing my chance this time.''


    He looked at Fujin and thought, ''Both Fujin and Kakashi are excellent candidates. Considering how easily Fujin dealt with Sasori, he isn''t too far away from my level. Though he won''t be able to win against me at least for a few more years, he might be able to hold back and retreat sessfully from Ay and Onoki.


    Kakashi, unfortunately, has beengging behind. Still, even he can be considered as a rank S ninja. At the very least, he should be able to fight against Rasa. Considering how troublesome his students are and what troubles they will attract, they might just inspire him to train a bit more seriously.


    I''ll wait for 3 more years and retire irrespective of whether someone wants to be the Hokage or not. That should be sufficient time for Kakashi''s strength to be more formidable and for Fujin to gain some fame that he can actually speak about. If they are reluctant, I''ll use Danzo to push either of them on the seat!''


    A slight surprise appeared on Hiruzen''s face as he realized, ''Now that I think about it, he has done a great job at hiding his biggest achievements. No one except Akatsuki knows that he was the one to kill Juzo. Simrly, no one except me knows that he was the one to steal Sasori''s puppets. Even his fights against Iwa are only known to them. As for Suna, once again only me and Shikaku know...''


    Fujin felt that the way Hiruzen was staring at him had changed. He looked at him and saw a peculiar expression on Hiruzen''s face. He asked, "What are you thinking about?"


    Hiruzen shook his head and said, "Nothing important."


    Fujin looked at him with a doubtful expression. Seeing that Hiruzen didn''t intend to speak about it, Fujin began asking Hiruzen on how to handle the kids. While he guided a few earlier and had made arrangements for kids in Phantom Haven Society, he truly didn''t have much experience in this aspect.


    Thankfully, Hiruzen already had a basic n prepared. He exined it to Fujin. After exining everything, Hiruzen concluded, "In short, you don''t need to do much. The Anbu I deploy will take care of their training. For other basic needs, civilians will be employed. Since you don''t have any way to earn funds, the vige will be handling the expenses.


    You only need to watch over the kids. If they have an issue that they or their teachers can''t resolve, then they will be approaching you. In addition, if someone catches your eye, feel free to guide them. If you want to, you can even create and lead a squad. The only important thing is to ensure that no one knows about Kekkei Genkai users among the kids.


    Even the n leaders and other elders are oblivious to this fact. While I don''t need to hide this from them, seeing how long they take to realize this will give us an idea of how long other viges will take to suspect us of having pulled something like this off."


    Fujin nodded. He didn''t doubt the fact that other viges would be pissed on seeing Konoha gaining so many new Kekkei Genkais. There was little doubt that there would be several assassination attempts on them. What Hiruzen''s words implied was that Fujin would have to be the one to deter the other viges from doing something like that.


    However, Fujin wasn''t very worried. After all, Konoha would be at its strongest by then. Even if things didn''t happen as he remembered, Konoha would still be at the top in regards to rank S battle power. With the two Sannins, Fujin, Kakashi, Guy and Naruto, that''d be 6 rank S ninjas even without considering Danzo. That wasn''t something other viges could match.


    Of course, Fujin couldn''t say those things out loud. He nodded and said, "Don''t worry, I''ll handle it. Besides, it has been some time since I butted my head against the other great viges. Anyway, show me the ones with Kekkei Genkai and bloodline. I''d keep a closer eye on them."


    Hiruzen chuckled thinking about what had happened when Fujin previously butt his head against other viges and informed him about the kids who had the Kekkei Genkai and the bloodlines. The information that Hiruzen gave him caused Fujin to be surprised!


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 561: Categorizing Kekkei Genkai

    Chapter 561: Categorizing Kekkei Genkai


    [A/N : Hey guys. This chapter is Sponsored by Zero1995. You can thank him for the double release.]


    As Fujin had expected, there were kids from the Yuki n among the orphans. In fact, more than half of the ones whose bloodlines had been identified were from the Yuki n. 3 of the 5 kids with Kekkei Genkai were from the Yuki n as well and had Ice Release. It was the other two Kekkei Genkai that surprised Fujin.


    Neither were native to the Land of Water. One had the Storm Release while the other had the Scorch Release, the Kekkei Genkai Fujin felt that he was most likely to learn.


    Fujin thought, ''Weird Why did these two Kekkei Genkai appear in the Land of Water? On second thought, it isn''t too strange. After all, no matter how much a n tries to keep their bloodline in their n, there will always be a few in every generation who''d sleep around. Actually, it is a surprise that the genes aren''t that well spread despite existing for centuries.


    Regardless, Danzo is undoubtedly extremely lucky to get his hands on these two. Or rather, was lucky. Guess I should be d for his luck. It might just give me the inspiration I need. Anyway, there aren''t any kids from the Sakai or the Terumi n as I expected. After all, both their ns are still quite strong and are actively fighting against the Mizukage faction.


    There aren''t any from the Kaguya n either. Though there are 3 from the Hozuki n, that n doesn''t have a Kekkei Genkai. Their n is famous for their secret technique, but these 3 kids don''t know that secret technique. So that makes them no different from any other kid''


    While Fujin and Hiruzen were conversing, all the kids were assigned their rooms. Two kids were ced in each room. As a part of Root''s training, Danzo had ensured that each kid had a ''best friend''. Hiruzen naturally knew what Danzo would have eventually done. However, even though the kids were no longer in Root, Hiruzen didn''t see any harm in letting the friendships continue and be stronger. If anything, it was beneficial.


    Seeing that everyone had settled, Hiruzen said, "Fujin, I''ll leave the rest to you. If you have any doubts or require assistance, you can contact Homura and Koharu. Both have more experience than me in handling such matters."


    Fujin looked at Hiruzen skeptically. While he didn''t doubt their skills, there was no way Hiruzen would lose to either of them in these matters. Fortunately for Hiruzen, Fujin didn''t mind bothering them as well. He nodded and asked, "What about Naruto?"


    Hiruzen answered, "I talked with the n leaders and the elders. They don''t have an issue with him moving in here. However, as you said, only do so if he gets along with these kids."


    Hiruzen sighed internally as he recalled, ''To think that after so many years of unsessfully trying to put Naruto in a better ce, the answer was so simple. Without Danzo''s influence, it is much easier to get things done. Though Fujin was a huge factor as well.''


    Even though most n leaders sympathized with Naruto''s situation, no n wanted to see any other n get a huge advantage by gaining control of the Jinchuriki. Under such circumstances, he would have normally been ced with the Hokage.


    However, the Sarutobi n already had a veryrge influence in Konoha and the Land of Fire. Hiruzen upied the Hokage seat, his elder son was the leader of Anbu and his younger son was one of the twelve guardians of the Daimyo. In addition, due to the consistent wars, the Anbu forces Hiruzen controlled had grown stronger than most ns. Not to mention, Hiruzen had a deep influence inside other ns as well due to leading the vige for so long.


    Even in such a case, they would havee up with some arrangement for Naruto. Unfortunately, with Danzo working in the background and fanning the mes, that became impossible. Without a strong ninja, like Jiraiya or Tsunade stepping in to break the impass and taking the responsibility, the situation stayed the same despite none of the involved parties being satisfied.


    Hiruzen continued thinking, ''Unlike me, Fujin doesn''t have much influence. Even though he has these kids under him now and represents the highest number of ninjas in the council, his real influence isn''t that high. After all, he isn''t their leader and there is no blood rtion between him and the others.


    Where his actual influence lies is his strength and abilities. Combined with the fact that the n leaders were sympathetic about Naruto''s situation, there was surprisingly no opposition from them.''


    Hiruzen was happy with how easily this matter was resolved. He was expecting Fujin to be happy as well, but Fujin just inly replied, "That''s good. I''ll introduce Naruto to them the next time he shows up."


    Hiruzen was a bit surprised but what he didn''t know was that Fujin was sighing internally. Fujin thought, ''What a bummer. I was hoping that someone would oppose it. I could have got some entertainment in making them change their decision in a ''non-violent'' way.


    Sigh, I need a good fight soon. Raiga, though decent, wasn''t good enough. He couldn''t even force me to use my Wind jutsus It''s a shame that it is so difficult to get a fair fight with any rank S ninja''


    Seeing that Fujin wasn''t saying anything, Hiruzen said farewell and left. Fujin returned to his house as well. There wasn''t much for him to do. Instead, his mind began thinking about Kekkei Genkai. Fujin had been thinking about creating a Kekkei Genkai for a long time.


    As he grew increasingly stronger, he no longer felt a very strong desire towards them. However, it was still something he would love to have. Getting ess to kids who knew these Kekkei Genkai was a good opportunity for him.


    He analyzed, ''Scorch Release, Storm Release and Ice Release


    It''s a shame that my talent in Water maniption is too low. Both Ice and Storm Release require water maniption. Even though I have great control over Wind and Lightning, these two will be extremely difficult to create, though I still have some hope towards the Storm Release.


    On the contrary, Scorch Release fits me perfectly. My talent in Wind maniption is exceptional while my Fire maniption ain''t bad either. What''s more, it is also one of the simpler Kekkei Genkai.''


    When he was studying about Kekkei Genkai, Fujin had categorized them ording to theirplexity and how easy or difficult they would be for a normal ninja to master.


    The first category was the simple Kekkei Genkai. Fujin had put Scorch, Storm, Lava and Steam Release. All these Kekkei Genkai were very straightforward. In fact, Fujin already had a small degree of sess in two of these Kekkei Genkai.


    Scorch Release just involved using fire and winds to amplify each other. Considering howpatible the two elements were, Fujin felt that it was probably the easiest Kekkei Genkai. Fujin could heat up winds within his Wind Domain using Fire. Even without Wind Domain, he could create Wind Explosion spheres that were made of extremely hot winds. It was his attempt at copying Pakura''s technique. Unfortunately, he fell short in a very important aspect.


    On the other hand, Steam and Lava Release worked by using Fire to evaporate the water and melt the rocks respectively. As for Storm Release, it involved manipting Lightning like it was Water. With his control and with the help of the de of the Thunder Spirit, Fujin could control his Lightning to an extent, though it wasn''t as flexible as what Darui could achieve.


    The second category had the slightly more sophisticated Kekkei Genkai. It included Ice, Explosion, Wood and Ma Release. Fujin understood the basic concepts of these Kekkei Genkai and knew their properties. However, what he couldn''t understand was how exactly the elements would mix to create the Kekkei Genkai.


    For instance, Ice Release was abination of water and wind. However, unlike Lava Release, where he could clearly exin the functions and interactions of the two elements, Fujin couldn''t understand how exactly Water and Wind would need to interact to create Ice.


    Simrly, it was difficult to calcte how Wind and Earth together could replicate the Maic effect or how Water and Earth together could create Wood. How Earth and Lightning, two very ipatible elements worked together to create Explosion Release was also something he couldn''t figure out.


    For these reasons, Fujin considered these 4 Kekkei Genkai as more sophisticated as he had no idea how to begin working on them. While he did have some help in studying Ice Release due to that book, all it did was help Fujin eliminate some guesses as none of the methods mentioned in the book ever worked!


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 Chapter 562: Categorizing Kekkei Genkai (2)

    Chapter 562: Categorizing Kekkei Genkai (2)


    The third category had the Kekkei Genkai which seemed even moreplicated and somehow had an effect on the user''s body, increasing their difficulty level exponentially. Fujin included Swift Release, Steel Release and Dark Release in this category.


    For Fujin, whose highest talents were in Wind and Lightning Maniption, Swift Release should have been the easiest Kekkei Genkai to learn. However, unlike the Scorch Release where Fujin had limited sess, he didn''t make any progress whatsoever towards Swift Release.


    Fujin could use Wind as well as Lightning to increase his speed. Despite that fact, he didn''t even manage to conceptualize how to merge those two elements and create Swift Release.


    It was the same for Steel Release and Dark Release. Unlike the Swift Release, Fujin didn''t even know which elements were involved in creating those two Kekkei Genkai. The Konoha Library wasn''t much help either. Fujin did have his own estimates, but he wasn''t sure.


    The fourth category included the Kekkei Genkai which were impossible to replicate by anyone without the bloodline. Those included all the Sharingan and its forms, Byakugan and its forms, Ketsurygan and Shikotsumyaku.


    There was no way for Fujin to learn or create these Kekkei Genkai. He could still use the Doujutsus by stealing and transnting the eyes, but he didn''t see any way to replicate Shikotsumyaku.


    In addition to these four categories, there were still a few more Kekkei Genkai about which Fujin didn''t have any clear information. In fact, most of the ninja world didn''t have much information about it due to how rarely they appeared.


    They included Typhoon Release, Mud Release, Ranmaru''s Kekkei Genkai, Jugo''s Kekkei Genkai, Sakon and Ukon''s Kekkei Genkai, Kurama n''s Kekkei Genkai, Crystal Release and perhaps a few others.


    Some of these were rtively easier. For instance, Mud Release could have been ced in the first category if there was more information on it as it was very easy to exin how to create Mud bybining Water and Earth Release.


    Typhoon Release would have been easier as well if Fujin knew which elements merged to form it. Fujin spected that it was abination of Wind and Yang Release but wasn''t sure. In addition, the effects of Typhoon Release didn''t seem too different from Wind Release. Fujin could already replicate its effects with his normal Wind Release.


    Crystal Release would have possibly been in the second category if Fujin knew which elements were involved. Byparison, Ranmaru''s Kekkei Genkai and Sakon and Ukon''s Kekkei Genkai were much moreplicated. Fujin would ce them somewhere between the Third and Fourth Categories if he knew more about them.


    On the other hand, Jugo''s Kekkei Genkai and Kurama n''s Kekkei Genkai were strange. Kurama n''s Kekkei Genkai was an extreme stage of Genjutsu. Though extremely unlikely, Fujin felt that even a normal ninja who was extremely talented in Genjutsu could eventually reach that stage without needing the bloodline. Simrly, Jugo''s Kekkei Genkai was just an inferior form of Senjutsu. Anyone who learnt Senjutsu would be able to exceed them. So, Fujin wasn''t sure whether it would be appropriate to call them Kekkei Genkai.


    Fujin thought, ''Even though I can merge Fire and Wind to an extent, I can only do so out of my body. It is more of abination jutsu rather than a Kekkei Genkai even though I can replicate some features. A true Kekkei Genkai should merge the elements even before they are released from the body. Though it seems the same, doing so will cause a qualitative change.


    After all, Lava Release users directly spit out Lava from their mouths instead of first melting rocks and creatingva from it. If they had to do thetter, then they would be aughing stock in the ninja world instead of being a terror for weaker ninjas.


    Unfortunately, no matter how much I thought, I couldn''t get that merger to happen inside my body. Luckily, I now can observe someone who can use the Scorch Release. It might just be what I needed for a breakthrough in this aspect.''


    A smile appeared on Fujin''s face. He muttered, "I need to meet those kids tomorrow. Let me see what those Kekkei Genkai look like from a close distance."


    The next day, Fujin woke up early as usual andpleted his morning training routine. He decided to not train Spirit Transformation jutsu that day. Instead, he created a few dozen clones who continued working on the Fuin Battlefield. Meanwhile, he walked towards the training facilities where the Anbu were training the kids and silently observed everyone. A few people saw him but no one disturbed him.


    For the next half an hour, Fujin just observed them. A peculiar expression appeared on his face as he realized, ''Hmm, they aren''t as emotionless as I expected them to be or rather, many of them are just pretending to act like they are emotionless without actually being emotionless. In fact, they even have friends. Did Danzo grow soft?''


    Fujin didn''t need to think to know what the answer to that question was. He thought for a bit and soon realized what he was missing, ''I see. I nearly forgot about it. During the initial phase, Danzo promotes friendship between the Root trainees. Only after they kill their best friend would they be considered emotionless enough to be able to be a full-fledged Root ninja.


    Since this step wasn''tpleted, these kids aren''tpletely emotionless. Of course, they aren''tpletely normal either. However, that should be the result of a messed up childhood along with spending a year or more in the Root. As for why they are pretending to be emotionless, that should be Root''s teachings plus them trying to follow the examples of Root''s instructors.


    Sigh, I should sponsor some therapists and maybe create a business from that. There is little doubt that it''ll be one of the most lucrative businesses in this bloody world. Though I guess it''ll quickly be hijacked and used to increase brainwashing.


    Anyway, this is rather good news. Since Root didn''tpletely break them, these kids should recover in time. It''ll also make it easier for Naruto to influence them. I need my prankster ninja army soon to ease my boredom!''


    Fujin suddenly flickered and appeared behind an Anbu Captain who was in charge of training the kids who had Kekkei Genkai. The startled Anbu Captain, wearing a monkey mask, quickly turned around only to hear, "I''ll take over these kids for now."


    Seeing Fujin standing behind him, he nodded and moved away. The 5 kids looked at Fujin curiously. Though Hiruzen had informed them about Fujin several times and introduced himst night, they had never interacted with him. They all were curious about the person the Hokage spoke so highly about.


    Fujin looked at them as well. Among the 5 kids, 2 were girls and the remaining 3 were boys. Their ages were in the 7 to 10 years range. Seeing them observing him, Fujin asked with a chuckle, "So, will you guys introduce yourself or should I guess your names?"


    Hearing Fujin''s questions, the kids immediately began introducing themselves.


    "I am Hikari", said a 9-year-old girl with long, flowing ck hair. Her eyes sparkled with curiosity, and she wore a cheerful smile while introducing herself.


    "I am Takeshi", said a 9-year-old boy with messy blond hair and sun-tanned skin, radiating a calm demeanor, his blue eyes reflecting a sense of maturity beyond his years.


    "I am Yuji", said a 9-year-old boy with spiky white hair and dark skin. He exuded boundless energy as he constantly fidgets, his eyes gleaming with a mischievous glint.


    "I am Shoma", said a 7-year-old boy who looked reserved and shy. He had sleek ck hair, and his fair skin hid beneath his quiet demeanor.


    "I am Sayaka", said a 10-year-old girl who looked confident and prideful. She boasted shoulder-length ck hair that framed her determined face, and her fair skinplemented her assertive personality.


    Fujin heard their names and thought, ''Hmm, none of them mentioned their family names I guess Hiruzen instructed them to do so to avoid attracting obvious suspicions. Oh well.''


    Fujin smiled and said, "Good names. Lord Hokage spoke quite fondly of you 5. Follow me. I''ll see what you have learnt so far."


    Fujin turned around and began walking outside as the kids followed him with curiosity. They also attracted the attention of other kids. Seeing that Fujin was leaving the training facility, the Monkey-masked Anbu captain flickered next to him. He had heard what Fujin had said and became worried that Fujin might identally expose their abilities.


    He said softly, "Lord Hokage advised against letting them fight in the open."


    Fujin nodded and said, "I know, don''t worry."


    Fujin led the 5 kids out and entered the Training Ground opposite his house. Fujin had long ced seals throughout the training ground. So, there was no worry about anyone other than Hiruzen spying. In addition, since he became a Council Member, others stopped moving through that Training Ground as well.


    The only one who would frequently visit the Training Ground was Naruto. However, Naruto was being put through the grinder by Kakashi. Kakashi gave his ''energetic'' students no break and put them through training of simr intensity for the second day as well. Despite their bodies being extremely sore and aching everywhere, the three Genins dragged their feet afraid of the fearsome Thousand Years of Death jutsu!


    So, there wasn''t any chance of anyone intruding on the training ground unless Hiruzen sent a messenger. Fujin stood opposite the 5 kids and said, "Come at me with all you got. Don''t hide anything, including your Kekkei Genkai."


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 563: Displaying Kekkei Genkai

    Chapter 563: Disying Kekkei Genkai


    "Come at me with all you got. Don''t hide anything, including your Kekkei Genkai."


    The eyes of the 5 kids widened slightly. They were under strict orders from Hokage to not expose their Kekkei Genkai to anyone except their trainers. They weren''t sure if Fujin knew about it or not. To their surprise, he did.


    Being the oldest among the 5 and being the unofficial leader, Sayaka said, "Lord Hokage told us to never expose our Kekkei Genkai. If we use it here, others might see."


    Fujin replied, "It''s fine. You can use them when I allow you to use them. No one will see it here when I am with you. Of course, you shouldn''t use it if there is someone else along with us here but it''s fine for now. Any more questions?"


    The 5 kids shook their heads. Fujin said, "Good. Come at me with the intention to kill. We start NOW!"


    As soon as they heard Fujin shout ''now'', all 5 grabbed shurikens and threw at Fujin in one smooth action without any hesitation. Unlike the normal academy students and newly graduated Genins, they didn''t have any qualms about trying to kill.


    Fujin''s right eye twitched at that sight as he muttered to himself, ''The time they spent in the Root wasn''t entirely wasted.''


    The shurikens ripped through Fujin, or rather his after image which dispersed momentster. Instead, they saw him standing a few steps to his right.


    However, all the 5 kids had expected it. While they didn''t know exactly how strong Fujin was, all of them knew that he was one of the few Elite Jounins in Konoha. Though they weren''t sure how strong Elite Jounins were either, they knew that he would at least be stronger than their teachers.


    Even before the Shurikens reached Fujin, four of them had grabbed their tanto and all 5 of them rushed towards Fujin. Sayaka was taking the lead. Just behind her were Yuji, Takeshi and Hikari who were moving together. Shoma was moving behind them. He was the only one not holding a tanto. Instead, he weaved hand seals which Fujin identified at a nce.


    Sayaka reached Fujin and stabbed her tanto towards his heart. However, a sword appeared in Fujin''s hand and blocked the tanto. Sayaka was about to follow up with a few kicks, but her eyes widened as she was suddenly flung backwards by a few dozen meters as Fujin swung his de. She thought in disbelief, ''What strength!''


    Fujin didn''t have any time to check on her as the next wave of assault reached him. Yuji attacked Fujin''s neck, Takeshi attacked his legs while Hikari moved around Fujin and tried to stab him in his back.


    Fujin was impressed by their teamwork. He thought, ''Not bad. At least in terms of formations and teamwork, they are far ahead of the Academy kids. Even among Genins, very few would match them. That said, this isn''t exactly what I wanted to see.''


    Fujin stepped a few steps backwards, creating distance between him and the two boys and not letting Hikari move behind him. He used his sword to divert her tanto and pped her away with the t side of his sword.


    In one smooth motion, he changed the direction of his sword and swung it at Yuji who had jumped in the air. In a panic, Yuji stopped his attack and tried to defend himself. Though he saved himself, he was sent flying just like Sayaka.


    Despite sending Yuji flying, his sword continued its fluid motion and hit Takeshi''s tanto, knocking it out of his hand. A momentter, a kicknded on Takeshi''s abdomen, sending him flying for a few meters as well. At the same time, chakra began flowing through his sword.


    ''Wind Release: Air Bullet jutsu''


    From a very close distance, Shoma shot 4 Air Bullets at Fujin. To Shoma''s surprise, Fujin''s de cut through the Air Bullets and dispersed them! He questioned in disbelief, ''Air bullets can be cut with a sword???''


    Suddenly, Fujin disappeared and appeared right in front of him. Shoma heard, "I guess it''ll be unfair to the others if you are the only one who isn''t sent flying. Sorry kiddo."


    Before he could react, Fujin flicked his forehead, sending Shoma flying just like the others. The entire exchange was extremely quick. From the time Fujin sent Sayaka flying until he sent Shoma flying, not even a couple of seconds had passed. In fact, Sayakanded on the ground after Shoma was sent flying.


    Fujin analyzed, ''Theyck in power But that''s understandable considering their young age and the rtively low training time. After all, it should have been just over a year since Danzo began training them. He did a damn good job for sure.


    Though they arecking in power, their speed is decent. More importantly, they attacked me in a very tactical manner. A normal Chunin would have likely not survived unless he retreated immediately.''


    While Fujin was analyzing them, the 5 kids got back to their feet. Though Fujin had sent them flying, none were injured as Fujin didn''t intend to injure them. At most, there were some stinging sensations. Even so, all were shocked at how easily they were sent flying.


    Sayaka thought, ''Even our instructors struggle a bit against this formation. How did he stop it so easily? Is this how strong an Elite Jounin is?''


    Fujin could see the disbelief on the faces of the 5 kids. He smirked and taunted, "Is that all you can do? I have to admit, I expected more from you kids considering how impressed Lord Hokage was with you guys. But so far, I am disappointed."


    Fujin''s taunt immediately had the intended effect. All 5 kids were riled up. While Root ninjas generally had very good control over their emotions, these kids were trained for just a year and didn''t have the same control as the veterans in Root. Sayaka weaved a hand seal while cursing, ''This arrogant asshole!''


    ''Ice Release: Ice Sword jutsu''


    Two swords made of ice formed in her hands. She shouted, "Attack Formation 3!" and rushed towards Fujin. The others got into action as well. Fujin had sent everyone flying in different directions, which helped them use their formation.


    Yuji and Takeshi weaved hand signs while getting in position. Meanwhile, Shoma and Hikari moved farther away from Fujin in opposite directions.


    Fujin noticed their movements but his mind was more focused on observing the ice sword as he thought, ''Finally some Kekkei Genkai.''


    He raised his sword to block the ice swords when he noticed small spikes forming on the ice swords.


    ''Ice Release: Ice Petals jutsu''


    When she was a few meters away from Fujin, Sayaka swung her ice swords in his direction. Immediately, around a dozen ice darts wereunched towards Fujin. Fujin instantly flickered a few meters away, dodging the ice darts.


    Despite dodging by afortable distance, Fujin felt a cold breeze due to how cold the ice darts were. He analyzed, ''Impressive. If I had defended using Iron Skin jutsu, even though darts wouldn''t have pierced my body, the cold itself would have damaged my body to an extent.''


    Fujin''s eyes turned from Sayaka to Yuji as Yuji fired a bolt of Lightning at Fujin. Fujin flickered again but the bolt of Lightning took a hard right turn and followed to his new location, forcing him to flicker again.


    A grin appeared on Yuji''s face as he thought, ''You can''t escape from my Lightning! No one can move as fast as Lightning. I''ll chase you until it hits you.''


    Meanwhile, Fujin analyzed, ''So, this is the Storm Release. I did see Darui use it, but our fight was very brief. Though Yuji''s power in the Lightning isn''t very impressive, his control is very good. Even my control over Lightning is nowhere near as good as his.''


    Fujin continued flickering. The smirks that had formed on the faces of the kids faded away. A frown formed on Sayaka''s face as she wondered, ''I am supposed to assist Yuji with Ice Petals. But, how can I do so when I can''t even follow his movements? We need to send him close to Takeshi!''


    Yuji was stumped as well. He thought, ''Even though no one can move as fast as Lightning, I can''t follow his movements. He flickers right when I change the direction of my Lightning bolt. I won''t be able to hit him at this rate.''


    Simrly, Shoma and Hikari were serious as well. ording to their tactic, they would follow up if the initial attack failed. However, they couldn''t even follow Fujin''s movements!


    Even so, the kids didn''t give up. Yuji continued attacking Fujin while Sayakaunched a few rounds of Ice Petals by estimating Fujin''s location. After dodging a few times, Fujin understood their intentions and thought, ''They want to divert me towards Takeshi. Let''s see what they are nning.''


    Since they were unable to divert him towards Takeshi, Fujin himself went towards him. As soon as Takeshi saw Fujining close, he grasped his chance.


    ''Scorch Release: Extremely Steaming Murder jutsu''


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 564: Should I train them?

    Chapter 564: Should I train them?


    As soon as Fujin stepped close to Takeshi, one ming orb formed in his hand. He threw it at Fujin. Fujin immediately felt an intense heat. At the same time, Sayakaunched another round of Ice Petals and Yuji diverted the Lightning bolt towards Fujin once again.


    Fujin nonchntly observed the three attacks while analyzing, ''So the other two have Ice Kekkei Genkai. Can they perform Ice Release jutsus as well or can only that girl do so?''


    Fujin''s entire body suddenly became ck as he used the Iron Skin jutsu. The ming orb hit Fujin. He felt an intense heat from the orb. The grass and trees in the vicinity caught fire. Momentster, the Lightning bolt hit him. Having an advantage over the Earth Release, it pierced through the Iron Skin and hit him. A secondter, a few Ice Darts hit his back and pierced into it as his Iron Skin jutsu was weakened due to the Lightning bolt.


    The 5 kids were surprised. Takeshi, who was the closest, wondered, ''How did we manage to hit him? Also, why isn''t he showing any pain on his face? Shouldn''t he be getting burnt and frozen at the same time?''


    He received the answer quickly as ''Fujin'' disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Immediately, they thought, ''A Shadow Clone! When did he switch with a clone? Was it when he was moving rapidly?''


    They immediately looked around but saw no sign of Fujin. Hiding among the trees, Fujin saw the 5 kids and analyzed, ''Hmm, not bad. Not bad at all. The Iron Skin jutsu isn''t very effective against Kekkei Genkai. Though it can normally resist a Fire-Windbination jutsu, my clone felt a burning sensation from inside his body. If it was my actual body, my insides would have probably been cooked.


    Simrly, though it could''ve blocked the ice darts, it couldn''t keep out the cold that my clone felt due to the ice. It would make movement difficult. Sigh, though their advantage isn''t as broken as Naruto''s, having a Kekkei Genkai is still a massive boost for any ninja. They''ll have it much easier to be an Elite Jounin and will have an advantage over other Elite Jounins due to the Kekkei Genkai alone. That said, Rank S is a whole different game. It''s tough to say whether they would reach that level.


    Anyway, let me see whether they can do anything else.''


    The 5 kids had gathered together since they couldn''t find Fujin. Shoma was standing in the center with his eyes closed while the other 4 were standing with their backs to him and looking in every direction.


    Shoma muttered, "I can''t sense him at all. It''s as if he isn''t in this training ground at all!"


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    Yuji replied, "Why would he leave us here and escape? He might be hiding. Keep sensing. You might sense him when he makes a move."


    Sayaka added, "He''s right. Keep looking, Shoma. He might be staying just outside the range of your chakra field. Others be prepared to fight when he appea"


    Before she couldplete her sentence, all 5 felt something and looked towards the ground. Their eyes widened as they saw two hands popping out of the ground. They grabbed Yuji and Shoma''s legs.


    ''Earth Release: Headhunter jutsu''


    Both Yuji and Shoma were forcefully dragged inside the ground, leaving only their heads above the ground. The other 3 jumped away instinctively as Fujin appeared right between them. Shoma looked shocked as he questioned, ''How did he appear under me without me detecting him?''


    Fujin said, "Not bad, but is this all you can do?"


    Seeing him standing right in between them without any worry, Sayaka shouted, "Hikari, let''s do it!"


    Both Hikari and Sayaka weaved hand signs. Takeshi moved back while weaving hand signs as well. However, he was constrained as Fujin was standing next to Shoma and Yuji who were buried helplessly. He couldn''t use Scorch release as they would be hit as well.


    ''Ice Release: Ice Mirror jutsu''


    Two ice mirrors formed simultaneously, one in front of Sayaka and another in front of Hikari. Both jumped into the ice mirror, causing some of Fujin''s memories to resurface. He looked at the mirrors and thought, ''Hmm, just one mirror each. Haku can create enough ice mirrors to form a dome to trap others. Still, this is a good start. There is no reason why they can''t train to reach that level. Though they will need to think of a way to prevent their enemies from escaping underground.''


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    Sayaka and Hikari looked at each other and nodded. An ice sword appeared in their right hand. At the same time, they exited the ice mirrors. In fact, they were jumping into each other''s ice mirrors. More importantly, their speed was phenomenal! The two girls intended to slice Fujin with their swords while they were in between the jumps.


    Unfortunately for them, Fujin was quite aware of the capabilities of the Yuki n. Right when the girls jumped from the mirrors, a massive amount of wind sted from his back. It hit Hikari and slowed her before sting her behind for a hundred meters.


    At the same time, Fujin moved forward at a speed that was considerably superior to the two girls. Sayaka didn''t even see him and directly felt a hand on her throat. She was grabbed mid-jump and mmed into the ground.


    The poor girl didn''t even understand what had happened. She nked out for a few seconds while wondering, ''What the hell happened? Who grabbed me in between my jump and mmed me to the ground?''


    Less than a quarter of a second after Sayaka was mmed into the ground, Takeshi heard a voice behind him, "Are you nning on doing something or will you just spectate?"


    Takeshi was startled. He immediately tried moving away and turning back, but he felt two fingers jab into the back of his neck as Fujin said in a monotonous tone, "Too slow, you are already dead."


    The way Fujin said it scared Takeshi. As he felt the pain in his neck, he thought for a moment that Fujin was trying to kill him and immediately held that spot. Only after a couple of seconds, he realized that Fujin only meant it figuratively.


    Seeing his reaction, Fujin chuckled and said, "That''s plenty for today. Help your friends out ande and see me together."


    Takeshi nodded and went to help others. Sayaka and Hikari were fine and were just stunned due to the sudden change while Shoma and Yuji were stuck in the ground.


    Fujin observed them while thinking, ''Their talents are definitely very high. Little wonder considering that all of them have awakened their respective Kekkei Genkai. They are already stronger than a typical Genin. They could be considered as Low Chunin level, though they could win against stronger Chunins if they can surprise them with their Kekkei Genkai.


    Considering their age, this is very good. If I train them properly, most of them will reach the Elite Jounin level or at least close to it in three years. The only one doubtful is Shoma as he is much younger than the rest. Regardless, by the time of the Fourth Great Ninja War, there will be at least 4 Elite Jounins among them. Though very unlikely, even a rank S ninja can appear.


    The important question is Should I train them?''


    Fujin was in a dilemma. epting students was a huge task and needed a lot of time. It was one of the main reasons why he refused to be a Jounin sensei when Hiruzen asked him. He just didn''t have the time to watch after Genins.


    However, it was different with these kids. They weren''t Genins. He didn''t need to take them to do missions. Fujin could train them as he wished and could delegate the training to his clone while he continued his own training. In addition, he could make use of the Anbu Hiruzen had sent to take care of the boring or time-consuming training sessions. So, it wouldn''t take a significant amount of his time. The only question was whether he would benefit by taking them under his wings and how much.


    Fujin kept thinking while Takeshi and the rest dug out Yuji and Shoma. After a couple of minutes, he sighed and thought, ''I had decided against getting into political conflicts after getting a seat on the Council as there isn''t much benefit to gain in a short time. However, I have a feeling that I will be dragged into some political battles irrespective of whether I want to or not''


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 Chapter 565: Fujins first official students!

    Chapter 565: Fujin''s first official students!


    [A/N: We ranked 10thst week with 5917 Power Stones! Keep it up guys!]


    Fujin recalled, ''Danzo already tried to drag me into a political battle once. Fortunately, I could make him pay dearly. It also allowed me to make the n leaders owe me one.


    That said, I can''t take all the credit as there is one big factor that has given me an unfair advantage. That factor is Hiruzen. Even though he didn''t do anything on the surface, Hiruzenpletely supports me right now. He was the one to add me to the council and also the one to generally support my ideas even if they aren''t implemented yet.


    Even if he doesn''t say anything, there is little doubt that every council member can see that he backs me. It is the main reason why Danzo didn''t go overboard and no one else is bothering me. It is also the main reason why no one else has tried to make a move against my seat or tried giving me a headache.


    However, if Hiruzen dies and Tsunade reces him, then I won''t have that protection. Once that happens, I''ll be dragged into politics slowly, one step at a time. With time, it''ll only be intense.


    Granted that I could just take a step back as I don''t have much to gain politically, but that will create a situation where others think that I am easy to push around. Not something that I want to see as it''ll just keep increasing my troubles until I decide to push back. The only way to deal with it would be to make the one who makes the first move pay dearly just like Danzo.


    However, I can''t rely on brute strength every time. After all, why would anyone engage against me in an actual fight when they know how strong I am? They will use schemes that don''t involve fighting. If I use the Akuro identity again to flip the chessboard, then everyone will inevitably begin suspecting me even if they don''t have any proof. After all, they aren''t stupid and Danzo will connect the dots as well. So, I will have to do a political counterattack.


    But to do that, I''ll need more influence in the vige. And, I need to start increasing it while Hiruzen is still alive so that I don''t face heavy opposition while I try to do so.''


    Fujin''s eyes wandered on the 5 kids. He thought, ''Since Hiruzen has given me such a gift, then I might as well takeplete advantage of it. I guess the reason why he put these kids under me is the same as well. He probably realized that I wouldn''t have enough influence in the future once he gave up his hat or kicked the bucket and hence, he decided to take advantage of the Danzo''s situation to strengthen my influence.''


    The 5 kids finally began walking towards Fujin. All of them were covered in dust and soil. Fujin finally made up his mind, ''Alright, I will ept these 5 as my students. I''ll also increase my influence over the other orphans. They can all believe in the Will of Fire as much as they want. However, as long as the vige isn''t at risk, they have to take my side and support me.


    Of course, this won''t be enough. After all, it''ll take years for these kids to mature. I''ll need to increase my influence among Konoha''s ninjas as well. Fortunately, I have just the thing to do so''


    The 5 kids finally reached Fujin and stood in front of him. To Fujin''s surprise, there weren''t anyints in their eyes despite Fujin defeating them in such a manner. Instead, there was some admiration and respect as they understood how strong Fujin was to defeat them soprehensively.


    He quickly realized, ''Looks like having a terrible background followed by training in Root and brainwashing with Will of Fire diminishes one''s sense of unfairness. Hmm, it''s sort of the same as Naruto.''


    Fujin said, "Not bad. I can see why Lord Hokage spoke highly about you five. That said, there is still a lot of room for improvement. I am sure our fight made you realize that."


    The five kids nodded. Due to having Kekkei Genkai, they were always given priority in training. They also had a few attack formations which could keep a Jounin on his toes. However, getting wrecked by Fujin made them understand that they still had a very long way ahead.


    Fujin said, "I already saw some of your skills during the fight. Tell me which other techniques and jutsus you know. If you have some special skills, tell me those as well."


    Since Fujin was the one who would be responsible for them from here onwards, the five of them informed him about their abilities. They were pretty much in line with what Fujin had predicted. Fujin asked them several questions to get a better understanding of their abilities. His questions made them think a lot as well.


    The youngest, Shoma, was a sensor. Though he could create Ice, he couldn''t perform any Ice Release jutsus. However, he could use some Wind and Water Release jutsus.


    Simrly, Sayaka and Hikari could use some Wind and Water Release jutsus as well. Both could create Ice Swords and one Ice Mirror. Sayaka could also use the Ice Petals jutsu which allowed her to fire Ice Darts from the Ice Sword or even without it. Hikari was still training that jutsu.


    Takeshi could create just the ming orbs with Scorch Release. If someone got hit by it, the ming orb would burn their skin and evaporate all the water inside their body, burning them inside out. In addition, he knew some Fire and Wind Release jutsus.


    Quite simr to Takeshi, Yuji could only control one Lightning Bolt with Storm Release. He was working on increasing the number of Lightning Bolts he could control. In addition, he knew some Lightning and Water jutsus.


    In addition, all 5 kids knew the Body Flicker jutsu, though none of them could do so without using hand seals. They knew the three basic jutsus from the academy. They were decent with Shurikens and Kunai and could also use the Tanto effectively.


    Despite their individual strengths, both Danzo and Hiruzen seemed to have given more importance to operating together. Due to that reason, they had a few more good formations and very good teamwork.


    Fujin thought for a bit before muttering, "Your basics are good, but you guys arecking in some aspects"


    He pretended to think very deeply. Seeing his serious expression, the 5 kids didn''t disturb him. Instead, they just wondered where they werecking.


    Suddenly, Fujin looked into their eyes and asked, "Do the 5 of you want to be my students? I have a feeling that you can be much stronger than what you can think about."


    The sudden question surprised the 5 kids. Neither of them had expected Fujin to suddenly say something like that. One moment he was discussing their abilities and pointing out their shorings, and the next moment he asked whether they wanted to be his students.''


    The five of them exchanged nces. Even though they were initially in the Root under Danzo andter looked after by Hiruzen, neither Danzo nor Hiruzen had trained the kids themselves. The ones who taught them were considerably weaker than Fujin. Not to mention, Fujin was already pointing out the inefficiencies in their training which made them think further.


    That said, their minds weren''t thinking entirely logically. There was an emotional aspect as well. Not too long ago, they were living an extremely difficult life in the war-torn Land of Water. Three of them were orphans and had to fend off the scary world by themselves.


    The remaining two were living in extreme poverty despite having parents. And, they still remember the deaths of their parents. Of course, they were unaware that Root was behind the death of their parents instead of Kirigakure whom they med. However, that memory was still fresh in their minds.


    Even though they found a new home in Root which treated them well andter found a Grandfather-like figure in Hiruzen, it was the first time someone had tried to create a personal rtionship with them.


    Unlike Danzo, who categorically stated that they would be Root ninjas in the future, and Hiruzen, who said that they would join the Anbu in the future, Fujin didn''t put any conditions or mention any expectations with his offer. Instead, he only specified that he could make them much stronger.


    While their young minds weren''t able to process this difference, they somehow instinctively felt it. As a result, the emotional impact of his words on them was far greater than Fujin had thought of.


    So, be it emotionally or intellectually, epting Fujin''s offer made the most sense to them. Looking at each other, they nodded. In one voice, they answered while bowing slightly, "We will be honored to be your students."


    A smile formed on Fujin''s face. He replied, "Good."


    -----------------------------------


    Thank you Space Dandy for supporting me through UPI.

 Chapter 566: This world still has some kindness!

    Chapter 566: This world still has some kindness!


    A smile formed on Fujin''s face as he just got 5 students who had a Kekkei Genkai. Fujin couldn''t help but think, ''Until a little while ago, I didn''t have contact with anyone who had a Kekkei Genkai other than Sharingan or Byakugan. And out of the blue, I now have 6 subordinates who have Kekkei Genkai, giving me an invaluable opportunity to observe them from a close distance.''


    Fujin sat down on the ground with his back against a tree and said, "Sit down and make yourselffortable. Since I am your Sensei, my first task for all of you is to tell me everything about yourselves. Tell me about your life before you entered Konoha. Tell me everything that happened after you entered Konoha. Tell me who all taught you, what they taught you and when."


    The kids were surprised once again. Though Root ''rescued'' them and provided them with a new life, this was again the first time when someone showed interest in their past. On the contrary, both Root and Hiruzen just asked them to forget about their past and only focus on their future in Konoha.


    Fujin was the first one who showed interest in knowing who they were before they entered Konoha. As a result, they told him everything about their past. Fujin listened carefully without disturbing them.


    Undoubtedly, every one of them had a tragic backstory. And, every one of them hated the Mizukage faction with passion. All their sufferings were rooted in the action the Mizukage faction took against Kekkei Genkai users. For the very same reason, they were also very grateful and loyal to Konoha.


    Telling their pasts to each other made them feel much closer as a team and even made them feel closer to Fujin even though Fujin didn''t say anything about his past.


    After hearing everything, Fujin let out a long sigh. He said softly, "I never thought that all of you would have such a tragic past. Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do to change the past. However, I can promise that no student of mine will suffer like you did.


    Always remember your past. Remember the pain and suffering you went through. Use that as fuel to train yourself. Be so strong that no one will even dare to look at you the same way those people did. Be so strong that when you be parents, your children will never suffer the same fate."


    A smile appeared again on Fujin''s face as he added, "And if there is something that you can''t handle, alwayse to me."


    The kids were touched by Fujin''s words. For once, Fujin''s words were genuine. Though Fujin didn''t have much of an emotional attachment to them, they would be his students. If others bullied them for no reason, it wouldn''t look good. In addition, if someone wanted to mess with him, they could target the five of them because Fujin would be too strong for them to target. Not to mention, Fujin had been wanting a good fight for quite some time. He didn''t mind using such opportunities to flex his muscles a bit and create some chaos.


    Fujin got up and said, "Take today off. Hang out with each other. No need to train today. Meet me here tomorrow at 6 in the morning. We will have our first training session."


    The five of them immediately became excited,pletely oblivious to the hell that awaited them in the uing days! While Fujin didn''t intend to be as sadistic as Kakashi or as relentless as Guy, his training schedule wouldn''t lose in intensity to either of them. With time, it would only be more intense! Thankfully, his students all had pasts that he could use as fuel to ensure that they didn''t run out of gas.


    After being dismissed, the kids returned to their rooms while Fujin stayed in the training ground. He raised his right hand and stretched his palm like he did while forming the Rasengan. Instead of Rasengan, winds began swirling in his palm, taking the shape of an orb. Soon after, the winds turned reddish. Fujin could feel the heat from them as some of the winds breezed past his body. The orb began taking a proper form.


    If Takeshi witnessed this scene, he would have been shocked. The ming orb in Fujin''s palm looked exactly like the Extremely Steaming Murder jutsu! It was his Kekkei Genkai.


    Fujin threw the orb at a nearby tree and it instantly caught fire. Fujin''s eyes began glowing as he concentrated chakra in them to observe the damage. After observing for a few seconds, a sigh escaped his lips.


    Winds suddenly began blowing around the tree at a high speed and doused the fire, ensuring that the tree could live on for some more time. Fujin analyzed, ''It''s not the same. Mybination jutsu can only cause external harm. Despite infusing more chakra, it doesn''t have the same intensity as the Scorch Release which can directly cause the water inside the body to evaporate.


    I''ll need to observe Takeshi properly for some time to get clues on how he does it instinctively. Perhaps then I might be able to copy it. Sigh, this is still very difficult. No wonder even the likes of Hiruzen, Orochimaru and Kakashi never managed to copy a Kekkei Genkai After all, all of them are much more talented than me in Ninjutsu.''


    Fujin wasn''t in the mood to keep trying without any hope of sess. He began returning to his home while thinking about the other matter, that is, increasing his influence.


    Fujin thought, ''It''s time to increase my influence in Konoha. Normally, it would have been quite difficult to do so. Thankfully, I will have a couple of opportunities soon.


    There are two ways of increasing my influence. The first is by disying my martial might. This is the path the Sannins, White Fang, Minato, and Kakashi took. All have top-notch battle credentials. They are the pirs that create belief in the hearts of Konoha ninjas that our vige is strong.


    Though my record isn''t bad either, I can''t make my achievements public, unfortunately. So others aren''t sure about my capabilities as they don''t know which rumors to trust and which to ignore. Fortunately, Suna and Oto''s attack will give me just the opportunity to do something in the light. That will establish my martial might, putting me at least at the same level as Kakashi in terms of reputation.


    The second way is by doing something that would benefit the ninjas in the vige. One of the main reasons why Tsunade is so highly thought of in Konoha and throughout the ninja world is how much the Medical Ninjutsu in Konoha progressed due to her. For this reason, her influence in the vige far exceeds that of Jiraiya. Had she been active inside the vige, her influence might have been at the same level as Hiruzen.


    Homura and Koharu have taken this path as well. After all, both are considerably behind Hiruzen and Danzo in terms of strength. However, they have an excellent reputation among the ninjas due to helping them out in one way or another. Of course, unlike Tsunade, they were able to achieve it due to decades of effort instead of brilliance in a particr field.


    Normally, this method would have been difficult for me to achieve. The changes to the ninja academy could have given me that, but that seems to have been stuck for now. Fortunately, someone handed me the perfect proposal to take care of this matter. Hehehe.''


    Fujin couldn''t help but chuckle as he realized, ''When I entered this world, I was always very cautious and even fearful of Danzo. Once I became strong, I even took several steps to reduce his influence. However, I seem to have misjudged him. He is so kind and benevolent, just like Hiruzen. I wonder which one of them is more benevolent?''


    Fujin humored himself and actually thought of the answer. After a few seconds, he concluded, ''No, Hiruzen is far more benevolent. He did teach me the Wind Vacuum Technique, provided a few thousand elemental crystals, got me on the Council, gave me scrolls of Flying Thunder God and Spirit Transformation jutsu and even taught me Fire and Earth jutsus along with other assistance that I keep asking him regrly.


    Danzo, though very generous, doesn''tpare with that. He only helped me improve my Wind Vacuum Technique, gave me over a hundred talented subordinates and gave me a proposal that I could use to build my influence.


    Oh well, Danzo is the second most benevolent person then. He narrowly beats the Ame Jounin, who gifted me the de of the Thunder Spirit, and Sasori, who gifted me over 60 top-quality puppets. Sigh, I didn''t know that so many people went out of their way to help me. I guess this world isn''t entirely bad after all.''


    Thankfully, Hiruzen, Danzo and Sasori couldn''t hear Fujin''s thoughts. If they could, they would have forgotten about their differences and enmities and ganged up on Fujin!


    -----------------------------------


    Thank You The Reverse sh for supporting me through UPI.

 Chapter 567: Confusing Naruto

    Chapter 567: Confusing Naruto


    Having dealt with all the issues, Fujin finally decided to start training the Spirit Transformation jutsu. He sent a Shadow Clone to Hiruzen to clear up some of the doubts he had while reading through the scroll. While waiting for the clone to send back the memories, he went through the scroll once again. Meanwhile, his remaining clones continued working on the Fuin Battlefield.


    After the clone met with Hiruzen and discussed the doubts and sent memories back to Fujin, he began his training.


    The next morning, Fujin sent a Shadow Clone with 5% of his chakra to train his new students while he continued his training.


    As for their training, Fujin divided it into two parts for the time being. The first was the physical workout which would happen in the morning. The training made the five of them understand why Fujin was so much stronger than their previous instructors.


    Fujin''s clone reced the training seals Danzo had given them with his own. As for the training intensity, it was slightly lower as Fujin wanted to make them get used to it. That said, it was still far more intense than what they had experienced so far.


    The reason for such intensity was that Fujin intended to teach them the Strong Fist Style! Apart from its effectiveness, the main reason for it was this thought of Fujin, ''I could teach them either the Senju Taijutsu style or the Strong Fist Taijutsu style. That said, even though Renjiro said that anyone could learn it, teaching it liberally without their permission might cause some dissatisfaction.


    They might agree if I take permission, but they will use it to show that I owe them a favor. Byparison, Guy will be ecstatic that I taught his fighting style to more kids who are full of youth. In addition, it is more practical in a fight than the Senju Taijutsu style. More importantly, I can just dump their Taijutsu training on him after they reach a certain level. Knowing him, he might see it as a gift rather than work.''


    The second part of their training, which would happen in the afternoon, was Ninjutsu. The 5 of them were already very good at Ninjutsu for their age. Neither Fujin nor any of his ssmates were that good. Despite that, Fujin stopped all their current training in Ninjutsu. Instead, he made them focus on just one jutsu. That was the forbidden Multi Shadow Clone jutsu!


    Unlike Naruto, where Fujin was afraid that the future would change dramatically if Fujin made him abuse that training method, Fujin didn''t have any such concerns with these kids. Their chakra was too low for them to abuse that training method beyond a certain limit, just like how it was for Fujin when he was younger.


    And, considering their young age and significantly lower potential than Naruto, Fujin didn''t see any of them going beyond the rank S level in merely 4 years. Even with his guidance, he couldn''t guarantee that they would reach rank S, let alone surpass it. That''s why, he decided to abuse this training tactic to its limits while training them.


    Life continued for a few days in this manner without any external disturbances until Naruto finally visited Fujin''s house. Kakashi had finally taken some pity on the trio and given them a day off. The three of them never appreciated a holiday as much as they did now.


    Fujin opened his door to see an exhausted Naruto. He raised his eyebrow and wondered, ''Kakashi let them gost evening. Since when did this kid stop recovering in a day?''


    Of course, he couldn''t say that he had been spying on them. So Fujin asked in a peculiar tone, "What happened to you? You look like you have just run a marathon around the world without taking a break, almost as if you''d be killed if you stopped."


    Naruto looked at Fujin with a look full ofints. After all, it was his suggestions that had created this situation. He muttered, "You don''t know how right you are!"


    Fujin chuckled and said, "Oh really? Come on in. Tell me everything."


    While Fujin had already seen most of the things that happened, there was no reason to refuse the amusement Naruto''s ranting would bring.


    Naruto listed out all of hisints against Kakashi to Fujin. To his annoyance, Fujin just chuckled every time. Finally, he added while pointing towards Fujin, "You were totally wrong this time! Kakashi sensei wasn''t testing us. Instead, he is punishing us because we tried those stunts. Hmph!"


    Fujin raised an eyebrow and asked, "How am I wrong? Isn''t he giving you your ''special'' training right now?"


    "Special my ass! All he did was torture us with physical workouts. He didn''t teach us any jutsus. Instead, he keeps threatening us with the Thousand Years of Death jutsu! Do you know how painful that jutsu is? Sakura-chan mes me for our current situation!" Narutoined in annoyance once again.


    Even for someone who had great control over his emotions, Fujin had to work extremely hard to stifle hisughter. He barely managed to control himself and put up a thoughtful expression while muttering, "Hmm, let''s see"


    Fujin pretended to think for a couple of minutes while Naruto waited for him with some curiosity. Finally, Fujin said, "I disagree. I wasn''t wrong. The only point I miscalcted was that Kakashi would take training your bodies so seriously.


    That said, he isn''t wrong. Having a strong body is the most important thing for any Ninja. Without it, you''ll never be strong, let alone have any chance of bing the Hokage.


    Had I been the teacher of your team, I would have started such training from day one. I guess he initially thought that you three wouldn''t be able to endure such training. Your attempts to get his book and see his real face should have given him confidence that you are worthy of his training."


    "..."


    Naruto was left speechless by Fujin''s words. He immediately fell into deep thought, ''Could it be as he said?''


    This time, Fujin didn''t disturb him. Instead, he just watched theical expressions Naruto kept making with a smile on his face. Naruto thought hard for a few minutes before saying, "Man! I never thought of it in this manner!"


    Fujin nodded and said, "See. Even though it might be difficult, it is better than just doing the boring formation exercises and rank D missions, right? In a few months, you''ll notice the improvements in your physique, strength, stamina and speed."


    Naruto agreed and said, "You are right. I didn''t think of that. But, when will he teach us cool jutsus? You said he knows a thousand jutsus, right?"


    Fujin put up a thoughtful expression again and said, "I am not too sure. I thought that he might teach that instead of focusing on physical training. I guess he thought that your physiques aren''t good enough to depend heavily on Ninjutsu just yet. Considering what you said, he wouldn''t be wrong to think that.


    He might teach you jutsus once he thinks that your basics are strong enough. Unless"


    Fujin took a pause. Naruto impatiently asked, "Unless what?"


    Fujin smiled mischievously and said, "Unless, this training is a test as well. If you are able to steal his book or unmask him despite undergoing such heavy training, then he might think that the three of you are ready to learn dozens of cool new special powerful jutsus!"


    Naruto was immediately impressed. He asked excitedly, "Really?"


    However, his excitement quickly waned as he remembered what training he had been undergoing. They barely had the energy to do the training. In fact, none of them could live up to Kakashi''s ''standards'' as none of them could actuallyplete the workouts. They had to do their level best to ensure that they didn''t pass out.


    He became dejected and said, "That''s impossible!"


    Fujin chuckled and asked, "Do you think that you can be the Hokage if such simple training makes you quit?"


    That immediately hit Naruto''s ego. He eximed loudly, "I will steal Kakashi sensei''s book! Believe it!"


    While Fujin was tricking Naruto into creating more trouble for Kakashi, both of them were unaware that someone was secretly spying on Fujin''s house.


    Some distance away from Fujin''s house, Kakashi hid among the trees while watching Fujin''s house even though he couldn''t see anything inside it. He thought, ''As I expected. Someone was behind their change. That someone should be Fujin. However, why would he do something like that?''


    Kakashi tried thinking but couldn''te up with any good reason for Fujin to do something like that. However, he had a strong hunch that Fujin was indeed the one who prompted Naruto and the rest to act.


    Since he couldn''t think of a reason, he turned his attention back to the house and wondered, ''That aside, why does his house give me a weird feeling? It''s as if there are many seals around that house.''


    Kakashi, though he wasn''t a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster, still knew enough basics that he could be considered a SealMaster. He could see and identify most, if not all seals. He closed his right eye, opened his left eye and began observing Fujin''s home. His eye immediately widened as much as it physically could!

 Chapter 568: 27569

    Chapter 568: 27569


    ''WHAT IN THE FUCKING HELL?'' Even someone as calm andposed as Kakashi waspletely bbergasted by what he witnessed. The sight was just too absurd and too horrifying!


    With his Sharingan, he could clearly see the seals that Fujin had ced. The entirepound was densely covered in seals. Fujin''s house was the worst. It was so densely covered in seals that Kakashi''s Sharingan couldn''t even see the walls of his house!


    He cursed, ''What is that? Why are there so many seals? Did he put seals on the house to protect it or did he build a house there to have something to put the seals on?''


    Kakashi was astonished. Every top ninja''s house would be covered in seals. Even Kakashi''s house had several seals. After the Root was blown up, even the Jounins from the civilian background paid SealMasters to secure their houses with seals. However, it was the first time that Kakashi had seen such a dense collection of seals. Normally, it would be rare to see a house in Konoha with more than a hundred seals.


    Kakashi wondered, ''How many seals are there exactly?''


    Since he had nothing better to do and had a Sharingan, Kakashi began counting the seals. His eyes kept getting wider as the number kept rising! His throat became dry as he realized, ''27569 seals! And a very high number of those seals are the ones that can hide other seals. So the actual number might be double that or even more!


    More importantly, that is just the number of seals on his house! The entirepound has a simr number of seals as well. What in the world is Fujin nning? His house andpound are more of a fortress than a house!


    Kakashi couldn''t think of any good reason for Fujin to do something like that. He thought, ''Since Third hasn''t done anything, it''s safe to say that there isn''t any ill intention behind his actions. That said, I need to be very careful if I ever have to enter thatpound. Also, I still need to ask why he made my students do something like that If I don''t, then I have a feeling that my days will be far more chaotic!''


    Kakashi had seen enough for a day. He decided to leave. Fujin was unaware that Kakashi had just checked his house and left as silently as he arrived. If he knew, he would have chuckled at his reactions.


    By the time Kakashi left, Fujin was done talking with Naruto. He said, "Ah, I nearly forgot. The kids who were supposed to move into thepound did so a few days ago. I''ll introduce you to a few of them. If you get along, then I''ll arrange for you to move into one of the buildings next to the house?"


    Naruto was immediately excited. All his exhaustion due to Kakashi''s training suddenly disappeared as he eximed, "Really? You''re the best, Fujin!"


    Fujin chuckled and thought, ''Guess it was more of a mental fatigue than physical fatigue.''


    He sent a Shadow Clone to call his 5 students, who arrived in a few minutes and entered his house. They immediately saw Fujin sitting with a blonde kid who looked a few years older than them.


    Fujin smiled and said, "Come on in, make yourselvesfortable."


    They entered the circr room and sat on the sofas in the room while curiously looking at Naruto. Yuji curiously asked, "Who is he?"


    Naruto immediately introduced himself, "I am Uzumaki Naruto! I''ll be the Hokage! Believe it!"


    The 5 kids just stared at Naruto with a deadpan expression. None of them expected to hear something so absurd. Seeing their stares, even Naruto felt embarrassed.


    *Cough*


    Fujin suddenly coughed, attracting everyone''s attention. He said, "Naruto, they are my official students. Get along well with them."


    Naruto was surprised. He asked, "You epted students?"


    Fujin nodded. He looked at his students and said, "He is Naruto. Though he isn''t my student, I did guide him a bit before he graduated. So I guess, in a sense he is your senpai. Right now, he is on Hatake Kakashi''s team. You can hang out with him if you want to."


    The kids were surprised. For starters, they didn''t know that Fujin had guided others. However, what surprised them more was Naruto was being taught by Kakashi! Sayaka eximed, "Your sensei is Hatake Kakashi? The Copy Ninja? That''s so cool!"


    Her statement immediately earned a peculiar gaze from Fujin, which was felt by her. She looked at Fujin and quickly added, "You''re cool as well, sensei."


    Meanwhile, Naruto wondered, ''Copy Ninja?''


    Fujin waved his palm dismissively as he said, "I don''t care. I''ll be busy for the rest of the day. So, we won''t be having our afternoon training session today. You can enjoy the remaining day. Naruto, if you want to teach them your pranks, that''s fine. Just don''t go overboard. Now shoo shoo."


    By the time Fujin was done speaking, all the 6 kids in his room suddenly felt a breeze. In the blink of an eye, the breeze suddenly became very strong, the doors automatically opened and all 6 were tossed out of his house. The doors shut tightly right after they were out.


    Naruto fell to the ground and muttered, "That was new!"


    Naruto was one of the few who had gotten a taste of Fujin''s Wind Domain. Fujin''s students had got it as well since Fujin used it to make their training considerably tougher at times.


    Takeshi sighed and added, "Sensei''s control over the wind is super scary!"


    Sayaka muttered, "I still don''t understand how someone can have such good control over an element."


    When they saw it for the first time, the 5 of them wondered whether Fujin had a Kekkei Genkai. However, none of the existing Kekkei Genkai had such a feature.


    Naruto didn''t care about the winds and instead asked, "By the way, why did you call Kakashi sensei ''The Copy Ninja''?"


    That earned another re from the 5 kids. Yuji asked, "Is Hatake Kakashi really your teacher?"


    Naruto nodded. Yuji looked at him like he was an idiot and asked, "So how do you not know that? It''s like the most basic information avable about him."


    Naruto ignored his look and said, "Well I don''t know. Would you guys tell me?"


    Hikari giggled and answered, "He can copy any jutsu after looking at it once. Everyone says that he has copied more than a thousand jutsus in this manner. That is why he is called as the Copy Ninja Kakashi by enemy viges."


    Naruto''s eyes widened. He said, "I knew that he knows over a thousand jutsus. I didn''t know he copied them. Still, that''s a cool title! I want one too!"


    Sayaka added, "Well, you''re just a Genin. Generally, only Jounins get such titles. Sensei has a cool title as well."


    Naruto was surprised again. He asked, "Big brother Fujin also has a title?"


    Yuji teased him once again, "Dude, do you live under a rock?"


    While training in the Root, they had been made to memorize the entire Bingo book. They expected that other ninjas would have done so as well. To their surprise, they were wrong.


    Sayaka said, "Yuji, don''t be mean. And yes. Sensei''s title might be even cooler. He is called the Spectral Swordsman!"


    Naruto eximed, "Damn! That''s a cool title! What did big bro do to get such a cool title?"


    Yuji grinned and answered, "No one knows for sure. Sensei''s mission record is a top secret. I guess only Lord Hokage knows. Everyone else only knows some rumors."


    Naruto asked, "What are the rumors?"


    Yuji grinned even more and added, "They say that he appears and disappears like a spectre while harvesting the lives of his targets. He is so scary that the person doesn''t realize that he is dead until sensei is long gone.


    Some rumors say that there were two people who were walking and talking together and sensei killed one of them. The other person didn''t realize that the one who he had been talking to was dead for several minutes!"


    The way Yuji said it, made Naruto feel chills. He nervously said, "I knew Fujin was scary, but I didn''t know that he was this scary..."


    Sayaka nodded and added, "Apparently, he has killed a few hundred ninjas in this manner. It was why he was given that title. That said, until this day, no one knows whether he really is the Spectral Swordsman as there is no proof against him. As Yuji said, these are just rumors. The only thing that is true for sure is that those guys are dead!"


    Naruto''s face became slightly blue as he said, "That just makes him even more terrifying!"


    The kids nodded. Yuji had gotten bored of teasing Naruto. He asked, "Anyway, Sensei has given us the rest of the day off. Do you know anything fun, Naruto? Sensei said something about pranks."


    Immediately, a mischievous grin appeared on Naruto''s face. That day, several people in Konoha had an extremely annoying day! A particr old man, who was peeping into a crystal ball, was experiencing a terrible headache. Once again, he was cursing his past self for the choices he made.

 Chapter 569: Spirit Transformation Technique

    Chapter 569: Spirit Transformation Technique


    ''Spirit Transformation jutsu''


    Fujin was sitting at the center of his basement. Around him were his Shadow Clones, silently working on a seal that had never appeared in the Ninja world. Fujin''s mind was focused on his own soulpletely. He made the necessary hand seals and used the jutsu Dan created decades ago.


    Suddenly, a white light slowly exited his body. It immediately attracted the attention of every Shadow Clone in the basement, who looked at their main body. The white light quickly took form and took Fujin''s appearance.


    Fujin observed himself while thinking, ''Hmm, interesting. My form is just like that of my body. There isn''t even a hint of my previous life''s appearance. In addition, even my soul has simr clothes as my main body, even though it''s just my soul taking that form and not actual clothes.


    I wonder how the soul works Does it just take the form of whatever body I am currently upying? If so, how will it work for someone like Orochimaru who keeps changing his body? Does his soul''s appearance keep changing every few years? Or has only my soul changed due to getting transmigrated? After all, how can I know what changes my soul underwent during transmigration? Sigh, so many new questions again''


    Fujin stopped thinking about those questions and instead focused on his soul. He thought, ''Anyway, time to test what all this technique can do. Now, who do I choose as a test subject?''


    Fujin''s first thought was one of the orphan kids. However, on second thought, he decided against it. If something went wrong, then the one he chose be crippled or worse, dead.


    Fujin thought, ''Normally, I''d go out and choose some bandits. I have been training this jutsu for almost a couple of months, so it won''t raise any eyebrows if I head out as it has been several months since myst trip. However, this technique isn''t like others. I could test something like the Eight Trigrams Divination Seal without any worry.


    Unfortunately, Spirit Transformation jutsu has a huge chance of something going wrong. I should test it inside the vige, where I can ask for Hiruzen''s help quickly. Oh well, it''s not like there aren''t any test subjects here. That said, let me at least test the movements and other basic skills first.''


    The most basic abilities of this form were invisibility and intangibility. Both were mentioned in the scroll. Fujin applied the techniques and his soul became invisible. He chuckled and wondered, ''It works. I don''t understand why Jiraiya never learnt this jutsu! It''s the perfect jutsu for his ''research''. I wonder if Tsunade and Hiruzen predicted that and decided to never give him that scroll. Hmm, that should be it. Otherwise, I don''t see any reason for Jiraiya to not learn this jutsu.''


    Fujin moved towards the ceiling of the basement and thought, ''Though I didn''t know this jutsu earlier, some of my seals are effective against this jutsu. So, no spirit should be able to move in and out of my house. At least not with this technique.''


    Fujin touched the ceiling. As he expected, his hand couldn''t phase through. He deactivated the seals that stopped the Spirits temporarily and phased through the ceiling. He quickly phased through his house and began flying above his house.


    A smile formed on his face as he thought, ''Hmm, not bad at all. This feeling is great. Other than a few seals and barriers, nothing can stop me. I can even fly in this form. Not to mention, my Flying speed is amazing!''


    Fujin immediately flew around the vige, while avoiding the sensitive ces. No one could see his spirit. What was more impressive was the speed at which his soul could fly! It exceeded the speed of sound by several times!


    Fujin thought, ''Such an incredible speed. It might even exceed Raikage''s speed. And, unlike Raikage''s speed, I have a feeling that I can sustain this speed for days. Only Flying Thunder God is faster as it is nearly instantaneous. Tsk, no wonder Dan could dream about the Hokage''s seat. Though I don''t think he was as strong as Sakumo or the Sannins, this technique is incredibly fearsome. Even the Third Raikage and Onoki would have been extremely wary of this jutsu. His lethality might have been just under that of Minato''s lethality in the Third Great Ninja War.''


    Having explored the speed and the intangibility, Fujin''s soul returned to his body. The Shadow Clones sighed in relief seeing that nothing bad happened. Fujin got up and said, "That''s enough training for the day. Unless you''re close to some sort of breakthrough, dispel yourselves."


    The seal Fujin was working on was extremelyplicated. He didn''t want to take the risk of forcefully dispelling a clone that might have a breakthrough and advance the seal further. Hearing his words, all but three of his Shadow Clones dispelled themselves. Fujin coted their memories before leaving his house. He went directly to Konoha''s Torture and Interrogation department.


    Ibiki was pleasantly surprised to see Fujin until he recalled the scenes when Fujin had visited him the previous time. He thought, ''Fortunately he isn''t carrying a prisoner. If he did, I''d have directly diverted him towards the prisons. I don''t want my office to stink of vomit and shit!''


    Fujin was unaware of Ibiki''s thoughts. He hadn''t ever even thought about Mizuki after handing him to Ibiki. He warmly greeted, "Ibiki-san, how have you been?"


    Ibiki smiled and said, "Have been well. How about you? To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"


    Fujin replied, "Doing great as well. As for my visit, I wanted to borrow some of your prisoners to test a new jutsu I have been learning."


    Ibiki was surprised. Though he would get such requests asionally, they would be very rare. He asked, "To what degree the injuries could be? And, what would be the chances?"


    Fujin replied casually, "If everything goes well, then there won''t be any injury. If things don''t go well, then that person would be crippled in the best case, dead in the worst case. I''d prefer a normal human though."


    Ibiki thought a bit and said, "Alright. I have a prisoner who was arrested for raping a minor and is supposed to be executed in a few days. You can test your technique out on him. Knowing his past, feel free to cripple him further even if everything goes well."


    Fujin nodded. Ibiki called a subordinate and asked him to lead Fujin to that prisoner''s prison. Ibiki''s subordinate led Fujin to the prison and allowed him to enter, leaving him alone with the prisoner.


    The prisoner was a middle-aged man and in terrible shape. Fujin could see several scars all over his body. Several of his nails were missing. Instead, some of his fingers had ''nails'' nailed in them instead of actual nails. His face was entirely swollen.


    The man looked at Fujin. Terror was visible in his eyes. Yet, there was also resignation. He said, "Get on with it. You motherfuckers can''t torture me anymore!"


    Fujin chuckled and said, "As an ordinary human, you shouldn''t try to estimate what a ninja can or cannot do."


    Several Shadow Clones appeared around Fujin. Fujin sat on the ground and weaved hand seals.


    ''Spirit Transformation jutsu''


    Fujin''s soul exited his body. The prisoner watched with confusion as he didn''t understand why his ''torturer'' had begun meditating. He wondered, ''Is this some new style of torture?''


    Suddenly, his eyes widened as he instinctively felt something enter his body. He felt a chill and fear like never before. Yet, he didn''t understand what was happening!


    What his eyes couldn''t see was that Fujin''s soul had already entered his body! Meanwhile, Fujin could clearly see the man''s soul. He extended his arm towards the man''s soul. Remembering the steps in the scroll, he began using his energy to affect the man''s soul. Within a few seconds, his soul fell under Fujin''s control.


    Fujin analyzed, ''Hmm, not bad. By controlling his soul, I can control his entire body. Of course, it is this easy because his soul is too weak and has almost no willpower. A rank S ninja''s soul will have tremendous willpower. I might not be able to control it so easily.


    Even more troublesome would be someone who actually trained or strengthened his soul or knows how to use his soul. I shouldn''t rely on this technique against Orochimaru. Simrly, I can''t use it against a Rinnegan wielder. I am not too sure about Obito and Zetsu either. Who knows what additional techniques they know? Oh well, time to test it.''


    Fujin quickly took control of the prisoner''s body and said in a calm voice, "Release his restraints."


    One of the clones nodded and removed all the chains and cuffs. Fujin stretched the prisoner''s body while analyzing, ''Hmm, my control isn''t very smooth. It''s more like controlling a puppet. However, I have a feeling that the Yamanaka''s Secret Technique is better at controlling others than this jutsu. That said, this jutsu has other specialities which the Yamanaka technique can''t match.''


    Acting on his thoughts, Fujin began suppressing the prisoner''s soul. The prisoner, who had lost control of his body, suddenly felt a pain like never before. A soul-wrenching scream exited his throat! If not for the silence seals in the prison, the entire T&I Department would have heard his scream!

 Chapter 570: Narutos Outburst & Hidden Grass Crisis

    Chapter 570: Naruto''s Outburst & Hidden Grass'' Crisis


    Fujin was satisfied with his scream. He thought, ''This is the main killing method of this jutsu. By suppressing and destroying the soul. The victim will fall dead without any signs of injury on his or her body. If that happens in the middle of the war, armies would be scared and demoralized to see theirrades dying mysteriously in such a manner.


    Apart from this, there is another technique that makes one of my hard-earned jutsus kind of redundant''


    Fujin ced his hand on the soul. In an instant, he began reading the memories of the prisoner''s soul, seeing everything that he had done in his life.


    He pulled his hand back while thinking, ''Hmm, memories of just this lifetime Does it mean that this is his first life, or does it mean that ordinarily, a soul can only have the memories of just one lifetime? Perhaps something along the lines of memories getting eradicated during the process of reincarnation. Or perhaps the memories of other lifetimes have been hidden somewhere inside the soul to such a degree that this technique can''t ess them.


    Regardless, this method is far more efficient than the Yamanaka Mind Reading technique. The Yamanaka''s technique targets the brain. The memories one can read are only the ones that are fresh in the target''s brain. Reading older and suppressed memories or memories that the target has forgotten about is extremely difficult. In addition, damaging the brain could cause the memories to disappear as well.


    Byparison, reading memories from the soul is extremely convenient. More importantly, it has another fearsome application. I understand why Tobirama developed the base version of this technique. It''s to read the memories of the souls summoned with the Edo Tensei jutsu!''


    Fujin''s soul sighed as the amount of respect he had for Tobirama''s research and inventing abilities increased once again. He had just found the perfect solution to a problem he would have to face in the future.


    Having tested everything he wanted to, Fujin left the prisoner''s body and returned to his own. He got up and dispelled his clones after they tied up the prisoner again. The prisoner gradually gained rity as well. Suddenly, the prisoner felt an extreme paining right from his soul.


    He shrieked and looked at Fujin, who was walking out of the cell, with terror and asked while breathing roughly, "What did you do?"


    Fujin didn''t turn around and disappeared from his line of sight. Only some words lingered in the air, "Just tried a new torture technique to keep you entertained. Enjoy your remaining life."


    Since Fujin had read all his memories, he knew exactly the kind of scum the guy was and why Ibiki had asked Fujin to torture him even though he had already been tortured to such an extent. As Fujin shut the door, the screams of the prisoner filled the cell. It''d be several hours before someone woulde to check on him and realize that he had been screaming continuously for hours!


    Fujin analyzed, ''The pain he is experiencing is a little injury that I inflicted upon his soul. That said, souls are quite resilient. His injury will heal by itself in a couple of weeks. I suspect that even if I had destroyed his soul, only his physical body would die.


    As for his soul, it should pass into the afterlife and reform. I guess this can be considered a form of immortality in itself. The only issue is being able to retain memories from one life to another. I should try this on someone after I go out of the vige to get a better picture.''


    Busy with his thoughts, Fujin reached Ibiki''s office again and asked for a few ninja prisoners to test his jutsu on. Ibiki obliged and had his subordinate guide Fujin to the ninja prisoners. One of those unfortunate prisoners was Mizuki.


    While Fujin was busy testing the Spirit Transformation jutsu, team 7 finally grew sick of the rank D missions! They had been quiet for some time as they barely had any energy left after Kakashi''s brutal training regimen. However, after more than 2 months of such training, Naruto had begun getting used to it while Sasuke was managing toplete the training as well. Sakura improved rapidly too, though she still couldn''tplete it.


    Even so, all 3 Genins had grown sick of chasing cats and dogs, babysitting kids and pulling out weeds. The day Naruto''s patience finally ended was the same day Tazuna was in Konoha. After Naruto''s little outburst, Hiruzen decided to give them a rank C mission to protect Tazuna.


    By the time Team 7 left Konoha, Fujinpleted testing the Spirit Transformation jutsu on the ninjas as well. He didn''t face any issue other than the fact that the ninjas had more willpower and he needed slightly more effort to suppress their souls. In addition, their suppressed souls tried taking back control of their bodies non-stop, so Fujin had to actively keep their souls suppressed.


    Fujin also experimented by letting their souls ''ovee'' the suppression to see whether it would have any adverse impact on him. Fortunately, that wasn''t the case. At most, his soul felt a force pushing him outside their bodies, but Fujin could resist it with rather ease and suppress the soul once again.


    Satisfied with his experiments, Fujin returned to his house. Sitting on his sofa, Fujin analyzed, ''The Spirit Transformation jutsu can be considered as mastered. I just need some live practice. Regardless, this is another top-tier jutsu mastered, along with Wind Domain, Eight Inner Gates and Flying Thunder God jutsu.


    In thest couple of months, my teleporting range has increased significantly as well. I can now teleport up to a distance of 2.3 kilometers. And, it is improving at an extremely fast rate. By the time of the invasion, my range should increase to several dozen kilometers. Hopefully, it''ll exceed a hundred kilometers! That would allow me to carry Karin all the way to Phantom Haven Base and return to Konoha within minutes.


    In addition, I also had my clones work on improving the control over natural Lightning with the help of Kiba des in Mount Muteki. The Fuin Battlefield seal has been created as well. While my clones worked on controlling Lightning, they also managed to infuse Lightning into the Rasengan, creating a jutsu just as destructive as Rasenshuriken.


    With all this out of the way, I guess I can finally start studying Medical Ninjutsu and Poisons. Time to find Yoshi and Isamu. I''m sure they will be delighted to hear the news. I just wonder how long they will stay delighted, hehe.''


    Fujin was about to leave his house once again when someone rang his bell. It was one of Hiruzen''s Anbu Guards, calling Fujin to go to the Hokage''s office immediately. Fujin immediately left while wondering what had happened.


    The Anbu Guard stayed outside while only Fujin went inside. To his surprise, Shikaku and the two elders were in the room as well. He wondered, ''For these three to be here. Did something happen recently?''


    Hiruzen pushed forward a scroll that was on his desk and said, "Fujin, read this and tell me your thoughts."


    Puzzled, Fujin just nodded and picked up the scroll. The scroll was from Kusagakure, the hidden vige in the Land of Grass. As he read the contents, Fujin understood why the four of them were together in the office.


    In the scroll, Kusagakure stated that they are facing a grave crisis. They were facing a formidable group of rogue ninjas. Several of them were disgruntled Kusa ninjas themselves. And they were conducting attacks on Kusagakure ninjas and bases all over the Land of Grass.


    As a result, the vige was facing heavy losses. There was even a chance that the hidden vige could be attacked. And the recent losses had made them very nervous.


    As Fujin reached the end of the scroll, he squinted his eyes. A sly smile appeared on his face as he muttered, "Interesting."


    His smile and the amusement in his voice were immediately noticed by everyone in the room. Koharu asked, "What did you find so amusing about the scroll?"


    Fujin replied, "It''s the demands they have put forth. They have asked us to eliminate the rogue group. However, they have also said that they don''t have any money or resources to pay us. At the same time, they are saying that if we don''t help them, they might have to take drastic actions to resolve the issue.


    They are implying that it''ll somehow negatively affect us. Considering their strength, the only thing they can do to negatively affect us is ally with Iwagakure. I didn''t expect that a minor vige would be so aggressive while negotiating with us."


    Hiruzen nodded. Everyone in the room had realized the same. He said, "Kusagakure specializes in diplomacy. It is their greatest strength. So that threat isn''t a baseless one. They do have the capability to ally with Iwa. Of course, there are obvious issues in doing so."


    Hiruzen looked at Shikaku as finished speaking.

 Chapter 571: Fujin the Diplomat!

    Chapter 571: Fujin the Diplomat!


    Understanding Hiruzen''s intention, Shikaku added, "Though Kusa is good at diplomacy, they can''t ally easily with Iwa as their rtionship is quite bad currently. Iwa had invaded the Land of Grass in both the Second and the Third Great Ninja Wars. Their people still remember that. Their civilians as well as ninjas hate Iwa for causing so many deaths and putting them through hell.


    In addition, Iwa had sent their Jinchuriki to the Land of Grass a couple of years ago. Their rtions had deteriorated to the level it was at during the Great Wars after Roshi used the Tailed Beast Bomb on theirnds.


    And, these two aren''t the biggest issues. The biggest issue is that Iwa is definitely funding and assisting the rogue group that is fighting against Kusagakure. Though the rogue group likely formed by itself, there is no way that they would be such a threat without Iwa''s aid.


    Even if Kusa decides to overlook this fact and not raise this issue while negotiating with Iwa, Iwa would want both groups to coexist in the Land of Grass so that they can restrict both sides and control the Land of Grass.


    This will cut down Kusa''s influence considerably as the country would have two Hidden Viges instead of one. It will also give a chance to that rogue group to create a proper army and grow without having to fight Kusagakure. In the future, they wouldn''t need to resort to gueri warfare whenever they have to fight Kusagakure and could confront them head-on.


    So even with their good diplomacy, it is unlikely for them to get favorable terms by allying with Iwa."


    Fujin nodded, agreeing with Shikaku''s analysis. Hiruzen added, "So in other words, this high-priority message is just Kusagakure''s way to coerce us to do their job for them without getting anything in return."


    Though Hiruzen talked inly, Fujin could clearly see that Hiruzen wasn''t pleased. He chuckled internally while thinking, ''It looks like they hit a nerve. That said, this scroll from Kusagakure is quite ingenious.


    On the surface, it might seem that they are arrogantly threatening Konoha, a vige far stronger than them, by saying that they would ally with Iwa. However, nowhere in the scroll is this explicitly mentioned. If confronted, they can just decline it and say that this isn''t what they implied and can give some other examples of what the ''drastic actions'' will be.


    Though it seems that they will offend Konoha by doing so, in truth, there isn''t much Konoha can do. The worst we can do is ignore this scroll and decline to help, in which case Kusagakure doesn''t win or lose anything. The status quo will prevail.


    If we decide to act against them in the dark, then that will be equivalent to jumping on an axe as that will weaken Kusagakure and will allow a faction that is supported by Iwa to take power in the Land of Grass. So, they know that we won''t take such a step.


    Besides, even if we decide not to help, we will still be forced to help if Iwa gets involved directly. Hehe, no wonder Hiruzen is annoyed. Considering that he didn''t take any advantage of the critical situation I had ced Rasa in pretty much says that he wants to avoid a major war at all costs even though the vige is no longer as weak as during the Hyuga incident.''


    Fujin looked at Hiruzen and said, "They are indeed quite good at diplomacy. Anyway, why did you call me? Are we going to war? Or do you want me to silently make a few people disappear?"


    From Fujin''s perspective, that situation wasn''t difficult to handle. Neither side had any rank S ninja. If he wished to, he could eliminate leaders from both sides with rtive ease. Even though Kusagakure''s diplomacy was good, that was contingent that Konoha yed by the rules.


    Konoha could just install puppet leaders and take control of both forces forcefully. The only issue it would create is that other major and minor viges would be quite wary of Konoha. However, that was Hiruzen''s headache and not Fujin''s.


    Hiruzen smiled and said, "Neither. I want you to lead a diplomatic team to Kusagakure and negotiate a deal with them. Whether Konoha goes to assist them for free, whether we demand money to do so, how much money we demand or whether we stay out of itpletely will bepletely left up to you."


    Fujin was surprised. Though Fujin had been a part of several negotiation teams over thest couple of years, he had never taken the lead in any discussion. On the contrary, he barely participated in any discussion, valuing his words like gold!


    Fujin looked at the two Elders. To his surprise, neither objected. He thought, ''It looks like Hiruzen has already made and conveyed his decision. Otherwise, both of them would have opposed doing something so reckless.''


    Fujin thought for a bit and asked, "Are you sure?"


    Hiruzen nodded while chuckling to himself, ''Finally a moment where he isn''tpletely sure of himself. Oh well, the boy has got to learn someday. Might as well start today. Even if he messes up, it won''t cost Konoha much.''


    Fujin asked, "Will I be going alone or will there be any assistance?"


    Hiruzen answered, "You can take our usual diplomatic team with you. In fact, they are already preparing. In addition, Elder Homura will join you as well. He will go with you under disguise and won''t be participating in the discussions unless you explicitly ask him to. However, you should do that only as ast resort. This mission will be led by you and not him. Whatever is the result of this negotiation, it''ll solely be your responsibility."


    Fujin nodded while thinking, ''I guess he really wants me to take this responsibility Oh well, I might as well do it in the ''best'' possible way and entertain myself a bit. Besides, this is a good opportunity to build some ''reputation''. Even though it might not be a good reputation, it might just help me keep some ambitious idiots like Katsuhiro at arm''s length.''


    Fujin said, "Alright. However, thebat capabilities of our diplomatic team are quite low. Add a couple of Anbu squads to my team and have them disguise themselves as diplomats."


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "Sure."


    What he didn''t notice was that Shikaku suddenly became slightly nervous when Fujin mentioned bat capabilities''. He thought, ''Why do I get a feeling that my days will be hectic once again? Sigh, nothing good happens when this boy goes on a mission. I just hope that he doesn''t do something too crazy this time.''


    Unfortunately, Shikaku couldn''t guess what the crazy thing Fujin would be doing. Hiruzen said, "I have already assembled the diplomatic team. You can join them and n out your strategy before moving out. Move out by this evening."


    Fujin nodded. He and Homura began walking towards the room where the diplomatic discussions would usually be held. En route, Fujin created and dispelled a Shadow Clone.


    Homura immediately realized, ''Hmm, he sent a message about this meeting to his Shadow Clones. I wonder what they are doing.''


    It was as Homura had spected. Fujin sent a message to his clones that were working on the seal, the clone who was guiding his 5 students, and a couple of clones that he had sent to the Training facility to guide other orphans.


    Fujin had begun sending a few clones to the training facilities whenever he had some chakra to spare so that he could influence the other kids as well. The help he provided them was nowhere near what his students got. He would let Hiruzen''s Anbu train them and only asionally observe them and give some advice to help them improve further.


    As a result, even though the Anbu instructors did most of the work, the kids were more grateful towards Fujin as he took time from his ''busy'' schedule and ''council duties'' to guide them. Some Anbu noticed it but didn''t do anything as Fujin outranked them considerably and he wasn''t doing anything harmful to the kids or the vige.


    Besides, Anbu Hiruzen had sent to train the kids were of civilian backgrounds as well because he didn''t want to alert the ns about the kids having Kekkei Genkai. So they didn''t mind Fujin, who represented the civilian ninjas in the council, increasing his influence.


    In any case, the message Fujin sent to his clones was to inform his students that he would be out of the vige for a few days and to inform the same to the Anbu Captain stationed in hispound.

 Chapter 572: An Extremely Bad Feeling

    Chapter 572: An Extremely Bad Feeling


    Back in the Hokage''s office, Koharu asked, "Are you sure about this, Hiruzen? Even though he has done well so far, I still don''t think asking him to lead such a mission is a good idea. Fighting and negotiation are two entirely different things."


    Hiruzen shrugged and said, "It''s alright. Besides, what''s the worst he can do? At max, we will have to help them eliminate that rogue faction for free. And even then, he will be doing most of the work."


    Hiruzen knew about Fujin''s Wind Domain. While he wasn''t entirely sure how strong it was as Fujin no longer practiced it in the open, the fact that he could steal Sasori''s puppets was all Hiruzen needed to know. Even if they had to fight, he was sure Fujin would be able to take care of it without any issue. If Iwa tried interfering, then he could deploy Jiraiya to deter them.


    Unlike him, the others in the room had different thoughts. Koharu wondered, ''Why does he trust that boy so much? Even though he could kill Juzo, fighting a rogue faction is different from fighting a single ninja. It could cost us several lives. But from the way Hiruzen is speaking, it''s as if he is sure that we won''t lose any lives.''


    As for Shikaku, his mind was stuck on a few words that Hiruzen spoke. They were, ''What''s the worst he can do?'' For some reason, Shikaku had an extremely bad feeling.


    Fujin and Homura entered the room. Immediately, 12 eyes looked at them. There were several papers on the round table and it looked like they had already been discussing how to handle the negotiation.


    On seeing the two of them, one of them said, "Elder Homura, Councilor Fujin, it''s good to have you. Elder Homura, we wanted to ask you a few things."


    To his surprise, Homura raised his palm and said, "While I will be joining the mission, I won''t be participating in the discussions. Fujin will be the one leading this mission."


    Immediately, everyone in the room was surprised. They all assumed that Homura would lead the mission. While they were familiar with Fujin, he barely used to participate in the missions. For a moment, none of them knew what to say.


    Fujin had expected such a reaction and wasn''t particrly offended. In fact, he was surprised as well when Hiruzen informed him that he would be leading this mission.


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    He chuckled to break the silence and asked, "What''s with this reaction? Don''t worry. I won''t mess up too much. Let''s start the meeting."


    His words caused some awkward smiles to appear on their faces. However, it broke the ice and they finally began the meeting as Fujin and Homura sat down. Fujin asked, "Did you guys decide on what resources to ask in return for helping them?"


    One of them answered, "We haven''t discussed that much yet. Considering the tone in their letter, our discussion so far was focused more towards what we should say to counter their points when they ask for help free of cost."


    Another added, "We were also considering letting them owe us the money so that they could repay in the future."


    Fujin shook his head and said, "They are facing an existential crisis. How would they pay us in the future if they were to be destroyed? Besides, they could take loans from us and ally with Iwater. Or threaten us asking us to forgive the loans or they would ally with Iwa.


    No need to consider allowing them to owe us. Just decide on how much money to demand. If they don''t have the money, decide what resources to ask for instead. Be it precious metals, chakra metal, elemental crystals or even theirnd."


    Fujin''s words surprised everyone in the room, including Homura. One of them countered, "But, that won''t be right. Their message emphasizes the fact that they won''t be able to pay. Focusing on which resources to demand instead of convincing them that they need to pay and giving them some options is like putting the cart before the horse."


    Another added, "In addition, we need to keep in mind that we have been allied for several decades. Forcing them to pay could create some resentment, undoing the decades of good work. It might also provide Iwa with an opportunity to improve their ties with Kusa, which will increase the risk of them double-crossing us in the future."


    Fujin chuckled and replied, "The decades of being in an alliance didn''t stop them from making a disguised threat about allying with Iwa. Anyway, you don''t need to worry. I do have a n in mind, though I need to finalize the details. Just focus on deciding the resources first.


    Later, we can focus on thinking about what arguments to give when they say that they can''t afford to pay. As for giving them a line of credit, there is no need. If they are serious about paying us, then their Daimyo could discuss the same with the Fire Daimyo."


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    As the leader of this mission, Fujin''s word was the final. In addition, the way he said it implied that there was no scope for debate. They looked at Homura but he didn''t say anything. Hence, they followed his order and began deciding what to ask from them in exchange for helping them.


    Meanwhile, Homura analyzed, ''Hmm, he can use authority very well. As expected of someone who was an Anbu Captain. Still, he is quite inflexible. During negotiations, being flexible is the most important. Otherwise, both sides could stay at an impasse for years!


    In this particr case, there wasn''t any harm in letting them owe us. In fact, the negotiation should have been about how much they should owe us and what the rate of interest should be. Even Hiruzen would have done this.


    His inflexibility is disappointing considering how well he analyzed the meetings after Hiruzen was done negotiating. There is a big gap between his analytical and execution skills. I now see why Hiruzen wants to give him some experience in leading diplomatic missions.''


    Fujin nced at Homura while paying attention to the discussion. Though Homura didn''t show any expression, Fujin could clearly feel a sense of disappointment from him. He thought, ''I guess he wanted me to go the normal route and provide them a line of credit.


    That said, he doesn''t have the knowledge of the future. Not too long from now, Konoha and Iwa will be allies. Why would it matter whether Kusa is allied with us or them? If anything, they''ll be scrambling to have closer rtions with Konoha. In fact, it doesn''t even matter whether Kusa or the rebels are in power in the Land of Grass. It''ll all be the same.


    As for Iwa, Onoki won''t look for a direct confrontation against Konoha. He wouldn''t be called the Fence-Sitter if he jumped head first in an unrewarding battle. Besides, Iwa has already lost Han to the Akatsuki. From the information Anbu gathered, Deidara seems to have gone rogue as well. He should have joined Akatsuki by now.


    So, Onoki will be paying a lot of attention to Akatsuki and their movements. He won''t risk a battle with Konoha while Iwa is the weaker side.''


    Due to his knowledge of the future, Fujin didn''t have the same considerations as Homura and others. The group discussed what to ask from Kusa. When they reached the final amount, Fujin said, "Hmm, that''s too little. Even if they gave us normal missions, it would cost 25% more than this value. Increase its overall worth by 25%. Wait"


    Fujin took a pause before adding, "Actually, they are in a tough spot. And, they are asking us to deploy our forces rapidly. We should charge them a premium considering how badly they need our help. Increase it first by 25% and then increase it by 50% once more."


    "..."


    The entire room became silent. No one had any words. Even Homura was left speechless. Everyone just looked at each other not knowing what to say. Every single one of them was surprised by Fujin''s greediness and shamelessness.


    Only one person smiled. It was Hiruzen who was watching through his crystal ball. He cried imaginary tears of happiness while thinking, ''Finally, the vige will benefit from his greedy nature. That said, there is no way Kusa will agree. Though the scroll mentioned that they are in a tough spot, this isn''t something that they can''t handle. The only thing they truly require from us is our preparedness in case Iwa makes a move.''


    Though Koharu and Homura were worried, Hiruzen was truly looking forward to how Fujin would handle the negotiations against someone who didn''t particrly care for his well-being as Hiruzen did. He had to see whether Fujin''s greed would work while negotiating with other viges or whether it would be an obstacle.


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 Chapter 573: Fujins Effect

    Chapter 573: Fujin''s Effect


    In the meeting room, everyone exchanged nces. Finally, one decided to speak up and said, "Councilor Fujin, with all due respect, there is no way that they would agree."


    Fujin waved his hand dismissively and said, "It''s fine. We can negotiate. As long as it is above what it would cost them normally, there is no harm in doing the deal. In fact, even if it goes slightly below it, it''ll be fine considering that it is a bulk deal.


    Anyway, finalize the amount soon. We still need to decide on the points to use to make them understand that helping them for free is off the table. That will be the main topic during negotiations."


    The diplomats sighed in relief as Fujin finally showed some flexibility. They quickly finalized the normal cost and the premium cost for Kusa to pay. The discussion quickly changed towards how to convince Kusa to pay, how strict they should be during the negotiation and when to pull the plug in case Kusa refused to pay under any circumstances along with some other points.


    After discussing all the aspects for a few hours, they finalized all the details. Fujin smiled and said, "Good work everyone."


    He turned his gaze towards the closed door. The doors automatically opened and he said, "You guys can enter."


    Two Anbu squads entered. They were dispatched by Hiruzen to assist Fujin. Fujin looked at them and asked, "Did Lord Hokage inform you about the mission?"


    One of the Anbu Captains answered, "He provided us with some details. He said that we have to ensure your group''s safety while you are negotiating with Kusagakure."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Yes. However, all of you will follow us in disguise. You will pretend to be diplomats, but you don''t need to speak during any discussions."


    Fujin''s words confused the diplomats and Homura once again. For the first time, Homura said, "Fujin, everyone knows who our diplomats are. While having one or two more diplomats won''t be suspicious, having 8 new diplomats will easily arouse suspicion. It''ll be better to have them follow us in their Anbu uniform as Kusa won''t stop them."


    Fujin replied with a smile, "I know it''ll be suspicious, but that''s fine. I want them to be suspicious."


    Fujin looked at four diplomats and pointed at them one by one and said, "You four won''t speak anything during the meeting as well. Just pay attention to the meeting, but don''t speak unless I ask any of you to."


    The group were puzzled even more. None of the diplomats understood what Fujin''s intentions were. Homura wondered, ''Why does it feel like he is going there to fight instead of negotiating? Even if our negotiations don''t result in anything, Kusa won''t dare to attack us. What exactly is he nning?''


    Not providing any exnation, Fujin said, "We will move out in an hour. Settle your matters if you have any and return to this room in less than an hour."


    Everyone nodded. Some left, some stayed there. After an hour, the group left Konoha. They travelled the night and the following day, before waiting in one of the Patrol Camps the entire night. Before the sun appeared in the sky, their group entered the Land of Grass and moved towards Kusagakure.


    A few hourster, the group reached Kusagakure. They had already sent a message informing Kusagakure about their arrival. As a result, the leader of Kusagakure and other prominent leaders were waiting for their arrival.


    When the Konoha ninjas appeared in their sight, the face of every single person fell without any exception. Their leader cursed, ''Damn Konoha! Where are the Hokage or other Elders? And why is that cursed brat leading the group?''


    Kusagakure wasn''t informed who''d be leading the diplomatic team. On seeing that it was the guy who was rumored to have cut down several of their ninjas, everyone became very alert.


    Fujin appeared in front of the leader of Kusagakure and said, "Ashikaga Hiroshi-san, it''s good to see you once again."


    [A/N: Ashikaga Hiroshi was first shown in chapter 169.]


    Ashikaga Hiroshi faked a smile and said, "It''s good to see you as well, Suzuki Fujin."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Let''s not waste any time. Considering your current situation, let''s get down to business right away."


    Hiroshi nodded. While he would have engaged in small talk with Hiruzen or the other two Elders, he didn''t have anything to bond with Fujin due to their vast age gap. They quickly entered the central mansion and entered the meeting room.


    During that time, Hiroshi properly observed everyone from Konoha''s diplomatic team. He became even more serious as he analyzed, ''9 new faces. They are likely hiding their real identity using Transformation jutsu. Something is off. Nine ninjas hiding themselves and sending this crazy kid instead of a normal Elder. We need to be careful.''


    The others from Kusa noticed the same thing as well. Without saying anything, everyone became very tense. And the Konoha ninjas and diplomats noticed how tense they were.


    Homura nced at Fujin and wondered, ''Is this what he wanted? Making them negotiate while they are under tension That said, it doesn''t exin why they are so tense. Even when Hiruzen shows up openly with his Anbu Guards, they aren''t this tense.''


    As everyone took their seats, a few servants appeared in the room carrying trays of food. However, Fujin said, "Let''s leave the food forter and begin the discussion."


    His words caused the Kusa higher-ups to frown. Hiroshi realized, ''He doesn''t trust us. Why did Konoha be so suspicious of us? Even though we hinted at a lot of things in the scroll, our rtionship is still very good. This isn''t the Hokage''s style.''


    What they didn''t notice was that the diplomats from Konoha''s side also nced at Fujin with eyes full ofints. Fujin had made them run all morning without any break. They didn''tin as they would have got delicious food in Kusagakure. However, Fujin denied them that as well!


    Though they understood the reason why Fujin did so, none of them were worried about the food being poisoned or drugged. Even if Kusa decided to betray Konoha and ally with Iwa, they would never do something like that as it''ll only result in their annihtion.


    As for the Anbu disguised among the diplomats, none of them had anyints. After all, they were used to such situations aspared to the diplomats who had long stopped being an active ninja.


    Hiroshi nodded and said, "Alright."


    He nced at the servants who immediately left the room. Once all the doors were shut, Fujin said, "Though the scroll gave some details, we are still not exactly aware of the strength and numbers of your enemy and the scale of losses you have suffered. Fill me up on it and also tell me any other details you have about the rebels."


    Hiroshi nodded. The person sitting to his left began exining the details about the rogue faction which was attacking them.


    While Fujin was negotiating in Kusagakure, another interesting sh was happening on the other side of the Land of Fire. En route to the wave country, Kakashi and his squad were attacked by Momochi Zabuza, the Demon of the Mist and the current wielder of Kubikiribocho.


    Just like in the original story, Zabuza trapped Kakashi in the Water Prison jutsu, putting his team in extreme danger. Zabuza''s Water Clone had already sent both Naruto and Sasuke flying, showing them the vast difference that existed between Genins and Elite Jounins.


    Understanding their terrible situation, Kakashi shouted, "Everyone listen! Take Tazuna and retreat! It''s a fight you can''t win! If he wants to hold me in this Water Prison, he can''t leave this ce. He won''t be able to hurt me through the Water Prison either!"


    Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura were very tense when they heard Kakashi''s words. Suddenly, a look of surprise appeared on Naruto''s face as Kakashi''s words stuck in his mind. He quickly got up and weaved hand signs while shouting, "Sensei, are you sure he can''t hurt you inside the Water Prison?"


    His sudden question surprised everyone. Kakashi thought, ''Well he can, but if I say that, you guys won''t retreat''


    He quickly shouted, "Yes he can''t! Now retreat!"


    A grin formed on Naruto''s face as he said, "Good! Then I don''t have to worry. Multi Shadow Clone jutsu!"


    In an instant, a few dozen Shadow Clones formed around Naruto. Seeing that Naruto was still intending to fight, Kakashi cursed, ''Darn it! Wha Eh, is he nning that tactic? Hmm, it could work. However, it is still very risky.''


    Seeing Naruto and his clones put their hands in their ninja pouch to grab a kunai, memories of the graduation exam resurfaced in Kakashi''s mind. Even so, he maintained a worried expression on his face.


    "Haha hahahaha!" Seeing Naruto nning on attacking him, Zabuza''s Water Clone beganughing. Hisugh immediately offended Naruto who wondered, ''Why is heughing like a lunatic?''


    Zabuza''s clone said, "Apparently you don''t care whether you get any olde"


    Suddenly, his eyes widened. Hanging around Fujin and falling prey to his sudden attacks without caring whether he was ready or not had an effect on Naruto. He didn''t bother waiting for Zabuza to be done with his speech. At the same time, Naruto and each of his Shadow Clonesunched several kunai. Each of the kunai had an explosive tag attached to them!


    [A/N: Latest Chapter on P@treon - FUCK YOU DANZO!]

 Chapter 574: The Negotiations Start!

    Chapter 574: The Negotiations Start!


    Zabuza''s clone watched as several hundred kunai with explosive tags moved towards him. He immediately weaved hand signs.


    ''Water Release: Water Wall jutsu!''


    Immediately a water wall appeared in front of him. Around 20% of the kunai hit the water wall and exploded. The remaining 80% moved towards Zabuza''s main body, which was watching over Kakashi. The eyes of both Jounins were wide.


    Kakashi worriedly looked towards Zabuza and thought, ''I never imagined that someday I''d be hoping that my enemy keeps me protected! Luckily he is quite strong. Otherwise, I might lose ayer of my skin!''


    Zabuza was no longer rxed as well. He weaved hand seals with just his left hand and created a few more Water Clones who immediately used Water Wall jutsu to stop the iing kunai. The kunai hit the water walls and exploded. Though every water wall copsed, the explosions were stopped.


    Unfortunately, Zabuza and his clones were left dumbfounded as Naruto followed up with several more rounds of kunai while thinking, ''Luckily, Fujin gave me a few hundred explosive tags. Otherwise, we would have no way of fighting against him!''


    Seeing Naruto continuously throwing explosive tags, Sakura shouted, "Naruto, be careful! Don''t hurt Kakashi-sensei!"


    Meanwhile, Sasuke thought, ''This isn''t enough. Though Zabuza looks under pressure, he is able to defend against the explosions. We need something more. But what?''


    Sasuke saw another set of the Water Walls copsing under another round of explosions. His eyes widened as he saw an opportunity.


    Meanwhile, Zabuza''s water clone wondered, ''How many explosive tags does this damn brat have? How freaking rich is Konoha to give such a little brat so many explosive tags? I can''t let this continue. Otherwise, Kakashi will take advantage of the situation.''


    Even though the Water Prison jutsu was good at trapping people, it didn''t mean that it couldn''t be broken from the inside. If Naruto kept Zabuza''s attention on him, Kakashi could break through even if Zabuza didn''t take his hand off.


    `


    After blocking the next round of explosions, the water clone moved forward at a rapid speed towards the ce where Naruto''s original body initially was. A few Shadow Clones tried to stop him but were cut apart by hisrge de.


    He swung Kubikiribocho at Naruto, who quickly used his kunai and barely managed to block the de. Unfortunately, the water clone quickly followed with a kick, knocking the kunai off his hand and sending him flying backwards for a few meters. In the blink of an eye, he appeared on top of Naruto and said, "You did well. Unfortunately, your journey ends here!"


    Seeing Zabuza''s clone about to kill Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke and Tazuna became very worried. To everyone''s surprise, Naruto grinned and said, "I said that I would be a great ninja and be the Hokage! Nothing will stop me until then! That''s my Ninja Way!"


    Zabuza''s clone felt something odd. He immediately shed Naruto, only for him to dissipate in a cloud of smoke. At the very instant, several explosive tags exploded right behind him, dispelling the Water Clone along with several of Naruto''s clones!


    Seeing that it was just a clone, Sakura and Sasuke sighed in relief. Sakura looked in surprise while wondering, ''Since when did Naruto be so smart and strong?''


    Sasuke merely smirked and grabbed a couple of Fuma Shurikens. He waited for a few seconds before throwing them! Under the strain of the explosions, another set of water walls copsed. Zabuza''s Water Clones created another set of Water Walls. However, before they could form, Sasuke''s Fuma Shuriken moved through the area and flew straight at Zabuza! He had timed his shuriken perfectly to take advantage of the opening Naruto''s explosions created.


    Seeing it, Naruto, who was hiding among his clones, thought, ''Nice, Sasuke! I might not need to do the next step after all!''


    Naruto and some of his clones were weaving hand signs taking advantage of the chaos created by the explosions.


    Zabuza grabbed the Fuma Shuriken in his left hand before noticing another Fuma Shuriken in its shadow. He jumped to avoid it as well, making Sasuke frown. Sasuke nced towards Naruto, hoping he''d follow up.


    Fortunately, Naruto and his clones acted immediately. For once, they didn''t shout the name of the jutsus!


    ''Wind Release: Wind Levitation jutsu''


    ''Wind Release: Projectile Control jutsu''


    One of Naruto''s clones took control of the Fuma Shuriken Zabuza had dodged. The Fuma Shuriken curved in the air and moved towards Zabuza again from the back, attracting his attention.


    As for the other clones, they controlled the pieces of broken kunai that were floating on the water by first making them levitate and then controlling them with the Projectile Control jutsu. Suddenly, several sharp shards of kunai began moving towards Zabuza at a high speed. His clones, who were still focused on blocking the kunai with explosive tags, and Zabuza, who was looking towards the Fuma Shuriken, were all caught off guard. Not having enough time, Zabuza let go of the Water Prison and flickered away!


    Zabuza appeared a sufficient distance away from the area overrun by explosions and shrapnels. He looked at Naruto''s Shadow Clones in rage and began weaving hand signs while cursing, ''That little runt!''


    Unfortunately for Zabuza, Kakashi had broken free. In the blink of an eye, Kakashi dispelled his Water Clones and directly confronted Zabuza. Just like in the original story, Zabuza would be defeated by Kakashi before being ''killed'' by Haku.


    Back in Kusagakure, they informed the Konoha ninjas majority of the details regarding the rogue faction targetting them. Fujin analyzed, ''Hmm, it looks like just a normal faction. Akatsuki isn''t involved. Since Iwa is supporting the rebel faction, I doubt Onoki will employ Akatsuki as they have captured Han.


    Even if the rebel faction employs Akatsuki, they won''t directly target Kusagakure as it''ll draw too much attention. Not to mention, it didn''t happen in the original story either''


    Hiroshi looked at Fujin and asked, "So, how much aid can Konoha provide us?"


    Fujin smiled and replied, "Well, that will depend on what you can afford."


    Hiroshi wasn''t surprised. He never expected Konoha to help them for free without saying a word. No one in Kusagakure did. Everyone in the room from their side was extremely well prepared to argue and convince Konoha to help them for free.


    Immediately, one of their leaders sighed. He put up an extremely pitiful expression and said, "As we said in our message, our finances arepletely stretched thin due to the war. The rebels have killed dozens of our ninjas. Hundreds are injured. Several towns and viges have been destroyed as well.


    We have to relocate the people from those towns and viges and arrange for their shelter and food along with treating them as well. So, there is no way for us to pay you right now."


    He said it in a way to invoke maximum sympathy from the other side. Fortunately, everyone on Fujin''s side was an experienced negotiator as well. None were phased by his act. While they were sympathetic about their situation while discussing it with Fujin, there was no room for emotions during actual negotiations.


    One of the diplomats on Fujin''s side said, "While I sympathize with your situation, we can''t provide help without getting anything in return. As much as we would like to help you, do understand the situation from our side as well. We can''t ask our ninjas toe and risk their lives here without getting anything in return.


    Every dead ninja''s family has to bepensated. Simrly, everyone who gets crippled has to be paid a pension. The morale of our ninjas will be very low and they might even refuse to join if they aren''t paid."


    Another person from the Kusagakure camp argued back, "We understand your situation. However, Konoha is the richest vige. I''m sure you can afford to bear those expenses."


    A second person from Fujin''s side responded with a sigh, "Actually, Konoha''s finances are spread very thin as well. Even our forces are spread thin. We have to continuously send our ninjas to the surrounding countries to deter the other major viges from doing anything to harm you. We also had to deal with many rogue ninjas from Kiri which strained our finances further."


    A third person quickly added, "In fact, we sent ninjas to the Land of Grass several times as well even though you didn''t pay us. Lord Hokage had even sent Hatake Kakashi, the son of the White Fang, a few months ago to deter Iwagakure. Lord Hokage is magnanimous enough to not ask for any payments for those missions. So, we should discuss the payments you will need to make to get our help."


    He was immediately countered by another person from the Kusagakure camp. The discussion went on in this manner. Neither Fujin nor Hiroshi spoke and let others do the negotiating. They just looked at each other.


    As time passed, Hiroshi became more suspicious as he noticed that 4 of the usual diplomats in Fujin''s team weren''t speaking at all. All work was done by the 8 diplomats. He wondered, ''Is someone impersonating them? Also, Konoha is awfully stubborn today. We were prepared to owe them a small amount, but they haven''t even brought up the matter of loans until now.''


    For three hours, the two sides negotiated! Konoha diplomats kept attempting to start discussing how much Kusagakure would have to pay to get Konoha''s help. But Kusagakure''s leaders never began that discussion and instead kept arguing that Konoha could afford to help them for free.


    Finally, Fujin said, "Hiroshi-san, it doesn''t seem like you guys actually want a deal."


    A faint smile could be seen on Fujin''s face, a smile that made Hiroshi very nervous.


    [A/N: Next chapter: Four Choices]

 Chapter 575: Four Choices!

    Chapter 575: Four Choices!


    Hiroshi became slightly nervous on seeing the faint smile on Fujin''s lips. While Konoha had a good negotiating team, the negotiations usually used to be very straightforward and Konoha would rarely use the threat of using force as that wasn''t Hiruzen''s style. If Hiruzen ever wanted to use force during diplomacy, he''d send Danzo to make a move in the dark.


    However, there were too many suspicious things during this meeting. The first was the fact that there wasn''t any Elder in the diplomatic team. The second was the fact that Fujin was leading the team. The third suspicious thing was the 9 new faces. And probably the most suspicious thing was that as many as 13 members of Fujin''s team hadn''t said a word since the meeting began!


    Due to these four factors, Hiroshi had been on edge. He thought, ''Even though a lot of things are very suspicious, Konoha has a reputation to maintain. This should just be a pressure tactic. If they wanted to make a move, they wouldn''t have sent a diplomatic team here. We can''t show weakness!''


    Hiroshi replied, "We are serious, Fujin-kun. Though I feel ashamed to say this, it is true that we can''t afford to pay anything right now."


    His words immediately attracted the attention of Homura and the other diplomats on Fujin''s team. Homura thought, ''Right now It seems like he is agreeing to owe us money. Not bad. It looks like Fujin''s tactic of applying pressure is a sess. However, it''ll only be a sess if he takes a step back and epts this offer.''


    The leaders on Kusagakure''s side understood it as well. In truth, they had all decided to resist as much as they could. However, they were nervous due to those four points just like Hiroshi. As a result, no one opposed. Everyone''s eyes were on Fujin.


    Fujin''s smile faded away as he shook his head and responded, "That is impossible. Irrespective of the fact whether we can afford to do so or not, we aren''t running a charity. Nor is this situation something you guys can''t handle by yourselves.


    I wanted to discuss the costs for various degrees of cooperation that you might require from us. Unfortunately, you guys have done everything you can to not even begin that discussion for thest three hours. From the way you are going, it seems that won''t change even if we negotiate for an entire week."


    Everyone''s eyes were glued to Fujin. Though no one said anything or showed it on their face, everyone was ming him for their current situation. After all, had he been a bit flexible, the deadlock could have been resolved.


    Fujin continued, "So, we will end the negotiations here. Instead, I''ll present you the four choices that Kusagakure has for the time being. I don''t care which one you choose nor will I debate about it with you. You can choose whichever you want as per your free will and what you think would be the best for Kusagakure."


    Everyone, including the Konoha ninjas, was surprised by Fujin''s words. Despite having been in several negotiations, they had rarely seen something like that. At the very least, no one had seen such a development on day 1 of negotiations. Homura watched curiously to see what Fujin was up to.


    Hiroshi asked, "So, what are the four choices?"


    Fujin pulled out a scroll and passed it to Hiroshi. As Hiroshi opened it to read, Fujin raised his right arm slightly and raised his index finger. He said, "Since you guys don''t want to discuss different levels of cooperation, the help we will give you will either beplete or nothing.


    Your first choice is to ask for our help. We will annihte the rebel faction entirely. However, you will have to pay the cost mentioned in the scroll to get us to help you. And, the payment will have to be made before we make our move."


    The Kusagakure leaders subconsciously rejected this choice. No one said anything and only looked at Hiroshi, whose expression became grimmer the more he read from the scroll.


    He looked at Fujin and asked with a hint of anger in his voice, "Is this supposed to be a joke?"


    Fujin inly replied, "I am afraid not."


    Hiroshi replied, "This choice is uneptable to us."


    Fujin replied, "Suit yourself. However, if you ask for our help at any time in the future, this will be the cost you''ll have to pay for requesting our aid. It won''t decrease even if you deal with some of the rebels yourselves. Anyway"


    Fujin raised his second finger and added, "Your second choice is to fight the rebels by yourselves. If you don''t choose the first option, then Konoha willpletely stay out of this conflict. We will only interfere if Iwa makes a direct move against Kusagakure as per our current treaty."


    Hiroshi nodded. This was an eptable option to them. Hiroshi asked, "What is the third choice?"


    A smile appeared on Fujin''s face once again as he raised his third finger. He said, "Your third option is to put the disguised threat in your message to Konoha into action. You could betray us and ally with Iwa, alleviating your current situation."


    Fujin''s words shocked everyone in the room. For the first time, everyone showed their true feelings on their face. Even Homura looked at Fujin with widened eyes wondering, ''What the hell is he nning?''


    Kusagakure camp became nervous as well. None of them expected Konoha to directly call out their threat.


    Before anyone could say anything, Fujin continued in a casual tone, "In which case, I''ll kill all of you right here right now."


    Those words were thest straw! Everyone in the room freaked out! The Kusagakure ninjas jumped out of their seats. The Konoha diplomats were shaking as well. They hadn''t fought against another ninja for years. None of them were ready to fight. The Anbu became very serious as well. Their job had just be a thousand times more difficult.


    The one who was the most dumbfounded was Homura! It had been decades since he retired from active duty. Even though he was still as strong as an Elite Jounin, he became nervous in that situation as well.


    He cursed, ''Damn you Hiruzen! You never said that this boy was a lunatic! In my younger days, I could have fought my way out of this vige. But in my current state, that will be extremely difficult. What is Fujin doing threatening them in their own vige? We have only 22 ninjas, they have over a couple of thousand ninjas!''


    As Homura expected, most Kusa ninjas drew out their weapons. In response, Konoha ninjas, except Fujin and Homura, did so as well. However, none of them actually made any move. Instead, the Kusa leaders began cursing aggressively!


    "You dare to threaten us in our own vige?"


    "Even though we are a minor vige, Konoha can''t look down on us!"


    "Do you think you can make it out alive if you attack us?"


    "Since when did Konoha be so arrogant?"


    "..."


    Several more such statements were made, making the Konoha diplomats very tense. However, Homura became slightly rxed and puzzled as he noticed two things.


    He thought, ''That''s weird Even though they are showing an aggressive front, not one of them has any intention of attacking. I can understand that they will refrain from attacking as it''ll bring Konoha''s retaliation, but it is almost like they are scared of attacking. What''s even more peculiar is that none of themunched any personal insults at Fujin despite his open threat!''


    It was as Homura observed. Not a single person had any intention of attacking. And not a single one wanted to stand out in front of Fujin. While ''The Spectral Swordsman'' was only a myth and a rumor in Konoha, no one in Kusagakure had forgotten about him despite Fujin not being very active for over a year.


    They knew that whoever attacked first would lose their life. Even if they somehow managed to kill him eventually, none of them wanted to be a sacrifice for others. Simrly, they knew The Spectral Swordsman''s reputation. None of them wanted to be hunted down by Fujin after the meeting ended. They had no confidence in surviving if Fujin decided to hunt themter.


    Sitting calmly in his chair, Fujin asked inly, "So, should I assume that you are making this choice?"


    Hiroshi immediately said, "Everyone, calm down and return to your seats."


    He looked at Fujin and replied, "Please don''t joke around. Konohagakure and Kusagakure have been allies since the end of the First Great Ninja War. We have no intention of changing that. There wasn''t any hidden threat in the scroll either. I am afraid that you might have misinterpreted it. Can you tell us what our fourth choice is?"


    Fujin nodded and answered in the same casual tone while raising his fourth finger, "Sure, your fourth option is to lie to me and ally with Iwagakure after we leave. In that case, I''ll returnter and assassinate every one of you and kill every single person living in your houses."


    [A/N: Next Chapter : Kusagakure prepares for a war!]

 Chapter 576: Kusagakure prepares for a war!

    Chapter 576: Kusagakure prepares for a war!


    The room was left speechless yet again. Even when Kusagakure leaders had taken a step back, Fujin threatened them once more! It was so strange that the Kusa leaders were confused about whether they should put up a strong face again or just sit in their chairs.


    In the end, no one got up. Even the Konoha side was weirded out by the situation. Finally, Hiroshi replied, "You can rest assured that we won''t be betraying Konoha."


    Fujin nodded and said, "That''s good."


    He smiled and added, "We would hate to see such a long-standing alliance getting broken as well."


    Hearing that, everyone on Kusagakure''s side cursed him internally. All of Fujin''s actions made them think that he wanted a fight instead of a peaceful negotiation. Yet, he shamelessly imed that he wanted to preserve their alliance.


    Fujin got up and said, "Let''s conclude the meeting. I have already informed you what the cost would be to ask for our help. And that cost won''t decrease in the future. If you change your mind in the future and decide to ask for our help, you can send a message to Lord Hokage."


    Seeing that Fujin was prepared to leave, Hiroshi asked, "Why not wait for some time and experience our hospitality?"


    As offended as he was by Fujin''s attitude, he understood that he couldn''t make Konoha too upset. In addition, if someone like Fujin stayed in Kusagakure for a few days, it would send a message to the rebels and could make them tone down their aggression. It could even make Iwa back off.


    Fujin understood his thoughts. However, why would he do something like that? He smiled and replied, "Some other day for sure, Hiroshi-san. I have to return to the vige quickly. The world is too tumultuous right now. I''m sure you understand it the best."


    Hiroshi sighed and said, "That''s a shame. Alright, we will show you our hospitality some other day."


    Fujin nodded and turned around. The Konoha ninjas got up and followed him. Within a few minutes, the group left Kusagakure.


    Back in the meeting room, there was a total silence. Seeing that no one was leaving the room, the ninjas, who were overlooking the security, assumed that they wanted to discuss among themselves and closed the door.


    As soon as the door closed, curses were heard inside the room!


    "That fucking bastard!"


    "Konoha crossed all limits today!"


    "That brat is too damn arrogant! I wish I could cut him down right in this room!"


    "How dare they treat us in this manner?"


    "Hiroshi-sama! We need to make Konoha pay for humiliating us in our own vige!"


    Hiroshi looked at the person who said that and asked, "What do you rmend we do?"


    That man went silent. However, one impatient youngster replied, "Let''s carry out that threat and ally with Iwagakure. We will prepare a trap for Suzuki Fujin with their help and eliminate him when he tries to carry out his threat!"


    Hiroshi shook his head and said, "Don''t forget that the ones supporting the rebels are Iwagakure. If we try to negotiate with them now, we will be in a weaker position. They will force us to ept the existence of the rebel faction and might also use us as cannon fodder in the next Great War. It might spell our doom."


    An old man added, "Besides, even with Iwa''s help, there is no guarantee that we will be able to kill Suzuki Fujin. His bounty was actually put up by Iwa. In addition, the rumors about him being the Spectral Swordsman also came from Iwa.


    For the Tsuchikage to put up such arge bounty, Iwa should have suffered heavily at his hands. And that something can''t be his fight against Roshi as Iwa put the bounty several monthster. From my sources in the Land of Waterfall, some Konoha Anbu ninjas had shed with some Iwa ninjas in that country. My sources said that even Kitsuchi was involved.


    I believe that Anbu unit was led by Suzuki Fujin. And that sh should have caused heavy losses to Iwagakure despite Kitsuchi''s presence. Considering that Suzuki Fujin is still alive and well, Iwa has failed to do anything to him even after cing that huge bounty.


    If we ally with Iwa and fail to kill him, our ninjas will suffer heavily. And that isn''t even considering what will happen if he doesn''t make a direct move on our vige and instead begins hunting down our ninjas after they leave the vige. The losses we are facing right now will be nothingpared to what we will face then."


    His wise words made the room calm down. Though they were still angry at Fujin, they understood that acting rashly could spell their doom. One person sighed and said, "This doesn''t feel good. Despite being insulted in such a manner, all we can do is swallow our pride and endure the humiliation."


    Hiroshi said, "There is no choice. This is the reason why we focus on diplomacy. Even though we have experienced a peaceful decade, don''t forget the difference in strength between us and the major viges.


    That said, not everything that happened in this meeting was bad. While we messed up a bit by threatening Konoha in this way, we now have a clear picture of their attitude."


    He took a pause and looked at everyone in the room before continuing, "Their stance can be exined in three points. Firstly, they won''t help us in dealing with the rebels for free. Instead, they will charge us a premium for saving us. If we fall into a difficult position in the future, we could request their help even though it''ll cost us an arm. However, that is better than losing the entire body.


    Secondly, they will help us if Iwa attacks us directly. In that case, it will be an all-out war between Konoha and Iwa. Things might even escte further. In the worst case, the Fourth Great Ninja War might start. However, I don''t think either Konoha or Iwa want that to happen. So, things might not escte much.


    Thirdly, if we ally with Iwa, then Konoha will go all out to target us. Even with Iwa''s help, that isn''t something we can endure. We can''t consider this option unless Konoha takes heavy losses and bes much weaker."


    Everyone in the room nodded. The old man, who spoke earlier, said, "Though his words were humiliating and we were refused any free or cheap help, the situation isn''t bad. We can deal with the rebels ourselves. So we don''t need to consider whatever Konoha wants to charge us for help. It''s just that our losses will be significant."


    Hiroshi nodded and added, "Yes. But since we don''t need to worry about Iwa''s interference, we can finally stop being on the defensive and begin our counterattack. I want to see how much unity they show once their losses start mounting."


    He got up and looked at everyone in the room. Making eye contact with everyone, he said, "I know that none of us have deployed all our forces until today due to our worries. However, from this moment onwards, we will be focusing entirely on this war. No more holding back. It''s time to eliminate those fucking traitors!"


    Hiroshi''s words had the intended effect. Everyone in the room began making ns for their counterattack.


    As the Konoha group left Kusagakure, Homura looked at Fujin. By that moment, he had analyzed everything that had happened in the meeting. He thought, ''The Spectral Swordsman I almost forgot that he was called that when he was in the Anbu.


    I never imagined that he would have such a deterrence effect in the minor viges! None of them had any intention of fighting him. Even though they tried to hide their emotions, fear was visible even in Hiroshi''s eyes when Fujin said that he would hunt them downter.


    It seems that Koharu and I underestimated his reputation. However, Hiruzen should know it very well. Is this the reason why he insisted upon training him to be an negotiator?''


    The others from Konoha had their thoughts as well. The ones from Anbu had worked with Fujin earlier. As a result, they weren''t too surprised with the effect he had. However, seeing the Kusagakure leadership being so afraid of him increased their respect for him.


    As for the diplomats, they were still full ofints. They suffered several panic attacks once Fujin started speaking. One of them asked, "Did we need to be so harsh? It could hurt their ego and push them towards Iwagakure. Due to your open threat, they might even do so in the dark."


    Fujin replied, "If they want to do so in the dark, then there was nothing stopping them earlier either. It''s better to just deter them right now instead of hoping that our goodwill moves them. Besides"

 Chapter 577: Changing Konohas Image!

    Chapter 577: Changing Konoha''s Image!


    Fujin took a pause of half a minute as they continued moving forward. Even Homura became curious to know what Fujin was intending to say. His eyes widened when he finally heard Fujin''s words.


    Fujin continued, "Besides, which vige has helped out another vige in such a huge matter for free? Their demand waspletely unreasonable in the first ce. And the tone of their letter implied that Konoha was weak.


    It''s not surprising for other viges to think that. After all, we suffered innumerable losses post the Third Great Ninja War. The Kyubi assault and the Uchiha Massacre caused grave losses to ourbat power. On the other hand, our diplomatic potential took a great hit due to the Hyuga incident.


    Even though we were recovering, the recent massive attack in the middle of our vige where we failed to even identify the culprit caused another blow to Konoha''s image.


    These losses have changed the perception that other viges had towards Konoha and might make them think that it is easy to push us around. While we can''t stop them from thinking in this manner, it is important to let them know how bad the consequences will be if they act while thinking along those lines."


    Fujin''s words surprised the diplomats and Homura. All of them were aware that Konoha''s diplomatic powers had waned drastically after Minato''s death. They had to keep it in mind while negotiating. It was after a long time that someone had negotiated like Konoha was still the strongest vige! Even so, not everyone agreed with his viewpoint.


    One of the diplomats immediately argued, "While I understand your point of view, it is the truth that we are no longer as strong as we once were. Even though Lord Hokage has done a lot, we are still far from our peak strength. If we go to war with Iwa now, we will be in a very difficult spot."


    Fujin chuckled and said, "True. But that is if we go to war with Iwa. Don''t worry, it was the first thing I considered when Lord Hokage gave me this mission. There is no chance that Iwa would act unless we show that we are weak."


    Some of the diplomats agreed with Fujin''s confidence due to Onoki''s reputation. Some were still doubtful but didn''t say anything as there wasn''t any point in doing so. Fujin had already threatened Kusa and there was nothing anyone could do to reverse that. If anything went wrong, Fujin would be the one to shoulder the responsibility.


    Only Homura was stuck in deep thought as he analyzed Fujin''s words. After thinking for a while, he muttered to himself, ''I now see what you were aiming for, Hiruzen. You wanted to use him to change Konoha''s perception in the eyes of other countries. From a gentle and patient image that we were forced to project to a fierce one, indicating that our weak phase has already passed.


    As long as this matter ys out properly, Fujin will be the face of our negotiation team whenever we have to make tough decisions. He is already a rank S ninja. Once he grows older and stronger, he could even negotiate with other Kages on equal grounds.''


    Homura nced towards Fujin and couldn''t help but wonder, ''Are you nning to raise him as your next sessor, Hiruzen?''


    Homura didn''t voice out his thoughts. The group continued their journey towards Konoha.


    In the Land of Waves, Kakashi''s eyes snapped open and he immediately sat upright, scaring Naruto and Sakura who were trying to peek under his mask. Kakashi didn''t pay any attention to their antics and thought, ''What''s this odd feeling? I know that Zabuza is dead. But I can''t shake the feeling that I''ve overlooked something Something big!''


    Kakashi''s brain went into overdrive as he recalled and analyzed his sh against Zabuza. Very soon, he realized the peculiarities in the hunter-nin''s actions. He quickly spected, "Zabuza is most probably still alive!"


    His words shocked everyone in the room. He exined to them his analysis causing Naruto, Sakura and Tazuna to freak out. They only calmed down after Kakashi informed them that Zabuza wouldn''t be able to move around for over a week. Or rather, the other two calmed down. Naruto, on the other hand, became excited at the prospect of facing Zabuza once again.


    Kakashi informed the group that they would prepare which made Sakura enquire how he would do so when he couldn''t even move due to having overused his Sharingan. Kakashi answered, "I can''t move much, but you three can. I will conduct a special training session for you three to prepare you for the battle."


    Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura shivered on hearing Kakashi''s words! They were still very fearful of the training Kakashi was putting them through. And now he was saying that the training session would be even more ''special''!


    Sakurained, "Sensei, we won''t be able to fight if our bodies are aching and we don''t have any energy."


    At the same time, her inner self cursed, ''Do you want to kill me, old man? Why don''t you know the difference between training and torture?''


    Naruto and Sasuke didn''t say anything but silently agreed with her. Kakashi looked at the trio and said, "Don''t worry, you three will like this training."


    The three Genins doubted their sensei''s words. Unfortunately, they didn''t have any other option and could only hope that it was true. None of them wanted to face Zabuza when every single muscle in their body was aching.


    The next morning, team 7 had assembled in the woods near Tazuna''s house. Naruto asked, half in excitement and half in fear, "Sensei, what will our special training be?"


    Kakashi exined, "We don''t have a lot of time to train. So, I can''t teach you something entirely new. Hence, we will focus on increasing your chakra control. We will do so by climbing trees."


    Sakura wondered, ''Climbing trees? How will that be training?''


    At the same time, Naruto''s eyes widened, ''Climbing trees? Does he mean the same exercise that Fujin taught me?''


    Kakashi observed Naruto''s reaction and thought, ''Fujin seems to have already taught Naruto this. I have seen him walk a bit on walls while chasing that cat. However, his chakra control is still quite bad. I guess I''ll teach him water walking.''


    Kakashi said, "This won''t be normal tree climbing. You''ll do it without using your hands. Watch and learn."


    In front of the three Genins, Kakashi walked up a tree, causing Sakura and Sasuke to be surprised. On the other hand, Naruto felt excited as he already knew it.


    Sakura asked, "But Kakashi sensei, how will climbing trees in this way make us stronger?"


    Kakashi exined to the trio about chakra control and also informed them about how it could help them build their stamina. Naruto listened carefully as well as he didn''t know about it either as Fujin didn''t bother wasting his time doing something as meaningless as teaching theory to Naruto. Naruto realized, ''So this is why Fujin made me learn this and Water Walking!''


    Kakashi added, "The only way you can learn this is by doing it. Use the kunai des to mark your progress."


    Naruto didn''t bother picking a kunai and instead imed loudly, "I already know this, Kakashi sensei!"


    His words surprised Sakura and Sasuke. Though Naruto had used this skill at times, he had used it for extremely short durations as none of the rank D missions required that skill in particr. As a result, neither of them had noticed it.


    Naruto immediately ran up the tree and said, "See, I told you! Big brother Fujin already taught me this when I was in the academy! Hehe!"


    Sasuke and Sakura were surprised once again. Neither expected Naruto to do something that would look so cool! Sakura''s inner self shouted, ''Since when did Naruto be this cool? Even my Sasuke-kun seems a bit upset!''


    Meanwhile, Sasuke frowned and asked softly, "Who is this Fujin that he keeps talking about every time?"


    Though Naruto mentioned Fujin''s name several times, neither Sakura nor Sasuke had paid much attention to him. It was only when he learnt that Fujin had taught Naruto this technique that Sasuke became interested in knowing about him.


    Sakura looked at Sasuke and said, "I am not sure. I never heard anyone other than Naruto speaking about him."


    [A/N: A small note, none of these three are particrly well informed. They hadn''t heard of Guy and didn''t know how famous Kakashi was until Zabuza spoke about Kakashi.]


    Hearing their words, Naruto, who was now standing upside down on a branch, said loudly, "Fujin is an extremely strong and cool ninja, believe it!"


    Both just stared at Naruto with a deadpan expression. Kakashi couldn''t help but chuckle as Naruto spoke about Fujin while not giving any information.


    [A/N: Hey guys. I''ll be taking a break for a couple of days. Chapters will resume as usual from Monday. Have a nice weekend!]

 Chapter 578: Who is Fujin?

    Chapter 578: Who is Fujin?


    Kakashi got down from the tree while saying, "Suzuki Fujin He is one of the few Elite Jounins in Konoha, the same rank as me. He isn''t particrly famous as most of the missions he did were undercover missions. However, there is no doubt that he is one of the strongest ninjas in the world.


    Sakura, you in particr need to know about him as he is the one who represents the civilian ninjas in Konoha''s Council. If you face any political issues, then he is the one you need to approach."


    Sakura and Sasuke were surprised. Sakura''s inner self screamed, ''What the hell is going on? First, we learn how impressive the old Hokage is. Then Zabuza said how cool Kakashi-sensei is. And now even the person Naruto always keeps talking about is so strong? Why is everyone so impressive?''


    Even Naruto was surprised. He thought, ''Man, I thought that his title was cool. But I didn''t know that he was one of the strongest ninjas in the world!''


    Kakashi chuckled on seeing their reactions and asked, "You guys know that Zabuza is one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, right?"


    All three nodded. Kakashi continued, "While there is no question about his strength, Zabuza could be a Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist only when he was given the Kubikiribocho de. And, the only reason why he could get that de was because Fujin killed the previous wielder of Kubikiribocho, who was as strong as Zabuza."


    The three Genins were stunned once again. For a moment, Naruto didn''t control his chakra properly and lost his footing. Luckily, he flipped in the air andnded on his feet. He looked at Kakashi and eximed, "No way! Big brother Fujin killed someone who was as strong as Zabuza!"


    Meanwhile, Sasuke clenched his fists and thought, ''So Naruto has been getting the help of someone that strong? No wonder his strength has increased so rapidly. I need to get stronger faster as well.''


    Kakashi noticed Sasuke''s emotions and thought, ''Good. This should motivate him to work harder.''


    Kakashi looked at Naruto and said, "He did. But that is a secret that very few in Konoha know. So, never speak about it."


    The three Genins nodded. Kakashi said, "Anyway, that''s enough chit-chat. Sasuke and Sakura, try climbing the tree. Naruto,e here."


    Sakura and Sasuke immediately began trying while Naruto walked over to Kakashi. Kakashi said, "Since you have already learnt this, I''ll teach you another trick. It''s a more advanced application of chakra control. Instead of climbing on trees, you''ll walk on water."


    Naruto immediately replied, "I know that exercise too, sensei! I can walk and run on water with ease."


    Kakashi wasn''t very surprised. Since Fujin had taught him one exercise, it wasn''t far-fetched for him to have taught the other one as well. The only reason why Kakashi was surprised at all was that Naruto''s chakra control despite knowing these two exercises wascking.


    Kakashi sighed internally while thinking, ''Fujin He keeps making my job more difficult. What do I teach Naruto now?''


    As he thought of Fujin, Kakashi couldn''t help but think about his meeting with Fujin.


    A few weeks ago, Fujin had just gone through his morning workout and was about to return to his house when he suddenly stopped and said, "Kakashi What a pleasant surprise."


    A couple of trees away from Fujin, Kakashi was reading his book with his back resting against a tree. Hearing Fujin''s voice, he closed his book while saying, "Your senses are sharp as always."


    Fujin chuckled and said, "It''s not every day that someone visits the training ground while reading porn. Anyway, what''s up?"


    Unsurprisingly, there wasn''t even a hint of embarrassment on Kakashi''s face on being called out. He replied, "Nothing much. I just noticed some interesting changes in my students recently. I was wondering whether you knew anything about it."


    Kakashi stared directly into Fujin''s eyes as he asked the question. However, Fujin didn''t show any signs and instead feigned ignorance perfectly and asked in a confused tone, "What changes?"


    Kakashi thought, ''Looks like he has mastered the art of poker face. I shouldn''t be surprised considering how he fooled those bounty hunters.''


    Kakashi answered, "Well, they suddenly began trying to unmask me and steal my books. Since you are close to Naruto, did you notice anything strange or did he tell the reason behind them doing so?"


    Kakashi gave his famous eye smile while talking with Fujin. Even so, his eyes were scrutinizing every muscle movement that Fujin made. Thankfully, having to deal with the likes of Hiruzen and Shikaku on a regr basis had made Fujin just enough shameless to not show anything.


    Instead, he just chuckled and said, "Eh, they do that? That''s cute. It looks like they really like their sensei. I suppose they wanted to impress you. Was that the only weird thing?"


    Even though Fujin didn''t give away anything, Kakashi cursed internally, ''It was him for sure! There is no doubt about it. All my instincts say that he is enjoying the situation. The one spying on us might be him as well. Though I can''t be too certain about it. However, he is undoubtedly the one behind their irregr behavior.''


    Even though Fujin''s act was good, he couldn''t do anything about the instincts of an experienced ninja. That said, he didn''t particrly care about it either. After all, even if Kakashi got irrefutable proof to me Fujin, what could he do? Comin to Hiruzen? Knowing Fujin''s tendencies, Hiruzen might not even raise this matter with Fujin!


    The only thing he could do was make the lives of his students hell. However, why would Fujin care about that? If Kakashi''s sense of smell wasn''t as good as it was, his clones would have grabbed some popcorn to enjoy their<em> ''training''</em> sessions.


    Kakashi understood it as well. He just wanted to confirm a few things. Since he wouldn''t get anything else from Fujin in this matter, he said, "Yeah, that''s probably it. I was definitely <em>''impressed''</em>. Anyway, Naruto speaks quite often about you."


    Fujin thought, ''He''d better. Apart from Phantom Haven, I have spent the highest amount of my money and time on him.''


    He smirked and said, "That''s good to hear. He speaks quite <em>''highly'' </em>of you and your special Taijutsu as well."


    Kakashi immediately understood what Fujin implied. He smiled once again and said, "I didn''t know he thought so highly of my Taijutsu. Anyway, I saw that you have taught him quite a few Wind jutsus. Does he have an affinity to Wind nature maniption?"


    Fujin shrugged again and said, "No idea. I never checked his affinity."


    Kakashi looked at Fujin with a deadpan expression and asked, "Why did you teach him Wind jutsus then?"


    Fujin replied, "Those are just rank E jutsus. Anyone can learn them. Besides, these jutsus went perfectly with his prankful nature. I felt that it might be a good way to motivate him to train. Considering how well he has progressed, I wasn''t wrong."


    Kakashi kept staring at Fujin while thinking, ''Why do I feel like he only did that to cause chaos through his pranks?''


    He said, "Alright. Can you tell me what you taught him regarding Wind Release? I''ll have to n his training ordingly."


    Fujin nodded and informed Kakashi about the same. Kakashi had already figured out most of it. The only thing that surprised him was the fact that he had made Narutoplete the Leaf Cutting exercise.


    Kakashi replied, "I see. So he already has the basics down. That should make my work easier. Anyway, I''ll see you around. I have to continue the training of my<em> ''cute'' </em>students."


    Fujin chuckled and said, "Enjoy."


    Kakashi''s figure disappeared from the training ground. A smirk appeared on Fujin''s face as he thought, ''I didn''t expect him to connect the dots so quickly. His instincts are quite good. Oh well, Naruto should get used to that training routine in a month or two. I''ll manipte him to create more trouble for Kakashi then. For now, he can continue teaching those 5 how to prank.''


    Kakashi, who was moving towards his team, sighed and thought, ''Such a troublesome fellow. Even though he didn''t show any peculiarities, I got a feeling that he wanted to see me in trouble. Did the Third put him up to this? Or is he still fond of causing trouble like he was when he asked the Third for chakra metal swords''


    Even though it had been some time since Kakashi met Fujin, he still wasn''t sure of the answer nor could he find Fujin''s motives.


    "Well, Sensei? Can you teach me some cool jutsus like Sasuke''s Fireball?" Naruto grew impatient as Kakashi didn''t say anything for a few seconds.


    Kakashi was about to answer when they heard, "This is easier than I thought!"


    The voice immediately attracted everyone''s attention. Kakashi, Naruto and Sasuke all saw Sakura sitting on the branch of a tree. Sasuke frowned as it meant that he was the only one who couldn''t do so. Meanwhile, Naruto thought, ''So quickly? I needed more than a week to do it properly!''


    Even so, Naruto cheered for her while Kakashi praised her chakra control while teasing, "It looks like there is just one of you who can''t do this exercise then."


    Sasuke''s frown intensified but he didn''t say anything and continued training. Kakashi asked Sakura to keep training as well and said, "Naruto, follow me."

 Chapter 579: Great Breakthrough jutsu

    Chapter 579: Great Breakthrough jutsu


    Kakashi and Naruto moved around a hundred meters deeper into the woods before Kakashi stopped moving. Naruto asked curiously, "What are we doing here, Kakashi-sensei?"


    Kakashi said, "I''ll be teaching you a special jutsu."


    Naruto immediately became excited and eximed while jumping in joy, "Really? Yahoo!!! Which special jutsu will you teach me, sensei?"


    Kakashi sighed at Naruto''s antics and said, "Calm down, Naruto. Before I teach you, run your chakra through this piece of paper."


    Kakashi handed Naruto a chakra paper. Naruto was confused but followed his instructions. As soon as his chakra flowed through the paper, the paper split into two, surprising Naruto. Kakashi thought, ''It looks like Fujin''s decision wasn''t entirely random.''


    Naruto asked in surprise, "How did that happen?"


    Kakashi exined, "This is the chakra paper. It is used to find out your nature affinity."


    Naruto asked in a confused tone, "Nature affinity? What''s that?"


    Kakashi slowly exined to Naruto the basics of nature maniption and how chakra paper reacts to each affinity. It took a few tries and a huge portion of Kakashi''s patience, but Naruto finally understood.


    He said, "So my affinity is Wind Maniption. That''s why the paper split. Does that mean the paper will begin burning if Sasuke tries it?"


    Kakashi answered, "Not necessarily."


    Naruto became confused once again and asked, "What do you mean? Doesn''t he have an affinity for Fire Maniption?"


    Kakashi said, "You don''t need to have an affinity to be able to perform the jutsus of that particr nature. Even though you have an affinity for Wind Maniption, you can learn jutsus of other natures as well. It''s just that you''ll have a harder time doing so.


    The Chakra paper only shows your strongest affinity. For you, it is Wind. For Sasuke, it might not be Fire."


    Kakashi thought, ''From his chakra, I have a feeling that Sasuke is the same type as me. Even though he didn''t say so, I guess Fujin had the same feeling with Naruto, which is probably why he decided to teach Naruto Wind jutsus.''


    Naruto spoke with a confused expression, "I don''t understand. But whatever. Can you teach me the jutsu now, sensei?"


    Kakashi nodded and said, "Sure. The jutsu I''ll be teaching you is called The Great Breakthrough Jutsu. It is a very strong Wind Release jutsu. Listen carefully"


    Since Fujin had already built up Naruto''s basics, Kakashi decided to teach Naruto a jutsu that he could use more effectively in battle. While he could have decided against teaching Naruto and just let him protect Tazuna, like he would soon do with Sakura, he decided against it knowing that Naruto would annoy him constantly the entire time.


    He carefully exined everything to Naruto and even demonstrated it once despite the state of his body. Naruto immediately began practicing it. Kakashi looked at him and wondered, ''Will he manage to learn this jutsu in a week''s time?''


    While team 7 trained while awaiting their rematch with Zabuza, Fujin''s group returned to the vige in the evening. Fujin said, "I and Elder Homura will report the mission to Lord Hokage. The rest of you can return to your homes."


    The group nodded and dispersed. Fujin and Homura continued forward and entered Hiruzen''s office. Hiruzen was pleasantly surprised to see them. He said, "You two are back early. Did the negotiations go well?"


    Fujin smiled and answered, "It went as I had expected. I don''t think they will be asking for help considering that their opponent is considerably weaker. On the off chance that they can''t defeat them, then we can earn a fortune. As for allying with Iwa, I don''t think they will do anything that foolish."


    Fujin''s reply intrigued Hiruzen. He wondered, ''What exactly happened there? Maybe I should have disguised myself and gone with them as well. From Homura''s reaction, whatever happened there sure seems interesting.''


    Hiruzen said, "That sounds good. What exactly happened during the negotiations?"


    Fujin nodded and gave a rundown. Initially, Hiruzen was pleased with how the interaction had gone. Fujin''s insistence on not doing anything for free and not taking the initiative to allow them to owe him was something he had anticipated even before he assigned Fujin that mission. Apart from his reputation as the Spectral Swordsman, it was the main reason he chose Fujin to lead the negotiations.


    However, when Fujin informed him about the four choices he presented to Kusagakure, sweat appeared on his face. He was left speechless.


    He cursed, ''What the hell? Why does it feel like he was actually wanting a fight instead of negotiating? Even Sensei was never this overbearing! If he had an issue, he would just assassinate everyone he had an issue with, leaving no survivors or witnesses. Heck, even Danzo has never threatened an ally so openly!''


    While threatening during negotiations wasn''t anything new and Hiruzen himself had employed that option several times, he had never threatened an ally directly. Hiruzen would generally utilize the danger that other major viges posed along with the long list of rank S ninjas from Konoha to disguise his threats aspassion and reminders.


    Hiruzen''s eyes wandered towards his old friend, whose face was full ofints. He immediately understood why Homura was angry at him. In Hiruzen''s defense, he hadn''t anticipated Fujin escting the issue to such an extent.


    Fortunately or unfortunately, Fujin''s threat had achieved the results he desired. So, Hiruzen couldn''t even ''educate'' him and ask him to tone down his aggression slightly. He could only say, "I am d that the negotiations went well. Prepare the mission report and hand it to me."


    Fujin replied, "I could, but considering that Elder Homura travelled such a long distance to ensure that I didn''t mess up at the negotiations and also observed everyone properly, I believe that it is only fair for Elder Homura to have this honor."


    As Fujin was speaking, he turned his eyes from Hiruzen to Homura. Homura, who was still thinking about how to eat Hiruzen''s head for sending someone so reckless to lead such a mission, was caught off guard.


    For a moment, he didn''t know how to react on hearing the sudden ''praise''. Before he could gather his thoughts, Fujin bowed slightly and said, "Thank you for your guidance, Elder Homura. I''ll leave the mission report to you. See youter, Grandpa."


    Not waiting for anyone''s response, Fujin disappeared from the room, leaving the two old men alone. With a few flickers, Fujin arrived at his house and muttered to himself, ''Creating a mission report for a negotiation mission is a pain in the ass. It takes several days toplete even with the help of the diplomats. Though I can have my clones work on it, why should I waste them on such a pointless task when there is someone more experienced to take care of it?''


    Back in the office, both Hiruzen and Homura were left speechless. Given their experience, both could see theck of sincerity in Fujin''s gratitude. He had just dumped the work on Homura and escaped. As someone who had gotten used to dumping his work on others, Homura felt that he had returned half a century into the past!


    Hiruzen was the one to gather his thoughts first. He said with a smile on his face, "In that case, I''ll be waiting for your report, old friend."


    Homura immediately cursed, "Old friend my ass! Why didn''t you tell me that this boy is such a lunatic? He is even worse than Danzo! Danzo would have ensured that Kusagakure was surrounded by a thousand Root ninjas before even thinking about making such a threat!


    Instead, I nearly suffered a heart attack due to this boy! What would have happened if they didn''t stay calm and attacked us instead? Do you think these old bones could have endured such an attack?"


    Hiruzen knew that there was no point in debating with Homura as there wasn''t any way he''d win. He instead chuckled and said, "But everything worked out well, didn''t it? I have to admit that even I underestimated how much he is feared though. When he was active in the Anbu, all the minor viges were terrified of him. I didn''t imagine that that terror would still exist to such a degree."


    Hearing Hiruzen''s words made Homura think about the reactions of the Kusagakure leaders. He said, "I didn''t know that his reputation was so fearsome back when he was active either. You should have seen their reaction when Fujin mentioned their third choice. Even Hiroshi''s eyes showed fear. It was as if he was certain that he would die if a battle broke out.


    Which missions was Fujin exactly a part of when he was in the Anbu? And how many of the rumors regarding him are true?"


    Hiruzen replied, "Most of his missions were assassination and elimination missions. With how efficient he was, he gained a reputation very quickly. That said, there is no record of his mission reports. We burned it a long time ago. It''ll create a lot of diplomatic issues if they evere out. As for the rumors, there is not much point in paying attention to them. They are exaggerated as always."

 Chapter 580: The Compassionate Elders

    Chapter 580: The Compassionate Elders


    "As for the rumors, there is not much point in paying attention to them. They are exaggerated as always."


    Homura was annoyed by Hiruzen''s response. Even though it seemed like Hiruzen answered his queries, in truth, Hiruzen didn''t give him any details. Understanding that Hiruzen didn''t intend to leak details about Fujin''s past and abilities, Homura didn''t push and instead said, "By the way, when we were returning, Fujin said something that was very intriguing. I didn''t expect someone as young as him to have such thoughts."


    Hiruzen was surprised. Fujin hadn''t mentioned anything that had happened after the meeting was over. He asked, "What did he say?"


    Homura informed Hiruzen about Fujin''s words to the diplomats when they questioned his methods. It caused Hiruzen to fall into a deep thought. Homura asked, "What are you thinking?"


    Hiruzen sighed and said, "It looks like the next generation isn''t fond of my conservative methods. Though I guess I shouldn''t be surprised considering that they grew up on stories of how strong Konoha once was and the mighty warriors we produced but only got to experience a weak Konoha."


    Homura nodded and said, "In terms of approach, he is more simr to a young Danzo than you."


    Hiruzen agreed and said, "That said, a bit of aggression isn''t bad. Konoha has been passive ever since Minato''s death. Though I and Danzo schemed quite a bit, all our work was done in the dark. With youngsters like Fujin and Kakashi stepping up, there is no harm in loosening up a bit and flexing our muscles. It might just be a good deterrent."


    Homura shook his head and replied, "A bit of aggression will be good. However, being overbearing will have the opposite effect. Even though Konoha''s strength has recovered to a great extent, we are no longer as strong as we were during the Second and the Third Great Ninja Wars when we could take on all four Great Viges at the same time.


    Both Iwa and Kumo are as strong as us and have an advantage in terms of numbers. They onlyck in terms of rank S ninjas. When the next Great War takes ce, we can''t take on both of them at the same time. If Suna or Kiri were to help them, we would copse for sure and might be forced to give up the majority of ournds or even the vige.


    Fortunately, the current situation is favorable for us. Suna is very weak. All their old rank S ninjas have retired or died. Apart from the Kazekage, they don''t have any rank S ninja. And, Kiri is in ruins due to their civil war. Considering their weak strength, both will be wary of Iwa and Kumo''s strength, worrying that they will be the next if we fall.


    We can use that fear to ally with these two countries. As long as we do that, we won''t be at risk of confronting Iwa and Kumo by ourselves. However, if Fujin deals with the two of them just as aggressively, then there''s no chance of making asting alliance."


    Homura''s expression became serious as he continued, "Hiruzen, I can see that you are nning on grooming him to be a Hokage candidate. However, you should wait for him to be more mature. Otherwise, Konoha''s future will be in danger. Bing a Kage requires not only strength but also wit and willingness to scheme in the shadows."


    Homura''s concerns weren''t unfounded. Even though Konoha had an advantage in rank S ninjas, in arge war, a single ninja had limited ability. Of course, that was unless someone like Hashirama or Madara, who could solo even the great viges, appeared.


    It was the reason why Minato was so feared and became the Hokage so easily despite the vige having so many ambitious ninjas. Though not at the same level as those two monsters, killing a thousand ninjas by himself had a great psychological impact on every single vige. A few rounds and Minato alone could destroy half of their armies. No vige could afford such losses.


    Had Homura known that Fujin had mastered the Flying Thunder God jutsu or knew about the degree to which Fujin could control winds, Homura might not have said what he did.


    Hiruzen replied, "You are forgetting that he is still only 16. We were very hot-headed and reckless back then as well. As for scheming in the darkness, Fujin isn''t a slouch either. I guess he just felt that a direct approach was more convenient in this particr case."


    Hiruzen still remembered the stunt Fujin had pulled off in Suna. It was something that he never anticipated. As far as scheming in the dark went, it was one of the most brilliant ploys Hiruzen had seen. Even Danzo would have considered it as one of his best achievements had he been the one to do it. And Fujin had done so when he was just 13. So, Hiruzen didn''t doubt Fujin''s scheming ability at all.


    He continued, "As for his wit, I am sure I don''t need to say anything about it to you."


    A smile appeared on Hiruzen''s face as Homura understood what he was implying. He became slightly embarrassed on recalling that Fujin had dumped a rather time-consuming task on him and escaped before allowing him a response just a few minutes ago. He would be stuck with that work for more than a week.


    Homura replied, "I am not saying that he is a bad choice, just that he''ll need to show a lot more maturity for us to consider him over Kakashi."


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "That''s true. However, we can worry about themter. Unless Jiraiya or Tsunade returns to ept the responsibility, I''ll hang on until either of them is ready."


    Homura nodded. That was all he wanted to hear. The two discussed some more stuff before Homura left.


    The next day, Fujinpleted his morning routine and freshened up while thinking, ''My clones didn''t find Naruto or the others inside the vige. I guess they finally went to the Land of Wave. I wonder if there will be any changes''


    Fujin didn''t particrly care about Zabuza or the sword. Neither was very useful for him. The only one he thought of was Haku. He sighed and thought, ''A shame that he is very loyal to Zabuza. Otherwise, he would have been a great subordinate to look after Phantom Haven.


    Oh well, nothing I could do. Zabuza probably recruited him even before I graduated. The same as Kimimaro, another great option if not for his disease.


    Anyway, the next council meeting will be in three days. It''s time to make my move.''


    Since Fujin had decided to increase his influence in the vige and make his position in the council unmovable, he had made up his mind to do something very impactful. He created a Shadow Clone and sent him to the office.


    Just when the clone left the house, an Anbu Captain, wearing the Monkey mask, approached him and called out, "Fujin, I have something to discuss."


    The clone stopped and looked at him. Ever since Fujin took over the training of the 5 kids with Kekkei Genkai, the Anbu Captain had be free. As a result, he was put in charge of handling the things inside Fujin''spound, other than his house.


    The clone asked, "What''s the issue?"


    Monkey answered, "We are facing some shortage in training equipment. In addition, I feel that a particr facility should be added to our Training Building. It will help the trainees a lot. There is also some damaged equipment that needs to be reced"


    Monkey listed a few more things that were needed. One thing Fujin had learnt over thest couple of months was that managing apound with over a hundred people was no joke. If trained Anbu ninjas weren''t assisting him, that would have been a full-time job. Even with Hiruzen''s arrangements, there was still a lot he needed to do. It had increased his respect for the n Leaders.


    Thankfully, he had a way out. After listening to Monkey, Fujin''s clone replied, "Hmm, these will assist the kids a lot. I agree, we should make these changes. Visit Elder Koharu and inform her about the situation. Ask her to get these done as soon as she can. It''ll be best if everything is done within 3 days."


    Despite wearing a mask, Fujin''s clone could observe that Monkey was feeling awkward. He said, "With all due respect, I don''t think we should trouble the Elders for such small issues. Thest time I went to Elder Koharu, she was looking extremely annoyed."


    In thest couple of months, Monkey had visited Koharu five times. The first couple of times, she didn''t mind. The next couple of times, he could sense that she was annoyed. Thest time, she directly scolded him foring to her with such small issues.


    Fujin''s clone became extremely serious and replied, "Don''t view our respected Elders through the same lens as other officials. Unlike them, who only have those jobs because they are afraid of risking their lives, Elder Koharu and Elder Homura do it because of theirpassion and love for the younger generation. Nothing makes them happier than seeing the young kids grow.


    Even though they might act like they are annoyed, in truth, they are happy that they get to guide the youngsters. It''s just that they don''t show it on their face. However, having worked closely with them on the Council, I can guarantee this.


    So, you don''t need to be concerned. Just ask her. If she acts unwilling, just tell her that I requested it so that the kids can train in the best possible environment."


    Despite Fujin''s seriousness, Monkey was very skeptical. He thought, ''I''m afraid he has the wrong impression of the Elders. It didn''t look like she was acting at all! But''


    Despite what he thought, there was nothing he could do. He could only follow Fujin''s instructions and went to see Koharu.


    Thank you Space Dandy for supporting me through UPI.

 Chapter 581: Best Pals!

    Chapter 581: Best Pals!


    Seeing the Anbu Captain leave, Fujin''s clone smirked and thought, ''Homura will be busy with the mission report for some time. I guess I''ll just continue annoying Koharu. Thanks to the image she created, she can''t even say no without taking a significant hit to her reputation.''


    He flickered a few times and reached his office. Yasushi and Haruma were slightly surprised to see Fujin arrive so early. Fujin''s clone took his seat and said, "Bring all the files that appeared in thest couple of weeks. Also, send a messenger to call Katsuhiro. Ask him to see me immediately and bring the proposal with him."


    Yasushi was surprised but nodded and got to work immediately.


    While he did so, Monkey reached Koharu and informed her about what he needed. He even mentioned that all that needed to be done in three days. With an annoyed expression, Koharu scolded, "Boy, how many times do I have to tell you to not bother me for such small matters? I already told you to approach the other officials. Do you think I am free to attend every small matter?"


    Monkey got a bit nervous. However, he recalled Fujin''s words and thought, ''She acted just like he anticipated. Now, is this just an act or is she really annoyed? Sigh, I don''t get paid enough for such a risky job.''


    He bowed slightly and replied, "I apologize, Elder Koharu. However, Suzuki Fujin instructed me to make this request to you. He said that only if you take care of this will the kids get the best possible environment to train and be stronger."


    Hearing his name, Koharu was annoyed even more. She cursed, ''That brat! He is purposefully annoying me! From what I know, he didn''t approach Homura even once. It must be because I was the one to speak against him. Unfortunately, declining his requests isn''t easy. If the issue blows up, I could lose my hard-earned reputation over a small matter, just like Danzo."


    Both Koharu and Homura were informed by Danzo about the injustice he had suffered. Both were shocked by how such a small matter had blown up. It had made the two of them look at Fujin in a different light. It was also one of the factors why Homura tried to dig up on his past and didn''t argue when Hiruzen said that Fujin could scheme in the dark as well.


    In the end, Koharu said in an unpleasant tone, "I''ll look into it. However, ask him to not bother me again for such small tasks."


    Monkey was surprised. He eximed internally, ''She epted? I was sure that she would decline! Could Fujin be right? Could it be that this was really an act?''


    He immediately gathered his thoughts and said, "Thank you, Elder."


    He was still confused but decided to get the job done first.


    Katsuhiro entered the Hokage Building and walked towards Fujin''s office. En route, several eyes noticed him. He ignored them and reached Fujin''s office. Even before he could knock, he heard, "Come in."


    He entered the office and saw Fujin''s clone going through several files. To his surprise, the clone closed the files and set them aside. Generally, the clone would make him wait until he was done reading the files he was going through. It was the first time Fujin''s clone had given him any priority.


    Fujin''s clone looked at Katsuhiro and asked, "Have you made the corrections to the proposal?"


    Katsuhiro answered, "I made the changes you suggested and made some changes of my own."


    He handed Fujin''s clone the file. Without saying anything, the clone began going through the proposal. Several times, disappointment appeared on the clone''s face. It was visible to everyone in the room, including Katsuhiro.


    Katsuhiro gritted his teeth in rage while trying to control his anger. He cursed internally, ''This demonic brat! How much will he humiliate me? This is the 8th time I have visited him and the 6th time I made changes to the proposal! Don''t tell me he will tell me to make changes again! The Council Meeting is in a few days. If we miss it, then I won''t be able to put forth this proposal for several months again! Why doesn''t he just admit that he doesn''t want to pass this proposal and let me take this credit?''


    The past couple of months had been extremely irritating and humiliating for Katsuhiro. It was so bad that he began suffering from high blood pressure!


    Initially, Fujin had nned on using bureaucracy to keep pushing the proposal for a couple of years by using the tactic of denying Katsuhiro opportunities to meet with him and making him redo the proposal whenever he couldn''t avoid a meeting.


    However, after he had a change of heart and decided to increase his political weight while Hiruzen was still in charge, he decided to make Katsuhiro go through the years-long process in a couple of months. As a result, the old Elite Jounin was in mental agony. He often regretted listening to Danzo and picking up a fight with Fujin.


    Fujin''s clone sighed and muttered, "I''m disappointed in you, Katsuhiro-san. This is your 7th attempt. Why is the proposal still so full of mistakes?"


    The way he spoke, everyone could easily feel the vast disappointment in his voice. Katsuhiro gritted his teeth hard and did his best to not lose hisposure. He didn''t want to show to everyone that Fujin had gotten under his skin. At the same time, Yasushi and Haruma were also doing their best. They had an even harder time controlling theirughter. Luckily for Katsuhiro, they somehow managed to do so.


    Katsuhiro asked as calmly as he could, "What are the mistakes? I''ll fix them again."


    Fujin''s clone shook his head and replied, "The Council Meeting is in a few days. If I let you continue making the proposal, who knows when it''ll be good enough to be put forth. I''ll take care of it. You can leave."


    Katsuhiro was surprised by his sudden statement. He expected Fujin to continue using his dying tactics. He never imagined that Fujin''s clone would do the opposite. He should have been pleased by this development. Unfortunately, the joy was all sucked out since Fujin''s clone hadn''t given up the opportunity to insult him once again.


    Katsuhiro controlled his anger while thinking, ''I was afraid that he''d keep pushing the proposal ahead. Looks like I was wrong. If he puts forth the proposal in the next council meeting, I can have a chance toy a im to his seat! I''ll endure for now. He''ll quickly realize what a grave mistake he has made.''


    He said, "Alright. I''ll leave it to you then."


    Fujin''s clone nodded without even looking at him. He didn''t need to think much to know what Katsuhiro was thinking. However, Fujin didn''t really see him as a threat. Any annoyance woulde from the other council members. At best, Katsuhiro would be used as a tool like how Danzo tried. Even if Fujin eliminated him, they could just use someone else instead. So, he wasn''t interested in spending any more time on Katsuhiro. Giving him sleepless nights and high blood pressure was enough punishment for aiming at Fujin''s seat.


    As Katsuhiro exited Fujin''s office, he heard some soft voices


    "Look, it''s Katsuhiro-sama. He visited Councilor Suzuki Fujin''s office again."


    "Yeah, he has been visiting here a lot. In thest two months, this is his sixth visit. I wonder why he visits him so often."


    "I wonder about it as well. It''s almost like they are best pals!"


    "No way, he is like 30 years older than the Councilor, haha."


    A few simrments were passed by others. Fujin had be famous inside the building for showing up so rarely. Hence, whenever he appeared to work, it would gain everyone''s attention. Some out of genuine interest, others out of jealousy. After all, who wouldn''t like to work just once every 1 or 2 weeks?


    And every time Fujin visited his office, Katsuhiro would show up. Quite a few eyes had noticed it and had be interested. Several spections flew as to why Katsuhiro visited him every single time.


    Katsuhiro gritted his teeth and continued moving while ignoring the small talk of others. He cursed, ''Best pals? I''d fucking kill him if I could do it and get away with it! Thankfully, no one knows what exactly happened inside the office. I''ll just need to ensure that his two assistants stay quiet.''


    Back in the office, Fujin''s clone finished reading the proposal Katsuhiro had sent. He chuckled while thinking, ''Not a bad proposal, it is pretty much perfect. I just need to make slight changes to it so that I can include the ns as well. This way, even if they aren''t happy with this, they still won''t be offended as their ninjas will benefit as well. While they won''t benefit as much as civilian ninjas, the ns can''tin as everyone gets the same benefits.''

 Chapter 582: A Shortcut!

    Chapter 582: A Shortcut!


    Sitting in his basement, Fujin was looking at the proposal in front of him. He had figured out what changes he should be making to the proposal. However, he faced an issue when he started incorporating the changes into the proposal.


    Fujin let out a sigh and muttered to himself, ''I now see why Tsunade hated paperwork so much. The changes I n to make aren''t a lot, but putting it on paper will take more than a day toplete


    No wonder Katsuhiro was that angry. I thought it was just due to the passive humiliatingments I kept passing, but now I guess that a good part of that anger was due to working on this proposal 7 times!'' I don''t even want to imagine how torturous that would be for someone who never worked in the Hokage Building before.


    Fujin shook his head and got up. He created a few Shadow Clones and left the work to them. While he would still need to endure the headaches, at least he wouldn''t be wasting his time. The new Shadow Clones began working on the proposal while the remaining Shadow Clones kept working on the seal.


    While they worked, Fujin left his house and looked towards the building to his right. Winds suddenly picked up pace and began moving towards the building at a high speed.


    Takeshi was rxing in his room, going through one of the books he had taken from the library. Suddenly, he felt something and got on his feet with his alertness raised to the max as he muttered, "This chakra and the breeze"


    In Takeshi''s closed room, Winds suddenly took the form of a person! He watched with a surprised look as the Winds transformed into a clone of Fujin and wondered, ''Holy hell! How can winds do something like this? Why is sensei''s Wind Release cooler than my Scorch Release?''


    He asked, "Sensei, is that you?"


    Fujin''s Wind Clone looked at Takeshi and said, "Meet me in the Training Ground immediately."


    The clone quickly dispersed into the wind. In a few seconds, the air in his room calmed down. Takeshi muttered, "That was cool and freaky at the same time!"


    He quickly left his room and ran to the training ground opposite thepounds, where he saw Fujin sitting on a stump. He stopped right in front of Fujin and asked, "Sensei, are we beginning our training?"


    Fujin replied, "Sort of. I''m a bit busy with Council duties. We will begin the regr training in a few days after the council meeting is over. I called you here because I mastered an interesting jutsu recently. I wanted to see if I could use it to teach you more efficiently. If it works, then it might be very helpful for you and a bit helpful to your teammates."


    Takeshi became confused. He asked, "Why will it be only a bit helpful to the others and very helpful to me?"


    Fujin answered, "It''s because Scorch Release is a fusion of Fire and Wind Release, which are my strongest affinities as well. I don''t have much expertise in Water and Lightning Release. So they will have limited help. Anyways, you''ll understand once we try."


    Takeshi nodded. Fujin said, "Sit down and calm your mind. For what I am nning, you need to be as calm as you can be. Otherwise, it''ll be difficult to implement."


    Takeshi became even more curious. He sat down on the ground and began meditating. Fujin thought, ''Luckily, he is the most calm one from his group. Now, let''s see if this will work. Even though this jutsu has a lot of other uses and benefits, it was this ability that pushed me to ask for it from Hiruzen. I''llter try it with Ranmaru as well, though I''ll have to do something about the seals I ced on him''


    While he was thinking, several Shadow Clones appeared next to Fujin. A couple stayed next to Fujin while the rest flickered in different directions and hid themselves. They would ensure that no one disturbs Fujin. The seals Fujin had ced in the Training Ground were activated as well. Even Hiruzen wouldn''t be able to spy on the Training Ground until he deactivated the seals.


    After a few minutes, Takeshi opened his eyes and said, "I am calm sensei."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Good. Now, don''t resist."


    Fujin weaved a few hand signs. Takeshi''s eyes widened as he noticed something leave Fujin''s body. He wondered, ''Is that sensei''s soul? Did sensei master Kato Dan''s speciality? Isn''t that a forbidden jutsu?''


    Fujin''s soul looked at him and said, "Calm yourself, Takeshi. And yes, this is Spirit Transformation jutsu, the jutsu Kato Dan created. Now, don''t resist."


    After saying so, Fujin''s soul entered Takeshi''s body. Takeshi felt slight unease and became ufortable but didn''t feel anything else. Suddenly, he heard a voice directly inside his head, "With the Spirit Transformation jutsu, I can freely enter the bodies of other ninjas. I can take control of their bodies and even suppress or destroy their souls.


    In this training, I''ll be utilizing the first aspect. By taking control of your body, I''ll use a jutsu that I have mastered but you haven''t. You will pay full attention to your body and the way your chakra gets manipted and have your body memorize it so that you can do so instinctively.


    If it works like how I envisioned it, then you''ll be able to master those techniques to a great extent within a few minutes. If not, then that''ll be unfortunate. Your training will continue as usual.


    Did you understand? No need to speak. Just think of the answer and I''ll know."


    To say Takeshi was shocked was an understatement. He could only think, ''Yes sensei. I understand. I never imagined that the Spirit Transformation jutsu could be used in such a manner.''


    Fujin''s soul chuckled and said, "There are several ways to use every jutsu. It just depends on how creative you can get and how good your control over the jutsu is. Always remember this when you train in the future.


    Especially for your Scorch Release. Scorch Release is as flexible as Wind Release while being more destructive than Fire Release. How you can use it will only be limited by your imagination. You already know how Pakura from Sunagakure could use it. However, don''t restrict yourself to her fighting style or my fighting style. Create your own style. If you seed in doing so, then you will most likely be a rank S ninja in the future. Otherwise, an Elite Jounin will be the max you could reach even with my guidance."


    Takeshi noted down Fujin''s words in his heart. He would never forget such advice and thought, ''I understand sensei. I will create my own fighting style with Scorch Release.''


    Fujin''s soul said, "Good. First, disy me your current jutsus so that I can get a hang of how you mold chakra inside your body. Then I could replicate it while using my jutsus."


    Takeshi replied, ''Alright, sensei.''


    He got up. While the two of them conversed, Fujin''s clones had moved his main body away. Without a soul, Fujin''s main body couldn''t move. It needed to be protected by his clones. It was why he had increased the security in the training ground.


    If someone actually attacked the training ground, the clones could buy enough time for his soul to return to his main body. Even if that couldn''t be done, the clones could just teleport with the main body into his house. Fujin wasn''t worried about anyone breaking into his house.


    Takeshi asked, ''Which jutsus should I use, sensei?''


    Fujin replied, "Use Great Breakthrough, Great Fireball and Extremely Steaming Murder jutsus."


    Takeshi nodded and began weaving his hand signs.


    ''Wind Release: Great Breakthrough jutsu''


    ''Fire Release: Great Fireball jutsu''


    ''Scorch Release: Extremely Steaming Murder jutsu''


    One by one, Takeshi disyed all the 3 jutsus. Fujin didn''t care about the first two jutsu. It was the third one where all his attention was focused on. With his soul inside Takeshi''s body, Fujin could feel how Takeshi''s chakra was being molded as if it was his own!


    Fujin thought, ''So that''s how Fire and Wind chakra fuse to form Scorch Kekkei Genkai As I calcted, the fusion has to happen inside my body. Otherwise, it can''t be considered a Kekkei Genkai and will only be abination jutsu.


    Still, even though I can feel it clearly, replicating this will still be difficult. The only good thing is that I now have a reference point. I might seed in copying Scorch Kekkei Genkai with some practice!''

 Chapter 583: Rasas Troubles

    Chapter 583: Rasa''s Troubles


    Everything Fujin had said until that point, though true, waspletely bullshit. The real reason why Fujin used this technique was to get a better hang of Takeshi''s Scorch Release! Apart from being able to study his soul, this was the main reason why Fujin wanted this jutsu and willingly traded top-quality human puppets with Hiruzen to get it!


    Of course, Fujin wasn''tpletely sure of its effectiveness. After all, if learning Kekkei Genkai was that easy, then Dan would have unlocked several Kekkei Genkai and would have likely been far stronger than the Sannins. However, that wasn''t the case. On the contrary, he hadn''t mastered any Kekkei Genkai. Nor had Orochimaru, who could use a more advanced jutsu.


    ''What should I do now?'' Since Fujin didn''t reply, Takeshi became doubtful. Fujin''s soul answered, "It looks like I underestimated the difficulty of influencing your chakra and molding it properly. I will need to observe your chakrawork for far longer. Continue using Extremely Steaming Murder jutsu."


    ''Alright.'' Takeshi replied and continued creating more ming orbs. Fujin just carefully observed. While he had seen the process and got some clues by observing the first time, he was still quite far away from understanding how to fuse it properly. As he had expected, even though experiencing it in this manner was extremely helpful, he couldn''t learn it in an instant.


    Fujin thought, ''Oh well. Even though it isn''t instantaneous, I have a feeling that I''ll master Scorch Kekkei Genkai sooner orter. After all, I can always refer to him if I ever face any issues or have doubts.''


    After using the jutsu 5 times, Takeshi''s breathing became heavy. He said, ''My chakra is running low. I can''t use this jutsu again.''


    Fujin''s soul replied, "Don''t worry. Continue doing it."


    Fujin''s soul ced his palm on Takeshi''s soul and transferred some of his chakra to him. In the blink of an eye, Takeshi''s chakra reserves became full once again!


    Takeshi''s eyes widened. He asked, ''Spirit Transformation jutsu can do this as well?''


    Fujin''s soul chuckled and said, "Yup. Don''t tell others though. Depending too much on others at this age isn''t a good thing."


    Takeshi nodded. Fujin thought, ''Well, it''s not like I''d ever transfer chakra even if someone asks. A shame that this jutsu doesn''t allow me to absorb chakra. If I could, I''d have definitely made some chakra batteries. I could even issue missions for that purpose. Perhaps thezy ninjas would have epted for making some easy money''


    Takeshi ran out of chakra once again and was again refilled by Fujin. Fujin''s soul thought, ''That said, I''m not at my full chakra level either. 70% of my chakra is with my clones. Fortunately, his chakra reserves are much lower than mine. I can refill it a few times. Then, I''ll give him the reward. I''ll only give him one jutsu at a time. That way, I will have reasons to keep doing this.''


    Fujin refilled his chakra reserves four times when he felt that he wouldn''t learn anything more from just observing him. He immediately had another idea. He said, "Alright, I have got a hang of it now. Rx, I''ll take over your body. Don''t resist."


    Takeshi replied, ''Alright.''


    He mentally prepared himself. A secondter, Fujin took full control of Takeshi''s body and said, "Feel how the chakra moves in your body. This will be an important jutsu for you."


    He began weaving hand signs and softly said, "Fire Release: Fire Dragon me Bullet jutsu"


    He took a deep breath and shot a Fire Dragon from his mouth. The Dragon, instead of moving forward, began revolving around Takeshi. Fujin''s soul instructed, "While Fire Dragon me Bullet is generally an attacking jutsu, for you, it''ll be an amazing defensive jutsu."


    Takeshi thought for a bit and asked, ''How?''


    Fujin''s soul answered, "It''s simple. After learning the Fire Dragon jutsu, you have to create a Scorch Dragon jutsu by using Fire Dragon as a base. And, you need to have amazing control over it. Once you seed in creating it, improve your control over it and manipte it in such a way that it can coil around you. When you seed, very few ninjas will be able to fight you at close range. Most would be long dead before they make it through the Dragon."


    Takeshi''s eyes sparkled as he imagined how strong the defense would be. While it won''t protect him against long and medium-range jutsus, it would be extremely effective against the ones who didn''t have such options. As for the ones that stay at a distance, he could just run into them.


    Fujin''s soul exited his body and said, "Now that I have shown you how to do it, try to replicate the process and master the Fire Dragon me Bullet jutsu. You can approach me if you face any issues. I have refilled your chakra reserves again. So, you can practice it right away.


    When you master it and begin attempting to create the Scorch Dragon jutsu, find me. I''ll guide you to ensure that you don''t make any mistakes or do something hazardous for yourself or others."


    Takeshi immediately replied, "I will. Thank you sensei."


    Takeshi was indeed very grateful. He never imagined that someone would go to such lengths to help him be stronger. Needless to say, Fujin''s ''kind'' act had created quite an impression on his young mind.


    Fujin''s soul nodded and said, "I''ll be waiting."


    He immediately disappeared and flew into his own body. Takeshi turned his gaze towards him. Fujin smiled before he and his clones disappeared. The seals in the training ground that blocked Hiruzen''s crystal ball were deactivated as well.


    Takeshi continued practicing while Fujin returned to his house. En route, he tried to replicate how the fusion happened inside Takeshi''s body. He tried a few times but ultimately didn''t seed.


    Fujin analyzed, ''It looks like it won''t be that easy. That said, it was very helpful. I can feel that I have progressed quite a bit within a few minutes. If I were to try it by myself, I''d have needed several months or even years to reach this step.


    I''ll experiment with it againter. The next time, I will try to use Scorch Release while I am in control of his body. Experiencing how to do it through him will be much better than just observing.


    Regardless, if I learn it, what should I do? Should I use it with Fujin identity? Though Scorch Release won''t make me much stronger normally, it might give a huge boost to my Wind Domain. On the other hand, it might help me raise Shiden identity''sbat power to rank S.''


    He thought for a bit before deciding, ''Oh well, no need to think too much. I''ll just use it with the identity that is forced to use it first. After all, Shiden is supposed to stay hidden and not fight.''


    While Fujin was working on growing both his strength and influence, a particr individual was very annoyed due to Fujin''s actions despite being over a thousand kilometers away from him. In truth, he wasn''t aware that Fujin was the one behind the incident that troubled him.


    In Sunagakure, Baki was in Rasa''s office. Only the two of them were present in the office. Rasa asked, "Is there any update?"


    Baki shook his head and answered, "No. We have exhausted all means of trying to find them or create contact with them. Unfortunately, nothing has seeded. Our spies in Tanigakure got hands on a lot of their secret information as well. However, there is no mention of them. It''s as if they have vanished entirely."


    Baki paused for a few seconds before continuing, "It has been nearly three months since Yamakawa town was attacked. Since that day, we havepletely lost contact with the ninjas stationed there. We can only assume that they were killed along with the Yamakawa family. The killers probably took their bodies with them."


    A frown appeared on Rasa''s face. He cursed, "Those ninjas included an Elite Jounin and a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster! Unless we recover their bodies, we can''t assume their deaths. It''s too costly for the vige to face such losses just before our n is put into action.


    Not to mention, reports imed that the town was attacked by puppets. It has worsened our rtionship with Tanigakure. Since I didn''t send anyone, it can only mean that it was someone else.


    I had my spies collect information in the other hidden vige to see if someone suddenly began training arge number of Puppeteers. However, no vige has done so. It could only mean that it was Sasori!"


    Rasa''s words were full of hatred. Yamakawa was the perfect town to station his ninjas in. However, that town waspletely ruined due to Sasori''s actions. Not only were his losses grave, but the town had also be a hub for Konoha ninjas, increasing the difficulty in moving secretly for Suna.

 Chapter 584: Six Ninjas to watch out for!

    Chapter 584: Six Ninjas to watch out for!


    Baki pointed out, "But Lord Kazekage, there are still some inconsistencies, due to which I''m not sure if it was Sasori. The reports say that nearly a hundred puppets were involved in the attack. A single puppeteer can''t control so many puppets. It was why we suspected involvement of other viges."


    Rasa replied, "It doesn''t have to be him alone. It has been thirteen years since he went rogue. He could have epted some students and taught them our secret technique.


    I have confirmed with Orochimaru that Sasori is in Akatsuki. He has also trained a lot of spies. So it isn''t far-fetched for him to have trained some underlings."


    Baki''s mood became heavy on hearing Rasa''s spections. He asked, "What do we do now, Lord?"


    Rasa thought for a long time to decide what his next step should be. Baki waited patiently while thinking as well. Finally, Rasa said, "Sasori has to be eliminated. He is too big of a danger to be left alive. However, now is not the time. We can''t divide our forces to find and fight him. For now, we will focus on crushing Konoha. That is more important for our vige.


    Since Yamakawa town has been destroyed and Tanigakure is hostile towards us, we can''t use their towns to hide our forces. If we do so, Konoha might be suspicious as well and make better preparations.


    We will only move small squads to the Land of Rivers a few days before the war begins. They will sneak into the Land of Fire and stealthily travel to Konoha a few days before I reach Konoha. When the signal is given, they will use Reverse Summoning to summon our Elites for a quick and deadly attack on Konoha."


    Baki thought for a bit and nodded. That was the only option they had left. Rasa looked at him and said, "You should begin preparing as well. As nned, you will be leading Gaara''s squad for the Chunin Exams. Your squad will be our Vanguard and also our secret weapon. Only with Shukaku can we buy enough time and avoid being swamped by Konoha ninjas. It''s time to inform and prepare the kids. Call them here."


    Baki nodded and left. A few minutester, he returned with Rasa''s children. Temari and Kankuro became a bit nervous upon seeing Rasa''s serious expression. As for Gaara, he didn''t care.


    Rasa said, "Listen to what I say very carefully"


    Rasa informed his children that Suna would soon be attacking Konoha. He informed them about the ns that they needed to know. Temari and Kankuro were shocked when they heard Rasa order Gaara to let Shukaku lose when the signal was given! They wanted to protest, but one look from Rasa made them eat their words.


    Rasa said, "That''s all you need to know. I will emphasize this once again. Nothing that we discussed in this room should get out. Remember your roles properly. The future of the vige will depend on whether you can do your job properly. If you fail, we will be surrounded by thousands of Konoha ninjas without any reinforcements to help us."


    Temari and Kankuro were terrified upon imagining that scene. Both gulped nervously. On the other hand, Gaara was excited to kill more people and let ''mother'' drink more blood. He didn''t care how many enemies he''d be facing.


    Rasa handed his kids a book and said, "This book has a list of Konoha''s Elite Jounins. Memorize all of them, especially the first 6 ones. Every single one of them is extremely dangerous and will pose a great threat to our n. If you meet them in Konoha, act naturally. Once the war begins, be careful of them. They might be able to even stop Shukaku''s rampage."


    This time, even Gaara was shocked. In Suna, there was just one person who could stop Shukaku. It was their father, the Kazekage. However, Konoha had as many as 6!


    Temari opened the book while her brothers peeked into the book. The person on the first page was none other than Hiruzen, the Third Hokage. While they read his details, Baki said, "At his peak, the Third Hokage was nearly unstoppable. It had caused others to call him the God of Shinobi. Fortunately, he is much older now and has grown weaker."


    The trio read his information before turning the page. The one on the second page was Shimura Danzo. Baki gave a short introduction of him as well and mentioned his injuries and the fact that he needed a walking stick to walk around. He did the same for Jiraiya and Tsunade, who were on the third and fourth pages respectively, while mentioning that neither of those two stayed in the vige.


    Temari and Kankuro wondered, ''What the hell is up with this vige? Their Kage is an old man who should have long retired. There is another old man who is handicapped but still is said to have a lot of power in the vige. But the two Sannins, who are at their prime, don''t stay in the vige?''


    The two couldn''t make any sense of the information and even doubted whether it was true. However, considering that it was their father who had given them the information, the two didn''t have any choice but to believe it.


    On the fifth page was the image of a silver-haired ninja who covered his left eye with his headband. While they read his information, Baki said, "He is Hatake Kakashi, also known as the copy ninja. With his Sharingan, he has copied over a thousand jutsus, which earned him his title. He was also the student of the Fourth Hokage, the Yellow sh.


    With his Sharingan, there is a chance that he could influence Shukaku, which makes him very dangerous for our n. During the assault, I and others will ensure that he stays away from Gaara."


    The three kids nodded before turning the page once again. Their eyesnded on a picture. The person in the picture didn''t look unique like the 5 that preceded him. On first look, he looked like any other young man. However, there was one distinct feature that caught the eye of the trio. It was his eyes, they were as dark as the very abyss itself.


    Their eyes moved from his eyes to his face. At first nce, his face, though handsome, was unremarkable. It was a face that would easily blend into the crowd. However, on closer inspection, they noticed subtle symmetries.


    His jawline was very well-defined and hisplexion was fair but held a hint of tan, which was a result of spending long hours training outside. His hair was spiky ck and seemed to be waving in the winds while his expression was that of indifference. Everythingbined together very well to give him quite a unique charm.


    As for his body, it was a testament to discipline and training. His arms showed how toned his body was, showcasing the countless hours spent training. They weren''t bulky by any means, but the muscles were clearly visible to the Kazekage''s children.


    He wore Konoha''s headband on his forehead and was wearing the standard Jounin vest. The shirt underneath as well as his pants were ck in color. On his forearms were bracers and his hands were covered in fingerless gloves with metal tes covering the back of his hands.


    After seeing his appearance properly, the three of them began reading his details. Baki spoke once again, "He is Suzuki Fujin. He is just a bit older than you guys and gained fame a year ago when the Third Tsuchikage announced that he was the Spectral Swordsman.


    Even though he is very young, he is still extremely strong. He specializes in Wind jutsus and can even use the Wind Vacuum Technique that Lord Second created. He is well known for his blinding speed and assassination skills. In addition, he is also a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster, which could give him some means to deal with Shukaku."


    The trio was surprised. Kankuro said, "Seriously? He''s just a couple of years older than me!"


    Rasa ignored his elder son and looked at Gaara while saying, "We also suspect that he was the one to injure you and kill Susumu. If he attacks you for some reason, always ensure that your sand is defending you."


    Gaara''s eyes widened. The memory of him bleeding resurfaced in his brain. At the same time, Temari eximed, "Wait a minute! Uncle Susumu died two and a half years ago! Do you mean to say that he killed Uncle Susumu and injured Gaara when he was just 13 years old?"

 Chapter 585 - 579 : Delusion

    <h4>Chapter 585: Chapter 579 : Delusion</h4>


    Shock could be heard in Temari''s voice. Kankuro was shocked as well. A minute ago he was wondering whether he''d be as strong as Fujin when he turned 16. However, he soon discovered that he was far inferior to a younger Fujin! Temari had simr thoughts as well considering that Fujin was just a year older than her.


    To their surprise, Rasa didn''t say anything and just nodded. Baki said, "Well, we only suspect it is him. We aren''t entirely sure as he never used any Vacuum jutsus during the fights. However, if what the Tsuchikage said is true, then it was most likely him."


    Baki''s words weren''t reassuring. While they had rxed after learning that two of Konoha''s strongest ninjas weren''t in the vige and two more were old and past their prime, hearing about Kakashi and Fujin made Temari and Kankuro nervous.


    Rasa could see it and said, "You don''t need to worry about these ninjas. I''ll be making arrangements to deal with them. I''m just informing you so that you three don''t engage with them. There are still other names in the book. Though they aren''t as strong as these six, they have the Elite Jounin rank as well. Go through them as well."


    Temari and Kankuro nodded. The three of them looked through the remaining names. There were over a dozen ninjas which included the likes of Guy, Asuma, Renjiro, Katsuhiro, the n Leaders and others.


    Once they were done reading, Rasa said, "The sess of this n is critical for the prosperity of Suna. Keep that in mind and train seriously for the next few months. All three of you should qualify for thest round of the Chunin Exam."


    Temari and Kankuro nodded while Gaara went back to being indifferent. The three of them left Rasa''s office. Once the door closed, Kankuro said, "Man, Konoha is scary! Their 13-year-olds can attack Gaara and kill Uncle Susumu!"


    Temari corrected him, "It was just one ninja. Others should be ordinary. Otherwise, Konoha would have conquered the entire world by now."


    Kankuro replied, "Yes, you are right. But still, that''s scary. Gaara, how did he injur..."


    "Shut up!" Gaara, whose memories of that day had resurfaced, unleashed his blood lust, scaring both Temari and Kankuro. With a crazy expression on his face, Gaara eximed, "Next time, I''ll kill him!"


    The bloodlust Gaara was oozing quietened his siblings. Not wanting to provoke him, they silently went away from him.


    Back in the office, Baki asked with uncertainty, "Do we really have ns to deal with all of them? Even though the Hokage is old, he should still be extremely strong. If one of the Sannins appeared, then we would lose our advantage. If both appeared, we would be at a disadvantage.


    Stopping Kakashi and Fujin will be a challenge as well. I can stop one of them, but the other will likely cut through our ninjas and stop Shukaku."


    Rasa replied, "I''m aware. Don''t worry. Though he didn''t tell me why, Orochimaru is certain that Tsunade won''t return. He is also certain that Danzo won''t participate in the defense unless we attack his Root Headquarters. Jiraiya will most likely return, but we can handle him and Hiruzen as I''ll have Orochimaru assisting me.


    For Fujin, Orochimaru said that he has a capable subordinate from the Kaguya n. He''ll be responsible for stopping the boy. I''ll be inspecting that Kaguya n ninja before we start our n. Orochimaru said that he''ll be having one of his subordinates face Kakashi as well. Only if he fails, you''ll have to ensure that Kakashi doesn''t use his Sharingan on Shukaku.


    Even though we will be outnumbered, we''ll gain the upper hand by taking advantage of Shukaku''s rampage. In addition, we will force them to disperse their forces by attacking with Orochimaru''s snake summons from all directions."


    Baki calmed slightly after hearing Rasa''s preparations. Unfortunately, neither of the two was aware of the fact that they hadn''t considered a ninja who was on par with both Fujin and Kakashi! Not to mention, they werepletely in the dark regarding Orochimaru''s real intentions or the fact that Konoha had got wind of their intentions!


    A couple of dayster in Konoha, the leaders had assembled in the Council Room! Most leaders were slightly confused. Under normal circumstances, the Council Meeting should have been conducted around 3 monthster because it had been just 3 months since their previous meeting.


    While council meetings could be called impromptu in emergency situations like when the Root Headquarters was blown up or when Fujin was inducted into the Council, nothing of that sort had happened in recent times. Even though the vige was tense post the explosion, nothing happened after Danzo''s political power was stripped away. The vige was very peaceful.


    As such, everyone was curious. Only Fujin had an idea while Shikaku was aware of the real reason why this meeting was being conducted.


    Hiruzen was thest one to enter the room. He took his seat and said, "Let''s begin the meeting."


    Since Hiruzen didn''t say anything, the meeting began normally. Everyone informed Hiruzen about their status. Reports about border patrol were shared. Any incidents that stood out were reported. The trading and agriculture statistics as well as the number of bandit attacks were discussed.


    When the discussion on the routine things was finished, Aburame Shibi asked, "Is there any follow-up on the attack that took ce inside our vige a few months ago?"


    Since the civilian council members were present as well, Shibi didn''t take Root''s name. The civilian council members became curious as they had been kept out of the loop.


    Hiruzen shook his head and answered, "After taking the precautions and increasing surveince, no attack has taken ce inside the vige.


    I have kept an eye on the other viges as well. However, the ones who we were suspecting haven''t made any suspicious moves. There is just one vige that is acting suspiciously, a vige none of us suspected."


    Hiruzen''s words intrigued the room. Inoichi asked, "Which vige is acting suspiciously?"


    Hiruzen replied, "Sunagakure. It is also the reason why I called for an early Council Meeting."


    Hiruzen''s words surprised most of the people in the room. Senju Hiromasa sighed, "Of all the people, the suspect has to be the one major vige allied with us."


    Others had grim expressions as well. The alliance between Suna and Konoha was an important deterrent against Kumo and Iwa. Without it, Konoha could be attacked by 2 or 3 viges and would be stretched extremely thin. The losses they would suffer in such a situation would be horrendous. Except for Fujin, everyone in the room was worried.


    Hiruzen continued, "This is rted to the incident in Yamakawa town we just discussed. We discovered a part of the deep scheme that they are plotting."


    Tsume said, "The town that Sunagakure attacked? What was the reason behind their attack?"


    Hiruzen replied, "That attack wasn''t conducted by Sunagakure."


    The eyes of the people in the room widened. Every piece of evidence in the town pointed towards Sunagakure. In fact, Konoha had officially reported to Tanigakure that Sunagakure was the one to attack the town and ughter the Yamakawa family! Yet, Hiruzen said the opposite.


    Koharu looked at Hiruzen and asked, "Did we set them up or was it someone else?"


    Hiruzen answered, "It is deeper than that. Even though Sunagakure wasn''t behind the attack, it was a ninja from Sunagakure. The attack was conducted by Sasori of the Red Sand.


    I''m not aware why he attacked the town or why he eliminated the Yamakawa family, but we discovered something interesting from their mansion. Underneath the mansion, a secret hideout was constructed.


    The hideout contained the dead bodies of more than 20 Sunagakure ninjas. Those bodies also included an Elite Jounin and a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster. Their deaths happened at the same time as the attack.


    We read the memories of the head of the Yamakawa family to understand what exactly happened. We discovered that he had entered into an agreement with Sunagakure to allow their ninjas to hide under his mansion.


    We read the memories of the Sunagakure ninjas as well. Unfortunately, they didn''t know much. The only important thing we discovered was that they were nning to hide several hundred ninjas inside the town."


    The entire room became silent. Everyone who wasn''t already aware was shocked. There were two main reasons for the shock. The first was that a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster had died! Every vige treasured them. The death of a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster was even more rare than the death of a rank S ninja!


    The second reason for the shock was the location of Yamakawa town. It was located right at the border of the Land of Fire. Having several hundred ninjas so close would mean that Suna couldunch a surprise attack while giving Konoha very little time to react!


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    ()

 Chapter 586: Shikakus Brilliance

    Chapter 586: Shikaku''s Brilliance


    "Damned Sunagakure! Their intentions are nefarious!" Tsume cursed. If not for the incident, Konoha would bepletely oblivious to Sunagakure''s schemes. It could have resulted in a catastrophe for Konoha if they failed to act appropriately.


    Of course, not everyone thought so. The remaining n leaders and Elders looked at Hiruzen, trying to gauge his reaction. There were some inconsistencies in his story.


    Homura thought, ''There is more to this story. It seems like Hiruzen was already aware of Sunagakure building a hideout there. The ninjas we sent after Tanigakure''s request only reached a couple of days after the incident. By then, most of the memories would have dissipated.


    Not to mention, Tanigakure sent ninjas before us. They would have discovered Sunagakure ninja''s bodies before our ninjas reached there. The only way for things to develop this way would be if some Konoha ninjas sneaked into the town right after the attack had taken ce.


    However, that would only happen if Hiruzen was suspicious and sent someone there beforehand. The squads he sent should have witnessed the attack and likely took advantage of the situation.''


    Since Fujin had asked Hiruzen not to expose the fact that he was the one in the Yamakawa town who confronted Sasori, Hiruzen changed the story slightly. However, the experienced ninjas quickly understood how the events had happened. Only the civilians were clueless.


    Shikaku added, "To make matters worse, Sunagakure seems to be preparing for something. Their vige has been closed off for a few months, making contacting the spies very difficult. Even though we aren''t sure, we need to be prepared to deal with any stunts they might try to pull. We have to deal with whatever they throw at us swiftly and with minimal losses. Otherwise, things can be ugly very quickly."


    Hiruzen said, "Thankfully, the civil war in Kiri is still at a very high intensity. Kumo won''t do anything until that civil war ends. As for Onoki, he won''t start a war by himself. Regardless, what Shikaku said is correct. We will need to deal with their schemes quickly.


    If possible, we will still need to find a way to maintain our alliance after dealing with their scheme ore to a new agreement after defeating them. We will need to do that before the civil war in Kiri ends."


    For the first time, Fujin was surprised. He thought, ''Seeing his attitude, it''s no wonder Konoha let Suna off so lightly after the war. While I can understand that Kumo and Iwa are as strong as us, it''s not like they don''t have any enmity between themselves. Is there a need to be so passive?''


    Fujin wasn''t on board with staying so passive. After all, what if Sunagakure didn''t follow the agreement once a war broke out? If Rasa hadn''t died and continued being the Kazekage, he''d definitely take advantage of such a moment.


    That said, Fujin didn''t speak up despite not agreeing with Hiruzen''s methods. After all, it didn''t have much to do with him. He already knew the future. He knew that there wouldn''t be any war between Konoha and Kumo or Iwa. And he knew that Konoha and Suna would be very strong allies once Gaara took over. Of course, that was assuming Gaara still bes the Kazekage!


    Inoichi asked, "Do you have any spections about what their scheme might be?"


    Shikaku answered, "We have very little information as of now. So it is hard to say anything for sure. I did calcte several actions I could have taken if I were the Kazekage, but I failed toe up with any ns where they would confront us and not end up suffering.


    The only instance where they would benefit is if they ally with another major vige. However, Kiri is embroiled in civil war while Kumo and Iwa haven''t made any movements. Our spies haven''t informed us of anything happening in those viges either. So, it is difficult to say.


    With that option out of the way, there are only two other strategies through which they could benefit. However, both are extremely risky and not something I would have done.


    The first is making a sudden attack on the Land of Fire. Using the element of surprise, they can eliminate our patrol units and capture some of ournd. If they seeded in catching us by surprise, then we would need some time to respond. They could use that time to entice Kumo into making a move against us, forcing us to fight on two fronts.


    However, this n hinges on whether Kumo would respond in time or not. If they don''t, then Suna will suffer heavily.


    The second strategy is to do something during the Chunin exams. It could be a sudden attack with Elite troops. Or it could also be an attempt on Lord Hokage''s life. The only problem is that they would be surrounded by Konoha''s ninjas and would have to endure our assault, making it extremely risky unless they were nning on sacrificing their lives. Regardless, we need to be careful when they visit during the Chunin Exams."


    Everyone thought for a bit and nodded. No one could think of any other possibility. Even Fujin was impressed as Shikaku had guessed Rasa''s strategy despite having so little information. He thought, ''Apart from guessing Orochimaru''s involvement, he has guessed everything. I wonder what Rasa would think if he knew, hehe.''


    Choza said, "Since they were creating a hideout in Yamakawa town, they could have also tried to do so in other towns that are along our border. We need to check the Land of River properly."


    Hiruzen replied, "They haven''t. I suspected the same thing and sent Jiraiya to investigate. He didn''t find any such hideout in other towns. I have even dispatched several Anbu squads to check whether they created any other hideouts along the border. We didn''t discover anything. I believe that Yamakawa town was their first attempt and since it resulted in such losses, they haven''t tried it again. Even so, I''ll continue investigating."


    Since Jiraiya was involved, no one suspected the information. Only Fujin thought, ''Ugh! I hope Hiruzen doesn''t send them to investigate deeper into the Land of Rain. Though the Anbu ninjas won''t be able to detect it due to my seals, Jiraiya will immediately feel something off if he gets close enough. Though even if he does find it, I doubt he''d attack them. However, he''ll report it to Hiruzen, which would make it difficult for me to move...''


    Seeing that no one had anything else to say, Hiruzen said, "We will maintain our high alertness. Since we have been maintaining it since the attack, it won''t raise any suspicions and won''t show Suna that we are aware of their schemes. We will keep it that way and catch them off guard.


    Start increasing the preparedness of your respective ns. Everyone will need to act immediately if Suna dares to make a move. Our counterattack has to be swift and deadly. The losses we inflict on them have to deter anyone else from having simr thoughts.


    If they dare to invade our territories, then we will dispatch an army within hours and will attack them within 24 hours. Even before any other vige thinks of moving, we will force Suna to retreat not only from the Land of Fire but also from the Land of Rivers.


    If they make a move during the Chunin exams, I''ll kill Rasa myself. You guys will ensure that no Suna ninja inside Konoha is able to leave in one piece!"


    Despite being veterans of several wars and quite old, Hiruzen''s words raised the morale of everyone in the room. Even Fujin was slightly impressed and thought, ''Now that''s more like it. Almost makes me wish that they invade the Land of Fire. It''s been a while since I have fought unrestrained¡­''


    Hiruzen looked around the room and asked, "Does anyone have anything else to discuss?"


    He wasn''t expecting anyone to reply as the vige had been peaceful. To his surprise, Fujin took the initiative to speak for once! Even Shikaku was surprised as Fujin said, "I have a proposal that will be helpful for our vige. Considering what you said, it might probably be the best time to implement this."


    Fujin activated the storage seal on his bracer and withdrew a few files. Looking at more than a dozen files in front of Fujin, Shikaku wondered, ''Since when did this troublemaker start working?''


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Thank you Mahesh for supporting me through UPI.

 Chapter 587: Guidance Hall!

    Chapter 587: Guidance Hall!


    Everyone looked at the files Fujin had ced on the desk with curiosity. Fujin said, "Some time ago, Katsuhiro hade to me with a proposal. Even though his proposal had a lot of ws, it pointed out an important w in our current system and also gave quite an ingenious solution."


    Shikaku squinted his eyes and thought, ''Katsuhiro? That Elite Jounin who has been frequently visiting his office?''


    Others in the council knew about his visits to Fujin''s office as well. It wasn''t something that could be hidden. Besides, Fujin didn''t particrly care about it. One of the civilian members thought, ''Katsuhiro was working with him on a proposal? Why did he keep dropping hints that he wanted Fujin''s seat if that''s what he was doing?''


    Fujin continued, "The issue he pointed out was that ninjas who belong to ninja ns get guided by their seniors. Considering the varying specialities of everyone, they can get help in any area they want to.


    However, civilian ninjas don''t have the same opportunity. Even though the jutsus are avable in the library, without a proper teacher, learning the jutsus isn''t easy. When one tries by himself, then mistakes can ur and injuries can happen.


    Even though everyone is assigned a sensei while graduating from the academy, a majority of the senseis are just ordinary Chunins who aren''t that knowledgeable. Even if a Jounin is assigned as the sensei, he or she won''t know everything. Not to mention, once their sensei dies in battle, they no longer have anyone they could ask for guidance."


    Everyone in the room subconsciously nodded. What Fujin said was true. Even so, most of the n leaders raised their guards slightly. They still remembered the changes Fujin had rmended for the academy. Hiruzen had started implementing some of Fujin''s rmendations. And now, Fujin was proposing something that would reduce the difference between n ninjas and civilian ninjas even further.


    Though Fujin noticed it, he ignored it and continued, "Katsuhiro came up with an ingenious solution to solve this issue. He suggested that we make a Guidance Hall in the center of the vige.


    The basic idea is that civilian ninjas can put up requests in the Guidance Hall for the jutsus or techniques for which they need guidance. For instance, if someone wants to practice Fire Dragon me Bullet jutsu, he or she can put up the request in the Guidance Hall. If a veteran civilian ninja who has mastered that jutsu wants to teach it to that ninja, then he can do so. Of course, doing it on a one-by-one basis will not be feasible. So, the Guidance Hall will be responsible for gathering all the requests and coting them. That way, a veteran can guide multiple youngsters at the same time. If it is implemented properly, then we could help arge number of Chunins be Jounins."


    Hiruzen was surprised. He immediately thought, ''Hmm, not a bad idea. I had been thinking about this issue for some time as well. Unfortunately, I couldn''te up with anything. That said, there are some major ws.''


    As Hiruzen expected, Hiashi said, "While it sounds good on paper, creating a Guidance Hall in the center of the vige is unfeasible. The cost that will be required to move the shops and other buildings currently there would be enormous."


    Inoichi added, "That''s right. It might be worth several years of our budget. While the idea is good, such costs aren''t something we can afford."


    The civilian council members immediately began calcting how they could argue against them. However, to everyone''s surprise, Fujin nodded and said, "That''s true. In fact, it''s not just about the cost. Creating the Guidance Hall there will also cause Konoha to lose an excellent opportunity. It is one of the major ws that were in Katsuhiro''s proposal. Actually¡­"


    Fujin suddenly stopped talking and let out a sigh of exhaustion. Hiruzen''s eyes immediately twitched as everyone in the room nced at him. He cursed, ''This brat! Why is he sighing exactly like I do? I worked hard for decades and my hair turned gray before I began using it! You think you can use it after working on just one proposal?''


    "Katsuhiro''s proposal had too many ws. It was too idealistic as well for it to work properly. I had to work hard for weeks to fix all the ws. I almost gave up a few times but continued remembering how much it would benefit the vige." Every single word Fujin spoke showed how exhausted he was! While speaking, his elbows were resting on the table and his shoulders and head drooped to further emphasize his exhaustion!


    Thankfully, Katsuhiro wasn''t in the council room. If he was, he wouldn''t have been able to restrain himself fromshing out. Needless to say, no one bought Fujin''s little act. However, no one could speak it out loud either. A few almost wanted to chuckle on seeing how Hiruzen was staring at him but managed to hold themselves back.


    Shikaku asked, "What opportunity would we have lost?"


    Fujin replied, "I''lle back to itter. One of the major issues in his proposal was that there was no incentive for veteran ninjas to help the young ninjas out. While we can easily say that they should do it out ofpassion, what was stopping them from doing that until now? Even though the Guidance Hall will provide a tform, it will still result in very limited involvement from them.


    In order to ovee this w, I decided to change the nature of the Guidance Hall. Now, while youngsters can go and put in requests for the jutsus they want to learn, we will also allow Veteran ninjas to make an offer about the jutsus they are willing to teach. In order to incentivize them, they''ll be allowed to put a price for which they will guide the youngsters.


    Another way of looking at this can be that veteran ninjas can treat these like missions while the youngsters will be their clients. Since the main method of earning money ispleting missions, it can create a virtuous cycle.


    The youngsters will be more motivated to take andplete missions as they can use the money they earn to take their guidance, master new jutsus and strengthen themselves. On the other hand, veteran ninjas who have semi-retired can contribute to the vige in a risk-free manner. Guiding youngsters will also help them stay in shape and could reignite the fire in some of them.


    Of course, certain checks have to be put in ce to ensure that no one misuses the system. Every veteran trainer who wants to teach has to first prove that they can perform the jutsus he or she wants to teach properly and have adequate knowledge of the same. This task can be left to the Anbu to ensure that there is no monkey business.


    We will also need to maintain a feedback system where we can ask the youngsters how effective the guidance was. We could go a step further and inspect how well they can perform the jutsu. That could allow us to rate the ninjas who guide the youngsters, allowing them to choose the appropriate guide and will also motivate the veteran ninjas to give their best.


    The techniques that they teach will have to be monitored as well. I''m sure we can all agree that secret techniques and Forbidden jutsus shouldn''t be taught through the Guidance Hall.


    In addition, we will also have to put limits on the amount of money they charge and the number of youngsters they can teach at the same time. This will ensure that no one gets too greedy. After all, the Guidance Hall is for guiding the youngsters and not to make a fortune."


    Fujin''s words made all the ninjas in the room fall into thought. Some were trying to find any ws in his idea. After a couple of minutes, everyone in the room was left impressed. There was nothing they could pick out. Unlike Katsuhiro, Fujin''s idea was wless. Of course, that didn''t mean that he would have everyone''s support.


    Hiruzen said, "That is very well thought. I agree with these methods. Continue."


    Fujin nodded and said, "The second major w is restricting the Guidance Hall to just civilian ninjas. While it is true that currently civilian ninjas don''t get much guidance, that''s no reason to keep the n ninjas out.


    While the ns represented by the people in this room are rtively well off, there are several ns that are too small due to the losses they took in previous wars. They will benefit from the Guidance Hall as well. Even therger ns can benefit. For example¡­''


    Fujin gazed towards Hiashi and continued, "I have never met any Hyuga n ninja who knows any Taijutsu other than Gentle Fist. So if any Hyuga n youngster wanted to pursue any other form of Taijutsu, then the Guidance Hall would be a great help."


    Since Hiashi was the first one to speak, Fujin decided to target him. He continued, "Besides, there could be other things that ninjas in your respective ns don''t know. Or even if they know, they might not know it as well as someone who has devoted a long time to mastering that particr technique. So, even the ninjas from your ns can benefit.


    That''s why, I changed the proposal to make the Guidance Hall open to every Konoha ninja irrespective of their background."


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 588 - 582 : A New Economic Center

    <h4>Chapter 588: Chapter 582 : A New Economic Center</h4>


    Fujin''s words caused the n leaders to lower their guard slightly. Just like the changes he rmended to the academy, Fujin hadn''t excluded the ns from his proposal.


    Even so, there was no doubt that his proposal would benefit the civilian ninjas a lot more. It would contribute a lot to decreasing the gap between n and civilian ninjas. It would decrease the political power the ns held with time.


    Shikaku thought, ''Not bad. He has included us as well. Due to this, rejecting this proposal would cause resentment to form among our ninjas against us. After all, this proposal would help them as well. Not to mention the thousands of civilian ninjas who will resent us for blocking this proposal. Unless there is a major w, Fujin''s proposal can''t be stopped.''


    Seeing that no one was saying anything, Fujin continued, "As for the opportunity, it is rather simple. If the Guidance Hall is sessful, it''ll result in several ninjas visiting there on a daily basis. It might be the second most busy building in the vige after the Hokage''s Building.


    Though creating such a building in the center of the vige might be the first idea for everyone''s convenience, it will cause us to lose a good opportunity.


    Right now, the vige is very crowded. More and more houses are being constructed on the outskirts on a daily basis. However, every major economic activity happens near the center of the vige, forcing everyone to try to get a home closer to the center of the vige.


    We can use the Guidance Hall to create a new Economic Center in the vige. Instead of the center, the Guidance Hall will be constructed on the outskirts of the vige, at a ce where there is nothing around. Since a lot of people will visit it daily, it''ll provide the vige with an opportunity to create another economic center around the Guidance Hall.


    New shops and businesses can open up around it. Once these activities reach a certain level, residential ces can also be constructed close to the Guidance Hall so that people can stay there. It''ll relieve the pressure on the vige as the people who work there will choose to live around there. I''m sure all of you have got the idea. All of you should know more about economics than me."


    It was as Fujin had said. Everyone in the room had already begun imagining ways to increase the ie of their respective ns and families by expanding their businesses to the Guidance Hall.


    Combined with the fact that their ninjas would benefit as well and that stopping this proposal would be very difficult, everyone began thinking about the maximum amount of benefits they could gain instead of thinking about ways to stop the proposal.


    Fujin sighed internally while thinking, ''It''s all about the benefits... Oh well, I can''tin either as that''d be rather hypocritical of me.''


    Homura asked, "Did you choose the location of the Guidance Hall?"


    Fujin nodded and opened one of the files to a page that had the map of the vige and pointed towards a marking he had made. As soon as he did so, a strange expression appeared on everyone''s face. That included Hiruzen as well.


    He looked towards Fujin and wondered, ''Since when did this kid be so selfless? Is he scheming something? Did he do something in the dark that''ll benefit him somehow?''


    The other n leaders looked at him as well. Inoichi thought, ''I was sure that he would put the Guidance Hall close to his newpounds. That way, the prices of hispound would have skyrocketed. It would also increase his influence tremendously as everyone would be reminded that it was he who started the Guidance Hall whenever they saw hispound. It would also allow the civilian ninjas to approach him more easily.


    However, why did he choose a location that is almost at the other end of the vige? That doesn''t make any sense!''


    Hiashi wondered, ''There haven''t been any major transactions in the vige recently... Has he boughtnds close to that area through proxies? That could help him earn a lot.''


    Shibi decided, ''We need to properly inspect thend around the site first. It''ll be a good opportunity to get a lot of profits. It wouldn''t do good if only one person or force gains from it.''


    Every single person in the room had simr thoughts. As someone who proposed it, it was a no-brainer that Fujin should have taken advantage of it. However, there was nothing to see in the open. As a result, they began wondering whether Fujin had yed any hands in the dark.


    Seeing their expressions, Fujin could easily anticipate their thoughts. He thought, ''Even though making it close to my house can increase the value of mynd, what use is that to me?


    If anything, it''ll make future expansion more difficult as everyone will rush to buy all avablend. It''ll also attract a lot of crowds close to my ce, allowing perfect cover for others to spy on mypound. It''ll be troublesome.


    As for earning money, I could have used this opportunity to earn a few hundred million or perhaps even over a billion Ryo. However, I don''t really need any money. There are so many nice Gentlemen in this world who are extremely willing to aid me whenever I need help. They can easily donate a few billion Ryo to my just cause and willingly work hard if I need more.


    So why should I even botherpeting with the ns? That said, since they weren''t on board with ''my noble idea'' until I shared benefits, you guys shouldn''t dream about earning money through my idea either.''


    Fujin''s eyes moved towards Hiruzen, who immediately noticed it. Hiruzen immediately got on guard while thinking, ''My suspicions were right! That''s the look he gives me whenever he wants to ask for something unreasonable. What is he going to ask this time?''


    Having dealt with Fujin for years, Hiruzen was very sensitive towards any changes in his mood and expression. Thankfully for him, this time his instincts were wrong. Instead, Fujin had a rather great gift for him.


    In the council room, everyone was left thoroughly confused by Fujin''s choice. Each one had their own spections based on their personalities and their impression of Fujin and were calcting how their respective forces could get an advantage.


    Seeing everyone in deep thought, Fujin said, "Well, that''s all I have to say. Read the proposals and let me know if there are any errors or if something can be improved."


    He pushed the files in front of him towards the other Council Members. A file appeared in front of each Council Member. Everyone opened the files and began going through it.


    Needless to say, there weren''t any ws in the proposal. Katsuhiro had modified the proposal seven times! All errors had been removed by him. Fujin had several of his clones inspect the proposal as well to ensure that he hadn''t missed anything after he made the changes.


    In a few minutes, everyone had roughly read through the proposal and noted the important points. Koharu said, "You have done a great job, Fujin. We will inspect the proposal and put it to vote in a week."


    Everyone subconsciously agreed with her. However, before anyone could do so in words, Fujin asked, "Why wait a week?"


    Koharu answered, "This is something that will have a great impact on the vige. We can''t afford to make any mistakes here. A week will be needed for everyone to go through the proposal and ensure that everything is right. It will also provide an opportunity for newer ideas that could be incorporated into the proposal."


    Fujin replied, "Hmm, there is no reason why everyone can''t read through the proposal properly right now. If there are any changes that are rmended, we could conduct another meeting to make the changes. However, we should vote on finalizing this proposal before this meeting ends."


    Fujin''s insistence on getting the voting done right then surprised the room again. Seeing his behavior, everyone in the room, including Hiruzen and Shikaku, thought, ''Looks like he has made arrangements to earn a fortune...''


    Senju Hiromasa shook his head while thinking, ''While it is good to get gains for yourself, you should learn to share the pie with everyone. Otherwise, everyone will oppose you. In the end, you might not get anything.''


    Not wanting everyone to gang up on Fujin, Hiruzen said, "Fujin, there is no need to rush through such things. A proposal like this has to be properly analyzed."


    Fujin replied, "While I understand that, the reason I''m pushing for it to be done now is due to the nature of this proposal, or rather the economic and financial aspect of it.


    Once the site of the Guidance Hall is made public, the prices ofnd around that site will skyrocket. Most of thendowners will refuse to sell and will wait for it to inte due to the demand. It might increase the cost of this proposal significantly. And, it will definitely slow down the economic development that should happen around the Guidance Hall."


    Once again, the entire room was surprised. What had been just on their minds had been spoken by none other than Fujin! Even Hiruzen was lost for words and wondered what exactly Fujin was thinking.


    Fujin activated another seal on his bracer and another file appeared in front of him. Everyone curiously looked towards it and wondered what it contained.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    ()

 Chapter 589: Hiruzens Joy!

    Chapter 589: Hiruzen''s Joy!


    As everyone was looking at the new file, Fujin said, "This file consists of thend deeds to all the opennds at the chosen location and around it. I represented the vige and made deals with everyndowner in and around that area in thest couple of days. The prices agreed upon are as per currentnd rates and only Lord Hokage''s signature is left toplete these dealings.


    If this proposal is voted on and agreed upon in this meeting, then we couldplete these deals today as well before the details are leaked to the public. It''ll help us save a lot of money.


    It can even help us raise money by selling thend in the future at the right time, striking a proper bnce between profits for the vige and development around the Guidance Hall.


    If we don''t and these guyse to know of my proposal, then they will want to renege on my terms as the deals won''t be finalized until the council approves of the proposal for obvious reasons."


    Silence engulfed the council room once again! This time, it was absolute silence! Every single one was staring at Fujin with a stunned expression. Fujin had done something that not a single one of them had thought of!


    Except for one person, everyone looked at Fujin as if he had just snatched the food from their hands, just as they were about to eat it! The fact that Fujin was the one to put the food in their hand didn''t make it any easier to digest.


    As for the only person who wasn''t thinking that he was looking at Fujin with his eyes full of disbelief. Hiruzen still couldn''t believe it! He thought, ''Is that real? Did he just do that? Did Fujin do something that would actually benefit me???''


    Having always been on the losing end due to Fujin''s antics, Hiruzen couldn''t believe that it was real. Even when he had some gains, he''d be forced topensate in some other manner. For instance, when he won 120 million Ryo by betting on Fujin in the Chunin exam, Fujin immediately made him get the swords he wanted and also made him spend several weeks teaching the Wind Vacuum Technique to Fujin. However, just now, Fujin had given him something that could allow the vige to gain hundreds of millions of Ryo with little effort!


    Seeing that Fujin didn''t suddenly say something that would cost him a kidney, Hiruzen almost wanted to cry tears of joy. He thought, ''Finally! My years of investment and hard work have paid off! First the puppets and now this! I don''t remember thest time I was so happy!'' Even though Fujin noticed that Hiruzen was pleased, he didn''t know how pleased Hiruzen was. If he could read Hiruzen''s thoughts, he would have definitely tried his luck and asked for the Edo Tensei jutsu.


    Hiruzen''s blissful state was broken when one of the civilian council members said, "I think it''ll be better if we wait unt¡­"


    He was mercilessly cut off by Hiruzen who said, "You are right, Fujin. You have done a great job. We will analyze the proposal right now. The meeting will end only after we have voted. If any corrections are needed, we will make themter."


    The civilian council member who was speaking just looked awkwardly at Hiruzen. He wanted to speak before Hiruzen did, but never expected to be cut off so harshly and bepletely ignored. Everyone else who nned on taking advantage of the situation just sighed and gave up.


    Trying to take away benefits from Fujin and trying to do the same against Hiruzen were twopletely different things. Since Fujin had handed everything to Hiruzen on a silver tter, there was no way Hiruzen would share it with anyone else.


    Of course, it was the vige that would be gaining and not the Sarutobi n. Hence, no one tried to argue any further and just began reading the proposal thoroughly while lost in their own thoughts.


    The civilian council member who had opened his mouth cursed, ''This dumb kid! Why did he give everything to the vige? Couldn''t he have just imed some benefits and left the rest for us? Wouldn''t everyone be happy then?''


    At the same time, Senju Hiromasa wondered, ''Did he do so due to his naivety? Or did he do this intentionally? But why would he refuse to curry favor with everyone in the council? Everyone would have been grateful to him for the opportunity. Then again, we already owe him a favor for taking down Danzo.''


    Shikaku, who was the one who knew Fujin most clearly out of anyone in the room other than Hiruzen, analyzed, ''No, Fujin isn''t naive. Currying favor with everyone else would have been more beneficial for him than just giving all benefits to the Hokage. After all, the Sarutobi n would have benefitted as well.


    Seeing Hokage''s eyes, I''d say he didn''t expect it either. So, he didn''t influence Fujin to do this. I guess that just leaves two possibilities. I know that Hokage has been helping him with his training. The Wind Vacuum Technique which he is known fores from him as well. It might be his way of thanking him. Or¡­''


    Shikaku nced at Fujin and thought, ''Or he felt that the council members who he gave such a chance wouldn''t be thankful. Instead, several could have acted together to get as many benefits as they could, leaving him with very little. It could have also resulted in others seeing him as a soft target when political ys were concerned. After all, he has no experience in these matters.


    From that perspective, his move is near perfect. After all, he has made a major contribution to the vige, be it economically or militarily. Once the news spreads, almost every ninja in the vige will be grateful to him. Though I guess Katsuhiro deserves some credit as well. Hmm, now that I think about it, his involvement is quite surprising. I didn''t ever see him as the type of guy who woulde up with something like this¡­''


    Hiruzen had a simr thought. Even though he was joyous due to Fujin''s gift, what had given him joy wasn''t the money Konoha would earn, but rather the fact that it was Fujin doing something beneficial for him. While thinking about that, he inevitably thought about Katsuhiro and soon felt the same as Shikaku.


    Hiruzen wondered, ''That''s right, I almost overlooked this¡­ Since when did Katsuhiro begining up with such good ideas? In the forty years he has been a ninja, he has never given any such suggestions¡­''


    Hiruzen immediately became suspicious. Soon, his eyes widened before going back to normal size. He thought, ''I nearly forgot! The Anbu ninjas I had ced to keep an eye on Root reported Katsuhiro visiting Root a couple of times after Danzo was removed from the council.


    If he is involved with Danzo, then it might be possible that this idea came from Danzo and not Katsuhiro. That is far more usible. However, why would Danzo make Katsuhiro help Fujin after what happened?''


    Knowing his old friend, Hiruzen immediately smelled a scheme. Thoughts ran through his mind. In just a couple of minutes and while he was going through the proposal, he figured out most of Danzo''s n!


    He nced towards Fujin and thought, ''This was a trap. A trap for Fujin. Danzo likely expected him to steal credit. Even if he didn''t, the proposal would have made the n leaders see Fujin as a threat.


    However, Fujin didn''t steal the credit. Seeing his nature, that wasn''t surprising. There are a lot of things that he can take credit for but he instead prefers to keep them a secret. And thanks to the changes he made to Katsuhiro''s proposal, the n leaders don''t see it as much of a threat as they would have otherwise.


    Fujin avoided one trap due to his nature and nullified another due to his diligence. That''s a relief! However, he is oblivious to these schemes.


    For Danzo to do something like this, it''ll only mean one thing. He wants to rece Fujin with Katsuhiro on the council. If my guess is right, he will now try to give the credit for the proposal to Katsuhiro, making the ninjas grateful to him instead of Fujin. That might give him just enough capital to threaten Fujin''s seat. Hmph, I''ll strike first. Let me see what you''ll try then, Danzo!''


    Even though Hiruzen''s guesses were urate, he didn''t know that Danzo had stopped supporting Katsuhiro after the incident as he wouldn''t be able to use the council to make aeback. Katsuhiro was nning on progressing the n by himself.


    As a result, Katsuhiro would soon find himselfpeting against a Hiruzen who thought that he was facing Danzo! Not to mention, Fujin was unaware of the fact that Hiruzen had connected the dots. Nor was he aware of whether Danzo was still helping Katsuhiro or not. Hence, he had his own ns which he would be putting into motion very soon after the meeting ended.


    Katsuhiro, who had just spent two miserable months being forced to correct the proposal again and again, was unaware of the misery that still awaited him.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 590: Reward Fujin?

    Chapter 590: Reward Fujin?


    The council went through the proposal carefully, inspecting every single point and seeing whether they could find any ws or any scope for improvements that might help them dy the proposal a bit. Unfortunately for them, there were no ws and making any improvements would require a lot of time to ponder. It wasn''t something they coulde up with on the spot.


    In around an hour, everyone had gone through the proposal a couple of times. Seeing that everyone was done reading, Hiruzen asked, "Does anyone have anything to add to it?"


    No one said anything. Hiruzen looked around once before saying, "In that case, let''s put it to vote. All those in favor, raise your hands."


    After Danzo was removed from the Council, the number of people in the Council had gone back to 16, as it was before Fujin became a part of the council. It meant that if there was a tie, Hiruzen would get an additional vote for the tiebreaker. In addition, the n Leaders only had 7 out of the 16 seats, meaning that they were in the minority. 9 votes would be needed to fail the proposal.


    As the one who put forth the proposal, Fujin raised his hand. Hiruzen raised his hand as well as the idea was extremely beneficial for the vige no matter how he looked at it. Koharu and Homura supported it for the same reason and raised their hands.


    Apart from these 4, there were 5 civilian council members. Each of them was bitter that Fujin had taken away a chance to earn millions from them. However, the proposal was for the benefit of the civilian poption as even the ones who weren''t ninjas wanted their children to be one. If they dared to vote against it, they would be booted out of the council within days. None of them dared to risk that and all 5 raised their hands.


    Among the n leaders, Senju Hiromasa was the first one to raise his hand. In fact, he was even quicker than the Elders and raised it alongside Fujin and Hiruzen. He was the only n leader who didn''t have any reservations about Fujin''s proposal and would have wholeheartedly lobbied for it if Fujin didn''t have enough support.


    Shikaku and Choza didn''t particrly care much about the proposal and raised their hands as well. The remaining 4 n leaders had reservations, but seeing that voting against them would be pointless, they raised their hands as well. As a result, Fujin''s first official proposal was unanimously passed!


    Hiruzen smiled and said, "A unanimous vote after a long time. I suppose that shows how important the Guidance Hall will be for our vige. Great work, Fujin. I''m d that we decided to induct you into the council." Fujin nodded whilementing, ''Of course you are, you old fox. What''s the use of words? Just ask me what reward I would like!''


    Since joining the council, Fujin had gotten rid of Danzo''s influence and gave two ways to strengthen our vige. He also gave a nice little boost to the vige''s finances and economy. Any leader would be pleased.


    Unfortunately for Fujin, Hiruzen had be too smart to say anything in regards to that. He turned his eyes back to the council and said, "I have checked thend deeds as well. They are properly documented and priced. I will sign them now. The construction of the Guidance Hall will begin immediately. The funds will be assigned within a couple of days and this project will be given the highest priority."


    Everyone agreed. Hiruzen signed thend deeds. Since no one had any other proposal, the meeting finally ended and everyone dispersed.


    Hiruzen returned to his office. Even though he had signed the papers, he still had some work to do, such as actually paying the ones who were selling thend. He quickly got to work and dispatched his subordinates to bring them to the office while he ran the numbers.


    After analyzing everything, a smile appeared on Hiruzen''s face. He thought, ''The vige will need to spend around 60 million Ryo to purchase thend. Building the hall and some surrounding infrastructure will require another 40 to 50 million Ryo.


    However, the vige will earn at least 300 million Ryo by reselling thends at the appropriate time. If I want to be aggressive and time them appropriately, then it could even exceed 1.2 billion Ryo.


    That said, there is no need to do so. It''s more beneficial for the vige to focus on economic activity. In time, the returns would be much higher due to that. Not to mention, the people will be more happy.''


    Hiruzen let out a sigh of satisfaction while thinking, ''I didn''t think that greedy brat would give me such a nice gift. I was almost tempted to let him choose a reward¡­


    Thankfully, I managed to resist the urge after remembering what happened every time I said those words. Considering his current level, he''ll likely directly ask for the Scroll of the Forbidden Seals.


    However, it is better if he doesn''te into contact with hical jutsus just yet. I don''t want to repeat the same mistake I made with Orochimaru. I''ll wait till Fujin matures sufficiently before allowing him ess to jutsus like Edo Tensei. It''ll ensure that he doesn''t get influenced by them at a young age.''


    While Hiruzen had been quite liberal in teaching Fujin jutsus so far, he was adamant against teaching Fujin any jutsus that could lead him down the dark path. He decided to wait until a few wars took ce and see how the wars would impact his personality before deciding whether to allow him ess to such jutsus.


    Hiruzen thought, ''Even though I can''t reward him directly, it doesn''t mean that I can''t do anything for him.''


    A clone appeared next to Hiruzen and immediately disappeared from the office. He entered the Anbu Headquarters under the office and entered Eagle''s office. Eagle was surprised to see his father so suddenly and asked, "Did something happen?"


    Hiruzen''s clone answered, "Well, nothing very serious. Anyway, listen carefully."


    Hiruzen''s clone informed him about the Guidance Hall proposal that Fujin had proposed and exined to them all its features and advantages. Eagle was surprised to hear everything.


    He said, "I never have heard of anything like this. This will be very helpful to the vige. Even beyond increasing the strength of the youngsters, it''ll also improve the rtionship between the younger and the older generation. The benefits will be endless."


    Hiruzen''s clone nodded and said, "I know. That is why the proposal was epted unanimously. However, there is a hidden y. I need you to take care of it."


    Eagle''s expression became peculiar upon hearing that Hiruzen wanted to suppress Katsuhiro from whom the idea had originated. He became serious after hearing a possible link between him and Danzo and what Hiruzen spected was Danzo''s n to rece Fujin with Katsuhiro.


    He sighed and said, "Elder Danzo never gives up, does he? I understand. I''ll ensure that the vige knows the ''truth''!"


    Hiruzen''s clone smiled and said, "Good. I''ll leave it to you."


    He dispelled himself. Eagle immediately got to work. He summoned some of his most trusted subordinates and informed them about the situation. A few minutester, a couple of dozen Anbu ninjas exited the base and mixed into themon people under disguise.


    As Hiruzen had expected, Katsuhiro was doing the same. Right after the meeting ended, he met up with one of the civilian council members and asked him about the details of the meeting.


    The council member looked at him peculiarly while wondering why he was so enthusiastic about the meeting and the proposal. Even though Fujin had given him the credit for the idea, he had also said a lot of other things¡­


    Even so, he informed Katsuhiro about everything that had happened. His expression became ugly after hearing how Fujin described his proposal! He almost vomited blood when he heard that Fujin worked hard for a couple of weeks to correct his proposal. His rage increased his blood pressure once again!


    Even so, he was surprised when he heard about the changes Fujin had made to the proposal. Especially the financial aspect, it was something he hadpletely overlooked.


    He thought, ''I underestimated this boy. Even though the basic idea of Guidance Hall came from Danzo, the number of changes he has made almost makes this look like a new proposal. Even though he mentioned my name, he will get the main credit. How did he even do all this in just 2 days? Was he just messing with me?''


    He shook his head and decided, ''It doesn''t matter. I will make him pay. Even if the council gives you credit, what matters is what the people think! Even though opening the Guidance Hall to the ns increased its chances of being epted, it also gives me a weapon against you! I''llpletely ruin your reputation! That would put enough pressure on the Hokage and the Council to appoint me to the council!''


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 591: The Power of Words!

    Chapter 591: The Power of Words!


    Katsuhiro left the Council Member''s house and got to work. He created 8 Shadow Clones who used Transformation jutsu and mixed with the public to improve his reputation while ruining Fujin''s reputation.


    His clones got into action a few minutes before Eagle dispatched the Anbu ninjas. What neither Katsuhiro nor Hiruzen knew was that Fujin was the very first one to act! Not even 5 minutes had passed since the meeting ended when Fujin created and dispatched 20 Shadow Clones! They had begun spreading the rumors long before Hiruzen or Katsuhiro made their moves!


    A few Anbu entered the marketce while disguised as old men. They began buying some groceries before a couple of them ''identally'' ran into each other. They enthusiastically greeted each other before one of them said, "Did you hear what happened in today''s Council Meeting?"


    Though the Anbu wasn''t too loud, his words were clearly heard by everyone nearby. They became curious as the Council Meeting included the most influential people in the vige and generally made all the big decisions.


    The other Anbu asked curiously, "I didn''t. What happened? And why are you so happy?"


    The first Anbu said, "You won''t believe it. Suzuki Fujin, the youngest member of our Council, put forth a proposal to create a Guidance Hall inside the vige. In the Guidance Hall, youngsters will be able to get guidance from experienced ninjas when they try to learn a new jutsu. It''ll be a great help for the ninjas who are from a civilian background.


    My grandson became a ninja a few years ago. He used toin about how kids from the ns are stronger than him as their seniors help them while he is weaker because we can''t help him. Now, he will get the same help as them! You should tell it to your granddaughter as well. It''ll be very helpful for her as well!"


    The other Anbu eximed happily, "Wow! She''ll be jumping for joy on hearing this! She wasining about the same as well. I had some reservations when someone so young was selected to represent the civilian ninjas, but I now see why Lord Hokage chose him! To think that a 16-year-old youngster woulde up with something like this!"


    The people around them heard their words and were surprised. Some of them had children or rtives who were ninjas or aspired to be one. A couple of them were ninjas themselves. The first Anbu said, "Well, from what I heard, the basic idea hade from Katsuhiro. He is an Elite Jounin. However, his idea was very crude and unrealistic. It also excluded the n ninjas. The Council wouldn''t have epted such a proposal.


    Fujin worked day and night for a couple of months to make the proposal good enough. I heard that he hadn''t slept for days and looked very tired with giant bags under his eyes during the Council Meeting. However, he improved it so much that his proposal was epted unanimously by the Council! That hasn''t happened in years!"


    The second Anbu replied, "That''s even more impressive! Anyone cane up with ideas, but only a true leader can realize their potential and put them into action."


    The first Anbu agreed, "I know, right? I heard that he even argued against the Elders and the n Leaders to get the proposal epted immediately so that the civilian ninjas wouldn''t have to wait. We are lucky that the one selected to represent us can fight against such formidable people for us!"


    A third ''old man'' joined the conversation and eximed in surprise, "He confronted the n leaders and Elders for us? Damn! I wish I could hear that conversation. We are blessed to have such a leader!"


    Simr conversations were happening all throughout the vige. All the details of the proposal were leaked to the vige. They even mentioned how even the n ninjas would benefit, causing them to feel thankful towards Fujin as well. At the same time, they minimized Katsuhiro''s contribution to the proposal, almost making him look like Fujin''s subordinate.


    Of course, Fujin''s clones weren''t that polite. They openly demeaned Katsuhiro and his unrealistic proposal. Hiruzen didn''t do so because that would mean that others with good ideas wouldn''te forward. However, Fujin had no such qualms. Why would he increase his workload? As such, Katsuhiro''s reputation took a major dive wherever his clones passed through.


    Katsuhiro''s clones did the opposite and tried to improve his reputation while being brutal on Fujin. They used the fact that Fujin had also included n ninjas to say that Fujin wasn''t acting solely towards the benefit of the civilian ninjas and ruined Katsuhiro''s original proposal. Hence, he should be removed from the seat and his seat should be given to someone like Katsuhiro who thought only of the civilian ninjas.


    Even though he managed to influence a few people, they were in the minority as there were 5 times more people campaigning against him. When the people debated among themselves in their respective circles, they were quickly exined how the proposal wouldn''t have passed otherwise as n leaders would have opposed them. Even if it had passed, the n ninjas wouldn''t guide anyone in the Guidance Hall, which would be a lost opportunity.


    As such, even without Fujin and Hiruzen''s interference, the ones who were influenced by Katsuhiro''s clones changed their stance and gave credit to Fujin.


    When Katsuhiro heard about what themon people in Konoha were talking about, veins bulged and pulsed on his forehead, throbbing with every surge of anger! He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his palms, causing them to bleed. Hearing something like that after spending months on the proposal was just too torturous for him.


    He barely managed to control his rage and continued walking forward. He had barely taken a few steps ahead when two young ninjas passing by him talked among themselves.


    "Man! Fujin-san is so cool! He can even force the n leaders and Elders to support his proposal. Byparison, Katsuhiro is kind ofme. I don''t know why some people think that Fujin-san should have kept the n ninjas out of the proposal. After all, they fight with us as well. Katsuhiro was stupid to suggest that."


    The two of them were just normal Chunins. Neither of them intended to rile up Katsuhiro. In fact, they hadn''t even seen him and didn''t even know what he looked like. Even so, their words caused Katsuhiro''s blood pressure to rise so much that he vomited blood and fell unconscious in the middle of the road!


    Hearing a thud, several people looked towards him. They immediately rushed to help him out. Luckily, the crowd had a medical ninja who immediately stepped forward. She identified and inspected him. The medical ninja was first worried as an Elite Jounin had fallen unconscious in the middle of the road! She was afraid that a formidable enemy had infiltrated into the vige once again.


    However, a peculiar expression appeared on her face after she inspected Katsuhiro. She thought, ''This is so weird¡­ There isn''t a single wound on his body. It doesn''t seem like he was poisoned either. However, his blood pressure is abnormally high! Did he fall unconscious due to high blood pressure? Can Elite Jounins even suffer from blood pressure?''


    She suppressed her curiosity and immediately took Katsuhiro to the hospital. While Katsuhiro was being treated in the hospital, Yamanaka Fu entered Danzo''s office and said, "We received a scroll from Tiger."


    He handed Danzo the scroll. Danzo opened it and a peculiar expression appeared on his face. He thought, ''So they finally put forth the proposal¡­ However, the proposal has been modified almost entirely. It won''t offend the ns much, something my proposal was intended to do. Even though Fujin didn''t steal the credit for the idea from Katsuhiro, he ended up stealing all the credit without putting himself at risk¡­''


    Danzo analyzed for a few seconds before concluding, ''This looks like Hiruzen''s work. Even though the boy is smart and suspicious, he shouldn''t be able to make the proposal this good. Especially the financial aspect, it was something I intended to exploit while using Katsuhiro. If he did, he wouldn''t have foolishly given all the benefits to the vige. That is something only Hiruzen would do.


    Fujin must have approached Hiruzen at some point and talked about this proposal. Hiruzen saw through my scheme as Katsuhiro kept visiting me even when Hiruzen had increased the surveince around mybs. The modifications should be a result of that. Sigh, Katsuhiro turned out to be aplete disappointment.''


    Danzo burned the scroll and stopped thinking about it. Without being in the council, there wasn''t much he could do. Not to mention, Hiruzen had been watching him like a hawk. He was worried that Hiruzen might actually carry out his threat if he tried to interfere. More than half of his base was still missing due to the ridiculous Lightning attack. He didn''t want to see what was left being burned down by an unstoppable fire.


    With Katsuhiro hospitalized and Danzo staying out of the matter, Fujin''s clones and the Anbu spread the rumors unrestricted for a couple of days until the rumors began spreading by themselves. Hiruzen allotted the budget for the Guidance Hall and its construction officially began. After hearing about Katsuhiro, he also made an official announcement, giving Katsuhiro some credit but giving Fujin most of the credit for the proposal.


    Fujin continued with his training while guiding his students. A couple more days passed. In the Land of Wave, team 7 readied themselves to face Zabuza once again. Meanwhile, Fujin had an unexpected visitor. He opened the door and said, "It''s been a while, Hoka. Come in."


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 Chapter 592 - 586 : Hoka’s Worry!

    <h4>Chapter 592: Chapter 586 : Hoka''s Worry!</h4>


    [A/N : Hey guys. This chapter is Sponsored by Terrance Smith. You can thank him for the double release.]


    Hoka entered Fujin''s house while saying, "Yeah, it really has been a while. It''s been over 6 months since ourst get-together. Our get-togethers have been getting less frequenttely."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Yeah, though it''s not exactly a surprise. All of us get missions constantly from the vige. Sensei was sent to the southern base on the border of the Land of Tea a couple of months ago. Who knows when he''ll return."


    Hoka looked at Fujin and asked, "You didn''t hear? Sensei was recalled a few days ago. He''s back in the vige."


    Fujin showed slight surprise and said, "Eh? Really?"


    Hoka nodded and answered, "Yes. A lot of the Jounins who were deployed along the borders were recalled. Sensei was one of them."


    Fujin thought for a bit before realizing, ''Ah, I see. Hiruzen and Shikaku must be worried about a possible Suna surprise attack on our borders. They probably recalled the Jounins and above to ensure that higher-levelbat capabilities wouldn''t be impacted.


    It''ll also allow us to mount a swifter and more powerful counterattack. In addition, they''ll also be able to help out if Suna attacks during the Chunin exams. I guess Shikaku made this move.''


    Hoka entered the circr room, where they used to hang around whenever they visited Fujin''s house and asked with a chuckle, "Do you still keep snacks?"


    Fujin asked in a deadpan tone, "You still eat snacks like a kid?"


    Hoka awkwardlyined, "Hey, we are still just 16! Don''t treat us like old men!"


    Fujin chuckled and replied, "Well, if you behave that way, it makes it hard to think of you as anything but a kid. Hahaha."


    Fujin broke intoughter. Hoka sighed and sat down on the sofa while muttering, "It looks like your sense of humor hasn''t improved much."


    Fujin replied with a grin, "You can''t improve something that is already perfect. Anyway, snacks are still in their usual ce. Treat yourself."


    Hoka raised an eyebrow and said sarcastically, "I thought you said that only kids eat them."


    Fujin nodded and replied, "Yup, my students eat them. They are still kids. Didn''t think you''d still be into it, but I suppose there isn''t a reason for me to say no."


    Hoka was surprised. He grabbed a packet of chips while asking, "You have students?"


    Fujin nodded and grabbed a packet as well, showing that he was just messing with Hoka. He informed him about the 5 orphans he was guiding. Of course, he left out the part of them having Kekkei Genkai or them being from Kiri. He also mentioned Naruto.


    Hoka said, "That''s interesting. I didn''t think Lord Hokage would give you so much responsibility. Still, that sounds cool. I came across a genius in my n as well. His name is Neji."


    Fujin was surprised to hear Hoka mention him. He replied, "Ah, Guy''s student. I have seen him a few times as well. Guy was praising his talent as well..."


    The two chatted for a while, catching up on each other''s progress. After around half an hour, both sat silently. Fujin could see that Hoka wanted to talk about something, but was hesitating for some reason. He decided to give him time to gather his thoughts.


    After some time of indecision, Hoka sighed and said, "Actually, I have a reason for visiting you. I need your help. However, it is a veryplicated and sensitive matter. I''m not sure if I should involve you."


    Fujin replied, "I can see that. Anyway, what''s the matter? As long as it is a secret that can''t be said, there is no reason to hesitate. If the request is too much, I''ll just say no."


    Fujin shrugged as he finished speaking. Hoka replied, "Well, it isn''t exactly a secret. That said, I''ll want you to keep what I say next between us two only. Even sensei shouldn''t know about it."


    Fujin nodded and replied, "Sure. What''s the issue?"


    Hoka sighed and removed his Konoha headband, disying his Caged Bird Seal to Fujin. Fujin immediately realized, ''So he''se for that? Sigh, this is a troublesome matter...''


    As Fujin expected, Hoka said, "I haven''t disyed my full power for some time. If I did, I''m sure I would be considered an Elite Jounin for sure. Even Lord Hokage might promote me. However, I''m worried that the main family will see a 16-year-old Elite Jounin as a threat.


    If they do, then they might kill me without even allowing me an opportunity to defend myself. This danger will amplify even more if I be a rank S ninja.


    I came to you since you are a Grandmaster in Fuinjutsu. Can you remove this curse seal?"


    Fujin went silent. His expression became very serious. He had only casually mentioned that he would say no if the request was too much. He didn''t expect Hoka to put forth such a request.


    After analyzing for a couple of minutes, Fujin asked, "Is that really such a danger? From what I know, the Hyuga main family has never used the Caged Bird Seal to kill anyone ever since the Konoha ninja was established. They only used it to kill the Hyuga ninjas who were captured alive by the enemy."


    What Fujin said was true. Even though the Caged Bird Seal existed and was a constant reminder to the Branch family that they couldn''t disobey the Main family, the Main family had never used to kill anyone casually. The most extreme cases would be the way Hiashi restricted Hizashi.


    Most Hyuga didn''t actually view it as a threat as much as Neji did. Neji had seen his father getting tortured by the seal at a very young age, which had created a significant impact on his young mind. It was amplified further after his father''s death. Hoka never had any such issues. Which is why Fujin hadn''t expected such a request.


    Hoka nodded and said, "That is true. However, I can''t be sure if they eliminated someone in the dark. After all, many geniuses from my n died during the previous Great Wars.


    Though it is possible that all were genuine casualties of the war, I just can''t help but think what if things aren''t as they look on the surface? That is why I am having thoughts of removing the seal."


    This time, Fujin didn''t try to convince Hoka against doing so. After all, Hoka''s concerns were valid. Had Fujin transmigrated into a Hyuga n member, he would have surely done everything he could to remove that seal.


    Even if the person who controlled the seal was kind, who would feelfortable with someone else being able to control their life and death? At least, Fujin wasn''t. If he couldn''t find a way to remove the seal, Fujin would have even thought of finding a way to eliminate everyone who could control the seal, making it useless. Even though Hoka had be concerned, his thoughts weren''t as radical and extreme as Fujin''s.


    Fujin replied, "I understand..."


    He looked into Hoka''s eyes and said, "That said, I hope you know that it might cause you to confront the Hyuga n. If Hiashi tries to use that Caged Bird Seal in the future and it doesn''t work, he''ll know that you have tampered with it.


    I''m not sure what would happen then as there is no precedent for this, but there will be a political fallout for sure. Not to mention, he can still target your parents to keep you in check."


    Hoka nodded and said, "I have thought of it. It worries me as well. It will have severe political consequences. That is why I approached you.


    If he is going to use it at some point in the future even if I don''t give him a reason to, then that''s all the more reason for me to get rid of the seal. Even if he wants to target my parents, he won''t dare to do so as long as I''m alive and stronger than him."


    A smile appeared on Fujin''s face as he realized the hidden meaning behind Hoka''s words. He chuckled and said, "I see. You want me to help you handle the political fallout that will happen if he discovers it. No wonder you approached me now. Looks like I was wrong in calling you a kid. Since when did you be so good at scheming?"


    A smile appeared on Hoka''s face as well. He said, "I didn''t expect that you''ll see through it at a nce. As expected of someone who was inducted into the council by Lord Hokage.


    You should leave your house some time and go and hear what everyone is saying about you. The entire vige is discussing you and the way you stood up to the Elders and the n Leaders."


    The reason why Hoka approached Fujin now and not earlier was because of how much reputation Fujin had gained in the past few days. The stories of his bravery and the rumors of the Spectral Swordsman were flowing all through the vige. Hence, even if Hiashi wanted to act against Hoka, he would have to consider Fujin''s reaction as the two were teammates. Hoka could use that as leverage toe to an understanding.


    Fujin looked at Hoka and thought, ''I guess I shouldn''t be surprised. As a ninja, having this level of deceit and cunning is to be expected. That said, I wonder what he would think if he knew that I was the one to spread those stories in the first ce...''


    Hoka asked again, "So, can you remove the seal?"


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    A/N: You can sponsor chapters through P@treon.

 Chapter 593: Suspicion!

    Chapter 593: Suspicion!


    "So, can you remove the seal?"


    Hearing Hoka''s question, Fujin became quiet once again. Hoka didn''t disturb him as he could see that Fujin was in deep thought. After a couple of minutes, disappointment appeared on Hoka''s face as Fujin shook his head.


    Fujin answered, "Don''t get me wrong. I''ll help you but don''t get your hopes too high. Even though I''m a Grandmaster in Fuinjutsu, I have be one very recently. Ick both experience and skill whenpared to the older Grandmasters.


    The Byakugan is something every vige covets. There is no doubt that other viges would have done everything they could to get their hands on it. Yet, there hasn''t been any instance where enemy Grandmasters lifted the Caged Bird Seal and stole the Byakugan.


    So, you are asking me to do something that the Grandmasters in Kumo, Kiri, Suna and Iwa haven''t been able to do for decades. In addition, there isn''t any record of the seal being cracked before the formation of the hidden viges either. It is a seal that hasn''t been cracked for centuries.


    More importantly, my priority will be ensuring that I don''t make a mistake that could cripple or kill you while removing the seal as it''ll be pointless if either of that happens. This makes the task even more difficult. So, I can''t guarantee that I''ll seed in removing the seal."


    Hoka sighed in relief on hearing Fujin''s words. He, of course, knew of the difficulty in doing so. So, he wasn''t worried whether Fujin would seed or not. He just hoped that Fujin would give it a try as that was the only way he could have some hope.


    He had already tried learning Fuinjutsu but had found it extremely difficult toprehend. Considering the sensitive nature of the task, he couldn''t risk approaching any other Grandmaster. So, Fujin was his only choice.


    He smiled and said, "Thank you, Fujin. I appreciate it! I know how difficult it is and I won''t pester you to keep working on it." Fujin nodded. That was what he wanted to hear. Hoka continued, "That said, I have one piece of information for you. There was someone who sessfully undid the seal and stole a Byakugan. It happened in Kiri. Their Elite Jounin Ao has one Byakugan."


    Fujin replied, "I know of him and even met him during a mission. However, his example isn''t something I can follow for you. After all, the Hyuga from whom they extracted the Byakugan is dead. And that''s not exactly an option for me, is it?"


    Hoka immediately had an awkward expression. He replied, "You are right."


    Fujin added, "Besides, there are too many things that aren''t clear in Ao''s case. Whatever method they used shouldn''t be foolproof. For starters, why did they take only a single eye? Were they unable to save the other or did something else happen?


    The anomaly that sticks out the most is why they haven''t tried it again. After all, they don''t care whether the Hyuga ninjas live or not. Why didn''t they harvest one eye from every Hyuga they captured? They could have imnted it into other ninjas like Ao and raised a strong unit. However, there isn''t a second case like Ao in Kiri¡­ Is there an issue?"


    A weird expression appeared on Hoka''s face as Fujin was talking. Hoka shook his head and answered, "Nothing. I just found it strange how casually you mentioned that. It''s as if Byakugan was amodity."


    Fujin shrugged and replied, "That''s all that the other viges think of it. You might find it offensive, but unfortunately, there is nothing we can do about it. Anyway, let me observe the Caged Bird Seal. Stay still."


    Hoka followed his instructions as Fujin''s eyes began glowing. As Fujin continued observing the Caged Bird Seal, a frown appeared on his face. He analyzed, ''I was expecting the seal to be somewhat like Danzo''s seal and my Phantom. That way, no one will be able to remove the seal without having ess to the right imprint. However, this is something else¡­''


    Fujin raised his arm, ced his right palm on Hoka''s Forehead and said, "If you feel any pain at all, inform me immediately. Don''t dy for even one second."


    Hoka replied, "Alright."


    Fujin gently inserted some chakra into Hoka''s head like one would while using the Mystical Palm. It was an application of Medical Ninjutsu to inspect internal injuries. As he inspected the seal, Fujin got a headache.


    He stopped inspecting and muttered, "This seal is crazy¡­ I haven''t seen anything like this before¡­"


    Hoka asked, "What do you mean?"


    Fujin replied, "The seal is connected with too many nerves in your head. If anyone messes with it, it''ll activate immediately, killing you and destroying your eyes in the blink of an eye. Don''t allow anyone else to inspect and work on your seal. If even a slight mistake happens, it can be deadly."


    Sweat appeared on Hoka''s face as he realized how deadly the seal was. His expression became grim. Fujin thought, ''Even though my and Danzo''s seals have a simr feature, our seals are connected to just a couple of important nerves, allowing us to do the job.


    However, the Caged Bird Seal is at an entirely different level. Which lunatic created a seal that could connect with so many nerves? The more nerves the seal affects, the moreplicated the seal is. A minute mistake could result in death. I wonder how many died while they were experimenting to create the seal¡­


    No wonder no one could remove this seal without destroying the eyes. The one who got Ao the Byakugan might have been extremely lucky.


    Still, whoever was the lunatic who created the seal, he should be a genius. This seal might be of the same level as the ones used by Jashins¡­''


    Suddenly, Fujin''s eyes widened temporarily as he wondered, ''Wait a minute. Lunatics¡­ High level of Fuinjutsu¡­ Sacrifices¡­ Don''t tell me the Hyuga who created this seal was a follower of Jashin¡­ With the help of a Bishop, creating such a seal isn''t an impossibility.


    After all, if Hyuga had such high expertise in Fuinjutsu, it doesn''t make sense for them to not be known for Fuinjutsu like the Uzumaki n. Why did all their advancement stop with the Caged Bird Seal?''


    Hoka noticed Fujin''s eyes widening momentarily and his expression bing even more serious. He nervously asked, "Did you discover a problem?"


    Fujin answered, "Yeah, but it isn''t something that''ll help you. I was just wondering how the Hyuga n came up with such a seal. This seal is too advanced and is probably the mostplicated seal in Konoha. And we are currently the most advanced vige in terms of Fuinjutsu.


    If the Hyuga n could create a seal like the Caged Bird Seal centuries ago, you guys should have been well-known for your Fuinjutsu prowess as well. However, I don''t think I have ever heard anyone talking about Hyuga''s Fuinjutsu prowess even once. Don''t you find that odd?"


    Hoka thought for a bit and nodded. He said, "Now that I think about it, Hiashi-sama isn''t a Grandmaster in Fuinjutsu. We do have one Grandmaster in Fuinjutsu, but he is from the Branch family. And, he still has the Caged Bird Seal on him. Do you think something fishy had happened?"


    Fujin nodded and replied, "Yeah. Unfortunately, it happened way too far in history. Any records rted to it would have long been destroyed by the Main family. In fact, I doubt Hiashi even knows anything about the seal apart from how to apply it and how to trigger it. If he was creating it from scratch or could remove it, he''d be a Grandmaster as well."


    Hoka agreed with Fujin''s analysis. As much as he wanted to go back to the past and kill the one who created the seal, he knew it was impossible. Besides, the seal was very useful during the warring era. Without it, there was a chance that the Hyuga n would have been wiped out.


    He asked, "So, what are the chances of removing this seal?"


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 Chapter 594 - 588 : Medical Ninjutsu

    <h4>Chapter 594: Chapter 588 : Medical Ninjutsu</h4>


    Fujin answered, "I won''t lie to you. It is very difficult. Most Grandmasters will be stumped on how to handle the seal. And that''s just the first problem. See this..."


    Fujin grabbed a scroll and a pen and ced it on the table. He began drawing the Caged Bird Seal. Hoka was surprised when Fujin began drawing how the seal connected to the nerves in his head.


    Fujin said, "It is just a rough drawing. I''m not that good at biology yet, but you should get the basic idea. In order to remove the seal, the person attempting it should be both a Grandmaster in Fuinjutsu and a top-tier Medical Ninja to ensure that there isn''t a single mess up. I suppose that should give you an idea."


    Hoka replied dejectedly, "That''s almost impossible. Does that mean only someone like Lady Tsunade can have a chance?"


    Fujin nodded while thinking, ''And Orochimaru, though he isn''t an option either.''


    Hoka continued, "But she hasn''t been in the vige for over a decade. Not to mention, she might report me to Hiashi-sama instead of helping me. I can''t risk asking her."


    Fujin chuckled and said, "Pretty much. Fortunately, you are in luck."


    Hoka asked in confusion, "What do you mean?"


    Fujin replied, "I was nning to pursue medical ninjutsu more seriously. If you had arrived a couple of dayster, you might not have been able to find me here at this time of the day."


    Hoka was surprised. This time, it was a pleasant surprise. He was about to express his joy when he suddenly stopped and became serious once again. He said, "Fujin, are you telling the truth or are you nning to pursue it just to help me?


    If it''s thetter, then you don''t need to do it. You are already busy with the council duties along with missions. And your skills are already too varied with you focusing on Ninjutsu, Taijutsu and Fuinjutsu. Focusing on something asplicated as Medical Ninjutsu while trying to work on my seal will eat into too much of your time. It''ll burden you too much."


    Fujin raised his eyebrow and asked, "Since when did you be so thoughtful? That said, you don''t need to worry. I won''t exactly be wasting time while working on your seal. In Fuinjutsu, bing a Grandmaster is the highest you can achieve.


    However, no Grandmaster is satisfied by it. We want to reach the level beyond irrespective of whether it exists or not. Researching that seal might help me take a few steps forward.


    As for medical Ninjutsu, as I said, I intended to learn it either way. It is rted to one of the jutsus I learnt recently. It was actually my first thought when you asked for my help. However, seeing howplex the seal is, it wouldn''t work."


    Hoka became curious. He asked, "Which jutsu could have been helpful?"


    Fujin replied, "Spirit Transformation jutsu."


    Unlike the Flying Thunder God, Fujin didn''t intend to keep this technique a secret. In fact, he had already used it in the T&I department and front of Takeshi. So, it was only a matter of time before others knew of it as well.


    Hoka asked, "What jutsu is that?"


    With a deadpan expression, Fujin asked, "Seriously? Even my 9-year-old student knew about it!"


    Hoka blushed in embarrassment and asked, "Well, what does it do?"


    Fujin sighed and answered, "It allows you to control your soul and fly around as a spirit. I can use it to remove your soul from your body, which would keep your soul safe even if the seal is activated.


    Unfortunately, the seal is very thorough. If your soul leaves your body, the seal will trigger and destroy your eyes and your brain. So even though your soul will be safe, your body will be dead. Without a body, you''ll die pretty soon as well."


    Hoka was surprised to hear that such a magical Ninjutsu existed and that Fujin knew it. However, understanding that it won''t be of much use to him decreased his interest in it.


    He said, "That sounds like a great jutsu. A shame that it won''t help me."


    He sighed before a determined expression appeared on his face. He said, "Thank you, Fujin. I''m not sure what I would have done without your help."


    Fujin waved his hand dismissively and said, "It''s fine. Don''t worry about it. Just don''t do anything stupid until I am able to remove the seal. Umm, on second thought, don''t do anything stupid even if I seed in removing the seal."


    A smile appeared on Hoka''s face. He asked, "Is there anything I can do to help?"


    Fujin shook his head and said, "It''d be helpful if you were a Grandmaster as well or an expert in Medical Ninjutsu. However, that will need years or even decades assuming you have some talent in it. Just keep doing what you are, keep your strength hidden and be stronger without letting anyone know about it.


    If possible, show interest in the history of your n but make it seem natural and don''t attract any suspicion. If you can find out anything about how the seal was created, then it could be helpful for me.


    However, ensure that you don''t fall into any trap. Take several months to establish that you have a newfound interest in it and only then slowly approach any centuries-old records."


    Hoka nodded and said, "Don''t worry, I''ll be careful."


    The two chatted for some more time about lighter things before Hoka got up to leave. Fujin said, "If you are forced to reveal your strength and notice some strangeness in Hiashi''s behavior, start hanging more around me.


    Though my reputation is quite high, it isn''t high enough to interfere in the Hyuga n''s internal matters yet. However, he''ll have some reservations to act against you if he feels that I will investigate your death."


    Hoka nodded and said, "I will. Good luck with Medical Ninjutsu."


    He left. Fujin saw him leaving and thought, ''Well, if he does, I can dump the kids'' Taijutsu training on him. Though they are weak right now, training Taijutsu with a clone will be difficult as their strength increases. It''ll also teach them how to fight while hiding their Kekkei Genkai.''


    Fujin stopped thinking about it and left his house as well. He flickered a few times and reached the Konoha hospital. Ameki, who was working at the reception desk as usual, was startled as Fujin suddenly appeared in front of her and asked, "Is Yamanaka Yoshi or Isamu in the hospital?"


    She immediately recognized Fujin and replied, "Yes, they must be in their office. They don''t have any serious cases assigned."


    Fujin thanked her and disappeared once again. She sighed and muttered to herself, ''That''s cool. I didn''t think he''d be a Council Member when he came here to study Mystical Palm jutsu...''


    Yoshi was enjoying his tea when he suddenly felt a presence behind him. He immediately became alert and turned around. His eyes immediatelynded on Fujin. Heined, "Stop startling me every time you show up. I almost spilled my tea!"


    Fujin asked in a deadpan tone, "I arrived as quietly as I could. Why are you getting startled?"


    Yoshi said in annoyance, "That''s what startles everyone. Stop flickering in the hospital. Anyway, why are you here?"


    Fujin sighed and said, "I was here to ept your offer. I expected you to be a bit more excited. I guess I''ll ask Lord Hokage to arrange for someone else to guide me."


    Yoshi''s eyes widened. He cursed, "You brat! After making me beg for years, you think I''ll allow you to just run to someone else! Hmph, as if I''ll let you!"


    Fujin''s left eyebrow twitched as he asked, "Are you angry or happy? Make up your mind?"


    Even though it seemed like Yoshi was scolding Fujin, a smile could be seen on his face. He replied, "Who said humans can''t feel both emotions at the same time?"


    Ever since he had taught Mystical Palm jutsu to Fujin, Yoshi had always pestered him to pursue Medical Ninjutsu. Even though Hiruzen had said that Fujin wasn''t as talented as he thought and exined that Fujin could master the Mystical Palm jutsu so quickly because he was good at Yin & Yang Release, it didn''t change Yoshi''s mind as that was equally good.


    However, Fujin never agreed to his pestering as he had an extremely busy schedule and couldn''t divide his time any further. As a result, all of Yoshi''s attempts were futile.


    He had almost given up when Fujin suddenly showed up today. He couldn''t help but ask, "By the way, why did you suddenly change your mind?"


    Fujin tilted his head and asked, "When did I change my mind? I told you that I was too busy with other stuff. My schedule opened up just a few days ago."


    Yoshi looked at Fujin with an unconvinced expression and wondered, ''Was he really telling the truth? Oh well, it doesn''t matter. He''s still 16. That''s not too old to start learning Medical Ninjutsu. I just hope that he doesn''t get discouraged by the amount of books he''ll have to memorize. Young ninjas don''t like to do boring things like that.''


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    ()

 Chapter 595: Chakra Pathways

    Chapter 595: Chakra Pathways


    Yoshi finished his cup of tea and got up. He said, "I hope you know that you''ll have to memorize a lot of books in order to learn Medical Ninjutsu."


    Fujin sighed and answered, "Yes. That was a big reason why I didn''t try to do it when I was busy."


    Yoshi nodded and said, "Alright. Come with me."


    He led Fujin to the library inside the Hospital while saying, "I''ll personally guide you to ensure that you get the best guidance and be a very capable Medical Ninja. In addition, I''ll ask Isamu and a few other experienced Medical Nins to guide you as well in some aspects."


    Fujin nodded. He had expected as much considering how much Yoshi had pestered him. They reached the library. Yoshi immediately grabbed half a dozen thick books, ced them on the table in front of Fujin and said, "These books have the basics of the human body. Even though we taught you a bit while teaching you the Mystical Palm jutsu, you''ll be learning everything in far more depth."


    Fujin looked at the books and asked, "It''s cool if I take them and any other books in the library with me, right?"


    Yoshi nodded and said, "You should. I''ll discuss with Isamu toe up with a schedule for you."


    Fujin nodded while thinking, ''Good luck trying to stick to any schedule.'' He said, "Alright. I''ll see youter then."


    Yoshi nodded and said, "Juste find me in my office. If I''m not here, you can visit my home as well." Fujin smiled and said, "I will."


    Yoshi felt that Fujin''s smile was slightly strange, but he didn''t think much of it. The pitiful old man waspletely unaware of how crazy the next couple of months would be for him. Unfortunately, he didn''t have the same experience as Hiruzen, or he would have raised his guard several times! He left the library to share the good news with Isamu.


    Meanwhile, Fujin stayed in the Library and grabbed 6 more sets of those books and stored them in a storage scroll before returning to his home.


    In his basement, 72 Shadow clones were working on a new seal. He immediately said, "Other the ones who are close to a breakthrough, dispel yourselves."


    70 Shadow Clones dispersed themselves. Fujin nned, ''I can''t stop working on the seal. It is far more important than Medical Ninjutsu. However, there is no need to have too many clones working on the seal as that is rather redundant.


    I''ll have 30 clones work on the seal and have 42 go through the medical books. That won''t leave me with much chakra, but I guess I can still continue experimenting with fusing the Fire and Wind elements. If I run low on chakra, then I will focus on physical training.''


    Having made his decision, Fujin created Shadow Clones and assigned them the work. The clones working on the seal continued as usual.


    As for the ones reading the medical books, they had additional tasks. The first was obviously to get the knowledge. The second was to recreate the books through his own understanding.


    Fujin nned to ce the books he wrote in the library of the Phantom Haven Society. The main reason why Fujin created that organization was information. Now, his second goal was to make the organization extremely advanced in Medical Ninjutsu. Unlike what every member of the Phantom Haven Society thought, Fujin had no interest in their individual strengths for the time being.


    Of course, creating a team that was excellent at medical ninjutsu and good at research was easier said than done and would take a long time. Luckily, Fujin wasn''t bothered by the time required as he knew that he had no hopes of creating a good Medic unit before the Fourth Great Ninja War.


    Fujin got busy with his new schedule. In the Land of Wave, Team 7 faced Zabuza and Haku. Even though Naruto had learnt the Great Breakthrough jutsu and other Wind jutsus and was quite creative with them, they weren''t at a high enough level to make much of an impact against Haku''s Ice Kekkei Genkai.


    In the end, Sasuke got heavily injured, resulting in Naruto releasing Kurama''s chakra for the first time and defeating Haku. He still was unable to kill Haku, who sacrificed his life to save Zabuza and give him a chance. Unfortunately, even with that opening, Zabuza wasn''t a match for Kakashi and was defeated almost immediately following Haku''s death.


    Like in the original story, he killed Gato for disrespecting Haku''s dead body, before joining Haku in the afterlife. Team 7 waited for another week for the bridge to bepleted before starting their return journey.


    During this time, Fujin''s clones were done with the 6 books. Not only that, they had written 6 books of their own based on their understanding of the knowledge in the books.


    Fujin stored the books from the library back in the scroll while storing the books he had written in a different scroll. As he did so, he thought with a sigh, ''Biology is as tedious to learn as I remember. This won''t be fun like Fuinjutsu¡­


    That said, it isn''t something I should skip. I was reluctant to study this due to how difficult it would be, but just these 6 books taught me so much about human biology. Even though the basic human body in this world is quite simr, the existence of the chakrawork brings about a qualitative change. Of course, it also makes biology even moreplicated.


    There is an entirely different branch of biology that focuses just on chakra pathways. Just like the blood vessels in our body, the chakrawork is enmeshed within the body, connecting to each and every cell.


    Apart from the ones who have weird biologies, the chakra in every ninja''s body travels through these chakra pathways. It''s eerily simr to the meridians in the cultivation novels I read in my previous world¡­


    Almost makes me wonder if the chakra pathways can be strengthened or widened to increase the quantity of chakra in my body or to allow me to use it more freely¡­''


    Fujin stored the scrolls while thinking. After a couple of minutes, he chuckled, ''I shouldn''t count on something like that. There isn''t any known record of someone doing something like this. Even though Tsunade could store her chakra, she did it with the help of Fuinjutsu and not with just her medical knowledge. So, I''ll be starting entirely new research. Who knows how many decades of work will be needed toplete it?


    Besides, even though there are simrities, they end with the chakra pathways. Unlike the power system in cultivation novels, there is no such thing as a Dantian in this world. And, even though everyone speaks about chakra reserves, there aren''t any chakra storage tanks or reservoirs in our body as chakra isn''t exactly stored in the body in the form of chakra.


    Instead, it is continuously produced by the body depending on the person''s needs. And this is done with the help of the chakrawork as well. Since the chakrawork is connected with each and every cell in the body, it is able to draw out the physical energy in each cell.


    It transfers this physical energy and spiritual energy to the organs inside our body. These organs, along with doing their normal functions, are also responsible forbining physical and spiritual energy into chakra.


    Under normal circumstances, the amount of physical energy that gets drawn out is very negligible. When a ninja tries to use chakra for something, only then does it extract more physical and spiritual energy. This is also the reason why exhausting all chakra results ina or death. It is because all the physical energy in the ninja''s body is consumed.


    In addition, if the chakra is created but the ninja decides against using it, which happens quite frequently with the Shadow Clones, the chakra just gets converted back into physical and spiritual energy with negligible losses for creating and deconstructing the chakra.


    This nature of chakra is also why the amount of chakra in a ninja''s body is directly rted to his physical energy and spiritual energy. Even if one iscking, then the amount of chakra they can create will be severely restricted.


    Of course, that is unless one is born with a special physique, like the Uzumakis, or have their physiques tempered by the Tailed Beasts sealed inside them or other methods. In those cases, the physical and spiritual energy of the ninjas improves at a rapid rate.


    So, even if I manage to widen or strengthen my chakra pathways, it won''t help me to increase my chakra reserves. Instead, the only advantage might be that they will be able to extract physical energy fractions of seconds quicker and supercharge my jutsus more quickly¡­


    Hmm, on second thought, that''s not a bad buff at all. Especially while dealing with ninjas who move too quickly. Perhaps I''ll ask Phantom Haven''s future research team to work on this after all¡­''


    Fujin stretched his body and muttered to himself, ''Regardless, learning medical ninjutsu will likely bring me some surprises. Though it might not be very useful before the Fourth Great Ninja War, it might be the most important thing for me once I be old.


    There is no harm in working on it for a few months and building a good base right now. It''ll also help me create a bond with Tsunade rather easily. Even if that doesn''t happen, I can just bribe her to teach me the stuff that is beyond Yoshi. Now then, I hope Yoshi has created a good training n for me and got a lot of good help.''


    With a smirk on his face, Fujin disappeared from his house.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 596: Headaches

    Chapter 596: Headaches


    Sitting in his office inside Konoha''s hospital, Yoshi grumbled, "Where is that insensitive kid? He came to me to ask for guidance but hasn''t shown up for a week!"


    Isamu sighed and said, "I told you that you shouldn''t have started by giving the books. That bores anyone who wants to learn Medical Ninjutsu and they be reluctant to continue learning."


    However, Yoshi argued back, "And I already said that if someone can''t read 6 books, then they have no business in being a Medical Ninja! They''ll need to read dozens of books and thousands of papers to be an eptable Medical Ninja."


    Isamu sighed again and said, "It''s about generating interest, Yoshi sensei. Once we generate enough interest, they can read even a hundred books to satisfy their curiosity. If not¡­"


    "What curiosity?"


    Isamu was stunned and immediately turned around. He hadn''t sensed anyone approaching him from the back. Fortunately for Yoshi, he was looking at Isamu and hence noticed Fujin suddenly appearing behind Isamu.


    Isamu rxed slightly seeing that Fujin was the one behind him. Yet, he couldn''t help but curse, ''This brat! How the hell does he keep sneaking on me?''


    It was important to remember that even though they were Medical Ninjas, both Yoshi and Isamu were Jounins. They weren''t Special Jounins like many other Medical Ninjas who could get that rank due to their expertise in Medical Ninjutsu, but proper Jounins who couldpete equally against Jounins who fight on the frontlines.


    In addition, both had lived through two wars. So, they weren''tcking in experience or survival instincts. Yet, Fujin kept sneaking behind them sessfully. Fujin smiled and said, "It''s good to see you here, Isamu sensei. Yoshi sensei, shall we move to the next step?"


    Isamu grumbled, "Fujin, one of these days you are going to give me a heart attack."


    Fujin chuckled and replied, "Don''t worry, you''re still very young and healthy. If something does happen, I''ll quickly bring you to Yoshi sensei."


    ''...'' Isamu was left speechless. Yoshi ignored their interaction and asked in annoyance, "What next step? You didn''t show up for over a week after I gave you the books!"


    Fujin tilted his head and asked, "Didn''t you ask me to read and understand those books? It took me some time. Is a week too slow to understand them?"


    Yoshi and Isamu''s eyes widened. Yoshi said, "You were just supposed to read them. I would have taught the contents inside it to you. Also, did you go through the six books and understand them in a week?"


    Neither Isamu nor Yoshi believed Fujin''s words. Each of the six books he was given had over 2000 pages! It wasn''t something that could be read in a week, let alone understood. Yoshi had nned to teach everything inside those books to Fujin in 4 to 5 months!


    To their shock, Fujin nodded and said, "Yup, I just kept the books back in the library. What''s next?"


    Yoshi and Isamu were left speechless by his reply. Needless to say, they still didn''t believe it. Yoshi quickly asked Fujin a few questions, which Fujin answered promptly. The more he asked, the more he was stunned. Isamu joined in and asked a couple of questions as well, but Fujin answered those as well. Yoshi and Isamu nced at each other, shock visible in their eyes.


    Fujin chuckled internally at their expressions while thinking, ''Shadow Clone rocks as usual. With 42 Shadow Clones, I have effectively spent 42 weeks reading those books. Of course, it won''t be as effective as one person spending 42 weeks reading the books as 7 clones had to read the same books, causing an ovep.


    However, it is still probably equivalent to one person studying the books for around 15 to 20 weeks. No wonder they are so shocked. Oh well, they will learn about it very soon. Luckily for me, both are Jounins with a decent amount of chakra.''


    With no option but to believe Fujin, Yoshi said, "Alright, let''s move to the next step. The six books you have gone through have given you a basic understanding of human physiology. Your next topic will be learning human anatomy. We will dissect a dead body and study what you have read practically."


    Fujin nodded. In his previous life, he would have been extremely reluctant and nauseated to try something like this. However, in this life, Fujin had already done a few experiments on dead bodies. He had even studied the heads of Root ninjas to learn Danzo''s seals. Not to mention, the number of bodies he cut open during his missions had long exceeded a thousand!


    The two of them led Fujin to the anatomyb, where they generally taught other trainees. However, since it was an odd hour, there weren''t any trainees in theb. The trio entered the room and just saw a middle-aged Medical Ninja who was responsible for supervising theb.


    Yoshi looked at him and said, "Hideaki, meet Fujin. He is the one I was talking about."


    Hideaki looked at Fujin and thought, ''So he is the genius Yoshi sensei kept bragging about¡­ Sigh, I thought he was kidding when he said that he was bringing a Council Member to teach. Then again, he did pass a brilliant proposal. I''m looking forward to the Guidance Hall''s construction.''


    Hideaki approached them and chuckled, "I was sure you were joking. Good to meet you, Council Member Fujin."


    Fujin smiled and said, "I''m just a student here. No need for any formalities."


    Hideaki nodded and thought, ''Not bad. I always thought that he''d be far more arrogant.''


    He looked at Yoshi and asked, "Are you nning to give him an introduction to human anatomy?"


    Yoshi shook his head and answered, "No, we are beginning anatomy studies."


    A weird expression appeared on Hideaki''s face as he wondered, ''Didn''t he start teaching him just a week ago? It''s too early to start with anatomy¡­''


    Despite his reservations, he didn''t say anything as Yoshi was far more experienced than him. He thought that Yoshi would have his reasons for doing so. The anatomyb had 30 tables. Each table had a dead body on it along with a few tools to study the body.


    Yoshi led Fujin towards one and began exining. After an hour-long exnation, he disyed how to dissect the body and said, "Now, you try."


    Suddenly, Fujin asked, "You can use the Multi Shadow Clone jutsu, right?"


    Yoshi and the other two were confused. Yoshi nodded and said, "Yes, why are you asking?"


    Fujin smiled and said, "Learning just by myself will take a lot of time."


    He looked at Hideaki and asked, "Theb doesn''tck dead bodies, right?"


    Hideaki nodded, still confused about Fujin''s intentions. Regardless, they didn''tck any dead bodies. After all, too many missions involved killing. Several missions involved bringing back the dead bodies, which would be donated to the hospital. In addition, storing dead bodies was extremely easy in this world. As a result, the hospital had several hundred dead bodies stored in scrolls.


    Fujin continued, "That''s great. In that case, let''s work on all 30 bodies at the same time. It''ll help speed up the learning process considerably."


    In the blink of an eye, smoke covered the entire room. As it faded away, 30 Fujins could be seen in theb, one standing at each desk. In an instant, Yoshi and Isamu understood how Fujin managed to go through the books within 7 days!


    Isamu muttered in disbelief, "Did you use Shadow Clones to study the Physiology books within 7 days."


    Hideaki, who was hearing it for the first time, looked at Fujin with a shocked expression and thought, ''What the hell? Hepleted the introductory books in a week? Even with Shadow Clones, that should be extremely difficult. Not to mention...''


    Fujin nonchntly replied, "More or less. Anyway, let''s continue."


    Yoshi ignored his words and said with a solemn expression, "Fujin, using Shadow Clones for training is a bad idea. The memories that are transferred back to you create a strain on your brain. You must have felt the headaches. Even if you want to use Shadow Clones to help you, you should have all clones work on the same thing. Otherwise, it can cause trauma."


    Fujin nodded. Having been using the Shadow Clone technique since the academy, he had long gotten used to the headaches. Even though he was worried about any side effects it might cause initially, the worries disappeared when no medical ninja said that there was anything wrong with him. He just needed to have adequate rest and sleep for the headaches to go away.


    With time, Fujin stopped making his clones work on just one thing and allowed different clones to work on different tasks. While getting several kinds of memories would cause even more headaches, Fujin''s brain had be used to handling such chaotic memories as well. That said, he still dispelled the clones working on the same tasks at a time to reduce the headaches. So, Fujin wasn''t as concerned as Yoshi regarding this drawback of Multi Shadow Clone jutsu.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 597 - 591 : What the hell happened?

    <h4>Chapter 597: Chapter 591 : What the hell happened?</h4>


    [A/N : Hey guys. This chapter is Sponsored by Zero1995. You can thank him for the double release.]


    To the surprise of the experienced Medical Ninjas, Fujin said, "I''m aware of the drawbacks. Don''t worry, I do take proper precautions."


    For some reason, all 3 Medical Ninjas doubted Fujin''s words. However, they understood that it wasn''t their role to instruct Fujin. After all, even though he was a junior, he was ranked higher than them as an Elite Jounin. Not to mention, he was a Council Member as well.


    Yoshi said, "As long as you are aware, it''s fine. However, do take care of yourself. This jutsu is forbidden for a reason. If you take it lightly, the jutsu will burn you in more than one way."


    Fujin nodded and replied, "I will."


    Yoshi said, "Good. You can dispel two-thirds of your clones. Unlike you, I''m not young enough to maintain 30 Shadow Clones for a long time."


    Fujin immediately looked at Isamu and Hideaki and asked, "You two can maintain 9 clones each, right?"


    The three of them were left speechless once again. There was no hesitation or doubt in Fujin''s voice. He didn''t even take a second to think after Yoshi asked him to dispel 20 Shadow Clones. Instead, he acted as if it was the most natural thing! Both Isamu and Hideaki nodded involuntarily.


    Fujin smiled and said, "That''s great, let''s start!"


    Lost for words, the three of them created Shadow Clones and began guiding Fujin and his clones after discussing among themselves what each one of them would teach Fujin. Despite having been teaching Medical Ninjutsu to young trainees for decades, it was their first time doing something like this.


    For the next 8 hours, they continued teaching Fujin without a break, before finally calling it a day. Fujin thanked the three of them and left theb after confirming that they would meet again the next morning.


    As soon as Fujin left, the three of them copsed into chairs and their breathing became rough. Hideaki asked, "What the hell happened today?"


    Isamu echoed his question and asked, "Why exactly did we create Shadow Clones to teach Fujin? I don''t think I have ever created 9 Shadow Clones at the same time, let alone maintain them for 8 hours!"


    Yoshi scoffed, "You two are still a decade younger than me. What would you know about how many headaches I''m getting?"


    He paused for a minute, thinking about what exactly happened in thest 8 hours. Finally, he grumbled, "I was too enthusiastic to teach him. We got sucked into that kid''s pace. We didn''t even realize what he was asking from us. Not to mention, we already promised to keep teaching him in this manner..."


    The three senior Medical Ninjas looked at each other helplessly. While they had been hot-blooded and enthusiastic during their younger years, they had long passed that phase. In the peaceful time, they had gotten used to ying with the trainees to have fun.


    Hideaki, in particr, enjoyed seeing the reactions of the young trainees when they had to dissect dead bodies. He would actively try to put the trainees out of theirfort zone. Meanwhile, Yoshi and Isamu partook in pranks like making young trainees think of happy thoughts while learning Mystical Palm jutsu along with other things.


    However, there was never an instance where the trainees turned the tables around and made them feel helpless apart from Fujin reverse pranking Yoshi.


    Isamu sighed and said, "We underestimated him."


    Hideaki sighed as well and said, "I''ll have to keep thisb off limits for the trainees for the next few days as we''ll be guiding Fujin all the time. Still, he is quite ridiculous. Didn''t you two notice something strange?"


    Yoshi and Isamu were too tired to think of anything. Yoshi asked, "What are you talking about? We taught everything as we had nned. In fact, we taught more than we had initially discussed. What was strange?"


    Hideaki answered with a serious expression, "The fact that we could teach everything as nned and more is extremely strange. When did we ever manage to teach everything we wanted to with the trainees learning everything properly?"


    Yoshi and Isamu''s eyes widened. Everything else that had happened made them overlook that aspect. Hideaki continued, "Not to mention, Fujin and his 29 Shadow Clones all never lost their focus. Even when he dispelled them, he didn''t seem to be under any strain despite having more than thrice the number of Shadow Clones as us. It means..."


    Yoshipleted his sentence, "It means that he has used this tactic so many times that he has long gotten used to its side effects..."


    Shock and disbelief appeared on their faces. Isamu muttered, "No wonder he has achieved so much at such a young age... No wonder Lord Hokage looks at him so favorably and gave him a seat on the Council... With such a hard-working nature and ability to stay focused for hours, there is no telling how much stronger he''ll be..."


    The three of them exchanged eye nces. This time, along with shock, there was some excitement in their eyes. Yoshi said with excitement in his voice, "Lord Third Hokage... He is still as excellent as always! He has kept such a talent hidden from everyone!


    With the two Sannins refusing to take center stage, everyone believes that Hatake Kakashi will be the one to lead Konoha in the future. As the son of White Fang, the student of the Fourth Hokage and with excellent strength and leadership qualities, he ticks all the boxes.


    However, no one knows that Suzuki Fujin might be his equal in strength. Even if he isn''t yet, it is only a matter of time with such dedication. After all, he is 10 years younger than Kakashi. With two rank S ninjas from this generation, Konoha will continue being strong."


    Having realized it, the three of them forgot their tiredness and headaches and became very excited. It was thrilling news! Isamu said, "It looks like the rumors about the Spectral Swordsman are true. Hisbat strength must be phenomenal.


    Not to mention, his clones could inspect the entire vige. So, his chakra reserves must be very high as well. In addition, he is also a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster. Even though I knew his talent, I was a bit suspicious and thought that Lord Hokage wanted to increase his reputation. It looks like we were wrong."


    Hideaki nodded. Seeing their expressions, Yoshi immediately said, "While this is great news, don''t tell it to anyone. Lord Third must have his reasons for not making this information public. We shouldn''t spoil his ns."


    Isamu and Hideaki nodded in agreement. What the three of them didn''t know was that Hiruzen had long wanted to increase Fujin''s reputation and had taken every opportunity he could to increase Fujin''s reputation.


    Unfortunately for him, most of Fujin''s achievements couldn''t be made public. As a result, he was far more famous in the enemy viges and organizations than in Konoha. If not for the fact that Onoki ced a bounty on him, Hiruzen put him on the council and tasked him to inspect the entire vige, the majority of the Konoha would probably not even know that someone called Fujin existed.


    If Hiruzen knew that the three of them had realized Fujin''s potential, he would have encouraged them to spread the information instead of keeping it a secret among them.


    Yoshi smiled seeing that the two of them agreed. He thought, ''Even though we shouldn''t spread the information, I need to inform Inoichi. The Yamanaka n should have good rtions with him. At the very least, we shouldn''t be at odds with him.''


    Suddenly, a few knocks were heard on the door of theb. Yoshi looked at it and said, "Come in."


    Two girls entered the room. They were his assistants, Hyuga Emi and Kurama Asuka. They approached Yoshi and said, "You are finally free sensei."


    Yoshi asked, "Did something happen?"


    Emi nodded and said, "Yes, you are supposed to teach the next batch the Mystical Palm jutsu tomorrow. They want to confirm your avability."


    Yoshi replied, "I''ll be busy tomorrow. Ask the management to arrange someone else tomorrow."


    Having realized Fujin''s potential, he didn''t want to focus on anything else for the time being. Asuka showed a difficult expression and exined, "Sensei, all the senior medical ninjas are busy. They can''t arrange anyone else so quickly."


    Yoshi waved his hand dismissively and said, "It doesn''t matter. I''ll be busy for a few days or weeks. So will be Isamu, Hideaki and the anatomyb. Ask the management to handle things ordingly. They can arrange another teacher temporarily or push back the training session."


    The two girls were helpless against Yoshi''s stubbornness. Having worked under him for years, the two understood that they wouldn''t be able to change his mind and took their leave. Even though the management of Konoha Hospital wouldn''t be pleased, they knew that there wasn''t anything they could do against someone like Yoshi. If anything, they were afraid that he might retire due to his old age. The management decided to ignore their antics and dyed the new batch by a few days.


    However, when the situation didn''t change for over a couple of weeks, they had to inform Hiruzen about their behavior. Hiruzen was about to leave when he got their report.


    He read it with a confused expression while thinking, ''That''s weird... Since when did Yoshi start saying no to teaching youngsters? Isn''t he usually very enthusiastic about teaching them? I can''t have someone as dedicated as him ck off or retire.''


    From the report, Hiruzen understood that the three of them had been upying the anatomyb, denying others ess to it. He activated his chakra field to sense whether the three of them were still there. On sensing them, Hiruzen disappeared from his office.


    In a couple of seconds, he appeared outside the anatomyb. Without knocking, he opened the door and entered. The sudden intrusion attracted the attention of the 3 senior medical ninjas. They were surprised to see Hiruzen.


    However, Hiruzen was even more surprised at seeing their appearances. He couldn''t help but wonder, ''What the hell happened?''


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    A/N : You can sponsor chapters through P@treon.

 Chapter 598: Avoiding the Plague!

    Chapter 598: Avoiding the gue!


    The three senior medical ninjas looked in terrible shape. Large bags could be seen under their eyes. It looked like they hadn''t slept for years. Tiredness could be seen all over their body. It was as if they had just been to war and healed a thousand ninjas! Hiruzen couldn''t help but be stunned by their state.


    Before he could ask anything, the three of them stood up through a lot of effort and respectfully asked, "Lord Hokage, why are you here?"


    Hiruzen replied, "Forget about me, what happened to you guys? Why do you look so tired?"


    Hearing his questions, the three of them sighed. After realizing Fujin''s potential, the three ignored their tiredness and began teaching him wholeheartedly. Their enthusiasmsted exactly two days before they realized that they couldn''t keep up with Fujin.


    Unfortunately, it was toote to back away by then. They were ashamed to tell Fujin to slow down and take it easy. Hence, they resorted to dropping subtle hints about the same. Unfortunately for them, Fujin seemed to bepletely oblivious to any hints they dropped. Instead, he pushed them even more!


    Yoshi grumbled, "Kids these days... They have no respect for the elders!"


    Hiruzen raised an eyebrow in confusion. Isamu added, "I feel like he is doing this intentionally as revenge for all the time we pestered him to be a Medical Ninja."


    Hideaki looked at him and asked, "I didn''t do that. So why is he making me suffer? Besides, no one can be so oblivious! He is definitely doing it intentionally!"


    A few question marks in Hiruzen''s head. He didn''t understand what they were talking about. However, he felt something very familiar with the situation. He asked, "Could you stop beating around the bush and exin why you three are so tired?" Yoshi sighed again and exined, "We had been pestering Fujin to take Medical Ninjutsu seriously since the day we approached you. He finally epted our offer 3 weeks ago. We began teaching him about human anatomy a couple of weeks ago.


    He requested us to use Shadow Clones to teach him so that he can learn it more quickly. Since then, we have been teaching him for more than 12 hours daily with each of us creating 9 Shadow Clones.


    We thought that he''d slow down eventually¡­ However, he has been pushing us to teach him even faster. And we have been unable to convince him to take it slow¡­"


    A shiver passed through Hiruzen''s spine as he realized, ''No wonder I was getting a familiar sensation!''


    The three senior medical ninjas looked at Hiruzen with hope in their eyes. They hoped that their mighty and wise Hokage would be able to provide them with a method to get off the back of the tiger they had unknowingly climbed.


    Unfortunately for them, all they got was a look full of pity as Hiruzen turned around and said, "I see. It''s good to see you make such efforts to train our next generation and pass the Will of Fire to them. Good luck. I''ll ensure that the Hospital management won''t bother you."


    The three of them watched Hiruzen''s back with wide eyes. Isamu tried calling out, "Lord Hokag¡­"


    However, even before a word exited his mouth, Hiruzen had disappeared from the room! He had no interest in poking his nose in Fujin''s business. If anything, Hiruzen was d and thanked the gods that Fujin wasn''t present in theb when he visited! Otherwise, Fujin might have asked him to send a few clones too!


    He returned to the office and thought, ''Even with Shadow Clones, learning Medical Ninjutsu will take several months. Fujin shouldn''t have the energy to do anything else during this time. Besides, that boy bes incredibly focused when he is learning new skills.''


    A smile appeared on Hiruzen''s face as he realized, ''It looks like I''ll be safe from any ludicrous requests for a few months.''


    If Yoshi, Isamu and Hideaki were to hear Hiruzen''s thoughts, his godlike image in their hearts would crumble! In fact, it was already very shaky after he escaped instead of helping them.


    Isamu eximed, "How could Lord Hokage abandon us in this difficult situation? And, how could he not understand our real thoughts? Has everyone be oblivious all of a sudden?"


    Hideaki replied, "Oblivious? I swear I could see a hint of pity in his eyes! He didn''t leave because he was oblivious! He left because he is aware of that troublesome kid!"


    Yoshi agreed, "Yeah, though it was momentarily, his expression showed that he probably guided Fujin the same way and regretted it."


    Isamu looked at the two of them and asked helplessly, "What do we do then?"


    Hideaki wasn''t sure what to say. Yoshi helplessly answered, "What can we do? If even Lord Hokage couldn''t stop him, how can we make him take it easy? Not to mention, Lord Hokage asked us to keep teaching him! We just need to be careful next time!"


    The three looked at each other before letting out another long sigh in unison. The number of times they sighed in thest two weeks exceeded the times they sighed in a year before Fujin visited them.


    During these two weeks, another interesting development which involved Fujin, had happened in Konoha. Uzumaki Naruto, the sole Jinchuriki in Konoha, had moved into Fujin''spounds.


    Even though the Elders and n Leaders had agreed earlier, they paid close attention to this development as Fujin''s reputation had increased a lot since the time they had given their agreement due to the proposal of the Guidance Hall. They took note of Fujin''s increasing political influence but didn''t do anything else.


    However, there was one person who was fuming at this development. It was Danzo, who wanted to get his hands on Naruto for a long time. Hiruzen and the other n Leaders always opposed it and yet, they hadn''t objected to Fujin taking Naruto under his wings.


    Unfortunately, there wasn''t anyone he couldin to as Hiruzen refused to entertain him on this topic. As a matter of fact, Hiruzen hadn''t even asked for his opinion since he was no longer a part of the council! Danzo could only ignore this matter and build his strength for the time silently while waiting for the time when he could make a move again.


    Yoshi, Isamu and Hideaki continued teaching Fujin the human anatomy for another week until he had grasped all the basics. All three breathed a sigh of relief when they were finally done!


    Isamu thought, ''Finally! The torture is over! The next step is Pathology and Toxicology. He''ll need to go through the books first. We will finally have a couple of weeks of rest! I''m going to go home and sleep for an entire week! I don''t care what my wife and children think!''


    At the same time, Hideaki was crying rivers of joy mentally while thinking, ''It''s finally over! I only teach Anatomy. I don''t care what else Isamu and Yoshi sensei promised to teach him. It has nothing to do with me!''


    Fujin raised an eyebrow and asked, "Why are you all sighing? Let''s move on to the next topic."


    The three looked begrudgingly at Fujin, who continued maintaining an ''innocent'' smile. The smile had be a nightmare for the three of them! They dreamt about it every night for the past few nights!


    Yoshi said, "Fujin, you are done with basic human physiology and human anatomy. The next part is Pathology and Toxicology. For these topics, you need to know the theory first.


    I will give you the books. You cane back and visit me once you are done reading and understanding them."


    Once Fujin became busy reading the books, the three of them could rest. It was the reason why they were relieved. However, a frown appeared on Fujin''s face.


    He said, "Sensei, I could learn Physiology books by myself as they were only the basics and you two had already taught me a lot of that stuff while teaching me the Mystical Palm jutsu. I won''t be able to learn Pathology and Toxicology so easily. And, I''ll have several doubts as well."


    The trio were stunned by Fujin''s reply. They couldn''t help but think, ''Will you only be happy when we die due to overworking?''


    However, after thinking for a bit longer, they understood that Fujin was right. Those topics were far moreplicated. Needing help was natural.


    Yoshi''s mind quickly thought of a n and said, "You are right, Fujin. I was nning to conduct daily sses for you. We''ll clear all your doubts and guide you with the difficult topics.


    However, I overlooked an important point. You have just learnt Anatomy and Physiology. Not to mention, you used Shadow Clones to learn them very quickly. If you start learning something else so quickly, you''ll jumble everything and be confused.


    Hence, you shouldn''t study anything new for at least a week. Revise what you have learnt so far for a week. Come visit me when you think you have revised enough anytime after a week has passed. I''ll hand you the books then."


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 599: Guidance Hall

    Chapter 599: Guidance Hall


    Fujin looked at Yoshi suspiciously. The three senior medical ninjas immediately became tense. They quickly began thinking of all possible reasons they could give to convince Fujin to take the break in case he insisted on continuing the training.


    Unlike his expression, Fujin wasughing in his mind. He thought, ''It looks like not everyone is as shameless as Hiruzen. He would have long escaped after telling me not to approach him for a week. Then again, these guys aren''t as fast as him. So who can say for sure?''


    To the relief of the three senior medical ninjas, Fujin replied, "Alright, I''ll revise what I have learnt so far for a week. I''ll see youter. Thank you for teaching me about human anatomy."


    Fujin disappeared from the room. The three of them let out a long sigh of relief and copsed on the floor!


    Isamu said, "Finally! I can take a break! I haven''t even been able to sleep for 3 weeks. Every time I close my eyes, I see his smile and hear his voice pushing me to teach him more!"


    Yoshi and Hideaki agreed. They went through the same. Hideaki caught his breath and stood up. He looked at Yoshi and said respectfully, "I only promised you that I''d guide Fujin in anatomy. I havepleted my promise. Please don''t find me again in the future and ask other experienced ninjas to teach that demon. I won''t be telling them anything rted to him."


    As soon as he was done speaking, he turned around and ran out of the room. Yoshi cursed under his breath, "This brat!"


    Despite having guided Hideaki when he was young, Yoshi knew he couldn''t share his misery with him anymore. Instead, he said, "He is right. I''ll ask other experienced medical ninjas to help us. That way, our workload will be reduced."


    Isamu replied, "Yeah, you should! Why should others be spared from this hell? However, I''m not sure if it''ll reduce our workload" Yoshi immediately turned his head towards Isamu and asked, "What do you mean?"


    Isamu answered, "I''m afraid that he''ll just create more Shadow Clones"


    Pain could be heard in Isamu''s pitiful voice. It could also be seen on Yoshi''s face who was lost for words!


    Time continued flowing. As he had said, Fujin gave Yoshi a week''s break. Unfortunately, the three of them still experienced nightmares every night and woke up with sweat flowing down their foreheads.


    During this time, Takeshi managed to master the jutsus Fujin had taught him. He decided to take the next step and create a new Scorch Release jutsu. Fujin used the opportunity to enter his body again with the Spirit Transformation jutsu and performed Scorch jutsus which Takeshi already knew.


    It allowed him to be much more familiar with Scorch Release and understand better how Wind and Fire chakra fused inside the body. He took a step closer to learning Scorch Release, but still couldn''t do it. However, he wasn''t very worried as he could feel that it was only a matter of time before he took thest step!


    Fujin also used the break to take a mission and make a quick visit to the Phantom Haven Society to ensure that everything was moving smoothly. The Phantom Haven Society had recruited two more batches of young children but were only able to recruit 3 experienced ninjas. None of them caught Fujin''s eye. He applied the Phantom Seal on them and gave a speech about the Phantom Will before focusing on the informationwork.


    Thanks to the funds he had provided, the Phantom Haven Society had built a preliminary informationwork. It was only active in the Land of Rivers, but they were in the process of expanding it further. Fujin instructed them to not expand into the Land of Rain and instead provided them intel on how they should expand into the Land of Fire and the Land of Winds. Fujin had been very active in those areas, so his information would result in them making quick progress.


    After returning from the mission, Fujin continued studying Medical Ninjutsu. Yoshi had dragged in another 5 senior medical ninjas whom he had taught in the past. Unaware of the situation, they happily agreed to help Fujin as they wanted to take the opportunity to build a connection with a Council Member and a promising ninja.


    Needless to say, each one of them regretted and cursed Yoshi, Isamu and Hideaki in their minds. However, they didn''t ck off and Fujin progressed at a fast speed. As Isamu spected, Fujin used more clones. So, no one was spared but Fujin quickly learned about Pathology and Toxicology. He particrly paid a lot of attention to Toxicology as he was quite interested in poisons.


    After spending a few weeks exploiting the senior medical ninjas, Fujin had gathered enough knowledge for them to allow him to diagnose the patients who visited the hospital. On that day, every medical ninja who taught Fujin had a long party and drank all night!


    Around the same time, the Guidance Hall was finally constructed. Every civilian ninja was excited to hear that news. Understanding its significance in terms of both strengthening the ninjas and the economic benefits it''ll bring, Hiruzen decided to make it a big event and decided to inaugurate the Guidance Hall personally.


    As the one who had made the proposal, Fujin was invited as well. Early in the morning, Fujin flickered and reached the location. He noticed Hiruzen observing the hall and flickered next to him.


    Without looking at him, Hiruzen said, "You are finally here, Fujin."


    Fujin nodded while looking at the Guidance Hall and said, "Not bad at all. I didn''t think you''d get something so grand constructed so quickly. Did you call me here just to see the hall?"


    Hiruzen chuckled and said, "It was your proposal after all. Come, let''s check it out. See if everything is to your liking."


    He began walking. Fujin chuckled as well and followed him. Stepping through the towering gates of the Guidance Hall, Hiruzen and Fujin were greeted by a sprawling courtyard paved with polished stone. Lush greenery lined the pathways, punctuated by carefully tended gardens bursting with vibrant blooms.


    Away from the hustle and bustle of the vige, it resembled a serene oasis not unlike the vast forests that surrounded Konoha. As they walked, both Fujin and Hiruzen felt a sense of calmness and peace. It was a state of mind that was perfect for training.


    It was so perfect that Hiruzen momentarily became worried that Fujin might kickstart the Guidance Hall by asking for his guidance right then and there! To his relief, Fujin didn''t ask for anything.


    At the heart of the courtyard stood the main building of the Guidance Hall, a majestic structure crafted from the finest timber and stone. Its sweeping rooflines soared skyward, adorned with ornate eaves and intricate wooden carvings that spoke of craftsmanship generations in the making.


    Fujin sighed at the sight and muttered, "You should have informed me about such fine craftsmen back when I was building my house."


    Hiruzen smiled on hearing Fujin''s words, thinking that Fujin was praising the art. However, on hearing what he said next, Hiruzen almost tripped! Fujin continued, "The way they have constructed the hall maximizes the space where we can inscribe seals. If my house was constructed in this manner, I could easily ce twice the number of seals on it!"


    Hiruzen looked at Fujin with disbelief and wondered, ''How many seals does he want to inscribe on that damned house? I don''t think there is anyone in this world who can count the seals on his house. And that probably includes this boy as well!''


    Fujin ignored his reaction and they entered the Guidance Hall. The design on the inside was just as captivating as the designs on the outside. Fujin and Hiruzen inspected the arrangements made inside the Hall for doing its main job.


    The main hall was extremely spacious and could easily amodate a few hundred ninjas. At the end of the hall was a wide office with windows. Employees would sit there and ept requests from the youngsters who wanted someone to guide them for any jutsus. The office behind the windows would have people who would assign the youngsters to appropriate guides.


    There were several spacious rooms on the two sides of the hall as well. One of them was to keep a record of the Veteran Ninjas who were willing to guide youngsters and the jutsus they were willing to teach. The remaining rooms served other purposes.


    One of those rooms was for the Anbu that Hiruzen was nning to station there. He had nned to station two Anbu squads permanently at the Guidance Hall. In addition, several more Anbu squads were arranged to inspect the ninjas who wanted to guide the youngsters.


    Fujin and Hiruzen inspected everything and didn''t have anyints. Hiruzen teasingly asked, "Do you want to register as a guide? I''m sure everyone would want to learn Wind Release jutsus from you."


    Fujin imitated Hiruzen''s sigh of exhaustion and said, "I have my hands full guiding nearly a hundred and fifty kids. Besides, I''m only 16 years old. People are doubtful of my capabilities. However, if you register, I''m sure everyone wille to learn from the Professor."


    With a smirk on his face, Fujin added, "I''ll be sure to be the first one to ask for your guidance, Grandpa."


    This time, Hiruzen sighed and said, "As a Hokage, I''m very busy to sign up as a guide here. The Guidance Hall needed a lot of my attention. It has just finished and now I''ll be busy with the Chunin exams."


    Hiruzen became serious and looked at Fujin. He said, "Actually, I wanted to talk to you about the Chunin Exams"

 Chapter 600: The Greatest Idiot!

    Chapter 600: The Greatest Idiot!


    [A/N: We got 6814 Power Stones in thest week and ended at rank 6 in the Power Stone ranking! Keep it up guys. This is our highest rank at the end of a week :)]


    "Actually, I wanted to talk to you about the Chunin Exams¡­"


    Fujin was surprised to hear Hiruzen talk about it. After the previous council meeting, they hadn''t discussed Sunagakure again. He wondered, ''Did he get more information on Sunagakure''s movements to be so alert all of a sudden? Or did Jiraiya notice Orochimaru''s movements?''


    Fujin paid close attention as Hiruzen continued, "You know the three stages of the Chunin Exams, right?"


    Fujin nodded. It wasn''t something he would forget easily. Hiruzen continued, "I want you to be the proctor for the second phase."


    Fujin was surprised. He never expected Hiruzen to put forth such a request. Hiruzen could see the surprise on Fujin''s face as well. What he didn''t know was that it was a happy surprise for Fujin!


    Of course, Fujin had no intention of showing his real emotions and asked in a confused tone, "Why? Didn''t Anko take over n Leader Tsume''s job? Did something happen?"


    Hiruzen replied, "Nothing has happened yet. It''s just that I have a feeling that something strange will happen during the Chunin Exams. As for what that is, I have no idea. My Anbu couldn''t find any clues that could answer my unease.


    Nothing should happen during the first phase as all the Sensei will be close by. Simrly, I''ll be looking over the third phase personally. Only the second phase is where we won''t be able to keep an eye on everything properly. If anyone has ill intentions, they will make a move during that phase.


    Considering that the children of most n leaders might take part in the uing chunin exams, I don''t want to leave it to chance. With you overlooking the second phase, it''ll deter anyone who has any nefarious ns. Especially if it is Suna."


    Hiruzen knew that Suna would have connected the dots by now. Even though Rasa was a bit slow, Fujin''s reputation outside Konoha was too high for anyone to overlook him. If Fujin was the proctor, then Hiruzen believed that Suna wouldn''t try anything unless someone like Rasa or Chiyo could somehow sneak into the Forest of Death without being detected.


    Fujin was surprised by Hiruzen''s reason and thought, ''To feel unease about a future cmity¡­ That''s very impressive. I wonder if that is something that develops with experience. That said, he couldn''t guess that his source of unease was his former student and not Suna.


    Regardless, this is very good for me. I''ll be able to recruit Karin with ease. I''ll also be able to monitor if there are any changes to the original story due to my involvement. At least, team 7''s fight against Orochimaru should be different, though I don''t think it''ll affect the end result. I might also get a hint about what ns Orochimaru has made for me.''


    "Well?" Hiruzen broke Fujin''s chain of thoughts. Fujin nodded and answered, "Alright. I''ll be the proctor. It shouldn''t be an issue."


    Hiruzen said, "Good. I''ll have Anko help you out. You can make some changes to the exam format if you want but don''t make it veryplicated. Alternatively, you can just let Anko run the show in the background while you show your face and appear to be in charge."


    Fujin replied, "Sure."


    Why would Fujinin when Hiruzen did everything he could to lessen his workload? He just nodded happily. With the talk done, Hiruzen began interacting with others in the Guidance Hall.


    A few hourster, it was time for the Guidance Hall to be inaugurated. Since Hiruzen had decided to make it a big event, he invited a lot of people. Several hundred veteran ninjas appeared in the courtyard.


    Thousands of young ninjas appeared as well despite not getting any official invite. They stayed away from the courtyard, watching the inauguration from a distance. As a result, the Guidance Hall waspletely surrounded by them and their excited chatter filled the air.


    A few minutes before the inauguration, the Elders and the n Leaders arrived. No one wanted to miss such an event. Despite so many famous personalities in the Guidance Hall, the one who was discussed the most was Fujin, as he was the one who got the proposal passed.


    Katsuhiro also became a topic for discussion. Some people tried to look for him but couldn''t find him. Due to the rumors Fujin''s clones mercilessly spread, his blood pressure issues worsened and he even developed more heart conditions. He decided to stay away from the inauguration, worried that his blood pressure might get out of control once again!


    Needless to say, the one who was the most pleased wasn''t Fujin, but rather Hiruzen. He thought, ''I am d I decided to make it a huge event instead of keeping the celebrations subdued. Fujin is finally bing more reputed in the vige.


    All we need now is a small battle where he can establish his martial might and be someone who others can look up to just like Kakashi. Once that is done, I can start nning my retirement.


    Though keeping the celebrations subdued might have kept the information from enemy viges for a bit longer, it wouldn''t have made much difference in the long run. After all, the Guidance Hall isn''t something we can keep hidden. Everyone would know about it in a month. Byparison, this gain is much better.''


    The inauguration ceremony was a hit. It would be the talk of the vige for several days. As soon as the ceremony was over, several veteran ninjas began registering themselves as the guide.


    Fujin wasn''t interested in any further process. He snuck away when no one was paying attention and returned home. Only Hiruzen noticed Fujin leaving from the corner of his eye and thought, ''Looks like he isn''t a fan of such gatherings.''


    Fujin appeared in front of his house and stretched his neck while walking inside and thinking, ''Man that was boring. I can''t recall thest time I participated in any gathering. Come to think of it, I don''t think I have participated in any in this life. The ones I did while in Anbu usually involved killing someone.''


    "Fujin!!!" "Sensei!!!"


    Before he could enter his home, Naruto and Fujin''s 5 students came running towards him. He turned his head to look at them.


    Naruto was at the forefront. He stopped in front of Fujin and asked, "Fujin, did you hear about the new Guidance Hall? It''s so cool! Anyone can go there and learn jutsus!"


    Fujin nodded and asked, "Yeah, what of it?"


    Naruto immediately said, "I will visit there and learn a lot of cool jutsus! That''ll show Sasuke who is the better ninja! And Sakura will finally see that I''m much better than Sasuke!"


    Sayaka said, "Sensei, we were nning to vis¡­"


    She stopped speaking after looking at Fujin''s expression. However, the one who was the most bothered by Fujin''s expression was Naruto. Fujin was looking at him like he was the greatest idiot in the entire world!


    He awkwardly asked, "Why are you looking at me like this?"


    Instead of answering, Fujin asked him in return, "Why do you think I am?"


    Naruto became annoyed and said, "Hey! I''m a ninja now! I even fought against one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist! Don''t keep treating me like an idiot!"


    Fujin taunted, "Are you sure you are a ninja? Show me one ninja who has a sensei who can use a thousand jutsus and still ns to spend money to learn from ninjas who are much less talented than him?"


    Naruto was dumbfounded by Fujin''s reply. His eyes grew wide and he held his head in shame and shouted, "I didn''t think of that!"


    Fujin''s students looked at him with pity. Fujin hadn''t held back any words. Before Naruto could recover, Fujin grabbed him by the back of his neck and lifted him like a cat.


    "Eh? What are you doing? What''s this wind?"


    Fujin''s students watched as Naruto was engulfed in some kind of wind. All 6 of them heard, "Go find Kakashi and pester him to teach you jutsus instead of doing something so foolish."


    With a flick of his wrist, Fujin sent Naruto flying in the air. Fujin''s students saw Naruto flying through the sky while hearing his shocked screams. Several people in Konoha looked above as they heard a scream. They were shocked to see Naruto flying over their heads.


    While the vige was busy with talks of the Guidance Hall, a silver-haired ninja was standing silently in front of the Memorial Stone. Suddenly, he heard a scream and turned around. Confusion appeared on his face as he muttered, "What the hell?"


    Secondster, Naruto fell in front of him. The Winds surrounding him cushioned his fall and immediately dissipated. Even so, the poor boy was scared due to the unexpected trip. To his surprise, he saw Kakashi in front of him and asked, "Kakashi sensei?"


    Kakashi asked, "Naruto, how did youe flying here?"


    Naruto didn''t register his question and instead recalled Fujin''s words. He quickly ran towards Kakashi and said, "Kakashi sensei! Please teach me more cool jutsus!"


    Kakashi watched with a deadpan expression as Naruto ignored his question and began pestering him non-stop.


    Back at Fujin''s house, his students asked with a stunned expression, "What was that?"


    Fujin casually replied, "A new jutsu that I came up with. It''s quite handy for throwing others away. Now, which one of you wanted to learn at the Guidance Hall with empty pockets? I''ll help you get there in no time."


    Immediately, all his 5 students shook their heads. While it seemed fun, none of them wanted to be sent flying like Naruto. Fujin replied, "Good. Get back to your training."


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 601 - 595 : Anko’s Annoyance

    <h4>Chapter 601: Chapter 595 : Anko''s Annoyance</h4>


    For the next week, almost all ninjas in Konoha were discussing the Guidance Hall. Several Veteran ninjas who were enthusiastic to teach the younger generation signed up. At the same time, nearly every young ninja from the civilian background expressed interest in getting their guidance.


    It wasn''t just Konoha ninjas who were trying to get into the Guidance Hall. Spies ced by the other viges wanted to know everything about the Guidance Hall as well. One of those spies had sessfully managed to secure guidance under a Jounin.


    Even though nothing could be seen on his face, Kabuto was extremely serious internally. He wondered, ''Konoha made such a huge move just before Orochimaru-sama would make his move. It''s almost like they are preparing for a war. Could it be that our ns have been leaked? But how?''


    Kabuto analyzed for a bit before concluding, ''No, if they knew about our ns, then they wouldn''t have made such a show and would have instead prepared in the dark. There was no reason to make the youngsters pay to get guidance. Instead, they should have just guided talented ninjas secretly and we wouldn''t have known.


    Still, this is a very good method. Now, several hundred ninjas will master one or two additional jutsus by the time our invasion starts. Their strength will be slightly higher than what we calcted initially.


    This makes matters moreplicated considering how outnumbered we will be. Sigh, all will depend on whether Orochimaru-sama is able to kill the Third Hokage quickly enough. Once the high-level battle is won, the numerical disadvantage will be meaningless.''


    He adjusted his spectacles while looking around and thinking, ''Suzuki Fujin... There is very little information avable about him. Even though everyone in the vige is discussing him, the normal ninjas don''t know anything about him. Everything about him is just a rumor. Even I thought that it was just Konoha''s tactic of raising his reputation.


    To think that he is someone who killed Juzo and escaped from Kisame... If Orochimaru-sama hadn''t informed me, I''d have beenpletely oblivious to his real strength as well.


    We will have to treat him as someone at the same level as Hatake Kakashi and Might Guy. Considering that he specializes in eliminating weaker ninjas at a rapid speed, he can''t be left unchecked during the war.


    Under normal circumstances, it''d have been best if we eliminated him before the war began. However...''


    Kabuto gulped his saliva as sweat rolled down from his forehead. Seeing his expression, the Jounin asked, "Kid, are you understanding? If you have any doubts, ask me."


    Kabuto immediately asked a random doubt rted to the jutsu the Jounin was teaching them. The Jounin didn''t find anything odd and cleared his doubt. As for the reason for Kabuto''s reaction? It was rather simple.


    After understanding Fujin''s threat, Kabuto immediately gathered all information rted to Fujin. He was already aware that Fujin lived on the outskirts of the vige. It created some ideas in his mind, making him wonder whether he or Orochimaru could sneak attack Fujin in his house and eliminate him before Hiruzen could react.


    As a result, he went to check Fujin''s house and casually passed by hispound pretending that he was going somewhere. What he witnessed made him decide on the spot to never go anywhere close to Fujin''s house. It still gave him the creeps whenever he recalled that sight.


    As the Jounin went back to exining, Kabuto thought, ''Which lunatic inscribed tens of thousands of seals on that littlepound? I initially thought that it was a trap. However, no one is blind enough to walk into that trap. Whoever inscribed those seals is definitely a lunatic! Even if I and Orochimaru attacked his house, he''ll easily be able to stall us until the reinforcements arrive.''


    As for the one whom Kabuto was cursing, he was currently in Hiruzen''s office along with 3 other ninjas. Hiruzen looked at Fujin, Ibiki, Anko and Hayate and said, "The next Chunin exams will start soon. Ibiki, you''ll be the proctor of the first round. Fujin, you''ll be the proctor of the second round. Anko will assist you. Hayate, you''ll be the proctor of thest round. Any questions?"


    All the ninjas shook their heads. Hiruzen had already informed Anko about his decision to make Fujin the proctor for this particr exam. On hearing his reasoning, she didn''t have anyints. She was also interested in seeing the one who everyone was talking abouttely.


    Hiruzen said, "Good. You can discuss among yourselves how to conduct the exams. If you want to make any changes to the schedule, let me know within the next 3 days."


    Everyone nodded and left. As they exited Hiruzen''s office, Ibiki looked at Fujin meaningfully and said, "I didn''t expect that you''d be assigned as a proctor, Fujin. Is your trainingpleted?"


    Fujin chuckled and said, "It''s good to see you again as well, Ibiki. I guess a little vacation won''t hurt. Right, Anko?"


    A tick mark appeared on her forehead as Fujin''s remark implied that he didn''t intend to do much work and would treat the 5 days as a vacation. She muttered, "For someone who recently made such a huge change, I expected you toe up with something innovative for the Chunin exams as well."


    Fujin waved his hand dismissively and said, "That''s too much work for too little returns. You can''tpare it with the Guidance Hall. Besides, if I made any changes, I doubt anyone would reach the third round. Poor Hayate might lose his job."


    Hayate coughed as he looked at Fujin and thought, ''So he was Yugao''s Anbu Captain. She still speaks very highly of him.''


    He replied, "It''s fine. I''ll settle for a sword fight with you if that happens."


    Fujin looked at Hayate with a deadpan expression and replied, "I was kidding. Do you think Lord Hokage would allow no one to qualify for thest round? Thest round is pretty much why the Chunin exams are conducted."


    Hayate coughed awkwardly and replied, "I was kidding as well."


    Fujin replied with a teasing tone, "Sure didn''t sound like it. Anyway, are you nning any radical changes to your round, Ibiki?"


    Ibiki replied, "Nothing that''ll affect the schedule. You can n ordingly."


    Fujin said, "Alright, I''ll see youter then."


    Fujin looked at Anko and said with a chuckle, "I''ll be in your care then, Anko."


    More tick marks appeared on Anko''s forehead as she said, "Follow me. I''ll show you everything about the second round."


    The two of them flickered towards the Forest of Death. En route, Anko asked, "Are you really not nning to make any changes?"


    Fujin replied, "Yup. If you want to make any, feel free to do so. The exam will be just like how it was conducted the previous year. The only difference will be that I''ll be addressing the Genins."


    Anko muttered, "What a bummer... I was hoping to see something interesting!"


    Fujin replied with a deadpan expression, "Don''t get your hopes up high for no reason. Besides, how much fun can you even have from the Genins? Send a couple of your snakes and enjoy their reactions to pass the time."


    Anko immediately replied, "I did thatst time. It became boring after a few hours!"


    Fujin chuckled and replied, "I should have guessed."


    They reached the central tower in the Forest of Death. Anko said, "As you know, this will be our base for the exam. I''ll first introduce you to all the instructors here and show you all the arrangements."


    Fujin nodded and followed. Anko first called everyone in the tower together and introduced them to Fujin. Fujin already knew most of them as it hadn''t been too long since he took the exam. There were only a few new faces. Of course, even if he remembered their faces, he didn''t remember any of their names nor knew their abilities.


    After meeting everyone, Anko brought Fujin to the monitoring room. There were several disys in that room. Anko said, "There are several security cameras ced in the forest. We can use them to monitor the situation.


    Of course, this is still very limited. The beasts in the forest regrly break them and any ninja can easily avoid or destroy them without arousing any suspicions. The only cameras you can count on are the ones in the building."


    Fujin replied, "Hmm, I didn''t expect that there would be cameras in the forest... But yeah, even Genins would avoid them. It is sort of pointless. Only someone who is very cocky will arouse suspicion."


    Anko chuckled and said, "You don''t know how many ninjas be cocky."


    Fujin shrugged and replied, "It''s hard to say when they die too soon."


    Fujin''s reply immediately made Anko recall the rumors about Fujin. She turned around and looked at him, only to find Fujin staring at her. Seeing where his gaze was, a tick mark appeared on her forehead once again!


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    ()

 Chapter 602: Anbu Captain!

    Chapter 602: Anbu Captain!


    Seeing Fujin''s gaze, Anko became annoyed once again. She snorted and said, "First, you refuse to make any innovative changes to the Chunin exams. And now, you are acting like a pervert! Aren''t you too young for this?"


    After hearing all the rumors about Fujin, Anko was very curious about him. She had asked several people in her friend circle about him as his name kepting up in conversations. However, no one knew much about him. Only Ibiki seemed to know a few things but he didn''t say much. Unfortunately, she had only been disappointed due to her sky-high expectations.


    Fujin raised his right eyebrow and turned his gaze towards Anko''s eyes while saying, "Pervert? I''m not the one wearing a metal mesh and showing off. Besides, I was looking at the back of your neck. Or more specifically, that little tattoo."


    Anko was annoyed by his first sentence but was soon surprised. She wondered, ''He is looking at my curse seal? But why? Wait, didn''t the rumors also say that he is a Grandmaster?''


    Fujin rested his right elbow on his left palm and massaged his chin with his right hand making him appear to be in deep thought. His gaze returned to her neck as he continued, "I initially thought it was just some sort of tattoo. However, on looking closely, it looks like an incredibly high-level seal.


    And from the dark aura it gives, it definitely doesn''t look like something that is beneficial for you. I wonder what it is¡­"


    His gaze turned back to her eyes as he said, "As for yourst question, I''m sixteen, not six. Grow up."


    Had it been his first life, Fujin would have definitely mentioned that her age was 50% higher than his, implying that she was too old. Thankfully, the experience of two lifetimes had made him smart enough to not make meaningless statements like that and needlessly invoke ady''s wrath.


    Unlike Fujin, Anko''s emotions were a mess. Even after a few seconds, she couldn''t make up her mind as to what to think! She cursed, ''This brat! Why is he so difficult to talk to? First, he implies that I''m a pervert. Then, he expresses concern about the curse seal. And finally, he says that he is sixteen and not six, implying that he is of the age to do something like that. Seriously, what the hell is up with this kid?''


    The normally outspoken and brash Anko was lost for words. Fortunately for her, there wasn''t anyone else in the room apart from Fujin to witness her in that state. Meanwhile, Fujin wondered, ''Why does it look like she is going to experience a seizure? I asked her a rather simple question.''


    Fujin asked again, "Well, what is that seal? Can I take a look at it?"


    Fujin''s question snapped Anko out of herplex thoughts. She shook her head and covered the seal while saying, "No. It is a memory of the past. Lord Hokage and Jiraiya-sama have sealed the seal. So, it isn''t a worry."


    To her surprise, Fujin looked to be in deep thought once again. After a few seconds, he muttered, "Hmm? A seal that even Grandpa and the Toad Sage couldn''t remove and had to resort to sealing¡­ Now I''m even more curious about its origin."


    He looked back at Anko and said, "I have been studying quite a few weird sealstely. If you want to remove the seal, perhaps I can have a look at it. Who knows if you might get lucky."


    Despite Fujin''s kind offer, Anko shook her head and answered, "Sorry. Some other time."


    Fujin sighed and replied, "Well, your choice. Let me know if you change your mind sometime in the future. Anyway, what else is left to learn about the second round?"


    He thought, ''Looks like she is ufortable talking about the curse seal. Understandable¡­ Still, it''s a shame that I can''t study Orochimaru''s curse seal. Oh well, there will be more opportunities in the future even if she doesn''t agree.''


    Anko was thankful that Fujin changed the subject. She quickly began informing him about the usual protocols. After exining everything, she added, "Even though the Forest of Death can cause some deaths, we have to ensure that the deaths aren''t too high.


    If too many die, then other viges will refuse to send their talented Genins to Chunin exams. In addition, they might target our Genins when they visit their viges for Chunin Exams. While we don''t need to do anything initially, if too many die, then we will need to act in the dark to prevent more deaths."


    Fujin was surprised and muttered, "Eh? That''s surprising. But on second thought, it makes sense. Even more so this year when there are so many children of the n leaders."


    Anko smirked and said, "Yes. They''ll all be in your care, Proctor."


    Fujin just sighed like Hiruzen and said, "I guess so. I''ll be counting on you to ensure that everything is fine. I''ll see youter, Anko."


    Fujin turned around and disappeared from the tower, leaving a shocked Anko. She muttered in disbelief, "Did he push that work onto me as well?"


    Fortunately or unfortunately, there was no one to listen to her. Unlike his fake sigh, Fujin wasn''t worried. After all, he knew the future! As he flickered towards his house, he thought, ''If I want to, I can just sit back and enjoy the show. Orochimaru won''t attack the tower and no one of importance will die. That said, that would be a waste of a good opportunity¡­ And opportunities like these are hard toe by!''


    Fujinnded in front of his house. To his surprise, he saw two ninjas who wore Anbu masks sitting in front of his door. Both immediately looked towards Fujin. Fujin chuckled and said, "Well, now that''s a pleasant surprise. Were you finally promoted?"


    The two immediately got up and removed their masks. With a smile on his face, the first guy nodded and said, "Yup. Though I guess I need to be thankful to you for pulling the strings from behind."


    Fujin replied, "I wouldn''t have pulled the strings if you weren''t ready. So congrats. You should be proud of bing an Anbu Captain at just 16. Not many have achieved that and almost all who did became Elite Jouninster."


    The second guy also smiled and said, "It''s good to see you again after a long time, Fujin."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Nice to see you after as well, Tatsuya. Come on in. It''s been a while since either of you visited."


    The two nodded and entered. Both were rather old acquaintances of Fujin. The one who became an Anbu Captain was Handa Bunjiro, an orphan whom Fujin had guided when he was still in the academy andter joined Fujin''s Anbu squad.


    The other person was Uzuki Tatsuya, someone who grew up in the same orphanage as Fujin. He had joined the Anbu as well, though he was still some distance away from bing an Anbu Captain.


    Fujin had been very impressed with Bunjiro''s talent and work ethic. He was surprised to see him enter the Anbu just two years after he graduated. And now, he managed to be an Anbu Captain in less than three years after bing an Anbu!


    Even though Fujin had interfered and asked Eagle to give Bunjiro the Promotion mission earlier than he would have normally, Bunjiro''s progress was still very fast. After all, the fact that Bunjiro hadpleted the promotion mission sessfully proved his ability.


    As they sat on the sofa, Bunjiro said, "I might have be an Anbu Captain, but I still can''tpare with you, Captain. You became a Council Member and are now taking care of so many orphans. If we had an environment like this growing up, we would have aced the academy!"


    Tatsuya chuckled and asked, "Are you forgetting that we still aced the graduation exams? Otherwise, we wouldn''t have been assigned to Sensei."


    Bunjiro replied, "Ah, I almost forgot. But you know what I mean. You have seen how good these kids are. As expected of you, Captain!"


    Tatsuya nodded. The orphans in Fujin''spound were abnormally good. Fujin just looked at them and wondered, ''How Danzo would react if he learnt that all the credit for his hard work of finding talented children, making them orphans, kidnapping them and training them to build strong basics was being given to me?''


    Though Fujin didn''t think Danzo would show much of a reaction, he could imagine how offended Danzo would be internally! He replied, "I didn''t do much. The kids are just too talented. Anyway, I''m sure two are curious why I asked you two toe here after Bunjiro gets promoted, right?"


    The two immediately nodded. Fujin hadn''t given them any exnation so far. They just followed his instructions as they owed and respected him a lot.


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 Chapter 603: Playing Hot Potata!

    Chapter 603: ying Hot Potata!


    Fujin said, "Well, I have a request for you two. It''s a rather simple one, but at the same time, it could be huge depending on how you see it."


    Tatsuya and Bunjiro were intrigued. They listened carefully to his words.


    A few months ago, when Fujin realized that he would have to increase his prestige in Konoha to avoid any political troubles if something happened to Hiruzen, Fujin had two options. The one he chose to act on was the proposal of the Guidance Hall. It had been as sessful as Fujin had hoped.


    The other option Fujin had was to create a faction equivalent to the ns in Konoha. Hiruzen had alreadyid a foundation for Fujin by giving him talented orphans who were trained by the Root and were being trained to join the Anbu. However, Fujincked the mid and high-levelbat that the ns had.


    Most major ns had around a dozen Jounins, a few dozen Chunins, over a hundred Genins and 1 to 3 Elite Jounins. Fujin could match the highest level ofbat, but he had no one at Jounin level. The Kiri orphans could all be considered as Genins thanks to the training by Root and Anbu. Only a handful like some of Fujin''s students could barely be considered as Chunins. However, they had zero battle experience.


    When Fujin had thought about recruiting high-level Ninjas, the first name that came to his mind wasn''t Renjiro or Hoka, two Elite Jounin level ninjas whom Fujin was very close to. Instead, it was Bunjiro!


    The reason for this was rather simple. Both Renjiro and Hoka had their respective ns. They couldn''t look after the orphans in Fujin''spounds. Hoka deciding to remove the seal had given Fujin an opportunity to recruit him, but that was a recent development and there was still some time for that to happen.


    Even others whom Fujin could ask for a favor like Teru, Hana, Kaen, Tsuyoshi and Fumito were all from the ns. The only one who wasn''t was Yugao. However, she wasn''t someone whom he could call either for this purpose.


    As a result, Bunjiro and, by extension, Tatsuya were his only options. Though both were quite good for their age and did well beyond what Fujin imagined they would achieve when he had helped them on a whim, it was not enough to create anythingparable to a n''s high-level force.


    That was why Fujin focused more on the Guidance Hall while silently making arrangements with the Anbu Commander to ensure that Bunjiro wouldn''t have to wait for several years before being allowed to take the promotion mission.


    Fujin continued, "I have been looking to have someone help me with the orphans. It was why I pushed Eagle to allow you to take the promotion mission and made him station you here."


    Bunjiro became confused. He asked, "What do you mean? Won''t we help you here from now onwards as we will be stationed here?"


    Fujin shook his head and answered, "That''s not the same. Even though Lord Hokage has arranged for several Anbu Squads to stay here, they aren''t orphans and have their own families. So, they don''t understand it exactly.


    What I want from you two is to move into thepounds permanently. Or well, at least until you two decide to start your respective families. This way, I won''t have to be worried about something happening here when I''m out of the vige."


    Bunjiro and Tatsuya''s eyes widened. They realized that Fujin wanted them to move from the rooms they were assigned by the academy to the rooms in hispound. That was different aspared to the other Anbu who stayed there temporarily and worked in shifts.


    Even so, both nodded immediately with a smile and excitement on their faces. Bunjiro said, "I''ll be honored to stay here."


    Tatsuya added, "Same here. It''ll be rather fun to guide the young ones here."


    Fujin smiled as well and said, "Good. There are several living quarters in thepounds. Feel free to choose the ones you like the most."


    Both nodded. They talked for some time to catch up on recent events in their lives before leaving to choose the rooms to move into.


    While Fujin was recruiting the first official ninjas to hispounds, a couple of ninjas were busy in a training ground. A young blonde ninja weaved hand signs and grabbed a couple of shurikens while shouting, "Wind Release: Gale Palm jutsu!"


    He threw the shurikens on the target in front of him. Wind appeared behind the shurikens making them fly towards the target at several times their speed. However, he still muttered, "Man! That''s still not as fast as Kakashi sensei! It looks like it may take a while¡­"


    Naruto stopped practicing and began running towards Kakashi who was observing his training from some distance away. As he ran, he shouted, "Kakashi sensei, I have mastered the Gale Palm jutsu! Please teach me another one!"


    Kakashi''s right eye twitched as he sighed and wondered in sadness, ''Why did I agree to teach him and spend all my time with him? I haven''t been able to read my favorite Icha Icha Paradise as much as I want for thest week!''


    That day, when Fujin threw Naruto at Kakashi, Naruto bothered Kakashi endlessly until Kakashi relented and agreed. He decided to teach Naruto the Gale Palm jutsu as it went well with Naruto''s current skill set. Unfortunately for him, Naruto, whose nature had subtly changed due to Fujin''s influence, had be persistent in asking Kakashi''s guidance.


    "Kakashi sensei? Which jutsu should I learn next?" Naruto asked again as he reached Kakashi.


    Kakashi sighed and said, "Naruto, you still haven''t mastered the Gale Palm jutsu. Your mastery is nowhere near my level. It is more important for you to master the jutsus you know than to know more jutsus."


    Naruto looked at Kakashi suspiciously and argued, "But sensei, you know a thousand jutsus!"


    Knowing that Naruto would continue bothering him, Kakashi exined, "I know a thousand jutsus because I could copy them with my Sharingan. If you try to copy me and learn too many jutsus, then you''ll never be a strong ninja and you''ll never be able to be the Hokage.


    For now, you have learnt enough jutsus. Focus on improving your Body Flicker, Great Breakthrough and Gale Palm jutsus. Only after youpletely master these jutsus should you start learning new jutsus."


    Naruto was still suspicious, but he didn''t have any good points to argue against Kakashi''s logic. He said in a dejected tone, "Alright, Sensei. I will work on these jutsus."


    What Kakashi didn''t say and only thought was, ''Even though he doesn''t have a Sharingan, he has a ridiculous amount of chakra. If I tell him the Shadow Clone trick, he''ll be able to master the jutsus very quickly.


    Unfortunately, Naruto has no self-control. If I tell him about it, he''ll use it until he develops some mental issues. There is also the threat of Nine Tails sealed within him. Not to mention, if I tell him that trick, he''ll bother me relentlessly for years until I teach him a thousand jutsus!''


    Kakashi didn''t dare to tell Naruto about that trick. The current Naruto wasn''t mature enough to use it responsibly. However, there was one thing that he nned on telling Naruto. He continued, "Also¡­"


    As Kakashi spoke, he recalled the events of the day when Naruto came flying at him. After an endless pestering, Kakashi began teaching him. While Naruto was practicing, Kakashi asked curiously, "By the way, how did youe flying here, Naruto?"


    Naruto became embarrassed and flustered on hearing that question. He answered while looking away, "Fujin threw me."


    Kakashi raised an eyebrow and asked, "Threw you? Why?"


    Naruto replied with even more embarrassment, "I was nning to visit the Guidance Hall and told him. He scolded me for thinking about that when I have a sensei who knows a thousand jutsus much better than anyone teaching there and threw me over here."


    Since Fujin hadn''t asked Naruto to keep it a secret this time, he didn''t. A deadpan expression appeared on Kakashi''s face as he thought, ''I knew it! That bastard hates to see me be happy!''


    Back to the present, Kakashi continued, "Also, Wind Release isn''t my expertise. Even though I can use those jutsus, I am not very good at them. That''s why I said that you should be able to perform them at least as well as I can."


    Naruto was surprised. He asked in a stunned expression, "You call that being not very good?"


    He thought, ''That''s unbelievable! Kakashi sensei''s wind jutsus are several times stronger than mine!''


    Kakashi nodded and said, "You are still new at learning them. In a year or two, you''ll realize it. So, I can''t guide you much."


    A smile appeared on Kakashi''s face as he quickly added, "Fortunately, our vige has someone who is probably the best at Wind Release in the world."


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 604: The Best Wind Ninja!

    Chapter 604: The Best Wind Ninja!


    "Fortunately, our vige has someone who is probably the best at Wind Release in the world."


    Naruto immediately became excited and eximed, "Really? Who is it?"


    Kakashi continued smiling and said, "It''s none other than Fujin."


    "WHAT??? Big brother Fujin is the best at Wind Release in the entire world?" To say Naruto was shocked was an understatement. Until a few months ago, he didn''t even know that Fujin had a cool nickname. And now suddenly, Kakashi dropped this bomb.


    Kakashi just nodded and coolly said, "Yes, he is."


    At the same time, Kakashi thought, ''Though that is more due to the fact that there are no strong Wind users in the world as Sunagakure themselves are heavilycking in this aspect. If Fujin is ignored, then the next best ones will be Elder Danzo and Lord Hokage.


    Byparison, the Raikage specializes in Lightning Release and is very strong. For Earth Release, it is difficult for anyone topete with the Tsuchikage. For Fire Release, Lord Hokage could probably set fire to the entire Land of Fire while the Land of Water has several formidable ninjas who specialize in Water Release.


    Of course, there is no reason to tell Naruto this.''


    Naruto thought, ''I didn''t know big brother Fujin was so good! No wonder he decided to teach me Wind jutsus. Now that I think about it, he can do some crazy things with Wind. I still remember how he could restrain me with just a snap of his fingers!''


    Seeing Naruto in thought, Kakashi coaxed, "For now, focus on mastering those 3 jutsus. Once you master them, you can ask Fujin to teach you more Wind jutsus. Hmm, wait¡­"


    Kakashi pretended to be in deep thought. Naruto paid attention carefully. Suddenly, Kakashi said, "You know, now that I have thought about it more, I think it''ll be better for you to go to him as soon as you can and ask for his guidance. He might know some jutsus that are more suitable for you. It''ll save some time."


    Excitement appeared in Naruto''s eyes. He immediately said, "Alright! I''ll go ask him, believe it!"


    Without waiting for Kakashi''s reply, Naruto began running. Kakashi looked at his back and muttered, "Now that''s more like it. I should''ve done this on the very first day. It would be fun to see Fujin''s reaction when Naruto approaches him. Unfortunately, his house gives me creeps. I won''t be able to spy in secret."


    With Naruto gone, Kakashi opened his book and walked away while reading it. A few minutester, Kakashi had be quite engrossed in that book when he suddenly felt something. He looked behind him. His right eye widened as he saw Naruto flying towards him once again while shouting, "Kakashi sensei! Wait!"


    Secondster, Naruto crashed in front of Kakashi. He quickly got up as Kakashi asked, "Why are you back? Didn''t I tell you to ask for his guidance?"


    With a grin on his face, Naruto answered, "I did. He praised me saying that I''m learning the right jutsus and added that I''m on the right track. He told me to master those three jutsus as well and told me to use Gale Palm jutsu and Projectile Control jutsu together so that others won''t be able to dodge my weapons easily."


    Kakashi nodded and said, "That makes sense. Still, why are you here?"


    Naruto''s grin disappeared and he looked to be in a bit of panic. He hurriedly said, "Big brother Fujin pointed out a fatal w! He said that even though I am on the right track with Wind jutsu, a ninja shouldn''t focus entirely on one element.


    He said that Wind jutsus are weak against Fire jutsus. So Sasuke will always defeat me as he knows Fire jutsus! To counter Fire jutsus, Fujin said that I should learn a Water or Earth jutsu.


    Fujin said that you are much better at Earth and Water Release than him and that you are one of the best in the world. However, Fujin said that I can only learn one more jutsu at the same time. So, please teach me one defensive Water or Earth jutsu, sensei! I will learn it and beat Sasuke!"


    Kakashi looked at Naruto with a dumbfounded expression. He cursed, ''That shameless brat! This is the worst excuse I have ever heard! Couldn''t he teach Naruto Earth Wall? How do I send him away now?


    Also, how does he know about my location? Thest time was understandable as I felt a chakra field scanning me and I hadn''t masked my chakra. But this time, I hid my chakra signature. So how did he know? Did he nt a seal on me? Or did Lord Hokage lend him that crystal?''


    Even though Kakashi''s n was good, what he didn''t know was that Fujin had already anticipated this move when he decided to manipte Naruto into pestering Kakashi. If anything, he was surprised that Kakashi took so long.


    As a result, Fujin had already prepared a long list of reasons to send Naruto back to Kakashi. He had just used the first one! While someone like Kakashi could argue against Fujin''s reasons, Naruto couldn''t. On the contrary, Fujin knew exactly what to say to convince Naruto!


    Of course, Fujin didn''t intend topletely abandon Naruto. He nned to teach him a very overpowered trick that would be very suitable for him. However, it wasn''t the right time yet.


    "Sensei?" Naruto''s call snapped Kakashi out of his thoughts. Kakashi immediately replied, "Naruto, learning 4 jutsus at the same time at your age isn''t good. For n¡­"


    Naruto cut him off and argued, "But Fujin said that it''ll be fine!"


    Kakashi showed a serious expression and said, "Even though I sent you to take his guidance, don''t forget that I''m your sensei. Even mastering 3 jutsus at a time isn''t a very good idea, let alone 4.


    Focus on mastering those 3 jutsus. If you pester me again, we will stop Ninjutsu training and go back to physical training."


    Naruto immediately shivered on recalling Kakashi''s deadly training regime. He didn''t want to go through it again. He quickly said, "Alright sensei. I''ll master them in no time, believe it!"


    He quickly ran away. Kakashi let out a tired sigh and muttered to himself, ''Suzuki Fujin¡­ I underestimated him! Anyway, it looks like my decision to send these three to the Chunin Exams is correct. If they pass and be Chunins, they won''t be my responsibility officially. Though if they don''t¡­''


    Kakashi had a terrible headache. He quickly began making ns to send Naruto back to Fujin somehow.


    Back in Fujin''spound, his 5 students were standing on a balcony while looking towards the sky. Hikari muttered, "Will Naruto be alright? Sensei sent him flying for the second time."


    This time, the 5 of them weren''t next to Naruto when Fujin sent him flying. Instead, they were just doing their own things when they heard his scream and looked at the skies.


    Yuji giggled and said, "He should be fine. He said earlier that the fall didn''t hurt him due to the winds. However, his scream was hrious! I want to hear ''Not Again'' once more! Hehehe!"


    Sayaka ced her hand on Yuji''s shoulder and said with a smirk, "If you continue being mischievous, Sensei might throw you next."


    Immediately, Yuji became nervous and said, "Hey, I don''t create any trouble, like Naruto! I''m smart enough to know that I shouldn''t annoy sensei! Besides, what''s up with Sensei''s Wind Release? It is so different from any other ninja''s Wind Release!"


    Takeshi nodded and said, "Yes. It almost feels like a Kekkei Genkai! However, Sensei said that he doesn''t have any Kekkei Genkai. No one else says that sensei has a Kekkei Genkai either."


    Sayaka added, "I was intrigued as well. That''s why, I did some digging."


    Her words immediately gained the attention of the remaining kids. As the eldest and the one who led their small squad, her words held slightly more weight than others. Hikari quickly asked, "What did you find?"


    Sayaka said, "It''s difficult to find anything concrete. Instead, I looked at other top-tier ninjas. I discovered that nearly all top-level ninjas can use nature maniption in a way that almost makes it seem like a Kekkei Genkai.


    For instance, the Third Tsuchikage can fly using Earth Release. He can also make other objects heavier and lighter with Earth Release. The Fourth Raikage can create an Armor of Lightning with Lightning Release. Apparently, no attack can pierce through that armor and he can move at the speed of Lightning!


    So, sensei''s Wind Release may have reached a simr level. That is why it is so different aspared to our and our Anbu instructors'' Wind Release."


    Yuji eximed in surprise, "You mean that our sensei is at the same level as the Raikage and Tsuchikage?"


    Sayaka answered, "I can''t say for sure. The only thing I can say is that sensei''s Wind Release is likely at that level. In a way, it is actually cooler than Kekkei Genkai as it is far more versatile and rare. As for whether he can fight against them, it''s hard to say for someone like me."


    Sayaka''s exnation made sense. The four kids nodded. Even though they weren''t sure, their respect for Fujin increased by a few levels!


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 605: How long will you keep playing?

    Chapter 605: How long will you keep ying?


    [A/N : Hey guys. This chapter is Sponsored by Terrance Smith. You can thank him for the double release.]


    Thanks to Kakashi''s warning, Naruto no longer bothered him and focused on mastering the 3 jutsus. Of course, that didn''t mean that Kakashi waspletely free. He still had to lead Team 7 on their missions.


    With Naruto and Sasuke bing increasinglypetitive, his days weren''t peaceful by any means. It was quite a contrast from Fujin who had relieved himself from nearly every duty and focused on his training. Even in his absence, his students focused on mastering their jutsus earnestly.


    In one of the many training grounds in Konoha, loud sounds were constantly being heard. Even the ground shook frequently, as if an Earthquake had hit the training ground. If someone passed by, they would think that some sort of cmity was happening! If they were to check, they''d be shocked to see that all the sounds and shaking were happening due to shes of fists and legs!


    Standing some distance away, Tenten sighed and said, "Every time I see them fighting, I find it hard to believe that ninjas can fight in this manner¡­ If it was me, my hands and legs would long be injured!"


    Lee nodded and said, "They are even more fierce today! As expected of Guy sensei and Fujin-san!"


    Neji added, "It looks like they aren''t holding back this time."


    Unlike a year ago, Guy''s students could now follow Fujin''s and Guy''s movements. In the training ground, Fujin''s and Guy''s fists shed once again before they retreated. Both their breathing was heavy.


    Guy said, "Not bad. You are very enthusiastic today, Fujin. Your stamina with the Strong Fist style is several times higher than when you first used it. As expected as someone so youthful!"


    Fujin thought, ''Yeah, but looks like forcing him to open the Gates with just my Taijutsu is still impossible. Oh well, that''s not a surprise.''


    Fujin chuckled and said, "I haven''t been in a good fight for some time. Guy, how many Gates can you open without putting much of a strain on your body?"


    Guy was surprised by Fujin''s question. It was the first time Fujin had asked something like that. It also was the first time when Fujin had pushed him this much despite them having sparred so many times. He wondered, ''Is he preparing for something?''


    Guy answered, "Five. If I open the sixth, I''ll need to rest for some time."


    Fujin replied, "That''s impressive. Lord Hokage recently gave me a task and I don''t want to be caughtcking. Are you fine with taking a spar a notch higher?"


    Guy grinned and said, "Of course, let your youth explode!"


    Fujin grinned as well and said, "I won''t be holding back."


    At the very next moment, a huge st of wind wasunched behind Fujin! Neji, Lee and Tenten, who were standing some distance behind Fujin, were caught off guard and hit by the high-speed winds. All wereunched behind for a few meters but managed tond on their feet. Lee cursed, "What the hell was that?"


    Needless to say, the most surprised one was Guy. Even before the Winds hit his students, Fujin''s fist was right in front of his face. He barely managed to block the punch with his arms but was sent flying due to Fujin''s momentum!


    Guy quickly flipped in the air andnded on a tree before jumping back on the ground. As for the tree, it broke into two due to his force. Despite being hit, Guy had a grin on his face as he thought, ''So this is Fujin''s real speed? As expected of someone who specializes in Wind Release. It''s the same speed as mine when I open the Gate of Life! How exciting! I can''tg behind! Gate of Opening, Open!''


    Fujin looked at Guy opening three gates in a row and thought with a grin on his face, ''Now, this should be a good warm-up for Orochimaru!''


    Grinning, the two raised the intensity of their spar severalfold! Guy''s students, whose confidence had grown by leaps and bounds as they were able to see Fujin and Guy''s fight clearly, were left dumbfounded as they could no longer follow them!


    Lee observed carefully and realized, ''Even with the Gate of Life, Guy sensei is faster and stronger than I am when I open my Gate of Limit! Also, how is Fujin-san so fast despite not opening any Gates? What is that strange wind that he keeps sting? Unless I open my Inner Gates, I won''t be able to see their movements.''


    With the winds Fujin was randomly sting, the trio decided to create arger distance and moved away.


    Fifteen minutester, Fujin and Guy finally stopped. Both their breathing was heavy and both had several minor injuries on their body. Guy said, "That''s very impressive, Fujin. As expected of you."


    Fujin replied, "You are the one to talk. I don''t think there was anyone in the history of this world who could sustain Eight Inner Gates for so long! I run out of gas in a few minutes."


    Guy grinned without replying and closed his Inner Gates. He was about to say when he heard a bird''s sound and looked above. He said, "Looks like it''s time. I''ll catch up with youter, Fujin."


    Fujin took a deep breath and said, "It''s fine." With a smile on his face, he added, "Good luck to your students in the Chunin Exams."


    Guy was surprised that Fujin knew about it. He wondered, ''Is the task he spoke about rted to the exam?''


    He nodded and left after addressing his students quickly. Fujin disappeared from the training ground as well while thinking, ''The exams will begin in a week from now. I need to be in my best shape. I haven''t had a good fight since I fought Raiga.


    That said, at my level, getting a good fight is a very rare event. I doubt Ororchimaru fought with anyone after his little sh with Itachi either. Oh well, this spar with Guy should be enough warm-up. I''ll train for another week until the exam begins.''


    As Fujin returned home, another interesting event urred in Konoha. Naruto and Sakura, who had just returned from their mission, met with Konohamaru''s gang. As in the original story, Sakura beat both of them up when Konohamaru asked whether she was Naruto''s girlfriend and Naruto agreed.


    Holding the bump on his head, Konohamaru said, "I don''t even think she''s human! Did you see how wide her forehead is?"


    Unfortunately for him, he hadn''t bothered lowering his voice. Sakura, who was walking away, froze. She mechanically turned around, with an expression that terrified the four of them. All four began running away as she chased after them. The chase didn''tst for long as Konohamaru ran into Kankuro.


    While Hiruzen held a meeting with the senseis, Kankuro held up Konohamaru. To rescue him, Naruto moved forward, but Kankuro used a chakra thread to make Naruto slip. As he fell, Naruto thought, ''What the hell? My foot froze¡­ That''s simr to big brother Fujin''s Wind Release!''


    Despite the chakra thread, Naruto managed to control himself and didn''t entirely fall. He quickly regained his bnce and shouted, "Hey you in the ck pig suit! Release him now and I''ll go easy on you!"


    Unfortunately, that earned him a scolding from Sakura. While she held him. Kankuro threatened to kill Konohamaru and went for a punch. Realizing that it wouldn''t be good, Naruto weaved hand seals while cursing, "Bastard!"


    Temari recognized the hand seals and thought, ''Not good''


    She quickly grabbed her fan. Not wanting to identally injure Konohamaru, Naruto didn''t throw any weapon and instead just sent a small st of wind towards Kankuro with Gale Palm jutsu. However, Temari opened her fan and used it to cover Kankuro, blocking Naruto''s attack. The wind st caused Temari to move behind slightly and made her, Kankuro and Konohamaru feel a breeze. At the same time, a stone hit Kankuro''s wrist, stopping his punch and forcing him to let Konohamaru go.


    Like in the original story, Kankuro tried to fight with Sasuke until Gaara appeared and threatened him. The only difference was that Konohamaru wasn''t that disappointed in Naruto and others didn''t look down on Naruto. Especially Temari, who was surprised to see a Wind jutsu being used.


    At the same time, Kakashi, Kurenai and Asuma gave their approval for their Genins to take part in the Chunin exams. Iruka opposed it but was shut down ruthlessly by Kakashi.


    A weekter, Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke met outside the Academy, ready to participate in the Chunin Exams! Meanwhile, two individuals were ying a game a Shogi in a tower that was at the center of a deadly forest. One of them was young, the other was middle-aged with a few scars on his face showing his experience.


    Ady, with Dango sticks in her hand, scolded in annoyance, "How long will you keep ying? The Genins should be gathering right now!"


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    A/N: You can sponsor chapters through P@treon.

 Chapter 606 - 600 : Cold Winds...

    <h4>Chapter 606: Chapter 600 : Cold Winds...</h4>


    "How long are you going to keep ying?" Anko asked in annoyance. She had been pestering Fujin to apany her to the academy since the morning. However, Fujin had shown no signs of getting up. Instead, he just made a move.


    Renjiro made his move as well and asked with a chuckle, "What''s the rush, Anko-chan? There''s still a couple of hours before the first round will be done."


    Sitting next to him, Hoka added, "Yeah. Calm down, Anko. You have been restless since the morning."


    Since Fujin had nothing to do, he had asked Renjiro and Hoka to apany him to the tower in the Forest of Death. He just mentioned Hiruzen''s worries and since neither of them had anything to do, they agreed.


    As a result, Anko was outnumbered three to one, making her feel frustrated! She said with a flustered expression, "You! Alright, keep ying! Hmph!"


    She began walking away when Fujin chuckled and said, "Don''t worry, Anko. I have already made the arrangements."


    Anko was surprised. She wondered, ''He has been sitting here for thest few hours. What arrangements did he make?''


    Unable to figure it out, she asked, "What arrangements?"


    Fujin smirked and said, "Pretty cool ones."


    The other three in the room stared at him with a deadpan expression. However, Fujin showed no intention of exining anything. Finally, Anko''s shoulders drooped as she slumped into a chair and eximed tiredly, "I give up!"


    Fujin chuckled once again and continued focusing on the game while chatting with Renjiro and Hoka.


    Over at the academy, things changed slightly due to Fujin''s influence. Luckily, they weren''t too drastic. Thergest change he had caused was undoubtedly to Team 7.


    Naruto was considerably stronger by this time than in the original story. He knew several Wind jutsus and had better control over his chakra. His confidence was higher as well. In addition, Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke were all considerably stronger physically as Kakashi had made their training significantly more difficult.


    Due to his increased confidence, Naruto didn''t challenge Lee when Lee challenged Sasuke. Sasuke fared better in his fight but still got defeated humiliatingly and would have been thrashed if Guy''s summon didn''t stop the fight. The trio met Might Guy for the first time as well and were shocked due to his eyebrows and speed.


    Their interactions after entering the exam hall were more or less the same. They caught up with their old ssmates before meeting Kabuto who gave them some information about the Chunin Exams. He also gave them details on a few strong participants like Rock Lee and Gaara. Eventually, he was attacked by the squad from Hidden Sound before Ibiki appeared in the room and began the exam.


    Ibiki''s exam was the same. The first part required the participants to copy smartly. Even though Naruto had be slightly more intelligent, he still couldn''t figure out the meaning behind the test and refused to copy Hinata''s answers due to fear of being caught and eliminated from the exam.


    While the exam was underway, Fujin looked towards the clock and muttered, "It''s almost time."


    Anko''s ears perked up hearing his words. She got up and asked, "Finally! If we leave now, we might still be able to make it to the academy in time."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Hmm... Why don''t you move ahead, Anko? I''ll meet you outside the Forest of Death."


    Fujin''s words confused her. Having interacted with Fujin for the past few days, Anko had realized that Fujin was quite entric. She suspiciously asked, "What do you mean?"


    Fujin chuckled and replied, "Just what I said. Why are you hesitating?"


    She continued looking at Fujin suspiciously, but he didn''t give her any hints. She began walking while cursing under her breath, "If you don''te soon, I swear that I''ll make Hokage sama change the proctor in the middle of the exam!"


    Her words were just loud enough so that the three of them could hear. She left quickly. Renjiro and Hoka looked at Fujin, who nonchntly continued ying the game.


    Neither understood what he was up to and Fujin didn''t bother exining. Finally, Hoka couldn''t take it and asked, "What game are you ying?"


    Fujin looked at him curiously, pointed towards the board and answered, "Shogi. Is there an issue with your eyes?"


    Hoka snorted in annoyance and asked, "Do you want to annoy everyone? You know what I mean. Why aren''t you following her?"


    Renjiro added, "I know it is only a temporary appointment, but you shouldn''t take it so lightly. The old man must have a reason to make you the proctor. It wouldn''t be good if something happens and you aren''t present."


    Fujin looked at Hoka and replied, "I don''t know. It''s kinda fun to annoy others, haha."


    He turned his gaze towards Renjiro and said, "Don''t worry, I have truly made the arrangements. If anyone intends to create trouble, then he or she will be very sorry. Unless it is a rank S ninja of course."


    Seeing Fujin''s confidence, Renjiro said, "It''s fine as long as you have the confidence."


    The two of them continued ying. Meanwhile, Hoka wondered, ''What arrangements did he make?''


    He activated his Byakugan, but couldn''t find anything in the tower or the forest. Anko travelled through the Forest of Death while still cursing Fujin. She muttered, "This brat! Why do I feel that he still hasn''t left the tower?


    Why did Lord Hokage appoint such a brat as the proctor? Did he even pass the Guidance Hall proposal or did he just get the credit? I can''t make any sense of his actions!"


    She exited the Forest of Death andnded in the area where they wouldter distribute the scrolls to the participants. Not even a second had passed when she heard, "You should train more seriously, Anko. I have been waiting here for you forever."


    Anko was surprised. She turned around and saw Fujin sitting in a chair with a book in his hands as if he were on vacation. She eximed in surprise, "How did you get here before me? I didn''t sense anyone passing by me!"


    Fujin raised an eyebrow and said seriously, "That''s all the more reason for you to train more seriously."


    Anko was dumbfounded by his response. Secondster, she became irritated and cursed internally, ''What the fuck? I can swear that no one passed by me! I don''t care what reputation he has as the Spectral Swordsman, no one can sneak past me so easily.


    Also, if he ran past me, why doesn''t he look tired? There isn''t even a drop of sweat on his body!''


    The more she thought, the more irritated she became. Knowing she''d be teased by Fujin if she asked about it, she changed the subject and said, "Whatever, let''s go to the academy."


    Fujin raised his eyebrow again and asked, "Why?"


    Growing increasingly irritated, Anko asked aggressively, "What do you mean why? Who''ll inform them toe here?"


    Fujin waved his hand dismissively and replied, "Eh, I''m not running to them. It''s more fun to see theme running here. Hmm?"


    Fujin suddenly disappeared from the chair and appeared very close to Anko who was growing increasingly annoyed. Anko was surprised as she noticed Fujin observing her very carefully. She asked, "Wha..."


    Before she couldplete her question, Fujin asked with ''worry'' on his face, "Are you fine, Anko? I didn''t notice it earlier, but you have been looking flustered and agitated all day. Even your cheeks are slightly red. Should I examine you? I''m a trainee Medical Ninja."


    Fujin''s fake worry once again annoyed Anko. She cursed, ''This fucking brat! I want to beat him up so damn much!''


    She snorted and turned around, moving away from Fujin who just chuckled in response and went back to his chair.


    Back in the academy, Ibiki put forth the rules of thest question. Hearing that they would never be allowed to take the Chunin exam if they failed to get the answer right, many quit. Only 78 Genins were left when Naruto had his little outburst, which raised the confidence of the remaining participants.


    Ibiki looked at the remaining participants and announced, "Good call. So, everyone who is still here... You''ve just passed the first exam!"


    Ibiki''s announcement shocked every participant still in the room. They quickly asked their queries as Ibiki patiently exined the reasoning behind the test and gave them valuable lessons. With a smile on his face, Ibiki ended by saying, "Part one of the chunin selection exam is now concluded. I''ll pray you fight the good fight."


    Needless to say, everyone was pleased to hear Ibiki''s exnation, none more so than Naruto. A smile was present on the faces of all 78 participants when they suddenly felt a chill. Even the examiners keeping an eye on the Genins felt a chill.


    Except for Ibiki, who guessed urately, every one of them became alert. Naruto muttered, "How did it get so cold all of a sudden and what''s this wind?"


    Next to him, Hinata shivered slightly due to the cold.


    Sasuke had a frown on his face as he wondered, ''What is this chakra I am feeling?''


    Even Gaara was surprised as he wondered, ''What is this chakra? Why am I getting such a dangerous feeling from it?''


    Temari, Kankuro, Lee and others in the room wondered the same thing and prepared themselves. No one in the room had ever experienced such a chakra. Even the Chunin examiners got up.


    ''Byakugan!'' Neji activated his Byakugan and was immediately shocked. He wondered, ''What the hell? This chakra has invaded the entire room!''


    A ninja wearing the Hidden Grass headband became amused and looked at the front of the room as he thought, ''Such a high-quality Yin and Wind chakra. Interesting...''


    At the ce where he was looking, the winds began flowing and taking a form!


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    ()


    Thank you Abhinav for supporting me through UPI

 Chapter 607 - 601 : A Mini-Test!

    <h4>Chapter 607: Chapter 601 : A Mini-Test!</h4>


    In the exam hall, everyone''s attention was attracted by what was happening in front of Ibiki.


    Sakura asked in fear, "What is that? How can winds move like that?"


    She wondered if it was a Genjutsu and tried disrupting her chakra. However, the scene in front of her didn''t change. The other Genins as well as the Chunins in the room had the same question. None of them had seen winds doing anything close to what they were witnessing. They tried disrupting their chakra as well to ensure that they weren''t in a Genjutsu. There were only four people in the room who had different thoughts.


    Ibiki looked at the winds in front of him and thought, ''That''s quite a show he has nned. Did Anko put him up to this? Still, isn''t his control over the wind a bit too ridiculous? I don''t think anyone in the Land of Wind can do something like this.''


    Gaara carefully observed the winds and noticed, ''The winds are moving just like my sand.''


    Orochimaru looked at the winds and analyzed, ''Marvellous! I have never seen such a high degree of control over the Wind. In addition, a high amount of Yin chakra is mixed in the winds, making everyone feel a chill and making it seem like the room temperature has dropped.


    Interesting. To think that you''d put him as the proctor of the next round, Sensei. Do you already know about my ns? No matter, this boy was causing me headaches. This is a good opportunity to eliminate him before the war begins!''


    And thest person who had some clue about what was happening had a peculiar expression on his face. Naruto looked at the winds and muttered softly, "Don''t tell me it is big brother Fujin!"


    He wondered whether he should call Fujin out. However, he shivered and thought, ''Let it be. I don''t want to be thrown into the sky again.''


    Naruto chose to keep his mouth shut. In front of the room, the winds took the form of a human-shaped figure wearing arge cloak who was floating in the air! The only human-like features that could be seen were two glowing eyes.


    Those glowing eyes scanned the room for a few moments before everyone in the room heard a whisper, "26 squads... The second part of the Chunin Exams begins now. The squads who have passed the first round go to Training Ground 44.


    If anyone doesn''t make it there in 15 minutes, then your entire squad will be disqualified. You are allowed to ask for anyone''s help, but if anyone fights or causes any destruction or chaos in the vige, then your entire squad will be disqualified and handed to Ibiki. Your time starts now!"


    The human-like figure dispersed into winds after passing the message. Within a few seconds, the breeze inside the room and the chill everyone was feeling disappeared.


    The entire room was stunned. No one expected an order to be given in such a manner. The impact it had was far greater than Ibiki''s entrance.


    Suddenly, everyone came to their senses and the genins quickly began reacting. Kiba eximed, "Shit! What was that? Since when could wind speak?"


    Many others had the same reply. Shino appeared next to him and replied, "It''s probably the proctor of our Second Exam. Anyway, we don''t have time to waste. Let''s get together with Hinata and move."


    Someone from the Hidden Rainined, "This is so unfair! The Hidden Leaf ninjas get an unfair advantage. They know where the training grounds are in their vige!"


    However, standing next to him, his teammate said, "Why bother crying? Can''t we just follow them to the training ground?"


    The ninja whoined immediately felt stupid. The ones who had taken the exam earlier knew about the location of the training ground. They immediately began moving.


    Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke gathered together. Naruto immediately asked, "Do either of you know where the training ground 44 is?"


    Both shook their heads. Naruto panicked and asked, "What do we do now? Should we follow them as well?"


    Both Sakura and Sasuke looked at him like he was an idiot. He immediately became flustered and asked, "Why are you looking at me like this?"


    Sakura answered, "Didn''t you hear that figure? We can ask for help. Let''s just ask Kakashi sensei. We won''t need to worry about anyone leading us astray."


    Naruto eximed in surprise, "That''s right! Let''s find Kakashi sensei quickly!"


    They quickly rushed outside along with a few other Genin squads and found Kakashi along with other senseis. The Genins quickly approached their senseis and asked them about the location of the training ground 44.


    The senseis were surprised to hear about the mini-test. Kakashi wondered, ''Who is the proctor for the second exam? For such a change to be made...''


    Kakashi quickly informed his students about the location. Sakura asked, "Sensei, do you know about anyone who can be wind?"


    Kakashi was surprised by her question. He asked, "What do you mean?"


    Sakura informed him about what happened in the exam hall after Ibiki''s test was over. Kakashi was surprised again and analyzed, ''That sounds like a Wind clone. But a Wind clone looks like the user. Also, it can''t reduce temperature. Who could do something like that?''


    Fujin''s face appeared in Kakashi''s head as he recalled the scene of Naruto flying towards him. However, he wasn''t sure. Seeing Kakashi in thought, Sasuke said, "We don''t have time right now, Sakura. We will leave now, Sensei."


    Kakashi nodded as the Genins left. He sent a Shadow Clone behind them to ensure that they went in the right direction.


    As the Genins left, the senseis were left alone once again. Asuma asked, "Who could control winds to such a degree?"


    Kurenai shook her head and answered, "I don''t think it was winds. It sounded more like a Genjutsu. I guess it might be someone from the Kurama n. What do you think, Kakashi?"


    Kakashi replied, "It''s difficult to say. I sent a Shadow Clone behind them. So, we will know soon."


    Asuma and Kurenai nodded.


    The 78 Genins continued rushing through Konoha until they reached the outskirts. Anko was in the mini-camp when she noticed some people moving towards them in a rush. Fujin had his Space Time Sensing Technique active the entire time. So, he knew all about their movements.


    Anko moved front and realized, ''The Genins are rushing here?''


    She looked towards Fujin and thought, ''So he wasn''t lying. However, what arrangements did he make? Did he ask Ibiki to send them here? But that would be so boring. Also, why are they rushing here with such speed?''


    Anko became curious about what Fujin had done. Unfortunately, he didn''t even pay any attention towards the Genins who were rushing here and instead kept reading the book he was holding. She looked away in annoyance and muttered, ''Continue acting mysterious!''


    The Genins who had taken the exam previously were the first ones to reach the Forest of Death. Behind them were the Genins who followed them. Thest ones were the new Genins who asked for their senseis for information. As Fujin expected, everyone made itfortably within the time limit.


    Gaara, Kankuro and Temari were surprised to see Fujin. They recalled his appearance and information told to them in their father''s office.


    Lee, whose squad reached the Forest of Death at the 11th minute, noticed Fujin and said, "Look, Fujin is there."


    Neji and Tenten noticed him as well. Tenten wondered, "Is he one of the examiners?"


    Neji replied, "Could be. Or perhaps he could be the proctor."


    Even though they had seen Fujin fight with Guy, they had only seen Fujin using Taijutsu. Thest spar was the first time when they saw Fujin use Wind Release. And even then, Fujin mostly used Winds to enhance his own speed and used non-lethal attacks like Infinite Breakthrough jutsu. He didn''t use his Wind Domain, Vacuum jutsus or even attacks like des of Wind jutsu since they would have forced Guy to open more Inner Gates. Hence, they couldn''t connect the winds to Fujin like Naruto could.


    Soon after them, Naruto''s squad reached close to the Forest of Death. As they were running, Naruto saw Fujin immediately and said, "Crap! It is big brother Fujin!"


    Sakura and Sasuke immediately heard him. Sakura asked, "The one you always keep talking about? Where is he?"


    Naruto pointed towards Fujin and said, "Him, the one reading a book. He should be the Proctor of our next round."


    Sasuke looked at Fujin and thought, ''So, he is the one who taught Naruto Wind jutsus and how to climb a tree. Still, how could he control winds like that? From Kakashi''s expression, I don''t think even he could do anything like that. First Might Guy and now him, how many strong ninjas are there?''


    Having seen Guy''s speed and Fujin''s application of Wind, Sasuke felt a lot more pressure.


    Naruto warned nervously, "Don''t annoy him. He can throw you across the vige with a flick of his wrists. He can be very scary."


    Sakura looked at Naruto and thought with surprise, ''So there is someone who even Naruto is scared of! But what does he mean by that? No one can throw someone across the vige, right?''


    Around a minute after Naruto''s squad reached, Karin''s squad from Kusagakure reached the Forest of Death. They were thest ones to arrive. Fujin closed his book and got up. His movements were immediately noticed by the Genins as they had seen other examiners frequently looking at Fujin earlier.


    Fujin walked in front of the Genins and said with a sly smile on his face, "I am Suzuki Fujin, the Proctor of the second round of the Chunin Selection Exam. The arena for this round will be the training ground 44, also known as the Forest of Death!"


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    ()

 Chapter 608 - 602 : Missed Opportunity...

    <h4>Chapter 608: Chapter 602 : Missed Opportunity...</h4>


    [A/N: Wow! We were ranked 4th in Power stones in thest week! Excellent job guys! Keep it up!!!]


    Hearing the name ''Forest of Death'', every Genin turned their attention to the forest behind Fujin. Many gulped nervously, noticing the humongous trees and the darkness within. On the other hand, there were a few maniacalughs.


    Sakura looked at it and said nervously, "It looks like a creepy ce!"


    She looked at Fujin and thought, ''It''s a good thing that Naruto is close with the proctor, though I''m not sure whether he''ll help us during the exam.''


    Temari was looking at Fujin as well but her mind wasn''t on the Forest of Death. Instead, she thought, ''The ninja who controlled the winds in the exam hall should be him. They were right. His mastery over Wind Release is better than anyone from Sunagakure. Even Father and Baki sensei''s Wind Release isn''t as good as his. Still, how did he do that? And why were the winds so cold?''


    As someone who focused on Wind Release, Temari became very interested in Fujin''s control over the wind. Unfortunately, she wasn''t in a position to ask him.


    Fujin continued, "The second round will be a survival test. It means that you can die in this round. Simrly, you can kill others if you wish to. If any of you aren''t willing to risk your life, you can turn around and leave."


    Fujin looked around. Needless to say, no one did so. Fujin nodded and said, "Good. Hand them the papers."


    A couple of examiners came forward, each holding a set of papers. They began distributing the papers. Fujin said, "You''ll receive two sets of papers. The first one is a consent form. All of you have to sign it so that we won''t be liable for any injuries you might suffer or your deaths.


    The second is the topography of the training ground. As you can see, the training ground is circr with a radius of 10 kilometers, a river flowing through it and a tower at the center. Remember it properly as you will be disqualified if you step out of this training ground for any reason during this round..."


    The Genins listened carefully and properly observed the map. Standing next to Fujin, Anko had a frown on her face. She looked at the Genins in confusion, ''Why is everyone so obedient and looking at him with such respect?''


    Having proctored the exam a couple of times, Anko knew how arrogant the Genins were. It was why she resorted to taking actions that created an impact on them to keep them in line. However, Fujin had been chilling in his chair and then chatted casually with everyone. Yet, no one dared to pass any oddment.


    Anko looked at him and wondered, ''Is this also a part of one of his arrangements? Or did Ibiki put the Genins in line?''


    She couldn''t be sure. Fujinpleted exining the training grounds and answered a few queries before saying, "Now, about what the exam will be."


    Fujin took out two scrolls and exined, "This is a scroll of Heaven and this one is a scroll of Earth. Thirteen teams will be given a scroll of Heaven while the remaining will be given a scroll of Earth.


    In order to pass this round, your squad needs to collect both scrolls and bring them to the tower at the center. However, if any of your teammates die during this round, then your entire squad will be disqualified. In addition, if anyone opens either of the scrolls during the exam, your squad will be disqualified no matter to which squad that scroll was initially assigned."


    Hearing Fujin''s words, Sakura said, "In other words, at least half of us, the thirteen teams whose scrolls have been stolen, will fail."


    Fujin replied, "More or less, though that is an unrealistic situation as well. Anyway, the time limit is 5 days. If you still want to participate, hand in your consent forms and collect a scroll.


    Each team will enter the training ground from a different entry point, which will be assigned while you collect the scrolls."


    "FIVE DAYS? What are we supposed to eat for food?" Choji eximed in surprise.


    Fujin turned around and replied with a chuckle, "Your choice. If you have food with you, you can eat that. Else, you can eat the nts, insects and animals in the forest, though look out for the poisonous ones. If you somehow run out of those, then you can even eat each other. Whatever suits your taste. Anyway, try to stay alive. It''ll be troublesome if too many of you die."


    The nonchnt manner in which Fujin spoke those words gave most of the Genins a creep! Naruto muttered to himself, ''I knew Fujin was scary, but I didn''t know he was this scary!''


    Meanwhile, Sakura and Sasuke looked at Naruto, wondering whether he was the same Fujin that Naruto always spoke so highly about.


    Fujin returned to his chair and looked at the participants once again. More specifically, his eyesnded on Gaara and Orochimaru''s disguise.


    He thought, ''Tsk... If it wasn''t such an important event and the participants weren''t so high-profile, I could have had so much fun. Instead of letting them go through different gates, I could have just thrown everyone randomly inside the forest. Wouldn''t that be a sight to see?


    I could have even thrown the teammates far from each other, making the Chunin examspletely chaotic. With everyone knowing the Transformation jutsu, it would have been a herculean task just to find the right teammates, hehehe.


    The only drawback would be that such an exam would have been extremely difficult. I doubt whether anyone could pass...''


    Fujin chuckled at the thought before concluding his thoughts, ''Oh well, it''s probably for the best. If I showed off that skill too much, these bastards might give me that task during the Fourth Great Ninja War. Even though it is fun, I don''t want it to be a job!''


    With the rules exined, Fujin took a backseat. Anko handled the remaining work. Within a few minutes, everyone handed in their scrolls and were handed the scrolls secretly.


    With all formalities done, Fujinzily said without getting up from his chair, "Follow your examiners to your respective gates. When the signal sounds in half an hour, the exam will begin."


    With those words, everyone dispersed. Half an hourter, the signal sounded and the Genins rushed in.


    Anko approached Fujin and said, "You know, you could at least pretend to be interested."


    Fujin chuckled and replied, "I''m plenty interested, Anko. I was just looking for the suspicious fellows. A couple of them really stand out. It looks like this round will be very interesting."


    Anko was surprised. She asked, "You noticed suspicious Genins? Who?"


    Fujin replied, "The bloodthirsty squad from Kusa and the squad from Suna. That kid carrying the gourd is especially dangerous. Don''t engage him in a battle. Anyway, it''s just a suspicion. Let me see if they''ll actually dare to make a move."


    Anko recalled the faces Fujin mentioned. Knowing the reason why Hiruzen had appointed Fujin as the Proctor, she had carefully observed the Genins as well. Before she could say anything, Fujin spoke again, "I''ll leave the formalities here to you. Meet me in the tower once everything is taken care of."


    Immediately, Fujin dispersed in a cloud of smoke. Anko''s eyes twitched as she realized, ''He was a Shadow Clone! No wonder there wasn''t a drop of sweat or a speck of dust on him! That brat fooled me!''


    Suddenly, her eyes widened as she realized, ''Wait! Don''t tell me he sent a clone to the Academy as well. No wonder those brats were so alert against him. I need to ask Ibiki what he did!''


    Anko snapped out of her thoughts as she heard a loud scream. She looked towards the forest and said with a smirk, "Well, that was fast."


    As in the original story, Kurenai''s squad eliminated a squad very early. And, Naruto had an urge to urinate. So, he went away from the squad after getting punched by Sakura. He was peacefully doing his business when suddenly Sasuke appeared behind him.


    Naruto was surprised. He looked at him and asked, "Why did youe here? Do you want to take a leak as we... What the hell, Sasuke???"


    The poor guy hadn''t evenpleted his business when he suddenly had to duck down to avoid a blow, nearly nting his face in his own urine! Not wanting to give up such a good opening, ''Sasuke'' threw several kunai at Naruto, who had jumped away and was busy closing his pants.


    Naruto barely managed to avoid them but his eyes widened as he saw that one of the kunai, whichnded right in front of him, had a paper bomb which was burning! He eximed, "Well fuck me!" while hurriedly moving backwards and weaving hand seals.


    The paper bomb exploded but before the impact could reach Naruto, he used the Great Breakthrough jutsu to blow everything away! He sighed in relief and muttered, "Barely safe! Now, which bastard was pretending to be Sasuke? I''ll beat him u..."


    Naruto''s words were stuck in his throat as he heard a voice behind him, "One false move and I''ll kill you! Now, hand over the scroll!"


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    ()

 Chapter 609 - 603 : Orochimaru’s suicide?

    <h4>Chapter 609: Chapter 603 : Orochimaru''s suicide?</h4>


    Naruto nced behind him and wondered, ''Who is this joker?''


    Naruto saw a Genin wearing a rebreather and a yellow jumpsuit. Since his disguise hadn''t been as effective as he had envisioned, Oboro had dropped his Transformation jutsu. In addition, since Naruto performed much better than he spected, he thought that Naruto might have the scroll.


    However, before Oboro could do anything, he jumped behind as several Shurikens attacked him. Hearing the sound of an explosion and due to the winds generated by Naruto''s jutsu, Sasuke and Sakura were alerted. They didn''t waste any time and quickly came to reinforce Naruto.


    Seeing Sasuke and Sakura, Oboro analyzed, ''That blonde kid is tougher than he looks. Others might be stronger as well. I should havee here with my teammates instead of trying to conceal my presence!''


    Not wanting to take any undue risks, he escaped. Sasuke appeared beside Naruto and asked, "What the hell happened here, Naruto?"


    Naruto immediately replied, "He disguised as you and tried to sneak attack me when I was taking a leak! I''m gonna beat that joker if I see him again, believe it!"


    Sasuke immediately thought, ''Terrible! We will need to ensure that something like this doesn''t happen again. Or we could all end up dead! Hmm?''


    While Sasuke was thinking of countermeasures, Sakura got angry and smacked Naruto on the head once again while shouting, "Close your pants properly, Naruto!"


    Naruto immediately did so whileining, "Hey don''t me me! That bastard didn''t even let me take a leak in peace!"


    Sasuke ignored their antics and said, "Remember this, if we get separated again, we can''t trust each other blindly. Otherwise, it can get much worse than they just did."


    Sakura asked, "But, what can we do?"


    Sasuke said, "The safest thing for us to have is a secret password. That way, we''ll know. No matter who they look like or how they sound, if one of us gets that wrong, they''re an enemy."


    Naruto and Sakura nodded. Sasuke continued, "Listen very carefully, I''ll say it only once. It''s a poem called Ninki..."


    Sasuke recited a long andplicated poem. Sakura memorized it right away. However, Naruto couldn''t do so. He asked in a deadpan tone, "And you expect me to remember that? How?"


    Naruto tried changing the password to something easier but wasn''t paid any attention to by either of his teammates. Sasuke grabbed the scroll and said, "I''ll keep the scroll with me."


    A secondter, the three Genins were hit by a powerful wind current!


    Naruto cursed in surprise, "What the hell?"


    Sasuke eximed, "A new enemy! Stay on guard!"


    Even though the three Genins raised their guard, they weren''t able to take the attack head-on and were blown away!


    After the attack passed, Sasuke took cover under the vegetation in the area and stayed hidden until he saw Sakura. Sakura was about to approach him when he stopped her and asked for the password. She nodded and recited the Ninki urately.


    Sasuke replied, "Good."


    "You... Are you guys alright?" Naruto appeared as well. He was walking towards them when Sasuke said, "Not so fast, Naruto! The password?"


    "Right, Ninki!" Naruto maintained his goofy grin and recited, "We thrive in the chaos of the enemy tide. Quiet shinobi don''t need dens to hide. Our only concern is to watch and wait until the enemy lowers the gate."


    Sasuke smirked on hearing that while Sakura sighed in relief. However, to the surprise of both Sakura and Naruto, Sasuke threw a kunai at Naruto! The attack was so sudden that Naruto barely managed to dodge the kunai and fell over as he did so.


    Sakura quickly asked, "What are you doing, Sasuke? Naruto got the password right!"


    Sasuke didn''t reply and just stared at Naruto. Suddenly, a cloud of smoke was released around Naruto, attracting Sakura''s attention. They heard a mature voice, "Well done!"


    The smoke cleared and a tall ninja wearing arge hat and Kusagakure headband appeared in front of them. He asked, "What gave me away?"


    Sasuke replied, "I knew you were underground, eavesdropping on everything we said. That''s why I chose this kind of password."


    He smirked and added, "The real Naruto would never manage to memorize it. Gotcha imposter!"


    The Kusa Genin replied, "I see. This is going to be more fun than I thought!"


    Some distance away, Naruto was lying upside down. The winds had specifically targeted him, sending him quite a distance away from his teammates. He cursed, "First that fake Sasuke and now this wind jutsu!."


    He began getting up while wondering, "Where did Sakura and that bonehead Sasuke go?"


    His eyes suddenly widened as arge Shadow was cast on him. He eximed, "It''s huge!"


    A gigantic snake, several times thergest snake Naruto had ever seen, appeared in front of him. The snake dived underground and tried sneaking behind him while trying to wrap him with its tail.


    Due to his surprise, Naruto was slightly slow to react. However, he quickly realized and made a hand seal thinking, ''Shit! It''s trying to eat me! Body Flicker jutsu!''


    Just before the snake could coil around him, Naruto disappeared! He appeared on top of the tree and muttered while making new hand seals, "What''s up with this forest? Fujin didn''t warn us about something like this. Multi Shadow Clone jutsu!"


    7 Shadow Clones appeared next to Naruto. The snake noticed it and quickly stretched its body upwards, aiming to swallow Naruto and his clones. Unfortunately for it, Naruto and his clones just threw kunai with paper bombs attached inside its wide mouth and dispersed.


    Secondster, Naruto exploded all the bombs, blowing the snake into smithereens and bathing nearby trees in its blood!


    While he did so, his teammates began fighting a Kusa Genin, who was in fact a fearsome rank S ninja in disguise! Unfortunately, they had no idea. Even if they did, there wasn''t much they could do about it.


    Just like in the original story, Orochimaru used a Genjutsu mixed with his bloodlust to frighten and paralyze Sasuke and Sakura. Sasuke stabbed his own thigh and used the pain to break out of it before escaping.


    He hid along with Sakura before being sneak attacked by a gigantic snake as well. Even though he killed it, Orochimaru appeared from within the snake, spooking him and Sakura. Orochimaru immediately went on the attack but was stopped by the shurikens Naruto threw who reached their position.


    Some distance away from the four of them, a figure could be seen standing with his back resting against a tree. None of them knew that he was aware of their battle.


    He sighed and thought, ''Tsk, that disrespectful snake. He is making a mess even though I''m the one in charge of the exam. Oh well, since he''s nning to weaken himself even further, why should I bother stopping him? nt a dozen more curse seals. I''ll see what countermeasures you have prepared for me after you divide your soul even more.''


    Even though Fujin considered Orochimaru a formidable ninja and someone extremely difficult to kill, he didn''t actually view Orochimaru as a threat. In the original story, after being weakened by Hiruzen''sst strike, his prowess weakened a lot and he waster killed by Sasuke.


    So, Fujin didn''t bother putting a stop to his ns. Even though he could prevent Orochimaru from putting the curse seal on Sasuke right then, it wouldn''t mean much in the long term as Orochimaru could just do soter.


    If anything, interfering right then could create changes that Fujin wouldn''t like to see. For instance, Sasuke would spend most of his time with Kakashi after the second round was over. If Orochimaru decided to act at that time, there was a chance that Kakashi might die prematurely, something Fujin would loathe to see due to the ripple effect it would have on the future.


    Even if Kakashi somehow managed to hold off Orochimaru while protecting Sasuke, Orochimaru had the option of applying his seal to some other Uchiha kid. And it wasn''t feasible to expect another Uchiha to kill Orochimaru as Sasuke did.


    In that case, Orochimaru would survive with a Uchiha body with unknown strength and ridiculous goals. He could affect major events in the future. Fujin didn''t want to calcte all that. The only thing he saw was that it wasn''t beneficial to him in any way. If he interfered, then he would only bring Orochimaru more benefits. In fact, from Fujin''s perspective, interfering now was equivalent to stopping Orochimaru frommitting suicide! For those reasons, he didn''t bother helping Kakashi''s students.


    Fujin looked in the direction of the battle and thought, ''Even though I don''t want to interfere, I need to ensure that Naruto and Sakura stay alive. He might not do anything to Naruto due to his status, but Sakura is just an ordinary Genin right now. However, she''ll be quite significant in the future, be it her prowess or the emotional impact her death might have on Naruto.


    Anyway, the good thing is that Orochimaru wants to see Sasuke fight in higher rounds. Not to mention, she won''t bother him much. So, he shouldn''t kill her. Otherwise, saving her from such a distance will be rather difficult even with my Flying Thunder God jutsu.''


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    ()

 Chapter 610 - 604 : Terrified Sakura!

    <h4>Chapter 610: Chapter 604 : Terrified Sakura!</h4>


    "One, two, three... All of them are as dead as stone Buddhas!"


    "What kind of Ninjutsu is this?"


    Outside the forest of death, a squad of Konoha ninjas found 3 dead bodies. Kotetsu, who was inspecting their bodies, scratched the back of his head and sighed, "What bad news... We have just started the exam and have already faced a problem!"


    He instructed, "Report this to Council Member Fujin or Lady Anko who are conducting the second exam."


    The two ninjas immediately disappeared.


    ''Nothing goes better with dango rice dumplings than oshiruko bean soup! As soon as I''m done with my lunch, I''ll get to the tower and see what he is up to.''


    Anko was eating peacefully when one of the ninjas reached and shouted, "Terrible news, Lady Anko!"


    He informed Anko about the dead bodies and led her to them. As soon as she arrived, her eyes widened and fear was visible on her face.


    Kotetsu said, "Judging from their belongings and papers, they are all shinobi from Kusagakure and were registered to take part in the Chunin Exams. And, as you can see, their facial features arepletely gone! Their faces are as smooth as though they have been melted away!"


    With horror on her face, Anko analyzed, ''There is no doubt about it! It''s his technique! But why would he meddle in this?''


    "Show me the photos from the dead shinobis'' ID!" Anko ordered. They quickly handed her the IDs. She looked at the pictures and thought, ''So, this is the face he stole! Incredible! How did Fujin know that something was off about it? However, he''ll be in great danger if Orochimaru attacks the tower!''


    Anko shouted, "This is awful! You three! Report what''s happened to Lord Hokage! Ask him to deploy additional Anbu squads to the forest! If possible, ask him toe as well, but ask him to be careful of any traps! I''m going after the imposters!"


    Anko hurriedly left towards the Forest of Death. The three ninjas didn''t waste time either and rushed towards the Hokage Building!


    Back in the forest, the fight between the Genins and Orochimaru wasn''t much different. Even though the Genins were stronger than their canon counterparts, it didn''t have any impact against Orochimaru. The only effect it had was that Orochimaru was more impressed with Sasuke.


    Realizing that they couldn''t win, Sasuke tried giving up the scroll in order to avoid the fight, but Naruto didn''t allow that to happen and got angry at Sasuke instead. His rage allowed some of Nine Tail''s chakra to leak, impressing Orochimaru. However, Orochimaru still caught him and used the Five Elements Seal to cut off his ess to Nine Tail''s chakra.


    Following Naruto''s defeat, Sasuke put up a valiant effort and managed to burn Orochimaru''s mask, but ultimately didn''t do any real damage to him.


    Watching from a long distance away, Fujin shook his head and muttered to himself, ''Well that''s a shame. I expected Sakura to join the fight as well instead of just cheering Sasuke due to Kakashi''s training... I guess only Tsunade can make her useful.''


    Fujin squinted his eyes and decided, ''Anyway, it''s time. Hiruzen will eat my head if I don''t do anything and let him run amok!''


    Orochimaru was done chatting with Sasuke. He extended his neck and bit his neck, nting the curse seal on Sasuke! Due to his Genjutsu, neither Sasuke nor Sakura could move.


    "I look forward to seeing you again, Sasuke... In the qu..."


    Suddenly, Orochimaru''s eyes widened as he sensed danger! He quickly moved his elongated neck like a snake to avoid the iing attack! To Sasuke and Sakura''s surprise, half a dozen cuts opened up on Orochimaru''s neck and began spilling blood like a fountain! However, he had avoided critical hits and wasn''t beheaded.


    In the blink of an eye, Orochimaru quickly retracted his neck and looked to his left. Fujin''s figure became visible. He looked at Orochimaru while thinking, ''Though I decided against killing you due to the difficulty involved, it''s hard to resist if you provide me with such a nice opening! I wonder if his skin shedding would still work after being beheaded!


    Still, the sneak attack failed. I might have had better sess if I used a stronger jutsu, but he would have sensed the chakra fluctuations much earlier and the result would still have been the same.


    The only way I could have shed his neck for sure would have been by using the Flying Thunder God jutsu. However, using it when I''m not guaranteed to kill him will be a massive waste.''


    Since Orochimaru had applied his seal on Sasuke, Fujin no longer had any worries about impacting the future negatively as now Orochimaru was sure to die at Sasuke''s hands and not interfere with other major events. As a result, he made his move.


    There were two, or rather three main reasons for this. The first one was that the opportunities to fight a rank S ninja were just too rare! Fujin didn''t want to miss out on fighting against someone like Orochimaru.


    The second reason was the fact that Fujin had already nted tens of thousands of Flying Thunder God marks in the Forest of Death. As a result, he wasn''t worried about dying. In the worst case, he could escape easily. In addition, he could also use them to kill him if the opportunity presented itself.


    The third and the most important reason was Orochimaru himself! In Fujin''s eyes, Orochimaru was a walking treasure chest! Even though killing Orochimaru would have a massive impact on the future and could change it in ways that Fujin couldn''t predict, Fujin felt that the gains would be worth the loss if he could read Orochimaru''s memories and get ess to his knowledge.


    In fact, if killing him wasn''t so damn difficult, Fujin would have gone all out to ensure that he died in these vast forests irrespective of the cost! Unfortunately, Fujin knew that killing Orochimaru was nigh impossible. So, he didn''t want to expose skills like Flying Thunder God jutsu.


    Suddenly, Sasuke copsed to his knees as he couldn''t endure the pain! Sakura hadn''t seen Fujin yet and shouted at Orochimaru, "What did you do to Sasuke?"


    Orochimaru nonchntly answered without even looking at her, "Just a little something to remember me by..."


    He smirked and said, "I didn''t expect to be hunted by the legendary Spectral Swordsman here."


    ''The legendary Spectral Swordsman?'' Orochimaru''s words surprised Sakura. She looked where he was looking and saw Fujin standing there. Seeing the proctor, she immediately became relieved and was about to call him out when Sasuke suddenly began screaming due to the unbearable pain he was under and squeezed her hands too tightly.


    She said worriedly, "Hang on, Sasuke!" and shouted, "Proctor, he put a strange mark on Sasuke''s neck!"


    Unfortunately for her, Fujin didn''t pay any attention to her and instead said, "You crashed into my exam and are still surprised? Sigh, I''d be impressed if I didn''t just find out that one of the Legendary Sannins was bullying Genin kids. Is this how much you have fallen, Orochimaru?"


    Sakura wondered, ''First the Legendary Spectral Swordsman and now Legendary Sannins? What''s up with all these cool names?"


    Orochimaru chuckled in surprise and asked, "I didn''t expect you to be much of a talker. Do you want to appeal to my conscience?"


    Fujin didn''t bother answering that and instead looked at Sakura and asked, "Girl, are you injured as well?"


    Sakura immediately answered, "No! But Sasuke is in pain. And, he knocked out Naruto as we..."


    Before she couldplete her sentence, Fujin disappeared from her sight before suddenly appearing next to her. To her surprise, he was carrying Naruto and dropped him next to her and the wailing Sasuke.


    Orochimaru looked at his speed and analyzed, ''Not bad. His speed is spectacr for his age. I can see why Juzo fell and how he could escape from Kisame...''


    Without looking at her, Fujin said, "The battle that''ll take ce here will be too destructive for you to witness. Hold both of them very tightly. Their lives are in your hands."


    Sakura was confused but followed his instructions properly hearing the seriousness in his voice. Sasuke was still in pain while Naruto was still unconscious. She held both of them tightly when she heard, "Good."


    To her surprise, Fujin picked her up by the back of her neck. A strange wind surrounded her and her teammates. She shouted in shock as Fujin sent them flying backwards parallel to the ground with a flick of his wrists!


    However, even before the shock had passed, her eyes grew wide as she sensed two terrifying chakras! To her horror, the entire area where they were initially at was blown up by horrifying winds! The massive trees were uprooted and cut! Momentster, the entire thing was set aze!


    Terrified, she thought, ''What the hell was that? Even Kakashi sensei and Zabuza''s chakras weren''t this horrible! And what was that terrifying Wind and Fire? Could ninjutsu be that strong?''


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    ()

 Chapter 611: A Kind Donation...

    Chapter 611: A Kind Donation...


    Sakura was horrified by what she was seeing and feeling. Even though she had witnessed Kakashi and Zabuza''s battle, they had primarily relied on Water jutsus and had used the stronger jutsus muchter in the battle.


    However, Fujin and Orochimaru had started with deadly supercharged attacks. Despite being far away, she could still feel the heat of the mes and was afraid that she, Sasuke and Naruto would be cut up just like the massive trees.


    Luckily, she was soon sent flying long enough that she couldn''t see anything. However, the terror in her mind would take a long time to reduce. She crashed nearly a couple of kilometers away from where Fujin and Orochimaru had entered into a fight! Due to the winds, none of the four were harmed.


    In addition, Fujin had thrown them in a spot where there weren''t any other squads nearby while still keeping them close to Shikamaru''s and Neji''s squads, allowing them an opportunity to rest and ensuring that those two squads would be able to reinforce themter on so that the events wouldn''t be too different from the original story.


    Needless to say, he would send a Shadow Cler to ensure that none of them died due to his interference.


    As soon as shended, Sakura thought, ''Naruto wasn''t kidding. He can really throw someone very far enough! If he had thrown me towards the sky instead of parallel to the ground, we might have reached the Academy!


    Still, what is this jutsu? I couldn''t resist those strange winds at all. However, those strange winds kept us safe as well and prevented any injury to us when wended. How can such a magical jutsu exist? I don''t think even Kakashi sensei knows anything like this...''


    Sakura''s surprise wasn''t unfounded. The jutsu used concepts of Wind Domain and Assassin''s Rush jutsu. Since Fujin was the creator of the Wind Domain, no one else could use this method yet. Suddenly, Sasuke groaned due to the pain.


    Sakura snapped out of her thoughts hearing Sasuke''s groan. Due to the pain from the curse seal, he passed out. A determined expression appeared on Sakura''s face as she decided to protect her teammates by herself! She muttered, ''It''s all up to me now! This time, I''ll protect them and keep them safe!''In the tower, Renjiro was still ying Shogi with ''Fujin'' while Hoka was watching their game. Suddenly, the three of them sensed something and looked outside the window. Each of them got up and walked onto the balcony. They saw arge amount of smoke rising from the forest a few kilometers away!


    "What horrible chakra! I am not even a sensor and I can still feel the sh of the jutsus all the way over here!" Hoka took a deep breath and eximed. He activated his Byakugan but the fight was happening too far for him to see anything other than the smoke and the fire.


    Renjiro frowned and said, "This feeling¡­ It almost feels like Orochimaru!"


    Renjiro had worked with Orochimaru and even served under hismand during the previous wars. So, he was quick to connect it to him. However, his expression became grim as he knew just how terrible Orochimaru was! He was someone Renjiro never wanted to fight!


    He gazed at Fujin and said, "You have gotten quite strong. I didn''t even sense that I had been ying with a Shadow Clone all this time¡­ Was your main body patrolling the forests all along?"


    Fujin''s clone replied, "Yes. These dense forests are a good ce to set up traps and an ambush without alerting anyone. I wanted to ensure that there were none set up earlier. Anyway, now''s not the time to be impressed. Hokage''s intuition was urate, but who would have thought that such a horrible ninja would interfere¡­"


    Renjiro nodded and said, "It''s a good thing that he appointed you as the proctor and that you called us here. Otherwise, too many would have died before any reinforcements came. With the three of us, we might be able to hold him back..."


    "Captain! Intense chakras have been detected towards the Southwest! A massive fire has broken out. We suspect that ninjas other than the Genins have entered the training ground and have entered into a conflict!"


    Since he had felt something was off, Hiruzen had deployed a few Anbu squads in the Forest of Death. The squad deployed in the tower was led by none other than one of Fujin''s former subordinates, Yamanaka Fumito. He quickly informed Fujin when he sensed something off.


    Fujin''s clone nodded and instructed, "I can see that. Don''t worry, one of them is my main body."


    Fumito was surprised. He eximed, "So you already have it under control? That''s good."


    To his surprise, Fujin''s clone shook his head and said, "Nothing is good right now. Avoid that area and rush to the Hokage Building. Ask Lord Hokage to make his way to this Training Ground immediately."


    Fumito was surprised by Fujin''s instruction. He didn''t expect that Fujin would get the Hokage involved. To his shock, Fujin continued, "Tell him that Orochimaru, one of the three Sannins, has interfered in the exam and attacked some Genins."


    Behind his mask, terror appeared on Fumito''s face. Unlike Naruto''s generation, he clearly knew how strong Orochimaru was. He muttered, "Why is Orochimaru here?"


    "Why are you still here? Leave immediately!" Fujin''s clone said sensing that he hadn''t moved. Fumito didn''t tarry any longer and disappeared.


    Fujin''s clone continued, "It seems like he was after Kakashi''s squad for some reason. Anyway, you two don''t need to get involved for the time being. I can handle Orochimaru."


    "Nonsense! That''s one of the Legendary Sannins! And undoubtedly the most dangerous one! I won''t even be able to escape against him. Don''t underestimate him." Renjiro immediately scolded Fujin.


    However, Fujin''s clone just shook his head and said, "We still don''t know what his goal is. Nor do we know whether he has any help. In case he ns to attack this tower, I''ll need you two to help as I can''t fight much.


    As for underestimating him, don''t worry. I''ll never do that. That said, he won''t be able to defeat my main body easily. Even if he does, I can escape easily. So, I''m not in any danger."


    Renjiro and Hoka were surprised by his confidence. Both immediately recalled how good Fujin was at escaping and their worries eased slightly.


    On the other side of the Forest of Death, Anko had just entered to find Orochimaru when she suddenly felt the sh of two strong jutsus and noticed the smoke. She immediately jumped to the top of a tree.


    Her eyes widened as she observed, ''That''s definitely Orochimaru''s chakra! However, who is forcing him to go to this extent?''


    Immediately, a face appeared in her mind. She immediately rushed towards the location while thinking, ''I hope that brat isn''t fighting him! Orochimaru is in a whole different league! It''ll be a shame if he were to die here!''


    At the very moment that Fujin sent Sakura flying, Fujin attacked Orochimaru with a supercharged Infinite Breakthrough jutsu. Orochimaru responded by using a supercharged me Dragon Bullet jutsu to take advantage of the winds. However, his mes were blown back by the supercharged Infinite Breakthrough jutsu.


    Of course, that wasn''t enough to harm him. In fact, Orochimaru wasn''t even surprised and had expected as much. The attack was just to test Fujin''s ability. Hisughter could be heard, "Hahaha, not bad at all! No wonder Juzo died at your hands!"


    As heughed, he pulled out the sword of Kusanagi from his mouth and swung it to his left! It shed with Fujin''s sword. Wind chakra flowed through both des. Fujin realized, ''What a good sword. Even though my chakra is sharper, his de is much better than mine! I wonder if he''d make a kind donation like his former Akatsuki partner¡­''


    Unfortunately, Orochimaru didn''t seem as kind-hearted as Sasori. That said, Fujin had just met him. So he couldn''t be entirely sure. Who could say if Orochimaru would have a change of heartter and give Fujin the greatest gift in this world? Greater than even what Hiruzen did for him!


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    Thank you Sanchit and Tushar for supporting me through UPI.

 Chapter 612: How did Fujin defeat Jiraiya?

    Chapter 612: How did Fujin defeat Jiraiya?


    Fujin''s and Orochimaru''s swords shed hundreds of times within the blink of an eye. Neither of them could get an advantage over the other and the two rank S ninjas pulled back.


    Fujin said, "That isn''tmon knowledge, which means that you should be in Akatsuki as well. Sigh, I didn''t expect that one of the Legendary Sannins had fallen to the level of bing a mercenary. What a shame! Did they order you like an underling toe here and attack Genins as well?"


    Pity could be seen on Fujin''s face as he spoke. However, Orochimarupletely ignored Fujin''s taunt. He thought, ''From the information Akatsuki collected, he prefers to fight inplete silence without engaging in any talks, killing his enemies ruthlessly. However, when he meets someone who he can''t defeat easily, he talks with the sole purpose of angering his opponent, hoping that they give him an opening.''


    Orochimaru had talked with Kisame to ask for information about Fujin where he learnt that Fujin had taunted them to create a small opening which he managed to exploit sessfully. As a result, he wasn''t bothered by his words.


    Besides, it wasn''t like Fujin was the only one who could y that game. Orochimaru replied almost immediately after Fujin taunted him, "You shouldn''t be overconfident just because you killed Juzo. This world is vast with too many hidden experts. If you act arrogantly, it''s just a matter of time before you die."


    Fujin chuckled and teased, "Oh, and I suppose you consider yourself a hidden expert as well? Haha. Let me guess, you are following one such hidden expert now, hahaha!"


    Ignoring his taunts again, Orochimaruughed as well and said, "Don''t worry. I''m just advising you so that you won''t be this reckless in your next life."


    ''Hidden Shadow Snake Hands jutsu''


    Orochimaru flung his left arm towards Fujin. Instantly, 8 snakes appeared and moved towards Fujin at an incredible speed. They almost reached him when Fujin just casually swung his sword. Sharp winds flew and dismembered every single snake. However, Orochimaru used that time tounch a stronger jutsu!


    ''Ten Thousand Snake Wave jutsu''


    He opened his mouth and countless snakes crawled out of Orochimaru''s mouth, forming a wave. Fujin looked indifferently at the iing snake wave and muttered disdainfully while building up his chakra, "A hidden expert? What''s so special about being a Sannin? I defeated that pervert not too long ago!"


    ''Vacuum Serial Waves''


    A vacuum core with a hundred and forty-four vacuum cores formed in Fujin''s mouth as he shot out the jutsu.


    Orochimaru''s eyes widened as he was startled for the first time! He immediately flickered away! The thousands of snakes he had summoned were all blown back and cut into several pieces! Not a single one survived!


    However, that wasn''t what startled Orochimaru. He thought, ''He defeated Jiraiya? Impossible! Even though he fools around, he shouldn''t have fallen so far that this brat can defeat him!''


    Orochimaru quickly dodged again as a few Vacuum Bullets passed through where he was standing at while thinking, ''Did he really defeat Jiraiya or did he just say it to disturb me? That said, his mastery over the Wind is very good. Even Danzo''s Wind Vacuum Technique isn''t this good. I''ll need to disrupt him!''


    Orochimaru used Hidden Shadow Snake Hand jutsu once again to attack Fujin, who changed his strategy and flickered a few times to reduce the distance between them. Wind chakra flowed along his sword as he swung it at Orochimaru from a dozen meters away!


    Once again, Orochimaru flickered away as a wind sh apanied by sharp winds wasunched from Fujin''s de. Several more trees were cut down but Orochimaru wasn''t hurt. Fujin gave chase but he sensed Orochimaru building up a massive amount of chakra.


    ''Water Release: Exploding Water Shock Wave jutsu!''


    While dodging Fujin''s attacks, Orochimaru spat out arge amount of water! The water formedrge waves and came crashing down towards Fujin, who retreated while building up his chakra as well and using the Infinite Breakthrough jutsu to stop the water''s momentum.


    However, Fujin was puzzled. He wondered, ''What is this bastard up to? Why is he running away and why did he use a Water jutsu against me? From the way he is fighting, he should already have a lot of information about me.


    So, he should know that this technique is useless against me. If anything, it''ll weaken his Fire jutsuster on¡­ Did he do it just to create some distance?''


    Suddenly, Fujin''s eyes widened and he flickered away. Even though his attack had stopped the water and sent most of it backwards, some amount of water still flowed towards him. He had ignored it as it wasn''t harmful to him in any way.


    However, several thousand needles formed in water and wereunched at Fujin! Orochimaru had attacked Fujin by using the Water Release: The Thousand Stinging Needles of Death jutsu by using the water of his previous jutsu to attack Fujin.


    Fujin flickered a few times to avoid the attacks while flowing Wind chakra into his sword once again and swinging it to block thest iing rain of needles!


    However, he suddenly turned around as he sensed that Orochimaru had flickered behind him. A grin could be seen on Orochimaru''s face as he built a massive amount of chakra up once again. He shouted, "Let me see you survive this attack!"


    ''Fire Release: Majestic Destroyer me jutsu!''


    Orochimaru converted a massive amount of chakra into fire and exhaled it at Fujin. A sea of mes rushed towards Fujin! However, instead of fear, confusion could be seen on Fujin''s face.


    After all, Fujin had blown back a strong Fire jutsu not too long ago. Even though Wind was weak against Fire, that logic no longer held true against a ninja of Fujin''s calibre! Someone at Orochimaru''s level should know that clearly especially after Fujin had already demonstrated it.


    So, it didn''t make sense for Orochimaru to try and exploit this non-existent weakness. Fujin built up his chakra again while wondering, ''What is he up to? Does he n to use the mes as a cover to sneak attack me? But he should know that won''t work either. I can''t make sense of his strategy¡­ ''


    Before the Fire jutsu could reach him, heunched a supercharged Infinite Breakthrough jutsu at the iing mes to blow away the mes once again!


    The sharp and strong winds that Fujin exhaled shed with the sea of mes Orochimaru exhaled. Both of them were continuously exhaling their jutsus, powering them up continuously.


    Fujin expected that his winds would blow away the mes once again. However, his eyes widened as the mes overpowered the winds and rushed into it instead of dispersing! To make matters worse, the winds strengthened the mes, nearly doubling the power of Orochimaru''s jutsu!


    As he sensed the mes more clearly, Fujin''s eyes widened even more as he realized the reason why his jutsu was being overpowered!


    He immediately flickered away while cursing, ''Shit! This isn''t a simple fire jutsu! That bastard has mixed a huge amount of Yang chakra into it! This attack is actually closer to a Kekkei Genkai than a normal Fire jutsu. No wonder it overpowered my jutsu so easily¡­''


    Fujinnded on a branch as he looked at the mes that had spread for hundreds of meters, starting a massive forest fire. However, his eyes widened in shock once again! As soon as he stepped on the branch, Orochimaru appeared from within the branch and extended his neck towards Fujin at a rapid speed.


    Fujin instinctively swung his sword behind him, but Orochimaru hit his wrist, forcing Fujin to lose his grip and losing his sword. In the blink of an eye, Orochimaru coiled around Fujin without giving him any time to react!


    Fujin immediately used Iron Skin jutsu to protect himself while analyzing how exactly he fell into a trap. Orochimaru tried biting Fujin''s neck to ce a curse seal on him as well but was stopped due to the Iron Skin jutsu. Orochimaru''s teeth failed to break his skin as Fujin had used even more chakra to protect his neck.


    Fujin''s eyes widened as he finally realized the reason behind those weird moves Orochimaru made. He muttered, "Incredible. So this was the ambush you prepared for me?"


    Fear and shock could be seen on Fujin''s face and heard in his voice as he turned his head to see Orochimaru''s face. An evil grin could be seen on Ororchimaru''s face as he coiled tighter around Fujin to break his jutsu.


    He said, "This was a child''s y. How did you defeat Jiraiya if you couldn''t handle such a simple tactic?"


    With fear in his voice, Fujin replied, "It was simple¡­ I lied!"


    Orochimaru, who was looking forward to ying with Fujin before finally killing him, was startled. He never expected such an answer! He suddenly felt something amiss¡­


    At the next moment¡­


    BOOM!!!!!!


    Before Orochimaru could figure out what was wrong, Fujin exploded!


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Thank you Sanjeev for supporting me through UPI.

 Chapter 613: The Sword of Kusanagi!

    Chapter 613: The Sword of Kusanagi!


    BOOM!!!!!!


    A massive explosion took ce inside the Forest of Death! The sound of the explosion was so loud that it was heard nearly throughout the training ground. Several Genins looked towards it and wondered what was happening.


    The most shocked one was none other than Sakura who had beenying traps. She looked in the direction of the sound and wondered, ''What is happening over there?''


    Anko, who was rushing towards that spot, suddenly stopped. She looked towards that ce and thought, ''Shit! I hope I''m not toote!''


    In the tower, Hoka asked with surprise in his voice, "What a powerful explosion! What is happening over there, Fujin?"


    Both Renjiro and Hoka nced at Fujin with worry in their eyes. To their surprise, they saw that his lips had formed a small smile. Fujin''s clone said softly, "I just baited Orochimaru. That was an explosion with 20% of my chakra. Hehe, it seems like I might be able to kill him even before Hokage arrives."


    Renjiro immediately warned, "Don''t get too overconfident. Even if you manage tond a critical hit, Orochimaru is very good at healing himself."


    Fujin''s clone nodded and replied, "I know. Don''t worry, my main focus will be my safety. We are anyway on home ground. It''s Orochimaru who is restrained by time."


    Some distance away from where the explosion took ce, a figure could be seen standing on a branch while resting against a wide trunk. It was the same figure who had been keeping an eye on Orochimaru''s fight against Kakashi''s students. Fujin hadn''t moved from that spot and had instead sent a clone to do the entire battle! As he received the memories of his clone, a smile appeared on his face. He immediately flickered towards the location of the explosion while thinking, ''Not a bad ambush. As expected as someone of Orochimaru''s calibre.


    When he discovered that his Snake jutsus wouldn''t stand a chance against my Wind jutsus, he changed his tactics very quickly. The massive water jutsu was to increase my confidence against him while the needle attack was to raise my guard.


    He used the distraction caused by the thousands of water needles to create a clone who followed it up with a Fire and Yangbination jutsu that overwhelmed my Wind jutsu, making me feel like I was not his match and forcing me to retreat and reevaluate the fight.


    As I retreated, he controlled the mes to make me retreat in the direction where his main body was hiding to ambush me.


    However, there was one point he overlooked. Even though his n was very good and he hid his chakra very well, he couldn''t hide from my Space Time Sensing Technique. On understanding his n, my clone went to the exact spot where he was hiding, giving Orochimaru an opening that he couldn''t resist. Hehe¡­''


    The smoke and debris slowly cleared from where Fujin''s clone had exploded. Fujin had initially put a third of his chakra into that clone to ensure that Orochimaru wouldn''t suspect that he was a clone. The battle until that point had used up 40% of the clone''s chakra. What remained was around 20% of Fujin''s max chakra. Hence, the explosion was truly intense.


    The tree that they were standing on was obliterated. Several nearby trees were destroyed as well. As for the one who was coiling around Fujin''s clone, Orochimaru was in terrible shape! His body was lying on the ground.


    All the flesh on his neck, face and front part of his body was burnt away by the explosion! Most of his internal organs were wrecked as well. The fact that he hadn''t been blown into smithereens showed how resilient Orochimaru''s body was aspared to a normal ninja.


    Suddenly, his mouth moved. A pair of arms appeared from his mouth and opened his mouth wide enough for a person to climb out! Needless to say, the one who used this disgusting Ninjutsu was none other than Orochimaru.


    As he wasing out of his previous body, Orochimaru thought, ''I was fooled! He probably anticipated an ambush and switched with a Shadow Clone while he was escaping from the mes.


    Despite that, when I ambushed him, he acted like it was his real body and showed a scared expression to fool me. Even then, I should have detected him preparing the Shadow Clone Explosion jutsu. It''s not a jutsu that can be performed whilepletely hiding the chakra fluctuations.''


    Orochimaru''s expression becameplicated as he continued analyzing, ''The reason why I didn''t detect it was his words¡­ He lied that he defeated Jiraiya¡­ That answer caught me off guard. Combined with his previous actions and my confidence, I was distracted just enough to not catch onto the changes in his chakra immediately¡­


    What a devious brat!''


    Despite being on guard against such a tactic, Orochimaru had still fallen prey to it! For someone as experienced as Orochimaru, it was humiliating. As he climbed out of the body, all his injuries had disappeared and even his clothes were repaired. Yet, his expression was ugly.


    Despite using such a technique, Orochimaru was still breathing roughly. Due to the massive damage that he had taken, the amount of chakra he needed to use this technique was much higher than normal. Even though Fujin had lost a third of his chakra due to his clone, Orochimaru had lost more!


    Even so, Orochimaru didn''t have any opportunity to rest. As soon as he appeared, the sword of Kusanagi once again appeared in his hand. He swung the de towards his right while saying, "You shouldn''t get so cocky, boy!"


    To his right, Fujin had already appeared and was swinging his own sword. His eyes widened as he noticed Orochimaru''s sword. Orochimaru''s sword of Kusanagi extended and became wider. However, what shocked Fujin was that there were three types of chakra flowing through the de! Orochimaru was flowing Fire, Wind and Yang chakra through the sword of Kusanagi!


    All three mixed with each other wlessly, shocking Fujin. As he swung his own sword at the sword of Kusanagi, Fujin thought, ''He can use three types of chakra simultaneously and can merge them as well? The feeling I''m getting from this chakra is more intense than Takeshi''s Scorch release!


    Is it Orochimaru''s skill or does that sword assist in doing something like that? Regardless, it''s a pity¡­''


    Orochimaru, who was quite angry and intended to go all out, was surprised when he looked into Fujin''s eyes! He never expected to see pity in Fujin''s eyes! Due to being fooled once, he immediately got on guard while thinking, ''What devious shit is he nning this time?''


    Fujin and Orochimaru''s swords shed! From their previous shes, Orochimaru expected to overwhelm Fujin this time and take the initiative. However, his eyes widened as he eximed, "Impossible!"


    A cracking sound was heard. To Orochimaru''s shock, a crack appeared in the sword of Kusanagi! It soon spread throughout the de. At the same time, Fujin was surprised as well because a small crack appeared in his de as well. He thought, ''I didn''t expect I''d damage my sword as well. As expected of the Sword of Kusanagi...''


    Despite the damage to his sword, Fujin wasn''t heartbroken and continued pushing it. As Fujin''s sword pushed through the sword of Kusanagi, the sword of Kusanagi crumbled into pieces! As it fell to the ground, it transformed into a white snake and tried moving towards Orochimaru.


    Unfortunately, it was already cut into several pieces and it was only its head that was moving. In a fraction of a second, it stopped moving. The sword of Kusanagi, one of Orochimaru''s prized possessions was destroyed in the Forest of Death! Orochimaru was stunned beyond belief.


    He immediately looked at Fujin''s sword carefully and realized, ''A Vacuum de? He applied the Wind Vacuum Technique to his sword?''


    Orochimaru was shocked to see it. Even though his sword was better and the chakra flowing through it much stronger than the chakra flowing through Fujin''s sword, in the end, what mattered was the sharpness of their respective des. In that aspect, Fujin was much superior!


    Even though Orochimaru had extended the Sword of Kusanagi earlier, he hadn''t extended it too much as Orochimaru knew that Fujin would dodge it easily. As a result, Orochimaru was within the reach of Fujin''s sword.


    He quickly retreated while raising his left arm to use Hidden Shadow Snake Hands jutsu. Several snakes appeared from his arm and moved towards Fujin who was very close to him. However, on the very next second, Fujin''s sword cut through Orochimaru''s arm, slicing it at the elbow!


    At the same time, Fujin sneakily pointed all the fingers on his left hand at Orochimaru. Vacuum cores began forming at the tip of his fingers. Orochimaru, who was retreating, immediately noticed it. Unfortunately, the distance between them was too little.


    ''Wind Release: Vacuum Infinite Gatling jutsu!''


    Dozens of Vacuum Bullets wereunched from the tip of his fingers at Orochimaru. Due to the short distance between them, Orochimaru couldn''t dodge them all. Several of the Vacuum Bullets pierced through Orochimaru''s body as he coughed blood and crashed to the ground!


    [A/N: Alternate title: The Fall of Kusanagi!]


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 614 - 608 : A Double Bluff!

    <h4>Chapter 614: Chapter 608 : A Double Bluff!</h4>


    Orochimaru fell to the ground and looked very vulnerable. It seemed like it would take just a push to kill him for good. Even so, Fujin didn''t jump ahead to attack him impatiently. Instead, he looked at Orochimaru with disdain and cursed, ''This snake! Does he think he can fool anyone after recoveringpletely from that explosion? None of the bullets even hit his heart or brain. Even Kakuzu put up a better act!''


    Not wanting to fall prey to his schemes, Fujin created a shadow clone.


    ''Wind Release: Infinite Breakthrough jutsu''


    ''Fire Release: Searing Migraine jutsu''


    Fujin knew that even though he was great at closebat, someone like Orochimaru had too many hidden cards. So, he used thebination attack to test what he was nning.


    He was initially thinking about using the Vacuum Serial Waves jutsu, but he knew that Orochimaru would dodge it with ease. Having already lost a third of his chakra, Fujin wanted to preserve his chakra in case Orochimaru pulled out a surprise like the Edo Tensei jutsu.


    Orochimaru, who was looking very feeble, looked at the iing sea of firestorm and thought, ''As expected, he didn''t take the bait. I can finally reset the momentum. I got sucked into his pace due to his stunt and it would be disadvantageous if he continued controlling the flow of the battle.


    Still, to think that I''d lose my sword of Kusanagi here of all ces... I underestimated this kid. He is much stronger than the likes of Kabuto and Kakashi.''


    Orochimaru had expected that Fujin wouldn''t attack and hence managed to double bluff Fujin! He rubbed his right arm on his injuries, staining it with blood and mmed it into the ground.


    ''Summoning jutsu!''


    A massive snake appeared and surrounded him. Thebination jutsu hit the snake. Massive cuts and intense burns appeared on its body causing it to hiss in pain. However, it resisted Fujin''sbination attack with rtive ease.


    Under the cover of his massive summon, Orochimaru began shedding his skin once again to heal himself. Fujin sensed it and went on the attack once again.


    The massive snake noticed Fujin and dived down towards Fujin. Vacuum cores formed along the sharp edge of Fujin''s sword once again as he shed his sword multiple times towards the snake and Orochimaru, who was hiding behind it.


    Even though the snake Orochimaru summoned wasn''t Manda, its size meant that a simple Wind jutsu couldn''t kill it. Even though there were several cuts and burns on its body, they were far from being able to cause it any permanent harm.


    Unfortunately for the snake, it couldn''t imagine how sharp Fujin''s Vacuum shes would be. As it saw the iing shes, it suddenly felt an intense danger. However, it was toote by then. It couldn''t avoid the Vacuum shes that pierced into its massive body and cut straight through it.


    Due to the size of the snake, Renjiro and Hoka could see it from the tower. Even Anko, Sakura and a few Anbu saw it. To their shock, they first saw a massive firestorm engulfing it. And secondster, they saw that ginormous snake being sliced into pieces!


    Hoka wondered aloud, "What the hell is happening there?"


    Renjiro replied, "That''s Orochimaru''s summon... I didn''t think it''d be possible to cut it up."


    He nced at Fujin''s clone as he said it but Fujin''s clone didn''t reply. Anko, who had just reached the close to the location, was shocked as well. Just like Hoka, she muttered, "What the hell? Who cut up that giant snake?"


    She took another step forward but suddenly stopped as she felt a chakra. Winds suddenly began flowing strangely around her, making her alert. She looked carefully as the winds took the form of a human-shaped figure. To her surprise, Fujin''s face appeared on that figure!


    Fujin''s wind clone looked at Anko and said, "Don''t interfere in the battle ahead. You aren''t a match for him."


    A tick mark appeared on Anko''s forehead as she argued, "That''s Orochi fucking maru! Don''t overestimate yourself brat! I know a jutsu that I can use to eliminate him!"


    Fujin knew what jutsu she meant and the fact that it wouldn''t make any difference against Orochimaru. Fujin''s clone strictly said, "That wasn''t a request, Anko. Don''t forget that I''m the one in charge of this round of the exam. Stay here and ensure that no one interferes in this battle. That''s an order.


    If you want to help me, send a messenger to Lord Hokage and ask him toe here immediately. Until he arrives and takes charge, no one is allowed to interfere in the battle."


    With Fujin''s strict tone, Anko calmed down. Even though she wanted to take revenge against her former teacher, she knew that she shouldn''t vite the chain ofmand. The fact that Fujin had sliced up the massive snake moments ago also yed a role in it.


    Fujin''s clone was about to disperse when she said, "I have already done so but I''m worried that it might be a trap to kill Lord Hokage!"


    Fujin''s clone replied as he dispersed into the wind, "It isn''t but ask him to bring along a few Anbu squads just in case."


    Seeing Fujin disappear, Anko thought, ''It looks like his reputation isn''t just a rumor. To find Orochimaru so quickly and to be able to fight him for so long... He is the real deal! I now understand why Lord Hokage put him in charge.''


    Simr thoughts ran through the minds of the Anbu and Chunin examiners who saw the massive snake being sliced up. Anko created a Shadow Clone to pass Fujin''s message to other examiners and send them to Hiruzen''s office. While her clone left, she stayed there in case Fujin requested her help.


    Even though Fujin butchered Orochimaru''s summon, Orochimaru wasn''t bothered about its loss. He had already healed himself with his jutsu and easily dodged the Vacuum sh heading towards him.


    By now, Fujin had realized that Orochimaru had double-bluffed him to buy some time. Hence, Fujin decided to go on the offense once again.


    He was about to flicker when he suddenly sensed a chakra trying to invade his chakrawork. At the very next moment, Fujin disrupted his chakra, stopping Orochimaru''s attempt at Genjutsu.


    Fujin didn''t even need a second to stop Orochimaru''s Genjutsu. However, that time was enough for Orochimaru to take the initiative. Fujin saw two Shadow Clones of Orochimaru slithering towards him at high speeds. In addition, he could sense his main body retreating for some distance.


    Orochimaru noticed that Fujin had snapped out of the Genjutsu almost instantly and thought, ''Hmm, since he was so good at Ninjutsu, I expected his Genjutsu to be weak. However, it looks like he has no trouble resisting Genjutsu. It''ll be difficult to put him under a Genjutsu without a Sharingan.''


    Fujin swung his de at the iing Shadow Clones,unching another Vacuum sh. However, both dodged the attack easily. One of Orochimaru''s clones exhaled arge amount of Poison and another used the Great Breakthrough jutsu to spread that poison.


    A frown appeared on Fujin''s face as he thought, ''Even though I have learnt a lot about poisons in thest couple of months, I should be nowhere near his level in this aspect. I shouldn''t let this poison float around. It''ll be harder to detect itter and I''ll be in trouble if he is able to use itter on.''


    Wind chakra flowed through Fujin''s sword once again as Fujin swung it. Once again, Orochimaru''s clones became alert and prepared to dodge the iing attack. However, Fujin''s sword didn''t unleash the Vacuum sh. Instead, a wind stream was created along the arc of Fujin''s de.


    The wind stream nullified the winds created by Orochimaru''s clone while trapping the poison gas released by the other clone inside the winds and diverting it towards the sky. Two Shadow Clones suddenly appeared next to Fujin.


    One of Fujin''s clones took control of the wind stream and ensured that all the poisons flew into the sky. While he did so, Fujin ignored Orochimaru''s clones and went after his main body. Orochimaru''s clones immediately gave chase but were stopped by Fujin''s other clone, who stepped in their way.


    Orochimaru''s clones became serious as they noticed an extremely unstable wind orb in the clone''s hand. One of Orochimaru''s clones asked with interest, "What''s this jutsu? It almost looks like the Fourth''s Rasengan but doesn''t have the same amount of chakra or stability as it is made with the Wind Vacuum Technique."


    To his surprise, Fujin''s clone entertained him and said with a smile on his face, "This one is my own creation. Please critique it."


    He threw the wind orb towards Orochimaru''s clones. Both the clones immediately got out of the way as they expected it to explode and be as fast as Fujin''s other jutsus. To their surprise, the jutsu was extremely slow. Even a Genin wouldn''t have any issue dodging it.


    The same clone asked in a puzzled tone, "Is this another one of your time-wasting tactics?"


    Just as he finished asking his question, the wind orb exploded! 81 Vacuum des wereunched randomly in every direction! Due to their proximity, Orochimaru''s clones couldn''t dodge in time and were dispelled.


    Fujin''s clones were expecting the attack and dodged the waves. Even then, one clone dispelled himself while the other dispelled himself after ensuring that the poison wouldn''t be an issue.


    Some distance away, Fujin and Orochimaru''s main bodies were once again facing each other. A sly smile could be seen on Orochimaru''s face as he said, "Not bad, not bad at all!"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    ()


    Thank you Akshay for supporting me through UPI.

 Chapter 615: Orochimaru, The Genius!

    Chapter 615: Orochimaru, The Genius!


    A sly smile could be seen on Orochimaru''s face as he said, "Not bad, not bad at all! You have surprised me, Fujin. I didn''t expect you to be so good."


    Fujin smirked and teasingly asked, "Is that so? Can I also be considered a hidden expert then? Maybe you should stop ving yourself in that mercenary organization and follow me. I''ll have a chat with Gramps and ask him to cut you some ck for betraying the vige. I might also give you one of my old swords since I broke yours."


    Having fallen for Fujin''s words once, Orochimarupletely ignored any words that came out of Fujin''s mouth. Besides, even though Fujin destroyed Orochimaru''s best sword, Orochimaru still had plenty of good swords. At the very least, he had more than a dozen swords better than the one Fujin was using. Not to mention, Fujin was still using his cracked sword instead of switching it with a better one!


    Orochimaru chuckled and said, "You are an interesting fellow. I''ll admit, at least in terms of Wind jutsu, you are far better than any Ninja I have seen. However, even though specializing in a single aspect can make you stronger quickly, it also leaves a big w."


    Without any hand seals, Orochimaru mmed his hands on the ground as he loudly added, "No matter how lethal and sharp your Wind jutsus are, there are several ways to neutralize them."


    As soon as Orochimaru''s handsnded on the ground, the ground for a couple of hundred meters around him became very soft.


    Fujin obviously wouldn''t wait for Orochimaru to be done with his set-up. Vacuum cores appeared along the edge of his de as he swung it again towards Orochimaru.


    In response, Orochimaru retreated backwards. However, he didn''t retreat in a simple manner! A Mud Dragon formed on each and every spot where Orochimaru stepped on while retreating!


    Fujin''s Vacuum sh cut through the Mud Dragons with rtive ease initially, but as it absorbed more Mud, the Vacuum cores became unstable and the jutsu lost its form and fizzled out. Fujin''s eyes widened temporarily. The surprise soon disappeared as a smile appeared on his face. He muttered softly, "Well look at that. It seems like it was possible to use Earth Release in such a manner¡­"


    Back when Fujin had just started to learn Earth jutsus, he used to depend on the rank E Rock Shield jutsu to defend himself. Back then, he had pondered whether he could create Rock Shields by stamping on the ground instead of mming his hands on the ground. He felt that it would have been way more efficient and he could create more defenses while on the move.


    Unfortunately, Fujin couldn''t figure out how to do it. He had asked for Renjiro''s help, but Renjiro couldn''t do it either and asked Fujin to not waste his time on such things. Later, when Fujin learnt stronger jutsus, he stopped thinking about it and moved on.


    However, Orochimaru disyed a level far beyond what Fujin had envisioned! He wasn''t creating simple Rock Shields and was instead creating Mud Dragons with every step!


    After the Vacuum sh dispersed, the remaining Mud Dragons rushed towards Fujin from different directions and at different speeds so that they wouldn''t fall prey to the same Vacuum sh.


    Understanding their attack pattern, Fujin raised two fingers of his left hand. Vacuum de cores formed on top of his fingers. When the Mud Dragons reached close to him, Fujinunched Vacuum des at the iing Mud Dragons. One Vacuum de hit a Mud Dragon, destroying it!


    With one attack, Fujin had destroyed the dozens of Mud Dragons Orochimaru had created. However, he knew that it wasn''t the end. If anything, Orochimaru''s attack had just begun!


    At the very next moment, Fujin felt the soil under him moving. He quickly flickered backwards. At the very next second, hundreds of spikes formed where he was standing previously and wereunched into the air.


    Fujin''s new spot also came under threat, forcing him to dodge a few more times. Just like earlier, Orochimaru''s attacks were to direct Fujin to a spot where he could attack more easily without allowing Fujin to counterattack.


    When the barrage of mud spikes finally ended, Fujin saw Orochimaru just a couple of meters away from him. Before he could go on the offense, Orochimaru had already attacked Fujin with the Water Dragon jutsu!


    In response, Fujin covered his left hand with wind chakra and waved it in front of him. A strong wind current appeared in front of him, blocking and dispelling the Water Dragon! At the same time, he began creating the Vacuum Cluster Bullets core inside his mouth while Vacuum sh cores appeared on the edge of his sword.


    However, before he could attack, he immediately stepped to his left. A strong jet of water broke through the wind current he had created earlier. Fujin''s eyes widened as he observed, ''This almost feels like Tobirama''s Water Release! However, it is probablycking in power and speedpared to Tobirama...''


    He kept moving as more jets of water wereunched at him from a close range. After dodging twice more, Fujin shot the Vacuum Cluster Bullet jutsu at the iing water jet.


    As soon as he shot it out, the Vacuum cores inside it separated, forming their own Vacuum Bullets! One of them hit the Water jet and pierced through it, nearly reaching Orochimaru before the water filled inside the vacuum core and nullified its threat.


    Of course, the water jet did nothing against the remaining Vacuum Bullets. A dozen of them pierced through Orochimaru''s body. In addition, due to the sharp winds flowing between each Vacuum Bullet, Orochimaru was directly cut into pieces!


    However, there was no joy on Fujin''s face. He had already sensed Orochimaru switching with a Water Clone after he blocked the Water Dragon jutsu.


    Fujin swung his sword in the direction of Orochimaru''s real body! Unfortunately, the Mud Dragons rose into the path of the Vacuum sh once again, filling up the Vacuum Cores long before the attack could reach Orochimaru.


    A frown appeared on Fujin''s face as he realized, ''Fighting him here is very restricting! Even though he can''t harm me, I''m not able to do anything either as my Vacuum jutsus are getting nullified due to the high amount of mud and water.


    My simple Wind jutsus won''t work much either. He can easily block them with Mud and Water.


    I''ll need to create a distraction in order to actuallynd an attack. If I can''t, I''ll have to either retreat or use that technique!''


    While Fujin''s mind was rapidly forming a new n, Orochimaru bit his thumb and mmed his hand on the ground. Fujin sensed 8 new chakras! Needless to say, all of them wererge snakes. However, unlike normal summons, all of them were directly summoned underground! They moved towards Fujin through the mud grounds Orochimaru had created!


    Fujin noticed their movements and wondered, ''That''s strange. He should know that his summons are easy pickings for me. Does he n to use them as a sacrifice to bait me into making a mistake? Or does he think that they can stay safe just because they are underground?''


    Even though the snakes moved towards Fujin, each one of them stayed at least a couple of dozen meters under the surface. Not one of them got above that level!


    Fujin pointed his index finger towards one of the snakes. A Vacuum core with several vacuum cores inside it formed on the tip of his finger. Fujin fired the Vacuum Cluster Bullet at one of the snakes while thinking, ''Well, whatever your n is, it doesn''t matter. My Vacuum jutsus can kill people hiding even a couple of hundred meters underground!''


    Despite seeing Fujin''s attack, a sly grin appeared on Orochimaru''s face. As Fujin''s attack drilled through the mud, the snakes underground felt the vibrations and moved at a rapid speed! Fujin''s attack drilled through their previous location without hurting any snake at all!


    Fujin was beyond shocked. He could ept someone like Orochimaru dodging his attacks with ease, but he couldn''t believe that thoserge snakes could dodge his Vacuum jutsus!


    Seeing his expression, Orochimaruughed and said, "Those are my special hunting pets. Even though your Vacuum jutsus can pierce into the ground, they are well trained to dodge any attack drilling towards them. You can fire at them all day but you won''t achieve anything.


    Hehe, you''re in my hunting ground now. The only way out of here is straight to hell!"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 616: The Technique Ill Be Known For!!!

    Chapter 616: The Technique I''ll Be Known For!!!


    [A/N: Read somements... For the umpteenth time guys, follow me on pat reon. You can do so even as a free member. If there are any dys, a dy notice is posted there. If for some reason you can''t/don''t want to do it, you could just open the site up to see if there are any such notices. So bigmadtoe, you don''t need to feel stupid the next time.]


    "Hehe, you''re in my hunting ground now. The only way out of here is straight to hell!"


    Fujin''s expression didn''t change. He hadn''t expected snakes to have trained in this manner. However, on thinking for a bit, he felt that it made sense. After all, a snake''s ability to feel the vibrations in the ground was known to be remarkable even in his previous world.


    Fujin thought, ''This truly is a terrible situation to be in. This environment is terrible for my Wind jutsus. Unless I use my Wind Domain, there isn''t anything I can do to counter him.


    Of course, that is unless I use my Lightning jutsus. If I do so, I can change this battle in an instant and kill those snakes with ease. I might even be able to catch Orochimaru off guard.


    Unfortunately, I don''t think I''d even be able to kill this body of his even if I managed to catch him by surprise, let alone the parts of his soul sealed in the numerous curse seals. So, there is no gain in exposing my Lightning jutsus. Sigh¡­''


    At the same time, Orochimaru was thinking, ''Even though those snakes can dodge everything, his Vacuum jutsus are very lethal and unique. If he canunch the jutsu that destroyed my clones at high speed, he might be able to kill them. Not to mention, it''s hard to say which other Vacuum jutsus he knows.


    However, after my words, he will be less likely to try killing them. Even though those snakes won''t be able to harm him, they''ll apply a lot of pressure as he''ll need to keep an eye on them as well. With so much pressure, it''s only a matter of time before he makes a mistake.''


    As he was thinking, Orochimaru was radiating a massive amount of bloodlust! He didn''t bother hiding how much he wanted to kill Fujin. He didn''t want to see such a strong threat during the war. Without disying any emotions on his face, Fujin replied, "I have to admit, your reputation is well deserved. I didn''t think I''d be pushed so far. However, hehehe."


    Fujin beganughing as he continued, "Don''t forget where you stand. By now, your Sensei would have already heard about your presence and should be rushing here. If you don''t manage to kill me within a few minutes, it''ll be your head that''ll be rolling, hahaha!"


    Orochimaru maintained his grin and said while building up his chakra once again, "Don''t worry, I''ll kill you long before Sensei reaches here."


    As soon as he stopped talking, Orochimaru spat out arge amount of water towards Fujin. However, this water wasn''t normal water. Fujin could sense that there was a massive amount of Yin chakra mixed in that water!


    Fujin looked at the iing attack while thinking, ''Sigh, that''s what I get for reminding him to escape before Hiruzen arrives! After all, I won''t be able to read his memories and get everything he has collected and researched if Hiruzen kills him here¡­''


    Fujin mmed his hands on the ground.


    ''Earth Release: Earth Wall jutsu''


    Threeyers of massive earth walls appeared in front of Fujin. Due to the environment Orochimaru created, the size and strength of the Earth Walls were much greater than normal.


    Immediately after, Fujin weaved a few hand seals and mmed his right hand on the ground!


    ''Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld jutsu''


    The ground, which had earlier been converted into mud by Orochimaru, now transformed into a swamp! Orochimaru''s special snakes were all caught in the swamp as well. However, none of the snakes panicked as the swamp could neither harm them nor restrict their mobility!


    Orochimaru''s Water jutsu was stopped by the Earth Walls and the swamp absorbed a great amount of that water as well.


    Orochimaru was surprised. He thought, ''I knew he could use the Earth Wall jutsu but when did he learn Swamp of the Underworld? Also, how is this going to help him in this situation? Does he want to reduce the density of the ground to attack them underground? But that won''t work.''


    Even though Akatsuki had managed to gather a lot of Fujin''s information from Iwa, Kiri and Kumo, they couldn''t know that Hiruzen had personally guided Fujin and taught him Fire and Earth jutsus.


    Even though they weren''t at the level of his Wind Release, Fujin could still use those elements effectively in battle. With two moves, Fujin had stopped Orochimaru''s attack and created a set-up to butcher the 8 snakes lurking under his feet!


    With the conditions set, wind chakra began flowing through Fujin''s sword once again. However, it didn''t sharpen its edge this time. Instead, a mini-hurricane appeared around his sword! And, on the outer part of this hurricane, Vacuum des were revolving at a very high speed!


    Orochimaru watched carefully while thinking, ''Another application of the Wind Vacuum Technique. How many techniques has he developed?''


    To Orochimaru''s surprise, Fujin stabbed his sword into the swamp! The snakes, who were hiding underground patiently, suddenly felt a lot of vibrations and danger. They immediately retreated.


    Unfortunately, before they could get away, the hurricane spread through the entire swamp and engulfed the snakes! The high-speed winds created several deep cuts on their bodies but were unable to kill them. However, the Vacuum des that would appear asionally could cut through their huge bodies with extreme ease!


    In just a couple of seconds, the swamp under Fujin''s feet was filled with the blood of the snakes! Slowly their bodies would float to the top of the swamp. However, Fujin didn''t have the luxury of waiting till then as Orochimaru made his next move exactly when he was trying to kill the snakes!


    Even though Orochimaru was surprised by the tactic Fujin used, he wasn''t fazed by the death of his pets. He thought, ''Impressive. However, my summons have already aplished their task!''


    Suddenly, 8 Mud Clones of Orochimaru appeared very close to Fujin, surrounding him on all sides. Appearing in Orochimaru''s snake form, all 8 of them slithered towards him at a high speed!


    Fujin was surprised as he hadn''t detected any movements. He quickly analyzed, ''Did he create those Mud Clones so close to me? How? I thought that the snakes would y a crucial role, but it looks like he just wanted them to distract me for a few seconds¡­''


    Half of Orochimaru''s Mud Clones shot Air Bullets at Fujin. Two began creating spikes under his feet. Thest two threw multiple shurikens with explosive tags attached to them and used Shuriken Shadow Clone jutsu to increase their number to hundreds!


    The attack happened too quickly. Fujin was still using the Sword Hurricane jutsu when Orochimaru''s Mud Clones appeared. He had to terminate the jutsu and pull out his swords.


    By then, the Air Bullets had already reached him! Fujin showed excellent dexterity and dodged all the Air Bullets. Unfortunately, a few Air Bullets hit his sword, a couple of them hitting right where it was cracked. With a loud cracking sound, Fujin''s sword snapped into two!


    It was one of the two swords that Fujin had asked Hiruzen as a reward for ranking first in the Academy! Though it took nearly two years for him to actually get the swords, it had stayed with him since then.


    Even though it was nowhere near the level of the Sword of Kusanagi or the Seven Swords of the Mist, it was no less infamous as it was one of the twin swords with which Fujin had gained his nickname - The Spectral Swordsman! Almost every ninja outside Konoha was aware of how it looked!


    Despite losing a sword that had been with him for years, Fujin had no time to take a second look at it. The reason for it was that the attacks by Orochimaru''s clones had cut off all escape routes! The only way Fujin could dodge every attack and leave unharmed was by escaping with the Flying Thunder God jutsu. And, the speed of the attacks meant that Fujin had almost no time to put up a defense!


    Fujin looked at the iing attacks with a cold look and muttered to himself, ''I guess it''s time to make this technique public! From today onwards, this will be the technique I''ll be known for.''


    While he was thinking, Fujin released a massive amount of Chakra from his body! Orochimaru, who was looking for a way to enter the battle with his main body, was surprised by the sudden change and wondered, ''What is he up to this time?''


    As soon as the chakra exited his body, it transformed into winds! The sudden winds knocked all the shurikens off course and hit the explosive tags, making them explode prematurely. They also stopped any force from the explosions from reaching Fujin!


    The winds also prated into the ground, dismantling every mud spike created by Orochimaru''s mud clones. The Air Bullets dissipated as well and mixed with the winds!


    All this took ce within a second of Fujin releasing his chakra into the air! In the next second, sharp wind des appeared out of thin air around Orochimaru''s Mud Clones and chopped them up! All of Orochimaru''s clones were dispelled.


    The brand-new technique piqued Orochimaru''s interest. He wondered, ''What technique is this? How can he control winds in such an elegant and fearsome manner?''


    In the next few seconds, the winds took the shape of a domain, covering everything within a 50-meter radius! As for Orochimaru''s main body, he immediately retreated a safe distance after seeing what happened to his clones.


    He observed Fujin''s technique carefully beforeughing, "Not bad! Not bad at all! However, with so much wind, aren''t you afraid of getting burnt?"


    Just like Fujin, Orochimaru built up a massive amount of his chakra. He poured nearly 5% of his chakra to supercharge his jutsu. Against the dome of Wind protecting Fujin, Orochimaru exhaled his Majestic Destroyer me jutsu! Just like earlier, it had a massive amount of Yang chakra along with Fire chakra!


    The mes entered into Fujin''s Wind Domain and were further strengthened by the Winds! In the blink of an eye, the entire Wind Domain was lit on fire! Standing in the center, all Fujin could see were mes! Even though Orochimaru couldn''t see Fujin''s face, he could imagine the shock on Fujin''s face!


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 617: A Shocking Development!

    Chapter 617: A Shocking Development!


    ''Majestic Destroyer me!''


    Orochimaru was initially caught off guard by Fujin''s Wind Domain. He had never seen a technique like that one. However, when he sensed Fujin''s Wind Domain, he realized that it was made purely of Wind Chakra. Hence, he attacked with a massive supercharged Fire jutsu and even strengthened it with Yang chakra to prevent Fujin from blowing the mes away before they reached the domain.


    As Orochimaru had expected, from the moment his fire jutsu touched Fujin''s Wind Domain, it expanded at an extreme speed, filling up the entire domain in less than a second! In the Forest of Death, a fire dome with a radius of 50 meters appeared in the blink of an eye!


    Anko, who was the closest to Fujin and Orochimaru''s battlefield, looked at it with shock and thought, ''What the hell is that? And who used that jutsu?''


    Immediately after, a bitter smile appeared on her face as she realized, ''He was right. I wouldn''t stand a chance against something like this. Even after all this time, I''m still not capable enough to take my revenge...''


    In the tower, Hoka and Renjiro were looking at the fire dome with a worried expression. They weren''t sure if it was Fujin''s jutsu or if it was something Orochimaru used. They nced at Fujin''s clone, but his face didn''t disy any emotions.


    Around 1.5 kilometers away from the Fire Dome, three Genins were standing on a branch and looking towards the Fire Dome. Lee asked, "Neji, can you see what is happening there?"


    Neji''s squad was initially farther from the battlefield. However, after realizing that a massive battle was taking ce, they moved closer to investigate what was happening. Their current spot barely allowed Neji''s Byakugan to see the fight.


    As Lee and Tenten looked at Neji, they were surprised to see his dumbfounded expression. Tenten asked, "Neji?" Neji snapped out of his thoughts and said with slight fear in his voice, "It''s incredible. I didn''t know that jutsus like these existed. Both of them are too strong¡­"


    Unlike his canon self, Neji had seen Guy sparring with Fujin regrly and understood that there was a vast difference between him and them. However, the glimpses that he caught in this battle were a real eye-opener! Despite being called as one of the most talented Hyuga, Neji understood that he wouldn''tst even a second in such a fight.


    Lee asked, "Who is fighting?"


    Neji answered, "One of them is Fujin. His opponent is the one who used snake summons. From his abilities and appearance, I''m afraid that Fujin is fighting Orochimaru, one of the three Legendary Sannins!"


    Lee asked in surprise, "What? It''s Fujin? As expected of someone who spars regrly with Guy sensei!"


    Neji shook his head and said, "His spars with Guy sensei were a jokepared to the abilities he is disying. Fujin is far stronger than I imagined. However, he is in trouble right now. His opponent is too strong. Being trapped in such a devastating me, I''m not sure whether he can survive!"


    Around 2.3 kilometers from the Fire Dome, another squad was sneakily looking at the Fire Dome. Ino asked, "What do you think that is, Shikamaru? The heat is so intense that I can feel it all the way here!"


    Shikamaru replied, "First that massive snake and now this dome¡­ The ones who are fighting definitely aren''t Genins. We should stay away from them."


    Ino and Choji nodded. Several kilometers away, Kurenai''s squad was also looking at the Fire Dome. Akamaru whimpered in fear once again while Shino looked at his bugs and said, "My bugs are afraid to go near those mes. That battle is very dangerous. It might be more dangerous than the Suna squad."


    Kiba nodded and said, "Yes, even Akamaru feels so. Man, I wonder what is happening there! Did someone hijack our Chunin Exams?"


    Some distance away from them, Rasa''s children were standing on top of trees and looking in the direction of the Fire Dome as well. Understanding the intensity of the battle, Gaara became excited. He wanted to move there but both Temari and Kankuro noticed his change.


    Kankuro immediately said, "Gaara, control yourself. We already have our scrolls and don''t need to go there!"


    Temari immediately added, "That''s right Gaara! Don''t forget our father''s words!"


    Hearing his siblings, Gaara calmed down slightly. Temari looked at the Fire Dome again and said in a very soft voice, "Besides, seeing the massive snake that was summoned earlier, there is no doubt that one of the ninjas fighting is Orochimaru. Seeing that massive Wind jutsu earlier, his opponent should be Suzuki Fujin. Orochimaru might be trying to eliminate him before¡­"


    Her voice was so soft that only her brothers could hear it. Both understood what she was implying.


    As for the Genin who was the closest to the Fire Dome, Sakura looked outside her hiding spot with fear. She muttered, "What is happening there? How can ninjas fight like this? Wake up soon, Sasuke, Naruto¡­"


    Every Genin squad that was still alive looked towards the Fire Dome and had simr reactions. None of them imagined that such a high-level battle would happen during their Chunin exams. The only exception was Kabuto who thought, ''As expected, Orochimaru-sama wants to eliminate Fujin here. That said, considering that he has survived for so many minutes, Fujin is likely far stronger than I spected. Eh? What is that?''


    It had only been a few seconds since they saw the Fire Dome when a change took ce that shocked everyone who was looking at it! Neji eximed in shock, "Impossible! How can something so powerful be created so quickly!"


    However, the one who had the most intense reaction wasn''t Neji. Instead, it was Temari who couldn''t help but exim loudly, "That''s impossible! How can that appear here!"


    Kankuro had a grim expression as well as he looked with fear in his eyes.


    A few seconds ago, Fujin was standing at the center of the Wind Domain, seeing mes spreading throughout it. However, unlike what Orochimaru imagined, there was no fear or panic on his face!


    Instead, he looked offended as he thought, ''I admit that I couldn''t find a way to deal with Kisame and Nagato''s ability to absorb chakra, but do you really think I would use this technique without having dealt with such an obvious weakness?''


    Under Fujin''s control, the Winds began flowing in a particr manner within his Wind Domain! Outside the Wind Domain, Orochimaru frowned as he saw the winds gathering most of the mes within it and containing the fire within a certain path inside the domain. He muttered, "As expected, he wouldn''t leave such an obvious w¡­"


    Suddenly, his eyes widened as he observed, "That''s!" Soon, a grin appeared on his face as he realized, "I see, he utilized my jutsu in such a manner. Hehe, Rasa would explode in rage if he saw this."


    As the winds took control of the mes within the Wind Domain, they took the form of a dragon! A dragon made of Wind, Fire and Yang chakra! The three elements mixed together extremely well and formed something that hadn''t been seen in the Ninja world for over a decade!


    Even Renjiro, Hoka, Anko and the Anbu observing the fight were shocked as the Fire Dome disappeared and a massive Scorch Dragon appeared in the skies!


    Even though Fujin still hadn''t managed to fuse Fire and Wind chakra urately within his chakrawork, he was very close. He could easily replicate the effects by merging the two elements outside his body.


    Normally, that wouldn''t be very powerful and a lot of chakra would be wasted. However, this particr Scorch Dragon was made of 5% of Orochimaru''s chakra along with a considerable amount of Fujin''s chakra! As a result, its scale was massive!


    Fujin looked straight at Orochimaru, who stopped being yful and raised his guard to the limit. It didn''t take a genius to know what Fujin''s next move would be!


    He controlled the entire Scorch Dragon andunched it at Orochimaru without holding anything back!


    ''Water Release: Exploding Water Shock Wave jutsu''


    The size of the Dragon meant that there was no way topletely avoid the attack. Orochimaru needed to defend. He used another 5% of his chakra to supercharge the Water jutsu and strengthen it with Yin chakra to restrain his Yang chakra.


    The Scorch Dragon mmed into the massive waves! Arge amount of water turned into steam as the Scorch Dragon drilled right through it! Its power weakened, but not by much.


    Orochimaru bit his thumbs and mmed both his hands into the ground.


    ''Summoning jutsu: Triple Rashomon!''


    Three massive gates appeared in front of Orochimaru! The Scorch Dragon crashed into the first gate and its head exploded. The explosion destroyed the first gate, nearly destroyed the second gate and caused some damage to thest gate! However, the gates stopped the explosion from reaching Orochimaru and he just felt the heat waves.


    Of course, that wasn''t the end of it. After all, the Scorch Dragon''s body was huge and was over a hundred meters long. Its remaining part split into two and moved around the gates.


    Orochimaru cursed, ''Damn! I shouldn''t have put so much chakra into the Majestic Destroyer me!''


    He immediately flickered away. Orochimaru had already anticipated that he wouldn''t be able to block the Scorch Dragon head-on! He just wanted to reduce its power so that he wouldn''t take too much damage from it.


    Even though the Scorch Dragon had evaporated a lot of the water from his previous jutsu, most of the water was still remaining and had spread evenly in every direction. Orochimaru immediately took cover behind it as the remaining Scorch Dragon exploded releasing intense heat waves in every direction!


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    Thank you Kabir for supporting me through UPI.

 Chapter 618: Leaving a Scar!

    Chapter 618: Leaving a Scar!


    As the remaining Scorch Dragon exploded, an intense heat wave spread in every direction! Orochimaru quickly put up a couple of additional defenses, but the heat still pierced through all his defenses and hit him!


    His entire body felt the scorching heat! Several burns appeared on him but the injuries weren''t serious enough to affect his strength. The heat also moved towards the Wind Domain, but Fujin moved the winds to avoid getting hit.


    The trees nearby weren''t as lucky. The scorching heat caused every tree in a 500-meter radius to light up! Several trees beyond it were also affected. The ninjas who were within 3 kilometers of the explosion also felt the heatwave.


    Thankfully, it was no longer dangerous. Had it been as intense as what Orochimaru had to endure, the future would havepletely changed and Fujin would have attracted a lot of trouble!


    Regardless, the heat made everyone realize just how crazy the battle was!


    Orochimaru breathed a sigh of relief as he thought, ''What a ridiculous techni¡­''


    He immediately stopped thinking about the Scorch Dragon, turned to his left and prepared himself for a battle! Without giving Orochimaru any time to rest, Fujin pushed on the offense.


    Despite being over a hundred and fifty meters away from Orochimaru, Fujin reached him in the blink of an eye thanks to the Assassin''s Rush jutsu. Orochimaru rxed on seeing that Fujin wasn''t holding a sword and thought, ''Strange, why did he leave the domain he had created? I thought he''d hide inside it until Hiruzen came. Also, doesn''t he have any other sword?''


    Fujin''s strange action made Orochimaru raise his guard even more. However, he didn''t have any time to think about it deeply or use a jutsu. To Orochimaru''s surprise, Fujin didn''t use any jutsu and attacked him with a simple punch! Orochimaru easily blocked it and attacked back while thinking, ''Does he want topete against me in Taijutsu to take advantage of the burns on my body? Hmm?''


    To Orochimaru''s surprise, the speed of Fujin''s arms and legs was boosted by small sts of winds that Fujin was creating. It was an advanced application of the Assassin''s Rush jutsu!


    His speed caught Orochimaru by surprise as Fujin diverted Orochimaru''s attacks sessfully and pulled his right fist back. Orochimaru''s eyes widened as he finally understood what Fujin was nning!


    He immediately flickered backwards, but winds sted behind Fujin at the same moment! Assisted by wind sts, Fujin''s speed was faster than Orochimaru''s flickering speed.


    A chakra-concentrated punch, whose speed had been increased several times by wind sting behind Fujin''s elbow,nded on Orochimaru''s chest! Like a broken kite, Orochimaru flew for a couple of hundred meters, crashing through severalrge trees before his speed reduced just enough to not break through the trees.


    His body was stuck halfway into arge tree which was already burning due to the heat wave, making it seem like he was being cremated! His chest was a mess as his rib cage had been pulverized. His internal organs were severely damaged as well.


    However, that wasn''t what worried Orochimaru. What worried him was the fact that he sensed Fujin right above the tree he was stuck in and preparing a Wind jutsu!


    He quickly freed his arms from the tree and made a hand seal!


    ''Wind Release: Vacuum Serial Waves jutsu''


    Fujin used his wide range Vacuum jutsu in order to ensure that Orochimaru wouldn''t be able to dodge it. The jutsu hit the tree and the surrounding area, cutting the tree into small pieces and covering the ground in scars! Hundreds of nearby trees were cut into small pieces as well. However, there was a frown on Fujin''s face.


    Fujin thought, ''Hmm, he escaped? As expected, he had set up a reverse summoning jutsu in advance¡­ Eh? Wait a minute!''


    While fighting against Orochimaru, Fujin kept his Space Time Sensing Technique active the entire time. Fujin could easily cover the entire Konoha with his Space Time Technique by now.


    However, he had only kept it active in the Forest of Death in order to not be distracted. The reason why he covered the entire Forest of Death was to ensure that he didn''t identally kill anyone nearby. After all, several ninjas who would be major yerster were participating in the Chunin Exams.


    Fujin thought, ''Just when Orochimaru''s chakra signature disappeared, I sensed a disturbance in Space-Time. Did he set up a Reverse Summoning spot inside the Forest of Death?''


    Around 2 kilometers away, Orochimaru''s injured figure appeared! Next to him was his Shadow Clone. The clone dispelled immediately to transfer the chakra back to his main body because Orochimaru''s chakra reserves were very low.


    Orochimaru immediately shed his skin to recover from the deadly injuries. While doing so, he thought, ''I had set up several escape routes in case sensei knew about my ns and set up traps for me. To think that I''d be forced to escape from Fujin!''


    Killing intent shed through his eyes as he quickly analyzed the reason for his defeat. He immediately concluded, ''I underestimated the brat. He''s the real deal. With unrivaled control over the wind, never-ending applications of the Wind Vacuum Technique and a strength that is under only Tsunade''s, he is very strong.


    However, he still isn''t at my level. The reason why I lost was simply because Icked information. If we fight again, I won''t suffer repeated blows.''


    As Orochimaru was shedding his skin, two groups noticed him. The first one was Kabuto''s squad. Kabuto was around fifty meters away from Orochimaru and had detected his sudden appearance.


    He observed Orochimaru from a distance and shock appeared on his face as he thought, ''Impossible! Such injuries¡­ Did Fujin defeat Orochimaru-sama? Is he this powerful? Or did the Hokage reinforce him?''


    Almost instinctively, Kabuto wanted to go and heal Orochimaru. However, he controlled himself while thinking, ''No, Orochimaru-sama still needs me to be undercover. Besides, Orochimaru-sama will recover in no time. Hmm? What the???''


    The second group that saw him was Team Asuma. They were 50 meters away from him as well but were on the other side. Since they were standing on branches, they could easily see the disgusting thing that Orochimaru did.


    Ino eximed softly in shock and disgust, "What the hell? Did a person crawl out of his mouth? That''s so disgusting!"


    Choji felt nauseated as well at that sight. Only Shikamaru had a serious expression as he recognized Orochimaru''s face! He quickly said in a quiet voice, "Both of you, quickly hide. Don''t let him see us!"


    Ino and Choji were surprised by how grave Shikamaru''s voice was.


    Orochimaru had already sensed both groups but didn''t pay attention to any of them. He continued thinking, ''Unfortunately, I don''t think I''ll get another opportunity to fight him before my assault. During the assault, I''ll be busy dealing with sensei. Who''ll fight him then? Huh?''


    Orochimaru suddenly felt a movement behind him. He quickly turned his head to see what was happening. His eyes widened! A massive Wind Dragon was heading towards him, destroying everything in its path! It reached him in the blink of an eye!


    However, before it could hit him, Orochimaru disappeared once again! With nothing stopping it, the Wind Dragon continued moving forward through the Forest of Death.


    Shikamaru, Choji and Ino''s eyes popped out in shock and surprise as the massive Wind Dragon plowed through the area where Orochimaru was! They saw as the Dragon disappeared out of their sight, leaving a trail of destruction behind it!


    A massive 12-meter wide and 4-meter deep canal now existed in front of them. As for its length, they couldn''t see where it started nor could they imagine where it would end!


    As the Wind Dragon moved, every tree and animal in its path was annihted. A few Genin squads saw it and were terrified. Temari and Kankuro''s eyes widened as they saw the Wind Dragon heading in their direction.


    They quickly moved a few meters to their left. Thankfully, the Wind Dragon didn''t change its direction and continued moving forward. It only stopped after reaching the other end of the Forest of Death!


    Renjiro and Hoka, who had the clearest view, were left dumbfounded as they witnessed a new 12 kilometers long channel being formed in the Forest of Death by a single jutsu!


    The reason why the Wind Dragon was so powerful was pretty simple. Once Fujin unleashed his chakra to form the Wind Domain, he couldn''t take the chakra back. Since Orochimaru had escaped, the Wind Domain had be meaningless. So, Fujin simply used all the remaining chakra in the Wind Domain to create a massive Wind Dragon!


    Fujin appeared where Orochimaru had reversed summoned to and thought, ''His chakra signature disappeared again. However, I didn''t sense any other disturbance in Space-Time. It looks like he was reverse summoned out of this training ground¡­''


    Fujin let out a long breath. He stretched his body slightly and muttered to himself, ''Now that was a good fight.''


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    Thank you Sam for supporting me through UPI.

 Chapter 619: A Shocking News!

    Chapter 619: A Shocking News!


    Fujin let out a long breath. He stretched his body slightly and muttered to himself, ''Now that was a good fight. If only I could have these more frequently¡­


    However, I exposed too many of my secret techniques. And, I lost one of my swords as well. Though recing the sword wouldn''t be an issue, the next battle against Orochimaru won''t be easy.


    That said, Hiruzen will be the one facing him next. Even though he is no longer at his peak, Hiruzen is much stronger than what I remember from the original story. I won''t be surprised if he''s able to kill Orochimaru and seal the Senju brothers without having to resort to the Dead Demon Consuming Seal.


    Anyway, irrespective of whether Hiruzen kills or cripples him, Orochimaru wouldn''t be a match for me even if I tell him all my secrets. So, there is no need to worry about him. The only issue is if he leaks my abilities to Akatsuki. Thankfully, I still have several hidden cards in my arsenal!''


    Back when Fujin created his Wind Domain, he had decided to use it as his go-to jutsu. It''d be his equivalent of the Tsuchikage''s Dust Release or the Raikage''s Lightning Chakra Mode. He didn''t intend to keep it secret. The technique was strong enough to be impactful even if everyone knew about it.


    "Hmm?" Fujin turned his head and looked to his right. He had sensed someone looking at him very carefully. His eyes glowed as he observed, ''Eh? Kabuto is here as well? I wonder if Orochimaru nned to meet him here. Oh well, it''s good that he didn''te to heal Orochimaru. Else things might have gottenplicated.''


    Seeing Fujin looking at him, Kabuto immediately returned to acting as an ordinary Genin and looked respectfully at Fujin. However, his thoughts were anything but ordinary, ''His chakra level should be very low after his fight with Orochimaru-sama. Should I try to assassinate him using my disguise?''


    Kabuto thought for a few seconds before deciding, ''It''s too risky. He won''t drop his guard after facing Orochimaru-sama. Not to mention, the Hokage should be on his way here as well. I''ll keep my focus on Sasuke for now.''


    Fujin ignored Kabuto and nced at the Ino-Shika-Cho trio before disappearing. The trio were holding their breath as they couldn''t believe what had happened earlier. As soon as Fujin disappeared, they released their breath and sat on the branches. Choji muttered, "That was scary! Who knew our proctor would be this powerful!"


    Ino nodded and said, "Yeah, but that was so cool! Did you see that dragon? It ate that disgusting creep in the blink of an eye! And the way he suddenly appeared there out of thin air was so cool too! Also¡­"


    She looked towards the canal left by the Wind Dragon and said, "I can''t see where it starts and where it ends! How long do you guys think this trench is?"


    She looked at her two teammates before noticing something off. She quickly and quietly asked, "Shikamaru, is everything alright?"


    Shikamaru snapped out of his thoughts and said, "Suzuki Fujin¡­ A few months ago, I heard my father saying that he is a fearsome ninja. I didn''t think he''d be this strong. To be honest, I don''t think my father knows that he''s this strong either. The ninja we saw earlier was Orochimaru, one of the three Legendary Sannins! The massive fight we noticed earlier should have been between the two of them."


    Ino and Choji were surprised. Both were aware of Konoha''s Legendary Sannins. Ino asked in surprise, "That was the rogue Sannin? What was he doing in the Chunin Exams? Also, does it mean that our Proctor killed one of the Legendary Sannin?"


    Shikamaru shook his head and said, "No. From what my father said, it is extremely difficult to kill Orochimaru. He should have escaped somehow. Irrespective of whether he''s dead or escaped, it means that he was defeated by Suzuki Fujin. This is huge! I''m afraid that something big is about to happen soon."


    Ino and Choji were surprised by Shikamaru''s words. Ino, in particr, was very impressed by Fujin.


    A few kilometers away, Kiba looked at the canal left behind by the Wind Dragon and asked fearfully, "What was that? First that massive Fire Dragon and its explosion and then that massive Wind Dragon! What the hell is happening in this absurd forest?"


    Shino said, "I''m not sure, but we better get to the tower soon."


    Hinata nodded in agreement.


    Some distance from them, two figures crawled out of the soil. Their faces and clothes werepletely covered in dust and soil. Gaara stood next to them without a single speck of dust on him.


    Kankuro cursed, "Which fucking bastard shot that Wind Dragon? If it was directly targeted at us, we might have died!"


    Temari wasn''t angry about being covered in soil. Instead, she wondered aloud, "How could a Wind Dragon be so strong? How much chakra was poured into it? I haven''t seen anyone in our vige creating something like this."


    Kankuro immediately said, "We can wonder about thatter. Let''s go to the tower. I don''t want to spend another minute in this fucked up forest!"


    Just like Kurenai''s squad, they began moving towards the tower as well.


    Closer to where the battle had happened, Tenten asked in surprise, "Neji! What was that? Why did two dragons appear out of nowhere? What happened in the fight?"


    Lee was curious as well because all the two could see was Neji''s shocked expression. Neji finally took a deep breath and said, "The fight is over. Orochimaru escaped! Both those Dragons were used by Fujin. He won the fight!"


    Both Lee and Tenten were shocked. While they were aware that Fujin was strong, neither expected him to defeat a Sannin! Especially Tenten who wanted to be a Legendary Kunoichi like Tsunade.


    Neji wasn''t the only one who witnessed the battle. Hiruzen had deployed a few Hyuga Elite Jounins to keep an eye on the training grounds during the exam. They saw the same thing as Neji and looked at each other with shocked expressions.


    Back in the tower, Hoka asked, "What happened in the battle? And what were those two Dragons and that Fire Dome?"


    Fujin''s clone shrugged and said, "I didn''t receive any memories from any clones. Wait for my main body to arrive here."


    Hoka and Renjiro could only wait helplessly. Anko and the Anbu ninjas were waiting helplessly as well. They all wanted to know what was happening. Apart from a few who were with the Hyugas, the rest were clueless. Though they would have risked their lives to find out what was happening and help Fujin if he needed their help, none of them wanted to do so since Fujin had explicitly asked everyone to stay away.


    Suddenly, winds began moving strangely around all the observers, except the Genins. The winds quickly took Fujin''s form. Anko looked at him with curiosity. She and the rest were about to ask the status of the battle when Fujin''s wind clones said, "The battle is over. Orochimaru has escaped. Stop the fire from spreading and extinguish it. You can return to your duties after doing so."


    The eyes of Anko and the Anbu ninjas widened in shock. None of them had expected such an oue! Before they could ask anything, Fujin''s clones dispersed.


    Anko muttered in disbelief, "Did Fujin defeat Orochimaru? How? Is he that strong?"


    Anko couldn''t believe it. As someone who was trained by Orochimaru, she knew how insanely strong Orochimaru was. She knew that he had too many tricks under his sleeve. For him to be defeated by a 16-year-old ninja was too outrageous to believe!


    However, she couldn''t deny the facts in front of her. She quickly moved towards the area where the battle had happened to investigate.


    As for the Anbu and other ninjas, they quickly began controlling the fire. Unfortunately, the fire was toorge and was spreading too rapidly for them to even control. On realizing that, they sent a ninja out to ask for ninjas who could use Water jutsus to reinforce them. The remaining ones tried their best to slow down the speed at which the mes were spreading.


    Except for a few, most of the Genins stayed on guard and didn''t make any moves as they weren''t sure what was happening in the forest. None of them wished to be caught amid such an intense battle and lose their lives pointlessly.


    Meanwhile, Fujin returned to the tower and stepped onto the balcony where Hoka and Renjiro were standing. He dispelled his clone, getting all of his memories. Renjiro and Hoka looked at him in surprise. Neither expected him to return there so quickly considering who his opponent was.


    They could see that Fujin''s breathing was rough. In addition, his clothes were torn in a few spots. However, there were no injuries on him! There was some blood on his clothes, but the two experienced Ninjas could easily see that it didn''t belong to him.


    Renjiro asked, "Well? What happened there?"


    [A/N: I guess that was the longest fight I wrote. Though to be fair, this is one of the fights that I had been nning for a long time and yed the battle in my head more than a few dozen times ??


    I''m d that everyone enjoyed it! Several interesting developments will happen soon as a consequence of this battle. They will be covered in the uing chapters. Have a fun weekend :)]


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 Chapter 620: Hiruzen Arrives!

    Chapter 620: Hiruzen Arrives!


    Renjiro asked, "Well? What happened there?"


    A smile appeared on Fujin''s face as he said, "It''s over for now. Orochimaru escaped."


    Shock appeared on both their faces. Neither expected such a result. Fujin continued, "The Fire Dome was due to Orochimaru trying to take advantage of my jutsu. The following two dragons were my attacks."


    Fujin let out a tired sigh and added ruefully, "It''s a shame that his body was far more weird than what I was told. He could heal perfectly from any injury no matter how serious it was. Otherwise, I could have killed him with that initial explosion. Anyway, he escaped using the Reverse Summoning jutsu."


    Both Renjiro and Hoka sucked a cold breath simultaneously, their eyes wide with disbelief. At the same time, Hiruzen reached the Forest of Death!


    Despite Fujin''s words, Renjiro couldn''t believe what he was hearing. Unlike Hoka, he was well aware of how terrifying Orochimaru was. Be it Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, Genjutsu, Kinjutsu or any other skill, Orochimaru excelled in everything. Even the ones who specialized in any of those skills couldn''tpete with him. Even in his wildest dreams, Renjiro could never imagine that someone like that would be defeated by his 16-year-old student!


    He muttered to himself, ''I knew that he would surpass me but I never thought that he would surpass me so quickly and by such arge degree.''


    Pride appeared in Renjiro''s eyes as he looked at Fujin again. His student had defeated Orochimaru! He wanted to go out with his friends and brag about this fact. Unfortunately, the situation forced him to stay put. After all, someone like Orochimaru was dangerous even if he was defeated.


    Hoka had aplicated feeling. On one hand, he was happy that Fujin had grown so strong. On the other hand, he became slightly depressed as Fujin had left him behind by such arge margin. Even though Fujin was always stronger than him, he hoped that he''d be able to reduce that gap with time. However, he understood that their gap had be sorge that the chances of him bridging it were getting lesser every passing day!Renjiro quickly controlled his emotions and looked towards the ce where the fight had happened. He saw the massive fire and noticed a few Water jutsus being used. He asked, "Should I go to help control the fire?"


    Fujin shook his head and returned inside the building to sit down. He said, "No need. My chakra reserves are very low. If Orochimaru has someone assisting him, I''ll need you two to help me until I can recover my chakra. Thankfully, Orochimaru''s chakra levels should be worse than mine. So, he is unlikely to attack again in a short while."


    Renjiro understood and nodded. Compared to a forest fire, Fujin''s safety was much more important.


    While the three of them were talking, Hiruzen reached the Forest of Death. Fujin''s clone had sent Fumito to inform him while Anko had sent a few Chunins. The Chunins sent by Anko reached earlier because she had sent them a couple of minutes earlier and they had to travel 10 km less.


    Hiruzen was about to leave when Fumito reached there and informed him about Fujin''s message. As a result, Hiruzen stopped and summoned a few Anbu squads which took another couple of minutes.


    With 5 Anbu squads and his Anbu guards, Hiruzen reached the Forest of Death in just 4 minutes! However, when he reached, he couldn''t sense any battle happening. Instead, he just saw the smoke rising from the forest fire. He looked towards it and thought, ''Why am I getting a weird feeling?''


    Fumito immediately informed, "Lord Hokage, Fujin and Orochimaru were fighting around the spot where the fire is."


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "Let''s go and see."


    They were about to move towards the fire when they noticed an Anbu ninja running towards them. On seeing Hiruzen, the Anbu quickly moved towards them and said, "Lord Hokage, it''s good that you have arrived here. We need reinforcements to curtail the massive forest fire."


    Hiruzen immediately said, "Forget the fire. What about Orochimaru? Wasn''t he fighting against Fujin? Where are they?"


    The Anbu ninja quickly answered, "The battle ended a couple of minutes ago. Council Member Fujin won the battle. Orochimaru was critically injured and escaped using Reverse Summoning jutsu! I''m not sure where Fujin is, but I think that he returned to the tower."


    His words shocked every single person in their group including Hiruzen! All of them were prepared for a life & death battle. Many of them were worried that Fujin might die. However, not a single one imagined that Fujin would defeat Orochimaru before the reinforcements reached him!


    The Anbu ninjas and the Chunins sucked a cold breath! None of them could believe the words they just heard. One of them even asked, "Are you telling the truth?"


    The Anbu ninja reporting wasn''t surprised by their disbelief. In fact, he couldn''t believe it either. He just nodded. Hiruzen said, "That''s enough time wasted. Regardless of how it happened, this is great news for us. Let''s move. I''ll meet with Fujin and ask how their battle went."


    He turned his gaze towards the Anbu who had reported the news and said, "No need to look for any ninjas specializing in Water maniption. Follow me."


    Without wasting any time, Hiruzen began moving towards the massive fire. The remaining ninjas quickly followed him.


    Within a few seconds, they reached the massive mes. Hiruzen activated his chakra field and observed, ''Hmm, they are trying to stop the fire from spreading deeper into the training ground. However, they havepletely given up on the other side. It looks like there is no ninja who is good at water maniption in their ranks¡­''


    Suddenly, 4 Shadow Clones appeared next to Hiruzen. They quickly moved in different directions. Since they wereing from the edge of the forest, the ninjas, who were trying their best to stop the spread of fire, were on the opposite side. Despite their best effort, they had only managed to slow down the spread of mes slightly.


    ''Water Release: Great Waterfall jutsu''


    Hiruzen and his 4 clones used the jutsu simultaneously. They spat a massive amount of water. It was almost as if 5 dams were opened and water was allowed to flow unrestricted!


    To the surprise of the ninjas on the other side, a massive amount of water began flowing into the mes from the opposite side. It doused over half of the mes! The ninjas, who were running alongside Hiruzen, watched him with veneration.


    What they couldn''t see was that there was a frown on Hiruzen''s face. He wondered, ''Why does it feel like these mes were started by Scorch Release? Also, I can sense very high amounts of Yang chakra mixed in these mes even though the fire is spreading due to the vegetation. No wonder I couldn''t douse all the mes in one go¡­''


    Even though Hiruzen couldn''t extinguish all the mes, his jutsu had left a lot of water behind which other ninjas could control. He instructed, "You guys stay here. Extinguish these mes. Come to the tower once you are done."


    Hearing his words, everyone apart from his guards stopped following him and focused on the mes. Hiruzen continued moving towards the tower. He had only moved a few hundred meters when Hiruzen noticed something odd once again. His eyes widened as he noticed a massive new canal in the Forest of Death.


    He stopped temporarily and wondered, ''What the hell happened here? Who created such a canal? Did Orochimaru get an evenrger summon than Manda? But why would the canal be straight if it was created by a snake?''


    In the tower, Hoka asked, "By the way, what was that Fire Dragon jutsu you used? It didn''t feel like normal Fire jutsus. The heat it radiated was far more intense. It almost reminded me of your and Mieko''sbination jutsu, but this one seemed a lot more intense."


    Before Fujin could answer, Renjiro said, "It looked like the Scorch Kekkei Genkai. I didn''t expect that you''d actually manage to fuse Fire and Wind chakras to create this Kekkei Genkai."


    Fujin shook his head and said, "I can''t use Scorch Release. I justbined Orochimaru''s Fire jutsu with my Wind jutsu. His jutsu also had a lot of Yang chakra. Somehow, the merger of our jutsus created an effect that was very simr to Scorch Release.


    Unfortunately, the amount of chakra we used was very high. Using it in a battle just by myself isn''t feasible for the time being."


    Renjiro''s eyebrows twitched. He thought, ''When he was young, he used to always ask me for new jutsus. He even pestered the old man for chakra des. However, I didn''t think he''d begin using the enemy''s jutsus to strengthen his attacks and send it back at the enemy!''


    Suddenly, Fujin, Renjiro and Hoka looked towards the balcony. Momentster, Hiruzen and his Anbu guards arrived. Seeing that Fujin was all right, Hiruzen sighed in relief. He was worried that Orochimaru would injure Fujin seriously.


    Before Hiruzen could express his relief and express his concern, Fujin looked at him, sighed tiredly, just like Hiruzen usually did, and said, "You''rete, Grandpa. I had to fight that snake just by myself! It was sooo scary!"


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 Chapter 621: Hiruzens Nightmare!

    Chapter 621: Hiruzen''s Nightmare!


    [A/N: For thosementing in every chapter whether the chapters are shorter, no, the chapters aren''t shorter. I still average over 1.5k words per chapter (without the author notes). As I have repeatedly said, it''s not possible for me to write longer chapters and still be able to write daily. I did try 1.7k-1.8k words, but I waspletely exhausted within a week and found it very difficult to continue writing. However, I understand that 1.5k words are too little for some people causing my book to be aplete disappointment to you. So, I humbly request you to read the books that do this as I, unfortunately, am not a good enough writer to be able to satisfy your requirements. Have a good day. I wish you well in life.]


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    "You''rete, Grandpa. I had to fight that snake just by myself! It was sooo scary!"


    Hiruzen''s left eyebrow twitched in annoyance. All his good feelings disappeared in the blink of an eye. He muttered to himself, ''Scary? Does this brat know what fear even means? Where are your injuries? Did Orochimaru take pity on this brat? Or did this little devil somehow manage to convince Orochimaru to give up violence and ept a beating as a punishment for leaving Konoha?''


    No one was more clear about Orochimaru''s strength than Hiruzen. Unlike the rest, who hade to terms with this unbelievable feat, Hiruzen still had some doubts. Knowing Fujin''s nature and his cunning tongue, Hiruzen strongly suspected that Fujin caused him mental damage instead of physical damage!


    He looked at Renjiro and Hoka and said, "You two, assist in clearing out that fire. I helped out a bit, but there is still a lot left."


    Renjiro and Hoka nodded and left immediately. Hiruzen nced at his guards and they followed them. With just the two of them in the room, Hiruzen said, "Now that we are alone, tell me everything that has happened since the second round started. Also, tell me why Orochimaru targeted you."


    Fujin raised an eyebrow and asked, "Didn''t you see it in that pe¡­ in that crystal ball?"


    ''Pe¡­?'' Hiruzen''s eyebrows twitched in annoyance once again as he understood what Fujin was initially saying. He shook his head and said, "No, there were seals in the Forest of Death to stop my technique. I guess Orochimaru ced them there beforehand." Fujin was surprised. He thought, ''Oh, so those were the seals I sensed earlier¡­ Makes sense I suppose.''


    He looked at Hiruzen and said, "Orochimaru entered the chunin exam disguised as a Kusa Genin. He didn''t target me, at least not initially. His target was Kakashi''s squad, or more specifically Uchiha Sasuke.


    He used the Five Elements Seal on Naruto to cut off his ess to Nine Tail''s chakra. And he nted his curse seal on Sasuke, just like the one that is on Anko''s neck."


    Hiruzen''s eyes widened in surprise. He muttered, "So his goal was Sasuke¡­ That''s troublesome¡­"


    Hearing Sasuke''s name, Itachi''s face appeared in his mind. Remembering Itachi''s sacrifice and words, Hiruzen didn''t want to see his little brother suffering. Unfortunately, the situation was veryplicated.


    He asked, "If they were his target, why did he fight you?"


    Fujin shrugged and answered, "My clone had found him and Rasa''s youngest son suspicious. So, I was nning to keep an eye on the two of them. Unfortunately, Orochimaru made his move very quickly. By the time I discovered his attack, he had already ced the seal on Sasuke.


    I threw Kakashi''s squad to a safe ce, then engaged against him and sent messengers to you so that we could eliminate Orochimaru here and solve this headache for good. Unfortunately, that bastard was too slippery and he recovered from every injury with ease¡­"


    Hiruzen was surprised by Fujin''s words. He asked, "Is it true that you injured him and forced him to retreat?"


    Fujin answered, "Somewhat. I managed to injure him thrice. Once in a way that would have injured any normal ninja a lot and reduced their fighting ability sufficiently for me to kill him or her. And twice with what should have been mortal wounds. Unfortunately, he just shed his skin all three times andpletely recovered each time.


    Before he escaped, he had already used that technique to get rid of his injuries. As for why he escaped, that should be because he was running low on chakra and the fact that you''d be reaching our positions in a minute or two."


    Even though Hiruzen nodded without showing much expression on his face, he was shocked. He thought, ''He forced Orochimaru to use that technique thrice? I never expected Fujin to be able to injure him critically even once. I only expected him to keep Orochimaru at bay and keep him upied till I arrived...


    Even though I rate Fujin''s talent and skills quite highly, did I still end up underestimating Fujin''s strength? Or has Orochimaru''s strength digressed since he left the vige? However, how could that happen?''


    Hiruzen quickly said, "Describe everything in detail about your fight."


    Fujin nodded. Since Orochimaru had already witnessed his abilities, there was no reason to hide it from Hiruzen. Besides, Fujin had noticed quite a few pairs of eyes observing them during the ending stages of the battle. So, it was inevitable that some of his skills, especially his Wind Domain, would be known by others. Of course, Fujin didn''t mention things like his Space Time Sensing Technique or the words he spoke during the fight.


    As Fujin mentioned the details, a peculiar expression appeared on Hiruzen''s face. He wondered, ''Is this how he always fights? I thought he was shameless only when ites to money and jutsus. However, he''s shameless even in battle!


    First, he baited Orochimaru and exploded his Shadow Clone to critically injure him. Then he attacked Orochimaru again before he couldpletely recover and injured him once again.


    Finally, he used his Wind Domain to bait Orochimaru into using a massive Fire jutsu and defeated Orochimaru using his own attack! Even though Orochimaru had a disadvantage in terms of information, he lost due to being outyed in tactics!


    Even in my long career, the number of battles more peculiar than this that I heard of could be counted with my fingers. If this is how he always fights, I can imagine what a nightmare he''d be on the battlefield!''


    Hiruzen was seriously impressed. Despite following Fujin''s progress for over 6 years, this was the first time Hiruzen asked Fujin to describe his battle. Before this, he hadn''t seen much of Fujin''sbat prowess. The only time he witnessed Fujin fighting was during the short sh against that unlucky Suna squad that had infiltrated the Land of Fire and attacked their camp. With this new information, Hiruzen began looking at Fujin in a new light!


    Hiruzen was lost in thoughts when Fujin suddenly said, "Oh right, I almost forgot! When we were fighting, I destroyed his Sword of Kusanagi!"


    "You did what?" Hiruzen eximed in shock, nearly jumping from his chair! Hiruzen thought, ''The Sword of Kusanagi broke? Even Enma doesn''t like getting hit by that sword. How did he do it?''


    Fujin nodded and said, "Yeah, I managed to catch him by surprise with my Vacuum sh jutsu."


    Immediately, Fujin''s expression became sad and depressed. A seal lit up on his bracer and his broken sword appeared as he said, "Unfortunately, doing so destroyed my sword as well. It has been nearly 5 years since I have been using this sword. I didn''t expect it to be broken today¡­"


    Hiruzen''s left eye twitched as he said inside his mind, ''You destroyed the Sword of Kusanagi with this ordinary sword and are stillining about it? Shit!!! Wait!!!''


    Suddenly, Hiruzen had a terrible feeling. His eyes widened as he realized what it was. Unfortunately, before he could do anything about it and save himself, Fujin said, "Could you arrange for a better sword to be made for me?


    This time, I want the sword to have more chakra metal instead of using it miserly. And, it''ll be best if the sword is as strong as Orochimaru''s Sword of Kusanagi. If I can have a de that is as strong and sturdy as it was, then I won''t need to worry about ever losing due to having a weak sword."


    Hiruzen cursed internally, ''Shit! I knew it! He was so generous with the information because he wanted a new sword from me! And what does he mean by adding Chakra metal miserly? His swords are excellent! They cost me millions of Ryo and ate into a lot of the money I won by gambling on him!


    Most importantly, he asked me for pure chakra metal swords when he had just graduated from the academy. Now that he has defeated Orochimaru, which swords will he ask?''


    Hiruzen was terrified to think of the answer. Knowing Fujin, he knew it''d be something that even selling both his kidneys wouldn''t be enough. He quickly said, "I can arrange the top cksmiths for you. However, you''re no longer as young as you were 6 years ago. So, you''ll pay for it yourself."


    With a smile on his face, Hiruzen added, "Back when you graduated, I knew that your future would be bright. It was why I didn''t mind the costs and got the swords for you. However, I never expected that you''d be able to deal with Orochimaru so quickly. Great job, Fujin. I''m proud of you. I''m happy that the Will of Fire burns strong within you. You are a role model for the younger generation."


    Not wanting Fujin to shamelessly ask Hiruzen to pay, Hiruzen quickly changed the subject and began praising him so that Fujin would feel awkward asking the vige to sponsor it. Unfortunately, Fujin had trained in shamelessness from none other than him!


    Fujin smiled and said like an obedient youngster, "Thank you, Grandpa."


    Hiruzen smiled thinking, ''I''m saf¡­''


    Unfortunately, even before he couldplete his thoughts, Fujin''s smile changed into a helpless one as he continued, "Unfortunately, I can''t afford to make a good quality sword by myself. I have been busy looking after the orphans and no longer have much time to go on missions. As a result, my funds have been drying up very quickly. I''m afraid I won''t even be able to afford my current swords¡­"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 622: Taking advantage of a Perilous situation!

    Chapter 622: Taking advantage of a Perilous situation!


    ''...''


    Hiruzen was left speechless by Fujin''s sorrowful words. He wondered, ''You are poor? Since when? And, what do you mean by taking care of the orphans? My Anbu ninjas look after them! I''m paying for all their expenses! You only train the ones with Kekkei Genkai and only send a clone to train them! Not to mention, you stopped going on missions long before I gave you the orphans!''


    Hiruzen wanted to vent his frustration at being yed around by Fujin. Unfortunately, he knew that those words couldn''t be spoken aloud. He could only swallow his words and frustration. However, if Hiruzen knew that Fujin had plundered hundreds of millions of Ryo from corrupt and vile Nobles and had that money with him, how would he have reacted?


    Hiruzen sighed in his trademark manner and said, "Fujin, the vige finances are tight for the time being. You know it since you saw the vige budget. It is difficult for me to arrange such funds."


    Fujin tilted his head and immediately said, "The vige will earn around 4 to 5 billion Ryo by selling thend around the Guidance Hall. Along with the other sources of ie, I don''t think you''ll need to worry about funds for a few years at least."


    ''...''


    Once again, Hiruzen didn''t know what he should reply. After all, what Fujin said was true. Had it been anyone else, they would have tried to profit at least 500 million Ryo from that proposal. They would have let the Council Members profit by 1.5 billion Ryo and left the remaining to the vige. It was how things normally happened. However, Fujin gave everything to the vige.


    Hiruzen sighed internally thinking, ''He''s right. The vige will profit heavily due to it¡­ So the vige sponsoring his sword wouldn''t be improper. Especially considering that he defeated Orochimaru. However¡­''


    He looked at Fujin and thought, ''It looks like expecting him to bepletely selfless was too much. Though to be fair, he couldn''t have known that he would fight Orochimaru and break his sword. I guess he just took advantage of the situation. That said, it is possible that he acted that selflessly just so that he could make me pay for his expenses in the future...'' Hiruzen became worried thinking that Fujin would keep using this reason and ask him to keep paying in the future. Fujin continued looking at Hiruzen and thought, ''Wow, he''s so deep in thought. If it wasn''t so fun to make him pay, I wouldn''t have minded paying for it myself. Even though Hiruzen would''ve been suspicious about how I gained so much money, he wouldn''t have looked into it and just been happy that I wasn''t making him or the vige pay.


    Unfortunately, I couldn''t think of any jutsu I could ask from him. Otherwise, I''d have asked him for a jutsu and paid for the sword myself. The only one thates to mind is Edo Tensei jutsu, but Hiruzen won''t give it to me. The only way I could ask for it is if he survives against Orochimaru. Even then, it is highly unlikely that he''ll give me that jutsu.''


    Hiruzen resigned himself to the fact that he couldn''t deny Fujin''s request. He said, "Making a sword as good as the sword of Kusanagi is more or less impossible. I don''t know any living cksmith who could do it. Lower your requirements a bit."


    Fujin thought for a bit and said, "In that case, could you make me a sword equivalent to the de of the Thunder Spirit which Lord Second had created? If I can get a simr sword that helps in controlling winds, it''ll be very helpful to me."


    Hiruzen''s left eye twitched again as he angrily thought, ''Even 5 billion Ryo won''t be sufficient for that!''


    He immediately replied, "Unfortunately, that is even more impossible. Sensei had found the materials required to create the sword by himself. I''m not sure where and how he found those materials. Unless you have the materials that could create such a sword, no one can make one."


    Fujin sighed and said, "That''s a shame. Oh well, I guess we can just stick to the basics then."


    Hiruzen asked, "Which means?"


    Fujin replied, "A sword majorly made of chakra metal and materials that make wind chakra flow easier while making the sword as hard as they can."


    Hiruzen sighed internally, ''That''ll probably cost the vige around 200 to 300 million Ryo¡­ Sigh, I do so much for the vige!''


    Hiruzen said, "Alright, I''ll see what I can do. Anyway, did you find out the reason why Orochimaru targeted Sasuke and why he did it in the Chunin Exams instead of any other time?"


    Fujin shook his head and answered, "Unfortunately, he didn''t say. The only thing I can say is that he wasn''t here to kill the Genins. He had plenty of time to kill them and I would have a very difficult time trying to keep them alive had he targeted them during our battle. His goal should have been the curse seal he put on Sasuke. Though looking at the bloodlust he was radiating, he probably wanted to kill me as well.


    Unfortunately, I don''t know much about the seal on Sasuke''s neck other than the fact that it looks simr to the one on Anko''s neck and gives out the same sinister vibes. Since Anko didn''t let me take a look at her seal, I can''t guess what his intention was. You should have a much better idea than me regarding the same."


    Hiruzen sighed and said, "The curse seal is one of Orochimaru''s experiments. He can use it to restrain the ones who have the seal. It''s like the Hyuga''s Caged Bird Seal in that aspect. However, it also gives the bearers of the curse seal a power that is simr to Senjutsu, increasing their power considerably. However, using that power will create an impact on their brains, making them more subservient or dependent on Orochimaru.


    The first ones on whom he put the curse seal were his three students. Not everyone can survive the curse seal. In fact, very few can. Two of his students died and only Anko survived. I and Jiraiya tried to remove her seal, but we were only able to seal it to an extent.


    I guess he ns to make a move on Sasuke for some reason and wants to see whether he is strong enough to survive that curse seal."


    Fujin frowned and asked, "What would he want from a mere Genin?"


    Hiruzen replied, "Hard to say."


    Fujin sighed and said, "Do you want me to check up on him? It''d be a shame if a Genin died under my watch. Not to mention, he''ll be the leader of the Uchiha n in the future."


    Hiruzen shook his head and said, "Let it be. Sasuke will survive the seal. Otherwise, Orochimaru wouldn''t have an interest in him. However, I''m not sure whether he''d be able to control himself. Send a clone to keep an eye on Kakashi''s squad after you recover your chakra."


    Fujin nodded. Hiruzen continued, "I was wondering what gave Suna the confidence to make a move against us. I initially thought that he wanted to ally with other major viges. However, seeing Orochimaru''s sudden movement, it is possible that they allied with him instead. We''ll have to make some arrangements for thest round of the Chunin Exams."


    Hiruzen''s expression was very serious as he said it. Fujin nodded in agreement and said, "If they are nning to make a move during the Chunin Exams, then it''d be best if I can get my new sword before thest round begins."


    Immediately, a deadpan expression appeared on Hiruzen''s face. He didn''t think that Fujin would take advantage of such a perilous situation. However, on thinking for the second time, Hiruzen muttered internally, ''I should have expected it¡­''


    He sighed and said, "I''ll make arrangements for the cksmith to arrive in the vige right after this round is over."


    Fujin smiled and said, "Thank you, Grandpa. Do you also know a jutsu that could put a stop to Orochimaru''s jutsu where he sheds his skin? Or some other jutsu that''d be effective against the snake or others like him?"


    Even though Fujin didn''t know which other jutsu to ask from Hiruzen, there was no reason to decline a jutsu that Hiruzen would give himself. After all, who knew which forbidden and rank S jutsus Hiruzen knew that wasn''t known to anyone else?


    Unfortunately, Hiruzen just stared at Fujin and replied, "Unfortunately, there aren''t any such jutsus. Let me know if youe up with any."


    Fujin stared suspiciously at Hiruzen, to see if he was lying. Unfortunately, Hiruzen didn''t change his expression.


    While the two of them were talking, Renjiro and Hoka reached the forest fire. Thanks to Hiruzen''s massive jutsu, the fire had been brought under control. Over 70% of the fire was extinguished and its spread had been halted.


    ''Water Release: Great Waterfall jutsu!''


    As soon as Renjiro reached, he spat out a massive amount of water. It dealt with a third of the remaining mes in one go. The ninjas who were working on extinguishing the forest fire were surprised. Seeing that it was Renjiro, they sighed in relief.


    With Renjiro''s help, they were able to extinguish the remaining mes within a few minutes.


    As soon as the mes were dealt with, Anko flickered next to him and asked, "Is it true that Fujin defeated Orochimaru?"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 623: Fame Explodes!

    Chapter 623: Fame Explodes!


    "Is it true that Fujin defeated Orochimaru?"


    Anko''s voice wasn''t soft. Most of the Anbu and other ninjas who had helped extinguish the fire heard it and paid attention to Renjiro. Even though they had already heard it, they were still in disbelief. Knowing Renjiro''s reputation and the fact that Fujin was his student, they wanted to hear it from him.


    To their surprise, Renjiro nodded and said, "That''s true. Fujin defeated Orochimaru and forced him to escape using the Reverse Summoning jutsu."


    A stunned silence appeared in the burnt forest. For a few seconds, no one said anything. Due to the fire, all birds and animals had escaped or died. So, other than the breeze, no sound could be heard. Hoka looked at everyone and wondered, ''Why are they so suspicious? Is it really so hard to believe? Also, why is everyone silent?''


    Among the ones present there, Hoka was the youngest at just 16 years old. He hadn''t seen the horrors of the Great Ninja Wars. Nor did he know how terrifying Orochimaru was. So, he couldn''t understand their emotions. However, Renjiro could clearly understand what was going through their heads. A smile appeared on his face.


    "Oh my god! I still can''t believe it! This means that all those rumors were true!"


    "This is such amazing news! We have a ninja who could force that fucking traitor to escape!"


    "Hell yeah! Since he defeated Orochimaru, Suzuki Fujin is definitely a rank S ninja! We have another rank S ninja!"


    "Forget rank S, he defeated Orochimaru, the Sannin! Fujin should be extremely strong even among the rank S ninjas! He is at least in the same league as Lord Jiraiya and Lady Tsunade!""He might be even stronger! Even if he isn''t, don''t forget that he is only 16 years old! He''ll keep getting stronger!"


    .


    .


    .


    Hoka looked dumbfounded as the silence was broken by the excitement coursing through the experienced ninjas in front of him! Even the feared and disciplined Anbu ninjas weren''t an exception. They were celebrating like ordinary citizens!


    Hoka looked at Renjiro in confusion and asked, "Sensei, why are they so happy? And why are you smiling like this?"


    Renjiro exined without looking at him, "For every vige, a rank S ninja is someone who they could rely on to protect the vige. As long as a rank S ninja exists, they wouldn''t worry about their safety.


    If something happens to Lord Hokage, we will have another leader avable to take charge. And on the battlefield, a rank S ninja can takemand of entire armies. They can roam on the battlefield with no fear of being killed.


    Hence, it is a joyous asion whenever we get a new rank S ninja.


    Orochimaru became a rank S ninja over two decades ago. He was trained by none other than Lord Third. By defeating him, Fujin has established that he is one of the stronger rank S ninjas. Just like Lord Hokage and the Sannins, he is now someone who''ll deter the other viges from daring to start a war against us.


    If they dare to do so without considering his threat, he''ll cut down through their ranks and turn the battle in a day or two. Even if they make a n for him, they''ll be forced to move forces away from elsewhere. That will save the lives of a few hundred Konoha ninjas. So, it would be weird if they weren''t so happy and excited."


    Hoka was surprised. He looked at the joyous ninjas again and said, "I didn''t think that it''d be such a huge deal. Now I understand."


    He chuckled and said, "It looks like Fujin is a big shot now, haha."


    Renjiro chuckled and said, "He definitely is. First that Guidance Hall and now this. His reputation will far exceed mine. It''ll be only under the old man and the two Sannins."


    Standing just a few meters from them, Anko heard all of Renjiro''s words. Disbelief could still be seen on her face. Unlike the others, she knew Orochimaru very closely and had suffered due to him.


    For nearly a decade, she wanted to kill Orochimaru with her hands. The fact that Orochimaru was defeated by someone far younger than her while she was still nowhere close to being able to do that was hard to digest.


    Even so, a smile appeared on her face as she muttered softly, "He really did it¡­"


    One of the Anbu Captains arrived next to Renjiro and asked, "Is it fine if we inform others about this good news or has Lord Hokage ordered to keep this news under wraps?"


    Even though they were in the Anbu, they were also a part of the ninja ns in Konoha. They wanted to inform their n about such news without any dy.


    Renjiro answered, "Lord Hokage didn''t say anything. It should be fine if we tell others. After all, such news can''t be kept under wraps. However, it''s better if we first wait for Lord Hokage''s instructions¡­"


    The Anbu Captain replied, "Alri¡­"


    "Renjiro is right. Such news can''t be covered up." Everyone immediately looked towards the source of the voice. They were surprised to see Hiruzen there.


    After talking with Fujin, Hiruzen sent a Shadow Clone to move the forces around and givemands. He finally had an opportunity topletely explode Fujin''s reputation. He didn''t intend to let it go to waste.


    A smile appeared on Hiruzen''s clone as he continued, "Besides, this is extremely good news for Konoha. We have no reason to cover it up. If you want to send clones to inform others, feel free to do so. However, keep your main bodies here and get back to your duties."


    Everyone nodded. A few excitedly said, "Thank you, Lord Hokage!"


    They immediately made Shadow Clones and sent them to inform their respective families and ns.


    Hiruzen''s clone looked at his Anbu Guards and said, "You four return to the tower."


    He looked at another couple of Anbu squads and said, "Gather the sensei of all the Genins together in the academy. I''ll meet with them and inform them about this incident."


    The Anbu ninjas nodded and quickly dispersed. Hiruzen''s clone disappeared as well and moved towards the Academy at a high speed while thinking, ''If Suna is allied with Orochimaru, then I would like to see Baki''s reaction.


    Even if he manages to hide his emotions, this news will shock Sunagakure. It''ll deter them from making a pointless move. I''ll call Jiraiya back as well to deter them even more. With the three of us here, they would be forced to drop their ns and the peace wouldn''t be disturbed.''


    Hiruzen''s clone reached the Academy. Within 15 minutes, the Anbu ninjas gathered all 26 sensei in a room in the academy. The sensei were surprised to see Hiruzen present there.


    Guy asked softly in surprise, "Kakashi, do you know what this is about?"


    Kakashi shook his head and said, "No idea. This is the first time I have seen something like this as well."


    Kurenai looked at Asuma, who shook his head indicating that he didn''t have any idea either.


    Everyone looked at Hiruzen''s clone curiously, wondering what this meeting was about. Seeing that everyone had appeared, Hiruzen''s clone said without getting up from his chair, "An unforeseen situation happened during the second stage of the Chunin exam."


    Many sensei became nervous on hearing that. The one who was the most nervous was none other than Baki. He thought, ''Shit! Don''t tell me that they caught wind of our ns and dealt with the children of Lord Kazekage! We can''t lose any of them!''


    Hiruzen paused for a few seconds to make everyone as nervous as he could. He especially paid special attention to Baki''s reactions. He continued, "Orochimaru, the rogue Sannin, infiltrated the training ground 44."


    Baki rxed internally on hearing that. However, his expression showed that he had be even more nervous. Everyone else, apart from Orochimaru''s clone who had disguised as the sensei of Oto Genins, was nervous as well. After all, they weren''t confident in dealing with Orochimaru. What could their young students do?


    Hiruzen''s clone continued, "Thankfully, before he could harm anyone, he was intercepted by the proctor of the second round, Suzuki Fujin. After an intense fight, Fujin injured Orochimaru, broke his Sword of Kusanagi and forced him to escape. None of the Genins were harmed. The exam will continue as usual."


    Baki''s eyes widened involuntarily. He shouted in his head, ''Suzuki Fujin defeated Orochimaru? That''s impossible! How could that happen?''


    Immediately, Baki felt like someone was looking at him. He cursed, ''Shit!'' Baki quickly took control of his emotions.


    Others weren''t able to control their mouths like him. A few eximed loudly.


    "How can that happen?"


    "No way!"


    "Is that true?"


    They quickly controlled their emotions. After all, they were in front of the Hokage. Even Kakashi, Guy, Asuma and Kurenai were shocked and left speechless.


    Elsewhere in Konoha, the clones sent by ninjas reached their respective ns and quickly rushed to their n leaders, forcing them to stop whatever they were doing.


    With a visible bump on his head, Shikaku walked with an annoyed expression and asked, "What was so important that you made my wife wake me up?"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 624: A Change in Plan!

    Chapter 624: A Change in n!


    The clone of the Nara Anbu ninja said, "The sun hasn''t even set, why are you sleeping now? Anyway, this is no time to be sleeping. Something huge has happened. Suzuki Fujin defeated Orochimaru and forced him to retreat!"


    Shikaku''s eyes widened. While he rated Fujin very highly just like Hiruzen, he didn''t expect to hear something like this.


    In the Yamanaka npounds, Inoichi eximed aloud, "What did you say?"


    In the Akimichi npounds, Choza said, "He defeated Orochimaru? That''s incredible!"


    In other ces, Hiashi went silent. Tsume nearly interrogated the clone who reported the news. Shibi was shocked as well. A smile appeared on Senju Hiromasa''s face as he muttered, "You have trained one hell of a shinobi, Renjiro."


    Every single n Leader was shocked by the news. They quickly reevaluated Fujin. When they heard that Fujin killed Juzo, they epted that Fujin was stronger than them. However, they believed that they could still face him in battle and keep him at bay. After all, Fujin could barely be considered a rank S ninja. Being at the Elite Jounin level, they could fight such ninjas to a standstill. With abination like the Ino-Shika-Cho formation, defeating Fujin should have also been possible.


    However, this news caught them off guard. Despite their abilities, none of the n leaders wanted to face someone like Orochimaru. Even if they fought together, they wouldn''t have much confidence in defeating Orochimaru. They would be happy if they managed to keep him at bay and avoid their deaths. Yet, such a formidable ninja was defeated by Fujin without any help!


    Of course, there was a person who was even more shocked than the n leaders. The tiger-masked Anbu ninja''s clone snuck into the Root headquarters under disguise while avoiding the eyes of the Anbu squad Hiruzen had positioned to keep an eye on the Root headquarters.


    He quickly reached Danzo''s office and dispelled his disguise. Danzo looked at him and asked, "Why are you in such a panic?" The clone said, "Lord Danzo, something incredible has happened in the Forest of Death. Orochimaru infiltrated the Forest of Death after the second phase of the Exam began. He and Suzuki Fujin fought an intense battle. In the end, Orochimaru was injured and escaped using the Reverse Summoning jutsu!"


    Danzo''s eye widened in shock! He eximed in disbelief, "That''s impossible! How can someone like Orochimaru be defeated by a brat? Are you sure that this news is urate? Did Hiruzen make up a lie?"


    The clone answered, "I don''t think it was a lie, Lord Danzo. Several ninjas saw a massive snake, something that only Orochimaru could summon. In addition, a few Hyugas saw the ending stages of the battle. They had no doubts that what they saw was true.


    Lord Hokage arrived after the battle was over. He met with Suzuki Fujin alone and seems to have confirmed that he really defeated Orochimaru. He doesn''t n to suppress this news. By now, most of the n leaders should have learnt about this battle."


    Danzo''s expression became grim. He thought, ''Could it really be true? Could Fujin be really at the same level as Orochimaru? Even I can''t say for sure whether I''d be able to defeat him even with Shisui''s eye.


    Wait! Irrespective of whether he is at that level or not, Hiruzen is nning to spread this information¡­ A 16-year-old ninja who can defeat a Sannin¡­ His reputation will increase to the same level as Minato''s! That damned Hiruzen!''


    Danzo became angry. Despite all the restrictions imposed on him, he still wanted the Hokage''s seat. After all, neither of the Sannins was interested in the seat. However, if Fujin gained too much fame, then he''d be the preferred choice as the Hokage. After all, Danzo was old and looked feeble, while Fujin was still very young and had a bright future ahead of him.


    Everyone would want a young and heroic ninja leading them instead of someone who was long past his prime and hid in the darkness. Danzo quickly began thinking about tactics to pull down Fujin''s reputation. He thought for a few minutes before a helpless expression appeared on his face.


    Hiruzen had put too many restrictions on him. He had no room to make a move. Not to mention, Fujin was extremely well protected and didn''t have any weaknesses for him to exploit. Whenever Danzo tried to make a move against him, it only came back to bite him in the ass! His current situation was a consequence of that as well.


    In the academy, Asuma softly asked, "Kakashi, Guy, you two are close to him, right? Is he this powerful?"


    Kakashi replied, "I have only been with him for a couple of missions. He is definitely strong, but I didn''t think he was this strong. Guy should have a better idea since he spars with Fujin regrly."


    Kakashi, Asuma and Kurenai looked at Guy. Guy said, "He is definitely very strong. He doesn''t lose out to me even in Taijutsu. And, he can use Winds to improve his Taijutsu capabilities. Still, I didn''t think he''d be able to defeat Orochimaru."


    A wide grin appeared on Guy''s face as he added loudly, "As expected of someone so youthful! In celebration of Fujin''s victory, let''s run 1000ps around the vige on our hands!"


    Asuma and Kurenai immediately became embarrassed as the others in the room looked at them.


    Hiruzen''s clone ignored their antics and thought, ''Just looking at his expression, it is tough to say what is happening in Baki''s head. Considering that Rasa''s kids are participating, it''s reasonable that he was worried. Simrly, Fujin defeating Orochimaru was a piece of shocking information. After all, they should have connected the dots by now.


    The only thing that was off was how quickly he took control of his expression. It shows that he is indeed hiding something. But I can''t say for sure whether he is scheming something with Orochimaru.''


    Hiruzen''s clone sighed internally. The situation was too sensitive to handle. He would have loved to capture Baki and read his memories secretly, but that would immediately break the alliance between the two viges and other viges wouldn''t feelfortable sending ninjas to Konoha for Chunin Exams and other purposes. From his perspective, the bacsh would be far stronger than any benefits he would get even if he discovered their ns.


    Meanwhile, Baki nervously thought, ''I need to inform Lord Rasa about this development. If Fujin is strong enough to defeat Orochimaru, then our preparations aren''t good enough. We may need to call off the entire n!''


    Baki was already ufortable with Rasa''s n. This news was the final nail in the coffin. He didn''t want the Suna ninjas to die pointlessly in Konoha. If things went south, not only would they lose a few hundred elites, but they might also lose their Kage and Jinchuriki!


    Orochimaru''s clone looked at Hiruzen''s clone and Baki and thought, ''Interesting move. It seems like Hiruzen already suspects that something fishy is happening. That is why he made someone like Fujin the proctor.


    However, the situation is bad for me no matter how I look at it. I hadn''t expected Fujin to be so strong. Neither Kabuto nor Kimimaro can handle him alone. Even together, they would have a difficult time holding him back. Besides, one of them will need to hold Kakashi back. I can''t dispatch both of them against Fujin¡­''


    He fell into a thought. While he was thinking, Hiruzen''s clone said, "That''s all I wanted to say. The Genins weren''t affected by their battle and Fujin will continue keeping an eye on the training ground. The exam will continue as usual. You guys can leave."


    He gazed at Kakashi while leaving the room. Kakashi immediately got the message and softly said, "I''ll meet you guyster."


    Kakashi disappeared from the room. Everyone was still in shock. The room immediately emptied as the foreign sensei went to inform their respective viges. As for the sensei who were from Konoha, they rushed to tell their friends and families.


    Orochimaru''s clone left as well while thinking, ''There is no choice. I can''t handle everything by myself. I will have to change my ns. I can''t kill Rasa. Instead, I''ll have to convince him to continue with the n and increase the number of Suna ninjas in the attack.


    I''ll deal with Hiruzen and have Rasa deal with Fujin. That way, we will have a temporary advantage in terms of quality. Once I kill Hiruzen, I can summon Manda and others to destroy the vige.''


    After realizing Fujin''s strength, Orochimaru quickly made changes to his n. Otherwise, even if he could kill Hiruzen, all Suna and Oto ninjas would be eliminated by the time he was done.


    Once that happened, he wouldn''t be able to destroy the vige and would need to retreat. In fact, if he failed to kill Hiruzen by then, then the barrier woulde under an intense assault from Konoha ninjas. If that happened, then he wouldn''t even be able to kill Hiruzen. In order to seed, he had no choice but to swallow his pride and make adjustments to his ns.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 625: Regret!

    Chapter 625: Regret!


    Kakashi quickly followed Hiruzen''s clone and appeared behind him. Hiruzen''s clone looked at him and said, "There is something you should know¡­"


    Kakashi''s expression became serious as he learnt that Orochimaru had entered the forest to target his students. He rxed slightly on learning that Fujin would be keeping an eye on them.


    In the end, Hiruzen said, "If you want, you can move to the tower in the Forest of Death as well. You can seal Sasuke''s curse seal once the second round is done."


    Kakashi nodded. Danzo and the n Leaders were still absorbing the information they learnt. Even the two Elders had been informed and were in shock. They could hardly digest the fact that Fujin defeated Orochimaru when the messengers informed them of something equally outrageous.


    "What did you say???" Danzo got up and eximed in disbelief. Despite having decades of experience and excellent control over his emotions, Danzo couldn''t keep his cool.


    The clone replied, "It''s true. Every ninja who was present in the Forest of Death saw it. Orochimaru first attacked him with a massive fire jutsu. I believe it was the Majestic Destroyer me jutsu. However, Fujin responded with a Scorch Dragon secondster. After he attacked Orochimaru with it and exploded it, trees within 500 meters were set aze!"


    Danzo''s expression became very serious as he wondered, ''How could he have Scorch Release? Does he have the same bloodline as Pakura? But that''s impossible. As far as I could check, no one in his ancestry was even a ninja. Did he learn how to fuse Fire and Wind chakra by himself?''


    A frown appeared on his face as he analyzed, ''I can ept that he is very talented in Wind Release. However, is he equally talented in Fire Release? Why isn''t his Fire Release as strong as his Wind Release then? Or did he just get lucky and somehow manage to merge the two natures urately? Or was he somehow able to replicate it from that Orphan?''


    As someone who chased after power, Danzo had long attempted everything he could to increase his strength. That included attempts to fuse different elements to create Kekkei Genkai. Unfortunately, he never seeded despite trying for decades. He only managed to get Kekkei Genkai by imnting Sharingan and transnting Hashirama''s cells. As such, Danzo was unwilling to believe it. However, the emotion that Danzo was feeling the most wasn''t disbelief. Instead, it was regret!


    He sighed and thought, ''I missed out. I should have pushed harder back then. Even though Hiruzen was adamant, I could have forced him to change his mind. If only I had recruited him back then¡­ Today, I would have someone who could fight Orochimaru as my loyal soldier! My situation in Konoha would have beenpletely different as well¡­''


    Unfortunately, there was nothing Danzo could do about it as there was no way to go back in the past and change his actions. Of course, even if he could go in the past, there was no way Fujin would have joined Root.


    "Fujin used Scorch Release¡­"


    "Under normal circumstances, that would be big news. However, everyone will only discuss the fact that he defeated Orochimaru! I find it hard to believe."


    Homura and Koharu were together when they received the news. Both were shocked. Koharu agreed with Homura''s words and said, "Yeah, it''s so difficult to believe that I can''t help but think that there are some hidden details. Do you think Hiruzen is behind this?"


    Homura thought for a bit and shook his head. He replied, "No, this isn''t his style. What the Anbu said must be true. Of course, there are some additional details. For instance, Orochimaru wouldn''t want to fight Hiruzen without any backup which might be the main reason behind his retreat. And, Orochimaru''s Fire jutsu seemed to be linked with Fujin''s Scorch Dragon somehow."


    Koharu nodded and said, "Regardless, even with these details, this is a great achievement. All of us underestimated that kid. Perhaps only Hiruzen saw his true potential and strength. No wonder he supports him so much."


    Since Fujin didn''t have any background, his seat in the council should have been very unstable and full of headaches. In fact, a couple of moves had been made to cause him trouble. One of which was made by Koharu herself after Fujin openly threatened her twice in a row on the day he blew up the Root''s headquarters.


    However, Hiruzen had quashed those moves before Fujin even knew about them. In fact, Fujin didn''t know about those moves even now. Due to his fierce backing, no one tried troubling Fujin again. After all, they didn''t want Hiruzen to do the same to them.


    As a result, Fujin''s time in the council was very peaceful. He only had to deal with Katsuhiro and Danzo one time as Hiruzen didn''t catch onto that scheme until Fujin had dealt with it.


    Koharu continued, "Back then, I was confused and didn''t understand why Hiruzen supported him so much. I can see it now."


    Homura nodded and muttered, "Yeah. It''s little wonder he dared to threaten the leaders of Kusagakure while sitting in their vige."


    Homura still recalled the nightmare of Fujin threatening all top officials of Kusagakure very clearly. It was the closest he came to death since his retirement.


    Just like the Elders, the n Leaders were surprised as well.


    Shikaku wondered, ''When did he learn Scorch Release? Or was it something else?''


    Inoichi thought, ''This isn''t good. If he has mastered a Kekkei Genkai, then he can start his own n in the future.''


    Hiashi thought the same, ''Normally, the existing ns would have acted together and applied pressure to prevent the formation of a new n. However, how exactly do we pressure someone who can defeat Orochimaru at just 16 years of age?''


    Tsume thought, ''There is no stopping him. His reputation will be as high as the Sannins. Considering his age, it might exceed them in the future. Depending on when Lord Hokage retires, he might even have a shot at the Fifth Hokage''s position.''


    Even though Fujin hadn''t truly mastered the Scorch Release, everyone assumed that he had done so since he hadn''t given the same rification that he had given to Renjiro and Hoka. Hence, the observers just believed what they saw.


    Of course, Fujin wouldn''t bother clearing up their misunderstanding. If they wanted to believe it, they were free to do so. If anything, he''d wee the free reputation boost. Besides, even though he hadn''t truly mastered Scorch Release, he was very close and believed that it was just a matter of time.


    In the Forest of Death, since the fire had been doused, most of the ninjas returned to the tower. Only the ones who were tasked to patrol the forest dispersed in the training ground.


    As they entered the tower, Fujin could see admiration and respect in their eyes. He thought, ''Even though I''m almost out of chakra, it looks like this battle had the intended effect. With this battle and the Guidance Hall, not many would take the initiative to mess with me even without Hiruzen''s backing.''


    Hiruzen immediately gave new orders to the Anbu ninjas he had brought along. His Anbu Guards stayed with him while the remaining squads started taking turns to patrol the Training Ground in case Orochimaru decided to sneak in again.


    Hiruzen turned to Fujin and said, "I''ll return to the vige for now. We still don''t know what Orochimaru''s real goal was. It''d be troublesome if he wanted to attract me here and have someone make a move on the vige.


    Renjiro, stay here with Fujin until he recovers his chakra. Kakashi will probablye to the tower soon as well. With you three here, I doubt Orochimaru would make a move even after he recovers his chakra."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Sure."


    Renjiro nodded as well. Hiruzen left along with his Anbu Guards, leaving just Fujin, Renjiro, Hoka and Anko in the room.


    Hoka chuckled and said, "You are really something Fujin. You should have seen the reactions of the senior ninjas. All are shocked by this battle."


    He nced at Anko and teasingly said, "Anko was in disbelief the longest."


    Anko immediately became annoyed at Hoka and said, "That''s only natural you punk! Do you even know how terrifying Orochimaru is?"


    Hoka immediately replied, "Perhaps, but doesn''t that mean that Fujin is even more terrifying?"


    Anko immediately became quiet. What Hoka said made sense. Before she could think of a response, Fujin said, "Don''t underestimate him, Hoka. Even though I injured him a few times, he recovered to perfect health every time. I''m not sure whether it is even possible to kill someone like him. On the other hand, I don''t have any such ability. The next time he fights me, I might be at a disadvantage as he now knows about my skills."


    Renjiro smiled and said, "It''s good to see that you''re as pragmatic as ever, Fujin. What you said is true. Someone like Orochimaru should never be underestimated. Even the old man is very wary of him."


    Renjiro thought, ''I was worried that he''d be overconfident after defeating Orochimaru. It''s good to see that he''s still the same kid as back then.''


    Memories of Fujin staying far away from Mieko and Hoka during their spars appeared in Renjiro''s mind. Renjiro had to work hard to get Fujin to break that fighting style. However, he was happy to see that Fujin''s cautious nature never changed.


    Suddenly, someone knocked on the door. An examiner entered and reported, "I have something to inform you. The first Genin squad has reached the tower!"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 626: A Trap!

    Chapter 626: A Trap!


    Anko''s eyes widened. Due to Orochimaru''s interference, she stopped thinking about the exam. She eximed in shock, "What? It hasn''t even been 2 hours since the exam started! How could someone pass so early? Which squad is it?"


    The examiner reported, "It is a squad from Sunagakure. Actually¡­"


    He paused before continuing with a serious expression, "They reached the tower 1 hour and 46 minutes after the exam began. It is the second fastest record in all the Chunin Exams.


    However, what is even more surprising is the fact that one of the Genins from that team didn''t have even a speck of dust on him."


    Surprise and disbelief could be heard in his voice. Anko''s eyes widened once again. Her eyes quickly turned towards Fujin as she remembered that Fujin had said that their squad was suspicious as well. At the same time, she recalled, ''Wait a minute, isn''t Renjiro''s squad the current record holders?''


    Fujin chuckled and said, "Looks like they don''t intend to hide how formidable they are. Oh well, let me see what those kids are made of."


    His words surprised the ones in the room. Anko asked, "Do you intend to take action against them as well? Since they haven''t done anything yet, acting against them could create problems for us."


    Fujin shook his head and said, "Nothing like that. I''ll just be talking with them."


    Anko sighed in relief while thinking, ''Due to Orochimaru''s actions, we already need to inform Kusagakure about their loss. Since they are a minor vige, that won''t be that troublesome, but Sunagakure won''t be as easy to deal with.'' The examiner asked, "Should I call them here?"


    Fujin shook his head and said, "No need, I already took care of it. Return to your post. You did well informing us about this. Let us know if you notice anything else that seems odd."


    The examiner nodded and left. As Fujin said, Gaara, Temari and Kankuro were walking up the tower. Unlike Gaara, both Temari and Kankuro were very tense due to what they had seen a few seconds earlier.


    They had just reached the tower and were told the meaning of the words in the wall scroll when a figure made of Wind suddenly appeared and asked them toe to the top floor of the tower.


    As soon as they saw the Wind figure, they understood that Fujin was in the building. Temari and Kankuro exchanged nces in shock after the figure disappeared.


    Both had just one thought running through their minds, ''How is he here? Wasn''t he fighting against Orochimaru? Don''t tell me that he won their fight¡­''


    Despite having seen the deadly Wind Dragon, they couldn''t believe that Orochimaru failed to kill Fujin. They immediately became tense thinking about why Fujin wanted to see them. If Orochimaru had leaked any details, then the three of them would be history! As they walked up the stairs, Kankuro and Temari could only pray that Gaara didn''t act impulsively.


    Soon, they reached the highest floor and entered the room Fujin was in. To their surprise, they saw Fujin and Renjiro looking at a Shogi board while Hoka and Anko were observing their game as well.


    Without looking at them, Fujin said, "You guys took your sweet timeing here."


    The Suna trio were surprised to hear the disappointment in Fujin''s voice. Temari wondered, ''He is disappointed? Why? Also, why isn''t he even a bit injured? Even though Orochimaru couldn''t kill him, why did he fail to injure him even a bit?''


    Before they could decide how to respond, Hoka chuckled and asked, "Why are you surprised? If they were fast, they would have reached the tower over an hour ago as you spected."


    Fujin sighed and tossed him a scroll while saying, "Alright, you win. It looks like the record won''t be broken after all."


    Kankuro finally couldn''t endure their condescending tone and asked in annoyance, "What record are you talking about?"


    Hoka nced towards the Suna Genins and said, "The record for the lowest time taken toplete the second round of the Chunin Exams. What else can we talk about?


    You guys did well. It''s the second-best score. Unfortunately, you were too slow to have any shot for the record. You were over an hourte. Anyway¡­"


    Hoka yed with the scroll in his hand and said, "That''s good too. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have won so much from the bet, haha."


    Hoka beganughing arrogantly. Both Temari and Kankuro became annoyed. They wondered, ''Were they seriously betting on us?''


    Meanwhile, Anko''s eyes twitched involuntarily as she thought, ''That scroll is empty. These two sure can act. If I hadn''t heard their conversation, I would have thought that they were speaking the truth as well.''


    Before Kankuro or Temari could express their displeasure, Fujin sighed again and muttered, "I expected the Kazekage''s children to be much better."


    Hoka chuckled again and said, "I already said that you overestimate others. Kids these days are too soft. Considering that they are the Kazekage''s children, they''d be even softer."


    Fujin shrugged and replied, "Oh well, nothing I can do. Though it''s a disappointment that we won''t see Lord Hokage rewarding anyone."


    Temari asked, "What reward?"


    Hoka answered, "Didn''t you know? If someone breaks the record, Lord Hokage rewards that squad personally. The rewards are generally better than even bing a Chunin."


    Temari and Kankuro were stunned. Neither of them had heard about something so absurd. For a moment, both wondered whether what Hoka said was true. After thinking for a bit, both concluded that there was no reason for Hoka to lie.


    Renjiro chuckled internally while thinking, ''Thankfully the old man isn''t here. Otherwise, he might stop showing up to Chunin Exams entirely! I still vividly recall his expressions that day when Fujin asked him for a reward, hehehe.''


    While his siblings were getting drawn in by the bullshit Fujin cooked up, Gaara''s attention was entirely fixed on Fujin. He wondered, ''Was he the one who made me bleed that day?''


    As far as Gaara could recall, that was the only time he bled. It had left asting impact on his young brain. For a few moments, bloodlust shot through his system and he almost attacked Fujin. Fortunately, he recalled Rasa''s words and controlled himself.


    Fujin sighed internally while thinking, ''What a shame¡­''


    Even though it looked like Fujin''s entire attention was on the game, in truth, he wasn''t paying any attention to it. Instead, his senses were all entirely focused on Gaara. His words were actually to taunt Gaara into action. And, he was showing zero vignce. He had nearly seeded. Unfortunately, Gaara didn''t act on his impulse.


    Fujin thought, ''A shame. If he had attacked, I would have had a proper reason to act. Killing him now would have a massive impact on the future for sure. That change will likely not be good for Konoha.


    However, if I can get Shukaku, I can test my new seal. If I seed, my power will increase by a level. Even though I''ll lose a considerable amount of my advantage of knowing the future events as Gaara ys a major role in the future, the gains would more than makeup for the losses.


    The only major drawback is that I''ll attract Akatsuki''s attention. Pain and Obito are still a bit too strong for me to deal with. However, I am not afraid of them. Even though I can''t defeat them, they can''t kill me either. Hell, they wouldn''t want to kill me anyway due to Shukaku.


    Anyway, if I can''t get my hands on Shukaku, I''ll have to wait for the Fourth Mizukage to die and for Isobu to be reborn. That''ll take a few years¡­''


    For years, Fujin had been careful to not affect future events beyond a certain limit. Even though he had gone overboard a few times like when he created a mess in the Land of Wind, he hadn''t ever purposely tried to do something that would irreparably change the future other than the time he went after Hidan.


    The reason for that was twofold. The first thing he needed to consider was his strength. If he wasn''t strong enough, there was no point in attempting to do anything like that. It would have been better to stay in the background and stay alive. It was only after he became a rank S ninja that he considered this option.


    The second and most important reason was that there were certain incidents from which Fujin could profit heavily. If he acted recklessly and changed the future just for the sake of it, he would lose all those opportunities.


    Hence, he needed to think over a hundred times before doing something that would forever change the course of the future. He had to be sure that his gains would make up for losing all those future opportunities!


    Temari was oblivious to the trap Fujin hadid for her brother andined, "Shouldn''t you give us this information before the exam began?"


    Anko joined in, "Where''s the fun in that? Besides, if you need motivation to finish your mission most efficiently, then you aren''t suited to be Chunins."


    Temari frowned. Before she couldin, Fujin said, "Anyway, I just called you guys here to inform you that the next round will start in 5 days. Until then, you have to stay inside the tower. If you leave for any reason, you''ll be disqualified. Feel free to use any facilities inside the tower that you fancy while you stay here. Also, remember that fighting isn''t allowed here. Now shoo shoo."


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 627: FUCK YOU DANZO!

    Chapter 627: FUCK YOU DANZO!


    Fujin waved his hand dismissively, shooing the three of them away like they were pests. It annoyed the three of them once again but Gaara surprisingly didn''t lose his control once again. He just stared at Fujin as the three of them left the room.


    As soon as the trio exited, the expression of all four Konoha ninjas became serious. Hoka activated his Byakugan. Anko muttered, "Such strong bloodlust. No wonder you found them suspicious. It''s surprising to see that the Kazekage trained his youngest son to be such a ninja."


    Hoka agreed, "Yeah, I thought that he would attack us for sure due to the bloodlust he was oozing. Still, his chakrawork seems very weird. I haven''t seen anything like that."


    Renjiro chipped in, "Knowing how lousy Suna''s seal for sealing their Tailed Beast is, it''s no wonder that the boy''s chakrawork is a mess and his bloodlust is so strong."


    Anko and Hoka were shocked. Anko eximed, "A Tailed Beast?"


    Hoka asked, "You mean that he is a Jinchuriki?"


    Unlike Renjiro, who knew about it thanks to his connections and rank, Hoka and Anko weren''t aware that Gaara was the Jinchuriki. Both knew how terrifying the Tailed Beasts were and immediately became tense.


    Renjiro nodded and said, "Yeah. I guess that''s why you called them here and taunted them, right?"


    Fujin nodded and answered, "More or less. I was active in Sunagakure during my Anbu days and even saw him once. From the intel I collected, he was extremely unstable and frequently lost control of the Tailed Beast inside him. I wanted to make sure that he wouldn''t lose control easily. Otherwise, he could cause a catastrophe inside the vige. From the restraint he disyed, it seems like he has gotten better control of his emotions and might not be that big of a threat.


    Regardless, his appearance in the Chunin Exam is very suspicious. Normally, no vige allows their Jinchuriki to even go out of the vige. The fact that Orochimaru made a move makes it even more fishy."


    "But, wouldn''t it be dangerous if he lost control here? You''re low on chakra and I''m not sure if we three would be able to defeat a Tailed Beast!" Anko eximed anxiously.


    Fujin casually replied, "It''s fine. I inscribed a few seals on the tower when I learnt that he would be participating. As long as he loses control inside the tower, I can suppress and capture him."


    Hoka nervously asked, "A few seals? Would that be enough?"


    Anko agreed with him, "Yes, don''t underestimate the Tailed Beasts. A few seals wouldn''t be sufficient to deal with them. Don''t forget that Lord Fourth died while sealing the Nine Tails"


    Only Renjiro looked at Fujin with a weird expression and thought, ''A few seals? Does he even understand what ''a few'' means? His ''few'' should be a few thousand for a normal person, right? That said, I didn''t sense any seals. It looks like his Fuinjutsu has gotten better.''


    As Renjiro expected, Fujin replied, "Don''t worry, I can stop him. Just don''t rush towards him and let me handle it in case he truly lets the Tailed Beast lose."


    Hoka, Renjiro and Anko nodded in agreement. None of the three wanted to fight a Tailed Beast. Anko said, "We should report this information to Lord Hokage."


    To her surprise, Fujin shook his head and said, "Don''t look down on him. He couldn''t have guessed that Orochimaru would show up, but he should know all about that kid."


    Anko calmed down on hearing that. Fujin''s words made sense. However, she couldn''t help but wonder, ''What is Lord Hokage thinking by allowing someone so dangerous to take the Chunin Exam?''


    After they left the room and got a sufficient distance away, Kankuro couldn''t hold it in anymore and cursed, "That guy is so fucking arrogant. He acts like he is some sort of senior to us when he is barely older than us."


    Temari agreed and said, "Yes, he''s full of himself. I wanted to ask him about the Wind jutsus but he just kept on humiliating us. That said, I''m not sure whether he is that arrogant or whether he was purposefully taunting us."


    Her words surprised Kankuro and Gaara. Both immediately understood that Fujin might have been suspecting them and trying to get a reaction from them. Kankuro immediately looked at Gaara and thought, ''This is trouble. Do those old geezers really have a good n?''


    Temari continued, "Anyway, there is nothing we can do about it. Let''s just stay here quietly for the next 5 days. Once Baki sensei arrives, we can ask him."


    Kankuro nodded and calmed down. After all, they were deep in enemy territory. He didn''t want to attract too much attention especially when someone who could force Orochimaru away was present.


    While Fujin met the Suna trio, Hiruzen reached his office. He immediately dispatched a few clones and assembled the same Anbu squads that he had tasked to improve Fujin''s reputation and ruin Katsuhiro''s reputation after the proposal for the Guidance Hall was passed sessfully. He gave them a new mission, which was to spread the news of Fujin defeating Orochimaru!


    In a couple of hours, a good chunk of Konoha''s poption learned about the fight between Fujin and Orochimaru. The Veteran Ninjas were shocked. They knew how terrifying Orochimaru was. They quickly asked the ones in power whether it was true. A few even approached Hiruzen. After confirming it, they immediately broke into celebrations.


    As for the younger ninjas and the civilians, they weren''t aware of how big of an achievement it was. However, just knowing that Konoha had another rank S ninja was enough for them to be happy.


    Of course, there was one person who wasn''t happy. On the contrary, he was terrified! Sitting inside his home, Katsuhiro was covered in sweat. A terrified expression could be seen on Katsuhiro''s face. His body was involuntarily shivering at irregr intervals.


    He muttered, "Fujin defeated Orochimaru? And he forced him to retreat?"


    Unlike others who found the news hard to believe, he didn''t want to believe it! Terror flooded his mind and for a long time, he couldn''t even think properly. His blood pressure, which hade down to manageable levels, went haywire once again.


    Nearly half an hourter, he managed to gather himself and analyzed, ''He couldn''t have gotten so strong out of nowhere. Meaning that he was always that strong. Even if he wasn''t this strong, he would definitely have been a formidable rank S ninja when I went to him with the proposal¡­''


    As he realized it, one word escaped his mouth, "Fuck!"


    Katsuhiro shivered in rage and fear when recalling his exchanges with Fujin. When Fujin kept him waiting for nearly a couple of months, he badly wanted to rush into Fujin''s house and teach him a lesson.


    The only reason that he didn''t do so was that anyone so impulsive would never be selected for the council. When Fujin continued belittling him, it had taken a great amount of willpower for him to control himself. However, he was d that he managed to control his impulses. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have been alive!


    He cursed, ''FUCK YOU DANZO!!! You sent me topete against someone who was as strong as fucking Orochimaru? What the fuck did I do to offend you? Youu...youuuu bastard! I will never forget this scheme of yours! I nearly died so many times! Thankfully I controlled myself, else that demonic brat would''ve even swallowed up my bones!''


    From wanting to rip Fujin into pieces, Katsuhiro began wanting to dismember Danzo. All his resentment towards Fujin disappeared and was transferred to Danzo. In fact, if Danzo hadn''t been protected by Root, he would have definitely gone there to vent his frustrations. Unknowingly, he was saved by those Root ninjas.


    In the Forest of Death, things calmed down. Kurenai''s team managed to reach the tower on day 1 as well. Things didn''t happen much differently than in the canon other than the fact that the Genins were far more alert. Sakura nted several traps and stayed on guard to protect Naruto and Sasuke. Meanwhile, the Oto squad searched for them following Orochimaru''s orders.


    The next morning, the Oto squad attacked her. What they didn''t know was that their actions were closely watched by a pair of eyes. With nearly a day''s rest, Fujin had recovered most of his chakra. He sent a clone with 5% of his chakra to keep an eye on Naruto and Sasuke. The reason for the same was to guard against any unexpected moves from Orochimaru due to Fujin''s existence.


    However, this wasn''t the only clone Fujin had sent. There was another Shadow Clone who was at a different location in the Forest of Death. That clone had 25% of Fujin''s chakra, 5 times more than the clone watching over Naruto and Sasuke. He was keeping an eye on three unsuspecting Genins.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 628: A New Home

    Chapter 628: A New Home


    Among the Genin squads Kusagakure sent to participate in the Chunin Exam, only two managed to qualify for the second round. Unfortunately for Kusagakure, one of them was the disguised Orochimaru''s squad and the second squad was being watched like a hawk by Fujin''s clone!


    The second squad was nning what to do to get the other scroll. After nning for a bit, the two boys decided that they would go together to find other squads. They bit Karin''s forearm to recover their chakra and left her alone in the deadly forest.


    Fujin''s clone watched the scene and analyzed, ''Hmm, from what I remember, she was attacked by a bear before being saved by Sasuke. However, Sasuke is injured right now. Those events probably happened on the third or the fourth day. It looks like these two leave her like this daily. So, I suppose that no one will attack her today. Hmm¡­''


    He activated his Space Time Sensing Technique. As he guessed, there wasn''t anyone nearby to threaten her. He muttered to himself, ''Oh well, I''ll have to wait for a ''natural'' event.''


    Alone in the deadly forest, Karin couldn''t help but feel fear. She thought, ''What should I do if someone finds and attacks me? What if I get attacked by dangerous wild animals? Or what if those awful chakras reappear? I need to hide!''


    Karin quickly began to look for a ce to hide in. After searching for a bit, she found arge tree with a hole in its trunk at the base. She quickly entered inside and hid in it, making her feel safer. She closed her eyes and waited patiently for her teammates to return.


    It had only been around half an hour when she suddenly sensed some tremors. She opened her eyes and activated her chakra field while wondering, ''Who is it?''


    As she sensed, her eyes widened. She quickly jumped out of the tree. Half a secondter, arge paw hit the tree and destroyed it! Karin looked at the figure in fear and muttered, "A lion? How did it find me?"


    In front of her was a 5-meter-tall lion. It stared at her ferociously, fully disying its hunger. Karin immediately threw a few shurikens at it, but her shurikens couldn''t pierce through its thick hide and only left a few scratches. Even though the lion wasn''t injured, the scratches annoyed it and it rushed towards Karin. While Karin was being attacked by the lion, Yamanaka Fumito passed very close to that ce. He was on patrol and had his chakra field active in order to sense any suspicious activities. While he wasn''t the best sensor by any means, he was a very good one.


    Yet, despite being only 50 meters away from Karin and the lion, Fumito couldn''t sense either of them! In fact, even Karin failed to sense him. It was as if she was in an alternate dimension where no one could detect her! If either of them knew that they were just 50 meters from each other, they would be shocked.


    As for the reason why they couldn''t sense each other? It was quite simple. In order to not be disturbed, Fujin''s clone had used the Stealth Battlefield that he had developed a few months ago. Unless a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster were to arrive, no one would be able to sense its existence!


    As the lion charged at Karin, she threw a few more kunai and shuriken while attempting to run. Unfortunately, her weapons barely affected the wild beast. And her speed was much slower than it. As his paw came crashing down on her, she jumped out of its way, barely dodging it.


    However, there was no relief on her face as another paw pped her like a fly and sent her crashing into a tree. The impact injured her back and arms, making her unable to move for some time. She opened her eyes and saw the ferocious beast running towards her. A few tear drops ran down her cheeks as she thought, ''Am I going to die here?''


    The memories of her dead mother appeared in her mind as she tried her best to get up. She barely managed to stand up by the time the lion reached her. However, she knew that it was toote. She resigned to her fate when she suddenly heard a crackling sound.


    A sh of light appeared in her eyes as a Lightning spear hit the lion! The Lightning spear hit the left side of its neck and electrocuted it. It made the lion move to its right and barely avoided hitting Karin. It crashed into another tree and fell unconscious due to the electric shocks.


    Karin was surprised by the sudden change. She immediately felt relief as she was still alive. However, she quickly became vignt and watched from where the Lightning had appeared. Her eyes quickly found a masked ninja wearing a ck cloak and sitting on a branch. His eyes were staring right at her.


    Before she could think what to say or do, that figure disappeared and appeared right in front of her in the blink of an eye and looked at her with curiosity. Karin could only think of one thing, ''Fast! He is very fast!''


    Karin had never seen anyone move like that. She couldn''t even follow his movements. What surprised her the most was that she couldn''t sense him even though he was standing right in front of her. It was as if he wasn''t there!


    Realizing that the ninja in front of her was an expert, she quickly said, "Thank you for saving me, Sir."


    Fujin''s clone nonchntly replied, "Oh, it was nothing. That said, you are a Uzumaki, right? Why are you wearing the Kusagakure headband? And, why are you alone in this deadly forest?"


    His words surprised Karin. She wondered, ''How did he know that I''m an Uzumaki? And, why is he asking me this?''


    She quickly answered, "Yes, I''m from the Uzumaki n. My mother and I migrated to Kusagakure a few years ago."


    Fujin''s clone replied, "Hmm, migrated to Kusagakure? That was an odd choice. Anyway, you didn''t answer my second question."


    Karin became dejected on thinking about it and answered, "My teammates left me here and went to get another scroll for passing the Chunin Exam."


    Fujin''s clone thought for a bit and said, "That''s rather irresponsible. You should look for good teammates. Anyway, is your mother still in Kusagakure?"


    Sadness appeared on Karin''s face as the question brought back her saddest memories. She barely controlled her tears and answered, "My mother died."


    Fujin''s clone immediately asked, "How?"


    Karin could sense that the masked person wasn''t happy on hearing the news. It made her feel slightly better. She was about to answer but suddenly stopped thinking, ''If I tell him, would he exploit my ability as well?''


    As she thought about it, she realized, ''Why does it matter? I''m already being used for my cursed ability¡­''


    Seeing her silent, Fujin''s clone asked, "Does it have anything to do with the bite marks on your arm?"


    Sadness could be heard in Fujin''s voice as he spoke. It lowered Karin''s guard considerably. Her eyes became wet as she answered, "My mother had the ability to heal others if they bit her. I have the same ability to. My vige is at war. They bit my mother too many times and she passed away¡­"


    As she spoke, she couldn''t control her tears and a few drops rolled down her cheeks. She quickly wiped them and controlled herself as much as she could.


    Fujin''s clone stayed silent for a few seconds before releasing a long sigh. He muttered in a sorrowful tone, "A Shinobi without a homnd is quite tragic. What happened to your mother is an unfortunate tragedy. If you continue living there, then you might share the same fate¡­"


    Hearing his words, Karin shivered. What he said was her worst nightmare. She lost control of her tears once again. Fujin''s clone ced his hand on her head and ruffled her hair gently to calm her down.


    He said, "You have a choice to make. Do you want to continue living in a ce that killed your mother and is mistreating you? Or do you want to move to a ce where people will value you for who you are? A ce where you can change your destiny. A ce where you can ensure that no one else suffers the tragedy that you and your mother did?"


    His words surprised her. She wondered, ''Does such a ce truly exist? Or¡­''


    Sadness appeared in her mind once again as she asked, "Does such a ce truly exist? Or do you want me just for my ability?"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 629: Karins Death...

    Chapter 629: Karin''s Death...


    "Does such a ce truly exist? Or do you want me just for my ability?"


    Fujin''s clone could feel the tiredness in Karin''s voice as she asked that question. He could feel that she had grown to resent the power that she had. Knowing her past, he could understand her emotions.


    Fujin''s clone shook his head and sighed. He stopped ruffling her hair and pointed his palm at her, confusing her. A green chakra appeared from his hand and entered Karin''s body. It healed the injuries caused by the lion''s p and crashing into the tree. Even the bite marks on her forearms began fading away. Her chakra recovered as well.


    Karin was surprised by what she was experiencing. Fujin''s clone said, "Though the ability to heal others by letting them bite you is quite remarkable, any Medical ninja can do the same. Even transferring chakra isn''t that difficult.


    So, I don''t particrly care about your ability. What I do care about is whether you are willing to work hard to ensure that others don''t suffer in the same way you did. So, are you interested?"


    His words surprised her once again. Realizing that she had an opportunity to escape her hell and find a new home, she couldn''t help but break into tears as she answered, "Yes. Thank you."


    Fujin''s clone didn''t disturb her this time and allowed her to let her emotions out. Karin took a couple of minutes to control herself. She said, "Even though I''m willing to follow you, I''m afraid that my vige would make Konoha give me back."


    Fujin''s clone asked in amusement, "Who said you''ll be one of Konoha''s ninjas?"


    He chuckled and continued, "Even though Konoha isn''t as bad as Kusagakure and they have many good medical ninjas, your life in Konoha wouldn''t be much different than in Kusagakure." He didn''t say the following words out loud, ''The only difference would be that instead of being forced to let others bite you, you''ll do that willingly and feel pride in sacrificing your life in the same way as your mother instead of resentment.''


    Karin was surprised to hear his words. She wondered, ''Where will he take me then?''


    Fujin''s clone continued, "You''ll be joining an organization I created to help the weak people who can''t defend themselves against the bandits and the rogue ninjas. It is called the Phantom Haven Society."


    Karin was surprised once again. She thought, ''Is there really such an organization?''


    Fujin''s clone could understand her thoughts from her expression and added, "Almost everyone in this world wishes for peace. Yet, almost no one does anything to bring about that peace. That is why we call such wishful thinking the Phantom Will. Every person in my organization believes in the Phantom Will. Unlike others who merely wish it, we will put it into action. That is the goal of our Society.


    Perhaps someday we''ll seed and ensure that most of the people in this world live without the fear of being attacked. Or perhaps we might fall trying. Regardless, it is the goal of our lives.


    Though I don''t need your healing ability, I need yourmitment to this goal if you want toe with me."


    Those words immediately created an impression on Karin''s young and innocent mind. She began dreaming about such a future. A future where no one would be forced like her and her mother. She quickly replied, "I want such a world too."


    In a gentle tone, Fujin''s clone said, "Good. I didn''t make the wrong judgment. Don''t resist. I''ll apply the Phantom Seal on you. It''s the seal that every Phantom Haven member has."


    Karin nodded and didn''t resist, allowing Fujin''s clone to apply the seal on her. A smile appeared on the clone''s lips as he thought, ''Another promising ninja recruited. Making her rank S in 4 years shouldn''t be an issue. She''ll develop good managerial skills as well and could be the leader of this branch.


    It''s a shame that Haku and Kimimaro were recruited long before I graduated. Otherwise, I''d have raised a fearsome team. Oh well, there are still other promising candidates.''


    Fujin''s clone said, "I''ll take you to the base now, but first we need to do something. We need to fake your death."


    Karin asked, "Why''s that?"


    Fujin''s clone answered, "If you go missing, Kusagakure will try to search for you. Since you will go missing in Konoha, they might also influence Konoha to search for you. Though they won''t be able to find our base, they might spot you when you are outside the base for any reason. By faking your death, we''ll avoid that headache."


    Karin understood and nodded. She asked, "What should I do?"


    Fujin asked, "Do you have another set of clothes and sses?"


    Karin nodded. Fujin said, "Good. Change into them. Give me your current clothes, your headband and your sses. In addition, cut some of your hair and hand it to me. Give me a bit of your blood as well."


    Fujin''s clone handed her a syringe to draw out her blood. Karin didn''t expect such amand but followed his words. She went slightly away from his sight and changed her clothes quickly after confirming with her chakra field that there was no one around her.


    After getting the items, Fujin''s clone created another Shadow Clone and handed those things to him.


    The first Shadow clone looked at Karin and said, "Rx, we''ll reach our base soon."


    Karin was confused but soon very dizzy. Within seconds, she fell asleep. It was due to a Genjutsu the clone cast with the help of the chakra he inserted into her body when he healed her. As a result, she didn''t suspect anything. Fujin''s clone picked her up and disappeared from the Forest of Death!


    The other clone immediately got to work with the items he had taken. During his time in the Anbu, Fujin had done things like these numerous times. So, it wasn''t anything new for him. Not to mention, he had a massive beast lying very close to help him out.


    The clone immediately got to work and began nting some evidence to make it seem like Karin died in the forest. He healed the lion and removed the traces of the Lightning shocks it experienced earlier. Even though the lion was unconscious, it hadn''t taken much damage as Fujin''s clone intended to use him for this purpose.


    He woke the lion up and ced it under a Genjutsu. The lion immediately saw ''Karin'' lying on the ground, jumped on ''her'' and began eating her. Of course, what he did in actuality was just rip her clothes, crush her sses, send her headband flying and eat some of her clothes and hair before walking away.


    It left behind some bloodied clothes, hair, the shards of sses and her headband, creating an excellent scene to exin her death. Of course, it wasn''t the perfect scene by any means. He could have created a more convincing scene by nting her bones in the forest. However, he had no intention of maiming Karin. What he had nted was enough to dismiss anyone who raised suspicions.


    Fujin''s clone inspected the ''evidence'' a couple of times before getting rid of all the seals he had used to create the Stealth Battlefield and dispelling himself.


    In the tower, Fujin received the memories of his clone and thought, ''Hmm, so Karin has been sessfully recruited. Good, everything went as nned. If things still happen as in canon, I wonder who Sasuke would recruit in his team now¡­''


    He thought for a bit before concluding, ''It doesn''t matter. Orochimaru should have several talented underlings for Sasuke to choose from. Itachi will still give up his life. So, that battle won''t have a different result. It''ll be against Killer Bee that this move of mine might have some grave consequences for him¡­''


    Fujin remembered Sasuke being injured critically by Bee. Without a healer like Karin, he couldn''t say for sure whether Sasuke would get out alive or not. However, considering that he was Indra''s reincarnation, Fujin doubted that he''d be killed that easily. Regardless, he had no reason to worry about it right now.


    While Fujin''s other clone nted the evidence, Fujin''s clone and Karin appeared around a hundred kilometers away in the vast forests of the Land of Fire. They disappeared almost instantly before appearing another hundred kilometers away. In less than a minute, Fujin''s clone teleported over a dozen times and carried Karin from Konoha to the Phantom Haven Base in the Land of Rivers!


    He stayed slightly away from the base andid Karin down while thinking, ''She might get suspicious if she learnt that we just reached here in the blink of an eye. I''ll let her sleep for a few hours before waking her up.''


    While Karin slept in the Land of Rivers, the shockwaves of the battle on the previous day were being felt in faraway ces!


    Sitting in his chair, Ay loudly eximed, "What did you say?"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Thank you Abhinav for supporting me through UPI.

 Chapter 630: That Dumb Snake!

    Chapter 630: That Dumb Snake!


    In the Raikage office, Ay loudly eximed, "What did you say?"


    Mabui repeated calmly, "Our spies sent reports stating that Orochimaru interfered in Konoha''s Chunin Exams. Everyone in Konoha is saying that he was confronted and defeated by Suzuki Fujin, the Spectral Swordsman."


    Ay had a hard time believing what he heard. He asked, "How urate is this information?"


    Mabui replied, "It''s hard to say. None of the spies witnessed the battle. They only learnt about it as the information was rapidly spread throughout Konoha."


    Ay frowned and analyzed, "Since the information spread so easily, it means that Konoha is actively spreading it. That should imply that they either couldn''t keep this incident a secret or they just wanted to increase Suzuki Fujin''s reputation.


    There are three possibilities. The first is that they are just making up lies to increase that boy''s reputation for some reason. The second is that the fight did ur, but the information they are spreading isn''t urate. And thest possibility is that he truly defeated Orochimaru.


    Which of these three is it?"


    A frown was visible on Ay''s face as he analyzed the information. Mabui stayed silent and thought about it as well. Just like Ay, she was surprised as well. She thought, ''I knew that he was strong and expected him to give Darui a tough fight. However, if this news is true, then he could even be able to fight Raikage-sama! Considering his age, he is a terrible enemy to have.''


    Ay analyzed, ''Knowing Hiruzen, he won''t falsely increase the reputation of a ninja without any good reason. He is smart enough to know that if he does that, it''ll bite himter. I could understand if Konoha was facing a grave threat and he wanted to deter others, but no one has made any major moves recently. Not to mention, I already expected him to be close to Darui''s strength. So it isn''t as if he is promoting someone out of nowhere.


    However, could he really be at the same level as Orochimaru? A 16-year-old boy defeating a Sannin¡­ His talent might be at the same level as Minato.


    If the reports are true, then even I might not be able to kill him. Since he specializes in Wind Release, I''ll need to be on guard against any secret Wind jutsus he might have.


    That said, one thing doesn''t make much sense. How could he be so strong within a few years while staying in the background? There aren''t even any wars for him to mature through them like how most from my generation did.''


    As Ay analyzed, he realized that he was missing a lot of information. He looked at Mabui and asked, "Do we have any Jounin rank spies in Konoha?"


    Mabui shook her head and answered, "We don''t, Raikage-sama. It is very difficult to maintain high-level spies in Konoha. We only have 3 at the Chunin rank and 8 at the Genin rank. The rest are civilians."


    Ay thought for a bit and said, "Send secret missions to the Chunin rank spies and ask them to inspect the ce where Fujin and Orochimaru fought. It might give us a better idea about what happened.


    Also, send a message to all squads deployed to find and hunt Fujin. Ask them to be on standby. Until new orders are issued no one will take any action against him. In the future, Darui won''t be sent to deal with him. If we get an opportunity, I''ll personally make a move!"


    Knowing Hiruzen''s nature, Ay predicted that even if Fujin wasn''t at the same level as Orochimaru, he should be at the level to be able to survive in a fight against him. It increased the difficulty of killing Fujin to a great extent while making any such missions extremely risky. Ay saw no reason to waste the lives of Kumo ninjas meaninglessly.


    Mabui nodded and replied, "I''ll get to it."


    She quickly got to work. While Ay and Mabui discussed Fujin, another Kage''s office was quite tense. Onoki had received several reports as well. He summoned Kitsuchi and Roshi, who were reading those reports in his office with a grave expression on their faces.


    While Kumo was aware that Fujin was dangerous, Iwa had experienced his strength first-hand on more than one asion.


    Kitsuchi sighed and said, "I shouldn''t have missed that opportunity. He was already as strong as me back then while being far more lethal on the battlefield. Now, we won''t be able to kill him unless you fight him."


    Roshi nodded and added, "To be able to force Orochimaru to retreat¡­ I didn''t think he''d reach this level so quickly. If we fight again, I''m afraid our next battle might not end in the same way."


    Hearing them praising the enemy, Onoki became annoyed and said, "Don''t jump to conclusions yet. We still don''t know how urate this information is. That old monkey is very good at confusing everyone else."


    Kitsuchi said, "That''s true. However, considering that the ns we made for him are based on his strength 2 years ago, it''s safe to say that they''ll be more or less useless right now. If we try to kill him now, the only way would be to catch him off guard with the Dust Release or Tailed Beast Bomb. If we can''t, then we''ll need to sacrifice thousands of ninjas ande up with a reason for him to stay and fight. That''s too difficult and costly."


    Roshi added, "Not to mention, he''s still only 16. If he continues growing stronger, then he might be as strong as the Third Hokage at his peak. That''s a rather formidable enemy to have. Our younger generation doesn''t have anyone who could go up against someone like that."


    A scowl formed on Onoki''s face as he cursed, "If only that damned Deidara brat didn''t go rogue and join that cursed mercenary group!"


    He looked at Kitsuchi and instructed, "Ensure that Kurotsuchi and Akatsuchi don''t ck off in their training. Tell them about Fujin and bring out theirpetitive instincts. If Iwa has to stand tall for the next 50 years, both of them need to be formidable rank S ninjas!"


    Kitsuchi nodded and said, "I''ll focus on it immediately."


    Unlike the previous times they discussed Fujin, none of them discussed a n to eliminate Fujin. Though it could still be done, the cost of attempting it in peacetime would be extremely high. To make matters worse, they couldn''t guarantee any results even if Roshi and Onoki both participated in the fight.


    The two warring factions in the Land of Water also received the news. The fourth Mizukage ignored it while the memories of the Spectral Swordsman shed in the minds of his subordinates.


    In the rebel camp, Mei was reading the reports as well. A smile appeared on her face as she said, "What a splendid young man."


    Memories of her meeting with Fujin appeared in her mind. Ao and other leaders in the rebel camp discussed this news in a simr manner as Ay and Onoki. The only difference was that they weren''t finding ways to eliminate him as they were already in an intense war.


    The minor viges received the information as well. In fact, they received it faster than the three Great Viges as the sensei of their Genins sent them the messages. Those viges had long suffered at the hands of the Spectral Swordsman and were already terrified of him. Fujin''s reputation grew even more terrifying in their hearts and they decided to bury all theirints about his previous actions.


    Of course, the most tense among them was none other than Kusagakure. Ashikaga Hiroshi was still like a statue after he read the report. After a couple of minutes, he let out a sigh of relief and muttered, "It''s a good thing that we didn''t ept his bait back then. If we did, then I''m afraid that Kusagakure would have been history by now!"


    The memories of nearly every Kusa higher-up grabbing their weapons after Fujin gave them their third choice during the negotiation kept ying in his mind. Back then, Hiroshi thought that they might have been able to kill him at a great cost and the only reason they didn''t do so was that none of the higher-ups, including him, wanted to be a sacrifice for others. However, Hiroshi now understood that the danger was much greater than he envisioned.


    In the Vige Hidden in Rain, Konan and Nagato receive the information as well. However, neither of them gave much importance to it. Both paid more attention to Orochimaru''s movements than to Fujin''s strength.


    However, there was one vige that attached more importance to this news than even Konoha! The Council of that vige were sitting together and reading the reports sent by Baki with a grave expression on their face.


    After a few minutes of silence, Tojuro angrily eximed, "That dumb snake! He''s ruining all our ns!"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 631: Sunagakures Decision

    Chapter 631: Sunagakure''s Decision


    "That dumb snake! He''s ruining all our ns!" Tojuro eximed angrily in the Suna council.


    He continued, "For our ns to seed, we had to catch Konoha off guard. However, that dumb snake has ruined it all! Now Konoha would be on their guard and we might not get an opening to make a move!"


    Rage could be heard in his voice. Thankfully, Orochimaru couldn''t hear his words. Otherwise, Hiruzen wouldn''t need to worry about his backstabbing ally.


    No one opposed Tojuro''s words. Ryusa said, "This move would have been understandable if he could get rid of that troublesome boy. However, not only did he fail, but he also roused the morale of Konoha ninjas and alerted their higher-ups. Our n will no longer be smooth."


    Goza added, "That said, it isn''t all bad. This battle shows that we underestimated Suzuki Fujin to arge degree. If we had proceeded with our n without knowing the threat he posed, we would have suffered heavily."


    Tojuro argued, "We would have still been able to handle him. If Orochimaru hadn''t alerted Konoha by making this stupid move, Konoha wouldn''t have smelled anything fishy and wouldn''t have called back their Sannins. The preparations we made for Jiraiya could have been used against him.


    However, now we can be certain that Konoha would at least call back one of their Sannins. In fact, they will most likely call both of them. So, we will need to make arrangements for the Third Hokage, two Sannins, the Shinobi of Darkness, Copy Ninja and this brat!


    This is impossible to do unless we can suddenly call upon a couple of rank S ninjas!"


    The Suna council went quiet. Everyone could feel the pressure. Their initial ns involved dealing with just Hiruzen quickly and causing some wide-scale destruction with Shukaku. Once they achieved these two goals, they would retreat before Konoha could reorganize their forces. However, due to just one move of Orochimaru, they would have to deal with 2 Sannins and realized that Konoha had another ninja at that level. So, they needed to make ns for 3 Sannin-level ninjas. Even for experienced ninjas like them, it was too much to handle.


    Seeing that no one was saying anything, Manabu said, "Silence won''t resolve this issue. We need to decide whether we would still make a move against Konoha during this Chunin Exam. Or should we postpone our ns to someter time when Konoha drops their guard again?"


    Ryusa nodded and said, "Yes, that''s right. We have no reason to hurry. What is more important is our chances of sess. If we can''t deal with them, then we should stay patient and postpone our ns.


    Once the Sannins leave Konoha, we could create circumstances that would force Konoha to dispatch the Copy Ninja and the Spectral Swordsman to separate missions. Once they are away, we may have some opportunities to make a move against the Hokage."


    For the first time, Rasa spoke, "That isn''t necessarily correct. The longer we wait, the greater the possibility of Konoha getting a hint of our ns. Don''t forget the incident in Yamakawa town.


    Even though Konoha wasn''t behind it, they have be very active in the Land of Rivers after that incident. If they discover some of our movements, they will forever be on guard against us and we won''t have any opportunity until the next Great Ninja War breaks out.


    Not to mention, attacking the entire Konoha is too difficult. I''ll need to meet with Hiruzen face to face like in the Chunin exam to have any chance of killing him. Arranging such a meeting at the same time when everyone is outside Konoha will be difficult."


    Goza agreed, "That''s right. This was our best chance. Even if we wait for the next Chunin Exam, we won''t be able to send Gaara. However, if we still continue with the current n, do we have any shot at victory, Kazekage-sama?


    Orochimaru couldn''t even deal with Suzuki Fujin. And, if you two don''t attack the Third Hokage together, then killing him in a short time will be very difficult. Instead of outnumbering the Hokage, you and Orochimaru might get outnumbered.


    And unlike the Konoha ninjas who would trust each other, we can''t trust that snake."


    Goza''s expression was grim as he said those words. Rasa''s expression was ugly as well. The situation was just too bad for Sunagakure.


    Their finances were in shambles. Their money had almost dried up and they were only able to sustain themselves because Rasa was mining gold from the desert using his Kekkei Genkai! For a sitting Kage to do something like that was extremely humiliating. If it was leaked, Suna would be aughing stock!


    Internally, their country was still unstable due to the mess Fujin had created years ago. The entire Eastern half of the Land of Wind hated Rasa. Even in the other half, most of the civilians hated him. The Wind Daimyo gave more missions to Konoha than to Suna. And these were just a few of the problems they were facing.


    As a result, they needed a massive victory in order to turn their fortunes around. If they could kill Hiruzen and cause a massive amount of destruction in Konoha, the Wind Daimyo would automatically fall in line. After all, political power was useless when he could be killed on a whim by Sunagakure. The deterrence of other Daimyos wouldn''t matter if Konoha was a mess because Kumo and Iwa would focus on Konoha''s vulnerability instead of listening to their Daimyo.


    In addition, Sunagakure could use the victory to improve Rasa''s image and increase the morale of the people in the Land of Wind. A lot of Sunagakure''s problems would be resolved.


    However, that was assuming that Sunagakure won. If they lost, then their situation would be extremely dire. They could lose their Elites, their Jinchuriki and even their Kage! And unlike Konoha, who had a bunch of rank S ninjas who could rece Hiruzen, Suna didn''t have any. Rasa had schemed against Pakura and got her killed while Sasori had gone rogue.


    So, their n was extremely risky. No one in the council wanted to take responsibility for such a decision. Finally, Rasa said, "There is still more than a month before we begin our attack. So, we don''t have to make a rash decision.


    The news we have so far is the one-sided story spread by Konoha. Baki said that he couldn''t confirm how much of it is true. My children were in the training ground when their battle happened. Baki will send us another message after he meets them and checks whether they saw anything.


    For now, we will continue our current preparations. I''ll talk with Orochimaru when I meet with him and ask for his side of the story to get a better idea. We''ll also discuss whether he cane up with any way of restraining the two Sannins.


    If he has sound ns that I agree with, we will carry out our attack as nned. If not¡­"


    Rasa went quiet for a few seconds before saying, "If not, then this attack will be called off!"


    The entire council sucked a cold breath. All of them had spent months to ensure that their ns were perfect and that no mistakes were made in execution. Yet, they could be forced to drop the entire n! It was hard to digest and yet no one opposed Rasa. It disyed how serious the situation was.


    In the Forest of Death, Fujin''s clone saw the Oto squad making a move towards Sakura when he realized one thing. He thought, ''Ugh! Lee isn''t close to this ce! Should I make a move myself or should I bring him here?''


    Due to the massive battle between him and Orochimaru, most of the Genins stayed away from the burnt area as it gave them creeps! Since Sakura was quite close to that area, most of the remaining squads weren''t near her.


    Fujin''s clone sensed Lee''s position while thinking, ''Luckily he isn''t too far away. Oh well, I''ll bring him here. After all, this was the first time these squads worked together.''


    Another clone appeared next to him and disappeared immediately.


    Standing on a branch, Lee looked at dropping leaves and thought, ''If I can catch all 16 of these leaves before any of them hit the ground, then Sakura will fall in love with me! But if I miss even one, then my love for her will never be requited and she''ll probably make fun of my hair!''


    After creating his own training exercise, Lee jumped down to catch the leaves. However, just then, a strong breeze blew in that area. He barely managed to catch 4 of them when the remaining 12 began flying in another direction at high speeds.


    Lee was surprised and thought, ''What a strong wind current! Is a battle happening nearby?''


    He changed his direction and caught 11 more leaves one by one before they fell to the ground. However, thest one moved forward at an incredible speed! Even though he ran after it at his highest speed while wearing the weights, he barely decreased the distance between them!


    He couldn''t help but wonder, ''What is happening? Don''t tell me that this is nature''s way of telling me that my love will always be unrequited! No, I cannot ept it! I will not be defeated by a mere leaf!''


    He continued running after it and managed to catch it in the end. Before he could rejoice, he heard a loud sound. He quickly moved forward to investigate it. Just like in the original story, he intervened in the battle in the nick of time!


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 632: Can humans do somthing like this?

    Chapter 632: Can humans do somthing like this?


    Fujin''s clone watched as Lee intervened in the battle just in the nick of time. With him there, Fujin''s clone decided to continue staying in the background.


    Just like in the original story, he saw Lee overwhelming the three Oto Genins initially. However, things quickly turned around once Lee was hit by a sound wave.


    Fujin''s clone ignored the result and focused on two things. Needless to say, the first thing was Lee''s weights. The clone couldn''t help but sigh and think, ''Guy is just too strict¡­''


    Fujin himself used Training Seals. He still did. However, he always turned it off during missions, no matter how easy the mission was. Going outside with weights was in stupid in his opinion even if he was under Guy''s care. And yet, Guy made Lee do it. The reason for doing so was actually quite simple.


    Fujin''s clone thought, ''In order to open more Inner Gates, we need to push our body beyond our limit. Though the inner gates have some requirements in terms of physique, opening them doesn''t have much to do with the strength of the body beyond those basic requirements. After all, in terms of physique, the Raikage is much better than even Guy and yet he can''t open any Inner Gates.


    Guy is forcing Lee to wear the weights so that he continues facing challenging situations which would slowly allow him to attack the remaining Inner Gates and open them one by one.


    While I understand the logic, he should give the kid some level of autonomy while he isn''t close by. After all, it''d be a shame if he died without getting the opportunity to remove the weights¡­''


    If Fujin didn''t know that Lee would survive, he would have had a chat with Guy about the same. The second thing Fujin''s clone paid attention to was the equipment attached to Zaku and Dosu''s arms. He thought, ''Using a speaker, though clumsy, is still alright. However, modifying his body in order to create sound waves¡­''


    Fujin''s clone shook his head as he thought, ''With that body modification, improving his physique would be several times harder. Even if he somehow lived, he''d never be a Jounin. That said, it could be a good way to increase the powers of the adult ninjas who have given up on bing Chunins. Then again, doing that operation for hundreds of ninjas might not be feasible. Besides, why go through all this trouble when sound can be created just by the vibration of air¡­''


    With Lee injured, Sakura stepped up. Even though she was slightly stronger than her canon counterpart, she was very exhausted due to having to stay up the entire night.


    Even so, she put up a better performance. Shended a hit on Kin and injured Zaku more than she did in the original story. Unfortunately, without any good Ninjutsu or Genjutsu, she waspletely outmatched. It was rather ironic considering that her Sensei was said to know a thousand jutsus.


    There were no more surprises after that. Ino''s team jumped in to help Sakura. When they were about to be defeated, Neji and Tenten arrived. However, they didn''t take any action as Sasuke woke up. Powered by Orochimaru''s curse seal, he crushed Zaku before being stopped by Sakura.


    Fujin''s clone muttered, ''It looks like the fun is over for now.''


    The Oto ninjas escaped and Naruto finally woke up. He had a lot of catching up to do. The three Genin squads hung together for some while so that their members could catch their breaths. Just when they were about to leave, Naruto asked, "By the way, what is this burning scent I have been smelling since I woke up? Also, where did that snake guy go?"


    Hearing his question, Sasuke realized and muttered, "That''s right. I was getting an odd feeling. It''s this smell. Why is there such a smell in the forest?"


    Hearing their questions, Sakura answered, "We were saved by the proctor. He sent us flying to this safe ce and confronted Orochimaru."


    Recalling their horrible chakra, Sakura shivered and added, "Their chakra was terrifying. It was even worse than Kakashi Sensei and Zabuza. I don''t know what happened in their battle but it caused a massive fire to break out. I guess the examinerster doused it."


    Naruto immediately eximed, "Big brother Fujin saved us? Phew, luckily he was the proctor."


    Sakura''s words attracted the attention of Neji and Shikamaru. They both looked at her. Shikamaruined in annoyance, "You mean to say that freaking Sannin was attracted here by you guys? How are you still alive?"


    Naruto immediately asked, "A Sannin? What''s that?"


    Tenten answered, "It''s not what but who. Lord Third Hokage trained three students. All 3 are extremely strong and are feared throughout the world. They are called the three Legendary Sannins!"


    Her words shocked Naruto and his teammates. Naruto immediately eximed, "He is the old man''s student? Why did he attack us then?"


    Tenten answered, "He betrayed Konoha and went rogue around a decade ago. You should be grateful that you were saved by Fujin. Otherwise, there is no way you could have survived against him."


    Her words forced Sasuke to think, ''No, that isn''t entirely urate. If he wanted to kill us, we would have been dead. From that fight, it looks like he was more interested in testing us and giving me this power instead of killing us. However, why did he do that? What was his goal?''


    As he was thinking, Naruto asked, "Do you know what happened in their fight? Did Big Brother Fujin win?"


    To Sasuke''s surprise, Neji answered, "Suzuki Fujin won the fight. The massive fire you saw was set by his jutsu. Orochimaru was forced to escape with terrifying injuries. Fujin gave chase but I''m not sure whether he killed Orochimaru or not."


    Sasuke''s eyes widened as he thought, ''Someone that strong was defeated so quickly? No way! I''m sure that even Kakashi wouldn''t have stood a chance against him. Is this Fujin guy so strong?''


    Sasuke nced at Naruto, who had been talking about Fujin since the time they became Genins under Kakashi. Needless to say, Naruto was thoroughly impressed. He eximed cheerfully, "As expected of Fujin! There''s no way a damn snake would defeat him! Next time, I''ll pummel that snake myself, believe it!"


    Needless to say, no one there believed him. Everyone ignored his antics. Ino said, "Sakura, you should look at the canal he created with his Wind Dragon jutsu while chasing after Orochimaru! It just extended endlessly and looked like it would travel across the world! He looked very cool when he used that jutsu and forced Orochimaru to run away!"


    Realizing what she just said, she quickly looked at Sasuke and said, "But not as cool as you, Sasuke!"


    Sakura immediately grabbed the opportunity, "Oh, it looks like you have a crush on someone, Ino. Don''t worry, I won''t fight over him with you."


    "Shut it you billboard brow!" Ino immediately replied angrily. Sakura cursed back, "Ino pig!"


    Sasuke ignored the two girls and instead thought about Ino''s words.


    The three Genin squads finally split up. Unlike the other two, Kakashi''s squad still needed a break to rest and heal. Sasuke was suffering due to the curse seal while Naruto''s control over chakra had gotten poor due to the Five Elements Seal ced on him. Without ess to Kurama''s chakra, he couldn''t heal as quickly as he normally did. Sakura also had taken a beating and required sleep.


    They stayed in the same area until evening when the trio felt better. They were about to n what to do to get the required scroll when Sasuke said, "Before we go hunting for the scroll, I want to see the location where the two of them fight."


    Realizing what he was referring to, Naruto said with a grin, "I want to see it too."


    Sakura was curious as well and didn''t object. The three of them quickly moved to the area where Sakura had seen the fire. As they stood on the edge of the burned area, disbelief could be seen on all their faces.


    Naruto eximed, "No freaking way!"


    Sakura muttered, "What happened here? How could this¡­"


    Sasuke clenched his fists in anger and reluctance, ''If he could do something like this, then have I only been ying games until now? If Itachi is as strong as these two, how much more do I need to train to have any chance of killing him?''


    Sasuke found the reality very hard to digest. In front of him was a patch ofnd that was burned as far as his eyes could see! The Fire jutsus that he prided in couldn''t even achieve 1% of the destruction he was seeing!


    As he was looking at the burntnd, he noticed something from the corner of his eye and immediately began moving towards it. Naruto and Sakura chased after him asking for him to wait. They reached him when he finally stopped.


    To their shock, he was as still as a statue as he looked in one direction. Naruto and Sakura followed his eyesight and were equally stunned. They were standing at the location from where Fujin hadunched the Wind Dragon. In front of them was a trench that extended for more than a dozen kilometers across the forest!


    Sakura couldn''t help but ask, "How can all this be caused by just one jutsu? Can humans even do something like this?"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 633: Subtle Manipulation

    Chapter 633: Subtle Maniption


    While Team Kakashi was watching the destruction in disbelief, another squad was in panic mode. Karin''s teammates returned after an unfruitful day. Both had several injuries and wanted to bite Karin to heal. To their shock, they couldn''t find her. They quickly tried to look for her and found her ''remains''.


    Both looked at each other and said, "Crap! Did that useless bitch die?"


    "Shit, if she is dead, then we won''t be able to pass this round!"


    "Why couldn''t that dumb bitch just stay hidden here? How hard is that?"


    "That''s true. I didn''t think she''d be so pathetic. We shouldn''t have split up. Now Sensei will scold us due to her ipetence!"


    With Karin dead, the two of them immediately began cursing her,pletely unaware of the fact that she was safe and healthy at a ce that was very far away from them. Meanwhile, Fujin would be quite happy that they collected ''evidence'' of her death themselves.


    In the Land of Rivers, Karin finally woke up. She saw that the Sun was about to set. Her eyesnded on Fujin''s clone sitting some distance away from her and the memories of their meeting quickly appeared in her mind. Karin quickly gathered herself and asked, "Did I fall asleep?"


    Fujin''s clone nodded and said, "Yes. I''d have woken you up, but it seemed like you were very tired. I guess you didn''t sleep muchst night."


    Karin nodded. The clone continued, "Anyway, we are almost at our base. I just stopped here because there is something I need to tell you first. It is rted to your ability." Karin immediately became alert and asked, "What about my ability?"


    Fujin''s clone said, "Even though I said that I don''t need your ability, your ability is very convenient to use. So, if others knew about it, they would definitely ask you to use it to heal them. Of course, no one will force you and no one will keep using it to the extent that you would end up like your mother, but they''ll still want to use it if only for the convenience."


    Karin became slightly dejected on hearing that. She thought, ''I can''t escape this curse. Still, at least I''ll have a say here. I can ept that.''


    To her surprise, Fujin''s clone continued, "However, I can understand that you wouldn''t want to use this ability. In fact, I don''t want to see you use this ability either. So, you won''t be telling anyone about this ability of yours. Is that understood?"


    To say Karin was shocked was an understatement. Even though Fujin had imed that he didn''t want her for her ability, she didn''t entirely believe him and just felt that she wouldn''t suffer as much as she did in Kusagakure.


    There wasn''t any way for her to guess that the reason why Fujin recruited her didn''t have much to do with her healing ability. It had more to do with her Uzumaki blood and her future potential.


    While he would use her healing ability if need be, he didn''t intend to make her the ''healer'' of the Phantom Haven Society. If anything, making her do that would be counterintuitive to his goal of creating top-quality medical ninjas in the Phantom Haven. It would also make her hate him. Hence, forcing her into that role would be extremely short-sighted.


    On the contrary, what he did will ensure that Karin bes very loyal to him. She could be as loyal to him as Kimimaro was to Orochimaru. Since he couldn''t keep an eye on the base all the time, this aspect was way more important for Fujin aspared to Orochimaru and Danzo.


    As Fujin had expected, his words had a massive impact on Karin. Fujin''s impression in her mind became very good and she felt safe with him. She hadn''t felt this safe with anyone else, not even with her mother as she was helpless herself. Karin thought, ''He''s being so kind to me. I can''t be so ungrateful.''


    She said, "I can use my ability if our organization needs it. As long as it is with my permission, I don''t mind it."


    However, Fujin''s clone shook his head and said, "No, my reason for doing so isn''t entirely for you. As I said earlier, your ability is too convenient. If you use it freely, everyone will be dependent on you and others will be reluctant to be medical ninjas because you can handle it.


    While it''ll be fine for now since our organization is small, it''ll be stressful for you as we grow bigger. That won''t be good for your health. So, unless there is no other choice and you need to save someone, don''t tell anyone about your ability.


    If you want to help others out, then learn Medical Ninjutsu and be a proper Medical Ninja instead of someone who just uses her natural ability. You''ll be able to help out a lot more in that way, understood?"


    With a smile on her face, Karin said, "I understand."


    She thought, ''I guess I''ll really be finding a good home now. I wish my mother was still alive. Perhaps she could have lived in peace here as well.''


    Fujin''s clone got up and said, "Good. I believe that even without this ability, you''ll be an excellent Medical Ninja. Of course, don''t be limited by your ability. You can do a lot more than just heal others. I hope to see you be a very strong ninja in the future. Let''s go."


    His words increased Karin''s confidence a lot. Ever since a young age, she had been just used by others for this ability of hers. Other than her mother, no one showed her love. No one showed herpassion. No one believed in her worth. Yet, Fujin''s clone had spoken so highly of her and made her optimistic about her future.


    Karin quickly followed Fujin''s clone as he moved towards the base. As he moved, Fujin''s clone thought, ''Hmm, not bad. I can sense various batches of ninjas training in this valley. It looks like Shigeki has finally be confident enough to start training openly in the valley. Of course, with my seals, it''ll still be difficult for anyone to detect them as long as they don''t go in the outer parts.''


    He avoided those ninjas and rushed straight to the center of the valley. Karin reached it a secondter and looked around in confusion. There was no sign of any base around her. Instead, it just looked like a normal valley with no signs of civilization.


    She asked, "Is the base here? I can''t see anything."


    Fujin''s clone looked at her and said, "Try sensing, but only in this area. Don''t extend your chakra field beyond it."


    Karin followed his instructions while wondering, ''What does he want me to detect?''


    As she expected, she couldn''t sense anything and said, "I can''t sense anything here."


    Fujin''s clone muttered, "So, you can''t sense anything. Hmm¡­ Well, it''s fine. It would be too much to expect you to sense it just because you are an Uzumaki."


    Karin asked, "What does being an Uzumaki have to do with this?"


    Fujin''s clone made a hand seal while saying, "Even though your ability to heal others and transfer chakra is neat, that isn''t what the Uzumaki n was known for. I guess you don''t know much about the original Uzumaki n because it was destroyed long before your birth."


    Hearing about her n, Karin became very curious. Her mother didn''t tell her much due to her young age. So Karin was always curious about her n and wondered frequently how her life would be if her n still existed.


    Fujin''s clone continued, "I''ll tell you a few things about the Uzumaki n. They were known for two things. The first was their vast chakra reserves. It made them quite a menace on the battlefield as they almost always ousted their enemies. Your ability to heal others should be an added effect due to this aspect of Uzumaki ninjas.


    The second thing that they were known for was Fuinjutsu. This was even more dangerous. It was so dangerous that even the major viges were afraid of their seals. That fear made several major viges align together and attack Uzushiogakure which ended up destroying the vige and forcing some survivors like your mother to flee.


    Watch carefully. I''ll show you what seals can do."


    Karin paid full attention to his words. For the first time, she had gotten a reason for her having that ability. She had also heard that the Uzumaki n excelled in Fuinjutsu for the first time.


    She was very curious to see what the seals could do. Her eyes widened as the scenery around her changed. She saw the ground under her feet disappearing. Instead, a barrier appeared under her feet! Under the barrier, she saw several buildings and ninjas who were looking at the two of them. She realized that it was the Phantom Haven base.


    She couldn''t help but wonder, ''Was that Genjutsu? No, my chakra isn''t influenced. Can seals do something so extraordinary? I couldn''t sense them despite them being so close to me!''


    Fujin''s clone said, "This is just the tip of the iceberg when ites to Fuinjutsu. If you are interested in it, then I''ll provide you with the materials needed to learn it. Of course, you''ll need to work with a lot of dedication for decades to actually be a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster. So don''t think about it for the time being. I''ll teach you more tricks once you be stronger if you develop an interest towards it."


    Karin just nodded obediently. The barrier under their feet suddenly disappeared and the two entered the base.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 634: Spy Network!

    Chapter 634: Spy Network!


    Inside the main office in the base, Shigeki and Hayato sat on the opposite side of the desk. Both were looking at half a dozen papers on the desk while doing several calctions in their head.


    After a few minutes, Hayato sighed and said, "Our size is getting bigger. It''s getting difficult to handle everything by ourselves."


    Thanks to the funds provided by Fujin, the Phantom Haven Society was able to expand rapidly. When he first started it, they had only 12 members other than Fujin. However, in less than a year, their numbers had increased by more than 10 times!


    Shigeki nodded and replied, "Yeah. We can handle it for now but if our numbers double once again, then we will need to delegate these tasks to others and only do the final approval. Even if our numbers don''t double, we won''t be able to handle it all once the students be Field Agents."


    Hayato agreed and said, "We are almost bing like an official hidden vige. Hmm, what happened?"


    As he was talking, Hayato saw Shigeki''s expression bing serious. Shigeki said, "Someone just activated the barrier. Shiden is probably back. Let''s go."


    He immediately flickered. Hayato couldn''t flicker without any seals and was a bit slower. He weaved a hand seal and flickered while thinking, ''He returned so soon? That''s strange. Earlier, he always visited with a gap of at least 3 months. However, it has just been a month since hisst visit.''


    As soon as they arrived outside, they saw Shidennding in the base along with a red-haired girl. The others in the base who were at the top were also looking at them.


    Shigeki immediately flickered in front of Fujin and said respectfully, "Shiden, it''s great to see you again so soon." Fujin''s clone nodded and said, "It''s good to be back."


    He looked at Karin and said, "She is Karin. She''ll be joining us. Her rank will be Field Agent, but for now, she''ll focus on training like the students.


    Karin, he''s Shigeki. He''s a Vice Leader of the Phantom Haven Society and the Leader here in my absence. If you have any queries, you can approach him."


    Even though his words created a lot of questions in her mind, Karin nodded and said respectfully, "I''ll be in your care."


    Shigeki looked towards Karin and thought, ''So that''s why he''s early. This is the second time he''s brought a young ninja here. Will her talent be as ludicrous as Ranmaru?''


    Shigeki didn''t understand why Fujin had brought a little kid the previous time. All his questions and doubts were blown away when he saw the progress Ranmaru made in the academy. His talent was off the charts! None of the older ninjas in the base had seen anyone even remotely as talented as the boy in Tanigakure! It had increased their respect for Shiden by another level. Since he brought another young ninja, Shigeki became curious about her.


    Fujin''s clone looked at Hayato and said, "Hayato, make her staying arrangements and introduce her to some of the facilities here. I''ll catch up with Shigeki."


    Hayato nodded and said, "Alright."


    He quickly took Karin away while Fujin''s clone and Shigeki walked towards the main office. As they walked, Fujin''s clone gazed at the buildings in the base. Aspared to the initial rough structures he had created, the base now had apletely different look. All the buildings were properly built.


    The academy and the living quarters looked far more pleasing to the eye and werefortable for everyone to use. A hospital had been built to teach Medical Ninjutsu and treat injured ninjas. Mini-training grounds had been built around the academy to practice simple things like shuriken throwing and Taijutsu. Of course, the main training grounds were outside the base in the massive valley.


    The main headquarters was decorated a bit to make it look more grand than the remaining buildings. The library was made artistic as well. The two of them entered the headquarters and walked into the main office. Both sat down as Fujin''s clone said, "So, how''s everything here? Did anything major happen in thest month?"


    Shigeki immediately updated Fujin on everything that happened since hisst visit. In the end, he added, "Even though nothing major has happened, we have made a lot of progress. Our spywork in the Land of Rivers has beenpleted. We have one informer in every vige and town except Tanigakure.


    Since you warned us about a possible conflict between Konoha and Suna, we stopped trying to extend it directly into the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind. Instead, we followed your leads and expanded in the two countries from the south in the coastal areas. We should be able to expand all the way to the eastern parts of the Land of Wind in a few months but it is difficult to expand into the Land of Fire as the Konoha ninjas frequently patrol the areas.


    So, we directly moved through the seas and extended the spywork into the Land of Tea. We should be able toplete it within a month and then we will extend it to the Land of Noodles. We''ll need your guidance to expand it beyond that."


    Fujin''s clone said, "You''ve progressed very well. No need to worry about expanding beyond it. Let''s consolidate our currentwork and ensure that everything is working efficiently. We can begin expanding once again once there aren''t any more issues."


    Shigeki nodded and said, "I and Hayato were of the same view."


    Fujin''s clone asked, "What about the new recruits? How many members do we have now?"


    Shigeki sighed and answered, "I''m not sure if this is a good thing or bad. We rescued 7 viges in thest month and ended up recruiting 73 children. Currently, we have 131 students, 23 Field Agents, 24 if I include Karin and just 3 Captains.


    We''ll need at least 2 years before some of the students might be ready to perform field operations. However, going by your standards, they might need another couple of years to be promoted to Field Agents.


    Unless we can somehow recruit a few dozen Field Agents and a few Captains, we won''t be able to look after more students. Not to mention, we don''t have any Commanders except you and me."


    Fujin''s clone replied with a hint of sadness in his voice, "Under normal circumstances, I''d have considered this as a happy problem. However, being able to recruit so many students shows how messed up this world is. It proves how important our existence is."


    Shigeki''s heart stirred due to the sadness in his voice. He couldn''t help but feel sad as well. At the same time, his belief in the Phantom Will strengthened! He muttered, "That''s true. Even though we are doing good, we still need to do a lot more."


    Fujin''s clone nodded and said, "Yes. However, it is also important that we survive to do our work. Without sufficient strength, our goal will remain just a dream.


    Don''t forget that we don''t enjoy the same benefits as a Ninja vige. We can''t train arge number of kids at the same time. For the time being, stop recruiting new students. Only recruit if someone disys high talent like Ranmaru. We will focus more on quality than quantity.


    Due to what they have experienced, all the students will be highly motivated. With our training n, they will be stronger faster evenpared to the kids in the major viges even if they aren''t as talented as them.


    Right now, they have just started training. In the next 12 to 18 months, you''ll observe some students standing out aspared to the rest. Once that happens, we can implement my idea for making clubs in the academy. After that, you''ll see the students taking care of each other and reduce the pressure on teachers. That might allow us to recruit some more students.


    Of course, even though the recruitment will stop, our activities shouldn''t. Continue helping the viges you can help while avoiding confrontation with Tanigakure."


    Shigeki immediately nodded and said, "I understand."


    Fujin''s clone continued, "As for recruiting Field Agents, Captains and Commanders in decent numbers, that''ll be difficult. Not everyone will believe in the Phantom Will. There are too many like Raiga who''d cause trouble instead of solving it.


    Instead of focusing on recruitment, focus more on increasing the strength of our current members. By the time the students start bing Field Agents, our current Field Agents should be strong enough to be Captains. Simrly, the Captains should work hard to be Commanders. It''ll take a while, but this is the most stable way to be strong enough to achieve our goals."


    Shigeki thought for a bit and agreed with Fujin''s thoughts but he had a few doubts. He said, "While I agree with your thoughts, it isn''t easy to make older ninjas stronger. How will we do that?"


    Fujin''s clone chuckled and said, "That is the other reason for my visit."


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 635: A New Student

    Chapter 635: A New Student


    Fujin''s clone chuckled and said, "That is the other reason for my visit."


    Shigeki was surprised. However, his surprise soon changed into glee. Shigeki had benefitted heavily due to Fujin''s guidance. He could now be considered an Elite Jounin even in the major viges. In addition, Fujin was extremely resourceful and had single-handedly built the entire library and created the entire base. If he intended to help improve the strength of other members, then Shigeki didn''t doubt the results at all.


    He said in excitement, "That''s great! Will you be guiding them like you guided me?"


    Fujin''s clone replied with a hint of amusement, "That was my n initially. However, seeing how much you''ve improved over thest year, I got another idea. You''ll test all Field Agents and Captains except Karin and guide them just like how I guided you. Help them reach the next level."


    Shigeki''s smile faded away in an instant. He became hesitant and said, "This¡­ I don''t think I can guide them as well as you can."


    Fujin''s clone chuckled and said, "Consider it as a test. I want to see how well you can do this task. Besides, even though you are unsure, I''m confident in you."


    Hearing those words, Shigeki couldn''t refute him. He could only ept the task and said, "I''ll do my best."


    Fujin''s clone nodded approvingly and said, "That''s what I expect as well. Anyway, don''t take a lot of pressure. Just test out their strengths, identify their weaknesses and analyze what they should work on to be considerably stronger.


    Of course, I won''t leave you without any assistance. Read this." He handed Shigeki a scroll. Puzzled, Shigeki opened it and began reading. The scroll had a list of jutsu names with their basic descriptions. Fujin''s clone exined, "This scroll contains a list of the jutsus I will add to our library."


    Shigeki''s eyes widened in shock. He looked at Fujin''s clone and asked, "There are hundreds of jutsus mentioned here. Many of them are rank A and B. Will you add this many scrolls???"


    Shigeki didn''t believe it. Fujin''s clone wasn''t surprised by his reaction. This time, he had created jutsu scrolls for nearly every jutsu that existed in multiple viges. In addition, he also created scrolls for several jutsus that were known only to Kiri, at least on the surface. Needless to say, he had obtained all of them from Raiga''s memories.


    Combined with their previous collection, Phantom Haven Society''s library would exceed that of every minor vige by arge degree. It would be just under the 5 major viges. In fact, it could evenpete with some of them! So, Shigeki''s shock waspletely justified.


    Fujin''s clone replied, "Of course, I will. While it is true that strengthening older ninjas isn''t easy, it is important to remember that all of you grew up in Tanigakure which didn''t have as many jutsus as we do.


    Though these jutsus won''t promote them to the next rank, they would at least be far more formidable within their current ranks. Along with your rmendations, they might just be able to make a breakthrough."


    Shigeki nodded and replied, "Yes. That should be enough."


    Fujin''s clone added, "I''ll let them improve themselves in this way. Once they hit their next bottleneck, I''ll guide them like I guided you."


    Shigeki was relieved to hear that. Fujin''s clone got up and said, "Go through the list in the scroll once. Let me know if you have any queries. I''ll ce the scrolls in the library while you do so. When I return, we''ll head out to apply the Phantom Seal on our new recruits."


    Shigeki replied, "Alright."


    The two immediately got to work. Within the next couple of hours, Fujin added over a couple of hundred scrolls to the library before applying the Phantom Seal on all the new recruits and ''influencing'' them with the Phantom Will.


    As they returned back to the main base, Shigeki asked, "How long will you stay this time?"


    Fujin''s clone replied, "Not too long. I''ve done most of the things that I wanted to. I''ll guide Karin for a bit before leaving so that she gets on the right track. I''ll check on Ranmaru and the other current students as well to encourage them to work harder."


    Shigeki replied, "That''s good. I''m sure the kids will be happy to see you. Ranmaru always keeps asking about you."


    Fujin''s clone nodded and replied, "Yeah, I''ll meet with him as well. Has he progressed any further in thest month?"


    Shigeki immediately updated him on Ranmaru''s progress. The two chatted until they returned to the main base before splitting up. Fujin''s clone flickered behind Karin, who was standing on her balcony while staring at the night sky, and asked, "Feelingfortable here?"


    Karin was startled and quickly looked back. She rxed on seeing him and said with a smile, "Yes. This ce is very peaceful. Elder Hayato showed me all the important ces."


    Fujin''s clone said, "That''s good. Did h¡­"


    Karin cut him off and asked nervously, "Is it true that you won''t stay here for long?"


    Fujin''s clone was surprised by that question. A smile formed on his face as he patted her head tofort her. He said, "Don''t worry. I trust everyone here. You can as well.


    I know that your life in Kusa was hell. However, that is in your past. You won''t suffer here. Meet new people and make friends here. The ones in charge are probably too old for you to make friends, but there are also a lot of young kids here. They are being trained as students.


    If you''d like, you can help them out in their training. They''ll be much morefortable with someone just a few years older than them. In time, you''llpletely forget about Kusa. As for me, I''ll keep visiting asionally."


    Karin smiled and replied, "Alright."


    Fujin''s clone nodded and said, "That said, even though I asked you to leave Kusagakure in your past, don''t ever forget the pain you and your mother had to suffer. Even though you are safe here today, I can''t say what will happen a few years from now. The only way to ensure that you never suffer like that again is by making yourself so strong that no one will dare to mistreat you."


    His voice was extremely serious as he said that. Karin realized it and became serious as well. She promised, "I''ll train hard."


    Fujin''s clone said, "Good. Before I leave, I''ll guide you and set you on the right path. Tell me all your abilities except your healing one."


    Karin nodded and answered, "I can use Substitution, Transformation and Clone jutsu and can use shuriken and kunai properly."


    Fujin''s clone thought, ''Hmm, that''s not much to work on. If not for her healing ability, she wouldn''t be much different from an average Genin. Then again, considering that Kusa only exploited her healing ability, it is to be expected. And given her depressing circumstances, I doubt she''d have the heart to train in Kusa.


    Now that I think about it, she didn''t have many good skills apart from healing and sensing even in the future until she unlocked that chain ability of the Uzumaki n. Though good in that particr role, it''d be a waste to keep her limited to that.''


    Karin became nervous about seeing him in deep thought. She thought, ''I should have practised more in the vige. However, they always drained all my chakra¡­''


    Fujin''s clone finally spoke, "Don''t take it the wrong way, but that''s very basic. You''ll need to work very hard to be strong enough to protect yourself from anyone and help others."


    Karin became depressed after hearing that. Luckily for her, Fujin''s clone continued, "The good thing is that since you have only done the basics, you haven''t gone down any wrong path. So, you can train the right way. Are you ready?"


    Karin''s mood became better. She smiled and said, "I am!"


    She immediately bowed slightly and said gratefully, "Thank you, sensei."


    Behind his mask, Fujin''s clone raised an eyebrow and thought, ''I didn''t expect her to be cheeky so soon. I guess she has befortable with the new environment. Then again, this isn''t bad by any means.''


    Fujin''s clone handed her a chakra paper and said, "Run your chakra through it."


    Karin sighed in relief internally as Fujin didn''t reject her. She epted the paper and followed his instructions. Fujin''s clone saw the chakra paper bing wet and wondered, ''Why do nearly all my students have an affinity to water?''


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 636: Training Plan

    Chapter 636: Training n


    ''Why do nearly all my students have an affinity to water?'' Among the 5 orphans he was training, 4 had an affinity to water. Thankfully, an equal number of them had an affinity to wind as well.


    Now, Karin had an affinity to water maniption as well. He thought, ''Then again, it isn''t a bad thing. Nearly everyone I recruited from Tanigakure have an affinity to water. I can dump her elemental training on Shigeki.''


    Karin looked at the wet chakra paper and asked, "Why did it get wet, sensei?"


    Fujin''s clone exined, "That is a chakra paper. It identifies your nature affinity. Since it became wet, it shows that you have an affinity for water maniption."


    Karin asked, "What does that mean?"


    Fujin''s clone wasn''t surprised by that question. He had no expectations from Kusa to have given her a proper education. He exined to her everything about nature transformation including the Yin and Yang Release, Kekkei Genkai, strengths and weaknesses of all elements among other things. He patiently answered all her doubts.


    In the end, he added, "Even though the chakra paper shows that you have an affinity to water, considering your ability to heal, you should have a very high talent in Yang Release since Yang chakra is used for healing others. Once you get a hang of Yang release, learning Yin release bes easy as well.


    However, those are rather advanced concepts. I''ll teach you how to use themter. For now, we will start by establishing a very strong foundation. Are you ready to start?"


    Having been put to sleep for nearly half a day, Karin wasn''t sleepy. She nodded and said, "Yes, sensei!" Fujin''s clone replied, "Good. Follow me."


    The two left the base and arrived in the valley. They didn''t walk too far away as Fujin''s clone just led Karin to the nearest tree. He said, "Your training will be conducted in phases. Each phase will make your foundation sturdier and help you be stronger faster in the future. We will first start with chakra control."


    He exined Karin the theory behind chakra control and demonstrated the tree climbing exercise. Karin immediately tried it and ended up falling down. Fujin''s clone said, "This will be your first exercise. It''ll take around a week or two for you topletely master it. Then, you''ll move on to the next exercise, that is, the water walking exercise."


    Karin asked curiously, "Sensei, do you mean that I can walk on water?"


    Fujin''s clone nodded and answered, "Yes." He turned his gaze to the tree and said, "When you climb up the trees, you are walking against trunks that are sturdy and solid. Byparison, using your chakra to walk on water is much more difficult due to it being liquid."


    Karin nodded, understanding howplex it would be. Fujin''s clone continued, "Don''t worry. It''ll feel easier when you try it. Coming back to your training, you''ll train these two exercises until you can freely run and spar on water.


    Once your chakra control is up to par, we will begin on the more interesting aspects. Did Hayato show you the library?"


    Karin nodded. Fujin''s clone continued, "In the library, you''ll find a scroll for the Body Flicker jutsu. When you arepletelyfortable with water walking, you''ll learn this jutsu. This jutsu will be a very important jutsu in your arsenal for decades. So, train it with all your heart.


    If you have any doubts about it, you can ask Shigeki about it if I am not here. He''s very good at using it. This will be the second step of your training.


    As for the third step, that''s where you''ll begin learning more things. You''ll start working on three things simultaneously. First will be learning water maniption and a few Water jutsus. This will be taught to you by Shigeki.


    The second thing will be Medical Ninjutsu. Hayato will teach you about it. Thest thing will be using the Body Flicker jutsu without any seals. I''ll guide you regarding it when I returnter."


    Karin memorized all his words urately. She asked Fujin''s clone a few doubts which were promptly answered. With everything discussed, Fujin asked Karin to begin practicing Tree Climbing.


    She practiced until dawn under his watchful eye. Fujin''s clone analyzed, ''Hmm, looks like chakra control isn''t her strong suit. At least not yet. Still, this is far better than Naruto. She should be done with this in around 5 days¡­''


    Karin tried climbing up the tree without using her hands once again. Unfortunately, she couldn''t hang on and fell once again. She had long lost the count of how many times she had fallen that night. To her relief, Fujin''s clone said, "That''s enough for now. Have some rest. You can continue practicing itter."


    Karin nodded and replied, "Alright, Sensei."


    Fujin''s clone made a hand seal to deactivate the barrier when Karin asked nervously, "Do you have to go back due to that intense sh that happened during our exam?"


    Nervousness could be seen on her face. Anyone could see that she didn''t want him to get caught up in such a dangerous situation.


    Fujin''s clone replied, "Not really. I have a lot of other tasks to do."


    Karin sighed in relief and asked, "If you don''t mind me asking, could you tell me what happened there on the first day of our exam?"


    Fujin''s clone replied casually, "It was a sh between two rank S ninjas. You don''t need to worry about it for the time being. Just remember to avoid such ces if you detect such an intense confrontation."


    Karin nodded and said in amazement, "So, rank S ninjas are that strong? I didn''t know that. I sensed that one of the chakras belonged to our proctor. Who was the other one? Did he die?"


    Fujin''s clone was surprised for a moment and wondered, ''Did she sense that battle as well? I didn''t notice. Then again, my attention was focused on Orochimaru and Space Time Sensing Technique can''t identify chakra signatures.''


    He shook his head and replied, "Killing a rank S ninja is very difficult. In majority of the cases, they are only forced to retreat. The same thing happened there as well. The second guy was Orochimaru, one of the Sannins. Anyway, as I just said, no need to worry about this. Focus on your own training. Unless you can gain the Commander rank in Phantom Haven Society, you don''t even need to think about rank S."


    Karin nodded and said, "Yes, sensei."


    The two returned to the base. As Fujin''s clone had said earlier, he went to meet with the students, both old and new. Since he had applied Phantom Seals on everyone, Shigeki and the rest brought all the new recruits into the main base and the new students were inducted on that very day. Fujin''s clone took the opportunity to create an impression and increase their belief in the Phantom Will.


    He also met up with Ranmaru, who''s progress was as good as he expected. Within a few months, he had learnt tree climbing and water walking along with the three basic jutsus. He was currently working on the Body Flicker jutsu. Needless to say, the training n for him was also created by Fujin.


    After meeting with Ranmaru, Fujin''s clone thought, ''My chakra is nearly empty. I won''t be able to sustain myself for much longer¡­''


    He quickly called Shigeki and Hayato for a brief meeting in the main office. Once they arrived, he exined to them the training n for Karin and asked them to help her out. He ended by saying, "Shigeki, once she''s done with the Body Flicker jutsu, guide her in Water Release.


    Hayato, you should guide her to be a Medical Ninja."


    Hayato replied hesitantly, "If I may, I don''t think it is a good idea. Our manpower is already very low. We will be struggling just with the students. To guide her so much might not be feasible. Also, making someone learn two fields so different from each other at the same time isn''t good for their growth."


    To his surprise, Fujin''s clone replied, "They are valid points. However, don''t worry. I don''t make any rash decisions. Karin''s talent is worth spending so much effort on her.


    As for multiple fields, I recruited her because she seems talented in Medical Ninjutsu. So, you''ll have to do a good job, Hayato. I have added several books rted to Medical Ninjutsu in the library. Feel free to go through them."


    Having seen Ranmaru''s talent, neither Hayato nor Shigeki questioned his judgement. However, both were puzzled about one important aspect.


    [A/N: Next chapter in a few hours. Latest chapter on P@treon - Fujin''s Righteousness!]


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 Chapter 637: Phantom Havens Path!

    Chapter 637: Phantom Haven''s Path!


    Hayato asked, "If she is talented at Medical Ninjutsu, wouldn''t it be better if we make her focus entirely on training Medical Ninjutsu? That way, she''ll be a very good Medical Ninja instead of someone like me who doesn''t specialize in either Medical Ninjutsu or Nature Maniption.


    Right now, we arecking a lot in Medical Ninjutsu as I''m the only one who can do it a bit. It''ll be beneficial for our organization if we can have someone who specializes in it entirely."


    Shigeki nodded, agreeing with Hayato''s opinion. Theck of Medical Ninjas was a very troubling aspect for him as they couldn''t heal the people they rescued unless Hayato went on the mission. Even in that case, he wasn''t always able to heal everyone due to limited chakra.


    To their surprise, Fujin''s clone shook his head and said, "A Medical Ninja who can''t defend herself is a useless one. Do you think that Tsunade of the Sannin depends on others to defend her?"


    Shigeki replied hesitantly, "This¡­ I don''t think thatparing with a rank S Medical Ninja is appropriate. After all, nearly every other Medical Ninja in the world doesn''t focus on fighting and there is no one else who is at rank S.


    If needed, we could train Karin a bit to defend herself after she has be a capable Medical Ninja. For now, we could focus on just improving her medical skills."


    Hayato added, "That''s right. Doing both at the same time is very difficult."


    Despite their arguments, Fujin''s clone replied, "This point is non-negotiable. The Phantom Haven Society won''t have any Medical Ninjas who can''t defend themselves."


    He looked at Hayato and said, "Hayato, once the studentsplete their chakra control exercises, you''ll get an idea of who has some talent at bing medical ninjas. After you test them and select the ones who have some talent at the Yang and Yin release, you''ll be following a training n along these lines. While their main focus will be on Medical Ninjutsu, they won''t abandon everything else as most of the Medical Ninjas in the world. Every one of them has to be a master at the Body Flicker jutsu and should be able to use it without any seals.


    Simrly, they will train the element they have an affinity to, which could be their main method of fighting. Alternatively, they could focus on Genjutsu if they prefer it to nature maniption.


    Irrespective of what they choose, they''ll learn the jutsus that allow them to hide and travel underground along with a defensive jutsu like Earth or Water Wall.


    Along with Ninjutsu, they will also have decent basics in Taijutsu and basic weapons like Shuriken, Kunai or Senbon needles. A few years in the future, once they learn about poisons, they could use them toplement their fighting skills.


    These are the basic requirements for bing a Medical Ninja in the Phantom Haven Society. If they can''t handle it, then they are better off bing a normal ninja."


    His strict tone caught Shigeki and Hayato off guard. Neither expected Fujin to be so adamant about this aspect considering that he had been quite flexible until then. Both fell quiet.


    Fujin''s clone noticed their emotions and said softly, "Don''t restrict yourself to what you have experienced in Tanigakure. The children that grew up within those safe walls don''t have the same will and determination as the ones here.


    If you hold our students to the same standards, then yourx expectations will lead to them being satisfied with bing ordinary instead of striving to be extraordinary.


    Instead of being satisfied by them bing Chunin-level Field Agents, work as if you want to make all 131 students rank S ninjas. Make them strive to reach it.


    Only if we do that there would be any hope of someone reaching such a level. Even if no one does, they''ll still be much stronger and would be Captains and Commanders in our organization instead of being stuck at Field Agent rank for decades."


    His words forced the two of them to think. Even though they considered themselves the Elites in Tanigakure, their worldview was being broken and they were forced to think beyond it. Shigeki adjusted to it quickly as he had seen Fujin in action. However, it was a new experience for Hayato.


    Fujin''s clone didn''t disturb them and let them use their own thoughts to convince themselves. After a couple of minutes, both of them nodded. Shigeki said, "I understand. We will make the students strive for the top."


    Hayato added, "I never thought from this point of view. I''ll do my best to ensure that the students who focus on Medical Ninjutsu don''tckbat skills."


    Fujin''s clone replied, "Good. I have added several scrolls and books containing advanced-level knowledge of Medical Ninjutsu to improve our library. You should check them out as well. They will help you improve."


    Hayato was surprised. He said, "Alright, I''ll look into it."


    Fujin''s clone replied, "Good. Shigeki, I''ll leave the rest to you. It''s time for me to leave."


    Shigeki asked a few more things before Fujin''s clone left. He exited the base and dispelled himself in the valley.


    In the tower in the forest of death, Fujin received the memories of his clone. He thought, ''Everything went as nned. Shigeki should have understood what my intentions are. As long as he does it correctly and I get lucky, I might have the strongest force a decade after the Fourth Great Ninja War ends.


    That said, even if they don''t do that well, it doesn''t matter as long as my spywork is working well. Anyway, since my Shadow Clone can teleport there within a minute, I don''t need to take missions to go there. I can send one more frequently as well when nothing important is happening in the vige.''


    While Fujin was going through his memories, another important meeting was taking ce in the Forest of Death between the traitor and the spy. Kabuto looked at Orochimaru and said, "It looks like you got roughed up pretty badly."


    Leaning against a tree, Orochimaru chuckled and said, "That boy is quite impressive. He is even more ruthless than Kakashi. Escape if you face him."


    Kabuto became serious and asked, "Is he that powerful?"


    Orochimaru said, "More than his strength, it''s his cunningness and carefulness that makes him a bigger threat. My ns will have to change to consider his threat. I might need Rasa to restrict him while I deal with Hiruzen."


    Kabuto frowned and said, "The Fourth Kazekage is very prideful and egoistic. He might feel insulted to face someone so young in battle openly and might refuse this n."


    Orochimaru replied, "Do you think that I didn''t think about it already? Unfortunately, that is the best option. You and Kimimaro can''t stall him for long enough."


    Kabuto thought for a bit and replied, "I understand. I''ll see if I can get any information that might help us convince the Fourth Kazekage."


    Orochimaru said, "Good. Do that after this round is over. Until then, continue your current mission and collect information on Sasuke. Keep the information with you and pass it to meter. We won''t meet in the tower as nned initially."


    Kabuto became confused and wondered, ''That''s strange. Is Orochimaru so afraid of that boy?''


    Orochimaru could read his thoughts at a nce andughed dryly. He said, "While I enjoy your snarky nature, you shouldn''t be so impudent, Kabuto. The tower is under strict surveince. I won''t be able to enter it undetected. I can still enter using the disguise of a Jounin Sensei.


    However, there are a few thousand seals that are newly inscribed on the tower. Knowing that Hiruzen will be there as well, it might just be a trap set for me. I''ll just send a Shadow Clone to attend to the normal duties of a Sensei."


    "Seals¡­" Kabuto muttered as he felt something fishy. He looked at Orochimaru and said, "Orochimaru-sama, I have a feeling that these seals don''t have any meaning."


    Orochimaru was intrigued by his statement and asked, "What do you mean?"


    Kabuto answered, "I have a feeling that he inscribes those seals just for the sake of it. Or perhaps it is his hobby. Otherwise, it doesn''t make any sense for him to have tens of thousands of seals on his house when a few hundred are more than sufficient. I guess he just inscribes seals wherever he stays!"


    Orochimaru was surprised. He thought for a bit. A malicious smile appeared on his face as he said, "That''s interesting¡­"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 638: Mind Games?

    Chapter 638: Mind Games?


    "That''s an interesting way to look at it." Orochimaru fell into a thought. He began analyzing whether he should take a risk or not. He had several ideas to create a mess and cause chaos in Konoha but failed to see how any of the situation would be beneficial to him or his ns.


    After a couple of minutes, he said, "Perhaps, or it could also be his attempt to make it feel like this is normal for him and bait others by making them think that it is a bluff. Regardless, there is no reason to test it out right now as it might give Hiruzen a reason to cancel the exams. We''ll continue as per my instructions."


    Kabuto nodded and said, "Alright, Orochimaru-sama."


    Orochimaru immediately disappeared. Realizing the real strength of Fujin caused him some headaches. He had just a month to make sufficient arrangements to ensure that no one else would disturb him until he had killed Hiruzen. Otherwise, he would be swamped by thousands of Konoha ninjas and wouldn''t have any chance to kill Hiruzen. He wanted to make ns to avoid that situation as well as on how to deal with it if he couldn''t prevent it from happening.


    With Orochimaru not making any move and other viges waiting patiently to get more urate intel, things calmed down. The Chunin exams returned to their normal course.


    Apart from a few squads whopleted the second phase early and the ones who were eliminated, the remaining squads stayed in the forest until thest day. Fujin''s clone kept an eye on Kakashi''s students the entire time just in case Orochimaru or Kabuto made a strange move.


    On thest day, Kabuto showed up to stop Naruto from opening their scroll. As soon as he did, he realized, ''Someone is watching me, or rather Sasuke''s squad. Is it Suzuki Fujin or other Anbu ninjas?


    No, I didn''t sense anyone until now. In fact, I could barely feel anyone looking at me when I grabbed Naruto''s hand. It should be Fujin or his clone. Understandable I suppose. They should be on guard against another sudden move by Orochimaru-sama.''


    Kabuto didn''t show any indication that he realized that he was being watched and actedpletely normally. He tagged along with them until they fell into the trap set by the Ame squad. Thanks to Kakashi''s training, they had far more stamina and chakra aspared to their canon counterparts at this point. Even though Sasuke struggled due to the curse seal, Naruto was able to destroy their illusions on arge scale using the Great Breakthrough jutsu and force them into a head-on battle.


    The Ame Genins used another round of Genjutsu and attacked by hiding underground. Naruto used another Great Breakthrough jutsu but it didn''t affect this Genjutsu. He tried attacking with closebat and nearly fell into their trap but was rescued by Kabuto who got injured in return.


    Since Fujin was keeping an eye, Kabuto didn''t do anything strange and quietly endured the beating instead of scaring and paralyzing them. Even so, he provided Naruto with an opening to knock them all out.


    Seeing Kabuto''s actions, Fujin''s clone couldn''t help but chuckle in amusement. He muttered to himself, ''As expected of a spy of his caliber. If I didn''t know about the truth, it would have been difficult to suspect him of being such a deadly spy. To think that a guy ying with Genins would be one of the most dangerous people 4 yearster. Hmm¡­?''


    A deadpan expression appeared on his face as he realized, ''I guess that''s not even the least bit strange whenpared to how much those three kids would grow! One would reach the level of the Sannins and the other two would reach Hashirama and Madara''s level!''


    He shook his head and stopped thinking about it. If he said such things openly, everyone in the vige wouldugh at him. After Naruto andpany entered the tower, the clone dispelled himself and sent the memories back to his main body.


    The top floor of the tower had a lot more people aspared to the first day. Kakashi, Asuma, Kurenai, Guy and a few others were present along with Fujin''s group. In fact, even Hiruzen had returned to the tower along with his Anbu Guards and other proctors!


    Fujin said, "Kakashi, it looks like your students have made it through as well."


    Fujin turned his gaze towards Hayate and said, "That makes it 7 squads. You might need to conduct preliminaries to trim the numbers."


    Hayate coughed and said, "Yes. 21 is too high."


    Kakashi sighed and said, "I will need to wait to take care of Sasuke."


    Anko immediately said, "He has the curse seal on him! Pull him out of the exam, seal Orochimaru''s curse seal and keep him under the protection of Anbu."


    Kakashi asked, "And you really think that he''d just quietly follow your orders? Keep in mind that he is a member of the Uchiha n¡­"


    Anko immediately argued back. After some discussion, Hiruzen agreed to let Sasuke participate as long as the curse seal didn''t act up. Fujin said, "Alright. Anyway, you can take over from me, Anko. I''ll be back before the Genins gather together. Dy it for a bit if I amte."


    Fujin disappeared from the room, leaving others wondering what he was up to. Only Hiruzen watched intently and thought, ''So he wants to deal with that seal immediately¡­ Hmm, I should send a clone to keep an eye on. Nothing can be allowed to go wrong, especially with Orochimaru and Gaara around. Even though Fujin inscribed seals on the tower, it''s best to prevent it instead of dealing with it.''


    A Shadow Clone popped next to him and disappeared from the room as well.


    "I''m a full-fledged shinobi! You got that?" On the bottom floor, Naruto replied confidently when Iruka expressed his worry for his safety. Unfortunately for Naruto, his confidence all went down the drain as a hand grabbed the back of his neck and he heard, "Come with me, Mr. Full-fledged shinobi."


    "Fuji¡­" Even before Naruto could form a word, he disappeared along with Fujin! Iruka was startled but rxed on seeing that it was Fujin. Even so, he couldn''t help but think, ''That''s strange. Why did he take away Naruto in such a hurry?''


    Sasuke and Sakura only caught a glimpse of him. Sasuke''s expression became very serious. He looked at Iruka and asked, "Iruka sensei, is it true that Fujin defeated Orochimaru?"


    Iruka smiled and said, "It''spletely true. Orochimaru was badly injured and forced to escape from the training ground."


    Iruka''s words brought back the memories of the destruction he had seen in the forest. During the time he spent in the forest, they travelled along the length of the canal left behind by the Wind Dragon. Sasuke had a difficult time believing that a single jutsu could cause such destruction!


    He clenched his fists and thought, ''He is only a year older than Haku and can defeat Orochimaru! An opponent who was so strong that he made me feel hopeless! I need to be much stronger to kill Itachi!''


    Sasuke couldn''t help but feel that he had a long way to go. Unlike in the original story, the impression Orochimaru made on Sasuke''s young mind was eroded significantly due to his defeat. Even though he knew that he couldn''t face Orochimaru, knowing that Orochimaru was defeated decreased his image considerably.


    Fujin entered the meditation room and dropped Naruto, who failed to make Fujin loosen his grip no matter what he did. As soon as he fell to the ground, heined, "Hey! Don''t make me look so uncool in front of Sakura-chan!"


    Fujin raised an eyebrow and asked, "Your chakrawork is a mess and you''re concerned about looking cool? Should I pull you out of the exam and ask someone to inspect whether your brain suffered some damage?"


    Naruto immediately tried arguing, "Hey, don''t talk abo¡­ Huh? What do you mean by my chakrawork is a mess?"


    Fujin asked, "Didn''t you have difficulty in channeling your chakra and creating jutsus?"


    Naruto thought for a bit and said, "Ah, that''s right! My Great Breakthrough jutsu''s power was weaker than usual and took slightly longer to create! Why is that?"


    Fujin replied, "It is due to your encounter with Orochimaru. He put a seal on you to cut off Kyubi''s chakra. Remove your shirt and flow chakra through your chakrawork."


    Naruto was surprised. He followed Fujin''s instructions while saying, "You mean that snakedy did something to me?"


    Fujin''s eyes twitched as he thought, ''Snakedy? Pervy Sage, Granny and Snake Lady¡­ I wonder what image the Sannins will have left if these names spread¡­''


    [A/N: Oof, writing is a roller-coaster! Fujin currently is a bit more powerful than I had initially nned for him to be during this arc. It created a lot of issues for me as most of the things I had nned for the Konoha crush became unusable due to his increased strength (though it helped make Fujin Vs Orochimaru much better than my initial n). So I was quite troubled about how to change those things for quite some time.


    A few other issues were troubling me as well which were more of a fault or a plot hole/inconsistency in canon. I was thinking about how to deal with it and was thinking about nerfing one technique to make those events seem logical in this story. While thinking of an answer for this, I got an amazing idea and it resolved most of the issues I was facing!


    Rewrote the plot for the war today and finalized most of the details. It''s going to be amazing! Can''t wait to write those chapters ??


    Have a few interesting events nned out before that as well. The preliminaries will likely start in the next chapter. I won''t be covering individual fights IF there aren''t any major changes to the way the battle takes ce (I might at most add some of Fujin''s analysis). Even so, expect a few surprises/changes :)]


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 Chapter 639: A Natural at Yin u0026 Yang Release!

    Chapter 639: A Natural at Yin u0026 Yang Release!


    Fujin didn''t say anything and just nodded. As Naruto began regting his chakra and flowing it through hiswork, the Eight Trigrams Divination Seal appeared on his abdomen. Soon, the Five Elements Seal appeared surrounding it.


    Naruto kept looking at Fujin and asked, "By the way, how strong is that snakedy? Was she difficult to defeat?"


    Fujin replied, "Very strong. I might not have won if we were fighting in a neutral territory. Anyway, don''t move and brace yourself."


    Naruto watched as the fingertips of Fujin''s right hand began glowing. Before he could ask what it was, Fujin mmed his hand into his abdomen and hit the seal Orochimaru had ced on Naruto.


    ''Five Elements Unseal''


    Naruto immediately copsed to the ground and asked in annoyance, "What the hell was that?"


    Fujin chuckled and said, "Told you to brace yourself. Now stop being a crybaby and regte your chakra once again."


    Narutoined, "Crybaby my ass! At least tell me what you are doin¡­ Huh? My chakra is flowing very smoothly! What''s going on?"


    Fujin said, "I have removed the seal that the snakedy put on you. In the next round, you will have to fight again. With this, you''ll be able to fight at your best. Now run along. The next round should be starting soon. You might get disqualified if you''rete." Naruto immediately panicked and rushed to the location where the Genins were gathered after Fujin informed him about it. Alone in the room, he asked, "Were there anyplications?"


    Out of thin air, Hiruzen''s clone appeared in the room and said, "No. You were correct. Orochimaru didn''t interfere with the Eight Trigrams Divination Seal and only applied the Five Elements Seal to cut off the connection between the seal and Naruto''s remaining chakrawork. It would have beenplicated if he had interfered with the seal."


    Fujin nodded but wasn''t really worried. Not only did he already know that Orochimaru wouldn''t mess with the seal, but he also knew about the arrangements Minato left in that seal. So there wasn''t any danger of Kyubi breaking loose.


    Hiruzen''s clone said, "You did good work. Go join the others. The fights might be entertaining."


    Fujin chuckled and replied, "True. The Genins participating aren''t ordinary by any means. Did you catch any trail of Orochimaru?"


    Hiruzen''s clone shook his head and said, "No. It''s as if he has withdrawn from the vige. Though knowing him, he''s probably hiding somewhere to make a move. Be careful after this round is over. He might try to assassinate you."


    Fujin nodded and replied, "Don''t worry. I''m always on my guard."


    He muttered softly, "It might be interesting if he attacks my house. Even though I have applied a lot of seals, I''ve never tested it."


    Hiruzen''s clone''s eyes twitched on hearing his words. He thought, ''Even though Orochimaru is reckless, he isn''t that reckless to attack that messed up house. Heck, even at my peak, I wouldn''t attack that house!


    The seals on his house are so dense that if I try to observe the seals, I am not even able to see the outer walls with my naked eyes. As for looking through the walls, it has long entered the realms of impossibility. I can''t even find the seals that are responsible for defense!''


    Hiruzen almost wanted to ask Fujin to inscribe seals on the vige walls. However, he concluded that he loved his kidneys more and decided against it. Of course, the main reason was that no one would be able to make sense of the seals in Fujin''s absence.


    Hiruzen''s clone said, "That might be interesting though I don''t think he would. Anyway, meet up with others."


    He dispelled himself. Fujin chuckled and disappeared as well. The Genins had all been gathered and all the Jounin sensei, examiners and proctors were present as well, one of whom caught Fujin''s eye.


    Fujin nced at Orochimaru and thought, ''Hmm, he still dared to show up? No. His chakra is rather low. Though he could have hidden it, he''s most likely a Shadow Clone. Even if he is the main body, there isn''t any benefit in exposing and fighting him here¡­''


    Kakashi noticed Fujin''s gaze and asked softly, "Is something the matter?"


    Fujin replied softly, "Something about the Oto Jounin feels off, though I can''t put a finger on what it exactly is."


    Kakashi was surprised. He looked at Orochimaru and said in the same soft voice, "Without any proof, acting here will cause some diplomatic issues. We''ll keep an eye on him after the exam is over."


    Fujin nodded. Orochimaru felt their gaze and looked at them but neither Fujin nor Kakashi reacted. He thought, ''Interesting¡­ My disguise is good enough that even sensei didn''t recognize me and yet he is looking at me suspiciously. Did his instincts warn him about me?''


    Anko took over Fujin''s role and started speaking. After her, Hiruzen exined to the Genins the significance of the Chunin Exams and why they should do their best to earn glory for their respective viges.


    After a long speech, Hayate took over after him and informed them that a Preliminary round would be conducted to select the Genins who''d participate in the final round. He asked who would like to quit before the preliminaries began.


    As in the original story, Kabuto raised his hand. However, there was one particr difference. Unlike in the original story, he didn''t heal himself after reaching the tower. His injuries made him appear in a terrible shape and hence no one suspected him for withdrawing.


    Hayate exined how the matchups would be decided and started the electronic scoreboard. The first matchup was Uchiha Sasuke Vs Akado Yoroi.


    As the Genins dispersed to give the two of them space, Kakashi walked behind Sasuke and warned him to not use the Sharingan. He informed him that the match would be suspended if the curse seal began spreading.


    Leaning against the wall, Fujin thought, ''It''s been such a long time¡­ To think that I''d enter this world and be witnessing these battles in person¡­''


    He nced at all the Genins and thought, ''Then again, not much should change. I have only had a major impact on Naruto and his teammates. Other than them, I should have very minor effects on Guy''s students and Gaara. The results of these battles shouldn''t be too different.


    Sasuke should have it a bit easier in this battle since his physique is much stronger due to Kakashi''s torture. Though he might still need to copy Lee''s technique. After all, fighting without using Sharingan and Chakra without any prior training isn''t easy¡­''


    As Fujin expected, Sasuke struggled initially due to Yoroi''s chakra absorbing technique. However, he was able to knock him out easily after he used Lee''s technique.


    Seeing Yoroi lying on the ground, Fujin thought, ''I nearly forgot about this guy''s technique. Absorbing chakra¡­ That is a rather handy technique. Though he is far inferior to Nagato and Kisame in this regard.''


    Fujin thought for a bit. A smile appeared on his face as he decided, ''I want that technique!''


    Yoroi, who was lying unconscious, had no idea the cmity he attracted due to his unique skill! If he did, he would regret trying to use that tform to make an impression on Orochimaru.


    The next couple of battles didn''t have any surprises as Shino and Kankuro won their respective battles with rtive ease. It was the fourth match, perhaps the most boring fight in the entire Chunin Exams, which attracted Fujin''s attention.


    There was one major change. Be it Taijutsu or chakra control, Sakura had a decisive advantage over Ino. Unlike the original story where they fought equally for over 10 minutes, Ino''s situation became bad in just a couple of minutes.


    Fujin looked at the two girls and thought, ''As I expected¡­ Ino hasn''t begun training seriously yet. Unlike her, Sakura has been trying to chase after Naruto and Sasuke. Though unsessful, it is a good motivator. Of course, the main reason for this change is Kakashi putting her through hell due to Naruto following my advice.''


    Fujin wasn''t too surprised by this change. What surprised him was when Sakura resisted Ino''s Mind Transfer jutsu! Fujin''s eyes began glowing as he concentrated chakra in them and observed Sakura.


    He realized, ''So that''s how it is. No wonder Tsunade epted her as her student so easily. This girl¡­ Not only is her chakra control good, but she is also a natural at Yin and Yang Release! That''s the three most crucial basics for any Medical Ninja!


    It is only due to her talent at Yin and Yang release that she could resist and ovee her Mind Transfer jutsu. Of course, the main reason is that Ino isn''t strong enough!''


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    Thank you t e for supporting me through UPI.

 Chapter 640: The Butterfly Effect

    Chapter 640: The Butterfly Effect


    To everyone''s shock, Sakura was able to break Ino''s Mind Transfer jutsu and force Ino out of her body! Everyone was surprised for a variety of reasons.


    Fujin couldn''t help but look at Kakashi and wonder, ''If her talent at Yin and Yang release is so good, why did he never teach her anything rted to it? From what I recall, he did know that she had the potential to learn Genjutsu. But apart from how to break it, Sakura didn''t know any Genjutsu¡­''


    Fujin couldn''t make any sense of Kakashi''s training n to his students. If not for the fact that Fujin pushed Naruto to bother him, he wouldn''t have put them through intense physical training either.


    The only saving grace for Kakashi was that he had his students for less than a year, following which he didn''t have much opportunity to train them as they found new teachers. However, a year was still a very long time. Whenpared to the methodological training of Renjiro, Kakashicked quite a bit.


    Fujin''s gaze turned back to Sakura and Ino. Both were very low on chakra due to their mental battle. Both girls ran at each other at full speed and punched each other with all their might! Their punchesnded on each other''s cheeks, sending both girls flying as they crashed into the ground.


    After a few seconds of lying, both Sakura and Ino tried their best to get up. Ino barely managed to raise her upper body but soon copsed and passed out. However, Sakura was able to get up though she remained seated on the floor. Her breathing was extremely erratic as she muttered, "Did I win? I beat Ino?"


    Having grown up looking up to Ino, Sakura was in disbelief about finally winning against her. Naruto immediately began cheering loudly. Every ninja looked at Sakura admirably for her hard-fought victory! Well, nearly everyone. There was one exception.


    Even though there was no change on his face, Fujin''s mood wasn''t good. He nearly blurted out ''Uh-oh!'' when he saw Sakura staying up!


    Fujin thought, ''Ugh! This is my fault. Sakura''s physique is much better due to the torture Kakashi put them through. That''s why she won that exchange. Shit! This victory could have a lot of impact. Now there will be 10 finalists instead of 9! Due to Sakura, the matchups could change¡­


    The finals were decisive moments for several important characters. Be it Neji finding the right path due to his loss against Naruto or Temari and Shikamaru''s battle.


    While I don''t particrly care if Neji keeps believing in bullshit fate, if Shikamaru doesn''t be a Chunin, it''ll have an impactter.


    Of course, the biggest issue is Gaara and Sasuke''s match. If that matchup doesn''t ur, then Gaara wouldn''t get injured and lose control over himself. It would mean that Shukaku would break loose in the middle of the stadium! That would change too many things. The biggest change could be that Naruto might not get an opportunity to use the invincible Talk-no-jutsu!''


    The next match between Temari and Tenten began. However, Fujin paid no attention to that battle. Instead, his mind was calcting dozens of possible scenarios simultaneously.


    Temari won her battle and Shikamaru and Kin began their fight. Fujin let out a long breath and thought, ''If Sasuke and Gaara don''t end up fighting, then the future will change too much. I can handle Shukaku, but Gaara won''t turn over a new leaf without Naruto''s influence.


    That would mean that he wouldn''t be the Fifth Kazekage and would stay as a bloodthirsty killing machine. In that case¡­''


    Fujin nced at Gaara and decided, ''If that''s the case, then there''s no advantage in letting him live. I''ll extract Shukaku from his body and seal him within myself! Even though that would attract Akatsuki towards me, I''m not afraid.


    If they send their weaker members, I''ll just kill them. If Obito or Nagato show up, I might still have some chances of killing them if I get lucky. Even if Obito and Nagato attack me simultaneously, I can easily escape. Heck, even if Madara is revived, he can''t stop me from escaping since I''ve no intention of sacrificing myself like Tobirama or Minato.


    So, there is no disadvantage in sealing Shukaku in me. On the contrary, the advantages are so good that I am tempted to do it even if Sasuke and Gaara are paired against each other...''


    Fujin was tempted to make a move against Gaara during the invasion. However, he controlled himself. A small move he made against Kakashi to entertain himself resulted in so manyplications. Something as major as Gaara''s death would have far-reaching consequences in the future.


    Fujin wanted to be sure that none of those consequences would end up biting his ass before he made any move. Thankfully, there was a month for him to consider everything.


    Shikamaru won the match against Kin and Naruto and Kiba faced off against each other in the 7th match of the day. Fujin stopped worrying about the things he couldn''t control and paid attention to the two Genins with some interest. He thought, ''Now this should be interesting. He is much stronger now. Will he defeat Kiba with his own strength or will he fart his way to the finals?''


    Hayate announced, "Well then, BEGIN!"


    Kiba immediately crouched down and used the Ninja Art of Beast Mimicry: Four Legs technique. Disying incredible speed, he reached Naruto and elbowed him, sending him flying. He crashed into the ground and didn''t get up.


    Nearly everyone present expected such a scene. Kakashi and Sakura looked at each other and smiled. Meanwhile, Fujin watched with a deadpan expression. Unlike the rest, he was speechless! He barely managed to resist the urge to facepalm himself.


    He cursed internally, ''This dumb brat! He took that hit intentionally! He didn''t even try to dodge or block the hit! Shit, what has he been learning? Couldn''t he take 1% of his Sensei''s shamelessness? That bastard is always three hourste and always shows up while carrying porn in his hands!''


    To say Fujin was disappointed was an understatement. Even though he didn''t ept Naruto as his student, he guided him quite a bit. Even though he hadn''t attempted to change Naruto''s original personality, he didn''t expect to see him doing something so foolish.


    Fujin muttered to himself, ''Looks like I haven''t made him suffer enough. I have to do something to ensure that he doesn''t do anything like this again.''


    Naruto, who had just gotten up, suddenly shivered. He wondered, ''What the hell was that? Why do I feel like someone wants to put me through hell? Is it Kiba? No, his punch wasn''t strong enough!''


    The excitement he was feeling about taking that punch like a champion died down due to that unexpected feeling. Even so, he didn''t shy away from boasting and taunting Kiba.


    Fujin watched as Kiba stopped underestimating Naruto and attacked him with Akamaru. Just like in the original story, he fell to Naruto''s Transformation jutsu and Shadow Clone jutsubination and ended up being bitten by Naruto.


    His performance ended up surprising everyone who knew about him earlier but hadn''t caught up on his progress. Everyone began looking at him in a new light. Quite a few wondered what Kakashi had done to make him so good. However, what would have they thought if they knew Fujin''s thoughts about Kakashi''s teachings?


    Kiba finally became serious. He fed Akamaru a soldier pill and ate one himself as well. Akamaru dispelled Naruto''s clone and rushed towards Kiba who crouched down and said, "Let''s do it, Akamaru! Ninja Art of Beast Mimicry!"


    "Woof woof!"


    ''Man Beast Clone!''


    Akamaru transformed into Kiba and both looked at Naruto with a feral look. Naruto immediatelyined, "The look in his eyes is freaking me out! Hey, isn''t this considered doping? Is this allowed?"


    Hayate replied, "It''s permitted. The soldier pills are just like other Ninja tools."


    "You are no help! You always say that!" Naruto shouted at Hayate. Kiba immediately went on the assault and used the Four Legs Technique once again. Both he and Akamaru attacked Naruto at high speeds. Luckily, Naruto wasn''t as slow as his canon counterpart and managed to barely dodge their attacks each time.


    Naruto thought, ''Shit! He''s very fast. I don''t have any time to counterattack!''


    He quickly dodged another attack while thinking, ''Even if I could, I can''t identify which one of them is Kiba. If I counterattack Akamaru but get hit by Kiba, I''ll lose! I need to do something¡­''


    Naruto dodged another couple of attacks and began weaving hand signs. Kiba immediately saw it and thought, ''Which jutsu is he using? No matter, I won''t let him use it.''


    He immediately went on the offensive. At the same time, Akamaru attacked from the opposite side, leaving Naruto no space to dodge. Naruto immediately gathered chakra under his feet and jumped high above to dodge their attacks.


    However, Kiba grinned and thought, ''There''s my chance!''


    He shouted, "Take this! Man-Beast Ultimate Taijutsu: Fang Over Fang!"


    Kiba and Akamaru both rotated their bodies at high speeds and moved towards Naruto who couldn''t dodge them in the air. Naruto immediately thought in panic, ''They are in the position I wanted, but what the hell is this?''


    Hepleted his hand seals and took a deep breath.


    ''Wind Release: Great Breakthrough jutsu''


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 Chapter 641: Earning Respect

    Chapter 641: Earning Respect


    ''Wind Release: Great Breakthrough jutsu''


    Naruto immediately blew an intense wind current at Kiba and Akamaru.


    He thought, ''I wanted to blow both of them away and win in one shot, but their rotation could create an issue. I need to keep blowing intense winds until they are blown away! Otherwise, it''ll be painful.''


    At the same time, Kiba wondered in shock, ''What the hell is this?''


    The Great Breakthrough jutsu hit Kiba and Akamaru and put immense pressure on both of them. However, since they were rotating at high speeds, they weren''t blown away and continued to move towards Naruto. Even so, none of them were rxed as their linear and rotational speeds were both decreasing rapidly!


    Kiba wasn''t the only one who was shocked. Ino shouted, "What the hell is that? Since when could Naruto do that?"


    Shikamaru eximed, "That''s the Wind Release: Great Breakthrough jutsu! No way, has he improved so much?"


    "Naruto-kun" A smile appeared on Hinata''s face as she looked at Naruto''s cool new jutsu.


    Lee eximed, "Impressive, Naruto!"


    Kankuro said, "I underestimated him. His wind jutsu is almost as intense as yours, Temari."


    Temari frowned on hearing his words. Gaara, Dosu and Neji watched intently as well. None of them expected Naruto to use such a strong jutsu.


    With no other choice, Kiba and Akamaru continued drilling through the intense winds until they were only a foot away from Naruto! Unfortunately, the intense winds from the Great Breakthrough jutsu finally prevented them from moving any further.


    Both Kiba and Akamaru wereunched back at great speed! Akamaru crashed into a wall and was knocked out. Kiba crashed into the ground and barely managed tond safely even though he skidded along the ground for a few meters. To make matters worse, the sharp winds created several cuts on his body with his arms and legs taking the most damage! He began losing blood very rapidly. Naruto finally stopped blowing air and took a deep breath as hended on the ground as well.


    Seeing that Akamaru was knocked out and Kiba was in terrible shape, there was no more suspense in the match. Kurenai''s expression became dark as she thought, ''No way! I thought that Naruto was a total dunce. His academic record was terrible. How did he improve so much in less than a year?''


    When the match started, Kurenai was as confident as Kiba in his victory. However, Naruto repeatedly proved her wrong. She couldn''t help but look at Kakashi. Most of the other Jounins in the room did so as well. Naruto was just too famous, be it for his legendary pranks or his Jinchuriki status. None of them ever expected such a turnaround in the boy. It caused everyone to respect the boy.


    The silence in the hall was finally broken when Sakura loudly cheered, "Great job, Naruto! Go get him! Finish the match with another Great Breakthrough jutsu!"


    Kiba got back on his feet. He wiped the blood from his lips and analyzed, ''He caught me and Akamaru off guard by that wind jutsu. Just like how we were waiting for him to jump up, he wanted us to jump as well so that we wouldn''t be able to defend or dodge. Thankfully, the rotation saved us and I was lucky to not be mmed into a wall like Akamaru. Still, how do I win this battle?''


    He quickly formted a n, ''I still have the advantage of speed. I won''t allow Naruto to use this jutsu again. I will interrupt him and knock him out with the Four Legs Technique. And, I need to do it quickly. Otherwise, the blood loss from my cuts will affect my speed! Whether I win or lose will be decided in the next couple of minutes.''


    Naruto loudly said, "Of course!"


    He quickly began weaving hand seals. However, at that very moment, Kibaunched several shurikens at Naruto, forcing him to dodge repeatedly. Kiba used that time to use the Four Legs Technique and quickly shortened the distance between the two.


    He appeared behind Naruto and said, "Toote!"


    Even though he was dodging the shurikens, Naruto''s eyes never lost track of Kiba. As Kiba attacked him from the rear, heunched a kick at him without even turning around. Kiba didn''t expect such a counterattack and couldn''t dodge in time. The kicknded on his chest and sent him flying away.


    Kiba coughed blood but managed to flip in the air andnded on his feet. Naruto looked at him and said, "I told you that I only got hit because I wanted to test your strength! Don''t think that I am slower than you! It''s the opposite, believe it!"


    Unlike in the original story, where Kibafortably outsped Naruto, the difference in their speed wasn''t very significant due to the training Kakashi put Naruto through.


    Kakashi analyzed, ''No, it''s not just about the speed. Under normal circumstances, Kiba wouldn''t be hit by that kick. However, he was very distracted as he desperately wanted to win with that attack.''


    Kurenai also analyzed, ''In addition to his desperation, Naruto''s counterattack and speed caught him off guard, making him unable to defend or dodge. Just what the hell did Kakashi do with Naruto? How did he improve so much?''


    Shino calmly said, "Not only does he have a strong Wind jutsu, but he is also at the same level as Kiba in terms of Taijutsu."


    Standing next to him, Hinata thought, ''Naruto-kun¡­ Everyone is finally acknowledging you.''


    Ino couldn''t help but look at Shikamaru and ask, "Are you sure that he is Naruto? Is someone disguised as him using the Transformation jutsu?"


    Shikamaru didn''t reply. He was speechless by Naruto''s development as well.


    Naruto said, "Since you don''t want to be hit by my Great Breakthrough, I''ll try out the new killer move that I''ve been practicing!"


    ''Multi Shadow Clone jutsu!''


    Four clones appeared next to Naruto. He copied Sasuke''s Lion Barrage and renamed it Uzumaki Naruto Barrage. With his injuries and tiredness, Kiba couldn''t handle the assault and was pummelled until he could no longer get up.


    Fujin nodded and thought, ''Well, other than the initial cockiness, he fought well. That said, he didn''t try to abuse his Shadow Clones or his massive chakra. There''s a lot of scope for improvement¡­''


    Hayate checked Kiba and announced Naruto as the winner of the battle. Among cheers from a few of his fellow Genins, Naruto returned back to the viewing area while Kiba was carried away on a stretcher.


    The next battle was a fight between the two Hyugas. Their battle was identical to the canon fight.


    Seeing Neji hitting the chakra points on Hinata''s arm, Hoka said softly, "That''s Neji. He is probably the greatest genius in the entire history of the Hyuga n!"


    Standing next to him, Renjiro nodded. Fujin, who was standing in front of them, said, "Hmm, I have seen him a few times earlier though this is the first time I have seen him fight. I have to say¡­"


    Fujin paused for a bit as Neji gave a speech about genius and failures. He continued, "I''m disappointed."


    Both Hoka and Renjiro were surprised by Fujin''s words. Kakashi, Guy and their students heard his words and looked at him as well. Neji''s incredible talent was visible to the naked eye. Yet, Fujin said that he was disappointed.


    Lee asked, "What do you mean, Fujin-san?"


    Hoka added, "What disappointed you? In terms of talent, he is head and shoulders above me."


    Fujin watched as Hinata got back to her feet once again and said, "True, he has talent. However, what use is that talent when he has constrained himself by imaginary chains of Fate?


    He thinks too highly of himself and too little of the ones who weren''t born geniuses. With such a mentality, he''ll find it hard to progress. Perhaps he might be a Jounin. However, I don''t see him progressing any farther beyond that rank unless he improves his mindset."


    Hoka frowned on hearing Fujin''s words. As someone who had the Bird Cage, he knew how horrible the feeling of someone else controlling your life was. In fact, he had even talked about Fujin regarding the same. He also knew how Hizashi was sacrificed to save Hiashi. So, he could understand why Neji developed such a mindset.


    Naruto heard his words as well and said, "That''s right! Who is he to say that a failure will never improve? HANG IN THERE, HINATA!"


    Hoka ignored Naruto and said, "Even though his words are harsh and misguided, that doesn''t mean that his future progress would be restricted. Besides, his words are having a mental impact on his opponent. That''s not much different from your trash talk."


    Fujin replied, "If he did it just to get under her skin, I would have been impressed. Unfortunately, he believes every word he says. Besides, his words aren''t the issue. The issue is how narrow his view is."


    Hoka became confused and asked, "What do you mean?"


    Sakura, Naruto and Lee were confused as well. Unlike them, Kakashi, Guy and Renjiro understood what Fujin was implying.


    Fujin chuckled and answered with a question, "How exactly can he maintain such beliefs after being his student for nearly 2 years?"


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 Chapter 642: Fate

    Chapter 642: Fate


    Immediately, all of them looked at Guy. Lee asked in confusion, "What do you mean? What''s wrong with Guy sensei?"


    Hoka, Naruto and Sakura didn''t understand either. Fujin answered, "Guy''s talent was so bad that his admission to the academy was rejected initially."


    The information surprised Hoka and the Genins. Lee wasn''t aware of that particr information either. Even though Guy had told him that he was a failure as well, he didn''t entirely believe him and felt that he was only saying so to make him feel better and motivate him.


    Naruto thought, ''No way! How was someone as strong as him rejected by the academy?''


    Seeing everyone staring at him, Guy disyed his trademark smile and gave a thumbs-up. He said, "That''s right. I wasn''t epted initially. However, I didn''t think you''d know about this, Fujin."


    Fujin chuckled in response and continued, "Byparison, Orochimaru was the most talented student of his batch and perhaps his generation. He became a Genin when he was six years old and was trained by Lord Third since then.


    And yet, today, I would rather have Orochimaru as my enemy than him. Even after having such a sensei, if he can''t see this simple reality, then his future prospects are just hopeless no matter how talented he is."


    Immediately, the eyes of everyone other than the Elite Jounins widened. Hoka looked at Guy in shock and thought, ''Is Fujin implying that Guy is stronger than Orochimaru? No, he is saying that Guy is considerably stronger than Orochimaru! Is he for real?''


    Even Naruto looked at him in shock and thought, ''Wait! Fujin said that he might have not won against Orochimaru if they fought in neutral territory. And Sasuke said that Orochimaru is likely far stronger than Kakashi sensei and Zabuza. And yet, Fujin said that he would rather fight Orochimaru than Guy sensei! Does that mean that Bushier Brows sensei is stronger than both Kakashi sensei and big brother Fujin? Holy crap! How strong is he?''


    Sakura felt the same as well. She recalled the horrifying chakra emitted by both Orochimaru and Fujin and thought, ''Is Guy sensei so strong that he can defeat Orochimaru?''


    Fujin continued, "Considering his upbringing, I can understand his emotions and thought process. I wouldn''t have said what I did if he was still in the academy. However, since he is still stuck on those beliefs despite training under Guy for a couple of years, it shows that he has a very narrow mindset. If he doesn''t change it, it will be his bane."


    Hoka was surprised by Fujin''s words. As he analyzed them, he couldn''t help but see things from his perspective and felt that Fujin wasn''t wrong. He thought, ''Even though Fujin said those words, his words could also be implied as if Neji changes his mindset in the future, then he might be very strong. So, it depends on Neji.''


    Fujin''s words had more impact on someone other than Hoka. Lee fell into deep thought. He had gone through the entire academy without any talent. He was then ced on the same team as Neji, who frequently talked about fate and repeatedly said that a failure will always stay a failure. Every time he lost to Neji, Tenten repeated Neji''s words and said that he wouldn''t be able to defeat Neji since Neji was a genius.


    Of course, Leeter found his confidence due to Guy''s training and the Eight Inner Gates Technique. However, those words always stayed in his mind as he hadn''t defeated Neji yet because Guy didn''t allow him to use the forbidden technique. He asked, "Fujin-san, what are your views about fate?"


    Fujin looked at him and asked in return, "Fate? What of it?"


    Lee asked, "Do you think that fate exists? If so, can we change our fate?"


    Fujin thought for a bit and said, "Hmm, fate¡­ That''s rather controversial. Perhaps it does exist and everything that happens is fated. Or perhaps there''s no such thing as fate and humans only me it to avoid facing their shorings. I don''t think anyone can say whether it exists for sure."


    Fujin''s answer surprised the ones around him. Lee thought, ''We me fate to avoid facing our shorings? Is that what I did? Isn''t that exactly what Neji is doing since he can''t do anything about his bird seal?''


    Renjiro thought, ''Impressive answer. People who believe in fate me it every time something goes against them. Or they mightpare themselves with someone who''s born in luxury and me their fate instead of working hard and exceeding them.''


    Kakashi and Guy thought the same as well. Unlike them, Naruto didn''t bother thinking so deeply and said, "If those are the two possibilities, then I will believe that fate doesn''t exist!"


    Lee nodded. However, to his and Naruto''s surprise, Fujin chuckled and asked, "Even if it exists, what of it?"


    Naruto asked, "What do you mean?"


    Fujin asked again, "Even if fate exists, what would change? Why is it bad for you?"


    Lee answered, "If fate exists, then wouldn''t it mean that a failure will always remain a failure? No matter how much we train, we''ll never be able to surpass the geniuses!"


    Naruto''s eyes suddenly widened and he said, "Wait a minute, I understand. Are you saying that we can just change our fate if we don''t have the talent?"


    Lee''s eyes widened as well. He felt that Naruto''s words were sensible. He said, "That''s right! Even if I am fated to be weak, I will train hard and change my fate!"


    Fujin chuckled again and asked, "If fate can be changed so easily, can it really be called fate?"


    Fujin''s question stumped everyone around him, including Kakashi and Renjiro, once again. Kakashi directly asked, "What are you implying?"


    Fujin answered, "You are looking at it the wrong way. Who said that failures are destined to be failures? Why can''t someone''s fate be that they would start without any talent and reach the top through sheer hard work?


    Look at Guy for instance. If fate exists, it would simply mean that he was fated to rise to the top through hard work despite not having any talent at the start. If it doesn''t then he simply trained hard and proved everyone''s opinion wrong. The same is also applicable for any others who feel like they aren''t as talented as the supposed geniuses.


    That''s why I said that there is no reason to be worried about fate. Instead of feeling sorry for yourself and quitting, just give it your all and train until you achieve your goals. Even if you''re born a genius, you''ll never amount to much without hard work."


    Fujin''s words made everyone think. Sakura thought, ''That''s right! Our fates can be like that as well. After all, who said that a failure can''t grow strong? We have a live example of Guy sensei in front of us!''


    Kakashi analyzed Fujin''s words and discovered a slight inconsistency in them. While he didn''t particrly care about fate, he was interested in knowing more about Fujin. He asked, "Good answer, but what if someone is fated to be weak? Wouldn''t that be unfair to them? What would be the point of them training hard if they are fated to stay weak? Should they just give up?"


    Fujin answered, "Perhaps, but how would they know that they are fated to stay weak? It''s not like everyone is given a fate certificate at birth to tell them what they can and cannot achieve in their life, right?"


    Renjiro chuckled and said, "That''s right. How would anyone know what their fate is?"


    Fujin nodded and said, "Yeah. And this is under the assumption that fate exists, which is again something we can''t say with certainty. So, there is no point in staying stuck on it. Even if fate exists, no one knows what your fate is. Just live to your fullest extent and don''t fall short on your effort so that you don''t have any regrets."


    Naruto, Sakura and Lee smiled confidently on hearing that. Even though the three Genins would grow to be extremely strong in the future and be famous throughout the world, all of them still had several insecurities. Fujin''s words provided them with a lot of confidence. Hoka involuntarily nodded as well while Renjiro, Kakashi and Guy smiled seeing their students gaining confidence.


    Fujin''s eyes were still on the fight as he muttered, "Besides, there are so many more scary things in this world. For instance, no matter how much you train, what you do, how strong you get and how many goals you achieve, you''ll eventually die in a few decades. Compared to the inevitability of death, fate is rather cute."


    Immediately sweat appeared on Renjiro, Guy and Kakashi. They wondered, ''Is he motivating them or demotivating them?''


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 643: Medical Ninjutsu

    Chapter 643: Medical Ninjutsu


    "Compared to the inevitability of death, fate is rather cute."


    Hearing Fujin''s words, the genins became quiet. A few secondster, Lee''s shoulders dropped. In a depressing tone, he said, "That''s right. No matter what we do, we won''t be able to escape death!"


    Naruto added sadly, "Yeah... Even if I be the Hokage, I''ll eventually die."


    Sakura thought, ''I never thought of it. Someday I''ll be separated from my Sasuke and there''s nothing I can do to stop it."


    Seeing their depressed students, Kakashi and Guy panicked. Guy ced his hand on Lee''s shoulder and said, "Don''t worry about that now Lee. You are still young. Now is the time to enjoy your youth and not worry about old age!"


    Kakashi immediately followed up, "That''s right. Instead of worrying about dying due to old age, you should focus on getting strong so that no one can kill you before that. You don''t want to end up regretting not fulfilling your dreams just because of this, right?"


    Hearing their words, Lee, Naruto and Sakura snapped out of their thoughts. Lee said, "Ah, that''s right! My mes of youth are still burning!"


    Sakura thought, ''That''s right. I''m still just a young girl! Why am I getting worried about my old age?''


    Even Naruto realized the same. Fujin said without taking his eyes off the fight, "What are you guys getting so depressed about? I just meant that just because you''ll eventually die, doesn''t mean that you''llmit suicide today, right? In the same way, stop worrying about fate. Look at Hinata fighting despite knowing that she''ll lose while you three are getting depressed about something that''ll happen decades from now."


    Fujin''s words immediately made them feel embarrassed. At the same time, they felt better about their future. Even though their paths wouldn''t be easy, they felt better, knowing that at least there was a path in front of them.


    "But you''re wrong, cousin Neji. I can see it now that even more than me, it''s you who are torn and suffering¡­ Caught between the main and branch families of our n!" Hinata replied to Neji''s neverending taunts.


    Her words caused Neji to lose control of himself! He rushed at Hinata fully intending to kill her! Fortunately, the jounins took action. Guy appeared behind him and grabbed him, Kakashi grabbed his arm, Hayate appeared in front of him and was ready to knock him out if he continued while Kurenai would have knocked out his legs had he continued!


    Neji said, "Well, why are the other Jounins getting involved? Special protection for the Main family, eh?"


    Guy immediately said, "Enough Neji. You swore that you wouldn''t drag your issues with the main family here."


    As they were speaking, Hinata''s heartbeat faltered. She immediately coughed out blood and dropped to her knees, before lying on the ground.


    Naruto and Sakura immediately went to check on her. Seeing Naruto, she wondered as her eyes closed, ''Naruto¡­ I wonder if maybe I managed to change just a little bit¡­''


    She fell unconscious. While Naruto was looking at her, Neji said, "Hey, you, Mr. Failure! A couple of words of advice. A true shinobi would have too much ss to make a spectacle of themselves by cheering during a serious match.


    And one more thing. You may as well ept who you are. Once a failure, always a failure!"


    Under normal circumstances, Naruto would have felt insecure by Neji''s sentence even though he wouldn''t show that openly. However, thanks to the talk he just had with Fujin, Naruto just felt that Neji was a giant idiot!


    However, he was still pissed about how Neji treated Hinata. He asked, "You wanna try me?"


    Neji just chuckled in response. Naruto was about to charge at Neji when he heard, "Cool it, Naruto."


    Naruto was surprised and looked behind him to see Fujin standing there. He didn''t sense Fujin''s moment at all. Even Neji''s smile disappeared as he hadn''t seen Fujin''s movements either. However, he wasn''t too disturbed as he had seen Fujin do that thousands of times.


    However, one particr ninja had terror in his eyes, though he did well to hide it. Baki thought, ''I didn''t sense him move! It was as if he appeared out of thin air! He''s fast, ridiculously fast! No, it wasn''t entirely his speed. He moved when everyone was paying attention to those two kids. That''s why I didn''t feel his movements at all.


    However, this is even worse. If he''s able to grasp such opportunities during battle, I''ll have a very difficult time surviving against him! The news propagated by the Hokage wasn''t false. He really might have defeated Orochimaru!


    I need to inform Lord Kazekage. No, I need to inform the entire council! We may need to call off this entire invasion. Otherwise, the consequences will be dire!''


    No one noticed Baki''s panic. Neji saw that Fujin was looking at him and became puzzled. He asked, "What is it?"


    Fujin casually replied, "A true shinobi may or may not cheer during a match, but they surely don''t lose control of their emotions during a battle. One false step could mean your death on the battlefield. Keep it in mind the next time."


    Neji frowned on hearing Fujin''s words but didn''t argue back. After all, Fujin''s words were true. Hinata''sst sentence had made him lose all control. Had he been fighting a stronger opponent, he could have paid with his life.


    Suddenly, Hinata coughed a lot of blood despite being unconscious. Her face had be very pale. Kurenai immediately checked on her and thought grimly, ''Oh no, she''s going into ventricr fibrition! He really intended to kill her!''


    "Kurenai, move aside." Kurenai had just nced towards Neji when she heard Fujin''s words. She became confused and asked, "What is it? Hinata needs medical care immediately!"


    Fujin replied, "That''s why I asked you to move aside."


    Fujin extended his palm towards Hinata''s chest and released Yin chakra to check the state of her injuries. His action caught nearly everyone off guard. Many wondered, ''Fujin is a medical ninja? Since when?''


    Kurenai, on the other hand, became a bit nervous and thought, ''Is he good at Medical Ninjutsu? Hinata''s condition is bad.''


    She subconsciously nced towards the medics, who noticed her gaze and moved towards her. However, none of them disturbed Fujin due to his reputation and the fact that he was inspecting Hinata properly.


    Fujin inspected Hinata''s injuries and thought, ''Tsk, that guy was ruthless. No wonder she didn''t recover from these injuries even after a month¡­''


    He withdrew his Yin chakra as he stopped inspecting Hinata. He used Mystical Palm jutsu and began healing her. The medics immediately became respectful on seeing that jutsu and thought, ''His technique is good. He inspected properly and his healing technique is very powerful.''


    As Fujin continued healing Hinata, the medics realized that none of them were as good as Fujin at healing! Hiruzen thought, ''Not bad. Yoshi, Isamu and others did a good job.


    Even though Fujin drained them so much that I had to give every Jounin rank Medical ninja in the hospital a couple of weeks of vacation, having another excellent Medical ninja is a good thing for Konoha.


    The fact that he''s a rank S ninja and extremely powerful means that no one can neutralize him. However, since he is a fighter, I can''t have him waste all his chakra on healing during a battle. He can only heal himself and perhaps Elite Jounins in the heat of a battle.''


    At the same time, Baki analyzed, ''He is a medical ninja as well? It should mean that he is decent with poisons as well. We can''t count on killing him with poisons. Not to mention, if he has been guided by the Legendary Sannin Tsunade, it could mean that Konoha has another ninja who can neutralize all our poisons on the battlefield.


    However, the chances of that should be low considering how young he is. Regardless, we will have to keep it in mind in the future.''


    As Fujin continued healing Hinata, color appeared on her pale face. In around 3 minutes, Fujin healed all her internal injuries before opening up the chakra points Neji blocked.


    He finally got up and said, "She isn''t in danger, but her internal injuries were quite serious. Keep her under observation and ensure that she doesn''t do any strenuous activities for at least a couple of weeks. And of course, no fighting or practicing Gentle Fist for that period."


    The medics nodded and said, "Alright, Councilor. We''ll take over from here."


    They quickly checked Hinata once again before carrying her away. Kurenai sighed in relief and said, "Thank you, Fujin."


    Fujin nodded and said, "It''s no big deal."


    With Hinata taken away, the area was finally cleared and the electronic board began deciding the next matchup. It disyed - Gaara Vs Lee!


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 644: Fujins Choice!

    Chapter 644: Fujin''s Choice!


    Gaara Vs Lee!


    As in the original story, Guy warned Lee about Gaara''s gourd, though he didn''t mention any details. Kakashi looked at Gaara and thought, ''So he is the Fourth Kazekage''s son, and also Suna''s only Jinchuriki. This should be an interesting fight.''


    Since Naruto was standing close to Fujin, Kankuro didn''t dare to get close to him to get some information about Neji. The fact that Fujin was able to injure Gaara when he was only 13 was enough of a deterrent for Kankuro.


    As for Fujin, he was looking forward to the fight. He thought, ''Even though there were several good fights in Naruto, if there was one that stood out, it would be this one. A shame that it was also thest time Lee was in the spotlight. If it wasn''t for the fact that I have been in even more intense battles, I would have been even more excited to watch this in person.''


    "Let the ninth round battle begin!"


    Lee went on the attack as soon as Hayate announced the start of the battle but was blocked by the Sand pouring out of Gaara''s gourd and protecting him autonomously.


    Fujin looked at it and thought, ''I didn''t get time to have a closer look at him in the desert, but the sand in his gourd is quite intriguing. Unlike normal ma release, the sand in his gourd works autonomously like it has its own mind¡­


    No, that wouldn''t be correct. A betterparison would be a robot having a set of instructions to always follow. The technique his dying mother used to achieve this should undoubtedly be a Kinjutsu that would cost the caster''s life. If it can be used more liberally, then it can be used to create several powerful tools.''


    Of course, Fujin wouldn''t use that technique himself. However, he saw a lot of scope in it if given to his Phantom Haven Society members. Even if a small percentage of them could use that technique during their death, Fujin would gain several Jounin and Elite Jounin level members. He continued analyzing, ''The best case would be someone enchanting tools that can be used by me. However, I''ll need to create a very strong personal bond with everyone to achieve that. It''s not something that I can do from so far away. Also, spending that much time is probably not worth it, though I could send low chakra Shadow Clones¡­''


    As he was analyzing, Guy asked Lee to remove his weights. While most considered itme, everyone was shocked when Lee dropped those weights to the ground. When he attacked again, only a handful of people were able to see his movements and Gaara wasn''t one of them! Fortunately for him, his sand could still protect him.


    Fujin thought, ''Oh well, I''ll think about it after I get my hands on that technique. I''ll first need to get the Edo Tensei jutsu. Hopefully, he''ll know how to perform this jutsu. Once I learn it, I''ll have to dig up his mother''s grave and resurrect her¡­''


    Fujin''s mind fell silent for a bit as he thought, ''Sigh, how far have I fallen? From someone who never killed to beingfortable with killing to working on dead bodies and now to digging up graves¡­''


    Fujin stopped thinking about it. In his previous life, he would never have done something like this. Be it for his morals or just the disgust about doing something like that. However, the ninja world slowly changed his morals and moulded his personality to a point where such things became eptable to him.


    "Bushy Brows has gotten even faster! He really is strong!" Naruto eximed in shock and surprise.


    Fujin said, "He is. At least in terms of strength, Lee is qualified to be a Chunin. Watch this battle properly. They are the two strongest Genins in this exam. A shame that they had to fight before the Main exam."


    Neji frowned on Fujin''s promation. Naruto eximed in surprise, "Wait, the two strongest? You mean that they are stronger than me and Sasuke?"


    Fujin chuckled and answered, "You two are still quite weak. You''ll need to train very hard to even be able topete with them. Even though you have grown stronger, Naruto, you''ll need to train a lot more before you reach their level.


    Not to mention, there are ninjas who can defeat both of them together with ease. Always remember that when you train."


    Naruto solemnly nodded as Lee used the front lotus. Unfortunately, Gaara slipped and used Substitution jutsu when Lee closed his eyes momentarily due to pain.


    Lee''s body took a lot of damage due to using the technique and he took a lot of beating until he could open the Gate of Healing. Fujin looked at Lee and thought, ''If this fight continues as usual, Lee will be injured badly.


    If everything happens as per the original story, then Hiruzen will die during the invasion, following which Kakashi will be left in a terrible shape by Itachi while Jiraiya will put forth Tsunade''s name for the fifth Hokage. She will return and her Hemophobia will be cured as well.


    I could then get her help to increase my cellr activity. She''ll heal Lee and Kakashi and everything will go back to normal. The only drawback is that I won''t get to have fun with Hiruzen any more. That would be a pity¡­


    However, all that is assuming things happen like they did¡­''


    Fujin nced towards Hiruzen and thought, ''I haven''t seen Hiruzen go all out, but I always had a feeling that he is ridiculously stronger than what he was shown in the canon! His reputation is just too huge and I don''t think any of it is fake.


    Even if Orochimaru summons Hashirama and Tobirama, I am not sure whether the three of them could defeat Hiruzen! On the contrary, I have a feeling that Hiruzen might seal up the Senju brothers and kill Orochimaru without needing to rely on the Dead Demon Consuming Seal.


    After all, Orochimaru''s Edo Tensei summons don''t have their peak power like how Kabuto''s did. Not to mention, even if he did, Hashirama would just break out of his control¡­ In fact, even Tobirama might be able to do it. So even if he could, Orochimaru wouldn''t risk making either of them any stronger.


    If Hiruzen ends up winning, or even if he just holds them back until Jiraiya and I can reinforce him, then the entire future will change drastically. With him alive, Jiraiya won''t go looking for Tsunade to be the next Hokage and she won''t return to the vige¡­


    Without her, Lee''s injuries can''t be treated. Even though Guy is strong, he doesn''t have the influence to make Hiruzen call Tsunade back. Even if he did, Hiruzen wouldn''t call her back for that reason. After all, her hemophobia won''t be cured if she doesn''t meet Naruto and those events don''t ur.


    I might be able to get Hiruzen to call her to the vige using my aplishments during the war and get my cellr activity increased, but Lee''s career as a ninja will most likely be over¡­''


    Everyone watched in awe and shock as Lee made Gaara his punching bag after opening the Fourth Inner Gate, Gate of Pain, as Gaara''s sand could no longer keep up with Lee''s incredible speed and Gaara''s sand armor crumbled. Fujin was the only one having different emotions as he wondered, ''Should I let nature take its course and leave it to Lee''s luck? Or should I make a move and end the fight early?''


    As Fujin was deciding, Lee opened the Fifth Inner Gate, Gate of Limit and used Reverse Lotus and hit Gaara with all his strength. The impact of his palm and foot on Gaara''s abdomen was so intense that high-speed winds and dust wereunched in every direction.


    Most of the spectators immediately covered themselves up while Fujin just continued watching the duo as the winds and dust avoided him. Guy''s and Kakashi''s eyes widened in shock as Gaara''s gourd turned into sand and softened his fall. Even though he was hurt, this move ensured that he wouldn''t get knocked out.


    Lee fell to the ground as well as his body was too tired and hurt from the bacsh of opening Five Inner Gates for so long. As the dust cleared, Lee saw Gaara lying in his sand and extending his arm towards him. He muttered in disbelief, "How can that be?"


    While everyone was still in shock from these developments and trying to process what had taken ce, Gaara controlled his sand and moved it towards Lee! Due to the state of his body, he couldn''t move properly and the sand reached his left arm and left leg!


    [A/N: Thought quite a bit about changing this fight as well. However, the original fight between Gaara and Lee was just too epic. So, I decided against interfering with it. Fujin did have some influence on both of them since Lee saw his spars with Guy while Gaara was injured by him, but the influence wasn''t high enough to force me to make changes in their battle (like I had to in Sakura and Naruto''s matches). Anyway, find out in a few hours what decision Fujin makes :)]


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 Chapter 645: Fujins Strictness

    Chapter 645: Fujin''s Strictness


    While everyone was watching in shock, Gaara controlled his sand and moved it towards Lee! Due to the state of his body, he couldn''t move properly and the sand reached his left arm and left leg!


    As the only one who had seen that move in action, Shino thought, ''It''s that move!''


    Lee tried getting away, but the sand crawled up his fist and foot and continued moving upward. He didn''t have the energy to free himself. Seeing that he had encased enough of his arm and leg, Gaara was about to clench his fist.


    However, at that very moment, a wind de suddenly cut through the sand that was holding Lee down! The winds apanying it sent the sand around his limbs flying as well without leaving a single scratch on him. Lee, who was trying to pull away from the sand, suddenly lost his bnce as nothing was holding him anymore and tumbled forward.


    The sudden change once again shocked everyone. Even Gaara''s eyes widened as everyone stared at Fujin. Fujin wasn''t bothered by their stares and calmly said softly, "The battle is over. Gaara of Sunagakure is the winner."


    At the same time, Fujin thought, ''Ah, screw it. It doesn''t have any impact on me whether Lee gets injured and then healed or never gets injured in the first ce. What could affect the future is if he has to stop being a ninja and Guy''s team either breaks up or he has to take another teammate. However, if Hiruzen survives, all talk of the future is meaningless anyway.


    Regardless, it will be a pity if someone like Lee can''t continue being a ninja. Not to mention, I did benefit a lot from Guy. And unlike Hiruzen, he never tried to get anything in return except a good spar. I suppose I owe him this much.''


    Baki became serious and looked at Fujin. He wondered, ''Why did he make a move? I need to ensure that he doesn''t make a move against Gaara. Even though his sand will protect Gaara for a while, he can''t be allowed to lose control yet. Otherwise, Konoha would eat him alive.''


    Even Hiruzen wondered, ''Why did Fujin make a move? That''s not like him.'' Kakashi and Guy were surprised as well and weren''t sure what to say. Neither of them expected that Fujin would make a move.


    Of course, the one who was the most stunned was none other than Rock Lee! Not only had Fujin involved himself in the battle, but he had also dered that Gaara was the winner. Even before he could stand on his legs, he said, "Wait! I haven''t lost yet! I can still fight!"


    Unlike Baki, Gaara didn''t see therger perspective. Instead, the memories of him getting injured a few years ago resurfaced in his mind. He recalled Baki and his father saying that Fujin was the one who injured him. Hence, instead of calming down, he became even more angry and sent a lot more sand towards Lee, intending to kill him for good!


    Fujin had just looked at Lee and was about to speak when Gaara controlled his sand and sent it towards Lee. The Sand reached the area through which Fujin''s Wind de had passed through and stopped moving!


    Gaara''s eyes widened as he observed, ''My sand stopped moving? No, there is a wind flow there. My sand is flying towards the wall instead of piercing through it. What is it?''


    Even Baki looked in shock and questioned, ''How can a Wind de continue moving for so long? And how can it affect Gaara''s sand? It''s almost like a barrier!''


    Kakashi observed with his Sharingan, ''His control over the wind is remarkable. The wind is flowing in such a way that anything that enters it gets thrown back. That is why the sand particles can''t move to the other side. Did he develop such a technique earlier or did hee up with it to stop his sand technique?''


    Needless to say, it was an application of Fujin''s Wind Domain which he had applied on a very small scale to specifically counter Gaara''s sand. Fujin turned his gaze towards Gaara and asked casually, "Oh, do you still want to fight?"


    Suddenly, Baki flickered in front of Gaara and said, "As you said, this battle is over. Gaara has won."


    Fujin dismissively replied, "Tell that to your student."


    Baki frowned and thought, ''That look in his eyes¡­ It''s as if he doesn''t consider me a threat at all.''


    Had it been before, Baki would have been offended. He had prepared himself to stop either Kakashi or Fujin during their assault. However, he understood that he wouldn''t stand a chance against Fujin after learning that Fujin defeated Orochimaru.


    He looked behind and said, "Gaara, you''ve won. Let''s head back."


    At the same time, Lee stood up and said, "I can still fight!"


    Fujin nced at him and said inly, "The match is over. You are in no shape to continue fighting. Go get healed by the medics."


    Instead of backing away, Lee continued arguing, "But I can still fight! I don''t want to lose in this manner."


    Lee was extremely unwilling. Neji, Naruto, Sasuke and even Sakura had qualified for the finals. He didn''t want to be left behind. Especially considering that he had opened Five Inner Gates!


    Nearly everyone could understand Lee''s unwillingness though not everyone was pleased by his attitude. Despite his impressive performance, Hiruzen, Anko and Ibiki involuntarily shook their heads.


    Guy said, "Lee, yo¡­"


    However, Fujin cut him off and said, "This is just a match. Even though you win glory for your vige, that is assuming you win. Once you have lost, it doesn''t matter whether you lose without injuries or you die, it makes no difference for the vige.


    Your body is in such bad shape that you are barely able to stand, let alone fight. That attack would have crippled you, if not killed you outright. Yet, not only did you not give up, you''re arguing about wanting to continue the fight.


    If you don''t understand what is the best decision to take under such a simple situation, then, I''m sorry to say this but¡­"


    Fujin paused and looked at Lee strictly. Without mincing his words, he harshly said, "Then you aren''t ready to ept the responsibilities of being a Chunin."


    Fujin''s words left Lee shocked. He had never seen Fujin being strict. His wordspletely caught him off guard and he didn''t know how to reply. The proctors subconsciously nodded at Fujin''s words. None of them would have supported his promotion despite his incredible strength.


    A Chunin was responsible for leading squads and ensuring their safety. Irrespective of how strong someone was, they wouldn''t be promoted if they didn''t know how to lead a squad properly and make sound decisions.


    Guy frowned and wondered, ''Why is Fujin being so harsh?''


    At the same time, Kakashi thought, ''Fujin is right. Lee needed to hear this. Otherwise, he would suffer in the future.''


    Sakura couldn''t control her tongue and said, "Hey, isn''t that too harsh¡­" Her mouth was covered by Naruto''s hand who whispered, "Shhh! Don''t poke Fujin when he is like this!"


    As someone who had been on the receiving end of Fujin''s harmless experiments, Naruto knew exactly when not to annoy Fujin. Otherwise, the winds would be too chaotic and intense or he would be sent flying across the vige.


    Fujin ignored their antics and continued looking at Lee with a strict expression. Neither his words nor his expression left any room for discussion. Lee realized his mistake and said, "I apologize. I got too caught up in the battle."


    Fujin nodded and didn''t say anything. After all, he wasn''t Lee''s sensei. Guy wasted no time in appearing next to Lee at a speed that once again shocked Baki. He hugged Lee and said, "Don''t worry, Lee. You fought very well."


    Lee immediately broke out into tears and shouted, "I''m sorry, Guy sensei!"


    Guy became teary as well and said emotionally, "Lee!"


    "Guy sensei!"


    "Lee!"


    "Guy sensei!"


    "Lee!"


    The two immediately hugged each other tightly with tears rolling down their faces. Somehow, a sunset appeared in their background as everyone watched the two ninjas with disbelief and disgust.


    Temari blushed due to that sight.


    Kankuro couldn''t help but mutter, "How did Gaara get smacked around by a loser like him?"


    Sweat appeared on Baki''s face as he wondered, ''What the hell is up with this vige?''


    Even Gaara was disturbed by that sight. He couldn''t make sense of what he was seeing.


    Ino shouted in disgust, "Eww! What are they doing?"


    Neji just closed his eyes and turned his head away in embarrassment. He wished that everyone would forget that he was on the same team as them. Even Kakashi felt the same, as Sakura looked at him and asked, "Sensei, how did he be your rival?"


    Her question left him speechless. He thought, ''He forcefully became my rival without my consent. There wasn''t anything I could do...''


    Finally, Guy sent Lee away along with the medics. Even though his injuries weren''t life-threatening due to Fujin''s action, his body suffered immense bacsh due to opening the Inner Gates. He needed to be treated immediately.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 646: The Matchups for Finals!

    Chapter 646: The Matchups for Finals!


    After the medics took Lee away, Guy returned back to Fujin''s side. A frown appeared on his face. He couldn''t help but say, "I know you mean well, Fujin, but why were you so strict? Even though he never said it, Lee does look up to you due to our frequent spars. Such words could affect his confidence."


    As Guy was speaking, thest match began. However, the ones around Fujin didn''t pay much attention to it. They were more interested in hearing Fujin''s reply.


    Fujin answered, "If you knew the technique he was using, you''d have done the same, Guy. The jutsu Gaara used to encase Lee''s arm and leg is called Sand Coffin. The jutsu he was about to use is called Sand Burial. He uses the first jutsu to encase his opponents in sand and the second jutsu to crush them to death."


    Naruto and Sakura''s eyes widened in horror. Of course, the one who was the most stunned was Guy. Fujin continued, "If I hadn''t acted when I did, Lee would have lost his left arm and leg. No medical ninja currently in Konoha would have been able to heal them. I don''t think that even someone like Lady Tsunade could fix wounds of that level.


    Such an injury would end any ninja''s career, let alone someone like Lee who knows nothing but Taijutsu. Even though my words would hurt his pride and confidence, it is far better than the cost he would have to pay otherwise."


    Guy became silent for a while. Naruto eximed in disbelief, "No way! That Sand guy has such a deadly jutsu?"


    Fujin didn''t say anything but his serious expression gave Naruto the answer he needed. Both he and Sakura wondered, ''How can we even defend from that?''


    Finally, Guy said, "I was mistaken. I apologize, Fujin. Thank you for looking out for Lee."


    Fujin smiled and replied, "Don''t worry about it, Guy. I''m sure you''d have done the same for me."Guy smiled and nodded, "Of course."


    Renjiro smiled on seeing his reaction and said, "You don''t need to worry about Lee''s confidence taking a hit. If a single loss were to demotivate him, then he would never amount to much.


    However, hearing his past and his struggle, I don''t think that this loss will keep him down. Instead, it is an opportunity for him to be even stronger, not just in terms of fighting capabilities but also mentally."


    Guy nodded and said with a thumbs-up, "Of course! Such a loss will never keep Lee down."


    None of them paid any attention to Dosu defeating Choji. With all the preliminary battles done, all the winners were called down.


    Before going down to join the winners, Sakura enquired with Kakashi about Sasuke. Kakashi reassured her that he''d be fine and asked her to pay attention to the instructions before flickering away.


    Fujin looked at the ce where Kakashi was standing and thought, ''I forgot that he leaves before the matchups are decided¡­''


    A frown appeared on his face. Renjiro noticed it and asked, "Is something the matter?"


    Fujin replied, "Just getting an odd feeling."


    Renjiro frowned. Fujin''s instincts had generally proved right. Fujin said, "I''ll leave as well. I''ll keep a Shadow Clone behind to inform you if I need any assistance."


    Renjiro and Hoka nodded. After creating a Shadow Clone, Fujin left the tower as well. He activated his Space Time Sensing Technique and chased after Kakashi while leaving enough distance between them for Kakashi to not realize that someone was trailing him.


    In the tower, Hiruzen exined the rules and details of the Final round to the Genins. In the end, Anko stepped forward with a box while Hiruzen said, "There are slips of paper in the box Anko is holding. Each one of you, take one."


    Anko said, "I''lle around, so line up, okay?"


    Everyone took one paper slip each and opened it to see it. Naruto was the first one to see and thought, ''Huh, 1?''


    Hiruzen said, "Alright, does everybody have one? Then, starting at the left, each one of you read the number written on your slip."


    Fujin''s clone paid close attention. He thought, ''This is it. The numbers will decide on what I should do!''


    The Genins looked at the paper slips and began telling their numbers.


    Dosu said, "10"


    Naruto said, "1"


    Sakura said, "4"


    Temari said, "8"


    Kankuro said, "7"


    Gaara said, "5"


    Shikamaru said, "9"


    Neji said, "2"


    Shino said, "6"


    As they spoke, Ibiki wrote down their names and said, "So, Sasuke would be number 3."


    Hiruzen replied, "Good, now I will reveal the match order for the tournament-style finals!"


    The Genins were shocked to learn that they were deciding the order for the finals. Meanwhile, Fujin''s clone thought, ''Weird¡­ Their number seems to be different due to Sakura. However, they are still close to their original opponents. It''ll depend on how Ibiki decides the matchups would be.''


    With Hiruzen''smand, Ibiki showed the Genins their matchups. Of course, the one who was watching the most intensely was Fujin''s clone. As soon as his eyesy on the paper, he thought, ''Shiiii¡­ Wait! This is still salvageable¡­''


    Since the number of participants wasn''t a power of 2, a couple of extra matches were needed to reduce the number of participants to 8. Hence, the first two matchups were, No. 4 Haruno Sakura Vs No. 5 Gaara and No. 9 Dosu Kinuta Vs No. 10 Nara Shikamaru! The winners of those matches would fight Uchiha Sasuke and Temari respectively in the next round.


    Following those two matches, the remaining would stay the same. That is, Naruto would first fight against Neji. The next match would be between Sasuke and the winner of Gaara Vs Sakura followed by Kankuro Vs Shino andstly Temari Vs the winner of Shikamaru Vs Dosu matches.


    Fujin''s clone analyzed, ''So the only additional fight is Sakura Vs. Gaara. Honestly, it doesn''t make much difference whether she fights him or not. That match will be over promptly and Gaara will still end up fighting Sasuke, who may still end upingte. Still, this is kind of weird¡­''


    Fujin looked at the matchups with a strange look as he thought, ''Even though only one person was added, it should have ended up changing the matchupspletely. However, Sakura barely has had any effect on the matchups¡­


    I just talked about fate¡­ Don''t tell me that shit really exists¡­''


    He sighed internally while concluding, ''Oh well, screw it. This just might be a coincidence. Even if it does exist, I just have to follow my own words.


    Besides, considering that it allowed me to transmigrate to such a faraway and distinct ce, a ce that might not even be in the same universe or timeline, I doubt my fate would be bad.


    Perhaps it might just allow Ten Tails to fall in myp and make me the strongest in this world andter in this universe...''


    Of course, he didn''t ever n on counting on things happening so easily considering how much he had to train and struggle to reach up to this time, but there was no harm in just thinking that for a few seconds.


    Elsewhere, Kakashi reached the ce where Sasuke was kept under observation. Fujin reached there as well but a frown appeared on his face as he wondered, ''Why does it feel like someone is looking here?''


    He focused on his Space Time Sensing technique and tried to locate everyone who could spy on that ce. He immediately located one disturbance and looked in that direction. His eyes immediately widened as he thought, ''Orochimaru? Why the fuck is he here?''


    Thoughts shed in his brain at the speed of light as he recalled, ''Wait, I remember. He was afraid that Kabuto would try to kill Sasuke or something along those lines. He won''t make a move, or at least shouldn''t unless he has decided to eliminate Kakashi to reduce obstacles for the invasion.


    Irrespective of whether he makes a move or not, I can''t have him observe like this. Else, I wouldn''t be able to do what I want¡­''


    Orochimaru didn''t sense Fujin''s arrival or the fact that he had already been sensed. He continued looking with amusement and thought, ''So Kakashi is finally here. This should be interesting to watch¡­ Huh?''


    Orochimaru immediately looked behind and heard Fujin speaking, "I didn''t expect that you''d return so quickly. Were you so impatient to ept my offer and follow me instead of ving for Akatsuki?"


    [A/N: Next Chapter: Fujin Vs Orochimaru - Round 2!]


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 Chapter 647: Fujin Vs Orochimaru - Round 2!

    Chapter 647: Fujin Vs Orochimaru - Round 2!


    "Were you so impatient to ept my offer and follow me instead of ving for Akatsuki?"


    As Orochimaru heard Fujin''s nonchnt tone, he saw Fujin standing a few meters behind him while holding a sword in his hand. A smirk appeared on his lips as he tauntingly asked, "You think so?"


    Having been burned once by Fujin''s words, Orochimaru didn''t take his words to heart anymore and treated them as the air. Fujin tilted his head and asked in confusion, "Why are you here then? Do you want to be beaten again? I didn''t know you were a masochist. Sigh, you Sannins are all weird!"


    Disgust was visible on Fujin''s face as he spoke those words. Despite having decided to ignore all of Fujin''s words, Orochimaru couldn''t control his eyes from twitching. He thought, ''This brat! He is very good at getting under the skin.''


    He said, "I''m more interested to know what you are doing here. Shouldn''t you be in the tower?"


    Fujin replied, "I was but I felt like some snakes were crawling underground and came to check. And from the looks of it, I was right. For you to first put that seal on Sasuke and then watch him in this manner¡­ Why are you so obsessed with that Uchiha kid?"


    Orochimaru replied, "Oh you know how it is. Two guys have something and a third one''s just got to get it."


    Fujin asked, "Oh, the Sharingan? However, what use is a two Tomoe Sharingan to you? Even if you imnt it, it''ll be more of a constraint than a boon. Wouldn''t it have been better if you went after his brother''s Mangekyou?"


    Orochimaru''s smile faded away. Fujin made an expression that disyed that he just figured out something. He chuckled and said, "I see how it is. You went after him and failed, presumably got your ass handed to you. So, you are now going after his younger brother instead. Hehehe." With amusement on his face, Fujin added, "When I grew up, I always heard stories about the Legendary Sannins. As the strongest among them, I heard especially a lot about you. Nearly every kid in my ss looked up to you and wanted to be as powerful as you.


    Unfortunately, it looks like the reality is disappointing. Instead of seeing a powerful Sannin, all I see is a loser going after Genins because he is too afraid of the stronger ninjas. I wonder how disappointed they would be when they learn the truth."


    Fujin shook his head in disappointment. Orochimaru''s expression became dark upon hearing his words. Despite having decided to ignore his words, Fujin had sessfully managed to get on his nerves!


    Before he could respond, Fujin flowed chakra through his sword and said, "I have changed my mind. I gave you the offer due to your past reputation. However, after seeing the truth, I have no intention of having such a weak follower. Just let me kill you without any resistance so that others don''t learn how disappointing you are and you maintain your reputation!"


    Fujin disappeared and appeared in front of Orochimaru while swinging his sword.


    While Fujin and Orochimaru were in a face-off, another face-off was happening very close by. Inside the tower, Kakashi and Kabuto were looking at each other. The bodies of 4 dead Anbu ninjas were lying in the room while Sasuke was sleeping in the center on a bed.


    Kakashi asked, "What do you want to do with Sasuke? Depending on the circumstances, I''ll have to arrest and interrogate you."


    Kabuto smirked and asked in return, "I wonder if someone like you can?"


    Kakashi replied, "Do you want to test someone like me?"


    The two talked for a bit more until Kakashi realized that talking with Kabuto would be pointless. However, before he could make a move, Kabuto held a kunai against the sleeping Sasuke''s throat. Understanding the danger, Kakashi made a move instantly and restrained ''Kabuto''.


    In the tower, Fujin''s clone continued analyzing, ''I haven''t made any impact on the Oto Genins. So, there''s a good chance that Dosu would end upmitting suicide. As for Sakura, the best thing for her is just to forfeit this match.


    I suspect that Kakashi might ask her to do the same as the danger is too high and he can''t strengthen her in a month like he could with Sasuke. Even if she doesn''t forfeit, as long as she isn''t too injured, things will remain the same. So, I don''t need to interfere unless her life is in danger like how Lee''s was.''


    He was satisfied with the matchups. The Genins looked at their opponents. Naruto was happy to have Neji as his opponent while Shino and Kankuro had a staredown. Of course, there was one Genin who was terrified.


    That Genin was none other than Sakura. Her face became pale at the very instant she realized that her opponent was Gaara! Having seen his battle with Lee, she knew that she had no chance against Gaara.


    Naruto was looking at Neji when he sensed that something was off with Sakura. He said, "Sakura-chan, what''s wrong? Why are you so pale?"


    Sakura didn''t say a word. Instead, Shikamaru said, "Look who her opponent is, Naruto."


    Naruto looked again at the paper Ibiki was holding and realized, "Your opponent is Gaara???"


    Sakura could only nod pitifully. She didn''t know what she could do in a month that would give her a chance against a monster like Gaara. Seeing her depressed, Naruto said, "Don''t worry, Sakura. I am sure Kakashi sensei will think of something."


    Once again, Sakura could only nod pitifully and hope that Naruto''s words were true. Fujin''s clone couldn''t help but chuckle at their reaction. So did most of the other Jounins and Gaara''s siblings. Temarimented in her mind, ''Poor girl... Gaara won''t even leave her bones behind.''


    Outside the building where Sasuke was kept, Orochimaru dodged Fujin''s Vacuum sh and said, "Do you really think that this battle will go simr to the one in the forest?"


    Fujin continued attacking and said, "Of course it won''t. We are in the vige. You''ll soon be surrounded by thousands of ninjas and be killed! Unlike the previous time, I won''t allow you to escape!"


    Dodging the barrage of Wind and Vacuum des, Orochimaru jumped into the sky as he said with a smirk, "That''s right. We are in the vige. As long as we fight here, thousands of people will die in the aftermath of our battle!"


    ''Fire Release: Majestic Destroyer me jutsu!''


    A massive flood of mes appeared in the sky and fell towards the ground. The attack was so big and so intense that every civilian and ninja in the vicinity saw it and became alert.


    Fujin built up his chakra as well and took a deep breath while saying, "What about it? Did you forget that you are in ninja vige?"


    ''Wind Release: Infinite Breakthrough jutsu!''


    His move surprised Orochimaru as he wondered, ''That''s strange¡­ Did he forget that his Wind jutsus can''t push back my ¡­ Hmm?''


    As the two jutsus shed, Orochimaru saw that Fujin''s winds were overpowering his jutsu. The mes were being sent back into the skies by the intense winds.


    A grin appeared on Orochimaru''s face as he thought, ''Impressive! Very impressive! He added Yin chakra to his jutsu to counter my Yang chakra. And, he has added it in enough quantity to be able to match me. Toe up with this so quickly, his control over Yin & Yang chakra must be exceptional.


    As impressive as he is, he is too big of a threat to be left alive. If he''s allowed to maturepletely, he might end up surpassing Minato. I need to eliminate him during the invasion, or Konoha will rally around him even if I kill Sensei.''


    The massive waves of mes dispersed in the skies as a good portion of Konoha''s poption noticed a fiery sky and felt a heatwave. Several ninjas rushed towards their location.


    Just then, the sound of a ss window breaking was heard behind Fujin as Kabuto jumped out while being disguised as an Anbu ninja. Kakashi looked out of the window while thinking, ''Darn it, he got away!''


    His attention was quickly diverted towards Fujin and Orochimaru as he thought, ''I sensed their sh. Did Orochimaru alsoe here for Sasuke? And, what is Fujin doing here?''


    Kabuto saw them as he fell from the building as well. However, he didn''t stay and quickly escaped. Seeing Kabuto get away sessfully, Orochimaru, who was standing in the center of a firestorm, said while weaving a hand seal, "This isn''t the time for us to battle. But don''t worry, it''ll be very soon."


    Using Reverse Summoning jutsu, Orochimaru escaped from Konoha once again. Fujin didn''t stop him from escaping as he thought, ''Oh, it''s good that he''s escaping himself. Saves me a lot of trouble.''


    In a quiet and dark corner inside Konoha, where there was no one nearby, Kabuto appeared. He sighed in relief and thought, ''It''s a good thing that Orochimaru-sama was keeping an eye. Otherwise, with both Kakashi and Fujin, I might not have been able to esca¡­''


    Suddenly, Kabuto''s eyes widened and his pupils dted. He lowered his head and nced towards his chest. An arm, covered in Lightning, had pierced through his chest and was holding his heart!


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 648: Striking Preemptively!

    Chapter 648: Striking Preemptively!


    Suddenly, Kabuto''s eyes widened and his pupils dted. He lowered his head and nced towards his chest. An arm, covered in Lightning, had pierced through his chest and was holding his heart!


    Inplete shock, he turned his head and saw Kakashi. He muttered, "Hatake Kakashi¡­ How did you follow me? And why didn''t I detect you?"


    Kakashi''s eyes widened as he thought, ''This fellow is remarkable! Even without his heart, he is able to replicate blood cirction with just his chakra! Tsk, this troublesome fellow''s expertise in Medical Ninjutsu is even better than I remember!


    Fortunately, I had a chance to make a move against him inside Konoha. Otherwise, killing him would have been troublesome. The fact that he will always stay around Orochimaru would make it even tougher.''


    Needless to say, the attacker wasn''t Kakashi. Instead, it was Fujin under disguise. The ''Fujin'' who confronted Orochimaru was his Shadow Clone. Unlike the Shadow Clone that he left in the tower and contained only half a percent of his chakra, the clone fighting Orochimaru had 70% of his chakra. That is why Orochimaru didn''t suspect anything.


    As for how Fujin snuck up on Kabuto? That was actually extremely simple. Back when Fujin was tasked to search for the culprit that killed the Root ninjas, Fujin had marked nearly the entire vige with his Flying Thunder God mark!


    Only some n spaces and important buildings where he was closely watched were spared. If anyone else could see those marks, they would struggle to find a single square meter in any other ce inside Konoha that didn''t have one of those marks!


    Anyone who could see seals found Fujin''s home terrifying and stayed as far from it as they could. What none of them knew was that the number of seals he inscribed on his house paled inparison to the number of Flying Thunder God marks he had ced throughout the vige! Even Hiruzen and Danzo were unaware of this! If they did, both would have been terrified!


    When Fujin''s Shadow Clone was fighting against Orochimaru, Fujin''s entire attention was on Kabuto and Kakashi''s battle. Even though Kabuto escaped from Kakashi, Fujin never lost his track due to his Space Time Sensing Technique. Once Kabuto entered an area where no one was around, Fujin just teleported to the closest Flying Thunder God mark behind Kabuto, which was just one step behind him, and stabbed his chest with Kakashi''s Chidori before he had any time to react. It was the perfect assassination!


    Had it been any other ce, Fujin would have had a hard time killing Kabuto despite being significantly stronger than him. However, inside Konoha, even someone as strong as Kabuto had no chance of resisting Fujin for a second!


    Kabuto didn''t get any response to his question. Instead, Fujin clenched his fist and crushed Kabuto''s heart while concentrating more Lightning chakra on his arm. From his arm, Lightning sparks flowed in all directions inside Kabuto''s body except the top direction!


    As the Lightning ripped through Kabuto''s body, he felt pain that he had never experienced. His eyes widened and he let out a gut-wrenching scream! Under normal circumstances, people would have heard his scream for several hundred meters.


    Yet, not a single other person heard his scream due to the Stealth Battlefield Fujin deployed right after stabbing Kabuto. Despite several Ninjas, who were rushing towards the spot where Fujin''s clone and Orochimaru fought, passing by from very close to where Fujin and Kabuto were, none of them sensed the chakra spikes from Fujin''s attack or heard Kabuto''s miserable screams.


    Despite his terrible situation, Kabuto still tried to heal himself. Unfortunately, the speed at which he could heal was too slowpared to the destruction Fujin was causing inside his body. His struggle, though admirable, failed to earn him even a second!


    Kabuto cursed, ''Shit! I can''t hold on! He intends to kill me!''


    Kabuto immediately began thinking about what he could do. Unfortunately, he couldn''t think of anything in that situation. The Lightning waves destroyed every internal organ of Kabuto except his brain, which waspletely unharmed. In addition, the Lightning, wreaking havoc through his body, pierced through his skin and exited his body, leaving behind hundreds of minute holes that leaked blood!


    Yakushi Kabuto, one of the major yers of the Fourth Great Ninja War who controlled dozens of dead rank S ninjas and Elite Jounins like puppets and single-handedly turned the tide of the battle against the allied forces, was electrocuted to death by Suzuki Fujin even before the Konoha Crush invasion could be put into action!


    Kabuto''s soul crumbled at that very instant as well and began dispersing, indicating to Fujin that he was dead for sure. Fujin looked at his dead body and thought, ''So he couldn''t survive the destruction of all his internal organs, eh? A shame... That would have been a sight to see.''


    Fujin stored Kabuto''s body inside a scroll to ensure that his body wouldn''t decay and his memories could be readter while thinking, ''Yakushi Kabuto¡­ If I hadn''t transmigrated, you would have be one of the strongest ninjas in the world and someone who''d be known and feared by nearly everyone.


    Under normal circumstances, I wouldn''t kill someone who ys such a vital role in future events. Your death will drastically change how the Fourth Great Ninja War happens, costing me my knowledge about future events. However¡­''


    Fujin cleared the blood stains left in the area as he continued thinking, ''However, this guy is just too crazy and troublesome. Bastard not only revived the dead Kages but also revived Uchiha fucking Madara! That should be the ultimate taboo in this world!


    And he did all that despite not having any stake in the Great War! What exactly would he gain if the Infinite Tsukuyomi was a sess? Did he want to experiment in his dreams? Or did he want to dream about a world where Orochimaru bes immortal and still cares for him?


    Not to mention, he could make things far worse by reviving all other Kages and rank S ninjas that he didn''t in the original story for some reason! It is also possible that ck Zetsu might give him the dead bodies of the previous incarnations of Ashura and Indra. The allied army might not stand a chance against such a force even with my addition. Even if I do grow strong enough to deal with that in the future, why should I do so when I can avoid all the trouble right now?


    Even though killing Kabuto now will change the future, the changed future will be much better for me. Without Kabuto, there won''t be any Edo Tensei summons. More importantly, Uchiha Madara wouldn''t be revived! The variables in the war would be reduced significantly, which would be beneficial for me.


    Obito will only have the Zetsu army and the Tailed Beasts. Unless he or Zetsu has some other hidden card under their sleeves, they''ll be on the losing end. Depending on how strong I be by then and whether that seal is a sess or not, I will be able to implement several of my ns while keeping both of them at bay. Regardless of what will happen, there is no doubt that I''ll end up benefiting.


    This is the primary advantage of knowing the future. Even though I made quite a few moves that would impact the future until now, I was careful in ensuring that they didn''t create a major change in future events.


    Even though I wreaked havoc in the Land of Wind, all it did was make Rasa hate Konoha even more. Simrly, my shes against Roshi and Kitsuchi didn''t have an impact on the future. Killing Juzo didn''t have much impact either as he would have died sooner orter.


    I was very careful while training Naruto as well to ensure that he didn''t be very strong. After all, he''ll be involved in all the major events and things will be very different if he is overpowered. There are only two cases where I messed up or it wasn''t in my hands. One is Sakura defeating Ino and the other is my very existence.


    Anyway, the reason I was being so careful wasn''t just so that everything happens exactly the same way. I did it so that I could take advantage of the moments that I know will ur as long as I don''t cause any major changes. When I do something that would affect the future, the move I make has to change the future such that it bes more advantageous for me!


    This is one of those instances and the first time I made such a move. I have a few more such moves nned for the future, though it would depend on whether things stay the same or not for those events to ur.


    If Hiruzen wins or survives against Orochimaru, then I won''t be able to take advantage of any of them as all of those events are unlikely to happen. That was also why I made a move against Kabuto now instead ofter.


    If Hiruzen kills Orochimaru, then there is no saying what this psychotic brat would have done. He went from barely rank S to someone who controlled dozens of peak rank S ninjas in less than a year after Orochimaru''s death. If he''s left unchecked for over 4 years, who knows what level he would reach! Leaving him alive would have been too risky¡­''


    A smile formed on his face as he teleported away while thinking, ''Of course, it isn''t all about the future. There are too many benefits for the present as well!''


    [A/N: Next Chapter: Edo Tensei!]


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    Thank you Nishant for supporting me through UPI.

 Chapter 649: Edo Tensei!

    Chapter 649: Edo Tensei!


    Fujin, in Kakashi''s disguise, disappeared from Konoha along with the scroll storing Kabuto''s body. He appeared in an empty underground base 73 kilometers away from Konoha.


    It was one of the bases Fujin had created outside Konoha. Fujin had created around a dozen of them, each one being over a hundred meters underground, around 60-100 kilometers from Konoha and on routes where Konoha ninjas didn''t usually travel.


    Needless to say, these were even more hidden with his seals. However, unlike his house, Fujin didn''t go all out here and only used the minimum amount of seals needed to ensure that the bases stayed hidden and safe. If he overdid it, then Fuinjutsu Grandmasters passing close to the area would be able to detect the existence of so many seals.


    Fujin walked towards a smaller room and dispelled the transformation jutsu while thinking, ''Kabuto''s entire body is with me and I also cleaned up all his blood and flesh that were in that area. So, Orochimaru shouldn''t be able to revive him with the Edo Tensei jutsu¡­


    Unless he already has some of Kabuto''s DNA, that is. If Orochimaru manages to revive Kabuto, then he''ll think that Kakashi killed him, not me. Of course, that will be very suspicious as well. However, even if he realised that it wasn''t Kakashi, he wouldn''t be able to link it to me. So, I have no reason to hand over Kabuto''s dead body to Konoha!


    Another aspect I need to consider is that Kabuto''s death will have a great impact on Orochimaru. He is his right hand after all. After Hiruzen took away his arms, Kabuto was the one who looked after him. Unless he can revive Kabuto with Edo Tensei and maintain it for a long time, he''ll be severely handicapped.


    It''ll have an impact on the future as well. The good thing is that it isn''t bad for me either. If Sasuke still goes to him, Kabuto''s absence would make it easier for him to kill Orochimaru as Orochimaru will likely be a bit weaker without his assistance. If he doesn''t, then I won''t need to worry about Orochimaru having a strong ally when I go to hunt him down and eliminate his main body before he can mess with future events.''


    Fujin entered a small room with a table at its center. He opened the scroll and summoned Kabuto''s body on top of it. At the same time, a few Shadow Clones appeared next to him. They began checking Kabuto''s body to see if there were any seals on him that could alert Orochimaru of his location.


    As for Fujin, he ced his hand on Kabuto''s head and invaded his brain with his Yin chakra while muttering, "Now, let me see whether you know the Edo Tensei jutsu or not!" While Fujin read Kabuto''s memories, the vige had be quite eventful as well. Several ninjas were rushing towards the area where Fujin''s clone and Orochimaru shed. A few, who were close by, saw a glimpse of Orochimaru before he escaped.


    "Was that the Legendary Sannin Orochimaru?"


    "He was! I was in his division in the Third Great Ninja War! I''ll never forget his face. But why is he here?"


    "Incredible! Suzuki Fujin forced him to retreat! No, he forced Orochimaru to retreat twice!"


    "This is crazy! I was a little suspicious earlier, but there is no doubt now! Fujin can force a Legendary Sannin to retreat! Hahaha, we have another ninja who can fight against other Kages! We don''t need to worry about facing multiple enemies in the future!"


    "That''s right! With Lord Hokage, Master Jiraiya, Lady Tsunade and young Fujin, we can fight all four enemy Kage at the same time! And, don''t forget that we still have the Copy Ninja Kakashi!"


    The ninjas who witnessed Orochimaru escaping immediately began discussing among themselves. As more arrived, they heard their talks and became even more excited!


    Kakashi appeared next to Fujin and asked, "Did Orochimaru alsoe here for Sasuke?"


    Fujin''s clone replied, "Yes, though I am not sure whether he intended to make a move or not. I felt a bit odd after you left and followed your trail. When I reached here, I saw Orochimaru staring at Sasuke''s room.


    Anyway, who were you fighting inside the room? And how did he manage to escape from you?"


    Kakashi answered, "It was Yakushi Kabuto."


    Fujin''s clone eyes widened in surprise. He asked, "That Genin who forfeited? He felt a bit suspicious but is he that strong?"


    Kakashi nodded with a solemn expression and said, "Yeah, the kid is amazing. He killed the four Anbu I deployed to look after Sasuke. He surgically altered one of their faces to make it resemble his own and used the Dead Soul jutsu to temporarily restore his heartbeat and manipte him. He even erased the dead body''s odor so that I wouldn''t suspect him.


    And, he stilled his own heartbeat and disguised himself as one of the dead Anbu ninjas to allow his escape¡­"


    Fujin''s clone became serious and said, "Such skill¡­ Seeing that Orochimaru was watching, it should mean that Kabuto is his subordinate, or more urately, a spy ced by him. This is troublesome."


    Kakashi nodded while thinking, ''His skills would put any Anbu squad to shame. Even the Anbu Guards wouldn''t be his match. If such a talented person is working under Orochimaru, then¡­ At this rate, I''ll be obsolete soon!''


    After Minato''s death, Orochimaru''s betrayal and the Sannins'' withdrawal from active duty, Kakashi was the one who became the ninja who took the most difficult missions for Konoha.


    Over thest decade, he had be the ninja everyone in Konoha looked at as their next leader. Yet, in thest few days, his stature had decreased considerably.


    First Fujin, someone who was 10 years younger than him, defeated Orochimaru and forced him to retreat not just once, but twice! And then, Kabuto disyed that he couldpete against him. He thought, ''I can''t keep cking. I need to pick up on my training once again¡­''


    As they talked, a few other ninjas stepped closer to them. One of the senior ninjas asked, "Kakashi, Fujin, what happened here? Why did Orochimaru show up here?"


    Kakashi answered, "Hard to say for sure. We''ll need to discuss it with Lord Hokage."


    The senior ninja and the others nodded. One of them asked, "Should we establish a perimeter to see whether Orochimaru is still around?"


    Fujin''s clone replied, "No, he has escaped far away. I doubt he''d return here. Instead, we need to focus on ensuring that our vige walls are more secure. After all, this is the second time in less than a week that he has infiltrated our vige."


    Everyone nodded solemnly. Someone like Orochimaru showing up so frequently posed a grave danger to the vige. He could cause hundreds or even thousands of deaths with sudden attacks and could retreat before Fujin or Hiruzen could confront him.


    Kakashi asked a few Anbu squads to stay behind and secure the building while everyone else dispersed. Fujin''s clone and Kakashi returned to Sasuke''s room. Fujin''s clone looked at the dead bodies and sighed. He muttered, "Four Anbu ninjas died. Such a terrible loss."


    Kakashi nodded and said, "Yeah, that''s a pity."


    Fujin''s clone checked the Anbu whose face had been surgically modified and asked, "What exactly was Kabuto doing here? Was he really here for Sasuke? Couldn''t he have killed or kidnapped him in the time it took to do all this? Orochimaru said that he wanted Sasuke''s Sharingans, so Kabuto could have even stolen them during that time."


    A frown appeared on Kakashi''s face as he realized, "Yeah, that is strange. I didn''t consider that earlier."


    He thought for a bit before answering, "I''m afraid I can''t make any sense of what Orochimaru is nning. We need to report it to Lord Hokage as he might have a better idea."


    Fujin''s clone nodded and said, "That''s true. His mind is so messed up that it is difficult for us toprehend his thoughts."


    Kakashi involuntarily nodded when he suddenly realized something. He looked at Fujin''s clone with a peculiar expression and wondered, ''Is he implying that Hokage''s mind is also messed up?''


    Fujin''s clone noticed his expression and asked, "What is it?"


    Kakashi thought, ''I guess he only said so because Third taught Orochimaru¡­"


    Kakashi replied, "I was wondering whether you''d be willing to guide Naruto for a month. All three of my students qualified for the finals¡­"


    He turned his gaze towards the sleeping Sasuke and continued, "And considering Sasuke''s situation, I''ll have to put my entire focus on him. Otherwise, Orochimaru might end up digging his ws into him."


    Fujin''s clone raised an eyebrow and asked, "You know a thousand jutsus. Can''t you teach the three of them by yourself? Hmm, now that I think about it, Naruto only knows the Great Breakthrough jutsu while Sakura didn''t disy any jutsu other than the basic academy jutsus. What exactly is your training n with those three?"


    [A/N: Hey guys. I''ll be taking a break for a few days. The chapters will continue at usual schedule (16:00 GMT) from Sunday onwards. Have a nice week :)]


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 650: Just beat them up!

    Chapter 650: Just beat them up!


    "What exactly is your training n with those three?" Fujin asked Kakashi. He was truly curious about why Kakashi had trained them in such a manner.


    Kakashi answered, "I could normally but the training I intend to put Sasuke through will require all my focus. I won''t be able to guide Naruto or Sakura at the same time.


    As for my training n, it''s rather straightforward. I want their basics to be rock solid before they move up to more advanced stuff. Hence, my focus was more on teamwork and formations rather than their individual strength¡­"


    A weird expression appeared on his face as he continued, "To be honest, I didn''t expect that all three of them would end up reaching the finals. I just wanted them to gain some experience and I nned to start their Ninjutsu and Genjutsu training after the Chunin Exams. However, this year''s batch of Genins was quite weak with a few exceptions. So, they are a bit under-prepared for the real event.


    Anyway, you don''t need to keep that in mind. Just focus on raising Naruto''s strength as much as you can without teaching him any new forbidden jutsus. So, will you train him?"


    Instead of answering him, Fujin''s clone replied, "Teamwork over individual strength, huh?"


    Kakashi asked, "You don''t agree?"


    Fujin''s clone answered, "Not entirely. Though teamwork is essential, how useful will the teamwork between three Genins be against a Jounin or even an Elite Chunin? I would have gone with personal strength as the main focus while ensuring that their teamwork stays eptable."


    Kakashi shook his head and said, "You are wrong. For any squad, teamwork is the most essential aspect. Without it, no matter how strong the squad is, it has no future." Fujin''s clone raised an eyebrow and asked, "It''s true that without teamwork any squad is dead, but they are ninjas. They should understand its importance as well and would work together at least when circumstances demand so. If they can''t even do that, then it''s better to just make them quit as ninjas.


    Besides, why does individual strength have to be sacrificed for teamwork? On the contrary, stronger individuals would be able to work better together as they''ll have more ways of cooperating and usingbination jutsus.


    Not to mention¡­"


    Fujin''s clone paused, looked into his eyes and added, "A couple of your students have some amazing potential. Sasuke''s talent is extraordinary while Naruto''s potential seems as limitless as his chakra. Had you focused on increasing their strength and jutsu arsenal, both would have likely already been strong enough to go up against any Chunin. They might have even been able to resist a Jounin for a short time.


    Once they faced off against stronger opponents, their teamwork would have automatically improved."


    His words made Kakashi think for a bit. However, he still shook his head and said, "No, trying to make them improve their teamwork at that stage would have been too difficult. It''s best to teach it to them when they are still Geni¡­"


    Before Kakashi couldplete his sentence, Fujin''s clone chuckled and said, "What''s so difficult about it? Just make them fight as a team against you and beat them up until you feel their teamwork is eptable. Even if they areplete blockheads, they would eventually figure it out."


    Kakashi was speechless as he looked at Fujin''s clone. His right eye twitched as he wondered, ''Just beat them up until they work together? Who puts such weird ideas in this kid''s head? However, that just might be effective when dealing with Naruto and Sasuke¡­''


    Fujin''s clone smirked at Kakashi''s expression and said, "Anyway, they are your students. So, it''s none of my business. Considering the recent events, I''ll be busy as well. However, I should still be able to handle Naruto. So, I''ll prepare him for the finals."


    Kakashi nodded thinking, ''That''s true. Now that he has disyed the ability to restrain Orochimaru, he''ll be far more busy. Hmm? I''m missing something¡­''


    Kakashi''s eyes turned towards Fujin''s clone again. Fujin''s clone said, "Anyway, I''ll take my leave and inform Lord Hokage about it. With four Anbu squads and you, it''s unlikely for Kabuto to return here."


    Kakashi nodded as Fujin''s clone flickered away. He continued looking at the spot where Fujin''s clone was standing in confusion and wondered, ''His power shouldn''t have increased in the blink of an eye. Even though I wasn''t aware of it, Lord Third should be aware of his prowess.


    So, why has he sent Fujin on missions so rarely? From what Naruto said, he has gone on only 2 or 3 missions in thest 6 odd months. That''s very strange¡­''


    Kakashi and his father had both been the leading active ninja in the vige at some point. And both had been given missions constantly without any break. Both rarely spent any time inside the vige. So, Kakashi couldn''tprehend why Fujin was rarely sent on missions. He stopped thinking about it and thought about his words as he wondered, ''Was I really mistaken in putting so much emphasis on teamwork?''


    As Fujin''s clone rushed back to the tower in the forest of death, he thought, ''As I expected, Kakashi dumped Naruto on me instead of Ebisu. That''s understandable considering that Naruto''s basics are much better and he is close to me.


    I wonder if he''ll dump Sakura on Ebisu now. Or would he ask someone like Kurenai or someone from that Kurama n to train her in Genjutsu like he expects me to train Naruto in Wind Release?


    Though I suppose it depends on the matchups. He might directly ask her to quit if she is paired against Gaara or Neji. That said, even in that case, not arranging for her training would be unfair.


    Oh well, it''s not my concern. I''ll just train Naruto for a day or two before Jiraiya shows up with some excuse. Then I''ll turn my focus topleting that seal and mastering the important techniques I will learn from Kabuto''s memories.


    Even without considering the forbidden techniques, just his knowledge about Medical Ninjutsu and studying corpses and their abilities would be extremely useful for me. And, if he knows how to perform even the basic Edo Tensei, I can revive the bishop who did the ceremony for Zankoku and learn Blood Maniption with little effort.


    That would allow me to improve my power to another level. I might be able to fight against the likes of Hiruzen, Ay and Onoki without needing to rely on Flying Thunder God jutsu. And, that''ll just be the start!''


    With those thoughts, he reached the tower. Hiurzen was done with his long speech and the Genins were about to leave. He nced at his other clone, who dispelled himself and sent the memories to him. He looked at Sakura with a weird expression and thought, ''Poor girl. Kakashi will likely just ask her to quit and stay peacefully¡­''


    Renjiro noticed him and asked, "Is everything alright?"


    Fujin''s clone answered, "Not really, though there is no immediate danger. Orochimaru appeared again and we had an Elite Jounin level spy among our ranks."


    Renjiro and Hoka''s eyes widened as he continued, "Come with me. I need to report it to the old man."


    He disappeared and appeared next to Hiruzen and said softly, "I need to report something."


    Hiruzen nodded. He immediately left along with his Anbu Guards and met with Fujin''s clone at the top floor where Fujin''s clone informed him about the events. Hiruzen''s expression became serious on learning that Kabuto was a spy and how strong he was. Of course, what alerted him the most was that Kakashi could have been killed had Orochimaru intended to do so and if Fujin wasn''t present there.


    He muttered, "This is a problem. Orochimaru knows the vige too well. Even if I modify the barrier, I don''t think that''ll stop him from entering without alerting us. And as long as he can enter, he can threaten the lives of nearly every ninja.


    Kabuto is troublesome as well. I didn''t think that someone of his level would hide inside Konoha as a Genin. It seems like too many spies have infiltrated our ranks. We need to clear them out as well."


    Hiruzen''s tone was extremely serious as he said it. Renjiro chuckled and asked, "Time for another massacre, eh?"


    Hiruzen didn''t say anything and massaged his forehead. He said, "I''ll discuss it with Shikaku first. Since Orochimaru is involved, it''ll have a lot ofplications."


    Everyone nodded. Shikaku was the best one to handle suchplicated tasks. Hiruzen looked at Fujin''s clone and said, "You did a great job again, Fujin. I''ll leave for now to start making the arrangements. Meet me tomorrow evening. I have something for you.


    Renjiro, have Hiromasa start preparing the Senju n for a war but ensure that others don''t catch a whiff of it. Hoka, pass the same order to Hiashi. Theing times might not be as peaceful as I would have liked."


    Fujin''s clone nodded and said, "Alright, I''ll be there."


    Renjiro replied, "I''ll take care of it, old man."


    Hoka said respectfully, "Yes, Lord Hokage."


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 Chapter 651: A Threat

    Chapter 651: A Threat


    Following Hiruzen''s orders, Fujin''s clone, Renjiro and Hoka dispersed. Hiruzen and his Anbu Guards began moving towards the Hokage building as well. The Genins and their sensei left the Forest of Death as well while Fujin''s clone and Hiruzen were having their small meeting.


    Naruto and Sakura rushed straight to the hospital and tried to meet Sasuke but were denied entry as it was quitete in the day. Before they could create a ruckus, Kakashi appeared and said, "You two are in a hospital. Be quiet."


    Naruto and Sakura immediately eximed, "Kakashi sensei!"


    Both immediately rushed to him. Naruto said, "Kakashi sensei! I need a favor!"


    At the same time, Sakura asked, "Sensei, how is Sasuke? Can we meet him?"


    Kakashi answered, "Sasuke is fine, but needs rest. He is still asleep, so there is no point in seeing him right now. Naruto, I already know what you''re about to ask. So, I have already found someone to oversee your training."


    Naruto immediately replied, "Huh, I want you to train me!"


    "I''ve got other things on my mind. I wouldn''t be able to give you my full attention." Kakashi replied immediately.


    However, Naruto wasn''t convinced. He looked at Kakashi suspiciously and said loudly, "Let me guess! You''re training Sasuke, right?" Sakura asked, "Is that true, Sensei?"


    Kakashi immediately said, "Now now, don''tin, Naruto. I found you an even better teacher than me, who can help you improve your specialty considerably. Sakura, I''ve found you a teacher who will be more suitable for you as well. For the next month, both of you will train with them."


    In one voice, both asked in surprise, "Who is it?"


    Kakashi answered, "Fujin will be overlooking your training, Naruto."


    Naruto immediately became excited and eximed, "Fujin will train me for the next month? That''s great!"


    Kakashi sighed in relief and said, "Quieter. We are still in the hospital. As for you Sakura, you''ll be¡­"


    "So, she''s the one you want me to train, Kakashi?" A sudden voice interrupted Kakashi. Naruto and Sakura both turned around and saw a tall, well-built man with long hair. Naruto and Sakura wondered, ''Who is he?''


    Kakashi introduced him by saying, "Sakura, he is Kurama Illumi. He is an expert in Genjutsu and is far better than me at it. He''ll teach you how to perform Genjutsu and use it properly in battle."


    Sakura was surprised. She didn''t think Kakashi would arrange for her to master Genjutsu. Knowing how much shegged behind Sasuke and Naruto, she immediately resolved, ''I''ll master Genjutsu so that I won''t need them to protect me. But¡­''


    Her confidence immediately drained away as she recalled who her opponent was. She looked at Kakashi and asked, "Sensei, will Genjutsu allow me to fight against Gaara."


    Kakashi''s right eye twitched as he asked, "Your opponent is Gaara? Who is yours, Naruto? Also, what about Sasuke?"


    Naruto immediately said that his opponent was Neji while Sakura exined the matchups to Kakashi. Kakashi thought, ''What in the¡­ I just said to Fujin that the Genins in this batch weren''t strong. And now, all of my students have to fight 2 of the strongest Genins in the finals?''


    Kakashi didn''t even entertain the possibility of Sakura defeating Gaara. He sighed and said, "Both of your opponents are troublesome. Sakura, be careful against Gaara. There isn''t much you can do to increase your strength by such arge degree in a month. You can only hope that Genjutsu works on him and you can cast it before he has a chance to attack you. However, if that doesn''t work, forfeit immediately and let the proctor intervene."


    Sakura nodded. Having seen how terrifying his sand was, she had no confidence in putting up a fight against him. Kurama Illumi overheard their conversation and asked, "Is her opponent so troublesome?"


    Kakashi nodded and said, "Yes, very. I''ll let Sakura tell you everything about him."


    Illumi nodded. He took Sakura with him while Naruto immediately ran back to his home. Kakashi looked at the backs of his two students and muttered, "Their luck in the exams has finally run out¡­"


    In the Senju n Compounds, Hiromasa asked with a serious expression, "Lord Third said that?"


    Renjiro nodded. Hiromasa sighed and said, "A war at this point in time can rapidly expand into arger war. Our forces have just recovered and arge-scale war at this time won''t be good. Luckily Kiri is still embroiled in a Civil War. Otherwise, this could have been a trigger for the next Great Ninja War."


    Renjiro nodded and said, "Yes. That''s why we will need a swift and decisive victory. Only that will deter Kumo from getting involved. As for Iwa, they''ll stay out of it if Kumo doesn''t get involved."


    Hiromasa nodded and said, "Yeah. It''s time for us to prepare once again!"


    In the Hyuga n Compounds, Hoka respectfully ryed Hiruzen''s orders to Hiashi. Hiashi and the other Elders of the Hyuga n became serious. Hiashi thought, ''Lord Hokage asked us to prepare for a war! That should mean that he thinks that a war is highly likely. A war where our opponents would be Orochimaru and Sunagakure...''


    He looked at Hoka and asked, "You were in the tower in the Forest of Death during the second phase of the exam, right?"


    Hoka nodded and replied, "Yes, Lord."


    Hiashi asked, "Did you see the battle between Suzuki Fujin and Orochimaru? Is it true that Fujin defeated Orochimaru? Also, how strong is Fujin in your opinion?"


    Hiashi still struggled to believe that Fujin had defeated Orochimaru. As someone who was very close to the rank S level, he knew very well howrge the difference was between various rank S ninjas. Orochimaru was someone who could go up against any Kage and put them on their highest guard. For him to be beaten by a 16-year-old ninja without any background was just too shocking. If it wasn''t for the fact that several Hyuga ninjas had witnessed Orochimaru running away and reported it to Hiashi, he wouldn''t have believed the news.


    Hoka answered, "I didn''t see their battle as I was quite far away. I could just sense the aura of their shes. They were extremely intense, unlike anything I had ever seen. Fujin fought against Orochimaru by himself. It is true that he defeated Orochimaru and forced him to escape. As for how strong Fujin is, it is honestly hard to say. I haven''t seen him go all out for several years."


    Hiashi thought, ''So it is true. However, how did that boy be so strong so quickly without any special technique? Even though Minato was extremely strong as well, he became so due to the Flying Thunder God jutsu.


    That jutsu alone made him invincible on the battlefield. Without it, he wouldn''t have been able to have the aplishments that he achieved. If Fujin had a simr technique that granted him superiority on the battlefield, it would have been understandable. However, Fujin has done something even more impressive without any such technique¡­''


    Hiashi couldn''t make any sense of Fujin''s absurd strength, nor could any of the Hyuga elders. Though to be fair, no one could. Even Hiruzen, the one who had the best idea about Fujin''s strength, didn''t expect Fujin to defeat his former student. He, along with most of the people in Konoha, just epted it because it was extremely good news for the vige while most outside Konoha prayed for it to be merely propaganda.


    Hiashi said, "I see. This is great news for the vige."


    He looked at Hoka and added, "From what I know, Fujin mostly stays by himself and has very few friends. Since you were in his batch and also his teammate, you are one of his closest friends. Ensure that you always maintain this friendship. Perhaps it might help the n sometime in the future."


    Hoka was surprised. He wondered, ''He wants Fujin''s help? What for? As for the friendship, of course, I''ll maintain it.''


    He replied, "Yes, Lord."


    Hiashi nodded and dismissed Hoka. When he left the room, one of the elders said, "Suzuki Fujin¡­ That boy is remarkable. To be able to force Orochimaru to retreat not just once but twice is a huge achievement."


    Another elder added, "Even though he doesn''t have any background, he is very close to Lord Third. Perhaps he might be grooming Fujin to be the next Hokage. I always thought that the son of White Fang might seed him, but Kakashi iscking in raw strength whenpared to Fujin."


    A third one said, "To be honest, Hoka is quite impressive as well. To be a Jounin at just 16 is very impressive."


    He immediately got a reply, "True, but I can sense some hostility from the boy even though he did very well to hide it. He is not content, presumably due to the Caged Bird Seal. Hiashi, he might be a threat."


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Thank you Prahasth for supporting me through UPI.

 Chapter 652 - 646 : Inhuman Talent!

    <h4>Chapter 652: Chapter 646 : Inhuman Talent!</h4>


    "Hiashi, he might be a threat!"


    Everyone became serious. A betrayal from any Hyuga was uneptable. If anyone dared to do it, they would only have one fate, that is, death! However, Hiashi said, "That''s understandable. He is young and bing strong quite rapidly. Being discontent about the seal is rather natural. Were any of you different when you were that age?"


    Hiashi''s question made the Elders quiet. In the Hyuga n, only the n Leader and his/her sessor wouldn''t have the Caged Bird Seal. Even though they were called the Main family, in reality, there would be less than five people in the Main family at any point.


    The only members would be the current n Leader, his/her children and any previous n Leaders if they were still alive. Currently, Hiashi, Hinata and Hanabi were the only members of the main family. Everyone else, including the Elders, was from the Branch family!


    Of course, the Elders understood the importance of the seal and no longer hated the Main family or viewed it with contempt. They trusted the n Leaderpletely and hence didn''t mind the seal. However, it was true that they too hated having the seal in their youth.


    Hiashi added, "He''ll mature with age. If needed, we can include his father in the Elder council. That would reduce andter eliminate any resentment he feels."


    None of the Elders opposed Hiashi. However, if they knew that Hoka asked Fujin to find a way to remove the Caged Bird Seal, their reaction would have been very different! Hiashi said, "Anyway, that''s enough discussion. It''s time to begin preparing for a war!"


    Everyone nodded. Just like the Senju n, the Hyuga n began preparing. Neither Suna nor Orochimaru was aware that the tworgest ns in Konoha had begun preparing. Of course, they weren''t the only ones.


    Hiruzen met up with Shikaku and informed him about Fujin and Kakashi''s sh against Kabuto and Orochimaru. In the end, he said, "It''s time to eliminate the spies inside the vige. What do you think?"


    Shikaku thought for a few minutes before sighing. He muttered, "Another troublesome matter. It never ends."


    He looked at Hiruzen and said, "You''re right. Eliminating the spies would be helpful. We haven''t done so for a while. Not to mention, we also have an excellent opportunity."


    Hiruzen replied, "To verify Fujin''s strength... The spies would go to investigate the location of Fujin and Orochimaru''s battle even though the risk is high."


    Shikaku nodded and added, "Yes. We cany a trap there and secretly restrain everyone who shows up to check that. Once we catch the spies, we can read their memories and then make every vige pay dearly."


    Hiruzen nodded. Installing spies inside Konoha carried a severe risk. Decades ago, Tobirama had exploited it and made every vige pay dearly for doing so after they tried to do so following Hashirama''s death. It was why the other viges were extremely careful while doing so.


    It was only after Hiruzen took a step back during the Hyuga incident and disyed Konoha''s weakness that the other viges dared to ce more spies inside Konoha. Even though Konoha eliminated the spies they identified, Hiruzen didn''t use the same tactic as Tobirama due to Konoha''s weak situation as that would have offended the other viges a lot and irked a response he didn''t want to face.


    However, Konoha had now recovered. They had recruited thousands of young ninjas topensate for the huge number of deaths in the Third Great Ninja War. The power vacuum created due to the deaths of Veteran Jounins during Kyubi''s assault and the Uchiha Massacre had been filled by hundreds of ninjas epted by Hiruzen into the Anbu advancing to Anbu Captain rank.


    Even the top-levelbat ability had recovered with the likes of Fujin, Guy and Kakashi recing Minato and Orochimaru. Konoha''s lone Jinchuriki had be a ninja as well. Now that Konoha was no longer weak, Hiruzen was about to remind the other viges of how terrifying Konoha was for the spies!


    Hiruzenmanded, "Implement your ns quickly. This time, no one shall be spared."


    Seeing Hiruzen''s seriousness, Shikaku nodded and immediately got to work. Hiruzen also asked him to start preparing the Nara n for war and pass the same message to Inoichi and Choza. Hiruzen passed the same instructions to the other ns in Konoha as well.


    Within the space of an hour, every major n in Konoha began preparing in secret. The Anbu under Hiruzen''smand began preparing as well, though they weren''t told the reason for the same. As for the normal civilian ninjas, Hiruzen didn''t inform any of them to prevent any spy from realizing that Konoha was preparing for a war!


    Unaware of any such developments, Naruto rushed to Fujin''s house and met with Fujin''s clone. He said, "Fujin! Kakashi sensei said that you''ll be overlooking my training for the next month!"


    Fujin''s clone replied, "Yes, Naruto. But you are worn out right now. Rest for the night. We''ll begin your training tomorrow morning."


    Naruto was about to pester Fujin''s clone to start right away when he noticed a smile on his face. Fujin''s clone added, "Rest well, Naruto. The training we''ll start tomorrow will make Kakashi''s training seem like child''s y."


    Naruto involuntarily shivered due to his tone. He thought, ''Okay, maybe this wasn''t such a good idea!''


    Without bothering him anymore, Naruto left. As night fell, the n ninjas intensified their preparations under the cover of darkness while others fell asleep. A long distance from Konoha, Fujin was still in his base, his hand resting on the head of Kabuto''s corpse! Some distance away were 6 Shadow Clones, who were writing in a scroll. On the table in front of them were 42 scrolls, each onepletely filled!


    Fujin sighed and muttered, "He didn''t know how to perform the Edo Tensei jutsu... Oh well, I should have expected it. He has been spying inside Konoha for 4 years. Meaning, he was only 15 years old when Orochimaru ced him here. He wouldn''t give Kabuto such a deadly jutsu back then. I guess he would have learnt it soon in the future and improved it after Orochimaru''s death."


    Even though Fujin didn''t get what he wanted the most, there wasn''t any sadness on Fujin''s face. On the contrary, a smile could be seen despite his earlier sigh. Why was he smiling? The reason was rather obvious.


    Fujin looked at Kabuto''s dead body and muttered, "Even though I am an eptable Medical Ninja with very good healing capabilities, I have to admit that I am nowhere near his league!


    His talent in Medical Ninjutsu and human biology was inhuman! If Tsunade had taken him along with her instead of Shizune, Konoha would have had a terrifying Shinobi! To think that a talent of this level was forced to betray Konoha due to Danzo..."


    For someone who imed to only work for the well-being of the vige, Danzo was the biggest threat to Konoha''s rank S ninjas. His actions caused Shisui tomit suicide, forced Itachi to act as a rogue ninja and made Kabuto into a terrifying enemy!


    Fujin thought, ''If Danzo didn''t exist or if Hiruzen had not been soft and eliminated him, then perhaps Konoha might have had three terrifying rank S ninjas among their ranks at this moment. And, all three of them would have been fiercely loyal to the vige.


    It''s so absurd that Konoha would be theughing stock if this information was spread around. Not to mention, this is just the information I am aware of and after Minato''s death. Who knows how many such promising ninjas were ruined by Danzo when he was at his peak?''


    Fujin stored Kabuto''s body back in the scroll while thinking, ''Oh well, that''s none of my business. If they were in Konoha, then it would have disturbed my ns. Regardless, time to focus on the main thing.


    Even though I didn''t get Edo Tensei jutsu, Kabuto was a treasure trove of information! His knowledge of Medical Ninjutsu is several times better than what Yoshi and others taught me. Though I need to practice, I''ll be able to improve quite easily with time.


    As for his ability to study dead bodies, that might beparable or even superior to Tsunade''s. It might even allow me to study Zankoku''s body and get some hints about how those seals have fused with his body. So, I might have some hope of learning it even without reviving that Bishop.


    However, reaching Kabuto''s level of mastery will need some time and a lot of practice. Perhaps several months or even a year with the help of my Shadow Clones. A better option would have been to recruit him into the Phantom Haven and put him in charge of the Medical Division or perhaps even the whole branch. A shame that he was so loyal to Orochimaru.''


    Fujin created another 6 Shadow Clones who began writing down the information he obtained from Kabuto''s memories. While they did so, he began removing all traces of him and Kabuto from the base.


    Elsewhere, a ninja was stealthily moving towards the Forest of Death using the cover of the night!


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    ()

 Chapter 653: Trapping the Spies!

    Chapter 653: Trapping the Spies!


    In the darkness of the night, a ninja stealthily entered the Forest of Death while thinking, ''As I expected, the security around the Forest of Death is very low. Considering its massive size, Konoha would need to deploy a lot of manpower to properly keep an eye on this training ground.


    I canplete my mission with little obstacles. Still, I need to be careful in case someone from the Inuzuka, Hyuga or Yamanaka n is present here.''


    The ninja continued moving stealthily while looking for something in the Forest of Death. After around an hour and a half, he finally found what he was looking for!


    He continued hiding among the trees while looking at the area burnt down by Fujin during his fight against Orochimaru. The destruction in front of him left the ninja shocked. With a solemn expression, he thought, ''There is no doubt about it. There was a massive battle here! Only rank S ninjas can leave behind the destruction of this scale!''


    He quickly analyzed all the avable information and even checked the canal left behind by Fujin''s Wind Dragon jutsu. He concluded, ''Even though there are signs of battles, I can''t say for sure whether Fujin defeated Orochimaru or not. I can''t say whether Fujin fought alone or whether Orochimaru was ganged up on either.


    However, considering what happenedst evening, it is most likely true. I was lucky enough to be close to that spot. Though I didn''t witness Orochimaru and Fujin sh, there is little doubt that Orochimaru ended up running away!


    Since it happenedst evening, there is no reason that it might not have happened 5 days ago. I need to report all of this to Raikage-sama! He''ll make the final call''


    He quickly moved away from that spot and found another hiding spot. He quickly wrote an encrypted message with all the details, attached it to a messenger bird he summoned and sent it flying towards Kumogakure!


    He sneakily began making his way out of the forest and reached its border when he suddenly realized, ''There is someone ahead! And they have sensed me!'' Instead of panicking and trying to escape in futility, he continued moving forward confidently. Within seconds, he saw two Hyuga waiting ahead. The Hyuga ninjas muttered, "Are you from the Yamanaka n?"


    The spy had blonde hair like the Yamanaka n members and the Yamanaka n crest on his clothes. Even his appearance was quite simr to theirs. Of course, he looked like that because he had used Transformation jutsu long before he decided to approach the Forest of Death.


    The spy smiled kindly and said in a friendly manner, "Our n leader sent me here to take a look at the battlefield. I hope that it wasn''t an issue."


    One of the Hyuga ninjas said, "Lord Hokage has ordered this training ground to be sealed off and prevent others from entering. Please ask Lord Inoichi to not send any more ninjas here."


    The spy smiled and said, "Yes, of course. I''ll be on my way."


    He walked past the Hyuga ninjas, happy that he had sessfully managed to fool them. He had just taken a couple of steps when his instincts suddenly warned him! Unfortunately, before his body could move, 2 fingers jabbed into his back right behind his heart.


    He looked behind in disbelief and lost consciousness before he could say anything. At the same time, his transformation was dispelled and his real appearance could be seen.


    One of the Hyuga ninjas said, "He was very good at acting. If it wasn''t for Lord Hokage''s trap, I might not have suspected him."


    The other replied, "Yeah. However, it''s all over for him now. Ibiki will make him regret the day he decided to be a spy inside Konoha."


    The two restrained the spy and gave him to other Chunins who were responsible for transporting the spies to Konoha''s Torture & Interrogation department. Some distance away, the messenger bird sent by the spy was intercepted and captured as well and Konoha got the scroll he was sending.


    15 such incidents happened during the night! 2 of the spies were from Kirigakure, with one from each faction. 5 were from Iwagakure and 8 were from Kumogakure! As for Sunagakure, they didn''t deploy their spies since Baki had an official reason for going into the Forest of Death. On the other hand, the minor viges didn''t dare to irk Konoha by deploying spies there. So, they were spared.


    Regardless, the number of spies inside Konoha was heavily cut down in a single night. Shikaku and Hiruzen had urately predicted their reactions and took advantage of the opportunity provided by Fujin''s disy of strength. And, this was just the first step!


    All the captured spies were brought to the T&I department stealthily using the cover of the night. No one was aware that Konoha had captured so many spies. Several seals were inscribed on each of their bodies to ensure that they wouldn''t be able to resist ormit suicide.


    An Anbu ninja rushed to the Hokage''s office and reported Hiruzen and Shikaku, who were still working despite the time, about their progress. Hiruzen said, "Good work. Continue monitoring the Forest of Death in case there are more spies trying to see the aftermath of the battle. Ask Ibiki to start reading the memories of the spies and provide me with the reports by this evening."


    The Anbu ninja nodded and quickly left. In the T&I department, 15 Yamanaka n ninjas began reading the memories of the unconscious spies! That was the second step of Hiruzen''s n.


    Early in the morning, Fujin was woken up by an excited Naruto. The warning given by his clone the previous day was long forgotten. Fujinzily opened the door as Naruto eximed, "Fujin, it''s ti¡­ Huh? You just woke up?"


    Ignoring his question, Fujin yawned and asked, "Are you still wearing the training seal I gave you?"


    Naruto nodded and said, "Yes, I have increased it to the max level!"


    Fujin said, "Good. Take it off and equip this one."


    Naruto followed Fujin''s instructions and reced his old seal while asking, "What''s the difference between this and the old seal?"


    Fujin made a hand seal while saying, "Your previous seal had a max pressure of 50 kg. This one has a max pressure of 500 kg."


    "Ten times higher? Ugh!!!" Naruto immediately crouched down and ced his hands on the ground while thinking, ''This is nuts!''


    Fujin continued, "I have increased the pressure of the seal to half its maximum capacity. For the next three hours, you''ll follow Kakashi''s physical training workout andplete it without falling short. If you manage that, I''ll teach you a trick that might allow you to defeat not just Neji but also Sasuke."


    Naruto became excited at the prospect of defeating both Neji and Sasuke. However, his excitement fizzled out in an instant as he asked, "How can I do that when I can barely move!"


    With a lot of effort, Naruto managed to get to his feet. As for training, that was out of the question. Fujin asked, "Why aren''t you using your chakra to assist you?"


    Naruto was surprised and asked, "We can do that?"


    Fujin nodded and said, "Try it. My training seal is twice as strong as yours and I use it at its maximum power. Yet, it doesn''t affect me much. Circte your chakra through your entire body and use it to help yourself move just like you do it while climbing a tree or walking on water."


    Naruto followed Fujin''s instructions. He failed a couple of times before finally seeding. He began moving normally and said, "This is incredible! I have never tried anything like this."


    Fujin chuckled and said, "In the future, try to incorporate this into your training. It''ll improve your Taijutsu as well as Chakra Control considerably. Anyway, run along now. Complete your training as I said. Don''t ck off, I''ll know. I''ll see youter."


    Naruto followed Fujin''s instructions and went into the training ground opposite theirpound. Fujin watched him go and yawned while thinking, ''It''s a good thing that he isn''t very bright. I can get another 2 and a half hours of sleep.''


    Fujin had been reading Kabuto''s memories untilte at night. He only wrapped everything up by 1:30 AM and Naruto showed up at 5 AM. While he could function properly even with that little sleep, he didn''t have a reason for doing so. He turned around and went to bed.


    Just like Fujin, another person was woken up at 5 AM. Unlike Fujin, he couldn''t go back to sleep. He looked at the report with a stunned expression as he muttered, "Scor¡­ Scorch Release?"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 654: Eliminating Fujin!

    Chapter 654: Eliminating Fujin!


    Rasa looked at Baki''s report with a stunned expression and muttered, "Scor¡­ Scorch Release?"


    He looked at the messenger andmanded, "Call the council meeting, right now!"


    The ninja immediately left, seeing Rasa''s mood. Rasa looked at the report once again and wondered, ''How did a Konoha ninja gain Scorch Release? Did Pakura have a child with a man from Konoha?''


    He thought for a bit before concluding, ''No, even though she was foolish, she was very loyal to the vige. Not to mention, she was always upied by the Third Great Ninja War during that time.


    Could it be that Suzuki Fujin''s bloodline had someone with Scorch Release? Or did he fuse Fire and Wind elements to create Scorch Release? Both possibilities are rather troublesome to deal with.


    Hopefully, Gaara, Temari and Kankuro were just mistaken. I''ll need to confirm this with Orochimaru as well. If he indeed has it, then that boy must die! I won''t allow any other vige to have Scorch Release! Even if he doesn''t, I''ll still eliminate him! He has be too big of a threat to be left alive!''


    After the preliminaries, Baki talked with the Rasa''s children and learnt the details of the battle. He was horrified when he heard about the Scorch Dragon that had appeared followed by the Wind Dragon which left a massive scar in the Forest of Death! He didn''t dare to tarry and sent a message to Rasa as soon as he could.


    Within a few minutes, the entire Suna council assembled in their council room. Rasa ced the scroll received from Baki on the table and said, "I just received an update from Baki. My children saw Scorch Release being used during the fight between Orochimaru and Fujin, presumably by Fujin. And, Fujin forced Orochimaru to retreat once again! This time, it happened inside the vige and Baki believes that it is true."


    Shock appeared on everyone''s faces. Goza muttered in disbelief, "This¡­ Fujin forced Orochimaru to retreat twice???" Ryusa added, "Forget about that! How did Konoha get our Scorch Release?"


    Joseki said, "This is unbelievable. What do we do about our n? Do we still go forward with it?"


    Even the experienced ninjas couldn''t help but lose control of their emotions and the council became chaotic as everyone began discussing Suna''s next move. Rasa''s expression became ugly as he said loudly, "Silence. Why are you panicking so much?"


    The council immediately quietened down and everyone looked at Rasa. He said, "Even though Baki sent a report, he hasn''t witnessed either of the shes. Even Gaara and the other two were several kilometers away from where their first sh had happened. So, they are unaware of the specifics as well.


    We will only learn the truth once I meet with Orochimaru and confront him. Seeing the financial situation of the vige, we will have to move forward with our n unless there is no choice. If we don''t, then the Daimyo will continue mping down on us.


    Besides, irrespective of whether we attack Konoha or not, Suzuki Fujin has to die!"


    Everyone in the council nodded solemnly. Until a few days ago, they hadn''t taken Fujin that seriously. Most still didn''t believe that the ruckus in their Eastern territories was caused by him. It was only when Hiruzen spread the news about Orochimaru''s defeat that they considered him more seriously. However, they were still sceptical of the news. Only now did they understand how big of a threat he actually was? No one disagreed with Rasa''s words.


    However, Goza couldn''t help but say, "I agree, but how can we kill him? Even someone like Orochimaru couldn''t kill him. We should have tried to do so when the Tsuchikage warned us about him. I''m afraid that it is toote by now."


    Tojuro immediately said, "Even though he is strong, there are still various ways of killing him. The basic way is to lure him out by creating troubles that would force Konoha to deploy him.


    We can set a trap and kill him by ambushing him with great numbers. Perhaps Lord Kazekage could himself participate in it. If not, then we could poison him during an ambush and eliminate him."


    Goza replied, "Baki mentioned in the report that he is an excellent Medical Ninja as well. Using poisons might not work. But you''re right. Setting an Ambush led by Lord Kazekage might be the only way."


    Tojuro nodded and added, "Yeah. If it doesn''t work, then we will have to use unconventional methods. He is only 16 years old. Considering his young age, perhaps we could try honey-trapping him. He is of the age to fall for it.


    Another option is trapping or capturing a few people close to him and making him rescue them. Or we could set up a situation that appeals to his morals and take advantage of it to sneak attack him when his guard is lowered. After all,pared to us, Konoha ninjas are known to be very soft. Even if he maintains guard, he''ll give us a few opportunities."


    Most in the council agreed with Tojuro''s rmendations. Even Rasa felt that those tactics could provide them with an opening. However, Ryusa thought for a bit and said, "It might not be that easy. Don''t forget the reputation of the Spectral Swordsman. He was brutal and heartless despite his young age. I don''t think such ruthlessness will tone down with age. If anything, it might be worse now!


    We can''t put him on the same standard as others from Konoha. If we have to, then it might be more appropriate to consider him simr to someone like Danzo, especially considering the shit he pulled off in the Eastern part of our country."


    The council became quiet once again. Tojura frowned and asked, "What about the ones close to him? Do we have any reports rted to that?"


    Everyone paid attention as Ryusa answered, "After getting that message from Tsuchikage, I asked some of our spies to keep an eye on him. However¡­"


    Helplessness appeared on his face as he continued, "Spying on his house is very difficult. It is located on the outskirts of Konoha with no one around. As a result, our spies couldn''t tarry around his house. At most, they could walk by. And they couldn''t do that frequently either. Hence, we barely have any personal information on him.


    Around a year ago, they began construction around his house and turned it into apound. The spies believe that thepound could house around a couple hundred people. We don''t know who exactly moved in because the spies didn''t dare to go around there due to the presence of Anbu ninjas in hispound."


    Everyone in the council frowned. Even though Ryusa gave some intel, it was useless with regard to how to deal with Fujin. Sajo asked, "What of his squads?"


    Ryusa answered, "That isn''t very helpful either. From our intel, he was part of three squads. I checked the intel on all of his teammates. His Jounin sensei was Senju Renjiro and his teammates were Hyuga Hoka and Uchiha Mieko. When he became a Chunin, he joined two squads. The first one was the same as his Genin squad with his ssmate Senju Teru recing Renjiro. The other was a Chunin squad led by Sarutobi Tamotsu. After that, I believe he joined their Anbu and we don''t have any information about his teammates..."


    Sajo interrupted him and asked, "That should be sufficient for us to target. Why did you say that it isn''t helpful?"


    Ryusa answered, "Because of what I was going to say. From his Genin squad, the Uchiha girl died during the Uchiha Massacre and everyone from Tamotsu''s squad except him died around 4 to 5 years ago. Even though Tamotsu is alive, he is retired and handicapped. The only ones who are still alive and active are Renjiro, Hoka and Teru.


    However, Renjiro is an Elite Jounin, so capturing him without killing him would be very difficult. Hoka is a Jounin, but since he is a Hyuga, capturing him is pointless. I haven''t found much information on Teru, so I believe he is in their Anbu and hence almost impossible to track."


    Goza muttered, "No wonder you said that it isn''t useful. There is almost nothing that we could exploit!"


    Tojuro muttered, "His teammates are either dead or sufficiently strong. Is it a coincidence or did someone in Konoha act in the dark to ensure that he doesn''t have any weakness?"


    Ryusa shrugged and said, "Hard to say. Knowing it wouldn''t help us either. Regardless, hoping unconventional means work wouldn''t be a good idea unless we can get more intel about him."


    Seeing that the morale of the council was low, Rasa said, "Even if there''s no guarantee of sess, we will still need to try as long as we have a chance. In fact, we need to make an attempt before we put our ns into action. Killing or critically injuring someone like him beforehand will decrease our losses considerably.


    Irrespective of whether we seed or not, we need to increase the number of Elites that will participate in this attack. Make adjustments to the n and increase their numbers in any way you can while giving the highest priority to not alerting Konoha about our movements. In the meantime, I''ll arrange a meeting with Orochimaru and confirm the details from him."


    Everyone in the council nodded. Without wasting any time, everyone got to work!


    As for the one they were targeting, he waspletely unaware that Suna was cooking a scheme to eliminate him. Then again, he didn''t particrly care as he expected several viges to try the same.


    Fujin appeared on the training ground and saw Naruto breathing very roughly. He teasingly asked, "You ran out of breath from such a simple training session? Are you sure you can handle the responsibilities of the Hokage? They are far heavier than the little pressure you are enduring."


    A tick mark appeared on Naruto''s forehead as he eximed, "This is nothing! I can do this for the entire month without any rest! Believe it!"


    His false bravado disappeared in an instant and he looked at Fujin with a dumbfounded expression as Fujin pped and said, "Good, because this will be your training for the entire month!"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 655 - 649 : Training (1)

    <h4>Chapter 655: Chapter 649 : Training (1)</h4>


    "This will be my training for the entire month?" Naruto muttered in disbelief and shock. It took half a minute for him to snap out of it. He jumped andined loudly, "No way! Do you want to kill me???"


    Fujin broke out intoughter and said, "Be careful of what you say while boasting. You should have seen your face, hahaha!"


    Naruto turned his head away and pouted in annoyance at being fooled yet again by Fujin. As soon as he did so, he noticed 5 kids running towards them. They stepped right next to him.


    Sayaka said, "Sensei, we''re here."


    Yuji looked at Naruto and said, "Looks like you got here before us, Naruto."


    Naruto looked at them and asked, "Will you guys be joining the training too? That''s cool!"


    Before any of them could answer, Fujin said, "That''s enough chit-chat. They are here to learn as well as to help you prepare for the exam."


    He deactivated Naruto''s Training Seal and asked, "Naruto, are you ready for your real training for the Chunin exam?"


    Naruto immediately forgot about the previous prank and said excitedly, "I am, believe it! What jutsu are we training?"


    Fujin''s students were curious as well. Fujin said, "Before we begin, I wanted to ask you something. ording to you, which jutsu is better? A rank C jutsu or a rank A jutsu?"


    Naruto confusedly asked, "Wouldn''t rank A jutsus obviously be better? What sort of question is that?"


    Fujin nced at his students as well and asked, "What do you guys think?"


    Sayaka, Hikari, Takeshi and Shoma answered, "Rank A jutsus."


    Only Yuji thought for a few seconds and answered, "Rank C jutsus!"


    All 5 kids looked at him. Naruto asked curiously, "Why do you say that?"


    The others were curious as well. Even Fujin wondered what he was thinking. With a smug expression, Yuji answered, "Sensei wouldn''t ask such a simple question. So, it is obviously a trick question. That''s why I said rank C!"


    All the 5 kids looked at his smug face with a deadpan expression. Fujin chuckled and said, "Not bad thinking, Yuji. Unfortunately, you''re incorrect."


    Yuji''s smug look disappeared. He asked, "What is the right answer then?"


    Fujin smirked and replied, "The correct answer is that both have their advantages and disadvantages. Hence, neither is better than the other. So, none of you were correct."


    All 6 of them stared at Fujin with deadpan expressions. Yuji said, "That''s such a boring answer."


    Sayaka said, "Yeah, it''s too diplomatic, sensei! What use is diplomacy to us?"


    Fujin chuckled and said, "On the contrary, diplomacy is very helpful for any ninja, youngdy. You should always know how and when to be diplomatic."


    Naruto annoyingly said, "We are ninjas. Why would we engage in diplomacy instead of fighting?"


    Fujin raised an eyebrow and asked, "What Hokage do you want to be if you don''t want to do diplomacy?"


    Naruto immediately shut up after that question. Fujin turned his gaze towards all of his students and said, "Irrespective of whether you be someone in a position of power or if you just focus onbat and missions, diplomacy along with negotiations will always be useful to you.


    During missions, you may find yourself in a situation where you can''t defeat your opponent. Or, you could be in a situation where you don''t want to engage in a battle. Perhaps you want to chase after something and want the person obstructing you to give way withoutbat. Or you could be facing multiple opponents, whom you can''t defeat together and may want to turn them on each other so that you have a chance at victory.


    In all such situations, diplomacy will help you. You might be able to get your job done with the least amount of effort."


    Naruto and Fujin''s students paid careful attention to Fujin''s words. Knowing how experienced Fujin was, they valued his words a lot. A sly smile appeared on Fujin''s face as he added, "And of course, if you think that diplomacy isn''t working, you could suddenly attack and kill your opponents before they know that they are under attack."


    Everyone''s eyes widened. None of them expected Fujin to say something like that. Naruto muttered, "This... Isn''t that unfair?"


    Fujin chuckled and said, "You''re a ninja. Why do you want to y fair? Hit the enemy when they least expect it and win your battles while ensuring that no one does the same to you."


    Fujin''s students thought for a bit and nodded. Naruto nodded as well but he still wasn''t entirely sure.


    Fujin said, "Anyway, we''ve gone off-topic. Naruto, you can use the Great Breakthrough jutsu, correct?"


    Naruto nodded. Fujin asked, "If another ninja can use the Great Breakthrough jutsu as well, will both your jutsus be equally powerful?"


    Naruto instinctively answered, "They should be... Wait!"


    As he was answering, he recalled his previous interactions with Fujin. He corrected his answer, "Normally they should be. But the Wind jutsus you use are much stronger than mine. Why is that?"


    Fujin nodded and asked in return, "Good observation. Why do you think it is so?"


    Naruto immediately began thinking. After half a minute, he answered, "I initially thought that it was just because you are good at it due to having practiced a long time. However, no matter how much I practice, I can''t seem to improve them to your level."


    Fujin nodded and said, "You''re correct. Though practice ys a part, the reason why my jutsus are stronger is due to another factor. Can any of you guess what that factor is?"


    Fujin asked his students. They thought for a bit before shaking their heads. Fujin answered, "That factor is the amount of chakra used to create the jutsu."


    Naruto asked, "Chakra? What do you mean?"


    Fujin answered, "I can infuse more chakra into the jutsu than normally required. That is why my jutsus seem so much more powerful."


    Naruto''s eyes widened. He asked, "You can do that? That''s so cool! Wait, will you teach that trick to me???"


    Naruto immediately became excited. He had long been a fan of how destructive Fujin''s jutsus were. After learning the Great Breakthrough jutsu, he trained for a long time to emte Fujin''s destruction but failed to do so. The 5 Kiri orphans also became excited to learn it. If they could increase the scale of their Kekkei Genkai jutsus, then their attacks would be far more terrifying.


    Fujin replied, "Yes. But first, observe this carefully. I''ll show you the difference between the two ways of using the jutsu."


    Fujin gathered his chakra and said, "This is the normal Great Breakthrough jutsu."


    Fujin blew intense winds in front of him. Due to his previous training, the training ground had be quite barren. Only a few lucky or unlucky trees still stood in the interior of the training ground. The branches of those trees waved in the air while a few leaves were broken off and flew a long distance away along with dust and other things on the ground. Other than that, no destruction happened.


    Fujin asked, "This should be how strong your Great Breakthrough jutsu is, right Naruto?"


    Naruto answered, "Yeah, that''s right."


    Fujin said, "This jutsu consumed a minuscule amount of my chakra. Now, I''ll disy a Great Breakthrough jutsu that is created with 5% of my chakra!"


    Fujin took a deep breath once again while concentrating 5% of his chakra into the jutsu! A secondter, he exhaled intense and sharp winds! The winds immediately tossed ayer of soil into the air and flew away at a very rapid speed! The few remaining trees in the way finally joined their fellow martyrs. Despite standing behind Fujin, all six of them felt the winds and covered themselves.


    Hikari muttered, "That''s incredible!"


    Takeshi said, "Yeah, if it was directed at us, we''d be dead!"


    Sayaka agreed and said, "Yeah, I don''t think my defenses would hold."


    Meanwhile, Naruto eximed, "That''s only 5% of his chakra? This is nuts!"


    Fujin ignored themotion in front of him and said, "The technique of infusing more chakra into a jutsu is called Supercharging a jutsu. Of course, not all supercharged jutsus are the same. Their effect will vary depending on how much chakra you infuse into the jutsu. There is another thing you need to consider.


    Even though the destruction and power are very high, it does have two drawbacks. The obvious one is that your chakra will run out faster if you use it repeatedly. During a battle, you''ll only be able to use this a few times. So only use it when you know it can give you the best results. Which is the second drawback?"


    [A/N: Initially had written Fujin training just Naruto. Realisedter that it would be a good opportunity to show Fujin guiding his students as well and teach them supercharging jutsus too (granted it won''t be very beneficial for them at this stage due to limited chakra). So rewrote the chapter.]


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    ()

 Chapter 656: Training (2)

    Chapter 656: Training (2)


    "What is the second drawback?"


    Fujin''s students and Naruto thought for a bit. While they did so, themotion created by Fujin''s jutsu finally settled down. Sayaka nced at it and her eyes widened. She said, "I understand. The scale and the power of the jutsu is a drawback in itself!


    We can target a normal jutsu at our enemies but a supercharged jutsu might hit our allies or any other bystanders. There will be a lot of coteral damage."


    Fujin replied, "That''s right. Due to the increased power, the supercharged jutsus will hit everything in its path. If your teammates or allies are nearby or your enemies have hostages who you want to rescue, then you''ll have to be very careful while using this technique."


    Everyone nodded. They imagined themselves getting hit by Fujin''s supercharged Great Breakthrough jutsu and shivered. None of them wanted to be in the way of such an attack or see their friends get hit by it.


    Fujin continued, "Of course, you''ll be able to control even supercharged jutsus perfectly with training. However, that takes several years to master and your chakra control will have to be far better than your current levels. So, remember these drawbacks for now.


    Anyway, we''ve talked plenty. It''s time to learn it. Who all¡­ who all want to master this technique?"


    As Fujin was speaking, his eyes widened momentarily before going back to their normal size. None of the kids noticed it and they shouted that they wanted to learn it.


    Fujin thought, ''I was sensed¡­ Someone sensed me. However, it wasn''t a chakra field nor was it that pervert ball¡­'' Fujin''s gaze fell on Naruto as he realized, ''I guess Jiraiya is finally in the vige to look for Naruto. That was probably a Senjutsu-based sensing technique. Well, if he''s here, then I have to pull that off, hehe!''


    Fujin barely took a second to analyze who sensed him. He chuckled at the reactions of the six kids in front of him and said, "Due to the nature of this technique, all of you can''t train at the same ce. This training ground is a bit too small for all six of you to practice at the same time¡­"


    The six of them immediately looked at the training ground. Yuji muttered, "More than small, it is too sad."


    Hikari agreed with him, "Yeah. Other than trees on the outskirts of the training ground, it is almostpletely barren!"


    Naruto looked around and said, "The training ground has be like this once again. Doesn''t grandpa Hokage say anything? Also, how do the trees recover every time?"


    Fujin chuckled and said, "On the contrary, he promotes using training grounds to their full extent so that we can train and be stronger. Besides, such things are verymon when you train. If he begins nitpicking, then no one would use training grounds and the strength of our ninjas will decrease."


    A bewildered expression appeared on Naruto''s face as he wondered, ''Is it really somon? Our training ground never once suffered so much even though we trained for so long¡­''


    Fujin replied, "Anyway, no need to bother with this. I''ll ask him to ''transnt'' trees here once again. He won''t mind."


    Naruto and the rest nodded. They had frequently experienced the phenomenon of the training ground transforming from a barren wastnd to a lush green ce filled with dense trees! Of course, they didn''t know that a certain someone would bepletely spent due to having to undertake such an arduous task.


    Fujin created 5 Shadow Clones and left them with his students to oversee their training in the training ground. Meanwhile, Fujin took Naruto to the river bank to train in the open space present there.


    Fujin thought, ''In the original story, he was perving around the hot springs. However, it''s safe to say that it wasn''t a coincidence. He must have sensed Naruto in the same way but Ebisu couldn''t detect it for obvious reasons. Oh well, I wonder if he''ll approach me openly or whether he''ll still perv around¡­''


    Fujin''s thought process was broken by Naruto, who asked, "How do I supercharge my jutsu?"


    Fujin looked at him and said, "Well, before I teach you that, I''ll teach you a new jutsu. It''s a rank B jutsu called Infinite Breakthrough jutsu. It''s the more advanced version of Great Breakthrough jutsu and the jutsu I use most frequently. In the future, use this one instead."


    Naruto became puzzled and asked, "Didn''t you just say that the rank of the jutsu doesn''t matter? Why are you teaching me a higher rank jutsus then?"


    Fujin raised an eyebrow and asked, "When did I say that? I just said that both have their advantages and disadvantages. A higher-ranked jutsu is generally more refined and doesn''t have the shorings that lower-ranked jutsu does. In return, they consume a higher amount of chakra.


    For instance, the winds generated by the Infinite Breakthrough jutsu are a lot sharper and more intense aspared to the Great Breakthrough jutsu. When you are facing too many enemies or an enemy who is quick on his feet, this jutsu will be much better. There is another thing you need to remember."


    Naruto paid attention as Fujin asked, "Did you notice that you''re able tost much longer than others during training or fighting?"


    Naruto immediately nodded and said, "Yes, I can train much longer than Sakura and even Sasuke!"


    Fujin said, "That''s because your chakra reserves are huge. Despite your young age, your chakra reserves are one of the highest in the vige. That''s the reason why I decided to teach you this technique.


    Unlike others, you can infuse a high amount of chakra into the jutsu and increase its power beyond what should normally be possible. In addition, you won''t run out of chakra as easily as others would."


    Naruto''s eyes widened. He eximed, "No way! How much chakra reserves do I have? How much higher is it than Sasuke''s?"


    Fujin smiled and answered, "Forget Sasuke, your chakra reserves are slightlyrger than even mine. There aren''t many ninjas withrger chakra reserves than mine in the vige. And, you''re only 12. By the time you be 16, your chakra reserves will surpass everyone else in the vige by a substantial level."


    Naruto immediately eximed in shock and happiness, "Holy crap! I''m awesome!"


    Fujin chuckled and said, "Yeah. Even though your talent in other aspects is quite bad, you beat others in terms of chakra by arge margin."


    Naruto''s happiness decreased slightly as he dejectedly asked, "Did you have to put it in such a way?"


    Fujin chuckled and replied, "Well, I have to ensure that you stay grounded. Besides, having arge amount of chakra isn''t that useful if you don''t know how to take advantage of it. So practice earnestly. The technique of supercharging jutsus will allow you to stand apart from your peers. Pay attention, I''ll show you the hand seals of Infinite Breakthrough jutsu. It''s quite simr to the Great Breakthrough jutsu. So, you have to master it by the end of the day. Tomorrow, we will practice supercharging."


    Naruto nodded and observed Fujin carefully. Fujin exined to him the workings of the jutsu, disyed the hand seals and showed how to perform them. Naruto immediately began practicing it.


    While Naruto began training, Jiraiya reached Fujin''spound while thinking, ''So this is the house of the boy Sensei told me so much about. Why does he live on the outskirts? There is nothing interesting here. Hmm?''


    A frown appeared on Jiraiya''s face as he muttered, "Something feels weird¡­"


    He concentrated Chakra in his eyes as he focused on Fujin''s house. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped. The book he was holding fell to the ground as his hands forgot to hold on to it! He shouted, "Which lunatic did this???"


    The lighting from the seals was so intense that Jiraiya could see nothing but the seals! Forget Fujin''s house, even thepound walls weren''t visible! Jiraiya''s throat became dry as he muttered in disbelief, "This¡­ How many seals are here? Thousands? Tens of thousands? Or hundreds of thousands? And, Naruto lives here?"


    Jiraiya gathered his thoughts and wondered, ''Did sensei order this or was it that boy? So many seals¡­ Did they want to hold the Nine Tails here in case he ever broke out of Naruto? Or does sensei want to imprison all 9 Tailed Beasts here?''


    No matter how Jiraiya tried to analyze, he couldn''t make any sense of the sight in front of him. He thought, ''I''ll have to discuss it with sensei.''


    Even though there weren''t any passersby near Fujin''spounds, Jiraiya''s outburst attracted the attention of a few Anbu ninjas who flickered on the walls to see who it was. On realizing that it was Jiraiya, they respectfully greeted him before continuing their duties. Seeing that one of their Sannins returned to the vige, their morale increased.


    Jiraiya thought to himself, ''I need to meet with Naruto.''


    He turned his head away from Fujin''spounds and looked towards the training ground on the opposite side of his house. He was about to take a step when his feet suddenly froze. He muttered, "Why does the training ground feel odd as well?"


    His eyes glowed once again as he observed the training ground. The book that he had just picked fell down again as disbelief appeared on his face yet again!


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 657: Mysteries!

    Chapter 657: Mysteries!


    Jiraiya once again picked up his book without taking his eyes off the training ground. He wondered, ''What has been happening in the vige? I can understand someone protecting apound, but why do the training grounds also have thousands of seals?


    If I hadn''t used Nature chakra to detect, I might not even have detected Naruto inside this densework of seals! Let me see what he is doing inside¡­''


    Jiraiya becamepletely still. Small amounts of nature chakra entered his body and mixed with his chakra. Around half a minuteter, his eyes began transforming and started looking simr to that of the toads! However, since the amount of nature chakra he absorbed was so low, he didn''t gain other features of the toads.


    Of course, this low amount of nature chakra wasn''t sufficient for Jiraiya to enter Sage Mode. It wasn''t very useful inbat either. Instead, it served just one purpose, that is, to sense!


    While sensing using nature chakra took a longer time and restricted his mobility temporarily, it had several advantages. For starters, other sensors wouldn''t detect anyone sensing them. This made it perfect for undercover missions, which Jiraiya frequently undertook, be it for the vige or himself.


    More importantly, traditional seals couldn''t block nature chakra based sensing techniques. Had Jiraiya used other means to sense Naruto, he would have never been able to sense him within that training ground as it blocked everything other than Fujin''s Space Time Sensing Technique and Senjutsu-based techniques since Fujin didn''t have the seals to negate them.


    Jiraiya was surprised that Naruto was no longer in the training ground. Instead, he sensed him some distance away near the river. He thought, ''So, Naruto is training there now. He seems to be training some kind of Wind jutsu. The one next to him must be Suzuki Fujin¡­''


    Jiraiya''s eyes returned to normal as he thought, ''I''ll go there instead. That ce is far better than either of these two.''


    Jiraiya began walking towards it while thinking, ''Still, I didn''t expect to see such sights on returning to the vige. People celebrating openly about a 16-year-old ninja defeating Orochimaru twice¡­ A house hidden behind thousands of seals without anything suspicious inside it¡­ And 5 kids practicing Kekkei Genkai that shouldn''t be in Konoha¡­Life is full of mysteries¡­ Perhaps I should use some of it for my next story. A young princess is imprisoned by her father in such a house, while her prince goes through hell to reunite with her. Yeah, that book should be a total hit!''


    Jiraiya immediately noted down his ideas for his next book while nning a few more ''research'' trips. A couple of minutes after Jiraiya left, an Anbu Guard entered thepound. He wanted to meet Fujin but discovered that Fujin wasn''t there. So he quickly passed a message to Monkey before leaving. Monkey went to the training ground to inform Fujin about the message.


    At the river bank, Fujin was watching Naruto train when he received memories of his Shadow Clone. He thought, ''Hmm, Hiruzen wants to see me? Is this in regards to what he said yesterday?''


    Fujin created a Shadow Clone to watch over Naruto''s training and flickered towards the Hokage Building. Elsewhere, confusion could be seen on Orochimaru''s face. If any of his subordinates were next to him, they would have been surprised to see such an expression on the face of their master.


    Orochimaru muttered, "Where is Kabuto? Why haven''t I heard from him yet?"


    Orochimaru expected Kabuto to find him soon after. After all, Kabuto''s cover had been blown. He didn''t have any reason to stay inside Konoha. Knowing that they had to prepare an assault against Konoha, Kabuto should have been by Orochimaru''s side, assisting him with everything. Yet, not only had he not returned to his side, he hadn''t even sent a message to Orochimaru!


    The first question Orochimaru had was whether Kabuto was captured by Konoha. However, he quickly analyzed, ''No, that shouldn''t be the case. I only left after I couldn''t track him anymore. Fujin and Kakashi shouldn''t have been able to track him either. And sensei was still in the tower.


    Besides, even if they tracked him, they wouldn''t be able to capture him silently. The battle would have attracted the attention of everyone in Konoha. So, they wouldn''t be able to keep it silent and I would have received reports by now. Unless Kabuto has betrayed me¡­''


    Orochimaru wasn''t sure about this spection. He thought, ''Kabuto is very loyal to me. In spite of how he acts, I''m sure he would have willingly given his body to me and would have felt honored had I asked. However, he does have a history of switching sides. But, what could Konoha have offered to him to make him betray me?''


    Orochimaru thought for a long while but couldn''te up with any reasonable guess. He thought, ''No, that shouldn''t be the case. I have a feeling that something else is happening. Something very fishy¡­ But what could it be?''


    For an unexinable reason, Fujin''s face appeared in Orochimaru''s mind. But he didn''t have anything that could lead him to believe that Fujin was involved. After all, from Orochimaru''s perspective, even though Fujin was strong, he was just an ordinary Konoha ninja who was influenced by Hiruzen like the rest.


    Unaware of Orochimaru''s thoughts, Fujin reached Hiruzen''s office. To his surprise, 2 Genins and 1 Jounin from Kusagakure were present in his office. He identified them quite easily and looked at Hiruzen, wondering why he had been called.


    Hiruzen noticed his gaze and said, "Fujin, this is Kurokusa Hanae. He is the Jounin sensei of this Kusa squad. He wanted to inquire about something with you."


    Fujin turned his gaze towards Hanae and thought, ''Is he here for Karin? Considering her ability, it isn''t strange for Kusa to be concerned. Though if they were that concerned, why did they even send her here with such weak teammates?''


    Fujin''s gaze made Hanae tense. Had it been anyone else, he could have tried to be more aggressive to get more information. However, in front of the Spectral Swordsman who recently defeated Orochimaru, he didn''t dare to show any aggression.


    Hanae respectfully said, "As you know, their squad also had a girl along with them. Unfortunately, they separated on the second day and they weren''t able to find her afterwards. I was wondering if you know anything about this or her whereabouts."


    Fujin replied casually, "If she''s missing for so long, she is probably dead. It is rathermon in the Forest of Death. As for her whereabouts¡­ Do you think I was there to babysit the Genins?"


    Hanae immediately replied, "No, of course not. However, this exam wasn''t natural. After all, Orochimaru interfered in the exam. If he targeted Karin, she wouldn''t have any chance against him."


    Fujin replied, "I fought Orochimaru on the very first day. He didn''t enter the Forest of Death again. Since she went missing on day 2, he shouldn''t have anything to do with this."


    Fujin turned his gaze towards the two Genins and asked, "When did youst see her? And how were you separated?"


    Seeing their sensei acting subserviently had spooked the Genins. Fujin''s fierce gaze made them sweat in fear. Both felt that their heads would roll if they lied. They immediately spilled all the beans.


    Fujin looked at them disdainfully and said, "You left your teammate by herself in that dangerous forest and have the gall toe here and ask us for exnations? Did you even attempt to look for her or did you just ignore the fact that she was missing?"


    The Genins immediately answered, "We tried to look for her but couldn''t find her. Instead, we just found her clothes, spectacles, some dried blood and some strands of her hair."


    Hanae''s expression became ugly as he saw the Genins spill everything. However, he didn''t me them. Facing both Fujin and Hiruzen at the same time was extremely demanding for him despite his experience. For two inexperienced Genins, it was impossible to resist either of them.


    Fujin turned his gaze towards Hanae and said, "Looking at the evidence, I''m afraid that there isn''t much Konoha can do. She should''ve been long dead and perhaps in the belly of some wild beast by now."


    Hanae nodded unwillingly and said, "I understand. Thank you for cooperating with us."


    He looked at Hiruzen and thanked him as well before leaving. Fujin waited for them to leave before turning to Hiruzen and saying, "That was strange. Since when did Kusa start worrying about a Genin who couldn''t even survive in the forest?"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 658: Intense Negotiations!

    Chapter 658: Intense Negotiations!


    "Since when did Kusa start worrying about a Genin?" Fujin asked with such a straightforward face that he would be thest person anyone would suspect!


    Hiruzen answered, "The identity of the Genin was a bit special. She was from the Uzumaki n and had an excellent healing ability."


    Fujin frowned and asked, "The Uzumaki n¡­ What was she doing in Kusagakure then? Considering our history, shouldn''t we have taken in all Uzumaki survivors?"


    Hiruzen sighed and answered, "Apparently her mother took refuge there. Unfortunately, by the time I knew about their existence, they realized how useful her ability was and exploited her to their full limit while keeping her protected all the time. The only way to rescue her was to massacre too many Kusa ninjas, which wasn''t wise at that time. She died a few years ago and her daughter took over that role. They''ve been exploiting her since then."


    Fujin disyed a thoughtful expression and said, "That''s a shame. You should''ve told me about it sooner. Perhaps we could have made some arrangements for her and inducted her into the Anbu like the rest of the kids."


    Hiruzen became serious and said, "Fujin, you shouldn''t look at every situation through the same lens. Kidnapping any participating Genin in the Chunin exam is something that should never be done, irrespective of who it is. Even if we hide that Genin in the Anbu, the secret will be out sooner orter.


    Once it is out, every enemy vige will use it as an opportunity to drag our reputation through the mud. Our allies will be fearful of our intentions and will stop sending their talented Genins to the Chunin exams. And, when our Genins go to other viges to participate, they will make a move on our talented Genins.


    As a result, the Chunin Exam will lose its meaning while our alliances will be extremely fickle and untrustworthy. It would be a huge blow for the vige when the next Great War breaks out.


    If you want to kidnap and induct anyone from outside Konoha, then you need to do it when they are outside Konoha, no, outside the Land of Fire. That way, even if anyone points their fingers at us, we can make up any story to make it seem like we are the good guys. For instance, had I known about these two Uzumakis before Kusa recognized their importance, I would have sent Anbu to kidnap both of them. We would have brought them to Konoha and kept them hidden. In the future, when Kusa realizes that we have them, I would have made up a story about how some of our ninjas rescued them from their ''kidnappers'', who ran away on seeing Konoha ninjas and said that the mother-daughter pair asked for Konoha''s protection.


    That way, even though they know that the story is made up, they can''t do anything about it and could only take that loss."


    Fujin listened carefully and analyzed, ''Hmm, that''s true. I hadn''t considered the geopolitical impacts of such a move. Though to be fair, I didn''t analyze it much and was just saying it just because it was a natural move and because there is nothing Hiruzen can do about Karin now.''


    Fujin nodded and said, "I hadn''t considered those factors. Thank you for letting me know."


    Hiruzen smiled and said, "You should, in the future. Be it as the leader of a hidden vige or as a simple negotiator, you should always consider all aspects so that you don''t end up hurting the vige in the long term.


    Anyway, leave this matter. It''s toote to discuss in any case. I had another reason for calling you here¡­"


    Hiruzen got off his chair and said, "Follow me."


    Hiruzen flickered from the office and Fujin quickly followed him. The Anbu Guards chased after them as well but struggled to keep up. In a minute, Fujin and Hiruzen were standing in front of the same house they stood nearly six years ago! Fujin said, "He is early here this time."


    Loud sounds of metals shing could be heard as Hiruzen nodded and said, "Yeah, I requested him toe as soon as he could. It''s not very often that I do that, so he won''t decline my request."


    Fujin nodded. The two walked towards the house. Hiruzen''s heart bled knowing how much the visit to that house would cost him, but he steeled himself thinking, ''Even though it''ll cost the vige a lot, Fujin did defeat Orochimaru. He forced him to retreat twice. Giving him this reward isn''t unjustified. Not to mention, it wouldn''t look good for Konoha if our most talented youngster doesn''t have a good weapon¡­''


    Fortunately for Fujin, Hiruzen was unaware of the fact that Fujin had the de of the Thunder Spirit as well as the Kiba des with him. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have been willing to spend so much despite Fujin''s amazing feat.


    As he knocked on the door, Hiruzen thought, ''Oh well, this is just temporary. The vige should earn more just by selling a portion of the plots around the Guidance Hall within the next 6 months.''


    Ota Momo opened the door and weed Hiruzen and Fujin in. Hiruzen''s Anbu Guards stayed outside the house. Hiruzen and Fujin walked into the room where an old man, dressed in white robes, was sitting. Sitting behind him were 4 middle-aged men, all of whom were his apprentices. Hiruzen smiled and said, "It''s good to see you still hale and hearty, Fuji-dono. Was your journey peaceful?"


    [A/N: Both appeared in chapter 111.]


    Furutani Fuji greeted back, "It''s good to see you still on top of things as usual, Lord Hokage. The journey was peaceful thanks to the squad you sent to escort us, but my old bones are finding it hard to continue travelling so much."


    He looked at Fujin and asked, "Anyway, you called me here on such short notice to make another sword for him, right?"


    Hiruzen just nodded. Fuji looked at Fujin and asked with a smile on his face, "How do you want your sword to be made this time?"


    Just like Jiraiya, Furutani Fuji had also heard people speaking about Fujin defeating Orochimaru. So, he was far more respectful. Fujin replied casually, "A sword that conducts Wind chakra flow seamlessly while being as tough and sturdy as it can be. Use the best materials you can to ensure that these two aspects aren''tpromised in any way."


    Furutani Fuji''s eyes widened momentarily and he looked at Hiruzen. Seeing that Hiruzen didn''t contradict Fujin, he thought, ''So, Konoha is going all out in creating a sword¡­ The rumors must be true. This kid must have really defeated Orochimaru!''


    He smiled and said, "To create such a sword¡­ Making this journey was worth it after all! Let''s discuss it in more detail."


    Fuji immediately informed Hiruzen and Fujin about what materials he could use, what the process would be, the cksmiths that would be helping him and other details. They discussed the length, width and weight of the sword along with other specifications. After everything had been discussed, they finally began talking about the most important aspect, at least from Hiruzen''s perspective.


    Furutani Fuji analyzed everything and said, "Lord Hokage, considering everything, the cost of the sword will be approximately 370 Million Ryo."


    Hiruzen had already expected it considering the materials that were being used for creating the sword and the number of reputed cksmiths who''d be working on it. However, that was no reason to agree with the price.


    A look of disbelief appeared on Hiruzen''s face as soon as he heard the price. He said, "That''s too expensive, Fuji-dono. Reduce it."


    Fujin nced at Hiruzen and thought, ''His acting is really good. Knowing him, he must have been aware of what the price would be even before we stepped into this house.''


    While others would feel pressured to face Hiruzen, Furutani Fuji was no slouch. He had decades of experience in negotiating as well and easily saw through Hiruzen''s act. However, considering Hiruzen''s position, he didn''t dare to point it out.


    Instead, he showed a difficult expression and replied, "Lord Hokage, as you can see, the cost of the materials itself will be very high. Considering the high requirements of the sword and the fact that you require it in less than three weeks, I won''t be able to do it without the help of other top-tier cksmiths. Even if I agree to not include any crafting charges for myself, I''ll need to pay them a considerable amount to get their help on such short notice."


    Hiruzen immediately shook his head and said, "On the contrary, considering the high level of sword you''ll be crafting, others will be interested to work willingly. After all, it''s not every day that you get to create a sword of this level. If they miss this opportunity, who knows when they''ll get another one."


    Fuji immediately replied, "Even in that case, I won''t be able to reduce the price much. At most, I might be able to reduce it to 350 million Ryo."


    [A/N: Next chapter - A visit to the Land of Iron?


    Latest chapter on Pat reon - A Lone Battle...]


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 659: A Visit to the Land of Iron?

    Chapter 659: A Visit to the Land of Iron?


    "At most, I might be able to reduce it to 350 million Ryo," Fuji said while making an expression as if to indicate that he was giving his kidney away.


    Of course, the person he was negotiating with wouldn''t budge even if someone actually did that! Hiruzen pointed out that the cost of the material would be only 225 million Ryo and started negotiating from that point. For the next half an hour, Fuji''s apprentices and Fujin got front-row seats to two veterans negotiating!


    Fuji''s apprentices thought, ''Wow! I didn''t know my master could negotiate so well. Even in front of someone like the Hokage, he isn''t budging back!''


    Meanwhile, Fujin analyzed, ''As expected. His negotiation skills are off the chart! Even though I had major sess in Kusa, my negotiation skills were based on the threat of using force. Byparison, Hiruzen hadn''t threatened the use of force even once and yet he has whittled Fuji down to 300 million Ryo.''


    While Hiruzen and Fuji were in an intense discussion, Naruto managed to use the Infinite Breakthrough jutsu correctly for the first time. He immediately came running towards Fujin''s clone and said, "Fujin! Did you see it? I got the jutsu down already!"


    Fujin''s clone was amused by his enthusiasm and replied, "Got the jutsu down already? You just managed to perform it sessfully once. By the end of the day, I want to see you perform the jutsu sessfully every time."


    Naruto immediately replied, "I''ll get that done as well, believe it! Huh? Where are you looking?"


    As Naruto was speaking, Fujin''s clone turned his head and gazed behind him. Naruto followed his gaze and noticed what he was staring at. Suddenly, his eyes widened and he shouted, "Ahhh! A pervert!"


    Naruto saw a white-haired man hiding behind a bush and peeking through it at girls having fun near the waterfall. Fujin''s clone muttered, "A pervert indeed¡­" He turned his gaze towards Naruto and said, "Let me see how much you''ve learnt Naruto. Use your Infinite Breakthrough jutsu to teach that pervert a lesson."


    Naruto was surprised. He asked, "Me? I won''t be able to control it and might end up hitting everything."


    Fujin''s clone said, "And that''s why you need to keep training your jutsus until you have perfect control over them. Only then will you have any chance of bing an exceptional ninja. Anyway, don''t worry for now. I''ll direct your jutsu. Observe it carefully. In the future, when your control over the Wind improves, you can try doing something simr."


    Naruto nodded, weaved the hand seals and shouted, "Infinite Breakthrough jutsu!"


    At the same time, Fujin''s clone emitted a quarter of his chakra into the air and created a mini-Wind Domain as his chakra was quite limited. Instead of forming a dome around him, his domain upied the area in front of Naruto.


    Naruto blew the intense winds into the Wind Domain, allowing Fujin''s clone to easily direct the intense winds. Jiraiya, who was doing his research, suddenly felt the chakra spike behind him and turned around. His eyes widened as he eximed, "What the hell?"


    In the blink of an eye, he mmed his hands on the ground and a mud wall rose in front of him. He cursed, ''Sensei said that he was peculiar, but he didn''t say that he was aplete lunatic! Who the hell uses such an attack inside the vige?''


    To his shock, the intense winds moved around the mud wall,pletely avoiding it! As if responding to the winds, the mud wall changed its shape too, protecting Jiraiya from all sides.


    Jiraiya analyzed, ''Sensei wasn''t bluffing when he said that Fujin''s control over the wind was ridiculously good. I don''t think I have ever seen anyone remotely as good as him at manipting wind. Not to mention, he is manipting Naruto''s jutsu and not his own. I wonder what his next move would be¡­''


    Even though Jiraiya wasn''t looking for a fight, Fujin''s little disy had intrigued him quite a bit. Unfortunately for him, Fujin''s next move would bepletely out of his expectations!


    In thest half hour in Ota Momo''s house, Fuji had reduced his price to 300 million Ryo while Hiruzen hade up to 270 million Ryo. They had been stuck on an impasse.


    Finally, Hiruzen turned his head towards Fujin and asked, "Fujin, would you like to make a trip to the Land of Iron? I''m sure the cksmiths would be willing to reduce the prices considerably after meeting you."


    Fujin immediately became speechless. He thought, ''In the end, even he resorted to threatening violence¡­''


    Fuji and his apprentice immediately became tense. They understood clearly what ''meeting'' meant. Fuji analyzed, ''If he has indeed defeated Orochimaru, then no one other than Lord Mifune would be able to stop him. However, that is assuming he fights Mifune head-on. The entire Land of Iron will be restless if he visits there. Even though it is unlikely that the Hokage would carry this threat, I need to tread carefully.''


    To his relief, Fujin replied, "Visit the Land of Iron? Would that be appropriate? Renjiro sensei had learnt the Samurai Saber Technique from Lord Mifune. Going in unannounced might not be a good thing¡­"


    Hiruzen immediately replied, "Oh, who said about going unannounced? Since Mifune taught Renjiro, you can go to pay your respects to him. Perhaps you could even convince him to talk with the cksmiths to waive off crafting charges."


    He thought, ''As expected of the one I selected to lead Konoha''s negotiation team. He caught on to what I intended him to say.''


    Fuji, who wanted a way out, immediately said, "Oh, I didn''t know you were rted to Lord Mifune in such a way. If I tell that to others, I might be able to reduce the price to 285 million. However, that is the absolute lowest I could go. I hope you can understand, Lord Hokage."


    Hiruzen didn''t say anything and just looked at Fuji to increase the pressure. He thought, ''285 million¡­ That should be eptable. I reduced the price by 85 million Ryo. That is probably the most I could do. Unless¡­''


    Seeing that Hiruzen wasn''t saying anything, Fuji looked at Fujin and said, "Considering your talent and potential, everyone I know would have been excited to craft a sword for you. In fact, it is the only reason I will be able to convince others. However, Lord Hokage said that you broke your previous sword during your fight against Orochimaru."


    A smile formed on Hiruzen''s face as he thought, ''He finally used this point! I was worried that he wouldn''t¡­''


    Fuji didn''t notice his smile and continued, "I can understand that your opponent was very strong and the sword breaking might be inevitable. However, we cksmiths feel humiliated when someone breaks our sword. That is why I''ll need to work hard to convince others¡­"


    Fujin raised an eyebrow and asked, "What is so humiliating about it? Instead, you should feel proud. My sword cracked when I destroyed Orochimaru''s Sword of Kusanagi with it. The fact that a sword you crafted achieved it should be a proud moment for you."


    Fuji''s eyes widened in shock. He couldn''t help but exim, "You destroyed Orochimaru''s Sword of Kusanagi?"


    Fujin nodded and said, "His sword was too tough. That is the only reason my sword cracked and why I emphasize that my next sword should be very tough."


    Fuji couldn''t believe what he was hearing. The toughness of the Sword of Kusanagi was well-known in the ninja world. Destroying it was unthinkable. He turned his gaze towards Hiruzen and noticed his smile. He immediately realized, ''Shit! He purposely gave me that info so that I would willingly walk into a trap!


    As expected of someone who has ruled one of the strongest Hidden Viges for decades. Still, if this is true, then it changes everything! Even though the sword I crafted was good, it was nowhere near the level of the Sword of Kusanagi. If he can use it to destroy that sword, what can he achieve with a sword that is among the best?''


    Fuji immediately became excited upon thinking about it. His breathing became rough as he forgot all about profits. He said, "In that case, I might be able to reduce the price even further. I can''t make any promises, but perhaps I might be able to lower it to 250 million Ryo."


    Hiruzen smiled and said, "That''s good. I''ll leave it to you, Fuji-dono. Please create the sword quickly and bring it to Konoha within 3 weeks."


    Furutani Fuji nodded. He immediately left Konoha and began making his way to the Land of Iron. Once they were alone again, Fujin said, "That was a good negotiation tactic. First, you lowered the price as much as you could and then you waited for him to enter into that trap.


    Once he had stepped in it, you just let his pride of being one of the best swordsmiths do the work for you. I really learnt a lot today, Grandpa."


    Hiruzen was initially smiling on hearing Fujin''s praise. However, when he heard ''Grandpa'', a shiver passed through his spine and he immediately became very alert. He looked at Fujin and wondered, ''What now? Don''t tell me he is going to ask for the 120 million Ryo I was able to save!''


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    Thank you Varun for supporting me through UPI.

 Chapter 660: Blowing up the Pervert!

    Chapter 660: Blowing up the Pervert!


    ''What now? Don''t tell me he is going to ask for the 120 million Ryo I was able to save!'' Hiruzen wondered fearfully.


    Raising his guard to the highest level, he said, "I''m d you learnt something. In the future, when you lead more negotiation missions for the vige, I expect you to save or earn a lot of money for the vige as well."


    Fujin replied, "Yeah, I understand. Though to be entirely honest, it''s not the money I''m worried about. I can''t shake off the feeling that there will be a battle in the future¡­"


    Hiruzen was surprised by his words and looked carefully at him. On one hand, he was relieved that Fujin wasn''t asking for anything and was instead thinking about the vige. On the other hand, Fujin''s words raised his concerns as well. He had been feeling that something was about to happen even before the Chunin exams started.


    A frown formed on Fujin''s face as he continued speaking, "Do we really have no counter for Orochimaru''s skin-shedding technique? How are we supposed to fight him if he always recovers to perfect health?


    The only possible counter I coulde up with was fighting him till he ran out of chakra. However, he is very good at using the Reverse Summoning jutsu. He''ll escape long before he reaches that stage. He can just wait until he recovers and attack again. If he intends to cause harm to the vige, then it is only a matter of time before we suffer."


    Fujin''s words made Hiruzen sigh in fatigue. He had been considering how to deal with Orochimaru ever since Orochimaru and Fujin fought in the Forest of Death. Fujin observed his reactions while thinking, ''I''ve already asked for all the jutsus I could from him. The only ones left that I know of are Edo Tensei and Dead Demon Consuming Seal.


    However, I know that he won''t give either of the techniques to me. One is too dark and deadly while the other is suicidal. That said, who knows what sort of technique he and others have created in the dark and kept a secret from everyone else? If I can get any more strong jutsus from him, then it would be a nice bonus.''


    Unfortunately for Fujin, Hiruzen shook his head and said, "Sadly, there is no counter. Even seals wouldn''t work against him. The jutsu had the drawback of requiring too much chakra and exhausting him physically, but he seems to have improved upon those limitations. The only way to stop him would be to kill him in one blow and hence not allow him to use this technique."


    Fujin said, "That is extremely difficult as well. His physique is much stronger than ours. Had he been normal, he wouldn''t have survived my Shadow Clone Explosion jutsu. My final attack should have killed him as well."


    Hiruzen replied, "He is a rank S ninja after all. And perhaps the most peculiar one out of them all. Killing a rank S ninja is never easy. That has always been the norm¡­"


    Hiruzen left the next part unsaid, ''Well, at least that''s the norm since Lord First passed away¡­''


    Fujin sighed and said, "Oh well, I guess I''ll just have to create a jutsu strong enough to kill him in one shot. I''ll see youter, Grandpa."


    Fujin disappeared, leaving Hiruzen alone. Hiruzen sadly thought, ''Even for me, killing him in one shot is probably no longer possible. 10 years ago I wouldn''t have any issue in doing it. However, my strength has decreased considerably since then. The only guaranteed way to kill him now is Dead Demon Consuming Seal. However, if I use it, I''ll die¡­


    But if I don''t do it, then I might not be able to kill him even with this technique in the future. Should I correct the mistake I made a decade ago at the cost of my life? Or should I trust the future generation to take care of him?''


    Fujin''s words ''I''ll just have to create a jutsu strong enough to kill him in one shot'' echoed in Hiruzen''s ears. Hiruzen thought for quite some time before letting out a long sigh. He decided, ''Oh well, at least let me first see what scheme my traitorous student has been brewing. I''ll take a call depending on what the situation is.''


    While Hiruzen pondered what to do about his rebellious student, his perverted student was sitting behind a mud wall, anticipating Fujin''s next move. Jiraiya expected the winds to cut through his mud wall and had prepared his next move. However, to his surprise, the intense winds didn''t target the mud wall protecting him at all!


    Confused, Jiraiya wondered, ''What exactly is he aimin¡­''


    Jiraiya''s body suddenly froze! He felt a massive killing intent right behind him! In an instant, he realized who was radiating the killing intent. He slowly turned his neck to see half a dozen girls looking angrily at him. If looks could kill, Jiraiya would have long been dead.


    Jiraiya dumbfoundedly realized, ''His target wasn''t my mud wall! It was the bushes that were keeping me hidden! Shit!''


    Jiraiya didn''t have any time to think as several dozen kunai with explosive tags attached to them were thrown at him by the kunoichis he was spying on! Secondster, the spot where Jiraiya was standing blew up with a massive explosion!


    The kunoichis quickly grabbed whatever clothes they could and appeared on the bank.


    "Where is that pervert?"


    "Is he dead?"


    "No, there are no signs of blood! He must''ve escaped!"


    "Shit! I want to kill that fucking bastard! How dare he peep on us! Look around, he might still be hiding nearby!"


    "What was that strange wind earlier? Without it, we wouldn''t have realized that someone was spying on us!"


    "For him to dodge all our attacks, who was he?"


    The kunoichis discussed among themselves while looking for Jiraiya. They quickly began looking around.


    Some distance away, Naruto shivered and muttered, "They are scary! They are even scarier than Sakura!"


    Fujin''s clone nodded and replied, "Yeah. That''s why you should never spy on bathingdies. You wouldn''t know what hit you."


    Naruto obediently nodded and asked, "Do you think that man is still alive?"


    Fujin''s clone replied, "Tough to say. He did seem to have some skill. Regardless, that''s none of our business, is it?"


    Naruto shook his head and replied, "It isn''t. But why are we hiding as well? Shouldn''t we be the heroes for exposing the pervert?"


    Fujin''s clone and Naruto were no longer in their initial position. Instead, Fujin''s clone had grabbed Naruto and the two hid right at the very moment the bushes were cut down.


    Fujin''s clone chuckled and said, "Sure we are. Would you like to go and tell them that?"


    Naruto shivered at that thought and immediately shook his head. Fujin looked at the spot of the explosion and thought, ''I sensed that those girls were ninjas, I didn''t expect them to be from the Anbu.


    Sucks to be you, Jiraiya. Even though he is unharmed, this might give him some trauma¡­ Hmm, on second thought, probably not. He might trump his sensei when ites to shamelessness.''


    Fujin was on his way towards his house when his clone sent him the memories. He spontaneously broke out intoughter. So did all his other clones. Fujin thought, ''Not bad, that went better than I thought. I picked the right spot to train Naruto, hehehe.''


    On returning to his house, Fujin entered his basement and thought, ''Suna and Orochimaru should be quiet for some time now though I should still keep some chakra with me in case something unexpected happens. It''s time to get back to training¡­''


    Inside his basement, 50 Shadow Clones appeared! They immediately divided themselves into two groups. 10 Shadow Clones continued working on his original seal while the remaining 40 began working on making Kabuto''s medical capabilities his own.


    As for Fujin''s main body, he had around 30% of his chakra still remaining. However, instead of doing any training himself, he sat down while reading a scroll. The scroll contained information on Yoroi and Misumi''s abilities that Fujin had obtained from Kabuto''s memories.


    Fujin went through the information once again and thought, ''Sigh, why are all of Orochimaru''s followers so strange¡­''


    Fujin was intrigued by both of their abilities. Yoroi could absorb chakra from his opponents while Misumi could manipte his body as if it was made of rubber. Even though neither was strong, their abilities were quite unique and useful.''


    [A/N: Latest chapter - Fujin''s Profound Loss!]


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 Chapter 661: A Walking Morgue!

    Chapter 661: A Walking Morgue!


    Fujin analyzed, ''Unfortunately, neither of their abilities are easy to gain¡­ Misumi''s body was surgically modified by Orochimaru to allow him to dislocate his joints to fit into any space¡­ He was one of Orochimaru''s experimental subjects, one of his earliest ones before Orochimaru modified his own body¡­


    So, replicating him will be stupid. If I want to replicate, then I should directly replicate what Orochimaru has done instead of this Genin. Unfortunately, even though Kabuto has quite extensive knowledge about body modifications, he doesn''t have a lot of it considering how little time he spent with Orochimaru¡­ Perhaps I should have just marked him and killed him after he spent some time with Orochimaru¡­''


    Fujin sighed. Even though he had received a lot of useful knowledge from Kabuto''s memories, he couldn''t help but want more. However, he quickly shook his head and thought, ''No, my timing was urate. If I had some guarantees that the future wouldn''t change, I would have done that. However, who knows how Hiruzen and Orochimaru''s battle will go here¡­


    Besides, I''m not too keen on body modifications in any case. At least not right now. So it isn''t exactly a loss. If I feel a needter on, I''ll just capture someone with Orochimaru''s curse seal, extract Orochimaru from him or her and read Orochimaru''s memories directly.


    Regardless, the one whose ability intrigued me more was Yoroi¡­ To be able to absorb the chakra of other people. If I can generalize it and make it usable in other circumstances, then his ability could be incredibly broken. It''d be like the difference between Kisame without Samehada and Kisame with Samehada.


    Unfortunately, his ability is even more difficult to replicate. Unlike Misumi, no experiments were conducted on him. Instead, the chakra points on his palms were naturally mutated such that he could absorb chakra from other ninjas on contact.


    However, there are various limits on his ability. The biggest limit is that he can only absorb chakra from someone''s body. He can''t absorb chakra from jutsu like how the Rinnegan and Samehada can. In addition, he can only absorb it from his palms since only those chakra points are mutated.


    To make matters worse, his speed of chakra absorption is very low. Against a rank S ninja, that ability is more or less a waste. And, he can''t absorb Nature chakra with his ability¡­''


    Fujin fell into deep thought. He analyzed, ''Even though this ability seemed overpowered at first nce, it isn''t that special after considering all the limitations. If I can get it, the only use of this ability would be that I could use other friendly or captured ninjas as chakra batteries in between fights or training. Handy for sure, but not too useful in the middle of a fight. If I can modify it to absorb the chakra from my Wind Domain back, then it could be game-changing for my Wind Domain. I could freely put more chakra into my Wind Domain without the fear of running out of chakra. As for Nature chakra, I''ll have to see it after Ryu teaches me Senjutsu.


    Anyway, all that is if I can gain this ability¡­ A natural mutation in chakra points. Not something I can learn or copy. Thankfully, Kabuto did extensive research on him. Even though he didn''t seed in replicating it, he reached very close. If he could have opened up Yoroi''s hands and studied them, he would have seeded¡­''


    Fujin let out a sigh and muttered, "I''ll have to carry another dead body with me now¡­"


    On the river bank, the Anbu kunoichis left after trying to look for the peeper unsessfully for around half an hour. A couple of minutes after they left, Jiraiya climbed out of the ground. His face and clothes were covered in mud.


    He cursed, "What a devious brat! I nearly died! His first move made me think that he wanted to attack me directly. However, his real target was those bushes all along. Due to the suddenness of his attack, I wasn''t able to anticipate that he wanted thosedies to attack me instead! Normally, that wouldn''t have been an issue, but their attack was too quick and ruthless¡­"


    Even though Jiraiya said so, there wasn''t a single scratch on his body. He thought, ''It looks like approaching him in an unconventional way wouldn''t work. I''ll have to talk with him directly.


    In the Hokage''s office, Ibiki arrived hurriedly and reported, "Lord Hokage, we have finished reading the important parts of everyone''s memories. We have the information we were looking for. The Yamanaka ninjas are still reading their memories to get the finer details, but that will take a while."


    Ibiki ced a few files on Hiruzen''s desk. Hiruzen said, "Good work, Ibiki. Continue doing what you are."


    Ibiki nodded and quickly left. Hiruzen turned his gaze towards Shikaku and said, "It''s time to start."


    Shikaku grabbed a file and immediately got to work. While he did, Hiruzen called Eagle and ordered him to keep as many Anbu squads on standby as he could.


    In thend of Fire, two ninjas were running continuously. They were both wearing Konoha''s headband and covering a majority of their faces with masks. One of them was wearing ck sunsses while the other was wearing spectacles.


    The one with the sunsses said, "Misumi, why do you think Lord Orochimaru asked us to leave the vige yesterday?"


    Misumi thought for a bit and said, "It''s difficult to understand Lord Orochimaru''s thought process. But I have a feeling that it has something to do with Kabuto. Perhaps Lord Orochimaru no longer requires spies inside Konoha. Or maybe our cover was about to be blown."


    Yoroi replied, "Yeah, that is probably the case. I wonder what our job will be in the Land of Sound now."


    Misumi replied, "No matter what it is, we can''t disappoint Lord Orochimaru."


    Yoroi smirked and said, "Of course, we can''t let Kabuto hog all the light. Sooner orter, I''ll rece him as Lord Orochimaru''s right hand!"


    "Oh, you''ll rece him for sure. Just not as Orochimaru''s right hand." Yoroi and Misumi froze as they felt a pat on their backs and heard a taunting voice. Both recognized the voice and thought, ''Hatake Kakashi?''


    They wanted to turn around and face him, but their bodies didn''t listen to their mind and stayed frozen. Both immediately realized that a Self Cursing Seal had been ced on them.


    Before they could think or realize something else, two lightning-charged senbon needles pierced through their hearts and killed them. Fujin stored their bodies while thinking, ''I just wanted Yoroi''s body, but there is no harm in studying Misumi''s body either.''


    From Kabuto''s memories, Fujin knew where the two of them stayed. He also knew that Orochimaru had instructed them to leave the vige. So, he had sent a Shadow Clone to keep an eye on them and waited for both of them to be far away from Konoha so that Orochimaru would be confused even more about who was targeting his spies. And, he disguised as Kakashi once again so that Orochimaru would suspect Kakashi in case he managed to reanimate them.


    After storing their bodies properly and eliminating all traces of their death at that location, Fujin teleported a few times to reach back to his house.


    Since he didn''t have anything to do, Fujin let his clones continue their training and left to overlook Naruto''s training personally while thinking with a smirk on his face, ''I wonder if Jiraiya will show up normally or whether he''ll still try any other shit.''


    At around 7:30 in the evening, Naruto finally managed to use the Infinite Breakthrough jutsu sessfully ten times in a row. He looked at Fujin and said, "Fujin! I see¡­"


    Before he couldplete his words, his body ran out of energy and he fell to the ground while breathing heavily. Fujin smiled and thought, ''So he does have a limit. I thought he might train through the night like he did while learning Multi Shadow Clone jutsu.''


    Fujin walked towards him and said, "Good job, Naruto. Tomorrow I''ll teach you how to supercharge this jutsu."


    Naruto smiled and said while breathing heavily, "I did it!"


    Fujin chuckled and asked, "Want to go to Ichiraku?"


    If he had any energy, he would have jumped up in joy. Instead, he only nodded his head. Fujin picked him up and flickered to Ichiraku. At the same time, his clones asked his students to go to Ichiraku as well. Since they trained extremely hard, Fujin let his students and Naruto have a st to end the day.


    As they walked back to Fujin''spound, Fujin suddenly stopped and said, "You guys go ahead. Rest well tonight. Training will begin early tomorrow morning."


    The kids immediately rushed forward. Standing alone in an alley, Fujin said with a hint of amusement in his voice, "To what do I owe the pleasure, Jiraiya the Gant?"


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 Chapter 662: Its only 6.9%!!!

    Chapter 662: It''s only 6.9%!!!


    Standing alone in an alley, Fujin said with a hint of amusement in his voice, "To what do I owe the pleasure, Jiraiya the Gant?"


    In the dark alley, a white-haired figure became visible behind Fujin. Stepping out of the darkness, Jiraiya said, "It''s good to finally see the Spectral Swordsman in the flesh. I have to admit, I thought you''d look far scarier considering the rumors I kept hearing about you."


    Unlike others in Konoha, Jiraiya spent more time in nearby viges and countries than in Konoha. Hence, he was very well aware of the fearsome reputation Fujin had outside Konoha.


    In fact, it was he who informed Hiruzen about how feared the Spectral Swordsman was in the neighboring countries, causing Hiruzen to reevaluate Fujin all those years ago. Along with Fujin''s strength, this was the main factor behind letting Fujin take the Anbu Captain promotion mission at a mere 13 years of age!


    Fujin chuckled and replied, "Looks can be deceiving. I''m sure someone like you would already know that."


    Jiraiya became slightly irritated as he realized that Fujin was hinting at the girls Jiraiya was spying on. He muttered, "Today''s generation is really reckless. They don''t even let poor old men do research in peace."


    Fujin chuckled again and said, "Luckily for you, you''re neither poor nor old. You shouldn''t have an issue in dealing with some turbulences."


    Jiraiya sighed and asked, "Did you have to be so heavy-handed? Had it been someone else, he could have died."


    Fujin shrugged and answered, "Naruto has a habit of pranking others. While I don''t mind it, he doesn''t always understand where the limits lie. Since you provided such a good opportunity to educate him, I couldn''t say no." Jiraiya was surprised by Fujin''s reasoning. However, he couldn''t help but find it a bit suspicious. He thought, ''Is what he said true? But why do I have a feeling that it isn''t the case? It almost feels like he did it to mess with me rather than teaching Naruto a lesson. No, to be more urate, it feels like it was a trap he had set for me to step into!''


    Fujin continued, "Besides if it was anyone else, I''d have just picked him up and thrown him in between those kunoichis."


    ''...'' Jiraiya was left speechless by Fujin''s honest admission. He thought, ''Indeed, he is very peculiar! I now understand why sensei used this word so many times in his reports. I thought it was just us, but it seems like everyone taught by sensei bes peculiar in a unique way.''


    Fujin said, "Anyway, enough about me. Why have you been hovering around me?"


    Jiraiya scoffed internally, ''Why would I be hovering around you? Not only aren''t there any pretty girls around you, but your house is so far away from the vige that there isn''t a single soul around it!''


    He replied, "I wasn''t hovering around you. I was keeping an eye on Naruto."


    Jiraiya became serious and continued, "Since you''re training Naruto, I can guess that Kakashi gave him to you to prepare him for the Chunin Exam finals."


    Fujin nodded as Jiraiya became quiet for a few seconds. He continued, "Forgive me, but I want to take over Naruto''s training from you."


    Fujin raised his eyebrow and muttered, "For you to say this¡­ Are you nning to teach Naruto how to harness Nine Tails'' chakra?"


    Jiraiya wasn''t surprised that Fujin was able to guess it and nodded. Fujin replied, "Hmm, I don''t have an issue with it, but I promised to teach Naruto something. If I don''t, I''m afraid he''ll bother me till the end of time. Luckily, it shouldn''t take a long while. You can have him after a few days."


    Jiraiya asked in surprise, "Didn''t he already learn Infinite Breakthrough jutsu?"


    Fujin replied, "He did, but I just taught it to him so that he could use what I was nning to teach him better. I''ll be teaching him how to supercharge a jutsu. To be honest, that would go well with harnessing Nine Tails'' chakra as well. Perhaps you could help him fine-tune it if he learns to harness Nine Tails'' chakra properly."


    A thoughtful expression appeared on Jiraiya''s face as he muttered, "Naruto supercharging jutsus while using Nine Tails'' chakra¡­ Now that would be a sight to see."


    Fujin chuckled and replied, "It sure would. Be sure to warn him several times about aiming it properly and making sure that nothing else is nearby. Otherwise, he might end up destroying the entire vige."


    Jiraiya was about to defend Naruto when he noticed something very peculiar. He thought, ''What the¡­? He doesn''t seem worried that Naruto might do that. Instead, I feel like he is looking forward to the mess that it would create. How exactly was this kid raised? And how did sensei guide him?''


    Unable to keep up with Fujin''s chaotic thoughts, Jiraiya could only say, "Alright. I''lle pick up Naruto in a couple of days."


    His expression became curious as he asked, "By the way, is it true that you defeated Orochimaru twice?"


    Fujin answered, "The second time we fought can''t really be considered a battle. He was only covering his subordinate''s escape and retreated soon after. I did defeat him the first time, but I''m not sure I''d be able to repeat the same now that he has an idea about how I fight."


    A smile appeared on Fujin''s face as he said, "Fortunately, with you and Grandpa here, I hopefully won''t have to fight him. Or at least not have to fight him by myself."


    Jiraiya nodded. He thought, ''This kid is good. Being able to force Orochimaru to retreat twice and still being humble enough to admit that he might not be able to win next time while being only 16. No wonder sensei ces so much importance on him.


    Be it his strength or humbleness, he is quite simr to Minato. However, Minato gained a lot of experience on the battlefield. And, he had a technique that made him invincible and allowed him to escape safely whenever in danger. Fujin stillcks those.''


    Knowing how dangerous Orochimaru was better than anyone, Jiraiya said, "It''s a good thing you realize that. Orochimaru is too cunning and devious. Even though you forced him to retreat twice, don''t underestimate him.


    The next time you fight, he''ll already have appropriate counters for the techniques you used. And, he won''t show those counters directly and will wait for you to be overconfident or make a wrong move before using them and putting you in a difficult situation."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Thanks for the warning."


    At the same time, he thought, ''It''s a shame that Orochimaru would likely be dead or severely weakened in a month''s time. Otherwise, someone like him would have been a very good whetstone to help me refine my techniques andbat systems. And, Konoha wouldn''t have stopped me from trying to hunt him down, which would have given me several opportunities to sh with him.


    Even though there are others who are stronger than Orochimaru, their knowledge of Ninjutsu is nowhere near his. Instead, they are stronger just because they have honed a particr technique or fighting style to the limit or have a broken Kekkei Genkai. They won''t be able to help me in the same way as someone like Orochimaru can.''


    Jiraiya didn''t have a clue about what Fujin was thinking. Seeing his expression, he thought that Fujin was thinking about what he had said.


    Meanwhile, Fujin sighed internally, deciding, ''Oh well, I''ll just use my Akura identity to pick fights with the ones that can help me improve. Hmm, I hope Ay and Onoki don''t have any heart problems. I have a feeling that I''ll be beating up too many Kumo and Iwa ninjas by the time Akatsuki bes more active¡­''


    Fujin snapped out of his thoughts when Jiraiya suddenly eximed, "I nearly forgot!"


    Jiraiya stepped close to Fujin and softly asked, "Looking at your house,pound and training ground, I couldn''t help but be curious. Why do you have so many seals inscribed on your house? Did Sensei order it? Or is there an issue that you noticed? Or was it for the kids you were training?"


    Fujin raised an eyebrow and asked with a confused look, "What do you mean by so many seals?"


    Fujin''s response stumped Jiraiya. Even though he had a lot of spections, a confused look followed by that question wasn''t one of them. Jiraiya said, "I mean the tens of thousands of seals on your house andpound."


    Fujin frowned and said, "What''s ''many'' about it? It is actually too few. It is only 6.9% of the seals I was nning to inscribe on my house. Unfortunately, I ran out of space. So, I inscribed a few seals on mypounds. Though I''m still not satisfied."


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 Chapter 663: The Key to World Peace???

    Chapter 663: The Key to World Peace???


    Jiraiya''s eyes widened in shock and disbelief. Not in a million years would he have predicted such a response. Fujin didn''t pay any attention to his expression and instead said with a thoughtful expression, "Once I have more free time, I''m nning to hire a few architects and builders to increase the area of the walls on my house. That could allow me to double or triple the number of seals on my house. But I still don''t know how I should increase them any further to reach the number of seals I initially intended on¡­"


    To say Jiraiya was shocked was an understatement. The normally unstoppable, decisive and shameless Jiraiya the Gant was left speechless. He couldn''t believe what he was hearing. From his experience, he could easily tell that Fujin''s house had over a hundred thousand seals even though he couldn''t sense most of them. In addition, thepound had a simr amount of seals.


    Yet, Fujin imed that it was 6.9% of the seals he wanted to inscribe on his house! He couldn''t help but wonder, ''Is this kid for real? Does he want over a million seals on that little house? What does he even want so many seals for? Is he nning to hold an army off while hiding inside his house?''


    Unable to control himself, Jiraiya voiced his thoughts, "What do you need so many seals on your house for?"


    Fujin tilted his head and answered, "What else? It is to ensure that my house stays safe. Why else would you inscribe seals on your house?"


    His response left Jiraiya speechless once again. Controlling himself, Jiraiya said as calmly as he could, "You can keep your house safe with just a hundred seals. Why are you using a million seals? Even Konoha''s wall doesn''t have that many seals."


    Fujin looked scornfully at Jiraiya and said, "What protection does a mere hundred seals provide? I have killed hundreds of fools who felt that a hundred seals would keep them protected in their house.


    As for the wall, if it had that many seals, then perhaps it would have been useful and would have stopped someone like Orochimaru from entering and exiting the vige at will. In fact, other viges would think twice before making any move against us as well if the wall had a few million seals instead of a couple of thousand."


    Once again, Jiraiya was left tongue-tied by Fujin''s response. Even though Fujin''s words werepletely unreasonable, Jiraiya couldn''t argue against them as they held some truth. After all, the wall around Konoha waspletely useless against the likes of Orochimaru. Fujin chuckled internally at Jiraiya''s reaction and said, "Anyway, it is ratherte in the night. I''ll see youter. You should meet with Grandpa if you haven''t yet. He was very troubled about this situation."


    Jiraiya just nodded as Fujin''s figure disappeared. He looked at the spot where Fujin was standing and thought, ''If Fujin bes the next Hokage, then perhaps Konoha''s wall will have tens of millions of seals. NOOO!!!''


    Jiraiya''s eyes widened as he imagined something far more terrifying. He thought, ''No, I''m wrong! If this kid bes the Hokage, he might seal up the entire border of the Land of Fire! Billions of seals protecting the Land of Fire from every direction¡­''


    Jiraiya could imagine the entire border of the Land of Fire lighting up with seals and got creeped out. He couldn''t help but wonder, ''Could this be a way for world peace? His actions would rm other viges and they would try to do something simr.


    Once every country is sealed up, defending would be very easy while attacking would be a nightmare. Though war will still exist in one form or another, the Great Ninja Wars might be a thing of the past. No one will dare tounch an attack lightly¡­''


    Jiraiya was surprised at his imagination. He thought, ''I didn''t think that my first meeting with Fujin would provide me with such insights. As amusing as such a path to peace would be, it unfortunately is unrealistic. Inscribing billions of seals isn''t an easy task.


    The seals can''t be inscribed randomly. They need to interact optimally with each other. Just creating such aplex seal formation design on paper might take over a decade. Inscribing the seals physically will take even longer. And that is with the Shadow Clone jutsu. Without them, it might take centuries.


    Not to mention, once other viges get a whiff of this n, they''ll get into action and try to stop such a seal formation from beingpleted. They could send someone to assassinate the Fuinjutsu Grandmasters. Alternatively, they could just deploy an army to destroy the entire area.


    So, the very act of creating a seal formation might trigger the next Great Ninja War.'' Jiraiya sighed, understanding what the consequences would be. He muttered, "I guess there is no easy way after all."


    He chuckled helplessly and muttered, "Oh well, I just hope that he doesn''t apply seals to any hot springs. That would be a real tra¡­"


    "Apply seals on the hot springs? Hmm, that''s an interesting idea. As expected of one of the Great Sannins." Jiraiya immediately jumped in fright as he heard Fujin''s voice behind him. He looked at him and shouted defensively, "What interesting idea? That''s the dumbest idea! Don''t you dare ruin the holy hot springs! Also, why are you still here?"


    Fujin answered, "I just remembered something that slipped my mind. However, I have to admit that I didn''t expect to hear such a noble idea. Why do you say it is a dumb idea?"


    Fujin asked in the most innocent tone. Jiraiya''s expression became more and more annoyed. He cursed, "You brat! What do you want?"


    Fujin chuckled and said, "Oh well, help me out with this one thing and I''ll forget what you said."


    Jiraiya raised an eyebrow and thought, ''He really wanted something?''


    He asked, "What is it?"


    Fujin replied, "Oh, not much. I wanted to know how to use the Fourth Hokage''s Rasengan."


    Jiraiya was surprised by the request. He thought, ''Well, that''s a surprise. I didn''t think he had an eye on Minato''s Rasengan or that he''d ckmail me to get it. Normally, I wouldn''t have minded it, but this doesn''t feel right. How could he threaten me with hot springs? Where will I conduct my research?''


    Jiraiya replied, "Unfortunately, that is a top secret in Konoha. It can''t be given out so easily. Not to mention, learning that jutsu isn''t easy either."


    Fujin replied, "I know. However, I read that the Fourth Hokage created it by imitating a Tailed Beast Bomb."


    Fujin extended his right hand forward. Jiraiya''s eyes widened as an unstable Rasengan formed in Fujin''s hand! Fujin said, "I was lucky or unlucky enough to witness one in action as well. After analyzing it for quite some time, I managed to recreate the Rasengan to an extent. Unfortunately, it is too unstable and I feel like I''m missing a step or two."


    Jiraiya thought in disbelief, ''Incredible, he almost managed to replicate Minato''s Rasengan from its description and after seeing a Tailed Beast Bomb?''


    Fujin dispersed the unstable Rasengan and asked, "Well, will you tell me now?"


    Jiraiya replied, "I didn''t expect that you would have already created it. It''s almost like the real deal. You only need to learn how to stabilize it better."


    Jiraiya demonstrated his Rasengan as well before telling Fujin about the three steps of learning it. Fujin thanked him and said, "By the way, I can''t help but feel like the Rasengan is an iplete jutsu. It only uses Shape Transformation. I have a feeling that it would be much stronger if Nature Maniption is added to it."


    This time, Jiraiya wasn''t too surprised. Anyone who knew Rasengan had a simr thought. He nodded and said, "That is true. Minato intended to add Nature Maniption to Rasengan and elevate it to a rank S jutsu. Unfortunately, that step is too difficult to achieve. No one has managed it."


    Fujin replied, "Ah, that makes sense. Yeah, considering how difficult the Rasengan is, adding nature maniption to it will make it far moreplicated. Thanks for letting me know."


    Fujin and Jiraiya separated once again. Jiraiya thought, ''Such a strange day¡­ Definitely not how I anticipated my meeting with him would go.''


    Meanwhile, Fujin flickered to his house while thinking, ''That went just as I thought. I suppose there was no need to threaten him, but where''s the fun in that? Regardless, he definitely gave me a good idea. In the future, if I''m unable to learn Senjutsu from the Winged Sabertooths, I could ckmail Jiraiya into asking the toads to teach me.


    Anyway, Orochimaru has already shown up while Akatsuki would soon follow. I might need a jutsu that is beyond rank S in terms of destructiveness. Depending on the circumstances, I might need to use the Rasenshuriken. With this little discussion, it won''t be suspicious. To be honest, it doesn''t matter if anyone suspects me or not considering my current strength. However, there is no harm in being a bit more careful.''


    While Konoha went to sleep, a few individuals stayed awake. For the second night in a row, the Hokage''s office was a busy ce. Shikaku stood in front of Hiruzen and said, "All the preparations areplete. We''re ready to act."


    [A/N: Avoid reading chapter names on pat reon (unless I deem them safe to put out here as a teaser). Some major spoilers there.]


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 Chapter 664: A Shocking Scheme!

    Chapter 664: A Shocking Scheme!


    [A/N : Hey guys. This chapter is Sponsored by Zero1995. You can thank him for the double release.]


    At midnight in Hiruzen''s office, Shikaku stood in front of Hiruzen and said, "All the preparations areplete. We''re ready to act."


    A couple of dozen Anbu Captains stood behind Shikaku. Each of their squads was prepared to move out at a moment''s notice. The table in front of Hiruzen had 15 scrolls on top of it. Each of the scrolls looked identical to the scrolls they had confiscated from the spies. The words inside them had the same handwriting as the spies who were captured earlier.


    Hiruzen looked at everyone and said, "Good. Implement the third step, Shikaku."


    Shikaku nodded and immediately got into action. At his order, the Anbu ninjas attached each scroll to the appropriate messenger birds and set them free. The birds immediately began flying towards the respective viges.


    Kumo, Iwa and the two factions in Kiri would soon receive the messages around the time the Sun rose. The only difference would be that instead of getting them from their spies, they would be receiving messages that Hiruzen wanted them to read!


    As soon as the messenger birds departed, Shikaku dispatched all 24 Anbu squads. Each of the Anbu squads had their 4 usual members in addition to a specialist member temporarily added to their squads. They quickly left Konoha and rapidly moved towards their targets.


    As the citizens of the Land of Fire slept peacefully, the Anbu dispatched by Shikaku captured or eliminated every single person in the Land of Fire who yed a role in installing spies inside Konoha.


    Some of those people were other spies from the same countries who had advised the spies before they entered Konoha. All such people were captured by the Anbu ninjas. Their memories were read on the spot by the Yamanaka n ninja in their squads. After noting down all the information, the specialist member, who was temporarily added to the team, would transform into them and impersonate them, living the spy''s life as if nothing had happened. The remaining Anbu squad began moving back to the vige while carrying their prisoner along with them.


    Others targeted by the Anbu ninjas were local people who helped the enemies in return for certain favors. Every single one of them was eliminated without mercy.


    By the time the Sun rose, nearly the entire spywork of Kumo and Iwa''s inside the Land of Fire was being controlled by Konoha. Hiruzen and Shikaku would use the new memories obtained to take control of it entirely. Kiri''s spywork was temporarily left as it was since they had only managed to capture 2 of their spies. So, Hiruzen and Shikaku decided to focus on Kumo and Iwa first.


    However, these actions didn''t attract any attention due to how stealthily the missions had been carried out. What attracted attention was that several people had gone ''missing'' during the night, including some of the Fire Daimyo''s family members! As a result, dozens of missions were issued to Konoha within hours!


    The step 3 of Hiruzen''s n was a resounding sess. Under normal circumstances, it would have been difficult to have such a level of sess in a spy clean-up exercise. However, due to the information Hiruzen spread about Fujin, Iwa and Kumo became desperate to confirm whether the information was urate or not.


    Knowing the severity of the situation, they decided to disregard the costs to get more intel about Fujin and Orochimaru''s fight. As a result, they provided Hiruzen with an opening that was ruthlessly exploited by Hiruzen.


    While Hiruzen was cleaning up his house, Ay, Onoki, Mei and Yagura received the messages sent by their ''spies''. Except for Yagura, the remaining began reading it immediately with some of their close aides nearby.


    In the Raikage''s office, there were 8 scrolls on his desk. Ay quickly opened them one by one and went through each one of them. Standing next to him, Mabui looked at the scrolls as well. Since Hiruzen intended to use this opportunity to increase Fujin''s reputation, he didn''t change the information in the scrolls much. If anything, he exaggerated the amount of destruction that was caused in the battle.


    As theypleted reading the first scroll, Ay''s expression became grim. He said, "It looks like Fujin and Orochimaru shed for sure during the Chunin Exams. A lot of the information is still missing and things might not have happened like how the Hokage propagated it, but it is safe to say that Fujin at least held back Orochimaru until he received reinforcements."


    Mabui agreed and said, "Yes, his threat is far greater than what we originally envisioned."


    Ay nodded and went through the next scrolls. The information in the first 5 scrolls was quite simr with minimal differences among them in order to not raise any suspicions. It mentioned the state of the battlefield, some of the rumors spreading around and some details of Fujin''s second sh against Orochimaru with minor variations.


    Ay opened the sixth scroll and began reading. Immediately, Ay and Mabui''s eyes widened in shock. Just like the previous 5 scrolls, it also held information about the battlefield and the second sh. However, it had additional information. A piece of information that shocked both Ay and Mabui!


    The scroll said that the ''spy'' heard more details from his ''Hyuga friend'' who was near the location of the fight and confirmed that Fujin had indeed fought against Orochimaru by himself and inflicted terrifying injuries upon him!


    Mabui muttered in shock, "Nearly half of Orochimaru''s body was destroyed when he escaped? And Fujin also destroyed his prized Sword of Kusanagi?"


    Just like the Raikage''s office, the Tsuchikage''s office was stunned as well. Among the 5 scrolls they received, 1 had the same shocking information. Kitsuchi muttered in disbelief, "He has grown to this extent?"


    Onoki frowned and said, "It is toote. We can no longer kill him with any of those strategies. Pull back our ninjas. Label him as Flee on Sight! Unless I, Roshi or you are present, Iwa ninjas shouldn''t engage inbat against him. Unless you have a lot of backup, you shouldn''t fight him either, Kitsuchi."


    Kitsuchi nodded. He had noints. He just regretted the fact that he couldn''t kill Fujin back when he had nearly managed to trap Fujin. However, there was nothing he could do now. If he tried to trap Fujin the same way once again, he would be lucky to get out unscathed.


    In the Mizukage camp, Yagura didn''t pay any attention to the news. However, his subordinates paid very close attention to it. To say they were shocked was an understatement. At the same time, all of them were angry at the fact that the one who killed so many of theirrades had reached this stage! Just like Onoki, they had created several ns to deal with the Spectral Swordsman after they quashed the rebellion. However, now they were relieved that Fujin was no longer active around the Land of Water.


    In the rebel camp, Ao said, "I didn''t think that boy would be someone so strong in a few years."


    Mei seductively smiled and muttered, "Yeah, he has be quite the man."


    Ao nodded and added, "It was a good thing we didn''t battle then. Our entire campaign might have derailed if someone like him chased after us."


    Mei agreed and said, "More importantly, we''ve already established a good rtionship with him. Once the Civil War is over, we should improve our rtions with Konoha. That will deter Kumogakure from making any sudden moves when we are weak."


    In Hiruzen''s office, Shikaku said, "They must have received the scrolls by now. And we''ve begun the process of eliminating and taking over the remaining spywork of Kumogakure and Iwagakure."


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "Yes. It''s time to start preparing for the next move."


    Shikaku sighed tiredly and asked, "Yes. Should I prepare ns to eliminate the entire spywork of Iwa and Kumo?"


    A mysterious smile appeared on Hiruzen''s face as he said, "Not quite."


    Both Shikaku and Eagle, the only two people in the room other than Hiruzen and his guards, were surprised. Shikaku asked, "What do you mean?"


    Hiruzen said, "A weekter, we''ll send a couple of scrolls to Kumogakure once again. They will say that Fujin has left Konoha and is moving towards the Land of Hot Water."


    Shikaku and Eagle''s eyes widened in shock. Shikaku immediately muttered, "To send such a message to them¡­ Knowing the Raikage, he would want to eliminate Fujin and might send Darui along with several Elite Jounins and Jounins to kill Fujin. Do you want to kill Daru¡­ NO!"


    Shikaku''s eyes widened as he suddenly realised something. He said, "No, Fujin is too strong for Darui and others to guarantee his death. If the Raikage was to know that Fujin was in the Land of Hot Water, he would make a move himself! Are you nning to kill the Fourth Raikage?"


    Shikaku was shocked by what he realized. He looked at Hiruzen in disbelief and thought, ''Kill the Raikage? Difficult¡­ Extremely Difficult¡­ He is undoubtedly the fastest ninja alive and his defense is too good. However, if there is one ninja that could kill him, it would be¡­''

 Chapter 665: A Hokages Duty!

    Chapter 665: A Hokage''s Duty!


    [A/N: I thought it was very obvious who Shikaku was thinking about in the previous chapter¡­ I guess not considering that thements were simr on pat reon ??]


    ''However, if there is one ninja who could kill the Raikage, it would be¡­'' Looking at Hiruzen, Shikaku recalled his glorious days. In his prime, Hiruzen was so devastating on the battlefield that he received the same nickname as the First Hokage and was called as the God of Shinobi.


    To receive such a title while living in the same era as the Third Raikage, the Third Tsuchikage, Hanzo and several other formidable shinobi showed how strong Hiruzen was. Even though Hiruzen''s strength had waned with age, there was no question about his skills and capabilities!


    Shikaku couldn''t help but think, ''If Lord Hokage is serious and we set the perfect trap, we could get rid of the Fourth Raikage! However, can Lord Hokage still do it without getting injured? If he were to get critically injured, then it would be a massive blow to Konoha during these tumultuous times. Not to mention, if we failed to kill the Raikage and allowed him to escape, Konoha might have to go to war against Kumogakure. It is too risky¡­''


    Before Shikaku''s thoughts wandered any further, Hiruzen said, "Kill the Fourth Raikage? No, that is too risky and too troublesome. A battle against someone like him can''t be hidden from others. And unlike Sunagakure and Kirigakure, the top leadership in Kumogakure is very stable and united. Even if we kill him, Kumogakure would reorganize quickly under Darui or Killer Bee and they wouldunch a war against us for killing the Fourth Raikage. Irrespective of how that war might go, it is not something we need at this moment."


    Hiruzen grabbed Kumogakure''s map andid it on his table. Shikaku and Eagle immediately nced at it and noticed 10 ces that were marked. Shikaku muttered, "So that''s who your target is¡­"


    Looking at the 10 marked ces, Eagle muttered, "After we spread rumors in the Land of Lightning to lower the morale of their citizens, Kumogakure created 10 bases at strategic ces inside the Land of Lightning. A hundred ninjas having at least the Chunin rank are stationed in each of those bases at any given time. Those bases make it very difficult and risky for our Anbu to operate within the Land of Lightning as they can react within an hour or two.


    That said, while their official reason for creating the bases was to quickly eliminate any foreign or rogue ninjas in their territory, their real reason was to prepare their ninjas for the next war. Everyone stationed there trains as if a war is on the horizon. Do you want to eliminate one of these bases?"


    Hiruzen replied, "Not just one, but as many as we can. Of course, everyone inside the destroyed bases will be killed as well."Eagle and Shikaku quickly analyzed Hiruzen''s words. After a minute, Eagle asked, "Is this wise? By taking over the spywork of Iwagakure and Kumogakure, there is a lot we could do. We could cause them so much pain that they would regret ever sending spies to Konoha. Your n would do just that to Kumogakure. However, is this a good time?


    Orochimaru is hovering around our vige and Sunagakure is most likely nning to backstab us. In such a situation, antagonizing two viges that are equal to us in strength is not a good idea. If they were to be offended and make a move after we deal with Orochimaru and Sunagakure, we could be in a very difficult position."


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "Yes, if we antagonize them both, then we would be in a difficult position. That is why we will only target Kumogakure. As for Iwagakure, we will settle for dismantling their spywork in our neighboring countries and making the minor viges hate Iwagakure even more.


    Onoki won''t make a move against us for just this reason. Even if he wants to, he''ll need to consider all the minor viges between us who would ally with us right away. As for Kumogakure, we will put a massive dent in their war preparedness if we can eliminate just half of the bases. At the very least, they won''t try to start a war in the next 2 or 3 years unless we somehow be very weak. However, they would do that regardless of whether we make a move or not."


    Hiruzen paused for a moment before continuing, "If possible, I would have liked to wait until we endure Orochimaru''s and Sunagakure''s scheme before making a move against either of them. Unfortunately, they will realize soon that their spies have beenpromised and we will lose the opportunity we have right now. That would be a shame."


    Shikaku and Eagle nodded, agreeing with their leader. Hiruzen''s expression became serious as he instructed, "Shikaku, analyze all the information we have and take over Kumo and Iwa''s spywork in the Land of Fire by this evening. Analyze their arrangements in neighboring countries and make ns to eliminate the spywork of both Kumogakure and Iwagakure from the smaller countries. Once that is done, start making ns to lure the Raikage and Killer Bee out to the Land of Hot Water."


    Shikaku asked in surprise, "Killer Bee as well? That might be difficult to do."


    Hiruzen replied, "It won''t be. Kumogakure should know that Fujin has a flying summon. Even the Fourth Raikage by himself wouldn''t be able to kill him if Fujin managed to fly in the skies. So, he will bring his brother along with him if he wants to kill Fujin for good.


    Once they are there, Fujin will make a move against those bases one by one. Create a proper route for him to take so that he can eliminate the highest number of bases before the Raikage and Killer Bee can return to the Land of Lightning. Focus on anonymity as we won''t be taking the credit for their deaths. Even though Kumo will suspect that it is us and will nearly be sure, we won''t be giving them any evidence."


    Shikaku nodded and said, "I''ll get it done."


    Understanding the importance of the situation, Shikaku didn''t dare to bezy orin about how he wasn''t getting any sleep. Hiruzen turned his gaze towards Eagle and instructed, "Prepare at least 50 more Anbu squads in a week. You will be leading the mission to eliminate the spywork of Iwagakure and Kumogakure."


    Eagle nodded as well and said, "I''ll get right to it."


    Both Shikaku and Eagle left Hiruzen''s office and began preparing immediately. Hiruzen grabbed his smoke pipe and got up from his chair. He gazed at the stone faces of the Hokage and thought, ''If I have to use the Dead Demon Consuming Seal to stop my traitorous disciple and join you three, I will at least ensure that Konoha gets a breathing space of a few years at the very least.


    That time will be sufficient for Jiraiya to stabilize his rule and for Fujin to be even more formidable. Due to his encounter with Orochimaru, Kakashi has begun training seriously once again. As for Guy, he never stops training. Even if I have to sacrifice myself in a month, the vige will still be stronger by the time the next Great War arrives!''


    In the Raikage''s office, Mabui and Ay went through all 7 scrolls. Mabui muttered, "So what the Hokage said was true¡­ However, there is one thing that doesn''t make sense. If Orochimaru was so injured, how did he return unscathed to Konoha within 5 days?"


    Ay said, "You''re forgetting about his ability to heal. Orochimaru is a very troublesome fellow. Though defeating him isn''t difficult, killing will be a challenge even for me. There is no mistake in this information!"


    Mabui''s expression became grim as she said, "If everything is true, then Suzuki Fujin is a much bigger threat than we previously imagined. In fact, he might be on the same level as the Fourth Hokage."


    Mabui''s words caused Ay to recall his fight against Minato. He shook his head and said, "No, he still can''t bepared to the Fourth Hokage. However, he is still only 16 years old. If we can''t kill him now, then we''ll likely never have another chance."


    Mabui nodded and asked, "Should we send an order to our spies to keep an eye on his movements."


    Even before Ay could answer, a frown appeared on Mabui''s face as she said, "However, our spies have been very active recently. If we give them more orders, they could bepromised."


    Ay nodded and said, "That''s right. We don''t need to send any more messages to them. They should be aware of the importance of this matter and should be doing all they can even without our orders. We just need to be ready to act when the timees."


    Mabui nodded. She and Ay discussed some strategies to deal with Fujin, unaware of the fact that Hiruzen was already scheming against the entire Kumogakure!


    As for the one who was about to be the bait as well as the executioner, he was with Naruto on the river bank. Fujin looked at Naruto and asked, "Excited to learn how to supercharge your jutsus?"


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 Chapter 666: A Weird Combination...

    Chapter 666: A Weird Combination...


    "Of course I am! Believe it!" Naruto eximed excitedly. Fujin chuckled and replied, "Oh, let me see whether you''d still stay excited after a few hours."


    Naruto''s smile immediately faded away as he thought, ''I have a bad feeling! Nothing good happens when he chuckles like this¡­''


    Fujin said, "Let''s start. First, use the Infinite Breakthrough jutsu as you normally do."


    Naruto nodded and weaved the hand seals while shouting, "Wind Release: Infinite Breakthrough jutsu!"


    He prepared the jutsu and blew intense winds along the river. Everything on the ground along its path was blown away for a few dozen meters. The flow of water in the river became faster as well. A minuteter, everything calmed down.


    Fujin said, "Good. Now observe carefully."


    Fujin weaved the hand seals just to give Naruto a better idea while saying, "As you just experienced, you prepared the jutsu and exhaled it out immediately, right?"


    Naruto nodded. Fujin continued, "In order to supercharge, you should hold the jutsu for a few moments longer and infuse more chakra into it. Try to pour as much of your chakra as you can while still holding the jutsu''s form. When you feel like you can''t hold it anymore, exhale it out."


    Fujin took a deep breath, sucking in a lot of air. Naruto observed that Fujin didn''t exhale immediately afterpleting his hand seals. Instead, he gathered chakra for a couple of seconds before exhaling the jutsu out! The winds Fujin exhaled left several scars on the ground for over 50 meters! The water in the river rushed ahead as if a dam had broken! However, the water behind stayed unmoving, making the river seem barren for over a hundred meters!


    Naruto''s eyes widened as he thought, ''Man! No matter how many times I see it, it always looks even cooler than the previous time!''


    He snapped out of his thoughts when Fujin said, "Even though it is much stronger than a normal Infinite Breakthrough jutsu, it has the drawback of needing more time. Be mindful of that, otherwise your enemy might kill you while you''re supercharging your jutsu. It is better to use Shadow Clones to keep your enemy upied while you supercharge your jutsu.


    If you want, you could have your clones hold down the enemy and hit the enemy as well as your clones with the supercharged jutsu. Do you understand, Naruto?"


    Naruto immediately nodded. Fujin smiled and said, "Good. Try it now."


    Naruto quickly weaved the hand seals and followed Fujin''s instructions. He only managed to hold his form for a fraction of a second before exhaling the jutsu. Taking deep breaths, he said, "That looked much easier when I was seeing you doing it. I barely managed to hold the jutsu without losing control over it!"


    Fujin''s left eyebrow twitched. Naruto had managed to hold his form for less than a tenth of a second. And, the amount of chakra he fused into the jutsu was just around 0.01% of the chakra he needed to actually create the jutsu! It was a minuscule amount of chakra! Fujin couldn''t help but wonder, ''What a weirdbination¡­ How can someone have limitless potential and yet be this untalented at the same time? Is this nature''s way of bncing things out?''


    Realizing something off with Fujin''s expression, Naruto asked, "What? Is something wrong?"


    Fujin sighed and said, "Nothing. Continue practicing."


    Naruto immediately started practicing what Fujin disyed. Fujin found a ce to sit while thinking, ''It''s no wonder no one thought much of him when he was young. If I didn''t have the knowledge of the future, I probably wouldn''t have thought much of him either. Though considering his chakra reserves, I might have still tried to take him under my wing and used the Shadow Clone trick to strengthen him if it suited my ns¡­''


    Seeing Naruto practicing, Fujin sighed again and thought, ''Leave it... He is like the stock that is performing terribly but will surely give 100 times returns in a few years. I''ll endure for a couple of days. Then I''ll let Jiraiya overlook this training. Irrespective of his talent, he should sessfully learn it within a month considering he''ll practice it day and night¡­''


    While Fujin overlooked Naruto''s training, things continued moving in the ninja world. On the surface, everything was running smoothly. However, in the shadows, Shikaku was making too many moves. As ordered by Hiruzen, he took control of the spywork of Kumo and Iwa by the evening.


    At the same time, he made ns to eliminate their spyworks in the neighboring countries. By the time the day ended, he had already created an attack route to destroy the Kumo bases and began creating a n to lure out the Raikage and Killer Bee! The scariest thing was that no one other than Hiruzen, Eagle and the Anbu Guards were aware of his schemes!


    "Wind Release: Infinite Breakthrough jutsu!" Naruto gathered his chakra and exhaled strong winds along the river. He quickly turned around and shouted, "Did you see, Fujin? I managed to infuse more chakra into the jutsu!"


    Fujin''s left eyebrow twitched once again and thought, ''Nearly two days and he only managed to infuse around 0.02% of his chakra into the jutsu¡­ Then again, I''m not sure I canpletely me him. That 0.02% will normally be 1% for most other Genins his age.''


    Fujin walked towards Naruto and said with a sigh, "Don''t celebrate. You have a lot of work to do. Try to infuse at least 1% of your chakra into the Infinite Breakthrough jutsu by the time the Finals start."


    Naruto''s mood immediately dampened. Heined, "Hey! Don''t say it like that!"


    Fujin chuckled and said, "Don''t worry. Learning it for the first time takes a while. It is even moreplicated for you due to the fox sleeping inside your body."


    Naruto was surprised. He asked, "You mean that I can''t learn it quickly due to the Nine Tailed Fox in my body?"


    Fujin replied, "Sort of, but not in the way you think. The Fourth Hokage''s seal is such that it allows small amounts of Nine Tails'' chakra to flow into your chakrawork."


    Naruto was surprised to learn that. At the same time, he was slightly scared. Fortunately, Fujin exined, "Objectively speaking, that is a good thing. That is one of the main reasons why your chakra reserves and stamina are so much higher than others your age. It is also the reason why your body heals quickly and why you recover so quickly from exhaustion."


    Naruto eximed, "It is such a good thing?"


    Fujin nodded and said, "It is, though I don''t think that the fox is too happy about it."


    Naruto shivered imagining an angry Nine Tailed Beast! He muttered, "That sounds super scary."


    Fujin chuckled and said, "Don''t worry. He won''t be able to break the seal. As for his anger, try thinking of ways to quell it and pacify the fox once you be strong enough to ensure that he can''t kill you in the blink of an eye."


    Naruto was surprised. He wondered, ''Can Nine Tails'' anger be pacified?''


    Even the beast inside Naruto was surprised to hear such words. Fujin continued, "Anyway, while it is a good thing, it also makes controlling your chakra much more difficult for you. That is why such things are more difficult for you than others. Continue training hard for the rest of the month."


    Naruto began nodding but stopped halfway. He looked at Fujin suspiciously and asked, "Why are you saying it as if you won''t continue training me?"


    Fujin chuckled and said, "That''s right. I won''t be."


    Naruto immediatelyined, "Hey! That''s not fair! You promised to train me for the entire month!"


    Fujin chuckled again and said, "I was, but someone else was more interested in teaching you."


    Naruto asked in confusion, "What do you mean? Who is interested in teaching me?"


    Fujin replied, "A rather interesting fellow. Normally I wouldn''t have agreed, but he can teach you a couple of things that would be very beneficial for you which I unfortunately can''t. It would also allow you to make supercharged jutsus even more terrifying."


    Naruto asked in surprise, "Something that even you can''t teach me? Who is he?"


    Fujin grabbed a kunai and handed it to Naruto while saying, "This kunai has 10 explosive seals inscribed on it. Throw it at that bush and you''ll see who he is."


    Naruto looked at the bush in confusion. Momentster, a white-haired man popped out and shouted, "Do you want to kill me?"


    Fujin chuckled while Naruto took a closer look at that guy. His eyes widened and he pointed at him while shouting, "Hey! He''s that pervert!"


    Jiraiya''s eyebrows twitched as Fujin barely managed to control hisughter. Naruto looked at Fujin and asked, "Why are you letting this pervert train me? Who is he?"


    Before Fujin could make the situation worse, Jiraiya bit his thumb and mmed his hand on the ground, summoning a toad beneath him. He loudly said, "Good question! I''m the holy hermit sage of Mount Myoboku, otherwise known as the Toad Sage! Pleased to meet ya!"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 667: Two Lunatics!

    Chapter 667: Two Lunatics!


    "Toad Sage??? More like Pervy Sage¡­" Narutomented instantly. Jiraiya, who was holding a cool pose, slipped due to being caught off guard by such an immediate reply.


    Fujin chuckled and added, "Hmm, Pervy Sage¡­ That is more appropriate. I''m surprised no one ever called you that before."


    Jiraiya dispelled the summoned toad while sighing, ''The young generation has no respect¡­ Who''d dare to call me that?''


    Before he could say anything, Naruto asked again, "Can he really teach things you can''t teach me?"


    Fujin replied with a smirk, "Well, he might be a pervert, but he is one of the strongest ninjas in the world."


    Naruto''s eyes widened as he eximed, "One of the strongest ninjas in the world?"


    Fujin nodded and said, "Yup. Remember Orochimaru?"


    Naruto nodded. How could he forget someone who trashed them so brutally?


    Fujin replied, "Just like Orochimaru, he is one of the three Great Sannin, the shinobi trained by the Third Hokage." Naruto''s eyes widened once again as he looked at Jiraiya in shock. Jiraiya grinned thinking, ''Not bad, I guess I have some reputation left.''


    Unfortunately for Jiraiya, Naruto eximed instantly, "No way! How did someone trained by Grandpa Hokage be such a pervert?"


    Fujin chuckled and said, "And, the mighty Fourth Hokage was also his student. Perhaps you might learn about how to be a Hokage from him. Are you still unsure whether you want to learn from him?"


    Naruto''s mouth opened wide, his jaw nearly falling to the ground! He wondered, ''What crazy world is this? Howe a pervert is so cool???''


    Jiraiya was finally satisfied with Naruto''s reaction. He asked teasingly, "So, do you want to train under me or not? Maybe I should look for someone else to train."


    Wasting no time, Naruto smiled and said, "Hehehe, of course I want to train. I was just messing around earlier. I would love to learn from the great sage!"


    Jiraiya''s eyes twitched as he thought, ''Such a shameless brat¡­ He''s more like me than Minato!''


    Fujin smiled as well and said, "Good. I''ll leave Naruto to you. Look after his training to supercharge jutsus as well. As you saw earlier, he''ll need some time to master it."


    Jiraiya nodded and said, "Don''t worry, I will."


    Fujin nodded in response and walked away as he said, "Good luck, Naruto."


    Naruto nodded when he realized that he was still holding the kunai. He asked, "What about this kunai?"


    Without turning around or stopping, Fujin replied, "Keep it. You might need it. Throw it at him if you see him peeping again. If you need more, feel free to ask."


    Jiraiya looked annoyingly at Fujin but Fujin disappeared before he could say anything. He muttered internally, ''Sensei didn''t say that he was so troublesome¡­''


    At the same time, Naruto looked suspiciously at Jiraiya and wondered, ''He''ll peep on girls while we are training? And I have to stop him with such powerful kunai? Ugh, who did you leave me with, Fujin???''


    Unfortunately for Naruto, it was toote for him to back out. Fortunately for him, Fujin was just messing around as he wanted some entertainment for himself.


    Fujin stepped in front of his door and was about to open it when his hand stopped. He nced behind him. Momentster, an Anbu Guard appeared behind him and said, "Lord Hokage wants to see you right away."


    He disappeared as quickly as he appeared. Fujin thought, ''That''s strange¡­ Was he waiting for me to hand Naruto over to Jiraiya? Or is it just a coincidence? Besides, why would he need me right now? The sword shouldn''t have arrived yet¡­''


    Fujin flickered a few times and reached Hiruzen''s office. Hiruzen and Shikaku were the only ones there. As soon as Fujin entered, the Anbu Guards left and sealed the room. Hiruzen smiled and said, "Fujin,e here and sit."


    He pointed to the chair next to Shikaku''s. Fujin sat down and said, "The only time you tell me to sit is when something important has happened. What is it?"


    Fujin still recalled the first time Hiruzen asked him to sit down. It was after his squad was trashed badly by Kumogakure. That day, Huruzen informed him about Jiraiya killing around 250 Kumo ninjas and the rumors circting about him in the Land of Lightning! He tried recalling whether something major happened during this time but couldn''t recall any such information from his memories.


    Hiruzen chuckled and said, "Nothing has happened until now. However, something will happen soon. And, you''ll be the one to do it."


    Fujin raised an eyebrow and asked, "What do you mean?"


    Shikaku answered, "He means that you''ll be going to the Land of Lightning to kill a few Kumogakure ninjas."


    Fujin was stumped. He muttered, "Aren''t we facing a threat from Orochimaru and possibly Sunagakure? Why are we making a move against Kumogakure?"


    Fujin couldn''t make any sense of it. He wondered, ''Did Raikage make any weird moves during this time? No, that shouldn''t be it. I would have remembered it. Is it something else or did he make a move because of my existence?''


    Before Fujin could make any more wild guesses, Shikaku exined to him how they baited and captured the spies, took over the spyworks of Kumo and Iwa and were about to cause both Kumo and Iwa quite a bit of pain.


    The more Fujin listened, the more speechless he became. He thought, ''What in the fucking hell? When did these two be lunatics? We are about to be attacked by our only major ally and a troublesome rank S ninja who has his own minor vige and these two are nning to make a move against the two viges equal to us in power instead of making any contingencies about the matter at hand?''


    He couldn''t help but sigh aloud and muttered, "Your ns are absurd. Too absurd... However, why do such absurd ns make perfect sense?"


    Both Hiruzen and Shikaku chuckled, knowing why Fujin reacted in such a way. Wanting to understand how much Fujin figured out, Hiruzen asked, "Why don''t you answer that question yourself?"


    Fujin answered, "Common sense says that we should focus on Suna and Orochimaru. As long as we endure their scheme without losing any strength while making them pay dearly, no other vige will dare to attack us. However, if we suffer heavy damage, then Kumo will make a move and Iwa will follow even if we didn''t do anything to offend them.


    With this move, Kumo''s war readiness will suffer and they will think several times before making a move even if we are weakened. Without Kumo, Iwa won''t make a move either. Even if they end up making a move, Kumo''s forces would be weaker and Iwa wouldck intelligence and will have to face the armies of Kusa and Taki before they reach us, giving us some room to maneuver.


    And, in the case where we don''t suffer much against Orochimaru''s ns, Kumo and Iwa won''t try to make a move against us even if they are offended considering the losses they just suffered. No matter how the situation develops, this move will be beneficial for us."


    Hiruzen and Shikaku nodded, happy that Fujin was able to see their motives at a nce. However, even though Fujin recognized their strategy, he couldn''t help but think, ''These two are remarkable. I''d have never thought of a n like this¡­


    To make use of the simple news of me defeating Orochimaru to destroy their intelligencework and kill hundreds of Kumo elites¡­ Ay might vomit blood if he knew how badly he''ll be yed by Hiruzen!


    Not to mention, this is just Hiruzen and Shikaku scheming¡­ Exactly what kind of shit did these guys pull when Danzo was assisting Hiruzen instead of hindering him?''


    Fujin now had a far better idea about why Konoha always came on top in the previous Great Wars. While having an array of rank S ninjas was definitely an important factor, it was these sorts of bizarre schemes that gave Konoha an upper hand even when outnumbered and surrounded from all sides.


    Snapping Fujin out of his thoughts, Shikaku said, "Once the decoy unit lures the Fourth Raikage and Killer Bee, you''ll follow this attack route to eliminate the bases one by one. We''ll contact you once the Raikage reaches the intended spot using the Chakra Transmission Communication device. You can make your move then. However¡­"


    Shikaku paused for a couple of seconds before continuing, "While I and Lord Hokage agree on nearly every aspect of this n, there is one aspect where we have different opinions.


    Each base has at least a hundred ninjas. You''ll have to kill every single one without allowing even one to escape. While I don''t doubt your strength, doing this alone is extremely difficult.


    I am of the opinion that you should lead a small force of 25, 50 or 100 ninjas to the Land of Lightning to assist you in this attack. However, Lord Hokage believes that you''ll be better off going there by yourself."


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 668: An Opportunity!

    Chapter 668: An Opportunity!


    Shikaku continued exining his analysis, "If you lead a small force, you''ll be able to delegate tasks to others. Some will ensure that no one runs away. The stronger ones will assist you in eliminating enemy ninjas, ensuring that you don''t get overwhelmed or waste too much of your chakra. You can also assign one to specificallymunicate with us.


    Since you still don''t have much experience in leading a force, I''ll assign Renjiro to join you. In addition, I''ll also send Guy along with you to ensure that no one is able to put up a resistance.


    As for the remaining forces, if you choose 25 ninjas, every one of them will at least be a Jounin. If you choose 50, then half will be Special Jounins. And, if you choose 100, then thest 50 will be Elite Chunins.


    Considering the nature of this mission and the importance of stealth and rapid movement, a small force of 25 ninjas will be the most optimal. After all, you also have to return safely once the Raikage returns to the Land of Lightning."


    He turned his gaze towards Hiruzen and added, "While I do believe that is the best n, Lord Hokage believes that you''d be better off by yourself¡­"


    Hiruzen nodded and thought, ''Under normal circumstances, I would have liked to see how Fujin performs while leading arger force. It would have been a good practice to improve his leadership skills. However, the Land of Lightning is too dangerous.


    Arger group moving together will have a higher chance of being detected. Once they are detected, Ay and others would turn around right away and head back. And Kumogakure will send an army with at least a thousand ninjas to hunt them down.


    Though killing them won''t be easy unless they run into Ay and Bee, we will lose a good opportunity and the mission will fail. It is better to just let him let loose with his Wind Domain technique and eliminate the entire base.''


    At the same time, Fujin thought, ''Lead a small army with Renjiro and Guy as mymanders? Damn, that would be fun! However¡­'' Fujin recalled the fact that he had been in less and less battles in recent times. In fact, after he had been ambushed by Kitsuchi, he had never been in a battle involving several strong enemy Jounins. Instead, he just fought against ninjas who were either rank S or very close to it. And, those battles were extremely rare as well.


    Fujin thought, ''This might be a good opportunity to test some of my jutsus that I haven''t tested yet. Jutsus that I''d like to keep secret until the time is right. A mission where I have to eliminate everyone and destroy their bodies would be perfect for doing that!


    In addition, if I go alone, I could seek out a battle against Ay. However, I''m not sure if I can take him on with my Akura identity. Considering that Bee is with him, I can''t take them on even if I go all out¡­ Even with Flying Thunder God, I doubt I''d be able to defeat the two of them at the same time. However, I can always escape¡­


    Oh well, I''ll decide after I visit there. Perhaps I could use Darui to sharpen my de¡­ Even if I don''t find him, I''m sure that there are a bunch of strong Elite Jounins to practice my Lightning jutsus on. I''m sure Ay wouldn''t mind some mess. If he does, he can always search for Akura.''


    Hiruzen and Shikaku didn''t disturb Fujin, thinking that he was analyzing what option to choose. Fujin finally looked at Shikaku and said, "I have a technique that is perfect for eliminating arge group of ninjas. In addition, I''ll be able to use Wind Instantaneous Body jutsu more effectively to travel faster between the bases by myself. So, it''ll be better if I go alone."


    Under normal circumstances, Shikaku would have argued against it. Instead, he just looked at Hiruzen and thought, ''As I expected. Fujin has a technique that would make this mission easier for him. That is why Third said that he should go alone.''


    Shikaku replied, "Alright, as you wish. However, we need to ensure that themunication works properly so that we can contact you whenever required. Since you''ll be fighting, you won''t be able to carry it on your back all the time. Without it, we won''t be able to warn you of the Raikage''s movements."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Yeah, carrying it on my back would be inconvenient. I''ll store it in a scroll once you inform me to start. After that, we''llmunicate with seals."


    Shikaku raised an eyebrow and asked, "Seals?"


    Fujin nodded and said, "Yeah, seals."


    Fujin grabbed a scroll, withdrew a fewmunication seal tags and ced them on the desk. He said, "These seal tags work in pairs. If you damage the first one, the second will be damaged as well.


    While it isn''t as good as the Chakra Transmission Communication device, it can be used to pass specific messages. For instance, you can destroy the red tag to inform me to abort the mission. You can destroy the blue tag to inform me to activate themunication device as soon as I can."


    Shikaku asked suspiciously, "There are such tags? Where did you find them?"


    Fujin replied neutrally, "I created them, of course. I thought you already knew."


    Shikaku replied, "Why would I be asking if I knew? Why didn''t you tell anyone about such a useful invention? It''ll be very helpful formunicating during missions."


    Fujin raised an eyebrow and asked, "What do you mean by not telling anyone? He knew about them for years."


    Fujin pointed towards Hiruzen while saying it. Shikaku looked at him as well and asked, "You knew? Why didn''t you inform me?"


    Hiruzen replied as naturally as he could, "Ah, it slipped my mind."


    Shikaku looked suspiciously at Hiruzen and wondered, ''Did he really forget? Why do I feel like it was something else?''


    At the same time, Hiruzen nervously thought, ''Tell you? And then what? You would have made me ask for those seals from him. Do you know how greedy this boy was back then? Well, he still is, but he at least has some control now. If I had asked it from him back then, everyone in Konoha would be missing a kidney today!''


    Thankfully for Hiruzen, no one could read his thoughts. Shikaku shook his head and said, "Leave it. Fujin, can you tell us the way of creating these seals?"


    Fujin replied, "Sure."


    Hiruzen sighed in relief that Fujin hadn''t made any demand, but was still alert. He prayed, ''I hope he doesn''t end up asking something absurd like that swordter¡­ Sigh, I''m too old to deal with so many headaches. How long do I have to sit here?''


    At the same time, Fujin thought, ''Even if I don''t, it is quite easy to reverse engineer these seals. I''m actually surprised that Hiruzen didn''t do that until now. I expected these seals to be pretty popr among the Anbu by now. I wonder why Hiruzen didn''t do that¡­''


    If Hiruzen heard Fujin''s thoughts, he would have cried tears of frustration. He had that thought but didn''t dare to do so fearing how Fujin might respond after knowing his seals had been replicated without asking him. Knowing how greedy Fujin was, Hiruzen knew that the price of whatever he wanted would double if he did that!


    Shikaku said, "Thank you. I''ll make official arrangements regarding it. Anyway, I''ve exined the entire n to you. You''ll leave with the decoy squad after 4 days. Prepare in any way you have to. Remember, while we will lure the Fourth Raikage and Killer Bee away, they still have Yugito, the Jinchuriki of Two Tails and Darui. You may have to face them. In ad..."


    Fujin cut him off and asked, "Should I kill them as well if I encounter them?"


    Fujin thought, ''I didn''t think I''d get a chance to go up against Yugito. Getting Two Tails might be easier than Shukaku and wouldn''t have many repercussions in the future.''


    Shikaku answered, "I''d rmend just using Wind Instantaneous Body jutsu and escape if you sense them. While I don''t doubt that you may be able to kill them, considering the nature of the mission, they''ll be moving inrge groups. It''ll be extremely difficult to eliminate a rank S ninja reinforced by several Jounins and Elite Jounins."


    Fujin nodded and said, "That makes sense."


    Shikaku added, "Reinforcements from Kumogakure are just one factor. The bigger issue is that they might just recall everyone from the bases back to Kumogakure once they realize that someone is targeting them. So prepare ordingly. Keep the fact that you''ve destroyed some bases hidden for as long as you can. If you have any doubts or want to exchange any ideas or ns, approach me right away."


    Fujin thought for a bit and said, "Alright."


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 669: Calling off the war!

    Chapter 669: Calling off the war!


    [A/N : Hey guys. This chapter is Sponsored by Terrance Smith. You can thank him for the double release.]


    The three of them discussed the ns for a while before calling it a night. As Fujin returned to his house, he thought, ''This is an interesting turn of events. I didn''t expect that my existence would give Konoha such an opportunity. However, it is more than that.


    Hiruzen is far more confident right now aspared to a few years ago. Earlier, he might not have taken this risk. If he had this confidence when I returned from my promotion mission, there might have been a new country on this continent¡­


    I guess my wins against Kitsuchi, Juzo, Sasori and Orochimaru are a big factor in this change in mindset. That said, the bigger factor should be that the number of Konoha ninjas has increased dramatically in thest few years. In particr, the Anbu has be very strong. Anyway, how should I approach this attack?''


    Fujin fell into a deep thought. He analyzed, ''While I have many attacks that cause destruction on arge scale, the only technique that can guarantee everyone''s death is the Wind Domain. However, it has a fatal w.


    I can''t reabsorb the chakra I emitted to create the Wind Domain. It will exhaust my chakra very rapidly. Even though I have Yoroi''s body, experimenting on him can''t be done in a few days. And that is after I make Kabuto''s skills my own. That''ll take several months...


    The natural alternative is decreasing the amount of chakra I use to create the Wind Domain. However, that isn''t feasible in this situation either as it might allow some to escape. So, I''ll only be able to destroy 3 to 5 bases before I am forced to stop and recover my chakra¡­


    With soldier pills, I should be able to recover my chakra within a few hours and have another go before Ay returns. However¡­''


    A smile appeared on Fujin''s face as he muttered, "That''s no fun¡­" Fujin thought, ''I had an inspiration during my fight against Orochimaru. If everything goes like how I imagine, then my Wind Domain will have a new aspect. It wouldn''t be as convenient as absorbing the chakra back, but it might have somebat applications. Oh well, I have four days to try it out.''


    Fujin let out a yawn and muttered, "I''ll train tomorrow, I need some sleep first."


    The next day, Fujin left his clones to look after the training of his students while he went to a different training ground. Jiraiya began training Naruto as well.


    Just like in the original story, he had a talk with Naruto about the two types of chakra and had him sign a contract with the Toads. The only difference was that instead of making him walk on the river or making his clones fight among themselves to exhaust his chakra, he did it by making Naruto practice supercharging the Infinite Breakthrough jutsu.


    In Sunagakure, Rasa finally received a reply from Orochimaru. He read the scroll several times, his expression bing uglier every single time. In the end, he sighed and ordered, "Summon the Council Members for another Council Meeting."


    Within a few minutes, the Sunagakure council assembled once again. Goza asked, "Did we get a response from Orochimaru?"


    All the other council members were curious as well. Rasa didn''t speak and just ced the scroll on the table. The Council Members quickly went through the scroll and their expressions became ugly as well.


    Tojuro muttered, "It was true!"


    Ryusa said softly, "The Hokage didn''t lie!"


    Goza added, "Konoha has another ninja at the level of the Sannin!"


    Sajo said, "And this one might be even more troublesome. If the chaos in the East was truly caused by him at the age of 13, who knows what he could do when he bes 23!"


    Ryusa agreed, "Yeah, he might make Danzo look like a saint."


    Simrments were passed in the council. Finally, Goza asked, "Lord Kazekage, should we still go ahead with our n? The Third Hokage might be old, but we shouldn''t underestimate him. Baki sent a message informing us that Jiraiya of the Sannin has returned to Konoha. And now there is another one who is strong enough to defeat Orochimaru by himself! While Orochimaru said that Tsunade wouldn''t return to the vige, we don''t know how true that is.


    Even though Orochimaru said in the scroll to not worry and that he''ll make arrangements to deal with all of them, I don''t think we should trust the snake. If the war goes south, he might ditch us and escape."


    Sajo added, "In addition, we shouldn''t forget that he is a former Konoha ninja. Even though he has gone rogue, we don''t know whether their rtionship is as bad as Orochimaru says it is. This could also be a trap to lure our elites into Konoha and cause us massive losses."


    The addition of another strong rank S ninja made the council very wary of their ns. Even before Fujin''s strength was known, their n was very risky. If they lost, they would bepletely at the mercy of Konoha. Now that they knew Fujin''s strength, their n was no longer just risky. Instead, it was almost suicidal.


    Another Council Member said, "I know that we are very angry at what Konoha did in the East and want revenge for the same. We also want to use this opportunity to improve our vige''s finances by putting the Wind Daimyo under pressure. However, all that will happen if we win the war.


    If we lose the war, then our situation will worsen in a terrifying manner. We will not only lose several of our Elites, but the Wind Daimyo will also be closer to Konoha. With such high stakes, we shouldn''t go into such a risky war."


    Except for Tojuro, who wanted to see chaos and be the next Kazekage, nearly every other Council Member advised Rasa to put a temporary hold on the ns.


    Rasa heard everyone''s advice and said, "I understand your thoughts. I agree. This n has be too risky to implement. We will stop it and make a new nter at a more optimal time.


    However, we will need Orochimaru''s help when we try to attack Konoha once again. We could also use his help when we try to lure Suzuki Fujin and eliminate him. So, I won''t be blowing him off like several of you suggested.


    Instead, I''ll meet him and check out what arrangements he has. If they are truly as good as he ims they are, then we will continue with the attack. However, if they are inadequate, I''ll call off the attack and we''ll stay in touch for our next n."


    The council thought about it and agreed. Goza said, "For a n to be adequate, he would need to have methods to restrain both Fujin and Jiraiya while the two of you fight against the Hokage. He also needs to have a contingency n to deal with Tsunade if she shows up. In addition, we shouldn''t forget about Hatake Kakashi and the several n Leaders in Konoha."


    Rasa replied, "Obviously. Don''t worry, I''ll keep everything in mind."


    The Suna council discussed a few more things before dispersing.


    Four dayster, Fujin walked into Hiruzen''s office and saw quite a few familiar faces. He smiled and said, "It''s been a while. Have you been doing well, captain?"


    Akimichi Tsuyoshi chuckled and said, "Considering that you''re a part of the council, it should be I who should call you respectfully."


    Fujin chuckled and said, "Ah, that would sound awkward. Leave it, you know I''ve never been one for formalities."


    Teru smirked and said, "Looks like you haven''t changed much, Fujin."


    Fujin replied, "Why would I change?"


    Teruughed and said, "You''ve be quite a legend in the Anbu. Well, you already were one, but it has reached a whole new level since you defeated Orochimaru. Even my subordinates can''t stop talking about you!"


    He faked a sigh andined, "It was fun at the start but now it has be very annoying."


    Fujin just chuckled without replying. He turned his gaze towards Fumito and Yugao, his former subordinates. Both greeted him saying, "It''s great to work with you again, Captain."


    Fujin replied, "Well, we won''t be working together much in this mission. But yeah, it''s good to see you two."


    Fujin looked at Yugao and thought, ''Since I killed Kabuto, Hayate didn''t have anyone to chase after and hence isn''t dead. Not to mention, Orochimaru''s defeat made Suna very apprehensive. Baki won''t be as bold as he was in the original story. I guess she is the one who benefited the most after me due to my move.''


    Seeing that they were done greeting each other, Hiruzen said, "It''s good to see all of you. Are you ready to move?"


    Fujin and the others looked at Hiruzen and Shikaku and became serious knowing how critical their missions were. Everyone nodded. Hiruzen said, "Good. Stick to the n as much as you can. However, if you need to change it due to the situation, feel free to do so. Just try to convey the same to us as soon as you can."


    Everyone nodded as Hiruzen took a pause. With a serious expression, Hiruzen said, "Be careful. I want to see all 5 of you back in the vige within a week!"


    The Four Anbu Captains nodded solemnly. They didn''t know what Fujin''s mission was but knowing that their mission was to lure the Raikage and the Jinchuriki of Eight Tails, they were very nervous.


    Hiruzen smiled and said, "Good luck. You can disperse."


    Fujin and the rest immediately left. A minute after they left, a messenger bird flew from Konoha. A few hourster, Mabui ran into the Raikage''s office.


    Ay looked at her with surprise and asked, "Why are you in such a hur¡­"


    Before he couldplete his sentence, Mabui said, "We have received a report that Suzuki Fujin left Konoha and is moving towards the Land of Hot Water!"


    [A/N: Latest chapter on pat reon - ck mes!]

 Chapter 670: The Raikage Moves!

    Chapter 670: The Raikage Moves!


    "We have received a report that Suzuki Fujin left Konoha and is moving towards the Land of Hot Water!"


    Ay''s eyes widened. While he wanted to make a move against Fujin, he didn''t think that he would get an opportunity so quickly. He couldn''t help but smell something fishy. He asked, "Do we know where exactly he is heading?"


    Mabui shook her head and answered, "Unfortunately no. We only know that he is moving towards the Land of Hot Water. We don''t even know whether that is his actual target or if he is heading elsewhere. The spy only managed to see a glimpse of him leaving Konoha. He didn''t dare to chase him."


    Ay nodded and said, "It doesn''t matter. He did very well. From what we know, Fujin rarely left Konoha in thest few years. Since he is on the move, it can only mean one of two things. Either Konoha received an important mission from one of the Nobles in the Land of Hot Water or Konoha wants to eliminate someone.


    If it''s the first case, then our spies will inform us about his movement. If it is the second, then his actions will attract attention and we''ll know his approximate location. However, we can''t wait until then."


    With a serious expression, Ay ordered, "Call Bee and the others. I''ll be going myself!"


    Despite his orders, Mabui didn''t move and stood at the same spot. With aplicated expression, she said, "Raikage sama, I have a bad feeling about this¡­ Everything is happening too quickly. I feel like it''s a scheme."


    Ay didn''t say anything. He had the same feeling as well. Unsure whether he took her words seriously or not, Mabui added, "First, Fujin unexpectedly defeated Orochimaru. Next, the Hokage propagated this news openly instead of trying to keep it hidden. Thirdly, our spies were able to confirm the situation very easily. And soon after, we received this news.


    If Konoha noticed the movements of our spies, then this might be a trap set by the Hokage. A trap targeting¡­" Mabui didn''tplete her words. However, Ay understood that she was referring to him. He snorted and asked, "Do you think I can''t sense a scheme? Especially after what the Third Hokage pulled near that mine?


    Orochimaru''s involvement itself is suspicious. He was a student of the Hokage. Who knows whether he really is a rogue ninja or whether this is another one of Konoha''s schemes? Considering the recent movements in the Land of Rice, there is a high chance that this is a scheme of Konoha to take over the Land of Rice. However¡­"


    A confident look appeared on his face as continued, "Even if it is a trap, what of it? Had the Third Hokage been young, I would''ve had some reservations. However, even if he, Fujin and the Sanniny a trap for me now, they won''t be able to kill me or Bee. Instead, they will have to worry about getting hit.


    So, stop worrying and get to work. Summon Bee and the others. Establish amunicationwork and send a message to our spies. I''ll leave in less than an hour."


    Mabui nodded and quickly began working. In less than half an hour, Kumo had set up theirmunication unit using Chakra Transmission Communication devices just like Konoha. In the Raikage''s office, 12 people gathered. They were Ay, Bee, Mabui, Darui, C, Samui and six other Elite Jounins!


    C muttered, "So we are finally making a move against Suzuki Fujin."


    Ay replied, "I am. You three will stay in the vige and help Mabui."


    He turned his gaze to Darui and said, "If something happens here in my absence, then you''ll be responsible for handling it."


    Darui frowned and asked, "Wouldn''t it be better if I came with you? If it really is a trap set by the Hokage, then you might need my help to stall one of the Sannins."


    Ay replied, "I can handle them. What I am worried about is if this is a ploy to lure me away. While I don''t think Konoha will dare to attack Kumogakure, we shouldn''tpletely lower our guard. They might try to pull another sneak attack and escape.


    Without me and Bee here, you and Yugito will have to handle any major threats. With the help of other Jounins in the vige, you should be able to force their rank S ninjas to retreat or stall them long enough for us to return."


    Darui wasn''t too sure about Ay''s analysis. However, he replied, "Alright."


    Killer Bee looked at him and said, "Darui, don''t sweat it, no need to be wary. If it''s a trap, I''ll show ''em I''m scary! I''ll drop the beat and the Tailed Beast Bomb! They''ll face the wrath of my beastly charm!"


    The others in the room sighed at Bee''s antics. They discussed some more things before Ay looked at Mabui and said, "We''ll leave now. Inform us as soon as you receive any update about his location. Whether we can seed or not will depend on the intel."


    Mabui nodded and said, "Yes, Raikage-sama."


    Wasting no time, Ay left Kumogakure along with Bee and 6 Elite Jounins. They were headed straight to the Land of Hot Water. One of the Elite Jounins was carrying themunication device to receive the message immediately. Once they did, they would immediately make a move towards Fujin.


    While Raikage left Kumogakure, Fujin''s group left one of the border patrol camps after taking a short break. Minutes after they left, a ''Kumo spy'' sent a messenger bird to Kumogakure to inform them about some details of ''Fujin''s mission'' which he coincidentally ''overheard''.


    As they crossed into the Land of Hot Water. Tsuyoshi said, "Fujin, we''ll split from here onwards."


    Teru said solemnly, "Good luck with your mission. Be careful."


    Considering that their mission was to lure the Raikage, they expected Fujin''s mission to be far more dangerous.


    Fujin chuckled at their solemn expressions and said, "Don''t worry. My mission isn''t that dangerous. On the other hand, you guys need to be very careful."


    His expression became serious as he continued, "Under no circumstances must any of youe face to face against them. If you do, you''ll have no chance of survival. Give the highest priority to your safety. If it gets too dangerous, don''t hesitate to retreat or mix among the civilians. Your mission ends at luring them here. How long they stay here has nothing to do with you."


    All four Anbu Captains nodded. Luckily, the major part of their mission would be over after they visited the Noble they were supposed to meet. After that, they were allowed to retreat whenever they wanted to.


    The four of them finally split from Fujin and changed their direction. The town, in which the Noble they were supposed to meet lived, was quite close to the border of the Land of Fire. It was done so that Ay would have to travel more distance while returning to Kumogakure. As they moved, Teru created a Shadow Clone containing 80% of his chakra, who transformed into Fujin and moved alongside them.


    Since he had a high amount of chakra and had known Fujin for a long time, Shikaku had given him this important task. This way, no one would suspect that Fujin had split from the group and was moving alone. Shikaku knew that there were a few Kumo spies in the town they were heading in. He wanted them to see ''Fujin'' and inform Kumogakure about the same.


    This served two purposes. Firstly, Ay and Bee would be lured all the way to the borders of the Land of Fire. They would also have to travel at a very high speed to ensure that ''Fujin'' doesn''tplete the mission and return to Konoha. In such a state, returning to the Land of Lightning quickly would be tough for them.


    Secondly, it also created an alibi for Fujin. If Kumo tried to me Fujin for the deaths of their elites and turn some hidden viges against Konoha, they would use this to prove that Kumo was lying and convince everyone that this was just Kumo''s way of attempting to start the next Great War. This would make everyone wary of Kumo instead.


    As for Fujin, his path went straight through the Land of Hot Water and the Land of Frost into the Land of Lightning! Even though Ay realized the possibility of a scheme, he never imagined that his target was heading straight towards his country!


    As he moved, a smile appeared on Fujin''s face. He muttered to himself, ''Now then, I hope that they can put up some fight. I don''t want it to be too boring¡­ Otherwise, I really might have to ambush Ay for some entertainment. Anyway, I hope that there are some marks along the path¡­''


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Thank you Tushar for supporting me through UPI.

 Chapter 671: Shikakus Mind Games!

    Chapter 671: Shikaku''s Mind Games!


    ''Anyway, I hope that there are some marks along the path¡­''


    Fujin began sensing the Flying Thunder God marks he had left in the Land of Hot Water. There weren''t many as Fujin hadn''t been to this country much after he had learnt that jutsu. The one time he did was to hunt down Hidan. However, he was apanied by other Konoha ninjas.


    So, he couldn''t brazenly leave thousands of marks. Instead, he had just left a handful when no one was looking at him, each being over 50 km from the other. Fujin immediately disappeared, teleporting around a hundred and fifty kilometers away. He teleported a few more times and reached into the Land of Frost.


    Fujin finally stopped and thought, ''Hmm, this was thest mark I made while chasing Hidan. The ce where I fought Kakuzu shouldn''t be too far from here. Oh well, just another couple of hundred kilometers to reach the Land of Lightning.


    ording to Shikaku''s n, I need to enter the Land of Lightning, move close to the base closest to the border between the Land of Lightning and the Land of Frost and hide myself waiting for his signal. However, I should be reaching there in around 6 to 8 hours from now¡­''


    Fujin chuckled. The distance between the Kumogakure and Konoha was veryrge. Normal ninjas would require around 4 to 5 days to make such a long trip. Even an Elite squad would still require around a couple of days if they consumed soldier pills. Since Fujin had a flying summon, Shikaku counted on Fujin to reach there in a quick time without exhausting himself. However, he couldn''t have imagined that Fujin had mastered the Flying Thunder God jutsu!


    Fujin decided, ''I''ll keep themunication device inside the scroll. Once I take it out and activate it, Inoichi will be able to sense my location. Since I have around six hours, it''s time to do some setup¡­''


    Fujin continued moving towards Kumogakure. As he ran, he left a Flying Thunder God mark on trees along his path every now and then. He stopped 50 km from the border. Fujin found a quiet spot, weaved a few hand seals and mmed his hand on the ground.


    ''Earth Release: Camp jutsu!'' A massive underground camp was created around 50 meters under Fujin''s feet. Fujin disappeared into the ground and entered into the base. He looked around the base and nodded while thinking, ''Hmm, this should do. I''ll make some changes here and apply some seals to keep this base hidden.


    Once done, I can use this base as a retreat point. If something goes wrong during the mission or if I need to take a break to recover my chakra, I''ll return here. And, my clones can use this base for that purpose¡­''


    Fujin made up his mind and got to work. A few hourster, Fujin frowned and opened his eyes. He was long done with setting up the base and was meditating. When he activated his Space Time Sensing Technique, he noticed something odd.


    Fujin thought, ''What speed! All 8 of them are traveling at such a fast speed!''


    A smirk appeared on Fujin''s face as he chuckled, "Looks like Ay is on the move. I wonder what expression he''ll make when he returns to the Land of Lightning."


    He could imagine how sorrowful Kumogakure would be by the time he was done. Hiruzen and Shikaku''s ns were too ruthless. Fujin thought, ''Considering the future, there isn''t a need for this attack. After all, Kumo would be our ally in the next Great War. My actions would weaken the Allied Shinobi Force. However¡­''


    Fujin shook his head and muttered, "Who asked them to go after my head?"


    The only reason why Kumogakure fell into this trap was because they wanted Fujin''s head. So, Fujin had no qualms in causing them pain, especially considering how much effort Shikaku had already put in. As for weakening the Allied Shinobi Force, Fujin didn''t particrly care much about it.


    After all, Kabuto was no longer alive. His dead body was in one of his scrolls. Without the Edo Tensei summons, the White Zetsu army wasn''t that scary. Obito''s forces would be weakened far more than the Allied Shinobi Forces. Not to mention, Fujin had only made one move to alter the future. He still had a few more to make!


    A few minutes after Ay''s group passed, Fujin exited the base. He transformed into a Kumogakure ninja and began moving towards the Land of Lightning.


    While Fujin and Ay were on the move, Mabui received another messenger bird. She read the information and thought, ''So, Suzuki Fujin is heading into this town. However¡­''


    A grim expression appeared on her face as she analyzed, ''Everything about this seems off! How are we able to get all the information so easily? Even though he didn''t hear any specifics of the mission, would someone like Fujin openly say where he is going?


    Even though he is still young, it is highly unlikely that he is this careless. All the clues only point out that this is a trap! Our spies might have beenpromised and Konoha is likely intentionally leaking this information to them because Konoha wants Raikage-sama to go there! That said¡­''


    Mabui had a headache as she wondered, ''If this is an attempt to trap Raikage-sama, why is Konoha being so obvious? Aren''t they afraid that we''ll just refuse to take action and their trap will fail?


    No, there is no way Konoha would make such a foolish mistake. Raikage-sama was correct. Even if it is a trap, killing him and his brother would be extremely difficult. Even if Konoha defeats them, they won''t be able to kill them. So, Konoha''s target is most likely not Raikage-sama. Instead, it is something else. But, what could that be?''


    Mabui wrecked her brains but couldn''t understand what Konoha''s ns were. She asked Darui to ensure that Kumogakure''s defenses were airtight before conveying the information in the scroll and her analysis to Ay using the Chakra Transmission Communication device.


    Ay frowned as well and thought, ''That town is very close to the Land of Fire. It''s the perfect ce for Konoha to secretly move and hide arge number of ninjas. Is Konoha banking on my confidence to lure me there and kill me the same way my father was killed? Can they afford such losses at this time? Or is this just a stratagem to make me apprehensive of ever making a move on a Konoha ninja?''


    He thought for a bit, looked at one of his subordinates and said, "Once we reach closer to that town, sense continuously. It might be a trap set by Konoha and Yugakure to make a move against me. Ensure that nothing escapes your eyes."


    The Elite Jounin, who was also a sensor, nodded. Ay turned his eyes towards another subordinate and instructed, "You''ll keep an eye out for seals. If Konoha has secretly moved arge number of ninjas to attack me, they''ll hide them using seals. If you feel anything off, inform us immediately."


    That Elite Jounin nodded as well. He was one of the four Fuinjutsu Grandmasters in Kumogakure. Finally, Ay turned to Bee and said, "If either of them notices something off, use Tailed Beast Bomb to blow up that area. Let me see what strategy Konoha has to block the Tailed Beast Bombs."


    Before Bee could rap, one of the Elite Jounins nervously asked, "If this is indeed a trap, should we still fight?"


    Ay snorted and answered, "Why would we do something so foolish? We''ll just retreat. If Konoha dares to chase us, Bee will keep tossing Tailed Beast Bombs on them as we escape."


    While Ay was confident in his abilities and didn''t fear facing Hiruzen, Orochimaru, Jiraiya, Tsunade, Fujin and other Konoha ninjas by himself, he knew that even someone like him would end up dead if tried to foolishly fight all of them at the same time. The reason for his confidence was that he could just turn around and escape if it was indeed a trap. With Minato no longer alive, he didn''t believe that anyone in Konoha had the capability to stop him from retreating.


    Just like Mabui, Hiruzen and Shikaku also received a scroll from a messenger bird. It was from a spy they installed in Kumogakure. As he read the message, Hiruzen smiled and said, "The Raikage has taken the bait. He left Kumogakure."


    Shikaku smiled and said, "Good. Now we just have to wait for some time. Knowing the Raikage, he''ll rush to that location in under a day. I''ll ask Fujin to make a move after 16 hours."


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "If Kumogakure doesn''t pull back their ninjas, then Fujin will have enough time to go for a couple of rounds. He should eliminate at least 6 bases."


    Shikaku replied, "Yeah, let''s hope so. Such a loss will keep Kumogakure under check for some time. I''ll ask Eagle to make a move. He''ll start cleaning up Iwagakure''s spywork at the same time Fujin starts."


    In a few hours, Fujin reached the base that would be his first target. He stayed some distance away and observed the base without activating his chakra field. A slight surprise appeared on his face as he thought, ''Interesting¡­''


    [A/N: Next Chapter - ughterhouse!]


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Thank you Teju for supporting me through UPI.

 Chapter 672: Slaughterhouse (1)

    Chapter 672: ughterhouse (1)


    ''Interesting¡­'' Fujin muttered. Even though he had heard how the base looked from Shikaku, seeing it personally surprised him. Calling what he was seeing as merely a base would be inappropriate. Instead, it was almost a vige by itself!


    The base was spread over a region with a radius of over half a kilometer. There were dozens of houses and an equal number of facilities to train the ninjas. All of them were spread over the base. There were also a couple of patrol camps some distance away from the main base.


    In addition, hundreds of seals were inscribed around the base. They served various uses, but the main uses were keeping the base hidden and warning the Kumo ninjas if someone tried to break into the base.


    Even though these bases were no secret, Ay had paid a lot of attention to ensure that their inner workings stayed a secret. No vige had been able to send their spies inside any of the ten bases. In fact, Kumo had uncovered a few spies who took too much risk and ended up exposing themselves. Konoha was only able to get the details when Jiraiya paid a visit to the Land of Lightning.


    Fujin analyzed, ''The influence of Jiraiya''s attack is quite visible on the way this base has been constructed. Even though there are only 103 ninjas here, all are spread out across the base. So, a single attack can''t wipe them out like how Jiraiya killed over 250 ninjas in a single attack back then. Under normal circumstances, wiping out everyone in such a base would be very difficult. Unfortunately for them, Kumo decided to target me¡­''


    Fujin chuckled and created another small base underground. He retrieved the Chakra Transmission Communication device and informed Konoha that he was in position. Shikaku told him to wait there until furthermunications and asked him to rest well.


    Around half a dayter, in the middle of the night, Ay, Bee and the others reached a spot close to the town where Fujin and the rest werest spotted. A man bowed respectfully and said, "It''s good to see you, Raikage-sama!"


    Ay quickly said, "Enough pleasantries, Itaru. Tell me where Suzuki Fujin is."


    Itaru nodded. He was a spy Kumo had ced close to the borders of the Land of Fire. In time, he had be quite capable and waspletely trusted by the Noble in that town. As a result, he was able to get the information very easily. Of course, this was the very reason Shikaku chose that town. Itaru reported, "Raikage-sama, a few powerful rogue ninjas appeared in the vicinity of this town around a week ago. There are probably 4 or 5 Jounin-level ninjas and it is possible that there might be more. Since they used Water jutsus, we suspect that they are rogue Kiri ninjas. Hence, a rank S mission was issued to Konoha.


    Konoha sent Suzuki Fujin along with 4 other ninjas. I didn''t find any information on them, so they might be from their Anbu. I believe all four are at the Jounin level. They headed out to eliminate the rogue ninjas around half a day ago. We haven''t heard back from them yet."


    Ay frowned and asked, "If it''s just some rogue ninjas, why did Konoha send more ninjas along with Fujin?"


    Itaru answered, "The rogue ninjas also destroyed a couple of viges. They also have to rehabilitate them. Suzuki Fujin might leave once the rogue ninjas are eliminated while his subordinates take care of rehabilitation."


    Ay nodded and said, "Alright, tell me the location of those rogue ninjas."


    Itaru immediately handed Ay a map that had a marked location. Ay observed, ''Hmm, I suspected that it would be close to the borders of the Land of Fire. However, this ce is a couple of dozen kilometers away from their border. They don''t want to be too obvious, huh? Oh well, let me see what scheme you''re cooking this time, Hokage!''


    He said, "Good work. Return and continue your work."


    Itaru nodded and immediately left. Ay turned his gaze to others and said, "We''ll move immediately. Stay on guard. If Konoha has set a trap for us, it can be very risky. Be prepared to retreat if I order it. Also, don''t go too far away from the group. Especially you, Bee!"


    Everyone nodded and the group immediately headed towards that location. However, they moved slowerpared to their traveling speed prior. All 8 of them were very careful, paying full attention to the non-existent trap. Soon, they reached the location on the map. It was arge cave. They all hid themselves while observing the cave from a distance. Confusion appeared on everyone''s faces.


    One of them said, "As expected, something is off. If they were here to eliminate rogue ninjas, why aren''t there any traces of battle here?"


    Another responded, "Perhaps the Konoha ninjas killed them without giving them any chance of retaliating. Regardless, this is very suspicious."


    Ay turned his gaze towards the Fuinjutsu Grandmaster and asked, "Do you feel any seals here?"


    The Fuinjutsu Grandmaster shook his head and answered, "No, Raikage-sama. I don''t feel anything off. There might still be some seals, however, they wouldn''t be enough to trap us."


    Ay frowned and ordered, "Inspect closely. It''s fine even if your chakra leaks."


    The Grandmaster nodded and concentrated chakra in his eyes. He inspected the cave for a few minutes. Finally, he said, "Raikage-sama, there aren''t any seals outside the cave. I didn''t see any seals inside the cave either. There are a few explosion seals just behind the entrance along with some sensory seals to activate them. There is also a seal that I don''t recognize, however I don''t feel any danger from it."


    All the Kumo ninjas frowned. Even Bee forgot to rap as he muttered, "So few seals? What are they nning?"


    The Grandmaster said, "I don''t think these seals were nted by Konoha. Someone might have just used this cave as a base and nted a few seals in case anyone tried to sneak in."


    Ay wondered, ''So, is this a trap or not? What game is Konoha ying? Did they really send Fujin on a normal mission?''


    He said, "Send a Lightning clone and see whether there is anything else hidden."


    The Grandmaster nodded and followed his orders. His Lightning clone avoided the explosive tags and entered the cave. He inspected the entire cave and didn''t find anything.


    Finally, he returned to the entrance and thought, ''There''s nothing here. No seals, no signs of fighting and even no signs of anyone living here. These explosive seals and that unknown seal are the only things here¡­ What is Konoha up to? Or is Raikage-sama just paranoid?''


    He observed the explosive seals for some time while analyzing, ''Unless activating these explosive seals leads to some sort of cascading seals. However, does Konoha have anyone who can hide seals so well? Hmm, they were very close to Uzushiogakure. I should inspect this just in case.''


    He stepped close to the explosive seals and retreated a few steps. Immediately, a dozen explosive seals went off, blowing the entrance up! However, there wasn''t much destruction. The cave was still intact.


    "Hmm?" Outside the cave, the Grandmaster suddenly eximed. Ay asked, "What did you notice?"


    The Grandmaster answered, "That unknown seal dissipated due to the explosions."


    Ay frowned. The Grandmaster''s Lightning clone appeared and reported, "Raikage-sama, there weren''t any seals inside the cave. There is no trap here."


    Ay thought for a bit and said, "I guess we were too cautious. We''ll inspect those two viges to see if we can find Suzuki Fujin."


    Everyone nodded and immediately moved.


    In Hiruzen''s office, Hiruzen and Shikaku were looking at a tag that was burning. Hiruzen chuckled and said, "The Raikage finally reached that cave."


    Shikaku smirked. There were no rogue ninjas. Instead, he just had an Anbu squad do some mischief and force Yugakure to issue a rank S mission. They had returned to Konoha a long time ago!


    Shikaku said, "I''ll tell Inoichi to pass a message to Fujin and Fumito."


    Hiruzen nodded. A couple of minutester, Fujin heard Inoichi''s voice, "The Fourth Raikage has reached the cave. You can begin. Good luck."


    Fujin inly replied, "Alright."


    He turned off the device and put it back in the scroll. Eating a soldier pill, Fujin muttered, "Time to debut another technique never seen in the ninja world!"


    Fujin exited the base and appeared above the ground. He was still a couple of kilometers away from the base. A couple of Shadow Clones appeared next to him. In the blink of an eye, he disappeared again, moving towards the base at a blinding speed!


    Despite therge number of seals around the base, no one detected Fujin''s movements. In the blink of an eye, Fujin reached the center of the base and mmed his right hand on the ground.


    ''Fuin Battlefield!''


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 673: Slaughterhouse (2)

    Chapter 673: ughterhouse (2)


    ''Fuin Battlefield!''


    Fujin mmed his hands on the ground as a seal imprint lit up. This seal imprint was special aspared to other seal imprints. Instead of a single seal, the seal imprint contained thousands of other seals!


    In less than a second, the seals spread throughout the base! A base that had hundreds of seals, now suddenly had thousands of seals! The only difference was that over 90% of the seals were under Fujin''s control!


    In one of the many facilities in the base, a youngster sat awake despite it beingte in the night. He let out a yawn and thought, ''This is so boring. Sensei hyped up this ce so much that I was thrilled when I learnt that I''ll be joining here for training. However¡­''


    He let out a tired sigh thinking, ''All I have to do here is monitor these boring seals for half a day daily! Nothing else happens. I don''t understand what Lord Raikage is thinking. Why do we have to keep such a watch on the base? Who''d even dare toe here to attack us? Wouldn''t it have been better if I spent time studying more seals?''


    Even though Kumogakure had only 4 Fuinjutsu Grandmasters, they had plenty of Sealmasters. In terms of number of Sealmasters, they were only below Konoha. They had deployed a couple of Sealmasters to each base to control the seals to ensure that someone always monitored them. It also prepared the Sealmasters for wars as they would have to look over their forward bases.


    The youngster was about to sigh again when his eyes widened and he cursed, "What the fuck? What happened? Why does it feel like arge number of seals suddenly appeared out of thin air?"


    He quickly began focusing and what he saw shocked him! The walls in his room suddenly had dozens of new seals. He couldn''t even identify some of the seals! In disbelief, he muttered, "What in the hell? How did so many seals appear? No! More importantly, who inscribed these seals? And how? They couldn''t have already been here, could they? Wait!!!


    The seals have created a barrier along the ground! It means that no one can escape underground. Do the attackers want to cut our escape routes and eliminate us? But who has the courage to attack Kumogakure?" He began panicking realizing that everyone in the base might be trapped. He wasn''t the only one. The other Sealmaster in the base also woke up and was scared witless on sensing the seals. A few experienced Jounins woke up as well as they instinctively felt danger.


    As for the ones who didn''t wake up? They woke up a secondter as they sensed a massive amount of chakra! A second after activating the Fuin Battlefield, Fujin released 40% of his chakra into the air!


    The chakra immediately transformed into winds. However, unlike his usual method, a dome wasn''t formed around him. Instead, the winds extended like tentacles toward the Kumo ninjas!


    The massive chakra spike woke up everyone in the base. Despite many being deep in sleep, every Kumo ninja got up and was ready for battle in the blink of an eye! It disyed how well-trained and disciplined everyone in the base was. Even Fujin was surprised by such a quick reaction.


    He thought, ''Not bad. Or perhaps I should say, as expected from the elites trained by Kumogakure.''


    Even though the Kumo ninjas reacted quickly, they were still confused about what was happening and began discussing among themselves while moving rapidly towards Fujin.


    "What was the chakra spike?"


    "Are we under attack?"


    "Which fool has the courage to attack us?"


    "I don''t know, but that chakra is scary. Don''t be overconfident. If anyone dares to attack us, then they must at least have some strength to back up their courage."


    "Such sort of attacks are verymon during a war. Stronger ninjas and Elite squads will try to eliminate weaker enemy ninjas."


    "Also, look out for suicide bombers among the enemy. They might blow themselves up if they''re about to die. Always keep your guard up!"


    Several such discussions broke out within seconds. The overconfident youngsters were guided by their seniors. However, even they were puzzled as none of them actually expected such an attack. In fact, most veteran ninjas thought that it was likely a surprise training exercise to let the youngsters experience some danger.


    Suddenly, in just a few seconds, all the Kumo ninjas stopped running! The reason was the intense winds they were feeling.


    "What are these winds?"


    "What is happening there?"


    "Why is there so much chakra in these winds? Who is wasting so much chakr¡­ Argh!!!"


    While he was speaking, a cut appeared across his throat! In the blink of an eye, his neck had been sliced clean, beheading him! Simr scenes appeared throughout the base! Everyone saw a red line appearing on the necks of theirrades before they felt the pain themselves!


    In the blink of an eye, over 50 ninjas were ughtered! The ninjas who were still a bit farther away were horrified by that sight! Had they seen an enemy, the brave Kumogakure ninjas might have rushed towards him despite the danger.


    However, they didn''t see any enemy and instead just saw Wind cutting up theirrades! The sight spooked them. Everyone, irrespective of how young or experienced they were, turned around and began escaping.


    Some flickered away, some ran, and some tried to grow underground but failed. They chased after their remainingrades. However, every single one of them was terrified when they discovered a transparent barrier around the base!


    "Why is there a barrier here?"


    "Shit! Someone wants to kill every one of us. They''re keeping us here so that we are killed by that demonic wind!"


    "Fuck! Destroy this fucking barrier!"


    Everyone immediately weaved hand seals and bombarded the barrier with several jutsus. However, the barrier stood firm! They looked at it in disbelief and muttered, "Why is the barrier so strong?"


    In order to raise their morale, one of the Veteran Jounins shouted, "It doesn''t matter! Attack once again! We''ll attack until the barrier bre¡­"


    Before he couldplete his words, he was beheaded! Others looked at him in horror. Some turned around and muttered in fear, "That demonic wind has reached here?"


    Luckily for them, they didn''t have to suffer in terror for long. In just a couple of seconds, Fujin beheaded everyone else in the base. In under a minute, Fujin had eliminated 99 Kumo ninjas. At the same time, his clones eliminated the four ninjas who were outside the base in patrol camps.


    In all, Kumogakure lost 22 Jounins and 81 Chunins! It was a shocking loss. While it wasn''t as bad as the wound Jiraiya had inflicted, it was just as painful. Even though this was less than 1% of the total number of ninjas in Kumogakure, everyone here could be considered elites.


    The higher-ups in Kumo valued every single one of their lives! In particr, Ay was very fond of the ninjas trained in these bases. Unbeknownst to him, he had just lost 103 of his elites while he was hunting for ''Fujin'' in the Land of Hot Water. The worst part for Kumogakure was that this was just the start!


    Using his Space Time Sensing Technique, Fujin observed, ''Hmm, so everyone is dead. That was a bit disappointing. They couldn''t even see who the attacker was. Oh well, it was as I expected. Fortunately, there are at least some gains.''


    Fujin nced towards the barrier around the base. Even though it stood firm, Fujin could sense that it was badly damaged. A couple more rounds of jutsus would have caused it to crumble.


    Fujin analyzed, ''Even though Fuin Battlefield can create a barrier, this isn''t a normal barrier. Normal barriers use the chakra of their users as the source. Until they can keep supplying chakra, the barrier will stand firm and heal.


    However, the barriers inside the Fuin Battlefield are created solely by seals. How sturdy I can make them is limited by the number of seals I inscribe¡­ I guess I''ll have to find a way to inscribe more seals inside the Fuin Battlefield. No, that would be difficult¡­''


    Fujin recalled how much work he had to put into creating the Fuin Battlefield. Dozens of Shadow Clones worked on it for months. He didn''t have the time to repeat that process. In fact, he wasn''t even sure whether that would be possible to do!


    Fujin thought, ''Since that isn''t an option, I''ll have to find a way to make multiple Fuin Battlefield seals work properly with each other. Probably in a simr way to how two Four Symbols Seal create the Eight Trigrams Divination Seal. That would make it far more lethal¡­


    Anyway, it''s time to go after my next target!''


    Fujin stopped thinking about the Fuin Battlefield. Though he got ideas to improve it further, its current level was sufficient for him for the time being. He turned his gaze towards the winds flowing inside the base.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 674: Wind Cloak!

    Chapter 674: Wind Cloak!


    Under normal circumstances, Fujin would use only around 10 to 20% of his chakra to create the Wind Domain. However, since the base was so huge, he used up 40% of his chakra to create it. Even though he had killed everyone in the base, not much chakra of the Wind Domain had been used because no one actually put up a fight. Fujin only had to create des of Wind to kill the Kumo ninjas.


    Under Fujin''s control, the winds began flowing back towards him. Had anyone been alive to witness it, they would have been shocked to see all the winds inside the base suddenly moving back towards the center as if there was a ck hole sucking everything.


    Fujin watched as the winds began revolving around him at a high speed, forming a hurricane with him at the center. Slowly, the speed of the winds decreased and theypressed together, upying less and less space. In half a minute, a transparent cloak appeared around Fujin! A cloak made solely of winds!


    Fujin thought, ''While fighting against Orochimaru, I used up all the chakra in my Wind Domain to create a Wind Dragon to attack him after he escaped. It made me realize that even though I can''t absorb the chakra back into my body yet, I can at least transform the domain into something that I can carry along with myself.


    Though some chakra will still be lost to maintain this cloak, it is still far better than using it for a single jutsu. Not to mention¡­''


    A grin appeared on Fujin''s face. The Wind Cloak had some remarkable abilities! Though not as strong as the Raikage''s Lightning Chakra Mode, it was still quite a remarkable feat. For any ninja specializing in Wind Maniption, it would be a dream technique to have in their arsenal!


    Fujin dispelled his Shadow Clones, who were outside the barrier, and created a new Shadow Clone with 5% of his chakra. His clone nodded and flickered. Since he had Fujin''s memories, Fujin did not need to give him any instructions.


    Fujin focused on his Wind Cloak. A secondter, he began floating in the air! A wide smile could be seen on Fujin''s face. As someone who once lived in a world without any superpowers, there was no way he wouldn''t have wanted to fly by himself.


    Fujin thought, ''An unexpected gain from this technique I created is the ability to fly! Even though I could fly a bit earlier using my Assassin''s Rush jutsu, it wasn''t the same. I had to continuously st winds from different parts of my body to be able to fly using that technique. And, it was extremely chakra exhaustive. Byparison, flying using the Wind Cloak is much smoother. Even though the chakra needed to create the Wind Cloak is high, the chakra spent on flying is considerably less. However, there are still some restrictions¡­''


    Fujin suddenly disappeared and traveled through the air at a rapid speed using the Wind Instantaneous Body jutsu. He thought, ''The Wind Cloak makes using this jutsu much more natural. So, it is very good in terms of flying in a straight line.


    However, my mobility in the air is still far inferior to my mobility on the ground. Even though it''ll be good against most opponents, I shouldn''t use it against someone like Onoki. I''m not sure if I can dodge his Dust Release while I am in the sky. Well, at least not without using the Flying Thunder God jutsu¡­''


    While Fujin moved rapidly across the Land of Lightning, his Shadow Clone collected all the dead bodies in the destroyed base. After storing all the dead bodies in scrolls, he buried the bloodied soil deep underground before removing the Fuin Battlefield seals.


    After inspecting everything once, he thought, ''Good. There are no signs of any battle here. Though Kumogakure might find the bloodied soil with some digging, there isn''t much that they can gain from it. After all, they don''t have a jutsu like Edo Tensei¡­''


    A peculiar expression appeared on the clone''s face as he realized, ''Actually, even if they revive them with Edo Tensei, they can''t get much information. What would the revived ninjas say? Strange winds killed them? After all, they didn''t even see me!


    Oh well, I''m done here. I wonder who''d be the one toe and discover this empty base¡­''


    Fujin''s clone disappeared from the base. After using the Flying Thunder God a few times, he returned to the base in the Land of Frost. He withdrew a couple of scrolls in which he had stored the bodies of the dead Jounins. He retrieved a head from the scroll, ced it on the table in front of him and ced his right hand on the severed head.


    Inserting his Yin chakra into the dead Jounin''s brain, Fujin''s clone thought, ''Even though Konoha''s collection of Lightning jutsus is quite good, there is no question that Kumo is far better in this aspect. Especially the Lightning Chakra Mode!


    Though I don''t expect any of them to know how to learn that technique, there might be some who know where that technique is stored in Kumo. Ay and Bee aren''t in Kumogakure. And my actions should lure out Darui and Yugito. So, I might as well pay a visit to Kumo to borrow a few scrolls. I''m sure they are kind-hearted enough to overlook my actions and entertain me as their guest.''


    While Fujin''s clone read the memories of the dead Jounins, Fujin traveled straight to the second base on his target list. He stopped around 5 kilometers from the base and created three Shadow Clones. He passed his Wind Cloak to one of the Shadow Clones while Fujin and the other two Shadow Clones moved towards the base.


    Just like during the previous attack, the two Shadow Clones split off from Fujin and targeted the patrol camps. Meanwhile, Fujin went straight to the center of the base and activated the Fuin Battlefield! A secondter, the clone wearing the Wind Cloak teleported next to Fujin.


    In an instant, the Wind Cloak lost its form and winds spread throughout the base! Fujin released some of his own chakra to make up for the chakra lost while killing the Kumo ninjas in the first base and while traveling.


    Just like the previous time, no Kumo ninja survived. It was aplete massacre! Once again, no one even saw who their killer was. Fujin once again formed the Wind Cloak and left a Shadow Clone to collect all their bodies before continuing towards the third base!


    In the Land of Hot Water, the Raikage''s group tried looking for Fujin and other Konoha ninjas around the two viges for a couple of hours. Needless to say, they didn''t even see a glimpse of them. Instead, what they had seen confused them even more.


    In the affected viges, the people had already been rehabilitated. The Kumo ninjas had transformed into Yugakure ninjas and questioned the vigers. They were shocked to learn that Fujin and the rest had already helped them and left before midnight. They left the vige and began wondering what was going on.


    Killer Bee said, "Yo, what''s this situation, it''s causin'' some frustration,


    No trap found, just a cave, what''s the exnation?


    Folks in the viges, already rehabilitated,


    Konoha''s got ''em fixed up, all situated.


    Did they finish up the mission, make it back to theirnd?


    Got us chasin'' shadows, man, I don''t understand!"


    All the six Elite Jounins had the same thought as Bee. Each of them experienced a range of emotions. While they were d that no deadly trap was set for them, they were also remorseful that they missed an opportunity to eliminate such a threat. However, there was one person who didn''t experience such emotions. That was none other than Ay!


    Ay thought, ''What Bee said is logical. However, why am I getting this bad feeling? What did I miss?''


    Ay had a feeling that he had missed something important. He calmed his thoughts and analyzed, ''Let me think from the very beginning. First, Fujin openly left Konoha, giving us an opportunity to make a move against him. When we made a move, everything felt like it was a trap set by Konoha.


    However, we didn''t find any traps. In fact, we didn''t even see any signs ofbat. In addition, the vigers said that the Konoha ninjas helped them resettle in their viges and assured them that the rogue ninjas were eliminated. At first nce, everything looks natural. However, there is one big problem!''


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 675: Target Kumogakure???

    Chapter 675: Target Kumogakure???


    ''However, there is one big problem!''


    As Ay analyzed calmly, he discovered some anomalies. He thought, ''There is no question about the fact that Konoha has schemed something. Otherwise, we wouldn''t have learnt about Fujin leaving Konoha, let alone about where he was heading. Their real scheme should be what is giving me this bad feeling. However, what could their scheme be?''


    Immediately, Raikage recalled two things. The first was him telling Darui to protect the vige while he wasn''t there. The second was the Fuinjutsu Grandmaster saying that there was one unknown seal among the explosive seals.


    His eyes widened in shock as he realized, ''Don''t tell me! Did those bastards actually do this to lure me out? Is Konoha brave enough tounch an attack on Kumogakure? Besides, even without me and Bee, Kumogakure is still very strong. They wouldn''t be ab¡­''


    His eyes widened even more as he recalled Jiraiya''s attack on the mine that killed over 250 Kumo ninjas! He thought, ''Even though the vige is strong, without me and Bee, we won''t be able to stop their rank S ninjas easily. What if their n is just to make arge attack and retreat? If we''re caught off guard, Kumo might lose hundreds of ninjas.''


    He nced in the direction of the Land of Fire and wondered, ''Does Konoha really want to start a war right now?''


    Bee noticed Ay''s change in mood. He became serious and asked, "What is it?"


    With a grim expression, Ay answered, "I suspect that this might have been a scheme to lure me and you here. Konoha might be nning to make a move against our vige. While we''re hunting Fujin, they might have sent the Sannin to attack Kumogakure with theirrge summons."


    The eyes of all 7 Kumo ninjas widened in disbelief. One of them eximed, "That''s impossible! Konoha is known for not starting wars! They wouldn''t make the first move!" Ay replied, "That''s why they might be able to catch us off guard. Inform Mabui. Ask her to increase the defenses of the vige. Until we return, the vige has to be on the highest alert."


    Minutester, Mabui and Darui received Ay''s message. Both became tense. Darui muttered, "Boss thinks that Konoha wants to surprise attack our vige with their summoned animals. However, would Konoha reallyunch a war?"


    Darui didn''t see Konoha with as much suspicion as Ay. He could believe that Konoha might try to secretly assassinate the Fourth Raikage but didn''t think that Konoha would start a war without any provocation.


    Mabui said, "I''m not sure either. However, there is no question that something very fishy is happening. We need to be on guard."


    Darui nodded and said, "Yes. If Konoha wants to do a surprise attack on us, then they won''t bring too many troops since we would find them. Most likely, only their rank S ninjas would make a move and attack the vige withrge-scale attacks. Against such tactics, we''ll suffer if our ninjas are gathered together. Hmm¡­"


    Darui thought for a bit and said, "Without Boss here, we''ll take the safe approach. Deploy the barrier team on the walls and have them create a barrier to surround the vige. Tell them to extend the barrier underground as well in case Orochimaru attacks us.


    Send a few hundred ninjas to help the barrier team by providing chakra to the barrier and ask the rest to be prepared for a battle. We''ll block the enemy''srge-scale attacks with the barrier.


    If they manage to break the barrier and enter inside, then I and Yugito will confront them while everyone else assists us. We''ll overwhelm them with numbers. If we''re lucky, then Konoha might lose a few rank S ninjas."


    Mabui nodded and immediately got to work. Even though their leader wasn''t in the vige, Kumogakure still had over ten thousand ninjas in their vige. As long as they weren''t caught off guard, they weren''t afraid of a few rank S ninjas.


    In one of the viges that were rehabilitated by the Shadow Clones of Fujin''s teammates, one old man wiped the sweat off his forehead and thought, ''That was scary! Was the Raikage really among that group of ninjas as Lord Shikaku said? As expected of Lord Shikaku. Only he can make the Raikage move wherever he wants to.


    Anyway, there was a chakra spike just a minute ago. The Raikage must have retreated as Lord Shikaku said. I''ll send a messenger bird to inform him that the group has left. However, I''ll wait for a couple of hours just in case they haven''t and are still keeping an eye on here. I can''t imagine what they would do to me if they caught me!''


    That man was a spy Shikaku inserted in the vige while the ''rogue ninjas'' were harassing them. When the Raikage''s group entered the vige in disguise, he didn''t even dare to look at them. He rxed only after sensing the chakra spike.


    While Ay''s group hurried back to the Land of Lightning and Mabui and Darui shored up Kumo''s defenses, Fujin destroyed 3 more bases in an identical manner! Half of the bases had been destroyed!


    In all, 546 Kumogakure ninjas had died! Among them were 96 Jounins, 2 Elite Jounins and 448 Chunins! It was a colossal loss for Kumogakure! Yet, not a single person in the Land of Lightning was aware of these losses!


    Standing at the center of the base, Fujin let out a deep breath. He looked at the Wind Cloak and analyzed, ''My chakra reserves are down to 40%. The Wind Cloak has 20% of my chakra. In order to wipe out everyone in the next base optimally, I''ll need to charge it up to at least 35%. The chakra needed to travel will bepensated by the chakra I''ll recover while traveling. However, I''ll still be down to around 25% of my Chakra reserves¡­


    I guess it''s time to take a break. There is no need to exhaust my chakra to that level. After all, the mission can already be consideredpleted. I''ll wait until my chakra recovers. Thanks to the soldier pill and the chakra in my Shadow Clones, I''ll only need around 6 to 7 hours¡­


    Shikaku said that Ay began returning around 3 hours ago. Considering how long he took to reach there, I should have enough time for a second round if Kumogakure doesn''t recall the remaining ninjas back to their vige¡­''


    Fujin stretched his body to alleviate the stiffness caused due to traveling continuously. He muttered, "Since the Wind Cloak still has some chakra that I can''t absorb, I might as well have some fun. It''s time to test that!"


    Once again, Fujin began traveling at a high speed. His destination was the sixth base on his target. The five bases that Fujin targeted were between Kumogakure and the border between the Land of Lightning and the Land of Frost. However, the remaining 5 bases were on the other side of Kumogakure. Hence, the distance between them was muchrger, with one base being all the way on the Western coast of the Land of Lightning. Fujin would require a couple of hours to reach the sixth base.


    The scenery in that base was quite different from the other bases. Even though Fujin had noticed that the ninjas in the fourth and fifth bases were preparing for something, the ninjas in the sixth base had already prepared for war! Everyone was just awaiting orders to be dispatched.


    In the headquarters inside the base, Dodai sat calmly while recalling the message he received from Mabui. He thought, ''To think that Konoha might make a move against us. Their strength should have already recovered. As we suspected, they won''t take the humiliation we inflicted upon them a decade ago too kindly. We might soon be in another Great War¡­''


    He turned his gaze outside the headquarters and activated his chakra field. He thought, ''Fortunately, we''re very well prepared. If Konoha thinks that they have any chance of a swift victory against us, they''re badly mistaken!''


    As Dodai was thinking that, Fujin reached the base. He looked at his Wind Cloak and thought, ''Just 6% remaining...''


    The Wind Cloak separated from him and began changing its shape once again. This time, instead of transforming into the Wind Domain, it took the form of a human and transformed into a Wind Clone! He chuckled and said, "Alright, I''ll have some fun."


    This was the second method Fujin created to use the leftover chakra in the Wind Domain. Fujin could transform it into a Wind Clone and keep it with himself until he recovered his chakra. This way, if someone attacked him while he was still recovering his chakra, he could recreate the Wind Domain.


    Of course, there was no need for anyone to guard him now. So, Fujin just let his Wind Clone go to cause some havoc and leave a few nightmares in the Land of Lightning.


    As for Fujin, he continued looking at the base and muttered, "Here goes nothing..."


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 676 - 670 : Return of the Nightmare!

    <h4>Chapter 676: Chapter 670 : Return of the Nightmare!</h4>


    Dodai was just casually sensing everyone in his base to see how far everyone there hade along. He was about to deactivate his chakra field when he suddenly sensed a chakra that he didn''t recognize rushing rapidly into the base. He muttered, "What the hell? Who entered the base? And what''s with this speed?"


    He immediately got up while thinking, ''Who is it? And how did that person enter the base without activating any of the seals? Wait! I can sense a couple more chakra signatures! They are heading towards the patrol camp! Shit, what''s happening?''


    By the time he came out of the room, Fujin had already reached the center of the base and mmed his right hand on the ground.


    ''Fuin Battlefield!''


    In the blink of an eye, the entire base was covered with seals and was sealed by the Fuin Battlefield. At the same time, a sword appeared in Fujin''s left hand.


    Dodai only saw a glimpse of Fujin''s figure. Before he could take a better look, Fujin disappeared! Dodai thought, ''Fast! I couldn''t even see his fac...''


    His thoughts froze as shock appeared on his face. The shock soon changed into horror as he sensed Fujin''s chakra signature disappearing and appearing in a different ce instantly repeatedly! Every time his chakra signature disappeared, the chakra signature of one Kumo ninja disappeared!


    Dodai muttered in horror and disbelief, "Fl... Flyi... Flyin... Impossible! This is the Fourth Hokage''s Flying Thunder God jutsu! Another ninja in Konoha learnt this ursed jutsu!''


    Despite the shock, his brain quickly realized, ''Konoha''s target isn''t Kumogakure! Their target is our bases!''


    "Dodai... I didn''t expect someone like you to be here..." Dodai heard a cold voice behind him. However, even before he could react, a sword entered his back, pierced through his heart and appeared in front of his chest. There was nothing he could do except watch the bloody sword in horror as his eye closed permanently.


    Fujin stored his body properly before finishing off the remaining Kumo ninjas. After confirming that everyone was dead, Fujin created three Shadow Clones to collect their dead bodies and hide the evidence of a ughter.


    While they collected the bodies, he thought, ''I didn''t think Dodai would be in charge of one of the bases. Then again, it isn''t too strange. He is very experienced andmands a lot of respect in Kumogakure. So, having him guide the youngsters is only natural.


    In the future, he would have assisted Naruto''s Shadow Clone in sealing the Third Raikage... However, I have already killed Kabuto. So, the Third Raikage shouldn''t be revived. If he still does somehow, I''ll just seal him by myself.


    Anyway, there''s no need to focus so much on the future. Dodai was someone who was close to the Third Raikage and he was also close to Ay and Bee. He might know some details about the Lightning Chakra Mode. Not to mention, he is also one of the few individuals who created a Kekkei Genkai without a bloodline... His memories should be very interesting.''


    A smile appeared on Fujin''s face. Though he didn''t intend to target Dodai, it was a good surprise. However, more than Dodai, Fujin was happier about another thing.


    He nced at the dead bodies in the base and thought, ''The Flying Thunder God jutsu... I have used it effectively inbat for the first time. Even though I''m not used to using this jutsu, this technique is just as fearsome as I remember. Anyone under the rank S level can''tst even a few seconds against me. It''s little wonder why Minato was so feared.


    While I''m not as ustomed to using the Flying Thunder God jutsu as Minato and Tobirama and my proficiency in this jutsu is definitely far lesser than either of them, I might exceed them in terms of lethality. After all...''


    Fujin chuckled and looked across the Fuin Battlefield. Along with the other seals that made Fuinjutsu what it was, there were also a couple thousand Flying Thunder God marks in it!


    Minato had to throw his special kunais marked with Flying Thunder God marks in order to create points for him to teleport to. However, Fujin did not need to do something like that thanks to his Fuin Battlefield.


    If aparison was to be made, it could be said that the Fuin Battlefield was equivalent to Minato throwing two thousand special kunais on the battlefield in an instant! How dangerous that would be was rather obvious. Not to mention, the Fuin Battlefield had a lot more methods that Fujin used for various purposes.


    So, despite his rtive inexperience in using the Flying Thunder God jutsu in battle, thebination of Fuin Battlefield and Flying Thunder God jutsu was extremely terrifying.


    Fujin thought, ''As for my proficiency, that would be a bit difficult to improve. Flying Thunder God jutsu was the staple of Minato''sbat. He used it for years against all sorts of opponents. On the other hand, my preferred attack method is Wind Release. And, with my current strength, only top-tier rank S ninjas could provide me with a challenge if I used the Flying Thunder God jutsu. It''s not something I can do often...''


    Fujin sighed and muttered to himself, ''I guess I''ll have my clones fight each other to get a hang of it. Another option is hunting down Obito with my Akura identity and using this jutsu. He''s probably the perfect sparring partner to practice the Flying Thunder God jutsu... I wonder if he''d be kind enough to go a few rounds against me... Or perhaps I should revive Tobirama or the Third Raikage for some practice after I get my hands on the Edo Tensei jutsu.''


    Fujin''s three Shadow Clones returned and handed him the scrolls. Fujin stored them, looked at each of his clones and said, "You go towards the 7th base, you towards the 9th and you towards the 10th."


    The Shadow Clones nodded and dispersed. Fujin had already formed a n before making the clones. So they knew their tasks. As the clones moved towards the respective bases, they left Flying Thunder God marks along the way so that Fujin could easily teleport towards their locations.


    Fujin thought, ''The easiest way to travel here would be flying on Kaito''s back. However, I won''t be able to mark the Land of Lightning if I do that... Right now, I have only marked the Land of Fire and the Land of Rivers properly. I have left a few marks in the Lands of Hot Water, Frost and Grass. I''ll use this opportunity to properly mark the Land of Lightning so that I won''t have to do it again in the future...


    Anyway, it''s a good thing that Fuin Battlefield and Flying Thunder God jutsu barely use any chakra. Only if I try to teleport a jutsu does the chakra consumption increase. So, I didn''t lose much chakra while clearing this base. In fact, I lost more chakra in creating those Shadow Clones than in the battle.


    Regardless, I should be back to full in around 5 hours. Then I''ll just teleport to their locations and continue forward.''


    With such thoughts, Fujin disappeared. He teleported a few times and returned to the base in the Land of Frost. Five of his Shadow Clones were already reading the memories of the dead Jounins. Fujin waited for them to be done reading the memories of the heads in front of them before dispelling them one by one.


    Fujin coted and analyzed every clone''s memories and thought, ''As expected, they didn''t know much about the Lightning Chakra Mode. However, they did know a few interesting things. Oh well, let me see what Dodai knows...''


    Fujin began reading Dodai''s memories. While he did, Mabui felt uneasy. Yugito looked at her and asked, "Is everything alright? You''ve been uneasy for some time now."


    Darui became serious and asked, "Is there an issue?"


    Samui and C looked at her as well.


    Mabui exined, "After receiving Raikage-sama''s message, I sent messenger birds to all our outer bases to prepare themselves. However, only 7 bases contacted me back using the Chakra Transmission Communication devices.


    I dispatched an Anbu squad to each of the three bases that didn''t respond. They should have reached there by now and contacted us. However, I still haven''t heard anything from them."


    Everyone in the Raikage''s office became serious on hearing her words. C muttered, "That''s strange. Understanding the seriousness of the situation, they should have responded right away. For them to not reply, means that something has happened there."


    Darui''s eyes widened. His expression became grim as he said, "Quickly show me the bases that didn''t respond."


    Everyone noticed his expression. Mabui didn''t dy and showed him the map. With an ugly expression, he said, "Boss'' assumption was incorrect. Konoha wouldn''t attack our vige directly. It would be a deration of war and from my understanding of the Third Hokage, he would never want an all-out war.


    Instead, he likes to use schemes and hurt us in the dark. Their real target must be our outer bases! Most likely these 5 that are closer to the border! Shit!"


    The expression of the remaining 4 ninjas also became ugly. The memories of the wounds Jiraiya inflicted upon them were still fresh in their minds. They didn''t want to see Kumogakure suffer a simr loss again!


    [A/N: A few fun chapter names on pat reon.


    723 - One Jutsu to Suppress Them All!


    724 - Poking the Beehive!


    725 - Unexpected Casualties!]


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    ()


    Can read up to 55 chapters ahead on P@treon.

 Chapter 677: Daruis Decision, Fujins Plan!

    Chapter 677: Darui''s Decision, Fujin''s n!


    Realizing how devastating their losses would be if Konoha destroyed those 5 bases, Darui ordered, "Contact these two bases and tell them to be on guard. I''ll take 100 ninjas with me and go to see what the situation is. Yugito, you stay in the vige in case my guess is incorrect and their real target is our vige."


    Darui began moving towards the door. However, before he could leave, Mabui said, "Don''t be reckless, Darui! Konoha has already managed to lure Raikage-sama away. If you act without considering all the possibilities, you could fall into a trap as well. If that happens, we could suffer even more."


    Darui stopped and looked at her. Mabui continued, "There are still a few more possibilities other than Konoha attacking those bases. In fact, I think that those are more likely than Konoha attacking our bases. Don''t forget one of the main reasons behind creating these bases."


    Darui''s eyes widened as he realized what Mabui was indicating. He said, "Sorry, I lost control for a moment. You''re right. While making these bases, we kept Konoha''s attack on the mine in mind. The bases were specifically created in a way to ensure that a fewrge-scale attacks won''t be able to destroy them."


    Samui agreed and added, "That''s right. Even if they were attacked and at a great disadvantage, they should have been able to contact us. So, it is highly unlikely that they were attacked."


    Mabui nodded and said, "That''s right. I feel that Konoha has sent a few squads to intercept the messenger birds between us and those bases. Their goal might be to make us think that those bases are under attack and make us send reinforcements there.


    Once we do, they would ambush our reinforcements and eliminate them. Without Raikage-sama and Bee, our reinforcements won''t be able to resist if the Sannins are involved in the ambush. Even you might lose your life, Darui.


    Not to mention, there is still the chance of this being an attempt to lure even more capable ninjas away from our vige so that our defenses weaken even further. So, we need to tread carefully."


    Darui and the rest analyzed Mabui''s words and felt that they were reasonable. However, it left them in a dilemma. C sighed, "So, what do we do in this situation?" A helpless expression could be seen on C''s face. No matter what they did, the situation was bad. If they didn''t go and their bases were under attack, then it would be the same as giving up on the lives of hundreds of capable ninjas. On the other hand, if they did go to reinforce and fell into an ambush, it could also result in painful casualties.


    Mabui sighed as well and said, "There are only two things we could do. Either we stay holed up here until Raikage-sama returns, or we send arge group to check what is happening. However, there won''t be any half-baked attempts.


    Either you all stay here, or all four of you head out leading an army of 500 ninjas. We can''t risk sending a small group and losing someone like you, Darui."


    Everyone looked at Darui. As the leader in Ay''s absence, he would have the final say. After thinking for some time, he said, "Even if Konoha attacked our vige, they won''t have an easy time getting inside the barrier. After all, even the Eight Tails'' Tailed Beast Bomb can''t break the barrier. Besides, that isn''t Konoha''s way of doing things.


    I''ll head out towards the closest base along with an army to see what is happening. If Konoha really wants to ambush us, let me see what they have brought to ambush us!"


    Everyone nodded and got to work immediately. Samui, C and a few others left to gather the army. Since everyone was already on guard, it wasn''t a very difficult task. However, it would still require some time.


    Five minutes after the two of them left the Raikage''s office, Mabui''s expression became grim once again. Darui muttered, "We have lost contact with 3 more bases¡­ To think that they would target this one as well¡­"


    Darui''s eyes were on the base where Dodai was stationed. Since it was on the other side of Kumogakure, he didn''t think it would be targeted.


    Yugito frowned and asked, "How did they interrupt our Chakra Transmission Communication devices?"


    Mabui answered, "These devices work by transmitting chakra. Though unprecedented, it wouldn''t be too strange for them to intercept it. Perhaps Konoha has sent members of the Hyuga and Yamanaka ns to interfere with this. Or perhaps they invented a technology allowing them to interfere with our transmission. However, it is very suspicious that they''re doing this."


    She looked at Darui and asked, "Which base will you head to first? And what should I tell the other 4 bases?"


    Darui muttered, "Dodai''s base is the closest to the vige. I''ll need just 4 hours to travel there. I''ll head there first. Ask the remaining four bases to be on their highest guard. Tell them that they might be attacked or lose contact with us.


    In addition, send an Anbu squad to the other 5 bases which we can''t contact. However, instruct them to take irregr routes."


    Mabui nodded and quickly got to work. Half an hourter, Darui, Yugito, C and Samui left Kumogakure along with 496 other ninjas! Such arge movement made everyone inside Kumogakure tense. Needless to say, the ones who were the most tense were the spies. However, none of them dared to send a message to their vige due to the barrier surrounding the vige.


    In an underground base in the Land of Frost, a frown could be seen on Fujin''s face. He thought, ''He doesn''t know anything about the Lightning Chakra Mode either¡­ He does know the basic mechanics behind techniques like the Lightning Release: Double Lariat, but nothing about the Lightning Chakra Mode.


    He knew where the scroll of that technique was kept by the Third Raikage. Unfortunately, the Fourth Raikage changed its locationter¡­ Sigh, I guess I can''t expect to get Kumo''s greatest technique so easily¡­''


    Fujin calmed his mind and thought, ''After my chakra recovers, I''ll destroy three more bases. Kumo has already discovered that there is something wrong with the first three bases I targeted, though I am not sure whether they discovered the details. Even if they haven''t, it is just a matter of time. They should soon discover about the remaining three as well.


    However, it is toote. Even if they ask the ninjas in those 3 bases to retreat to Kumogakure, I can easily intercept and eliminate them. Even if they split and escape in different directions, eliminating most of them wouldn''t be too difficult thanks to my Space Time Sensing Technique and Flying Thunder God jutsu.


    That''ll leave just one base. After such losses, there is no way Kumogakure would stay silent. They would do everything they can to keep everyone in that base safe. Even if it isn''t tactical, they''d do it for their pride and morale. And the only thing they can do is send arge army led by either Darui or Yugito or both there. However¡­''


    A smirk formed on Fujin''s face as he thought, ''That base is on the freaking edge of this continent. Even if everyone eats soldier pills and rushes there, they would need over a day and a half to reach there. With just Darui or Yugito inside Kumo, I can easily infiltrate and try to look for the scroll without needing to worry much about any obstructions.''


    Fujin turned his gaze back towards Dodai''s dead body and thought, ''This guy''s quite peculiar as well. Even though he showed that he was quite smart during his young age, his fighting prowess wasn''t very impressivepared to his peers. While not weak, he didn''t stand out either.


    He didn''t have any affinity to Lightning maniption and his main affinities were Fire and Earth. However, even there, his affinities weren''t particrly spectacr. Yet, he managed to fuse the two elements in histe teens in a stroke of luck while he was trying something else¡­''


    Fujin let out a sigh. Even though he hadn''t devoted his life to creating a Kekkei Genkai like a few others, he still worked a lot. He even experienced how Takeshi did it several times with the Spirit Transformation jutsu. And, even though his talent in Fire Maniption wasn''t extraordinary, his talent in Wind Maniption was beyond extraordinary. Yet, he hadn''t managed to properly recreate Scorch Release. On the other hand, Dodai managed to do it by a stroke of luck¡­


    Fujin muttered, "No wonder Renjiro said that it is luck-based rather than skill. No wonder Hiruzen and Orochimaru never managed to create any Kekkei Genkai despite having excellent affinities and ess to even more jutsus than me¡­


    Sadly, even though I read Dodai''s memories, I won''t be able to recreate Lava release that easily. I''ll have to get thatbination right just like how he did and that''s not something I can copy by just reading memories¡­ I''ll need to learn how to do it instinctively¡­"


    Fujin shook his head and thought, ''Leave it, it''s too much work for something that adds very little to my strength. Besides, if that n works, then all my efforts would be pointless. I''ll rest for a bit and continue my attack¡­''


    Four hourster, Darui''s army reached Dodai''s base. As they looked at the base carefully, a puzzled look appeared on everyone''s face.


    [A/N: Latest chapter - A Game of Death!]


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 678: The Ambush

    Chapter 678: The ''Ambush''


    [A/N: IMPORTANT Notice - For anyone nning to join to my pat reon in the future and uses iOS, please read today''s public post on pat reon. There will be some changes from 4th November due to Apple''s policies. The post includes methods to avoid getting charged more.]


    Darui and his army reached the base that was under Dodai''smand. En route, they were very careful and alert against a surprise ambush. To their surprise, they didn''t sense any Konoha ninjas while traveling. Not a single shuriken was thrown at them.


    Most of the ninjas rxed on reaching the base. However, as they drew closer, everyone was puzzled. Under normal circumstances, the patrol units should have noticed and met them. Yet, no one did. Instead, the sensors said that they didn''t sense anyone inside the base.


    C frowned and asked, "Did they activate all the seals to hide the base? Hmm, Dodai might have done that to hide the base from anyone else. No wonder we didn''t sense anyone."


    Darui muttered, "Let''s hope that is the case. Because the alternative is terrifying¡­"


    The ones around Darui became very serious. Darui shouted andmanded everyone to be prepared for a battle! The entire army became serious. They carefully moved to the center of the base, their expressions bing solemn as they inched closer. Even when they reached the headquarters in the center, they didn''t see anyone! There wasn''t even a single Kumogakure ninja inside the base! Everyone had vanished in thin air!


    C activated his chakra field and said, "I can''t sense anyone at all! Where is everyone? There are no signs ofbat here either! I didn''t even see a scratch on any building on the way here."


    Darui and the rest frowned as well. Darui wondered, ''Did something happen to make Dodai take everyone here away and hide elsewhere? But what could have happened? And why didn''t he inform us? Or did he try but fail as Konoha cut off ourmunications? Did something simr happen in the other bases as well? But wha¡­''


    Darui''s eyes widened. He immediately looked under his feet and shouted in horror, "Fuck!!!" Instinctively, he released arge amount of ck Lightning from his feet! The ck Lightning traveled through the surface of the ground. He wasn''t the only one. Samui, C and several others in the army did the same! Yugito instinctively unleashed Matatabi''s chakra and covered herself and several others around her with her chakra.


    Why did all the Kumogakure ninjas react so drastically? It was rather simple. Innumerable explosive seals suddenly appeared under their feet! The ninjas Darui brought along were all very experienced. They sensed it right away and acted instinctively. A secondter, the entire base blew up! Soil flew up hundreds of meters in the sky due to the force of the explosion! Every structure on the base was decimated by the explosions!


    Fujin, who was meditating, suddenly opened his eyes and looked at a few tags burning in front of him. He thought, ''Hmm, every tag in the Sixth base blew up? Did Kumo send an army there? I wonder if they discovered the explosions and set them off or stepped into the trap¡­ If they stepped into it¡­''


    Fujin shook his head. He had already inflicted heavy losses on Kumogakure. If another group blew up, he could imagine how miserable Ay would be once he returned.


    Fujin couldn''t help but wonder, ''My actions in the Land of Wind should have made their higher-ups hate Konoha. I doubt even Gaara would be able to change that. And now Kumo will lose close to a thousand well-trained ninjas due to me implementing Shikaku and Hiruzen''s scheme. Would the Allied Shinobi Force even be formed?''


    Fujin wasn''t too sure. On one hand, even if his actions weren''t considered, all the major viges hated each other. Nearly everyone had lost someone close to them during the Great Wars, creating a cycle of hatred that Jiraiya andter Naruto tried to stop. That cycle of hatred was far greater than the wounds inflicted by Fujin.


    On the other hand, time was a crucial factor. When the Allied Shinobi Forces formed, it had been nearly 18 years since the previous Great War. A lot of the scars had faded away with time. Therge period of rtive peace had also made themon ninjas reluctant to start another Great War as fresh scars would appear once it began.


    Fujin''s action meant that new scars would appear on Kumogakure. Even if they couldn''t take any action right away, they would remember these wounds. He wasn''t sure whether four years was enough time for them to fade away.


    Fujin thought, ''Oh well, it doesn''t matter. The Allied Shinobi Force wasn''t formed out ofpassion. It was formed due to the threat of ''Uchiha Madara''. As long as Obito doesn''t change his mind about openly announcing the start of the Fourth Great Ninja War, the alliance should still happen.


    Simrly, the alliance continued post-war because Naruto was too freaking strong. He had surpassed even Hashirama and Madara. Had he and Sasuke died in their final sh, the world would have be far more chaotic as everyone would have tried to take advantage of the critical situation ande on top.


    So, it doesn''t matter much whether the Allied Shinobi Force is formed or not. Though it''ll have an impact on the future if it isn''t formed, it doesn''t affect me much.''


    Fujin didn''t particrly care about world peace like how Naruto and Jiraiya did. He wasn''t averse to wars either. Besides, even if the 5 Great Viges didn''t form an alliance, a Great War was very unlikely in the future.


    Fujin thought, ''Even if there isn''t an alliance, I doubt anyone would dare to start a war against Konoha in the future. There would be just too many powerhouses in Konoha for anyone to try that.


    The only major disadvantage would be that Kumo won''t help Naruto to master Kurama''s powers. However, that isn''t a very big issue. With Naruto''s personality, befriending Kurama is only a matter of time. Even if he fails, I could hijack that turtle ind and guide Naruto if I require him to be that strong¡­''


    Fujin finally got up and muttered, "Anyway, I''ll leave those issues for the future. Now, let me see who blew up all the explosive seals¡­"


    Fujin disappeared from the base. In the Land of Lightning, one of their 10 bases waspletely destroyed. The only thing visible was a thick dust cover in the area. The wild animals and birds were escaping away from it in a hurry.


    At the center of the base, a hand appeared out of the soil as a person crawled out of the loose soil covering him. He was covered by soil from head to toe! He wasn''t the only one. Several other ninjas began crawling out the same way.


    Darui wiped his face and sighed, "What a deadly trap. This brings back some memories¡­"


    Next to him, C cursed, "There is no doubt about it. It''s that bastard!"


    Samui recalled the scene she had seen several years ago. A young Fujin, who waspletely trapped by them, blew up the entire ce with hundreds of explosive tags and escaped in the confusion. Their current situation was eerily simr to that, the only difference being that they didn''t see any explosive tags and instead fell prey to explosive seals that were very well hidden.


    She quickly said, "Be careful, there might be an ambush. C, do you sense anyone?"


    C shook his head and said, "I thought so too, but there is no one anywhere around us."


    Samui frowned and muttered, "Exactly what has happened here? There isn''t a single person from the base here. There weren''t any signs of battle either. Instead, there were thousands of explosive seals left to trap us. And the seals were hidden so well that even our SealMasters and Grandmaster didn''t detect them. How did everything happen in just a few hours? Where are Dodai and the rest? And, why haven''t they contacted us?"


    Samui and the rest were filled with confusion. They couldn''t make any sense of the situation. No matter how they analyzed, all their analysis led them to one single conclusion.


    With a grim expression, Darui muttered, "Something happened to everyone in this base. Either they were forced to retreat or somehow restrained and taken away or¡­"


    Darui didn''t want to say it. He looked around and saw Yugito using Matatabi''s chakra to protect several dozen ninjas. However, there were several casualties among the rest of the army.


    Darui instructed, "C, take a look at our army. Heal the injured ones and check how many casualties we have."


    C nodded and got to work. Several other ninjas had already started looking for theirrades even before him.


    Yugito appeared next to Darui with a grim expression and said, "Our losses will be heavy. What was that explosion? Didn''t Mabui talk with Dodai just a few hours ago? How did anyone nt so many explosive seals and hide them so perfectly in so little time?"


    Darui replied, "No idea. However, I have a feeling that something very bad is about to happen¡­ Not to mention, other bases might have such traps as well. I have to inform Mabui."


    Samui and Yugito nodded. Darui grabbed a Chakra Transmission Communication device and contacted Mabui. While he did, a figure stealthily appeared some distance away. No one sensed him and due to the dust cover, no one was able to see him either.


    Surprise appeared on Fujin''s face as he thought, ''Would you look at that¡­ Both Darui and Yugito are here. If they''re here, who''s in Kumogakure?''


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 Chapter 679: Terrifying!

    Chapter 679: Terrifying!


    ''Both Darui and Yugito are here. If they''re here, who''s in Kumogakure?'' Fujin couldn''t help but wonder in surprise. He had anticipated Darui or Yugito leading an army but didn''t think Kumo would send both of them when neither Ay nor Bee were in the vige.


    Fujin thought, ''Kumo is very brave. To be without a rank S ninja when they''re facing an unknown threat¡­ I suppose they''re just confident in their defenses then. Not really surprising I guess. Their barrier team is quite strong. And they should have several Elite Jounins and hundreds of Jounins in their vige along with those ridiculous tools. Anyway, now that these two are here, should I continue with my n or should I change it and infiltrate Kumo first?''


    Fujin fell into thought. On one hand, he had a very good n prepared. If he continued, he''d be able to kill another 300-odd Kumo ninjas and might still be able to infiltrate Kumo. On the other hand, the opportunity in front of him was very good as well. Even if Darui and Yugito rushed back at their full speeds, they would require at least a couple of hours to return. The Raikage''s group was several hours away as well. So, Fujin could roam unobstructed inside Kumo for a few hours.


    Fujin analyzed, ''If I go to Kumo, then killing everyone in the remaining bases would be very troublesome. Since Darui''s group fell into a trap, they''ll likely disband the bases. Normally, that would have been fine and I''d still be able to hunt them. However, if I spend time inside Kumo, they could retreat to nearby cities and viges and mix among civilians. I can''t attack the viges openly or it''d be a deration of war¡­ Hmm¡­''


    After thinking for a bit, Fujin decided, ''Ah, leave it. From what Shikaku said, killing everyone in just 3 bases would be enough to consider the missionpleted. Killing everyone in 5 bases would be excellent. I have already killed everyone in 6 bases and who knows how many died from Darui''s group. That is sufficient.


    Even though I can kill more Kumo ninjas, there isn''t any gain for me. Byparison, raiding Kumo could provide me with several benefits. I''ll head towards it. Sigh¡­''


    Fujin sighed and muttered to himself, ''I didn''t think I''d get such an opportunity. I should have sent a clone to mark ces close to Kumogakure. I''ll need an hour to travel to Kumo from the nearest Flying Thunder God mark¡­''


    Fujin thought for a few seconds before deciding, ''I''m interested in seeing what Darui would do. Perhaps I might be able to get some entertainment.''


    Fujin chuckled and teleported a few kilometers away. He created a Shadow Clone and sent him towards Kumogakure. Meanwhile, he waited to see what Darui would choose to do.In the base, Darui contacted Mabui. She was shocked by everything Darui said. With a grim expression, she thought, ''Everyone in that base is missing and Darui''s army fell into a trap that even old man Jin couldn''t detect? How did that happen? Don''t tell me that''s what happened to the three squads I dispatched earlier!''


    As she expected, Darui said, "Contact the 5 Anbu squads you sent to the other bases and inform them about the trap. Inform Boss as well. He could check upon those bases on his way here."


    Mabui replied, "Yes, I will. What are you nning to do next?"


    Darui thought for a bit and asked, "Can you contact the remaining 4 bases?"


    Mabui answered, "Yes."


    Darui sighed in relief and said, "That''s good. Order them to disband. Everyone should move separately in squads of 4 and head towards nearby towns and viges. They''ll hide there until furthermunications. If they don''t receive any orders, they should start heading back to the vige after two weeks."


    Mabui replied, "Alright."


    Darui paused for a bit before saying, "Tell Boss that I have a hunch that Suzuki Fujin is involved in whatever is happening here. I''m not sure who else is involved. However, we have fallen prey to a deadly scheme!"


    Mabui''s expression became grim as she replied, "I''ll convey it to him."


    The two finally stopped talking and deactivated the Chakra Transmission Communication devices. Yugito frowned and asked, "How could Fujin have been here? Wasn''t he in the Land of Hot Water? How did he get here so quickly?"


    Samui answered, "He has a flying summon. I think Konoha openly showed him off to tempt Raikage-sama and Bee into going there. He must have flown here while they were going there. Perhaps others from Konoha traveled along with him on his flying summon. It could have even allowed them to scout our bases allowing them to make the appropriate move."


    Darui immediately said, "It''s just a hunch. We can''t dere everyone dead until we find their bodies."


    Samui nodded solemnly. The three of them turned their heads towards an old man who was walking there while being assisted by a couple of ninjas. Burns could be seen on his left leg and right arm.


    Darui respectfully said, "Are you fine, Elder Jin? Sorry, I had to bring you here despite your age."


    Jin sighed and said, "I''m fine. However, I failed. So many of our capable ninjas died due to my ipetence."


    Jin was one of the four Fuinjutsu Grandmasters in Kumo. He was in histe 70s and had served Kumo faithfully for decades. So, everyone respected him. However, his heart couldn''t help but ache on seeing the casualties around him.


    Yugito frowned and asked, "Howe you didn''t detect the explosive seals? There must have been tens of thousands of them."


    Yugito wasn''t questioning Jin''s ability or using him of being careless. Instead, she was genuinely confused. It was extremely difficult to trap a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster with Fuinjutsu. They would always detect a vast concentration of seals instinctively just like how Fujin discovered the trap Kitsuchiid for him.


    Jin answered, "The reason I failed is the seals we inscribed while making the base."


    The eyes of Darui, Samui and Yugito widened as Jin continued, "Every base has hundreds of seals to improve the defenses. Whoeverid the trap used those seals to hide arge number of stealth seals which in turn hid that ridiculous amount of explosive seals.


    That is why, I couldn''t detect them. Even though I instinctively felt that there were a lot of seals here, I thought that they were the same seals we inscribed here as they were all I could see. Whoever did it was quite ingenious to make use of them in this manner.


    If it was done in just a few hours, then whoever did it is a terrifying genius at Fuinjutsu. If it was indeed someone from Konoha, then we need to be very careful in any future conflicts with them. Otherwise, we could lose arge number of ninjas in a simr manner several times."


    Darui and the rest had solemn expressions. To be able to fool a Grandmaster was an incredible feat. It was also terrifying. How many Grandmasters did any vige have? Kumo had only 4. All were treasured and they would rarely go out on the battlefield unless they were apanying the Raikage.


    So, the Sealmasters would be the ones apanying armies during wars. However, if a Grandmaster wasn''t able to detect the trap, how could Sealmasters do it? The difficulty of attacking Konoha went up by a notch!


    Darui muttered, "The ability to create such traps is alone equivalent to a rank S ninja¡­"


    Others agreed with him. Samui said, "Didn''t Iwagakure''s message say that Suzuki Fujin was very close to bing a Grandmaster several years ago? Do you think that this was set up by him?"


    Darui''s eyes widened. He replied, "It could be possible. Not to mention, using so many explosive seals is consistent with his style¡­"


    Jin shook his head and said, "From what I hear, he is only 16 years old. He might be involved in creating this trap but it''s unlikely that it was entirely his creation. However, if it was just him, then his threat is no lesser than the Fourth Hokage''s!"


    Everyone''s expression became solemn on hearing it. As they were discussing, an Elite Jounin appeared and reported with a grim expression, "Darui, 43 ninjas have died. And, 24 are still missing. Since we can''t sense them, I''m afraid that they''re dead as well and are buried somewhere here."


    The moods of Darui and the rest became heavy. It was a painful loss. Since they didn''t know what exactly happened to the ninjas stationed in the bases, it piled upon their misery.


    Jin sighed and said, "The losses are still far lesser. Since the trap was dependent on our seals, they could onlyy the explosive tags close to them. Not to mention, this army is an Elite one with every squad being led by a Jounin.


    Many of them were able to neutralize most of the explosive tags near them before they set off. The ones who couldn''t do so jumped high up in the air to avoid getting directly hit by the explosion."


    The Elite Jounin nodded, "Yes, that is the case. Among the 43 dead, only 18 were blown up by the Explosive seals. The rest died due to stones piercing through their vital organs at a high speed due to the explosions. A few also died due to suffocation caused by therge amount of soil entering their respiratory system.


    Of course, if Yugito hadn''t acted quickly enough, then it would have been terrible. Not only did her chakra save a few dozen of ourrades, but it also shielded others by stopping the high-speed debris that could''ve hit others. Without her, our casualties might have tripled."


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Thank you Nishant for supporting me through UPI.

 Chapter 680: The Strangest Scene!

    Chapter 680: The Strangest Scene!


    "Without Yugito, our casualties might have tripled." The Elite Jounin said. Everyone agreed with him. Darui thought, ''It''s a good thing that Mabui stopped me from going alone. Otherwise, even I could have died¡­ Especially if they had any way to know what has happened here.''


    The Kumo army continued treating their wounded, sealing the dead ones and finding the missing ones. While they did, Mabui contacted the five Anbu squads she had dispatched earlier. Unfortunately, she lost contact with one of them. One of the other four squads reported that they had already reached close to the base and seen that a part of the base was blown up and 4 dead bodiesy nearby.


    Mabui solemnly thought, ''I sent 3 squads to their death. The one squad that didn''t respond was headed towards a base where I hadn''t sent a squad previously. They must have fallen into the trap as well.''


    Mabui''s mood became heavy. Her orders had caused the deaths of 4 Anbu squads. She quickly adjusted her mood and thought, ''No, I can''t let my emotions affect me. Even though it''s not official, we''re pretty much at war! A war that we''re badly losing. I need to contact Raikage-sama.''


    She quickly used the Chakra Transmission Communication device to talk with Ay and informed him about the traps and the state of Darui''s army. To say that Ay was shocked was an understatement. He nearly burst out in rage but controlled himself understanding how serious the situation was.


    Ay asked, "What about the remaining 4 bases?"


    Mabui answered, "I have given them the orders to disband. They should mix amongmon civilians very soon."


    Ay replied, "Good. Ask Darui''s group to return as well. I''ll check the 5 bases while returning. Once they analyze the situation, get the details of the trap from them and inform me."


    Mabui replied, "Yes, Raikage-sama." Seeing Ay''s solemn expression and feeling the rage he was controlling, Bee seriously asked, "What is the situation there, brother?"


    Ay replied, "Their target wasn''t our vige. They targeted our bases. Everyone in the base Dodai was looking over is missing. Darui led an army to check but fell into a trap. He''s fine but several of our ninjas are dead. Not to mention, we aren''t able to contact 5 more bases and they likely have simr traps."


    Bee and others were shocked to hear that. None of them expected Konoha to make such a move. Ay roared, "Increase your speed, everyone! I''ll crush every Konoha ninja still on ournds! They''re mistaken if they think they can get away with this!"


    Half an hourter, C returned to Darui''s side and said with a tired expression, "We have healed everyone to our best abilities. Unfortunately, 12 have serious injuries. We will need to take them back to the vige to properly treat them."


    Darui sighed and said, "What a mess. Mabui said that the remaining 4 bases have sessfully disbanded. We''ll head back to the vige and n what to do next."


    Everyone was distraught on hearing that. Even though everyone in the army was slightly fearful of the unknown enemy, they wanted to fight for their vige and earn pride for Kumogakure. However, they didn''t run into any enemies. Instead, they fell into a trap and lost 67 capablerades! Hundreds were injured to varying degrees. Everyone felt terrible.


    Darui sighed understanding everyone''s thoughts. However, there was nothing else he could do. If they fell into another trap, their entire group might be wiped out. With the 4 bases disbanded, they didn''t have any reason to head there. As for the remaining 5 bases, the Raikage''s group would reach there faster than them. So, Darui had no reason to head there.


    He could only mutter, "I''m sorry. I led us all into this trap."


    C shook his head and said, "There was nothing you could do. We werepletely outyed. We can only get stronger and more capable so that this doesn''t repeat."


    Everyone nodded, agreeing with C. The Kumogakure army finally began their retreat. Needless to say, the morale of the army was quite low. With hundreds of ninjas having minor injuries, they no longer moved at the same speed at which they marched there.


    15 minutes after they began their retreat, a sensor in their vanguard frowned and said, "There is someone up ahead."


    The ninjas around him frowned as well. The Jounin next to him asked, "Just one? Do you recognize the chakra signature?"


    The sensor shook his head and said, "No. And his chakra is very erratic. I can''t get an estimate of his strength."


    The Jounin frowned and ordered another ninja, "Inform Darui-sama about it."


    Darui and others quickly learnt about it and looked at C who activated his chakra field. He frowned and said, "The chakra signature is indeed very erratic. Whoever it is, that person isn''t moving and might not be aware of us."


    Yugito said, "Since it''s just one person, it couldn''t be an ambush. However, we still need to be careful in case another Fuinjutsu trap isid for us."


    Jin said, "Don''t worry, I''ll take every precaution. We won''t fall for such a trap again."


    Darui nodded and said, "Good. Let''s go check out who that person is."


    Darui led Samui, C, Yugito, Jin and a couple of other Elite Jounins forward. They carefully traveled for around half a kilometer while checking for any traps en route. To their relief, there were no seals. The rest of the army followed them.


    However, when they finallyy their eyes on the individual sitting in their path, every single one of them was dumbfounded. For a while, none of them knew what to make of the situation in front of them!


    "Who''s that?"


    "What''s he doing there?"


    "Why is he roasting chicken here?"


    "Is he deaf and blind? He hasn''t even looked at us!"


    The Kumogakure ninjas began questioning doubtfully for they had seen the strangest thing in their entire life! In front of them was an individual wearing a long ck cloak with a demon mask covering his face. He was sitting without a care in the world while roasting a chicken! Despite the presence of over 400 Kumo ninjas so close to him, he didn''t even nce at them and continued roasting the chicken!


    Jin chuckled and said, "After living for nearly 8 decades, I didn''t think I''d see something so strange. What a fascinating individual!"


    A tick mark appeared on Yugito''s forehead as she questioned, "Is he purposefully ignoring us?"


    She suddenly shouted, "Hey you! Who are you? And what are you doing in the Land of Lightning?"


    To her surprise, that individual didn''t even turn his head in her direction and continued roasting the chicken! Being ignored in such a manner made Yugito both flustered and enraged. She exerted her chakra and shouted, "Stop ignoring me!"


    A little bit of Matatabi''s chakra leaked when she shouted. It made the demon-masked individual finally turn his head and look at them. Yugito felt a pair of eyes inspecting her very carefully. The individual finally opened his mouth and muttered in a jagged but archaic voice, "That''s an interesting chakra¡­ Brings back some memories¡­"


    The Kumo ninjas were surprised. None of them expected to hear such words. What surprised them more was his tone. It felt as if he had no interest in any of them.


    The individual turned his attention back to the chicken and sighed, "So manyplicated questions and so few answers¡­ How long will it take to solve these? How many more mysteries will appear once I solve them? Sigh¡­"


    He released another long sigh and said without taking his eyes off the chicken, "Leave. I''m not in the mood for a fight."


    His tone was so dismissive and filled with a tant disregard towards the Kumo ninjas that everyone who heard it was offended. Once they got over their surprise, the Kumo ninjas in the back began cursing.


    "That bastard!"


    "Who does he think he is?"


    "How dare he treat us like pests?"


    The Kumo ninjas were quite distraught and demoralized from what had happened in the base. Now that they came across someone asking for a beating, they wanted to vent their frustrations.


    Unlike them, Darui and his group controlled their emotions. All realized that something was off with the situation. They weren''t sure whether the person in front of them was confident in taking them on or just bluffing. Darui wondered, ''Questions? Mysteries? What is this old man bbing about?''


    Darui softly asked, "Old man, are you sure that there are no seals?"


    Jin nodded and said, "Yes. There are no seals around here. However, both his cloak and mask are densely covered in seals. I can''t see which they are though."


    Darui nodded and calmly asked, "Could you tell us who you are and what you''re doing here? Also, did you notice any small group of ninjas moving around a few hours ago?"


    Despite being asked so politely, that person continued to ignore Darui. Instead, he took the roasted chicken off the fire. Darui sighed and muttered, "I don''t want to disturb your dinner but we need some answers. Sorry, but I''ll need you toe with us."


    He grabbed his sword. The remaining Kumo ninjas grabbed their weapons as well. While they wanted to vent their frustrations, none of them dared to drop their guard considering the deadly trap they walked into not too long ago.


    Despite being so heavily outnumbered, the masked individual didn''t panic. Instead, he sighed in disappointment and muttered, "Another unsolved mystery... Why does every era have fools who run to their deaths? Is there any answer? Or is it just the way of the world?"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 681: The Greatest Weapon!

    Chapter 681: The Greatest Weapon!


    "Another unsolved mystery... Why does every era have fools who are run to their deaths? Is there any answer? Or is it just the way of the world?"


    The masked man''s words confused the Kumo elites yet again. Darui couldn''t help but think, ''Era? Why does he talk as if he has lived through eras? Is there something wrong with his head? Or is something else going on?''


    Others wondered the same as well. It caused their movements to falter for a few moments and no one made the first move. The man looked at them and wondered, ''Ugh, don''t tell me I spooked them enough to deter them! I guess this is enough shit-talking for now.''


    Needless to say, the masked man was Fujin, who was using his Akuro identity. It was the same identity that he used to kill several Root ninjas, destroy the Root headquarters and kill Raiga and his henchmen.


    He had been keeping an eye on Darui''s group while his clone marked the path to Kumogakure. When he saw Darui''s group heading back to Kumogakure, he decided to stall them until his clone reached Kumogakure. He also decided to take the opportunity to build up some reputation for Akuro so that it wouldn''t be too strange when he did more things with that identity in the future.


    Thankfully for Fujin, his little act wasn''t enough to deter the Kumo ninjaspletely. After suppressing their doubts, Darui and the ones with him rushed towards Fujin while the other Kumo ninjas readied themselves to attack. However, his first move made everyone''s eyes widen in disbelief!


    Seeing how he talked and how fearless he was, Kumo ninjas expected the masked man to be strong. So, they were on guard against lethal Ninjutsu or Genjutsu or even Forbidden jutsus. Grandmaster Jin was keeping an eye out for any seals. However, Fujin''s first move contained none of those. Yet, it stunned every single Kumo ninja who witnessed it!


    As Darui andpany moved towards him, Fujin flung the roasted chicken towards Darui in one smooth motion!


    As he raised his sword to block the roasted chicken, Darui couldn''t help but mutter, "What in the hell???" However, immediately after, his eyes widened again and arge amount of lightning flowed through his sword. Others coated their weapons in Lightning chakra as well. The reason for this sudden change was that they detected a strong Lightning chakra within the roasted chicken!


    Suddenly, the roasted chicken exploded and its bones, which were strengthened by Lightning, flew towards them at an incredible speed!


    Darui quickly used his sword aiming to block 8 pieces of bones while thinking, ''What a troublesome fellow¡­ This is the first time I''ve seen such a method of attacking. What the¡­?''


    His eyes widened once again in shock. A couple of lightning-charged bones hit his de and were destroyed as they couldn''t bear such intensity. However, the remaining six suddenly changed direction mid-way.


    He quickly moved his sword to block, but the lightning-charged bones didn''t head towards him. Instead, they moved at the Kumo army behind him. Others faced a simr situation. The Kumo army in the back didn''t expect such an attack when the likes of Darui and Yugito were in front of them.


    Several Kumo ninjas fell to the ground lifelessly as the lightning-charged bones pierced through their hearts!


    ''Lightning Release: False Darkness jutsu''


    Suddenly, C shot out several spears of Lightning. A few moved towards Fujin while the rest moved in the space between them. They targeted the chakra threads that were controlling the lightning-charged bones and cut them off!


    He quickly shouted, "Be careful! He can use chakra threads like a Puppet Mas¡­"


    Before he couldplete his sentence, his eyes widened as he saw a fist heading straight towards his face. Fujin had effortlessly dodged the Lightning spears and moved towards C at blinding speed. The Kumo elites were still in shock to see more of theirrades die. The sudden move caused most of them to be off guard.


    Luckily, as the sensor and the medic, C was standing slightly behind the frontline fighters. As Fujin''s fist neared C''s face, Yugito immediately reacted and kicked towards his fist. Sensing the chakra concentrated in his fists, Yugito instinctively released some of Matatabi''s chakra, covering her leg with her blue chakra.


    Fujin quickly changed the direction of his fist and punched her foot instead. The two shed creating a loud sound and sending a small shockwave. To the shock of the Kumo ninjas, it was Yugito who grunted in pain as she felt a few bones in her foot cracking. She got flung behind by several meters.


    Fujin thought, ''If she had released more of Matatabi''s chakra, I''d have backed off. However, that little time barely allowed her to use any chakra. A shame that I can''t take advantage of either of their weak positions¡­''


    Fujin''s eyes moved to his left as he saw Darui swinging his lightning-enhancedrge sword covered down on him. Fujin covered his left hand in Lightning as well and blocked the sword with the metal te on the back of his glove. The exchange surprised Darui as he didn''t expect to be stopped so easily.


    However, Jin wasn''t surprised. He thought, ''Even his glove is covered with a crazy number of seals. No wonder Darui was stopped so easily. Did he inscribe his clothes himself? If so, he could be a possible suspect behind the trap in the base.''


    After blocking Darui''s de, Fujin kicked towards him but Darui blocked the kick. Before Fujin could continue his attack, Samui appeared in front of him and stabbed her tanto towards his heart. At the same time, the remaining two Elite Jounins threw Shurikens at Fujin from the other direction. In addition, Fujin also saw Jin creating a few seals while Darui whipped his other leg towards Fujin''s face.


    Knowing he couldn''t block them all at the same time, Fujin pushed Darui''s sword back a bit and flickered, causing all the attacks to miss. He appeared a few meters away and thought, ''Looks like taking on a rank S ninja, Jinchuriki, Fuinjutsu Grandmaster and 4 Elite Jounins is too much for me. Hehehe, I might end up taking a beating if I stick to just Lightning Release.''


    ''Lightning Illusion: sh Pir''


    Seeing Fujin on the back foot, C discharged electricity through his entire body in the form of an extremely bright light to disorient Fujin''s vision. He wanted to use this opportunity to put him under a Genjutsu so that Darui, Samui and the remaining two Elite Jounins, who were rushing towards Fujin, could take advantage of it.


    However, Fujin just closed his eyes when he realized C''s intention. At the same time, he disrupted his chakra, making it impossible for anyone to influence his chakra flow. C frowned and shouted, "Be careful! He isn''t under a Genjutsu and his chakra just spiked considerably!"


    Darui and the other 3 raised their guard. To their surprise, they heard Fujin chuckling. He broke out intoughter and said, "Hahaha¡­ Not bad! Not bad at all! It looks like this era has some capable ninjas after all. I should be entertained, at least until I recover all my powers.


    Now then, please don''t disappoint me and die too early, hahaha¡­"


    Despite not being sensors, the four of them sensed the immense chakra Fujin was building up. Even someone like Darui became tense and wondered, ''What in the world? What''s this chakra? How did it appear so quickly?''


    ''Lightning Release: Lightning Flood jutsu''


    Fujin pointed his left palm towards the Kumo ninjas and unleashed a massive amount of Lightning towards the Kumo ninjas. Needless to say, that jutsu had been amplified by the de of the Thunder Spirit. Fujin had concentrated 2% of his chakra into that jutsu while the de amplified it by ten times. That is why C felt Fujin''s chakra suddenly increasing by around 18%!


    Despite facing the devastating jutsu, the Kumogakure elites didn''t panic and immediately responded with their own jutsus.


    ''Storm Release: Laser Circus jutsu''


    ''Lightning Release: False Darkness jutsu''


    ''Lightning Release: Lightning Beam jutsu''


    ''Lightning Release: Spinning Lightning Shot jutsu''


    The four ninjas immediately counterattacked. The four Lightning jutsus shed with the Lightning Flood, stopping it momentarily. However, they knew that it wouldn''t be enough to stop the attack as they couldn''t supercharge their jutsus to that extent. Afterunching their jutsus, all four immediately retreated until they crossed Yugito, who was running towards the Lightning Flood.


    Yugito released arge amount of Matatabi''s chakra and used it to shield her teammates from the Lightning Flood. Fujin saw as she almost created Matatabi''s form with her chakra cloak.


    Before it could take theplete form, the Lightning Flood bombarded her, creating several openings in her cloak. Even so, Fujin didn''t press on the attack and instead analyzed, ''What a difficult situation... I get outnumbered when I try closebat. However, in the long or mid-range, Yugito will just block all my attacks. Even with the de of the Thunder Spirit, I can''tpete with her in terms of chakra. I need to change my tactics¡­ Hmm?''


    [A/N: Still writing the next chapter but should be done before I fall asleep :)]


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 682: Weather Report - Hurricanes!

    Chapter 682: Weather Report - Hurricanes!


    ''I need to change my tactics¡­ Hmm?''


    Fujin nced towards his left and saw dozens of kunai with explosive tags flying towards him. A couple of dozen Kumo ninjas from the army''s vanguard had moved around the battlefield to sneak up on Fujin. In addition, Fujin sensed a couple of dozen ninjas quickly moving towards his right as well.


    Lightning appeared in his left hand again as Fujin flung it towards the iing kunai. The Lightning transformed into a, deflecting every kunai and disabling all the explosive tags.


    A momentter, he jumped and appeared on a branch behind him as the ground under him turned into spikes. His new position was immediately bombarded by Water and Lightningbination jutsus as more Kumo ninjas jumped into the battle.


    Finally getting a breather, Darui said, "That guy is intense. Are you guys alright?"


    Everyone nodded. Even though the fight was intense, no one was injured. Well, no one but one. Darui looked at Yugito and asked, "Yugito, how''s your leg?"


    Yugito replied, "I think his punch cracked some of my bones. However, Two Tails'' chakra has healed most of it. I can fight normally. That said, be careful in a frontal battle against him. His strength is phenomenal."


    Darui said, "Yeah, there''s no doubt about it. He was able to stop my de with just his fist."


    Suddenly, Jin said, "Darui, all his clothes are densely inscribed in seals. That is why your de was stopped so easily. You guys need to be more careful in closebat. Those seals raise his defenses by several levels. Your attacks might not have as much effect on him as you think. In addition, I''m not sure whether those seals have any offensive features." While Darui and the rest were having a quick discussion, Fujin was standing in the forest surrounded by electrified water. However, he wasn''t worried. On the contrary, it made it difficult for the Kumo ninjas to make any follow-up attacks.


    Fujin analyzed, ''A frontal assault against the 7 of them will only result in a loss. The only real way I can change the tide of the battle is by using Kirin. However¡­''


    A helpless smile appeared on Fujin''s face. As good as Kirin was, it was just too strong. He didn''t want to risk killing either Darui or Yugito. That would have far-reaching repercussions.


    Darui was Ay''s right hand. Among everyone in Kumo, he was the only eptable sessor to Ay. Losing someone like him could force Ay to take drastic measures, such as targeting the young ninjas of Konoha and perhaps even other viges. While Fujin wasn''t afraid of him and could take him on, the future would change drastically if Kumogakure killed any of Naruto''s batchmates.


    On the other hand, Yugito was a Jinchuriki. If she died, Matatabi would die as well and revive somewhere a few yearster. Even though Fujin had created the Phantom Haven, his ability to gather information was still nowhere near Zetsu''s level. And unlike the Three Tails, Fujin didn''t have a clue about where it would resurrect. Hence, Fujin didn''t want to kill her for the time being.


    Fujin analyzed, ''I guess there is just one option then¡­ The most basic tactic¡­ Let''s see how they respond.''


    In Kumogakure, Mabui was still swamped with work. She sent a new Anbu squad to the base where the Anbu squad who didn''t respond was headed. In addition, the remaining Anbu squads had reached their respective bases. Not daring to get close to the base, they observed the bases from a safe distance and reported the situation to Mabui.


    Mabui''s expression was very ugly. She thought, ''This is the worst-case scenario! They didn''t see a single person inside the base! Where is everyone? How could everyone just disappear? Even if I assume Konoha sent their best ninjas, how could they neutralize everyone in every base so clinically that no one was able to contact us?''


    Mabui was disturbed by the information. She was barely hanging by a thread when a few old people walked into the Raikage''s office! They were led by Inazuma, who used to be an advisor to the Third Raikage. Needless to say, the people with him were the remaining council members.


    Mabui frowned on seeing them entering in such a way. She asked, "Why are all of you here?"


    One of the council members snorted and asked, "Why don''t you tell us that?"


    Another said calmly, "The whole vige has been restless the entire day. You guys have even put up a barrier. Lord Raikage is nowhere to be seen and Darui led a huge army away deeper into the country a few hours ago. How long are you going to keep us in the dark about what is happening?"


    Mabui inly replied, "You can ask Raikage-sama when he returns. For now, I''d appreciate it if you don''t disturb me."


    The events of thest 24 hours had made her weary. She was in no mood to pretend to be polite and entertain the ones who obviously came to create trouble.


    Seeing her reaction, Inazuma sighed and asked, "Why are you treating us with such hostility? Even the civilians can see that something is wrong. Instead of asking for our aid, you''re trying to do everything by yourself. Here, read these."


    Inazuma handed Mabui a few scrolls. Puzzled, Mabui opened and went through them immediately. A frown appeared on her face as she muttered, "Several towns and other ces in the country are experiencing unexined hurricanes? How are there hurricanes in this climate?"


    Inazuma replied, "Obviously someone or something is causing it. Luckily there haven''t been any casualties due to it yet, but such hurricanes will gravely affect our economy and trade. Even if no new hurricane is formed, a good portion of traders and merchants won''t travel within our country for a few months. We can''t take it lightly and need to get to the bottom of this."


    Mabui''s frown got deeper. She was already troubled by the news of the bases and the traps and now suddenly had to worry about somethingpletely different. She decided, ''Even though it is important, it is not as important as figuring out what is happening in those bases. However, it can''t be ignored either. I''ll use this to keep them busy until Raikage-sama returns.''


    Fujin was almost done deciding when he suddenly flickered. Momentster, a ck lightning spear passed through his previous location. After their little discussion, Darui and the rest quickly rushed towards Fujin. Knowing how dangerous he was, they didn''t dare to let normal ninjas fight him for too long.


    Sensing Fujin dodge rather easily, C grumbled, "So sensing isn''t his weakness."


    Darui muttered, "It doesn''t matter. It''s time to end this."


    ''Storm Release: Laser Circus!''


    A halo of bright light spread around Darui''s hands and encircled them. Dozens of Lightning beams fired from it towards Fujin. Unlike his previous attack, Darui had taken time to supercharge this attack properly. He had poured almost 10% of his chakra into a single attack! Sensing the immense chakra, the other Kumo ninjas retreated.


    Fujin looked at the iing beams and thought, ''Storm release is quite fascinating¡­ It would go perfectly with this identity. A shame that my talent in Water maniption is beyond terrible¡­''


    Fujin knew that there was no point in dodging those beams. He stood at his spot and released arge amount of Lightning charges. They began spinning at a rapid speed and formed a Lightning vortex.


    Darui frowned and thought, ''He didn''t try to dodge¡­ He must know about Storm Release.''


    Darui immediately controlled his beams to spread them apart and attack Fujin from every direction. However, to his surprise, he began losing control over his beams! Instead, the beams all moved towards the Lightning Vortex as if it were a ck hole! The Kumo ninjas were shocked. No one had ever seen Darui lose control of his Lightning!


    C, who had observed everything clearly, muttered in disbelief, "That''s incredible. I have never seen Lightning being used in this manner. That vortex he created naturally attracts electricity around it. The closer Lightning gets to the vortex, the stronger the force of attraction is. Since he waited until your attack was very close to him, you couldn''t control your own attack."


    Fujin looked at the Lightning vortex and thought, ''It''ll be inappropriate to not return the gift, won''t it?''


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 683: Lightning Combat System!

    Chapter 683: Lightning Combat System!


    The Lightning vortex in front of Fujin stopped spinning for a moment before spinning in the opposite direction at an even faster speed! From the center of the vortex, hundreds of Lightning Crows flew out into the sky every second!


    C''s expression became ugly as he muttered, "He used the Lightning absorbed by that vortex to create this jutsu. His chakra has barely decreased at all despite using such a massive jutsu."


    Realizing that Darui''s chakra was now being used against them, the Kumo ninjas had an ugly expression. Standing behind C, Jin said, "Yes, his techniques are exceptional. I haven''t seen anyone fight in this manner in my entire life. He can hide his chakra within a roasted chicken, use chakra threads to control its bones, has excellent speed and strength, can amplify his chakra instantly and can even utilize our Lightning jutsus against us. As peculiar as he is, there is no doubt about the threat he poses. We shouldn''t hold back anymore."


    If Fujin could hear their conversation, he would have chuckled. His Lightningbat system was quite unique. In fact, he hadn''t even nned most of it. When he started creating it, he only focused on 3 points.


    The first was using Lightning to enhance his body''s speed. He had a decent amount of sess in this aspect due to the jutsus in Konoha''s library even though he was still very far from the Raikage''s level. Copying Kakashi''s Chidori along with his swordy also made Fujin''s closebat skills excellent.


    The second was the speed of his weapons. Fujin hadplete sess in this aspect. He was definitely among the best in the world in controlling Lightning-charged weapons. Their speed and prative power made it very difficult for enemies to defend. It was his substitute for the Vacuum Bullets.


    And thest aspect was strong Lightning jutsus. By supercharging the False Darkness jutsu and improving his control over the jutsus with Yin and Yang maniption, Fujin had sufficient skill in this aspect as well.


    Backed by his basics, Fujin felt that these three aspects should be enough for him to be able to confront weaker rank S ninjas and even kill Elite Jounins. In the future, once he could get his hands on the Lightning Chakra Mode, he would be able to go up against top-tier rank S ninjas with just his Lightning release.


    However, through several strokes of luck, Fujin''s Lightningbat system had be far more sophisticated. The first stroke of luck was undoubtedly meeting a kind Ame ninja who donated the de of the Thunder Spirit to Fujin''s cause. It allowed Fujin to conserve his chakra while creating insanely overpowered Lightning jutsus in the blink of an eye! The next stroke of luck was identally creating the Lightning vortex jutsu while he was training. It was an excellent defensive jutsu, something that was very rare in Lightning Release. However, it excelled against enemy Lightning users.


    The vortex could absorb all of his enemy''s Lightning and allowed Fujin to use it instead. Even though he couldn''t amplify it with the de of the Thunder Spirit, it was extremely restrictive for an enemy specializing in Lightning Release. After all, not everyone could create a cloak of Lightning to fight like the Raikages.


    And the third stroke of luck was gaining the Kiba des. It helped Fujin to control natural Lightning and allowed him to create Kirin, giving Fujin a lethal attack. In addition, since the Kiba des also had an amplification aspect, Kirin didn''t leave himpletely drained.


    As a result, Fujin''s Lightningbat system had unexpectedly be very efficient in terms of chakra and hence made his ''Akuro'' identity very resilient. Even without the Lightning Chakra Mode, Fujin had some confidence in resisting top-tier rank S ninjas and escaping sessfully. Perhaps, only the likes of Hiruzen, Ay and Onoki could force him to escape using the Flying Thunder God jutsu. Not to mention, Fujin was excited to see what level he would reach if he managed to get his hands on the Lightning Chakra Mode.


    Seeing thousands of Lightning crows diving towards them, Yugito unleashed Matatabi''s chakra once again. This time, her chakra cloak took Matatabi''s form properly. The Lightning crows hit the gigantic fire cat with full force, however, the fire in her chakra cloak destroyed all the Lightning crows with ease. Not even a single lightning spark reached Yugito or the ninjas behind her!


    Fujin sighed and muttered to himself, ''As expected, even an attack of this scale won''t work¡­''


    He looked as Matatabi''s right paw covered the skies above him and moved down to crush him while thinking, ''I guess it''s time to use that tactic, otherwise, I really might get pummeled by her¡­''


    The massive paw hit the ground, crushing all the trees under it and destroying the ground and nearby trees for several meters. C immediately looked to his left and said, "He''s there."


    Seeing Yugito using Matatabi''s chakra, most of the Kumo ninjas retreated. They didn''t want to be caught in the crossfire.


    Yugito was about to make a move on Fujin again when Fujin sighed and said aloud, "To think that such weak humans are able to control you now. I''m disappointed to see that you''ve fallen this far, Matatabi."


    His words shocked Yugito and others around her. Yugito couldn''t help but wonder, ''He knows Matatabi''s real name? How? And why is he talking like he knows her very closely?''


    Darui and the rest had the same doubts. In fact, they weren''t the only ones. Inside Yugito, Matatabi wondered the same. She thought, ''That''s strange. Did I evere in contact with this individual? Considering his abilities, I should have remembered him but why do I have no recollection?''


    Yugito decided, ''He is too suspicious and baffling. We''ll need to interrogate him properly.''


    ''Purgatory me!''


    She shot a massive Fireball at Fujin. It destroyed everything in its path and exploded when it reached Fujin''s position, starting a mini forest fire. However, Fujin flickered once again and dodged the attackfortably.


    Yugito continued attacking him as the remaining Kumo army retreated. Only Darui''s group stayed right behind her. Fujin continued dodging as he said, "It''s a shame that my powers haven''t recovered enough for me to take on Matatabi yet. Luckily for you, it means that you''ll get to witness one of the greatest war strategies of my era!"


    Darui frowned once again and thought, ''There he goes again. What is this era bullshit he is talking about? And what does he mean by saying that his powers haven''t recovered? Did he hibernate for a few centuries before waking up? Or is there something wrong with his head?''


    Darui hadn''t taken Fujin''s words very seriously initially. However, no one was taking his words lightly anymore. If anything, they were a bit spooked.


    Yugitounched another Fireball at him which he dodged again. However, he didn''t appear close by this time and Yugito lost track of him. She asked, "Where is he?"


    C, who was sensing continuously, had a stunned look. He muttered in disbelief, "He is running away?"


    Others were surprised as well. Darui asked dumbfoundedly, "Don''t tell me the greatest war strategy of his era was to run away?"


    Considering Fujin''s previous antics, they wouldn''t be surprised if he really did that. Suddenly, C''s expression became ugly. He cursed loudly, "Shit! That bastard isn''t running away! He is attacking our weaker ninjas and has already killed two!"


    Without a word, all 7 of them moved quickly towards Fujin. Considering that they themselves struggled against him, they didn''t need to think to know what the fate of their subordinates would be.


    They quickly caught up with him, but Fujin had already killed 7 Kumo ninjas. The sight of their deadrades enraged them. They were about to attack Fujin when he moved away rapidly without even ncing at their group. Instead, he used his superior speed to target the weaker Kumo ninjas.


    Darui could no longer bear it and immediately increased his speed to go after Fujin. Yugito wanted to do the same but the presence of weaker allies restricted her. She could no longer attack indiscriminately.


    Fujin nced behind and thought, ''While I don''t particrly care about the lives of these Kumo ninjas, they certainly do. With these weaker ninjas around, Yugito will be restrained. Even though Jinchurikis are treated slightly better in Kumo, in truth, it''s just due to the Raikage taking every precaution.


    Themon people and even most ninjas still fear them, they just don''t dare to say anything openly. If she injures any Kumo ninja, the ones who find Ay an eyesore will take the opportunity to make her life harder. So, with Yugito restrained, I''ll have some room to breathe. I can use these weaker ninjas as meat shields and distractions to restrict their teamwork as well.''


    Even though Fujin killed over 700 Kumo ninjas, he didn''t really hate them. For him, it was a simple mission. Their deaths were neither beneficial nor detrimental to him. The only ones with whom he had a reason to be hostile were Darui''s squad. After all, they killed his previous teammates and nearly killed him as well. However, Fujin didn''t particrly hate them either.


    He fell into that situation only because he wasn''t strong enough. Over the course of his career as a ninja, he himself had put thousands of other ninjas in the same position. At the end of the day, it was only a matter of who was strong and who was weak. Fujin didn''t see any point in fostering hatred over things that werepletely normal in the ninja world.


    So, the only reason why he made a move against the weaker ninjas was to distract the stronger ninjas. In fact, considering the situation, they were actually more useful to him alive than dead. He only killed a few to send a message to the Kumo elites.


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    Thank you Arpit for supporting me through UPI.

 Chapter 684: Repeating Lies until everyone believes it!

    Chapter 684: Repeating Lies until everyone believes it!


    Seeing Darui splitting off from his group and charging ahead, Fujin wasted a few seconds toying with the two Kumo ninjas facing him. Right when he killed them, Darui caught up with Fujin and swung his de at Fujin. He shouted, "Shameless old man! Stop targeting them and fight us!"


    A sword appeared in Fujin''s hand. Lightning flowed through it as he shed it at Darui''s sword while replying with a chuckle, "There is nothing shameless about it. What you''re seeing is one of the greatest war strategies since ancient times!"


    His words infuriated Darui even more. However, he didn''t drop his guard and noticed something off. Instead of shing their swords, Darui stopped and stepped to his right. Three lightning-charged senbon passed through his previous position, barely missing him by a few centimeters!


    Darui immediately realized, ''Shit! I nearly fell for his tactic! He is targeting them so that we would be restrained and might make a mistake!''


    Fujin threw a few more lightning-charged senbon at him before attacking him with his sword. Their des shed several times in a few seconds as Fujin said, "Always finish off the weaker enemies before targeting the stronger ones. A simple tactic that reduces severalplications and uncertainties. However, if it is done right, it can have a devastating effect on the battlefield. Hehehe¡­"


    Darui''s eyes widened as he heard Fujin im absurdly, "During my era, several kingdoms locked their armies in their pretty castles due to the fear of me using this tactic against them. Eventually, that became unsustainable and many had to disband their armies!"


    Darui recalled all of Fujin''s previous words and concluded, ''There has never been any such incident for the past few decades. And considering how he speaks, he has no doubts in his words. Could he really be some ancient ninja who somehow still survived?


    But how? How can one live for so long? And how strong was he at his peak? Regardless, since he isn''t at his peak, this might be the best time to capture him. We could gain a lot of information from him!''


    As their swords shed yet again, Darui said, "Even if you put it in such a fancy way, there is no doubt that you are acting shamelessly and cowardly by picking on the weaker ones!" ''Lightning Release: ck Panther''


    ck Lightning appeared on Darui''s left hand and pounced on Fujin while taking the form of a panther. Lightning appeared in Fujin''s hand as well as he waved his hand in front of him creating a small electric field. The ck Panther changed its direction and discharged into the ground.


    Darui used this distraction to swing his sword at Fujin with full strength once again, but Fujin blocked his attack with his sword with ease. At the same time, heunched several Lightning spears behind Darui to stall his teammates and asked, "Cowardly?"


    He chuckled and continued, "Have you forgotten that you fellows are the ones who attacked me? More than four hundred ninjas attacking someone who wasn''t in the mood¡­ Not to mention, those weaklings tried to sneak attack as well not too long ago. Instead of regretting and using pointlessly, pick your opponents more wisely if you survive today."


    Using the force of Darui''s sword, Fujin moved a few steps behind before flickering away. At the same time, Yugito and the rest appeared next to Darui. Even though the Lightning Spears didn''t do any damage, they were stalled just long enough for Fujin to retreat easily.


    The Kumo ninjas chased after Fujin again as C cursed, "He is heading towards another group and there are 12 ninjas in that group! We can''t continue in this manner. Our losses would be too heavy¡­"


    Samui asked, "But how can we stop him? Among us, only Darui''s speed is close to his. Even though Yugito can keep up, his tactics restrict her perfectly. How could we force him to fight us?"


    Everyone became silent. No one had any good answers. A few secondster, Jin finally sighed and said, "There is only one way. We will have to make a sacrifice."


    Everyone else was surprised and nced at him. Jin exined, "His tactics depend on the fact that we care about the lives of ourrades. We need to disregard the lives of the next group and focus just on killing him. Only then do we have a chance of catching him off guard. Otherwise, our chances of victory are very slim."


    His words made everyone''s expressions grim. It was one thing for Fujin to kill them, but sacrificing their ninjas in this manner would leave a bitter taste. Even Darui, the leader of the group, went silent.


    Jin sighed and said, "I understand your feelings. However, this is what both Lord Third and Lord Fourth would have done. Even if we don''t sacrifice them, he''ll still kill them. And, he''ll move on to the next group. The result would be worse. As the leader, you need to make tough decisions."


    Darui nodded and said, "I know, don''t worry."


    He nced in the direction of the group Fujin was targeting and muttered, "Sorry, I won''t be able to save you."


    As they hurried after Fujin, they quickly made a n. In the group Fujin was about to target, a sensor said, "Be on guard. I sense someoneing towards us at a rapid speed!"


    His words caused the remaining 11 ninjas to be very alert. They looked in the direction the sensor was looking at and saw Fujin''s silhouette in a few seconds. Everyone immediately had grim expressions.


    Without a word, ten ninjas threw kunai with explosive tags in his direction! The remaining two rapidly weaved hand seals.


    ''Water Release: Water Dragon jutsu''


    ''Lightning Release: Lightning Python jutsu''


    Fujin effortlessly dodged the explosions as he watched the Lightning Python deform inside the Water Dragon, creating abination jutsu. The electrified Water Dragon moved towards Fujin at twice the speed of a normal Water Dragon.


    To the surprise of the Kumo ninjas, Fujin didn''t change his direction. Instead, a lightning charge covered his entire body. It wasn''t a Lightning cloak like what Ay could do and was instead a slightly advanced application of Raiga''s Thunder Armor.


    Fujin directly moved through the Water Dragon. The electricity inside it was neutralized by the charges on his body, making him immune to it. To the shock of the Kumo ninjas, Fujin moved through the electrified Water Dragon in the blink of an eye and appeared in front of them!


    The two ninjas instinctively raised their kunai in a defensive posture. Unfortunately, both were too slow and their head were sent flying as Fujin''s sword shed through their necks in a single motion!


    Without wasting any time, he moved towards the ninja on his left. Since there were twelve ninjas in this group, Fujin didn''t need to stall for Darui to catch up. Not to mention, their attacks had already slowed him down by a few seconds. Fujin was about to kill the third ninja when a look of surprise appeared on his face as he eximed, "Huh?"


    The ninja Fujin targeted had a resigned look on his face. As he saw Fujin merely a meter away from him, he thought, ''It looks like this is the end¡­ Sigh, I had a bad feeling from the start. However, if I''m going to die¡­''


    A hint of craziness appeared in his eyes as Fujin sensed several tags activating on his body. Fujin couldn''t help but think, ''Impressive and admirable¡­ A shame that his strength doesn''t match his resolve¡­''


    Fujin sensed 16 explosive tags activating on that ninja''s body. He intended to take Fujin along with him. Unfortunately, he was still too slow. Fujin''s kicknded on his chest and sent him flying through the forest. By the time his explosive tags exploded, he was already 50 meters away!


    The difference in their strength was too big to bepensated by courage and bravery. Fujin couldn''t help but think, ''While courage and bravery are respectable, they can''t necessarilypensate for tens of thousands of hours spent on grueling training.''


    He nced behind him, watching a ck lightning panther moving towards him as he continued thinking, ''Without the discipline to train for years or even decades, courage would only get you killed. He didn''t even have a n to deactivate the tags in case his attempt wasn''t sessful.''


    Fujin disappeared and the ck panther changed its direction as well. Darui''s eyes widened as he realized, ''As I suspected. He ns to use them as human shields!''


    Fujin had appeared behind another Kumo ninja and attacked with a sweep kick. The chakra-enhanced kick immediately damaged the poor ninja''s legs, temporarily disabling him. Due to how quickly it happened, his brain didn''t register the damage his legs had just taken. Instead, what horrified him was that Darui''s ck panther was heading directly towards him!


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 Chapter 685: Cloak!

    Chapter 685: Cloak!


    The Kumo ninja was so horrified by the ck lightning panther, that he didn''t register the pain in his legs as he fell down. To his relief, the ck panther changed its direction and tried to go around him. His relief instantly changed into horror as Fujin picked him up and continued using him as a shield! The poor guy experienced a roller-coaster of emotions in a single second.


    Seeing his state, the other 8 Kumo ninjas were terrified. None of them wanted to be subjected to such torture. All of them only had one thought, ''What a terrifying monster!''


    Darui frowned and changed the direction of the ck panther again. Realizing that Fujin would continue using that ninja as a shield, he just diverted it into the ground and charged towards Fujin with his sword.


    However, to Darui''s surprise, Fujin flung the ninja at him. Once again, Darui felt the absurdness of his opponent''s fighting style. He had never been in any such battle in his entire life. He was forced to stop his attack and catch the poor ninja.


    As soon as he did, his eyes widened as he felt something burning on that ninja''s back! The remaining Kumo ninjas saw it as well and shouted, "Darui-sama! Stay away!"


    A dozen explosive tags were stuck on his back. Darui tried to use his Lightning to disable the tags, but it was toote. The explosive tags exploded! Darui barely managed to retreat half a meter before the ninja''s dead body crashed into him with great speed! Even though he stopped his torso with his hand while retreating, he was drenched in the dead man''s blood!


    Darui looked at Fujin hatefully. However, he didn''t have any time to let his hatred out as he quickly dodged several lightning-charged senboning straight at his vital organs. The remaining Kumo ninjas tried to attack Fujin since they were surrounding him. However, their attacks hit thin air as Fujin flickered in front of Darui and shed his sword down at him!


    Lightning flowed through Darui''s sword as he blocked Fujin''s sword. Unfortunately, Darui was slightly overwhelmed by what was happening. In addition, Fujin''s momentum was truly great. His sword pushed down on Darui''s sword, putting Darui in a very vulnerable situation.


    Fujin''s sword was barely a few centimeters from Darui''s forehead when his eyes widened and he stepped to his right. Momentster, a lightning-charged tanto passed by from just next to his cheek! Fujin nced behind Darui and saw Samui running towards them at full speed. The two other Elite Jounins were moving in from the nks while Yugito, C and Jin were in the rear. Darui took advantage of the distractions and kicked Fujin. Fujin used his feet to block his kick and jumped backwards. He was about to flicker away and retreat again when Yugito''s chakra exploded once again.


    However, it was different this time. Instead of taking Matatabi''s form, the blue me-like chakra branched into two and moved through the forest. In the blink of an eye, Fujin and the other Kumo ninjas were surrounded by blue mes!


    Fujin was surprised. He thought, ''Her control over Matatabi''s chakra is this good? Even Roshi''s control wasn''t this good¡­ It''s hard to believe that she still isn''t a perfect Jinchuriki. Still¡­''


    A peculiar expression appeared on Fujin''s face as he realized something very odd. He thought, ''It was Hashirama who captured all the nine Tailed Beasts and distributed them among the viges. The ideal way to control the Tailed Beasts is Fuinjutsu and Konoha is a step ahead of other viges in this aspect. The only two other methods that are better at suppressing the Tailed Beasts are the Sharingan and Wood Release. Both belong to Konoha. And yet, Konoha is the worst in terms of utilizing the Tailed Beast!''


    Kumogakure had a perfect Jinchuriki and a near-perfect one. Iwagakure had two who were close to being perfect as well, even though one of them was now dead. Kirigakure had a perfect Jinchuriki. Sunagakure, despite having a terrible seal, could still easily set Shukaku loose on their enemies.


    Byparison, Konoha never had the ability to unleash Kurama on their enemies. In fact, the only time Kurama was in a battle since Hashirama captured and sealed him was when Obito used him to attack Konoha.


    Even though there were several other factors, the end result was the death of Minato, Kushina and a good portion of veteran Jounins of Konoha! Despite having all sorts of resources at their hands and extremely shrewd and cunning leaders, Konohapletely lost to other major viges in this regard.


    Fujin didn''t spend much time thinking about it and just muttered to himself, ''What a waste¡­ Anyway, do they really count on these mes to stop me? Hmm? I see¡­ So that''s their n.''


    As Darui''s group had predicted, Fujin wasn''t afraid of the mes and was about to move straight through it. Hence, the two Elite Jounins, who were on the nks, attacked with False Darkness jutsu to cut off Fujin''s retreat!


    Of course, even that wouldn''t be enough to stop Fujin. The Kumo ninjas were well aware of it. However, it didn''t matter. The jutsus had slowed Fujin down just enough for Samui and Darui to attack Fujin from the back! Fujin nced behind and saw Samui and Darui closing in from his right and left.


    Realizing his precarious situation, another sword appeared in Fujin''s hand and lightning began flowing through it as he swung them to block both Samui and Darui. In the blink of an eye, their swords shed several times as Fujin managed to keep both of them at bay.


    Even so, a frown appeared on his face as he ducked to dodge a Lightning spearunched by an Elite Jounin. Momentster, the remaining Kumo ninjas attacked Fujin with ranged jutsus and weapons to help Darui and Samui while C attempted to ce Fujin under a Genjutsu. Darui and Samui increased the intensity of their attack to ensure that Fujin couldn''t use his swords to block their attacks, forcing Fujin to dodge them while he faced their des.


    Fujin thought, ''Impressive attack n. I wonder how long I''llst against such an attackbination...''


    One of the main reasons why Fujin attacked Darui''s group was to get fighting practice with his Lightning Combat system. In fact, it was an even greater reason for Fujin than stalling their retreat to Kumogakure. After all, even if he didn''t stall, he''d still have a lead of at least a couple of hours over them.


    Even though Fujin''s Lightningbat system was very good, it had a major drawback. Fujin hadn''t used it much inbat. For anybat system to improve, it had to undergo several intense battles. Only then could Fujin realize any weaknesses he might have overlooked and the improvements he needed to make. Hence, Fujin didn''t do anything to get out of this clutch position and continued battling.


    As they battled, a frown appeared on Jin''s face as he wondered, ''What''s going on now? Why is he fighting directly and in such a disadvantageous position?''


    They had a n for when Fujin acted unscrupulously again. However, the Kumo ninjas were caught off guard by the change in Fujin''s fighting style. Since the situation was advantageous to them, they continued attacking.


    Fujin hung on for two whole minutes in such an intense situation before he finally made a mistake! A shuriken hit his mask, very close to his left eye, before bouncing off. Thanks to the seals on the mask, he wasn''t harmed but Darui''s kicknded on his chest at the same time, sending him flying backwards.


    Fujin quickly flipped in the air andnded on his feet, but the two Elite Jounins used False Darkness yet again while C backed them up with Lightning Release: sh Pir. Excitement appeared in the eyes of several Kumo ninjas as they were finally about tond a critical blow!


    What they couldn''t see was that there was a smile behind Fujin''s mask. He thought, ''Not bad. Now that was a good fight! Maybe I should visit the Land of Lightning frequently in the future. I''ll improve rapidly with such battles.''


    Just before the attacks couldnd on him, Fujin''s cloak moved and formed a dome around him. The three attacksnded on the cloak. The eyes of Kumo ninjas widened. Even Darui couldn''t help but mutter, "What in the hell?"


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 Chapter 686: A Deadly Plot!

    Chapter 686: A Deadly Plot!


    "What in the hell?"


    The attacksnded on Fujin''s dome-shaped cloak. As everyone expected, C''s attack was easily blocked since light couldn''t travel through an opaque object. However, what shocked everyone was that the dome tanked the other two jutsus as well without budging even an inch. There wasn''t even a single scratch on the cloak!


    Jin couldn''t help but wonder, ''How many seals has he inscribed on that cloak? How in the world could it block two False Darkness jutsu with such ease?''


    Taking advantage of his temporary safety and the fact that he couldn''t be seen or sensed by anyone, the de of the Thunder Spirit appeared in Fujin''s right hand. A wide grin appeared on Fujin''s face as he decided, ''Enough defense, now let me see how you guys react when I go on the offensive!''


    ''Lightning Release: Lightning Roots jutsu''


    Fujin unleashed a massive amount of Lightning using the de as a medium to amplify his jutsu. The Lightning pierced the ground, forming a root-likework as it traveled in every direction.


    While the Kumo ninjas couldn''t sense anything inside the dome due to therge concentration of seals on Fujin''s cloak, everyone felt arge amount of Lightning moving underground.


    Darui immediately jumped while shouting, "Everyone, be careful!"


    Others jumped in the same manner as everyone felt Lightning moving towards them. As their feet left the ground, Lightning drilled out of the ground under everyone''s feet and moved towards them. Instinctively, everyone used jutsus to defend themselves. Only four Chunins failed to do so and were zapped. Luckily, the Lightning wasn''t strong enough to critically injure them. Even so, everyone''s expression was ugly as they looked at C. Darui thought, ''Not good! His real target is C! The attacks on the rest of us were just a distraction!''


    ''Wind Release: Great Breakthrough''


    Sensing the strong Lightning jutsu approaching him, C immediately realized that he wouldn''t be able to counter it with a Lightning jutsu. Hence, he supercharged the Great Breakthrough jutsu as much as he could until the Lightning was very close to him before exhaling strong winds.


    The winds ripped through the Lightning, dispersing most of it. A few charges still hit C, but they weren''t strong enough to injure him. Only the hair on his body stood due to the electric charge.


    Unfortunately, he still wasn''t out of danger. Even before he used the Wind jutsu, the barrier around Fujin disappeared and the cloak went back around his body. Taking advantage of the fact that everyone was still in the air, he rapidly moved towards C.


    ''Shit!'' Darui cursed. He was about to use a jutsu to intercept Fujin but he suddenly stopped and used his sword to block the iing lightning-charged senbon! Samui met the same fate as well.


    In the blink of an eye, Fujin reached C and his sword was right in front of him. C had a grim expression. He grabbed a kunai but had no confidence in being able to defend himself. Luckily for him, Fujin suddenly changed the direction of his sword to hit another sword.


    It was Yugito who appeared to help him. She was the only one who wasn''t very afraid of the underground attack and her position was very close to C as well as they both were in the rear. Of course, Fujin had anticipated her making a move.


    Instead of blocking her sword, Fujin parried it. Yugito''s eyes widened as she couldn''t control her momentum and continued moving towards Fujin. She immediately unleashed Matatabi''s chakra again and covered herself in blue chakra. At the same time, she tried to kick Fujin.


    Fujin kicked her knee to block her kick and shed his sword towards her neck. Yugito concentrated as much chakra as she could in her right hand and grabbed the lightning-enhanced sword with her bare hand! A deep cut appeared on her hand but Matatabi''s intense chakra neutralized most of the lightning flowing through his sword, ensuring that her hand wouldn''t be cut off.


    Fujin wasn''t very surprised and continued his attack as his knee hit her abdomen. He followed it up with another kick sending her crashing into the ground. Taking advantage of their sh, C threw his kunai at Fujin, but Fujin easily diverted it with the back of his glove.


    The two of them finallynded on the ground. C immediately took a step backwards. Fujin was about to continue his assault when he suddenly flickered to his left. Three ck lightning panthers appeared in his previous position. They quickly changed their direction and chased after Fujin, forcing him to dodge again.


    Fujin frowned and analyzed, ''I can''t freely attack when others can attack me from every direction¡­ Sigh, I''ve gotten too used to fighting opponents who can''t even see meing¡­''


    As he moved, Fujin once again used the weaker Kumo ninjas as human shields to mess with Darui and slow down his attack. Darui manipted his Lightning to not hit them while continuously chasing after Fujin. However, it became very difficult as Fujin continued exploiting this weakness.


    By now, others had recovered from Fujin''s initial attack. Samui and the two Elite Jounins joined in the battle and tried to enter into closebat while Darui continued attacking with Storm Release. At the same time, Yugito got back on her feet and unleashed the full strength of Matatabi, recreating her form.


    Fujin sensed it and wondered, ''Interesting, but how is she supposed to fight in this state without injuring her allies?''


    As he continuously moved, Fujin finally got between three Kumo Chunins. The expressions of Darui, Samui and the Elite Jounins became ugly. Fujin had moved to such a spot that all of them were restricted. It was a perfect defensive position.


    The three Chunins realized what was happening and turned around. Unfortunately, before they could react, Fujin''s sword pierced through the back of one of the Chunins such that his sword was directly pointing towards Samui and the three ck panthers chasing him.


    The Chunin looked at his chest in horror as he felt a massive amount of Lightning flowing through his body! Fujin used the False Darkness jutsu through his body to target Samui and ck panthers.


    Samui immediately cursed as she didn''t have enough time to use a defensive jutsu or even dodge the unexpected attack. She immediately flowed lightning chakra into her sword and used it to block the iing attack. She gritted her teeth as some lightning made it through her defenses and electrocuted her.


    At the same time, the ck panthers were also neutralized. Just then, Fujin sensed the two Elite Jounins building up their chakra. Both supercharged the False Darkness jutsu and fired it at Fujin, confusing him.


    The Chunins were still in the way. Fujin wondered, ''What exactly are they nni¡­ FUCK!''


    Fujin''s eyes widened as the two Elite Jouninsunched their attackspletely ignoring the two Chunins in the way! The massive amount of lightning electrocuted both of them to death in an instant! Fujin, who was merely a couple of meters away from both of them, was caughtpletely off guard!


    Fujin immediately stepped backwards and flickered. However, with the attacks so close and iing at the speed of Lightning, even his quick flicker was slow. Both attacksnded on his cloak.


    The defensive seals on his cloak managed to block the jutsus, ensuring that no harm came to Fujin. However, their force still sent him flying backwards. Hended just a couple of meters away from a Kumo Jounin.


    The Kumo Jounin was shocked by what he had witnessed. He never expected that two of his teammates would be killed by his superiors. However, understanding how critical the situation was, he didn''t ask any questions and attacked Fujin.


    Fujin immediately waved his sword to his left to block him but his eyes widened once again. Yugito, in Matatabi''s form, appeared behind the Jounin and swung her massive paw at both of them. At the same time, Darui, Samui, C, Jin and the two Elite Jounins also attacked to cut all paths of escape.


    Matatabi''s paw hit the Jounin as well as Fujin, who was very close to him, and sent both flying! As the one who had to take the major hit, the Jounin died on the spot. His dead body was flung away for around a hundred meters.


    Fujin was sent flying straight through Matatabi''s fire-like chakra surrounding the entire group. He finally flipped in the air andnded on his ground, but he still skidded along for a long distance.


    Yugito''s attack sent him half a kilometer away from them! Behind his mask, blood trickled down his lips. Despite being injured, a smile was stered on his face. He broke out intoughter and muttered, "What crazy bastards!"


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 Chapter 687: Backup Plan!

    Chapter 687: Backup n!


    "Hehehe. What crazy bastards!" Fujin eximed aloud with blood trickling down his lips. He thought, ''To think that Darui would resort to such tactics. I didn''t expect that. What a grave miscalction!''


    Even though Fujin was in a disadvantageous position, he never expected to get injured. While it could be said that he was arrogant to think so, he had a very good reason for thinking so, which was his cloak. It was so densely covered with seals that even rank A jutsus wouldn''t make it through unless he was continuously bombarded.


    As long as he stayed quick on his feet, injuring him was extremely difficult. The only ones who could injure him were Darui and Yugito. Darui''s Lightning wasn''t very difficult to handle but Fujin knew that he couldn''t take Yugito lightly. He waspletely on guard against her. However, their tacticspletely caught him off guard. Had her attack been any stronger, Fujin could have been forced to use the Flying Thunder God to dodge.


    Of course, the Kumo ninjas weren''t happy either. In spite of their resolve, backstabbing their ownrades didn''t feel good. In fact, it was just the opposite as they felt contempt for their own actions and med themselves for being weak. What made it worse was the fact that this tactic couldn''t finish Fujin off. They could still feel an intense chakra from him.


    Needless to say, the ones who had it the worst were the ninjas from the group Fujin targeted. Four of them were still alive. Their faces had be pale in horror seeing their leaders kill theirrades. None of them ever anticipated it and were scared for their own lives.


    Yugito began preparing a follow-up attack right after her attacknded on Fujin. She thought, ''We underestimated his cloak. To think that it''d be so sturdy that it would protect him from my full-power attack! And now he is no longer surrounded by us. I have to get him with this attack.''


    She fired a massive ball of fire towards Fujin. Fujin immediately sensed a massive amount of chakra at its center. The vajra-shaped hilt of the de of the Thunder Spirit appeared in his right hand as he wondered, ''Hmm? A disguised Tailed Beast Bomb? No, the chakra is too little. It''s more simr to Scorch Release somehow.''


    Fujin immediately realized that dodging wouldn''t be the best idea if the jutsu could spread like Scorch Release. He shot a Lightning Beam straight through the hilt at the iing ball of fire. Due to being Lightning, Fujin''s jutsu traveled much quicker and they collided right around the halfway point between him and Yugito.


    Fujin''s Lightning Beam easily ripped through the mes and hit the chakra concentrated at the center. As soon as the Lightning touched the inner core, both jutsus exploded! Fujin''s eyes immediately widened while Yugito cursed, "Fuck!" She immediately retreated and used her chakra to cover her allies. As for Fujin, he directly escaped underground. The reason for such drastic reactions was that an intense heat wave spread in all directions from the explosion. The heat was so intense that Fujin felt that he might lose ayer of his skin even despite the defenses of his cloak!


    Every Kumo ninja in the area turned their heads and looked in the direction of the explosion. As soon as they did, they instinctively felt danger. Luckily, the ones who were close by could see Matatabi''s form and immediately realized what was happening.


    They quickly took defensive measures. Only a few failed to react in time and suffered intense burns as the heat wave reached them. Within a few seconds, a massive forest fire with a radius exceeding 3 kilometers started in the Land of Lightning!


    Yugito asked, "Are all of you alright?"


    Darui answered, "Thanks to you. What about that guy?"


    C answered with a grim expression, "He moved underground to dodge the heat wave but has now escaped. I can sense him heading towards another group."


    The faces of ninjas from Darui''s group became ashen. Despite sacrificing three of their capable ninjas, they had failed to take the enemy down. They knew that they couldn''t create such an opening again.


    One of the Kumo Jounins gathered courage and asked, "What was that, Darui-sama? Why did they kill ourrades?"


    Darui didn''t know how to answer. He only sighed and muttered, "I''m sorry."


    Jin sighed as well and said, "Don''t me him. That was the only way. If we hadn''t shown heartlessness, he would have continued toying with us until all of you were dead. We could only decide to sacrifice a few to save the rest."


    The four Kumo ninjas were still fearful but felt that Jin''s words were reasonable. Recalling how ruthlessly Fujin toyed with some of theirrades, they understood that their fate would have been the same if Darui''s group hadn''t done what they did.


    Finally, that Jounin asked, "What now? Will you guys chase after him?"


    Darui shook his head and said, "No. Implement the second n."


    The two Elite Jounins nodded and immediately flickered backwards. Samui asked worriedly, "Are you sure that this n would work? With his speed, he could easily kill over a hundred of our ninjas."


    Darui replied, "I wasn''t too sure earlier. However, after this sh, I''mpletely sure."


    Fujin moved towards the next group of Kumo ninjas. Inside his cloak, a green glow surrounded his body as he healed himself while on the move. However, he wasn''t moving at his full speed. In fact, he was moving at less than half his normal speed. He turned around and wondered, ''Why aren''t they chasing me?''


    Fujin expected the Kumo group to chase after him once again. After all, they had managed to injure him. He was even moving slowly to tempt them into another round of aplex spar. Contrary to his expectations, no one chased after him. It almost felt like they had given up.


    Fujin thought, ''Even though they sacrificed those 3 ninjas, I could see that neither of them liked doing it. So, I don''t think they''d let me ughter everyone else without any obstacles. What are they plotting now? Hmm?''


    Fujin noticed two blue signals being fired in the sky. Every Kumo ninja saw it as well. They immediately began running towards the signals. Fujin immediately sensed this change and stopped.


    He looked in that direction puzzled and wondered, ''They are summoning everyone there? But why? If too many people are gathered together, Yugito will be restrained. Not to mention, I could easily kill over a hundred ninjas before they reach that ce¡­''


    Fujin couldn''t understand Darui''s thoughts. No matter how he analyzed it, he could only reach one conclusion. He thought, ''Do they have a trap set for me there? Is this movement just to lure me there? However, what trap would work against me without the presence of the likes of Ay and Bee here?''


    "What do you mean by you''repletely sure?" Samui asked in confusion. Others looked at Darui curiously as well.


    Darui answered, "It''s the way he battled. I have a feeling that he has no interest in killing any of us."


    "WHAT???" Several Kumo ninjas eximed loudly in unison. Fujin had cut down Kumo ninjas like crops without a shred of mercy. He also toyed with several of them. Yet, Darui imed something so absurd.


    Darui exined, "The feeling I get from him is how the boss felt about the Fourth Hokage. He just wanted a good fight andpete with him in terms of speed. This guy too is fighting like he''s sparring. Since he can''t take on all of us at the same time, he resorted to such tactics to restrain us so that he can battle to his heart''s content."


    The eyes of other Kumo ninjas widened. They still couldn''t believe Darui''s words. Yugito muttered, "Why would he seek out such a spar? Hell, didn''t he im that he had no interest in fighting us?"


    C immediately recalled all the events up to that point. Shock appeared on his face as he eximed, "Do you mean to say that his words are true?"


    Darui nodded and answered, "Yes, that''s the only exnation. If he is indeed an ancient expert who somehow lived until now and hasn''t recovered his real strength, then he is likely treating this battle as a spar to get back in shape. That is why he hasn''t used his full speed to eliminate the weaker ones. Otherwise, our death toll would have been much higher."


    As everyone analyzed Darui''s words, they felt like his words made more and more sense. Suddenly, C said, "You might be right. He hasn''t killed any more of ourrades!"


    Fujin became curious about what Kumo was nning. He didn''t see much point in killing as much as he could as there wasn''t much to gain. He decided, ''I''ll leave them alive for now. Perhaps they might be able to put up a fight the next time. Anyway, let me see what they are nning.''


    Every Kumo ninja, including the injured ones, rushed towards the signal sent by the Elite Jounins. Within a couple of minutes, 381 Kumo ninjas gathered at that spot. The only ones who were slightly away were Darui, C, Yugito, Samui and Jin.


    To Fujin''s surprise, a barrier formed around the 381 Kumo ninjas. Fujin''s left eye twitched at that sight as he wondered, ''Are they tempting me to kill them all?''


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 688: Wild u0026 Unpredictable!

    Chapter 688: Wild u0026 Unpredictable!


    [A/N: Once again, thanks for all your love and support guys. My family and I are doing much better now. The rituals are more or less done as well, and most of the rtives have left too, though a few maye to visit in theing days. So, the release schedule could be inconsistent for a week, but I shouldn''t miss any chapters hopefully. Anyway, let''s get back to the story. Stay safe and healthy!]


    When he left Kumogakure, Darui led an army of 500 ninjas along with C, Samui, Yugito and Jin. Due to Fujin''s trap and the battle, 119 ninjas had already died. The remaining 381 gathered together and hid behind a dome-shaped barrier.


    Needless to say, the barrier was very strong. It could even stop Yugito. C sighed in relief and muttered, "Luckily your spections were on point. He didn''t kill anyone. We can finally take him on without any worry."


    What Darui and the rest couldn''t calcte was that Fujin was almost tempted to kill all 381 ninjas within the barrier! Since he had been waiting here for Darui and his army, he had long left countless Flying Thunder God marks around.


    While Fuinjutsu Grandmasters could sense his other seals, they couldn''t spot the Flying Thunder God marks. If they could, then Hiruzen and Danzo would have long suffered a deadly heart attack and rested in peace and left poor Orochimaru without any targets. So, Fujin wasn''t conservative in marking the area.


    Needless to say, there were several marks within the barrier. Fujin could just teleport inside and kill everyone with his Wind Domain before the Kumo ninjas could even deactivate the barrier! Due to how close they were standing to each other, doing so was considerably easier than killing everyone in the bases.


    Fujin muttered to himself, ''They''re lucky that killing others doesn''t increase a person''s strength in any way. Otherwise, Ay might have had a mental breakdown. Anyway, with all of them sealed within the barrier, I won''t face any sneak attacks while fighting them.


    However, taking on both Darui and Yugito with just Lightning Release is still too tough for me. I guess I''ll have a final round before leaving my name behind and setting up conditions for more such battles in the future¡­''


    With the army safe, Darui''s group quickly moved towards Fujin. They promptly reached Fujin, who was casually standing while resting his back against a burning tree patiently waiting for them. Darui said, "I didn''t expect you to be waiting for us."


    Fujin sighed and muttered, "Well, chasing and killing those weaklings is rather boring. Sigh, did you really have to disturb my meal?"


    The Kumo ninjas were left speechless by his casual disregard for the lives of theirrades. At the same time, they felt anger. Before they could respond, Fujin said, "Oh well, the two of you did provide me with some entertainment. State your names. If you manage to make it out alive, then perhaps I''d pay this country more visits."


    Fujin casually ignored Samui, C and Jin and asked Darui and Yugito. Needless to say, it sent their anger through the roof. Yugito once again transformed into Matatabi and shouted while swinging her massive paw down at him, "Now that I no longer have to worry about others, prepare to pay with your life!"


    Fujin just chuckled. He released several Lightning rays through the tip of the fingers of his right hand into the ground in front of him. The Kumo ninjas became alert for an underground Lightning attack.


    However, no Lightning bolts moved towards them. Instead, Fujin moved his hand as if he were digging his hand into the ground and taking out some soil. Matatabi''s massive paw was just a dozen meters above Fujin''s head when the entire ground under their feet moved!


    The Lightning underground turned the entire ground upside down, forming an intense soil current sending even Yugito in her Matatabi form backwards. The rest of the Kumo ninjas struggled as well. Matatabi''s paw fell a dozen meters in front of Fujin but hit nothing but soft soil as she slid backwards.


    A sword appeared in Fujin''s hand as he flickered and appeared in front of Darui. Due to therge amount of soil, Darui couldn''t open his eyes properly. He sensed Fujin''s movement and swung his sword in front of him with his full strength.


    However, Fujin''s sword hit his sword before he couldpletely swing it and gain momentum, putting Darui at a disadvantage. Before Fujin could push his sword further and injure him, Darui said, "Alright, my name is Darui! What''s yours?"


    Fujin was surprised by his sudden enthusiasm but immediately realized what he was up to as Samui, C and Jin were moving towards him through the soil current. He chuckled and said, "I used to go by the name of Akuro," before applying enough strength to send Darui skidding backwards in the soil.


    Samui, C and Jin immediately stopped moving towards him and retreated towards Darui while a massive Fireball moved towards Fujin. Not seeing the need to confront it, Fujin merely dodged it and flickered to Matatabi''s side.


    The vajra-shaped hilt of the de of the Thunder Spirit appeared in his right hand again while being hidden under his sleeve. He pointed it at Yugito and shot a Lightning Beam at her aiming to pierce through her chakra cloak!


    As Fujin expected, the supercharged and amplified attack easily tore through her chakra cloak. However, he frowned as the Lightning Beam began deviating slightly. As it moved through the chakra cloak, it slowly diverted towards its right and eventually ended up missing Yugitopletely!


    Yugito immediately flung her paw at Fujin who merely retreated to avoid getting hit while thinking, ''Impressive¡­ The way my Lightning Beam moved is quite simr to the principles of diffraction of light. To think that she could use that cloak in such a manner. If I want to injure her, I''ll need to attack her with an attack strong enough for her chakra to not be able to do that. Regardless, her control over Matatabi''s chakra is definitely above Roshi''s control over Son Goku.''


    The Kumo ninjas quickly gathered themselves in that short break. C asked, "Are you alright, Darui?"


    Darui replied, "Yeah. Luckily I was able to distract him just enough."


    He sighed and wondered, "What did he go through to have such a weird fighting style? It ispletely wild and unpredictable!"


    Despite training in Lightning maniption all his life and being one of the strongest users of Lightning Release in the world, Darui had never seen anyone use Lightning to dig up the ground and create an intense soil current on tnds. To make matters worse, they had to be careful of the forest fire caused by Yugito''s earlier attack while Fujin didn''t care about it due to his cloak.


    Yugito said, "Be careful. His Lightning jutsus are very strong. You won''t be able to endure them if he gets a chance to supercharge them. Focus on dodging or hiding behind me."


    Darui nodded and said seriously, "I know. It''s time to go on the offensive. Samui and I will lead. Yugito, see if you can get any opportunity to kill him while we fight. C, try to cast Genjutsu on him. Elder Jin, please keep an eye in case he uses any seals."


    Everyone nodded and immediately attacked Fujin. Fujin didn''t mind their attack n. After all, he merely wanted somebat practice. Without the interference of the two other Elite Jounins and weaker ninjas, taking on Samui and Darui at the same time became much more manageable.


    Needless to say, he was the most alert against Yugito. Even though he knew that she wouldn''t sacrifice Darui or Samui, he no longer dared to bet on it. Due to his alertness, any tactics the Kumo ninjas came up with fell short. C''s attempts didn''t have any sess either as Fujin''s chakra flow was too chaotic to ce him under a Genjutsu with merely his skills.


    For the next half an hour, the Kumo elites continued to sh fruitlessly with Fujin. Their coordinated attacks did catch Fujin off guard a few times due to the nature of thebat, but they failed to inflict any serious injury on him as Fujin always dodged at thest moment or used his cloak to absorb most of the attack.


    The Kumo ninjas, except Yugito, took varying amounts of injuries as well but no one was seriously injured either. Regardless, Fujin gained some very important experience in using Lightning Release inbat. Several new ideas also popped into his head and he couldn''t wait to train them and make them a part of hisbat system.


    Finally, Fujin decided, ''Good, but it''s now getting repetitive. I need to digest my gains before challenging them again. Oh well, my clone should''ve reached Kumo by now. Time to leave¡­''


    Fujin suddenly stepped back and swung his de at the Kumo ninjas from a distance. A lightning chain wasunched, forcing Samui and Darui to retreat. Yugitounched a Fireball to counter the Lightning chain and attack Fujin, but Fujin just flickered out of the way.


    To their surprise, he didn''t continue attacking them and instead said, "Impressive but not enough. From your headbands, you fellows are from the Vige Hidden in the Clouds, right? Are you the strongest in your vige or are there fighters stronger than you?"


    The Kumo ninja was surprised by the sudden change in Fujin once again. Being totally tired and annoyed at Fujin, Samui shouted, "Of course, there are stronger ninjas in our vige. If the Raikage was here, then you''d be long dead!"


    To her shock, Fujin replied, "Hmm, the Raikage, huh? Alright then, I''ll pay a visit to your vige."


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 689: Saisho no Hikari

    Chapter 689: Saisho no Hikari


    The eyes of the five Kumo ninjas widened in shock. None of them expected such a response. Samui had said what she did only due to frustration caused by Fujin''s antics. She wanted to intimidate him with the Raikage''s strength but never imagined that her opponent would take it as a challenge instead of a threat!


    Before they could understand how to respond, Fujin said, "Before I leave, let me teach you youngsters something about controlling Lightning."


    The Kumo ninjas were once again confused. After going through such a weird but intense battle, they didn''t expect their opponent to ''guide'' them.


    Darui wondered, ''What the hell is up with this guy? First, he kills dozens of our ninjas and creates an irreconcble enmity with our vige and then he wants to guide us and give us tips to be stronger?''


    Once again, the possibility of Fujin being an ancient expert solidified in the hearts of the Kumo elites. As much as they hated him and wanted to see him die, they were looking forward to his ''guidance''.


    Fortunately, they didn''t know that the one they considered an ancient expert was actually younger than any of them, had far less experience with the Lightning Release than them and loved to confuse the hell out of his opponents. Heck, even most of the ninjas hiding inside the barrier had a greater experience than Fujin in this regard! If they did, their expressions would have been a sight to watch.


    Fujin continued, "No matter how good your control over Lightning is, there are only two factors that matter when using Lightning. How effective you are depends on how wild and unpredictable your Lightning is. If youck in either of these two aspects, then it doesn''t matter how strong you are. You''ll never be able to use Lightning as it should be."


    Suddenly, a Lightning charge appeared around Fujin and he disappeared! Samui raised her guard and asked while looking around, "Where is he?"


    C looked up in the sky and shouted, "Above us!" Everyone looked above and saw Fujin nearly a couple hundred meters in the sky! Their eyes widened in horror as they saw a sight too familiar to them!


    "Impossible!"


    "There''s no way!"


    "How can he use that technique?"


    Even the elites of one of the strongest hidden viges couldn''t keep their cool. However, they couldn''t really be med as what they were seeing was truly shocking.


    In the sky, Fujin''s body was covered in armor made of Lightning! For the first time, both Yugito and Darui were scared. As strong as they were, they had no confidence in facing someone who might be at the same level as their leader!


    Needless to say, what Fujin was using wasn''t the Raikage''s Lightning Chakra Mode. Instead, it was Raiga''s Thunder Armor. The difference between the two techniques was like Heaven and Earth but they were very simr in appearance. Hence, just like Fujin, the Kumo ninjas also mistook it for the Raikage''s technique.


    Floating 200 meters up in the sky, Fujin brought his two hands together, quite simr to how Onoki did when he prepared his Atomic Dismantling jutsu. In between his hands, a dense chakra began rotating rapidly, looking like a deformed sphere. Before it could stabilize, the armor around Fujin''s body began infusing Lightning into that deformed chakra construct as it slowly began stabilizing.


    In a few seconds, the Lightning armor disappeared and all the Lightning merged perfectly with the dense chakra and formed a perfect sphere. If one were to take a nce at it, they''d see merely a sphere of light, which was what the Kumo ninjas saw from the ground. However, if one were to take a closer look, they''d notice small Lightning sparks asionally escaping the sphere. Even though those charges didn''t look very threatening, in reality, they contained horrible destructive power and could annihte anyone who dared to touch it!


    On the ground, the Kumo ninjas became very tense. Even though all they could see was a sphere of light, the intense chakra emitted from the sphere made them nervous. Their instincts were screaming to stay away from that sphere.


    C wondered aloud, "What is that white sphere in his hands?"


    Nervousness could be heard in his voice. Jin answered, "I don''t know but whatever it is, we can''t let it hit us."


    Darui said, "He was talking about how Lightning needs to be wild and unpredictable. This is likely a demonstration, however, a very dangerous one. Keep your guard up, everyone. Yugito, be careful!"


    Sensing the intense chakra fluctuations, Yugito began preparing her own attack. A massive fireball began forming in front of her. She thought, ''Whatever his attack is, I''ll hit it with my attack and force it to explode high up in the air.''


    Fujin looked at the sphere in front of his chest with a smile on his face. Even though the Kumo ninjas couldn''t see it, excitement was visible in his eyes. Even though jutsu hadn''t been perfected and had several ws, he couldn''t wait to introduce his jutsu to the world!


    ''Saisho no Hikari''


    Fujin finallyunched the Lightning sphere at the Kumo ninjas! The Kumo ninjas immediately became very tense and raised their guards to the maximum! However, their expressions immediately became very peculiar.


    Samui thought, ''That is indeed very unpredictable. What is he scheming?''


    Even though the sphere was radiating intense chakra fluctuations, it moved too slowly! It took a couple of seconds to descend merely 3 meters! Yugito decided to take advantage of the slowness of the attack andunched a massive Fireball at the Lightning sphere, aiming to explode it close to Fujin.


    However, the expressions on the faces of all Kumo ninjas froze! The Lightning sphere suddenly disappeared from the sky! Their eyes moved in terror as they sensed the same intense fluctuations just a few meters from them. From the corner of their eyes, they saw the dreadful sphere floating just a few inches off the ground a few meters in front of them! At that very instant, the sphere exploded!


    An intense light was emitted in every direction from the explosion. Even the ninjas hiding inside the barrier noticed it despite the distance and the forest fire, making them wonder what was happening. While a few of them had colorful imaginations, none of them could imagine the horror their leaders were facing.


    The light, which looked harmless from far away, was nothing but Lightning which had been strengthened several times due to the process of infusing it into a Rasengan. The Kumo elites immediately understood that none of them could survive the attack with just their bodies. Except for Yugito, all four flickered without weaving any hand seals to take cover behind Matatabi''s chakra.


    Unfortunately, even the Body Flicker jutsu was simply too slow in this critical situation. Luckily, Yugito acted solely by her instincts and sent arge portion of Matatabi''s chakra to act as a shield for herrades.


    Due to how concentrated it was, the Lightning still pierced through Matatabi''s chakra and hit the Kumo elites. Even Yugito wasn''t spared. Fortunately, Matatabi''s chakra weakened the Lightning considerably.


    Darui, C, Samui and Jin were in the middle of Body Flicker when they were hit by the Lightning. They instantly lost control of their jutsus as well as their bodies. They fell to the ground and rolled for several dozen meters due to their momentum. Each of them had varying degrees of injuries on their bodies.


    Among the four of them, the one who was the least hurt was C as he had been the first to retreat. His left cheek, chest and abdomen had some burns caused by the Lightning. His internal organs were injured as well due to the Lightning shock.


    He bit his tongue and thought, ''I have to control myself. Who will heal everyone if I can''t?''


    Through amazing grit and determination, he managed to get up to his knees. Darui and Samui barely managed to do it as well. They didn''t dare to lie down when the enemy could close in for a kill at any moment.


    On the other hand, Jin was the one who had it the worst among the four of them. His left arm had beenpletely burnt by the Lightning and so was the lower half of his left leg. His chest and abdomen both were covered in blood. He was the only one who continued lying on the ground as his body uncontrobly spasmed.


    Yugito wasn''t spared either. Since she went all out to save herrades, her defenses fell short. The Lightning ripped through her cloak, tearing it down in several ces before hitting her body! Despite being weakened considerably, the Lightning ripped through her body and covered her in blood as she fell to her knees and vomited some more blood. Even then, she continued looking at the sky to see what had happened to Fujin. She desperately hoped that her attack got him.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 690: Disastrous Injuries!

    Chapter 690: Disastrous Injuries!


    A few hundred kilometers to the East of the Vige Hidden in the Clouds, a huge forest fire was spreading in the Land of Lightning. In one part of this forest fire was arge dome-shaped barrier containing nearly 400 ninjas, who were anxiously waiting. In another part was what looked like a gigantic blue cat who seemed to have been brutally tortured. Next to it were four injured ninjas.


    Yugito looked carefully at the mes burning in the skies, attempting to look for their opponent. C approached Jin and began healing him. Darui and Samui walked next to him and asked, "Where is he?"


    As he healed Jin, C answered, "I''m not sure. His chakra disappeared moments after that Lightning sphere suddenly appeared on the ground."


    Darui and Samui frowned. Jin finally stopped spasming. Using all his strength, he said, "I saw him using the Reverse Summoning jutsu just when that sphere exploded. He escaped¡­"


    The reason why Jin had been slower was because he kept an eye on Fujin. Among the five Kumo ninjas, he had been the only one to do so.


    Samui, Darui and C hadplicated expressions. On one hand, they were upset that the murderer of theirrades had escaped scot-free. On the other hand, they were relieved that he left. Otherwise, they could have died as well. With them out of the way, the entire army could''ve been annihted.


    Finally, Darui sighed and said, "Sorry, old man. You had to suffer due to my ipetence."


    Jin just chuckled and said, "Don''t worry. I have to work my old bones asionally."


    He thought, ''Besides, I can''t really me you. After all, I should have been the one to spot that deadly trap.'' Hearing their words, Yugito finally took back Matatabi''s chakra and appeared next to them. Just like the rest, her clothes were covered in blood as well. She asked, "How did that slow-moving technique suddenly appear on the ground?"


    C replied, "I''m not sure. That sphere just disappeared and appeared in front of us almost instantly. I''m not sure how he did it, but the speed of that sphere was definitely greater than Raikage-sama''s speed."


    Darui thoughtfully said, "He said that Lightning has to be wild and unpredictable to be most effective. That jutsu is the embodiment of his words. It first moved slowly and then surprised us with a speed that we couldn''t even track. I haven''t seen a more unpredictable jutsu¡­"


    Samui replied, "Even so, there must have been some reason why his jutsu was able to move in such a manner."


    Darui nodded and replied, "Yes, but I suppose it could be exined considering that the jutsu was made of Lightning. Real Lightning moves at a speed that even Boss can''t reach. I guess he somehow managed to incorporate that into his jutsu along with a way to hide its chakra signature temporarily. That is probably why we couldn''t track it."


    Samui thought for a bit before sighing. She said, "His methods of manipting Lightning were really something else. Though it doesn''t make any sense, his words might have been true. An ancient expert who somehow resurfaced in the current times. We need to dig up more information on him. Did you get his name?"


    Darui agreed and said, "Yes. He said he used to be called Akuro."


    Yugito frowned and asked, "Akuro? It suits him. However, considering how he put it, this might be a name others gave him."


    Darui nodded and replied, "I have the same opinion. He also gave us some more information while fighting. We''ll need to depend on our historians to find out more about him."


    Yugito and Samui nodded. Suddenly, C eximed, "What in the hell?"


    Darui and the rest immediately became alert. Darui asked, "What happened?"


    C''s expression was grim as he answered, "It''s these wounds¡­ I can''t heal them properly."


    Everyone immediately looked at Jin''s wounds. The Lightning had burned and destroyed most of the flesh on his left arm. Under normal circumstances, C should have been able to heal it properly and regrow most of the flesh within a few minutes.


    As he healed Jin, C was easily able to stop the injuries from spreading and getting worse. However, when he tried to heal them, he had an extremely difficult time. Despite trying for several minutes and using up a lot of his chakra, he barely made any progress.


    Jin asked seriously, "What issue are you facing?"


    In a grave tone, C answered, "The wounds inflicted by that Lightning are too deep. Even though I already stopped them from getting worse, healing them is very difficult. ording to my analysis, we''ll first need to remove all the flesh that was exposed to Lightning and only then could we try to regrow it.


    However, the Lightning has also had a devastating effect on every nerve in your arm. I''m not even sure how we can heal them. Perhaps the only way is to remove all the nerves in your arm and grow new ones. This will be a rather troublesome process and you might need to be admitted for several months or even years.


    The only good thing is that the Lightning didn''t damage your bones. If it did¡­"


    C didn''tplete his sentence as everyone understood what the consequences would have been. Jin had an ashen expression. He didn''t think that the injuries would be so troublesome.


    C turned his gaze towards the wounds on his own chest and said, "The injuries on our bodies are simr in nature. We''ll need to remove all the affected flesh and nerves before treating them. Since our injuries aren''t as bad as Elder Jin''s, we may need to spend just a month or two in the hospital for a full recovery."


    All of them were shocked. None of them expected the injuries to be so serious. Yugito would still be fine due to the Tailed Beast within her, but the rest of them would require a long rehabilitation process.


    The Four Kumo elites looked at Jin with sorrow in their faces and eyes. While they were still young enough to make aplete recovery, Jin''s age was very advanced and his wounds were the worst. They weren''t sure whether he''d make a full recovery. Even if he did, it was very unlikely for him to ever be able to apany anyone on missions.


    Jin noticed their expressions and chuckled. He said, "Don''t be so glum. At least the attack wasn''tpletely aimed at us. If he had managed to get it any closer to us, I doubt any of us, except Yugito, would have survived. I guess this is a drawback of that technique. It is so unpredictable that even he can''t entirely control it. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have exploded it so far away from us."


    As sorrowful as he was about the state of his body, Jin couldn''t let it affect the future of Kumogakure. His time had long passed and the youngsters in front of him would be the ones to carry Kumogakure on their shoulders for the decades ahead.


    Jin added, "Even though he might seem very strong, he definitely has several deficiencies. This loss doesn''t matter. The only important thing is that you guys take lessons from this loss and get stronger. I don''t know what era he was from or how much strength he controls, however, this isn''t his era. It is yours. When he visits our vige, I don''t want to see Raikage-sama killing him. Instead, I want to see you killing him, Darui."


    Darui and the rest nodded solemnly. C continued healing them to the best of his abilities.


    A couple of kilometers from Kumogakure, Fujin stood next to a small hill while looking at a massive barrier. He thought, ''Saisho no Hikari¡­ It''s the result of my attempts to infuse Lightning chakra into the Rasengan. Just like the Rasenshuriken, this jutsu has some devastating effects as well.


    The Rasenshuriken consists of countless microscopic wind des. They''re so dense that every cell in the victim''s body is pierced several times and destroys their chakrawork as a result.


    Though different, the devastation caused by Saisho no Hikari is just as crazy. When the jutsu explodes, it unleashes a bright light in every direction. This light is nothing but highly concentrated Lightning.


    If it falls on anyone, it''ll destroy the flesh and nerves at and around the area of impact, effectively handicapping them. Even though the wounds are treatable, it''ll be a long process and the pain will likely stay for decades. Not to mention, if Lightning prates up to the bone, then that body part will forever be unusable.


    Therefore, if anyone takes the entire blow of the jutsu, then surviving is pretty much impossible. I believe that even Orochimaru would fall. The only one who might have a good chance of survival is Ay.


    However, even if anyone dodges the jutsu,pletely avoiding it is extremely difficult as Lightning is discharged in every direction. This is an edge this jutsu has over Rasenshuriken. Kakuzu wouldn''t be able to interfere with it like he did against Naruto and Pain''s bodies wouldn''t be able to dodge it entirely. However¡­''


    A wry smile appeared behind Fujin''s mask. The advantage itself was a lethal disadvantage. The jutsu was less of an attacking jutsu and more of a suicidal jutsu!


    [A/N: No double today. Will try to do it tomorrow.]


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 Chapter 691: Fujins Righteousness!

    Chapter 691: Fujin''s Righteousness!


    A wry smile appeared behind Fujin''s mask. The advantage that the jutsu had was itself a lethal disadvantage. The jutsu was less of an attacking jutsu and more of a suicidal jutsu!


    Fujin continued thinking, ''Due to the high chakra density, the jutsu can''t be thrown at a great speed. Instead, it moves at a snail''s pace and I can''t even use winds to speed it up like I can with a normal Rasengan. Whoever uses this jutsu will definitely be hit and die along with his or her enemies. The only way to feasibly use this jutsu is by teleporting it through Flying Thunder God marks¡­''


    One of the main reasons why Fujin had talked about Lightning having to be wild and unpredictable was to confuse the Kumo ninjas. Due to his words, they felt what he did was an application of Lightning maniption when, in fact, it was a Space Time technique. Even though Darui and the rest had doubts, they suppressed them due to Fujin''s words and convinced themselves that what they saw was a pure application of Lightning maniption.


    After creating the jutsu, Fujin merely teleported the sphere at a Flying Thunder God mark which wasn''t neither too close to the Kumo ninjas nor too far away from them. This ensured that they wouldn''t die but would be injured enough to make them take his threat very seriously and make several preparations to deal with ''Akuro'' the next time.


    Fujin thought, ''Hence, that jutsu is still iplete. It''s even worse than Rasenshuriken in this regard. Even though it doesn''t hurt the arm like Rasenshuriken does, the user will be hurt way more than the target. That is why, even Sage Mode won''t be a help to ovee this drawback.


    Perhaps the Lightning Chakra Mode might help, though I''ll need to test this jutsu on Ay in order to be sure. The other option is to learn how to control the direction in which the Lightning isunched after the sphere explodes.


    Currently, only a fraction of the actual attack hits the enemy due to the omnidirectional nature of the jutsu. If I could control the direction of the Lightning after it explodes, it would not only remove the drawback but also increase the effective power of the jutsu by at least 2 times without having to spend any additional chakra. However, this is also very difficult because I''ll need to modify the jutsu considerably¡­


    Another issue, which I may not be able to fix, is that I can''t amplify this jutsu with either the de of the Thunder Spirit or the Kiba des like other Lightning jutsus because this jutsu isn''t like other Lightning jutsus. The presence of Rasengan is too big of an interference for normal amplification to work.


    The only help I can get is with the Lightning that I infuse into the Rasengan. That can be amplified by the de, saving me a considerable amount of chakra even though the amount of Lightning chakra lost during the process of fusing it into the Rasengan increases. So, the chakra I need to create Saisho no Hikari is around half what I need for Rasenshuriken¡­'' Fujin thought about the issues with the jutsu for some time before taking a deep breath. He turned his attention towards the barrier and muttered, "I''ll continue working on this jutsuter. If I can modify it, it''ll be a much more lethal weapon in my arsenal. Even if I can''t, that''s not a worry since I can still use it along with the Flying Thunder God jutsu. Not to mention, I still have Kirin. Anyway¡­ Why are these lunatics maintaining such a massive barrier?"


    The barrier surrounding Kumogakure was truly ridiculous. Fujin could sense its immense power. He believed that even Kurama would fail to tear it down.


    Fujin wondered, ''Did anyone else threaten them as well? Or did they do it just because Ay, Bee, Darui and Yugito were out of the vige? But that doesn''t make much sense. Even without them, there should be thousands of capable ninjas here. Who''d dare to attack them openly?''


    Had Shikaku seen the barrier, he''d have chuckled. While nning to destroy the bases, he had to consider a lot of variables. Ay and Bee were the two biggest variables, but therge number of ninjas in Kumogakure was a big variable as well.


    Hence, he nned his moves in such a way that Kumogakure would be vulnerable to being attacked for some time. It''d force them to stay holed up inside the vige, giving Fujin a free hand for a few hours until they could realize Konoha''s real target.


    ording to his initial calctions, Fujin would''ve been able to destroy just 3 bases before being forced to retreat. That wasn''t enough for him and Hiruzen. However, this little threat would have given Fujin enough time to eliminate the five closest bases before Kumo could react.


    Of course, Shikaku underestimated Fujin''s capabilities big time due to not having theplete information. Fujin was able to eliminate 6 bases instead of 3 in the very first round. However, Shikaku''s genius still showed. If Fujin had stayed focused on eliminating the bases instead of spending his efforts on reading memories of the dead ninjas and changing his target to Kumogakure, he''d have had enough time topletely eliminate 8 to 9 bases before Darui gave the order to disband!


    After thinking for a bit, Fujin got an idea about why Kumogakure was feeling so threatened and what Shikaku''s ns were. A smirk appeared on his face as he muttered to himself, ''As expected of Shikaku. I didn''t even consider this aspect. Oh well, let me go and see how prepared they truly are.


    I still don''t understand how Akatsuki was able to sneak inside their vige and target the two Jinchuriki so easily. A hidden vige bing so careless and irresponsible is disappointing. Even more so considering that this is the vige that has given the highest priority to its military whenpared to other major viges.


    The three former Raikage might have rolled in their grave in the future. Even though Kumogakure is an enemy, for the time being, that is still too painful for me to see. To ensure that the dead can continue resting peacefully, I can only act now and get them on the right path.''


    With such righteousness in his heart, Fujin moved towards one of the strongest hidden viges by himself despite having just around half of his chakra reserves! He quickly snuck close to the barrier and observed it carefully. He analyzed, ''Hmm, yeah, I can''t break through as expected. Luckily, the barrier can''t stop seals.''


    Fujin ced his hand on the ground and a Flying Thunder God mark appeared just a few inches away from the barrier. The mark moved by itself inside the barrier. As good as the barrier was, it couldn''t sense a Space Time seal moving through it. After all, the barrier was specialized to handle powerful beings like the Tailed Beasts and enemy armies.


    As soon as that seal was a few inches inside the barrier, Fujin teleported and appeared inside the barrier. He transformed into a random face and flickered a few times to reach the inner areas of the vige while hiding his chakra.


    The Raikage''s building finally appeared in his sight. As he looked at it, Fujin observed, ''Hmm, the ninjas here are very alert. The normal civilians look on edge too. I suppose that''s to be expected considering the barrier. Oh well¡­''


    With a chuckle, he casually strolled down the streets of Kumogakure. As he observed, Fujin thought, ''Now that I think about it, this is the first time I''m visiting any other major hidden vige. I heard that oyaki here is especially delicious¡­ Unfortunately, all the restaurants are closed. What a shame. I wanted to take a few parcels to eatter. Oh well, I suppose there''s always a next time.''


    Fujin continued strolling until he reached the Raikage''s building. Initially, no one found him suspicious as there were a few civilians moving around. However, seeing a civilian approach the Raikage''s building, a few ninjas immediately approached him. One of them shouted, "Hey you! What are you doing here?"


    His and the eyes of other Kumo ninjas widened as the ''civilian'' disappeared in front of their eyes! Not one of them saw his movements. They couldn''t help but exim, "What was that?"


    "More importantly, who was that? And where did he go?"


    "Shit, we need to inform Lady Mabui."


    "Hurry! He might be an enemy. We need to take care of him immediately!"


    That small group of ninjas immediately rushed inside the building and reported to their superior, who immediately rushed to report to Mabui.


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 Chapter 692: Uninvited Guest!

    Chapter 692: Uninvited Guest!


    In Kumogakure, two Jounins rushed into the Raikage''s office at their full speed and saw Mabui and Elder Inazuma. Seeing the panic on their faces, both Mabui and Inazuma became serious and asked, "What''s the matter?"


    One of the Jounins answered, "Some of my subordinates spotted a civilian walking towards here. However, when they tried to stop him, he disappeared. I''m afraid that one of the spies has decided to take action."


    Inazuma frowned and questioned, "Which stupid spy would act when we are so alert? It must be something else. Did your subordinates see where he went?"


    The Jounin shook his head and answered, "No. They said that it was almost as if he disappeared in thin air. Either it was some kind of Genjutsu or his speed is very ridiculous."


    Mabui and Inazuma became serious. Mabui muttered, "If it''s the former, then it shouldn''t be an issue. However, if it is thetter, then things can get troublesome. Someone who can move at that speed should at least be an Elite Jounin."


    Inazuma nodded agreeing with her. While they discussed the intruder, a pair of eyes opened up in a room just under the Raikage''s building. The pair of eyes belonged to an old man in his early sixties. Surprise could be seen in his eyes as he wondered, ''Someone infiltrated this building? Who''s so courageous? And how did he or she do it?''


    Even though the old man wasn''t a Grandmaster, he was a Sealmaster who wasn''t too far away from the Grandmaster rank. He was currently on duty to monitor the seals on the Raikage''s building. As soon as Fujin entered the building, it was picked up by the seals in the building and hence alerted him.


    He was about to take action and inform Mabui when the surprise in his eyes suddenly changed into horror. He muttered, "What in the world? How can this happen? No, this is impossible! What is happening? Who is it?"


    He got up in panic as he sensed thousands of foreign seals appearing inside the building. As more and more seals appeared, he began losing control over the seals already present in the building. No matter what he tried, he couldn''t control it. In panic, he shouted at the top of his lungs, "Takahiro! Quickly contact Mabu¡­" He suddenly vomited a mouthful of blood and nced at his chest in disbelief. He saw a bloody arm poking out of his chest. The poor man died on the spot. Following his shout, 4 Anbu ninjas rushed into the room. Unfortunately, each was weed by a lightning-charged senbon to their hearts. They copsed right after entering the room and joined the old man in the afterlife.


    Fujin stored the dead bodies of all 5 ninjas while thinking, ''My Flying Thunder God marks have already spread throughout the building. Unless they destroy the building and build a new one, they''ll always stay here. Even if they destroy it, my clones are currently marking the rest of the vige right now.


    With those seals inside the vige, I can infiltrate Kumo at will in the future. Perhaps I could use Akuro''s identity to lure Ay out and then look here again in case I don''t find what I want. Now then, I wonder where he has kept the scroll containing the secrets of the Lightning Chakra Mode and Kohaku no Johei.''


    Fujin''s first target was undoubtedly the Lightning Chakra Mode. Unfortunately, its scroll wasn''t easy to find. From Dodai''s memories, Fujin knew that Kumogakure maintained two scrolls that had the information he wanted. The reason for this was in case all masters of that jutsu ended up dying on the battlefield, the jutsu wouldn''t be lost. In addition, the Raikage never carried the scrolls while on missions in case he lost them due to circumstances.


    However, even with those conditions, finding the scroll wasn''t easy. Kumo had taken the highest level of precautions to ensure that the scrolls would never fall into enemy hands. If Fujin hadn''t been taking advantage of the circumstances created by Shikaku''s ns, he would never have had such an easy time infiltrating into the building.


    Fujin thought, ''One scroll is hidden in a secret location that was only known to Ay and Bee. No one else in the world knows about its location. Looking for it is pointless.


    The other scroll is also kept in a secret location, but Ay tells one random elder about its location. He frequently changes its location and tells another elder about it without informing the previous elder about it. So, the only way to be sure would be capturing all elders, reading their memories and searching each of the ces.


    However, that isn''t foolproof either as the Raikage might have just lied to everyone and instead confided in someone else¡­ Sigh, why did they have to make it soplicated? Couldn''t they just hand it to me for the betterment of the ninja world? Luckily I have one lead from Dodai, or this entire affair would have been pointless.''


    Fujin''s second target was the treasured tools of the Sage of Six Paths. Unfortunately, Kumo had only managed to retrieve one tool from the Gold & Silver brothers. It was a pot that could be used for sealing Tailed Beasts¡­ While getting all the tools would have been ideal, the pot wasn''t a bad tool by itself. Fujin didn''t mind a small side bonus. Unfortunately, Dodai didn''t know about its location either.


    Fujin thought, ''I guess I could capture Mabui and the Elders and read their memories. Unfortunately, doing so will be very time-consuming and will force the Kumo ninjas to react violently. I''ll run out of chakra if I''m forced to deal with thousands of ninjas while using only Lightning Release and I can''t even rely on natural Lightning due to this barrier. Oh well, I''ll just take a look for now. If I want any radical paths, I can take them in the future as well.''


    While Fujin was eliminating the old man, Mabui''s eyes widened in shock. She suddenly shouted, "Everyone out of the building right now!"


    Without waiting for anyone, she jumped out of the window. Others were confused but followed her out immediately. Mabui wasn''t the only one. A few other Sealmasters in the building shouted the same. The loud shouts made everyone from Kumogakure leave their most important building and gather outside.


    Inazuma asked, "What''s the situation? Why are you in such panic?"


    Mabui said, "I felt arge number of unknown seals suddenly appear inside the building. We were about to be trapped inside the building."


    Inazuma''s eyes widened in shock as he eximed, "That''s impossible!"


    He had been living in the vige ever since its formation and never had heard about something so ludicrous. The seals on the building were all inscribed by Fuinjutsu Grandmasters from several generations. Someone using seals to take over the building was just too outrageous to think of.


    Inside the building, Fujin sensed, ''So, everyone''s left, huh? I guess expecting to catch them off guard with this move was too much. Oh well, this is fine too. It saves me quite some time.''


    The seals continued spreading slowly throughout the building. Due to the high concentration of seals in the building, he had to be careful in order to not trigger them, which is why his seals were spreading so slowly. Even then, the entire building was covered in his seals in a few minutes! The Raikage''s building was now under Fujin''s control! Several Shadow Clones appeared next to Fujin and dispersed in an instant.


    Outside the building, Mabui muttered in a grim tone, "The seals are now covering the entire building. Someone has made a move against us! Call Lady Nanako here immediately!"


    Mabui quickly barked orders. She summoned a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster to take a look at the seals on the building. In addition, she called on the other Kumogakure ninjas in the vige. Within a couple of minutes, the building was surrounded by more than a couple thousand ninjas! The remaining council members had arrived as well.


    Understanding the severity of the situation, Mabui didn''t dare ck off. Someone had just taken over their leader''s building! It was a matter of great humiliation for Kumogakure! As the one in charge of Kumogakure in the absence of other leaders, Mabui felt even more responsible. The deaths of the Anbu squads were still weighing on her and now she was in yet another crisis!


    As soon as Grandmaster Nanako arrived, she began inspecting the seals on the building. The more she inspected, the grimmer her expression became. Inazuma asked, "Well, Nanako, what is it? How was the building taken over by seals so suddenly? And, can we break in?"


    Nanako replied, "I have never seen anything like this in my entire life. There are hundreds, probably thousands of new seals on the building. These seals have skillfully avoided shing with the older seals and are coexisting with them, but their existence makes it very difficult for us to control our seals. If we make a mistake, then we could end up triggering the explosive tags and I''m not sure what the result will be.


    Still, I don''t understand how so many seals could appear so suddenly. We regrly checked the seals. So, they couldn''t have been hidden in this building, could they?"


    Mabui was suspicious as well. She asked, "Do you think that this is an inside job... Huh?"


    All of a sudden, all the Kumo ninjas looked up. They saw a figure wearing a ck cloak and a demon mask leaning against the window and looking down at them!


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 Chapter 693: A Great Shame!

    Chapter 693: A Great Shame!


    Kumogakure had been experiencing a strange day. When the people in the vige woke up, they saw a massive barrier surrounding the vige and every single ninja in the vige was ordered to be alert. A few hourster, Darui led a huge army outside the vige. The people wanted to hear from their Raikage, but he was nowhere to be found. And now, a couple of thousand ninjas had ced the Raikage''s building under siege!


    It immediately caused panic among themon people and even some ninjas. Discussions immediately broke out.


    "Why have they sieged the Raikage Building?"


    "Do you think those ninjas aremitting mutiny?"


    "No way! As if those ninjas have any chance against Raikage-sama."


    "Is there an enemy inside the vige?"


    "But how could they have infiltrated into the Raikage building?"


    "Have the other viges dered war on us?"


    "Will the Fourth Great Ninja War break out soon?"The people in Kumogakure immediately started making conspiracy theories. After all, there was nothing people loved more than gossiping. Of course, the spies in the vige also took note of it. They were very curious about what was happening. They wanted to go closer to take a better look but didn''t dare to do so in case it was a trap.


    Around the Raikage building, hundreds of Kumo ninjas, along with people in power like Mabui, Inazuma, Nanako and the Council Members, looked at the building to see an unfamiliar figure casually leaning against the window and looking down at them! Immediately several discussions broke out wondering what the identity of that person was.


    Mabui and the rest frowned as well. They had never seen or heard about anyone using such a disguise. Inazuma asked loudly, "Who are you? And how did you inscribe so many seals on the building?"


    As he spoke, he unleashed his bloodlust, disying his seriousness. However, he didn''t get any reaction from Fujin, who continued looking casually. He nced at Inazuma and thought, ''So he is the Elder who served as an advisor to the Third Raikage and continues to serve an important role in their council. From what Shikaku said, he was one of the main nners behind the Hyuga incident. Unfortunately, he is well past his prime to be much fun right now¡­''


    Being ignored so casually was embarrassing for Inazuma. However, there wasn''t even a hint of embarrassment on his face. Just like the Elders in Konoha, he had long mastered the Dao of Shamelessness. Such a casual insult didn''t even increase his heartbeat.


    Mabui followed up, "Who are you? And, what do you want?"


    Finally, Fujin sighed and asked softly, "What are you doing? Your headquarters is taken over by someone and you are just standing outside obediently?"


    He let out another long sigh and muttered, "Those brats scammed me¡­"


    Fujin''s response left the Kumo ninjas too stunned to speak. Their eyes twitched as they wondered, ''What the hell? You''ve taken over our most important building and are disappointed that we haven''t attacked yet? And then youin about being scammed? What the fuck is he talking about?''


    Even the experienced Council Members didn''t know how to reply. Despite having experienced a lot, what they witnessed was undoubtedly the strangest situation they were ever a part of.


    Mabui became increasingly annoyed. She shouted, "Bastard, what do you mean by scam? Stop messing around and answer our questions!"


    To her surprise, Fujin actually answered her, "That blondie with the kid called Darui said that the Raikage in her vige is very strong. She promised that he''d be able to kill me with ease.


    Unfortunately, I don''t sense anyone strong among you. I''ll give you four hours. Summon whoever that guy is and ask him to fight me. If you fail to do so, I shall wipe this vige off the face of the!


    Of course, if you want to try and enter this building, be my guest. However, seeing your pitiful strength, I''d advise against doing so."


    With those words, Fujin left the window and walked inside, leaving a bunch of confused Kumo ninjas. The Council Members questioned in disbelief, "Did he just call Darui a kid?"


    "What does he mean by whoever that is? Does this lunatic not know who Raikage-sama is?"


    "Does he have a death wish? Why doesn''t he justmit suicide instead of bothering us?"


    "He mentioned a blonde girl. Was he mentioning Yugito or Samui?"


    Inazuma said, "That isn''t important. What''s important is that he mentioned Darui. Contact Darui immediately and get this guy''s information. Then contact Raikage-sama and inform him of this situation. Nanako, continue inspecting the seals on the building and check whether it''s safe to enter inside."


    Another Council Member said, "Even though this situation is terrible, there is one silver lining. He said that he didn''t intend to attack for four hours. We can take this time to evaluate our options. We could even wait for Darui''s group to return. We still don''t know where Raikage-sama is but he could retu..."


    He was harshly cut off by Inazuma, who shouted, "Don''t forget what this building is. All our documents are inside the building. There is no way we can wait for hours without doing anything. His words might just be a ruse to scare us and buy him some time to do what he wants. So, don''t lower your guard. Not to mention, our reputation will be dragged through the mud once this matter leaks! Imagine what every other vige would think if they knew that two thousand Kumogakure ninjas waited outside for hours while a single ninja took control of the Raikage Building!"


    The expressions of everyone nearby became ugly. Nanako quickly got to work while Mabui reorganized themunication team and contacted Darui''s group.


    In the middle of a forest fire, close to four hundred ninjas were waiting anxiously for the return of their leaders. Suddenly, one of the ninjas, tasked withmunication, began receiving a message. He quickly rushed to an Elite Jounin and informed, "Lady Mabui wants to talk to Darui-sama."


    The Elite Jounin frowned and said, "Inform her that he''s still in battle."


    However, he immediately received a reply, "She said that this is of the highest priority. The vige is facing grave danger."


    The Elite Jounin frowned. He was one of the two who fought against Fujin. He didn''t want to leave the barrier until Darui and the rest returned. The Elite Jounin next to him said, "Our sensors said that the fighting stopped a few minutes ago. So, either that freak is dead or he''s nning another fucked up move.


    Regardless, it should be safe temporarily. I''ll take him along with me and meet up with them. You stay back in the barrier and ensure that it stays safe."


    The other guy nodded and said, "Be careful."


    The Elite Jounin and themunication ninja left the barrier and rushed towards Darui''s group.


    Inside the Raikage''s building, Fujin''s shadow clones were working at full speed. Dozens of Shadow Clones rummaged through the scrolls and files inside the building. They intended to look through as many scrolls as they could.


    Of course, many scrolls in the building were traps set for anyone attempting to steal them. Fujin knew that from Dodai''s memories, which is why he didn''t look personally for them and instead left everything to his clones. In addition, even though Dodai didn''t know the most important things like the location of the scroll containing the secrets of the Lightning Chakra Mode and the location of Kohaku no Johei, he knew some other important things.


    The first Shadow Clone that Fujin created inside the building flickered to one important scroll from Dodai''s memories. He quickly found it and opened it. As he read through the contents, a smile appeared behind his mask.


    The clone thought, ''Even though this isn''t the real Lightning Chakra Mode, this scroll contains the Third Raikage''s notes from when he was creating this jutsu. It also contains the basics of ck Lightning. With these, I might be able to replicate those techniques by myself even if I don''t find the final scrolls.


    The only drawback is that I''d need to spend several months, or perhaps even a few years to replicate them. Then again, it isn''t entirely bad. After all, the process of creating a new jutsu is extremely beneficial for any ninja. During that period, a ninja''s creativity is at its peak. Just like how I got the ideas for this battlefield while I was working on the Fuin Battlefield, hehehe. I wonder if the Kumo ninjas will step into this building¡­''


    At the same time, another clone went into the underground. Just like Konoha, Kumogakure''s Anbu headquarters was just under their Kage''s building. They had emptied the base since the seals had spread through it as well. However, Fujin''s clone had no interest in the Anbu ninjas. Instead, he moved towards some storage rooms, removed the seals on them and opened them. A wide smile appeared on his face. Had Hiruzen seen that smile, he''d definitely recall a few unpleasant memories.


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 Chapter 694: The Most Generous Village!

    Chapter 694: The Most Generous Vige!


    After opening the storage room underneath the Raikage Building, a wide smile appeared on Fujin''s clone''s face. Had Hiruzen seen that smile, he''d shiver and recall a few unpleasant memories. It was the smile Fujin had whenever he extorted elemental crystals from him. In front of the clone''s eyes was a storage room filled with Lightning Crystals! In a matter of seconds, the entire room became empty as all the crystals went into the storage scrolls Fujin''s main body had arranged.


    Of course, it wasn''t the only storage room. There were four more storage rooms. Two of them were filled with Lightning Crystals just like the one which the clone had just plundered. Thest two had the remaining four elemental crystals.


    Fujin''s clone emptied all 5 storage rooms. He calcted that he had taken 4369 Lightning Crystals, 822 Fire Crystals, 764 Water Crystals, 712 Wind Crystals and 484 Earth Crystals! It was a massive loot! Fujin never expected Kumogakure and Ay to be so generous.


    Fujin''s clone thought, ''I have to admit, the people in Kumo are undoubtedly the most generous folks. As soon as I arrived, all of them obediently left the building and let me take whatever I wanted in any quantity. Even Konoha has never been so generous towards me.


    Jokes aside, these shouldn''t be all elemental crystals Kumo has. Ay should still have quite a few stored in storage scrolls while other factions in Kumo should have some too. Regardless, this will be a big loss. ording to my calctions, these should be over half of the elemental crystals Kumo has. I wish I could see Ay''s reaction when he realizes that these storage rooms are empty, hehehe.''


    Meanwhile, his remaining clones were going through the remaining scrolls, looking for any techniques avable in the building. They also came across several trap scrolls, but it wasn''t too difficult for Fujin''s clones to identify the traps before they opened the scrolls. In the end, not even a single trap was triggered.


    The Elite Jounin and themunication ninja ran through the burning forest and reached Darui''s group. Both were shocked to see the injuries on everyone''s bodies. Darui looked at them and asked, "Why are you here?"


    The Elite Jounin quickly replied, "There is an issue in the vige. Mabui wants to talk with you immediately."


    The other ninja quickly handed the Chakra Transmission Communication device to Darui. He put it on and asked, "Mabui, can you hear me?"His eyes widened and his pupils dted as he heard Mabui''s question, "Darui, do you know any ninja who wears a long ck cloak and a demon mask?"


    He asked in disbelief, "How did you know?"


    Mabui replied, "So, you know who he is¡­ Quickly give me all the information regarding him. We''re in a mess."


    Darui quickly said, "Hold up, Mabui! Please tell me how you know about him. What''s the situation in the vige?"


    Mabui answered, "He showed up a few minutes ago and has taken over the Raikage building! Somehow, he managed to ce thousands of seals on the buildings under our noses and is keeping all of us out. He said that a blonde girl with you told him that Raikage-sama could kill him and has given us 4 hours to summon him. Otherwise, he threatened to destroy our vige."


    To say Darui was shocked was an understatement. He couldn''t understand how Fujin could make a move against their vige so quickly as it had only been a few minutes since their fight ended. All the ninjas around him noticed his expression and promptly enquired what was happening.


    Darui barely managed to reply, "Akuro¡­ He has attacked our vige and has upied the Raikage building¡­"


    The eyes of C, Samui, Yugito and Jin widened in shock. All of them were stunned. Jin was the one to recover his thoughts quickest and said, "The ce he reverse summoned to must be closer to our vige. No! The vige is protected by a barrier. It means that he had a way to reverse summon himself inside the vige! He must have an aplice inside the vige!"


    Everyone nodded. Mabui shouted in frustration, "Stop discussing among yourself and tell us who this lunatic is! We''re nning to make a move against him soon!"


    Darui immediately shouted back, "No, wait! Don''t act rashly!"


    He quickly informed Mabui about their encounter with Fujin and reported everything that had happened. As she heard, Mabui''s eyes kept widening and her expression kept bing grimmer. It was noticed by everyone around her. She muttered in disbelief, "He took on the entire army by himself, killed dozens of our ninjas, and injured all 5 of you beforeing here within a few minutes?"


    Mabui had a hard time believing what she heard. However, she knew Darui wouldn''t joke at such a critical time. The ones around her were equally shocked. The one who had the ugliest expression was none other than Inazuma. Due to his experience, he could see therger picture and immediately understood how terrible the situation was for them.


    Darui said, "We''ll make our way back to the vige immediately. Even though we''re injured, Yugito, C, Samui and I can still fight. We can reach the vige within three hours, faster if we travel on Two Tails and then fight him."


    Even though he said those words, Darui didn''t have much confidence. Their wounds would worsen if left untreated. He couldn''t be sure how much fighting capabilities he''d have after such a long trip. The only one who might be able to fight was Yugito. However, he had seen how terrible the enemy''s battle tactics were. He knew that hundreds, possibly thousands, of Kumo ninjas could end up losing their lives if he repeated the same tactics inside the vige! As for the civilian casualty, he didn''t even dare to estimate it.


    Mabui replied, "No, take care of your wounds first. I''ll contact Raikage-sama and check where he has reached."


    Darui replied, "Alright. Keep me updated."


    Mabui quickly contacted Ay''s group and asked for the Chakra Transmission Communication device to be given to Ay. She quickly informed him about the events rted to Akuro. Ay''s expression was a sight to see! When he left the vige to hunt Fujin down, he never imagined that the vige would be such a mess! Despite his stubborn nature, he couldn''t help but regret his decision to go after Fujin even after knowing that it could be a trap.


    He said, "Even though Darui said that his chakra reserves must have fallen low and that he retreated, Akuro must have confidence in himself to openly attack us. Be careful and don''t do anything hastily. I''ll make my way to the vige within four hours. Tell Darui to stay put. With those injuries, he''ll just be in the way."


    Mabui sighed in relief and replied, "Alright, Raikage-sama."


    Seeing that Ay had stopped speaking and his grim face, Bee asked, "What do you mean return within four hours? We''re at least 10 hours from the vige if we continue moving at this speed."


    A Lightning cloak suddenly appeared around Ay as he said, "The vige is a mess. I''m heading ahead. Bee,e with me. The rest of you follow our original n. Inspect the five bases, but be careful and don''t trigger any traps. You''ve already heard from Jin how well-hidden the traps are. So, take every precaution and give your safety the highest priority."


    The six Kumo Elite Jounins nodded. A red chakra cloak appeared around Bee as he and Ay left the others behind. Bee said seriously, "Brother, you can''t sustain your chakra long enough to run all the way to the vige in this manner. What is happening in the vige?"


    Ay replied, "Don''t worry, I''m well aware. I''ll slow down at times to conserve my chakra. As for the vige¡­"


    Ay informed him about Akuro''s actions. In the vige, Mabui said, "Raikage-sama said that he''ll return to the vige within four hours. We''ll be safe."


    Everyone around her sighed in relief. After hearing what he had done against Darui, none of them wanted to confront Akuro. Everything they heard about Akuro was bad news. Be it his disgusting fighting tactic, his terrifying strength or his jutsu leaving wounds that couldn''t be healed. Needless to say, what horrified them the most was the possibility that Akuro might know the Lightning Chakra Mode!


    They knew very well how overwhelming and mighty that technique was and wanted nothing to do with him even if he was low on chakra. If they could stay outside for a few hours without fighting, they''d be d. They just prayed that their enemy wouldn''t suddenly change his mind and attack them before Ay returned.


    However, there was one exception. Inazuma said in a grim tone, "No! We can''t wait for the Fourth to return! We have to make a move!"


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 Chapter 695: Devils Playground!

    Chapter 695: Devil''s yground!


    Inazuma said in a grim tone, "No! We can''t wait for the Fourth to return! We have to make a move!"


    A look of surprise appeared on the council members around him. No one expected him to keep insisting on his original idea. Mabui said, "We don''t have any rank S ninjas inside the vige to take him on. If we try, a lot of our ninjas will lose their lives pointlessly. Not to mention, we could even irk him and change his mind about waiting for four hours."


    Inazuma shook his head and replied, "Death is better than living without any dignity. The morale of our ninjas will drop to rock bottom if we don''t even show the will to fight against someone who has taken over our headquarters. Our enemies will be emboldened as well. Once the next Great War breaks out, we''ll suffer heavily due to this."


    Even though he said so, others weren''t convinced. One of the council members said, "We''ve already lost a lot of ninjas. Don''t forget that Darui''s army suffered heavily against him. If we lose any more ninjas, this might be another incident like the one in the Land of Hot Water. We can''t take responsibility for such losses."


    Mabui became even more depressed after hearing her words. The remaining council members were still unaware that everyone in six bases was missing or that Darui''s army had already suffered much damage due to the trap. Only she knew that this incident was already several times worse!


    Inazuma sighed and said, "As I said, there''s no other choice. What do you think everyone will think if none of the over ten thousand ninjas in the vige dared to make a move against someone who challenged and insulted our entire vige?


    I will take responsibility for this. Once Akuro is dealt with, I''ll ept the me for any deaths until the Fourth returns and resign from the council."


    Everyone''s expression became solemn. Inazuma had been the oldest and longest-serving member on the Kumogakure council. He also held the most influence after Ay and was usually the one to tone down Ay''s aggression. None of them expected him to make such a sacrifice.


    Inazuma turned his gaze towards the window where Fujin was standing earlier and said, "Besides, don''t take everything at face value. Darui said that Akuro''s chakra reserves might have dropped low. Perhaps these 4 hours are just for him to recover his chakra. I''m not sure where the Fourth is, but if he''s too far away and has to use the Lightning Chakra Mode to return quickly to the vige, then he''ll be very exhausted by the time he returns. He might be at a disadvantage against a fully rested Akuro. If he falls or is seriously injured like Jin, then our vige will be in grave danger!


    In addition, all our official documents are in the building as well. He may say that he''s from an ancient era, but if that is a lie and he is from one of the other viges, then he will take this opportunity to get all our secrets. I don''t need to tell you guys what the consequences would be if those secrets leaked."


    Everyone followed Inazuma''s gaze with an ugly expression. In truth, they knew this in their hearts as well. However, none of them wanted to ept it as the cost would be too heavy. Since Inazuma took initiative and responsibility, no one could oppose him. Under Inazuma''s orders, the Kumo ninjas immediately got into action while Mabui informed Darui about Ay''s orders.


    Inside the building, Fujin was inside the Raikage''s office when a couple of clones teleported next to him. They handed him a couple of scrolls and dispelled themselves to transfer the memories to him.


    A smile appeared on Fujin''s face as he looked at the scrolls and thought, ''Good. Everything in that scroll is copied in this one. And this scroll has all the elemental crystals. What a good loot¡­ I can finally use Lightning crystals to improve my Lightning affinity a bit.


    The rest aren''t particrly useful for me. However, it can be very useful for the Phantom Haven. That said, I can''t give this as easily as money. After all, I can''t steal these as easily as money¡­''


    Fujin thought for a couple of minutes before deciding, ''Even though these seem plenty, they''ll run out in no time if everyone in Phantom Haven begins using them liberally. It wouldn''t have much effect either. The best way of using them is to keep them with me and secretly give them to the ones who show exceptional talent.


    As of right now, only Karin and Ranmaru have disyed such talent. If I consider just the two of them, then these crystals will be more than enough, especially considering that neither needs to focus much on nature maniption. Alright, I''ll do this. If I eventually run low on them, I''ll try to see if any other vige is feeling generous.''


    Fujin stored the scrolls and created two new Shadow Clones to join the rest. Fujin had a lot of ns regarding his Akuro identity. The reason why he created an aura of an ancient expert around Akuro was due to those ns. It would allow Fujin to break loose without worrying about the consequences of his actions. So, even though he wanted the jutsus from Kumogakure, he didn''t want to give up the aura he had created around Akuro.


    Hence, instead of just stealing the scrolls, his clones copied down all the important details into his scrolls and handed them to Fujin once they were done. All the original scrolls were ced back into their original spots, ensuring that Kumogakure wouldn''t suspect that their techniques had been copied.


    This was also the reason why Fujin gave the impression that Akuro could use the Lightning Chakra Mode. Darui and Ay wouldn''t suspect him of having stolen this technique since they''d believe that he already knew that technique.


    Half an hour passed as Fujin''s clones continued working diligently while Fujin sat in the Raikage''s office and recovered his chakra. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open and he nced outside the window. A smile appeared on his face as he thought, ''Would you look at that? I guess they have some courage after all. It would have been disappointing otherwise. To lose the most important and iconic building in your vige should have boiled the blood of several hotheaded fellows.''


    A massive barrier had appeared outside the Raikage Building andpletely encased it. The strength of the barrier was the same as the one surrounding the vige. Outside the barrier, Inazuma, Mabui, Nanako and the council members stood with serious expressions.


    Nanako said, "The seals are quite remarkable. The first remarkable thing is that someone was able to keep these seals hidden on the building. Even if I assume that a high-level Sealmaster or a Grandmaster was a traitor, this is still very impressive.


    What is even more impressive is that the seals form an intricatework,plimenting each other perfectly. It''s almost like the battlefields the Uchiha and Uzumaki ns could construct, but this is far more sophisticated. Are you sure you still want to proceed? I have a bad feeling about this."


    Inazuma nodded and said, "I am. However, it depends on whether you can find any vulnerabilities in the sealwork or not. So, did you?"


    Nanako answered, "I''m not sure if it is a vulnerability, but I found eight pathways into the building. Unlike the battlefields, which werepletely closed off, this seems more like air to lure prey inside. I believe that he has traps inside to deal with the intruders."


    Inazuma frowned and asked, "What if we don''t take the pathways and create a new opening?"


    Nanako answered, "As I said earlier, the seals are interconnected. Any attack will be distributed along the entirework. We could destroy it with enough attacks, but that would cause the building to copse as well. In addition, there are several explosive seals in the sealwork. They''ll be triggered and everything inside the building will be destroyed, except Akuro of course. I doubt he''d be foolish enough to leave himself vulnerable."


    Inazuma immediately rejected that option. Ever since Kumogakure was established, there had never been an instance where the Raikage Building had fallen. He didn''t intend to be the one to do it. Not to mention, the loss of all the important documents would create a lot of work and he knew that Ay would give that task to him since he''d take the responsibility.


    Inazuma sighed and said, "This is even more dangerous than I imagined¡­ Summon the ninjas who can use Elemental Clones. Send eight clones through each pathway! Nanako, you send a couple as well. Keep a close eye on the seals inside the building and improve your understanding of this sealwork. Mabui, instruct the sensors to begin their task"


    Nanako and Mabui nodded. Within a few minutes, a few gaps opened up in the barrier as 64 clones entered inside. At the same time, several sensors activated their chakra field, covering the entire vige!


    Fujin realized Kumogakure''s intentions but didn''t even pay any attention to it. Instead, a wide smile appeared behind his mask as he thought, ''Good. Let me see how good my third battlefield technique is. Wee to the Devil''s yground.''


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    Thank You t e for supporting me through UPI.

 Chapter 696: Flaws???

    Chapter 696: ws???


    As the 64 clones rushed into the eight pathways, Mabui became tense. She thought, ''If he is low on chakra, he could use the reverse summoning again. He must have someone inside the vige helping him. Once he uses it, our sensors will find him and the one helping him. However, this will likely result in a heavy loss of civilian lives¡­''


    All 64 clones entered the building while everyone outside the building paid close attention. Suddenly, their eyes widened. Nanako stuttered, "This¡­ How are we supposed to know what is happening inside?"


    When Fujin decided to create the Fuin Battlefield, his goal was to create a battlefield that would trap anyone who was already inside the battlefield and kill them before they could get or even ask for any reinforcements. However, while he was creating it, one of his Shadow Clones had a different idea.


    If the Fuin Battlefield was simr to an invisible fort, his clone wanted to create a battlefield simr to abyrinth. Instead of trapping the ones inside, it would beid at a location the enemy wanted to attack or pass through. Entering inside it would be easy, however, that was when it would show its fangs.


    Fujin worked on this ideater and made it a reality. The end result was so devious that Fujin immediately named it the Devil''s yground.


    As soon as the clones entered the building, a barrier appeared on the entrances to the eight paths. Neither the sensors nor the Sealmasters could sense what was happening inside. The only way they could still know what was inside was if the clones came outside.


    They waited patiently for over 10 minutes, but nothing happened. Finally, there was a change. However, the change left them dumbfounded! The barriers at the entrance of the eight pathways disappeared. Everything seemed to be just the way it was 10 minutes ago. The only difference was that there were no signs of any clones!


    The Kumo ninjas exchanged nces, fear visible in their eyes. 64 elemental clones had just disappeared! All signs pointed out that all 64 clones had been wiped out. What scared them even more was that there weren''t any signs ofbat in the pathways.


    Inazuma sucked a cold breath and asked, "Nanako, did you notice anything? How could the clones be wiped out without any signs ofbat?" A few drops of sweat rolled down Nanako''s face. She answered, "I''m not sure. It is possible that he is hiding any such signs with his seals. No¡­ That would mean that he eliminated everyone very quickly and had enough time to fix all eight pathways. That would be difficult to do in just ten minutes.


    I guess the fighting happened at a deeper ce inside the building. Either that or our clones are trapped somewhere. There is also a chance that he has some helpers. Maybe the one who reverse summoned him into our vige wasn''t the only one. That would exin a lot."


    Inazuma calmed down and said thoughtfully, "It is also possible that the seal formation has mechanisms to hurt clones just enough to dispel them quickly. Regardless¡­"


    Inazuma sighed. Things looked very bad. However, he couldn''t stop. Waiting obediently for Ay to return would be too big of a blow to Kumogakure''s morale. That said, understanding how difficult the circumstances were, Inazuma decided to focus more on keeping the losses to a minimum. He lowered his goals and said, "Let''s test out this seal formation more. Even if we are unable to crack it open, we can at least get Fourth some information regarding this."


    The Kumo ninjas immediately began experimenting. They sent 8 elemental clones, including Nanako''s Lightning clone, in a single passage and tried tomunicate with them. Unfortunately, all their attempts ended in failure. Nanako''s clone attacked the barrier from inside but stopped immediately after confirming that the damage was being distributed along the entire formation and damaging the building''s foundation.


    Outside the building, the Kumo ninjas kept a watchful eye. To their surprise, the barrier disappeared much more quickly this time. Nanako muttered, "The barrier disappeared in just 2 minutes and 30 seconds. Just like earlier, there are no signs of our clones orbat. Does it mean that how quickly the barrier opens depends on the number of pathways we enter into?"


    Inazuma had the same thought. They continued testing the seal formation. Another hour passed. Only two and a half hours were left from the four hours. Looking intently at the information written in front of her, Nanako said, "I see it now. If we take just 1 or 2 pathways, the barrier disappears in 2.5 minutes. If we take 3 or 4 pathways, it takes 5 minutes. Taking 5 or 6 pathways requires 7.5 minutes for the barrier to disappear while 7 or 8 pathways take 10 minutes. However, irrespective of how much time it takes, our clones always disappear. Huh?"


    Nanako''s eyes widened. Everyone followed her gaze and looked at the stopwatch. It disyed 5 minutes and 4 seconds as the clock continued ticking!


    Mabui immediately asked, "Wait a minute, we only sent clones through 4 pathways this time. Why hasn''t the barrier disappeared yet?"


    Everyone''s minds quickly began analyzing. Slowly, nearly every Kumo ninja had the same thought. One of the council members muttered, "Is he slowing down?"


    "Yes, that must be it!"


    "Elder Inazuma was correct. Our enemy is low on chakra. He must be dealing with all the clones by himself. Even if he has allies, they might be getting exhausted too."


    "If his chakra is low, he won''t be able to fight Raikage-sama. Heck, we could defeat him ourselves!"


    "Do you think the clones defeated Akuro?"


    "No, that''s impossible. Don''t forget that he took on Darui and others by himself."


    Inazuma didn''t join his colleagues, but he could feel some weight off his shoulders. He looked at Nanako and asked, "Nanako, what are your thoughts?"


    Nanako replied thoughtfully, "It is difficult to say what exactly is happening. However, it shows that there is an issue, either with Akuro, the seal formation or his allies. We need to wait and see when the barrier opens up and what happens when it does. It''d be the best if one of our clones could return."


    Inazuma nodded. He had the same thought. They waited patiently as the stopwatch kept clicking.


    A couple of dozen kilometers from the border between the Land of Lightning and the Land of Frost, a Hyuga was standing with his back against a tree. He made a hand seal and activated his Byakugan to inspect his surroundings. However, he immediately deactivated his Byakugan. In the blink of an eye, his back was drenched in sweat and fear was visible on his face.


    He took a few deep breaths topose himself, but the fear didn''t reduce. He waited for a couple of minutes before opening a scroll and took out a Chakra Transmission Communication device.


    In Konoha, Shikaku was sitting patiently in themunication room. Even Hiruzen''s clone was present as Yamanaka Fumito sat with arge device around his head. Hiruzen''s clone and Shikaku suddenly looked at him.


    A couple of minutester, Yamanaka Fumito reported, "We have a report. Hyuga Hisao spotted the Fourth Raikage and Killer Bee in the Land of Frost. Both are moving towards the Land of Lightning in a hurry. He said that he saw a Lightning Cloak on the Fourth Raikage and Eight Tails'' chakra cloak on Killer Bee. No one else was spotted with them."


    Hiruzen''s clone and Shikaku were surprised. Shikaku muttered, "I didn''t expect them to hurry in such a rush. The situation inside the Land of Lightning must be very serious for them to leave theirrades behind."


    Hiruzen''s clone sighed and said, "We had calcted for 8 more hours. However, if he continues moving using that technique, they''ll reach Kumogakure within a couple of hours. It''s time to end the operation."


    Shikaku sighed as well and muttered, "A shame. Then again, I suppose this is the best we''ll get without having to pay a terrifying price."


    As he spoke, he grabbed a ck tag and crushed it. Several thousand kilometers away, another ck tag began burning. Shikaku ced his hand on Fumito''s shoulder and said, "I''ll talk with Fujin. You mark his location on the map and see whether he has any risk of running into the Raikage. Since Killer Bee is with him, even flying over them could be risky."


    Fumito nodded and looked at the map in front of him. Just then, he heard a voice, "Has the Raikage returned so quickly?"


    Shikaku replied, "It''s not just the Raikage. Killer Bee is with him as well. Both are rushing back at full speed. They might reach Kumogakure in a couple of hours. It''s time to abort."


    As Shikaku spoke, he and Hiruzen''s clone looked at Fumito''s hand as he grabbed a pencil and marked Fujin''s location on the map!


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    Thank you Abhinav for supporting me through UPI.

 Chapter 697: Wearing the enemy down!

    Chapter 697: Wearing the enemy down!


    [A/N: Jeez! Nearly 750 chapters and I still can''t estimate how many words it''ll take to reach a particr scene. I wanted to cover a particr scene (in thetest chapter on pat reon) and thought it''d take around 1.7k-2k words. So, I decided to write a long chapter because I wanted to end with that scene. However, I ended up writing nearly 3.3k words ?????Anyway, enjoy a double release.]


    In front of Fumito was arge map of the Land of Lightning. As soon as Fujin contacted him, he could trace his location. Shikaku observed carefully as he marked the area on the map. A look of surprise appeared on Shikaku and Hiruzen''s clone''s faces.


    Hiruzen''s clone muttered, "He reached that far?"


    The location Fumito marked was the 7th base that Fujin was supposed to hit! Needless to say, the one talking with Shikaku was a Shadow Clone. Fujin had created him even before intercepting Darui''s army and sent him towards the 7th base along with the Chakra Transmission Communication device. This ensured that Konoha couldn''t associate his movements with Akuro''s.


    Fujin''s clone sighed and replied, "I see. Oh well, it doesn''t matter much I suppose."


    Shikaku asked, "What do you mean? And, how many bases did you destroy?"


    Fujin''s clone answered, "I destroyed the first six bases as per our n. I just reached the seventh one a few minutes ago. However, it is empty. They have abandoned the base and the ninjas here seem to have gone into hiding. They haven''t left any traces behind for me to track. I guess the situation might be simr in the remaining three bases."


    Surprise shed in Shikaku''s eyes as he thought, ''He destroyed six bases so quickly? This is excellent. However, Kumogakure acted very quickly. I didn''t anticipate that they''d take this step on the very first day...''


    Fujin''s clone continued, "I left some traps in the bases I destroyed. Some of my tags burned around an hour ago, indicating that nearly all the traps in the 6th base were triggered. Kumogakure caught on quickly. Even if the Raikage didn''t return, continuing this mission would be pointless." Shikaku replied, "That does seem to be the case. Regardless, you''ve done an excellent job. Return back to the vige but be careful. I''d rmend going around the Land of Lightning and flying over the seas. If you identally fly above the two of them and they notice you, they''ll attack. In addition, dispose of all the bodies. If they have any means to track them, the bodies could lure Kumogakure to us."


    Fujin''s clone replied, "Alright, I''ll take care of it."


    Shikaku replied, "Good. Meet us as soon as you return."


    Fujin''s clone replied in affirmative before terminating the connection and putting the device back in the scroll. He thought, ''I''ll wait here until my main body is done. If Shikaku tries to contact me again for some reason, I''ll just teleport some distance away to show that I''m on the move¡­''


    Fujin''s clone created a Shadow Clone and dispersed it to send the message back to Fujin. In Konoha, Hiruzen''s clone asked, "How many did he get?"


    Shikaku answered, "Six. The seventh base disbanded."


    Hiruzen''s clone replied with a smile, "Good. This is more than what I hoped for. This will cripple Kumogakure for quite some time and buy us a sufficient amount of time."


    Shikaku nodded and added, "Fujin also left traps in the bases. So, their losses might increase. Even if they don''t, he has done an excellent job."


    Hiruzen''s clone and Shikaku were relieved. The threat of Sunagakure and Orochimaru had given the two of them several headaches and a few sleepless nights. While both were confident ining out on top, what worried them was what would follow. If Konoha took heavy losses, both knew that Kumogakure would jump in and start a new war.


    If a wounded Konoha got upied with Kumogakure, it would give Iwagakure an opening which would force Konoha into a two-front war. Neither wanted to see Konoha falling in such a situation as Konoha''s losses would be catastrophic. Even if they survived, Konoha would be more vulnerable than they were after Minato''s death. Thankfully, Fujin had implemented Hiruzen''s idea and Shikaku''s n excellently. It bought them the time they needed to recover from any losses Konoha might suffer.


    While the two of them rejoiced, Fumito was shocked to his core. He had heard their exchange and nced at the map. He realized, ''So Captain''s real mission was to wipe those bases of Kumogakure out? The reason for luring the Raikage and the perfect Jinchuriki to the Land of Hot Water was to ensure that Kumogakure didn''t have any ninja strong enough to stop Captain. Still¡­''


    Fumito swallowed his saliva as he wondered, ''Did Captain wipe out 6 entire bases in a single day? That''s more than 600 elite ninjas! This is crazy! In addition, he soundedpletely fine! Despite such odds, this is just like the old times!''


    Despite having seen the exploits of the Spectral Swordsman first-hand, Fumito still had a hard time digesting what he had heard. Hiruzen''s clone and Shikaku noticed his expression. Even though several ninjas were involved in this n, Fumito was only the fifth person to know what their real n was.


    He snapped out of his thoughts when Hiruzen''s clone called him, "Fumito."


    He looked at the clone and immediately said, "I understand, Lord Hokage."


    Hiruzen''s clone nodded. The fact that he was the only one other than Inoichi to be given such an important task showed Hiruzen''s trust in him. He would never speak a word about this to anyone.


    In Kumogakure, Mabui and the rest were fully concentrated. Just when the timer reached 20 minutes, the barrier disappeared. Once again, there were no signs of the clones or anybat. Even so, the morale of the Kumo ninjas increased.


    Nanako analyzed, "It took four times as long. Even though everything is the same, this shows that there''s an issue. He can''t continue this way. This might be the best time to strike!"


    Everyone looked at Inazuma. Inazuma thought for a while before saying, "We still need more information. Send another 8 clones through one pathway."


    His orders were immediately followed. This time, the barrier took 4 minutes to disappear. The Kumo ninjas frowned. Nanako said, "I had analyzed that it would either take the usual two and a half minutes or ten minutes since he slowed down. What does this mean?"


    One of the council members confidently replied, "He is panicking. He failed to eliminate the clones and fix the seals within 2 minutes and 30 seconds but still hurried to show us that he isn''t exhausted yet. Unfortunately for him, this just shows that he is getting desperate.


    It''s time to go all out. Inazuma-san, we need to push into the building and eliminate him! Let us send 8 squads through each pathway to get the job done."


    Unlike others, Inazuma was still deep in thought. He shook his head and said, "Don''t get overconfident. Our enemy is someone who could go up against an entire army led by Darui and Yugito. He isn''t someone we can afford to underestimate. Not to mention, sending arge number of ninjas into the building will be too big of a loss¡­"


    His words confused others. Nanako''s eyes widened and she muttered, "The explosive seals¡­"


    Inazuma nodded and said, "That''s right. Even if he loses, he might be able to blow up the building. Even if we kill him, the ninjas we send inside will be gravely injured, if not dead."


    Everyone agreed. Sending ninjas into a building that could blow up was suicidal. However, not sending any was also not a good solution. The Council Member frowned and said, "But clones might not work, especially if he has the means to dispel our clones."


    Inazuma nodded and replied, "Of course. I have considered it. Send 2 Jounins through every pathway. At least one of them in every pair has to be an expert at the Water Prison jutsu. If the building blows up, they''ll try their best to survive.


    As for the main attack, it''ll be carried out by clones. Order everyone who can to make elemental clones! Only the Anbu and Elite Jounins won''t do so. We''ll attack ceaselessly until the enemy is dead!


    Nanako, create eight Lightning clones and send one to every pathway along with them. It''ll be your task to analyze the seals.


    Mabui, he could use reverse summoning to escape once he is about to lose. Order the sensors to be on a high alert. As soon as we sense his movements, the Anbu will hone in on his new location. Kill whoever is summoning him before attacking Akuro. If he doesn''t have a way to reverse summon himself outside our vige, then we''ll kill him here too! We''ll show what happens to the fools who dare to attack Kumogakure!"


    His speech immediately raised the morale of the Kumogakure ninjas. They couldn''t wait to see the death of the one who dared to humiliate their great vige! The Kumogakure ninjas began preparing with full force. Within a few minutes, everyone was prepared. The barrier around the building opened up as 16 Jounins and thousands of elemental clones entered! They divided into eight groups and dived towards the Raikage Building!


    Even though the Raikage Building was quite huge, it wasn''trge enough to house thousands of elemental clones. Toplicate matters further, the pathways inside the Devil''s yground were quite narrow since Fujin wanted to limit the movements of his enemies. As such, there was no way they could handle such huge numbers. Thousands of clones gathered at the entrance to the pathways while around a dozen entered the building every second!


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 Chapter 698: Kumogakures massive attack!

    Chapter 698: Kumogakure''s massive attack!


    [A/N : Hey guys. This chapter is Sponsored by Zero1995. You can thank him for the double release.]


    Watching from outside, the morale of the Kumogakure ninjas soared ceaselessly! The sight of thousands of clones rushing into the building was just too powerful. It disyed Kumogakure''s indomitable strength.


    Smiles appeared on the faces of the council members as well. Mabui muttered, "Incredible! Every time we entered with low numbers, a barrier appeared after everyone had entered. However, what can he do this time? The clones can continue rushing in for several minutes in this manner. That much time is enough for them to search through the entire building!"


    Nanako replied, "He could still close the barriers and keep the clones out. We won''t be able to attack unless we decide to destroy the building. Not to mention, my clones will need some time to analyze the seals."


    To her surprise, Inazuma said, "No, it is very unlikely for him to do that. Don''t forget that he is attacking an entire hidden vige by himself. And, just a couple of hours ago, he looked down on us. His pride won''t allow him to back down from a challenge. At least not until he is at a risk of dying. We should be able to take this building back. I just pray that he doesn''t blow it up."


    As they entered, the Jounins asked Nanako''s clone, "Lady Nanako, how do we proceed ahead?"


    Unlike other elemental clones, who were there as sacrificial pawns, Nanako''s clones were protected by the Jounins. They knew that she was critical to take down the seal formation. Nanako''s clone said, "There is no danger here. We''ll continue moving forward. Let the clones rush in ahead. It''ll let me observe the seals more carefully."


    Everyone followed her words and continued moving forward. As the clones rushed forward, they met the first obstacle. The path in front of them was blocked by a barrier. Nanako''s clones immediately began analyzing the barriers. They wondered, ''This is strange. Why would he keep barriers here? What difference would there be from just keeping the entrance closed? Hmm? This is¡­''


    They immediately noticed an anomaly. Her clones realized, ''Wait a minute, these barriers are different. Even though seals areplicated, I can crack them without resorting to brute force. Actually, even a SealMaster might be able to do so.'' Nanako''s clones confirmed whether the entrances to the pathways were still open and ordered a message to be passed outside to inform her main body about their findings. As eight clones rushed out, Nanako''s clones began working on cracking the barrier open. For someone at her level, it wasn''t difficult. All the clones neutralized the seals in half a minute and the barriers blocking them disappeared.


    Before the Kumo ninjas could rejoice, a look of surprise appeared on their faces. One of the Jounins muttered, "This path separates into four different paths. How did this guy even manage to make such a mess of the Raikage Building and the Anbu Headquarters? Which path do we take now?"


    Nanako''s clones weren''t sure either. After thinking for a bit, they said, "Send the clones ahead to inspect. He isn''t closing the entrance to the pathways this time. We can take some time to inspe¡­"


    Each of her clones stopped talking mid-sentence as their eyes widened in horror. Nanako''s clones weren''t the only ones shocked. Every clone and ninja inside the building saw a blue light with horror on their face.


    Before even a word could escape their mouths, all of them were engulfed by a massive Lightning flood! It didn''t matter who was in the way, whether it was a clone or a real ninja, no one stood a chance. In the blink of an eye, the entire building was cleared up!


    Thousands of clones were still waiting outside the building when they saw the blue light as well. Due to the seals on the battlefield, no one outside could sense the massive jutsu. The Lightning flooded out and engulfed all the clones waiting there. All of them, including the clones who had rushed out to pass the message, were dispelled before the Lightning continued moving forward and hit the barrier raised by the Kumo ninjas.


    A horrified expression appeared on the face of every Kumogakure ninja as they could finally sense the horrifying jutsu. Hundreds of ninjas gulped nervously while several others dropped their weapons. The Lightning continued bombarding the barrier for a few seconds before dispersing.


    In the Raikage''s office, a helpless smile appeared on Fujin''s face. He thought, ''I underestimated Kumogakure¡­ Oh well, I should have anticipated this. After all, these are the same guys who made Hiruzen buckle¡­''


    The light around the vajra-shaped hilt in his right hand finally faded away. Fujin thought, ''There were only 16 ninjas among them. Everyone else was a clone. The losses are far less than I anticipated¡­ Oh well, it doesn''t matter.


    It''s time to leave. I have already gone through all the important-looking scrolls here. Unfortunately, I didn''t find the scroll containing thepleted Lightning Chakra Mode technique nor did I find any traces of Kohaku no Johei.


    I didn''t find any ns rted to the chakra cannon either. Hmm, I wonder whether it even exists... If it does, it could be a troublesome tool. Even though it can''t kill me, it can change this world considerably. It could have a simr impact as the nuclear weapons from my previous world¡­


    Anyway, even in terms of jutsus, I didn''t find anything exceptional. Though I found a few good Lightning jutsus, I already knew about them from the memories I read. I suppose I should have expected this as well¡­''


    Fujin was slightly disappointed. Even though he didn''t have very high hopes, he expected to gain more from raiding Kumogakure''s most important building. However, after the gains he made in the initial few minutes, he didn''t gain anything important.


    While his clones did go through several important scrolls and gained a lot of information about Kumogakure, it wasn''t something he was particrly interested in. He had already read the memories of dozens of Jounins and could freely teleport inside Kumogakure. So, even though other viges, including Konoha, would be willing to risk several lives to get their hands on that information, it was almost useless for Fujin.


    Fujin shook his head and thought, ''I guess Kumo''s generosity has its limits too¡­ Oh well, even though this is the Raikage Building, they won''t leave things like that lying around. Getting the elemental crystals and the Third Raikage''s notes is quite good. Expecting anything more was unrealistic...''


    He gazed outside the window once again as his lips curled up. He wondered, ''Would they still dare to approach the building before Ay and Bee return? I wish I could wait and watch, hehehe. Unfortunately, there''s no point in waiting any longer. Fighting Ay and Bee with just my Lightning Release is just asking for a trashing. I''ll target them at a more appropriate time.


    For now, I need to improve my Lightningbat system and take it to the next level. Once I have some sess in replicating the Lightning Chakra Mode, I''ll ask Ay to be my sparring partner. In addition, I also need to create a few hidden cards that aren''t rted to Lightning. I need a¡­ No, I need to get several new summons.''


    Fujin disappeared from the building, leaving just four clones behind to clean up. Outside the building, silence engulfed the entire area. None of the two thousand Kumo ninjas moved a muscle. The morale that Inazuma had built up vanished in the blink of an eye and was reced with despair. Slowly, everyone gathered their wits.


    "What was that?"


    "I have never seen such a strong Lightning!"


    "How do we even fight this?"


    "We''re lucky that Elder Inazuma ordered the barrier to be raised first! Otherwise, we''d be dead too!"


    "Where''s Raikage-sama?"


    "What about the guys who entered the building?"


    "There''s no way they would have survived. We just lost 16 Jounins!"


    "Fuck! Why are the leaders so restless? Couldn''t we just wait for Raikage-sama to show up? Where even is he when the vige is in such trouble?"


    "Can Raikage-sama defeat that?"


    "Of course, he can! Don''t underestimate Raikage-sama!"


    Several such discussions broke out. The entire force became a mess. Not only were they demoralized, but they also began ming their leaders. Yet, not a single council member did anything to control them. After all, they were in an even bigger shock!


    Mabui''s heart ached. The losses kept on piling. She muttered, "He hasn''t gotten weak! He baited us!"


    Nanako said, "Thankfully we sent only a few ninjas. Otherwise, our losses would be catastrophic!"


    One of the council members replied, "It is already catastrophic. What do we do now? Sending any more ninjas inside is suicidal. Not to mention, if we irk him and he reverse summons into the vige, then such jutsus can kill thousands of people!"


    Everyone looked at Inazuma, who looked to be deep in thought. As the one who gave the order, Inazuma was directly responsible for the deaths of 16 Jounins. They wanted to hear from him, but he didn''t say a word and looked lost in his thoughts. The council member called out, "Elder Inazuma?"

 Chapter 699: Speculations...

    Chapter 699: Spections...


    "Elder Inazuma?" The call brought Inazuma out of his trance. He looked around to see everyone staring at him. He turned his gaze back to the building and asked, "Do you remember the reports we received from our spies in Konoha around a year ago?"


    Everyone was confused by his question. A few wondered, ''What do our spies in Konoha have to do with this? Why is he discussing that now?''


    However, the eyes of a few ninjas widened. Mabui muttered, "Around a year ago, there were reports of a massive attack inside Konoha. The attack was so strong that several in Konoha feared that the Nine Tails had been set loose once again. And, that attack was a Lightning jutsu as well!"


    Everyone''s eyes widened. Inazuma nodded and said, "Yes. And, from my calctions, that attack was made on the Root, a disgusting special force led by the Shinobi of Darkness. This attack makes me suspect that the one who attacked Root was none other than Akuro."


    Nanako questioned, "But why would he attack the Root and now attack us? What is his motivation?"


    Mabui asked, "Do you think Konoha is involved in this?"


    Mabui thought, ''Konoha lured Raikage-sama away and targeted our military bases. If Akuro is also affiliated with Konoha, it would exin a lot of things. However, why would Konoha employ someone who attacked them?''


    Inazuma answered, "I can''t be sure. Seeing his strength, there would have been a big fight if they found him. So, there is a chance that they don''t know anything about him. Or perhaps, they reached a deal with him and are using him to humiliate and weaken us. There''s no way to tell for sure unless we can capture him."


    Everyone thought carefully about Inazuma''s words. However, one guy lost his cool and shouted, "What does that have to do with the current situation? We just lost 16 Jounins! What should we be doing now? If he can bypass the barrier and attack with that jutsu again, our losses would be iprehensible!" Inazuma didn''t lose his cool and calmly replied, "Considering who our opponent is, our losses are still quite small because I had the foresight to erect this barrier and send only a few ninjas inside."


    Everyone around cursed internally at Inazuma''s damage control attempt. Before anyone could explode again, Inazuma continued, "The fact that he resorted to such an attack shows that he didn''t have any other way to deal with our attack. An attack of this scale would have also eaten into his chakra reserves considerably. However, you''re right. It is too risky to continue attacking.


    We don''t know how many times he can use that attack. Even if he can use it just once more, the losses we suffer would be uneptable. As demoralizing as it may be, we have no other choice but to wait for Lord Fourth. We can just take sce in the fact that we forced him to consume so much of his chakra."


    Everyone around nodded. Being unable to do anything when the most important building was taken over by an enemy was too insulting. However, there was nothing they could do but wait. Of course, there were a few who sneered internally. After decades of advising two Raikage, Inazuma had made an error and they didn''t intend to let him off easily. Unfortunately, none of them knew how big the issue had truly gotten!


    While others were feeling helpless, Inazuma said another shocking thing, "There is another odd thing. ording to Darui, Akuro imed that he was from an ancient era. I have never heard of anyone living for centuries, but there is a jutsu that can summon dead people back to life. It''s the Edo Tensei jutsu which was created by the Second Hokage. However, the ones revived by that technique don''t have thebat strength they had when they were alive.


    So, it is possible that Konoha was experimenting to remove that weakness of the jutsu and something went wrong, causing him to attack Konoha after being revived. Perhaps Akuro broke free from their control and is now roaming free. Or, they managed to get him under control and are using him now. Regardless, if he is an Edo Tensei summon, it could exin why he was unfazed even after getting hit by Yugito and how he can keep using jutsus with such high chakra requirements."


    Despite being in the council for several years, all of them were shocked by Inazuma''s spection. At the same time, they felt fear towards Konoha. If Konoha could revive rank S ninjas and send them on suicide missions, how could any vige resist them? Needless to say, the one who felt the most fear was Mabui.


    She wondered, ''Could Konoha have sent revived ninjas to attack the bases? Only that could exin how so many bases were neutralized in so little time. However, if they could do that, why didn''t they trap Raikage-sama? Since Konoha sessfully lured him there, why didn''t they use revived ninjas to eliminate Raikage-sama and Bee? That would be far more advantageous to them than eliminating our bases and destroying the Raikage Building.''


    As she analyzed, Mabui''s fear decreased and she nced at Inazuma while thinking, ''His analysis is wrong. Or rather, if he''s right about Akuro being an Edo Tensei, then Akuro is no longer under Konoha''s control. Otherwise, our losses would be far more severe.''


    Others didn''t have the same information that Mabui had and felt that Inazuma''s spections were true. Nanako muttered, "If that is right, then we can''t kill Akuro. We''ll have to seal him."


    Inazuma nodded and said, "Yes. However, that''ll be the least of our concerns... I truly hope that I am just overthinking this. Otherwise, the world will be a mess. Even if all of us unite against Konoha, we wouldn''t stand a chance."


    Everyone had solemn expressions and hoped the same. While the Kumogakure ninjas waited, Fujin returned to the base he had created in the Land of Frost. He had already collected the scroll containing the Chakra Transmission Communication device before returning here.


    Fujin continued analyzing, ''I need a few new summons so that I can use summons with Akuro and Shiden identities. Luckily, I know just the ones that would suit me perfectly. Unfortunately¡­''


    A frown appeared on Fujin''s face as he changed back to his original appearance. He thought, ''Even though those monsters in the ocean would be perfect, I''m not sure if I can tame them. Defeating, or even killing them, shouldn''t be much of an issue for me.


    However, I''m not sure if that''ll be enough to make them ept a contract. After all, they have lived for a long time and might prefer death instead of being forced. Talking could help, but I''m not sure if any of them will be open to a discussion¡­''


    Fujin chuckled. It was a weird problem to have. He decided, ''Leave it, I can''t control that. After Orochimaru is dealt with, I''ll make a trip to that ocean. Considering the number of monsters, I can afford to experiment. Even if I end up killing a few, it won''t be a loss.


    That said, perhaps I should also sign a contract with another summoning n. Ryu said that I can''t sign a contract with a n that knows how to harness nature energy, but others are fair game. I can pass that contract to Phantom Haven members and raise their strength by ensuring that everyone has a summon.


    Alternatively, I could just make them raise animalpanions like the Inuzuka n though that might be a bitplicated. It''ll need a lot of resources and I''ll need to steal information from the ns who have suchpanions¡­''


    As he was thinking, Fujin destroyed the underground base along with all the corpses. He only kept Dodai''s corpse with him as he found his abilities interesting and felt that he might be useful if Fujin got his hands on the Edo Tensei jutsu.


    Fujin teleported to the nearest Flying Thunder God mark and wondered, ''I still have around half a day before I should be back in the vige. What do I do in the meantime?''


    Several ideas shed in his mind. The first was visiting Phantom Haven Society, but he dropped it since it hadn''t been a long time since his previous visit. After thinking for a bit, a mischievous smile appeared on Fujin''s face as he decided, ''Since I''m here, I might as well mark the entire Land of Frost and the Land of Hot Water.''


    A couple of hourster, Ay and Bee could finally see Kumogakure! Both their breathing was rough. Ay muttered, "Just in time."


    [A/N: Next chapter: Walking into the Trap!]


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 Chapter 700: Walking into the Trap!

    Chapter 700: Walking into the Trap!


    The two strongest Kumo ninjas had arrived just a few minutes before the four-hour deadline was reached! As soon as the Kumo ninjas saw them, their morale soared. They opened the barrier to let them in and both rushed straight towards the Raikage Building.


    "What is the status here?" Ay asked loudly even before others could register that he was there. They quickly looked in that direction and saw Ay standing right between them. A secondter, Bee appeared as well. Their expressions bloomed and a huge pressure was relieved from their shoulders. Everyone had been on the edge due to how close they were to the four-hour deadline.


    Before anyone could respond, Ay frowned and asked, "Why is everyone so gloomy? Tell me everything that has happened here since west talked."


    Mabui quickly informed him about their attempts to test the seal formation, the massive Lightning jutsu and the deaths of 16 Jounins. Ay''s expression became gloomy. He said, "I can understand your thoughts, old man. However, don''t risk everyone''s lives again. Even if I''m low on chakra, I can handle my battles."


    Inazuma replied, "I''m sure you can, Lord Fourth. However, we gained some critical information."


    Inazuma informed him about the simrity with the attack on Root and the possibility of Akuro being an Edo Tensei. Just like others, Ay was surprised as well. However, he quickly shook his head and said, "That''s not possible. Don''t underestimate Darui. He would have realized it if his opponent was not alive."


    Unlike Mabui, who thought rationally, Ay simply dismissed the idea due to his trust in a ninja''s instincts. For him, Darui being unable to realize something so basic was too absurd. Inazuma frowned but before he could say anything, Ay asked, "Nanako, have you cracked the seal formation?"


    Nanako answered, "Unfortunately no, Raikage-sama. None of my clones were able to send a message outside to inform me about the structure inside."


    Ay frowned and asked, "How confident are you of cracking it from the inside?" Nanako confidently replied, "I''m not sure about cracking the entire formation, but I can definitely make a path for you. However, there are hundreds of explosive seals in the formation. We need to be careful in case he decides to blow up the building."


    Ay thought for a bit and said, "Explosive seals won''t have much effect on Elite Jounins. Let''s head inside. I''ll kill that bastard right here!"


    Everyone nodded. Within a couple of minutes, Ay, Bee, Nanako and four Elite Jounins, entered the barrier and stepped into the pathway closest to the Raikage''s office since Akuro was seen in the window of the highest floor.


    After they entered, a frown appeared on Nanako''s face. She wondered aloud, "Why hasn''t the entrance to the pathway closed this time?"


    One of the Elite Jounins asked, "Do you think that it is because Raikage-sama is with us? Akuro said that he wanted to fight Raikage-sama."


    Nanako replied, "I''m not sure. Wouldn''t it be better if he closed the entrance so that no one would interfere in the battle?"


    Ay said, "It''s difficult to know what people like him are thinking. Let''s continue. Keep an eye on the seals."


    Nanako nodded as they moved ahead carefully. To Nanako''s surprise, there were barely any foreign seals in the building. The ones present didn''t hinder them in any way. She wondered, ''What''s happening? This ispletely unlike what I observed from the outside. Was it an illusion to bluff us? However, why did it feel so real? A Grandmaster can''t be fooled in this manner¡­''


    To the surprise of the Kumo group, they walked all the way to Ay''s office without a single obstruction! No seals attacked them, nor were there any enemies. The office was empty.


    Bee folded his hands and said, "This is strange, really strange, yo.


    Where''s Akuro, the enemy though?


    Why''s the building so empty, hey?


    Do you think he ran away?"


    Ay frowned due to the situation as well as Bee''s rapping. Due to the seriousness of the situation, he controlled his temper and asked, "What is the meaning of this? Didn''t you say that there were thousands of seals inside the building? Why did nothing obstruct us? Where is Akuro? And where are the dead bodies of our Jounins?"


    Nanako had a bad feeling. She answered unsurely, "I don''t know. This feels too odd. I''m confident in what I saw but this is almost entirely different. I don''t understand how a seal formation could confuse me..."


    Ay said, "Don''t forget that he imed to be from the ancient era. The way he uses seals might have been forgotten to time. Some of his seals might have been lost to time as well. Don''t underestimate your enemy just because you''re a Grandmaster."


    Nanako frowned but didn''t say anything. Even though Ay''s words hurt her pride, the current circumstances could be seen as her failure. Ay instructed, "There are still several ces in the building that can''t be sensed. He might be hiding somewhere and nning a sneak attack. It''d suit his fighting style. We''ll do a thorough search of the building."


    Everyone nodded and immediately got to work. Even though they hadn''t seen the enemy, none of them dared to drop their guard. They continued looking for the culprit, unaware of the fact that he had not only left the Land of Lightning but also the Land of Frost and moved into the Land of Hot Water!


    Fujin created a new set of Shadow Clones and all immediately dispersed. He thought, ''The clones I left in the Land of Frost should be able to mark the entire country in a few hours. The Land of Hot Water is muchrger though. Still, I should be done by morning. Even if I don''t, my clones can continue working. Anyway, I wonder if he has told them about me yet¡­ That meeting should be an interesting one¡­''


    Fujin let out a chuckle. As he suspected, an interesting meeting was taking ce thousands of kilometers away. In a dimly lit room, four figures stood silently. Outside the window, the scene was bleak. Dark clouds covered the sky, and the rain poured down endlessly, creating a somber atmosphere.


    Obito asked, "Zetsu, what is the purpose of this meeting?"


    ck Zetsu answered, "One of my clones saw an interesting sight in the Land of Lightning. It might be helpful for Akatsuki."


    Nagato, Konan and Obito became interested in his words. ck Zetsu continued, "A lone ninja confronted a Kumo army led by Darui and Yugito, the Jinchuriki of Two Tails. They fought for around three-quarters of an hour."


    White Zetsu continued, "The end result was the death of 52 Kumogakure ninjas and serious injuries to the Elite Jounins from Kumogakure while he used reverse summoning to leave after injuring them. You guys should have seen him battle. He was unpredictable and relentless, like a force of nature."


    The trio were surprised. They knew the strength of Darui and Yugito. A ninja taking on the two of them along with an entire army was quite impressive. Konan asked, "Impressive. Who was he? And, do you want to recruit him into the Akatsuki?"


    ck Zetsu answered, "He wore a mask and I haven''t ever seen anyone with his fighting style. So, I''m not sure of his identity. We may need to interrogate some Kumogakure ninjas to gain more information about him. And yes, based on his strength, he''ll be a good fit for the Akatsuki. However, we''ll first need to find out more about him."


    Obito muttered, "Interesting¡­ I''ll look into him."


    Zetsu''s clones were too good at hiding. Even though Fujin had once sensed and attacked Zetsu, he began taking precautions and improved his stealth by another level. Unfortunately, no matter how stealthy he and the White Zetsus were, they couldn''t hide from Fujin''s Space Time Sensing Technique.


    Fujin, who wanted to create a reputation for his Akuro identity and needed sparring partners, was more than willing to put on a show. Of course, what amused him was the thought of Akatsuki trying to find the non-existent Akuro.


    White Zetsu said, "There are a few more interesting things happening in the Land of Lightning. A strong barrier is protecting the Vige Hidden in the Clouds. I can''t breach the barrier but something is happening inside it. The weather in that country is weird as well. Many of my clones were hit by hurricanes."


    The leaders of Akatsuki were confused by these events. Not understanding what they could mean, they ordered Zetsu to keep an eye on the Land of Lightning and find out more about the events there.


    In the Raikage Building, Ay''s group searched for an hour but didn''t even see Akuro''s shadow. They did find the dead bodies of the 16 Jounins, but that enraged them even further. Their bodies, along with the bodies of 4 Anbu, were stored in the storage room while all the elemental crystals were missing!


    When the group returned to the Raikage''s office, Ay was fuming. This day was so terrible that it wasparable to the day he lost his father. He raised his right arm as he shouted, "Not only did he brazenly kill our ninjas, but that bastard also stole all our Elemental Crystals!"


    His arm fell on his desk, obliterating it. However, at that very instant, the eyes of all Kumogakure ninjas widened. They instinctively raised their guard and grabbed their weapons.


    [A/N: I''ll be a bit busy over the weekend as well. I shouldn''t miss any chapters, but the chapters could be dyed (though hopefully not as much as today''s). Have a fun weekend, guys.]


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 701 - 695 : WEAK

    <h4>Chapter 701: Chapter 695 : WEAK</h4>


    Ay''s arm hit the desk, obliterating it to smithereens! However, at that very instant, the eyes of all Kumogakure ninjas present widened. They instinctively raised their guard and grabbed their weapons. The reason for their reaction was that the desk that had blown up suddenly released some fluids. In addition, Nanako suddenly sensed some additional seals!


    Ay, who had one of the best reaction speeds of all ninjas, was caught off guard. To make matters worse, his speed was far lesser without the Lightning Chakra Mode active. Due to how close he was, his right arm was covered by that fluid. In addition, his clothes, the parts of his chest and even some parts of his face and neck were sprayed with that liquid!


    "Brother!"


    "Raikage-sama!"


    Instinctively, Ay activated his Lightning Chakra Mode as others called out worriedly. Nanako cursed, ''Shit! How did I not see those seals? If that liquid is poisonous, then we would be doomed!''


    Nanako recalled how horrifyingly strong their opponent was. However, what horrified her even more was his bag of tricks! If the Raikage was subdued and Akuro managed to neutralize Bee in a simr way, Kumogakure would be doomed. The same thoughts ran through the minds of the four Elite Jounins.


    To their relief, Ay showed no signs of pain and said loudly, "Calm down, I''m fine."


    He turned his gaze towards the Elite Jounin who had some expertise in medical ninjutsu and said, "Check what this liquid is. Even though I didn''t feel any pain, I felt a mild burning sensation initially. It might have some other effects or a dyed reaction."


    The Elite Jounin nodded and immediately inspected Ay. Ay''s right arm as well as the golden vambrace were dyed pink! Half of his face, nearly his entire neck and his exposed chest were dyed pink as well! The Elite Jounin frowned and was about to check his clothes when Nanako shouted, "Be careful! The seals are behaving weirdly."


    Nanako had a grim expression. She could sense that the few foreign seals left inside the building were activating. In addition, the seals on the outside walls were behaving strangely as well. In a grim tone, she muttered, "We may have fallen into a dangerous trap!"


    Lightning appeared around Ay''s body once again as he said seriously, "Let hime."


    The others prepared themselves as well. To their surprise, Akuro didn''t appear. The seals didn''t trigger any additional attacks on them either. Instead, words started appearing on the wall.


    Boring... I''m disappointed. I expected better after fighting those kids. Seeing your desperation, I shall spare this vige for the time being. I will visit again in the future. If your Raikage continues hiding cowardly, then I won''t show any mercy.


    As they read the message, every single one had a dark expression. Ay''s expression was a sight to see. He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. Under normal circumstances, several things, perhaps even the walls, would have been smashed. Unfortunately, Ay couldn''t even do that in case something else sprayed on his body!


    Outside the building, the two thousand ninjas had a shocked expression as well. The seals covering the building had disappeared. Instead, a fewrge and bold letters carved into the building appeared.


    The Raikage Building was a five-storey building, located at the heart of Kumogakure. Every single person in the vige looked at it with awe and admiration. However, at this moment, the ninjas standing outside, along with some others who had good eyesight, were seeing something they never imagined.


    Arge ''W'' was carved on the four walls of the top floor. Right underneath it on the next floor was an ''E''. These two letters were followed by ''A'' and ''K'' on the floors below them. Due to how they were written, they were visible from almost every direction.


    Thousands of people living inside Kumogakure saw ''WEAK'' written on the building which was a symbol of their power! A wave of humiliation and anger washed over them. Thousands of fists clenched and teeth gritted against each other. Never had they experienced such humiliation. Even though Kumogakure suffered several losses in history, they had never been bullied to such an extent!


    Needless to say, Fujin had no interest in humiliating Ay or the citizens of Kumogakure. If it didn''t benefit him, he would never engage in such superficial acts. The reason why he went out of his way to humiliate Ay was to enrage him even more and ensure that he would go all out to hunt Akuro down. That would ensure that he could get a battle whenever he wanted it.


    Simrly, the reason for humiliating others in Kumogakure was to spur them further. Even though Kabuto''s absence would make Obito''s side much weaker, Kumogakure''s losses due to Fujin''s actions were very high. Even though the number of ninjas he killed was less than 10% of Kumogakure''s total force, the ninjas he killed were all elites who were ready to participate in a war. Among the ones he killed, there wasn''t even a single Genin!


    As such, Kumogakure''s losses were far worse than what the numbers indicated. In a way, it wasparable to Konoha losing most of their veteran Jounins during the Nine Tails'' assault. Luckily, they weren''t reeling from the losses caused by a great war and their Kage and Jinchuriki were still safe. Otherwise, they would have been in worse shape than what Konoha was in after Minato''s death.


    Under normal circumstances, Kumogakure might require around 5 to 7 years to guide their young ninjas and turn them into elites to rece the dead. Fujin just hoped that humiliating them in such a manner might push them to do so in 3 to 4 years, right when the Akatsuki would be very active.


    Of course, doing so also left some holes in the persona Fujin created for Akuro. The fact that he set a trap which was triggered by Ay destroying the desk would make Kumogakure suspect that Akuro wasn''t unaware of the Raikage and his personality, which in turn could make them suspect all of Akuro''s words. He made some arrangements to confuse them further, but they weren''t foolproof.


    However, Fujin didn''t care much about that. After all, he had just created the backstory to mess with the minds of anyone who tried to investigate him. If anything, such suspicion would just confuse them further. Even if they obtained irrefutable evidence that he wasn''t from the ancient era, it wouldn''t harm him in any way. As long as no one connected Akuro to Fujin, he didn''t care.


    In the Raikage''s office, a stunned expression was visible on Nanako''s face. Ay asked, "What''s the matter?"


    Nanako replied, "After this message appeared, all the foreign seals disappeared. I don''t sense any strange seal inside the building."


    She turned her gaze towards the sensor and said, "Try sensing. See if you can sense the entire building."


    The sensor nodded and activated his chakra field. He said, "I can''t extend my chakra field into the Anbu Headquarters due to the seals there, but I can inspect the entire building. I don''t sense anyone here."


    Despite such an answer, Nanako wasn''t thrilled. She muttered, "I wanted to observe the seals and study this formation. If I could, we could have recreated it and strengthened our Fuinjutsu knowledge. I didn''t think he''d leave a trigger that would destroy the entire formation! I have to admit, his application of Fuinjutsu is far superior to mine."


    Ay didn''t want to see one of his handful Grandmasters demoralized. He said, "Don''t underestimate yourself. He should have had ess to far more information than you. I''m sure that the next time the two of you meet, you''ll break his formation."


    Nanako nodded and said, "Thank you, Raikage-sama."


    Bee suddenly asked seriously, "Didn''t Darui say that he imed to be from an ancient era and didn''t have an idea about how strong you were? How did he know that you''d smash the desk?"


    Ay was puzzled as well. Before he could think of anything, Nanako answered, "The trigger might not have been the breaking of the desk. I assume that he wanted to show this message to Raikage-sama. So the trigger could have been simply touching the desk. In addition..."


    Her expression became grim as she continued, "Inazuma had ordered to check whether everyone had escaped from the building. We found out that 5 didn''t make it. Four were the dead Anbu we found. However, thest one is still missing. And that person is Kiyoshi.


    So many seals can''t appear suddenly. In addition, keeping them hidden from not just me but also the other Grandmasters is incredibly difficult even considering Akuro''s expertise. As difficult as this is to believe, I suspect that Kiyoshi helped him by secretly cing these seals after ourst inspection. He could''ve given Akuro some information about you."


    "Kiyoshi..." Ay muttered, having a tough time believing that he was a traitor. One of the Elite Jounins said, "I would''ve never imagined old man Kiyoshi to be a traitor. He was so cheerful and always helped everyone."


    Nanako nodded. She couldn''t believe it either. Suddenly, the one who was examining Ay called out, "Raikage-sama, I''ve examined this liquid..."


    He had a weird expression on his face as he spoke, making everyone curious. Ay asked, "What is it?"


    Ay''s expression became increasingly dark as the Elite Jounin replied strangely, "I still need to do more studies to confirm, but everything I have seen so far makes me believe that it is nothing but a conductive pigment. However, it is a very strong one and bonds very quickly with our skin. Your lightning amplified it even further. I''m afraid that the stains it left behind will be very difficult to remove..."


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    ()


    Thank you The Reverse sh for supporting me through UPI.

 Chapter 702: Questioning the Raikage

    Chapter 702: Questioning the Raikage


    [A/N: Sorry guys, fell asleepst night. Will try toplete the next chapter before I sleep tonight.]


    "I''m afraid that the stains it left behind will be very difficult to remove¡­"


    ''...'' Ay stared at the ninja with a dumbfounded expression. The eyes of other Kumogakure ninjas widened as well. While they were relieved that it wasn''t harmful, seeing their leader dyed pink felt extremely weird and strange. Had the circumstances been better, they''d have struggled to stifle a chuckle.


    However, one person wanted to uplift the depressing mood in the room. Bee smirked, looking at Ay, and rapped, "Yo bro, you lookin'' like a pink parade,


    Did you join a new ninja masquerade?


    Half your face and neck in a rosy hue,


    Pink''s your color, bro, who knew?"


    Ay roared, "Shut it, Bee! What do you mean that this dye won''t be easy to remove? How can I remove it?"


    The Elite Jounin thought for a few seconds and answered, "I can''t remove it. We''ll need to check with our chemists on what we can do to remove it. However, as I said earlier, your lightning assisted the pigment to react with your skin very rapidly. Even if we have something that can clear it, it''ll take a long time. The only alternative that could get rid of it quickly is if we remove the flesh that was affected by the dye and use Mystical Palm jutsu to heal you and grow new flesh."


    Ay frowned and gazed at his palm. His gaze immediately made everyone nervous. It looked like he was nning to rip off his skin on the stop!


    Bee called out loudly, "Brother, you¡­"


    Nanako loudly spoke at the same time, "Raikage-sama, I''d rmend waiting for some time. This Akuro fellow is too devious. I wouldn''t be surprised if he did all this to drop our guard and make you inflict injuries on yourself. We should wait until things calm down!"


    Ay snorted and replied, "Of course, I know. Inspect the building once again and inspect the Anbu headquarters as well. If everything''s clear, call Inazuma''s group inside and ask others to disperse. No need to maintain the barrier anymore.


    Nanako, create a few squads of Sealmasters and inspect the building thoroughly. Also, order someone to look into Kiyoshi''s friends and family. I want to know why he betrayed us after serving the vige for over 5 decades!"


    Nanako nodded and everyone other than Bee left his office. Bee asked teasingly, "Are you nning to appear like this in front of everyone, brother?"


    Ay snorted and a cloud of smoke appeared. As it faded away, Ay looked to have reverted to his original appearance. He said, "It''s a cheap trick just to infuriate me. As if I''ll fall for it."


    Needless to say, he used the Transformation jutsu to hide the embarrassment. He stopped thinking about it and instead said, "That said, I won''t spare Akuro. I can ignore this prank, but the losses he caused are too high. In addition, the missing ninjas from the camps¡­"


    Ay''s expression became grim. Bee became serious as well.


    Outside the building, one of the Sealmasters said, "Elder Inazuma, the seals have disappeared. Should we enter inside and tell Raikage-sama about these words?"


    Inazuma shook his head and said, "No, our opponent is too devious. This could be another devious scheme. We''ll wait until they return by themselves."


    The Sealmaster nodded and everyone waited patiently. Half an hourter, Nanako and the four Elite Jounins appeared outside the building and passed the orders.


    Inazuma asked, "Did Lord Fourth kill Akuro?"


    Nanako shook her head and answered, "Unfortunately, he had already left before we entered."


    Inazuma replied, "That''s strange¡­ How did he do this then?"


    Nanako and others followed his gaze. Their eyes widened and their jaws dropped slightly seeing ''WEAK'' written on the Raikage Building!


    A few secondster, Nanako and a few others rushed into the Raikage''s office and informed him about it. Once again, Ay barely managed to resist the urge to smash a few walls! He cursed, "That bastard is very good at making our blood boil! Fix it immediately. We have been humiliated enough!"


    The Elite Jounins nodded and left, leaving just the council members and Nanako inside the office. A strange silence developed in the room. It was broken by Inazuma, who asked, "Lord Fourth, I''m afraid that we need some answers. Today''s events were just too bizarre. We can''t make any sense of it."


    He paused for a few seconds before asking, "Why were you outside the vige? What was so important that you couldn''t be here when the vige needed you? Why was a barrier raised to protect the vige? Why did Darui lead an army outside and where did he go? Does Akuro have any rtion to it?"


    Ay took a deep breath. It had been a long and bloody day for him and Kumogakure. The Sun had set, covering Kumogakure in darkness and further amplifying the fear in the hearts of the citizens and ninjas in Kumogakure. The building being captured by Akuro for several hours as well as his powerful Lightning jutsu was being talked about throughout the vige.


    As the ones who knew the truth, Bee and Mabui felt coldness in their hearts. Finally, Ay answered, "This is regarding the recent events in Konoha and the Spectral Swordsman."


    Everyone in the room became serious upon hearing Fujin''s title. While he was already feared, his battle against Orochimaru had made everyone weary of him. Inazuma asked, "What of that kid? How is he rted to today''s events?"


    Ay answered, "He left Konoha openly, giving us an opportunity to eliminate him. Even though we suspected that it was a trap set by Konoha, the opportunity was too good to pass up. That''s where Bee and I were."


    The eyes of everyone other than Mabui and Bee widened. Nanako asked, "Did you eliminate him?"


    Ay sighed and replied, "Unfortunately, we didn''t even see him. It wasn''t a trap set by Konoha. Instead, he was the bait to lure me and Bee there while they targeted something else."


    Inazuma said, "So that''s why so many security measures were taken. However, Konoha didn''t attack us. Unless Akuro is affiliated with Konoha¡­"


    Ay shook his head and said, "I don''t know much about Akuro. We''ll wait for Darui''s return. He might have more information. As for Konoha''s target. It wasn''t the vige. Instead, they were the military camps we set up to raise elites. As of right now, every one in six camps is missing."


    Shock and horror appeared in their eyes as they heard Ay''s solemn tone.


    "That''s impossible!"


    "Everyone is missing?"


    "How?"


    "How can they go missing in a single day?"


    "No, this can''t be! My daughter was in one of the camps too! Which camps were targeted?"


    Even the experienced ninjas panicked. Only Inazuma maintained his cool. He asked, "Only missing and not dead? Do we have any more information or any leads?"


    Mabui answered, "Yes, they''re missing. We haven''t found even a single dead body, nor have any idea where they could be. However, things aren''t very hopeful. Darui led an army to the base watched over by Dodai.


    He didn''t find anyone there and instead, the entire camp was filled with explosive seals that were hidden so ingeniously that even Elder Jin failed to sense them. They fell into the trap and suffered heavy losses. Darui believes that Suzuki Fujin might have been involved inying the traps but we don''t have any proof."


    The leaders of Kumogakure hadn''t recovered from the earlier shock when they received even more shocking news! Nanako muttered in disbelief, "Jin was fooled?"


    Inazuma sighed tiredly and asked, "What are our losses so far? And, what were their ranks?"


    Ay nced at Mabui and everyone followed his gaze. Mabui reported, "658 ninjas are missing from the military camp. They include 3 Elite Jounins, 111 Jounins, and 544 Chunins. In the trap, Darui''s army lost 67 ninjas, among which 8 were Jounins and 59 were Chunins. 52 more died when fighting against Akuro. 6 of them were Jounins while 46 were Chunins.


    In addition, we have lost 5 Anbu squads and 16 Jounins. Old man Kiyoshi is missing as well, though he is suspected of betraying the vige."


    Silence engulfed the room once again as stunned expressions appeared on everyone''s faces. Even Ay, Bee, and Mabui had ashen expressions. In the span of 24 hours, Kumogakure had lost 814 ninjas! More than a sixth were Jounins while the rest were Chunins. The loss was just too huge.


    Not too long ago, the council members were shaken by the deaths of 16 ninjas. When they learnt that the real losses could be more than 50 times that number, they were too stunned to even think! Not a single person in the room even dared to assume the 658 missing ninjas as dead.


    For several minutes, not a single word escaped anyone''s lips. Finally, Inazuma asked softly, his voice quivering, "Ay¡­ How could you have fallen into such a trap? Why didn''t you consult me before making a move?"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 703: Sacrifice

    Chapter 703: Sacrifice


    Inazuma''s voice quivered as he questioned Ay. Others in the room could feel the pain he was feeling due to the losses Kumogakure had just suffered. Everyone else was feeling the same. As the leaders of Kumogakure, most were well-connected and had someone close to them in the camps. Even if they didn''t, the loss was just too painful for Kumogakure.


    Ay didn''t reply and just stayed quiet. The opportunity hade suddenly when he least expected it. He didn''t have the time to consult others as any opposition would have resulted in the opportunity slipping away. In addition, the manner in which the military camps were cleared by Fujin meant that even if he had involved others, it wouldn''t have made much of a difference.


    In fact, had Shikaku and Hiruzen known about Fujin''s Fuin Battlefield, they would have changed their ns drastically. There was no need to lure Ay and Bee out. Fujin could have silently eliminated all 10 bases over a couple of days before Kumogakure realized what was happening because they wouldn''t have been nearly as alert as they were. Their losses would have been even higher in that case.


    Of course, no one knew how the camps were eliminated. Even if they did, it didn''t take the me away from Ay. After all, he was the leader of Kumogakure. He was the one responsible for the vige''s protection. And, he had failed miserably at his job.


    One of the council members muttered, "This will cause a great upheaval in the vige. The family members of the dead will grieve. The family members of the missing ninjas will be troubled until we can find them. And¡­"


    She paused for a moment before continuing grimly, "And, if we can''t find them, then this would be one of the greatest tragedies that the vige has suffered since the foundation! The longer we go without finding them, the more unstable the vige will be."


    Everyone stared at Ay as the council member shared her thoughts. Even though she painted a solemn picture, there was another hidden message in her words which was caught by everyone. Bee''s expression became serious and Mabui barely managed to restrain herself. She asked as calmly as she could, "What are you implying?"


    An underlying threat could be perceived from her words. It made the council members nervous, but all of them stood their ground. Suddenly, Ay said, "Mabui, calm down. As the Raikage, I have to ept responsibility for this matter."


    The loss of close to a thousand elite ninjas was something that threatened Ay''s seat! The fact that he carelessly left to hunt Fujin without consulting anyone made it even worse. Needless to say, this was one of Shikaku''s goals as well. While he didn''t believe Ay would lose his seat, any instability in Kumogakure was good news for Konoha. The more Ay would be caught up in internal politics, the less energy he would have to create trouble for Konoha. What Shikaku didn''t anticipate was how thorough Fujin would be and that he would amplify the matter several times with Akuro''s identity.


    Despite being as strong as he was, Ay was feeling the heat at that instant. Both he and Bee were out of the vige when they needed them the most. Even Darui and Yugito suffered a defeat at the hands of Akuro while Mabui sent several Anbu squads to their deaths. As such, all the top leaders in his faction had messed up. Political instability inside Kumogakure was inevitable.


    Luckily, the few rank S ninjas in Kumogakure were all loyal to him and all shared the me to a certain degree. So, there wasn''t anyone to rece him. Everyone in the council understood that and hence no one openly dared to tell him to resign.


    To everyone''s surprise, Inazuma suddenly asked, "ept responsibility? What are you going to do? Retire?"


    Ay frowned. Inazuma''s words had a mocking undertone. Mabui couldn''t endure that andshed out, "Elde¡­"


    However, Inazuma raised a palm to stop her. He continued speaking, "Ay, you''re underestimating the gravity of this situation. If we find the missing ninjas, then you can use it to rally the people in the vige and recover our morale. However, if you don''t, you won''t be able to handle the consequences. Even if you hide the details of the situation and feign ignorance about the reason why so many ninjas went missing, you''ll be questioned because the camps were your idea.


    The people of the vige will vilify you for mishandling this situation. You''ll be hated and many will stop trusting you. Parents might stop sending their children to the academy and the current ninjas will be very wary of any such initiatives in the future. Even if you keep your seat, the vige will be extremely unstable and recovering from this loss will take far longer.


    If we had a rank S ninja who wasn''t involved in this matter, we could have changed leadership and restored people''s faith in the leadership. Unfortunately, we don''t have any such candidate¡­"


    He paused to take a deep breath as everyone wondered where he was heading. Nanako thought, ''He is behaving strangely today. He openly mentioned that Raikage-sama should resign and called him by his name for the second time¡­''


    Inazuma took a few seconds topose himself. His expression became serious once again as he continued, "I messed up as well by ordering 16 Jounins to run to their deaths. I was nning to retire by epting the me. However, I didn''t know about the events in the camps.


    The only way to control the uing instability and ensure that Kumogakure moves forward as we always did, is to direct their hatred to a person other than you. I''ll take the me for this entire incident.


    I''ll hand in my resignation from the council and admit that it was my n to send you on a secret mission, which reduced our defenses and resulted in this tragedy."


    The eyes of every person in the room widened. No one expected Inazuma to make such a sacrifice! As someone who advised the Third Raikage and contributed immensely for decades, Inazuma was highly respected by everyone in Kumogakure. The influence he held in Kumogakure was immense and second to only Ay.


    However, if he did what he said, all his former achievements would be forgotten. He''d only be remembered for this failure. Instead of being respected, he''d go down as one of the most hated and ipetent ninjas in Kumogakure''s history.


    For a while, no one in the room could say a single word. Finally, Ay sighed and muttered, "Old man¡­ Thank you."


    Inazuma smiled and replied, "It''s fine. This is what your father would''ve expected me to do. Just continue making Kumogakure stronger and ensure you don''t fall prey to such schemes from Konoha again."


    Ay could only nod as Inazuma turned around and left the office. A sigh escaped his mouth as he thought, ''To think that he would make such a sacrifice... Now that I think about it, even though everyone looked at him to stop my ns, he never went overboard and kept the council together. I wonder if my father put him up to this task before passing away or whether he did it with his own will. Regardless, I won''t have him to guard against the schemes of others in the council any more.


    Still, to think that Konoha would make such a deadly scheme. To cause us such heavy losses and even threaten my chair. And, Darui just happens to run into someone as strong as Akuro at the same time, who, for some reason, goes all out to humiliate us. Was all this just a coincidence, or is Konoha behind everything? In any case, I now understand why Father was so wary of Konoha. From the start to the end, I had no control of the situation!''


    Ay felt a great hatred towards Konoha. However, he knew that his options against Konoha were very limited. More importantly, he''d have to devote all his energy to stabilizing Kumogakure. If he made another reckless move and Kumogakure suffered once again, the opportunity he got due to Inazuma''s sacrifice would be wasted and he wouldn''t be able to control the internal situation.


    Ay, the council members and some senior ninjas discussed how they should deal with the situation throughout the night. Darui and his army returned to the vige during this time. He quickly met up with Ay and the rest and informed them about his experiences.


    Of course, the spies also took advantage of the darkness. With the barrier no longer covering the vige, they sent messenger birds to their respective viges. As luck would have it, a couple of ninjas from Darui''s army were spies as well, one from Konoha and one from Iwa. As soon as they got an opportunity, they did the same. Even though Kumogakure was alert, they couldn''t track this as they mixed among the messenger birds continuously sent from the Raikage''s office.


    As the first rays of the Sun fell on Konoha, Fujin returned to Hiruzen''s office. Hiruzen and Shikaku were already waiting for him and cleared the room immediately. Both had smiles on their faces. Hiruzen asked, "How many did you get?"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 704: Turbulent times...

    Chapter 704: Turbulent times...


    Fujin answered nonchntly, "658, including 3 Elite Jounins."


    Since they already knew that Fujin had eliminated 6 bases, both had expected such an answer. Even so, their smile widened. Hiruzen couldn''t help but say, "You''ve done a great job, Fujin."


    Fujin nodded and continued, "I''ve no idea how many fell to the traps, though I suppose our spies should get that information easily once they arrange the funerals. I also sent a few Wind Clones around. I didn''t task them with killing anyone and just sent them to create some disruptions. They should''ve started several hurricanes which will disrupt their internal trading for some time."


    Shikaku said, "That''s good. It''ll keep them busy with their internal matters for longer. Along with Eagle eliminating their spies, their losses exceed 700 ninjas even without considering the traps.


    With such heavy blows to their elite ninjas and their intelligencework, Kumo will be unable to start a war for at least 3 to 4 years. The fourth Raikage will have no choice but to tone down his aggression."


    Ever since Minato''s death and Orochimaru''s betrayal, Kumogakure had always been on the lookout to find Konoha''s weak spots. The Hyuga incident was just the start. They continued poking Konoha continuously since then, but Hiruzen had done an excellent job ensuring that Konoha wasn''t caught in another scheme while giving Kumogakure a bloody nose once.


    Even though Konoha''s strength had recovered, Kumogakure always remained a major threat due to its aggressive nature. For the first time in over a decade, Konoha would be able to enjoy some peace. Of course, that was if they fended off Sunagakure and Orochimaru''s scheme.


    Fujin had the same thought. He nodded in agreement, but asked, "While it does cripple their military temporarily, aren''t you afraid that the Raikage might do something drastic? He isn''t exactly known for his calmness, is he? If Orochimaru extended an olive branch to him and he epts, we could be in deep trouble."


    Shikaku chuckled and said, "You don''t need to worry about that. He''ll soon be buried in so much internal work that he wouldn''t even be able to nce in our direction. I''m sure he would want revenge on us for this maneuver, but he is on thin ice. If he tries something and Kumogakure suffers once again, he''ll have a very difficult time keeping his chair. Any alliance with Orochimaru has the potential of being backstabbed. The circumstances won''t allow him to take this risk." Hiruzen agreed and added, "The Fourth Raikage''s decisiveness is quite troublesome to deal with in difficult situations. Fortunately, your actions will ensure that Kumogakure won''t allow him to be that decisive.


    Of course, we''ll keep an eye on them just in case they do something drastic. However, considering the pressure he''ll face internally and even in their council, I don''t think there''s any reason to be worried."


    Hiruzen suddenly sighed and muttered, "It''s a shame that we don''t have any spies inside their council. If we did, I could have kept him upied in Kumogakure''s internal problems for at least a decade."


    His words immediately earned stares from Fujin and Shikaku. Both were slightly surprised at how miserable Hiruzen wanted to make Ay. Fujin couldn''t help but wonder, ''Is he still salty about the embarrassing loss he took during the Hyuga incident?''


    Sensing their stares, Hiruzen shrugged and said, "Neither of you had the chance to see Sensei in action. What we''ve pulled this time is a child''s ypared to what he did on a regr basis. Anyway, you''ve done a great job, Fujin. Take a good rest. We need you to be at your best during the final round of the Chunin Exam."


    He continued in a serious tone, "We''ll be putting our focus back on Orochimaru and Sunagakure. Even though we''ve done plenty to deter them, I''m unable to understand Rasa and Orochimaru''s thoughts due to how irrational they have been. They might still continue with their ns.


    Whatever their ns are, we''ve to get through with minimal losses ande out on top. In addition, Kumogakure will use their losses to make other viges, especially Iwagakure, wary of us. We''ll need to thwart their efforts and make other viges doubtful of Kumogakure''s intentions. Onoki wouldn''t act as long as we create some degree of doubt."


    Shikaku sighed in exhaustion while Fujin chuckled at his reaction. Needless to say, Shikaku would be the one responsible for that task. The trio discussed a few more things before letting Fujin leave.


    Once the two of them were alone, Shikaku''s expression became serious. He said, "His performance was just too good this time. From the structure of those bases, even wide-range Wind jutsus wouldn''t be able to kill everyone with such efficiency and prevent everyone from sending messenger birds to Kumogakure.


    When I made the n, I expected him to annihte just one base and then pick off a couple hundred more ninjas due to his summon''s ability to fly at high speeds. However, he was able topletely annihte 6 bases without alerting anyone. I wonder how he managed to do that."


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "Every ninja has his own secrets. Considering how careful he is, it isn''t strange for him to have a few secret techniques. I suppose no one other than the dead can answer your question. Isn''t that why you asked him to destroy the dead bodies instead of bringing them back?"


    Hiruzen asked with a chuckle. Shikaku sighed and muttered, "This boy is too troublesome. He keeps his cards very close to his chest. As good as that is for a ninja, it makes my job much harder. If I had asked him to bring back the bodies so that we could read their memories, I''m afraid that he might not have performed to the best of his abilities to keep his secrets hidden."


    Hiruzen just chuckled in response. However, even though he didn''t show it on his face, Hiruzen couldn''t help but feel slightly disappointed. After all, he had always helped out Fujin and hadn''t held back from guiding him. The only ce where he drew a line was darker forbidden jutsus that could lead Fujin on the same path as Orochimaru.


    In return, Fujin hadn''t shown the same trust in Hiruzen. However, even though he was disappointed, Hiruzen didn''t mind it much. He was well aware of Fujin''s personality and knew there wasn''t much anyone could do about it. Not to mention, Fujin had already repaid his faith and efforts several times over.


    Be it stopping Orochimaru twice, cutting down close to 700 Kumogakure ninjas or the massive wounds Fujin had repeatedly inflicted on other viges, Fujin had already contributed a lot to Konoha and taken a lot of pressure off Hiruzen''s shoulders. And, he was still only 16! As long as he didn''t go down the same route as Orochimaru, Hiruzen didn''t mind Fujin keeping his abilities a secret.


    Fujin returned to his house and stretched a bit as he thought, ''After such intense battles, I''d like nothing more than to sleep. Unfortunately, there are still a couple of days for this soldier pill to run out. I suppose it is back to training¡­''


    Fujin opened a scroll and began reading it once again. It was the scroll containing the Third Raikage''s notes on Lightning Chakra Mode and ck Lightning. After reading it entirely, Fujin decided, ''Both of these techniques will be a long-term process. I''ll focus on themter. For now, I need to make improvements in my Lightningbat system and implement the ideas I got while fighting Darui and the rest¡­''


    In an instant, several Shadow Clones appeared next to him before teleporting away instantly. All left Konoha and went to ces where they could train Lightning jutsus without being disturbed or watched by anyone. As for Fujin, he entered the meditation room and began meditating to recover his chakra faster. He nned to stay there until Hiruzen called for him.


    Even though there was no Great War, the world of ninjas was still quite turbulent. In Kumogakure, people were in a panic due to Akuro''s stunts. Before they could recover, they learnt about the missing ninjas and the entire vige became a mess! That mess would soon spread throughout the country like wildfire!


    To the south of the Land of Lightning, the Land of Water was still engulfed by a civil war. Their battles were bing increasingly tense.


    A few thousand kilometers away, the Sunagakure ninjas were busy preparing for an assault on Konoha, while their higher-ups were still debating whether they should go forward with the ns or halt them for the time being.


    To their north, even the higher-ups in Iwagakure were stressed out. In a matter of days, they lost contact with more than half of their intelligencework! They were busy checking what had happened in their neighboring countries for such a sudden change.


    At the center of everything, Konoha looked stable as a monolith, seeming unbothered by everything happening around them. However, in the dark, the Anbu and the ns were preparing for another major war. As such, the entire ninja world was on a thin edge.


    At such a time, a few birds were flying peacefully towards their targets, carrying terrifying news on their back. It was evening when a few of them reached the Land of Water and informed both factions about the events that took ce inside Kumogakure. A few minutester, a few birds reached Konoha. Sunagakure and Iwagakure were farther from Kumogakure, so they received the messenger birds a few hourster. The minor viges received them at varying hours as well.


    Regardless of when they received the scrolls or which leader opened and read it, everyone''s eyes widened in shock! Even Hiruzen was no exception as he muttered, "What in the hell?"


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 Chapter 705 - 699 : Shocking the World!

    <h4>Chapter 705: Chapter 699 : Shocking the World!</h4>


    Within the span of a few hours, all the leaders of various hidden viges received messages from Kumogakure. No matter who it was, every single one was shocked.


    In Kirigakure, Mangetsu read the scroll and muttered in disbelief, "Impossible!"


    He immediately got up and went to inform the Fourth Mizukage.


    In the rebel camp, Mei had a simr stunned reaction. However, a smile immediately appeared on her face as she muttered, "Interesting. To think that someone would humiliate Kumogakure. However, why wasn''t the Raikage in the vige?"


    In Sunagakure, Rasa read the report with a solemn expression. He had the same doubt as Mei when a certain memory surfaced in his mind. He thought, ''Irrespective of why the Raikage and the Jinchurikis weren''t in Kumogakure, this event will destabilize Kumogakure. Even though the means are different, the end result will be simr to how my position became unstable a few years ago. Was Konoha behind this as well?''


    He quickly analyzed before concluding, ''This is undoubtedly Konoha''s work! Lightning masters are rare outside Kumogakure. The only famous one is Hatake Kakashi. If I assume that Suzuki Fujin destabilizing the Land of Wind was some sort of test, then this could be a test for Hatake Kakashi. Unfortunately for Konoha, they''ve picked the worst time to do this...''


    A glint appeared in Rasa''s eyes as he had an idea. He decided, ''Orochimaru hasn''t given me any response on how to deal with the rank S ninjas in Konoha. However, if we can ally with Kumogakure as well, then we won''t have much difficulty in crushing Konoha. I need to act quickly!''


    In Iwagakure, Onoki read the two reports. Kitsuchi was with him as well. A serious expression appeared on their faces. Kitsuchi muttered, "Strange... This is very strange! An entire base suddenly became empty and for some reason, Kumogakure decided to send a whole army. This should mean that they were already aware of what caused that base to be emptied and the threat wasrge enough to dispatch an army.


    Yet, the army fell into a trap despite having a Grandmaster. While returning, they ran into this Akuro fellow and he not only fought them but also went to Kumogakure and humiliated them to this degree. Have you heard of this guy?"


    Onoki shook his head and replied, "No. However, he must be very formidable. Taking on an entire army led by Darui and a near-perfect Jinchuriki is extremely difficult. Very few ninjas can aplish this. However..."


    A smirk appeared on Onoki''s face. He said, "There is no doubt that he must have great hatred for Kumogakure. This is good news. That brat Ay was too arrogant. This should tamper him down considerably. Pay attention to newsing from Kumogakure. We''ll get some interesting news."


    Unlike the major viges, the minor viges were in a panic. If Kumogakure, despite all its military might, couldn''t deal with Akuro and were humiliated to such an extent, what could they do? Akuro immediately became the most feared ninja among the leaders of the minor viges, even exceeding the Spectral Swordsman!


    They could bear losing some of their ninjas, but being humiliated to such a degree would be a very big p on their faces. None of them wanted to experience what Ay had to. The leaders immediately decided to order all their ninjas to stay clear of him after Kumogakure put his appearance in the Bingo book.


    In Konoha, Hiruzen muttered in disbelief, "What in the hell?"


    He continued reading the scrolls. His eyes suddenly widened and he thought, ''A Lightning jutsu of this caliber? This is simr to the attack on Root Headquarters! Could it be the same guy? However, why is he in Kumogakure? No...''


    Hiruzen nced at his Anbu Guards and ordered, "Bring Shikaku and Fujin here."


    A couple of guards disappeared from the room. Hiruzen analyzed, ''No, the first question is, why did he attack Root? And why did he stop attacking after the Root disbanded? Why did he now change his target to Kumogakure? Was it just because they interrupted his meal or did he have some other goal?''


    Hiruzen thought for a while before concluding, ''If it was just because they interrupted his meal, then it could exin some things. Perhaps some Root ninjas ran into him and annoyed him, leading him to take such drastic measures. However, this is still too strange. Why would anyone go to this extent to humiliate others for such a small issue? Something about this guy is off.''


    With his decades of experience and sharp instincts, Hiruzen immediately realized that something was odd about Akuro. However, he couldn''t put his finger on what it was. After thinking for a minute, he gave up.


    He nced at the scroll again and thought, ''Anyway, Fujin''s ability to set up traps is quite ridiculous. To think 67 experienced ninjas died to just the traps he set in one base! Then again...''


    Hiruzen let out a chuckle, recalling Fujin''s house. He thought, ''I guess I shouldn''t be surprised considering what he has done with his house. In future Great Wars, we could use this ability of his to slow down all invading forces. After a few sessful traps, all enemy forces will have to move very carefully even if they don''t find any traps.''


    Several ideas appeared in Hiruzen''s mind to properly utilize this ability of Fujin to a devastating effect. As he was thinking, Shikaku and Fujin entered his office. He nced at his guards, who immediately cleared the room and activated the seals.


    Shikaku asked in an exhausted voice, "What is it this time?"


    Hiruzen pushed the scrolls forward and said, "See for yourselves."


    Shikaku opened the scroll and he and Fujin began reading. Surprise appeared on both their faces as they went through both scrolls. Shikaku sighed and muttered, "Another troublesome fellow."


    As for Fujin, a slight smirk appeared on his lips. Hiruzen had been paying close attention to Fujin''s reaction. He asked, "Did you find anything odd, Fujin?"


    Fujin just chuckled and replied, "Not really. I just can''t help but feel sorry for them. At any other time, the Raikage might have been in the vige and fought off this Akuro fellow. Unfortunately, they ran into him right when we targeted them."


    Shikaku added, "They''re indeed unlucky. The timing couldn''t be more off. Regardless, I now see why the Raikage and Killer Bee were rushing back at such speeds even after they disbanded their bases. Still..."


    Shikaku''s expression became very serious and so did Fujin''s. As if reading Shikaku''s mind, Fujin said, "That Lightning jutsu is suspicious, isn''t it? It brings back the memories of that attack on Root."


    Shikaku nodded and added, "Yes. There aren''t many who can use a Lightning jutsu of that scale. I don''t see Kumo sending Killer Bee inside our vige to target the Root. So, it was most likely this guy. Especially if we consider how easily he snuck into and took control of the Raikage Building."


    He sighed again and muttered in annoyance, "What did Elder Danzo do to step on the toes of such a troublesome fellow? It''s a good thing that we disbanded Root or we may have suffered quite a bit."


    Fujin nodded in agreement. He looked at Hiruzen and asked, "Grandpa, did you find out anything about this guy from Elder Danzo? Surely he must have tried to do an independent investigation and figured out some details regarding the attacker and how the Root offended him, right?"


    There wasn''t a hint of doubt or shame in Fujin''s voice. Even experienced and intelligent people like Shikaku and Hiruzen didn''t find anything wrong with the way he said it. Hiruzen could only shake his head and answer, "No. He always imed ignorance rted to that matter. That said, if this guy is as peculiar as these reports suggest, then it could be something very petty. So, it''s not a surprise that Danzo doesn''t know about it."


    Neither Shikaku nor Fujin found anything wrong with Hiruzen''s line of thinking. Hiruzen asked, "Fujin, did you find anyone suspicious while traveling through the Land of Lightning?"


    Fujin replied, "Not really. However, from the information in this report, he was very close to the route I had taken. If I had gone on foot instead of flying, I might have run into him. A shame... We may have got some details about what exactly happened on that day."


    Shikaku immediately replied, "What shame? Considering his performance, killing him would be very difficult. Even if you had fought and defeated him, you''d have attracted a lot of trouble for Konoha if you failed to kill him. At this time, it could have put us in a tough spot.


    So, it was undoubtedly a good thing that you didn''t run into him. Lord Hokage, I propose that we avoid offending this guy, at least until we have more information on him. Even though he may have killed a few of our ninjas, we don''t know for sure whether it was Akuro.


    Even if it was Akuro, the losses we will suffer to deal with him aren''t worth taking his head. It''ll be better if we let Kumogakure be upied in trying to hunt him down. If we''re lucky, some other viges might offend him as well."


    [A/N: Wrote the next chapter a bit as well. Should be able to finish it today in probably around 6 hours.]


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    ()

 Chapter 706: Our Time has Passed...

    Chapter 706: Our Time has Passed...


    [A/N: A few years ago, I never would have imagined writing a fanfic that would have more chapters than Naruto Manga. But, here we are, on our 700th chapter. Thanks for all your love and support guys! Couldn''t have done it without you.]


    Unlike Shikaku, Hiruzen didn''t want to ignore the deaths of those Root ninjas and the destruction of the Root Headquarters. However, Shikaku''s logic was on point as usual. Under current circumstances, Konoha didn''t have any strength to spare to deal with such a troublesome fellow.


    Hiruzen decided, ''A shame, but there is indeed nothing we can do right now. Once I''ve dealt with Orochimaru and Suna, I will ask Jiraiya to find more information on him. Future actions will depend on the information we get.''


    Hiruzen replied, "Alright."


    Fujin sighed in relief internally thinking, ''Good. I was worried he''d send me to hunt myself once again¡­''


    Shikaku immediately said, "You''ll also need to ensure that Elder Danzo doesn''t do anything. Last time, we were lucky that the enemy decided to only target Root. However, we can''t be sure next time."


    It was Hiruzen''s turn to sigh tiredly. He didn''t want to deal with Danzo again, especially at a time when he was so busy. Unfortunately, he couldn''t say no and agreed. Of course, since Shikaku put him up to such a troublesome task, he''d have to suffer as well.


    A glint appeared in his eyes as he looked into Shikaku''s eyes. A shiver passed down Shikaku''s spine as he realized, ''Crap! He is nning to give me a very troublesome task! I need to leave in a hurry! But what excuse do I use? Right, Shikamaru is in the finals. I have to train him!''


    Fujin noticed it as well and became quite intrigued by what Hiruzen would say. Unfortunately for Shikaku, Hiruzen suddenly disappeared from his chair and appeared next to him before he could open his mouth. Hiruzen said, "I''ll meet Danzo now. Shikaku, start working on a defensive n in case Sunagakure and Orochimaru attack us during the Final round andplete it within the next 4 days. I''m counting on you. Also, consider whether Akuro''s actions could invoke any strange reactions from Kumogakure. Fujin, continue doing what you want to. We''ll call you once the ns are made. You''ll undoubtedly have a huge role to y."


    Fujin nodded and replied, "Alright, Grandpa."


    He nced at Shikaku and said, "Good luck, Shikaku-san. The entire vige is counting on you."


    A tick mark appeared on Shikaku''s face as both Fujin and Hiruzen disappeared from the office, leaving him alone. Shikaku cursed, ''These two troublesome fellows. I swear that the old man has be more troublesome since he began interacting more with that brat! I just dealt with the Kumogakure situation and now he has already dumped more work on me.''


    Unfortunately, the poor guy had no one toin to. He could only begin working.


    Hiruzen flickered a few times and entered the underground Root Headquarters. When Fujin blew the Root Headquarters, only the undergroundboratory was spared. Danzo made his new office inside theboratory.


    Danzo was slightly startled to see Hiruzen suddenly appear in his office but he wasn''t too surprised. He looked at Hiruzen and wondered, ''Does he want my help to deal with Orochimaru and Sunagakure?''


    For nearly a year, Danzo had been looking for an opportunity to get his authority back. Unfortunately, Konoha was too stable and peaceful. Orochimaru''s appearance and Gaara''s presence gave him the opening he needed. However, Hiruzen was in no mood to y mind games. He ced a couple of scrolls in front of Danzo and said, "We received some interesting information from Kumogakure."


    Danzo frowned. He grabbed the scroll while wondering, ''Kumogakure? Shouldn''t he be upied with Sunagakure?''


    Hiruzen looked at Danzo reading the scroll and thought, ''Even though the Root no longer exists, he still has several ways to get information. It''s better to talk with him openly than let him make moves in secret and make my job more difficult.''


    Danzo read the report without any emotion on his face but was quite surprised to learn that such a strong existence waspletely unknown to him. His eyes suddenly widened and he stood up and said with a grim expression, "This attack!"


    He immediately looked at Hiruzen and said, "So, this is why you showed up."


    Hiruzen nodded and analyzed, ''His reaction was natural. To think that he still didn''t know who attacked Root headquarters¡­ You''ve lost your touch, old friend.''


    Had it been a couple of decades ago, Hiruzen had no doubt that Danzo would have turned the entire ninja world upside down to find who the attacker was and give him the most painful death. However, he didn''t even know who the attacker was despite having so much time. Of course, Hiruzen restraining Danzo yed a big role but even if it didn''t, how could Danzo find someone who didn''t exist?


    Danzo said, "Akuro¡­ Lightning attacks of this scale are tough to achieve. He must have some tool to amplify his attacks like Sensei''s de and probably is the one who attacked Root.


    However, something about him feels off¡­ Very off. Who attacks an army for getting disturbed while eating? It feels more like he was fishing for an excuse to battle them."


    Hiruzen replied, "Perhaps. Or perhaps he''s just that peculiar."


    Danzo asked, "Do you mean to say that he might have attacked Root for such a petty reason?"


    Hiruzen nodded in agreement. Danzo thought for a bit and said, "No, the situation is quite different. Kumogakure offended him openly, while he attacked the Root ninjas inside the hidden bases. If any Root ninja had irked him, he would have killed them on the spot and I didn''t have any missi¡­"


    Danzo''s eyes widened as he recalled important information. He muttered, "No, two of my subordinates went missing some time ago and were suspected dead. However, there is still a considerable amount of time between the two events. Unless my ninjas betrayed me, that''s impossible."


    Hiruzen replied, "Unfortunately, we can''t say for sure."


    Danzo looked into Hiruzen''s eyes and said, "Of course we can. We have to hunt down Akuro and read his memories. Only then can we know what happened that day and bring justice to our martyrs."


    To his surprise, Hiruzen inly asked, "Do you not see the current situation, Danzo?"


    Danzo frowned and replied, "Orochimaru and Sunagakure¡­ In that case, focus on them. Give me a few squads of my old Root ninjas and I''ll hunt him down."


    Hiruzen let out a sigh and replied, "You''ve stopped seeing what''s good for the vige, Danzo. Hunting down Akuro will make him target Konoha. And, we can''t afford to have such an enemy at such a critical time. Not to mention, we don''t even know for sure whether it was him."


    Danzo frowned and argued aggressively, "Hiruzen! Don''t forg¡­"


    However, Hiruzen cut him off and said, "That''s the end of the discussion, Danzo. I''m here to tell you to not do anything foolish. Once the current threat is dealt with, I''ll send Jiraiya to dig out more information about him. If he''s truly as reckless as he seems, dealing with him won''t be too difficult. However¡­"


    Hiruzen paused to put more emphasis on his words. He said, "Until we get more information, you won''t make a move."


    Hiruzen''s tone left little room for discussion. Danzo snorted and sat in his chair whilementing, "You''ve grown soft, Hiruzen. In the old days, you''d be the first one out to hunt him down for killing our ninjas."


    Hiruzen sighed. He disappeared from the room, leaving just his words behind, "Our time has long passed, Danzo. Stop clinging on to the past."


    Even though he seemingly backed down, Danzo had no will to follow Hiruzen''s orders. Unfortunately for him, Hiruzen increased the surveince on Root severalfold. The restrictions ensured that neither he nor his few remaining subordinates could set a foot outside theboratory without Hiruzen knowing about it. Danzo could only do his best to get as much information as he could from Kumogakure so that he wouldn''t bepletely reliant on Hiruzen for information.


    The other viges were the same. Akuro''s sudden appearance had made them curious about him and they activated their intelligencework to get as much information about him as they could. At the same time, Akatsuki had begun their search for Akuro.


    At such a time, in a secret base inside the Land of Rice, Orochimaru weaved a few hand seals. Suddenly, the person in front of him let out a blood-curdling scream. Soon, his appearance changed as Orochimaru revived Kabuto in his body!


    Surprise could be seen on Orochimaru''s face as he muttered, "You really are dead..."


    Kabuto''s long absence had been very surprising for Orochimaru. He waited patiently for nearly 3 weeks and yet hadn''t heard anything rted to Kabuto. In the end, he finally decided to try the Edo Tensei jutsu to check whether he was dead or if he had betrayed Orochimaru. To his surprise, the Edo Tensei jutsu worked!


    [A/N: Latest chapter : The path to surpass rank S! (Never imagined it''d take 700+ chapters to reveal the suspense at the end of chapter 34!)]


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 Chapter 707: Konohas Relentless Schemes!!!

    Chapter 707: Konoha''s Relentless Schemes!!!


    Kabuto was slightly startled. It felt like he had gotten up from a long sleep. He saw Orochimaru immediately and was about to speak when he realized that something was off with his body. He nced down and his eyes widened.


    He looked at Orochimaru again and asked in shock, "Is this the Second Hokage''s Edo Tensei?"


    Orochimaru nodded and said, "It is. How did you die and who did it?"


    Kabuto let out a long sigh and said, "I''ve disappointed you, Orochimaru-sama. It was Hatake Kakashi."


    Orochimaru asked in surprise, "Kakashi was able to kill you? How? And, why did you run into him again?"


    Orochimaru suspected that Kabuto ran into Hiruzen, Jiraiya or Fujin. He didn''t expect it''d be Kakashi. Kabuto answered, "It was immediately after I escaped. I thought that I had managed to get away sessfully. However, he was still somehow able to track me. In addition, he was also able to sneak behind me without alerting me. I had no idea until he stabbed me with his Chidori."


    Orochimaru frowned. While he knew Kakashi was strong, he didn''t think he''d be strong enough to kill Kabuto in such a manner. He wondered, ''Was he putting up an act against my clone? Or did Kabuto lower his guard? Even though assassination is his speciality, he shouldn''t have been able to kill Kabuto without any assistance.''


    Kabuto could see Orochimaru''s thoughts on his face and said, "I hadn''t lowered my guard. On the contrary, I had raised it to the highest level considering the situation. However, he still managed to sneak up on me. I''m afraid that Kakashi has been hiding a considerable amount of his strength until Konoha needs him to show it. If not for the Edo Tensei jutsu, you wouldn''t have found out about it either."


    Orochimaru''s lips curled up as he muttered, "Interesting. I didn''t expect him to y such a card. I suppose I shouldn''t be too surprised considering the talent he disyed in his younger days. I wonder how much more Sensei is keeping hidden." Kabuto added, "We underestimated Konoha. Be it Fujin or Kakashi, both would be very difficult to deal with. And, we don''t know how strong Might Guy truly is. If we don''t make any arrangements to restrain him, he could turn the tides of the war single-handedly. Even you might not survive if he can and does open the Gate of Death.


    Not to mention, since Kakashi killed me, Konoha must have read my memories. They should know that we have allied with Sunagakure and n to attack Konoha during the final rounds. They''ll be prepared."


    Orochimaru replied, "It''s fine. I haven''t told you about the final n. Even if they prepare, it won''t have much effect on me. As long as I kill Hiruzen, any resistance they put up and losses we take are inconsequential. That said, you''re right. We need to make several changes to our ns¡­"


    Orochimaru weaved a few hand seals as he continued, "Fortunately, I''ve already made a few. I can''t sustain the Edo Tensei for a long time yet. However, you''ll y a role in the uing war. Even though you won''t be at your full strength, you can''t be killed in this state and can only be sealed. Make sure to use it to the fullest."


    Kabuto nodded as Orochimaru sealed him and stepped out of hisboratory. Kimimaro and Sound Four were waiting patiently for him. He nced at them and said, "It''s time to meet up with the Kazekage. Follow me."


    The six of them immediately left the hidden base and began moving towards the Land of Rivers.


    In Kumogakure, the council hade together for another meeting. Even Inazuma, who had already resigned and epted the me for the missing ninjas was present. However, the reason for this meeting was quite different from the meetings they had been having for the past few days.


    Ay ced a scroll on the table and said, "I received this scroll from Sunagakure this morning. It''s rather interesting."


    Ay''s tone puzzled others in the room and they began reading the scroll. Mabui exined, "Even though they didn''t say it outright, they''re hinting at creating a secret alliance to assault Konoha together. From their words and the events in Konoha, we suspect that Orochimaru is involved as well."


    The entire room was surprised. None of them expected such an invitation. Darui muttered, "That''s a very convenient timing. They send such a proposal right when we are suffering from such a loss and our hatred towards Konoha is at its highest point. However, how could Sunagakure know that Konoha was behind our missing ninjas?"


    The entire council became silent for some time as everyone had their own thoughts. Finally, one of them said, "Could it be that Sunagakure was behind this incident and is trying to pin the me on Konoha?"


    Ay replied, "I don''t think so. They don''t have anyone to do something like this. If they did, their situation wouldn''t be as bad as it is. It was definitely Konoha. However, this is indeed suspicious. Both Sunagakure and Orochimaru are associated with Konoha.


    I suspect that this is another scheme of Konoha. They know that we have taken heavy losses and are vulnerable. This might be a trap to lure us. If we participate, they could join hands with Konoha to wipe out the forces we send. Combined with our current losses¡­"


    Ay didn''t say anything else as everyone knew how dire the consequences would be. Several members nced at Inazuma, who said, "I''m of the same opinion. Even though I can see why the Kazekage hates Konoha, this is too suspicious.


    Even with Orochimaru, they shouldn''t have the numbers to attack Konoha. On the contrary, they might have reached a deal with Konoha. Perhaps Konoha would assist them financially in return for their help to reduce our strength even further."


    The hearts of the council members became cold on hearing his words. Their hatred towards Konoha was increased by another level. At the same time, the fear in their hearts increased as well! They immediately began cursing.


    "God damn Konoha!"


    "Those bastards are relentless! It''s one fucking scheme after another! Are they still unsatisfied despite inflicting such horrendous losses?"


    "Curse those spineless Suna cowards as well! They''ve bent over backwards to maintain their alliance with Konoha! Don''t they have any pride in being a Great Vige?"


    "There is no need to think about them. At this point, they are nothing but Konoha''sckeys."


    "Raikage-sama, we can''t keep enduring all their schemes. Even though we can''t attack Konoha openly, we need to do something to make them pay. And, I know just the one we should target!"


    Everyone was intrigued by his words and looked at the council member with curiosity. He continued, "There is little doubt that Konoha is using Orochimaru to bait us. In fact, they might be using him to bait Sunagakure as well. It is obvious that he is a rogue only in name. Let us hunt the snake down and make them pay. The loss of a rank S ninja and the Hokage''s disciple will hurt them dearly! And, they can''t do anything about it openly either since they have dered him a rogue-nin."


    Everyone thought for a bit before agreeing that his words made sense. Even Ay was pleased. However, Inazuma said, "As good as the idea is, I''ll rmend not to go overboard right now.


    Don''t forget Akuro''s threat. Hunting Orochimaru won''t be easy and you''ll have to participate in it, Lord Fourth. However, if Akuro attacks the vige when you''re away again, it''ll cause an evenrger turmoil in the vige."


    The faces of the Kumogakure leaders became ugly on hearing Akuro''s name. They hated him even more than Konoha. Even though Ay was cursed for not being in the vige and Inazuma took the me, the people in Kumogakure didn''t shy away from calling other leaders ipetent and useless. They did nothing despite facing only one enemy and let him humiliate the vige to this extent! The entire Kumogakure Council''s reputation was at its lowest point throughout its history.


    Ay said, "Don''t worry, I''ll be careful this time. Even if I move out, Bee will stay in the vige. Even though targeting Orochimaru is a good idea, hunting down Akuro is our priority."


    Everyone nodded their heads in agreement. The council continued making ns to deal with the situation and also discussed the reports sent by the ninjas to look for the missing ninjas.


    In Konoha, Hiruzen and Shikaku were in Shikaku''s office as he exined the defensive ns to Hiruzen. Unlike what Orochimaru and Kabuto suspected, Konoha had no ess to Kabuto''s memories. They didn''t know how and when they would be attacked. So, Shikaku developed aprehensive n covering all aspects.


    After going through everything, Hiruzen nodded and said, "Great work as usual, Shikaku. However¡­"


    A worried expression appeared on his face as he asked, "Are you sure Fujin would ept this role without anyints?"


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 Chapter 708: A New Moniker!

    Chapter 708: A New Moniker!


    A worried expression appeared on Hiruzen''s face as he asked, "Are you sure Fujin would ept this role without anyints?"


    Shikaku replied casually, "As troublesome as that boy is, he doesn''t have the ego that most other rank S ninjas have. You can''t imagine how thankful I am for that. So, it shouldn''t be an issue."


    Hiruzen didn''t reply butined internally, ''Sure he doesn''t have an ego, but he makes me pay for any injustice he suffers, even if that injustice is imaginary! Sigh, I hope Shikaku is correct. I don''t want to spend money to craft another sword.''


    Shikaku suddenly said, "That said, this will likely be the first time Fujin will fight in the open in front of everyone. Or rather, it''ll be the first time after he became a rank S ninja. Even though he fought Orochimaru twice, that battle wasn''t witnessed by many. Considering the role he''ll y, it is also a good time to give him an official moniker."


    Hiruzen snapped out of his thoughts and nodded. He replied, "True. The Spectral Swordsman can''t be used openly. And, even if we deny it, it''ll be troublesome if our enemies keep calling him by that name for decades as it could drive a wedge between us and our allies. Do you have any thoughts on a new moniker for Fujin?"


    Shikaku smiled and said, "Considering what his missions have been, what his role would be in this battle and his current moniker, it''s a rather simple answer. I can''t think of a more appropriate moniker than Konoha''s Sword."


    Hiruzen chuckled and said, "That''s very fitting. Konoha''s Sword, a sword that cuts through our enemies. It perfectly indicates what he has been doing for the past few years. At the same time, it also carries a word from his current moniker, reminding everyone of the threat he could pose. Alright, propagate this moniker after the situation is dealt with."


    Shikaku nodded and replied, "Sure. Anyway, who do we call first?"


    Hiruzen replied, "Well, Jiraiya is busy training Naruto and Kakashi is training Sasuke. Guy is with his disciple as well. The only one who is free right now is Fujin." Shikaku couldn''t help but sigh enviously. He thought, ''When Hokage proposed bringing Fujin into the council, I thought I could finally have some revenge for all the work he put me through. However, why is it that I''m still buried in work while he is on a never-ending vacation?''


    Poor guy shed a few non-existent tears as Hiruzen sent an Anbu ninja to call for Fujin. In a few minutes, Fujin entered Shikaku''s office. He looked at the maps on Shikaku''s desk as well as the envy in Shikaku''s eyes. With an innocent smile on his face, Fujin said, "Impressive, Shikaku-san. You''re already done with the nning."


    Shikaku''s expression became slightly dark, understanding the taunt behind Fujin''s words. Hiruzen coughed to distract him and said, "Take a seat, Fujin. Shikaku will exin the n and your role."


    Fujin obliged as Shikaku began exining, "Before I tell you about your role in the war, let us first discuss who our enemies could be."


    Fujin nodded as Shikaku began exining the situation to the person who knew more about what was about to happen than even the nners of the war despite the changes that could ur in the future. Shikaku said, "As you know, our opponents could be Sunagakure and Orochimaru. In addition, I also considered Kumogakure.


    From the news we received, Kumogakure''s Elder Inazuma announced his resignation and epted the me for everything that went wrong. This was something I considered. This means that the Raikage''s position will stay stable for the time being. Even though their forces have been severely hit, it gives him more flexibility than what I had initially estimated."


    Hiruzen replied, "Yeah, that was a brilliant move. The Third Raikage left a good card behind to bail his son out."


    Shikaku nodded and said, "Yes. Even though the Fourth Raikage is strong and courageous like his father, hecks in terms of scheming and is quick to lose his temper. That said, even though he was bailed out of trouble, he is still on thin ice. I''m confident that Kumo wouldn''t join hands with Sunagakure and Orochimaru considering the risks involved. Of course, I''ll prepare our forces just in case they do somethingpletely out of the blue."


    Hiruzen replied, "Good. Let''s turn our attention back to Orochimaru and Sunagakure."


    Shikaku nodded and looked at Fujin. He said, "You should be very well aware of Suna''s forces. So, I won''t go into too much detail and just focus on what we may have to deal with. That would depend on how they attack us. It''ll be in one of the two ways we discussed earlier.


    Either they''ll send a small group of elites across the Land of Fire to attack us sneakily during the final round or they would invade the Land of Fire with arge army at that time.


    The second case is unlikely as Suna''s forces are far inferior aspared to ours. If they decide to confront us in this way, it''ll mean that they''re either banking on Orochimaru to engage in gueri warfare against us and cause us heavy losses or they have convinced Kumogakure or Iwagakure to attack us from multiple fronts.


    I have made contingency ns for all scenarios, but I''ll exin themter as we''ll have time to respond in case of a full invasion."


    Fujin nodded as Shikaku continued, "Our second opponent is Orochimaru. From the intel we received from Jiraiya-sama, Orochimaru was very active in the Land of Rice. There is a high chance that Otogakure is under his control. So, we''ll be assuming that all of Otogakure''s forces will be participating as well."


    Hiruzen added, "Even if that vige isn''t under his control, it''ll be foolish to think that Orochimaru doesn''t have a few highly capable shinobi under hismand. Kabuto being able to escape from Kakashi is enough proof for that. It is difficult to say how many capable shinobi he raised over thest decade."


    Shikaku nodded and said, "So, our enemies will include two rank S ninjas at the minimum alongside several dozen or even hundreds of well-trained ninjas."


    Fujin nodded and said, "I figured as much. Both are rather troublesome to deal with. Will I be dealing with Orochimaru again?"


    Hiruzen replied, "No. Even though you forced him to retreat twice, he''lle prepared next time for everything you showed. The battle will bepletely different. I''m not underestimating you and perhaps you might still win, but it is too risky. Jiraiya will be responsible for handling him."


    Fujin replied, "Alright, that makes sense. Will I be dealing with the Kazekage then?"


    A frown appeared on Fujin''s face as he said, "I''m not too sure how effective my jutsus will be against the Kazekage''s gold. If he can maintain his control over his gold against my Wind jutsus, then he''ll be difficult to deal with. Do you know whether fire would work on it? Perhaps I could melt his gold particles."


    Hiruzen chuckled at Fujin''s idea. Even though Rasa was undoubtedly the weakest Kage currently and perhaps even in history, he was still a rank S ninja. Dealing with him wouldn''t be a child''s y.


    Shikaku replied, "Unfortunately, fire doesn''t work much. If it did, he wouldn''t have still been alive. I''m not too sure of your wind jutsus, but it doesn''t matter. You won''t be facing him either. He''ll be sitting next to Hokage-sama in the final round. If he ns on attacking us, then he''ll definitely sneak attack Hokage-sama in an attempt to take him down quickly. So, he''ll be the one to deal with the Kazekage."


    He nced at Hiruzen and added, "You''ll have to be careful. As Fujin said, his gold can be troublesome."


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "Don''t worry, I''ll keep my guard up. Knowing his arrogance, he might attack me without any backup. If that''s the case, I''ll focus on killing him quickly. It should result in the Suna ninjas surrendering or fleeing."


    Fujin nodded but was confused. He wondered, ''So what''s my role in the battle? Take down Gaara? Deal with any unknown factors that might pop up? Or does he have something special in his mind?''


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    A/N : If you can, then please support me on P@treon.


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 Chapter 709: A Long Vacation to the Land of Winds!

    Chapter 709: A Long Vacation to the Land of Winds!


    Shikaku continued exining his calctions, "If Orochimaru hadn''t fought you in the second round, then they might have attacked us with just the two of them. Even more so if Jiraiya-sama wasn''t in the vige.


    However, Orochimaru''s attack warned us about their possible ns, which made us call Jiraiya-sama back. In addition, they became aware of your real strength. Now they know that they''ll have to deal with you, Jiraiya-sama and Hokage-sama. So, it is very unlikely that they''ll attack without involving a third or perhaps even a fourth rank S ninja."


    He paused and nced at Hiruzen before continuing, "My initial thought was that they might recruit Akatsuki''s help. However, he has received intel that Orochimaru is no longer involved with Akatsuki. Or rather, he betrayed them. So, that isn''t a threat for now.


    However, considering how unexpectedly Akuro appeared, it won''t be too strange if they find someone like him. In fact, they might even ally with him considering that he attacked Root in the past. Regardless of who it is, they will make some arrangements."


    Fujin nodded and said, "I see. Yeah, that makes sense. They''ll be outnumbered if they''re attacking the vige. So they will want topensate quantity with quality. I guess my job will be to deal with this unknown factor."


    A smirk appeared on Shikaku''s face as he answered, "Once again, no."


    Fujin raised an eyebrow but there was no change in Shikaku''s expression. Seeing Shikaku enjoying the suspense, Fujin let out a sigh and muttered, "You should''ve said that you''re going to talk in riddles for so long. I''d have brought some Ramen along."


    Shikaku chuckled and exined, "As he said earlier, Orochimaru will make ns to counter you. Whoever they recruit will have a way to either counter or restrict you. At the very least, that ninja will keep you upied during the duration of the battle. That''ll put a major dent in our counterattacking capabilities.


    So, unless there is no choice, you''ll stay clear of any other rank S ninja who show up. Instead, Guy will be the one to deal with them. He''ll open the Sixth or the Seventh Inner Gate depending on the enemy and kill them before they realize what is happening. Once the enemy is dead, Guy will be escorted to a safe ce by a couple of Anbu squads and their retreat will be covered by Kakashi. I''ll assign a couple of Elite Jounins as well to cover his retreat in case Kakashi is upied." Fujin was a bit surprised. He thought, ''Now that''s unexpected. Having Guy go all out at the very start¡­ That will catch anyone by surprise. I wonder who''ll be the unlucky fellow to be on the receiving end.''


    Shikaku continued, "While Guy is dealing with them and Hokage-sama and Jiraiya-sama keep the Kazekage and Orochimaru upied, you''ll focus on cleaning up the weaker enemies.


    As you know, we must not only win this battle but also do so with minimal losses. If our losses are high, then it''ll give an opportunity to other viges to be adventurous, especially if our losses exceed Kumo''s losses. Your job will be to ensure that this doesn''t happen by cutting down the enemies swiftly."


    He paused for a moment before continuing, "Actually, I had been thinking of this role for you ever since we received intel about Sunagakure''s possible betrayal. Your performance in the Land of Lightning made me even more sure.


    Cut down as many of their elites as you can before they even get a chance to go on the attack. It''ll not only free up our forces to help others but also put the Kazekage and Orochimaru under pressure to win their battles quickly which could result in them making a mistake."


    Fujin thought for a bit before replying, "That seems easy enough. Alright, I''ll focus on killing as many as I can as soon as the battle begins."


    Hiruzen sighed internally in relief that Fujin hadn''t asked to fight against the stronger fighters. As a rank S ninja, he knew very well how rare the opportunity to battle against rank S ninjas was. So, he had expected Fujin to insist on fighting at least one.


    Shikaku replied, "Good. Even though your role is to cut down enemy numbers, you''ll also have to pay attention to other events. One big variable is Gaara. If they n to attack us, they''ll likely set One Tail loose during the final round and use the distraction to attack us.


    Kakashi will be the one responsible for keeping One Tail under control with his Sharingan. However, if he isn''t able to control him or is blocked by others, you may have to change your target to restrain Shukaku with the Four Symbols Seal.


    It''ll be a simr case with Guy''s fights. In case his opponent is able to somehow withstand his Eight Inner Gates technique and overwhelm him, you''ll have to assist him. I won''t give any more specific orders, just act depending on what you think will be the best during the battle."


    Fujin nodded. Shikaku exined a few more things to Fujin, taking his feedback on some to see if he could get more perspectives. They discussed for nearly an hour before Fujin left the office.


    As he returned to his house, Fujin thought, ''I didn''t expect Shikaku to go with such a n. Considering our numerical advantage, slowing the enemy down and then overwhelming them with numbers is the most natural strategy. Of course, the enemy would think of that as well and will instead look for a quick victory.


    However, Shikaku has gone with the opposite strategy. A quick and clean victory. It''ll catch the enemy off guard. That said¡­''


    A weird expression appeared on Fujin''s face as he realized, ''I''ll have to kill dozens, possibly over a hundred Suna ninjas once again¡­ It seems like that vige is fated to suffer at my hands.''


    For a moment, even Fujin felt pity for Suna ninjas. Of course, it was just for a moment. After all, they were the aggressors this time. Fujin couldn''t be med if they were willingly running to their deaths.


    Fujin returned to his house and entered the basement. He was greeted by a surprising sight. All forty of his Shadow Clones had a wide smile stered on their faces. The clones saw him as well and said, "It''s done."


    At the next moment, all the Shadow Clones dispelled themselves, giving a few headaches to Fujin. However, Fujinpletely ignored the headaches as a glint appeared in his eyes and a smile lit up his face. He eximed, "Marvellous!"


    In Shikaku''s office, Shikaku said, "Told you, you were worried for nothing."


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "Yes, thankfully."


    Shikaku''s expression became serious. He asked, "Even though I nned for their attack, what are your ns for after the battle is over? If Sunagakure attacks us, it''ll destroy the agreement we reached during the Third Great Ninja War. Such a vition will force us to retaliate as we''ll be seen as weak if we don''t, which will give ideas to our other allies. However, fighting Sunagakure in the desert will be too costly."


    Hiruzen sighed and massaged his forehead. He said, "Yes, it will be a big diplomatic issue and be veryplicated to deal with. Our alliance with Sunagakure and the civil war in Kirigakure are the two main reasons why the next Great War hasn''t started yet.


    That said, it''s too soon to say for sure. It''ll depend on how the battle ends. If the Kazekage is killed, then we could use the ninjas we detain to broker a new contract and install a Kazekage who''ll be subservient towards us. If not, then it''ll get more troublesome."


    Shikaku nodded. He thought for a bit and muttered, "I suppose we could always send Fujin to a long vacation in the Land of Wind if they decide to continue the hostilities."


    Hiruzen chuckled, recalling the mess Fujin created a few years ago and replied, "That might work. Perhaps they might start begging to start the negotiations in a few weeks."


    The two continued calling other ninjas who''d y an important role in the battle and the discussions continued untilte in the day. By midnight, all of them were aware of their role.


    The next day, in a secluded region in the Land of River, a secret meeting was taking ce. A simple table had been set up, with a chair on either side of the table. On one side sat Orochimaru, one of the Legendary Sannin and the Leader of Otogakure. Behind him were Kimimaro and the Sound Four. On the other side was Rasa, the Fourth Kazekage. Behind him were four of the strongest Anbu in Sunagakure. The discussion between these two powerful ninjas would decide whether the world would witness the first official war between two Great Viges since the end of the Third Great Ninja War!


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    A/N : If you can, then please support me on P@treon.


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 Chapter 710: Danger!

    Chapter 710: Danger!


    In his basement, Fujin was working intently. What his clones had created was a new seal, a seal that had likely never existed in the history of the ninja world! Fujin was working on developing its seal imprint when his eyes suddenly widened.


    He immediately stopped working and looked in the western direction with a grave expression. At the very next second, he disappeared from his basement, leaving only a Shadow Clone behind.


    In the Land of Rivers, Orochimaru and Rasa were sitting facing each other. To throw Orochimaru off his game, Rasa casually said, "Orochimaru, you finally decided to meet me. My council were worried that you became fearful after your loss against The Spectral Swordsman."


    Kimimaro and the rest frowned but Orochimaru just chuckled and replied, "Your council has a very wild imagination. You should bring them along next time."


    Rasa''s smile faded away at the indirect threat in Orochimaru''s words. He nced at Jirobo and asked, "Who''s that?"


    Jirobo was holding a bloodied body with arge hole in his back. The man was already dead, yet a fearful expression was stered on his face. Rasa was surprised to see someone close to this location. They had carefully selected a location where no one would trespass for their meeting.


    Orochimaru chuckled and answered, "Just a rat who was scurrying at the wrong ce. I hadn''t thought much of him, but he ended up being very interesting. I hadn''t expected something to be happening in the dark in this country as well."


    Rasa frowned. The Land of Rivers was directly situated between the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind and acted as a buffer. As such, both viges were wary of the other vige using the Land of Rivers as a forward base to invade the other country, especially at such a critical time.


    Rasa couldn''t overlook any threat from this country. He asked, "What do you mean?" Orochimaru replied, "He was barely a Chunin. However, there was a veryplicated seal on his body. A seal that would be difficult for even a Grandmaster to see. Even I suffered due to it."


    Orochimaru let out a chuckle as he nced towards his right arm.


    Fifteen minutes ago -


    Even though the number of ninjas in the Phantom Haven Society was still low, it maintained arge intelligencework that went even beyond the Land of River. The Field Agents had to frequently make trips to collect information from the informants. Unfortunately, one of them happened to pass right through the area where Orochimaru''s group was waiting for Rasa to arrive. Needless to say, the poor guy stood no chance. He was easily captured by the Sound Four. They asked him a few questions but he didn''t give any answer.


    Orochimaru walked towards him as he said, "Interesting. I wonder why you are in such a deste area at this time. Whose orders are you following?"


    Fear appeared on the field agent''s face as he muttered in shock, "Orochimaru?"


    Orochimaru ced his right hand on his head and said, "Let me see what brought you here."


    He inserted Yin chakra into his head. However, at that very instant, Orochimaru''s eyes widened. He quickly withdrew his arm and shouted, "Let him go!"


    Jirobo and Kidomaru, who were holding the ninja, quickly let him go as several seals appeared on his body. Orochimaru turned his attention to his own arm, which was covered in several curse seals. Both he and his subordinates were shocked. Orochimaru was about to control the seals and stop them from spreading when he instinctively felt a great danger.


    He immediately chopped his arm off and wondered, ''What was that? Why did I feel like I was about to suffer heavily? What was in those curse seals? Hmm? My instincts are still warning me. Who is this guy?''


    "Lord Orochimaru, are you alright?" Kimimaro asked worriedly. Orochimaru didn''t reply but instead attacked his severed arm, which waspletely covered in curse seals by then,pletely destroying it. He flickered behind the Field Agent, who had fallen lifelessly to the ground and attacked his back, destroying the part where the Phantom Seal was located.


    A couple of hundred kilometers away, Fujin appeared in the Land of River. He began sensing his Flying Thunder God marks once again, but a frown appeared on his face as he muttered, "Weird¡­"


    Fujin analyzed, ''The sensation I got earlier¡­ Someone must have tried to mess with the Phantom Seal. Unfortunately, I still can''t detect the marks in the Land of River from Konoha. So, I can''t say for sure where that incident happened. However, now that I''m here, I can detect all the marks in this country.


    Once someone tries to read the memory of my subordinates, the Phantom Seal not only counterattacks with curse seals but also transfers a Flying Thunder God mark on that ninja''s body. Considering the mark on my subordinate''s body, there should be one stationary and one moving mark very close to each other.


    However, I can''t sense any two marks close to each other outside of the Phantom Haven Base. Were my marks destroyed?''


    Even though the Flying Thunder God marks were permanent and couldn''t be destroyed, the same couldn''t be said about the objects or people that were marked. To Fujin''s knowledge, that was the only way to get rid of the mark. Since Orochimaru destroyed his severed arm and the back of the field agent, Fujin''s Flying Thunder God marks, which were on their flesh, were lost as well. As such, he couldn''t sense them anymore.


    Needless to say, the danger Orochimaru felt was from the Flying Thunder God mark. While Fujin was curious to see who had attacked his subordinate, he nned to first send his Shadow Clone to m a Rasenshuriken into whoever that person was and investigate itter. If Orochimaru had dyed even for a few seconds, he would have suffered heavily, or even died, irrespective of whether Fujin wanted to harm him or not.


    Rasa broke Orochimaru out of his thoughts by asking, "A seal that even a Grandmaster can''t detect? Why was it on someone as weak as him?"


    Orochimaru replied, "No idea. I''ll look more into it after we have dealt with Konoha. Regardless of who it is, they have sessfully gained my attention."


    A disgusting grin appeared on Orochimaru''s face as he thought, ''Let me see who it was that could make me feel such danger. Hehehe¡­''


    His grin disgusted Rasa. He said, "You''re right. We can look into thister. For now, focus on the important matter. Baki reported that your colleague, the Toad Sage, has returned to Konoha due to your stunt. Along with Suzuki Fujin''s strength, our original n is useless now. If we continue with the same n, it''ll be us who''ll lose our heads!"


    Orochimaru replied, "I know. Why do you think I was so busy for the past few weeks?"


    Rasa replied in annoyance, "How can I know when you refused to meet up until now? There is only a week left until the final round begins now. It is toote to make any significant changes."


    Orochimaru replied, "Don''t worry. I have already made arrangements to take care of the matter. However, you''re right. We need to change our ns."


    Rasa asked, "What changes do you propose?"


    Orochimaru answered, "For starters, you won''t fight against the Hokage. Instead, I''ll fight him alone. You, on the other hand, will stall Suzuki Fujin. With your ma release and ability to manipte Gold, that wouldn''t be too difficult."


    Rasa frowned. He asked, "How strong is the boy? How true is the news propagated by Konoha?"


    A smirk appeared on Orochimaru''s face as he answered, "Strong, very strong. He might be the strongest ninja at Wind maniption currently alive. At the very least, he is stronger than you. You won''t be able to kill him. Hence, your focus needs to only be on stalling him until I''m done with Hiruzen.


    Of course, Konoha has stretched the truth. The main reason for my retreat was to avoid having to face both Fujin and Hiruzen at the same time. However, he was able to fight against me on equal ground and even gain the upper hand a few times. Don''t underestimate that boy when you stall him."


    Rasa''s frown deepened. He didn''t like what he was hearing. He snorted internally and thought, ''Stronger than me? Are you implying that you''re stronger than me? How presumptuous! However¡­''


    Under normal circumstances, Rasa wouldn''t have taken such an insult lying down. However, Orochimaru''s belief was advantageous for his ns. So, he kept his calm and said, "Tell me everything about his abilities."


    [A/N: I had initially written Orochimaru reading the Phantom Haven member''s memory to set up a future event. Luckily, I recalled that the Phantom Seal doesn''t allow memories to be read. Had to read up on all my notes on the Phantom Seal, which felt weird for some reason ??. So, I had to rewrite most of that stuff. That kinda pushed the fun part of Orochimaru and Rasa''s conversation into the next chapter. Sorry about that.


    Anyway, would like to say something about this arc. There will be quite a few changes to the canon in this arc. In terms of divergence from canon, this arc will likely have it the most. We have already seen that with Kabuto''s death and Kumogakure''s losses. It won''t be restricted to just events but will also extend to some jutsus/techniques, with which I''ll be taking some liberties (for instance the Flying Thunder God mark in this chapter).


    There will be a lot of unexpected moments (and maybe an instance that''ll probably be very controversial) in this arc. And, I''ll be making a few long ys (that is, events that''ll only bepletely clear after a few chapters but will be cleared in this arc). So, please cut me some ck in this arc and please continue reading until the arc is done to make final judgements ??


    I can only promise that you''ll love it by the end.]


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


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 Chapter 711: Old u0026 New Plans

    Chapter 711: Old u0026 New ns


    "Tell me everything about his abilities."


    Orochimaru agreed and informed Rasa about the abilities Fujin disyed. He covered everything from Fujin''s speed, control over the wind,bination jutsus, Vacuum jutsus and Wind Domain. The only part that he left out was Fujin''s sharp tongue as he was looking forward to Rasa getting a taste of it.


    Rasa frowned and analyzed, ''His ability to manipte winds is truly remarkable. To create a dome of wind and perfectly control it... We don''t have anyone with such control. It almost reminds me of the things said about Lord Second.''


    Before Orochimaru could finish speaking, Rasa asked, "Is it true he can use Scorch Release?"


    Orochimaru shrugged and answered, "I can''t say for sure. He used the Wind dome he created to take control of my fire jutsu and merge it with his wind chakra. The result was very simr to Scorch Release, but I didn''t see him use it independently.


    ording to my calctions, he must be working on recreating the Scorch Release and is very close to thest step. If he seeds, then it''ll be quite remarkable."


    A smirk appeared on Orochimaru''s face as he continued, "Considering his previous actions, I''m afraid your vige will suffer heavily if he is allowed to fully mature."


    Rasa''s expression became slightly ugly. He wondered, ''How does Orochimaru know that he was behind that incident?''


    Akatsuki had taken an interest in why the Western region of the Land of Wind had be so unstable. Due to being the only Akatsuki member from Sunagakure, Sasori had been assigned to investigate. As his partner, Orochimaru got the information from Sasori''s spies too. Initially, he was unsure about the information, but his doubts disappeared after Fujin killed Juzo. Rasa analyzed, ''He''s right. That boy will be more troublesome if he continues to grow stronger. Especially the Scorch Release. We can''t allow any other vige to get their hands on Scorch Release! Especially not Konoha! However, Orochimaru is purposefully trying to make me restless. Everything will be fine if we win. However, if we lose, then Sunagakure will be doomed.''


    Rasa said, "You still haven''t said how you''ll deal with Jiraiya. Also, what about Tsunade? What are your ns if Konoha brings her back to the vige and keeps her hidden until we attack?"


    Orochimaru answered, "I have already made arrangements to keep Jiraiya upied during the battle. As for Tsunade, she won''t participate in the war. I have long made arrangements to ensure that."


    Rasa frowned and replied, "That doesn''t tell me anything."


    Orochimaru chuckled and asked, "Do you expect me to tell you all my secrets, Rasa?"


    Rasa snorted and said, "If you don''t, how am I supposed to know whether the arrangements are good enough? You said that you wanted to fight the Hokage while I stall Fujin. Considering our positions, I''ll be next to him. How are you nning to switch our positions when they''ll be monitoring me closely?"


    Orochimaru replied, "It''s simple. I''ll disguise as you and sit next to the old man. You disguise as a normal Sunagakure ninja and intercept Fujin when he tries to reinforce the old man."


    Rasa''s expression became dark. He snarled, "Disguise as the Kazekage? Are you out of your mind, Orochimaru? I can''t agree with this. ording to our original n, you were supposed to disguise as one of my Anbu guards and attack the Hokage along with me. Even that n was hotly contested in my council. What you are proposing now is preposterous."


    Kimimaro, who had been paying close attention to Rasa and his guards, thought, ''ording to our original n, I was supposed to kill you here. You were just lucky that Konoha had someone who could fight against Orochimaru-sama."


    Orochimaru asked nonchntly, "So, what do you propose?"


    Rasa went silent for nearly a minute as he analyzed all the information he just received. His expression hardened as he answered, "This n has be too risky. Our original n was to take the Hokage by surprise and kill him without allowing him to fight back.


    However, your actions during the second round of the exam have alerted Konoha. We no longer have the surprise factor and they''ll be prepared for our attack. Without the element of surprise, even ourbined forces wouldn''t be a match for Konoha, let alone just a few hundred elites.


    I was counting on your arrangements. Unfortunately, you still haven''t given me any specifics of your arrangements. In addition, you dyed our meeting for 3 weeks. I wanted to use this time to target Suzuki Fujin and kill him before we started our attack. It''s toote now."


    Orochimaru''s smile faded away as Rasa continued, "Considering all these factors, I have decided to postpone our ns to attack Konoha for the time being!"


    For the first time, there wasn''t a hint of a smile on Orochimaru''s face. Instead, a dark expression had appeared. He didn''t think that Sunagakure would try to pull out of the war just a week before it was supposed to start despite knowing the threat Konoha would pose!


    Orochimaru asked grimly, "Postpone? Aftering all this way, you want to back off now? Do you think Konoha wouldn''t retaliate against you? And, do you think your chances will improve after giving their ninjas an opportunity to be stronger?"


    Rasa replied without any hesitation, "Irrespective of whether they improve or not, it is better than rushing in brainlessly without a good n. What''s the use of considering all of that if we lose the war? You may not care about the lives of your subordinates, but I have to consider what''s good for my vige."


    "Hehehe." Orochimaru was so angry that he beganughing in rage. He asked provocatively, "Rasa, do you think I''m someone you can make a fool of?"


    An intense bloodlust emanated from Orochimaru as he spoke. His chakra was riling up as well. Rasa''s Anbu guards immediately raised their guard. However, Rasa didn''t back off.


    He riled his own chakra to counter Orochimaru''s presence and said, "It was your stunt in the Chunin Exam that ruined our n. Without the surprise element, we will be the ones at a disadvantage. Suna won''t participate in such a war.


    However, we''re still open to future cooperation. You''re right. Konoha''s ninjas will continue growing stronger. Hence, our next step would be to target the stronger Konoha ninjas. We''ll lure them out of Konoha and secretly eliminate them using our full force.


    By the time Konoha realizes our scheme, I want to kill both Suzuki Fujin and Hatake Kakashi. In addition, we can also target their other Elite Jounins. With our strength, that wouldn''t be too difficult to do.


    Once Konoha''s top-level fighting capabilities are reduced, we can target Konoha once again and put this n into action. What do you say, Orochimaru?"


    Orochimaru''s expression became even darker. If someone were to hear Rasa''s words and ns, they would find it very reasonable and appropriate. However, Orochimaru wasn''t just someone. He knew fully well about Konoha''s capabilities.


    He cursed, ''This moron! Does he think that Sensei will just wait around for him to make his moves now that Konoha has recovered its strength? If we don''t make a move now, he''ll have the Naras start making ns to make a move against both Oto and Suna. If he foolishly tried to target their elites, the most likely scenario is that his head will roll.''


    Thoughts shed in his brain at the speed of light as he analyzed, ''Should I do it and continue the n alone? The arrangements I made over thest 3 weeks should be enough to crush Konoha. However, things will be tricky without a second rank S ninja to look after the operation while I''m dealing with Sensei¡­ If something goes wrong, there won''t be any chance of saving the situation.''


    Orochimaru immediately began convincing Rasa about continuing the n. He warned him that Konoha wouldn''t wait for him and might send Fujin to do something simr again. Rasa obviously knew that. However, the situation had be too risky and he had no reason to trust Orochimaru. He would rather deal with Konoha''s schemes than blindly trust the snake. Hence, Rasa didn''t budge from his position. Instead, he tried to convince Orochimaru to assault Konoha in the future and join him in the n to eliminate Konoha''s top ninjas.


    The situation became quite weird. Both of them hated and despised each other, but didn''t show it and tried to remain cordial since they needed each other''s help. The two had an intense discussion for over ten minutes but were still at an impasse. Neither had good expressions as they realized that the other party was too stubborn to change their mind.


    Finally, Orochimaru let out a long sigh and said, "Kazekage-san¡­"


    Suddenly, without any change in his expression or demeanor, Kimimaro''s fingertips parted, creating holes and exposing his hardened finger bones. He pointed them at Rasa and his guards in one smooth action and fired his bones like bullets at the unsuspecting Suna ninjas!


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


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 Chapter 712: Overwhelming Might!

    Chapter 712: Overwhelming Might!


    "Kazekage-san¡­"


    The moment Orochimaru said those words, Kimimaro got into action. Even though Fujin''s existence had forced Orochimaru to change his ns, if Rasa didn''t cooperate, he had no reason to leave him alive. If the talks didn''t go as nned, he asked Kimimaro to attack if he said those words.


    Kimimaro''s fingertips parted without making any sound. Since Rasa and his subordinates weren''t aware of his background, no one suspected anything. However, the instant Kimimaro''s hands moved to point his fingertips at them, all four Anbu ninjas stared at his hands. After all, the four of them could be considered elites among elites in Sunagakure. They wouldn''t miss such an obvious movement no matter how stealthy it might have been.


    However, none of them anticipated that Kimimaro would shoot bones from his fingertips. Rasa wasn''t an exception either. Unlike his guards, he didn''t dare to take his eyes off Orochimaru. That proved to be a mistake as Kimimaro fired 6 bones at Rasa and one each at his 4 subordinates.


    "Careful, Kazekage-sama!" The four Anbu guards immediately got into action. In a sh, kunai appeared in their hands. They dodged the bones aimed at them and moved to block the bones aimed at Rasa. Unfortunately, the bones were too fast for them.


    Just as the six bones were about to hit Rasa, they froze in the air. Surprise appeared on Kimimaro''s face. He focused on his bones and realized, ''Gold particles? How did he stop my attacks with so little gold?''


    Rasa thought, ''I should''ve known. We can''t trust this snake!''


    Unfortunately, before Rasa could make a move, Orochimaru opened his mouth and exhaled poisonous gas at Rasa and his guards. Under normal circumstances, Rasa and the rest would have easily dodged it. However, Kimimaro''s attack had distracted them. Coupled with how close the two sides were to each other, they didn''t have a chance to dodge and were engulfed by purple smoke.


    In the blink of an eye, all five Suna ninjas flickered backwards while holding their breaths. One of the Anbu ninjas asked, "Kazekage-sama, are you fine?" Rasa immediately replied, "I am. Focus on the enemy, he is from the Kaguya n. Don''t lose sight of Orochimaru and others."


    Giving them no time to regroup, Kimimaro moved towards the Suna ninjas right through the purple smoke. Two bone swords had appeared in his hand. With a frown on his face, Rasa wondered, ''Wasn''t the Kaguya n wiped out? Why does Orochimaru have a subordinate from that cursed n?''


    At the same time, Orochimaru slithered along the ground and moved towards Rasa.


    ''Wind Release: Pressure Damage jutsu''


    ''Fire Release: Searing Migraine jutsu''


    Two of the Suna Anbu blew intense winds towards the iing attackers while the remaining two exhaled a fierce fire into the intense winds. In the blink of an eye, the entire terrain was covered in a firestorm, engulfing both Kimimaro and Orochimaru.


    The intense attack forced the Sound Four to retreat.


    Kidomarumented, "Those guys are strong."


    Tayuya scoffed, "Of course. They''re trusted to ensure the Kazekage''s safety. Not that it''d be of any use."


    Rasa calcted, ''This should slow the Kaguya brat. As for Orochimaru¡­''


    Gold dust appeared around Rasa and rushed into the firestorm. At the same time, he used Ma Release to sense gold around him. Suddenly, his eyes widened and shock appeared on his face.


    From the firestorm, Orochimaru appeared with a hideous grin on his face. Rasa immediately controlled the gold dust he had sent into the firestorm and attacked Orochimaru from 3 directions. However, Orochimaru stamped his foot on the ground and continued moving towards Rasa. As he moved, the ground under his feet transformed into mud and moved up to form severalyers of wall, slowing down Rasa''s gold to a great extent.


    The Anbu ninjas were about to engage when they suddenly felt something break out of the firestorm. They turned their heads to see a dinosaur-like human with dark gray skin, dark ck eye sclera, yellow eye irises, sharp teeth, sixrge bone spines protruding out of his back and a long bone-spiked tail.


    Seeing the bones, they realized that it was Kimimaro, but his appearance still shocked them. Facing two enemies, the Anbu ninjas quickly analyzed the situation and came to a unanimous decision without exchanging a single word. All four of them moved to stop Kimimaro, leaving Rasa to deal with Orochimaru alone.


    Kimimaro didn''t care about being outnumbered and swung his bone swords at them. Instead of blocking, all four Anbu ninjas moved away to be just outside his range while weaving hand seals.


    ''Wind Release: des of Wind jutsu''


    ''Water Release: Water Bullets jutsu''


    Three Anbu ninjasunched dozens of Wind des at Kimimaro while thest one followed up by firing Water Bullets at him. Due to such close range, Kimimaro couldn''t dodge any of the attacks and was hit by all of them!


    Relief appeared in the eyes of the Suna ninjas, but their relief immediately changed into horror as Kimimaro continued standing in front of them without a single injury on his body! Their attacks had only caused slight discoloration where theynded but failed to draw any blood!


    A few meters away, Orochimaru''s sword was just a foot away from Rasa''s neck when Rasa waved his left hand.


    ''Ma Release: Gold Rush jutsu''


    Under his sleeve, his gold bracelet turned into gold dust and moved towards Orochimaru. The sword was just a few inches away from Rasa''s throat when Orochimaru was hit by the gold dust. In an instant, Orochimaru was sted behind at a great speed.


    Orochimaru flipped in the air andnded on his feet. He continued sliding backwards as the mud slowed him down. Rasa asked in a grim tone, "How did you get rid of my gold?"


    Rasa had long considered that Orochimaru might turn on him. Hence, he had nted arge amount of gold dust deep underneath the meeting spot. The reason why he was shocked earlier was that he couldn''t feel that gold!


    Orochimaruughed and asked tauntingly, "Did you really think I''d meet you over a gold mine?"


    The two continued to exchange blows as Rasa asked with a frown, "But how? We were the ones who chose the meeting spot. How could you find the gold I hid?"


    As someone who could control and manipte gold freely, Rasa was very confident in his methods of hiding gold. No one without Ma Release should have had any chance of finding it. Yet, it had happened! In fact, things were so bad that he couldn''t feel any gold in the vicinity. It almost felt like someone had removed all gold particles for dozens of kilometers around that spot. Orochimaru chuckled and continued attacking as he answered, "I have my means."


    After tanking their jutsus, Kimimaro immediately went on the assault. The Suna ninjas immediately evaded and moved away from him. As a ninja from the Kaguya n, the Suna ninjas were already wary of his closebat skills. The fact that he brushed off their jutsus with such ease, they were even more sure of their decision.


    Seeing the Suna ninjas avoiding him, Kimimaro ignored them and moved towards Rasa. It forced the Suna ninjas to attack him. One of them flowed his chakra along his kunai and attacked Kimimaro, who used one of his bones to stop the kunai before counterattacking. The Suna ninja immediately retreated while shouting, "We can''t fight him in close range. How do we stop this monster?"


    One of them replied, "Use formation 6!"


    In the blink of an eye, all four ninjas flickered. They surrounded Kimimaro on all four sides and sted him with Pressure Damage jutsus. Being bombarded by intense winds from all four directions made it difficult for Kimimaro to move. In addition, sharp winds continued bombarding his body. A few cuts opened up on his body.


    Yet, the Suna ninjas were shocked as the effect of their jutsus was far lesser than what they wanted. At the same time, they tossed dozens of explosive tags along the winds and exploded all of them as soon as they reached Kimimaro.


    A massive explosion took ce,unching dust in every direction. The Suna ninjas shielded their eyes and wondered, ''Did we get him?''


    Suddenly, the eyes of the four Suna ninjas widened as they felt pain in their feet. They looked down and tried to move away but couldn''t move their feet and lost their bnce. Bones had appeared from the ground and pierced through their feet, pinning them to the ground. As they looked down, a bone spike wasunched from the ground at each of the four Suna ninjas. It pierced right through their bodies, killing them on the spot!


    Without giving them a second nce, Kimimaro moved towards Rasa, who was already having a tough time resisting Orochimaru!


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 Chapter 713: A Lone Battle...

    Chapter 713: A Lone Battle...


    In a secluded spot in the Land of River, an intense confrontation was taking ce. Rasa''s breathing had be rougher and his surroundings were covered in dead snakes. In front of him was Orochimaru whose clothes had holes and were drenched in blood but there wasn''t a hint of fear or exhaustion on his face.


    From the corner of his eyes, Rasa nced towards his Anbu subordinates. His eyes widened as he saw their impaled bodies behind Kimimaro. He thought in shock, ''He killed them so easily?''


    Suddenly, he flickered as a powerful jet of water pierced through his previous position. Orochimaru chuckled and asked, "Can you afford to be distracted, Rasa?"


    Gold dust floated around Rasa as he prepared to take on both Orochimaru and Kimimaro. He snorted and said, "Don''t underestimate me, Orochimaru. I''m the Kazekage. You''ll pay for this misadve¡­ Huh?"


    As he was speaking, Rasa began hearing a melodious tune from a flute. He immediately felt his chakra flow being affected and disrupted it. At the next moment, he instinctively moved to his right as an arrow barely missed him!


    Kidomaru frowned and wondered aloud, "How did he dodge? I attacked from his blind spot right when he fell under your Genjutsu?"


    Tayuya replied, "Fool. He is a Kage. Besides, our attacks have served their purpose."


    Orochimaru and Kimimaro went on the offensive using the opening provided by their attacks. Orochimaru bombarded Rasa with Water jutsus, which were blocked by shields made of gold!


    However, the limited amount of gold with Rasa meant that he didn''t have any gold left to stop Kimimaro. Seeing Rasa without his greatest tool, Kimimaro flickered towards him. However, Rasa nced in his direction while taking a deep breath.


    ''Wind Release: Desert Wind jutsu''


    A chilling wind sted Kimimaro as countless small wind des bombarded his body. Rasa had merged Yin chakra into his Wind jutsu. As the winds moved, it also moved the soil along, turning it into a deadly weapon. Hundreds of minute cuts appeared on Kimimaro''s body, covering him in blood. Coarse soil particles hit these wounds, making them hurt even more.


    Yet, Rasa''s eyes widened as Kimimaro continued moving forward unflinchingly. Even though Rasa''s attack managed to break through Kimimaro''s skin, it couldn''t do anything to theyer of bone he had created under his skin.


    Rasa immediately mmed his hand on the ground while moving backwards, away from both his opponents. Dozens of giant spikes rose from the ground and attacked Kimimaro, but he simply crushed them under his feet and instead used them to move even faster.


    Rasa immediately recalled the gold that was being used to block Orochimaru''s attacks, but Orochimaru attacked once again, forcing him to use the gold dust to defend once again. Rasa cursed, ''Shit, this is bad. I need to retreat¡­''


    Seeing Kimimaro''s bone sword inches away from him, Rasa quickly analyzed, ''I need to create some distance. Once I have my gold dust back, I can fly in the sky using it and create a distance from them. Then I''ll only need to be careful about Orochimaru''s summons. Still, being forced to retreat in such a manner¡­ How humiliating.''


    Unfortunately, Rasa could do nothing but swallow his pride. He concentrated chakra on his feet and flickered backwards¡­ Or rather, he tried to. Just as he was about to flicker backwards, he suddenly coughed out blood and his chakra flow was disrupted! Since he failed to manipte his chakra perfectly, the jutsu failed!


    Kimimaro wouldn''t miss such an opportunity and pierced Rasa''s chest with his bone sword. Momentster, more bones appeared out of his forearm and pierced Rasa''s chest and abdomen.


    Despair appeared on Rasa''s face as he heard, "Did you think you''d be safe as long as you didn''t breathe in the poisonous gas?"


    The poisonous gas Orochimaru exhaled at Rasa and his subordinates worked even if it wasn''t inhaled. Rasa''s skin was covered in that poison. However, the poison took longer to work when used in this manner. That is why it showed its effect now instead of earlier.


    Even though Orochimaru was confident in killing Rasa, he knew that Rasa could retreat using his gold. He didn''t want to risk Rasa escaping and hence yed this card right at the start! Without a capable Medical Ninja to help him, Rasa was doomed from that very moment.


    Rasa nced to his left and saw Orochimaru''s smug face. His despair immediately changed into hatred as he said, "Orochimaru¡­"


    Orochimaru and Kimimaro could feel the hatred in those words. Orochimaru suddenly felt something amiss. His grin disappeared as he shouted, "Be careful!"


    At the next moment, Rasa controlled all the gold dust nearby. In the blink of an eye, they formed into hundreds of needles and rained at both Orochimaru and Kimimaro! Due to how close the gold dust was to him, Orochimaru had no chance to dodge and hundreds of small holes opened up in his body, including a few in his chest.


    Sensing the danger, Kimimaro infused even more chakra into his bones, increasing their density and sturdiness. The needles pierced into his body and hit theyer of bone under his skin. They couldn''t pierce through them and were left embedded in his bones.


    A smirk appeared on Rasa''s face as he thought, ''If I''m going down, I''m taking you with me!''


    The next second, a bone pierced through the center of his forehead.


    <em>The Fourth Kazekage, the person who had stepped forward after the Third Kazekage mysteriously went missing and led Sunagakure in the Third Great Ninja War, died in the Land of River without a single Sunagakure ninja being aware of it! </em>


    Kimimaro withdrew his bones and nced at Orochimaru, who was lying on the ground. Suddenly, a pair of hands appeared from his mouth and opened it wide open. Apletely healed Orochimaru walked out and looked at Rasa.


    He muttered, "At least he died in peace thinking that he killed me¡­"


    Orochimaru could only chuckle and shake his head. Suddenly, Kimimaro copsed to his knees and vomited several mouthfuls of blood!


    Orochimaru''s expression became very serious. He quickly began inspecting him. Some distance away, the Sound Four appeared above the ground.


    Sakon said, "That was scary. If we had been any slower, those needles would have killed us!"


    Jirobo said, "As expected of a Kage''sst attack."


    Tayuya analyzed, "We were lucky that Orochimaru-sama got rid of the gold in the vicinity. If he had more gold, he could have attacked and defended at the same time. Even though Orochimaru-sama would have still won, he might have killed us. Huh?"


    Kidomaru asked, "What happened to Kimimaro? Did his illness get worse?"


    They immediately rushed towards Kimimaro. Orochimaru had an ugly expression on his face. Kimimaro had coughed a few more mouthfuls of blood and looked to bepletely out of strength. He could barely stop himself from falling to the ground.


    As the Sound Four reached close to them, they heard Orochimaru saying, "Even though you blocked the needles, the needles dispersed into gold dust and mixed into your bloodstream. This will make your illness even worse¡­"


    Even though Rasa failed to kill Orochimaru, he had sessfully worsened Kimimaro''s condition. Just like in the original story, Kimimaro wouldn''t be in a state to join the attack on Konoha. Considering Fujin''s presence and Konoha''s preparedness, the odds were heavily stacked against Orochimaru. Yet, the thought of canceling the attack didn''t even cross Orochimaru''s mind! He was still as confident as ever!


    A few hundred kilometers away, Fujin was still standing, trying to figure out the situation. He finally gave up thinking, ''Ah, leave it. Finding the dead guy in this vast country without the mark is too difficult. I''ll need to wait for Shigeki''s reports. He could give me some information.


    That said, there is one piece of information I have. Whoever killed him tried to read his memories. That lowers the number of suspects. It''s either a Yamanaka ninja Konoha stationed here or Orochimaru unless there are others who have learnt this trick too. Hmm, I think Nagato could do it and maybe the Jashin faction could have this ability too.


    Of these, the most suspicious one is definitely Orochimaru as I don''t think any of the remaining three have a reason to target a Phantom Haven member. Of course, that is assuming he didn''t do anything crazy.


    Oh well, no point in specting too much. I''ll soon have another headache to deal with. The first death of a member of Phantom Haven Society. I''ll need to handle this issue carefully. If I mishandle it, the members will be restless and the organization will suffer.


    However, if I handle it properly, I could use this to increase everyone''s bond to the organization and make everyone improve their strength seriously.''


    Fujin immediately began making ns to use this situation to his advantage. Elsewhere, Orochimaru was even busier than Fujin. Unlike Hiruzen, who had an array of capable subordinates to rely on, Orochimaru had lost an ally and his two strongest subordinates! He had only a week to ensure that all his arrangements were perfect before heunched his assault on Konoha!


    [A/N: Latest chapter : A deadly infection!]


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 Chapter 714: Kazekiri

    Chapter 714: Kazekiri


    Sitting in his office, Hiruzen was going through the updated bingo book. He flipped through the pages until he found what he was looking for. He chuckled and muttered, "So they figured it out, huh?"


    Without taking his eyes off the book, he ordered, "Call Fujin here."


    One of his Anbu Guards disappeared from the room. Minutester, Fujin appeared in his office. Hiruzen passed him the bingo book and said, "Take a look."


    The page Hiruzen had opened had Fujin''s entry in the bingo book. He muttered, "So, they doubled my bounty to a 100 million Ryo, huh?"


    Hiruzen said, "It looks like they figured out some details due to your involvement and the trap."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Yeah, Darui and others had seen me use explosive tags earlier. So, it isn''t surprising. Still, I guess they haven''t figured out all the details yet. Otherwise, they might have raised the amount much higher."


    Hiruzen chuckled and said, "There is no point in increasing the bounties any further. If someone has the strength to kill you, then they can''t be bought anyway. The 100 million figure is just to signify the threat you pose.


    Such a bounty amount isn''t really a threat to you as no one will try to im it. The only reason why Kumogakure did this was to send a message to other hidden viges. They should soon enter into talks with Iwagakure using."


    Fujin was surprised, but after thinking about it, he found Hiruzen''s words logical. Even if his bounty was increased to 1 billion, who would bother trying to kill him? He thought, ''Now that I think about it, there is one who might be tempted. I wonder if I''ll have a third round against Kakuzu soon¡­'' Seeing Fujin nod, Hiruzen added, "Of course, it doesn''t mean that there aren''t any bounties beyond that amount. However, they are generally reserved only for individuals who are extremely hated. The vige that issues such a bounty usually goes all out to ensure that person dies. Turn seven pages."


    Fujin flipped the pages and saw Akuro''s bounty. It was twice that of Fujin''s! Fujin felt a bit peculiar and wondered, ''So if someone kills me, does he get 100 million or 300 million Ryo? Hmm, it might be fun to create more such identities and wreak havoc. It''ll be amusing to see a dozen pages in the Bingo book being upied by me.''


    Even though Fujin thought so, his expression hadn''t changed even a bit. Hiruzen asked, "Do you recall running into someone like this?"


    Fujin shook his head. Hiruzen sighed and said, "The fact that they put up the image of his mask implies that no one in Kumogakure knows what he looks like. Looking for Akuro will be difficult if he refuses to show himself."


    Fujin agreed and added, "True, but if his personality is as he disyed, I doubt such a person can stay without creating chaos."


    Hiruzen shrugged and said, "Only time will tell. Anyway, I had another reason to call you. Come with me."


    Both flickered out of the room as Fujin followed Hiruzen to Oto Momo''s house. He asked, "Is my new sword done?"


    Hiruzen nodded and said, "Yes, Fuji did a great jobpleting it in such a short time."


    Momo immediately opened the door and weed the two of them inside. They entered and saw Furutani Fuji and some of his apprentices. However, unlike the previous time, each one of them seemedpletely spent this time.


    Even Fujin couldn''t help but think, ''It looks like they really went all-out this time. I wonder if this is their way of saying that I''m not weed in the Land of Iron, hehehe.''


    The previous time they met, Hiruzen had threatened to send Fujin to the Land of Iron when he was engaged in negotiations. Looking at their condition, Fujin was sure that they did everything in their power to ensure that didn''t happen.


    Hiruzen smiled and said sympathetically, "It must have been tough on you, Fuji-dono."


    Fuji sighed in exhaustion and replied, "You don''t know the half of it. However, it''s fine. It''s not often that I get a chance to craft a sword of this caliber. I just wished that we weren''t constrained by time."


    Before Fujin could say anything, Hiruzen hurriedly said, "Unfortunately, the situation is as such. Not everything can be as we like."


    Fuji nodded while Fujin nced at Hiruzen. Hiruzen acted as if he didn''t feel his gaze and thought, ''Fortunately, I reacted quickly. Otherwise, this brat might have asked Fuji to work on another sword.''


    While Hiruzen believed that Fujin was mature enough not to do that, he didn''t dare to test it. Fujin could only shake his head at Hiruzen''s antics and wondered, ''I have been taking it easy on himtely. I wonder if I should give him more headaches.''


    Fuji sighed again and said, "That is true. Anyway, even though I had very little time, the sword we crafted still fills me with pride. It is undoubtedly the best sword I have crafted."


    Fuji opened up a scroll while speaking and summoned a box out. He opened the box and took out the sword he had crafted. However, instead of looking at the sword, he was staring at Fujin and Hiruzen''s reaction.


    When Fuji took the sword out of the box, both Hiruzen and Fujin were startled. However, neither showed anything on their face and continued maintaining a straight face, leaving Fuji disappointed.


    Fujin thought, ''Interesting, though I doubt someone like him will have the guts to do something like this.''


    Hiruzen thought the same and concluded, ''This must be Mifune''s decision. He wants to tell me that they aren''tpletely out of the loop. This must be due to my earlier threat and the losses Kumogakure took.


    With Kumogakure suffering, Konoha can take over the mine in the Land of Hot Water and others can''t do much to stop us. After all, Suna is supposed to be allied with us and Kiri is embroiled in a civil war. Onoki won''t act under these circumstances. It''s understandable that he is worried about the situation.


    However, he has no reason to worry. With Orochimaru and Suna likely working together, I can''t make a move on that mine even if I wanted to.''


    The reason why the two of them were surprised wasn''t the sword, instead it was the sword''s sheath. It was crafted from a lightweight, dark wood andcquered in a deep navy-blue finish with silver ents, which was normal. However, it featured intricate engravings of Flying Sabertooths, Fujin''s summons, depicted mid-flight amidst swirling winds.


    The only time Fujin disyed his summon to his enemies was when he retreated from the trapid by Kitsuchi. As such, the Samurais shouldn''t have been aware of it. Carving it on the sword''s sheath was a message to Hiruzen that Mifune had gotten this information from Iwagakure.


    It showed that the Land of Iron could get information from Iwagakure and the two sides could cooperate in case Konoha decided to act unterally. Even though Kumogakure was weakened, Konoha couldn''t afford to antagonize Iwagakure and the Land of Iron at the same time.


    Seeing that he had failed to get a response from Hiruzen and Fujin, Fuji removed the sword from its sheath while saying, "I''ve crafted the sword as per your requirements to the best of my abilities. Though it isn''t as hard and sturdy as the Sword of Kusanagi, it is very close."


    He handed the de to Fujin and said, "Check it and see whether it fits properly."


    Fujin held the sword and observed it. The sword was sleek and slender with a faint bluish hue, hinting at its uniqueposition. The de''s edge was honed to an extraordinary sharpness, capable of cutting through the toughest materials with ease. The hilt of the sword was wrapped in abination of dark, navy-blue silk and white leather, providing bothfort and a firm grip.


    Fujin swung his new sword a few times to get an idea of its bnce. He quickly realized that the sword''s bnce was meticulously tuned, making it incredibly responsive and agile. It was even more suited for him than his previous des.


    In addition, the sword was considerably lighter than his previous swords, which would furtherplement Fujin''s speed and precision in battles. Considering that his main requirement was sturdiness and durability, Fujin was surprised that Fuji managed to make the sword so light.


    He muttered, "This sword is amazing. I have never felt morepatible with a sword."


    Fuji smiled and said with pride, "I had already crafted two swords for you earlier. So, it was easier this time to make the sword even morepatible with you. Of course, this is what I''d have done for any sword. You should have sensed what makes this sword special, right?"


    Fujin grinned and flowed his wind chakra into the de. His eyes momentarily widened as he felt how smooth the chakra flow was. He thought in surprise, ''So smooth! It''s almost as if the sword was an extension of my arm!''


    Fuji exined, "Even though the sword is exceptionally sturdy, the most remarkable feature of the de is its ability to channel wind chakra. I incorporated a specialttice structure within the de''s core that amplifies and seamlessly guides Wind Chakra along the de''s length.


    It will make you feel like the sword is an extension of your will and help you by enhancing your vacuum shes and razor-sharp wind currents to another level."


    Pride could be felt in Fuji''s voice as he enthusiastically exined the features of the sword. He continued, "Considering the features of the sword, I have named it Kazekiri!"


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 Chapter 715: Fujins Profound Loss!

    Chapter 715: Fujin''s Profound Loss!


    "Kazekiri, as in the Wind Cutter, huh? Sounds good." Fujin said with a smile on his face. He thought, ''Now I can''t wait to try this sword out. Orochimaru, I hope you make sufficient arrangements. It would suck if I can''t fight a rank S ninja.''


    Furutani Fuji said, "I''m d that you liked it. That said, I have a request. No, the swordsmiths in the Land of Iron have a request from you. I wonder if you''d oblige."


    Fujin took his eyes away from the sword and looked at Fuji. He asked curiously, "What request?"


    Fuji said, "You said that you destroyed Orochimaru''s Sword of Kusanagi. Do you have the pieces of that sword? If you have them and are willing to give them to us, we''ll use them to make a new sword for you. And, we''ll also be bearing all the costs. Depending on their state, we might be able to make a sword better than Kazekiri."


    Fuji''s gaze was so passionate that everyone else in the room was weirded out. It was extremely clear that he desperately wanted to get his hands on the remains of the Sword of Kusanagi.


    Unfortunately for him, Fujin shook his head and replied, "Unfortunately no. I don''t know what Orochimaru did with that sword, but it turned into a snake after I destroyed it. All its remains were burned down during our fight."


    Fujin would have liked to get his hands on the sword''s pieces had it been a normal sword. Unlike the Kubikiribocho, the Sword of Kusanagi was a very good fit with Fujin''s fighting style. However, he didn''t want to do anything with it knowing that it could turn into a snake. Despite his strength, he wouldn''t foolishly underestimate Orochimaru''s means. Hence, he didn''t bother avoiding the corpse of the snake when he blew up the entire ce with hisbination jutsu.


    Fuji''s enthusiasm died down like someone had poured a bucket of cold water on him. He sighed ruefully and said, "That''s a shame. Still, converting a sword into a snake. It seems like Orochimaru''s understanding of swords might exceed ours."


    Fuji handed Fujin the sheath and the box while Hiruzen discussed some official matters with Fuji. After around half an hour, they left Momo''s house. After ensuring that no one was around to eavesdrop, Hiruzen asked, "Are you prepared, Fujin? The finals will start in a few days. Even though your role might seem the easiest, it''ll be veryplicated as you''ll have to change your ns depending upon the situation."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Yeah, don''t worry. I''ll be at my best."


    Hiruzen replied, "Good. I''m counting on you."


    Both disappeared. Hiruzen continued working while Fujin got back to his training.


    In the Phantom Haven Base, Hayato entered Shigeki''s office with a worried look on his face. Shigeki immediately noticed it and asked, "Still no news on Masanori?"


    Hayato answered, "No. The squad I sent to investigate returned. They didn''t find Masanori. The informant he was supposed to meet said that Masanori never met him. They even looked for any signs of battle on the route he was supposed to travel but didn''t find anything."


    Shigeki frowned and muttered, "That can only mean two things. Either he ran into such a strong opponent that he couldn''t even put up a resistance or he betrayed us."


    The room became silent for a minute. Hayato shook his head and said, "No, he wouldn''t betray us. His hatred towards our former vige runs deep. He wouldn''t give up his chance of getting revenge on them. It should be the first case. However, even if he ran into someone so strong, why would they restrain him?"


    Suddenly, Hayato''s eyes widened as he realized, "Unless¡­"


    Shigekipleted his sentence, "Unless he saw something he shouldn''t have."


    Hayato wondered aloud, "What could he have seen for someone to eliminate him silently?"


    The two of them began thinking. Shigeki suddenly asked, "Do you recall Lord Shiden''s words? He said that Konoha and Suna seemed to be headed towards a conflict. Do you think that this situation might have something to do with that?"


    Hayato analyzed for some time before agreeing, "Yes, that is a big possibility. However, we can''t jump to conclusions."


    Shigeki nodded and said, "Of course. We still need to look for Masanori. If our spection is incorrect, then we need to know what happened to him for sure. However, we will tone down our operations for the time being. If another person goes missing, I''ll burn the red seal and let Lord Shiden know about the serious situation."


    Hayato nodded and replied, "Yes, I have the same opinion."


    They dispatched 3 squads to look for Masanori and find out what happened to him. Since it was the first time that something went wrong in the Phantom Haven Society, the adults in the organization were all tense. However, they continued managing the organization without needing to ask for Shiden''s help.


    Fujin, who was anticipating them to burn one of themunication tags and ask for his assistance, was quite surprised that it didn''t happen. He thought, ''Not bad, it looks like they''re trying to get to the root of the matter themselves. It looks like I don''t have any reason to be worried about them for now. I can fully focus on the uing war.''


    Fujin continued practicing with Kazekiri. Since the sword was considerably lighter than his previous swords, he had to practice a bit to bepletelyfortable with it. Considering the variables in the uing war, Fujin had to ensure that he was at his best.


    The unstoppable marching of time continued as everyone prepared themselves. Jiraiya continued training Naruto while Kakashi trained Sasuke. Most of the other Genins trained for the finals as well, though one of them was already dead.


    Meanwhile, Shikaku and Hiruzen ensured that the n ninjas and Anbu were prepared for a war. Due to Orochimaru''s pressure, even Hiruzen endured a couple of training sessions to warm himself up.


    Just like Konoha, the elites in Sunagakure and Otogakure were preparing themselves as well. Just like in the original story, Sunagakure waspletely unaware of the fact that their Kage was dead. Unlike the original story, Orochimaru asked them to send all the elites, who were training, to attack Konoha.


    Even though the council members didn''t like it, they had no choice but to obey the orders of their ''Kazekage''. As such, the number of ninjas that left Sunagakure under the cover of the night was three times higher aspared to their original n!


    In Kumogakure, over a thousand ninjas had been dispatched to find the missing ninjas. While they didn''t find any missing ninjas, they found something that induced horror and rage in every ninja whoid eyes upon it.


    After three unsessful attempts, the Grandmaster and SealMasters of Kumogakure finally managed to get rid of all the explosive seals in the fourth base. While they didn''t find any missing ninjas, they discovered that the soil a few dozen meters underneath the base was soaked in blood.


    They quickly checked the bases that had blown up and discovered the same in those bases. In an instant, everyone reached the same conclusion. Within days, everyone in Kumogakure learnt about it and another shocking news spread throughout the ninja world. Hundreds of missing Kumogakure ninjas were now presumed dead! The bacsh of this news forced Ay to be entirely busy with the internal matters of his vige.


    Under such circumstances, the day of the finals of the Chunin Exam finally arrived. However, one person was more busy and concerned than the Genins who were about to participate. That person was none other than Shikaku, who, for once, didn''tin about waking up early.


    Even before the first rays of the Sunlight reached Konoha, Shikaku stealthily dispatched nearly half of the n ninjas to the walls under the cover of the night. A few hundred n ninjas were supposed to act as the audience in the stadium during the final round.


    Considering that the Kazekage and Hiruzen would be present there, the majority of Konoha''s top powerhouses were stationed there as well. That included Fujin, Kakashi, Guy, Hiashi, Renjiro, Asuma and a few more Elite Jounins.


    Shikaku couldn''t predict where Orochimaru would attack from and what he would target. If he teamed up with Rasa and attacked Hiruzen, Fujin''s role would change and he would assist Hiruzen while Jiraiya would act depending on the situation. However, Shikaku didn''t think that Orochimaru would do this as there was no way Rasa and Orochimaru couldpletely trust each other.


    For that reason, Jiraiya would stay back in the Hokage''s building along with the majority of the Anbu ninjas. Shikaku would be there as well to manage all the forces. Once Orochimaru made his move, Jiraiya would go to confront him.


    The remaining n ninjas continued to stay in their respective npounds so that Shikaku could use them to reinforce others as per the situation.


    While Shikaku was ensuring that everything was under control, Fujin reached the stadium. He stood in the position assigned to him while observing the stadium. Not many people had arrived yet as there were still several hours before the matches began. Fujin didn''t pay any attention to any of them as his mind was in a different ce.


    Fujin recalled the events that happened in the Chunin exams in the original story. Even though it had been over a decade since hest saw it, he still remembered it vividly. He let out a sigh as he realized, ''From this moment onwards, my memories will no longer be reliable.''


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 Chapter 716: The Finals Commence!

    Chapter 716: The Finals Commence!


    A sigh escaped Fujin''s lips as he realized, ''From this moment onwards, my memories will no longer be reliable.''


    When he entered this world, Fujin prized his knowledge of the future very highly. Once he gained sufficient strength to thrive in this deadly world, he could use this knowledge to make immense gains. That was why he was always careful about his actions.


    Fujin had long gained the strength to thrive in this world. Even though there were still existences who were stronger than him, Fujin was confident in his abilities. However, even though he calcted as much as he humanly could, there was one aspect that he couldn''t control. As he continued gaining strength, his existence itself created ripples that would force any sane person to change his actions.


    It was just like how Orochimaru decided against killing Rasa, even though he was ultimately forced to do the same. Fujin''s existence would force others to make changes in their ns as they would have to consider his interference.


    Fujin thought, ''Even though I messed quite a bit with the other hidden viges, I did my best not to mess much with Akatsuki. Even though I tried to kill Hidan once, it ultimately ended in a failure without much impact on the Akatsuki.


    After this battle, things should calm down until the Akatsuki decide to take center stage. ording to my calctions, they will target other Jinchurikis in the same way as in the original story. However, if Konoha takes minimal losses in this war, other viges won''t let their Jinchurikis get taken away so easily. Konoha''s strength will be too immense and they will feel threatened. Under such circumstances, they can''t afford to lose their Jinchurikis.


    So, Akatsuki will face quite a challenge while trying to capture the Jinchurikis. It could cause losses which may result in a serious impact on the future. If Onoki or Ay intercept them while they try to kidnap Roshi or Yugito respectively, it could cause severe repercussions.


    In addition, Akatsuki''s ns for Konoha will change as well. If I continue gaining strength at a simr speed, there is no way Nagato would dare to attack Konoha alone, even more so if Hiruzen stays alive. Considering all these factors, Akatsuki will be forced to make some major changes, whether it be recruiting more ninjas or something else.


    Of course, even with all the changes, my knowledge of the future isn''t useless. It is still precious, considering I know which events will happen in the future and the hidden abilities of so many rank S ninjas. It is just that I can''t act blindly based on just those events and abilities as I could when Orochimaru attacked Naruto''s team in the Forest of Death. Still¡­'' Fujin let out a sigh. He didn''t like losing something so valuable without being able to do anything about it. Suddenly, he heard a chuckle, "I didn''t think I''d ever see you be so worried."


    Fujin didn''t even need to turn around to recognize who it was. He said, "You seem upbeat as always, Guy."


    Guy stood next to him and said, "Of course. What''s the use of being worried about something that''ll eventually happen? We''ll just have to deal with whatever we have to face."


    Guy, obviously, couldn''t know what was going through Fujin''s head. Instead, he thought that Fujin was worried about the uing battle. As his senior, he decided to raise Fujin''s morale a bit. Coincidentally, his words were also applicable to what Fujin was concerned about.


    Fujin chuckled and replied, "That is true. There''s no point in worrying about what we can''t control."


    Guy gave his trademark grin and replied, "That''s the spirit."


    He became serious and said, "That said, this could be your first war. So, it isn''t too strange for you to be a bit nervous. We were quite the same during the Third Great War. Byparison, you''re holding much better."


    Fortunately, Guy was unaware of the stunts Fujin pulled in the Land of Wind and the Land of Lightning. Otherwise, he would have felt silly for saying those words.


    Fujin smiled and replied, "Thanks, Guy. Don''t worry, I''ll be fine. Apologies that I couldn''t visit Lee in the hospital. Unfortunately, the past month has been quite hectic. How''s he?"


    Guy grinned and answered, "Don''t worry, Lee is very tenacious. Thanks to you, his injuries weren''t very serious. He has already recoveredpletely and has continued his training. Even though he is advised against opening the Inner Gates for the time being, he''lle back even stronger."


    Without his arm and leg being crushed by Gaara''s sand, the only thing Lee had to deal with was the painful bacsh of opening five Inner Gates. It put an extreme amount of strain on his young body. However, it wasn''t something that couldn''t be dealt with by the medical ninjas of Konoha. Though he had to be kept under observation for over three weeks, he made a full recovery.


    Fujin chuckled and added, "As expected of your favorite student."


    Fujin and Guy continued waiting in the stadium as others slowly trickled in. One of the earliest people to arrive was Baki. As soon as he arrived, his eyesnded on the two of them. He thought, ''As expected, he is here. I hope Kazekage-sama and Orochimaru have made sufficient preparations. Otherwise, this will be a painful war.''


    In a few hours, the stadium was fully packed. All the Genins had arrived and were standing at the center of the arena¡­ Well, almost everyone.


    Guy''s eyes twitched as he eximed, "I don''t believe it. Kakashi iste today as well?"


    Renjiro, who had arrived in the stadium along with Hoka, chuckled and said, "He doesn''t fail to maintain his reputation."


    Renjiro was assigned the task of ensuring Guy''s safety after he used the Eight Inner Gates to take care of enemy rank S ninjas. He was asked to take Hoka''s help, though Hoka wasn''t told anything about the n. Hence, he and Hoka were standing close to Guy.


    Hoka asked curiously, "Wouldn''t Sasuke be disqualified if he''ste?"


    Renjiro replied, "Under normal circumstances, yes. However, I have a feeling that it wouldn''t be the case. Sasuke''s battle with Gaara is the most anticipated fight of the day. People won''t be happy if that match doesn''t happen."


    Lee asked, "His battle with Gaara? Isn''t Sakura-chan fighting Gaara first? Don''t count her out so soon. I heard she trained extremely hard the entire month."


    His words immediately made all four Jounins gaze at him, making him feel ufortable. Hoka even activated his Byakugan, causing Lee to ask nervously, "What is it?"


    Hoka replied, "Just checking whether opening five Inner Gates left some hidden injuries behind."


    ''...''


    Poor Lee was left speechless. Needless to say, he had made that statement due to his affection for Sakura instead of thinking rationally. Fujin and Renjiro ignored him and turned their gaze back to the arena while Guy was left without any words to defend his star disciple.


    Fortunately for Lee, a loud cheer was heard throughout the stadium, taking attention away from him. The two Kages had entered the stadium. Fujin''s eyes glowed as he observed the ''Kazekage'' like a hawk. A smile appeared on his face as he thought, ''Not bad. I don''t sense a hint of Orochimaru from him. No wonder Hiruzen couldn''t tell either.


    Now, the main questions are¡­ Is he Orochimaru or Rasa? And, if he is Orochimaru, is Rasa dead or alive?"


    While Fujin and several others observed the two Kage, Hayate informed the Genins about the changes in their matchups. With Dosu dead, Shikamaru got a free win and his first match was directly against Temari. The other matches were the same as initially decided. Hayate informed them about the rules of the Chunin exam.


    Finally, a loud announcement was made, "Ladies and Gentlemen¡­ Wee, and a heartfelt thanks for gathering here in Konohagakure for the Chunin Selection Examination. We will now begin the matches of the final round between the nine candidates who advanced in the preliminaries. Please sit back and enjoy!"


    Another loud cheer began in the crowd. In the arena, Hayate instructed, "Haruno Sakura and Gaara, you two stay here. Rest of you, proceed to the waiting room outside the arena."


    [A/N: Latest chapter : The Dawn of a New Era!]


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 Chapter 717: Burying Sakura

    Chapter 717: Burying Sakura


    "Haruno Sakura and Gaara, you two stay here. Rest of you, proceed to the waiting room outside the arena."


    Sakura looked at Gaara with seriousness in her eyes. Knowing how difficult her opponent was, Naruto said, "Good luck, Sakura! You can beat him, believe it!"


    Sakura nervously nodded as Temari and Kankuro chuckled, thinking, ''You''ll be lucky if Gaara even leaves her bones intact.''


    Hayate coughed, indicating the Genins to clear up. A minuteter, Gaara and Sakura stood face to face in the middle of the arena. A determined expression appeared on Sakura as she assured herself, ''Get a grip, Sakura. Even though he is strong, you have trained hard for a month. You can''t get cold feet now.


    Not to mention, Sasuke still isn''t here. He will be disqualified if he doesn''t appear by the time his match begins. So, I have to stretch this battle as long as I can so that Sasuke can reach here. No!''


    Sakura decided, ''I can''t think that way. If I win this match, I can battle against Sasuke. Only that way I can prove myself to him. I''m no longer someone who has to hide behind the two of them. I''ll follow Illumi sensei''s n and defeat Gaara!''


    Unlike Sakura, who was going through emotional turmoil, Gaara stood without a single expression on his face. Much like the rest of the audience, he was more interested in fighting Sasuke and had no interest in Sakura. He didn''t even consider her as a warm-up.


    Even among the audience, there were several wondering whether Sakura was ready for this stage. Their murmurs fell on the ears of Kurama Illumi, who smirked and thought, ''I can''t me them. After all, I underestimated her as well. Who would have thought her talent in Yin Release would have been so outrageous¡­ From everyone I have seen, only Yakumo''s talent exceeds her''s. Lord Third really knew what he was doing when he created Kakashi''s squad.''


    Even Fujin was watching intently. However, the reason why he was doing so was quite different from others. Instead, it was because Illumi had visited him the day before to ask for his help. Fujin looked at Sakura thinking, ''I wasn''t expecting much from this battle, probably I still am not. However, she might spring some surprises¡­'' "Now then¡­ Match one, BEGIN!" Hayate announced loudly. At that very second, sand rushed out of Gaara''s gourd and moved towards Sakura. At the same time, Sakura grabbed two kunai with attached explosive tags and threw them at the sand.


    The tags exploded as soon as the kunai touched the sand, dispersing the sand temporarily and covering the area in smoke.


    Sakura concentrated chakra at her feet and immediately moved under the cover of the smoke. Sheunched more kunai with explosive tags at Gaara while thinking, ''Even though he can control sand wlessly, his sand can''t withstand the explosions. Step one is nearlypleted!''


    Several tags exploded around Gaara, each explosion slowing down his sand for a second. More importantly, the explosions created a smokescreen around Gaara, ensuring that he couldn''t see Sakura.


    In the stadium, surprise appeared on Ino''s face as she muttered, "Incredible. She has been working hard¡­"


    Ino clenched her fists. Just like Sakura, she trained hard in the previous month. Yet, she could feel the distance between them increasing slowly.


    Lee shouted, "That''s awesome, Sakura. Keep it up!"


    In the waiting room, Naruto acted simrly.


    Among the judges, Kotetsu said, "She is impressive."


    Izumo nodded and added, "Not only has she created conditions suitable for her, but her chakra control is incredible too. She has continuously concentrated chakra at her feet, allowing her to move at a faster speed."


    Themon people were impressed as well and began cheering for Sakura. Of course, the truly strong ninjas could see that Gaara wasn''t even a bit affected. He was still as expressionless as earlier.


    A smile appeared on Illumi''s face as he thought, ''This boy is quite fearsome. To think that a Jinchuriki would participate in the exam. There is no way Sakura could be as strong as him in a month. However, there is always a weapon that the weak have. It''s arrogance that the strong possess. Do it!''


    Sakura weaved hand seals while thinking, ''ording to Illumi sensei''s calction, he wouldn''t move from his spot. This is my chance!''


    Suddenly, her eyes widened as noticed balls of sand moving towards her. Due to the smoke cover, she didn''t notice them until thest moment. She desperately did everything she could to dodge them while wondering, ''How did he know I was here? Or did he attack in every direction?''


    A few sandballs grazed her, leaving several cuts on her body. Even though blood dripped down her cheeks, arms, legs and waist, she didn''t stop her hand seals or lose control of her chakra. She gritted her teeth andpleted her jutsu.


    ''Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing jutsu''


    Since he hadn''t moved from his original position, Sakura''s jutsu hit Gaara even though she couldn''t see him in the smoke. Gaara''s eyes suddenly widened. Smoke around him cleared as the figure of a bloodied man appeared lying on the ground. Gaara muttered, "Yashamaru¡­"


    Hell Viewing jutsu was a Genjutsu tailored to exploit the target''s worst fears. As soon as Sakura''s chakra influenced Gaara, he recalled the events of that traumatic night.


    Yashamaru extended his bloody hands towards Gaara and said, "My sister died because of you, Monster! Give me back my sister."


    Suddenly, Gaara looked towards his right and saw Temari and Kankuro.


    Temari hatefully said, "Because of you, my mother died and my father became distant. You''re the cause of all our sufferings!"


    Kankuro cursed, "A monster like you should never have been born!"


    While Gaara was under Genjutsu, Sakura threw several shurikens at him. The smoke cover was finally clearing and she could see her shurikens going straight at him. With hope in her eyes, she thought, ''This is it! He won''t be able to control sand while he is under my Genjutsu! I''ve won!''


    From the waiting room, Naruto shouted, "Excellent work! Sakura! Get him!"


    Next to him, Kankuro said, "She did very well. Unluckily for her, it''s all useless."


    Naruto snapped and asked, "What do you mea¡­?"


    His and the eyes of most Konoha ninjas widened. Sakura and Illumi were no exceptions. Sakura couldn''t help but exim in shock, "How? How can his sand still move?"


    Despite being under a Genjutsu, Gaara''s sand moved and blocked the shurikens.


    Kankuro said, "Gaara''s sand can move autonomously to protect him from any danger. Even if he can''t see the attacking, the sand will protect him. This strategy is useless against him."


    Naruto and other genins from Konoha were surprised. They looked at Gaara, wondering how they could deal with such a technique. Temari smirked and said, "Even though she did well, that girl is dead."


    The very next moment, Gaara''s eyesnded on Sakura. Even though he had fallen to her Genjutsu, Sakura was no Itachi. It wasn''t difficult for him to disrupt his chakra and break the Genjutsu. If anything, the sight he had seen just sent his anger soaring through the skies. He shouted, "Die!"


    At the next moment, the soil in the arena began moving. Within seconds, Sakura''s vision was filled by a massive wave of sand. She was still in shock that her attack had failed. Even if she wasn''t, there was nothing she could do to dodge the massive wave.


    Hayate''s eyes widened. He cursed, ''Shit! I won''t be able to make it!''


    In the stand, Naruto, Lee, Ino and a few others were horrified as well. In front of their eyes, the sand engulfed Sakura,pletely submerging her underneath!


    "Sakura!!!" Naruto shouted in horror as he jumped down from the waiting room.


    Most of the audience thought the same as Naruto. Quite a few were sad that such a promising kunoichi died. Of course, there were a few who became even more thrilled. And, there were a few ninjas who were ncing at a spot in the stadium.


    Illumi breathed a sigh of relief as he thought, ''Even though I didn''t know his sand could move autonomously, I made contingency ns in case he broke the Genjutsu quickly and attacked Sakura in rage.''


    A serious look appeared on the ''Kazekage''s'' face as he analyzed, ''It feels like he has gotten even faster.''


    Hiruzen nced at the ''Kazekage'' to study his reaction.


    A solemn expression appeared on Baki''s face as he thought, ''His speed is insane. An ordinary Jounin will stand no chance against such a speed. Even I won''tst long if I fight him by myself.''


    Hayate flickered in front of Naruto, who was running towards the sand where Sakura was ''buried'' and said, "Naruto, calm down and look there."


    Naruto barely controlled himself and looked in the direction where Hayate pointed. In an instant, relief and joy appeared on his face as he saw Fujin holding Sakura by the back of her neck.


    Fujin could feel Sakura shivering in fear. He gently ced her down and said, "Calm down. You''re safe."


    [A/N: For the first time in nearly a couple of years, I spent a couple of days without thinking about the book at all. Sorry for the sudden break, but I guess I needed to take my mind off it for a few days to refresh a bit. Anyway, let''s go strong once again. Hopefully no more breaks until the start of the timeskip. The release schedule for the uing chapters will be this time (plus minus an hour).]


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 Chapter 718: Implications of a simple move!

    Chapter 718: Implications of a simple move!


    One day before, Illumi sent his Shadow Clones to look out for Kakashi. Even though he created the battle strategy for Sakura, giving her some chance of winning against Gaara, he knew the risks if she failed. He wanted to ask Kakashi to rescue her when that happened.


    Unfortunately, his clones couldn''t find Kakashi. So, he visited Fujin, informed him about her attack strategy and asked him to save her in case Gaara retaliated. Considering the amount of disturbance her death would cause to the future, Fujin had no reason to refuse. That is why Illumi was calm throughout the match.


    "Calm down. You''re safe." Hearing Fujin''s voice and seeing that she was no longer about to be engulfed by the sand, Sakura''s fear subsided. Even though her heart was still beating rapidly, being next to Fujin and Guy made her feel safer. Her knees eventually gave out as she copsed to the ground while breathing rapidly.


    Lee immediately checked up on her and asked, "Sakura, are you alright?"


    Sakura nodded. She looked at Fujin and said, "Thank you."


    Fujin casually replied, "Don''t worry about it."


    He turned his gaze back to the arena, where Gaara was looking hatefully at Fujin. It was the second time Fujin saved his prey. Needless to say, Baki intervened before Gaara did anything stupid.


    Hayate announced, "Due to outside interference, Haruno Sakura is disqualified. Gaara is the winner of this round."


    Fearing that Sakura would be depressed, Lee said, "Don''t worry, Sakura-chan. You did great!" Renjiro added, "He is right."


    Sakura nced at him as Renjiro said, "You implemented your battle n perfectly. In addition, you also disyed your skills perfectly, impressing everyone. Unfortunately, you didn''t have any ns to save yourself from his counterattack. If you did, you''d have been promoted to Chunin irrespective of the result of the battle. Still, you should be proud of your achievement. During the next Chunin Exams, both of you should be Chunins."


    It was as Renjiro said. Izumo said, "Her chakra control and Genjutsu are definitely on par with Chunins. Her ability to implement ns also shows her ability to lead squads during missions."


    Kotetsu nodded and added, "True. By using 18 explosive tags, just under the permissible limit of 20, she also used the updated rules to the fullest. Unfortunately¡­"


    Izumo continued his sentence, "Unfortunately, she didn''t have any countermeasures and froze when the enemy attacked. That shows she isn''t prepared to lead a squad. If she had defended herself until Hayate could rescue her, she would have been ready for a promotion."


    Kotetsu and others around him nodded in agreement.


    Needless to say, Illumi knew about it too. If he wanted to, he could have easily made some ns for Sakura to achieve that. However, he refrained from doing so. He nced at Sakura and thought, ''Under normal circumstances, no one would train the Genins to counter their opponents or make ns for that. It is something that the Genin has toe up with to prove that they''re ready for the promotion.


    The only reason I helped Sakura with that was because of how unfair the match was for her. However, I didn''t help her create a n to protect herself until the proctor interfered. If I had done it, she would have been promoted even if she wasn''t ready. Hence, I left it as a test for her. Unfortunately, she failed."


    Illumi was slightly disappointed that Sakura didn''t bother to think of any such countermeasures by herself. Still, he wasn''t too bothered by it. He thought, ''Considering her talent at Yin Release and Chakra Control, her promotion is only a matter of time. This loss will be good for her.''


    Sakura asked in surprise, "I could have been promoted if I had just defended myself? How?"


    Renjiro said, "While strength is important to be a Chunin, it isn''t the only aspect. These exams test various aspects of your skills to check whether you''re prepared to be a Chunin and lead a squad.


    As a leader, you need to be quick on your feet and have several ns to not only ensure that your mission is a sess but also to ensure that your squad stays alive. This is also why Fujin scolded you after your fight against Gaara, Lee.


    Use your time until the next Chunin Exam to improve on these aspects while continuing to increase your strength."


    Lee and Sakura nodded and thanked Renjiro. Meanwhile, Hayate called Neji down to the arena as Naruto was already there. Naruto continued looking at Fujin and Sakura and thought in relief, ''Thankfully Fujin took action.''


    He wasn''t the only one. By now, most of the audience had realized that Sakura had been saved and was looking at Fujin''s location since Hayate had pointed there while stopping Naruto. Immediately, murmurs began.


    "Is that Councilman Fujin? The one who forced Orochimaru to run away twice?"


    "He is. I didn''t expect he would make a move."


    "As expected of Lord Fujin!"


    "Well, it isn''t surprising. However, when did he even move? I am sure I saw Sakura being engulfed by the sand!"


    "Hmph, you should focus on training. Do you think you can track a rank S ninja?"


    While the ordinary people rejoiced and cheered, the ninjas, who had been training for the past few weeks and expecting a war, were relieved. Seeing how ridiculous Fujin''s speed was first-hand increased their morale considerably.


    Of course, there were also a few who looked at Fujin with animosity. However, they didn''t dare to speak aloud and could only keep their thoughts to themselves.


    ''So, that''s the Spectral Swordsman?''


    ''He''s troublesome. I hope Kazekage-sama has made arrangements to deal with him. Otherwise, we''re dead.''


    ''Hmph, he might have defeated Orochimaru-sama by ganging up on him. With us here, no one will help him this time and Orochimaru-sama will kill him!''


    The Konoha, Suna and Oto ninjas weren''t the only ones who looked at Fujin seriously. The various leaders from minor viges and countries, who were invited to watch the Chunin Exam, also took note of him. While none of them had any intentions of making a move against Konoha, their resolve to not mess with Konoha became stronger.


    An ordinary-lookingdy nced at Fujin as well while thinking, ''So he is Suzuki Fujin. He looks quite ordinary. To think that someone like him could force Orochimaru-sama to retreat twice. Sigh, I''ll have to be very careful. This battle will be a bloody one.''


    Fujin ignored all the gazes and continued looking at the arena as Neji and Naruto finally stood face to face.


    Kotetsu said, "I never imagined that all 3 of Kakashi''s rookies would make it to the finals. A shame that they drew such difficult opponents. This might be how far he goes as well."


    Izumo nodded and added, "Yes, but considering the surprise the kunoichi gave us, I wouldn''t count him out just yet."


    Hoka chuckled and said, "I know you guided Naruto a bit, but this is the end of the line for him."


    Fujin chuckled as well and asked, "Care to put money where your mouth is?"


    Sakura nced at the two of them and questioned, ''Huh? Are these two betting on the match?''


    "Sakura! Come and sit here!" She turned her head to see Ino calling her and joined her.


    Hoka looked at Fujin with a deadpan expression and asked, "Who doesn''t know how loaded you are? As if I''ll risk bankrupting myself by betting against you."


    Fujin let out a sigh and asked, "When did you lose your courage?"


    Needless to say, Hoka knew Fujin too well to fall into his traps. He just turned his gaze to the two Genins. Fujin just chuckled and looked at them as well. Meanwhile, Renjiro wondered, ''Was Fujin just messing with Hoka or does he have confidence in Naruto? If it''s thetter, then this battle might be fun.''


    "Match two, BEGIN!"


    Neji took his stance while saying, "Ho ho¡­ It''s more fun this way. I can''t wait to see the despair in your eyes when the truth finally dawns on you!"


    Naruto made a hand seal as he replied, "Quit yapping and fight! Multi Shadow Clone jutsu!"


    [A/N: Next chapter : An Epic sh!]


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 Chapter 719: An Epic Clash

    Chapter 719: An Epic sh


    "The Hyuga blood flows thicker in his veins than in anyone else''s. Watch closely, Hanabi."


    "Yes, Father." Hanabi replied to Hiashi. The two of them weren''t the only ones. All Hyuga ninjas in the stadium were watching closely.


    Naruto, who had just created his Shadow Clones, suddenly shivered. He wondered, ''What the hell? Why does it feel like I''ll be in huge trouble?''


    The reason for his instincts warning him was Fujin''s gaze that had locked on him. Fujin thought, ''If he gives Neji a free attack like he did Kiba, I''m taking over his training for a month.''


    "Heh. Scared already?" Neji teased Naruto who immediately replied, "As if someone like you can make me scared!"


    Neji chuckled and taunted, "Come at me then if you dare!"


    Naruto''s Shadow Clones rushed ahead and attacked Neji. The four clones ganged up on Neji and attacked him from every direction. Unfortunately, no matter what they did, none of their attacksnded on Neji. Neji hit and dispelled all four clones with extreme ease.


    Hoka shook his head and said, "Forget Neji, he wouldn''t hit any Hyuga ninja with that level of Taijutsu."


    Fujin nodded and replied, "That''s true. Even though he prefers Taijutsu, it isn''t exactly his strong point."Hoka nced at Fujin and thought, ''Weird. I thought he''d defend Naruto. Why was he so confident that Naruto would win then?''


    Neji smirked and said, "You want to be the Hokage, huh? I don''t think that''s gonna happen. I can pretty much tell with these eyes of mine that abilities and talent are determined at birth. In other words, your entire destiny is set from the time you''re born!"


    His words pissed Naruto off, who shouted, "Why are you so stubborn? You''re always so sure that the future is full of gloom and doom! Why?"


    Neji replied, "Well, are you saying that anyone can be the Hokage if they just try hard enough? Only a select few individuals are even considered for Hokage. Wake up and face reality! Those who be the Hokage are born with that fate. You can''t get there by trying. You have to be pre-selected!"


    A chuckle escaped Fujin''s lips as he heard Neji''s words. Ignoring the gazes the ones around him gave, Fujin thought, ''Well, as delusional as he is, I can''t say he is entirely wrong. Then again, how could he know the history of the supposed loser?


    The son of the Fourth Hokage and the Jinchuriki of the strongest Tailed Beast, a fate he received at his birth. The absurd part is that those factors are more or less irrelevant considering that he is the reincarnation of Asura. Poor kid, bbering so much in front of the wrong person.''


    Neji continued, "Each person''s life consists only of being swept along in the inescapable current of his destiny. All of us have only one thing inmon¡­ One shared fate... Death!"


    A frown appeared on Hiashi''s face. Naruto snorted and asked, "Even if that is the case, what makes you think that your eyes can see the fate of everyone?"


    Naruto created dozens of Shadow Clones and attacked Neji. Despite the huge numerical disadvantage, Neji dodged and countered every attack. Having seen through Naruto''s attack pattern, Neji predicted that the Naruto who was standing at the back of the clones was the real one.


    He made his way through the army of the clones, reached the Naruto hiding behind the clones and jabbed his fingers towards the chakra point near his heart. Just before his attack couldnd, Naruto caught his wrist. However, Neji quickly followed up with more attacks andnded a hit in the blink of an eye, forcing Naruto to vomit blood. Immediately, several Shadow Clones around him were dispelled, covering the area in smoke.


    Neji said, "You''re the real one. I told you it was useless."


    To his surprise, Naruto beganughing. He stared into Neji''s eyes and said, "And I told you to not make so many assumptions."


    Suddenly, Neji''s eyes widened and he looked behind. He sensed a sudden chakra spike some distance behind him. However, before he could do anything, the Naruto behind him lunged at him.


    Thanks to his Byakugan, Neji saw that attacking and attacked him again. To everyone''s surprise, ''Naruto'' dispelled in the cloud of smoke. Even though he was shocked, Neji had no time to pay attention to the fact that he had just been fooled. After all, in front of him was an intense wind current that was threatening to cut him into pieces!


    Wasting no time, Neji released chakra from nearly every chakra point on his body. At the same time, he began spinning rapidly, causing the chakra to rotate alongside him and forming a barrier.


    The eyes of several Hyuga ninjas widened, realizing that Neji had used Rotation, a technique that very few outside of the main family knew. The fact that he had done it at such a young age was even more shocking.


    The winds engulfed the barrier and several wind des rained down on it. However, the barrier held as Neji continued spinning until the winds subsided.


    Kotetsu muttered, "Great¡­ No, it''s the Infinite Breakthrough jutsu, a rank B jutsu. Along with the forbidden Multi Shadow Clone jutsu, Naruto is notcking in high-level jutsus."


    Izumo said, "More impressive is how he baited Neji. The ability to n and fool opponents is extremely important for a Chunin."


    Kotetsu nodded and added, "True. However, Neji is quite impressive as well. To have learnt Rotation at such a young age¡­"


    As the dust cleared, Naruto''s eyes widened as he saw that Neji waspletely unharmed. One of his clones eximed in disbelief, "No way! How did he defend against that jutsu?"


    Neji smirked and asked, "You thought you had me beat?"


    However, Naruto and his clones weren''t too interested in talking it out. The fact that he failed to achieve anything with the jutsu taught by Fujin worried him more. He didn''t wish to endure any more special training sessions with Fujin. He had a feeling that they would be extremely unpleasant.


    Another clone said, "Maybe the jutsu wasn''t strong enough, boss. Give him a big one!"


    Naruto weaved hand signs as he replied, "That''s right! Let me see whether he can defend against this!"


    Neji''s smirk disappeared as his eyes saw Naruto concentrating a massive amount of chakra. He quickly moved towards Naruto but was stalled by the Shadow Clones.


    In the stadium, a worried look appeared on Hiruzen''s face as he questioned, ''Did they have to teach Naruto this technique?''


    Neji was just a couple of meters away from Naruto when he was done supercharging the Infinite Breakthrough jutsu! Just like Fujin, he poured 5% of his chakra into the jutsu. Neji''s eyes widened as he saw Naruto blowing out the jutsu at him from such a close distance. He immediately released his chakra and used Rotation once again.


    As good as Neji''s defense was, Naruto''s attack was far beyond what a Genin should be able to do. Heck, most Jounins wouldn''t want to be at the receiving end of that jutsu. Even so, Neji''s Rotation ensured that he wasn''t hit by the winds. However, due to the difference in the strength of the two jutsu, Neji, along with his Rotation barrier, was flung across the arena! Even so, Neji continued spinning and didn''t dare to let the jutsu end.


    And, considering the nature of the jutsu, Neji wasn''t the only casualty. As Hiruzen feared, the intense winds hit most of the audience in the line of attack. Thankfully, the winds had mellowed down and no wind des reached the audience. Even so, quite a few people were blown away, causing several injuries. A part of the stadium became aplete mess! Even the people who weren''t in the line of attack felt the strong winds.


    Hoka and Renjiro nced at Fujin and thought, ''Supercharged wind jutsus. No wonder he was so confident! How is a Genin supposed to defend against the supercharged jutsus of a freaking Jinchuriki?''


    Lee shouted, "Excellent, Naruto! Keep it up!"


    Ino questioned with a stunned expression as she covered her eyes, "What the hell? When did Naruto be so powerful?"


    Sakura answered, "I don''t know. His Wind jutsus weren''t this strong before!"


    Kiba had a simr stunned expression as he thanked the heavens that Naruto didn''t use such a jutsu against him.


    Hinata, whose condition didn''t worsen like in the original story due to Fujin''s treatment, smiled as she looked at everyone acknowledging Naruto.


    When the winds died down, Neji''s figure appeared once again. This time, he wasn''tpletely unhurt. Even though Rotation kept Neji safe from the Wind des, stopping such strong jutsu made Neji feel the bacsh. His entire body was aching and blood could be seen trickling down his lips. However, he still stood on his feet, shocking Naruto and his clones once again.


    "Holy crap! What is that defense?"


    "How is he still standing?"


    "Boss! Give him another! If two isn''t enough, three will take him down!"


    "That''s right! Let me see if he still stays standing! Infinite Breakthrough jutsu!"


    To the shock of Neji and the audience, Naruto fired another supercharged Infinite Breakthrough jutsu at Neji, and by extension, the people behind him!


    [A/N: Quite a bit of a repeat of what happened in the original story in this chapter. Initially, I had decided to omit it all but eventually decided against it so that you guys wouldn''t have to re-read the manga to know what Fujin wasmenting on. That said, there won''t be much repetition of canon in the uing matches.]


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 Chapter 720: Spam till you win!

    Chapter 720: Spam till you win!


    Neji coughed, spitting out blood. He looked at Naruto and wondered, ''What the hell was that? How was he able to infuse so much chakra in the same jutsu and increase its strength to such a level? Why does he even know such a strong jutsu?''


    Before he could find an answer, his eyes widened as he saw Naruto''s chakra moving in the same way it did a few minutes ago. He once again released chakra from his chakra points while cursing, ''Crap! How many times can he use this jutsu? Why does he still have so much chakra?''


    For the first time, Neji was more than a bit nervous. Unlike Naruto, his chakra reserves were extremely limited. Even so, he still trusted his defense. However, there were quite a few who didn''t have that luxury.


    "Holy fucking hell! That demon is making the same fucking hand seals!"


    "Stop! Stop! Are you crazy? Do you want to kill all of us???"


    "That Hyuga kid is not at the center of the arena this time. He is very close to the wall. If he attacks here, then we¡­"


    "Fuck! STOP KID!"


    "Mommy, I''m sorry. I won''t ever force you to bring me here."


    "I''m sorry! I''ll never look at you hatefully again! Please stop your attack!" The audience behind Neji was in full panic mode! Young children were in tears. The adults who mistreated Naruto were now sorry. Quite a few people were trying to run away while several kids and even more adults fell unconscious due to fear.


    The civilians weren''t the only ones who were afraid. The ordinary-lookingdy, who was ncing at Fujin earlier, nervously wondered, ''Have our ns been leaked? Does Konoha intend tounch a surprise attack using the excuse of the Chunin Exam?''


    Hoka looked at themotion awkwardly and asked, "Should we help out?"


    Fujin''s group was quite far away from the line of attack. So, none of them had made a move so far. However, realizing that some people may die, a few of them became nervous.


    Renjiro answered, "It''s fine. Arrangements are made to stop any attacks from harming the audience in every Chunin Exam. It''s just that Naruto''s attack caught them off guard."


    As Renjiro spoke, four Anbu ninjas made a move. They flickered and appeared on top of the walls while weaving hand seals. Just before Naruto''s attack could hit the audience, a barrier appeared in front of them and stopped the winds!


    Orochimaru keenly observed the barrier and realized, ''The barrier team is much stronger than what they usually keep. As expected, they''re here to keep Gaara in check. Unfortunately for them, they have foolishly given away their location. Who''d have thought that Naruto would help me¡­''


    A smirk appeared under his mask as he said, "That''s quite a Genin you''ve got there, Lord Hokage. His strength is more than enough to be ssified as a Chunin. Even some Jounins may suffer against him."


    Hiruzen replied, "True, but there are a lot of requirements to be a Chunin. I''m sure you understand, Lord Kazekage."


    Even though the barrier protected the audience, Neji still had to bear the brunt of the attack. He couldn''t keep using Rotation endlessly. Hayate frowned, calcting, ''Under such intense winds, Neji will die if he can''t sustain his jutsu. How can I save him if that happens? Sigh, why are the battles so troublesome?''


    Hayate was feeling helpless. First Gaara and now Naruto, there wasn''t anything he could do about their attacks. He just hoped that someone stronger would rescue Neji.


    Naruto''s ssmates kept watching with dumbfounded expressions. Not a single one imagined that Naruto would overwhelm Neji in this manner. Of course, his generation wasn''t the only ones who were shocked.


    Ibiki frowned and asked, "Who decided to teach him how to supercharge jutsus?"


    Anko nced at Fujin and said, "I heard that Kakashi had given Naruto to Fujin. Seeing the smile stered on his face, we don''t need a second guess."


    Ibiki sighed and muttered, "Not only is he troublesome, but he''s making others more troublesome as well."


    Kotetsu and Izumo had stoppedmenting entirely. Both were left speechless by Naruto''s disy. The winds finally died down. Everyone looked curiously at Neji. As the dust cleared, they saw him on his knees while breathing heavily. He lookedpletely spent. It was a rather pitiful sight. Yet, everyone''s respect for him increased. After all, not many would survive as long as he did.


    Once again, Naruto eximed in shock, "What the hell is up with this guy? Why can''t my Wind attacks hit him?"


    "Boss, he is on his knees! He definitely can''t take another attack."


    "That''s right! Give him another big one!"


    Naruto weaved hand seals once again while shouting, "It doesn''t matter even if he gets up ten more times! I can do this all day!"


    The entire stadium, except for one person, looked at Naruto with a dumbfounded expression. Hiruzen resisted the urge to facepalm as he questioned, ''Didn''t he spend only 3 days with Fujin? How did he get influenced so much?''


    Meanwhile, Hoka and Renjiro stared at Fujin while thinking, ''There''s no doubt about it! It''s his doing! As quirky as Naruto is, he wasn''t someone who''d abuse his advantage to this extent!''


    Fujin ignored their gazes and didn''t even bother covering up his smile. He said, "Guy, you may wanna step in. Neji isn''t in a state to endure another attack."


    Guy nodded seriously. He had realized that as well.


    Neji observed Naruto supercharging his jutsu once again and analyzed, ''I can''t sustain the rotation for another couple of minutes. How do I counter him?''


    "That''s enough! Hyuga Neji is in no shape to continue this battle. Uzumaki Naruto is the winner." Seeing that Neji was in no state to continue, Hayate invoked his powers as the proctor and announced loudly, putting an end to the battle.


    Naruto stopped channeling his chakra and muttered, "Huh? I won?"


    His clones were surprised by Hayate''s announcement as well. Neji''s body finally gave away and he copsed to the ground.


    Silence engulfed the stadium before the majority of the audience broke into a loud cheer. Only the section of the audience behind the barrier was silent. However, they too began celebrating. It was just that instead of celebrating Naruto''s victory, they were celebrating that the match was finally over!


    Sakura shouted, "Yes! Naruto won!"


    Ino eximed, "That was incredible."


    Others cheered as well while several senior ninjas were impressed by the skill Naruto disyed. For Konoha, a vige where the majority of the ninjas practiced Fire jutsus, a ninja who could spam supercharged Wind jutsus was someone most wanted in their squads.


    Naruto was surprised to hear everyone cheering for him. In a few seconds, a wide grin appeared on his face and he began celebrating too.


    Hiruzen smiled, thinking, ''In this aspect, Naruto will leave even Fujin behind. If he learns how to harness the Nine Tails'' chakra better, he couldunch supercharged jutsu for hours. Still, I need to have a word with Naruto. If he uses supercharged Wind jutsus inside the vige, the vige''s funds will bleed dry in no time¡­''


    Even Orochimaru looked at Naruto with interest. He hadn''t expected Naruto to make such gains in so little time.


    In the waiting room, Kankuro muttered in disbelief, "I underestimated this knucklehead. His Wind Release might be stronger than yours, Temari."


    Temari frowned. She was already having a hard time epting that Fujin, who was only a year older than her, was so much better than her at Wind jutsus. Seeing Naruto''s supercharged Wind jutsus ignitedpetitiveness in her heart.


    The medics finally came to take Neji away. Naruto stopped celebrating and looked at him. Neji said, "To think you kept such a card hidden. I admit, I underestimated you. If I had known earlier¡­"


    Naruto cut him off and said, "Your eyes can''t see which jutsus I know and think that they can see fate? Since I defeated you, doesn''t it mean that the fate you saw was nothing but fake? So, shut up about fate and destiny. You shouldn''t whine about such things!"


    Neji didn''t say a word. He had nothing he could say to prove Naruto wrong. Fujin heard their conversation and thought, ''Interesting. Since he used Wind jutsus to attack, Neji didn''t get an opportunity to seal Naruto''s chakra points and tell him about the caged bird seal of the Hyuga n¡­ Still¡­''


    Fujin nced at Hiashi and concluded, ''Yeah, he won''t be letting this opportunity go.''


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 Chapter 721: Chaoter 715: The Opening Attack!

    Chapter 721: Chaoter 715: The Opening Attack!


    Fujin observed Hiashi''s expression and easily concluded that he nned to take advantage of the opportunity Naruto provided. Just like in the original story, Hiashi met Neji and informed him about what truly happened before offering an apology.


    Due to Sasuke''s absence, the crowd got a breather and the stadium became chaotic once again. The only difference was that instead of demanding for the next match to be started, the audience was hounding the authorities to ensure that they wouldn''t get attacked once again. After all, Naruto had won his match and no one wanted to be at the receiving end of his jutsus when he fought in the next round.


    Due to Orochimaru''s insistence, Sasuke wasn''t disqualified and his match was postponed. Kankuro forfeited his match against Shino to keep the mechanisms of his puppets a secret, much to the displeasure of the audience. However, Temari rushed into the arena while Shikamaru was pushed into it by Naruto.


    Hoka nced at Kankuro and thought, ''That''s weird. Why would someone forfeit from the Chunin Exams without even trying? No, this doesn''t suit the personality he disyed during the preliminaries¡­ It looks like the reason why the entire n was training and why sensei asked for my help has something to do with Sunagakure.''


    In order to keep their preparations a secret, very few people were aware of the real reason why the ns were preparing. Hoka wasn''t one of them. Even though Fujin and Renjiro knew about it, they couldn''t spread that information around. As such, both just asked Hoka to keep himself in top shape without giving him any details.


    However, Kankuro''s withdrawal caused Hoka and several other Konoha ninjas to be suspicious. Hoka nced at Shikamaru and muttered, "Why is he lying like a dead fish in the arena?"


    Fujin chuckled and replied, "Well, he is a Nara after all. This battle should be interesting."


    Fujin nced at the arena and thought, ''Due to my influence on Naruto, he resorted to wind jutsus instead of digging a hole to catch Neji off guard. So, Shikamaru doesn''t have a hole to take advantage of. That said, it''ll probably not have that much impact.


    When Gaara attacked Sakura, he overturned a good part of the arena while Naruto''s supercharged jutsus left massive scars on the ground. I guess he''ll resort to using that.'' Due to feeling pressured by Fujin and Naruto, Temari was even more ferocious in the match. Unfortunately for her, her momentum was useless against someone like Shikamaru. The initial part of their battle was more or less simr to what Fujin remembered.


    However, Fujin noticed one important detail. He thought, ''As expected. He has positioned himself in such a spot that his shadow won''t have to go through the cuts on the ground left by the wind des. He''ll use this to surprise Temari.''


    As Fujin predicted, Shikamaru used the shadows in those cuts on the ground when Temari hid behind her giant fan. The sudden change caught everyone off guard. However, what truly shocked them was that Shikamaru forfeited a few secondster!


    Renjiro chuckled and said, "As expected of Shikaku''s son. Not only does he have his father''s intellect, but he might exceed him inziness as well."


    The ones around Renjiro chuckled. Naruto couldn''t hold it in and went to the arena to lecture Shikamaru. Meanwhile, the experienced ninjas in the stadium were impressed by Shikamaru''s ability to n. With Shikamaru and Temari''s match done, the audience began asking where Sasuke was. Fortunately for them, Sasuke and Kakashi arrived in the nick of time.


    After a short chat, Naruto and Shikamaru left the arena and ran into Gaara killing two Chunins who were trying to fix the match. Fujin sensed their chakra signatures disappearing and wondered, ''They tried to attack him even after seeing his match against Sakura?


    Oh well, I guess this is just natural selection. It''s a shame that this Chunin Exam will be interrupted. Otherwise, I could have bankrupted whoever is conducting the gambling.''


    The battle between Sasuke and Gaara began. To the shock of most people, Sasuke disyed speed equivalent to Lee''s along with his Taijutsu, overwhelming Gaara''s sand.


    In the stand, Shikamaru and Naruto were still in shock due to the sight of Gaara killing those two. Naruto suddenly stood and said, "Let''s go see Kakashi sensei and Fujin. We need to ask them to save Sasuke just like Sakura in case anything goes wrong!"


    By the time he reached Kakashi, Gaara hid in a cocoon made of sand. Kakashi didn''t take Naruto''s warning too seriously and said, "Don''t worry about it, Naruto. There was a reason why we werete. Calm down and watch the match."


    Naruto argued, "But sensei¡­"


    However, Fujin cut him off and said, "It''s fine Naruto. I''m keeping an eye. Focus on the match, it''s quite interesting so far."


    Naruto finally calmed down and looked at the fight. Seeing Gaara inside the cocoon, Temari, Kankuro and Baki became nervous. Baki cursed, ''Shit! What is Gaara doing? We haven''t received the signal yet!''


    Inside the cocoon, Gaara was preparing to transform into the One-Tailed Beast, Shukaku. Unaware of what Gaara truly was, Sasuke prepared his Chidori.


    Guy and Renjiro were surprised. Renjiro muttered, "The Chidori¡­ You were able to teach it to him in a month, Kakashi?"


    Hoka realized what the jutsu was and asked, "Isn''t this Kakashi''s speciality?"


    Guy nodded and said, "Yes. This is the only jutsu in Kakashi''s arsenal that was created by him. So, this is why you had him focus on increasing his speed and improving his Taijutsu."


    Kakashi chuckled and said, "The reason why I insisted on training Sasuke myself is because he is quite simr to me."


    Fujin nced at Kakashi and wondered, ''Insisted? Who was lining up to teach Sasuke? Well, other than Orochimaru that is.''


    The Genins looked at Sasuke''s jutsu in awe and some jealousy as Sasuke pierced through Gaara''s ultimate defense to the shock of every Suna ninja in the stadium. Ironically, the one who was the most thrilled was Orochimaru.


    "What is this warm moistness? Mother, what happened?" Gaara questioned. His eyes widened as he realized, "Blood? Is this my¡­? BLOOD! I''M BLEEDING!"


    Gaara''s screams were heard throughout the stadium. Sasuke, who was smiling, suddenly became serious as he felt something grab his arm. No matter how he tried, he couldn''t withdraw his arm from the cocoon. Having no other choice, Sasuke activated Chidori once again.


    Gaara''s screams were heard throughout the stadium once again as Sasuke finally managed to get away. However, an arm made of sand chased after him for a few meters before falling to the ground and retreating inside the cocoon.


    Renjiro, Kakashi and Guy became serious. Renjiro muttered, "He''s trying to transform. Kakashi."


    Kakashi nodded. If Gaara were to transform, he would be the one to take care of him. However, before he could make a move, arge-scale Genjutsu wasunched at everyone inside the stadium!


    The stronger ninjas immediately disrupted their chakra and broke out of the Genjutsu. Hoka wondered aloud, "Which bastard dared to use a Genjutsu on us?"


    His eyes suddenly widened as he asked, "Huh? Where is Fujin?"


    In the few moments when the Genjutsu wasunched, Fujin had disappeared!


    The Genjutsu, Kabuto cast, was a signal for all forces. The Oto ninjas outside Konoha used the scrolls given by Orochimaru to summon giant snakes. However, unlike in the original story, 8 groups of 3 Giant snakes were summoned. Along with 50 Suna and Oto ninjas in each group, they attacked Konoha from different directions!


    In the stadium, Orochimaru made his move as well. Hiruzen easily dodged and said, "No Gold dust, huh? I didn''t expect that the Kazekage would let you disguise as himself, Orochimaru. You did a very good job considering that even Jiraiya didn''t recognize you."


    Orochimaru pulled off his mask and said, "You praise me too much, sensei."


    Hiruzen sighed and asked, "Why exactly are you after Konoha?"


    Hiruzen couldn''t make any sense of why Orochimaru hated him and Konoha to such an extent. Not only had he let Orochimaru go a decade ago, he hadn''t even sent anyone to hunt him down. Yet, Orochimaru had done something so outrageous!


    While the teacher-student duo talked, the Sound Four sessfully fooled the Anbu Guards and set up the Four mes Formation to iste Hiruzen from other Konoha ninjas.


    At the same time, one hundred Oto ninjas and six hundred Suna ninjas appeared outside the arena. Their leaders shouted, "Kill every Konoha ninja you see! If their civilians get in the way, kill them too! Don''t leave anyone alive! By the end of the day, Konoha should be no more!"


    Everyone shouted as 700 ninjas rushed towards the stadium! In the stadium, Hanabi nervously said, "Father, nearly 700 ninjas will reach the arena in a few seconds."


    Hiashi was serious as well. Within moments, the Konoha ninjas in the stadium saw the figures of the Suna and Oto ninjas covering the entire horizon! Loud shouts of "Kill all Konoha ninjas" were heard throughout the stadium.


    Sakura shivered as she fearfully muttered, "What''s happ¡­?"


    Her words got stuck in her words and her eyes opened wide. She wasn''t the only one, Hanabi''s eyes, along with the eyes of several hundred ninjas, widened simrly.


    The Suna ninjas who had jumped over the walls suddenly noticed an unstable ball of wind right in the middle of their formation. One of the Jounins wondered, ''What is that?''


    Before he or anyone else could take a better look at it, the ball exploded, sending Vacuum des flying in every direction! Everyone in the stadium who was still awake saw the bodies of nearly a hundred Suna elites being dismembered mid-air. Blood and body parts rained down on the arena, painting the trees near the walls red!


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    A/N : If you can, then please support me on P@treon.


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 Chapter 722: A Terrifying Assault!

    Chapter 722: A Terrifying Assault!


    Shikaku had stationed over 400 n ninjas in the stadium. Along with the Anbu ninjas, various sensei, the ninjas who looked after the Chunin Exams and some civilian ninjas who came to spectate, the number of Konoha ninjas in the stadium was close to 600!


    As such, Konoha wasn''t at much of a disadvantage numerically. On the contrary, once Shikaku diverted more ninjas to the arena, Konoha would gain numerical superiority. However, the issue was that very few knew about the arrangements Shikaku made. Since Shikaku sent everyone under disguises, most Konoha ninjas didn''t know how many allies they had in the stadium.


    Hence, when the Konoha ninjas saw the seven hundred enemy ninjas rushing into the arena, their hearts grew cold. The civilian ninjas in the stand were shocked while the n ninjas understood why they had been training for the past month. Believing that they were at a disadvantage, they resolved to fight until theirst breath. And, those were experienced ninjas. There was no need to mention how terrified the Genins like Sakura and students like Hanabi were.


    The seven hundred Suna and Oto ninjas moved in seven divisions, each consisting of around a hundred ninjas and led by an Elite Jounin. Each division approached the arena from different directions and entered with great momentum, further building up the pressure on Konoha ninjas.


    Unfortunately for them, Fujin had long sensed their location with his Space Time Sensing Technique. All their preparations to hide themselves were useless against that technique. He disappeared using the chaos created by the Genjutsu, hid in the mini-forest in the arena and attacked with the Vacuum Cluster Bullets jutsu right when they jumped across the wall.


    Not expecting to be attacked even before they stepped foot in the arena, the entire division was caughtpletely off guard! The Konoha ninjas and the enemies mixed in the audience saw dozens of Vacuum des appearing out of thin air, cutting down nearly a hundred unsuspecting Suna ninjas! Their dismembered bodies rained down while their blood washed the mini-forest inside the arena as everyone watched!


    Despite being seen as the more gifted sibling and someone who had the right attitude towards being a ninja and a leader, Hanabi couldn''t help but shiver and puke at that sight. The sight was just too horrendous. Sakura barely managed to hold herself and asked while shivering, "What is that? How did so many ninjas die? And, who killed them so brutally?"


    Even several experienced ninjas felt nauseated at that sight. Sasuke, who was still in the arena, looked at the gore with a stunned expression and eximed, "What the hell?"


    Temari and Kankuro, who entered the arena to check up on Gaara, were no different. In fact, they felt even more terrified considering that the ninjas who died were theirrades. Baki had a dark expression as he was one of the few who realized what truly happened. Inside the barrier, Hiruzen asked, "Do you still think that Konoha is weak?"


    Orochimaru frowned and analyzed, ''It''s that jutsu. He used it to dispel my Shadow Clones in the Forest of Death. I figured it''d have a devastating effect on the battlefield but I didn''t expect him to use it so effectively.''


    Seeing that Orochimaru didn''t reply, Hiruzen sighed and said, "No matter. I suppose I should be thankful to you. Not only did you make Suna show their real face, but also gave me a chance to fix the mistake I made a decade ago."


    Hiruzen''s expression became very serious. He fully intended to settle the matter once and for all. The two shed, starting an epic battle!


    In the stadium, one Konoha ninja shouted, "Look there!"


    Immediately, the ones around him nced in the direction he was pointing in. They saw another dozen headless bodies falling down along with the one who was cutting them down.


    Guy muttered with a serious expression, "So, this was Fujin''s role."


    Kakashi solemnly nodded and said, "Yeah. He is strong. Very strong."


    Hoka and Renjiro were surprised as well. Neither of them expected that Fujin would start the war in such a manner. Instead of being the attackers, the Suna ninjas seemed like the victims at that point.


    Sakura heard Guy and Kakashi''s words and wondered, ''That was Fujin? He is this terrifying? How did Orochimaru manage to get away from him?''


    Sakura had a hard time believing her ears. The shivering didn''t stop either. Some distance away, Hiashi observed Fujin''s movements with his Byakugan and realized, ''No wonder he could go up against Orochimaru. To think he would be so terrifying at such a young age. Even Minato and the Sannins weren''t this strong at sixteen!''


    Needless to say, the ones who were the most shocked and terrified were the ninjas currently standing in front of Fujin. One of them shouted, "Be careful! That''s the Spectral Swordsman!"


    The Elite Jounin leading that division ordered loudly, "Stay clear of him! Attack him with Wind and Fire jutsus from a distance! Keep him at bay until help arri¡­!"


    His words were stuck in his mouth as he realized something odd. Arge amount of chakra was being released from Fujin''s chakra points and transforming into the wind. Several other Jounins realized the same thing.


    Even though Fujin''s surprise attack terrified them, the Elite Jounins leading the divisions knew that retreat wasn''t an option as they couldn''t just abandon their Kazekage. They immediately ordered their subordinates to charge towards the Konoha ninjas.


    With Fujin eliminating one division and confronting another, only the remaining five divisions rushed ahead. Fujin''s opening attack raised the morale of the Konoha ninjas. They charged out of the stadium to confront the iing ninjas. Some fights broke out in the stadium too as the Suna and Oto ninjas, mixed in the audience, made their moves.


    In the center of the arena, Baki said, "Gaara, the n!"


    To Baki''s surprise, Gaara didn''t reply. Instead, he was holding his head and shivering. Baki cursed, "Idiot! I can''t believe he tried to transform without waiting for the signal."


    Temari checked upon Gaara and shouted, "He is suffering a bacsh. He can''t do it anymore!"


    Kankuro was about to question what to do, when Baki said, "I''m calling it off. Take Gaara and withdraw for now. I''ll stay here and fight!"


    Temari and Kankuro didn''t waste any time. They grabbed Gaara and escaped immediately. Following Hayate''s advice, Sasuke chased after them.


    Kakashi''s eyes widened and he shouted, "Sasuke, wait!"


    Unfortunately, Sasuke didn''t hear anything due to all the battles. Kakashi cursed, ''Shit! It''s good for us if Gaara withdraws. There is no need to chase after him and force the One Tail out.''


    He was about to chase after Sasuke when an ''Anbu ninja'' appeared in his path. Recognizing who was behind the mask, Kakashi frowned and said, "Kabuto... You were the one who cast the Genjutsu."


    As Orochimaru''s right hand, Kabuto considered himself equal to Kakashi. That was apparent when he confronted Kakashi in Sasuke''s room. However, he lost his life due to underestimating ''Kakashi''. He nned to use Edo Tensei''s immortal body to get his revenge and understand how strong Kakashi truly was. To his surprise, Kakashi talked as if he never killed Kabuto!


    Kabuto wondered, ''What in the world? Why is he acting as if he never killed me? Didn''t Konoha read my memories and use them to kill Yoroi and Misumi?''


    To say Kabuto was confused was an understatement. Sensing that something was fishy, he decided to stay quiet and collect more information to understand the truth behind his death. With Kabuto stopping him, Kakashi ordered, "Sakura, wake up Naruto, Lee and Shikamaru. Chase after Sasuke and bring him back. Don''t engage with Gaara."


    He summoned Pakkun to guide them and began fighting Kabuto.


    Inside the barrier, Hiruzen and Orochimaru began their battle. Both started with Taijutsu and ordinary weapons. Unsurprisingly, Orochimaru gained the upper hand due to his modified body and the fact that Hiruzen hadn''t been in a fight for a long time.


    Within moments, snakes surrounded Hiruzen and slithered towards him. A ring of fire appeared around Hiruzen and suddenly expanded in every direction.


    In the blink of an eye, every snake was burnt so thoroughly that even their bones disintegrated! The entire rooftop was decimated as well, exposing the floor of the barrier. Orochimaru quickly retreated towards the barrier while using the Waterfall jutsu and spitting out a massive amount of water!


    "What are these winds?" The ninjas, who were facing Fujin, wondered aloud when they suddenly felt winds around them. Before any of them could react, Fujin''s Wind Domain waspleted. Unfortunately for the Suna ninjas, they were inside the Wind Domain!


    The Elite Jounin leading them suddenly had a bad feeling. His instincts were warning him to run away. He immediately retreated while shouting, "Fall back! Get away from these wi¡­!"


    Once again, he failed toplete his words as his head detached from his shoulders. He wasn''t the only one. The entire division, consisting of more than eighty ninjas, was beheaded in the same instant.


    For a moment, most of the ninjas stopped fighting and nced at Fujin. The eyes of the Suna and Oto ninjas widened in horror as they saw that another hundred ninjas were eliminated by Fujin! Konoha ninjas were shocked as well. Not a single person from that division was alive.


    Not even a minute had passed since the Suna and Oto ninjas reached the arena. Yet, Fujin had already killed nearly two hundred elite ninjas of the Vige Hidden in the Sand!


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    A/N : If you can, then please support me on P@treon.


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 Chapter 723: The Terror of the Wind Domain!

    Chapter 723: The Terror of the Wind Domain!


    ''Water Release: Waterfall jutsu''


    Orochimaru spat out arge amount of water to block the expanding ring of fire. The ring of fire hit the water and continued expanding through it, evaporating all water that came in contact with it!


    However, Orochimaru continued spitting out more water and retreating until his back was to the barrier! By the time the fire could reach him, the water had absorbed all the heat and doused the fire. Orochimaru only felt a heat wave hitting his body.


    Heughed and said, "The Hellfire p jutsu, brings back memories. You have grown old, sensei. In the old days, your fire would have made it through the wat¡­"


    Orochimaru suddenly stopped talking and nced outside the barrier. Hiruzen nced in the same direction at the same time. Despite not having their chakra fields active, both instinctively felt that arge number of chakra signatures suddenly disappeared. Their eyes widened seeing the headless bodies around Fujin.


    Soon after, a smile appeared on Hiruzen''s face as he thought, ''So this technique has reached this level? Haha, not bad, not bad at all! A technique of this scale, I won''t be able to replicate it entirely.''


    Meanwhile, Orochimaru thought, ''It''s that wind dome¡­ So, not only can he control winds inside the dome but also spontaneously create wind jutsus inside the dome. It was a good thing that I attacked with a Fire jutsu instead of entering it. Otherwise, things would have been far worse¡­''


    After their sh, Orochimaru rated Fujin extremely highly and considered him a great threat that needed to be eliminated if he wanted to destroy Konoha. However, Fujin''s impression became even deeper in Orochimaru''s mind after seeing what the Wind Domain could achieve. For a moment, he became unsure about whether the arrangements he made for Fujin were enough to deal with him.


    Hiruzen chuckled, attracting Orochimaru''s attention, and said, "It''s true. My powers have waned considerably. However, there will always be a new leaf to rece the old leaves. If you want to destroy Konoha, I''m afraid that killing me won''t suffice." Orochimaru built up his chakra while replying, "Don''t worry. I''ll rip out both old and new leaves by the time I''m done!"


    ''What in the world? Is that a Wind jutsu? However, how can Wind jutsus be used in such a manner?'' Baki wondered in disbelief. He couldn''t fathom Wind jutsus being used in such a manner. Seeing the winds in the Wind Domain beingpletely under Fujin''s control terrified him.


    His expression became grim as he realized, ''Not good! He cut down two divisions in no time. We lost two hundred of our finest ninjas. This is far beyond the eptable level we decided in the council. If he continues, we may be wiped out!


    Where is Kazekage-sama? Why hasn''t he appeared yet? What arrangements did he and Orochimaru make to stop this monster?''


    Unlike Baki, who could still keep his calm and analyze the situation, the remaining Suna ninjas were downright terrified!


    "What in the hell?"


    "How did so many of ourrades die so suddenly? Who cut their heads?"


    "Was it all the Spectral Swordsman doing?"


    "Don''t joke around! He is just one person! How can he kill two divisions so rapidly?"


    Some of them were still in disbelief and didn''t ept the simple truth in front of them. It wasn''t due to arrogance or stupidity, but rather the absurdity of the situation that forced their minds to deny it. Just a minute ago, they were rushing to attack and destroy Konoha with great momentum. And yet, a third of theirrades had been wiped out by a single person before they killed even a single Konoha ninja!


    Fujin stood at the same spot, reshaping the Wind Domain into a Wind Cloak. The Suna ninjas noticed the change and realized that all the Wind around Fujin was under his control! Panic immediately spread through their ranks!


    "Holy crap! What is that Wind jutsu?"


    "Fuck! Does he control all the Wind around him? How can anyone fight that?"


    "How is his control of winds better than anyone in the Land of Wind?"


    "Shit! We are sitting ducks for him!"


    "Did Kazekage-sama abandon us?"


    "Where are Kazekage-sama and Orochimaru? We can''t fight him by ourselves!"


    As the winds moved towards him, Fujin nced at the Suna and Oto ninjas. No matter whether they believed or denied the situation in front of them, every single one felt the terror in their hearts. Not a single ninja dared to meet his gaze. For the first time, they understood why the minor viges feared Fujin so much!


    In the Hokage''s building, Shikaku asked, "Did you find Orochimaru?"


    Jiraiya replied, "It''s weird. The Kazekage''s chakra signature transformed into Orochimaru''s. It looks like he disguised as the Kazekage to attack sensei. To think that he could fool me even when I used Nature chakra to sense¡­


    I can''t sense the Kazekage or any other rank S ninja. 700 hundred ninjas attacked the arena, but 200 hundred of them have already been killed by Fujin. That boy is even more of a monster than I thought. You definitely gave him the most appropriate role."


    Shikaku''s eyes widened. He eximed, "He already killed 200 ninjas?"


    Even Shikaku had a hard time believing it despite knowing what Fujin did against Kumogakure. He thought, ''I need to see which technique he uses to eliminate enemies so quickly. Anyway, now''s not the time.''


    Shikaku said, "If it is just Orochimaru attacking Lord Hokage, then he should be able to handle it. Even if the Kazekage appears, Guy should be able to handle him while Fujin eliminates others or holds back another rank S ninja. Jiraiya-sama, you deal with the giant snakes.


    Our ninjas would have been able to handle the summons, but the Suna and Oto ninjas along with them put us at a great disadvantage. Even though we will eventually win, it''ll be a costly win."


    Jiraiya replied, "Alright, I''ll take care of the snakes immediately."


    Shikaku said, "If there is any change to the situation, I''ll burn one of themunication seals."


    Jiraiya nodded and disappeared from the building while Shikaku continued monitoring the entire situation. Had it been just one group of snakes, Shikaku would have dispatched a couple of Elite Jounins along with a dozen squads to take care of it. However, he couldn''t underestimate the losses that 8 groups would inflict upon Konoha.


    Even though he wasn''t fighting, Shikaku had to ensure that Konoha not only won, but its losses stayed minimal. After sending Jiraiya away, Shikaku dispatched half of the remaining n ninjas towards the arena and other hot spots. The Anbu, who specialized in dealing with giant summons, were also dispatched. The remaining n ninjas and Anbu continued to stay in reserve in case another front opened up.


    In the stadium, Sakura was terrified once again as she saw the headless bodies. She wondered, ''Are all wars so terrifying? No, I can''t lose control of myself. Sasuke is all alone in the midst of this war. I have to bring him back.''


    She quickly woke up Lee and Naruto before discovering that Shikamaru was just pretending to be asleep. Naruto asked in confusion, "What is happening? Why is everyone fighting?"


    His eyes widened as he asked, "How did those trees be red all of a sudden? And why are those people sleepi¡­?"


    Words got stuck in his mouth as he realized that the people lying on the ground were headless! Sakura replied, "Sunagakure and Otogakure ninjas attacked us. We are at war! Those people were killed by Fujin!"


    Naruto eximed in surprise, "Big brother Fujin killed so many people? No way! Where is he?"


    Sakura pointed in a direction and said, "He is ther¡­ Huh? Where is he?"


    After transforming his Wind Domain into Wind Cloak, Fujin moved once again. Baki sighed in relief that the closest group to Fujin was the Oto division. He blocked Hayate''s and Genma''s attacks while keeping an eye on Fujin. Unfortunately, his relief didn''tst for too long.


    Using the Wind Cloak to propel himself, Fujin reached the Oto division in the blink of an eye. He was so fast that everyone, who was keeping track of him, lost sight of him for a second. Only by following the wind trail could they understand his movements.


    The Oto ninjas had just engaged several Konoha ninjas when Fujin appeared on their nk and cut down four ninjas with one swing of his sword. His sudden appearance made the heads of Oto ninjas turn. They just saw Fujin waving his arm, causing the Wind Cloak to release some winds, which quickly transformed into wind des and cut down the 16 ninjas closest to him.


    Even before those ninjas were cut down, Fujin disappeared from his spot. He appeared on another side of their army. Seeing the winds suddenly be intense, the Oto ninjas understood that Fujin was approaching them. One of the Jounins shouted, "Bastard! How dare he kill ourrades! Stop holding back and kill him!"


    As soon as he gave themand, tattoos appeared on the bodies of half a dozen ninjas, including the ninja who shouted. Fujin immediately noticed the change and realized, ''Huh? The curse seal? Tsk, that snake is really generous with his soul.''


    [A/N: Next chapter: ck mes!]


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


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 Chapter 724: Black Flames!

    Chapter 724: ck mes!


    The bodies of six Oto ninjas began transforming as they activated stage two of the curse seal. Unfortunately, even before they couldplete their transformation, a red line appeared on their bodies, starting at their forehead and ending below their abdomen. All 6 ninjas were sliced in two even before they had a chance to make a move!


    Baki cursed, ''What in the world is that speed? He''s even faster than when he saved that girl! Don''t tell me that Wind Cloak enhances his speed! And he can even fly! Shit! Where in the fucking hell are the arrangements that Kazekage-sama said he has made?''


    While Baki just felt that they were at a massive disadvantage and in great danger earlier, he now understood that they were done for sure. If Fujin was left alone for a few minutes, not a single Suna or Oto ninja, including him, would be left alive. He had no doubts regarding that.


    Seeing Fujin cleave through the Oto division with such ease, the Suna ninjas, who were still in denial, epted the reality. The morale of the entire army dropped in an instant! More than half of them wanted to retreat. However, knowing the punishment for betrayal and not wanting to leave their absent leader to fight alone, they continued defending against the spirited assault of the Konoha ninjas.


    On the other hand, Fujin''s presence raised the morale of the Konoha ninjas fighting against the Oto ninjas. They immediately intensified their assault while shouting, "Councilman Fujin is leading the charge! Follow him and kill these bastards!"


    "Show these fools what fate awaits them!"


    "Leave no one alive!"


    Sakura, Naruto, Lee and Shikamaru heard their shouts and nced at them. None of them saw Fujin''s silhouette but only saw wind des cutting down the Oto ninjas. Naruto immediately realized, ''Wind des? Is this how big brother Fujin fights? Woah!''


    For a moment, Naruto''s mind went nk. He calmed himself down and thought, ''Those guys arepletely helpless! They can''t even resist Fujin. Not to mention, Fujin is so decisive. He isn''t giving them any chance of survival and is killing everyone so mercilessly!'' Seeing the bloodshed, Naruto felt conflicted. Fujin had cut down the enemies with zero hesitation. Had it been him, Naruto knew he wouldn''t have been able to do that. In fact, he wasn''t even sure whether he''d want to kill people like how Fujin did. He nced around and saw everyone else was doing the same.


    Kakashi and Guy had killed a few enemies while keeping Kabuto at bay. Some distance away, Anko and Ibiki were fighting as well. A few dead bodiesy around Asuma and Kurenai too. Everyone who Naruto recognized was busy killing the attackers.


    He thought sadly, ''So, this is a war? Where ninjas cut each other down so mercilessly? Why did Sunagakure and Otogakure attack us and start a war?''


    His chain of thoughts was cut by Sakura, who said, "Naruto, stop looking there. We need to take advantage of the opening Fujin provided and chase after Sasuke. He is chasing after Gaara''s squad by himself! We need to bring him back!"


    Naruto nodded. The five of them were about to leave when their attention was once again attracted towards the arena.


    Fujin, who had cut down nearly half of the Oto ninjas, suddenly nced towards his right and moved backwards. Momentster, a massive crystal wall appeared in front of him, separating the remaining Oto ninjas from him and the Konoha ninjas!


    Fujin looked at the crystal wall and the kunoichi behind it. He thought, ''Guren¡­ So, Orochimaru decided to bring her here. However, is this all? He should know that she can''t stop me. Is she supposed to stall or distract me while my real opponent sneak attacks me?''


    In truth, Fujin could have eliminated all the Oto ninjas before Guren appeared. Even though he couldn''t userge-scale jutsus due to the Konoha ninjas nearby, cutting down the Oto ninjas wasn''t too difficult for him.


    However, after cutting down two hundred Suna ninjas, he slowed down purposefully. Instead of focusing on killing the weaker ninjas, he was on the lookout for a sneak attack on him from a rank S ninja, irrespective of whether that was an alive or a dead rank S ninja. He didn''t believe that Orochimaru would make a move on Konoha without making arrangements for him.


    However, even after cutting down half the Oto ninjas, only Guren and a few more ninjas showed up. Fujin couldn''t view any of them as a threat. He decided, ''Oh well, let me see how much patience they have.''


    Seeing Fujin finally stopping, the Suna and Oto ninjas sighed in relief. However, Baki''s expression was still ugly. He thought, ''So, Orochimaru made some arrangements. However, she didn''t make a move until Fujin targeted their ninjas. As expected, Orochimaru wants to hurt us as well. We can''t trust that snake!''


    Behind the crystal wall, Guren shouted, "Stay clear of him. We will deal with him. All of you focus on clearing the remaining Konoha ninjas. Don''t hold back anymore!"


    Following Guren''s orders, a dozen ninjas from the division activated their curse seals. In addition, the four subordinates who followed her also did the same.


    Seeing their appearance change and their chakra rile up, the Konoha ninjas became serious. A Senju Jounin appeared behind Fujin and tried to ask, "Lor¡­"


    Before he could say anything else, he felt a sharp chakra flowing through Fujin''s Kazekiri. Fujin arched his arm behind as a Vacuum core formed along the edge of his de. He thought, ''Oh well, let me see how good this sword is.''


    He swung his de horizontally at the crystal wall with his full strength! A massive Vacuum sh was unleashed from the sword, and apanying it were extremely sharp winds.


    Guren was surprised by Fujin''s action. She thought, ''Foolish! Even Orochimaru-sama''s Sword of Kusanagi can''t cut my crystals!''


    Baki and the other Suna ninjas looked nervously. Even though they hated Guren for acting thiste, they prayed that she could stop Fujin!


    ''Water Release: Slicing Waves jutsu!''


    Inside the barrier, Orochimaru spat out arge amount of water once again. He controlled them to unleash a barrage of water des at Hiruzen. Hiruzen rapidly dodged each one of them as Lightning appeared around his hands.


    He released a chain of lightning, which transformed into a and blocked the iing water des. From the center of the, dozens of Lightning spears wereunched at Orochimaru every second!


    Orochimaru pped his hands together while thinking, ''He wants to electrocute me through the water. Do you think I''ll leave such an obvious weakness, sensei?''


    Wind chakra appeared on his palms. He ced his palms into the water in front of him and released the Wind chakra into the water. Winds appeared around the water he had released. Just before the Lightning spears could hit the water, winds intercepted them.


    Hiruzen''s eyes widened. He analyzed, ''His Ninjutsu has improved to this extent? Sigh, he isn''t too far from my level.''


    Orochimaru chuckled on seeing the surprised look on Hiruzen''s face. He immediately controlled the water and the winds and flooded them towards Hiruzen while loudly shouting, "I want to see how you defend against this, sensei!"


    For the first time since their battle began, Hiruzen weaved a hand sign and replied, "You don''t think such a lousybination can stop me, do you?"


    ''Fire Release: Undying me jutsu!''


    Taking a deep breath, Hiruzen exhaled an intense fire! However, unlike the normal fire, this Fire jutsu had so much Yang chakra mixed in that the color of the fire had changed to ck!


    The ck mes expanded towards the iing flood. Orochimaru immediately controlled the winds and let the water engulf the winds to prevent the winds from assisting the mes. At the same time, he began fusingrge amounts of Yin chakra into the water.


    The two jutsus collided, filling most of the barrier with steam. The Sound Four and the Anbu Guards, who had the front row seat to watch this epic duel, wondered in disbelief, ''How could fire overwhelm water with such dominance?''


    The only one who wasn''t surprised was Orochimaru. After all, fire was what Hiruzen was known for. If anything, Orochimaru was disappointed that Hiruzen''s fire wasn''t as hot as it was decades ago.


    Hiruzen sighed as he realized, ''To think that my old age would cause this jutsu to be doused for the very first time. How embarrassing¡­''


    Even though the fire was overwhelming the water, Hiruzen knew that he couldn''t sustain the momentum. Eventually, Orochimaru would gain the upper hand. Thankfully, there was still quite some time before that could happen.


    The Lightning around Hiruzen suddenly copsed and transformed intorge Lightning Dragons. They flew through the mes and hit the water!


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 Chapter 725: Countering Fujin!

    Chapter 725: Countering Fujin!


    Orochimaru''s eyes widened on seeing the Lightning Dragons enter the water. He quickly controlled the winds that had been absorbed by the water earlier to form a barrier, separating the flood into two parts. The Wind barrier reduced the strength of the Lightning Dragons to the extent that they were no longer a threat to Orochimaru. Unfortunately, the Lightning Dragons left a path for the mes, which Hiruzen didn''t miss.


    As his ck mes hit the Wind barrier, the strength of Hiruzen''s mes increased once again. Having gotten a second wind, quite literally, the mes moved through the water with an unstoppable force,pletely transforming arge amount of water into steam.


    Orochimaru cursed, "Shit!"


    He immediately spat out arge amount of mud, which transformed into a dome around him to shield him from the mes. Unfortunately, the mes were too intense for the mud to handle. Even though its strength was reduced considerably, Orochimaru was still engulfed by the ck mes!


    The ck mes started burning his entire body mercilessly. Orochimaru gritted his teeth as he endured the mes while using every suitable jutsu in his arsenal to reduce the intensity of the mes.


    He seeded in reducing the fire''s intensity to an extent where it was manageable for him. Unfortunately, the damage had already been done as he copsed inside the mes.


    However, there was no joy or relief on Hiruzen''s face. Even before he could take advantage of the situation, a pair of hands opened Orochimaru''s mouth from the inside and Orochimaru crawled out,pletely unharmed.


    A wide grin could be seen on his face as he beganughing nonstop.


    "Hahaha hahaha hahaha!" The sounds of hisughter echoed inside the barrier as he shouted, "You failed, sensei! You can''t kill me!"


    Despite hisughter, there was no change in Hiruzen''s expression. He replied, "Indeed, killing you has be difficult. However, let me see how many times you can use this jutsu."


    Orochimaru stoppedughing and said with a grin on his face, "That was your only chance, Sensei. Here onwards, the only thing that awaits you is your death and the destruction of Konoha!"


    For the first time, Orochimaru began weaving hand seals rapidly before mming his hand on the ground, or rather, the floor of the barrier.


    In the arena, Fujin''s Vacuum sh hit the crystal wall raised by Guren. Shock appeared on her face as a cracking sound was heard. She eximed, "That''s impossible!"


    A gigantic crack appeared along the entire length of the wall before the Vacuum sh cut straight through the crystal wall! Guren stopped weaving hand signs and ducked down to avoid the Vacuum sh.


    Without the need for any order, every single Oto ninja ducked or jumped to avoid the Vacuum sh. Having seen what it did to the crystal wall, none of them dared to get in its way.


    However, their eyes widened in shock as they realized something horrifying. Crystal armor appeared around Guren and her four subordinates, protecting them from the sharp winds that apanied the Vacuum sh.


    The other Oto ninjas weren''t so lucky. The ones who didn''t have the curse seal died due to therge number of cuts opening up on their bodies due to the merciless winds. The ones who activated the second stage of the curse seal had far stronger physiques than regr ninjas. Even then, two of them died as wind des repeatedly cut one''s throat till he was beheaded and destroyed another''s brain by piercing through her eyes. The rest were injured to varying degrees but still had the ability to fight.


    Once again, the arena was stunned as nearly the entire Oto division had been wiped out! Guren and the other surviving Oto ninjas looked at Fujin with dread in their eyes. What horrified them was that Fujin was moving towards them!


    Guren shouted, "Kurogaki, Shigeru, stall him! You two, protect me! Others, attack the Konoha ninjas!"


    Hearing hermands, two Oto ninjas flickered towards Fujin. One was arge man whose body was covered in Rhinoceros'' armor after transforming. The other was athletic and had a cheetah-like hide. Fujin thought, ''Hmm, stall me? Is she nning something? Or did she say those words to distract me? Oh well, let me see.''


    As he moved, Fujin waved his left palm towards Guren. His Wind Cloak lost a bit of chakra as a breeze appeared in front of him. However, unlike a normal breeze, it was made entirely of wind des!


    Shigeru, the athletic one, stepped in front of Kurogaki while weaving hand seals at a speed that Fujin had never seen earlier. Surprised, Fujin thought, ''What the hell? He is faster than Kakashi at weaving hand signs!''


    ''Wind Release: Pressure Damage jutsu''


    Shigeru exhaled intense winds at Fujin. However, instead of having a wide range, his jutsu was very concentrated and hit Fujin''s wind des. While he couldn''t stop the wind des, Shigeru sessfully managed to change the direction of his wind des just enough to ensure that none would hit them or Guren.


    Fujin thought, ''Not bad. I guess I shouldn''t underestimate Orochimaru''s underlings so much.''


    Fujin raised his sword once again. This time, some chakra from his wind cloak began flowing through his de. The massive chakra flowing through the sword made most of the remaining Oto ninjas worried. However, a smirk appeared on Shigeru''s face as he disappeared from his location.


    Fujin''s eyes widened as he thought, ''He''s fast! Very fast!''


    Initially, Fujin had plenty of time to attack the Oto ninjas. However, Shigeru''s speed suddenly increased twenty-fold! He closed the distance between them in the blink of an eye! Fujin immediately controlled his Wind Cloak and extended it in Shigeru''s direction.


    However, Shigeru immediately stopped and retreated while thinking, ''So his wind cloak can transform back into the wind dome¡­ That''s troublesome. Luckily, he doesn''t know about our abilities.''


    Fujin was surprised by how quickly Shigeru retreated. He turned his gaze towards Kurogaki, who continued moving towards Fujin despite his partner''s retreat. Fujin swung his sword at Kurogaki while analyzing, ''He retreated too quickly¡­ Did he intend to attack at all or was it a bluff to let this guye close to me? However, why exactly is this big guy running towards me?''


    Instead of trying to dodge Fujin''s sword or get away from the Wind Domain that was forming once again around Fujin, Kurogaki raised his left arm and tried to catch Fujin''s de with his bare hands! The Konoha ninjas around were surprised to see someone attempting to block Fujin''s wind chakra-enhanced de!


    While everyone expected him to be sliced in two, they were shocked as he sessfully managed to catch Fujin''s sword! Blood dripped down his left arm, but he continued holding on to Fujin''s sword!


    Fujin''s eyes widened as he realized, ''He absorbed the chakra flowing through my de! Ugh, not good! This bastard is trying to absorb the chakra in my Wind Cloak as well!''


    With a giant grin on his face, Kurogaki raised his right arm and imed, "You''re dead!"


    He brought his right fist down like a hammer at Fujin''s head, aiming to crush him where he stood! At the same time, Shigeru moved again at an insane speed and appeared on Fujin''s left side. He intended to attack Fujin at the same time as Kurogaki.


    Suddenly, Shigeru''s eyes widened and he retreated once again. A millisecond after he retreated, strong winds sted through the area where he was in. He thought, ''So he could still control his cloak despite Kurogaki''s interference? No matter. I sessfully distracted hi¡­''


    Shigeru''s eyes suddenly widened. Before Kurogaki''s fist couldnd on Fujin, he suddenly stopped and vomited blood. He nced at his abdomen and saw a giant hole at the ce where Fujin''s punchnded.


    Due to the curse seal, Kurogaki''s body was much stronger than a normal ninja. Even though he had absorbed the chakra flowing through the sword, Kazekiri would have sliced through a normal human with little difficulty. That showed how strong his body was. Hence, Kurogaki was very confident in his physique. Paired with his ability, he never feared closebat against any ninjas. To his shock, Fujin''s punch had opened up a hole in his body!


    He nced at Fujin and muttered, ''Ho¡­?''


    His eyes widened as he noticed the veins on Fujin''s body bulging and his skin flush with raw power. The Konoha ninjas who were keeping an eye on Fujin immediately eximed, "That''s the Eight Inner Gates technique! Fujin knows that technique as well?"


    Fujin nced at the copsing Kurogane as he closed the three Inner Gates he had opened and thought, ''Dark Release, huh? I guess he can''t absorb a Fist. Tsk, I should just raid Orochimaru''s hideouts if I want some good specimens to research on. Now then, let me see how fast Swift Release is.''


    Fujin''s eyesnded on Shigeru, who immediately became nervous. His eyes widened and he hurriedly stepped to the left as Fujin''s de passed through his previous location. He immediately retreated while thinking, ''Shit! He is even faster than befo¡­''


    Terror appeared in his eyes as Fujin appeared in front of him once again despite him moving at his greatest speed. He tried to change his direction, but Fujin''s de sliced through his body, cutting him in two pieces!


    At the same time, a Vacuum sh was unleashed from his sword. It flew straight at Guren, who had justpleted what she had been doing and mmed her hands on the ground!


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    A/N : If you can, then please support me on P@treon.


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 Chapter 726: Orochimarus Trump Card!

    Chapter 726: Orochimaru''s Trump Card!


    Despite possessing the Swift Release Kekkei Genkai, Shigeru failed to outrun Fujin. While his speed was faster than Fujin''s, even when Fujin was assisted by the Wind Cloak, the Wind Cloak allowed Fujin to use the Assassin''s Rush jutsu seamlessly and continuously. It allowed Fujin to outspeed Shigeru temporarily.


    As his sword sliced through Shigeru''s body, he thought, ''It looks like Swift Release can''t keep up with me either. Well, at least not when used by a Jounin-level ninja. I guess Ay is the only one who is faster than me. At least when I don''t use the Flying Thunder God jutsu...''


    His eyes focused on Guren, who had justpleted aplicated set of hand seals. The two subordinates protecting her noticed the Vacuum sh flying at her and cursed, "Shit! Protect Lady Guren!"


    Both weaved hand seals and mmed their hands on the ground.


    ''Earth Release: Earth Wall jutsu''


    Multipleyers of earth walls appeared in front of them. However, recalling what Fujin''s attack did to the crystal wall, both knew that such a defense wouldn''t block Fujin''s attack. Hence, they didn''t rest easy and weaved hand seals once again.


    ''Earth Release: Iron Skin jutsu''


    As Fujin''s Vacuum sh pierced through the walls, the two of them stood in its path to block the deadly jutsu with their bodies! Needless to say, both were sliced into two pieces as the sh continued towards Guren, who had mmed her hands on the ground.


    Fujin''s eyes widened as he saw six coffins rise from the ground! A smile appeared on Guren''s face as she thought, ''It''s done! This is our victory!'' She suddenly felt something and nced at her right. Her eyes widened as she saw a Vacuum sh mere meters away from her! The Vacuum sh sliced through four of the six coffins, destroying the boxes as well as the bodies within!


    Guren instinctively moved behind to dodge the Vacuum sh. Unfortunately, she had too little time. Even though she managed to save her life, the Vacuum sh cut her right arm at the elbow cleanly!


    Fujin cursed, ''Shit, did she just perform the Edo Tensei jutsu? And summoned 6 ninjas at the same time?''


    For the first time since the start of the battle, Fujin felt some pressure.


    At the same time, 3 coffins rose inside the barrier. Unlike in the original story, Hiruzen didn''t try to attack the coffins. Instead, he just looked at Orochimaru with a dark expression. Reading the words on the coffins, he knew who Orochimaru was trying to summon and understood why he was so confident.


    He thought, ''To think he would try to summon the three dead Hokages¡­ Sigh, he haspletely drowned in hatred. For him to be so confident, has he improved the Edo Tensei jutsu to let the revived ninjas have the strength that they possessed when they were alive?''


    Thoughts shed in Hiruzen''s mind at the speed of light as hope appeared in his eyes. He analyzed, ''Minato can''t be revived. However, if Orochimaru can revive Lord First at his full strength, he won''t be able to control him. Even Lord Second might be able to gain control. If that happens, we''ll win in the blink of an eye.''


    Even though Hiruzen had that hope, it was a very small one. He knew that Orochimaru wouldn''t make such a basic error. In an inconspicuous corner of the stadium, a figure stood. Even though several battles were happening around him, no one attacked him. In fact, none of them even saw him. It was none other than a clone Fujin had left behind in the stadium long before the finals began.


    From the moment the battle had begun, this clone had done only one thing, which was to observe the fight between Hiruzen and Orochimaru. He analyzed, ''So, Hiruzen didn''t bother to try blocking the coffins. It makes sense considering that it really won''t have any effect.


    Regardless, these two indeed are at the peak of this world in terms of Ninjutsu. Their battle is exactly how I expected it to be. I can be considered good at Ninjutsu as well, butpared to them, I''mcking considerably. The only technique in my arsenal with which I canpete with their skill is the Wind Domain¡­''


    He recalled their fight before letting out a sigh and thinking, ''Oh well, these two have worked on their skills for several decades longer than me. It''ll take me some time to catch up with them in this regard. Besides, with the Flying Thunder God jutsu, I can easilypete with them even if I''mcking in Ninjutsu.''


    He continued observing the battle. Considering how advanced the battle between Hiruzen and Orochimaru was aspared to their fight in the original story, he was looking forward to seeing the two Senju brothers in action. Even though neither lived as long as Hiruzen, there was no question regarding their skills.


    In another part of the stadium, a figure stealthily left the stadium and chased after Naruto''s group. It was another clone of Fujin! Due to Shikaku''s ns, Fujin was no longer sure whether Naruto would get to fight Gaara. He just arranged a clone to follow them in case things somehow happened simrly. With the reanimated Kabuto stalling Kakashi, the chance he was awaiting had appeared.


    In the arena, Guren held her right arm. Crystal appeared around her elbow, closing the cut. She nced at Fujin with fear in her eyes while thinking, ''He was able to kill Shigeru and Kurogaki in such a short time?''


    The area around Guren was covered in dust and splintered wood, blocking the eyesight of most ninjas. She saw the four bodies that were reforming and thought, ''Luckily Lord Orochimaru had already reanimated them and my only task was to summon them. Otherwise, there might have beenplications and our n would have been a lost cause.''


    Guren recalled her meeting with Orochimaru when he trusted her with the most important task. Her expression hardened as she decided, ''My role isn''t done here. Orochimaru-sama''s former teammate is still somewhere around. Even if I die, I won''t let Orochimaru-sama down!''


    The crystal around her right elbow began expanding, eventually forming an arm. Fujin paid no attention to Guren. Instead, his attention was on the six reanimated ninjas. Even though he couldn''t see their appearance yet, a frown appeared on his face as he recognized the chakra signatures of two of the six ninjas.


    He quickly analyzed, ''These two¡­ This will be a difficult battle. Even though I can take on these two myself, I won''t be able to handle all 6 alone if others are at the same level as them. And, if anyone is stronger¡­''


    Fujin quickly analyzed, ''If the card Orochimaru prepared is Edo Tensei jutsu, then we won''t need Guy''s Eight Inner Gates. I guess this is as far Shikaku''s pre-war ns go!''


    Fujin suddenly disappeared from his spot and appeared among the Konoha ninjas who were fighting the Oto ninjas. The Oto ninjas had activated stage 2 of the curse seal and initially overwhelmed the Konoha ninjas. However, once the Jounins stepped forward, they were easily suppressed. However, the Jounins hadn''t been able to kill them in a short while due to their physiques.


    Suddenly, all ten remaining Oto ninjas were sliced in two. The Konoha ninjas looked at Fujin, who was standing among their ranks. Before they could say anything, Fujin nced at the Jounins and said, "Free up Kakashi and Guy. I''ll need help."


    Fujin immediately looked at the reanimated ninjas after giving the order. He couldn''t afford to take his eyes off them for a long time. The Konoha ninjas followed his gaze and shock appeared on their faces.


    "That''s Juzo! Wasn''t he dead?"


    "Is he Kaminari? Didn''t he go rogue over a decade ago? Why is he here?"


    "Wait, look at their eyes!"


    The experienced ninjas immediately realized that their opponents had been reanimated with the Edo Tensei jutsu. Without exchanging a single word, they retreated and moved towards Kakashi and Guy.


    As the dust settled and the bodies of the four ninjaspletely reformed, the Konoha and Suna ninjas started seeing who were summoned one by one. The battle slowed down slightly as most ninjas were more interested in this development. The Konoha ninjas were slightly nervous while hope ignited within the Suna ninjas.


    Only Baki was slightly nervous. He wondered, ''Why hasn''t Kazekage-sama appeared yet? I can''t trust Orochimaru''s arrangements¡­''


    As the figures became visible, the surprised voices of several ninjas could be heard.


    "That''s Juzo and Zabuza! Two of the former Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist!"


    "The Kumo rogue is here too? When did Kaminari die? No wonder there was no news about him."


    "Who is that girl?"


    "Holy crap! Kaguya Shirogane is also revived! That madman led his entire n to its demise!"


    Finally, thest person''s appearance became clear. Immediately, the blood of all Suna ninjas who saw him became cold. Terror appeared in the eyes of Konoha ninjas. Even Fujin''s expression became grave! While the remaining 5 weren''t a threat to Fujin, thest person forced him to raise his guard to the highest level!


    [A/N: Kaminari appeared in chapter 136.]


    [A/N: The author''s notes in chapter 632 were rted to this. I was struggling with one simple question - Why didn''t Orochimaru spam the Edo Tensei jutsu to destroy Konoha in the original story? It would have been an easy win. Even though Orochimaru''s Edo Tensei isn''t as advanced as Kabuto''s, it was never said that he could control only a small number of reanimated ninjas. The limitation was more focused towards the fact that the revived ninjas (more specifically the strong ones like Hashirama and Tobirama) couldn''t reach their full strength (and even this was addedter in the story).


    Since there was no exnation, my initial n was to temporarily nerf Edo Tensei jutsu so that Orochimaru could do only what he did in the original story. However, when I was considering what to do with Fujin (since he is considerably stronger than my initial ns), I suddenly wondered why I was nerfing the Edo Tensei jutsu when it was the perfect answer to my issues.


    Kinda d that the idea appeared in my mind when it did as it''ll make this arc far more fun. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy it. Plenty of fun battles toe (but please keep the author''s notes from chapter 704 in mind).]


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 Chapter 727: Fortunes Reversed!

    Chapter 727: Fortunes Reversed!


    "Hmm? What''s this? I''m alive again?" Juzo nced at his own body in surprise before noticing others around him. His eyes widened as he realized, ''This¡­ Is this Konoha''s Edo Tensei jutsu?''


    "That bastard Kakuzu! He fucking stabbed me in the back!" Kaminari seethed in rage once he realized that he was revived. He wanted to do nothing more than get his revenge. Unfortunately, he knew that he was nothing but a puppet under the control of the one who reanimated him.


    "Zabuza-sama, is that you? Where are we? How am I alive again?" Haku asked curiously. Unlike the other experienced ninjas, he knew nothing about this jutsu.


    Zabuza replied, "You aren''t. Someone used a jutsu to bring back the dead temporarily. We''ll be under that person''s control."


    A sad look appeared on Haku''s face as he muttered, "Does that mean that you''re dead as well? I failed in my duty."


    To his surprise, Zabuza chuckled and said, "Don''t beat yourself up. You did very well, Haku. Anyway, we seem to be in Konoha and in the midst of a war."


    Juzo nced at Zabuza and noticed Kubikiribocho with him. He said, "Zabuza¡­ So you are the one who seeded by de. However, it looks like you have fallen as well."


    Zabuza looked at Juzo as well. Before he could say anything, Kaminari began hurling another round of creative curses at Kakuzu. He suddenly stopped when his eyes fell on Fujin. He said, "He looks a bit familiar¡­ Who is he?"


    Juzo overheard him and replied, "He is Suzuki Fujin. I heard that you shed with him before you died." Kaminari''s eyes widened in surprise. He eximed, "That brat has grown so much? Not bad¡­ As expected of someone who could injure me. How did you die, Juzo?"


    Juzo sighed and answered, "I was killed by that brat."


    "What?" Kaminari shouted in surprise. While he was impressed by Fujin''s chakra, he didn''t think he''d be able to kill someone like Juzo at such a young age.


    While the reanimated ninjas chatted a bit among themselves, thest reanimated ninja''s appearance became clear. As soon as they saw him, fear appeared in the eyes of both Suna and Konoha ninjas!


    Fujin''s expression became serious as well as he thought, ''Hatake Sakumo¡­ Sigh, such a difficult opponent. Even if he isn''t at his full strength, sealing him will be a difficult job¡­''


    "Long time no see, Saru..."


    "You''ve aged, Sarutobi¡­"


    As soon as they were reanimated, the Senju brothers noticed how old Hiruzen had be.


    Hiruzen sighed and apologized, "I never imagined I would see you two again under such circumstances. I am so sorry."


    Hiruzen quickly assessed the situation, ''So much for that hope¡­ Their chakra levels are far lower than when they were alive, especially in the case of Lord First. They won''t be able to break free of Orochimaru''s control. However, they should still have the strength of a rank S ninja along with their skills...


    I might be able to take the three of them on at the same time, but this will be a difficult battle¡­ Very difficult¡­ It might have been a bit easier if Jiraiya and Fujin backed me up. However, I sensed Sakumo''s presence, along with Shirogane''s chakra¡­ They won''t be able to free themselves easily.''


    Tobirama nced at Orochimaru and said, "Edo Tensei, huh? And that stripling over there is the one who summoned us with my jutsu? Impressive. He has improved this jutsu considerably¡­ Huh?"


    Tobirama''s eyes suddenly widened as he felt something. He nced outside the barrier, looking into the arena first before ncing in the direction of the vige. He thought, ''I can''t see them¡­ However, why do I feel like there are millions of Flying Thunder God marks in the vige? Did someone improve that jutsu as well?''


    When Hiruzen gave Fujin the Flying Thunder God scrolls, he had given Fujin everything rted to it. The aspect of hiding the Flying Thunder God mark was developed by Minato. While Tobirama''s marks could be sensed by anyone who had some expertise in Space Time Ninjutsu, Minato''s marks couldn''t be sensed even by such ninjas, unless he wanted to show them.


    In order to ensure that reanimated Tobirama and Minato wouldn''t be able to see his marks, Fujin changed the seal form even further. It wasn''t exactly an improvement on Minato''s form, but just a change to ensure that Minato couldn''t see his marks either.


    However, since he had nted millions of marks in Konoha, Tobirama, who was extremely skilled at Space Time Ninjutsu and probably the ninja who knew the most about it, instinctively felt the presence of an enormous number of Flying Thunder God marks.


    Tobirama looked back at Hiruzen and asked, "Saru, did someone master the Flying Thunder God jutsu as well?"


    Hiruzen was a bit surprised by the question. He answered, "Yes, he was quite a genius with the technique as well and became the Fourth Hokage. Unfortunately, he passed away over a decade ago¡­"


    Tobirama sighed and thought, ''A pity¡­ Someone who could change my seal form and nt millions of marks in the vige must have been a very formidable ninja. Attacking the vige would have been impossible if he was still alive.''


    Orochimaru chuckled and said, "Enough with the small talk. Why don''t we get started?"


    In the arena, the ninjas on both sides were in shock at seeing Sakumo. Fearful voices could be heard among the ranks of Konoha ninjas.


    "That bitch summoned Sakumo-sama?"


    "Wasn''t Sakumo-sama stronger than the Sannins? How are we supposed to fight him?"


    "We need to trust Councilman Fujin! Let''s block the others with our lives and let Councilman Fujin deal with Sakumo-sama by himself!"


    At the same time, hateful voices could be heard among the ranks of Suna ninjas.


    "That is Konoha''s White Fang?"


    "Why did Orochimaru revive that cursed bastard? He killed both my grandparents!"


    "Screw you! He killed all four of my grandparents and both my parents!"


    "Stop talking! That bastard almost annihted my entire n! Do you know how often I dream that I could kill this motherfucker!"


    While Sakumo''s strength was always known, he gained fame during the Second Great Ninja War when he led Konoha''s armies on the Suna front. The wounds he inflicted on Sunagakure were worse than what Fujin inflicted on Kumogakure. Unlike Fujin, who did it stealthily and without any witnesses, Sakumo did it in front of everyone on the battlefield. For over a decade, there wasn''t a single person in Sunagakure who didn''t hate him!


    Kakashi and others nced in the direction of thismotion as well. It was too big to ignore. His eyes widened as he muttered, "Father¡­"


    He looked back at Kabuto and said, "Edo Tensei¡­ So that is the weird feeling I was getting. However, who killed you, Kabuto?"


    Having faced Kabuto, Kakashi knew how formidable he was. Seeing that he had suddenly died caught him off guard. Of course, the one who was caught off guard most was none other than Kabuto. He wondered, ''What in the hell? It doesn''t seem like he is lying. In fact, he has no reason to lie. What is going on? Who killed me? And, who can use Chidori as well as Kakashi?''


    Kabuto immediately felt like he was on the verge of finding out about a great conspiracy. He racked his brain to figure out what it was while continuing to restrict Kakashi.


    Sakumo nced at the headband Guren was wearing and the Oto ninjas around her before ncing at Fujin. Seeing the wind cloak around him, Sakumo immediately concluded that all the Oto ninjas had been killed by Fujin. He sighed, "To think that I would be revived to fight my own vige¡­ You, what is your name?"


    Fujin replied, "I didn''t expect to see a ninja of your caliber in the enemy ranks. I''m Suzuki Fujin."


    Sakumo said, "Fujin, good name. Even though I''m revived, I can feel that I''m not at my full strength. However, you can''t kill someone who has been summoned by the Edo Tensei jutsu. This jutsu can only be stopped by either sealing us or by putting the caster under a Genjutsu and dispelling the jutsu. Call for a few Uchiha Jounins and have them suppress her¡­"


    The eyes of Konoha ninjas widened while the Suna ninjas smirked. The famed Uchiha n no longer existed. The only ones who lived were Sasuke and a few academy students. The only two strong Uchiha were rogue ninjas. Even though they hated Sakumo, seeing him on their side raised the morale of the Suna ninjas. Just a minute ago, Fujin was ruthlessly butchering Suna and Oto ninjas. Now, it would be Konoha''s turn to suffer!


    Before the Konoha ninjas could say that there was no Uchiha Jounin in the vige and ask Sakumo to give a different advice, Guren shouted, "Stop stalling time and attack him! Kill Fujin before he is reinforced and annihte the remaining Konoha ninjas!"


    [A/N: Next Chapter : Fujin''s Decisiveness!]


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 Chapter 728: Fujins Decisiveness!

    Chapter 728: Fujin''s Decisiveness!


    "Stop stalling time and attack him! Kill Fujin before he is reinforced!"


    Immediately, five of the six reanimated ninjas rushed at Fujin. Only Sakumo stood in his spot, trying his best to resist the order.


    Ice needles appeared between Haku''s fingers as he said, "My body¡­ Zabuza-sama, my mind is clear but my body is moving on its own."


    Zabuza frowned while gripping his Kubikiribocho tighter. He replied, "That''s what this jutsu does. It forces us to fight as per the wishes of our summoner even if it is against our will¡­"


    As he approached Fujin, Juzo, wielding arge ck sword that reminded Fujin of Darui''s sword, said, "To think I''d get a rematch with you under such circumstances. It wasn''t what I wished but here Ie!"


    Unlike him, Kaminariughed while conducting lightning through his sword made of chakra metal. He shouted, "I''ll first kill you, before taking revenge on Kakuzu! It was due to you that Kakuzu got an opening to attack me!"


    As for thest person, he was awfully quiet until this point and didn''t carry any weapon. Strangely, he was also the fastest one to move! When he was just a couple of meters away from Fujin, a wide grin appeared on his face. Several sharp bones popped out of his body as he eximed in ecstasy, "To think I could battle even after my death! Haha, this is marvelous!"


    The eyes of the Konoha ninjas widened. A couple of veteran ninjas shouted, "Fujin! Please stay away from him! He was the n leader of the Kaguya n and a rank S ninja! Don''t let him get close to you!"


    From the barrier, Orochimaru nced at the arena and thought with a smirk, ''ording to my original n, I would have let Rasa deal with Fujin. Kimimaro would have assassinated whoever won. I predicted that Shikaku would make Jiraiya stay in the Hokage Building to deal with me andter send him to deal with my summons. I would have sent Guren along with the reanimated ninjas to take care of him. Unfortunately, Rasa''s sudden change of heart disrupted my ns. Luckily, my summons can keep Jiraiya upied for a while. Even if hees here immediately, my next move will be enough to make the battle unsalvagable for Konoha.''


    The Three Hokages began their battle while Fujin looked at five strong and unkible ninjasing at him with the intention to kill. Shirogane''s bones extended towards Fujin and touched his Wind Cloak. At that very moment, Shirogane and the eyes of the other four reanimated ninjas widened. Before any of them could react, all five were hit by intense winds andunched back like cannonballs at an even faster speed!


    The eyes of all onlookers widened as they guarded against the intense wind current flowing from the Wind Cloak in every direction. Before they could stabilize themselves, another intense wind current was sted behind Fujin, sending any unlucky ninja in its path flying for several dozen meters.


    As for Fujin, he appeared in front of Sakumo in the blink of an eye and swung his sword straight at Sakumo''s throat!


    Lightning coursed through Sakumo''s body, increasing his speed tremendously and allowing him to keep up with Fujin''s speed. He unsheathed a white tanto and swung it at Fujin''s sword in one smooth movement. Lightning circted through it as well causing it to release a white light.


    As their de drew closer to each other, Fujin thought, ''The White Fang, huh? A shame that he isn''t at his full strength and the circumstances don''t allow me to have some fun. Otherwise, it would have been a very fun duel.


    In addition, his tanto is very good too. It is at least as good as my Kazekiri, if not even better. If I didn''t have the Kiba des, I''d be tempted to steal his sword. It looks like Orochimaru has left no stone unturned to ensure the sess of his assault.''


    Everyone watched in anticipation as the des of two extremely strong ninjas were about to sh. However, just when their des were mere inches from each other, strong winds sted towards Fujin''s right side, hurling him to his left.


    Surprise appeared on Sakumo''s face as his de cut through thin air. Before Sakumo could make sense of the situation, strong winds were sted from the Wind Cloak as Fujin used the Assassin''s Rush jutsu once again.


    The eyes of every ninja who heard Sakumo''s words earlier widened in shock as Fujin appeared right in front of Guren, his de about to behead her.


    Guren was shocked. She didn''t think that Fujin would try to kill her. She instinctively covered her entire body in crystal just before Fujin''s de could hit her neck. Unfortunately for her, a vacuum core formed along the edge of the Kazekiri as it sliced through her crystal armor like a hot knife through butter. Her head flew off her shoulders andnded a few meters away. Shock could still be seen in her eyes as her head rolled some distance, before finally stopping.


    For a moment, the entire battlefield grew quiet. Everyone looked at Fujin with a dumbfounded expression. After what Sakumo said, not a single person thought Fujin would do the exact opposite!


    Even someone as calm and easygoing as Sakumo lost his cool for a moment. He angrily asked, "Did you hear a word I said? How will you stop us now?"


    The very moment Guren''s head rolled, Kabuto nced in her direction and cursed, "Shit!"


    Kakashi took advantage of his momentary distractions and lightning chains ravaged Kabuto''s body! He was about to attack again when several Konoha ninjas appeared and said, "Kakashi-san, we''ll handle him. You please assist Councilman Fujin."


    Kakashi stopped and said, "Be careful, he is very strong and cunning. Wait for the sealing team to arrive."


    To Sakumo''s surprise, there wasn''t a change in Fujin''s expression. He calmly replied, "The Uchiha n was almost entirely massacred. There are no Uchiha Jounins in the vige."


    Sakumo''s eyes widened and disbelief appeared in his eyes. He muttered, "The Uchiha n was massacred?"


    Kaguya Shirogane beganughing as he got up. He eximed, "That pesky n has no more Jounins? That''s good. It should have been massacred entirely!"


    Considering that he led his own n to their annihtion, everyone ignored the madman. Fujin continued, "Even if there were any Uchiha Jounins here, I won''t let a ninja, who can reanimate dead ninjas like you, stay alive on the battlefield. Besides, without her, no one can order you. So, help me defeat and seal the rest of them."


    As soon as he said it, Shirogane''sughter died in an instant. A grim expression appeared on Kaminari''s face as well. Both looked at Sakumo, neither wanting to face that monster! At the same time, hope appeared in the eyes of Konoha ninjas while the Suna ninjas were even more terrified. Having already suffered disastrously at the hands of Fujin, they had no will to face Sakumo at the same time!


    A few individuals flickered next to Fujin. Kakashi looked at Sakumo and muttered, "Father¡­"


    Sakumo had already sensed Kakashi''s presence. To see him even in this condition was a present surprise. However, before he could talk with his son, he shouted, "Be careful!"


    He unleashed several lightning rays at Fujin''s group, which were immediately intercepted by Fujin''s air bullets. Sakumo said, "I''m still not in control of my body."


    Fujin sighed and muttered, "As I suspected, that woman wasn''t the true user of the Edo Tensei jutsu. The real one must be¡­"


    Fujin nced in the direction of the barrier. An intense battle was taking ce inside. However, Orochimaru was looking hatefully in Fujin''s direction. He cursed, ''Fuck! That brat! I didn''t expect that he''d be so decisive!''


    Orochimaru flickered to dodge Hiruzen''s jutsu as he thought, ''Even though I have improved the Second Hokage''s Edo Tensei jutsu considerably, this jutsu still has a lot of limitations. I still can''t revive the ninjas at their full strength. However, that''s not necessarily a bad thing.


    The bigger issue is distance. My control weakens considerably as the distance between me and the reanimated ninjas increases. For the time being, I can only keep two rank S ninjas under my control when they are away from me. I can control a few more Elite Jounins at the same time, but if I add a third rank S ninja, all three will break out of my control¡­''


    Orochimaru frowned as he continued thinking, ''Even though Sakumo and Shirogane are strong, they wouldn''t be able to defeat the Konoha ninjas led by Fujin and Jiraiya. Their job was more to whittle them down.


    By the time they sealed these 6 ninjas, Guren would have summoned another 6 ninjas and attacked them when they were exhausted. However, I never anticipated that someone would just kill Guren, even after theplicated set of hand seals I gave her to fool everyone into thinking that she was the real summoner¡­''


    Orochimaru flickered once again as a water jet and a fireball shed at the spot he was standing in. As he analyzed the situation, Orochimaru realized how the battle would y out.


    A grin appeared on his face as he suddenly beganughing. He thought, ''It looks like the battle outside is a lost cause. To think that I''d lose even after putting in so much effort. No matter. I still have a couple of cards left. Even though I lost this battle, I''ll be the final victor in this war!''


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 Chapter 729: One Jutsu to Suppress Them All!

    Chapter 729: One Jutsu to Suppress Them All!


    Sakumo unleashed over a hundred rays of lightning which approached Fujin''s group from different directions as he warned loudly, "Be careful. I can feel that my body is programmed to focus on killing you, Fujin. If you fall, my de will turn towards other Konoha ninjas. Anyone who gets in my way will be attacked as well. I will try to resist as much as I can, but prepare yourself."


    Fujin''s Wind Cloak transformed into winds and intercepted the lightning rays. At the same time, it recreated the Wind Domain around him. The remaining reanimated ninjas, who were charging towards Fujin''s group, immediately stopped and retreated before the winds could engulf them.


    Kaminari questioned, "What are those winds?"


    Haku wondered aloud, "Can he control the winds in that dome? That''s incredible. I have never seen anyone use Wind Release in this manner."


    Zabuza, Juzo, Shirogane and Sakumo looked in surprise as well. Despite spending years on the battlefield fighting all kinds of ninjas, none of them had seen anything like that.


    At the center of the Wind Domain, Guy asked, "What do we do now? Should I use¡­"


    He was cut off by Renjiro, who replied, "The Eight Inner Gates technique is too risky against the Edo Tensei. Even if their bodies are destroyed, they will reform. It''ll depend on whether they can be sealed before they reform. Fujin, you should be able to seal them, right?"


    Once they were destroyed, sealing a reanimated ninja wasn''t a difficult job. Even SealMasters could do so if they had learnt the appropriate sealing methods. As a Grandmaster, Fujin obviously could do it as well. In fact, he had several methods to do so.


    Fujin nodded and replied, "Sealing them wouldn''t be an issue. However, it''ll be better to save your technique forter in case Orochimaru has other arrangements. At the very least, don''t open thetter gates which would slow you down." Guy nodded. While their enemy was strong, the situation wasn''t bad enough to take huge risks. Considering Orochimaru''s methods, Fujin''s words seemed appropriate. Hoka, thest person in their group, activated his Byakugan and asked, "So, how do we deal with them?"


    Kakashi replied, "Fighting them together will be troublesome. Due to their bodies, they won''t be concerned with friendly fire. We won''t have that luxury and could be put in a difficult situation."


    Renjiro added, "That is correct. The best way to deal with them would be to split them up."


    Fujin agreed as well and said, "Alright, I''ll use winds to split them up. Which opponents do you guys want?"


    Kakashi was the first one to reply, "I''ll take on my father¡­"


    Without missing a beat, Fujin questioned, "You sure? We won''t be able to back you up if things go wrong¡­"


    Needless to say, Fujin wanted to take Sakumo on. As per his initial calction, Guy, Kakashi, Renjiro and Hoka would take on Shirogane, Kaminari, Juzo and Zabuza respectively while a Jounin restricted Haku. Once he sealed Sakumo, Fujin could team up with others to seal everyone up one by one.


    However, Kakashi replied resolutely, "I am. Father isn''t as strong as he was when he was alive. In addition, he is resisting Orochimaru''s control. I can restrain him."


    Even though Kakashi spent the month training Sasuke, he also started to take his own training more seriously after his encounter with Kabuto. At the same time, he wanted to take this chance to talk with his father.


    Everyone understood it and hence no one opposed Kakashi. Fujin nced at others and asked, "Well, what about you guys?"


    Guy was about to answer when his eyes widened and he shouted, "Careful!"


    Even though the appearance of the Wind Domain surprised them, it didn''t intimidate them enough to stop them from making a move. In fact, with their immortal bodies, they didn''t particrly fear Wind jutsus as much as the living.


    Seeing the Konoha ninjas nning, all six reanimated ninjas riled their chakra and attacked.


    ''Lightning Release: False Darkness jutsu''


    ''Water Release: Great Waterfall jutsu''


    ''Water Release: Exploding Water Wave jutsu''


    ''Lightning Release: Lightning Storm jutsu''


    Kaminari, Juzo, Zabuza and Sakumo attacked with supercharged long-range jutsus to see what the Wind Domain could do. Haku attacked at the same time andunched hundreds of ice needles into the domain. As for Shirogane, he directly rushed into the domain without any regard for the domain.


    Kakashi and others were about to act when Fujin said, "It''s fine, they can''t break my technique this easily. Which ones will you take on?"


    Kakashi, Guy, Renjiro and Hoka looked at Fujin in surprise. Any single attack would force them to take evasive action or use a defensive jutsu. Not to mention, the former Kaguya n leader was running straight at them. However, Fujin didn''t even give them a second nce.


    Kaminari''s massive Lightning spears pierced into the Wind Domain and moved towards Fujin''s group from the back. In front of them, a Lightning storm had appeared and shed with the Wind Domain.


    A young Konoha Chunin eximed in shock, "He used a Wind and Lightningbination jutsu so effortlessly!"


    Even Fujin was impressed with Sakumo''s disy. It was his first time seeing someone use Lightning and Wind together so wlessly. Despite that, the ones who were surprised were Sakumo and Kaminari.


    Several wind des appeared out of thin air and bombarded the lightning spears. Not even a spark reached Fujin and the rest! As for the Lightning storm, it slowed down as soon as it shed with the Wind Domain. The winds from the Wind Domain infiltrated into the storm and moved in the opposite direction at a rapid speed, nullifying it entirely within seconds!


    A Suna ninja muttered in disbelief, "What the hell? How did that massive Lightning storm disappear so suddenly? Did White Fang stop his own jutsu?"


    The ninja next to him said, "Forget that! Look at the insane number of wind des that appeared out of thin air. I now understand how an entire division suddenly dropped dead. That region is a death zone!"


    Unlike the weaker ninjas, Baki had a grave expression. He thought, ''His control over wind is ridiculous! To think that massivebination jutsu would be neutralized this easily! That wind technique is troublesome. In fact, it is stronger than every Wind jutsu in Sunagakure!''


    Considering that Sunagakure was supposed to have the best users of Wind Release, Fujin''s disy was quite humiliating for the Sunagakure ninjas. However, most of them didn''t register that as they were more concerned about whether they''d make it out alive.


    While the Lightning storm was being neutralized, Juzo''s and Zabuza''s jutsus hit the Wind Domain. However, strong winds were suddenly unleashed in the opposite direction from the Wind Domain. The water flow was stopped before being sent back in their direction.


    At the same time, hundreds of mini wind des appeared in the wind domain and blocked every ice needle Hakuunched.


    Just when the 5 jutsus had been stopped, Shirogane entered the Wind Domain boldly. A bone armor appeared under his skin as he noticed the wind des blocking other jutsus. As soon as he entered the wind domain, hundreds of cuts appeared on his body, stripping his body of nearly all his skin!


    Even so, Shiroganeughed loudly and continued moving forward. Hundreds of cuts appeared on his bones but none managed to pierce through. Only some scars were left, but they couldn''t slow him down. However, hisughter suddenly stopped as a giant palm, made of winds, formed around him and stopped him. In the blink of an eye, he was pinned to the ground!


    While Fujin dealt with the attacks, everyone quickly began deciding their opponents.


    Guy said, "I''ll take the Kaguya."


    However, Renjiro said, "No, I''ll take on Shirogane. I had fought against him during the previous war. I won''t have much difficulty in restricting him for a while. You take on Zabuza. Unlike me, you should be able to suppress him easily. Hoka, take on the Ice user."


    Guy and Hoka agreed. Fujin nced at Juzo and Kaminari and thought, ''So, time to face these two again, huh? Well, it should be interesting. It''ll allow me to see how far I havee¡­''


    Renjiro continued, "You''ll have to take on those two, Fujin."


    Fujin replied, "Alright."


    While they nned, the onlookers were shocked. A Suna ninja dropped his kunai and questioned in disbelief, "Did he just suppress all six of them alone?"


    A Konoha ninja eximed, "Holy crap! Fujin is cool! Look how he is holding down that Kaguya ninja!"


    Another asked, "Didn''t you say that he was a rank S ninja? Look how helpless he is against Councilman Fujin!"


    The older Konoha ninjas were just left speechless. They recalled how they tried to warn Fujin earlier. And now, Fujin was holding him down without even ncing at him.


    Baki gulped his saliva nervously as well. With a grim expression, he thought, ''Impossible! He blocked the full power attacks of a rank S ninja, 3 Elite Jounins and a Kekkei Genkai wielder and suppressed another rank S ninja with the same technique! How is this technique so powerful? How can we even counter it?''


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


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 Chapter 730: Poking the Beehive!

    Chapter 730: Poking the Beehive!


    For a few moments, Baki felt a sense of helplessness. He didn''t see any way to counter such a strong jutsu. In fact, he wasn''t even sure whether Rasa could stop this technique. The fact that the enemy vige had a sixteen-year-old ninja who could go up against their Kage and possibly overpower him was extremely difficult for Baki to digest.


    Yet, Baki quickly controlled himself. As the Sunagakure ninja with the highest authority on the battlefield, he wasn''t allowed to lose control of his emotions like the rest.


    He quickly analyzed, ''No! A jutsu this strong has to have weaknesses. And, the weakness of this jutsu is rather obvious. Sustaining it will take a massive toll on his chakra reserves. While we can''t confront him head-on, we can keep attacking him until he runs out of chakra and then take his head!


    However, it''ll be a very painful victory. It''ll be best if they are able to kill him right here¡­''


    Baki''s analysis wasn''t off the mark. The Wind Domain had a ridiculous requirement for chakra. A normal ninja wouldn''t be able to sustain it. After creating the Wind Domain, Fujin used it to annihte a division of Suna ninjas and a division of Oto ninjas. In addition, he lost a big chunk of chakra to Kurogaki''s Dark Release.


    Along with his liberal use of the Assassin''s Rush jutsu and blocking the reanimated ninjas, his Wind Domain was almost out of chakra. It became quite evident when Shirogane''s bones ripped through Fujin''s Ghost Palm.


    Baki observed it with a keen look and thought, ''As I suspected. The technique''s power had decreased significantly. Even though he is still ridiculously strong, he won''t be invincible once this technique ends!''


    The reanimated ninjas and others around, especially the sensors, also noticed the same thing. Sakumo sighed internally while thinking, ''I guess expecting a jutsu of this scale to be sustained for too long is too much¡­''


    However, unlike the expressions of the Konoha ninjas, there wasn''t even a hint of worry on Fujin''s face. The Wind Domain began moving once again and strong winds were sted in the direction of all six ninjas once again. The sudden move from the weakening Wind Domain caught them off guard and all six ninjas were hurled a long distance backwards. With this attack, Fujin''s Wind Domain finally ran out of chakra as well. Without exchanging a single word, everyone in Fujin''s group flickered towards the opponents they decided upon!


    Baki immediately realized, ''That technique has run out of chakra! This is our chance!''


    He quickly nced towards three Suna Jounins, all of whom nced back at him at that moment. Without the need for any orders, they nodded and flickered. The three Suna ninjas specialized in assassination. In a head-on battle, they knew that they didn''t stand any chance against Fujin. However, with the reanimated ninjas keeping him busy, they were confident that they would get some openings!


    Fujin appeared in front of Juzo and Kaminari and thought, ''More than 300 elite ninjas for 25% of my chakra¡­ Not a bad exchange. That said, fighting these two andter sealing the rest¡­ My chakra reserves can go seriously low¡­ And, depending on the situation, I may have to fight with Orochimaru as well. Worse, he might have more dead people to summon...''


    Kaminari looked at Fujin and chuckled, "Aren''t you looking down at us, boy? You want to take the two of us at the same time without that cloak?"


    Juzo said, "If we were still alive, I''d have warned him to not underestimate you. However, I suppose it doesn''t matter now. How long has it been since you killed me?"


    Fujin raised an eyebrow and asked, "Kill you? We never even met."


    Juzo was immediately left speechless. Kaminari looked at Fujin in confusion and wondered, ''Why is he denying it?''


    Juzo, who lived a few years longer than Kaminari, understood why Fujin denied it. He couldn''t help but wonder, ''How much shit did he do to refuse his identitypletely? I suppose even Konoha can''t handle the bacsh if he epts it openly.


    Still, this is humiliating¡­ I never imagined that someone would refuse to even ept that they killed me, a former member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist! Does my headmand no value?''


    Fujin''s words made Juzo angry, but Fujin ignored him and nced at Kaminari. He said, "For someone who''s being controlled like a puppet by Orochimaru, you sure are cocky. I wonder what your oldrades in Kumo would think if they knew how proud you are to be his attack dog."


    Fujin''s remark immediately made Kaminari lose his cool! Never had he been insulted to this degree. He immediately riled up his chakra and was about to curse and attack when his eyes widened. Taking advantage of the fraction of a second Kaminari lost himself to rage, Fujin flickered in front of him and swung his de at him!


    Unlike his usual approach, Fujin didn''t target his throat. After all, it was useless against an Edo Tensei and Fujin didn''t want to leave himself open for a counterattack. Instead, he attacked Kaminari''s sword, which he instinctively raised.


    The two des shed. Lightning flowed through Kaminari''s de, making it far stronger than a normal sword. However, it was too weak against the Vacuum core along Fujin''s de. In one smooth motion, Fujin cut Kaminari''s sword into two and continued swinging his sword towards his chest. However, he suddenly stopped and retreated as several Water Bullets flew through his previous location.


    Juzo appeared next to Kaminari and mocked ruthlessly, "What a surprise. Even death failed to tone down your arrogance."


    Kaminari snorted and said, "He just caught me off guard."


    His chakra red once again and Lightning charges appeared on his body. Having realized how devious Fujin was and recalling how he was yed twice by Fujin''s squad before his death, he no longer intended to give him any opportunities.


    All three disappeared and an intense sh ensued. At the same time, others began their battles as well.


    While the most crucial battles were happening in the arena, the rest of the vige was in chaos as well. Shikaku dispatched several powerful ninjas to take care of the gigantic snakes and lead the ninjas on the walls to victory against the Suna and Oto ninjas.


    He had already sent Jiraiya, who had already crushed one group and was moving towards the second. Inoichi, Choza, Tsume, Eagle and a few others were also dispatched to stop the summons.


    However, one group managed to break through the ninjas stationed at the walls. With no one living near the walls, they rushed straight towards the vige, intending to cause as much harm to Konoha as possible! In a couple of minutes, they reached the outskirts of the vige.


    In a dark basement, a pair of eyes suddenly opened. He got up and muttered, "Seriously? You have the entire vige and youe this fucking way?"


    In Fujin''spound, there was a bit of panic. Over a hundred former Kiri orphans, who were currently Anbu Trainees, watched 3rge snakes along with a couple of dozen enemy ninjas heading straight towards them.


    Hikari muttered fearfully, "They are heading towards us¡­ I have never seen such gigantic snakes!"


    Takeshi said, "Calm down. Sensei has trained us for a long time. We can''t disappoint him. With our Kekkei Genkai, we can take those gigantic snakes down!"


    Sayaka immediately said with full seriousness, "Don''t get overconfident. These snakes are Orochimaru''s summons. We can''t take them lightly."


    Yuji chuckled and said, "Don''t worry, when has Takeshi ever taken anyone lightly?"


    Sayaka looked at him and scolded, "I''m worried more about you, Yuji!"


    She turned her gaze towards their Anbu instructors and said, "Don''t worry, our instructors are still here. Even if Sensei isn''t here, they can instruct us how to deal with them."


    Everyone nodded obediently. Unknown to them, Monkey had a worried expression behind his mask. He thought, ''We don''t have enough manpower to face them¡­ The only way we''d have any chance at victory is if I make the trainees fight. However, this is very risky.


    Even though they have a couple of years of training, they have never been on an actual mission. If I make them fight here, many would die. Considering their immense potential, this will be a painful loss for the vige. However, what other choice do I hav¡­ Huh?''


    In shock, Monkey asked, "What are you doing here?"


    Fujin''s clone asked in return, "Why are you so agitated? Calm down, I''m just a Shadow Clone."


    Monkey sighed in relief and said, "Thankfully you''re here. I was getting worried about sending the trainees to battle. Even though you''re just a clone, our losses will be significantly lower¡­ What''s the issue?"


    He suddenly felt ufortable as he saw Fujin''s clone looking at him like he was the biggest idiot in the world!


    Fujin''s clone turned his gaze back towards the enemy and asked, "What do you mean by losses?"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    A/N : If you can, then please support me on P@treon.


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 Chapter 731: Unexpected Casualties of the War!

    Chapter 731: Unexpected Casualties of the War!


    [A/N: Sorry guys. Fell asleep while writingst night ?? Was gonna upload the chapter earlier today, but had a few ideas and I kept writing. Anyway, today''s chapter will be outter as well. Hope you guys been doing well :)]


    "Shikaku-sama! One group of enemies have broken through and are heading towards the vige!" Yamanaka Shin opened his eyes and reported with a grim expression.


    Several Yamanaka ninjas in the room had grim expressions as well. They were responsible for sensing the position of enemy ninjas. A group entering the vige meant that there would be a lot of death and destruction.


    Shikaku wasn''t too disturbed. He had already calcted that this would happen as a couple of spots hadn''t been protected that well and had long made arrangements for both spots. He asked, "Which group is it? The third or the seventh?"


    Yamanaka Shin replied, "It''s the seventh group. They are about to reach the 23rd Training Ground and will reach Fujin''s Compounds soon. There are 3 giant snakes and 26 ninjas in their group."


    Worry could be seen on Shin''s face. Even though he hadn''t interacted with Fujin much, he had taught him the basics of sensing when Fujin was still in the Academy. He didn''t want to see his house andpound being destroyed. However, to his surprise, he saw a smile appear on Shikaku''s face. He wondered, ''What the hell? Was it a trap prepared by Shikaku-sama?''


    Shikaku ordered, "Dispatch 4 Anbu squads to intercept them."


    For a moment, Shin couldn''t believe his ears. He asked to confirm, "Only 4 squads?"


    Shikaku inly nodded and said, "Yeah, it should be more than enough. Now go." Shin left immediately while Shikaku thought, ''I left that group as thest one to be dealt with because of what stands in that direction. To think that they would run straight to it. Poor souls¡­''


    Despite being enemies, Shikaku couldn''t help but feel bad for them. By now, every strong ninja in Konoha knew that Fujin''spounds were thest ce to mess around. Even someone aszy as Shikaku wanted to witness that battle. Unfortunately, he couldn''t move around freely.


    "What do you mean by losses?" Fujin''s clone asked while looking at the giant snakes. Monkey was dumbfounded. He wondered, ''Is he saying that we can win without taking any loss? But how? Does his clone have enough chakra to deal with them?''


    Bunjiro and Tatsuya flickered behind Fujin and said, "Fujin, we''re here. What should we do?"


    Fujin''s clone replied, "Just watch and learn what you should never do on any battlefield or mission."


    Both were confused. Just like Monkey, they were preparing themselves for a difficult battle. However, the way Fujin''s clone spoke was very casual. It was as if he didn''t consider the iing enemy a threat.


    Even though they were confused, they just decided to put their trust in him. After all, if Fujin was so confident, then there was no reason for them to be worried.


    The giant snakes entered the training ground while the Suna and Oto ninjas followed them. Fear appeared in their eyes as they finally saw Fujin''s clone standing on top of his house.


    "Why is the Spectral Swordsman here? Wasn''t he supposed to be in the arena?"


    "Fool! He is in the arena. This one should be his clone. Or maybe someone transformed into him. Stop being cowards and crush hispounds!"


    Hearing the Jounin''s words, everyone calmed down and confidence appeared in their eyes. An Oto ninja shouted, "If he is only a clone, then we don''t need to worry! Orochimaru-sama''s summons will crush him!"


    As if following hismand, the 3 gigantic snakes opened their mouths wide and dived straight at thepound, wanting to swallow everyone inside it! Seeing the massive snakes, the young trainees became fearful. Thankfully, they were trained enough not to cause chaos. Even so, almost all the trainees retreated backwards. Several weaved hand seals and prepared jutsus in case the snakes weren''t stopped.


    Sayaka and other students of Fujin nced at him and wondered, ''What is he doing? Why hasn''t Sensei cut them up already? Even though he''s just a clone, this should be child''s y for him, shouldn''t it?''


    Seeing the young kids frightened, the confidence of the Suna and Oto ninjas soared. They weaved hand seals while shouting, "Crush them! We will continue until the entire Konoha is destro¡­!"


    Their words got stuck in their throats and their eyes widened in shock. A massive dome-shaped transparent barrier appeared out of thin air around the entirepound. The massive sharp teeth of the snakes failed to put even a scratch on the barrier.


    The Konoha ninjas were surprised as well. They wondered, ''There is a barrier surrounding thepound? Since when was there a barrier here? More importantly, how did it activate suddenly when he didn''t make any move?''


    The Anbu trainees breathed a sigh of relief while the Suna and Oto ninjas began wondering what to do. The fact that the barrier stopped the giant snakes so easily indicated how strong it truly was.


    It made them fall into a dilemma. Considering their situation, they immediately realized that they had two options. The first was just to avoid thepound and go around it to get deeper into the vige. However, doing so left them vulnerable to being attacked from the rear. Once more Konoha ninjas appeared to stop them, they''d be attacked from every direction.


    Their second option was to attack the barrier until it broke down and kill everyone in thepound before continuing forward. However, if the barrier was too strong, they would be stuck at that location and allow Konoha''s reinforcements to arrive. At the same time, destroying the barrier will consume their chakra rapidly.


    The experienced Anbu on Fujin''s side realized this as well. Monkey nced at Fujin and wondered, ''Does he want them to exhaust their chakra first before weunch a surprise attack? After all, even though they are trainees, everyone here is well-versed in Ninjutsu. If we time our attack to just when the barrier breaks, we could hit them with over a hundred jutsus at the same time!''


    Before Suna and Oto ninjas coulde to a decision, the giant snakes hissed and retreated backwards. Their actions surprised everyone. The Oto ninja who had summoned them with Orochimaru''s scroll wondered, ''Why are they retreating? Didn''t Orochimaru-sama say that they''ll continue moving forward until they take a lot of damage? Don''t tell me¡­ Did they sense some great danger ahead?''


    As the snakes retreated, it became very visible that they were terrified of something. Their massive bodies shuddered uncontrobly, scales rippling as if crawling with unseen horrors. They thrashed their heads from side to side, mming into the ground in frantic desperation as if trying to shake off an invisible menace clinging to their skin.


    Their forked tongues flicked out rapidly as a hissing sound filled the air. However, instead of being intimidated by them, the Konoha ninjas could see dread in their eyes. The powerful serpents, who dominantly made their way to the outskirts of Konoha, were now slithering back in frantic, erratic patterns!


    The sudden change shocked the Suna and Oto ninjas. None of them could understand what was happening. However, it suddenly became extremely clear. Every scale on each of the giant snakes began glowing as the snakes panicked even more.


    Everyone first thought that this was an ability of the snakes. However, when they realized what it was, their eyes widened in horror as they shouted, "Holy Crap! Take cover!"


    What was glowing wasn''t the scales themselves. Instead, it was the explosive seals that somehow appeared on every scale of each snake! Within moments, each and every explosive tag exploded!


    Two giant snakes were blown into smithereens as their blood and flesh rained into the nearby area. A part of the transparent barrier was now covered in blood as well!


    As for the third snake, it became too terrified and undid the summoning jutsu. It suddenly appeared in the Ryuchi Cave while hissing fearfully. Its hissing attracted the attention of all the powerful snakes in the Ryuchi Cave. However, before they could do anything or even understand the situation, the snake exploded!


    The explosion was so powerful that tremors were felt throughout the Ryuchi cave! Countless small snakes in the vicinity died due to the explosion. The ground underneath the explosions copsed as well, crushing hundreds of snakes living underground to death. The sudden attack shocked the Ryuchi cave. Powerful snakes like Manda and their sages felt the loss of life and immediately moved in rage!


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    A/N : If you can, then please support me on P@treon.


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 Chapter 732: A Game of Death

    Chapter 732: A Game of Death


    [A/N: So many negativements/criticism in thements section in the previous chapter. Was nning to reply, but it seems like these guys have been making simrments for quite a while. Not sure if I should be troubled or be ttered that they still keep reading for months despite waysining, lol. Anyway, not gonna bother today. Very low on energy. Good night and have wonderful week everyone. Stay safe and healthy. Happy Diwali in advance :)]


    ------------------------------


    [A/N: I wasn''t aware that Ryuchi cave was shown in Boruto and had to look it up when I came across it. I recall reading the three tests in some of the fanfics I read earlier. For a moment, I thought that Boruto took inspiration from the fanfics until I realized that it hade out nearly six years ago, lol.]


    The entire Ryuchi cave shook due to the powerful explosion. The strongest snakes began moving and within a few seconds, their massive shadows covered the spot of the explosion.


    Garaga looked around and asked, "What was that? Are we under attack? Where is the enemy?"


    Manda replied, "There is no enemy. It was one of our own that exploded¡­"


    Suddenly, both of them turned their heads and saw arge white serpent appearing behind them. Both respectfully said, "Sage!"


    The White Snake Sage muttered, "He was summoned by Orochimaru a few minutes earlier. When he returned, his entire body exploded¡­ The explosion and the destruction killed two thousand three hundred and fifty-six young snakes¡­"


    Even though her voice was calm, both Manda and Garaga became nervous. The other powerful snakes, who had appeared, weren''t any different either. Manda cursed, ''Crap! This old hag is angry! You''re on your own, Orochimaru.'' Unlike the toads, the snakes weren''t as protective of each other. They didn''t mind the deaths of their fellow snakes much. Under normal circumstances, the White Snake Sage didn''t care about it either. However, an attack on their holy ground crossed a line!


    The White Snake Sage let out a snort. Immediately, every giant snake who was still rampaging throughout Konoha disappeared in a cloud of smoke and returned back to the Ryuchi cave. The Suna and Oto ninjas, who were engaged in an intense battle against the Konoha ninjas, were suddenly left dumbfounded.


    "What just happened?"


    "Where are the damned snakes?"


    "Shit! Is this Orochimaru''s trick? I knew that snake couldn''t be trusted!"


    "Be careful! The Konoha ninjas are on the move!"


    Just like them, the Konoha ninjas were surprised as well. However, it was a happy surprise. Without wasting any time, theyunched a ruthless counterattack. Without the giant snakes to distract and block the Konoha ninjas, they gained an overwhelming upper hand. Simr scenes appeared in all 6 groups that were still alive.


    While they faced a severe challenge, the 26 Suna and Oto ninjas in front of Fujin''spound were in disbelief. Their greatest weapon was destroyed so easily. What horrified them was that none of them understood how that had happened. The fact that hundreds of explosive seals appeared on the giant snakes out of nowhere had shocked them to their core. In a panic, everyone began retreating.


    Fujin''s clone waited until everyone was in the training ground before making the confrontation hand seal. Immediately, all the seals in the training ground were activated. The entire training ground was covered in barriers.


    The Suna and Oto ninjas shouted in panic, "Why are their barriers here?"


    "Shit! Are we trapped? How do we get out?"


    "Fuck this shit! Just attack a barrier and let''s escape!"


    The Anbu ninjas and trainees looked at Fujin''s clone in shock. They didn''t expect that Fujin would have made arrangements in the training ground as well.


    Fujin''s clone ignored their stares and thought, ''Though this isn''t the asion to have some fun, I doubt I''ll get a chance to use these seals frequently. Even though my main body is in an intense battle, his chakra reserves are still at a good level. I should have some time.''


    His eyes peered through the barriers and gazed upon the Suna and Oto ninjas. He decided, ''I guess you guys can just curse your luck. Regardless, your contribution to test my seals will be remembered.''


    The Oto and Suna ninjas began weaving hand seals. However, they stopped mid-way and nced at their feet. Before any of them could realize it, chains appeared out of the ground and coiled around their feet, trapping them!


    Realizing the danger, they tried to concentrate chakra on their feet to break free of the chains and escape. However, their eyes widened in shock as they realized that they couldn''t use their chakra!


    Before they could realize what was happening, more chains appeared from the ground. In the blink of an eye, all 26 ninjas were restrained by 5 chains each, 4 restraining each of their limbs and thest one tightening around their neck.


    Panicked sounds were immediately heard throughout the training ground!


    "Why are so many chains here? And how did they sneak up on us so easily?"


    "Also, what are these chains? They aren''t normal chains."


    "More importantly, why is our chakra suppressed?"


    The chains restraining everyone weren''t physical chains. Instead, they were created with the help of Fuinjutsu. While their shape was simr to normal metallic chains, they had a purplish glow and weren''t entirely opaque. The Suna and Oto ninjas immediately realized the oddities and understood that they had fallen into a trap.


    Fortunately, one of the Suna ninjas had some knowledge about seals. He shouted, "Stop panicking! I have seen something like this before. These chains are a result of Fuinjutsu and have effects simr to Chakra Suppression seals. That is why we can''t use our chakra."


    The other ninjas quickly asked, "How do we get out of it?"


    The ninja answered, "There are a few ways. The easiest is to have an ally destroy these chains and free us. Unfortunately, that option isn''t avable for us right now. The only option we have is to break these chains with our physical might. Even if one of us seeds, that person can free the rest of us."


    Hope appeared in their eyes. However, they stopped wasting time when he continued, "Be fast! I have a bad feeling about this. I still don''t understand why there are so many of these sealing chains here. And, we still don''t know how those snakes exploded. So, hurry up!"


    Hearing his worried tone, every ninja began doing their best. When they tried to break the chains with just their physical might, they realized that the chains weren''t as sturdy as metal chains. It increased their confidence and they gave it their best. Unfortunately, the chains were just strong enough not to be broken by them.


    Fujin''s clone observed their struggle and thought, ''Hmm, none of them have the curse seals. Otherwise, they could have sessfully broken through and survived what follows. Makes sense, I guess. Orochimaru won''t send his elites for just this maneuvre.


    Regardless, I won''t be able to test the few other sealbinations in the training ground. Well, whatever... I didn''t expect much from them anyways.''


    Despite their failure, the Suna and Oto ninjas didn''t give up and continued giving their best. Suddenly, their eyes widened in horror as they realized the chain around their neck was continuously tightening more and more. A few cursed with terror in their voice, "At this rate, we''ll be strangled to death in less than 10 minutes! We have to hurry up! Someone, please break these chains!"


    Realizing that they were on a timer, they exploded with more strength than they ever had in their lives. A few managed to move their limbs a bit but still couldn''t break the chains.


    Finally, an Oto ninja let out a primal scream as he summoned every ounce of strength from deep within. He raised his right arm until it was in front of his mouth and yelled, "As if I''ll let some chains strangle me to death!"


    He opened his mouth wide and bit down upon the chain without any concern for his safety. Several of his teeth cracked but the chain finally crumbled. He quickly grabbed a kunai and cut the remaining chains, finally freeing himself. As soon as he was free, he beganughing loudly, partially due to the relief of having made it out alive and partially for defeating the deadly trap Konoha had set for him!


    The remaining Oto and Suna ninjas were relieved as well. They shouted, "Quickly, hel¡­"


    Their words stayed stuck in their throats as the ''freed'' Oto ninja exploded! His blood and flesh rained upon the ninjas still trapped by the chains. They were so shocked that for half a minute, not a single word escaped their mouth.


    Finally, one person said, "Hey, what is this? What does this mean? If we break the chains, we''ll explode like those snakes? However, if we don''t break the chains, we''ll still be strangled to death! Hahaha! WHAT IS THIS HELL?"


    Every single person hearing his voice could feel how terrified he was. Terror had taken such a hold in his mind that heughed like a maniac. The remaining ninjas felt the same terror. The glimpse of hope that had been lit waspletely doused. Instead, they were filled with endless dread and misery.


    Fujin''s clone shook his head and finally took his eyes off the 25 enemy ninjas. He thought, ''That''s hopeless. They''ve already given up. No miracles will happen here. Anyway¡­''


    He nced towards the vige and thought, ''Of the 8 groups that attacked, only this one made it through. Hmph, this is undoubtedly Shikaku''s doing. Thatzyass definitely took it easy because my house is in this direction.''


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    A/N : If you can, then please support me on P@treon.


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 Chapter 733 - 727 : Instant Revenge!

    <h4>Chapter 733: Chapter 727 : Instant Revenge!</h4>


    [A/N: Double Release, either today or tomorrow.]


    [A/N: Thought I''d clear this up right now, as it caused quite some confusion on pat reonter on (though I guess I share the me too as I could have shown the events in thest couple of Chapterster in the story).


    Anyway, the battle currently happening is quite aplex one and there are several different confrontations happening at the same time. To be more precise, Hiruzen Vs Orochimaru & Senju Brothers, Fujin Vs Juzo & Kaminari, Renjiro Vs Shirogane, Kakashi Vs Sakumo, Guy Vs Zabuza, Hoka Vs Haku, Fujin''s Compound Vs the unfortunate group, Jiraiya Vs other groups are all happening at the same time.


    Unfortunately, I can''t show them at the same time and it''ll feel like the events in thest Chapter happened a long time ago when they are happening concurrently to the other fights. The picture will be more clear once all the fights end as I''ll add more details (especially about the previous fight) about their timing as events ur. So, keep that in mind when you don''t see a particr individual not appearing in another battlefield ??]


    ''Thatzyass definitely took it easy because my house is in this direction!''


    While Fujin''s clone understood Shikaku''s thinking, he wasn''t happy that some of the defenses of hispound were leaked. Now, everyone would know the existence of a strong barrier that activated once thepound was attacked.


    In addition, the smart people would also realize that the attackers would somehow be covered in explosive seals. As such, the effectiveness of his defenses would reduce a bit.


    Fujin''s clone thought, ''While normal people won''t understand the workings of the barrier, any Fuinjutsu Grandmaster can analyze it with rather ease. They''ll realize that there are thousands of dormant explosive seals on the barrier that move on to the bodies of whoeveres in physical contact with it.


    Of course, they won''t be able to replicate it. The principles behind this mechanism are based on the Flying Thunder God mark''s ability to move and my Fuin Battlefields. However, they''ll be able to create counters to avoid falling into the same trap as these unlucky ninjas and snakes.


    Fortunately, this is just my outermost defenses. The barrier followed by the dormant explosive seals are the two crudest defenses around mypound. My main arrangements are still a secret. However, I can''t let this go so easily. Otherwise, that bastard will continue exploiting my house!''


    Fujin''s clone turned his gaze towards an Anbu ninja and said, "Pass a message to Shikaku immediately. Tell him that one of the snakes canceled his summoning, returned to the Ryuchi cave and exploded there, likely killing hundreds of other snakes."


    The eyes of the surrounding ninjas popped out as Fujin continued, "The Ryuchi cave might take offense and retaliate against us, either now or when our ninjas go out for missions. The losses could be catastrophic. Ask him to take countermeasures quickly."


    The Anbu ninja nodded and flickered in an instant. Considering how serious the matter was, he didn''t dare to be tardy.


    Fujin nced at the spot from where the snake disappeared and thought, ''I didn''t think a summon would be careless enough to endanger their sacrednd. I''d have marked him if I knew... Well, I suppose I can always mark Anko''s snakes to gain ess there.''


    A smile appeared on his face as he thought, ''A ce as ancient and mystical as the Ryuchi Cave should be loaded with a lot of good stuff. Considering how strong the snakes are and the sages that exist there, ransacking that ce will be fun.''


    He broke out of his thoughts as he heard Tatsuya ask, "Fujin, what about the ninjas stuck in the training ground?"


    Fujin''s clone answered, "They''ll be dead soon. No need to worry about them. Instead, keep an eye out for any other bunch that might rush here. The vige''s defenses in this direction arecking."


    Everyone nodded. Though no one said anything, they couldn''t help but be in awe of what Fujin''s clone had aplished. Without leaving thepound, he had killed 3 gigantic snakes and eliminated 26 enemy ninjas! Instead of experiencing a brutal battle, they just had to watch the enemies explode without even stepping a foot into thepound.


    Even the experienced Anbu ninjas were excited by what had happened. Needless to say, the morale of the young trainees was off the roof!


    "That was exciting! Did you see how those snakes exploded?"


    "Even if Fujin sensei isn''t here, no one can attack thispound. Whoever attacks gets blown up!"


    "Is this what a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster can do? I want to be one too!"


    Without any exception, everyone understood how well-protected thepound was and felt fortunate to be living in such a safe space. A few also wondered why Fujin had made such arrangements, but on recalling what they just faced, they stopped guessing and were just thankful that Fujin had the foresight to do this.


    In the Hokage''s Building, Shikaku was looking outside the window. He was looking at the smoke around Fujin''spound due to the explosions. A Hyuga ninja reported, "Orochimaru''s summons exploded and the remaining ninjas in the 7th group are trapped in some sort of barrier in the 23rd Training Ground. I''m unable to see what is happening inside."


    Shikaku nodded and thought, ''As I expected. His house is undoubtedly the most protected building in the entire world. I didn''t need to send anyone there. Still, I''m curious about the arrangements he made...''


    Shikaku instructed, "Tell me everything that you saw happening."


    Before the Hyuga ninja could speak, an Anbu ninja flickered in and reported, "Shikaku-sama, I have urgent news from Suzuki Fujin! We may have a big problem!"


    Shikaku''s eyes widened in shock and a stunned expression appeared on his face as the Anbu ninja passed Fujin''s message. He thought, ''An attack on the Ryuchi cave? And hundreds of snakes might be dead? What the hell?''


    Shikaku immediately realized how troublesome the matter would be. If snakes sneak attacked Konoha ninjas during the missions, then the losses would be catastrophic. While stronger ninjas like Chunins and Jounins could protect themselves against such sneak attacks, if stronger snakes like Manda moved, even Elite Jounins could fall. In addition, the Ryuchi Cave''s Sage would be even stronger and wouldn''t have any trouble in going up against rank S ninjas.


    Even though Ryuchi Cave''s strength wasn''t greater than Konoha''s, it was a conflict Shikaku would want to avoid at all costs due to how much work it would be for him.


    He cursed, ''Shit! I should have known! That brat will never make my work easy! To think he''d retaliate against me so quickly and increase my workload once again! Did the snake really cancel the jutsu or did that demon forcefully cancel the summoning to make life harder?''


    Shikaku wanted to cry. He could see how troublesome the future weeks would be for him. He immediately regretted trying to take advantage of Fujin''spound. If he had known that it could cause suchplications, he''d have made stopping the 7th group a priority instead! Unfortunately, it was toote for him to do anything about it.


    Just then, the Yamanaka ninja in the room reported, "Shikaku-sama, all the snake summons returned at the same time. We don''t know how that happened!"


    Shikaku immediately realized, ''This should be a result of that snake exploding in the Ryuchi Cave. There is no doubt about it, they are definitely angry. The only question is, who will they take their anger out on? Will it be Orochimaru or us?''


    Since Orochimaru was the summoner, he was the main person to be med for this mishap. As a summoner, he should have been more responsible. However, it was Konoha who performed the attack, even though they couldn''t be med. So, Shikaku wasn''t entirely sure. He just hoped they focused their rage on Orochimaru so that his life would be more peaceful.


    Shikaku let out a sigh and muttered, "One problem at a time. Without the snake summons, the Suna and Oto ninja aren''t our match. Pass a message to Lord Jiraiya to go to the arena and help out Lord Hokage. It''s time to put an end to their misadventure!"


    While Konoha dealt with the 8 groups Orochimaru sent as a distraction, the battles in the arena hadn''t stopped. On the contrary, they became far more intense. With the Edo Tensei summons keeping the strongest ninjas busy, the Suna ninja breathed a sigh of relief.


    Without Fujin attacking them, their numbers finally stopped dropping drastically. Even though Fujin''s assault had dropped their numbers drastically giving Konoha a numerical advantage, the four hundred Suna and a few Oto ninjas, who were still alive, gave their all to hold them back. The only thing that still bothered the Suna ninjas was their Kage''s absence.


    Intense battles broke throughout the stadium and arena. Since there wasn''t enough space for everyone to fight, the battles spilled outside the arena as well. Needless to say, the most intense battles were happening inside the barrier and in the arena. No other ninja dared to step anywhere close to them.


    A part of the arena was now covered in ice. Another part looked like a submerged skeleton of an enormous animal. The ground in one part of the arena looked burnt. However, the burns were caused by Lightning instead of fire. A huge chunk of walls around the arena were missing. Instead, huge scars filled with water could be seen on the ground.


    "Renjiro! I forced your entire army to retreat a dozen kilometers thest time we met! Even though I have been dead for a while, the result of our battle wouldn''t be any different!" Kaguya Shirogane said in an annoyed tone.


    For the past few minutes, he had been doing everything he could to go past Renjiro. However, Renjiro used Earth and Water jutsus artfully to keep him restrained and nullify his Kekkei Genkai. Not only did he prevent Shirogane from interfering in other battles, but he did so without getting injured.


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 Chapter 734: Another Hyuga Genius!

    Renjiro chuckled and replied, "Thest time we faced, I managed to lead my army back unharmed from your army''s attacks. This time will be no different. Even though you are faster than me, you can''t move faster than my jutsus. I can keep you here all day."


    Shirogane snorted and said, "You said it''s been a decade since I died. Yet, you''re still weaker than me. You should be ashamed of yourself!"


    Since his attacks couldn''t break through Renjiro''s defense, he resorted to taunts to make Renjiro make a mistake. However, Renjiro justughed and said, "Oh, I''m nearly retired now. Nowadays, I focus on guiding youngsters. Considering how easily my student suppressed you a few minutes ago, I have to admit that I''m doing a damn good job. Don''t you agree, Shirogane?"


    Shirogane asked in surprise, "That boy is your student?"


    Their short sh had left quite an impression on Shirogane. While he believed that Renjiro was weaker than him, Fujin was a whole different matter. Even though his bones blocked most of the wind des, Shirogane knew that he would have been killed by Fujin''s Wind Domain if he was still alive. As a rank S ninja with a terrifying Kekkei Genkai, it was extremely rare for him to experience that.


    "Under your feet!" Haku warned as Hoka flickered. Momentster, severalrge ice spikes appeared from under the ground where Hoka was initially standing. Haku followed it up byunching hundreds of flying water needles at Hoka, who flickered repeatedly.


    The constant barrage forced Hoka to retreat further and an annoyed expression could be seen on his face. His situation was the exact opposite of Renjiro''s. In terms of overall strength, he was superior to Haku. However, Haku''s control over his Kekkei Genkai and proficiency in ranged attacks meant that Hoka couldn''tnd a single attack on him.


    Hoka flickered once again, dodging another barrage of water needles. However, instead of retreating further, he moved towards Haku at a tremendous speed and suddenly appeared a few steps in front of Haku.


    Haku analyzed, ''He is good. He first backed away, giving the impression that he was being overwhelmed by my attacks when in reality, he was just looking for a way to maneuver through my attacks. However, this puts him at risk¡­'' Several water needles formed between Hoka and Haku and shot towards Hoka. However, Hoka was even quicker. The moment the needles started forming, he thrust his left palm forward andunched Vacuum Palm!


    The Vacuum Palm moved through the water needles, dispersing them, beforending on Haku''s chest and sending him flying backwards for a few meters. Hoka flickered again to reduce the distance between them. Before Haku could gather himself, Hoka appeared in front of him and attacked with the Gentle Fist technique.


    Haku tried dodging, but Hokanded two hits on him. The first was on his right arm and the second on his abdomen before Haku could retreat. Hoka thought, ''Finally, I got him! His fighting style is nearly as annoying as Fujin''s! Huh?''


    Hoka''s attacks blocked a few critical chakra points on Haku''s body. Under normal circumstances, it would have been enough to end the battle. However, his Byakugan saw that the closed chakra points opened by themselves. Haku said, "It looks like the Hyuga''s Gentle Fist technique doesn''t work against this body¡­"


    He weaved hand seals while warning, "Get away. If you are trapped in the formation of ice mirrors, you''ll die!"


    ''Ice Release: Crystal Ice Mirrors jutsu''


    Thanks to Haku''s warning, Hoka retreated before he could be surrounded by the ice mirrors. He carefully observed the technique and asked, "What''s so special about this technique?"


    His eyes widened as Haku moved from one mirror to another before appearing outside the dome. He answered, "I can travel between the mirrors at a near Instantaneous speed. Even though you are strong, you won''t be able to keep up with my speed if you are trapped inside it. Even if you want to escape, my speed won''t allow you to leave alive."


    Hoka quickly analyzed, ''He''s fast. In terms of movement speed, he''s far above me. However¡­''


    A smile appeared on Hoka''s face as he took his fighting stance and said, "Bring it on."


    Haku, who was already weaving hand seals, was surprised. He thought, ''Didn''t his eyes see how fast I am? Why is he challenging me in this aspect? As long as he doesn''t get surrounded by ice mirrors, I won''t have any chance to defeat him¡­''


    As he was being surrounded by the ice mirrors, Hoka thought, ''For nearly a couple of years, I''ve been training to counter Fujin''s speed. Even though he is fast,pared to Fujin, his speedgs far behind. Besides¡­''


    Hoka chuckled as he thought, ''How is this a trap? If I can''t keep up, I can always escape underground. There are no ice mirrors under the ground to allow him to chase me there. Even if they were, I doubt he can move at this speed under the ground considering that he hasn''t used a single Earth jutsu.''


    While Hoka was confident in himself, he wouldn''t take such huge risks needlessly. The only reason why he let Haku surround him with ice mirrors was due to having such an easy escape route!


    "Here Ie!" Haku warned as he moved rapidly between the ice mirrors. However, Hoka didn''t move. While his body wasn''t as fast as Haku''s, he had no trouble following Haku''s movements with his Byakugan. He could see that all the attacks were fake.


    Finally, a real attack came at Hoka from behind him. He quickly turned around andunched a Vacuum Palm at Haku, who stopped his attack and escaped into another mirror. For the next couple of minutes, Haku tried attacking Hoka, but Hoka countered every attack precisely! He didn''t make a single unnecessary movement. Despite his overwhelming speed advantage, Haku couldn''t get the upper hand and instead had several close calls.


    Hoka''s sh with Haku attracted a few eyes as well. That said, nearly all of these eyes were special. The Hyuga n ninjas quickly took note of Hoka''s prowess. Even though Haku was warning Hoka during their battle, his attacks were ruthless. Except for Hiashi, no other Hyuga in the arena could survive against Haku for so long. Not to mention, Hoka wasn''t just surviving but instead held the upper hand throughout their battle.


    Hiashi analyzed, ''We misjudged Hoka''s strength. No, it''d be more appropriate to say that he kept it hidden until now. The Jounin rank is incorrect for him. His prowess ispletely at the Elite Jounin rank! Even though he is still some distance from me, he is only 16 years old¡­''


    Hiashi''s eyes moved towards Fujin, who was single-handedly fighting both Juzo and Kaminari. And unlike the other fights, he waspletely dominating the fight. Even without his Wind Domain, both Juzo and Kaminari were barely managing to hang on with incredible teamwork.


    Hiashi thought, ''For the past 6 months or so, Hoka has been spending a lot of time near Fujin''spound. From what I heard, he even guided some of the orphans that were put under Fujin''smand. Initially, I thought that it was just due to their friendship. However, now it seems like he did so to hide his strength and be closer to a ninja that the Hyuga n can''t afford to offend.''


    Hiashi''s fingersnded on the chest of a Suna ninja, killing him on the spot. A smile appeared on his face as he continued thinking, ''As expected of a hot-blooded youngster. They tend to overthink everything. However, I can''t me him entirely.


    The conditions of today are no longer like those of the warring era. Even though there are still many who''d want to get their hands on the Byakugan, the danger is minuscule todaypared to those days. Hence, with every generation, the discontent towards the Caged Bird Seal grows¡­''


    Unlike what Hoka and many other branch ninjas thought, Hiashi had no intention of using the caged bird seal to eliminate Hoka. Even if the threat of Fujin didn''t exist, Hiashi would still feel the same. The only instance when he''d use it is if Hoka attacked the main family or disyed the intention to do so.


    As long as Hoka stayed peacefully with the main family, Hiashi didn''t mind even if Hoka exceeded him and became a rank S ninja. As the leader of the Hyuga n, having a rank S ninja among his ranks would only increase his influence.


    Seeing that his attacks didn''t work, Haku suddenlyunched senbon needles from every direction at Hoka. The Hyuga ninjas immediately became worried about seeing that. They didn''t see any way for Hoka to dodge the attack. However, their eyes widened! Hiashi was surprised too as Hoka released chakra from all his chakra points and used Rotation! The senbon needles hit the rotating chakra and bounced off harmlessly!


    [A/N: Latest chapter: Chaos in the Ninja World!]


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 Chapter 735: Unfulfilled Desires!

    [A/N: A small note. Orochimaru''s Edo Tensei isn''t as good as what Kabuto''s was during the Fourth War (The fact that old Hiruzen was able to fight Hashirama and Tobirama should say it all). While I have taken some liberties with the jutsu, this aspect isn''t changed. Hashirama, Tobirama and Sakumo are still rank S, but they are barely at that rank. In addition, Sakumo is resisting Orochimaru''s control to an extent. That should answer the doubts about Kakashi Vs Sakumo.]


    "The rumors don''t do your strength any justice, Might Guy!" Zabuza imed after getting kicked yet again. Even though Guy didn''t open any of his inner Gates, he was still strong enough to easily keep Zabuza at bay.


    It didn''t matter what Zabuza threw at him, Guy just brushed everything off. The thick mist proved to be utterly ineffective. His water jutsus failed to hit Guy. Any Water Clones he created would be dispelled by one punch or kick. Luckily, his body could heal automatically, or several of his bones would have been broken as well. Of course, since Guy didn''t open the Inner Gates, he didn''t have any means topletely destroy Zabuza''s body either.


    Another powerful punchnded on Zabuza''s sword as Guy asked, "Oh, there are rumors about me in the Land of Water? I wonder what they say about Konoha''s Blue Beast!"


    Zabuza grinned and replied, "You''ve no idea, do you? Tell me, did you ever fight against an Elite Jounin from Kirigakure?"


    Guy was surprised. He couldn''t recall ever fighting against any strong ninja from Kirigakure. What Zabuza didn''t know was that Guy was terrible at remembering faces.


    As they battled, Zabuza thought, ''If there is one ninja who the entire Kirigakure, no matter the faction, is afraid of, it''s this monster! After the end of the Third Great Ninja War, he was the highest priority target for all Kiri ninjas.


    We were ordered to kill him if we came across him, even if it cost our lives. From what I heard, borate ns were also created to eliminate him. Kirigakure didn''t want to see another ninja like Might Duy appear in Konoha.


    However, before any of the ns could be implemented, the Civil War began and all ns were put on hold. By the time the Mizukage faction could focus on him again, he had already be a Jounin and all ns were shelved. Instead of killing him, all top ninjas in the vige were ordered to avoid confrontation with him at all costs!'' As he got pummeled once again, Zabuza muttered to himself, ''He doesn''t even need to use that forbidden technique anymore!''


    "No matter what the end result was, you did your best, Father. I can now see and understand why you vited the rules to save the lives of yourrades. I''m proud to be your son." Surprise appeared on Sakumo''s face as he heard Kakashi. Soon, a smile broke out on his face, disying his relief.


    Having received an opportunity tomunicate nearly four years before they would have without Fujin''s interference, Kakashi and Sakumo had a nice chat while battling. While Sakumo, despite not being at his strongest, was undoubtedly stronger, he was able to resist Orochimaru''s control enough so that Kakashi didn''t have any trouble keeping up with him.


    Fujin, who was in the middle of an intense battle, nced in their direction. He had long anticipated that they''d have such a discussion. In fact, it was what he was counting on. A major weakness of the Edo Tensei jutsu was that it''d be undone if the summoned ninja attained peace and decided to pass on. As such, he expected Sakumo to simply pass on and undo the Edo Tensei jutsu. However, a frown appeared on his face as that didn''t happen.


    "Brat! You dare to take your eyes off us?" Kaminari shouted as he charged towards Fujin while preparing another Lightning jutsu. Without even ncing at him, Fujin shed his sword and released a strong wind sh. He shed it once again at Juzo''s water jutsu.


    Despite being angered by Fujin''s attitude, Kaminari was no longer careless. Lightning sparks always surrounded his body. Even though it didn''t enhance his defenses and didn''t make him as fast as the Raikage, it still allowed him to move ridiculously fast.


    He sidestepped to dodge the wind de and continued moving forward at an incredible speed. However, his eyes widened as the wind de suddenly changed its direction. Due to his incredible speed and the fact that he had only barely side-stepped it, he had very little time to react.


    He barely managed to dodge, but the wind de took his left arm with it and left a huge cut on his abdomen as it passed him. On the other side, the wind sh and the apanying winds blocked another water jutsu from Juzo. However, Juzounched another water jutsu, cutting off Fujin''s path to Kaminari, and ensuring that he could regenerate.


    Fujin wondered with a frown, ''Shouldn''t his unfulfilled issues be resolved? Why is he still here?''


    Sakumo smiled and said, "While I hate the fact that I''m being used against my vige and forced to fight my son, I''m d I got to talk to you. Thank you for forgiving me.


    Growing up without a Father or a Mother must have been tough on you. Even though I wasn''t there with you, let me guide you onest time."


    Even though Sakumo''s words weren''t very loud, Fujin could hear them. His eyes widened as he realized, ''No wonder he couldn''t move on¡­ When he was alive, he was known to be stronger than even the Sannins, making him the strongest ninja in the vige after Hiruzen. And, his young son disyed talent that overshadowed the Legendary Sannins by a significant degree.


    Any father would regret not being there to raise his son. Let alone in a case like this one. No wonder he didn''t pass on. I guess he''ll only pass on if Kakashi perfectly copies his technique¡­''


    Fujin nced through the arena once before his eyesnded on Juzo and Kaminari. No one realized what Fujin was looking at. Most suspected that he was only checking the state of the battlefield.


    However, what Fujin actually did was look at his Shadow Clone who was keeping an eye on Hiruzen''s battle. Instead of one Shadow Clone, there were two Shadow Clones there. The original clone was still keeping an eye on Hiruzen and the Senju Brothers while the second clone was keeping an eye on Sakumo. Ever since Sakumo appeared, the Shadow Clone had created another clone to keep an eye on Sakumo.


    Seeing that one of his clones was observing Sakumo, Fujin didn''t need to do so himself. He decided, ''It looks like Kakashi wouldn''t be getting the breakthrough we need. So, I''ll have to be the one to do it. I''ve wasted enough time with these two, time to go all-out!''


    In the past few minutes, Fujin had gone up against two ninjas who were extremely close to being rank S. Yet, he didn''t have any trouble suppressing the two of them. He even injured them seriously on several asions. However, the other ninja always interfered whenever he tried to seal the injured ninja, sessfully creating a deadlock.


    A new arm formed as Kaminari looked at Fujin with a grim expression. He realized, ''He got a hang of my movements so quickly¡­ If this continues, we''ll be sealed before long¡­ Huh? What the fuck? He can still use this technique?''


    Fujin released another 20% of his chakra into the air. Against ninjas who were as fast and cunning as Kaminari and Juzo, the Wind Domain was more or less useless. Neither of them would ever set foot inside it. Hence, Fujin directly transformed it into the Wind Cloak.


    Both Juzo and Kaminari became tense on seeing that jutsu resurface. Both had seen how ridiculously fast Fujin was with the Wind Cloak. Even someone as strong and fast as Sakumo had failed to keep up with Fujin''s movements when Fujin beheaded Guren.


    There were quite a few who were even more tense than Juzo and Kaminari despite not facing Fujin. They were the Suna ninjas, who were unnerved and freaking out.


    "Holy Crap! Why can he still use that technique?"


    "Wasn''t he unable to use that technique again, which is why he didn''t use it despite facing two strong ninjas?"


    "NOOO! How can that technique be used repeatedly? What are we supposed to do?"


    "Calm down! The fact that he didn''t use that technique until now shows that it has some shorings. A technique of this scale must be extremely straining on his chakra reserves. Even though he used it again, this should be thest time he can use it. Hopefully, those two can exhaust it once again!"


    Even the three ninjas who wanted to assassinate Fujin were disturbed. With the Wind Cloak, they didn''t stand a chance. Panicked discussions broke out among the Suna ranks. However, they all quickly came to the conclusion that this would be thest time Fujin could use that technique.


    Of course, several among them understood that their reasoning had several ws. However, they had no choice but to hope that their spections were true. After all, the alternative meant that not a single one of them would survive!


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 Chapter 736: Guidance by the Expert!

    "Among all the elements, Lightning is the most destructive and has the highest prative power. Hence, Lightning jutsus are extremely difficult to defend against. Neither Earth nor Water jutsus can stop it. Only Wind jutsus can counter it, but there aren''t many defensive Wind jutsus."


    Ignoring the reappearance of Wind Cloak around Fujin, Sakumo exined while Kakashi continuously dodged and defended against his assault. He continued, "This ismon knowledge. However, the advantage that this destructiveness provides is rather minimal. Even though Lightning jutsus are fast, any good ninja wouldn''t have any difficulty dodging them.


    That said, there are ways you can use Lightning maniption to take your skills to the next level. More specifically, there are two ways.


    The first is using Lighting to enhance your physical abilities. Even here, there are two aspects, though both are closely rted to each other. I''m sure you know how the Third Raikage and his son fight, right Kakashi?"


    Kakashi blocked another attack and replied, "Yes, Father. Both create a Lightning armor that enhances their speed, strength and defense by a huge degree."


    Sakumo replied, "Yes. The first aspect is using Lightning to enhance your physical attributes temporarily. When I was younger, I found the Third Raikage''s technique quite fascinating. With Third Hokage''s assistance, I researched his technique for several years. Unfortunately, we weren''t able to replicate it. It''s still a mystery to us how he was able to create such a technique.


    However, the research bore some fruits. We were able to replicate certain aspects of the technique like improving speed momentarily, granted none were good enough to be used at the highest level independently.


    What we seeded in was the second aspect. Unlike the first aspect, where you have to actively use Lightning to enhance yourself, the second aspect focuses on permanently improving your strength."


    A smile appeared on Sakumo''s face as he said, "I can see that you have already had some sess in this aspect." Kakashi was surprised, but immediately understood what Sakumo was referring to. He asked, "You mean my Chidori?"


    Sakumo replied, "So that jutsu is called Chidori? That''s an appropriate name. Your Chidori is quite simr to the Raikage''s Lightning Chakra Mode, just that it is limited to a very small part of your body. However, due to using Chidori with your right hand, I can feel that your right hand is far stronger than the rest of your body.


    This is the second aspect. You have to use Lightning to temper your body and make it stronger. This is why the Third Raikage''s body was so much stronger than a normal ninja.


    Of course, while it sounds easy, it isn''t that straightforward. Tempering your limbs is easy and so is tempering your flesh. However, in order topletely master this aspect, you need to temper your entire body, including your internal organs, with Lightning. Needless to say, this is very dangerous and can result in death. That is why, I didn''t leave any scrolls regarding this to you.


    The Third Hokage should still have those scrolls though. Once this war is over, you should ask him or the Elders for it. It''ll increase your strength considerably and make it easier for you to explore the second way."


    In an inconspicuous corner of the arena, one of Fujin''s clones was staring at Sakumo. Considering the distance between them, he shouldn''t be able to hear Sakumo''s words. Thankfully, the encounter with the Oto ninjas had provided him with some inspiration to use Winds to control and manipte sound.


    While he still wasn''t an expert at it, he could control the winds enough to be able to hear Sakumo''s words clearly. Due to the war and how little chakra he needed to do this, no one noticed him using winds to eavesdrop on Sakumo''s conversation. Under normal circumstances, Sakumo and Kakashi would have instinctively felt that they were being spied upon, but there were already too many eyes on them. So, neither focused on such instincts.


    The clone thought, ''Hmm, tempering the body with Lightning¡­ Not bad, Sakumo''s thinking is on point. From the Third Raikage''s scroll, tempering the body is a requirement to master the Lightning Chakra Mode. Without it, mastering it is impossible.


    Luckily, even though the scroll doesn''t have all the details about the Lightning Chakra Mode, it has a very detailed exnation about how to temper your body with Lightning. I''ve already verified that it is safe to practice thanks to the weeks I spent learning Medical Ninjutsu. I don''t need the scroll. However, there will be an issue¡­''


    Sakumo had been dead for a couple of decades. Yet, he identified that Kakashi''s arm was far stronger than the rest of his body. If Fujin tempered his body with Lightning, other strong ninjas would be able to see the changes in his physique. Even if he somehow found a way to hide it, Guy will easily realize it when they spar.


    Fujin''s clone thought for a bit before giving up and deciding, ''Ah, screw it. I''ll just tell whoever asks that I achieved a simr effect by tempering my body with sharp winds. If Hiruzen lives and asks me for it, I''ll just say that it is too dangerous to ever be taught to anyone. If he pushes for it, I''ll ask for all the forbidden jutsus in the Scroll of Sealing in return.''


    Kakashi asked, "What is the second way?"


    Lightning flowed through Sakumo''s white tanto and began emitting a white light. He moved towards Kakashi while swinging his tanto at Kakashi,unching countless sparks of white lightning at Kakashi. Due to their density and the bright light they were emitting, it looked like Sakumo unleashed light at Kakashi instead of Lightning.


    Kakashi immediately flickered away and the white lightnded on the ground, burning the topyer of the soil in the blink of an eye. Sakumo continued unleashing more such attacks, forcing Kakashi to dodge continuously and increasing the burnt surface further. Suddenly, sparks appeared around Sakumo''s body, increasing his speed considerably. He appeared in front of Kakashi and jabbed the tanto at his heart!


    Realizing that he couldn''t keep dodging, Kakashi used Chidori to block the tanto. In terms of chakra, both jutsus were equally matched. However, Kakashi immediately felt a burning sensation in his right hand! Despite being tempered by Lightning countless times and covered by his Chidori, the White Lightning moved through his Chidori and burned his hand!


    Sakumo quickly began resisting and stopped using Lightning to enhance his speed. He said, "The second way is to use Yin & Yang maniption to improve the strength of your Lightning jutsus. Kumogakure managed to sessfully fuse Yang chakra into Lightning chakra and created ck Lightning. Merging Yang Chakra into it made it much stronger than normal Lightning.


    I couldn''t fuse Yang chakra into Lightning, but managed to fuse Yin chakra instead. Hence, the form of my Lightning is very different from yours and my control over Lightning is very high. This is also why my Lightning could move through your Lightning."


    Sakumo paused for a few seconds before letting out a sigh. He continued, "I wanted to teach you this technique when you became a Jounin. Unfortunately¡­"


    Sakumo didn''tplete his sentence. He was just thankful that he received an opportunity to interact with Kakashi even after his death. He said, "With your Sharingan, you can see the secrets of my technique very easily, but merely looking at it with Sharingan won''t allow anyone to copy a technique thisplicated. You''ll have to train to infuse Yin chakra into Lightning chakra. However¡­"


    A smile appeared again on Sakumo''s face as he said with pride, "I have no doubt that you''ll master it, Kakashi."


    As Sakumo said, Kakashi had memorized the technique with his Sharingan. Even though he couldn''t copy it on the spot, he could use it as a reference while training. For a ninja of his caliber, it was more than enough. Not to mention, he also received several other paths to explore.


    For Kakashi, who had started to take his training seriously after his sh with Kabuto, this was a timely and godly assistance. It was something that didn''t miss the eyes of Fujin''s clone, who immediately fell into thoughts, ''Strange¡­ Since when did Kakashi be this serious about bing stronger?''


    He analyzed it for some time, ''It shouldn''t be me. The fact that I''m rank S has been propagated for a while. While others could have been doubtful, he should have known the truth through Guy. Simrly, it can''t be Guy either. Was it just because of Sakumo?''


    Fujin''s clone wasn''t sure and felt that it might not be the case, but he didn''t dare to overlook this small detail. At that time, Fujin''s strength was considerably higher than Kakashi''s strength. In fact, the difference was so huge that Kakashi didn''t even have a chance ofpeting against Fujin. However, Fujin didn''t dare underestimate Kakashi''s talent.


    If someone like him was to train seriously for several years, it''d result in a change that couldn''t be ignored by anyone. A smirk appeared on Fujin''s clone''s face as he muttered to himself, ''Interesting¡­''


    [A/N: Next Chapter: The Momentum of a Kage!]


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 Chapter 737: The Momentum of a Kage!

    Fujin''s clone could easily see Kakashi bing an existence at the same level as the Sannins, if not surpass them, in a few years. He thought, ''In the original story, though Kakashi was a lot stronger after the time skip, he stillcked considerablypared to the Sannins. It was only during the fourth war that his strength, chakra and stamina somehow increased dramatically.


    If he gains that strength before Akatsuki makes a move against Gaara, then all the future events involving Akatsuki will drastically change too. Sigh, to think that the one thing I was a bit confident about having avoided will be affected as well. I guess it is time to dig a grave and bury my knowledge of the future.''


    Even though Fujin had the realization before the finals began, he still clung to the hope that some events, especially the ones rted to Akatsuki, might still y out simrly up to a certain point. However, Kakashi''s determination buried thatst hope in him.


    Fujin''s clone stopped thinking about the depressing stuff and analyzed the good stuff, ''That said, I never expected that Sakumo''s main attacking method would be a near-perfect fusion of Yin and Lightning natures. As expected, every powerhouse''s main method of attacking is peculiar¡­''


    Fujin''s clone had observed their sh very carefully. The reason why Kakashi''s Chidori lost wasn''t due to the strength of their Lightning but their forms. A typical Lightning jutsu would have the form of a bolt or a current. However, Sakumo''s White Lightning was akin to a bombardment of tiny needles.


    When Kakashi jabbed towards Sakumo, his hand was bombarded with thousands of small independent lightning sparks in an instant. It made Fujin recall the Rasenshuriken, though Sakumo''s attack wasn''t that dense. The bombardment pierced through the Lightning covering Kakashi''s hand before hitting it. Had Sakumo been at his full strength, he could have easily won the battle with this one exchange.


    Fujin''s clone concluded, ''That technique is at the same level as the ck me Hiruzen exhaled. In terms of destructiveness, it even surpasses the ck me. To think Yin chakra could affect Lightning in this manner¡­


    Darui''s ck Lightning was nowhere near this level. Otherwise, I would have been injured in Kumogakure¡­ Hmm, no. I''d have died five years ago. Back then I had caught his ck Lightning with my palm. Had it been Sakumo''s attack, that''d be no different thanmitting suicide.


    Other than my Wind Domain and the Raikage''s body, I doubt any defenses can stop this attack. Even Rashomon would copse due to the constant bombardment. I guess a barrier might have a chance. Regardless, this opens up a whole new door of possibilities for me.'' He took a deep breath and thought, ''Several years ago, I had used Yin-Yang maniption to enhance my jutsus to the next level. However, during our battle, Orochimaru disyed phenomenal skill in fusing Yang chakra into elemental jutsus that went far beyond what I had done. Just when I started getting a hang of it, Hiruzen and Sakumo disyed jutsus that are far superior to even that. To think that it had so much potential...


    Hehehe, it looks like my Wind still has a lot of scope to improve!''


    Fujin''s clone continued watching their battle while calcting how he could infuse more Yang and Yin chakra in his Wind jutsus. Of course, he also thought of doing so with Lightning jutsus. He had a feeling that if he seeded, he could take on Ay for some time with his Akuro identity without having to resort to the Flying Thunder God jutsu.


    While Sakumo passed his jutsus to Kakashi, Fujin finally decided to end the battle. Juzo, Kaminari and hundreds of Suna ninjas became tense on seeing the Wind Cloak reappear around Fujin. Along with his previous Wind Domain and his battle against Juzo and Kaminari, Fujin''s chakra reserves finally dropped below half.


    Kaminari snorted and said, "Impressive. I didn''t think you could use it again. However, I wonder if you can sustain it for as long as you did earlier. Unlike us, your chakra is limited."


    A smirk appeared on his face as he taunted Fujin. Juzo grabbed his sword as well and becamepletely serious. While he wasn''t a fan of being controlled in this manner, Fujin''s disy had riled him up. He wanted to see how strong the person who killed him truly was.


    Fujin didn''t reply and directly made his move. Seeing his figure disappear, Kaminari immediately unleashed a deadly Lightning jutsu! Lightning snakes appeared from his fingertips and moved forward to intercept Fujin who was moving towards them at blinding speed.


    Fujin merely shed his sword forward, releasing a wind sh that easily cut through all the Lightning snakes and moved towards Kaminari. However, Juzo intervened once again, spitting out a vast amount of water to intercept his wind sh. The water absorbed the destroyed lightning snakes and became electrified, before rushing towards Fujin.


    Kaminari said, "Good! We just need to stall for time again until that cloak runs out of chak¡­"


    His eyes widened as Fujin didn''t bother dodging or attacking the electrified water. Instead, he just moved straight through it! While Juzo''s use of Water jutsu was perfect once again, thebination jutsu wasn''t really focused on attack. Itcked the power to harm Fujin''s Wind Cloak.


    "Shit! Be careful!" Kaminari shouted as he moved backwards. Juzo retreated as well but not before forming four Water clones to stop Fujin. Behind him, Kaminari created four Lightning clones to slow Fujin down and buy them some time.


    However, several air bullets were created and fired spontaneously from the Wind Cloak. Just one hit took out the elemental clones and Fujin appeared in front of Juzo while swinging his sword down vertically on him.


    Juzo didn''t bother trying to defend and just swung his sword at Fujin''s waist, aiming to cut Fujin into two. Since he could heal from any injuries, a double blow would be advantageous for Juzo. In fact, one of the reasons why Fujin hadn''t been able to seal them until now was the reckless nature of their fighting due to their immortality.


    However, with the Wind Cloak, Fujin was significantly faster than Juzo. Before Juzo couldplete even half a swing, Fujin had cut him open vertically!


    Kaminari already knew this would happen and hence, he attacked Juzo from behind byunching a supercharged False Darkness jutsu on him! Needless to say, his real target was Fujin who was in the line of attack as well.


    The moment Fujin''s de cut through Juzo''s body, Kaminari''s attack arrived. Without flinching, Fujin exhaled Infinite Breakthrough jutsu at the iing Lightning spears. The Wind jutsu sted through the Lightning spears, hit the retreating Kaminari and sent him flying into the forest outside the arena.


    The wind des in the jutsu mutted Kaminari, but he didn''t mind the damage and thought, ''I barely made it. His jutsu dispersed the remains of Juzo''s body. So, he can''t be sealed before he reforms. However¡­''


    His pupils dted as Fujin appeared right above him and swung his de at Kaminari. Lightning sparks appeared all over Kaminari''s body as he escaped by the thinnest of the margins.


    As he flickered constantly through the forest, he wondered, ''How the hell did this brat grow this strong? Even with Juzo''s help, I''m barely able to keep up with him!''


    A frown appeared on his face as Fujin appeared in front of him, easily keeping up with his ridiculous speed. However, Kaminari had expected it. Several explosive tags appeared between him and Fujin and exploded in an instant.


    The explosions forced Fujin to move away, while Kaminari flew backwards due to the force of the explosion. He flipped in the air to regain his bnce and used the trees as footholds to constantly retreat at a high speed.


    As Fujin appeared next to him once again, a face appeared in Kaminari''s mind. Kaminari thought, ''This is just like that time. No matter what we do, we are unable to even phase him. None of our techniques can harm him, while he easily toys with us! It''s as if we''re nothing but pests!''


    Hatred appeared in Kaminari''s eyes as he fiercely shed with Fujin! Once again, he barely clung onto his body at the cost of getting trashed around. A grim expression appeared on his face as he thought, ''This is just like that ursed Raikage!''


    The face that appeared in his mind was of none other than the Third Raikage! Due to the talent he showed, Kaminari was an important part of Kumo''s forces. As such, the Third Raikage had taken an interest in him and guided him a bit.


    As any hot-blooded and ambitious youngster, Kaminari wanted to be stronger than his Kage. However, no matter what he did, he was never able to close the distance between the two of them. Even when he became an Elite Jounin who was just a step away from bing a rank S ninja, it was still the same. Against the Third Raikage, he was always as helpless as an academy student!


    The feeling Kaminari got from Fujin was the same. No matter what he and Juzo tried, nothing worked against Fujin! He just brushed off all attacks like they were nothing but dust while they were continuously trashed by him! It caused Kaminari to recall some unpleasant memories.


    Kaminari hatefully muttered, "There is no doubt about it. If he''s left alive, this brat will reach that level. He already has the momentum of a Kage!"


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 Chapter 738 - 732 : Blitzing through the Battlefield!

    <h4>Chapter 738: Chapter 732 : Blitzing through the Battlefield!</h4>


    "He has the momentum of a Kage!" Kaminari muttered solemnly.


    As someone who lived through two Great Wars and fought countless ninjas, Kaminari had experienced nearly everything he could on the battlefield. However, the moments that created the highest impact on him were when he saw certain ninjas fighting with an unstoppable momentum. When they battled, even the rank S ninjas in the enemy camp would be fearful.


    As a high-level Kumo ninja, the one who he watched the most was the Third Raikage. With his absurdly powerful physique and the invincible Lightning Chakra Mode, he was a force to reckon with on the battlefield. Kaminari was also fortunate enough to witness Hiruzen, Onoki and Sakumo on the battlefield and make it out alive. None of them were ninjas Kaminari could take on.


    And now, as he fought Fujin, he got the same glimpses as those ninjas. The fact that Fujin did so with a technique that had never appeared before, reinforced that feeling. While he could see that there was still some distance between Fujin and them, that distance was inconsequential for him.


    As he continued getting trashed, the hatred in Kaminari''s heart grew. After seeing what the Third Raikage could do, he longed to reach that level. After years of unsessful efforts, he gave up on creating new techniques and put all his hopes into the Lightning Chakra Mode.


    Unfortunately, the Third Raikage realized how troublesome his personality was. To ensure stability in Kumogakure, he didn''t teach Kaminari the Lightning Chakra Mode, dooming his hope of ever reaching that stage. It was why he hated Kumo and left the vige. Of course, he only dared to do so after the Third Raikage was dead.


    Wind des continued ripping through his body. He had already lost both of his arms and several chunks in his chest and abdomen were missing. A deep cut could also be seen in his neck. However, Kaminari continued moving while looking at the location where Juzo''s body was reforming from the corner of his eyes. He thought, ''I just have to hang on for a few sec... What the hell?''


    As Juzo''s body was reforming, a gentle breeze appeared and engulfed him in the blink of an eye. The winds took the shape of a palm with Juzo''s body at the center of the palm. A seal appeared on the palm, stopping Juzo from being revived!


    Kaminari immediately saw who was doing so and spotted a person. He thought, ''A Shadow Clone? When did he create a Shadow Clone?''


    Kaminari immediately recalled his battle against Fujin and realized, ''It was when I wasunched into the forest! Shit!''


    He quickly stepped to his left to avoid the sword Fujin was thrusting towards his abdomen. However, a mini hurricane appeared around Fujin''s sword and expanded in the blink of an eye, engulfing Kaminari and dismembering his body into several more pieces.


    Kaminari cursed hatefully, "Bastar..."


    Even before he could finish a single word, Fujin grabbed his floating head with his left hand, applying a seal at the same time. Kaminari''s eyes widened as his body stopped regenerating. In such a poor state, Kaminari had no way to resist Fujin''s seal, which not only immobilized him but also sealed his soul!


    Under Fujin''s control, the earth moved and boxed his head and other body parts in, before Fujin applied more seals to ensure that the job was done. Some distance away, his clone did the same to Juzo. In under a minute after using his Wind Cloak again, Fujin had sealed Juzo and Kaminari!


    Haku''s senbon needles bounced harmlessly off Hoka''s rotation as the Hyuga ninjas watched in surprise. Haku, who was moving tounch the finishing blow, was surprised. After blocking the needles, Hoka suddenly flickered without bothering to properly end his jutsu. He appeared next to Haku, who was still mid-air.


    As Haku looked at him, he could see the chakra Hoka released to create the rotation was still around him. Without giving Haku any opportunity, Hokaunched a deadly assault. His palms repeatedly hit Haku''s chakra points. However, it was different this time.


    Hoka didn''t limit himself to the traditional Gentle Fist style. Instead, he used the remaining chakra from his jutsu to st Haku''s chakra points and destroy them from within. Hoka concentrated all the chakra around him on his right palm before hended the final hit on Haku''s chest! Haku coughed before a hole was blown up in his chest!


    Every Hyuga who watched Hoka''s counterattack was shocked. A few gulped their saliva and wondered aloud, "Did Hoka improve the Rotation jutsu?"


    "I have never seen anyone use Rotation in this manner."


    "He is incredible! Not only has he learnt the jutsu of the main family, but he also improved it further! Not only can he defend with the jutsu but he can also use it to create a terrifying counterattack! This changes the jutsu fundamentally." An old Hyuga Jounin said.


    Hiashi was no exception either. He thought, ''This is a rather ingenious way of using the chakra that is used during Rotation. However, using it in this manner isn''t very useful in normal circumstances. After all, the basic Gentle Fist style works on nearly every ninja.


    He must have created these modifications keeping the Vacuum Palm jutsu in mind. If he can use that chakra to fire far stronger Vacuum Palm jutsu, then it''d give a real bite to the jutsu. Considering that the opponents would momentarily be tired from using a jutsu strong enough to force him to use Rotation, they wouldn''t anticipate such a quick counterattack and could be taken down with surprise.''


    The more Hiashi analyzed, the more impressed he became with Hoka''s ingenuity. Needless to say, he intended to copy every single bit of it.


    Due to the excess chakra Hoka used, the hole in Haku''s chest continued growingrger for a second before the regenerative ability of the Edo Tensei jutsu kicked in. However, a smirk appeared on Hoka''s face.


    Instead of focusing on his opponent, Haku nced behind. His eyes widened as he thought, ''Incredible. Did he seal Juzo and Kaminari in such a short while?''


    Having sealed Juzo and Kaminari, Fujin left clones behind to watch over them and returned to the arena. Hoka had noticed Fujin''s return with his Byakugan, which is why he went all out to finish his battle. Within moments, Haku was sealed up as well.


    Hiashi nced at Fujin and thought, ''Come to think of it, Hoka''s modifications have some simrities with his wind jutsu. I wonder if he took inspiration from that wind dome or if Fujin guided him.''


    Fujin left another Shadow Clone to watch over Haku before he and Hoka flickered. Noticing that Fujin and Hoka sealed Haku, Guy grinned and said, "I enjoyed battling with you. Unfortunately, the time isn''t appropriate to indulge."


    Suddenly, Guy opened the first five Inner Gates! Zabuza muttered, "So, this is the forbidden technique that killed four of the Seven Ninja Swordsman of the Mist."


    A grin appeared on his face as he swung his sword to intercept Guy and shouted, "Let me see what they had to go through!"


    Zabuza fiercely counterattacked Guy, who appeared in front of him at an insane speed. However, Guy easily diverted his attacks beforending several powerful hits on Zabuza, deforming his body and creating a couple of holes. Just like he did with Haku, Fujin appeared behind Zabuza and sealed him within a few seconds.


    While Fujin joined forces with Guy, Hoka moved to assist Renjiro. Unlike Renjiro, he didn''t intend to fight Shirogane from a distance. He ran on the water bodies Renjiro had created and faced off Shirogane.


    A grin appeared on Shirogane''s face. For the past few minutes, Renjiro had left himpletely frustrated. All his attacks were absorbed by near endless amounts of water and earth. The insults he hurled at Renjiro had no effect either. Instead, Renjiro engaged in a yful banter to waste more time. He was a few moments away from losing his cool when Hoka moved towards him.


    Several bones popped out of his body as Shiroganeughed and imed, "Finally! Someone in Konoha has balls!"


    Hoka knew that Shirogane was just saying so to prevent him from doing the same thing that Renjiro had been doing. He snorted and took a battle stance.


    ''Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!''


    Instead of attacking chakra points as usual, Hoka used the jutsu defensively to block all of Shirogane''s attacks. Shirogane attacked maniacally but his grin slowly faded away. He realized, ''What the fuck? Even though he is close, his tactic is the same as Renjiro''s! But why did hee close to me if he didn''t intend to attac...?"


    His eyes suddenly widened as he felt a presence behind him.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


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 Chapter 739: Turning the Tides in the Blink of an Eye!

    Under normal circumstances, Shirogane would have easily sensed anyone sneaking up on him and countered before that happened. However, Hoka''s frontal assault kept him upied. He immediately realized, ''So that''s why this bastard is fighting this way. He isn''t here to seal me, but only wants to distract me when the real attack arrives!''


    Shirogane could have still spared some attention towards the new attacker, but Renjiro continued distracting him byunching Water Shurikens from weird angles. These two factors,bined with Fujin''s ridiculous speed, meant that Shirogane couldn''t divide his attention to focus on the new opponent. Hence, he simply decided tounch several sharp bone projectiles from his back to force Fujin away.


    However, his bones had barely appeared out of his back and hadn''t even beenunched when several Vacuum des cut through his body and ruthlessly sliced him into several pieces. No matter how strong his bones were, they couldn''t resist the sharp Vacuum des.


    Realizing the danger, Shirogane twisted his head at a very odd angle to ensure that his brain wasn''t sliced through. Even though his neck was sliced through, his head remained intact. He looked at Fujin and scoffed internally, ''As if I''d let myself be sealed without getting a taste of blood!''


    He immediately controlled all the bones in the pieces of his body and was about tounch every single one of them in all directions. He thought, ''Renjiro is too far away to be hit and this guy has weird defenses, but the Hyuga won''t stand a chance against my¡­''


    Suddenly, his eyes widened as several Vacuum Palmsnded on crucial chakra points on Shirogane''s floating head. Hoka thought, ''Even though I don''t like studying much, there was no way I wouldn''t research the Kaguya n. They were the only n who could defeat a Hyuga in Taijutsu! Even though Fujin cut him, he won''t lose his vitality so easily.''


    A fraction of a second after Hoka''s attacksnded on Shirogane, a fistnded on his head. The water under their feet retreated and exposed the hard ground as Guy''s punch pulverized Shirogane''s head along with the remaining pieces of his body.


    Renjiro chuckled. He had noticed Guy''s movements and immediately withdrew the water around the area while hardening the ground at the same time. As a result, the bones that had previously been shed by Fujin were almost entirely pulverized by Guy and Shirogane lost consciousness. Before the Edo Tensei jutsu''s regeneration could kick in, Fujin sealed him up as well.


    The battlefield came to a standstill once again as the Suna and Konoha ninjas looked at the arena in shock. Just a couple of minutes ago, the entire battlefield was in a deadlock. The reanimated ninjas kept the strongest Konoha ninjas busy while the Suna elites held off the remaining Konoha ninjas. However, the situation changed in the blink of an eye! Before they could realize it, Fujin suddenly sealed five of the six reanimated ninjas. And now, Fujin, Guy, Renjiro and Hoka were ncing at Sakumo.


    The morale of the Konoha ninjas rose once again and several ninjas eximed loudly.


    "That''s incredible!"


    "They defeated those reanimated ninjas just like that! Now only the White Fang is left!"


    "As expected of Councilman Fujin! They didn''t stand a chance against him!"


    "Hahaha! This is incredible! We can''tg behind. Kill these Suna scums! Make them pay for trying to invade our home!"


    On the other hand, the Suna ninjas were horrified.


    "How can that be?"


    "This is impossible! How could strong ninjas like Shirogane, Kaminari, Juzo and Zabuza be sealed so easily!"


    "Fuck Orochimaru! Why did we ally with such an ipetent fellow!"


    "Forget Orochimaru! Where is Lord Fourth? If that monster turns his de towards us, we''re dead!"


    The thought of Fujin turning his attention on them terrified the Suna ninjas. The feet of the three Jounins, who wanted to assassinate Fujin, froze too. Unlike others, they had watched all of his actions. Any thoughts they had of killing Fujin evaporated away. They could only pray that Sakumo could stall Fujin.


    The Konoha ninjasunched a spirited assault on the demoralized Suna ninjas. They still gave their best, but the number of Suna ninjas falling kept rising at an rming rate.


    Baki''s expression became very ugly as he realized, ''If Orochimaru doesn''t have any more hidden cards and Lord Kazekage doesn''t show up, this battlefield is doomed. The only way things could turn around is if the Hokage falls. However¡­''


    Helplessness appeared in his eyes. After the First and Second Hokage appeared inside the barrier, he expected Hiruzen to fall very easily. However, the reality was the exact opposite. Forget dying, Hiruzen held the upper hand throughout the battle!


    From Baki''s observation, the only way Hiruzen could lose is if he ran out of chakra. However, it was extremely clear that every Suna ninja would be long dead before Hiruzen ran out of chakra. Once Sakumo was sealed and Fujin turned his attention to them, the war would be over.


    However, Baki still held some hope. He thought, ''Since Lord Kazekage hasn''t appeared yet, he must be doing something very important. That could be a way for us to turn this around.


    In addition, Orochimaru should be aware of the situation too. Once we are wiped out, every Konoha ninja will attack the barrier. Surrounded by hundreds of ninjas, Orochimaru might fall as well. Since he is still only focusing on the Hokage, he must have some ns as well.''


    As Baki suspected, Orochimaru did have a few ns. Even so, his expression was ugly. He thought, ''Guren''s death messed up my arrangements badly. The battle outside is aplete loss. If Sakumo had gone all out, he could have tied Fujin down. However, with him resisting mymands, his strength weakened to a point where even Kakashi could handle him. That said¡­''


    Confusion appeared in his eyes as he wondered, ''What game is Kakashi ying? Shouldn''t his strength be much higher? Why is he still hiding his strength even after seeing Kabuto?''


    Orochimaru was genuinely confused. When Kakashi appeared in the arena along with Sasuke, Orochimaru looked at Kakashi with a whole new gaze. The fact that someone like him kept his true power hidden for so long increased Orochimaru''s respect for him. However, his actions on the battlefield confused Orochimaru.


    Orochimaru couldn''t help but wonder, ''Could it be that he has kept his power hidden from even the top brass of Konoha? Hehehe, that''s interesting. I wonder what his true motives are considering that he doesn''t go all out even at such a critical time.''


    Sakumo was barely done exining and disying his critical techniques to Kakashi when Fujin and others arrived. Sakumo smiled and said, "It seems I''m thest one. You guys did a good job. I''ll continue resisting Orochimaru''smand. Seal me quic¡­"


    He suddenly stopped talking as his eyes wentpletely ck. Sparks appeared around his body as his speed increased tremendously. Winds sted behind Fujin as he moved forward to intercept Sakumo. In the blink of an eye, their des shed hundreds of times as the two engaged in a terrifying battle!


    Guy asked in confusion, "What happened? Why did your father suddenly go all out?"


    Kakashi answered grimly, "It looks like Orochimaru has taken control of his mindpletely."


    Renjiro agreed and added, "Orochimaru was likely struggling to control all 6 of them at the same time. However, since Sakumo-sama is left now, Orochimaru must be focusing entirely on him."


    It was exactly as Kakashi and Renjiro analyzed. Once Fujin sealed five reanimated ninjas, the only ones left were Kabuto and Sakumo. Unlike the others, Orochimaru did not need to control Kabuto. Due to his loyalty, Kabuto followed Orochimaru''s ns without the need for any control.


    Hence, Orochimaru focused entirely on Sakumo which increased his control drastically. Hepletely suppressed Sakumo''s will and made him go all out, at least to the extent to which his body allowed. As such, Sakumo fought just like how Hashirama and Tobirama were fighting.


    Hoka asked with a frown, "What do we do now? Sealing him will be extremely difficult. Should we assist Fujin or should we leave him to Fujin and focus on others?"


    Guy immediately answered, "Let''s assist Fujin. I can open my Inner Gates once again for a short while without tiring myself."


    Kakashi nodded too. However, Renjiro nced in the direction of the barrier and looked at Hiruzen and his opponents. Looking at the state of the battle, he quickly analyzed the situation. Before Kakashi, Guy and Hoka could join the battle, he softly said, "Wait!"


    Kakashi, Guy and Hoka nced at Renjiro, wondering what he was nning.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


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 Chapter 740: Spectral Swordsman Vs White Fang!

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    ''Lightning Release: White Death jutsu!''


    Fujin frowned as nearly every chakra point on Sakumo''s body released white Lightning and moved in all directions. However, the majority of it was moving towards Fujin. Fujin immediately waved his left arm, transforming a part of the Wind Cloak back into winds, which formed a sphere around him.


    The white light engulfed the wind sphere, making the Konoha ninjas worried as they could no longer see him. Renjiro and others retreated as well. In the middle of the lightning storm, Fujin saw several lightning sparks continuously entering the wind sphere before being discharged harmlessly.


    Even so, he couldn''t help but think, ''The amount of Yin chakra concentrated in his Lightning is beyond ridiculous. I have a very strong resistance to Lightning, but if I try to endure this attack with just my body, I''ll be seriously injured.''


    During his fight against the Kumo ninjas, Fujin frequently stopped powerful Lightning jutsus with just his palm. However, he didn''t dare to test out Sakumo''s jutsus despite having his Wind Cloak.


    "Damn! Such an intense jutsu! What is happening inside? Due to the Lightning chakra, I can''t sense anything inside it!" A sensor from the Yamanaka n eximed.


    The Hyuga ninja beside him replied, "I can''t see anything inside either. The white lightning blinds even my Byakugan!" They weren''t the only ones, even Fujin''s chakra field didn''t work inside the range of Sakumo''s attack. Fortunately, he still had other means to sense. A vacuumyer formed around the edge of his de as he swung his sword forward.


    Taking advantage of the blindness his jutsu would cause, Sakumo attacked Fujin. His white tanto pierced through the Wind Sphere before he noticed Fujin swinging his de to intercept his attack. At the same time, the Wind Sphere around Fujin suddenly expanded, neutralizing the intense lightning around him.


    Noticing the Vacuum Layer along Fujin''s de and fearing being trapped inside the Wind Domain, Sakumo retreated immediately. However, strong winds sted behind Fujin as he used the Assassin''s Rush jutsu to take Sakumo head-on!


    Realizing that he wouldn''t be able to outrun Fujin, white Lightning appeared around his right fist as he punched forward. The Lightning was unleashed from his fist and transformed into a White Dragon as it moved towards Fujin.


    Fujin immediately countered by swinging his sword. A massive Vacuum sh along with apanying winds wasunched in the arena. Sakumo immediately dodged the Vacuum sh while using Lightning to defend against the apanying winds. However, Fujin''s attack cleared the battlefield of the white lightning while leaving hundreds of new scars on the ground.


    The Konoha and Suna ninjas were finally able to see what was happening inside. The fear in the eyes of the Suna ninjas increased while relief appeared in the eyes of Konoha ninjas on seeing Fujin unharmed.


    However, these feelings immediately disappeared from a few ninjas as their eyes widened in shock. Fujin''s Vacuum sh cut through whatever was remaining off the wall and continued forward. Every ninja who was in its way, irrespective of which vige they belonged to, stopped fighting and scurried to dodge the iing Vacuum sh. In a moment, the war happening at that side of the arena paused entirely.


    The ninjas fighting in the stadium gulped and thought, ''Fortunately that attack wasn''t fired in this direction. Otherwise, the death toll would have been ridiculous.''


    The stadium still had a lot of civilians and Genins who had been knocked unconscious by Kabuto''s Genjutsu. In fact, they were the main reason why the Suna and Oto ninjas were able tost for so long. Whenever the Konoha ninjas got overbearing, they would attack the unconscious Konoha citizens, forcing Konoha ninjas to go on the defensive.


    Of course, the Suna and Oto ninjas didn''t dare to overdo it. In fact, only a couple dozen civilians had died due to this tactic. The reason for such low losses was that Suna and Oto ninjas knew that they''d be annihted in no time if Konoha ninjas didn''t have to defend them and focused entirely on eliminating the enemy.


    Outside the arena, a Senju Jounin crawled out of the ground and muttered fearfully, "Fortunately, we were very far away from their battle. Otherwise, there was no way we could have dodged the sharp wind des around that Vacuum sh¡­"


    He saw a glimpse of Fujin and Sakumo engaging in another intense sh. The entire area around them was being bombarded in Lightning Strikes, Wind des and Vacuum Bullets. He muttered, "These two are nuts! As expected of the White Fang and the Spectral Swordsman. A battle between the two of them would be legendary!"


    Simr thoughts ran through the minds of everyone who was forced to dodge Fujin''s attack. The Suna and Konoha ninjas began fighting again, but they continued moving away from the arena as they battled. None of them wanted to be in the way of another of Fujin''s attacks.


    As they fought, Fujin felt like the battle was bing a deadlock. He realized, ''Ever since I used the Vacuum sh, his fighting style changed. He is no longer trying to kill me, but seems content in just tying me down¡­''


    Fujin immediately understood that this was Orochimaru''s doing. He analyzed, ''Even though I''m stronger and faster, sealing him will be very difficult. He uses terrifying ranged Lightning jutsus whenever I''m about to close in on him. If I attack from a range, he just dodges everything. And, he escapes whenever I turn my cloak into the domain. Under normal circumstances, I could have engaged in a battle of chakra reserves. However, I can''t do that against an Edo Tensei¡­''


    A frown appeared on his face as he concluded, ''The only way I can force him is with my Fuin Battlefield. However, it won''t be enough either. He''ll still keep me upied for a long time. The only technique with which I can win quickly is the Flying Thunder God jutsu. However¡­''


    Flying Thunder God jutsu was one of Fujin''s most important secrets. While he could turn the tides of the battlefield easily with it, it posed a great risk. Fujin didn''t dare to underestimate the intelligence of Hiruzen and Shikaku.


    Once they know that Fujin knew this technique, then several questions would arise about what he did in the Land of Lightning. While they still wouldn''t have any proof to conclude that Fujin was Akuro, they would begin linking the two. Considering the fact that Akuro had attacked Root when Danzo was creating trouble for Fujin, it was even riskier. As such, Fujin didn''t want to show this card just yet. Combined with the fact that changing the tide of the battlefield wasn''t necessarily advantageous for Fujin, he decided against using the technique.


    Noticing that Fujin had slowed down, Sakumo riled his chakra, causing several heads to turn. His right hand began glowing white due to highly concentrated white lightning while his left hand was covered in dark winds.


    Fujin carefully observed, ''Hmm, Yin Lightning and Yang Wind? Will this be anotherbination jutsu?''


    Sakumo mmed the two palms together, almost as if he were praying. The highly concentrated chakra around both his palms merged as a hurricane began forming around him.


    In the blink of an eye, a strong hurricane formed with Sakumo at the center. However, it wasn''t an ordinary hurricane. The hurricane oscited between shing a bright white light which blinded anyone who looked at it to immediately bingpletely dark. It signified the contrasting elements inside it which were somehow perfectly bnced to allow such a jutsu to exist.


    As it expanded towards Fujin, he chuckled and thought, ''Hehe, this bastard! He is even better at merging Yang chakra with Wind than me! Not to mention, he just used a jutsu containing Lightning, Wind, Yin and Yang chakra at the same time! Now I wish even more that I could have fought him at his prime!''


    Fujin weaved a hand seal as a mini-hurricane began forming around his left forearm. He analyzed, ''It looks like the battle intelligence of a reanimated ninja decreases considerably once his will is suppressed. As impressive as this jutsu is, Sakumo should have understood thatrge-scale wind jutsus don''t work against me.''


    Fujin punched the ground with his full strength. Deep cracks appeared in the ground. As they continued expanding, the ground began transforming into a swamp! The hurricane around Fujin''s left forearm entered the swamp and soon, a second hurricane appeared!


    Unlike Sakumo''s hurricane, this one was made of Winds and dirt! It was abination jutsu using Fujin''s Hurricane Fist and the Swamp of the Underground jutsu! Fujin called it the Swamp Hurricane jutsu.


    The battlefield came to a standstill once again as everyone looked at the two hurricanes in shock. One was shing continuously while the other was brown in color due to the swamp.


    "What the hell? How did such gigantic hurricanes appear out of nowhere?"


    "That''s shing Hurricane, the cursed jutsu of the White Fang! Hundreds of Suna ninjas died to that technique!"


    "Will Councilman Fujin be fine? Why did he use an Earth jutsu?"


    Suna ninjas watched hatefully while the Konoha ninjas became worried. The shing Hurricane and the Swamp Hurricane finally met. The eyes of the Konoha ninjas widened as the shing Hurricane easily overpowered the Swamp Hurricane!


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 Chapter 741: Battles within a battle!

    In the arena, which was supposed to be the battlefield for deciding which Genin was good enough to be promoted, two massive hurricanes, created by two rank S ninjas, shed! In the blink of an eye, it became obvious that Sakumo''s attack had a huge advantage over Fujin''s counterattack. The Konoha ninjas became worried, but there wasn''t a hint of emotion on Fujin''s face.


    In fact, he had pretty much expected it. His jutsu paled inparison to Sakumo''s attack. Not only had he not strengthened his elements with Yin and Yang chakras, he hadn''t even poured a quarter of the chakra Sakumo poured into his jutsu. While ordinary ninjas couldn''t see the difference, the stronger ones and sensors immediately noticed this anomaly and wondered what he was up to.


    As the shing Hurricane entered into the Swamp Hurricane, the lightning sparks began eroding the swamp. However, even though the swamp was being eroded, it started consuming the electrical energy within the shing Hurricane.


    At the same time, the winds in the Swamp Hurricane infiltrated into the shing Hurricane. Even though Sakumo''s winds were enhanced by Yang chakra and he was better than Fujin in this aspect, Sakumo couldn''tpare with Fujin in terms of control over the winds. Sakumo immediately resisted Fujin''s attempt to wrestle control over the shing Hurricane.


    This created a peculiar situation. On the surface, it looked like Sakumo''s jutsu was overwhelming Fujin. However, the real battle was being fought over the control of Sakumo''s jutsu. And, the more electrical energy was consumed by the swamp, the bigger Fujin''s advantage got.


    Along with this sh, there was another aspect that almost everyone missed. While everyone''s attention was focused on the hurricanes, the ground underneath continued converting into swamps and expanding continuously. Had he been conscious, Sakumo would have spotted it very easily. Unfortunately, that wasn''t the case. By the time he realized, the swamp had expanded up to just a few meters away from him.


    Fujin chuckled and thought, ''Finally, he noticed it. Unfortunately, it''s toote.''


    Suddenly, arge muddy dragon appeared from the swamp and lunged at Sakumo. Sakumo immediately bombarded it with lightning, neutralizing it instantly. However, behind the swamp dragon was another smaller hurricane that rose from the swamp! This move caught Sakumo off guard.


    Fujin smirked while thinking, ''Even though mybination jutsu isn''t as strong as yours, this is the true essence of my jutsu. Due to the high amount of wind chakra I poured into it, I can spontaneously start hurricanes from the swamp. While it has its limits, it is plenty to deal with most ninjas. Now then, how will you defend from this?'' Sakumo''s position became extremely vulnerable. Despite facing just one opponent, he was fighting three battles simultaneously. The first and the most apparent was the sh of the two hurricanes, where Fujin had sessfully slowed down Sakumo''s offensive. The second was the battle to maintain control of the shing Hurricane, which was the most decisive battle. And now, he had to deal with the new hurricane, which flowed in the opposite direction of his shing Hurricane and continuously reduced its strength while posing a danger to Sakumo.


    Despite seemingly losing the initial sh, Fujin gained an overwhelming advantage over Sakumo. Instead of defeating Fujin, Sakumo''s terrifying jutsu provided Fujin with a chance to break the deadlock and win the battle.


    A wide grin appeared on Fujin''s face as the three factors continued increasing his advantage. In just half a minute, Sakumo seemed unable to hold on. Fujin extended his arm forward and muttered to himself, ''It''s over. Once I gain control of his winds, I can create a new Wind Domain with it. Sakumo won''t be able to escap¡­''


    His eyes suddenly widened. He quickly dispersed his Wind Cloak, which transformed into winds and moved very quickly as he cursed, ''Shit! Is he aiming to kill everyone here?''


    When he realized that he had lost the exchange and was about to be trapped inside his own jutsu, Sakumo simply exploded all the Lightning chakra that was still in the shing Hurricane.


    Even though the explosion wouldn''t harm Fujin much, it would harm most of the unconscious people and even the ninjas in and around the stadium. In the worst-case scenario, thousands of civilians and over a hundred ninjas might die!


    Both Konoha and Suna ninjas became fearful of sensing the massive explosion. The shing Hurricane copsed due to the explosion, and so did Fujin''s Swamp Hurricane which couldn''t withstand the explosion. Even the swamp in the ground was ruined to a great extent.


    To everyone''s horror, the explosions spread towards the stadium. Thankfully, winds appeared between the explosion and the stadium, intercepting the lightning charges and shockwaves. As they passed through the winds, the winds absorbed the shockwaves and neutralized most of the lightning charges. In the end, the people in the stadium only felt a breeze and harmless static currents.


    While the ninjas were relieved, Fujin''s expression let out a sigh and muttered, "To fall prey to this tactic, that''s humiliating¡­"


    Even though he was unharmed, it was ironic that he was at the receiving end of a tactic that he loved using. Sakumo held the civilians in the stadium hostage to force Fujin to give up his advantage.


    While Fujin didn''t particrly care about their lives and focusing on sealing Sakumo might have been better for the war, he couldn''t just stand and let thousands die. It would allow the ones who find him as an eyesore to target him politically. Not knowing whether Hiruzen would die or change his fate, Fujin didn''t want to deal with such a headache.


    Fujin analyzed, ''Along with holding the people hostage, it was also a suicidal attack. Had he been alive, he would have been gravely injured. However, he''ll just heal up now.''


    As Fujin predicted, Sakumo took heavy damage from the explosions too. However, he regenerated even before Fujin could take any advantage of his injuries. The battlefield was reset as it was earlier with one major change.


    Sakumo''s chakra reserves were still full, while Fujin had expended his Wind Cloak. In another case of irony, it was Fujin who was being limited by his chakra reserves!


    Orochimaru quickly caught on to this detail. He chuckled and asked, "Are you still counting on external help, Sensei? Even if that kid defeats Sakumo, he''ll be all out of chakra. And, if you recall Jiraiya, my summons will destroy Konoha. Hahah¡­"


    Hiruzen had a serious expression but became confused when Orochimaru suddenly stoppedughing and a dumbfounded expression appeared on his face. He couldn''t help but wonder, ''What happened for his expression to change so drastically?''


    He wasn''t the only confused person. Orochimaru was even more confused as he wondered, ''What the hell? Why did all my summons suddenly go back?''


    The time that Sakumo blew up his jutsu matched with the time when the giant snake blew up in the Ryuchi Cave. As such, Orochimaru received bad news right after he received good news.


    He realized, ''Without my summons, Jiraiya wille here. Even though this stadium is far from the vige, he''lle here in around five minutes. This will be tricky¡­''


    He quickly analyzed, ''On second thought, it may not be a bad thing. Though I won''t be able to give Sensei the ending I want him to get, I can kill both Jiraiya and Fujin along with Sensei. Konoha would truly be finished then.''


    Orochimaru immediately intensified his attack and joined up forces with the two former Hokage to kill Hiruzen. Hiruzen noticed the change and analyzed, ''Something must have happened to force him to attack so fiercely. Even though I don''t know what it is, it should be advantageous for me.


    I''ll continue stalling for time. Even if Fujin gets exhausted, the Suna ninjas won''t be able tost for long. As long as I don''t fall, Konoha will win the war!''


    Hiruzen changed his fighting style and becamepletely defensive. He blocked and dodged any attacks his former student and teachers threw at him while spending his chakra minimally.


    Even though the arena was covered in dust, Fujin and Sakumo were looking in each other''s direction. Fujin thought, ''It looks like I won''t be able to reinforce Hiruzen after all. In the end, Orochimaru''s arrangements were enough to ensure that I''ll be tied down¡­''


    Fujin was about to go on the offensive once again but suddenly stopped.


    ''Lightning Release: Lightning Hound jutsu''


    ''Water Release: Great Waterfall jutsu''


    Fujin turned his head and saw Kakashi''s Lightning jutsu merging with Renjiro''s water jutsu and moving towards Sakumo at a great speed. Sakumo immediately retreated but was engaged by Guy in an intense Taijutsu battle.


    Renjiro flickered in front of Fujin and said without taking his eyes off Sakumo, "Dealing with him will take a long time. Unfortunately, time is not a luxury we have for now. I''m not sure how long the old man can hang on. We''ll hold him back, you reinforce the old man."


    [A/N: Latest chapter: Betrayal!]


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 Chapter 742 - 736 : Typing up the loose ends

    <h4>Chapter 742: Chapter 736 : Typing up the loose ends</h4>


    "We''ll hold him back, you reinforce the old man." Renjiro said without taking his eyes off Sakumo.


    Fujin asked unsurely, "Are you sure? He might not be at his peak, but his strength is extremely terrifying."


    Kakashi answered, "Don''t worry, even though Orochimaru is controlling him, my father is still restraining a considerable amount of strength. Though I''m not confident in sealing him, we''ll be able to hold him back."


    Renjiro added, "Besides, don''t forget we still have Guy with us. If needed, he can settle the situation. So, leave him to us. You and Hoka deal with the barrier and Orochimaru."


    Kakashi and Renjiro''s reasoning waspletely sound. Fujin didn''t have anything to say against it. He replied, "Alright, be careful."


    Renjiro replied, "You two stay careful as well. Who knows what else that snake is hiding."


    Renjiro''s initial idea was to let Fujin deal with Sakumo while they go to help Hiruzen. However, Renjiro wasn''t sure whether they''d be able to deal with any more hidden cards that Orochimaru might have. Hence, he decided to do the opposite. Even though Fujin''s chakra was running low, he still had the best chance to deal with Orochimaru''s schemes.


    Fujin and Hoka nodded and both flickered away. Orochimaru noticed it and had Sakumo go all out, but Guy, Kakashi and Renjiro managed to hold him back while Fujin and Hoka moved towards the barrier!


    In a matter of moments, the situation changed drastically. Hiruzen, who had been fighting a lone battle, now had two rank S ninjasing to his aid. Even though Fujin had been through several battles and Jiraiya was still a bit away, the situation had be extremely favorable for Konoha. Yet, Orochimaru continued battling without showing any signs of retreat.


    As he moved, Fujin thought, ''It looks like I''ll be reinforcing the old fox after all. Tsk, he is really strong though, undoubtedly far stronger than what he was shown to be in the original story. Even though Hashirama and Tobirama are nowhere near their full strength, being able to block the two of them along with Orochimaru for so long without taking a single injury is remarkable. I wonder how strong he was in his prime...''


    "What''s the n, Fujin?" Hoka asked.


    Fujin replied, "I''ll just bombard the barrier and go for Orochimaru''s head, you take out those four ninjas maintaining the barrier and then act ording to the situation. But first..."


    The Wind Cloak reappeared around Fujin''s body as he disappeared from Hoka''s side.


    In the stadium, an intense battle was taking ce. A special feature of this particr battle was that none of the unconscious audience was harmed. Instead, the bodies of more than a dozen dead Konoha Jouninsy around. One of the Konoha ninjas frowned and said, "Shit! He''s too strong! How do we deal with him?"


    Needless to say, they were facing the reanimated Kabuto. As strong as they were, they didn''t stand a chance against Kabuto. They were about to attack again when they suddenly stopped. Kabuto''s eyes widened and heunched several shurikens behind him instinctively.


    Unfortunately, all of them missed and he saw a fist covered in a mini-hurricane heading straight for him! Fujin thought, ''As expected, Orochimaru had DNA samples of this troublesome fellow. Oh well, let me see whether your healing can keep up with my Hurricane Fist!''


    Kabuto immediately cursed as he retreated, ''Shit! Why is he focusing on me?''


    Unfortunately for him, winds sted behind Fujin as he appeared right on top of Kabuto and punched his head. The hurricane around his forearm quickly engulfed Kabuto and began slicing him up.


    Kabuto tried to heal the damage but neither his healing nor the regeneration factor of the Edo Tensei jutsu could keep up with the barrage of wind des cutting him up. Kabuto grimly thought, ''I can''t keep up! What the hell is this jutsu? Shit, if I lose my consciousness...''


    Within a few seconds, his body lost all features and instead looked like an artwork of scars. Ibiki, who watched the scene, thought, ''Though it is gruesome, that jutsu will be very good at torturing if its power is controlled...''


    For a moment, he felt that Fujin could be a perfect fit for his department. However, he threw that thought out of his mind on recalling how troublesome he was.


    Fujin''s left palmnded on whatever remained of Kabuto''s chest and a seal appeared on his chest. It continued expanding throughout his body and in the blink of an eye, both his body and his soul were immobilized.


    Kabuto realized that even if he healed, he wouldn''t be able to move. He looked at Fujin with thest bit of his consciousness and thought, ''I didn''t stand a chance. So, this is Suzuki Fujin? No wonder he could force Orochimaru-sama to retreat...''


    The Konoha ninjas around saw Fujin using the Binding Cloth seal to mummify Kabuto and muttered, "It''s over, just like that?"


    "This is terrifying!"


    "Yeah, we couldn''t do anything against him, but Fujin sealed him in a matter of seconds."


    What none of them saw was the innumerable amount of seals Fujin kept cing on the cloth while he sealed Kabuto. He even ced a few Flying Thunder God marks while thinking, ''Let me see how youe back to life again.''


    Now that he had the sealed Kabuto, Fujin immediately decided to ensure that no one would ever remove the seals to revive him. Even though it was highly unlikely for Kabuto to improve as a reanimated ninja, Fujin had no reason to test it out. Hence, he applied a ridiculous amount of seals before sealing him in a coffin, which also had a ridiculous amount of seals.


    Fujin nced at his work and thought, ''This should be enough. Any more, and it''ll raise suspicions. Unless a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster makes a move or someone uses an extremely destructive jutsu to blow the coffin and him up, there''s no way he can be freed.''


    Fujin nced at the Jounins he had instructed earlier to stall Kabuto and instructed, "Watch over the coffin. If they free him, he''ll recover his strength in the blink of an eye."


    They immediately nodded and were about to reply affirmatively, but Fujin disappeared from the stadium without waiting for their response.


    While several intense battles happened in and around the arena and the vige, another intense battle broke out a considerable distance outside the vige. Naruto''s squad finally caught up with Sasuke, who had just been trashed by a semi-transformed Gaara.


    Standing some distance away was Fujin''s Shadow Clone, who had masked his scentpletely to ensure that Pakkun wasn''t alerted of his presence. He nced at the group and thought, ''So many things have changed, but it seems like their battle will still happen.''


    While he followed them, Fujin''s clone noticed several changes, many of which were direct consequences of his actions. The first was Lee''s presence, which only happened because Fujin saved Lee during the preliminaries.


    The second was that no Oto ninjas chased after them. This was a direct consequence of what Fujin did when the battle began. Due to his indiscriminate massacre, the majority of the Oto ninjas were dead, causing them and the Suna ninjas to be under extreme pressure. They no longer had any manpower to chase after a bunch of Genins.


    While a couple of squads still tried to chase after Sasuke due to Orochimaru''s instructions, they were quickly intercepted by Konoha ninjas who assumed that they were escaping due to Fujin''s deadly assault.


    Kankuro stayed behind just to stall Sasuke but was confronted by Shino just like in the original story. As such, the entire squad reached Gaara and Temari together.


    Fujin''s clone continued looking at them and analyzed, ''Shikamaru and Lee... Shikamaru isn''t strong, but his brain could result in some changes. On the contrary, Lee has the might required to force a change. Though he isn''t allowed to open the Inner Gates, he is quite suicidal. I wonder how the battle will y out now...''


    Back in the arena, Hoka asked, "Was he that important to be taken care of?"


    Fujin withdrew a scroll while replying, "Yeah, he''s a troublesome fellow. If he interfered in the fight against Sakumo-san, Sensei and others would have been in trouble."


    Hoka understood his thoughts and nodded. Opening the scroll, Fujin weaved the confrontation hand seal. At the next moment, thousands of Explosive tags appeared in front of him.


    The Anbu ninjas, standing outside the barrier, rejoiced to see Fujine near the barrier. They were about to greet him and inform him about the barrier when they saw a sight that horrified them. All of them scattered immediately!


    At the same time, the Sound Four looked at the insane number of Explosive tags with grim faces. They immediately activated the second stage of their curse seals to provide more chakra to the barrier. Fujin nced at them and muttered, "I have always been curious about how many Explosive tags it''ll take to break a barrier of this level. Any guesses, Hoka?"


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 Chapter 743: The Biggest Joke!

    [A/N: Once again, thanks for all your love and support guys. My family and I are doing far better now. The rituals are more or less done as well, and most of the rtives have left too, though a few maye to visit in theing days. So, the release schedule could be inconsistent for a week, but I shouldn''t miss any chapters hopefully. Anyway, let''s get back to the story. Stay safe and healthy!]


    "I have always been curious about how many Explosive tags it''ll take to break a barrier of this level. Any guesses, Hoka?"


    Hoka just chuckled as eight thousand Explosive tags flew towards the barrier. He replied, "Does it matter? No matter how many it takes, it won''t even leave a dent in your storage of explosive tags, will it?"


    Hoka fully expected Fujin to have at least a dozen more such scrolls on him. As for how many might be in his house, Hoka didn''t even bother to make a guess. He just knew that it would be some unbelievable number.


    Tayuya shouted, "Don''t hold back!"


    The sight unnerved the Sound Four, who wondered, ''Why does he carry so many explosive seals on him?''


    The same thoughts ran through the minds of the Suna ninjas who were relieved that they weren''t heading towards them. Baki wondered, ''Was he nning on blowing up an entire vige or something?''


    Inside the barrier, Hiruzen chuckled and said, "It''s over, Orochimaru. I hope you have already secured an escape route. If not, I''ll fix the mistake I made a decade ago."


    To Hiruzen''s surprise, Orochimaru chuckled and asked, "Are you so sure that it''s over Sensei?" As he said that, arge amount of Gold Dust appeared in the path of the tags! Relief and hope appeared in the eyes of the Suna ninjas keeping an eye on the barrier. Baki muttered to himself, ''Finally, Kazekage-sama has arrived. However, defeating Fujin will be difficult. Everything will depend on why he was sote. This will be the crucial moment of the war. Whoever wins will win the war!''


    A massive explosion attracted the attention of every ninja in the vicinity as the tags exploded aftering in contact with the gold dust. Most of the ninjas stopped fighting and nced in its direction. The explosion was so massive that even Jiraiya, who was several minutes away, heard the explosion. He looked worriedly in the direction of the arena and muttered, "What is happening there? Hang on, old man."


    Smoke had covered an entire side of the barrier, which was bombarded by high-speed gold particles. Several shockwaves hit the barrier as well. Both Konoha and Suna ninjas wondered whether the barrier had been broken. At the same time, the few remaining Oto ninjas became worried.


    As the smoke cleared, the Oto ninjas sighed in relief seeing that the barrier was still up. Even though it was bombarded by gold dust and shockwaves, it was nowhere near enough to create a crack in the barrier, let alone destroy it.


    The Sound Four sighed in relief. While they had the confidence to weather the barrage of explosive tags, none of them had any confidence against Fujin. Tayuya thought, ''That was close. Fortunately, Orochimaru-sama made arrangements for all possibilities. Though Rasa isn''t strong enough to defeat that monster, stalling him shouldn''t be an issue. With him, the barrier won''t fall.''


    Fujin looked at the gold dust and analyzed, ''So Rasa was here too? However, he didn''t make any move when I was cutting down the Suna ninjas. I even slowed down to see whether he''d make a move. In addition, he''s waiting here and obediently protecting the barrier, a task unfitting of a Kage. That means¡­''


    While Oto ninjas were relieved when the smoke scattered, the Suna ninjas were ecstatic. They couldn''t care less about the barrier. Instead, their eyes were glued to the massive amount of gold dust floating around the barrier.


    "Yes!!! Kazekage-sama is finally here!"


    "He''ll take revenge on our fallenrades and kill that bastard swordsman!"


    "Enough defending! It''s time for our counterattack! Kill Konoha scums!"


    The morale of the Suna ninjas immediately soared on seeing their leader. The Konoha ninjas weren''t deterred either as facing Rasa was Fujin, who had been dominating the entire battlefield with an unstoppable force. If someone like Sakumo couldn''t hold him, they were confident that Rasa wouldn''t be able to stop him either. They too replied to Suna''s ferocious counterattack with even more ferocity!


    As the gold dust cleared, Rasa''s appearance became visible. He looked just like he did when he was alive. There was no sign of anyone having used the Edo Tensei jutsu on him. However, Fujin didn''t buy it.


    Standing next to Fujin, Hoka had a worried expression. He thought, ''Even though Fujin still looks strong, he has been going all out since the¡­ What the hell?''


    For a moment, Hoka doubted his eyes and observed Rasa properly. He wondered, ''That''s weird! Why do I get the same feeling from him as the reanimated ninjas? No, something is definitely off with his body. Even though I can''t see it with my Byakugan, it''s unquestionable. However, how can that be? Isn''t the Fourth Kazekage still aliv¡­?''


    "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA"


    Hoka''s thoughts were cut off by an extremely loudughter emitting from next to him. He immediately looked at Fujin, who seemed to beughing as if he had seen the biggest joke in the world!


    He wasn''t the only one. Fujin had used winds to amplify his sound considerably and let it travel for longer distances. Everyone in the arena heard hisughter clearly and nced at him. Even the ninjas who were fighting just outside the arena heard his voice clearly.


    Baki immediately had a bad feeling. The remaining ninjas were confused as well when Fujin suddenly stoppedughing and they heard his words.


    "The Fourth Kazekage is dead! He is now Orochimaru''s puppet and is defending him like a ve. Meanwhile, Sunagakure ninjas are sacrificing their lives for Orochimaru, the person who killed their leader. This is fucking hrious! Hahahahahaha!"


    Shock, horror, disbelief and a myriad of other horrible emotions appeared on the face of every Suna ninja. Their morale, which had just recovered, shattered into a million pieces once again! Irrespective of whether they believed Fujin or not, everyone stopped attacking and nced in the direction of the barrier. Needless to say, both Konoha and Oto ninjas were shocked as well.


    "Kazekage-sama is dead?"


    "And he is controlled by Orochimaru? How can that be?"


    "No! He is lying! How can our Kazekage be killed?"


    "Yes, that brat is fooling us! He is trying to drive a wedge between us and Orochimaru! I was almost fooled by that demon!"


    "But, what if he is telling the truth? Wouldn''t it mean that we''re sacrificing ourselves for Orochimaru''s cause?"


    "Yes, don''t forget that the Kazekage-sama didn''t show up when the Spectral Swordsman was butchering ourrades. Why did he only appear when the barrier was attacked?"


    "Don''t fall for the enemy''s trick! Kazekage-sama would have his reasons. He might be following a strategy."


    "Hmph, what strategy is worth the lives of 200 of ourrades?"


    Confusion immediately spread among the ranks of Suna ninjas. Instead of attacking Konoha ninjas, they shifted their focus back to defending and tried to get closer to the barrier to understand the truth.


    Baki stopped fighting Genma and Hayate and flickered towards Fujin. Needless to say, he wouldn''t take the word of his enemy at face value. However, the bad feeling he had intensified several times when he heard Fujin''s words.


    He appeared some distance away from Fujin and shouted, "Bastard! Stop lying!"


    From a close distance, Baki could see that Rasa didn''t have the features of a reanimated ninja. However, he could see that something was off. Be it Rasa''s absence when Fujin was ughtering Suna ninjas, or the fact that he hadn''t refuted Fujin''s words. Yet, he shouted to ensure that the Suna ninjas didn''t lose their morale entirely.


    Fujin merely chuckled and taunted, "Why don''t you talk with your dear leader then? Hehehe."


    Baki immediately followed his advice, "Kazekage-sama! Please reply!"


    Inside the barrier, Orochimaru frowned and wondered, ''When did he learn Sound-based jutsus? Tsk, this is annoying.''


    Hiruzen heard Fujin''s words and was shocked as well. He stared at Orochimaru while analyzing, ''So, he killed Rasa first? The main question is when this was. Even I was fooled by his impersonation of the Kazekage. Was Suna the one who wanted to make a move against Konoha, or were they manipted by Orochimaru? Regardless¡­''


    Hiruzen immediately went on the offensive, directly targeting Orochimaru. He was aware that the caster could speak through the Edo Tensei. He didn''t want to give that opportunity to Orochimaru. As Orochimaru became busy dealing with Hiruzen''s assault, Hiruzen thought, ''Good thinking, Fujin. This war is over!''


    Unknown to Hiruzen, Orochimaru didn''t intend to attempt fooling Suna ninjas again. He knew that the Suna ninjas weren''t all fools. Now that Fujin had nted a seed of doubt in their minds, they would suspect Rasa. Any act Orochimaru put up would be seen through. So, Orochimaru didn''t see any point in doing something like that.


    Hence, Rasa, whose will had beenpletely suppressed, didn''t reply to Baki. Baki just stood there with a stunned expression and disbelief on his face! For a moment, he had let his guard downpletely!


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 Chapter 744: Hidden Cards!

    Looking at his unresponsive leader, Baki stood with a stunned expression. He was in such disbelief that he let his guard downpletely, a fact that didn''t miss Fujin''s watchful gaze. However, Fujin didn''t make a move.


    Baki was going through an intense internal turmoil. Just a few months ago, Sunagakure''s top leadership were high in morale after having made a deal with Orochimaru to deal Konoha a massive blow. Their preparations progressed smoothly.


    However, ever since the second round of the Chunin Exams, nothing seemed to be going their way. The ughter Fujin unleashed just a minute into their attack made him realize the severity of the situation. And now, their leader, theirst hope, the man who was supposed to turn things around in their favor, was already dead. And, his killer was none other than their ally!


    Baki muttered in shock and disbelief, "How did this happen? When was Lord Rasa killed? No way! Did Orochi¡­"


    Baki was no fool. He connected the dots very easily and understood. He knew that Rasa had gone to meet Orochimaru a few days ago. ording to the discussion in their council, the war should''ve been postponed unless Orochimaru had made some excellent arrangements.


    Yet, Rasa suddenly acted in a very different manner after meeting with Orochimaru. He went from caution to going all out to crushing Konoha! The council was baffled and wanted a proper exnation, but they didn''t get any as Rasa never returned to Suna.


    Ultimately, the council had no choice but to follow their leader''s orders. None of them imagined that he''d be killed by Orochimaru so secretly. They didn''t even have that thought. Yet, Baki was seeing the worst-case scenario happening for his vige! A scenario that no ninja in Suna imagined!


    Seeing Baki standing in shock, the remaining Suna ninjas understood that Fujin wasn''t lying. Their morale dropped immediately. Genma flickered behind Baki and asked with a chuckle, "Do you still want to fight?"


    Baki didn''t reply. He retrieved a kunai andunched it into the sky. The kunai exploded, releasing red smoke and a strange noise. In an instant, every Suna ninja in and around the arena heard the voice and looked in the direction of the explosion. Their pupils dted as soon as they saw the smoke. Without a single word, every Suna ninja stopped fighting and retreated! They only kept an eye on possible attacks from Konoha ninjas while they left the battlefield! Leading them was none other than Baki.


    The Konoha ninjas chased for a few seconds but stopped, realizing that Suna ninjas had no intention of stopping. For a moment, most of the battles ceased.


    Of course, that didn''t mean that the Suna ninjas were happy. Instead, terrified questions were heard throughout their forces.


    "Why are we retreating?"


    "Don''t tell me! Is what he said true? Is Lord Rasa dead?"


    "No, how can that be! Baki! What happened? Didn''t you get a close look at Kazekage-sama?"


    With a grim expression on his face, Baki answered, "Kazekage-sama is dead. Orochimaru reanimated him like the White Fang and others. That bloody snake betrayed us!"


    Silence spread among the ranks of Suna ninjas. None of them could believe what they heard. Nearly every Suna ninja turned their heads to nce towards the barrier onest time. As soon as they did, their eyes widened and pupils dted!


    Standing facing Rasa, Hoka nced at Fujin and thought, ''He''s even more incredible now. He has always been strong, smart and cunning, but I never imagined that his ability to scheme is so strong. I now understand why Lord Hokage got him on the council.


    Even though he looks unstoppable, his chakra reserves must have taken a big hit. He killed over 300 Suna and Oto ninjas, before eliminating the Kekkei Genkai users and dealing with the reanimated ninjas. In addition, he also left Shadow Clones to watch over the sealed ninjas.


    Even though he does a great job at hiding his chakra reserves, they must have taken a massive hit. ording to my estimates, he should only have around a quarter of his chakra left. Fighting against the Fourth Kazekage in this state would''ve been extremely difficult, especially considering that he seems content with just defending the barrier. We wouldn''t have been able to help Lord Hokage.


    However, with just a few words, he forced nearly 300 Suna ninjas to retreat. Without them here, our forces are freed up. Everyone can gang up on the barrier and destroy it. This war is ov..! What the¡­???''


    Hoka''s analysis was on point. Fujin''s chakra reserves had dropped seriously low. It was why he used such a tactic to force the Suna ninjas to retreat. Instead of killing Baki, he made Baki withdraw the hundreds of Suna ninjas. Of course, there was one other factor as well. Along with Rasa, Fujin sensed one more disturbance with his Space Time Sensing Technique.


    Just at the moment when the Suna ninjas turned their heads to see their fallen Kage, ck particles appeared around the barrier along with the gold particles. Standing next to Rasa was the Third Kazekage! Orochimaru had initially held him back, hoping that the Suna ninjas keep fighting. But, there was no longer any need to do that.


    Fujin saw a massive amount of gold and iron dust rush towards him and Hoka. Hoka immediately concentrated chakra on his feet while Fujin thought, ''It looks like I''ll have to use that trick after all¡­ Sigh, this is disappointing. I hope that I can resolve this issue soon¡­''


    Fujin bit his right thumb. At the same time, the Shadow Clone in hispounds dispelled, sending back all chakra to Fujin. Fujin, who barely had over 25% of his chakra remaining, suddenly recovered his chakra reserves to 80% of its maximum capacity!


    Before the war began, Fujin had thought a lot as to what arrangements Orochimaru would make for him. While he couldn''t guess who Orochimaru would recruit to deal with him, he expected an intense conflict. As such, he left no stone unturned in ensuring that he was as prepared as a ninja could be.


    A day before the finals began, he ate a soldier pill and immediately created a Shadow Clone containing 85% of his chakra. As the day progressed, he created a couple more as soon as his chakra reserves recovered. While there were several reasons to do so, which was evident by the roles yed by his clone in the war, one of Fujin''s main intentions was to have chakra batteries in case he ran low.


    Of course, even if a Shadow Clone didn''t fight, the mere act of maintaining it consumed the clone''s chakra. Hence, his clones stayed inside the meditation room, meditating to slow down the rate at which they consumed their chakra. A few hours before the finals began, two of them left for the arena while his first clone stayed back and eventually ended up killing the giant snakes and the ninjas who followed them.


    Even though he didn''t consume any chakra in that battle, sustaining himself for over a day cost him nearly a third of his chakra. Even so, the chakra he provided to Fujin was more than enough to turn around any battle!


    ''Summoning jutsu!''


    Smoke clouds appeared around Fujin as he mmed his hand on the ground. It didn''t remain for long as a 20-meter-tall behemoth appeared from the smoke! A loud jagged roar echoed through the arena as intense winds hit the gold and iron dust, sending it back at an even faster speed.


    Once again, everyone''s eyes turned towards Fujin. To everyone''s surprise, he was standing on the head of a gigantic and menacing Sabertooth!


    Hoka, who retreated right before Fujin mmed his hand on the ground, thought, ''Such a massive and powerful summon! Since when did Fujin have such a summon?''


    Simr questions ran through the minds of the Konoha ninjas. Konoha was famous for having ninjas with strong summons. Be it Hiruzen or the Sannins, all of their summons were extremely famous throughout the world. And now, they saw another summon who didn''t lose to any of them.


    Of course, none of them questioned where he had got the summon from. Instead, they were just pleased.


    "Incredible! I didn''t even know he had a summon!"


    "As expected of Councilman Fujin! Only someone like him can have such a strong summon!"


    The retreating Suna ninjas noticed the massive summon as well and their mood dropped further. Baki thought, ''Even if Gaara had stuck to the n, I don''t think it''d have made much of a difference. Even if Orochimaru hadn''t backstabbed us, this entire campaign was destined to be a disaster!''


    Fujin ignored everyone''s gazes and said, "Ryu, it''s time for a rampage!"


    [A/N: Next chapter in 6-8 hours.


    Latest chapter on Pat reon - Sand yer]


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 Chapter 745: Setting the skies ablaze!

    Chapter 745: Setting the skies aze!


    "What an odd sight¡­" Ryu muttered softly in his jagged voice.


    The situation in front of him truly puzzled him. Having lived for several centuries, Ryu had seen several odd things that seemed far beyondmon sense. However, he had never seen so many weird people simultaneously.


    He observed, ''These two don''t have the aura of the living¡­ They''re undoubtedly dead but seem to bepletely fine. Those two inside the barrier have simr auras. Since when could the dead rise in such a manner?


    Also, what''s with this barrier? It seems sturdy enough to endure my strongest attacks. Not to mention, those four powering the barrier are harnessing nature energy. However, it feels off too. It''s almost as if they''re using some artificial means¡­''


    For over a century, the Winged Sabertooths didn''t have a summoner. Even though a few of them liked to travel, they couldn''t learn about the advancements in Ninjutsu. As such, Ryu was quite surprised to see so many oddities when he was finally summoned.


    Of course, he couldn''t be entirely med. Orochimaru''s forbidden techniques had even surprised Hiruzen, the person publicly acknowledged as having the greatest Ninjutsu knowledge. The other Kages would have been even more surprised as they weren''t even aware of Orochimaru''s forbidden experiments.


    So, it was natural for Ryu to be surprised. However, since it was the first thing he saw when he was summoned, he couldn''t help but feel like the human world had changed a lot.


    Fujin sensed his feelings, chuckled and said, "What you''re seeing is odd for us too. I''ll exin the detailster. For now, we need to smash the barrier, seal those dead ninjas and kill that snake."


    Ryu replied, "Alright!" To the shock of nearly every ninja, Ryu''s fur began moving and tworge wings appeared on his back. With a single p, the massive Sabertooth got off the ground and flew above the barrier, one of the most difficult spots for ninjas to defend.


    Of course, facing him were two extremely strong ninjas. Fujin said, "Aerial attacks might not work much. Both of them have mastered the Ma Release. Don''t be engulfed by the Gold or Iron, they might be poisoned. Also, be careful of suicidal attacks. They can''t be killed and I''ll have to seal them after we destroy them."


    While Fujin spoke, arge amount of gold and iron floated towards them. The gold dust spread through the entire area instead of targeting Ryu directly. As for the iron, it transformed into several sharp weapons, all of which wereunched towards Ryu.


    Ryu sighed and replied, "I forgot howplicated humans were¡­"


    Wind chakra suddenly flowed through his wings, giving them a green glow. Intense winds were released downwards as he pped them, which transformed into several mini-hurricanes. They engulfed the iron weapon projectiles and the gold dust, stopping their movement before sending them back at the enemy!


    The two former Kazekage had to defend against their own attacks. However, that was just the first part of the attack. They noticed that following them were extremely sharp winds! Within moments, they controlled arge amount of gold and iron to form a protective wall mid-air!


    Hoka looked at Ryu''s counterattack with a helpless smile on his face. He thought, ''Even his summon is stronger than me¡­ He just sent back the attacks of two Kazekages like it was nothing! Not to mention, those winds could annihte ordinary ninjas. How many more cards does Fujin have hidden?''


    Inside the barrier, Orochimaru frowned while analyzing, ''Troublesome. I knew he had a summon, but I didn''t know it''d be this strong. This one might be able to go up against Manda¡­ Interesting, I wonder how many more surprises you''ll give me, Suzuki Fujin.''


    The Konoha ninjas were impressed as well. However, they stopped watching and ganged up on the few remaining Oto ninjas in the stadium. Without the Suna ninjas, the Oto ninjas were heavily outnumbered. Under the ruthless assault of Konoha ninjas, they began dropping like flies!


    The Kazekages'' iron-gold wall stopped their own attacks before weathering the sharp winds. Even though several scars appeared on the wall and it broke in several spots, none of the attacks reached the barrier.


    However, Ryu had expected it. In fact, even if they didn''t block the attack, it wouldn''t have done much harm to the barrier. It was merely a distraction so that his real attack would hit the barrier. Ryu opened his mouth wide while concentrating chakra in his throat!


    ''Breath of Wind!''


    Ryu fired a massive beam, made purely of wind, at the iron-gold wall. For the ninjas who watched from far away, they thought that it was a normal Wind jutsu. However, the ones who could pay closer attention like Hoka, noticed that it was made up entirely of extremely small but sharp wind des. They were so dense that they couldn''t help but shiver at the thought of that beam even ncing past them.


    The Wind Breath hit exactly the spot in the iron-gold wall that had been severely weakened by Ryu''s previous attack. As a result, it pierced through it as if it didn''t even exist!


    Due to how quick the follow-up attack was, neither of the Kazekages could counterattack in time. They sent iron and gold dust to stop the beam, but it had already hit the barrier!


    The Sound Four immediately coughed blood as the barrier shook due to the intense attack and the massive impact. Luckily for them, the barrier was strong enough to endure such an attack. They quickly injected more of their chakra into the barrier, ensuring that it kept standing.


    However, their eyes suddenly widened as they realized something extremely odd! If a normal jutsu hit the barrier, it''d damage the barrier in an instant before its effect is over. However, Ryu''s attack was a continuous beam. The barrier was bombarded by innumerable small des without a moment''s break!


    Orochimaru noticed it as well and analyzed, ''I was wrong. Even though he seemed slightly weaker than Manda at first nce, his Senjutsu is to be at a higher level than Manda''s. In the Ryuchi Cave, only the White Snake Sage is better at Senjutsu than him.''


    Realizing the danger, the Sound Four continuously kept injecting more chakra into the barrier. Every one of them had a grim expression as they understood, ''Shit! We can''t maintain the barrier if this continues!''


    Fortunately for them, the two former Kazekage had made a move immediately. In just a couple of seconds, they flooded a massive amount of iron and gold into the Wind Breath, neutralizing some wind des. In a few more seconds, they managed to create a thickyer of iron and gold that blocked the entire beam.


    Ryu finally stopped his attack as it couldn''t pierce through the denseyer of Gold and Iron. The Sound Four sighed in relief and thought, ''Fortunately, these two are here. Still, we can''t endure more of these attacks. We may stop another, but if there''s a third, the barrier will fall! Hurry up, Orochimaru-sama!''


    Up in the sky, Ryu observed, ''As expected, the way they harness Nature chakra is wed. They lost nearly half of their chakra. Still¡­''


    He said, "Fujin, my attacks can''t pierce through that thickyer of metal. Usually, I would have just entered a physicalbat, but it doesn''t seem like a good option."


    Fujin replied, "Yeah, we have to keep our distance. Anyway, it''s fine. We aren''t the ones who are on a time limit. Say, can you merge Yang chakra with Wind chakra?"


    Ryu replied, "Yes. Do you have a n?"


    Fujin smirked, "Yes, let''s give them a big one."


    Like Fujin said, the one who was under the pressure of time was Orochimaru and not Fujin. When Renjiro asked Fujin to help Hiruzen, it was the opposite. However, the situation had changed entirely once the Suna ninjas withdrew.


    In just a minute, every Oto ninja in the arena, other than Orochimaru and the Sound Four, was killed. Hundreds of Konoha ninjas turned their gaze towards the barrier and started moving towards it.


    The eyes of the Sound Four ninjas widened as they realized what was about to happen. The two Kazekage also turned their attention from Fujin to the other Konoha ninjas. However, they were forced to turn their heads up immediately. They weren''t the only ones. Every ninja in the arena, including Hiruzen and Orochimaru, turned their gaze to the sky.


    Following Fujin''s suggestion, Ryu had unleashed a massive Wind jutsu. Its scale far exceeded Fujin''s supercharged Infinite Breakthrough jutsu. Not only did it have more chakra, but it also had a perfect bnce of Wind chakra, Yang chakra and Nature chakra.


    That attack, in itself, would have been extremely strong. However, Fujin shot the Majestic Destroyer me jutsu right into those intense winds. The two jutsus merged perfectly, resulting in an even more devastatingbination jutsu than the one Fujin created with the help of Orochimaru''s mes!


    Everyone looked in shock as the sky above the arena was set aze! It seemed like the Sun itself hade down to the!


    [A/N: Break tomorrow.]


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 Chapter 746: A Peculiar Expression...

    "What in the world is that?"


    "Is this what the hell looks like?"


    "That fire is nowhere near us and yet it feels so hot! It''s almost like my skin is burning!"


    "Fire? That''s no fire! That''s Scorch Release!"


    "No doubt! The rumors were true! Fujin defeated Orochimaru with Scorch Release in the Forest of Death!"


    The Konoha ninjas discussed among themselves. Fujin had merged his mes perfectly with Ryu''s winds and created Scorch jutsu once again. Due to the scale of Ryu''s jutsu, the attack covered the entire sky, making it seem like it was raining fire! Even for the experienced ninjas, it was a hellish sight!


    Orochimaru and Hiruzen looked at it in surprise as well. Orochimaru thought, ''This is even stronger than what he did earlier. The addition of nature chakra takes it to an entirely new level!''


    At the same time, Hiruzen wondered, ''Has he really not mastered Scorch Release yet?''


    Enma said, "So this is the boy you told me about? His summon is strong. That Winged Sabertooth has very good control over nature chakra." Fujin''s attack forced the Konoha ninjas to stop. They didn''t want to be caught in its range. A few veteran Jounins shouted, "Retreat! Take cove¡­ Huh?"


    Instead of continuing to spread, the attack suddenly converged towards the barrier. Once again, the Konoha ninjas marvelled at Fujin''s control over the winds. Rasa and the Third Kazekage immediately unleashed all the Gold and Iron Orochimaru had arranged for them. It began floating on top of the barrier, forming a dome around it to protect it from the attack.


    However, several Konoha ninjas immediately noticed something. They observed, ''Fujin''s attack is only concentrated at top. Even though it is extremely strong, defeating the two Kazekage will be difficult. So this is why he¡­''


    Immediately several Konoha ninjas shouted loudly, "Attack the barrier from the sides! The iron-gold dome is very weak in that direction. Destroy the barrier! But be careful with your jutsus. Don''t destroy the stadium!"


    Immediately, a few dozen Konoha ninjas moved forward while weaving hand seals. While Fujin attacked from the top, they attacked with Fire jutsus supported by a few Wind jutsus from all sides of the barrier.


    The two Kazekage noticed it and quickly reinforced the sides as well, weakening the top part a bit. At the same time, the Sound Four prepared themselves to put their entire chakra into the barrier. They weren''t sure how long they couldst under such an assault but decided to buy every second they could buy for Orochimaru.


    A massive explosion took ce once Fujin''s and Ryu''sbination attacknded on the iron-gold. It was so intense that the entire dome shook and its topyer began melting! The explosion also sent a few shockwaves at Ryu and Fujin, but they were a sufficient distance away to be threatened by it.


    Moments after their attacknded, thebination attack of Konoha ninjasnded on the dome. A string of explosions urred again on the dome. The Konoha ninjas stayed back to see the effect of their attack. They were very high in morale and had hope in their eyes. They wanted to see the barrier destroyed so that they could reinforce their Kage.


    As the smoke and dust cleared, a look of disbelief appeared on their faces. They muttered, "Impossible! How is it still standing?"


    To the surprise of the Konoha ninjas, the dome still stood! Of course, it was in terrible shape. A good portion at the top was missing. Signs of the metals melting and solidifying again could be seen all across the dome. Severalrge cracks and a few holes were visible in it. However, the dome had endured the deadly attacks! The barrier behind it was still intact!


    The Sound Four sighed in relief, ''As expected of the Kazekages. Even under such an intense assault, they can still stop it.''


    In the sky, Fujin nced at the dome while thinking, ''As expected of the Kazekages. Even under such an intense assault, they can still protect the barrier. Oh well, I wonder how many rounds they canst.''


    Unlike the remaining Konoha ninjas, Fujin knew that the two Kazekage wouldn''t fall so easily. At the end of the day, they were still rank S ninjas. In addition, their abilities were very good for defending and stalling. Of course, considering how outnumbered they were, it was just a matter of time before they fell. Since Hiruzen was holding his own, the Konoha ninjas had no reason to panic.


    Fujin nced inside the barrier and thought, ''This war should be over. Someone like Orochimaru should understand this easily and should''ve retreated by now. However, why is he still fighting Hiruzen?''


    While he was confident in defeating the two Kazekage, Orochimaru''s illogical actions confused Fujin and made him raise his guard a bit. He nced towards a spot in the stadium. Fujin''s clone, who had been keeping an eye on Hiruzen and Orochimaru''s battle, noticed his gaze and nced at him.


    The clone understood Fujin''s intentions in a heartbeat. He made another Shadow Clone that had a minuscule amount of chakra to continue keeping an eye on Hiruzen and dispelled himself, returning the majority of the chakra to Fujin.


    In an instant, Fujin''s chakra reserves were almostpletely full. The chakra from the clone made up his missing chakra as well as the chakra he consumed while summoning Ryu and using thebination jutsu.


    However, this was also thest time Fujin could use this trick. He still had 3 Shadow Clones, but the ones watching Hiruzen''s and Sakumo''s battles barely had any chakra. The Shadow Clone following Naruto''s group had a lot of chakra, but Fujin didn''t want to dispel him. That clone had an important mission and was also responsible for ensuring that Naruto''s group lived.


    Ryu and Fujin built up their chakra once again as Fujin thought, ''Alright, let me see what your scheme is, Orochimaru.''


    The Konoha ninjas on the ground sensed their chakra built up and immediately prepared for the second round of attack.


    Inside the barrier, Hiruzen had the same thoughts as Fujin. He decided to probe and said, "This battle is over, Orochimaru. You''ve lost. Your forces have been annihted. And very soon, you''ll be as well¡­"


    Hiruzen was interrupted as Orochimaru startedughing. To his surprise, Orochimaru replied, "I admit, I underestimated Konoha greatly. I didn''t anticipate you''d counterattack so fiercely. I was wrong about you having gonepletely soft and senile."


    Hiruzen immediately had a bad feeling. He thought, ''This is weird. Since when did he start epting a loss gracefully? No, he is definitely nning something.''


    As Hiruzen calcted, Orochimaru began weaving hand seals while saying, "I wanted to give you a poetic ending. To die at the hands of your predecessors, how ironic would that have been¡­


    Unfortunately, I havepletely failed to do it. But, no matter. The end result will still be the same!"


    Some distance away from Konoha, the Genins were in a fierce battle. Fujin''s clone didn''t interfere, but a peculiar look was visible on his face. Of course, no one saw it.


    The reason for having such an expression was due to how the battle had yed so far. Due to the presence of Shikamaru and Lee, Fujin''s clone expected a lot of changes. While it seemed so initially, the situation became extremely familiar once again.


    Shikamaru tried using his Shadow Possession on Gaara, but it was pretty much useless against a partially transformed Gaara, who not only had a tremendous amount of chakra but also moved quite quickly. Even Shikamaru''s brain wasn''t a big factor due to how absurd his opponent was and how limited his information and knowledge were about the Jinchurikis.


    Sasuke was down due to the curse and could barely move while Naruto wasn''t giving his all either as he wondered whether he could deal with Gaara, someone who had found a different answer to deal with loneliness and appeared to have ovee it through his own strength.


    As a result, the only one who could fight was Lee. Unfortunately, he hadn''tpletely recovered. Even if he had, there wasn''t much he could do against a normal Gaara, let alone a partially transformed one. He too took a bit of beating before Gaara trapped Sakura just like in the original story.


    Wanting to save Sakura, Lee decided to open his Inner Gates. Unfortunately for the boy, it immediately opened up his previous internal injuries and the boy copsed on the spot. His condition became worse than Sasuke''s.


    In the end, it all came down to Naruto, though he had Shikamaru''s support. Fujin''s clone couldn''t help but think with a serious expression, ''This is weird¡­ Despite my interference creating so many changes, how can this battle unfold exactly like how it did in the original story?''


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


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 Chapter 747: The Inevitable Fate?

    ''Despite my interference creating so many changes, how can this battle unfold exactly like how it did in the original story?'' A deep frown appeared on the face of Fujin''s clone.


    Ever since he stepped into this world, Fujin had been careful not to mess with the story too much. Unfortunately, things hadn''t been as he had wished, and his presence inevitably caused several changes. Things had gone so out of hand that Fujin had mentally prepared himself to discard most of his future knowledge.


    As such, seeing something happen simr to the original story should have been good news to Fujin. However, his clone wasn''t happy. On the contrary, his mood was grave.


    He analyzed, ''The circumstances here and in the original story werepletely different. In the original story, Konoha was shown to be ignorant to the fact that Gaara was a Jinchuriki. Even if I assume that Hiruzen knew, he hadn''t made any arrangements to take care of him. Suna''s betrayal hade as a shock to Konoha.


    However, due to my interference, Konoha was well aware of Suna''s treachery and prepared for the war. The higher-ups have long known that Gaara is a Jinchuriki. Hiruzen and Shikaku even assigned Kakashi to take care of him.


    Yet, despite all the preparations and arrangements, despite the changes caused due to my actions, why have things reached exactly this stage?''


    Fujin''s clone saw Naruto creating a dozen Shadow Clones and using them very creatively to maneuver around Gaara. He used the Thousand Years of Death jutsu, with one small change. Instead of sticking an explosive tag to his kunai, Naruto used the kunai that was given to him by Fujin when he left his training to Jiraiya.


    As a result, the explosion was much stronger. Had the circumstances been different, Fujin''s clone would have been amused. However, his mind was in a different ce.


    Just a month ago, Fujin had dismissed Neji''s thoughts about Fate and put his own perspective. However, there was one major difference between Neji and Fujin. Neji''s perspective was a result of his traumatic childhood and the arrogance of a genius. Fujin, on the other hand, knew what the future held. He knew that fate yed a major role in this world, especially with events involving Naruto and Sasuke. Even so, he hadn''t given much importance to it. Fujin believed that once he gained sufficient strength, he could change the future to be extremely advantageous for him.


    However, what he was witnessing shook his confidence. For the first time, sinceing into this world, Fujin was forced to take ''fate'' seriously. Fujin''s clone couldn''t help but wonder, ''If fate truly exists and if things will eventually happen just like they did in the original story, then what''s the meaning of my existence?


    Once I make those moves, it should change the future entirely just like when I killed Kabuto. Even the Fourth Great Ninja War will bepletely different if it happens at all. However, if fate exists, does it mean that I wouldn''t be able to do that? Or, could it be that all my actions will prove futile and the end result will be simr to it was this time?''


    Needless to say, Fujin''s clone didn''t want to believe it. He could gain strength and fight against stronger foes. With Flying Thunder God jutsu, he wasn''t afraid even of beings like Madara as he could always run away. However, what could he do against something as intangible as fate? If he didn''t know the future, he wouldn''t have cared about it as it would have been pointless. But, that wasn''t the case.


    Fujin''s clone quickly concluded, ''I guess I can still chalk this up to a freakish chain of coincidences. Directly ming fate wouldn''t do me any good. I need more information.


    Apart from Naruto changing Gaara, there is another critical event that is supposed to happen. Hiruzen is supposed to die in this war. If he doesn''t, then the changes will be too huge. However, from the memories I just received, the battle is nearly over. Hiruzen should end up living.


    If fate truly exists, then it means that something strange will happen and he''ll die¡­ If that truly happens, then I''ll need to reevaluate my situation entirely.''


    "Multi Shadow Clone jutsu!"


    "Infinite Breakthrough jutsu!"


    After Sasuke softened Naruto''s fall and disyed his resolve to die while Naruto and Shikamaru rescue Sakura and leave, Naruto regained his confidence. He immediately created hundreds of Shadow Clones, whichpletely surrounded Gaara, who was still in a bad shape due to the explosion. In the blink of an eye, Gaara was bombarded by intense winds from every direction!


    Orochimaru mmed his hands on the branch he was standing on and said, "I didn''t want it to end this way, but this is the end. You will die here, Sensei! And, Fujin, Jiraiya and every Konoha ninja here will follow you into the afterlife!"


    Hiruzen''s eyes widened in shock as ten boxes appeared from the branch! Each of them opened and the faces of the ninjas inside became visible. Hiruzen muttered, "Impossible!"


    Up in the sky, Fujin noticed them through the holes in the iron-gold dome. His pupils dted and his eyes widened as he muttered in disbelief, "This¡­ He still had such a card left?"


    While the dome blocked the view of most Konoha ninjas, the Hyuga ninjas were able to see what was happening inside the barrier clearly. Without an exception, shock appeared on everyone''s face!


    The ten reanimated ninjas walked out of the boxes. Some of them muttered, "This is weird. How am I alive agai¡­ The First Hokage???"


    Their eyes widened as they saw Hashirama and Tobirama attacking Hiruzen. Seeing Hashirama, each one of them panicked without any exception. However, in less than a second, they recalled that they were already dead and so was Hashirama.


    One of them said, "So, this is the Second Hokage''s Edo Tensei. Hahaha, it looks like someone used it to attack Konoha. That''s hrious."


    Another replied, "You sure are calm for someone who''s being controlled. It looks like this young man is the caster of this jutsu."


    Most of them didn''t recognize Orochimaru, but a few did and were surprised. One of them chuckled and said, "So, the snake turned on his vige in the end."


    In the arena, a few ninjas asked, "Hiashi-sama, what''s the issue? What is happening inside the barrier? Is Hokage-sama safe?"


    Despite his vast experience, Hiashi was too stunned to speak. Several others asked simr questions to other Hyuga ninjas, but none of them answered. In the skies, Ryu muttered, "Ten new chakras, simr to those four dead ones have appeared. Fujin, do you recognize them?"


    Fujin replied, "Yeah, each one of them is terrifying. We won''t be their match. Each one of them led one of the major hidden viges in their prime!"


    Hiruzen muttered, "First Raikage, Second Raikage, Third Raikage, First Tsuchikage, Second Tsuchikage, First Kazekage, Second Kazekage, First Mizukage, Second Mizukage and Third Mizukage¡­ You reanimated all of them?"


    Disbelief could be heard in Hiruzen''s voice. He never expected to see such a sight in his old age. Fujin thought, ''Except Minato, every dead Kage is here. This crazy bastard collected everyone''s DNA in the month-long break! That''s why he was so confident! However, can he control them all?''


    Fujin''s mind immediately went into overdrive, analyzing every information he had so far. He immediately concluded, ''No, he definitely must have some limits. Otherwise, he''d have revived way more ninjas and sent them after me. That said, he must have some means to keep some degree of control. Regardless, how do I tackle this?''


    Even Fujin felt a bit overwhelmed and helpless. Had it been a few, he could have dealt with them. However, there were 14 reanimated Kage in and around the barrier. Not to mention, Sakumo was keeping Guy, Kakashi and Renjiro upied in the arena.


    Fujin realized, ''This is impossible to deal with. If we break the barrier now and try to use our numerical advantage, hundreds of Elite ninjas will be ughtered. There is a good chance that the entire army would be wiped out. Even when Jiraiya reaches here, we won''t have the forces to eliminate them.


    Even if I go all out and use my Flying Thunder God jutsu and all my other hidden cards, I can''t change the battle much. All of them are strong even among the S rank. Some of them stood at the peak of S rank when they were alive. They won''t be caught off guard that easily.


    The best I can do is touch them and teleport them hundreds of kilometers away from here. However, Tobirama can easily counter this tactic. Even if I assume that they aren''t marked yet and send 3 away before Tobirama reacts and marks everyone, that''s still too much¡­''


    Fujin nced at Hiruzen and thought, ''The only way is the Death Reaper Seal. However¡­''


    Just like his clone, Fujin too felt extremely ufortable at the way the events suddenly changed. He couldn''t help but think about fate as well and have the same thoughts as his clone!


    [A/N: PS: Please keep the author notes of chp 704 in mind.]


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


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 Chapter 748: A Second of Hesitation!

    [A/N: Predicted the outrage on Webnovel over 3 months ago, lol. Now you guys know why I made that author''s note ?? Enjoyed thements, though kinda hurts by how quick some people are to insult the story as well as me as the author inspite of being nearly 750 chapters into the story.


    Anyway, that is out of my control. I guess I need to rify somethings based on thements made in the earlier chapter.


    1. The limits I had mentioned earlier on how many reanimated ninjas Orochimaru can control was based on <strong><em>range. </em></strong>Away from himself, he''s limited to 2 rank S, 3 Elite Jounins and some Jounins. As for when they''re closer to him, his control is far better. Whether he can control 15 Kage level ninjas at the same time, you''ll see soon.


    2. The strength of the reanimated Kages isn''t at the same level as when they were alive. They are barely at the rank S level (this includes Hashirama, Sakumo and Tobirama), otherwise Hiruzen would have long been dead and Fujin would be tied down by Sakumo.


    I guess I should write something about why I increased the number of people Orochimaru could control, but I''m pretty sure there''ll be another author note addressing that once this battle ends. That should clear things up. All said and done, enjoy. Not sure if this chapter will be more controversial or less ????]


    "Heh, to think that the mighty Konoha would one day have to see such a day." Hozuki Gengetsu, the second Mizukage, taunted Hiruzen. He found the situation quite amusing.


    He wasn''t the only one. The rest of the reanimated Kages were quite surprised too. Irrespective of who it was, all of them had tried to destroy Konoha and failed miserably. No matter how many viges attacked Konoha, it remained a Behemoth that couldn''t be destroyed. Even though they weren''t pleased that someone was controlling them, seeing the destruction of Konoha was quite a pleasant surprise for them.


    Hiruzen snorted and replied, "I wonder if you''ll be this amused when he reanimates all of you to attack your viges next. If Konoha falls, do you think your viges could stop him when he turns his eyes towards them?"


    Immediately, the faces of all the Kages became dark. Needless to say, that was their first thought. Even though none of them were at their full strength, their power was more than sufficient to destroy any Great Vige. Since Hashirama and Tobirama had stopped their attacks momentarily, Hiruzen immediately decided to strike with his words. The Third Mizukage thought, ''Hiruzen is correct. Unless the strength of our viges has immensely increased somehow, they won''t be able to stop us. The best hope for their survival is if Hiruzen stops us. Of course, that is unless we can regain control of our bodies. If we do so, we can just kill Orochimaru first and then kill Hiruzen and destroy Konoha.''


    His eyes quickly scanned through the situation outside the barrier as he analyzed, ''There are only Konoha ninjas. There must have been a war and Konoha won overwhelmingly, forcing Orochimaru to summon us. In this case, we could have a chance to break free of his control.''


    The Third Mizukage''s scheming mind immediately calcted all the scenarios. The other Kages had simr thoughts. The First Kazekage suddenly chuckled and said, "As expected of the schemer''s student. Even without lifting a finger, you''re making us want to eliminate your enemy first. Haha, Tobirama selected a good sessor."


    Without skipping a beat, Hiruzen asked, "Do you see the Fourth Kazekage outside the barrier? He was killed not too long ago by the very person who summoned you. Right now, your vige doesn''t have a single rank S ninja."


    The eyes of the First and Second Kazekage widened in shock. Instinctively, both tried to break free of Orochimaru''s control, making his job much more difficult. Orochimaru cursed, ''Shit! If I allow him to keep speaking¡­''


    Without showing his real emotions, Orochimaru chuckled and said, "It looks like age failed to tone down your scheming nature, Sensei. You allied with Suna and killed the Kazekage under the pretence of a meeting, forcing the Sunagakure to attack Konoha recklessly and fall into your trap. The bodies of Suna ninjas are still littered in the arena."


    Without wasting any time, Orochimaru tried to confuse the two Kazekages. Needless to say, they didn''t believe his words. However, they knew that they couldn''t trust Hiruzen either. Orochimaru continued, "You can give up trying to break my control. The only thing that will be broken is the vige you hold so dear to yourself. Hahaha!"


    Hiruzen interrupted hisughter and imed, "You can stop acting tough, Orochimaru. You were already having a difficult time controlling Lord First and Lord Second along with Sakumo and the two Kazekages. You have a lot of courage to keep reanimating more ninjas even in that condition. Tell me, how much of your strength can you exert?"


    In an instant, Orochimaru fell under a lot of pressure. The wills of 10 rank S ninjas attempted to break free of his control! In addition, his previous 5 summons were also passively resisting him. Even for someone as strong as Orochimaru, it was an extremely difficult thing to maintain control.


    Even though Orochimaru had improved Tobirama''s Edo Tensei considerably, he was still a long distance away from the level to which Kabuto would have improved it in the future. He could still fight when he hadn''t summoned 10 more Kages. However, after summoning them, he was forced to focus entirely on maintaining control. In a way, his situation was simr to that of a puppet master!


    Even so, heughed and said, "Hehe, as expected of you, Sensei. You''re right, I won''t be able to fight you much. However, do I really need to? Can you break through all the former Kage and attack me? That''ll be an amusing sight!"


    Immediately, the reanimated Kage began moving against their will. Hiruzen was about to face twelve former Kage by himself!


    In the skies, Fujin continuously calcted several possibilities. He quickly eliminated most of them, but one remained in his mind. He thought, ''Since teleporting the Kages away won''t help much, what if I directly eliminated Orochimaru? I can just prepare the Rasenshuriken and hit him by teleporting close to him.


    Once he is taken out, Sakumo, Hashirama and Tobirama won''t be under his control. Even though none of them are at their peak, their strength is equivalent to the others. Along with me, Jiraiya and Hiruzen, we could fight with them despite having just half the numbers¡­ Not to mention, Guy and Kakashi would be freed up as well. However¡­''


    Fujin hesitated. There were several ws in his strategy. The very first w was that he wasn''t certain if the Rasenshuriken would kill Orochimaru. If Orochimaru survived and healed with his skin-shedding technique, Fujin would have exposed his Flying Thunder God jutsu without gaining anything.


    The second w was that even if he killed Orochimaru, the odds were strongly against Konoha. Hashirama, Tobirama and Sakumo could take on one opponent each. That would leave Fujin, Jiraiya and Hiruzen to deal with 3 each. They were terrible odds even if Fujin went all out.


    Even if Guy took out one by opening the Seventh Inner Gate, it wouldn''t make much of a difference. While Kakashi and Renjiro were strong, their battle against Sakumo had shown that neither could battle at such a level.


    Fujin concluded, ''The only way we could turn things around is if weaker Konoha ninjas take some of the Kages on and stall them. However, this will result in extremely heavy casualties. Knowing Hiruzen, he might use the Death Reaper Seal anyway to prevent those casualties, which again makes my attempt pointless¡­''


    Fujin''s calctions made him hesitate. As someone who loved keeping his cards hidden, it was against his nature to expose them without any certainty of results.


    Ironically, his biggest motivation to act out had nothing to do with Konoha or even Hiruzen. The main reason why he was tempted to stop being as careful as he always was, was to see whether he can force a major change to the future. It was his way of proving to himself that fate didn''t exist, or at least his existence could impact major events.


    While Fujin hesitated, there was one person who didn''t. Fujin extended his right arm and began forming the Rasengan in his right hand. However, even before he couldpletely form the basic Rasengan, Hiruzen created 12 Shadow Clones and all 13 weaved hand seals rapidly!


    They first weaved the Snake seal and followed it with the Boar, Ram, Rabbit, Dog, Rat, Bird, Horse and Snake seals in that order before pping their hands together.


    Enma shouted, "Don''t tell me you''re¡­?"


    In the sky, Fujin sensed the change in Hiruzen''s chakra and stopped creating the Rasengan. He let out a sigh and thought, ''In the end, this still happened¡­''


    ''That order of hand seals¡­ Sarutobi, you are performing that jutsu!!!'' Enma thought in disbelief.


    Hiruzen nced behind him and thought, ''So this is the God of Death that Minato was saying only the caster of this jutsu can see. Sigh, I hope this works¡­''


    Orochimaru noticed Hiruzen''s odd actions and said, "No matter what you try, it''s toote. I''ve won! Konoha will fall!"


    Hiruzen didn''t reply as he saw all 12 reanimated Kages moving towards him. Without wasting any time, all of his Shadow Clones immediately moved towards them!


    In the forest, Gaara couldn''t resist the bombardment of Naruto''s supercharged Wind jutsus! The explosion of Fujin''s kunai had damaged the sand armor around him considerably and before he could fix it, he was attacked by Naruto.


    To his horror, several sharp wind des cut straight through the sand around his body! Several long cuts opened up on his body, injuring Gaara like he never was in his entire life. Even Fujin''s clone was surprised. As Gaara''s screams echoed through the forest, Fujin''s clone couldn''t help but wonder, ''Could this attack kill Gaara or will he¡­?''


    Even before he couldplete his thoughts, Gaara transformed entirely into Shukaku!


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


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 Chapter 749: The Indomitable Third Hokage (1)

    Fujin''s clone saw with a deadpan expression as Gaara transformed and Naruto used Kurama''s chakra and summoned Gamabunta to stop him. He let out a sigh and muttered, "Fuck it. This is still beneficial for me. Time to do what I have to do."


    The chakra signature of Fujin''s clone suddenly changed and so did his appearance and physique. The change was so drastic that no one would be able to associate him with Fujin. At the same time, a seal imprint lit up on his right palm as he mmed it on the ground.


    Hundreds of Flying Thunder God marks spread throughout the area as a new seal imprint appeared on his left palm. He didn''t make any other move and instead watched Shukaku and Gamabunta like a hawk.


    Inside the barrier, Orochimaru watched in amusement as Hiruzen''s Shadow Clones moved to intercept the 12 former Kage. The ones leading the charge were none other than Hashirama and Tobirama. Hiruzen''s clone immediately noticed the changes in Hashirama''s chakra and realized, ''So, he''s using that technique¡­''


    ''Bringer of Darkness jutsu''


    In an instant, Hashirama ced a hallucinatory darkness on Hiruzen and all his clones'' eyesight, causing them to see nothing but ck.


    However, Hiruzen and all his clones disrupted their chakra flow and released arge amount of Yang chakra.


    ''Yang Release: Annihtor of Darkness jutsu''


    Hashirama and Tobirama were surprised. Not even half a second had passed and Hiruzen and his clones had broken Hashirama''s Genjutsu. Hiruzen thought, ''I may not have reached the raw power of Lord First or the speed of Lord Second, but I have lived long enough to surpass them in Ninjutsu and Genjutsu.'' Two of his Shadow Clones flickered in front of Hashirama and Tobirama. Both attacked his clones immediately, but his clones grabbed their arms. The arm of the God of Death appeared from the chests of Hiruzen''s clones, pierced the bodies of the former Hokages and began extracting their souls!


    Hashirama muttered, "So sorry, Sarutobi."


    Tobirama smirked and said, "Forgive us for troubling you."


    Hiruzen''s clones replied remorsefully, "Please forgive me, Lord First, Lord Second."


    While Hiruzen''s clones dealt with Hashirama and Tobirama, the other Kages didn''t stand still. They had already begun shing with Hiruzen''s clones.


    Lightning Armor appeared on the Third Raikage''s body as he said, "Even though I''m not at my full strength, do you think that a mere clone can stop me? I never imagined that Konoha would be so desperate, that too against your own student¡­ A shame that this didn''t happen when I was alive!"


    The clone facing him didn''t reply. Instead, he wondered, ''How would he react if I informed him of the mess Fujin and Akuro created in the Land of Lightning?''


    ''Hell Stab: One finger assault''


    The Third Raikage concentrated an extremely high amount of chakra into a single finger and moved towards Hiruzen''s clone at an extremely high speed. However, Hiruzen''s clone immediately counterattacked with Vacuum Bullets while moving backwards.


    The Third Raikage quickly dodged them while reducing the distance between the two of them. Due to his far superior speed, he appeared in front of Hiruzen''s clone in just a second. Unknown to him, this was also the moment Hiruzen''s clone was waiting for!


    ''Wind Release: Serial Vacuum Wave jutsu''


    At such a close range, Hiruzen''s clone fired extremely fast and sharp Vacuum des! Had he been alive, the Third Raikage would have retreated. But, due to Orochimaru''s control and the immortal nature of the Edo Tensei body, he continued his attack.


    The Vacuum des hit him and sliced straight through the armor of his Lightning Chakra Mode before hitting him! Several massive cuts opened up on his body, with thergest extending from his neck to his abdomen. Yet, none of the Vacuum des managed to pierce through his body or enter deeper within his body even though his body was considerably weaker than when he was alive! That''s how strong his body was!


    Ignoring the injuries, he continued his attack but was shocked when Hiruzen''s clone suddenly grabbed his wrist. The Third Raikage''s invincible spear was stopped! He turned his gaze towards his wrist and saw that Hiruzen''s left hand was covered in wind chakra.


    The Third Raikage immediately realized, ''Now I see. The previous attack wasn''t to kill or dismember me. Instead, he wanted to damage my Lightning Armor. Since the Vacuum de had cut my wrist, that part was momentarily without protection of my Lightning Armor and that''s why he could stop me. However, what''s the use of doing this?''


    He was confused. Even though Hiruzen''s clone outyed him, there wasn''t any actual loss for him as he could still continue to attack. Suddenly, his eyes widened as the Lightning around his body disappeared! Instead, he saw the God of Death behind Hiruzen''s clone, extracting his soul!


    Hiruzen''s clone chuckled and said, "Death seems to have clouded your memories. Let me remind you why you never dared to duel against me."


    As his soul was extracted, the Third Raikage recalled some of his memories. During the First Great Ninja War, Hiruzen had built up a terrifying reputation. Tobirama''s death at the end of that war had been a huge blow to Konoha. In order topensate for it, Hiruzen had trained so much that his strength had be extremely terrifying, to the extent that even the other Kages didn''t want to face him in battle.


    Over the next couple of Great Wars, the Third Raikage had shed with Hiruzen several times. However, those shes convinced him to never confront Hiruzen by himself for a long time. Needless to say, he hadn''t forgotten it. However, he was already dead. So, he didn''t particrly care if Hiruzen killed him. Yet, seeing the God of Death shocked him.


    Some distance away, intense winds were flowing around Shamon, the Second Kazekage as he confronted another one of Hiruzen''s clones. He said, "I don''t know whether you killed the Fourth Kazekage or your student did. However, the winds are telling me that hundreds of my vigers were murdered here. I can only make you pay for their deaths!"


    Hundreds of Wind des formed around him and bombarded Hiruzen''s clone. Hiruzen''s clone spat out arge amount of mud, which transformed into several walls and absorbed the wind des. As soon as the barrage of wind des ended, several mud bullets wereunched from the mud.


    Shamon immediately dodged, but several mud tentacles suddenly burst out of the mud and tried to grab him. Before they could reach him, wolves made of wind appeared around him and shot Wind Explosion Spheres at the tentacles and destroyed them.


    Shamon was about to turn his attention back to Hiruzen''s Shadow Clone when several mud clones appeared out of the mud he had spit earlier and attacked Shamon. Shamon nced at them and thought, ''The same jutsu for defending, attacking and reinforcing him¡­ His expertise in Ninjutsu is at a whole different level from what I remember¡­''


    The Mud clones attacked him from one side, keeping Shamon busy. Hiruzen''s clone used the opening to flicker behind him. However, even before Hiruzen''s clonepleted the Body Flicker jutsu, Shamon turned around and pointed both his palms towards Hiruzen''s clone.


    Tworge Vacuum Spheres were forming in each of his hands as he said, "I''m impressed. To think that fire-spitting youngster from back then hase so far. I wouldn''t have imagined. Unfortunately, this isn''t enough to stop me."


    Dozens of Vacuum Bullets, Cannons, Arrows and Vacuum des wereunched at Hiruzen''s clone continuously from therge Vacuum Spheres. What made it even moreplicated was that each of them acted in a different manner, making defending extremely difficult.


    However, Hiruzen''s clone shot multiple Vacuum Bullets at him. For a moment, Shamon was confused as Hiruzen''s clone had attacked instead of dodging. After all, piercing wounds were useless against an Edo Tensei, but the clone would be dispelled if gravely injured.


    As the first Vacuum Bullet shot by Hiruzen''s clone reached close to the iing barrage, it exploded! The winds released from the explosion were strong enough to divert the iing attacks just enough to miss Hiruzen''s clone. All of his other bullets exploded in the same manner, creating a path for Hiruzen''s clone to move forward.


    Shamon''s eyes widened as he thought, ''Incredible! To think that he can even use my Vacuum Bullet jutsu in such a manner. It''ll shut down most of the wind jutsus. Of course, it isn''tpletely safe, but he has managed to avoid all my attacks¡­''


    As a wind user, Shamon liked to fight from a distance. He was about to retreat, when the Mud clones behind himunched suicidal attacks, cutting his retreat paths. Without being able to retreat and having very little time to react, he coated his fists and legs in Wind Chakra and attacked Hiruzen''s clone.


    However, Hiruzen''s clone very easily gained the upper hand in Taijutsu and quickly grabbed both of his hands. Shamon said, "You''ve grown very skillful. I don''t recall ever seeing anyone as skillful as you."


    As the God of Death''s arm entered Shamon''s body, Hiruzen''s clone replied, "I''ve had time to train. To be honest, your mastery of Wind maniption was one of the few things I couldn''t get a hang of. Fortunately, I''ve had some inspirationtely."


    Hiruzen''s clone chuckled, offending Shamon slightly who retorted, "If I was at my full power and not inside a small barrier, even your main body wouldn''t have been able to stop me."


    Hiruzen''s clone chuckled once again and said, "The times have changed. In your time, your talent in Wind maniption was the best. For decades, no one came close to your level. Until a few years ago, when a young ninja showing even greater talent than yours appeared in Konoha!"


    [A/N: I know this will be asked a lot, so rifying once again. These battles are very fast-paced and are happening at the same time. So, the battles against Hashirama, Tobirama, Third Raikage and Second Kazekage (along with the battles in the next chapter) are happening simultaneously. The time difference in between their souls being sealed is just a few seconds. So, very little time has passed.]


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 Chapter 750: The Indomitable Third Hokage (2)

    ''The most talented ninja in Wind Maniption is from Konoha?'' Shamon, the Second Kazekage was shocked while being disappointed at the same time that no one in Sunagakure reached the same heights he did. He turned his head up and observed another intense bombardment on the defenses raised by his two sessors.


    His eyes immediately fell on Ryu and widened. He observed, ''Such a pure wind chakra. No, it is enhanced by nature chakra. How is his wind chakra still so pure then? And the boy on his back¡­ His control over the winds is¡­''


    He turned his attention towards Hiruzen''s clone and asked, "Is it that boy?"


    Shamon was truly surprised by Fujin''s control over the winds. He never expected a teenager to reach such a level. Hiruzen''s clone nodded. Shamon chuckled and said, "A shame that he was born sote. I''d have enjoyed fighting him far more than Tobirama."


    A peculiar expression appeared on the face of Hiruzen''s clone as he recalled the shit Fujin had pulled in the Land of Wind. He thought, ''I honestly doubt you would. Sensei did a lot of things, but he never shook the foundation of any country for a mere promotion mission. I can''t even imagine what this boy would do in the next Great War¡­


    Sigh, I should have warned Jiraiya. Luckily, Shikaku also knows about it.''


    "Thest time I saw you, you were a hot-blooded fellow. I didn''t think I''d see you in your old age. Tell me, is Onoki still the Tsuchikage?" Mu asked.


    Hiruzen''s clone replied, "Yes, he has developed quite a reputation as well."


    Mu chuckled and began floating in the sky and began forming a cube in his hands. With a grin, he said, "You can thank meter. If you''re quick enough, you could seal some of them before they regenerate." "I''m afraid you won''t have the chance to do that, Master Mu." Mu was surprised to hear a familiar voice. He looked behind him to see old Onoki floating and preparing the Atomic Dismantling jutsu even faster than him! Mu immediately realized, ''A Genjutsu?''


    He quickly disrupted his chakra and broke the Genjutsu. Onoki disappeared, but Hiruzen''s clone appeared in front of him. He realized, ''He dyed me just enough that he could reach me before Ipleted my jutsu¡­''


    Mu immediately flew backwards, but before he could get away, sparks appeared around the hands of Hiruzen''s clone.


    ''Lightning Release: Hell Prison jutsu''


    Heunched hundreds of Lightning chains from his fingertips. None of them directly attacked Mu, instead they moved around him making it impossible for him to fly away before attacking him from every direction. However, even that was a distraction. The lightning itself wasn''t strong enough to cause much damage. Its real purpose was just to slow down Mu.


    The real attack was Hiruzen''s Shadow Clone using the opportunity to get closer to Mu! However, since the clone didn''t manipte his chakra, Mu became confused and wondered, ''Does he want to engage in a Taijutsu battle against me so high up?''


    The clone''s palm struck Mu''s abdomen and the God of Death''s arm entered his body. Mu''s eyes widened in shock as he finally saw the God of Death behind the clone. He realized, ''So, this is why he acted in such a manner. Still¡­''


    He turned his gaze towards Hiruzen''s clone while thinking, ''He anticipated my every move and acted before I could attack¡­''


    Some distance away, simr thoughts ran through the mind of Hozuki Gengetsu as he was helpless against Hiruzen''s clone. He thought, ''This brat! He knows all my abilities but I have no idea about his.


    Thest time I saw him, he specialized just in Fire Release. However, he hasn''t used a single Fire jutsu yet. Instead, his Lightning Release is stronger than his Fire Release was back in the day. The most surprising thing is that his proficiency in Genjutsu is almost as high as my own! I can''t ce him under a Genjutsu at all. Is he a secret Uchiha or something?''


    Suddenly, several wind shurikens appeared out of thin air and cut straight through the Water Balloons floating around Gengetsu before changing their direction and moving towards Gengetsu from all directions. Gengetsu immediately turned his body into water with a smirk on his face. With his Hydrification technique, most physical attacks were useless against him.


    However, Gengetsu''s smirk immediately vanished as several lightning currents coursed through his liquefied body! He turned his gaze towards the Wind Shurikens that had entered his body and realized, ''He hid small amounts of Lightning chakra at the center of each of those wind shurikens.


    Due to the Wind chakra, the Lightning chakra waspletely hidden. Even someone like me couldn''t sense it because of how little Lightning chakra was in each shuriken. Individually, it wouldn''t have been an issue for me. However, with all of them together¡­''


    The attack still didn''t hurt Gengetsu much. Even if he were made of flesh and blood, the attack wouldn''t have left any wounds on his body, let alone when he had an immortal body. However, the short moment for which he was stunned was all Hiruzen''s clone needed to let the God of Death start the process of extracting his soul!


    "Even after dying, your habit of staying in the background hasn''t changed, Third Mizukage." Hiruzen''s clone teased as he confronted him.


    The Third Mizukage snorted and said, "You should be thest person criticizing others for acting from the background. Others may not have understood the degree to which Root operated, but it is obvious to me."


    The expression of Hiruzen''s clone dulled a bit after hearing Root. Despite Konoha being attacked to such a degree, he hadn''t heard anything about Danzo''s movements. While it was true that he and Shikaku didn''t include Danzo in their ns, Hiruzen still expected his old friend to act. Even though Hiruzen couldn''t sense what was happening inside the vige, he had a feeling that his oldrade hadn''t made any moves to help Konoha and reduce the casualties.


    The Third Mizukageunched several long-range Water jutsus while taunting, "Did I hit a sore spot?"


    Hiruzen''s clone snorted and replied, "You didn''t dare to fight me when you were alive. Do you think the result will be any different after you''ve been dead for over a decade?"


    Hiruzen''s clone immediately dodged the attack while counterattacking and decreasing the distance between them. Both moved at an incredible speed, flickering nonstop. Yet, Hiruzen''s clone was just a few steps away from him in a matter of seconds.


    A sword appeared in the hands of the Third Mizukage. His chakra flowed through it as he swung it at Hiruzen''s clone. Hiruzen''s clone grabbed a kunai and flowed Lightning chakra through it. However, instead of attacking, he suddenly gave up his momentum and instead blocked the Third Mizukage''s de with his kunai!


    The sudden change of momentum surprised the Third Mizukage. His de pushed the kunai down as Hiruzen''s clone crouched behind. Suddenly, his eyes widened as he felt something entering his body. Before he realized it, his soul was being sucked out of his body and he saw the God of Death behind Hiruzen''s clone.


    He realized, ''So that''s why he has been acting in such a way. This is why others suddenly stopped moving after Hiruzen''s clones touched them. He wasn''t aiming to fight and defeat us. Instead, he just wants to have that thing extract our souls.


    However, what jutsu is this? How can such a jutsu even exist? Why didn''t he just kill everyone with this jutsu during the previous wars?''


    Several questions arose in his mind. Unfortunately, his soul would be sealed inside the God of Death before he could receive any answers.


    Hiruzen''s remaining clones dealt with their opponents as well. The First and Second Raikage, First Mizukage, First Tsuchikage and First Kazekage had their souls extracted by the God of Death!


    Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, had taken on twelve former Kage while being trapped inside a barrier. Even though the former Kage were nowhere near their full strength and could barely be considered rank S ninjas, they still had immortal bodies.


    Yet, in just 30 seconds, Hiruzen''s Shadow Clones had started extracting everyone''s souls and sealing them inside the God of Death. The first one to be sealed was Hashirama, followed by Tobirama. Neither of them resisted the process. The Third Mizukage was thest one to have his soul getting extracted, but even that was a mere 10 seconds after Hashirama was sealed.


    Unlike the previous Hokages, the other Kages tried to resist just like how Orochimaru did in the original story. Unfortunately for them, the immortal Edo Tensei body didn''t help them much in this regard and everyone''s souls were extracted within a span of a few seconds with little struggle, leaving Orochimaru with wide eyes!


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 Chapter 751: The Opportunity!

    After reanimating the former Kages, Orochimaru was under heavy strain. His Edo Tensei was a far cry from the level Kabuto raised it to yearster in the original story. Not only were the reanimated ninjas weaker, but he had a much more difficult time controlling them as well. He had exceeded his limits by summoning 15 rank S ninjas at the same time!


    As a result, he could barely even move. Hiruzen''s analysis was urate. If Orochimaru got even a bit distracted, there was a high chance that he could lose control and the reanimated Kage would be able to act as per their will. Needless to say, he was well aware that all of them would try to kill him first without a shred of doubt in their hearts.


    Even though there was a chance that they could destroy Konohater and Orochimaru could be revived through the curse seals, he didn''t want to let that happen. Hence, he hid behind the twelve reanimated Kages after summoning them. He expected Hiruzen to attack him as sealing the twelve Kage by himself was more or less impossible.


    However, Hiruzen was equally concerned with stopping the reanimated Kage from the enemy viges. Even if they killed Orochimaru, the 12 former Kage could wreak havoc throughout Konoha before they were sealed. Hiruzen didn''t want to see hundreds or thousands of Konoha ninjas falling.


    Hence, to Orochimaru''s surprise, Hiruzen had done the opposite, targeting the reanimated Kages instead of him! Hiruzen''s main body stayed back and only moved towards Orochimaru when he wanted the reanimated Kage to move towards himself and give his clones an opening to seal them. What Orochimaru never imagined was that a single touch was enough to stop all the reanimated Kages!


    His eyes widened as hepletely failed to hide the shock on his face or understand what the hell had just happened! He involuntarily eximed, "What the fuck happened?"


    Orochimaru had worked hard to collect DNA samples of all the former Kage. As a true researcher and someone obsessed with Ninjutsu, Orochimaru had longed for their DNA samples for a long time. He had ess to the cells of Hashirama and Tobirama from Danzo when he was in Konoha. Getting Minato''s cells was easy as well after his death.


    However, getting ess to the dead Kage of other viges was extremely difficult. Danzo had tried it long ago with his Root subordinates. However, the other viges were well aware of Tobirama''s Edo Tensei jutsu and protected their dead very well. Even the elite Root ninjas couldn''t reach it while sending rank S ninjas to such a ce was too risky. As a result, Danzo never got his hands on them.


    Since Konoha never disyed the Edo Tensei jutsu despite two deadly Great Wars happening in close session, the other viges finally started rxing. Combined with the fact that the Second and Third Great Ninja Wars had resulted in massive casualties, the viges decided to focus more on the living than the dead. Hence, Orochimaru got the opening required to steal a few cells from their dead bodies. Of course, it wasn''t easy. He didn''t know the ins and outs of other viges. So, infiltrating them and sneaking into their graveyard was far more difficult than entering Konoha.


    To make matters even moreplicated, he had to do it sneakily. Had his actions been noticed, every major vige and Kage would start hunting him down. While he wasn''t afraid of them, they''d also increase security around their graveyards or destroy the dead bodies to prevent anyone else from doing what he did. That would be a huge loss of future research material for Orochimaru.


    Hence, he had worked for several years to get the DNA samples of the Kage from other viges. However, there was one exception. Unlike other viges, Kumogakure didn''t reduce the security around their graveyards. Orochimaru wasn''t able to get the DNA samples of the previous Raikages.


    He finally got the opportunity just before the invasion began. And, that opportunity was provided by none other than Fujin, who killed hundreds of Kumo elites following Hiruzen''s ns and wreaked havoc inside Kumogakure using his Akuro identity.


    Due to these events, Kumogakure became more engaged in improving the security of their vige and finding the missing ninjas. Protecting their graveyards, which had never been attacked, took a backseat. Despite being busy with preparations, Orochimaru had spent a few days collecting their samples.


    The reason for doing so wasn''t just for the attack on Konoha. It was just that he had the perfect opportunity to get them. Since he had them, he decided to add them to the other Edo Tensei summonings he was nning to use in case his other preparations weren''t good enough. Regardless, it was a very difficult task, something Orochimaru had spent a lot of time on. Yet, Hiruzen sealed twelve of the fourteen reanimated Kages in under a minute!


    Speechless, Orochimaru wondered, ''Why did they all suddenly stop and how did his clones extract their souls so easily? What were those hand seals Sensei performed earlier?''


    He gazed towards Hiruzen and their gazes met. The twelve Shadow Clones were dispelled after the souls of the Kages were sealed inside the God of Death. At that very moment, Hiruzen moved towards Orochimaru at blinding speed!


    Just like in the original story, Gaara fell asleep and Shukaku and Gamabunta engaged in an intense battle. It was then that the moment Fujin''s clone was waiting for arrived! It was the main reason why Fujin didn''t dispel this clone to get his chakra back. Gamabunta''s sword sliced through Shukaku''s arm, sending the gigantic sand arm to the ground.


    Fujin''s clone thought, ''This is it!''


    He immediately teleported to the Flying Thunder God mark closest to the arm and ced his left hand on Shukaku''s arm! Due to it being just cut, it still had a decent amount of Shukaku''s chakra inside it. It was about to return to Shukaku when it suddenly stopped, before being sucked into the seal on the left hand of Fujin''s clone! Not even a minuscule amount of Shukaku''s chakra inside the arm could escape!


    Shukaku immediately nced in that direction and realized, ''Ehh??? My chakra is being stolen!!!''


    He wasn''t the only one. Gamabunta noticed the sudden change as well and thought, ''Shukaku''s chakra from that arm suddenly disappeared¡­ Huh? What''s that chakra signature? Who is it and when did that person appear here?''


    Gamabunta failed to recognize the chakra signature. And, due to the gigantic arm, neither Shukaku nor Gamabunta could see who the person was. Even if they did, it wouldn''t help them identify who it was. As for the other Genins, their attention was entirely on Naruto and Gaara. Pakkun didn''t notice this strange event either as Fujin''s clone had masked his smell entirely.


    Shukaku immediately lost his cool, ''Disgusting humans! Sealing me inside a child wasn''t enough humiliation? You still dare to steal my chakra? Eat my Drilling Air Bullet!''


    Shukaku inhaled deeply and shot out arge, high-pressure air st at his arm. Itpletely blew up the sand arm and destroyed the forest behind it.


    Shikamaru picked up Sasuke and Lee and immediately hid behind therge trees. Pakkun and Temari hid simrly as the intense winds sted through their area. Despite taking cover, each of them felt the intense winds and barely managed to stay on the ground.


    Shikamaru thought, ''Man, what a battle! Why did he suddenly attack his arm though? Luckily, we weren''t in the line of attack, or we''d be dead! Huh?''


    Due to the intense winds, the sand restricting Sakura fell off. Shikamaru immediately caught her and retreated back to where Sasuke and Lee were.


    Shukakuughed eximing, "Steal that fucker! Hahaha! Now it''s your turn toad!"


    Naruto asked, "Steal? What is he talking about? Chief, is Sakura safe?"


    Gamabunta ignored him and wondered, ''Did that person die so easily? His chakra signature disappeared right when the air bullet hit that area. Did he die or somehow retreat?''


    Naruto shouted, "Chief! Is Sakura alright? That attack was in their direction!"


    Gamabunta answered in an annoyed tone, "She is fine. All of your friends are safe. As long as he is defeated, everyone will be safe."


    Naruto sighed in relief and their battle continued. A long distance away, Fujin''s clone appeared out of thin air with a giant grin on his face. He thought, ''Though I couldn''t get Shukaku, this is good too. Now, time to test that seal! I hope it works as intended...''


    [A/N: Next chapter: A Wind de!]


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    A/N : If you can, then please support me on P@treon.


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 Chapter 752: Momentum!

    Chapter 752: Momentum!


    Orochimaru immediately flickered away while thinking, ''Whatever his weird jutsu is, it works by touching his opponents. I can''t let him touch me! At least not until I figure out what it does.''


    Hiruzen immediately chased after Orochimaru, intent clearly visible on his face. He resolved, ''Ten years ago, I made a grave mistake by letting my emotions cloud my judgment and letting you go. In all the decades I have led this vige, that was my second biggest mistake. I can''t fix my biggest mistake, but I''ll fix this one!''


    The Student-Master duo flickered at an intense speed inside the barrier. They were so fast that the Sound Four couldn''t even track their movements! Overall, Orochimaru was faster. Unfortunately, he was restrained by the very barrier he raised to trap Hiruzen! Due to the confined space, Hiruzen made steady gains, reducing the distance between them every second!


    As he appeared just a few steps away from Orochimaru, Orochimaru used the Hidden Shadow Snake jutsu andunched dozens of snakes at Hiruzen while shouting, "Old geezer! Do you think you can sustain that jutsu forever? How much chakra do you still have left? Just die!"


    Orochimaru''s prediction was on point. Even though Hiruzen had made a short work of the reanimated ninjas, it wasn''t without cost. His chakra reserves had taken a major hit. Even so, Hiruzen grinned and said, "I can sustain it until I fix my mistake, my ignorant disciple! Let me educate you onest time!"


    ''Fire Release: Yang Demon jutsu''


    Hiruzen''s chakra suddenly red and an intense Yang and Fire chakra exited from every chakra point in his body. It immediately transformed into ck mes and covered his entire body!


    The snakes hit the mes and hissed painfully as they were burnt alive! The fire rapidly spread through their bodies and moved towards Orochimaru, who cut them while retreating. He cursed, "Have you gone senile, old man? You dare to use that jutsu without any protection?"


    The ck mes around Hiruzen''s body not only burnt the snakes but were also burning his flesh. After the Third Raikage created the Lightning Chakra Mode, Hiruzen was inspired to create a Fire Chakra Mode. He gained some sesses initially, but soon reached a bottleneck. While he could create extremely hot mes, his body couldn''t endure such heat. Initially, his body adapted, making his skin and flesh far more resilient to fire. However, it reached a limit very soon and couldn''t endure higher temperatures. No matter what Hiruzen tried, he couldn''t ovee this physical limit.


    Later on, he tried to use jutsus to resist the mes so that he could fight without getting hurt. He tried several Water and Earth jutsus as those two elements resisted Fire the most. In the end, he created a modified version of the Iron Skin jutsu that worked very well.


    Unfortunately, the result was subpar as using another element decreased the power of the Yang Demon jutsu considerably. Hiruzen still made a few modifications, but the final result paled whenpared to Raikage''s Lightning Chakra Mode.


    As a result, Hiruzen ended up dropping that idea. However, Hiruzen wasn''t very concerned about his life at that moment. His goal was to kill Orochimaru irrespective of the cost. Hence, he didn''t hesitate to use such a suicidal jutsu.


    Hiruzen quickly gave chase again, the mes making him even faster! In just a couple of seconds, he appeared close to Orochimaru.


    ''Water Release: Gale River jutsu''


    Orochimaru released a stream of water straight at Hiruzen. However, it wasn''t ordinary water. Even though there wasn''t a lot of water and it wasn''t very forceful, the water had a very high amount of Wind and Yin chakra. It decreased the temperature of the water, almost making it icy cold!


    Hiruzen immediately realized, ''Hmm,bining Water, Wind and Yin chakras in such a gentle manner¡­ It looks like he was developing a counter for my Undying me jutsu. However, this jutsu is still iplete. It can''t stop me! On the contrary...''


    Even though Hiruzen understood that Orochimaru''s jutsu would suppress the fire strengthened by Yang''s chakra around his body, he rushed straight into it! The icy water cooled off the mes around Hiruzen as he moved straight through it. Orochimaru immediately realized, "This isn''t enough to stop him. Hmm? Shit!"


    Orochimaru bit his thumb and mmed it on the ground.


    ''Summoning jutsu: Rashomon!''


    Orochimaru didn''t even nce at the ground. Instead, his eyes were fixed on his earlier jutsu. At the center of the water was a burning red dot which was moving towards him at a blinding speed! A single gate of Rashomon rose and protected Orochimaru in the nick of time as a staff crashed into the gate!


    Needless to say, the staff was the Monkey King Enma. However, there was one big difference. Just like Hiruzen, the staff was covered in ck mes too!


    The hardness of the staff,bined with the incredibly hot ck mes and the force with which it mmed into the gate meant that even the Gate of Rashomon couldn''t endure it. Cracks appeared at the center of the gate and soon spread throughout it!


    Enma smashed through the gate and went straight at Orochimaru, who thought, ''Even the Gate of Rashomon couldn''t stop Enma? Due to the short time, I couldn''t raise more gates, but I still didn''t expect it to fall. The mes strengthened him too much. However, he shouldn''t be immune to those mes irrespective of how hard his body gets.''


    A sword appeared in Orochimaru''s right hand as he swung it to block Enma. The staff and the sword shed, stopping the staff from extending endlessly. However, the force with which Enma mmed into Orochimaru was too strong!


    To make matters worse for Orochimaru, his sword, even though extremely good and of superior quality to Kazekiri, was inferior to the one broken by Fujin in the forest of death. Without it, Enma didn''t feel any pain and he sent Orochimaru''s sword flying away.


    Yet, there was no panic in Orochimaru''s eyes. He had already expected it and was concentrating his chakra. Before the staff could m into him, Orochimaru ced his left hand on it and said, "I always wondered how much you could endure, Enma!"


    Orochimaru unleashed a massive amount of Lightning straight into the burning staff! Enma, who already had to endure Hiruzen''s intense mes, suddenly also had to endure intense Lightning shocks wreaking havoc throughout his body!


    A wide grin appeared on Orochimaru''s face as Enma couldn''t sustain his transformation and turned back into his original appearance. He thought, ''Finally I have a chance to reset the momentum. Now, it''s my tur...''


    However, Orochimaru''s grin was wiped out in the blink of an eye. Even though Enma''s transformation ended, the shadow that the staff was casting on the floor of the barrier still existed! And, it was connected to Orochimaru''s shadow!


    Orochimaru''s expression became grim as he wondered, ''Nara''s secret technique. However, when did he¡­''


    His eyes widened as he realized, ''The Rashomon¡­ I took my eyes off him for a mere second. He must have extended his shadow along the shadow of the staff then!''


    When two top-tier ninjas battled, momentum was a major factor that could decide victory and defeat. When Fujin and Orochimaru battled in the Forest of Death, Fujin had gainedplete control over the momentum after Orochimaru was blown up due to his trap and Fujin destroyed the Sword of Kusanagi. However, Orochimaru sessfully reset the momentum by double-bluffing Fujin.


    However, his opponent this time wasn''t Fujin. It was the vastly more experienced Hiruzen. Even though Fujin was very experienced for his age, he was still a child whenpared to a veteran like Hiruzen. Hiruzen had gained the momentum by attacking Orochimaru before he could recover from the strain the reanimated ninjas put on him. And, now that he had the momentum, Hiruzen wouldn''t squander it like Fujin did.


    Of course, it also showed the difference in their priorities. Fujin always gave the highest priority to his own safety. He didn''t mind squandering such advantages to ensure he stayed safe. On the other hand, Hiruzen gave the highest priority to Konoha. He was willing to give up his life if the need be.


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 Chapter 753: A Blade of Wind...

    ''Ninja Art: Shadow Stitching jutsu''


    Several sharp tendril-like needles rose from the shadow under Orochimaru''s feet and pierced through his body, binding him in one spot!


    At the same time, Hiruzen''s figure became visible as he moved through Orochimaru''s Gale River jutsu. Even though the jutsu failed to stop him, the mes on Hiruzen''s body were significantly weaker.


    Orochimaru cursed, ''Shit! I was too focused on the mysterious jutsu he used to seal the Kages and the mes around his body. He noticed it and used my own jutsus to hide his real scheme. This won''t be easy. I need to break this shadow first and then deal with those pesky mes while keeping him away¡­''


    Orochimaru began exerting his chakra. Arge amount of Yang chakra was released from his chakra points and began weakening the shadow''s hold. At the same time, Orochimaru''s body itself started transforming! His human features started fading away as he began looking even more like a white snake! Several snakes exited his mouth and began moving towards Hiruzen.


    However, Hiruzen moved without any fear. The weakened mes around his body still had enough heat to burn all the snakesing towards him. Before Orochimaru could fully transform, Hiruzen appeared in front of him and punched Orochimaru''s abdomen with all his might.


    All the remaining mes on his body transferred onto Orochimaru''s body, burning him! However, his snake body was far more resilient than a normal human body. Along with the fact that the mes had weakened a lot, Orochimaru wasn''t hurt. A grin appeared on Orochimaru''s face as he eximed, "Such a weak me will not burn me¡­"


    Suddenly, his eyes widened. He failed to release any more Yang chakra. His transformation also stopped. Orochimaru wondered, ''What the hell? I can''t initiate any jutsu?''


    He suddenly eximed fearfully, "What is that?"As the God of Death''s arm entered his body and began extracting his soul, Orochimaru finally saw the God of Death behind Hiruzen! Hiruzen chuckled and replied, "This is the jutsu the Fourth Hokage used to seal the Nine Tails."


    With a grin on his face, Hiruzen eximed, "I will now fix the mistake Imitted a decade ago. I will now pull out your soul from whoever''s body this is. You''ll be sealed inside the God of Death and suffer inside his belly for eternity!"


    Hiruzen immediately began extracting Orochimaru''s soul while Orochimaru analyzed, ''So that''s the God of Death? No wonder he was able to seal them so easily. However¡­''


    Orochimaru immediately exerted all his strength. Though he couldn''t move nor use any jutsus, he managed to pull his soul back into his body! He chuckled and said, "You won''t get your way, old man! You don''t have the chakra to seal me! Hehe, I admit, you nearly scared me by putting up a strong front. However, you used up most of your chakra while sealing them."


    Hiruzen''s grin disappeared. He realized, ''Ugh! I reached this stage and fell short on chakra?''


    Hiruzen was livid. He was one step away from sealing Orochimaru but fell short as he was about to run out of chakra! Had he been a few years younger, he''d have done the job. Unfortunately, that was no longer the case. Sealing twelve Kage had drained him!


    He quickly analyzed, ''I don''t have the chakra topletely seal him inside of me. The only way I can do that is if¡­''


    Suddenly, the entire barrier shook! Both Hiruzen and Orochimaru nced above and saw it being hit by another Wind Breath from Ryu! The Sound Four fell to their knees and began coughing blood violently! They immediately began inserting all their chakra into the barrier while thinking, ''This is thest time! If another attack hits the barrier, it''ll copse. However, how can he stop another round of attack by himself?''


    While Hiruzen dealt with Orochimaru and the reanimated Kages, the Third and Fourth Kazekages blocked three more rounds of attacks from Fujin and the Konoha ninjas. However, Fujin and Ryu finally got the opening they were looking for.


    Ryu immediately fired a Wind Breath through the opening, which first hit the defenseless Third Kazekage and obliterated him! His body had been minced into minute particles as the Wind Breath passed through it before the Wind Breath hit the barrier.


    The Konoha ninjas immediately cheered, "The Third Kazekage is dealt with! Only the Fourth Kazekage and that barrier remain! Huh? What''s that?"


    The Konoha ninjas suddenly noticed a blue light shining on top of the barrier! The morale of the ones with a keen eyesight suddenly increased as a massive Rasengan smashed into the barrier!


    The Hyuga ninjas immediately eximed, "Lord Jiraiya is here as well! Orochimaru is dead!"


    The morale of every Konoha ninja shot through the roof. Needless to say, it was the opposite for the Sound Four. Ryu''s attack itself was too much for them. They were barely hanging by a thread. Jiraiya''s attack finally broke that thread!


    As cracks spread throughout the barrier, Orochimaru finally panicked. If he was held down by Hiruzen when Fujin and Jiraiya entered, he would be dead without a shred of doubt. While Orochimaru believed that his oldrade might hesitate, he did not doubt that Fujin would go straight for his head.


    Hiruzen quickly analyzed as well, ''If they help, I can seal his entire soul inside the God of Death. However, my chakra is too low. I won''t be able to do that¡­ So, the question is, will that be more beneficial for Konoha than sealing his entire soul inside the God of Death?''


    Thoughts shed in Hiruzen''s brain at the speed of light as he made his decision even before Jiraiya and Fujin broke the barrier. He decided, ''Even if I seal him inside the God of Death, I am not sure if he''ll be dead for good. That curse seal of his has a sliver of his soul. ording to my calctions, it could be used to revive him.


    If that happens, sealing him entirely wouldn''t be the end of this battle. He''ll continue to target Konoha. Even if his strength is far weaker, he could just use Edo Tensei to keep attacking us. That won''t be good for the vige.''


    A smile appeared on Hiruzen''s face. He said, "You''re right. I have very little chakra left. I can''t seal your entire soul in the belly of the God of Death. However¡­"


    Hiruzen''s grin became much wider, making Orochimaru feel extremely uneasy. Hiruzen suddenly exerted a lot of force and pulled out the arms of Orochimaru''s soul from his body. The God of Death raised his de as Hiruzen eximed, "Even though I can''t seal your entire soul, I''ll take away the thing that you value the most!"


    ''Shadow Clone jutsu''


    Fujin created a Shadow Clone, who immediately flickered to where the Third Kazekage''s body was reforming and began sealing him. Rasa was about to intervene but was stopped by the jutsusunched by the Konoha ninjas.


    At the same time, Jirobo shouted, "The barrier can''t stand any longer! Orochimaru-sama is in a difficult spot too. Leave the barrier to me! You three rescue Orochimaru-sama!"


    The others understood what the result would be. The Four Violet mes Formation needed four ninjas to create it. If just a single ninja tried to sustain it while under intense attack, there would be just one result. However, understanding the situation, all three of them immediately flickered.


    Jirobo sustained the barrier with his life, but could only buy a second before he copsed dead! The barrier finally copsed!


    Fujin jumped off Ryu''s back and immediately flickered towards the rooftop while wondering, ''What in the hell? Why is Hiruzen so impatient? Is his chakra so low that he can''t even keep Orochimaru tied for a few more seconds?''


    Fujin wasn''t entirely sure. After all, Hiruzen''s battle was far more intense than what it was in the original story. However, he was more worried about another thing. He thought, ''Even now, there was a chance for things to be different. Had Hiruzen waited, he could''ve sealed Orochimaru entirely with our help. Yet, at the veryst moment, he made such an illogical move...


    Are important events going to happen exactly like they did in the original story? Does that mean that my killing and sealing Kabuto will be useless too? Would someone else perform the Edo Tensei jutsu during the Fourth Great War? And, would it end with Naruto and Sasuke sealing Kaguya no matter what I do?''


    Fujin was unwilling to ept this. Even though he wanted to keep the events the same, it was because he wanted to take advantage of certain opportunities to change the future in a way that would benefit him the most. However, if the events would stay the same no matter what he did, all his ns would be useless. Unlike Fujin, Jiraiya was more worried about Hiruzen''s state. He immediately realized which jutsu Hiruzen was using!


    A stunned expression appeared on Orochimaru''s face as he realized, ''Don''t tell me¡­''


    He shouted, "NO!"


    As the de began falling, Hiruzen shouted "I shall take away all your jutsu! SEAL!"


    The God of Death''s de sliced through Orochimaru''s soul, taking his arms away!


    Orochimaru realized, ''My arms! They''re paralyzed!''


    He shouted, "You useless old man! Give me back my arms!"


    With a smile on his face, Hiruzen said, "It''s over. You can no longer use your arms and hence, never weave any hand signs. You''ll never be able to learn any new Ninjutsu. Even though you can perform many jutsus without any seals, good luck performing them without a part of your soul. Of course, that is if you managed to get away alive."


    Orochimaru continued screaming, but Hiruzen no longer heard his voice. The part of Orochimaru''s soul, that had been cut by the God of Death, was pulled into Hiruzen''s chest by the God of Death. He grabbed Hiruzen''s soul as well and began extracting it out.


    The cost of using such a deadly jutsu was the soul of the caster. Just like Minato and the twelve Kages he sealed inside the God of Death, Hiruzen''s soul would also be sealed inside the God of Death!


    Most of Hiruzen''s soul had been extracted, however, before the God of Death could take his entire soul, a de of wind appeared out of thin air and sliced through Hiruzen''s soul!


    [A/N: Next chapter: The Impact of Fujin''s Existence!]


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    A/N : If you can, then please support me on P@treon.


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 Chapter 754: The Impact of Fujins Existence!

    Before the God of Death could extract Hiruzen''s entire soul, a de of wind appeared out of thin air and sliced through Hiruzen''s soul! For the very first time, the smile on the face of the God of Death disappeared! His eyes widened as around 20% of Hiruzen''s soul returned to his body.


    He immediately extended his arm towards Hiruzen''s body, but before he could reach his body, the God of Death began disappearing! The Reaper Death Seal jutsu had ended. Hiruzen fell to the ground with a smile on his face!


    Shock appeared on Jiraiya''s face as he wondered, ''What in the world was that? Could only a part of the soul be used as a sacrifice for this jutsu? Regardless, this is good news. The only question is, can Sensei live with so little of his soul remaining?''


    However, there was one person even more shocked than Jiraiya. And, that person was none other than Fujin. He looked at Hiruzen with a stunned expression and eximed internally, ''What the hell??? That''s my fucking Wind Domain!!! When did this old fox copy it?''


    The Wind de that sliced Hiruzen''s soul wasn''t from Fujin or any other ninja. It was used by none other than Hiruzen!


    After Minato''s death, Hiruzen had studied the Reaper Death Seal in great detail! He reached such a stage that no other ninja in history, including the Uzumaki ninja who created this seal, knew as much about it as Hiruzen did. It was during this study, Hiruzen realized that once the enemy''s soul had been sealed, there was a chance that the caster could continue living by cutting his own soul and deactivating the jutsu.


    However, there were several issues. The very first was that the God of Death''s de couldn''t be used for that purpose. And, normal attacks couldn''t cut through the soul perfectly and could end up destroying the soul entirely.


    Hence, Hiruzen worked on creating a jutsu that could cut through the soul perfectly. It wasn''t very difficult to do due to his expertise in manipting Yin chakra. He created a jutsu that looked very simr to the de of Wind but had very little Wind chakra and far more Yin chakra which was the most effective against souls.


    That led him to the second issue, which was to time the jutsu to cut through his soul at the perfect time. In order for this to work, he would need to wait until the God of Death sealed the soul of his enemy and only then cut his soul. However, the God of Death took both souls at almost the same time. There was an extremely small window of opportunity to cut his soul and still live after using the Reaper Death Seal. If he created the jutsu early and waited, the God of Death could be suspicious and take his soul before the enemy''s soul. On the other hand, if he waited until the God of Death sealed the enemy''s soul, it would be toote. Trying to make a move hastily would only result in the caster''s death.


    For over a decade, Hiruzen couldn''t solve this issue. He had pretty much given up on it. Fortunately, he gained the solution to his problem when he saw Fujin using the Wind Domain! It perfectly resolved the timing problem.


    Hence, it could be said that Hiruzen''s survival was an impact of Fujin transmigrating to the Naruto world. Without Fujin, Hiruzen would have never seen the Wind Domain and wouldn''t have any chance of survival after using the Reaper Death Seal. Even though Fujin was shocked to see Hiruzen copying his technique, he was relieved to see the future possibly changing.


    When Hiruzen was debating whether to seal Orochimaru or not, he had two choices. The first was to wait for Fujin and Jiraiya and have them injure Orochimaru and consume his chakra. That way, he could seal his soul entirely. However, Hiruzen had very little chakra left. Even if Orochimaru ran out of chakra, his willpower alone would require every bit of Hiruzen''s chakra to seal him.


    That meant that he wouldn''t have any chakra left to save himself. He would have still done it had Orochimaru''s death been absolute. However, knowing that he could still be revived, Hiruzen decided to ensure his own safety. If he lived, he could once again counter the Edo Tensei jutsu in the future and the next Hokage wouldn''t need to sacrifice his or her life to stop Orochimaru again.


    Hence, Hiruzen released most of his chakra into the air, which transformed into Winds consisting of a high amount of Yin Chakra. The God of Death didn''t pay any attention to it since it mixed with the air while Orochimaru''s attention was more on the God of Death.


    Hiruzen waited until the right moment and made a move right after the fragment of Orochimaru''s soul had been sealed and ended the jutsu right after. Of course, even if he was alive for the moment, the damage to his soul was truly devastating. He fell unconscious as soon as his soul was sliced!


    In a secret base in the Land of Grass, Jugo eximed in panic, "Kimimaro! What happened to you? Did your illness re up again?"


    Juzo was talking to Kimimaro when Kimimaro suddenly copsed to his knees. Even though he didn''t scream, the pain was visible on his face. He ced his hand on his curse seal and thought, ''This pain¡­ Orochimaru-sama¡­''


    "Old man! Give me my arms!" Orochimaru screamed in rage. However, Hiruzen had already lost consciousness.


    "Orochimaru-sama!" Tayuya, Kidomaru and Sakon shouted as they flickered towards him. Orochimaru nced at them and noticed Fujin and Jiraiya right behind them. He shouted, "Kill Hiruzen!"


    Tayuya, Kidomaru and Sakon were surprised by the order. But, they didn''t dare to disobey hismand. Despite his injuries, Enma got up and said resolutely, "You''ll have to go through me!"


    However, his feeble appearance wasn''t enough to intimidate them. What worried them more was the ones chasing after them. Due to having used most of their chakra to sustain the barrier, all of them were on theirst leg. And, they were well aware that even if they were at their full strength, it wouldn''t make much of a difference.


    Sakon muttered, "This will be ourst attack!"


    Ukon chuckled and said, "Taking the life of the Third Hokage and his powerful summon, that''s not a bad way to go!"


    ''Multi-leg Hurricane jutsu''


    Tayuya thought, ''To think that I''ll die in this shitty ce! Who''d have thought that this old geezer still held such fearsome power!''


    ''Demon Flute: Trio Requiem''


    Kidomaru thought, ''I never imagined that Orochimaru-sama could lose¡­ Konoha, wepletely underestimated them. Even if Kimimaro and the Fourth Kazekage had participated, I don''t think the result would have been any different. Directly attacking Konoha was a grave error!''


    ''Spider Bow: Fierce Rip jutsu''


    ''Wild Lion''s Mane jutsu''


    ''Wind Release: Vacuum Cluster Bullets jutsu''


    Seeing the remaining members of the Sound Fourunching attacks at Enma and Hiruzen, Fujin and Jiraiya immediately acted. Despite having a lead over Fujin and Jiraiya, their attacks paled in terms of speed.


    Fujin''s Vacuum Bullets pierced through the arrows shot by Kidomaru, destroying and diverting all of them. Momentster, they rampaged through the Doki summoned by Tayuya, killing every single one of them.


    Finally, the Vacuum Bullets entered the hurricane surrounding Sakon and Ukon. Normal Air Bullets and even Vacuum Bullets would have been diverted due to the winds of the hurricane. However, that didn''t happen with Fujin''s attack. Before either of them could realize it, several holes opened up in their weird body! Another member of the Sound Four fell in Konoha!


    While Fujin directly countered their attacks, Jiraiya''s hair extended towards Hiruzen and Enma, protecting both of them. With Jiraiya defending Hiruzen, Fujin focused entirely on the offense. Winds appeared from his Wind Cloak and several Wind des moved towards Tayuya and Kidomaru.


    With nothing to hide behind, Tayuya was defenseless. She immediately tried to summon another Doki to hide behind but failed to do so. She cursed, "Shit! I don''t have any chak¡­"


    Wind des cut straight through her throat, beheading her on the spot. Dozens of Wind des also hit Kidomaru, but he protected himself by secreting sticky spider gold from his pores. Unfortunately, even that didn''t buy him much time as a Vacuum Bullet pierced straight through the third eye on his forehead. Fujin didn''t even nce at him and instead used his Vacuum Gatling jutsu on Orochimaru!


    Orochimaru''s expression was grim. He had already been on the receiving end of that jutsu once. In his current state, he had no chance of dodging the jutsu. Jiraiya noticed it as well and wondered, ''Is this it for Orochimaru?''


    [A/N: Jeez, I never had my balls questioned so many times in span of two weeks, lol. Well, now you know why I made that author''s note in 704. I knew right then that thesest few chapters would be super controversial, especially with the stuff rted to fate, Edo Tensei and Hiruzen''s death (ps: He''s still very injured. No promises on whether he makes it through or not).


    I''m genuinely grateful that nearly everyone on pat reon gave me the benefit of the doubt and decided to wait until the arc was done. Thement section on Web novel, as expected, was brutal, especially on those couple of days.


    As someone who has read a lot, I can understand that emotions can run high, but please do give the author some time if he/she asks for it. Extremely demotivating otherwise. Was considering taking some time off Web novel for sake of my mental well being, but the vast number of readers who decided to trust me kinda ensured that I didn''t need that. So, thanks guys :)


    I guess there still might be some who didn''t like how this particr fight ended. Unfortunately, I can''t satisfy everyone, but I hope you guys enjoyed the suspense and the twists :)


    Anyway, I guess I owe some exnations. When I said I''ll be taking some liberties with canon content, I was referring to the Reaper Death Seal and Edo Tensei. I''ve exined the changes to the Reaper Death Seal in this chapter.


    As for the Edo Tensei jutsu, the data was very little. One of the questions I had to think about a lot was - why did Orochimaru revive just the 3 Hokage? Why didn''t he revive more to win the war? While the obvious answer is the plot, I couldn''t use that ??


    Hence, initially, I had decided to nerf Edo Tensei jutsu, so that Orochimaru could do only what he did in the canon. However, I had the idea to do the reverseter on and I felt that this would fit the story a lot better. Not only would it counter the fact that Fujin is extremely strong and Konoha is very prepared, but it also gave me an opportunity to do justice to Hiruzen''s prowess.


    I know some of you said that Orochimaru didn''t summon more because he couldn''t, but that isn''t mentioned anywhere in the original story. The only part that waster added was that Hashirama and Tobirama were much weaker than their peak (which was a restriction I followed). Yeah, you can easily spin the story to say that Orochimaru''s limit is 3 Edo Tensei, and that wouldn''t be wrong either, but I decided to go the other way.


    Another thing I should address is the ''Wind Cmity'' title for Fujin. I know many of you were expecting it in this battle, but there''s still some time for it. I won''t say when it''ll happen, but I can promise you this - When it does happen, the battle will be more epic than Fujin''s battles in this volume. That scene was something I thought of even before I wrote the first chapter and have thought of it for much longer than I thought of Fujin Vs Orochimaru!


    Anyway, all said and done, one of my main focuses while writing a story was inconsistency and keeping plot holes to the minimum (or best if there were none). Unfortunately, we have our first inconsistency in the story.


    ording to my initial ns, Hiruzen was supposed to die in this fight like in the original story. However, as I kept writing, I felt that the story would be far better if I did otherwise. I did think about it for several months before making this decision. So, I''ve to kick myself for needlessly adding that statement in chapter 108 (though it could still be true if Hiruzen dies).


    Anyway, this would affect some of my other ns. The epic ending I had nned for Danzo can''t happen if Hiruzen lives. So, I may have to think of a new epic ending for him (and have been getting quite a few good ideas in thements). My plot for Shippuden would need major changes too (though I''d have to make drastic changes even if Hiruzen had died here. Fujin has grown too strong and his impact has been felt throughout the world). So, I may need to take a longish break if I can''t think of all the changes in time.


    Luckily, I do have the events until the timeskip nned out very well. Have a good structure and several major events (though one could be extremely controversial) and battles nned out during the timeskip. So, I''ll have quite some time to think about Shippuden (and hopefully, we won''t need any long breaks after the timeskip).


    And, this goes without saying, but ideas from you guys are always weed. Those who read thements should have noticed that I do use several of the ideas that you guys give me to make the story even better than what I can do alone :)


    Anyway, I have talked quite a lot, lol. Enjoy your day, guys :) Have a nice day and stay safe and healthy!]


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    A/N : If you can, then please support me on P@treon.


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    Thank you Nishant, Rohit and Ductor Storage for supporting me through UPI.

 Chapter 755: Hiruzens State

    ''Is this it, Orochimaru?'' Jiraiya wondered as Fujin''s Vacuum Bullets were merely inches away from Orochimaru''s body. Even though Jiraiya wasn''t sure that such an attack could kill Orochimaru, he could sense the massive chakra Fujin was building up. He did not doubt that Fujin was going for the kill.


    However, just as the Vacuum Bullets were about to rip through him, Orochimaru disappeared! Fujin squinted his eyes and thought, ''As expected, he had already set up reverse summoning jutsu. However, he got very lucky with the timing. In his state, he couldn''t have initiated it. If the person who used the jutsu had been a couple of secondste, he''d be dead!''


    In a base in the Land of Rice, Orochimaru appeared in front of Kimimaro and Jugo. Kimimaro''s hand froze mid-air, the words caught in his throat, while Jugo''s usually steady gaze flickered, both of them staring at Orochimaru as if they had just witnessed the impossible. Neither of them imagined that they''d ever see Orochimaru in such a terrible state!


    Finally, Kimimaro gathered himself and asked, "Orochimaru-sama, what happened in Konoha?"


    On the stadium rooftop, Jiraiya thought, ''I should have expected as much¡­''


    Fujin appeared next to Jiraiya and asked, "How''s the old man?"


    Jiraiya''s expression became grim. He replied, "I haven''t taken a closer look yet, but he isn''t good. His soul is almostpletely shattered. It''s a miracle that he''s still alive¡­"


    Fujin nodded. The sight of Hiruzen shing his own soul was too shocking. After learning the Spirit Transformation jutsu, Fujin studied souls quite a bit. Even though he couldn''t bepared to the likes of Orochimaru, Hiruzen or Danzo in this aspect, he still knew a lot.


    A simple injury to the soul could end up destroying a person for good and put them in a vegetative state, if not kill them outright! In the rarest of cases where the person managed to live properly, they''d experience extreme pain until the soul waspletely healed. The pain alone would exhaust the will to live of most people. Hiruzen''s case was far more extreme. Fujin thought, ''Even though I couldn''t see the God of Death, I saw Hiruzen''s soul being extracted from his body. Only around a fifth of his soul returned to his body. And, that too was cut hastily. To think that he is still alive¡­''


    Fujin was feelingplicated. Initially, he was disturbed by the possibility of Fate controlling everything and pushing the world in the same direction as the story he read. It had made him feel helpless just like his clone. However, Hiruzen''s unexpected move gave him some hope.


    As long as Hiruzen lived, it proved that the future wasn''t set in stone. It wouldn''t disprove fate''s existence, but it at least meant that Fujin didn''t need to worry about a transcendent force forcefully keeping certain events the same irrespective of what he did. Fujin, who once wished for things to remain the same, now wanted to save Hiruzen to see some change.


    Fujin immediately said, "I''ll check up on him."


    While Fujin examined Hiruzen, two individuals regained control of their bodies. Since Kimimaro reverse summoned Orochimaru back to the Land of Rice and his soul had been sliced and sealed by Hiruzen, he could no longer maintain his control over Rasa and Sakumo.


    Rasa looked around. Even though he couldn''t control his actions, he had witnessed everything. He knew that Sunagakure had lost the war horrendously. He had seen the dead bodies of his subordinates litter the arena. Never did he imagine that his war would leave his vige in such a vulnerable position. He was filled with regret at having allied with Orochimaru. Unfortunately, he didn''t have much time to introspect.


    Moments after he gained rity, Ryu''s Wind Breath reached him. He instinctively used the gold dust around him to create a barrier while he got out of the way. Unfortunately, he had too little time to react and the amount of gold dust around him was too little.


    Ryu''s Wind Breath tore through the gold barrier. Rasa couldn''t get out of its way entirely and nearly half of his body was decimated by the sharp wind des! He couldn''t help but wonder, ''First Fujin''s ridiculous technique and now this¡­ Why does Konoha have better Wind jutsus than us?''


    Suddenly, he heard a chuckle and nced behind. Fujin''s clone ced his hand on Rasa''s back and asked, "Are you satisfied by the result of the war you started, Fourth Kazekage?"


    To the surprise of Fujin''s clone, Rasa asked, "What war? What happened here? Why are there so many dead bodies of my ninjas in Konoha?"


    For a moment, Fujin''s clone was left speechless by Rasa''s response. As he sealed Rasa, he thought, ''What a world! No matter whether someone is weak or strong, intelligent or dumb, old or young, everyone is fucking shameless!''


    Had it been someone other than Fujin, they might have been fooled by Rasa''s innocent reply. Perhaps they would assume that it was all Orochimaru''s doing and he controlled Suna through their dead Fourth Kazekage.


    After Rasa was sealed, Fujin''s clone thought, ''I guess Suna used this excuse in the original story too. It''s too convenient not to use it. And, since Konoha was severely hurt and was wary of other viges, they epted it to maintain their alliance and keep Kumo at bay.


    I have a feeling that the council might ept this exnation once again, though they''ll make Suna pay in some way. After all, Konoha had minimal losses. The only major loss is Hiruzen¡­''


    Some distance away, the battle between Sakumo and Kakashi''s group finally stopped. Renjiro nced behind and said with a smile on his face, "They defeated Orochimaru."


    Sakumo nodded and replied, "Yes, but he got away. I can sense that he still has some influence on me, though it''s minuscule."


    Renjiro said, "That''s a shame. We''ll have to seal you, Sakumo-sama."


    Kakashi wanted to talk more with his father, but he knew that it was time. Guy nced at his rival to see how he was doing. To their surprise, Sakumo smiled and said, "There''s no need."


    Sakumo''s body started crumbling and his soul began leaving his body as he said, "I had several regrets when I died. However, I can finally move on. Thank you for forgiving me, Kakashi."


    Kakashi saw as his father''s soul left his body before disappearing. He muttered, "Rest in peace, father."


    Unlike the Kages, who could still be reanimated like how Orochimaru reanimated the Hokages in the Fourth Great Ninja War, Sakumo could never be revived using the Edo Tensei jutsu!


    Fujin examined Hiruzen''s body thoroughly. Even though Hiruzen had taken a lot of injuries during his intense battle against Orochimaru and the reanimated Kages, the two main injuries were self-inflicted.


    The mes that had surrounded his body had burnt his skin in several parts of his body. In particr, the skin on his fists waspletely burnt. While bad, it wasn''t extremely serious. Fujin wasted no time in healing the damage caused by the mes and the other external wounds Hiruzen had taken.


    However, Hiruzen''s main issue was his soul. Fujin muttered in surprise, "This is truly remarkable."


    Jiraiya asked, "What is it?"


    Fujin answered, "His soul¡­ Even though it seemed like he cut it hastily, it doesn''t seem to be the case. Despite having just a fifth of his soul, he has cut his soul in such a way that he can still live on¡­"


    Jiraiya was surprised by Fujin''s words. He thought, ''Sensei took Minato''s death harder than I thought. He must have been working on the Reaper Death Seal. I never thought that this jutsu could be used without sacrificing the entire soul. Regardless¡­''


    Relief appeared on Jiraiya''s face. He smiled and said, "So, he''ll make a recovery!"


    Fujin shook his head and exined, "No, it''s not that simple. Even though he has cut his soul in a way that wouldn''t result in an instant death, his soul is too weak. He won''t be able to wake up by himself."


    Fujin nced at Jiraiya and added, "However, if someone heals his soul, then he might be able to wake up. I don''t know any medical ninja in Konoha who can heal souls. However, since he went to this extent, I''m guessing she can do so."


    Jiraiya realized who Fujin was speaking of. He said, "Tsunade¡­ Yes, she can do so."


    He thought, ''Even though she can heal souls, it is extremely difficult, even for her. She has never healed anyone whose soul was injured to this extent. Regardless, she is our only hope.''


    Jiraiya asked, "Is he in any danger of dying?"


    Fujin replied in a sad tone, "I can''t say for sure¡­ He''s stable for now, but I don''t know whatplications could arise. Perhaps the more experienced Medical ninjas could have a better idea."


    Jiraiya nodded. Even though Fujin healed Hiruzen''s external injuries very rapidly, Jiraiya knew that Fujin didn''t have much experience in this field.


    The other Konoha ninjas began rushing towards the three of them. However, there was one group who didn''t. All of them looked at the same spot and muttered in surprise, "Where is Kabuto''s body?"


    [A/N: This is another change I''m making to the Edo Tensei jutsu. I actually had this headcannon and used to consider this to be canon, but apparently it isn''t (or at least never stated to be, though feel free to correct me if I''m wrong). Anyway, this story will follow the following rules.


    1. The reanimated ninjas who dispel the jutsu by fulfilling their wishes or reaching peace can''t be reanimated again using the Edo Tensei jutsu. (Rinne-rebirth may still work).


    2. The reanimated ninjas who are sealed cannot be released by the caster of the jutsu (unless the seal is very weak). Though the Edo Tensei will eventually run out, their souls will stay trapped in the seal, kinda like how souls are sealed within the God of Death. They can only be reanimated again if the seal is destroyed. (This point is directly against Canon information, as when Itachi made Kabuto release the jutsu, everyone was released (except Madara of course)).


    3. I''ll be adding time limits to how long a reanimated ninja can stay in the ninja world. Haven''t finalized this yet, but the limits will generally be decided by the strength of the sacrifice made to reanimate the ninja.]


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 Chapter 756: Aftermath!

    "Is Hokage-sama alright?" One of Hiruzen''s Anbu Guard asked. Several other Anbu and Jounins had appeared on the rooftop as well.


    Jiraiya answered, "He''s fine for now, but needs to be checked upon urgently. Summon the best medical ninjas here."


    Three Anbu Guards nodded and flickered away. Thest one stayed and asked, "What of the Suna ninjas who escaped earlier? Should we chase and hunt them down while they are in the Land of Fire?"


    Fujin answered, "No need. They have already lost their will. Chasing after them will just needlessly increase our casualties and spread our forces thin."


    The Anbu Guard nodded and didn''t ask anything else. Fujin thought, ''Considering the situation, chasing and eliminating them now would be more beneficial for Konoha. It''d allow us to inflict the highest damage to Suna before the negotiations begin. Unfortunately¡­''


    The words Fujin spoke weren''t his own. It was what Shikaku and Hiruzen told everyone they shared their ns with. Unlike Fujin''s Kumo mission, where he was tasked to kill as many Kumo ninjas as he could, their focus was exactly the opposite in this war. They wanted to keep the casualties to a minimum.


    While killing more enemies could send a strong message to other hidden viges, ensuring that Konoha stayed strong was a bigger deterrent to other viges. They didn''t mind letting a few hundred enemies escape if it meant that fewer Konoha ninjas lost their lives.


    Of course, the circumstances were quite different from what they imagined. Suna''s morale was truly shattered. If Fujin chased after them, he could annihte their entire forces with little trouble. Even if they dispersed, Fujin could hunt most of them down before they could leave the Land of Fire. Fortunately for the Suna ninjas, Fujin didn''t have anything to gain by doing so. Hence, he just followed Shikaku''s n.


    Other ninjas soon came to check up on Hiruzen. Realizing how serious Hiruzen''s situation was, the atmosphere became solemn. The morale that was high due to Fujin''s actions finally began dying down as the war was finally over. Even so, many ninjas looked at Fujin respectfully, something that didn''t escape Jiraiya''s eyes. Jiraiya analyzed, ''I had sensed Sakumo-san''s presence earlier. In addition, Orochimaru likely had sensei trapped inside the barrier since the start. And, considering how important the battles here were, this ce should have been attacked the most. Yet, there isn''t a single enemy ninja here. This boy probably did a remarkable job to ensureplete victory here. No wonder they are looking at him with such admiration in their eyes.''


    Soon, senior medical ninjas arrived and began examining Hiruzen. At the same time, a Jounin flickered next to Fujin and said in a soft voice, "Councilman Fujin, the box in which you sealed Kabuto suddenly disappeared."


    A frown immediately appeared on Fujin''s face. He asked, "What do you mean by disappeared? Did anyone see where it went?"


    The Jounin replied with a hint of embarrassment, "We momentarily looked at the barrier when you destroyed it. When we looked back, the box was missing."


    Seeing Fujin deep in thoughts, Hoka asked, "Do you think it was Orochimaru?"


    Fujin replied, "Yeah, most likely. I guess whoever reverse summoned Orochimaru also reverse summoned Kabuto. Still, it''s strange for such importance to be given to a dead subordinate."


    Kakashi added, "He wasn''t an ordinary subordinate. I guess Orochimaru still has some use for him even though he is dead. With the Edo Tensei jutsu, he can still make use of him."


    Fujin nodded and asked, "What about the others I sealed?"


    The Jounin quickly answered, "They''re still here."


    Fujin replied, "Alright. No need to worry about it anymore. Attend to the injured ninjas. Your group suffered the most due to Kabuto."


    The Jounin nodded and quickly flickered away. Soon after, Hiruzen was taken to the Hospital and other Medical ninjas began attending to injured Konoha ninjas.


    Naruto and Gaara''s battle wrapped up as well. Just like in the original story, Naruto defeated Gaara and used his strongest jutsu on him before Temari and Kankuro could take him away.


    The only change from the original story was that Shibi wasn''t free toe to his son''s rescue. Shikaku had assigned him to deal with one of the eight groups that attacked the vige. However, Shino was still rescued by an older Aburame Jounin. Fujin''s clone secretly kept an eye until the group returned to the vige.


    For the next few hours, Konoha became extremely busy. Shikaku deployed teams to analyze their losses, the hospital overflowed with injured ninjas, announcements were made to calm the civilians who were in panic and the perimeters of the vige were once again secured.


    Finally, the leaders of the vige gathered in Konoha''s council room. However, there were a few noticeable things in the council. Hiruzen was missing for obvious reasons, while neither Danzo nor Jiraiya showed up for the meeting.


    Fujin thought, ''So, Danzo chose to hide his face¡­ Understandable as his absence in the war would have been questioned if he showed up here. Even though this could have been a chance for him to put his name up for the next Hokage, he is far behind Jiraiya and Tsunade in this race.''


    Fujin couldn''t help but find it amusing that Tsunade, someone who hadn''t been in the vige for over a decade, had better qualifications for the seat of the Hokage than Danzo, someone who lived in the vige and continuously schemed.


    The silence was broken by Homura, who cursed, "Those bloody fools! To think they''d ally with Orochimaru and attack us. They nearly broke the delicate bnce of the shinobi world and almost plunged the world into the Fourth Great Ninja War."


    Shikaku added, "Fortunately, we were prepared. Otherwise, the situation would have been far worse."


    Hiashi asked, "What is the status of our losses, other than Lord Third?"


    Shikaku pushed some papers ahead and answered, "Even though we faced a deadly attack, our losses are minimal for a battle of this scale. In the arena, where the most critical battles took ce, we lost 37 ninjas and 84 civilians. Byparison, Sunagakure lost 377 ninjas while Otogakure ninjas werepletely wiped out.


    In addition to the battle in the arena, they attacked our vige from 8 more directions. All 8 attacking groups were wiped out. There were no civilian casualties as none of them reached deep into the vige, but 58 ninjas sacrificed their lives to stop them, mostly due to being caught off guard by the giant snakes.


    In all, we lost 21 Jounins, 62 Chunins and 12 Genins along with 84 civilians. There are several more injured, but very few are in a serious condition.


    Sunagakure lost 625 ninjas in total while Otogakure lost 307 ninjas. I suspect that these are over half of the forces Orochimaru controlled before he started the war. It might even exceed 75%!"


    The numbers surprised almost everyone in the room. While they had overwhelming victories on their battlefield, they didn''t think it''d be the same case everywhere. After all, the attack was truly powerful. Several council members nced at Fujin. By now, they knew about the events in the arena and how easily Fujin had cut down the enemy numbers! Over a third of the dead ninjas were cut down by Fujin alone! Most still had a hard time believing how much of an impact Fujin had on the war.


    Fujin ignored their nces and asked, "So, what''s next? How do we deal with Sunagakure and Otogakure?"


    Koharu replied, "If the Fourth Kazekage were still alive, we''d have very little choice other than retaliating. However, he died even before the invasion. Sunagakure will im that they were fooled by Orochimaru and remove the me from their head. They''ll use the death of their Kage during negotiations and we can use it to our advantage."


    Hiromasa added, "That is obvious. However, Sunagakure has crossed a line this time around. Even though they have heavy losses, we''ll look weak if our allies are left scot-free after stabbing us in the back. In the future, our other allies might be emboldened to do the same."


    Homura sighed and said, "That is true. I propose we send an army to the Land of Rice and wipe out all of Orochimaru''s bases in that country once our wounded are healed. Since he is weakened by Hiruzen, we may have a chance of killing him for good. As for Sunagakure, we''ll make them pay up."


    Inoichi asked, "Pay up what? They are already poor. With the Fourth Kazekage dead, they can''t even mine Gold any longer. We already made them give their Wind jutsu collection in the previous Great War."


    Koharu replied, "They still have mastery in creating and controlling puppets. We can force them to hand us their knowledge about the same."


    The council immediately began discussing what they could make Suna pay. However, Fujin was slightly confused. He asked, "I don''t understand. Suna is weak right now. Their Kage has died and they don''t have anyone strong enough to rece him. Why don''t we just attack Sunagakure and return the favor?"


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 Chapter 757: Fifth Hokage!

    "Why don''t we just attack Sunagakure and make them pay the consequences of attacking Konoha?"


    Fujin''s question silenced the room in an instant. Without exception, every single council member stared at him. None of them expected him to say such a thing.


    Shikaku sighed internally, ''This boy¡­ He''ll be at peace only when I have worked to death. I should have forced Jiraiya to attend the meeting¡­''


    Hiromasa chuckled internally and thought, ''Considering how terrifying his power is, I forgot that he''s still just a child. As always, youngsters are hot-headed. Regardless, this is a good opportunity to guide him. It''d be a shame if he ended up following Danzo''s footsteps.''


    At the same time, Koharu wondered, ''Why are he and Danzo at odds? He''s more simr to Danzo than to Hiruzen. Is this why Hiruzen guided him so much?''


    Homura broke the silence and answered, "Fujin, a war is easy to start but very difficult to end. Once you ride the tiger, you can''t get off easily. If Hiruzen was here, he''d have said the same.


    Sunagakure isn''t a ce that can be attacked on a whim. The Land of Wind is full of deserts. It is very easy to defend and extremely difficult to attack. The desert won''t provide us with any resting spots. We''ll be out in the open while the Suna ninjasy traps on our routes. They''ll set countless ambushes to attack us.


    Even though the ambushers will die, it''ll slowly but steadily slow down our forces and erode our morale. Combined with the frequent sandstorms in the desert, we''ll lose arge number of ninjas despite the absence of rank S ninjas in Sunagakure.


    Hence, attacking Sunagakure is very unwise. If we make one bad move, we can change our overwhelming victory into a disastrous defeat." Before Fujin could respond, Hiromasa added, "Even if you assume that we could push through their traps and ambushes and reach Sunagakure before crushing them, you have to see what our gains and losses would be. We''d lose thousands of capable ninjas and gain barren deserts in exchange for it.


    What are we supposed to do with those barren deserts? Even though they have some resources, they aren''t much considering how much Suna is struggling financially. In addition, defending the Land of Wind from Konoha will be a difficult job unless we can double the number of our shinobis in the blink of an eye. In the next Great War, it''ll be an easy target for Kirigakure and Iwagakure."


    Koharu quickly added, "Don''t forget about Iwagakure and Kumogakure. Even though Kumogakure took heavy losses recently, they still have a very strong force. Our actions of destroying Sunagakure would rm them.


    Both of them will immediately attack us to prevent Konoha from gaining a lot of new territories. We''ll be attacked from all sides while our main forces are in the Land of Wind. You can analyze how dire our circumstances will be then."


    Fujin shrugged and asked, "Who talked about sending thousands of ninjas to the Land of Wind? All we need to do is send a few elite teams.


    Their western part is still quite unstable. All we have to do is pour some oil on it and watch what they do. Considering their losses, they''d hide in their vige. However, once they are in danger of losing a part of their country, they''ll have to make a decision.


    Whether to let go of their western part or deploy ninjas to control the situation there, both are beneficial for us. In the first case, we could create a new country and secretly fund it to create a new front for Suna and perhaps even Iwa in the future. Since it''ll be so far from us, they''ll be our perfect allies.


    In the second case, our Elite units could just ambush and hunt their ninjas down, giving us the advantage of the terrain. As long as we keep doing it for some time, Suna will explode from the inside."


    The council grew silent once again. Previously, the three eldest council members were trying to educate their youngest member. However, Fujin immediately put up a strategy that was not only feasible but would make experienced schemers proud. Except for Shikaku, no one on the council expected Fujin to say something of this sort.


    Hiashi''s expression became serious as he wondered, ''This boy¡­ He was able to think of this on his own despite never having been in a major war?''


    Hiromasa thought, ''I underestimated the boy¡­ No wonder Hiruzen forced him upon the council. It was more than just due to his potential.''


    Homura was tongue-tied. He thought, ''I thought threatening like a lunatic was all he could do. It seems he also has a good mind for strategy. Still, for him to be so clear of the situation there¡­ He must have been involved in those bizarre incidents in the Land of Wind all those years ago. Unfortunately, Hiruzen kept his lips sealed.''


    Others in the room had simr thoughts. Luckily, the civilian members weren''t present, or they would have been terrified by the deadly scheme Fujin presented so easily.


    However, even though they were surprised by Fujin''s strategy, what surprised them more was that Fujin thought of it instead of the strategy itself. In fact, many in the room had already thought of Fujin''s idea. It''s just that they didn''t see it to be beneficial for Konoha.


    In truth, Fujin knew that it wouldn''t help Konoha much either. Even though Suna had been an unreliable ally and his strategy would reduce their strength to the point that they could no longer be considered a Great Vige, it would make all the other hidden viges wary of Konoha. Not to mention, Fujin knew that Suna would be a very strong ally of Konoha in the future. So, such a step was unnecessary and wasteful.


    However, Fujin had just been given a scare by ''fate'' a few hours ago. As such, he was looking forward to making some mess. Seeing that none of the council members seem aboard with his n, Fujin added, "Of course, that''s just one way. We could also do a full-fledged assault by allying with Iwagakure. After all, since Suna allied with Orochimaru, there''s no reason why we can''t ally with Iwagakure. Even though we''ll have to split the¡­"


    Shikaku suddenly coughed to cut Fujin off. He said, "Fujin, while both of your methods are feasible, we shouldn''t lose sight of what''s the most important. Since we were attacked, Iwagakure and Kumogakure would start trying to see how much damage we took. We have to be more wary of any sudden movements from them instead of spreading ourselves thin by attacking Sunagakure.


    Not to mention, Lord Third is in aa. The vige cannot be without a leader for a long time. We need to make a decision¡­"


    As he spoke, Shikaku''s attention turned towards the door, which opened almost immediately. An Anbu squad watched as the Daimyo and the Civilian council members entered the room.


    Shikaku sighed in relief and thought, ''Luckily they arrived quickly! It''d be very troublesome if Fujin convinced some of the members. Sigh, this boy still has no filter!''


    Fujin noticed Shikaku''s relief and cursed, ''Thatzy bum! So, this was the signal he sent earlier. He just wants to avoid work! Hmph, didn''t he die four yearster in the original story? I''m not sure if he''ll still end up dead, but I''ll make sure that he does the work for the next 40 years in the next 4 years! If he survives, then he can just retire.''


    While Shikaku was happy to see the Daimyo, he was blissfully unaware of the neverending headaches that would soon start flowing towards him!


    The Fire Daimyo took his seat, sighed and muttered, "What a terrible day! To think that Orochimaru and Sunagakure would ally and attack Konoha during the Chunin Exams. They even targeted the officials and the civilians. How are the Hokage''s injuries?"


    Koharu answered, "He is in aa, but is stable. Unfortunately, we aren''t sure when he''ll wake up."


    The Fire Daimyo replied, "It''s good that he made it through alive. However, the other viges will be looking at Konoha like vultures. If the vige has no leader, it could spell trouble."


    Unlike the Daimyo and the civilian members, the others weren''t that worried about any possible moves from other great viges. Suna had just lost their Kage and taken a brutal beating, Kiri was still embroiled in a civil war, Kumo had lost nearly a thousand elite ninjas and were facing internal struggles while Iwa''s intelligencework had been almost entirely annihted.


    As such, none of them were in a position to act quickly. More importantly, Konoha''s losses were minimal. Even if Kumo decided to surprise Konoha and make a move, they had sufficient confidence to give Kumo a bloody nose and deter any other vige from having simr thoughts.


    Since no one opposed him, the Fire Daimyo looked at the members and asked, "So, who''ll be the Fifth Hokage?"


    [A/N: Break tomorrow.]


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 Chapter 758: Fujin, the Fifth Hokage?

    "Woah! Why is there a bloody mess here?" Naruto eximed while looking at the gore left behind by the explosion of two giant snakes outside Fujin''spound. After returning, Naruto entered the hospital like most of hisrades. Unlike them, he was discharged within an hour.


    Yuji cheekily replied, "They were two giant snakes. You should have seen them. They bared their fangs and hissed viciously as they slithered towards ourpounds. However, a single nce from sensei''s clone made them go BOOM!"


    Naruto looked at him and asked, "Huh? How did they explode just by the big brother''s gaze?"


    Yuji shrugged and answered, "How would I know that? Sensei is too mysterious."


    Naruto looked at Yuji with a deadpan expression. Sayaka said, "Yuji, stop fooling around. Naruto, they were dealt with by Sensei''s Fuinjutsu. I''ll exin¡­"


    In the council room, the Fire Daimyo nced at everyone after asking his question. After Minato''s death, Konoha hadn''t appointed the Fifth Hokage as Hiruzen took the reins once again. However, he was growing old rapidly. The severe injury raised huge doubts about his ability to lead Konoha again.


    Even though the Fire Daimyo wasn''t sure about the level of Hiruzen''s injuries, the fact that no one opposed him made him realize their severity. He thought, ''His injuries must be far more severe than they let us believe. Sigh, I hope Konoha has enough strength. If the next Great War begins, we''ll lose all the progress we made once again!''


    Once again, Homura broke the silence and said, "There isn''t much to consider. Though we have several capable ninjas, there is only one who is suitable for the role of Fifth Hokage right now. I propose we make Jiraiya, the Toad Sage, the Fifth Hokage!"


    Koharu added, "I agree. Jiraiya''sbat prowess has long been proven. He made several contributions during the Second and Third Great Ninja Wars and is the student of the Third Hokage and the teacher of the Fourth Hokage. Every Konoha ninja respects him while enemy viges fear him." Everyone in the room subconsciously nodded. There weren''t any doubts about Jiraiya''s capability. The only question that most wondered was whether Jiraiya would ept the seat or not. After all, it was well known that Hiruzen had long wanted Jiraiya to seed him but Jiraiya always declined the seat.


    Even though no one opposed it, the Fire Daimyo didn''t make any announcement and instead looked at Fujin. To everyone''s surprise, he said, "While I was outside, I kept hearing about a mighty youngster who turned the tides of the war single-handedly several times. Almost every Konoha ninja is speaking of you, Suzuki Fujin. I suspect so will everyone in Sunagakure. Would you like to be the Fifth Hokage?"


    For the first time, every n leader''s and elder''s gaze became sharp. The civilian council members became slightly nervous but didn''t show it on their faces. The Fire Daimyo was unbothered by their gazes and continued looking at Fujin.


    Shikaku squinted his eyes and analyzed, ''Is he trying to sow discord? Hmm, no. He should know that wouldn''t work. In that case, his goal must be¡­''


    Inoichi nced at Fujin with curiosity in his eyes. He wondered, ''To get an offer to be the Fifth Hokage directly from the Fire Daimyo¡­ Tempting, especially for his age. However, I have never seen him act like a teenager. This should be interesting. I wonder if he''ll fall for it.''


    The others had simr thoughts as Inoichi. They wondered how Fujin would respond. More importantly, they wanted to see what Fujin''s ambitions were. With the strength and intelligence Fujin disyed and how invested Hiruzen was in him, they knew that Fujin would be a sure candidate for the Hokage in the future. However, they weren''t sure whether Fujin wouldpete with Jiraiya over the seat of the Fifth Hokage or wait patiently for his turn.


    Fujin was confused by the sudden offer. He thought, ''What the hell? Since when did Daimyo get the power to choose who the next Hokage would be? Is it the civilian council members?''


    Thoughts shed quickly in Fujin''s mind as he analyzed, ''No, they don''t get a vote in choosing the Hokage either. That right is reserved for the Jo¡­ Oh, I see. Tsk, it''s so simple. As expected of a Daimyo.''


    Fujin smiled and replied, "As tempting as that offer is, I would have to pass upon it. I wouldn''t know the first thing that a Hokage is supposed to do. Lord Jiraiya would be far more suitable than me."


    Even though there was a smile on his face, Fujin was cursing internally, ''Old fox! He just wants to curry some favor with me since I''d be the likely candidate for Hokage in the future. Luckily I have no interest in that position beyond getting ess to that scroll and any other forbidden techniques Hiruzen is keeping hidden. Otherwise, I''d have been in a spot of bother.''


    Needless to say, if Fujin had agreed, he''d have put himself against the council. Not only would he not be the Hokage as he''d not have the votes, but it''d also show his impatience to be the next Hokage, something that would have been detrimental to him had he actually wanted to be one. As such, the Fire Daimyo wasn''t just trying to curry favor but also wanted to gauge Fujin''s character.


    Fujin''s reply caused several of the council members to analyze him.


    Hiromasa thought, ''As expected of Renjiro''s student! Even if he wants to be the Hokage, he understands that now isn''t the time to bicker. Besides, Jiraiya might just pass on the hat when he is ready.''


    Tsume wondered, ''Interesting. However, is he really not in a hurry to be the Hokage or did he just spot the trap? His reply wasn''t immediate, which means he analyzed the offer a bit.''


    Inoichi thought, ''Even if he spotted the trap, it disys his intelligence even further. That is a necessity to be a Hokage. It''ll be very difficult for others topete with him for the position of the Sixth Hokage. Though Kakashi had fair bit of a lead over others, Fujin far exceeds him in raw strength. And, his strength is still growing steadily and rapidly!''


    Homura nodded approvingly and so did Koharu despite her issues with Fujin. Only one person had different thoughts. Shikaku looked at Fujin and thought, ''Of course, he''d decline. Seeing that he shows up less than once a week to his office, I suspect he''ll decline it even in the future. He is far more interested in causing trouble than doing the work to fix any problems!''


    While Shikaku knew that Fujin couldn''t be calledzy, he understood that Fujin had little interest in administration and establishing influence. Even though he had a seat in the council and was building up a new faction inside Konoha, both were things that Hiruzen forced upon him. In fact, Fujin had outrightly refused the second. However, the others in the council weren''t entirely sure of it.


    The Fire Daimyo smiled and said, "Alright. Since no one opposes Jiraiya, I''ll appoint him as the Acting Hokage. He''ll take over all the duties of the Hokage. Considering the situation, there is no need to hurry with the voting. Do it when things calm down."


    Everyone agreed. The council discussed a few more topics, including the financial aspects. Due to Shikaku''s ns, Konoha didn''t suffer much structural damage. The gigantic snake had caused the vige wall to copse in 8 different spots, but it wasn''t much.


    Only two of the eight units managed to break through the wall but neither could enter the vige. Hence, the damage was minimal. Since the financial demand wasn''t much, the Fire Daimyo agreed to bear all of it without much argument. After discussing other topics for around an hour, the Fire Daimyo finally took his leave.


    Shikaku nced at the civilian council members and said, "You guys can leave as well."


    Hearing the seriousness in his tone, none of them argued. Once again, only ninjas remained in the council room. Without a hint ofziness on his face, Shikaku said, "Now that the civilian aspects are dealt with, we need to address the military aspect.


    First, we need Lord Third to recover and wake up. The only one who can heal his soul is Lady Tsunade. Unfortunately, we have no idea where she is. Lord Jiraiya has already agreed to find and bring her back. He wants to take Naruto with him to find her."


    Koharu squinted her eyes and said, "The Jinchuriki? Why him?"


    Shikaku shrugged and answered, "No idea. I guess he wants to train Naruto, considering that he trained him for the finals of the Chunin exam."


    Homura thought and said, "That is fine. He won''t be in any danger with Jiraiya looking over him. However¡­"


    Shikakupleted his sentence, "We have to convince Lord Jiraiya to ept the position of the Fifth Hokage. While I''d have liked to help, I don''t think a junior convincing him would work. I hope you two can convince him to do so."


    Homura and Koharu nodded and replied, "Alright."


    Shikaku replied, "Good, we''ll leave it to you. That brings us to the second point¡­"


    Shikaku''s gaze turned towards Fujin as he spoke.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    A/N : If you can, then please support me on P@treon.


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 Chapter 759: The New Successor!

    Shikaku wasn''t the only one, the two Elders also gazed at Fujin. Fujin immediately wondered, ''What are these old geezers scheming? Did they meet up before the council met?''


    Homura looked at Fujin and thought, ''Before this time, this role belonged to Kakashi since he was expected to lead the next generation. However, Hiruzen specifically passed this responsibility to Fujin before the war even started. I didn''t agree with the decision then, but I now understand why he did so. From today on, it is official that Hiruzen prefers Fujin over Kakashi as the next candidate for the Hokage seat.''


    Shikaku said, "Even though our losses are low, the other viges will be curious about our state. Since we wiped out the spywork of Kumogakure and Iwagakure, they won''t know that we are alright.


    In addition, the minor viges that are allied with us will be concerned as well. Even if Iwa and Kumo don''t dare to make a move against us, they can use this attack to scare the minor viges and tempt them to betray us and ally with them instead. Though it won''t affect us much in the short term, it could be troublesome if everyone switches sides.


    So, we need to send a message across that Konoha is still as powerful as ever."


    Fujin immediately realized, ''So that''s why they were staring at me¡­ Sigh, I shouldn''t have shown off so much. Unfortunately, it''s toote now¡­''


    Shikaku smiled and said, "The main reason why our losses were so low is you, Fujin. Without you, our losses in the arena would have been very heavy. In the worst case, we could even have lost. I have to admit that I didn''t think Orochimaru could revive the dead Kage with so much strength. Orochimaru outyed me with that move. Fortunately, you and Lord Third dealt with his cards. As a result, everyone in Konoha is looking up to y¡­"


    Fujin cut him off and casually asked, "Just tell me who we are targeting. Is it Iwagakure or is it Kumogakure?"


    Fujin''s abrupt interruption caught Shikaku off guard. What surprised him even more were Fujin''s words! For a moment, he forgot to breathe and began coughing roughly while thinking, ''This brat! Does he always have to go all the way? We were just talking about how Iwa and Kumo could be a problem and he wants to go and poke them?''Others had simr thoughts as they hadn''t seen this side of Fujin. However, they didn''t have the information that Shikaku did. He fully knew that Fujin could single-handedly start a war if he was let loose. If Suna or Kumo had any proof of his actions in their countries, both would have longunched an all-out war against Konoha. As such, they weren''t aware of the weight of Fujin''s words and assumed that he was taking them lightly.


    Shikaku finally caught his breath and said, "No, we won''t be targeting anyone. Lord Third had already decided to give you three thousand ninjas to lead once the war was over. Take them away from Konoha and march around the Land of Fire for a bit."


    Fujin nodded while thinking, ''So, they finally gave me this role¡­ I remember that Hiruzen made Kakashi lead such armies after I pulled that stunt in the Land of Wind and after I shed with Kitsuchi in the Land of Waterfall.''


    Shikaku continued, "Due to the possibility of Suna''s and Orochimaru''s attack, I had recalled most of our ninjas back to the vige. Their absence and the fact that we just attacked would tempt bandits and rogue ninjas to try their luck.


    Your job will have multiple objectives. The first and the most important one is to have the army conduct war exercises. It''ll send a message to other viges while preparing our forces at the same time and giving you some experience in leadingrge forces. I''ll send Renjiro with you to help you.


    The second is to eliminate all bandits and rogue ninjas in the vicinity of the army. In addition, I''ll directly transfer any elimination missions that we receive that are in your vicinity to your army. You can send appropriate squads to eliminate them. If you are close to the border area, then I''ll also send missions that are from the neighboring countries.


    Once you are done marching around the Land of Fire, lead the army to the vicinity of the Fire Capital. Our negotiations with Sunagakure will take ce there. You''ll be apart of the negotiating team as well.


    And, though I said we won''t target anyone, feel free to eliminate a few of Orochimaru''s bases in the Land of Rice when you''re close to that border."


    Shikaku''s words surprised others in the room. Inoichi wondered, ''Only a few? Even though we can''t target Sunagakure much due to the terrain, targeting Otogakure isn''t difficult. The only risk in attacking them is Orochimaru''s sneak attacks. However, since he is so badly injured, we don''t need to worry about that much. What is Shikaku nning?''


    Others had simr thoughts. What they didn''t know was that Shikaku knew Fujin''s understanding of the ''few'' was different from others. If it hadn''t been for the fact that Orochimaru had just attacked Konoha and nearly killed Hiruzen, Shikaku would have felt some pity for the former Konoha ninja.


    Fujin thought, ''That isn''t very troublesome. Though I had a few things to work on, I guess that can wait. Leading three thousand ninjas¡­ Hehe, that should be fun! But¡­''


    Fujin replied, "Alright, I should be able to do that. However, is it okay for both Lord Jiraiya and me to be outside the vige at the same time?"


    Shikaku replied, "It''s fine. None of the other viges will make a move so quickly and Orochimaru is heavily injured. Eagle is focusing entirely on Lord Third''s safety while we still have Kakashi and Guy in the vige in case something unexpected happens."


    Fujin nodded while thinking, ''I guess even he can''t anticipate that Itachi and Kisame would show up in the vige. A shame that I won''t be here, fighting them would have been fun. I wonder how effective my Wind Domain would be against the Sussano¡­''


    Fujin''s Wind Domain was extremely deadly for anyone within its range. An almost exhausted Wind Domain hadpletely suppressed Kaguya Shirogane, a rank S ninja with an excellent defense. However, Sussano was one defense that Fujin wasn''t too confident of cracking, at least not with the current level of the Wind Domain.


    Fujin turned his gaze back to Shikaku and thought, ''Anyway¡­''


    A glint appeared in Fujin''s eyes, making Shikaku nervous. Fujin said, "You missed one point, Shikaku-san."


    Shikaku nervously asked, "What is it?"


    Fujin answered, "As the Fire Daimyo said, we can''t be without a leader at such a time. Since Lord Jiraiya would be away until he returns with Lady Tsunade, we''ll need someone else to act as the Acting Hokage until then. Considering how involved you are with everything that happens in the vige and how you''re the person we depend on the most in times of crisis, I propose that you take over that role."


    A dumbfounded expression appeared on Shikaku''s face. Before he had any opportunity to argue, Fujin nced at the other council members and asked, "What do you guys think? I''m sure Lord Jiraiya wouldn''t have an issue with this."


    Without missing a beat, Tsume replied with a grin, "I agree."


    A fraction of a secondter, Inoichi added, "Same here."


    Homura smiled and replied, "That''s a very good proposal. I agree."


    In just a couple of seconds, every Council Member agreed while Shikaku saw it happen with the same dumbfounded expression. Despite his intelligence, he couldn''t stop it from happening! He finally opened his mouth to protest, but Choza patted his back before a single word escaped Shikaku''s mouth and said, "We''ll be in your care, Shikaku!"


    Shikaku looked at the smile on Fujin''s face and thought, ''This brat! He must have seen me popping thatmunication seal to inform the Anbu ninjas to send the Daimyo in! Damn it!''


    Shikaku immediately regretted not being more stealthy while doing so. He still wanted to oppose, but a few others got up from their seats and wished him good luck. Knowing howzy he was, no one gave him a chance to decline.


    Fujin got up as well and said, "I''ll be at my home, Shikaku-san. Send a messenger for me when the army is ready to move."


    Since everything had been discussed, the council meeting finally ended. Everyone left, leaving a speechless Shikaku alone in the room.


    Fujin flickered a few times and reached his house. Without wasting any time, he entered the basement and asked, "So, did you get it?"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    A/N : If you can, then please support me on P@treon.


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 Chapter 760: Conducting an Experiment!

    Even after Orochimaru was defeated, Fujin couldn''t return to his house. As one of the strongest ninjas and a member of Konoha''s council, he couldn''t just retire to his house after such a huge attack. Fortunately, he didn''t have many responsibilities as a council member.


    While Hiruzen had ns to give Fujin several responsibilities over time, he postponed his ns due to how rarely Fujin visited his office. Hence, while other council members continued working even after the meeting, Fujin returned to his house without any worries.


    "So, did you get it?" Fujin asked as soon as he entered his basement. In front of him was his Shadow Clone who was keeping an eye on Naruto and Gaara. Next to the clone was a pot and arge box.


    Needless to say, therge box was where Kabuto was sealed. As soon as the ninjas around the sealed Kabuto were distracted by the fall of the barrier, the clone, who was initially keeping an eye on Sakumo, teleported the box to his basement. His timing was so perfect that not a single ninja realized what had happened.


    As for why he did so? It was rather simple. Even though Kabuto was dead, Fujin didn''t want any idents that could see him revived again, whether temporarily or permanently. In addition, he also didn''t want to see Danzo getting his hands on the box and unsealing Kabuto to get more intel about Orochimaru and his experiments.


    Not only could that strengthen Danzo, but it would also cause Danzo to be suspicious about Kabuto''s death. Even though there wasn''t anything linking his death to Fujin, someone like Danzo would definitely feel suspicious. While Fujin no longer cared about Danzo or his actions, it would be a bit troublesome if other leaders in Konoha began suspecting him as well.


    Fujin''s clone grinned and replied, "Of course."


    He dispelled in a cloud of smoke, sending memories back to Fujin, who thought, ''So, even the battle between Naruto and Gaara was almost identical to the original story¡­ Sigh, whatever. I have checked Hiruzen thoroughly, he won''t sumb to his injuries. As long as he lives, it proves that the future isn''t set in stone.


    I suppose this is just the result of my wanting to keep the events as simr to the original story. Even though my influence surpassed my calctions and caused several changes, it wasn''t high enough to change the future drastically. Perhaps, if I had shown off my Flying Thunder God jutsu, Suna would have directly backed off. Regardless, with Kabuto dead and Hiruzen alive, the future will be quite different. I am not sure how much strength Hiruzen would retain, but as long as he retains some, he''ll be feared due to the Reaper Death Seal, irrespective of whether he can use it or not.


    Along with my existence, it would be too foolish for Nagato and Konan to attack Konoha by themselves. Sigh, what a waste. That would have been a great opportunity to kill Konan and steal Nagato''s Rinnegan before Obito could make a move.


    Oh well, since I won''t be able to benefit from it any longer, I don''t need to be too constrained with my actions. It''s time to let loose!''


    Fujin chuckled as he stored Kabuto''s box before turning his gaze towards the pot which contained Shukaku''s chakra. Fujin analyzed, ''Even though my clone absorbed chakra from Shikaku''s entire arm, he didn''t get much chakra. This pot has around 5% of Shukaku''s chakra. It should be enough for my ns, but there''s no harm if I can increase it. Time for my first experiment¡­''


    Due to the memories of his previous life, Fujin''s knowledge of Tailed Beasts far exceeded normal ninjas. He had information that even the Kages didn''t possess. In addition, he had essed most of Konoha''s research on Tailed Beasts and also had significant information about the experiments conducted by other viges due to memories of the countless dead ninjas he read.


    Hence, before he implemented his n, he wanted to conduct an experiment. Fujin thought, ''A Tailed Beast is quite an interesting phenomenon. Even though the nine Tailed Beasts were formed from the Ten Tails, the Ten Tails itself was a product of this''s energy.


    Hence, whenever a Tailed Beast is killed, its chakra disperses back into nature allowing it to reform and revive after some time. I suppose Hagoromo might have something to do with it, but it uses nature as a medium regardless of what mechanisms he created. This raises one question. Since a Tailed Beast''s rebirth takes energy from nature, can I use that energy to increase the amount of Shikaku''s chakra I have? Or, does every Tailed Beast have a finite amount of chakra?''


    Fujin didn''t have much information in this regard as there weren''t many cases where a Tailed Beast was cut up. Gyuki''s tentacles were frequently cut by the Third Raikage, but Gyuki always took his tentacles backter. Kumo didn''t use the tentacles to form any Pseudo-Jinchurikis as they were worried that it could ruin any chances of cooperating with the Tailed Beast.


    Minato split Kurama into half, but both halves were quickly sealed up, one in Minato and the other in Naruto. Simrly, the tentacle Bee used to fool Sasuke was quickly sealed too, not giving them time to grow.


    Fujin only had two cases that could be used. The first was the Gold and Silver brothers. Both had consumed Kurama''s flesh and gained a bit of his chakra. Unfortunately, Fujin wasn''t sure whether the chakra inside them grewter but he had a feeling that happened considering the amount of Kurama''s chakra they possessed.


    The second case, where that did happen, was Sora, who was shown in a filler arc. In fact, that was the main inspiration for Fujin. However, a helpless chuckle escaped Fujin''s lips. He thought, ''Ever since I had this idea, I wanted to see that boy to check how feasible it would be. He could have also been an easy way to ess Kurama''s chakra. Unfortunately, he doesn''t exist¡­''


    Not only did Fujin not find any such boy, there was no record of any temples being destroyed in the recent past. As such, Fujin was more or less certain that no one tried to make a Pseudo Jinchuriki with Kurama''s chakra.


    Fujin muttered, "Oh well, there''s always the first time¡­" while continuously inscribing new seals on the pot containing Shukaku''s chakra. After a few minutes, Fujin was finally done.


    He observed the pot and thought, ''Hmm, yeah, this should do. Even though Shukaku isn''t here, his chakra is still berserk. But, it won''t be able to break through the pot now even if it suddenly quadrupled in strength.


    Yet, my seals allow the chakra to interact normally with the outside world. So, it can grow by absorbing whatever it absorbs. If my spections are right, it should grow rapidly initially. However, its growth would slow down as it grows. After all, it can''t grow into a new Tailed Beast or the world would have been destroyed a long time ago.


    Anyway, let me see how much it grows, if at all. I can''t wait too long, maybe a month at most. Then, I''ll absorb it into my new seal. Speaking of which, it''s time to use this seal on me finally!''


    Fujin took off his k jacket, shirt and chainmail as a new seal imprint appeared on his left hand. Without wasting a moment, he ced it on his own abdomen!


    While Fujin was busy in his basement, Homura and Koharu met Jiraiya and informed him what had happened in the council meeting before telling him that he would be the Fifth Hokage. Just like the original story, he refused and rmended appointing Tsunade instead.


    Homura and Koharu didn''t care which Sannin sat on the seat as long as it was one of them. Homura replied, "If you can convince her, then we have no issues. However, if you fail to do so, you have to ept the position of the Hokage. We don''t have anyone else suitable for that position for the time being."


    Jiraiya didn''t reply as he was well aware of Konoha''s situation. In addition, he was confident of convincing Tsunade. Just like in the original story, he took Naruto with him by promising to teach him a jutsu cooler than Chidori.


    Around the same time, Shikaku dejectedly walked to his office, still sighing about the huge job Fujin dumped on his head. As soon as he reached his office, his eyes widened. Several ninjas were carrying stacks of paperwork to his office while others were hurriedly leaving to bring back more!


    Shikaku cursed under his breath, "That cursed brat! Don''t tell me¡­"


    He quickly picked up the pace and entered his office. However, his steps faltered and he became still like a statue, with one foot inside his office and the other outside! His face became as white as the countless piles of white paper he saw!


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    A/N : If you can, then please support me on P@treon.


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 Chapter 761: The path to surpass rank S!

    While the Suna ninjas were scurrying back to their vige and Konoha worked on dealing with the aftermath of the assault, Fujin stood still in his basement. A huge seal was visible on his abdomen, where Fujin had ced his left palm. The seal suddenly began expanding, covering Fujin''s entire body in the blink of an eye! Countless symbols crawled on Fujin''s body for half a minute before calming down and disappearing into his body!


    Fujin took a deep breath and muttered, "Here goes nothing¡­"


    He closed his eyes andpletely stabilized his chakra. In a few seconds, not a single chakra fluctuation could be detected from Fujin. He stood still just like a statue.


    A few secondster, Fujin opened his eyes. Surprise appeared on his face as he eximed, "Huh?"


    For a moment, Fujin couldn''t see anything, for he was standing in a pitch-ck darkness! Chakra gathered in his eyes and flowed out of his chakra points as the area was lit with his chakra. Fujin nced below and chuckled, "So this is my inner world?"


    What Fujin was seeing was no longer the real world, but his inner world. It was a space simr to the one where Kurama was sealed inside Naruto. However, there were more than a few differences between them.


    Fujin was standing on a cliff, and a step in front of him was a pitch-ck valley. He couldn''t see the bottom of it. Fujin nced behind him and observed the scenery behind him. Unlike the deep valley in front of him, there was hard ground behind him. The area looked like a t mountain top.


    Fujin spent a couple of minutes walking around the area. There wasn''t much to observe as it was just a in mountaintop. There was only one distinct feature. Fujin walked to the center of the mountaintop and stood on the edge of ake, or rather, arge pit as theke was empty.


    Fujin thought, ''I see. I didn''t imagine my creation would look like this. However, I understand. This would suit me perfectly. Especially¡­'' Fujin nced up above. There was no sky in his inner world, but if one were to observe carefully, they''d notice a transparent sphere floating some distance above theke. The reason why it was hard to spot was because the sphere waspletely empty!


    Yet, a glint appeared in Fujin''s eyes as he observed the sphere carefully. That inconspicuous sphere was the main part of Fujin''s seal! The barrier that made the sphere was extremely strong. ording to Fujin''s calctions, even aplete Nine Tails wouldn''t have any chance of breaking it! As for the Ten Tails, Fujin wasn''t sure.


    Fujin muttered, "I''ll call this seal the Myriad Tetragram Seal, a seal made by an outrageousbination of sixteen Four Symbols Seals ovepped in an almost impossible manner. I still have a hard time believing that my clones managed to create it. However, I can finally put that n into action!"


    The Myriad Tetragram Seal was based on an inspiration Fujin had back when he had just graduated. It was inspired by Minato''s Eight Trigrams Divination Seal, or rather, one aspect of it.


    The seal Minato used to seal Kurama in Naruto allowed minute quantities of Kurama''s chakra to constantly seep out of the seal and enter Naruto''s body. It served a very important purpose. As the chakra continued seeping into Naruto''s body, it increased Naruto''s chakra reserves.


    Though not entirely, the chakra that seeped out eventually became a part of Naruto permanently. It wasn''t like the temporary chakra that Kuramater started to give him. As such, Naruto''s ridiculously high chakra reserves weren''t just due to his lineage but also due to this move of Minato.


    Of course, if Kurama wanted to, he could stop his chakra from leaking out. However, Minato left a perfect bait for Kurama. The more chakra seeped out of the seal, the weaker the seal became. In addition, it also allowed Kurama to influence Naruto. As such, it gave him hope of breaking free. Hence, Kurama never stopped doing so.


    Of course, it was a pointless hope as Minato left behind several arrangements to strengthen the seal if need be, including leaving behind his will to stop Kurama and Kushina''s will to help Naruto control him. Unfortunately, Kurama waspletely in the dark about these schemes. Irrespective, it was quite clear what Minato expected of his son.


    Fujin didn''t care about the bait. What he cared about was the benefit Naruto got. However, the rate at which chakra seeped out of the Eight Trigrams Divination Seal was too slow for Fujin. He didn''t want to wait for decades for his chakra reserves to grow. Instead, he wanted it done in under a couple of years or even in months or weeks without putting himself at much risk.


    Hence, Fujin started working on a seal to amplify that aspect of the Eight Trigrams Divination Seal. This was also the reason why Fujin didn''t ask Hiruzen for the Eight Trigrams Divination Seal and recreated it himself after learning the Four Symbols Seal. Because, if he couldn''t do that, then trying to create an even moreplicated seal was a lost cause.


    To create this seal, Fujin had around 40 Shadow Clones work relentlessly for months. He barely managed to create it before the Chunin Exams began. In the one-month gap before thest round, Fujin worked on removing all its ws and tested it on a few unfortunate rogue ninjas. Fortunately, he seeded in the nick of time.


    Fujin nced at the floating sphere and thought, ''Once I''m done with the experiment on Shukaku''s chakra, I''ll seal Shukaku''s chakra in that sphere. His chakra will be refined there and slowly be a part of me. It''ll permanently increase my chakra reserves.


    Even though I only got 5% of Shukaku''s chakra, that is still nearly twice my own chakra. Depending on how much that chakra grows further, my chakra reserves will triple or even quadruple once I''m done.


    Once Iplete it, my chakra reserves will truly be one of the highest in the world as long as I don''t consider the Jinchurikis. It''ll be considerably higher than even Jiraiya''s. The only one who''ll have higher chakra reserves than me for sure is Kisame¡­ That guy''s body is strange.


    Anyway, the advantage of absorbing Shukaku''s chakra will go beyond just increased chakra reserves. After all, we don''t have a chakra reservoir inside our body. The chakra is generated bybining physical energy and spiritual energy. So, both my physique and spirit will be strengthened. It''ll be a qualitative improvement and not just a quantitative one.''


    A huge smile appeared on Fujin''s face as he continued thinking of the advantages. The reason for his smile was rather simple. In front of him was a way to surpass the rank S and go beyond it!


    When he transmigrated to this world, Fujin wanted to be a rank S ninja to ensure his safety. However, that was just the basics. Ensuring his safety was just a basic necessity and not an ambition.


    Initially, Fujin didn''t think much about his ambition. After all, he had just entered a dangerous new world. While he had several thoughts, he wasn''t sure what he truly wanted. Hence, he decided to take it slow and figure things out on his journey to be a rank S ninja.


    And, Fujin figured out several things. For one, he had no interest in influence and power like most other rank S ninjas. The seat of Hokage didn''t interest him. If there were a seat for a ''King'' in this world, Fujin wouldn''t have been interested in it either. He simply had no interest in ruling.


    Unlike Naruto, Jiraiya, Nagato, Hashirama and even Madara, Fujin didn''t care about peace either. Due to having experienced two worlds, Fujin understood that war was a part of humanity. No matter how much anyone tried to establish peace, it would be broken eventually and humanity would war once again.


    Even if a utopia was created, it would eventually be taken over by leaders who weren''t satisfied with it and wanted more. That was just humanity''s nature. Fujin had no interest in wasting his life doing something so futile, especially when there were others who wanted to do it and fighting to realize their respective means.


    As such, Fujin''s mind became very clear. There were only a few things he truly wanted.


    [A/N: The seal''s details ended up being a lot moreplicated than I had initially thought... There are still some aspects that I''ll cover in the next chapter. Anyway, I never thought that it would take me 720 chapters to cover this seal. For the ones who still remember, Fujin had an idea at the end of chapter 34 (the first chapter of volume 2). It referred to this seal. It was a long journey and needed a lot of work, but has finally realized it :)]


    [A/N: Latest chapter on pat reon : When Gods want you dead, what can mortals do?]


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


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 Chapter 762: Pursuit of Strength!

    As such, Fujin''s mind became very clear. There were only a few things he truly wanted. One of them was to explore. Fujin wanted to explore this world. His trips with Kaito ignited this desire in him long back. He wanted to see everything that was hidden in this world. And, he wanted to explore further beyond this world! Now that he had abilities that he could only dream of in his previous life, Fujin would regret it if he couldn''t do it.


    His second ambition was his strength. Fujin wanted to be truly strong. He wanted to surpass the likes of Hashirama and Madara before reaching the level of Hagoromo and the Otsutsuki n and surpassing them as well.


    Weirdly enough, there wasn''t any strong motivation behind this particr ambition. He didn''t seek revenge nor did he have any noble goal which needed such strength. It was no longer about necessity either as Fujin already had the strength to ensure his safety.


    While there was no doubt that having such strength would help him in several ways, like exploring beyond this world andbating the new threats he would face among other things, it wasn''t the reason for this particr ambition of Fujin. It was a simple, unadulterated and passionate pursuit of strength! Fujin wanted to see how strong a mere human could get. He wanted to see how deep the rabbit hole went. He wanted to see what bottlenecks he''d face and he wanted to break through them.


    In a war-torn world, where people frequently had to grieve the loss of their loved ones which fueled their desire to gain strength, such a pure pursuit was extremely rare.


    That said, Fujin had another goal, for which having strength was extremely necessary. The power he needed to aplish that goal was so high that Fujin couldn''t even imagine it. Fujin wanted to understand the circumstances of his transmigration and the secrets behind it.


    If there was something that Fujin felt strongly about, it was this. Unfortunately, he knew how difficult that was and understood that he may never reach a level where he could understand this. Even if he died before understanding the secrets, he wouldn''t care much as long as he enjoyed his journey up to that point.


    Regardless, those were his long-term goals. The sessful creation of the Myriad Tetragram Seal was a small but critical step in realization of those goals. Fujin gazed away from the transparent sphere and nced at the center of the emptyke.


    Unlike a minute ago, it was no longer empty. Though extremely faint, a blue glow was visible. Fujin thought, ''While the main purpose of Myriad Tetragram Seal is to absorb a Tailed Beasts chakra, it also has a secondary function. Though not as groundbreaking as the main purpose, it is still very handy. I can use this seal to store my chakra just like how Tsunade can with the help of her Strength of a Hundred Seal!'' Fujin looked at the tiny amount of chakra at the center of theke and thought, ''I can transfer some of my chakra here whenever I can. And, I can retrieve it to strengthen myself any time I want to. So, the issue of me running out of chakra will soon be history.


    Unfortunately, filling thiske would take a while. Thiske can contain about 50 times my current chakra reserves. Even with the best quality soldier pill, it takes me 8 hours topletely recover my chakra. And, I can''t exactly stop training or fighting until thiske fills up. Even with Shukaku''s chakra, it''ll probably take me a year or two for me to fill it uppletely.


    Of course, that''s when the fun begins. Once I fill thiske up, the amount of chakra stored here will beparable to that of a Tailed Beast. Though I''m not sure if I''ll be able to channel as much chakra as a Tailed Beast can because this is an artificial chakra reserve and not my own, it would mean that I canst as long as Tailed Beasts in a battle!


    Of course, it''ll be a one-time thing since I''ll need a year or two to refill thiske, unlike Tailed Beasts who probably recover their chakra in a few hours or days. Fortunately, I have thought about that as well!''


    A grin appeared on Fujin''s face. Though the mountaintop in his inner world was rather in except for theke, there was one more feature. There were sixteen canals on the mountaintop, each about a meter deep. They extended from the edge of theke to the edges of the mountaintop.


    Fujin thought, ''Once theke fills up, any additional chakra I add to it will cause theke to overflow. When that happens, my chakra will flow through these canals and trickle into the deep valleys around this mountaintop. Eventually, I want to convert the valley into a sea. Hehe¡­''


    While the Strength of a Hundred Seal was extremely useful for ninjas like Tsunade and Sakura, Fujin faced one critical problem. He intended to increase his chakra reserves with the help of the Myriad Tetragram Seal. As such, the 50 times of his current chakra reserves might not be very useful for him if his chakra reserves increased considerably.


    However, with the excess storage in the valley, this issue was solved. Fujin couldn''t even see how deep the valley was. Theke''s volume wasn''t evenparable to the volume of the valley. Even if Fujin''s chakra reserves reached the same level as Kurama''s, the valley still had sufficient space for him to create a handy artificial chakra reserve!


    Fujin chuckled as he shook his head. He muttered, "One step at a time. I first need to start filling up thiske. And, I need to absorb Shukaku''s chakra. Though I have nned as much as I can, I still need to be careful.


    After all, a Tailed Beast''s chakra isn''t something I can handle very lightly. I can''t exactlypare myself to Naruto. He has the Uzumaki genes and is a reincarnation of Ashura. In addition, the chakra that seeped through Minato''s seal was minusculepared to what I am nning¡­"


    Fujin immediately calmed himself. He took another nce at theke and decided, ''The formation of the army will take some time. Shikaku will probably only be done tomorrow. I''ll fill thiske slightly today.''


    Due to the chakra he received back from his Shadow Clone, Fujin''s chakra reserves were back to full. In addition, the soldier pill he consumed the day before was still working. Fujin decided to take the day off and rest at his house.


    While Fujin started working on the artificial chakra reservoir, the rest of the world was about to learn a piece of shocking news. Despite such a deadly attack on Konoha, the rest of the world didn''t realize it at the same time. After all, Konoha had eliminated all the spyworks of Iwagakure and Kumogakure from the Land of Fire. The two viges didn''t have a single spy within the country!


    However, there were still some external forces in Konoha. Kirigakure wasn''t as interested in the battle between Orochimaru and Fujin as their counterparts. As a result, their spywork, though damaged, still worked in Konoha. In addition, the various nobles and leaders, who had gathered to watch the Chunin Exam, began informing their respective forces about the assault. As such, information about the assault on Konoha started spreading throughout the world.


    The first ones to receive the message were none other than Sunagakure! The Suna Council was already on edge, waiting for Rasa''s message in the council room while ensuring that the vige functioned normally. As soon as they received a scroll, an Anbu ninja quickly brought it to the council room and reported, "Baki-sama''s message just arrived!"


    He immediately handed it to Goza. As Goza opened the scroll, Tojuro urged, "Hurry up! What does it say?"


    Goza muttered, "Calm down. The scroll isn''t going to run awa¡­"


    His lips suddenly stopped moving as his eyes widened. The very first sentence in the scroll said that Sunagakure suffered aplete defeat! He hurriedly read through the rest of the scroll.


    Seeing his expression change, the rest of the council tensed up as well. Ryusa asked, "What is it? What happened in Konoha?"


    Sajo asked, "Are our losses higher than our bottom line?"


    The more Gazo read, the grimmer his expression became, especially when he learnt that Rasa had been killed by Orochimaru. Despite his vast experience, his mind froze! For a moment, he wasn''t sure what to say or do. As if on auto-pilot, he ced the scroll on the table and muttered, "Call the siblings here immediately!"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


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 Chapter 763: Panic in Sunagakure!

    "Call the siblings here immediately!" Hearing Goza''s grave tone, the Anbu ninja, who had brought the scroll, flickered away immediately. The remaining council members had a bad feeling. They quickly grabbed the scroll and started reading. Everyst one of them was shocked to their very core!


    Sajo muttered in shock, "How can this be? Orochimaru betrayed us and killed Rasa? He used us like puppets!"


    Ryusa muttered, "And, only 233 ninjas are returning with Baki. We sent 858 ninjas to Konoha! He doesn''t know whether the others survived or not!"


    Ikanago added, "The status of Kazekage-sama''s children is unknown too!"


    Joseki shivered fearfully. He nced at the other council members and questioned, "Does this mean that we not only lost our leader but also lost over 600 of our Elite ninjas and possibly our Jinchuriki?"


    Silence engulfed the room as no one answered him. After a few seconds, Goza let out a sigh and said, "Don''t jump the gun and assume the worst-case scenario. Baki said that Gaara and his siblings escaped earlier. So, they might have gotten away. It''s just that we can''t contact them until they return or run into Baki.


    Simrly, Baki estimated the death toll to be only around 300. He just doesn''t know about the rest. Perhaps most of them have escaped as well. We can only hope for the best¡­"


    Tojuro immediately replied, "What do you mean by the best? Kazekage-sama is dead! We lost the war! It''s already the worst-case scenario!"


    Silence engulfed the room again. Unlike others, the Suna Council was very aware of the reason for the attack. Suna''s economy was in tatters. While they had never been an economic powerhouse, their situation had continuously worsened in the past decade. There were several reasons for this. For one, they experienced great losses in the Third Great Ninja War. They would have recovered with time as they did from the previous great wars, but there was one big issue.


    Due to their losses, they had to form an alliance with Konoha. While the alliance was beneficial for them initially, they realized a big issue. Due to their alliance with Konoha and the fact that the Wind Daimyo was upset with Suna''s leadership, Konoha began getting most of the missions that they would have gotten otherwise. Over time, as people realized how efficient Konoha was with the missions, this trend just got worse for Suna.


    As a result, Suna was deprived of an opportunity to recoverpletely. To make matters worse, ''Konoha'' secretly made a move to destabilize the western part of the Land of Wind and painted Rasa and Suna as the bad rulers.


    This further increased the differences between the Wind Daimyo and the Suna leadership while themon citizens of the Land of Wind also began viewing Suna with suspicion. Since Suna didn''t have any proof against Konoha along with the fact that Konoha hadpleted the missions efficiently, Suna couldn''t even me Konoha. If they did, people would have been even more suspicious.


    As a result, Suna needed this surprise attack to go well to turn things around. As long as their surprise attack worked, they could use Konoha''s wealth to stabilize their economy. Even if they couldn''t do that, an attack on Konoha would tear their alliance. As a result, the people in the Land of Wind will be forced to give the missions to Suna instead of Konoha.


    Of course, it''ll cause a lot of discontent among the people in the Land of Wind, but there would be a huge differencepared to scrapping the alliance without attacking Konoha. Suna would have just attacked Konoha and killed Hiruzen along with hundreds of Konoha ninjas. Under such circumstances, even the Wind Daimyo would be under heavy pressure and be obedient, let alone other Nobles andmon citizens. No one would dare speak about their discontent or do anything about it.


    In addition, Konoha''s losses would tempt Kumo and Iwa, forcing Konoha to deploy their forces against these two Great Viges. Not only would they be unable to take revenge on Suna, they would be unable to perform missions properly due to the deployment of their forces. As a result, people in the Land of Wind as well as nearby countries would be forced to turn away from Konoha and seek Suna''s help.


    Not to mention, if Kumo and Iwa invaded Konoha, then Suna could join in to seek some benefits as well. They could alsounch a full-scale invasion and annex the Land of Rivers and some parts of the Land of Fire while Konoha was busy dealing with Iwa and Kumo.


    Unfortunately, the reality was extremely cruel. Not only did they not win, but instead they suffered aplete loss! As the council members silently nced at each other, they understood one thing. Sunagakure was facing their greatest existential crisis! If they didn''t manage it properly, there would be just four Great Viges left!


    Ryusa immediately said, "We need to call our patrol units back."


    Goza quickly refuted, "No, that would be folly. We need to do much more. Send them orders to startying traps. And, we need to send out hundreds of squads to convert the Land of Wind into one deadly trap like we did during the previous Great Wars!


    Baki doesn''t know what happened after he retreated. Luckily, we still have several spies in Konoha. Konoha''s next step will depend on what happened in the battle between Orochimaru and the Third Hokage. If the Third Hokage lost, then we still have some hope. Otherwise, we need to prepare for an all-out attack by Konoha!"


    "An all-out attack by Konoha?" The council members immediately turned their heads and saw Ebizo and Chiyo enter the room. They quickly handed them the scroll. Just like the rest of the council members, they were stunned by its content!


    After a couple of minutes of silence, Ebizo muttered, "What a terrible situation¡­"


    Chiyo added, "I had said back then that we don''t need to ally with Konoha. They wouldn''t have dared to step into the desert. However, no one listened to me. And now, you trusted a snake like Orochimaru!"


    She shook her head in disappointment, angering several council members. Unfortunately, they could just swallow their pride due to the critical situation they were in. In Rasa''s absence, they desperately needed Chiyo to step up. Luckily for them, Ebizo said, "Sister, it''s pointless toin about that. We need to deal with this situation."


    The council quickly created ns to prepare for Konoha''s invasion. Sajo said, "The very first thing we need to ensure is that the news of Kazekage-sama''s death doesn''t leak out. Our ninjas will panic when they learn of our losses."


    However, Tojura immediately replied, "It won''t work. Don''t forget the Wind Daimyo also had gone to the Chunin Exam. He would soon inform others in the Wind Capital and the news will spread irrespective of what we do."


    Ebizo replied, "That may be true, but we should still suppress the news until we understand everything that happened in Konoha. Then we can decide how to announce it."


    Everyone agreed to his words and continued nning. Within a couple of hours, 700 squads were sent out of the vige. They were responsible for setting traps throughout the desert to hinder any iing army! Another 300 squads were deployed to secure important defensive positions, while 100 squads moved to the Western part of the country to prevent any more misinformation campaigns from Konoha. In addition, they started creating elite ambush units.


    Though the people in Sunagakure were unaware of what was happening, everyone became tense. They realized that something terrible was about to happen.


    While the Suna ninjas were being deployed, Suna received a few more messages. They were from the Suna spies in Konoha. The council immediately got together and went through the new scrolls.


    Immediately, relief appeared on the faces of several council members. Ryusa said, "Even though he isn''t dead, the Third Hokage is injured too! So is that snake! However, we still don''t know the scale of their injuries."


    Goza added, "Yeah, that is the important part. If the Third Hokage is critically injured, then Konoha won''t attack us recklessly. Even though Kumo took a lot of losses, the Raikage will jump on any opening Konoha provides them."


    Sajo agreed, "Yes. We need to create amunication line with Kumogakure. If Konoha attacks us, we can draw them deep into the desert and give Kumo an opportunity to attack Konoha. That will force Konoha to abandon their attack!"


    Suddenly, a snort was heard and everyone turned their eyes to Chiyo. Without ncing at everyone, she asked, "Aren''t you forgetting something?"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


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 Chapter 764: Misunderstandings can be terrifying!

    Aren''t you forgetting something?" The Suna Council members looked at Chiyo in confusion. In thest few hours, they had debated all possibilities. Yet, Chiyo asked such a question.


    Seeing that no one had an answer, Chiyo sighed and said, "You seem to have forgotten that Orochimaru was Hiruzen''s student."


    Her statement caused even more confusion. Ryusa asked, "What does that have to do wi¡­?"


    Ryusa''s eyes widened in horror as he realized something terrifying! His expression became a sight to see! So were the expressions of other council members who finally realized what Chiyo was hinting at!


    Tojura muttered fearfully, "You mean that?"


    Sajo muttered, "How can this be? Was it all a scheme? Did we fall so badly to Konoha''s ploy?"


    Chiyo replied, "Who can say? Perhaps only the leaders in Konoha would know. Regardless, we can''t overlook the possibility of this being a trap set for us."


    Goza said thoughtfully, "You''re right. Wepletely overlooked this. It is possible that Orochimaru never betrayed Konoha. Instead, it was all an act to lure and weaken us! Perhaps they sensed our restlessness and sent Orochimaru to bait us.


    Even though our spies reported that the Third Hokage and Orochimaru were injured, they didn''t see them. Both may be just faking it!" Ryusa immediately questioned, "But, why are they doing so? Why did they need to continue acting after killing Kazekage-sama? Even if we assume that they wanted to kill more of our ninjas, why didn''t they stop pretending and chase after Baki and his forces? Wouldn''t that have weakened us further? And, why are they pretending to be injured right now?"


    Tojuro answered in a shocked tone, "It''s simple. Their target isn''t just us. Recently, Kumogakure took heavy losses. Nearly a thousand of their Elite ninjas are dead or missing. If we ignore the loss of our leader, then their losses are even greater than ours.


    There is no doubt that Konoha was behind those events. Kumo would be filled with rage and would want revenge. By pretending to be weak, they''re giving Kumo an opening that doesn''t exist. Their real target isn''t us but Kumogakure!


    It''s incredible no matter how I think about it. As expected of Konoha scums! They first killed Kazekage-sama and weakened us. Then, they pretend to be weak and lure Kumo. Once Kumo falls into their trap, they''ll go all out against them! With us weakened and hiding, Kiri busy in a civil war, and the Tsuchikage''s nature, no one will be able to bail Kumo out!"


    Silence engulfed the room once again. Except for Chiyo and Ebizo, everyone was in shock at how deep Konoha''s ns ran! Even though it was just a spection, everyone believed it to be the truth!


    After some time, Joseki wondered aloud, "Should we warn Kumo?"


    He was harshly rebuked by Tojuro, "And then what? Let Konoha deal with us while Kumo and Iwa just watch? The Raikage, though impulsive, isn''t a fool. Konoha will have to attack us in order to tempt Kumo into attacking. Let them fight each other. Even if Kumo loses, they would cause a lot of harm to Konoha. That would be our chance to recuperate!"


    Everyone nodded subconsciously, but Ebizo suddenly asked, "That''s all well and good, but what if Kumo doesn''t attack them? Are you sure our traps and ambushes would be sufficient to stop Konoha from reaching us?"


    Everyone turned their eyes to Ebizo. Ryusa asked, "What do you mean? Didn''t we just discuss the ns?"


    Ebizo exined, "Yes, we did. But we didn''t consider that Orochimaru could still be loyal to Konoha, nor did we have this additional information."


    Ebizo pointed at the scrolls sent by the spies. He continued, "By now, it is rather obvious that the one who created the chaos in the West was none other than Suzuki Fujin. And, ording to your spections, the man who attacked Kumo is none other than Hatake Kakashi.


    As such, Konoha already has two ninjas who are capable of acting independently. And, both of them could hunt our squads one at a time and easily cause us to lose hundreds of ninjas. Whether they do it just to increase our losses or to pave a path for their main army, we''ll have a difficult time.


    I didn''t say anything earlier as we could have still done something to stall them, but this new information makes things far more difficult for us.


    Suzuki Fujin has a summon that can fly. He can fly on it across our vast deserts and attack us at will. We won''t even be able to spot his movements. He could also ferry elite units across the deserts and attack our critical defenses.


    Not to mention, he sealed the Third Kazekage and Fourth Kazekage by himself. Even though he had assistance from other ninjas, there is no doubt that he''s strong enough to take on the Fourth Kazekage by himself even in the desert.


    This raises the difficulty of stopping him by several levels. Just that would be troublesome, but if we also add Orochimaru into the mix, then it gets worse. He has the experience of two wars and is extremely troublesome on a battlefield. So are his summons.


    His snakes can attack from underground while Fujin attacks from the air. Along with what Hatake Kakashi did in Kumo, how certain are you that our ninjas would be able to stop the three of them? And, I haven''t even considered the Edo Tensei jutsu."


    Not a single person in the room had an answer. Chiyo sighed and muttered, "So, even the desert isn''t safe anymore?"


    Tojura immediately asked, "What about you, Elder Chiyo? Could you stop them?"


    Chiyo smirked and teasingly asked, "You want an olddy to go to the battlefield?"


    Suna''s council members immediately felt awkward. Ebizo shook his head and said, "Sister won''t be able to stop them either. All three of them are extremely fearsome and in their prime. Don''t underestimate them."


    Tojuro muttered unwillingly, "That means that we can only count on Kumo."


    However, Ebizo shook his head and said, "An attack from Kumo wouldn''t necessarily mean that Konoha would need to withdraw from here."


    Tojuro frowned and asked, "What do you mean? Wouldn''t they need rank S nin¡­?"


    His eyes widened as he suddenly realized! Goza gasped, "That''s right, even without them, Konoha still has the Third Hokage and two Sannins! They don''t need them to face a wounded Kumo!"


    Ebizo added, "You''re forgetting one person. We still don''t know what Shimura Danzo, the Shinobi of Darkness, has been up to. His hand is definitely involved in such a scheme. That is what makes the situation even more terrifying. We need to change our strategy to ount for these factors."


    Everyone nodded in agreement and began thinking. Sajo said, "Since they have such terrifying capability, defending important locations is rather pointless as they''ll be easy pickings for them. We should only leave 1 squad in each of those ces and concentrate our forces inside the vige."


    Ryusa added, "Our ambushes will have to change too. Until we get the news of Konoha''s army entering the Land of Wind, we should keep our ambush units hidden. That way, the three of them wouldn''t find anyone to attack."


    Several other ideas were exchanged and new ns were made. Since they couldn''t confront the enemy head-on, they decided to avoidbat until Konoha sent an army to their country. Of course, understanding how terrible their situation was, they also became more open to diplomatic solutions even if they had to make somepromises.


    While the Suna Council brainstormed to create new ns, Kirigakure received messages from their spies in Konoha. The subordinates of the Fourth Mizukage were surprised by the events but didn''t pay much attention to them except for one aspect. They had their hands full with the rebels.


    Unlike them, the rebels paid careful attention to the news. Mei thought, ''He has a flying summon. So, that''s why he was able to reach us so quickly¡­''


    Ao said, "To think Konoha would be attacked by their former rank S ninja and an ally. Sigh, alliances are too fragile. Without an alliance between them, the situation will destabilize quickly."


    Mei replied, "Not quite. Even though Konoha was backstabbed, it looks like they were very well prepared. Other than their Hokage, they barely had any losses. Byparison, Suna and Oto lost too much.


    That will intimidate anyone nning to attack them. Unless Kumo, Iwa, and Suna could ally, they won''t attack Konoha. However, as you just said, alliances are too fragile."


    Ao replied, "That is true."


    He turned his gaze towards the reports and said, "Still, this boy has grown too ferocious. To think that he could take on so many strong ninjas and eliminate over 300 elite ninjas by himself!"


    Mei smirked and said, "Yeah, he has grown to be quite a man. I hope we don''t have to meet on a battlefield."


    Ao agreed. While several types of enemies were troublesome, the type that could cut through hundreds of elite ninjas in the blink of an eye was the most terrifying. They could take out a huge chunk of their forces and heavily restrict their movements!


    Mei said, "Anyway, we have an important matter at hand. The Edo Tensei jutsu¡­"


    Ao nodded, understanding what she was hinting at.


    "Hahahahaha!" Thousands of kilometers away from the Land of Water,ughter broke out in a room!


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


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 Chapter 765: Kumos Target?

    Unlike Suna and Kiri, Iwa and Kumo didn''t have any spies in Konoha. As such, they received messages about the attack a few hours after them. As soon as Onoki looked through the scroll, he broke out into a hugeughter.


    Kurotsuchi nced at her father and looked into his eyes, as if questioning, ''Did Gramps finally go senile?''


    Onoki''sughter abruptly ended and he screamed in pain, "Ouch! My back! I strained it again!"


    Kitsuchi sighed and helped Onoki out while Kurotsuchi asked, "What is in the scroll, Gramps?"


    Onoki replied, "It''s quite amusing. Take a look."


    Kitsuchi and Kurotsuchi read the scroll and their eyes widened in shock. Kitsuchi muttered, "So, Suna finally betrayed Konoha."


    Kurotsuchi added, "Not just that! They were attacked by the Third Hokage''s student too! Konoha is weird."


    Onoki said, "Now it makes sense. Konoha should have known about Suna''s betrayal and expected the attack. That is why, they hit Kumo preemptively so that Kumo wouldn''t be able to take advantage of their weakness. As expected of Hiruzen and Danzo."


    Kitsuchi nodded and asked, "Should we be taking advantage of the Third Hokage''s state?" Onoki snorted, "Take advantage? Did you read the same report as me? They defeated Suna and Oto with minimal casualties. Even though Hiruzen is injured, they still have Jiraiya and Suzuki Fujin. Not to mention, there is no mention of Danzo and Tsunade in these reports. Konoha is still very strong."


    Kurotsuchi asked impatiently, "So, why were youughing?"


    Onoki exined, "Don''t you see? In a short span, every hidden vige has taken heavy casualties. Kiri is continuously taking losses due to their civil war and their condition is worse than what it was at the end of the Third Great Ninja War. Kumogakure lost nearly a thousand elite ninjas and their dignity a few weeks ago.


    And now, Suna not only lost hundreds of elites but also their leader and the only remaining rank S ninja from their younger generation. Even though Konoha''s losses are low, they should still exceed a hundred. More importantly, Hiruzen is an unknown state. If he dies, then that''ll be splendid news, hahaha!"


    Onoki calmed down and continued, "What decides the vige that has the upper hand in a Great War is the preparation they do in between the Great Wars. Our progress was derailed quite a bit. The first major blow to us was the nearly 50 Jounins who died under yourmand, Kitsuchi."


    The memories of that dreadful mission resurfaced as Kitsuchi felt a bit depressed. Onoki continued, "Later, we lost Han along with the Five Tails. I''m still not sure how he went missing and who made a move against him. One of our most promising youngsters went rogue and we lost a huge chunk of our spies and intelligencework.


    As such, our preparationgged behind quite a bit. Though we were still doing better than Kiri and Suna, we were far behind Konoha and Kumo. However, Kumo''s recent losses far exceed our own. As for Suna, they have been set behind by almost a decade. Their condition might be worse than even Kiri''s.


    And now, Konoha has taken some losses too. Hiruzen being dead or handicapped is a far bigger blow than us losing Han. We finally can rest easy and concentrate on preparing our forces for the war."


    The father-daughter duo were surprised by Onoki''s thinking. Unlike others, Onoki didn''t even entertain any thoughts of taking advantage of Konoha''s momentary vulnerability. On the contrary, he was well aware that the vulnerability was just a facade. Whoever tried to take advantage of it would be burned badly! Instead, he focused on the preparations for the next Great Ninja War!


    Kurotsuchi asked curiously, "What now then? Will nothing else happen?"


    Onoki answered, "Everything depends on Konoha. Under normal circumstances, Ay would have acted impatiently. However, Konoha already ensured that he couldn''t make a move. If Konoha doesn''t do anything, then this matter will end here. If they invade, then it could provide an opening for Kumo to exploit. We can decide then what to do.


    However, I don''t think Konoha would be foolish enough to do that. After all, Sunagakure suffered more than Konoha. This is already a great victory for them. They would likely engage in diplomacy. If that fails, then they would either do a symbolic retaliation with no real substance or do a few special operations to cause Suna more damage and im a victory."


    Kitsuchi nodded while Kurotsuchi thought for a bit before sighing, "That is boring."


    Onoki sighed at his granddaughter''s inexperience and began lecturing her. Kitsuchi waited until he was done before saying with a serious expression, "That said, we have an issue."


    Onoki suddenly became serious as well, stunning Kurotsuchi who went quiet. Onoki said, "Orochimaru revived Master Mu and even Lord First! That snake must have disturbed their graves!"


    Everyone had solemn expressions as they realized the gravity of the situation. Onoki muttered, "The Edo Tensei jutsu was famous for taking intel from the dead. It foiled most of our ns during the First Great Ninja War, giving Konoha a massive advantage despite their precarious situation.


    Since he revived my predecessors, Orochimaru must have obtained a lot of our information. Worse, he seemed to have raised their ability to fight. He could raise an army just by stealing the DNA of our dead ninjas."


    Kurotsuchi''s eyes widened. She thought, ''That''s incredible and disgusting at the same time! Even though he''s a rogue ninja, Orochimaru could quickly raise a strong force with just this jutsu.''


    Onoki thought for a bit before sighing, "There is no choice. Tighten the security around the graveyard and inspect whether their dead bodies were desecrated."


    He paused for a moment before continuing, "If Orochimaru can raise the dead with their strength intact, then we can''t take the risk of just protecting the graveyard. We may have to cremate the dead bodies of all Elite Jounins and stronger ninjas."


    "What did you say???" Ay roared in his office! Unlike Onoki, who took great pleasure, Ay was furious. He asked, "That snake reanimated my father?"


    Mabui calmly replied, "That''s what the scroll says."


    Ay cursed, "That damned snake! We were forced to redistribute our forces due to Konoha and Akuro and he jumped at the opportunity! Mabui, pass orders to increase the security around the graveyard once again! We can''t have any more snakes scurrying around."


    Mabui nodded and immediately left. Darui took another look at the scroll and said, "To think that Suna really attacked Konoha and paid such a heavy price¡­ Their earlier request for cooperating against Konoha was genuine."


    Ay snorted, "It may have been genuine but it was very stupid. Not only did they lose badly but they also lost their Kazekage."


    C agreed, "True. This entire war feels like a scheme. From this report, it feels more like Konoha was attacking them instead of the other way around. While the Kazekage died, the Hokage and Orochimaru were only injured and it isn''t clear how injured either of them are."


    Ay nodded but Samui asked, "However, if Orochimaru and Konoha were working together, why did they kill so many Oto ninjas? Wouldn''t they be allies?"


    Samui''s question forced everyone to think deeply. After all, why would Konoha kill over a hundred allied ninjas? C''s eyes widened as he said, "Maybe they were a sacrifice!"


    Everyone looked at C as he exined, "If so many Oto ninjas hadn''t died, everyone would have suspected Orochimaru and Konoha to be working together. No, it would be extremely clear. However, by killing so many Oto ninjas, others wouldn''t suspect them as much. I guess Konoha wasn''t satisfied with just trapping Suna. They want to trap someone else¡­"


    C''s eyes were on Ay as he spoke thest sentence. Everyone immediately realized that Konoha may have wanted to use Ay''s recklessness to lure Kumo into a trap as well.


    Ay''s expression became dark as he said, "Of course, they want to inflict even more damage on us. They might even attack Suna to provide us with a fake opening to lure us. Doesn''t matter. We won''t target Konoha. Instead, focus on Orochimaru. That snake dared to desecrate my predecessors! We have the perfect excuse to go after him. Let me see what Konoha does once I kill him!"


    Ay looked at C and asked, "How is the investigation in the Land of Rice going?"


    C replied, "We found a few hidden bases and have calcted several more locations. However, it is very difficult to say which is the base where Orochimaru is hiding. If we attack, it could alert him and he may either escape ory a trap for us."


    Ay replied, "Of course. Killing him won''t be easy. And, I can''t move around easily due to Akuro. Continue monitoring the situation. We will have to kill him in one attempt."


    C nodded. Unlike Iwa, Kumo didn''t cremate their dead. Suna did the same but in a different way. Instead of cremating their dead, they startedying all sorts of traps within their graveyard to catch Orochimaru if he showed up again. It would soon be a forbidden area for others in Suna and the third-most well-defended location among the elemental countries!


    On the other hand, Kiri had no confidence in defending their dead from Orochimaru in the middle of a war. Both factions made the same decision as Onoki.


    The minor viges were quite shocked by the developments as well. They immediately became worried about the possibility of the start of the next Great Ninja War. Meanwhile, the silhouettes of several terrifying ninjas appeared in a cave!


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 Chapter 766: The Art of Diplomacy

    In a dimly lit cave, several phantom bodies flickered into existence, standing atop the ominous fingers of the massive Gedo Statue! Their forms distorted as the eyes of the Akatsuki membersy on Nagato. Hidan immediatelyined, "What is it this time? Did we already capture the second Jinchuriki?"


    Nagato answered, "Not quite. However, there has been an interesting development."


    Everyone followed his gaze and looked at Zetsu. White Zetsu reported, "Konoha was attacked by Sunagakure and Otogakure half a day ago. It was quite a shocking battle!"


    Sasori chuckled and said, "So they finally broke that ridiculous alliance. Took them long enough. What about Orochimaru? Did he show up too?"


    As his partner, Sasori was well aware of the fact that Orochimaru led Otogakure. White Zetsu answered, "Yes, he was the main attacker. His methods were quite terrifying. As expected of a Legendary Sannin. Maybe it''s a good thing you didn''t find him, Sasori. I''m afraid it''ll take a lot more than one group to take him down."


    Sasori frowned but before he could reply, Itachi asked, "So, did Konoha lose?"


    ck Zetsu answered, "The opposite. The Third Hokage is a force to reckon with despite his old age. And, Konoha was prepared for their assault."


    Deidarained, "Stop increasing the suspense and just tell us what happened already."


    White Zetsu informed the Akatsuki about the events in Konoha. Despite their aloofness and arrogance, almost all of them were shocked by what had happened. Needless to say, what shocked them most was the improvement in the Edo Tensei jutsu. After all, if Orochimaru had reanimated a dozen dead Kage against them, they would be in extreme danger. Forget defeating him, even escaping would be a challenge. The only ones who still had confidence in facing him were Nagato, Itachi and Hidan. Kisame muttered, "Incredible. Despite facing a dozen rank S ninja, the Third Hokage still sealed them and defeated Orochimaru. How injured are they?"


    ck Zetsu answered, "I''m unsure. Gold and Iron dust was covering the barrier in the ending stages of the battle, so it was difficult for my clones to see. I''m not even sure what jutsu the Third Hokage used to seal the reanimated ninjas and defeat Orochimaru.


    However, he was unconscious after the battle and needed the Toad Sage Jiraiya and the Spectral Swordsman Fujin to save him from Orochimaru''s subordinates. In addition, he doesn''t seem to have made any public appearance yet. So, it''s safe to say that his injuries are serious.


    Orochimaru looked in a weird state as well. From what little my clones could see, his arms seemed to be paralyzed. From his rage, that injury won''t be easy to heal."


    Zetsu''s clones had kept an eye on the arena and other spots attacked by Sunagakure and Otogakure ninjas. However, they couldn''t get too close. As good as they were at stealth, they would be discovered by the Hyuga ninjas if they became too active. As such, they couldn''t get a good look once the Third and Fourth Kazekages began defending the barrier. Even after the war ended, Konoha was in a state of high alert. So, Zetsu''s clones couldn''t investigate.


    Hidan chuckled and said, "If both the Hokage and Orochimaru are injured, then this might be a good chance to kidnap the Jinchuriki of Nine Tails and kill Orochimaru at the same time."


    He was immediately refuted by Nagato, who said, "The Nine Tailed Beast is quite different from the other Tailed Beasts. The Gedo Statue can''t absorb it right away. We''ll need to seal the weaker Tailed Beasts first."


    Konan added, "Even if we could do so, attacking Konoha at this time would be foolish. Once Konoha loses their Jinchuriki, the other viges will be wary of us and might cooperate with Konoha to eliminate us. Even though they wouldn''t be able to, it''s easier to operate without them pestering us.


    We were able to get the Jinchuriki of Five Tails because he lived outside Iwagakure in istion and because we knew that Iwa would suppress this news than let others know of their weakness. The next time we make a move, we''ll have to capture multiple Jinchurikis simultaneously and before the Great Viges realize our motives."


    Hidan snorted in annoyance while a few others nodded. However, White Zetsu suddenly said, "I think you might be jumping the gun here. Even though the Hokage is injured, Konoha is still very strong. Even though they crushed Sunagakure and Otogakure, only two of their top ninjas went all out.


    While the Third Hokage stopped Orochimaru, Suzuki Fujin ughtered over 300 ninjas single-handedly and suppressed Hatake Sakumo, Kaguya Shirogane, Juzo, Zabuza, Kaminari and Haku, a ninja having Ice Kekkei Genkai, by himself. He was the main reason why Konoha won so overwhelmingly.


    The Toad Sage barely fought in the battle while thest Sannin wasn''t even in the vige. Shimura Danzo didn''t make a move either. So, Konoha isn''t easy to target by any means. If anything, it might be the opposite as their morale is very high due to the overwhelming victory against two hidden viges."


    ck Zetsu added, "That is correct. However, Orochimaru could be targeted. His forces werepletely annihted."


    Nagato nodded. He was about to speak, when Itachi said, "I''ll go to Konoha to investigate the situation there and take a look at the Jinchuriki. Is he still there?"


    ck Zetsu answered, "Should be. Their sensors are constantly expanding their search radius outside Konoha. So, my clones can''t spy much for the time being."


    Deidara immediatelyined, "Why do you get to go? I want to introduce Konoha to my art!"


    Itachi replied without even ncing at him, "The Nine Tails Jinchuriki is my target."


    Deidara frowned and asked, "Isn''t my target the Jinchurikis of One Tail? Didn''t you say that he escaped from Konoha? Can I go after him?"


    White Zetsu replied, "Unfortunately, he has joined up with the remaining forces of Sunagakure and is apanied by over two hundred ninjas. Confronting them will attract too much attention."


    Deidara was about to argue when Nagato authoritatively said, "That''s enough. Itachi and Kisame, you two go to Konoha. However, avoid attracting attention. Sasori and Deidara, you''ll go to the Land of Rice and eliminate Orochimaru while he is injured. The meeting ends here."


    The phantom bodies suddenly disappeared and each of the Akatsuki members opened their eyes. As discussed, Itachi and Kisame began moving to Konoha while Deidara and Sasori flew to the Land of Rice.


    As Akatsuki''s meeting wrapped up, the council meetings took ce in several minor viges. In Kusagakure, Hiroshi muttered, "It''s a good thing we sent Shizuka to protect the Daimyo. To think that demon would gain such disastrous abilities. He cut down 2 divisions of a hundred Suna elites with just one jutsu each! Even Orochimaru''s Edo Tensei and Kekkei Genkai users weren''t a match for him!"


    The Kusa council grew cold. At the same time, they were relieved that they hadn''t made any move against Fujin when he hade to negotiate. They finally realized the danger they were in!


    Hiroshi said seriously, "Just like Akuro, Suzuki Fujin is someone we can''t afford to offend. He is no longer a mere assassin. Instead, he has be someone who can massacre armies just like the Fourth Hokage! He could cause unrecoverable losses to our forces. Order our ninjas to avoid him irrespective of the situation."


    A council member asked, "Are you sure that just avoiding him would be enough? Don''t forget that we drew weapons on him thest time we met him."


    His statement immediately increased the panic in the room. Though no one made a move, their nervousness was very visible. Hiroshi was slightly disappointed with his council, but he couldn''t me them. Fujin''s strength had be quite scary. He thought, ''With the strength he disyed, there is no doubt that he''ll be a Hokage candidate in the future. If he bes the Hokage, we can''t have any animosity between us.''


    Hiroshi sighed and said, "You''re right. We''ll ept Konoha''s offer for help."


    His statement surprised the council members. Several said at the same time, "But we are already winning the war and have done the main work. What''s the point in taking Konoha''s help now?"


    Hiroshi exined, "That''s the point. We''re giving them the full money for doing an almostpleted job. Since it is a deal put forth by him, Fujin will get the credit of getting such a lucrative offer for Konoha. And, since they were just attacked, they''ll cherish the resources and funds even more.


    This will raise his stature even more and he is smart enough to know that this was due to our decision. Though I don''t think he''ll ever repay this favor, he''ll know that he can have an ally in us in the future."


    The Kusa council members thought for a bit and agreed. Though it was costly for the vige, it was way better than losing their heads. Not a single person opposed the move.


    Suddenly, Hiroshi''s expression hardened as he continued, "That said, this move serves another important purpose. Even though the reports say that Konoha didn''t take much loss, we have no idea what the numbers are. There is also a small chance that they might be bluffing.


    Even though we have destroyed half the forces of the rebels, their remaining forces are still quite formidable. How Konoha handles them will show us whether Konoha is still strong enough to deter Iwagakure or whether we need to make other arrangements to ensure our safety."


    The Kusa Council understood what he meant immediately. After all, diplomacy was their speciality, at least when someone like Fujin wasn''t sitting in the same room with a de against their throats.


    [A/N: Latest Chapter : Battling 7 rank S ninjas!]


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 Chapter 767: A different kind of army...

    Just like Kusagakure, all the minor viges neighboring Konoha decided never to offend Fujin. All their grievances about the actions of The Spectral Swordsman were buried and forgotten. The news of him killing a hundred Suna ninjas with each attack had shocked them to their core. Unlike Suna, they didn''t have the forces to handle such losses.


    At the same time, they too began pondering what to do in case Konoha was more weakened than what the reports suggested. Some countries, like the Land of Noodles and the Land of Tea, didn''t have any options. They had to depend on Konoha.


    Meanwhile, the Land of Hot Water still remembered Kumo''s tant attempt to take over their mines and still hated Kumo. Simrly, the Land of Waterfall hated Iwagakure for its stunts a few years ago. Unlike Kusagakure, those hidden viges couldn''t swallow their pride and were left with no option but to hope that Konoha stood tall.


    On the other hand, the Land of Rivers, a buffer country between the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind, was in a panic. If Suna and Konoha fought, their country would be the battleground. As such, Tanigakure immediately gathered all their ninjas and began preparing for another war they may have to endure.


    Even the Land of Iron took note of this battle and Fujin''s capabilities while calcting the implications of this sudden attack on Konoha. Council meetings ran through the night in several viges as the world waited to see how Konoha would respond.


    As for the person they were discussing the most? He got off from his bed after a nice deep sleep,pletely unbothered by the chaos and panic around him and in the world. If anyone were to see him, they wouldn''t even be able to guess that he had killed over 300 ninjas and 2000 snakes less than 24 hours ago!


    Fujin nced at the clock and thought, ''7 hours¡­ My chakra reserves are almost full again. However, Shikaku should call me soon¡­ I''ll transfer 20% to theke. Anyway, it was a good thing that I made them create such a pill.''


    Fujin had consumed a special soldier pill less than a couple of days ago. As such, he shouldn''t have been able to sleep due to the increased stimtion caused by the soldier pill. However, Fujin had an idea, which was to create another pill that would temporarily pause the mental stimtion caused by a soldier pill.


    The reason Fujin had this idea was due to howrge his chakra reserves had be. Even the best soldier pill in Konoha would need nearly 7 to 8 hours to recover his chakrapletely. Once his chakra reserves were nearly empty, there wasn''t much point in him staying awake until they recovered as it just increased his mental fatigue. As such, Fujin approached the kindhearted medical ninjas who poured their heart and soul into making him an eptable medical ninja and made them work on creating such a pill. As a gesture of ''gratitude'' for teaching him, he even let them take credit for the idea. After nearly a month of hard research and experiments, they came up with such a pill.


    However, it had a certain limitation. In fact, Fujin had already known that this limitation would exist even before the pill was created. Whoever consumes it would need to wake up before their chakra reserves were full. If they didn''t, then it would cause a lot of harm to their body and cells over time. As such, the pill was only ideal for ninjas with high chakra reserves, limiting its usefulness to only a handful of ninjas, but that didn''t concern Fujin.


    Fujin thought, ''Even so, this pill does have an adverse effect on the body as well as the mind due to the sh of opposite types of enzymes and chemicals in the two pills. It''s best not to use it much. Then again, once I absorb Shukaku''s chakra, soldier pills will be far less effective for me as I might need an entire day to recover my chakrapletely. Its only use would be when I need to stay awake for several days for a mission or during a war¡­''


    Fujin stopped thinking about it and freshened up. As he expected, an Anbu ninja came to call for him an hourter and said, "Shikaku-sama asked you to go to the third training ground as soon as you can."


    Fujin nodded and muttered, "The third training ground, huh? I guess he has already started gathering the army."


    The Anbu ninja nodded and replied, "Yes, more than half have already appeared. The rest should gather in another half an hour. Shikaku-sama will visit once everyone is there."


    Fujin replied, "Alright, tell him that I''m there."


    The Anbu ninja nodded and flickered away. Fujin thought, ''I didn''t think much about this yesterday, but now that I think of it, this is a good time to do that¡­''


    A Shadow Clone appeared next to Fujin as he flickered away. In a few seconds, Fujin appeared in the third training ground. The third training ground was one of thergest training grounds in Konoha. While there were a few that wererger than it, what made it stand out was its location. It was right next to the entrance of the vige. Whenever Konoha wanted to make a show of their forces heading out, this training ground would be used.


    As soon as Fujin arrived, he activated his chakra field and sensed, ''Hmm, over two thousand ninjas are already here.''


    Activating the chakra field and sensing so many ninjas openly was generally considered quite rude. As such, most ninjas in the training ground nced in his direction. However, Fujin had already disappeared from his position.


    Renjiro chuckled and muttered, "Took you long enough to arrive."


    Fujin, who had flickered right behind Renjiro, replied inly, "On the contrary, I was wondering whether I could sneak in another half an hour of sleep."


    Renjiro smirked and said, "It''s good you''re high in spirit. You''ll need it when you lead an army."


    Fujin sighed and muttered, "Shikaku-san just keeps increasing my stress and workload. I hadn''t worked much withrge groups of ninjas until yesterday. And now he sends me to lead three thousand ninjas¡­"


    Renjiro looked at Fujin with a peculiar expression while wondering, ''You made him the Acting Hokage. Do you have any right toin? Besides, you''re the only council member who slept peacefully!''


    Suddenly, Fujin ced his hand on Renjiro''s shoulder and said, "Luckily, I can count on you, right Sensei?"


    Renjiro became speechless, realizing that Fujin wanted to dump his work on him. He immediately replied, "I''ll just advise you. Everything else is up to you."


    Fujin shook his head and said in a disappointed tone, "You''re no fun, Sensei. Where''s Hoka? I''m sure he''ll love to help me out a bit. I''ll leave the army to him and go hunt that snake!"


    Once again, Renjiro was left speechless. He was about to say something when he thought, ''On second thought, delegating is a part of leading as well. However, this might be the first time in history when someone delegates his entire job away¡­ Sigh, Shikaku has had a bad influence on him.''


    While Fujin and Renjiro were messing around, a few ninjas spotted them. The ones who did immediately eximed, "Fujin''s here!"


    "He is? Where is he?"


    "Look there!"


    "You should have seen him yesterday! He was relentless and unstoppable!"


    "Yeah, the Suna and Oto ninjas were like helpless chickens against him. Even the Kazekages and the Legendary White Fang couldn''t stop him!"


    "Even Orochimaru ran away like a coward when Fujin appeared in front of him!"


    In under a minute, everyone in the training ground was looking at Fujin! By now, there wasn''t a single person in Konoha who hadn''t heard about his exploits in the battle. Hundreds of ninjas had witnessed him ughtering the two divisions of Suna ninjas in the blink of an eye! Nearly every one of them had also nced at Fujin''s other battles. None of them held back in singing his praises and the news had spread like fire through the entire vige.


    After seeing him once again, the ones who had witnessed his acts recalled their memories subconsciously while the ones who hadn''t imagined it. Immediately, everyone began discussing him.


    "He is so young!"


    "Yeah, and handsome!"


    "Bah! Do you only care about looks? Focus on his strength!"


    The younger ninjas began discussing his strength as well as his looks. While Fujin had always gained the interest of other young ninjas, there was too little information about what he did and his real strength. His missions used to be so secretive that even the ones who had seen him couldn''t say a word about it to anyone. Most of his mission records were burned by Hiruzen and Shikaku. The only information everyone had was rumors.


    Of course, the rumors surrounding him were so crazy that everyone wanted to know him. Unfortunately, he was extremely difficult to get in touch with. However, Suna''s attack finally made everyone realize how ridiculously powerful Fujin was. For once, they saw someone who lived up to the rumors. Unknown to Fujin, he had an army of fangirls and fanboys in under 24 hours!


    [A/N: Next chapter in 6-8 hours (if I don''t fall asleep ??).]


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 Chapter 768: A Deadly Infection!

    While Fujin''s presence excited the younger ninjas, it had a relieving effect on the older ninjas. Seeing Fujin made them feel confident about Konoha''s future.


    "With him, Konoha will be safe for another half a century."


    "Hahaha, yeah. What I''m looking forward to is how much stronger he''ll be. He is only sixteen."


    "Indeed! He might even surpass the Fourth Hokage! Once he does, other viges will think ten times before starting a war against us or they''ll be burned just like Suna!"


    "While there is no doubt about his strength, I''m looking forward to how he''ll lead us."


    The ones present in the training ground weren''t just strangers. There were several acquaintances of Fujin in the army as well. In one corner of the training ground, three men stood together while looking at Fujin.


    Kimiyama Yasuoka muttered, "I knew he''d be strong, but I never imagined that he''d reach this level, let alone in just a few years."


    Obake Kaneie recalled his memories while saying, "Yeah, I still remember that mission like it was yesterday. To think he was so modest back then."


    Endo Tadao chuckled and said, "You know, we may never be promoted to Chunin, but how many Chunins here can say that they had Suzuki Fujin as their team leader? Already so many of our ssmates are jealous of us, haha!" The other two chuckled as well. Years ago, the three of them were the first group Fujin led on a mission. While they weren''t talented enough to be Chunins nor had the drive to put in the effort, that mission became a source of pride for the trio. Outside of the Anbu ninjas, they were the only ones who could brag about this.


    In another part, several young ninjas of the same age as Fujin were gathered together.


    A boy sighed, "To think that Fujin would reach this stage and I''m still a Chunin¡­"


    Next to him, Aoki Nora chuckled and said, "Why are you sighing? Even back in the academy, you could neverpete with him. The only ones who could were Teru, Yori, Nobu, Hoka and Hana¡­"


    As he spoke, his eyesnded on a girl not too far away from him. Hyuga Hana noticed his gaze and nced back at him as Nora teased, "Now that I recall, you used to be quitepetitive with him for the top rank. Do you still want topete with Fujin?"


    Hana immediately replied, "At least I am a Special Jounin, unlike you."


    Nora chuckled and said, "You''re still as sharp-tongued as ever, Hana."


    Hana ignored him and said, "Besides, what''s the point inparing me with that monster? Just feel honored that we were lucky enough to be in the same ss as him and know him so well. You may not know how strong he truly is, but I know it from Hoka. He is already far beyond a level we could reach."


    Aoki Nora frowned and asked, "Hey, what do you mean by that? We''re still young. Even though catching up with him is impossible, why can''t we reach the level he is at?"


    He wasn''t the only one. Almost everyone around Hana looked at her with the same question running through their minds. After all, they were just in their teens. While they epted that Fujin was far stronger than them, they still dreamt of eventually reaching the same level as him.


    Hana nced at Fujin as she answered, "You should visit the library more. Normally, Ninjas are divided into 3 ranks. They are Genin, Chunin and Jounin. There are some additional rankings, such as the Elite Chunin and Special Jounin ranks that are used for ninjas who are between the Chunin and Jounin ranks and Elite Jounins for ninjas who surpass the Jounin rank!


    However, there is a rank beyond the Elite Jounin. It is called rank S. This is the rank that all Kages have. Fujin is currently at that rank. And, even among the rank S, there are weaker and stronger ninjas.


    For instance, the Copy Ninja Hatake Kakashi, who is so talented that he was promoted to Chunin when he was merely 6 years old, is considered to barely be a rank S ninja. Darui from Kumogakure and Kitsuchi from Iwagakure, the two ninjas believed to be the ones who''ll seed their current Kages, are also believed to be at the same level as Kakashi.


    On the other hand, Fujin, right now, is considered to be at the same level as the Sannins, who were recognized to be rank S ninjas decades ago during the Second Great War and are much stronger than Kakashi and the others. It''s honestly incredible that he reached such a level so quickly."


    Others around Hana were surprised by her words. While a few n ninjas knew about it, the civilian ninjas werepletely clueless. Hana''s expression dulled a bit as she continued, "Even if I train day and night, reaching the Elite Jounin rank is difficult, let alone surpassing it and bing rank S. As for Fujin''s level, there is no point in even dreaming about it.


    After the Legendary Sannins, only one ninja in Konoha reached that level. It was the Fourth Hokage. And now, Fujin has reached it too. Still feel confident in reaching his level?"  ?


    Hana chuckled as she asked the question. The chuckle wasn''t to mock them. Instead, it was a helpless chuckle as Hana wanted to reach such a level too. Everyone around her understood it and their moods dampened a bit.


    What they didn''t know was that even Hana''s knowledge wasn''tplete. Konoha had two more ninjas who reached the levels of the Sannins after the Fourth Hokage. Unfortunately, very few knew how strong Shisui truly was. And, Itachi''s actions were so outrageous that no one in Konoha talked about him.


    "Eh, why are you so depressed? Did someone from our batch die yesterday?" Suddenly, everyone turned their heads to their left and saw that Hoka had just arrived. Seeing so many eyes staring at him, Hoka took a step back and asked, "Umm, what happened guys? Did someone really die?"


    While Fujin''s ssmates caught up with each other, Fujin flickered in another location and muttered, "It''s been a while, Sensei."


    In front of Fujin was a middle-aged man. A few strands of white hair were visible on his head as he smiled and said, "You just keep getting faster and stronger every time I see you, Fujin. At this point, I shouldn''t be surprised. Yet, you surprise me every time."


    The person was none other than Genki, Fujin''s sensei in the academy. Much like Renjiro and Hoka, Fujin met him once in a while. However, it was rare. Unlike Fujin, who rarely did missions, Genki was continuously on missions. It had been over 6 years since he had been promoted to the rank of Jounin and due to his excellent track record, he was now considered as one of the Veteran Jounins.


    Fujin just chuckled, looked to Genki''s right and said, "It''s good to see you doing well, old man."


    Next to Genki was Yamanaka Shin, the ninja who taught Fujin to be a sensor. Just like Genki, he was promoted to the Jounin rank as well. And, a few strands of white hair were visible on his blonde head. Shin immediately grumbled, "Who are you calling old man? Sigh, youngsters nowadays have no respect. Even though you refused to call me aniki, we settled on sensei!"


    Genki chuckled and asked, "You are still salty about that?"


    Shin looked at him and said, "It''s all your fault for giving that lousy introduction!"


    Genki grinned. Without even ncing at his friend, Genki began catching up with Fujin. The two talked,pletely ignoring Shin who stood there awkwardly. After some time, Genki introduced hisrades to Fujin.


    Seeing Fujin with Genki, all other acquaintances of Genki also showed up one by one. They wouldn''t miss the chance to connect with someone who could be the next Hokage. For the next 20 minutes, Fujin was introduced to nearly 50 Jounins, Special Jounins and some Chunins!


    As they talked, Genki chuckled and asked, "Does your offer still stand? I''m sure every squad would like you on a rank A mission."


    Fujin raised an eyebrow and asked, "You remembered it after 5 years?"


    Genki coughed awkwardly and said, "You can''t me me. You were a part of a couple of teams and joined the Anbu soon after."


    Fujin chuckled, "I know, I was just messing with you."


    Genji smirked and said, "I guess it''s my turn now to ask you to take me on rank S missions."


    The ones around Genki also began looking at Fujin, who was leftpletely speechless. Fujin couldn''t help but wonder, ''Wasn''t he alright? Since when did he be so shameless? Sigh, this damned vige¡­ Everyone is infected by Hiruzen''s shamelessness!''


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


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 Chapter 769: Flustered!

    [A/N: Just a reminder, Mieko wasn''t a part of Fujin''s ss. She was a year younger than him and Hoka. She just graduated in her 3rd year while Fujin and Hoka graduated in their 4th year.]


    Seeing Fujin''s reaction, Genkiughed and patted Fujin''s shoulder while saying, "I''m just joking. I can guess that your missions are so difficult that we will only be in your way."


    For once, Fujin agreed. While he rarely did missions, the ones he did were absolutely nuts. The entire ninja world was still in the dark about how Kumo lost more ninjas than Suna despite not being in a war.


    Seeing Fujin nod without any hesitation left Genki and hisrades speechless. Genki was just giving Fujin a way out so that he wouldn''t need to answer his awkward question. He didn''t expect Fujin to actually agree. He awkwardly thought, ''Shit! I forgot how shameless he can be! He hasn''t changed a bit!''


    Fujin chuckled on seeing their reactions and said, "Well, we may not do missions together, but we''ll be marching together today. Unfortunately, I don''t know much about leading armies. So, I''ll be in your care, seniors."


    Fujin addressed Genki and the others with him. They immediately smiled and assured Fujin of their support. Fujin looked at Genki and said, "I''ll be catching up with my ssmates, Sensei. I''ll see youter."


    Genki smiled and said, "Of course."


    As Fujin disappeared, Shin chuckled and said, "He''s still as cheeky as ever. He got us good with that nod."


    The others around him agreed. A Jounin said, "You are very lucky, Genki. To get a student like him in the academy. It''s like a god-given gift." Genki smirked and said, "That''s why I said that you should teach in the academy for some time. Not only is there a chance that you could teach very strong future ninjas, but the kids are also full of energy and ideas. I couldn''t have be a Jounin without their help."


    Renjiro nced at them and thought, ''Hmm, not bad. If he wants to be a Hokage in the future, he''ll need the support of the Jounins. Socializing with dozens of Jounins is a good start. And, since he has a civilian background, the civilian Jounins would support him just like they supported the Fourth Hokage. However, does he truly want that seat? Or was he just being polite due to Genki?''


    Renjiro wasn''t sure. As much as Fujin loved learning new and powerful jutsus, he had never shown any simr ambition for authority. Even so, he was already a Council Member and a definite candidate for the next Hokage. So, Renjiro couldn''t get a proper grasp on Fujin''s ambition despite being one of the closest people to him.


    While Renjiro wondered and Genki''s group discussed Fujin, Fujin''s batchmates were still discussing ninja ranks. Nora sighed and asked, "What about Hoka? He is already a Jounin. Can he reach Fujin''s level?"


    Everyone looked at Hoka again. Before he could speak, Hana said, "He''ll be Jounin for only a few more days. My father said that Hoka will be promoted to Elite Jounin very soon due to his performance in the war."


    The eyes of everyone around widened. After all, they hadn''t seen Hoka in action. Someonemented, "You''ve got to be kidding me! An Elite Jounin at just 16!"


    "Man, I thought our batch was already very good due to Fujin. Now Hoka is also about to be an Elite Jounin!"


    "That''s right. We have Fujin, a rank S ninja, Hoka, who''ll soon be an Elite Jounin, and Teru, who is an Anbu Captain. It''s a shame that Yori died and we still don''t know where Nobu went after graduating. Otherwise, we might have two more Jounins."


    "That''s right. But we can discuss thatter. Congrats, Hoka!"


    Immediately everyone gathered around Hoka and began to congratte him. Hoka smiled and replied, "Thanks guys¡­"


    He suddenly turned his head to his left. Others followed his gaze quickly and saw Fujin, who asked, "You guys seem rather energetic. What''s up with the congrattions? Did you two finally get together?"


    In the blink of an eye, both Hoka and Hana became red. Hoka said defensively, "What do you mean? Stop shit-talking every time!"


    Seeing Hoka and Hana flustered, Fujin chuckled internally while thinking, ''Oh, young love. I nearly forgot how fun it was to tease them¡­''


    Needless to say, their reactions didn''t go unnoticed and others saw it too. Without exchanging a single word, everyone smiled. As for Fujin, he didn''t show a single expression and muttered, "Oh, so that wasn''t it. Why were they congratting you then?"


    Nora thought, ''Man, he really is the strongest! Despite teasing them so openly, there wasn''t even a slight change in his expression! As expected of Fujin!''


    Hoka replied, "They were congratting me since I may be promoted to Elite Jounin soon."


    Fujin raised an eyebrow and asked, "That''s worth celebrating?"


    Hoka stared at Fujin with a dumbfounded expression while others were left speechless. Fujin shook his head in disappointment and said, "You''re cking too much, Hoka. Come with me. I know just what you need to do. Hmm?"


    Fujin looked around to see everyone looking at him strangely and asked, "What''s the matter?"


    A Yamanaka ninja said, "You just said that bing an Elite Jounin wasn''t worth celebrating¡­"


    Fujin replied, "Oh, it''s definitely worth celebrating once you reach there. However, don''t ck off after that like this guy. There is still a lot of scope to grow beyond it."


    Fujin sighed and said, "Even I''m still quite weak. Had I been in Lord Third''s position, I''d have fallen to Orochimaru''s scheme. So, even I can''t afford to ck off yet."


    Fujin''s ssmates were surprised by his words. Be it the fact that Fujin still wasn''t satisfied with his strength or that Fujin thought so far ahead was something that none of them considered. It made them look at Fujin in a new light.


    The only one who was full ofints was Hoka. He thought, ''This asshole! Not only did he tease me for nothing, but he is also using me of cking! When did I ck? I train till I drop daily!''


    Unfortunately, Hoka didn''t get any opportunity to voice hisints. Fujin nced at his ssmates and smiled, "We didn''t meet much after the academy ended due to our respective missions, but it''s good to see that everyone from our batch has already be Chunins. Hana, Teru, and Hoka have even surpassed that. While it''s a shame that some faces are missing, I hope that everyone from our batch bes a Jounin."


    Smiles appeared on everyone''s faces as Fujin reignited the mes in their hearts. While someone bing Chunin at 15 or 16 wasn''tparable to someone like Fujin, such a ninja would still be considered very talented. Not to mention, they were still very young. They still had dreams of reaching rank S, irrespective of whether they seed or not. Immediately, several of them began saying, "Of course, we will!"


    "Jounin isn''t enough, wouldn''t it be epic if the entire ss bes Elite Jounins?"


    "Thanks, Fujin. Don''t worry, we won''t let our batch''s reputation fall."


    Fujin smiled and was about to speak when he stopped and looked behind. He said, "It was great meeting you guys. I''ll hang around sometimeter. However, I have to go now."


    Everyone followed his gaze and saw that Shikaku had arrived. They nodded and wished him luck in his new role as themander of the army. Needless to say, Fujin took Hoka with him as he left. Leading arge army consisting of over 3 thousand ninjas was a lot of work. Fujin fully intended to pawn the boring tasks on Hoka.


    Fujin thought, ''While leading 3,000 ninjas sounds exciting, this mission will be a bore. This army has no opponent. No one will make a move against Konoha right now and Konoha''s leadership has little interest in going to war. So, it''ll be just military exercises and hunting some poor bandits and rogue ninjas. I might as well stay in the background and focus on filling up theke. Anyway, this guy can certainly put up an act¡­''


    Shikaku''s appearance was quite different from how he normally looked. The most noticeable change were therge bags under his eyes. His entire face looked exhausted and his body looked drained of energy! It was almost as if he''d copse any second and fall asleep!


    Fujin thought, ''Even if I assume that he did paperwork all night, that still shouldn''t reduce him to this state¡­ Bastard is definitely acting.''


    Fujin and Hoka flickered next to Shikaku. Hoka worriedly asked, "Shikaku-san¡­ Are you alright?"


    Shikaku nced at him, but before he could answer, Fujin patted his back with a lot of force and said, "Don''t worry, Konoha''s Jounin Commander is very strong! Isn''t that right, Shikaku-san?"


    Shikaku nced at Fujin with a look full ofints. If Fujin hadn''t spoken up, he''d have let the Elders step in and divide the work among the council members. However, Fujin had pushed him right into the fire. He sighed and muttered, "I''ll be alright" while promising himself, ''I''ll get back at you for this maneuver, Fujin!''


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


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 Chapter 770: Armys Composition!

    While the ninja world was waiting to see Konoha''s response, three thousand Konoha ninjas gathered in the third training ground. Following the orders, everyone began arranging themselves in an orderly manner.


    Facing this massive army were 6 ninjas, Nara Shikaku, Suzuki Fujin, Senju Renjiro, Hyuga Hoka and two more figures. While the ninjas moved, Shikaku said, "While they arrange themselves, I''ll tell you about the armyposition."


    Fujin and others looked at Shikaku as he continued, "Needless to say, you''re themander-in-chief of the entire army. From the moment you leave Konoha to the moment you return, everyone in the army must follow your orders.


    Renjiro will be your second inmand. He''ll basically serve the same role as you due to your inexperience in this regard."


    Fujin and Renjiro already knew about their roles. Due to Fujin''s performance the other day and several rumors floating around, pretty much everyone knew he would be the Commander-in-chief of the new army.


    Shikaku continued, "Directly under you two would be the three Generals of your army. The army will beposed of 3 divisions, each led by one of the Generals. They are Hyuga Hoka, Sada Konomi and Kurama Illumi. You already know Illumi and Hoka very well, and I''m sure you have heard of Konomi too."


    Fujin nodded and nced at them. Having entered his 40s, age was visible on Illumi''s face. However, he looked even more imposing than before. On the other hand, Konomi was a beautifuldy. She was from a civilian background and was a couple of years older than Kakashi''s batch.


    Fujin said with a smile, "Of course. It''s good to see you again, Illumi-san. It''s nice to meet you, Konomi-san. Bted congrattions on your promotion."


    Illumi smiled and replied, "I always had high hopes for you, but I didn''t think I''d be serving under you so quickly, haha. It''s quite an honor to be a General in your army on your very first assignment." Konomi also smiled and greeted, "I have heard so much about you. It''s good to finally see you in person. Your performance on the battlefield yesterday was phenomenal. I never saw anyone fight like you did."


    Fujin smiled while thinking, ''It looks like the entire leadership will be new, with the exception of Renjiro. Hoka''s experience in leading armies is just as bad as mine. Konomi was promoted to Elite Jounin around a month ago. Illumi was also promoted a few months ago. Though they have experience from the previous wars, neither has led an entire division before. It looks like Shikaku wants to develop new armymanders.''


    It was just exactly how Fujin spected. Since there wasn''t going to be much danger, Shikaku wanted to give an opportunity to the newly promoted ninjas. Even most of the leaders of smaller units were leading suchrge units for the first time.


    Shikaku said, "Normally, the position of Generals is only given to Elite Jounins. However, you will be promoted to this rank after the dust settles down, Hoka. So, consider this as preparation for the future. We have a lot of hopes for you."


    Hoka nodded and said, "I won''t disappoint you."


    Shikaku nodded and replied, "Good."


    He turned his gaze to Fujin and said, "I am sure you must have read how Konoha''s army is formed, but I''ll exin to you either way in case you or others missed something.


    The basic unit of any army is a normal four-member squad led by Chunin while the other members are either Genins or Chunins. In this army, all the squad members are Genins and they make up the majority of your army.


    The reason why we always form 4-member squads when a student graduates is due to this. However, on a battlefield, four ninjas generally can''t do much. If they''re isted, anypetent enemy would eliminate them with ease.


    That is why, a single squad never moves alone on the battlefield, unless it is a specialist squad. Four squads will move together, forming a toon. They''ll be led by a Captain, who''ll be an Elite Chunin and have his own squad consisting of 3 more Chunins.


    As such, every toon in this army will have 1 Elite Chunin, 7 Chunins and 12 Genins. With such a force, they can do varying types of missions and can look after themselves even if they''re isted."


    Fujin and others nodded as Shikaku continued, "Of course, even a toon is too small of a force to make a major impact in a war. Hence, 4 toons together make up apany. It''ll be led by a Major, who''ll be a Jounin. And, he''ll be assisted by 7 more ninjas, including 1 Jounin and 6 Special Jounins. So, everypany will have 88 ninjas.


    Apany is where you can see the real impact of an army. Since there are as many as 88 ninjas in apany, they cover all the bases and apany can act independently. It''ll have sensors, several ninjas who know secret techniques, they''ll be masters of every type of nature maniption as well as ninjas who specialize in different things like Taijutsu and Genjutsu.


    As such, a Company is a force to reckon with and if used properly, could also force a rank S ninja to withdraw. Of course, that''s too dangerous and it''ll be better if the Commander-in-chief deals with such opponents, but you get the idea."


    Fujin nodded. Not every rank S ninja specialized in massacring weak ninjas like he did. Apany had enough numbers to continuously usebination jutsus to keep the weaker rank S ninjas at bay for some time. Of course, that depended on how good the coordination between the ninjas in thepany was.


    Shikaku continued, "There are 27panies in your army. One of the important tasks for all four of you is to learn how to handle thepanies. If you face an enemy army that is as strong as you, then this bes the deciding factor. Hence, focus on mastering this as we can''t do suchrge-scale exercises often."


    Shikaku saw everyone nodding and continued, "Above thepany is a battalion, which consists of 3panies. A battalion is led by a Colonel, who is a Veteran Jounin. They''ll be assisted by a group of 15 other ninjas, depending on what purpose the battalion will serve. Since this is just a training exercise, I have assigned a simr force to everyone.


    Among these 15 ninjas will be another Veteran Jounin, who can rece the Colonel if something happens to him ormand apany if they need to split. There will be 4 more Jounins, 6 Special Jounins and 4 Elite Chunins to assist the Colonel in his duties.  ?


    While there is a lot apany can do, a battalion can handle a nk by itself. If the enemy is weak, then it can even hold an entire front. They''ll be the main force of any army.


    Every General will have 3 Battalions in their division, meaning that you''ll lead 6 Veteran Jounins, 30 Jounins, 72 Special Jounins, 48 Elite Chunins, 252 Chunins and 432 Genins.


    And, this is just the core army. You''ll also have several specialized units under yourmand, to ensure that your division can function properly and independently of any reinforcements.


    The special units will include a few Medical units, 1 Logistics unit, 1 Communication unit, 1 Seal unit and a couple of Trap setter units. You will also have a few reconnaissance units, assassination units and demolition units, but their numbers will depend on the circumstances. As such, the total number of ninjas in each division generally varies from anywhere between 900 to 1200. Each of the three divisions under you will have exactly a thousand ninjas."


    Hoka, Illumi and Konomi nodded. While Illumi had plenty of experience and feltfortable, Konomi and Hoka were slightly overwhelmed by the situation. The fact that the lives of a thousand Konoha ninjas depended on their decisions applied a lot of pressure on them. Both were relieved that this was just a training exercise.


    Shikaku nced at Fujin and said, "Adding the four of them, you''ll be leading 3004 ninjas. However, this isn''t a set number for a Commander-in-chief. During wars, you can be leading anywhere from a single division to the entire Konoha force. Though we can only hope that circumstances don''t deteriorate to that level."


    Fujin nodded without any hesitation. For a single person to lead the entirety of Konoha''s forces would mean either all other rank S ninjas in Konoha were dead, or all of Konoha''s enemies hade together and faced off Konoha on a single battlefield.


    Shikaku asked, "Do you have any questions?"


    Fujin immediately asked, "How many medical ninjas do we have?"


    Without a hint of shame on his face, Shikaku answered, "6 squads along with 6 backup medical ninjas."


    Fujin and the three Generals were surprised. Hoka frowned and asked, "So few? That''s less than 1 per 100 ninjas! How will they be enough?"


    Shikaku immediately corrected Hoka, "Well, technically Fujin is an excellent medical ninja. So, it is slightly more than 1 per 100 ninjas."


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


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 Chapter 771: The Dawn of a New Era!

    Immediately, everyone looked at Shikaku with a deadpan expression. It didn''t matter whether it was slightly higher than 1 medical ninja per hundred ninjas or lower, the fact remained that it was very low. It was important to remember that Tsunade had once proposed having a medical ninja in every squad to ensure prompt medical attention.


    However, Shikaku wasn''t bothered by their gazes and exined, "Even though you are going out, you don''t have to face any strong enemies. It''s just bandits and rogue ninjas.


    The medical ninjas are more for healing the injured civilians and assure them that Konoha is looking after them. So, you won''t need any more. On the contrary, they are more needed in the vige to heal the ninjas injured yesterday. Of course, I''ll keep some medical ninjas avable to reinforce you in case you end up facing a decent enemy."


    Hearing his exnation, everyone was about to nod when Fujin asked, "What about Orochimaru''s bases in the Land of Rice? We''ll need more medical ninjas to deal with whatever shenanigans he has set up in those bases."


    Shikaku seriously answered, "I meant it when I said a few bases. You can have some fun, but don''t overstretch yourself and the army. Only target the bases that are easy to find and eliminate.


    Orochimaru treats his subordinates as expendable. It won''t matter much even if we destroy all the bases in the Land of Rice. He''ll keep his important subordinates with him and hide from us. The only way to truly hurt him is to directly kill him. However, an army will be too slow to achieve that. It will require a targeted operation to eliminate him, and even then the chances would be low. Keep that in mind."


    Fujin sighed and muttered, "You''re no fun¡­"


    Illumi and Konomi looked at Fujin with a hint of surprise while Hoka and Renjiro shook their heads. Shikaku smirked and said, "Of course, if you want to go all-out, then you''ll need to create Shadow Clones and have them act as Medical Ninjas. However, I wouldn''t rmend it."


    Fujin just shot a nce at Shikaku. Needless to say, he had no intention of doing so. In fact, he had no intention of using medical ninjutsu even with his main body unless it was essential. After all, he was the only rank S ninja in the army. If he wasted his chakra healing others, the army would be doomed if faced with real danger. It was very essential for the Commander-in-chief to stay in top condition. Shikaku was aware of this. Had it been someone else, he would have never suggested it. However, he was well aware that Fujin would never do something like that.


    Fujin asked, "So, what is the armyposition like?"


    Fujin''s question confused Hoka, who wondered, ''Didn''t he just exin it?''


    Konomi had simr doubts while Renjiro and Illumi weren''t surprised. Shikaku answered, "The army is primarilyposed of civilian ninjas. 2,250 ninjas are from the civilian background and only 750 are from ninja ns."


    Illumi asked in surprise, "So few n ninjas?"


    Shikaku nodded and replied, "Yes, while nning the defense of Konoha, I had deployed the n ninjas on the forefront and in the hot zones. So, most of the injured ninjas are from the ns. So, this is the only way."


    He paused for a moment before looking at Fujin and thought, ''While Lord Third wanted Fujin to be in the council and created the seat for his sake, he must have already foreseen this situation as well. I thought of it too, but I didn''t think it''d be this inevitable¡­''


    Fujin noticed Shikaku''s gaze and wondered, ''Hmm¡­ What is he thinking so deeply about?''


    Shikaku suddenly said, "Actually, going forward, theposition of armies would be simr to this. During the First Great Ninja War, Konoha''s army was almost entirely made up of the ninja ns. Though the number of ninjas from the civilian background increased over the next decades, the situation was quite simr in the Second and Third Great Ninja Wars.


    However, those three wars inflicted deep wounds on every ninja n. Several ns lost their status as major ns. A few even went extinct. Even though we had more than a decade of peace, the ns still haven''t recovered. Yesterday''s conflict shows that every new battle will inflict even more losses on the ns.


    So, in the future, Konoha''s armies will have aposition simr to this army. The civilian ninjas will make up the core of the army while the n ninjas take up specialist roles. In a way, this training exercise is the dawn of a new era for Konoha.


    So, even though you don''t have an enemy, the significance of this training exercise is far more than you have guessed. It is not only to send a message to our enemies but also a preparation for the new chapter of Konoha."


    Hoka and the others became serious upon hearing Shikaku''s words. None of them had imagined that the training exercise would be so important despite theck of opponents. Only Fujin had some idea, but he hadn''t bothered to think much about this matter. After all, Konoha''s future wasn''t much dependent on its army. Instead, it''d be defined by ninjas that had surpassed the rank S. While the army could still y a role, it would be far less important than those individuals.


    Konomi nodded and said with seriousness, "We won''t let you down, Commander."


    Hoka and Illumi said the same while Renjiro just nodded.


    A serious expression was visible on Fujin''s face as well as he said, "I hadn''t thought of this so deeply. As expected of you, Shikaku-san. You''re always thinking dozens of steps ahead. Perhaps I should have put forth your name for the Fifth Hokage when Lord Daimyo asked. I''m sure Jiraiya-sama wouldn''t have minded."


    Fujin''s words shocked the ones around him. They began considering the ramifications of such a move. Even Renjiro was thinking seriously. The only one who wasn''t was Shikaku, who just stared at Fujin in disbelief. Poor guy could only sigh and think, ''I knew it! This brat keeps getting more troublesome¡­ Not only did he make me the Acting Hokage, but he also wants to force me onto that seat! I''ll forever lose my afternoon nap!'' ?


    Shikaku said tiredly, "Don''t joke around. Focus on the matter at hand."


    Shikaku nced towards the army as he spoke. The others followed his gaze and realized that the army was standing in a proper formation. Even though it was just a military exercise, the normal ninjas weren''t aware of it. ording to them, they were marching to a war. Every single one of them was serious.


    Shikaku nced at Fujin and said, "Every campaign must start with a motivational speech by the Commander-in-chief. The army is waiting to hear from you."


    Fujin nodded and took a step forward. Realizing he would be addressing them, the Konoha ninjas immediately became excited. While they were almost sure that Fujin would lead them, it had be official now! They waited in anticipation to hear what their young but powerful Commander-in-chief would say.


    Fujin''s eyes moved through the ranks of the army. Nearly everyone felt like they had exchanged eye nces with Fujin. After a minute of silence, Fujin spoke in a loud but calm voice, "Yesterday, we were attacked by thebined forces of Sunagakure and Otogakure. Many of ourrades and innocent civilians died. Our infrastructure was damaged too. However, Sunagakure and Otogakure paid the price for underestimating us. A price that they won''t forget for a long time.


    However, several other hidden viges have the same delusional belief. They think that we are easy targets to bully. Several cowardly rogue ninjas also think that we are weakened by the attack."


    Fujin paused as he let the Konoha ninjas realize the gravity of the situation. If everyone had the same thought and kept attacking Konoha, then they would suffer even if they keep winning. Perhaps, they would be the ones to die the next time. Everyone was feeling a bit grim when they were surprised. A small smile appeared on Fujin''s face. Several wondered, ''Why is the Commander-in-chief smiling?''


    Fujin suddenly raised his voice by a level and roared, "It''s time to remind everyone why Konoha is the strongest vige. It''s time to remind everyone of the consequences of antagonizing us! Prepare to march! Let me see who dares to mess with our vige!"


    Fujin''s confident roar ignited a fire within them which dispelled the dark clouds in their hearts. After all, in front of them was a youngster who forced Orochimaru to withdraw and contained several rank S ninjas! They had no reason to be afraid. Instead, it was the enemies of Konoha who should be cowering in fear!


    Their morale rose drastically before the entire army exploded in a roar! The air buzzed with energy as three thousand Konoha ninjas roared at the same time. Their roar was heard for kilometers as several people in Konoha nced towards the training ground with curiosity.


    Shikaku smiled and thought, ''As expected, he came prepared. However, I didn''t expect him to go with such a simple approach. Sigh, that''s the luxury the strong have. Their presence alone lifts the spirits and morale of any army!''


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 Chapter 772: A Slow March!

    Chapter 772: A Slow March!


    "What is happening there?"


    "Yeah, what was that loud roar? Are we under attack again?"


    "Fool, we just beat Sunagakure and Orochimaru. Who''d dare to attack us so quickly?"


    Discussions broke out among the civilians in Konoha. The ninjas immediately realized, ''So the army has already gathered¡­''


    Even the few remaining spies in Konoha became alert. Needless to say, they didn''t dare to attract any attention. Instead, they just followed the crowd to get an idea of the army''s scale. It would help them to get an idea of Konoha''s intentions.


    In the third training ground, the morale was high. Everyone was quickly assigned to their units and the three Generals moved ahead to take charge of their divisions, leaving just Fujin, Renjiro and Shikaku behind.


    Fujin turned his gaze to the right and said, "Ah, I forgot to inform you about them."


    Shikaku followed Fujin''s gaze and saw Bunjiro flickering in the training ground along with Fujin''s students. He nced at Fujin and asked, "Are you nning to take them with you?"


    Fujin nodded, "Yeah. I have trained them quite a bit, but haven''t given them any real experience. Considering their strength, going through normal Genin missions will be useless for them. So, this will be a good opportunity to break them in. I''ll take them with me for this exercise." Shikaku thought for a bit before nodding. He replied, "Alright. That shouldn''t be an issue."


    Fujin added, "Though I didn''t train the other kids much, they have grown quite strong too and most canpete with Chunins. While they are still some distance away from being able to join the Anbu, you could send them on normal missions with one of the Anbu instructors, either from mypounds or from the headquarters."


    Shikaku immediately nodded and said, "Over a hundred new ninjas. That''ll be very helpful."


    Even though the number of deaths didn''t reach three figures, the number of wounded far surpassed it. Depending on their injuries, they needed a few days to several weeks of treatment and rest. In addition, Konoha was forced to deploy arge number of ninjas to dissuade any other hidden vige from doing anything stupid. Fujin''s three-thousand-strong army was a part of those efforts too. As such, getting over 30 new and enthusiastic squads to do easier missions was a timely help for Konoha.


    Bunjiro''s group walked to Fujin while looking at the army formations. Sayaka asked curiously, "What is happening here, sensei?"


    Fujin replied, "We are heading out to have some fun. Wanna join in?"


    Yuji immediately eximed, "Of course sensei!"


    However, hispanions were a bit more wary and didn''t immediately nod. Unlike Yuji, they weren''t very fond of what Fujin called ''fun''.


    Hikari nervously asked, "What do you mean by fun, sensei?"


    Fujin smiled and replied, "What could fun mean for a ninja? We''re going out to hunt some of our enemies. So, do you want to fight? Or do you want to stay in thepound until you grow old?"


    Immediately, Fujin''s students'' expressions changed. They weren''t scared; instead, they were excited. They had long wanted to take on some missions, but Fujin never agreed until this day.


    They answered at the same time, "We''re ready, Sensei! Of course, we''ll fight!"


    Fujin''s smile disappeared and was reced by a serious expression. He said, "This won''t be a fun mission or a simple training exercise. I won''t be there to help you or save you. A single mistake could end up being thest mistake of your life. So, let me ask you again. Are you guys ready?"


    Fujin''s strictness doused their excitement. However, it didn''t change their desire. They had already made up their minds. In just a few seconds, all five nodded.


    Fujin said, "Good. From now, until we return back to the vige, Bunjiro will be your team leader. You have to follow every single one of his orders. Be careful and look after one another. I''d like to see all five of youe back alive. Is that clear?"


    "Yes, Sensei!" Fujin''s students answered in a chorus. Fujin turned his gaze to Bunjiro and nodded. The clone that Fujin created before leaving his house had met up with Bunjiro and passed the relevant information and orders. His job would be to find appropriate situations for the kids to gain some valuable experience and ensure that they don''t die. So, there was no need for any more words.


    Bunjiro nodded in return, took the kids away and began informing them about what was expected of them along with other routine things. While he did so, the army was finally properly segregated into different units. The three Generals took charge of each division and began leading them out of Konoha.


    Outside the training ground, several hundred people had gathered. Some were curious to see what themotion was about, some were here to see off their friends or rtives while some wanted information. Their eyes suddenly widened on seeing the first division led by Kurama Illumi march out of the training ground.


    "Oh my god! This is true! We''re sending our army out!" Several civilians eximed, some excited while some worried. The family members of the ninjas nervously prayed for the safe return of their kin. Of course, the ones who were the most nervous were none other than Suna spies.


    They thought, ''It hasn''t even been a day since our attack ended and Konoha is already sending an army. The big question is, is this just for a show or are they really nning something big? And, is Suzuki Fujin really the leader as the rumors say?''


    They waited patiently to see how strong the army was. The civilians and even some ninjas cheered for the army and wished them luck as they exited Konoha. Seeing the first division was led by Illumi and the second by Konomi, the spies breathed a sigh of relief thinking, ''Both are newly promoted Elite Jounins. Konoha wouldn''t go to war with them. However, it depends on how many divisions there are¡­''


    As the third division appeared, the spies became tense. They analyzed, ''The number of ninjas has exceeded the previous numbers during their training exercises. It won''t be a simple show. I hope that the number of divisions is less than 5. Otherwise, it''ll be a huge trouble¡­''


    As the third division left the training ground, the crowd grew bigger and the cheers became louder. The crowd momentarily became silent as Fujin and Renjiro followed behind the three divisions before erupting into a loud cheer.


    "It''s Fujin-sama! He''s leading the army!"


    "As expected! Not only did he ughter our enemies yesterday, he''s already leading our counterattack!"


    "Make them pay, Fujin-sama!"


    The spies were relieved and worried at the same time. The fact that there were only 3 divisions meant that Konoha wouldn''t be attacking Sunagakure directly unless they were nning to send a follow-up army. However, Fujin''s terrifying track record against Sunagakure worried them. Not to mention, he had already disyed the ability to ughter hundreds of ninjas by himself. It made the Legend of the Spectral Swordsman even more terrifying. The spies waited patiently, intending to send messenger birds right after the army left and the crowd dispersed.


    Renjiro teased with a hint of amusement, "You''ve be quite famous now, Fujin."


    Fujin wasn''t bothered. This world wasn''t like his past one. He wouldn''t be endlessly followed by everyone who admired him. Even if a few did, he wasn''t worried about anyone trying to enter his house or bother him while training. So, being famous didn''t change his life in any way. As for the enemies, he was on their radar for a long time. Fujin replied, "It was expected after yesterday''s battle. Still, I should''ve expected Shikaku to ask us to move so slowly. He doesn''t let any resources go to waste¡­"


    Fujin chuckled and so did Renjiro, who replied, "That is natural. He wouldn''t let go of such an easy opportunity to raise the morale of the vige. Armies and strong ninjas are too convenient to do that.


    And, it isn''t just at the top level. You can use it at all levels in a war too. For example, if a group of Chunins is in a tough spot and you send a reputed Jounin to reinforce them, their morale would shoot through the roof. They could hold an enemy that they shouldn''t even with the Jounin''s help.


    Of course, morale has its limits. Unless the enemy is scared off into retreating, they will eventually die. However, they can buy you valuable time to move your other forces around. Keep that in mind. How you do this will be a major factor in your sess or failure as amander."


    Fujin nodded as he and Renjiro finally ced a foot outside the vige. At the very next moment, both disappeared! The three divisions in front of them were moving fast as well. Within moments, the entire army disappeared from the crowd''s sight.


    Fujin said, "Well, we can discuss such trickster. What are the main strategies and tactics we use during wars?"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


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 Chapter 773: Tobiramas Invincible Formation!

    "What are the main strategies and tactics we use during wars?" Fujin asked as he and Renjiro followed the army.


    Renjiro replied, "I was thinking of just letting you see them and form your conclusions. However, Shikaku''s words and the armyposition change some things¡­"


    He nced at Hoka''s division as he exined, "Traditionally, we would have several specialist units move ahead of our army when we marched to war. The Hyuga ninjas would surround our armies and keep an eye on several kilometers around us. Along with them would be the Inuzuka ninjas and theirpanions. Their noses can pick up any scents the enemy leaves behind, which are important in spotting traps and figuring out the movements of our enemies.


    The Yamanaka ninjas would follow behind them. They excel at traditional sensing. However, their chakra fields can be sensed by the enemies. So, they activate it only if the Hyuga or Inuzuka ninjas ask them to do so. What they do more is use their secret technique to transfer their minds into wild birds to keep an eye on the skies.


    Several Sealmasters move with the Yamanaka n ninjas as well to spot any traps set for us using seals. Generally, we assign the Sealmasters belonging to these 4 ns to this group so they don''t fall short on other aspects.


    Following the Yamanaka ninjas and Sealmasters would be the Aburame ninjas. While they don''t have any of the skills the three ns I just mentioned have, the bugs they control make them more useful than the three nsbined. I don''t need to exin their use to you, do I?"


    Fujin shook his head. He was well aware of the Aburame n''s prowess. He wasn''t surprised by the way the other ns were used either. In fact, it was very obvious. What he wanted to know more was what would happenter. He asked, "So, what do you do when you finally spot the enemy?"


    Renjiro answered, "It depends on what we encounter. If it''s the scouting units of the enemy army or any small groups, then these four n ninjas eliminate them without any assistance.


    If we face their vanguard, the Inuzuka, Hyuga and Yamanaka n ninjas would step behind and let the Aburame nunch a sneak attack. They send a small amount of poisonous bugs to kill as many of our enemies as they can before the enemy realizes the threat. Once they realized the threat, the specialist units would act as the vanguard and confront, or rather, contain the enemy. The main army following them would split into two and attack the enemy from their nks,pletely crushing them.


    Before the enemy''s main forces even realize, their vanguard and smaller units. When they finally realize it, their morale would hit rock bottom while ours would be at its peak. The army would continue with the same momentum and even crush the enemy army, forcing them to disperse and retreat."


    Fujin looked suspiciously at Renjiro. While the strategy was undoubtedly good, it couldn''t be that sessful. Otherwise, Konoha would have eliminated the enemy countries long ago.


    Renjiro noticed Fujin''s gaze and chuckled, "Well, at least that was the intention. This formation was created by Lord Second and he used it sessfully to cause heavy losses to all other Great Viges. At the start of the First Great War, Konoha was nearly invincible despite being considerably outnumbered due to this tactic.


    Unfortunately, the other viges took note of this tactic and changed their approach. Traditionally, ninjas always engaged in gueri warfare. Confrontations ofrge forces would happen very rarely. Onlyrge and powerful ns like the Senju and Uchiha could do it.


    However, Lord Second''s tactics forced a change. While facing Konoha, the enemy viges rarely disperse their armies. They all move together and even the units that operate at a distance stay within the range of their sensors. In addition, several seals were developed to hide from the Byakugan and eliminate their scent, reducing the effectiveness of our specialist units.


    So, this tactic wasn''t that sessfulter on, but it was quite good and was even used during thest Great Ninja War. I suppose it shows how good Lord Second was at strategizing. Even though it has been several decades and our enemies have created several workarounds, no one has created a n to crush this formation... It''s a shame that the downfall of this tactic would be caused by the decreasing numbers of the ninjas in these ns¡­"


    Renjiro sighed. He nced at Fujin and continued, "The tactics will need to change if the future armies will have three times as many civilian ninjas as the n ninjas."


    Fujin agreed, "Yeah. We could still use the specialist units for what Lord Second did. However, we can no longer treat them as the vanguard. While the Aburame n ninjas harass the enemy with bugs, the specialist units would move out of the way and allow the main army to confront the enemy. As for the specialist units¡­"


    Fujin entered into deep thought wondering what they should do. After all, just staying out of the battle or joining the main army seemed like a waste. Renjiro didn''t disturb Fujin and wondered, ''It''ll be interesting to see his choice. Though he is intelligent, leading armies is a whole different game¡­''


    After a few minutes, Fujin said, "There are two ways we could go about it¡­ The first is switching roles. Previously, the Specialist units would confront the enemy while the main army went for the nks. Of course, the low numbers would mean we can''t go after both nks.


    So, the Specialist units would target just one nk and leave the other open. Once the enemy army crumbles and begins retreating, the main army''s rear could move to chase and eliminate them.


    However, there are some ws in this tactic¡­ Just attacking from one nk would give more space for the enemy to retreat slightly and regroup. Though effective, it won''t be decisive. Even if we win, the casualties we inflict wouldn''t force the enemy to stop the war. In addition, the number of Hyuga, Aburame, Inuzuka and Yamanaka ninjas in each division is very low. Even if we send the Nara and Akimichi n ninjas to increase their numbers, it''ll still be a distraction at best¡­"


    Renjiro nodded and said, "That is natural. We can just hope that the Ino-Shika-Chobination overwhelms them. There is another risk to this strategy. If the enemy forces decide to confront the attack on the nk instead of stopping our main army, it will reduce the number of our n ninjas even more rapidly. It''ll make our future battles far more difficult."


    While Fujin wasn''t too concerned about maintaining the number of n ninjas, Renjiro was. Even though the proportion of n ninjas declined, nearly half the ninjas inside the vige were still from the ns. What Shikaku was worried about would only happen after the ns took another big hit. Renjiro hoped that things wouldn''t deteriorate to that extent.


    Fujin nodded. Renjiro asked, "What''s the second method?"


    Fujin smiled and said, "Strengthen the main army somehow. When our main army attacks, it should be a crushing attack and the enemy forces should be decimated.


    Of course, killing all, or even half, of their ninjas is unrealistic. I''m not talking about their lives. Instead, it is their morale. Our attack has to be so crushing that even their leaders lose confidence and order a retreat. Once they do, the specialist units could turn into assassination units and pick off as many of their scattered units as they can before the enemy regroups or escapes into a safe ce.


    Assuming we kill at least 15% of their ninjas quickly to break their morale and nt terror in their hearts and kill another 35% as they retreat disorderly, we could eliminate half of their forces with rtive ease."


    Renjiro was surprised. He thought for a bit before replying, "Interesting¡­ I hadn''t thought of this. However, how would you strengthen the army to crush the enemy''s morale so thoroughly?"


    With a thoughtful expression, Fujin answered, "I have no idea."


    Fujin''s reply caught Renjiropletely off guard. He almost missed his step and nearly fell. Fortunately, he got hold of himself in the nick of time and red at Fujin while thinking, ''This brat! I almost fell! I was expecting a new and unique idea. Why did he put up a thoughtful expression to say this?''


    Fujin shrugged and exined, "You still haven''t exined how the main army operates, whatbinations they use and other details. A new and all-epassingbination jutsu is an obvious idea, but I can''tment much on it until I see our current methods in action. Anyway, let Shikaku-san think about it. He''s the best at strategy."


    Renjiro continued ring and replied, "We can''t leave everything to him. Several good idease on the battlefield. You should watch the training exercises and see if somethinges to your mind."


    Fujin chuckled. The army traveled for a few hours, covering several hundred kilometers until they reached close to the Fire Capital and camped a dozen kilometers away. This would be the ce where the military exercises would finally begin! ording to Shikaku''s original n, they would stay here for a week. However, things rarely go ording to n.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


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 Chapter 774: Sunagakures Reaction

    Silence engulfed Sunagakure''s council room as everyone sat deep in thought. They had just received reports from their spies informing them that a Konoha army led by Fujin had marched out.


    After some time, Ryota said, "Three thousand ninjas¡­ That''s not enough to attack us. However, it is still too high for a simple training exercise. What is their intention?"


    Sajo said, "My first thought was that they were out to hunt Baki''s group. However, Baki has crossed into the Land of Rivers. They''ll enter our country soon. So, it''s toote to do it¡­"


    The council was perplexed. Not knowing whether Konoha intended to attack them, put them in a spot. If they acted rashly, then Konoha would know about their movements. On the other hand, if they didn''t do anything, Konoha could catch them off guard.


    Suddenly, Ebizo chuckled, causing everyone to turn their heads towards him. He shook his head and said, "I have been retired for so long, but Konoha still hasn''t changed."


    Chiyo sighed and said, "Yeah, every single move they make can be interpreted in several ways. It''s no different this time. It must be Nara."


    Ebizo looked at the puzzled expressions and eximed, "There are several objectives Konoha could have with this move. On the surface, this looks like a simple military exercise. Their numbers aren''t high enough to invade us and the leaders of the armies are inexperienced. If this is indeed the case, then this is the best-case scenario for us.


    Unfortunately, Konoha always implements several schemes at the same time and we have to look beyond the surface. Even though the leaders are inexperienced, it doesn''t take much time to send experienced leaders to take over or advise the current ones.


    In addition, nothing is stopping Konoha from sending more ninjas. Perhaps this army is just the vanguard meant to catch us off guard. Or, Konoha could have secretly sent a few thousand more ninjas to join Fujin''s armyter. So, while we anticipate a three-thousand-strong force led by inexperiencedmanders, we may end up being attacked by a force that is twice or even three times stronger and led by their Sannins. This will be the worst-case scenario for us. There are several possibilities between these two extremes. Irrespective of what it is, there is no doubt about one thing. Konoha wants to see how we''ll react. No, they want to see how every vige will react. This army will be flexible enough to change their tactics depending on what sort of reaction everyone gives."


    Solemn expressions appeared on everyone''s faces. Most of the current council members in Suna were selected after the end of the Third Great Ninja War. Even though they fought against Konoha during the war, they didn''t have to face them in tactics. They suddenly realized how difficult it was to understand Konoha''s intentions.


    Ryusa asked, "So, how do we¡­"


    Tojuro cut him off and said, "There is another important aspect that we need to consider. Don''t forget what Suzuki Fujin did in our western parts. They may be nning to create several such situations to weaken us."


    Chiyo immediately replied, "It worked the previous time because you weren''t prepared. They can''t do it openly during the war. Sending him alone would have been a far more effective way to repeat that. The bigger danger is what the boy did in yesterday''s battle."


    Goza sighed and muttered, "That''s true. If he can kill over a hundred ninjas in the blink of an eye, then this army could cause us a lot of harm. They could send such a small army into our country to bait us into attacking and have him run amok our forces. Along with yesterday''s losses, our situation will be dire."


    Ebizo nodded and said, "Yes, that is why, we won''t engage them on the battlefield."


    Ryusa asked, "But wouldn''t that send a message that we are weak?"


    Ebizo replied, "No, it''ll send a message that we are willing to go to any extreme to protect Sunagakure."


    His answer surprised most of the council members. Ebizo pointed to three towns on Sunagakure''s map on the table and said, "Send a hundred ninjas to each of these 3 towns. Send them openly. Let Konoha''s spies report their exit to their vige."


    His words once again left most members puzzled. Tojuro frowned and asked, "Just three hundred ninjas? What would they do? Besides, didn''t you just say that we won''t engage them in battle?"


    Ebizo exined, "These movements will send a message to Konoha that we have reacted. Needless to say, they wouldn''t believe that we would only send three hundred ninjas. They will expect us to send an army and begin looking for it. However¡­"


    A smile appeared on Ebizo''s face as he continued, "They will never find it because it won''t exist. Every day they waste trying to locate this non-existent army is valuable time we''ll gain.


    Of course, we can''t bepletely defenseless. Otherwise, if they really attacked, we would be doomed. Since we can''t send an army, we''ll send units as we had discussed earlier.


    Dispatch 500 squads consisting of 8 ninjas each. However, all of them will be dispatched secretly under the cover of the night. Other than us, no one should know how many ninjas we dispatched.


    Even the squads will only be aware of the presence of four other squads, who''ll be stationed nearby. These 5 squads will share one ninja from themunication department who will carry the Chakra Transmission Communication devices tomunicate with us. This way, even our ninjas won''t know how many ninjas we have dispatched.


    The only issue that we could face is Konoha''s spies. To deal with them, the eight ninjas in every squad have to be ordered to stay together at all times. This will prevent the spies from sending a message to Konoha. Though Konoha will eventually guess our tactic, they will be wary if they aren''t sure."


    Everyone thought for a bit before nodding. Goza asked, "If we don''t n on engaging them, what will these squads do? I''m not sure how effective our normal harassment tactics would be. Even if they are sessful, our casualties would be very high if Suzuki Fujin ys an active role. And, Konoha could counterattack by targeting those three hundred ninjas."


    Ebizo answered, "These three towns, though next to each other, are still several hours apart. As such, Konoha can only target a hundred ninjas at a time and the number is too low for them to be tempted. Even if they march on those towns, we can ask our ninjas to retreat and disperse. Though it''ll ruin our reputation if Konoha targets the civilians, we don''t have the luxury of worrying about it. Not to mention, it''ll also ruin Konoha''s reputation, which will help us in the long run.


    As for the 500 squads, they won''t confront Fujin''s army either. Konoha could target other towns and cities and strategic locations, but these squads won''t move to intercept them. That would leave Fujin with two choices. The first is to wait for Konoha''s main army to arrive and reinforce him.


    The other is that he can get overconfident ande deeper into the desert, perhaps marching directly towards us. In that case, we may have an opportunity to surround and eliminate the entire army. After all, no matter how strong he is, he is just one ninja. The others in their army aren''t as difficult to deal with."


    The eyes of the council members immediately lit up. However, they quickly dimmed. As good as the scenario sounded, they knew very well that Konoha wouldn''t act so stupidly. With heavy hearts, they began preparing for a full-scale war against Konoha.


    As the council room emptied, Ebizo and Chiyo nced at each other. Ebizo asked, "You feeling the same thing I am, Sister?"


    Chiyo nodded. Even though Ebizo put out a sound analysis, he instinctively felt that Konoha''s ns weren''t what he spected. He was just preparing for the worst-case scenario. As for what Konoha''s real ns were, neither could guess.


    Much like Konoha, Suna became very busy too. Following Ebizo''s suggestions, three hundred Suna ninjas left the vige. Over the next couple of nights, another four thousand ninjas left secretly! The silent desert suddenly became very active.


    Suna''s movements were immediately picked up by other hidden viges. Shikaku guessed some of their ns but didn''t bother thinking about it too deeply. Onoki and Ay readied their forces while waiting patiently. The minor viges nervously paid attention too. Contrary to everyone''s expectations, the first move wasn''t made by Konoha or Suna!


    In Konoha, the council members met once again at the request of Shikaku! Only the n leaders and the elders were called. Koharu asked, "Is there a new development for you to call for another meeting so quickly?"


    Shikaku replied, "Something like that, though it hasn''t happened yet. I received a rather interesting proposal an hour ago."


    Shikaku ced a scroll on the table. The symbol of Kusagakure was visible to everyone. Koharu and Homura went through the scroll first. Immediately, a weird expression appeared on Homura''s face. On the other hand, Koharu frowned and muttered, "This doesn''t make sense. Are they setting a trap for us so openly?"


    [A/N: Sorry guys. For some reason, thetest chapter took a lot longer to write. Won''t be able to do a double today, but I''ll write tomorrow too since I technically had a break yesterday.]


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 Chapter 775: New Orders!

    "This doesn''t make sense. Are they setting a trap for us so openly?" Koharu muttered in confusion. Her words intrigued the n leaders who quickly went through the scroll. Just like Koharu, they had simr doubts.


    The scroll contained a request for help. Kusagakure asked Konoha''s assistance to finish off their rebels. In return, they agreed to pay Konoha as per their previous deal.


    Hiashi muttered in confusion, "Didn''t the reports say that they have annihted half the rebel forces at a great cost? The rest of the job should be far easier. So, why are they requesting our help now? Also¡­"


    Tsumepleted his question, "What is this previous deal? When did we reach a deal with Kusagakure?"


    Everyone''s eyes turned towards Shikaku, who nced at Homura and said, "I believe Elder Homura can exin it better than me."


    They followed Shikaku''s gaze and realized that Homura still had the same weird expression. Koharu asked, "What''s the matter?"


    Homuraposed himself and replied, "It''s a bitplicated¡­"


    He sighed internally, ''I never expected that Kusa would ept this absurd proposal¡­ Sigh, Hiruzen''s decision to send Fujin was extremely good. I don''t think even he anticipated this.''


    He turned his gaze towards the council members and said, "As you know, Kusagakure had sent such a request to us earlier. However, it was more of an attempt to arm-twist us than transact fairly. Hence, Hiruzen had sent a diplomatic group led by Fujin to Kusagakure, and I had tagged along." The n leaders were aware of this as this information wasn''t kept hidden. However, none of them were aware of what happened during discussions. Homura recounted the events of that day. Everything seemed normal at first, but they were soon left speechless after learning how casually Fujin threatened and challenged them, putting the entire diplomatic delegation including Homura in grave danger. What shocked them more was how unfair the terms of his proposal were!


    Homura concluded, "Due to how ridiculous the proposal was, we didn''t see a need to discuss it in the council. However, I never imagined that Kusagakure would ept it someday, let alone do it a few days after we were attacked¡­"


    Everyone nodded and began analyzing the situation deeply. As good as the reward for annihting the rebels was, they understood that it wouldn''t be straightforward.


    After a few minutes, Senju Hiromasa let out a long sigh and muttered, "Kusagakure¡­ As expected of them. They really excel in diplomacy."


    Homura nodded, "Yes. That meeting left bad blood between them and Fujin. Even though they would never dare to act upon it, it was extremely clear that they hated Fujin. However, Fujin''s performance in the war was too intimidating. They realized the need to improve their rtionship with Fujin and quickly acted.


    By epting this proposal, we will gain arge amount of resources at the moment when we need them the most. Since Fujin is the one who facilitated this deal, he''ll get the credit and his reputation would improve further. In essence, they''re paying to strengthen Fujin''s influence in Konoha and using it to reset their rtionship with him. Perhaps, they''re also hedging their bets on him bing the Hokage in the future."


    Everyone agreed. There was no doubt about it. Even though it would hurt Kusa''s pockets, this move was extremely well-timed! As long as Fujin stayed alive, their investment would have multi-fold returns. Homura suddenly became serious as he continued, "Of course, this isn''t all. Their diplomacy isn''t that simple."


    Shikaku said, "Yeah. Along with mending ties with Fujin, this is also a test for us. We were attacked by two formidable forces. Our allies are unsure whether they can continue counting on us. Kusagakure likely shares the same doubt. If we fail or even struggle, it''ll send a message that we have taken a huge hit. On the other hand, an overwhelming performance will reassure our allies and keep them in check while deterring Iwagakure and Kumogakure from making any unprovoked move.


    There''s another aspect to this mission as well. Even if they believe the reports going out of the vige to be true, they''re wary of us attacking Sunagakure for revenge. If we do attack, then our losses will significantly increase which could give openings for others to exploit.


    By keeping the army led by Fujin upied in the Land of Grass, they''re limiting our ability to start a war against Suna. As long as we don''t go to war, our forces will stay intact and they will be more assured."


    A smile appeared on the faces of most council members. They already didn''t have the will to go to war. And, apart from Hiruzen''s injuries, Konoha''s forces were intact. The reports weren''t lies. So, both these aspects yed in their favor.


    Koharu said, "If we disy our strength properly here, the pressure on Sunagakure will increase further. They''ll be subdued during the negotiations."


    Shikaku nodded and asked, "I agree. I just wanted to confirm that there was no opposition here."


    Everyone nodded. Shikaku said, "Alright, I''ll order Fujin to move into the Land of Grass and crush their rebels. We''ll decide whether to continue with the military exercisester."


    Tsume said, "The army we sent for exercise is fairly inexperienced with most ninjas heading to war for the first time. The leaders are new as well. Should we send reinforcements?"


    Homura answered, "No, we''ll look weak if we have to send reinforcements."


    Shikaku agreed, "Yes. Besides, with Fujin there, the army is already too strong whichpensates theirck of experience with ease. If anything, we should just wait for the news of another overwhelming victory."


    Shikaku chuckled, recalling the crazy things Fujin did. Even though Kusagakure''s rebels possessed decent strength, they paled inparison to Kumo''s bases which were helplessly ughtered by Fujin. From Shikaku''s perspective, sending three divisions along with Fujin was already an overkill!


    Even though others weren''t aware of it, they recalled Fujin''s performance in the war and agreed.


    A dozen kilometer away from the Fire Capital, three thousand Konoha ninjas were practicing. Fujin sat in a tent close by, surrounded by Renjiro, Hoka, Konomi, Illumi and a few other Jounins. All were staring intently at arge paper with various diagrams and words.


    After some time, Konomimented, "Hmm, this should be enough. I can''t think of any ways to improve it even further."


    Renjiro agreed but added, "There will be some ws that we missed. However, it is not possible to perfect such aplexbination in a tent or even in exercises. We can only improve it further after testing it in war."


    Everyone agreed. Fujin said, "True. Make these changes in your respective army''s training. Also¡­"


    He was cut off as a Yamanaka ninja called out from outside the tent. After getting permission, he entered and reported, "Commander, we have new orders from the vige. Shikaku-sama said that Kusagakure epted your proposal and asked for Konoha''s assistance to eliminate their rebels. He wants you to lead the army to the Land of Grass and eliminate them."


    Fujin frowned and wondered, ''They epted that shitty proposal? That''s weird¡­ Reports from Konoha and the Phantom Haven said that they were winning¡­ How did things suddenly be so bleak?''


    Fujin asked, "Do we have intel about the rebels?"


    The Yamanaka ninja replied, "It is being conveyed to us as we speak. It''ll be brought here as soon as we get everything. Proper scrolls might be sentter while we travel¡­"


    Fujin nodded. Within minutes, another ninja arrived and handed Fujin some notes before clearing the tent. Only Fujin and the other four leaders were left in the tent.


    Renjiro said, "This is surprising. I thought they had the upper hand¡­ Hmm? What''s the matter?"


    As Fujin was reading, a weird look appeared on Fujin''s face. Fujin shook his head and said, "They have the upper hand. They are just sucking up to me¡­"


    His words confused the ones in the room. Hoka asked, "What do you mean? How does going to war benefit you?"


    Fujin answered, "It doesn''t. It''s the price we''ll receive toplete this. I had led the negotiation mission and the terms were very unfair for them and we ended on bad terms. So, it''ll be very helpful for the vige in the aftermath of the war and I''ll get the credit."


    Hoka''s eyes widened. He replied, "I see. That makes sense."


    He chuckled and added, "They must have gotten the reports of Sunagakure and Orochimaru''s attack on us."


    Renjiro agreed, "Yeah. Still, it''s impressive how quickly they acted. As expected of a vige that excels in diplomacy. How many rebel forces are left?"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


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 Chapter 776: Knocked Out!

    "How many rebel forces are still left?" Everyone looked at Fujin, wanting to know the answer, too.


    Fujin answered, "ording to Kusagakure''s estimates, the rebels initially had around 1,500. However, they recruited various rogue ninjas, either through money, the promise of power or through Iwagakure''s maniption, increasing their numbers to beyond 2,000.


    The two forces have been shing constantly and Kusa had two major victories, which eliminated around two-fifths of the rebel forces. However, Kagero, the rebel leader, is still atrge and they still have around 1,200 ninjas. Our job would be to eliminate at least 800 ninjas and eliminate their leadership entirely."


    Fujin pushed a note forward and said, "These are their current leaders. Kagero is their leader and Tsuchiro is his right hand. He has four morepetent ninjas under him, who lead the armies. They are Reiko, Hisato, Shizuma and Ganku."


    Hoka muttered, "This is the first time I''m hearing about them¡­ How strong are they?"


    Renjiro replied, "They are formidable; otherwise, Kusagakure wouldn''t have lost hundreds of ninjas and so much of its territory.


    Kagero used to be the rival of Hiroshi, the current leader of Kusagakure. In terms of strength, he is slightly stronger than Hiroshi. However, hecks in other aspects and hence couldn''t be the leader. His strength is at the Elite Jounin level by our standards.


    Tuschiro is like a brother to him and always stays by his side, even during wars. He wasn''t Elite Jounin level but was very close to it before they betrayed Kusagakure. Considering that it has been years since then, he too should be considered as an Elite Jounin level threat. The other four are Kagero''s students. Each one of them is a formidable Jounin."


    Hoka replied, "Two Elite Jounins¡­ No wonder Kusagakure struggled so much." Fujin agreed, "Yeah, even though they have twelve Elite Jounins, only three could have that rank if they were in Konoha. Even among those three, only Hiroshi couldpete with stronger Elite Jounins like Sensei. Anyway, I heard quite a bit about Kagero during my Anbu days, but I never saw him in action. How does he fare against you, Sensei?"


    Renjiro thought for a bit and replied, "It''s difficult to say. I shouldn''t have any issue in fighting him, but killing him will be difficult. For you, he should be rather easy to kill."


    Fujin sighed and replied, "Yeah, but that''d be rather boring¡­"


    All four of them looked at Fujin with a deadpan expression. Fujin chuckled and replied, "It is what it is. If I fight, then it won''t be a war and our army won''t get any practice. So, I''ll be staying back and will only interfere if our losses cross a certain threshold or if Iwagakure decides to reinforce the faction they nurtured."


    Before anyone could reply, Fujin looked at Hoka and said, "Hoka, you''ll be responsible for taking out Kagero. You won''t receive any assistance from me or Sensei, but you can use your division''s help. Illumi-san, you''ll be dealing with Tsuchiro."


    A glint appeared in Hoka''s eyes. He realized that Fujin was giving him an opportunity to establish his reputation. Killing someone like Kagero would make Hoka very famous throughout Konoha and even make other viges take note of him.


    While Fujin had asked Hoka to maintain a low profile earlier, things had changed. Hoka had performed splendidly during the assault, making everyone, especially the Hyuga n, take note of him. So, Hoka was understandably worried about Hiashi making a move on him in the dark.


    However, if Hoka''s performance was amazing, Fujin''s performance was downright terrifying. Hoka knew that Hiashi wouldn''t do anything foolish enough to attract Fujin''s ire. After all, not only was Fujin''s strength terrifying, but he also had a fearsome reputation for acting in the dark.


    Fujin''s deterrence along with the fact that Hoka had already exposed his strength meant that Hoka had no reason to continue acting conservatively. Instead, he had to go all out and build his own reputation.


    Hoka immediately nodded, "Alright, I''ll take care of him."


    Illumi nodded as well and said, "This should be interesting. Don''t worry, I''ll take care of Tuschiro."


    Konomi asked, "Who will I deal with?"


    Fujin replied, "I have some other ideas for you and your division, but I haven''t finalized them yet. Let''s wait for the scrolls to arrive from Konoha. For now, ask themunication unit to pass a message to Shikaku-san. Inform him that we''ll stay here till it is dark. So, he can send the messenger birds here. Also, inform him that we''ll need more medical ninjas. 30 won''t be enough for this campaign."


    Konomi asked, "How many should we ask for?"


    Fujin replied, "Just tell him to send as many as he can spare. If he doesn''t send enough, let him know that I''ll talk with him next."


    Illumi raised an eyebrow and asked, "And that''ll convince him to send more?"


    Fujin casually replied, "Not really. He''ll just do it to avoid unneeded headaches."


    Once again, Konomi and Illumi were left speechless while Hoka and Renjiro sighed. Konomi wondered, ''Is he calling himself a headache?''


    Illumi thought, ''Interesting. I didn''t think Shikaku would be traumatized by him of all people. I''m now looking forward even more to how he''ll lead the army.''


    Fujin said, "We''ll end the meeting here. Have your units practice this updatedbination for some time before letting them rest. As soon as the darkness sets in, we''ll move rapidly and steadily across this country. By the time the Sun rises, we''ll be in the Land of Grass! Konomi, let me know how many medical ninjas Shikaku-san sends."


    Konomi, Hoka and Illumi nodded before leaving. Renjiro asked, "So, what are the ''other'' ideas on your mind?''


    A smile crept on Fujin''s face.


    Back in Konoha, Shikaku thought in annoyance, ''That brat¡­ Did he have to pass that mild threat? That said, he isn''t wrong. Even though we have to crush this rebel group, we can''t have high casualties. It''ll have the opposite impact of what we intend."


    Shikaku thought for a bit before deciding, ''Leave it. We have already healed most of the ninjas who had only minor injuries. So, we don''t need as many Medical ninjas as we did a few days ago.''


    Shikaku ordered another 15 squads of Medical ninjas and trainees to move towards a patrol camp close to the border with the Land of Grass, tripling the number of Medical ninjas in Fujin''s army.


    While they moved, Fujin finally received the scrolls from Konoha at dusk. The leaders gathered once again in Fujin''s tent, along with a few Jounins from the Nara n. Everyone was staring at the map of the Land of Grass.


    After some time, Fujin said, "This makes things very clear. The rebels initially had six provinces under their control. However, Kusa has taken back control of three provinces. The rebels currently have just the Tsuchioka, Midorino and Kagetani provinces under their control.


    Kagero is believed to be in the valleys of Kagetani with his main army. Tuschiro is handling the affairs in the hilly regions of Midorino. While Reiko and Hisato are controlling their forces in the grassy ins of Tsuchioka."


    Hoka asked, "What''s the n?"


    Fujin replied, "Since they are separated, we can''t destroy the entire army in one swoop. However, it''ll increase our numerical advantage even further."


    Fujin picked up a pencil and put a cross mark on the Tsuchioka province. He said, "Our first target will be Tsuchioka. We''ll hit them hard and fast and finish off this group before they realize they''re under attack. The next move will depend on how they react."


    Fujin turned his gaze towards others and asked, "Do any of you have a different opinion?"


    Everyone shook their heads. Since everyone agreed, they began discussing the n of attack. Needless to say, the Nara Jounins handled most of these matters.


    In the Fire Capital, most people were talking about Konoha''s army that was camped just a dozen kilometers away. Due to the nature of the mission, Fujin hadn''t hidden his traces. Instead, the army trained grandly, attracting a lot of attention. Even though no one was allowed close to the camps, many noticed it from a distance as they travelled. Several hundred civilians even made a trip to see a glimpse of the strong Konoha ninjas. However, once the darkness covered the skies, Fujin''s army wrapped up the entire camp and stealthily left. No one was aware of their departure.


    In the Land of Grass, two ninjas wearing Kusagakure''s headband were moving along the grass. One of them yawned and muttered, "Do we have to keep patrolling so early in the morning? After the beating we gave the rebels, they won''t dare to step out of that little valley."


    The ninja next to him scolded, "Stop beingzy. Even though they''re hurt, they still have a lot of force. If we''re caught off guard, thousands of people will die!"


    The first ninja sighed, "You are too paranoi¡­"


    His words froze as his eyes widened. His partner was shocked too as neither of them could move a muscle. Before either of them could realize what was happening, both were knocked out!


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


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 Chapter 777: A Strange Phenomenon...

    [A/N: Search ''Map'' on my pat reon page. Check the public post rted to map of Land of Grass to get a clearer picture. PS: I''m a novice at this ??]


    After the end of the Third Great Ninja War, the world enjoyed a rtively peaceful decade. While several shes happened from time to time and the world was tense once again due to the attack on Konoha, most countries were still enjoying their peace. However, there was one exception.


    Due to Iwagakure''s instigations, Kusagakure was embroiled in a deadly internal war. Even though it still stood strong, the people in the Land of Grass suffered. Luckily, after several deadly and painful shes, Kusagakure had the upper hand and the rebels were contained in the Southwestern corner of the country, finally providing some much-needed relief to themon people.


    Just as the people rxed their guards, a strange phenomenon urred in the Land of Grass. A phenomenon that they had never experienced. In a narrow strip ofnd, which ran from East to West in the Land of Grass andy almost at the center between Kusagakure and the border between the Land of Grass and the Land of Fire, nearly three dozen ninjas were knocked out and captured alive, irrespective of which faction they belonged. As for who the culprits were?


    They were none other than the very people Kusagakure asked for help! Moving such arge army in absolute secrecy was almost impossible. They had to be spotted by just one spy or loudmouth to bust their cover and warn their target.


    So, Fujin came up with a simple solution. Of course, his ''simple'' solution left his Generals and the Nara strategists speechless. However, both felt that it was usible after thinking for a bit. The reason for this was the unexpected charge by Fujin''s army and the degree to which they outmatched any force in the vicinity. There was no doubt that Kusagakure as well as the rebels would notice something was off. However, by the time they realized it, Fujin''s army would have aplished their first goal.


    As such, the Nara n ninjas joined the other ns in the specialist units and led the charge. The Kusagakure ninjas were simply helpless against thebination of so many secret techniques supported by the Byakugan.


    Of course, there was a simpler solution. They could have just killed off everyone in their way so they wouldn''t need to put seals on everyone they captured and carry them along. Fortunately or unfortunately, the nature of the mission eliminated this option.


    So, with such a relentless charge, Konoha forces marched straight into the Tsuchioka province! Needless to say, they followed the same approach. In an underground base in the Northern region of the Tsuchioka province, ady frowned. She muttered, "We haven''t received reports from two groups¡­"


    Hisato frowned and asked, "Where were they?"


    Reiko answered, "One group was outside our territories, they could have fallen. However, the second was sufficiently within our borders."


    Hisato''s expression became ugly. He cursed, "Those scums! Are they already starting another attack so soon? Do they have no regard for their losses?"


    Reiko expressed, "They want to press on their advantage to rout uspletely. Even though we can''t be certain, order everyone to get ready."


    Hisato nodded and said, "Of course. I hope that this is a false rm. Our army isn''t in a state to fight another war so soon. We need Iwagakure''s supplies and assistance quickly."


    Reiko solemnly nodded.


    Hisato immediately sent out orders. The entire camp, consisting of over 300 ninjas, became alert. Another three dozen ninjas, who were patrolling, were recalled. Realizing that they could be attacked, the morale in the camp was low. Yet, they began preparing.


    As they did, one young ninjained, "Man, this is crazy! How did they recover so quickly? Even though we lost thest battle, they suffered horrendous injuries too!"


    The boy next to him replied, "Yeah. I heard both those Uzumaki bitches are dead too! Maybe they''re bing desperate for a quick victory and attacking us without healing properly. Hehe, Kagero-sama''s counterattack will annihte next time! Ouch!"


    He suddenly felt a pain in his neck and pped it. He grabbed what bit him and cursed, "Damned bug!"


    Almost immediately, the ninja with him did the same, killing another bug but not before it bit him.


    Simr scenes appeared throughout the camp. There was no bug swarm. Instead, only a few hundred bugs scattered over hundreds of meters moved stealthily and infiltrated the camp. Within a minute, nearly 200 ninjas were bitten. Finally, Reiko, who was observing her subordinates from a distance, realized that something was amiss.


    She thought, ''That''s strange. Though soft, I heard several pping and cursing sounds. They even pped their bodies as if killing bugs. But, why would so many be bitten by bugs all of a sudde¡­''


    Her eyes widened as she realized the obvious answer. Her face became deathly pale! Hisato noticed her horrified expression and grabbed her shoulder while asking, "Reiko, are you fine? What happened?"


    For a moment, Reiko felt like she had lost all her energy and leaned against Hisato for support. Hisato felt her shiver and became even more worried. In a shaking voice, Reiko muttered, "Prepare to retreat. It''s not Kusagakure. We''re being attacked by Konoha!"


    Hisato also became just as pale as Reiko. In the camp, a sensor suddenly shouted, "Be ready! I can sense the enemy! They have entered my chakra field!"


    The camp immediately grabbed their weapons and asked, "How many scums are there?"


    The sensor shouted, "GET READY! THEY ARE CHARGING AT US WITH FULL SPEED! THERE ARE A HUNDR¡­ NO TWO¡­ THREE..."


    Words refused to leave his throat as terror appeared on his face. He wasn''t the only one. Every other sensor was terrified. They sensed over 700 ninjas rushing into their chakra fields with an unstoppable momentum! Worse, they didn''t know how many more were behind them!


    The Sensor gathered courage and shouted, "Fight but be ready to retreat! There are twice as many as us!"


    He nced behind towards the base where Reiko and Hisato stayed. To his shock, he didn''t see either of his leaders! Before he could figure out where they were, the enemy ninjas were only a hundred meters from them! Due to the huge grass cover, they still couldn''t see who their enemies were. However, it didn''t matter.


    Dozens of ninjas weaved hand seals and shot powerful jutsus at the iing enemy. Over 80% of the jutsus were Water jutsus, while the rest were Wind and Lightning jutsus. The ninjas who didn''t know any powerful mid-range jutsusunched shurikens, kunais and a few paper bombs!


    Despiteunching a strong attack, every single ninja in the camp was preparing to retreat. They just wanted to inflict some damage on the enemy so that they would slow down and wouldn''t risk chasing after them. Having warred against Kusagakure for a long time, they had mastered this tactic. Otherwise, they would have been annihted a long time ago.


    Unfortunately for them, they misjudged who their enemy was. Instead of seeing their enemy slow down and hearing the screams of any injured ninjas, a bright orange light flooded their eyes. As far as their eyes could see, they could only see mes! A Tsunami of Fire was heading right towards them!


    The Water and Fire jutsus shed. However, instead of being doused, the mes moved straight through them, evaporating any water that reached them! Needless to say, these mes were assisted by winds! Even though the winds weren''t as strong as Fujin''s, they were more than sufficient to overwhelm the rebels. Their jutsus were scattered and their weapons repelled. Even the explosive tags failed to create a dent in the mes.


    Realizing the immense danger, several senior ninjas shouted, "Use Earth and Water Walls! Hurry! Any defense would help!"


    Everyone who knew any defensive jutsus immediately weaved hand seals. Dozens of ninjas prepared the Earth Wall and Water Wall jutsus while another couple of hundred ninjas prepared weaker defensive jutsus.


    However, before they could finish their jutsus, their chakra flow was suddenly disrupted. Several ninjas coughed blood. Quite a few felt dizzy. A few had difficulty moving their bodies, almost as if they had been paralyzed. The ones who suffered muttered in horror, "Those damn bugs! This¡­ They aren''t Kusa¡­"


    Due to the sudden disruption, more than half of the ninjas failed toplete their jutsus! Even so, over a dozen powerful jutsus and nearly a hundred weaker jutsus were used. Earth and Water Walls appeared in front of them, giving them a minuscule sense of security.


    Unfortunately for them, Lightning Spears pierced through their defenses even before they could take a deep breath. Momentster, the Fire-Wind Combination jutsu hit the punctured defense andpletely crushed it! The rebels stared in horror as nothing stood between them and the fire tsunami!


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


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 Chapter 778: The Best War Tactic!

    The rebels stared in horror, as their defenses were first punctured by the Lightning spears before being crushed by the overwhelming Fire-Wind jutsu! Without the need for a single order, every single one retreated!


    As they ran, one of the senior ninjas looked back and thought grimly, ''This is a scheme! We were fooled! If we knew it was Konoha, we would have retreated right away irrespective of our casualties. However, now¡­''


    Another thought, ''This isn''t the first time we were ambushed. Under normal circumstances, we wouldunch a strongbination attack and slow down the enemy just enough for us to escape. Of course, depending on how strong the enemy was, we would lose somewhere between 5-20% of our forces.


    But, Konoha crushed our attack directly! We failed to slow them down. That fire alone would wipe out more than a third of our forces! And, we''ll soon be hunted down by them. We''ll be lucky if 20% of us escape alive today.''


    Simr thoughts ran through the minds of the experienced ninjas. As for the young ones, terror had long flooded their minds. Despite their proficiency in escaping, the fire engulfed 125 ninjas! Their legs just couldn''t outrun the wind-assisted mes. Shrilling screams echoed through the grasnd as all of them were burned alive!


    Needless to say, only the weakest ninjas failed to escape the range. Hence, they didn''t have any means to resist the scorching mes. Even the ones who had jutsus to move underground failed to do so in time. The remaining rebels gritted their teeth in rage but continued escaping without looking back. They could only swear to avenge theirrades. However, in order to do that, they had to escape alive.


    Konoha''s army split into toons and chased after the scattered rebels. Since the rebels failed to retreat orderly, they were easy pickings for Konoha ninjas. The slower rebels were eliminated one by one. Realizing that they would die, several fought to buy some time for theirrades.


    Unfortunately, the slowest ninjas were once again the weakest among those who remained. They couldn''t do much. However, Konoha ninjas paid careful attention to them. They were wary of suicidal tactics and didn''t want to lose ninjas needlessly. As such, they sessfully managed to slow down the Konoha army.


    The faster rebels sensed that the distance between them and Konoha was increasing and sighed in relief. However, they suddenly froze and stopped running. Their relief changed to horror and helplessness in a moment! Even the experienced ninjas were stunned. A few were so shocked that they even dropped their weapons and muttered, "Why¡­? Why is there another Konoha army here?" The sensors realized, ''There are over 2000 ninjas¡­ Konoha sent 3 divisions¡­ Fuck! They aren''t here just for us! They want to eliminate Kagero-sama and all those who support him!''


    The army that attacked the base was merely Hoka''s division. Using thebination attack, they killed 125 rebels and hunted another 68 as they escaped. The remaining 107 rebels were weed by the remaining two divisions. Without exchanging a single word, Konomi and Illumi''s divisions started the assault.


    From some distance away, Fujin and Renjiro witnessed the massacre. A few Nara Jounins stood behind them. Renjiro teased, "It looks like the newbination attack worked."


    Fujin shamelessly nodded and muttered, "Hmm, I didn''t think that the answer would be so simple. We only need to attack with ten times the number our enemy has and with stronger ninjas. We''ll always win overwhelmingly."


    Renjiro chuckled and said, "Maybe we should ask Shikaku for six thousand more ninjas to maintain our advantage in the next battle."


    Without hesitation, Fujin nodded. The Nara Jounins were left speechless at the duo''s n to mess with their n leader. Needless to say, none of them had any intention of defending their n leader. It was too troublesome. They thought, ''No matter what trouble these two create, our leader is intelligent enough to deal with them. If we help, he might feel humiliated. We can''t humiliate our n leader!''


    While the rebels were being ughtered, two silhouettes were moving at a rapid speed. Hisato said fearfully, "Luckily you realized the threat, or we would have been dead too! Damned Konoha! Not only did theyunch an attack on our base, but they also established a perimeter around the base! We were almost caught!"


    Reiko replied, "This is terrible. Hiroshi must have reached a deal with Konoha. I estimate that Konoha sent at least 3 divisions to just eliminate us. They might have even more. Fortunately, sensei is at least aware now."


    Hisato muttered sorrowfully, "What''s the use of being aware? Konoha eliminated our camp and probably also eliminated our patrol units. We lost close to 350 ninjas here. We don''t have the strength to defeat Kusagakure now."


    Even though Hisato abandoned his army and escaped, he didn''t feel any regret for making that decision. Against such arge Konoha force, the only result would have been aplete annihtion. Their presence wouldn''t have made any difference and would have only increased their losses. However, the loss of his entire army hurt. It was a huge blow to the rebel faction.


    Reiko said with conviction, "No! As long as Sensei lives, we still have hope. Since Hiroshi can seek external help, there is no reason for us to not do that anymore¡­"


    "External help, huh? That sounds interesting. I wonder who''ll help you out." Reiko and Hisato immediately raised their guard as they suddenly heard a voice. They quickly looked to their left and muttered, "A Hyuga youngster?"


    Anger appeared in Reiko''s eyes as she weaved hand signs rapidly and whispered, "Quick! He must not leave here alive! We''ll die if he calls for backup! Sensei still needs our help!"


    ''Wind Release: de of Wind jutsu''


    ''Water Release: Water Shuriken jutsu''


    In the blink of an eye, Reikounched dozens of sharp wind des at Hoka. Momentster, Hisato threw water shurikens that cut off all Hoka''s escape routes. No matter how he moved, he''d be sliced by a wind de or pierced by a few water shurikens.


    To their surprise, Hoka didn''t bother dodging. Instead, he merely released some chakra and spun around. Both attacks were repelled easily. Hoka suddenly disappeared and appeared next to Hisato. The chakra that he used for rotation was now concentrated on his right palm as he thrust it forward.


    Hoka''s speedpletely caught the two rebels off guard. Seeing Hoka''s palm move towards Hisato''s chest, Reiko instinctively kicked Hoka while cursing, ''Shit! Fighting a Hyuga in closebat is beyond stupid! We need to create distance!''


    At the same time, Hisato moved backwards and used his arm to block Hoka''s palm. He thought, ''It''s better if the chakra points in my arm are blocked instead of letting him attack my heart. Hopefully, Reiko''s attack will force him back!''


    To the surprise of the duo, Hoka changed his target from Hisato to Reika and mmed his palm on her foot. A painful shriek escaped her lips as the chakra shot up straight through her leg! Not only were all the chakra points in her leg closed, but her muscles were badly damaged too by the chakra ravaging through her leg.


    Hisato quickly grabbed her and retreated a few meters behind. He asked, "Can you still fight?"


    Reika gritted her teeth and stood just on her left leg. She answered, "I can barely feel my right leg¡­ However, I can still stall him. The two of us can''t fall at the same time."


    Hisato replied, "Don''t be crazy¡­"


    He was interrupted by Hoka, who asked in surprise, "Why did you attack me? I only wanted to talk. Who would assist you?"


    Reiko and Hisato felt like Hoka was mocking them. Reiko replied, "You are clearly strong. Why are you trying to stall us instead of fighting directly?"


    Confusion appeared on Hoka''s face as he asked, "Stall? I''m not doing anything like that. Rest assured, no one wille here. So, why don''t you answer my question?"


    Reiko shouted angrily, "Kill us if you want to, but you can''t humiliate us! We''ll never betray Sensei! Even if I have only one leg, I''ll still crush your skull!"


    The innocence vanished from Hoka''s face, reced by an indifferent gaze. He asked, "One leg? Are you sure you still have it?"


    Hoka''s change and question caught the two off guard. They felt a tremor and looked below. Before they could react, a pair of arms appeared and grabbed their legs. They immediately stabbed kunais into the figure that appeared from the ground, but not before the chakra points in their legs were damaged!


    As the figure dispersed in a cloud of smoke, they heard, "Aren''t you forgetting something?"


    They couldn''t even turn their heads before being hit by the Eight Trigrams: Sixty-Four Palms technique! Hoka sealed all their chakra points before knocking them unconscious!


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 Chapter 779: The First Shocking News!

    Reiko and Hisato copsed to the ground. They were knocked out cold! Even though they possessed the strength of a real Jounin, they werepletely outmatched by Hoka. Not only did they fall short in speed and abilities, but they were also under heavy pressure and had to act constrained to avoid attracting any attention.


    These factors made the battle even more unfair. To make matters even worse, Hoka wasn''t arrogant due to his various advantages and hid a Shadow Clone underground even before the duo reached that area. So, the poor souls stood no chance.


    A few ninjas appeared behind Hoka, looked at the two unconscious ninjas and eximed, "You already got them, General?"


    Hoka nodded and ordered, "I have sealed their chakra points, but add proper seals on their bodies and bring them to themander."


    Hoka''s subordinates immediately got to work. Before they could leave, a squad led by Konomi appeared as well. She looked at the unconscious bodies and said with a smile, "Good work, Hoka."


    Hoka smiled and replied, "It''s all thanks to your and Illumi-san''s divisions establishing a perimeter."


    The two interacted cordially while the captured rebels were brought to Fujin. However, Hoka overlooked one thing, though it could be attributed to how good Konomi was at controlling her expressions. Even though Konomi interacted cordially, she sessfully hid her jealousy from Hoka.


    She sighed internally while thinking, ''No matter at what level we are, people in power always prefer to give control and credit to their friends and family. Even though I couldn''t kill Kagero, I could have captured these two with ease and improved my reputation. Yet, this task was also given to him. I can''t even say anything as they take 3 spots from the 5 leaders and even have a good rtionship with Illumi.


    Sigh, I hope that Fujin has some ns for me other than just supporting these two. Otherwise, I''ll have to work hard by myself once again¡­'' Since Konomi was a ninja from a civilian background, she hoped that she would finally receive more opportunities from Fujin, who was the council member representing all civilian ninjas. Unfortunately, she was only disappointed so far.


    "What is the current status?" Ashigaka Hiroshi asked grimly. Due to the sudden disappearance of several ninjas, Kusagakure was on high alert. They immediately convened a council meeting.


    An elderly man answered, "Currently, 41 ninjas are missing. All were patrol groups operating to the South of the vige. I suspect that this is Kagero''s scheme. He might be nning an attack from this direction."


    Another countered, "We can''t be sure. This could also be a diversion. Perhaps he wants us to focus on the South while he ambushes us from the North. Even though we won thest sh, we must not underestimate him!"


    The elderly man replied, "It doesn''t matter what his n is. Don''t forget that we have asked Konoha to eliminate them. We only need to maintain our defensive position and we will win. However, we need to take steps to check what happened to our ninjas and also ask for Konoha''s help for the same. Hiroshi-sama, did Konoha ept the proposal?"


    Hiroshi frowned and said, "I still haven''t heard from them."


    The mood in the council became solemn. If Konoha didn''t ept the proposal, this troublesome situation would be the least of their worries as it would signify that Konoha had weakened and Iwagakure could drastically increase their support to the rebels!


    Suddenly, three knocks were heard. Everyone gazed towards the door as Hiroshi said, "Come in."


    An Anbu ninja walked in, handed Hiroshi a scroll and reported, "Hiroshi-sama, we have received a message from Konoha. They have epted the proposal."


    Sighs of relief were heard throughout the council room. A huge pressure had been lifted off their shoulders. One council member eximed, "That''s great news! Who did they send? Is it Suzuki Fujin?"


    Hiroshi nodded and said, "Yes. As we expected, they diverted their 3000-strong army here. Suzuki Fujin is leading it along with his Sensei, Senju Renjiro. With them here, they can''t start a war against Sunagakure suddenly."


    Hiroshi nced at his Anbu and nodded. The Anbu immediately left. Hiroshi turned his attention to the council members and said, "We''ll co-ope¡­"


    He was suddenly interrupted as another Anbu ninja broke into the council room! Unlike the previous Anbu ninja, who knocked politely, this one directly rushed into the room with zero regard for anyone''s authority. Yet, instead of being angry at theck of manners, every single Council Member became serious. Entering in this manner signified that the Anbu had news that had to be reported immediately! Even a second''s dy couldn''t be afforded!


    Hiroshi asked, "What''s the matter?"


    The Anbu ninja answered, "We received an urgent message from our base outside Tsuchioka! A Konoha toon appeared and said that Konoha''s army had eliminated the rebel camp in Tsuchioka. 350 rebels were killed while Reiko and Hisato were captured alive!"


    The eyes of every council member, including Hiroshi, widened! In order to maintain the element of surprise, Fujin had asked Shikaku to dy epting the proposal. As such, Fujin''s army had already dealt with the first enemy group several hours before Kusagakure knew that Konoha had epted the proposal.  ?


    The Kusagakure Council Members had just learnt that Konoha had epted the proposal. Not even a minuteter, they learnt that Konoha had already eliminated close to 30% of the rebels and captured two of their leaders! Their shock was justified.


    Before they could snap out of their shock, the Anbu ninja continued, "They also said that they captured several other ninjas who they suspect to be from the rebel camp. However, since they weren''t sure, they have just captured them and all of them are unharmed. They want to transfer them to us so that we can identify the traitors and deal with them."


    Hiroshi instinctively felt something was off and became suspicious. He asked, "Did they say how many ninjas they captured?"


    The Anbu ninja nodded and answered, "45!"


    Immediately, every single council member realized what had happened. After the surprise passed, some were bewildered, some were stunned, some became angry and a few chuckled.


    One council member cursed, "So that''s how our ninjas went missing! That kid still infuriates me!"


    Another seriously said, "This must have been their n. They purposefully dyed informing us so that their army could move stealthily. They likely captured everyone they came across while marching across our country. Reiko''s group should have been caught off guard. Regardless, as long as our ninjas are unharmed, we shouldn''t take offense."


    A third member said, "I don''t know whether I should be happy or be concerned. While the rebel''s loss is undoubtedly a piece of joyous news, the fact that Konoha could march across our country secretly is extremely worrisome. They could have marched straight to our vige and we wouldn''t have known!"


    Hiroshi nodded and said, "We can only be happy that they used it against our enemy and not us. Besides, Konoha wouldn''t openly attack a minor vige. It would be a huge blow to their reputation and soft power. If they have to settle some matters, they''ll act in the dark like they always do. We don''t need to be concerned about their intentions for the time being.


    However, this is a wake-up call for us to improve our capabilities. If Konoha could march across our country undetected, then others could do too. Once the rebels are dealt with, we''ll work on improving ourselves in this aspect."


    Everyone nodded solemnly. Hiroshi looked at the Anbu ninja and asked, "Anything else they reported?"


    The Anbu ninja replied, "Yes. They said that they''d soon be marching into Kagetani and were predicting that Kagero and Tsuchiro''s forces woulde together. They have advised us to deploy our forces to the East and South of Midorino to ensure that the rebels don''t scatter into our country and create a hidden danger."


    Frowns appeared on several faces as they quickly began analyzing this particr information.


    Not far away from the destroyed rebel camp, Fujin and others had set up their camps. Fujin and other leaders sat in the main tent while others rested.


    Yamanaka Shin reported, "Commander, Reiko sent four messenger birds to Kagero from the time we attacked till General Hoka captured her, each message providing greater detail. The fourth bird was intercepted by ninjas on our perimeter and I have confirmed that the message in it was the same as her memories.


    So, the enemy should know that this camp was attacked by one division of Konoha. Since they wouldn''t receive any moremunications, they should be aware that their forces were eliminated or captured."


    Hoka sighed, "They were able to send a message despite all our preparations¡­"


    Fujin casually replied, "That''s to be expected. They wouldn''t have survived so long if they couldn''t do even this. Regardless, our tactic was quite sessful. To eliminate a force of 350 ninjas and capture their two leaders without a single casualty is an excellent start to our campaign."


    He turned his gaze to Shin and asked, "I suppose the fourth message stated that there are three and not just one division."


    Shin nodded. He was about to speak when Hoka asked, "Why don''t we fool them by pretending to write messages? After all, we have their memories."


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 Chapter 780: The Will of People!

    Hoka asked, "Why don''t we fool them by pretending to write messages? After all, we have their memories."


    Shin shook his head and said, "That won''t work. It has already been a few hours since we captured them. Since no message was sent during this time, they''ll suspect that something has happened to them. They''ll be cautious about any new messages they receive, especially considering that they know Konoha is the one who attacked."


    Hoka sighed, "That''s a shame."


    Illumi warned, "Hoka, don''t underestimate our enemies. Even though we have several secret techniques which have no good counter, our enemies are aware of what they can do. They will always consider it while nning. If you blindly believed in the secret techniques, the enemy might use them to lure you into a trap instead!"


    Hoka''s expression became serious. He replied, "I understand."


    Fujin looked at Shin and asked, "Did you mark the positions of the enemy bases on the map?"


    Shin nodded and handed Fujin a map. As Fujin observed the map, Shin said, "I also marked the other locations they used as their hidden bases earlier along with some of the locations these two thought suitable for future bases. It''s unlikely for them to use the current and past ones, but some of these could be a possibility. However, they might consider this as well."


    Fujin nodded while Renjiro said, "It''s fine. We can track them from the clues they leave behind in their current headquarters. However, it won''t be that easy."


    Konomi agreed, "Yes, they will do everything they can to eliminate the traces. In addition, they will also set up several decoy traces to confuse us." Illumi added, "There is also another possibility. Since they know we are heading towards them, they could set a trap for us. I know this seems unlikely since they wouldn''t want to face Konoha, but that''s what they could use to surprise us."


    Konomi quickly added, "Actually, I was thinking about the same thing. While they don''t have the strength to fight against us, they could ask for reinforcements from Iwagakure."


    Fujin chuckled and asked, "And who would Iwagakure send? Unlike the rebels, they will be aware that I''m leading the army. To fight against me, the Tsuchikage might need to move himself, which would be akin to dering war against Konoha. It''s too risky, not something the Tsuchikage would do."


    Fujin''s words surprised the ones in the tent. However, they quickly realized that Iwagakure truly didn''t have anyone else to fight Fujin. Hoka chuckled and said, "We forget how strong you are. Anyway¡­"


    His expression became serious as he looked at the map containing their ns and said, "There is one aspect we didn''t consider. If we hit them through the border between Tsuchioka and Kagetani while Kusagakure surrounds Midorani, the rebels could feel trapped and escape to the Land of Earth to seek their protection.


    In that case, we can''t do anything. If we do, then it''ll be tantamount to us dering war on Iwagakure as you just said. And, this mission will be a failure."


    To Hoka''s surprise, Fujin simply shook his head and said, "Don''t worry, they won''t."


    In Kusagakure, the council meeting had taken a whole different turn from the reason it was convened. The council members were analyzing how to respond to Fujin''s request.


    Finally, one council member said, "I don''t understand. That day, he said that Konoha would do everything without our help. We are also paying them such ridiculous amounts to get their help. And he still orders us to send our army?"


    Another corrected him, "It isn''t an order. It is a request and not a binding one. Unlikest time, he hasn''t threatened us with anything if we don''t agree. Even the hidden danger that the escaped rebels pose isn''t a threat as that is something that will happen. It''s impossible to kill everyst one of them, even if we deploy our army. It''ll just be slightly worse if we don''t."


    Hiroshi agreed, "That is correct. From my point of view, this isn''t an excuse for him to pawn some work on us. Instead, it is more about a gesture. Doing this will show that Konoha and Kusa have good rtions and can cooperate.


    As for what we are paying, forget about it. We aren''t paying for them to eliminate the rebels, but to improve our rtionship with Fujin. This is an excellent opportunity to do so."


    His expression became solemn as he added, "Of course, if this is a trick to cause us some pain or to force us to fight the rebels, then it''ll show Fujin''s true nature. If that happens, you know what we must do. It is better to suffer a bit now when we know the risks than to pay a painful price when we can''t afford it."


    Everyone nodded solemnly. They immediately began discussing who to send to Midorino''s borders and how many ninjas to send.


    Unlike the calm atmosphere in Konoha''s camp and Kusagakure''s council room, the atmosphere in the rebels'' new base was extremely tense.


    Shizuma muttered solemnly, "It''s been six hours, and there still isn''t any message from Reiko or Hisato."


    Ganku said sorrowfully, "We have to ept the reality. They were captured or killed by Konoha."


    Shizuma nodded and said, "Yes, it''s just difficult to ept. How could they be dealt with so easily?"


    Ganku had no answer. However, Kagero sighed and passed a scroll to his students. They immediately read it and their eyes widened. Ganku looked at Kagero and eximed in surprise, "Konoha was attacked by Sunagakure and Orochimaru? And they won? But, why would they chase after us if they have just been in a battle?"


    Kagero said, "Read thetter parts of the scroll."


    Ganku and Shizuma followed his instructions. Due to being on the run, their informationwork wasn''t good. As such, they weren''t aware of the attack on Konoha until Iwagakure sent them the information.


    The eyes of his students widened. They looked at Kagero and said fearfully, "You think that Konoha transferred this entire army, led by the cursed Spectral Swordsman, to eliminate us?"


    Kagero nodded and said, "Yes. Even though the reports say that Konoha''s losses were low, everyone will be suspicious. They want to make an example out of us to send a message to other hidden viges."


    Shizuma and Ganku shivered involuntarily. They were facing unprecedented danger. They had just experienced their second major loss against Kusagakure and now were faced with an iparably stronger enemy!


    Kagero muttered, "This is the worst-case scenario. The reason why I started this rebellion was because of howfortable Kusagakure has be with being weak. Instead of doing something about it and reviving our glory days, we continue being weak and take pride in our diplomacy.


    Unfortunately, things have gone exactly where I didn''t want them to. I wouldn''t have minded losing my life if Hiroshi did it himself. Even though we lost two battles, Kusagakure had be stronger. However, by asking for Konoha''s help, he has be theirckey. Kusagakure will undo the good work they had been doing and be their vassal for decades.


    The only way it''ll change is if Konoha copses or bes weaker. Unfortunately, that won''t happen anytime soon with all the talented young blood they keep raising. Just this kid alone will ensure that they''ll stay at the top for half a century."


    Ganku and Shizuma were lost for words. Neither could find words tofort their sensei. After a long silence, Ganku said, "If Hiroshi took Konoha''s help, then why don''t we take Iwagakure''s help?"


    Kagero immediately shook his head and said, "As much as I''d love to make Konoha and Iwagakure consume each other''s strength, neither are that foolish. Onoki won''t confront Konoha head-on. Especially not when they have such a strong momentum."


    Ganku shook his head and replied, "That''s not what I mean. Since defending is useless, why don''t we retreat to the Land of Earth and wait till Konoha withdraws their forces? We can take that time to regroup ande back stronger."


    Kagero frowned while Shizuma shook his head. Shizuma exined, "I know your strategy sounds good, but you''re missing one important aspect. The will of the people."


    Ganku looked at Shizuma in confusion when Kagero suddenly spoke, "During all three Great Ninja Wars, Iwagakure attempted to attack Konoha through our country, making it a battleground. Hence, the people in the Land of Grass have a hatred towards Iwagakure.


    It decreased with time, but the hate exploded once again when they sent their Jinchuriki to ournds and allowed him to use the Tailed Beast Bomb.


    If we retreat to the Land of Earth, we''ll forever lose the support of any people we have. Not just that, most of the members of our army will lose their faith in me. Even though we''ll be unharmed, our army will crumble. In addition, Kusagakure will be forced to be even more subservient to Konoha!"


    Ganku''s expression became grim as Shizuma added, "Even if the army stays intact, we''ll be subjected to the whims of Iwagakure. They will definitely use us as cannon fodder during the next major war."


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 Chapter 781: The Largest Concentration of Force!

    Kagero agreed, "Yes, we''ll be sent on the frontlines to face Konoha in this country since we are most familiar with it. And there will be only one result: ourplete annihtion. Even though Iwagakure has supported us, don''t forget that they only did it to increase their influence in this country and not out of any concern for our cause."


    Ganku solemnly nodded and said. "I apologize, I didn''t think clearly."


    Shizuka asked, "What do we do now?"


    Kagero answered, "We change our base again."


    Both Ganku and Shizuma were surprised. Shizuma asked, "We already changed our base thrice. Shouldn''t that be enough?"


    Kagero suddenly chuckled and said, "Don''t underestimate our enemy. They aren''t as weak as Hiroshi''s forces. We could change our base a thousand times and they would still find us if they have the will to do so."


    His expression became serious as he continued, "Of course, that is if they have the will. We''ll leave behind countless false trails and traps. Hopefully, the losses and dys they face along with external pressures due to their recent war will force them to withdraw. Since they already destroyed a third of our forces, they can im victory to increase their morale and destroy others even if they don''t manage to find us. We can only hope¡­"


    Silence filled the tent as Ganku and Shizuma finally realized how grave their situation was. Finally, Ganku asked, "What if they continue looking for us?"


    Kagero''s eyes became murderous. His students were terrified by the bloodlust they felt! Kagero answered, "Then we give them hell! I''ll use my blood and life to remind every Kusagakure ninja what they could be capable of!" Ganku and Shizuma''s expressions became solemn. Both decided to follow their teacher until the very end.


    Unlike the solemn atmosphere in the Rebel Camp, the Konoha camp was rather lively and in high spirits. After the first battle, Fujin had given them a day''s rest since the army had rushed from the Fire Capital to Tsuchioka and engaged the enemy without a break. They were finally ready to go and were looking at Fujin, who was facing the entire army.


    Fujin nced through the army before speaking, "I know that everyone is excited due to yesterday''s victory. Even though we outnumbered our enemy considerably, killing 350 ninjas and capturing their leaders without losing a single ninja is an extremely impressive achievement. It is something that rarely happened in history.


    However, don''t let your excitement make you careless and don''t let yesterday''s victory make you overconfident. We not only had an overwhelming advantage in numbers and strength but also had the element of surprise. The enemy didn''t know they were facing us until thest moment.


    That will no longer be the case. Our enemy will now expect us and be prepared. They''ll set countless traps to target us and break our morale. Even though they are weaker than us, unlike us, they have been in constant war for a long time. So, don''t underestimate our enemy.


    So, always pay full attention to your surroundings and be careful. Look out for yourself and yourrades. Ensure that your enemy is dead and be on the lookout for suicidal attacks. Only then can we win as thoroughly as yesterday. When we win, I want to return to Konoha with all of you."


    The Konoha army''s morale was reduced from its high as Fujin brought them down to the ground. It caused the veterans, including Renjiro, to frown. After all, morale and momentum were major aspects that could decide victory or defeat on a battlefield.


    However, their frowns faded as Fujinpleted his speech. Having amander who cared for them to such an extent raised the morale of the Konoha ninjas even higher than it was before and everyone broke out into a loud cheer!


    Fujin smiled. At his order, the three Konoha divisions began their march! Around the same time, Kusagakure armies began moving as well. They sent a 2,000-strong force under themand of Hoshino Ryoichi, who started establishing a perimeter around Midorino.


    Meanwhile, the other viges also learnt of Konoha''s sudden movement. Needless to say, Iwagakure was the first one to know, but other viges weren''t too far behind.


    In Iwagakure, Onoki''s office was filled with the important ninjas from Iwagakure. Kitsuchi, Roshi and even Onoki''s granddaughter were present as they analyzed the report sent by Kagero.


    Kurotsuchi suspiciously asked, "Grandfather, are you sure that Konoha is weakened? They just fought a battle against two hidden viges and yet started another war so quickly!"


    The mood in the room was solemn. Unlike her, others knew how terrifying Konoha was in the past. They didn''t want to see Konoha returning to their glory days. Unfortunately, they were already getting glimpses of it.


    Kitsuchi muttered, "This is indeed strange. ording to the reports, the Third Hokage is still hospitalized. Yet, they dared to send Fujin here with 3,000 ninjas. And, by targeting a faction supported by us, they are openly taunting us. Aren''t they worried we would confront them and someone else could attack them while their forces are stuck here?"


    Roshi added, "That would put them in a tough situation unless the Third Hokage''s injury is a lie. Perhaps they want to bait us or Kumogakure into making a move that would result in huge losses for either of us."


    Onoki grumbled, "Perhaps¡­ Or they may just be banking on my reputation and believe we won''t make a move."


    The same thought was running through everyone''s mind, though no one dared to voice it. Since Onoki said it himself, one of the elders immediately suggested, "Why not make a move this time? It''ll catch them off guard and we could eliminate the Spectral Swordsman along with thousands of Konoha ninjas. It would be a huge blow to Konoha. And, they wouldn''t even be in a position to retaliate after such a loss."


    Onoki snorted disdainfully, "And who do you propose we send to hunt down that brat? Do you want to lead?"


    The elder immediately went quiet but his gaze was full ofints. He didn''t feel like his suggestion was bad enough to warrant such a response from Onoki. Not to mention, there were several stronger ninjas than him in that room.


    Onoki tossed the scroll aside and said, "Read the scroll once again. Does it say anywhere that they want to retreat to the Land of Earth? It doesn''t. That shows how suspicious they are of us. What''s even the point of sending our ninjas to die pointlessly for their cause? Even without Konoha, they were already losing continuously."


    Onoki''s outrage caused everyone to realize why he was pissed. If Kagero had caved, Iwagakure would have gained close to a thousand new ninjas who had experienced wars and given them a card to take control of Kusagakure into the future. Unfortunately, that wasn''t the case. Iwa had nothing to gain by going to war with Konoha. On the contrary, the downside was too huge.


    However, not making any move made Iwagakure look weak, which didn''t sit right with several people in the room. A council member asked, "So we do nothing?"


    Onoki replied, "Of course not. Konoha has not only attacked the Kusagakure rebels but also provoked us. Kitsuchi, you''ll take 5,000 ninjas and go to the Kusagakure border. Roshi, you''ll go with him and always stay with him. Don''t make any move, just station your army at the border and let them feel the pressure."


    Onoki''s words surprised everyone in the room except Kitsuchi and Roshi. Several nced at them in confusion. Kurotsuchi asked in surprise, "Do you mean that Uncle Roshi and Father can''t defeat Suzuki Fujin despite having more ninjas?"


    Onoki answered, "No, they can''t. However, Fujin won''t be able to defeat them either as long as they are together. On the contrary, Roshi''s Tailed Beast Bombs will force him to withdraw the entire army.


    However, the trouble with this boy isn''t just his strength. It''s his ability to kill ninjas. The reports said that he killed a hundred Suna elite ninjas in the blink of an eye with just one technique twice! Perhaps that might be their intention as well. So, don''t let your guard down. How they respond after we deploy our forces will give an idea about their true intentions."


    He looked at Kitsuchi and Roshi and seriously said, "If they retreat their army, you guys should retreat as well. This might just be a ploy for us to send our forces so that Fujin could run amok among our ranks and eliminate hundreds of ninjas, just like the Fourth Hokage did previously. Though it''s very unlikely, a lot of strange things are happening and every one of them seems to benefit Konoha in some way."


    Kitsuchi and Roshi nodded. Unlike others in the room, neither dared to underestimate Fujin. Kitsuchi had already suffered a terrible loss at Fujin''s hands while Roshi was forced to his limits as well. And, both those battles had happened years ago.


    Within a day, 5,000 Iwagakure ninjas marched. Along with Konoha, Kusa and Rebel forces, nearly 11,000 ninjas would soon gather in and around the western part of Kusagakure. It would be thergest concentration of force that involved several hidden viges since the end of the Third Great Ninja War! Would tensions escte, causing the three hidden viges to go to war? Or would things calm down? Only time would tell.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


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 Chapter 782: Hide u0026 Seek

    The movements made by Iwagakure and Konoha were quickly picked up by other hidden viges. In Sunagakure, the council met again to figure out what to do.


    Ryusa muttered with a frown, "Instead of targeting us, Konoha went to the Land of Grass. What are they intending?"


    Goza replied, "This should be Kusagakure''s doing. They want to prevent Konoha from being weakened by attacking us. Even if Konoha wins against us, a weak Konoha will put Kusagakure in a lot of danger."


    Ryusa asked, "Does that mean Konoha wouldn''t pursue our attack?"


    Tojuro snorted, "Of course, they will. However, it''ll depend on how this campaign goes. If they fail to eliminate the rebels or enter into a conflict with Iwagakure, they won''t be in a position to attack us."


    "I wouldn''t be too sure about that." The council members turned their heads to Baki, who had rejoined the council after returning. After meeting him, they had a far clearer picture of what happened and how terrifying that battle was for Sunagakure ninjas.


    Baki exined, "We underestimated Konoha by a huge degree the previous time. And, we paid a terrible price for it. During our attack, Konoha was even more prepared for it than us. Considering how quickly Fujin attacked, it felt like they were waiting for us to attack so that they could begin ughtering us.


    It''ll be foolish to believe that they aren''t prepared this time. The only scenario that would be in our favor is if Iwagakure decides to go on the offensive. However, that is even more unlikely. The Tsuchikage would never do something so risky. We should be thankful to Kusagakure for buying us some time and need to use this time to prepare for any ns Konoha might have for uster."


    The rising hopes in the Suna Council were immediately crushed by Baki''s trauma of the battle. Before they could recover, Baki muttered, "Besides, they have sent that demon to lead their army. Inexperienced as he may be, Konoha''s intentions must be very nefarious." Ebizo nced at Baki and wondered, ''How much trauma did the battle leave on him? Suzuki Fujin¡­ How terrifying is he?''


    In Kumogakure, several important ninjas gathered in Ay''s office as he read the reports. A smirk appeared on his face as he muttered, "Interesting, the fence-sitter is finally making a move."


    He nced at Darui and Yugito and ordered, "This is the perfect opportunity. Make the move. Be careful and stay in constant touch with Mabui. If needed, I''ll make a move myself. We can''t afford another loss after the earlier debacle. "


    Darui, Yugito, C and Samui nodded. Along with a few other elite squads, they left Kumogakure within half an hour and began moving towards the West!


    Both factions in the Land of Water ignored this news. They were too busy with their civil war. They were just d that other viges were facing losses too, even though to a lesser extent. The minor viges became tense. A war between Konoha and Iwagakure could easily turn into the next Great Ninja War. Considering that the matter between Konoha and Sunagakure was still unresolved, they were very nervous.


    Needless to say, the ones who were the most tense were Kusagakure. However, they had already foreseen this situation when they asked for Konoha''s help. They could only hope that their calctions were urate.


    While the world was paying close attention to the events, Konoha''s army reached the rebel faction''s base.


    A senior Hyuga ninja muttered, "As expected, no one is here. However, there are several areas my Byakugan can''t prate. We''ll need to inspect the base properly."


    A Hyuga youngster observed the base and chuckled, "They did such a sloppy job. Leaving behind so many dead bodies. Even a novice would know that they are traps for us."


    Even though the base was empty, several dead bodies were lying throughout the base and even the surrounding areas. Such bodies weremonly used to set traps to harm any unsuspecting ninjas.


    However, the senior Hyuga ninja scolded, "Don''t get overconfident. Even though you have done hundreds of missions, this is the first time you''re going to a battlefield. If anyone leaves such obvious traps, then it only means that they want us to see these traps. If our attention is focused on them and we get careless, we''ll fall prey to the real traps."


    "That is right. Let us take over from now. You guys stay in the back and watch over us in case the enemy has an ambush nned." The SealMasters stepped up and took over. They created Shadow Clones, who went ahead to inspect the base.


    Some distance behind them, the Konoha army set up camps, waiting for their reports. In the main camp, the leaders assembled around a round table. Hoka muttered, "Iwagakure is sending a 5,000-strong army towards us."


    Illumi added, "And, they''re being led by Kitsuchi and the Four-Tails Jinchuriki. This could be troublesome."


    Renjiro looked at Fujin and asked, "What did Shikaku say?"


    Worry was visible on the faces of all the leaders. Fujin answered, "It''s fine. Both of us believe that they are just doing a show of strength since we are attacking a faction they support. They''ll appear weak if they don''t do anything at all and simr factions would be wary of working with them in the future. They won''t step into the Land of Grass."  ?


    Illumi worriedly said, "Let''s hope that is the case. Otherwise, our losses would be too high. Roshi can use the Tailed Beast Bombs. Our army will have severe losses if he decides to go all out."


    Fujin nodded and replied, "True, but they will also be worried that I''ll target their weaker ninjas. While killing Roshi and Kitsuchi would be difficult, neither can save them from me. So, it''s a lose-lose situation. Considering that I could even kill Roshi and Kitsuchi if the circumstances are in my favor, they risk losing a lot more. So, don''t worry."


    Fujin ended with a chuckle. It alleviated their worries a bit, but they were still more than a bit nervous.


    It took nearly an hour for the SealMasters to disable all the traps, following which the ninjas specializing in tracking started doing their work.


    Half an hourter, a ninja arrived at the main camp and reported, "Commander, we have inspected everything. The enemy isn''t here. Though there were several traps, none of them injured our ninjas. We inspected the tracks that they left behind. However¡­"


    He became slightly nervous as he continued, "We found as many as ten tracks heading out of the camp. All are quite simr as they have made attempts to hide all of the tracks. We can''t say for sure which is the right one."


    Hoka was taken aback. He thought, ''They left 10 tracks to confuse us? This will be harder than I thought¡­''


    Fujin replied casually, "Hmm, I expected as much¡­ These guys aren''t slouches. We''ll follow every track to find them. Rank the ones you think are the most usible and start the work. We''ll inspect each one by one to avoid falling into any traps."


    The ninja nodded and left. The army quickly began working through the tracks. It took several hours to find the right track, and they reached the second base where the rebels hid. Unfortunately, they were met with the same situation!


    The Iwagakure army reached the border and stayed along it. A few squads entered the Land of Grass asionally to see if there would be any reaction. However, both the Konoha army and the Kusagakure armypletely ignored their activities. Neither paid any attention to them, puzzling as well as angering the Iwagakure ninjas.


    Kitsuchi muttered, "Tsuchikage-sama was correct. Something is indeed fishy. Despite our forces being so close and in a position tounch a massive assault, the Konoha army continues to do their job as if we aren''t even here."


    Roshi nodded and added, "Even if they know his nature, they shouldn''t be this confident. It''s as if they are waiting for us to attack them. However, I can''t seem to put a finger on what their n could be."


    Kitsuchi agreed. He had the same feeling. Regardless, they didn''t have the orders to attack Konoha in any case. They were just fishing to see how Konoha and Kusagakure would react and so far, neither had taken the bait.


    In Kagetani, the Konoha army trailed after the rebels for 8 days! Yet, they didn''t even catch a glimpse of the rebel army. The rebels set behind several traps to cause harm to the Konoha ninjas, but all failed since Fujin ordered them to prioritize their safety. Though the traps slowed down the Konoha army, they failed to harm a single ninja. On the contrary, 25 rebel ninjas were caught and eliminated.


    Finally, the Konoha army reached an inconspicuous valley, where they were confident the rebels were hiding. Since the Nara Jounins were sure of it, no one doubted them.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


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 Chapter 783: An Ambush!

    Hoka led his division down the valley while observing it with his Byakugan. He thought, ''To think I thought that this would be an easy mission¡­ These guys are remarkable. They set up hundreds of fake trails and dozens of traps on each of those trails! We searched all the good hiding ces thoroughly without any sess. To think that they''d hide in such an inconspicuous ce¡­ Even now, I can''t spot a suspicious detail with my Byakugan!''


    Even though Hoka didn''t battle even once in thest week, his horizons were expanded considerably. He never knew that a weaker force could trouble a stronger force in such a manner. He continued thinking, ''Had Fujin focused on speed instead of safety, we could have lost a few dozen ninjas. Perhaps, the number might have even exceeded a hundred. It would have discouraged the army and killed our morale.


    On the other hand, if Iwagakure or any other force had moved against Konoha, we would have been forced to withdraw and they would have been safe. They were just unfortunate that none of the circumstances was in their favor¡­''


    Hoka was about to sigh when his eyes suddenly widened. He immediately turned his head to his right!


    "KILL THEM!!! LEAVE NO ONE ALIVE! EVEN IF YOU DIE, TAKE 5 WITH YOU!!!"


    A loud shout forced Hoka''s division to turn their heads to their right. A force of 300 ninjas was rushing towards their nk! Needless to say, the Hyuga ninjas and the sensors had already spotted them as soon as they appeared, which is why the enemy didn''t bother trying to move silently and instead focused on raising their morale.


    Hoka immediately realized, ''Isn''t that Tsuchiro? Why were hiding here instead of deeper in the valley? How did they fool our SealMaster? Shit! These bastards want to battle on the slopes! Even if we win, our casualties will be very high if we make a single mistake!''


    Hoka immediately flickered while shouting, "Intercept them with thebination jutsus!"


    Hoka''s division was halfway down the valley. They were walking down the slopes when they were suddenly ambushed. As per their usual formation, the specialist units were at the forefront and they were followed by the ninjas who excelled in the Fire-Windbination jutsu. However, Tsuchiro''s forces attacked Hoka''s division on its nk, which didn''t have the main attackers. Of course, some were still stationed there for such a scenario, but their numbers were rather limited.


    Even so, they immediately acted. Dozens of ninjas used Fire and Wind jutsus. At the same time, the ones who could contribute to thebination jutsu quickly rushed through the army ranks to reinforce them. The specialist units moved as well to harass the nks of Tsuchiro''s small force.


    However, Tsuchiro''s forces were faster since they were the ones who ambushed. They attacked with Water and Wind jutsus even before the Konoha ninjas attacked. Even the ninjas who couldn''t use Water jutsus releasedrge amounts of water from storage scrolls, increasing the scale of the attack even further!


    The two attacks collided. The Kusagakure rebels had the upper hand as the water doused the mes and continued moving towards the Konoha ninjas, making them quite nervous.


    Hoka quickly analyzed, ''Even though my division is rtively dispersed, quite a few will be hit if that jutsu reaches us. And, considering that we are on the slope, dozens will die and hundreds will be severely injured. Probably a few hundred more would die in the battle following it...''


    His eyes quickly spotted the ninjas rushing towards the nk while calcting, ''Even though we are on the back foot, we''ll gain the upper hand once they reinforce. However, their attack will hit us before that happens¡­ Sigh, this is an excellent ambush. I can''t hold back!''


    Hoka rapidly weaved hand signs and mmed his hands on the ground.


    ''Earth Release: Earth Wall jutsu''


    A massive Wall rose from the slopes several meters ahead of where the fire and water were shing with each other! The wall acted as a dam, cutting the water flow and releasing the pressure from the mes, which continued moving towards the wall while evaporating the water that was on the side of the Konoha forces.


    However, there was another distinct feature of the Earth Wall. Instead of being straight, it was nted. As a result, it didn''t have to absorb the entire force of the wind-enhanced water. Instead, the water was diverted down the slope, where it flowed harmlessly.


    Of course, a single Earth Wall couldn''t stop thebination jutsu of hundreds of ninjas. The Wall crumbled quickly, but the mes had reached the other side of the wall by them. In addition, dozens of Konoha ninjas had reached the nk and strengthened Konoha''sbination jutsu.


    When the Water and Fire shed once again, it was Konoha who had the upper hand! The water rapidly evaporated, surprising the rebels. Even Tsuchiro was taken aback. He thought, ''Not bad, this young ninja is good. His Earth Wall saved his army¡­ He should be Hyuga Hoka, one of the three Generals leading Konoha''s army. It looks like the reason why he became a general isn''t only due to his teammate. This could be a bit troublesome.''


    Even though he was discouraged, there was no fear on Tsuchiro''s face. On the contrary, he weaved hand signs with a wide grin and a crazed look in his eyes before mming his hands on the ground.


    ''Earth Release: Earth Flow River jutsu''


    Hoka''s Byakugan quickly noticed something strange. He nced towards the top of the hill and quickly weaved hand seals while cursing, ''Shit! The Earth Flow River jutsu! Bastard wants to bury us!''


    ''Earth Release: Earth Wall jutsu''


    Hoka mmed his hands on the ground, raising another Earth Wall. However, this time he raised it on his division''s right nk, which was previously the army''s rear. As the slopes of the hill started transforming into mud,rge rocks began rolling down the hill. However, they were stopped by the wall before they gained more momentum. Yet, Hoka didn''t lower his guard. He continued weaving hand seals and mmed his hands on the ground once again.


    ''Earth Release: Bedrock Coffin jutsu''


    The Bedrock Coffin jutsu was normally used to crush the opponents to death by controlling multiple sections of rocks. However, Hoka used it just to strengthen the ground under the feet of his division. Hence, Tsuchiro''s jutsu failed to convert it into mud, thus preventing the Konoha ninjas from falling into a mud river and being vulnerable to the enemy''s attacks!


    Some distance away, a smile appeared on Renjiro''s face. He muttered, ''Good. You have finally matured.''


    Renjiro was about to act when he noticed the Earth Flow River jutsu but stopped when he noticed Hoka acting. He couldn''t help but recall the time when Hoka was extremely reluctant to learn any Ninjutsu. Even after Fujin defeated Hoka demonstrating how critical Ninjutsu was, Renjiro and Hoka''s parents had to force him to learn Ninjutsus. So, seeing his student finally be mature brought relief to Renjiro.


    Suddenly, a Yamanaka ninja shouted, "Commander, be careful!"


    Hoka didn''t need to be warned. He had already turned his gaze towards the mes. A silhouette appeared in them before dispersing the mes around him. The Konoha ninjas were surprised to see Tsuchiro making it through theirbination jutsu.


    Only a few sensors and Hyuga ninjas realized, ''They concentrated theirbination jutsu at a small point, making a way for their leader to make it through. However¡­''


    Hoka''s eyes met with Tsuchiro as he thought, ''How ruthless. Even though this tactic made a path for them, dozens of their ninjas would burn to death. They will lose at least a fourth of their forces. Yet, they are marching forward. It seems like they havepletely given up on their lives. All this sacrifice just toe here to die?''


    Tsuchiro saw the pity in Hoka''s eyes and was enraged. He smiled coldly and said, "Let me see what Konoha''s next generation is made of!"


    ''Lightning Release: False Darkness jutsu''


    Tsuchiro extended his palm towards Hoka andunched several Lightning Spears at him. At such a close range, dodging it was difficult. Besides, even if Hoka did so, several of his subordinates would die. As such, Hoka released arge amount of chakra and used Rotation to defend against the attack.


    At the same time, the remaining forces under Tsuchiro reached. From their original number of 300, only 214 ninjas reached Hoka''s division. The rest were burned alive, most of whom were dead while a few were still screaming in pain. However, the rebel army wasn''t discouraged. Instead, the death and screams of theirrades fueled their rage as they attacked the Konoha ninjas with everything they had!


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


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 Chapter 784: Paying the Price!

    [A/N: Merry Christmas!]


    On the other side of the valley, Illumi''s division was moving down as well. The sensors under hismand reported, "General Hoka''s division is under attack by 300 ninjas. It''s difficult to say who has the upper hand from here."


    Illumi thought, ''We don''t need to worry about the upper hand. Even if his group is caught off guard, there is sufficient backup. However, this is rather surprising. To think that they would ambush us instead of hiding."


    "General, should we reinforce them?" Illumi shook his head to answer his subordinate''s question and instead asked, "Can you see who''s attacking them?"


    Most sensors stayed quiet, but a senior Yamanaka ninja replied, "It is Tsuchiro. I had sensed his chakra signature during the Third Great War."


    Illumi thought for a bit before saying, "Just 300 ninjas won''t be able to stop Hoka''s division. And, if we go there, the remaining rebels might be able to sneak away. We''ll continue moving down the valley, but we''ll slow down a bit. That way, we''ll attack first while Hoka''s division can follow up by attacking their rear and trapping them betw¡­"


    Illumi stopped mid-way and something unexpected happened. Some distance away from him, 500 ninjas appeared and rushed towards him! This army was led by none other than Kagero, the leader of the Kusagakure rebels! Following him were his two students, Shizuma and Ganku! The three of them went straight for Kurama Illumi!


    "We failed to detect both the forces?" A SealMaster eximed in shock. Despite several SealMasters inspecting the valley, not a single one noticed the two spots where the rebels hid. Instead, we calcted the incorrect location.


    A Nara Jounin said, "Not just that, the location they hid in is perfect for ambushing as well. They outyed us." Renjiro nodded and asked, "Where did you mess up?"


    The SealMaster thought for a bit before answering, "It was how they nned their bases in this valley. Every seal here is carefully hidden. Just finding the seals hiding the base at the bottom of this valley took a long time. In fact, if the Nara Jounins didn''t insist, we wouldn''t have looked deeper into this valley either. It was only due to them that we managed to locate that base. We did try searching more bases, but we couldn''t spot any since these were even better hidden."


    Renjiro asked, "Could you guys have done anything different?"


    The Nara Jounin looked at Renjiro suspiciously and thought, ''Hmm, why does it feel like he is educating us instead of being worried about the battle?''


    The SealMaster answered unsurely, "Perhaps if we had searched longer, we could have discovered them, but it would have taken a couple of days, if not more. In addition, I can''t guarantee that we would have found it. Perhaps, we could have fallen into the trap too and lost our lives.


    The only way we could have avoided this trap is if a Grandmaster took a look. Perhaps if the Commander had¡­"


    Renjiro cut him off and said, "Our enemy is quite weak. If the Commander did everything, we wouldn''t need an army."


    The SealMaster obediently replied, "I understand."


    The Nara Jounin asked, "Should we help out General Hoka''s division? Even though they will win, they are under a lot of pressure right now. Soon, the casualties will start mounting."


    Renjiro shook his head and answered, "Of course, there will be casualties in war. A war that doesn''t have any casualties isn''t a war, it''s a massacre. This time, our enemy is weak, trapped and helpless, yet we are struggling so much. Do you think we''ll have such favorable conditions when battling against other major viges?"


    Renjiro nced towards Hoka''s division and continued, "An army will only be born when it survives several tribtions of blood and death. Let them handle it. You''ll see what I mean soon."


    The Nara Jounin as well as the SealMaster frowned and wondered, ''But, didn''t Commander say that he didn''t want to see anyone dying?''


    The two didn''t say it out loud. After all, neither was as close to Fujin as Renjiro. Even though they didn''t say anything, Renjiro could easily figure out their thoughts. He thought, ''In a way, Fujin is inexperienced and ignorant about wars too.


    Even though he has a lot of mission experience and has undoubtedly done a lot of morally gray tasks in the missions he didn''t talk about, war is a different matter altogether. He''ll have to have the heart to sacrifice some ninjas to win therger war, a position he was rarely put under due to how remarkably strong he has be. And, he''ll have to ept such losses too.


    The same is true for Hoka. He''s even behind Fujin in this regard. And, this is a good opportunity for him to gain experience because he''s leading from the front. The next time, he''ll be far more careful against such ambushes.


    The army will benefit too. This will teach them how gruesome wars are and how one mistake or one moment of carelessness could be catastrophic for theirrades. If I help them now, then it''ll have the opposite impact. If we baby them today, they''ll pay the price when they don''t have the same luxury in the future.''


    "Have you recovered?" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    On a rock in the middle of a dense, dark forest, two men sat wearing ck cloaks having red clouds. They were none other than the fearsome Uchiha Itachi and Hoshigaki Kisame. Ironically, neither of their cloaks inspired fear.  ?


    Itachi''s right sleeve was missing and burn marks were visible on the edge of the cloak where the sleeve should have been. On the other hand, most of Kisame''s cloak was destroyed and his upper body was visible.


    Kisame answered, "Yes, the injuries have been dealt with. It''s a shame that I couldn''t find anyone with arge amount of chakra. Otherwise, I could have healed quicker by absorbing their chakra through the Samehada."


    Just like in the original story, Itachi and Kisame entered Konoha four days ago. Since Fujin was in the Land of Grass, no one intervened and they ended up shing with Kakashi''s group in the same manner. Kakashi, unfortunately, couldn''t change his fate and fell prey to Itachi''s Tsukuyomi. He fell unconscious and had to be rescued by Guy before the Akatsuki members retreated. However, there was one major difference. Unlike the original story, they had to pay the price for taking on Hatake Kakashi, the Copy Ninja!


    Both Itachi and Kisame got a taste of Sakumo''s Yin chakra-infused Lightning. Itachi noticed the signs with his Sharingan and almost dodged the attack while Kisame was fooled by Kakashi''s Shadow Clone and ended up taking the whole brunt of the attack.


    Of course, Kakashi was nowhere near Sakumo''s level, which is why neither was mortally wounded and he was quickly defeated by Itachi''s counterattack. However, the pain stayed behind. After they retreated from Konoha, they had to wait for four days to heal uppletely. While they could have moved on earlier, neither dared to move around with any handicaps. After all, their next opponent was in an entirely different league aspared to Kakashi!


    Itachi''s sudden appearance got the attention of the big shots in Konoha. Every n Leader paid careful attention to it and raised their n''s guard. After all, they didn''t know the truth. From their perspective, Itachi had massacred the mighty Uchiha n by himself. Even though Shikaku had some guesses, he didn''t want to take unneeded risks either. Fujin and Jiraiya were informed about the same. Needless to say, the ones who were rmed the most were Danzo and the other elders. They received Itachi''s hidden message without the need for a single word, forcing them to drop any ideas they had about the Uchiha kids immediately.


    "Kagero¡­ This is a brave choice. I didn''t expect you''de out and battle instead of hiding." Kurama Illumi said as he stood face-to-face with Kagero and his students. The 500 ninjas under Kagero''smand began battling with Illumi''s 1000-ninja strong division while their leaders faced off.


    Kagero chuckled and asked, "Where can one hide from Konoha ninjas? Surely you didn''t expect me to wait for my death, did you, Illumi? That said, this is rather unexpected. Illumi, you havee a long way. I didn''t think you had the talent to reach the Elite Jounin rank in Konoha. It should have been a matter of pride for you. Unfortunately, it''ll be the cause of your death. Anyway¡­"


    Kagero rapidly weaved hand signs while saying, "Enough talk!"


    Illumi became serious and withdrew while weaving hand signs as well. He nced at the three opponents and thought, ''His two students are as strong as the Veteran Jounins in Konoha. If they had been in Kusagakure, they would have been promoted to Elite Jounin rank. Renjiro also said that Kagero is as strong as he is. Winning against him will be very difficult. However¡­''


    A sly smile appeared on Illumi''s face. He didn''t need to win. He just needed to stall Kagero. As for Kagero''s students, Illumi wasn''t worried. Reaching the level of Konoha''s Veteran Jounin might be extraordinary in a minor vige, but it wasn''t so in Konoha. Illumi had 9 Veteran Jounins under hismand, three of whom were standing right next to him. As such, Shizuma and Ganku''s task wasn''t to gang up on Illumi along with their Sensei, instead, it was to avoid Konoha from ganging up on their Sensei.


    ''Water Release: Vapor Gale jutsu!''


    ''Phantom Mist jutsu''


    [A/N: Latest Chapter : Konoha''s Premium Transportation System!]


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 Chapter 785: The Second Shocking News!

    ''Water Release: Vapor Gale jutsu!''


    Kagero exhaled mist, which quickly surrounded him and his students, concealing them from the Konoha ninjas. The mist expanded towards Illumi and his subordinates. Without a moment''s hesitation, the Konoha Jounins retreated.


    One of them muttered, "The intel was urate. The mist is not only hiding them but is also hiding sharp wind currents. If it reaches us, we''ll be diced up."


    Another added, "It is a bit simr to Commander''s technique. Of course, it isn''tparable since he can''t control the winds like Commander can."


    Illumipleted his hand seals and said, "Don''t underestimate him. He spent decades trying to recreate two Kekkei Genkai. Even though he failed, he has severalbination jutsus. So, pay careful attention to every jutsu he uses."


    ''Phantom Mist jutsu''


    It was the turn of Kagero and his students to raise their guards. The thick mist around them suddenly turned purplish giving an eerie feeling. They heard several echoes and saw shadows of the Konoha ninjas flickering in the dense fog.


    Kagero immediately disrupted his chakra and said, "It''s a Genjutsu. Disrupt your chakra."


    Shizuma and Ganku didn''t need to be told. They disrupted their chakra flow at the same time as their sensei. As soon as they snapped out, their eyes were filled with a bright orange light. They immediately flickered away as mes ravaged through the windy mist Kagero had created. Kagero began weaving hand signs once again when trees suddenly sprouted from the ground. In the blink of an eye, they coiled around him and his students, trapping them. Kagero cursed, ''This Genjutsu¡­ Do these fools think that the First Hokage is still alive for this Genjutsu to scare us?''


    Illumi''s figure appeared in front of them as he casually asked, "Why don''t you just surrender? I''m sure our Commander will be merciful and let you live. Perhaps you can enter a deal with Kusagakure and ensure the survival of most of your subordinates. Perhaps you could negotiate your life too. Why fight a lost battle?"


    Needless to say, neither Kagero nor his students paid any attention to Illumi''s words. They could see that he was just buying some time and focused entirely on breaking out of the Genjutsu. As soon as they did, they were once again greeted by hot mes. This time, they were even closer!


    Kageo immediately raised a water wall while Ganku raised an earth dome to protect themselves. The mes easily broke through the hastily erected wall of water but failed to prate the dome.


    Kagero frowned and thought, ''As expected, it won''t be easy. Though not as dangerous as the Uchiha n, the Kurama n''s Genjutsu is difficult to deal with as well. If he keeps trapping us in Genjutsu while others try to blow us up, we''ll eventually lose¡­''


    Kagero whispered, "Shizuma, Ganku stall the others. I''ll deal with Illumi first and then assist you."


    "Yes, Sensei." Both answered and moved towards Konoha''s Veteran Jounins from under the ground. The two unleashed all their might to keep the three Veteran Jounins upied. In addition, they also kept an eye on the other Veteran Jounins making their way towards them.


    Illumi and Kagero finally faced off against each other without external disturbances. Illumi asked with a smirk, "Do you want to take on a Genjutsu specialist by yourself?"


    Kagero answered, "If you had the Sharingan, I wouldn''t have dared to. Unfortunately for you, the Kurama n can''tpare with the Uchiha n."


    Illumi understood that Kagero was trying to get under his skin. Heughed and said, "Good, let me see how long you can maintain this attitude."


    The two engaged in an intense battle as Illumi tried to trap Kagero under Genjutsu while Kagero tried to hit Illumi with hisplex Ninjutsus before that happened. The armies shed as well.


    However, unlike. Tsuchiro''s division, which made some inroads into Hoka''s division, Kagero''s army failed to gain an upper hand. Even though they ambushed Illumi''s division, their attack was from the front, where the stronger Konoha ninjas were. In addition, Illumi''s division not only enjoyed numerical superiority but also had far stronger ninjas.


    ¡ª¡ª


    While Fujin''s army and the rebels shed, the Konoha council gathered once again for another meeting. They discussed several misceneous topics beforeing on to the crucial points.


    Hiashi asked, "Has there been any update on Uchiha Itachi and Hoshigaki Kisame? Also, have you figured out the reason for their infiltration?"


    Everyone''s gaze turned towards Shikaku, who answered, "We have some idea. Both of them are in a rogue mercenary group called the Akatsuki. Though they have been doing only some normal missions, Lord Third had intel that their real targets are the Tailed Beasts. They likely wanted to take advantage of the recent attack and make a move against Naruto."


    A frown appeared on the faces of several council members. They didn''t like what they were hearing. Tsume muttered, "Naruto isn''t in the vige right now. Should we be worried?"


    Shikaku answered, "He is with Jiraiya-sama. So, I wouldn''t be too worried. If they dare to make a move, then it could be a good chance for Jiraiya-sama to eliminate them."


    Everyone nodded. If Naruto wasn''t safe with Jiraiya, then there wasn''t much point in them being concerned. They had some doubts about the Akatsuki, but before they could voice them, Koharu asked, "How is Kakashi?"


    Even though they managed to hide their emotions very well, both Koharu and Homura were very worried. Itachi''s sudden move had them raise their guards to the highest level. While they believed in Itachi''s loyalty to the vige, it had been several years since Itachi left Konoha. There was a chance that he had changed and that posed a grave risk, especially to them.


    Shikaku answered, "His life isn''t in danger. He was put under a very strong Genjutsu whichpletely exhausted him. Unfortunately, no one in the vige is able to heal them. Fortunately, the issue should be solved once Lady Tsunade returns to the vige."


    Several n Leaders breathed a sigh of relief. While Fujin had taken the limelight in recent times, Kakashi was still a very important ninja for Konoha. If he met an unfortunate end or was crippled, it would be a huge blow to Konoha''s military might. Since several sighed, no one found the relief on Homura''s and Koharu''s faces strange.


    Homura asked, "How is the war in the Land of Grass proceeding?"


    Shikaku answered, "The rebels were good enough to keep hiding from us. However, they were located today. They are engaged in a battle as we speak. Perhaps, the war would be over by the time the meeting ends."


    Hiromasa quickly asked, "What of the Iwagakure forces on the border? The rebels aren''t a threat to us. The only thing that could cause us losses is if the Iwagakure army moves. I thought you''d send more ninjas to deter them, but you refrained from doing it."


    Before Shikaku could answer, Koharu said, "As annoying as that kid is, he makes a great deterrent by himself. With his capabilities, he could kill theirmanders or ughter their weaker ninjas depending on the circumstances. Knowing the Third Tsuchikage''s nature, I wouldn''t be too worried about it."


    Hiromasa thoughtfully countered, "Actually, that in itself is a risk. Since he has such a reputation, we''ll be caught off guard when he eventually orders the opposite. However, you are right. As long as Fujin is there, we don''t need to be worried. The fact that Iwagakure still hasn''t made a move should prove that. Is that correct, Shikaku¡­?"


    The entire council was slightly puzzled as there was a strange expression on Shikaku''s face. He muttered, "Well, about that¡­"


    Before he could answer, an Anbu ninja entered the room and hurriedly reported, "Shikaku-sama, we just received this news."


    His sudden intrusion surprised the Council Members. Homura asked, "What''s this about?"


    Shikaku nced at the scroll before passing it along. As soon as the Elders and other n Leaders read the message, their eyes widened in disbelief. Homura''s breathing became rough as he muttered in disbelief, "This¡­"


    ¡ª¡ª


    A simr scroll reached Sunagakure, where the council was convened instantly. None of them could believe what the report said and the entire council stayed silent in shock.


    In Amegakure, Zetsu, Obito, Nagato and Konan stood in silence. They were digesting the news Zetsu passed on. Finally, Obito muttered, "This could be troublesome¡­"


    In Kumogakure, Ay''s expression went pale as he read the report. He ordered, "Recall Darui and the rest immediately. Call back all our forces without any dy!"


    Mabui nodded and immediately got to work. The two factions in the Land of Water were shocked as well, but neither cared much about the information as their battles were bing more intense. However, there was one person who cared deeply about it.


    In Iwagakure, Onoki read the report with widened eyes. For a moment, he couldn''t believe what he was reading and he read the report once again. As he confirmed the information, his anger soured through the roof. The scroll in his hands was obliterated into dust as he cursed loudly, "Those bastards dare to look down on me so much!"


    His subordinates stayed frozen in his office. Not a single one of them had ever seen their leader this angry.


    In Kusagakure, a Council Meeting was ongoing just like in Konoha. While they were careful, the meeting was a joyous one. Hiroshi said, "ording to Ryoichi''s reports, the Konoha army will finally engage the remaining rebels today. Iwagakure''s forces haven''t made any moves."


    A smile appeared on his face as he announced, "The war will finally be over."


    Relief spread through the Council room. Though it had cost them a lot, their internal war would finally end. However, before they could celebrate, an Anbu ninja broke into the room, attracting everyone''s attention. His breathing was very rough and even though he was wearing a mask, everyone could sense that he seemed afraid.


    The Council immediately raised their guard. Hiroshi asked, "What''s the matter?"


    The Anbu ninja reported, "Hi¡­ Hiroshi-sama. We''ve¡­ We have just¡­ received information."


    Seeing how terrified the Anbu ninja seemed, Hiroshi frowned. He asked with an ugly face, "Did Iwagakure make a move?"


    The Anbu ninja took deep breaths as he answered, "No¡­ Iwagakure isn''t involved. The news is from the Land of Rice!" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    His words confused the council. Before they could guess, the Anbu ninja eximed loudly, "Konoha has set fire to the Land of Rice! Otogakure ispletely destroyed! Orochimaru is believed to be on the run!"


    Without an exception, the pupils of every council member dted and their eyes widened. Konoha had just been attacked by thebined forces of Sunagakure and Otogakure. Kusagakure had sessfully diverted the army Konoha raised into the Land of Grass and kept them upied. They couldn''t believe that Konoha had the manpower to do something so ridiculous.


    One of the council members asked in disbelief, "Do you mean that Konoha sent another army to the Land of Grass secretly while fighting a war here?"


    To the council''s surprise, the Anbu ninja shook his head and answered loudly, "No, it wasn''t another army. It was none other than Suzuki Fujin, the Spectral Swordsman!"


    [A/N: I''m aware that Otogakure wasn''t a vige. I''ll cover it in the next chapter.]


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


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 Chapter 786: Konohas Outrageous Move!

    Thick smoke rose into the sky as four figures moved swiftly through burning rice fields. Waves of mes had devoured the entirendscape in every direction around them, casting an orange glow. The figures weren''t phased by the rampant destruction caused by an intense battle and instead had something else on their mind.


    Thedy leading the squad muttered, "Suzuki Fujin¡­ What a crazy man!"


    There was no hate or disgust in her voice. It was just in disbelief. She still struggled to digest all that she had experienced recently. However, her words rmed her followers, who quickly whispered, "Konomi-sama, not so loudly! Someone might hear us!"


    Konomi snorted, "Even if they do, what''ll they do? Report us to the Commander?"


    The three Jounins apanying her were left speechless. Neither could figure out any reply as they too were left bbergasted by the events in thest one and a half weeks. Just like Konomi, they struggled to believe it was real despite having witnessed everything.


    What Fujin had done in the Land of Grass was shocking in itself. From outrageously capturing the ninjas of their ''ally'' to authoritatively destroying an enemy base without a single casualty, it left an impact on the minds of the Konoha ninjas.


    However, instead of pressing on the advantage, Fujin made an extremely strange move. Only the Hoka and Illumi divisions moved forward to continue the mission. As for Konomi''s division, Fujin tookmand and led them in the opposite direction.


    The Konoha ninjas spected that Fujin might be pulling off some maneuver to catch the enemy off guard. To their surprise, Fujin led them back into the Land of Fire. They traveled for two days, taking adequate rest during their journey, unlike their rush to the Land of Grass. When they finally arrived at their destination, the entire army was left speechless upon realizing they had traveled to the opposite end of the Land of Fire and reached the Land of Rice, which was under Orochimaru''s control!


    However, there was something that shocked them even more. Perhaps, more than shocked, weirded out would be a better way to describe it. They had just traveled across the width of the Land of Grass, which was on high alert due to Fujin''s outrageous actions, and the Land of Fire, which was on guard due to the recent attack. Yet, they didn''t encounter a single human on their journey! Konomi recalled, ''If that wasn''t strange enough, then the events in this country have been even more crazy. Sigh, I don''t even know what I should call it¡­ Strange? Weird? Crazy? Outrageous? I don''t even know¡­ But, I shouldn''t have wished for that¡­''


    Konomi let out an exhausted sigh. Her division reached the Land of Rice six days ago. Needless to say, everyone understood that it was Konoha''s retaliation. However, Otogakure wasn''t a vige in the traditional sense. Instead, it was made up of a vast number of hidden bases throughout the Land of Rice. Except for Orochimaru, no one knew how many bases existed in the Land of Rice. Even his closest subordinates were unaware of a few. Luckily, Konoha excelled in gathering intelligence and Fujin had a jutsu that was perfect to detect people hiding in secret bases.


    Fujin led the initial investigation to find a few of the bases. Needless to say, it was just a cover-up for his Space Time Sensing Technique. Once a few bases were discovered, the Yamanaka ninjas read the memories of the Otogakure ninjas to find other bases.


    While no one knew the locations of all bases, the leaders of bases generally knew the location of a few other bases where they had been earlier. Fujin took a step back and let the army do its thing.


    With Fujin having little interest in fighting the weaker ninjas, Konomi was given the honor of leading Konoha''s attack. As someone who wanted an opportunity to contribute and make a name for herself, Konomi was overjoyed when Fujin asked her to lead.


    However, her enthusiasm started fading away pretty quickly as they kept on finding new bases. The number far exceeded anyone''s guess. In a mere 6 days, they had destroyed 184 Otogakure bases!


    Konomi thought tiredly, ''Even though we found so many hidden bases, most of them were abandoned. The ones who were upied didn''t have a single Elite Jounin. The number of Jounin-level ninjas can be counted with a single hand too. In the end, I just did the grunt work¡­''


    Konomi couldn''t help butin about the injustice in her heart. Even though she performed excellently, it didn''t add much to her reputation. As an Elite Jounin, she was expected to do what she did with ease. Unfortunately, she didn''t have anyone to voice her thoughts to.


    She could only find sce in the fact that she obtained plenty of experience in leading a division. In addition, being the General whose divisions ughtered the forces of a traitor like Orochimaru was a unique reputation in itself. After all, even though most of the bases were empty, they still killed 769 Otogakure ninjas!


    Konomi thought, ''Combined with their losses during the attack, I doubt they can even be called a hidden vige anymore. And, we aplished all this at the cost of just 3 unfortunate Genins, who fell to the innumerable traps. Sigh, this wasn''t a war, it was a massacre. To think that Orochimaru would someday have to experience something like this¡­ Not to mention¡­''


    Konomi''s group finally reached their destination and looked around. The stench of burning flesh filled the air as several dead bodies were burning. Their gazended on an Otogakure ninja who was in terrible shape. His left leg had been cut off clean from his thigh and injuries riddled his body. He didn''t even register the appearance of Konomi''s group, instead staring hatefully at the five little demons who reduced him to this state.


    Konomi''s eyes twitched as she thought, ''I didn''t even know they existed before this. To think that Fujin has already taken some disciples and that his disciples are already this fearsome¡­ Not only are they exceptionally strong for their age, they arepletely ruthless. It almost brings back the memories of when I saw the Root ninjas in action...''


    ¡ª¡ª


    In Kusagakure, the council was still in shock. They couldn''t make any sense of the situation. One of the members asked, "What do you mean? Isn''t Suzuki Fujin dealing with the rebels?"  ??


    Another added, "He should be! Ryoichi reported that he met Suzuki Fujin a few days ago! So, how could he be in the Land of Rice?"


    Everyone stared at the Anbu ninja in confusion. He replied, "I don''t know. However, it isn''t just him. Apparently, one of the three divisions is with him too. We don''t know how they reached there¡­"


    The council fell deep in thought. Hiroshi wondered, ''Did theye to the Land of Grass with only two divisions?''


    He thought for a bit before dismissing that idea, ''No, that''s not it. There were definitely three divisions here. All of our ninjas who were captured said so. In fact, he must have purposefully shown them to our ninjas so that the news would leak and everyone would believe it.


    So, how did an entire division move out of the country? Did they employ the same tactic again? But, there are no reports of any missing ninjas this time. Even if I assume he bribed the ones who spotted them, there is no way everyone would keep quiet. So, what could it be¡­''


    His eyes suddenly widened as he recalled something. He muttered, "The siege of Midorino¡­"


    "Huh?" The council members were surprised by the sudden words uttered by their leader. They began wondering what Hiroshi was thinking about. Suddenly, the eyes of a few council members widened while the rest were still clueless.


    Hiroshi muttered, "Suzuki Fujin¡­ What a fearsome individual¡­ We werepletely fooled¡­"


    Hiroshi didn''t look at any of the council members while he spoke. Instead, he appeared to be lost in thoughts. He muttered, "Suzuki Fujin''s request of sending our army to stop the rebels from hiding in the Land of Grass wasn''t out of goodwill in his heart nor was it a trap set for us. No, he merely wanted to disrupt our forces and divert them temporarily."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Shock appeared on the faces of nearly every council member as Hiroshi continued, "When we moved our ninjas, it opened up several gaps in our defenses. We didn''t care as the Konoha army was within our borders and attacking us would be equivalent to humiliating them. In addition, none of the gaps were leading to our vige.


    However, Fujin used those openings to lead a division out undetected. He must have cooperated with Konoha ninjas in the Land of Fire to ensure they could continue traveling in secrecy. So, when the whole world believed that he was here hunting down the rebels, he''d be secretly eliminating Orochimaru''s forces."


    Silence spread through the council room. If Hiroshi''s words were true, Konoha''s actions were too outrageous. There was no doubt that the entire ninja world would be in a state of shock and disbelief.


    One said in confusion, "However, isn''t that too risky? What if Iwagakure had attacked? Wouldn''t Konoha''s army be destroyed without the Spectral Swordsman leading them?"


    Hiroshi shook his head and said, "It means that they were sure that Iwagakure wouldn''t make a move. Either that, or they have a different arrangement to take care of Iwagakure in case they attack."


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


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 Chapter 787: Pity!

    Hiroshi shook his head and said, "It means they were sure Iwagakure wouldn''t make a move. Either that, or they have a different arrangement to take care of Iwagakure in case they attack."


    Kusagakure''s council members nced at each other, confirming that they weren''t the only ones having such a hard time believing it. Even so, no one had any point to disprove their leader''s words. In mere seconds, they experienced a range of emotions. Strangely, thest emotion they felt was relief¡­ Indeed, they were relieved that they took this opportunity to mend their rtionship with Fujin.


    ¡ª¡ª


    Arge-scale war wasn''t the appropriate ce to test his students. So, Fujin had kept them out of the attack on the base of Kusagakure rebels. He didn''t want to see any of them die to a stray kunai or shuriken. On the contrary, the smaller bases in the Land of Rice presented a perfect opportunity to give them some experience.


    Under Bunjiro and Fujin''s careful watch, they participated in almost every battle and killed at least a dozen Otogakure ninjas each. Thanks to the time they spent under Danzo''s care, Fujin didn''t need to worry about them adjusting to killing like Renjiro once did with his squad. On the battlefield, his five students were like fish released into the sea.


    The Oto ninja hatefully said, "You cursed brats! Orochimaru-sama wouldn''t spare you! You may think you have won, but he will avenge us! Hahaha! Leave the rest of your miserable life in the fear of not knowing when Orochimaru-sama will strike you!"


    Despite his threatening tone, there wasn''t a hint of fear on the faces of Fujin''s students. Instead, Yuji teased, "You sure have a lot of confidence in your boss. It''s almost as if we didn''t destroy his main base. Hehehe."


    Yuji''s taunt sent the Otogakure''s ninja''s rage through the roof. He wanted to respond but no words formed in his mouth. After all, what Yuji said was true. Memories surfaced in the Otogakure ninja''s mind.


    A few hours ago, he was at the main base where Orochimaru handled matters rted to Otogakure. Of course, due to the wounds inflicted by Hiruzen, Orochimaru was more focused on nursing his injuries instead of managing the hidden vige. Even though Fujin had killed Kabuto and sealed his Edo Tensei, Orochimaru still had quite a few capable Medical Ninjas who were working round the clock to heal him, granted they were a considerable distance away from Kabuto''s level. Despite not attaching himself to any subordinate, Orochimaru felt his absence. The Otogakure ninja expected Orochimaru to stay there until his condition stabilized, but he recalled the change in Orochimaru''s expression when he learnt that the Konoha army led by Suzuki Fujin had found their main base. Without a moment''s hesitation, Orochimaru decided to abandon the base.


    He escaped with some of his subordinates while sending the rest in a different direction to divert the attention of Konoha ninjas. The tactic sessfully threw Fujin off his tail but raised doubts about Orochimaru''s capabilities in the hearts of his followers. His godlike image fell considerably.


    Seeing the hesitant expression on the face of the Otogakure ninja, Yuji grinned and continued, "How about you stop dreaming and tell us where your leader ran away like a scared little girl? I''ll see..."


    Sayaka interrupted him, "That''s enough ying around. Focus on the mission."


    Needless to say, they had no reason to trust his words. On the other hand, his memories wouldn''t tell any lies. Just as they stepped close to him to knock him out, a grin appeared on his face, rming Fujin''s students. The Otogakure ninja thought, ''It is exactly as Orochimaru-sama said! You want to read my memories? Hahaha! Be my guest!''


    At the next moment, he exploded! It wasn''t a simple explosion from explosive tags. Instead, Orochimaru inscribed several explosive tags on him before he escaped. His body blew up from the inside out, destroying his brain in the process. No one could read the memories from his brain any longer.


    Shoma muttered nervously, "That was scary! He almost got us!"


    Hikari agreed, "Yes. If Sensei hadn''t taught us to flicker without hand seals, we''d be dead!"


    Takeshi muttered, "That was surprising. I didn''t feel any explosive tags on him¡­"


    "There weren''t any. Instead, the seals were inscribed on his body directly¡­"


    The five kids turned their heads and saw Fujin standing right behind them. Sayaka sighed and muttered, "We failed. He looked like the main guy they left behind. He must have had some information about Orochimaru''s movements, which is why he exploded himself."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Never forget this. When you are on the battlefield, be it in an all-out war or a rank D mission, never look down on your opponent, never gloat and never be overconfident. If you had focused on knocking him out instead of humiliating him, you would have seeded."


    They immediately became dejected. Despite doing so well in thest five days, they messed up at the very end. The Konoha army hadpiled arge amount of information from several clues obtained by reading the memories of hundreds of ninjas to find the location of the main base. It wasn''t an easy task. Had they seeded in eliminating Orochimaru, it would have been a major aplishment.


    Unfortunately, Orochimaru had escaped and Konoha no longer had any leads. Yuji sincerely said, "Sorry, Sensei. It was my mistake."


    Bunjiro, who was nearby, thought, ''Well, killing Orochimaru was extremely unlikely anyway. So, it wasn''t exactly a huge mistake. Destroying all his bases and forcing him out of the Land of Rice are huge achievements by themselves. The revenge for the attack on our vige can be consideredplete."


    Konomi and her subordinates had the same thought. To their surprise, Fujin bluntly said, "It was."


    Konomi''s eyes twitched as she thought, ''Does he need to be so harsh? That boy is barely ten years old. All of them did splendidly in the battle. Besides, it''s obvious that he was nning to blow himself up. He was just waiting for the right moment. Without a powerful Genjutsu or a good surprise attack, it was impossible to capture him alive. Even then, Orochimaru wouldn''t leave such a vulnerability behind¡­''


    Fujin continued, "However, there are a few other means that you still need to be aware of."


    Fujin''s students were confused and nced at their Sensei. However, Fujin had already disappeared. They quickly turned their gaze towards the spot of the explosion, where Fujin was standing next to the remains of the Otogakure ninja. To their surprise, chakra flowed through Fujin''s right palm and he made a grabbing gesture.


    "What is that?" Takeshi muttered unsurely. Like others, he had noticed Fujin making a grabbing gesture, but it looked like Fujin merely grabbed air. However, Takeshi could see something else. It wasn''t clear, but it felt like Fujin was holding something.


    Fujin asked in surprise, "Can you see it?"


    Takeshi answered, "Not clearly. It''s just that it feels thicker than just air or winds¡­ A bit like mist, but not that either¡­"


    His words surprised his fellow students, who enquired, "What do you mean?"


    Takeshi wasn''t sure, but Fujin said, "It looks like you have some talent in the Yin Release. Either that or the rest of you have been cking off in Yin and Yang maniption training."


    Fujin gazed at the other four, who shivered involuntarily. Hikari quickly said, "I''m sure it''s Takeshi''s talent, Sensei."


    Yuji immediately added, "She''s correct. We didn''t ck off, Sensei."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Fujin said, "Well, to be sure, I''ll be doubling your training in this aspect so that the four of you can catch up to Takeshi."


    Bunjiro and Konomi watched speechlessly as Fujin''s remaining four students looked at Takeshi with eyes full ofints. Needless to say, none of them dared to voice theirints. They were sure Fujin would triple it if they did so.


    Takeshi sighed in relief internally thinking that he was safe. Unfortunately for him, Fujin continued, "Just in case they haven''t been cking and you''re just talented, your training will be doubled too, Takeshi. After all, it''d be embarrassing if others catch up with you in the aspects you''re talented in, right?"


    It was Takeshi''s turn to suffer. The poor boy could only nod obediently, no matter how unwilling he was. His fellow students watched his misery with glee. While they were going to suffer, it definitely felt better when all of them suffered together.


    Konomi''s eyes twitched as she realized, ''No wonder they''re so strong¡­''


    Fujin exined, "Anyway, what I''m holding is this ninja''s soul. This is an application of a technique created by Lord Second andter improved by Kato Dan. Though it''s a bit tricky and very dangerous, this technique can be used to read memories too. Fortunately, the soul takes some time to depart after the body dies."


    Fujin began reading his memories directly from his soul while others observed with a deadpan expression. The same thought ran through their minds, ''So, even though he destroyed his brain, it was a useless sacrifice?''


    The Otogakure ninja could have never expected that his remains would be looked at with pity by the very same Konoha ninjas he tried to kill.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


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 Chapter 788: Annexing the Land of Rice?

    "Is everything alright, Orochimaru-sama?"


    While Fujin read the memories of the Otogakure ninja, Orochimaru''s group was focused on running away. However, Kimimaro noticed a sudden change in Orochimaru''s expression.


    Orochimaru answered, "The group we left behind was eliminated."


    The mood of the group dulled a bit. In thest few days, their forces had suffered extensively. Not only was the attack unexpected, but Konoha ninjas hadn''t shown a shred of mercy during their operation.


    Kimimaro said, "It doesn''t matter. As long as you can recover, we will rise again, Orochimaru-sama!"


    Orochimaru thought, ''I couldn''t care less of those useless fools. They served their purpose by securing my escape route. However, why hasn''t Manda been responding to my summons? I can''t summon any snakes at all. Did something happen to the Ryuchi cave or is this also the consequence of sensei''s blow?''


    Amachi, the medical ninja who tried healing Orochimaru, agreed, "He is correct, Orochimaru-sama. Though our forces here were destroyed, the true foundation of Otogakure is you. And, Konoha can only dream of killing you. Besides¡­"


    A smirk appeared on his face as he said, "We finally have a lead about Tsunade."


    ¡ª¡ª"Not bad, you havee a long way. I didn''t think you''dst so long against me or be able to injure me." Kagero said with a hint of surprise and respect in his voice. Arge cut could be seen across his left cheek, almost exposing his teeth. His right arm was bleeding as well.


    Facing him, Illumi wasn''t in a good state either. His breathing was much rougher. Several cuts had opened up on his body while his left arm had been electrocuted not too long ago.


    Kagero added, "No matter. Even if I can''t kill you myself, I''ll do it soon. Once Tsuchiro is done with the Hyuga boy, it''ll be your turn."


    Illumi chuckled and said, "You seem to have made a miscalction."


    Kagero shook his head and said, "It''s because you Konoha ninjas are too arrogant. If yourmander had made a move, we''d have been wiped out by now. However, he thinks it''s beneath him to fight us. Of course, if he makes a move now, then it''ll still be the same result. Even if I kill you, it likely wouldn''t change the result of this war. However¡­"


    Illumi cut him off and said, "No, you seem to have miscalcted who the weaker General is."


    "Huh?" A frown appeared on Kagero''s face. Suddenly, his eyes widened and he quickly turned around and shot sharp water jets. To his shock, the person moving towards him was none other than Hoka! He thought, ''He dealt with Tsuchiro so quickly? Fuck, that''s what Illumi meant!''


    Unlike Illumi and Konomi, Hoka wasn''t an Elite Jounin officially. Hence, Kagero expected him to be the weakest of the three generals and assumed that he was only given the position due to his closeness to Fujin and Renjiro. As such, he wanted Tsuchiro to kill him while he would kill one of the other two. He knew they would still lose, but killing two of Konoha''s Generals would send a message throughout the Land of Grass, which was Kagero''s goal. Unfortunately, he made a small miscalction as Illumi said.


    Hoka dodged the water jets and said, "You''re in my range!"


    ''Eight Trigrams: Sixty-Four Palms technique''


    Kagero cursed, ''Shit! I can''t fight him in close range¡­''


    Chakra gathered around his hands and transformed into winds. However, before he could do anything, a tree appeared under him and trapped him once again. He immediately disrupted his chakra, but that short dy was all Hoka needed!


    ¡ª¡ª


    Fujin clenched his fist, crushing the Otogakure ninja''s weakening soul and sending him into the afterlife. Konomi asked, "Did you find the path Orochimaru took, Commander?"  ??


    Fujin replied, "He said he was heading into a base he has in the southern parts of the Land of Hot Water."


    Bunjiro, Fujin''s students and the other Konoha ninjas around Fujin were surprised. They didn''t expect him to find a clue. Only Konomi was slightly doubtful. Even so, she said, "That''s good, I''ll reorganize the army and we''ll head there right away!"


    However, Fujin shook his head and said, "Don''t bother¡­"


    Sayaka asked in confusion, "Why not, Sensei?"


    Fujin chuckled and asked, "If you are running away from an enemy that can easily kill you, would you tell everyone where you are heading?"


    Sayaka blushed due to overlooking something so simple. She said, "I didn''t think of that. I wouldn''t do that. Orochimaru should have given him wrong information to mislead us or to lure us into some trap."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Whatever it is, it isn''t worth the effort to look into."


    Konomi agreed with Fujin''s analysis. She asked, "Does it mean this operation is finally over?"


    Fujin answered, "Almost, did you dispatch forces to investigate the area I ordered?"


    Konomi nodded and answered, "Yes, our forces seem to have discovered some traces but didn''t find anyone."


    Fujin replied, "Good, I''ll look into it myself. What about the Daimyo of the Land of Rice? Did he respond?"


    Konomi answered, "Yes, he agreed to all our demands. He even expressed eagerness to meet you."


    Needless to say, the Daimyo had abandoned the country and escaped once Orochimaru took over the Land of Rice. While he respected the Samurais, he had no confidence in their strength to protect him from Orochimaru. While killing a Daimyo would result in other Daimyos exerting their influence on the hidden viges to take action against the culprit, he didn''t think Orochimaru would care about being hunted down.


    With Orochimaru continuously strengthening his hold over the country, he hadpletely given hope. However, Fujin''s sudden operation ignited his hopes. He was still suspicious of Konoha''s ns, but when he received a scroll from Fujin, he agreed to all the conditions without a second''s hesitation.


    Yuji giggled and mischievously asked, "Will we take over the Land of Rice?"


    His giggles were stifled when all the senior ninjas stared at him. He wondered, ''Why are they staring at me like that?''


    Bunjiro coughed and said, "Yuji, you should never say things like that openly. If someone hears them, it can create several diplomatic issues."


    Not wanting to attract unrequired trouble, Yuji obediently nodded. However, everyone was left speechless when Fujin said, "Don''t worry, I had the same idea."


    The gazes transferred from Yuji to Fujin as the Konoha ninjas cried in their hearts, ''Even if you have that idea, don''t say it out loud!''


    Fujin sighed and added, "Unfortunately, Shikaku-san opposed the idea as it''ll cut through some important routes."


    Konomi thought, ''Yeah, it''ll cut off the path between the Land of Earth and the Land of Lightning, meaning the two viges will focus all their strength on Konoha. It would make things too disadvantageous for us.''


    She asked, "Will you meet with the Daimyo?"


    Fujin answered, "No, ask the vige to send a diplomatic team. I''ll handle those pests now."


    ¡ª¡ª


    "He did what???" Much like the rest of the world, the Konoha council was shocked by the sudden change of events. Except for Shikaku, not a single one was aware of Fujin''s actions in the Land of Rice. In fact, they were all under the impression that he was leading Konoha''s army in the Land of Grass.


    Homura asked in a worried tone, "If Fujin is the Land of Rice, then who is deterring Iwagakure in the Land of Grass?"


    Shikaku replied, "I calcted that the Third Tsuchikage wouldn''t make a move unprovoked. Besides, the outrageous nature of this move is a deterrent in itself."


    Everyone in the council agreed. The move was so strange and outrageous that it would force anyone to analyze it a dozen times before making a move. And, the more they explore, the more misconceptions they will develop.


    It was exactly what Onoki felt. The more he thought, the more nefarious schemes he discovered even though there were none. After all, who would believe a vige led by the likes of Hiruzen and Danzo wouldn''t have hundreds of dark schemes running continuously? Their work, along with what their Sensei did, had left so many scars on the enemies of Konoha that they would look at it suspiciously even if a saint led it for a decade.


    Hiromasa sighed and muttered, "As expected of you, Shikaku. Your mind always amazes me."


    Shikaku chuckled and said, "This one wasn''t my idea. Fujin suggested it. I just gave the permission."


    His words once again surprised the council. Inoichi thoughtfully said, "If that''s the case, then he is quite good at strategizing."


    Shikaku nodded, "Yes. His strategic acumen is very high. He is a natural at discovering paths that would either benefit the vige or be very painful for our enemies. The only issue is that the ideas he has are generally very high risk in nature. However, they also have high rewards, which makes them eptable if pulled off right, like in this case."


    [A/N: Next chapter : Chaos in the Ninja World]


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


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 Chapter 789: Chaos in the Ninja World (1)

    [A/N: Happy New Year everyone! Have fun, but stay safe. I hope you have a prosperous and fun 2025. Also, good luck with your New Year resolution :)]


    Everyone understood Shikaku''s words. While Fujin''s sudden decision to attack the Land of Rice was very good, it had several pitfalls. Any one of them could force Konoha into a difficult position.


    The first pitfall was information. Konoha''s army was vulnerable in the Land of Grass as a far stronger Iwagakure army stood close to their location. So, it was important that no one knew about Fujin''s maneuver and the fact that he was in the Land of Rice. Considering that even Konoha''s council was in the dark, Fujin did a very good job at it.


    The second pitfall was the Otogakure forces. Fujin had to ensure that they were wiped out. If he failed to eliminate enough bases or kill enough ninjas or if his forces were repelled by their resistance, it would be a huge blow to Konoha''s reputation. Instead of deterring their enemies, the failure would embolden them.


    The worst-case scenario would be if Konoha''s forces were embroiled in aplicated war in the Land of Rice. If they had been forced to send reinforcements, Kumogakure and Iwagakure could have decided to take a risk.


    However, Fujin had pulled it off perfectly and Onoki had acted as he and Shikaku predicted. Hence, Konoha could now enjoy the rewards of the outrageous move. Destroying Otogakure had far-reaching implications, nearly all of them were beneficial for Konoha.


    The only real downside was that the other viges would be more wary of Konoha in the next Great War. However, that was rather ordinary for Konoha, and it changed nothing. Even without this incident, the Council made ns to deal with all four Great Viges while cooperating with the minor viges. The absence of a hostile minor vige on their border made this nning easier.


    The council immediately began preparing for the aftermath of the two operations. They formed a diplomatic team and dispatched them to the Land of Rice. While Konoha wouldn''t annex the Land of Rice, the Daimyo would be forever indebted to Konoha and Fujin. The council wouldn''t let go of such an opportunity. In theing days, the Land of Rice would be subservient to the Land of Fire, almost akin to a vassal state.


    ¡ª¡ªWhile the Konoha council became busy making that a reality, Kumogakure ninjas set up a camp on the Northern coast of the Land of Hot Water. In a tent, Darui worriedly asked, "How many ninjas have returned?"


    Samui answered, "So far, only 36 have returned. The remaining 294 should be on their way."


    C advised, "We just sent the order. It''ll take some time."


    Darui muttered, "I know. It''s just that I have a bad feeling¡­"


    When Konoha''s forces moved into the Land of Grass, Ay intensified his efforts in the Land of Rice. He believed that Orochimaru was still loyal to Konoha and wanted to clip their wings by eliminating one of the students of the Third Hokage.


    As such, he sent over 300 ninjas to investigate the locations of their bases. He also dispatched the Darui''s team along with Yugito to oversee the operation and handle the situation in case things heated up. In addition, he was nning to make a move himself once they had concrete information. However, unlike his previous expedition, he nned to let Bee stay in the vige in case Akuro decided to show up once again.


    However, the presence of Konoha''s army caught the Kumogakure leadership off guard. It also raised doubts over their spection about Orochimaru''s loyalties. Ay ordered an immediate retreat of his forces. However, things were concerning for Kumogakure. Their forces had been active in the Land of Rice for over a week yet they hadn''t received a single message about the presence of Konoha ninjas in the Land of Grass.


    That was a huge cause of worry for Kumogakure. After all, the memories of the missing ninjas and Akuro''s actions were still fresh in the minds of Kumogakure citizens. If they suffered more losses with nothing to show for it, chaos would erupt once again and Ay''s position would be even weaker.


    C was about to reassure Darui when he suddenly became alert. Darui asked, "What did you sense?"


    C answered, "That''s strange. I sensed 11 ninjas heading towards us. And, I''m not familiar with any of their chakra signatures¡­ However, one of them feels oddly familiar. But, I can''t put my finger on who it is."  ?


    Darui, Samui and Yugito frowned. Darui said, "Let''s check it out."


    The ninjas immediately flickered. Some distance away, Orochimaru frowned and asked, "Who''s chakra field was that?"


    The sensor in his group answered, "Orochimaru-sama, I can''t sense anyone yet..."


    Orochimaru frowned, ''That means the sensor is better than him. However, who could it be? Is it Konoha? But how could they know I was nning to escape in this direction? No, something''s off¡­''


    The sensor suddenly spoke up, "Orochimaru-sama, I can sense some chakra signatures. There are four running towards us and they all seem strong. They are likely Elite Jounins. One of them has an especially strong chakra signature."


    Orochimaru''s group was surprised. Had Orochimaru been in a good condition, they wouldn''t have cared about such a group. However, they were worried right now.


    Kimimaro asked, "Orochimaru-sama, what do we do?"


    Orochimaru immediately answered, "There is no gain in fighting right now. On the contrary, there is a lot to lose. Avoid them."


    Everyone nodded. They were about to leave when the sensor said grimly, "Orochimaru-sama, they''re already here¡­ And, I can sense 36 more ninjas following them, though they aren''t that strong."


    C sensed that Orochimaru''s group had stopped moving. Growing suspicious, Darui ordered the group to flicker continuously, catching up with them before they could retreat. Of course, when theynded in front of Orochimaru''s group, they were in for a surprise.


    Darui''s eyes widened as he eximed, "Orochimaru?"


    C asked, "What is he doing here?"


    Samui guessed, "Did he run here while escaping from Konoha''s forces?"


    Yugito chuckled and taunted, "You don''t look good, Orochimaru. Who''d have thought that one of Konoha''s Legendary Sannin would see such a day? Hehehe."


    Yugito''s taunt was on point. Even though Orochimaru had fooled Fujin''s army and sessfully escaped, it didn''t change the fact that it was extremely humiliating. A month ago, this would have been unthinkable for Orochimaru. Unfortunately, he crossed too many lines, forcing Hiruzen to stop showing mercy.


    Remembering his state, Orochimaru controlled his temper. However, he knew that he couldn''t appear weak. He replied teasingly, "I thought I was mistaken earlier, but it looks like I was right. I wonder why so many Kumogakure ninjas are scurrying out of my country. You wouldn''t be afraid of the ninja leading Konoha''s forces, would you?"


    The expressions of the Kumo ninjas became dark. Much like Yugito''s words, Orochimaru''s words also held a humiliating truth. Before they could reply, Orochimaru continued, "Since we both have issues with Suzuki Fujin, why not coborate? I know exactly where he is right now. You can reach him if you move immediately. After all, you want justice for hundreds of your missing ninjas, don''t you?"


    Darui and the others frowned. They wondered, ''Does Orochimaru know something about that incident? Or, is he just throwing mud on Fujin to infuriate us and force a conflict between Konoha and Kumogakure?''


    While Darui and others were sure that Fujin was involved in some way, they weren''t sure to what extent he was involved. More importantly, they weren''t sure whether Orochimaru knew something or not. Regardless, they didn''t have the forces to confront Fujin and the Konoha army in the Land of Grass. So, they could only focus on the ones in front of them. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    C asked softly, "What do we do?"


    Darui sighed and whispered, "There is only one thing we can do¡­"


    His expression suddenly became serious as he rapidly weaved hand signs and said loudly. "Orochimaru, I''m afraid you will have to stay with us as a guest. Since you know about our missing ninjas, I can''t let you go."


    ''Storm Release: Laser Circus jutsu''


    ¡ª¡ª


    While Kumogakure forces confronted Orochimaru who had unfortunately run straight into them,rge areas in the Land of Rice were still burning. In one area that wasn''t touched by the mes, two individuals stood unbothered by the destruction.


    One of them muttered, "The Konoha ninjas have been scurrying more and more around this area. Can we finally kill them, my man?"


    His partner replied in an annoyed tone, "There are too many of them. It''ll attract a lot of attention. Not to mention¡­ Hmm?"


    The two immediately jumped away as a few stealthy air bulletsnded at their previous location and drilled a few holes in the ground. They turned their heads to see where the bullets were fired from. Their eyesnded on a youngster standing on a branch and looking down at them. A smirk appeared on his face as he muttered, "Heh, I didn''t think I''d run into Sasori of the Red Sand here. What an honor!"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


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 Chapter 790: Chaos in the Ninja World (2)

    [A/N: Jeez, you guys make me doubt my own work and make me recheck... So manyments about chp 781 being short when it is 1,550 words long (without the a/n at the bottom). Thements made me think that I uploaded half a chapter or something ??]


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Heh, I didn''t think I''d run into Sasori of the Red Sand here. What an honor."


    Fujin was genuinely happy. He couldn''t even hide the glint in his eye! Thest time they met, Sasori had given Fujin quite a gift. Fujin had even traded some of it with Hiruzen and got his hands on a very useful rank S jutsu. Even though he still wasn''t veryfortable with handling the other puppets, there was no reason to decline another generous gift. He couldn''t help but wonder whether Sasori would give him the legendary puppet of the Third Kazekage during their second meeting!


    A chill passed down Deidara''s spine as he shivered involuntarily and wondered, ''I have never seen such a passionate gaze. Why is he staring at Sasori in such a manner? It''s almost as if he found some great treasure!''


    Sasori, despite having changed his body to a puppet, immediately lost his temper. Needless to say, he had already connected the dots when Zetsu reported Fujin''s abilities. However, he never imagined that Fujin would look at him in such a brazen manner on their second meeting. There wasn''t a hint of doubt in his mind that Fujin wanted to steal more of his clones.


    He cursed, "It was you wasn''t it, Suzuki Fujin? You are the one who stole my puppets!"


    The Konoha ninjas, who were following Fujin, were dumbfounded. None of them ever imagined that theirmander would be used like this by a rogue ninja. Konomi wondered, ''What in the hell? He stole puppets from Sasori? Is that even possible? No wonder he is so angry. I can feel his bloodlust.''


    To the surprise of the Konoha ninjas, Fujin immediately replied aggressively, "Bullshit! This is the first time I have seen you. Don''t try to sully the reputation of Konoha ninjas without any proof." Fujin''s words confused the Konoha ninjas. They wondered who was lying. While they would normally believe theirmander, they saw no reason for Sasori to make such a ridiculous lie. Even Deidara was confused. He thought, ''Such a passionate response, it almost makes me believe him. However, what was the glint in his eyes earlier? No, Sasori should be the one telling the truth. Still, to steal his puppets¡­ What a lunatic!''


    Unlike the confused fellows, Sasori was even more enraged. Not only had Fujin humiliated him by interfering with his mission, defeating his puppetry and stealing his invaluable puppets, but he also refused to take credit for any of those achievements! For a moment, Sasori wasn''t sure what was more humiliating.


    A dozen puppets suddenly appeared around Sasori, and he said, "It doesn''t matter whether you lie or not; I''ll refine you into my next puppet."


    Seeing the puppets, the Konoha ninjas became slightly nervous. Sasori may have gone rogue over a decade ago, but his reputation still remained. No one wanted to deal with his countless, unpredictable and poisonous traps. Thankfully, Fujin ordered, "Retreat. I''ll handle these two. Don''te close to our battlefield."


    The Konoha ninjas nodded and immediately retreated. While some were worried for Fujin, the ones who saw him fight in the arena were confident in his abilities.


    Deidara put his hands in his bag and began eating y with the mouths on his hands while looking at the retreating ninjas. However, before he could make a move, Sasori said, "Let them go. We can''t afford any distraction against him."


    Deidara frowned and asked, "Wouldn''t it be better if we forced him to protect his weaker allies?"


    Sasori answered, "No, he isn''t soft like the recent generations of Konoha ninjas. He is as ruthless as their older generations."


    Sasori moved a few fingers,unching several poisonous needles at Fujin. However, a breeze appeared, blocking them with ease. Soon after, Fujin expelledrge amounts of chakra, immediately transforming into winds.


    Sasori and Deidara retreated while Sasori warned, "Don''t underestimate him and be careful of those winds. If you enter its range, you''ll die."


    Deidara was surprised. He didn''t expect Sasori to control his anger so easily and have such a high opinion of Suzuki Fujin despite being humiliated seconds ago. While Sasori was undoubtedly angry, he clearly recalled how useless his puppets were against Fujin''s technique. It was the first time in his life that he had been defeated so easily. As such, Sasori treated Fujin as his greatest enemy instead of with disdain.


    The Wind Domain took form as Fujin moved forward. Several Wind des flew towards Sasori and Deidara as Fujin asked loudly, "You wouldn''t run away after using me, would you Sasori?"


    ¡ª¡ª


    ''Lava Release: Melting Apparition jutsu''


    ''Water Release: Great Waterfall jutsu''


    On the high seas, two supercharged jutsus shed. The Mizukage faction ninjas breathed a sigh of relief. They were fighting against the rebel forces when Terumi Mei suddenly appeared on the battlefield and unleashed a massive wave ofva at them. They werepletely caught off guard. Fortunately, before theva could reach them, an equally strong Water jutsu stopped it.


    Mei turned her head and said, "Mangetsu, I didn''t expect you to be here."


    Mangetsu chucked, "Yeah, I was on my way to the main battlefield when I had a feeling that something was off. To think you would appear on this battlefield. If you win here before the main battlefield is settled, you could move these forces to nk our main army. A nasty maneuver indeed."  ?


    Mei sighed and asked softly, "Why do you keep serving the Fourth Mizukage, Mangetsu? His reign has caused nothing but pain to Kirigakure. Join forces with me. Together, we could settle the war quickly and end the suffering of our people."


    Mangetsu grabbed Shibuki and replied, "Not only have you betrayed the vige, but you are also trying to convince me to do the same. Why don''t you stop this pointless resistance and surrender? It''ll bring peace to the country. Besides¡­" n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    A smirk appeared on his face as he asked, "Do you think Lord Fourth is that weak?"


    Mei''s expression became dark. She knew very well how strong Yagura was. No one in Kirigakure had the strength to defeat a perfect Jinchuriki. The rebels had avoided him so far. However, they would eventually have to face him to win the civil war. But that was an issue forter.


    On this sea, Terumi Mei, the strongest ninja in the rebel camp, and Hozuki Mangetsu, the strongest ninja after the Fourth Mizukage in the Mizukage faction, faced off in an epic battle.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "This is all very convenient. I''ll eliminate the two of you at the same time." In an inn, Jiraiya faced off against Uchiha Itachi and Hoshigaki Kisame to protect Naruto and Sasuke. Two of the strongest ninjas in Konoha were confronting a pair of Akatsuki members each at the same time!


    ¡ª¡ª


    ''Shit! We''repletely outmatched! If this continues, we''ll be wiped out! Even Orochimaru-sama could be captured by Kumogakure. If that happens¡­'' Kimimaro analyzed grimly as he coughed blood.


    Darui was extremely strong just by himself and was supported by two Elite Jounins. However, it was Yugito who made Orochimaru''s subordinates feel helpless. A near-perfect Jinchuriki was too strong for them. Even at his peak, Orochimaru wouldn''t take her lightly.


    To make matters worse, 36 more Kumogakure ninjas had joined in the battle. While theycked in strength, they took away the numerical advantage of Orochimaru''s subordinates and put them at a heavy disadvantage even in this aspect. In just a couple of minutes, four of Orochimaru''s subordinates had sacrificed their lives.


    ''Dance of the Seedling Fern!''


    Kimimaro dug his right arm into the ground and sprouted a bone forest around him! Thousands of des of bones rose from the ground, piercing several Kumogakure ninjas. Due to her massive form, even the cloak around Yugito was pierced.


    Kimimaro huffed as he said, "I''ll stall them, Orochimaru-sama. You must escape."


    Orochimaru immediately left with the rest of his subordinates. Had Kimimaro been in good condition, there was some hope of him making it out alive. Unfortunately, his condition had only worsened after Rasa''s final blow. Even without this battle, he didn''t have much time left to live.


    Orochimaru could only sigh at how rapidly he kept losing his most reliable subordinates. Kabuto, Guren and the Sound Four, all had died due to his ns of attacking Konoha! And now, Kimimaro was about to join them.


    ¡ª¡ª


    ''How did we go from hunting that snake to fighting this monster? My art has no effect on him¡­ The birds just explode whenever they enter those winds. Even the shockwaves of the explosions don''t reach him. I suspect that he might repel even the C4 Karura!'' Deidara sighed helplessly.


    [A/N: Latest chapter : The Most Valuable Resource!]


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 Chapter 791: Chaos in the Ninja World (3)

    Deidara was feeling helpless and annoyed at Fujin''s Wind Domain. He couldn''t help but recall the events thatnded him in this situation. He and Sasori were looking for Orochimaru to eliminate him at Nagato''s orders. They sessfully found his main base even before Konoha''s forces located it. However, they were misled just like Konoha''s forces by Orochimaru''s little scheme.


    Since they weren''t as good as the Konoha ninjas at tracking, their speed was slower. Before they could find the sacrificial unit, the ce was swamped by Konoha ninjas, trapping them in the area too. As they had no reason to kill hundreds of Konoha ninjas and attract unneeded attention, they stayed hidden.


    Under normal circumstances, Konoha ninjas wouldn''t have found them. Unfortunately for them, the army was led by none other than Fujin, who found it peculiar that the Konoha ninjas couldn''t spot the two disturbances in space that he was feeling with his Space Time Sensing Technique.


    In the few minutes they shed, Sasori ensured that his chakra threads didn''t enter the Wind Domain, allowing him to keep control of his puppets. Unfortunately, it was almost impossible to hit Fujin from 50 meters away. Any surprising traps in his puppets would be just too slow to reach him. Not to mention, the winds would just knock off all of his attacks. Even poisonous gases were contained by the winds. On the contrary, Fujin destroyed the dozen puppets Sasori controlled. That said, it wasn''t as if Sasori didn''t have any gains.


    As for Deidara, he went through half of his explosive y to get a feel of the Wind Domain. While they gained some intel, they failed to inflict a single scratch on Fujin. However, intelligence was a crucial aspect in ninja battles. While Deidara was still too young and inexperienced, Sasori''s analytical mind quickly calcted ways to counter the absurd jutsu.


    He thought, ''What a remarkable control over the winds. I have never seen anyone even remotely close to this level of mastery in Wind Maniption. At first nce, this technique ispletely invincible. However, every technique has weaknesses. His weakness should be Pain''s and Kisame''s ability to absorb chakra.


    Unfortunately, neither is here. Luckily, there are still several other shorings. Even though the technique is very strong, it severely restricts his movement. He can''t move the Wind Domain along with him at a fast speed. Otherwise, we would already be trapped inside it.


    In addition, the Wind Domain doesn''t extend into the ground for obvious reasons. So, he can''t counter underground attacks that easily. However, Zetsu said that he also disyed the ability to fly. He could avoid underground attacks that way, but it would increase his chakra consumption, which is another weakness of this jutsu.


    Even though it looks like the dome is entirely made of winds, it contains arge amount of his chakra which he uses to control the winds. While my poisons and weapons have no effect on it, Deidara''s explosions have consumed a decent amount of that chakra. Unfortunately, Deidara will run out of y as well as chakra long before Fujin shows any signs of exhaustion. However, we could employ this tactic when we have a significant numerical advantage.'' Fujin knew Sasori and Deidara were analyzing his technique. It was very much expected and one of the main reasons why Fujin kept most of his techniques a secret. However, this time he didn''t mind it. He thought, ''Interesting. I wonder if he can find any counters. That''ll be the way for me to improve this jutsu further and take it as close to perfect as a jutsu can be.''


    Unlike his other techniques, the Wind Domain was going to be Fujin''s core technique. Though he hasn''t used it too many times publicly, he absolutely intended to do so whenever he faced strong opponents. It showed his confidence in the technique. Even if all its secrets were leaked, Fujin was confident that no one could break it.


    Of course, nothing was perfect. Every technique would have some shorings. Especially a newly created technique like the Wind Domain. Thankfully, several capable individuals were willing to help him improve the technique. Hence, Fujin was looking forward to seeing how far he could perfect this creation of his.


    Sasori grabbed a different scroll and opened it, summoning the puppet of the Third Kazekage. At the same time, he said, "Deidara, leave him to me. You hunt down those Konoha ninjas who escaped. Blow up as many as you can."


    Deidara was surprised but had no reason to decline to do the one thing he enjoyed. His hands began eating more y as it replied with a grin, "Leave it to me!"


    At the same time, winds became chaotic within the Wind Domain. Fujin sighed and eximed, "The Third Kazekage¡­ To think that you were the trigger that started the Third Great Ninja War. I wonder what Sunagakure would think when they learn the truth, hehehe." n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Sasori didn''t react to Fujin''s provocations while Deidara created arge y bird and jumped on its back. Large amounts of iron dust rose around the Third Kazekage''s puppet while Deidara flew towards the Konoha ninjas. Sasori said, "Now, let me see how strong Konoha''s Spectral Swordsman is!"


    Fujin paid no attention to his words. Instead, he noticed something else. He thought, ''Hmm, not bad. He blocked my sight with that Iron Dust while secretly sending two puppets underground. Tsk, that''s troublesome¡­''


    Fujin didn''t show any reaction to this sneaky move and instead replied, "It''s a good tactic. Unfortunately for you, Orochimaru gave me some good tips to improve my technique some time ago."


    The winds inside the domain finally settled and took Fujin''s shape. Fujin used a third of the Wind Domain''s chakra to create a Wind Clone. At the same time, a sixth of the Wind Domain''s chakra manipted some winds to create a cloak around Fujin''s main body. In the blink of an eye, Fujin consumed half of his Wind Domain!


    The changes surprised Sasori. Before he could react, strong winds sted behind Fujin''s Wind Clone as he disappeared from the Domain. Deidara''s instincts warned him as he turned his head back. His eyes widened as he cursed, "What the fuck is that?"


    The y bird quickly pped its wings, taking Deidara to a higher altitude and barely dodging the wind current heading towards him. To Deidara''s surprise, the wind stopped and he saw Fujin''s Wind Clone. The Wind Clone smiled and said, "We''ve just met, Deidara. Why are you in such a hurry to leave your new friend behind?"


    Deidara frowned and cursed, "Who''s your friend, bastard?"


    Fujin''s clone replied with a smile, "Me, of course. When the old Onoki heard that you went rogue, he went berserk and sent Roshi and Kitsuchi to bring you back. I was the one who stalled them so that you could enjoy your freedom. Yet, not only did you not say ''Thank you'', but you also tried to run away after attacking me. Sigh, why are you so ungrateful?"


    The clone''s voice became sorrowful towards the end. Deidara''s eyes twitched as he was left dumbfounded by the clone''s words. For a moment, he couldn''t even form proper thoughts. That''s how absurd Fujin''s clone was!


    Deidara finally wondered, ''What in the hell? He stopped that geezer froming after me? But, what''s his connection? Isn''t he from Konoha? Why would that geezer listen to his words?''


    Fujin''s Wind Clone chuckled internally at Deidara''s expressions. Being younger than even Fujin, Deidara wasn''t as good at hiding his emotions as the older ninjas. Needless to say, the clone was spouting this nonsense just to waste some time.


    While the Wind Clone was very strong and could bully weaker ninjas and even force Jounins to retreat, Deidara was in a whole different league. Killing him with just the clone that contained around 5% of Fujin''s chakra was highly unrealistic. Fujin just wanted to waste Deidara''s time, chakra and y while he dealt with the bigger and the generous threat.


    ¡ª¡ª


    While several high-profile battles happened simultaneously around the world, the rebels were wiped out quickly following the deaths of their leaders in the Land of Grass. Kagero, his students and Tsuchiro were all dead. Several ninjas tried to run away, but it was a hopeless prospect due to the Hyuga and the Aburame ninjas. Not a single one made it out alive.


    The only survivors were among the ninjas who had been dispatched earlier to set traps and fake routes for the Konoha ninjas. While Konoha killed several of them, 3 dozen still remained. However, it didn''t have anything to do with the Konoha forces. They had already fulfilled their mission requirements.


    After storing the bodies of the rebel leaders, they quickly retreated. Now that Iwagakure was aware that Fujin was not present in the Land of Grass, the risk increased several times and they had no intention to wait and find out what decision Iwagakure would make.


    Renjiro sent a few squads to Kusagakure to deliver the bodies and report the sess while the remaining army moved towards the Land of Fire. Ryoichi retreated with the Kusagakure army as well and returned to his vige.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


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 Chapter 792: That is Art!

    ''Ma Release: Iron Sand Gathering Assault jutsu''


    Sasori controlled the Third Kazekage''s puppet and unleashed enormous amounts of iron sand, transforming them into highly dense shapes andunching them at Fujin. Fujin looked at the weapons and thought, ''Not bad, the dense nature of these blocks means that there isn''t much my Wind jutsus can do against it. Even though the Vacuum jutsus can poke a few holes, it wouldn''t be much help¡­ Oh well¡­''


    Massive palms appeared in the Wind Domain and grabbed the iron objects, stopping them. Under normal circumstances, Fujin wouldn''t have any issue sending such objects back at the enemy, but Ma Release meant that the Third Kazekage''s puppet had a greater influence on the iron objects than Fujin''s Wind Domain.


    Sasori looked at the Ghost Palms and analyzed, ''So, he can also do this? No matter, I can already see a weakness in his technique.''


    His fingers moved slightly. Therge iron objects disintegrated into small particles once again. The sudden loss in density caused the ghost palms to tighten into fists while almost all the iron sand escaped into the Wind Domain. They began moving along the winds while inching dangerously closer to Fujin.


    Fujin immediately controlled the winds to throw the smaller iron particles out of his domain. They were much easier to handle than therger particles. However, he faced another issue. There were too many iron particles! His initial move couldn''t get rid of them all. And, the Third Kazekage''s puppet ignored the iron that was blown away and focused entirely on what remained behind. As a result, its control increased considerably and Fujin couldn''t expel it from the Wind Domain as easily.


    A frown appeared on Fujin''s face as he realized, ''I didn''t think Ma Release would pose such a challenge to my Wind Domain. Although I have thrown out most of the iron sand, he can still exert control over them. Not to mention, it''s the few remaining that pose a challenge. If I make a mistake, they could even pierce through my Wind Cloak!''


    Fujin knew that defense wasn''t particrly a strong point of Wind Domain. After all, it was made of air, what defense could it provide? What made it such a threat was that it could redirect almost all jutsus and living beings made of Flesh and Blood wouldn''t dare to step into the domain. However, against mere iron particles, that threat was useless. Redirecting it wasn''t very useful either as the Third Kazekage''s puppet could redirect it once more.


    As several iron particles moved at high speeds through his domain, Fujin suddenly flickered and began floating around 25 meters above the ground. The sudden move wasn''t to dodge any iron particles controlled by the Third Kazekage''s puppet. Instead, it was to dodge the sneak attacking from underground by Sasori''s other puppets. Sasori observed, ''So, he discovered the sneak attack. No matter, I doubt his mobility in the air is as good as his mobility on the ground. The chakra he needs to maintain his technique should be much higher than what I need to control the iron sand. Now, let me see how long he can endure the pressure.''


    The poisonous needlesunched by the puppets stopped moving in the Wind Domain due to the strong winds. However, the Third Kazekage''s puppet took control of them as well and attacked Fujin with it while the other puppets escaped underground once again. Sasori was actively limiting Fujin''s movements while forcing him to pay attention to several threats at the same time.


    Fujin looked at the needles while thinking, ''Hmm, as fun as this is, it''s time to stop being on the defensive. My clone won''t be able to stall Deidara forever¡­''


    The winds in the Wind Domain became chaotic once again and knocked all of the iron controlled by the Third Kazekage''s puppet off course. At the same time, Fujin directed his Wind Domain towards the ground.


    While digging into the ground would waste a lot of chakra and Fujin would normally use Vacuum Bullets to create underground routes for his winds, he had an even better option. Small holes had been opened up in the ground by the poisonous needles that were shot from underground. They connected to therger spaces that were created by the puppets themselves. Winds rapidly moved into them and caught up with the puppets. Before Sasori could realize it, his chakra threads that controlled those puppets were sliced by the wind des that formed underground!


    Sasori suddenly realized, ''Incredible, he used the paths created by the needles and puppets to extend his technique underground. Hmm, wait¡­ That means¡­ SHIT!''


    Sasori immediately flickered, taking the Third Kazekage''s puppet with him as well. Momentster, winds rushed out of the very path the puppets had taken underground! Even though Sasori had covered the ground to not alert Fujin, it was ripped open by wind des. Its location wasn''t too far from Sasori and the Third Kazekage''s previous position. Had Sasori not moved, the chakra threads he used to control the Third Kazekage''s puppet would have been severed!


    Fujin sighed and thought, ''A pity. I almost had it!''


    Sasori cursed internally, ''I didn''t think he could use the underground attacks as a way to counterattack¡­ It makes this a much more risky option than I initially thought. I''ll need to cover up underground tracks after I make my move. However, that will mean I''ll have to sacrifice my puppets to make just a single attack¡­ Huh?'' n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The Wind Domain suddenly began heating up. Sasori was still moving away from the winds that were extending towards him when he turned his gaze back to Fujin. At the center of the Wind Domain, several ming orbs were floating around Fujin and even more were forming as Fire merged into the Winds of the Wind Domain.


    Sasori wondered in surprise, ''Is that???''


    Fujin thought, ''Oh well, I haven''t had time to practice this much and this still can''t be considered a Kekkei Genkai, but the damage wouldn''t be any lesser.''


    The ming orbs began fusing into onerge orb in Fujin''s hands. Once every one of them was absorbed, strong Winds sted behind Fujin. He left the Wind Domain and appeared right above Sasori and the Third Kazekage''s puppet!


    ''Scorch Release: Evaporation st jutsu''


    ¡ª¡ª


    "STOP FUCKING TALKING! I''LL BLOW YOUR DAMN MOUTH!" A frustrated Deidara shouted in rage! While Sasori and Fujin engaged in an intense battle, Deidara was thoroughly annoyed by the clone''s bullshit. Even experienced and scheming ninjas were left annoyed by Fujin''s words. Poor Deidara simply didn''t stand a chance.


    Worse, he couldn''t even do anything as none of his explosive tools reached the Wind Clone. If looks could kill¡­ Well, even if they could kill, Fujin wouldn''t mind since Deidara was looking murderously at his Wind Clone. Fujin wouldn''t even receive any memories of their conversation.


    To his disbelief, a pained look appeared on the Wind Clone''s face. It was as if he received the greatest betrayal in history! The pain was obvious in his voice as he muttered, "Deidara¡­ How could you say that? Do you¡­ Do you know how much risk I had to take to deliver this news to you? And you react like this? I''m hurt¡­"


    For a moment, even Deidara felt the Wind Clone''s ''sincerity''. He wondered, ''Could it be real? But¡­ Why would I care? What does that have to do with me?''


    Fujin''s Wind Clone continued, "The news is absolutely true. When you left, Kurotsuchi dered she would stay single for the rest of her life. Everyone in Iwagakure is aware of this deration. That is why the Third Tsuchikage was so angry. If I hadn''t stopped him, he would havee out himself to hunt you down! I can''t even imagine what magic you performed to snatch the granddaughter of that old man."


    Deidara annoyingly cursed, "What magic could I even perform? I only met her a handful of times!"


    The clone''s eyes widened as surprise appeared on his face. He muttered, "Damn! How did you do that in just a handful of meetings? I heard every boy in Iwagakure is mad. Most are training their hearts out to hunt you down and gain Kurotsuchi''s favor."


    Once again, Deidara was leftpletely speechless. He wanted to curse, but couldn''t even decide how to do so considering that Fujin was praising him. Before he opened his mouth, Fujin''s clone continued, "That said, I''m surprised that this is the first time you heard. From what I heard, the news is spreading rapidly throughout the Land of Earth. Does Akatsuki keep you on a leash or something?"


    While Deidara didn''t care about the news, some doubts about the Akatsuki appeared in his mind. After all, he should have heard about it. He wondered, ''Could it be that Akatsuki is keeping me in the dark to prevent me from returning to the vige? Even though I don''t want to return, manipting me in this way is...''


    He decided to think about itter and replied, "I don''t care about that shitty vige or Kurotsuchi."


    His hands chewed more y as he continued, "I just want to perfect my art! Art is¡­"


    Fujin''s clone interrupted him as he said with disgust, "You call those lousy explosions art?"


    Once again, Deidara was annoyed. However, before he could retort, Fujin''s clone pointed in a direction and said, "Look there, that is art!"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


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 Chapter 793: Losses pile on...

    "You call those lousy explosions as art? Look there, that is art!"


    Deidara looked in the direction Fujin''s Wind Clone was pointing in. Deidara squinted and raised an arm to shield his eyes as the intense re burst in that direction, momentarily forcing him to look away. Momentster, a searing wave of heat washed over him, prickling his skin and making the air around him feel heavy and suffocating.


    Deidara tried to look in that direction again as he wondered, ''What was that explosion? And, why did it release such intense heat waves? Though my explosions are bigger and more destructive, they never release such heat¡­''


    Deidara''s eyes gleamed with admiration as he took in the fiery spectacle before him. The heatwave set fire to the area that was previously untouched by the mes. It rapidly expanded towards the burning fields and intensified the mes even further while triggering a few more explosions! While others would find the scene distasteful or dangerous, Deidara was mesmerized by the swirling heat and vapor. He subconsciously muttered, "Now that is true art¡­"


    "Isn''t it? You should go take a closer look." Fujin''s clone casually said. Deidara subconsciously nodded when he suddenly realized, ''Wait, what did he mea¡­?''


    His eyes widened as an intense wind current formed behind him and hit him and the y bird he was standing on! Both were dragged along by the wind current. The y bird couldn''t endure such pressure and exploded, hurling Deidara towards the ground even faster. As he tried to stabilize himself, he wondered, ''What the hell? Why didn''t I sense that attack?''


    The answer was rather simple. The clone''s attack simplycked the intent to kill or even hurt Deidara. Though Deidara was very young, he was still someone who the Akatsuki considered worthy enough to recruit to their ranks. If the clone had tried to sneak attack with wind des or air bullets, Deidara would have instinctively felt it and dodged despite being so close and distracted.


    Fujin''s clone wouldn''t look down on Deidara to that extent. What he did was quite simr to how Naruto pushed Shikamaru into the arena, except that it was a wind current instead of a simple push. Without his instincts warning him, Deidara simply failed to react quickly enough.


    ¡ª¡ªOn the ground, Sasori hid behind an iron dome to protect himself from the scorching heat. He thought, ''That was close! I didn''t think he''d leave that dome or know Pakura''s Kekkei Genkai. Hiroku''s puppet stood no chance against that attack. In fact, my core could have been hurt as well due to the invasive nature of the Scorch Release. Hmm?''


    Sasori noticed that the temperature inside the Iron Dome was heating up. However, he didn''t find it too strange. Even though the iron particles stuck together closely, they couldn''t block the heatpletely. Once the heat from the jutsu dispersed, the pressure on the dome would ease too. Yet, Sasori suddenly felt uneasy. He wondered, ''Did I miss something?''


    He quickly analyzed his situation when he suddenly realized a terrifying possibility. The iron dome moved, creating a path behind him from where Sasori immediately escaped along with the Third Kazekage''s puppet. His eyes immediately noticed the terrifying possibility he saw was not just a possibility but a reality!


    The winds that formed the Wind Domain were moving. Had Sasori stayed inside the Iron Dome for a couple of seconds more, he''d be trapped inside Fujin''s Wind Domain! While he wasn''t sure whether Fujin could kill him, he did not doubt that Fujin would steal most of his puppets irrespective of the result of their battle. That said, his new position wasn''t safe either. He and the puppet were bombarded with Air Bullets and Wind des. Luckily, he could still control the iron sand to block or divert the deadly attacks.


    Sasori blocked and dodged all of Fujin''s attacks. Just when he finally caught a breather, Deidara crashed next to him. He quickly got on his feet and cursed, "That bastard! I''ll get him next time!"


    Both Fujin and Sasori were left speechless by his little outrage. Sasori looked at his partner in disbelief as he wondered, ''Is he cursing his Wind Clone instead of the one who sent it after him? How does he n on finding his Wind Clone the next time? Will he ask Fujin to create one for him?''


    Sasori stopped thinking about his partner''s idiosyncrasies when Fujin suddenlyughed loudly and said, "Great that you are finally here, Deidara! Help me kill him!"


    Fujin''s words caught both the Akatsuki members off guard. Sasori raised his guard against both Fujin and Deidara while Deidara wondered, ''When did I say I''ll betray Akatsuki?''


    Before either of them could figure out what was happening, dense vacuum cores started forming at Fujin''s fingertips! He was about to attack when he suddenly felt something off and raised his guard.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "What sort of perverted Kekkei Genkai is this? This freak killed 16 of ourrades by himself!" A disgruntled Kumogakure Chunin spoke as he took his anger out on Kimimaro''s dead body!


    After Orochimaru left, Kimimaro stopped holding back and went all out with no regard for his own life. While the experienced ninjas recognized that he was a survivor of the Kaguya n, none of them imagined Kimimaro to be so fearsome. His sudden outburst had caught the Kumogakure ninjas off guard and 16 ninjas died before Darui and Yugito could contain him. In fact, Darui, Yugito, C and Samui had scars on their bodies as well. Even though he was finally killed, none of them was pleased. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Darui sighed and muttered, "It''s almost as if we''re cursed. Ever since that expedition Boss started, our ninjas continue to fall¡­"


    He sighed again and said sorrowfully while looking at the bodies of his deadrades, "Sorry, I wasn''t strong enough to protect you."


    C added, "Sacrifices on the battlefield are inevitable. However, we lost so many ninjas to this sick Kaguya shinobi. If we had captured or killed Orochimaru, it would have been an eptable sacrifice. Unfortunately¡­"


    Kumo once again had little to show for their loss. This time, Darui''s group could at least take sce in the fact that they at least got their hands on the dead body of Kaguya ninja, unlike their previous encounters where they truly returned empty-handed.


    ¡ª¡ª


    In the Land of Fire, Itachi and Kisame ran away from Jiraiya just like in the original story. Unlike them, an intense battle raged in the Land of Water. While Mei and Mangetsu locked horns with each other, thousands of other Kiri ninjas battled on various battlefields as well. With neither side showing any signs of backing off, the civil war reached a crucial stage. Whoever wins would get a significant upper hand in the war!


    ¡ª¡ª


    In the Land of Rice, Fujin suddenlyunched the Vacuum Gatling Gun towards Sasori and Deidara. However, there was one big difference between the way he used it this time aspared to the previous times. Instead of just targeting Sasori, Deidara and their escape routes, the jutsu was wayward. As a result, the Vacuum Bullets covered a muchrger area but there were several gaps between them as well.


    While Fujin became more famous in Konoha quite recently, his fame had spread outside Konoha long ago. While every major vige and almost every minor vige studied him closely, there was one organization that focused the highest on him. That was none other than Akatsuki.


    While they didn''t pay much attention to Team Renjiro''s encounter with Kakuzu and Kaminari or to the rumors of the Spectral Swordsman, Fujin killed one of their members during his second encounter with them. Juzo''s death made them take Fujin very seriously and they conducted a thorough investigation of him.


    Yet, Fujin''s abilities surprised them once again when he shed with Kakuzu for the second time, this time destroying one of his hearts and putting Kakuzu in a difficult spot several times. He also managed to get away sessfully from Kakuzu, Konan and Itachi.


    So, the Akatsuki members were very well aware of the abilities that Fujin had previously disyed. Therefore, Sasori couldn''t help but be surprised, ''Didn''t Kakuzu say that he could only fire one bullet at a time from each finger and fire five rounds in quick session? The old information has be too unreliable now. Luckily, he has lost his aim while trying to increase their numbers.''


    Deidara also observed, ''So, this is the famous technique of the Spectral Swordsman? Tsk, it is extremely sharp! However, why is he attacking me when he says that he wants to work together with me? Hmm? Weird, though the bullets look like they''re heading towards me, none of them will hit me. Could this be his way of saying he wants to cooperate with me? However, why is he so confident that I''ll cooperate with him?''


    The words and actions of Fujin and his clone left Deidarapletely confused. Before his mind coulde up with any strange theory, he felt something behind him. While dodging Fujin''s attack, they nced back and saw a sight neither had seen in their lives! Deidara questioned in shock, "What''s that?"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


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 Chapter 794: Confusion!

    Chapter 794: Confusion!


    "What''s that?" Deidara eximed as he saw something he had never seen. Even Sasori was surprised. As for Fujin, the scene was oddly familiar even though it was his first time seeing it in this lifetime.


    Around a meter behind Sasori and Deidara, a crack opened up in space! A man, wearing an Orange mask began appearing. It was none other than Uchiha Obito, the sessor of Uchiha Madara and the one who impersonated him following Madara''s death!


    Ever since the day he awakened his Mangekyou Sharingan, Obito enjoyedplete invulnerability. His opponents failed even to touch him, let alone harm him. There was just one person who managed tond an attack on him. Unfortunately for Obito, today was the day when he''d meet the second person.


    Even before Obitopletely exited his Kamui dimension, dozens of Vacuum Bullets were mere meters away from him! Fujin observed, ''Oh, so that''s how it feels when someone interferes with the Space-Time field. Hehehe, what a good opportunity!''


    Though surprise could be seen on Fujin''s face as well, his true emotions were hidden deep within. Even though none of it leaked out, he was filled with bloodlust at that particr moment. As annoying as Obito''s ability was, it had one weakness! A weakness Fujin fully intended to exploit!


    Hence, the one who was most surprised in reality was none other than Obito! He cursed, ''Shit, why did he fire Vacuum Bullets everywhere?''


    Since he was moving between dimensions, he couldn''t make his body intangible. A Vacuum Bullet passed right through the spot where his head was about to appear. However, it passed harmlessly before Obito exited the Kamui dimension.


    Fujin frowned and thought, ''So, he can slow down the speed at which he is leaving the Kamui dimension? Sigh, I can''t kill him that easily, can I?''


    Even though one of the biggest threats passed harmlessly, the danger wasn''t over for Obito. He immediately leaned his head to the left as two Vacuum Bullets grazed past his right cheek and head. Two deep cracks appeared on his mask as deep cuts appeared below and above his ear. However, he had no time to pay attention to the injuries as he twisted his body while he was materializing into the ninja world. A Vacuum Bullet grazed his right rib, a couple left cuts on his left arm and another couple of bullets shed past his legs.


    However, Fujin wasn''t pleased. None of the injuries were fatal in any way. Sasori and Deidara watched as 5 more Vacuum Bullets were about to hit him. One was aimed straight at his forehead, one at his right lung, one at his abdomen and thest two at his thighs.


    Since Obito had barely dodged the previous round, he wasn''t in a position to dodge the next round. The two members of Akatsuki watched one of the creators of Akatsuki being pierced in 5 spots!


    Deidara wondered, ''What the hell? He just appeared out of thin air and died before even speaking? Eh???''


    Fujin sighed internally, ''A shame. His timing was impable. If he had been a fraction of a secondte or early, I might have killed him! Anyway, I wonder how much he values these two¡­ This could be fun. I''m d he isn''t wearing Akatsuki''s cloak, hehe.''


    To Deidara and Sasori''s surprise, no new wounds opened up on Obito''s body. Instead, he ignored his injuries and extended his palms towards Deidara and Sasori. Since they were already retreating backwards, they had very little time to react. In front of them was Fujin, who was firing Vacuum Bullets are a crazy rate and a meter behind them was a new opponent with peculiar abilities.


    "Deidara, be careful! He seems dangerous!" Deidara was surprised as Fujin suddenly shouted. His shout confused all three Akatsuki members. Deidara confusedly thought, ''Seriously, what the hell is up with this guy? Why is he looking out for me?''


    Deidara took a step away from the Obito''s extending arm, even at the risk of moving closer to Fujin. Sasori looked at Deidara suspiciously and wondered, ''Did Deidara betray us? However, how could he betray us so quickly?''


    Even though Sasori was suspicious of Deidara, he did the same. After all, he had no reason to trust Obito. At the same time, Obito was also surprised. While he didn''t find their actions odd, Fujin''s words made him suspicious too. He wondered, ''Did Deidara have a connection with Fujin? Why didn''t Zetsu report that when we recruited him?''


    Before he could get any answer, several wind des appeared around him and cut through him! Even though no new wound appeared, several Wind jutsus pierced through his body. His unresponsiveness left Deidara and Sasori in shock.


    Deidara eximed, "He can phase through attacks?"


    Sasori agreed, "It seems like he can make his body intangible at will. However, there seem to be some weaknesses."


    Sasori looked at Obito''s injuries as he spoke. Before Obito could say anything, Fujin added, "Hmm, that''s what it looks like. What did you two do to make such a fierce fellow sneak attack you? If not for my attack, you two might have been dead."


    Neither Deidara nor Sasori said anything. Needless to say, they wouldn''t acknowledge Fujin saving them. Besides, killing them wasn''t so easy. Regardless, both recognized that Fujin''s attack had helped them. While Sasori didn''t think much of it, Deidara was forced to think about it due to his earlier interactions with Fujin and his clone.


    The wind attacks finally stopped as both Sasori and Deidara created sufficient distance from Obito. Needless to say, the two of them were apart too because Sasori suspected Deidara''s loyalty. Obito finally spoke, "Don''t panic. He is too strong for you. Pain sent me here to rescue the two of you."


    Sasori and Deidara were surprised once again. While they harbored some suspicion, Obito mentioning Pain''s name alleviated some of them. However, before any trust could be established, Fujin scoffed, "Bullshit! You couldn''te up with any better lies?


    Even a newborn baby is aware that all Akatsuki members wear a ck cloak with red clouds and a special ring. We may be on opposite sides, but do you think I''ll stand by and let you make a fool of an old hero like Sasori and an uing youngster like Deidara?"


    All three Akatsuki members were left speechless. Sasori wondered, ''Old hero? However, he isn''t wrong. Pain wouldn''t send an unknown fellow to rescue us. Besides, we weren''t in danger of dying. Even though the battle was dangerous, it could have gone either way. And, we could have retreated.''


    Deidara also wondered, ''A newborn baby knows? Is Akatsuki that famous? I wasn''t aware. Besides, who does he think he is to rescue me?''


    So far in their battle, Fujin hadn''t gone all out. Actually, none of the three had gone all out. The battle was still in its early phases and they were merely testing each other. Hence, even though they were at a disadvantage, they never realized the true danger they were in.


    While Fujin never envisioned such a scenario, he had his reasons for not going all out right at the start. For starters, Sasori and Deidara weren''t weaklings. Fujin wasn''t aware of how strong Deidara truly was. If he could self-destruct like he eventually did against Sasuke, then Fujin wanted to make sure Deidara waspletely exhausted before he chose to do so. After all, hundreds of Konoha ninjas were still in the vicinity.


    As for Sasori, he had a lot of puppets that Fujin wanted to borrow, especially the Third Kazekage''s puppet. So, he had to take it easy and ensure that he could kill Sasori in one clean strike.


    In addition, he was also wary of any Akatsuki reinforcements. While he never imagined that he would draw out Obito, he wouldn''t have been surprised if another duo appeared to help the two of them. Fujin wanted to keep his cards hidden for such a scenario. With Obito appearing right when Fujin put Sasori and Deidara in a tight spot, his concerns were proven true.


    As a result of the weird sequence of events and Fujin''s carefulness, Obito was left in a weird situation. He had appeared to rescue two Akatsuki members, but neither trusted him. On the contrary, they seemed more willing to trust Fujin rather than him! Obito''s eyes twitched as he thought, ''I didn''t think the situation would be so weird. I would have worn the cloak otherwise.'' n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    He was about to think what to say when Fujin suddenly shouted, "Sasori, Deidara, let''s set aside our differences for now. We''ll kill this scammer first and settle our battleter."


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    A/N : If you can, then please support me on P@treon.


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 Chapter 795: A Shameless Battle Maniac!

    "What''s the status? Is Commander alright?" Konomi asked a Hyuga Jounin. The Hyuga Jounin frowned and answered, "A third person appeared out of thin air. However, my view got blocked. It looks like they have applied some seals in the area."


    Konomi frowned and wondered, ''Should we interfere? However, the opponent is too strong. I''m afraid we''ll just get in Commander''s way¡­''


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Sasori, Deidara, let''s set aside our differences for now. We''ll kill this scammer first and settle our battleter." The sudden proposal left Obito dumbfounded. He couldn''t help but wonder, ''Does he n to make my underlings attack me? Exactly what did I step into?''


    Needless to say, Obito wasn''t afraid. While he found Fujin intriguing, he didn''t see either of the 3 rank S ninjas as a challenge. It was just that the situation waspletely out of control. He could see that both Sasori and Deidara were thoughtfully considering his offer.


    Of course, there wasn''t enough trust between them for them to actually ept Fujin''s proposal. While Deidara thought about it seriously, Sasori didn''t even entertain it. He thought, ''There is no doubt that he will stab us in the back if we team up. Once we enter that wind dome, it''s game over for us.


    As expected of a schemer from Konoha. His clone must have fed simr bullshit to Deidara! That kid doesn''t know how devious Konoha ninjas are. They may have a reputation for being soft, but only brainwashed fools believe that! Even now, he''s actively moving the winds to himself.''


    Fujin looked at Deidara''s and Sasori''s reactions and sighed internally, ''A shame. Though useless, seeing them fight Obito would have been a sight to watch. Oh well, it would have been pointless anyway. To think that as many as 4 Akatsuki members, including 2 founding members, would show up in the middle of nowhere¡­ What an interesting day!''


    The battlefield was disturbed yet again as a nt-like being appeared out of the ground. Deidara and Sasori finally saw a familiar face. ck Zetsu asked, "What''s the matter? Why are these two confronting you?" Obito didn''t know how to exin the situation. Thankfully, Deidara asked, "Do you know him, Zetsu?"


    White Zetsu answered, "He is a member of Akatsuki too. This mission is a failure. Orochimaru was spotted running towards the Land of Frost. Unfortunately, I couldn''t keep track of him."


    Deidara and Sasori were surprised. They thought, ''So, he wasn''t lying. Instead, Fujin was the one sowing discord. However, did he know that or was he genuine?''


    Even Obito had the same question. However, he knew that he wouldn''t get an answer. He nced at Fujin, who quickly closed his eyes and muttered, "The Sharingan, huh? So, there was another Uchiha among the ranks of Akatsuki. Interesting¡­"


    To the surprise of the four Akatsuki members, seals appeared on Fujin''s eyelids as he continued, "That absurd Space Time Ninjutsu surpasses both the Second and the Fourth. For someone to surpass them, I suppose your eyes aren''t just ordinary Sharingans. No, they must be the fabled Mangekyou Sharingan. Sigh, that is scary¡­


    Not to mention, that nt-like being''s underground speed and stealth is remarkable too. I almost didn''t sense him. Hehehe¡­"


    Deidara''s eyes twitched as he wondered, ''What the hell is he talking about? Doesn''t he see that he is at a heavy disadvantage? Why is he talking nonsense instead of retreating?''


    Obito also observed Fujin curiously, ''Impressive. He sealed his eyes right when he observed my Sharingan eye. I didn''t even have time to cast a Genjutsu. He also did well to analyze my abilities. So, this is Konoha''stest genius? Should I let him grow? Or¡­ Should I take this opportunity to eliminate him?''


    Fujin''s Wind Domain had sessfully attracted Obito''s attention. It countered his ability perfectly as well. Since Fujin could spontaneously create wind des inside the domain, Obito couldn''t risk deactivating his intangibility when he was inside it. In a way, he shared the same weakness as Sasori. So, Obito was of the thought of eliminating Fujin before he became as big of a threat as Minato.


    Before Obito could make a decision, Fujinughed and said, "The Akatsuki organization¡­ I wonder what your goal is in gathering such powerful ninjas. Regardless, I can''t let the four of you leave just yet. Konoha needs some answers. So, I''m afraid you''ll have to stay as my guests."


    As Fujin spoke, the Akatsuki members became serious. Everyone could feel Fujin building up a massive amount of chakra. None of them missed the movements of the winds either. They could see that Fujin was talking merely to buy some time.


    A smirk appeared on Deidara''s face while Sasori sighed, ''Youngsters¡­ They''re all suicidal.''


    Fujin''s chakra suddenly spiked! His body expelled chakra rapidly, strengthening and expanding the Wind Domain at a horrendous rate! At the same time, two Wind Dragons appeared from what remained of the previous Wind Domain and dived towards Sasori and Deidara. In addition, dozens of wind des, air bullets and vacuum bullets wereunched as well at the same time!


    Sasori''s fingers moved and the Third Kazekage''s puppet controlled iron sand once again. He was about to use it to attack the Wind Dragon when the Wind Dragon was suddenly set aze and transformed into a Scorch Dragon in the blink of an eye. Sasori was once again forced to retreat.


    Deidara tossed a small y bird at the mouth of the Wind Dragon. The explosion shattered the Wind Dragon, but Deidara was forced to retreat as well as dozens of Wind des and Air Bullets wereunched at him from the Wind Dragon before it dispersedpletely.


    Obito made himself intangible once again while Zetsu hid underground as their position was bombarded by the remaining Wind jutsus. Zetsu came out once the bombardment was over and enquired, "His technique is troublesome for your ability. What do you n on doing?"


    Obito replied, "It is a strong technique. However, he''s overreaching himse¡­" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Obito''s eye suddenly widened and he nced behind him. At the same time, Zetsu escaped underground again as their position was bombarded once again, this time from behind them. Needless to say, it was the same Wind Clone that had bullshitted Deidara.


    Obito looked at the Wind Clone and thought, ''A Wind Clone¡­ Huh?''


    Obito expected the clone to double-team with Fujin. However, the clone smirked and exploded. However, instead of shockwaves, winds were unleashed in every direction. With his Sharingan, Obito easily noticed Fujin''s chakra in those winds. The winds, instead of extending towards Obito and the rest, started expanding sideways and towards the sky.


    Obito''s eyes widened as he realized, ''Could it be?''


    He immediately turned his gaze towards Fujin, who was continuously pumping out chakra. Just like the Wind Clone''s domain, Fujin''s Wind Domain was also expanding outwards and towards the skies. Obito immediately realized that Fujin was building a massive Wind Domain, one that would trap the three of them. While he wasn''t afraid of it, he wouldn''t be able to save Sasori and Deidara once they were trapped inside!


    Even Sasori and Deidara noticed it as they dodged Fujin''s assault. Obito said aloud, "We don''t have much time,e with me."


    He quickly moved forward, but his path was bombarded with Vacuum Bullets and Vacuum des. Fujin chuckled and taunted, "You couldn''t use your ability when you came here. I wonder whether you can use it while you leave."


    A wide grin appeared on his face as heughed, "If you can''t, then this battle will be decided by whether I run out of chakra first or you are unable to maintain that form. Hahahaha! This is even more exciting than fighting Orochimaru!"


    Obito and the rest had dark expressions when they heard Fujin''sughter. All had the same thought running through their minds, ''Unseal your eyes if you want excitement!''


    Unfortunately, Fujin''s relentless assault left them with no time to retort. They knew it would only take a few seconds for Fujin''s wind domain to encircle the entire battlefield. It wouldn''t take too long after that for the Winds controlled by Fujin to flood the entire area.


    When that happened, the only escape route Sasori and Deidara would have was underground. However, Sasori wasn''t too confident in that escape route after what happened earlier.


    Sasori counterattacked with iron dust while he and Deidara desperately dodged all attacks. Unlike Obito, they couldn''t turn intangible. They could only be thankful that they weren''t under the intense assault that Obito was. Especially Deidara, who seemed to have it much easier.


    Obito couldn''t help but wonder, ''Why is he taking it easy on Deidara? Is there really something going on or is he just sowing seeds of discord?''


    When Obito reached Sasori, the Third Kazekage''s puppet unleashed all the Iron Dust it had to create several protectiveyers to stop Fujin''s relentless assault temporarily. Obito ced his right hand on the Hiruko puppet, extended his left hand to Deidara and said, "Quickly hold me!"


    At that moment, Deidara''s hands were in his bag, eating y. Before he could move his hands, Fujin''sughter roared once again as he shouted, "Now, Deidara!"


    [A/N: Next Chapter: Betrayal!]


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


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 Chapter 796: Betrayal!

    "Now, Deidara!" Fujin''sughter roared as he called his<em> </em>new<em> ''friend'' </em>to make a move!


    Obito, whose hand was moving towards Deidara, faltered! His eye observed Deidara''s hands which were still eating y. While Obito didn''t consider anyone present there a threat, he didn''t dare underestimate anyone.


    Deidara may be young, but his reputation for blowing things up was well known. Additionally, Obito was also informed that he had a jutsu to blow his entire body up! If Deidara were to suddenly explode while he transferred the two to his Kamui Dimension, even Obito would suffer a great loss. Depending on how subtle Deidara could be, there was even a chance that Obito could die!


    With Fujin and Deidara acting weirdly, Obito grew increasingly suspicious. Even Sasori looked at his young partner with suspicion. He kept the iron sand ready to block any explosives Deidara might throw at them. With Fujin''s shout, Sasori mentally prepared himself for a strong explosion.


    While such thoughts ran through the minds of Sasori and Obito, Deidara was thoroughly confused. He wondered, ''Now what? What am I supposed to do? And, why does this bastard think I''ll act at his will? Eh? Fuck! Not this again!''


    Deidara ignored Fujin''s call and looked at Obito, who had called him earlier. However, all he saw was red. The sight immediately brought memories of his humiliating loss against Itachi. Just like that day, Deidara was put under a Genjutsu!


    Obito decided, ''Whatever it is, I''ll investigateter. Time to leav¡­ What the¡­???''


    A Wind Pir hit Deidara''s back, surprising Obito and Sasori. However, it wasn''t an ordinary Wind Pir. It was an inferior version of Ryu''s Wind Breath. The Wind Pir consisted of countless small wind des.


    Due to being under Obito''s Genjutsu, Deidara couldn''t react to the danger behind him. The pir passed through Deidara''s body as if it were nothing but thin air, leaving a massive hole in his abdomen and chest! <em>Deidara, one of the prominent members of the Akatsuki, who would have defeated and captured the Fifth Kazekage and nearly killed Sasuke, a reincarnation of Indra, fell in a nameless field in the Land of Rice! </em>


    Ironically, the main reason for his death was none other than Uchiha Obito, who cast a Genjutsu on him in his final moments! Though Akatsuki had its fair share of betrayals, be it Kakuzu backstabbing his partners or Orochimaru attacking Itachi, this would be the first instance where a founding member betrayed an Akatsuki member!


    Obito and Sasori immediately retreated as the Wind Pir continued towards them. Both had the same thought, ''Did we misjudge Deidara or did Fujin kill him to stop us from getting information?''


    With Deidara dead, it wasn''t something they could figure out easily. Both looked at Fujin in a new light. If it was the second case, the two admired Fujin''s decisiveness in eliminating a rank S ally. If it was the former, they had to admire and be wary of Fujin''s scheming mind. Through just a few words and actions, Fujin sessfully nted the doubts of Deidara''s loyalty in their minds.


    Of course, what was also impressive was the speed at which Fujin attacked. Neither of them noticed the attack until it was toote for Deidara.


    Some distance away, both the Zetsu were shocked as well. White Zetsu muttered, "To think that Fujin could kill Deidara in his presence. We have underestimated him. His threat is extremely high. This is the second time an Akatsuki member fell to him. Only Kakuzu has killed more."


    ck Zetsu agreed, "More than his techniques, it''s his words that are dangerous. Kisame underyed their significance."


    Fujin sensed Deidara''s falling body and thought, ''The future has already changed too much. With Hiruzen surviving Orochimaru''s attack, the former Kages being sealed inside the God of Death, Kakashi gaining strength rapidly and every hidden vige being far more cautious, there is no way the events involving Akatsuki would stay the same. At the very least, Yugito, Roshi and Bee won''t be captured that easily.


    Since that is the case, it''s time to eliminate these troublesome people. The fewer the variables, the more urately I''ll be able to calcte and make ns. With Kabuto dead, one of the two major forces is already gone. If Sasuke''s path changes and he doesn''t kill Orochimaru, I''ll hunt him down to ensure he doesn''t rece Kabuto.


    That just leaves Akatsuki and the White Zetsu army. Be it through my hands or others, I have to weaken both forces, preferably eliminate both. Of course, the best-case scenario would be if I can kill Obito here! The only question is, can I?''


    Even though his eyes were sealed, Fujin focused on the spatial disturbances and the chakra signatures of the remaining Akatsuki members.


    With no attack nearby following Deidara''s death and the Wind Domain some distance away, Obito decided, ''I''ll transfer Sasori first.''


    He activated his ability and began transferring Sasori into the Kamui dimension. He wasn''t even halfway done when he suddenly felt something and looked at the ce where the Wind Pir that killed Deidara hadnded. To his shock, a Wind de appeared from the residue chakra in that ce and flew straight at him!  ?


    Due to the short distance, Obito didn''t have much time. He looked at the wind de and thought, ''So, it isn''t just from that domain but he can also use his residual chakra to create new jutsus? However, there are limitations. This attack is far weaker and slower than the jutsu that killed Deidara. Without the support from that technique, he can only use this trick tounch a sneak attack.''


    The de was inches away from his throat when hepleted transferring Sasori and became intangible.


    A chuckle was heard as Fujin said, "Hehe, I could sense your fear. My analysis was perfect. Now then, will you risk escaping too or do you want to avenge the death of yourrade? Then again, his death was your fault, hahaha!"


    Having been fooled once, Obito ignored Fujin''s words just like Orochimaru did previously. In a deep voice, Obito said, "To be able to use words as weapons at such an age... I shall remember you, Suzuki Fujin."


    Obito understood that Fujin''sughter, amusement and excitement were all fake. Not a single one represented his true emotions. They were mere acts to gain an advantage in the battle, be it by agitating his enemies or buying time for his Wind Domain to spread throughout the area.


    While Obito harbored some thoughts of eliminating Fujin, the sneak attack with the Wind de made him realize how difficult it''d be to fight Fujin inside the Wind Domain. While he wasn''t afraid, he didn''t see much reason to overexpose himself at this time.


    His right eye activated once again as he started entering the Kamui dimension himself. Sensing what was happening, Fujin''s cheeks puffed as he prepared a Vacuum Bullet.


    Obito said, "Unfortunately, you no longer have any residue chakra around me. Your Wind Domain will require a few seconds to reach this area as well. None of your jutsus can reach me in time¡­"


    Obito''s eye suddenly widened. The Vacuum Bullet Fujin fired, even though it looked like an ordinary Vacuum Bullet, flew at over ten times the speed of Fujin''s previous Vacuum Bullets! As the Vacuum Bullet reached right in front of his right eye before he couldpletely transfer himself to the Kamui dimension, a question rose in Obito''s mind, ''Why is this Vacuum Bullet so much faster?''


    At the same time, Fujin thought, ''Even though it looks just like a normal Vacuum Bullet, its core has been greatly modified by me. Under normal conditions, its speed is twice that of my normal Vacuum Bullets.


    However, that''s where the fun partes in. A normal Vacuum jutsu merely consists of winds flowing through a Vacuum core. However, the way I created the core leaves me space to add anotherponent to the jutsu. Though it is very small, it is extremely significant. Thisponent is fire! The fire provides the explosive speed initially, quite simr to the boosters on missiles or rockets. The Winds then sustain this explosive speed for a couple of seconds.


    This was a lucky inspiration I had while I was working on Scorch Release. Unfortunately, the implementation is quite difficult. Ipleted it just a couple of days ago while others were cleaning up the bases. Modifying the remaining Vacuum cores will take months even with Shadow Clones.


    In addition, it is riskier than the normal Wind Vacuum Technique due to the fire''s presence. I have to pay careful attention to the jutsu to ensure that it won''t harm me. So, it''s unlikely that I can spam this technique. Regardless, it is still an excellent technique to catch troublesome enemies off guard. Now then, is your Kamui still faster than my attack, Obito?'' n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Fujin received his answer immediately. Even though Obito''s body disappeared and entered the Kamui dimension, it wasn''t before a hole was left in his head, starting from his right eye and opening up at the back of his head!


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


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 Chapter 797: Human Puppet Obito!

    Chapter 797: Human Puppet Obito!


    ''What ce is this? Is this even the real world?'' Sasori looked around the Kamui dimension once he appeared there. The unknown dimension raised his curiosity. He had a strong feeling that the ce was different from the ninja world and he couldn''t return by himself.


    Sensing a disturbance, he immediately turned his gaze to the crack in the space. He was left speechless and shocked as Obito''s dead body fell into the dimension! Sasori froze as he continued looking at Obito. Unfortunately, Obito didn''t move a single muscle. He was dead as a rock!


    While Sasori had no reason to feel sad about Obito''s death, he wondered in disbelief, ''If he''s dead, how do I get out of this ce?''


    Needless to say, if Obito died, Sasori would forever stay trapped in that dimension, unless he somehow mastered Space Time Ninjutsu and found a path to the ninja world.


    ¡ª¡ª


    In the Land of Rice, the seals on Fujin''s eyelids disappeared and he opened his eyes. His gaze stayed on the location where Obito disappeared. There was no happiness on his face. Instead, Fujin sighed and thought, ''His chakra changed drastically moments before he was hit. So, that must be how Izanagi feels¡­''


    Fujin sighed once again as he analyzed, ''I miscalcted. In addition to rapidly depleting my chakra reserves, I should have slowed down the speed at which my Wind Domain encircled this ce and shown it to be weaker than it actually is. If I had done that, maybe he might not have retreated right away.


    As long as we battled, I would have had some opportunities to send my Shadow Clones into his dimension and start marking the hell out of it. Once that is done, killing him would be possible. Unfortunately, I don''t think he''ll ever give me such an opportunity now unless I can force him into a battle somehow¡­''


    Fujin thought a bit before giving up the idea. After all, there was another way to gain ess to the Kamui dimension. And, it was far easier and without any risks. The winds moved, finally covering the entire area in his Wind Domain. Unlike his usual Wind Domain, which covered a radius of 50 meters, this one covered a radius of 500 meters and consisted of nearly 60% of his chakra!


    The reason why Fujin had gone to such an extent was to project weakness and tempt Obito into attacking Fujin when he was low on chakra. As for low chakra reserves, Fujin was no longer afraid. The artificial chakrake in his Myriad Tetragram Seal already had enough chakra to fill his reserves twice over. So, he could just pretend to have low chakra and continue fighting while secretly having plenty of chakra. Unfortunately, his ns failed due to him going overboard with the Wind Domain.


    Fujin maintained his domain while wondering, ''Now then, will he reappear here or in the Kamui dimension? Also, how long does his Izanagist? I''m pretty sure Danzo''ssted a minute, but Obito''s probablysts much longer considering his battle with Konan.


    Oh well, though the chances of him reappearing here are low, it''s not like I have anything else to do. After all, Zetsu has fled some time back. His speed underground is remarkable. I wonder if that technique can be copied or does it work only for Zetsus.''


    Since he had nothing to do, Fujin''s mind wandered, thinking of more ways to increase his strength. Meanwhile, Zetsu reappeared from the ground a long distance away. Even Fujin''s Space Time Sensing Technique could no longer sense him.


    White Zetsu muttered, "Not only did he kill Deidara, but he also killed Obito. If not for that technique, Obito would have forever been dead and our ns would have been interrupted¡­ Konoha''s Spectral Swordsman is scary!"


    ck Zetsu agreed, "Indeed, he is extremely formidable. Not only are his techniques powerful, but he also has great control over them and continuously improves them. Every time we see him in action, he seems to have a new hidden card. That Vacuum Bullet was significantly faster than any of his other techniques, and he kept it hidden until the proper moment. Fortunately, he didn''t know all of Obito''s abilities."


    White Zetsu added, "Yes, the bigger threat is his devious and scheming mind. It''s difficult to believe that a 16-year-old ninja is this crafty."


    ¡ª¡ª


    In the Kamui dimension, Sasori thought, ''It''s quite incredible. I have never seen a body like this. His body has two types of cells. One seems normal, but the other is extremely energetic even though he''s dead. What kind of cells are these? Where did he find them and how did he imnt so many in his body without sumbing?''


    Since he was trapped in an unknown space, Sasori decided to study Obito''s body and make a human puppet out of him. He analyzed, ''If my fears are true and the only way out of that space is Space Time Ninjutsu, then my only hope is his puppet. If his puppet can retain that ability, I can leave here any time. However, his Sharingan is destroyed. Even though his other eye also has a Sharingan, it feels normal instead of like Itachi''s.''


    Sasori sighed, "His body is weird¡­ Hmm?"


    To Sasori''s surprise, the Sharingan in Obito''s left eye suddenly disappeared and his eye went nk, almost as if it had been blinded! Momentster, Obito''s body itself disappeared! Sasori eximed in shock, "What in the hell?"


    His shock intensified infinitely as he sensed a presence. He turned his head to see Obito standing full of life andpletely unharmed. He couldn''t help but ask, "What are you?"


    ¡ª¡ª


    In the Land of Rice, Fujin waited patiently for half an hour. However, Obito never appeared. The only changes in the area covered by the Wind Domain were that Deidara''s body was stored by Fujin and Sasori''s puppets, which were trapped underground, were recovered by his Shadow Clones. Fujin added four more human puppets to his collection.


    Fujin finally decided, ''This is long enough, he won''t reappear here. A shame, but there is still plenty of time left. I should have more opportunities. If not, I can always create a few. Anyway, time to wrap up this operation. Who''d have thought that this mission to hunt Orochimaru would end in Deidara''s death? Poor fellow. If I get my hands on Edo Tensei, I''ll give him a few opportunities to show his ultimate explosion to the world!''


    A devious smile appeared on Fujin''s face, one that sent chills down the spines of several powerful shinobi who were thousands of kilometers away! Even though they didn''t know what it was, they had a bad feeling. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The Wind Domain stirred once again as it transformed into three Wind Clones. Fujin looked at one and said, "Zetsu said that Orochimaru was spotted running in the direction of the Land of Frost. Go in that direction and see if you can find him. If you do, attack him. No need to waste effort on trying to kill him pointlessly, just eliminate others with him."


    Fujin looked at the second Wind Clone and instructed, "You follow him. If you two find Orochimaru easily, then help him. Otherwise, head into the Land of Lightning and change the weather a bit. As for you, fly over us in case Akatsuki decides to sneak attack. Since there isn''t supposed to be any more fighting, I''ll let my chakra recover naturally."


    The three clones nodded and got to work. While Fujin didn''t particrly have any reason to send a clone after Orochimaru or inflict more damage on Kumogakure, he had to do something about the chakra he poured in the Wind Domain. They were just unfortunate to be the nearest.


    Fujin flickered a few times and reached the Konoha army. The Konoha ninjas were rmed initially but rxed on seeing, sensing and smelling that it was Fujin. Konomi asked, "What happened there? We couldn''t observe after the first few minutes."


    Fujin replied, "They had some weird abilities. Anyway, they have retreated for now, but be on the lookout for any sneak attacks. It''s time to wrap up the operation here and return to our country. We''ll meet up with the other two divisions."


    Konomi nodded without asking any more questions. Even though Fujin didn''t give her a clear answer, it wasn''t her ce to insist on it since she wasn''t themander of the army. She reorganized the ranks and began the retreat.


    As the army reached the borders of the Land of Fire, Konomi once again approached Fujin, this time with a worried face. She softly asked, "What about them? Wouldn''t it create an issue for the vige?"


    Fujin raised an eyebrow and asked "Them?"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


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 Chapter 798: Losing a few hairs

    Konomi''s eyes twitched as she insisted, "Yes, them. You know what I am talking about!"


    Fujin indifferently answered, "I really don''t know."


    Speechless at Fujin''s indifference, Konomi could only stare at him continuously. It was almost as if she wouldn''t leave until Fujin answered her. The situation was too serious to be ignored in her opinion. Finally, Fujin sighed and said, "Tell me, were they cremated?"


    Konomi nodded.


    Fujin replied, "Good, were their ashes dispersed?"


    Konomi nodded again.


    Fujin asked again, "Were our ninjas involved in the matter warned?"


    Konomi answered, "Yes, they know about the consequences if they open their mouths."


    Fujin instructed, "Good, you should forget about it too then. Don''t mention it in any reports and delete it from your brain. You shouldn''t stress yourself over such pointless matters. Now go back to your subordinates. They need their general to lead the way." Without waiting for her response, Fujin just flickered away. While he understood her concerns, he had no reason to worry about that issue. That was Shikaku and the Hokage''s job, and Fujin had zero intention of forcefully taking either of their jobs.


    Unaware of his true thoughts, Konomi was left dumbfounded. She couldn''t help but wonder, ''Is it really that simple? I know they have their issues, but would merely feigning ignorance be enough?''


    Her mind refused to ept that it was. However, she wasn''t themander. She couldn''t refuse a directmand from Fujin. If she did, she could face the same consequences as others despite her rank.


    ¡ª¡ª


    The Konoha army finally entered the Land of Fire and moved towards the Fire Capital. Hoka''s and Illumi''s divisions were also headed in that direction. Meanwhile, on the eastern borders of the Land of Rice, a force stayed with solemn expressions on their faces.


    C muttered in a grave tone, "It has been quite some time since we sent the orders. Yet, 206 ninjas have still not returned¡­"


    Darui and Samui stood silently. They were still in disbelief that Kumo suffered another massive loss in such a short span! Yugito said, "Maybe they were held back for some reason. They might return in a few more hours."


    Even though she said that Yugito didn''t have much confidence in her words. It would have been understandable if a few squads were held up. However, nearly two-thirds of the ninjas beingte spelled trouble. There was no doubt that something bad had happened. However, it was a scenario they just couldn''t ept.


    Samui muttered, "Yes, let''s wait¡­"


    Nobody opposed her suggestion. Unfortunately, it wouldn''t matter how long they waited. Even if they deployed Kumogakure''s entire army in the Land of Rice, they wouldn''t even find the ashes of the remaining ninjas. Those Kumo ninjas were simply unlucky to encounter Konoha''s forces long before Kumogakure received the news of Fujin''s expedition in the Land of Rice. Had it been someone else, they might have avoided conflict, but Fujin didn''t see any reason to not ept the offerings from Kumogakure.


    Combined with the deaths caused by Kimimaro, Kumogakure lost another 222 ninjas! In the span of a month, Kumogakure had lost 1036 ninjas! Ay was about to face another internal storm inside his vige.


    ¡ª¡ª


    On the opposite side of the continent, a few more important developments took ce. Due to Mangetsu''s intervention, the Mizukage faction''s main forces were spared from a devastating defeat. The two main armies fought and suffered equally before withdrawing. The rebel''s ns to deliver a crushing blow had failed. However, there was another crucial development, one that would y a huge role in future conflicts.


    Mei took deep breaths. She lookedpletely exhausted and her chakra reserves were almost dry. Her clothes were in tatters and the flesh on her left arm was mangled badly, almost as if several explosive tags had exploded on her arm. Deep cuts were visible on her abdomen, showing how difficult her battle was.


    A rebel Jounin flickered behind her and respectfully said, "Lady Mei, the Mizukage faction has retreated. We need to treat you right away."


    Mei didn''t move and asked, "How is Ao?"


    The Jounin answered, "His condition has stabilized. He isn''t in danger any more."


    Mei rxed slightly but still didn''t ept his help. Instead, she looked at a melting corpse in front of her. She let out a tired sigh and muttered, "Did you have to fight me until such a stage? Why didn''t you ept my offer?"


    The unrecognizable corpse in front of her was none other than Hozuki Mangetsu, a ninja who had mastered all seven swords of the Mist!


    Mei sighed again and grabbed four swords that floated towards her. She muttered, "Spread the news. The Mizukage faction''sst Swordsman of the Mist is dead. I will revive the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist! Also, destroy his body. Someone like Orochimaru shouldn''t get his hands on it."


    Among the seven swords, Samehada was with Kisame, Kubikiribocho was in Konoha, Kiba des were secretly with Fujin and thest four swords were with the Mizukage faction. In the absence of any suitable members, Mangetsu carried all the swords with him. Considering that he was the strongest ninja after Yagura and could use all four swords, no one opposed him. However, with his death, all four swordsnded in Mei''s hands.


    The news of Mangetsu''s death and the loss of the swords soon spread among both factions in the Land of Water. The Mizukage faction was demoralized. While Yagura was the leader of the Mizukage faction, Mangetsu was the one who led their forces. And, he was the only one who could match Mei on the battlefield. His loss was a huge blow to the Mizukage faction!


    On the other hand, the rebel camp was even more tense and demoralized. Even Mei wasn''t happy. While Mangetsu''s death was definitely good news, they all were worried about what followed. So far, Yagura hadn''t joined the civil war. However, Mangetsu''s death would force him to join the frontlines. Every single rebel was worried about facing his rampage on the battlefield!


    The rebel leaders were no exception. None of them had any confidence in going against Yagura. Even though Mei won against Mangetsu, her victory was hard fought. There were several instances when she almost died. In addition, her subordinates were much stronger than Mangetsu''s underlings. They helped her by ganging up on him. Without them, she could have been the one to lose her life. As such, she knew that she didn''t stand a chance against Yagura.


    The battles in the Land of Water stopped temporarily as both camps waited to see how the Fourth Mizukage would react. While they waited, news spread throughout the ninja world.


    ¡ª¡ª


    In Iwagakure, Onoki read several reports and thought, ''The civil war in Kiri is finally in the ending stages. It''ll be interesting to see how this ends. The Fourth Mizukage is a perfect Jinchuriki. Even without the Tailed Beast, he''s a formidable shinobi. Do the rebels have the means to defeat someone like that?''


    Onoki thought a bit before shaking his head, ''It doesn''t matter. As long as the two factions don''t unite, Kiri would be severely weakened. Even though they have lost the most among any great vige, their ninjas are also the most prepared for a war. So, despite their lower numbers, they could cause trouble to any major vige. However, if a faction ispletely wiped out, that would no longer be the case.'' n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Onoki shifted his gaze to another report and a puzzled expression appeared on his face. He wondered, ''What is that Ay brat up to? Why are Kumo''s forces so erratic? It almost feels like he''s up to something, but it doesn''t feel like he''s preparing for war. Did he suffer some loss again?''


    ¡ª¡ª


    Just like the reports stated, panic had gripped Kumogakure. Ay was facing endless headaches and he couldn''t evensh out in rage for the mey with him once again! 16 ninjas had died and 206 went missing. Kumogakure became the first vige in the history of the ninja world to have 864 ninjas ssified as ''missing'' at the same time, breaking their previous record of 658 ''missing'' ninjas!


    Sitting on his desk, Ay couldn''t help but wonder, ''Even though he didn''t have any proof, Darui said that he believed Suzuki Fujin was involved in the previous incident. This time, he is definitely involved. I can understand if my ninjas die. I could ept responsibility and take revenge. However, what do I do when they go missing? How do hundreds of ninjas even go missing???''


    The more he thought, the more enraged the Fourth Raikage became. Fujin''s actions hadpletely infuriated him. Unfortunately, he couldn''t act. The internal politics were aplete mess! He couldn''t afford to take a step outside the vige.


    ¡ª¡ª


    While Ay lost more than a few hairs due to the headache, Suna''s council met once again. In front of them was a scroll. Everyone looked at it solemnly. Finally, Goza muttered, "Konoha finally sent an official message. They want to talk with us in the Fire Capital."


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


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 Chapter 799: Sand Slayer

    Silence engulfed Sunagakure''s council room as the council members pondered seriously. While Konoha was attacking Otogakure and the rebels in the Land of Grass, Sunagakure was continuously preparing for an all-out assault from Konoha. They had deployed thousands of ninjas strategically throughout the desert and nted tens of thousands of traps. Sunagakure had been transformed into a fortress.


    When the news of Otogakure''s destruction arrived, they believed Konoha would turn their forces to them. However, they received an invitation to negotiate instead. The council wasn''t sure how genuine Konoha was, whether they truly wanted to negotiate, or if it was just a trick to lower their guard before the real assault began.


    Goza sighed and muttered, "If this is a genuine invitation, it might just save our vige. However, is it? Konoha''s schemes run deep and they must be pissed off at our betrayal. I''m afraid that this is a trap to eliminate some of our top ninjas to make their invasion easier. After all, from our sources, both Konoha armies are making their way to the Fire Capital, where the negotiations will happen."


    The Council had solemn faces. Ebizo said, "It''s unlikely that Konoha would harm our negotiators. They have a reputation to maintain. The Hyuga incident showed us that. Even in the worst case, they would just arrest the ones who go there."


    Tojuro said, "Don''t forget their Yamanaka n. Even though we attacked Konoha, our Kazekage was killed by Orochimaru and used by him with the Edo Tensei jutsu. Konoha isn''t sure if we attacked them or were fooled by Orochimaru into attacking them. Perhaps, the negotiation is just a way for them to read the memories of whoever we send to negotiate and decide whether to attack us or not.


    Even though others wouldn''t be sure whether Konoha is telling the truth or not, Konoha, right now, is strong enough to not care as long as they know it. To make matters worse, the external conditions are excellent for them.


    The civil war in the Land of Water is entering a crucial stage. They can''t interfere elsewhere. Kumogakure is suffering from some internal trouble too. They were our biggest hope but they have been a disappointment so far. We can''t count on them. The only forces that are intact are Iwagakure. However¡­"


    The Suna Council was well aware of Onoki''s nature. Despite such an insult, he hadn''t made a move. Instead, he had already recalled the forces he deployed on the borders with the Land of Grass. As such, the Sunagakure''s situation had be far more grim.


    Suddenly, Chiyo said, "I don''t think Konoha would read the memories of our council members. Well, at least not as long as the more mature figures are making the decisions. However, the risk is indeed high. We can''t send any council member to negotiate." Ryusa argued, "If we don''t send any council member, Konoha would assume we aren''t serious about negotiating. That could force them to act even if they don''t want to due to the losses and the potential of a wider conflict. After all, even though Kumogakure is in disarray and Iwagakure is watching, they would be wary of what Konoha did in the Land of Rice!"


    Chiyo nodded and said, "Of course. That is why we need to expand the council and ept two new members who aren''t sure of what really happened. And, in order to prove that they aren''t just scapegoats, they will be treated as full-fledged members even in the future. They''ll have as much power as any of you here."


    The council room grew quiet once again. Expanding the council wouldn''t mean they would magically get new responsibilities, power and resources. Instead, the current members would have to give up some of their power to ensure that the new members stand on par with them. It would be a huge loss, something that none of them would ept without resisting under normal circumstances.


    Unfortunately, these weren''t normal circumstances. Even though they were unwilling, no one opposed Chiyo''s suggestion. After all, their lives were far more important. One by one, everyone agreed. Knowing how ugly political conflicts could get, Chiyo and Ebizo made everyone decide what they would give to the new members.


    Once everything was settled to their satisfaction, Ebizo turned his gaze to Sajo and asked, "Is it done?"


    Sajo nodded and replied, "Yes, I have been spreading the rumors for thest week. By now, everyone in the vige should be believing it. Of course, the experienced ninjas are suspicious, but that is out of our control."


    Ebizo replied, "That should be more than enough."


    He turned his gaze to the others, and the council finally began discussing how to negotiate with Konoha if Konoha was serious. They also discussed how much leeway they should give to the new members who would be negotiating on Sunagakure''s behalf.


    While the Council was engaged in an intense discussion, themon people and even the ninjas in Sunagakure were indulging in gossip. Even though Sajo spread the rumors, he did it differently aspared to Fujin and Hiruzen. Due to the sensitive nature of the information, he did it very slowly so as not to arouse any suspicion. Hence, the discussions were reaching their peak just now.


    "Did you hear, Lord Fourth was assassinated by Orochimaru, one of the Sannins, and controlled with some forbidden jutsu!"


    "Yeah, I did. It''s scary to think about. I never imagined that someone would fool our leaders into going to war with our ally, Konoha."


    "Actually, I heard that our leaders were reluctant. However, since the orders came from Lord Fourth, they couldn''t do anything about it and were forced to follow."


    Two civilians in Sunagakure were discussing when a third person overheard them and butted in loudly, "It''s all that evil snake''s fault! He caused the deaths of our beloved Kazekage and hundreds of our brave ninjas! I just hope that Konoha isn''t fooled by that snake and works with us to eliminate that damned snake for good."


    A person sitting nearby heard his passionate remarks and said, "Actually, I heard that Konoha sent Suzuki Fujin to hunt down that snake. Even though Orochimaru ran away, his forces werepletely destroyed."  ??£Î?????


    His words surprised the three and they asked, "Suzuki Fujin?"


    "Is he the same as the Spectral Swordsman who butchered two hundred of our ninjas?"


    "A lot more. I heard rumors saying that he was also the one who killed dozens of our ninjas and defamed our Kazekage a few years ago. I heard he was also the one who sealed our Kazekage, who was being controlled by Orochimaru."


    "Fuck! That many? And he also sealed Lord Fourth? Damn! Does he have a vendetta against us?"


    "Who knows? He is almost as hateful as the cursed White Fang. Many ninjas are now calling him the Sand yer! The ones who came back alive from the attack are terrified at the mere mention of his name. I heard one Chunin even passed out and wet his pants!"


    "Holy crap! What sort of demon is he?"


    "Shit! Calling him Sand yer is correct. I hope he never visits this vige."


    Everyone around him nodded promptly. While they weren''t ninjas, none of them wanted to see Sunagakure fall. Simr discussions were happening throughout Sunagakure, giving Fujin a new moniker, The Sand yer. Ironically, the number of Sunagakure ninjas Fujin ughtered was nowhere near the number of Kumogakure ninjas he killed.


    Unlike the civilians, who cheerfully indulged in gossip, most of the ninjas were tense. They realized that there was a high chance that they would have to go to war. Hearing the rumors about Fujin, fear gripped most hearts.


    One of those ninjas frowned while roaming the streets and hearing the rumors. He thought, ''Bullshit! Those council members were definitely supporting the attack. The ninjas had been training for nearly half a year to prepare for an assault. There''s no way Rasa was controlled by Orochimaru for all this time.''


    This person wore Sunagakure''s headband and Chunin vest but was actually a Konoha spy. He decided, ''I need to report this to the vige. They have finally rxed the security around the vige since most forces are preparing for the defense. I''ll also mention the rumors as it seems like Sunagakure doesn''t want a war right now. They are very weak after the death of Rasa and all those elites.'' n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    [A/N: Next chapter in 6-8 hours.]


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 Chapter 800: Shikaku makes a move!

    Just like in Sunagakure, the council met in Konoha. In the absence of Hiruzen and his sessor, the head seat was left empty. Fujin''s seat was also empty, as were the seats of the civilian council members.


    Koharu started the meeting by asking, "Did Suna receive the message?"


    Shikaku nodded, "They should have received it by now. Their reply shoulde in a few hours. There isn''t much suspense as to what it''d be."


    Everyone agreed. Under the current circumstances, there was no way Sunagakure would refuse to talk. Senju Hiromasa asked, "Shikaku, were you the one who started the discussion currently happening throughout the vige?"


    Shikaku answered, "Yes, though it wasn''t my decision entirely. Lord Third had asked me to do it before the attack."


    Hiromasa replied, "Thought so, this feels like his work. Spread it outside of the vige as well, especially in the Land of Wind. Though it won''t have a direct impact on Sunagakure''s council, it''ll reinforce the fear in the hearts of their ninjas. Though intangible, it''ll increase the pressure on their council, which would help us during the negotiation."


    Shikaku smirked and said, "Don''t worry, it is already set in motion."


    Hiromasa chuckled and replied, "I should have expected that."


    He turned his gaze towards others and said, "Now then, it''s time to discuss whom to send to negotiate with Sunagakure. Have you thought about it as well, Shikaku?" Shikaku nodded, "Yes. As the two most experienced ninjas as well as the ones who have dealt with such matters the most, I believe Elder Homura and Elder Koharu would be the optimal candidates to lead our team. In addition, we''ll also need to send a few n Leaders. Any of you want to volunteer?"


    He turned his gaze to his fellow n Leaders. Tsume was the first one to speak up, "I''ll go. I want to see what those geniuses were thinking to attack us."


    Inoichi said, "Well, I doubt they''d risk sending anyone important due to my n''s abilities. So, chewing them won''t get us any useful intel, though I suppose it''ll be great for applying more pressure. I''ll go too to add to the pressure."


    Hiromasa said, "I''ll go as well. It''s been a long time since I left the vige. I want to see what this generation of Sunagakure''s leaders are like."


    Shikaku said, "Alright, that should be plenty. Fujin will join the negotiating team as well. You can meet him directly at the Fire Capital. I have already exined to him his role. It''ll be simr to what he did against Kusagakure, except he won''t be leading the team."


    Tsume suddenly sighed and asked, "Are you trying to give away my job, Shikaku? How am I supposed to chew them off if he scares them?"


    Shikaku chuckled and said, "It''ll be good to have a partner in crime once. Be careful though, his threats generally cross several lines at the same time. I''m sure Elder Homura can attest to that."


    Everyone nced at Homura, who immediately recalled the nightmarish moment he experienced in Kusagakure. His expression alone was enough to make the council wary of Fujin. Thankfully, there wouldn''t be any direct danger this time. Shikaku added, "I have asked him to rein himself in, but I''m not sure how much he''ll follow. However, he usually has a positive impact on the vige at the end of the day. So, he shouldn''t be too much of a problem."


    Everyone nodded, not thinking too much about it. Unknown to them, Shikaku sighed internally, ''Finally, someone else will have to endure that troublesome kid. Even though he was the one who conducted the operation in the Land of Rice, I was the one who spent several sleepless nights to ensure that nothing went wrong. Even if he does something crazy in the Fire Capital, I''ll push the responsibility and work on the Elders. Let them deal with his crazy ideas for once. If they do a good enough job, I''ll let them deal with his future shenanigans too.''


    For the first time since the meeting began, Hiashi asked, "Have you decided how to approach the negotiations? Fujin''s recent expedition to the Land of Rice should have increased the pressure on Sunagakure''s council. So, drawing out the negotiations would be a good way to make them buckle under pressure.


    However, there is a hidden risk. As good as the move to eliminate Otogakure was, it was also a huge p to the Tsuchikage''s face. In addition, Kumogakure has been very unstable for some reason. The Raikage might look for a war to divert the focus of their public. There is a possibility of a three-way alliance between Sunagakure, Iwagakure and Kumogakure if we stall too long."


    Hisashi pointed out the worst-case scenario for Konoha. He wasn''t incorrect. With Konoha winning three wars in a very short time, the pressure on other viges would increase. It could force them together. Of course, all three viges had a lot of hatred between them, making any alliance between them brittle. However, the risk to Konoha was real.


    Considering that the main reason they weren''t attacking Sunagakure was to avoid a three-front war, the negotiations would be pointless if they were to result in the same. Shikaku replied, "Yes, I have already calcted. From my analysis, the three viges should be contacting each other right now.


    However, a proper alliance is unlikely at this moment. Neither Sunagakure nor Kumogakure are in a position to start a new war. And, Iwagakure wouldn''t lead the war. So, the only danger is if Kumogakureunches a suicidal attack. Fortunately, that is very unlikely unless something else changes.


    So, we have time to stretch the negotiations. Preferably, we could extend it to 3-5 rounds in the span of 2-3 weeks. Any longer, it''ll be disadvantageous for us. I''ll keep an eye on the movements of other viges and keep the negotiating team informed."  ??????¨§?


    Homura and Koharu nodded. The council began finalizing their demands for the first round. Needless to say, at the start of negotiations, quite a few of their demands would be rather unreasonable, so Konoha would have some space to negotiate.


    ¡ª¡ª


    While the council discussed the demands, the people in Konoha were discussing some matters as well. In a bar, a group of ninjas were enjoying themselves when one of them said, "Did you hear? Councilman Fujin led an army to the Land of Rice and annihted Otogakure!"


    "Ha, who hasn''t heard of that? I heard from my n leader that he eliminated over 700 Otogakure ninjas! Orochimaru''s forces are finished!"


    "Yeah, I heard even Orochimaru tucked his tail between his legs and ran away when Councilman Fujin reached his base. Order should be restored soon in the Land of Rice and we''ll likely get all the missions from that country. Hehe, Councilman Fujin surely is great."


    The groupughed, realizing that plenty of high-ie missions would soon be avable to them.


    One of them said, "I used to think the rumors about him were exaggerated. Now, it seems like even they didn''t do him justice. Councilman Fujin is insanely good. No one even knew that he made a move against Otogakure until it was over. His moniker is truly appropriate. A swordsman who appears and disappears like a ghost. Whoever called him ''The Spectral Swordsman'' did a very good job."


    The Nara ninja in the group shook his head and said, "While the name is good, we can''t use it. Besides, why should we use the name our enemies gave him?"


    Everyone looked at the Nara ninja as he continued, "When Orochimaru interfered in the second round of the Chunin Exam, Councilman Fujin faced him alone and forced him to retreat.


    When the vige was attacked by thebined forces of Sunagakure and Otogakure, Councilman Fujin stepped up and annihted 3 divisions before they understood what was happening. He also stopped the Edo Tensei summons and sealed all of them. He even stopped the legendary White Fang and protected us.


    And, he also led our forces to swiftly take revenge for the injuries Orochimaru inflicted on Lord Third. No matter who our enemies are or what the situation is, Councilman Fujin strikes them down. He is the sword that strikes fear in our enemies. We should call him Konoha''s Sword instead! Only such a title could do justice to what he has done for our vige!"


    The ninjas around him were moved by his passionate speech and immediately agreed. The ones around them heard the passionate speech too and soon the entire bar cheered to Konoha''s Sword.


    Simr discussions were happening throughout the vige due to Shikaku''s moves. By the end of the day, everyone had heard the title and referred to Fujin by it. It would soon spread throughout the Land of Fire and the ninja world.


    Fujin, who reached close to the Fire Capital with his army, waspletely unaware of the two new monikers he gained. Only time would tell how he''ll react to this move made by Hiruzen and Shikaku.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


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 Chapter 801: Explode on Sight!

    Two individuals exited the Sunagakure Council Room while deep in thought. As they walked, one of them sighed and muttered, "To approach the Wind Daimyo at this time. Sigh, will it work? It''s no secret that the Daimyo doesn''t like Sunagakure and prefers good rtions with Konoha instead."


    Thedy next to him replied, "He may prefer Konoha, but he is the Daimyo of the Land of Wind. He wouldn''t like to see his country being invaded by Konoha. He''ll be even more desperate than us for peace. So, we don''t need to worry about whose side he''ll be on, Yura.


    Of course, that isn''t entirely good news as he may try to force us to ept some unfavorable terms. However, anything is better than an all-out war against Konoha at this point."


    Yura replied, "That is exactly what I''m worried about, Arisa. Our economy is already in bad shape due to his preferences. It''ll be even worse if more restrictions are imposed upon us.


    Anyway, I suppose the council already considered these aspects before making the decision. We can only hope that we apply enough pressure on Konoha to stop them from making another audacious move. We need to prepare for the negotiations."


    Arisa nodded. She and Yura were the two new members of the Sunagakure Council. Tenma Arima was from a civilian background but had considerable influence due to being a Strategist and an Elite Jounin. Yura had a significant influence among the Sunagakure ninjas too. Unfortunately for Sunagakure, he was Sasori''s spy.


    Within minutes of the end of the Sunagakure Council Meeting, two squads left their vige and traveled at high speed. One squad was headed to Iwagakure, while the other was headed to Kumogakure.


    At the same time, a news spread throughout Sunagakure which brought relief to most of their ninjas.


    "Thank god! I was so worried!" "Yeah, me too! I''m so d the Council made this decision. My wife and kids were so worried for me!"


    "Yeah, we don''t have to fight that monster! We can flee as soon as we see him even if we are at war!"


    Realizing the fear of Fujin that had prated into the bones of the Sunagakure ninjas, the Council finally issued a flee-on-sight warning for Fujin, just like Iwagakure did a long time ago. It restored the morale of their ninjas to an extent.


    However, there were a few hundred ninjas who weren''t relieved. Instead, they became even more worried.


    "Shit! Does this mean that we will go to war with Konoha?"


    "Fuck! What use is the ''Flee on sight'' order? How the fuck are we supposed to run from that demon?"


    "Exactly! That monster ughtered two hundred of ourrades in the blink of an eye. Poor guys didn''t even know what hit them!"


    "What the hell is the council thinking? They should avoid war at all costs. This was a short conflict. If we start an official war, he''ll make White Fang look like a saint! I don''t even want to imagine him hunting our forces for several weeks, let alone several months!"


    Needless to say, the council was well aware of this when Baki spoke up. Unfortunately, they were out of options. They could only be thankful for the fact that they had dispatched nearly 3,000 ninjas before Baki''s group returned to Sunagakure and spread Fujin''s infamy. As such, they were unaffected and still in good morale.


    ¡ª¡ª


    A simr order was passed by Ay in Kumogakure. However, their ninjas had a very different reaction. Instead of relief, most ninjas had solemn expressions. Ay''s orders were very different from Sunagakure''s Council.


    Mabui sighed and thought, ''To send such an order in such tumultuous times¡­ Raikage-sama''s reputation will drop even more. Unfortunately, there was no choice. Trouble doesn''t seem to stop. If we dy, who knows how many more ninjas would go missing!''


    Instead of fleeing from Fujin, Ay ordered his ninjas to attack Fujin and blow themselves up as soon as they encountered him if Fujin or his subordinates showed any signs of hostility.


    Of course, such a drastic order resulted in an immediate bacsh and opposition from the council. The Raikage and his close aides braced for another political shitstorm. At the same time, he dispatched one squad to get in touch with Iwagakure.


    ¡ª¡ª


    A kilometer away from the Fire Capital, the three divisions met once again. Fujin let the army set up camps and rest. After all, they had been very active for over a week without much rest. In addition, Fujin needed them to be ready for the future.


    The leaders of the army met in the main tent. Fujin nced around and said, "It''s good to see everyone here is safe and sound. How did the war go?"


    Hoka sighed and said, "It was going well initially, but we fell into a trap. Though their forces were far weaker, we lost several ninjas due to their momentum. 26 ninjas in my division lost their lives. Another 84 ninjas were seriously injured, but their lives aren''t in danger anymore. They should make a full recovery soon. We sent them to Konoha on our way. Nearly 700 other ninjas took some injuries due to their suicidal assault, but most have been healed so far. The rest should be healed in a few days."


    Illumi added, "Since Hoka''s division was attacked first, we didn''tpletely fall into their trap. So, our losses were lower. Still, we lost 11 ninjas and another 46 were seriously injured. Luckily, they''ll make a full recovery too."


    Fujin replied, "Kagero was a very experienced and shrewdmander. So, this isn''t surprising. Had his forces been stronger, I would have been forced to shelve my ns for Otogakure. Regardless, I hope the two of you gained valuable experience."


    Hoka and Illumi nodded. Fujin sighed and muttered, "That''s good. Life must go on, but it''s a shame that 40 of our ninjas died."


    The tent stayed silent for a few moments. Hoka, Renjiro and Illumi realized, ''So, he only lost 3 ninjas in the campaign against Otogakure?''


    Fujin continued, "Anyway, considering the dead and the wounded, our army has lost 170 ninjas. We still have nearly 2900 ninjas and can act if need be."


    Hoka asked, "Who will we make a move against next?"


    Fujin answered, "The negotiation team will soon begin talks with Sunagakure in the Fire Capital. I''ll be joining them too. What we do next will depend on how the talks go. If they go well, the army will likely be recalled or transformed into patrol units to maintain order in the Land of Fire. If they don''t¡­"


    Everyone became serious as Fujin paused. He looked at everyone and continued authoritatively, "If they don''t, we''ll act as the Vanguard and begin our assault on the Land of Wind."


    Fujin''s statement was like a bomb dropped in the main tent. Even Renjiro didn''t expect that Konoha would actually attack Sunagakure. He thought, ''Is the council serious about attacking? What changed? From the talks I had with the n leader, it felt like the council had no interest in continuing the war.''


    Renjiro''s thoughts were urate. Fujin didn''t have any official orders to attack Sunagakure. In fact, he wasn''t even asked to prepare for an invasion. It was just Fujin taking the initiative to prepare. And, it had something to do with the role he was supposed to y in the negotiations.


    Konomi asked gravely, "Would we really invade one of the Great Viges?"


    Fujin answered, "It is unlikely. The council is opposed to war, especially considering that the Fifth Hokage has yet to take power officially. Whether it is Lord Jiraiya or Lady Tsunade who takes charge, neither supports unnecessary wars. In addition, I doubt Sunagakure wants a war right now. However, there is no reason for us to not prepare for the worst-case scenario.


    So, prepare the army assuming you''ll receive orders to march out at any moment. No need to train right now, just let them get sufficient rest and ensure that even the minor injuries are healed."


    The three generals nodded. Renjiro asked, "Will you leave for the Fire Capital right away?"


    Fujin shook his head and answered, "No, our team will arrive tomorrow morning. I''ll rest with the army and join them tomorrow."


    Renjiro smiled and thought, ''Not bad. Being with the army for as long as he can is a good way for anymander to increase their morale.''


    The group discussed some more important topics before being dismissed. Fujin spent the remaining day catching up with Hoka and Renjiro while interacting with the army following Renjiro''s suggestions.


    In the night, Fujin stayed up in his tent while writing a report on a scroll. The report looked strange and unreadable because it was encoded in a cipher. Very few ninjas knew how to decode this cipher, as its secrets were taught only to a handful of elites in Konoha.


    Fujin went through his reports once while thinking, ''Shikaku won''te to the negotiations. A bummer, it could have been fun to negotiate alongside him. Oh well, since he''s beingzy again, I need to be a responsible Konoha ninja and give him a few sleepless nights. After all, our Jounin Commander and best strategist has to be in top shape all the time!''


    Without wasting any time, Fujin dispatched a messenger bird to Konoha before sleeping soundly.


    [A/N: Not sure if I can do a double today. Check in like 4-6 hours. If no update, I''ll try to do a double tomorrow.]


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


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 Chapter 802: Hiruzens Substitutes?

    "Another tiresome day¡­" Shikaku sighed as he let out a yawn. His wife looked at him and chuckled, "Your work won''t decrease just because you sigh andin. In fact, it always has the opposite impact."


    Shikaku tiredly replied, "It''s all that brat''s fault. Until Lord Jiraiya brings back Lady Tsunade, I''ll have to suffer irrespective of how much I sigh¡­"


    Hisziness soured his wife''s mood and she immediately scolded, "You should show more enthusiasm. Yourziness has been influencing Shikamaru. He is already showing signs of the sameziness as you andins about everything!"


    Shikaku knew very well that anything he said would only make his wife more upset. As such, he just listened to her nagging before falling onto his bed. Within moments, he fell asleep. While he alwaysined, he had really been working a lot as he was handling the Hokage''s duties along with his duties at the same time!


    Unfortunately, merely a minute after he fell asleep, his eyes opened up as their bell rang. Shikaku immediately became serious and got up. He quickly moved to the door while thinking, ''To contact me at this hour, did something happen? However, what can be so important? Our armies are back in our territories and the negotiation team shouldn''t have reached yet.''


    Shikaku''s mind immediately analyzed a few dozen scenarios before opening the door. An Anbu ninja handed him a scroll and reported, "We just received an extremely important message from Suzuki Fujin. He added a small note to hand the scroll to you directly and immediately."


    Shikaku epted the scroll and said, "Alright, I''ll look into it."


    The Anbu ninja flickered away while Shikaku entered his house again. He opened the scroll andid his eyes on the contents inside. As soon as he did, his eyes twitched as he wondered, ''Did he have to use this cipher or did he do it just to increase my workload? The cipher team can''t decode this message. I''ll have to do it all by myself¡­ Sigh, I hope this message is actually important and solves some of my troubles instead of increasing them.''


    Though unwilling, Shikaku spent half an hour decoding the message before reading the entire scroll. His eyes widened as he thought, ''This¡­ Shit! I told him to decrease my workload, not increase it! Why did he order the death of over 200 Kumogakure ninjas? And what does he mean by doing it silently? It may not have been obvious thest time, but it is very obvious this time. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//omBesides, just because they couldn''t react thest time doesn''t mean that we can keep poking them. At some point, they''ll explode in our faces even if it hurts them! I''ll have to now calcte how they''ll react and if we need to prepare for any attacks from them as well!''


    Shikaku wanted to cry. He had just pawned off the work of negotiations on the Elders and hoped to have a few easy days atst. If Tsunade returned to the vige in those days, he''d be free again. Unfortunately, Fujin denied him that luxury by needlessly antagonizing Kumogakure again! Even if Tsunade returned, Shikaku would have to pay attention to Kumogakure''s movements.


    ¡ª¡ª


    Unlike Shikaku, who had a sleepless night, Fujin slept soundly. By the time he woke up, Konoha''s negotiation team had already arrived in the camp. Fujin freshened up before walking into the main tent, where the elders, n leaders and the leaders of the army had already gathered.


    Fujin yawned and muttered, "You guys are up awfully early."


    Fujin''sment earned an irritated look from the ones present. The negotiation team had arrived even before the Sun rose. They wanted to discuss some matters before heading to the Fire Capital. However, Fujin instructed his guards to not disturb him unless an enemy attacked.


    While the Elders and the n leaders were very respected, their charisma fell quite short of Fujin at the moment, especially among the ninjas Fujin led to two quick victories. The fact that Orochimaru ran away without even facing Fujin improved his image in their hearts even more. Considering that Orochimaru was one of the Sannins, many rated him even above them! As such, no one was allowed to disturb him.


    Koharumented snarkily, "Not all of us can afford to sleep as long as we want."


    Fujin took his seat andzily replied, "Maybe if you chase the snake around for a week, perhaps you might be forced to."


    Fujin''sment left Koharu speechless instantly. She didn''t think Fujin would retort in this manner. Homura''s left eye twitched as he thought, ''His tongue has gotten even sharper¡­ Sigh, I hope Shikaku talked some sense into this boy. Otherwise, it is very likely that he''ll start a war between the two viges single-handedly.''


    Hiromasa smirked and thought, ''As sharp as ever. Still, this isn''t the first time he retorted this sharply to the Elders. Does he have some animosity towards them? It can''t be just because they sided with Danzo. After all, he has a decent rtionship with Homura¡­''


    Inoichi and Tsume watched the interaction with amusement as well while Hoka, Konomi and Illumi were shocked. None of them expected Fujin to talk back to one of the elders in such a manner. After all, Koharu''sment, though uncalled for, wasn''t particrly harsh considering that Fujin made them wait for over 3 hours.


    Fujin ignored everyone''s reactions and asked, "Anyway, why did you call me here? Sunagakure''s negotiation team should be at least 3 days away, assuming they dispatched them by now."


    Homura answered, "That is true, but we need to prepare so that we are on the same page during the negotiations."


    Fujin nodded and said, "Yeah, Shikaku-san informed me. Let''s go with the same tactic we used against Kusa¡­"


    Homura coughed loudly to interrupt Fujin. He immediately said, "No, we can''t treat Sunagakure as Kusagakure. The two viges are very different. So are the issues we are negotiating."


    Koharu added, "Kusagakure is just a minor vige that specializes in diplomacy. Sunagakure, even though weakened, is still a great vige. Thoug¡­"


    Fujin cut her off and said, "Their Kage is dead, their Jinchuriki is unstable and still a kid and their only rank S ninja is even older than you two. The only two factors that differentiate them are theirrger forces and a formidable terrain, both of which could be dealt with in several ways. So, there isn''t much of a need to treat them differently.


    While the situation is indeed different, it is even more favorable for us. They''re the ones who attacked us and lost embarrassingly. It gives us so many more avenues of applying pressure on them."


    An awkward silence appeared in the room. Renjiro''s eyes twitched as he thought, ''I had this feeling yesterday. There is no doubt about it! He wants to carry out a few strikes on Sunagakure as well!''


    At the same time, Hoka thought, ''Even though they were the ones who attacked us, I can''t help but feel bad for them now. Poor fellows. I guess this is karma.''


    Konomi, who had seen how Fujin operated first-hand, wondered, ''Does he n on disarming Sunagakure''s traps and eliminating their ambush squads one by one like how we did in the Land of Rice? A couple of weeks ago, I would have dismissed that idea as crazy. However, after what I have seen...''


    Of course, the ones on the council wouldn''t agree to Fujin''s words. Hiromasa finally intervened, "Fujin, while your statements are logical, you''re missing one aspect. That is pride.


    Kusagakure is a minor vige that specializes in diplomacy. Compromising isn''t humiliating for them. However, Sunagakure has the pride of a great vige. If we humiliate them too much, they''ll refuse and go to war even at the risk of annihtion.


    Even though we are in good shape right now, an all-out war against a great vige is not something Konoha can afford to do. Anything short of a decisive victory like you had against Otogakure will be an open invitation for Kumogakure and Iwagakure to attack us. In fact, we believe they may already be in talks. So, let''s calm down and discuss."


    A smile appeared on his face as he added, "Besides, even though our approach should be cordial, our demands will be very strict. So, rx and let''s continue the discussion."


    Since Fujin had good rtions with the Senju n, Fujin didn''t reply aggressively. Besides, while his ideas were good, Fujin didn''t particrly care whether Konoha went to war with Sunagakure or not. He just wanted to mess with the two Elders since Hiruzen was out ofmission and couldn''t be bothered.


    Fujin replied, "Alright."


    With Hiromasa ying the mediator, the tensions calmed down and the group finally started discussing their negotiation strategy.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


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 Chapter 803: A warm and not-so-warm Welcome!

    "Deidara died on your watch?" Nagato asked emotionlessly. However, Obito could feel a sense of disdain directed at him in Nagato''s voice. The image of ''Uchiha Madara'' he created in Nagato''s and Konan''s minds long ago was slightly shaken. After all, if Madara couldn''t stop a teenager, was there any reason to treat him like he was in his prime?


    Obito understood it. Unfortunately, there wasn''t much he could do considering that something else had happened during the battle which was far more humiliating than Deidara''s death. He ignored their hidden disdain and replied, "Deidara may have betrayed Akatsuki. Or rather, he had some dealings with Fujin. It was why I didn''t save him. Fujin turned on him to ensure that we didn''t get any information."


    Nagato and Konan were surprised by the revtion but didn''t care much. After all, Deidara''s death didn''t affect Akatsuki much and Akatsuki was already dealing with another traitor. Obito continued, "As for Suzuki Fujin, he is a rather odd young man. Don''t underestimate him if you face him in battle. Zetsu will inform you about his abilities."


    Obito was about to leave when Nagato said, "Sasori is without a partner once again. We''ll have to find a recement for Deidara."


    Obito nodded before disappearing into his dimension. Konan muttered, "To think the mighty Uchiha Madara failed to protect a rank S ninja from a young Shinobi¡­ I knew he had lost his strength, but I didn''t think he''d deteriorate to this condition."


    Nagato replied, "Even so, his ability can''t be underestimated."


    Konan nodded. She had no intention of taking him lightly. While they were allies, she was extremely suspicious of him and was preparing a n in case he ever targeted Nagato.


    [A/N: Ideas for a new partner for Sasori are weed. Exceptions: Tobi, Fourth Mizukage.]


    ¡ª¡ª"I didn''t expect that boy would force you to use Izanagi." ck Zetsu muttered in an underground base when he noticed a crack in the space. Obito appeared in the room while taking his mask off. A couple of cuts were visible on his face and the side of his head. In addition, his left eye had gone blind!


    Obito said, "Yes, thankfully Sasori doesn''t know about this jutsu and thinks it was some sort of Genjutsu. Otherwise, my image would have been hurt even more."


    White Zetsu said, "Suzuki Fujin is dangerous. This is the second time he killed an Akatsuki member. If you hadn''t shown up, Sasori might have been killed as well. I''m afraid Kakuzu''s team wouldn''t stand a chance against him either. Unless Pain or you move, only Itachi and Kisame could win, assuming he doesn''t convince Kisame that Itachi is a spy."


    Obito agreed. Fujin''s abilities were already quite strong. In addition, he was also excellent at scheming. Together, these two aspects made him extremely dangerous.


    He thought for a bit and said, "In the next gathering, inform everyone about Fujin''s abilities and the threat he possesses. I doubt they''ll take the warning too seriously, but they''ll at least be prepared. Inform me if any other team ends up confronting him. I''m interested in seeing how many more hidden cards he has in his arsenal."


    White Zetsu replied, "I will."


    Obito walked into another room while saying, "Also, keep an eye on Nagato. I doubt he''d betray me, but it''s better to be careful than be caught off guard."


    Obito focused on healing himself and recing his left eye with another three-tomoe sharingan.


    ¡ª¡ª


    Afterpleting their discussions, Fujin left the army in Renjiro''s care and moved to the Fire Capital along with the negotiation team. As heid his eyes on the grand city, he raised an eyebrow and muttered, "That''s strange. Is there some sort of celebration or a wee party?"


    Hiromasa chuckled and said, "Thetter. They do this once in a while when important people from Konoha show up. Considering our recent victories, they also have a reason to celebrate. What better time to do that than now, when 6 of Konoha''s council members are arriving."


    He turned his gaze towards Fujin and said, "You yed a huge role in all three of our victories. The news has already spread throughout the country and people have heard the stories of your strength, courage and valor. They would want to see you in person."


    Fujin nced at the entrance of the city. He could see that both sides of the road were jam-packed bymon people. He sighed internally, ''As a ninja, fame is not exactly good. On the contrary, it is quite detrimental as no one would underestimate you anymore and your enemies would conduct extensive research on your abilities¡­


    Unfortunately, I don''t think I can keep hiding in the shadows anymore. My movements in thest month and a half have been too spectacr. And, unlike my previous actions, they were all conducted in the daylight. Luckily, I still have a good number of my abilities hidden alongside a couple of identities that could still be underestimated by others.''


    As soon as the group stepped into the city, their eyesnded on the Fire Daimyo, who was present with several other nobles and officials to wee Konoha''s group. Fujin thought, ''Now that''s a rare sight. The Daimyo of the five great nations rarely engage in such disys. Even though they don''t hold much power, they still have to keep up appearances. I suppose this just shows how important the talks with Sunagakure will be.''


    Homura and Koharu stepped ahead to meet the Daimyo. With a smile on his face, Homura said, "Daimyo-sama, I didn''t expect to see you here."


    The Fire Daimyoughed cordially and said, "How could I not when you two areing here? Wee to my humble city. It''s good to see you two again."


    The three elder people interacted like they hadn''t met for years, even though Fire Daimyo had been in Konoha just a week ago. While they chatted, the spectators were looking at the Konoha ninjas, with over 90% of them staring at Fujin. While the crowd maintained silence to show respect to the Daimyo, a few murmurs were heard.


    "Who among them is Konoha''s Sword?"


    "Of course, it''s him! He is the only young one here."


    "Gosh! He''s so young!"


    "So, he''s Konoha''s Sword! It''s so cool to see him!"


    While the murmurs were soft, Fujin''s ears picked it up. He wondered in confusion, ''Konoha''s sword? What in the¡­???''


    Suddenly, the Fire Daimyo turned his head towards Fujin and said, "It''s good to see Konoha''s Sword too. Everyone here has been waiting to see the young hero. Even my grandkids pestered me all day, hahaha."


    Fujin''s left eye involuntarily twitched as he wondered, ''So they were indeed referring to me¡­ Which asshole gave me such a lousy title?''


    Before Fujin could say anything, Hiromasaughed, patted Fujin''s back and said, "I forgot to mention it earlier. In light of your recent achievements, everyone in Konoha has been referring to you by that title. The name caught on very quickly."


    The Daimyo smiled and said, "Oh, I didn''t know you were unaware. I''m d that you heard it from me then. It''s good to see you again too, Hiromasa."


    The group interacted for a few minutes before taking the main road to Daimyo''s pce, while being cheered by thousands of people. Fujin didn''t pay much attention to the proceedings and instead wondered, ''How did I get such a title? And, how did it spread so quickly?''


    He thought for a bit before concluding, ''A title generally spreads as a result of an incident, several incidents or a feature of that ninja. My previous title spread purely due to my actions. As I continued assassinating, the title caught on very quickly. I guess I also got credit for some of the kills that weren''t done by me.


    However, Konoha''s Sword¡­ This title is a little weird. Instead of describing me, it''s a title that''ll boost the morale of Konoha ninjas. There''s no way an enemy would give me this title¡­ It''s definitely Shikaku''s¡­ No, he''s toozy to take the initiative to do something like this. It must be that old fox! Sigh, why is he messing with me while in aa? Is he really in aa or just pretending to be to avoid paperwork and force either of his students to finally ept his seat?''


    Fujin couldn''t help but sigh. While he didn''t care what moniker he was referred to with, he had one smallint, ''Why is my new titlemer than my old one? Couldn''t they think of something better than Spectral Swordsman? Sigh, I need to prepare a recovery gift for Hiruzen for when he finally wakes up.'' N?v(el)B\\jnn


    After a meeting in his pce, the Daimyo got Konoha''s group settled in the best hotel in the Fire Capital. Five dayster, Sunagakure''s negotiation team arrived. Even though they received a wee, it wasn''t exactly warm. Even experienced leaders like Yura and Arisa became nervous, let alone the weaker ninjas following them.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


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 Chapter 804: Nerves, Danger, Bait!

    Before Sunagakure''s negotiation team entered the fire capital, they were greeted with apletely unexpected sight. Though the path to the city was open, thousands of ninjas surrounded the path.


    While they weren''t as visible as the civilians in Fire Capital, they didn''t bother hiding their presence. As such, experienced ninjas like Yura and Arisa and sensors could feel the vast amount of ninjas in the trees around the paths.


    Even the ones who couldn''t sense them were unnerved as they felt the gazes of hundreds of bloodthirsty ninjas lock on to them! After all, though Konoha didn''t suffer much due to their attack, over a hundred people died and thousands were injured. As such, most Konoha ninjas had a friend or a rtive who was injured in the attack.


    Fearing the worst, a few Suna ninjas gulped nervously, ''Don''t tell me Konoha ns to eliminate all of us as revenge for our attack¡­''


    Luckily, Arisa spoke softly but firmly, "Get a hold of yourself. Don''t forget that we are representing our vige. Stop standing still like bloody fools and follow us."


    Led by Arisa and Yura''s brave march, the others in the negotiation team found courage and followed their two new Council Members. Either that, or they were afraid of being left behind. Until the moment they set foot in Fire Capital, the entire group was watched like hawks by the Konoha ninjas!


    The members of the negotiation team let out a sigh of relief. They were finally out of danger, or so they thought. Just like Konoha''s team, Suna''s team was weed as well. However, there were some differences. Instead of the Fire Daimyo and dozens of nobles and officials weing them, they were greeted by a single noble who was in the Fire Daimyo''s bad graces. In addition, there was no audience to cheer them.


    The noble weed them and led them to Daimyo''s pce. However, they were stared at hatefully once again, this time by ordinary citizens of Fire Capital who spotted them. Their looks conveyed the Land of Fire''s disappointment, disgust, anger, and myriad other emotions due to Sunagakure''s actions. The peace they enjoyed was nearly destroyed due to Sunagakure''s folly.


    Yura sighed internally, ''This must be Konoha''s y to put us on the back foot. We should have traveled here with the Wind Daimyo¡­'' Suddenly, he had a realization. He thought, ''Wait! Don''t tell me this is why the Wind Daimyo refused to travel with us and left before we did. The Fire Daimyo must have conveyed him a message because Konoha couldn''t do this had he been with us.''


    Yura''s mood became heavy. Arisa had the same realization. They finally realized how stacked the odds were against them! Inplete silence, the Sunagakure group traveled to the Daimyo''s pce. They hadn''t even entered it when they saw another scary sight.


    As unnerving as the gazes of thousands of Konoha ninjas were, this sight was downright horrifying! From the corner of their eyes, they noticed several chefs attending to a young man and serving him the best food Fire Capital could offer. In a Daimyo''s pce, such a sight would be considered ordinary. Unfortunately, there was nothing ordinary about that young man!


    One of the Suna ninjas involuntarily muttered, "Sand yer¡­"


    Others wondered, ''Why is he here? Wasn''t that army enough?''


    A few realized, ''Don''t tell me that is the same army Konoha used to attack Kusagakure rebels and Otogakure! Why did they move to this city? What is Konoha nning?''


    While Fujin couldn''t hear their thoughts, his ears picked up the soft mutters. He thought, ''Sand yer, huh? Sigh, why are my enemies so much better ating up with new monikers for me than my allies who are supposed to be some of the smartest people on this?''


    Fujin let out a sigh, making the chef next to him very worried. He nervously asked, "Is the soup not to your liking?"


    Fujin shook his head and said, "Don''t worry, it''s delicious. Make me a couple more bowls."


    The chef sighed in relief and immediately got to work. Meanwhile, the noble leading the Suna ninjas said, "The Wind Daimyo reached the city yesterday and is waiting inside. He said that he wanted to meet you as soon as you arrive, though it''ll be understandable if you want to rest first."


    Needless to say, while he didn''t like the Suna ninjas, they were ninjas at the end of the day, and very powerful ones whenpared to an average ninja. Even though he was a noble and rted to the Fire Daimyo, he wouldn''t act haughtily in front of Sunagakure ninjas.


    Yura said, "We''ll see Daimyo-sama first."


    While watching Fujin warily, the Suna ninjas entered the pce and followed the noble into a room, where the two Daimyo were talking with Homura and Koharu while their Samurai guards watchfully stood behind them.


    The Fire Daimyo turned his gaze towards the neers and said with a smile, "Wee. It''s good to see you here. I hope your journey went well. Come in and make yourselffortable."


    The Wind Daimyo added, "Congrats on your recent promotions, Yura and Arisa. I have a lot of expectations from you two."


    Arisa replied, "Thank you, Daimyo-sama. We''ll do our best for Sunagakure."


    Yura added, "Our journey went well."


    In his mind, Yura added, ''Except thest few minutes.''


    The Wind Daimyo said, "That''s good. I hope you two can settle the differences between the two viges and we can maintain an alliance once again. While there were several other factors, no new Great War has started ever since our two countries have maintained an alliance. Our citizens and even ninjas would like to see the peace maintained."


    The Wind Daimyo''s tone had be extremely serious. While Sunagakure was damaged the most due to their attack, he would be the biggest loser if the two viges became hostile. So, this matter was very personal to the Wind Daimyo.


    The Suna ninjas realized the same and their moods became solemn. Their Daimyo had already be a liability instead of an asset. Of course, they still had several ns to make use of the Wind Daimyo''s personal interests.


    The Fire Daimyoughed and said, "They''ve just arrived. It wouldn''t be fair to make them negotiate today. Souta will guide you to your staying arrangements. You can let him know if anything isn''t up to your standard."


    After the wee they had received, the Sunagakure ninjas wanted a break to reevaluate the situation and adjust their ns. They had no reason to refuse the offer. Yura immediately nodded, "Thank you, it would be appreciated."


    Under the gaze of the two Daimyo and Konoha elders, the Sunagakure ninjas left the room. As soon as the door shut, the Daimyos'' faces became expressionless. The Fire Daimyo asked, "So, what do you think?"


    Homura answered, "Hmm, I didn''t sense any killing intent. It doesn''t look like they have any ns to make a move against the two of you."


    The Wind Daimyo replied, "Perhaps. Or they could have been intimidated by the two of you."


    Koharu shook her head and said, "No, we would have seen their intentions easily if they had any such ns and dropped them due to our presence. I can say for certain that they didn''t n on eliminating the two of you. Or at least, this group isn''t responsible for or aware of it." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Homura added, "Besides, I doubt the two of us could stop suicidal attacks from over 20 ninjas by ourselves. On the contrary, they would have attempted to drag us along with themselves."


    The Fire Daimyo chuckled and guessed, "Maybe our young hero deterred them outside. We should be thankful that he agreed to stay in the pce and look after us old folks."


    Koharu''s eye twitched as she thought, ''If he had his way, then even the two of us wouldn''t have been in this room. You two would have served as the perfect baits for Suna''s doom!''


    Homura calmly said, "While he definitely would have made an impact on them, it wouldn''t matter. Whoever tries to kill you, will do so without any expectations of making it back alive. As I just said, it would be a suicide mission and Sunagakure would dere them rogue ninjas. So, you can rx."


    The Wind Daimyo breathed a sigh of relief and muttered, "That''s a relief. You have it easier here. Do you know how dangerous my position is in the Land of Wind?"


    The Fire Daimyo was left speechless at how his fellow Daimyoined. He could only say awkwardly, "Well, you''re wee to stay here for as long as you want."


    Without a hint of shame or hesitation, the Wind Daimyo replied, "I''ll take you up on that offer then."


    [A/N: Next chapter in a few hours.]


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 Chapter 805: A New Alliance?

    "Lady Arisa, Lord Yura, I checked the rooms. There aren''t any seals keeping a tab on us." The Sealmaster in Sunagakure''s group reported.


    After leaving the Daimyo''s Pce, they were led to the second-best hotel in Fire Capital and settled there. Needless to say, they wouldn''t blindly trust Konoha''s arrangements and immediately inspected the ce for traps and seals. While Sunagakure didn''t dare to send a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster on this dangerous mission, they could spare a Sealmaster, who did most of the work.


    However, Arisa shook her head and said, "Good work, but it''s hopeless. Ask everyone to act as if we''re being kept watched at all times."


    The Sealmaster frowned and asked, "What do you mean?"


    Realizing she had hurt his pride, Arisa exined, "It''s not your fault. It''s due to the reports we received from Kumogakure. Their Grandmaster failed to detect a trap set for their army and Kumogakure believes that Suzuki Fujin had a hand in that trap."


    Yura added, "We aren''t sure how urate the reports are, but if true, then even our Grandmasters could miss seals nted by Konoha."


    The Sealmaster was shocked. He asked, "Then, what do we do? How can we deal with someone who can fool Grandmasters?"


    Arisa replied, "That''s why I said what I did. Call everyone. We need to have a meeting. Konoha put up an excellent show today. I have to admit, I wouldn''t have thought of so many tactics to apply pressure on our opponent. They have already entered our minds.


    We need to make sure that we don''t get affected by it and negotiate as if we aren''t in any danger. After all, it''s not like we can do anything if they decide to kill us. The Sand yer alone can kill us silently if he wants to. So, we might as well act as if we don''t care about our lives and the danger that may appear. Only then can we get a good deal for our vige!" Realizing the seriousness of the situation, the Sealmaster nodded and immediately left. Sunagakure''s negotiation team began their first meeting in Fire Capital. For obvious reasons, they didn''t discuss or revise their tactics and strategies during this particr mission. Instead, Yura and Arisa focused on the mental state of their subordinates. They worked on removing their fear and nervousness and ensured that they stayed sharp throughout the negotiations.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Raikage-sama, the damage done to our trading routes by the hurricanes is finally fixed. However¡­" Mabui''s expression dulled as she reported, "I''m afraid this will have a major impact on our trade.


    The hurricanes that appeared a month ago had caused extensive damage, much of which is yet to be repaired. It scared all the traders and merchants. The matter of our missing ninjas and Akuro''s attack only amplified that fear. It took a lot of effort to make them start trading in our country again.


    However, these hurricanes will deter them once again. I''m afraid that nearly 80% of our trade will be impacted for a month or two. If such incidents ur again, then it could be even longer."


    Ay''s mood wasn''t good. He was still being harrassed constantly by the families of the ninjas that went ''missing'' in the Land of Rice. His new policy regarding Fujin wasn''t taken well by the ninjas either. The ones who didn''t want to see him in power or curtail his arrogance were also bringing back the issue of the previous missing ninjas and the humiliation inflicted by Akuro. As a result, his time was absolutely miserable.


    Ay muttered, "I didn''t think a few hurricanes would impact us so much. However, there is still the question of why so many strong hurricanes are constantly forming."


    A frown appeared on his face as he said, "I have a nagging suspicion that something about these weather patterns isn''t natural. It''s as if someone is trying to hurt us. Mabui, dispatch a group of meteorologists to the ces where the hurricanes originated. Send a couple of Anbu Squads with each group.


    At the same time, convey to the merchant groups not to trade in the country unless it is essential. Let them know that we are looking into the unpredictable weather. Even though our economy will suffer, it is better to suffer hardship in the short term than lose their trust and suffer in the long run."


    Mabui worriedly replied, "Raikage-sama, you''re already under pressure due to the recent events. If we stop trade at this moment, the pressure will intensify further and it''ll give more ammunition to the ones who find you an eyesore."


    Ay scoffed and said, "Don''t worry. No matter how much they try, they can''t touch my seat. This is just a temporary hurdle. As for the troublemakers, let them scheme as much as they want. Once the matter cools down, I''ll settle everything quickly and efficiently. Just keep track of who is fanning the mes."


    Mabui nodded and was about to leave when an Anbu ninja knocked and entered the room. She reported, "Raikage-sama, a Sunagakure squad has arrived in the vige. They im that they want to discuss some important matters with you."


    Ay replied, "Took them long enough. I''m surprised they waited this long after that disastrous loss."


    Mabui replied, "Perhaps they were apprehensive due to us disregarding their previous invitation."


    Ay snorted and said, "After that disastrous attack, I don''t think so. They likely just assumed that I''d act regardless of whether they contacted me or not. Send them here."


    Unlike the squad Sunagakure sent to Iwagakure, which traveled directly to the hidden vige, the squad dispatched to Kumogakure had to move around the entire Land of Fire to avoid running into the spirited Konoha ninjas and creating more trouble for Sunagakure. Since they moved through the minor viges, which were allied with Konoha, they had to move very carefully. Hence, they needed over 6 days to reach Kumogakure!


    While Ay discussed possible avenues of cooperation with the Sunagakure ninjas and analyzed how reliable Sunagakure could be, Onoki was pondering over his meetings with Sunagakure and Kumogakure squads. Since Iwagakure was the only vige that hadn''t been hit recently, Onoki held the key to any possible alliance between the three Great Viges!


    ¡ª¡ª


    While Sunagakure worked in the background to find amon ground between them, Iwagakure and Kumogakure, their two new Council Members sat in a room along with the 24 members of their negotiation team on one side of arge table.


    Opposite them was the Konoha''s negotiation team, led by the two Elders, Homura and Koharu, three n leaders, Hiromasa, Inoichi and Tsume and Suzuki Fujin, the representative of civilian ninjas in Konoha. Along with them were 18 other members, most of whom had apanied Fujin and Homura to Kusagakure.


    Separating these two groups were the Fire Daimyo and the Wind Daimyo, who sat on opposite ends as well with a couple of trusted Samurais protecting each. The talks here would decide whether Konoha and Sunagakure would mend their ties, or whether the two viges would go to war!


    "Our two viges have been in an alliance since the end of the Third Great Ninja War. During this time, no conflict broke out between us. In addition, our alliance deterred Kumogakure and Iwagakure from starting a new war." Homura started the discussion by emotionlessly putting the facts on the table.


    He continued, "Neither dared to attack you when you were vulnerable after the previous great war due to us. In addition, neither dared to attack us when we were weakened by the Nine Tails'' Assault. In a way, our alliance ensured that the next Great Ninja War didn''t break out and it maintained peace in the ninja world."


    His tone became cold as he stated, "Yet, you broke our alliance. You allied with a traitor and assaulted Konoha. Your actions destabilized the world and nearly pushed us into the next Great Ninja War. More importantly, nearly two hundred of our people died. And, my dear friend and our beloved Hokage was gravely injured."


    Without a shred of mercy or hesitation, Homura asked, "Give me one good reason why Konoha shouldn''t dispatch our armies and wipe out Sunagakure from the face of this world?"


    Just like Hiruzen and Danzo, Homura''s strength had waned with age. Coupled with the fact that he was never as strong as those two, he was no longer considered a great ninja or a major threat. However, the pressure and the killing intent he released this day made all 24 Sunagakure ninjas, other than Yura and Arisa, tremble! Irrespective of whether they were Chunins or Jounins, their expressions became grave and their instincts forced them to raise their guard even though they knew Homura wouldn''t make a move.


    Even Arisa and Yura could feel Homura''s experience in the pressure he was exerting. Even though either could go toe-to-toe with him easily, they were nowhere near in terms of experience.


    The two Daimyos, who had a few ns to act as mediators since neither wanted another war, were dead silent and neither dared to move a muscle. While Homura''s chakra wasn''t directed at them, they were just ordinary people irrespective of their status. The pressure terrified them regardless of who it was directed at! Without a word, both decided to stay quiet throughout the meeting!


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 Chapter 806: Refusal to accept responsibility!

    [A/N: 800th chapter! Just 200 more to go to reach 1,000! Thanks for all your love and support once again guys. Couldn''t have done it without you :)]


    It hadn''t been even a minute since the negotiations began, but the room was already tense. Homura''s disy unnerved most of the Sunagakure ninjas. Suddenly, Yura and Arisa riled their chakra to counter Homura''s pressure.


    Yura asked, "Do you mean other than the fact that you can''t?"


    Arisa asked, "Does Konoha dare to step into the desert? Perhaps you''ve forgotten what happened in the Second Great Ninja War."


    Their chakra brought relief to the other Sunagakure ninjas who were facing the heat. Of course, neither dared to exert pressure on the Konoha side. Both knew very well what the result would be if they tried to do so. Even if Fujin was ignored, Konoha''s side was considerably stronger with as many as 5 ninjas at the Elite Jounin level even though 3 were very old.


    Tsume bared her fangs and asked, "Would you like us to try again?"


    Unlike Homura, she didn''t apply any pressure or direct her killing intent at the Sunagakure ninjas. Instead, she stopped restraining her bloodlust. Even the weaker Konoha ninjas felt nauseated by her disy, let alone the Sunagakure ninjas who knew the bloodlust was meant for them.


    There were two other casualties, who suffered the most and had to fight very hard not to puke due to her horrible aura. While they seeded, they cursed themselves for poking their nose into this matter instead of enjoying theirvish lives.


    ''Cough''Just when the tensions seemed to reach a breaking point, a cough echoed in the room. Apanying the cough were strange winds that eliminated all sorts of auras in the room. Be it Homura, Tsume, Arisa or Yura, everyone''s presence and bloodlust were suppressed. The Konoha ninjas turned their heads while Sunagakure ninjas became even more nervous despite the absence of the bloodlust. In a moment, everyone looked at Fujin.


    Fujin calmly said, "We are here for negotiations. There is no need to dere a war before even discussing the matters civilly."


    His words calmed down the Sunagakure ninjas. However, before they couldpletely rx, Fujin turned his gaze towards them and said, "Besides, if need be, I''ll just pay a visit to Sunagakure. I''m sure you guys wouldn''t mind, would you?"


    A slight smile appeared on Fujin''s lips as he asked the question. Needless to say, every Sunagakure ninja understood the true meaning behind his words. Yura thought, ''While rank S ninjas are a threat and y a significant role in wars, a single ninja can''t affect a huge war without the support of massive armies.


    However, he can''t be treated as an ordinary rank S ninja. Not only does he have techniques that can kill over a hundred ninjas in one go, but he also has a strong flying summon, which would allow him to attack and retreat at will. The only way to stop such a ninja is Fuinjutsu traps, but he is already a Grandmaster in that field too and a rather terrifying one.


    If Konoha wants to cause us pain, then he alone can cause us a lot of harm just like how Iwagakure suffered at the hands of the Fourth Hokage. Other than Sunagakure, there wouldn''t be a single safe space in the Land of Wind. Not to mention, he could even attack Sunagakure and escape if we don''t maintain a barrier around the vige.'' n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Arisa and Yura were made aware of the threat Fujin posed by their council. Since their war ns involved slowing down Konoha armies in the vast deserts, Fujin was a bigger threat than even the Sannins and Hiruzen. So, they had to be very careful with their words.


    The Daimyos were relieved that things finally calmed down. The Fire Daimyo thought, ''I thought the two elders would be the voice of reason while youngsters like Fujin would be passionate about going to war. However, the exact opposite is happening. First refusing the offer to be the Fifth Hokage and now calming both sides, Suzuki Fujin has a lot of potential.''


    At the same time, Hiromasa thought in amusement, ''To make the ones in favor of peace take a hard stand while the ones in favor of war advocate for peace, what a fine strategy you rmended, Shikaku. A unique way to negotiate while ensuring both sides in the vige are happy.


    Of course, there is a hidden danger that one side isn''t satisfied by the effort of the others and changes their stance mid-way. While that can be countered by the other side taking their original stance, such a change should be detrimental to us. However, a change that abrupt and drastic would be incredibly confusing and unnerving for Sunagakure''s team. Ironically, that''ll give us an upper hand instead of putting us on the back foot.


    In all the decades I have been a part of the council, I have never seen such a strange strategy. Of course, the real reason for such a strategy is so that Fujin could make a favorable impression. After all, no one wants a warmonger to be the Hokage. Just like Lord Third, Shikaku also wants to see Fujin be the Hokage in the future. The two are quite considerate about his reputation and image.''


    After calming herself, Arisa smiled and said, "If a distinguished young ninja like you wants to visit our vige, we wouldn''t have any reason to decline. If our youngsters consider you as their role model, no one would be more happy than me. However, you''re correct. Our talks didn''t start perfectly."


    She turned her gaze to Homura and continued, "Considering what happened, I can understand your rage. However, your words were too provoking for us not to reply. Regardless, I apologize for the way we replied.


    You''re correct. This war was a terrible event. However, your anger is misced. While Konoha suffered losses, we weren''t unharmed either. You lost nearly 200 citizens, we lost 625 elite ninjas. Your Hokage is injured, while our Kazekage is dead. No matter how you look at it, we suffered far more!


    If this was due to our folly, then Sunagakure would have been the first one to acknowledge our mistake, offer unconditional apologies to Konoha and ept all your terms to ensure that peace prevailed. However, that isn''t the case.


    We were forced into the war against our will. Despite the opposition of our council and elders, Lord Fourth adamantlyunched an assault on Konoha. He didn''t even give our ninjas any time to prepare and considering our good rtions, most of our ninjas were unwilling to fight.


    Our council vehemently opposed the war, but Lord Fourth shrugged off all our opposition by iming that our vige''s poor financial condition was due to Konoha taking most of our missions. Even though we felt that his behavior was odd, he was our leader. We couldn''t disobey him or his orders."


    Arisa let out a sorrowful sigh as she continued, "Looking back, it is obvious that Lord Fourth was already killed by Orochimaru and Sunagakure fell to Orochimaru''s scheme. He must have used the Edo Tensei jutsu to reanimate and control Lord Fourth and fooled Sunagakure into attacking our ally and putting the vige in danger.


    While we suspected something fishy, we never thought of Konoha''s Edo Tensei jutsu because we believed the reanimated ninjas didn''t retain their strength. Not to mention, the thought that someone killed and reced Lord Fourth so secretly was too outrageous."


    Yura agreed with his fellow council member and added, "So, it''s not just Konoha, but we have been victims as well. If our viges go to war, then we''ll just be falling into Orochimaru''s scheme. Even though you eliminated his pet vige, he''ll still end up winning."


    Needless to say, Sunagakure wouldn''t give up the opportunity Orochimaru provided them to absolve themselves of all responsibilities. While it would ruin Rasa''s reputation, his reputation had already been dragged through the mud.


    It also portrayed Sunagakure''s council as ipetent, but they didn''t mind it. On the contrary, they gave full permission to Yura and Arisa to portray them as ipetent if it could prevent Sunagakure from falling into a war they desperately wanted to avoid.


    In addition, Arisa also mentioned the Wind Daimyo''s tilt towards Konoha harming their economy, a matter they hoped to change while putting Konoha on the back foot at the same time.


    Despite the good argument by the Sunagakure side, there wasn''t any change in the expression on Konoha''s side. Fujin thought, ''As we expected, they chose this option. It was just too convenient not to use it.''


    Koharu coldly replied, "So, not only did you attack us, but you also want not to ept any responsibility for your actions?"


    Yura was about to reply when Homura added, "I have to admit, this was an excellent excuse. If luck was on your side, I would have epted it and convinced myrades to go easy on you. However, you overlooked one important aspect."


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


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 Chapter 807: Heated Negotiations!

    "However, you overlooked one important aspect." The Sunagakure side tensed up as Homura and Koharu refused to ept their argument. Fujin suddenly sighed and muttered, "When I suggested we discuss civilly, I didn''t mean you should lie through your teeth. Are you here to negotiate or did Sunagakure just promote two scapegoats to sacrifice?"


    Yura and Arisa frowned as Fujin nced into their eyes and continued, "I was the one who fought the reanimated Fourth Kazekage. We had a nice little chat before I sealed him. He epted that Sunagakure had allied with Otogakure with the intention of attacking us long before he was killed by Orochimaru. While he was regretful of his decision, it doesn''t absolve Sunagakure from their crimes."


    The Sunagakure ninjas weren''t surprised. On the contrary, they expected Konoha to use this point. Arisa cursed in her mind, ''Talk civilly? Not lying? Asshole, follow what you preach! As if Lord Kazekage would ept that after we were defeated!''


    She quickly replied, "No, that doesn''t sound correct. Lord Fourth would never break his word and renege from our Alliance despite our difficulties. I believe that Orochimaru might have controlled Lord Fourth and made him say those things."


    Fujin immediately replied, "That''s not the case. By then, Orochimaru was defeated by Lord Third and had escaped like the coward he is. Besides, telling whether someone is controlled or not is rather easy to tell. Not to mention, he also gave us some more interesting information.


    Unlike your ims, he said that Sunagakure had been preparing for war for over half a year. Thousands of ninjas were trained extensively to attack us and prepare for the aftermath. Tell me, do you think we''ll believe that he manipted everyone in your viges for over 6 months and yet no one realized?"


    Before the Suna ninjas could reply, Inoichi added, "Don''t bother trying to cover this up. We cross-checked the recent activities in your vige. There is no doubt about this. Your vige was closed off for others for several months preceding the attack. We didn''t bother looking much into it back then since we had no reason to be suspicious, but now it is crystal clear what you were nning."


    The room became silent as the Konoha ninjas stared intensely at the Sunagakure ninjas. It was as if they couldn''t wait tounch a war against Sunagakure. The two Daimyo were nervous. The Fire Daimyo thought, ''This is very different from Konoha''s earlier ways of negotiations. They''ve generally been more forgiving in order to get peace.


    Of course, that might be their intention today too and they may be turning up the heat to get what they truly want. Still, Konoha has be like how they were before the start of the Second Great Ninja War. Their recent victories are no flukes. Their military might has recovered!'' The Wind Daimyo realized the same. As for the Sunagakure ninjas, they were well aware of it. Unlike the two Daimyo, they showed no signs of nervousness.


    Yura calmly replied, "It is true that we closed our vige for special training around 7 months ago. However, the purpose of this training had nothing to do with our attack. It is rted to another incident that made us suffer."


    Some Konoha ninjas as well as the two Daimyo were confused. Arisa exined, "Around 3 years ago, the Land of Wind suffered heavily due to the actions of a certain individual or perhaps a group of individuals. They killed dozens of our ninjas and incited a riot in our western regions. He also injured our Jinchuriki and caused him to lose control, killing more of our ninjas.


    We had to deploy nearly 2000 ninjas in that region for over 2 years to quell the riots and clear the misunderstandings of our citizens. That incident made our council realize that our ninjas werecking in several aspects, due to which the special training was initiated."


    While Arisa spoke, Yura stared at Fujin. He wanted to see how Fujin would react to this news. However, there wasn''t any change in Fujin''s expression. It was almost as if he had nothing to do with the incident. Yura thought, ''Sigh, this is troublesome. Not only is he ridiculously strong, but he is also shameless enough to lie with a straight face and can maintain a perfect poker face. That makes him an even bigger threat¡­''


    Hiromasa suddenly chuckled and asked, "You began the special training more than two years after the incident took ce?"


    Tsume smirked and taunted, "Why didn''t you wait for a couple of centuries? I''m sure that would have given you the best result."


    Yura replied, "It is because we had to keep most of our ninjas deployed due to that incident. We could only start training once we were at peace. You can ask Lord Daimyo. He knows how terrible the circumstances were for us."


    Everyone nced at the Wind Daimyo, who nodded and agreed with what Yura said. Needless to say, that wasn''t a reason for Konoha ninjas to lower the pressure.


    Koharu said, "You couldn''t train the ninjas when they were in the Western regions and only had to watch over civilians? How convenient that the supposed special training began right before you attacked us."


    Arisa replied, "I agree it sounds convenient. Unfortunately, that''s what the reality is. Considering how strong Orochimaru is and how many subordinates he has, perhaps he was the one behind that incident and foresaw the events that would ur to ensure that you would suspect us and dere war on us."


    She paused for a bit before looking at Tsume, "You''re right, Sunagakure is weakened right now. We''re even weaker now than after our loss in the Land of Rivers in the Second Great Ninja War. Perhaps the war in the desert may not go as it did back then. However, if you overlook the actions of your rogue ninja and attack us, Sunagakure will fight to thest ninja. Even if we are wiped out, Konoha would pay a painful price."


    Arisa''s words disyed Sunagakure''s resolve. Just as the elders and n leaders warned Fujin, Sunagakure wasn''t Kusagakure. If forced, they were willing to go to war even at the risk of being annihted.


    Fujin thought, ''Not bad¡­ They came very prepared. No matter what argument we use, they have an exnation for every point we make. They must have been preparing for this ever since their attack failed miserably. So, there is no way to catch them by surprise like I could do in Kusagakure. Threatening with death won''t be useful either since these guys already look prepared to die... Oh well, it''s not like I''m leading the negotiations. Let me see how these old crooks handle it.''


    The Konoha side ignored Arisa''s remark of fighting to thest man. They knew that Sunagakure didn''t want war and only by threatening war could they get a feel of Sunagakure''s limits and get the most for Konoha.


    For several hours, the two sides argued. Konoha tried to pin the me on Sunagakure, but Sunagakure kept diverting the me to Orochimaru. They even med Konoha for not eliminating Orochimaru and letting him be a rogue ninja.


    As such, the room kept heating up and eventually reached a point where Konoha, led by the two elders, were threatening outright war. Meanwhile, the Sunagakure team found themselves between a rock and a hard ce.


    If they continued arguing at the same pace, they may really lead their vige into a devastating war. On the other hand, backing down even slightly would mean that their vige would have to pay a painful price. Yura and Arisa nced at each other, wondering whether they should bet that Konoha wouldn''t want an all-out war or y safe.


    Luckily for them, the Wind Daimyo intervened timely, "If I may¡­"


    The aggressive nces turned towards him, putting him under a lot of pressure. Thankfully, he was used to it. He said, "We seem to be stuck in a deadlock. While there is no doubt that Sunagakure shares the me for assaulting Konoha, you can''t prove that Sunagakure wasn''t manipted by Orochimaru. Of course, they can''t prove that the Fourth Kazekage was manipted by Orochimaru because such a thing is impossible to prove and there is no way they can provide any proof."


    Fujin said, "We can see that. What do you propose?"


    The Wind Daimyo replied, "I don''t want to see the two countries going to war once again. Irrespective of who wins, both sides will suffer. In the end, the only ones who''ll win are our enemies. After our war, Kumogakure mightunch an assault on the Land of Fire while Iwagakure gobbles up what is left of the Land of Wind before turning their gaze to Konoha.


    It would be the start of the Fourth Great Ninja War and we have seen that no one wins such wars. At the end of a Great War, we can only see who is the biggest loser and who lost the least. Hence, I''m proposing apromise so the talks can proceed."


    His words gained the attention of both sides. They paid careful attention to his next words, as they could determine how the talks progressed ahead. Nearly all ninjas on both sides hoped he would provide a wisepromise.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


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